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> This was not a good "training pandemic". Was it not though? I assume you'd want a pandemic deadly enough for that convinces a majority of the populace that i

> This was not a good "training pandemic". Was it not though? I assume you'd want a pandemic deadly enough for that convinces a majority of the populace that it's a serious event (to encourage downstream change to better prepare for a worse pandemic), while at the same time not causing people to drop like flies. As you stated, anything less severe would be taken less seriously. To have something to be taken more serious, it has to be more deadly. Despite the denialism we currently have, it seems to have made the world recognize the importance of preparation.

aidenn0 6y ago
MERS (which didn't reach the US) was probably a better "training pandemic" because of the high rate of symptoms early on in the infection. One could take drastic measures to isolate the infected and prevent many deaths.
- nojokes 6y ago
  I would say that it was not, at least not for US because it did not reach it.
- waterhouse 6y ago
  It didn't cause billions of people to gain experience in stocking up on supplies, learning how to live while locked down and the problems it entails, and wearing masks and taking other precautions. Therefore, it didn't serve as a training pandemic, except maybe for a small group. (It seems it did serve as training for vaccine developers, at least.)
adewinter 6y ago
"more deadly" does not necessarily mean more deaths in this case. If it kills like ebola more folks could take it seriously ultimately resulting in lower transmission and death rates.
- the-pigeon 6y ago
  In particular, when COVID19 was first spreading but we knew about it back in February countries could've easily contact traced to flush it out and then quarantined all incoming travelers to keep it out. But most countries deemed those actions too extreme and economically damaging so instead let it come spread and do way more damage.
  - drcross 6y ago
    What you're proposing is highly experimental and probably wouldn't work. There's no single country in the world that has been able to restrain the sars2 virus despite spending millions trying to do so.
    - wahern 6y ago
      Other than Australia, China, New Zealand, and Vietnam, you mean? And China managed that after it had already spread widely domestically; the others were quick on their feet.
      - sacks2k 6y ago
        China welded people into their homes, forced people into the hospital at gun point, and disappeared any doctor that actually wanted to warn the world about it back in December. There was also a recent document leaked that told us what many already suspected: they lied about their numbers. This isn't much of a surprise, since they stopped giving any updates pretty quickly into the pandemic. I have family that live in China. Government officials are fired if Covid spreads at all, which will only result in officials fudging the numbers to save their job. Vietnam used some of the same tactics and Australia is mostly desert and an island that is easy to control when it comes to borders. There was a rumor that Trump mentioned to a book author that he thought Covid was airborne..and people lost their shit and wanted him in jail. If he implemented the same tactics as China, he would be on trial for mass murder. The US is punished for actually telling the truth about Covid and testing. It seems like many people would much rather hear complete lies about the numbers to make themselves feel better. Trump warned us back in January and wanted to close the borders and the Democrats told us to hug an Asian person and go to Chinese new year celebrations. Taiwan warned the WHO back in December and was promptly dismissed. The mainstream US media silenced anyone that went against the WHO. Corrupt organizations like the WHO and the government of China are to blame. China caused this mess and covered it up for months.

aidenn0 6y ago

MERS (which didn't reach the US) was probably a better "training pandemic" because of the high rate of symptoms early on in the infection. One could take drastic measures to isolate the infected and prevent many deaths.

nojokes 6y ago
I would say that it was not, at least not for US because it did not reach it.
waterhouse 6y ago
It didn't cause billions of people to gain experience in stocking up on supplies, learning how to live while locked down and the problems it entails, and wearing masks and taking other precautions. Therefore, it didn't serve as a training pandemic, except maybe for a small group. (It seems it did serve as training for vaccine developers, at least.)

adewinter 6y ago

"more deadly" does not necessarily mean more deaths in this case. If it kills like ebola more folks could take it seriously ultimately resulting in lower transmission and death rates.

the-pigeon 6y ago
In particular, when COVID19 was first spreading but we knew about it back in February countries could've easily contact traced to flush it out and then quarantined all incoming travelers to keep it out. But most countries deemed those actions too extreme and economically damaging so instead let it come spread and do way more damage.
- drcross 6y ago
  What you're proposing is highly experimental and probably wouldn't work. There's no single country in the world that has been able to restrain the sars2 virus despite spending millions trying to do so.
  - wahern 6y ago
    Other than Australia, China, New Zealand, and Vietnam, you mean? And China managed that after it had already spread widely domestically; the others were quick on their feet.
    - sacks2k 6y ago
      China welded people into their homes, forced people into the hospital at gun point, and disappeared any doctor that actually wanted to warn the world about it back in December. There was also a recent document leaked that told us what many already suspected: they lied about their numbers. This isn't much of a surprise, since they stopped giving any updates pretty quickly into the pandemic. I have family that live in China. Government officials are fired if Covid spreads at all, which will only result in officials fudging the numbers to save their job. Vietnam used some of the same tactics and Australia is mostly desert and an island that is easy to control when it comes to borders. There was a rumor that Trump mentioned to a book author that he thought Covid was airborne..and people lost their shit and wanted him in jail. If he implemented the same tactics as China, he would be on trial for mass murder. The US is punished for actually telling the truth about Covid and testing. It seems like many people would much rather hear complete lies about the numbers to make themselves feel better. Trump warned us back in January and wanted to close the borders and the Democrats told us to hug an Asian person and go to Chinese new year celebrations. Taiwan warned the WHO back in December and was promptly dismissed. The mainstream US media silenced anyone that went against the WHO. Corrupt organizations like the WHO and the government of China are to blame. China caused this mess and covered it up for months.