5 ms·
Public perception of healthcare is far worse, so far fewer people would attempt to limit transmission and protect vulnerable populations. On the other hand, we
by rscho 2y ago
Public perception of healthcare is far worse, so far fewer people would attempt to limit transmission and protect vulnerable populations. On the other hand, we now have experience in handling respiratory disease pandemics and would likely fare better at actually medically supporting patients (avoid early intubation, etc.). So overall, probably much worse since population dynamics would flood our healthcare system, even if it has improved.
- mewpmewp2 2y agoYeah, I don't think people are going to tolerate going through the lockdowns, masking and everything else all over again. People seem far more affected by the economic fallout, inflation, etc to do it all again.
- rscho 2y agoIMO, a new lockdown isn't possible but also would not be necessary if people were willing to behave rationally (I know, I know...). We know influenza viruses far better than we know covid. Masks would be extremely efficient at limiting droplet transmission.
- ryandrake 2y agoI think we learned the first time around that relying on individuals to take coordinated, collective, cooperative action is pointless. Too many selfish people will choose “defect” in the Prisoners Dilemma.
- ryandrake 2y agoYea the general public learned nothing from COVID (more like learned negative from it), but the medical system learned a lot. We could be prepared to handle the next global pandemic, our institutions are probably better prepared. But we won’t because the general public has gotten more ignorant, more conspiratorial, more belligerent, and more defiant, so overall we’re going to fuck it up even worse next time.
- schiffern 2y ago> the medical system learned a lot. You sure about that? Seems more like "the anti-maskers are inside the house." https://old.reddit.com/r/ZeroCovidCommunity/comments/1gsgjdz/cdc_hispac_voted_against_using_n95_respirators/ https://old.reddit.com/r/ZeroCovidCommunity/comments/1gsgjdz...
- rscho 2y agoYes, I'm pretty sure about that. The difference in case handling protocols at the start compared to later in the pandemic was pretty staggering. Medical politics is a different beast.
- schiffern 2y agoPoint is, right now we've regressed compared to "later in the pandemic." When the CDC Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee is recommending against N95s for respiratory illness, that's not a great sign.
- rscho 2y agoThere's politics, and there's what happens in the trenches. But I agree that it's a bad sign.
- pclmulqdq 2y agoThat subreddit is pretty shocking, honestly. People who are still utterly terrified of COVID getting together to share and affirm their irrational fears with each other. Even with all the precautions, all of them have certainly been exposed to COVID many times and they are all still acting like it is a death disease that they must spend tremendous effort warding off.
- archagon 2y agoWearing a mask every once in a while seems like a very reasonable price to pay for avoiding COVID-related brain damage.
- chasil 2y agoWe should not forget that we drove several problematic viruses extinct during the pandemic (B/Yamagata), and this was useful. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-024-01010-y https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-024-01010-y