Re: government "figuring something out"
What do you think a better, more accessible, sustainable and cost effective solution is in comparison with mask wearing and social distancing?
For starters, if I were governor of Ohio, I would:
1) Immediately allow schools and colleges to fully reopen without any restrictions whatsoever. Staff who felt vulnerable could opt out with paid leave for 12 months or, for colleges, remotely lecture from an alternate location.
2) Dedicate all the resources being wasted by our colleges and universities to nursing homes and hospitals. Universities are basically engaged in a PR stunt right now with all the testing, contact tracing, etc. There have been over 5,000,000 tests, with 150,000 positive tests, on students. There have been a grand total of 15 hospitalizations and 0 deaths. This group is 99.997% not at risk. It's an incredible waste of resources that could be better spent on protecting the more vulnerable populations that need protected.
3) Use these tests and designate family members as essential workers eligible to be tested two times a week so they can visit loved ones in nursing homes. What we are doing to our elderly is one of the great crimes in modern history. NBC had a tragic story this week quoting nursing home industry professionals from across the country stating that loneliness, despair, and anxiety are greater threats to this population than COVID.
4) Stop the sanitation silliness, which is again a waste of resources. The scientific consensus (from what I've read in WaPo/The Atlantic) is that surface spread is minimal and that the focus should be on ventilation. I would provide grants to stores, restaurants, etc. to improve ventilation.
5) Ensure that PCR tests are not cycling at above 35 cycles (many currently have 40 cycles, which is absurd). Per Fauci, while above 35 is "technically positive, the chances of that being replication competent are extremely low. In other words, you could have a PCR-positive test and yet still not be contagious."
6) Have to be frank -- the science supporting non-fitted cloth masks is bunk, so I would not mandate masks. If we could distribute N-95s to every household, and have them all professionally fitted, that's a different story.
7) Continue the emphasis on treatments, as that is our best hope. Our treatments have improved to such a degree that COVID deaths are starting to fall in line with all cause mortality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-covid-deaths-age-related-pattern-expert.html
8) Acknowledge that obesity is the second most important correlation for fatal outcomes (behind age). Be honest with citizens and tell those at risk that being obese puts them at far greater risk.
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In sum, I would target our resources and get on with life. I think holistic public health has suffered greatly and I think we need to pivot to more sane and humanitarian policy.
So basically the Trump administrations plan is what you would shoot for.
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I at least put myself out there. What’s your plan? What do you disagree with?
I disagree with most and only slightly with the school side of things.
I am not a doctor or policy maker but some things I think I would do / do different if given the chance.
1. No matter who is in power it would have been a good use of the offices of president, state and local governments to target messaging to bring people together and evoke a patriotic environment in our nation to get everyone onboard with whatever the best course of action was determined. Much like 9/11, hurricanes and war efforts of the past look at what the US is capable of when we are mobilized and not at each others throats.
2. If I knew that we needed to save the N95 and other PPE for the healthcare workers and thought that fabric masks could slow the spread I would have put forth a few designs that were easy to replicate using basic materials found at home and sent a message asking people at home to come together to make masks and distribute them as a patriotic duty to keep businesses open and slow the spread. Much like our local governor I would have been the first to wear it and he even asked people to make their own and show it off on the state website as a way to encourage people to make / wear them.
3. I would have developed a consistent message and worked with people on the state and federal level across the board on how to safely open things up including expectations and how to implement with some type of carrot / stick situation to encourage compliance.
4. I would have urged businesses to have as many people work from home as possible nation wide possibly with incentives to companies.
5. I would have asked business and patrons to use curbside pickup and delivery not only to slow the spread but to protect the health of people working in the businesses
6. I would give parents and teachers the option to either do in person learning or remote learning. Some students are better equipped to distance learn and some need in person. I would make it to where the teachers could choose based on their health / risk considerations.
7. I would make sure I was sending the message that if we do a good job of social distancing, wearing masks and all of the other things we will be better off for health and safety as well as economically as people will have confidence to go out and do business and the cases should stay lower.
8. I would encourage people to get outside in a safe manner and enjoy time with friends and family in a responsible manner including guidance.
9. I would be putting in every effort to make sure that stimulus was not held up and that we could work together to ensure that we get money where it needs to go.
10. I would put in every effort to work in partnership with our allies on developments and best practices this is a global issue and not just a US issue.
11. I would have quarantined all people coming from outside of the country.
12. Not sure if this one would have been necessary if we used the proper messaging but I would have someway discouraged or not allowed big events like the Sturgis bike rally to happen.
13. I personally would discourage large in person events (concerts, sporting events, rallies, protests and even offer alternative solutions to encourage safe behavior.
14. I think the testing has been ok but I would have taken up offers from other countries for their tests while we developed ours.
15. I would provide guidance / framework for contact tracing that was clear including for business.
I think the steps towards a vaccine and treatments have been good
However I am big enough to say that I would not want the job of deciding nor would I be qualified
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