RE: Epidemics Past and Present: Polio and COVID-19

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What an interesting parallel between the polio and the covid! At least, today, we have (slightly) more ethics when dealing with medical tests :)

I have a couple of extra comments:

One source, writing in Science Alert ("Here's Why Herd Immunity Won't Save Us From The COVID-19 Pandemic", March 2020) estimates that herd immunity for COVID-19 will be achieved when 70% of the population is vaccinated.

That’s weird. As far as I know, it is not even sure herd immunity could be reached at all.

This notice was placed in the window of homes where someone had been diagnosed with polio. All who lived there were in mandatory 'lockdown', on pain of fine and//or imprisonment. It is assumed this image is credited to a government agency, but in any case the picture is in the public domain.

This is maybe how COVID lockdowns should have been managed: testing everything and locking down only those who contracted the disease? This is at leat how I would have handled things, giving the country the means to do those massive tests (like in Korea I think).



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Hi @lemouth,
Thanks for taking time from your busy day to comment.

This is maybe how COVID lockdowns should have been managed: testing everything and locking down only those who contracted the disease?

Of course. I don't know how France handled this, but in the U.S. there was complete denial. Anyone could see the epidemic coming. I remember ordering extra supplies, including rubbing alcohol for steralizing, in mid January. But there was no organized, intelligent approach to the contagion by government or health officials.

And I agree about herd immunity. At this point, we know so little. Everything is all conjecture. The only thing we know for sure is that the virus can't get us, if we don't give it an opportunity. Hygiene and social distancing: as you pointed, this approach has worked (in South Korea). New Zealand managed to get itself free of the disease.

I'm off to play with cartoon characters now, for my collage. Much happier place 😊 to spend my hours.

Have a wonderful Sunday, whatever is left of it for you.

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Of course. I don't know how France handled this, but in the U.S. there was complete denial. Anyone could see the epidemic coming. I remember ordering extra supplies, including rubbing alcohol for steralizing, in mid January. But there was no organized, intelligent approach to the contagion by government or health officials.

Better than the US for sure. But many decisions look random (and are actually random), even inconsistent. My impression is that the government is just not capable to say that sometimes, they don't know everything. As you said, we do not know much today, and I don't see why this would be a wrong thing to claim for a government member. They also have the tendency to use science for political matters, which is a bad practice. But that is another debate.

At least, everything is back into control for a couple of weeks thanks to the imposed confinement. My worry is that now, the confinement phase is over and many people just think the virus is gone. Which is wrong and this is how a second wave may appear: crazy behaviours in those hard times. My predictions is a second wave by the end of the month. This is also what many at the hospitals expect :(

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crazy behaviours in those hard times

:(

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