There are two things that have been bothering me a lot this week, both fall into the category of how information is being reported and distorted. WHY the information is being distorted is up for debate, purposeful manipulation by politicians/media/other?, plain old ignorance, stupidity, sensationalizing to get ratings or attention...? What is it that has been bothering me THIS week?
Breathless reporting of, or warnings about the numbers of DEATHS this state, that county or the nation WILL have in 10 days or 4 weeks. The first example was the California governor proclaiming in a witten letter to the President then in a news conference that HALF of California (26 million people) will be infected within weeks...at the time we had less than 1000 cases and 2 in our own county. Since the current death rate is about 1% (maybe 1.5% in the US?) He might as well have said "we will have 390k dead...". Another last night, our neighboring county had their health department holding a tele-news conference proclaiming they WILL have more than 100k DEAD in the next 4-6 weeks, as the national guard was setting up a field hospital at the local fair ground location...the current confirmed count is approximately 100 with either 5 dead. Seriously! we are going to see the county go from 100 cases to 100k DEAD in 4 weeks in that single county while the national case load is not even 100k today? Not to be outdone, the Los Angeles Mayor gets on TV to say WE are going to have 500k DEAD in 4-6 weeks ...and the Los Angeles county Sheriff is shutting down the gun shops so residents don't go panic buying guns. Clearly these people are getting their numbers from those models that Dr Brix said were totally wrong but they continue to spew out doomsday numbers that are SO apocalyptic that the people dismiss them and continue to party on the beaches. Perhaps if they used more realistic numbers people wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the information as being a lie or scare tactic.
The OTHER thing that has been bothering me is how the politicians and media craft the personal protective equipment narative. Instead of focusing on how the shortage (or logistical challenges) are being met by American companies and its people rising to the occasion, the politicians and the media are relentless in their attack on the administration its failure to be prepared for this shortage or to do this or that.
I think it is appalling that the narrative is so focused on negativity with a near total absence of any positivity. There are plenty of things the politicians and media can include in the news cycle that would add a positive spin.
Explicitly mention EVERYDAY that a portion of the total number of confirmed cases are now recovered/immune/buffers. Buffers are a valuable part of herd immunity so start counting them!
The doubling rate in NY (and most other locations) has slowed.
The epidemiological models that predicted more rapid spread and higher death counts globally ARE being found to be very inaccurate now that we have more ACTUAL data from the ground.
Americans have stepped up all over to do GOOD - kids are buying groceries for elderly that can't leave the house etc
American companies are VOLUNTARILY altering production lines to make critical medical supplies (no need for War TIme Production Act)- Ford, GM, Tesla, MyPillow, 3M etc
Massive self-isolation and voluntary shut-downs. Businesses have shutdown because they were asked with NO push back and NO violence (this could have been very messy)
Massive Fiscal Stimulus bill passed the Senate 96/0- a unanimous vote shows strong political will to support the american family/worker during this time of need *this could be a major rallying point regardless of political party and a major stress relief valve for those who are MAJORLY stressed ...
Breathless reporting of, or warnings about the numbers of DEATHS this state, that county or the nation WILL have in 10 days or 4 weeks. The first example was the California governor proclaiming in a witten letter to the President then in a news conference that HALF of California (26 million people) will be infected within weeks...at the time we had less than 1000 cases and 2 in our own county. Since the current death rate is about 1% (maybe 1.5% in the US?) He might as well have said "we will have 390k dead...". Another last night, our neighboring county had their health department holding a tele-news conference proclaiming they WILL have more than 100k DEAD in the next 4-6 weeks, as the national guard was setting up a field hospital at the local fair ground location...the current confirmed count is approximately 100 with either 5 dead. Seriously! we are going to see the county go from 100 cases to 100k DEAD in 4 weeks in that single county while the national case load is not even 100k today? Not to be outdone, the Los Angeles Mayor gets on TV to say WE are going to have 500k DEAD in 4-6 weeks ...and the Los Angeles county Sheriff is shutting down the gun shops so residents don't go panic buying guns. Clearly these people are getting their numbers from those models that Dr Brix said were totally wrong but they continue to spew out doomsday numbers that are SO apocalyptic that the people dismiss them and continue to party on the beaches. Perhaps if they used more realistic numbers people wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the information as being a lie or scare tactic.
The OTHER thing that has been bothering me is how the politicians and media craft the personal protective equipment narative. Instead of focusing on how the shortage (or logistical challenges) are being met by American companies and its people rising to the occasion, the politicians and the media are relentless in their attack on the administration its failure to be prepared for this shortage or to do this or that.
I think it is appalling that the narrative is so focused on negativity with a near total absence of any positivity. There are plenty of things the politicians and media can include in the news cycle that would add a positive spin.
Explicitly mention EVERYDAY that a portion of the total number of confirmed cases are now recovered/immune/buffers. Buffers are a valuable part of herd immunity so start counting them!
The doubling rate in NY (and most other locations) has slowed.
The epidemiological models that predicted more rapid spread and higher death counts globally ARE being found to be very inaccurate now that we have more ACTUAL data from the ground.
Americans have stepped up all over to do GOOD - kids are buying groceries for elderly that can't leave the house etc
American companies are VOLUNTARILY altering production lines to make critical medical supplies (no need for War TIme Production Act)- Ford, GM, Tesla, MyPillow, 3M etc
Massive self-isolation and voluntary shut-downs. Businesses have shutdown because they were asked with NO push back and NO violence (this could have been very messy)
Massive Fiscal Stimulus bill passed the Senate 96/0- a unanimous vote shows strong political will to support the american family/worker during this time of need *this could be a major rallying point regardless of political party and a major stress relief valve for those who are MAJORLY stressed ...
