Proper Pandemic Procedures Or Epic Mistake?

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-fiasco-in-the-making-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-takes-hold-we-are-making-decisions-without-reliable-data/

A Stanford University professor by the name of John P.A. ioannidis is professor of medicine, of epidemiology and population health, of biomedical data science, and of statistics at Stanford University and co-director of Stanford’s Meta-Research Innovation Centers and he thinks we may be making a epic mistake making the decisions as we are about trying to corner Coronavirus.Writing an opinion piece for STAT ioannidis says, "Better information is needed to guide decisions and actions of monumental significance and to monitor their impact....If the pandemic dissipates — either on its own or because of these measures — short-term extreme social distancing and lockdowns may be bearable. How long, though, should measures like these be continued if the pandemic churns across the globe unabated? How can policymakers tell if they are doing more good than harm?"

A number of callers to KIT's Morning News show have suggested push back against the most dramatic efforts to separate people. In their minds confidence is lacking in the numbers, the government and the media telling the stories.

Loannidis questions how school closures and some of the other extreme social distancing efforts will work compared to the actual financial damage we know is being done to the economy, "If the level of the epidemic does overwhelm the health system and extreme measures have only modest effectiveness, then flattening the curve may make things worse. Instead of being overwhelmed during a short, acute phase, the health system will remain overwhelmed for a more protracted period. That’s another reason we need data about the exact level of the epidemic activity."

The piece is an interesting read that's different from what so many others are saying today and its worthy of your attention as another perspective on the many unknowns of our future and COVID-19.

Categories: Consumer Awareness, Coronavirus updates, Medical