4 weeks ago, I had relatives on social media "sharing" videos of how empty the hospital ER's was in Cali. Those same videos showed how freaking empty all the main streets were and how it looked like how mostly everyone was adhering to the shelter in place orders.
Logical fallacy. The empty rooms are the result of actions 2+ weeks prior, not the same day. I think it is good we pumped the brakes a bit to get people's attention. I do not believe that a lockdown is a successful strategy, and time will bear that out. Distancing, masks, and reasonable accommodations to daily life will win this.
What did this show? Shelter in place slowed the spread significantly in Cali and some people saw this was a sign that the virus wasn't as deadly as proclaimed even though NY was having bodies piled into freaking refrigerator trucks.
Statistics would show that, not incidentals. Note how you framed your argument and changed it completely when talking about NY deaths. By the same logic used here, I could say that NY's lockdown resulted in refrigerators full of dead people. It did not. Prior weeks' activity did. The proximity and silent spreading (namely population density and a lack of cleanliness prevailing in the culture) is the more reasonable culprit.
Some people kept making the point that this virus only kills as much as the common flu. This is wrong.
It /is/ wrong. It seems to be killing less. I understand why you say "more" because so did I, at first. You are basing your death rates on testing results (which vary rom state to state) and in general, those were only being used in the beginning (when available) on cases they were fairly certain of. Meanwhile, random spot testing shows 20-25% of the adults in LA county already had the virus present and defeated. This exceeds the spread rate of the flu by several fold. The flu (which is a slow, fully symptomatic spreader) usually only hits 5%+ per year. It is much different than a coronavirus, which is a type of cold, and they are prolific spreaders and evolvers. Meaning damn near everyone will probably have this before we are through. Possibly more than once. And with an infection rate 20x greater than the flu, yeah, deaths will be higher.
The issue with death rate reporting is a whole separate discussion. Different states are handling it differently, based in financial incentives for Chinese virus deaths. Even positive testing does not indicate a true death. For example, 4 gunshot victims in LA county have a statistical likelihood that one of them has the virus. Is it a covid death? No, BUT it still requires the higher level decontamination procedures. The only way to get that money is to report it as a CV death. There is also the "soft cost" on deaths. For example, it is deadly primarily to people who are old, and have existing health issues. But then again, so is literally any activity or infection, so not a factor strictly in play with this pandemic. But what it is doing, is culling people who would very likely have died in the next 5 years. So our overall death rates for the next 5 years will probably go down. No, that does not mean I am OK with killng old people who are going to die anyways. We all are. No argument there.
So do we keep sheltering in place? Well. It isn't practical to shelter in place till a vaccine is developed, but the Federal government sure isn't helping in containing the virus. In fact, it has actively promoted spreading it and pushing misinformation.
So is our media. If you are referring to sound bites where Trump said eat tide pods to cure the Kung Flu, go back and read the transcript and listen to the dialog. The businessman is spitballing tactics that might work. He is not a doctor, but he is a problem solver, and sometimes peole who are not well versed are an excellent source for ideas that the Professors overlooked. See how the W engine was developed for the VW. A CEO wrote it on a napkin. Crazy idea. It was developed. Worked. If you believe that the prexy thought injecting bleach was a solution, we probably have nothing further to discuss on the topic. If you understand that he saw UV sterilization as an effective method and said "why don't we try that in the lungs" then you are indeed thinking for yourself. This is how businessmen get things done. You try ideas, and they either work, or they do not. If those doctors could do it better, they already would have. or THEY would be president, not sitting there taking orders. I might be biased. I have been the CEO.
Also, it is not the federal gov't job to reach into your daily life and cure a cold for you. In fact, legally there is not much it can do. Your state is better prepared for that, the feds con only release funds.
We need testing and contact tracing to get some measure of control on the outbreaks if we ever want some normality to return.
Yes, which is exactly what Texas has done. Massive increases in testing, coupled with re-opening and 4,000 Health Poilice officers who are supposed to handle tracing. This worked for South Korea. It is a good plan. Hopefully executed well in TX.
It seems unless you're insanely well connected or extremely wealthy, regular testing just isn't' something most of us can expect anytime soon sadly.
*Citation needed.
Why is there such a disparity and division that is so partisan with Covid-19?
Because people like an echo chamber. We spend a lot of time listening to how we are supposed to think. It is a lot of work to have to read, evaluate, and form your own opinions. Note that I have stated in this reply post, I have done so. Most people will not. The second issue is the polarity. One side wants zero restrictions, one wants total lockdown. Neither is the correct answer.
If they actually had skin in the game, [actual family members in the line of fire] they wouldn't be pushing the crap that I've seen pushed.
By the same argument, your closeness to the subject and the inherent risks to those you care about can *also* sway your opinions away from the facts. It can be deadly, it spreads like mad, we may never be immune to it. Much like damn near every single day of our normal lives. You have to find a personal balance and not trample on the rights of others. Again, like everyday life.