Originally Posted by
152wiseguy
Where do you get your figures from? The weekly death rates published on the news are double of those we'd normally expect at this time of year and they lag the data by a number of days. Given these are the death rates with the lockdown measures in place, wouldn't it be reasonable to expect even higher death rates without any measures? Are you seriously trying to say everything the country has done is unnecessary just because your symptoms were mild?
I'm saying it was pointless to lock down the economy to the large numbers of people that this virus is a negligible risk. The lockdown should have been totalitarian for those demographics affected and at risk by NCov. Those groups are well known. By locking down the economy to everyone, we are literally burning the economy around us. Instead, the government crapped its pants to the exceptionally poorly managed communications and handling surrounding "Herd Immunity" (utterly the wrong phrase to use). How many over seventies are we still seeing using the supermarket? I counted at least thirty at the last visit. I cannot think of a higher risk area at present than the supermarket (other than a hospital) yet the highest risk groups are still avoiding the advice, refusing assistance and putting themselves at risk. This in turn risks the NHS from being completely inundated with patients requiring lengthy ICU care or death for them and other aged and vulnerable members of their homes. What I am saying is that what the country is doing is an utterly blunt instrument when a more intelligent application of lock down needs to be applied, but to only those at risk of clogging the pipes of the NHS. Exactly what Sweden are doing.
Yes, the figures are double those for this time of year. But this virus has not followed the timelines that the typical respiratory viral outbreak follows. And as a disease that is brand new to humanity, why would it? have a look at the weekly death figures for the past 10 years and have a look at what the typical peak in deaths are during the peak of seasonal flu.
There is significant evidence to suggest that a lot of the additional deaths are due to the fear that mass media and public hysteria has caused, meaning they are staying at home instead of ringing 999 for a suspected heart attack or stroke. A and E attendance is down to 1/3 its normal figure. You need to know what the statistics are saying rather than take them at face value.
Good to see this introduction by Emirates, ultimately sensible and where we will be going as an industry for the next 2 years. Even if a test is only 95% effective, better to have this data than not. 1 in 20 may continue to spread the disease, or there may be false positives, but it keeps things going.
Here is a question for you. How many heart transplants, cancer operations, nurses, schools, small business loans could the tax revenue on the 2.4 billion that we are losing in GDP take a day fund for my kids, your kids and their kids when they need it? Because what we are doing is stealing tomorrow’s money to save today’s problem and it’s a complete abrogation of responsibility of any government in managing a country’s finances.