First, let me preface this with an explanation that I actually studied pandemics and epidemiology as part of my biology degree. So I do understand what's going on. This being a new virus, there's not much research done to make predictions. But, last I heard, the experts are saying it could kill between 100,000 and 240,000 people in the United States. Granted, we haven't crested the hill yet but as of right now there are 225,998 confirmed cases in the United States and 5,311 recorded fatalities in the United States from this coronavirus. Worldwide there are 981,221 confirmed cases and 50,230 fatalities attributed to COVID-19.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of deaths attributed to this pandemic Chinese virus are in elderly, sick people with several comorbidities contributing to their death. The death rate drops dramatically the younger you are.
As a comparison, let's look at the numbers of other causes of death throughout the world. This is according to worldometer.info as of right now. (If you go to the website the numbers are constantly climbing). This is their health section:
3,285,992 Communicable disease deaths this year
123,070 Seasonal flu deaths this year
1,924,014 Deaths of children under 5 this year
10,759,066 Abortions this year
78,238 Deaths of mothers during birth this year
41,682,784 HIV/AIDS infected people
425,518 Deaths caused by HIV/AIDS this year
2,078,893 Deaths caused by cancer this year
248,286 Deaths caused by malaria this year
2,831,408 People who died of hunger this year
1,265,378 Deaths caused by smoking this year
633,088 Deaths caused by alcohol this year
271,438 Suicides this year
213,173 Deaths caused by water related diseases this year
$ 101,262,201,224 Money spent on illegal drugs this year
341,692 Road traffic accident fatalities this yearKeep in mind this is since January 1, 2020. So about three months only. These are worldwide numbers not just United States. The 50,230 COVID-19 deaths pale in comparison. Now, I know those numbers are going to increase dramatically over the next few months but, so will the other causes of death throughout the world.
My point is, why the obsession with this current pandemic? Yes, it's a deadly pandemic, But there have been worse and there will be worse in the future. And a lot more people die from other communicable diseases than will ever die from this pandemic. I just don't understand why 327 million people in the United States (and over 7 billion people worldwide) are basically put on house arrest over this current pandemic. It's for our own good right? To protect us? What about agency? Are we not smart enough to figure out that if we are at risk we should stay home and self quarantine? I don't agree with healthy people -- millions of healthy people -- being put on lockdown like criminals. Healthy people should be able to choose what risks they want to take. Nobody should be forced into quarantine if they are healthy and are not suspect as carrying disease.
None of this craziness happened during our last pandemic 10 years ago. Obama was in office. You probably barely remember hearing about the swine flu. I know this panic started as a political stunt by the Democrats. And the world followed. But this has gotten way out of hand. This shows you the power of the media. Best advice I can give you -- don't watch the news! Don't watch TV. I haven't watched one minute of television news since 2012. And I manage to stay up to date on current events.
I agree that quarantines are sometimes necessary. Quarantines of actual sick or possibly sick people. But not an entire country or entire world for that matter. Pure insanity. In trying to prevent a few deaths from this pandemic, much more destruction is occurring.
It's like swatting at a gnat and being hit by a train.
There is more to health than just lack of physical illness. There is mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health.
This tyrannical lockdown on 327 million US citizens is taking a heavy toll on many people's mental, emotional and spiritual health. Not to mention physical health as well because we can't get the medical care we need for other ailments.
While millions of healthy people are on lockdown -- the economy is being destroyed. What took President Trump three years to build up has been destroyed in a month or two. Besides weakening the most powerful country in the world, economic destruction is a heavy blow to families. People's mental and emotional states are deleteriously affected by economic downturn. This will cause increase in stress and will most likely lead to more suicides. This is a much bigger threat and devastation to all Americans than this Chinese coronavirus is or ever will be.
Amidst all this craziness, people are having babies alone in hospitals, no one can visit dying relatives and can't say their last goodbyes to loved ones. Many sick people will end up dying in hospitals as a result of lack of family support. I guarantee you without a shadow of a doubt that I would be dead right now if wasn't for the family support and prayers that I received after my accident 18 years ago. This isn't right. People should be able to go visit relatives and see new babies in the hospital. They should be able to visit their dying family members and say their last good byes. Even just going to the doctor now you have to get past the hazmat guy with the thermometer to even get in the door. And they don't want you to bring anyone with you. It's ridiculous.
I had three doctors appointment scheduled for next week. Two of them called and canceled. I'm just waiting for the third. Two of these are with specialists and one with primary care. Do people no longer need healthcare because there is a pandemic? That's absurd. My mom desperately needs a procedure which of course was postponed. In the meantime, she's bedridden and has no quality of life. This isn't right. Both of us are going to end up dead before we get any medical treatment. All because media induced panic caused people to be scared of a virus. Guess what, we don't live in the dark ages, we know how to prevent illness. Why don't we practice illness prevention and go about living life? Yes, some people will succumb despite their best efforts. But, do we destroy our nation and overturn 327 million people's lives to save a few thousand? Who are mostly at the end of their life anyway? I don't think so. Call me what you will but I believe it is better for one man to perish than a nation to dwindle and perish.
There are so many people who are not getting much-needed medical care and treatment because of this panic over the pandemic. Completely media generated. And I guarantee you more people are dying from lack of medical care, stress-induced suicides, increased domestic violence and criminal activity, and other unforeseen ways this tyrannical societal shut down is affecting people than this virus is killing. Not to mention quality of life. It's sheer lunacy to me.
On top of that, sports, concerts, church, funerals -- people can't even die without their life being disrupted -- are all canceled or banned. People are supposed to stay 6 feet away. But guess what, sneezes and coughs travel much farther than that. This whole thing is crazy. Has everybody lost their minds?
It makes no sense to me to quarantine people but then let them go shopping. What's the point of that? Let people go back to work. Let the economy start roaring again. Let kids go back to school. Let people go back to church. Let people have funerals. Let people visit the sick and dying in hospitals. The government should not shut down society because of this Chinese Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. It is destroying our country and our people's health and well-being.
Stop swatting at gnats while we are all getting run over by trains.
That's my two cents.
No comments:
Post a Comment