True. But I have three friends in their 40s who contracted the virus with no pre-existing conditions and good overall heath, and they have been unable to return to work for 2+ months because they have the chronic syndrome thing and a friend my age from high school died. Five others say it took a month to recover. I only know maybe 20 people or so who have tested positive. I realize this is just anecdotal, but those are sobering stats for me. The idea that if you don’t die you completely recover is simply not true. One of my friends who had a “mild case,” still experiences breathlessness when exercising. And she used to be a competitive runner.
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Two comments:
- I think you mean that some haven’t fully recovered.
- Since the period of observation has only been a few months, it is too early to say fully recovery will not happen.
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Actually, I think many are surprised when they see how low the infection death rate is for young (below 30) adults.
The news media reports often use anecdotes and exceptions to present this disease as an equal opportunity killer by age, but the actual data are quite different.
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Since the disease causes microclotting, fatal or permanent organ damage can and does occur (like pneumonia can cause permanent lung scarring and dysfunction), no matter what age. Why are we downplaying its seriousness.
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I guess because it’s a Democratic hoax and is just the flu and it will go away soon?
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Right. And anyone who wants a test can get one… by the end of last March.
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Christy, aren’t you in Mexico? What’s going on there? I mean, I know there are lots of cases but how are people handling it? The numbers are soaring yet I see no reporting on it and I read the WSJ and London Times and get daily capsules from NYT and a couple other papers.
Sorry to stray off topic. I thought about personally messaging you, but figured others might like to hear as well.
This is indicative of some the kinds of stupidity out there that we have to deal with:
Many of us who are grandparents would rather self-isolate than see our grandchildren miss out in their education.
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It is not at all apparent that schools can be opened safely, however – safe for children, teachers and custodians, let alone their families. “You will open schools or we will withhold federal funding for lunches, etc.”, just an unsupported mandate with no guidance or funding is ridiculous.
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Yet it is clear and apparent that children need an education.
Would that be a truism.
Right. But many in the minimization camp act like if you don’t die, you have a cold for a week and then you are good to go. This is not proving to be the case. There are different estimates about long-term and permanent damage, but all of them predict it is going to be a significant health care issue. One I read said 45 percent of the people hospitalized will need ongoing long-term care. Another said 66% of hospitalized will have long-term lung damage that may prove to be permanent. People are requiring amputations of damaged fingers and toes because of clotting issues. Other studies are pointing to long-term neurological effects that may or may not resolved with time. Other studies are linking side effects of COVID to triggering or increasing susceptibility to other diseases or syndromes. COVID is being linked to heart damage, kidney damage, lung damage, brain damage, and psychological issues.
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Yeah, there is no reporting because there are no reporters. 
We are still on a pretty strict social distancing regimen in the state where I am (Oaxaca.) Last week stores that sell non-essential goods and were allowed to open again with restrictions. (Before that even in large stores like Walmart, the aisles for anything other than groceries and medicine have been blocked off for months.) Masks are required in all public places and in vehicles, no meetings over 10 people, takeout only from restaurants. Your temp is checked and you are given hand sanitizer before entering every building and at checkpoints on the highway. We still have a 10 pm curfew.
Nobody knows how bad it is. Hospitals lack treatment options beyond maybe albuterol and supplemental oxygen, so many people just won’t go get treatment. There are also no ER system or ambulances equipped to do more than just transport patients, at least not where we live. There are government COVID treatment facilities that you are referred to through your local health center doctors. But if you went into respiratory arrest, there isn’t much that can be done quickly to respond. Most people don’t want to be isolated from family and be denied a proper funeral and burial, so they would rather just die at home undiagnosed. It is very difficult to get a test anyway. I know of probably ten or so people who have had symptoms and been very sick, but none have been tested. We evacuated from the state where we normally live, but we talked to a friend the other day who said that several of the doctors and nurses at the hospital there have died, so now even fewer people will go to the hospital. Comorbidities like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, are about as common as in the US, so it is hitting people hard. There is also quite a bit of food insecurity since local economies do not have influxes of cash.
As far as people handling it, the culture is more fatalistic in some ways than in the US. There is the idea that if it is your time to die, you can’t fight it, so in many ways people just go about their lives, taking the precautions they can. There is no panic buying (maybe for lack of cash) and the media is definitely not like the US. It is difficult for us to find reporting on the crisis, even in Spanish.
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That “Like” is very provisional! I am glad you can take care, and we know in whose hands we are, anyway.
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I encourage you, Christy, to be sensitive to the frequent use of the word “may” in the predictions of what may or may not happen.
I agree. But the fact that teachers have been pushed to their breaking point even before this pandemic with being guilted into working far too hard with far too few resources in less than ideal conditions “for the good of the children” is going to be a problem. There just isn’t much left in the educator idealism and self-sacrifice bank for society to cash out. I know quite a few teachers who are seriously considering quitting or retiring early. I think schools are going to be a disaster, no matter what they try to do.
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How many times did she say “may” in that post?
I worded things just fine, thanks.
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