Bill Gates on Coronavirus: The US did not act fast enough to avoid a shutdown

[Forebode]

Easier said, than done Bill. People can take cheap shots from the peanut gallery if they want, but this happened so fast, I don't know what more could have been done in the time it was done. What were we going to do? A complete shutdown when only 30 people were originally infected? Then people would have been whining about an overreaction.

Didn't help that China kept the whole thing a secret for several weeks.

It happened so fast? the first case of it in the US was January 20, we're in March when they finally started treating it seriously. Yeah you do a complete shutdown as China had already reported how long it takes to start seeing symptoms. That's the issue with this virus. People think that they'll isolate when they show symptoms, only they were potentially contagious for up to 14 days prior symptoms.

All this was known over a month before the lockdown. It's why the flattening of the curve wont occur by the end of this week... And the case numbers are subjective, as everyone can't be tested and many are just sticking at home dealing with it as long as there's no critical health problems.

 

[amstech]

give me a break. Capitalism is good, except it is limited if you are not in the club.

We're all in the club, its just there is little reward for freeloaders and folks bearing minimum skills.

 

[cliffordcooley]

We're all in the club, its just there is little reward for freeloaders and folks bearing minimum skills.

That's a laugh. People with skills are often kept on the bottom because they are the ones with the skills.

 

[amstech]

That's a laugh. People with skills are often kept on the bottom because they are the ones with the skills.

Not from what I have seen.

 

[wizardB]

There's one huge stumbling block with people continually making this comparison. We have vaccines to prevent or at least mitigate seasonal influenza.

In fact, I get the extra heavy duty dose of the vaccine, because as they say, I'm "an old fart" (For free, from Medicare).

OTOH, having gained acquired immunity from having contracted measles, mumps, and chicken pox, by living through them, I would still allow my children to receive the vaccines to prevent them. This, in spite of the fact that I believe this generation is a bunch of snowflakes with respect to these traditional "childhood diseases".

So, whether or not this virus is more or less lethal than some of the other strains of corona viruses, is actually a moot point. If it spurs the development of a vaccine to prevent it altogether.

If Covid19 does turn out to be a seasonal occurrence, we really can't develop a vaccine to prevent it fast enough.

In Europe last week fewer people died then on an average week there. The problem with this virus is how fast it hits a population, not how deadly it is(it isn't) but hat when it hits an area if people don't take care to stay away from others it will overwhelm the medical system and then the short term death rate goes up.

 

[captaincranky]

In Europe last week fewer people died then on an average week there. The problem with this virus is how fast it hits a population, not how deadly it is(it isn't) but hat when it hits an area if people don't take care to stay away from others it will overwhelm the medical system and then the short term death rate goes up.

Statistically you're of course correct. But, when you're the one who dies from it, then the mortality rate jumps to 100%.

 

[Yynxs]

In Europe last week fewer people died then on an average week there. The problem with this virus is how fast it hits a population, not how deadly it is(it isn't) but hat when it hits an area if people don't take care to stay away from others it will overwhelm the medical system and then the short term death rate goes up.

Statistically, worldwide, hardly anyone at all has died. Statistically, worldwide, very few people are infected. Statistically, worldwide, infections haven't reached a minor fraction of annual seasonal flu infections.

Start narrowing down the geographic areas where the infection rate is starting to reach the influenza rate and climbing. Start using numbers the same as or higher than total flu infections since the Chinese Coronavirus is known to be more infectious and hidden longer. Then quote your statistics.

Lies!...D@mn Lies! and statistics.

edited for spelling

 

[Yynxs]

Really should mention, but it doesn't involve Bill Gates, and is therefore off subject: Significant, on the ground, research has shown that halting diagnosis and burning the bodies will effectively reduce the coronavirus deathrate.

 

[wiyosaya]

Why don't you hold Obama responsible for completely dismantling our Military? Why don't you hold him responsible for sending Iran 1.8 Billion IN CASH for a few hostages? What about the IRS targeting? What about the NSA Spying scandal? What about the FAST and FURIOUS, selling arms to Mexican cartels? What about him being the ONLY president in history NOT to hit at least 3% GDP growth? Coming out of a recession that should have been easy! What about "You can keep your doctors and medical plans? What about his admin spending 10.5 TRILLION Dollars, and pushing the deficit from 9 T to 19.5T, MORE than the last 43 presidents combined??? What about him swapping Bergdahl, a traitor, for five terrorists, who went back on the battlefield and killed MORE Americans??? Speaking of American's dying... Benghazi???? Why don't I read you listing any of those things, since you say you hold liberal democrats responsible for their failures???????

 

[Yynxs]

For those who support Mr. Gates and spouse philanthropy, this oped opinion showed up in the media:

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust disclosed a large investment in The Mexico Fund, a closed-end fund that focuses investments in that country,” Barron’s just reported. “The fund has withered in the face of the market disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Mexico Fund’s New York Stock Exchange shares fell by 42% in recent weeks; Gates’ trust just bought a 5% stake, to become the fourth-largest investor in the fund. What a buy. Some might say, what a steal.

and in the same opinion article, how to own your own personal WHO. It's a little bitter.