Covid-19 should be a catalyst to improve upon our metrics of well-being. We’re still obsessed with “growth,” and growth defined narrowly in terms of gross domestic product. GDP is a crude measure at best. Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz writes about this in Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gdp-is-the-wrong-tool-for-measuring-what-matters/
Highly recommend watching WHO’s daily Q&A with Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove (American scientist who works at WHO in Geneva) and Dr. Mike Ryan (also at WHO – he’s Irish). Really explain the virus, its transmission, and how to go about living during this time. Not alarmist. But clear. https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1288494277996056577
Love this. Dr Ryan especially. He reminds me of an engineer Mac and I work with. Thank you for sharing
One question that is not clear to me. If droplets can stay in air for anywhere from 8-30 minutes (different numbers depending on who you listen to), why is a mask not always the best choice. I get if you have been sitting in the same place for a while, but I don’t understand just walking
Not clear to me, either. Good question, Vicki.
Thanks. Started reading your first link. It’s great also. Makes absolute sense. Will finish after a curbside pickup
Scott Gottlieb, former Trump official (FDA commissioner), notes the long-term, structural problem facing our economy because we haven’t contained the virus. In this regard, Trump has made America worse, which is ironic given the MAGA slogan. https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1288538020392640513
Interesting. Some of the comments are interesting also. It would be easier to list how he made America great again.
I’ll start…..
Dutch public health experts are unyielding on masks. Today, they asserted (and politicians at the national level went along with) “there’s no scientific evidence for their efficacy.” Begs the question, how did a nation like Japan, without a lockdown, contain coronavirus and influenza? By universal mask use, among other measures.
In Japan, influenza was down to lows not seen in a generation, as everyone wore a mask.
The Dutch are being stubborn. They’re making Trump look like a mask advocate. I’ve always said that Dutch society is more conservative than ours. Not from a religious vantage point, but from a political and cultural standpoint.
Very curious, Joshua. Again, Thank you. I sure am grateful for your sharing here what we….certainly I….might not see otherwise.
Meanwhile, there are reports of huge parties. On in Mississippi had 700ish people and it took officers five hours to break up. Of course all officers are at risk.
Dismaying and discouraging data from Massachusetts: 502 new cases, that’s nearly a doubling compared to yesterday. And the number was already creeping up. Also, another 29 deaths to report. People must take this more seriously. Otherwise, we’ll be back into full lockdown. Nobody wants that.
Keep in mind, a Moderna vaccine won’t be approved until November/December at the earliest. Then the manufacturing has to ramp up, which will take up to 2 or 3 months. Then, it needs to be distributed and sufficient numbers need to be vaccinated to get to herd immunity. This will take another 2 to 3 months. Best case scenario: We’re out of this crisis by next April. This scenario is predicated on Phase III studies going well, no snags in approval, production, and distribution. So, what does this mean? We’ve got to physically distance, keep gatherings to a bare minimum (I mean ideally less than 5 people; I see way too many crowds of 10, 15, and 20 people), wear face coverings, and be as hygienic as possible.
My opinion. Baker goes back to at least phase 2. Until now I have supported him but I’m a bit surprised he didn’t learn from Lamont
That said. We only have ourselves to blame but of course we will blame everyone but
At his Texas rally today Trump repeated the lie that Covid-19 deaths keep going down. That is a falsehood. Deaths have been increasing for 3 straight weeks, especially in Texas. It’s amazing what he gets away with in terms of lies. I realize that all or most politicians lie on both sides of the aisle. But, Trump is in a category all by himself. Even Nixon told a truth sometimes. I feel like everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth is either an outright lie or a gross exaggeration.
Vicki, dial back is coming in Massachusetts. This is going to impact school and university reopenings.
The only positive note for me – and there are precious few these days – is that it’s more and more doubtful that jury duty will resume this fall. I’m scheduled for November 3rd. I’m very skeptical that will go ahead as planned.
Covid-19 should be a catalyst to improve upon our metrics of well-being. We’re still obsessed with “growth,” and growth defined narrowly in terms of gross domestic product. GDP is a crude measure at best. Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz writes about this in Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gdp-is-the-wrong-tool-for-measuring-what-matters/
Highly recommend watching WHO’s daily Q&A with Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove (American scientist who works at WHO in Geneva) and Dr. Mike Ryan (also at WHO – he’s Irish). Really explain the virus, its transmission, and how to go about living during this time. Not alarmist. But clear. https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1288494277996056577
Love this. Dr Ryan especially. He reminds me of an engineer Mac and I work with. Thank you for sharing
One question that is not clear to me. If droplets can stay in air for anywhere from 8-30 minutes (different numbers depending on who you listen to), why is a mask not always the best choice. I get if you have been sitting in the same place for a while, but I don’t understand just walking
Not clear to me, either. Good question, Vicki.
Thanks. Started reading your first link. It’s great also. Makes absolute sense. Will finish after a curbside pickup
Scott Gottlieb, former Trump official (FDA commissioner), notes the long-term, structural problem facing our economy because we haven’t contained the virus. In this regard, Trump has made America worse, which is ironic given the MAGA slogan. https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1288538020392640513
Interesting. Some of the comments are interesting also. It would be easier to list how he made America great again.
I’ll start…..
Dutch public health experts are unyielding on masks. Today, they asserted (and politicians at the national level went along with) “there’s no scientific evidence for their efficacy.” Begs the question, how did a nation like Japan, without a lockdown, contain coronavirus and influenza? By universal mask use, among other measures.
In Japan, influenza was down to lows not seen in a generation, as everyone wore a mask.
The Dutch are being stubborn. They’re making Trump look like a mask advocate. I’ve always said that Dutch society is more conservative than ours. Not from a religious vantage point, but from a political and cultural standpoint.
https://www.politico.eu/article/as-europe-masks-up-coronavirus-covid19-the-netherlands-dithers/
Very curious, Joshua. Again, Thank you. I sure am grateful for your sharing here what we….certainly I….might not see otherwise.
Meanwhile, there are reports of huge parties. On in Mississippi had 700ish people and it took officers five hours to break up. Of course all officers are at risk.
Dismaying and discouraging data from Massachusetts: 502 new cases, that’s nearly a doubling compared to yesterday. And the number was already creeping up. Also, another 29 deaths to report. People must take this more seriously. Otherwise, we’ll be back into full lockdown. Nobody wants that.
Keep in mind, a Moderna vaccine won’t be approved until November/December at the earliest. Then the manufacturing has to ramp up, which will take up to 2 or 3 months. Then, it needs to be distributed and sufficient numbers need to be vaccinated to get to herd immunity. This will take another 2 to 3 months. Best case scenario: We’re out of this crisis by next April. This scenario is predicated on Phase III studies going well, no snags in approval, production, and distribution. So, what does this mean? We’ve got to physically distance, keep gatherings to a bare minimum (I mean ideally less than 5 people; I see way too many crowds of 10, 15, and 20 people), wear face coverings, and be as hygienic as possible.
My opinion. Baker goes back to at least phase 2. Until now I have supported him but I’m a bit surprised he didn’t learn from Lamont
That said. We only have ourselves to blame but of course we will blame everyone but
Thought Trump had changed a bit. He hasn’t. I promise to never be fooled again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhrZgojY1Q
Nor have his supporters. This is outrageous. It’s a scene from a Trump campaign event. https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1288605744116518914
Meet the new Bozo
Same as the old Bozo
Indeed.
At his Texas rally today Trump repeated the lie that Covid-19 deaths keep going down. That is a falsehood. Deaths have been increasing for 3 straight weeks, especially in Texas. It’s amazing what he gets away with in terms of lies. I realize that all or most politicians lie on both sides of the aisle. But, Trump is in a category all by himself. Even Nixon told a truth sometimes. I feel like everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth is either an outright lie or a gross exaggeration.
Vicki, dial back is coming in Massachusetts. This is going to impact school and university reopenings.
The only positive note for me – and there are precious few these days – is that it’s more and more doubtful that jury duty will resume this fall. I’m scheduled for November 3rd. I’m very skeptical that will go ahead as planned.
It looks like there was a reporting error on the numbers.
http://wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-covid-19-cornonavirus-numbers-daily-update-july-29-2020/33460678?src=app
Scott my youngest and I were just trying to figure this out. We couldn’t figure what it meant in relation to your comment Joshua
Yeah I was thinking it was the number of cases based on what Joshua reported earlier, but not sure.
Feel better that we are not only ones confused. Thanks Scott
Still the trends are not good and I’m just shaking my heads at things I’m seeing and hearing….
C-19 for 7-30 is up…