I read the article. It is well written with a flair for the dramatic. But this is the description[til. Of multiorgqn system failure (MOSF). This is not unique to Covid. People can get this from literally anything. In critical care we break the body into its 8 component systems and treat each accordingly.
There is no doubt that MOSF, ARDS, viral induced coagulopathy and cardiomyopathy and acute injury failure and shock liver are tragic, But thee is no doubt that this is a generic description of what is seen literally thousands of times in critical care units a day in the United States.
This is NOT a unique description of CoVid but rather an excellent description of what we face daily. From many diseases. In my judgment the good thing about this pandemic is that people will start to realized what Intensivists do literally every day. Its ehy s critically ill patient takes at least 45 - 60 of our undivided attention. And why we work in multidisciplinary teams. Its why we can only se 12 patients a day and properly treat them when they are truly critically ill
The only follow-up I saw on this front was this story (which has a doctor for the Science article) noting that some survivors have lingering organ damage. So, a) is that unusual with a virus, and b) it still sounds like this isn't just influenza.
It’s a good point, and we shouldn’t be suffering from lockdowns any more. However, you can still have occasional COVID surges, such as is apparently happening in Wisconsin, where a field hospital apparently had to be built due to a nearby ICU getting packed.
Sooooooo, as these lockdowns ease, we still must be prudent. I hardly leave my house, because nearly all my friends and relatives are vulnerable in one way or another. I hope to visit a couple of these relatives soon — they’re agreeable — but I will remember to take my temperature before leaving the house. If you have people in your life who are vulnerable, relax. Eat outdoors instead of in the dining room at a restaurant. Get some Netflix (shudder) or Hulu, instead of going to the movie theater. Etc.