I am specifically referring to what these political doctors refer to as 'models'. These are math constructs that they use to 'predict' the spread of a disease. These models must be based on data, and almost always in controlled experiments. Real life is not a controlled experiment. So I am not saying you can learn from history. Dont put words in my mouth, please. I am saying you cant 'fit' data, and then use that fit to extrapolate (that is the correct math definition in this case), because your fit model only fits whats behind you. You get tomorrows data and the model parameters change because you added a new data point.
Again, the hockey stick from global warming was the worst example of this at the time. Now I would have to say that this model and its dire predictions have been worse to the world than the hockey stick ever was.
I am saying you cant 'fit' data, and then use that fit to extrapolate (that is the correct math definition in this case), because your fit model only fits whats behind you...The epidemiologists use the very limited data they have about the new disease, make some assumptions based on the likelihood it will perform somewhat like similar pathogens, and caveat the hell out of their predictions.
So again, at the beginning of a pandemic with a novel virus how should people make decisions?