The high-tech island nation was one of the first outside China to discover virus infections. It had until recently been seen as a leading example of controlled and panic-free response to the pandemic.
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That’s true. How is Taiwan doing?
Its simply getting to the point that a suitable treatment regimen needs to be established along with a vital need for a vaccine. This is the only thing that will get things on the way to normal again.
Singapore has apparently decided on a full month lockdown.
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In a way, this validates what we’re doing here in the USA.
People will probably adhere to the measures to avoid getting caned.
To read with care.
I wish the media would stop using the terms “lockdown” or “shelter-in-place.” California now uses “stay-at-home,” which while still not perfect, at least gets closer to the intent and reality.
Singapore doesn't amount to a lot of land mass. It's pretty tightly packed. It's also a real melting pot.
Look, the only strategy is getting the virus. That is the solution and the problem. The difference is how we get it. Germany has it right. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China have it wrong. The only salvation is herd immunity. Its the only thing that will work. The vaccine will be too late. The drugs will lesson the deaths a bit.
Germany does not think that they can stop it. Straight away they got 4 cases and handled that perfectly. But then the inevitable occurred. The Chinese, Italians, and Iranians showed up. Or people with contacts to those people showed up. Nothing you can do when the rest of the world catches the virus. There is no amount of social distancing that will work. So Merkel made it clear, 70% of Germans will get the virus. And the first thing they did is to quarantine the people at risk. Not the people who had the virus. Not the whole population. They quarantined the people at most risk.
Here is why that is so smart. 20% of 80 year olds will need doctors care. Less than 1% of people under 30 will need doctors care. So there is no reason not to let the younger people develop their immunity. Once they get it, they will not be able to spread it. And they will not clog the hospitals as they get the virus. The at risk people clog the hospitals. So they were sent to their homes.
Germany seems to have gotten the same number of cases as Spain or Italy. But their death rate is the lowest in the world. Thats because their potential corpses are hiding in their homes. And while the Asian lock down artists are battling the inevitable second and third waves of the virus. Germany will have firmly established its herd immunity. The virus will keep running into immune people who can neither get the virus nor spread it.
Two things governments forget. They don’t control the rest of the world. And they have to come out of their homes sometime. If you believe those two things, you know you cannot hide from the virus. You have to face it.
Won’t get back to normal until there is a safe and effective vaccine. Even if hydroxychloroquine/Zithromax is effective, it won’t in itself stop the pandemic. Also a good serology test to confirm prior infection and immunity would be useful. Also a PCR test to measure viral activity would help. Otherwise the approach of isolation and social distancing is essentially no different than the approach taken in medieval times to deal with a pandemic.
Looked promising too bad this had to added to list.
Partial Mandatory masking. Masking required on only those who were “unwell” as they wander about and not stay in place didn’t work.
The Cluster at the Marina Bay Sands this week (the Hotel with the infinity pool everyone thinks of when people say “Singapore”) was probably the cluster that broke the camels back.
That and putting up all the malaysian workers in Dormitory’s (since the border was closed) was keeping the Virus alive to the tune of 75 new cases/day.
Japan is headed the same place. Let up too soon.
I’m starting to think these measures we have are a waste of time and money.