The Missing Six Weeks...a great read

[Bugsy McGurk]

And why was it done there? Because they had more tests per capita available. We did not. And why did they?

I just received a weekly update from my physician (a great great doctor, btw) and this was the focus of his missive. Specifically, he noted that just a decade ago the South Koreans had a mini-pandemic, and they were already aware of the value of having testing ready, practicing social distancing and frequent washing/sanitizing. What do you think the chances are that we in America, if in a decade from now we get hit again, will immediately comply with the guidelines THAT WERE GIVEN and were largely ignored by a huge swath of our population (think Spring Break). I'd say pretty darn good.

So what was the advantage the S. Koreans had over us? It wasn't that they didn't have Trump in charge, it's that the S. Korean people were ready, willing and able, due to their experience with communicable disease, whereas we largely were not.

I know the facts are anathema to you, but I prefer we deal in the fact based world, so I continue to expose your propaganda, not because I think I will "win" you over to the facts (that is never going to happen), but rather for the edification of the others here who are more reasonable in this regard than you.

Given what you said, I’m sure you agree that Trump made a catastrophically bad decision when killing off the NSC pandemic response team, and when having a revolving door of inept officials, most of whom share Trump’s aversion to science. For example, the critical officials who attended the transition briefings on dealing with pandemics are long gone due to Trump’s revolving door policy. Team Trump was blind and ignorant when the virus hit our shores, with Trump being the most ignorant of the lot.

And neither South Korea nor any other nation had COVID-19 tests available at the outset - the virus wasn’t even discovered until 12/19. But their leadership immediately jumped into action to produce the tests and take all the other actions that resulted in their ability to limit the contagion in their country. We had a “president” who did precisely the opposite - he wasted six precious weeks denying the threat.

And here we are, over nine weeks after the virus hit our shores, and we STILL have grave shortages of tests, PPE, ventilators, and everything else required to limit the already catastrophic impacts of the virus. All largely due to Trump’s ignorance.

All facts.

 

[Raoul_Luke]

Given what you said, I’m sure you agree that Trump made a catastrophically bad decision when killing off the NSC pandemic response team, and when having a revolving door of inept officials, most of whom share Trump’s aversion to science. For example, the critical officials who attended the transition briefings on dealing with pandemics are long gone due to Trump’s revolving door policy. Team Trump was blind and ignorant when the virus hit our shores, with Trump being the most ignorant of the lot.

And neither South Korea nor any other nation had COVID-19 tests available at the outset - the virus wasn’t even discovered until 12/19. But their leadership immediately jumped into action to produce the tests and take all the other actions that resulted in their ability to limit the contagion in their country. We had a “president” who did precisely the opposite - he wasted six precious weeks denying the threat.

And here we are, over nine weeks after the virus hit our shores, and we STILL have grave shortages of tests, PPE, ventilators, and everything else required to limit the already catastrophic impacts of the virus. All largely due to Trump’s ignorance.

All facts.

Actually I don't think any of it made a bit of difference. We would have been no more or less prepared for this had none of that occurred.

I already pointed out the big difference in Korea - they had been through this before, more than once. Their primary advantage was that their PEOPLE were prepared, not the government!