There is a path out of America's COVID-19 mess--if we choose to take it
What America wants is a way out. COVID-19 has killed 175,000 people in the United States, more than the number of Americans who died in every military conflict since the Korean Warcombined. Thirty million are out of work, with many at risk of losing their homes. Millions of students cant attend school while many who do face risks and quarantine.
After six months of the worst public health crisis in a century, health experts across the country say the U.S. is perfectly capable of mounting a comeback if it embraces reality and taps its potential for ingenuity.
First, we must knuckle down and accomplish the obvious: Continue social distancing and strive for universal mask use. Close high-risk spaces, such as churches, bars, and casinos. Spend time outdoors. Limit crowds. Wash our hands. Build up contact tracing. Do that, and the U.S. could go from 40,000 new infections a day to "the number of new cases you could count on your fingers and toes," Andy Slavitt, President Barack Obamas former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, tells National Geographic.
Theres no big secretits not highly mysterious, Slavitt says. You can break the back of this thing if you do that." With concerted effort, we could get there in six weeks, he adds.
But given national failures thus far, many experts are also pushing for a new way forward based on innovationspecifically, cheaper, faster tests that millions could take at home every day. Were still just beginning that process, as such rapid tests exist but either lack government approval or need medical oversight. The infrastructure for mass deployment exists, too, if the government or a company chooses to use it.
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https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/the-path-out-united-states-coronavirus-mess-choose-to-take-it-cvd/
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,632 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)K&R! Ty, Yo.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)seriously
appalachiablue
(41,144 posts)Lately I question the overall value of the human species, in terms of life on earth especially.
We cause more problems than we're worth, moreso lately; other destructive large species wouldn't make it for long.
And humans manufacture some of our own predators, how sick is that.
SunSeeker
(51,571 posts)hydrolastic
(488 posts)What are you going to do about the RW when they won't follow the guidance and just keep spreading it.
hydrolastic
(488 posts)I mean Beaten up finically. I was talking to my hairdresser last week and i mentioned that we need to shut down properly and long enough to really get control of this and she started going crazy about how they can't tell her to not cut peoples hair and she was the only income and started crying. This is really starting to effect a lot of people and its been handled so poorly.