How do you now feel about all those COVID restrictions?

[Bonasababy]

I believe it's been documented that states who were more aggressive with mandates ...mask and lockdowns....and had higher vaccination rates...had fewer deaths on a percentage of population basis.

Much bigger issue than politics IMO is the big increase in lack of science understanding and outright hostility towards current scientific knowledge and advice based on that. The belief that vaccines don't work if some vaccinated people still got Covid, the tying of unrelated medical issues as being caused by vaccines, the dynamic nature of changing advice as more became known leading those who feel advice changes means nothing can be trusted... are a few examples.

STEM education sure seemed to be lacking.

I look at masks as being the least effective strategy to minimize transmission, but the easiest to comply with. People were free not to wear them, as long as they respected places that required them and/or distance requirements from others.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I believe it's been documented that states who were more aggressive with mandates ...mask and lockdowns....and had higher vaccination rates...had fewer deaths on a percentage of population basis.

Please.... Provide an objective source for this conclusion.

 

[Bonasababy]

I have zero problem when actual science is utilized to protect us. A mask is not a respirator. And yes, I spoke out immediately. False sense of security. A cloth mask from Etsy cannot prevent exposure to <10 micron respirable particle. Nor a viral sub-micron respirable particle. This is science. Respirators were actually handed out without any concerns to medical and administrative requirements to wear one. It's the user's right to know and decided accordingly. This is not a bonafide triage decision to ignore this requirement.

There was huge opportunity to change how we could respond to a pandemic with true science and engineering. There was and still is IMO a complete failure for ALL our Agencies to combine their talents to protect us better. If anyone attacks the USA, every branch responds as united front. A pandemic response does not unite our agencies like it should.

EPA has tremendous resources that were not utilized to the fullest. OSHA has forgotten more about ventilation control of extremely hazardous substances including biologicals than anyone.

Here we are 5 years post pandemic and we are for certainty not prepared for next one. I am willing to bet REQUIRED Pandemic Plans are already out of date for all response requirements. Everything from PPE, ventilators, inspections for batteries, supplies, vaccines (many other ones out there), Triage response coordination training across agencies.

We KNOW ventilation works to reduce exposure but was NEVER deployed by CDC. We gave money for businesses to paint their premises, but yet failed to provide basic ventilation recommendations to schools, businesses to reduce/prevent exposures which is a technological proven control for hazardous exposures.

IMO, we need a centralized pandemic command that brings together ALL our resources; CDC, ODHA, EPA, Engineering talents, Respiratory protection companies like 3M, vector control management, transportation, etc

Why? A singular agency cannot manage a pandemic that requires a response across so many different agencies, private resources as well as global agencies and entities.

I despise the thought of increasing size of government but I see a Pandemic like a military response.

Here's what I recall...from reports from manufacturers, medical providers, and some family members in the medical field.

Leaders in the US at the time were so slow to respond ..even to acknowledge the severity of the problem...that other countries gobbled up most of our N95s. I know 3m scrambled as best as they could to increase production, but just couldn't keep up with the higher than ever demand for some time.

And ventilators? Good luck finding one. The very few available were in use for the worst cases. There too, you can't just tool up and make many thousands of them in short order.

If like to say we learned lessons and will be better responding next time...but I fear it might be even worse the next time...have heard infectious disease pros say the same.

.

 

[Bonasababy]

Please.... Provide an objective source for this conclusion.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/scorecard/2022/jun/2022-scorecard-state-health-system-performance

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2821581

Covid’s deadly tradeoffs, by the numbers: How each state has fared in the pandemic

POLITICO’s State Pandemic Scorecard shows how state decisions impacted lives, jobs, education and well-being.

www.politico.com

That last one does the best job of covering the trade offs...which states has to weigh in decisions.

 

[Wild Bill]

Y'all still talking about this are really some hardcore masochists and sadists.

 

[Mussgrass]

I truly believe if the world had done nothing, and I do mean nothing, about cOv1D and just let it run its course things would have been better. It may have been painful for people in the short run but the outcome would have been better. Oh, and masks did nothing to slow the spread. And the "vaccines" made it more likely to get it and also killed a lot of people, with more continuing to suffer heart rhythm and valve problems. And not to mention, the 6 foot social distancing was a completely made up number.

There, I said what I really think.

 

[Big Fin]

Hunting season is almost here and we've made it through the off season without too many train wrecks.

I think I'll lock this one as a preemptive decision.