Politico has a piece that points to the truth so far about the Carona virus….
Scientists ARE people…
And they say very different things that ARE confusing and worrisome…
The CDC said Americans don’t need masks — but now they might. The agency said the virus spread through “droplets” from coughs and sneezes — but then warned about catching it from people with no symptoms, or even from surfaces, like subway turnstiles or metal shopping carts.
It said young people are at low risk — but the hospital beds and morgues of New York called that into question.
America’s best scientists and its vaunted public health agency are still learning on the job about the coronavirus. For a terrified American public, the kaleidoscope of changing messages has created more fear, confusion and distrust.
Scientists are used to gaining knowledge one step at a time — and they’ve learned a lot in a hurry about a virus none of them had ever seen before, allowing the search for treatments and vaccines to begin. But the virus always seems one step ahead of them.
And they aren’t moving at the velocity the public craves in a crisis of this magnitude. It only gets worse when the voices of science must compete with the voices of politics.
And while Americans may be used to elected officials’ spin for political gain, the inconsistencies from trusted public health officials have left the public with an understanding that’s muddled at best.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented threat,” said former CDC Director Tom Frieden via email. “I think that people understand that we’re learning more every day, though gaps in understanding come partly from the mixed messaging being delivered by different individuals, agencies and media outlets.”
When the CDC has tried to be blunt — most notably when epidemic expert Nancy Messonnier told reporters in February that Americans should prepare for community spread of the illness and “severe disruption” to their lives — the White House quickly put out a competing, more reassuring message.
The CDC has since played only a minor role in communicating with the public about the pandemic — and their statements don’t always perfectly match up with what the White House task force says.
“Let’s be frank,“ said Frieden. “What Dr. Nancy Messonnier has said was exactly right, and at exactly the right time.” He said he wished the CDC had been briefing the public “every single day.” Instead, the leading public health agency has been shunted to the communication sidelines.
John Auerbach, who leads the nonpartisan organization Trust for America’s Health, said the public health officials generally were clear about what they knew and what they didn’t. But that wasn’t always the case with elected officials who “sometimes made definitive statements that turn out to not be the case.”
The CDC’s own missteps on testing hurt its standing within President Donald Trump’s circle. And the testing delays also hampered the public health response, as the experts did not have a handle on how far or how fast the virus was spreading.
The CDC also was not always on message…..
“Worrisome?”
You should be far more worried that a way too large number of people aren’t taking this seriously.
Indeed the article itself said that scientists are learning about this as they go along.That is the unfortunate byproduct of a new disease.Knowledge about it isn’t gained in one fell swoop.
But the experts have been proven exactly right in their warnings about this since right after the first of the year and the Trump Administration and its minions didn’t take it to heart
The main problem is Trump and politics
One of the linked piece’s pints to certain red states getting medical supplies and others still begging…
The guy has NEVER identified himself as the leader of the whole nation….
I have pointed out that we won’t know the actual complete picture on this until we’ll afterwards…
There ARE different things coming out in the media every day and event Fauci admits he’s guessing…
Test numbers are imprecise…
It takes almost a week to get results and some numbers have to include other hospitalizations and false positives…
I and others believe that this virus has been here for months and some have had it and don’t even know that they did..
I’ve tried to dig down for some factual things but the truth is most ‘experts’ don’t even have a idea about this ..
The good thing is the expert’s HAVE got a leg up on getting Trump scared…
The bad thing is he STILL only relates to HIS Universe…
And isn’t following the experts to a “t’…
THAT just isn’t who he is…
In the end?
With Donald Trump?
We are on our OWN…..
I always said he’d be one term..
Let’s hope we’re both right…
A scant week ago you were with Trump on “reopening” everything in two weeks.
Now?Youre back on his case.
As for what you “believe ” about this virus?
As we all know ,you “believe ” lots of things.
I have said that according to Experts and Trump and Cuomo the target for the peak would around now to the 15th….
I have also pointed to leveling off that seemed to be occurring a few days ago..
THAT seems to be up in the air…
As i have said here for the last decade
More info changes things…
Cuomo STILL hangs on the 15rh to the end of the month…
Trump also….
So do i hopefully….
Further, it’s not true to say the experts, “don’t even have an idea about this.”
That’s such a gross misstatement of fact as to be beyond comment and reveals someone totally divorced from reality.
Jack?
They HAVE admitted that they are making forecasts based on varing info that changes daily … The government people have take their boss Trump into account and they freely admit their call’s could be worst case ..
Even u would have to admit they are filing this to scare Trump , governors and the public into actions…
You said they have “no idea” and that’s not true.
They have provided the only useful information we have been receiving.
This is just another example of how you type without thinking.
Then you try to coverup you’re stupidity by start talking about Trump.
Sure Trumps an idiot, what’s new?
Essentially you saying no one knows anything and that’s just dumb and I do mean…Dumb!
I stand by my views expressed here about the experts ….
My backing is the 538 Experts post…
I also stand by Fauci himself who always gives himself wiggle room when he’s asked predict something…
like every other doctor on Earth?
Yup CG….
Gross silliness
Um..nevermind.
Public Approval of President Trump’s Handling of the Coronavirus….
+50……-46.7….+3.3
RCP….
I’m not looking forward to going grocery shopping on Saturday. Am I supposed to make some kind of mask or something? I don’t see myself doing that. I’m more concerned with what I may touch, handles, etc.
And then wash down all containers/packages of food when you bring it inside? I’m not sure where the line is between being proactive and trying to do too much.
Yeah I’ve been washing down all of my bags, boxes, and produce from the store. I’ve only been shopping at my small neighborhood grocery where most people are pretty good at social distancing.
Well, at least I don’t buy produce.
Fresh produce–especially fruit– is the best source of Vitamin C, which boosts your immune system.
Thank You Scott times 2!
Nate Silver
@NateSilver538
Pretty clear we’ve hit a testing bottleneck now. A lot of tests are stuck for processing at private labs. Other states may be limiting tests to very sick/hospitalized people.
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Nate Silver
@NateSilver538
Frankly, whenever the media reports on the number of new detected cases *without* context on how many tests were conducted, it creates disincentives for governments to do more testing since doing fewer tests may make things look superficially better (see also: China).
Knew THIS was coming….The messager
Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the most visible figures on the White House coronavirus task force, has been given a security detail after receiving threats, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill….
More…
Been saying THIS for a while here….More…