fyi - John Snow Memorandum

[Kristof Decoster]

https://www.johnsnowmemo.com/

 

In case you want to sign as well, see below.

 

Regards,

 

Kristof

[Guido Vanham]

Done!  

 

Important to see the reality: each time that the epidemic curves come down a little bit in Europe, lay people and some colleagues are pleading for a more “relaxed” attitude or more “surgical” interventions (e.g. only focus on the elderly and let the youngsters free). 

 

But then the virus strikes back and causes first the exponential growth of infections, followed by hospitalizations and by mortality. (Geert Molenberghs uses the metaphor of “three giants that wake up each other”).   Result: HCW are overwhelmed, the whole care system gets exhausted and society suffers…..

 

Clearly, in Europe with the “baby boomers” growing old, we have to choose between two options:   

• Take serious measures to limit close contacts in the entire society (including within families and amongst friends), without closing schools, workplaces, theaters etc. Stop quarreling about face masks: just use good quality, well fitted masks consistently; ventilate rooms well with fresh air; keep your distance wherever possible and apply the basic hygienic rules.  The whole of East-Asia practices these principles since February, with thriving societies as a result.  WHY ARE WE HESITATING TO FOLLOW THEIIR GOOD EXAMPLE?  Bring the curves down effectively and KEEP THEM THERE.  Still, some people will get infected, some will be hospitalized and die, just like happens all the time with flu, pneumococci….. But the rest of medical care will not suffer and economy, social life etc will continue in an “COVID-adapted fashion”.  
• The alternative is to lock up everybody above 65 in hermetically closed reservations.  Then you can let the rest of society function freely, as if COVID was not really there and let young people infect each other with few ending up in intensive care, an acceptable burden on the health system.

 

During the March-April lockdown, my neighbor (who is 85, has a heart condition and survived prostate cancer) said: This complete lockdown situation is worse than the second world war.  

 

Together with my neighbor, I choose for the first option, because it is reasonable and right and therefore I signed the petition.  

 

Guido   

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Covid-19 in SSA" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to covid19SSA+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/covid19SSA/AM0PR0502MB40527839AA028EB420B8203CDF020%40AM0PR0502MB4052.eurprd05.prod.outlook.com.