[Swoop]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

When it comes to medical expertise, pretty much so. What you call "pompous" is actually a reaction to the torrential outpouring of misinformation by non-professionals and those that googled something for 2 minutes and don't understand what they read. (NOT referring to you in particular)

You started this by challenging something that was a guesstimate based on percentages of the population that receive influenza vaccines every year. Your percentages are a bit different than mine. You feel this skews the population subsets that are subject to death by flu a lot, I didn't think it was all that much. But I built a large margin of error into that guesstimate based on a population of 330 million and an average of 44,000 deaths/year. So maybe it isn't 50%, it could be 45, or 40, or 35%.

So what, my point remains the same
Somebody posted that they would never get a vaccine for anything, I pointed out how nonsensical that was. That's why I get "pompous"

I am certainly not anti vaccine and I only addressed your off the cuff assumption of a 50% reduction. It was your response that it was laughable that I dared to question you that was pompous.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Swoop

I am certainly not anti vaccine and I only addressed your off the cuff assumption of a 50% reduction. It was your response that it was laughable that I dared to question you that was pompous.

It wasn't you that was "anti-vaccine"

Actually, it would be an interesting research project:

Divide the population into 10 year age cohorts, look at the percentage in each cohort that gets flu shots and look at the deaths in each group. Then assume an average 80% vaccine efficacy and get a more accurate "off the cuff" assumption. I'm not sure that information is available, and I'd rather go golfing anyway

[shut the front door]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

NO. It is not the 5% with underlying conditions. NO. NO. NO. It is all people over 65. 80% of people who have died from Covid-19 are the elderly, folks over 65, and the older the higher the risk goes, whether or not they have underlying conditions, which most people do have. High blood pressure? Overweight? Do not exercise enough? I keep hearing people assume they are safe because they have no "underlying conditions" but if you are living here you are old enough to be in the high risk group.

Wow, painting with a mighty broad brush there.
The median age in the villages is 70.9. Meaning half of villagers are under that age, which mean that a big percentage of that half are under 65.
Worry about yourself and don't judge others.

[shut the front door]

Originally Posted by Heyitsrick

Thank you. This is what many - here and elsewhere - just won't respond to. It's like "yeah, 'they'll' figure that out when the right time comes". Sorry - it's almost assuredly not going to work that way. "But you just want to put us all at risk with your irresponsible behavior!!!" Right... We know about that irresponsibility. It's the kind of irresponsibility where you work for a living to raise and feed yourself and your family. That's selfish and irresponsible. Gotcha.

So when, then - specifically and explicitly - do you think it's going to be OK to get back to some semblance of living? Six months? A year? Eighteen months? Please...give an actual time vs. some generalized comment. No "whenever the politicos and epidemiologists say it's ok!" response. Where's our answer(s) on how the economy is going to come back? And why don't we - as a whole - care about that? It's astonishing to me. There's no "big picture" here any longer.

The damage done to the economy already is devastating. But hey, it's a good thing every company - particularly small companies and independent contractors and/or gig workers - have saved tons of money to carry them through this minor inconvenience. Oh wait - real life doesn't really work that way. These companies will perish. The employees will have to hope they can find new and commensurate jobs. Tough luck for them, though, right? At least we're retired! And no big deal, the Fed will just print trillions of dollars to prop things up.

What I find selfish is people who think nothing of preaching responsibility about what others do vis-à-vis their activities and the virus, yet seemingly don't think one wit about where we're all going to be at that yet undetermined time when people feel they can relax the hunkering down. You should try to envision that. It's not going to be pretty.

I know, I know...cue the "the economy doesn't matter if you're dead!" remarks. Add to that the "you don't have the right to infect me!" comments. Expected. But there are many daily activities that entail risks of sorts that we think nothing of. We engage in them because they are part of what encompasses living. Now, what we collectively engage in is fear.

Many of us don't do anything to keep our own bodies in shape - thereby increasing the odds that we'll succumb to some medical malady, virus-related or not. But hey, don't risk my life by potentially spreading that virus! If I want to be overweight, drink and smoke, that's my choice! Of course, your family and friends might think differently.

What there should be is a plan to help protect and sequester the elderly and otherwise vulnerable, while allowing younger people to go back to work. Keep this in place until there is that vaccine. It's a sensible - and reasonable - compromise.

Yeah, I'm just someone else worrying about that little thing called the economy. I just don't grasp what's really important. Who needs an economy, anyway? What am I thinking? We'll all be fine.

Very well said, Rick.
Those who are scared of catching the virus in public because some of us are living our lives need to stay home. And while they're there, they need to stop calling Community watch every time they see something that offends them!
It is not my job to wear a mask to protect you, it is your job to protect yourself. If you're that scared, STAY HOME!
And btw, most of the paranoids that post on here would be surprised at how many that are out and about have already had the virus, whether asymptomatic or not, and have the antibodies. When this is all said and done, and antibody tests are given to most of the population, they're going to be a little embarrassed at how their statistics will change. What will they do when the sky isn't falling any more? I guess they'll have to find another reason to call Community watch.

[billethkid]

I still do not buy it when those who choose to follow the guidelines are categorized as "scared".

They are as entitled to their decision without a negative labeling by someone who does not.

[Wallyworld]

Birx just said the CDC is over reporting the number of deaths by at least 25% and she can’t believe a word they say. Interesting for those who always trust the government.