[LiverpoolWalrus]

With all the hand-wringing going on fearing the worst after we reopen the economy, it seems to me it could be beneficial to focus like a laser beam on the experience of other countries. China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy and Spain have all locked down. They were hit hard but eventually lifted their restrictions, or are in the process of doing so now.

I would think the media would report on how those countries are doing, but I'm not hearing or reading much of anything and there's very little information about this on the internet, that I've been able to find anyway. Our outcome should be similar to theirs, so where is the curiosity about how they're doing? We can learn a lot from these countries, and perhaps mitigate our fears...or substantiate them if lifting the restrictions is backfiring.

The media give the people what they want, so my guess is the American populace doesn't care too much about how the other hard hit countries have fared. Perhaps we would rather just worry and assume the worst?

[billethkid]

We get what the media wants us to have.....
And the silent majority goes along....

[Bogie Shooter]

Here are a few:
How European Countries Are Lifting Coronavirus Restrictions | Time
Iran begins lifting restrictions after brief virus lockdown
Coronavirus | Coronavirus: Belgium lockdown lift a guide for Spain, UK and Germany - AS.com
Sicily will pay half the price of tourists' flights and a third of their hotel bill to lure holidayers back | MEAWW

[ficoguy]

Sweden has developed herd immunity.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Here are a few:
How European Countries Are Lifting Coronavirus Restrictions | Time
Iran begins lifting restrictions after brief virus lockdown
Coronavirus | Coronavirus: Belgium lockdown lift a guide for Spain, UK and Germany - AS.com
Sicily will pay half the price of tourists' flights and a third of their hotel bill to lure holidayers back | MEAWW

Thanks Bogie. I read all four of them and none discuss the after effect of lifting their restrictions. Strange that they don't and stranger still that we as Americans citizens are not trying to find out.

[npwalters]

Like you, I have wondered what their experience is. Perhaps it's too soon to tell. More likely, the phased reopening is going OK and the press just downplays and ignores anything that isn't gloom and doom.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

My money's on your second hunch NP. But judging by social mania, there doesn't seem to be much interest in learning from other countries' experience. Has anyone ever mentioned it on this board? I did about a week ago and it quickly dropped into oblivion. Are we that influenced by the media that we only talk about what they talk about?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

Thanks Bogie. I read all four of them and none discusses the after effect of lifting their restrictions. Strange that they don't and stranger still that we as Americans citizens are not trying to find out.

In some cases may be too soon.

[Bjeanj]

I would guess that by going to a newspaper for that nation, one could see what they’re saying.

Coronavirus: 931 new cases, of which 15 are S'poreans and PRs; experts say too early to say S'pore has turned corner, Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
Vice health minister warns against loosening attitudes in combating coronavirus

[blueash]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

Thanks Bogie. I read all four of them and none discusses the after effect of lifting their restrictions. Strange that they don't and stranger still that we as Americans citizens are not trying to find out.

Your question is reasonable. And the TIME article tells you the answer. None of the countries has lifted restrictions. Some have eased restrictions and only in the last week. As you certainly know the incubation period is up to 2 weeks and then there is a delay between first symptoms and disease progression to the point a person may be sick enough to be tested, then longer until death. So it will take at least 3 weeks from any relaxation to know if it is causing a rebound. And 3 weeks out will only tell you something about that specific relaxation, not complete abandonment of restrictions.

The answer is NOT that the media is hiding information from anyone. It is too soon both from the timing and the mild loosening of restrictions. Patience grasshopper.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by ficoguy

Sweden has developed herd immunity.

This is not true. I will leave it up to those interested in using Google to see who is a reliable poster.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Originally Posted by blueash

Your question is reasonable. And the TIME article tells you the answer. None of the countries has lifted restrictions. Some have eased restrictions and only in the last week. As you certainly know the incubation period is up to 2 weeks and then there is a delay between first symptoms and disease progression to the point a person may be sick enough to be tested, then longer until death. So it will take at least 3 weeks from any relaxation to know if it is causing a rebound. And 3 weeks out will only tell you something about that specific relaxation, not complete abandonment of restrictions.

The answer is NOT that the media is hiding information from anyone. It is too soon both from the timing and the mild loosening of restrictions. Patience grasshopper.

Thanks for your input, Blueash. I'm on the fence about lifting restrictions anytime soon (or rather "easing" them as the other countries have done, as you correctly point out). I can see the pros and cons of both sides. But I'm thinking it would be prudent to wait for some good data from those countries before we proceed.

I would just like to avoid additional large scale suffering and giving the critics an opportunity to say something like many more people are dying because of poor judgment and incompetence. We should have waited just a few more weeks to see how the other countries turn out first.

Our nation usually does a better job of planning than this, in my opinion.

[DAN48]

If anyone is hoping to hear this on TV, don't bother! The so-called "news" is repetitive opinion squeezed in between endless commercials.

[Labanz]

You must go outside the normal American news outlets and get your news from international news organizations, start with BBC and then search the internet or YouTube for more specific countries.

[crash]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

With all the hand-wringing going on fearing the worst after we reopen the economy, it seems to me it could be beneficial to focus like a laser beam on the experience of other countries. China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy and Spain have all locked down. They were hit hard but eventually lifted their restrictions, or are in the process of doing so now.

I would think the media would report on how those countries are doing, but I'm not hearing or reading much of

anything and there's very little information about this on the internet, that I've been able to find anyway. Our outcome should be similar to theirs, so where is the curiosity about how they're doing? We can learn a lot from these countries, and perhaps mitigate our fears...or substantiate them if lifting the restrictions is backfiring.

The media give the people what they want, so my guess is the American populace doesn't care too much about how the other hard hit countries have fared. Perhaps we would rather just worry and assume the worst?

China is going into another lock down of another city having a second wave.