Governmental response to Covid-19, Sweden, etc

(Doug) #164

This is definitely a good example. Especially since Taiwan had (as I recall) 2+ million people that regularly traveled back and forth to China. 7 deaths in ~24 million population. (How is that even possible?)

Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea - have done a great job. New Zealand, 22 deaths with 5 million population, Australia - 102 deaths, 25+million people - these are success stories.

Germany too - more of an equal comparison with other big, western countries. 8701 deaths and ~84 million people. Deaths were taking off in late March and they didn’t act as quickly as they could have, with hindsight, but they’ve done very well since.

Shout-out to the United Arab Emirates, 2,145,493 tests with a population a little under 10 million.

#165

I believe there was one lab in Sweden that had been informing people they were infected but only yesterday did they share that data with the government.

(John) #166

New Zeland

(Polly) #167

New Zealand had just come out of summer. Vitamin D and nitric oxide levels would have been at their highest for the population. I believe that luck played a huge part in the lottery of Covid-19 because we are only beginning to understand what we are dealing with.

#168

NZ also has a government that acted early to capitalise on whatever advantage (or luck) they were afforded.

#169

New Zealand is also sparsely populated. It is the countries/places with higher density that suffer more.

Though Singapore also have same population and deaths as New Zealand (though far more cases) and are obviously much more densely populated.

#170

New Zealand had a very early lockdown, good tracking and tracing, social distancing and excellent leadership from Jacinda Ardern… and stopping inflights.

They have eradicated the virus as they announced they intended to do.

(Doug) #171

I think these are all true. Luck - time of year, weather, already-isolated islands, low population density.

But New Zealand’s success wasn’t just handed to it - there was indeed a good plan and sure, swift action. The virus itself was spreading rapidly there.

Days to go from 100 cases to 1000:

41 days - Hong Kong
33 - Singapore
14 - New Zealand
12 - Australia
10 - our old buddy Sweden
9 - U.K.
8 - U.S.

(Peter) #172

It’s amazing how lucky the countries that moved decisively were. Incredible coincidence, amazing luck. Likewise, the countries that were incompetent have been incredibly unlucky. Amazingly unlucky.

(Peter) #173

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(Peter) #174

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#175

I’ve had such a bad day and that picture gave me such a good laugh. Thanks.

('Jackie P') #176
(Bunny) #177

Dexamethasone they say is preventing deaths from COVID-19, wonder if this can put the virus under control until a vaccine can be used?

”…“We had some senior doctors writing to us saying, ‘You really shouldn’t be doing this,’ and that dampening down the immune system in patients trying to fight an infection was probably not a wise thing to do,” says Landray. “The reality was that nobody knew whether dexamethasone would be helpful or harmful.”

What was missing, until now, was a randomised trial which was big enough to reach firm conclusions. This meant that some of the patients received dexamethasone, and their life or death outcomes were compared to those who did not. …”

”…There are two distinct phases in coronavirus infection. Most people only undergo the first, where the virus invades the body and the immune system mounts an effective response.

But for a minority, the disease alters about a week after infection. The immune system begins to overreact and cause inflammation. At this point it is not the virus, but the body’s own response to infection which causes damage in the lungs and beyond. …” …More

Dexamethasone for Coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOOD NEWS! :grinning: | Coronavirus Medicine

(Polly) #178

It doesn’t control the virus, it controls the extreme inflammatory response to the virus in folk who have to be intubated for respiration. It is one tiny drop in the ocean towards improving the outcome for those whose bodies react badly to Covid-19.

(bulkbiker) #179

Maybe even it helps the body repair some of the damage done by the ventilator so the poor soul in a medically induced coma doesn’t die from lung damage?

(Bunny) #180

Yeah your not joking it’s pretty tiny? But when you consider thousands it could add up?

It’s that “week after infection” timing that seems to be the determining factor if it will work?

Looking at the chart below the one that survives is just the right timing before the cytokine storm?

Variables of cytokine storm may be (5 possibilities?):

• Just before?

• Early stage?

• Right after? (to late = death :skull_and_crossbones:)

• Mid stage? (to late = death :skull_and_crossbones:)

• Late stage? (to late = death :skull_and_crossbones:)

7 days or so (rounded off) or One Week After Infection?

10 days of treatment?

Chance Variable: (survives) +____- (does not survive)?

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For your personal clarification I was referring to controlling the death rate from the virus and of course just so you know, that I know, you cannot actually control the virus itself, everyone on earth is going be infected and re-infected by mutations (which might pack a bigger or lesser punch) of this particular virus eventually and it does not matter where you are…unless you have absolutely no contact with the rest of the so called civilized world?

#181

I would love to know the blood type of that one person saved.

(Peter) #182
(Polly) #183

Or there is the other perspective . . .