Rachel Maddow MSNBC @maddow · 1h If you read one thing today, read this:

[riversedge]

Rachel Maddow MSNBC
@maddow
·
1h
If you read one thing today, read this:

Link to tweet

?s=20





Cancel Everything

Social distancing is the only way to stop the coronavirus. We must start immediately.


https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-cancel-everything/607675/
6:30 AM ET Yascha Mounk

We don’t yet know the full ramifications of the novel coronavirus. But three crucial facts have become clear in the first months of this extraordinary global event. And what they add up to is not an invocation to stay calm, as so many politicians around the globe are incessantly suggesting; it is, on the contrary, the case for changing our behavior in radical ways—right now.



The first fact is that, at least in the initial stages, documented cases of COVID-19 seem to increase in exponential fashion. On the 23rd of January, China’s Hubei province, which contains the city of Wuhan, had 444 confirmed COVID-19 cases. A week later, by the 30th of January, it had 4,903 cases. Another week later, by the 6th of February, it had 22,112...........................................




The second fact is that this disease is deadlier than the flu, to which the honestly ill-informed and the wantonly irresponsible insist on comparing it. Early guesstimates, made before data were widely available, suggested that the fatality rate for the coronavirus might wind up being around 1 percent. If that guess proves true, the coronavirus is 10 times more deadly than the flu.


The third fact is that so far only one measure has been effective against the coronavirus: extreme social distancing.

Before China canceled all public gatherings, asked most citizens to self-quarantine, and sealed off the most heavily affected region, the virus was spreading in exponential fashion. Once the government imposed social distancing, the number of new cases leveled off; now, at least according to official statistics, every day brings news of more existing patients who are healed than of patients who are newly infected............................

[dewsgirl]

1. K and R

[Andy823]

2. Thanks for posting this

One hard part will be getting people to stay away from their religious group. The larger the church the more chance you have of coming in contact with the virus.

Another problem is going to religious conventions. I think most churches will see this and cancel them, but some may not. Jehovahs witnesses have conventions all over the world. In the states they have numerous conventions at the same place on different dates during the summer, then they come back to their home town and go out door to door preaching their beliefs. This is not a good idea now, and I really hope they stop, but I know the local group, I was one of them over 20 years ago, and they are still going out door to door.

[GemDigger]

3. K & R, Thanks riversedge.

[Jarqui]

4. Heartily agree, Been advocating for this for some time. nt

[MagickMuffin]

5. So, Voting is Canceled

Today several states are voting.

Should they just stay home?

[dalton99a]

6. Kick

[Cognitive_Resonance]

7. This administration will continue to prioritize economic considerations above public health

Granted there's a responsibility to protect the economy, but it should not come at the expense of human life. That's the fundamental conflict to watch as the pandemic (non)response continues to unfold. They're committed to resist actions that would save lives, but impact the economy. We need to be canceling public events, and advising everyone to exercise "social distancing".