I believe that centralized “universal” health systems such as those in the UK, Italy and Spain will fare much worse than the public-private hybrid model of the United States.
Germany will be an exception, not because of the structure of its health care system, but because of the higher resources available to all Germans as a result of the country’s position within the Eurozone.
(It would be a TL:DR digression here to explain the economic dynamics that flowed from the initial setting of the value of the Euro now 20 years ago, but no doubt there are a few macro economist/trader types out here who will understand that the productivity differentials between the southern European economies and Germany ensured that real resources would accrue to to the economy with the artificially low exchange rate.)
@romanigypsyeyes Excellent point. that’s a really really good idea to add into these stimulus packages. Medical debt relief related to covid 19. It’s going to be small by comparison for the uninsured population which isn’t a statistically large part of the total population. But to them it’s important.
Not sure if we should include reimbursement for copays etc. Maybe below an income level for sure. Have to be studied a bit.
Universal health coverage would be better dealing with the sick but won’t stop the virus. Only a good public health policy can. If we were to have the misfortune of Italy, in terms of the level of infections, we’d likely be in even worse shape.
Really, the only thing the US could have done was shut down all borders in late January. People who were overseas at that time would either have to quarantine or be told ‘sorry’, you cannot return to the US. But the outcry would have been loud.
There’s a lot of blame to go around but anyone who flew to Europe from late January onward and then returned to the US is a big part of the problem.
Someone above commented on preparing huge COVID-19 facilities. LA County is doing that. St. Vincent’s Hospital closed down a month or so ago having run out of money. They are going to be re-opened as a coronavirus hospital. The LA County Fairground and it’s Sheraton hotel are going to be used to quarantine coronavirus patients.
Google launches site partnering with US Government
Fox Business. Today.
“The site (covid-19 - Google Search), which consists of resources and links focused on the potentially deadly respiratory illness COVID-19, will be available in more languages and countries in coming days,
Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said in a blog post last Sunday that the search giant was partnering with the U.S. government to create a website by March 16.
However, the launch was delayed as local and national guidance changed significantly from Sunday to Monday and the company had said it would roll out the website later in the week.“
Good for them taking care of their own problems instead of running to the Fed as NY is doing.
NY sat on it, doing not much. As I said, my state closed hair salons and other business as we were passing about 100 cases. I am in a big state, almost as big as NY. NY waited until it was reaching 7,000 to close hair salons and others. Now, they are a national disaster. You’d think WA and CA would be a national disaster before NY.
[quote]
Governor Cuomo also announced “Matilda’s Law” - named for the Governor’s mother - to protect New York’s most vulnerable populations, including individuals age 70 and older, those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying illnesses. The measure requires this group of New Yorkers to stay home and limit home visitation to immediate family members or close friends in need of emergency assistance. If it is necessary to visit such individuals, the visitor should get prescreened by taking temperature and seeing if person is exhibiting other flu-like symptoms. Both individuals should wear a mask for the duration of the visit.[/quote
Why would we build hospitals when there are already temporarily shuttered hotels? We don’t need the building - we need healthy staff and medical equipment. Do your part to keep first responders healthy.
The Sheraton at the LA County fairgrounds will be used for COVID 19 cases who are infectious but not in need of hospitalization. To get them out of the community at large.
For everyone who is doing “take out,” or advocating that we need to “build hospitals now,” ever worked in a small neighborhood restaurant kitchen? Ever been on a jobsite in 90 degree weather in Florida, sweating all over the place, ever pass some joists or drywall to the guy above you in 40 degree weather in New York while it’s raining? You think any of these workers can observe 6’ “safe distance”?
It is so easy for upper middle class suburbanites - who literally could not even unclog a drain line if their life depended on it - to imagine that the world consists of people sitting comfortably in a nice home, waiting for their deliveries, while their knowledge worker spouse telecommutes and complains that she cannot work easily because the other knowledge worker spouse is also on a conference call.
When you test more, you get more positives. Why does Westchester have 1,091 confirmed cases? Because there is a concerted effort to test people, even asymptomatic people, in Westchester. Why does NYC have 4,408? Because 8.7 million people live in close quarters in NYC, and testing is now more available.
There is no NY conspiracy to get people infected and then unleash them on the “safe” zones. I understand that people are scared. However, it would be nice to be able to come to this thread without reading posts that insinuate that diseased New Yorkers are the problem here (and I don’t mean specifically the poster quoted above, but multiple comments).
Are you saying WA and CA didn’t test enough? Or that they are small states? 7 times smaller? That’s an excuse. Also, who’s is calling it is a conspiracy? If I have to put a name, it is self indulgence. Taking the easiest way out with little regard to the fallout.
I think a national lockdown may be coming although it doesn’t seem to be doing much to flatten the curve in Italy or Spain. Even South Korea is now seeing more cases and we thought they had it more or less under control.
And I don’t trust the ‘happy face’ news coming out of China.
Good news: The lab of Florian Krammer, a virologist at Mount Sinai in NYC, has developed a blood test for antibodies that can tell whether people have had Covid-19.
They have published directions for replicating their work, and I hope many labs will start producing antibody tests. Epidemiologists will be able to gather much needed information on the percentages of the population who have mild cases and where/how the virus has spread. HCW and other essential workers will know if they have had the virus and are immune (likely for at least 6 months), allowing them to be on the front lines with far less fear.
Krammer and his team are already using the test in the Mt. Sinai hospital, and it looks like the results are accurate. I was wondering about the prevalence of the four common-cold coronaviruses, and whether a serology test would come back false positive for SARS-CoV-2 because the person had had one or more of those others. However, the Mt. Sinai test is able to distinguish between coronaviruses, and did not show positive for anyone in the control (people who had not had Covid-19).
My husband’s a builder. They’re doing fine maintaining distance.
ETA; Many physicians are renting rooms or staying in a separate part of the house to maintain distance from their spouses. They understand the seriousness of this thing. Meanwhile parents are letting their kids’ friends come over for play dates because otherwise the kids will go stir crazy. C’mon people, be responsible.
So in Chicago they are looking at reopening some hospitals that closed. This makes the most since the infrastructure is already in place. Problem is once a hospital is closed they auction off everything like beds if they can and equipment. We do have 2 fully equipped that they were thinking about closing. It is equipped and looks like will be taken over. No need to build anything if your area has older ones in place as long as the plumbing etc is in good shape