The Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 killed 675,000 Americans alone. Not including the rest of the world. The H1N1 Flu of 2009, killed 284;000 people. We also had SARS and Ebola. Ebola was primarily an African Continent problem. Let's just hope that the Coronavirus does not become a 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic. Or the 2009 H1N1 Flu. The 18 elderly that died in a rest home in America was shocking. I believe this Coronavirus will pass, just as the previous respiratory diseases became. And, after this passes. The WHO and the CDC, should be better prepared, to cope with the next global respiratory diseases, that become global. Whenever it comes?. Students from the USA, studying in Italy, have been recalled back home immediately. A first time adventure that soon ended for them. A store manager, told me yesterday, that her trip to Venice, Italy has to be postponed. No refunds, but you have one year to reschedule the trip. Better later, than never. Best defense is washing your hands regularly. And, don't touch your mouth and nose.

The reason that COVID19 is scaring those in health care, is that like SARS and the 1918 flu, we have no immunity, no vaccines, and tamiflu won’t work.
Some in CDC are predicting up to 100,000,000 cases with as much as a 2% fatality rate. That’s a lot of dead grandparents.
Keep in mind that when you read the number of cases in charts, that number is misleading. That is only the number of cases that have tested positive. The true number of cases is far, far larger.
This disease is very bad news.
Take care of yourselves.

To Traderjohn:
Sorry I did not make myself more clear. As I said, I am 85 years old. I remember how the US rebuilt our "enemies' " countries after WWII, and how for years after led the world in health research, manufacturing, etc, etc. I also remember how DDE reacted to the death camps and ultimately became a Republican president for whom I voted. I remember working as a summer replacement in a factory earning a working man's salary, which I banked, while fathers were supporting families, sending kids to college, and saving, with that same salary.
So when I say the Republican Congress, that is simply stating a fact. I watch all the news programs, including Fox. Who I listen to are the experts, the virologists, the people with MDs, PhDs,and years and decades of experience. What I've learned is that we are NOT responding in a timely fashion. Trying to subpoena Hunter Biden or anyone else at this critical time should NOT be on any list of priorities.
I worry because we are not the country of my early years, which did not use politics as a vitriolic weapon, but as a method to improve the lives of the governed.
Stay healthy, and wash your hands!

daldds,

Not exactly correct. We are responding rather quickly despite what the media and some politicians and so called "experts" are pontificating about. The CDC and state and local health departments have been implementing preparedness activities since December when the virus was first reported out of China. Not only have the heath departments been conducting these activities, but so has numerous hospitals. Ramping up an entire country to do anything takes time. Government regulations, policies, laws, etc., cause further delays.

They have been diligent in reviewing and revising plans, conducting inventories, ordering supplies, checking contact lists, coordinating with CDC daily, activating emergency operations centers (24/7), conducting drills and exercises of plans and procedures, etc. All in preparation for a possible COVID-19 pandemic. They are doing all this in conjunction with working the current FLU PANDEMIC, which is not being reported by the media or officials.

The USA has responded to this virus event much faster and more directly than we did with the H1N1 virus in 2009 and with much less fatalities.

Be careful with what the media says and doesn't say. Call your local health department to find out what they have been and are doing for accurate information.

Daryl

We can all see that the current administartion is way behind the curve in the response effort, they can downplay it all they want, till the Whitehouse Chief Of Staff tested positive, they will be wiping down AF1 hourly!! DT might have to forego his weekly golf retreats to Maralago.......and address the issue. The bad is that a Chinese Bat Virus might take down many of us (The CDC stated that those over 60 and those with compromised immune systems are in real danger), and I take them seriously. AND that it takes from 5-to-14 days to show symptoms in those infected is a real problem for all of us. Warmer weather is supposed to kill/knock down the virus, so let's hope it does.....give us a chance to develop something to knock out the virus, besides my UVC-lamp!!

A few points:
1) COVID is not a flu. Comparisons between the flu and COVID may or may not be appropriate
2) Flu has a death rate of about 0.1%. Tens of thousands die every year because millions are infected.
3) The death rate for COVID is not well characterized, but is estimated at 1% to 4%
4) We have vaccines to limit flu infection, but none for COVID. Without appropriate response, it is estimated that 30% to 70% of the population could become infected.
5) Flu kills thousands every year because it is well-embedded in the population. The point of early intervention is to keep COVID from becoming similarly embedded.
6) That so few have died in the USA only means we're in the early part of the exponential curve. It does not mean we won't get many more. In fact, it is likely we will get many more.

A quick calculation. 250 million residents of the USA X 30% infected X 1% death rate = 750,000 deaths. We need a stronger response than we have seen so far.

I am not an expert in the field. However, if I were placed in that unenviable position, I would:
1) Not have gutted our pandemic response team and cut funding for the CDC
IT WAS NOT GUTTED.....THAT IS A CLEAR INTENTIONAL RUMOR BEING PUSHED AROUND BY POLITICAL
HACKS[/b]

2) Listen to what the experts say
THEY ARE....DO YOU EVEN WATCH THE DAILY UPDATES???? YOUR COMMENT HERE REEKS OF POLITICAL BIAS


3) Widen testing dramatically, the way they did in South Korea. In South Korea they were able to contain COVID by aggressive testing and appropriate handling of those infected. Contrast that to Italy where testing was curtailed for fear of its impact on tourism. Now the whole country is locked down.
WE ARE IN THE US WHERE WE HAVE THINGS LIKE PRIVACY RIGHTS, ETC. HERE WE REQUIRE A DOCTORS PRESCRIPTION FOR A TEST SUCH AS THIS. RIGHT NOW THE TESTING IS PRETTY WIDE GIVEN THE SUBJECT MATTER

4) Worry more about how this will affect most Americans and less about how it will affect the stock market and shale oil producers. I think it's noteworthy that the administration's point man for talking to the Speaker of the House about a coordinated response is the Treasury secretary. It tells you what this administrations priorities are.
A COUNTRY NEEDS TO ADDRESS MORE THAN ONE ISSUE AT A TIME....MAKING SURE THERE IS NOT A FAKE COLLAPSE OF THE ECONOMY, ALONG WITH THE ACCOMPANYING FOLLOW ONS SUCH AS SUICIDES, WHILE ALSO PUTTING ALL THAT IS NEEDED INTO THE MEDICAL SIDE IS MORE THAN PRUDENT, ITS WHAT RESPONSIBLE COUNTRIES DO.


But now I've veered into politics, about which I am also no expert, so I'll shut up.