I think folks without insurance certainly are more likely to avoid "worthless" visits (or perceived ones), but I think that people facing assumed death will show up at the hospital whether they have money or not.
I have yet to hear one story of a COVID 19 victim who was refused a ventilator over money.
seriously, not to go 4 posts deep back to back, but this rhetoric will create demographic panic if all of the ventilators end up being taken... do hospital workers and staff really need folks accusing them of selective racism while they are helping anyone and everyone they can get to?
Quote: @BlackMagic7 said:
seriously, not to go 4 posts deep back to back, but this rhetoric will create demographic panic if all of the ventilators end up being taken... do hospital workers and staff really need folks accusing them of selective racism while they are helping anyone and everyone they can get to?
To be fair, I don't think most democrats or in this case Biden are pointing at people being actually racist, they're pointing at systemic racism. It's kind of like all the other wars we've had recently (war on drugs, war on terror, war on climate change, etc.). You take a stand against something that's hard to define, hard to measure, hard to understand. No one can quantify if you did anything effective, or are even doing anything. People just know that you said that you care.
Quote: @medaille said:
@ BlackMagic7 said:
seriously, not to go 4 posts deep back to back, but this rhetoric will create demographic panic if all of the ventilators end up being taken... do hospital workers and staff really need folks accusing them of selective racism while they are helping anyone and everyone they can get to?
To be fair, I don't think most democrats or in this case Biden are pointing at people being actually racist, they're pointing at systemic racism. It's kind of like all the other wars we've had recently (war on drugs, war on terror, war on climate change, etc.). You take a stand against something that's hard to define, hard to measure, hard to understand. No one can quantify if you did anything effective, or are even doing anything. People just know that you said that you care.
Like climate change.
What is the ideal climate? Warmer like it was during global warming? Or colder like the ice age.
They never tell us the ideal. Rather whatever the climate is - is bad. Spend billions to change it. Always a moving target.
USSG Adams addresses the racial issue and points out that the higher mortality rates among minorities follows along with the higher rates of pre-existing health issues that makes covid hit those people harder. Those minorities have higher instances of diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, etc in some cases it genetic, some cases environmental, but its not really about lack of testing or access to health care leading to those higher mortality rates among black and brown Americans.
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@ greediron said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ A1Janitor said:
I read something interesting.
First ... Many African countries are not suffering from this pandemic. They tie it to being poor countries taking the malaria drugs.
Second ... poor african americans are more susceptible because of underlying health markers like obesity and diabetes.
of course, how much testing is taking place in those African countries? I have to guess that its much like rural parts of the US that arent showing huge numbers like other areas because we just arent testing as hard. the town I work in has a policy of no testing unless they are severe enough to require hospitalization... well that will keep the numbers artificially low compared to areas like the coasts that tested on all symptoms. I do find the theory on the tie to malaria drug interesting though, but I have read that Hydroxychloroquene by itself really doesnt do anything against the virus alone, it is the catalyst that makes the virus susceptible and that zinc is actually what does the damage, each by themselves are pretty useless.
hydroxy is the tool to open the cell wall to zinc. I think it is called an ionophore or something if I recall my biology correctly. Zinc is a killer for viruses, but needs something to carry it through the cell wall or it is useless.
As to the rural, I think it is more the open air, the less densely populated and likely healthier eating in general. Not that poor countries eat healthy, but likely eat less bad foods. If it was just a lack of testing, the deaths would be higher. I read the other day that between the dakotas and wyoming there were only 7 deaths.
I cant speak for ND or Wy, but we have 6 here in SD, the first one was before anybody else in the midwest really had this thing on their radar, 2 were family members, and the others I cant really speak to for sure.
I think you’re right on with your initial post. Geography and regional differences in health decisions seem to play a much larger role in health outcomes.
On the Dakotas and why we don’t have more deaths, I’m not sure what to make of it. You’re absolutely right on our testing. Even here in Sioux Falls testing is closely held for the most serious cases. I have no doubt we’re missing a significant number of cases and I’m a good example. My Doctor believes I had it (about a month ago). All I know is I had something I had never had before. I called for a test and they said I was classified as moderate so I should self quarantine. About a week after symptoms ended, I coughed up some blood from my lung(s). It was then they had me test. I was negative for the nose swab. I thought “great I didn’t have it”. My Doc was less sure and had me continue the quarantine. He said just because it wasn’t in the nose/throat anymore doesn’t mean you didn’t have it. The tests are very good, but not if there isn’t enough genetic material in the area tested. In my case he said it was likely out of my system given the long time frame until testing. It opened my eyes to another reason why this damn virus is so difficult to pin down. If testing it too early or too late we can get a lot of false negatives.
The most important test is the anti-body tests and I hope they can get them ramped up fast. I’ve volunteered to get checked as soon as they have them and give blood so they can pull plasma with anti-bodies for therapeutic plasma transfusions. They are prepping to start it up at Avera. Not sure of Sanford. There’s no question we’re blessed to have an exceptional medical system here.
Quote: @Sir Viking Bob VWO said:
So the Party that claims to be united as one, divides people by color and race again..... Hmmmm
The party that spent a few decades rejecting science and scientific studies suddenly becomes eager to embrace science again.
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