TildeCow brings up the pandemic [0] - I think it's pretty clear now
that it _is_ a pandemic, even if the WHO doesn't want to label it as
that. Here is the quote that caught my eye:
"My wife and I have plans in motion though I feel that less than
1% of the population in my provincial backwater are even
thinking much about it."
I mentioned in my french phlog that we had been preparing more after
a power outage early this winter [1]. We have also been preparing
for the eventuality of "bugging-in", of being quarantined in our
home for up to a month. The people in our area (Southern Quebec)
don't seem to be concerned, I think this is a mistake. A little
thought shows just how dangerous the situation can become.
- Grocery stores get daily truck deliveries to maintain stock
levels. What happens when truck drivers get sick, or employees in
the factories producing food are told to go home and quarantine
for two weeks?
- 20% of people with COVID-19 have more serious symptoms like
pneumonia that usually require hospital care. As the number of
people who get infected rises, this pool of 20% also grows,
eventually overwhelming the hospitals, which even in normal times
have tight critical care resources. What happens when doctors and
nurses get sick because supply chain disruptions have limited the
supply of protective gear?
That's just off the top of my head. I am sure there are countless
other examples of potential shortages with critical food and
medicine production as a pandemic takes hold. There is uncertainty
here, mostly because we don't know who might be infected and
contagious. Not everyone who is infected shows symptoms. Many who do
get sick will experience mild symptoms and get better, but they will
do their part and pass the virus along before they recover.
[0]
gopher://tildecow.com/0/phlog/2020.02.27
[1]
gopher://republic.circumlunar.space/0/%7eslugmax/quebec/les-temps-et-les-pannes
