Posted by alexandra_k on April 11, 2020, at 17:24:47
In reply to Re: beckett, posted by beckett2 on April 11, 2020, at 15:27:59
> Aww, no worries Alex. You're fine. The times elicit rants.
Thanks, Beckett. I couldn't sense your mood / tone. I was worried about you.
> Many do not realize how quickly the US is deteriorating.
It is hard to comprehend. It is hard for me to comprehend life in such a big city in the first place. Even harder for me to comprehend the deserted streets and the bodies piling up.
I am trying to keep up with the news in other States, too. Because it is important to recognise the diversity that is there, I think. Diversity in strategy for dealing with this. I guess I am just trying to make sense of things by looking at the big picture as much as I am able to do.
> The supply chain (masks and PPE) is broken through the hostile neglect. This is true, although I may not have the contours right.
I am not sure, either.
I have been reading about how nurses mostly (but Doctors also) have been instructed not to talk to media. Have been stood down for complaining about lack of supplies.
And I will admit it makes me wonder how much hospital chains might be experimenting with different protocols on PPE use. And I will admit it makes me wonder how many hospitals are not rationing PPE.
There was this thing in the NZ Newspapers about how, apparently, 3 of our wealthy businessmen brought up a few tons of medical supplies just before the lockdown.
And we were told that a bunch fo medical supplies were sold back to China to help them deal with their crisis! And I suppose, maybe they were sold back to China to help them deal with their crisis...
Or maybe they were sold back to rich people in China so they could mark them up and sell them on for profits. Or maybe they were sold back to rich people in NZ so they could mark them up and sell them on for profits.
Or maybe they were sold back to rich people in NZ so they could distribute them as they see fit (making sure they have excess for their needs first, of course).
Apparently they have been talking with our government and are now being hailed as wealthy benefactors of our health system!
Not clear to me whether the supplies are to go to the public health system or to be hoarded in the private health system.
Apparently the DHBs here did lock down elective surgeries in the public hospitals in preparation for the CoronaVirus epidemic...
But a lot of the electives were contracted out to the private hospitals. So many of the surgeons who were working partly public and partly private were withdrawn from the public sector to work in the private sector only.
I bet a bunch of medical supplies went with them.
And some of the stupid-er surgeries were cancelled outright. The keyhole joint surgeries that do no better than placebo. Some of the joint replacement surgeries where our stage of development of orthopedics is (I think) something along the lines of practicing on people on their way out...
I saw this photograph of medical doctors and dentists in pakistan street rioting / protesting that they weren't going to become accredited to practice this year because of the disruptions. ANd one of them wearing a masks to cover his mouth (but not his nose). And then what I know about medical selections (and completions)... And likely the very very real situation in many hospitals of people not wearing the PPE gear appropriately even if they do have access to it (because it is hot and uncomfortable). So...
And I remember reading that some of the Boston HOspitals had stringent PPE using guidelines...
And they were going to keep on with something that seemed to be 'business as usual' insofar as they were concerned...
And that's the thing, really. The vast differences in the baseline of that.
And the vast numbers of healthcare workers who weren't doing the basic things that they were supposed to do BEFORE this epidemic. Weren't washing their hands approproiately. Now they cry for face masks -- but they don't even wash their hands appropriately. This is what happens with the in-breeding nepotism we-picked-the-best-suck-up situation.
I expect the real situation is one of very very much inequality. Some have shortages while others are doing just fine.
Sharing. Playing nice.
Be Nice to Iowa, Minessota.
They have been saying for a while that the greatest threat to peace and security across the globe is inequality.
> I would love to live somewhere like Australia or NZ. I would even forsake the sun and live in Finland for some peace and quiet.
I wish you could take 6 months or 12 months and visit and see parts of it and see where you think you might like to settle down. And then spend some time. And then, after a year or so, decide where you would rather be.
There would be things about the US that you would likely miss. Seasons. Holidays. The timing of things makes sense with the seasons. TV premiere dates. Ball games. Art gallieries and museums etc. But it depends on your access to / utilisation of those things, I guess.
> But my health isn't good and I'm old and not a desirable émigré.
I think the only desirable is... The one who will shuck (the right word?) Crabs in Baltimore to contribute to the low-income population and associated problems. They seem to be missing the demise of that.
The one who will stock the supermarket shelves and pay into our schooling system with the promise of being able to work their way up and being able to work their way to permanent residency and citizenship only to be expected to stock the supermarket shelves indefinately...
> I know you and sigi have valid issues with your countries. I hope you feel heard too.Thanks.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1109408
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20200409/msgs/1109553.html