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[–]wecandobetter 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

I will agree with the idiocy of politicizing. But, it was the most emotionally charged election year of all time so I don't know what to tell you there. And in response to your 'freedumb' comment I'll say only...SK and Germany already had cultures emphasizing submission to authority and lower individualism. This allowed SK, for example, to implement an incredibly invasive track and trace system. The USA does not have that kind of culture, and that isn't something you can just flip a switch on overnight. The EU in general really hasn't faired very well, even Germany is now up to double their spring case/death load. Please spare me about the masks. Outside surgical/healthcare settings, evidence for their population wide efficacy is shaky at best.

And as for Sweden, if you would scrutinize the data from the website you yourself referenced, Sweden's current fatality/case rate is ~0.9%. The goal should not be to entirely eliminate Covid, but to reach the point where it's no more ominous than the regular flu. In sweden, it's about at that point. Also, Sweden is sitting prettier in their deaths/million numbers than countries that had harsh lockdown measures. Seems a bit random doesn't it.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I agree with some of these points about approaches in the US and Sweden, though would still argue that, 1) it's a bit of apples & oranges to compare the two, and 2) for the period of February - December, there has been the ability in both wealthy countries to do much better with four tasks that have been essential: testing, quarantine, masks, social distancing. The result in both countries has been unnecessary suffering for people, small businesses, &c.

[–]wecandobetter 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

The suffering to small businesses is being imposed by the government - not by some existential threat to the very life of the vast, VAST majority of all human beings. With a fatality per case % approaching regular flu levels, the justification is looking shakier by the day to keep the working age population caged like animals while their businesses fail and future collapses. The myopic fear will be killing people via drugs and suicide for a decade or more to come. 67000 mostly young what should be healthy people died of ODs in 2018 before all this crap started. But nooooo lets double that number so the 85 year olds can have one more year of sucking wind. Yes, THATS the unselfish moral thing to do.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Had the the relatively simple process or test, quarantine, masks and social distancing been followed in February-April, all of the businesses would be open now. But no, a bunch of selfish idiots insisted COVID is a hoax and they wanted their FREEDUMBS, haircuts, and other nonsense. A wealthy country like the US should have reduced the spread of the virus long ago, which would have saved small businesses. Know why the GOP want to kill small businesses? To temporarily earn a profit for the 1%. Now the economy is shit, thanks to these assholes.

[–]wecandobetter 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

You're delusional, and running off hindsight. The quarantines. Didn't. Work. The shit came roaring back the moment things lifted and the weather got cold. This is not unique to the united state. Look at Germany, look at France, look at Holland and Belgium and the UK. The GOP didn't set out to kill small businesses...the only ones agitating for business closures and lockdowns were DUMBOCRATS (since we're using stupid childish slurs). The economy is shit due to a bunch of power tripping idiots doing irrational things for irrational reasons. I know it's nice to think that all this could have been magicked away by more control, but it couldn't. It could have been less damaging than it was however. The only people interested in tanking the economy was the crew interested in defeating Trump.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

What quarantines?! The US failed to focus on testing, quarantine, masks and social distancing for MONTHS. Moreover, the second phase for all countries was also predicted. Best one can do is implement SIMPLE measures (though expensive) and hope to reduce the spread, as has happened on a number of countries, including Germany. But Germany, like the US, has its lunatic anti-maskers who insist on spreading the virus because of their own selfish interests. We're obviously not reading the same newspapers.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Stop reading the newspapers and go out into your city. People aren't dying in droves.