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COVID-19 Has Blown Away the Myth About 'First' and 'Third' World Competence:
One of the planet's – and Africa's – deepest prejudices is being demolished by the way countries handle COVID-19.
For as long as any of us remember, everyone "knew" that "First World" countries – in effect, Western Europe and North America – were much better at providing their citizens with a good life than the poor and incapable states of the "Third World". "First World" has become shorthand for competence, sophistication and the highest political and economic standards.
[...] So we should have expected the state-of-the-art health systems of the "First World", spurred on by their aware and empowered citizens, to handle COVID-19 with relative ease, leaving the rest of the planet to endure the horror of buckling health systems and mass graves.
We have seen precisely the opposite.
[...] [Britain and the US] have ignored the threat. When they were forced to act, they sent mixed signals to citizens which encouraged many to act in ways which spread the infection. Neither did anything like the testing needed to control the virus. Both failed to equip their hospitals and health workers with the equipment they needed, triggering many avoidable deaths.
The failure was political. The US is the only rich country with no national health system. An attempt by former president Barack Obama to extend affordable care was watered down by right-wing resistance, then further gutted by the current president and his party. Britain's much-loved National Health Service has been weakened by spending cuts. Both governments failed to fight the virus in time because they had other priorities.
And yet, in Britain, the government's popularity ratings are sky high and it is expected to win the next election comfortably. The US president is behind in the polls but the contest is close enough to make his re-election a real possibility. Can there be anything more typically "Third World" than citizens supporting a government whose actions cost thousands of lives?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 18 2020, @11:59AM (3 children)
Not sure I get who/what caused 'thousands of lives'?
Bear in mind, that at least in Canada (where I live), the narrative has NEVER EVER been to stop people from getting the virus. Nope! Never.
The only narrative has been to *slow* transmission, so that the hospitals would not be overwhelmed. Thus, giving those that get very sick, the best outcome. In other words, *everyone will get this virus*, and this has always been the known outcome stated by the governments in my country.
This thing is here for *years*, staying at home won't help you, unless you intend to become a hermit forever.
So... unless hospitals have been overwhelmed in the UK, for example... with people needing treatment being turned away, then.. well, no one died that wouldn't have, regardless!
Where I live, hospitals have *not* been overwhelmed. At all. Is that different in the US/UK? Have those needing treatment been turned away?
NOTE: I'm not saying response was "as it should". Mayhap, mistakes were made, maybe some, maybe a lot! But the idea that people have needlessly died is absurd, unless there wasn't (for example) a ventilator available when needed, or a bed...
(Score: 2, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday May 18 2020, @12:06PM (1 child)
There were a very few, geographically isolated instances early on of not having enough ventilators (whose efficacy beyond an oxygen tube is still unclear) and PPE to go around early on. This has since been resolved. Nobody was turned away for what treatment could be provided and I'm unaware of anywhere actually running out of beds, only screaming that they might soon. Oh, and "do I have it" tests that people keep somehow mistakenly thinking will make a difference in if they die or not.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 18 2020, @02:31PM
Hey Buzzy, you in here being stupid?
Sweet! You're my rock bro!
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday May 19 2020, @03:06PM
https://covid19.healthdata.org/canada claims that country-wide, ICU beds have been at least 100% oversubscribed recently.
I don't trust their predictions for shit (honestly, they can be pure garbage that can vary by an order of mangitude day to day), but the raw numbers they have seem to agree with other sources. Perhaps you have some sources that could either confirm or refute the above?
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