Saturday, April 18, 2020

Flying blind against Covid-19 worsened by dumb partisanship

Despite the obnoxious and dangerous WI mass rallies against 'Safer-at-Home' government orders, there is one fact which explains why 'reopening' the culture right now or in the near future carries huge danger:

Less than one-percent of Wisconsin's 5.8 million residents have been tested for the virus.
Total Positive Tests. 4,199. Total Negative Tests. 43,962. Total Tested. 48,161
Tested for an unseen, microscopically-small virus which can be and is carried and passed on by unsuspecting people to unsuspecting recipients.

Who can and will repeat this perilous cycle at potentially-fatal risk to themselves, family members, friends, neighbors, big-hearted delivery drivers, heroic medical workers and first-responders and total strangers on an elevator, front porch, sidewalk or just accidentally downwind of a sneeze.

One percent testing in Wisconsin - - a mere one percent which can't be much of a useful indicator - - would be 58,200. (WI population data, here), and it will be days at best before we hit that number,

And according to this extraordinary set of data, Wisconsin is among many states which statistically are likely to have many more actual cases than known cases.

There will be a range of 'reopening' plans that range from thoughtful to reckless to blatantly inflammatory for perceived political advantage:
From the Wisconsin Death Cult, regrettably, this is not a surprise.
MADISON - The Republican leader of the state Assembly said Friday he would likely sue Democratic Gov. Tony Evers over his authority to shut down the economy as the partisan divide widens over how to battle the coronavirus pandemic. 
"We’re angry, we’re frustrated and we’re trying to push back in every way that we can," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester said on WISN-AM (1130).
But if we really want people and businesses to survive danger and dumb GOP-hatched politics in Wisconsin - - 

- - we need better Covid-19 testing data upon which to make life-and-death calls.

It these calls are made prematurely based on emotion or, worse, political calculation, we're in for for more waves of suffering loss and death.

1 comment:

Katrina said...

"We’re angry, we’re frustrated and we’re trying to push back in every way that we can," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester said on WISN-AM (1130). Did he stomp his foot and cross his arms? What an ignorant joke this person is. He makes a mockery of his constituents by lying to them about this disease. I hope at least some of them catch on and stay home before they all get the virus.