3,642 precious lives were lost to Seasonal Flu in Michigan in 2017. That seems to be the last year for which statistics are available…
Thus far, 337 folks have perished in Michigan from SARS-COVID 19 infection— at least since March 5th, which is when the first test seems to have been administered.
For this, we plunged head-long into economic melt-down.
Okay, fine. But thus far —at least here in Michigan—in about one month, it’s only managed to kill one-tenth of what the flu did here in 2017 —when it should be worse. MUCH worse.
The Flu Season (when the sun’s ultraviolet light is diminished by 8 hours each day, and folks are sequestered inside their homes), lasts from October to April, or about eight months. Divide the 3,624 deaths in 2017 from flu by 8, and you get about 455 deaths per month in Michigan from the seasonal flu. Heck, divide it by 12 (to get aggregate data, even though very few people catch the flu in August in Michigan), you get approximately the same amount of monthly deaths as have been lost to the Wuhan Coronavirus: 305.
I certainly understand the concern of not overwhelming an under-resourced hospital system— but closing the whole state of Michigan down has been insanely stupid. Both Munson Healthcare (which currently is treating 10 patients at its 10 separate hospital facilities in northern Michigan) and McClaren Health in Petoskey actually are reporting more open beds and fewer emergency room admissions than they were at this time last year.
It’s been noted, in fact, that several Boston Area Hospitals have laid off personnel. This, however, has not happened to my knowledge here in northern Michigan— but things are definitely on the slower side…
All of this economic devastation might make sense if we were seeing —or will see in April— a “death count” (I HATE that phrase; human beings dying ought not be a data point —but: I digress) that is roughly around 3,000 lost souls per month, which would be reflective of Michigan’s monthly 10% population contribution to President Fauci’s present national estimate.
I’m no expert on epidemiology; I’m not even an amateur one. And this thing could explode, given the service area of Detroit Metro Airport. But, I am allowed to question the public response, and it’s apparent desire to throw a depression ON TOP of a pandemic. And so far, though, President Fauci is off by a factor of ten here in Michigan (and even THAT’S down from his earlier five-alarm appoplexis of 2.5 MILLION deaths…)
And we are already a (supposed) month into this thing. No, I’m sorry…
What’s REALLY going on here?
And, what’s the plan to open things up again?
Is there such a plan?
What are the knowable benchmarks? Who created them? Upon what data are they based?
Do we distinguish Dickinson County from Wayne County, or in the extremist egalitarian mindset of the Governor, are they all the same?
Is one death acceptable? Ten? One Hundred? Who or what determines this?
Has ANY consideration been given to the amount of economic devastation will be countenanced? If so, by whom? What are their matrixes?
Yes: I have A LOT of questions. And President Fauci isn’t giving me any.
https://www.redstate.com/diary/conservativecurmudgeon/2020/04/01/ask-questions-something-isn%e2%80%99t-making-sense.../