I know that you all are obtaining plenty of information on this topic. Here are some perhaps less well known items received from the AMA and from NJ Patch reports:
a. Blood drives have been curtailed around the country, so there will likely be a blood shortage developing.
b. If the virus hits full force, there will be bed shortages even if other conditions are not admitted. Elective surgeries are being cancelled now. A closed hospital (300 beds) in Camden will be reopened, and a Navy ship will sail into New York City to be turned into a hospital for COVID-19 patients. Maybe the closed Dover General Hospital will reopen in Morris County.
c. There will be a worrisome respirator shortage. Respirators are the machines which are hooked up to endotracheal tubes to help victims breathe. Manufacturers here and abroad cannot make them fast enough. In some instances, decisions may have to be made as to who lives and who dies.
d. Telemedicine, the technology that lets patients engage with their doctors without going to a healthcare facility, will be expanded for Medicare patients.
e. New Jersey has 427 cases of COVID-19 so far. 8 have been in Monmouth County. 5 NJ deaths so far. In the US there has been 4000 cases and 90 deaths. Overall, of the deaths, 85% were over age 60. Self testing will soon be a reality.
f. Schools will likely be shut down all over the country with no plans to reopen for this school year. Any school system that doesn’t comply will be at risk of litigation.
g. There is a small chance of catching the virus from food. Take-out services from restaurants will grow fast. Have the delivery left at your door and work something out for tipping.
h. As far as social distancing is concerned, the CDC says to avoid close contact and stay at least 6 feet away from others. Reducing human to human contact is the key element in prevention.
i. From Tap into East Brunswick:
EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen is joined by his fellow doctor-mayor Phillip Kramer of Franklin Township in entreating Governor Phillip Murphy to order a statewide closure of daycare centers for children and adults and to place all of New Jersey on lockdown for the next two weeks to “flatten the curve” in the spread of COVID-19. Cohen also notes that the current closures in East Brunswick exceed those required by the State of New Jersey.
j. News today says that the testing scenario is chaotic across the country due mainly to lack of test components. But here’s the problem: No clear guidelines have been issued as to who should be tested.
For example: A couple live together and are staying home and keeping their distance from all humans. They go out briefly to get some food. They are 70 years old and they come down with a “cold” with cough, runny nose, sneezing and low grade fever.
Some say that they should be tested, but why? They are quarantining themselves, and if the test were done and were positive, what would change? Nothing! So why test?
–Paul Goldfinger, MD
How about listing the 10 top causes of death a year and their numbers that are established and not the fear mongering numbers the MSM (Main Stream Media) are touting.
55,000 deaths just from the flue alone and no shortage of beds.
The MSM scaring people is not the answer for helping anyone.
I would like to see some real facts and numbers, not what the MSM is projecting to scare Americans.
Kevin. Here is an Internet stat: “For 2016 specifically, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows 37,461 people were killed in 34,436 motor vehicle crashes, an average of 102 per day.[1]”
Your comparison is meaningless since the epidemic is currently a progressive danger —a moving target threatening every person in America..
Car deaths do not threaten our economy, our jobs, our mental health, our community well being, our schools, our national security, our heath care resources, and our lifestyles across the country.
Also, a recent study suggests that over 2 million people could die in the US by the time this epidemic is over, assuming we fail in our prevention efforts. Hopefully this projection is wrong.
Over 3000 people a day die in car accidents, that is over 125 people an hour that are dying on our roads. Maybe people should direct their fears where they have the greatest chance of dying.