[reedx8]

The relevant facts are, one, only much older people have to worry about it, and two, the cure already exists in washing yourself. This common flu is here to stay, the absolute risk to vast majority of people is extremely insignificant.

[Taek]

Covid19 is closer to SARS than the flu, and is known to cause permanent lung, kidney, and testicle damage, even in young and healthy patients.

Even among young patients, the ICU rate is as high as 10%. A low mortality rate for young people assumes access to an ICU.

All of New York State only has about 600 unoccupied ICU beds. If the number of infections in New York breaches 6,000, the fatality rate among young people is likely to be 10-20x that of the flu.

Young people need to worry about Covid19/SARS2

[john61]

Also if the healthcare system is overloaded it is also overloaded for young people that get another disease or have an accident.

[listsfrin]

I've never seen studies that say anything about "permanent lung, kidney, and testicle damage, even in young and healthy patients". Where did you read this?

"young patients, the ICU rate is as high as 10%."

Any links?

[mondoshawan]

Sorry to be that person, but citation needed? Where is a reputible source for this information?

[reedx8]

Those are some important facts, thanks for sharing. I’d like to see the probability of healthy people getting permanent damage however. That would change my mind. Until then the extremely low fatality and infection rate for average people, as well as the incubation period being so long that it’s unrealistic to contain it, is enough for me not to worry about it.

[zozbot234]

People keep saying this, but if healthcare systems get overwhelmed then everyone has to worry about this "flu". Adding to that, even the strictest measures will only have visible effects in one or two weeks. We literally have no idea what the situation on the ground will look like by then, even in places like Raleigh. That's why it's entirely appropriate to act now and minimize risk.

[seieste]

Italy is recording a death every four minutes. The annual flu doesn't even come close to that.

[easytiger]

That's not true necessarily. Italy has had this outlier before

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S120197121...

Highlights

- In the winter seasons from 2013/14 to 2016/17, an estimated average of 5,290,000 ILI cases occurred in Italy, corresponding to an incidence of 9%. - More than 68,000 deaths attributable to flu epidemics were estimated in the study period.

[ncallaway]

I downvoted you because I think you have some factual mistakes:

"only much older people have to worry about it"

That's false. There are a number of comorbidities that don't have anything to do with age. Immuno-compromised individuals, or individuals with pulminary conditions, are at risk regardless of their age.

Further, while the risk does go down for younger populations, only children seem to be fairly risk-free. Healthy individuals of all ages have died of this (at rates significantly higher than that of the flu).

Finally, younger people (even children) still get infected by the disease, still incubate it, and still spread it even if they have no or low symptoms. This means low-risk people can easily spread it to high-risk people without being aware of it.

"the cure already exists in washing yourself"

That's false. Handwashing is not a cure. Handwashing is a preventative measure. They are totally different things.

Once infected, handwashing will do nothing to protect you (though can still help protect others, so ill people should continue to handwash). There are no cures for COVID-19. There is no vaccine for COVID-19. There are no widespread treatments for COVID-19 (though some human trials underway). The only care we can currently provide care for people with COVID-19 is to treat the symptoms.

"This common flu is here to stay"

That's false. Coronavirus is not influenza. It is a type of coronavirus, and is closely related to SARS. The CFR of influenza is around 0.1%, while the Coronavirus is estimated to be around 1% (or higher if medical care becomes saturated).

"the absolute risk to vast majority of people is extremely insignificant."

That's unknown, but disagrees with pretty much all of the expert opinion on the topic. The infections disease expert in the US federal government (Anthony Fauci) thinks it's possible that a million people in the US will die of Coronavirus.

[JoeAltmaier]

That's categorically false. Read more, and get educated.

[reedx8]

There’s nothing false about it. Fatality rate for 50 and below is a paltry 0.2%, let alone the infection rate is very low as well. The incubation period is long and symptoms for most are mild, so it’s here to stay as it’s easily spreadable. I dont understand your position!

[enraged_camel]

I don’t know what makes people like you go online and post this type of incorrect and harmful advice in such a smug fashion. All I can say is you need to educate yourself.

[mondoshawan]

What would be a reputable source for education? I've been reading reports from the CDC and the WHO, as well as listening to microbiologists I know personally who have been studying coronaviruses for some time. I'm seeing lots of fear here, but nothing concrete. Please, educate me: what am I missing in my information feed?

[reedx8]

I posted the relevant facts. Please post your relevant facts to counter them. I’ve done my research and until those core facts change my viewpoint remains.