Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

skip fox

(19,502 posts)
38. There were thousands of years of "The earth is ending" movements,
Wed Feb 26, 2020, 06:28 PM
Feb 2020

that doesn't mean that humanity will continue at all much less in the manner to which we've become accustomed.

You're absolutely right, of course, but if this time we do get a yellow-fever level of destruction, and that seems possible, then the past will not have been an adequate predictor of the present.

So . . . I hope your implication (that there is not a great reason to believe the worse case) is correct, but we should allow for the possibility that this time the reason for anxiety is real.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

If all 327.2 million people are infected Aviation Pro Feb 2020 #1
The numbers are valid just for the perspective lunatica Feb 2020 #4
No, they really aren't. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #8
Correct! This situation calls for realistic data and not dramatic fear Under The Radar Feb 2020 #15
Four days ago you wrote: skip fox Feb 2020 #16
I did which is in the same vein that it's not being over dramatic Under The Radar Feb 2020 #18
Of course. skip fox Feb 2020 #22
I agree on caution Under The Radar Feb 2020 #24
At no time has a disease ever infected the entire population. LiberalArkie Feb 2020 #35
That assumes that medical care is the same everywhere and that everyone gets infected. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #2
An official of the CDC was on CNN yesterday and said skip fox Feb 2020 #10
Well, they probably make them MoonlitKnight Feb 2020 #45
PANIC NOW. maxsolomon Feb 2020 #3
I'm not laughing. lunatica Feb 2020 #5
As long as the trump aparatchiks are not fully in charge... Turbineguy Feb 2020 #6
If every person in the US contracted the virus... Zeus69 Feb 2020 #7
Those numbers are not valid by themselves. defacto7 Feb 2020 #25
But it is worth while to consider the worse case, right? skip fox Feb 2020 #30
I think speculation based on real statistics is fine defacto7 Feb 2020 #32
Yesterday someone from Harvard said 40-70% would contract Covid csziggy Feb 2020 #33
3700 people were confined in close quarters for an extended period on the Diamond Princess onenote Feb 2020 #50
45 million dead?! No. PTWB Feb 2020 #55
It's an extrapolation from the projections given by experts this week csziggy Feb 2020 #56
You must have meant four point five and not 45. PTWB Feb 2020 #61
Yes, I could be off csziggy Feb 2020 #62
What was the infection percentage for the 1918 flu? Wednesdays Feb 2020 #42
Worse, the number is actually 3.4% Miguelito Loveless Feb 2020 #9
Bingo. We're being flim-flammed with the 2% number. The_jackalope Feb 2020 #49
Indeed we are, I didn't want to say that here, I don't have dewsgirl Feb 2020 #53
It depends greatly on age. lapfog_1 Feb 2020 #11
Hell, I'm 73 and have had 2 heart attacks, lung operation, etc. skip fox Feb 2020 #14
IKR? I keep seeing on DU that this doesn't matter because only the elderly or those with Coventina Feb 2020 #19
Oh, it's only 3-15% of us csziggy Feb 2020 #34
I hear ya... lapfog_1 Feb 2020 #46
I hear we have trouble measuring the mortality rate because of un-reported cases: skip fox Feb 2020 #12
Indeed it is, all these people quoting flu statistics continually dewsgirl Feb 2020 #13
Example of how this measurment is out of skew... defacto7 Feb 2020 #17
Points taken. skip fox Feb 2020 #23
Bring out your dead! gibraltar72 Feb 2020 #20
This infodemic won't get me! I am protected MyNameGoesHere Feb 2020 #21
Since we have a criminal and traitor in the WH, what are underthematrix Feb 2020 #26
Wow. Under the Matrix sounds Beyond the Matrix! skip fox Feb 2020 #27
Hey, I'm realistic and practical. And I still have the power to underthematrix Feb 2020 #31
I spent the night in ICU because my brother.had3 heart attacks yesterday Sucha NastyWoman Feb 2020 #54
LOL! n/t EndlessWire Feb 2020 #43
We just started stocking up food today. Greybnk48 Feb 2020 #40
Kudos. we have to take the initiative because our government is gone. underthematrix Feb 2020 #44
For pity's sake. PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2020 #28
The other posts spell these things out in some detail. skip fox Feb 2020 #29
DU doesn't have a great track record when it comes to these things. bearsfootball516 Feb 2020 #36
There were thousands of years of "The earth is ending" movements, skip fox Feb 2020 #38
2% is an approximation of the reported case mortality rate... tandem5 Feb 2020 #37
Good point. The best is that skip fox Feb 2020 #39
Cool story. How many die if we all get Ebola? Takket Feb 2020 #41
A lot more than that. Renew Deal Feb 2020 #48
Does everyone catch it? Renew Deal Feb 2020 #47
Of the 3700 people aboard the Diamond Princess, only 19 percent tested positive onenote Feb 2020 #63
If a meteor the size of Texas hits the earth we are all doomed. former9thward Feb 2020 #51
I was proposing nothing . . . Just runnign the numbers skip fox Feb 2020 #57
Do you do that for every other disease that is out there? former9thward Feb 2020 #58
I don't understand the implicit accusation skip fox Feb 2020 #60
Kinda like "if you value your puppy, you won't get them vaccinated", eh? LanternWaste Feb 2020 #64
This message was self-deleted by its author democratisphere Feb 2020 #52
It would mean 140 million people worldwide. AGeddy Feb 2020 #59
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The mortality rate of 2% ...»Reply #38