What are our Goals in Dealing With Covid?

[Klaralven]

1. Taiwan and New Zealand have succeeded in preventing Covid-19 from infecting their citizens.

They rigorously identify cases, trace and quarantine contacts, and thereby control outbreaks and terminate chains of infection.

They also rigorously quarantine all international arrivals for 14 days to prevent new cases from entering the country.

This is the only public health measure that has been proved to prevent Covid-19.

All other measures, such as restrictions on gatherings, schools and businesses, wearing of masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, vaccination, drugs, hospital and ICU care techniques, etc. are risk reduction measures, but they don't actually prevent some number of people from contracting Covid-19 and either having debilitating illness or dying.

Even if you are carefully socially distancing, mask wearing, and vaccinated (as I am, and which I recommend to everyone) there is still a small risk of contracting a breakthrough Covid-19 infection.

Once you have a case of Covid-19, there are no drugs, methods of treatment, or medical technologies which will always prevent you from becoming disabled or dying.