by Steve James on Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:19 pm
Re: Tamiflu and anti-malarial drugs. Let's say they work. They have to be distributed. Like everything said, the well connected celebrities and the wealthy will get them first. My daughter was given Tamiflu for "the flu", but it just made the symptoms less severe. She didn't go to the hospital. Btw. was Kim hospitalized? I ask because the people who need help most are the ones who are hospitalized. That drug would be wasted on people who aren't hospitalized.
Otoh, let's say it stopped the symptoms from getting to a critical point. Should we start giving it to everyone, to everyone who's positive. Btw, NY has started legislation to prevent doctors from prescribing some of the drugs that the president mentions. Wealthy people were having their doctors prescribe them and then buying large quantities. The states need to have access to the drugs in order to distribute them. But, remember, we're still way behind when it comes to testing. In New Jersey, cars are lining up at 8am for drive through. Of course, everybody wants to go, no matter what their symptoms.
So, that means that for drugs to be effective at reducing the body count, they have to work and be available. Hopefully, that will happen. Until then, though, if the rate of infection doubles every two days from the 33K confirmed we have today, just do the math. I.e., Wednesday, there will be 60K. The drugs will only be useful insofar as there are enough of them to give to the serious cases. Better to do the same as recommended if you have the flu; stay home.
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