OT: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Part VI (NO RIOT/PROTEST DISCUSSION)

[SnowblindNYR]

I agree,

Just seems like an easier answer would have been something like, from the limited data on tracing we have, data which is in question due to how the different countries report stuff, we are not seeing much transmission from the known asymptomatic cases, and instead we should be focusing on the symptomatic cases because...

I love how formal the rest of your post is and then you have this.

 

[nyr2k2]

doesn’t mean we shouldn’t either. We have a world wide pandemic, our employment rate went from a high and crashed through the floor, we have lost trillions as an economy, over 7 million people have become infected and we may see a return come the autumn since this virus is free in nature.

Pulling back their funding has to be on the table considering our world wide health has been comprised and caused havoc economically.

Maybe that funding should be allocated elsewhere.

What we contribute(d) to the WHO is not even a drop in the bucket relative to our budget as a whole. $400-$500 million annually from a proposed FY 2021 budget of $4.8 trillion. I'm sure, given the amount of pork in any given budget, that we could find better places to pull $400M from than from funding the WHO. In my opinion. Cutting funding to the WHO hurts untold amounts of people who benefit from the programs they sponsor or coordinate, while saving us the equivalent of a penny and some pocket lint.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Sorry nice try. Don't use fake stats to support your claims. That's what I expect from our elected officials.

don’t derail threads b/c you have nothing better to do all day.

 

[NYSPORTS]

What we contribute(d) to the WHO is not even a drop in the bucket relative to our budget as a whole. $400-$500 million annually from a proposed FY 2021 budget of $4.8 trillion. I'm sure, given the amount of pork in any given budget, that we could find better places to pull $400M from than from funding the WHO. In my opinion. Cutting funding to the WHO hurts untold amounts of people who benefit from the programs they sponsor or coordinate, while saving us the equivalent of a penny and some pocket lint.

the trillions lost due to a our economic shutdown b/c of a virus isn’t a drop in the bucket.

 

[Off Sides]

I love how formal the rest of your post is and then you have this.

I had to read the WHO quotes @sbjnyc provided like 6 times before I thought I understood what they were saying. And even then parts of it are still unclear. (mostly if the data includes known asymptomatic and/ or mild symptoms, and how whoever collected the data determined that)

I am not against the WHO at all, just seems like they could use a spokesperson who could put things in more layman's terms. Maybe that could both clear up any confusion and lead to whatever they are saying being more difficult to spin politically.

 

[nyr2k2]

the trillions lost due to a our economic shutdown b/c of a virus isn’t a drop in the bucket.

The WHO is not to blame for our pandemic response, and is not to blame for the extent of the resulting economic damage. Cutting funding to the WHO hurts so, so many people, and is jut a smokescreen, a means of deflecting the blame for what is happening onto some other institution. It's just unwise, and something we will (hopefully) live to regret.

Whether or not one approves of the work WHO has done in combating this pandemic, I think the overall positive effects of their work in general is undeniable. We should be devoting more money to public health organizations both domestic and international, not cutting funding. If it doesn't hurt us now, it will down the road.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

The WHO is not to blame for our pandemic response, and is not to blame for the extent of the resulting economic damage. Cutting funding to the WHO hurts so, so many people, and is jut a smokescreen, a means of deflecting the blame for what is happening onto some other institution. It's just unwise, and something we will (hopefully) live to regret.

Whether or not one approves of the work WHO has done in combating this pandemic, I think the overall positive effects of their work in general is undeniable. We should be devoting more money to public health organizations both domestic and international, not cutting funding. If it doesn't hurt us now, it will down the road.

https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/anthony-fauci-slams-who-over-very-rare-coronavirus-claim/

Guess i'm not the only one who thinks WHO has no idea what they are doing..

 

[NYSPORTS]

Covid numbers rising as we move past 14 days after Memorial Day and approx 14 days after protests began. My gosh

 

[Barnaby]

The WHO is not to blame for our pandemic response, and is not to blame for the extent of the resulting economic damage. Cutting funding to the WHO hurts so, so many people, and is jut a smokescreen, a means of deflecting the blame for what is happening onto some other institution. It's just unwise, and something we will (hopefully) live to regret.

Whether or not one approves of the work WHO has done in combating this pandemic, I think the overall positive effects of their work in general is undeniable. We should be devoting more money to public health organizations both domestic and international, not cutting funding. If it doesn't hurt us now, it will down the road.

I assume that we take their opinion seriously if we hand out 400-500 million per year. If we take their opinion seriously then it most likely did factor into our response. To what degree? I have no idea, but if we are ignoring their advice then why pay them out?

 

[eco's bones]

I'm not looking to get into an argument here--my comment is a take or leave it, LOL--but to condemn the WHO for what "some" perceive as poor handling of the response to a novel virus and suggest that cutting funding to it is a good thing is sheer lunacy. It ignores the WHO's enormous body of work and the tremendously important programs that they participate in or help coordinate, that have saved literally countless millions of lives and prevented terrible suffering in tens or even hundreds of millions more.

The aim of the present administration is to deflect blame away and to scapegoat. There's no question in my mind that the federal govt.'s response to the virus was and has always been abysmal. The POTUS refusing to take any responsibility--pointing blame elsewhere but the World Health Organization had its own f***-ups here too. Really I look at our political landscape and see a really bad cartoon. There is very little responsible leadership on either side. I guess from some governors--certainly not any from Washington (the house, the senate or the POTUS) or the heads of the the respective republican (Trump) and democratic (Biden) parties.

As for the WHO--at least at this point I feel kind of indifferent. I think we need some space and time when this is over to get a retrospective look at things and decide then what really happened and how effective the various leaders and organizations actually were and what mistakes were made and what can be done to rectify them. This virus has killed about 120,000 people in this country and before it's done might kill 120,000 more. We still don't know so much and I do not like that this is a state by state response instead of a national one. When states aren't on the same page we're asking for trouble and the blame for this goes right to Trump's front door.

I don't even want to go into how ineffective our health care system is for a crisis like this or that we don't even control are medical equipment and supplies distribution chain---that it's almost entirely dependent on foreign actors. There's a lot that needs to be fixed.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

"" ""

As for the WHO--at least at this point I feel kind of indifferent. I think we need some space and time when this is over to get a retrospective look at things and decide then what really happened and how effective the various leaders and organizations actually were and what mistakes were made and what can be done to rectify them. This virus has killed about 120,000 people in this country and before it's done might kill 120,000 more. We still don't know so much and I do not like that this is a state by state response instead of a national one. When states aren't on the same page we're asking for trouble and the blame for this goes right to Trump's front door.

I don't even want to go into how ineffective our health care system is for a crisis like this or that we don't even control are medical equipment and supplies distribution chain---that it's almost entirely dependent on foreign actors. There's a lot that needs to be fixed.

But that isn't going to happen. Each government body/state wants to do things their own way and when the Federal government tries to make national orders they throw a big hissy fit. They only want the federal money not their advice.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

But that isn't going to happen. Each government body/state wants to do things their own way and when the Federal government tries to make national orders they throw a big hissy fit. They only want the federal money not their advice.

The only advice that should be accepted is from the actual scientists in the federal government and I don't know of any non shit-tier state that rejected the advice of the actual scientists.

A number of states embraced terrible advice from simple politicians, however.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

At the end of the day, the FUBAR-ing is still going on. Surprise surprise.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Officially back in the office today and I have to say... it is very strange.

There was no traffic this morning. My normal 75-90 minute commute took me 25 minutes.

Having to wear a mask at all times except for when in my office is also strange. So are seeing COVID-19 and social distance stickers plastered everywhere. I also don't know how I feel about this whole 5 days on/5 days remote thing. I'm grateful my employer has provided us with KN-95 masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, etc. Still, it is a new normal.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/second-wave-of-coronavirus-hits-us-after-state-reopenings/

Yikes. Very nervous to see major cities in a couple weeks who held those gatherings with thousands and thousands of people . This could turn into a terrible summer if things start spiking around the country.

 

[nyr2k2]

I assume that we take their opinion seriously if we hand out 400-500 million per year. If we take their opinion seriously then it most likely did factor into our response. To what degree? I have no idea, but if we are ignoring their advice then why pay them out?

Sure, if you legitimately think they're worthless and their opinion matters for nothing, and they do no good on a global basis and do no good for the U.S. specifically, you would cut off their funding.

I don't think anyone really believes that's why we're withholding funding/attempting to withdraw. I think the actual reasons for that are as transparent as they come.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Sure, if you legitimately think they're worthless and their opinion matters for nothing, and they do no good on a global basis and do no good for the U.S. specifically, you would cut off their funding.

I don't think anyone really believes that's why we're withholding funding/attempting to withdraw. I think the actual reasons for that are as transparent as they come.

I also think that they absolutely blew it when it comes to COVID-19 and frankly, there is a large credibility issue with the WHO at the moment.

To which, I would have a long sit down with them before pulling funding. It should be on the table but give them a chance to rectify their giant screw up or at least, let them explain how they will not have a repeat in the future.

 

[Leonardo87]

Officially back in the office today and I have to say... it is very strange.

There was no traffic this morning. My normal 75-90 minute commute took me 25 minutes.

Having to wear a mask at all times except for when in my office is also strange. So are seeing COVID-19 and social distance stickers plastered everywhere. I also don't know how I feel about this whole 5 days on/5 days remote thing. I'm grateful my employer has provided us with KN-95 masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, etc. Still, it is a new normal.

I am working from home two days a week moving forward. Save gas and tolls and I find myself getting more done. This is likely going to be the new normal for a lot of people.

 

[nyr2k2]

I also think that they absolutely blew it when it comes to COVID-19 and frankly, there is a large credibility issue with the WHO at the moment.

To which, I would have a long sit down with them before pulling funding. It should be on the table but give them a chance to rectify their giant screw up or at least, let them explain how they will not have a repeat in the future.

IDK. Pulling funding basically says, we don't need you, we can handle things on our own. It says more than that, but whatever. When I look at our response, I see far more problems here than I do with the WHO's response.

I just think we need to address our own failings (which we won't do, not this year, at least) before going after the WHO--who provides so much else that is undeniably good. That's not to say that they shouldn't be part of a larger conversation about the response, but that's for later; doing it now is just a stunt, a distraction.

 

[OverTheCap]

A big issue with pulling funding from WHO is that it affects so many non-COVID causes that the WHO was doing a good job with - immunizations for measles and polio, HIV prevention, etc.

While Trump may think that the WHO is the one will be punished, it is really those in third world countries who rely on WHO for healthcare that will suffer.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

A big issue with pulling funding from WHO is that it affects so many non-COVID causes that the WHO was doing a good job with - immunizations for measles and polio, HIV prevention, etc.

While Trump may think that the WHO is the one will be punished, it is really those in third world countries who rely on WHO for healthcare that will suffer.

Then other countries should start carrying their weight and spend more in WHO. It's not the US job to always be far and away the #1 contributor in everything.

Russia spends 12M a year, how about we also spend that amount? Or the UK who spends 22M. We can afford to give them 22M, that's about 15% of our normal contribution. The whole world shits on us anyway despite what we do for the world (including now our own citizens). It's embarrassing.

 

[nyr2k2]

Then other countries should start carrying their weight and spend more in WHO. It's not the US job to always be far and away the #1 contributor in everything.

Russia spends 12M a year, how about we also spend that amount? Or the UK who spends 22M. We can afford to give them 22M, that's about 15% of our normal contribution. The whole world shits on us anyway despite what we do for the world (including now our own citizens). It's embarrassing.

This is like being the one guy on your team who gives max effort, and goes above and beyond, while your teammates just go through the motions. Do you decide that you're also going to do the bare minimum, to punish your teammates, or do you continue continue to lead by example and use diplomatic means to hopefully get your teammates on board?

I don't dispute that other countries need to do more. I don't think cutting our funding is the best means to that end, and causes unnecessary damage in the interim.

To each their own.

 

[JimmyG89]

 

[NYSPORTS]

But that isn't going to happen. Each government body/state wants to do things their own way and when the Federal government tries to make national orders they throw a big hissy fit. They only want the federal money not their advice.

ny is the perfect example of this

My gosh, Cuomo demanded 30,000 respirators. He was on TV nonstop demanding, pleading, begging the Federal Government send ventilators immediately. He explained how Ny would be forced to split ventilators so two or more people could feed off of one. Meanwhile, NYC didn’t even have 25,000 cases and when the Federal Government asked asked how many of those 25,000 needed ventilators he couldn’t come up with ANY answer.

These Gov bodies all yelp to their own tune, the broadcast frauds jump on board and their followers draw a conclusion even if the conclusion doesn’t remotely reflect reality.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

This is like being the one guy on your team who gives max effort, and goes above and beyond, while your teammates just go through the motions. Do you decide that you're also going to do the bare minimum, to punish your teammates, or do you continue continue to lead by example and use diplomatic means to hopefully get your teammates on board?

I don't dispute that other countries need to do more. I don't think cutting our funding is the best means to that end, and causes unnecessary damage in the interim.

To each their own.

That's a really really odd comparison. So if we keep spending 120M on WHO other countries will do the same? Or say "Well look at the US giving so much money, we should follow suit and give more too". That doesn't happen.