And just when I was forgetting how casually you spread misinformation about a deadly serious issue.
My post was based on information from Johns Hopkins that reported that the SNS had over 100,000 ventilators stockpiled this summer and was actually donating some to other nations:
“Following an increase in ventilator production under the Defense Production Act, HHS reported that the SNS ventilator stockpile had been replenished. HHS stated that SNS had approximately 120,000 ventilators to distribute as needed.16 Additionally,
the United States was able to donate 250 ventilators to the Government of Egypt.“
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/resources/COVID-19/COVID-19-fact-sheets/200214-VentilatorAvailability-factsheet.pdfIt was also based on information from The Atlantic in which epidemiologists told us that this virus would not be practically containable:
-The Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch is exacting in his diction, even for an epidemiologist. Twice in our conversation he started to say something, then paused and said, “Actually, let me start again.” So it’s striking when one of the points he wanted to get exactly right was this: “I think the likely outcome is that it will ultimately not be containable.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/I stand corrected on the PPE availability. The dozen plus members of the health care community I know haven’t had any problems since at least May. Most of them never had problems. Obviously, that’s not the case everywhere.
I do think American industry responded well to the demand for consumer level PPE. I am acquainted with two business owners who started making hand sanitizer when their normal operations were suspended. Cases were stacking up in warehouses by June because the supply outstripped the demand so quickly. Masks and gloves were widely available even at the gas station level by that time as well. The local Casey’s had cases of hand sanitizer stacked floor to ceiling in the store area because they ran out of room in the back and the truck still brought more every week.
It appears there are a variety of reasons SNS and private suppliers can’t stay ahead of demand for medical grade stuff. Trump pretending this was no big deal until it was too late is a big one. That H1N1 consumed a lot of the stockpile and no one ever thought to replenish it also seems to be a popular reason.
But my original point remains: If a vaccine rollout happens within 3 months, like we saw with excess ventilators and consumer PPE, I’d think everyone here would consider that an enormous success given the expectations set by the experts.
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