I just had a convo w/ a healthcare worker who was writing off coronavirus as a political hype thing. Their source of confidence in this assessment? The doctors' office where they work gets comms from CDC on this, they haven't said anything too alarming. 🤦♂️
The kicker: the healthcare worker has a bunch of comorbidities that put them in great danger if infected. My reaction went from "I'm irritated that you think this is just politics" to a stomach-clenching "omg you're in danger & don't know it" when they revealed their conditions.
Another older person in this convo had gotten a email from their GP with the typical "wash your hands, take precautions, it's like a bad flu" type stuff. When I told them the mortality rates for people in their age group they looked @ me like I'm a rude/weird nutter & walked away
The CDC's newfound, post-Pence lack of urgency on this issue has trickled all the way down through the healthcare system. The dereliction here is profound and soon to be tragic.
I'm honestly still kind of shell-shocked by this. These aren't randos -- they're people I know. And their lives are at elevated risk b/c nobody up at the top will show the kind of leadership we need & tell the country's entire healthcare apparatus that it is time for DEFCON 1.
I know there are lot of smart, hardworking people at CDC, & we're supposed to appreciate their valiant efforts etc.. But right now, that institution is failing us. Institutions that fail the public at critical moments often are staffed by smart, hardworking ppl.
This is probably a cheap shot, but is not the name of this institution "Centers for Disease Control"? But there doesn't seem to be any controlling going on! Not of COVID19, or of the medical system's response to it. No control at all. Just some suggestions. It's bananas.
Maybe rename it "Centers for Totally Optional Suggestions about Diseases."
