Thread by @plaforscience

Why news are so functional?
Ever since crisis began news have shifted thru issues focusing in those needed at the time, and then completely letting them go. There's no pattern in those issues BUT choosing the news more likely to amplify the thread perceived.

Let's analyse.

It all started with cases, cases, cases everywhere, the Johns Hopkins videogame map, colouring country after country. ONE infected, colour filled country.
Why not a map with ANY other infection has ever had ever been aired real time?
It's so important to call the word:
PANDEMIC

Next subject was mortality.
It was over aired as fact that covid was a killer, with mortality>10%.
It was VERY important to set one single idea in population minds:

IT'S NOT THE FLU

When Mortality was properly estimated undoubtedly under 1%, that seem not to be public interest

Then it came the flatten, with the infamous non scale, no data, no date graph as all scientific support.

The focus was SLOWING SPREAD, and the 'at ANY cost' thought stands over rational cost/benefit mandatory debate.

Now that slowing is a fact, again, this issue is out of media

Then ventilators & health systems collapse arrived.
Message was clear, even as it began to arise the fact that only very vulnerable people was dying, YOU will die, because there will be no ventilator for YOU.
Ventilator use has been consistently low, ICU use in normal flu stress.

We never heard again about the ICU occupation or even ventilator word.

That FUNDAMENTAL at the time data is not worth of any attention, and seem to be nothing to worry about now.
Curious the silence come again at the time these data is positive and calm inviting.

Then THE data came.
The death toll. Its fast increase fueled the fear rocketing. The number was omnipresent as climbs first at tenths then at hundreds.
During weeks its counter was the only issue.

Big numbers vanished, it's hard to find, in confuse, accumulated last week totals.

When lockdowns partial ease began news shifted again. If kids were 2 be allowed in streets again, Kawasaki risk entered in play.
If sport allowed,breath cloud contamination graphics filled media

Kawasaki absolute insignificance was never aired, people sporting brought no trouble

Then, the only important things were CASES again, but now in asymptomatic detective hunt report.
Not anymore sick enough for hospital attention, always related to increasing in test capacity.

When these numbers fall below~100day confusion again, week total, antigen=infection...

Then masks filled the reality, being the one & only issue.
Not recommended in the acute transmission period now they're to save civilization.
Quickly they become mandatory, first transport, then everywhere, no matter the previous clear statements them being not needed.
Who cares?

Masks still on focus with clusters joining them as media issue.
Some tenths of clusters, with very few asymptomatic cases each, are aired today as the concern number.
They're pushing selective lockdowns and new paranoic measures. No single one had become epidemic.

None will.

Nobody's taking anymore about those issues, abandoned as facts show they were all getting consistently better. They all have a thing in common, each of them were at their times the most scary variable in play.
Once solved, news fall back to a different trench, equally concerned.

The only constant news mandatory issue: TEST.

There's a very good reason. Tests ARE the epidemic. If there weren't around, now they'll be NO SINGLE REASON, of all those aired as concerning til now, for doing anything weird and dystopic as New Normal is.

Testen, Testen!

It's our rational duty stop being driven by media in terms of concerning issues.

We have to cold discuss which data is really matter of concern. We've to analyse the true Epidemic actual phase, and act in proportion.

Otherwise they'll keep shifting forever with this fear spiral