The trolley problem from hell: Does the relatively asymptomatic nature of many COVID-19 infections negate the effort to contain it's spread? Just how far will we go in destroying our economy to prevent new infections if the effort proves futile and containment is impossible?
On March 20, 2020, the Secretary of the Army and other officials held a presser regarding the containment of COVID-19. Nearing the end of the Q&A, the last reporter had a question about presumptive positive corona cases; if the soldiers will get isolated in negative pressure rooms that contain pathogens, or if they’d go back to the normal barracks.
Midway into his response, the Secretary enlists a Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle to step in and field the question. Scott suggested that some will go through it lite while others may be more severe. As Dingle is speaking; the Secretary of the Army, chimes in twice saying allergies to the reporters in the crowd. It seemed that Ryan was trying to equivocate going through it lite, to allergies.
I think when you consider the virus’s high R0, extended incubation period, and how many will be asymptomatic, that trying to contain it might be a fool’s errand. This, especially if we have to destroy our economy in exchange for results that cannot be measured. As supply lines shut down, just what do you think will happen to the death toll when the cost of the cure outweighs the impact of the disease in and of itself?
I have heard that people do not gain immunity to the virus and that reinfection can and does occur. If this is true, then all of these efforts to temporarily segregate the population when you know damn well that myriads of asymptomatic carriers will be shedding it everywhere makes it seem like a colossal waste of time and resources to me.
I am certainly no expert, and there might be something that I am missing. However, I predict the plague of violence that will hit the streets when resources become scarce enough will thoroughly shatter the thin veneer of civilization as we know it. All that said, I think that they should have instructed people to keep calm and carry on with the option of self-isolation.
TRANSCRIBED EXCERPT
SECARMY - Ryan McCarthy: Anybody else? Okay, Last one. (points at reporter in the gaggle)
REPORTER: Real quick, um, what is a reasonable expectation of a soldier who comes in and wants a COVID test? How long should it take him to get ahh.. or her.. to get a response back? And then, real quick, before you said that all the folks who tested positive were going into the.. these zero pressure rooms, the people who were fine were going at normal barracks. What about the people who are presumptives? Are they going to zero pressure rooms, or are they.. there is nobody else?
SECARMY - Ryan McCarthy: I think a lot of this is how extreme, I mean some people are going home and there going into quarantine, self-quarantine. So, not everybody is required for that level of care. General Dingle, you wanna jump in here?
LTG - Scott Dingle: It's based on the condition of that soldier. It's.., you get some will just be ah sniffles, and going through it lite. Others be more severe..
SECARMY - Ryan McCarthy: Allergies.
LTG - Scott Dingle: .. that will require hospitalization. It depends on the condition of the soldier.
SECARMY - Ryan McCarthy: Allergies.