Italian doctor describes dealing with coronavirus

ora_43

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 8:56 am

Laiya wrote:

A major factor in Italy is the condition of its socialized health care system over the past 10-20 years. Their health care system never fully recovered after the 2008 crash, but Italy had been reducing spending before then. For several years, due to these cuts, Italy has been contending with doctor shortages, threatened doctor strikes, long waiting lists for routine procedures, out of pocket payments skyrocketing, corruption scandals, pharmaceutical investors leaving the country, etc.

Articles on this topic from just a few months and three and four years ago sound eerily prescient in their warnings of a looming health care crisis in Italy.

Interesting.

(not so reassuring as an Israeli, since our experts have been warning about a critical shortage of beds and staff for the past decade... Can't Believe It

. But still, interesting.)

#BestBubby

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 9:28 am

Laiya wrote:

And this is another reason why Socialized Medicine is Dangerous. The countries where Coronavirus hit the hardest all have socialized medicine: China, Italy and Iran.

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 9:53 am

#BestBubby wrote:

And this is another reason why Socialized Medicine is Dangerous. The countries where Coronavirus hit the hardest all have socialized medicine: China, Italy and Iran.

As does the US.

#BestBubby

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 10:28 am

What the rest of the World can learn from Taiwan's SUCCESS in containing Corona Virus:https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/11/what-the-rest-of-the-world-can-learn-from-taiwans-success-containing-coronavirus/#disqus_thread

1. Taiwan acted IMMEDIATELY instead of the "wait and see" attitude of China. Trump also took IMMEDIATE action which was mocked by Democrats as "over-reaction" and "racist" anti China

2. Taiwan screened passengers on planes for fever and illness - immediately quarantining those who had any fever or symptoms.

3. Taiwan issued TRAVEL BAN right away to China - as did President Trump - which was criticized by Democrats as "over reaction" and "racist".

4. Travelers had to fill out a health declaration form before entering or leaving Taiwan.

Thanks to above measures Taiwan successfully contained coronavirus without shutting down any schools or businesses. Of course, mainstream news will not report this.

#BestBubby

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 10:29 am

amother [ Floralwhite ] wrote:

As does the US.

USA is not a single payer (government) health care system although Democrats are trying to make it one. Vast majority of Americans have private insurance.

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 10:50 am

#BestBubby wrote:

USA is not a single payer (government) health care system although Democrats are trying to make it one. Vast majority of Americans have private insurance.

and China is?

ora_43

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 11:06 am

#BestBubby wrote:

And this is another reason why Socialized Medicine is Dangerous. The countries where Coronavirus hit the hardest all have socialized medicine: China, Italy and Iran.

Maybe wait and see how America deals with covid-19 with a massive population of un/under-insured people, before condemning other systems?

I hope and pray the situation in the states doesn't get any worse. But America's healthcare issues seem really really likely to cause problems, and bragging about how things are going to be easier there because capitalism just seems like tempting fate.

amother

Pumpkin

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 11:59 am

China's economy is different completely. Socialized healthcare is worse in countries that are not totalitarian. In a totalitarian system, the healthcare system is just another part of the machine. The one "pro" of a communist dystopia is that the government can reallocate industries as it pleases to deal with issues that come up.

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 12:52 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

Taiwan is a single-payer compulsory insurance plan.

Pick-a-side.

Laiya

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 12:53 pm

ora_43 wrote:

Interesting.

(not so reassuring as an Israeli, since our experts have been warning about a critical shortage of beds and staff for the past decade... Can't Believe It

. But still, interesting.)

I think that the country's median age is relevant, since this particular virus is more dangerous for older people. Italy has one of the world's oldest populations. I would imagine the volume of people needing critical care would be less in a country with a younger average-aged population, and hopefully not so much as to overwhelm the system (but of course we need to daven...)

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 12:55 pm

southernbubby wrote:

The Chinese also treat with traditional Chinese medicine which I am not sure if that increases or decreases bad outcomes.

Western medicine is practiced in China also.

DrMom

Wed, Mar 11 2020, 11:16 pm

amother [ Pumpkin ] wrote:

Or it can lock down an entire city, padlocking people in their homes. Or herd them into shoddily-built hotels which the collapse and kill them, and not have to worry about liability.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ne.....pses/

In fact, the govt can decide to do as it wishes, because there are almost no consequences for them. Nobody will get voted out of office if they mishandle the situation, and anyone who criticizes them can be jailed or worse.

Raisin

Thu, Mar 12 2020, 3:41 am

amother [ Floralwhite ] wrote:

Western medicine is practiced in China also.

And Chinese medicine is used in the west as well.

I think many countries have underfunded or inadequate health systems. But even the best health system probably won't be able to cope well. That's why countries are now trying to delay the virus. Too late for containment but they can prevent too many people getting sick at once.