General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWe might have a vaccine for COVID19 in the near future.
And that is good, but what do we do, what can we do, about the epidemic of stupidity that is running rampant among GOP politicians and voters?
Are the people behind the Lincoln Project ads the only sane Republicans left?
I am speaking a bit hyperbolically here, because I know a few sane GOP voters in my area, but so few.
Can anyone even reach those who speak of a plandemic, or those who follow QAnon?
Or the Infowars cultists?
Or is this merely a loud minority of 37%?
Nevilledog
(51,268 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)So on both counts, I hope that this is a temporary condition.
Nevilledog
(51,268 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Acceptable efficacy in trials to move forward with a vaccine is 50%. But if that's what they came up with first, my husband and I would have to get the vaccine and then stay self isolated while others who have to work continued to die at reduced rates.
I've always been an optimist, and in this situation choosing to believe there will be an effective vaccine, at least for half a year, is optimism.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)uponit7771
(90,370 posts)... cold and CV19 base makeup is the common cold is my understanding.
GreenPartyVoter
(72,384 posts)Initech
(100,129 posts)Which is why people are so optimistic about a vaccine. Hopefully we can get one that will work at some point in the future.
Nevilledog
(51,268 posts)kurtcagle
(1,604 posts)Viruses mutate in direct proportion to the spread of the virus. The more the virus spreads, the more mutations survive to spread, and the more likely that the mutation will make it stronger rather than weaker. It's already a very effective spreader, though, and lethality is not necessarily a survival advantage (it can in fact be a disadvantage), so the fact that it is not mutating very quickly may very well be because it's current form is likely near optimization at this point.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,477 posts)I would be highly wary of any vaccine developed under Trump.
The people behind the Lincoln Project ads are somewhat saner than the current GOP, but that is a REALLY low bar. Many of the people behind the LP are pretty vile when using normal standards of ethical, legal, and moral conduct.
As to who might take a vaccine once a safe one is developed, only people who believe in science, which means maybe around 60%-67% of the nation.
uponit7771
(90,370 posts)... or were later deemed worthless and killed a lot of people cause they thought they were safe.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,477 posts)the immune system. Get it wrong and people die fast.
Lochloosa
(16,081 posts)It would be the first Corona virus they have been able to create one for.
uponit7771
(90,370 posts)... been developed.
We should stomp it out with Test/Trace/Isolate and keep rates low with quick turn around test for up close activities.
S Korea has done a good job at the quick walk up test ... the virus never gets a foothold there.
JCMach1
(27,585 posts)And effective one
Caliman73
(11,760 posts)It is a very loud minority of 37% or less backed by a larger but typically silent and likely apathetic group who don't pay any attention to politics till right around election time, then vote Republican because, "that is what I always do".
In 2016 46% of people who are eligible to vote, did not cast a ballot. A very consequential Presidential Election in which the first woman could have been elected.
In 2018 people were "wowed" at that a fraction over 50% of eligible voters turned out only because they compared it to only 36% turnout in the next highest non-presidential election.
The problem is that we have such an apathetic voter base, that turning out 37% or less highly motivated dumb people can win you the electoral college.
hunter
(38,340 posts)... like it's a television game show.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)The apathetic, often uninformed voters?
The media, for badly informing the public of the issues?
Response to guillaumeb (Original post)
Ponietz This message was self-deleted by its author.
Jim__
(14,092 posts)... how long it would take to "grow" enough vaccine for general use? I remember a few years back, it may have been when H1N1 was the threat, that they said it would take a fairly long time to produce enough for general use. At that time, I think they had to go through a significant number of generations of some type of biological growth.
Tanuki
(14,926 posts)of their vaccine "on spec" ahead of time, knowing that they could lose millions of dollars if theirs doesn't pan out. That way, if it turns out to be safe and effective and gains approval, they can immediately start distributing it with no further delay. Even though there would be many millions of doses immediately, there wouldn't be enough to go around for a while, and there are ongoing discussions of how distribution would be prioritized, e.g. giving it first to health care and othrr essential workers, the elderly and other at-risk populations, etc.
And of course, in the US for profit system, price would be a huge issue.
Initech
(100,129 posts)He will put states in competitions for doses and those who kiss his ass will get it first, while states like California or Minnesota will get broken shards of glass vials as an insult.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Broken glass for me.
Initech
(100,129 posts)Yeah we'd get the shards for sure.
Mr. Ected
(9,675 posts)That virus will continue to propagate and infect a large swath of America.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)scarytomcat
(1,706 posts)Track it down and quarantine
Time to start