Corona Virus : "Lockdown" Versus "Let it rip" approach - by Gladiator

Commenter Gladiator has made some astute observations  :

SAA,

It's a gamble that the Pakis are taking.

OK, Muslims are not supposed to gamble but in the demented version of Islam which these Pakis follow, semua boleh.

There are really two schools of thought in how to handle Covid-19.

The first school of thought calls for social distancing aka lockdowns.

This is the "flattening of the curve" approach. It buys time and allows authorities to build up resources to handle the crisis, eg hospital beds, masks, ventilators, body disposal, etc.

Most countries take this approach.

The second approach is the "Let it rip" approach.

Here, nothing is done and life continues as usual.

Yes, people will get sick, people will die and health services will be severely stressed.

But if you were living in such a country, it is unlikely you will notice the shithole conditions you are living in anyway.

So what if health services are severely stressed? 

They were lousy in the first place and being lousier does not make a different.

If you are wealthy in such a shithole country, you can easily buy the health service you need anyway.

In a "let it rip" country, Covid-19 will just cut a swath thru the poor and marginalised BUT eventually, herd immunity will reach the magic figure of 60%.

When that magic milestone is reached, the infections will slow down, the deaths will slow down.

And importantly, life continues as usual - just as shitty as it has always been.

The nett effect of both strategies is the same - people get sick, people die.

It is only just that the more economically advanced countries which do not want to experience that economic shock, and they go for flattening the curve.

For shithole countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somali, etc, economic shocks and strains are meaningless.

In fact, I think that if those shithole countries lost 10% of their population, it will make no difference to their economy or lifestyles.

So, I would not necessarily criticise the Pakistani approach if I was you :)

Gladiator

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 11:48:00 PM 

My comments : 

'For shithole countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somali, etc, economic shocks and strains are meaningless.'

This may also apply for some communities in Malaysia.