[Mahler9th]

THX.

It seems to me that many folks were just making blanket comparisons to conventional flu viruses and related mortality rates-- to some extent that is to be expected from laypeople.

I think more are beginning to understand that with conventional flu viruses, some amount of the population is protected via herd immunity and/or vaccines that may match. Here we are apparently fully exposed.

Folks are beginning to understand things like early/asymptomatic and heavy viral shredding and how those characteristics affect contagiousness. And how this novel virus may be different from conventional flu viruses in this regard.

And I think one big thing is that more folks are beginning to think not just about mortality, but of morbidity-- especially morbidity that requires facility-based care (like hospital and ICU care) and HCP's.

And of course how our global healthcare systems have historically not been resourced to handle situations like this (for various reasons).

One way to think of it... it seems the Martians have finally developed a space ship that can and has penetrated our outer defenses, and is already working on our mid-level defenses which can be overwhelmed.

We will not allow that.

Global cooperation on mitigation/suppression, diagnosis, and RX (treatment regimens and tools for those requiring care beyond typical flu care) and eventually and hopefully quickly vaccine are keys, and it seems that the experts are well motivated, and additional resources are being appropriately mustered.

Before we are finished, I think more folks will better understand things like Dx sensitivity and specificity and Rx safety and efficacy as well.