Harm Reduction amid COVID-19

Posted by CircuitGuy 3 years, 3 months ago to Philosophy
4 comments | Share | Flag

This is a good podcast and article about treating the coronavirus pandemic with harm reduction, as has been proposed for reducing the harm from drug abuse. He explains how many health problems, e.g. many cases of high blood pressure and adult-onset diabetes, could be solved with lifestyle choices, but we continue to use medication until the patient makes those changes. Sure we could try to force everyone to make the changes, but in addition to be immoral that ignores the reality that many people won’t.

In the case of the coronavirus, it would be better for reducing spread if everyone used social distancing and good masks, but not everyone will, and I personally find restrictions that get in the way of work or social events too much to ask. He explains how masks, vaccines, and distancing are all on the list of things we can do, but vaccines are far-and-away the most effective. Since they usually prevent vaccinated people from getting very sick and vaccines are widely available, Dr. Singer argues there is no need for draconian policies such as stay-at-home orders.

I liked the analogy he drew to drug addiction and other medical problems associated with lifestyle choices.

Article format: https://www.cato.org/pandemics-policy...
Podcast format: https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-...
SOURCE URL: https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/harm-reduction-amid-covid-19


Add Comment

FORMATTING HELP

All Comments Hide marked as read Mark all as read

  • Posted by Dobrien 3 years, 3 months ago
    From the article.....Unlike smallpox, which had a 30 percent fatality rate; or Ebola, which has a 50 percent fatality rate; or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which has up to a 1.7 percent fatality rate in children and over an 11 percent fatality rate in adults, COVID-19 appears to average a 0.3 to 0.4 percent infection fatality rate in Europe and the Americas and a 0.2 percent fatality rate among people not living in institutions. In the United States, 80 percent of fatalities have occurred in people over age 65, and 39 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in 2020 occurred in nursing homes. As of July 29, 2021, 358 U.S. children under age 17 had died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. (For comparison, the average annual fatality rate for RSV in children is 500.)

    After reading this I’m curious if you still are masking up? Lmao.
    Are you still scared of this PlanDEMic?
    Please show me scientific evidence that any of the guidelines did anything to stop this flu.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
    • Posted by 3 years, 3 months ago
      I am fed up with the pandemic. It seemed like right after the lab where I work stopped masks and weekly testing, the Delta variant emerged. My kids have not gone to school full-time since Mar of 2020, and it must stop. They’re going back tomorrow, though!

      I have an 11 y/o who is too young to be vaccinated. Her school requires masks and vaccination, but I am concerned they will want to go back to off-site, which is unacceptable to me. My wife and I were just talking about how we will send them anywhere that has openings if they close again. It’s sort of absurd how last weekend the neighborhood pool was crowded with kids huddling together, but it might be to dangerous to go school. I reject that. We have a very high rate of vaccination and mask use here. The hospitals have had a year to prepare. The show must go on.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
  • Posted by Lucky 3 years, 3 months ago
    Absolute disagreement.
    Too much use of word 'we'.

    'Vaccines' are worse than distancing, I do not mean vaccines as the word was used before this crop, before year 2020, which worked and were safe, at least to the extent they were tested for years, did not have hysterical mass media promotion, and were withdrawn when there were too many adverse cases.
    Masking could be effective with proper use and proper masks. Masking edicts from power grabs as seen do not work. Unsocial distancing and lockdowns do not work as used.
    No policy on harm reduction is needed, just get governments out of it by not buying hysteria in the press, not forcing fake compliance with masking and lockdowns, not restricting the availability of safe and effective medications.

    Ok, from my lefty tendencies, a case can be made for border control, and for requiring testing of medications, test results to be published.
    Example, many tests on ivermectin are on the net, where are the tests on these vaccines, tests that show safety and effectiveness over years?
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  

FORMATTING HELP

  • Comment hidden. Undo