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RFK Jr. Suggests Letting Bird Flu Spread (www.usnews.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world
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A controversial proposal from U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to let bird flu naturally spread through poultry farms is raising alarms among scientists -- who say the move could be inhumane and dangerous.

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[–] 34 points 2 years ago (4 children)

For the unaware, this bird flu variant has about a 50/50 survival rate. It won't be like Covid.

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  • [–] 14 points 2 years ago

    It's a bit complicated. That survival rate primarily includes people who become severely ill and seek medical attention. Since it's the most severe cases, the case fatality rate (CFR) will appear higher.

    HOWEVER, what also needs to be emphasized is that a disease with like a 10% CFR is probably a civilization (as we know it) ending disease. I believe covid 19 was between like 1-2% and we saw how it nearly broke our health care system, and that was with people more competent than RFK in charge.

    If a disease emerges that spreads as easily as COVID did and with a CFR rate 3 to 4X as worse, it'd obliterate the health care system very, very quickly. Then people are going to start dying en masse from preventable diseases, like common infections, moderate injuries (e.g. broken leg) etc.

    If a disease emerges that spreads as fast and far as COVID and has a 50% CFR, yeah that'd collapse most societies completely. Maybe some societies that can truly lock down and enforce social distancing, like China, could survive long enough for a vaccine or other solution to become available.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    From what I've read i think it will be worse than 50/50 if lots get it because the recovery stories I've seen involved weeks in the ICU and required those machines that help with organ functions like pumping blood.

    There will be a massive shortage of ICU beds and machines to save the people.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    And no Medicaid/Medicare to pay for it. So, even if they get the care, they'll be crushed by massive debt afterward.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    If a disease with anything close to a 50% case fatality rate spreads far and wide, it'll collapse human civilization. There won't be anyone to collect the debt afterward. Those who survive would have to rebuild society from the ground up.

    If it doesn't spread far and wide and it's only a small number of people who end in ICU, yeah they'll need to hire a bankrupcty lawyer once they recover.

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