DonH - yeas it’s different. SARS and Ebola, because of their high death rates and short incubation periods, were actually much easier to control. Swine flu caused many deaths but people could be vaccinated.
The problem here is surge capacity and flattening the curve. Left unchecked, this virus will overwhelm our hospitals. We don’t have enough ICU beds and ventilators. Doctors in Italy are already having to make tough choices about who gets a ventilator and who doesn’t.
We are about 11 days behind Italy. We need to flatten the curve - slow the rate of spread so that, instead of 100 patients in a week, a hospital might only have to deal with 35 patients in a week. If your hospital capacity is 50 patients a week, it’s the difference between being overwhelmed versus being in control and able to render care.
The ONLY tools we have to flatten the curve are hand washing and social distancing. Be prepared for the possibility of having to be quarantined at home. Schools are closing in my town and people are being converted to working from home.
