Anyone still saying "we overreacted to COVID" at this point is just an ignoramus. Sorry if I offend anyone but there is just no other suitable word. Literally "one who is ignorant of facts/reality"
I suppose i fit those remarks but can you explain why other viruses have not drawn the same reaction? I pointed out TB, we have pneumonia both bacterial and viral and the flu. Which according to the NIH has caused more human deaths thru history than any other malady, accidents and even war. Yes COVID has become a pandemic and reaction was needed. We do not have a clear number of deaths with COVID as a direct cause, sure contributing yes but underlying morbidity of other disease or conditions are not considered just stamp it COVID seems to be the directive. I had a HS friend that was hospitalized for pneumonia negative for COVID, while in the hospital she contracted COVID tested positive 5 days before death. Now what killed her the pneumonia or COVID? Or how about HIV CDC reports that the leading cause of death for HIV patients 47% in 2000 was TB. There was a TB epidemic in 2018 that raised the death number to just over 2 million and it has been averaging 1.2 to 1.4 mil since the 1950's yet no shutting down of the world. Until 1947 the three leading causes of death worldwide was TB, Pneumonia and flu.
I was questioned about 1 billion people that have died from TB in the last 200 years. That was a quote I posted from NIH. I dug a little deeper in the early 1800's world wide 4 in 10 deaths was due to the disease in Northern Europe during a pandemic in the same period 7 in 10 people died from TB. In 2019 there were 1.4 million deaths after the epidemic which worked out to be 2.2% of those infected died. So over time yes 1 billion have died just as the article stated.
I get it COVID is new but why has there been no reaction to TB that is killing a comparable number of people. What has been the real effect of social distancing and mask usage? We really do not know yet, to say we do is just a hypothesis. Then consider the effectivness of the vaccines, last week in the UK it was reported that the AstraZeneca vaccine was 64% effective. But they are walking that back now yesterday a article was published indicating it was 74.6 to 84% effective.
AstraZeneca vaccine 'effective against Kent Covid variant', Oxford researchers say - LBC
The press in Europe is a little better than what we have here but its not a spitball to think that Moderna and Pfizer effectiveness should be questioned. For me I trust Oxford much more than the people reporting here in the states.
Now the question of the publics willingness to take the Vaccine.
Many front-line workers refuse Covid vaccines as distribution rollout struggles (nbcnews.com)
Now this was from December and the numbers have changed a little but still over half the population do not trust the vaccine. And to add fuel to the fire many of the healthcare workers across the country continue to refuse to take it. So this brings up another point.
What do we do about COVID vaccine refusal? (theweek.com)
Why some refuse COVID-19 vaccine: 'I just don't want it' (wrtv.com)(Superbowl related)
Covid vaccine: Can you be fired if you refuse to take it? (cnbc.com)
There are many other articles covering this and there is legislation introduced in congress that would withhold stimulus money from those who refuse to take the vaccine.
Now to the vaccine distribution one of two thing are happening more people are refusing the vaccine or somehow in two weeks the manufacturing and distribution has outpaced usage. Walgreens, Kroger and Minute Clinic are going to have vaccine next week? Some point out it is just expansion to get to more people while others indicate the refusal of many have made the vaccine more available. I bet this is one we never get an answer for.
58.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed, 36.8 million administered: U.S. CDC | Reuters
According to this article 22 million doses are sitting on someone shelf or have been disposed of.
Thousands of Covid-19 vaccines wind up in the garbage because of fed, state guidelines (nbcnews.com)
Now your point of us not over reacting is taken but out here in the real world it sure looks like it if one reads and uses a little critical thinking. I doubt you will read any of the articles your mind is made up. And I acknowledge that there is misinformation out there on both sides. But it easy for people to be skeptical. heck they should be. I received a experimental vaccine in 1990 and had horrid side effects that alone gives me pause.