Prevention key to slowing COVID-19
By Letter to the Editor on August 22, 2020.
Mayor Spearman and Councillors Coffman and Carlson:
Unlike conspiracy theorists who think the virus is a hoax or not a threat, I feel the opposite, that the worldwide situation is a lot worse than we thought. In early March we were told the mortality rate for people who test positive is one per cent.
It is much higher. Although there is a two- to six-week gap between a positive test result and deaths in a country (use either Worldometers or Johns Hopkins sites) the current mortality rates are (cases vs. deaths): World, 3.6 per cent; USA, 3.2 per cent; Canada, 7.4 per cent.
The rate in Canada will continue to drop as better treatments evolve. The ratio of tests vs. deaths will also improve if there is more testing. Canada is following that pattern because in early March there was little testing done and mortality in certain areas was extremely high. The mortality rate for the poorest parts of the world will get worse.
Respected medical authorities in Canada and the U.S. now say up to 40 per cent of people who test positive show no symptoms, and thus are walking around spreading the virus.
It is clear that prevention measures like social distancing, washing hands and mask wearing keeps the virus from getting out of control. Having Lethbridge at 23 active cases on Aug. 11 is a sign these measures work and should continue to be encouraged/enforced.
Allan Wilson
Lethbridge
10-9
Total bullhockey. Statistics & facts paint the opposite story. This cold virus is just a means to kill economies and destroy lives.