The number of infected cases keeps rising in Japan, and people are starting to freak out, but can we keep some perspective? The numbers of infected are only the ones they are testing, and that means only the ones sick enough to ask for it (tho perhaps they are testing medical staff for antibodies, at least I damn well hope so, like Germany is).
The graphic below is a couple of weeks old, but still should bring some perspective. The number of deaths in Spain, UK and NY city are highly regrettable of course, that goes without saying.
In 2018 in the United States, there were over 2.8 million deaths. That gives some perspective to President Trump terrifying claim of over 2 million deaths if nothing was done, but Dr. Fauci later (March 29) backtracked from that prediction.
USA unemployment figures went sky-high in March with 3.3 million (4.4%), over 4x the previous record of 695,000 in October 1982. That’s right, nearly 40 years ago! “US Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin has predicted unemployment in the US – close to record lows only last month – could reach 20%.” Unemployment during the Great Depression in the US did not go over 25%.
If the economy collapses, who will pay for the medical equipment and personnel? The police, the firefighters? The Market-Ticker(not a man to make claims not based on data) claims 30% of US small businesses have gone under already, and is urging an end to the lockdowns and to let people go back to work.
