I know it is the norm to gang up on USA when it comes to Covid, but why are deaths also high in other developed countries?

[Pink Partridge]

Looking at the numbers and WOW! Deaths in Germany 453 two days ago for such a tiny country. Italy is at 684 for one day. UK? 648.

So what is not working here?

Are these citizens just like some USA folks and refusing to wear masks? Do other countries say "If only we had better leadership, we wouldn't have people dying"?

What do other countries blame the rise in deaths on?

We were supposed to basically worship what Germany was doing a few months ago. What is going on here?

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Europe is in the midst of a 2nd wave just like the US is. This was expected because restrictions of spring and summer got the transmissions lower, but not low enough.
What isn't working? Restrictions that came were too little too late and people aren't doing what they are supposed to be doing. Plain and simple. All we can do now is ride it out as we wait for vaccine availability and inch toward herd immunity.

 

[Pink Partridge]

What isn't working? Restrictions that came were too little too late and people aren't doing what they are supposed to be doing.

It appears that is one thing that is universal in all of this. The resistance to wear a mask and socially distance is strong. It is such a simple thing to do.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

https://www.businessinsider.com/ger...ke-it-seriously-2020-12?utm_source=reddit.com

 

[Skippy918]

I also haven’t heard many updates regarding China, Japan and Korea. Do they have everything under control like Australia and New Zealand?

 

[poohbear6]

The one thing that is different from summer and now is that schools are back in session. CDC now is stating that kids get it and spread it. I have a few friends and coworkers with school age kids, their kids have caught it in school and have brought it home to them. Schools plain and simple

 

[neverlandsky]

Higher amounts of commuting with public transportation.
Pin pad transactions.
Traveling.

 

[bcla]

I also haven’t heard many updates regarding China, Japan and Korea. Do they have everything under control like Australia and New Zealand?

I think Taiwan has the gold standard, and they don't have an authoritarian government like in China or (to some extent) Singapore.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(20)30044-4/fulltext

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

We seem to be blaming it on the way families in certain communities live. So in Wales close knit communities, extended families, ‘village life’, however you want to describe it. And, also the English of course .

 

[Wakey]

There’s little of the no mask wearing in the UK. People generally do what they are told but it still spreads around.
The virus is seasonal and spreads very easily.
It kills fat and unhealthy people with underlying conditions and there’s plenty of those in the countries you mention.
Density of population is a big driver as is industrialisation (people nor being able to work from home). Go to a largely non industrialised, much more sparsely occupied county in the UK like Norfolk, and rates are low.
Taiwan has a different make up. It also has a lot less fat and unhealthy people, like Japan.

 

[Karin1984]

To answer your question: Where does this go wrong?
It's now mainly what @Welsh_Dragon says, it's more within families/communities. Look at Curacao, it's one of the few places NL can travel to. Figures have picked up in this country, but not among tourists/travellers, it's mainly among the locals. So the travel advice for tourists stays the same: You can go to the beach, stay at your hotel. Don't mingle in local homes.

 

[BadPinkTink]

and the same in Ireland. The majority of our deaths have been in care homes. The community spread is from family gatherings where people don't social distance, and don't wear masks. The areas with the high case numbers are high density population who are in industries where working from home is not possible and who use public transport.

Mask wearing is on the increase but there is a small very loud group of anti maskers.

The virus spreads when people gather indoors, in poor ventilation and don't social distance and don't wear masks. Ireland in winter cold, dark, wet and windy. Homes and buildings have heat on and bad ventilation. Public transport the same. So thats why we just had a 6 week lockdown. To stop the movement of people, to stop the gathering and mixing of people indoors in poor ventilated buildings, to stop people using public transport.

Basically the differences I between Ireland and USA

• Strong leadership , especially back in March with our Prime Minister being a medical doctor who respected our CMO
• Our CMO and Government Health department taking front stage and leading the press conferences
• Daily case number and death number reporting
• A national approach, led by the Prime Minister and CMO
• Overall a trust in the Irish Government and a majority buy in of restrictions from the Irish public.
• The Irish people in general following the guidance of the CMO

 

[mrs. magoo]

The one thing that is different from summer and now is that schools are back in session. CDC now is stating that kids get it and spread it. I have a few friends and coworkers with school age kids, their kids have caught it in school and have brought it home to them. Schools plain and simple

Here in Western NY it is not schools where the spread is occurring. My child's school district is in an orange zone; they are required to test 20% of the school population and they had 0 positives out of 732 tests. In the other districts where it was required there were 2 positives and the one district tested 1500 kids and staff with 5 positives. So the kids are not getting it in schools. Here the kids are required to wear masks all day except for eating lunch but they are spread apart from each other. They are also in the Hybrid model so the building is at 50% capacity everyday but schools are not the reason for the spread in Western NY. It is small gatherings between households.

 

[mom2rtk]

I really do think most of the spread is happening in people's homes. Schools and business are at least enforcing masks, cleaning and distancing. Close those down, and numbers could actually go up. It's so complicated in a free society.

 

[Pink Partridge]

The virus is seasonal and spreads very easily.
It kills fat and unhealthy people with underlying conditions and there’s plenty of those in the countries you mention.

This is something that we don't speak about enough.

So many people that have sadly passed away and their families are like "They were perfectly healthy. No pre existing causes". And then you see a picture and some of these "very healthy people" are at least 100 pounds over weight.

 

[BadPinkTink]

This is something that we don't speak about enough.

So many people that have sadly passed away and their families are like "They were perfectly healthy. No pre existing causes". And then you see a picture and some of these "very healthy people" are at least 100 pounds over weight.

Thats another difference between America and Europe. Its one thing over the last few years here on Dis that I always warn Americans who visit Europe, either for Disneyland Paris or for the cruises or for ABD. Clothes sizes in general are smaller, and even in Disneyland Paris you wont find the bigger sizes that you will find in Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Also in general America is more car centric than Europe and again many Americans who visit Europe have a hard time with all the walking on ABD and the DCL port adventures.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

Thats another difference between America and Europe. Its one thing over the last few years here on Dis that I always warn Americans who visit Europe, either for Disneyland Paris or for the cruises or for ABD. Clothes sizes in general are smaller, and even in Disneyland Paris you wont find the bigger sizes that you will find in Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Also in general America is more car centric than Europe and again many Americans who visit Europe have a hard time with all the walking on ABD and the DCL port adventures.

What an odd comment. Sounds more like a reason to diss the u.s. than kindly explaining a difference. I'm not sure what it is but you spend a lot of time comparing the u.s. and elsewhere (not really an issue) but it usually is with a hint of disdain. Do you visit the u.s.? I can't imagine why if you do. Sorry if this comes off strong I just couldn't help but notice.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Thats another difference between America and Europe. Its one thing over the last few years here on Dis that I always warn Americans who visit Europe, either for Disneyland Paris or for the cruises or for ABD. Clothes sizes in general are smaller, and even in Disneyland Paris you wont find the bigger sizes that you will find in Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Also in general America is more car centric than Europe and again many Americans who visit Europe have a hard time with all the walking on ABD and the DCL port adventures.

But again, why are so many Europeans currently dying of Covid? If they are all so fit and trim and have good leadership? And they walk and bike. And have free health care. What is causing their climbing deaths?

And I really do find it hard to believe "Many Americans have a difficult time walking on adventures" to the point that you have to personally WARN them about walking. Many? Just Americans? How do you know this? I have seen quite a few fat Europeans on my travels. Haven't you? Obesity is not just an American problem.

 

[Pink Partridge]

What an odd comment. Sounds more like a reason to diss the u.s. than kindly explaining a difference.

And this was basically my premise for starting this thread. So easy to bash the USA for their terrible handling of the coronavirus. Yet, per million deaths are on par with many developed nations. Nations where people are tsking their tongues at USA as their own people die at equally alarming and devastating rates.

 

[Skippy918]

I have also heard that the schools aren’t vectors for transmission, it’s what the kids, teachers and admin are doing outside of school. I know in my area, people are going to weddings, parties and other gatherings.