Coronavirus - the new strain XX
- Thread starter gavreid
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Nick_G
pfm Member
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
I just checked my wife's department and there's a guy who studies syndemics. That's not a word I've seen before, but a quick search shows that syndemics is a term used to describe a framework to understand disease and health conditions that cluster within specific populations, and are exacerbated by underlying socio-economic, environmental and political conditions.
Anyway, all this to say that it's not as though people studying public health and disease, infectious and otherwise, have no clue about how diseases arise, the socio-political and environmental conditions that fuel and worsen them, the difficulty in controlling them, etc.
Joe
Syndemic: A set of linked health problems involving two or more afflictions, interacting synergistically, and contributing to excess burden of disease in a population. Syndemics occur when health-related problems cluster by person, place, or time. For example, the SAVA syndemic is comprised of substance abuse, violence, and AIDS, three conditions that disproportionately afflict those living in poverty in US cities. To prevent a syndemic, one must prevent or control not only each affliction but also the forces that tie those afflictions together.
A new series at the Lancet, too: https://www.thelancet.com/series/syndemics
Anyway, all this to say that it's not as though people studying public health and disease, infectious and otherwise, have no clue about how diseases arise, the socio-political and environmental conditions that fuel and worsen them, the difficulty in controlling them, etc.
Joe
Jonn
Tons of Trouble
Probably me being thick but are you misinterpreting the chart on Page 24 ? I think the light blue stripe box is “other” and the restaurants are shown as the slightly darker blue stripe, where the number of cases is very low. This is borne out in the other charts( not helped by using different scales) and table 2 on page 29.
My experience of restaurants has been that tables have to be booked in advance, masks worn until seated, fewer tables than usual to maintain social distancing (indoors) and windows open to maintain a good air flow, so I’ve felt relatively safe compared for example to many shops where there is no attempt to restrict numbers, and few wear masks or social distance.I pity the poor staff in these places.
russel
./_dazed_and_confused
Syndemics: A Systems Approach To Dealing With Diseases And
How It Can Help With CoVid
Is not going to appearing as a tabloid headline anytime soon.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Russel,
Indeed, but it made the cut at a journal: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7887445/
Joe
Indeed, but it made the cut at a journal: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7887445/
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected communities, populations, and countries throughout the world. As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic developed, the extent to which the disease interacted with already existing endemic, non-communicable and infectious diseases became evident, hence deeply influencing health outcomes. Additionally, a synergistic effect has been demonstrated also with socio-economic, cultural, and contextual determinants of health which seem to contribute to poorer health and accumulating social disadvantages.
In this essay, using as a starting point the syndemic theory that translates the cumulative and intertwined factors between different epidemics, we argue that the SARS-CoV-2 is a one health issue of a syndemic nature and that the failure to acknowledge this contributes to weakened policy-making processes and public health responses and ineffective health policies and programs.
In this essay, using as a starting point the syndemic theory that translates the cumulative and intertwined factors between different epidemics, we argue that the SARS-CoV-2 is a one health issue of a syndemic nature and that the failure to acknowledge this contributes to weakened policy-making processes and public health responses and ineffective health policies and programs.
Joe
Seanm
pfm Member
Sounds like a very positive development. It would be great if we could get used to treating the pandemic, and health in general, in the round.
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Sean,
Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding on my part, but it sounded like some recent posts in this thread were suggesting that people who study disease are clever but otherwise clueless.
Years ago, when I lived in Kentucky, the public health researchers I worked with were looking at programs to increase the rate of colorectal cancer screening among people who live in the Appalachian part of the state. They knew full well that it would be a tough sell because people who live there are poor — often generationally poor — and have no healthcare coverage. If you detect cancer or a precancerous polyp, what then? The person doesn't have the means to get treatment. Part of the solution was finding ways that colorectal screening and treatment would be covered, so at least a person's financial concerns were addressed.
Most public health professionals I've met truly understand that disease prevention, treatment and control cross all sorts of socio-politico-environmental dimensions.
Joe
Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding on my part, but it sounded like some recent posts in this thread were suggesting that people who study disease are clever but otherwise clueless.
Years ago, when I lived in Kentucky, the public health researchers I worked with were looking at programs to increase the rate of colorectal cancer screening among people who live in the Appalachian part of the state. They knew full well that it would be a tough sell because people who live there are poor — often generationally poor — and have no healthcare coverage. If you detect cancer or a precancerous polyp, what then? The person doesn't have the means to get treatment. Part of the solution was finding ways that colorectal screening and treatment would be covered, so at least a person's financial concerns were addressed.
Most public health professionals I've met truly understand that disease prevention, treatment and control cross all sorts of socio-politico-environmental dimensions.
Joe
Seanm
pfm Member
Can’t speak for others Joe but I’m 100% here for that kind of work and very appreciative of the effort that goes in to making connections between health, society and government policy. What I’ve been railing against is ... well, it’s all that stuff I mentioned, which detracts from serious work in the field - work which suggests that the pandemic response has been *highly* inequitable.
There is currently a marked reluctance to look at health in the round, and it has everything to do with the deliberate polarisation of debate. You can’t say, “Hang on, that research does not actually suggest a catastrophic waning of immunity” without being a Covid minimiser; you can’t say “Lockdown has concentrated risk on workers and poorer countries” without being a libertarian. All of it contributes to perpetuating inequitable policy: see, e.g., the booster thread.
Beyond that I’m just interested in the new situation that’s emerging where the health sciences are placed at the heart of everyday life, like football or the weather. All of a sudden we live in an epidemiological society. What we’re seeing on this thread - genuine attempts to engage with non-experts, but also defensiveness, crude politicisation and polarisation of scientific developments, outright abuse of the public - is going on elsewhere as well and we can expect more of it. It’s experts coming to terms with their new role, new opportunities as well as threats to their status. I’m quite surprised at how ugly some of it is but thank you for the reminder that most health experts are beavering away in the background for our benefit and keeping well out of it.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
The first school closures in Scotland are being seen already
https://twitter.com/andy_astewart/status/1428402237815013387
Case numbers in Scotland have more than doubled in the past week (3367 yesterday vs 1525 a week ago) after a week of schools returning. Some of you people need to get a grip on reality instead of shooting the messengers.
https://twitter.com/andy_astewart/status/1428402237815013387
Case numbers in Scotland have more than doubled in the past week (3367 yesterday vs 1525 a week ago) after a week of schools returning. Some of you people need to get a grip on reality instead of shooting the messengers.
This ^^^^^ 100%. The pseudo-intellectual yet substance free posts from some in here are creating a lot of 'noise' and detracting from a very useful thread that offers a welcome dose of reality compared to the government's 'let it rip as freedom is worth the huge amount of illness and death' policy that their media are so gleefully pushing for them!
mandryka
pfm Member
If it’s true. Any ideas about which school it is?
Do you mean positive test numbers?
gavreid
Pretty Words...
English schools, universities and colleges are being told to ignore outbreaks until they get out of hand - this is incomprehensible
https://www.theguardian.com/educati...delay-seeking-help-with-small-covid-outbreaks
https://www.theguardian.com/educati...delay-seeking-help-with-small-covid-outbreaks
Seanm
pfm Member
“My niece's daughter went back to school last week in Glasgow. Yesterday, she and other classmates were confirmed to have contracted Covid. Today the school was closed as cases emerged in every year group. Thank goodness the pandemic is over.”
Hmmm.
Let’s say that andystewart#Rejoiner is on the level here. What is this Messenger of Reality trying to tell us? What are you trying to tell us by sharing? What are you asking for? What’s your plan?
The idea that there will be school outbreaks is certainly not a challenge to my reality. I’d be more surprised if there were none. But I don’t want them to close because I’m also aware of the terrible harms that would do. I wonder if there’s any room in your reality for this side of things.
Seanm
pfm Member
Another substance-fest from the Reality Based Contingent. Just use the Ignore function Tig!
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
It's a discussion thread, not an echo chamber. Opposing POVs are essential to promote a discussion (within AUP obvs).
If anyone is making government policy or making personal risk-based decision on a discussion thread populated by anonymous individuals on a HiFi forum claiming knowledge, qualification and experience, they're probably a bit daft.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
We had all this noise fom the cheap seats at this same time last year, when people thought it was all over. People don't like to be told that it isn't and get personal and aggressive as a consequence. That's understandable but unpleasant. It'll play out in a similar way again, evidence from Scotland ignored, English schools return and crisis to follow...
Joe Hutch
Mate of the bloke
If someone asked 'what does two plus two equal?' on pfm they'd get opposing answers, with increasing vitriol as the discussion continued.
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