re: Death rates in Italy and the US are going in opposite directions?

quote:

---

I mean over the last 3 weeks the only graphs I've seen are those insipid hockey stick graphs comparing cases in each county.

---

LINK
Italians are still dying daily by the hundreds.

quote:

---

Exactly...Italy is getting hit hard because

---

No.

Italy is getting hit hard because they have 1/3rd of our ICU beds/ventilators per capita. That lack of critical care capacity is coupled with all the inherent inefficiencies of a socialized medical system. They have been overwhelmed.

BTW, as we see the Italian system in action, it's worth noting Italy's healthcare system is regarded by the World Health Organization's as the 2nd best in the world after France.

Food for thought next time some nitwit quotes various WHO medical rankings to tell you how terrible US medical quality is.

Hopefully a pandemic like this kicks the arse of all the developed nations with aging populations to start fricking like rabbits.

quote:

---

They live longer because

---

Do they?
Do you have stats on Italians vs Italian Americans?

There is this thing called genetics . . .

quote:

---

you can see now that #2 ranking was a load of crap.

---

quote:

---

NYNolaguy1

---

It's weird how you have cheered this thing on

There is something that could be a factor in the difference in deaths and that is a therapeutic intervention that US docs are going to off-label.
Hydroxycholoquine and azithromycin.

There are real shortages in some states already from a high rate of prescribing. As an example See notice from North Carolina board of pharmacists below. It will be very hard to track in real time how many US cases get/got these drugs, but it sure would be interesting to see.

In the US, which is not socialized, Prescribers are free to prescribe off-label and patients can get access to these drugs, especially because they are generic and cheap and most likely do not require many secondary approvals from insurance.

Italy, however, is socialized, and therefore off-label isn't an option for the vast majority of patients, unless they can somehow access from private pharmacies in places like switzerland.


PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, CHLOROQUINE, AZITHROMYCIN, KALETRA, AND OTHER MEDICATIONS. Board staff and public health officials at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are aware of numerous reports from pharmacists across the state concerning new prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, azithromycin, Kaletra, and potentially other medications – often in large quantities with a high number of refills -- to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports include these prescriptions being issued by prescribers for themselves and family members, and for persons who have not been exposed to or infected by the COVID-19 virus. Board staff and public health officials are aware that some prescription drug wholesalers are reporting shortages of these drugs. Board staff are aware that at least three other state boards of pharmacies have passed emergency rules limiting the circumstances under which these drugs may be dispensed, and their quantities.

All health care providers are reminded that, while these drugs are being investigated as potential COVID-19 treatments, there is at this date only anecdotal evidence of their potential usefulness. Public health authorities are working to obtain better data on their potential -- and most appropriate -- use in the pandemic.

quote:

---

It's weird how you have cheered this thing on

---

You claim I have cheered this thing on, yet this board has thrown out nothing but denial and misdirection since this thing began because they don't want it to hurt Trump politically.

Whats weird to me is, IMO even Italy's numbers are very low...in comparison to what the doomsdayers were guaranteeing was going to happen here.

I'll be shocked if we are even at 1000 dead by April 1st.

The way our leaders and health experts treated this thing we should easily have 1 million dead by summer time. Im starting to call horseshite. It's not going to happen.

quote:

---

Italy is getting hit hard because 18% of their population, like the rest of Europe, is over 65 compared to the US at 9% and the average age of their citizens is 49 compared to the US at 38...

---

Italians have many more multi-generational households than the US, so it is harder to isolate the elderly. All those Catholics sharing the same chalice probably doesn't help. Neither does social kissing as a form of greeting. Older people are probably less likely to break those habits.