The pandemic: The view after 5 months

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

This whole thing screams to me selfishness on the part of politicians. They are completely ignoring the youth and children who are the most effected by these lockdown orders. Those with children will know how much of a nightmare this whole thing has been - kids being locked inside all day with no socialisation with other kids or access to hands on learning that schools provide. All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives. There have been no studies on the long term effects of this isolation on childrens developments and those who already suffer from mental health issues. The ages of 3-5 are the most important time for children to learn socialisation skills that stays with them for LIFE - those who skip this important step are likely to develop issues with others and how they behave. But the Government doesn't give a fuck because they are old and still receive their hefty salary while they sit on their ass telling us all how to live our lives. All the families I know with kids tell the same story - their children are stressed and struggling with being locked inside and not having access to play and seeing other kids.

SomewhereInBA,

I can understand your point of view / frustration, but I encourage you to consider the bigger picture.

Everyone is important. People of all ages need to be considered.Regardless of how long or short each life is, no one in their right mind is anxious to leave life. For all we know, there is something way better than we currently have here, but I am in no hurry to find out, it can wait ... hopefully a very long time from today.

Quoting you ... " All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives." Given that reasoning, we could change it around a bit and perhaps say ... "Why cater to a younger person's needs, they have not lived much yet?" I suppose we could get into ethnicity, race, sex, etc ... Where does it stop? ANSWER >>> If we take this point of view, it never stops. It just keeps going without end because there will always be some group who feel another is less important or the other way around???

No! We need to stay unified. We are stronger together than separated into clans or groups. Sure there may be ulterior motives on the parts of our leaders, it is human nature to be selfish and greedy or to exploit a situation. BUT - In the course of being TEXT BOOK OBJECTIVE, which is a very hard thing to do ... we ... ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. The pandemic transcends culture, language and borders ... this is a global problem and I feel the world needs to learn a lesson in co operation. We will never go on to fulfill greatness as a species if we can't co operate.

 

[Pensador]

What a thing to say.....!

Yes! And there is more than the elderly to protect. Medical workers and infrastructure which is not at a very high level in Argentina. The financial burden of an overwhelming number of cases with a public health system. Many things to consider in the case of Argentina.

 

[gracielle]

This whole thing screams to me selfishness on the part of politicians. They are completely ignoring the youth and children who are the most effected by these lockdown orders. Those with children will know how much of a nightmare this whole thing has been - kids being locked inside all day with no socialisation with other kids or access to hands on learning that schools provide.....All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives. There have been no studies on the long term effects of this isolation on childrens developments and those who already suffer from mental health issues.....

On the 7th month of the wordwide pandemic, it too early to see results of studies. Nevertheless there is this survey...

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(20)30250-9/fulltext

1 June 2020
....For children and adolescents with mental health needs, such closures mean a lack of access to the resources they usually have through schools. In a survey by the mental health charity YoungMinds, which included 2111 participants up to age 25 years with a mental illness history in the UK, 83% said the pandemic had made their conditions worse. 26% said they were unable to access mental health support; peer support groups and face-to-face services have been cancelled, and support by phone or online can be challenging for some young people.....

Children, school and COVID-19 | RIVM

Children who are infected with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are far less likely to become seriously ill. They almost never need to be hospitalised. Children who do end up in hospital are usually vulnerable as a result of another disease. See the overview of the...

www.rivm.nl

....The virus is mainly spread between adults and from adult family members to children. The spread of COVID-19 among children or from children to adults is less common...

Your all encompassing statement...All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives...is incongruent with your next statement:
But the Government doesn't give a fuck because they are old and still receive their hefty salary while they sit on their ass telling us all how to live our lives.

 

[gracielle]

Can COVID-19 (coronavirus) spread through food, water, surfaces and pets?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/can-coronavirus-spread-food-water/faq-20485479

[/URL]

 

[Somewhereinba]

What a thing to say.....!

Its reality my friend - thats the way nature works - the old are replaced with the young. It's the reason our immune system starts to weaken in our 30's and continues until we leave this planet. Let me be very clear that I am not suggesting we have no controls and we force all the old people to go outside in groups and cough on each other. No... My point is that EVERYONE should take appropriate precautions including mask use, good hygiene practices and avoid coming into contact with those who are at high risk. My other point is we should NOT be sacrificing the education and critical social development stages of our children who ARE the future whether you like it or not in the name of protecting a WAY smaller subset of the population. Everything has a cost including the lockdown - but because its harder to measure mental wellness and development milestones the people in charge neglect to give a fuck about them and focus on the daily corona case numbers and deaths (which are heavily manipulated to suit their agenda). Why isn't Argentina implementing a nation wide testing system so cases can be traced and controlled? It's been 5 months now and there is no such system - the methods of testing are slow and unreliable (and backwards given the current technology available now). I cannot comment on treatment currently being used in Argentina but I know overseas the treatment protocols are vastly improved compared to when the virus first arrived hence the rapid reduction in mortality rate.

My grandma has dementia and has been locked in her nursing home since March with NO VISITS from family - she is now suffering major depression and can hardly eat. There has been a significant decline in her mental wellness and quality of life (basically none now she doesn't get any visits). Tell me is this really in her best interests knowing there is a high likelihood she will be passing in the very near future - her last memories being alone and abandoned in a nursing home because of Government restrictions? Sorry to say but IMO that is not what life is about - life has risks - every day we step outside the house we take risks - our lifestyle choices also carry severe consequences.

 

[semigoodlookin]

What a thing to say.....!

Sure, a bit on the nose and not how I would put it and dismissing older people is just as silly as dismissing younger. However, the point of the pst you replied to is interesting. There has been very little thought given to how this lockdown affects children and teenagers. There have been some studies/surveys. While we scramble to save the economy and older generations, could the true impact of COVID be felt most by the younger generation?

Missing a whole year of socializing for a 3 - 7-year-old is hugely detrimental. I am not just talking about socializing with others in their age group, which is most important, but also the socializing with other adults and even just being in social situations (like just being outside). Some social negative conditioning that happens at a young age can take years to recover from if at all.

Then teenagers, who at an age where social status dynamics change on the most mundane whims. A teenage girl who entered the lockdown with friends may find by time she comes out she has been ostracized for some reason. Of course the opposite could also be true, but the point is this is an age group where the individual’s conditions for social relationships are being developed for life.

 

[Somewhereinba]

SomewhereInBA,

I can understand your point of view / frustration, but I encourage you to consider the bigger picture.

Everyone is important. People of all ages need to be considered.Regardless of how long or short each life is, no one in their right mind is anxious to leave life. For all we know, there is something way better than we currently have here, but I am in no hurry to find out, it can wait ... hopefully a very long time from today.

Quoting you ... " All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives." Given that reasoning, we could change it around a bit and perhaps say ... "Why cater to a younger person's needs, they have not lived much yet?" I suppose we could get into ethnicity, race, sex, etc ... Where does it stop? ANSWER >>> If we take this point of view, it never stops. It just keeps going without end because there will always be some group who feel another is less important or the other way around???

No! We need to stay unified. We are stronger together than separated into clans or groups. Sure there may be ulterior motives on the parts of our leaders, it is human nature to be selfish and greedy or to exploit a situation. BUT - In the course of being TEXT BOOK OBJECTIVE, which is a very hard thing to do ... we ... ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. The pandemic transcends culture, language and borders ... this is a global problem and I feel the world needs to learn a lesson in co operation. We will never go on to fulfill greatness as a species if we can't co operate.

Everyone is important for sure - but there is a reason why hospitals in Italy were giving priority to the young over the elderly when it came to treatment and beds.. You may not agree with me but it is globally accepted that young lives hold more value than the elderly who have less life to live. The young also have a higher likelihood of successful treatment. Too many people and Governments are looking at everything in a binary manner as if you have X then you can't have Y. My point is that there IS a solution that enables children to go to school while maintaining a good level of care in regards to transfer of viruses, there is a way that allows people to exercise and live some semblance of normality while still taking precautions to prevent the virus spread. Where I live Government employees are now back at work in their offices in large groups (not all wear masks) - tell me why this should be allowed and enforced BUT children are not allowed to go to school and socialise and get an education.

 

[Somewhereinba]

Sure, a bit on the nose and not how I would put it and dismissing older people is just as silly as dismissing younger. However, the point of the pst you replied to is interesting. There has been very little thought given to how this lockdown affects children and teenagers. There have been some studies/surveys. While we scramble to save the economy and older generations, could the true impact of COVID be felt most by the younger generation?

Missing a whole year of socializing for a 3 - 7-year-old is hugely detrimental. I am not just talking about socializing with others in their age group, which is most important, but also the socializing with other adults and even just being in social situations (like just being outside). Some social negative conditioning that happens at a young age can take years to recover from if at all.

Then teenagers, who at an age where social status dynamics change on the most mundane whims. A teenage girl who entered the lockdown with friends may find by time she comes out she has been ostracized for some reason. Of course the opposite could also be true, but the point is this is an age group where the individual’s conditions for social relationships are being developed for life.

Exactly my point.. The people in charge are neglecting to put any weight on these factors even though we know how important these milestones/events are in a child/teenagers and who they turn out to be in adult life. This whole thing is going on half a year now with the future looking just as bleak - there is no end in sight as to when restrictions will be eased and children will get back to any normality in their lives. Every month the Government comes out with a new prediction about when the peak is and every month it gets proven incorrect and restrictions get extended. ALL the families I am friends with who have young children tell me the issues they are having at home with their kids - depression, anxiousness - not understanding what is actually going on - fear when trying to explain to them that there is a virus outside that is deadly and thats the reason they cannot see their friends or go to school.. The consequences are real - anyone who down plays these things is ignorant and irresponsible. Argentina already has a big problem with mental health issues - this extended lockdown and associated financial impacts it is having on families is also real and getting worse. Governments need to stop pretending this thing is black and white and locking everyone inside for a year is the best solution.

 

[on the brink]

there is a reason why hospitals in Italy were giving priority to the young over the elderly when it came to treatment and beds.

The reason is called triage: First, help those with a better chance to survive.

 

[Somewhereinba]

Your all encompassing statement...All to protect the elderly who have lived their lives...is incongruent with your next statement:
But the Government doesn't give a fuck because they are old and still receive their hefty salary while they sit on their ass telling us all how to live our lives.

I think you misunderstood my point. From the Governments perspective their own demographic is primarily older adults (look at the chief medical officer and how unhealthy/fat he is) - so from their POV they are actually at higher risk of issues if they caught the virus. They also know that there is no risk to them losing their financial income even if they destroy the economy by enforcing these harsh measures because as we all know Government jobs are the safest going around. It is simply a case of extreme self-interest (not a surprise given thats all they do every day anyway since they are mostly corrupt).