Medical Mythbusting Commentary for March 27, 2020

Although some perceive the confirmed case counts to be incongruous with the pleas to stay at home and minimize contact, the data represent what has happened two weeks ago. We need to follow the course over the next two to four weeks. Our doubling time is an average of three to four days. Belief that this is overblown is not consistent with the math that is telling us otherwise and the situations seen in other countries.

Further, we are only focused on deaths and confirmed cases. We do not have information of the true toll. Young people are not necessarily dying but they are being admitted to hospital because they develop severe symptoms that need ICU support. They survive, hence the notion that all young people will be fine, yet the elderly will not be as fortunate.

Reversing course or flouting the stay-at-home recommendations now will certainly result in a spike of infections that require more hospitalizations and spin further out of control.

Please stay focused. This is a National endeavour that requires a buy-in from everyone. To do nothing courts further harm to you or someone you know.

I hope the naysayers get a chance to say “I told you so” four weeks from now. They, their family and friends will thankfully be alive to say it and our collective efforts, paradoxically, will have succeeded.