What we should know "Virus" and be doing.

[CharlesHarris]

My retired military physician friend in Italy compares the news coverage of the pandemic there to Pravda during the days of Uncle Joe Stalin, and that the accounts are sensationalized and overblown. In particular the lethality percentages are bogus because in the larger cities they are not testing people until they show symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization. Those who present with minor symptoms of low grade fever, without respiratory difficulty shelter in place at home and recover.

In his small rural town of Vo they tested all 3000 residents, quarantined the town, and the death rate was about 2%. Repeating the testing weekly, they did pick up some additional asymptomatic positives at 7 days, but no additional ones after 14 days and of 21 people hospitalized there were 5 fatalities and the others have all been released from hospital and are recovering at home.

The interview with the Italian director of health services was broadcast here on National Public Radio the other day.