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haber

03/30/20 1:43 PM

#302052 RE: NewYorker567 #302022

OK, serious question for you, then.

Dr Fauci (and everybody else) addressing CV have three basic options, right?

1) Tell the truth to the best of their ability
2) Say nothing of meaning / dodge questions
3) Tell some kind of lie

There are obviously some steps in between these (only like about some things, etc), but if you think it's wrong of him to give his best estimate on the expected # of fatalities, what are his other options?

IMO if he refuses to give out any numbers (#2), that's not a great option. It opens up room for a lot of speculation about him (does he not know? does he know, and it's so bad he doesn't want to say?), which isn't good, and it also leaves room for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to throw their speculations out there without any "official" response/baseline - which isn't great either.

And if he lies, that's horrible for any number of reasons.

I'm assuming you'd rather he say nothing at all -- but IMO I'd disagree with that. I think leaders, especially in times of fear, need to be as open with the public as possible, to let us know what to expect so we can prepare for it and we have as much information at our disposal as possible.
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deadjim

03/30/20 10:14 PM

#302137 RE: NewYorker567 #302022

They’re using statistical models and AI to examine the rate of infections. I’m sure those numbers arent random and are pulled from current projections. Even basic math can get some big numbers:

If the virus infects only 20% of the US, 65 million are sick or infected, current death rate in the US is about 0.15%, that’s just under 1 million deaths.

Why would they not say this? I’m afraid people aren’t taking it seriously and when I go out I see people piled into grocery stores or hanging out in parks, it’s clear many people aren’t taking it seriously