COVID-19 Pandemic

[Gocka]

I've read a lot about Italian demographics and the fact that so many of them smoke is having a big impact on the death rate but you eventually have to ask why is Italy getting hit so hard by this. Has any read anything on the age breakdown of the dead in italy? Is it really just really old people or is it worse?

[Carlin]

Originally Posted by Gocka

I've read a lot about Italian demographics and the fact that so many of them smoke is having a big impact on the death rate but you eventually have to ask why is Italy getting hit so hard by this. Has any read anything on the age breakdown of the dead in italy? Is it really just really old people or is it worse?

It could also be the high population density of northern Italy / Lombardy.

Also, according to Chinese medical experts the "lockdown" in Lombardy region is “not strict enough”.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Gocka

I've read a lot about Italian demographics and the fact that so many of them smoke is having a big impact on the death rate but you eventually have to ask why is Italy getting hit so hard by this. Has any read anything on the age breakdown of the dead in italy? Is it really just really old people or is it worse?

From what I have been reading it suggests that it has been a combination of factors that have contributed to the 'perfect storm'...

Factors include:

- Elderly demographic
- In the middle of a very bad flu season
- Lax initial response to the problem
- The social culture of the Italians to mix, embrace etc
- Possibly urban density in the large cities (i.e. people living in appartments)

At the end of the day, countries all over the world will have to consider how they handled this from the perspective of travel and entry into countries.
Arguably not enough was done to scrutinise people coming and going...in the jet age and era of open borders with almost non existent travel restrictions the virus was allowed to spread freely...even now not enough is being done to restrict the movement of people, particularly those coming from global hotspots...only the other day did Australia ban visitors.

Australia is a good example of this...we are an island, that in itself should be a bonus to the flow of people, instead the authorities were slow to restrict visa holders from entering the country, initially China, South Korea and Iran were on the banned list but the authorities were reluctant to include places like Italy and the US.

Most of Australia's cases have been exclusively from those countries, including the USA.

[Stojacanec]

The Chinese have the open door policy to migration and education in Australia. Migration rate has doubled from 2008. The Indian migration rate has tripled since 2008 so they are catching up to the Chinese.

[Carlin]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

From what I have been reading it suggests that it has been a combination of factors that have contributed to the 'perfect storm'...

Factors include:

- Elderly demographic
- In the middle of a very bad flu season
- Lax initial response to the problem
- The social culture of the Italians to mix, embrace etc
- Possibly urban density in the large cities (i.e. people living in appartments)

At the end of the day, countries all over the world will have to consider how they handled this from the perspective of travel and entry into countries.
Arguably not enough was done to scrutinise people coming and going...in the jet age and era of open borders with almost non existent travel restrictions the virus was allowed to spread freely...even now not enough is being done to restrict the movement of people, particularly those coming from global hotspots...only the other day did Australia ban visitors.

Australia is a good example of this...we are an island, that in itself should be a bonus to the flow of people, instead the authorities were slow to restrict visa holders from entering the country, initially China, South Korea and Iran were on the banned list but the authorities were reluctant to include places like Italy and the US.

Most of Australia's cases have been exclusively from those countries, including the USA.

The same factors outlined for Italy might apply to Spain as well.

Spain has overtaken Iran and is now in "third place" with basically 20,000 cases already.

[Gocka]

Originally Posted by Carlin15

The same factors outlined for Italy might apply to Spain as well.

Spain has overtaken Iran and is now in "third place" with basically 20,000 cases already.

I would argue those same factors apply to half or not all of Europe

The Balkans and much of Eastern Europe all have aging populations, who smoke in high numbers, who live together, and have close daily social contact. France has to be on that list too, as well as North Africa and the middle east.

[Carlin]

Vox Video - How the wildlife trade causes pandemics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPpoJGYlW54

[Gocka]

Italy had its worst day so far in terms of deaths and new infections 627 and 6000 respectively. They are sending in military to help enforce the lockdown.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Carlin15

Vox Video - How the wildlife trade causes pandemics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPpoJGYlW54

It really is as simple as personal hygiene and not eating vermin.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Gocka

Italy had its worst day so far in terms of deaths and new infections 627 and 6000 respectively. They are sending in military to help enforce the lockdown.

Apparently the lockdown has had minimal impact on the spread of the virus...perhaps it is still too early to make a noticeable difference or is it that the Italians are flaunting the advice to lockdown...?