Yes. Many of the discussion in February of R0 and CFR were misguided.The problem was never really about that, though of course those matter but within a systems context. That's why all the flu comparisons were so inappropriate that they weren't even wrong.https://twitter.com/veropotes/status/1242444351265034242 …
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One reason I highlight media failures in my article is that I watched with great frustration in February as people asked in local Facebook groups if they should travel—to Disneyland, to conferences—and decided to go as people shared these "worry about the flu, instead" articles.
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Another reason I wrote this, even though I knew many in traditional media will not like it. The current messaging and discussion is still too simplistic and will not get us through all this. Stay home for few weeks isn't it. There are many trade-offs and complicated interactions.
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zeynep tufekci Retweeted zeynep tufekci
For example, discussions of herd immunity, when to go back to work and how, the next waves, prioritizing risks, etc. all have to be had. The stock market isn't a humane priority or reason but there will be painful trade-offs and we have to talk about them.https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1242266044418404352 …
zeynep tufekci added,
zeynep tufekciVerified account @zeynepReplying to @jbouie @geomblogThe argument is so inhuman, so callous that’s it can’t really be considered on its merits. And yet, it also fails on its merits! The stock market isn’t going anywhere up when hospitals are so overrun that child mortality spikes up and people of all ages also start dying more.6 replies 41 retweets 255 likesShow this thread -
zeynep tufekci Retweeted zeynep tufekci
By the way, here's my thread from January 29th about that NEJM paper mentioned in the article. More with similar findings came out right after that. That's what I mean, we wasted February. It was right there us but we kept hearing what about the flu.https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1222662053329924098 …
zeynep tufekci added,
zeynep tufekciVerified account @zeynepSo far,#nCoV2019 has some features more favorable than SARS (no super-spreaders identified yet etc.) BUT@NEJM paper says some have atypical presentation: gastro symptoms or mild clinical presentation. (SARS came with high fever). Translation: we need maybe millions of tests.
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zeynep tufekci Retweeted zeynep tufekci
Thread from a month ago.
https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1232352734990520331 …zeynep tufekci added,
zeynep tufekciVerified account @zeynep"We get the flu every year." You know what will happen if we hit COVID-19 unprepared? More people will die of... the flu. And everything else. On top of COVID-19. We have only so many hospital beds, ventilators, ICUs. To be ready means we are ready to flatten the curve—buy time.Show this thread2 replies 33 retweets 182 likesShow this thread -
It's going to be like the 2016 election, isn't it? Many journalists did amazing reporting since, but there really hasn't been any systematic reckoning among traditional media and punditry about their own role in all of it. (They'll talk about the tech part, though). So with this.
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zeynep tufekci Retweeted Jay Rosen
Yep. Lack of reflection among media and pundits that made all this so much worse is mindblowing. All of February, I watched people locally use those “what about the flu/travel bans don’t work/don’t overreact” articles to decide go on trips and conferences.https://twitter.com/jayrosen_nyu/status/1242647591990562816 …
zeynep tufekci added,
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Replying to @zeynep
The media coverage on this story has been not without flaws. But pretty good on balance as compared to most other major stories of recent years. Doing journalism in real time is hard. But I guess when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
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Replying to @NateSilver538 @zeynep
It’s problematic to speak of the media as a monolith. Parts have done well...parts have done poorly. The real issue, I think, is the outsized megaphone of the very worse parts of the media... tends to drown out serious info and perspectives
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NYT, where I also write, published pieces from tourism industry people arguing for travel since "most people will recover".. in February. I made a point of having examples of outlets where I write and that I read and subscribe to—my own home. The failure was broad and widespread.
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