The most dangerous underlying condition of the US, is that like so many other nations, it has been hit by the Polarization Pandemic.

Hannah Kuchler writing about her FT lunch with Atul Gawande on the battle to beat Covid-19, writes: “The US is polarised over its priorities, between those arguing in favour of putting the economy first, and those who want to concentrate on saving lives.”. It also states “People are more at risk of Covid-19 if they have underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.” 

Sir, when compared to age, diabetes and hypertension read like truly insignificant underlying conditions. In USA, as of October 14, those older than 70 years comprise 89% of all those dead from Covid-19 in USA, those under 45 years, 3%. Yet, in terms of who will have to pay the economic/ mental health/ societal costs of any top down imposed responses to the virus that favors saving lives, the reverse percentage is to be expected. 

Sir, with those kinds of figures, don’t you think one could develop a response to Covid-19 that could better consider both priorities?

Of course, one could. Just look at Sweden keeping schools up to 9th year open while asking grandfathers to refrain from hugging their grandchildren.

Why has that not happened in the US? The answer to Hannah Kuchler’s “Is the US as a country more at risk because of the underlying condition of its healthcare system?” Is YES! It also suffers the polarization virus, and way too many polarization profiteers just don’t want harmony vaccines to appear.

Communications in a polarized world

@PerKurowski