Thank heavens I don't live in the USA

[Casino218]

Protesting against the lockdown! What is wrong with them? Apparently they are finding it too hard!

I agree with saltinesandcoffeecups, it's not just a passing interest in what others do, it's the 'point and laugh' with a side order of endless critique. It's not just the USA, it seems to be a bit of a weakness for many people in several other countries.

These people don't have the wit to compare like with like, they have no working knowledge of other healthcare systems working in operation, industry and economics yet they feel free to spout on and on about how x country is doing it better and that y country should be taking notes.

Why not just stop doing that instead of endlessly navel-gazing? It's not doing anything useful however much people think their clueless input about the workings of other countries is invaluable. It's nothing more than gossiping.

I saw one of the protesters interviewed from her car. She was complaining that she wanted to be able to get her grey roots done

Since this thread is severely lacking in common sense and facts ... here is why people are protesting.

My state has extended the shutdown to May 26th.

From their own data... which can be found here. www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

We can plainly see the number of new daily cases is flat. There is no curve to flatten.

Hospitals are not overwhelmed...not even at full ICU capacity
Hospital workers are being laid off because people who need nonCovid medical care are not allowed to receive it...not that they can’t afford it...that they aren’t allowed by law to get it.

New York has a lot of cases... but to my geography challenged friends, New York is very different from the rest of the country.

People are protesting because they want to employ people and see their businesses thrive. They are seeing our state go from a 3% unemployment rate to 27%.

Stop for a minute to consider that last one for a second...a 24% increase overnight with no plan from the governor to address that.

Now I’m sure that these facts will be lost on many here, and that’s fine. I’m posting these figures and facts for those that aren’t afraid to go past their assumptions and preconceptions.

I live there half of the year. It’s a great country.

A small portion of the population are protesting, there are probably weirdos in London doing it, it just isn’t on the news.

@saltinesandcoffeecups

Thank you for our sensible eloquent post.

Sweeping aside the hysteria, I agree with you. If a state has hardly any covid cases it makes zero sense to lock them down if its going to cause other huge problems with the economy.
Obv states like New York NEED lockdown to cope and thats good they are locked down. But I totally get why people in states with very very few cases are getting angry and pissed off about their loss of income. I would be too.

Nearly everyone in the US respects the lockdown policies and seem to accept that they are necessary for the time being. The protestors represent a tiny minority who have decided that throwing caution to the wind is the best strategy. Sadly, they are being encouraged by the idiotic and irresponsible occupant of the White House.

That figures. Trump is frustrated that he can't enforce an end to the lockdowns so he's encouraging these groups to protest against them. It makes it look as if he's the one speaking up for ordinary Americans.

Mummyoflittledragon it's true they have no safety net, yet it is the far right who are protesting that are the very same ones who argue against the human right to universal healthcare. As others have said, many have their health care tied to their employer (something I could never truly understand or grasp) and if they aren't at work, then they can't access health care.

If the protesters were agitating for health care and a proper safety net, then they would actually be protesting for something positive, and really doing something positive. But all they are protesting for is the status quo. We've had ably demonstrated on this thread the head in the sand approach to health care reform that some American citizens have. Without that, there is no cure. They want the status quo, and that makes no sense to me or to many others. So they stick to the same outdated and broken down system and instead of protesting to make their society a healthier and fairer society, they protest to go back to work. Completely ignoring the entire crux of the issue. Until they finally get it, agitate for change and vote for someone that will drag America out of the 1700s the individual and my guns matter more than the health and welfare of the collective community and I'm alright F you Jack attitude their system encourages, nothing will change for the better. They are protesting a symptom. They are not protesting for a cure.

If people don’t go to work they starve.

Or, they could get food assistance, which is available in all 50 states. 😒

@MH1111 The point of the lockdown was ensure the NHS was not overwhelmed which it hasn’t been

The point was to stop the exponential growth - because if it had been allowed to spread it would have killed far more people, including young people. I think the focus on "why should we do this to save the NHS" is missing the point, because the point was if you allowed the exponential growth then all health care, including mental health care, the economy, all structures would all have been very badly affected.

Can you link the Whitehall report you are referring to? How many indirect deaths there might be will depend on how long lockdown goes on for. The plan is not to have endless lockdown.

I think it will be easier when the dates for phased to return to normal are known in the UK, as they are now in many countries in Europe. In the US it will be decided state by state.

The people I know in the states think that the protesters are badly informed.

MH1111 “Vulnerable members of society should stay at home. Absolutely no question.“

You don’t advocate any freedom for them?

Oh @tealwater do go away your soapbox surely needs a rest.

If the majority of people wanted universal healthcare in the US we’d already have it. Apparently the “Barbarians” have spoken.

theyre idiots standing there with guns going on about their liberties and trump egging them om with his aide comparing them to rosaparks ffs

If it was just themselves thney were hurting id say crack on but its not is it

Every country has had a massive jump in unemployment. Australia itself has had a MASSIVE jump in people joining the unemployment benefit queues. So America is no different from any other country. It's just their attitude to it that differs from the rest of us. We just accept it as an unavoidable part of this pandemic. There is no point protesting about ending lockdowns though.

Saltines “ Hospital workers are being laid off because people who need nonCovid medical care are not allowed to receive it...not that they can’t afford it...that they aren’t allowed by law to get it. ”

This really shocked me.

Also remember that the experts said that our minimum death total, with perfect compliance with "stay-at-home" was 100,000 deaths. They are now saying it will be around 60,000 deaths. Yes that is a lot of deaths but 40,000 LESS then our best case scenario. So I would say that America is doing a good job of slowing the spread, letting our hospitals (which most are top rate regardless of what you believe) stay on top of it. Should we reopen now? No, but a slow reopening will be able to start in some areas. And dont look at our raw numbers and compare them to your raw numbers, remember our population is 327 million people compared to 64 million in the UK.

@saltinesandcoffeecups Don't tell me to go away. I am free to post here just as you are. Perhaps ignore me and scroll past if the facts hurt so much.

@lilactree1

www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/49-hospitals-furloughing-workers-in-response-to-covid-19.html

Just one source that took no time to google. Many others available

@elp30 is it true texas will be coming o0ut of lockdown next week

I wish I did live there. Not full of ostriches

Tootletum - yes, that's it exactly. I am thankful for you - there is hope!

What's being protested are restrictions that serve no public health purpose, like prohibitions against using a motorboat or mowing your lawn.

www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-michigan-governor/republicans-take-aim-at-michigan-governor-over-virus-response-idUSKCN21W2ZE

@TealWater you’re right I really didn’t mean it. Your posts do amuse me. You know us “Barbarians” have such simple minds, we need obvious jokes like your opinions to keep us entertained.

Please keep telling me how I’m wrong and how you are better than me.

saltine oh I didn’t hear it from you, I’m aware, I’m just saying how shocking it is.

We could die of anything and no one woukd give as shit if it’s not Covid.

it's far from over yet, lets wait and see what happens before we evaluate the strategies of various countries.
The USA is vast and complex, it's a country made up of lots of sub-countries (I hope that's not an insulting way of putting it?) we cant make pronouncements about the whole of it!!
Trump is also vast, but not so complex :o

@MissConductUS

Or in my state where we can’t be trusted not to lick our coworkers, but riding communal bicycles is somehow ok?!

Agree OP

I used to live there for a time some years ago and still have family there. Im so grateful to be back in a country with a universal healthcare system and the safety net of a welfare state.

Our Government has been totally incompetent but at least we don't have a narcissistic maniac at the helm.