[chrisco255]

Diseases are inevitable. It's not all that useful to be testing for every random disease that comes up. Testing doesn't help. Lockdowns don't help. Even mRNA treatments don't help. You WILL get Covid. You WILL get the flu. And your immune system will get stronger as you get exposed.

Covid used to be novel. Now it's endemic and mutates multiple times per year. It's looking more and more like Covid will be with us for decades if not forever, just like the flu and the common cold.

[droopyEyelids]

Your 'inevitable' comment reminds me of the novice security mindset where something either Secure or it is Not Secure.

In the world of security, you grow up, leave behind the simple binary descriptions, and assess impact of event and threat you're defending against.

This applies to disease safety as well. It's not just 'inevitable' or 'preventable', but there is a difference between getting sick once a year and getting sick every month. Between working in a hospital and working from home. Between being sick by yourself and spreading it to your extended family.

There is a risk assessment to be done, and calculated measures to be taken.

[ethbr0]

It is worth all of those things... when you have a novel pandemic to blunt.

However, once the disease is characterized, you have effective treatments and protocols for the most sick, and you have decent rates of vaccination and recent infection... needs shift.

The critical factor is {max hospital ICU capacity} + 1 more seriously ill person, and when you're dealing with exponential growth rates and a virgin population, that can be hit pretty easily.

The fact that we didn't (in most parts of the world, for most of the time) is a triumph of modern health policy.

[micromacrofoot]

There seem to be some amount of long-term risks associated with covid that aren't present in influenza though. I hope to continue avoiding covid myself.

[jimjimjim]

gah! Sure fine whatever. you'll get covid. but how many times? If you test and you discover you currently have covid maybe don't be a raging asshole and give it to your family and friends!

[jimjimjim]

and while I'm on it, since we are all getting it why wouldn't you get the v word? It will help strengthen your immune system (as will getting covid) and the bit that people keep missing out it will lessen the affects you suffer when you get it.