I would suggest that is evidence that they did indeed do a better job of treating more patients (note both ‘better’ AND ‘more’).
What value testing had however is another matter entirely. Testing alone does nothing, I assume we all agree on that. Targeted testing of key workers is indeed very valuable at preventing spread. Mass random test only gives us information, it’s the value of that information and the actions we implement as a result that matter. Testing when the virus first enters a new region is very valuable in helping to contain it. But once it’s out of the bag, that’s when I struggle to see the value (other than data gathering).
I believe the WHO value testing for data gathering reasons: it helps us to understand the virus. Without testing, we have no idea how many people are infected, the more we test, the greater the sample size, the more reliable the estimation is regarding total number infected.
I get all of that, and that is why I am certainly not arguing against testing... but it’s wrong for a society in the midst of an already embedded epidemic to think testing is gonna save them. It ain’t !
It would be very interesting to understand the details behind the testing done in China and South Korea.
As I keep saying, the notion that you test somebody once, and they’re ‘clear’ is wrong. It only shows you were clear at the time of testing. And the result therefore only has any value for a very limited time.
I suspect that China and South Korea are testing people constantly. For example, I’ve seen pictures of lines of construction workers queuing to be tested. They’re all kitted up, even with hard hats, so I assume they’re being tested on the way into work. Does this mean they’re test every day? If so, it makes sense, but wow, that requires and exponentially bigger testing capability.
Yeah. China disappeared a bunch of doctors and reporters. Welded people shut inside their apartments and massively under reported the number dead or infected (to this day).
South Korea pulled it off because they are a homogenous society that values cleanliness, civility and personal space. Oh and they TOOK IT SERIOUSLY.
Yes, I’ve read similar and fear you are correct about China. I doubt we will ever know the whole truth actually. But the ‘problem’ for the civilised world is we can’t / won’t do what China did. So any success they may have had, may well not be transferable to us.
A lifelong friend has a daughter teaching in South Korea , she married a local with a young fella and a “bun in the oven” Megan lives in Seoul .... her parents visit regular .... he say it usual to see folks shopping with face masks on , especially for groceries , part of the national thing bout being polite to all , he sees the masks on public transit as well , this during regular times , not when a deadly virus floating around ....
Yes that was also my experience visiting Japan ten yrs ago. Very common. Didnt surprise me as also common in Chinatown in Toronto and Vancouver, Richmond BC etc.A lifelong friend has a daughter teaching in South Korea , she married a local with a young fella and a “bun in the oven” Megan lives in Seoul .... her parents visit regular .... he say it usual to see folks shopping with face masks on , especially for groceries , part of the national thing bout being polite to all , he sees the masks on public transit as well , this during regular times , not when a deadly virus floating around ....
I read somewhere (don't know if it was fact or speculation) that South Korea was using tracking data from cells phones and credit card use to track person to person contact in an effort to track the spread of the virus. Doubt the people here would stand for it.South Korea pulled it off because they are a homogenous society that values cleanliness, civility and personal space. Oh and they TOOK IT SERIOUSLY.
I read somewhere (don't know if it was fact or speculation) that South Korea was using tracking data from cells phones and credit card use to track person to person contact in an effort to track the spread of the virus. Doubt the people here would stand for it.
Many people make the mistake and assume correlation is the same as causation.One has to be careful saying ‘this country did more testing, and has low death rate, therefore testing is the answer here’.