For Dr. Prasad to compare the health outcomes of the United States to Sweden is misleading since he does not consider the effect due to the local environment of that population. The local environment is very different in the Deep South than Sweden. I practice in Atlanta. Georgia has a higher incidence of morbid obesity than Sweden. Morbi…
For Dr. Prasad to compare the health outcomes of the United States to Sweden is misleading since he does not consider the effect due to the local environment of that population. The local environment is very different in the Deep South than Sweden. I practice in Atlanta. Georgia has a higher incidence of morbid obesity than Sweden. Morbid obesity is one of the main risk factors for hospitalization/death from COVID. We also have a higher percentage of African Americans that experience inequality of care compared to Sweden. Georgia is one of 10 states that have not fully expanded Medicaid. Georgia’s social drivers of health (housing affordability, transportation accessibility, etc.) contribute to our poor health outcome compared to Sweden’s better social drivers of health resulting in better outcomes per the Commonwealth Fund. I am not concerned about the impact of COVID on the healthy pediatric population, but as asymptomatic carriers to others with high co-morbidities. I work with economists who have reminded me frequently that the local environment can change the effect of a policy from a positive effect for the average of the population to a negative effect for a specific population given their local environment. Economist will even go to the microlevel such a zip codes to determine the effect of a policy on that specific population. I agree with many of Dr. Prasad’s conclusions on other topics. I also believe that many schools closed for too long a period, especially after the COVID vaccine became available. And perhaps in certain local environments, schools did not need to close. Dr. Prasad is intelligent and has significantly more education in biostatistics that majority of his readers. But I believe if Dr. Prasad had received a PhD in economics, he would not overstate his conclusion that are based on comparing Sweden's and the U.S. health outcomes. It is a simplification of a complex issue. Researchers are evaluating the micro date of social impact and health outcomes of COVID so we can make more informed decisions when the next pandemic comes. I applaud them.
Even with all that Covid was extremely low risk to kids. Also, what we did made kids fatter! Not to mention all the other negatives for kids. Third, this whole “we shouldn’t have closed schools for as long” reads as cope to me. Sober adults should have known better. Just like the economy, an entire public education system is not something that can be switched off and on by a light switch.
For Dr. Prasad to compare the health outcomes of the United States to Sweden is misleading since he does not consider the effect due to the local environment of that population. The local environment is very different in the Deep South than Sweden. I practice in Atlanta. Georgia has a higher incidence of morbid obesity than Sweden. Morbid obesity is one of the main risk factors for hospitalization/death from COVID. We also have a higher percentage of African Americans that experience inequality of care compared to Sweden. Georgia is one of 10 states that have not fully expanded Medicaid. Georgia’s social drivers of health (housing affordability, transportation accessibility, etc.) contribute to our poor health outcome compared to Sweden’s better social drivers of health resulting in better outcomes per the Commonwealth Fund. I am not concerned about the impact of COVID on the healthy pediatric population, but as asymptomatic carriers to others with high co-morbidities. I work with economists who have reminded me frequently that the local environment can change the effect of a policy from a positive effect for the average of the population to a negative effect for a specific population given their local environment. Economist will even go to the microlevel such a zip codes to determine the effect of a policy on that specific population. I agree with many of Dr. Prasad’s conclusions on other topics. I also believe that many schools closed for too long a period, especially after the COVID vaccine became available. And perhaps in certain local environments, schools did not need to close. Dr. Prasad is intelligent and has significantly more education in biostatistics that majority of his readers. But I believe if Dr. Prasad had received a PhD in economics, he would not overstate his conclusion that are based on comparing Sweden's and the U.S. health outcomes. It is a simplification of a complex issue. Researchers are evaluating the micro date of social impact and health outcomes of COVID so we can make more informed decisions when the next pandemic comes. I applaud them.
Even with all that Covid was extremely low risk to kids. Also, what we did made kids fatter! Not to mention all the other negatives for kids. Third, this whole “we shouldn’t have closed schools for as long” reads as cope to me. Sober adults should have known better. Just like the economy, an entire public education system is not something that can be switched off and on by a light switch.