Because there are too many wildly differing reactions in similar populations.
More than 700 passengers on the Diamond Princess were infected, leading to a total of eight deaths. This would have been an older-than-usual cohort, simply by dint of demographics on cruise ships.
Meanwhile, in New York, deaths in long-term care homes have approached 5,000.
Obviously nursing home residents are a more vulnerable population, but with this kind of disparity in outcomes, I'm not buying it. Nursing homes may have an older clientele, but then, cruise ships aren't staffed by medical professionals.
IMHO it's been obvious that there are multiple strains in circulation for a long time. Otherwise, the medical community needs to explain exactly why outcomes vary so dramatically, not only from one individual to the next, but between populations with similar demographics. When they explain that, then I'll be more interested in their opinions regarding how many strains are out there. If they think the bugs are all the same, they aren't looking closely enough.
More than 700 passengers on the Diamond Princess were infected, leading to a total of eight deaths. This would have been an older-than-usual cohort, simply by dint of demographics on cruise ships.
Meanwhile, in New York, deaths in long-term care homes have approached 5,000.
Obviously nursing home residents are a more vulnerable population, but with this kind of disparity in outcomes, I'm not buying it. Nursing homes may have an older clientele, but then, cruise ships aren't staffed by medical professionals.
IMHO it's been obvious that there are multiple strains in circulation for a long time. Otherwise, the medical community needs to explain exactly why outcomes vary so dramatically, not only from one individual to the next, but between populations with similar demographics. When they explain that, then I'll be more interested in their opinions regarding how many strains are out there. If they think the bugs are all the same, they aren't looking closely enough.