Denmark and the US on Health Care

So Denmark, home of the world's most precise genome sequencing facilities, has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions.

As regards the link, the BBC went out and found someone who would use this to promote the vaccines to justify Denmark's decision. Of course the vaccines do not stop breakthrough cases of the Omicron variant in any way like they stopped breakthrough cases of Delta, which explains why Denmark's caseload is shooting through the roof. Here's John Campbell on this:

I'm sure the Danes will all die agonizing deaths because their government doesn't sufficiently fear the Omicron. Right? No, wait, it's Americans who will die in great numbers (and who are dying in great numbers now), because America is a nation full of people with comorbidities for whom the Omicron variant is the last straw which will kill them and who do not dare see doctors for fear of bankruptcy. Check out the reader comment at 13:27 of the video.

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Bisbonian's picture

Denmark and Sweden.

Denmark because they have consistently been realistic, fact based, non-political.

Sweden because they are listening to Denmark.

Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s1UX2ZNsh4 (interview with lead pandemic modeler, Dr Camilla Holten-Møller)

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Cassiodorus's picture

@Bisbonian So far, America has attempted to portray an image of general health by ramping up the price of health care, privatizing its access through insurance gatekeepers, and then pretending that we're all healthy because we're afraid to see doctors for fear of bankruptcy. The GoFundMe pitches soliciting money for insulin shots reveal this world in spades.

Back when I lived in California, there was this radio station that put on parties sponsored by this small-time dealer in high-end stereo equipment. The parties were lots of fun and featured people who didn't turn their noses at who I was. What put a permanent stop to this activity was that the small-time dealer in high-end stereo equipment suffered a medical bankruptcy, and had to go out of business. Ah, the good old days.

Speaking of California, their legislature just shot down a single-payer bill. See, what's important is that, when you are given life-saving health treatments because the alternative was death, you be required to pay for a health care CEO.
Very important, you know.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Lookout's picture

@Cassiodorus

....and I found the nurse's letter to John spot on.

As the letter suggests, one reason for our poor COVID outcomes is so many US citizen are in poor health... largely from a misguided diet of fast and processed foods, lack of outdoor activity, and over medication as a profitable way to deal with our chronic health problems.

Yes we need medicare for all, focused on health outcomes rather than profit, but first we need to prevent our pandemic of chronic disease which I suggest is driven primarily by diet. Prevention is the first step which is NEVER discussed in the MSM. It is easy to see the influence of big pharma wanting us sick to maximize profit, but less easy to see the role of big ag/food's contribution.

The sickness is run away capitalism and profit over people and planet.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Bisbonian's picture

@Cassiodorus

About US healthcare failings, I would not begin with a post about Denmark, and a video that starts with a question about which country has handled the pandemic the best.

If you want people to talk about the US, it might have helped if you started with a comment or question about the US.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Cassiodorus's picture

@Bisbonian I'm not, however, interested in Denmark's decision to declare the pandemic "over" because I want to make heroes of Danes. The BBC article I linked did that -- because its author thought it was a way of promoting vaccination. My point is that if you have a health care system which can do some form of genome sequencing (so it can tell the difference between a COVID-19 infection that is BA2 from one that's BA1 from an infection that's Delta) and which can provide everyone with affordable health care (something our system doesn't do), then you'll be able to declare the pandemic "over" (especially if, as is the case with Denmark, the dominant variant is the BA2 variant of the Omicron variant -- though it will be like that everywhere in the world soon, since BA2 is highly transmissible).

If, on the other hand, you have a health care system which accumulates people with comorbidities who don't want to see the doctor because the doctor will say things which just aren't affordable, then you've got a problem. And the US does indeed have a problem. The problem is such that people in the media and on the Internet are saying offensive things all the time. Whenever medical advice is offered in the US context, the advice-giver always offers this caveat: "consult your doctor." Yeah, what doctor? And for how much?

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Bisbonian's picture

@Cassiodorus

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

CB's picture

@Bisbonian
on the following site to compare total deaths/million. This is the same site that John Campbell is using.

I've preset the country=DNK~SWE~USA~ISR~IND~BGD~JPN in the following graph for you.

Deaths per million:

https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/coronavirus-data-explorer?zoomToSel...
deaths per million.png
The greatest factor in reducing deaths has not been vaccinations. It has been prophylaxis used prior to or during the early stages of the disease.

Deaths per million versus vaccination rate (same seven countries). Japan, Bangladesh and India use IVM and other prophylaxis: (Note: the rise in India deaths was due to different policies in different provinces)

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-vaccinations-vs-covid-death-rat...

covid-vaccinations-vs-covid-death-rate-1_0.png

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Bisbonian's picture

@CB

I follow this daily ... I am not sure what you are getting at. It LOOKS like you are trying to correct my opinion about how well Denmark has handled the pandemic, and the effect of the vaccines, which I didn't even mention.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

CB's picture

@Bisbonian

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Bisbonian's picture

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

CB's picture

@Bisbonian
you are using for the following:

Country that has handled it best?
Denmark and Sweden.

It is apparent both the vaccines (one of the very highest in the world) and extensive lock-downs were not effective in reducing death rates, perhaps the reason Denmark has now lifted all regulations is due to making the country a test bed for the following?

Denmark Becomes First EU Nation To Approve Pill-based Treatment For COVID
17th December, 2021

Denmark has become the first country in the EU to authorise the use of US drugmaker Merck’s anti-COVID-19 pill called ‘Molnupiravir’ to treat COVID-19.

Denmark has become the first country in the European Union (EU) to authorise the use of US drugmaker Merck’s anti-COVID-19 pill called ‘Molnupiravir’ to treat symptomatic, at-risk patients, reported Sputnik. The pill-based treatment against Coronavirus infection is marketed under the name Lagevrio and has already received approval for emergency use by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in mid-November. EMA approval meant that the 27 member states were allowed to decide for themselves to use the pills even before the formal authorisation.
...
Molnupiravir found to reduce hospitalisations, death risk

Publishing the findings of the Phase 3 study of Molnupiravir produced by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, the company said in an official statement on 16 December that the pill-based treatment was found to reduce the hospitalisations and also the risk of death due to COVID-19. The official release stated, “Data from MOVe-OUT demonstrated that early treatment with Molnupiravir significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in high risk, unvaccinated adults with COVID-19. Merck is developing Molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.”
...

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW2QqHUJUw]

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@CB From Merck announcing a contract with the U.S. government for Molnupiravir: "3.1 million courses of molnupiravir, for approximately $2.2 billion". That's $710 per course. Ivermectin costs pennies, and it's been shown to the outstandingly safe, over billions of doses given to humans. Molly? I can't find the trials, but I did find this:

Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) Chief Dr Balram Bhargava said on Wednesday that COVID antiviral drug Molnupiravir has major safety concerns. Speaking at a press conference, Dr Bhargav said the drug has not been included in the national protocol for treatment of coronavirus, neither has it been recommended for treatment by the World Health Organisation and the United Kingdom.
"We have to remember that this drug has major safety concerns. It can cause teratogenicity, mutagenicity and cartilage damage, and can also be damaging to muscles. Contraception will have to be done for three months if this drug is given because the child born could have problems due to teratogenic influence," he told reporters.
Bhargava said the United States had approved it based on only 1,433 patients in which three percent reduction was observed in symptoms in patients with mild to moderate disease.

I'm sticking with IVM, but I get to pay for this other outrageously priced crap anyway.

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snoopydawg's picture

@tle

It’s why Medicare raised the deductible this year. The Alzheimer’s drug that doesn’t do diddly squat costs $56,000/year. Big pharma is raising prices on many drugs just because they want to and it’s going to cost all of us. Too bad there isn’t anything that government can do about it…oh wait!

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

mimi's picture

would be outlawed to wear.

Everything is supposed to be transparent, just not the identity of people and criminals on the streets, online international gangs terrorizing and cheating on innocent elderly cititzens. We have experienced horror stories in my town.

Crime has risen tremendously over here, because those who want harm can so easily do it behind their masks. These criminals are directed and manipulated by people over the phone and internet to be part of crimes without them knowing they are part of crimes. Professional gangsters in sheep clothes, talking sweet and taking your life savings.

I would immediately outlaw to wear masks, as nobody can be identified with photos or security cameras on videos anymore. The rules to keep distance are ridiciulous in every day life, the constant vacination demands with increasing distrust of the population in the vaccines and their effectiveness, makes it all a matter to be panicky about. Mandates to be vaccinated may be necessary for health care workers but not for the whole population in general.

I despise what is happening.

My trust is gone and I would support a complete end to all covid relating measures. It is pretty clear that they cause more problems than they solve.

We die anyway, why bother and panic over covid?

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CB's picture

@mimi
photo ID from identifying you.

I would immediately outlaw to wear masks, as nobody can be identified with photos or security cameras on videos anymore.

DHS Test Shows Biometrics Work With Face Masks
January 5, 2021

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mimi's picture

@CB
greetings from auntie.

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zed2's picture

The US already committed in 1994 to do nothing of the kind forever. No matter how many people die a day compared to civilized countries. (its over 200) Get that?

They are lying to us. We are being gullible We need to be calling them out, not giving them our votes, its a scam to deceive us. They are setting us up for the theft of our entire nations futures to line them and their friends pockets. Their friends the oligarchs. When we joined the WTO we committed to the commercial, for profit healthcare system forever. And the outsourcing of our healthcare jobs and patients. (They knew the carve out they point to is invalid, self nullifying) If we voted for them. Its our faults.

We have to vote for somebody who is honest, or better yet, for a better system that puts "we the people in charge, Since they created a new international system that disempowered us. Its only fair. vote on issues. Directly.

Because people in high places are we are now seeing are doing their best to disempower we the people as fast as they can. They are magnets for corruption.

Bernie Sanders was playing us all for fools by pretending that the WTO GATS didnt exist. He should have explained Article XXI and Article XVI and Article I (1.3 c) And he was hiding a crime that was committed by Bill and Hillary Clinton in 1994 A bigfraud, to hide the signing of our rights to regulate away. To the WTO.

(Also we put on the table like poker chips - jobs- potentially tens of millions of public and quasi public, and other jobs, or tens of millions or more away, unless your firm is the cheapest provider. (and then you may win the international bids) (Public job?, your jobs especially are targeted. ) . They never told we the people about this adequately, they have deftly avoided disclosure.

This is obvious by the things people say, its like a big missing body of facts- which changed everything, which people just dont know. "Changed Everything" what do I mean? Thats basically it. Suppose you went your life assuming a rich relative was going to leave you the country when he or she died, but they had already used it to pay off their gambling debts. So somebody else owned it

Vote for single payer, directly yes, But be aware that the WTO rules demand that nothing be changed if it reduces the profits of foreign investors like MNCs based in other countries.

Really. Did you read the late Nick Skala's 2009 paper? I didnt think so. Read it now.

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Cassiodorus's picture

@zed2 that the data being collected on COVID-19 show, albeit not very well (once again Denmark is the champ here), that new variants are replacing old ones.

I'm sure the early history of COVID-19 is quite interesting. Hopefully when the pandemic is over, and I do think it will be over in a few months, I'll look at it more carefully than I would if I were to look at it right now.

At any rate, you can see in the most recent John Campbell data dump that the BA2 variant of Omicron is replacing the BA1 variant.

All of those "upticks" Campbell observes in the data are about BA2 replacing BA1. Omicron went through dozens of mutations -- the ones that survived were BA1 and BA2. They are very much like each other, except BA2 is more contagious & thus will extinguish BA1 very soon. Delta, Alpha, and the original Wuhan virus, the last of which is the topic of the Wuhan diary no doubt, are nearly all gone at this point. Maybe some laboratories somewhere have saved samples of them; Omicron infections should make most people immune to them.

As for the WTO, there will no doubt be a move on to withdraw from the WTO once the enraged advocates of single payer realize how thoroughly they have been ripped off by the neoliberals in power. This move will no doubt have to be conducted through a new political party.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

zed2's picture

@mimi.

No, everybody should wear a huge barcode that visible at all times, from all directions. To insure "stakeholder accountability"

"The most corrupt are the most secretive".

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zed2's picture

>The masks no longer stop the biometric
@mimi
>photo ID from identifying you.

I really doubt if this is true. But what is really needed is sousveillance. We all need to be recording the surveillance state and ourselves and all our interactions with others all the time.

Sousveillance is a similar concept as the panopticon. (Foucault, described in his "Discipline and Punish, a history of the Prison") )
There is now a substantial body of literature on sousveillance, for some reason Wink Its a word that was coined by Steve Mann, the inventor of the eyecam. You can find a lot on it at SemanticScholar.

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