An excerpt from my script review for Contagion which will be available 04/06/20:
2.) Plot Stability
Over the weekend I had an urge to tweet as I feel the US is relying too much on the “stay at home” strategy solely.
THIS is the type and challenge ALL governments, State AND Federal,
should be presenting to US manufacturing regarding
#COVID19 testing, ventilators, and PPE. #SquarePegRoundHole
One of the problems with the story in the script is also a flaw in our Federal, State, and Local governments.
Testing.
Those who may have it. Those who have it. And more importantly those who had it.
One of the arguments used against religious folks during outbreaks like this, is that medicine uses science and not prayer.
If the country’s main strategies are social distancing and “stay at home” orders, operating under the premise to treat everyone as if they have it…
That’s not science, that’s guessing.
I’m not here to argue against “flattening the curve” as my native state of Ohio was one of the first to adopt that rationale which I see the logic in, but at some point you need to realize you’re not flattening the curve, you’re delaying it.
And many folks around the world are sacrificing their jobs, homes, and livelihoods, so it only stands to reason we should honor what they’re doing and get a grip on this thing.
“Anyone can get a test whenever they want.”
President Trump may have misspoke at the time, but this should be the goal once the public does their part to isolate.
Testing. Ventilators. PPE.
If we can get this antibodies test underway, we may even be surprised by the results, which I’d venture a guess show that a large chunk of the country already had it.
It’s just a hunch, and based by no scientific data, but having younger children and realizing what a Petri dish elementary schools can be November through March, most undiagnosed illnesses are simply referred to as “bugs” that go around year after year.
/endrant
Now back to Conatgion.
Holy shit did it hit home!
I was chatting with the boss after about how much of it wouldn’t have made sense before Covid-19.
Social distancing. Washing your hands. Fomites. N-95 masks!
This is the shit that we’ll tell our grandkids about when they ask about the Great Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020!
One of the major themes I took note of, and that relates to why I think the US had Covid-19 cases prior to the first diagnosis, is that the world is very interconnected.
For better or worse, we’re a global neighborhood now.
What that means for infectious disease experts is that shit will spread faster now, making their jobs harder.
And taking testing into context of this project, perhaps there was no real need to test because the symptoms came on so quickly.
However, and it’s mentioned briefly between Mears and Emhoff, the antibodies in his blood could be used a limited cure.
To me, similarly to our current situation, testing who had it is almost more important than who has it. It relieves some of the fear due to the unknown these viruses bring about. And that’s why we’re all taking this so seriously…because of the unknown.
Want EARLY access to our videos, uploads, and movie/script reviews? Members get them FIRST! Follow this link to our Discussion Forum.
