Government Response to Coronavirus: With Pence in Charge, We're Doomed

[fraurosena]

Alexandra Petri is being wonderfully snarky again.

No news but good news on the coronavirus

Quote

“I like the numbers being where they are.”

— Donald Trump, on Friday, on the question of keeping cruise ship passengers exposed to coronavirus on the ship or bringing them ashore for treatment

Donald Trump likes the numbers being where they are! He likes a small, soothing number. The emperor is wearing personal protective equipment and it is made of such a wonderful material — impermeable, yet light as air! — that only those who are fit for their jobs can see it. Everyone ought to relax.

I am relieved to say that we have a president who is choosing not to hear any bad news about the virus! Which means that it does not exist, or is not worrisome, or both. As long as the president is kept happy and his mind is kept untroubled, we will all be all right. But as soon as he notices that there is a problem, it will become Real. We must keep the numbers good at all costs. They are not people, certainly not sick people — just numbers! And we don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault anyway.

The tests are all perfect (like the letter and the transcript, if you see), but we absolutely must not conduct any more than necessary. Learning how widespread the virus is would only alarm us and make us think that it is more widespread than our most optimistic estimate, and that might cause us to lose our élan. Dare we discover that we are not the best prepared, most resilient nation on earth? Dare we discover that we are weeks behind in our precautions?

If we started to act as though there were a crisis, the virus would notice that and become emboldened. That is the last thing we want; therefore, we must ignore it, and it will go away with the changing of the seasons, like climate change does each winter. It will hear how low its ratings are and, I think, be ashamed of itself. We need only keep this up for a few more weeks, and then it will evaporate away from the shame.

There are two ways of not being on fire. One is to put it out. The other is to refuse to admit that you are on fire. You can do this for several minutes even after the heat has become unbearable. You can keep doing this as long as your will holds out, really. It is never a good time to admit that you are on fire; it will certainly come as a shock to everyone at work, and people spontaneously combusting tend to be unwelcome at dinner parties. People might speak derisively of you and sell their stocks in your future endeavors. No, better not to allow yourself to be on fire until the last possible moment, until the very moment you are consumed.

Admitting that there was a problem would be a serious letdown for one accustomed to subjugating reality to his whim — plucking people out of thin air to make crowds, hearing voices telling him he is wonderful, genius, the best, with a personal net worth that fluctuates based upon his feeling on a particular day and a body that is exactly as fit as he wills it to be. Bowing to objective reality would cause his entire system to crumble. Therefore it must be postponed until the last possible minute, and possibly even beyond that. The solution to information that might be bad? Bad information!

Choose only the information that pleases you. It is so unpleasant to know unpleasant things are happening. Far better not to know. Schrödinger was a fool; all he needed to do was not open the box, and he could have been absolutely sure that all his cats were alive.

 

[Keysia]

On 2/27/2020 at 4:25 PM, fraurosena said:

Honestly, I'm rather sceptical about this pandemic actually happening. Is it really such a threat, or will it go the way of the Mexican flu, that got everyone's panties in a knot and in the end wasn't as bad as all that? Probably the latter, if you ask me. 

That said, it's incredibly stupid and shortsighted as a country to not take the necessary precautions, stick your head in the sand, say that everything's under control and hand over the handling of it to a complete imbecile. All possible measures should be taken to prevent a pandemic (at all times, viral threat or not), no matter how big or small the chances are. Because the consequences if it does happen are so incredibly devastating and indiscriminate. Why would you want to run that risk?

Personally, I'm taking precautions. I may be sceptical, but I'm not stupid.

Please don't understimate this virus. it causes pneumonia for which there isn't a specific cure.

I live in Italy, hospitals are crowded and the doctors are starting to choose who has more possibility to live against who is too compromised. It's serious. 

At the moment, all the country is in a general lock down.

Be careful, wash your hands, stay at a meter to other persons, if you are sick stay at home.

It's not a joke especially for persons that have already other illnesses going on: diabetes, cancer, immunodepressed, respiratory problems ecc.

take care of the elder. take care of yourself

Edited March 10, 2020 by Keysia

[Coy Koi]

2 hours ago, Keysia said:

Please don't understimate this virus. it causes pneumonia for which there isn't a specific cure.

I live in Italy, hospitals are crowded and the doctors are starting to choose who has more possibility to live against who is too compromised. It's serious. 

At the moment, all the country is in a general lock down.

Be careful, wash your hands, stay at a meter to other persons, if you are sick stay at home.

It's not a joke especially for persons that have already other illnesses going on: diabetes, cancer, immunodepressed, respiratory problems ecc.

take care of the elder. take care of yourself

This is good advice that I wish people here in the U.S. were able to follow, but many aren't. My stepdad is retired but my mom isn't quite yet, so she's still going to work in a school, because idiotically schools are open. All three of us are also spending a lot of time at clinics and hospitals because my kid is very sick (not coronavirus, and not contagious, it's just bad timing she came down with a chronic condition that needs diagnosis and treatment).

I chose to go grocery shopping late at night so I could avoid people as much as possible but the people who were there were definitely not trying to avoid other people at ALL. Really irritating as we're right smack in the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak (Seattle).

[clueliss]

I watched part of the NYC press conference on youtube last night (I confess, I'm weird).  One thing I picked up on that the mainstream media is missing - they hospitalized a 22 year old in Brooklyn.  Young and no underlying health conditions - at least on the surface.  So why?  Yeah, vaper.  So don't let the age issue fool you.  Smokers and vapers should be cautious.  (and honestly, most of the smokers I know via work are notoriously sick a lot)

Also - early on when I followed this - the CDC defined 'older' as over 55.  Then last week they dialed back to warning over 60, but NYC Mayor yesterday said over 50.  I'm over 50 so guess what - I am considering myself older and being cautious.

 

In case we're wondering how community spread is/going to happen - this is related to the St. Louis patient and part of the family leaving quarantine.

Family Dr Said (despite her return from Italy - a known region of widespread cases) - I don't think she has it.

Delays in testing & craptastic communication with the potential patient and her family - including governmental (looking at you Gov Parsons) need to prep a press conference.

Poor/nonexistent instruction to patient and family about not going anywhere until results were back.  

Quote

Family of coronavirus patient was not told to quarantine, attorney says

Updated 1 hr ago | Posted on Mar 9, 2020

 

 

A Ladue family, whose older daughter has coronavirus, was not told to self quarantine ahead of the official diagnosis, their attorney said Monday. Neil Bruntrager outlined a series of phone calls and text messages between the woman's parents and county officials during a 3-day period.

 

ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- A Ladue family, whose older daughter has coronavirus, was not told to self quarantine ahead of the official diagnosis, their attorney said Monday.

Neil Bruntrager outlined a series of phone calls and text messages between the woman's parents and county officials during a 3-day period. 

 

The patient - St. Louis' first with the illness - is a 20-year-old Indiana University student who had recently traveled back from Italy. She was symptom-free on her flight home and Amtrak ride earlier in the week, Bruntrager said.

[READ: Sam Page: Family breaks quarantine attending Villa father-daughter dance, prompting school closure]

St. Louis County officials said Sunday the family had been told to self-quarantine earlier in the week, as news emerged that the family had gone to a Villa dance Saturday night. Bruntrager pointed to text messages and phone calls which, he said, prove no order was given.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Monday denied they were not told to remain at home, saying the family was told. He added it was time to forgive the family, as threats have been made on social media.

Bruntrager said the 20-year-old's symptoms started Thursday, March 5, when she woke up with a headache. The family called their doctor who advised them to call the health department. The family called twice, he said, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:26 a.m., asking for guidance. The county health department called back at 3:29 p.m Thursday, but did not advise the family to self-quarantine, Bruntrager said.

"Never, ever are they told that you have to quarantine," Bruntrager said. "There's no record to show that they were ever given any instruction regarding what to do and how to do it."

The following day, March 6, St. Louis County health officials told the family they are arranging for a test, which took four hours, Bruntrager said. Friday afternoon the family's internist told them "my gut says you don't have [coronavirus]."

Download the KMOV News app to get the latest updates.

Once home from the test, the family maintained a quarantine of their daughter, but the father and younger daughter continued going on with their normal lives, Bruntrager said.

"The doc says I don't think you have it. In the meantime, they are maintaining quarantine on the daughter. She's staying in her room and the only person having contact with her is the mother. Her mother is staying home," Bruntrager said. "The dad and the sister are living a normal life."

 

At 3:19 p.m. Saturday, when the daughter was starting to feel better, the mother reached out to the county health department to ask if there was any update about the test results. They said no, Bruntrager said. Missouri's health director said previously they received results just after 1:00 p.m. Saturday and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the county received the positive test results a couple of hours later, but they had to write "a script," and follow other procedures before notifying the family. The mother texted again at 5:07, when the county said they still didn't have results.

[READ: Coronavirus in Missouri: Woman in St. Louis County tests positive for COVID-19]

Then, during a 53-minute phone call at 6:30 Saturday night, county health officials told the family their daughter was positive for COVID-19, Bruntrager said. The call ended at 7:23. The mother then sat down with her daughter and talked about the diagnosis and then texted the father.

"He finally gets the text about 9:15 and comes home immediately with the daughter and they have been in their house ever since," Bruntrager said.

The father and younger daughter's attendance at the dance at the Ritz Carlton in Clayton Saturday night upset the community. Villa canceled classes all week and the Ritz announced thorough cleaning.

For more information on the virus and safety guidelines, visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/coronavirus. The St. Louis County Health hotline is 314-615-2660 or visit the county's website at stlcorona.com to learn more.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

"‘Protect Alex Trebek at all costs’: Live audiences banished from ‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ tapings amid coronavirus fears"

Spoiler

When people tune in to the next few episodes of “Jeopardy!,” 95-year-old Johnny Gilbert’s familiar voice will greet them, as usual.

“This is ‘Jeopardy!’” he will enthusiastically announce, just as he has done for nearly every episode of the show since 1984. But when he introduces the show’s longtime host, Alex Trebek, something will be missing: The live audience’s applause.

On Monday evening, “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” confirmed that they had suspended filming in front of live studio audiences in order to prevent spreading the novel coronavirus to vulnerable people who might show up to a taping at Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, Calif.

“Out of an abundance of caution due to the spread of covid-19, we have decided to cancel audience attendance for the tapings of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Jeopardy!’ for the time being,” a source close to “Jeopardy!” told The Washington Post Monday.

The cautious approach may protect audience members as well as the hosts and announcers, some of whom belong to high-risk populations that have been issued special precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Jeopardy!” announcer Gilbert and “Wheel of Fortune” hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White are all older than 60, which the CDC says puts them at “higher risk of getting very sick from covid-19.”

Trebek, the 79-year-old host of “Jeopardy!,” is doubly vulnerable because of his age and his recent cancer treatments. Since being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, he has been undergoing chemotherapy, which can compromise the immune system.

Fans’ love for the “Jeopardy!” staples was obvious Monday, when many reacted to the news by cheering the producers’ decision to limit exposure to the public on the show’s set. “Protect Alex Trebek at all costs” became a common refrain on social media.

Staying home sick and watching game shows is a sentimental memory that many Americans share. The nostalgia is so strong that a contestant on “The Price is Right” once gave a shout-out to “all the sick kids” while perfectly spinning the Big Wheel. NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” commemorated the shared experience with a scene where character Ben Wyatt, portrayed by Adam Scott, is moved to happy tears when a game show comes on a hospital TV while he’s being treated for kidney stones.

People stuck at home now, either because of a doctor-ordered quarantine or a voluntary one, need a way to occupy all of the time they would normally spend commuting and working. Many have turned to television and streaming services like Netflix, which received a stock market boost last week as companies and schools told people to stay home. Those who choose to watch these game shows might notice the change.

“Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” attract studio audiences that skew older and frequently come from out of state to watch the exciting competitions. The CDC has identified those two factors as heightening the risks of coronavirus spread.

Even if the shows only pulled in local audience members, California has the third-highest number of covid-19 cases in the nation. Los Angeles County, which includes Culver City where the popular game shows film, has reported 19 cases of covid-19. The county’s first community-spread infection was reported Monday.

Game shows aren’t the only sector of the entertainment industry to suffer inconveniences and losses because of the coronavirus. CBS shut down filming of “The Amazing Race,” which sends competitors traveling across the globe, because of fears about the virus, Variety reported. A major conference for the industry, South by Southwest, was canceled last week. Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle was postponed until summer, assuming the outbreak has subsided by then. Tours have been canceled or put off by musicians including Green Day, Pearl Jam, K-pop superstars BTS and Madonna.

Neither “Jeopardy!” nor “Wheel of Fortune” specified how long the crews will keep the public off the game-show sets. And, as The Post reported last week, no one knows exactly when outbreak to end, either by being contained or becoming so common its spread is unavoidable.

 

[clueliss]

Meanwhile the NCAA is still waffling on what to do about March Madness.

[GreyhoundFan]

"From tweet eruptions to economic steps, Trump struggles for calm amid market meltdown and coronavirus crisis"

Spoiler

President Trump confronted one of the most perilous days of his presidency Monday by first erupting in a barrage of commentary that failed to calm the cratering financial markets, struggling to inspire confidence that his administration could stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

But by the time the sun set in Washington, Trump sounded momentarily chastened by the turbulence and previewed a raft of emergency measures to shore up the economy.

“We have a very strong economy,” the president told reporters, “but this blindsided the world.”

Trump, who for weeks has resisted such steps, described the policies at a White House news conference as “very dramatic,” before ceding the lectern to Vice President Pence and top public health experts to deliver a coronavirus update.

Trump’s overall handling of the converging crises — while spreading misinformation and blaming others — has unsettled many of his Republican allies on Capitol Hill and even inside the White House, where some aides acknowledged that the president is compounding problems with his grievances and conspiratorial mind-set.

The coronavirus and the market meltdown present Trump with a challenge unlike any he has faced as president, and one for which he has no ready solution. At a moment when anxious citizens are turning to the government for facts and assurance, Trump is playing down risks and immersing himself in feuds with Democrats, the media and other perceived enemies.

While Pence and other top administration officials coordinated coronavirus mitigation efforts with states and prepared possible emergency economic measures to shore up battered industries, Trump carried on with his plans. The president awoke at his Florida estate, where he had played golf over the weekend, attended a campaign fundraiser and shook hands with supporters before returning to Washington for a coronavirus update from his task force.

During a meeting with the nation’s governors Monday in the White House Situation Room, Pence and his team tried to assuage their concerns and explain how states could seek emergency federal funds or provide guidelines on school closures and quarantines, which they anticipate only the hardest-hit communities might need.

Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked within the newsletter are free to access.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) expressed dismay after leaving the Pence meeting that Trump’s statements “sometimes conflict with the information we’re getting from the rest of the administration.”

“He at times just says whatever comes to mind or tweets, then someone on TV is saying the opposite,” Hogan said in an interview. “It’s critically important that the message is straightforward and fact-based for the public.”

Trump, in one of more than a dozen tweets he sent before noon Monday, wrote, “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”

Inside the White House, some officials privately acknowledged Monday that Trump has exacerbated the problem with his misleading and false statements, as well as his callous comments — such as saying last Friday that he hoped infected cruise passengers would stay aboard the Grand Princess at sea because he didn’t want domestic coronavirus case numbers to rise.

What little trust existed between Trump and the Democrats in Congress who voted to impeach or convict him has eroded in recent days.

“I don’t think we can ignore how disastrous their performance has been,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in an interview. “In many ways this was the moment we feared: a true security threat to the nation and a president who can’t tell the truth, who can’t organize a consistent response and doesn’t have enough experienced people on the job.”

Markets plummeted Monday amid global alarm over the coronavirus and a showdown over oil prices, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling more than 2,000 points, or roughly 7.8 percent. It was the worst drop for stocks since the beginning of the 2008 recession, and trading was so volatile that the New York Stock Exchange tripped the so-called circuit breaker to temporarily halt trading in a bid to encourage stability.

Trump had resisted taking dramatic action, aides said, because he was fearful of causing alarm among the public or further rattling investors. But he changed course Monday after aides presented him with a list of options they thought could help deal with the economic problems caused by the outbreak.

Trump told reporters he will ask Congress to cut payroll taxes, provide relief to hourly workers and provide assistance to the airline, hotel and cruise industries, which are suffering because many Americans are canceling travel plans.

“We’re taking care of the American public and we will be taking care of the American public,” Trump said.

It is unclear whether Trump’s proposals will be embraced on Capitol Hill. Democratic leaders are barely on speaking terms with the White House, and some conservative Republicans are uneasy about a payroll tax cut.

Members of Trump’s coronavirus task force have also discussed declaring a national emergency, which would involve invoking the 1988 Stafford Act to enable the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take disaster-level action, officials said, but those discussions remain preliminary.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow will meet with Senate Republicans at their lunch Tuesday, according to two people briefed on the plans. In addition, the White House has invited top Wall Street executives to meet this week.

Trump has been reluctant “to shut down an industry” or “tell anyone they can’t go anywhere,” said a senior administration official.

On Sunday, however, the State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered guidance urging Americans — especially older adults with underlying health conditions — to defer cruise travel.

The day before, during a meeting with cruise executives, Pence issued a far sterner warning in private, according to someone familiar with the conversation. Pence told cruise executives that if they do not develop by Tuesday a clear plan to prevent another coronavirus outbreak from happening again on a ship, Trump is prepared to take much stronger actions than he has so far.

Publicly, Trump has accused the media of hyping coronavirus to damage his political standing. Privately, he brooded throughout the weekend about news stories that detailed the ways his administration squandered precious weeks and bungled its handling of the crisis, with much of the blame falling on the president.

“He sees the stories as everyone just being out to get him,” said one administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the president’s mind-set.

Trump is proud of the initial restriction he imposed on travelers from China and has repeatedly complained that he does not get enough credit, to the point of mentioning it in nearly every meeting, several senior Republicans said.

Trump has spent much of the past four days tending to campaign benefactors and preoccupied with his own political future. He has used those settings to complain about what he considers to be coronavirus hysteria in the media and overreaction by financial markets.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Trump said at one of the events, according to people who heard the comments.

People who interacted with Trump over the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., or the nearby Trump International Golf Club, said the president was in gleeful spirits. He stopped by to toast Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of his son Donald Trump Jr., at her 51st birthday party.

Doug Deason, a Trump donor in attendance, said the president shook almost every hand in sight. “What he keyed in on in his remarks is you’ve just got to live your life,” Deason said. “He’s out there shaking hands.”

Trump also shook hands with supporters who gathered Monday at Orlando Sanford International Airport to watch Air Force One land.

Even as Trump continued to glad-hand constituents, two Republican congressmen who interacted with him in recent days, Reps. Douglas A. Collins (Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.), said Monday that they were quarantining themselves because of contact with a confirmed carrier of the coronavirus at a conservative conference. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), named Friday as Trump’s new chief of staff, also announced Monday that he was isolating himself after coming in contact with same unidentified person.

The CDC has advised people not to shake hands, among other preventive measures. But White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that the president and his aides were “conducting business as usual.”

Appearing on Fox News Channel, Grisham said, “The president of the United States, as we all know, is quite a hand washer. He uses hand sanitizer all the time. So he’s not concerned about this at all.”

One reason for Trump’s lack of concern is the stream of information he receives from unofficial channels. Even as government health officials have tried to sound the alarm to the president, he has also heard competing claims from friends he calls between official business and late at night.

Some friends have told Trump that the coronavirus does not seem like a major threat, noting that they don’t know anyone in their communities who has been infected. Some also have sought to flatter Trump by saying that unlike the two septuagenarians running for the Democratic nomination — Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — Trump, 73, is so healthy that he is not personally at particular risk, according to a senior administration official.

David Axelrod, who was a senior adviser in the Obama White House during the H1N1 outbreak of 2009, said, “This is a situation in which denial and conspiracy theories can lead to catastrophic results.” He added, “You can’t spin an epidemic or pandemic.”

This crisis comes during a season of upheaval in the West Wing. Trump ousted acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney last Friday and replaced him with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who is known for his loyalty and hard-line conservatism.

Trump’s handling of the coronavirus carries risks for his reelection, now eight months away.

“The baseline of popular government is that we want safety and security — that’s why we have social contracts in the first place — and presidents who provide that are rewarded while presidents who don’t are punished,” historian Jon Meacham said. “The tumult of much of the Trump era has been elective or somewhat abstract. This isn’t. It’s about two of things that matter most to people — health and money.”

Congressional Republicans hoping to hold their Senate majority and win back the House in November’s elections are increasingly on edge, according to aides and former lawmakers who are speaking with vulnerable incumbents.

“It’s really bad for those who have kind of hitched their wagon to the president ahead of this year’s election and are relying on him and his base,” said former senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a Trump critic.

Brendan Buck, who served as counselor to former House speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), said, “It’s way too early to make any long-term predictions about the politics of this. If we’ve learned anything in three years it’s that even the biggest political moments have proven to be pretty fleeting.”

Since Trump put Pence in charge of the coronavirus response on Feb. 26, the vice president and his team have worked to streamline the process, add experts to the task force and arrange near-daily media briefings. They are also trying to ensure that public health officials reach a wider audience, including working to book Surgeon General Jerome Adams on “The Doctor Oz Show” later this week.

After Monday’s meeting, Hogan praised Pence, and said his confidence in the vice president is shared by other governors, Republicans and Democrats alike.

“He’s really made for this,” Hogan said of Pence. “It’s right up his alley. He gave every single governor his personal cellphone number and said to call with any problems.”

Drawing a contrast, Hogan added, “The president could be more effective in personal communications and not tweet as much.”

 

[fraurosena]

3 hours ago, Keysia said:

Please don't understimate this virus. it causes pneumonia for which there isn't a specific cure.

I live in Italy, hospitals are crowded and the doctors are starting to choose who has more possibility to live against who is too compromised. It's serious. 

At the moment, all the country is in a general lock down.

Be careful, wash your hands, stay at a meter to other persons, if you are sick stay at home.

It's not a joke especially for persons that have already other illnesses going on: diabetes, cancer, immunodepressed, respiratory problems ecc.

take care of the elder. take care of yourself

Don't worry, @Keysia, like the last sentence of that post says, I'm sceptical, but not stupid. I'm taking all the necessary precautions. Also, with all the new developments, my scepticism has become a whole lot less than it was when I posted that. I've already posted about my fears for my second son, who has, among other things, got diabetes and Hashimoto's whilst also being IgA deficient, making him very much at risk as all these diseases are autoimmune related and COVID-19 has the nasty tendency to considerably weaken T-cells -- part of the autoimmune system. My parents are in the at risk category as well, being both elderly and at risk because one has COPD and the other has heart problems. You can bet I'm taking their health very, very seriously. 

For myself I'm not that worried of getting it. I'm healthy and won't be as much at risk, and most people recover. Still, I am taking every precaution I can, if not for myself, then for those around me.

 

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

1 hour ago, clueliss said:

Meanwhile the NCAA is still waffling on what to do about March Madness.

I've heard that in Cali, they are banning all gathers of more than 1000 people, meaning all March Madness games played there will be without crowds.  Honestly they should just straight up cancel it this year, shuffling players all over the country, dragging in media, announcers and venue staff (which will be minimal if no fans allowed, but still you're going to have hundreds of people interacting with hundreds of people as they move from this location to this location to this location to play this team, the next team and the next team, to then go home to their home state. I realize this will lose a lot of money, but it could also save a lot of lives and illness. 

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

36 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

For myself I'm not that worried of getting it. I'm healthy and won't be as much at risk, and most people recover. Still, I am taking every precaution I can, if not for myself, then for those around me.

I thought this too. But the truth is that it's like rolling a dice. If you are under 65yo and healthy you'll survive, but you can still get pneumonia and be intubated and ventilated for weeks before overcoming It. The first guy diagnosed in Lombardy is a healthy 38 yo athlete with no underlying conditions that stayed in ICU for 20 days, untill yesterday when he was transferred to a normal ward for rehabilitation.

Nobody is safe, you may not die but you may very well suffer a lot.

Statistic studies say that every infected person can spread the virus to three more people every time they visit a crowded place. For example an asymptomatic undiagnosed person who goes to work can give it to 3 colleagues, then spread it to 3 more people at the store, then to 3 more people at the cinema and so on.

Of those people, 8 out of 10 will get mild symptoms if at all and then proceed to unknowingly spread it to more people. 1 out of 10 will be hospitalised with breathing symptoms but not necessarily in ICU, 1 will end up in ICU.

The potential for catastrophe is real. None of us is immune because it's a new virus and our body doesn't immediately recognise it, so we are all potential ICU patients and/or potential unwitting spreaders.

Edited March 10, 2020 by laPapessaGiovanna

[fraurosena]

11 minutes ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

The potential for catastrophe is real. None of us is immune because it's a new virus and our body doesn't immediately recognise it, so we are all potential ICU patients and/or potential unwitting spreaders.

Don't get me wrong. I understand completely that just because I'm healthy does not mean that I don't run any risk at all of it becoming serious. I'm just saying that I don't worry about myself as much as I worry about those that are already at risk.

[Alisamer]

16 hours ago, JMarie said:

I'm kind of impressed Diamond and Silk are big enough names to be invited to CPAC. I mean, they're minority women who seem to be long-term unemployed, AKA the kind of people Trump wouldn't want around him.

Diamond and Silk are two of Trump's "token minorities". You know full well that he only deigns to be seen with them because of the "optics".

I really need to go to the grocery store. I think I'm going to either do a pickup order or have groceries delivered. I hate going grocery shopping anyway, so this is a good excuse not to, I suppose. 

[SassyPants]

25 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

Diamond and Silk are two of Trump's "token minorities". You know full well that he only deigns to be seen with them because of the "optics".

I really need to go to the grocery store. I think I'm going to either do a pickup order or have groceries delivered. I hate going grocery shopping anyway, so this is a good excuse not to, I suppose. 

Last week I self quarantined. I didn’t have anywhere I needed to go, so I read books instead! 

[Keysia]

1 hour ago, fraurosena said:

Don't worry, @Keysia, like the last sentence of that post says, I'm sceptical, but not stupid. I'm taking all the necessary precautions. Also, with all the new developments, my scepticism has become a whole lot less than it was when I posted that. I've already posted about my fears for my second son, who has, among other things, got diabetes and Hashimoto's whilst also being IgA deficient, making him very much at risk as all these diseases are autoimmune related and COVID-19 has the nasty tendency to considerably weaken T-cells -- part of the autoimmune system. My parents are in the at risk category as well, being both elderly and at risk because one has COPD and the other has heart problems. You can bet I'm taking their health very, very seriously. 

For myself I'm not that worried of getting it. I'm healthy and won't be as much at risk, and most people recover. Still, I am taking every precaution I can, if not for myself, then for those around me.

 

I have hashi too. I don' know how my condition will eventually affect me and honestly I would prefer remaining ingnorant on this aspect of life.

I'm at work because my job is in logistic, goods need to circulate. My boss is attentive though. He gave us all the devices and he improved smartworking for a lot of my colleagues. We wash our hands, sanitizing all our stuff twice a day, strangers and drivers are not allowed in our offices.

The fear remains especially for my family members since they are not young anymore. I'm really scared.

BUt even though we have as citizens a lot of demented people, there are also a lot of people that help, doctors and nursers and volunteers that are giving for us 200%. they are heroes.

We'll push through, we can do it. Everything will be fine.

I hope in US will not spread out of control because people don't go to hospitals or don't have the means to pay for medical care.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

I have to keep reminding myself not to be paranoid.

I am taking sensible precautions and have always been an avid handwasher so just amped that up...but I've had a couch vacillating between dry and productive since before Christmas, ditto ear infection and sinus fuckery.  I have to keep reminding myself my mild illness predates this virus and to relax.  

[fraurosena]

As of today, there are 382 confirmed cases, and 4 Covid-19 related deaths in my country. All four deaths were elderly people (the youngest was 78) with underlying health issues. Two school children have been diagnosed with the virus, one in the age range of 4-12 years old, the other 12-18 years old.

Below is a graph that shows the rapid growth of contamination in my country, in a mere twelve days.

(translation: besmettingen = contaminations; doden = deaths)

So far the province of Noord Brabant has been most severely hit, but there are cases in all but one province (Groningen). The reason Noord Brabant has the most cases is probably due to the fact that precisely at the time the virus entered the country, there were widespread carnival festivities in the province, so lots of people were partying together on the streets and in pubs and other venues, allowing for easy contamination. 

Although we still have enough of them, our minister of health is looking into acquiring more tests and preventative medical gear, as we are rapidly running through the stocks we have right now. 

A lot of new cases have taken place in hospitals amongst healthcare workers. Not a good sign! People have been advised to not shake hands at all. No businesses have closed as of yet, and schools and universities are still open. DH is working from home as much as he can. DS3 has decided not to attend a lecture today (he has the option to follow it online) and is debating whether to attend the rest of his classes.

Edited March 10, 2020 by fraurosena

[clueliss]

Well, that's 'reassuring' because you know we weren't already concerned about ICU space, Hospital bed space or ventilator numbers.

Quote

CDC director says there's not enough staff and equipment in public health labs

From CNN's Amanda Watts

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield testifies before a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention budget on Capitol Hill, on Tuesday, March 10. Andrew Harnik/AP

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said state and local public health labs are underequipped and understaffed.

"The truth is we've not invested, we've underinvested in the public health labs," Redfield said at a House Appropriations hearing for the 2021 CDC budget.

“There's not enough equipment, there's not enough people, there's not enough internal capacity, there's no surge capacity,” Redfield added.

“Public health labs, we built the technology in those labs to monitor flu, that uses a certain equipment, which we call thermocycler, that equipment, maybe a good lab could do 300 tests a day. University of Washington can use these high machines, like New York is about to do, those machines can do thousands, and thousands and thousands,” Redfield said.  

Redfield also said that 99% of the novel coronavirus cases recently confirmed were outside of China. According to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization, which were released on Monday, there were 3,948 new cases outside China and 45 new cases in China-- roughly 1%. 

“The epicenter, the new China is Europe. And there’s a lot of people coming back and forth from Europe. We’re starting to see these communities and we are moving quickly to understand how address Europe,” Redfield said. 

 

[Dandruff]

I broke my relative isolation today and went shopping again, early.  It's starting to feel like a vicious cycle between self-quarantine and realization that I don't have enough of some things to last me through all viral hell breaking loose in my area...which I believe is imminent.  I'm so used to having maybe a week's worth of essentials and didn't realize how much more would be needed for  potentially months.  So I gave myself permission to be less phobic and drove to a shopping hub about 45 minutes south, where no COVID-19 patients have yet been diagnosed.  First two stores were pretty empty, no problems at all, then I got to Costco when it opened.  It's a big store, and wasn't very crowded, but a few people coughed for whatever reason.  Don't think I was within 6 feet of any of them, and I moved the hell away quickly, and didn't touch my face, but wtf.  Hey morons - keep your dumb asses at home if you're sneezing or coughing, especially now, when at a minimum you're scaring the crap out of people nearby.  The good news is that I managed to score a box of sanitizing wipes (which were in very limited supply and snapped up quickly), a 10-pack of Kleenex, and gloves (which were in good supply).  People were asking about toilet paper and were told there was none.  I had managed to find some at a supermarket before getting to Costco, as well as a few paper towels.  I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to get all of it if I hadn't blown a night's sleep and gotten down there first thing.

Rant over.  This, and a few other major stressors, are getting me a bit rattled.  Time for a nap.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, Dandruff said:

Hey morons - keep your dumb asses at home if you're sneezing or coughing, especially now, when at a minimum you're scaring the crap out of people nearby.

I get that you're scared, I am too.  But keep in mind that people do sneeze and cough for a variety of reasons (allergies, asthma, sinus infections, etc.)  I'm not saying don't take precautions, just saying that people who know they have stuff going on that isn't the virus have to get through life, too.

[clueliss]

Actually, I've been sneezing lately.  My nose dislikes elm pollen.  

[CTRLZero]

34 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

People were asking about toilet paper and were told there was none. 

We used to be careful to keep our garage door closed because of our golf clubs and bicycles.  Now we're more worried our packs of toilet paper will be stolen!

On another note, we have several flights scheduled and have been trying to remain optimistic, but now we think it's time to cancel.  Time to stick around the house and do some home improvements.  I feel for the economic ripple effect that comes from people avoiding travel, sporting events, concerts, etc.  And of course, we (meaning Trump) were already increasing our fiscal deficit even during the so-called boom times. 

I think my mild springtime allergies are starting up, too.  It's tough to live in fear that a seasonal allergy could actually be a harbinger of COVID-19, but here we are.  ?

Stay well, dear FJers. 

[clueliss]

Walmart changes leave policy after Kentucky employee tests positive

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/walmart-deploys-new-emergency-leave-policy-kentucky-associate-has-coronavirus.html?__source=twitter|main

March Madness

Quote

March Madness will go on as planned

The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Mach Madness tournaments are still scheduled to kick off next week as planned.

NCAA President Mark Emmert says that neither the organization’s appointed coronavirus advisory panel nor the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “have advised against holding sporting events.” 

Here's Emmert’s full statement:

“NCAA member schools and conferences make their own decisions regarding regular season and conference tournament play. As we have stated, we will make decisions on our events based on the best, most current public health guidance available. Neither the NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel, made up of leading public health and infectious disease experts in America, nor the CDC or local health officials have advised against holding sporting events. In the event circumstances change, we will make decisions accordingly.”

The first games for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are next Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio.

Earlier today, the Ivy League announced its weekend tournaments are canceled. As a result, the league’s regular-season champions – Princeton’s women’s team and Yale’s men’s team – are automatic qualifiers to the NCAA tournaments.

 

[clueliss]

Cuomo is calling the National Guard in for New Rochelle NY (WestChester County) and putting an area on shutdown.

And I'm seeing twitter speculation that Washington St might do something similar.

[clueliss]

NCAA running crazy - however, Coachella postponed.

Quote

 

5 min ago

Coachella will be postponed because of coronavirus concerns, sources say

From CNN's Chloe Melas and Sandra Gonzalez

Festival goers attend Coachella on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California. Presley Ann/Getty Images for Coachella

One of music's largest events will be delayed over coronavirus concerns.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival organizers will postpone the event, potentially until October, two sources with knowledge of the matter tell CNN.

The festival, which typically attracts about 100,000 attendees per day, had been set to take place on two weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19 in Indio, California.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Coachella for comment.

A date change would follow last week's cancellation of South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Both events, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, join a host of others — from concert tour legs to conferences — that have canceled or rescheduled as the number of global cases of coronavirus continues to climb.

Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were scheduled to headline Coachella. It is not yet known if they would perform in October.

Other artists set to perform had included Calvin Harris, Big Sean, Lewis Capaldi, Charlie XCX, Flume, 21 Savage, Lana Del Rey and Lil Nas X.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by clueliss