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

[JMarie]

10 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

Jared Kushner to advise and work with Trump on Covid-19 pandemic. Is Kushner an epidemiologist? MD? Infectious disease specialist? Microbiologist? An expert on anything that could remotely help combat this organism?

How about we have enough culture kits to test those who are sick and possibly infected, and work from there.

Well, his undergrad is in government, and he has an MBA and law degree, so... absolutely!

Trump looks weird without those white circles under his eyes. Did he forget to wear the goggles during his last spray tan? And why is he blinking so much?

Edited March 12, 2020 by JMarie
additional thoughts

[GreyhoundFan]

 

I turned on the Mango Moron's address (muted, with closed captions). He got an extra dark spray tan today. He's also having trouble keeping both eyes open. It looks like his right eye keeps going closed. He certainly doesn't look well. Maybe he needs to be quarantined.

[Flossie]

Anyone watching the Presidunce give his speech?  He doesn't look good, speaking in a monotone and appears to be somewhat short of breath.  I'd say it's probably because he's talking for so long without a break, but it's easy to wonder if he's showing signs of the virus.

[WiseGirl]

Just now, GreyhoundFan said:

 

I turned on the Mango Moron's address (muted, with closed captions). He got an extra dark spray tan today. He's also having trouble keeping both eyes open. It looks like his right eye keeps going closed. He certainly doesn't look well. Maybe he needs to be quarantined.

I can't watch or listen to him so I thank you for your updates in advance.

Btw regarding ordering and things being delivered, what about the people that pack and deliver all the stuff? What if they are shut down or can't fulfill orders due to illness? Just tell me it is my mind running wild... 

[GreyhoundFan]

I only watched for a couple of minutes, but turned on Rachel Maddow. She said the address was, “a weird one”. Apparently he’s blocking travel from Europe, except the UK and US citizens. That will be interesting.

[mamallama]

I've now switched over to over protective mom and told dd I think she should come home.  Silly cause we have more cases in my area but can't stand the thought of being that far apart if one of us gets really sick.

[AnywhereButHere]

My son is upstate NY for college. I’m on Long Island.  They were supposed to be heading home for a week of spring break, but we just learned that they’re going to remote learning for the remaining couple of months in the semester. The dorms and dining halls are staying open, so we’re trying to decide if he should come home for the rest of the semester (where there are proven cases) or stay up there (where there are no cases - yet...). Ugh. 
 

Oh, and there seriously was NO toilet paper in my grocery store. I thought it was a greatly exaggerated rumor, but nope. No toilet paper to be found. Ugh again.  

[JMarie]

Dr. Ronny Jackson, the physician who declared Trump to be in excellent health (https://time.com/5104183/donald-trump-health-ronny-jackson/), is on Hannity tonight. He claims some who have the coronavirus won't show any symptoms but will develop immunity, while others will have mild symptoms.

And Tom Hanks has it? He's an American treasure!

 

[clueliss]

Tom Hanks is in Australia where they have tests.

the NBA just suspended the season because a member of the Utah Jazz tested positive https://www.kctv5.com/coronavirus/nba-suspends-season-until-further-notice-over-coronavirus/article_e0632ed2-6401-11ea-aeff-c308017a5da9.html

[47of74]

My son is upstate NY for college. I’m on Long Island.  They were supposed to be heading home for a week of spring break, but we just learned that they’re going to remote learning for the remaining couple of months in the semester. The dorms and dining halls are staying open, so we’re trying to decide if he should come home for the rest of the semester (where there are proven cases) or stay up there (where there are no cases - yet...). Ugh. 
 
Oh, and there seriously was NO toilet paper in my grocery store. I thought it was a greatly exaggerated rumor, but nope. No toilet paper to be found. Ugh again.  

Like I said time for murica to join the rest of the civilized world and put some fucking bidets in already. I’m going to look at doing that to stretch out the tp supplies.

[Dandruff]

58 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I turned on the Mango Moron's address (muted, with closed captions). He got an extra dark spray tan today. He's also having trouble keeping both eyes open. It looks like his right eye keeps going closed. He certainly doesn't look well. Maybe he needs to be quarantined.

I watched for about two minutes in the middle.  Agree he doesn't look well and was actually wondering, for a few moments, if he was going to cry.  I think it knows it's in trouble.

33 minutes ago, AnywhereButHere said:

My son is upstate NY for college. I’m on Long Island.  They were supposed to be heading home for a week of spring break, but we just learned that they’re going to remote learning for the remaining couple of months in the semester. The dorms and dining halls are staying open, so we’re trying to decide if he should come home for the rest of the semester (where there are proven cases) or stay up there (where there are no cases - yet...). Ugh. 

Oh, and there seriously was NO toilet paper in my grocery store. I thought it was a greatly exaggerated rumor, but nope. No toilet paper to be found. Ugh again.  

What do I know (not a medical professional), but I'd consider the unknown staff who will be cleaning his dorm area and many others', and likewise with the food prep.  Does he have, and have room for, emergency supplies?  Where might he get better medical care - LI or upstate?

The TP situation is pretty bad.  If you're willing to keep trying the stores I'd suggest looking in a few other local supermarkets, early in the day (but after they unload their trucks) vs. checking out places like Costco.  Maybe your son could try a few on his way home, if he comes home.

[Ozlsn]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

“I’m excited our president is traveling around and living his best presidential life the way he is supposed to

Don't ask me why but that sentence cracked me up completely. "His best presidential life" - really, that's the best he can manage?

8 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Thanks, I'm going to go out in a few minutes and have a conversation with them.

You know I totally finished that sentence with "about not smearing human or animal body products on the goods", right?

I do sympathise with the fear, it just made me giggle. 

4 hours ago, Ticklish said:

Is it known yet if you gain immunity once you've had this? Or is it the kind of thing you can catch over and over? 

Too early to say at this point but it seems likely that you should have some immunity against new infection after being sick (basing on similar respiratory viruses here). Touch wood once a reasonable number of people have had it the transmissions will drop off as the number of susceptible people in a crowd drops. 

[47of74]

I’m ready here. 
 

[CTRLZero]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Apparently he’s blocking travel from Europe, except the UK and US citizens. That will be interesting.

I've been trying to figure out the UK exception.  Is it because he has a golf course there? 

We are living in interesting times, and I long for a quick return to boring normal. 

[47of74]

I've been trying to figure out the UK exception.  Is it because he has a golf course there? 
We are living in interesting times, and I long for a quick return to boring normal. 

He’s trying to do his fellow Kremlin fluffer Boris a solid.

[ADoyle90815]

I think the reason the Manchurian Cantaloupe is allowing travel from the UK is that his buddy Boris is the Prime Minister. One thing I did notice when I was getting a refill container of my regular hand soap at Target about a week ago, the hand sanitizers were completely gone. At the time, they had plenty of toilet paper as it was when Costco was starting to sell out.

[Emma]

I am an X-ray tech. I have been getting regular updates from my company on covid19. This is what I am telling my family.

Wash your hands. A lot. Hand sanitizer is nice to keep in your car or purse for when you can’t get to soap and water, but soap and water are far superior.

Keep your distance, about six feet from other people. The germs in sneezes and coughs don't usually reach that far.

Avoid large crowds. If I had school age kids, I would probably be keeping them home. I am giving up church for Lent (ha ha!).

If you run out of disinfectant wipes: 1/3 cup of bleach to one gallon of water. (from cdc)

If you run out of tp... um, google “family cloth” I’m not going to try and explain that one myself.

Don't  panic. Be concerned, take precautions, get ready, but please don’t panic.

I have an elderly neighbor, we are promising to do wellness checks on each other. We still visit regularly but make sure we keep some distance and don’t touch.

I do mobile xrays, taking xrays of people who can’t get out, mostly nursing homes. Most nursing homes have already upped their infection control protocols (I have my temperature taken and fill out a questionnaire when I enter a home), some are banning visitors entirely. 

I am worried, but not scared.

 

[Gobsmacked]

4 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I only watched for a couple of minutes, but turned on Rachel Maddow. She said the address was, “a weird one”. Apparently he’s blocking travel from Europe, except the UK and US citizens. That will be interesting.

He is trying to please Boris Johnson re the UK I suspect. 

[Dandruff]

How hard would it be for someone in another part of Europe to travel to the UK to catch a flight to the US?

[fraurosena]

He’s not appeasing Boris as much as keeping trade with the UK possible.

[CarrotCake]

2 hours ago, Dandruff said:

How hard would it be for someone in another part of Europe to travel to the UK to catch a flight to the US?

Very easy, a lot of flights go via Heathrow anyway, but we would still have to go through border control with our EU passport.

In the meantime, I am stuck working from home because my province is declared as a problem area even though there are only 5 cases in my town and all of them are in the hospital (working there and brought in from other towns).

But looking at Italy I guess we have to be cautious. I just hope it does not influence my wedding in May. We were first planning to get married in Italy so I am already happy we did not go through with that but if we get the Italian circumstances here it will not matter.

2 hours ago, Gobsmacked said:

He is trying to please Boris Johnson re the UK I suspect. 

Boris can at least now say that is was super smart to leave the EU.

[fraurosena]

Words fail me.

 

[fraurosena]

Oh my, her advice on how to sneeze! 

 

[fraurosena]

Unsurprisingly, Trump has pissed off the EU.

Statement by Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen on US travel ban related to COVID-19

The Coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.

The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation.

The European Union is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

I hadn't thought of this. Exempting the UK from the travel ban also spares Twitler's properties: "Trump’s travel ban sidesteps his own European resorts"

Spoiler

President Donald Trump’s new European travel restrictions have a convenient side effect: They exempt nations where three Trump-owned golf resorts are located.

Trump is already under fire for visiting his properties in both countries as president, leading to U.S. taxpayer money being spent at his own firms. The president has been saddled with lawsuits and investigations throughout his term alleging that he’s violating the Constitution’s emoluments clause by accepting taxpayer money other than his salary.

The U.S. government proclamation initiating the ban targets 26 European countries that comprise a visa-free travel zone known as the Schengen Area.

The United Kingdom, which is home to Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links, and Ireland, which is home to another Trump-branded hotel and golf course at Doonbeg, do not participate in the Schengen Area. Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania are also not part of the Schengen Area. All three of the resorts are struggling financially.

Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Thursday in one of the few events related to St. Patrick’s Day that has not been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

The administration’s European travel proclamation notes that “the Schengen Area has exported 201 COVID-19 cases to 53 countries. Moreover, the free flow of people between the Schengen Area countries makes the task of managing the spread of the virus difficult.”

Trump’s European travel ban comes with several other loopholes.

There are now 460 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.K., including Nadine Dorries, the British government’s own health minister in charge of patient safety. Wednesday saw the biggest rise in U.K. cases in a single day, and the country’s highest-level crisis committee — known as Cobra — will meet Thursday to consider additional moves to reduce the impact of the virus.

Though they are subject to border checks on arrival, residents of the 26 Schengen Area countries are also free to live and work in the United Kingdom, meaning they could fly to the United States from a British airport as long as they hadn't spent time within the Schengen countries in the last 14 days.

EU leaders condemned Trump's move on Thursday, and disputed the president's criticism of Europe's handling of the crisis.

“The Coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel said in a joint statement.

“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” they said, adding that the bloc was “taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus.”