Government Response to Coronavirus 2: It's Not A Hoax

[GreyhoundFan]

 

 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

4 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

 

 

It must be said that even if young people won't die, they can and do get seriously ill. Being intubated and in a coma for weeks is a scarring experience. Maybe you don't die if you are young but I am not going to take the chance.

[NotQuiteMotY]

8 hours ago, CoreyM said:

I live in MN and our cases are doubling by the day. I think it is odd how many people are claiming this is a hoax about president Trump. My uncle posted something on Facebook saying that every election ear there is a new disease, and this is just one big plot. Yep...China created a virus and Iran, Italy, etc, are killing off their own citizens, and ruining their economies just so that Trump gets out of office. Have these people not researched anything at all? I think they are in denial, and don't want to admit that this could happen to them. 

Ugh. My cousin's a nurse and posted something (ostensibly initially put up by a doctor's office) about how there's a disease scare every election year. I wonder if he just hadn't seen it yet when he did. 

Around here we're the hardest-hit county in my state, over two dozen cases. They just released information on four more yesterday, two in my township. It's getting scary, and I can't convince my parents to stop going places.

[fraurosena]

38 minutes ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

It must be said that even if young people won't die, they can and do get seriously ill. Being intubated and in a coma for weeks is a scarring experience. Maybe you don't die if you are young but I am not going to take the chance.

Jan Kluijtmans, a doctor at the Amphia hospital in Breda in my country was talking about there being 11 cases in their ICU at the moment. Most of these cases were young people with no underlying health issues. All of them need abdominal pressure ventilation to assist with breathing.

Kluijtmans reiterates that this virus should be taken very seriously by all generations. Young people can, and do become extremely ill.

[GreyhoundFan]

Because every crisis is an opportunity to enrich Twitler and his family:

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Truly, you could not make this up:

 

[Alisamer]

On 3/15/2020 at 6:25 AM, clueliss said:

YouTube channel for free art classes.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2nzX48Ucr1MIEpg0fCOJ6A

Re the work from home, go work from home stuff.  Someone explain to some of my dimwit friends that you cannot do heavy manufacturing from your dining room table..  (I did try to make this point to a Facebook friend earlier this week.  And failed).  The plant I work at punches, cuts, welds, galvanizes, assembles and ships.  And some of the stuff we make helps keep your lights on (so you can work from home)

Quoting partly so I can find that link again later tonight! But also, to agree - I could, possibly, do design work from home (if my internet was working... it's not, at the moment). But I can't run a digital press from home. You can't run a printing press from home. 

Luckily, my boss seems to have spent the entire weekend obsessing about the virus, when he formerly was all "Oh, they have plenty of test kits now, it's being blown out of proportion, blah blah." This morning we had a whole staff meeting about "social distancing" and how we need to be super careful, and how he has a target on his chest (late 60's, heart problems, diabetic, etc.). He's even mentioned the possibility of buying lunch for everyone so we don't have to leave and come back, despite that we are struggling as we are losing work left and right. He's monitoring the COVID-19 numbers constantly. We are likely to go to shipping jobs and using couriers rather than delivering things, and we are wiping down anything a customer or vendor has touched if they come into the office. 

Still, we have no sick leave and can't work from home, but at least he's encouraging us to stay home if we feel ill (as opposed to week before last when I felt ill, and was screamed at to come in anyway). Although I'm pretty sure what he actually means when he says "ill" is "running a fever". 

I need groceries. But... no money until Thursday. I've got enough to put gas in the car and get by, but things have been unexpectedly tight this week. As if I need that stress on top of everything else! I will stay home, if I'm sick, but money is going to be very, very tight. 

I got an email from friends in Peru this morning - the whole country is apparently on a mandatory 2-week quarantine. Work from home, only one person leaves the house at a time and only for groceries, medicine, or to go to the hospital. Parks, restaurants, beaches, schools, etc. are all closed. It sounds like they're trying to get ahead of the virus early.

Disney has closed all it's Disney Stores temporarily, in addition to the parks.

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[clueliss]

Re his buying lunch, we have a current corporate directive due to covid19 that no shared food or food brought in (for groups as in catering)is allowed.  Visitors (even from inside the company) have to fill out a for, and visit HR first.  

I have a coworker who often works from home (he’s actually corporate but works at our location) who if he is working on certain things comes to the office because they take home forever at home due to size and slow internet.

personal tip, I find it better to suck it up and hard wire to my router rather than using WiFi.  The erp system really doesn’t like WiFi.  

CNBC just broke in there is possibly a hack issue with health and human services.  Someone want to call off the dark web or the Russians?

[GreyhoundFan]

In preparation for a quarantine, the Dutch are stocking up on cannabis:

 

 

[milkteeth]

2 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

In preparation for a quarantine, the Dutch are stocking up on cannabis:

 

 

Listen if you're going to be quarantined for two weeks, you need to stock up on the essentials! It makes me glad that my partner thought of this a few days ago and made a trip to our local dispensary. 

[Destiny]

In preparation for a quarantine, the Dutch are stocking up on cannabis:
 
 

I’m not gonna lie, I’m hoarding wine. I went and bought like 12 bottles. I’m staying close to home till this blows over and wine is IMPORTANT in my life, especially in winter. Watching snow fall next to the fire while drinking wine is one of life’s pleasures.

[clueliss]

updated epa disinfectant list 

 https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2

 

[fraurosena]

Supreme Court postpones arguments due to coronavirus

Quote

The Supreme Court has indefinitely delayed arguments in more than a dozen cases scheduled later this month and early next month — an extraordinary move triggered by concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Among the cases being postponed are a high-profile trio of disputes over access to President Donald Trump's financial records. The cases, involving Trump's objections to demands from House committees and a New York grand jury, were scheduled to be heard on March 31.

A major software-related copyright dispute between tech titans Google and Oracle set for March 24 is also affected by the delay.

The justices are typically loath to postpone arguments even under very challenging conditions. When most of official Washington shuts down for snowstorms, the court typically convenes anyway and expects lawyers to be ready to argue.

In a statement issued Monday morning, the court said the upcoming arguments — set to take place over six days between March 23 and April 1 — were being put off "in keeping with public health precautions recommended in response to COVID-19."

"The Court will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances," the statement said.

The court said it plans to remain open for official business and is maintaining filing deadlines in all cases, but is trying to use "remote working capabilities" to reduce the number of employees in the building. The court announced last Thursday that it was closing to public tours and visitors indefinitely.

Courtwatchers had speculated in recent days about steps the court could take to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus, particularly given the fact that several of the justices are in the elderly age group that appears to suffer the most severe effects from the highly contagious illness.

Six of the nine justices are over 65. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 87 and has suffered from several bouts of cancer. Justice Stephen Breyer is 81.

The court's statement announcing the delay cited historical precedents for the action, but had to reach back more than a century to find them.

The justices delayed arguments in October 1918 in response to the Spanish flu epidemic and curtailed its argument calendars in August 1793 and August 1798 in response to yellow fever outbreaks, the statement said.

The justices typically deliver their final opinions of the term by the end of June, but they are not legally required to do so. It is unclear whether and how the delay will affect opinions expected in other cases, but there will likely be no opinions issued in the coming weeks since the court typically releases those during public argument sessions.

Among the opinions expected in the coming months are rulings on Trump's decision to rescind the protections for so-called Dreamers and on whether existing civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

 

[Quiver Full of Kittens]

38 minutes ago, Destiny said:

I’m not gonna lie, I’m hoarding wine. I went and bought like 12 bottles. I’m staying close to home till this blows over and wine is IMPORTANT in my life, especially in winter. Watching snow fall next to the fire while drinking wine is one of life’s pleasures.

I got a few bottles earlier today, and Mr. Kittens is picking up rum and vodka on his way home. I enjoy a nice cocktail and a documentary. 

[AmazonGrace]

Finland update: Schools will be closed, (exception: the smallest children whose parents are needed at their work)  no visitors in nursing homes etcetera, events with more than 10 people are forbidden, no loitering in public spaces, borders closed, libraries, sports halls etc. will be closed. Everyone is encouraged to work remotely if possible.

[Alisamer]

1 hour ago, clueliss said:

Re his buying lunch, we have a current corporate directive due to covid19 that no shared food or food brought in (for groups as in catering)is allowed.  Visitors (even from inside the company) have to fill out a for, and visit HR first.  

Part of our issue is we are a small company. "Buying lunch for everyone" means "a quick trip through a drive-thru" basically - there are 11 of us maximum, when everyone is here, and it's never everyone eating lunch.

Most customers who stop in don't come past the front lobby without being accompanied, but we do have vendors and a few long-time customers who wander in freely. The boss got some disinfectant spray, but I think he forgot one basic - SOAP. I'm going to remind him later that we need more hand soap. I brought in the last bottle for the ladies' room and we're nearly out of that.

There are good things about being a small company, and bad things. 

[clueliss]

 

[LeftCoastLurker]

Well...this is how this shitshow is coming down on our family...

Younger daughter will be missing 2+ weeks of her senior year of high school. In a weird coincidence, older daughter missed three weeks of her senior year because of wildfires.

Older daughter with learning issues now has to continue her sophomore year at university with only online learning (not the best for her learning issues)....sincerely hope this doesn't screw up her consecutive semesters on the deans list.

Dear husband manages a smallish company. It is one of those that our governor has decreed be mostly shut down. He is at work right now having to figure out who to lay off...they are just not in the financial shape right now to continue paying 30+ employees who will have nothing to do with minimal money coming in. My very part-time job I am  sure will also be put "on hold" until all this goes away. Luckily this won't hurt us financially.

Scary, sucky...all those things.

On a bright note, we do have a pretty much bottomless supply of wine to access, so that's a good thing!

Stay safe my FJ friends!

[elliha]

Sweden had 4 more deaths today, given we only have 7 in total that was scary. Stockholm is asked to work from home if possible and old people are asked not to go out even for groceries. Schools are not closing yet but I think that Stockholm might be moving towards that. The wast majority of cases are still in the bigger cities with Stockholm as the worst afflicted place. My region has 13 cases still and still no sign of community spread but I do worry for Stockholm. The press conference today hinted that towards the end of the week there will be a new bigger update and possibly more restrictions. I assume they will come before that if anything new appears. My cold is getting better and I hope to go to work on Wednesday. I will see if I just go there for a while and go home when I have taken care of the things best taken care of at work or if I stay the whole day. We will see how starved I am for company. 

 

Edit: Nope, daughter vomited tonight so I will not go to the office on Wednesday. My husband will take leave to care for her so I can still work (given no one else gets sick) but fuck you world! We have had a very rocky period with tons of illnesses already so this sucks. I will try to get the whole apartment really carefully cleaned now so that we might at least eliminate the risk of it being something in there that is causing it. I am so sick of this! I hope we don't get corona on top of this but with our luck this winter it would not surprise me at all. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by elliha

[fraurosena]

Today we had three deliveries to our house. All of them came to the door, rang the bell, stepped back about a meter and a half and held the package awkwardly with outstretched arms for me to take (also with outstretched arms). It would have been a hilarious sight if it hadn't been so serious. 

The streets were weirdly quiet. Hardly anyone was out, unless they had some errand to run or were walking their dog(s). The grocery store was busy enough, but had signs everywhere asking customers to keep at least a meter distance each other. I was really annoyed by three women busily gossiping about the virus-measures right in front of the vegetables -- usually I would simply push right through them, but now I just told them to take their discussion outside so people could do their shopping. They glared at me angrily but moved off.

Our Prime Minister Mark Rutte addressed the public from the Little Tower (the equivalent of the Oval Office) tonight. It is very rare for a prime minister address the Dutch public in this way.

He stated that most people will be infected at some point. He then sketched three scenario's to combat the virus. The first, a total lockdown, would be of no use to the Netherlands, because that could quite possibly mean that life would have to be put on hold for as long as a year. As long as there is no vaccine, the virus will not pass over our country. The second scenario, to simply let the virus run its course, isn't an option either, as the pressure on our healthcare system would become too great and the ICU's wouldn't be able to cope with the influx of so many patients at once. The third scenario, and the one currently being followed, is to take every measure possible in order to contain the spread of the virus as much as possible. That way the peak of the number of contaminations will be spread out over a longer period, so hospitals and ICU's will be able to cope. But this scenario can only succeed if everyone adheres to them.

He ended with (my translation):

"I want to close with this plea: with all the insecurities there are at the moment, one thing is abundantly clear: the task before us is very great, and we really have to do this with 17 million people. Together we will overcome this difficult period. Take care of each other. I'm counting on you."

 

[clueliss]

Schools here will be closed starting Wednesday and not return until April 13.  Note that next week is spring break.  

[fraurosena]

 

[Alisamer]

2 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

In preparation for a quarantine, the Dutch are stocking up on cannabis:

 

 

Meanwhile, in the US, I just saw an article full of photos of long lines at gun shops, and empty shelves where ammo is sold out. 

I think the Dutch have the better idea. 

[TuringMachine]

We (San Fransisco bay area) are about to get a "shelter in place" order. Basically don't leave your homes unless it's essential. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by TuringMachine