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Trump VS COVID-19 Threat

The Medical Mask Becomes a Protest Symbol - The New York Times - Right-wing men consider it liberal and effeminate.

Here is someone in pubiic office with MUCH more public spirit than Trump:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "COVID-19 testing is now available to ALL New Yorkers. The test is safe, free, confidential and easy. It's also critical to our re-opening and preventing a second wave. Find a testing site near you here: https://t.co/GbiFXIkVD5" / Twitter
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Resources for New Yorkers - Coronavirus -- NYC virus testing

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "If you get a phone call with “NYC Test + Trace” as the Caller ID, please pick up! It’s one of the City's Test and Trace Corps contact tracers ready to help you and your loved one stay safe from #COVID19. Learn more at: https://t.co/3Vc0opbOEn" / Twitter
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Test & Trace Corps | NYC Health + Hospitals
The Test & Trace Corps fights COVID-19 so that New Yorkers can get back to school, work and leading their lives. It is a program run by the City of New York through NYC Health + Hospitals and in collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, the Taxi and Limousine Commission and many more.

Through its robust and citywide partnerships, The Corps helps New Yorkers receive free and easy testing for COVID-19. It ensures that anyone with the virus receives care, and can safely isolate to prevent the spread. To helps New Yorkers navigate this process, The Corps has activated a specialized group of Contact Tracers to provide resources and support every step of the way.
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New Study Finds Hydroxychloroquine Did Not Prevent Covid-19 - The New York Times

The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine did not prevent Covid-19 in a rigorous study of 821 people who had been exposed to patients infected with the virus, researchers from the University of Minnesota and Canada are reporting on Wednesday.

The study was the first large controlled clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine, a drug that President Trump has repeatedly promoted and recently taken himself.
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That bolded part is fake news though, or at least unconfirmed.

And of course,

Regardless, Mr. Trump has not stopped touting the drug’s potential benefits. On Sunday, his administration announced that it was sending 2 million doses of the drug to Brazil, to treat patients and help prevent infection in health care workers. A White House official said the two countries would collaborate on research into its use.
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Fellow despot and science denier Bolsonaro has also goofily been going all in on chloroquine.
 
One must go with the medical science, which says chloroquine, a malaria or arthritis drug is useless in treating COVID-19. I have this funny feeling the vaccine, or a treatment drug for the Chinese virus will come out of China itself where the virus originated from in the first place. in the not too distant future.
 
McConnell and Pelosi's next battle: How to help the 40 million unemployed - POLITICO - "After brushing off Democrats’ demands for more relief, Senate Republicans now say the next major coronavirus package is likely to move in the coming weeks. And a key conflict ahead will be over how to help the 40 million Americans out of work."

Coronavirus likely forced 27 million off their health insurance - Axios

The pandemic is testing the generosity of billionaires, according to a Washington Post survey of the 50 richest Americans - The Washington Post
A Washington Post survey of the nation’s 50 wealthiest people and families, who have a collective net worth of nearly $1.6 trillion, found that their publicly announced donations amount to about $1 billion, which sounds like a lot of money but adds up to less than .1 percent of their combined wealth. More than half of these billionaires have publicly donated cash and a few say they have given something — money or in-kind contributions — but declined to specify how much. But almost a third have not announced any donations and declined to comment or did not reply to requests for comment.

And even many of the billionaires who have announced donations to covid-19 relief efforts have given amounts that are relatively paltry when compared to the median net worth of an American household, which registers at $97,300, a number that accounts for a family’s assets and subtracting debts, according to the federal Survey of Consumer Finances. To put billionaires’ covid-19 giving in perspective, The Post used this figure to calculate what each of their donations would equate to for the median American donor.

To date, only two billionaires have really stepped into the spotlight: Bill Gates, the dean of billionaire philanthropy, and a surprising newcomer to charitable giving: Twitter’s Jack Dorsey.
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They are supposed to be morally superior heroes, but they give so little.
 
America is continuing it's Trump style winning over COVID-19. Arizona is blooming, seeing it highest new case numbers since the pandemic started. Governor blames testing. Of course he does. Meanwhile Florida has had three straight days over 1,000 cases, and it is the worst three day run since the pandemic started. North Carolina has set a new record for hospitalizations for COVID-19. Georgia appears to be continuing it's climb, with 900+ cases yesterday.

Wisconsin's increase seems to have cooled off for the moment.
 
Georgia's cases have been up this week too. Oddly enough, not much in my little city, despite just about everything being open for the past couple of weeks. And, from what I've seen or heard, the mask has become as symbol of the Democrats. The only white men that I see wearing one are older adults. I know a white nurse, with numerous underlying risks, who is also 69 years old, who hasn't been wearing a mask. She believes that they are worthless and she no longer practices any type of social distancing. Yes, of course, she's a hard core Trump supporter who believes every lie that comes out of that man's mouth.

It's not just in the south. My sister in NJ, who lives in a somewhat conservative uppity all white town has told me that a lot of her neighbors are no longer wearing masks or being careful. This is freaking out my sister.
 
To be blunt, around Akron, when you go to the grocery stores where blacks live, there is a high percent of people wearing masks. Go to the grocery stores where white lives, a much lower percentage. In my neighborhood people are walking about without masks, but there is no problem with that, but kids are playing together in the park again, at least the cliques are. I hate holding my daughter back, but we aren't there yet, despite what people want.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
To be blunt, around Akron, when you go to the grocery stores where blacks live, there is a high percent of people wearing masks. Go to the grocery stores where white lives, a much lower percentage. In my neighborhood people are walking about without masks, but there is no problem with that, but kids are playing together in the park again, at least the cliques are. I hate holding my daughter back, but we aren't there yet, despite what people want.
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Same here.
 
CDC Says Americans Are Consuming Bleach to Stop Coronavirus
Americans are gargling with bleach and drinking household cleaners to prevent coronavirus: CDC report
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Knowledge and Practices Regarding Safe Household Cleaning and Disinfection for COVID-19 Prevention — United States, May 2020 | MMWR
Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Calls to poison centers regarding exposures to cleaners and disinfectants have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is added by this report?

An Internet panel survey identified gaps in knowledge about safe preparation, use, and storage of cleaners and disinfectants. Approximately one third of survey respondents engaged in nonrecommended high-risk practices with the intent of preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including using bleach on food products, applying household cleaning and disinfectant products to skin, and inhaling or ingesting cleaners and disinfectants.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Public messaging should continue to emphasize evidence-based, safe cleaning and disinfection practices to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in households, including hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces.
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As far as I know, President Trump has never conceded that his advice about bleach and disinfectants was just plain wrong. He later said that he was being sarcastic, something that I find a dishonest gotcha. As in "Gotcha! I was being sarcastic!"
 
Yaroslav Trofimov on Twitter: "Trump visits the coronavirus swab production line in Maine, without a mask, and the manufacturer says it will now have to throw away the day’s output. https://t.co/gq1lo4LD9t" / Twitter
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Trump in Maine: Puritan will throw away coronavirus swabs
Workers in white lab coats, hair nets and plastic booties worked at machines making swabs while the president walked through the room. Trump, who did not wear a mask for the visit, stopped at one point to talk with some of the workers.

“Made in the USA. I’ve been saying it for a long time,” Trump said.
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New York City reopening plan: what will be open in phases 1 through 4 | Fortune
As many as 400,000 New Yorkers may come back to work today. Trains and buses will run more often, construction sites will come alive and shops can start curbside pickup. It’s a marked shift for the world’s financial capital, which has been ravaged by the coronavirus. With over 20,000 confirmed and probable fatalities, the city’s death toll surpasses all but six countries.

Of course, it’s still too soon to declare victory. Residents are encouraged to limit socializing to small groups and avoid public transit. Face masks should be worn pretty much everywhere. Take-away cocktails and makeshift at-home haircuts will remain the norm for a while longer.

The path forward will be a cautious one, relying on vigilant testing, contact-tracing, and monitoring of new cases.
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NY Forward | New York Forward - has a summary of the status of each region of the state. NYC and its neighboring regions Long Island and Mid-Hudson are now at Phase 1, and the rest of the state at Phase 2.
  • Phase one - Construction, manufacturing, non-essential retail and wholesale merchants. - Retail is limited to delivery, curbside and in-store pickup or drop off.
  • Phase two - Hair salons and barbershops, in-store retail, offices, professional services like finance and insurance, and outdoor dining.
  • Phase three - Restaurants and other food-service businesses open for dine-in service. - New Yorkers will no longer be discouraged from using mass transit for non-essential trips.
  • Phase four - Schools, museums, cinemas, theaters and other recreational businesses. - Schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year.
They expect to take two weeks in each phase.
 
U.S. Hits 2 Million Coronavirus Cases As Many States See A Surge Of Patients : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR
The latest data also reflects the difficulty of quashing the coronavirus. While some early hot spots such as New York state have seen a sustained drop in new cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations have swelled recently in places like Texas, Arizona, Arkansas and California.

Texas set new records for COVID-19 hospitalizations on three consecutive days this week, with a total of 2,153 hospitalized patients on Wednesday. The state was among the first to start the reopening process, and Gov. Greg Abbott is moving forward with plans to raise occupancy limits for bars, restaurants, amusement parks and other businesses.
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That's reckless and irresponsible, unless he has a LOT of testing and contact tracing in place. Outdoor reopening is legitimate, and low-density indoor reopening is also, but high-density indoor reopening is not. I haven't seen any reports of increased transmission of the virus from the demonstrations, at least among masked participants.

US coronavirus: 12 states see rising Covid-19 hospitalizations as Arizona asks hospitals to activate emergency plans - CNN
Health experts have long warned about a second peak in Covid-19, and now a rise in cases has pushed Arizona to tell its hospitals to activate emergency plans.

Arizona is one of the 19 states with the trend of new coronavirus cases still increasing. While 24 are trending downward, trends in seven states are holding steady. Nationally more than 1.9 million people have been infected by the virus and more than 112,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

...
Many states have loosened restrictions that were put in place starting in March to curb the spread of the virus. But with no vaccine and more people congregating in public places and national protests, health experts warn that the high rates of cases seen in the spring may come back.
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Outdoor gatherings are likely safe, because of their superior ventilation, but indoor ones aren't.

Arizona coronavirus: Cases, hospitalizations increase after reopening
Experts around the country and in Arizona are raising alarms about the state's COVID-19 situation because cases and hospitalizations have increased for the past two weeks.

The increase in cases can't solely be attributed to increased testing in Arizona, experts say.

Instead, it looks like the state is trending upward in a way that is concerning and could need another stay-at-home order to curb the spread.
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Alabama is saying the same thing. North Carolina, Florida are going up, but Florida is allegedly not seeing an overall increase in new daily hospitalizations. Which is... peculiar.

Not at any breaking point yet, but definitely heading in the wrong direction, because we know these numbers are trailing actual exposures.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
Alabama is saying the same thing. North Carolina, Florida are going up, but Florida is allegedly not seeing an overall increase in new daily hospitalizations. Which is... peculiar.

Not at any breaking point yet, but definitely heading in the wrong direction, because we know these numbers are trailing actual exposures.
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Not too peculiar. Give it another week or two. There's a lag between exposure and symptoms, and another lag between minor symptoms and severe symptoms requiring hospitalization.
 
Governor Ducey (AZ-IDIOT) has pretty much given up.

article said:
Ducey at another point tried to put a positive spin on the increasingly worsening public health figures by saying things could be worse.

“The fact that that worst-case scenario is not here today is positive news,” he said.
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Yes, it is getting worse, but that means it currently isn't as bad as it could be. So take solace with that.

And even better news!
article said:
Data from the Arizona Department Health Services shows that 78% of the state’s intensive care unit beds are filled. Total hospital bed capacity statewide was at 84% on Wednesday and 83% the day before, marking only the second time the state has exceeded the 80% mark. And 38% of the state’s ventilators are in use.

But Ducey said the numbers don’t reflect the whole picture because the state has surge and emergency hospital beds that aren’t counted toward the state’s total available capacity. Those beds haven’t been used yet.
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Don't worry folks. We are above 80% capacity in ICU's, but we can always shove your loved one in the Emergency Room. You won't be there to tell the difference.

Yes, we can help reduce transmission by mandating masks, but that would be taking away your freedom to get tubes shoved down your or your loved ones throat.
 
Don’t Lose the Thread. The Economy Is Experiencing an Epic Collapse of Demand. - The New York Times - "A rip in the fabric of the economy won’t be healed easily, and denial of the severity of the crisis won’t solve it."
Employers added millions of jobs to their payrolls in May, and the jobless rate fell, a big surprise to forecasters who expected further losses. Businesses are reopening, and the rate of coronavirus deaths has edged down. The Trump administration has begun pointing to what are likely to be impressive growth numbers as the economy starts to pull out of its deep hole.

All of that is good news, and far better than the alternative of a continuing collapse in economic activity. But it also creates a risk: distraction and complacency.

...
The fabric of the economy has been ripped, with damage done to millions of interconnections — between workers and employers, companies and their suppliers, borrowers and lenders. Both the historical evidence from severe economic crises and the data available today point to enormous delayed effects.

“There’s a lot of denial here, as there was in the 1930s,” said Eric Rauchway, a historian at the University of California, Davis, who has written extensively about the Great Depression. “At the beginning of the Depression, nobody wanted to admit that it was a crisis. The actions the government took were not adequate to the scope of the problem, yet they were very quick to say there had been a turnaround.”

...
Other data points to a severe but slower-moving crisis of collapsing demand that will affect many more corners of the economy than those that were forced to close because of the pandemic.
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Manufacturing has had a sizable drop.
And despite the net gain in employment in May, there have been many announced layoffs at companies outside sectors directly affected by the pandemic. This suggests that the forced shutdown of travel, restaurant and related industries is rippling out into a broad-based shortage of demand in the economy.

Consider just a partial list of large well-known companies unaffected by the direct first-round effects of pandemic-induced shutdowns, but which have since announced layoffs: Chevron, I.B.M. and Office Depot.
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It would be difficult to reopen travel safely, since it can too easily spread the virus. Some nations have been proposing "travel bubbles" between them, allowing travel between them but heavily restricting travel outside of them.

Restaurants and bars are rather problematic. Indoor gatherings are very unsafe, though outdoor gatherings seem to be much safer, especially with mask wearing. The George-Floyd protests don't seem to have produced a big spike in cases, at least not so far. So outdoor service may continue to be a necessity.
 
lpetrich said:
Don’t Lose the Thread. The Economy Is Experiencing an Epic Collapse of Demand. - The New York Times - "A rip in the fabric of the economy won’t be healed easily, and denial of the severity of the crisis won’t solve it."
Employers added millions of jobs to their payrolls in May, and the jobless rate fell, a big surprise to forecasters who expected further losses. Businesses are reopening, and the rate of coronavirus deaths has edged down. The Trump administration has begun pointing to what are likely to be impressive growth numbers as the economy starts to pull out of its deep hole.

All of that is good news, and far better than the alternative of a continuing collapse in economic activity. But it also creates a risk: distraction and complacency.

...
The fabric of the economy has been ripped, with damage done to millions of interconnections — between workers and employers, companies and their suppliers, borrowers and lenders. Both the historical evidence from severe economic crises and the data available today point to enormous delayed effects.

“There’s a lot of denial here, as there was in the 1930s,” said Eric Rauchway, a historian at the University of California, Davis, who has written extensively about the Great Depression. “At the beginning of the Depression, nobody wanted to admit that it was a crisis. The actions the government took were not adequate to the scope of the problem, yet they were very quick to say there had been a turnaround.”

...
Other data points to a severe but slower-moving crisis of collapsing demand that will affect many more corners of the economy than those that were forced to close because of the pandemic.
Click to expand...
Manufacturing has had a sizable drop.
And despite the net gain in employment in May, there have been many announced layoffs at companies outside sectors directly affected by the pandemic. This suggests that the forced shutdown of travel, restaurant and related industries is rippling out into a broad-based shortage of demand in the economy.

Consider just a partial list of large well-known companies unaffected by the direct first-round effects of pandemic-induced shutdowns, but which have since announced layoffs: Chevron, I.B.M. and Office Depot.
Click to expand...
It would be difficult to reopen travel safely, since it can too easily spread the virus. Some nations have been proposing "travel bubbles" between them, allowing travel between them but heavily restricting travel outside of them.

Restaurants and bars are rather problematic. Indoor gatherings are very unsafe, though outdoor gatherings seem to be much safer, especially with mask wearing. The George-Floyd protests don't seem to have produced a big spike in cases, at least not so far. So outdoor service may continue to be a necessity.
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We’re still on the dole for now. I expect the Republicans will go along with keeping us so through to November. Then, if they have their way, you’d better be able to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.
 
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