To be fair, this repeated mantra that we’re hearing from Chinese authorities and WHO representatives that, “China made this decision to protect … the rest of the world” (I clipped out the bit about itself because it’s been generally reported that China sacrificed their province to save the rest of us) is post hoc spin. Chinese authorities know that they endangered the rest of the world by suppressing information about this new respiratory infection killing their citizens in December that their own medical professionals felt was reminiscent of the 2002/2003 SARS outbreak. Yes, their measures probably impaired further seeding of the world with SARS-CoV-2, but there should be some contrition along with the back patting.
“The lockdowns people are referring to — the human rights concerns — usually reflect the situation in places like Wuhan [the city in Hubei province where the virus was first detected]. [The lockdown] was concentrated in Wuhan and two or three other cities that also exploded [with Covid-19 cases]. These are places that got out of control in the beginning [of the outbreak], and China made this decision to protect China and the rest of the world.”
How big is Wuhan ? 11 million people, bigger than NYC. And the few other cities involved were probably another 10 million.
So, we have “hot spots” in America now. Should we treat those spots like Wuhan? Should we lock down those areas? Should authorities enforce that lockdown like in China?
It’s been repeated numerous times here that “case finding, contact tracing, and suspension of public gatherings — all common measures used anywhere in the world to manage [the spread of] diseases” was what was most effective in China. This involves testing people suspected of having the virus and their contacts. No one has suggested testing everybody and nobody has suggested locking down cities.
When it’s described this way, it seems almost trifling:
[The lockdown] was concentrated in Wuhan and two or three other cities that also exploded [with Covid-19 cases].
Nice touch, too, the impreciseness as to whether it was “three” or “four”.
I seem to recall the smallest city in the lockdown to contain around 7MM people, the total to be around 50MM.
Well, Washington state has about 7-8 million people, so it is smaller than Wuhan…
Testing on a larger scale than those showing symptoms has been suggested.
China’s handling of the situation has been suggested. That is locking down an entire city, 11 million people.
Keep your hands off Washington state please. Our local health officials are handling this thank you.
The nursing home where the deaths came from is under a lockdown pretty much at this point.
"Apple co- founder Steve Wozniak and wife think they may have been patient zero
Oh pulEEZE! the NYPost is a supermarket TABLOID!
Is someone on this thread actually going to believe what is written in this “paper”, which monthly declares that JFK is alive and the Martians have invaded???
ye Gods…
It was not only in NY Post. Woz has lost his marbles, it seems, or most likely, he was joking. In either case, he needs to shut up 
Instead, it is more effective to limit visits to frail people ( hospitals, nursing homes etc ) and test workers in those places every day, even if asymptomatic. Educate cardiac and lung patients to avoid crowds and home visitors, to avoid eating out and shop online if possible. That will give you the highest drop in mortality.
What, you don’t want the state under martial law. Everyone quarantined? It’s for the greater good…
D2 said Columbia is bringing all of their study abroad students back and they are to be quarantined for 14 days. My company and our vendor partners are telling its employees that all international travels are banned and if we should travel internationally for personal reason then we would be required to stay home for 14 days.
No. There is a greater good, and there is a greater good. A full lockdown would be ridiculous at this point, and would actually devastate folks financially. I sadly do not meet the requirements to qualify for the vaccine trial. Maybe at the next stage when they will need a wider range of folks. One of such trials is being run locally.
Do we work for the same company? 
We are doing the same. My boss said this is mostly done to quiet down the fears that international travelers could bring something even worse.
“Then, like Ebola, it would probably die out fairly quickly.”
@romanigypsyeyes - I don’t agree with you that the lethality of Ebola is the reason it died out quickly. The saving grace of Ebola is that it is characterized by a fairly lengthy period of symptoms during which patients are not terribly contagious. This allows cases to be identified and sequestered (in areas where people have access to and trust health care workers). Viral loads increase massively late in the illness, which endangers health care workers, family members caring for patients, and (in West Africa) people who attend traditional funerals in which the body is touched by funeral goers. However, for example, the patient in Texas who was turned away from the ER the first time he went in, and who was only admitted several days later, did not infect any of the family members who were caring for him.
I disagree with those who think it’s futile to talk about controlling this virus – China is clearly succeeding in decreasing transmission. But as @BunsenBurner pointed out, we may not be likely to follow in their footsteps, given that they made testing and treatment free…
Good news. I’m sure others willl follow.
Amazon says Seattle-based employee diagnosed with coronavirus
Amazon is informing employees that one of its Seattle-based workers has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
According to a mass email for all staff members in Seattle and Bellevue, Washington, the employee infected with the novel coronavirus first became ill on February 25 and has not been back to work since that time.
The worker was based at the downtown office building the company refers to as Amazon Brazil…
It was not immediately clear whether the case was included in Washington state’s count of coronavirus patients in King County, which stood at 21 on Monday." (CNN)
Senior administration official calls lack of coronavirus testing kits “a flashpoint right now”
A senior administration official acknowledged that the Trump administration is feeling a major sense of urgency to distribute testing kits for the coronavirus amid bipartisan criticism that the kits are being deployed too slowly.
“It’s a flashpoint right now,” the official said. The official conceded that the question from health professionals nationwide, and from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is: “Why can’t the feds give us tests?”" (CNN)
Heck, yes, it is!
Pence pledges that upcoming coronavirus briefings will be on camera
"Vice President Mike Pence pledged that upcoming briefings on coronavirus would be on camera, following a Tuesday evening on the record briefing led by Pence that the White House press office insisted remain off camera.
The press office also insisted that reporters not broadcast any sound from the briefing, in which the vice president announced several new US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiatives, including a change in policy that now allows any American to receive a coronavirus test, if a doctor deems it necessary.
When pressed about the briefing being off camera, Pence said it was because President Trump had already made multiple on camera statements today.
“You’re going to see us in here every day answering questions… but the president was at NIH today and the president addressed the country today,” Pence said.
He added that “I expect we’ll be back on camera tomorrow.”" (CNN)
Don’t really get the reasoning…
CANADA - 3 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in British Columbia
This brings British Columbia’s coronavirus total to 12.
The new cases include…
A man in his 60s who recently returned from Iran.
An adult woman who also recently traveled to Iran.
A woman in her 30s who was a household contact of British Columbia’s eighth confirmed case — a woman in her 60s who is visiting family in British Columbia and lives in Iran.
The three individuals did not require hospitalization and are recovering in their homes.
These new cases bring Canada’s total cases to 33, including 20 in Ontario, 12 in British Columbia and one in Quebec.
How much does coronavirus testing and treatment cost? It depends.
"some are worried about the cost of that testing after the Miami Herald wrote a story about a man who went to the hospital with flu-like symptoms and was told he might owe $3,270. (Turns out he actually had the flu, but his limited-coverage insurance policy left him with a $1,400 bill.)
Here’s how much it will cost you if you seek care: The coronavirus test itself shouldn’t generate a bill – for now – since the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is picking up the tab. That could change as more labs start running the test. But the visit and other tests aren’t free. How much you’ll owe depends…what insurance you have, where you seek treatment and what tests providers give you. …those who haven’t satisfied their deductibles will likely be on the hook for more…Going to the emergency room is typically far more pricey than visiting your doctor or an urgent care clinic.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday required health insurers in his state to waive any cost sharing associated with testing for coronavirus. And the Trump administration is looking at providing hospitals with funding to care for the uninsured." (CNN)
IMO, every state needs to follow NYS. If the goal is to identify and try to limit the spread, Uncle Sam needs to pick up the tab. The cost of testing will be much cheaper than the impacts of greater spread.