Coronavirus in the US

Parent Cafe
5181

Coronavirus cases in the military are probably more widespread than known, Pentagon official says

A Pentagon official said Tuesday that the number of the coronavirus cases within the military and the overall Defense Department is likely higher than the reported total.

“I think that it is likely that the number is higher,” U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Paul Friedrichs, the senior health official for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a press briefing. He added that currently there are nine known cases: three active-duty servicemembers, one civil servant, four dependents and one contractor.

“I think it is likely given what we are seeing around the world and the fact that we have people all over the world that there are more than nine people affiliated with the Department of Defense,” he explained. (CNBC)

Washington state cases could reach 64,000 by May

Washington state COVID-19 cases could reach 64,000 by May if health officials and the public aren’t able to contain the outbreak now, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference. The state currently has at least 162 confirmed cases across eight counties as of Monday night, but infectious disease experts say the actual number could be closer to 1,000 or more, Inslee said.

“If there are 1,000 people infected today, in seven or eight weeks, there could be 64,000 people infected in the state of Washington,” he said. (CNBC)

Walmart deploys new emergency leave policy after Kentucky associate tests positive for virus
Walmart said it is deploying an emergency employee leave program as the retailer confirms one of its store associates in Cynthiana, Kentucky, has tested positive for the coronavirus. The new policy allows employees to stay home if he or she is unable to work or feels “uncomfortable” at work, by waiving Walmart’s attendance policy through the end of April. It also allows employees to receive two weeks of pay in certain scenarios.

5182

This is a ‘coronavirus winter and we’re in the first week,’ disease specialist says

The U.S. is not prepared for what is coming as COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the country, public health and infectious disease specialist Dr. Michael Osterholm told CNBC on Tuesday.

The virus has surpassed the containment stage, he said, and the U.S. government is not responding appropriately for the magnitude of spread the country will likely see.

“Right now we’re approaching this like it’s the Washington, D.C., blizzard, for a couple days we’re shut down,” said Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “This is actually a coronavirus winter and we’re in the first week.” (CNBC)

Some European airlines are running near-empty ‘ghost flights’

European airlines have been running near-empty flights in order to retain valuable airport slots, drawing sharp criticism from climate activists as the coronavirus outbreak dramatically reduces passenger demand.

A so-called “use-it-or-lose-it” rule, enshrined under EU law, states airlines must fly 80% of their flights on a slot in order to safeguard their presence at major hubs for the next season.

It has led to a situation whereby many airlines are thought to be operating so-called “ghost planes” with almost no passengers onboard. (CNBC)

[sounds like a temporary change in policy is warranted.]

Mortgage payments to be suspended across Italy after outbreak

Payments on mortgages will be suspended across the whole of Italy after the coronavirus outbreak, Italy’s deputy economy minister said on Tuesday.

“Yes, that will be the case, for individuals and households,” Laura Castelli said in an interview with Radio Anch’io, when asked about the possibility.

Italy’s banking lobby ABI said on Monday lenders representing 90% of total banking assets would offer debt moratoriums to small firms and households grappling with the economic fallout from Italy’s coronavirus outbreak. (Reuters)

5183

“Extraordinary” demand is threatening availability of key coronavirus testing tool, manufacturer says
From CNN

The maker of a critical tool required to run the coronavirus test kit used in US public health labs is facing a surge in demand that is challenging its capacity to deliver the product, according to the company.

Qiagen, whose tool helps extract viral genetic information from patient samples, said in a tweet Tuesday that it has established a “task force” to “evaluate incoming orders in this period of extraordinary demand.”

A shortage of its products could threaten to further delay coronavirus testing across the country, because Qiagen’s tools are required to run – but not included in – the coronavirus test kit distributed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Monday, the company said it had “not seen any near-term impacts from the coronavirus outbreak on supplies of materials and components,” but it said that increasing demand “may lead to backorders with delayed delivery or reduced allocation of affected product.”

The tool is a necessary step in testing for the novel coronavirus; it removes RNA, the genetic code of the virus, from a patient’s throat swab or cough sample. That RNA, extracted from a patient specimen, is then compared against snippets of the virus itself, determining whether a patient has been infected with the virus.

CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield acknowledged the potential shortage of the tool on Tuesday in an interview with Politico.

“The availability of those reagents is obviously being looked at,” Redfield said, referring to ingredients used in the tool. “I’m confident of the actual test that we have, but as people begin to operationalize the test, they realize there’s other things they need to do the test.”

The US Food and Drug Administration, which oversees laboratory tests in the US, said that a similar tool developed by another company, Roche, could be used in its place. But that could require labs to acquire auxiliary equipment for Roche’s platform and retrain staff who run the tests – leading to further delays." (CNN)

5184

Trump administration likely to push back tax filing deadline, WSJ reports
The Trump administration is likely to push back the deadline for filing income tax returns as part of its fiscal stimulus plan to combat the impact of the coronavirus impact, reported the Wall Street Journal.

The report cited sources familiar with the matter, including an administration official. There had yet to be a final decision on the move, nor would the logistics of how the plan would work finalized, the newspaper added. Treasury officials were undecided about how long the deadline would be extended beyond April 15, or who would be eligible, according to the report. (CNBC)

CNN scraps live audience for next Democratic primary debate

The Democratic presidential debate scheduled to take place on Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona will go forward without a live audience. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the two remaining major contenders for the Democratic nomination, both requested that there be no live audience, a DNC spokesperson said.

Sunday’s debate, sponsored by CNN and Univision, is the first to take place since Super Tuesday, when the field was winnowed significantly. CNN said in a statement that there will also be no media filing center or “spin room” on Sunday, where surrogates for the campaigns speak to the press following the debate. (CNBC)

FDA suspends foreign food and drug inspections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will suspend most foreign inspections for food, drug and medical devices outside the country through April as the coronavirus outbreak spreads across America, the agency announced.

“We are aware of how this action may impact other FDA responsibilities, including product application reviews,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement. “We will be vigilant and monitor the situation very closely and will try to mitigate potential impacts from this outbreak in lockstep with the whole of the federal government.”

Still, inspections outside the U.S. deemed “mission-critical” will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the FDA said. (CNBC)

5185

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/mar/11/lesbos-coronavirus-case-sparks-fears-for-refugee-camp-moria

These poor people, and frankly I feel terrible for the Greeks landed with this situation is going to be a nightmare. I suspect many volunteers will bow out once this infections rips through this population with so many people and so little help. Turkey is also going to be challenged by many people in poor conditions.

One also knows that players on the global stage will use this crisis as an opportunity. Borders are going to be more porous and more people will be trafficked.

5186

I’ve yet to see a college require a computer. I’m sure there are majors and programs that do, as well as some colleges out there that might, but every school I’ve examined have statements similar to Fordham’s.

The reason is that most colleges have computer facilities open and available to students so that it is indeed possible to be a successful student without owning a computer. I’ve personally known students who have gone without a computer for a term or two These days with smart phones and tablets, it’s even easier to do so.

5187

It is a long documentary made by Australians, regarding Wuhan situation from January until end of February. Not for the faint of heart, especially between min 30 and 40. It really triggered some of my teenage memories. Let’s hope we will not have to get to that point in the US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycrqXJYf1SU

5188

Notre Dame told it’s students no on campus classes until after Easter! They’re currently on Spring Break, but it was supposed to end on This Sunday 3/15.

5189

Delivery of two months worth of the medication that DS needs three times daily scheduled for today. That will be a great relief - there are only two labs in the country who make this up, that’s way too sensitive to the disturbances which are sure to come up.

5190

West Chester University (17,000 students) cancels classes and
Will reimburse parents.

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-west-chester-university-cancel-classes-20200310.html

** The university intends to reimburse or otherwise make whole the students who will lose their housing on campus and those who lost study abroad experiences, he said**

5191

INdiana University doesn’t want the kids back on campus for 2 weeks after spring break (which starts Saturday). They want them to stay in their permanent homes.

On a personal note, and sorry if it’s been mentioned before, I’ll be so incredibly disappointed if college graduation is cancelled. My son is in his last year at IU Bloomington. (His victory lap). This is quite the accomplishment for him, as we wondered if he’d even make it through college. ADHD, reading takes him 3 to 4 times as long (with comprehension issues), never took an advanced course in HS. I helped him a lot through high school, trying to understand assignments and studying hours with him, He made it in his own at IU, and he has a 3.2 with an incredible amount of hard work. Work that would have come much easier to someone without his disabilities.

I know it’s nothing to what the thousands of people are dealing with and my heart goes out to them.

5192

@romanigypsyeyes - I’m sure I haven’t heard anything more than what you’ve heard. Details about the Michigan cases are pretty sparse: a middle-aged man from Wayne county with recent travel to a domestic “hot spot” and a middle-aged woman from Oakland county with recent international travel. Both hospitalized. No mention of cities (beyond “Southeastern Michigan”) or hospitals.

A little nerve-wracking for me too, since I live in Wayne county and have extensive contacts with Oakland. Stay safe!

5193

I work at a college that has cancelled all classes (in person, online, hybrid) until March 23. The administration has told the faculty to prepare for online instruction “if necessary” starting on March 23 until the end of the semester. I am not at all optimistic about how this is going to go. There are many problems and complexities involved in shifting classes to online instruction, not least of which, as @romanigypsyeyes points out, lack of student resources to access materials and submit assignments. My institution is 40% first generation students. Many of them do not have laptops. Some of them share phones with family members. They won’t have access to the on-campus labs they are accustomed to relying on, and public libraries may not be available to them. Online classes assume a lot of self-discipline and self-structuring on the part of students. Some will be fine, but the struggling students will not be. Also, many faculty are simply untrained in how to deliver effective online instruction. It requires a totally different set of expectations, structures, and assignments. Many faculty, especially older or non-tech ones, can barely use email or texting, let alone shift to recording their lectures or effectively managing virtual classrooms. A couple of hours of “how to use Canvas” workshops over spring break for faculty will not be enough to guarantee effective teaching. I predict that universities will probably go to pass-fail grades or simply use the midterm grade as the final grade (which is unfair to students who have a ways to go and could have really used the second half of the semester to improve).

5194

Why does an essential part of the test depend on the single manufacturer? Do the other countries all depend on this particular manufacturer for their tests? I highly doubt it. Why couldn’t we source test kits globally as other countries (many without their own capabilities at all) have done? If we knew our tests would depend on this single manufacturer, why didn’t we start preparation weeks ago (or even sooner)? Is it because some people in DC thought (and may still think) the virus is just a Chinese or Asian problem (some of them still call the virus by that name)? Or is it because we thought the virus had been “contained” here as some in DC proclaimed weeks ago?

5195

@MaineLonghorn… Just a suggestion since you have a lot going on in your life right now. Can he fly his girlfriend out to him for now? Going back just seems so unwise on many levels. Or meet in another country or something?

5196

His GF is Syrian so she can’t fly here. I can suggest they meet elsewhere but he’s stubborn.

5197

Here is why state governments may need to apply a “bit of force” to the self-quarantine recommendation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/09/coronavirus-quarantine-school-dance/

5198

NBC did a short segment on social distancing and how it’s worked in the past if anyone cares to watch it:

https://www.today.com/video/how-social-distancing-can-help-slow-the-spread-of-coronavirus-80460357644

If you know of anyone wondering why everything is being cancelled with just a case or two being reported, this is worthy of consideration and doesn’t require any expertise to understand. I might end up using it in school…

I REALLY feel for those missing out on events. My own lad’s trip to Poland for a med school rotation is currently off with a wait and see component. He/We’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. Graduations/Match Day ceremonies, conferences, parades, sports, one could go on and on… all being missed. I’ve resorted to reminding myself it’s better than the generations before us who had life upended due to World Wars or similar - abruptly sending many away with too many not returning. Doing things for the greater good is sometimes needed and I’d rather do this than what others have had to do.

I absolutely applaud all of those in colleges, govt’s, businesses, and similar who are taking this seriously and trying their best as they encounter something new to us all. Honest mistakes will happen. Bad decisions can happen. Gaps can be found and have to be worked around. But at least they’re trying.

I’ve lost quite a bit of respect for those who brush it off or lie about it trying to make it seem like less of a deal than it is. It’s not a World War with weapons, but it can still kill millions in the future if not dealt with as effectively as we can.

5199

@Creekland. Such a basic concept. Funny a friend of mine is coming into Chicago to see a band and it’s sold out. His friend that was going to come in can’t and he offered me the ticket. I was considering it but not anymore. Just seems like a hotbed of germs etc. But will download their greatest hits.

5200

Brown sent out an email last evening limiting the number of people in meetings, canceling events, etc., however, classes will continue as normal, for now.

Spring athletics will also continue with limitations on spectators - 3 allowed per athlete. The Ivy League also released a statement that sports will continue, so we can assume that Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia will allow athletes to remain on campus?