Coronavirus in the US

Parent Cafe
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It sounds like a plot from the Police Academy films: hundreds of trainee cadets, some just a few weeks into their training, are sworn in and assigned to active duty to deal with a national crisis.

A trope that Hollywood screenwriters have long used in various forms but on Friday it’s a deadly serious reality in Ireland where 319 students will be sworn in at the Garda College in Templemore, county Tipperary, to deal with the coronavirus emergency.

The Garda commissioner, Drew Harris, and justice minister, Charlie Flanagan will preside over a brief attestation ceremony that will observe social distancing protocols.

Some 124 tutors and instructors from the college are also being deployed to frontline policing. The eight-acre campus may be turned into an improvised health facility.

On Thursday the parliament passed draconian legislation to allow police detain people who breach self-isolation instructions. It came as the Health Service Executive reported another 191 cases, bringing Ireland’s total to 557.

Simon Coveney, the tánaiste and foreign minister said political leadership and people’s actions would determine whether Covid-19 “kills hundreds of people, thousands of people or tens of thousands of people in Ireland”.

France has tightened the rules of who can go out by banning sports cycling and demanding runners and walkers limit the distance they take from home to a maximum 1-2km and 20minutes.

A statement from a cycling body reads: “Faced with the COVID-9 epidemic the French Federation of Cycling asks all cyclists to show their responsibility and avoid all cycling outside during this period. Remember the rule: “Save lives! Stay at home!”

The cycling rule is thought to apply only to those cycling for sport. Those using their bikes for essential shopping or work journeys - and carrying the correct papers - are expected to be allowed to continue, subject to policing.

French government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye warned the confinement rules were likely to be tightened further.

“We see quite irresponsible behaviour, people going to beach to the park. We have to tighten the restrictions. the fines are now 135 and their application is strict; Those who haven’t the right to go out, who don’t have their justification document, who overstep the regulations will be sanctioned,” Ndiaye said.

A scramble by the UK to produce thousands of ventilators to fight the coronavirus outbreak was achieving results as top companies have already produced a prototype and it should be ready for use in hospitals by the end of next week, according to Britain’s health secretary.

“More than half a dozen companies have already made one in prototype, to check with us that we are happy with the quality ,” Matt Hancock told BBC TV.

He also said that negotiations were advancing to purchase new equipment in large numbers that would enable home testing.

“Frankly I don’t care where it comes from as long as we can get our hands on it,” he told the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4.

The tests had only recently been invented and approved by regulators in the past couple of days, he added.

Separately, he said that the UK government was looking “very, very closely” at why there is a coronavirus hotspot in England’s Midlands.

Asked on Sky News about 28 deaths recorded in the West Midlands, he said: “There is a hotspot, not as big as in London, but there is a hotspot in the Midlands.

Guardian

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Until very recently those people were known as “Florida’s largest industry”, aka tourism.

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Twitter won’t be removing a tweet from Elon Musk that claims that children are “basically immune” to Covid-19, a day after committing to remove misinformation related to the disease, the company says.

Musk came under fire on Thursday night for tweeting:

Hopeful Pope Of Muskanity
@RationalEtienne
· 20h
Replying to @elonmusk @PPathole
With or without closures, social distancing, widespread testing, travel restrictions, and people carrying masks, my liege?

Elon Musk
:heavy_check_mark:
@elonmusk
Kids are essentially immune, but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable. Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky.

The claim isn’t supported by the evidence, which suggests that children can and do catch the virus, with many becoming seriously ill around the world, and many more helping to spread the disease further while suffering mild or no symptoms.

While death rates remain low for under-18s, a March paper in the journal Pediatrics concluded “children at all ages were susceptible to COVID-19”.

But, in a statement given to tech site The Verge, Twitter said it would not be enforcing its new rules on medical misinformation against Musk.

“When reviewing the overall context and conclusion of the Tweet, it does not break our rules”, the company said. “We’ll continue to consult with trusted partners such as health authorities to identify content that is most harmful.”

He has told employees at one of his companies, SpaceX, that “the risk of death from C19 is vastly less than the risk of death from driving your car home.”

He did not deploy the same metaphor at another of his companies, which makes cars, but instead told Tesla employees that they should continue working at his Fremont, California, factory unless they were showing symptoms, despite a shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Musk was eventually overruled by the local sheriff’s office.

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if you guys<<<<

[/QUOTE]

 See how this goes? Supposedly normal people saying this kind of thing? There is no way this isn't all ending up without mass violence and border wars.
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Spain is preparing new flights today to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where the local mayor ordered trucks on to the runway yesterday to prevent a plane from landing.

That’s according to Spain’s Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez, who was speaking after the European Union asked Ecuador to guarantee access to its airports to ensure it can airlift citizens out of the South American nation.

The Iberia flight which was unable to land was planning to repatriate 190 EU citizens.

[ you can find footage online. Crazy! ]

Cirque du Soleil, the world famous entertainment company, has announced it is temporarily laying off 4,679 employees - some 95 percent of its workforce.

In Greece, the government has announced further restrictions on movement to curb the spread of the novel virus as the death toll from Covid-19 climbed to eight.

As of 6am tomorrow, travel to islands will only be allowed by local residents, following mounting evidence of Athenians snapping up ferry bookings for islands en masse. Ships carrying essential provisions will be exempt from the ban. Pleasure boats out at sea will also have to dock permanently – a stringent measure in a country with one of the longest coastlines in Europe.

The restrictions came as Greek health authorities said confirmed coronavirus cases had risen to 495, an increase of 31 since yesterday, even if presumptive cases are thought to be higher. Most are in Athens.

Announcing the latest figures, infectious diseases professor, Sotiris Tsiodras, the Greek health ministry spokesman on coronavirus, blasted Greeks for also heading to villages from the capital, emphasising the risks posed of transmission to remote areas and reiterating the next few weeks were critical.

The centre right government has stopped short of issuing a country-wide curfew, but has signalled it may well be forced to extend an already draconian lockdown if Greeks continue to flout restrictions.

The deputy civil protection minister Nikos Hardalias, also attending the early evening update on Friday, said the government was considering imposing heavier fines on those caught violating measures. Group gatherings of more than ten are banned with 1,000 euro penalties, per person, for infractions.

Guardian

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Dr Maria van Kerkhove, speaking at the WHO briefing, said: “Think of a large gathering, people are close to one another and if you have an infected individual in that cluster… the opportunity for the virus to pass between people is much greater.”

She added: “Physical distancing is not enough. It has to be part of a larger package of interventions”.

A question is asked about the mortality rate in Europe – with Italy’s tragically higher and Germany’s lower.

Dr Maria van Kerkhove said there was no information about how each country is recording deaths.

She said: “We spoke about this the other day: the difference in mortality compared by country. You have to be careful about how you compare countries … First it is about populations that the virus is infecting … moving in older populations we know can cause more deaths. There are a number of factors in which mortality can vary between different populations. Also discussed was the challenges of describing mortality as an epidemic, or pandemic, unfold … This is just a snapshot of what true mortality is… There are a number of individuals very severe and still in ICU – some will recover and some will die. We don’t have precise numbers of death.”

Dr Maria van Kerkhove, speaking at the WHO breifing, said people can keep connected in many ways without being in the same space.

“We are saying physical distance… we want people to remain connected through the internet and social media because your mental health, when going through this, is just as important as your physical health.”

Guardian

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Age wars, border wars, class wars. Yeah, I think everyone needs to realize that to survive, we need to show social solidarity.

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US businesses will suffer a $4 trillion decline due to coronavirus, hedge fund predicts
From CNN’s Cristina Alesci

Famed hedge fund Bridgewater predicts the coronavirus will lead to $4 trillion in lost corporate revenue for both public and private businesses in the US, according to a report the firm published Friday.

“That is a very dangerous decline, and if not mitigated, it will lead to a long-lasting ripple,” said the Bridgewater team who authored the research report.

In Bridgewater’s model, companies will have a shortfall of $2 trillion “concentrated in energy and travel and leisure, and about equally divided between large and small companies.”

The firm projects a 6% decline in US GDP for 2020, with the biggest hit during the second quarter.

The firm also estimates a decline of $12 trillion for global businesses in 2020.

“Since this hit to revenues is happening throughout the world, the total hole globally will be roughly three times that—about $12 trillion. Governments are responding, of course, but in most cases these responses will just mitigate some of the ripple. Governments’ capacities to deal with this hit vary greatly and will be a major driver of markets going forward," the report stated.

“Many companies will try to fill this gap by drawing credit lines, increasing their debt positions,” said the investors.

If government policies don’t help fill the gap, companies are likely to dramatically cut spending, which would result in meaningful cuts in employment.

Ray Dalio, who founded Bridgewater, is famous for predicting the 2008 financial crisis.

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Newsflash - nobody wants tourists right now. They’re spreading the infection.

And there’s a reasonable amount of debate about whether tourism is a net positive or drag on the economy. In any case, we’re hosting a large number of the citizens of other areas. It would be reasonable if those areas whose citizens we’re hosting acknowledged that if healthcare resources are scarce, we should be discussing how to share them.

We’re already sharing our scarce resources. The first two cases in our local hospital were tourists.

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@milee30 I think they live in Florida for the winter. I do apologize for all annoying New Yorkers, though :wink:
Please stay safe. If only our sailboats were big enough to live on, maybe that could work!

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World Health Organization has distributed 1.5 million coronavirus lab tests around the world
From CNN’s Amanda Watts and Mallory Simon

The World Health Organization has distributed 1.5 million coronavirus lab tests around the world and they will need 80 to 100 times that, according to Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization health emergencies program.

Speaking at a WHO briefing on Friday, Ryan said, “If we look forward in this epidemic, and we project ourselves forward a number of months, and the amount of testing that is going to be needed, we need to scale that up approximately 80 to 100 times.”

“So, it’s not about doubling the availability of lab tests, it’s not about tripling it, it’s about potentially increasing that 80-fold. Now that’s an extreme analysis, but that’s what we need to aim for,” Ryan warned.

Addressing the impact on health systems, Ryan said, “Look at the intensive care units, completely overwhelmed, the doctors and nurses utterly exhausted. This is not normal. This isn’t just a bad flu season. These are health systems that are collapsing under the pressure of too many cases. This is not normal, this is not just a little bit worse than we’re used to."

World Health Organization urges “looking after your physical and mental health” during pandemic
From CNN’s Jacqueline Howard

The World Health Organization is urging everyone to maintain healthy habits during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“During this difficult time, it’s important to continue looking after your physical and mental health. This will not only help you in the long-term, it will also help you fight Covid if you get it,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva on Friday.

“If your local or national guidelines allow it, go outside for a walk, a run or a ride and keep a safe distance from others. If you can’t leave the house, find an exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga, or walk up and down the stairs,” Tedros said. "Get your information from reliable sources once or twice a day.”

Tedros recommended to maintain a healthy diet, don’t smoke, limit your alcohol intake, avoid sugary drinks and stay physically active.

“WHO recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults, and one hour a day for children,” Tedros said.

“If you’re working at home, make sure you don’t sit in the same position for long periods. Get up and take a 3-minute break every 30 minutes,” Tedros said. "We will be providing more advice on how to stay healthy at home in the coming days and weeks.”

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Michigan suspends non-essential medical and dental procedures
From CNN’s Elizabeth Joseph

Non-essential medical and dental procedures are temporarily restricted across Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office said in a statement Friday.

Non-essential medical treatments include joint replacement, bariatric surgery and cosmetic surgery, “except for emergency or trauma-related surgery where postponement would significantly impact the health, safety, and welfare of the patient," the statement said.

According to the statement, non-essential dental procedures also include cosmetic or aesthetic procedures, like veneers, teeth bleaching or cosmetic bonding, as well as all routine hygiene appointments.

“Our health care workers are on the front lines every day protecting Michiganders during these extraordinary and difficult times. By postponing all non-essential medical and dental procedures, we expect to reduce the strain on the health care system and protect people,” Whitmer said.

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How about you lock them all in one hotel or as many hotels as needed, drop off some food on the doorstep and leave them to their own devices?

I think that could help both FL and NY :wink:

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Completely agree. :slight_smile:

We should try to solve that whole pesky middle east thing next… :stuck_out_tongue:

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You are clearly really upset and that’s so understandable right now. Take care of yourself. I’m sure I speak for many when I say I’m really worried for Floridians given all the recent news of crowded beaches, etc. Hoping your state and local governments are able to get your residents the help and resources you need.

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Seems to me that hospitals never saw this coming or they would have ordered extra masks and other protective gear back in January.

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More soldiers needed in Italy’s hardest hit region to enforce emergency lockdown, governor says

The governor of the hard hit region of Lombardy in northern Italy has said it needs more soldiers than it has been allocated to enforce an emergency lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus.

“I made a series of requests to the Prime Minister, one related to the use of the army to ensure that the measures are strictly applied,” Gov. Attilio Fontana said during a news conference on Friday.
“It’s being said that 114 soldiers will be sent to Lombardy, which means practically nothing. I think we need to add a zero (to that number) to seriously start discussing the problem.”

Fontana warned that the situation is not improving judging by the newest numbers of confirmed cases and deaths.

The Lombardy region is working with the mayors of the municipalities hit by coronavirus to write a list of requests to send to the government.

Among the region’s requests, “limitations to physical activity, to all activities in offices and professional ones, closure of construction sites, further limitation in commercial activities,” an assessments of the production chains that can be considered “not essential for our region and the country.” CNN

International Paper CEO says there will be ‘plenty’ of toilet paper and diapers

The shelves of some stores may not have toilet paper and diapers, but the products are weaving through the supply chain, International Paper CEO Mark Sutton told CNBC on Friday.

“Diapers and toilet paper, there’s plenty of it,” Sutton said on “Squawk Box.” “It’s just got to get the velocity through the system, through the distribution centers and directly to the consumers.”

The dramatic increase in demand for products such as toilet paper, paper towels and diapers due to the coronavirus will not last forever, Sutton said. (CNBC)

Kraft Heinz factories are working three shifts a day to keep up with demand

Some Kraft Heinz factories are working three shifts a day to meet increased demand for its products as stockpiling for the coronavirus pandemic has left many grocery store shelves bare.

“I have to say that our teams in our factories, in our distribution systems, are incredibly proud and understanding of the duty they have ahead of them,” CEO Miguel Patricio told CNBC’s Sara Eisen on “Squawk Alley.”

Patricio also said that the company has fully drawn down its $4 billion revolving credit line as a precautionary measure. (CNBC)

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Panicked wealthy are fleeing to the Hamptons and Hudson Valley

Wealthy New Yorkers fleeing the city are driving up the prices of rentals in the Hamptons and Hudson Valley, with rates more than tripling for some properties.

As New York imposes strict stay-home guidelines and the number of coronavirus cases skyrockets, New Yorkers who can afford it are decamping to more rural locales. Brokers say they’re getting barraged with calls from families wanting rentals immediately, some for two weeks, some for up to a year.

“This is unprecedented,” said Delyse Berry, of Upstate Down, a Hudson Valley real estate advisory and management firm. “It’s like a panic. I have never placed so many people in rentals in one week, and at these prices, ever. Even in the summer.” (CNBC)

[ And likely bringing Covid-19 with them. Many rural areas have inadequate health care systems in the best of times. ]

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Spain official warns 80% of people in Madrid will get virus, as nationwide death toll tops 1,000

On Friday, Spain’s health emergency chief reported that the country’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak had soared to 1,002, up from 767 on Thursday. Speaking to state radio Thursday, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the president of the region of Madrid, said eight out of 10 people in the city would contract COVID-19.

Spain is second only to Italy for coronavirus-related cases and deaths in Europe, which has become the epicenter of the outbreak.

The World Health Organization has advised all countries to adopt a mix of interventions based on an analysis of the local situation and context, with containment as a major pillar.

How one elite New York medical provider got its patients tested

As U.S. authorities scrambled to ramp up the nation’s capacity to test for coronavirus last week, at least 100 executives and other New Yorkers of means had easy access to testing, according to two sources familiar with the activities of a little-known medical service catering to the affluent.

These people paid a $5,000-a-year membership fee for a medical concierge service in New York City called Sollis Health, which worked with Enzo Clinical Labs Inc to test its members for COVID-19, according to the sources.

The arrangement gave members, which include people in finance, entertainment, advertising, and media industries, access to the tests at home at a time New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state had the capacity to test just a few hundred patients a day. The two sources declined to provide the identities of the people the company tested for coronavirus and Reuters could not establish them.

Altria CEO Howard Willard has tested positive
Marlboro cigarette maker Altria CEO Howard Willard has contracted coronavirus and is taking temporary medical leave, a regulatory filing showed on Friday.

Willard, 56, is the latest high-profile person to get the virus in a global pandemic that has infected more than 245,000 people and killed over 10,000 globally.

Chief Financial Officer William Gifford Jr will take over for Willard during his absence, the company said here in a memo to employees.

CNBC

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Wisconsin today:

206 positive cases
3,455 negative tests
3 deaths