@OneMoreToGo2021 Your wife and son are interacting with your 94 year old father in law even though you have not been social distancing and staying at home?
Is he in a senior citizens’ housing situation?
edited: I was corrected. The man is 92
Greece to ban all non-essential movement starting Monday
From CNN’s Chris Liakos in London
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has just announced in a televised statement a nationwide ban of non-essential movement to start Monday at 6 a.m. local time.
Only people required to go to work, the supermarket, hospital or to see their doctors are permitted to go out, said the prime minister.
Mitsotakis also said offenders would be fined 150 Euros ($161.45).
Earlier on Sunday, the Greek Health Ministry announced 94 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the country’s total to 624.
Florida to receive 2 million N95 masks this week
From CNN’s Hollie Silverman
The state of Florida has 300,000 N95 masks and will be receiving 2 million more this week, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said during a Sunday press conference.
The masks will be distributed to healthcare facilities and workers in various state departments, Moskowitz said.
The division is setting up field hospitals in Broward and Miami-Dade counties to increase capacity. Each will be able to accommodate 250 people, according to Moskowitz.
They have procured 3,000 beds, which includes ICU beds, in order to increase the capacity available to respond to the coronavirus, Moskowitz said.
There are also 300 nurses on standby and 300 medics with the National Guard available to respond as needed, Moskowitz said.
New York reports 114 coronavirus-related deaths
From CNN’s Sheena Jones and Melanie Schuman
New York has 15,168 confirmed Covid-19 cases across the state, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a press conference Sunday morning.
So far, 114 people have died in New York from the disease, Cuomo added.
At least 61,401 people have been tested for the coronavirus across the state.
@“Snowball City” - He is 92, and no he is not in a senior housing situation. I can assure you that how we are acting is common.
Just as an example, many home health aides earn $11 an hour, and take care of multiple elderly living independently (typically part-time with additional help from relatives). Many of these aides are recent immigrants who are themselves also caring and providing for their own families. The industry is huge in Florida.
How much social distancing do you think is really going on?
Pelosi says no deal yet on stimulus bill, House Democrats will introduce their own
From CNN’s Ted Barrett, Kristin Wilson and Lauren Fox
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed the a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office and said there is no deal yet on the coronavirus economic stimulus bill, adding that the House will introduce its own bill — something that could significantly draw out the process to finalize the legislation.
Some context: The massive emergency aid package being negotiated on Capitol Hill has grown to roughly $2 trillion as bicameral, bipartisan leaders come together Sunday to try and clinch a final agreement, according to two people directly involved in the talks.
Nearly 1 in 10 of Italy’s infected are healthcare workers
From CNN’s Livia Borghese, Valentina Di Donato, Nicola Ruotolo and John Fiegener in Rome.
A total of 4,826 healthcare workers in Italy have been infected by the novel coronavirus, according to the latest information Sunday from Italy’s National Health Institute (ISS).
That means some 9% of those infected nationwide by Covid-19 are healthcare workers.
Italy’s National Federation of Surgeons and Dentists is publishing a record of doctors who have contracted and died of Covid-19 since the start of the outbreak. It lists 18 doctors who have passed away since March 11; of those, 15 are from Lombardy, the hardest-hit region and the epicenter of Italy’s outbreak.
It is unclear if each of the doctors listed was directly battling the coronavirus outbreak and treating the infected.
Among those doctors who have died is Marcello Natali, 57, who died on March 18, according to the federation website.
Natali, as reported by local media, had been a vocal critic of the initial Italian government response to the outbreak, and also sounded the alarm on the dearth of medical supplies.
Also among the doctors who have died is Francesco Foltrani, 67, who died on March 19. The federation says Foltrani had in-person contact with a local retirement home where many of the elderly residents were known to have contracted coronavirus.
By the numbers: There are approximately 53,578 confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy, according to the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center.
[ By staying home, you are helping protect health care workers as well. ]
Flatten the curve… stay home if you can, social (physical) distance 6 feet, wash your hands, disinfect, etc…
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/03/compare-coronavirus-cases-in-ohio-michigan.html
Fauci says “there isn’t, fundamentally, a difference” between his view and Trump’s on coronavirus
From CNN’s Nicky Robertson
Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said there is a problem with people trying to separate himself and President Trump when it comes to their approaches to the coronavirus crisis, but that “there isn’t, fundamentally, a difference there.”
Fauci, in an interview on CBS “Face the Nation,” was asked about the President’s tweet on Saturday in which he stated that a mixture of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin could help people suffering from Covid-19.
“HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine …” Trump tweeted on Saturday.
When asked on Sunday where the President got that information, Fauci said Trump had heard about this combination of drugs from anecdotal reports.
“I am not disagreeing with the fact that, anecdotally, they might work but my job is to prove definitely from a scientific standpoint that they do work,” Fauci said, adding that people trying to separate himself and the President, but they approach these issues from differing standpoints; the President from a “hope, layperson standpoint” and Fauci from a “scientific standpoint."
Trump says Ford, General Motors and Tesla given “go ahead” to make ventilators
From CNN’s Richard Davis
President Trump says Ford, General Motors and Tesla were given a “go ahead” to make ventilators and other metal products “FAST,” according to a tweet he sent Sunday.
“Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are?” Trump tweeted.
Following the tweet, a spokesperson at Ford said, “we are moving fast to address these efforts and will provide more information when we have it.”
GM spokesperson Jim Cain told CNN that “the work we announced Friday continues.”
CNN has reached out to Tesla for comment.
NY governor: “New York received no funding from the first federal coronavirus bill”
CNN
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that New York received no funding from the first coronavirus bill despite it “having the greatest need.”
“That was a technical mistake in the way they wrote the bill,” Cuomo said.
Hospital beds and medical supplies continue to be an issue for the state, Cuomo added. Hospitals have about 53,000 hospital beds available now, but could need around 110,000, he said.
Cuomo is calling on the federal government to nationalize medical supply acquisitions because states are competing with each other and price gauging is happening.
New York state has 15-times more cases than other states, according to Cuomo.
NY governor says “we’re competing against other states” for coronavirus supplies
From CNN’s Melanie Schuman
CNN
The federal government should nationalize medical supply acquisition to help states across the US fighting the coronavirus pandemic, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who held a press conference Sunday morning.
“In some ways, we are savaging other states,” Cuomo said. “I’m trying to buy masks. I’m competing with California, Illinois, Florida. That’s not the way it should be, frankly. Price gouging is a tremendous problem, and it’s only getting worse.”
Cuomo said it’s a race between states as well as a race between hospitals.
He said a mask which normally costs .85 cents now costs $7 dollars.
Nashville mayor issues “safer at home” order
Nashville Mayor John Cooper issued at 14-day “safer at home” order Sunday.
On Twitter, the mayor explained that the order is for residents to stay in their homes and only go out for essential needs.
Under the order, all businesses not performing essential services will close and all social gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited, Cooper tweeted.
Restaurants can only serve customers via delivery, take out or drive through, a tweet said.
NJ governor says “its no time to panic, but just the same, it’s no time for business as usual”
From CNN’s Kristina Sgueglia
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said this morning on ABC that his state has been trying to get ahead of the coronavirus pandemic and "were going to have an overwhelming amount of pressure in our healthcare system.”
My plea is “frankly, just stay home” unless “you’re essential, unless you’re helping us in the fight, we need you to be at home," Murphy said.
“Folks needed to be jolted,” he said. "It’s no time to panic, but just the same it’s no time for business as usual. We won WW2 not cause we panicked, we were smart, we were aggressive we worked hard, that’s what we’re going to need right now.”
Michigan governor: “Lives will be lost because we weren’t prepared”
CNN
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the federal government’s initial response to the coronavirus outbreak could have disastrous consequences, according to an interview she did on ABC Sunday morning.
“Had the federal government really started focusing when it became clear that the whole world was going to be confronting this, we would be in a stronger position right now,” Whitmer said. “That’s an issue I’m not going to belabor because I’ve got to keep solving problems, and I would like the federal government to be a partner, and I can’t afford to have a fight with the White House.”
Whitmer also said there will be time for review actions and decision-making after the crisis has passed.
“At some point we’re going to have to analyze where the all the failures were, and we’re going to have to make decisions based on what happened and what didn’t happen,” Whitmer continued. “Lives will be lost because we weren’t prepared, our economy will struggle longer because we didn’t take this seriously as early enough as a country, and there will be consequences of that, but right now, I’ve got to solve problems, and I need the federal government to help me to make sure that I’ve got what we need for our frontline providers in particular, but also ventilators for people who are going to suffer.”
Some general info on smoking and vaping…
I am in full support of CDC guidelines, so don’t take this the wrong way. Just food for thought.
For an 80-year-old that lives for spending time with grandkids, this is a tough time to be in isolation.
Actuarial tables estimate a non-CoV death rate of 5%, and life expectancy of 8 more years. So, 760 person-years remaining for a sample of 100.
Some estimate the CoV penetration to be 50% before the virus dies out. And if an 80-year old gets CoV, 8% chance of death. So, 728 person-years remaining when non-CoV and CoV are combined.
Averaged across the sample, CoV will take 0.32 years from an 80-year-old.
If the ongoing efforts to flatten the curve only serve to flatten the curve without reducing the number of infections, would an 80-year-old still want to isolate for a precious few months?
Thanks, @Qtinfo. I have a friend whose oldest adult child seems very unconcerned about the virus, despite the following: 1) Is currently moving from NYC to northern California. 2) Plan upon arriving in northern California is to start working as a PT assistant in a nursing home. 3) Vapes. 4) Might be drinking excessively. 5) Might be using other controlled or illegal substances.
Illinois governor says states are competing against each other for coronavirus supplies
From CNN’s Dominic Torres
CNN
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker complained that states are competing against each other for key supplies and there needs to be more federal coordination on these goods, he said in an interview with on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
As a result, everyone is competing against each other jurisdictions are paying higher prices, Pritzker said.
“We need millions of masks and hundreds of thousands of gowns and gloves and the rest. And unfortunately, we’re getting still just a fraction of that. So we’re out on the open market, competing for these items that we so badly need and we’re succeeding in some ways. but we still need more,” Pritzker said.
[ Anyone who has taken a basic Econ 101 class knows this is true. Trump’s messages to governors to source themselves is ridiculous on several levels. ]
Coronavirus is speeding up the death of local newsrooms
From CNN’s Kerry Flynn
The Detroit Metro Times started the year on a celebratory note, having reached its 40th anniversary. This week, its staff was slashed from 16 to eight employees after its parent company Euclid Media Group announced layoffs across its seven newspapers as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the country, crippling businesses in its wake.
Music editor Jerilyn Jordan was told in a conference call on Wednesday that she was one of the remaining employees but staying on would mean a 10% pay cut.
“Everything changed in a week,” Jordan told CNN Business. “For a minute, I could comfortably glide into work and know that I had some concert announcements to post. But then it became writing about cancellations and postponements and rescheduling. Now that’s come to a halt because guess what? Let’s just assume everything was f**king canceled.”
With local events canceled and restaurants and bars shuttering to crack down on the gathering of large crowds, local newsrooms have not only had to change their coverage. They have also lost out on crucial ad revenue and places to distribute their print products.
These changes have an outsized effect on alt-weeklies which rely heavily on advertising from events and local businesses.
“I think I’m a fairly good salesperson, but to be able to convince someone to run an ad for an event they’re not having is beyond my capabilities,” Jeff vonKaenel, president, CEO and majority owner of the News & Review newspapers in Sacramento, Chico and Reno told CNN Business. “Now businesses where I normally distribute papers are closed so it’s not going to work. There was essentially no revenue stream and no effective way to get out the paper.”
Russia is flying doctors and supplies to Italy to help with its coronavirus response
From CNN’s Mary Ilyushina in Moscow and Livia Borghese in Rome
Russia is sending equipment and teams of doctors to Italy, as the nation continues to battle its worsening coronavirus outbreak.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said Sunday it had started flying 100 doctors and virologists, along with disinfection equipment, to the country.
The first Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces departed Sunday from Moscow’s Chkalovsky military airfield with Russian military specialists and equipment aboard, the Russian military said in a statement.
Nine Il-76 transport aircraft, with military doctors, special vehicles for disinfecting and other medical equipment on board, will land today at the military airport of Pratica di Mare, the Italian defense ministry added.
Some context: This news came a day after telephone conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the defense ministers of both countries.
According to a Kremlin readout, Russia agreed to provide assistance on Italy’s request, including protective equipment, KAMAZ truck-mounted units used for disinfection, medical and other equipment.
“Italy is not alone in this challenge,” Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini said after speaking with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu by phone late Saturday, according to a readout. “I want to thank Russia for the help it is giving our country to overcome this emergency.”
The view from Russia: Putin’s move came in for some criticism at home. Russian officials have faced questions about shortages of protective equipment for medical workers, and the city of Moscow is scrambling to complete a medical facility for coronavirus patients.
Anastasia Vasilyeva, a doctor for Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny and leader of the Alliance of Doctors union, wrote a sardonic post on Twitter about Russia’s move to help Italy.
“Is Putin our president at all?” she wrote. “We have a shortage of doctors, they do not have protective equipment, they are sewing masks from gauze. How many times have we asked them to be provided. And then he sends help to Italy. Does he not care about his country?”
Putin and Russian officials claim they have been proactive in combating the spread of coronavirus in Russia. The country’s coronavirus tracking headquarters says Russia has 367 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
@BuckeyeMWDSG Great graph in that article!
@OneMoreToGo2021 Our areas couldn’t be more different. My town is really compliant. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
I wish the best for everyone.
This “solution” totally ignores the hospital crisis. Yes, most folks live IF there is enough hospital room for them. There isn’t. And it’s not just the elderly and health compromised folks who need hospital intervention. Different stats show that tends to be 10-20% of those who come down with it and it doesn’t vary quite as much by age as the death rate does.
More people getting the disease = less room in the hospitals = higher death rate (see Italy).
That’s what “flatten the curve” is all about.
Those thinking they are helping the economy are deluding themselves. The best help for the economy is everyone pitching in. This virus has a shelf life. It could be contained quickly if enough people were caring and smart enough. Since that’s not real life, yes, the economy is sunk. Those dragging it on are making it worse, not better.
Unemployment rate quadruples in Israel
From Amir Tal in Jerusalem
Unemployment in Israel surged to 16.5%, the country’s Employment Service said in a statement Sunday morning, up from around 4% before the coronavirus outbreak began.
More than 500,000 workers registered for unemployment benefits with the Employment Service in March alone.
The Employment Service noted that the rate of registration has slowed, but it cautioned that this may simply be the end of the first major round of layoffs from the tourism industry. As the economic slowdown hits other sectors of the economy, the rate of registration may increase again, officials warned.
With deaths rising and “hard days ahead,” Spain readies for extended state of emergency
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been in meetings with health and security officials on Sunday morning, as Spaniards prepare for a possible extension of their country’s state of emergency.
Sanchez is expected to address the nation in a televised speech later on Sunday.
It comes with the country’s death toll from the virus accelerating. The country’s health ministry said on Sunday that another 394 had died in just the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 1,720.
“There are hard days ahead,” Sanchez said in a televised briefing on Saturday. “We have to get ready from a physiological and emotional standpoint. We have to get to the end of next week strong, very strong. The risk is everywhere.”
Spain has been locked down and placed in a state of emergency since Friday March 13. The period was initially expected to last 15 days, but cases in the country continue to soar as that deadline approaches.
Emergency hospitals have been set up across the country, while residents have been urged to stay indoors and normally busy streets are deserted.
Almost 25,000 cases have been reported in total, with a drastic spike of 5,000 new cases reported on Saturday.
“Spain is among the most-affected countries in Europe and in the world,” Sanchez said on Saturday, adding that the worst is still to come.
In an effort to strengthen Spain’s response to the health crisis, Sanchez announced the national production of masks, ventilators and tests. Meanwhile, the government has bought 640,000 reliable ratified fast tests, which will soon be 1 million, and within the next few hours 1.3 million masks will be handed to health personnel and patients, Sanchez said.
The UK is just a couple of weeks behind Italy, Boris Johnson warns
From CNN’s Simon Cullen in London
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the country’s NHS risks becoming “overwhelmed” by the coronavirus outbreak and that the situation in Britain is just two or three weeks behind Italy.
“The numbers are very stark, and they are accelerating. We are only a matter of weeks – two or three – behind Italy,” Johnson said.
“The Italians have a superb health care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand. The Italian death toll is already in the thousands and climbing.
“Unless we act together, unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread – then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed," Johnson said.
“That is why this country has taken the steps that it has, in imposing restrictions never seen before either in peace or war.”
Johnson’s statement was released on Mother’s Day in the UK. He is urging people to stay away from their mothers because of the virus – and instead ring them or video call them. Just a few days ago, however, Johnson himself said he hoped to see his own mother.
The world’s biggest “public curfew” exercise begins in India
From CNN’s Swati Gupta and Vedika Sud in Delhi
Today, India is attempting the world’s biggest social-distancing exercise. But for now, it will only last for 14 hours.
Why is it happening?
It’s the latest attempt by the government to stall the rapid spread of Covid-19. It could also indicate that the government is testing the waters on whether an official curfew could actually be imposed across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept up a steady stream of tweets since early morning, asking citizens to stay inside. “The steps we take now will help in the times to come. Stay indoors and stay healthy," he said.
What India is like today:
Social media has been flooded with photographs of famous locations that are usually packed with people – but today are eerily quiet.
In India, where staples like rice, flour and pulses have always been bought in bulk, the fear of a lockdown has spurred people to double their usual orders.
Local grocery shops – seen on every street – continue to operate but with fewer items on their shelves.
Modi has asked Indians to hold a salute to medical professionals, emergency health care provider and government officials on Sunday evening. Millions are expected to ring bells and clap to honor their work.
Who will be affected by the ‘public curfew’:
The people who will be most affected are those who depend on a steady daily wage to put food on the table – including people who work as rickshaw pullers or street hawkers.
This is also a problem for shoppers. In a country where tinned food is almost non-existent, every household is dependent on the local hawkers who push carts piled with vegetables each morning through the neighborhood.
What’s the bigger picture in India:
More than 320 people have contracted coronavirus in India.
In the past few weeks, India has taken unprecedented steps to shut down its borders, cancel visas and ban passengers from certain countries from entering Indian airspace.
Closer to 50%, at least based on the number of 65+ that are taking prescriptions. And many of those are taking 3-4 Rx at a time.
Everyone arriving in Shanghai from overseas will be tested for coronavirus
From CNN’s Alexandra Lin in Hong Kong
All passengers arriving into Shanghai from abroad will be tested for the coronavirus, Shanghai’s Health Commission announced on Sunday.
The measure will apply even to those arriving from areas where the virus is not widespread.
Beijing flights:
On Sunday, the government announced that all international flights to Beijing will be diverted to other cities in China starting Monday. Passengers on affected flights will need to clear immigration and customs at their first port of entry. Those deemed healthy will then be allowed to board the same aircraft to fly onwards to Beijing, the government said.
The bigger picture:
Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, has not reported any new cases for four days in a row.
But now there is a new focus in the fight against coronavirus: people bringing the virus into China.
China recorded 46 new coronavirus cases on Saturday – and all but one came from abroad. That brings the total number of imported cases to 314.
Germany to ban gatherings of more than 2 people
From CNN’s Nadine Schmidt in Berlin
Germany has implemented a “contact ban” rather than a full nationwide lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Merkel said in a press conference Sunday that the country would toughen measures and “reduce contact with people as much as possible.”
“To that end, Germany will ban gatherings of more than two people,” Merkel said.
Merkel extrapolated on the ban in a phone conversation between herself and the 16 German state premiers on Sunday, saying a contact ban will be implemented, meaning no more than two people would be allowed to interact with each other — with the exceptions of families and people living together.
Merkel said that “a minimum distance of 1.5 to 2 meters” should be adhered to and meetings in groups are now unacceptable and will be sanctioned if not adhered to.
Further, Merkel added that restaurants, as well as hair salons, and tattoo shops will also be shut down.
Merkel said these measures would be in place for at least two weeks.
44 year old David Lat ‘Above the Law’ blogger, hospitalized, intubated and in critical condition in NYC. I don’t typically read the ny post, but it has links to Lat’s twitter account, where he tweets about the progression of his condition, and I found his personal account to be helpful to read. I’ll post a second, more reliable link, from Law.com, below the post article, which has links to his twitter, but it’s more convoluted because it’s through a link to a previous article.
https://nypost.com/2020/03/22/above-the-law-blog-founder-david-lat-on-ventilator-with-coronavirus/
Rural areas tell UK city-dwellers to stay away
From CNN’s Rory Sullivan
People in the United Kingdom are being told to stay at home and to not travel to remote communities, amid growing worries in the regions over the spread of coronavirus.
Fiona Hyslop, Scotland’s tourism secretary, told the BBC that tourists could “compromise the health” of people living in rural areas, including the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Tourism businesses along one Scottish road, the A830 which runs from Fort William to Mallaig, have also urged people to stay away.
The Road To The Isles group, which is made up of 100 tourism businesses along the route, said that “vital services” in the area are “struggling to cope with demand," according to PA Media news agency.
The area has just one doctor and one ambulance serving an ageing population. In a statement on its website, Visit Scotland asked everyone “not to travel to or around Scotland.”
People were also discouraged from traveling to Cornwall, a county in western England. A joint statement issued by Cornwall Council and the tourism site Visit Cornwall on Friday urged people planning a trip to the county to “consider deferring their visit.”
Steve Double, the Conservative MP for St Austell and Newquay in Cornwall, told Sky News on Saturday: “Please do not travel to Cornwall, we do not want to spread this virus any further.”
Elsewhere, Snowdonia National Park in Wales experienced its “busiest ever visitor day” on Saturday with people flouting guidance on social distancing, according to its website.
“We are calling on the Prime Minister and the First Minister of Wales to provide stronger measures on unnecessary travel and social distancing, to ensure that we do not see a repeat of yesterday’s scenes across Snowdonia," Emyr Williams, chief executive of the Snowdonia National Park Authority, said in a statement on Sunday.
Tennessee governor issues order restricting businesses
From CNN’s Hollie Silverman
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has issued an executive order Sunday with sweeping changes to businesses in response to the coronavirus.
The issue prohibits gatherings of 10 or more and enacts restrictions on businesses.
Restaurants are ordered to only offer drive-thru, take out or delivery options and can sell alcohol by delivery or pick up to those over 21, a release from the governor’s office said.
Gyms and other fitness facilities are closed until April 6 and encouraged to pursue digital programs, according to the release.
Nursing homes and other long term care facilities are no longer allowed to accept visitors unless they are essential to care, the release said.
What is the chance that an under-65 person with COVID-19 would need to be hospitalized? Anecdotally, in the hard-hit areas, I’m hearing stories of numerous people under 50 in the hospital.
In the just quarantine people over 65 and people with pre-existing conditions plan, we’d run out of hospital beds. And then those mortality rates would go up, because the people who would have survived with hospital care won’t get hospital care and they’ll die.