If you’re concerned enough to get a test, then you should be smart enough (compassionate enough?) to self-isolate. Full stop.
Paul attended a major black-tie social event in Louisville, Kentucky, two weeks ago where several attendees have subsequently tested positive, including the wife of Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow senators Sunday in a lunch that Paul got tested because he had been at that event, several Republican sources told CNN.
I agree that’s Paul’s judgement was bad here. He should have known better for a number of reasons. But his attitude towards all of this was very much in line with his lack of concern. Except when it came to taking one of those precious tests.
Why was that gym open anyways? DC closed gyms about a week ago. Why is Congress exempt? If they are so all fired important to go to the head of the line for the testing, should they be taking precautions that have been ordered? Entirely possible that those Senators, Congressmen, as well as gym staff are now exposed. In fact, probable.
Of course he had reason to believe he was putting others at risk since he had reason to be tested.
@menloparkmom agree 100 percent. It’s probably not going to save every business. But they will cover payroll. Offer payroll tax breaks for small companies and extra time for personal taxes due. It’s better than letting it all go to smoke. If we can keep death tolls low, relatively speaking, perhaps in 3 or 4 weeks we can see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The Democratic senators seem to want more to workers and less to firms. I think you have to protect both. If companies cease to exist, there are no jobs to return to when demand returns and persistent unemployment etc. will linger. Plus all the ruined businesses and their families too.
Also the catastrophic loss of wealth for retirees and savers needs to be quashed ASAP. They need to stabilize markets and do more as needed when things are not an quite this level of emergency. This fire needs to be put out imho.
Not that’s it’s entirely appropriate, but the adage “no atheists in foxholes” did come to mind a few days ago. When I googled it to make sure the meaning is what I’ve always took it be, imagine my surprise when the first thing on the list was Kurt Vonnegut saying something along the lines of “the problem is, there are still foxholes.”
That’s the kind of deep BS that has passed for wisdom the last 30 or so yrs of my life. A puddle you couldn’t sink a stone in, but still deep enough for some to drown in.
Honolulu ordered lockdown for its close to 1 million people tomorrow from 4:30pm. Only essential activities allowed.
The mayor admitted he considers 7000 of the 10,000 City employees essential. Hotel workers deemed essential.
How about senators who vote against stimulus packages with bi-partisan support?
Canadian Olympic Committee says it will not send teams to Tokyo Games in 2020 — the first nation to withdraw as worries mount
Canadian officials announced Sunday they will not allow their athletes to compete in the Summer Olympics this year and urged the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Games until 2021.
The IOC has faced increasing pressure to postpone the Games amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and earlier Sunday conceded it may be forced to do so. (WaPo)
“While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” the committee said in a statement.
For the first time, Japan’s Prime Minister says postponing the Olympics is a possibility
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo.
Speaking to lawmakers on Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said postponing the 2020 Summer Olympics is a possibility.
This is the first time Abe has changed his staunch public position that the Olympics will start July 24 as scheduled.
In recent days, a growing number of countries and athletes have called for the games to be postponed, while Canada said today it will not send any teams.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) responded Sunday, saying a final decision on postponement will be made within four weeks, due to the vast complexities of rescheduling a massive global sporting event like the Olympics.
“The IOC’s decision is along the lines of what I said before, of holding the event in its complete form. If that becomes difficult – and thinking first about the health of the athletes – we may have no option but to consider postponing the Games," Abe said, speaking at the budget committee in Japan’s upper house of parliament.
Here is the statement from Australia’s Olympic Committee, announcing that it is planning for a postponed Olympic games.
“The AOC held an Executive Board meeting via teleconference this morning and unanimously agreed that an Australian Team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad,” the statement says.
Australian Team Chef de Mission for Tokyo Ian Chesterman says:
It’s clear the Games can’t be held in July. Our athletes have been magnificent in their positive attitude to training and preparing, but the stress and uncertainty has been extremely challenging for them.
They have also shouldered the burden of concern for their peers around the world. That has been a consistent message to me.
New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley has said the country would consider boycotting the olympics.
Earlier today, Stanley published an open letter in which he wrote, “Athletes need a safe, and fair, playing field to compete and, right now, the widespread and evolving impact of Covid-19 is not allowing that to happen,” and urging the International Olympic Committee to “finalise their decision as soon as possible, bringing clarity to our sports and athletes.”
A few hours later, following the news that Japan was considering postponing the games, Stanley told Newshub that, the news organisation writes, “postponement is the only way to go,” and that if the IOC does not postpone the Tokyo Olympics, New Zealand would consider boycotting the games.(Guardian)
DC to use National Guard to help prevent cherry blossom crowds in nation’s capital
From CNN’s Kevin Bohn
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Sunday that she is ordering the Washington, DC, National Guard to work with police to restrict pedestrian access to areas where crowds have been flocking to view the cherry blossoms, which are in peak bloom, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
The mayor says the road closures and restrictions around the Tidal Basin, including the Jefferson Memorial, “will continue until further notice to ensure social distancing and prevent further community transmission of COVID-19.”
The National Cherry Blossom Festival would have taken place from March 20 to April 12, but restrictions and stay-at-home orders across the country to most of the festival being canceled.
As a result, the festival tweeted they opened a virtual tour for those wanting to see the cherry blossoms.
Argentina has announced a fixed sum for self-employed and independent workers who are being left without their livelihood because of the country’s general lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus. Some four million people are estimated to be eligible for the benefit. They include hairdressers, restaurant workers, construction workers and domestic employees. Argentina’s population is 45 million.
Conversations are under way as well with utility and mobile phone companies to prevent the cutting off of services for lack of payment while the nationwide quarantine remains in effect.
Argentina had a slight respite in the increase of coronavirus cases Sunday, with only 41 new cases reported, bringing the total to 266, compared with an increase of 67 Saturday.
Press reports Sunday affirmed that the government of President Alberto Fernández is handling projections of a minimum 250 thousand coronavirus cases by June and is therefore considering extending the nationwide quarantine beyond its original March 31 deadline. (Guardian)
I’m still an atheist, I don’t want to be proselytized by your religion and don’t agree it’s making the world better, and I don’t care to share @OneMoreToGo2021 's morality.
@doschicos will you have today’s tally?
Here’s a procedural question that someone here might know (or know where to find it):
-What happens with senate votes if there’s only 96 people available to vote? (arbitrary number) Do bills still require 51/60 votes to pass or does it reduce to 49/whatever the other number would be?
-What if they’re not just quarantined but are hospitalized and unable to vote, even remotely?
I foresee McConnell and Pelosi relenting and letting people vote remotely but given the fact that the senate (especially) is filled with people in the highest risk group, I worry about what happens if they begin to be hospitalized - or zeus forbid - worse. In normal times, there are procedures to fill the vacant seats but I honestly can’t remember a time when several people in the senate dropped at the same time so I’m not sure what happens.
@“Cardinal Fang” - Thank you for demonstrating the validity of my point that one half of the country is not interested in being lectured by the other on questions of morality. Your emotional response in post 9293 and your need to advertise your distance from religion strengthen my argument that there will be no possibility of long term shared sacrifice in a country riven by such fault lines.
Did the Chinese refuse them?
China has made a huge propaganda on social medial on sending a team of nine Chinese medical staff arriving with some 30 tons of equipment on a flight organized by the Chinese Red Cross. But it did not mention that Italian Red Cross sent similar supplies to them back in January.
Italy’s leaders have been effusive in their praise for Beijing. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio of the populist 5 Star Movement heralded China’s assistance as an “act of solidarity” and added, “Friendship and mutual solidarity go a long way.” The statement doesn’t come as a surprise, as Mr. Di Miao’s party has warm relations with Beijing and is Europe’s strongest supporter of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
Italians, however, shouldn’t be naive: China is using coronavirus aid to whitewash its responsibility for unleashing a global pandemic.
The are plenty of atheists in foxholes. Adages aren’t necessarily true.
Working on it now.
Italy definitely did send stuff to China. China has mentioned that in giving aid back to Italy. Check your facts. China did not refuse them and is already helping. More help is needed of course.
Italy isn’t naive. They need help in a crisis and will gladly welcome help from all corners. . Interestingly enough, the ones offering help are China, Russia, and Cuba.
Thank you @doschicos can I say how much I love you?
I can’t imagine why you think my being an atheist would make me less likely to sacrifice for the long term. I am staying at home. I intend to continue to stay at home. I think others should stay at home as well.
Umm… I’ve admitted here to being the same myself, more than one time, Fang. Wasn’t lying - at any time - though I understand there’s always an option to buy.
I simply no longer resent or feel the need to comment to it, if someone says something along lines that might suggest they believe differently than I do. Grown more tolerant, in other words.
Tolerant enough that it rankles to see ‘racism’ worked into a reply to what bugged you, but… it’s a big world, room enough for us all.
CHINA - 39 new (all imported) cases totaling 81,093 and 9 new deaths totaling 3,270.
Authorities in Wuhan are loosening restrictions. After nearly 2 months, Wuhan announced today that it would be loosening the lockdown by gradually resuming public transportation and allowing healthy people to go back to work.
China had put Wuhan and other cities into lockdown on Jan. 23 when a total of 25 deaths had been reported in the country. After about 3 weeks of lockdown, the number of new deaths reached its peak in China and then began declining.
Residents can now leave the city if they have a green health code, issued through an app. Those stuck in Wuhan over the last two months may now leave if they are screened and get a health certificate from local authorities.
Residents and community volunteers can now enter grocery shops but are required to present electronic health codes, from their smartphones, have their temperature tested and register their names.
Other signs of life returning to normal in China include Beijing seeing early morning Monday before work traffic. Several provinces have announced dates for when students will go back to school. (Guardian)
ITALY - 5,560 new cases totaling 59,139 and 651 new deaths totaling 5,47.
Both numbers are down from yesterday. May this please start a trend in that direction. 15% decline in new cases and 18% decline in new deaths with respect to yesterday.
Among the deaths: a 34-year-old man in Rome with no existing health conditions (according to reports) who died after being hospitalized for 4 days in sub‐intensive care. He had developed a fever after returning from Barcelona, Spain.
“We expect to see the first effects of the stringent lockdown measures adopted on March 11 after 2-3 weeks, so the coming week will be absolutely crucial in this sense: we expect to finally see a sign of trend reversal,” said Franco Locatelli, President of the Health Council.
Italy went into lockdown on March 11, when 827 deaths had already been reported, and 8 days after reaching 79 deaths (March 3) and 19 days after the beginning of the outbreak in the country (Feb. 21). On Feb. 22, Italy had become the country with the highest number of cases among all non-Asian nations. When China reached a similar number of deaths (811 deaths on Feb. 8) the lockdown had already been implemented for 2 weeks. (Yes, many will question the validity of the reported numbers from China.)
**USA - 9,339 new cases totaling 33,546 and 117 new deaths totaling 419.
SPAIN - 3,272 new cases totaling 28,768 and 391 new deaths totaling 1,772.
GERMANY - 2,509 new cases totaling 24,873 and 10 new deaths totaling 94.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel in quarantine at home after a doctor who gave her prophylactic vaccinations on Friday has tested positive for the coronavirus. Germany announces new rules allowing no more than 2 people to be together outside of family units.
IRAN - 1,028 new cases totaling 21,638 and 129 new deaths totaling 1,685.
FRANCE - 1,559 new cases totaling 16,018 and 112 new deaths totaling 674.
S. KOREA - 64 new cases totaling 8,961 and 7 new deaths totaling 111.
SWITZERLAND - 611 new cases totaling 7,474 and 18 new deaths totaling 98.
UK - 665 new cases totaling 5,683 and 48 new deaths totaling 281.
NETHERLANDS - 573 new cases totaling 4,204 and 43 new deaths totaling 179.
AUSTRIA - 588 new cases totaling 3,580 and 8 new deaths totaling 16.
BELGIUM - 586 new cases totaling 3,401 and 8 new deaths totaling 75.
*PORTUGAL - 320 new cases totaling 1,600 and 2 new deaths totaling 14.
*BRAZIL - 368 new cases totaling 1,546 and 7 new deaths totaling 25.
CANADA - 142 new cases totaling 1,470 and 1 new death totaling 20.
*AUSTRALIA - 281 new cases totaling 1,353.
NSW will proceed to a more comprehensive shutdown of non-essential services over the next 48 hours
*TURKEY - 289 new cases totaling 1,236 and 9 new deaths totaling 30.
CZECH REPUBLIC - 125 new cases totaling 1,120 and 1st death.
ISRAEL - 188 new cases totaling 1,071.
IRELAND - 121 new cases totaling 906 and 1 new death totaling 4.
The number of patients being treated in intensive care has more than doubled in the past few days: from 13 at midnight on Thursday to 29 currently
LUXEMBOURG - 128 new cases totaling 798.
*ECUADOR - 257 new cases totaling 789 and 7 new deaths totaling 14.
PAKISTAN - 131 new cases totaling 776 and 1 new death totaling 4.
POLAND - 98 new cases totaling 634 and 2 new deaths totaling 7.
CHILE - 95 new cases totaling 632.
FINLAND - 103 new cases totaling 626.
GREECE - 94 new cases totaling 624 and 2 new deaths totaling 15.
*THAILAND - 188 new cases totaling 599.
“Most of the new cases were found in Bangkok and were among young people who continue to have social activities, which can lead to more infections,” a senior Public Health Ministry official said
ICELAND - 95 new cases totaling 568.
INDONESIA - 64 new cases totaling 514 and 10 new deaths totaling 48.
*SAUDI ARABIA - 119 new cases totaling 511.
ROMANIA - 66 new cases totaling 433 and first 3 deaths.
INDIA - 64 new cases totaling 396 and 2 new deaths totaling 7.
PHILIPPINES - 73 new cases totaling 380 and 6 new death totaling 25.
RUSSIA - 61 new cases totaling 367.
PERU - 45 new cases totaling 363.
EGYPT - 33 new cases totaling 327 and 4 new deaths totaling 14.
HONG KONG - 42 new cases totaling 317.
*PANAMA - 68 new cases totaling 313.
SOUTH AFRICA - 34 new cases totaling 274.
*ARGENTINA - 108 new cases totaling 266.
CROATIA - 48 new cases totaling 254.
MEXICO - 48 new cases totaling 251.
COLOMBIA - 35 new cases totaling 231.
SERBIA - 51 new cases totaling 222.
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - 90 new cases totaling 202.
ALGERIA - 62 new cases totaling 201 and 2 new deaths totaling 17.
*URUGUAY - 48 new cases totaling 158.
LITHUANIA - 44 new cases totaling 143.
ANDORRA - 25 new cases totaling 113 and 1st death.
NEW ZEALAND - 50 new cases totaling 102.
CAMBODIA - 31 new cases totaling 84.
UKRAINE - 26 new cases totaling 73.
- BURKINA FASO - 24 new cases totaling 64 and 2 new deaths totaling 3.
- TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - 40 new cases totaling 49.
1st confirmed cases - Dominica, Grenada, Mozambique, Syria