not the ones I know. They don’t eat wild animals. I think it is a regional thing. I met someone once from a more southern central part of China who didn’t eat any animals and we thought she might be a vegetarian. She heard I was one and hadn’t heard the term before and didn’t understand the meaning. She was just about ready to declare herself a vegetarian when she asked if snakes count. My husband, from the northern part of China, was pretty grossed out and didn’t know anyone who eats snakes and had never met anyone who did before her.
In yet another shocker, the national news didn’t make mention of Gretchen Whitmer’s latest press briefing, either! What could possibly be happening here? Well, I know you’re all curious, so here’s the latest and greatest from the state containing yet another hotspot. I know these lives matter to everybody, right?
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 5,524 as of Sunday, including 132 deaths, state officials report. Dr. Khaldun said she expects that the number of cases in Michigan will peak within the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, families have been waiting to find out the state’s plan for the remainder of the school year as schools have been shut down since March 16 due to the virus outbreak. Last week, Whitmer’s office said an announcement is coming this week about “plans to ensure our seniors graduate and that no child is held back."
Whitmer said Monday that a decision will be announced later this week.
…
The U.S. Surgeon General warns this next week could be tough for Wayne County, labeling it a hotspot.
…
A study at the University of Washington predicts Michigan hospitals will hit their peak around April 8. The same study predicts more than 4,000 people could die from coronavirus by August.
While the federal government is sending another 8,000 N95 masks to Michigan, Whitmer is concerned it might not be enough to keep healthcare workers safe.
“We see this astronomical rise, we’ve got hospitals at capacity, running out of PPE’s as well,” Whitmer said. “We’ve got nurses who are wearing the same mask to the end of their shift.”
Serious question - how much of the eating of wild animals is due to preference and how much is due to poverty? I’m asking because even in rural areas of America, people eat snakes, squirrels, possum, etc. Less because they’re a delicacy but more because that’s what they can catch and they don’t have money to buy other meats. How much of the wild animal consumption in China do you think is driven by lack of money vs. preference, if this is a factor at all?
Tocilizumab ( IL6 inhibitor also known as Actemra )
iv 20 mg/ml , cost 491 $ for 80 mg dose for COVID is 8 mg/kg one single administration is needed, max dose 800 mg so it may cost anywhere from 3000 to 5000 $ per patient. Worth it, if it saves a life. Plus, each day of ICU stay is probably 2000$ anyway and ARDS patients may spend easily 10 days in the ICU
@suteiki77 sorry. I’ve been attending to other matters.
The “she“ that I was referencing in my post was Speaker Pelosi.
Read this timeline. It was confusing for everyone. And the speaker has selective memory it appears, it’s politically expedient. Just a view.
February 24.
Speaker Pelosi Tours area of SF asking for people to come down and they’re open for business. Followed by throngs and TV reporters.
February 25 1:45 p.m.
SF declares state of emergency: Mayor London Breed issued a state of emergency for San Francisco on Tuesday, a move that will allow the city to add resources to contain the virus in case the city experiences an outbreak. San Francisco officials are urging schools to begin drafting plans for closures and businesses to consider their work-from-home policies should employees need to self-quarantine. Currently one coronavirus patient, who was on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan before evacuating to Travis Air Force Base, being treated in San Francisco.
March 1st. - source KRON
The fears surrounding the coronavirus have really taken a toll on tourism in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Facebook announced Friday they’re partnering with the city and offering a $20,000 grant to help Chinatown
—-promote shopping and dining in their neighborhood.
Tane Chan opened the Wok Shop on Grant Street in San Francisco’s Chinatown 52 years ago.
“It’s a landmark here in Chinatown,” Chan said.
Chan said businessowners in Chinatown have seen fewer customers coming into their shops because of people’s fears of the coronavirus.
——City leaders reminded everyone that there are no reported cases in the city.
—-“Sadly, there has been a lot of xenophobia as a result of what’s happening,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said (Didn’t they just declare an emergency the week before)
. “Young people in our schools, elderly people, others throughout San Francisco and
—-I want to focus on the fact that there have been no cases in San Francisco.”
(I guess downplaying the virus)
“As a preparatory matter, we declared a state of emergency to unleash all resources, to make sure people are safe and healthy and that our economy remains vibrant,” San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin said.
“Coronavirus is very serious and we have to take it seriously,” California Senator Scott Weiner said.
—- “We can’t dismiss it, but on the same token we have to continue to lead our lives. we can’t just shut down and curl up in a ball.”
——City leaders want everyone to know Chinatown is open for business.
Facebook helped the neighborhood promote their businesses with a $20,000 grant and $5,000 in Facebook ad credits to encourage people to shop local.
“We will not tolerate rumors, we will not tolerate xenophobia, we will not tolerate racism in San Francisco,” Peskin said. “We are all in it together.”
“We have seen a downtown in walk in traffic but we are all very optimistic because we know our Chinatown,” Chan said. “This too will pass.”
We’re told Chinatown businesses have seen a 70-percent decline, but as Chan said, they are optimistic things will change soon.
Agree; the grossness of some toilets in China is not that they are of the squat type, but that the definition of “flush” may not really be what you would expect (though there are squat toilets that flush as you would expect in China as well as other places like Switzerland and Italy). Also, the water that you wash your hands with can itself be contaminated (why people boil it before drinking).
Jake Tapper on CNN interviewing Gov. Gavin Newsom today
Jake-
“Do you find yourself, by necessity, tempering what you say in terms of any issues you might have with the federal response?"
Gov Newsom-
“Let me just be candid with you. I’d be lying to you to say that he hasn’t been responsive to our needs. He has. And so, as a question, as a sort of an offer of objectivity, I have to acknowledge that publicly,”
Just a little different perspective is good from time to time.
I think I shared previously that my daughter noticed that people in Spain don’t wash their hands, even after using the bathroom just before coming to the dinner table. Today, she spoke with a German exchange student from her program who has been in Cadiz the last few months. D asked the young woman if things had changed. “No!” They still don’t even have soap most places!" Unbelievable.
Seems like the feds should pay for them. They control the airports and failed to screen adequately.
I don’t think you can go around quoting that number based on one very small group of 32 patients.
My post #12159, from earlier today @milee30. So, I guess LA did get some coverage. 
There was time and attention for 8 golf outings and numerous campaign rallies during this period.
US health expert says a coronavirus antibody test could be available “within this month”
CNN
Dr. Deborah Birx said a coronavirus antibody test could be available “within this month” and says “I’ve really called on every university and every state to develop ELISA’s, you can buy the antigens and the controls online, and really work to test entire health care communities in your state and support them that way.”
The ELISA, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, test detects and measures antibodies in blood. If successful, the test could help identify those who have already had the virus, but have since recovered.
Experts say that if a person has had the virus and developed antibodies, it will most likely mean they have built up immunity and the chances of that person being infected again drops dramatically.
Birx said that the test could help identify frontline medical workers who may have had the coronavirus and not know it.
“I think really being able to tell them, the peace of mind that would come from knowing you already were infected, you have the antibody, you are safe from reinfection. 99.9% of the time," Birx said.
Birx said a first test could be available, “soon, within this month if the universities help us, absolutely.”
Cruise ships with critical patients set to arrive near Florida Thursday morning
From CNN’s Rosa Flores and Sara Weisfeldt
The Zaandam and Rotterdam cruise ships are expected to arrive and remain off the coast of Florida early Thursday while they wait for clearance from US authorities, according to a statement from Holland America.
The company made a plea to President Trump, Florida authorities and the public to be allowed to arrive to Florida.
“We appreciate the support of President Trump in resolving the humanitarian plight of our guests,” Holland America said in a statement. “Holland America Line calls for compassion and reason in the review and approval of our disembarkation plan by Florida officials.”
The cruise line called the status on the ships a “humanitarian situation.” Four people on the ship have died and at least eight people have tested positive for Covid-19.
Since March 22, 97 guests (83 on Zaandam and 14 on Rotterdam) and 136 crew on the Zaandam have exhibited flu-like symptoms, according to the statement.
About 45 guests have mild illness and are unfit to travel. These passengers would stay isolated on board until they recover, per the press release.
Holland America says less than 10 people need immediate critical care onshore and it has secured a local health system to treat them.
“This small number is the only group that will require any support from medical resources in Broward County and is necessary to prevent further harm to their health,” Holland America said in a statement
Fact-checking the number of coronavirus cases in each state
From CNN’s Tara Subramaniam
When asked Wednesday evening during a coronavirus task force briefing why he didn’t issue a universal stay-at-home order for the entirety of the country, President Trump implied that some states are basically fine when it comes to the disease.
“There are some states that don’t have much of a problem,” he said. “There are some, well they don’t have the problem, they don’t have thousands of people that are positive or thousands of people that even think they might have it, or hundreds of people in some cases.”
Facts First: The entire country has been impacted by the coronavirus. Americans have tested positive in every US state and all but one territory. As of the start of Wednesday’s press briefing, all 50 states had at least 100 cases.
Props to the mayor for using the correct noun.
Georgia governor says state may see peak hospital capacity on April 23
From CNN’s Lindsay Benson
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said that Georgia could “reach peak hospital capacity on April 23.”
“As of this morning, we had 3,520 medical surgical beds, 450 beds and 1,006 ventilators available in our hospitals across the state. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Georgia will reach peak hospital capacity on April 23,” Kemp said during his Wednesday press conference.
Kemp added: “That’s nearly three weeks from today. This model assumes that Georgians continue to abide by the state’s orders and use social distancing methods through the end of May.”
Grand Canyon National Park closes because of coronavirus
CNN
Grand Canyon National Park announced its closure “immediately” in a press release Wednesday evening.
The National Park Service said it is closing the park based on the recommendation of the chief health officer in Coconino County, Arizona.
The park had been operating with very limited services, but resisted a call from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and other groups to close entirely.
“The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service will continue to follow the guidance of state and local health officials in making determinations about our operations,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement.
Trump says “severity” of coronavirus changed his view on the disease
By CNN’s Sarah Westwood
President Trump said learning about the “severity” of the novel coronavirus led to his recent shift in tone away from comparing the virus to the flu as he did in the early days of the pandemic.
“I think also, and looking at the way — the contagion — it is so contagious. Nobody’s ever seen anything like this, where large groups of people all of a sudden, just by being in the presence of somebody, have it,” Trump said at the coronavirus task force briefing Wednesday.
The President was asked about the unnamed friend whose struggle with the virus Trump has cited at least twice in previous briefings. Trump has said this friend slipped into a coma.
“Also the violence of it — if it hits the right person, and you know what those stats are, if it hits the right person that persons in deep trouble. And my friend was the right person,” Trump said.
The President stopped short of saying his friend’s condition was a turning point in his view of the virus, saying his view shifted due to the data he was presented.
“But it hit him very hard. He’s strong, very strong kind of a guy, but he’s older, he’s heavier and he’s sort of central casting for what we’re talking about,” Trump said.
Newsom. Interesting.
Who am I arguing with? Cuomo worshipers, who else? If a state is doing well managing the issue like CA, whether they close anything down or not, it is not my concern. It is the state doing badly like NY who isn’t taking severe action that I have a problem with. And then everybody singing what a great job he is doing. He isn’t doing a great job managing the virus. If he is or was doing a good job, how in the world did he manage to produce so many cases in such a short time? What he is doing great is in attacking the federal gov. It may satisfy many people here and in NY but it doesn’t help the country with dealing with the virus. That’s a circus.
Lately, I have felt even more fortunate than usual to live in the United States, where for most people clean water and good plumbing are available and there is, relatively speaking, lots of space. The extreme poverty in India and many other countries, and the effects of poverty on people’s health and well-being, are especially frightening to contemplate during this pandemic.
There’s another IL6 inhibitor that is being used, as well. Sarilumab? I think it was Ian Lipkin who mentioned that he felt that a combination of Remdesvir plus the IL6 inhibitors would prove to be a good treatment option for severe Covid 19 and keep the virus from becoming resistant to Remdesivir. Here’s hoping.
Trump says he will not issue a national stay-at-home order
From CNN’s Jason Hoffman
President Trump said he won’t issue a national stay-at-home order because different states have different levels of coronavirus cases.
“States are different and I understand that the governor of Florida, great Gov. Ron DeSantis issued one today and that’s good, that’s great. But there are some states that are different. There are some states that don’t have much of a problem,” Trump said Wednesday afternoon.
The President said there should be some sort of flexibility among the states depending on how bad individual states situations might be.
“You have to look — you have to give a little flexibility. If you have a state in the Midwest, or if Alaska for example doesn’t have a problem, it’s awfully tough to say close it down. We have to have a little bit of flexibility,” Trump said.
Some context: Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the 30 days to slow the spread guidelines should be viewed as a national stay-at-home order on Wednesday morning.
“My advice to America would be that these guidelines are a national stay-at-home order. There are guidelines that say, look, the more we social distance, the more we stay at home, the less spread of disease there will be,” Adams said.
Trump says the administration may cut off air travel to coronavirus hot spots
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal
President Trump said the administration is considering cutting off coronavirus “hot spots” from air travel, but added that such a move would be “very tough.”
“We’re thinking about doing that, at the same time we just, you know, to start these airlines and to start this whole thing over is very tough,” the President said. “And you have them going in some cases from going to hot spot to hot spot."
“Once you do that,” Trump added, “you really are clamping down an industry that is desperately needed.”
Trump said the calculation between keeping the industry afloat and spreading the virus, “is a calculation we’re looking at right now. We’re looking at it very strongly.”
Canadian officials say medical stockpiles were low going into the pandemic
From CNN’s Paula Newton
Canadian officials say the government is telling them the stockpile for medical supplies may not be enough to combat the novel coronavirus.
“To your question about whether we had enough — no, we likely did not have enough. I think federal governments for decades have been under-funding things like public health preparedness,” Patty Hajdu, Canada’s health minister, said during a news conference in Ottawa on Wednesday.
“I have heard those stories myself from frontline workers, I know provinces and territories are developing different sets of rules for frontline workers around the dispersement, and use of personal protective equipment,” Hajdu added.
Several hospitals in Ontario and Quebec, the worst affected provinces in Canada, are now telling medical staff to ration their supplies of protective equipment.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government continues to work to find supplies around the world and he says he is working hard on “made in Canada” solutions.
“We recognize the challenges frontline health workers are facing in different parts of the country. We are working very closely with the provincial authorities in charge of those healthcare systems to try and meet the needs that they’re facing," Trudeau said during a press conference Wednesday. “We are facing – looking at a global demand for these supplies that is unprecedented. Countries around the world are trying to get more of these supplies. We are expecting to see some shipments coming in very shortly that will help in Canada.”
Looks like the virus got past the screening procedures intended to move only uninfected passengers from the Zaandam to the Rotterdam, so that instead of having one “safe” ship that can be docked to let the passengers off, they now have two “unsafe” ships that ports do not want to allow to dock. (Rotterdam departed with crew only to meet Zaandam and take off the uninfected passengers.)
Article on response by various governors.
Apologies if already posted.
From the above link,