Coronavirus in the US

Parent Cafe
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Australia begins pre-clinical testing for vaccine

Australia’s national science agency has it has commenced the first stage of testing potential vaccines for COVID-19, as it joins a global race to halt the coronavirus pandemic.

Pre-clinical testing by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), comprising injecting ferrets with two potential vaccines, was underway at its high-containment biosecurity facility near Melbourne.

The first phase testing would take around three months, CSIRO’s director of health Rob Grenfell told Reuters news agency, adding that any resulting vaccine would not be available to the public before late next year. Human trials of one of the two vaccine candidates being tested was expected to begin later this month or early next month.

Australia has reported around 5,200 cases and 24 deaths. (Al Jazeera)

Some Americans could wait 20 weeks to receive stimulus checks, IRS says
From CNN’s Manu Raju and Lauren Fox

Americans likely won’t begin to see direct payments from the coronavirus stimulus bill until at least April 13 and it could take 20 weeks for all the checks to be mailed, Trump administration officials told lawmakers, according to a House Democratic memo obtained by CNN.

The timeline means tens of millions of Americans will have to wait to get badly needed assistance, despite repeated suggestions from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that the money would go out as soon as April 6.

Mnuchin said this past Sunday after passage of the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill that payments would not go out until mid-April.

Some context: CNN reported in March that former IRS officials said the wait would likely be weeks or months.

Initially, the IRS will make about 60 million payments, likely in the week of April 13, for taxpayers who provided their direct deposit information through their 2018 or 2019 tax returns, the memo from the House Ways and Means Committee says.

Three weeks later, on the week of May 4, the IRS expects to start issuing paper checks to individuals whose bank information isn’t already on file, a process that will take much longer.

According to the committee, the paper checks will be issued at a rate of about 5 million per week, and that it could take up to 20 weeks to issue all the checks. Individuals with the lowest income, based on adjusted gross income, will receive their checks first.

[ Well, that’s not good.]

UK to test 100,000 people per day by end of the month, health official says
From CNN’s Sarah Dean in London

The United Kingdom will test 100,000 people per day for coronavirus by the end of this month, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced Thursday.

“That is the goal and I am determined we will get there,” Hancock said.
The UK has not currently been able to reach its current target of 25,000 tests per day.

Hancock set out the government’s order of priority for testing people for coronavirus: Patients first, expanding to NHS staff and their families, critical key workers thirdly and “over time we will expand to community."

Pelosi announces House committee on coronavirus crisis to exercise oversight of pandemic response
From CNN’s Clare Foran, Haley Byrd and Manu Raju

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the creation of a new bipartisan House select committee on the coronavirus crisis that will exercise oversight of the federal response to the pandemic and be chaired by Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.

The speaker told reporters Thursday on a conference call that the committee’s immediate focus will be on “the here and now,” not the Trump administration’s initial response to the pandemic, though she said there will come a time when such a review will be appropriate.

She said the committee will “have an expert staff and the committee will be empowered to examine all aspects of the federal response to coronavirus and to ensure that the taxpayers dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent to save lives, deliver relief, and benefit our economy.”

Pelosi said the committee will be able to exercise oversight and would have the authority to issue subpoenas.

“It’s no use having a committee unless you have subpoena power,” Pelosi said.

“We would hope there would be cooperation,” she added. “We want to make sure there are not exploiters out there.”

A Chicago police officer has died from coronavirus
From CNN’s Melissa Alonso

Chicago Police Officer Marco Di Franco, a 21-year veteran of the department, died after testing positive for Covid-19 last week, Interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck said Thursday at a briefing with officials.

He worked in the narcotics section and was “held in high esteem” by his commander, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

Di Franco, 50, was hospitalized over the weekend and died with “family by his side,” city officials said. He had been using a “one person” patrol vehicle and it is not clear how he contracted the virus, Beck said.

Lightfoot “implores the small segment” who has not “gotten the message” to stay home and save lives to honor Di Franco’s life and service.

He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 7 and 10, as well as his brother who worked in the same department. His family is currently quarantined, city officials say.

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Where is the ignore feature? I thought it was imaginary?

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Doctors setting up “hot sites” for people with coronavirus symptoms in England
From CNN’s Jo Shelley in London

Some general practice physicians in England are setting up so-called “hot sites” for people who have symptoms of Covid-19, according to Laura Sharpe, the chief executive of City & Hackney GP Confederation, a membership body for the GP surgeries in the City of London and Hackney borough.

The idea is to keep people with symptoms, who need to see a doctor, away from those without and therefore to minimize the spread of the virus.

“If they [doctors] feel like someone needs a face-to-face examination, and they have suspected Covid-19 symptoms, then we need somewhere for those people to be brought to, if we can’t visit them in their home,” Sharpe told CNN on Thursday.
The first site in the City of London and Hackney is due to open next week, and they are looking at opening additional sites in north and east Hackney.

“We’ve had an amazing response from GPs,” Sharpe said. “They have signed up in droves to do a session here and there across the rota of the first hub that will open next week.”

There have been 2,373 coronavirus-related deaths in New York
State of New York

There have been 2,373 coronavirus-related deaths across the state of New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday during a press conference.

This is up from 1,941 deaths reported on Wednesday.

British Airways to furlough 28,000 employees
From CNN’s Chris Liakos in London

British Airways will furlough 28,000 workers due to the coronavirus crisis, according to the United Kingdom’s leading union.

Unite, which represents thousands of workers employed by British Airways, said it has reached an agreement with the airline about how workers will be protected during the coronavirus crisis.

Unite said that 28,000 workers will be suspended and will receive 80% of their pay. Under the plan, the UK government will pay 80% of salaries up to £2,500 ($3,093) a month. British Airways will then cover any earnings above that, to ensure that all employees earn 80% of their monthly salary.

Unite and British Airways agreed that there will be no unpaid temporary lay offs and no redundancies during this period, according to the press release.

The deal awaits final approval by Unite’s members at British Airways.

About 1/3 of coronavirus cases in this California county tied to churches, health official says
From CNN’s Stella Chan

Almost a third of coronavirus cases in Sacramento County are connected to gatherings related to churches, according to the county’s Department of Public Health.

“While the case increase was expected, what was not is Sacramento County Public Health’s discovery that approximately one-third of the confirmed cases are linked to gatherings related to churches. Sacramento County is urging – and, not just because the Public Health Order calls for it – all residents, from all faiths and all backgrounds to stay home – lives in our communities depend on it,” according to the department’s website.

“Social distancing works. We must keep our distance from others and not gather with any non-household members. Period. If we do not slow the spread of cases, a surge of sick people could have the potential to overwhelm our hospitals, doctors and equipment resources and could result in additional deaths,” said, Dr. Peter Beilenson, Director of the Department of Health Services in a statement.

As of yesterday, the county reports 314 cases including 9 deaths.

Canada now has more than 10,000 coronavirus cases
From CNN’s Paula Newton

Canadian public health officials are now reporting at least 10,132 cases of Covid-19 across the country and 127 deaths.

Officials stressed that the next two weeks will be crucial in determining the shape of the pandemic curve in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced questions Thursday about why modeling data had not yet been released in Canada, as the Trump administration has done in the US.

“I know a lot of people are still wondering when this will get better, or how much worse it might become,” said Trudeau during his daily press conference in Ottawa.
Trudeau said that modeling information would be released soon but stressed his government is reviewing data to ensure more accurate modeling.

“How do we make sure the analysis that we apply to the data that’s coming in, that’s being published daily so Canadians can see it, actually makes sense and reflects what’s going to happen in various regions across the country,” he said.

The vast majority of Canadians are now under “stay at home” orders and most public schools have been closed for more than two weeks.

New York has a six-day supply of ventilators, governor says
CNN

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state has enough ventilators to last about six days if the rate of people needing them stays stable.

“If that rate continues, in our stock pile we have about six days,” Cuomo said. “If the apex increases, if the apex is longer, we have an issue with ventilators.”

Cuomo said he’s working on finding more ventilators, but he has "no desire to acquire more ventilators than we need

“If a person comes in and needs a ventilator and you don’t have one, the person dies. That’s the blunt equation here,” he said.

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“Covid only” temporary hospital to open in Staten Island, governor says
From CNN’s Elizabeth Joseph

A “Covid only” temporary hospital in Staten Island is expected to open next week, New York Gov. Cuomo said.

Construction has started at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in New York City as well, he added.

The facility – expected to be open to patients next week – will have 750 beds.

21,000 out-of-state health care workers are volunteering in New York
CNN

About 21,000 health care workers from out-of-state have volunteered to help in the coronavirus outbreak in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

“I thank them. I thank their patriotism,” Cuomo said. “These are beautiful, generous people, and New Yorkers will return the favor.”

Cuomo said New York health care workers will be ready to deploy to other states after the apex is reached in the state.

“We’ll get the experience, and we will return the favor. When your community needs help, New Yorkers will be there. And you have my personal word on that,” he said.

New York governor says models show coronavirus apex in 7 to 30 days
From CNN’s Adrienne Vogt

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the apex for coronavirus cases in the state is anywhere “from 7 to 21 to 30 days,” according to all of the models.

The variable depends on how a specific model rates how effective social distancing is, he said.

“The models that think social distancing is going to be more effective at slowing the rate have a longer timeframe for the apex,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said state experts believe that “it is closer to the shorter end of the range” but admits the window “makes it difficult to plan, frankly.”

Cuomo said that all of the models show that New York would come down from the apex quickly, but about 16,000 New Yorkers could die from coronavirus, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model cited by Dr. Anthony Fauci and the White House.

There are more than 92,000 coronavirus cases in New York
CNN
State of New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there are at least 92,381 cases of coronavirus in the state. He said there has been 8,669 of them are new cases.

At least 2,373 people have died — up from 1,941, Cuomo said.

At least 13,383 people are currently hospitalized and 7,434 patients have been discharged.

“Number of people coming out of the hospital is going up,” he said.

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Governor Baker (MA) is speaking right now about building more field hospitals and other MA-related response etc.

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I know that hospitals were (rightfully) ignoring Governor Whitmer’s prohibition on using hydroxychloroquine. Doctors in Detroit are using it with success (yes, anecdotal).

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Shout out to the person who recommended the TWIV (This Week in Virology) podcast.

Thank you.

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Navy hospital ships in NYC and L.A. are treating patients
From CNN’s Ryan Browne:

The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy, which is docked in Los Angeles, has treated 15 patients so far. Five of them have since been discharged, according to Capt. John Rotruck, the ship’s medical facility commanding officer.

Rotruck said the Mercy was treating patients recovering from traumatic accidents, heart and lung problems, and gastrointestinal issues.

USNS Comfort docked New York City is treating “about three” patients according to Capt. Patrick Amersbach, the Comfort’s commanding officer.

Remember: The ships are not treating coronavirus patients. Instead, they are being used for relocating shore-based patients undergoing treatments that are not coronavirus-related.

Each ship contains 12 fully equipped operating rooms, 1,000 hospital beds, radiology services, a medical lab, pharmacy, optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants, according to the Navy.

US food officials: There’s “no evidence” coronavirus can spread through groceries
From CNN’s Jacqueline Howard and Amanda Watts

The US Food and Drug Administration wants to remind the public that there is no evidence of the coronavirus pandemic posing a threat to food safety.

“The food supply remains safe for both people and animals. There is no — and I emphasize no — evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of Covid-19,” Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, said during a call with reporters today.

Yiannas said it’s “much more likely that an infected person will spread the virus through person-to-person transmission than from contaminated food or food packaging.”

He added that if a person who works in a food facility tests positive for Covid-19, the FDA does not anticipate that there would need to be a massive recall or withdrawal of food products from the market.

“Specifically for consumers, we advise you that you follow many of the same guidelines that you heard before the spread of the disease,” Yiannas said.

He urged people who go grocery shopping to “adhere to good hygiene practices such as disinfecting grocery cart handles with the wipes often provided by retailers.”

“Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth. After shopping, wash or sanitize your hands,” he said.

When asked if consumers should wipe down food packaging when they bring it home, Yiannas said, “Again, we don’t believe that food packaging is a common route of transmission.”

“I personally do not sanitize the exterior of food packages when I bring them into my home,” Yiannas added, “If you feel so inclined you can always wipe the surface of the packages when you get home with a disinfectant wipe and then air drying them.”

2 hr 24 min ago
Russia extends “non-working” period until the end of the month
From CNN’s Mary Ilyushina in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended the paid “non-working” period in Russia until April 30 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“The threat is still there, the specialists suggest that the pandemic has not peaked yet worldwide, including in our country,” Putin said in a televised address. “Therefore I’ve decided to extend this non-working period until April 30.”
According to Putin, this time frame will be revised in case the epidemiological station in the country changes.

“Of course the situation can unfold differently across the country as we have a very big country with varying population density. There are places where the coronavirus already poses a serious threat to its residents, like in Moscow, where, despite the regional and federal efforts, we so far have not succeeded in turning the tide,” Putin said.

So far, the country has not proclaimed the state of emergency or called a nationwide quarantine, instead imposing “a paid holiday” week, which was due to end on Friday. However, the majority of regions independently have imposed self-isolation regimes and ramped up measures to urge Russians to stay home.

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Conditional approval reached for cruise ships to dock in Florida
From CNN’s Denise Royal, Sara Weisfeldt and Rosa Flores

Conditional approval has been reached to allow the Zaandam and Rotterdam ships to dock in Port Everglades in Florida.

The agreement includes a plan for passengers to go home. Final approval of the plan is expected to happen this morning, according to Broward County Commissioner Dr. Barbara Sharief.

The ships are in sight of Port Everglades and the passengers are due to disembark at 1 p.m. ET, per Sharief.

According to the five-page conditional agreement, passengers who are healthy will be allowed to go home and passengers who are sick will remain on the ship to continue treatment. At this time, no one on board is in need of a hospital bed, Sharief said — but if a passenger needs a hospital bed, Broward Health has indicated capacity will not be an issue.

The healthy people will be transported by a private bus from Port Everglades to airports, which could include the Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports. They will go directly to their chartered flights, and they will not linger at the airport to avoid possible community spread.

Sharief says that after passengers began exhibiting flu-like symptoms, the ship received 200 rapid blood test kits to test for Covid-19. Eleven guests were tested and nine people tested positive for the coronavirus. Four men over the age of 70 — two of whom who had been diagnosed with coronavirus — died. One had a heart attack and the other had a pre-existing illness.

About the passengers: There are 311 US citizen passengers on board, representing 46 states, including 52 Floridians. The 26 Broward County residents on board have been in isolation for 14 days, and they have agreed to isolate for another 14 days at home.

The passengers on the ships are from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Ireland, Switzerland, among others.

Michigan suspends face-to-face learning for the rest of the school year
CNN

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has closed K-12 schools for the remainder of the school year with an executive order suspending face-to-face learning.

According to a release from the governor, “district facilities may be used by public school employees and contractors for the purposes of facilitating learning at a distance while also practicing social distancing.”

The order says the buildings will be closed “unless restrictions are lifted.”

“My number one priority right now is protecting Michigan families from the spread of COVID-19. For the sake of our students, their families, and the more than 100,000 teachers and staff in our state, I have made the difficult decision to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year,” Whitmer said in a statement.

Florida congresswoman: It’s “immoral” to turn away people on cruises
From CNN’s Adrienne Vogt

As two cruise ships are set to arrive off the Florida coast today, Florida Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala said it’s “immoral not to let them come.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state is going to accept Florida residents on board the ships, but expressed concerns about taking in others given the state’s limited hospital beds.

“We Americans don’t turn people away,” Shalala said. "I don’t care whether they’re Florida residents or whether they’re not — they’re human beings.”

More than 200 guests and crew have flu-like symptoms on the ships, including eight passengers who tested positive for Covid-19. It’s not clear whether passengers will be allowed to disembark.

Four people on one of the ships, the Zaandam, have died since it disembarked from Argentina on March 7.

Shalala also said that DeSantis’s delay in issuing a statewide stay-at-home order cost lives in Florida. Shalala is still critical of the order — which exempts religious services conducted in house of worship.

“He’s fine-tuned the decision in a way in which people are still going to be exposed,” she said.

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Nearly 96% of Americans have been ordered to stay at home
From CNN’s Shawn Nottingham

Nearly 96% of the US population is under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order that is in effect or scheduled to go into effect, according to a CNN count.

That percentage — 95.9% to be exact — translates to at least 315,077,834 people in the U.S.

The new count factors in the Texas order that went into effect early today.

The eleven states that do not have statewide stay-at-home orders include: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming.

Some of these states have municipalities and counties with stay at home orders which are noted toward the bottom of the spread sheet.

The count of nearly 96% includes states, local city and county orders as well. The numbers were tallied using US census data.

US jobless claims surge for a second week
from CNN’s Anneken Tappe

At least 6.6 million people filed claims for unemployment benefits in the week ended March 28.

It was the highest number of initial claims filed in history, surpassing last week’s 3.3 million claims.

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I assume lots of us have had the TB vax? It was standard for my age group north of 50) in the UK. I read it might have a 20 yr effect (I think it was given in early teens). I am not sure when teh UK stopped giving the BCG. It was a nasty shot.

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^^ You know because you’ve already seen enough posts, and taken the time to assess whether the ignore feature is warranted.

No, not imaginary. You can click on a poster’s name, then “edit profile”, then “ignore” and “ok”.

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Wife of coronavirus victim: “There’s no discrimination when it comes to this virus”
From CNN’s Adrienne Vogt

Conrad Buchanan, a 39-year-old Florida DJ, died after testing positive for the coronavirus. He performed for hundreds of people the week before he got sick.

His wife, Nicole, said he didn’t have any underlying health issues and she had trouble getting him tested. He started feeling unwell on March 14, but wasn’t admitted into the hospital until March 22.

“I never got to say ‘I love you,’” Nicole Buchanan said.

His daughter, Skye, said her father took her to daddy-daughter dances and watched superhero movies with her.

“We just, overall, shared everything. He brought me to school, he brought me to ballet. Like, he was my everything,” she said.

Skye said her dad would sing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” — which contains the lyrics “don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing gonna be all right” — to help her fall asleep at night. She said the song makes her “feel closer with him.”

Nicole Buchanan said everyone needs to take coronavirus seriously and the virus doesn’t just affect older individuals or those with underlying health conditions. She has also tested positive for the virus.

“There’s no discrimination when it comes to this virus. And seeing what my husband had to go through was horrible. And now our life has turned into this horrible nightmare. You guys have to take this seriously,” she said through tears. “I would hate for anybody, anyone else’s family or children, to have to go through what we’ve gone through. Our hospital systems aren’t ready. Just stay home.”

Skye says her dad would want people to remember him and live like he did: “Find your rhythm in life, listen to the beat, dance and express yourself in order to connect with people from all walks of life.”

“He was my everything,” his daughter said.

Coronavirus affects normal, young people, his wife said. “Our life has turned into this horrible nightmare.”

Fauci: US can avoid the projected levels of coronavirus deaths
From CNN’s Jacqueline Howard

While models show that the coronavirus pandemic could result in about 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the United States, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the country can avoid reaching that milestone by taking aggressive measures.

“It’s within our power to modify those numbers," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on “CBS This Morning."

“When models are based on a model, you model what the projection might be and the projection was even with considerable mitigation you still could anticipate between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths. However, if you really push hard on mitigation and data comes in that tells you you’re doing better than the model, you can modify the model,” Fauci said. "We need to push and push with the mitigation to try and get that number lower than the projected number by the model.”

Boeing will offer employees voluntary layoff plan to reduce costs
From CNN’s Greg Wallace

Boeing says it will offer employees a voluntary layoff plan and hopes to avoid mandatory workforce cuts.

CEO Dave Calhoun wrote in a memo to employees today that the voluntary layoff plan will give those employees to choose to leave a pay and benefits package.

The memo said details will be available within the next four weeks.

It said the measures would “bridge us to recovery as long as we’re not confronted with more unexpected challenges.”

**Experts tell White House coronavirus can spread through talking or even just breathing
From CNN Health’s Elizabeth Cohen

A prestigious scientific panel told the White House last night that research shows coronavirus can be spread not just by sneezes or coughs, but also just by talking, or possibly even just breathing.

“While the current [coronavirus] specific research is limited, the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” according to the letter, written by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of the National Academy of Sciences Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats.

He said his letter was sent in response to a query from Kelvin Droegemeier with the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House.

“This letter responds to your question concerning the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread by conversation, in addition to sneeze/cough-induced droplets,” the letter states. “Currently available research supports the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients’ exhalation,” it continues.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus spreads from person to person when people are within about six feet of each other. It spreads “through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.”

Fineberg told CNN this is true — but that research shows that aerosolized droplets produced by talking or possibly even by just breathing can also spread the virus.

Fineberg said it’s possible that aerosolized coronavirus droplets can hang in the air and potentially infect someone who walks by later. How long coronavirus lingers in the air depends on several factors, including how much virus an infected individual puts out when breathing or talking, and also on the amount of circulation in the air, he said.

He added, however, that coronavirus is not as infectious as measles or tuberculosis.

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Thanks for sharing the information about Florida and the cruise ships, @doschicos. I’m happy to see a former Wisconsin resident, Donna Shalala, speaking up for the people on the ships.

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Germany needs “billions of masks” to fight coronavirus, state premier says
From Nadine Schmidt in Berlin

Germany will need “billions of masks” to fight its coronavirus outbreak, the Bavarian state premier Markus Soder said Thursday.

“In the long run, we will need enormous amounts of masks,” Soder said. “I believe that in the end we will need billions of masks in Germany.”

He said the masks would initially be needed by medical staff and then the elderly people in nursing homes.

Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn wants the country to become less dependent on masks made elsewhere, advocating that Germany should make more.

“We must become more independent of the world market, for the security of our citizens. That is one of the lessons of these weeks. We want to encourage companies with a purchase guarantee until the end of 2021 to set up production of protective masks in Germany,” he said on Twitter.

The number of coronavirus cases in Germany is continuing to rise rapidly. The worse-affected region is Bavaria, which has more than 18,000 confirmed cases and 268 deaths, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute.

Bavaria became the first German state to implement a lockdown on public life in an attempt to curb coronavirus spread.

Supermarket chain asks healthy customers to shop in store, as online orders force backlog
From CNN’s Sara Spary

The UK’s largest supermarket, Tesco, confirmed to CNN it had rolled out a radio advert and social media campaign on Wednesday asking people to “think before you click and shop in store, if you can do safely."

Around the UK people have been ordering shopping online in a bid to adhere to social distancing rules – including those who are not in an at-risk category.

As a result supermarkets in the UK have been struggling to keep up with a significant increase in demand for grocery products and currently there is a long wait for anyone wanting to book a delivery slot at any supermarket.

The UK’s coronavirus regulations ban people from leaving their homes apart from for a few limited reasons, which include going shopping for essential items.

The guidelines urge “vulnerable” customers – including the elderly and those with preexisting health conditions – to stay at home.

Sales at UK supermarkets grew more than 20% in the four weeks to March 22, according to retail data and insights company Kantar – making March the biggest month of grocery sales recorded by the firm in over a decade.

Kenyan President apologizes after police accused of violence during coronavirus curfew
From CNN’s Radina Gigova in Atlanta

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta apologized Wednesday for violence and harsh tactics used by police last week to enforce a nationwide coronavirus curfew.

Police have been accused of using batons and tear gas to disperse crowds in the city of Mombasa to enforce the curfew.

“I know especially when we introduced the curfew, maybe in the initial stages, there were some challenges,” Kenyatta said in a televised speech.

“And I want to apologize to all Kenyans maybe for some excesses that were conducted or happened,” he said. “But I want to assure you, that if we work together, if we all understand that this problem needs all of us, and if we all pull in the same direction, we will overcome.”

According to the latest figures by Johns Hopkins University, there have been 81 confirmed coronavirus cases in Kenya and one death.

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Anger as Japanese Prime Minister offers two cloth masks per family, while refusing to declare coronavirus emergency
From CNN’s Emiko Jozuka and Junko Ogura in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is facing a public backlash after he said the government would distribute two reusable cloth face masks per household amid growing concern over medical shortages, as the country faces a worsening coronavirus outbreak.

The number of confirmed cases of the virus has spiked in recent weeks, after it appeared that Japan’s initial response had got the virus relatively under control. As of Wednesday, there were more than 2,300 cases across Japan, and 57 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

That spike has seen a raft of new restrictions put in place in Tokyo and other major cities, and a run on protective gear, including face masks. On Wednesday, Abe said the provision of cloth masks to the worst-hit areas “will be helpful in responding to the rapidly increasing demand.”

But Abe’s proposal to send two masks to each household attracted outrage and mockery online Wednesday, with the hashtag “Abe’s mask” and “screw your two masks” trending on Twitter.

Many felt the move was lackluster and would not go into effect fast enough to have a chance at curbing the spread of the virus, with masks not due to be distributed until the end of the month. Others dubbed the policy “Abenomask policy” as satirical memes showing well-known cartoon characters sharing one mask between four family members popped up online.

The anger comes as Abe resisted calls Wednesday to declare a state of emergency, saying that use of such powers was not imminent.

Police ordered to return phone of doctor who criticized Indian government over protective gear
From CNN’s Manveena Suri

An Indian court has directed police to return the mobile phone and SIM card they seized from a doctor who criticized the government online for “allegedly deficient protective gear supplied by the government to its doctors.”

According to the order issued on April 1 by the Calcutta High Court, Indranil Khan, a private practitioner, wrote several posts on Facebook on the issue.

He was interrogated by police on March 29, and was booked under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which relates to “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language … and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.”

“Freedom of speech and expression which is granted under Article 19 of the Constitution of India has to be scrupulously upheld by the State," the order read.

“If an expression of opinion brings the government into disrepute, it cannot defend this allegation by intimidation of the person expressing the opinion by subjecting him to prolonged interrogation, threatening arrest seizing his mobile phone and SIM card and so on.”

The order also observed that a tweet posted by Khan had received a reply from the Department of Health and Family Welfare thanking him for highlighting the issue.

Along with directions to return his mobile phone, the order also states that Khan cannot be further interrogated without court approval. For the time being, he has been told to refrain from sharing posts on the matter.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will enter self-quarantine for seven days, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, after the country’s Health Minister tested positive for coronavirus.

It is the second time Netanyahu has entered self-quarantine. The 70-year-old Israeli leader self-isolated for a short period after one of his aides tested positive for coronavirus late last month. Netanyahu has twice tested negative for the disease.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is in good condition, according to a statement from the Health Ministry. The 71-year old and his wife, who also tested positive, will remain at home, where the Health Minister will continue to carry out his job, the statement said.

Senior members of the Ministry of Health and aides to Litzman will also self-isolate because of their close contact with the minister. That includes Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov, who has frequently held evening briefings with Netanyahu to answer questions and inform the public of new restrictions.

Among others being considered for possible self-isolation by health officials, according to multiple reports on Israeli media, is Yossi Cohen, the head of the Mossad intelligence service.

As of Thursday morning, Israel had 6,211 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 32 deaths as a result of the disease. (CNN)

Running out of face masks in India? The government wants to help you make your own
From CNN’s Manveena Suri in New Delhi

India’s Ministry of Science and Technology has issued a manual of instructions on how to make homemade masks in a bid to counter shortages or for those who lack access.

“This is primarily meant for the people who want to wear masks but do not have access to them. They can make these washable and reusable masks at home” said Dr. Shailja Vaidya Gupta, senior adviser at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government in a news release.

Although the government has not issued a directive making it compulsory to wear masks, an increasing number of shops catering towards essential needs are demanding that customers wear a mask while on the premises.

Sewing masks with a machine or by hand: The manual has been put together keeping in mind easy access to materials with instructions that are simple to follow.

It has instructions for making masks with either a sewing machine or by hand, and instructions on how to wear and take care of them.

Step-by-step instructions for making an adult sized mask with a sewing machine are provided in the manual.
Step-by-step instructions for making an adult sized mask with a sewing machine are provided in the manual. Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India

Masks divide opinion: Opinion has been split on whether wearing a mask is an effective solution to curbing the spread of coronavirus. While it’s been common practice in parts of Asia, in other regions of the world, public health authorities and politicians have urged people to focus on washing their hands and maintaining social distancing.

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For those who have found TWiV helpful, Vincent Racaniello also hosts a podcast about immunology. The latest episode is about what goes right and wrong with the immune system in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vincent is joined by three women, a professor from Cornell and two immunologists, and they are really good at explaining things clearly and accessibly for anyone who is interested.

Three dog walks worth of learning for me :smile: : https://www.microbe.tv/immune/immune-29/

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Sailors who test negative for coronavirus to disembark USS Theodore Roosevelt within 24 hours
From journalist Mindy Aguon in Guam, CNN

Any sailors from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier who test negative for the novel coronavirus will soon disembark the ship and begin their 14-day quarantine in Guam.

So far, 93 sailors from the US Navy ship have tested positive for the virus, 86 of whom are symptomatic. None have required hospitalization so far.

In total, there are more than 4,000 crew members on board the ship, only 1,273 of whom have already been tested.

“Over the next 12 to 24 hours, we plan to move the first group of Covid-19 negative asymptomatic sailors to approved commercial lodging for quarantine in accordance with the governor’s executive order and CDC guideline," Joint Region Marianas Commander Adm. John Menoni said at a news conference in Guam today.

“Sailors will only be permitted to depart the base following a negative Covid-19 test result. They must remain in quarantine, in their assigned rooms for the duration of the mandatory 14-day quarantine.”

Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero defended her decision to allow the sailors to disembark from the aircraft carrier and to come onshore. “The bottom line is our sailors go out and protect our freedom. We ask them to go out and sacrifice their lives for our protections, and they are asking us to help them get over this god-awful virus, and when I look at the opportunities and possibilities and space, I decided to say yes,” she said.

Louisiana reports more than 2,700 new coronavirus cases
From CNN’s Kay Jones

The state of Louisiana has reported 2,726 new Covid-19 cases today and an additional 37 deaths.

There are 1,639 patients hospitalized and 507 patients on ventilators, according to the Department of Health.

Orleans Parish, which includes New Orleans, still has the most cases in the state with 3,148 cases and 125 deaths. Jefferson Parish had 2,178 cases and 73 deaths.

In a radio interview this morning, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said there would be a huge spike in numbers today due to more test results coming back.

Massachusetts governor says peak number of hospitalizations could come in 8 days
CNN

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said today that based on projections, they estimate the state could see between 47,000 to 172,00 cases of coronavirus during the course of the pandemic.

Baker said that’s approximately 0.7% to 2.5% of the total population of Massachusetts.

The modeling also indicated that hospitalizations would potentially peak between April 10 and April 20, Baker said.

The governor added that the model is based on Wuhan and Massachusetts has factors that could improve the projections, for example, they have less population density, less smokers, and they implemented social distancing measures.

Oklahoma orders residents to stay home until April 30
From CNN’s Melissa Alonso

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued a stay-at-home order for all 77 counties in the state until April 30, Stitt said in a series of tweets Wednesday night.

All non-essential businesses will remain closed during this time; that includes, gyms, barbers, tattoo and massage parlors, Stitt said.

“I don’t make these decisions lightly but based on the data, we need to take action,” Stitt said.
Oklahoma has 3.943 million residents, according to the US Census Bureau.

New Jersey has 3,489 new confirmed cases of Covid-19
News 12 New Jersey

The state of New Jersey has 3,489 new positive cases of Covid-19, Gov. Phil Murphy announced in a press conference today.

To date, 25,590 people across the state have tested positive for Covid-19, Murphy said.

There are 537 people who have died from the coronavirus in New Jersey. That number includes 182 additional deaths confirmed in the last 24 hours, the governor announced.

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I had hoped that we would be seeing the crest of the wave over the next two weeks as the March Breaker’s and returning Snowbirders finished their 2 weeks self-isolation and any infections becoming apparent, but now we have a new wave with the passengers coming off the Holland America cruise ships. And then I also read this:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-since-march-13-158-flights-have-come-into-canada-with-a-confirmed/

We are never going to get this under control until people stop travelling.

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That’s what I’m wondering too. Hard to believe that is the case - every old person that died in Italy had a small pox vaccine. They had mass inoculations in Europe - everyone had to have it.