The Coronavirus Thread

[Scot Dutchy]

Trump’s coronavirus ban on travel from the EU is backfiring already

A live televised address from the Oval Office should have reassured the US. Instead it sowed chaos

Such is the reverse Midas touch of Donald Trump, that his attempt last night to face facts, steady nerves and reassure the public succeeded in spreading panic, sowing confusion and ratcheting up the anxiety.

There was no explanation, so speculation filled the vacuum. Could it be a politically motivated swipe at the EU, which Trump once said he regarded as the US’s greatest “foe”, pointedly giving preferential treatment to Brexit Britain? Was it driven by a motive as base as the fact that Trump has golf courses in the UK (and Ireland), and he didn’t want to harm his own businesses? Or did it spring from a crudely racist worldview that divides the globe into a clean, acceptable Anglosphere set against a tainted, diseased “abroad”?

The tories maintain the same view.

[pErvinalia]

Not guessing:

Coronavirus: as many as 10,000 in Britain may already have it, says PM

Chief medical officer adds that 80% of UK could contract virus, with half a million people dying

Up to 10,000 people may already have coronavirus in Britain and many families should expect to lose loved ones before their time, Boris Johnson warned on Thursday as he set out measures less stringent than those taken by other countries.

Medical, scientific and public health experts criticised the steps outlined to tackle what the prime minister described as the “worst public health crisis for a generation”, including ending school trips abroad, stopping older and vulnerable people taking cruises and the use of self-isolation for a temperature and cough lasting four hours.

Like I said they have not got a clue in the UK.

Yet you do.

[Hermit]

I believe my interpretation of the article is fine. It's clear to me that they would have you believe that this administration's failure to provide tests has made the outbreak considerably worse. In fact, if testing had been provided at the appropriate time and to more people the spread may not have occurred at all. We may have contained the virus earlier.

My problem is I'm skeptical. It's not about needing somebody to call out this negligence, and shouldn't I be glad someone is. It's about being accurate. I'm not convinced this is an accurate description of reality, and it looks like any distortion that may exist serves to push a political agenda.

Totally agree. Some people just won't let an opportunity pass to put the US in a bad light.

[Svartalf]

Actually, I wouldn't wish coronavirus on anyone, not even Dutton...

that's because you wish him yersinia pestis

[pErvinalia]

I wish it on Dutton. That man is pure evil. And I so hope Trump gets it.

[NineBerry]

I don't wish it on any one. Trump could just get a normal heart attack. That's not contagious

[Tero]

the effect of social media

koronahamsteri.jpg (40.61 KiB) Viewed 575 times

Finns see Americans buying all that water and toilet paper. Finns now emptying stores of a lot of supplies. Journalist coins the phrase corona hamster for this squirreling away.

[Brian Peacock]

An epidemiologist on the morning Radio news said that the peak in Europe would come in 12-14 weeks time - around the beginning of June. Measures taken now may flatten that peak, to some extent, but the 1-2 week asymptomatic incubation period means that so far governments have been on a reactive rather than proactive footing.

Is it just me, or does every little twinge, sniffle, or pang have anyone else wondering if they're coming down with Teh Virus!?

[laklak]

For comparison, here's the current 2019 /2020 flu season statistics for the U.S.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/pr ... imates.htm

39,000,000 - 42,000,000 cases
16,000,000 - 23,000,000 doctor visits
350,000 - 620,000 hospitalizations
20,000 - 52,000 deaths.

If this thing spreads as easily as the flu and has the lethality rates we've seen so far we're in trouble. Even at one percent and the lower number of cases that's 390,000 dead.

I should have been an undertaker.

[Svartalf]

well, if I come down with flu like symptoms, odds are it's not the flu since I've been vaccinated for several months.

[Joe]

I wish it on Dutton. That man is pure evil. And I so hope Trump gets it.

You may get your wish. Of course, he is taking all necessary precautions.

Oh, wait. I read that wrong.

Trump and Pence Won’t Be Tested After Meeting With Infected Brazilian Official

President Trump will not be tested for the coronavirus after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who tested positive for the virus just days after participating in meetings with him in Florida, the White House said on Thursday.

Fabio Wajngarten, a top communications aide to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, tested positive days after accompanying him to Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and posing for a photo with the president and Vice President Mike Pence. In the photo, which he posted on social media, Mr. Wajngarten is standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Trump, who is clutching a brown “Make Brazil Great Again” baseball cap.

A video from the event also showed Mr. Wajngarten standing directly behind Mr. Trump and Mr. Bolsonaro as they spoke to a crowd.

But it's okay, They've been cleared by a medical expert.

But the White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, played down Mr. Trump’s level of exposure. “Both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time,” Ms. Grisham said in a statement on Thursday.

[Tero]

For comparison, here's the current 2019 /2020 flu season statistics for the U.S.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/pr ... imates.htm

39,000,000 - 42,000,000 cases
16,000,000 - 23,000,000 doctor visits
350,000 - 620,000 hospitalizations
20,000 - 52,000 deaths.

If this thing spreads as easily as the flu and has the lethality rates we've seen so far we're in trouble. Even at one percent and the lower number of cases that's 390,000 dead.

I should have been an undertaker.

I came up with 300 000 as well.

[Tero]

well, if I come down with flu like symptoms, odds are it's not the flu since I've been vaccinated for several months.

You are only cutting off 2/3 of infection chances:
A 2012 meta-analysis found that flu vaccination was effective 67 percent of the time; the populations that benefited the most were HIV-positive adults aged 18 to 55 (76 percent), healthy adults aged 18 to 46 (approximately 70 percent), and healthy children aged six to 24 months (66 percent).
Wiki

[Cunt]

I'm with JimC - I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

I damned near wish the q-anon conspiracy folk were right for a change...Instead, I'm going to stick with the info from that Joe Rogan interviewee (http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/) and try to NOT see my neighbours.

I cleared the snow from their deck and driveway again, but while I was doing it, Mrs. came home. I was scared she was going to give me a hug, but she just waved and smiled enthusiastically.

Now, off to impersonate a hamster! (Just kidding, we've been stocking extra for the last few weeks of grocery trips)

[Tero]

Got your cans pork and beans and sacks of rice ready?