Corona Virus Updates Part 5

02:15: 279 new cases in New York City, New York state, United States. (Source)

good luck NYC

As a kid, It was my dream to live in NYC playing ball... love that place.

Glad to see Australia's PM finally came to the party.

Scott Morrison has banned indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and issued blanket "do not travel" advice for all Australians for the first time in history as the number of coronavirus infections rises exponentially.

“This is a once-in-100-year type event,” Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra this morning. “We haven’t seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the First World War. But together, we are up to this challenge.”

www.news.com.au... /live-coverage/8111dfa0aa77a938681d17c79839e383

Texas activates National Guard
breaking911.com...

Governor Greg Abbott today activated the Texas National Guard to be prepared to assist with response efforts for COVID-19. This preparative measure will ensure that the Texas National Guard can assist in various forms throughout the state when needed. Healthcare workers and first responders who are members of the Texas National Guard are excluded from this activation so that they can continue serving the people of Texas in their respective fields.

Lights out in Las Vegas
www.fox5vegas.com...

UPDATE (MARCH 17): Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all nonessential businesses in Nevada to close. Casinos and gaming operations are included in the order, to be closed by midnight Tuesday.
This includes every casino and gaming operation in the state of Nevada.

A Nobel Prize winner criticized Chinese leaders for not doing more to curb the spread of the coronavirus, accusing them of hiding the realities of the pandemic. Mario Vargas Llosa, who won the prize for literature in 2010, said the COVID-19 virus would have been more easily contained in China and around the world if the Chinese people lived in a free society rather than a dictatorship.

Good article discussing the form of the Chinese government, being the big problem. My opinion, this is all China’s fault. Ahem back to the update 🧐.

Nobel Prize winner rips Chinese government for response to coronavirus

Cuban Drug Could Save Thousands of Lives in Coronavirus Pandemic

link

Cuban medicine could treat thousands of coronavirus patients as production of a “flagship” drug known to combat the disease is set to increase significantly, pharmaceutical bosses said at a press conference on Friday.

President of the BioCubaFarma group Eduardo Martinez explained that the socialist island has developed 22 drugs that are set to be used to contain the outbreak.

peoplesdispatch.org...
Cuba leads global efforts against COVID-19 in spite of blockade

Countries from across the globe have asked Cuba for the Interferon Alpha 2B, a drug developed in Cuba proven to be an effective against COVID-19

A Cuban drug, known as the Interferon Alpha 2B, could save thousands of lives in the COVID-19 pandemic. The drug has been produced in China since January 25 and, so far, has managed to effectively cure more than 1,500 patients from the coronavirus. It is one of 30 drugs chosen by the Chinese National Health Commission to combat the respiratory disease.

A Cuban drug, known as the Interferon Alpha 2B, could save thousands of lives in the COVID-19 pandemic. The drug has been produced in China since January 25 and, so far, has managed to effectively cure more than 1,500 patients from the coronavirus. It is one of 30 drugs chosen by the Chinese National Health Commission to combat the respiratory disease.

Whatever one thinks of Cuba, they have first-rate medical institutions

NEW: California Gov. Newsom says it's "unlikely" that schools in the state will reopen before summer break.

twitter.com...

British Doctors sounding the alarm
www.news.com.au... 66c7c95

“It is absolute carnage in A&E (accident and emergency). Utter chaos,” the doctor wrote.

“I am in shock. I feel like we are being thrown to the wolves here. Some of us are going to die. We know some will die.”

The doctor went on to accuse the government of pursuing a “deluded” plan to deal with the virus and “betraying” health workers in the process.

You can read more about that story below in our live, rolling coverage of the pandemic.

What we have found in this data is that adults aged 20-50 make most of their contacts in workplaces. If those of us who can work remotely start doing so now, it will contribute to lowering overall transmission in the population. Another important finding is that people over 65 – who are particularly at risk from severe Covid-19 illness – make over half of their contacts in other settings (not home, school or work), such as shops, restaurants and leisure centres. By avoiding these interactions, people who are most at risk from the new coronavirus could halve their risk of infection. By changing our behaviour now, and sustaining these changes throughout the outbreak, we can significantly reduce our own risk of infection, and the risk to others, and by doing so help protect those most vulnerable

What we scientists have discovered about how each age group spreads Covid-19

originally posted by: MaverickLRD

a reply to: drussell41

Update: I was sent home today!

As of this morning, I learned that my employment was classed as "voluntary" going forward with hazard pay. If you don't feel comfortable working, you are being allowed to go home, no questions asked using leave/sick time.

a reply to: Bicent

Yep ...

We have our plan in place and we took that into account. Husband and I shopped a while ago for supplies. He only goes in to work for 4 hours one day a week and works remotely the rest of the time. I am exclusively from home now.

I only go out for PT.

For anything else, husband goes out. He knows and has spent 20+ years employing aseptic technique, so he's far more aware of not touching face, etc. We try to limit any errands to one trip per day.

Our son can play with certain other kids in the neighborhood, but we're coordinating with their parents to make sure we're staying as healthy as possible on all fronts. And we are taking him to practice as long as that's available. Kiddo is nervous and everything about his life is turned upside down. Practice is one thing that hasn't changed yet, so we take advantage of it while it's there for him. He needs that much normalcy.

I feel like too many people didn't think about this and how to handle it at all as much as they could within the confines of their lives. I know some have no choice. But forethought and planning are important, and it's not like this is something no one could see coming if they were paying attention.

So many people are creating a massive situation where the authorities are going to try to force behaviors, and this could be the worst effect of the whole exercise.

With commercial testing going live this week anticipate positive results skyrocketing. State labs and CDC have conducted 50k tests in total
No need for alarm as the measures being taken imo are just as beneficial regardless of test count
It’s looking more like overall mortality should decrease below 1% which is good. Still far higher than season flu (3-5x) but much better than 3-5%

a reply to: Agit8dChop
I can’t get that link to work

a reply to: MaverickLRD

There will be a spike there was in China, but it should level off again.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: MaverickLRD

There will be a spike there was in China, but it should level off again.

I just know panic will again ensue. Regardless of published numbers we will power thru with our resolve

originally posted by: ValentineWiggin
a reply to: Agit8dChop
I can’t get that link to work

looks like it was a live link

try this:
Link

a reply to: ketsuko

People have a program, they follow day to day, when something alters that it effects the cerebral wiring “the programming”. Well anyhow it sounds like your family is prepared, has a plan and doing your best to keep the child familiar with our program. 😀. You guys will be ok, don’t have to worry about you guys in a few months hopefully we get a chuckle on the “I survived corona thread”. No pun intended.

🍻

I went to the mall yesterday in my home town everything seemed normal except for a higher percentage of people wearing mask; still not 50% unless you are a server but more none the less.

With all the closures around the world there are going to be allot of people who will have wished they could have put some money aside for this deluge of a rainy day.

I wonder how much the crime is going to go up ? Desperate people do desperate things IMO.

All entertainment venues in Pattaya have been ordered to close from 18 - 31 March in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19.



The order affects all bars, beer bars, pubs, go-go bars, massage parlours, sports venues and movie theatres.



Restaurants will remain, as will shopping malls, supermarkets and convenience stores such as 7-Eleven.



Screening measures will also be stepped up on public transport, including on the ferry service between Pattaya and Koh Larn.



Officials have also ordered a ‘Big Clean’ where large parts of the city will be disinfected from Wednesday.



The news comes after government officials on Tuesday announced that all entertainment venues in Bangkok will also close until the end of the month. All schools and educational facilities have also been ordered to close.

Flew home from TX to Wa. Plane was over half empty.. most stressful thing I've had to do in a long time but it was time to leave work and get home to make sure family was OK.

Airport was also very empty. Felt so strange..

This is a screen cap of the school's social distancing plan that was posted to the website today.

So far, we're expecting to be back at school on April 6, but they acknowledge it could change.