OT: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Part V

[Tawnos]

I agree. If things start spiking the wrong way then it will be time to step on the brake or at least a bit. A main concern for me is a second wave. I'd rather we get everything right the first time but that might not be possible if not all the states are basically on the same page. That's one of the reasons why I think doing it regionally like the group of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland are doing and like some of the midwest states are doing is a smart idea.

Yes, well. That wasn’t likely to happen here. Of all the southeastern states, were the only one with a Democrat for governor. SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, MS... all Republicans. So our approach here was bound to be different, leaving the only option being Virginia. I’m not sure why that didn’t happen, but it’s not like there’s a big population anywhere along the border between the two states, so regional coordination between the two would only be so effective anyway.

 

[will1066]

Idiot

There's really nothing to support it.

Sneaky way to get tanning salons back up and open for business?

 

[Irishguy42]

Sneaky way to get tanning salons back up and open for business?

 

[McRanger]

Just came here to see what the current defense of dear leader’s suggestion that we shoot intense UV light and disinfectant inside people’s bodies to kill the virus might be.

Idiot or visionary? Perhaps both?

The only rational reaction is to ignore what he said but still be angry at the media for reporting it.

Bonus points for finding something <insert Democrat> said about disinfectants and pretending that’s its all the same thing.

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[Gardner McKay]

Im curious as to what you think he's done that's phenomenal other than getting on TV everyday and babbling about the same stuff. I don't blame him for what has happened, it would've happened here regardless of who was the governor. But I'm not sure he's done anything that any of us couldn't have done as the governor. I don't envy the position he is in, but I don't think he deserves all the credit he has received from some people.

He has been consistent in his handling of the virus. He didn’t make grandiose promises. He didn’t make it seem like everyone was going to die. There was no fear mongering. It was a reasonable, well thought approach in my opinion.

Generally I am not a fan of Cuomo. But I can give credit where credit is due and I think he deserves it.

 

[will1066]

The Covid-19 theme, by a Cat.

 

[eco's bones]

Cuomo did go after Mitch McConnell yesterday for his suggestion that states in financial trouble because of Coronavirus should pound salt and declare bankruptcy. Also his suggestion that most states hit hardest were 'blue' states and he didn't want to help them. Cuomo pointed out that New York put 116 billion dollars into the federal exchequer this year than it took out whilst McConnell's state of Kentucky took out 148 billion dollars more than it put in and this goes on every year.

 

[LORDE]

So let the good times rock.

OK Cherokee... whoa

Stop marching on the trail of tears... whoa

 

[LORDE]

Hydroxichloriquin... TAKE IT. What do you have to lose?

People who dismiss facts and science for 'hunches' are called what again?

 

[eco's bones]

Hydroxichloriquin... TAKE IT. What do you have to lose?

People who dismiss facts and science for 'hunches' are called what again?

It was worth finding out whether Hydroxychloroquine and Remdesivir would be effective medications or not but offering them up as a panacea before you even have an idea how effective or ineffective they would be leads to false hopes and is crapola messaging. The continual juicing of the public with false claims and another example would be the false claim that goes back at least into February that a vaccine is right around the corner--Trump's base is hanging on his every word and he changes tack sometimes on a daily basis. I don't get it really--they'll believe him and they'll run down people with real medical expertise. He plays to their fears about the economy and we have scenes of mobs outside state houses not wearing masks and not keeping distance with each other. Meanwhile he plays the virus crisis up and down---one day he's serious or semi-serious and the next day it's no big deal.

As a nation March ended officially with 3800 deaths in the United States. 24 days into April we're at 48000+ (or about 2000 a day) which without a doubt would be much higher without shutdowns, people staying home, wearing masks and keeping social distance when they are in public. Trending the way we are we will probably hit 60000 deaths by the end of April. The question is what is May going to look like? Because we can throw away what we've accomplished to knock down the numbers or we can maybe better contain the virus by continuing the program we're on. As far as reopening we need more testing particularly in NYC and the downstate counties and on Long Island and in the larger upstate cities like Buffalo or Rochester.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I was out for awhile today getting my exercise.

Without blinking, 9 out of 10 people are wearing a mask. That's very good. The businesses that are open are all doing protocols and they have instructions up on the door for customers to follow. All of them have customer limits and most of them say "no mask, no service."

If we stick with things like that, it's going to be difficult for the virus to spread. I think we're going to be ok with easing some restrictions in the coming weeks. People can gradually return to work, parks and beaches, gatherings with limited capacity.

Masks and distancing protocols in certain places will likely be required for awhile. I know people don't like "required" but a mask and waiting in line is a small ask to save lives.

Restaurants and bars, we're going to have to play by ear. It sounds silly but it's true -- you can't eat and drink with a mask on. That complicates things in that industry.

Mass gatherings are obviously out and nobody knows until when. I'm confident sports will be back behind closed doors, though.

Our biggest challenges are going to be schools and public transit. Both are essential. Every classroom in New York State is a mass gathering. Every train car is a mass gathering. Don't know what we're gonna do and I'm glad it's not my job to figure it out.

Same thing for when I went to get some groceries on Tuesday. It is really good to see. Five weeks ago I was stared at like I was an oddball for wearing my N95 mask and gloves to go to publix. On Tuesday, the opposite was true.

 

[Off Sides]

intense UV light, like looking directly at a solar eclipse?

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Regarding the Sweden debate yesterday:

Sweden's lack of strict lockdowns contrasts sharply with the rest of Europe, and it has yet to see a downturn in COVID-19 cases. The country — which has a population of about 10.2 million — has seen 15,322 cases and 1,765 deaths from the virus so far, making the death rate per capita at 17.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

Sweden's Nordic neighbors Norway and Finland approached the virus differently, and it could be why they're facing just a fraction of COVID-19-related deaths.

Norway went into lockdown in mid-March, closing schools, restaurants, cultural events, gyms, and tourist attractions. It also banned outside travelers. Finland, which has been stockpiling medical supplies since the Cold War, restricted border traffic, banned gatherings of 10 or more people, and closed schools as part of its coronavirus guidelines.

Norway, which has nearly 5.4 million people, has seen 7,191 cases and 182 deaths, with a death rate per capita at 3.37 deaths per 100,000 people. Finland, with a population of 5.5 million, has seen 4,014 COVID-19 cases and 141 deaths, with a death rate per capita at 2.56 deaths per 100,000 people.

Sweden has nearly 10 times the number of COVID-19-related deaths than its Nordic neighbors. Here's where it went wrong.



The Swedish approach was not preceded by a period of months-long lockdown, nor was it implemented in graduated tiers according to a protocol based on extensive testing and tracing; they simply said, "f*** it, we'll accept the death rate" making the choice to let a greater percentage of their population (in particular among more vulnerable communities) die. Period, full stop. And the results have been a body count 3-10x higher than those of the other Nordic states (which share many geographic, demographic, and political characteristics and thus serve as excellent controls to compare the effects).

So, no, I don't think their results are "interesting". And, no, I don't think it was an overreaction to say "I refuse to risk my mother's health so that others can open their businesses a few months sooner".

And let's be 100% clear: my position is not inconsistent with agreeing that the economy does need to reopen eventually. But it needs to happen as Cuomo has said it must: only once we have widespread testing/tracing, in carefully planned stages, and with the healthcare system and government both ready and waiting to respond (which may well include subsequent shutdowns) the moment there's a blip. Not the way Sweden did it from the get-go.

To suggest otherwise – or for that matter, to compare what Sweden did with a more measured reopening – is disingenuous.

 

[JRinNYC]

intense UV light, like looking directly at a solar eclipse?

 

[eco's bones]

He has been consistent in his handling of the virus. He didn’t make grandiose promises. He didn’t make it seem like everyone was going to die. There was no fear mongering. It was a reasonable, well thought approach in my opinion.

Generally I am not a fan of Cuomo. But I can give credit where credit is due and I think he deserves it.

FWIW I've never voted for Cuomo. I would be happier if he replaced Biden and would have no issue voting for him for POTUS. If anything he's been able to rise up in response to this health crisis like a real leader should. That said if he runs for governor again I'm keeping my options open. I'm to the left of him and he's really not my type. To go on though his press conferences on this have been really good and he's got very good compliance because he's talked to voters across the board like equals and not tried to gull us with all kinds of b.s. which is what a lot of politicians constantly do. He hasn't tried to gild the pill--what he's set out is an intelligent strategy for the people of this state to combat this thing and I like that he doesn't want his mom to die or anybody else's either. We don't have the right to make judgements like that on other people's lives.

 

[Off Sides]

HydroxySolarquine

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[LORDE]

FWIW I've never voted for Cuomo. I would be happier if he replaced Biden and would have no issue voting for him for POTUS. If anything he's been able to rise up in response to this health crisis like a real leader should. That said if he runs for governor again I'm keeping my options open. I'm to the left of him and he's really not my type. To go on though his press conferences on this have been really good and he's got very good compliance because he's talked to voters across the board like equals and not tried to gull us with all kinds of b.s. which is what a lot of politicians constantly do. He hasn't tried to gild the pill--what he's set out is an intelligent strategy for the people of this state to combat this thing and I like that he doesn't want his mom to die or anybody else's either. We don't have the right to make judgements like that on other people's lives.

In times of crisis, folks rise to the challenge or they are revealed to be who they are. I believe the phrase is ‘leaders aren’t born, they’re created’.

Politics aside, what u see in Cuomo is leadership. Full stop. Made mistakes? U bet. Took criticism and responsibility? Certainly.

What we have elsewhere is a severe lack of leadership ability... replaced by wishcasting, scapegoating, campaigning, flip flopping & outright deception or, and this may be worse, a complete lack of understanding the gravity of what is happening in the world. Not just in this country.

It is a farce and a pathetic one @ that.

 

[Thirty One]

Heard from a school district in Japan that reopened schools in early April that they are closing them again next week.

 

[NYR Viper]

Heard from a school district in Japan that reopened schools in early April that they are closing them again next week.

Can we discuss how you have a contact in Japan? I’m intrigued

 

[Machinehead]

Cuomo did go after Mitch McConnell yesterday for his suggestion that states in financial trouble because of Coronavirus should pound salt and declare bankruptcy. Also his suggestion that most states hit hardest were 'blue' states and he didn't want to help them. Cuomo pointed out that New York put 116 billion dollars into the federal exchequer this year than it took out whilst McConnell's state of Kentucky took out 148 billion dollars more than it put in and this goes on every year.

It's very simple: if you're going to leave it up to the states, which makes sense, you have to help them out financially.

 

[Thirty One]

Can we discuss how you have a contact in Japan? I’m intrigued

I work for a school district and we have a "sister school" in Japan that we trade students back and forth. Very difficult knowing what kids to trade. Like Branch Rickey said, it's better to trade a kid a year too early than a year too late.

 

[Machinehead]

Schools are going to be our biggest problem.

We can manage health risks with common sense pretty much everyone else. Kids are dumber than pets and you got 35 of them in a room. There's not going to be any health management.

 

[True Blue]

I hope that you're right, and I hope that this is the case. But with many reports that there could be a second, worse outbreak in the fall/winter, my fear would be that the people who do choose to go out and get the economy moving will only make that second outbreak much worse. And the hospitals that went back to performing surgeries are again underwater. So I'm willing to wait for the tests before risking that.

As for my favorite restaurant not opening back up again.. it's a good thing I've used the time in quarantine to become a much better home cook. I think things like a pandemic start to make you question what's really important, and certain things become the new normal. You start to realize that, given enough time and effort, you can make fresh pasta as well as your neighborhood restaurant for 1/10th of the price. Or why you ever had to go to a bar when you've now perfected your margarita and martini recipes. You begin to wonder why you pay someone else to cut your hair when your wife or your buzzer does a decent enough job. Or why you ever went to Starbucks when the espresso machine you just bought saves you a ton of money. I don't know, these are just a few examples that might be based too closely off of my own experience so far. But I wonder about a larger awakening along those lines that certain sectors of the economy never really recover from.

There will certainly be a rise in numbers once they reopen and you can bet on the probability of another breakout. But I think that they will be more prepared for the breakout. I think that once they reopen, the band aid is ripped off. At some point, it becomes impossible imagining this virus as an unstoppable plague. It needs to become something that is more understood. Be treated as a disease, not THE only disease.

My point was not about supporting your local restaurant. My point was small businesses such as barber shops, gyms, restaurants, bars, delis, laundromats, retail, etc. These are the businesses that make the economy work, not people working from home. And if you get rid of all of them, the amount of people that you send to unemployment will be completely unsustainable. And once that happens, whatever it is that your corporation does, the demand for it becomes less and less. And then the people who are working from home begin to loose jobs.

These people who are marching are not marching because they are Trump-bots. They are marching because they need to put food on the table. Shaming lockdown dissenters won’t work anymore.