Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #36

[MaryG12]

What if all these new cases in state that have not yet COVID-19 all came from Florida?

Apparently it takes only one person to spread it before the disease catches like wildfire.

 

[mickey2942]

NYC morgues near capacity, DHS briefing warns

 

[otto]

Prince Charles' coronavirus diagnosis made Prince Harry want to ‘return straight away,' insider claims

Prince Charles’ job means he is a COVID-19 ‘super spreader’

Coronavirus: Prince Albert of Monaco tests positive

We've heard that Harry is so happy now that he's away from his family. Now is certainly not the time to change his mind - since he's not allowed to see them until there's a vaccine.

 

[Tony1902]

Lousiana, "Let the good times roll". Tragic.

Laissez les bonne temps roulez or whatever version, Creole or Cajun, of what is now a death song

 

[Bampot]

From an email from uk asda CEO-

• Perspex screens will soon be fitted at checkouts, until then please keep your distance from our colleagues

• Please only touch items you intend to purchase

• Use cashless payments wherever possible - contactless limit will be increased to £45 from 1st April to make this easier

I am delighted the check out staff are getting perspex screens. I have been served by many older check out staff with zero protection and felt so sorry for them. Sitting ducks.

 

[LadyL]

Why soap, sanitizer and warm water work against Covid-19 and other viruses

COVID-19 prevention: Why soap, sanitizer and warm water work against coronavirus - CNN

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ours too.

https://www.ok.gov/able/documents/statement on delivery.pdf

The city of Moore deems the following to be essential businesses:

• Grocery stores (including farmers markets, pet food and supplies (not including dog grooming), food banks, convenience stores and liquor stores).
• Gas stations (including auto repair facilities).
• Banks and other financial institutions.
• Medical facilities and health care operations (including all training and educational programs as well as home health workers, veterinarians and doctor's offices).
• Laundromats (including dry cleaners and laundry service providers).
• Pharmacies (including medical marijuana dispensaries).
• Essential infrastructure (including construction of housing, industrial and commercial projects currently underway, as well as necessary associated professional services) and utilities.
• Food and beverage providers offering curbside pickup, delivery, takeout or drive-thru service for consumption off premises.
• Hardware stores, plumbers and electricians. Other service providers that will be providing necessary services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses.
• Educational institutions, for the purpose of facilitating distance learning.
• Mail delivery facilities.
• Child care facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work.

Essential activities that vulnerable residents may participate in include:

• Errands to maintain health and safety.
• Getting necessary services or supplies for themselves or their family, pets or household members, such as food and supplies necessary for staying at home.
• Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking; or running, provided they maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing.
• Caring for a family member in another household, elderly, minors, dependents, people with disabilities or other vulnerable persons.
• Donating blood at authorized facilities.

The order will be in effect from 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. April 15, unless terminated, extended or modified by further proclamation.
Moore issues 'safer-in-place' order mirroring Gov. Stitt's emergency proclamation

Yes that is NJ’s list of essential. Our governor later added these establishments as essential:

Mobile phone retail, repair shops
Bicycle shops, only for service and repair
Livestock feed stores
Nurseries, garden centers
Farming equipment stores

 

[Spartygirl]

I hope the stimulus checks are staggered. Think of the stampede if everyone gets a check on the same day. Stampede=spread, imo.

I don't think we have to worry about that.
Most people that have their Income taxes direct deposit will have stimulus $$ direct deposit.
There is also Mobile banking and you can deposit into your account while sitting in your recliner.
There are ATM's , just wear gloves and have disinfected wipes to wipe down keyboard, ALONG WITH HAND SANITIZER.
For those that are not living in the digital world, the DRIVE THRUs are open at most financial institutions so you don't even need to get out of your car or go inside.
Again, there will NOT be a stampede at the Bank as we can all still do our banking in a SAFE and Healthy way.

 

[afitzy]

CT - State News Briefing 3/25/2020:

CT-N: Governor Lamont March 25th Briefing on the Coronavirus

The insanity in Hartford CT IMO continues to roll along with Gov. Lamont and his unprepared team. Yet again there appears to be an absolute disconnect between Politicians in Hartford and the issues that are hitting the Southern Part of the State NOW like a tsunami as the Gov. seems unable to lead with authority and confront tough and powerful lobbies like the insurance and gun groups in Hartford.

Today we learned the following from the briefing:

1. State has no idea exactly how many hospital beds might/will be available for COVID19 patients as of now. The issue of bed availability in the Southern Part of the State (adjacent to NY) is particularly critical and the State of CT has NO IDEA how many of the existing limited beds are now being used for patients from NY and how many beds will be available for the residents of CT. No policy decisions on this issue seem to be on the horizon either. Will people that get sick in coming weeks in the Southern part of the State be forced to treat at home, die at home or get a relative or friend to drive around the State looking for a hospital bed as their local hospitals will be filled and most likely filled with people from New York? No plan for any of this from Gov. Lamont. Have local EMS transport rules been altered to allow local EMS to go to other parts of the State to take sick COVID19 patients to an available bed? As of now, most towns don't have the ability to go to any hospital. What is the plan Gov. Lamont?

2. Many people in the State (INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GROUPS) are QUITE CONCERNED that Gun Shops (Gun Lobby in CT is a particularly strong lobby in Hartford and longstanding 'friend' of Gov. Lamont) have been deemed 'essential businesses' and so are open for business. Gov. Lamont dodged this question multiple times today from reporters and didn't address the issues raised by DV advocates about ready access to ammo and guns during a time of high stress. Will we have to see another DV murder happen (recent spree of these in CT in recent months) amidst the COVID19 crisis before Gov. Lamont shows some leadership and SHUTS the GUN STORES down? Gov. Lamont would not even address the issue of the terror being faced now by people sheltering in place amidst domestic violence. Domestic violence is a huge issue in CT and so to see the response from the Gov. today while not surprising was hugely disappointing.

3. State still has no idea of how many respirators are present in the State. Given the issue with hospital beds in CT and not knowing how many are available, perhaps the issue of respirators might be moot and that is why there is no respirator count? IDK. In the Southern Part of the State its looking to now be highly likely that any/all beds and respirators will be long in use by residents of New York in adjacent areas that were hit by COVID19 about 2 weeks before CT. So, CT residents looking for access to hospitals might have NO LOCAL OPTION DUE TO CAPACITY ISSUES. Again, the lack of planning by the State on this issue is stunning and will no doubt have tragic consequences. Not sure where the folks in Hartford think the residents of Southern CT will go for treatment if Greenwich and Stamford and Norwalk and Bridgeport Hospitals are all filled by the time critical care is needed. Local ambulances only go to 1 hospital now. So, what happens when you call the ambulance when you cannot breath and have a 104 degree fever and are told, "Sorry we have no place to take you". Are people simply being consigned to die at home due to lack of planning from Gov. Lamont and his team? Looks like it based on what we heard today unfortunately. Very tragic situation right now looks to be lining up to happen in a couple of weeks.

4. Many reporters asked questions about mandatory quarantines for people coming to CT from NY and other hotspot states. Gov. as he has been doing now for weeks absolutely dodged this issue and left the issue up to peoples common sense. No guidance from the Gov either on the issue reducing the number of 'essential businesses' of which I believe there are about 100 that slipped through the cracks of the process and are allowed to remain open. No clarity on parks, State Parks and limiting group sizes to 2 such as has been done in Germany. Nope, Gov. Lamont is 'leaving it up to people's good judgment'. Right. These are the same people who are having dinner parties, play dates and meeting with friends in the park to 'hang out' or 'jog'.... Total absence of leadership on anything regarding flattening the curve IMO.

5. Insurance assistance for now unemployed people along the lines of what is being done in Ohio. Big dodge and weave again today from Gov. Lamont as he is unwilling to go after the powerful and large insurance companies in CT who make up probably one of the largest lobbies in Hartford. Gov Lamont says that he is 'asking' the insurers to provide assistance etc. IMO 'asking' insurance companies to do anything is simply worthless and meanwhile families that need coverage won't have it during a period of great financial stress and loss of income etc. This insurance issue is so fundamental IMO to the well being of individuals in the State IMO and so to see Gov Lamont DOING NOTHING to make sure that residents of the State of CT who had jobs can keep their health insurance for a period of time until COVID19 is over and they can find employment is about as close as you can come to being irresponsible as a politician as I think we have ever seen.

6. Small business folks in CT deal with one of the highest tax structures in country along with a highly inefficient and inflexible State bureaucracy IMO. Businesses (large and small) have been fleeing CT for over 20 years and few businesses get set up in CT as people choose to set up in more supportive States in the region rather than attempting to operate in CT. So, to today hear that the State of CT is not offering grants to small businesses with fewer than 50 employees but loans that have to be repaid, while not surprising is on the surface pretty typical of how CT supports its smallest companies. The State is asking these vulnerable small businesses to continue to keep employees on the books (as the loans are for payroll and interim working capital) during a time of crisis with an undefined duration (State can't model the timing of the COVID19 pandemic as Federal Govt can't model it either according to what we learned today at the Press Conference). So, the State is asking its smallest businesses to take out a loan to keep paying employees for a crisis that we don't know when it will end! Its lunacy and IMO small business owners that take the State up on this foolish and ill conceived program will live to regret their decision.

The State should realise IMO that there is value to the small business continuing to pay and insure employees during this period of uncertainty and the State should be risk sharing this entire issue with its smallest businesses and NOT asking them to take on the entire risk themselves. This ill conceived program is absolutely par for the course when trying to do business with the State of CT IMO and its why businesses continue to flee the State in DROVES. Gov Lamont always says that he comes from a small business background and I wish someone from the Press today would have asked him if he would have taken out one of these ill conceived loans for his company NOW? My guess is we would have seen a big DODGE and WEAVE and NO ANSWER from the Gov. This response from Gov Lamont and Sec. Lehman is IMO shameful and absolutely abandons small businesses with fewer than 50 employees to simply shut down.

7. PPE lack of supply....this issue is nationwide but its particularly dire in CT because the State and Towns were understocked going into the crisis. Its unclear whether local volunteer EMS or even City EMS will have proper gear in place to pick up and transport COVID19 victims.

 

[Trudie]

I really mean shopping stampede, not a rush at the ATMs.
It’s spring, people will be buying plants & flowers, more food, etc. Jmo

I don't think we have to worry about that.
Most people that have their Income taxes direct deposit will have stimulus $$ direct deposit.
There is also Mobile banking and you can deposit into your account while sitting in your recliner.
There are ATM's , just wear gloves and have disinfected wipes to wipe down keyboard, ALONG WITH HAND SANITIZER.
For those that are not living in the digital world, the DRIVE THRUs are open at most financial institutions so you don't even need to get out of your car or go inside.
Again, there will NOT be a stampede at the Bank as we can all still do our banking in a SAFE and Healthy way.

 

[BHughes]

The outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 by the World Health Organisation. It would be interesting to see how long it took various countries to comprehend the warning and take action. Most countries have pandemic protocols waiting for such an emergency, but there was too much time between knowing and acting.

Yes, and I suppose that warning fell on deaf ears. Just a week earlier (Jan.23) WHO said it was too soon to call a global health emergency. That has to tell how fast and unexpected this virus was going to be.
How did we prepare the last time WHO declared a Global Health Emergency? That was in 2019?

 

[TGIRecovered]

Abilene and Wylie Robotics Programs collaborate with Hendrick Medical Center creating automated bed tables


High school students in Abilene are doing their part to protect nurses during the pandemic. They begin work on this project on Saturday and the robotic tables are ready to use today.

I’m very impressed that they got this idea and had it ready so quickly!

Please excuse me for quoting my own post. There is an awesome video at the link but I don’t know how to embed the video into my post. If someone else knows how to do it please feel free!
Abilene and Wylie Robotics Programs collaborate with Hendrick Medical Center creating automated bed tables

 

[Sillybilly]

I wonder if William is nervous, not just for the health of his father and grandmother, but because this situation may force him to become King long before he ever expected to be.

You know it's going to be a rough day when your grandmother calls you up and says "Good Morning Your Majesty, it's Gran here"

 

[Bbgiraffe]

I don't think we have to worry about that.
Most people that have their Income taxes direct deposit will have stimulus $$ direct deposit.
There is also Mobile banking and you can deposit into your account while sitting in your recliner.
There are ATM's , just wear gloves and have disinfected wipes to wipe down keyboard, ALONG WITH HAND SANITIZER.
For those that are not living in the digital world, the DRIVE THRUs are open at most financial institutions so you don't even need to get out of your car or go inside.
Again, there will NOT be a stampede at the Bank as we can all still do our banking in a SAFE and Healthy way.

I think it is going to be terrible, IMO, at stores that cash checks like WalMart. Have you ever seen the lines of people cashing checks just on a regular pay day at walmart? A surprising amount of people don't use banks and just cash checks at walmart and other stores.

 

[MsBetsy]

I am happy to see mostly all of the New Yorkers in those photos wearing masks. It was very difficult for us to even start wearing them because Its just not in our society. When I went senior hours shopping on Monday I was pleased to see most of the shoppers wearing them too. I assumed since some looked like surgical masks that their doctors or retirement communities provided them and no one now looks twice at someone wearing a mask.

Yes, I went to a few stores in NY on Friday and many people were wearing those surgical masks. I think you can buy them at pharmacies or other stores if they are not sold out. I'm not sure how much help they are, but it was mostly older people wearing them.

Imo

 

[Trudie]

"The next two to possibly three weeks will be absolutely critical in our battle against the coronavirus," Gov. Beshear said. "Be as diligent as you possibly can to protect those around us in this time. Now is the time to do everything we can."

Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says early signs are good that Kentucky's #HealthyAtHome efforts are making a difference.

Dr. Stack urged folks to keep it up, "We are in crunch time, and the next two to three weeks are pivotal."

Stack urged any college student who went on a spring break trip to self-isolate. Gov. Beshear says we do have our first case of someone who went on spring break to Florida and came back with the coronavirus.

(from previous link)

 

[cody22]

Well, has the Senate already voted and passed their Stimulus Bill so that it can go to the Congress and then the POTUS ? The fantastic speed with which these devoted Public Servants are helping the American public and American businesses, and helping the Nation, makes me so proud of them all, in both parties........moo

 

[Bampot]

I think the health secretary in Scotland said yesterday the protocol in a pandemic was to double ic units. But we are planning on quadrupling ic units.
Intensive care units to quadruple and parking charges for NHS staff to be scrapped, according to health secretary


Edited to add quote

 

[Trudie]

Absolutely & people will again want to stock up, which is good, I hope they use their stimulus wisely.

I think it is going to be terrible, IMO, at stores that cash checks like WalMart. Have you ever seen the lines of people cashing checks just on a regular pay day at walmart? A surprising amount of people don't use banks and just cash checks at walmart and other stores.

 

[Trudie]

The WH briefing is now on TV.