CORONA Main Coronavirus thread

marsh

On TB every waking moment

DC mayor threatens jail time for leaving home during coronavirus
By Steven Nelson
March 30, 2020 | 7:43pm | Updated


DC mayor threatens jail time for leaving home during coronavirus
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WASHINGTON — Mayor Muriel Bowser is threatening residents of Washington, DC, with 90 days in jail and a $5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak.

The threat of jail is alarming residents and civil libertarians who point out that at least five inmates tested positive for COVID-19 in the city’s 1,700-inmate jail near Capitol Hill.

“Our message remains the same: stay home,” Bowser, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday. The stay-home order has exceptions for grocery shopping and work deemed essential. Outdoor recreation such as running is allowed, but cannot involve people outside of a household.

The order is similar to dictates in neighboring Maryland and Virginia, but shocked residents of Washington, where there are just 401 of the nation’s 160,000 confirmed cases.

“This is insane. Criminal penalties?” tweeted Mercedes Schlapp, President Trump’s former White House director of strategic communications and an adviser to his re-election campaign.

Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, told The Post “we would be deeply concerned” if anyone actually was arrested for violating the order.

Enlarge ImageDistrict of Columbia Mayor Muriel BowserAP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

“When we saw this order, we thought, ‘You want to send them where?'” Hopkins said. “People being arrested for that causes all sorts of problems that are antithetical to the goals of lessening the virus.”

The ACLU of DC filed a lawsuit Monday seeking the appointment of an expert to help depopulate the city’s only jail of elderly, health-compromised and non-violent inmates. Many inmates are awaiting trial.

The labor union representing DC jail officers — a part of the Fraternal Order of Police — voted “no confidence” this month against Department of Corrections leaders over safety conditions to prevent spread of the virus.
https://nypost.com/2020/03/21/despi...ming-cherry-blossoms-draw-crowds-in-dc-tokyo/
Because DC courts are operating in a limited capacity due to the virus, it’s unclear when arrested people would be able to be released, Hopkins said.

“What we would hope for is voluntary compliance with the stay-at-home order and discretion on the part of officers to break those sort of things up and send people home,” Hopkins said.

DC’s Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately provide answers to The Post about enforcement, including whether residents would be issued warnings for a first offense. The city has a 6,500-person homeless population.

Trump said at a Monday evening press conference at the White House that federal officials are allowing local autonomy.

“We’re letting the governors do in their state pretty much what they want, with our supervision, and they consult with us in all cases,” Trump said.
 

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marsh

On TB every waking moment

It’s Not The Federal Government’s Fault New York Doesn’t Have More Ventilators, It’s Andrew Cuomo’s
Once again, government intrusion into the health-care sector has proved disastrous.

By Shawn Fleetwood
MARCH 30, 2020

While New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blames the president and the federal government for the lack of beds and ventilators in his state, the power to determine the number of these critical medical supplies in New York hospitals falls squarely upon the shoulders of the governor.

During a Tuesday press conference, Cuomo lashed out at the federal government for not sending enough ventilators as the Wuhan coronavirus continues to rattle the state. “Four hundred ventilators? I need 30,000 ventilators,” Cuomo said. “You want a pat on the back for sending 400 ventilators?” The state is projecting it will need approximately 140,000 beds in 14 to 21 days, which is higher than its previous estimation of 110,000 beds by early to mid-May.

However, New York, along with 35 other states and the District of Columbia, have in place what are known as certificate-of-need (CON) laws. According to Reason, “Their stated purpose is to keep hospitals from overspending, and thus from having to charge higher prices to make up for unnecessary outlays of capital costs. But in practice, they mean hospitals must get a state agency’s permission before offering new services or installing a new medical technology. Depending on the state, everything from the number of hospital beds to the installation of a new MRI machine could be subject to CON review.”

Rules like these artificially lower available medical care. Rather than produce good results for patients, these overbearing regulations have instead inflated health-care costs and created a lack of competition among hospitals, leading to poor care. In addition, these protocols could lead to shortages of crucial medical equipment, such as ventilators and hospital beds, as demonstrated in New York.

Radio host Mark Levin referenced these laws during an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci. “We have what’s called these CON Laws in 36 states [and] the District of Columbia,” Levin stated. “These are certificate-of-need laws, where the governors, the states decide how many ICU beds there are going to be. How many hospitals are going to be? Whether a hospital can build another wing — all goes through these state regulatory processes.”

Levin later went on to criticize Cuomo, stating, “I watched the governor of New York say we need more beds, and I said, ‘Well, why don’t you go get them?’ Because under these CON laws … the first state to have it was New York in the 1960s. They limit the number of beds for whatever reason, they limit the expansion of facilities and not just that, MRIs, CTs, other devices.”

The United States has far more critical-care beds per capita than other countries, but CON law regulations are one of the main reasons the United States has fewer overall hospital beds. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, America has 2.8 hospital beds per 1,000 people. This is less than the 3.2 beds per 1,000 people in Italy, as well as the 12.3 beds per 1,000 people in South Korea, which have had serious outbreaks of the virus. Because of CON laws, some U.S. hospitals aren’t allowed to determine how many beds they need and to expand care as they see fit.

In addition to causing a lack of proper equipment, these rules harm patients. According to a study by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, states with CON laws have a 2.5 to 5 percent higher mortality rate than those without. Wait times have also been affected, with the average delay in New York City emergency rooms ranging from seven to 10 hours before the virus outbreak added strain to an already poorly operating medical system.

Yet Cuomo, who blames the federal government for a lack of beds and ventilators in his state, seemingly forgot it was his mismanagement that led to these shortages. According to RealClearPolitics, “After learning that the state’s stockpile of medical equipment had 16,000 fewer ventilators than New Yorkers would need in a severe pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to a fork in the road in 2015. He could have chosen to buy more ventilators. Instead, he asked his health commissioner, Howard Zucker to assemble a task force and draft rules for rationing the ventilators they already had.”

Cuomo could’ve spent the necessary $576 million on the ventilators to prepare for the worst-case scenario, but instead opted to spend $750 million on a solar panel factory.

Americans Suffer from Big Government

Once again, government intrusion into health care has proved disastrous, to say the least. Just as bureaucratic red tape prevented testing from quickly getting underway in the U.S., government continues to prove it is the problem, not the solution. Rather than focusing on patients and their health, government regulations such as CON laws prioritize protectionism and government control over industry, demonstrate zero compassion for American patients, and seem to benefit only those who seek more and more control over our lives.

Luckily, efforts to eradicate this onerous red tape have already begun, as South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order suspending CON law enforcement in the state. Governors like Cuomo would be wise to follow suit and slash these burdensome regulations to allow for the expansion of new medical facilities and COVID-19 treatments.

More government control of our health-care industry is the exact opposite of what should be happening in Washington, D.C, and states around the country.

Instead, lawmakers across the nation should be focusing on getting rid of these big-government barriers that make it more difficult for doctors and medical experts to treat patients. Letting the market solve its own problems is the answer to many of our problems in health care. The government needs to know when to step out of the way.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Three Shelters Closed in Seattle over Coronavirus as Eric Garcetti Moves L.A. Homeless into Rec Centers
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Seattle homeless shelter (brewbooks / Flickr / CC / Cropped)
brewbooks / Flickr / CC / CroppedJOEL B. POLLAK31 Mar 2020450

Three Seattle-area homeless shelters have been closed because of coronavirus infections, and the residents inside have been “quarantined” inside the facilities for 14 days.

The report, from Seattle-area CBS affiliate KIRO-7, adds that two shelters in Tacoma have also seen cases of coronavirus:
Three homeless shelters operated by Union Gospel Mission closed Saturday because of COVID-19.

Two hundred seventy people are now in quarantine inside the shelters that are closed.
They’ll be there for the next 14 days.
Today, Gov. Jay Inslee highlighted the closing of homeless shelters as a necessary safeguard to stop COVID-19.
It is not clear whether those quarantined inside the shelter also be quarantined from each other.

Over the weekend, a homeless shelter in Las Vegas had to close after one resident tested positive for coronavirus. Several hundred residents were moved to a vacant parking lot outdoors, where they were screened and then slept on rectangular areas marked out by a grid.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is persisting with a plan to move homeless people into recreation centers in residential areas, despite the risk to those inside the centers, and those in the surrounding communities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counsels against clearing homeless encampments during the pandemic, citing the difficulty of maintaining social distance indoors, among other factors.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Coronavirus: GM Reopens Idled Michigan Plant to Produce Face Masks
3,019
Engineers and technicians set-up and test the machines that will be used to manufacture Level 1 face masks Monday, March 30, 2020 at the General Motors Warren, Michigan manufacturing facility. Production will begin next week and within two weeks ramp up to 50,000 masks per day, with the potential to …
Photo by John F. Martin for General MotorsJOHN BINDER31 Mar 2020566

General Motors (GM) is reopening its Warren, Michigan, transmission plant, which it idled last year, in order to begin producing about 1.5 million face masks a month to supplement the shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to order GM to begin producing critical medical supplies and devices for American healthcare workers and patients. On Tuesday, GM executives announced their partnership with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union to reopen the idled Warren transmission plant to make face masks.

With the reopening and retooling of the Warren plant, GM hopes to produce 20,000 level one face masks by April 8, and, when operating at full-scale, to produce 1.5 million masks a month or about 50,000 masks a day.

Level one face masks are not as protective as the N95 masks worn by medical professionals that filter out 95 percent of particles. The masks GM is producing cannot be worn in surgery, but can be used by delivery workers and other non-medical support staff involved in the coronavirus response efforts.

GM spokesperson Monte Doran told the Detroit Free Press that the company is hoping to acquire the expertise to produce N95 masks once it masters level one production.

“We are exploring how to produce N95 masks, the highest level filtration mask produced. We just aren’t there yet. The team felt the level one masks are something we could immediately get into production and start producing as fast as possible,” Doran said.

Since March 20, GM has started retooling the Warren plant with custom machines created by JR Automation in Holland, Michigan, and Esys Automation in Auburn Hills, Michigan, two small to medium-sized American manufacturers.

GM will hire at least about 24 UAW union workers to help make the masks in addition to the workers who have already helped gut the facility to retool it as a mask assembly plant.

Last year, GM idled the Warren plant — laying off 335 American workers, as well as being responsible for the layoffs of about 16,000 in the state’s supporting industries. The closure of the plant was just one component of CEO Mary Barra’s plans to shutter four U.S.-based plants.

As Breitbart News has reported, American manufacturers have warned that materials for supplies like masks, ventilators, gloves, and circuit boards may continue to be sourced out of China without an executive order incentivizing the use of American-made materials.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

IL Gov. Pritzker: We’ve Had to Compete on Open Market with Feds, Other States, Other Countries for Supplies
31 Mar 202033

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Cuomo Primetime,” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) said the state hasn’t received the masks, gloves, gowns, and ventilators they’ve asked the federal government for and have had to go out and compete on the open market with the federal government, other states, and other countries for supplies.

Pritzker said, “Well, we asked for 1.7 million N95 masks and we’ve gotten about 400,000 total. We asked for many, many gloves and gowns and so on. We’ve gotten about 10% of what we asked for. We needed testing early on. They were promising millions of tests. … The truth is that we’ve got very few tests from the federal government, and in fact, their federal testing is slowed down. Because they throw it all at LabCorp and Quest, and they’ve got a huge backlog. Those tests are coming back in four to ten days. What we’re doing in the state of Illinois, we can do in one day or two days.”

He added, “We’ve had to go out onto the open market to find masks…gowns, goggles, face shields, etc. And we’re competing against the federal government. We’re competing against big states like New York and California. We’re competing against other countries. Because the president has not invoked or used the Defense Production Act to help us with all of the needs that we have.

Yes, one company, GM, on ventilators. That’s nice. That’s good. I’m glad he’s doing it. But we need a comprehensive solution. Because we need 4,000 more ventilators here in Illinois from the federal government, where we’ve asked for those thousands of ventilators. We’ve now received a grand total of 450.”
 

Shooter

Veteran Member

Captain of Aircraft Carrier Pleads for Help as Virus Cases Increase Onboard
“We are not at war,” the captain of the carrier Theodore Roosevelt wrote. “Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.”



merlin_170059587_228127b4-b7e9-4088-a294-2cf8dc5d073a-articleLarge.jpg


The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt arriving in Vietnam this month.Credit...EPA, via Shutterstock

By Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Helene Cooper
  • March 31, 2020Updated 7:13 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON — The captain of an American aircraft carrier deployed to the Pacific Ocean has pleaded with the Pentagon for more help as a coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship continues to spread, officials said Tuesday. Military officials say dozens of sailors have been infected.

In a four-page letter dated Monday, first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday, Capt. Brett E. Crozier laid out the dire situation unfolding aboard the warship, the Theodore Roosevelt, which has more than 4,000 crew members. He described what he said were the Navy’s failures to provide him with the proper resources to combat the virus by moving sailors off the vessel.
“We are not at war,” Captain Crozier wrote. “Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.”

The carrier is currently docked in Guam.

Thomas B. Modly, the acting Navy secretary, told CNN in an interview that the Navy was working to move sailors off the ship — but that there were not enough beds in Guam to accommodate the entire crew.

“We’re having to talk to the government there to see if we can get some hotel space, create some tent-type facilities there,” Mr. Modly said. “We’re doing it in a very methodical way because it’s not the same as a cruise ship.”

Speaking to reporters Tuesday night, the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Adm. John C. Aquilino, said that “we’re welcoming feedback” regarding the requests outlined by Captain Crozier.

Admiral Aquilino said that crew members would be rotated off the carrier for testing and quarantine before returning aboard. The intent, he said, was to keep the ship ready to carry out its missions. He said that no crew members had been hospitalized thus far, but he declined to specify the number of infections.

they are ASKING to let there sick go to the hospital? thats a damn AIRCRAFT CARRIER, probably a whole battle group with it. they have more firepower than almost every country on earth, hell with asking, tell them your bringing in your people or else,
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Ford and GE Plan to Make 50,000 Ventilators in Michigan in 100 Days
White House

JOHN CARNEY30 Mar 20204,615
2:34
America’s industrial might is being marshaled to fight the coronavirus.
Ford announced Monday that it is partnering with GE Healthcare to build 50,000 ventilators in Michigan in 100 days. The critical care devices will be built by United Auto Worker (UAW) union members at Ford’s Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Ford said production of the ventilators in Michigan will begin the week of April 20. It expects to produce 1,500 by the end of April, 12,000 by the end of May, and 50,000 by July 4. After that, the plant will produce up to 30,000 ventilators per month.

The plant will produce a simplified ventilator design licensed by GE Healthcare from Florida-based Airon Corp.

“The Ford and GE Healthcare teams, working creatively and tirelessly, have found a way to produce this vitally needed ventilator quickly and in meaningful numbers,” said Jim Hackett, Ford’s president and CEO. “By producing this ventilator in Michigan, in strong partnership with the UAW, we can help health care workers save lives, and that’s our No. 1 priority.”

White House Defense Production Act Coordinator Peter Navarro praised the Ford/GE partnership for working on “Trump time.”

“Just as Ford in the last century moved its manufacturing might seamlessly from auto to tank production during World War II, the Ford team is working with GE Healthcare to use its awesome engineering and manufacturing capabilities to voluntarily help this nation solve one of its most pressing problems. We salute that effort and look forward to the first ventilators rolling off the Michigan assembly line in record time – and we’ll be there to salute that milestone,” Navarro said.

Ford said the Rawsonville plant will produce the ventilators nearly around the clock, with 500 paid volunteer UAW-represented employees working on three shifts. At full production, Ford said it will be able to make 7,200 “Model A-E” ventilators per week, a far faster pace than the three-per-day of the equivalent ventilators currently produced at Airon’s Florida facility.

“From the days of Rosie the Riveter, UAW members have stepped up during difficult times in this nation’s history for the good of us all,” said UAW International President Rory Gamble. “Today’s announcement by Ford that UAW employees will make ventilators at Rawsonville is in that tradition.”
 

MinnesotaSmith

Membership Revoked

Russian Covid-19 aid plane to US: Putin asked Trump if he needed help & he accepted, Kremlin spokesman says
31 Mar, 2020

Get short URL
Russian Covid-19 aid plane to US: Putin asked Trump if he needed help & he accepted, Kremlin spokesman says

A Russian Il-76 transport military aircraft is loaded with medical aid to be sent to Italy amid the Covid-19 pandemic. © Russian Defence Ministry

"A cargo plane with medical supplies and protection equipment may depart for the US by the end of Tuesday, the Kremlin said, after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The issue of protective gear was raised during the Monday phone talks, with Putin asking if the US needed help and Trump accepting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
Moscow suggested the aid in anticipation that the US will be able to return the favor if necessary, once its manufacturers of medical and protective equipment catch up with demand, Peskov said.
The current situation “affects everyone without exception and is of a global nature,” he added.
There is no alternative to acting together in the spirit of partnership and mutual assistance.
On Monday, Trump told reporters at the White House press briefing that “Russia sent us a very, very large planeload of things, medical equipment, which was very nice.”
ALSO ON RT.COM‘Happily surprised’? Trump says Russia sent US ‘very, very large’ aid package to combat Covid-19

The comment left everyone scratching their heads, as no one in the US seemed to know anything about the plane in question. It appears the US president was referring to the aid arranged on the phone call as something that had already happened.

Peskov chastised “some of the American side” who “at least did not contribute to the prompt resolution of technical issues” regarding the agreed-upon delivery, which could explain the delay.
Official data shows the US has been among the nations hardest-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with almost 175,000 confirmed cases and 3,416 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon – overtaking China, where the contagion originated in December. Italy still has the highest death toll in the world, at 12,428."

ALSO ON RT.COM‘This is NUTS!’ Russiagaters see red over Putin’s planeload of corona-aid for Trump, queue to look gift-horse in mouth"
 

Tristan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RwNtxvPMAA
11:24 min
Coronavirus: Abbott Labs execs on ramping up production of two new tests
•Mar 30, 2020


CNBC Television


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFtt6oN4Erc
3:14 min
Abbott Labs CEO says rapid coronavirus tests prioritized for frontline workers
•Mar 30, 2020


CNBC Television


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqICkkOaNKo
.59 min
How It Works: Portable Coronavirus Testing

•Mar 27, 2020

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k07ngG74kmY
.39 min
COVID-19 Testing Where And When It's Needed Most
•Mar 27, 2020





Really can be a game changer; if the cost per test is low enough, you could test your Medical Professionals regularly both to assure they aren't spreading the virus to others, and to start treatment early should a viable early treatment become available *cough*HydroxychloraquineZincZpac*cough*

Losing front line medical professionals to illness both takes up resources (vents and beds, meds and support) and those that don't make it are both a tragedy as well as not replaceable in any sort of reasonable timeframe.

I would even say they are essentially irreplaceable, as each brings years of training and experience to the job at hand.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

‘Unprecedented’: U.S. Repatriates over 25,000 Stranded Americans During Coronavirus Pandemic
Passengers wear protective masks at Los Angeles international airport. New Zealand is seeking to bring back affected residents from Wuhan on a chartered Air New Zealand flight. Photograph: Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images
Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty ImagesEDWIN MORA31 Mar 2020Washington, DC12
4:26

The Trump administration is working to repatriate “an additional 9,000” American citizens stranded overseas because of the coronavirus global pandemic after helping over 25,000 return home, a State Department official revealed on Monday.

During the White House coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump touted the State Department’s efforts to bring U.S. citizens homes as “one of the largest and most complex international evacuation operations in American history.”

“Our repatriation flights continued through the weekend, and I am pleased to report that we have thus far brought home over 25,000 Americans from over 50 countries,” Ian Brownlee, the principal deputy assistant secretary from the Bureau of Consular Affairs at State, told reporters on Monday. “We are tracking over 100 additional flights over the next week, and we have identified an additional 9,000 U.S. citizens who have indicated [an] interest in those flights.”

The Trump administration is reportedly using military aircraft, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deportation planes, and chartered flights to get some Americans home while asking others to avail themselves of commercial means to return when possible.

“We do not know how long commercial flights will remain available, nor do we know how long the U.S. Government will be able to facilitate additional flights where commercial options no longer exist,” Brownlee said. “It is therefore imperative that U.S. citizens make plans now to avail themselves of these options.”

Speaking on background on March 23, a State official noted that the department’s message to people overseas is for them to try to leave unless they are “ready to ride out an undetermined period of time” at their current location.

“We are seeing more U.S. citizens decide to stay abroad and ride out this crisis where they are,” Brownlee pointed out on Monday.

He acknowledged that while the U.S. has repatriated nearly 2,800 U.S. citizens from Peru, some Americans are not allowed to leave the South American country because they are under quarantine.

“Quarantine measures due to the outbreak of COVID-19 are enforced by Peru’s ministry of health, and exceptions are not made for international tourists,” he said.

In mid-March, Peru shut down its land, air, and maritime borders to stem the spread of the virus, leaving hundreds of Americans stranded.

According to Brownlee, some high-level officials at State are working to address the issue of Americans stuck at quarantine facilities in Peru.

“We are working to ensure that travelers placed under quarantine have access to appropriate food and healthy living conditions,” he said, later adding, “We continue to see the demand for repatriation assistance from U.S. citizens in Central and South America, and now we are seeing growing interest from U.S. citizens wanting to return from Asia, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.”

The highly contagious and deadly coronavirus illness has spread to 179, or over 90 percent, of the countries and territories of the world, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

Dozens of State officials from the department’s 75,000-strong workforce in over 220 locations around the globe have reportedly caught the coronavirus.

“Our current [coronavirus] caseload overseas is only 75 cases – five hospitalized, all locally employed,” Dr. William Walters, the deputy chief medical officer for operations at State’s Bureau of Medical Services, revealed.

“Domestically we have 30 cases in nine cities. Most cities are single case or two cases,” Dr. Walters added. “We do not have a documented case of employee-to-employee transmission.”

There is a contingency plan in place to evacuate department employees if necessary.

An estimated ten million U.S. citizens are living abroad. That figure, however, does not represent “the entire universe of people who would be seeking to return to the United States,” the unnamed State official said on March 23.

As of Tuesday evening, there were more than 850,580 coronavirus cases across the world and over 41,650 fatalities, the Johns Hopkins tracker showed.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

L.A. Times: Democrat Jerry Brown Cut California’s Ventilator Stockpile, Mobile Hospitals
10,995
Trump California Wildfires President Donald Trump talks with California Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom during a visit to a neighborhood destroyed by the wildfires, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. At right is California Gov. Jerry Brown.
Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via APJOEL B. POLLAK31 Mar 2020995
3:15

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that former California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) sold or gave away the state’s stockpile of ventilators and mobile hospital units, which had been created by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R).

The reason: the last recession, which hollowed out state finances in Schwarzenegger’s final years in office, meant Brown had to cut spending.

But once the state’s finances recovered, the emergency supplies were never restored.

The Times reported that Gov. Schwarzenegger, noting the national outrage at the mismanagement of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, and concerned about a SARS outbreak in Asia, spent $200 on medical disaster preparedness.

The equipment included “three 200-bed mobile hospitals,” plus “50 million N95 respirators” and “2,400 portable ventilators.” The cost of maintaining the emergency stockpile was less than $6 million per year, the Times noted.

However, that funding was cut — and despite queries by state legislators, it was never restored.

The Times added (original links):
Now, many California hospitals are being forced to ration their inadequate supply of N95 masks, and hospitals are rushing to rent ventilators in anticipation of a severe shortage as COVID-19 caseloads grow.

At its height, the state’s stockpile held more than 50 million N95 respirators, but without continued funding, that supply dwindled. Some were used during California’s wildfires and not replaced, and others went past their expiration date. As the coronavirus arrived in California, that supply was down to 21 million.

What exactly happened to the 2,400 ventilators isn’t clear. Several dealers who buy and sell used medical equipment said they recall many of California’s ventilators ended up being resold by hospitals and nursing homes to other dealers, who then likely shipped them out of the United States.
President Trump reiterated in his daily press conference at the White House that while the federal government was eager to help, states had been responsible for lacking necessary supplies.

He complimented Gov. Gavin Newsom, Brown’s successor, on managing California’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Brown joked during the 2016 presidential election that if Trump won, California would have to build a wall to separate itself from the rest of the country.
 

MinnesotaSmith

Membership Revoked

The Biggest Fraud in History is Happening Right Before Our Eyes
By Gary D. Barnett
April 1, 2020

“When I consider Life, ’tis all a cheat;
Yet, fooled with hope, men favour the deceit;
Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay:
To-morrow’s falser than the former day;
Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest
With some new joys, cuts off what we possesst.”

~ John Dryden, Aureng-Zebe

"More and more evidence is forthcoming daily that this new coronavirus called Covid-19, is not only being blown out of proportion, but is purposely being manipulated to show many more deaths than are actually caused by this mystery virus. In some cases, as in Italy, the so-called current epicenter of this falsely identified pandemic, the obvious deception is easy to identify, but it goes on none the less; this due to the perpetrators of this fraud understanding that fear sells, and allows for the unimpeded ease of population control. This is partially due to a weakness of mind, but also to the fact that the American public is no longer independent and free, but is beholding to the state as guardian of the flock.

Much of the hype surrounding this ordeal has been refuted, and those responsible for making magnificent and unsubstantiated death claims early on have not only backed off, but have ratcheted down their initial warnings exponentially. This was done quietly and without fanfare of course, unlike their mass fear mongering, but nonetheless their claims were patently false. This is why the continued tyranny due to this hype is so ridiculous, as the false basis for the initial fear has been exposed, but the political class and its media continue on as if their lies were not noticed. In the meantime, millions of Americans are without a job, without savings, and without any way to support their families, all due to forcible government interference into their lives in the name of “safety.” The economy was shut down, and is still shut down, with no apparent end in sight.

The salacious headlines continue, and read as if Armageddon is already here, but by some legitimate estimates, the actual numbers being reported of death due to this virus could be ten times too high. There should be no doubt at this point that this entire episode of viral panic has either been purposely staged, or used to accomplish nefarious political agendas, or both. All this for a pneumonia-like sickness that is minor compared to the common flu, but a very convenient tool if control of the masses is sought.

Much of this began due to governments’ around the world, especially in the U.S. and UK, listening to one man, a supposed coronavirus “expert,” Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson. He projected 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. and over 500 thousand in the UK if extreme actions were not taken. After the first day of the UK lockdown, he lowered those estimates by a factor of 25 down to 20,000. After this was properly scrutinized, he made a statement in an attempt to cover his own incompetence, but was not successfully in my opinion. But did things change after his fraudulent model was exposed; a model used to close down entire countries? Of course not, because that would never fit the agenda sought by the ruling class.

The worst case of abuse of the truth concerning this virus has been in Italy where over 88% of alleged deaths due to coronavirus were misattributed. In other words, 9 out of every 10 deaths in Italy stated as due to coronavirus are likely false. For more information about the Italian scam, see these links here, here, here, and here. If things continue as of late, the U.S. will be the next country to completely shut down, claiming death numbers that are also extremely misleading, and in fact could be outright lies.

Much of the economic damage is already done, and the continued devastation due to the extreme measures taken under the guise of protecting all of us will linger for an unknown amount of time. GDP in this country is estimated to fall 35% in just the second quarter alone, but with much of the economy completely destroyed, and possible unemployment up to 30% or more, even when these restrictions are lifted, the damage already done will prove to be unbearable. With this comes extreme psychological problems as well, and sickness and despair at every level will not only increase, but will be deadly. When all is said and done, this virus will seem tame compared to the horrible consequences of the state’s version of a cure.

The next menacing government threat of this plotted response is coming, and that is a coronavirus vaccine that will be demanded or even forced on the public. As the screws of surveillance and control get ever tighter, mandated vaccinations are in our future. Long after this virus has disappeared, the vaccines will still be with us, and most likely very dangerous. First, vaccines are questionable when all is done correctly, and over a long period of time, but a coronavirus vaccine is already being tested. Vaccines normally need at least 18 months or more to be tested properly before being used on the public. The risks and potential side effects could be deadly, and certainly could cause much harm. Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing called the government and the CDC. False claims about this new vaccination coming will abound, but caution is warranted.

This is about power and money, lots of money. Pharmaceutical companies, the CDC, and those like Bill Gates and his ilk, stand to make fortunes, and with mandates for vaccination, also will have a seemingly endless market, all due to government interference and enforcement. This is a dream for these evil people and corporations, and safety is the last order of business in a fiasco like the one unfolding.

Fear and panic have driven this monstrous response, and although government and the mainstream media knowingly fed this fear from all angles, the people at large accepted the fraud hook, line, and sinker. As I have mentioned many times previously, the death toll from the state response of shutting down the country, isolating people and families, forcing those most at risk into seclusion which is the equivalent to a death penalty, and destroying the economic activity that sustains the lives of all will certainly be responsible for many more deaths than the so-called threat of any virus.

The toll on Americans from this madness perpetrated by government will be the real pandemic, and one that will continue for years to come. What a travesty, and what an exposé on the horrendous and vile nature of government and media today. Evil is as evil does, and government’s evil deeds during this manufactured crisis have laid bare the wickedness that is the political system and its criminal representatives at every level of rule."

The state is God, deifies arms and prisons. The worship of the state is the worship of force. There is no more dangerous menace to civilization than a government of incompetent, corrupt, or vile men. The worst evils which mankind ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments. The state can be and has often been in the course of history the main source of mischief and disaster.

~ Ludwig von Mises, Chapter III: Etatism
 

jba48

Veteran Member
All this for a pneumonia-like sickness that is minor compared to the common flu...

Stopped reading after that ridiculous statement.
 

ktrapper

Veteran Member
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U51NH8Cyc_E
5:17 min

Rick Perry's chilling warning about the US energy sector
•Mar 31, 2020


Fox News

The United States is being flooded with foreign oil. Former Energy Secretary Rick Perry says it is about national security.
We are seeing it here on the North Slope. Between low oil prices and the Covid19, CCI sent home 73 non essential workers. Ice Services closed its Kitchen at point Thompson and sent about 30 home. Oil Search, is curtailing activity. Two drilling rigs from Conoco are being cold stacked, I think, 4 more rigs up here are going into warm shut down for a undetermined amount of time. That’s just what I have heard the last few days. Plus we have a case of corona virus up here confirmed positive that has one of the bigger players, I won’t say who at this point, their entire camp is on lock down.
If the Saudis don’t get us the Covid19 may likely shut down the North Slope.
 

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
Hope it doesn't get lost but hope some medical member will respond to my question a few posts back RE zinc---

it came from a comment made on the ER Doctor's video--one of the persons commenting said zinc was no good against Covid because it can't be absorbed orally---well then how CAN it be absorbed?

My original post and question can be found at post # 40508
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

China Blames Other Countries for Its Faulty Medical Equipment
12
TOPSHOT - This photo taken on January 22, 2020 shows workers producing facemasks at a factory in Handan in China's northern Hebei province. - China banned trains and planes from leaving Wuhan at the centre of a virus outbreak on January 23, seeking to seal off its 11 million people …
STR/AFP via Getty ImagesJOHN HAYWARD31 Mar 202023

Chinese state media on Tuesday deflected complaints about the poor quality of masks and coronavirus test kits shipped from China to other countries by insisting “quality concerns” are overblown and the “vast majority” are up to standards, despite growing complaints to the contrary.

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) media organs blamed the countries that purchased Chinese supplies for using them improperly and cast aspersions on the foreign suppliers of raw materials to Chinese industry.

The CCP’s Global Times produced a masterpiece of evasive doublespeak on Tuesday, condemning “conspiracy theories” about the heavy failure rate of Chinese medical equipment, while slipping in a convoluted admission that “risks of quality issues do exist due to a combination of factors from illegal production activities to improper procurement channels, shortages in crucial foreign materials and loopholes in foreign regulations that require attention from all governments.”

“Hyping up and politicizing quality issues based on several individual cases is not only counterproductive in the global fight against the pandemic but could also be dangerous going forward, as many countries are running out of the life-saving equipment, Chinese officials, businesses and analysts warned,” the Global Times added, as if Chinese officials, businessmen, and analysts could be expected to say anything else.

The Chinese state paper complained that other governments have not provided enough details of the equipment failures. For example, the article suggested those 600,000 Chinese sanitary masks that proved unreliable in the Netherlands might have failed, not because of Chinese manufacturing, but because “material that China relies on importing from Switzerland and Turkey” might have been defective.

The Global Times went on to blame lax certification standards from foreign entities such as the “so-called U.S. Food and Drug Administration” and the European Union for allowing shady Chinese companies to steal sales away from more reputable firms. Nameless Chinese officials provided assurances that “crackdowns” on these dodgy manufacturers are underway.

“Regarding the masks the Dutch officials have asked to recall, it was unclear whether they had gained proper certification and were purchased through proper channels, as the officials did not disclose the source of the masks,” the Global Times huffed.

As for the infamously inaccurate coronavirus test kits pouring out of China, the Global Times blamed end users in countries such as Spain, the Philippines, and the Czech Republic for using the kits incorrectly, in addition to slamming foreign procurers for doing business with the wrong Chinese companies.

An unidentified “insider” from an unnamed agency in an unspecified country magically appeared to confirm everything the CCP said about the defective equipment:
The Spanish government last week withdrew 8,000 orders of rapid testing kits from China because of inaccurate results, according to media reports. Some other countries, including the Philippines and the Czech Republic, have also reportedly claimed that some Chinese-made testing kits are inaccurate.
However, probing into these incidents also revealed that foreign procurement agents and officials failed to follow specific instructions released by Chinese authorities. In the case of the Czech Republic, local health officials did not follow instructions on how to use the testing kits.
The Spanish government purchased the testing kits in question from a company called Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology. But the Chinese Embassy in Spain said that the company was not approved by Chinese authorities and was not included on a list of 12 suppliers the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) provided to Spanish officials.
Bioeasy also said in a statement on Friday that Spanish health workers probably have not followed instructions provided by the company in collecting testing samples.
An insider close to the matter told the Global Times on Monday that the intermediary for the purchase had contacted several manufacturers in China but decided to buy from the Shenzhen-based firm because it was the first to respond.
“Such incidents reflect an eagerness of foreign companies and governments to seek medical supplies in order to meet growing domestic demand, however, some have been so anxious in inking orders that they sometimes ignore strict quality control procedures,” said the insider, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
That was also the case with the incident in the Philippines, where officials claimed that some Chinese-made testing kits produced inaccurate results.
After muttering about “irregular sales activities” of ventilators, thermometers, and their components that might lead to more complaints about quality, the Global Times complained about an alleged “ideologically driven bias toward everything associated with China” and blamed foreign officials for “politicizing” the coronavirus epidemic.

The Global Times fired off an editorial on Monday, raging against anyone who dares to criticize the suspiciously high failure rate of medical equipment coming from the country that claims to have reduced local transmissions of the virus to zero in the heart of the outbreak zone.

The editorial allowed that some dubious manufacturers have set up shop in China and should be hounded out of business by CCP regulators, while also complaining that “standards in different countries are inconsistent” and implying “governments and media of other countries” are irrationally over-hyping quality issues.

This was followed by the customary threats against foreigners who make the grave mistake of angering the “Chinese public”:
As the whole world urgently buys from China, omissions may still occur even under tightened Chinese management. China is making active efforts to supply products to relevant countries out of great goodwill. The importers should also deal with disputes with reciprocal goodwill. If public opinion in relevant countries makes a big deal of the quality disputes, this could easily be seen as deliberate provocation by the Chinese public.
It’s hoped countries import medical products from reputable Chinese companies. As far as the Global Times knows, some foreign governments are reluctant to choose importers from the list of trustworthy companies recommended by Chinese embassies, worrying there may be State-owned enterprises. Instead, they are more willing to directly contact Chinese companies themselves. They shouldn’t make rush decisions in case they purchase inferior products from disqualified companies, triggering a public opinion spat and disrupting epidemic control cooperation.
China has controlled the epidemic situation mainly by relying on its own produced medical materials. The Chinese products are undoubtedly reliable. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many countries placing orders with China. If there is any problem, let’s solve it together.
Writing at the Washington Times on Monday, Spain-based commentator Jorge Gonzalez-Gallarza Hernandez granted that Spain and the European Union might have ordered supplies from China in too much haste, without properly vetting the suppliers, and Spanish officials have not handled the ensuing controversy well, but noted both Chinese corporate and government officials have also been evasive in responding to quality complaints.

Among other things, Beijing’s list of approved vendors was published after Spain bought those coronavirus test kits with a 70 percent failure rate from Bioeasy, a company that turned out to be absent from the approval list.

“Accepting this as an excuse would assume that any medical equipment Chinese firms have exported prior to the official list release is beyond Beijing’s responsibility to quality-control. How reassuring,” Hernandez said sarcastically.
“What friendly country allows exports of test kits that it wouldn’t use on its own population? Given the predatory nature of China’s development aid, likening its medical equipment sales to the Belt and Road initiative may turn an accurate parallel,” Hernandez concluded, referring to China’s vast infrastructure program, criticized for luring Third World governments into taking out Chinese loans they can never repay.
 

jward

passin' thru
Is it just me, or does the world look infinitely worse with, because of, these charts?

OA

aww, but the take away is that the virus will take years, instead of just months, to change to a form that is different enough to escape vaccines, or herd immunity, and that is a GOOD thing--- Of course, we have no vaccine yet, but that is just a small detail.... assuming he is correct, and all that jazz.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
if you close walmart and Costco, where do you expect people to get food?

the number of people in those stores increased, because they cut there hours, I would be going at 3 am, to avoid people. but now I cant, same number of people a day are going there, just less hours for them to do that

That's a really good point. I drove around town the other day (didn't leave the car) to see how busy different stores were. The Superwalmart was as crowded as Christmastime. I was appalled, but now factoring in that they are open less than half the hours they are usually open, it makes a little more sense (not much sense, people really should not be out shopping, but maybe some of that crowd would've shopped at a different hour if they were open then).

HD
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Model Projects 37 States Do Not Have Hospital Capacity at Coronavirus Peak
9
This picture taken on March 16, 2020 during a press presentation of the hospitalisation service for future patients with coronavirus at Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, shows empty hospital beds in a ward. - As of March 16, Israel has 255 confirmed cases …
JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty ImagesMICHAEL PATRICK LEAHY31 Mar 202037

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) epidemiological model cited recently by the medical experts on the White House Coronavirus Task Force now projects that 37 states do not currently have enough hospital bed capacity to handle the peak number of patients expected to be hospitalized in their states.

Of these 37 states, 22 will have enough regular hospital beds but not enough ICU hospital beds. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia will face shortages of both regular hospital beds and ICU hospital beds.

Thirteen states have enough regular hospital beds as well as ICU hospital beds to handle the peak number of coronavirus patients in their states, the model projects.

Different states will reach their peak number of deaths and hospital admissions at different times over the next 60 days.

The model currently projects that New York, for instance, will reach its peak number of deaths–827 per day–in just nine days, on April 9, with peak resources coming one day earlier on April 8. In contrast, the model projects that Virginia will reach its peak number of deaths–31 per day–almost two months from now, on May 25, with peak resource use coming there on May 28.

The results of the initial study based on the IHME model “used data on confirmed COVID-19 deaths by day from WHO websites and local and national governments; data on hospital capacity and utilization for US states; and observed COVID-19 utilization data from select locations to develop a statistical model forecasting deaths and hospital utilization against capacity by state for the US over the next 4 months,” were first published at Healthdata.org, the IHME website, on March 26:
Compared to licensed capacity and average annual occupancy rates, excess demand from COVID-19 at the peak of the pandemic in the second week of April is predicted to be 64,175 (95% UI 7,977 to 251,059) total beds and 17,309 (95% UI 2,432 to 57,584) ICU beds. At the peak of the pandemic, ventilator use is predicted to be 19,481 (95% UI 9,767 to 39,674). The date of peak excess demand by state varies from the second week of April through May. We estimate that there will be a total of 81,114 deaths (95% UI 38,242 to 162,106) from COVID-19 over the next 4 months in the US. Deaths from COVID-19 are estimated to drop below 10 deaths per day between May 31 and June (emphasis added.)
Subsequent to the publication of the initial results, the IHME model has been updated with the most recent data provided by departments of health in the 50 states and the District of Columbia every 24 hours. “The model was most recently updated at 6 a.m. Pacific, March 31, 2020,” Healthdata.org reported.

The most recent update of the model is slightly more pessimistic than the first results published on March 26. It now projects, as of March 31, that there will be a total of 83,945 deaths from COVID-19 over the next four months. (emphasis added)

According to the updated projections in the IHME model as of Tuesday morning, March 31, these 13 states have sufficient regular hospital bed and ICU hospital bed capacity to handle the anticipated number of coronavirus who will require hospitalization on the peak days in their states:
Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wyoming.
These 22 states will have sufficient regular hospital bed capacity but insufficient ICU hospital bed capacity, according to the model’s most recent projections:
Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
These 15 states and the District of Columbia will not have sufficient regular hospital bed or ICU hospital bed capacity, according to the model’s most recent projections:
Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Tennessee.
The IHME model appears to have some volatility within state level projections.
For instance, on March 30, the model projected that Tennessee will experience 1,067 COVID-19 deaths and will have more than enough regular hospital beds and ICU hospital beds to deal with the peak hospital admissions of patients with coronavirus.

However, one day later, on March 31, those projections changed dramatically, projecting that Tennessee will experience 4,985 COVID-19 deaths and will need significantly more regular hospital beds and ICU hospital beds than it currently has to deal with the peak hospital admissions of patients with coronavirus.
The most significant change in the underlying data used in the model is that the number of actual COVID-19 deaths in Tennessee increased by six in one day, from eight on March 29 to 14 on March 30.

Research for the IHME model was headed up by Professor Chris Murray of the University of Washington, the executive director of the IHME. “Funding was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Found and the State of Washington,” according to this report on the study published on March 30 at MedRxiv.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster Orders Closure of Nonessential Businesses
1
GOP governor cuts health care to take anti-abortion stand
AP Photo/Jeffrey CollinsHANNAH BLEAU31 Mar 20205
1:37
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) on Tuesday ordered the closure of non-essential businesses as the Palmetto State continues to gear up to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

McMaster issued the executive order on Tuesday, which extends to businesses in three main categories: Entertainment venues, recreational and athletic facilities, and close-contact service providers. Businesses within those categories include fitness centers, concert venues, nightclubs, auditoriums, racetracks, bingo halls, spectator sports, tourist attractions, spas, hair salons, tanning salons, and other businesses and activities within the categories deemed nonessential. The order goes into effect on Wednesday, April 1 and extends through April 15.

“The virus is still spreading and still growing,” McMaster said on Tuesday. “We have to do everything we can… but not go too far and destroy businesses and jobs people are depending on.”

“The bare minimum will close,” he added.

McMaster has also ordered residents to practice social distancing and called for the end of public gatherings of three or more. Additionally, he ordered those flocking to South Carolina from coronavirus hotspots — like the New York Tri-State area and Louisiana — to self-isolate for 14 days.

South Carolina had 1,083 confirmed cases of the virus as of Tuesday.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
The uptick in cases in the younger adults is probably due to their propensity in joining crowds at the beach, parties, concerts, etc.

Their inherit belief in their invulnerable is their downfall.

You cannot cure young adult stupidity.

Texican....

Yep. The older folks are staying home and sheltering in place. The millenials and younger are flaunting their 'immortality' by ignoring the warnings. Some of that arrogance is the fault of the early on reports that this is an 'old-age' disease; but even so, had that been accurate (which its being proven is not), they should've sheltered in place to protect the older members of their cities. They didn't, they couldn't care less, and now they're getting sick. ETA: I don't wish this horrible disease on anyone, even stupid kids who flaunt the rules. I'm sorry for all those kids for essentially being kids and now paying a horrible price.

HD
 
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marsh

On TB every waking moment
The Places In America With The Most "At Risk Populations" For COVID-19

Tue, 03/31/2020 - 23:25

Authored by Jen Hood, via MastersOfBusinessAnalytics.com,

The coronavirus crisis has turned many Americans into amateur data scientists who are studying health data and statistics on a daily basis.

Are the rates of infections rising? Are they rising but accelerating or decelerating? Are the infections rising because of viral spread or because of more testing? How many people are dying each day? Does the data indicate that the virus is dangerous for only old people or young people as well? In many ways solving this crisis hinges on our mastery of data analytics, a subject we specialize in.

By now, the data is clear that coronavirus is dangerous for people of all ages, but it’s particularly lethal for older individuals.

In this article, the team at MastersofBusinessAnalytics.com was compelled to review just how many Americans are over the age of 65 in various places across the country. While this data analysis doesn’t show us how to solve the problem, it can show us just how large the devastation could be.

Across the country, there are over 51 million Americans that are over the age of 65, comprising 16% of the population. Maine and Florida lead the nation with the highest proportion of their population being over the age of 65. Alaska and Utah are the states with the lowest rates of elderly people. Among the largest hundred cities in America, Scottsdale, AZ and Honolulu, HI have the populations with the highest percentage of older Americans.
* * *

It’s important to note that coronavirus is serious for all individuals, not just the elderly. The disease can be debilitating and sometimes deadly, even if you’re healthy. Even if you’re “asymptomatic” (meaning you have contracted coronavirus and might not know it because you show no symptoms) you could spread it to someone else who could experience very adverse consequences and possible death.

This is to say, it’s important to show the number of people across America that are above 65 years old because they are the most at risk, but that does not absolve younger people from the risks or responsibilities.

The chart below shows that states that have the highest percentage of their population aged 65 and above:


Across the country, Maine and Florida have the highest percentages of their populations that are over the age of 65 and the highest risk group for the virus. Alaska and Utah have the lowest rates of eldery population, with under 12% of their population being under the age of 65 years old.

But just how many older Americans are at risk in each state? While the prior chart looked at the percentage of the population that was over 65, the next chart shows the number of people in each state that are over 65 (in millions).



In California there are approximately 5.7 million people over the age of 65, followed by Florida with 4.4 million and Texas with 3.6 million. In New York, the state with currently the most known coronavirus infections, has the fourth highest population of people over the age of 65. All in all, 18 of the 50 states have more than a million people over the age of 65 that would be extremely high risk for complications due to coronavirus.

Next, let’s look at the cities with the highest percentage of inhabitants over the age of 65:




Scottsdale, AZ, an attractive retirement destination, has the highest percentage of people over the age of 65 by a significant margin. Scottsdale is followed by Honolulu, HI and Hialeah, FL, two warm locations favored by retirees. Larger cities like Miami and San Francisco also make the top ten cities with a percentage of older Americans.

On the other hand, Irving, TX has the lowest percentage of people under the age of 65, with just 7.4% of the population being in this high risk group. Santa Ana, CA and Austin, TX round out the bottom three cities with the lowest percentage of people under 65 years of age.

Lastly, let’s look at which cities have the most people over the age of 65 living there:



New York City has the most inhabitants over 65+ years old by a huge margin. Almost 1.2 million New Yorkers are over the age of 65, more than twice as many as the second place city, Los Angeles. New York City currently has the highest know number of coronavirus infections in America by a large margin and may soon exceed the total in Wuhan, China.

* * *
In discussions about how to solve the coronavirus economics crisis, some people have suggested that high risk elderly people just need to avoid the virus or that only a small number of people are really at risk. While this sentiment is misguided on a number of different levels, it overlooks the sheer quantity of Americans that are at risk simply because of their age. In states like Florida and Maine and cities like Scottsdale, it would mean risking the health and lives of an enormous part of the population.
 

jward

passin' thru
If you have the room in your garden or on your property, you might want to include several winter staples. Winter Squash, Rutabagas, Parsnips, Carrots, turnips, Winter Storage Onions, potatoes, etc.

Open Pollinated seeds have become much tighter with the online suppliers I use, but by buying what they have you can piece out an entire garden that will give you summer eats fresh and process (can, dehydrate, Freeze) for winter. 50-day Green beans being one of the best because in most areas of the country you can get two pickings off each planting and do two plantings. Many things are sold out for the season at one source, but with searching on the internet can be found from another.

Don't forget the herbs! A good selection of herbs can be easily dried and stored (small Ball jars with lids, plastic tubs, freezer bags, small bottles with tight lids, etc.) and they will make a boring winter meal much tastier.

Canning jars and lids are very short in my AO, but you can still pick them up by checking several sources. Worst case you can buy them on the internet but the shipping cost will be a killer.

Canning equipment (pressure canners, racks, tools) is short in my AO as well, but that usually sells out around here in a good year, no telling what happens this year.

I think it is STEVE SOLOMON'S Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times that talks about what to grow for the biggest caloric buck, how to grow them, extend seasons etc. IIRC the five go to crops for such a scenario are: beans, potatoes, corns, squash and eggs? Or it might be Carol Depps' The Resilient Gardener who discusses it. Either, or both, are good sources if one is just coming to a view that they may need to provide for themselves nutritionally.

ETA: I prefer my special heritage cultivars as much, or more than the next lady- but given the uncertainty of these days, I was also happy to drop by my local farm and Dollar stores and grab regular ole hybrid seeds. They can't be saved, it's true, but they do tend to be sturdy and prolific growers. If you have the room to do both, you might consider it.
 
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marsh

On TB every waking moment

28 Austin spring breakers test positive for COVID-19 after Mexico trip

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 1:36PM
AUSTIN, Texas -- Twenty-eight spring breakers who recently went on a trip to Mexico are self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, according to the Austin Public Health Department.

Health officials said a group of about 70 students in their 20s took a chartered plane to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico about a week and a half ago.

A total of 28 students have tested positive for the virus and dozens more are under a public health investigation. The county said four of the confirmed cases did not present any symptoms

Austin Public Health and UT Health Austin and University Health Services have made contact with every spring breaker onboard the plane. Some students in the group returned on separate commercial flights.

Mexico, at the time of the group's trip, was not under a federal travel advisory.

"A leisure vacation of any kind is not considered essential," said health officials. "Figures show nearly half of those testing positive for COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County are between the ages of 20 and 40."

Earlier this month, despite warnings to avoid crowds, some people decided to party anyway during spring break in Port Aransas.

The crowds were captured on video.

On South Padre Island, spring breakers also refused to cancel their plans even though the mayor declared a state of emergency.
__________________________________________
Spring breaker who partied despite coronavirus warnings apologizes

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 6:49AM
MIAMI, Florida (KTRK) -- A spring breaker who received national attention after appearing to shrug off coronavirus warnings about social distancing has apologized.

Brady Sluder said in a now-viral video last week, "If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I'm not going to let it stop me from partying. We've been waiting for Miami spring break for a while."

But Sluder has now posted a public apology on Instagram for his comments.

"I would like to sincerely apologize for the insensitive comment I made in regards to COVID-19 while on spring break," he wrote. He also said he "wasn't aware" of the severity of his actions.

"Listen to your communities. Life is precious. Don't be arrogant and think you're invincible like myself," he said, adding he has "elderly people who I adore more than anything in the world and other family members who are at risk, and I understand how concerning this disease is for us all."

The apology comes after spring breakers in Florida and Texas alike received backlash for partying in large crowds on the beaches.

Since then, many cities and states have issued stay-at-home orders.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Tucker Carlson: We understand there's a shortage of medical masks. Stop lying to us and tell the truth
Tucker Carlson

By Tucker Carlson | Fox News

Tucker: The government has a coronavirus mask problem
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, mask shortages have been a problem and so has the government messaging.

In any crisis, trust is critical -- and not just for moral reasons, for practical reasons. The government can't coordinate a national response if the public doesn't believe what it says, if it doesn't believe the government is looking out for its best interest.

That's why honesty is essential at times like this. When the government lies, people know. They can tell, and then they stop listening.

From the beginning of the Chinese coronavirus epidemic, mask shortages have been a major problem. Some people hoarded hundreds or thousands of them. Manufacturers couldn't keep up.

In some cases, apparently, they were sent overseas. The foreign countries who we outsourced our factories to prudently decided to keep the masks for themselves. Nationalism is real in a crisis. And of course, here in the United States, our own government didn't have nearly enough mass stockpiled to cope with what has happened.

Now from the start, honesty would have been the right policy in the face of this. They could have just said to the public, "We messed up, but health care professionals, the sick and the elderly need the masks most, so they get priority."
And people would have understood that because it makes sense. But the government didn't do that. Instead, they told us lies -- dumb lies that anyone who thought about it for a second could see right through.
Look, we understand there's a shortage of masks. We understand only certain people should get them because it's a triage moment. We get it.
They told the public you shouldn't buy masks because masks don't work. On February 29th, the U.S. surgeon general tweeted this: "Seriously, people stop buying masks. They are not effective in preventing the general public from catching coronavirus. But if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, he puts them and our communities at risk."

The CDC amplified this untruth. Even now, the CDC's official coronavirus guidelines only recommend wearing masks for those who are sick or their caregivers.

The press joined in, too. A CNN piece from March 2nd says this: "Americans don't need masks. The CDC. says that healthy people in the U.S. should not wear them because they won't protect them from the novel coronavirus. In fact face masks might actually increase your risk for infection if they aren't worn properly, but medical workers who treat patients with the novel coronavirus do need them."

Time magazine joined in to whine, "Health experts are telling healthy people not to wear face masks for coronavirus. So why are so many doing it?"

Why do you think Time magazine? You morons.

The article suggested believing in masks is some kind of superstition, like not walking under ladders or being afraid of black cats. It's insulting. It's ridiculous.

They're telling you masks don't work unless you work at a hospital? How does that work? Does mask effectiveness change based on what job you do?

They're only useful if you're already sick. What? Coronavirus can spread from asymptomatic carriers. That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

Oh, wait. You're just too dumb to wear the mask. Okay. Because it is really hard to put on.

Of course, masks work. Everyone knows that. Dozens of research papers have proved it. In South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the rest of Asia -- where coronavirus has been kept under control -- masks were key.
Tucker Carlson Tonight- Monday, March 30 Video
So look, we understand there's a shortage of masks. We understand only certain people should get them because it's a triage moment. We get it.

But stop lying to us. It makes us cynical. It divides the country. Tell the truth. We can handle it.
 

Shooter

Veteran Member

28 Austin spring breakers test positive for COVID-19 after Mexico trip

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 1:36PM
AUSTIN, Texas -- Twenty-eight spring breakers who recently went on a trip to Mexico are self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, according to the Austin Public Health Department.

Health officials said a group of about 70 students in their 20s took a chartered plane to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico about a week and a half ago.

A total of 28 students have tested positive for the virus and dozens more are under a public health investigation. The county said four of the confirmed cases did not present any symptoms

Austin Public Health and UT Health Austin and University Health Services have made contact with every spring breaker onboard the plane. Some students in the group returned on separate commercial flights.

Mexico, at the time of the group's trip, was not under a federal travel advisory.

"A leisure vacation of any kind is not considered essential," said health officials. "Figures show nearly half of those testing positive for COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County are between the ages of 20 and 40."

Earlier this month, despite warnings to avoid crowds, some people decided to party anyway during spring break in Port Aransas.

The crowds were captured on video.

On South Padre Island, spring breakers also refused to cancel their plans even though the mayor declared a state of emergency.
__________________________________________
Spring breaker who partied despite coronavirus warnings apologizes

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 6:49AM
MIAMI, Florida (KTRK) -- A spring breaker who received national attention after appearing to shrug off coronavirus warnings about social distancing has apologized.

Brady Sluder said in a now-viral video last week, "If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I'm not going to let it stop me from partying. We've been waiting for Miami spring break for a while."

But Sluder has now posted a public apology on Instagram for his comments.

"I would like to sincerely apologize for the insensitive comment I made in regards to COVID-19 while on spring break," he wrote. He also said he "wasn't aware" of the severity of his actions.

"Listen to your communities. Life is precious. Don't be arrogant and think you're invincible like myself," he said, adding he has "elderly people who I adore more than anything in the world and other family members who are at risk, and I understand how concerning this disease is for us all."

The apology comes after spring breakers in Florida and Texas alike received backlash for partying in large crowds on the beaches.

Since then, many cities and states have issued stay-at-home orders.
bet his father slapped the crap out of him,
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

New York hospital tells ER doctors to ‘think more critically’ about who gets ventilators

NYU Langone Health, one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, told emergency-room doctors that they have “sole discretion” to place patients on ventilators and institutional backing to “withhold futile intubations.”

A March 28 email from Robert Femia, who heads the New York health center’s department of emergency medicine, underscored the life-or-death decisions placed on the shoulders of bedside physicians as they treat increasing numbers of coronavirus patients with a limited supply of ventilators.

New York state guidelines, established in 2015, recommend that hospitals appoint a triage officer or committee—someone other than the attending physician—to decide who gets a ventilator when rationing is necessary. The guidelines say that removing the decision from the physician treating the patient avoids a conflict of interest, allows an officer or committee with access to overall ventilator availability to make the call and prevents health worker burnout and stress.

Femia said in his email, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, that experts and leaders at NYU Langone were creating internal guidance on how to allocate ventilators, which are in short supply across New York City. But the emergency department couldn’t afford to wait, he said.

“In Emergency Medicine, we do not have the luxury of time, data, or committees to help with our critical triage decisions,” he wrote. “Senior hospital leadership recognizes this and supports us to use our best clinical judgment.”

Femia wrote that decisions about “airway management” and whether to use a ventilator or other respiratory support devices were at the sole discretion of treating physicians, but he told doctors to “think more critically about who we intubate.”

“For those patients who you feel intubation will not change their ultimate clinical outcome (for example cardiac arrests, some chronic disease patients at end of life, etc) you will have support in your decision making at the department and institutional level to withhold futile intubations,” he wrote, referring to the tubes attached to ventilators that are inserted in the mouths of patients and sit above the lungs.

Jim Mandler, a spokesman for NYU Langone Health, said Femia’s email outlined guidance that had long been in place.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
CM,

I use Ziacam in my nose and mouth and it will be absorbed. You could also melt zinc tabs under your tongue.

Texican....

If you search the thread, I posted a report from a doctor who suggested being in a reclining position when you suck on the zinc lozenge so it coats the back of your throat more. Of course, be careful not to choke on it.

HD

ETA: searched it for you:

https://www.timebomb2000.com/xf/index.php?threads/main-coronavirus-thread.566780/page-597#post-7621397

see: Detailed Coronavirus Preparation Tips From A Renowned Pathologist

Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.
 

As expected, the current shelter-in-place order for the Bay Area has been extended for nearly a month, and with it comes new regulations for the restaurants and grocery stores still in operation during the pandemic.

According to a joint announcement from the six participating counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, as well as the city of Berkeley (which operates its own Department of Public Health), the new end date for the order is Sunday, May 3 — a change from the Friday, May 1 extension that was previously touted, and a far cry from the initial April 7 end date.

Also new are restrictions on businesses termed essential that are therefore allowed to remain open. Under the new order (here’s Santa Clara’s, the language other than the county name is the same for all), which goes into effect as of 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, restaurants may remain open for takeout and delivery as they have been since the initial order on March 16.

However, now those places — as well as grocery and food stores, which are also allowed to remain open — must prepare and post a “Social Distancing Protocol,” using this document as a template. As part of that plan, businesses must post signs at each public entrance “to inform all employees and customers that they should: avoid entering the facility if they have a cough or fever; maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another; sneeze and cough into a cloth or tissue or, if not available, into one’s elbow; and not shake hands or engage in any unnecessary physical contact.”

Another new development is a per-person limit on “goods that are selling out quickly,” such as grocery store staples like beans. Stores are asked to place “per-person limits” on those items, with the goal of reducing crowds and lines. Stores must also “post an employee at the door to ensure that the maximum number of customers in the facility...is not exceeded.”

Finally, there are formal codifications of procedures most places are (one hopes) already following: For example, restaurants and grocery stores (as well as other businesses that might have lines) must now place “tape or other markings at least six feet apart in customer line areas inside the store and on sidewalks at public entrances with signs directing customers to use the markings to maintain distance.” And now it’s official: The new rules say that stores and restaurants may not allow “customers to bring their own bags, mugs, or other reusable items from home.”

Every restaurant, grocery store, and other Bay Area essential business must fill out and display this document is 11:59 p.m. on April 2, 2020, the order reads, and business owners must be ready and able to show “evidence of its implementation to any authority enforcing this Order upon demand,” which means that restaurants must prove to officials that even in tight quarters like kitchens, the six-foot rule is being officially observed.

Finally, don’t assume that you can grab some takeout and enjoy it during a nice, socially distant meal at a local park. As part of the new order, all “playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas” have been closed to the public.

“What we need now, for the health of all our communities, is for people to stay home,” San Francisco Department of Public Health head Dr. Grant Colfax said via statement. “Even though it has been difficult, the Bay Area has really stepped up to the challenge so far, and we need to reaffirm our commitment. We need more time to flatten the curve, to prepare our hospitals for a surge, and to do everything we can to minimize the harm that the virus causes to our communities.”
Why go to a park to eat? I love eating in my van. Then i can read the newspaper or book, and then take a nap. Can't do that in a park.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment
fortune.com/2020/03/30/usps-postal-service-stimulus-package-no-funding-post-office-mail-delivery-could-shutter-june-coronavirus-relief-bill/?showAdminBar=true

USPS warns it might have to shutter by June as $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package provides no funding
BY
NICOLE GOODKIND
March 30, 2020 8:30 AM EST

Subscribe to Outbreak, a free daily newsletter roundup of stories on the coronavirus pandemic—and its impact on global business.

Fifty years ago, a postal worker strike halted mail delivery. The eight-day strike, carried out by 150,000 letter carriers across 30 cities, prompted then-President Richard Nixon to declare an emergency and send in the National Guard to deliver mail.

“The United States Postal System is a vital element of our entire communications system. The poor depend heavily upon it for medical services and also for government assistance,” Nixon said in an address to the nation. “Veterans depend on it for their compensation checks. The elderly depend on it for their Social Security checks.”

Today, the Postal Service is just as essential: It delivers about 1 million lifesaving medications each year and serves as the only delivery link to Americans living in rural areas. Working with other delivery services like UPS, the agency supports $1.7 trillion in sales and 7.3 million private sector workers year, and this year will prove essential to delivering the 2020 Census to citizens as well as any vote-by-mail initiatives. The USPS is the federal government’s most favorably viewed agency, with an approval rating of 90%.

Yet once again, the USPS is in crisis mode.

With a negative net worth of $65 billion and an additional $140 billion in unfunded liabilities, the USPS originally expected to run out of liquidity by 2021 without intervention. That has accelerated rapidly because of COVID-19. Fewer people and businesses are sending mail because of the outbreak, which could hasten the decline of the Postal Service and close its doors as early as June, officials warned.

Without government intervention, the post office is facing the same hurdle as other businesses are right now: There’s not enough cash to keep operations going.

First class and commercial mail volume, which brought in about $41 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2019, has dropped at a rapid clip since the virus spread across the U.S., according to the Postal Service. This downward trajectory is expected to continue, with mail volume falling lower than it did during the 1930s Depression. USPS estimates total revenue losses between $8 billion and $17 billion between now and the end of fiscal year 2020 as a result of the crisis.

While package delivery has increased during the crisis, “revenue growth in our package business will never be enough to offset imbalances in the Postal Service’s business model,” said Postmaster General and CEO Megan Brennan in November.

But the USPS has also been hemorrhaging money, largely owing to a piece of 2006 legislation, championed by the George W. Bush administration and congressional Republicans, that requires the Postal Service to pre-fund all future retiree health benefits, amounting to at least $5.5 billion annually. That edict, according to Brennan, has led to 80% of the agency’s losses. As a result of the lack of revenue, the Trump administration has suggested on multiple occasions that parts of the postal service be sold to private industry.

While the post office has not been funded by taxpayer dollars since the early 1980s, some in Congress—on both the left and the right—pushed for a bailout of the Postal Service as part of the recently passed $2 trillion stimulus package, the largest relief package in U.S. history. The original House bill included a $25 billion appropriation intended to help fund the agency and eliminate its $11 billion in outstanding debt. The measure would also eliminate the USPS’s $3 billion annual borrowing cap.

While the plan passed through the House, the Republican-majority Senate rejected the funding, and the final bill, signed by the President on Friday, only granted the USPS access to a $10 billion Treasury loan—no direct cash.

“A collapse of the Postal Service at this crucial moment would severely undermine both our fight to defeat the COVID-19 virus as well as the effort to stabilize our economy,” said the National Association of Letter Carriers, a postal worker union, in a statement.

Just last week, President Donald Trump said that the Postal Service was essential to keeping goods flowing to households who were self-quarantining. In many areas of rural America, the USPS is the only mail option and provides last mile delivery for private companies. That means that the Postal Service alone will have the ability to adequately distribute the individual stimulus checks that Congress approved for Americans in the bailout package.

“Republicans pressed for hundreds of billions of dollars in massive bailouts to all kinds of large businesses and corporations, including $17 billion to Boeing and other companies. Yet they refused to give the Postal Service anything but increased borrowing authority,” said Maloney. “The White House and Senate Republicans…have wanted to privatize the Postal Service for years, but exploiting the coronavirus crisis in order to do so [is] a new low.”

In total about $500 billion was handed out to private corporations, with no money going to the Postal Service.

A closure of the Postal Service is uncharted territory, but it’s not impossible, said USPS spokesman David Partenheimer in a statement. “The Postal Service remains concerned that this measure will be insufficient to enable the Postal Service to withstand the significant downturn in our business that could directly result from the pandemic,” he said. “Under a worst-case scenario, such [a] downturn could result in the Postal Service having insufficient liquidity to continue operations.”

The USPS currently employs about 630,000 workers, and without funding there could be massive layoffs and the closing of certain offices in rural areas.

Congress could also mandate that certain parts of the service be sold to private industry, as the Trump administration has suggested on numerous occasions.

“What would happen tomorrow in the wake of this pandemic if the Postal Service announced tomorrow that they were going out of businesses and they were laying off all their workers?” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) asked in a statement.
There is talk of a fourth stimulus package, and Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, which represents about 250,000 postal workers, is holding out hope that there will be some support included in the next round of funding.

“It’s absolutely necessary that it include funds—as House proposals earlier this week did—to keep the mail and e-commerce moving until the economy begins to recover,” he said in a statement. “Simply having access to more debt from the Treasury—at the Secretary’s discretion—as included in the third stimulus, is an inadequate solution.”

The Postal Service Board of Governors will convene in a virtual meeting on Wednesday, where they are expected to discuss borrowing more money and how they intend to stay afloat amid COVID-19.

Postal employees are considered essential and will continue to work as the virus spreads across the country.

“It’s outrageous that the stimulus bill passed by Congress doesn’t include any financial support for the USPS, including needed funds to provide for the safety of workers and the mailing public,” said Dimondstein.

As of Friday, the USPS confirmed that 111 of its employees had tested positive for COVID-19. In a letter to its 270,000 members, the National Association of Letter Carriers noted that it had received at least 3,000 complaints from postal workers who did not feel as though their safety was being taken seriously.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

March 30, 2020

FBI Warns of Teleconferencing and Online Classroom Hijacking During COVID-19 Pandemic

As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing (VTC) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, reports of VTC hijacking (also called “Zoom-bombing”) are emerging nationwide. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.

Within the FBI Boston Division’s area of responsibility (AOR), which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, two schools in Massachusetts reported the following incidents:
  • In late March 2020, a Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing software Zoom, an unidentified individual(s) dialed into the classroom. This individual yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher’s home address in the middle of instruction.
  • A second Massachusetts-based school reported a Zoom meeting being accessed by an unidentified individual. In this incident, the individual was visible on the video camera and displayed swastika tattoos.
As individuals continue the transition to online lessons and meetings, the FBI recommends exercising due diligence and caution in your cybersecurity efforts. The following steps can be taken to mitigate teleconference hijacking threats:
  • Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
  • Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.
  • Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”
  • Ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to randomly scan for meetings to join.
  • Lastly, ensure that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.
If you were a victim of a teleconference hijacking, or any cyber-crime for that matter, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Additionally, if you receive a specific threat during a teleconference, please report it to us at tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Boston Division at (857) 386-2000.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Pink eye now linked as possible symptom of coronavirus
by Liz Bonis, WKRC
Monday, March 30th 2020

There's a new warning as yet another symptom seems to be linked to the coronavirus. (Provided)

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - There's a new warning as yet another symptom seems to be linked to the coronavirus.

The top symptoms of COVID-19 have not changed. They still include a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. This often results in complications of pneumonia. But we are learning some of these symptoms often follow a few others:

GI symptoms were announced last week, and then there's a newer one this week: It’s conjunctivitis, also commonly known as pink eye. It's an irritation of the eye that causes redness, swelling and sometimes discharge.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology, or AAO, has just now reported that coronavirus can cause a mild form of this as well, and if you have it, it's tough to tell if it's coming from this virus or another cause, so look for other symptoms of the virus to follow.

The AAO says this conjunctivitis appears to impact about 1-3% of those with COVID-19.

What's interesting is that while we certainly can get the virus by touching a surface and touching our own face, the AAO says pink eye appears to come from "aerosol contact with the conjunctiva," or the mucous membrane that covers the eye, which means from respiratory droplets.

They also say it's not unusual for any viral illness to show up in the eyes, but they do worry these eye secretions may also transmit the virus.
 
Could you consider hoop gardening to extend your season? This is a method of covering the garden over hoops when needed. I have seen articles about people using this method in Alaska for a longer season.
I made a bunch of raised gardens years ago. I used thin pvc pipe and hooped it over the garden like 4 of them. I just pushed the ends into the dirt. Stayed good. Then covered with plastic held down by stones or clothes pins. Cut a small window in it for when it got too hot. Got lots of weeds now. Don't garden anymore. Too hard at my age.
 

marsh

On TB every waking moment

Crowds of 450 gather in Oakland for illegal sideshows during coronavirus pandemic
By Lisa Fernandez
Published 17 hours ago
Updated 16 hours ago
Oakland
KTVU FOX 2

Sideshow crackdown during coronavirus
Oakland police cracked down on a sideshow because of the large crowd gathering

OAKLAND, Calif. - Despite the need to social distance and a statewide shelter-in-place, Oakland police said that about 450 people gathered over the weekend to watch drivers perform dangerous and illegal stunts.

Not only that, but the crowds on Sunday were big and the spectators were not practicing social distancing.

One sideshow drew dozens of observers near 55th Avenue and Foothill Boulevard, while another happened at 38th Avenue and International Boulevard, according to social-media posts and videos.

Video posted by Oakland Side Show Muscle Cars showed people, mostly young men, defying the stay-at-home order, and instead, crowding intersections, and cheering the sideshows.

In one scene, a gray car with three or four people inside, circled around the street around and around, with onlookers snapping photos, drinking beers and cheering. Smoke billowed from the burning tires.

Oakland police say they arrested three people, cited 14 others and towed 12 cars.

Screen-Shot-2020-03-31-at-6.34.24-AM.png

Oakland sideshow during coronavirus pandemic. March 29, 2020
Screen-Shot-2020-03-31-at-6.35.15-AM.png

Oakland sideshow during coronavirus pandemic. March 29, 2020 (Oakland Side Show Muscle Cars)
 
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