CORONA Texas Pauses Reopening, Governor Orders All Bars Closed At Noon Friday 6/26

[The Hammer]

BARS MUST SHUT DOWN AT NOON TODAY, ACCORDING TO NEW ORDER FROM GOV. GREG ABBOTT

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Bars across the state will have to close their doors again after an order was issued by Gov. Greg Abbott as Texas COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

The order issued Friday states that bars and similar businesses that receive more than 51% of their gross revenue from alcoholic beverage sales are ordered closed at noon Friday. While customers won't be allowed to visit, those businesses can provide delivery and take-out services, which include beverage sales.

The new orders were issued Friday, a day after Abbott ordered hospitals in the state's largest metros to stop all elective surgeries in order to save bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.

The order also requires restaurants to hold capacity at 50% beginning Monday, but they can remain open for dine-in service.

He also shut down river-rafting trips and banned outdoor gatherings of over 100 people unless local officials approve.

"At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," Abbott said in a news release. "The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health."

In Houston alone, Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city added nearly 1,000 new cases on Thursday, with four additional deaths.

As for outdoor gatherings, Abbott's decision Friday represents his second adjustment in that category this week. Abbott on Tuesday gave local governments the choice to place restrictions on outdoor gatherings of over 100 people after previously setting the threshold at over 500 people. Now outdoor gatherings of over 100 people are prohibited unless local officials explicitly approve of them.

Abbott's actions Friday were his first significant moves to reverse the reopening process that he has led since late April. He said Monday that shutting down the state again is a last resort, but the situation has been worsening quickly.

On Thursday, he announced the state was putting a pause on any future reopening plans, though none were scheduled and the announcement did not affect businesses that were already allowed to reopen. Earlier in the day, Abbott sought to free up hospital space for coronavirus patients by banning elective surgeries in four of the state's biggest counties: Bexar, Travis, Dallas and Harris.

Texas saw another record number of new cases Thursday - 5,996 - as well as hospitalizations - 4,739. The hospitalization number set a record for the 14th straight day.

There has also been rapid rise in the state's positivity rate, or the ratio of cases to tests. The rate, presented by the state as a seven-day average, has gone up to 11.76% - where it was at in mid-April and above the 10% threshold that Abbott has said would cause alarm for the reopening process.

"We want this to be as limited in duration as possible. However, we can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas does their part," Abbott said. "Every Texan has a responsibility to themselves and their loved ones to wear a mask, wash their hands, stay six feet apart from others in public, and stay home if they can."

Texas bars to close at noon Friday, according to order from Gov. Greg Abbott | abc13.com

Governor%20Greg%20Abbott%20has%20issued%20an%20executive%20order%20that%20closes%20bars%20statewide.

abc13.com

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Sure, a drive-thru liquor store SOUNDS like a great idea, but it's missing something.

Ahhh...THERE we go.

 

[Cacheman]

A temporary measure was started around here in WI and now it's here to stay....

 

[The Hammer]

Harris County has gone to a color coded system, like the old DHS terror alert system...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1276548864615514113

View: https://twitter.com/abc13houston/status/1276548864615514113?s=19


BREAKING: Harris County is now at the "Severe" #COVID19 public threat level Harris Co. Judge Lina Hidalgo moves COVID-19 threat level to red https://t.co/JO0S44QAC2

 

[TheSearcher]

Harris County has gone to a color coded system, like the old DHS terror alert system...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1276548864615514113

View: https://twitter.com/abc13houston/status/1276548864615514113?s=19


BREAKING: Harris County is now at the "Severe" #COVID19 public threat level Harris Co. Judge Lina Hidalgo moves COVID-19 threat level to red https://t.co/JO0S44QAC2

So, if I don't stay home, what happens? Huh? What's the consequence?

Frankly, this stuff is starting the scare the shit out of me. Are they planning enforced lockdowns in Harris County, Texas? Are they going there based on an increase in REPORTED cases?

The rise in case reports is coupled with the stupid bastards in New Jersey dumping 1800+ "presumed Covid-19 deaths" yesterday. The national CFR has been declining steadily for a couple of weeks, and yesterday would have dropped it to the psychologically important 5% line. I personally believe the NJ Death Dump was a way to pop the clutch to keep that from happening.

 

[To-late]

So, if I don't stay home, what happens? Huh? What's the consequence?

Frankly, this stuff is starting the scare the shit out of me. Are they planning enforced lockdowns in Harris County, Texas? Are they going there based on an increase in REPORTED cases?

The rise in case reports is coupled with the stupid bastards in New Jersey dumping 1800+ "presumed Covid-19 deaths" yesterday. The national CFR has been declining steadily for a couple of weeks, and yesterday would have dropped it to the psychologically important 5% line. I personally believe the NJ Death Dump was a way to pop the clutch to keep that from happening.

Power play by elected little Caesars.
They are finally getting the power they truely desire.

 

[TheSearcher]

Power play by elected little Caesars.
They are finally getting the power they truely desire.

And that's what frightens me - how far are they willing to go?

 

[Blastoff]

Go do what you want. When confronted by authorities state "No justice, no peace!"

Voila, you are a protestor, you have a right to peaceably assemble.

 

[TheSearcher]

Go do what you want. When confronted by authorities state "No justice, no peace!"

Voila, you are a protestor, you have a right to peaceably assemble.

Ha. Well, I'm not one of the protected subsets, and don't wear black hoodies.

But yeah, I'm still going to go where I need to go, and we'll see what happens.

 

[Jeff B.]

I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea for Greg Abbott to be a one term Governor...

Jeff B.

 

[soccerdad3]

Same thing in Florida happening now.....

Florida DBPR

@FloridaDBPR
·
1h

Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.

 

[Blastoff]

but alcohol sanitizes my digestive tract....

 

[night driver]

As long as they're selling decent mojito's to go I'm OK with it. I already have my Whisky cabinet well stocked.

 

[Firebird]

I have ample whiskey and wine, as well as fine cigars, guess I will just have to wait it out.

 

[AlaskaSue]

The increases up here are mainly from people coming up from other states/countries for seasonal fishing/cannery work. Quite a bump yesterday and they were just about all from Outside and the ones who tested positive showed no other symptoms. Alaska total cases to date now at 761, with 491 recovered. 270 'active cases', but only 18 in the hospital. 12 deaths both in state and out.

Daily updates from gov; we're continuing to cautiously go forward with everything as we have since reopening fully a few weeks ago. I think Anchorage is likely to go back to a semi-shutdown soon. I fly to Kodiak next week; mask is mandatory but in-state travel does not require testing if you are on the road system or the marine highway, so no test for me to fly. All bars & restaurants are fully open...and around here, many places now also have alcoholic drinks to go, as well as delivery.

ETA: couple hours later....and here we are: Anchorage Mayor Berkowitz issues indoors mask mandate

Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz issued a mask mandate on Friday, to go into effect on Monday.
The mandate will take effect Monday morning, and applies to public spaces indoors, the mayor said.
Berkowitz said this is a response to an all-time high in active cases of COVID-19 in the Lower 48, as well as a spike in cases in Anchorage and Alaska.
People with health issues that make it difficult to wear a mask are exempt.
Berkowitz described the order during a live video briefing on Friday. The order itself was expected to be distributed later in the afternoon, he said.
“We have heard from a lot of businesses that this order is something they want,” Berkowitz said.

Berkowitz acknowledged enforcement of a mask mandate would be difficult, but he said all of the mandates associated with COVID-19 are difficult to enforce. But he said he’s hopeful people will do the right thing.
“I am not naive enough to think there is going to be universal compliance,” Berkowitz said.
Berkowitz said enforcement will be centered around complaints against businesses that are not enforcing the mandate. This is now the law, he said.
Berkowitz said the city has “tens of thousands” of masks, and is working on a plan to distribute them.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Related: Two more Alaskans die Outside with COVID-19, bringing state total to 14

Read More

 

[Cardinal]

Hammer, will this affect our weekend get-together?

 

[The Hammer]

Hammer, will this affect our weekend get-together?

Nope. We should be fine. Our bar can be quickly transformed into a respectable looking convenience store at a moment's notice if the authorities come calling.

 

[lakemom]

Our smallish county in Oklahoma has seen an increase of 179 in the past 7 days. The county seat is speaking of dialing everything back to phase 2. Of the 179 cases, 160 are in the county seat.

 

[Meemur]

Hammer, will this affect our weekend get-together?

To add to what Hammer said, we just deploy the llamas if the officials get to close. While the officials are suffering from cuteness overload, Boris and I break out the convenience store facade and we're good to go.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Nope. We should be fine. Our bar can be quickly transformed into a respectable looking convenience store at a moment's notice if the authorities come calling.

Pet shop. It's a PET SHOP.

2:13 The best damn pet shop in town!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNgqbL1OSJ8

 

[Jonas Parker]

Horowitz: Border state surge: Rise in serious southwestern cases driven by border-crossers from Mexico | Blaze Media

Comparisons

www.conservativereview.com

Horowitz: Border state surge: Rise in serious southwestern cases driven by border-crossers from Mexico
Daniel Horowitz · June 26, 2020


Why should Americans in border states have to go back into lockdown and be treated like criminals by a government that failed to lock down the border when Mexico experienced its worst surge of coronavirus in late May?

Despite the mounting evidence that the worst part of the surge in the southwest is the result of cross-border travel beginning in May, government officials continue to act as if this is a domestic problem and that somehow Americans have been careless in mitigating the virus. They are using the results of their failure to lock down the border as a pretext to lock down Americans. Talk about chutzpah.

Nobody captured the essence of what is going on at the border better than Brownsville public health director Arturo Rodriguez. While explaining the rising cases and even deaths, he recently said, “In other words, you have three rates: the U.S., Mexico and your border rate.”

America experienced its peak in March and April. Mexico experienced its peak in May and June. The border states, which were barely affected by the original American epidemiological curve, are now getting nailed by Mexico’s curve.

Just how prominent is the surge on the border relative to the rest of the country? Data analyst and sportscaster Kyle Lamb, who joined my podcast last Friday, prepared a chart showing the rise in cases over 21 days through June 23:

What you see is an unmistakable surge in southern California, southern Arizona, and the Rio Grande Valley counties in southeast Texas, which all share a border with the towns in Mexico that were hardest hit beginning in late May. The other counties flagged in the interior of the country are mainly small rural counties that have state or federal prisons, and the numbers are dramatically distorted by those counts, as states tested prisons in recent weeks.

Even before any speculation about the possible spread from illegal immigrants, it is now an open fact that green card holders and dual citizens were completely exempt from the travel ban and came here to access our hospitals. There are thorough reports from the New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, and Kaiser Health News about very sick patients flooding our border hospitals and even being sent into the larger city hospitals for care beginning in late May. That is exactly when the American epidemiological curve was waning, but the Mexican curve was beginning to spike.

Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies reported on a video of a Riverside County nurse saying that patients were being helicoptered from the border to the hospital in her county.

Thus, while most of the surge in most states is superficial and illusory – more a function of people coming back to hospitals for regular care, universal testing, and a modest spread of a milder form of the virus – the border counties have been hit with the re-importation of the serious first round from Mexico. This is why we are seeing increased ICU usage and deaths primarily in the border counties and nowhere else. California and Arizona now account for 40% of the reported ICU census, and it’s no coincidence:

ICU usage in California and Arizona is now 40.3% of the usage nationally
CA & AZ: 40.3%
22 states: 59.7%
— Ian Miller (@ianmSC) June 25, 2020

There is a huge difference between the rate of infection in the northern counties of Arizona and the border counties:

Here are Arizona’s five most northern counties cases over time. pic.twitter.com/ezP0zyP9zI
— wyatt (@wyattsheepie) June 25, 2020

Now let’s compare the trends to the southern counties. pic.twitter.com/927cZll2RZ
— wyatt (@wyattsheepie) June 25, 2020

The same dynamic is unfolding in California, where 80.5% of ICU usage is in California’s nine southernmost counties.

Southern California counties (LA, OC, SB, SB, SD, Ventura, Kern, Imperial, Riverside) are 1,227 of 1,523 in the state. Or 80.5%.
Sure seems like there is at least one possible explanation for that!
— Ian Miller (@ianmSC) June 26, 2020

I’m sure many Americans would like to know how many of those beds are being filled with those crossing the Mexican border. We know that 60% of all hospital beds in one Imperial County hospital were recent arrivals from Mexico as of June 2. If you look at the Imperial County dashboard, you will find that just 1.5% of all known cases are non-Hispanic (where 48% are of unknown ethnicity). That is a dead giveaway as to the culprit behind the surge and where it’s coming from.

Also, in Texas, we are seeing an ICU shortage – where? In Laredo, which is right at the border. It’s no mystery why Laredo and southeast Texas are getting hit. Just as the hot spots in Mexicali and Tijuana in May led to a surge in California hospitalizations from cross-border medical tourists, we are seeing the same thing in southeast Texas. According to ValleyCentral.com, travel has continued to flow back and forth across from McAllen to Reynosa and Brownsville to Matamoras. Those two Mexican cities have the highest number of cases in the state of Tamaulipas.

The travel ban, which was implemented at the border on March 21, never applied to dual citizens and green card holders, evidently, even if they were coming for COVID-19 care at U.S. hospitals. However, a source at CBP’s office of field operations (OFO) who works at a port of entry in Texas told me he is concerned that we don’t seem to automatically test or screen anyone who comes over the border unless they are showing symptoms – even non-green card holders. Many of them are deemed essential and have questionable documents showing they perform essential work.

“At the inception of the nonessential travel ban, CBP officers have been told by management that it is none of their business if the travelers are traveling for essential purposes and if they are wearing proper PPE,” complained the veteran customs agent in southeast Texas. The agent reached out to CR to express his concerns but must remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

Hundreds of Mexicans cross daily claiming their travel is considered as trade and commerce because they simply provide a typed letter of employment with a fancy letterhead and a Mexican-made employment identification card. CBP officers have had no formal training about such Mexican documents other than the Mexican passport. Many Mexican tourists are using this method as a loophole to gain entry into the United States of America during the COVID-19 pandemic. CBP officers suspect many of these letters of employment and employment identification cards are fraudulent, but management continues to allow them to enter without the proper vetting. As a result, traffic has increased drastically since the nonessential travel ban.

But they are at least screened for the virus, right?

“Presently, travelers coming from Mexico are still not being medically screened at the Hidalgo, Texas, port of entry, Anzalduas port of entry, and Pharr port of entry,” charged the customs agent.
If CBP agents see someone who is sick, they will refer him to the CDC, but it appears that there is no automatic testing or even temperature readings of those who come across the border as essential visa holders, much less green card holders or citizens.

When I asked a CBP spokesman if he could verify whether CBP automatically tests or takes the temperature of those entering, he responded with the following:

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are exempt from the restrictions on entry at U.S. land borders. These individuals will receive the same processing, evaluation and potential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) medical screening that all entrants undergo at U.S. ports of entry. If CBP identifies a traveler who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 or who otherwise meets the CDC’s COVID-19 screening guidelines, then CBP will refer that traveler to the CDC or local health officials for enhanced health screening. These medical professionals take travelers’ temperatures as necessary.

Thus, the referrals to the CDC are only if they “identify” anyone with symptoms and temperatures are only taken “as necessary.” Many Americans would be surprised that with mandated testing to go back to work and to do so many things domestically, we still do not have universal automatic testing at the border, even though Mexico became a hot spot beginning in May.

And again, green card holders and dual citizens are completely exempt, as are those who are coming for medical purposes. I did not receive a response from CBP to the following question: “What happens if they are seeking medical care, not a heart or cancer surgery, but for the express purpose of obtaining COVID treatment at a U.S. hospital?”

As of this writing, the CDC has not replied to CR’s request for comment on the procedures for COVID-19 patients crossing the border.

We already know the answer to this question regarding green card holders and dual citizens, from public material and from the obvious data reports from border hospitals. The question is how many with other visas, border crossing cards, or even those without any valid documentation are waived through to come to our hospitals.

According to my source at the OFO, “Management has allowed some Mexican citizens to enter the United States of America with a humanitarian waiver 212(D)(4).”

We know that many very sick patients came in for care in our hospitals, but how many others spread the virus inside the border? Remember, it’s the sickest ones who are likely the most contagious. Time will tell whether the border travel affects the rest of the country, but it clearly has reintroduced some serious cases into hospitals near the border.

This all raises the obvious question: How can a travel ban that was designed to keep out international spread of COVID-19 be manipulated as a humanitarian mission to give medical care to many people in Mexico who have COVID-19 and flee north due to subpar medical care? How can Americans be expected to shoulder the burden of both a reintroduction of the virus into the country and the lockdown policies as a result? Wouldn’t it have been better for the CDC to open a field hospital right at the border to treat these patients rather than bringing them into the interior?
One thing is clear: With all the panicked media stories and political decisions built on the surge in cases in the southwest, the most serious factor driving the surge continues to be ignored.

 

[jazzy]

who is whispering in their ears scaring the crap oput of them insisting to keep people safe they must shut down again? what, did fauci get cloned or something? this is ridiculous and ignorant. it will cause more harm than good and stress out the already stressed out public.

businesses can stay open, people can go to work, to shop, to the parks, do what they need to do to take care of their business. you can even keep the bars open if done right . there is no reason to close back down.

wear a mask in public, wash hands, disinfect.
this has been proven very effective in other nations who implement, it but for some reason we cant?

dr chris martinsons latest videro update had some amazing charts on how nations responded and steps they took and the effects on the nations. the US was one of the worst with the worst case infections. why? because we listened to fauci and CDC who flip flopped over and over and took the wrong steps. the difference between infection rates of the nations who wore masks in public vs the US that didnt was stunning. i know some dont want to hear that but all this crap could have been avoided,

we screwed ourselves

 

[TerryK]

In Florida bars are effectively closed as they are now prevented from selling alcohol.
New cases in Florida have been at all time record levels for the beginning of June.
In April and May new cases in Florida were at a thousand or lower daily.
In June we began an exponential rise. First 2,000 or more a day, then 4,000 and day and headlines on all the news channels are now almost 9,000 new cases as the latest Florida daily figure.
When everyone was all excited about this we were at around 1,000 a day.
Our latest numbers are now almost 9,000 and we still have people saying they don't want to wear a face mask when they are in close proximity to other people in closed areas like stores or businesses.

Florida daily cases of Covid . Doesn't show the latest jump to 8,942 today


Florida confirms nearly 9,000 coronavirus cases in a single day, a new record

By Ben Conarck and

Daniel Chang

June 26, 2020 11:18 AM , Updated 1 hour 11 minutes ago

Long lines for COVID-19 testing leads state to up capacity in Miami Beach

Hundreds of people waited in line for free coronavirus testing at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Florida's Division of Emergency Management increased the capacity at the testing site to 1,000 from 750 on Thursday. By Courtesy: Better Streets Miami Beach / @BikeWalkMB

This article has Unlimited Access. For more coverage, sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our commitment to public service journalism: Subscribe Now.

A record week of surging coronavirus numbers was only heightened on Friday, as state health officials confirmed 8,942 cases, nearly doubling the previous record of cases reported in a single day, two days earlier.

Florida’s Department of Health on Friday morning confirmed the cases, bringing the state total to 122,960. The state also announced at least 39 new deaths, bringing the total of COVID-19 deaths north of 3,360.
TOP ARTICLES

More days of darkness, heat: Florida hurricane recovery won’t be fast in the time of COVID-19


Over the last seven days, Florida has reported 29,163 new cases. That’s nearly a quarter of all the confirmed cases in the state so far.

The alarming case total came on a day of record testing, but the percentage of tests coming back positive remains elevated beyond the 10% threshold recommended by public health experts. On Friday, test results for 71,433 people were reported, and 14.74% of those tests came back positive.

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243817017.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Jonas Parker]

I wonder if the diagnoses of all these "new" cases of Commivid-19 might be attributed to all the expanded testing? Doh!

 

[TerryK]

who is whispering in their ears scaring the crap oput of them insisting to keep people safe they must shut down again? what, did fauci get cloned or something? this is ridiculous and ignorant. it will cause more harm than good and stress out the already stressed out public.

businesses can stay open, people can go to work, to shop, to the parks, do what they need to do to take care of their business. you can even keep the bars open if done right . there is no reason to close back down.

wear a mask in public, wash hands, disinfect.
this has been proven very effective in other nations who implement, it but for some reason we cant?

dr chris martinsons latest videro update had some amazing charts on how nations responded and steps they took and the effects on the nations. the US was one of the worst with the worst case infections. why? because we listened to fauci and CDC who flip flopped over and over and took the wrong steps. the difference between infection rates of the nations who wore masks in public vs the US that didnt was stunning. i know some dont want to hear that but all this crap could have been avoided,

we screwed ourselves

Fauci and the scarf lady pretty much said what they were told to say.

 

[mourningdove]

Really, Governor Abbott? You really think closing bars is going to make a big difference? And just exactly how does one go about getting permission to have an outdoor gathering over 100 people?

“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
William Shakespeare

 

[TerryK]

I wonder if the diagnoses of all these "new" cases of Commivid-19 might be attributed to all the expanded testing? Doh!

Yeah right Testing hasn't expanded that much. in the last 2 weeks yet new cases have increased 5 times in just the last week. Its the rate of infections that has gone up, not just the absolute numbers.

The per capita positive tests have gone up, doubled and even tripled in the last day.
You test a thousand people and 3% come back positive just a couple of weeks ago. Today it's something like 15% in Florida

Doh! and hospital beds are filling up. Even with the better treatment regimens developed as a result of the experience gained from 120,000 US deaths. I guess all that is caused by increased testing right???

 

[Jaybird]

I've been having a hard time finding my beer of choice. The Indian down at the corner store said today that all beers from Mexico are going to disappear for at least another month. Warehouses are empty. Having a hard time getting some Coors products also. Time to panic!

 

[Jonas Parker]

Terry, I live in Texas, about 65 miles WSW of Ft. Worth. There was a big story on the Noon News today about all the new test-sites opened up in Ft. Worth, Dallas, and Houston this week. I guess you missed it. Oh, that's right. You don't get the local Texas news broadcasts in Florida, do you? Interestingly enough, hospital admissions are down here. Doh!

 

[TerryK]

wear a mask in public, wash hands, disinfect.
this has been proven very effective in other nations who implement, it but for some reason we cant?

That comes very close to summing up what people need to do.
Hell, you don't even need to wear a mask in public ALL the time.
Just when you are going to be close groups of people or go into a store or business.

Wife and I go to stores all the time. We put on our mask when we enter the store and take it off when we get back in the car, after we disinfect our hands and around our face.
Masks go in ziplock plastic bag with a small ozone generator that disinfects them in 2 hours.
We don't get up in peoples faces and we don't tolerate them getting up in ours.

 

[WalknTrot]

Bound to happen as people "normalize" again.
Sounds like more of the newly infected/detected are younger people and they may be less cautious than the old farts.

 

[Millwright]

I've been having a hard time finding my beer of choice. The Indian down at the corner store said today that all beers from Mexico are going to disappear for at least another month. Warehouses are empty. Having a hard time getting some Coors products also. Time to panic!

I've been looking for Pacifico around here, to no avail.

Same story.

 

[lonestar09]

I've been having a hard time finding my beer of choice. The Indian down at the corner store said today that all beers from Mexico are going to disappear for at least another month. Warehouses are empty. Having a hard time getting some Coors products also. Time to panic!

Because the breweries were shut down in Mexico for awhile. Beer was low inventory here for a minth or so.

 

[lonestar09]

Breweries in Mexico were shut down most of April and May, they were deemed nonessential by the government.

Mexican beer drinkers brace for shortage as coronavirus industry shutdown persists

CHICAGO >> Beer drinkers could see a shortage of popular imported Mexican brands as soon as next week due to an ongoing shutdown of Mexico’s beer industry.

www.staradvertiser.com

Mexican beer drinkers brace for shortage as coronavirus industry shutdown persists

• By Tribune News Service
• May 13, 2020

CHICAGO >> Beer drinkers could see a shortage of popular imported Mexican brands as soon as next week due to an ongoing shutdown of Mexico’s beer industry.

Most immediately at risk are the brands owned by Heineken USA, including Dos Equis Tecate and Bohemia.

Should the shutdown persist, beers owned by Constellation Brands — which include Modelo Especial, Corona and Pacifico — may also be in shorter supply by summer.
When Mexican beer production was paused in early April due to that country’s government not declaring brewing an “essential” industry — as it has been deemed in the U.S. — observers predicted it would be resolved quickly or wouldn’t translate into empty store shelves.
However, the shutdown has endured. The Mexican government has said brewing can begin next week only in the places where COVID-19 has been curbed.
While Heineken has paused brewing in Mexico, Constellation has said it continues to brew for the U.S. market at a reduced capacity. However, how much beer Constellation is making and importing to the U.S. remains unclear.
Constellation did not respond to a request for comment.
Dos Equis, Tecate and Bohemia are believed to be limited to the stock on hand in the Chicago area as multiple beer distributors said they do not expect shipments of those brands for the foreseeable future.
Heineken USA did not respond to a request for comment.

Beer Business Daily reported Monday that distributors nationally have been told by Jim Sloan, sales chief of Heineken USA, that certain beers in certain packages “may not be available for ordering at certain times.”
That has included six- and 12-packs of Dos Equis bottles, 7-ounce Dos Equis bottles in four- and six-packs and 7-ounce bottles of Tecate Light, according to Beer Business Daily.

The issue has reached a crucial junction, said Harry Schuhmacher, editor and founder of Beer Business Daily.


“If it lingers, it will be a problem and could be a huge issue,” Schuhmacher said. “It’s a big risk for Heineken and Constellation, but especially for Constellation.”


While Heineken is a diverse company with breweries around the world — including the Lagunitas brewery in Chicago — Constellation’s beer business, which is based in Chicago, is rooted almost entirely in making and importing Mexican beer to the U.S.


A Chicago liquor store owner who did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation said the effects are already being felt locally, especially with regard to brands owned by Heineken USA. Any drastic decrease in product might force customers to switch the Budweiser or Miller, the store owner said.


Last week, Constellation put its brands on allocation to local distributors, which means there is a measured flow of the beer moving through the system rather than the usual limitless supply.


Being “on allocation” is common in the craft beer and whiskey worlds, where volumes are smaller and the most popular brands can’t keep up with demand. White Claw hard seltzer has been on allocation for more than a year.


In a report issued last week, Wall Street analyst MKM Partners downgraded Constellation’s stock to a “sell” rating due to the possibility of beer shortages, predicting “the breadth of (Constellation) U.S. out-of-stocks will increase through the end of June.”


In the report, MKM’s Bill Kirk said Constellation needs 40 days to brew and ship most beer. If the company “can’t increase production by mid-May, July could feature wide out-of-stocks,” Kirk said.


Mexican imports have become a formidable segment of the U.S. beer industry. Modelo Especial is the nation’s fourth-highest-selling brand with more than $618 million in sales in 2020 through April 19, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI. Corona is the nation’s seventh highest-selling brand and Dos Equis is 16th.


Exacerbating the shortfall is a spike in beer sales since COVID-19 stay-at-home orders began in March. Modelo Especial sales were up 23%, Corona sales were up 15% and Dos Equis sales were up 13% for the four-week period ending April 19, according to IRI.

 

[Millwright]

Should the shutdown persist, beers owned by Constellation Brands — which include Modelo Especial, Corona and Pacifico — may also be in shorter supply by summer.

I can survive with Modelo and Tecate.

 

[lonestar09]

Horowitz: Border state surge: Rise in serious southwestern cases driven by border-crossers from Mexico | Blaze Media

Comparisons

www.conservativereview.com

Horowitz: Border state surge: Rise in serious southwestern cases driven by border-crossers from Mexico
Daniel Horowitz · June 26, 2020


Why should Americans in border states have to go back into lockdown and be treated like criminals by a government that failed to lock down the border when Mexico experienced its worst surge of coronavirus in late May?

Despite the mounting evidence that the worst part of the surge in the southwest is the result of cross-border travel beginning in May, government officials continue to act as if this is a domestic problem and that somehow Americans have been careless in mitigating the virus. They are using the results of their failure to lock down the border as a pretext to lock down Americans. Talk about chutzpah.

Nobody captured the essence of what is going on at the border better than Brownsville public health director Arturo Rodriguez. While explaining the rising cases and even deaths, he recently said, “In other words, you have three rates: the U.S., Mexico and your border rate.”

America experienced its peak in March and April. Mexico experienced its peak in May and June. The border states, which were barely affected by the original American epidemiological curve, are now getting nailed by Mexico’s curve.

Just how prominent is the surge on the border relative to the rest of the country? Data analyst and sportscaster Kyle Lamb, who joined my podcast last Friday, prepared a chart showing the rise in cases over 21 days through June 23:

What you see is an unmistakable surge in southern California, southern Arizona, and the Rio Grande Valley counties in southeast Texas, which all share a border with the towns in Mexico that were hardest hit beginning in late May. The other counties flagged in the interior of the country are mainly small rural counties that have state or federal prisons, and the numbers are dramatically distorted by those counts, as states tested prisons in recent weeks.

Even before any speculation about the possible spread from illegal immigrants, it is now an open fact that green card holders and dual citizens were completely exempt from the travel ban and came here to access our hospitals. There are thorough reports from the New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, and Kaiser Health News about very sick patients flooding our border hospitals and even being sent into the larger city hospitals for care beginning in late May. That is exactly when the American epidemiological curve was waning, but the Mexican curve was beginning to spike.

Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies reported on a video of a Riverside County nurse saying that patients were being helicoptered from the border to the hospital in her county.

Thus, while most of the surge in most states is superficial and illusory – more a function of people coming back to hospitals for regular care, universal testing, and a modest spread of a milder form of the virus – the border counties have been hit with the re-importation of the serious first round from Mexico. This is why we are seeing increased ICU usage and deaths primarily in the border counties and nowhere else. California and Arizona now account for 40% of the reported ICU census, and it’s no coincidence:


There is a huge difference between the rate of infection in the northern counties of Arizona and the border counties:




The same dynamic is unfolding in California, where 80.5% of ICU usage is in California’s nine southernmost counties.


I’m sure many Americans would like to know how many of those beds are being filled with those crossing the Mexican border. We know that 60% of all hospital beds in one Imperial County hospital were recent arrivals from Mexico as of June 2. If you look at the Imperial County dashboard, you will find that just 1.5% of all known cases are non-Hispanic (where 48% are of unknown ethnicity). That is a dead giveaway as to the culprit behind the surge and where it’s coming from.

Also, in Texas, we are seeing an ICU shortage – where? In Laredo, which is right at the border. It’s no mystery why Laredo and southeast Texas are getting hit. Just as the hot spots in Mexicali and Tijuana in May led to a surge in California hospitalizations from cross-border medical tourists, we are seeing the same thing in southeast Texas. According to ValleyCentral.com, travel has continued to flow back and forth across from McAllen to Reynosa and Brownsville to Matamoras. Those two Mexican cities have the highest number of cases in the state of Tamaulipas.

The travel ban, which was implemented at the border on March 21, never applied to dual citizens and green card holders, evidently, even if they were coming for COVID-19 care at U.S. hospitals. However, a source at CBP’s office of field operations (OFO) who works at a port of entry in Texas told me he is concerned that we don’t seem to automatically test or screen anyone who comes over the border unless they are showing symptoms – even non-green card holders. Many of them are deemed essential and have questionable documents showing they perform essential work.

“At the inception of the nonessential travel ban, CBP officers have been told by management that it is none of their business if the travelers are traveling for essential purposes and if they are wearing proper PPE,” complained the veteran customs agent in southeast Texas. The agent reached out to CR to express his concerns but must remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

But they are at least screened for the virus, right?

“Presently, travelers coming from Mexico are still not being medically screened at the Hidalgo, Texas, port of entry, Anzalduas port of entry, and Pharr port of entry,” charged the customs agent.
If CBP agents see someone who is sick, they will refer him to the CDC, but it appears that there is no automatic testing or even temperature readings of those who come across the border as essential visa holders, much less green card holders or citizens.

When I asked a CBP spokesman if he could verify whether CBP automatically tests or takes the temperature of those entering, he responded with the following:

Thus, the referrals to the CDC are only if they “identify” anyone with symptoms and temperatures are only taken “as necessary.” Many Americans would be surprised that with mandated testing to go back to work and to do so many things domestically, we still do not have universal automatic testing at the border, even though Mexico became a hot spot beginning in May.

And again, green card holders and dual citizens are completely exempt, as are those who are coming for medical purposes. I did not receive a response from CBP to the following question: “What happens if they are seeking medical care, not a heart or cancer surgery, but for the express purpose of obtaining COVID treatment at a U.S. hospital?”

As of this writing, the CDC has not replied to CR’s request for comment on the procedures for COVID-19 patients crossing the border.

We already know the answer to this question regarding green card holders and dual citizens, from public material and from the obvious data reports from border hospitals. The question is how many with other visas, border crossing cards, or even those without any valid documentation are waived through to come to our hospitals.

According to my source at the OFO, “Management has allowed some Mexican citizens to enter the United States of America with a humanitarian waiver 212(D)(4).”

We know that many very sick patients came in for care in our hospitals, but how many others spread the virus inside the border? Remember, it’s the sickest ones who are likely the most contagious. Time will tell whether the border travel affects the rest of the country, but it clearly has reintroduced some serious cases into hospitals near the border.

This all raises the obvious question: How can a travel ban that was designed to keep out international spread of COVID-19 be manipulated as a humanitarian mission to give medical care to many people in Mexico who have COVID-19 and flee north due to subpar medical care? How can Americans be expected to shoulder the burden of both a reintroduction of the virus into the country and the lockdown policies as a result? Wouldn’t it have been better for the CDC to open a field hospital right at the border to treat these patients rather than bringing them into the interior?
One thing is clear: With all the panicked media stories and political decisions built on the surge in cases in the southwest, the most serious factor driving the surge continues to be ignored.

Wow, I don't even know how to respond to this article. Except I would say it is all true. I'll leave it at that. I can't get the words right to respond. I keep deleting.

 

[SpokaneMan]

What's up Texas? Even my little part of redneck California still has bars open. Northern counties here have no problem in telling Emperor Newsom to suck a nut. We do what we want. 3rd most conservative state and all...

 

[john70]

So, if I don't stay home, what happens? Huh? What's the consequence?

Frankly, this stuff is starting the scare the shit out of me. Are they planning enforced lockdowns in Harris County, Texas? Are they going there based on an increase in REPORTED cases?

The rise in case reports is coupled with the stupid bastards in New Jersey dumping 1800+ "presumed Covid-19 deaths" yesterday. The national CFR has been declining steadily for a couple of weeks, and yesterday would have dropped it to the psychologically important 5% line. I personally believe the NJ Death Dump was a way to pop the clutch to keep that from happening.

SO,..... New Jersey.............just found 1800+ "presumed Covid-19 deaths" to take the lead ...............




OTJ TRAINING FOR NOV.?

 

[TheSearcher]

What's up Texas? Even my little part of redneck California still has bars open. Northern counties here have no problem in telling Emperor Newsom to suck a nut. We do what we want. 3rd most conservative state and all...

I'm right there with you.

 

[TerryK]

Terry, I live in Texas, about 65 miles WSW of Ft. Worth. There was a big story on the Noon News today about all the new test-sites opened up in Ft. Worth, Dallas, and Houston this week. I guess you missed it. Oh, that's right. You don't get the local Texas news broadcasts in Florida, do you? Interestingly enough, hospital admissions are down here. Doh!

Here are just a couple of Headlines from Texas news. Some cities are planning to set up extra field style hospitals like they did in New York.

Texas Medical Center hospital ICUs at 97 percent capacity ...

Houston hospitals report surge in non-ICU beds for COVID-19 ...