COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[tower912]

The list of countries handling it worse is relatively short, though.    And, we can say that we are #1 in something.   

[rocky_warrior]

Testing slows down.  Commercial labs have excess testing capacity.  Apparently due to more strict CDC guidelines.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/14/coronavirus-testing-delays-186883

The list of countries that is handing this better than us is a very long one.

For those screaming "but what could Trump do" - in this case, if he were to direct the CDC to open up testing so that labs are fully utilized - TODAY - that would be a good start.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The list of countries handling it worse is relatively short, though.    And, we can say that we are #1 in something.

I actually think this is false or not entirely fair.

The emerging markets is getting hammered because they have no infrastructure and only have shut down/isolation as an option (and even at that there is little social distance).  We dont see that in the numbers because testing is very low.

Of the western world, we are generally in line with Spain/Italy/UK - behind Germany.  I would add Singapore & SK as outliers on the clearly positive side.

We have the capability, wealth, industry to be much better.  But we are average.  Time will tell upon relaxing of  social distancing on whether we fall further back. 

The trick here economically is to get control of the virus to limit further shut-downs (so limit time at the trough).  The level of testing & tracing is just not their to give me confidence yet we can start the recovery unimpeded.

[tower912]

Fair.   And shame on me for being snarky.      Universal testing and an effective treatment for the potentially lethal cases.      One of those should be in the pipeline and ready.   

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Everyone is apparently making masks this week. 
There is a feeding frenzy of people looking for wire that is the identical alloy & dimensions of N95 mask wire.  Since there is none the new minimum requirement is aluminum and flat and bendable and they are willing to pay anything for it if you have inventory.  Wire that normally goes in razor blades is the winner!

[MUfan12]

I saw Cuomo is now mandating people wear masks in public.

I've been a good solider on the distancing and sheltering in place thing, but for whatever reason this bugs me.  Maybe it's my center-right leanings, but I'm not terribly comfortable with the government mandating what I wear when I leave my house. Especially since the effectiveness is highly questionable.

[GB Warrior]

I saw Cuomo is now mandating people wear masks in public.

I've been a good solider on the distancing and sheltering in place thing, but for whatever reason this bugs me.  Maybe it's my center-right leanings, but I'm not terribly comfortable with the government mandating what I wear when I leave my house. Especially since the effectiveness is highly questionable.

It's not highly questionable at all. The particles are large enough that if YOU are sick, it will accomplish its job of protecting others in limited interactions. Since the incubation period is so high with so many being asymptomatic, this is a reasonable ask in the absence of a coherent federal response for active case/titer testing.

[The Lens]

I saw Cuomo is now mandating people wear masks in public.

I've been a good solider on the distancing and sheltering in place thing, but for whatever reason this bugs me.  Maybe it's my center-right leanings, but I'm not terribly comfortable with the government mandating what I wear when I leave my house. Especially since the effectiveness is highly questionable.

I try and wear them whenever I go to the store / pick up carry out.  I look at it as putting the clerk at ease more than anything.  If I had to deal with the public all day, that would make me feel better.

[JWags85]

I saw Cuomo is now mandating people wear masks in public.

I've been a good solider on the distancing and sheltering in place thing, but for whatever reason this bugs me.  Maybe it's my center-right leanings, but I'm not terribly comfortable with the government mandating what I wear when I leave my house. Especially since the effectiveness is highly questionable.

My issue was he said wear it around people, and take it off when you're not.  If its a bandana or scarf, whatever, but putting on and taking off the medical masks completely defeats the purpose and contaminates yourself or breaks the seal.

[MUfan12]

I try and wear them whenever I go to the store / pick up carry out.  I look at it as putting the clerk at ease more than anything.  If I had to deal with the public all day, that would make me feel better.

And that's totally fine! Again, it's more the government mandate thing that bothers me than the practice.

My issue was he said wear it around people, and take it off when you're not.  If its a bandana or scarf, whatever, but putting on and taking off the medical masks completely defeats the purpose and contaminates yourself or breaks the seal.

Especially if it retains moisture.

[rocky_warrior]

My issue was he said wear it around people, and take it off when you're not.  If its a bandana or scarf, whatever, but putting on and taking off the medical masks completely defeats the purpose and contaminates yourself or breaks the seal.

The point is to protect other people from you - not the other way around.  So you touching your mask (after you wash your hands) shouldn't be a problem.  Since everyone else was wearing a mask too (duh!) very few of their germs could have escaped and gotten to you.*

* - yes, this is an oversimplification, but the point remains.

[injuryBug]

The point is to protect other people from you - not the other way around.  So you touching your mask (after you wash your hands) shouldn't be a problem.  Since everyone else was wearing a mask too (duh!) very few of their germs could have escaped and gotten to you.*

* - yes, this is an oversimplification, but the point remains.

if wearing a mask helps us get back to normal and we have to do that for the next 6 months sign me up. 

[Jockey]

And that's totally fine! Again, it's more the government mandate thing that bothers me than the practice.

If it was a permanent mandate, I would be in line ahead of you protesting.

A temporary mandate to save lives? I'm all in.

[Mutaman]

110,465 cases in New York City. i'm as philosophically upset about having to wear a mask as I am about being prohibited from urinating in the subway.

[Mutaman]

    "White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway erroneously asserted on Wednesday that the number 19 in COVID-19, which stands for the year in which the virus was discovered, stood for a strain of the disease.

    The adviser made the slip-up while explaining to the co-hosts of “Fox and Friends” why President Donald Trump decided to halt the U.S.’s payments to the World Health Organization (WHO).

    According to Conway, one reason for doing so was because the organization supposedly can’t be trusted to know how to handle the pandemic.

    “Some of the scientists and doctors say that there could be other strains later on,” she said. “This could come back in the fall in a limited way.”

    “This is COVID-19, not COVID-1 folks, and so you would think the people charged with the World Health Organization facts and figures would be on top of that,” the adviser continued."

[WarriorDad]

For those screaming "but what could Trump do" - in this case, if he were to direct the CDC to open up testing so that labs are fully utilized - TODAY - that would be a good start.

For those screaming CDC should be in charge doesn’t that pose a conflict since they are the ones slowing it down?

Do we want CDC in charge or Trump?  Make up your minds people.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

For those screaming CDC should be in charge doesn’t that pose a conflict since they are the ones slowing it down?

Do we want CDC in charge or Trump?  Make up your minds people.

Holy sh*t.  Really?

It's pretty simple.  Empower the CDC to do the job it was created to do.  Fund them.  Back them.  That's what he should do.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

edit: I’m having a social distanced backyard beer summit tonight

[TSmith34, Inc.]

For those screaming CDC should be in charge doesn’t that pose a conflict since they are the ones slowing it down?

Do we want CDC in charge or Trump?  Make up your minds people.

What's a chicos?

[Jockey]

What's a chicos?

A chicos is like Covid-19. Everyone is happy when it goes away.

[Jockey]

    "White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway erroneously asserted on Wednesday that the number 19 in COVID-19, which stands for the year in which the virus was discovered, stood for a strain of the disease.

    The adviser made the slip-up while explaining to the co-hosts of “Fox and Friends” why President Donald Trump decided to halt the U.S.’s payments to the World Health Organization (WHO).

    According to Conway, one reason for doing so was because the organization supposedly can’t be trusted to know how to handle the pandemic.

    “Some of the scientists and doctors say that there could be other strains later on,” she said. “This could come back in the fall in a limited way.”

    “This is COVID-19, not COVID-1 folks, and so you would think the people charged with the World Health Organization facts and figures would be on top of that,” the adviser continued."

Is there a way to tell when she is being stupid or when she is lying?

[GooooMarquette]

For those screaming CDC should be in charge doesn’t that pose a conflict since they are the ones slowing it down?

Do we want CDC in charge or Trump?  Make up your minds people.

I hope this isn't a serious question because the answer is so obvious, but: we want Trump in charge of the country (and acting like a leader), and CDC in charge of the scientific and logistical aspects of pandemic response.

The path to this is quite simple for Trump; just order CDC to do the jobs for which it was created: "disease control and prevention." And for CDC, the directive would be familiar, because it would mean testing and contact tracing - exactly what it did duding the H1N1 outbreak in 2009.

[wadesworld]

edit: I’m having a social distanced backyard beer summit tonight

Billy Hoyle posting the exact same type of stuff chicos would on Hangin At The Al, WarriorDad posting the exact same type of stuff chicos would on the Superbar.

Hell of a beer summit out in SoCal tonight! Too bad those Disney tickets cannot be used this weekend.

[GooooMarquette]

Is there a way to tell when she is being stupid or when she is lying?

I don't think it has to be an either/or proposition.

[MU82]

Is there a way to tell when she is being stupid or when she is lying?

Not lies. Alternative facts. Please!