Covid-19 and Politics

[GlennB]

Umm ... posts #236 onwards seem to be about US politics.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Now his minions are saying the same things.

Second guy, Navarro, repeats more of the same, praises incompetrump.

There's nothing here anyone needed to know. And they've said before, it will be there by week's end. We are on the 3rd-4th week's end with little to show.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Pence holds up his plan again, same one he has held up multiple days in a row now. Promises whatever in a couple days.

Trump's back now repeating what he already said about the two hospital ships. Maybe he didn't think he gave enough attention to the great things he's doing. Not clear when those ships will be ready to sail, again.

Blames Democrats for the partisan blocking of the relief bill even though McConnell is doing his usual, my way or the highway.

Trump claims signing a bill means he's acting even though he hasn't acted. Equates instructing companies to make needed equipment with Venezuela.

Of course, he prefers to grant big contracts to cronies.

He claims he's ignorant about company capabilities like that's hard to find out. What's in Pence's plan he keeps holding up? Did they not assess production capacity?

Incompetrump is at it again, bragging about himself.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Now he denies defunding the CDC pandemic planning team. Blames China.

Acts like a 14-15 day shut-down will fix everything.

Talks about how important it is for corporate bailouts (not his words), adds we have to help small business and workers as what sounds like an after thought.

He's too good to ask past POTUSes for help. Such help wouldn't save one life.

Goes back to the 14-15 day projected shutdown and blames China again. Claims he took fantastic action again blocking Chinese coming from China.

"No one could have seen this coming" repeated again.

He has no clue that N95s and other masks don't need to be sterilized (not counting the OR). Confuses reusing the masks with use in general.

Now he's whining for not getting enough credit for giving up his salary and sacrificing his riches.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Now he's excited about his magical chloroquine cure again. Fauci is not there to contradict him.

He blames China again. Thinks China turned down US help out of pride. Loses track of the timeline there. Claims if we had sent people in sooner, we would have known the pandemic was coming.

He thinks he acted early again.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Pence thinks his test swab went into his sinuses. Of course he doesn't know basic anatomy, why would I think he did.

Claims they'll be caught up on testing in a couple days. Admonishes labs to run those tests first. Of course they are running prioritized tests first. One more thing they pretend they have done something when they haven't.

Claims payroll was going way way up before this happened. That'd be a surprise to a lot of workers with stagnant wages.

Incompetrump claims he gave up billions to be POTUS when asked if he sold stock.

Makes up more **** about that and about other sacrifices he claims he's made. Going over a list of his accomplishments. He says he's too rich to care about making money.

More about his sacrifices and great accomplishments.

He's still pretending the GOP has a great health care plan just around the corner and claims the ACA is better now because of how they are running it.


You may wonder why I watched this. So do I.

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

There's a coronavirus thread in the US politics section. Posts about US politics should go in there.

[The Don]

The UK government's advice to engage in social distancing has had a profound effect here in rural areas.

On a typical Sunday we'd have a handful of walkers coming past our house all day and the local attractions like the Eagles' Nest and 365 Steps would have a few dozen in total.

Yesterday the lanes were packed with people engaged in social distancing. Car parks which are usually at 25% capacity were completely full and cars were parked down the lanes - which, because they are single track made things rather tricky for larger farm vehicles.

Thank goodness that the weather is excellent, cold but sunny. I cannot imagine how depressing it would be if the rainy, foggy, murky weather of the last three months had continued and forced us all indoors.

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

4,500 retired doctors and nurses have signed up to return to the NHS

[The Great Zaganza]

Little thought:
If enough Republican senators need to isolate compared to Democrats, they might sneak in a little Impeachment Conviction ...

[GlennB]

Originally Posted by The Don

The UK government's advice to engage in social distancing has had a profound effect here in rural areas.

On a typical Sunday we'd have a handful of walkers coming past our house all day and the local attractions like the Eagles' Nest and 365 Steps would have a few dozen in total.

Yesterday the lanes were packed with people engaged in social distancing. Car parks which are usually at 25% capacity were completely full and cars were parked down the lanes - which, because they are single track made things rather tricky for larger farm vehicles.

Thank goodness that the weather is excellent, cold but sunny. I cannot imagine how depressing it would be if the rainy, foggy, murky weather of the last three months had continued and forced us all indoors.

It seems, increasingly, to be the British way - "Have they banned being a total dickhead? No? Ah great, I'll do utterly dickish things while I still can"

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

Kentucky elected a Democratic governor. Tennessee did not. Guess what happened.

Unsurprising. US Republicans seem to be terrible at dealing with crises.

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by GlennB

When will the UK government - and people - start taking this seriously?

When they're seeing five hundred deaths daily, and eighteen-year-olds among them, so about ten days from now.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by GlennB

It seems, increasingly, to be the British way - "Have they banned being a total dickhead? No? Ah great, I'll do utterly dickish things while I still can"

PC World and Currys have decided they are an essential service so their shops will have to stay open so that everyone can get their Nintendo Switches and Dyson hair dryers.

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1241729418952937474

Quote:

Gtech have stopped making vacuum cleaners and garden machinery, and now solely focus on producing VENTILATORS.

�� They will be able to produce a THOUSAND A DAY.

A 1000 a day is incredible! And all for the NHS.

Article embedded in tweet.

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Coronavirus bill likely to pass through the House of Commons today

A step in the right direction, but still not enough IMHO.

[Cheetah]

How the Coronavirus Became an American Catastrophe

A harsh headline but a good timeline of how it started and unfolded and why it escalated so quickly. Lots and lots of things you can get angry about if you want. Just remember hindsight and all.

'The virologist Trevor Bedford has found evidence that the coronavirus began spreading in the United States in January. It has already infected approximately 87,000 Americans, he says.'

'COVID-19 is an American catastrophe, a slow-motion disaster only now coming into view. When its true proportions have been measured, it will make the early government response look even more outrageous than it already seems. What’s happening here, in this country, was avoidable. Nearly every flaw in America’s response to the virus has one source: America did not test enough people for COVID-19.'

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Despite having relatively low infection rates (624 confirmed cases, 17 deaths), Greece is going into nationwide lockdown. That article doesn't mention it but every time any person wants to go outside they have to fill out a form online beforehand. They also have to carry ID with them at all times. There's a 150 Euro fine for non-compliance, and repeated offences will lead to arrest.

According to journalist Alex Andreou these measures are widely supported by the population.

This is the kind of thing that is needed, not Boris Johnson saying "oh please keep your distance from people, otherwise we'll implement stronger measures...but we won't involve the police".

[Cheetah]

That's great.

17 deaths though suggest a MUCH higher infection rate, could easily be 30x more infected than the official 624.


EDIT:Here is a short article (not peer reviewed yet) by the CMMID nCov working group:

Inferring cases from recent deaths


It has a table with different values for R and CFR and the corresponding results for the number of infections per single death.

[GlennB]

Originally Posted by Squeegee Beckenheim

Despite having relatively low infection rates (624 confirmed cases, 17 deaths), Greece is going into nationwide lockdown. That article doesn't mention it but every time any person wants to go outside they have to fill out a form online beforehand. They also have to carry ID with them at all times. There's a 150 Euro fine for non-compliance, and repeated offences will lead to arrest.

According to journalist Alex Andreou these measures are widely supported by the population.

This is the kind of thing that is needed, not Boris Johnson saying "oh please keep your distance from people, otherwise we'll implement stronger measures...but we won't involve the police".

There's also a free text number which registers your plan, so -
2 King Leonidas Sparta
would tell the authorities that he was going to do some local shopping. Code 6 would say he was going out to walk the dog, or similar.

But, yeah, the UK plan seems to be to do as little as posssible for as long as possible. It's looking a lot like 'mitigation lite', i.e. more or less their plan A from which they supposedly retreated in a u-turn.

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

17 deaths though suggest a MUCH higher infection rate, could easily be 30x more infected than the official 624.

Oh, of course. I was intending the death rate to be the main point of comparison. The UK is currently at 281, and we're not on lockdown anywhere, nor does any lockdown seem imminent, at least not in the next few days. I won't make a prediction for the end of the week, as things are changing rapidly everywhere.

[Darat]

I reckon the 8:30 announcement will be complete lockdown.

[Captain_Swoop]

Shopping trips only or 'essential workers'

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Shopping trips only or 'essential workers'

Glad we have a big garden here at Don Towers.

Mrs Don is a local coordinator for the area support group so maybe that's a way to escape total lockdown.

What chance that all shops have to shut and we have rations delivered ?

[GlennB]

Originally Posted by The Don

What chance that all shops have to shut and we have rations delivered ?

Negligible, I'd say. Too many potential communications problems, a jillion drivers to be recruited ...

My guess is a strengthening of the current 'please try to be nice', but falling well short of (say) the Greek model.

[junkshop]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Shopping trips only or 'essential workers'

Bingo! (Also, about bloody time)

[Captain_Swoop]

From this evening people must stay at home except for shopping for basic necessities, daily exercise, any medical need and travelling to and from essential work.

Shops selling non-essential goods will also be shut and gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together prohibited.

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

From this evening people must stay at home except for shopping for basic necessities, daily exercise, any medical need and travelling to and from essential work.

Shops selling non-essential goods will also be shut and gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together prohibited.

Who decides what is 'essential work'? I'm a dog walker, self employed, the government's help for small businesses and workers on sick pay won't help me. But I work on my own and can avoid coming into contact with people. Meanwhile, my being out means up to a dozen people aren't (including two medical doctors who's time can probably be better spent right now than walking their dogs, a teacher caring for the children of key workers and a couple one of whom recently finished chemotherapy and who is therefore partially imunocompromised).

Mind you today the village and walking routes were full of old people enjoying the warm weather....

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

From this evening people must stay at home except for shopping for basic necessities, daily exercise, any medical need and travelling to and from essential work.

Shops selling non-essential goods will also be shut and gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together prohibited.

Yep the hammer has finally dropped, just hope its not to late. Can't complain since people have demonstrated that the advice, 'stay home to avoid killing people', didn't apply to them, cause their busy, or its all being exaggerated, or you know they think their bravely resisting authority.

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by P.J. Denyer

Who decides what is 'essential work'? I'm a dog walker, self employed, the government's help for small businesses and workers on sick pay won't help me. But I work on my own and can avoid coming into contact with people. Meanwhile, my being out means up to a dozen people aren't (including two medical doctors who's time can probably be better spent right now than walking their dogs, a teacher caring for the children of key workers and a couple one of whom recently finished chemotherapy and who is therefore partially imunocompromised).

Mind you today the village and walking routes were full of old people enjoying the warm weather....

Reading your list of contacts there I'm thinking you are less essential worker and more potential Covid-19 hotspot...

[GlennB]

Originally Posted by GlennB

My guess is a strengthening of the current 'please try to be nice', but falling well short of (say) the Greek model.

Never happier to be wrong. The UK blew 2 weeks of improved safety before today.

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by GlennB

Never happier to be wrong. The UK blew 2 weeks of improved safety before today.

The fundamental failing was to assume that people would take the warnings seriously and act accordingly. Instead its been an endless stream of denial and self-serving justifications to ignore the advice from so many people. Some people will still not follow the rules unless we literally have soldiers on the streets sticking guns in their faces and ordering them indoors.

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Reading your list of contacts there I'm thinking you are less essential worker and more potential Covid-19 hotspot...

I make a point of not coming into close contact with anyone and save them having to go out themselves. They open the door, the dog runs out to me and I'm using my own leads so we're not transferring via the handles. And I have bottle of hand sanitizer on my belt (but I always do have). I thought about working from home but I don't want a dozen dogs crapping on the carpet.

It's difficult, my wife was made redundant (due in part to Brexit) last year, so I'm the only income, I've got two jobs, one as a self employed dog walker and the other as a self employed fine wine salesman at food festivals, so that's out window already.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by Garrison

The fundamental failing was to assume that people would take the warnings seriously and act accordingly. Instead its been an endless stream of denial and self-serving justifications to ignore the advice from so many people. Some people will still not follow the rules unless we literally have soldiers on the streets sticking guns in their faces and ordering them indoors.

And didn’t help with large employers such as Halfords and Dixons keeping their shops open (and actually lobbying for their brick and mortar stores to be classified as “essential retail”) thus ensuring their tens of thousands of workers be exposed to all those people who thought whilst they can’t go to work having a wander around the shops was a good way to socially isolate...

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by Darat

And didn’t help with large employers such as Halfords and Dixons keeping their shops open (and actually lobbying for their brick and mortar stores to be classified as “essential retail”) thus ensuring their tens of thousands of workers be exposed to all those people who thought whilst they can’t go to work having a wander around the shops was a good way to socially isolate...

Well the new rules are unequivocal so we'll see what happens when some hair salon or carpet shop decides they are essential.

[William Parcher]

Originally Posted by P.J. Denyer

Who decides what is 'essential work'? I'm a dog walker, self employed, the government's help for small businesses and workers on sick pay won't help me. But I work on my own and can avoid coming into contact with people. Meanwhile, my being out means up to a dozen people aren't (including two medical doctors who's time can probably be better spent right now than walking their dogs, a teacher caring for the children of key workers and a couple one of whom recently finished chemotherapy and who is therefore partially imunocompromised).

You might want to look into the details of your UK lockdown. Here in America for the lockdowns one of the essentials is pet care. This includes things like veterinary visits, purchasing pet food and supplies, walks and exercise, etc.

I would think that a self-employed dog walker would be part of essential pet care. The dogs have to be walked and you provide an essential service for dog owners. I would suggest that in addition to carrying your personal identification you should also carry business cards or something to show that you actually are a professional dog walker rather than somebody who is just making that up.

I don't know that all of this is true but it seems logical if pet care is considered essential.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Squeegee Beckenheim

There's a coronavirus thread in the US politics section. Posts about US politics should go in there.

Oh my gawd, we have one thread on COVID we're not supposed to bring up anything Trump and now supposedly the politics outside the US needs its own thread?

Excuse me, I didn't notice. I was trying to find the politics thread for COVID.



Maybe a mod could change the thread title, not all of us go looking for which sub-forum a thread is in.

[rjh01]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Well the new rules are unequivocal so we'll see what happens when some hair salon or carpet shop decides they are essential.

In Australia we are in lockdown, but the hairdressers and beauty parlour and hardware stores are still open. What a joke.

[GlennB]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Oh my gawd, we have one thread on COVID we're not supposed to bring up anything Trump and now supposedly the politics outside the US needs its own thread?

If you could turn that into coherent English I'm sure we'd all be grateful. Meanwhile, there are several covid threads.

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Excuse me, I didn't notice. I was trying to find the politics thread for COVID.



Maybe a mod could change the thread title, not all of us go looking for which sub-forum a thread is in.

'Nasty woman' indeed. "Non-USA" is a bit of a clue, no?

You were serially careless and just offer a ?

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by William Parcher

You might want to look into the details of your UK lockdown. Here in America for the lockdowns one of the essentials is pet care. This includes things like veterinary visits, purchasing pet food and supplies, walks and exercise, etc.

I would think that a self-employed dog walker would be part of essential pet care. The dogs have to be walked and you provide an essential service for dog owners. I would suggest that in addition to carrying your personal identification you should also carry business cards or something to show that you actually are a professional dog walker rather than somebody who is just making that up.

I don't know that all of this is true but it seems logical if pet care is considered essential.

Thank you, you reminded me to top up my business cards (I've had a pretty stable roster recently so I didn't bother refilling my wallet. I might take my statement of insurance with me as well just to be sure...