Good morning! It's another day with shocking news, not least that Boris Johnson and his two top team members dealing with the Coronavirus crisis have been diagnosed with the virus themselves.
I've also read numerous news stories indicating that the US is now the world leader in terms of the number of infections. This is true only if you believe the Chinese government's figures, such as that they have had "no new infections" among their 1.3 billion people over the past few days.
If so, I'm not sure what those thousands of urns being delivered to Wuhan are going to be used for.
China also closed its cinemas again yesterday, after opening them up because the pandemic was "under control."
Finally, Chinese social media been sharing scenes of civil unrest, something I think we can expect to see in the West at some point. (It's on the border of Hubei province, the capital of which is Wuhan, on the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge, if anyone wants to look into it more closely. From what I can tell, people from the neighboring provinces did not want Hubei people to come in.)
At any rate, the numbers are scary from all over the world.
Let's continue the conversation.
I've also read numerous news stories indicating that the US is now the world leader in terms of the number of infections. This is true only if you believe the Chinese government's figures, such as that they have had "no new infections" among their 1.3 billion people over the past few days.
If so, I'm not sure what those thousands of urns being delivered to Wuhan are going to be used for.
China also closed its cinemas again yesterday, after opening them up because the pandemic was "under control."
Finally, Chinese social media been sharing scenes of civil unrest, something I think we can expect to see in the West at some point. (It's on the border of Hubei province, the capital of which is Wuhan, on the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge, if anyone wants to look into it more closely. From what I can tell, people from the neighboring provinces did not want Hubei people to come in.)
At any rate, the numbers are scary from all over the world.
Let's continue the conversation.
Comments
From India:
At least 15 000 people who may have caught the coronavirus from a "super-spreader" guru are under strict quarantine in northern India after the Sikh religious leader died of Covid-19. The 70-year-old guru, Baldev Singh, had returned from a trip to Europe's virus epicentre Italy and Germany when he went preaching in more than a dozen villages in Punjab state.
From Brazil:
A Brazilian court on Friday blocked a decree by President Jair Bolsonaro that exempted places of worship from coronavirus confinement orders.
The far-right president, who was elected in 2018 with the backing of Brazil's burgeoning evangelical Christian community, had issued the decree on Thursday, declaring religious activities "essential services" alongside pharmacies and supermarkets.
But a federal court in Rio de Janeiro state ruled religious services posed a public health risk at a time when the new coronavirus is spreading rapidly around the world.
https://www.news24.com/Columnists/GuestColumn/opinion-panic-buying-is-herd-behaviour-not-in-the-interest-of-social-good-20200328-2
I am finding the same thing happening in South Africa:
1. Politicians are being great in giving daily updates in news conferences, but they do not maintain the social distancing rules.
2. Police and the army are not maintaining the social distancing rules with each other and with the public, and. of course, the news is full of photographs of police and army patrolling the streets.
Media is powerful and the wrong message is being sent out: say one thing and do another, and this is OK because all those people ignoring the rules have jobs and homes and are doing well. This crisis is a perfect opportunity for leaders and public servants to think deeply about what their values are, what they do, and how they can best SERVE their country and people.
It's very easy to take the moral high ground, isn't it?
We oldies (70+) in the UK have been told to expect to be holed up at home for 12 weeks, call it 3 months. Not supposed to go to food shops or pharmacy even.
Very easy to say `order on line' - very glib & assuming you have a functional computer. Not a hope for Tesco shopping all delivery slots are booked for the next 3 weeks & no more have been released as far as I know.
This seem the same for many other retailers as well.
I'm normally something of a squirrel, storing stuff away `for emergency' anyway but there are things I've forgotten and the fresh fruit I do have won't last long.
Hand sanitiser? Forget it! I don't even know what it looks like.
We do have 2 kind neighbours who will go to the shops/pharmacy for us for us (we've no family within 80 miles) but are reluctant to load too much onto them. There is a community group but as we're in area with a high proportion of elderly, I daresay they're run off their feet.
Also, I was brought up to be self-reliant so dependency on others isn't easy.
Short of the Government issuing ration books, what else can be done?
Isn't there a saying `We're only ever 3 meals away from anarchy'? Something like that...
Texas (I know there were a couple of posters who are Texan), this link crossed my path. Currently Texas is number 12 in ranking for Covid numbers.
https://www.ksat.com/preview/4QNBH6PQAFEPVDFDHP6LIT5HPI/?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&fbclid=IwAR3d8dygaLLNXMw8RSIgWmly8OTm9rOHhFlNvrGy2Wr5CgXeyzvhOnV799A
And just because something "originated" from China doesn't necessarily mean it was *created* or *developed* by the Chinese people.
I keep getting a a gut feeling North Korea is involved. The thought it just persistent. I heard it somewhere and it just stuck with me.
It's not a "conspiracy theory", it's an overlooked fact: https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/north-koreas-biological-weapons-program-known-and-unknown
Kim Jong-un loves his biochemicals, just look at how he had his half-brother assassinated in Malaysia.
The brother was known to have been connected to China:
https://www.businessinsider.com/kim-jong-un-half-brother-kim-jong-nam-killed-china-initiated-coup-north-korea-2017-8
https://www.newsweek.com/kim-jong-nam-cia-china-north-korea-kim-jong-un-intelligence-asset-malaysia-assasination-1443310
There's layers upon layers of happenings.
Its indiscriminate spread (as opposed to a "Constant Gardener"-style unlawful drug-trial which only targets the powerless & poor) suggests a possible biological weapon.
But on the sidelines, it's like unpopular 2nd-line & near-obsolete drugs are suddenly in such high demand, autoimmune organisations are reporting shortages.
But yeah people can keep on bickering about which name for COVID-19 is the most politically-correct.
All I know (from experience & Indonesian history) is that you know they're serious when they start attacking indiscrimately.
I've been afraid to admit I've been having dry coughs & tight chest since Wednesday. The back of my nose also feels irritated and like it stings.
Thanks, Boris. 💜🍹
I'm actually getting flashbacks of the 1998 pro-democracy riots in Indonesia (it sticks with me to begin with because I attended one of the universities where students were shot by the military dictatorship's forces). They burned down Chinese-Indonesian owned shops, murdered & raped people.
I don't take lightly that this is turning into a whole class/race war.
You know how in the markets there are always generic/drugstore brands and then you have the premium/posh department store brands?
Well yesterday I saw one of the posh brands highlighted at the Indonesian equivalent to Amazon. It was selling hand-sanitisers at what would be normal price for a premium brand (the whole description/label/branding was in English as are most luxury brands in Indonesia) but double the middle-class supermarket brand prices.
Because it sold a coveted commodity (hand sanitiser), it got UGLY.
People were posting snarky comments like, "English please!"
It gives me the chills.
Can you imagine if the Internet & online marketplaces like Amazon didn't exist?
It would be the 1998 Indonesian riots where people looted & burned shops for staple foods because the economic crisis in Asia.
The flashbacks of that. I'm afraid it will turn into that.
That being said, I'm grateful for the government & healthcare workers (at least 2 Indonesian doctors have died on duty) & the delivery guys who deliver our groceries/online store orders.
I am also grateful the mineral water company started delivering again. I have proper drinking water again (we can't drink tap water in Indonesia unless it's boiled). Between 2015-2020 I've had typhoid fever at least 4x (in one instance I required hospitalisation) because my immune system is messed up from being autoimmune, so I wasn't excited about potentially having to drink tap water.
Just so many great people out there. Thank you. 💜💜💜💜💜💜
Here is a suggestion. You can make a mask by 'fan' folding a paper towel and stapling it to a piece of elastic (which is easily purchased).
If you really want a pair of gloves, buy a hair bleach/dye kit, they usually come with a pair of gloves. Carefully use them as they aren't the strongest. I buy L'Oreal hair bleach and the gloves are decent. Maybe you can feel free to get a different color of hair at the same time and feel a little ego lift, lol
@abbyh
Yes Texas is getting worse and Dallas is a bigger hotspot than much bigger Houston (3rd largest city in US.) Thankfully my county (60 miles outside of Dallas) has only 1 confirmed case as do my surrounding counties.
The latest numbers from my country indicate as much (and bear in mind my country is a quarter of the size of Louisiana): 9762 infected, 639 dead,
2954 people hospitalised. All concerts, festivals and celebrations such as the King's birthday have been cancelled until June 1st, so I suspect the lockdown is going to last longer than expected as well.
Reading your interesting stories on this board, it is inconceivable to me that the USA is still largely 'open' considering the number of infections you already have, and you are still about three weeks behind us. The sh*t has not even hit the fan yet in the USA. This is going to be a tragedy in three weeks time if your entire country does not go into total lockdown right now. Why is this not happening?
However, I was not only referring to closing borders. I was also referring to mandatory working from home, unless in a vital profession, shutdown of all shops except grocery stores and pharmacies, maximum of 10-20 customers at a time in grocery shops, shutdown of public transportation to the bare minimum, self isolation of everyone over 70, shutdown of all restaurants, bars, sports facilities, playgrounds and beaches across the country etc.
New York City. Eight weeks in a metro hospital in a place with little to no PPE. I’m a nurse, too, but I don’t think I could do it. Maybe if I didn’t have a young child. Would you do it?
@Dallas Alice, not a medical person but I know what my late mother (RN) would say to that (and it starts with an F), and she was a lady that didn't use bad language.
Another daft idea - assuming a Tesco delivery slot becomes available before Christmas, you can only order 3 of anything. Fair enough if you want packets of toilet roll, but 3 bananas?
https://twitter.com/ShehabKhan/status/1243912628608684033
Just to provide a bit of context on the number of deaths.
ITALY:
March 10: 631
March 11: 827
March 12: 1,016
UK:
March 26: 578
March 27: 759
March 28: 1,019
That's a difference of 16 days.
Italy recorded it's first death 13 days before the UK.
Prince Charles practising social distancing:
https://twitter.com/mwgbanks/status/1243632415031074823
I hear the salaries being offered are amazing, as well.
Interesting to see whether or not the tri-State area will be cordoned off.
Trump, stupidly, said he was "thinking about it." Duh, that means that anyone who can will get out ASAP.
They're being held up as the true authority on Coronavirus, but they seem to be too much in the pocket of China, which is supposed to give them 28 million dollars this year, 10 million more than last year. (The US is scheduled to give them 58 million dollars, slightly less than last year. Source: WHO's own website. https://www.who.int/about/finances-accountability/funding/account_statement/2020/en/)
There's a great video around today in which a Hong Kong reporter tries to ask a WHO rep about Taiwan's excellent methods for fighting the virus. But the guy refuses to acknowledge that Taiwan exists.
First he pretends not to hear the question, twice, and then he actually logs out of the videoconference to avoid it. Great stuff.
https://twitter.com/wilfredchan/status/1243887606569590784?s=20
@Swampwoman, what time did we decide was appropriate for the start of quarantine cocktail hour(s), and was that EST or PST?
I hope the curve flattens in next 2 weeks. We’re up to over 300 cases where I live and we’re in the Midwest and cases arrived here later than the coasts. My husband and I are over 70 and are paying attention and staying home. My husband does groceries once a week. 30 in store at once. Line up for short wait outside with social distance. FaceTiming our grandchildren and children who live very close. We miss seeing them so much. Walking out on a little traveled street behind my house. Expecting to be “stay in” at least until the end of April, but maybe May. Still entertaining ourselves, but starting to get bored.
Is anyone else having a hard time knowing what to believe? Yesterday a governor was saying his city was out of ventilators. The CDC was saying there were 30,000 in storage. Today the governor agrees with the CDC. I think the press has to be more responsible and not quite so quick to publish. Twitter has several wonderful doctors, statisticians, and epidemiologists there that I follow and know provide accurate info.
Thank you, Nutty, for your blogs. I look foward to reading them every day. I hope we all successfully weather this pandemic.
I do believe that when we sanitize our hands, we should also sanitize our liver. One can never be too careful of the coronavirus!
15 minutes, ladies! On the east coast that is!
Also read, lord knows where, that melatonin helped boost immunity to the virus.
It’s currently up to the state what degree of lock down is in place.
We are not yet as drastic as northern Italy, where you can only leave your home for a short time to get food and only 1 person can leave. Or Wuhan where they sealed people into their apartment buildings. But that may come at some point.
@JHanoi, I understand what you are saying.
However, I was not only referring to closing borders. I was also referring to mandatory working from home, unless in a vital profession, shutdown of all shops except grocery stores and pharmacies, maximum of 10-20 customers at a time in grocery shops, shutdown of public transportation to the bare minimum, self isolation of everyone over 70, shutdown of all restaurants, bars, sports facilities, playgrounds and beaches across the country etc.
Yes, that is pretty much our lives in Florida *except* in the counties that have zero or one or two cases. There life goes on much as usual except for restaurants/other venues that may have large crowds being closed.
Ugh, I'm having to force myself to get ready to put on my mask and brave the feed store and grocery store. I'd rather go out after dark when it is cooler, but they close too early now.
Comparisons must take into account population size as a base point before assumptions can be made and then huge differences can warrant further investigation. For example, it has been postulated that Germany is conducting more rigorous and widespread testing than a country like the UK so that is why its death rate looks much lower.
Stay safe everyone!
I live in a county that is 10 times bigger than Liechtenstein, with half the population. (We're just a tad smaller than Luxembourg, and have about 20,000 people). We have a grand total of 5, count 'em FIVE, law enforcement officers. A sheriff and four deputies. It's why we all have guns, and why there is no way they can enforce any kind of shut down at a country level, let alone the state level, country wide.
The Federal government knows they have no realistic way to enforce a nation wide shutdown. And there is something about the idea of the national govt shutting down each state that just raises the hackles of most people for reasons I can't really explain, especially outside the larger metro areas like LA, NYC, etc.
We were asked by our governor to stay in as much as possible, and most are; the people that aren't, are not going to do it just because the Feds tell them to, and most people would resent it. (As I would, even though I would understand why)
The general feeling is basically, get the m*****f******* New Yorkers under control before you start trying to tell US what to do, given that we don't have any cases within 100 miles in any direction.
I'm still here, pain-free and trying to simultaneously stay awake and try to get my sleep schedule back on track. I was up all night, but just because my sleep pattern is turned around.
This morning, I went outside for the first time, just to sit on my deck, all wrapped up in my bathrobe. It was eerily quiet with just the sound of the waves crashing and the birds singing and no boats on the horizon. Not a person in sight for the hour I was out there, like I was the only person left on earth. It took me back to when I visited down here with my family when I was a kid- so quiet and peaceful.
I'm trying to not spend all my time reading about COVID, having decided that it is not emotionally healthy for me to do so. It just riles me up, and thinking and reading about it just keeps me in a state of quiet panic, frustration and fear. So, I've been limiting myself to Nutty's blog and a couple of updates a day.
We have 479 cases in Oregon now, with 65 new cases, and a very elderly man just died in Yamhill County. The most cases seem to be south of there, and of course. in counties nearer to Portland.
We can now pump our own gas! To explain for non-Oregonians, a bill comes up occasionally to allow us pump our own gas, but everybody votes against it, because why get out of a car in windy and rainy Oregon, when somebody will pump your gas for you? Now we pump our own gas, which is good that somebody doesn't get infected, but sad that others have lost their gas station jobs.
Does anybody know how to speed up cooking a pork shoulder in the oven? The recipe I'm trying says to cook for six hours @ 350. I want it for pulled pork and have never done this before. It doesn't say whether to baste it or not, either. Help!
Stay safe and healthy everybody! I'm following all of you here.
Taiwans political status has long been a complicated one
It doesn't help that US won't acknowledge Taiwan as an independent state from China.
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/02/06/coronavirus-taiwan-lashes-out-at-china-for-blocking-who-access.html
Also thanks so much for the blogs, thoroughly enjoy them!
Your county doesn't have any cities with police? I live in a rural county and have a Sheriff and about the same number of deputies on duty but we have cities with their police force also.
I think people here are doing very well with staying at home. Only people at grocery stores, gas stations and drive-thru restaurants.
In a severe circumstance, the deputies and police officers from the neighboring counties would help, as would the state troopers, but I cannot fathom what it would take, and they are not very populated, either, although one county does have about 11,000, with its own police force of about 50, which includes staff at the animal shelters. They even have an actual paid fire department! (Our county is all volunteer fire)
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/26/tech/dyson-ventilators-coronavirus/index.html
I'm in the Ozarks, and we are still pretty rural. This county didn't even have electricity until the late 70s/early 80s, and many people still don't, although it's available if they want it.
Very few people could work from home here, mainly because of the lack of high speed internet. I doubt we will be disrupted completely unless sh*t well and truly hits the fan nationally, because most here are self sufficient to some degree. The county seat has a Sonic, a Dairy Queen and 2 local mom and pop restaurants, which are still doing take out orders. We will all take turns hiring the waitresses for housework and other odds and ends to get them through if this keeps up. (The girls at the sit-down restaraunts make a whopping 3 dollars an hour)
Oh my that is really rural. I happen to know that about electricity as I knew a young man in the 70's hired to help install lines. Beautiful countryside. Hopefully due to how isolated and rural you are this COVID won't get to your area.
Speaking during a press conference Saturday afternoon, DeSantis said a traveler who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 was on a flight from a New York City airport to Jacksonville International Airport on Friday when he was intercepted at an airport checkpoint and taken to a local hospital. DeSantis said the man thought his symptoms had lessened enough to travel, but his symptoms returned. News Service of Florida reports that the people seated near him on the plane are now being treated by the CDC.
What a self-absorbed piece of sh*t. I hope he gets a nice jail sentence for trying to kill his fellow passengers.
/This is why Rhode Island is sending national guardsmen door to door to search for NYers.
https://ufhealth.org/news/2020/uf-health-anesthesiology-team-devises-respirator-mask-made-existing-hospital-materials
Something needs to be done about prioritising households with people over 70 for food delivery. Our house isn't Birkhall where my parents and I can live in separate wings. (I know Birkhall is small by royal standards but ...)
Trying to be as business-as-usual as I can about the whole thing! Just catching up with everybody now!
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/03/korea-fires-missiles-coronavirus-pandemic-200329043852437.html?__twitter_impression=true
http://www.ipsnews.net/2020/03/coronavirus-biological-weapon-not-distant-future/#Covid_19