Skip to main content

Corona Virus Blog, April 20, 2020

Let's continue the conversation!

Comments

MiamiVice said…
Sweden’s death toll by age


Number of cases
20-29 years 4
30-39 years 4
40-49 years 11
50-59 years 46
60-69 years 108
70-79 years 331
80-90 years 581
90 years and older 315


https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107913/number-of-coronavirus-deaths-in-sweden-by-age-groups/
Sandie said…
@MiamiVice: Thanks so much for those stats from Sweden ... very interesting.

I wonder if the correlations between age and fatalities is because:

1. The immune system weakens as you get older?
2. One acquires other conditions as one gets older, which reduce the amount of energy the body, through the immune system, has to fight off the virus?

Or is it both?

Would it not be wise to invest in boosting immune systems across the board for everyone (some kind of government sponsored programme to make immune-boosting minerals and vitamins available in the form of food and/or supplements)?

Vitamin C is a vital vitamin to maintain a healthy immune system (all citrus*, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, kale, parsley, kiwi, papaya, red, green or yellow pepper, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes).

* Freshly squeezed orange juice not some synthetic product (check labels).

and the following perhaps to maintain a strong and healthy immune system...

Blueberries
Dark chocolate
Turmeric
Oily fish
Broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Spinach
Ginger

If I had the means to, I would be eating from those food groups. However, I do hope that this information can help someone who can control what they eat and when and how they eat (or what supplements they take).
Sandie said…
These are the latest fatalities from South Africa:

Age group / Deaths
40 / 9
50 / 5
60 / 4
70 / 12
80 / 17
90 / 1

The following is an interesting detailed record of number of infections identified per day (lockdown started 3 April and since then testing and proactive testing has increased):

April 19, 2020 - 124
April 18, 2020 - 251
April 17, 2020 - 178
April 16, 2020 - 99
April 15, 2020 - 91
April 14, 2020 - 143
April 13, 2020 - 99
April 12, 2020 - 145
April 11, 2020 - 25
April 10, 2020 - 69
April 9, 2020 - 89
April 8, 2020 - 96
April 7, 2020 - 63
April 6, 2020 - 31
April 5, 2020 - 70
April 4, 2020 - 80
April 3, 2020 - 43
April 2, 2020 - 82
April 1, 2020 - 27
March 31, 2020 - 27
March 30, 2020 - 46
March 29, 2020 - 93
March 28, 2020 - 17
March 27, 2020 - 243
March 26, 2020 - 218
March 25, 2020 - 155
March 24, 2020 - 152
March 23, 2020 - 128
March 22, 2020 - 34
March 21, 2020 - 38
March 20, 2020 - 52
March 19, 2020 - 34
March 18, 2020 - 54
March 17, 2020 - 0
March 16, 2020 - 11
March 15, 2020 - 13
March 14, 2020 - 14
March 13, 2020 - 7
March 12, 2020 - 4
March 11, 2020 - 6
March 10, 2020 - 4
March 9, 2020 - 0
March 8, 2020 - 2
March 7, 2020 - 0
March 6, 2020 - 0
March 5, 2020 - 1
Sandie said…
The Trade Minister in South Africa has banned the sale of cooked foods. Why? The power of the lockdown regulations has gone to their heads (the Minister of Police is a gangster and so when he went into uber oppression from day 1 it was to be expected, but ...).

A significant percentage of the South African population is facing starvation under lockdown (no way of hustling that bit extra every day, by begging ... whatever ... so that they can buy food or even get food from an organisation that had to shut down because 'gatherings' are not allowed). A significant percentage of the South African population does not have the means to cook food other than an open fire (and now they are not allowed outdoors to make such a fire). They depend on buying cooked food, which they do from street vendors or kiosks in supermarkets - pies, cooked chicken, chips, stew with rice, even an egg sandwich or hamburger ... the sale of cooked food is a huge business in South Africa, and mostly an informal one).

When the pandemic is behind us someone will have to count the number in South Africa who died of starvation or malnourished-related conditions (never mind the effect it is having on the minds of poor kids).

Sorry to rant, but who the hell locks down a country without making a plan for those who are going to starve! The government has been handing out food parcels (meagre), but to those who vote for them ... it is normal practice for the ANC to use taxpayers' money to buy votes with food parcels. Oh, and it requires all sorts of red tape and permissions from the ANC government to provide food in a feeding scheme ... so, for example, a scheme to feed children in a very poor area in Cape Town is being harassed because people are not complying with social distancing. We have had looting and protests (especially in the Western Cape where the ANC does not govern) but the army has been deployed and the police are being led by a gangster so the looting and protests are shut down quite quickly.

I am feeling so frustrated that I do not have the means to get food to people shut down in abject poverty (no money to put petrol in my car or to even feed myself and for the latter rely on what I can steal from my sister).
SwampWoman said…
So with a population half that of ours (Florida), their death rates are twice ours. We separate our age groups a bit differently:

25-34 years 8 (1% of those hospitalized, abbreviated as OTH below)
35-44 years 15 (2% OTH)
45-54 years 30 (4% OTH)
55-64 years 84 (11% OTH)
65-74 years 189 (24% OTH)
75-84 years 236 (30% OTH)
85+ years 212 (27% OTH)

What would we consider to be a full lifespan, 80 for men, 84 for women? Personally, I plan to achieve 120 (grin) or more, perhaps becoming a cybernetic organism. The government plans on my lifespan being 83.3 or some such.

It may very well be that we (Florida) will go on to have the same amount of people die, population wise, just over a longer period of time and with a bigger hit to our economy than what Sweden will experience. In the 80+ age group, we may have had the same amount die during the year, just over a longer time frame without the COVID 19.

Something like 24% of Swedes have a foreign background, mostly what we would call middle eastern, who often have vitamin D deficiencies when in their country of origin. Sweden also has a HUGE unemployment rate of unemployed and unemployables that they are supporting. It would be difficult to do that if they shut the country down.

SwampWoman said…
Sandie, sadly that is the history of Africa. South Africa hasn't even hit the bottom and started digging yet when it comes to ruination. It will likely continue down the Zimbabwe trail. Starvation and the accompanying civil unrest may well claim more victims than the disease itself.

Believe it or not, that is the conversation that the UK, the EU, the USA, Canada, etc. are having right now. Will the economic privatations brought on by fighting the disease be worse than the disease itself? Will people losing their livelihood, businesses, savings, homes, automobiles...in a word, everything, be worth the slowing (not stopping) of the spread of the disease process? If many end up living in cardboard cartons on sidewalks, they will be more susceptible to disease of all kinds.

Apparently Sweden's high death rate among the elderly is for similar reasons to ours - those unfortunate enough to be in care homes, without social isolation, are the ones that have been hit worst.

Those of us healthy and strong enough to still be independent in our own homes should survive in relatively large numbers - until the lock-down is eased. The Government has warned that the restrictions on us will go on the longest - they're talking about a year now.

Even when we're released, I'll be very careful.
MiamiVice said…
Sandie,

They won’t count them as starvation deaths. They’ll count them as Covid deaths, because Politics.
MiamiVice said…
Not sure how many have been paying attention to other US state governors but some have let their power go straight to their head. Gov Whitmer from Michigan is one such governor. Sure would be happy to see her get flipped for another candidate when she’s up for re-election. Refusing certain treatments for her state simply because they were recommended by the President to whole she is politically opposed. Super stringent/excessive isolation orders. Sure hope her constituents do not forget when it comes time to vote.

Sandie, probably similar to what you’re mentioning in South Africa, the shear power goes to some of these people’s heads and they now finally have a good excuse to use it.
MiamiVice said…
*to whom she is politically opposed. Not to whole. Sorry!
MiamiVice said…
Now we are using Chinese-made drones to enforce Covid lockdowns.

Will we NEVER learn?

https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-dji-spying-americans
Sandie said…
Is anyone here in a country that is actually coming out of a lockdown? I know that each country is going to approach this differently (which is probably correct as one size does not fit all), but is there anyone experiencing this and how is it going? Are people still being cautious? Are there shortages in the shops and long lines outside them?

In South Africa, the economic devastation of lockdown is perhaps not worth it. However, I am afraid that the government has not used the lockdown to fully do what they should be doing: test, test, test ... find out how many are infected, how many are asymptomatic, where are the hotspots ... then any lockdown in future should focus on a hot spot (and give people in hot spots special assistance ... whatever they need to isolate/quarantine and survive that time intact).

Has any country other than Germany and Iceland used lockdowns to get as much information as possible through mass testing and mapping of infections? (I think it was Iceland who did mass testing and found a huge percentage of those infected were asymptomatic.)
Sandie said…
this is an example of health care workers in Gauteng preparing for COVID-19 patients:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWDpkEhWAAci4H2?format=jpg&name=small

South Africa follows the approach of full PPE for health care workers (I just hope they enough to last), and civilians have been asked to make a plan with homemade masks. An enterprising small industry has popped up with people making masks to sell. Luckily the virus was slow in getting to and spreading in Africa so there is plenty of advice online on making masks, and even sanitiser.
SwampWoman said…
Has any country other than Germany and Iceland used lockdowns to get as much information as possible through mass testing and mapping of infections? (I think it was Iceland who did mass testing and found a huge percentage of those infected were asymptomatic.)

Sandie, the number tested in our state is approaching 300,000 plus the University of Florida health students have been enlisted to go into housing developments and retirement centers to do mass testing looking for asymptomatic spread of infection (which is ongoing). I believe that you have three times our (Florida) population but much greater land area. Our experience here has been that where people are not packed tightly together, it is not that great a risk.

This will probably cause some screeching for me to tell you this but even in our oldest demographics that have tested positive with this, the majority do not require hospitalization and, of those hospitalized, the majority recover.
SwampWoman said…
Now that I've said that, Sandie, I have no idea what the next wave of infection (if there is one) will bring. It could be that the second infection will be more severe. It could devolve into nothing more than a cold virus. It would not hurt, I believe, for people that are vulnerable due to age or illness or condition to continue to wear masks and clean even when it appears to be over.
Sandie said…
@SwampWoman:

Florida seems to be focusing in areas where people are at high risk, which is supposedly the approach that South Africa is taking as well.

The proactive testing on a massive scale does seem to be the way to go as hotspots where people are vulnerable can be identified and those people protected without shutting down an entire country.

Overall for Africa people are predicting doom and gloom (millions will die), however Africa is HUGE and besides some urban conglomerates, population density is not high. This may slow down the spread of the virus and make it more manageable.

I think that the death toll and number of people in intensive care looks catastrophic in some countries because health care facilities and personnel do not have the capacity to deal with an additional health problem with the added problem of it being highly contagious so they are being overwhelmed. Although in South Africa the government talks about saving lives, they are actually trying to 'buy time' for the health services to cope (as it is, the public health service struggles to cope with the needs of the population without COVID-19 ...). I think the UK has the right idea (but perhaps a bit late) by quickly re-purposing buildings to make temporary health care centres just for COVID-19 so that it is easier to deal with and it frees up the rest of the health care service to deal with non-COVID-19 stuff.
Ian's Girl said…
There's no doubt in my mind that it is now a political game. The hypocrisy from state to state is staggering.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A SLAM TO INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK OR ANYWHERE ELSE.

More from Twitter, and FULL DISCLOSURE, I am not sure if it's true:


Wondering why we're being threatened with being arrested and put in jail for various violations regarding the quarantine, while at the same time letting convicted criminals out of jail and prison for fear of coronavirus spreading. That is one hundred percent trying to control citizens who won't knuckle under to the government.

People on Twitter questioning Michigan banning sales of damn near everything, including seeds and plants, except weed, booze and lottery tickets. All of which you'd have to go out and buy, thereby violating her draconian stay at home oders.


People on Twitter wondering why the New York media/politicians, etc slamming Florida for not closing beaches, when all of the parks in NYC are open. Does anyone know if it's true that they have kept the parks open?


People are being told they can't drive but New York City's subway system remains open, when they have called it out as a huge vector. (And note -- they only gave out the order to wear a mask on the subway a few days ago!)

Same people saying that protests are non-essential are the same people who said it would violate the Constitution to quarantine people from the New York City area to the New York City area.

It doesn't help that Clyburn (House Majority Whip) told the Dem caucus that the coronavirus relief bill was “a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision,”

They're loving having control over everyone. They won't give that up willingly.
SwampWoman said…
Ian's Girl said:
People on Twitter wondering why the New York media/politicians, etc slamming Florida for not closing beaches, when all of the parks in NYC are open. Does anyone know if it's true that they have kept the parks open?


I'm wondering why dishonest manipulated pictures of Jacksonville beaches reopening are being promulgated through the media. I'm wondering why there are op-ed pieces being published in the New York media about what a splendiferous job that Cuomo has done as governor and that dumbass as mayor when if the death rates for New York City were separated out, they'd be the highest in the world and the USA as a whole wouldn't even be in the top 10.
DeBlahblahblahsio just wants more of that free federal money. His wifey poo wants a few billion more to steal. Inflate those Kung flu death numbers!
SwampWoman said…
Good morning, abbyh! I'm so sorry I didn't see you in the comments before. Did you finish all the additional masks your relatives asked for? Which style did you end up making the most of, the pleated surgical-type, or did you do the more fitted Olsen-type mask?

I'm going to be venturing out for more exercise-type walking and jogging and, though the N95 masks are protective, they are somewhat hard to breathe through for exercising. I suppose I'll wear a less protective mask for that since I don't plan to be near anybody anyway.
Portcitygirl said…
It's no time to live in a resort area. Sigh. When they open our beaches tomorrow everyone will be pouring in- My guess is our numbers will increase. I wish they would keep them closed, but they've already spent the money. Our plan is to stay low for another month and see where the numbers are then. Good luck everyone. I think we will need it.

Also, I think it horrible that our leaders are trying to politicize this.
abbyh said…

I have not finished yet. I can go back to sewing now that the conference call is over.

I still need a couple of the addresses and I haven't done the mask/ear loop protectors.

sigh. the call is over and I will go ...
SwampWoman said…
Good afternoon, Miss Scarlett! How did the BYOP go?
Ian's Girl said…
I forgot to add in some city in Mississippi, which fined church goers on Easter Sunday who were sitting in their cars with windows rolled up, listening to the preacher who was in the church broadcasting over the radio 500 dollars a piece, while allowing a Sonic burger to let people eat in their cars in the parking lot, windows down, so the waitresses could bring them their food. I mean what in the actual h*ell??

In this case, I think it was more of a revenue trap (a lot of conservatives are claiming it is actions directed against Christians, but I don't think it was in this case), but the fact remains that these a-holes are enjoying their power.
SwampWoman said…
Abbyh, did you see the headbands with buttons and the surgical hat with buttons to attach the scrub mask elastic loops to instead of the ears for people with glasses and sensitive ears? (YouTube.) I was wondering why in the world I didn't think of that, but I went and got a bunch of velcro instead (grin) so that they'll be adjustable so that SwampMan and I can wear the cloth masks interchangeably (but I'm pretty sure he won't wear the ones with embroidery and beading and Swarovski crystals).

/Outer layer decor only, peeps. I'll have a front, back, and a filter pocket as well. Inside the filter pocket I'll have a double layer blue shop-towel filter, too, or perhaps some nonwoven polypropylene fabric meant for autoclaving.
MiamiVice said…
A quote by Candace Owens:

‘My freedom does not end where your fear begins.’

Could not agree more.
Ian's Girl said…
Anon, please see that I just added MS! I am talking overall about power grabs, which a lot of states are going insane with, Michigan being the worst, in my opinion, not a north-south thing.

Why are you so obsessed with the civil war? I have not seen anyone mention that? Did I miss something?

I agree there is a big D vs R difference in various aspects of this, but am not seeing a north-south thing?
SwampWoman,

Our byop was lovely! 🥰
Having a fine day on my lanai.
A neighbor is playing his saxophone,
serenading us!
Isn’t She Lovely,
Fly Me to the Moon, he is quite talented.

Have a glorious walk.

Did you see Dr Birx on CBS yesterday?
She was praising our Florida Dept of Health website!
SwampWoman said…
Ian's girl, I saw that, too. Silly. The township is going to owe people a lot of money when the lawsuits go through although I believe that AG Barr invalidated the tickets already. The Governor of Mississippi said that religious observances were an essential activity; this was a town attempting to co-opt power. We had any number of observances here using the same type of venue, no problems.
Ian's Girl said…
I have mentioned repeatedly here that my state has barely been hit (Arkansas)

And I have mentioned many times that I also think NY/NJ, etc need to be treated far differently than those states that have been hit hard. But I do not need to be treated like I am living in NY or NJ.

My posts on this, again, are about the power grab, and it may not be a part of this pandemic that is important to you, but it is extremely important to those of us who are being told to abide by the same rules as those in more affected areas.

If some other highly contagious plague broke out, and it hit my area horribly but other areas less so, I would not expect those other areas to remain on lock down once it eased up there.

You can choose not to believe me, but especially since you mentioned you're of an age to be concerned, and have co-morbidities, I have been worried about you. It is not my intent to make this about anything other than issues that Covid 19 and issues that are rising up around it. I'm sorry I keep offending you.

Have you been able to get things that you need? I have been taking various supplements with zinc and vitamin C, and have been taking elderberry tonic every day. Can I send you some?
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hey Peeps,

I am joining 5 friends in the park on Wednesday for a byoHappyHour! As I’ve previously said, we sit 8-10 ft apart.
I really recommend this for wellbeing.
Life is too short to live in fear!
Be careful, stay safe😎

ps. I’m taking quarantinis with bleu cheese olives 🍸
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ian’s girl,

I love Arkansas, it is a beautiful state! Especially around Hot Springs and all of N Ark.
I always say it is a well kept secret!
MiamiVice said…
Miss Scarlett,

You sound fun! I wish I lived near you and could come. I’ll just have to imagine myself pulling up my lawn chair with you and all your fun friends for a few hours in the park.
SwampWoman said…
Miss Scarlett said Did you see Dr Birx on CBS yesterday?
She was praising our Florida Dept of Health website!


Well, it is very good! They improve it weekly. Sadly, when I am listening to the meetings, they are usually cut off before Mike Pence even gets to speak, let alone Dr. Birx. I could listen to (and stare at) Mike Pence all day (grin).

I just went out and checked the nearby RV parks at the state line and into Georgia. Again, nobody is leaving. No vacancies except at the one in Georgia, and it is only two years old. Usually by this time, the one in Georgia is empty (not much in the way of amenities) but it is about 2/3rds full, and the RVs there look as though they are not going to be moved anytime soon.
MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman,

I did see where Florida was being praised! That’s so funny about Mike Pence! So he’s a silver fantasy fox for you? Could be worse, he seems like an upstanding gentleman. He even said once that he won’t be alone with another woman if she’s not his wife. Definitely seems like a good policy these days.
SwampWoman said…
@Miss Scarlett: Oooh, Dr. Birx just called out the Florida Dept. of Health website AGAIN as being the type of website all states should have during the presser. (Somebody was whining about the Jacksonville beaches being opened.) She pointed out that we know by zip code where the cases in Jacksonville are located, and that there have been new cases in the 20s.
SwampWoman said…
Mike Pence is one smart guy.
Portcitygirl said…
Tedros looks like he smells something bad. Maybe it's his lying mouth. So glad he's getting blowback. We are coming for you WHO and all your crooked supporters. Anyone supporting these players are not our friends. Time to take sides and throw down the gauntlet.
SwampWoman said…
Was Tedros put in his position because he was good, or because it was politically correct? Sadly, I assume the second.
SwampWoman said…
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/reopening-of-texas-starts-monday-morning/2354534/
MiamiVice and SwampWoman,

I just finished watching the press update. I watch on YouTube.
Dr Birx did it again, booyah! We have an awesome Governor and team.

MV, I wish you were able to come, you would be most welcome! I have fun friends, from 32-83. From Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Kansas, Russia, Rhode Island , etc. Some gave a surprise bday party for me, 34 friends came. I came here for 4 months in in 2014, loved it, bought a condo.I am a fortunate woman!

SW, I saw the beach picture in Jacksonville in a Los Angeles paper as a LA beach. Exactly same people, more fake news!
Agree Mike Pence is easy on these old eyes😂

Maybe after the Kung Flu passes the Fl girls could meet.
Cheers!🍸
,
SwampWoman said…
https://www.foxnews.com/us/georgia-tennessee-announce-plans-to-reopen-some-businesses-wind-down-coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders
MiamiVice said…
Miss Scarlett,

I wish we could meet up! Unfortunately my husband accepted a job transfer to the West coast (the PNW) so I have to leave even though I have LOVED it here. Who knows? Perhaps one day we will be back.
MiamiVice said…
I never understood the whole Tedros thing either. I know nothing about him prior to his position with WHO. I couldn’t understand why he was so under China’s thumb that he would refuse to acknowledge Taiwan. What was the purpose in being such a pawn, do they pay him? And by pay him I mean with bribes? I’m sure his position is paid in some manner.
Ian's Girl said…
@Miss Scarlet, much of Arkansas is indeed beautiful! And I live in one of the prettiest parts. I grew up in northeastern GA, which is even more beautiful! We live in a GORGEOUS country, don't we? So very blessed.

@Anon-Unknown, I had a novel of a response typed out, none of which would probably help, so I will just ask again if you need anything I could send?
SwampWoman said…
Interesting read: The Amhara People’s Union, an activist organization based in Washington, noted that Dr. Tedros had been accused of “systematic genocidal violence and human right violations” and argued that he was a completely inappropriate choice for the WHO top job:

https://ecadforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/APU_opposes_candidacy_of_Dr_TAG.pdf?x35370

https://hnewswire.com/whos-tedros-adhanom-should-be-put-on-trial-for-crimes-against-humanity/

There are claims that 2 million Amhara people disappeared off census records over this period.

While he was health minister of Ethiopia from 2005–2012, Dr Tedros covered up three cholera epidemics in his country, endangering surrounding countries, which found that what he called “acute watery diarrhoea” turned into full-blown cholera the moment it crossed the border:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-chief-tedros-questionable-past-coronavirus

His ability to lie about epidemics and get away with it must surely have been one of his biggest recommendations for the job.


He's also the first WHO director to not be a medical doctor. Dr. Tedros is the first African Director-General to be appointed to the WHO, and the first in its 72-year history to not be a medical doctor. He has never practiced as a medical doctor. His doctorate degree is in philosophy in community health and he holds a master of science in the immunology of infectious diseases. https://lidblog.com/dr-tedros-adhanom/
SwampWoman said…
Ah, MiamiVice, at least you will miss hurricane season (hopefully you will also miss the Cascadia subduction zone inevitable earthquake of mass devastation)! So, Seattle or Portland?
MV,The PNW is beautiful too. A few friends and I flew to Canada and made our way down to California. Great trip.

IG, you are so right, we do live in a beautiful country. I have been blessed to travel to every state, except Alaska, most foreign countries, but the USA is tops.
I do love Georgia and Tennessee have white water rafted in both, fun times. Southern born, Southern bred, when I die , I’ll be Southern dead.

SW, I have read a lot on Tedros. He is in Bill Gates pocket along with the Chinese. He was in cahoots with Gates vaccinating in Africa and India, killing or paralyzing so many poor souls. I wish they would be charged with crimes against humanity.
SwampWoman said…
Tedros hadn't piqued my curiosity in the past because, well, WHO hasn't exactly covered itself in glory, nor has the UN, so I tend to ignore them as kabuki theater. The more I read about him, the more I wonder who in the world could have possibly thought that this was a good idea.

MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman,

Portland’ish. I don’t look forward to winter
MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman,

Do you have roots in OR? I remember you making a comment about taking your husband to the PNW so it made me wonder if you had roots there.
MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman and Miss Scarlett,

Wow you guys are educated! I tip my hat to you!

This Tedros sounds like an awful person. I can’t believe he got the WHO position or any position. If he’s in Bill Gates’ pocket, no wonder Gates is decrying our plan to defund the WHO. I’m certainly going to stick with you two ladies and cry even More tears that we can’t get together and hang out after this is over.
MiamiVice said…
Port City Girl,

You also had knowledge about Dr Tedros and I also tip my hat to you, not to leave you out.
MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman,

Sometimes the right people just don’t want the job and the wrong people want the job but for all the wrong reasons. That makes politics a real pickle. I don’t know why we find the majority of all these global/nationalist organizations and I have been glad to see our current President make some decisions to pull us out of some of these. The climate summit for example.
MiamiVice said…
Playing a game night tonight on zoom with a group of friends.
It’s so nice to see people, even if virtually.
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
MiamiVice said…
L-O-N-G article, but links Gates with favoring Tedros to be elected as head of WHO. It’s from 2017. The other two candidates were physicians.

The final three candidates include Sania Nishtar, a cardiologist from Pakistan who has pledged to take the agency “back to its former glory”; David Nabarro, a British physician and former U.N. special envoy for Ebola; and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has served as health minister and foreign minister in the Ethiopian government.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.eu/article/bill-gates-who-most-powerful-doctor/amp/

Some billionaires are satisfied with buying themselves an island. Bill Gates got a United Nations health agency in Geneva.

Over the past decade, the world’s richest man has become the World Health Organization’s second biggest donor, second only to the United States and just above the United Kingdom. This largesse gives him outsized influence over its agenda, one that could grow as the U.S. and the U.K. threaten to cut funding if the agency doesn’t make a better investment case.

Wonder how the Chinese fit into all of this? I can now see the Bill Gates link, clearly money and a history of working with Tedros prior in Africa, but why the Chinese?
SwampWoman said…
@MiamiVice: Swampwoman,

Do you have roots in OR? I remember you making a comment about taking your husband to the PNW so it made me wonder if you had roots there.


Yes, I had a (late) uncle and aunt there as well as some cousins that are still there. Stepdad was a traveling welder, took a job out that way to visit his brother for awhile (his older brother ended up in the PNW after WWII and never left). When that job ended, he took another (welding) job because he liked the fishing. He was injured on the job, went to college and to work for the state. I graduated high school in Salem, enlisted in the Army, and they sent me back to the south.

It isn't *that* cold in the PNW; however, some people get bad seasonal affective disorder due to the perpetual cloudiness all winter long.
SwampWoman said…
Wonder how the Chinese fit into all of this? I can now see the Bill Gates link, clearly money and a history of working with Tedros prior in Africa, but why the Chinese?



It could just be your garden-variety corruption.
CNN is reporting that Kim Jung Un is in very bad condition after surgery.

The tweet from Jim Sciutto says: Breaking: The US is monitoring intelligence that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s health is in grave danger following a surgery, a US official with direct knowledge tells me.

I'm not sure what context grave danger is being used as. Could mean that he died last week. Could mean that he's smoking out people in his organization.
SwampWoman said…
@MiamiVice: Most of the people that I graduated high school with moved on to other places after graduation. Most of them moved on to Alaska, some to Idaho, some back east to college. The ones that stayed were welfare queens/drug addicts. Their kids are probably anarchists.
Ian's Girl said…
Anon-Unknown, it will die down eventually. I have no doubt it'll come back in a cycle like other corona viruses, but we know the symptoms now and it will be easier to treat.

Our churches here have prayer circles going on specifically for this virus, and areas hardest hit; there are people praying for you folks around the clock. (Groups tale half hour shifts, 24/7)

I will ask that my friend Morning Glory and her loved ones get their own prayer! They will think you're one of my hippie friends, LOL!

Meant to add in an earlier post that I take L Lysene for cold sores, and it has antiviral properties, ( keeps the cells from replicating? Or keeps viral cell walls from forming? Hell, I don't remember) so I thought maybe it might be something you could talk to a doctor about taking? (It can also make your hair fall out over time, sadly)

Anyway, please do not lose hope!
SwampWoman said…
Ian's Girl, I took L-lysine for shingles! (Worked great!)

And, to serious matters: BREAKING: Reports that North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is brain dead, according to NBC News.
I’m going on my recall on this..... after the US stopped allowing the chimera process of combining different virus species (for instance this bat virus + hiv) (I think in NC) the WHO moved the lab work to Wuhan. Obama administration sent $3.7 billion in addition to funding WHO. China Communist Party has no scruples. This is a perfect setup for Bill Gates. Yeah, he’s spending billions on a vaccine, which is nothing if he expects the world population to be mandated to take it. The vaccine will come with a chip ... to prove one has been vaccinated. Bill Gates who isn’t a Dr or even finished college will be in charge of our health!
It will be interesting to find out whether it was accidentally leaked from the lab or deliberately set loose, if we ever know the truth.
Portcitygirl said…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/reader-comments/p/comment/link/537465655

Found this comment on the DM. If true, it explains her love for Tedros.
Leela said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
MiamiVice,
Some of my friends do zoom get togethers, I opt out. I’m too lazy to put on makeup. I only FaceTime with grandchildren, they don’t care!
I might make a exception for game night..... great idea 👍🏻
Ian’s girl,
My youngest daughter and her family live on a lake in Bella Vista, I usually spend some time there in the summer.
MiamiVice said…
Swampwoman,

Where did you see that KJU is brain dead? Would you possibly mind linking the article?
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ian's Girl said…
Miss Scarlett, I am not too far from Bella Vista; slightly east. Closer to Eureka Springs.
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
MiamiVice said…
Miss Scarlett,

I never thought about all the motivation behind Gates funding a vaccine. How very naive I am. Hope it turns out that someone else comes up with a cocktail that works to treat the virus so we aren’t subjugated to Gates’ control.
Sandie said…
@Miss Scarlett: It will be interesting to find out whether it was accidentally leaked from the lab or deliberately set loose, if we ever know the truth.

Not only is it plausible that the virus was concocted in the lab in Wuhan, but there are too many clues to ignore this hypothesis (which I think is being too easily dismissed by those who have investigated the theory).

It is possible that China engineered this virus* but never intended to use it. Their best course of action is to actually confess everything and be completely honest (countries all over the world do what they did and accidents have happened elsewhere), but they will never do so, thus nothing will change, no one will learn anything, and it will happen again in future.

Engineering lethal viruses are the new nuclear problem.

*If I were to engineer a virus as a weapon of eugenics, COVID-19 is what I would create: it kills (mostly) the old and the sick (those who, as my eugenics niece said, are a huge burden on society but contribute nothing ... the useless people that take up space and use up resources); most people who are infected are asymptomatic or get ill and recover within 2 weeks so the young and strong are not hugely affected; it is highly contagious and spreads easily because it survives outside the host for so long and does not require a huge load to infect. For China, the benefits of spreading such a virus (although I still believe the leak was accidental) are the economic havoc it wreaks on the rest of the world (China put epicentres of the virus on very strict lockdown so economic activity continued in the rest of that vast country) giving China the opportunity to step in and take advantage of that weakness (testing kits and PPE of sub-standard packed up in cargo planes and sent to the West was just one aspect). My country is using PPE donated from China but has adapted testing kits manufactured in the USA. How many countries have had to buy PPE from China? How many countries bought the hastily made and substandard testing kits from China? What other goods have countries have had to buy from China? What other economic benefits has China gained?

A plan can go wrong and China may have factored that in and decided that the benefits, potential and real, were worth the cost of the risks. I still think the leak was accidental but the manufacturing of the virus and the plan was real, hypothetical but real if you know what I mean ... and who knows how many other viruses they have manufactured. If they were studying viruses in that lab in Wuhan for the good of humanity, why was there not more transparency? Why were international scientists not invited to spend time there working with Chinese scientists?
Sandie,
I think it was made for biological warfare, not for the good of humanity. If deliberately set loose, I don’t think they expected it to go worldwide.
CCP have no qualms with murder, they have plenty of workers to go around for NOW. What they have an over abundance of is elderly. Their one child policy is no longer working. There aren’t enough young people to carry the burden of their elderly. China is overpopulated, two birds, one stone. China does as it wants..... at least it has until this point. IMHO
Ian's Girl said…
There were international scientists there, I think; I believe they had sounded alarms about poor lab technique and not enough ancillary staff to dispose of things properly? ( Or have a little side hustle "disposing" them at the markets?)

I don't think the link was intentional, either. Turning it loose on your own territory seems pig ignorant. I am reminded, however, of the Chinese journalist with a fever who got pretty crazy trying to get into one of the White House briefings. Made me suspicious, it did.

Anybody stupid enough to take a vaccine with a &*#%$* tracking chip in it deserves whatever happens to them. It is staggering to think about how many basic freedoms people are willing to give up for false security. I was stunned at how many surveillance cameras there are in London.



MiamiVice said…
Sandie,

Your theory does sound plausible.
Awful but plausible.
Why would Obama give billions to help set up this lab?
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
How nice, the WHO is giving $900,000 to North Korea to fight the Kung Flu. Meanwhile , North Korea has repeatedly maintained they no cases!
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ian's Girl said…
@Anon-Unknown, I obviously have no idea whether it'd help; obviously herpes is a different virus, but I say it can't hurt! (within moderation, of course) I have several kitties, too! Which makes me wonder where Scandi Sanskrit is with her 4?

I read about that young man (an actor, I think?) and they said it was clotting that caused the need for amputation. IIRC, that has been an issue in Spain, as well.

I agree about no longer relying on China, and people have been saying so for decades, but I think this is where short memories will come in to play once things have settled down. Americans are addicted to cheap consumer goods, and I just don't think they're going to get over that any time soon. I hope I'm wrong.

Ian's Girl said…
Miss Scarlett, are you kidding???? North Korea?!

Do you think it's possible somebody finally got close enough to kill Rocket Man, and someone else is in charge now, telling the truth about how many cases they have?
Not kidding, WHO gave NK $900,000 on March 13.
Maybe KJU got the Kung Flu virus which damaged his heart .... oops, I forgot NK doesn’t have Kung Flu.
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ian's Girl said…
Lawsky, child, you need to quit reading that stuff! And the Chinese need to stop eating bats?
In other news: Chris “Fredo” Cuomo has emerged from his basement quarantine live on CNN. Well, apparently he forget emerging about a week ago in Southampton,NY. He threatened a bystander when confronted about his Stay-at-Home with Kung Flu. The man Fredo threatened file a police report.
That is why CNN is Fake News.
Fredo is the brother of the governor of NY. Entitlement!
Forgive my typos, old eyes, texting on my phone🤪
Sandie said…
@Anon-Unknown:
@Sandi
You are just blowing my mind with this eugenics post.

A couple of weeks ago you posted sympathetically about those who were callous about the victims of the virus. You wrote about lives being more important than the economy.

Do you now actually see this virus as a manufactured weapon, a Nazi-type eugenics virus made to wipe out the old and sick?

If that's the case, it could also be called the Fat virus or the Minority Virus.
Maybe it was manufactured by Hitler, the KKK and Fat Shamers of the world.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be flippant but I just can't believe it was a manufactured weapon. I'm also not trying to argue with you. I just don't want to believe that.


Conspiracy theories, fuelled by the entertainment industry, makes everything seem dramatic and clear. Life is a lot more complex than that.

I do think it is entirely possible that COVID-19 was present in the lab at Wuhan and accidentally infected someone who then spread the infection. Was it extracted in its present form from bats or was it engineered? Humans have a long history of experimenting in a very dangerous way, and it was not only the Nazis who did so.

On the other hand, I do believe that there are many genuine scientists in China who are, and have from the beginning, trying to find answers and to understand as much as they can about this virus.

Do I believe that the Chinese were storing dangerous (to humans) viruses at the Wuhan lab? Yes.

Do I believe that one of these viruses may have infected someone at the lab (unknown while it was in incubation but highly contagious) and thus spread to the outside world from there? Entirely possible.

Do I believe that the Wuhan lab are experimenting with eugenics type manufactured viruses? Yes. (They who had the one child policy, who imposed an agrarian regime on their people that killed millions, they that are trying to dominate the world ...)

Do I believe that the Chinese would deliberately release such a weapon into the world, cynically killing off thousands of their own and not 100% sure that they would achieve their outcomes? I think they would have considered it but rejected it as too risky.

Human beings do stuff like that and to think that after the Nazis we are forever safe is to be naive (oh, Rwanda ... that was just Africa? No, that was what humans do, in every era). To overcome the shadow, we must deal with it. IMO The Chinese should open up the Wuhan lab (and all other labs) for full and transparent investigation so that we can know what really happened and we can ALL agree to be more careful and to not let something like that happen again.

In the meanwhile, to everyone in lockdown or coming out of lockdown, stay safe and strong and help out a person who is in need.
Shaggy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sandie said…
Stats for all things COVID-19 here:

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
Sandie said…
@Anon-Unknown:
@Sandi -please see my links to numerous NIH scientific papers on the origin of the virus - they are on the new page.

I'm with you on most everything except the eugenics. There are other countries involved in the Wuhan lab. There is quite a bit of open info already published on NIH.

If you haven't already been on NIH's covid section, I think you would enjoy going through it.
I hope you stay safe as well.


Many thanks for that info and I will definitely have look at the NIH covid section.

Eugenics is a real part of the human psyche: Nazi Europe, Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia ... and I am just using the big ones from recent history.

I am not saying that COVID-19 was created as a eugenics tool but that if I was to create one, it would have very similar characteristics to the virus.

If China stored and studied all these viruses as a humanitarian project (so we can find a way to treat them and have a vaccine so that humanity is not decimated or knocked back a few centuries/generations in progress ...) why is it that it is places like the USA and the UK where the most progress has been made on a vaccine (everyone is trying everything for treatments!)?

The ONLY reason why any country should extract viruses and store them is to create vaccines as an insurance.

Perhaps China is simply incompetent and had no idea what it had or finds and stores many viruses but has no idea what to do with them. They do not have the right to make such decisions, any such decisions on behalf of humanity - no country has the right.

Popular posts from this blog

Corona Virus Blog - April 16, 2020

Good morning. Interesting information this morning suggesting that one reason Taiwan was so far ahead of the Covid Crisis was that the deputy director of its CDC found information on the Taiwanese version of Reddit in late December. Some of that information came from doctors within Wuhan, information that was quickly repressed by the Chinese Communist party. Fascinating that even the people in charge need to turn to alternate media to source information these days. Let's continue the conversation.