Quote from smAsh on March 23, 2020, 6:36 am

What an AMAZING article.  Gaming might set you free, literally this time.  This is the sort of thing that makes me think, 'we'll be alright'.  Yes, it's real.  Have a read, shut-ins! 

 

Embedded Inside Minecraft Is The Uncensored Library Of Articles That Can Get You Killed In Some Countries

 

Authored by Jake Anderson via TheMindUnleashed.com,

The potential of gaming platforms as revolutionary comms has been pondered for decades.

In his young adult novel Little Brother, author Cory Doctorow imagined teenagers using their video game systems to connect to an encrypted network to evade draconian government agencies in the wake of a terror attack and in For The Win, Doctorow explored the virtual economy of MMORPGs and their potential as an organizing mechanism against corrupt state power.

Enter one of the more interesting real-life examples of a video game platform being repurposed to fight fascist state censorship. Reporters Without Borders has tapped Minecraft to develop its new project The Uncensored Library, which is a virtual hub where users can access censored journalism from around the world.

 

 

Developed as a synergistic effort by the German branch of Reporters Without Borders, the German marketing agency DDB, and the UK design company Blockworks, The Uncensored Library is not a gamification of press freedoms but rather part of a series of projects based on using alternative platforms and collaborative 3D design to fight censorship.

Reporters Without Borders specifically sought out a company that could leverage the global engagement of Minecraft, which is so ubiquitous that it would be virtually impossible for a nation’s government to shut its servers down. DDB senior creative Tobi Natterer found in his research that countries with particularly draconian press censorship - Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, etc. - have extremely active gaming communities. Minecraft is the largest of those communities and it happens to allow gamers to write books in-game.

“Inside [those books],” explained senior interactive producer Robert-Jan Blonk, who worked on the library, “you can find articles and information about the journalists that are being censored in their own countries. We share these stories through the books that live in that library, and people can just openly read them, because even in the countries… where these journalists are from, you’re able to play Minecraft.”

 

The Uncensored Library features special sections for certain countries like Egypt, where there are virtually no press freedoms. The library features articles from Egypt that you simply can not find anywhere else except inside the Minecraft server. In Mexico, where journalists and dissidents face routine assassination from both the government and cartels, there is widespread self-censorship that is based on fear.

“In the Mexico room we built memorials to 12 Mexican journalists who have been murdered,” said James Delaney, managing director at Blockworks.

“Because of the explicit danger to journalists in Mexico, there are a lot of issues they won’t talk about because it’s too dangerous.”

The game includes a pedestal for the work of murdered journalist Javier Valdez Cárdenas.

Behind the library’s neo-classically iconic statue of a fist holding a pen and museum-like wings of book collections, there is a world map inscribing Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index, which ranks 180 countries based on their press censorship. The rankings factor in everything from executed journalists to the online censorship of articles, algorithmic censorship of keywords and even blocking VPNs, such as in China and Russia.

 

The Uncensored Library is getting plenty of attention in countries that do not blatantly censor the press, of course. The map has clocked 23,000 downloads globally and the official server has drawn 17,000 unique visitors.

For platform-specific info on how to access the library, Gizmodo offers a breakdown.

For a virtual tour of the Uncensored Library, check out the video below:

Quote from smAsh on March 23, 2020, 7:22 am

Yes, there is a happy medium with exercise.  There is too much AS WELL AS too little. 

 

How Much Should You Be Exercising During The Coronavirus Pandemic?

 

TAMARA HEW-BUTLER & MARIANE FAHLMAN, THE CONVERSATION

 

23 MARCH 2020

 

So here we are, perfecting our social distancing skills while schools, sports and other forms of social engagement are on indefinite hold, by a dangerous virus named after a (regal) crown. The coronavirus is named so because the center envelope is surrounded by small protein spikes called peplomers. These little protein spikes wreak havoc when they attach to lung tissue and hijack otherwise healthy tissue into building a potentially lethal coronavirus army of invaders.

 

Ad

 

 

Because the virus settles primarily with the respiratory tract – the nose, mouth and lungs – it is highly contagious when people sneeze, cough or exchange respiratory droplets with others.

 

Despite its importance, social distancing has been a social disappointment for many weekend warriors, team sport athletes, fitness fanatics and sports fans who find camaraderie, biochemical joy from dopamine rushes or stress reduction through regular exercise and sport.

 

We are both sports scientists who study athlete health and safety. We're also proud exercise addicts who find the prospect of not exercising almost as disturbing as the prospect of the disease itself.

 

Here's how exercise affects the immune system in response to the flu and some practical tips on how much people should (and should not) exercise.

 

Look for the 'just right' amount

 

Both too much and too little are bad while somewhere in the middle is just right. Scientists commonly refer to this statistical phenomenon as a "J-shaped" curve. Research has shown exercise can influence the body's immune system.

 

Exercise immunity refers to both the systemic (whole body cellular response) and mucosal (mucous lining of the respiratory tract) response to an infectious agent, which follows this J-shaped curve.

 

 

 

A large study showed that mild to moderate exercise – performed about three times a week – reduced the risk of dying during the Hong Kong flu outbreak in 1998.

 

The Hong Kong study was performed on 24,656 Chinese adults who died during this outbreak. This study showed that people who did no exercise at all or too much exercise – over five days of exercise per week – were at greatest risk of dying compared with people who exercised moderately.

 

Additionally, studies performed on mice demonstrated that regular exercise performed two to three months prior to an infection reduced illness severity and viral load in obese and non-obese mice.

 

Thus, limited animal and human data cautiously suggest that exercise up to three days per week, two to three months prior, better prepares the immune system to fight a viral infection.

 

What if we have not exercised regularly? Will restarting an exercise routine be good or bad? Limited data, also obtained from mice, suggests that moderate exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day after being infected with the influenza virus improves the chances of surviving.

 

 

 

In fact, 82 percent of the mice who exercised 20-30 minutes a day during the incubation period, or the time between getting infected with flu and showing symptoms, survived. In contrast, only 43 percent of the sedentary mice and 30 percent of the mice who performed strenuous exercise – or 2.5 hours of exercise a day – survived.

 

Therefore, at least in laboratory mice, mild to moderate exercise may also be protective after we get infected with the flu virus, whereas a little exercise is good while no exercise – or even too much exercise – is bad.

 

For those who are "committed exercisers," how much exercise is probably too much during a flu pandemic? It is clear that both too much exercise and exercising while sick increases the risk of medical complications and dying.

 

We conducted studies on both collegiate football players and cross-country runners, which showed a decrease in secretory immunoglobulin A, or "sIgA" when athletes competed and trained hard. SIgA is an antibody protein used by the immune system to neutralize pathogens, including viruses.

 

SIgA is also closely associated with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). When sIgA levels go down, URTI's usually go up. We saw this relationship in football players, whereas the players showed the most URTI symptoms when their sIgA levels were lowest.

 

This indirectly suggests that over-exercise without adequate recovery may make our body more vulnerable to attack, especially by respiratory viruses. So, when it comes to immunity, our studies show that more exercise is not necessarily better.

 

 

 

How much exercise may be just right?

 

Here are some guidelines based on just the right amount – for most people.

 

• Do perform mild to moderate exercise (20-45 minutes), up to three times per week.
• Strive to maintain (not gain) strength or fitness during the quarantine period.
• Do avoid physical contact during exercise, such as playing team sports, that is likely to expose you to mucosal fluids or hand-to-face contact.
• Wash and disinfect equipment after use.
• If you use a gym, find one that is adequately ventilated and exercise away from others to avoid droplets.
• Remain engaged with teammates through social media, rather than social gatherings or contact.
• Eat and sleep well to boost your immune system.
• Remain optimistic that this too shall pass.

 

How much exercise may be too risky?

 

Here are some things not to do:

 

• Do not exercise past exhaustion, which increases the risk of infection. An example would include marathon running, which increases the risk of illness from 2.2 percent to 13 percent after the race.
• Do not exercise if you have any flu-like symptoms.
• Do not exercise more than five days a week.
• Do not exercise in crowded, enclosed spaces.
• Do not share drinks or eating utensils.

 

Do not overdrink fluids, especially when sick, to try and "flush out" the toxins or prevent dehydration. It is not true that you can "flush out" toxins.

 

The J-shaped ("just right") curve suggests that exercise, like most things, is best in moderation. Stay safe out there and be creative – our game is not over, just temporarily suspended.

 

Tamara Hew-Butler, Associate Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Wayne State University and Mariane Fahlman, Professor, Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, Wayne State University.

 

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Quote from smAsh on March 23, 2020, 8:29 am

Bond purchasing (likely by the Federal Reserve), as evidenced by a drop in bond yields mean inflation will be driven up massively by COVID-19/ Coronavirus and a series of unfortunate events involving human reactions to a pandemic.

 

Treasury yields fall as coronavirus cases rise, relief bill stalls

PUBLISHED MON, MAR 23 20203:21 AM EDT

Elliot Smith@ELLIOTSMITHCNBC

 

 

 

 

KEY POINTS

• Fears over the economic fallout from the pandemic were likely exacerbated as partisan battles in the U.S. Senate stalled a proposed $1 trillion relief package on Sunday.
• Bond markets are likely to remain attuned to monetary and fiscal policy movements, after the European Central Bank, Bank of England and the Federal Reserve all unveiled substantial stimulus packages last week.

U.S. government debt prices were higher Monday morning as cases of the new coronavirus continue to rise in the U.S. and around the world.

TREASURYS

TICKER	COMPANY	YIELD	CHANGE	%CHANGE
US 3-MO	U.S. 3 Month Treasury	0.178	0.14	0.00
US 1-YR	U.S. 1 Year Treasury	0.244	0.104	0.00
US 2-YR	U.S. 2 Year Treasury	0.282	-0.084	0.00
US 5-YR	U.S. 5 Year Treasury	0.425	-0.095	0.00
US 10-YR	U.S. 10 Year Treasury	0.796	-0.142	0.00
US 30-YR	U.S. 30 Year Treasury	1.41	-0.152	0.00

At around 3:20 a.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, was lower at 0.8340% while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was down at 1.4508%.

 

Fears over the economic fallout from the pandemic were likely exacerbated as partisan battles in the U.S. Senate stalled a proposed $1 trillion relief package on Sunday, with Democrats requesting greater funding for medical care and local efforts to curtail the outbreak.

Bond markets are likely to remain attuned to monetary and fiscal policy movements, after the European Central Bank, Bank of England and the Federal Reserve all unveiled substantial stimulus packages last week in a bid to prop up stalling economies.

As of Sunday, states have ordered nearly one in three Americans to stay at home, according to a Reuters tally, as Ohio, Louisiana and Delaware became the latest to enact tight restrictions.

Sunday saw confirmed cases nationwide rise by 7,800, the largest one-day spike since the pandemic arrived stateside.

Auctions will be held Monday for $45 billion of 13-week bills and $39 billion of 26-week bills.

There is no major economic data due Monday.

source: cnbc.com

Quote from smAsh on March 23, 2020, 11:24 am

Tell your friends,

tell your foes.

So that even the

most uninformed idiot

KNOWS!

 

UV and heat kill coronavirus.  It's not rocket science, it's more complicated than that.

Quote from smAsh on March 24, 2020, 6:57 am

Pandemic: The Invention Of A Disease Called Fear

 

Authored by Julain Rose via Counterpunch.org,

The word ‘pandemic’ bears a similarity to the word ‘panic’ and indeed ‘pandemonium’. In fact ‘pandemic’ evokes an almost instant flush of fear in those easily manipulated by mass media, before any details have even touched the surface or context in which the word is being used.

Those who plan the major moves on the chess-board of covert human control know that by leading with the word ‘pandemic’ they have an instantly effective weapon at their disposal to psychologically weaken the resistance of individuals vulnerable to irrational and impressionistic mindsets.

So, in a world heavily conditioned by the proclamations of the mass media, the fear weapon has huge psychological power.

 

 

As we have all witnessed over the past months, the Coronavirus story has been unleashed with barely contained lascivious delight by news media under orders from the purveyors of malevolent missions against mankind. Pumped-up to maximum volume and dispersed globally, the deliberately designed fear message has the instant effect of making the majority of people feel powerless. The Big problem is at large – and we the people feel small. This is the beginning of entrapment which colors every aspect of daily life.

Most of humanity has undergone a process of education which depends for its effectiveness on the perceived power of some ‘authority’ to exert an unquestioned controlling influence over the general direction of life. A source of influence that depends for its continuing effectiveness on never being subjected to rational scrutiny, or genuine examination of any kind. Such is the beguiling power of full-on indoctrination.

In the battle now raging for ‘who controls the world’, some of the largely hidden or disguised controlling agents of planetary life – are now appearing on the surface. And that’s why chaos and fear are very much ‘flavor of the month’. The Corona Contagion is chock full of idiosyncrasies; in fact, there are so many nonsensical factors associated with media attempts to report on what’s going on, that one can only feel dazed and confused should one try and follow the script in real-time.

 

However, what has become all too clear is the fact that large numbers of people are being herded – and are not resisting. The scare tactics being employed are more dangerous than the virus that is the excuse for deploying them. Under this induced state of psychosis, all manner of tricks can be perpetrated on mankind – and that is precisely what we are witnessing at this time.

Many reading this will already be familiar with the ambitions of the controlling deep state ‘elite’ and will know that a pre-planned phase of social and economic chaos is a key factor in their attempted roll-out of totalitarian New World Order. We are now in this phase. Its success depends upon a large body of people following the instructions passed down by the political puppets of the deep state and by the cowardly repetition of these instructions by the mainstream media.

Once again, the fear card plays a key role. This time, in keeping a constant level of anxiety and hysteria on the boil, while working to ensure that those able to recognize the true nature of the scam are coerced into not stepping out of line, thereby risking their job, security or status within the rigidly enforced master/slave relationship of the status quo.

The whole sick edifice maintains its momentum based upon pure top-down deception and exploitation. Yet those at the receiving end largely choose to remain oblivious of the fact that they are being used and abused for the benefit of a fascist ideal. By not rebelling in the face of such treatment – but instead by complying with it – a mute populace establishes the basis of its own debasement and slavery.

These methods have been practiced over and over again in the history of the world, and each time hind-sight reveals the motivation to have been an obsession with power and control, and the perpetrators to be a small number of psychopathic despots. Whether taking the form of military might, religious dogma or modern-day corporate and banking control freaks, provided the drama has been well stage-managed and the ‘might has produced fright’, the hegemons get their way.

 

How well is the roll-out being stage-managed on this occasion – and what is the plan?

Owing to the trans-planetary link-ups that take place today, the ‘master plan’ is no longer a regional or national affair, but a global one. The main players have hatched the plot long before any of us get to know about it and gatherings like the Davos Economic Summit and Bildergerger meetings are used to gain consensus on the timing and methods to be deployed.

In the case of Covid-19, its appearance on the scene – or at least the spreading of the story about something nasty going under this name – is timed to divert attention from the speeding-up of the installation of what are deemed to be important spokes in the creation of a totalitarian New World Order. For example, the roll-out of 5G microwave modulated WiFi; a digitalised smart grid and ‘internet of things’; a robotic transport system; facial recognition population surveillance programmes; new strains of genetically modified organisms and vaccines, and so forth. However, the predominant game plan is to ‘re-set’ global finance so as to appear to be supporting the euphemistically named Green New Deal with its holy grail ‘Zero Carbon’.

The fact that China has likely been the initial bio-weapon target, does not detract from a more widespread aim to disrupt the world economy as a whole.

 

The effectiveness of this disruption depends upon the greater part of the populus being swept along in a bubble of blind belief in the authenticity of the ‘virtual’ story line. A line which disguises the very actual imposition of a fascist state.

I would say that the stage-management is pretty poor this time around. The plethora of contradictory and irrational clamp-down actions being imposed in the name of containing the bogey bug stretches the credibility of the operation to the braking point. In point of fact it’s a farce; but a farce which involves actual deaths and the support of a police state, cannot simply be laughed-off.

Instead, it can be put under the spotlight and be seen for what it is, a planned manipulation of the people and resources of this planet, whose main goading-tool consists of the well-rehearsed art of spreading fear and panic. And this, in turn, to undermine the rational and common sense based gift which we have all been blessed with from birth, and which – when in good order – can clearly see through the facade and hold the line of reason and truth.

 

Many have seen this ‘order out of chaos’ drama coming for years. The chaos bit is with us right now and very visible. The ‘order’ is to follow and consists in the emergence of a peacemaker – or peace plan – that involves the lead croupiers raking the chips off the roulette board and cashing them into their temporary satisfaction. Thus allowing for a little holiday period in which the weak-kneed can rejoice at their survival and bless the emergence of the ‘new order’, under the authority of no matter who or what, so long as they can believe that the world has been saved from anarchy and ruin.

Every one of us whose knees have not turned to jelly and whose brains have not turned to mind-controlled pulp must take this moment to declare ourselves, boldly and resolutely with these four words “We do not consent”.

There’s a surprise in store for the cowardly imposers of chaos – it is our time that’s coming and – not theirs. For ours is the True World Order which aligns with Universal Law, not the false laws of a manipulated status quo.

It is our re-emergent marriage with Universal Truth that is going to oust this scare loaded pandemic and all similar manifestations of dark-side deception that have gripped this planet for far too long. Our true-world-order is going to take on this obsessed and demonic dynasty, so that it stumbles, falls and fails to rise again.

Seize this auspicious moment – and let us be joined as one in an unwavering commitment to get off our knees and stand firm in the cause of defeating the ghosts of chaos and fear.

source: zerohedge.com

Quote from smAsh on March 24, 2020, 6:58 am

Coronavirus and COVID-19 Claims Fact Checked by Experts

By UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND MARCH 23, 2020

1. Is herd immunity a good strategy?

Herd immunity is not part of the Australian strategy for controlling the outbreak. On social media there are many people calling for stronger and faster government responses, including “shutting everything down.” There is a particular demand for school closures, which are not currently on the cards in Australia.

Some have claimed the Australian government has plans to rely on “herd immunity” to control the outbreak. That’s not the case.

The decision not to close schools is based on data from China, which show that there’s no sign of children and young people playing a role in “chains” of transmission. In addition, closing schools, without making similar arrangements for working parents, might lead to children being looked after by grandparents, who we need to protect at all costs from exposure to the virus. Also, this could have a major impact on the health workforce, many of whom have school-aged children.

The development of immunity is an important question for the longer term management of COVID-19, the coronavirus at the center of the pandemic. Eventually, many people who contract the virus will become immune and this will help control its spread. This is not a part of the Australian government’s strategy, and the UK government has clarified that it is not its policy either.

Clinical experience suggests people with mild illness may develop immunity around seven to ten days after the onset of symptoms. Immunity is measured by monitoring the immune cells that fight the virus. As these cells showed up, the virus was no longer found in nasal swabs, suggesting immunity may also reduce infectiousness.

2. Can drinking a lot of water, gargling with warm water and salt or vinegar eliminate the virus? What about drinking lemon in hot water, or other home remedies?

Myth. Many people have asked what they can do to “boost their immune system” and there’s no shortage of quacks and scam artists happy to answer that question.

Hot drinks with lemon and honey, vitamin supplements, foods with garlic and ginger, apple cider vinegar, gargling with salt water… none of these things has any impact on your immune response and won’t eliminate the virus.

Gargling with salt water won’t eliminate the virus.

But if they make you feel calmer and healthier, they can’t hurt. (Except putting vinegar in your nose – that’s not a good time.)

Other myths include that the virus can’t survive above 27ºC (80.6ºF). We can tell this is wrong with a moment’s thought, since it can function in our bodies at 37.5ºC.

Some have claimed that drinking various beverages will help “flush out” the virus, but the virus does its work inside cells. Again, though, hot water with lemon will help you stay hydrated, so it won’t hurt.

3. Do blood pressure medicines worsen the illness?

Myth. Nobody should stop taking any medication unless advised to by their doctor.

There was recent speculation that some blood pressure medications that target a protein called ACE2 might worsen the course of infection because the virus also targets that protein.

In response, the European Society of Cardiologists had issued a strongly worded statement saying there’s no evidence to support these concerns, and potential for serious harm if people stop taking their blood pressure medication.

4. What about non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen?

The World Health Organization has urged people who suspect they have COVID-19 to take acetaminophen (paracetamol), not ibuprofen.

The World Health Organization has urged people who suspect they have COVID-19 to take acetaminophen (paracetamol), not ibuprofen.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen also attach to this protein. In France, some doctors noted that a number of patients who were admitted to ICU had been taking these drugs. It is not clear whether these patients had other conditions that put them at higher risk of being admitted to ICU, or if the NSAIDs were the only risk factor.

This is hotly-debated and we can expect to hear more about it.

5. Can the virus stay living on surfaces for nine days?

We don’t have data on COVID-19, although research on this is likely already happening.

A review of studies looking at similar viruses like SARS and MERS found viral particles can last for some time on surfaces — potentially up to nine days. It depends on a number of factors, such as the type of material, the temperature and humidity, and perhaps even how much of the virus was deposited.

Wiping down and disinfecting surfaces is a good thing to do.

Alcohol-based products were found to be effective at removing viruses from surfaces. Wiping down surfaces, washing your hands, and avoiding touching your face remain the best things you can do.

6. Is hand sanitizer not as effective as soap and water?

A science-y fun fact has been circulating on Twitter, saying soap is better than alcohol at disrupting the lipid layer that surrounds viral particles.

In fact, both soap and alcohol break virus particles apart, but in different ways. Hand washing also works because it washes viral particles off our hands.

In fact, both soap and alcohol break virus particles apart, but in different ways.

Whether you use alcohol or soap isn’t really important — making sure you wash your hand often and thoroughly definitely is.

7. Is Australia the next Italy?

Unlikely. Vivid stories have been circulating about the heartbreaking situation in parts of northern Italy.

However, the lack of testing in Italy makes it hard to know if their outbreak of COVID-19 will be comparable to our own. Australia introduced protective measures much earlier than Italy, including travel deferrals and quarantine for Australians exposed to the virus on cruise ships. It is vital for epidemic control to be based on the facts about our own epidemic.

There is no doubt the COVID-19 outbreak is going to stretch our health system to its limits — but we do not have good reason to fear it will be as bad as stories coming out of Italy.

8. Does COVID-19 only kill sick people and the elderly?

Nope. Based on the experience in China and Italy, experts have challenged the belief that severe illness and mortality only affect older people and people with other serious illnesses. Older people are at the highest risk of serious illness, but the risk to younger people is not zero.

At any rate, people in older age groups are valued and very important members of our community, and nobody sees them as expendable. We can all protect them by following prevention advice and self-isolating if we have any reason to believe we may have been exposed.

The COVID-19 risk to young people isn’t zero.

9. Can coronavirus spread through food?

That depends on if someone coughs on your food, or shares your spoon.

Coronavirus spreads via droplet transmission. When someone coughs or sneezes without a mask, droplets of saliva and mucus can fall within a meter or two of the sick person. Most transmission occurs when these droplets make their way into your mouth, nose, or eyes. That’s why hand hygiene and avoiding touching your face are so important.

If you are near someone with coronavirus and they cough over your food, it could potentially make you sick. Sharing cutlery or glasses with people with coronavirus could pass on the infection, as heard on ABC 7.30. However, you are unlikely to catch anything from the avocado you pick out of a basket at Woolies as a consolation prize after missing out on toilet paper.

Written by Trent Yarwood, Infectious Diseases Physician, Senior Lecturer, James Cook University and, The University of Queensland; Ben Harris-Roxas, Associate Professor, UNSW; Daniel Reeders, PhD Candidate, ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), Australian National University, and Kathryn Snow, Epidemiologist, University of Melbourne.

Originally published on The Conversation.

 

source: scitechdaily.com

Quote from smAsh on March 24, 2020, 7:02 am

No Refunds: Costco Hoarders Discover They Can't Return Toilet Paper

Those who have regrets after realizing that COVID-19 isn't a 'pooping disease' were met with signs at various Costco locations informing them that they won't be able to return all that toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, water, rice and lysol they bought in anticipation of a societal collapse, according to brobible.

m@capricorngirlyy

 

 

lmao Costco basically saying y’all wanted to be extra, y’all gonna deal with your millions of toilet paper all over your house #sorrytammy

 

198

1:21 PM - Mar 19, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

70 people are talking about this

 

 

 

 

 

Xyth Lord@Xyth_Lord

 

 

Enjoy your lifetime supply of toilet paper and wipes you crazy #hoarders! #Costco is not taking any more returns. Better start figuring out what you are gonna do with 10 bags of rice you bought!

 

574

6:20 PM - Mar 19, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

183 people are talking about this

 

 

 

Theju @PinkCancerian

 

 

Seriously gotta calm down Costco is not accepting returns on toilet paper, bounty, sanitizers etc

 

 

38

1:25 PM - Mar 19, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costco, meanwhile, may have over-bought in anticipation of sustained demand which has petered out.

It looks like "the whole toilet-paper craze has calmed down," tweeted one shopper.

Sean Coleman@SColemanUFA

 

 

Guess the whole toilet-paper craze has calmed down. Quiet morning at Costco.

 

69

10:03 AM - Mar 22, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

 

24 people are talking about this

 

 

 

Now what to do with all that TP?

Quote from smAsh on March 25, 2020, 6:48 am

COVID-19 World Map: 372,757 Confirmed Cases; 190 Countries; 16,231 Deaths

TOPICS:COVID-19Public HealthWHO

By WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION MARCH 24, 2020

Coronavirus Map: Distribution of COVID-19 case as of March 24, 2020. Credit: WHO

WHO Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Report 64

• Four new countries/territories/areas from the South-East Asia Region [1], and Region of the Americas [3] have reported cases of COVID-19.
• WHO has delivered a new shipment of emergency medical supplies to the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of COVID-19 response measures. Details can be found on the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean here.
• The WHO WhatsApp Health Alert has now attracted 10 million users since launching Friday, and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has raised more than US$70 million, in just 10 days. The media briefing can be found here.
• WHOand FIFA launched a joint campaign to equip the football community to tackle COVID-19. This awareness campaign calls on all people around the world to follow the five key steps to stop the spread of the disease. More information can be found here.
• WHO and its partners are constantly working to strengthen the chains of essential COVID-19 supplies. As global demand rises, WHO and its partners aim to ensure assistance to areas most in need. More information can be found in Subject in Focus.

Risk Assessment

Global Level: Very High

Coronavirus Situation in Numbers

Globally

• 372,757 confirmed cases (39,827 new)
• 16,231 deaths (1,722 new)

Western Pacific Region

• 96,580 confirmed cases (943 new)
• 3,502 deaths (29 new)

European Region

• 195,511 confirmed cases (24,087 new)
• 10,189 deaths (1,447 new)

South-East Asia

• 1,990 confirmed cases (214 new)
• 65 deaths (7 new)

Eastern Mediterranean Region

• 27,215 confirmed cases (1,840 new)
• 1,877 deaths (136 new)

Regions of the Americas

• 49,444 confirmed cases (12,428 new)
• 565 deaths (100 new)

African Region

• 1305 confirmed cases (315 new)
• 26 deaths (3 new)

Subject In Focus: Strengthening Supply Chains to Create Greatest Impact

WHO and the World Food Programme (WFP) are exploring ways to work with the Pandemic Supply Chain Network (PSCN) and Logistical Emergency Teams (L.E.T.) to ensure that logistical assets are in place to support the increasing global demand for COVID-19 supplies. This is to ensure that supplies are allocated effectively and equitably in the places where they are needed the most.

WHO is also working with the World Bank to develop demand modeling from a country-based perspective. This will allow the sharing and support of technical guidance and allocation mechanisms and ensure that critical supplies are distributed with most impact.

The planning effort will support the mapping of scenarios as well as what is needed for stocks and procurement. With the engagement of the World Bank, the PSCN seeks to bring together the overview of the market’s capability to provide and distribute the necessary supplies, WHO demand forecasting and the necessary financial and political support to fight COVID-19.

Representatives from both WFP and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)have joined the WHO team at HQ to establish the Supply Chain Coordination Cell (SCCC). The objectives of the SCCC are to:

• Establish a COVID-19 supply chain working group to deepen inter-agency collaboration with the aim of minimizing disruptions to current humanitarian operations, while increasing efficiency and coherence of the COVID-19 response.
• Provide a centralized voice through the collection and dissemination of information to the UN Crisis Management Team (UNCMT), other relevant forums, as well as the wider humanitarian community, to support strategic guidance, operational decision-making, and overall monitoring.
• Foster the creation of regional and country level coordination mechanisms aimed at implementing efforts, while maintaining the overall coordination of the response.
• Create a smaller joint procurement group of medical equipment buying agencies.

WHO and its partners are constantly working to strengthen the chains of essential COVID-19 supplies. As global demand rises, WHO and its partners aim to ensure that those areas most at need receive as much assistance as much as possible.

Countries, territories or areas with reported laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, March 24, 2020

Country/Territory/Area	Confirmed Cases
China	81747
Italy	63927
United States of America	42164
Spain	33089
Germany	29212
Iran	23049
France	19615
Republic of Korea	9037
Switzerland	8015
United Kingdom	6654
Netherlands	4749
Austria	4486
Belgium	3743
Norway	2371
Portugal	2060
Sweden	2016
Australia	1709
Brazil	1546
Turkey	1529
Malaysia	1518
Denmark	1460
Canada	1432
Israel	1238
Czech Republic	1236
Japan	1128
Ireland	1125
Pakistan	887
Luxembourg	875
Thailand	827
Ecuador	790
Poland	749
Chile	746
International (Diamond Princess Cruise Ship)	712
Finland	700
Greece	695
Iceland	588
Indonesia	579
Romania	576
Saudi Arabia	562
Singapore	507
Qatar	501
Philippines	462
Slovenia	442
Russian Federation	438
India	434
South Africa	402
Peru	395
Bahrain	377
Mexico	370
Egypt	366
Estonia	352
Panama	345
Croatia	306
Colombia	277
Lebanon	267
Argentina	266
Iraq	266
Serbia	249
Dominican Republic	245
Armenia	235
Algeria	231
Bulgaria	201
United Arab Emirates	198
Kuwait	191
Slovakia	191
Hungary	187
San Marino	187
Latvia	180
Lithuania	179
Andorra	164
Uruguay	162
Costa Rica	158
Morocco	143
North Macedonia	136
Bosnia and Herzegovina	131
Jordan	127
Albania	123
Vietnam	123
Faroe Islands	118
Cyprus	116
Republic of Moldova	109
Malta	107
New Zealand	102
Burkina Faso	99
Sri Lanka	97
Brunei Darussalam	91
Tunisia	89
Cambodia	87
Oman	84
Ukraine	84
Belarus	81
Senegal	79
Azerbaijan	72
Cameroon	72
Réunion	71
Venezuela	70
Georgia	67
Kazakhstan	63
Guadeloupe	62
Kosovo	61
Palestinian Territory	59
Martinique	53
Trinidad and Tobago	51
Liechtenstein	46
Uzbekistan	46
Afghanistan	42
Cuba	40
Democratic Republic of the Congo	36
Mauritius	36
Rwanda	36
Bangladesh	33
Puerto Rico	31
Honduras	30
Guam	29
Côte d’Ivoire	25
Bolivia	27
Ghana	27
Mayotte	24
Monaco	23
Montenegro	22
Nigeria	22
Paraguay	22
Jamaica	19
French Guiana	20
Guatemala	20
Guernsey	20
French Polynesia	18
Jersey	18
Togo	18
Barbados	17
Virgin Islands	17
Kenya	16
Kyrgyzstan	16
Gibraltar	15
Isle of Man	13
Madagascar	13
Maldives	13
United Republic of Tanzania	12
Ethiopia	11
Mongolia	10
Aruba	9
Uganda	9
New Caledonia	8
Saint Martin	8
Seychelles	7
Bermuda	6
Equatorial Guinea	6
Gabon	6
Haiti	6
Benin	5
Cayman Islands	5
Guyana	5
Bahamas	4
Central African Republic	4
Congo	4
Curaçao	4
Eswatini	4
Greenland	4
Cabo Verde	3
Djibouti	3
El Salvador	3
Fiji	3
Liberia	3
Namibia	3
Saint Barthelemy	3
Zambia	3
Angola	2
Bhutan	2
Chad	2
Guinea	2
Mauritania	2
Myanmar	2
Nepal	2
Nicaragua	2
Niger	2
Saint Lucia	2
Sint Maarten	2
Sudan	2
Suriname	2
Zimbabwe	2
Antigua and Barbuda	1
Belize	1
Dominica	1
Eritrea	1
Gambia	1
Grenada	1
Holy See	1
Montserrat	1
Mozambique	1
Papua New Guinea	1
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1
Somalia	1
Syrian Arab Republic	1
Timor-Leste	1
Turks and Caicos	1
Total	372757

Recommendations and Advice for the Public

If you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading or have not traveled from an area where COVID-19 is spreading or have not been in contact with an infected patient, your risk of infection is low. It is understandable that you may feel anxious about the outbreak. Get the facts from reliable sources to help you accurately determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions (see Frequently Asked Questions). Seek guidance from WHO, your healthcare provider, your national public health authority or your employer for accurate information on COVID-19 and whether COVID-19 is circulating where you live. It is important to be informed of the situation and take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your family (see Protection measures for everyone).

If you are in an area where there are cases of COVID-19 you need to take the risk of infection seriously. Follow the advice of WHO and guidance issued by national and local health authorities. For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal. Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease (See Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading).

Case Definitions

WHO periodically updates the Global Surveillance for human infection with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) document which includes case definitions.

For easy reference, case definitions are included below.

Suspect case

A. A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND a history of travel to or residence in a location reporting community transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset.

 OR

B. A patient with any acute respiratory illness AND having been in contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case (see definition of contact) in the last 14 days prior to symptom onset;

 OR

C. A patient with severe acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath; AND requiring hospitalization) AND in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that fully explains the clinical presentation.

Probable case

A. A suspect case for whom testing for the COVID-19 virus is inconclusive.

a. Inconclusive being the result of the test reported by the laboratory.

 OR

B. A suspect case for whom testing could not be performed for any reason.

Confirmed case

A person with laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.

• Technical guidance for laboratory testing can be found here.

Definition of contact

A contact is a person who experienced any one of the following exposures during the 2 days before and the 14 days after the onset of symptoms of a probable or confirmed case:

1. Face-to-face contact with a probable or confirmed case within 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes;
2. Direct physical contact with a probable or confirmed case;
3. Direct care for a patient with probable or confirmed COVID-19 disease without using proper personal protective equipment; OR
4. Other situations as indicated by local risk assessments.

Note: for confirmed asymptomatic cases, the period of contact is measured as the 2 days before through the 14 days after the date on which the sample was taken which led to confirmation.

source : scitechdaily.com 

Quote from smAsh on March 25, 2020, 10:05 am

White House Calls For 14-Day Quarantine For Anybody Leaving NY: Live Updates

 

Summary:

• US reports more than 10k new cases in largest daily jump yet
• Vote on stimulus bill won't come tonight
• Number of new coronavirus cases confirmed over last 2 days largest yet
• NY Gov Cuomo says cases in his state doubling every 3 days
• The first minor to die of COVID-19 in the US has passed away in LA
• Pentagon says 174 servicemembers have coronavirus
• Dr. Birx warns anybody leaving New York should self-quarantine
• Harvard president tests positive
• Alaska orders visitors to quarantine
• UK reports another jump in cases
• US records more than 100 deaths in a day
• India PM Modi announces 21-day nationwide lockdown that will be largest world has ever seen
• Pelosi says 'real optimism' Congress could reach stimulus bill deal in the next few hours
• Global case total nears 400k
• PM Abe, IOC agree to delay Tokyo Games 1 year, Paralympics still set to take place this summer
• India expands lockdown
• Italian designers making coronavirus face masks
• Pakistan deploys army
• Italy shuts down gas stations
• Albania imposes 16-hour daily lockdown
• Washington DC orders 'non-essential' businesses to close
• Russia, Poland close more businesses, tighten restrictions
• Myanmar, Laos confirm first cases
• Dr. Birx says NY efforts will take 1-2 weeks to show progress
• Steny Hoyer says 2-3 more economic stimulus bills could be on the way
• Vatican refuses to close as 4 employees sickened
• India bans export of ventilators
• Trump to invoke DPA to produce 60k masks
• Lagarde supports coronabonds
• G7 promises 'whatever is necessary' to save global economy
• Thailand to declare state of emergency
• Macau, Hong Kong tighten restrictions
• Beijing lifts lockdowns on Hubei, Wuhan
• Nearly half of UK watched Johnson's Monday night address
• Belgium reports 500+ new cases
• European PMI offer first indicator of economic damage
• German finance minister says more stimulus to come
• Hawaii reports first death

*  *  *

Update (1750ET): After a day of haggling that featured a rare interview with Speaker Pelosi with CNBC's Jim Cramer, the financial news network is now reporting that a vote on the deal won't happen Tuesday night. Instead, lawmakers are shooting for 'later in the week'.

 

 

Don't get too used to those gains...

Amazingly, after being handed the political opportunity of a lifetime in the coronavirus (even as some polls show Trump's approval ratings holding up) Pelosi is choosing to hold up the stimulus package to try and force through progressive priorities like diversity quotas in corporate board rooms - essentially making Goldman Sachs' policy of only working with companies with at least one 'diverse' board member a law.

That doesn't sound like an emergency to us, nor to most Americans, and neither does forgiving every Americans student loans.

Ilhan Omar

 

✔@IlhanMN

 

 

45 million Americans are shackled with student debt. We need to get them as much relief as possible ASAP.

No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and making a student loan payment! https://twitter.com/TheRoot/status/1242214577305255939 …

The Root

 

✔@TheRoot

 

Congresswomen @IlhanMN and @RepPressley proposed an ambitious plan that would be a financial game-changer for millions of Americans: alleviating student debt: https://trib.al/kmXfeNX

 

2,225

5:15 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

 

President Trump's Fox News town hall generated surprisingly few headlines earlier, so once again on Tuesday it was the White House coronavirus task force briefing that drew most of the eyeballs, while producing most of the big news.

After warning New Yorkers on Monday that researchers had seen an "attack rate" in New York that was "five times higher" than the rest of the country, Dr. Deborah Birx warned that anybody leaving NY should self-quarantine for 14 days.

"The administration remains deeply concerned about New York City and the New York metro area...about 56% of all the cases in the United States are coming out of that metro area and 60% of all the new cases are coming out of the metro New York Area and 31% of the people succumbing to this disease," Dr. Birx said.

The ambassador added that it doesn't matter where you are now: If you were in NYC recently, you should quarantine for two weeks. If you were there four days ago, you would have 10 days to go.

 

“You may have been exposed before you left New York,” Birx said at a White House news conference on Tuesday. “Everybody who was in New York should be self-quarantining for the next 14 days to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread to others.”

Birx said they are "starting to see new cases across Long Island: That suggest people have left the city."

Over in the UK, as a nationwide lockdown enters its second day, scientists warned that up to 50% of the UK population might already be infected with the virus, according to an unpublished study that assumes that just a small percentage of those exposed develop severe symptoms.

*  *  *

 

Update (1650ET): As the US total case count surpasses 50k, we've got some more grim news out of LA County.

Jon Passantino

 

✔@passantino

 

 

Breaking: A child under the age of 18 has died of coronavirus in Los Angeles, public health officials announce, in what is believed to be the first child death from the virus in the US.

“A devastating reminder that COVID-19 infects people of all ages,” LA health official says.

 

46.4K

3:56 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

"[It is] a devastating reminder that COVID-19 infects people of all ages," said Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County’s Public Health director, during Tuesday's press conference. Officials announced four more deaths from the virus on Tuesday afternoon, including the child, bringing the death toll in the county to 11. Officials also confirmed another 128 cases, bringing the county-wide total to 662. California, which was placed under a statewide lockdown last week, had reported more than 2,200 cases of the virus as of Tuesday.

 

Meanwhile, over in NYC, Mayor de Blasio confirmed a few more cases, and also announced that inmates would soon be moved from Rikers Island as an outbreak in the infamous New York City jail system endangers more lives.

• NEW YORK CITY HAS 14,776 CORONAVIRUS CASES AND 131 RELATED DEATHS- NYC MAYOR DE BLASIO
• NYC MAYOR SAYS WILL MOVE TO RELEASE ABOUT 300 INMATES SERVING LESS THAN ONE YEAR SENTENCES FOR MISDEMEANOR, NON-VIOLENT OFFENSES

Trump said a few other interesting things during his Fox News town hall Tuesday night,including claiming that he would stop referring to the novel coronavirus as "the Chinese virus", and that his decision to re-open the country for business would be based on 'hard facts and data.'

*  *  *

Update (1620ET): The Eurogroup is trying to figure out how best to aid the weakest and most badly hit (Italy, Spain) by the coronavirus among them.

Tony Connelly

 

✔@tconnellyRTE

 

 

Eurogroup president Mario Centeno says "broad support" among eurozone finance ministers to use ESM for "enhanced conditions" credit lines

In the short term it will be targetted at member state's coronavirus response

Amount available will be 2pc of members gdp "as a benchmark"

 

37

4:11 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

Jack Parrock

 

✔@jackeparrock

 

 

After #Eurogroup videocall on #COVID19 crisis fallout Prez @mariofcenteno says there is agreement to discuss credit lines from the @ESM_Press to 2% GDP. He repeats need for "symmetric" twice showing that some member states were pressing for greater access to support than others.

 

4:17 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

*  *  *

Update (1535ET): As deaths in Italy re-accelerated, thwarting glimmers of hope for a slowdown, and President Trump reportedly backed away from his insistence that the economy re-open by Easter during a call with a crew of buy-side big shots (investors celebrated the news of the call by bidding stocks up to their highs of the session). Trump has repeatedly expressed his reluctance to keep the economy shuttered for more than three weeks on Tuesday, which was solid news for the market. A 'town hall' with Fox News late Tuesday replaced the usual task force press conference.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he still hopes to reach a deal on the coronavirus stimulus plan on Tuesday.

"I would just say we’re trying to finalize all the documents. Going through a lot of complicated issues and we’re making a lot of progress," he said as he went from one meeting to another moments ago.

"Again we’re trying to get a deal as quick as we get a deal. So, I hope it’s tonight. Absolutely. Still think we can get there," he said when asked if there would be a deal tonight.

Amid all the chaos, the CDC just confirmed that there are now at least 50,076 cases of the novel coronavirus in the US. At least 646 people have died, and 100 deaths have already been reported on Tuesday.

The total includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases.

Trump reiterated on Tuesday that the US government "won't let Boeing" go out of business, after Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun took to cable news on Tuesday to insist that he would rather fly the company into the side of a mountain than hand over even a sliver of equity to the federal government.

As we mentioned earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that he was considering further potential border restrictions on the US.

More on first responders testing positive: New York City Fire Department said Tuesday 51 members test positive for coronavirus.

The French government it would launch a new financial aid package in order to combat the virus's spread through developing nations, with a particular focus on France's former territorial countries within Africa, France's Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday. This comes as the Eurogroup dawdles on a measure involving selling 'coronabonds' to finance the response among the bloc's hardest hit members.

In West Africa, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio ordered a 12-month state of “public health emergency” starting Tuesday in the West African nation.

*  *  *

Update (1525ET): The Vatican has confirmed the first coronavirus infections in the city state, yet its leaders won't shut down the holy city, which is surrounded by the Italian capital of Rome. The infected include one office staffer "and two museum employees,” Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said at a news conference on Tuesday, the AP reports.

*  *  *

Update (1500ET): As Nancy Pelosi tries to wrangle the final votes needed to pass the second economic relief package in response to the coronavirus outbreak, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has told CNN that another 2 or 3 packages could be on the way. The last we heard from Steven Mnuchin, he was telling Fox News that he hopes to secure a deal "tonight".

Meanwhile, Bloomberg's Kevin Cirilli has brought us a provision that Dems are hoping to insert into the package: Low-interest loans for six months if SMEs qualify. This would incentivize them not to lay people off. Politico, meanwhile, reports that Chuck Schumer believes he has secured $130 billion for hospitals and $150 billion for a state and local stimulus fund.

Kevin Cirilli

 

✔@kevcirilli

 

 

So many small and medium size companies AS WE SPEAK are having to figure out what they will do

This would incentivize small and medium size businesses to not do lay-offs because they’d get a ZERO INTEREST loan if they qualify for up to six months, per source https://twitter.com/kevcirilli/status/1242529236092694529 …

Kevin Cirilli

 

✔@kevcirilli

 

Just spoke to a source who is working on the negotiations

IN BILL:

—> any small / medium biz
up to 10K employees gets a guaranteed govt low interest loan that can be used to *pay employees and keep operations in place through the crisis.*

—> NO INTEREST for six months

 

13

3:11 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

Finally, CNBC's Kayla Tausche tweeted that the White House thinks it'll have a deal in place by "sunset tonight."

Kayla Tausche

 

✔@kaylatausche

 

 

As I reported on @CNBC -- WH hopeful for a deal on the stimulus package by sunset tonight, but sr. admin official tells me the text of every bullet point will be combed after that.

Timing of potential vote not entirely clear.

 

41

3:16 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

But the timing of a vote "isn't clear".

As more first responders catch he Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office now has four confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its ranks, with a deputy sheriff being the latest to be confirmed.

GOP Rep. Doug Collins sent a letter to Sec. of State Mike Pompeo Tuesday saying that he has heard from state health officials that they are having trouble obtaining equipment because US companies are focused on filling an influx of orders from Europe, and that the US should follow India's lead and bar the export of critical medical equipment. Collins was one of the Congressmen who self-quarantined.

By CNN's count, at least 13 states and 13 municipalities in the US have ordered 144,522,931 people to stay home as a result of the pandemic, according to data compiled by CNN using US Census population estimates.

*  *  *

Update (1340ET): Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow said he and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus.

"We started experiencing symptoms on Sunday—first coughs then fevers, chills, and muscle aches and contacted our doctors on Monday. We were tested yesterday and just received the results a few minutes ago," he said in a statement.

Bacow said he's not sure how he and his wife contracted the virus, but said "far fewer people crossed our paths recently than is usually the case" since they started to work from home back on March 14.

"We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home," he added. "I am blessed with a great team, and many of my colleagues will be taking on more responsibility over the next few weeks as Adele and I focus on just getting healthy."

Harvard was one of the first big US colleges to move all or most classes online.

*  *  *

Update (1324ET): President Trump on Tuesday once again tried to deny that his administration dropped the ball on the coronavirus response, while saying he would like to see the country re-open by Easter.

Of course, the CDC's botched handling of the tests has been well-documented, and the fact that nobody in the administration acting to overule the CDC and start stockpiling tests from elsewhere might be remembered as one of the administration's biggest screwups in handling the crisis.

Alexander Nazaryan

 

✔@alexnazaryan

 

 

Trump: "We did not screw up."

This is specifically about coronavirus testing. In fact, CDC very much screwed up -- its test had a contaminated assay, the negative control, which made it unusable.

World Health Organization offered us test it had been using in China.

We refused.

 

486

1:18 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

*  *  *

Update (1305ET): As Pelosi and Schumer continue to battle Mnuchin over the oversight provisions of a sweeping $2.5 trillion emergency coronavirus stimulus package, the CDC and Italy's Civil Protection Agency have released new officials.

According to the CDC, there are now 544 confirmed deaths in the US, up from 400. As far as total cases go, there were 44,232 in the US, compared with 33,455 the day before.

In Italy, the death toll jumped 743, according to the Civil Protection Agency, following earlier reports that cited a jump in Lombardia. That brought the Italian case total to 6,820, the second deadliest day on record.

Italy's case total, meanwhile jumped to 69,176, compared with 63,924 yesterday.

Italian markets rallied sharply on Tuesday amid the 'good news' that the lockdown might be working. Unfortunately, that good news is already starting to fade.

*  *  *

Update (1259ET): Russia, which has recorded 495 cases of the coronavirus, has just ordered all cinemas, nightclubs and children's play areas in the country to close, after barring foreigners and closing borders.

Poland has also ratcheted up its restrictions on movement and gatherings in an effort to slow the accelerating spread of coronavirus. The new measures, which will apply from today until April 11, would restrict people to only being allowed to leave their homes for essential work, visits to the doctor or pharmacy, to buy food, or to walk the dog.

*  *  *

Update (1225ET): To recap, here's a selection of comments made by negotiators this morning.

Kyle Cheney

 

✔@kyledcheney

 

 

Mnuchin: "We're on the five yard line"

Schumer: "We're on the two yard line"

Pelosi: "We're in the red zone."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

320

12:02 PM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

We're not entirely sure where 'the red zone' is, exactly. Is that a "Twin Peaks" reference?

At any rate, the latest batch of headlines suggests the vote will be pushed to tomorrow, while Pelosi plans to hold "talks" with her caucus in an hour, though Schumer is also hinting that they might be resolved.

*  *  *

Update (1200ET): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday as he continues to lead the country from home while taking care of his two kids (their mother is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19) that he might impose some border restrictions as the number of confirmed cases in the US climbs.

*  *  *

Update (1150ET): Chuck Schumer just said we're 'on the 2 yard line' - watch the rest of his address, and the ensuing debate on the Senate floor, live:

He said his meeting with Mnuchin - which just finished - left them optimistic that the bill would be brought to the floor "in a few hours".

The title of the Democratic plan, Schumer said, is "workers first."

Then again, if he really wanted to put workers first, he should vote 'yes' on the bill that will start cutting them checks.

The Senate bill will pay the full salary of 'idled' workers for up to four months. Which will allow employees to "reassemble quickly" in those small restaurants and warehouses. He described it as "unemployment insurance on steroids." He added that there are no dealbreakers on either side that will stop them from implementing the legislation in the next few hours. He added that in the last few days, "we've made huge progress in achieving these goals."

*  *  *

Update (1130ET): Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has just ordered all "non-essential" businesses to close as the capital city gears up for a lockdown.

We can't help but wonder - does that include Capitol Hill?

After Cuomo finished slamming FEMA and the federal government for doing nothing to help New York accumulate more ventilators, he said that hospitals are experimenting with alterations that could allow for two patients to be hooked up to a single ventilator.

CBS News

 

✔@CBSNews

 

 

Cuomo says New York is experimenting with having two patients share one ventilator: "At this point, we have no alternative" https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-latest-news-deaths-2020-03-24/ …

 

 

142

11:17 AM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

*  *  *

Update (1110ET): NY Governor Cuomo said COVID-19 infections are doubling every three days in his state, and that the apex of new cases could arrive within the next 2-3 weeks, and could be "higher and sooner" than we thought.

Watch his daily press conference, which he is holding from the Javits Center, which is being converted into an overflow hospital:

Andrew Cuomo

 

✔@NYGovCuomo

 

 

At the Javits Center in New York City making an announcement. WATCH: https://www.pscp.tv/w/cUjGUDIyNjcxMDN8MU9kSnJxTk1tZU9HWDamCd_kYIqn_57kB-_syiZWgOnXF1OodS6Mqzl66OuG …

Andrew Cuomo @NYGovCuomo

At the Javits Center in New York City making an announcement. WATCH:

pscp.tv

 

2,152

10:59 AM - Mar 24, 2020

 

Cuomo warned that US 'can't sacrifice public health for the economy', rebutting President Trump and - more recently - Larry Kudlow's insistence that people will need to return to work in a few weeks. New York "won't sacrifice 1-2% of the population" to save the economy Cuomo said (remember, he earlier said that more than 80% of New Yorkers could eventually contract the virus).

"The increase in the number of cases continues, unabated. The rate of increase has gone up," Cuomo said. "We're not slowing it and it is accelerating on its own."

The state confirmed another 5k cases overnight, he said, bringing the total north of 25k. While New York State has roughly 100k hospitals, Cuomo said he might need as many as 140k. During the press conference, he launched into a rant about FEMA bragging about sending 400 ventilators to NY when the state needs more than 30k.

The exact number of new cases: 4,790 new cases in New York State, bringing its total to 25,665. That includes 2,599 new cases in NYC (to a total of 14,904). The number of fatalities in NYC climbed to 131, with 210 state-wide as of Tuesday afternoon.

"What are you doing sending 400 when I need 30,000 ventilators," Cuomo said. "You're missing the magnitude of the problem."

Cuomo added that his state needs the ventilators now, and added that he would personally transport them "myself" to another state once NY gets past the apex of its problem.

*  *  *

Update (1050ET): In what appears to be the largest lockdown in world history, Indian PM Narendra Modi has ordered all 1.3 billion Indians to stay home for 21 days, a lockdown order that will nearly double the number of people who are facing - or did face - a lockdown (some 3 billion people, now).

Modi warned that India, which has confirmed fewer than 500 cases, though the outbreak is suspected of being much, much larger, will be set back for decades if it doesn't act, according to Reuters.

The lockdown announcement follows a ban on domestic travel.

The lockdowns increase the likelihood that the US could become the global epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, as the WHO suggested earlier, as President Trump openly suggests that the decision to put the economy into a deep freeze might have been a mistake, despite warnings that millions could die otherwise.

As far as why India is taking such drastic measures, the country's densely populated slums and many vulnerabilities have made it a veritable tinderbox for an massive outbreak. As JPM shows, India is merely trying to stop a massive acceleration.

India's national lockdown is now the largest such lockdown in world history, eclipsing the 760 million Chinese who faced some form of movement restrictions during the peak of that country's outbreak. India's lockdown will affect all 1.3 billion people, compared with 158 million in the US, according to the NYT.

"This is the biggest lockdown in world history," said Raghu Raman, a former soldier with the Indian Army and founder of the National Intelligence Grid, an umbrella database aimed at countering terrorism.

"This strategic pause gives decision-makers more time to arrest the exponential spread of the virus and evaluate tradeoffs."

Just last week, the NYT published a report marveling at India's success in combating the crisis despite taking only a few steps to prevent infections. As the paper noted at the time, the country's efforts had been so successful it was almost...unbelievable. PM Modi just won reelection, and it's unclear what motive he would have to underreport the number of cases. But one thing is for sure: If the virus makes it to some of India's most densely populated areas, massive outbreaks could ensue.

The lockdown begins at midnight local time - which is just four hours away.

In reaction NDFs for the Indian rupee weakened, as investors braced for the coming economic hit.

Modi said that if the country can't do a lockdown for 21 days, it could suffer for 21 years.

If India can't tolerate the 21-day lockdown, then "many families will be destroyed," Modi said. "Stay home for at least three weeks; even one step could end in disaster. The initiatives of the government need to be taken seriously. We need to break the cycle of the infection. After 2 months of extensive research, experts say that this outbreak can only be stopped by social distancing," Modi said.

He also shared a banner with what appeared to be a new slogan: "Nobody steps out", written in Devanagari script.

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Update (1020ET): Over the weekend, FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor rebutted Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi's calls for Trump to use the Defense Production Act - a Korean War-era law allowing the president to seize control of the country's manufacturing capacity and direct it toward a war effort - by claiming that American corporations were taking these steps voluntarily.

Now, Gaynor just revealed during an interview with CNN that Trump intends to use the law for the first time since issuing an executive order invoking its authority last week.

Per WSJ:

Gaynor told CNN on Tuesday that the administration had decided to use the Defense Production Act because "there are some test kits we need to get our hands on.” He said the federal government was also inserting “DPA language” into its mass contract for 500 million masks.

"We’re going to use it, we’re going to use it when we need it, and we’re going to use it today," Mr. Gaynor said in his remarks on CNN.

In other news, India this morning banned all exports of ventilators and other critical medical equipment, cutting off one more potential source for governors and the federal government.

The UK government meanwhile is going all in on its order for Britons to stay home, with PM Johnson tweeting again to remind citizens they might face repercussions for violating the order.

Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives

 

✔@BorisJohnson

 

 

At this moment of national emergency you must stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives. #StayHomeSaveLives

 

8,352

10:36 AM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

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Update (0937ET): The G7 has published another communique following a phone call on Monday where the group of developed nations promised to do "whatever is necessary" to stop a global recession.

Nancy Pelosi spoke via phone with Jim Carmer and said there's "real optimism that we could get something done" as she explained that she and Mnuchin had agreed to include the House language adding oversight to $500 billion in aide to corporations to ensure that the money won't be spent on stock buybacks and executive comp.

"We're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel," Pelosi told Jim Cramer during a phone interview. "We think the bill has moved decidedly toward the side of workers."

This comes shortly after the Washington Post reported that Mnuchin had agreed to the oversight measures. Pelosi also said she had been willing to compromise by granting immunity to companies making masks and other equipment.

Mário Centeno

 

✔@mariofcenteno

 

 

I just took part in the #G7 finance ministers conference call today, coordinating with my peers on the measures to fight #Coronavirus. Efforts at national, european and international level have been unprecedented. Together we will overcome this crisis

 

51

9:33 AM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

Paolo Gentiloni

 

✔@PaoloGentiloni

 

 

At the #G7 conference call clear commitment for coordination to respond to the global health and economic impacts of #COVID-19. I shared with finance ministers the strong decisions already taken by #Eu institutions and member states

 

122

9:19 AM - Mar 24, 2020

 

 

 

In the US, Dr. Deborah Birx, a key member of the White House task force, told NBC News that the measures put in place in New York by the mayor and governor will take another "7 to 14 days" for the effects to be seen.

“What we’re seeing in the hospitals now are people who most likely got exposed and sick more than 2 weeks ago,” Birx said.

It has been a busy morning for Mnuchin.

Steven Mnuchin

 

✔@stevenmnuchin1

 

 

Discussed #COVID19 coordination with the #G7 Finance Ministers this morning. We will work together to restore economic growth and protect jobs and businesses. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm955 …

 

290

9:27 AM - Mar 24, 2020

Over the past two days, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths has seen the largest jump on record, even as the number of newly reported cases plateaus in Europe, as New York and a handful of other US states ramp up testing. On Monday, the US was hardest hit, with states adding 10,168 cases, the largest single-day increase for any country outside of China.

And for the first time, the US recorded more than 100 new deaths in a single day, including the first recorded death in Hawaii. The individual, who died on Friday, was an adult from the island of Oahu suffering from "multiple underlying health conditions."

As a result, at least 16 states have issued stay-at-home orders, which, once in effect, will impact 142 million people, or 43% of the US population, CNN reports.

A consortium of Italian fashion and textile firms will produce 50 million masks per month, covering half of Italy’s needs, said virus czar Domenico Arcuri.

"Italy does not produce masks, except for minimal amounts, we do not yet have the ammunition in our house. But we will and if other companies will join the consortium we could become self- sufficient in two months," Arcuri said. China has been sending over another 14 million masks.

Alaska has ordered anybody visiting the state to quarantine for two weeks, as President Trump desperately warns that the US "wasn't built to be shut down" and that extending the shutdown for longer than 2 weeks might do irreparable harm to the economy. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz hit back at Trump Tuesday morning, telling the German newsmagazine "Bild" that calls to put economic health before protecting human life are "cynical" and "poorly thought out."

Around the world, there are 387,382 cases of novel coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking figures from the World Health Organization and additional sources. On Monday, JH recorded the largest single-day jump in the number of new COVID-19 cases, with 41,371 cases diagnosed. The death toll rose by a record 1,873 - nearly 2k deaths in a single day  - bringing the international total to 16,767 deaths globally.

Meanwhile, in Japan, NHK reported that Japanese PM Shinzo Abe urged the IOC to make a decision on the fate of the games "as quickly as possible", following reports last night that Japan had agreed to postpone the 2020 games until 2021. Earlier, New Zealand's athletes joined Australia's and Canada's in pulling out of the games unless they're postponed.

Elsewhere in Asia, India has expanded its mammoth national lockdown to cover about two-thirds of the population, even as the number of confirmed cases remains below 500. Neighboring Pakistan is deploying its army to assist with the outbreak, while tiny Albania is imposing a strict 16-hour daily curfew to combat the outbreak.

After Hong Kong reported its largest daily jump in new cases a few days ago, Singapore confirmed 54 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, the city' state's largest daily jump, even after Singapore, HK, Taiwan and a handful of other Asian economies were praised for their efforts to combat the virus. Even as the number of confirmed cases in Japan remains low - possibly because, as some have noted, close personal contact is often frowned upon in Japanese culture - Tokyo's governor warned on Tuesday that Japan's capital could be placed under lockdown if the number of cases spike.

In southeast Asia, the tiny, impoverished nations of Myanmar and Laos have just reported their first two cases.   

After a nearly week-long streak where China confirmed almost no new domestically-infected cases, it appears the outbreak in the world's second-largest economy has finally petered out. Lockdown measures that were imposed on China's Hubei region and especially its capital city, Wuhan, back in February will be lifted on Wednesday, while additional measures in Wuhan will remain in place until April 8.

"It's finally over," overjoyed residents cried with joy after the announcement.

Though other Asian governments were moving in the opposite direction. Thailand said Tuesday that it will declare a state of emergency under a decree giving it broad powers to fight the coronavirus outbreak, including the right to censor media. Meanwhile, Macau, a special administrative region of China, along with Hong Kong, has joined the latter city in demanding all foreign travelers be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival.

Meanwhile, over in Italy, authorities are trying to figure out what to do next as stocks and bonds soared in a torrid rally following signs that the country's lockdown might finally be helping to slow the outbreak.

Although the data from the last two days has been somewhat encouraging, the head of the Civil Protection Agency, the federal agency that has been tasked with reporting the country's daily case totals, said that the total number of infected is likely 10x the official number of cases that have been confirmed.

"A ratio of one certified case out of every 10 is credible" Angelo Borrelli, the head of the Civil Protection Agency, told La Repubblica. Borrelli said he believed as many as 640,000 people could have been infected in the country.

Now that the lockdown has been extended to April 3, the country said that it would shut down all motorway and highway petrol stations, making it virtually impossible for people to travel.

In Germany, meanwhile, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said that his country could push for even more stimulus after announcing plans for a massive fiscal stimulus measure on Tuesday morning, and after the EU states got together to discuss additional assistance for Italy.

Meanwhile, in other news, we wanted to point out that, a few days ago, we shared a report about this phenomenon with our readers. Since then, the information has been even more widely reported: Now, a team of British ear, nose and throat doctors are raising the possibility of a new indicator of the coronavirus, one they say has been observed globally, even in patients who are otherwise asymptomatic: anosmia, a condition that causes the loss of sense of smell. In a statement, they warned that adults experiencing recent anosmia could be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, and urged them to consider self-isolation.

"All of this evidence is accumulating very rapidly, but there’s nothing yet robustly in print," said Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society. "Since then, I’ve had colleagues from around the world saying: 'That’s exactly what we’re seeing.' They’ve been trying [to raise awareness], but it hasn’t been picked up."

We also reported a couple of weeks back that Iran was temporarily releasing prisoners and requiring them to help with the country's relief effort. The government has now extended their supervised release by another 25 days until April 18, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced on state TV Tuesday as the country's death toll continues to rise. And while the country continues to blame the US for the outbreak, even after rejecting aide from President Trump, Iran also said Tuesday it does not need the help of Médecins Sans Frontières - aka Doctors without Borders - to set up makeshift hospitals as the country's hardliners continue to oppose all forms of foreign help.

Spain, the worst-hit country in Europe after Italy, reported another 514 deaths on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 2,696, while it reported another 6.5k cases, bringing the total to 39,673. Madrid remains the worst-hit region, with 12,352 cases, 1,050 people in intensive care and 1,535 deaths. Spain overall is No. 3 in deaths, behind Italy and China.

The situation is getting so bad in Spain, that the bodies of COVID-19 victims are being delivered to the Palacio de Hielo ice rink, which is being used as a temporary morgue in Madrid. The regional government said it was a “temporary" measure to ease pressure on hospitals in Spain, which has recorded the third-highest death toll outside China and Italy.

In Belgium, there were 4,269 cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, an increase of 526 in the past day. Deaths have also increased by 34, bringing the total to 122, and there have been 256 new hospital admissions in last 24 hours, lower than reported on Monday and Sunday. In nearby France, the country's finance minister warned the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is "comparable only to the great recession of 1929," Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday.

Following last night's speech by UK PM Boris Johnson, where the PM declared a national lockdown and granted police the power to enforce it, another major commonwealth country has followed suit. On Tuesday Australia banned all but essential travel outside of the country after PM Scott Morrison announced similar lockdown measures as the number of cases in the country climbs. Ratings data suggest that nearly half of the UK watched Johnson's televised speech last night, with ratings agencies giving the speech an 80% market share - roughly 40% of the UK population.

After European PMI data released Tuesday showed business activity in the region has crumbled this month, Goldman Sachs slashed its growth forecast for the eurozone, warning that the region’s coronavirus-crippled economy will see a 9% contraction this year, and that budget deficits are likely to mushroom in many countries. The US investment bank said in a note to clients on Tuesday morning that it expected the eurozone economy to shrink by 4% in the first quarter and 11.4% in the second. Its economists blamed "strict containment measures, anecdotal evidence of steep declines in domestic activity and a global recession" for the sharp decline in forecasts. Slovakia, one of the last countries in Europe to confirm cases of the virus, is set to pass a law allowing the use of data from mobile phones to ensure that citizens are observing the quarantine rules introduced to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The Arab Gulf states are ramping up enforcement of curfews, quarantine and stay at home edicts as coronavirus cases rise to more than 1,900 in the region. Kuwait on Sunday evening arrested nine expatriates in a suburb of the capital for breaking a daily nationwide curfew, and other states including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have imposed draconian measures.

Finally, as the WHO said early Tuesday, as the US takes the lead in the number of new cases, the organization warned that it might soon displace Italy as the "new epicenter" of the epidemic.

source : zerohedge.com