She had a COVID-19 scare which turned out to be an abdominal infection instead.
Comedian Kathy Griffin took to Twitter on Saturday to update her fans as she continued her recovery while isolating at home.
The 59-year-old comedian and actress also shared a distressing update about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the hospital she went to.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, March 30, 2020
The One Minute Case For “Price Gouging”
“Price gouging” is a derogatory term for “unfair” prices on goods, typically in an emergency.The problem is that the perception of “unfairness” is totally arbitrary and stems from an ignorance of basic economics.Rather than create “fair” outcomes, “price gouging” regulations create the very problems they are supposed to solve.
What are prices?
A price is the value demanded by a seller in exchange for a good.The money paid for goods makes production of more goods possible.When the demand for a good suddenly goes up or the supply goes down, sellers raise prices to avoid a shortage.Higher prices cause consumers to limit their consumption.Higher profits pay for money to be invested in expanding production, and encourage other producers to redirect production from other uses to the goods most urgently demanded.
The disastrous effects of price controls during disasters
Consider what happens when politicians attempt to control a run on gas precipitated by an imminent hurricane:
When price controls are imposed, the market’s ability to respond to an emergency is paralyzed Rather than distributing gas to those who value it the most, products are distributed to those who buy it first. This encourages those with time to wait in endless lines, or the most panicky individuals to rush to fill up their cars at the first sign of trouble. Runs begun whenever a minority of people expects a rapid increases in demand, and the entire stock is quickly consumed by a few.
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What are prices?
A price is the value demanded by a seller in exchange for a good.The money paid for goods makes production of more goods possible.When the demand for a good suddenly goes up or the supply goes down, sellers raise prices to avoid a shortage.Higher prices cause consumers to limit their consumption.Higher profits pay for money to be invested in expanding production, and encourage other producers to redirect production from other uses to the goods most urgently demanded.
The disastrous effects of price controls during disasters
Consider what happens when politicians attempt to control a run on gas precipitated by an imminent hurricane:
When price controls are imposed, the market’s ability to respond to an emergency is paralyzed Rather than distributing gas to those who value it the most, products are distributed to those who buy it first. This encourages those with time to wait in endless lines, or the most panicky individuals to rush to fill up their cars at the first sign of trouble. Runs begun whenever a minority of people expects a rapid increases in demand, and the entire stock is quickly consumed by a few.
More
Pelosi: As Trump ‘Fiddles People Are Dying’
Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) described president Donald Trump of fiddling while people died of coronavirus.
Pelosi said, “First let me say how sad it is that even since the president’s signing of the bill, the number of deaths reported has doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 in our country. This is such a very, very sad time for us. We should be taking every precaution. The president, his denial at the beginning, was deadly. His delaying of getting equipment to where it — his continued delay in getting equipment to where it’s needed is deadly. Now the best thing to do would be to prevent more loss of life rather than open things up because we just don’t know. We have to have testing, testing, testing. That’s what we said from the start before we can evaluate what the nature of it is in some of these other regions as well. I don’t know what the purpose of that is. I don’t know what the scientists are saying to him. I don’t know what the scientists said to him, when did this president know about this, and what did he know? What did he know, and when did he know it? That’s for an after-action review. But as the president fiddles, people are dying.”
Host Jake Tapper asked, “Speaker Pelosi when you say the president’s denial was deadly, he obviously downplayed the risks of coronavirus for several weeks, and it wasn’t until I think about two weeks ago that he started acknowledging the gravity of the crisis. Are you saying his downplaying ultimately cost American lives?”
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Pelosi said, “First let me say how sad it is that even since the president’s signing of the bill, the number of deaths reported has doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 in our country. This is such a very, very sad time for us. We should be taking every precaution. The president, his denial at the beginning, was deadly. His delaying of getting equipment to where it — his continued delay in getting equipment to where it’s needed is deadly. Now the best thing to do would be to prevent more loss of life rather than open things up because we just don’t know. We have to have testing, testing, testing. That’s what we said from the start before we can evaluate what the nature of it is in some of these other regions as well. I don’t know what the purpose of that is. I don’t know what the scientists are saying to him. I don’t know what the scientists said to him, when did this president know about this, and what did he know? What did he know, and when did he know it? That’s for an after-action review. But as the president fiddles, people are dying.”
Host Jake Tapper asked, “Speaker Pelosi when you say the president’s denial was deadly, he obviously downplayed the risks of coronavirus for several weeks, and it wasn’t until I think about two weeks ago that he started acknowledging the gravity of the crisis. Are you saying his downplaying ultimately cost American lives?”
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Confirmed Cases Is an ‘Almost Meaningless’ Metric
It doesn’t matter that the United States surpassed China this week in reported Covid-19 cases because those numbers (83,507 and 81,782 respectively as of March 26) don’t tell us how many people actually became infected in either country. Nor do they tell us how fast the disease is spreading, since only a tiny portion of the population in the United States has been tested.
“The numbers are almost meaningless,” says Steve Goodman, a professor of epidemiology at Stanford University. There’s a huge reservoir of people who have mild cases, and would not likely seek testing, he says. The rate of increase in positive results reflect a mixed-up combination of increased testing rates and spread of the virus.
What should we be watching instead? One possibility is hospitalizations. That idea was put forward by statisticians Jacob Steinhardt, an assistant professor from UC Berkeley, and Steve Yadlowsky, a graduate student at Stanford who specializes in analyzing health care data. They argue that rate of increase in hospitalizations could reflect the growth of the disease without being distorted by changes in the testing rate.
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“The numbers are almost meaningless,” says Steve Goodman, a professor of epidemiology at Stanford University. There’s a huge reservoir of people who have mild cases, and would not likely seek testing, he says. The rate of increase in positive results reflect a mixed-up combination of increased testing rates and spread of the virus.
What should we be watching instead? One possibility is hospitalizations. That idea was put forward by statisticians Jacob Steinhardt, an assistant professor from UC Berkeley, and Steve Yadlowsky, a graduate student at Stanford who specializes in analyzing health care data. They argue that rate of increase in hospitalizations could reflect the growth of the disease without being distorted by changes in the testing rate.
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ADVERTISEMENT CORONAVIRUSPublished 1 hour ago NYC pastor dies from coronavirus, becoming first US Catholic priest to succumb to diseases
The beloved pastor of a New York City church has become the first Catholic priest in the United States to die from the coronavirus.
The Rev. Jorge Ortiz-Garay, 49, served as a pastor of St. Brigid's Church in Brooklyn. He died Friday at a hospital, the diocese said.
The coronavirus has killed nearly 1,000 people in New York State, which has become the U.S. epicenter of the disease with a growing surge of cases.
“This is a sad day and a tremendous loss for the Diocese of Brooklyn,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the head of the diocese.
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The Rev. Jorge Ortiz-Garay, 49, served as a pastor of St. Brigid's Church in Brooklyn. He died Friday at a hospital, the diocese said.
The coronavirus has killed nearly 1,000 people in New York State, which has become the U.S. epicenter of the disease with a growing surge of cases.
“This is a sad day and a tremendous loss for the Diocese of Brooklyn,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the head of the diocese.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-pastor-dies-from-coronavirus-becoming-first-us-catholic-priest-to-succumb-to-diseases
Coronavirus 101: What you need to know
Our understanding of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is evolving daily—but we do know some important basics.
There’s still much to learn about the disease that has killed thousands of people and is changing life as we know it during this pandemic. But we do know some important basics about COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus—SARS-CoV-2—that causes it.
Coronaviruses are a large family, but only seven of its members infect humans. Four types cause minor illnesses like the common cold, while other coronaviruses have triggered far more devastating impacts such as SARS, MERS, and now COVID-19. Coronaviruses can be zoonotic, meaning they jump from animals to humans. Like its relatives, COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease that starts in the lungs, causing pneumonia-like symptoms, but can also cast a storm across the entire body.
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There’s still much to learn about the disease that has killed thousands of people and is changing life as we know it during this pandemic. But we do know some important basics about COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus—SARS-CoV-2—that causes it.
Coronaviruses are a large family, but only seven of its members infect humans. Four types cause minor illnesses like the common cold, while other coronaviruses have triggered far more devastating impacts such as SARS, MERS, and now COVID-19. Coronaviruses can be zoonotic, meaning they jump from animals to humans. Like its relatives, COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease that starts in the lungs, causing pneumonia-like symptoms, but can also cast a storm across the entire body.
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“Post intensive-care syndrome”: Why some COVID-19 patients may face problems even after recovery
People who remain in the ICU for weeks may end up with memory problems and trouble thinking clearly.
Nic Brown is lucky, and he knows it.
The 38-year-old father of three is recovering from the coronavirus after spending 10 days in Cleveland Clinic's intensive care unit. He was kept mostly sedated while hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe.
"There was a time during this process where the hospital reached out to my wife to have the discussion about end-of-life options," Brown, of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, said. "It was very emotional for all of us."
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Nic Brown is lucky, and he knows it.
The 38-year-old father of three is recovering from the coronavirus after spending 10 days in Cleveland Clinic's intensive care unit. He was kept mostly sedated while hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe.
"There was a time during this process where the hospital reached out to my wife to have the discussion about end-of-life options," Brown, of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, said. "It was very emotional for all of us."
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EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY‼️‼️‼️
Nancy Pelosi
1236 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
phone: (202) 225-4965
Obama admin repeatedly sought millions in CDC funding cuts, despite Biden's attacks on Trump preparedness
The Obama administration repeatedly sought to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yearly budget requests show -- seemingly undercutting former Vice President Joe Biden's repeated attacks on the Trump White House for its pandemic preparedness.
Numerous Democrats, including Biden, have falsely claimed that Trump slashed the CDC budget, and Biden has suggested that he would never pursue similar cuts. The Associated Press has noted that those claims "distort" the facts, with FactCheck.org pointing out that CDC funding has actually increased under the current administration, largely because Congress insisted on maintaining funding levels for both CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Nevertheless, speaking to ABC News' “This Week” on March 1, Biden claimed: “They’ve cut the funding for the CDC.” On Friday, Biden stepped up his attacks, writing on Twitter: "Donald Trump's careless, shortsighted actions left our nation ill-prepared and now Americans are paying the price."
In its fiscal year 2013 budget, while Biden was vice president, the Obama administration sought a total funding level of $5.9 billion from the CDC, or a $569 million cut from the 2012 budget of $6.46 billion. In fiscal year 2015, the Obama administration wanted a $414 million cut year-over-year, and again in the fiscal year 2017 budget, the Obama administration looked to eliminate $251 million in CDC funding.
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Numerous Democrats, including Biden, have falsely claimed that Trump slashed the CDC budget, and Biden has suggested that he would never pursue similar cuts. The Associated Press has noted that those claims "distort" the facts, with FactCheck.org pointing out that CDC funding has actually increased under the current administration, largely because Congress insisted on maintaining funding levels for both CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Nevertheless, speaking to ABC News' “This Week” on March 1, Biden claimed: “They’ve cut the funding for the CDC.” On Friday, Biden stepped up his attacks, writing on Twitter: "Donald Trump's careless, shortsighted actions left our nation ill-prepared and now Americans are paying the price."
In its fiscal year 2013 budget, while Biden was vice president, the Obama administration sought a total funding level of $5.9 billion from the CDC, or a $569 million cut from the 2012 budget of $6.46 billion. In fiscal year 2015, the Obama administration wanted a $414 million cut year-over-year, and again in the fiscal year 2017 budget, the Obama administration looked to eliminate $251 million in CDC funding.
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Columbia U. Prof: Teachers Must Abandon ‘Preconceived Notions’ About How Grades Are Earned
A professor at Columbia University is calling on her fellow professors to give their students an “automatic A” for the spring 2020 semester due to the Wuhan coronavirus. According to professor Jenny Davidson, “it’s time to abandon our preconceived ideas about what needs to happen in a college class for a student to get credit for it.”
The professor made her case in an op-ed for the Washington Post, entitled, “Forget distance learning. Just give every college student an automatic A.”
“At the very least, the coronavirus means universities should switch to pass-fail and pass everyone,” wrote Davidson, adding that “it’s time to abandon our preconceived ideas about what needs to happen in a college class for a student to get credit for it.”
Davidson went on to claim that professors and students are just too “stressed,” adding that she hopes faculty and staff “won’t break under the huge additional workload entailed in moving courses online.”
“We’re now scrambling to transition everyone to remote learning on short notice,” said Davidson.
“We can also hope faculty and staff won’t break under the huge additional workload entailed in moving courses online that weren’t designed to be taught that way,” she added.
Additionally, to “ease stress on students,” the professor argues that colleges and universities should “strip down work expectations to the bare minimum,” and consider giving everyone A’s.
“Strip down work expectations to the bare minimum” wrote Davidson. “Introduce mandatory pass-fail at the very least — and consider giving enrolled students A grades as a default.”
“I wrote to both of my classes a week ago to say that I would give everyone an A based on the work they’d done already,” she added. “Regardless of what my university’s leadership ultimately decides about distance learning, I intend to do exactly that.”
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The professor made her case in an op-ed for the Washington Post, entitled, “Forget distance learning. Just give every college student an automatic A.”
“At the very least, the coronavirus means universities should switch to pass-fail and pass everyone,” wrote Davidson, adding that “it’s time to abandon our preconceived ideas about what needs to happen in a college class for a student to get credit for it.”
Davidson went on to claim that professors and students are just too “stressed,” adding that she hopes faculty and staff “won’t break under the huge additional workload entailed in moving courses online.”
“We’re now scrambling to transition everyone to remote learning on short notice,” said Davidson.
“We can also hope faculty and staff won’t break under the huge additional workload entailed in moving courses online that weren’t designed to be taught that way,” she added.
Additionally, to “ease stress on students,” the professor argues that colleges and universities should “strip down work expectations to the bare minimum,” and consider giving everyone A’s.
“Strip down work expectations to the bare minimum” wrote Davidson. “Introduce mandatory pass-fail at the very least — and consider giving enrolled students A grades as a default.”
“I wrote to both of my classes a week ago to say that I would give everyone an A based on the work they’d done already,” she added. “Regardless of what my university’s leadership ultimately decides about distance learning, I intend to do exactly that.”
More
Florida sees sharp spike in coronavirus infections as fears grow it could be another hotspot
Fears are growing that Florida could be another coronavirus hotspot after a sharp increase in infections in the last 24 hours and nearly two dozen more deaths.
Health officials said Saturday morning they have seen 863 additional positive COVID-19 cases, which brought the total tally of cases to 3,763.
More than 600,000 people around the world have tested positive for coronavirus. On Friday, the U.S. surpassed China - where the virus was first detected late last year - after recording more than 100,000 infections.
Florida is now the fourth most-hit state in the United States, after New York, New Jersey, and California, according to data by health officials and Johns Hopkins University.
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Health officials said Saturday morning they have seen 863 additional positive COVID-19 cases, which brought the total tally of cases to 3,763.
More than 600,000 people around the world have tested positive for coronavirus. On Friday, the U.S. surpassed China - where the virus was first detected late last year - after recording more than 100,000 infections.
Florida is now the fourth most-hit state in the United States, after New York, New Jersey, and California, according to data by health officials and Johns Hopkins University.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-sees-sharp-spike-in-coronavirus-infections-as-fears-grow-it-could-be-another-hotspot
Coronavirus cases, concentrated on the coasts, now threaten America’s middle
Mayors, county executives and governors are sounding the alarm, and struggling for the right response, as the toll of the virus grows.
CHICAGO — A second wave of coronavirus cases is charting a path far from coastal Washington State, California, New York and New Jersey, and threatening population centers in America’s middle. Emerging hot spots include smaller communities like Greenville, Miss., and Pine Bluff, Ark., and large cities like New Orleans, Milwaukee, Detroit and Chicago.
Local and state leaders find themselves struggling to deal with the deadly onslaught, urgently issuing guidance to residents and sounding the alarm over a dearth of equipment in local clinics and hospitals.
As the threat expands, the orders from state and local officials have sometimes been a chaotic, confusing patchwork. With mixed signals from the federal authorities in Washington, D.C., local leaders have wrestled with complicated medical and economic choices. Mayors and governors in Oklahoma, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Texas have clashed over which restrictions to impose on residents, dispensing contradictory instructions, even as their communities are being ravaged by the virus.
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CHICAGO — A second wave of coronavirus cases is charting a path far from coastal Washington State, California, New York and New Jersey, and threatening population centers in America’s middle. Emerging hot spots include smaller communities like Greenville, Miss., and Pine Bluff, Ark., and large cities like New Orleans, Milwaukee, Detroit and Chicago.
Local and state leaders find themselves struggling to deal with the deadly onslaught, urgently issuing guidance to residents and sounding the alarm over a dearth of equipment in local clinics and hospitals.
As the threat expands, the orders from state and local officials have sometimes been a chaotic, confusing patchwork. With mixed signals from the federal authorities in Washington, D.C., local leaders have wrestled with complicated medical and economic choices. Mayors and governors in Oklahoma, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Texas have clashed over which restrictions to impose on residents, dispensing contradictory instructions, even as their communities are being ravaged by the virus.
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Workers Fearful After American Airlines Flight Attendant Dies From Coronavirus
A beloved flight attendant for American Airlines has passed away after contracting coronavirus.
Paul Frishkorn, a Philadelphia-based flight attendant and union representative died this week,CNN reports. While the cause of death hasn’t yet been revealed, according to the outlet, his voicemail greeting said that he was “very ill” and waiting to hear if he had COVID-19.
“He was amazing, and totally selfless, and just a ... good soldier who never asked for any recognition, other than to make sure people were taken care of,” Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said to CNN.
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Paul Frishkorn, a Philadelphia-based flight attendant and union representative died this week,CNN reports. While the cause of death hasn’t yet been revealed, according to the outlet, his voicemail greeting said that he was “very ill” and waiting to hear if he had COVID-19.
“He was amazing, and totally selfless, and just a ... good soldier who never asked for any recognition, other than to make sure people were taken care of,” Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said to CNN.
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Governors are starting to close their borders. The implications are staggering.
The coronavirus pandemic is testing the very notion that the United States are united.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order on Thursday that would require travelers from some coronavirus hotspots to self-quarantine: It provides that “every person” who flies into Texas from “New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or the City of New Orleans, or in any other state or city as may be proclaimed hereafter, shall be subject to mandatory self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Texas or the duration of the person’s presence in Texas, whichever is shorter.”
Other states have imposed similar orders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) imposed an order on Tuesday that requires anyone flying from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut to self-isolate for 14 days. Alaska and Hawaii also imposed self-quarantine orders on people traveling from other states.
These orders implicate one of the fundamental premises of the union among the 50 states: the right of American citizens to travel among them freely.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order on Thursday that would require travelers from some coronavirus hotspots to self-quarantine: It provides that “every person” who flies into Texas from “New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or the City of New Orleans, or in any other state or city as may be proclaimed hereafter, shall be subject to mandatory self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Texas or the duration of the person’s presence in Texas, whichever is shorter.”
Other states have imposed similar orders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) imposed an order on Tuesday that requires anyone flying from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut to self-isolate for 14 days. Alaska and Hawaii also imposed self-quarantine orders on people traveling from other states.
These orders implicate one of the fundamental premises of the union among the 50 states: the right of American citizens to travel among them freely.
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What Happens If Workers Cutting Up the Nation’s Meat Get Sick?
Here’s what has happened in the meatpacking industry in the last week alone:
A federal food safety inspector in New York City, who oversaw meat processing plants, died from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
A poultry worker in Mississippi, employed by America’s third largest chicken company, tested positive for the virus, causing a half-dozen workers to self-quarantine. Another worker in South Dakota, employed by the world’s largest pork producer, also tested positive.
And Tyson Foods told ProPublica on Friday that “a limited number of team members” had tested positive for the disease.
As COVID-19 makes its way across the country, leading to panic grocery buying in state after state, the stresses on the nation’s food supply chain have ratcheted ever higher. But in industries like meatpacking, which rely on often grueling shoulder-to-shoulder work, so have the risks to workers’ health.
At Koch Foods in Mississippi, Ramirez, an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant who asked to go by his last name, said a woman who worked near him showed up for her shift last week with a heavy cough. But after she told her supervisor, he said, she was told she couldn’t come back. The message was clear, he said. So, when he started feeling sick a few days later, he simply kept quiet and continued working.
“People are worried,” Ramirez said, that if they say they are sick, “they’ll fire us.”
Going to the doctor is not an option, he said, because he doesn’t have health insurance and fears it could expose his immigration status.
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A federal food safety inspector in New York City, who oversaw meat processing plants, died from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
A poultry worker in Mississippi, employed by America’s third largest chicken company, tested positive for the virus, causing a half-dozen workers to self-quarantine. Another worker in South Dakota, employed by the world’s largest pork producer, also tested positive.
And Tyson Foods told ProPublica on Friday that “a limited number of team members” had tested positive for the disease.
As COVID-19 makes its way across the country, leading to panic grocery buying in state after state, the stresses on the nation’s food supply chain have ratcheted ever higher. But in industries like meatpacking, which rely on often grueling shoulder-to-shoulder work, so have the risks to workers’ health.
At Koch Foods in Mississippi, Ramirez, an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant who asked to go by his last name, said a woman who worked near him showed up for her shift last week with a heavy cough. But after she told her supervisor, he said, she was told she couldn’t come back. The message was clear, he said. So, when he started feeling sick a few days later, he simply kept quiet and continued working.
“People are worried,” Ramirez said, that if they say they are sick, “they’ll fire us.”
Going to the doctor is not an option, he said, because he doesn’t have health insurance and fears it could expose his immigration status.
More
Health experts identify new COVID-19 symptoms
HOUSTON - As more research is conducted on this new strain of coronavirus, we are learning more about the signs and symptoms one could experience if they are infected.
The most important thing we want to let everyone know is that the initial symptoms we discussed such as a fever, cough, and shortness of breath remain the primary symptoms of COVID-19, but we are learning of secondary symptoms associated with the virus.
“There’s actually a recent study from Wuhan China, 212 patients, and they were looking at all these new symptoms, neurological symptoms, and they describe in their epidemic that 5 percent of patients presented with an altered taste or smell, and a lot of the patients had dizziness, headaches, muscle inflammation, and even altered mental status and seizures," Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun Professor of Medicine-Infectious Disease at UT Health tells FOX 26.
Just because new symptoms associated with coronavirus have been discovered, doesn’t mean the virus is mutating.
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The most important thing we want to let everyone know is that the initial symptoms we discussed such as a fever, cough, and shortness of breath remain the primary symptoms of COVID-19, but we are learning of secondary symptoms associated with the virus.
“There’s actually a recent study from Wuhan China, 212 patients, and they were looking at all these new symptoms, neurological symptoms, and they describe in their epidemic that 5 percent of patients presented with an altered taste or smell, and a lot of the patients had dizziness, headaches, muscle inflammation, and even altered mental status and seizures," Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun Professor of Medicine-Infectious Disease at UT Health tells FOX 26.
Just because new symptoms associated with coronavirus have been discovered, doesn’t mean the virus is mutating.
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https://www.fox26houston.com/news/health-experts-identify-new-covid-19-symptoms
Florida Keys checkpoint opens amid coronavirus pandemic
Law enforcement began staffing two checkpoints into the Florida Keys Friday morning to keep tourists out as part of Monroe County’s efforts to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The checkpoints were erected at mile marker 112.5 on the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1, the part of the highway that leads from Florida City on the mainland to Key Largo, and on County Road 905, the less traveled route to and from the Keys.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
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The checkpoints were erected at mile marker 112.5 on the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1, the part of the highway that leads from Florida City on the mainland to Key Largo, and on County Road 905, the less traveled route to and from the Keys.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
They are staffed primarily by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said the decision to prohibit tourists from coming into the Keys, which was made earlier this week, was difficult, but ultimately officials determined it was necessary.
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7th CONFIRMED CASE & WICOMICO COUNTY STATUS UPDATE FOR COVID-197th CONFIRMED CASE & WICOMICO COUNTY STATUS UPDATE FOR COVID-19
(March 30, 2020, Salisbury, MD) In an effort to keep the public informed, the Wicomico County Health Department will issue status updates on Mondays and Fridays each week. Currently, Wicomico County has 7th confirmed COVID-19 cases. This 7th case is a female under the age of 18. Her siblings were tested and are negative. The entire household is quarantined at home and feeling fine. The health department continues to do in-depth contact tracing for those who have been in contact with the confirmed cases. If someone has been in contact with a confirmed case, they will be notified.
He caught COVID-19 on a cruise ship.
His family said goodbye over speakerphone.
They told him they loved him, and they thanked him for being a great husband, father and grandfather. Then they waited for COVID-19 to shut down down the rest of Tom Sheehan’s organs. On Saturday, he died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Sheehan is one of the more than 50 Floridians who’ve died after catching the novel coronavirus, a count expected to climb steeply in the coming weeks.
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They told him they loved him, and they thanked him for being a great husband, father and grandfather. Then they waited for COVID-19 to shut down down the rest of Tom Sheehan’s organs. On Saturday, he died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Sheehan is one of the more than 50 Floridians who’ve died after catching the novel coronavirus, a count expected to climb steeply in the coming weeks.
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Governor Hogan, Can We Do The Same Thing With The Bay Bridge & Tunnel?
LONG DELAYS | Traffic was backed up for miles Sunday along I-95 heading from Georgia into Florida, after a new checkpoint was put in place for travelers from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Louisiana to self-isolate for two weeks if they come to Florida
Rice University team develops a low-cost ventilator — it only costs $300
A team from Rice University has developed a low-cost ventilator that could help with the global coronavirus pandemic, and it only costs about $300 to manufacture.
Rice students used 3D technology to create a prototype last year, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, they joined with a Canadian company to develop a more robust version.
A typical ventilator used to treat coronavirus patients costs about $10,000.
Amy Kavalewitz, executive director of the engineering department, explained to KHOU-11 that the low-cost ventilator would be an option for non-critical patients.
"The immediate goal is a device that works well enough to keep non-critical COVID-19 patients stable and frees up larger ventilators for more critical patients," said Kavalewitz.
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Rice students used 3D technology to create a prototype last year, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, they joined with a Canadian company to develop a more robust version.
A typical ventilator used to treat coronavirus patients costs about $10,000.
Amy Kavalewitz, executive director of the engineering department, explained to KHOU-11 that the low-cost ventilator would be an option for non-critical patients.
"The immediate goal is a device that works well enough to keep non-critical COVID-19 patients stable and frees up larger ventilators for more critical patients," said Kavalewitz.
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Trump uses Defense Production Act to require GM to make ventilators
President Trump on Friday used the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors to produce ventilators to combat the coronavirus after days of hesitating to use the powers in the law.
The president in a statement said the federal government had abandoned negotiations with the automaker on ventilator production, complaining that the automaker was "wasting time."
"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," Trump said.
The Trump administration had been negotiating with GM to make tens of thousands of ventilators, but talks broke down due to concerns that the price tag would exceed $1 billion.
The president turned his ire on the automaker earlier Friday, singling out CEO Mary Barra for criticism.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump tweeted. "They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B."
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The president in a statement said the federal government had abandoned negotiations with the automaker on ventilator production, complaining that the automaker was "wasting time."
"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," Trump said.
The Trump administration had been negotiating with GM to make tens of thousands of ventilators, but talks broke down due to concerns that the price tag would exceed $1 billion.
The president turned his ire on the automaker earlier Friday, singling out CEO Mary Barra for criticism.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump tweeted. "They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B."
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Cuomo: Trump's Quarantine Proposal Would Be 'Declaration of War' on States
Governor Andrew Cuomo said he opposed a quarantine of the New York metropolitan area, a proposal President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was considering to stop the spread of the virus from the most infected area of the U.S.
Cuomo told CNN in an interview that he didn't believe a possible New York quarantine was legal and that it would be a "federal declaration of war" after President Donald Trump said he was considering such a tactic for the New York metro area.
More than 52,000 of the nation's 113,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in New York state alone. The apex of the pandemic there is still 14 to 21 days away, Cuomo said, quoting his health experts.
"As a governor, I'm not going to close off my borders," Cuomo, a Democrat, told CNN's Ana Cabrera.
"This would be a federal declaration of war on states," Cuomo said, adding that he doesn't think the President is looking to start a war with states.
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Cuomo told CNN in an interview that he didn't believe a possible New York quarantine was legal and that it would be a "federal declaration of war" after President Donald Trump said he was considering such a tactic for the New York metro area.
More than 52,000 of the nation's 113,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in New York state alone. The apex of the pandemic there is still 14 to 21 days away, Cuomo said, quoting his health experts.
"As a governor, I'm not going to close off my borders," Cuomo, a Democrat, told CNN's Ana Cabrera.
"This would be a federal declaration of war on states," Cuomo said, adding that he doesn't think the President is looking to start a war with states.
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Government, City & County Employees Are Exempt From His Order
Digestive issues might be an early sign of coronavirus
A recent study shows that digestive issues might be an early symptom for people who have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.CBS News reported that researchers in China found that half of coronavirus patients analyzed experienced digestive symptoms during early onset of the illness.
Researchers from the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19 analyzed 204 patients who were hospitalized between Jan. 18 and Feb. 28. The study, which was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, determined that many patients experienced digestive issues, including loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain.
The study also concluded that patients with digestive issues did not seek medical care as quickly as the patients who did not experience these symptoms. This is possibly because the lack of respiratory symptoms led them to believe they were not infected with COVID-19.
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Researchers from the Wuhan Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19 analyzed 204 patients who were hospitalized between Jan. 18 and Feb. 28. The study, which was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, determined that many patients experienced digestive issues, including loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain.
The study also concluded that patients with digestive issues did not seek medical care as quickly as the patients who did not experience these symptoms. This is possibly because the lack of respiratory symptoms led them to believe they were not infected with COVID-19.
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Do You Remember The Odd And Even Era In The 70's? Are You Listening Governor Hogan!
While I'm glad he is finally starting to listen, people need to take this very seriously and stop acting like it's no big deal. If people see you out and about I'd hope they give you a hard time. If you see groups of people anywhere, CALL THE POLICE.
As always, I will be here 24/7 to keep everyone informed and up to date. Do you like my odd and even idea?
Stay at Home Order Issued; Effective 8pm
BALTIMORE (WBFF)-- Governor Hogan issues stay at home order for all Maryland residents, effective 8pm.
The Governor made the announcement outside of the State House Monday morning.
"No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention or for other necessary purposes," Hogan said.
"This is a deadly public health crisis," Hogan continued. "We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home. We are directing them to do so.
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The Governor made the announcement outside of the State House Monday morning.
"No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention or for other necessary purposes," Hogan said.
"This is a deadly public health crisis," Hogan continued. "We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home. We are directing them to do so.
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3 Big Cruise Lines Might Not Get Any Stimulus Bill Aid
The big three cruise-line companies apparently won’t be eligible for the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package Congress approved Friday because they paid virtually nothing in U.S. income taxes after posting nearly $6 billion in combined profits last year.
Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, though they are run by executives working out of offices in Miami, base themselves overseas, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The strategy allows them to avoid many American laws governing everything from minimum wages to pollution, the Sentinel reported.
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Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, though they are run by executives working out of offices in Miami, base themselves overseas, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The strategy allows them to avoid many American laws governing everything from minimum wages to pollution, the Sentinel reported.
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Dr. Birx Praises Trump’s Intelligence. Leftists Want Her Canceled
On Thursday, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx praised President Donald Trump’s attentiveness and ability to analyze and integrate data, linking his capacity to do so with his business background.
Asked her perspective on Trump’s performance both with the public and “behind the scenes” by a host at Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Dr. Birx responded: “He’s been so attentive to the scientific literature and the details and the data. And I think his ability to analyze and integrate data, that comes out of his long history in business, [has] really been a real benefit during these discussions about medical issues. Because, in the end, data is data, and he understands the importance of the granularity.”
“I think he’s been really excited about finding the level of detail that we’ve been able to now bring over the last few weeks to really understand who’s at the greatest risk for severe illness, who will have mild and less asymptomatic disease, and really calling on every American to do that social distancing,” the doctor continued, “because some people may not know they are actually infected and be unknowingly spreading the virus.”
“And that all comes from the president seeing the data and then really directing these policies and the guidelines that go out to the American people,” Dr. Birx concluded.
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Asked her perspective on Trump’s performance both with the public and “behind the scenes” by a host at Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Dr. Birx responded: “He’s been so attentive to the scientific literature and the details and the data. And I think his ability to analyze and integrate data, that comes out of his long history in business, [has] really been a real benefit during these discussions about medical issues. Because, in the end, data is data, and he understands the importance of the granularity.”
“I think he’s been really excited about finding the level of detail that we’ve been able to now bring over the last few weeks to really understand who’s at the greatest risk for severe illness, who will have mild and less asymptomatic disease, and really calling on every American to do that social distancing,” the doctor continued, “because some people may not know they are actually infected and be unknowingly spreading the virus.”
“And that all comes from the president seeing the data and then really directing these policies and the guidelines that go out to the American people,” Dr. Birx concluded.
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Dr. David Price on how to prevent COVID-19 from spreading: Clean hands and do 'not touch your face, period'
Jesse Watters featured Dr. David Price of Weill Cornell Medical Center on "Watters' World" Saturday, where the New York City doctor gave advice on how people can prevent spreading the coronavirus.
"You may hear a little inflection in my voice like I'm emotional. It's not because I'm scared. It's actually the opposite. For the first time in a while, I'm actually not scared," Price said via video. "I work at probably the premier hospital in New York City. Our hospital is almost exclusively a COVID-19 hospital, but we're learning and we know a lot. And what I want you guys to know is that every single day we're getting better, we know more. And I am confident that the stuff I can tell you today should make you guys feel like when this comes to your community that you don't have to be scared and that you can protect your family."
Price went on say the virus is primarily transmitted by touching someone who has the virus and then touching your face.
"The ways that you get this is the transmission of the virus almost exclusively from your hands to your face, from your hands to your face and inside your eyes, into your nose or into your mouth," Price explained. "So there's a lot of talk about contact or getting it through contacts, hands to face."
The doctor also addressed the idea that the virus is transmitted by "long sustained contact" or through the air.
"There's also a small thought that it can be aerosolized, that it can kind of exist a little bit in the air," Price said. "The thought at this point is that you actually have to have very long sustained contact with someone. And I'm talking about over 15 to 30 minutes in an unprotected environment, meaning you're in a very closed room without any type of mask for you to get it that way."
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"You may hear a little inflection in my voice like I'm emotional. It's not because I'm scared. It's actually the opposite. For the first time in a while, I'm actually not scared," Price said via video. "I work at probably the premier hospital in New York City. Our hospital is almost exclusively a COVID-19 hospital, but we're learning and we know a lot. And what I want you guys to know is that every single day we're getting better, we know more. And I am confident that the stuff I can tell you today should make you guys feel like when this comes to your community that you don't have to be scared and that you can protect your family."
Price went on say the virus is primarily transmitted by touching someone who has the virus and then touching your face.
"The ways that you get this is the transmission of the virus almost exclusively from your hands to your face, from your hands to your face and inside your eyes, into your nose or into your mouth," Price explained. "So there's a lot of talk about contact or getting it through contacts, hands to face."
The doctor also addressed the idea that the virus is transmitted by "long sustained contact" or through the air.
"There's also a small thought that it can be aerosolized, that it can kind of exist a little bit in the air," Price said. "The thought at this point is that you actually have to have very long sustained contact with someone. And I'm talking about over 15 to 30 minutes in an unprotected environment, meaning you're in a very closed room without any type of mask for you to get it that way."
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/doctor-david-price-coronavirus
Cuomo Threatens Rhode Island With Lawsuit Over NY Quarantine Policy
Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) threatened Governor Gina Raimondo (D-RI) with a lawsuit over a new state quarantine policy, which would involve using the police and National Guard to track down people fleeing to Rhode Island from New York and forcing them to self-quarantine.
“We’re talking to Rhode Island now. If they don’t roll back that policy, I’m going to sue Rhode Island,” Cuomo said on CNN Saturday evening, reports the radio station 101Wins. “No state should be using police to limit interstate travel.”
During a press conference announcing the policy, Raimondo noted that Rhode Island would be instructing anyone returning from outside the state to self-quarantine for 14 days, but elaborated that special measures would be taken to enforce the policy as it pertains to people leaving from New York, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
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“We’re talking to Rhode Island now. If they don’t roll back that policy, I’m going to sue Rhode Island,” Cuomo said on CNN Saturday evening, reports the radio station 101Wins. “No state should be using police to limit interstate travel.”
During a press conference announcing the policy, Raimondo noted that Rhode Island would be instructing anyone returning from outside the state to self-quarantine for 14 days, but elaborated that special measures would be taken to enforce the policy as it pertains to people leaving from New York, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
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Americans Who Owe Child Support Won’t Get Coronavirus Stimulus Check
The coronavirus relief bill signed into law on Friday includes payments to help most people, except for people who owe child support.
Owing back taxes or other debts such as student loans to the government does not affect how much stimulus money a person would receive, according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
The legislation “turns off nearly all administrative offsets that ordinarily may reduce tax refunds for individuals who have past tax debts, or who are behind on other payments to federal or state governments, including student loan payments,” Grassley, who authored the bill, wrote in a Medium post.
“The only administrative offset that will be enforced applies to those who have past due child support payments that the states have reported to the Treasury Department,” he continued.
In other words, people who owe child support could see their cash payments reduced or taken away altogether thanks to a 1996 law where the Treasury Department is allowed to collect overdue child support by cutting or withholding any federal handouts.
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Owing back taxes or other debts such as student loans to the government does not affect how much stimulus money a person would receive, according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
The legislation “turns off nearly all administrative offsets that ordinarily may reduce tax refunds for individuals who have past tax debts, or who are behind on other payments to federal or state governments, including student loan payments,” Grassley, who authored the bill, wrote in a Medium post.
“The only administrative offset that will be enforced applies to those who have past due child support payments that the states have reported to the Treasury Department,” he continued.
In other words, people who owe child support could see their cash payments reduced or taken away altogether thanks to a 1996 law where the Treasury Department is allowed to collect overdue child support by cutting or withholding any federal handouts.
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Wuhan Coronavirus 'Patient Zero' Speaks
She suspects she became infected sharing a toilet with wild meat sellers at Wuhan's Huanan market.
The person believed to be the first ever human infected with COVID-19 has broken her silence.
Wei Guixian is a 57-year-old seafood merchant at the Huanan Market in Wuhan where the virus is suspected to have first made the jump from a bat to a human -- her.
She was identified by the Wall Street Journal as potentially Patient Zero; speaking to Chinese publication The Paper (via News.com.au), she described how she first started to feel ill on December 10, believing she had caught a cold or maybe the flu.
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The person believed to be the first ever human infected with COVID-19 has broken her silence.
Wei Guixian is a 57-year-old seafood merchant at the Huanan Market in Wuhan where the virus is suspected to have first made the jump from a bat to a human -- her.
She was identified by the Wall Street Journal as potentially Patient Zero; speaking to Chinese publication The Paper (via News.com.au), she described how she first started to feel ill on December 10, believing she had caught a cold or maybe the flu.
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The coronavirus may hit rural America later — and harder
Rural communities “tend to be older, with more chronic illness,” making people more at risk of severe Covid-19.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Early this week, Kodiak Island, part of an archipelago in southwest Alaska, issued a “hunker down” proclamation, asking residents to stay at home as much as possible. In the Covid-19 pandemic, the remote island, known for its brown bear population, might seem well-positioned — travel on or off the island is limited to the water or air. But Elise Pletnikoff, a family physician and the medical director of the Kodiak Area Native Association, says the same physical remoteness which may help protect rural communities from infection will become a liability if — and, more likely, when — the novel coronavirus arrives.
“Our capacity will be the limiting factor,” she says, “meaning not just equipment, but also staff.” Her organization provides care for 5,000 patients on Kodiak; while there is a hospital on the island, it has limited resources for critical care and usually flies patients needing that kind of medical attention to Anchorage. But Pletnikoff says when Covid-19 cases surge, “we’re worried about how busy everyone will be.”
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FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Early this week, Kodiak Island, part of an archipelago in southwest Alaska, issued a “hunker down” proclamation, asking residents to stay at home as much as possible. In the Covid-19 pandemic, the remote island, known for its brown bear population, might seem well-positioned — travel on or off the island is limited to the water or air. But Elise Pletnikoff, a family physician and the medical director of the Kodiak Area Native Association, says the same physical remoteness which may help protect rural communities from infection will become a liability if — and, more likely, when — the novel coronavirus arrives.
“Our capacity will be the limiting factor,” she says, “meaning not just equipment, but also staff.” Her organization provides care for 5,000 patients on Kodiak; while there is a hospital on the island, it has limited resources for critical care and usually flies patients needing that kind of medical attention to Anchorage. But Pletnikoff says when Covid-19 cases surge, “we’re worried about how busy everyone will be.”
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Assateague Island Shut Down
WOW!! That’s really all I can think to start off by saying. COVID-19 has truly got us in unprecedented times and decisions from elected officials have reached further and effected more than I originally expected. I’m reely starting to get stir crazy for sure. My family and I have quarantined for a couple of weeks, I haven’t had a fishing report in over a week and thanks to a mystery foot ailment, I’ve been hobbling around the house on crutches for six days now. It sucks. It sucks, but we’ve got to do what we can to keep this thing from spreading so that we can get to the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe in my heart that there is a light and we’ll be there in good time, and as soon as my foot feels better I plan on getting fishing with the family again.
I got the best pic I’ve gotten in a couple of weeks today from Everett Lee McCabe who captured a reely nice black drum BEFORE they closed Assateague Island. Everett was fishing with Brian Ford, Erik Pereyra and Michaela Porchis when he landed this beauty of a 41″ black drum on a sand flea / Fishbites® combo. Unfortunately the guys won’t be going back to the island until it opens back up.
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I got the best pic I’ve gotten in a couple of weeks today from Everett Lee McCabe who captured a reely nice black drum BEFORE they closed Assateague Island. Everett was fishing with Brian Ford, Erik Pereyra and Michaela Porchis when he landed this beauty of a 41″ black drum on a sand flea / Fishbites® combo. Unfortunately the guys won’t be going back to the island until it opens back up.
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Chinese Markets Reopen — And They Still Sell Bats, Dogs And Cats
Cages full of cats and dogs waiting for slaughter and the unsanitary preparation of animals is again reportedly a common sight in Chinese food markets, often called wet-markets, according to in-country correspondents with the Daily Mail.
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Dr. Deborah Birx issues coronavirus warning: 'We don't think any city will be spared'
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President Trump sought to keep the public safe Saturday when he said he was considering a mandatory quarantine for the New York City metro area, a key member of his Coronavirus Task Force said Saturday night.
Dr. Deborah Birx, coronavirus response coordinator for the task force, shared her comments during an appearance on Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine."
Although the president later halted plans for a quarantine, opting for a travel advisory instead, his remarks helped underscore the urgency of the problem in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Birx said.
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President Trump sought to keep the public safe Saturday when he said he was considering a mandatory quarantine for the New York City metro area, a key member of his Coronavirus Task Force said Saturday night.
Dr. Deborah Birx, coronavirus response coordinator for the task force, shared her comments during an appearance on Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine."
Although the president later halted plans for a quarantine, opting for a travel advisory instead, his remarks helped underscore the urgency of the problem in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Birx said.
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/dr-deborah-birx-issues-coronavirus-warning-we-dont-think-any-city-will-be-spared
Cuomo says New York concerned CDC coronavirus crisis guidelines for PPE are not adequate
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that his state is considering bucking Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE) in crisis situations that he said is worrying some health care professionals.
The comments during a Saturday press conference came after the governor went out of his way Friday to emphasize his state's need for tens of thousands of ventilators after President Trump questioned the number that New York would need to deal with its coronavirus patients.
Cuomo again spoke about New York's need for about 30,000 ventilators in a coronavirus worst-case-scenario Saturday, and he responded to reports that President Trump is thinking about an "enforceable quarantine" on the New York tri-state area.
"I don't even know what that means," Cuomo said, seemingly caught off guard by reporters' questions on the issue. "I don't know how that could be legally enforceable and from a medical point of view I don't know what you would be accomplishing. But I can tell you I don't even like the sound of it, not even understanding what it is I don't like the sound of it."
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that his state is considering bucking Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE) in crisis situations that he said is worrying some health care professionals.
The comments during a Saturday press conference came after the governor went out of his way Friday to emphasize his state's need for tens of thousands of ventilators after President Trump questioned the number that New York would need to deal with its coronavirus patients.
Cuomo again spoke about New York's need for about 30,000 ventilators in a coronavirus worst-case-scenario Saturday, and he responded to reports that President Trump is thinking about an "enforceable quarantine" on the New York tri-state area.
"I don't even know what that means," Cuomo said, seemingly caught off guard by reporters' questions on the issue. "I don't know how that could be legally enforceable and from a medical point of view I don't know what you would be accomplishing. But I can tell you I don't even like the sound of it, not even understanding what it is I don't like the sound of it."
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuomo-new-york-cdc-crisis-guidelines-ppe-inadequate
5-minute coronavirus test that can be used almost anywhere wins emergency FDA approval
Abbott Laboratories is unveiling a coronavirus test that can tell if someone is infected in as little as five minutes, and is so small and portable it can be used in almost any health-care setting.
The medical-device maker plans to supply 50,000 tests a day starting April 1, said John Frels, vice president of research and development at Abbott Diagnostics. The molecular test looks for fragments of the coronavirus genome, which can quickly be detected when present at high levels. A thorough search to definitively rule out an infection can take up to 13 minutes, he said.
Abbott has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “for use by authorized laboratories and patient care settings,” the company said on Friday.
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The medical-device maker plans to supply 50,000 tests a day starting April 1, said John Frels, vice president of research and development at Abbott Diagnostics. The molecular test looks for fragments of the coronavirus genome, which can quickly be detected when present at high levels. A thorough search to definitively rule out an infection can take up to 13 minutes, he said.
Abbott has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “for use by authorized laboratories and patient care settings,” the company said on Friday.
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How long will coronavirus last in the US?
Life in the United States has been completely upended by the coronavirus pandemic, leaving people trapped in their homes and others without jobs as businesses close.
Globally, more than 530,000 had contracted the virus by late March, including more than 85,000 in the U.S.
So when will it all be over? When will life get back to normal?
The short answer is we don’t know.
The long answer is more complicated.
Specifically, the pandemic won’t end until enough of the population is immune to the disease (at least 60 percent, experts say) – either by surviving it and becoming immune, which may or may not happen – or through a yet-to-be-made vaccination.
A high number of cases all at once, though, could overwhelm our hospitals and experts say a vaccine likely won’t be ready for more than a year.
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Globally, more than 530,000 had contracted the virus by late March, including more than 85,000 in the U.S.
So when will it all be over? When will life get back to normal?
The short answer is we don’t know.
The long answer is more complicated.
Specifically, the pandemic won’t end until enough of the population is immune to the disease (at least 60 percent, experts say) – either by surviving it and becoming immune, which may or may not happen – or through a yet-to-be-made vaccination.
A high number of cases all at once, though, could overwhelm our hospitals and experts say a vaccine likely won’t be ready for more than a year.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/health/how-long-will-coronavirus-last-in-the-us
Illinois infant with coronavirus dies, cause of death unknown
An Illinois infant diagnosed with COVID-19 may be the first US baby killed by the pandemic, though the cause of death is unknown, according to a local report.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the infant’s death on Saturday.
Several other infants around the world have reportedly tested positive for the disease shortly after birth, though children have made up a small number of confirmed cases across the globe, according to coronavirus research.
Illinois ranks eighth among states with 3,491 confirmed coronaviruses cases. Health officials have reported 47 related deaths, including 13 fatalities reported Saturday.
“If you haven’t been paying attention, maybe this is your wake-up call,” said the state’s Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the infant’s death on Saturday.
Several other infants around the world have reportedly tested positive for the disease shortly after birth, though children have made up a small number of confirmed cases across the globe, according to coronavirus research.
Illinois ranks eighth among states with 3,491 confirmed coronaviruses cases. Health officials have reported 47 related deaths, including 13 fatalities reported Saturday.
“If you haven’t been paying attention, maybe this is your wake-up call,” said the state’s Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
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There Is A New Symptom Of Coronavirus Infection According To US Nurse
A new symptom has been observed by a nurse treating COVID-19 patients. Chelsey Earnest, a Life Center in Kirkland worker, said red eyes might be a symptom of the coronavirus infection. In an interview over a mainstream media outlet, Ms. Earnest said that she had observed this in all of the COVID-19 patients. They have what she calls “allergy eyes.”
A Reddish Outer Area
Ms. Earnest revealed that the white section of the eye does not turn red. It is more like the patients have put on a red eye shadow on the outer area of their eyes. She also said that they had had patients admitted recently having only red eyes as their symptom and yet they died. Those patients tested positive for COVID-19.
She recalled that there is even one disaster medical control physician asking her if the patients have red eyes. Ms. Earnest had answered in the positive, and immediately, the physician would say they will find a bed for the patient. The nurse said that coronavirus infection might be affecting the patients in dissimilar ways, hence the occurrences of such symptoms.
An Unlisted Symptom
Red eyes are not among those listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC as a symptom of coronavirus infection. According to the CDC, coronavirus infection produces symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, and fever. The health body said these are the main symptoms.
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A Reddish Outer Area
Ms. Earnest revealed that the white section of the eye does not turn red. It is more like the patients have put on a red eye shadow on the outer area of their eyes. She also said that they had had patients admitted recently having only red eyes as their symptom and yet they died. Those patients tested positive for COVID-19.
She recalled that there is even one disaster medical control physician asking her if the patients have red eyes. Ms. Earnest had answered in the positive, and immediately, the physician would say they will find a bed for the patient. The nurse said that coronavirus infection might be affecting the patients in dissimilar ways, hence the occurrences of such symptoms.
An Unlisted Symptom
Red eyes are not among those listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC as a symptom of coronavirus infection. According to the CDC, coronavirus infection produces symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, and fever. The health body said these are the main symptoms.
More
Why It Takes So Long To Get Most COVID-19 Test Results
After a slow start, testing for COVID-19 has begun to ramp up in recent weeks. Giant commercial labs have jumped into the effort, drive-up testing sites have been established in some places, and new types of tests have been approved under emergency rules set by the Food and Drug Administration.
But even for people who are able to get tested (and there's still a big lag in testing ability in hot spots across the U.S.), there can be a frustratingly long wait for results — not just hours, but often days. Even Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., didn't get his positive test results for six days and has been criticized for not self-quarantining during that time.
We asked experts to help explain why the turnaround time for results can vary widely — from hours to days or even a week — and how that might be changing.
It's a multistep process
First, a sample is taken from a patient's nose or throat, using a special swab. That swab goes into a tube and is sent to a lab. Some large hospitals have on-site molecular test labs, but most samples are sent to outside laboratories for processing. More on that later.
That transit time usually runs about 24 hours, but it could be longer, depending on how far the hospital is from the processing laboratory.
Once at the lab, the specimen is processed, which means lab workers extract the virus's RNA, the molecule that helps regulate genes.
"That step of cleaning — the RNA extraction step — is one limiting factor," says Cathie Klapperich, vice chair of the department of biomedical engineering at Boston University. "Only the very biggest labs have automated ways of extracting RNA from a sample and doing it quickly."
After the RNA is extracted, technicians also must carefully mix special chemicals with each sample and run those combinations in a machine for analysis, a process calledpolymerase chain reaction, which can detect whether the sample is positive or negative for COVID.
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But even for people who are able to get tested (and there's still a big lag in testing ability in hot spots across the U.S.), there can be a frustratingly long wait for results — not just hours, but often days. Even Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., didn't get his positive test results for six days and has been criticized for not self-quarantining during that time.
We asked experts to help explain why the turnaround time for results can vary widely — from hours to days or even a week — and how that might be changing.
It's a multistep process
First, a sample is taken from a patient's nose or throat, using a special swab. That swab goes into a tube and is sent to a lab. Some large hospitals have on-site molecular test labs, but most samples are sent to outside laboratories for processing. More on that later.
That transit time usually runs about 24 hours, but it could be longer, depending on how far the hospital is from the processing laboratory.
Once at the lab, the specimen is processed, which means lab workers extract the virus's RNA, the molecule that helps regulate genes.
"That step of cleaning — the RNA extraction step — is one limiting factor," says Cathie Klapperich, vice chair of the department of biomedical engineering at Boston University. "Only the very biggest labs have automated ways of extracting RNA from a sample and doing it quickly."
After the RNA is extracted, technicians also must carefully mix special chemicals with each sample and run those combinations in a machine for analysis, a process calledpolymerase chain reaction, which can detect whether the sample is positive or negative for COVID.
More
Mystery In Wuhan: Recovered Coronavirus Patients Test Negative ... Then Positive
A spate of mysterious second-time infections is calling into question the accuracy of COVID-19 diagnostic tools even as China prepares to lift quarantine measures to allow residents to leave the epicenter of its outbreak next month. It's also raising concerns of a possible second wave of cases.
From March 18-22, the Chinese city of Wuhan reported no new cases of the virus through domestic transmission — that is, infection passed on from one person to another. The achievement was seen as a turning point in efforts to contain the virus, which has infected more than 80,000 people in China. Wuhan was particularly hard-hit, with more than half of all confirmed cases in the country.
But some Wuhan residents who had tested positive earlier and then recovered from the disease are testing positive for the virus a second time. Based on data from several quarantine facilities in the city, which house patients for further observation after their discharge from hospitals, about 5%-10% of patients pronounced "recovered" have tested positive again.
Some of those who retested positive appear to be asymptomatic carriers — those who carry the virus and are possibly infectious but do not exhibit any of the illness's associated symptoms — suggesting that the outbreak in Wuhan is not close to being over.
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From March 18-22, the Chinese city of Wuhan reported no new cases of the virus through domestic transmission — that is, infection passed on from one person to another. The achievement was seen as a turning point in efforts to contain the virus, which has infected more than 80,000 people in China. Wuhan was particularly hard-hit, with more than half of all confirmed cases in the country.
But some Wuhan residents who had tested positive earlier and then recovered from the disease are testing positive for the virus a second time. Based on data from several quarantine facilities in the city, which house patients for further observation after their discharge from hospitals, about 5%-10% of patients pronounced "recovered" have tested positive again.
Some of those who retested positive appear to be asymptomatic carriers — those who carry the virus and are possibly infectious but do not exhibit any of the illness's associated symptoms — suggesting that the outbreak in Wuhan is not close to being over.
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Experts Say The U.S. Needs A National Shutdown ASAP — But Differ On What Comes Next
As coronavirus infections rise across the United States, public health experts widely agree it's time for a drastic step: Every state in the nation should now issue the kind of stay-at-home orders first adopted by the hardest-hit places. And while most states will probably not need to keep the rules in place for months upon months, many health specialists say the lockdowns will need to be kept up for several weeks.
Yet among these same experts, there is debate when it comes to the natural next question: What strategy can be deployed after the lockdowns are lifted?
Here's the breakdown of what health experts are saying about each issue.
The arguments for enacting a lockdown
We'll start with the call for a nationwide lockdown. On this point, "there is no question about it," says Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary of homeland security who is now faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. "We are seeing community spread in every state. You need the nation to shut down."
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Yet among these same experts, there is debate when it comes to the natural next question: What strategy can be deployed after the lockdowns are lifted?
Here's the breakdown of what health experts are saying about each issue.
The arguments for enacting a lockdown
We'll start with the call for a nationwide lockdown. On this point, "there is no question about it," says Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary of homeland security who is now faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. "We are seeing community spread in every state. You need the nation to shut down."
More