Coronavirus patients are most contagious during their first week showing symptoms, new research suggests.
The early, albeit “limited” study of nine patients in Germany found very high levels of the virus in the throat of those patients at their earliest onsets of sickness, according to the scientist behind the research published in Nature journal.
That means those who fall ill could still be going about their daily lives when they’re most contagious.
The findings could offer a glimpse into the rapid spread of the disease and provide guidance foroverwhelmed hospitals that are short on beds, the scientists said.
Many patients showing milder symptoms could safely be discharged to self-isolate at home 10 days after they first showed signs of the illness, according to the research.
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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
Thursday, April 02, 2020
"There Are Basically No Sales": U.S. Auto Industry Enters Total Collapse As A Result Of Nationwide Lockdown
2020 is shaping up to be nothing short of a complete and total meltdown for the U.S. auto industry.
The industry was already barely holding on by a thread before the coronavirus pandemic started, with China leading the rest of the globe's auto industries into recession over the last 18 months. Now, in a post-coronavirus world, automakers in the U.S. are expecting nothing less than full collapse.
And the things that were barely holding the industry up to start 2020, namely low rates and modest consumer confidence, don't matter. Businesses are closed, would-be buyers are strapped for cash and the country's economy has simply been turned off. The industry's annualized selling rate could slow to 11.9 million in March, according to Edmunds.
Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for market researcher Edmunds, told Bloomberg: “The whole world is turned upside down right now.”
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The industry was already barely holding on by a thread before the coronavirus pandemic started, with China leading the rest of the globe's auto industries into recession over the last 18 months. Now, in a post-coronavirus world, automakers in the U.S. are expecting nothing less than full collapse.
And the things that were barely holding the industry up to start 2020, namely low rates and modest consumer confidence, don't matter. Businesses are closed, would-be buyers are strapped for cash and the country's economy has simply been turned off. The industry's annualized selling rate could slow to 11.9 million in March, according to Edmunds.
Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for market researcher Edmunds, told Bloomberg: “The whole world is turned upside down right now.”
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People with coronavirus are highly contagious for days prior to symptoms, says scientist
Daisy Robinton’s first signs began with mild fatigue before slowly progressing over the next 10 days to a set of symptoms that left the 33-year-old scientist and fitness model working harder to breathe.
"A fever kicked in and I developed a splitting headache and body aches that made it uncomfortable just to be conscious," Robinton said.
"I don’t know how to convey the extreme exhaustion that set in," she added. "Then, the shortness of breath started. I noticed I wasn’t getting as much oxygen."
The presumable culprit: COVID-19.
Robinton, who holds a PhD in molecular biology from Harvard University, said her experience underscored a disturbing reality: young, healthy adults hold no innate immunity to the insidious disease that has now infected over 200,000 people in the U.S., resulting in an estimated 4,476 deaths as of Wednesday.
What’s also imperative for everyone to know, said Robinton, is that a person is most contagious before they have symptoms and during the first week of illness.
"This is why physical distancing is so critical," she said
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"A fever kicked in and I developed a splitting headache and body aches that made it uncomfortable just to be conscious," Robinton said.
"I don’t know how to convey the extreme exhaustion that set in," she added. "Then, the shortness of breath started. I noticed I wasn’t getting as much oxygen."
The presumable culprit: COVID-19.
Robinton, who holds a PhD in molecular biology from Harvard University, said her experience underscored a disturbing reality: young, healthy adults hold no innate immunity to the insidious disease that has now infected over 200,000 people in the U.S., resulting in an estimated 4,476 deaths as of Wednesday.
What’s also imperative for everyone to know, said Robinton, is that a person is most contagious before they have symptoms and during the first week of illness.
"This is why physical distancing is so critical," she said
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https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-covid-19-highly-contagious-days-symptoms
Democrats' Deafening Silence on Biden Allegations As the Left is Confronted with Their Own 'Believe Women' Standard
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s assumed nominee to face President Trump at the ballot box in November, is now facing a real, detailed allegation of sexual misconduct from a former staffer. This goes further than the “creepy Uncle Joe” narrative that is laughed off by Democrats, Republicans and members of the media. Tara Reade, a former aide to then-Senator Biden (D-DE), alleges that Biden “began kissing her without her permission, pushed her against a wall, reached under her skirt, and penetrated her with his fingers,” during an encounter on Capitol Hill.
Time’s Up Legal Defense, a nonprofit designed to help women combat sexual assault struggles from a legal stand point, is said to have declined Reade’s plea for help, per The Intercept. Time’s Up allegedly told Reade that their nonprofit status, and Biden's political stature, prevented them from helping her come forward with her story. The Intercept also pointed out that a top official at the public relations firm tied to Time’s Up is advising Biden’s campaign. Reade says that she brought her story to the campaigns of Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), but was given no help.
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Time’s Up Legal Defense, a nonprofit designed to help women combat sexual assault struggles from a legal stand point, is said to have declined Reade’s plea for help, per The Intercept. Time’s Up allegedly told Reade that their nonprofit status, and Biden's political stature, prevented them from helping her come forward with her story. The Intercept also pointed out that a top official at the public relations firm tied to Time’s Up is advising Biden’s campaign. Reade says that she brought her story to the campaigns of Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), but was given no help.
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Coronavirus: Corporate America should stop being China’s ‘useful idiots’
Remember when Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping closed the doors to the Middle Kingdom to all foreigners, and America’s liberal opinionmakers erupted with accusations of racism and xenophobia?
Me neither, but it happened: No more foreign devils!
China banned foreign visitors entirely, effective 12:01 am Saturday. For now, the Western finance bros and consultant types who profited from business with the totalitarian regime can’t go kowtow at the Forbidden City. And maybe we should thank Xi, for taking the key step toward disentangling our economy from China’s.
For decades, the United States and other Western powers traded our industrial strength and technology for access to China’s burgeoning markets and cheap consumer goods. Wall Street and a few large firms enjoyed this arrangement, as did American princelings like Hunter Biden, who until October sat on the board of a Chinese fund whose shareholders include many Communist-state-owned enterprises.
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Me neither, but it happened: No more foreign devils!
China banned foreign visitors entirely, effective 12:01 am Saturday. For now, the Western finance bros and consultant types who profited from business with the totalitarian regime can’t go kowtow at the Forbidden City. And maybe we should thank Xi, for taking the key step toward disentangling our economy from China’s.
For decades, the United States and other Western powers traded our industrial strength and technology for access to China’s burgeoning markets and cheap consumer goods. Wall Street and a few large firms enjoyed this arrangement, as did American princelings like Hunter Biden, who until October sat on the board of a Chinese fund whose shareholders include many Communist-state-owned enterprises.
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Kennedy Center musicians speak out as entire orchestra is furloughed days after $25 million of bailout funds went to venue
Kennedy Center musicians filed a grievance against the Kennedy Center Tuesday and plan to seek arbitration as they were furloughed after the federal government approved sending $25 million in funding to the performing arts center in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.
Robert Rearden, 38, who plays the french horn in the National Symphony Orchestra and co-chairs the Orchestra Committee, told DailyMail.com Wednesday that musicians were 'relieved' when the $2.2 trillion stimulus package passed with the measure for the center, anticipating the funds would go to all Kennedy Center staff.
'The $25 million is something that we think is great because it is very clearly outlined in the language of the bill that it is to go toward employees,' Rearden said.
'It's supposed to help all employees – there are many who have been furloughed,' he added, mentioning that the 100 musicians in the orchestra are not the only Kennedy Center employees who have been furloughed.
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Robert Rearden, 38, who plays the french horn in the National Symphony Orchestra and co-chairs the Orchestra Committee, told DailyMail.com Wednesday that musicians were 'relieved' when the $2.2 trillion stimulus package passed with the measure for the center, anticipating the funds would go to all Kennedy Center staff.
'The $25 million is something that we think is great because it is very clearly outlined in the language of the bill that it is to go toward employees,' Rearden said.
'It's supposed to help all employees – there are many who have been furloughed,' he added, mentioning that the 100 musicians in the orchestra are not the only Kennedy Center employees who have been furloughed.
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Please Don’t Press Any Buttons When You Get A Scammy Robocall
We regularly receive complaints from readers who receive robocalls even though their numbers are on the Do Not Call List or they pressed “2” to have their numbers removed. The fact is that these robocallers simply don’t care about the law or whether you want to hear from them.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re on the Do Not Call List,” Lois Greisman, associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission, which investigates and takes action against illegal robocallers, tells the Wall Street Journal. “A lot of them are fraudulent calls and people who engage in fraud are not going to abide by the Do Not Call registry.”
If you receive one of these automated calls, especially one from a company you’ve never heard of or never done business with, you’re often presented with two options: press “1” to speak to a customer service rep (though the people on the phone are usually doing you a disservice), or press “2” to be removed from the caller’s list of customers.
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“It doesn’t matter if you’re on the Do Not Call List,” Lois Greisman, associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission, which investigates and takes action against illegal robocallers, tells the Wall Street Journal. “A lot of them are fraudulent calls and people who engage in fraud are not going to abide by the Do Not Call registry.”
If you receive one of these automated calls, especially one from a company you’ve never heard of or never done business with, you’re often presented with two options: press “1” to speak to a customer service rep (though the people on the phone are usually doing you a disservice), or press “2” to be removed from the caller’s list of customers.
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The Live Otter Cam At Maryland’s Calvert Marine Museum Is The Cutest Way To Pass The Time
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Kimberly Guilfoyle to Newsmax TV: Trump Will Beat Anyone Dems Nominate
Trump campaign adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle told Newsmax TV’s“Newsmax Now” on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will win reelection no matter who the Democratic Party nominates to run against him.
During the interview, host John Bachman asked Guilfoyle about the possibility of former Vice President Joe Biden, the current Democratic frontrunner, losing the nomination to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has said that he will not enter the race.
She said, “I have a lot of connections and ties still in the Democratic Party and the West Coast… and the word that I’m getting is that the party is going to stand firmly, staunchly behind Biden as their nominee. So, if that’s what they’re going to do, fine, but the president said it best: ‘no matter to us, we can run against, you know, Joe Biden, we can run against Andrew Cuomo,” or Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who remains in the race.
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During the interview, host John Bachman asked Guilfoyle about the possibility of former Vice President Joe Biden, the current Democratic frontrunner, losing the nomination to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has said that he will not enter the race.
She said, “I have a lot of connections and ties still in the Democratic Party and the West Coast… and the word that I’m getting is that the party is going to stand firmly, staunchly behind Biden as their nominee. So, if that’s what they’re going to do, fine, but the president said it best: ‘no matter to us, we can run against, you know, Joe Biden, we can run against Andrew Cuomo,” or Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who remains in the race.
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General Milley Drops Hammer On Mexican Cartels
On Wednesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley warned Mexican drug cartels that are trying to ramp up drug trafficking into the U.S. as the country deals with a pandemic that the U.S. military will defend the country “regardless of the cost.”
Milley’s remarks came after President Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday afternoon that the administration was launching a massive new offensive against the Mexican drug cartels that includes support from the U.S. Military.
Milley said, “There’s thousands of sailors, coast guardsmen, soldiers, airman, Marines, involved in this operation. We came across some intelligence some time ago that the drug cartels as a result of covid-19 were going to try to take advantage of the situation and try to infiltrate additional drugs into our country.”
“We are at war with terrorists and we are at war with the drug cartels as well,” Milley continued. “This is the United States Military. You will not penetrate this country."
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Milley’s remarks came after President Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday afternoon that the administration was launching a massive new offensive against the Mexican drug cartels that includes support from the U.S. Military.
Milley said, “There’s thousands of sailors, coast guardsmen, soldiers, airman, Marines, involved in this operation. We came across some intelligence some time ago that the drug cartels as a result of covid-19 were going to try to take advantage of the situation and try to infiltrate additional drugs into our country.”
“We are at war with terrorists and we are at war with the drug cartels as well,” Milley continued. “This is the United States Military. You will not penetrate this country."
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From Bartering to Begging: Struggling to Pay April Rent
New York hair stylist Vanessa Karim has not worked since March 21, when the state closed all salons to slow the spread of the coronavirus. She only has enough cash on hand to cover half of her $1,400 April rent.
"It all feels like a bad dream," said Karim, 36, who planned to ask her landlord if he would be willing to accept a partial payment. "Every day I'm like, 'Is this really happening?' I'm trying not to stress out."
As the pandemic wreaks havoc on the U.S. economy and transforms Americans' daily lives, the start of April brings a moment of reckoning for millions: rent checks are due.
Many Americans have already lost their jobs – last week's national unemployment claims exceeded 3 million, shattering previous records – and huge swaths of the country have essentially shut down, with more than half of U.S. states now under some version of a stay-at-home order to curb the disease's spread.
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"It all feels like a bad dream," said Karim, 36, who planned to ask her landlord if he would be willing to accept a partial payment. "Every day I'm like, 'Is this really happening?' I'm trying not to stress out."
As the pandemic wreaks havoc on the U.S. economy and transforms Americans' daily lives, the start of April brings a moment of reckoning for millions: rent checks are due.
Many Americans have already lost their jobs – last week's national unemployment claims exceeded 3 million, shattering previous records – and huge swaths of the country have essentially shut down, with more than half of U.S. states now under some version of a stay-at-home order to curb the disease's spread.
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HOSPITAL EXEC FIRED AFTER DISCUSSING WAYS OF ENSURING TRUMP SUPPORTERS GET CORONAVIRUS
“Trump supporters need to pledge to give up their ventilators for someone else … and not go to the hospital.”
A New York hospital executive has been fired after she posted public comments on social media fantasising about how supporters of President Trump would get the coronavirus and not be allowed to get treatment.
The executive also happens to be, unsurprisingly, a former Hillary Clinton advisor.
Laura Krolczyk, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s vice president for external affairs, made the incendiary posts on Facebook, first sharing an article about The White House being reluctant to foot the $1 billion cost associated with producing ventilators.
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A New York hospital executive has been fired after she posted public comments on social media fantasising about how supporters of President Trump would get the coronavirus and not be allowed to get treatment.
The executive also happens to be, unsurprisingly, a former Hillary Clinton advisor.
Laura Krolczyk, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s vice president for external affairs, made the incendiary posts on Facebook, first sharing an article about The White House being reluctant to foot the $1 billion cost associated with producing ventilators.
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Fear of Virus Won't Save Mom in College Admissions Scandal From Prison
A California mother was sentenced on Tuesday to seven months in prison for paying $450,000 to help her daughters gain an illicit edge in the college admissions process, despite her lawyers' arguments that she faced exposure to the coronavirus if she were incarcerated.
Federal prosecutors in Boston say Elizabeth Henriquez and her financier husband, Manuel Henriquez, sought to rig their two daughters' college entrance exam results and secure the oldest one's admission to Georgetown University as a fake tennis recruit.
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Federal prosecutors in Boston say Elizabeth Henriquez and her financier husband, Manuel Henriquez, sought to rig their two daughters' college entrance exam results and secure the oldest one's admission to Georgetown University as a fake tennis recruit.
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Huge line of cops forced to disperse girl's birthday party in LA
Footage from the incident taken in the Hyde Park area shows the group of around 40 revelers refusing to comply with social distancing rules.
Law enforcement were forced to call for back up as the crowd became 'agitated', a source said. The LAPD said no arrests were made.
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Flattening Curve, Italy Now Grapples With Looters, Riots
As Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte fights to hold Italian society together through a crippling nationwide lockdown, the depressed south is turning into a powder keg.
Police have been deployed on the streets of Sicily’s capital, Palermo, amid reports gangs are using social media to plot attacks on stores. A bankrupt ferry company halted service to the island, including vital supplies of food and medicines. As the state creaks under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic, officials worry the mafia may be preparing to step in.
Preventing unrest in the so-called Mezzogiorno, the underdeveloped southern region that’s long lagged behind the wealthy north, has become the government’s top priority, according to Italian officials who asked not to be named discussing the administration’s strategy.
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Police have been deployed on the streets of Sicily’s capital, Palermo, amid reports gangs are using social media to plot attacks on stores. A bankrupt ferry company halted service to the island, including vital supplies of food and medicines. As the state creaks under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic, officials worry the mafia may be preparing to step in.
Preventing unrest in the so-called Mezzogiorno, the underdeveloped southern region that’s long lagged behind the wealthy north, has become the government’s top priority, according to Italian officials who asked not to be named discussing the administration’s strategy.
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Coronavirus Jailbreak: California Gov. Gavin Newsom Commutes Sentences for 14 Convicted Killers
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is responding to the Chinese coronavirus crisis by commuting the sentences of 14 felons convicted of murder or being involved in a murder.
Newsom made the decision to more quickly commute felons’ sentences in the midst of the coronavirus, providing early release through parole to about 19 felons — some of whom killed children and one convict who murdered a pregnant woman.
Two of the felons are immigrants to the U.S., and Newsom’s purpose for commuting their sentences is to have them avoid deportation.
The 19 felons given commutations by Newsom include:
50-year-old Rodney McNeal convicted of stabbing his pregnant wife to death
75-year-old Suzanne Johnson convicted of assaulting a child to death
35-year-old Kristopher Blehm convicted for aiding in a murder
64-year-old Joann Parks convicted of killing her three children
67-year-old Rosemary Dyer convicted of murdering her husband
40-year-old Jason Bryant convicted for witnessing murder during a robbery
56-year-old Steven Bradley convicted of murdering a gas station worker
64-year-old Richard Flowers convicted of murdering a woman
61-year-old Samuel Eldredge convicted of shooting a person to death
49-year-old Ramon Rodriguez convicted of murdering a person for pay
56-year-old James Harris convicted of kidnapping and murdering two people
48-year-old Robert Glass convicted of murdering a burglary victim
45-year-old David Jassy convicted of murdering a man he was fighting with
68-year-old Shyrl Lamar convicted of witnessing the murder of two people
Tri Thai, an immigrant, convicted of assault, dissuading a witness, and burglary
Monsuru Tijani, an immigrant, convicted of issuing fake financial statements
Shannon Thomas-Bland convicted of drug crimes
Gabriel Garcia convicted of drug crimes
Brenda Ibanez convicted of robbery and using a fake ID to buy a vehicle
Newsom also pardoned five felons who previously served their sentences for various crimes.
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Newsom made the decision to more quickly commute felons’ sentences in the midst of the coronavirus, providing early release through parole to about 19 felons — some of whom killed children and one convict who murdered a pregnant woman.
Two of the felons are immigrants to the U.S., and Newsom’s purpose for commuting their sentences is to have them avoid deportation.
The 19 felons given commutations by Newsom include:
50-year-old Rodney McNeal convicted of stabbing his pregnant wife to death
75-year-old Suzanne Johnson convicted of assaulting a child to death
35-year-old Kristopher Blehm convicted for aiding in a murder
64-year-old Joann Parks convicted of killing her three children
67-year-old Rosemary Dyer convicted of murdering her husband
40-year-old Jason Bryant convicted for witnessing murder during a robbery
56-year-old Steven Bradley convicted of murdering a gas station worker
64-year-old Richard Flowers convicted of murdering a woman
61-year-old Samuel Eldredge convicted of shooting a person to death
49-year-old Ramon Rodriguez convicted of murdering a person for pay
56-year-old James Harris convicted of kidnapping and murdering two people
48-year-old Robert Glass convicted of murdering a burglary victim
45-year-old David Jassy convicted of murdering a man he was fighting with
68-year-old Shyrl Lamar convicted of witnessing the murder of two people
Tri Thai, an immigrant, convicted of assault, dissuading a witness, and burglary
Monsuru Tijani, an immigrant, convicted of issuing fake financial statements
Shannon Thomas-Bland convicted of drug crimes
Gabriel Garcia convicted of drug crimes
Brenda Ibanez convicted of robbery and using a fake ID to buy a vehicle
Newsom also pardoned five felons who previously served their sentences for various crimes.
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Six Flags closing or delaying openings of amusement parks across the country
More amusement parks across the country are falling victim to the coronavirus pandemic.
Six Flags announced that it will either be closing down or delaying the openings of its amusement parks across the United States, Canada and Mexico. While the announcement says that the parks won't open until mid-May, it also says that this date could be pushed further back.
Mike Spanos, the company's CEO, made the announcement in a statement via the Six Flagswebsite. He confirmed that Six Flags is monitoring and following the guidance of federal, state and local officials in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"At this time, shelter-in-place mandates are in effect throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada; therefore, we are delaying the openings or temporarily suspending operations for the following parks until mid-May, or as soon as possible thereafter," he said.
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Six Flags announced that it will either be closing down or delaying the openings of its amusement parks across the United States, Canada and Mexico. While the announcement says that the parks won't open until mid-May, it also says that this date could be pushed further back.
Mike Spanos, the company's CEO, made the announcement in a statement via the Six Flagswebsite. He confirmed that Six Flags is monitoring and following the guidance of federal, state and local officials in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"At this time, shelter-in-place mandates are in effect throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada; therefore, we are delaying the openings or temporarily suspending operations for the following parks until mid-May, or as soon as possible thereafter," he said.
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https://www.foxnews.com/travel/six-flags-closing-or-delaying-openings-of-amusement-parks-across-the-country-due-to-cornavirus
Coronavirus could travel 27 feet, stay in air for hours: MIT researcher
Social-distancing guidelines to stay 6 feet from others may be woefully inadequate, one scientist warns — saying the coronavirus can travel 27 feet and linger for hours.
MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba, who has researched the dynamics of coughs and sneezes for years, warns in newly published research that the current guidelines are based on outdated models from the 1930s.
Rather than the assumed safety of 6 feet, Bourouiba warns that “pathogen-bearing droplets of all sizes can travel 23 to 27 feet.”
Her research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also warns that “droplets that settle along the trajectory can contaminate surfaces” — and “residues or droplet nuclei” may “stay suspended in the air for hours.”
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MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba, who has researched the dynamics of coughs and sneezes for years, warns in newly published research that the current guidelines are based on outdated models from the 1930s.
Rather than the assumed safety of 6 feet, Bourouiba warns that “pathogen-bearing droplets of all sizes can travel 23 to 27 feet.”
Her research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also warns that “droplets that settle along the trajectory can contaminate surfaces” — and “residues or droplet nuclei” may “stay suspended in the air for hours.”
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Cheesecake Factory tells its landlords it won’t be able to pay April rent
The Cheesecake Factory won’t be able to pay its April rent at its nearly 300 locations, highlighting how deeply the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the restaurant industry.
Regulations instituted across several states forced restaurants to close as a way to help stop the spread of the virus. The closures have resulted in a significant revenue decrease for the company.
In a letter addressed to the company’s landlords, CEO David Overton wrote that the “severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business.”
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Regulations instituted across several states forced restaurants to close as a way to help stop the spread of the virus. The closures have resulted in a significant revenue decrease for the company.
In a letter addressed to the company’s landlords, CEO David Overton wrote that the “severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business.”
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Atlas Is Shrugging
“Government help to business is just as disastrous as government persecution... The only way a government can be of service to national prosperity is by keeping its hands off.”
- Ayn Rand
Congress has just approved an economically bloated $2.2 trillion spending relief bill, an amount more substantial than the GDP of all but a handful of countries. It is only the third massive relief bill, and we’ve been told several trillion dollars more would have to get spent. Then there are the trillions of dollars more of Federal Reserve Board liquidity injections.
We are starting to talk about real money here.
The politicians believe that sending $1,200 checks to people will “stimulate” the economy.
Among the many mistaken provisions of this new law is a welfare benefit to workers that pays them more money if they quit and become unemployed than if they stay on the job.
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- Ayn Rand
Congress has just approved an economically bloated $2.2 trillion spending relief bill, an amount more substantial than the GDP of all but a handful of countries. It is only the third massive relief bill, and we’ve been told several trillion dollars more would have to get spent. Then there are the trillions of dollars more of Federal Reserve Board liquidity injections.
We are starting to talk about real money here.
The politicians believe that sending $1,200 checks to people will “stimulate” the economy.
Among the many mistaken provisions of this new law is a welfare benefit to workers that pays them more money if they quit and become unemployed than if they stay on the job.
More
Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Lawmakers to Push Paid Leave
Some Democratic state lawmakers, like their congressional counterparts, are redoubling their efforts to pass paid leave legislation, arguing that the spread of the novel coronavirus proves that workers must be able to stay home without losing pay when they’re sick, quarantined or caring for a family member.
“The policy of paid sick time is an important policy anytime. It’s particularly important when we’re trying to stop the spread of a global pandemic,” said state Sen. Morgan McGarvey, a Kentucky Democrat who has put forward a bill that would require employers to give workers accrued sick days.
Yet efforts to pass comprehensive paid leave legislation in states such as Kentucky, Colorado and New York face challenges. Lawmakers are grappling with a volatile economy, uncertain budgets, tight calendars and long-standing divisions over whether employers should be required to offer paid leave and who should pay for it.
Business groups remain resistant to sick pay mandates. “The bottom line for us in all these debates is flexibility,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center. Most small businesses offer some sort of paid time off, she said, even if they don’t offer sick days or family leave specifically.
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“The policy of paid sick time is an important policy anytime. It’s particularly important when we’re trying to stop the spread of a global pandemic,” said state Sen. Morgan McGarvey, a Kentucky Democrat who has put forward a bill that would require employers to give workers accrued sick days.
Yet efforts to pass comprehensive paid leave legislation in states such as Kentucky, Colorado and New York face challenges. Lawmakers are grappling with a volatile economy, uncertain budgets, tight calendars and long-standing divisions over whether employers should be required to offer paid leave and who should pay for it.
Business groups remain resistant to sick pay mandates. “The bottom line for us in all these debates is flexibility,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center. Most small businesses offer some sort of paid time off, she said, even if they don’t offer sick days or family leave specifically.
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More than 40 spring breakers who ignored public health advice test positive for coronavirus
Dozens of spring breakers from Texas boarded a plane for fun and came home with coronavirus.
About 70 people in their 20s chartered a plane from Austin, Texas, to Mexico for spring break two weeks ago. They went against the advice of White House officials who asked that people avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 and nonessential air travel.
Now 44 of those people have tested positive for coronavirus -- all of them University of Texas at Austin students, a university spokesman told CNN on Wednesday.
An elected official had a blunt message for the spring breakers.
"Quit being an a**," Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen told CNN affiliate KXAN. "Get over yourselves. Whether you think this is an issue or not, it is. Whether you think it could affect you or not, it does. The reality of it is, if I'm a college kid who's going to spring break in Mexico, you're affecting a lot of people. Grow up."
What's also alarming is that some of the passengers who went on the trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, took commercial flights home, the Austin Public Health Department said.
About 70 people in their 20s chartered a plane from Austin, Texas, to Mexico for spring break two weeks ago. They went against the advice of White House officials who asked that people avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 and nonessential air travel.
Now 44 of those people have tested positive for coronavirus -- all of them University of Texas at Austin students, a university spokesman told CNN on Wednesday.
An elected official had a blunt message for the spring breakers.
"Quit being an a**," Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen told CNN affiliate KXAN. "Get over yourselves. Whether you think this is an issue or not, it is. Whether you think it could affect you or not, it does. The reality of it is, if I'm a college kid who's going to spring break in Mexico, you're affecting a lot of people. Grow up."
What's also alarming is that some of the passengers who went on the trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, took commercial flights home, the Austin Public Health Department said.
Trump Launches Massive Military Offensive Against Drug Cartels
“As governments and nations focus on the Coronavirus, there is a growing threat that cartels, criminals, terrorists, and other malign actors will try to exploit the situation for their own gain and we must not let that happen,” Trump said. “We will never let that happen. Today the United States is launching enhanced counter narcotics operations in the western hemisphere to protect the American people from the deadly scourge of illegal narcotics.”
“We must not let the drug cartels exploit the pandemic to threaten American lives,” Trump continued. “In cooperation with the 22 partner nations, the U.S. Southern Command will increase surveillance, disruption, and seizures of drug shipments, and provide additional support for eradication efforts that are going on right now at a record pace.”
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An ER doctor dies in his husband's arms a week after first coronavirus symptoms
New Jersey emergency room doctor Frank Gabrin knew he could contract coronaviruswhen he walked into work to treat patients.
But still he continued, and about a week after contracting the virus Gabrin died in his husband's arms Tuesday. His loss is a lesson on the importance of caring for the people who are caring for the public, his friend Debra Vaselech Lyons told CNN's Chris Cuomo on Cuomo Prime Time.
"It's not about the outcome, you don't get to save every patient, but it's about what you do with the outcome," Vaselech Lyons said Gabrin believed. "He lost his life needlessly because if he'd had the equipment -- he's a professional, he knew how to protect himself."
But still he continued, and about a week after contracting the virus Gabrin died in his husband's arms Tuesday. His loss is a lesson on the importance of caring for the people who are caring for the public, his friend Debra Vaselech Lyons told CNN's Chris Cuomo on Cuomo Prime Time.
"It's not about the outcome, you don't get to save every patient, but it's about what you do with the outcome," Vaselech Lyons said Gabrin believed. "He lost his life needlessly because if he'd had the equipment -- he's a professional, he knew how to protect himself."
Rick Scott: World Health Organization Helped China ‘Cover Up’ Coronavirus
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) on Tuesday called on Congress to hold a hearing and investigate the World Health Organization’s (WHO) role in helping China conceal the threat of the coronavirus.
Scott said in a statement on Tuesday:
The mission of the WHO is to get public health information to the world so every country can make the best decisions to keep their citizens safe. When it comes to Coronavirus, the WHO failed. They need to be held accountable for their role in promoting misinformation and helping Communist China cover up a global pandemic. We know Communist China is lying about how many cases and deaths they have, what they knew and when they knew it – and the WHO never bothered to investigate further. Their inaction cost lives.
In February, Scott, a former hospital association executive, called on the WHO to do an in-depth analysis of the effects of the coronavirus.
Scott also reportedly remains concerned over China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan and the WHO’s refusal to include Taiwan in its membership, meetings, and information. Scott has also cosponsored legislation to increase the United States’ support of Taiwan’s move to join the WHO.
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Scott said in a statement on Tuesday:
The mission of the WHO is to get public health information to the world so every country can make the best decisions to keep their citizens safe. When it comes to Coronavirus, the WHO failed. They need to be held accountable for their role in promoting misinformation and helping Communist China cover up a global pandemic. We know Communist China is lying about how many cases and deaths they have, what they knew and when they knew it – and the WHO never bothered to investigate further. Their inaction cost lives.
In February, Scott, a former hospital association executive, called on the WHO to do an in-depth analysis of the effects of the coronavirus.
Scott also reportedly remains concerned over China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan and the WHO’s refusal to include Taiwan in its membership, meetings, and information. Scott has also cosponsored legislation to increase the United States’ support of Taiwan’s move to join the WHO.
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Ocean City Tourism Director Passes
Abbott, who held the position of tourism director since 2012, oversaw destination marketing and worked closely with the town’s advertising agency to promote Ocean City as a premier vacation destination.
A native of Cambridge and a graduate of Towson University, Abbott began her career on Delmarva as a news editor, holding publication management positions in print and radio media. With impeccable writing skills and a passion for public relations, she also held positions as a public information officer for Ocean Pines and Perdue before joining the Town of Ocean City as public relations director in April 1997.
“Donna dedicated nearly 23 years of her life to the Town of Ocean City,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “She was as devoted as they come and was passionate about destination marketing. She was highly respected by everyone who knew her and her loss will be felt in Ocean City and throughout the State of Maryland.”
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Connecticut governor sounds warning about national coronavirus stockpile: 'We're on our own'
Connecticut’s governor is warning residents that a “horrible month” lies ahead as the national stockpile of equipment to fight the coronavirus outbreak has run empty.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s declaration Tuesday means Connecticut – for the time being – won't get any personal protective equipment or ventilators from the federal government outside of the 50 it recently obtained, according to the CT Mirror.
“The national strategic stockpile is empty,” Lamont said, noting that his state is now turning to other sources in a race to secure the supplies. “For now, we’re on our own.”
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Gov. Ned Lamont’s declaration Tuesday means Connecticut – for the time being – won't get any personal protective equipment or ventilators from the federal government outside of the 50 it recently obtained, according to the CT Mirror.
“The national strategic stockpile is empty,” Lamont said, noting that his state is now turning to other sources in a race to secure the supplies. “For now, we’re on our own.”
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/connecticut-governor-coronavirus-stockpile-empty
Ronald Reagan Library in desperate need of donations due to coronavirus
The Simi Valley facility has been closed since mid-March, depriving it of much-needed cash since it's not federally funded.
In a letter to members, the executive director says the place is bleeding about $150,000 weekly.
They say that without a quick infusion of cash donations, the library and museum won't survive.
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic 4-3-20
Maryland cases
Updated Apr 2 at 11:58 AM local
Confirmed
2,331
+671
Deaths
36
+18
Recovered
81
California sheriff reverses order closing gun stores
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced he will no longer order that gun stores be temporarily closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
For the second time, he said that gun stores could reopen after ordering them to close twice since last Tuesday. He had previously deemed them “nonessential," saying that panic buying produced long lines and could be a safety hazard for the public.
Villanueva said the most recent decision stems from an Advisory Memorandum issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Saturday that said workers supporting the firearms and ammunition industry were "included in the list of essential critical infrastructure workers."
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https://www.foxnews.com/health/california-sheriff-reverses-order-closing-gun-stores
For the second time, he said that gun stores could reopen after ordering them to close twice since last Tuesday. He had previously deemed them “nonessential," saying that panic buying produced long lines and could be a safety hazard for the public.
Villanueva said the most recent decision stems from an Advisory Memorandum issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Saturday that said workers supporting the firearms and ammunition industry were "included in the list of essential critical infrastructure workers."
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https://www.foxnews.com/health/california-sheriff-reverses-order-closing-gun-stores
Reports: Iran Has Lost 17 Officials, Nearly 15,000 People to Chinese Coronavirus
The Saudi news agency al-Arabiya identified in a report Monday at least 17 senior members of the Iranian Islamic regime who have died from the Chinese coronavirus since the outbreak in that country began.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the largest anti-regime dissident organization, claimed on Monday that nearly 15,000 people in the country have died of coronavirus infections, about five times the death toll the Iranian regime officials claims to have counted.
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The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the largest anti-regime dissident organization, claimed on Monday that nearly 15,000 people in the country have died of coronavirus infections, about five times the death toll the Iranian regime officials claims to have counted.
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Average Gas Prices Are Below $2. A Few Stations Are Even Selling For Under $1
Gas prices are dropping — to less than $1 per gallon in a few locations — but most Americans aren't supposed to go anywhere. That's the irony of the coronavirus lockdown.
The national average price for a gallon of gas is now $1.997, according to AAA, and it's expected to drop further in the next few weeks — to $1.75 or even lower.
Prices vary across the country. In two states, Hawaii and California, the average price at the pump is still above $3. But drivers are paying less than $1.99 at more than two-thirds of the gas stations in the U.S., according to AAA data. In Oklahoma, the average price is $1.55.
Individual gas stations can go even cheaper — multiple stations across the U.S. have sold a gallon of gas for less than $1, at least temporarily, according to GasBuddy.
"In the last week, 99 cent prices have shown up at various times in Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Missouri and more could join in the days and weeks ahead," the price-tracking site said.
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The national average price for a gallon of gas is now $1.997, according to AAA, and it's expected to drop further in the next few weeks — to $1.75 or even lower.
Prices vary across the country. In two states, Hawaii and California, the average price at the pump is still above $3. But drivers are paying less than $1.99 at more than two-thirds of the gas stations in the U.S., according to AAA data. In Oklahoma, the average price is $1.55.
Individual gas stations can go even cheaper — multiple stations across the U.S. have sold a gallon of gas for less than $1, at least temporarily, according to GasBuddy.
"In the last week, 99 cent prices have shown up at various times in Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Missouri and more could join in the days and weeks ahead," the price-tracking site said.
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Nolte: Joe Biden Hides Brain Freezes by Switching to Edited Podcasts
Presumptive Democrat nominee Joe Biden appears to have retreated to podcasts where his disturbing brain freezes can be edited out in advance.
In the early part of this month, Dribblin’ Joe Biden all but disappeared for more than a week as he hid in the basement of his Delaware mansion to wait out the coronavirus. Eventually, the 77-year-old’s Keystone Cop Campaign tried to figure out how to do a live stream, something teenagers everywhere have been doing for a decade now.
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In the early part of this month, Dribblin’ Joe Biden all but disappeared for more than a week as he hid in the basement of his Delaware mansion to wait out the coronavirus. Eventually, the 77-year-old’s Keystone Cop Campaign tried to figure out how to do a live stream, something teenagers everywhere have been doing for a decade now.
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CDC Director On Models For The Months To Come: 'This Virus Is Going To Be With Us'
When infectious pathogens have threatened the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been front and center. During the H1N1 flu of 2009, the Ebola crisis in 2014 and the mosquito-borne outbreak of Zika in 2015, the CDC has led the federal response.
Yet the nation's public health agency, with its distinguished history of successfully fighting scourges such as polio and smallpox, has been conspicuously absent in recent weeks as infections and deaths from the new coronavirus soared in the U.S.
President Trump has been holding almost daily press conferences at the White House, but the primary health advisers at his side are not from the CDC. Dr. Anthony Fauci directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which focuses on biomedical research, and Dr. Deborah Birx is the global AIDS coordinator for the State Department.
The public has heard much less from the CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, and the agency, based in Atlanta, has not held a media briefing since March 9.
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Yet the nation's public health agency, with its distinguished history of successfully fighting scourges such as polio and smallpox, has been conspicuously absent in recent weeks as infections and deaths from the new coronavirus soared in the U.S.
President Trump has been holding almost daily press conferences at the White House, but the primary health advisers at his side are not from the CDC. Dr. Anthony Fauci directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which focuses on biomedical research, and Dr. Deborah Birx is the global AIDS coordinator for the State Department.
The public has heard much less from the CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, and the agency, based in Atlanta, has not held a media briefing since March 9.
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Costco, Home Depot now limiting number of customers in store
(WJW) – Starting Friday, Costco will allow no more than two people to enter any of its warehouses with each membership card.
“This temporary change is for your safety and the safety of our employees and other members, and to further assist with our social distancing efforts,” the company’s website states.
Other measures include new weekday 6:30 p.m. closing hours for many locations. Warehouses also will open from 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays for members ages 60 and older and those with physical impairments.
It’s recommended that customers check their specific location for hours and guidelines ahead of time.
For more on the Costco changes and for locations, click here.
In the meantime, Home Depot has also issued some new shopping guidelines.
Stores will limit the number of customers inside at any given time. The stores will also eliminate major spring promotions to avoid high levels of traffic.
Social distancing markers have been placed at counters along with signage throughout the stores.
Store hours have been adjusted to close daily at 6 p.m. to give staff more time to perform cleaning and restock shelves. Opening hours will not change.
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“This temporary change is for your safety and the safety of our employees and other members, and to further assist with our social distancing efforts,” the company’s website states.
Other measures include new weekday 6:30 p.m. closing hours for many locations. Warehouses also will open from 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays for members ages 60 and older and those with physical impairments.
It’s recommended that customers check their specific location for hours and guidelines ahead of time.
For more on the Costco changes and for locations, click here.
In the meantime, Home Depot has also issued some new shopping guidelines.
Stores will limit the number of customers inside at any given time. The stores will also eliminate major spring promotions to avoid high levels of traffic.
Social distancing markers have been placed at counters along with signage throughout the stores.
Store hours have been adjusted to close daily at 6 p.m. to give staff more time to perform cleaning and restock shelves. Opening hours will not change.
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NYC doctor who survived Ebola: People are dying from coronavirus 'because we weren't prepared'
American citizens are dying from coronavirus because the United States was not prepared to handle the scale of the pandemic, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center Dr. Craig Spencer said Wednesday.
In an interview on "America's Newsroom" with host Ed Henry, Spencer -- who was the first Ebolapatient in New York City during the outbreak -- said that a lot of the lessons learned surrounding fighting the Ebola virus just six years ago seem to have been forgotten.
"What I think has happened is that it's left us all vulnerable to a pandemic like coronavirus. And, what we're seeing on the front lines, it's dire and it really amplifies the lack of preparation," he stated. "People, unfortunately, are dying because we weren't prepared and I just want to share the message that we're seeing this here in New York City."
"This is going to roll across the United States and everyone still has more time to prepare than we did," Spencer asserted.
In addition, Spencer noted that his time spent working in the middle of an East African civil war feels "quite similar" to the havoc, chaos, and mental anxiety of this virus' impact in New York.
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In an interview on "America's Newsroom" with host Ed Henry, Spencer -- who was the first Ebolapatient in New York City during the outbreak -- said that a lot of the lessons learned surrounding fighting the Ebola virus just six years ago seem to have been forgotten.
"What I think has happened is that it's left us all vulnerable to a pandemic like coronavirus. And, what we're seeing on the front lines, it's dire and it really amplifies the lack of preparation," he stated. "People, unfortunately, are dying because we weren't prepared and I just want to share the message that we're seeing this here in New York City."
"This is going to roll across the United States and everyone still has more time to prepare than we did," Spencer asserted.
In addition, Spencer noted that his time spent working in the middle of an East African civil war feels "quite similar" to the havoc, chaos, and mental anxiety of this virus' impact in New York.
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/craig-spence-doctor-ebola-virus-people-are-dying-because-we-werent-prepared
Mayors to Governors: Toughen Up!
PORTLAND, Ore. — The optics were terrible, even if the weather was perfect. Absent a firm order from Gov. Kate Brown to stay at home, thousands of people with nothing else to do packed Oregon's beaches, trails and state parks a couple of weekends ago.
Mayors in coastal cities panicked at the onslaught, begging Brown, a Democrat, to act. One after another, towns passed emergency ordinances that shut down hotels, campgrounds, RV parks and short-term vacation rentals to all but essential visitors.
Democratic Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, joined by 25 other leaders in nearby communities and the state's major health care providers, warned they would act if she didn't.
"We've been told for weeks now by the Centers for Disease Control that we need to social distance," said Bruce Jones, mayor of Astoria, a coastal Oregon town that often swells on weekends with tourists who drive 100 miles over two-lane roads from Portland. "We're trying to reduce the spread of the virus, and putting visitors into our town just increases the risk of rapid transmission of the virus.”
To be sure, some governors have had to push mayors to take bolder action. In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the crowds he saw on New York City streets "a mistake."
He urged Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio to come up with a solution, including perhaps closing some city streets to vehicle traffic. "It's insensitive. It's arrogant. It's self-destructive. It's disrespectful to other people," Cuomo said. "And it has to stop — and it has to stop now. This is not a joke. And I am not kidding."
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Mayors in coastal cities panicked at the onslaught, begging Brown, a Democrat, to act. One after another, towns passed emergency ordinances that shut down hotels, campgrounds, RV parks and short-term vacation rentals to all but essential visitors.
Democratic Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, joined by 25 other leaders in nearby communities and the state's major health care providers, warned they would act if she didn't.
"We've been told for weeks now by the Centers for Disease Control that we need to social distance," said Bruce Jones, mayor of Astoria, a coastal Oregon town that often swells on weekends with tourists who drive 100 miles over two-lane roads from Portland. "We're trying to reduce the spread of the virus, and putting visitors into our town just increases the risk of rapid transmission of the virus.”
To be sure, some governors have had to push mayors to take bolder action. In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the crowds he saw on New York City streets "a mistake."
He urged Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio to come up with a solution, including perhaps closing some city streets to vehicle traffic. "It's insensitive. It's arrogant. It's self-destructive. It's disrespectful to other people," Cuomo said. "And it has to stop — and it has to stop now. This is not a joke. And I am not kidding."
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The Science Behind A 14-Day Quarantine After Possible COVID-19 Exposure
To stop the spread of the coronavirus, health officials have a favorite refrain: After being in a city or region where there have been a lot of COVID-19 cases, spend 14 days in quarantine even if you feel perfectly fine — don't leave your house. Coming from New York? 14-day quarantine. Arriving in Hawaii? 14-day quarantine. Been in Italy or China or Iran recently? 14-day quarantine.
"That's a long-standing public health practice, and it's called 'traveler's quarantine,' " explains Lindsay Wiley, a professor at American University's Washington College of Law. "Fourteen days is not a made-up number here — it's based on what we know so far about COVID-19, and it's possible that over time we'll see that number change as we learn more [about the virus]."
The 14-day rule is widespread because public health agencies around the world work together on these guidelines. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sets the quarantine period, and its counterpart organizations do so abroad, all in concert with the World Health Organization.
If you're one of the many people who are being asked to quarantine for a fortnight, you might be asking: Why 14 days, exactly?
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"That's a long-standing public health practice, and it's called 'traveler's quarantine,' " explains Lindsay Wiley, a professor at American University's Washington College of Law. "Fourteen days is not a made-up number here — it's based on what we know so far about COVID-19, and it's possible that over time we'll see that number change as we learn more [about the virus]."
The 14-day rule is widespread because public health agencies around the world work together on these guidelines. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sets the quarantine period, and its counterpart organizations do so abroad, all in concert with the World Health Organization.
If you're one of the many people who are being asked to quarantine for a fortnight, you might be asking: Why 14 days, exactly?
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Does Nancy Pelosi know about the coronavirus outbreak?
Someone ought to tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the coronavirus outbreak, because her laser focus on pushing her political agenda suggests she’s unaware of it.
The latest evidence: She wants to “retroactively” roll back Congress’ 2017 cap on tax deductions for state and local taxes (SALT), the New York Times reports.
She claims lifting the cap would address the economic fallout of COVID-19. She wants her “fix” to be part of Congress’ next rescue plan.
But her idea has nothing to do with boosting the economy and everything to do with helping Dems in blue states, like California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. More than half the benefits of a repeal would go to folks making more than $1 million. Don’t Dems oppose tax breaks for the rich?
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The latest evidence: She wants to “retroactively” roll back Congress’ 2017 cap on tax deductions for state and local taxes (SALT), the New York Times reports.
She claims lifting the cap would address the economic fallout of COVID-19. She wants her “fix” to be part of Congress’ next rescue plan.
But her idea has nothing to do with boosting the economy and everything to do with helping Dems in blue states, like California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. More than half the benefits of a repeal would go to folks making more than $1 million. Don’t Dems oppose tax breaks for the rich?
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Coast Guard Tells Cruise Ships With COVID-19 Cases To Stay Away From U.S. Ports
The U.S. Coast Guard is telling foreign-flagged cruise ships to be prepared to care for people with COVID-19 for an "indefinite period of time" at sea or to seek help from countries other than the U.S., citing a health care system that is being overwhelmed. The instructions are in a new safety bulletin that took effect this week along the southern Atlantic coast, including Florida – which is reporting more than 6,700 coronavirus cases, as of Tuesday evening.
If a cruise ship must send someone ashore for medical care, its owner will be responsible for essentially every step of the trip, from arranging an evacuation to hiring a private ambulance and ensuring the person has a spot in a hospital. But theCoast Guard bulletin, signed by Rear Adm. E.C. Jones of the 7th District based in Miami, also says it could be difficult to find any facility in South Florida that can take new COVID-19 patients.
"Medical facilities in the Port of Miami, for example, are no longer accepting MEDEVAC patients due to limited hospital capacity and it is expected that neighboring counties will follow suit," wrote Jones, whose Coast Guard district includes Florida, Puerto Rico, Georgia and South Carolina.
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If a cruise ship must send someone ashore for medical care, its owner will be responsible for essentially every step of the trip, from arranging an evacuation to hiring a private ambulance and ensuring the person has a spot in a hospital. But theCoast Guard bulletin, signed by Rear Adm. E.C. Jones of the 7th District based in Miami, also says it could be difficult to find any facility in South Florida that can take new COVID-19 patients.
"Medical facilities in the Port of Miami, for example, are no longer accepting MEDEVAC patients due to limited hospital capacity and it is expected that neighboring counties will follow suit," wrote Jones, whose Coast Guard district includes Florida, Puerto Rico, Georgia and South Carolina.
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Cruise Ship Struggling With COVID-19 Headed To Florida
A cruise ship with four dead and nearly 200 people who have been sick with suspected COVID-19 may be allowed to dock in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Holland America ship Zaandam has been denied permission to disembark passengers by several countries.
Executives with the cruise line's parent company, Carnival, are working with the Coast Guard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and local officials in Florida's Broward County on a plan that would allow healthy passengers to disembark. Holland America says a combined 1,243 passengers and 1,247 crew are aboard the Zaandam and a sister ship, the Rotterdam. Holland America sent the Rotterdam to bring medical personnel and supplies to the Zaandam last week after dozens became sick and four elderly passengers died. A number of elderly, but healthy passengers considered at risk were moved to the Rotterdam. Both ships went through the Panama Canal earlier this week.
Under the plan Carnival is discussing with Broward County officials, the company would charter planes and buses to take healthy passengers directly from the port in Fort Lauderdale to their destinations. Among the many foreign passengers on the cruise, Carnival says there were 250 Canadians, 120 Australians, plus passengers from Ireland, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
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Executives with the cruise line's parent company, Carnival, are working with the Coast Guard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and local officials in Florida's Broward County on a plan that would allow healthy passengers to disembark. Holland America says a combined 1,243 passengers and 1,247 crew are aboard the Zaandam and a sister ship, the Rotterdam. Holland America sent the Rotterdam to bring medical personnel and supplies to the Zaandam last week after dozens became sick and four elderly passengers died. A number of elderly, but healthy passengers considered at risk were moved to the Rotterdam. Both ships went through the Panama Canal earlier this week.
Under the plan Carnival is discussing with Broward County officials, the company would charter planes and buses to take healthy passengers directly from the port in Fort Lauderdale to their destinations. Among the many foreign passengers on the cruise, Carnival says there were 250 Canadians, 120 Australians, plus passengers from Ireland, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
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Los Angeles mayor urges residents to wear face coverings in public
Mayor Eric Garcetti joined a growing push for residents to wear face coverings when out in public.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has argued that healthy people do not need a mask if they are not working in healthcare or caring for an infected person.
But in recent days, the CDC has been weighing whether to modify its recommendations and endorse the use of homemade masks.
“I can tell you that the data and this issue of whether it’s going to contribute [to prevention] is being aggressively reviewed as we speak,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, told NPR.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has argued that healthy people do not need a mask if they are not working in healthcare or caring for an infected person.
But in recent days, the CDC has been weighing whether to modify its recommendations and endorse the use of homemade masks.
“I can tell you that the data and this issue of whether it’s going to contribute [to prevention] is being aggressively reviewed as we speak,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, told NPR.
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DOD to provide 100,000 body bags to ‘address mortuary contingencies’
The Department of Defense plans to provide 100,000 body bags at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the coronavirus death toll is expected to rise, the DOD confirmed Wednesday.
"DOD and the Defense Logistics Agency have a longstanding arrangement with FEMA to procure key commodities from DLA's industrial partners during crisis response operations,” a DOD spokesperson said in a statement. “DLA is currently responding to FEMA's prudent planning efforts for 100,000 pouches to address mortuary contingencies on behalf of state health agencies."
The DLA – an agency within the DOD -- manages the “global supply chain” for the U.S. military, according to its website. The DOD will pull from its stockpile of 50,000 bags and plans to purchase more, according to Bl
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"DOD and the Defense Logistics Agency have a longstanding arrangement with FEMA to procure key commodities from DLA's industrial partners during crisis response operations,” a DOD spokesperson said in a statement. “DLA is currently responding to FEMA's prudent planning efforts for 100,000 pouches to address mortuary contingencies on behalf of state health agencies."
The DLA – an agency within the DOD -- manages the “global supply chain” for the U.S. military, according to its website. The DOD will pull from its stockpile of 50,000 bags and plans to purchase more, according to Bl
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/dod-to-provide-100000-body-bags-as-coronavirus-deaths-grow
Are Hospitals Seeing A Surge Of Coronavirus Patients? Some Officials Aren't Saying
With tests scarce, epidemiologists are looking at hospitalizations as an indicator of how the novel coronavirus is spreading. But in some of the areas of the country worst-hit by COVID-19, states and counties aren't releasing that data.
The result is an incomplete picture of where the pandemic is surging, even in hotspots such as Washington and California.
"So as long as people aren't being turned away, we must focus on hospitalizations and ICU cases," says Steven Goodman, an epidemiologist and Stanford University's associate dean of Clinical and Translational Research. "The more reliable numbers, aside from the number of deaths, are how many people get sick enough to be in the hospital and in the ICU. That's what we need to know."
Many public health departments, such as New York City's, are publishing daily updates on the number, age and location of hospitalized patients. Louisiana is reporting the number of patients on ventilators.
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The result is an incomplete picture of where the pandemic is surging, even in hotspots such as Washington and California.
"So as long as people aren't being turned away, we must focus on hospitalizations and ICU cases," says Steven Goodman, an epidemiologist and Stanford University's associate dean of Clinical and Translational Research. "The more reliable numbers, aside from the number of deaths, are how many people get sick enough to be in the hospital and in the ICU. That's what we need to know."
Many public health departments, such as New York City's, are publishing daily updates on the number, age and location of hospitalized patients. Louisiana is reporting the number of patients on ventilators.
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US weekly jobless claims expected to blow past previous week’s 3.3M
The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits likely shot to a record high for a second week in a row as more jurisdictions enforced stay-at-home measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic, which economists say has pushed the economy into recession.
Thursday's weekly jobless claims report from the Labor Department, the most timely data on the economy's health, is expected to show that claims blew past the previous week's record 3.3 million. It will likely reinforce economists' views that the longest employment boom in U.S. history probably ended in March.
More than 80% of Americans are under some form of lockdown, up from less than 50% a couple of weeks ago, leaving state employment offices overwhelmed by an avalanche of applications.
The United States has the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, with nearly 188,000 people infected. Almost 4,000 people in the country have died from the illness, according to a Reuters tally.
"The U.S. labor market is in free-fall," said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics in New York. "The prospect of more stringent lockdown measures and the fact that many states have not yet been able to process the full amount of jobless claim applications suggest the worst is still to come."
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Thursday's weekly jobless claims report from the Labor Department, the most timely data on the economy's health, is expected to show that claims blew past the previous week's record 3.3 million. It will likely reinforce economists' views that the longest employment boom in U.S. history probably ended in March.
More than 80% of Americans are under some form of lockdown, up from less than 50% a couple of weeks ago, leaving state employment offices overwhelmed by an avalanche of applications.
The United States has the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, with nearly 188,000 people infected. Almost 4,000 people in the country have died from the illness, according to a Reuters tally.
"The U.S. labor market is in free-fall," said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics in New York. "The prospect of more stringent lockdown measures and the fact that many states have not yet been able to process the full amount of jobless claim applications suggest the worst is still to come."
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https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/us-weekly-jobless-claims-seen-at-record-high-again
Justice Department Looking Into Senator's Stock Selloff
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr sold off a large amount of stocks before the coronavirus market crash, and now the Justice Department is looking into his statements around this time period, NPR can report.
Media outlets including CNN, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press have also reported that the FBI has reached out to Burr to assess whether he made stock sales based on nonpublic information.
NPR first broke news of a secret recording in which Burr, R-N.C., privately warned well-connected constituents in February about how bad the coronavirus crisis would become.
ProPublica then reported that the senator dumped up to $1.7 million in stocks, while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand a pandemic.
An insider trading investigation hinges on whether a person made stock transactions based on relevant private information.
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Media outlets including CNN, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press have also reported that the FBI has reached out to Burr to assess whether he made stock sales based on nonpublic information.
NPR first broke news of a secret recording in which Burr, R-N.C., privately warned well-connected constituents in February about how bad the coronavirus crisis would become.
ProPublica then reported that the senator dumped up to $1.7 million in stocks, while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand a pandemic.
An insider trading investigation hinges on whether a person made stock transactions based on relevant private information.
More
Maryland Health Connection’s Emergency Special Enrollment Period for Uninsured Marylanders
Maryland Health Connection’s emergency Special Enrollment Period for uninsured Marylanders is open now through April 15, 2020. If you never had health insurance or lost your health insurance, now is your chance to get covered for 2020.
The online application is available daily at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov from 6 am to 11 pm, or call 855-642-8572 weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm to apply by telephone.
The online application is available daily at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov from 6 am to 11 pm, or call 855-642-8572 weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm to apply by telephone.
Our Health Education and Advocacy Unit can assist consumers who have enrollment disputes involving qualified health plans. Visit www.marylandcares.org for free help with an enrollment dispute.
If you have specific questions or concerns about this post, email heau@oag.state.md.us or send us a direct message through Nextdoor.
As a reminder, comments here are moderated. Comments that violate Nextdoor's Community Guidelines (https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/community-guidelines?language=en_US) will be deleted without prior warning. Thank you for your cooperation.
Prince George’s County pastor holds service in defiance of Governor’s order
BOWIE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A defiant pastor in Prince George’s County appears to have disregarded Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s social distancing rules.
State Police interrupted a church service of about 50 people over the weekend, and the entire encounter was captured on cell phone video, and posted on the pastor’s Facebook page.
A group of about 50 people gathered this past Sunday at Evangel Cathedral Church in Bowie – and none of them were social distancing.
Maryland State Police could be seen on video interrupting the service.
According to State Police, they arrived at the church around 7:30 p.m. after seeing a large crowd gathering inside Evangel Cathedral Church.
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State Police interrupted a church service of about 50 people over the weekend, and the entire encounter was captured on cell phone video, and posted on the pastor’s Facebook page.
A group of about 50 people gathered this past Sunday at Evangel Cathedral Church in Bowie – and none of them were social distancing.
Maryland State Police could be seen on video interrupting the service.
According to State Police, they arrived at the church around 7:30 p.m. after seeing a large crowd gathering inside Evangel Cathedral Church.
More
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Attack the White House with Explosives
Today Hasher Jallal Taheb, 23, of Cumming, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to destroy, by fire or an explosive, a building owned by or leased to the United States. Taleb had planned an attack on the White House using weapons and explosives. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant and the government agreed that the defendant should receive a 15-year sentence of imprisonment.
“Taheb planned to conduct a terrorist attack on the White House as part of what he claimed was his obligation to engage in jihad,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “And that was just one of the iconic American landmarks he wanted to target. Thanks to a tip from a member of the community and the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors responsible for this case, the threat posed by the defendant was neutralized and the defendant has admitted his guilt and will now be held accountable for his crime.”
“Taheb hatched a dangerous plan that would have resulted in unimaginable injury,” said Byung J. “BJay” Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “We are grateful to community members who noticed his dangerous evolution and alerted law enforcement. Along with our federal, state and local partners, we will remain vigilant in order to disrupt these types of attacks before they happen.”
“This plea is the result of a more than year-long intensive investigation by FBI Atlanta’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which was because of a tip from the community,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our citizens are our most important weapons in fighting terrorism, our eyes and ears in our communities, and why we say to please contact law enforcement if you see or hear something suspicious.”
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“Taheb planned to conduct a terrorist attack on the White House as part of what he claimed was his obligation to engage in jihad,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “And that was just one of the iconic American landmarks he wanted to target. Thanks to a tip from a member of the community and the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors responsible for this case, the threat posed by the defendant was neutralized and the defendant has admitted his guilt and will now be held accountable for his crime.”
“Taheb hatched a dangerous plan that would have resulted in unimaginable injury,” said Byung J. “BJay” Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “We are grateful to community members who noticed his dangerous evolution and alerted law enforcement. Along with our federal, state and local partners, we will remain vigilant in order to disrupt these types of attacks before they happen.”
“This plea is the result of a more than year-long intensive investigation by FBI Atlanta’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which was because of a tip from the community,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our citizens are our most important weapons in fighting terrorism, our eyes and ears in our communities, and why we say to please contact law enforcement if you see or hear something suspicious.”
More
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic 4-2-20
Maryland cases
Updated Apr 2 at 2:03 AM local
Confirmed
1,985
+325
Deaths
31
+13
Recovered
69