Coronavirus and the USA

[Bozza]

She has got an axe to grind, but that is scandalous if true. Manipulating data is fraud. That's a crime of dishonesty.

The story has been covered in many places - there seems little doubt she was booted out because she didn't want to play the cover-up game.

Mwanwhile, in Texas: Texas Medical Center Deletes ICU Data Amid State's Coronavirus Spike - https://www.newsweek.com/texas-medical-center-deletes-icu-data-amid-states-coronavirus-spike-1513943

 

[LamieRobertson]

...and they were moaning about the Chinese not being transparent....hmmm

 

[vegster]

...and they were moaning about the Chinese not being transparent....hmmm

Funny how times change isn't it?

 

[vegster]

Looking like the US might be hitting a new daily cases record by the end of the week.

The numbers of deaths daily is reducing as doctors have learned the best procedures and treatments but, what happens when the surge of cases overloads the ICU's and those infected don't all get the treatment required?

 

[vegster]

Bad day for Trump, President of the USA a wanted man, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-53223523

 

[Raphael Meade]

I've been following it very closely partly because, for all its many faults, I love the US and it's been our holiday destination of choice for many years, but also because for the last 3-4 weeks it's been plainly obvious what is unfolding and it's been like watching a slow-moving car crash. There is some morbid fascination about seeing how it all plays out.

I interact with a lot of people, mainly runners, on Instagram and I've been gobsmacked at the apparent disregard of many towards social distancing for many weeks now. A fair few are in California as it happens, and it's jaw-dropping given how careful we (my family that is) continue to be.

Sounds like you're being eminently sensible - keep staying safe.

Thanks Bozza, definitely a weird time with no sign of improvement really. Florida and the more republican leaning places are really in trouble as they see masks or any instruction at all as such an 'assault on their freedoms' that they flat out won't get with it, and they're just screwing themselves. It's crazy but also pretty sad to watch, honestly.

Here in California, Orange County (the one below LA) put a 'suggested' mask rule in place, not even mandatory - the health officer for the county was forced out of her job after protests by the right wingers/anti mask/anti everything crowd. She had to resign and the new officer rescinded the order. That was about a month ago and now it's one of the bigger spikes in the country and they're talking about hospital capacities etc all over again. Total madness.

 

[Bozza]

Thanks Bozza, definitely a weird time with no sign of improvement really. Florida and the more republican leaning places are really in trouble as they see masks or any instruction at all as such an 'assault on their freedoms' that they flat out won't get with it, and they're just screwing themselves. It's crazy but also pretty sad to watch, honestly.

Here in California, Orange County (the one below LA) put a 'suggested' mask rule in place, not even mandatory - the health officer for the county was forced out of her job after protests by the right wingers/anti mask/anti everything crowd. She had to resign and the new officer rescinded the order. That was about a month ago and now it's one of the bigger spikes in the country and they're talking about hospital capacities etc all over again. Total madness.

Just read this on CNN in LA County. The commentary on those ignoring the protocols, all of which seem to be indoor settings, is really quite disappointing...

Since beginning to reopen several weeks ago, Los Angeles is seeing an alarming rise in cases, positivity rates, and hospitalizations, Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

There are now more than 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Los Angeles, with yet another single-day high of at least 2,903 new cases reported today.

"We did not expect to see this steep an increase this quickly," Ferrer said in a news conference.

The positivity rate in Los Angeles has jumped to almost 9%. About a month ago, the positivity rate in the county was at 4.6%.

Speaking specifically to those not taking health orders seriously, Ferrer said, “If you’re not part of the solution… you’re part of the problem.”

About half of the bars surveyed did not comply with physical distancing and employees were not wearing masks. Retail shops were in compliance about 65% of the time, and about 83% of restaurants were following orders.​

 

[Bozza]

Los Angeles has only enough hospital beds for a few weeks, health official says

With the current rate of case increases in Los Angeles, hospital beds will reach capacity within just a few weeks. Currently, there are only 200 intensive care unit beds available in the county, according to data presented by Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly.

“The number of hospital beds could become inadequate in the next few weeks,” Ghaly said.
She added there are only enough ventilators in the county to last four weeks and says the county’s projections show a marked increase in mortality rates.

The hospital system does have the ability to increase capacity by once again canceling all elective surgeries and adding beds in non-traditional areas like emergency rooms.

“We want to avoid the need to surge at all costs,” Ghaly warned.

One in 140 people in Los Angeles are likely infectious right now. Just last week, that number was only about one in 400, according to Ghaly.

“We can’t sustain this rate of increases. We just can’t,” Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “This train can be a runaway train if we don’t put the brakes on it.”

 

[AZ Gull]

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey this afternoon announced that nightclubs, bars, gyms, water parks and movie theaters would close for at least 30 days, effective tonight - Arizona to close bars, gyms, theaters again; delay start of school

 

[vegster]

All the good work of the earlier lockdowns has been thrown away it seems...…..


Dr Anthony Fauci tells the US Senate hearing in Washington that "clearly we are not in total control right now" of the US pandemic.
"We’re going to continue to be in a lot of trouble" if people don't start social distancing and wearing masks, he warns.
Daily cases are currently at around 40,000 per day.
The daily infection rate "could easily go up to 100,000 a day," he continues, saying he "would not be surprised" to see such a high rate of infection.
"It is going to be very disturbing, I will guarantee you that."

 

[Raphael Meade]

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey this afternoon announced that nightclubs, bars, gyms, water parks and movie theaters would close for at least 30 days, effective tonight - Arizona to close bars, gyms, theaters again; delay start of school

Better late than never!

News in last 24 hours seems to be tying the current increases back to Memorial Day (basically a bank holiday weekend) at end of May. Excellent news considering this weekend is the July 4th holiday ("Independence Day") - LA has just preemptively closed all the beaches.

In short, people are ****ing idiots and the leaders are too scared of Tr*mp to challenge them.

 

[Raphael Meade]

Los Angeles has only enough hospital beds for a few weeks, health official says

With the current rate of case increases in Los Angeles, hospital beds will reach capacity within just a few weeks. Currently, there are only 200 intensive care unit beds available in the county, according to data presented by Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly.

“The number of hospital beds could become inadequate in the next few weeks,” Ghaly said.
She added there are only enough ventilators in the county to last four weeks and says the county’s projections show a marked increase in mortality rates.

The hospital system does have the ability to increase capacity by once again canceling all elective surgeries and adding beds in non-traditional areas like emergency rooms.

“We want to avoid the need to surge at all costs,” Ghaly warned.

One in 140 people in Los Angeles are likely infectious right now. Just last week, that number was only about one in 400, according to Ghaly.

“We can’t sustain this rate of increases. We just can’t,” Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “This train can be a runaway train if we don’t put the brakes on it.”

Updating the wife's Canadian passport as we speak! Lol

 

[vegster]

Better late than never!

News in last 24 hours seems to be tying the current increases back to Memorial Day (basically a bank holiday weekend) at end of May. Excellent news considering this weekend is the July 4th holiday ("Independence Day") - LA has just preemptively closed all the beaches.

In short, people are ****ing idiots and the leaders are too scared of Tr*mp to challenge them.

It sounds like it is getting very scary out there, a lack of leadership combined with haphazard State guidance and regulations plus American's basic right to do what they bloody well want is all contributing to a perfect storm, take care !

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Fauci's latest statement includes:

"alarmingly large" number of Americans are "anti-science".

They are fighting a loosing battle. My only hope is that somehow things don't end up as bad as I believe they will.

 

[Raphael Meade]

It sounds like it is getting very scary out there, a lack of leadership combined with haphazard State guidance and regulations plus American's basic right to do what they bloody well want is all contributing to a perfect storm, take care !

Thanks and yeah it really is. Cupboards are full so will ride it out.

If it wouldn't put older family members at risk and we didnt have to contend with how dangerous airports/flying is, I think we'd be on a plane back to sussex for the duration!

 

[vegster]

Just noticed this on my news feed, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug

Bad luck for the rest of us eh ?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Just noticed this on my news feed, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug

Bad luck for the rest of us eh ?

Maybe not according to Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University. We may have a last resort:

Hill said there was a way for the UK to secure supplies of this and other drugs during the pandemic, through what is known as a compulsory licence, which overrides the intellectual property rights of the company. That would allow the UK government to buy from generic companies in Bangladesh or India, where Gilead’s patent is not recognised.

The UK has always upheld patents, backing the argument of pharma companies that they need their 20-year monopoly to recoup the money they put into research and development. But other countries have shown an interest in compulsory licensing. “It is a question of what countries are prepared to do if this becomes a problem,” said Hill.

 

[Poojah]

Just noticed this on my news feed, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug

Bad luck for the rest of us eh ?

The sad thing, if this report is accurate, is that the US mismanagement of the virus could have disastrous effects for other nations, in particular those who lack the resources of the world’s largest economy.

It’s easy to poke fun at the US these days, but the impact of their calamitous approach to this situation is tantamount to war crimes.

 

[The Wizard]

Could be 50000 cases today, they’ve just bought up 90% of the world supply of Remdisivir, poor/medium income countries are allowed to produce it but Gillead hold the key to making it for developed countries. Appalling really that countries aren’t allowed to make a drug that is clinically proven to help reduce recovery time.

As far as cases go the USA figures are very concerning, hopefully it’s a less vulnerable population catching the virus now. 50000 cases a day is equivalent to the U.K. having 10000, very alarming.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Just noticed this on my news feed, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug

Bad luck for the rest of us eh ?

Good luck with trade deals