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Pandemic Grows, Trump Tests Negative

Donald Trump says he did not contribute to the coronavirus pandemic by removing the office created to deal with such things that had been established under Obama.

To the suprise of no one, the coronavirus is spreading around the globe. Now that three people Donald Trump shook hands with or was otherwise close to at Mar-a-Lago have tested positive, Trump changed course (yet again) and announced he has been tested. (Update: His results were negative according to his personal White House physician, Sean P. Conley, reports his tests were negative. (This is after yesterday when he said Trump didn't need to get tested.)

Spain and France have announced partial shutdowns. France has ordered all restaurants, bars, and shops closed (except grocery stores). Here is how it has been growing. [More...]

Every five minutes the news adds new actions being taken: no visiting at nursing homes and other senior living facilities; more school closures and business closures.

At least more testing centers are popping up. Colorado had them yesterday and today for four hours. Lines were long.

I grew up in New Rochelle, New York. It's so sad to it grappling with the containment zone imposed. I'm glad I don't live there now though -- the federal courts in CT and NY have just banned anyone who has been to New Rochelle from entering the courthouse (commuters who pass through it are exempted.)

The federal courts here responded quickly once Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency. I had a hearing yesterday at 10:00 a.m., probably one of the last for a while. There will be no jury trials, no grand jury meetings to return indictments, no defendants being brought in from the jails. Later in the day I got an order from a judge vacating a hearing on March 31, instructing the AUSA and I to call the clerk for a new date April 6.

The Bureau of Prisons has also acted yesterday, banning lawyer-client meetings at jails and prisons holding federal detainees and inmates. It left a little wiggle room -- we can call the detention center or FCI and ask for a private telephone call In rare instances, they may try to do an in-person meeting but it has to be very time critical and the lawyer has to go through the same screening measures as staff-members.

Has anyone noticed the increased commercials for beach resorts on TV? Why now? Were they pre-scheduled to hit at spring break time, or are they in desperation mode?

What's changed in your world since Trump decided to admit coronavirus is a national emergency and WHO declared the corona-virus a global pandemic?

Shouldn't Trump's test results be back by now?

< Server Issues Done, New Open Thread | Coronavirus Explainers >
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  • Display: Sort:
    I've never been happier (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 09:06:13 AM EST
    About the partisan divide.  Darwin speaks

    Sixty-eight percent of Democratic voters are worried that an immediate family member might catch the coronavirus, compared with just 40 percent of Republicans who agree.

    Fifty-six percent of Democrats believe their day-to-day lives will change in a major way in the future, versus only 26 percent of Republicans who think that.

    And 79 percent of Democrats say that the worst is yet to come, versus just 40 percent of Republicans who hold the same opinion.

    That partisan split also carries over to plans and activities.

    Forty-seven percent of all voters say they've stopped or plan to stop attending large public gatherings, which includes 61 percent of Democratic respondents but just 30 percent of Republicans.

    What's more, 36 percent say they've canceled or plan to cancel travel, which includes 47 percent of Democrats but just 23 percent of Republicans.

    And 26 percent say they've stopped or plan to stop eating out at restaurants, which includes 36 percent of Democrats but only 12 percent of Republicans.

    LINK

    Would they really rather die (none / 0) (#20)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 09:46:14 AM EST
    than admit Trump is wrong or something that makes him look bad?

    That was a rhetorical question.

    Parent

    The last time I went to the market (none / 0) (#21)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 09:52:21 AM EST
    There was a bunch of rednecks in the parking lot shaking each other's hands and laughing about it.

    Parent
    the problem is (none / 0) (#23)
    by leap on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:10:29 AM EST
    that these muckers will keep the virus going around and around by their cavalier, ignorant, dangerous, selfish attitude. COVID 19 might do them in, but it will affect everyone else.

    Parent
    A coworker who lives in an area (none / 0) (#59)
    by Jack E Lope on Mon Mar 16, 2020 at 01:59:08 PM EST
    ...where everyone identifies as Republican received a letter from his children's school stating that they would remain open until someone forced them to close.

    Some local group that my wife belongs to on BookFace has a faction that plans to meet this coming weekend and pray together, in person.  I do not have any conspiracy theory about the prayer-gathering location being across-the-road from a family with two adopted-from-China daughters, rather than at one of the numerous churches or grange halls in the area.

    Parent

    Strangely (none / 0) (#60)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Mar 16, 2020 at 04:03:27 PM EST
    Chilling

    Not sure I understand.  Or want to.

    | `

    Parent

    A shorter version: (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by Jack E Lope on Thu Mar 19, 2020 at 10:54:01 AM EST
    That coworker's school was showing their defiance of the librul-conspiracy virus and (potentially) the Democratic Governor Jay Inslee.  He closed schools in Western Washington, but not in the more-rural Eastern Washington (yet).

    My wife tells me that the prayer meeting is still on, in defiance of the librul-conspiracy virus and Democratic Governor Kate Brown.  

    I've started calling the reactionary prayer meeting, "The Twenty-minutes Hate".  Apologies to Orwell.

    Parent

    Think of it (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by Zorba on Thu Mar 19, 2020 at 02:13:56 PM EST
    As evolution in action.

    Parent
    Gov Inslee closed ALL the schools (none / 0) (#66)
    by leap on Thu Mar 19, 2020 at 04:20:42 PM EST
    To be clear (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by smott on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 09:58:02 AM EST
    Trump's doctor claims Trump is negative.
    He also claimed the 73 yr old obese President was fitter than he was.


    Well, we (none / 0) (#25)
    by KeysDan on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:46:25 AM EST
    have to wait and see what Trump's NYC physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, has to say.  In the past, Dr, Bornstein's diagnosis of Trump was, in medical terms, fit as a fiddle.  And, all his tests were positive.

    Parent
    He is two inches taller than me (none / 0) (#34)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 11:39:37 AM EST
    If he weighs 243 pounds I'm the freakin Queen of England.

    Parent
    No, wait! (none / 0) (#35)
    by leap on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 12:23:42 PM EST
    I thought It's weight was a slim and willowy 239 lbs?

    Parent
    It's "239" because (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by smott on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 01:42:56 PM EST
    For his height 240 would place his BMI in the Obese category

    Parent
    he also predicted (none / 0) (#44)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 05:08:44 PM EST
    that Trump would stay fit throughout his term and beyond which had doctors in an uproar, it was pure fortune-telling.

    Parent
    Prediction (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 11:08:36 AM EST
    In about nine months we will see a baby boom.

    Seems the main consideration (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Chuck0 on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 01:20:45 PM EST
    for pardons now is being a bootlicker, war criminal or traitor to your country. I guarantee Stone is next on the list.

    This administration has sunk to depths I never thought possible.

    And if anyone ever doubted what a despicable, sorry excuse of human trash that is the current occupant of 1600 PA is, it seems he wanted to buy a coronavirus vaccine for the US ONLY.  

    Because the "FBI (5.00 / 2) (#41)
    by KeysDan on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 02:19:57 PM EST
    in conjunction with the DOJ" lost Flynn's records.  Whatever that means.  Sounds like a grossly incompetent and corrupt DOJ---requiring the firing of its head, AG Barr.

    If that is not bizarre enough, why is Trump tweeting about Flynn in the midst of this pandemic crisis?  State and local officials are asking for help... the Governor of Illinois is seeking, to no avail, support for the a Trumpian mess at O'Hare.  And, too, he is tweeting about Hillary's emails/Benghazi.

    In honor of the "Chinese virus" (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Mar 17, 2020 at 09:05:30 AM EST
    We had pork fried ride, bourbon chicken, and egg rolls from local Chinese takeout.

    We need to rid ourselves of the "American" virus in DC.


    I made some Yangzhou fried rice for (none / 0) (#62)
    by vml68 on Tue Mar 17, 2020 at 09:59:44 AM EST
    dinner last night.

    Parent
    I'm not sure (none / 0) (#1)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:08:17 PM EST
    what to think or how to feel. So far nobody I know has contacted it but then we are not testing. So who knows? Schools here are now closed for 2 weeks. We are supposed to go to Mexico for Spring Break. We're not sure what we need to do right now.

    I am exhibiting "minor symptoms" (none / 0) (#2)
    by CST on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:13:16 PM EST
    But I have no way of knowing if this is what it is. They won't teat anyone who isn't seriously ill and has come into direct contact with a known carrier.  I'm not any of those things so for now I'm just lying low and hoping it blows over.

    I'm officially working from home for two weeks. I just really wish there was some way of knowing for sure.

    Parent

    Sorry (none / 0) (#3)
    by CST on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:13:52 PM EST
    They won't test* anyone

    Parent
    Yes, (none / 0) (#4)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:33:04 PM EST
    that is worrisome and I'm sure it is due to the lack of tests that they are only testing serious cases. The craziness is though if you have it, you're gonna accidentally probably give it to someone or have already given it to someone.

    Parent
    I really think I might have (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:06:49 PM EST
    Had an early case.  I got in when I was an out patient for a colonoscopy.  The dates were perfect.

    I felt crappy for a couple of weeks but not to serious.

    The reason I think this is I read one of the indicators that you have corona and not the flu is that often people do not have a runny nose.  I did not.  Which is really unusual for me.  My sinuses are really f'ed up.  They are literally the first thing to go.  I have never had a cold without a runny nose but I had a sore throat and a dry cough but no runny nose

    I just stayed home so even if I had known for sure it would probably not really have changed my behavior.  I was never sick enough to go to a doctor.

    I'm pretty much back to normal with a nagging cough

    Parent

    CNN (none / 0) (#9)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:26:35 PM EST
    "The flu and the novel coronavirus, these affect other systems and the lower respiratory tract, Poland says. "You probably won't have a runny nose, but what you might have is a sore throat, a cough, a fever or shortness of breath. So it's a subtly different clinical diagnosis.

    It was weird.  Not like the flu.  Not like a cold. But a bad cough.  If you have a cough a great thing to take is Mucinex DM.

    My Dr suggested it a few months ago and it's the best cough suppressant I've ever used.

    Parent

    why would you have gotten it (none / 0) (#10)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:31:12 PM EST
    at the colonoscopy center? Have you checked with them or the county health services to see if anyone else got it there?

    Parent
    I assumed just from being in the (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:49:30 PM EST
    Hospital.  Every time I go to the hospital for one of those things (colonoscopy, I've been getting them for years) I leave with something.  A cold, the flu.  I even joked with the nurse when I was setting the appointment that it always happens.

    I did not call them.  For a few reasons.  One, it was my first dealing with that hospital, I just moved.  Well a couple of years ago.  And I have been switching my health care to more local places.  I have a new doctor who is in a different medical organization.  Before I was in the Ozark Medical complex in southern MO.  I really liked it.  And everyone told me I would not like the new one.  White River medical complex.

    They were right.  It was awful.  From start to finish.  I've already started preparing to switch back and accept the drive.   That's a whole other conversation but that's one reason I did not contact them I figured they would find a way to screw that up too.  Including maybe some kind of quarantine or who knows what.  I decided to not give them the chance.

    One of the 6 known cases in the state is from an area that would have used that hospital.  So it's very possible.  

    There just aren't that many hospitals here.

    As more and more states all around us started having cases, smart people who live here could guess the reason they had no cases in the state was more likely stupidity and bad health care than a scarcity of cases.  I'm betting there will be hundreds of cases when we finally get tested.  

    My friend the nurse says it's already in his nursing home.  They just started testing but they are pretty sure.

    Parent

    As an example of how bad it was (none / 0) (#12)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:58:55 PM EST
    I was in the holding area, in a backless gown on a gurney for 7 hours.

    Close contact with others

    There was 6 gurneys.  I was on number 5.  They were supposed to start at 7.  I was to show up at 9.  I did and the doctor had not even arrived yet.  It was a shi+show.   Figuratively and literally.

    Parent

    Looking for a good pandemic story? (none / 0) (#5)
    by desertswine on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:38:50 PM EST
    Pale Horse Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter

    The story is semi-autobiographical. Porter was 28 during the 1918-19 pandemic and working for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. She was dating a young soldier, who was readying for deployment overseas. When she fell sick, he nursed her at her boarding house, until her editor finally pulled strings to get her admitted to a hospital. That hospital was so overcrowded that Porter was left on a gurney in a hallway for nine days, running a fever of 105. When she recovered, she found out that the soldier had died of the flu. Pale Horse, Pale Rider gives the bones of this experience to its protagonist, Miranda Gay.

    Oh, and Trump is lying.

    Headline at Drudge (none / 0) (#6)
    by ragebot on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 06:49:29 PM EST
    Trump Negative

    The link goes to a story about Trump testing negative for the corona virus.

    That definitely settles that (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 07:09:37 PM EST
    They would never mislead us.

    Parent
    If conveying accurate (none / 0) (#13)
    by jondee on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 08:00:08 PM EST
    information was Drudge's first priority, they wouldn't link to InfoWars and The Daily Mail.

    Parent
    I wasn't talking about DRUDGE (none / 0) (#14)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 08:03:31 PM EST
    he has become a safer source since he turned on Trump.  But you are right.  Still I was talking about Trump and the Minions

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#15)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 08:20:12 PM EST
    it makes no difference if Trump took the test or not as far as we're concerned. Sounds like they're just making it up because of the criticism of him eating the microphone at his speech and shaking hands with everybody. Also Mar A Lago appears to be ground zero with coronavirus. It seems everybody that has been there has contacted the virus. He sure looked sick the other day with his right eye appearing to be swollen shut. He's also not playing golf this weekend. Maybe he really is sick.

    Parent
    Things are changing so fast (none / 0) (#16)
    by MKS on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 08:30:18 PM EST
    Not sure what will happen on Monday.  

    What will be cancelled?

    I ventured out to a couple of stores around 7:00 a.m. this morning and they were already being overrun.  Long gone were the toilet paper and hand sanitizers....Now, the canned food was going very quickly.

    No one sick here that I know of.  Lots of scared people though.

    We could stay in the house now for two weeks if we had to.  But we would miss a lot of things.  It is hard to know if one is overreacting or underreacting.  So little reliable information out there.

    This is a bit scary (none / 0) (#17)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Mar 14, 2020 at 08:33:29 PM EST

    Supermarkets Brace for Labor Shortages

    March 14, 2020 at 2:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 698 Comments

    Washington Post: "The companies that feed America and provide basic staples are bracing for labor shortages as the novel coronavirus pandemic intensifies, which could leave them without enough workers to manufacture, deliver and unpack groceries in stores in the coming months."

    "As the virus spreads, supermarkets and distribution facilities face a difficult choice: how to keep shelves stocked with essentials while keeping their workers safe."



    Parent
    It is (none / 0) (#18)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 05:55:19 AM EST
    for me simply because I did not buy enough for a month. I might be able to make it for a month cleaning out my freezer but I wouldn't guarantee it.

    Parent
    That was interesting (none / 0) (#24)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:33:50 AM EST
    I did not want to give up going to the gym, but....

    So, I went in at 4:00 a.m.   With a bottle of 409 spray and paper towels in my gym bag.  Sprayed everything in sight.   Wiped it all down.

    Not too many other people there....

    This will work for me.  They key seems to be keeping away from other people.  I can zap the germs on surfaces, but can't control people from coughing and breathing out the virus.

    The only possible limiting factor:  Hard to get paper towels and I bought the last bottle of 409 spray on the shelf yesterday.


    Those blue "examination gloves" (none / 0) (#26)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:51:17 AM EST
    Are 7 bucks for 100 prs (at Walmart) if you can find them.  It's a lot easier.  I left a link in the last thread.

    Also, about gloves, I read that's not recommended because you might touch your face.  Speaking just for myself there is no better reminder to not touch my face than rubber gloves

    I plan to wear them every time I go out and stay as far from others as possible.  One benefit of rural living is that's not that hard.  Besides fewer of them people here have a different ideas of personal space than city dwellers.

    Beyond that, being a natural hermit who most enjoys cooking and eating at home it's not that hard for me.  

    Parent

    Also (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:56:28 AM EST
    I mentioned before the weird looks and hostility I got the first time I wore them to Walmart.

    The next (last) I went half the people there were wearing them.  And they were out.  Fortunately I got a box the time before so I'm good.

    Parent

    Yeah, a guy was weating gloves (none / 0) (#28)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 11:00:03 AM EST
    but it is harder to grasp with them on imo, and hard to find.

    Parent
    Not with the ones I'm talking about (none / 0) (#29)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 11:03:40 AM EST
    Them are very thin.  

    Parent
    May consider (none / 0) (#43)
    by KeysDan on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 05:00:57 PM EST
    suspending commercial gyms.  Brisk walking for a mile is a reasonable interim measure.

    Parent
    Yep, no doubt, (none / 0) (#49)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 06:54:46 PM EST
    it could happen.

    I would not go when a lot of other people are there.  I may need to give it up.  But no direction on that yet.

    Parent

    Is 409 a disinfectant? (none / 0) (#45)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 05:09:34 PM EST
    It says on the bottle (none / 0) (#48)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 06:51:11 PM EST
    that it kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.

    But nothing, I know, is perfect.  So, I wash my hands throughout....

    Parent

    PPV (none / 0) (#33)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 11:30:42 AM EST
    I read entertainment companies are considering releasing new movies to PPV sooner than usual.  (Google - theater attendance corona)
    Disney just released The Rise if Skywalker.  Currently it's buy only but by the time you are under marshal law you can probably rent it.  And others.

    Silver linings are us


    Please put (none / 0) (#46)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 05:10:50 PM EST
    non coronavirus comments in an open thread, thanks!

    Parent
    Sorry (none / 0) (#58)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Mar 16, 2020 at 08:29:45 AM EST
    Didn't think there was one

    Parent
    I was in downtown Los Gatos, CA yesterday (none / 0) (#47)
    by McBain on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 06:47:30 PM EST
    It looked like a normal Saturday to me.  People were jogging, sitting outside a coffee shop, excising at a gym, walking around. Later, I went to a local grocery store and had a mostly normal experience there.

    Things might change this week as public schools will be closed and there are new rules about public gatherings.  


    My wife is from Los Gatos (none / 0) (#50)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 06:56:27 PM EST
    It is different....very wealthy and snooty.....

    Parent
    So I was in the hospital a few weeks (none / 0) (#51)
    by desertswine on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 07:18:56 PM EST
    ago for 2 nights.  I was diagnosed with the flu, but maybe it was corona v, who knows, it was before anyone here was testing for it.  So I get the bill this week.  It's for $10,097.00.  2 nights, are you kidding me?  Luckily, I have the insurance so I only owe them $250.00.  But there are millions of people w/o any insurance whatsoever.  And we have, literally, no healthcare system.  How are they to handle the corona with no resources?

    Are you in Albuquerque? (none / 0) (#52)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 07:31:18 PM EST
    We have a place in rural Grant County under construction.

    Perfect place to be if it were complete.  Off grid, 15 miles down a dirt road that is not passable when it rains.

    Had planned to drive there this Friday. We'll see.

    Parent

    Oh yes, I remember.. (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by desertswine on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 08:41:59 PM EST
    somewhere out near Silver City right?  Beautiful area.  And yes I'm in Albq.

    Parent
    The NM Gov (none / 0) (#56)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 08:53:02 PM EST
    really seems ahead of the curve on this virus.  One of the first I think to cancel school?

    Parent
    Yes, she's on top of this.. (none / 0) (#57)
    by desertswine on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 10:45:17 PM EST
    Also, students can still pick up meals.  There's lots of poor kids in this state.  For some, its the only hot meal they get.

    Parent
    So are you (none / 0) (#53)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 08:06:58 PM EST
    building the retirement home you were talking about a while back? NM looks like a good place to retire.

    Parent
    Yep (none / 0) (#55)
    by MKS on Sun Mar 15, 2020 at 08:52:07 PM EST
    Going to go full retro.  Off the grid. 1890.  Horses. Cowboys.  Ranchland.  But satellite tv and internet.

    But son still in SoCal so more of a second home right now.  Once it gets finally finished.


    Parent

    Hey folks, Chicken Little here. (none / 0) (#63)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Mar 19, 2020 at 09:04:55 AM EST
    Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

    My company has essentially sent everyone home to work from home. I work in Tech Pubs, so most of our people will be able to continue working. The manufacturing guys will be screwed if they shut down the plant. I was 2 weeks ahead of the curve. I notified my boss I would be working from home indefinitely 2 weeks ago. It was the email from my sister in China.

    I notice the Russian trolls have all crawled back into their holes now that the political threads have quieted down. Funny how that is.