Corona Virus: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

[$iljanus]

In the midst of a pandemic the US considering plans to roll back infection control protocols in nursing homes. No really.

I guess it’s their way of getting Medicare and Social Security spending out of control. It’s not like the elderly 1% are living in your typical nursing home...

[LordMortis]

[...] Unfortunately, he also stoked the fires of rage out in the white terrorist faction and it might get out of control...

A propos of that...

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1257344749784137732?s=20

I'm sure he's a very good person.

[Smoove_B]

Good luck, Massachusetts.

https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status ... 3123631104

Right now outside the Massachusetts State House.

This crowd is calling for the Governor to reopen the state.

While packed tightly together, with many not wearing masks.

I saw someone explain this in a way I liked over the weekend. When this all started back in March, you could imagine the way out like being in a giant funnel. With every passing day, we're moving forward, but the length (and width) of the funnel is increasing more and more.

[Blackhawk]

A security guard was fatally shot for enforcing the Michigan mask policy, prosecutor says

A Family Dollar store security guard was fatally shot in Flint, Mich. on Friday after telling a customer her child had to wear a face mask to enter the store, the prosecutor’s office said.

The argument began when the security guard, Calvin Munerlyn, 43, told Sharmel Lashe Teague, 45, that customers needed to wear face masks in the store, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said at a Monday press conference. She yelled at him, spit on him and drove off, Leyton said. About 20 minutes later, her car returned to the store and her husband and son, Larry Edward Teague, 44, and Ramonyea Travon Bishop, 23, stepped out and confronted Munerlyn, according to investigators who spoke to witnesses in the store and reviewed surveillance video. Bishop pulled out a gun and shot him, Leyton said.

[El Guapo]

Goddamn it. I mean, I know that there were about a million Trump voters in Massachusetts in 2016....but I still like to think that we're not one of the crazy states.

[Blackhawk]

Good luck, Massachusetts.

https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status ... 3123631104

Right now outside the Massachusetts State House.

This crowd is calling for the Governor to reopen the state.

While packed tightly together, with many not wearing masks.

I saw someone explain this in a way I liked over the weekend. When this all started back in March, you could imagine the way out like being in a giant funnel. With every passing day, we're moving forward, but the length (and width) of the funnel is increasing more and more.

I see people, they don't know they are dead... ...walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead.

[Smoove_B]

Goddamn it. I mean, I know that there were about a million Trump voters in Massachusetts in 2016....but I still like to think that we're not one of the crazy states.

As the state with the first board of health and public health department (Boston, 1799), it's extra depressing. As the nation's first Health Officer, Paul Revere would be sad.

[Smoove_B]

And hey, it worked for the impeachment hearings so why not during a pandemic:

White House coronavirus task force members are prohibited from testifying before Congress this month under new guidance issued by the Trump administration Monday.

Task force members and key deputies have been instructed not to accept invitations to participate in congressional hearings in May, while other agencies responding to the pandemic are being advised to limit the number of hearings they attend.

Top administration officials argue the coronavirus task force and the primary agencies responding to the pandemic need to focus their attention and resources on response efforts, and that having them testify could use up critical hours.

Every day continues to get worse. Every. Day.

[Holman]

From an evolutionary perspective, maybe it's most efficient to let everyone stand (or die) on their own. But then we should also eliminate all vaccines, farming, medicine, electricity, mass production, currency, trade; pretty much every advantage society bestows upon us.

Or rather, the proponents of laissez-faire individualism can eliminate it for themselves and everyone else can live in their weakened state. We can make a contest out of it.

"I don't need brains, community, or altruism!" would be a definitive Darwinian experiment.

Oh, wait. We're doing it now, aren't we?

[Kraken]

Goddamn it. I mean, I know that there were about a million Trump voters in Massachusetts in 2016....but I still like to think that we're not one of the crazy states.

+1. At least they don't have guns.

Given that we are still the 4th-worst afflicted state, and the curve hasn't even begun to trend downward, prudence dictates staying closed through May, at least.

[Jaymann]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

[El Guapo]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I really hope that journalism programs these days have multiple courses on headline / chyron writing.

[Kraken]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I really hope that journalism programs these days have multiple courses on headline / chyron writing.

I'm seeing stories on Al Jazeera, BBC, and Reuters that give this accusation legs (unlike the Chinese lab origin smokescreen). Don't let China off the hook just because Trump said it.

[Moat_Man]

chyron

Thanks for using that word. Didn't know it existed.

[Combustible Lemur]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I really hope that journalism programs these days have multiple courses on headline / chyron writing.

I'm seeing stories on Al Jazeera, BBC, and Reuters that give this accusation legs (unlike the Chinese lab origin smokescreen). Don't let China off the hook just because Trump said it.

Yeah, China definitely hid data.

Chris Hayes did a really good segment tonight about why the Trump China Lab thing is double stupid.

First, his intelligence community and his scientific community say there is Zero actual evidence even if the natural virus lab accident is theoretically possible.

Second, even if the lab accident was the case, it would suggest China was working diligently on a vaccine and research in a controlled environment and a tragic accident happened.
Not the foreseeble repurcussions of flaunting international health standards to maintain the culture of a wet market for political security.

Trump and his lackeys are pushing a conspiracy to protect his "always right" and Chinese people are evil shticks that actually makes China look better. WTF...

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[Victoria Raverna]

While China always hide stuff, this is still funny China's answer/propaganda about US accusation:

[Paingod]

The China side of that should have had that first doctor get slapped back with government threats before dying of the virus and having a new spokesperson step up.

[LordMortis]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I really hope that journalism programs these days have multiple courses on headline / chyron writing.

And trying to limit information.

[malchior]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

He is Head of the Government and Head of State. He *is* the US according to age old diplomatic standards.

[LawBeefaroni]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I got a copy of "The Epoch Times" in the mail yesterday. It wasn't addressed, just a bulk mailer and delivered to our locked USPS box. So I assume everyone in the neighborhood got one. It is a total propaganda rag in shopper format, every article was about the "CCP" and their causing the virus, covering up the virus, attacking the US, etc. Every one of about 25 articles.

I have seen some of their ads on YouTube so I kind of knew what to expect but this is really next level. A quick search reveals that it's funded by Falun Gong. Strange bedfellows these days.

[LordMortis]

I have seen some of their ads on YouTube so I kind of knew what to expect but this is really next level. A quick search reveals that it's funded by Falun Gong. Strange bedfellows these days.

I was going to block their ads on youtube but I figure if they want to pay to keep my content free, fudge it. Their stitch is offensive to me but I can wait five seconds and skip if they fund my watching. Someone will need to inform me if Google ever start to reflect the views of their sponsors.

[malchior]

Perfectly timed for opening up the nation! Even more potentially bad news.

Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The new strain appeared in February in Europe, migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March, the scientists wrote.

In addition to spreading faster, it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a first bout with the disease, the report warned.

The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv, a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer reviewed, an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments. That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one.

The mutation identified in the new report affects the now infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus, which allow it to enter human respiratory cells. The report’s authors said they felt an “urgent need for an early warning” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain.

Wherever the new strain appeared, it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan, China, and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations, according to the report. The new strain’s dominance over its predecessors demonstrates that it is more infectious, according to the report, though exactly why is not yet known.

The coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year.

The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world, collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-private organization in Germany. Time and again, the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant.

[El Guapo]

I hate how the headline on YouTube is "US accuses China of covering up severity of Corona Virus..." when it was only the marmalade in chief doing the accusing.

I really hope that journalism programs these days have multiple courses on headline / chyron writing.

I'm seeing stories on Al Jazeera, BBC, and Reuters that give this accusation legs (unlike the Chinese lab origin smokescreen). Don't let China off the hook just because Trump said it.

Oh yeah it's far from crazy to say that China downplayed the severity of the virus at points, that it lowballed the probable actual death total, etc. Just making a broader point about headline / chyron writing, although this example is far from the worst.

[El Guapo]

Perfectly timed for opening up the nation! Even more potentially bad news.

Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The new strain appeared in February in Europe, migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March, the scientists wrote.

In addition to spreading faster, it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a first bout with the disease, the report warned.

The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv, a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer reviewed, an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments. That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one.

The mutation identified in the new report affects the now infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus, which allow it to enter human respiratory cells. The report’s authors said they felt an “urgent need for an early warning” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain.

Wherever the new strain appeared, it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan, China, and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations, according to the report. The new strain’s dominance over its predecessors demonstrates that it is more infectious, according to the report, though exactly why is not yet known.

The coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year.

The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world, collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-private organization in Germany. Time and again, the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant.

So this would be the main strain that we've been dealing with in the U.S., right? At least that would indicate that it's not a worse strain than we've had here to date.

[malchior]

So this would be the main strain that we've been dealing with in the U.S., right? At least that would indicate that it's not a worse strain than we've had here to date.

The west coast strain might be different from the east coast strain. No comparative on deadliness/impact/etc but thought to be more contagious. For my master's class I dug into some of the studies to build some rudimentary models - which I posted some results of up thread somewhere - but one thing I remember is the Japanese had isolated two strains as well. And had compared some of the data. I don't know if this is the same thing or a third strain. The bottom line though is that it undermines albeit to an unknown degree the hope for a vaccine . That is pretty depressing to me. Especially when the consensus models are trending us towards 100K dead by month's end and all of them assume that current control measures stay in place.

[Unagi]

So what happened to yesterday’s news (here) that it is not mutating as far as we know?

I mean , this sounds like it’s plain as day.

[Unagi]

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/05/04/us/m ... index.html

Security Guard shot for trying to enforce a mask rule at a dollar store.

[malchior]

So what happened to yesterday’s news (here) that it is not mutating as far as we know?

I mean , this sounds like it’s plain as day.

Fog of coronavirus. The LA Times story is running today. If you read the actual study paper, the journal has the following warning at the top:

bioRxiv is receiving many new papers on coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. A reminder: these are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or be reported in news media as established information.

The last part the LA Times ignored, but I'll assume they made an editorial decision based on the people involved and that it doesn't affect the day-to-day. It has strategic/perspective impact.

Edit: Went down the rabbit hole a tiny way - one guy is tracing the spread of this strain and it appears to be broad. Some discussion on the paper's page about perhaps there needs to be study to see if medical outcomes were different between the strains. Bottom line. We don't know so much about this.

[Unagi]

Also. Wouldn’t this be called CoVID-20, if it’s a new strain ?



Oh wait. It has not been peer reviewed?

[Kraken]

Also. Wouldn’t this be called CoVID-20, if it’s a new strain ?



Oh wait. It has not been peer reviewed?

Covid is the disease. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus. So maybe SARS-CoV-2.1...although as much as viruses mutate, that would get unwieldy fast.

[malchior]

Also. Wouldn’t this be called CoVID-20, if it’s a new strain ?



Oh wait. It has not been peer reviewed?

Covid is the disease. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus. So maybe SARS-CoV-2.1...although as much as viruses mutate, that would get unwieldy fast.

This is where the language gets tricky for me as well. Strain/lineage/subtype/etc. Whatever the case, this appears to be a slightly different version that may infect easier and is appearing as the predominant version in parts of the country/world.

[Unagi]

A disease caused by Corona Virus, with ID 19

V is for virus


In any case , how would a new strain not produce a new ‘year’ number?

I guess I’m saying isn’t this a new disease? Cause by a new strain ?

[LawBeefaroni]

So what you're saying is that the Chinese engineered two different strains and gave us the bad one? Figures.

[LawBeefaroni]

A disease caused by Corona Virus, with ID 19

V is for virus


In any case , how would a new strain not produce a new ‘year’ number?

What if you get two in the same year? I think the year convention is for the first appearance of the novel form. After that it's sub-something. Sub type? Sub strain?

[malchior]

So what you're saying is that the Chinese engineered two different strains and gave us the bad one? Figures.

Yep. They faked us out with a local easily containable outbreak. Smart.

[Unagi]

If they would take two different vaccines?

And if they don’t, then I personally am not as worried about it being a ‘new strain’

[Kraken]

Goddamn it. I mean, I know that there were about a million Trump voters in Massachusetts in 2016....but I still like to think that we're not one of the crazy states.

+1. At least they don't have guns.

Given that we are still the 4th-worst afflicted state, and the curve hasn't even begun to trend downward, prudence dictates staying closed through May, at least.

About those protests in Boston yesterday: They were led by the usual freedumb fighters.

Around 1 p.m., the gathering, called the Liberty Rally and promoted by the right-wing provocateurs behind last September’s controversial Straight Pride Parade and conservative local radio host Jeffrey Kuhner, took over part of Beacon Street. Demonstrators brandished American flags and Trump 2020 signs, along with signs that read “end the shutdown,” “all jobs are essential,” and “media is the virus.”
...
Super Happy Fun America, the group behind the 2019 Straight Pride Parade that drew more counter protesters than participants, identified itself as one of the rally’s hosts.

So it was a Trump election rally, not any kind of grassroots protest.

In fact, Mass. residents remain resolute.

the survey paints a picture of a largely unified populace, committed to upholding the social distancing strictures urged by public health officials. This strength of purpose mirrors national polls, which similarly show most Americans support keeping schools and businesses closed, despite the headlines generated by relatively small groups of protesters demanding governors open up their states — including a large protest at the Massachusetts State House on Monday.

A strong majority, 84 percent, of respondents said they approved of the job Baker has done handling the coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts. And more than 85 percent said they support his decision to extend to May 18 his order that nonessential businesses remain closed and advisory that people stay at home. Both had been set to expire Monday.
...
The commitment to social distancing may carry on long after Baker’s stay-at-home advisory is lifted.

One of the poll’s most significant revelations is how few people say they’d be comfortable returning to many of the activities of normal life once the government lifts restrictions.

Only 42 percent of people said they’d feel comfortable eating out in a restaurant once they’re allowed to again, and a mere 23 percent said they’d feel OK attending a sporting event when that’s permitted. Riding public transportation sparks the most anxiety, with only 18 percent of people saying they’d feel comfortable riding buses, subways, or commuter trains.

Massachusetts residents reported feeling more at ease resuming other activities, including shopping (71 percent), seeing family (72 percent) and friends in person (67 percent), and returning in person to the office or school (58 percent).

Still, the fear many people feel about attending concerts and baseball games, dining out, and riding the T, suggest that the state economy won’t bounce back once social distancing orders are loosened. Many economists have warned that protesters and politicians demanding states reopen society to save the economy are misguided, since the economy will continue to suffer until people feel safe from the virus.

As for those Freedumb people, "As in the rest of the country, people’s views of the government’s coronavirus response — headed by the state’s moderate Republican governor — are colored somewhat by partisanship. Just 62 percent of Republicans approve of Baker’s handling of the crisis, compared to 93 percent of Democrats and 84 percent of independents."

All in all, good news for sanity and social responsibility.

[El Guapo]

Goddamn it. I mean, I know that there were about a million Trump voters in Massachusetts in 2016....but I still like to think that we're not one of the crazy states.

+1. At least they don't have guns.

Given that we are still the 4th-worst afflicted state, and the curve hasn't even begun to trend downward, prudence dictates staying closed through May, at least.

About those protests in Boston yesterday: They were led by the usual freedumb fighters.

Around 1 p.m., the gathering, called the Liberty Rally and promoted by the right-wing provocateurs behind last September’s controversial Straight Pride Parade and conservative local radio host Jeffrey Kuhner, took over part of Beacon Street. Demonstrators brandished American flags and Trump 2020 signs, along with signs that read “end the shutdown,” “all jobs are essential,” and “media is the virus.”
...
Super Happy Fun America, the group behind the 2019 Straight Pride Parade that drew more counter protesters than participants, identified itself as one of the rally’s hosts.

So it was a Trump election rally, not any kind of grassroots protest.

In fact, Mass. residents remain resolute.

the survey paints a picture of a largely unified populace, committed to upholding the social distancing strictures urged by public health officials. This strength of purpose mirrors national polls, which similarly show most Americans support keeping schools and businesses closed, despite the headlines generated by relatively small groups of protesters demanding governors open up their states — including a large protest at the Massachusetts State House on Monday.

A strong majority, 84 percent, of respondents said they approved of the job Baker has done handling the coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts. And more than 85 percent said they support his decision to extend to May 18 his order that nonessential businesses remain closed and advisory that people stay at home. Both had been set to expire Monday.
...
The commitment to social distancing may carry on long after Baker’s stay-at-home advisory is lifted.

One of the poll’s most significant revelations is how few people say they’d be comfortable returning to many of the activities of normal life once the government lifts restrictions.

Only 42 percent of people said they’d feel comfortable eating out in a restaurant once they’re allowed to again, and a mere 23 percent said they’d feel OK attending a sporting event when that’s permitted. Riding public transportation sparks the most anxiety, with only 18 percent of people saying they’d feel comfortable riding buses, subways, or commuter trains.

Massachusetts residents reported feeling more at ease resuming other activities, including shopping (71 percent), seeing family (72 percent) and friends in person (67 percent), and returning in person to the office or school (58 percent).

Still, the fear many people feel about attending concerts and baseball games, dining out, and riding the T, suggest that the state economy won’t bounce back once social distancing orders are loosened. Many economists have warned that protesters and politicians demanding states reopen society to save the economy are misguided, since the economy will continue to suffer until people feel safe from the virus.

As for those Freedumb people, "As in the rest of the country, people’s views of the government’s coronavirus response — headed by the state’s moderate Republican governor — are colored somewhat by partisanship. Just 62 percent of Republicans approve of Baker’s handling of the crisis, compared to 93 percent of Democrats and 84 percent of independents."

All in all, good news for sanity and social responsibility.

That's basically what I figured. I mean, there were what, a few hundred people maybe at the protest? You figure you start with the 2016 Trump base of ~ 1 million, and then it shouldn't be hard to put together a few hundred crazy idiots willing to yell at liberals based on any cause you want.

[Blackhawk]

INAS (I'm not a Smoove), but the scary thing to me about the idea of reinfection is all the reports that COVID-19 can cause lasting organ damage. That brings up the possibility that a second infection could be far worse for some people, as it would be attacking already weakened organs.

[Zaxxon]

INAS (I'm not a Smoove), but the scary thing to me about the idea of reinfection is all the reports that COVID-19 can cause lasting organ damage. That brings up the possibility that a second infection could be far worse for some people, as it would be attacking already weakened organs.

Uhhuh. That, and the strokes.