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

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:42 am

https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1284706062197764096

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:09 am

Yeah, I forwarded that study to my kids' school last night. Not that they'll read it. I suppose the superintendent might read it if I reformatted it into chapter/verse so it didn't look so much like science.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:20 am

The study really reinforces what the experts have been saying for weeks. In theory, it's possible to open schools in a way that minimizes risk. However, the biggest element associated with opening schools in a way that minimizes spread, has nothing to do with the schools themselves. Instead we need to be collectively focused on the surrounding community and the levels of circulating virus. Of course how they organize the school day matters, but if there's high community spread you're stacking the deck against the school.

Which is also why the message from March is unchanged. We still need testing/monitoring and it needs to happen much faster. CVS is now taking 10+ days to return results - this is beyond useless. There's no way to conduct effective contact tracing when it takes that long to find out if someone has it; it's a waste of time.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:24 am

I still think we made a mistake in how we presented the statistics. At the very least we should have split kids into 'under 12' and '13-18' instead of averaging infants and legal adults into the same category. It's stuck it into people's heads that 18-year-olds are comparable to 8-year-olds in this, and then telling people that "Kids are safer than adults."

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:50 am

Meanwhile in NJ, the Democrats are in-fighting and ignoring the ongoing calamity of nursing home deaths from COVID-19.

The death rate from the coronavirus in New Jersey nursing homes is the country’s highest.

Nearly 6,700 nursing home residents have died in the pandemic and the numbers continue to climb as COVID-19 has run rampant in nursing homes.

This month, more than half of the COVID-19 deaths have been nursing home residents, according to the Department of Health, up from about 40% in the two months since NJ Advance Media published an investigation into the failures and missteps into the state’s response to the deadly pandemic. On Friday, 16 of the 20 deaths reported by the state were nursing home residents.

Yet after vowing immediate action in the wake of that investigation, the state Legislature has yet to take any action and members of the state Senate are engaged in a back-stage political fight that has derailed any hint of progress.

Even as many experts say a second wave may hit as early as this fall, a bipartisan committee announced in May by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, has not held a single hearing to explore solutions.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 12:31 pm

I knew covidiots were attacking people who reminded them to mask up. I didn't know it had escalated to murder back in May. TL;DR a security guard at Family Dollar in Michigan was killed back in May. The family he denied entry to earlier because daughter weren't masked, came back later in the day and shot him in the back of head.

(Multiple arrests were made, two ran all the way to Texas and was arrested by US Marshals fugitive apprehension Service)

It's gotten so bad that Dollar Tree basically told its employees to NOT enforce masking up in fear of more employees being attacked. (Family Dollar is owned by Dollar Tree).

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 1:43 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:09 am Yeah, I forwarded that study to my kids' school last night. Not that they'll read it. I suppose the superintendent might read it if I reformatted it into chapter/verse so it didn't look so much like science.

You might be on to something here.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 6:56 pm

https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/stat ... 6618092544

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:16 pm

Business Insider

Dr Deborah Birx, the chief medical officer on the White House coronavirus task force, told the Trump administration in April that it was not a long term problem for the US, reported The New York Times.

Birx claimed that the virus in the US would follow the same trajectory as it did in Italy, with a sharp spike in infections followed by a gradual decline in infections.

The optimistic picture provided by Birx was reportedly welcomed by Trump administration officials, as the president pushed for states to lift lockdown and measures and for the economy to gear up ahead of November's presidential election.

But things did not turn out in the way Birx claimed they would, with infection rates sharply increasing after states lifted lockdown measures hastily, while infection rates remained high.

In Italy, lockdown measures lasted longer and were imposed uniformly across the country. They were introduced piecemeal in the US, with different states imposing then lifting them at various points.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:09 am

malchior wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:03 pmThis is why we had people pondering about ways to punish people for not appearing or prod them to appear like using inherent contempt. The system is built on norms and Trump has done more to smash them than anyone in modern history.

I sincerely hope that when the D's control majorities across the board again they can ram through laws to make what used to be an assumed norm a legal requirement. There should be no option to stifle the truth at the highest levels of government.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:22 am

Paingod wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:09 am
malchior wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:03 pmThis is why we had people pondering about ways to punish people for not appearing or prod them to appear like using inherent contempt. The system is built on norms and Trump has done more to smash them than anyone in modern history.
I sincerely hope that when the D's control majorities across the board again they can ram through laws to make what used to be an assumed norm a legal requirement. There should be no option to stifle the truth at the highest levels of government.

The tough part here is that what is "explicit law" and what is Constitutional is difficult to parse. For example, the written law says that the IRS must furnish tax records to Congress on demand. A past President signed that law. It was presumed to be legal. A future President told his political leadership at IRS to say no. In fact, he told them to say no to nearly everything.

And yet, the Courts have kicking that question around for well over a year now. We can pass laws all we want but we have no way to know what the outcome will be until it is tested. And an increasingly partisan SCOTUS has been largely holding the middle but it is definitely tenuous. Some of the dissents have been agitating for more authoritarianism in effect. On top, they've been bending over backwards to grant Trump's emergency orders while those cases against him are drawn out ceding power to him in the meantime. Maybe there is a balance there but there is risk there as well.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:56 am

Myrtle Beach is gonna Myrtle Beach...

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:15 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:56 am

Myrtle Beach is gonna Myrtle Beach...

You think that's bad, Sturgis is the 2nd week of August and will draw hundreds of thousands of Bikers. (Most of them Trumpsters I'm sure). Just wait for about 2 weeks after that event.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:31 am

Something I keep seeing over and over again in interviews with people in Trump's Administration is that Trump saved millions of lives by closing travel from China. What I don't see is interviewers pushing back with the most obvious response: That was in fucking February! What the fuck is he doing NOW!?

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:49 am

I call bullshit on that China claim anyway. Millions of lives my ass. The virus still got in - whether it got in 2 weeks earlier or not is irrelevant.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:27 am

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:49 am I call bullshit on that China claim anyway. Millions of lives my ass. The virus still got in - whether it got in 2 weeks earlier or not is irrelevant.

Yup. Hardly material. On top they didn't stop everyone anyway so it might have been an ineffective control. The sad thing is that they hang on desperately to a maybe effective measure. It's all they've got.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:52 am

My wife got a random text from her mom yesterday that said. "IT IS THE TEACHERS UNION THAT WANTS TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS! CNN IS FAKE NEWS!"

I have no idea WTF she's talking about because A) My wife never even mentioned schools opening, closing, or otherwise. B) We know that there are teachers unions wanting to close schools this fall, because it's been reported on major news outlets....including CNN.

At this point my wife refuses to even engage with her. They're 80+ years old and believe Trump is an angel.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:09 am

I know it would run into all sorts of legal hurdles and challenges, but we really need to have some sort of independent licensing board for news agencies that reviews the average content they supply each year and renews their legal ability to use "News" anywhere in their broadcasts or naming.

No station should be able to call themselves a news network in the US if they constantly spew disinformation and conspiracies. It doesn't stop people like Alex Jones, but at least nothing about his show says "Daily News" on it.

I do a lot of eyerolls at the sensationalized stuff CNN does sometimes, but at least I don't feel like they're trying to warp reality and create a dimension of pure hate.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:11 am

Paingod wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:09 am I know it would run into all sorts of legal hurdles and challenges, but we really need to have some sort of independent licensing board for news agencies that reviews the average content they supply each year and renews their legal ability to use "News" anywhere in their broadcasts or naming.

No station should be able to call themselves a news network in the US if they constantly spew disinformation and conspiracies. It doesn't stop people like Alex Jones, but at least nothing about his show says "Daily News" on it.

It's not just legal. It wouldn't work well unless you could conjure up a mythically neutral entity to administer it. Otherwise it's just ripe for abuse.

Remus West · Post by **Remus West** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:16 am

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:52 am My wife got a random text from her mom yesterday that said. "IT IS THE TEACHERS UNION THAT WANTS TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS! CNN IS FAKE NEWS!"

I have no idea WTF she's talking about because A) My wife never even mentioned schools opening, closing, or otherwise. B) We know that there are teachers unions wanting to close schools this fall, because it's been reported on major news outlets....including CNN.

At this point my wife refuses to even engage with her. They're 80+ years old and believe Trump is an angel.

I'm guessing they did not care why the teachers want the schools closed.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:27 am

El Guapo wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:11 amOtherwise it's just ripe for abuse.

Oh, I know. Wishful thinking creates some of the biggest problems.

Communism might sound great on paper, but it just completely goes to shit as soon as you have two or more people practicing it together.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:30 am

malchior wrote:
YellowKing wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:49 am I call bullshit on that China claim anyway. Millions of lives my ass. The virus still got in - whether it got in 2 weeks earlier or not is irrelevant.
Yup. Hardly material. On top they didn't stop everyone anyway so it might have been an ineffective control. The sad thing is that they hang on desperately to a maybe effective measure. It's all they've got.

Also as reported on the Antifa channel (CNN), the genetic origin of the Northeast outbreak was probably European and those flights weren't blocked until it was way too late.

But like an elementary school child he'll keep going on about the one good thing he thinks he's done.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:33 am

Remus West wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:16 am
YellowKing wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:52 am My wife got a random text from her mom yesterday that said. "IT IS THE TEACHERS UNION THAT WANTS TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS! CNN IS FAKE NEWS!"

I have no idea WTF she's talking about because A) My wife never even mentioned schools opening, closing, or otherwise. B) We know that there are teachers unions wanting to close schools this fall, because it's been reported on major news outlets....including CNN.

At this point my wife refuses to even engage with her. They're 80+ years old and believe Trump is an angel.
I'm guessing they did not care why the teachers want the schools closed.

If I were a teacher, I'd want to be closed. Both from my safety and the people around me. I can only assume you were reading the same case reports I was in March where the people diagnosed (and later dying) were: Salesman, teacher, prison guard, teacher, inmate, teacher, prison guard, salesman, teacher...

Things are different now than they were in March, but the onus of safety does not appear to be on "the economy!" and I'd not sacrifice me and mine for my desire to get children butts in schoolhouse seats. Someone would need to show acceptable numbers on spread, or acceptable numbers on treatments, or a demonstrable vaccine before I'd show up in the classroom or send my child to one. No (good) data no participation.

Remus West · Post by **Remus West** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:37 am

Jasmine will be doing distance learning in the fall. If I can only keep my job by doing in person then I may be spending a LOT of time away from my family this fall. I have to keep the job to survive but I won't bring Covid home with me. I feel like my school system is leaning way way way towards distance only learning though so.....fingers crossed.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:43 am

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:52 am At this point my wife refuses to even engage with her. They're 80+ years old and believe Trump is an angel.

Maybe a dark angel...and not the Alba type.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:56 am

Rest easy, Missouri; you're in good hands.

https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/128 ... 58663?s=20

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:57 am

Zaxxon wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:56 am Rest easy, Missouri; you're in good hands.

https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/128 ... 58663?s=20

"And in a few weeks' time, they'll be healthy enough to bury their parents."

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:02 pm

But the staff at the schools? And the family of the staff at the schools? And the parents? The Parent's coworkers? And the service workers that the parents rely on?

He's clearly thought through "and they will." How does he miss the rest?

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:11 pm

Zaxxon wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:56 am Rest easy, Missouri; you're in good hands.

https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/128 ... 58663?s=20

Holy shit! Another scenario that Governor Dumbass should consider is that the kids will get infected, get better, and give it to their parents who will not get better and some may even die. The kids can care for their ailing parents and make the funeral arrangements if needed.

And I wish I could reach through my screen and slap that grin off his face.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:19 pm

$iljanus wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:11 pm
Zaxxon wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:56 am Rest easy, Missouri; you're in good hands.

https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/128 ... 58663?s=20
Holy shit! Another scenario that Governor Dumbass should consider is that the kids will get infected, get better, and give it to their parents who will not get better and some may even die. The kids can care for their ailing parents and make the funeral arrangements if needed.

And I wish I could reach through my screen and slap that grin off his face.

His commentary is even better when you add in the data:

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:22 pm

He like most of the right-wing think the high death rate is "just" oldsters, exaggerated, and importantly not going to happen in their states. Maybe it won't but I wouldn't count on it.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:36 pm

malchior wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:22 pm He like most of the right-wing think the high death rate is "just" oldsters, exaggerated, and importantly not going to happen in their states. Maybe it won't but I wouldn't count on it.

I can only assume:

> Some percentage think it's all a hoax irrespective of the fact that death's per day in US are up no matter how you look at things (which is to say nothing of the debilitated), even as many risky action deaths are down.
> Some percentage see "the economy" as in need of protecting and letting COVID tear through is that protection.
> Some percentage think only the strong should survive and this disease is weeding out the weaklings, which they think they have the wisdom to know their susceptibility right up until they're wrong.

What he believes is anybodies guess. Seeing the students passing the illness from to another as an inevitable but not extending that we know he his decision is evil, stupid, or ignorant. I can't tell which.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:42 pm

$600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1285249175232405507

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:45 pm

malchior wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:22 pm He like most of the right-wing think the high death rate is "just" oldsters, exaggerated, and importantly not going to happen in their states. Maybe it won't but I wouldn't count on it.

To some extent, it's true. And while some states have rising case rates, hey have declining deaths (Wisconsin, for example). But that doesn't mean it's all well and good to throw kids into the petri dish. There can be deaths among the young and more commonly there can be lasting damage to organs. There may also be other effects and/or factors we aren't aware of yet.

So the best strategy is to avoid exposure and this infection as much and for as long as possible. Every day means more data and better insight into what is going on.

Throwing up your hands like thst is some weak ass sauce from leadership.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:46 pm

$600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.

What's funny to be about this whole "we're paying people more money to stay home than to work!" is that it never occurs to the individuals making it that perhaps it suggests jobs need to be paying people more money? Nah, that would be crazy. Now get back to work for minimum wage and serve me endless bread sticks while I complain about how slow you all are.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:48 pm

malchior wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:42 pm $600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.

For my sister, it was more than she was making as a waitress.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:48 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:46 pm
$600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.
What's funny to be about this whole "we're paying people more money to stay home than to work!" is that it never occurs to the individuals making it that perhaps it suggests jobs need to be paying people more money? Nah, that would be crazy. Now get back to work for minimum wage and serve me endless bread sticks while I complain about how slow you all are.

Or you allowed them to work and still get the money...but they would be communism or something. Nevermind that they'd be back at work in a heartbeat and would actually be more positive contributors to the economy.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:52 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:46 pm
$600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.
What's funny to be about this whole "we're paying people more money to stay home than to work!" is that it never occurs to the individuals making it that perhaps it suggests jobs need to be paying people more money? Nah, that would be crazy. Now get back to work for minimum wage and serve me endless bread sticks while I complain about how slow you all are.

Also maybe the jobs *don't exist* right now. There is some level of insinuation that all that is needed is some pluck and more hustle. We don't want to undercut that by motivating sloth or whatever evil, right-wing bullshit fantasy land ideas these people have.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:53 pm

stessier wrote:
malchior wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:42 pm $600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.
For my sister, it was more than she was making as a waitress.

That’s more than my wife makes as a receptionist at a vets office.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Mon Jul 20, 2020 1:04 pm

msteelers wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:53 pm
stessier wrote:
malchior wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:42 pm $600 is totally stay home and kick your feet money forever type of money.
For my sister, it was more than she was making as a waitress.
That’s more than my wife makes as a receptionist at a vets office.

Also, a lot of people don't realize that $600 isn't some new minimum--that's added onto your regular unemployment. It's not at all a far out scenario for many people to be receiving more than they would have had they still been working.