What’s the latest from the US?
As infection rates continue to rise across the Americas, the US is taking bolder legislative steps to contain the outbreak. Here some key developments from today:
- President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to increase supplies of critical medical equipment, like ventilators and respirators, amid a deepening shortage of supplies.
- At least 7,663 people have tested positive , with cases in all 50 US states as well as the District of Columbia.
- A total of 115 people have died of the virus in the US, with concentrated outbreaks on the country’s West Coast and in New York state - where at least 2,382 people have been infected
- Trump said on Wednesday that he would send one military hospital ship to each of these two areas which have been hit hardest
- Lawmakers in the US Senate are now voting on a coronavirus relief package that helps ensure free testing for the virus and paid emergency leave. If passed, the president is expected to sign it into law.
- The White House has also asked Congress to allocate $500bn for an emergency stimulus package that could send two $1,000 cheques to many Americans and devote an additional $300bn to small businesses as the US stock market continues to plummet.
So just some observations from Reno, NV today. The governor shut down all “non-essential” business last night to start at noon today. I had to deposit a check at the bank ATM so I decided to drive around a bit to see what things looked like(I haven’t left the house in days). This was just a minute ago at 1-1:30 here.
Bus stops and buses looked filled to the brim. All large and chain eat in restaurants looked closed, but saw several small ones with plenty of people eating inside. Saw more hair and nail salons open with people in them than I saw closed ones. Grocery stores all looked busy, but nothing crazy. I didn’t see a single person wearing a mask.
Will be interesting to see how the State/Local areas will try and enforce this as no one seems to be taking anything seriously here.
Federal lockdown seems to be a certainty at this point.
I’ve been using this site for updated US numbers. Has been pretty good and up to date. NYC needs to shut down. Like NOW.
175 deaths per 24hrs ‘normal’ if 9,000 infected.
US at ~7,663 infected with total 115 deaths seems suspicious
France cases rise above 9,000
Official figures show the number of reported cases of coronavirus in France have risen 18% in the last 24 hours, with 9,134 infections.
French authorities say 175 people also died during the period, bringing the total death toll to 264.
Ehh, stuff like that is BS. I have 3 nieces and nephews that all cancelled their spring break plans on their own. You will always have stupid people but videos like that make it seem like all college students are out of touch.
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On the one hand I think I was close to this dumb when I was 18-19. On the other hand, if you had said “instead of going to Padre we’re going to sit in the house and drink for a week” I would have been more than fine with it.
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Yeah but it’s all a function of how aggressively they’re testing. I’m sure it’s more than us - but how much?
Also there’s a lag between cases and deaths - but that lag seems to massively shorten in Italy where people are only showing up at the hospital at death’s door and many of them don’t get ventilators. IE - tested, died the next day.
I think I read they’re counting presumptive cases in their case stats too, once you show up at the hospital. Not even sure if they bother testing everyone if the symptoms completely match
I’m more annoyed that the media is referring to these people as millenials. They’re gen z.
And yes, I know it’s irrelevant.
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If Euros are showing up at a hospital, that’s beacuse they’re feeling like they’re dying.
We’re way past the stage of being crook and thinking about a local docs or hospital appointment- so they show up and no respirator, you’re already half dead mate is a real, quick scenario. Why give this chap a test?
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Guy talking about hunger and poverty had a pretty good point.
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I was definitely this dumb at that age. When I was in undergrad, Florida got rocked by three or four hurricanes one year. We loaded up on booze and partied indoors, then went outside to play football on the top of our parking garage in the middle of one of the storms. Later, when the power went out, we decided to hike over to the power plant (which was about a half mile away) and demand they turn our power back on.
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Ft. Pierce near Hutchinson Island?
Gainesville.
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Nobody knows. It’s likely a very low but non-zero risk. Is there a window you can open?
Just got a message from my boss that Inslee will issue a shelter in place order today at 3pm Pacific time. Washington State.
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Well like I said - I think at this point they’re also including presumptive cases in with the new case and death totals. No need to test when everyone has the exact same symptoms.
Of course if this thing happens in the US I bet they try to find a way to exclude no-test presumptive cases from the official death totals - even if they get treated exactly the same. Because we are a corrupt evil country right now.
As far as the lag - in the US people are still showing up much earlier. So it stands to reason our deaths are going to lag new cases by a fair bit. As the hospitals get more and more overloaded and people know it - deaths might start only lagging new cases by a day or two.
Just a theory but it seems to bear out looking at the inflection points in the Italy new case and death graphs.
Had a conference call with someone who is a lobbyist in DC, said she’s never seen anything like this, and she was around during 911 and the housing crash. Throwing legislation together. Evidently every governor is asking for the the Army Corps to come build hospital beds/capacity in their states.
We’re a weekend behind you guys, so I expect this week is my last for a while too as our schools close on Friday… 
I need to find a hobby as I’m in the same boat as you when I’m bored. 
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