The official number of Americans sick with coronavirus doubled over the weekend; markets are plunging. There’s a lot to talk about, so here’s a new open thread.
This tweet from Eric Trump really hasn’t aged very well.
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@Diego Duarte
Not particularly bad here yet, but I’ve still made sure to stock up on non perishable items in the event that things get worse.
There have been a few people who have done that, but in my area people haven’t gone that far yet.
This is compounded by the fact that most world leaders are older, and therefore at higher risk.
@Lainy
There are several universities nearby and all but one have suspended or moved to online classes. Probably for the best.
There’s rumors that Bolsanaro has coronavirus, but apparently they’re still unsubstantiated.
Drumpf might restrict domestic travel to Washington state if our area gets “too hot” but he’s dragging his feet on declaring a national emergency because Jared is still doing “research.”
@Violet: my rant wasn’t aimed at you, you clarified and that was enough for me. I completely agree with you! Sorry you thought it was aimed at you.
My state’s governor just canceled school for three weeks (well, the two following spring break) and banned most gatherings of over 100 people. He also said that the state will be working closely with nonprofits to deliver free meals to kids who will be in need without school lunches.
He said, “We are all in this together, whether we like it or not. We have to take care of each other.”
He’s a Republican. Saying and doing “socialist” things like this will lose him a lot of support from conservative voters.
I personally am going to limit my exposure to others as much as possible, basically only leaving home for work and medical care. I’m immunocompromised, so I’m part of the high risk population.
Uh-oh. It’s claimed that mass graves have been dug in Iran.
@Alan
The only reason the UK is excluded is because trump has golf resorts there.
@ tovius
I guess that’s like Kyoto not being bombed because Henry Stimson had his honeymoon there.
(Although it was probably Langdon Warner who actually persuaded Truman)
Sophie Gregoire, the Canadian prime minister’s wife, tested positive for the virus and is in isolation. She says she’s OK. Justin Trudeau doesn’t seem to have it, but he’s in quarantine just in case.
Trudeau isn’t my favourite person in the world, but I’m sorry that they’re in a stressful situation like this.
…
I don’t think there’s a big risk in me going to work tomorrow & Saturday (small tutoring centre in Montreal, I’m there part time). We’re also in a luckier situation than many, since most tutoring can be done online if need be, so I’m more worried about how this is affecting people who are physically and economically vulnerable.
Then again, Concordia University in Montreal cancelled its classes Friday-Sunday. I’m taking one class there and I got the notice today. They may stop the larger classes starting Monday, we’ll wait and see.
O/T: The Brazilian government is allowing missionaries to commit a genocide of indigenous people by forcibly converting them and bringing in disease.
So, could Bolsanera die of the Coronavirus already ?
@ naglfar
Yup; but conversion isn’t the goal; it’s purely a commercial decision. The missionaries are just a useful tool.
WWTH
Yesterday I read some Brazilian sources that he had tested positive. But he is in isolation and nothing has been reported since. It is still unconfirmed as of this morning.
@WWTH
Sorry for the double post, but yeah it’s confirmed as of one hour ago:
https://larepublica.pe/mundo/2020/03/13/coronavirus-jair-bolsonaro-da-positivo-en-primer-examen-presidente-de-brasil/
dw.com/es/bolsonaro-da-positivo-por-coronavirus/a-52761310
https://www.elespanol.com/mundo/20200313/presidente-brasileno-jair-bolsonaro-positivo-coronavirus/474454057_0.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8109455/Brazilian-president-shook-Donald-Trumps-hand-POSITIVE-coronavirus.html?ito=native_share_article-masthead&fbclid=IwAR0pdmcH_pjOFD1VaJB3AodFKU4hBWiddCyhq6NJitpYjF2mb3xKN7PYlCo
@Diego Duarte
So is Trump likely to have it as well now? I know they shook hands, and Bolsonaro isn’t the only coronavirus positive individual Trump has shaken hands with.
@Naglfar
It is possible, but remember that Coronavirus has to get in contact with your eyes, ingested or breathed in; so it is definitely a probability albeit not really that high since there are ways to prevent infection, even if you come into contact with an infected individual.
And since Bolsonaro has yet to exhibit the symptoms (coffing, fever, etc) it is not likely he could’ve transmitted the disease through by respiratory means. Which just leaves it up to the handshake and Trump’s hygiene.
Since they were also in a setting where this was a dinner, they all probably washed their hands before interaction. So I’m leaning towards Trump not being infected. Although if other people in his cabinet did get infected, it heightens the probability.
Trump did have an emergency hospital visit a couple of days ago, and he seemed like he was having problems breathing during the speech on Wednesday night.
Trump is a known germophobe. It wouldn’t surprise me if he washes or sanitises as soon as possible after shaking hands.
The UK has postponed local and mayoral elections! Not sure why they didn’t simply make them by postal vote only. Let’s hope democracy resumes sometime.
Bolsonaro is alleging on Twitter that his second coronavirus test came out negative. He’s not the most honest politician, so take it with a grain of salt. Still I see no purpose to lying if he is gonna start exhibiting symptoms within two weeks.
If Trump were in that situation, he’d 100% take the gamble, hoping he’ll be either an asymptomatic case or somehow able to hide the symptoms. Or rather, he’d just be cognitively unable to account for the risk of being caught on the lie.
Trump Falsely Tries to Tie Obama to C.D.C.’s ‘Inadequate’ Testing
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_14J2dEsfIG0/TPM9ZW1Z9BI/AAAAAAAAEeE/pptaQ7NeNfk/s1600/Family%2BCircus%2B11-28-10.gif
@Lumipuna
Bolsonaro seems similar to Trump in a few ways, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he took the same approach. If Trump had the coronavirus he’d just say he didn’t and his base will believe him.
Trump Falsely Tries to Tie Obama to C.D.C.’s ‘Inadequate’ Testing System
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_14J2dEsfIG0/TPM9ZW1Z9BI/AAAAAAAAEeE/pptaQ7NeNfk/s1600/Family%2BCircus%2B11-28-10.gif
As the US epidemic really gets going, Trump will presumably have many (usually brief) encounters with incubating/asymptomatic carriers of the virus, most of whom will not be identified even afterwards. Each will be a very small risk, and there will be likely very little direct/indirect exposure to actively sick people. I wouldn’t bet on him falling sick, even over many months.
OMG stuck here at my dads recovering from surgery listening to the NJ Governor on Fox News, and Fox News literally cut away from the governor the millisecond he began talking about how important and fortunate it is that NJ has some of the strongest paid sick leave laws in the country, to talk about the “GREAT NEWS”*happydance* of Delta airlines cancelling flights to Europe.
Propaganda less hard, fox news, you fucking tools.