COVID-19 Megathread 4: Grandma Got Run Over by the Dow Jones

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Five Weeks ago:

Trump Accuses Media and Democrats of Exaggerating Coronavirus Threat

Mr. Trump said that news outlets like CNN were “doing everything they can to instill fear in people,” while some Democrats were “trying to gain political favor by saying a lot of untruths.” His acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, went even further, telling conservative activists that journalists were hyping the coronavirus because “they think this will bring down the president; that’s what this is all about.”

At a campaign rally on Friday evening in South Carolina, the president denounced Democrats, describing the concerns they have expressed about the virus as “their new hoax” after the Russia investigation and then impeachment. “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus,” he said. “We did one of the great jobs. You say, ‘How’s President Trump doing?’ They go, ‘Oh, not good, not good.’ They have no clue. They don’t have any clue. They cannot even count the votes in Iowa.”

Of the three officials, Mr. Azar went the furthest in suggesting that the United States might face a difficult next phase of the coronavirus, if it spreads. Mr. Trump has repeatedly told advisers he is concerned that Mr. Azar and others in the administration are presenting an “alarmist” view.

Following the president’s lead, Mr. Mulvaney also minimized concerns over the virus. “The flu kills people,” he said. “This is not Ebola. It’s not SARS, it’s not MERS. It’s not a death sentence; it’s not the same as the Ebola cris

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Why is the Supreme Court cancelling oral arguments?  There is absolutely no legal or practical impediment to holding these remotely. 

We shouldn’t be using the virus as a an excuse to suspend the regular and essential functions of our government, especially those functions that uphold the basis rights of citizens.

[BigSerg]

Why is the Supreme Court cancelling oral arguments?  There is absolutely no legal or practical impediment to holding these remotely. 

We shouldn’t be using the virus as a an excuse to suspend the regular and essential functions of our government, especially those functions that uphold the basis rights of citizens.

Lol hahaha

[pbrower2a]

lol.  The TrumpFlu finally exposes toxic masculinity. 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/04/us/domestic-violence-coronavirus-calls-cases-increase-invs/index.html

This comment is in poor taste

It is the domestic violence that is beyond execrable in taste.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

Data as of Apr. 4 at 4:41 a.m from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/coronavirus-us-cases-deaths/

Deaths, Raw

Deaths, Per Capita


All the states sorted by deaths per capita

Data as of Apr. 4 at 4:41 a.m   
State   Confirmed cases per 100k   Deaths per 100k   New deaths since Apr. 02            

Code:

New York	525	15	562	24%
Louisiana	221	8	60	19%
New Jer	337	7	109	20%
Michigan	128	5	62	15%
Washingt	96	4	24	9%
Connecti	137	4	19	17%
Massach	152	3	38	25%
Vermont	62	3	—	
Guam	53	3	—	
DC		111	2	3	25%
Colorado	75	2	31	39%
Georgia	58	2	35	21%
Mariana Is	15	2	—	
Illinois	69	2	47	29%
Indiana	52	2	24	31%
Delaware	47	1	2	17%
Nevada	53	1	5	13%
Rhode Isl	67	1	2	17%
Mississippi	45	<1	3	12%
Oklahoma	25	<1	4	12%
Wisconsin	35	<1	13	34%
Kentucky	19	<1	6	19%
Florida	50	<1	6	4%
Pennsy	67	<1	12	13%
Ohio		28	<1	10	12%
Alabama	32	<1	6	19%
Maryland	46	<1	7	19%
California	32	<1	40	17%
South Car	34	<1	3	10%
Maine	32	<1	—	
Kansas	22	<1	6	50%
Tennessee	46	<1	5	14%
Idaho	60	<1	1	11%
Arizona	28	<1	9	28%
Virginia	24	<1	5	12%
Missouri	35	<1	11	50%
Oregon	22	<1	1	5%
New Ham	40	<1	—	
Montana	25	<1	—	
New Mex	26	<1	4	67%
Puerto Ric	11	<1	3	25%
Alaska	21	<1	—	
Arkansas	25	<1	—	
North Dakota	23	<1	—	
Minnesota	14	<1	4	22%
Texas	22	<1	27	35%
Iowa	22	<1	—	
Nebraska	15	<1	—	
North Car	23	<1	8	38%
South Dak	22	<1	—	
Utah	41	<1	—	
Hawaii	22	<1	—	
West Virg	13	<1	—	
U.S. Virgi	36	0	—	
Wyoming	28	0	—	
Samoa	0	0	—	

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/voxdotcom/status/1246173155934306304

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/02/nation/kraft-family-used-patriots-team-plane-shuttle-protective-masks-china-boston-wsj-reports/

The news, which broke early Thursday, resembled a plot pulled straight out of a summer blockbuster: The Kraft family had deployed a New England Patriots team plane to China to deliver about one million desperately needed N95 respirator masks to health care workers in Massachusetts.

Yet the story is as alarming as it is heartwarming, underscoring a harsh reality as the coronavirus pandemic spreads ever faster around the United States. Governor Charlie Baker and his counterparts throughout the country are forced to go to extraordinary lengths to secure life-saving medical equipment in the absence of a coordinated federal response.

“This is not how it is supposed to work,” said Representative Katherine Clark of Melrose, a member of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership team. She described herself as “very grateful” for the Kraft family’s generosity and help getting the critical gear, but said “what we need is a coordinated federal system."

[MABA 2020]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

No offence, but it's kinda pathetic that you can't survive without watching a bunch of guys throw a ball round a field. Everyone has to make sacrifices in this time of crisis and missing this years baseball season or whatever seems like quite a small sacrifice.

[It’s so Joever]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

Get a ****ing grip.

[It’s so Joever]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

This is why America is screwed this time. Americans are unwilling as a whole, to make small sacrifices to prevent the virus from spreading further. We have the entire vast internet, face-time, books, to entertain ourselves, but we still refuse to be even remotely reasonable and demand live sports in the middle of a pandemic.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

No offence, but it's kinda pathetic that you can't survive without watching a bunch of guys throw a ball round a field. Everyone has to make sacrifices in this time of crisis and missing this years baseball season or whatever seems like quite a small sacrifice.

We have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this life plus plan to sacrifice two months beyond the greatest month of the year. I think that's plenty fair. After that, I plan to begin returning to my life and vacationing.

[Tender Branson]

Only +2% new cases here in Austria since yesterday.

(I’m posting here today because I’m banned from the international thread today.)

People in intensive care units (ICUs) not rising any longer and stable at 245.

Hopefully it stays that way ...

[It’s so Joever]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

No offence, but it's kinda pathetic that you can't survive without watching a bunch of guys throw a ball round a field. Everyone has to make sacrifices in this time of crisis and missing this years baseball season or whatever seems like quite a small sacrifice.

We have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this life plus plan to sacrifice two months beyond the greatest month of the year. I think that's plenty fair. After that, I plan to begin returning to my life and vacationing.

Sitting at home for a few weeks to prevent viral spread isn’t the “ultimate sacrifice”. Thousands of medical workers are putting their own damn lives on the line each and everyday, just to help victims of the virus. That’s the ultimate sacrifice. 100 years ago, young men were told to run into the line of Machine gun fire for their country, that’s the ultimate sacrifice. You aren’t being told to risk your life, you are being told to stay at home for a few weeks. Unless you are losing your job because of this, I am sorry, I don’t feel an ounce of pity for your “ultimate sacrifice”, and I don’t feel bad at all you are missing a few sports events.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

Re: testing.


I've said it many times, but US has more and better targeted (better Doctors?) testing that most Western Countries. If you don't believe me, listen to Nate Silver >>>

https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1246454777736843269


"Our testing is better than much of Europe, and we're picking up a higher share of infections than they are."

[GeorgiaModerate]

Folks, Sprouts is trolling you.  Don't take the bait.

[MABA 2020]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

No offence, but it's kinda pathetic that you can't survive without watching a bunch of guys throw a ball round a field. Everyone has to make sacrifices in this time of crisis and missing this years baseball season or whatever seems like quite a small sacrifice.

We have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this life plus plan to sacrifice two months beyond the greatest month of the year. I think that's plenty fair. After that, I plan to begin returning to my life and vacationing.

Well good luck with that, let us know how it goes

[MABA 2020]

Folks, Sprouts is trolling you.  Don't take the bait.

Are they? It's difficult to tell sometimes, some people are that delusional.

[Roll Roons]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-italy/italy-coronavirus-death-toll-rises-by-681-intensive-care-falls-idUSKBN21M0NW?utm_source=reddit.com

More evidence that things are improving in Italy!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

It is definitely time to start planning to bring back the sports. Good idea, Don, couldn't last much longer like this. Let's just get the new schedules in place.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1246435315444785153?s=19

Some people on Atlas are underestimating how much live sports would be a morale boost for tens of millions of people.  Being able to watch sports every day would take my pain level in this from a 9/10 to a 6.5/10 just like that.

Hopefully they can figure out a strategy to bring back sports, even without crowds.

China and we in Europe also survive months without watching sports.

It’s not that hard.

Sports players spread the virus around, as would people in stadiums.

Nobody needs fukking football or baseball this year !

Yes, we do. Otherwise there is little or no reason to even be alive for most of the population. No one will obey any rules beginning in June.

No offence, but it's kinda pathetic that you can't survive without watching a bunch of guys throw a ball round a field. Everyone has to make sacrifices in this time of crisis and missing this years baseball season or whatever seems like quite a small sacrifice.

We have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this life plus plan to sacrifice two months beyond the greatest month of the year. I think that's plenty fair. After that, I plan to begin returning to my life and vacationing.

Well good luck with that, let us know how it goes

I'm lucky to have a beautiful state like West Virginia in such close proximity and still open for business. Jim Justice - one of the six greatest governors in America!

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

Surprised this hasn't been talked about yet in the thread, but Walmart an Target are rolling out new social distancing measures tomorrow limiting stores to 20% capacity.

https://twitter.com/NPR/status/1246277075100749824

Good, the grocery store seems to be the one place you can't avoid people who don't have a mask & blatantly disregard social distancing protocols.

No.  Bad.  Very, very bad.  This will just lead to more panic buying, which means more people will turn up to shop, which will now translate into long lines outside grocery stores (4 hrs wait for milk and eggs?), which means even *more panic buying.

This is the truly apocalyptic, society-ending stuff.  Not having to share a ventilator.

Working at Target I can tell you that we have strict limits on essential items now, panic buying has pretty much been banned. I can tell you this cause I’ve been verbally harassed and berated over the past few weeks upholding them. But guess what? Those customers can get f**ked. Done being polite.

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

I'm happy to see the situation showing the first signs of improvement in the US. I'm not really sure who exactly should get the credit for that.

[Former Dean Phillips Supporters for Haley (I guess???!?) 👁️]

It's not just toilet paper and eggs, though. People are also panic buying surgical masks and rubbing alcohol. Things that are useful to help protect oneself from COVID. I have had to go grocery shopping without a mask more than once since the lockdown began because I simply did not have any on hand, and I am quite aware that I put myself (and consequently my elderly mother) at risk by doing so.

Shortages of things like masks and isopropyl alcohol have nothing whatsoever to do with panic buying. The usual/normal demand for those sorts of things is essentially nil. Maybe something like 1/1000 supermarket shoppers normally buys 1 bottle of isopropyl alcohol in normal times. If that rises even to 1/100 customers buying a single bottle, that is proportionately a huge demand shock and can easily wipe out the supply chain. Those proportions are just random guesses, but the point should be obvious regardless of exactly the true figures.

And an individual buying a single bottle of a product is hardly behaving irrationally or panic buying. They are just buying what they need.

The same goes for things like a bag of rice. While rice is commonly bought on grocery runs, not every single customer normally buys a bag of rice. Being generous, in normal times maybe 1/4 of shoppers buy a single bag of rice on a supermarket run. If that rises to 80% of shoppers each buying even a single bag of rice each (something which is hardly unreasonable of an individual to buy), the supermarket quickly runs out of rice.

Moreover, normally a large amount of demand for food is met by restaurants, which have their own supply chains separate from grocery stores. That demand has fallen off a cliff, creating more stress on supermarket supply chains because people redirect demand for most of what they normally would have eaten at restaurants to supermarkets.

So no "panic" or "hoarding" or "irrational behavior" on the individual level whatsoever is necessary to totally wreck just in time supply chains. It is simply the way the supply chains have been set up by our Corporate MBA overlords that makes them extremely vulnerable to even the slightest demand shock.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

Re: Food Deserts and haha, Trump's base will die.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1246201843375648771


Location Data Says It All: Staying at Home During Coronavirus Is a Luxury

As I said, some people don't have a choice.

[Torrain]

Surprised this hasn't been talked about yet in the thread, but Walmart an Target are rolling out new social distancing measures tomorrow limiting stores to 20% capacity.

https://twitter.com/NPR/status/1246277075100749824

Good, the grocery store seems to be the one place you can't avoid people who don't have a mask & blatantly disregard social distancing protocols.

No.  Bad.  Very, very bad.  This will just lead to more panic buying, which means more people will turn up to shop, which will now translate into long lines outside grocery stores (4 hrs wait for milk and eggs?), which means even *more panic buying.

This is the truly apocalyptic, society-ending stuff.  Not having to share a ventilator.

Working at Target I can tell you that we have strict limits on essential items now, panic buying has pretty much been banned. I can tell you this cause I’ve been verbally harassed and berated over the past few weeks upholding them. But guess what? Those customers can get f**ked. Done being polite.

On behalf of consumers everywhere, thank you for all you're doing. And sorry that the general population have such pr*cks this last month.

In my summers behind the counter in my town's pharmacy, I was shocked by how entitled and angry the public could get about patently unreasonable things, and that was during a relatively privileged time, in a relatively privileged community.

I can't imagine what it's like being in the midst of this right now.

[Brittain33]

I don't see anything here about his masterful, groundbreaking decisiveness in banning travel from China that one time three months ago. We have no right to criticize him when he took that singular transformative decision. 

Five Weeks ago:

Trump Accuses Media and Democrats of Exaggerating Coronavirus Threat

Mr. Trump said that news outlets like CNN were “doing everything they can to instill fear in people,” while some Democrats were “trying to gain political favor by saying a lot of untruths.” His acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, went even further, telling conservative activists that journalists were hyping the coronavirus because “they think this will bring down the president; that’s what this is all about.”

At a campaign rally on Friday evening in South Carolina, the president denounced Democrats, describing the concerns they have expressed about the virus as “their new hoax” after the Russia investigation and then impeachment. “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus,” he said. “We did one of the great jobs. You say, ‘How’s President Trump doing?’ They go, ‘Oh, not good, not good.’ They have no clue. They don’t have any clue. They cannot even count the votes in Iowa.”

Of the three officials, Mr. Azar went the furthest in suggesting that the United States might face a difficult next phase of the coronavirus, if it spreads. Mr. Trump has repeatedly told advisers he is concerned that Mr. Azar and others in the administration are presenting an “alarmist” view.

Following the president’s lead, Mr. Mulvaney also minimized concerns over the virus. “The flu kills people,” he said. “This is not Ebola. It’s not SARS, it’s not MERS. It’s not a death sentence; it’s not the same as the Ebola cris