COVID-19 Megathread 5: The Trumps catch COVID-19

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

A new Georgia hot spot is emerging in Gainesville, a northeastern exurb of Atlanta:

https://www.ajc.com/news/northeast-georgia-new-covid-hot-spot-emerges/ZgbPAH5CHeVQdDGy0KiJUN/

Poultry processing is a major industry in the area, although it's not clear whether the outbreak is tied to the poultry plants; the above article says it's not, but I've seen another that said there is a high number of cases reported in them.

I have friends who live very close to there. Luckily they have been able to work from home this whole time, but still, worrisome.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

A Broadband Engineer Was Spat on by a 5G Conspiracy Theorist. Then He Got Coronavirus: In UK the attacks on network workers are getting more frequent, brazen, and violent.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4ayg8g/a-broadband-engineer-was-spat-on-by-a-5g-conspiracy-theorist-now-he-has-coronavirus?utm_source=reddit.com

You know, normally I can at least understand the general contours of the logic of a conspiracy theory, however flawed that logic may be, but this one is really beyond my ability to comprehend.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1258829831879430149

So, the implication is that "it will go away without tests", so... no increase in testing after the first wave to keep track of where/when a second wave might be starting? This clown doesn't take a day off, it's just 24/7 carnival music.

It's ever more apparent that everyone has been giving Mr. Trump far too much credit for his handling of the pandemic. It's not just that he's incompetent, it's that has no true comprehension of anything involving the pandemic or the response to it, and lacks the self-awareness to even recognize that he doesn't know what he's talking about. Donald Trump is indistinguishable from a poorly programmed Chinese room.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1258853971164368896

This is just staggeringly incoherent. We're MONTHS into this and he doesn't seem to have even a basic grasp of how disease transmission occurs, and why someone who once tested negative might later test positive.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

I'm very encouraged to start seeing a semblance of normality resume in the Jackson suburbs.  Crowded streets/shops, restaurants seem relatively busy (still at 50% though), and less people choosing to wear face masks.

Meanwhile, King Emperor Chokwe A. Lumumba has decided that restaurants/gyms in the City of Jackson can go ahead and reopen tomorrow, but he's implementing a new citywide curfew as well as a mask mandate to go into effect over the weekend.  If he believes this to be the right course of action, where were these mandates 2-4 weeks ago?  In a press conference announcing the end of the city's SAHO, he said he was only allowing reopening so the city wouldn't become an "island".  So the mayor is opening the city while simultaneously chastising the Republican suburbs for doing the same; a nakedly cowardly move to have his political cake and eat it too.  His motivations appear misplaced.

Moreover, I've been increasingly discouraged by the continuing/escalation of rhetoric (mostly on local social media, but also parroted in the media) that any relaxation of social distancing or a personal decision by individuals to not wear PPE is "going to kill grandma" or whatever.  That was never the point of social distancing.  The point was never to stop new cases, but to prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed (which now seems like an extinct possibility).  Under both curves, grandma still probably gets COVID-19 and may die.  The hospital system is as ready as its ever going to be, so for that reason it's time to end the lockdown.

I genuinely cannot fathom what line of tortured reasoning brings one to the conclusion that this is something to be *encouraged by*

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/cherylbolen/status/1262479713030803458

Has he tested positive and is concealing it?

Or he's lying about taking it. Either seems equally likely. (Or his babysitters are giving him placebos in a bottle labeled 'hydroxychloroquine' just to get him to shut up about it.)

FDA warns about hydroxychloroquine dangers, citing serious heart issues, including death

The Food and Drug Administration warned Friday that doctors should not use the malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19 patients outside a hospital or a clinical trial, citing reports of “serious heart rhythm problems.”

Anti-malarial drug Trump touted is linked to higher rates of death in VA coronavirus patients, study says

The study by VA and academic researchers analyzed outcomes of 368 male patients nationwide, with 97 receiving hydroxychloroquine, 113 receiving hydroxychloroquine in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin, and 158 not receiving any hydroxychloroquine.

Rates of death in the groups treated with the drugs were worse than those who did not receive the drugs, the study found. Rates of patients on ventilators were roughly equal, with no benefit demonstrated by the drugs.

More than 27 percent of patients treated with hydroxychloroquine died, and 22 percent of those treated with the combination therapy died, compared with an 11.4 percent death rate in those not treated with the drugs, the study said. The results were from an observational study of outcomes and were not part of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which is the gold standard for testing drugs.

Hopefully the coward Donald Trump survives drinking his own Kool-Aid. Our nation needs to see him legally removed from office and then prosecuted for his crimes, not martyred by his own idiocy.

Either he's being dangerously irresponsible with his own health taking a drug against medical guidelines, or he's lying about taking it to encourage others to take it, and thus being dangerously irresponsible with their health.

In a sane society none of this would not be allowed to continue.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1263515455869857801?s=21

President Illiteracy strikes again

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/michikokakutani/status/1264247161614712836

"Is this about the virus or the election?" asks protester for whom it is pretty clearly about the election.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Trump has stopped taking hydroxychloroquine btw:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-he-s-no-longer-taking-hydroxychloroquine-n1214301

Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want, but I'm firm in my belief he was never taking it to begin with.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Well, Florida is reporting +2,581 cases on Worldometer, compared to its previous high yesterday of 1,902. And what is worse, it is a weekend, cases are usually lower on weekends, right? That is quite a large increase and a very worrying uptrend. Alabama also reported its highest case # so far today.

We will have to wait and see what the other states report later in the day, if the other southern/southwestern states show a similar trend, that will mean serious problems going forward. With each passing day at the moment, we are looking more like Iran.

Remember when there were people saying that the coming of hot weather would make the virus fade away?

Now what kind of absolute moron would ever say something like that?

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Insert Everything is fine meme.

https://twitter.com/WPLGLocal10/status/1272185530529308672

And to think Sundays are usually a lower-reporting day.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

People are not taking it seriously anymore. I'm still making very limited shopping trips and now besides the staff, I am one of maybe five people wearing a mask at the grocery store. Majority of essential workers in all stores I see are still wearing mask. Don't know if it's company policy or self-interest but it's good to see.

I had to go to the hardware store the other day, and it seemed about two-thirds were properly wearing masks - I specify "properly" because there were a definitely a few people who had a mask over their mouth but with their nose out.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

The updated numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S. are in for 6/24 per: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

I'm keeping track of these updates daily and updating at the end of the day, whenever all states finish reporting for that day.

Δ Change: Day-by-day Growth or Decline or COVID-19 Spread/Deaths.

• IE: Are we flattening the curve enough?

Σ Increase: A day's contribution to overall percentage growth of COVID-19 cases/deaths.

• IE: What's the overall change in the total?

<Last Numbers for 3/26-3/28 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 3/29-4/4 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/5-4/11 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/12-4/18 in this Post>
<Last Numbers for 4/19-4/25 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 4/26-5/2 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 5/3-5/9 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 5/10-5/16 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 5/17-5/23 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 5/24-5/30 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 5/31-6/6 in this post>
<Last Numbers for 6/7-6/13 in this post>

6/14: <Sunday>

• Cases: 2,162,144 (+19,920 | Δ Change: ↓21.27% | Σ Increase: ↑0.93%)
• Deaths: 117,853 (+326 | Δ Change: ↓53.56% | Σ Increase: ↑0.28%)

6/15:

• Cases: 2,182,950 (+20,806 | Δ Change: ↑4.45% | Σ Increase: ↑0.96%)
• Deaths: 118,283 (+430 | Δ Change: ↑31.90% | Σ Increase: ↑0.36%)

6/16:

• Cases: 2,208,400 (+25,450 | Δ Change: ↑22.32% | Σ Increase: ↑1.17%)
• Deaths: 119,132 (+849 | Δ Change: ↑97.44% | Σ Increase: ↑0.72%)

6/17:

• Cases: 2,234,471 (+26,071 | Δ Change: ↑2.44% | Σ Increase: ↑1.18%)
• Deaths: 119,941 (+809 | Δ Change: ↓4.71% | Σ Increase: ↑0.68%)

6/18:

• Cases: 2,263,651 (+29,180 | Δ Change: ↑11.93% | Σ Increase: ↑1.31%)
• Deaths: 120,688 (+747 | Δ Change: ↓7.66% | Σ Increase: ↑0.62%)

6/19:

• Cases: 2,297,190 (+33,539 | Δ Change: ↑14.94% | Σ Increase: ↑1.48%)
• Deaths: 121,407 (+719 | Δ Change: ↓3.75% | Σ Increase: ↑0.60%)

6/20:

• Cases: 2,330,578 (+33,388 | Δ Change: ↓0.45% | Σ Increase: ↑1.45%)
• Deaths: 121,980 (+573 | Δ Change: ↓20.31% | Σ Increase: ↑0.47%)

6/21: <Sunday>

• Cases: 2,356,657 (+26,079 | Δ Change: ↓21.89% | Σ Increase: ↑1.12%)
• Deaths: 122,247 (+267 | Δ Change: ↓53.40% | Σ Increase: ↑0.22%)

6/22:

• Cases: 2,388,153 (+31,496 | Δ Change: ↑20.77% | Σ Increase: ↑1.34%)
• Deaths: 122,610 (+363 | Δ Change: ↑35.96% | Σ Increase: ↑0.30%)

6/23 (Yesterday):

• Cases: 2,424,168 (+36,015 | Δ Change: ↑14.35% | Σ Increase: ↑1.51%)
• Deaths: 123,473 (+863 | Δ Change: ↑137.74% | Σ Increase: ↑0.70%)
• Death toll inflated by older counts recently dumped by DE

6/24 (Today):

• Cases: 2,462,554 (+38,386 | Δ Change: ↑6.18% | Σ Increase: ↑1.58%)
• Deaths: 124,281 (+808 | Δ Change: ↓6.37% | Σ Increase: ↑0.65%)
• Death toll inflated by older counts recently dumped by DE

What a catastrophe this all has been. So many more people are going to needlessly die because because of societal recklessness and government incompetence.

I just stare at these newly-rising case numbers and feel searing hot rage. These new cases were avoidable, and the fact that we didn't avoid them is inexcusable.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1276184906159271937

It speaks volumes about how Trump views his base voters that, whenever things are going badly for him, he goes back to the racism to rally his floor of like 40%.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1276184906159271937

It speaks volumes about how Trump views his base voters that, whenever things are going badly for him, he goes back to the racism to rally his floor of like 40%.

Hatred of China is not racist.

If you don't think that calling the coronavirus by that term used in Trump's tweet ends up leading to harassment and assaults against Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans, then you are deluding yourself.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1276184906159271937

It speaks volumes about how Trump views his base voters that, whenever things are going badly for him, he goes back to the racism to rally his floor of like 40%.

Hatred of China is not racist.

If you don't think that calling the coronavirus by that term used in Trump's tweet ends up leading to harassment and assaults against Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans, then you are deluding yourself.

Again, hatred of China is not racist. Nationalism is not racist. You can say he's trying to whip up nationalism (which is true) but I hate China and lots of Americans hate China and it has nothing to do with the physical appearance of the bulk of its citizens. Trump has always tried to stir up nationalism, including against white European countries. You dont get to conflate literally everything with racism just because its convenient for you to avoid an argument.

Listen, I have nothing positive to say about the government of China, that government is run by dangerous authoritarians who care only about themselves and not their citizens. But it plainly the case that calling something the "ChinaVirus" (I feel disgusting even typing that) is going to whip up hatred against people with a Chinese family background and other people wrongly perceived as being Chinese, whether in China or the United States or elsewhere, and that those people targeted are going to face real dangers. It is grossly irresponsible that Trump is using that term, even if his intent - and I have my doubts that it is his intent -  is solely to criticize the government of China.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Holy sh*t. This is getting really bad. Forumlurker has been proven right again on the death rate, as many experts expected with cases continuing to spike.

According to Nate Silver, deaths were down week over week, but New Jersey reclassified a bunch of old deaths.

Accurate. Deaths will almost certainly go up eventually, but they are a lagging indicator and will take some time for it to show up.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Texas is closing down bars again

https://twitter.com/chadhastyradio/status/1276504017951227905?s=21

Restaurants at 50% is almost certainly insufficient, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

But it just drives me up the wall when I hear healthy people whining about how "masks are hot and uncomfortable" and that they're bored/feeling oppressed.

The problem here is that way too many Americans really are complete snowflakes.

I think this is the reason why the USA in particular is so bad at controlling the virus, because we have by far the highest per capita snowflake population and the biggest sense of personal entitlement.

It is a good thing that these people didn't have to live in the 1300s amidst the black death.

And while I'm in rant mode: wearing a mask over your mouth but not your nose defeats the whole damn purpose.  

I get it.  They're not the most comfy thing to wear.  

Still, it just BAFFLES me that people can be SO FREAKING STUPID.  Y'all know that I don't get mad or upset all that often and I'll step down off my soapbox.  But there were a dozen profanity-filled things I wanted to say to this aforementioned individual complaining about masks and that he hadn't "had a good burger in months" thanks to the "hysteria". 

The point I always find myself making on this is that, however uncomfortable a mask may be, having a tube shoved down your throat so a machine can breathe for you is vastly more uncomfortable.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/GeoffRBennett/status/1276971915480088577

I cannot properly convey my contempt for these people.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

You have got to watch this to believe. Looks like things are likely to keep getting worse, at least in Texas...

https://twitter.com/PeterHotez/status/1276886772287442944

Isn’t this just evidence that a lot of people are getting tested?

Watch the video. There are a lot of people there waiting in line to be tested... Which is good... But what is not good is that they are all standing in a closely packed line unnecessarily close right next to each other... Despite the fact that they are in line specifically at a COVID testing site... Where you would expect that a disproportionate number of people relative to the general population are in fact infected... And especially in a state/city in which there is a high positivity rate...

The question you should be asking yourself, given this, is why are they not standing 6 feet apart? TBH, why are they not standing further apart than that, like 12 feet (why is there this obsession with 6 feet anyway, as though it is perfectly fine to stand exactly 6 feet away if you could easily be standing a bit further away at no real additional cost???)

The problem, much like with long lines at voting locations, is a lack of testing sites. If people know it's going to be a several hours long wait to get tested, they might just decide to not bother getting tested, even if they're feeling sick. That's going to make it even harder to isolate and contact trace.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/StevenTDennis/status/1277295367827136514

Record cases on a day when usually we see lower case numbers than usual? That can't be good.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1278084087585009665

When you care more about performative obedience to your party's president than you care about your own constituents.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/VaughnHillyard/status/1278349068817833984

I think this might be the highest number of per capita new cases that any state has ever reported.

Edit: For reference, this would be the equivalent of 220,000 new cases if scaled up to the US population.

Yikes

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1278405761077477376

Just so obviously not up to the job, and the Republican party has decided they want to keep him in office anyway, American lives be damned.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

I'd really like to see the partisan difference in COVID infections and deaths.  You can't figure out individual partisan leans, but maybe divide it up into counties/precincts and weight by Trump/Clinton vote %.

My guess?

The initial wave mostly hit Clinton voters, because it was spreading most quickly in big cities with very concentrated populations.

But this "second wave" (not really the second wave, we still have that to look forward to) is going to be 70-80% Trump voters.  Those are the people not wearing masks.  Those are the people not socially distancing.  Those are the people refusing to take this seriously.  And those are the people who are going to get infected and die.  And thanks to them, we won't be able to re-open.  Thanks to them, plenty of their friends and family will also get sick and die.  Ironically, thanks to them, Trump's odds of re-election will continue to dwindle as the crisis continues.

I don't disagree with the general thrust of this argument, but I question the magnitude of its impact. A lot of infections are going to be among people who just don't pay attention to the news at all, who are probably more likely to be apolitical nonvoters, especially young people who don't vote.