Pandemic preparation? ?

[mike carey]

The Canadian First Ministers meeting, scheduled to start tomorrow, has been canceled. Trudeau and his wife are self-isolating because Sophie Gregoire has tested positive for COVID 19.

https://ipolitics.ca/2020/03/12/first-ministers-meeting-postponed-trudeau-in-self-isolation-while-wife-sophie-awaits-covid-19-test-results/

When I saw your previous reply before you deleted it, I assumed that would be the reason. I should clarify, the COAG meets as a heads of government meeting, but the name is also used for other counterpart minister meetings, attorneys general, health ministers and so on.

[mike carey]

There's a COAG meeting in Sydney today (council of Australian governments, a meeting of the PM and state and territory premiers and chief ministers, similar to Canadian first ministers' meetings) to discuss the pandemic. The Chief Medical Officer has advised them that they should cancel public gatherings of over 500 people.

The meeting has wound up and a presser held involving the PM and all the first ministers.

— About half the nine members of COAG are from each side of politics, but this was a complete unity ticket. Only the PM, the Chief Medical Officer and the premiers of the two biggest states (one from each side of politics) spoke.

— They are setting this group up as a National Cabinet that will meet weekly.

— The cabinet will be supported by the already established Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) which consists of the chief medical or health officers of each jurisdiction. (With eight states and territories, this sort of coordination mechanism is easier than it would be with 50 states.)

— Non essential gatherings of 500 or more people should not happen from Monday (the PM will still go to the football, the opposition leader who was also going to attend will not). Schools, universities and shopping centres will not be affected.

— The Chief Medical Officer explained that the risk in static events like sports crowds, where people stay in the same spot for two hours or more, were greater than railway stations and airports, where contact with other people was more in passing.

— The government has increased the travel advisory for Australians to defer any non-essential overseas travel to any country (I don't plan to follow this advice, at least not now).

— No additional inbound travel bans are being contemplated. Reduced overall levels of international travel mean that monitoring will be easier, most travellers will be Australians returning home, and as community transmission increases the significance of imported case declines in the scheme of things.

— One thing that stood out is the extent to which the roles of the CMO and the AHPPC have primacy in the decision processes.

 

The Australian stock exchange opened the day and fell by over 8% but late in the day it had a remarkable turnaround and a few minutes ago it closed up 4.4% on the day.

[rvwnsd]

[mike carey]

Non essential gatherings of 500 or more people should not happen from Monday (the PM will still go to the football, the opposition leader who was also going to attend will not).

About 6pm on Friday evening, Peter Dutton, the Home Affairs Minister, who is one of the most senior cabinet ministers announced that he had contracted the virus. The last cabinet meeting was on Tuesday so the medical advice is that other ministers don't need to self-isolate. Nevertheless, the PM has decided not to attend the football on Saturday night. Unfortunately his announcement said he decided not to attend to avoid his attendance being misrepresented rather than just to set an example.

[mike carey]

A couple of ABC News productions on the virus:

 

A Q&A with a GP and an ABC medical reporter -

 

And a podcast home page. This is produced each week day - https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/coronacast/

[+ tassojunior]

Johns Hopkins University Professor of Public Health Dr. Marty Makary says actual cases in US could be between 50,000 and 500,000. # we see is only those tested positive and few tested. Italy is most "transparent" as what is reality.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/dr-marty-makary-coronavirus-think-145547356.html

[LivingnLA]

What sort of information are y'all looking for? There's plenty of panic, because the media makes money on panic. It grabs eyeballs. And the market volatility has been great for those who know how to exploit it. If you're looking for clear information about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, then look at authoritative sources.

 

U. Minnesota has a list of all the different case maps. I like Washington's map for its county-level data while the Hopkins map is updated very frequently.

 

It's important to understand we already have community spread in the USA and the virus is already in at least 44 states and likely in all 50 states. We have terrible access to testing in the USA and since upwards of 80% of cases have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, the vast majority of cases are being missed. If we had South Korea's testing capabilities, we'd likely see tens of thousands of confirmed cases in the USA. But, we don't, so all we're seeing is the subset that is so bad that they can't be missed.

 

What you and everyone can do: wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, do not touch your face, practice social distancing, and sanitize common surfaces frequently. Do not travel unless it's absolutely necessary. Even if you're young and healthy, you can still easily be a carrier for this virus. Do your part as a human being and help protect all of us.

Edited March 13, 2020 by LivingnLA

[+ WilliamM]

What sort of information are y'all looking for? There's plenty of panic, because the media makes money on panic. It grabs eyeballs. And the market volatility has been great for those who know how to exploit it. If you're looking for clear information about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, then look at authoritative sources.

 

U. Minnesota has a list of all the different case maps. I like Washington's map for its county-level data while the Hopkins map is updated very frequently.

 

It's important to understand we already have community spread in the USA and the virus is already in at least 44 states and likely in all 50 states. We have terrible access to testing in the USA and since upwards of 80% of cases have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, the vast majority of cases are being missed. If we had South Korea's testing capabilities, we'd likely see well over 100,000 confirmed cases in the USA. But, we don't, so all we're seeing is the subset that is so bad that they can't be missed.

 

What you and everyone can do: wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, do not touch your face, practice social distancing, and sanitize common surfaces frequently. Do not travel unless it's absolutely necessary. Even if you're young and healthy, you can still easily be a carrier for this virus. Do your part as a human being and help protect all of us.

 

CNN reporting on the virus (and Morning Joe on MSNBC) has been terrific.

[mike carey]

There is serious discussion here from the medical folks that appear in the media (and I'm talking about our public broadcasters, not the more excitable commercial media) that if we are going to impose any further travel restrictions it would be for people coming from the US rather than Europe (there are already restrictions on arrivals from Italy). The view here is that the situation in the US is not under control. That said, we are not likely to impose any further travel restrictions as the possibility of importing cases would not affect the overall caseload now that community transmission is increasing.

[MikeBiDude]

CNN reporting on the virus (and Morning Joe on MSNBC) has been terrific.

Oh yes CNN ??

https://www.newsweek.com/don-lemon-john-kasich-heated-debate-donald-trump-coronavirus-address-travel-ban-1491871

Completely balanced! ?

[handiacefailure]

This is getting fucking crazy, I wanted to make a pasta dish for supper tonight and the stores are all sold out of spaghetti.

[MikeBiDude]

This is getting fucking crazy, I wanted to make a pasta dish for supper tonight and the stores are all sold out of spaghetti.

I went to the store for onions I forgot yesterday. Yesterday store was fine. Today after LA School District announced shutdown, mayhem and panic buying. I went to two grocery stores - walked out of one full of craziness and waited 45 minutes at second store to pay for my onions, whole sections of the market wiped out, empty.

[+ azdr0710]

I went to the store for onions I forgot yesterday.

 

hmmmm......I was just at a Mexican grocery store a few minutes ago only to get fixins for guacamole I'm in charge of for a small get-together in a few days......they had all I needed.....except white onions.......a Mexican grocery out of onions???

 

otherwise, I haven't even been to a grocery store or Costco in several days.....may go soon just to witness the panic and mayhem.......

 

down to about two spare rolls of TP, by the way......outta my way!!!

[MrMattBig]

 

down to about two spare rolls of TP, by the way......outta my way!!!

 

You will have to go through me first!!!

I have 3 spare and tried to go to the store before this travel trip...no luck...bare.ass.shelves

When I get back there better be some return to sanity...

[+ FrankR]

I went to the store for onions I forgot yesterday. Yesterday store was fine. Today after LA School District announced shutdown, mayhem and panic buying. I went to two grocery stores - walked out of one full of craziness and waited 45 minutes at second store to pay for my onions, whole sections of the market wiped out, empty.

Today is the first time I noticed panic buying in NYC - also left the first store (packed with people) and had to wait in line at the 2nd to find many empty shelves. Will make sure I am at the door first thing tomorrow.

[+ tassojunior]

The panic is going to be that when the good tests roll out quickly the number of cases in the US is going to soar overnight.

[+ bashful]

I just got back from Costco. Wanted to pick up a Rx, and a few things before the weekend crowds. Couldn’t believe it. Parking lot full, overflowing to next lot. Everyone walking out had cases of water in their cart. Signs on the door said they were out of paper products. Lines to the cashiers were backed up to the clothing section. Decided to just get Rx and get out. Only three in line in front of me.

 

Then, as I’m trying to back out of my parking space, I’m blocked by a woman waiting for another woman to load her suv with the water, and enough stuff to stock a bomb shelter. Finally after I purposely got within inches of her car, honking my horn, she notices. Never heard me honking my horn before I got near here. She finally moved, barley giving me enough room, and then there were two other cars wanting my and another’s spaces. I resisted the urge to give her the finger. Oh, then there’s the people who are trying to maneuver those wide carts between cars because they couldn’t remember what aisle they parked. There’s going to be a lot of scratched cars this weekend.

 

People are getting weird.

Edited March 13, 2020 by bashful

[Guest]

Daniel McNiel on TRMS last night is totally on spot:

 

[MikeBiDude]

hmmmm......I was just at a Mexican grocery store a few minutes ago only to get fixins for guacamole I'm in charge of for a small get-together in a few days......they had all I needed.....except white onions.......a Mexican grocery out of onions???

 

otherwise, I haven't even been to a grocery store or Costco in several days.....may go soon just to witness the panic and mayhem.......

 

down to about two spare rolls of TP, by the way......outta my way!!!

I did my Mexican store “Numero Uno” yesterday, funny it’s a small local chain, they had water and TP stacked up in full supply!? Not a lot of people (yesterday-before SoCal school shutdowns) And of course they had the epazote and cilantro and oxtails I really needed ?

Edited March 14, 2020 by MikeBiDude

[RealAvalon]

Is it unusual that my City has better water quality from the tap, than the bottled water? Carbonated water I do buy.

[+ FreshFluff]

I[MEDIA=twitter]1238545438476730369[/MEDIA]

[+ bashful]

I just saw on the news tonight that Illinois is having all of the casinos in the state close for 14 days, although no cases are associated with any casino at this time. But, for some reason, probably "political", its not effective until Monday. Go figure, the busiest days at any casino are the weekends. At least, one casino, Rivers, will continue to pay employees. However, no mention of whether tip income will be included.

Edited March 14, 2020 by bashful

[rvwnsd]

I went grocery shopping this evening. There was plenty of fresh meat, milk, and bakery items. However, the pre-pakaged bread aisle was pretty much cleared out, there were no eggs at Fry's and only a few cartons at Safeway, and both stores were almost completely sold out of dry pasta. Interestingly, there was plenty of pasta sauce, canned and fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and butter/margarine, so people apparently eat the stuff plain.

 

One of the recipes I'm making calls for frozen okra. I thought "who the hell but me uses frozen okra?" Well, Fry's had no frozen vegetables (including no okra) except for a couple packages of lima beans and green beans. Safeway has very low stock, but the culinary day was saved by a package of cut okra. Of course, the toilet paper/paper towel/napkin/tissue aisles are devoid of any product including that weird off-brand that always has coupons in the weekly sales flyers.

 

A guy was taking a picture of the empty paper goods aisle and mentioned he was out of toilet paper. He was just my type. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have offered to give him a couple of rolls in exchange for letting me give him a blow job.

[+ FreshFluff]

If the M-F was an apartment block and we were all locked down, what would we sing?

[+ FreshFluff]

He was just my type. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have offered to give him a couple of rolls in exchange for letting me give him a blow job.

 

Price gouging!