• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Update – Friday/Saturday, March 27/28 (International / Informational)

COVID-19 Coronavirus Update – Friday/Saturday, March 27/28 (International / Informational)

by Anne Laurie|  March 28, 20205:45 am| 22 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs

FacebookTweetEmail

WHO Director General: "The pandemic is accelerating at an exponential rate. The first 100,000 cases took 67 days. The second 100,000 took 11 days, the third 100,000 took just 4 days, and the fourth 100,000 just 2 days."

— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) March 26, 2020

A factory in South Korea is now making 350,000 COVID-19 test kits a day – almost as many as the country has used in the entire outbreak so far. Daily output will increase to a million next month.
https://t.co/pjr8m9oS0i

— Laura Bicker (@BBCLBicker) March 27, 2020

When do countries on #Covid19 lockdown know it's safe to ease up on restrictions? What can be done to keep the virus from coming roaring back? @sxbegle packs a prodigious amount of information into this piece you must read. https://t.co/gVmZ1ufzCy

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 25, 2020

Rapid, point of care diagnostics open up opportunities for shifting to more targeted control strategies. We're not there yet, but this is another piece of the puzzle. https://t.co/wdvFLi3jIt

— Caitlin Rivers, PhD (@cmyeaton) March 28, 2020

Looking thru product information, looks like an isothermal nucleic acid amplification-based test

— Grace Vezeau (@grace_vezeau) March 28, 2020

This would be a very hopeful thing. And it might be cheaper for the federal government to establish rapid testing in every airport in America than it would be to subsidize the airlines for another several months of not flying. https://t.co/K6MGA62nJf

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) March 28, 2020

Let’s hope Trump doesn’t take control of them & switch production to SUV’s https://t.co/rYvpNyACmX

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) March 28, 2020

An idea for speeding up a #covid19 vaccine from @mlipsitch and colleagues: infect young volunteers. Story by @antonioregalado https://t.co/mrFwjGGZtT

— Carl Zimmer (@carlzimmer) March 27, 2020


.@WHO DG @DrTedros announces that in Norway and Spain, the first patients are being enrolled in Solidarity Trial comparing different #COVID19 treatment candidates

Here's @HelenBranswell with the background on the trial from when it was announced: https://t.co/a0ltaPPGjV

— Andrew Joseph (@DrewQJoseph) March 27, 2020

The clearest explanation I’ve seen of what the future of this epidemic looks like: We could see several waves of COVID-19 until we acquire immunity or develop a vaccine.

Thanks @gmleunghku for talking to @pritheworld: https://t.co/OzIXfKvXrq

— Tania Karas (@taniakaras) March 27, 2020

"Efforts to widely distribute unproven treatments are misguided at best and dangerous at worst," @drJoshS tells @cpiller in this look at why scientists are aghast at the promotion of unproven anti-malarias to treat #Covidd19. https://t.co/w78TPWFy9S

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 27, 2020

Models are models, as the old caveat goes. But governments increasingly rely on them to guide their pandemic responses. @kakape takes a look at model debates and how they're shaping policies. https://t.co/1dR1KZdms3

— Jon Cohen (@sciencecohen) March 25, 2020

So many people are asymptomatic and they’re extremely inaccurate, yet “fever detection” thermal camera systems are selling by the thousands in the US. They also make people feel safe when they shouldn’t. A cross of surveillance and disinfo – my latest https://t.co/h7wFyfwbST

— april glaser (@aprilaser) March 28, 2020

"It’s the difference between catching an invader red-handed versus going back to the crime scene & dusting for prints." — @DrewQJoseph's smart piece about the blood testing aiming to find people who were infected but never diagnosed with #Covid19. https://t.co/xVnIfbk2HO

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 27, 2020

Scientists have been able to monitor the #coronavirus pandemic faster than any previous outbreak.
Find out how #EUfunded research on gene sequencing and online sharing of data is helping them ⬇

— European Commission ?? (@EU_Commission) March 28, 2020

The @ccdd_hsph COVID-19 website is live! https://t.co/bKbitw9UEv Huge thanks to Linnea DiPillo, Nikita Mahulkar, Benjamin Wallace, Rachel Sadoff, Susan Matheson https://t.co/bKbitw9UEv

— Marc Lipsitch (@mlipsitch) March 27, 2020

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « COVID-19 Coronavirus Update – Friday/Saturday, March 27/28 (Domestic Edition)
Next Post: Saturday Morning Open Thread: Chill-Out Assistance from A Past Master »

Reader Interactions

22Comments

  1. 1.

    David C

    March 28, 2020 at 7:35 am

    Good morning, and thanks for my go-to morning read. In an intranet interview (NIH only) with Francis Collins, Tony Fauci put the kibosh in intentionally infecting healthy volunteers – the risk of death is not zero. He said that it was an idea that came up early, but that it was pretty much shot down.

    Stay safe.

  2. 2.

    Amir Khalid

    March 28, 2020 at 7:41 am

    Malaysia’s daily numbers. Most Malaysians are complying with the movement control order, as it’s called here. The new-case count and new death count numbers appear to be heading in the right direction. But neighbouring countries Thailand and Indonesia are cause for concern. Thailand’s government appears to be in denial. Indonesia’s medical infrastructure is less developed than ours, they don’t have the capacity to test or treat as much of their population, and and could wind up being overwhelmed by COVID-19.

  3. 3.

    Tony Jay

    March 28, 2020 at 7:41 am

    Interesting but depressing piece in the Shitbag Guardian by Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet medical journal.

    Basically, the British Government’s determination to ignore the warnings until it was too late and subsequent refusal to follow the WHO guidance on testing means the NHS will not be able to cope and Britain is about to take a brutal egg-pounding. Johnson’s oh so convenient diagnosis at least spares him having to smear his puffy, ‘condom in a washing machine’ face all over the PR disaster to come. Priorities!

    OTOH didn’t we all do so well by standing outside and clapping? Sorted out all of the problems, that did. Undoubtedly the Greatest National Moment of People Power since the Paedogeddon Militias scourged the country clear of kiddie-fiddlers (and paediatricians) back in the 90’s.

    Why the British Press isn’t hounding the fuck out of these blinkered spunk-buckets on the topic of testing – should – be a mystery, but it’s not. This is the Government they worked so hard to install, it’s their bastard offspring, they can’t bash it too hard without risking a national rejection of the brand, and then who will protect their owners from.a slightly higher rate of taxation?

    These fucking people.

  4. 4.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 28, 2020 at 7:48 am

    @Tony Jay:

    blinkered spunk-buckets

    Are you related to Betty Cracker?

  5. 5.

    Amir Khalid

    March 28, 2020 at 7:58 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    Correction: The Thai government has not appeared to be in denial as I stated, but it has been criticised for its inept management of the situation. Per Wikipedia:

    The government has been sharply criticized for various aspects of its response to the crisis. In early February, in response to concerns over hoarding and price gouging of face masks, the government issued price controls and intervened in their distribution. The move failed to prevent shortages among hospitals, and became a scandal over perceived corruption and siphoning of supplies. Criticism was also aimed at the government’s inconsistent policy over international travel and quarantine requirements, indecisiveness and slowness to act, and poor communication—many official announcements were made available to the public, only to be quickly retracted or contradicted by other government units, and later changed. The abrupt closure of Bangkok businesses prompted tens of thousands of workers to travel to their hometowns, risking further spread and reflecting the failure among agencies to coordinate a unified response.

  6. 6.

    Amir Khalid

    March 28, 2020 at 8:05 am

    Re the thermal cameras: U of Malaya Medical Centre’s security was using them to scan people at entrances when I was there for my medical appointments.

  7. 7.

    teacherryan

    March 28, 2020 at 8:07 am

    @Amir Khalid: I assumed I was the only balloon juice reader in Malaysia.  I’ve been very impressed by how well the gov’t and citizenry have done during this crisis. From watching out my window, though, I thought there were a lot more cars out today than I’ve seen in 10 days.

  8. 8.

    Geminid

    March 28, 2020 at 8:09 am

     

     

    @Tony Jay: Wondering: are people holding prayer vigils for the Prime Minister?

  9. 9.

    raven

    March 28, 2020 at 8:23 am

    The United States is expecting a severe shortage of ventilators to help people suffering from the most serious cases of COVID-19. On March 16, 2020, a team of more than 40 engineers, doctors, medical professionals, designers, and manufacturing experts from industry launched an Apollo 13-style project to help address that need.

    The team focused on designing a device that could help the sickest patients to breathe, by plugging into the oxygen source available in most hospital rooms or into a tank of oxygen. Less than one week later, the team demonstrated a working prototype.

  10. 10.

    Tony Jay

    March 28, 2020 at 8:24 am

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    She’s down as my Plus One for the ‘Dancing On the Balls of Bastards’ jamboree I have planned for when I win big on the lottery.

  11. 11.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    March 28, 2020 at 8:30 am

    @raven: Collage engineering project and not reality. I work in the medical tech industry and good god, who will touch building that because of the liability without clinical trials? The families of anyone who dies on those machines will sue the f out of the manufacture when this is done and over.

    :

  12. 12.

    Amir Khalid

    March 28, 2020 at 8:32 am

    @teacherryan:

    I’ve been commenting here for about a decade. I’m currently in USJ18. Whereabouts are you? I know you’re somewhere in the Klang Valley but I’m not sure where.

  13. 13.

    Tony Jay

    March 28, 2020 at 8:34 am

    @Geminid:

    If they can find anyone that stupid (and they will be looking) I’m sure the BBC’s senior managers will Breaking News it and fly over their Chief Political Flack to sing “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” in front of a closely packed phalanx of flag-waving Brextremists.

    For the good of the nation, you understand, and not because they’re in the least biased towards the Party that appointed them to their positions of propagandasmic power.

  14. 14.

    WereBear

    March 28, 2020 at 8:42 am

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: They can sign releases.

  15. 15.

    Amir Khalid

    March 28, 2020 at 8:52 am

    @teacherryan:

    I know about the cars. The IGP has been threatening MCO violators with a few days in police lockup.

  16. 16.

    Skepticat

    March 28, 2020 at 9:13 am

    The emergency order for a total lockdown here in the Bahamas is scheduled to expire Tuesday, but the minister of health has just said parts of it probably will be extended. As of this morning, the Bahamas, with a population of a bit over 392,000 (not including foreign property owners like me), has ten cases, all but one in New Providence (Nassau). To avoid tempting the gods, I hesitate to mention Abaco has none—yet. The 24-hour curfew and strict controls seem to be working, and the inconvenience is minor compared to the alternative. Besides, it’s astonishingly beautiful here and I still can work online when I’m not demolishing rubble (a project that’s going well).

  17. 17.

    danielx

    March 28, 2020 at 9:40 am

    Good friend’s daughter is a Navy nurse on the hospital ship going to NYC, Not treating covid-19 cases, as I understand it, but rather all the OTHER stuff that hospitals can’t deal with right now. Coronaries, car crashes, etc tc.

  18. 18.

    teacherryan

    March 28, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @Amir Khalid: I’m in Ampang.  I’m a US citizen who moved here last year for work.  So far, it’s my favorite place I’ve lived – and I’ve lived on 4 continents, 19 States, and one US territory.  I’m very happy to be here right now instead of in the States.

  19. 19.

    Another Scott

    March 28, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: Necessity is a mother, but people need to think about what a ventilator actually does.  It forces air into the lungs of people who have trouble breathing on their own.  It has to be at the right rate, it has to be at the right pressure, and it has to be **clean** for weeks on end.  Lungs are the perfect breeding ground for infectious agents – dark, warm, wet, with teeny, tiny crevices.

    A bad ventilator will kill people faster than COVID-19.

    I’m sure the people working on these new designs know this, but those demanding that they cut corners to get them out NOW NOW NOW need to understand the issues.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  20. 20.

    Origuy

    March 28, 2020 at 11:53 am

    A friend of mine works on diagnostic systems at a competitor to Abbott. He posted about their announcement yesterday. He agrees it is a very big deal. Their systems are all over the place; urgent care clinics and doc-in-a-box facilities use them to diagnose flu. If Abbot can put out 50,000 of the cartridges that test for COVID-19 a week, that will bring testing capability to a lot more places.

  21. 21.

    VOR

    March 28, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    There is a lot of innovation happening. The Abbott rapid test. South Korea creating a rapid test. Different groups working on new ventilator designs. I have no doubt the entire medical community is shifting to focus on this. Good things are happening in the world, they are just drowned out by the wind tunnel of dis-information coming from the White House.

  22. 22.

    germy

    March 28, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    How how our proud species faces that last good night— with a six-pack of toilet paper tucked under each arm.

    — Barbara Ehrenreich (@B_Ehrenreich) March 15, 2020

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Comments

  • mvr on Open Thread: Exciting News — Andy Kim Is Contesting Menedez’s Seat (Sep 23, 2023 @ 11:31pm)
  • Ivan X on Open Thread: Exciting News — Andy Kim Is Contesting Menedez’s Seat (Sep 23, 2023 @ 11:27pm)
  • Adam L Silverman on War for Ukraine Day 577: The Ukrainians Commissed Another Russian Submarine Today (Sep 23, 2023 @ 11:23pm)
  • Matt McIrvin on Open Thread: Exciting News — Andy Kim Is Contesting Menedez’s Seat (Sep 23, 2023 @ 11:20pm)
  • Pink Tie on *Interesting* Read: ‘Are “Never Trump” Republicans Actually Just Democrats Now?’ (Sep 23, 2023 @ 11:19pm)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
What Has Biden Done for You Lately?

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Talk of Meetups – Meetup Planning

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Cole & Friends Learn Español

Introductory Post
Cole & Friends Learn Español

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!