I think more significant than being over the 100K level is that in less than two weeks the number of new cases has more than doubled.
We’re looking at a 1918 scenario, but in this case it will be mostly because of massive manslaughter perpetrated by the president & his minions https://t.co/WGdTkIT0fw
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) November 14, 2020
There are now over 4 million active cases in the US, and rising rapidly. pic.twitter.com/dIlY1HsMhC
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) November 14, 2020
Here's what the spread of COVID-19 looks like this week.
It's bad. https://t.co/yKEwCLtZBJ pic.twitter.com/NvlsJXaqQ6— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) November 14, 2020
Reconciling data from 33 academic & govt modeling groups the @CDCgov offers a grim #COVID19 forecast for the next three weeks. Deaths will near 300,000 by Dec. 1st. That week (Dec.1-7) up to 13,400 deaths/week may transpire. https://t.co/r56cEQ2Asx pic.twitter.com/d86RbkLjFY
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) November 13, 2020
"We are hitting new highs of Covid and new lows in our response." — @DrTomFrieden's weekly assessment of the state of the US situation thread. (spoiler alert: Not at all good.) https://t.co/8vzhx40gbc
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) November 14, 2020
Covid-19 has come roaring back and is likely to inflict further damage on the American economy, which will take years to recover to its robust pre-pandemic status https://t.co/xWDwNHIggb pic.twitter.com/jZEsgsBssm
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 14, 2020
======
The turnaround in some of the worst-hit EU countries has been rapid and noteworthy pic.twitter.com/yX6Uv8bXvl
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 13, 2020
The U.K. coronavirus infection rate appears to be slowing down, a tentative sign that a resurgence of COVID-19 is leveling off after wide-ranging restrictions were imposed, including the closure of pubs, hairdressers and restaurants for a month in England. https://t.co/pbmAsbUIWZ
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) November 13, 2020
Crematoriums in the Czech Republic are bursting at the seams as the coronavirus death toll soars, placing the country at the top of Europe's grim statistics https://t.co/B1np9hhoo4 pic.twitter.com/6WsZs69mUE
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 14, 2020
Italy extends 'red zones' as Covid infections soar https://t.co/t9V3PpXb1N
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) November 13, 2020
Sweden to ban sale of alcohol after 10pm to curb #COVID19 (Sweden has wacky strategies). Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said Covid has reached a crisis stage. Record numbers of new infections reported in recent weeks & they're burdening the healthcare system https://t.co/cnOG1pldYp pic.twitter.com/LeYFCxpWEh
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) November 13, 2020
Turkish health ministry statistics show 93 people died in one day of COVID-19 amid a surge in infections, bringing the daily death toll to numbers last seen in April. https://t.co/cXLgCqKFai
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 14, 2020
South Korea reports 205 coronavirus cases, above 200 for first time since September https://t.co/aK4a4JGSxI pic.twitter.com/lMzeUjKqgv
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 14, 2020
South Korea imposes face mask fines after COVID-19 cases rise above 200 https://t.co/XqEKApPAcX pic.twitter.com/Rpklxa3Uvm
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) November 14, 2020
New seroprevalence study in Kenya shows about 4.3% of blood samples have SARSCoV2 antibodies, roughly the same as Spain. But there have been 341 #Covid deaths in Kenya, yet 28k in Spain. Kenya's youthful population may be thwarting infection, experts say https://t.co/2b8e8VnZOB pic.twitter.com/Fyr1IJESWT
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) November 13, 2020
Canada is leading the world in vaccination readinesshttps://t.co/ai7PiHsKgc pic.twitter.com/A5pl3uV5MP
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 13, 2020
======
CDC says a mask protects you, not just others, from coronavirus. https://t.co/BjeWI3cVT6
— AP Health & Science (@APHealthScience) November 13, 2020
I Iove this growing commentary that Aussie & NZ #COVID19 control is because we're some super-compliant breed of human rather than one that was led by and communicated good public health expertise in a framework of rules to be obeyed. Humans need rules.
— ɪᴀɴ ᴍ. ᴍᴀᴄᴋᴀʏ, ᴘʜᴅ ?????? (@MackayIM) November 14, 2020
As the world celebrates advances in vaccines against the novel coronavirus, a top WHO expert warns in an interview with @AFP that public distrust risks rendering even the most effective treatments useless against the pandemic https://t.co/OWGXBnY5nD pic.twitter.com/RwNlIyyErQ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 14, 2020
German school develops DIY anti-virus ventilation system that works like a kitchen exhaust fan. Above each desk hangs a clear plastic funnel attached to a narrow pipe w/ all pipes connected to one leading to a fan that directs air out a tilted window https://t.co/9TNdtB8IrN
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) November 13, 2020
Hungary, South Korea, Turkey and Venezuela have all recently expressed interest in testing or locally producing the Russian vaccine https://t.co/Fl0YEsphRW
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) November 13, 2020
A thread. Because sharing information is caring; sharing the virus, not so much:
First, given record case numbers across the U.S., the best thing to do is simply not have an extended family gathering, full stop. My family is keeping it to immediate households only this year. We'll probably video chat with my nephews and nieces but that's it for 2020. /2
— Dr. Tara C. Smith (@aetiology) November 12, 2020
If you can't quarantine, you can still minimize other exposures. You might be needed at work, but can avoid bars, restaurants, and seeing other friends for the time being. Decrease your bubble as much as possible to keep your Tday guests safer. /4
— Dr. Tara C. Smith (@aetiology) November 12, 2020
During the meal, the CDC has put out some guidelines to minimize transmission while you're gathered together: https://t.co/TLIPCDwDqJ Keys: masks, ventilation, distance, hand hygiene and not sharing utensils. Keep it short. /6
— Dr. Tara C. Smith (@aetiology) November 12, 2020
Our hospitals and medical personnel are at their limits, and we're not willing to chance getting sick and maybe needing hospitalization amidst all of this. We're all hoping for reduced transmission and a vaccine in 2021 so we can have a more normal celebration next year. /fin
— Dr. Tara C. Smith (@aetiology) November 12, 2020
======
God bless HIPAA and the decency of news shows not showing dying #Covid19 patients laying in hospitals.
But we don't see it. We forget. The pain and death is invisible. We don't see hospital workers beyond exhaustion. @edyong209 makes that less invisible: https://t.co/d9ZUY56boA
— Roxanne Khamsi (@rkhamsi) November 13, 2020
Mississippi, Wisconsin, Oklahoma among 6 states running out of ICU beds as COVID hospitalizations rise https://t.co/7NbECWMn1j
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) November 13, 2020
Puerto Rico’s governor says she will activate the National Guard to help enforce a curfew aimed at curbing a rise in COVID-19 cases and other measures, including once again closing beaches to everyone except those doing exercise. https://t.co/i2FbWUQtpx
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 13, 2020
Obviously a variety of factors here but notable that dark grey patch along the Potomac is The Wharf & Navy Yard, where a high concentration of Trump staffers live https://t.co/kknLPonRzp
— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) November 13, 2020
New Mexico orders two-week lockdown amid COVID-19 surgeshttps://t.co/v75b7dZ8d6
— The Hill (@thehill) November 14, 2020
Sullen Trump lashes out at New York, says whole country will get vaccine except New York, until Governor asks nicely. pic.twitter.com/hadL97HrqE
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 13, 2020
satby
Indiana is also running out of hospital ICU beds. If the farmers market does not put the required reductions in customer access in place today (closing side entrance doors to control admissions from the front and rear market doors) then I’m going to be pulling back out. There are 5 vendors that we know of covid positive. Ironically not the non-maskers so far, though they also wouldn’t get tested anyway unless they were sick enough to go to the doctor. Insanity.
Baud
@satby:
Stay safe.
Looks like Trump will be doing the equivalent of removing the W from the White House keyboards, except this is not a made up event and it’s deadly.
satby
@Baud: It would have been bad anyway, as countless European countries have shown us, but with a malignant liar spreading disinformation it’s drastically worse. He’s a murderer, and so is his son-in-law and the other admin officials who helped him.
NeenerNeener
Another ~300 new infections here yesterday. We are so screwed.
WereBear
I agree. The wingnut mind takes in a concept without using critical thinking, so they never get a bad idea out of their mind. They just layer rationalizations on top of it.
Some people aren’t going to “come to their senses” about this pandemic. Ever.
gkoutnik
President Shitshow.
Jack Canuck
I feel bad posting about the success in Australia these days. Fifteen days straight in Victoria of zero new cases and zero deaths, after a peak of over 700 in 24 hours back in August. Nine new cases nationally in the last day, entirely in quarantined returned travelers. Only one locally acquired case in the last seven days.
All I can say to those of you in the thick of it in the US, and in Europe and elsewhere, is that it is possible to get on top of it if you have good leadership and work together. I realise that’s probably not much comfort given the situation, but it’s all I’ve got. My immediate family and many friends are in the US (and Canada), and I feel like it’s just a matter of time before I hear one of them has been diagnosed. Nothing at all I can do except send positive thoughts out into the ether though.
WereBear
I’m resigned to the inevitable: it will get worse before it gets better.
Rusty
@NeenerNeener: Monroe county NY, right? A family friend posted yesterday the middle school math teacher sent home a big packet of math materials “just in case” schools go full remote. My daughter’s music teacher carefully reminded the students to take their instruments home this weekend, first time she said that happened. Feelings are schools will be closed by Thanksgiving, even next week. We are daily reassessing Thanksgiving, I am strongly leaning toward skipping it. With just the immediate family it’s 4 states. We were all going to get tested, but I don’t think it’s enough.
raven
@Rusty:
Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings
JAFD
In my email last night (leaving identification out):
“IMPORTANT UPDATE
Dear JA,
This letter provides important information about a coronavirus case at one of our branches.
What you need to know:
We were notified on Wednesday, November 11, that an individual who was recently in a (bnk branch near me), tested positive for the coronavirus. You are receiving this letter because our records indicate that you recently visited this branch. Upon notification, we immediately took steps to reduce the risk to our customers and employees, including closing the branch on Thursday, November 12 so that it could be deep-cleaned by a professional cleaning company.
What you need to do:
We wanted to make sure that we shared this information with you as quickly as possible. While we do not have any further information to provide, if you have questions, we encourage you to contact your health care provider and refer to the coronavirus materials on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://www.cdc.gov.
The safety of our customers and employees is of paramount importance and we continue to follow guidelines to make our branches as safe as possible.
Sincerely,
Ms. X
Head of Retail Branch Network”
Well, last time I was in that branch was on the 2nd…
Any rate, all you jackals, stay healthy and have a good weekend.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. The Ministry of Health reports 1,114 new cases today for a cumulative reported total of 46,209 cases. The Ministry also reports two new deaths for a total of 306 deaths — 0.7% of the cumulative reported total, 0.90% of resolved cases.
Meanwhile, 803 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 33,772 patients recovered — 73.1% of the cumulative reported total.
Four new clusters were reported today: Istimewa and Alila in Sabah, Assumption in Kedah and Penang, and Rajawali in Penang.
1,112 new cases are local infections. Sabah has 391 cases: 83 in older clusters, 12 in new clusters Istimewa and Alila, 183 close-contact screenings, and 113 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 371 cases: 367 in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and two other screenings. Selangor has 199 cases: 135 in existing clusters, 28 close-contact screenings, and 36 other screenings. Perak has 53 cases: 49 in existing clusters, one SARI screening, and three other screenings.
Penang has 34 cases: 18 in existing clusters, eight in new clusters Assumption and Rajawali, four close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Johor has 15 cases, all in existing clusters. KL has 13 cases, a huge drop from yesterday’s 201 cases, but no breakdown is given. Kedah has 10 cases: nine in existing clusters, one in new cluster Assumption, and one other screening. Labuan has eight cases: six in existing clusters, and two close-contact screenings. Melaka has six cases, all in existing clusters. Kelantan has five cases: one in an existing cluster, two close-contact screenings, and two other screenings.
Sarawak has three cases: two in existing clusters, and one other screening. Putrajaya has four cases, all in existing clusters.
Perlis, Terengganu, and Pahang reported no new cases today.
Two new cases are imported.
12,131 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 103 are in ICU, 43 of them on respirators.
The two deaths today, both reported in Sabah, are a 78-year-old woman with osteoarthritis; and a 51-year-old man with hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney failure.
NeenerNeener
@Rusty: Yep, Monroe County, NY. And we were doing so well over the summer…
WereBear
@NeenerNeener: I put the NY COVID app on my phone. I keep the phone “Bluetooth on” and upon my person whenever I go somewhere, or receive workers for repair.
Mary G
@Jack Canuck: Don’t feel bad; it’s good for us to emphasize how much better results can be if we just didn’t have idiots in charge encouraging the worst instincts of 40% of the population.
I was really struck by this tweet yesterday:
Serious people taking serious things seriously.
The OC had a big bump show up today: 598 new cases. We blew right by the 400s from 395 yesterday. ICU beds filled are 95 when it was 59 a few days ago. The percent positive numbers are still low, but they’re reported with a 7 day lag, so it’s a window into the past.
All that said, I’m going out for Thanksgiving anyway to my dearest friend Maureen’s house. She’s turning 88 years old this month and really, really wants me to come. It’ll be her, me, her son and his partner, all masked, eating individual meals from a restaurant with plastic utensils. She has a wall of sliding glass doors in her living room she’s going to open, so there’ll be plenty of ventilation. I know it’s idiotic after staying home since March 5, but I just can’t say no to her.
Geo Wilcox
@satby: And in my Indiana town they are hosting a shop till you drop day in the down town area. I just can’t even, you know. WTF are they thinking?
https://wrbiradio.com/2020/11/13/shop-till-you-drop-today-in-batesville/
On the same website page is the story that we are suffering a record number of cases in our local area.
https://wrbiradio.com/2020/11/13/record-high-state-covid-19-positive-cases-for-second-day/
OzarkHillbilly
Money money money, Monneeeeyyy.
NeenerNeener
@WereBear: I’ve got the app too. So far, no close encounters with the covid-infected, but all it takes is one when I go to the post office or the Kia dealer for my car inspection.
NotMax
Number of countries reporting cumulative case numbers of 500k or more now catapults to 20.
U.S. ~10,874k
India ~8773k
Brazil ~5814k
France ~1923k
Russia ~1903k
Spain ~1459k
U.K. ~1317k
Argentina ~1296k
Colombia ~1183k
Italy ~1107k
Mexico ~997k
Peru ~933k
Germany ~775k
South Africa ~747k
Iran ~738k
Poland ~691k
Chile ~528k
Ukraine ~525k
Belgium ~525k
Iraq ~515k
.
WereBear
@NeenerNeener: I’ve got an oil change that I scheduled so I can sit outside, even if it’s cold. It will only get colder…
I’ve been nursing a sick cat with curbside vet visits and strict masking. She’s on the mend too, since I’m the one sitting outside and I hate to run the engine just for warmth.
Hoping to bunker in again! It’s social pain but physical safety, and I keep in touch with tech.
NotMax
Per sources I visit, U.S. overtops 187,000 cases reported in the most recent 24 hours.
NeenerNeener
@WereBear: One of my friends offered to pick me up while the car is being inspected in December and take me back when it’s done. That sounded great until she told me she and her husband are going to travel to Virginia to visit friends for Thanksgiving.
I’m hoping for a warm winter, so I can use one of my camp chairs and sit outside at the Kia dealer instead of relying on potentially infectious friends.
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax:As per a tweet I read yesterday with 2 addendums, this is more or less our recent record:
Nov. 1: 76,771
Nov. 2: 86,589
Nov. 3: 91,910
Nov. 4: 104,296
Nov. 5: 121,289
Nov. 6: 126,731
Nov. 7: 125,100
Nov. 8: 109,177
Nov. 9: 133,819
Nov. 10: 131,990
Nov. 11: 148,302
Nov. 12: 170,473
Nov. 13: 183,527 or 187K.
debbie
@satby:
If you can, you have to get out of there until this shit calms down.
Here, we had more than 8,000 new cases yesterday. It wasn’t so long ago that the average hovered around 1,000. The businesses most likely to be shut down soon are preparing lawsuits in advance of the orders. There’s nothing but finger pointing at other people being at fault.
debbie
@NeenerNeener:
I was at a car dealer in August. There were plenty of places to distance from others.
NotMax
@NeenerNeener
Dunno about NY anymore, however an inspection here takes no more than 10 minutes start to sticker, so shouldn’t be a major inconvenience.
Fortunate enough to be able to choose to go to a place that only does car inspections and has operated doing that for many years. No gas, no mechanics, no mini mart, just inspections. Two outdoor bays. Drive up, wait in line if there is one, never leave your vehicle for the entire process. They accept cash or check but not credit or debit cards.
Aleta
@Geo Wilcox: Not even a reminder from the Chamber of Congress about masks. “Don’t forget to stop by the Batesville Chamber to pick up your Holiday Passport…”
“Support the local retailers and eateries.” Shop till you’re feverish.
Phylllis
Several school districts in SC have announced that the Monday & Tuesday before turkey day will be virtual days with everyone, including teachers, working from home. I have a notion our district may make that call on Monday. Seems to me it would be better to do that for the M-W after Thanksgiving, since that’s when symptoms will likely present. Having said that, with the way infections are rising here in SC, it wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t go full virtual after the holiday anyway.
Rusty
@raven: Thank you. I have seen similar elsewhere but the definition of household is very clear in this one and will be helpful to convince others.
charluckles
@Geo Wilcox:
They didn’t even change the name? ”Shop til you drop” has different connotations in the middle of a raging pandemic of a deadly disease.
Aleta
Alito spoke at the Federalist Society’s annual convention:
WereBear
@Aleta:
Yes, you are, you loathsome pustule.
YY_Sima Qian
Yesterday, China reported 0 new domestic confirmed and 0 new asymptomatic cases.
Kashgar and Kizilsu Prefectures in Xinjiang “Autonomous” Region did not report any new cases yesterday, the 6th day in a row since the start of the outbreak in late Oct. 7 cases have recovered and 33 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 29 confirmed cases (none in serious condition), all in Kashgar, and 211 asymptomatic cases in Xinjiang (197 in Kashgar and 14 in Kizilsu).
Yesterday, China reported 18 new imported confirmed cases and 10 imported asymptomatic cases:
Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 8 new cases, 5 imported and 3 from local transmission (2 has source of transmission identified).
Elizabelle
FWIW, am reading (and enjoying) Michael Connelly’s just released new Lincoln Lawyer novel — The Law of Innocence — and he has worked COVID into the background, and plot. Plus several other character comments on the current scene that will be appreciated by jackals.
Imagining all the dialogue in Matthew McConaughey’s voice, so that’s always good, too.
Connelly said he had to change the timeline of his novel a tad once COVID appeared, because as a former journalist he likes to stay true to current events, and it was obvious the court buildings would be closed due to the ‘virus with his original outline.
Elizabelle
@Geo Wilcox: Shop til you drop.
Um hum. That’s as good as the cruise lines still promising to take you to paradise, in their advertisements.
LurkerNoLonger
This is news? I thought this was known.
Barbara
@Aleta: They wear their privilege like a fish wears water. He rails against public health protections as inimical to personal liberty, but thinks nothing of allowing state governments to restrict the liberty of all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons. Basically, the religious right of people to go to church not only supersedes efforts to minimize undue threats to health, it gives them the right to trample on the freedom of those around them, by imposing restrictions on contraception, abortion and even marriage.
The greatest threat to liberty we have ever seen! Greater threat than slavery? Than internment camps? Than tear gassing peaceful protesters? No, it isn’t the greatest threat to liberty we have ever seen, it’s that you prize “liberty” for some people a whole lot fucking more than you for others.
Brachiator
@Aleta:
It is terrifying to realize that this crybaby bigotry might inform forthcoming Supreme Court opinions.
burnspbesq
Interesting to see mainstream media finally alluding to the possibility of criminal liability for government officials who negligently or recklessly failed to take appropriate action.
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: It has to happen. This is negligence which resulted in more deaths than 9/11, numerous plane crashes, etc.
We were always going to lose some Americans. But not of this magnitude.
When you see articles on this topic, please share! We can help amplify their work.
Nelle
@JAFD: I’ve been watching job ads for contract tracers. In summer, I started seeing them from private companies, as it became apparent that many governments weren’t going to do a thorough job. In Iowa, they are overwhelmed and, acc. to an article yesterday, many rural respondents are simply lying or not answering.
The horse is out of the barn and over the far horizon, though, about contact tracing. Every danger my family has had that we’re aware of has come from the person testing as positive or being in contact with a positive case individually notifying my son or my husband of the situation. We are being very careful, yet have some limited contacts through their work. I want to shut things down even harder now. Two weeks ago, daily state infection rates were over 1,000. Yesterday, over 5,000.
Suzanne
@Barbara: Not to mention, the reason these restrictions are different is because churches and casinos provide different physical environments, not because of the relative value of their activity.
What we are seeing is that six air changes per hour (ACH) is shaking out to be the best practice for indoor spaces. This is not yet established by code, but the building professions are heading toward this consensus. (I have seen much written by journalists that refers to spaces as “well-ventilated” or “poorly ventilated”, but that’s not a measure.) ACH is a code requirement and it is different for all kinds of rooms. In general, the more occupants you have in a space, number/quantity/type of pollutants, amount of flammable material, and the type of activity being performed within a space increases the code requirement for ACH. For comparison, most operating rooms in the US provide six ACH.
Churches are likely riskier than casinos because you pack people in tightly over a large area, there’s hugging and shaking hands, burning candles, singing or reciting aloud, more old people…. and many churches are in older buildings that are not up to modern standards for ACH. Air is probably not be supplied or filtered as much as in casinos, which tend to be recently constructed and have a lot of filtration equipment to filter out cigar and cigarette smoke. Also a fun fact: houses of worship are exempt from the built environment requirements of the ADA, so they are already harder for people who are disabled or medically fragile to use and exit.
But leave it to right-wing Christians to turn eVeRyThInG into a victimization narrative.
Barbara
@Elizabelle: It won’t happen. The person who is probably individually responsible for the explosion of cases more than any other is Kristi Noem, who enabled and encouraged actions both large and small that had the clearly foreseeable consequence of spreading the disease far and wide, the largest of which was, of course, the Sturgis rally over the course of 10 days with hundreds of thousands of people attending from all across the nation. She is so proud of her death spreading capability that she actually went to Maine to chide the governor over her “unconstitutional” intrusions on personal liberty. Maine has one of the lowest infection and death rates in the nation.
Noem’s punishment will be to fail upward, with a front row ticket to the next Republican presidential primary.
Sorry, there is not going to be jail time. I wish we would stop trying to pretend even minimally that we have anything like the tools that would be required to mete out justice for what has happened over the last six months.
Elizabelle
@Suzanne: Very interesting. Thank you.
Elizabelle
@Barbara: I am going to remain hopeful, although we have way too much evidence for your take on this.
Barbara
@Suzanne: My theory of everything is that people look for narratives to explain their discontent. It doesn’t have to be true, it just has to “make sense” to them in a way that doesn’t do too much violence to their underlying status and suppositions in life. The victim narrative among the religious right is often a way of having to avoid the reality that people honestly disagree with you over things that really matter to you and, increasingly, your views can no longer be assumed to be in the majority.
Citizen Alan
@Aleta:
Fucking nazi swine. Everything we’ve been through over the last 6 months due to Corona virus will have been worth it if Samuel alito and Clarence Thomas catch it and die choking on a ventilator the day after Biden.is inaugurated.
Actually, no, it still would not have been worth the senseless waste of life. But at least some good would have come out of it.
Suzanne
@Barbara: Oh yes. Absolutely true. Everyone has a deep fucking story. And socially conservative white Christians have one of the most obnoxious, seething with resentment that others don’t think they belong on pedestals.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Jack Canuck: The US experience varies by State. The states who are taking it seriously are doing ok, but there are problems with the Wingnuts being plague rats.
I suspect the other difference between Aus and the US is pandemic fatigue, the AUS and NZ governments got the pain over in a short time were in the US Dumb Ass Donny is just prolonging it until people get fatalistic.
Barbara
@Suzanne: This is what is so telling in that quote from Alito: Everyone used to agree with me! What happened!
Basically, it’s the definition of “being conservative” that means the most important thing is to conserve my world even if it ruins yours.
Suzanne
@Barbara:
That is some true shit.
Evolve or die.
Sloane Ranger
Late to the party but here are yesterday’s figures from the UK. We had 27,301 new cases yesterday, down about 6000 from the day before’s unacceptably high figure, but still super high. By home nation, the figures are,
England – 24,540 (down @6300)
Northern Ireland – 607 (up @50)
Scotland – 1357 (up @150)
Wales – 797 (down @60).
The good news is that the R number is at 1 to 1.2, which means case increase continues to slow down.
Deaths – There were 376 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. 280 were in England, 11 in Northern Ireland, 56 in Scotland and 29 in Wales.
Testing – 379,955 tests were processed out of a capacity of 519,951. As of week ending 5th November, this is up 14.4% on the previous week.
Hospitalisations – There were 14,714 people in hospital on 11th November and 1275 people on ventilators as of the 12th.Both numbers are continuing to trend upwards but I can see a slight decrease in the upward trend for ventilator use.
General – Some of our religious leaders have joined the madness. The Guardian reports that over 100 church leaders are suing the Government about church closures for communal worship, claiming it breaches the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees freedom of religion. Sad to say, I see that elements of the CofE, RC and some non-Christian groups have joined in including Orthodox Judaism, Muslims, Hindu’s and Sikhs. Actually no-one is stopping anyone from worshipping, the rules specifically allow for religious leaders to conduct online services from their various places of worship. I suspect this is driven by reductions in contributions to their collecting plates and equivalent.
In marginally to completely unrelated news, Dominic Cummings, the No 10. senior aide who was thought to be joined at the hip to Boris and who broke the 1st lockdown to drive himself and his family halfway across the UK is out! And the people rejoice!
Bruce K
Greece is still in bad shape – daily new cases in the 3000 range, all schools shutting down until the end of November, ICUs filling in the north.
I had hopes to visit my better half in Maryland for Thanksgiving. That plan’s lost. Now I’m wondering if I’ll be able to visit over New Year’s – a year since the last time I saw her.
The catch: even with my dual passports, Greece now requires a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival, and it has to be presented prior to departure for Greece, which means the PCR test result has to be in hand essentially within 48 hours of the test. And I can’t find anywhere in the DC region that can accomplish that.
beth
@LurkerNoLonger: You would think wouldn’t you? What we need is a major public health ad campaign, like they did with anti-litter back in the ‘60’s. We need to make mask wearing a patriotic duty. Hell if the right wing can stick a blue line on an American flag and turn it into a political symbol for their side why can’t we stick a mask on a flag and do the same thing? It’s ridiculous that it’s come to that but if that’s what it takes…
J R in WV
@burnspbesq:
Yes, indeed. Manslaughter is a good choice. Vol or invol?
I go with Voluntary myself, everyone knows there is a fatal disease running amok in our population. Could also be called Involuntary Homicide in some states…
ETA: And 214,213 cases also, too.
“This will be your new room, Mr Trump: Cell FL-1347-03, Florence, CO. See? It’s on that bracelet on your wrist if you forget.”
Elizabelle
@J R in WV: It’s got to happen, or open season on Americans should we ever get another psychopath/autocrat in office.
Matt
Hot take: every one of these parents should lose custody of their kids.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/rolla-missouri-unsanctioned-homecoming-dance-at-steakhouse-became-possible-coronavirus-superspreader-event?source=articles&via=rss
After that, we can talk about how many “depraved indifference” murder charges they should face. This isn’t just normal stupidity, this is literally HELPING the virus spread. Fuck every one of these people and their “homecoming traditions”.
StringOnAStick
@J R in WV: My normie husband (though less so now, his radicalisation has begun!) declared around election time that we need to retake the flag from the trumpers/R’s; make it a patriotic symbol of inclusion.
patrick II
@Baud:
This is more than incompentence but purposeful and vindictive against the whole country who didn’t reelect him. He’ll get even — he’ll kill us all.
The Pale Scot
@NeenerNeener:
Seems appropriate
Janelle Monáe – Screwed
The Pale Scot
@WereBear:
To paraphrase Umberto Eco
Irrationalism also depends on the cult of
actioninaction foractioninaction’s sakeThe Pale Scot
@Elizabelle:
200,000 cases of involuntary manslaughter so far. The creature, his spawn, the idiots he has enabled to spout falsehoods.
I’d prefer incarceration in Portsmouth Naval Prison, circa 1930’s, but I’ll settle for them being felons and surrendering all property, wealth and documentation pertaining to.
The Pale Scot
@Sloane Ranger:
Six more weeks, then no deal. I give 2 more weeks until Boris is dragged down and some sort incompetent Tory junta arises. None of the factions will allow another to rule. They’ll be hard pressed by COVID itself, in addition to shortages of fresh produce and JIT inventory. They will have to focus on keeping the flow of pharmaceuticals coming in, and preventing the collapse of NI.
Soprano2
Conversation with a “COVID is inevitable” person last night included these “highlights” – masks don’t work, it’s humidity that causes the spread (was never clear if it’s high or low that’s bad), everyone is going to get it. When I asked why other places like Africa and Asia were doing much better than us I got “Africa has high humidity” (he didn’t seem to know there is desert in Africa, and that it has different climate zones!), “Africa isn’t crowded” “China lies”, and so on. I got no response when I asked why North and South Dakota were doing so poorly if it was all about crowded cities. And this is one of the more reasonable people I talked to last night. They have decided masks are a plot to take away their “freedom”, and they’re grasping st anything they can to justify not wearing one. Talking to them is like banging your head against the wall. Facts and evidence mean nothing.
Burnspbesq
@Sloane Ranger:
And yet the Iceland football team is being allowed to fly into Heathrow from Copenhagen so that its UEFA Nations League match against England can go on as scheduled. Yes, Copenhagen, as in Denmark, as in home of the new virus strain about which we know next to nothing.
Sheesh.
J R in WV
@Soprano2:
But what freedom is being taken away by the Mask Plot???
So far as I can see, just the freedom to not wear a mask and infect your family? I’m happy to steal their freedom not to wear a mask, I don’t recall that “freedom” being read out in the Constitution anywhere.
Not even in the Bill of Rights is there a mention of “not being forced to wear a mask!!”
Geeno
@J R in WV: I suppose it would depend – “reckless endangerment” or “depraved indifference to human life”.
NotMax
@J R in WV
One-upping New Hampshire.
Live free and die.
//
Burnspbesq
@J R in WV:
There is a set of meta-principles that underlie Con Law, that many people tend to forget or ignore because they aren’t part of the text.
The one that’s most relevant to discussions like these is “[t]he Constitution is not a suicide pact.”
Original Lee
@Bruce K: I can ask my friend who just did this for travel to Portugal. She had to FedEx the bag to the lab and they emailed her the test results. It cost $300, though.
Original Lee
@Original Lee: VaultHealth does a spit test and Pixel-Labcorp. does a nasal swab. She did both.