News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[bellbird]

Not real sure that would work right now

Sure, not right now.

The "sensibly" I suggested wasn't meaning a scenario in which it would be rushed out for start of ski season, for our benefit only. I certainly didn't pick up that tone from the article, but maybe I'm biased there. I don't know.

The Australian federal tourism minister was quoted in that article as saying that while your international borders will likely remain closed till the end of the year, interstate restrictions and possibly those over the Tasman may be eased before then.

If both our countries have this virus completely under control at that stage, I don't see that there would be any disadvantage to either country. It wouldn't mean people *had* to flock to Ruapehu or Queenstown, it would mean that the option would be there, in either direction.

It would also give our governments an opportunity to see how international travel will work, moving forward, with a baby step, as opposed to going 0 to 100.

As well as an opportunity to make sure that our country's control measures function at an international, by making sure we see no new cases after opening up the Tasman.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Is it just me, or is it kind of a weird concept to be charging people a fee for getting a covid test done if they meet reasonable criteria to be tested?

Here in Florida, I don't believe people are getting charged for a test. I don't believe it even goes to your insurence. The White House has said that all Covid-19 testing and treatment will be waived for the individual. So, if the insurence isn't waiving it, I believe the government is paying the insurence? That how I understood that anyway. They said that a few times in their press breifings.

The only cost I can see is you primary doctor copay but if it ends up Covid-19, they are to be waiving it. I know the drive up testing site at Univeristy of Central Florida (UCF) the test is free but they are stating that not only do you need a fever and other symptoms but you also need a referral from a primary care and an appointment at UCF for a test. More red tape. But the one that was closer to me at the Orange County Convention Center (now closed due to running out of tests) was required a fever, but no need of a referral from a primary care and I believe that was also free.

The one in The Villages (the gated town of retiries) was free, no symptoms needed and no need to talk to any doctor. And the one in Daytona (which may or may not be still open) was also free, open to anyone, no symptoms needed and basically test anyone. That's also a drive through one and I think, but maybe wrong, that it's at the Daytona Speedway?

Those are the testing sites that I know of in central Florida. All but the Villiages is/was drive through and the Villiages was sort of drive through. They drive golf carts in there and so it was a golf cart drive through.

So far, the testing sites are popping up for a few days to a week or so and then closing due to test shortages. But as far as I know, all are or were free.

ETA: I don't know how all of this plays out in real life as I have yet to get tested but my opinion is drive through testing sites are easier to make free of charge. No need to go to the hospital and possibly rack up charges there. I hope all States implement drive through Covid-19 testing sites. They seem to be a huge hit and a huge help for Florida. They just pop up and close due to the amount of tests. But it seems when one closes another opens.

 

[blackemerald1]

I think we need a solid week with no cases before they could start relaxing some aspects,

^Maybe even longer. Just to be sure there are no pockets of asymptomatic infectious persons who are staying at home & who at this point are not being tested but as soon as they go out & give it to someone who becomes symptomatic then we find out about it.

Every time Singapore, South Korea & even China lift restrictions they get a surge & reinstate them again.

I honestly would be in shock if they opened International borders here for the remainder of this year, bare minimum.

^So would I.

We'd be bloody crazy to open our international borders to tourism/travellers until this whole problem settles down overseas & scientists get a handle on a better treatment regime to prevent the severity of the virus. That's maybe doable much sooner than a vaccine?

We need to exploit our island status. Certainly being so far away has its disadvantages but it seems this might be one of the serious advantages. Who knew?

 

[Freida]

One of the think tank folks says we need to prepare to 18 months of rolling shutdowns in the states because the virus will rebound every time they ease the restrictions. And, weirdly, what is going to have the biggest impact on us is the lack of transportation for products. Not enough healthy truckers to drive from point a to point b. That's when you realize how big the U.S. is - when you try to get oranges from Florida to Seattle. Gas stations, restaurants and motels are closed so the drivers have no where to go for food/gas/sleep. Plus they are getting sick because they deliver to all the hot zones.

add to that ....three more meat packaging plants have shut down because of sick workers, dairys are dumping milk and farmers can't harvest because there are no workers or transports. I don't think people here realize that the death part is just the beginning of this nightmare. :(

 

[DharmaGirl]

I decided to risk Walmart since I needed a lot of groceries. In front of Walmart, they were counting the customers, only allowing a certain number in. While I was shopping, two of the employees brushed against me, as well as many of the customers. Sadly, I lost it at yelled "6 feet" at one. I went to the bakery looking for pound cake slices, and there were 3 women behind the counter. I waited several minutes while they stood in a triangle less than 1 foot apart talking. I heard one say something along the lines of - if they come in and get it, it's on them. At that point I interrupted and asked for help. The person who helped me didn't stay 6 feet back. Then when the person ahead of me in line was walking past the line to within a foot of the person in front of her I asked her if she realized that the lines were for social distancing, and she said, "well how else am I going to put my stuff on the belt?" I told her she would just have to wait until the person in front of her was done. She ignored me and finished unloading. Then went back and stood on the line. The cashier said nothing, which I found unusual. The cashiers at Safeway and Grocery Outlet bite your head off if you are in front of the social distancing line. I checked out and the cashier suggested next time I shop and pick it up. Many of the things I wanted to buy are in store only or out of stock. Regardless, Safeway and Grocery Outlet are the shining stars in this time of Covid. As I was leaving, I was considering talking to the manager about the lack of social distancing, and the lack of care or awareness about it among the employees, but the person in Customer Service with the walkie talkie was standing in a group of 4, less than a foot apart, talking. As one came toward me, I asked her if they practiced social distancing here. She responded "Yes!" with a big smile. I pointed to the remaining three in the group and asked, "what is that"? She said, oh they're just getting together to chat". I told her that wasn't social distancing and left.

It is obvious the employees don't care about the spread of the virus. Their lack of respect was breathtaking. I will never shop at such a cesspool of germs again. What is so hard about getting paid to do a job which requires you to stay away from the customers and each other? I would say daily training, signs in the breakroom and managers displaying social distance is needed here. I truly believe that some of those employees don't get it, and others don't care.

 

[Mach123]

Opinion | Trump Has Emergency Powers We Aren’t Allowed to Know About

Here is a little something about the state of affairs in the USA. All 50 states are now under a declaration of disaster for the first time in the history of the republic.

US coronavirus cases surpass 556,000 while millions of Americans celebrate Easter - CNN

As was speculated in The NY Times article the “presidential emergency action documents”. could now be in effect.

Not even I thought it would go this far, and I was saying long before the corona virus that “Trump would declare martial law.”
I’m on record saying that.

When they started shutting everything down I thought, “Here it comes”. I didn't want to believe it then or now. You can read it for yourself.

Lincoln and Grant invoked powers like.this, IDK if was done by other presidents. I honestly thought it would have happened sooner? Who knows what's next.

 

[RVA21]

healthy truckers to drive from point a to point b

Well, driver-less trucks will solve that in future.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

872 people are working from home just at my call center. Which has to be everyone. Or damn near it.

ETA: I'm number 263 to put that in perspective.

 

[user27357]

Well, driver-less trucks will solve that in future.

that's optimism, thanks for that.

Meanwhile, people are getting close to panic about the unemployment rate, and people whose income is dependent on any kind of trickle-down (taxes are paid, schools get a budget, teachers get healthcare, doctors take care of them, the paper that protects them from the upholstery in the exam room gets used and replaced, that paper is hauled there by a truck, made in a paper mill, from wood that came off a truck, that was cut by a logger, who buys his boots from a local dealer, on and on and on) basically EVERYONE in a healthy economy gets to experience what it was like after the crash in the eighties, or the economic turmoil in the 2008 era and shortly after.

driver less trucks would be and will be nice, yes.

My dream for the future is a whole crop of young voters that get to see how politics at the presidential level effect them on a personal level. right now, an 18-year-old voter in the US was 6 years old when the state of the economy last had an adverse effect on them personally. Now, because of COVID (and the lack of clear leadership), an 18-year-old voter will be graduating high school to enter a job market where unemployment is high or be going to college to rack up huge loans that may or may not be funded as promised by a government that can choose to break promises depending on approval ratings and majorities in the congress.

this is what happens when you vote for an unproven leader. My dream for the future is a majority of voters that remember this devastating lack of leadership.

 

[Sideways]

Who knows what's next.

Most likely? Some kind of version of exactly the same thing that's happening everywhere in the world right now.

 

[Justmehere]

Race for vaccine intensifies as coronavirus hits Asia with a second wave of outbreaks

I don’t understand why in the US I would have to pay for call care and testing except covid testing. Are we going to offer all in few toys disease testing for free/payment by taxpayers? How about measles or TB testing for free to the patient? Because we don’t do that. We charge for those even when it’s in the public interest to do them. Free isn’t always free. It’s a tax on all of us. My testing if not paid for by me is going to be paid for by someone. I’m not arguing for or against free covid testing, but rather to evaluate it in the larger context. I wish medical care was free as I sit here with hundred in costs for the pneumonia I have. Why should I have to pay for the costs it if it isn’t for covid 19 but not have to pay for it if it Is covid 19?

 

[Justmehere]

I’m annoyed with the number of people telling me I must want people to die when discussing opening up our offices in July (only with abundant PPE for all staff.) We are critical infrastructure and won’t have a choice but to open back up soon. (I won’t be in person until doc gives the ok.)

I’m not trying to kill anyone nor do I have any decision making power on this. I’m just the middle person getting the crap. I had a friend confront me on it and I finally had to tell them to back down. I was slightly blue and not breathing well two weeks ago. Of course I don’t want anyone to get covid. I also don’t want people to die of starvation or etc so we have to open eventually.

Even Dr. Fauci thinks life will be mostly normal by the fall in the US. He’s not generally an optimistic guy. Fauci predicts another coronavirus outbreak in fall with 'very different' outcome