Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Pandemic* #20

[dixiegirl1035]

Mike McIntire
@mmcintire
· 3h
Bedlam at U.S.-bound airlines at CDG in Paris early this a.m., as Americans pay as much as $20,000 for last-minute flights.

 

[JerseyGirl]

European leaders “disapprove” of US travel ban

European Union leaders said Thursday they disapprove of President Trump’s decision to ban travel from Europe to the US amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, respectively, said that the outbreak is a “global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.”

“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” the statement read.

In the UK, Donald Trump’s decision was received with skepticism by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who said there “isn’t evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of infection.”

Speaking to the BBC, Sunak – effectively the country’s Finance Minister – suggested the UK was not considering a similar ban, saying all decisions “with regard to flight bans are always guided by the science.”

Talking to Talk Radio, Sunak also said the ban “will have significant impact” in the UK’s economy but only “but temporarily.”

Live updates: Coronavirus US travel ban hits 26 European countries - CNN

 

[Henry2326]

"More and more restrictions" are coming in New York City, mayor says

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said while he is a believer in not destroying peoples livelihoods — but said "more and more restrictions" are likely coming as the coronavirus outbreak spreads.

He said the new restrictions would "certainly" come today and tomorrow. When asked what kind of restrictions, he said “we are going to put the details out there.”

"We are going to very quickly put out guidance about having to reduce crowds and audiences while still having a certain amount of activity," he said.

• Broadway: When asked about New York's Broadway shows, he said guidance would come today or tomorrow. “I don’t want to see Broadway go dark, if we can avoid." de Blasio said. He said he would like to strike a balance.

• The subway system: He said that if you shut down a subway system, you shut down New York City's economy. He encouraged employers to stagger commuters, and has asked them to allow workers to telecommute if you can.

• New York City schools: De Blasio was asked about schools and noted the states protocol – if a case is identified in the school a temporarily closure will follow, the city will identify any close contacts, alert parents, give the facilities a thorough cleaning and “then we want that school back up and running." He said we don’t want to get into a “slippery slope” of many schools closing.

Live updates: Coronavirus US travel ban hits 26 European countries - CNN

He's giving the people a chance to make changes.....in 3 weeks, it will be mandatory if they can't do it.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Asia Pacific markets hammered again, with Europe and US to follow

Despite what Trump called the biggest package ever assembled to tackle a “foreign” virus, investors were not convinced that it was enough to prevent the world economy from careering into a recession.

Asian stocks and Wall Street futures plunged deep into the red as the president spoke.

The FTSE100 is expected to drop nearly 6% on Thursday morning despite the UK chancellor’s £30bn budget giveaway aimed at staving off the impact of the virus.

The Dow Jones is seen shedding 3.5%.

Mohamed El-Erian, the respected chief economic adviser to Allianz, said a global recession was “highly probable”.

The Australian government unveilied an $11bn stimulus package but the local stock market still dropped 7%.

Coronavirus latest: at a glance

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Coronavirus Ireland: Schools to close, restrictions on gatherings as unprecedented emergency plan kicks in

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has confirmed that schools, colleges, childcare facilities and other public facilities are to close and restrictions put in place on public gatherings in a bid to counter the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking in Washington DC this morning, Mr Varadkar announced a major escalation in the Irish government's efforts to counter the spread of the virus.

The measures come into effect at 6pm on Thursday and will be in effect until March 29.

“I know that some of this is coming as a real shock and it's going to involve big changes in the way we live our lives,” he said.

He said the Irish economy will suffer, but will bounce back.

All indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people should be cancelled and all outdoor gatherings of 500 people or more should be cancelled.

Public transport will still operate and businesses can remain open, but where possible people should work from home and people should limit interactions as much as possible.

Hospitals limiting activity and cancelling most appointments

Coronavirus Ireland: Schools to close, public transport restricted as unprecedented emergency plan kicks in

 

[Henry2326]

Mike McIntire
@mmcintire
· 3h
Bedlam at U.S.-bound airlines at CDG in Paris early this a.m., as Americans pay as much as $20,000 for last-minute flights.

Geez....feel for them. Have a niece in southwest China. She is safer there now than here. She couldn't get out of China back to the US before that ban happened 2 months ago.

 

[Henry2326]

Czechs to start checks on German, Austrian borders: interior minister Czechs to start checks on German, Austrian borders: interior minister Reuters on Twitter

 

[margarita25]

more talk:

__

VP Pence is "still shaking hands" amid virus outbreak

US Vice President Mike Pence told CNN's New Day it was "all hands on deck" as the country tackles the coronavirus outbreak.

And that includes handshakes, it seems.

Pence said that he was "still shaking hands here at the White House," despite leaders around the world advising social distancing to help stem the flow of the virus.

"I'm also washing my hands regularly," added Pence, as per advice from health experts.
"We're all in this together," said Pence, adding, "We're going to work our hearts out to keep the number of people contracting this disease low."

Live updates: Coronavirus US travel ban hits 26 European countries - CNN

Yeah sitting on my hands.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Geez....feel for them. Have a niece in southwest China. She is safer there now than here. She couldn't get out of China back to the US before that ban happened 2 months ago.

i know crazy! I was just thinking about that. A co-worker's daughter is teaching English in South Korea and when the virus was running rampant there her mother kept insisting she get on the next flight home (which she didn't). Wow, and now it seems she's safer there than here.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Ireland to close all schools and colleges until end of March over COVID-19

Mr Varadkar said the action had to be taken to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

"We are a great nation and we have overcome many trials in the past with our determination, and we will prevail again," he said.

Mr Varadakr said that acting as one nation could save lives and that the economy will suffer, but "we can bounce back".

He told the nation that many more people in Ireland would get coronavirus and would get sick, adding: "Unfortunately we must face the tragic reality that some people will die," he said.

 

[margarita25]

European leaders “disapprove” of US travel ban

European Union leaders said Thursday they disapprove of President Trump’s decision to ban travel from Europe to the US amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, respectively, said that the outbreak is a “global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.”

“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” the statement read.

In the UK, Donald Trump’s decision was received with skepticism by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who said there “isn’t evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of infection.”

Speaking to the BBC, Sunak – effectively the country’s Finance Minister – suggested the UK was not considering a similar ban, saying all decisions “with regard to flight bans are always guided by the science.”

Talking to Talk Radio, Sunak also said the ban “will have significant impact” in the UK’s economy but only “but temporarily.”

Live updates: Coronavirus US travel ban hits 26 European countries - CNN

Yikes...

 

[Elley Mae]

Russia

PUBLISHED THU, JAN 30 2020

Russia closes border with China to prevent spread of the coronavirus

 

[MimosaMornings]

I woke up this morning sick to my stomach over this. .

My office is having a "pot luck" breakfast today for someone's birthday. All I can do now is shake my head and close my office door.

No one is getting it, no one understands. We need Dr. Fauci to get on a national TV SPECIAL REPORT, just like the President last night, and explain the virus and how highly contagious it is. After last night's President's address, people STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND.

I am currently at a hospital with an elderly parent due to cardiac issues.
I could not sleep last night. Isolation tent/areas are set up inside.
Trying to keep up on here as best I can - and maintain some level of sanity.
I’m bringing wine in tonight.

 

[Henry2326]

Seven new #SARSCoV2 genomes from Washington State were shared today by @UWVirology. These group alongside existing genetic diversity so that all 23 community cases fall into the same transmission chain. 1/2
Nextstrain on Twitter Trevor Bedford on Twitter

As viruses from elsewhere in the US get sequenced, we'll learn about how connected these outbreaks are. 2/2

Trevor Bedford on Twitter

 

[margarita25]

Colorado releases rules for 4 days of paid sick leave for people in certain industries to be tested for COVID-19

“The new rules will apply to people who work in the following industries: leisure and hospitality; food services; child care; education and related food service or work at schools; home health if people are working with elderly, disabled, sick or high-risk people; nursing homes and community living facilities, the CDLE said.

The rules will apply to the private sector, local government, school district and public authority employers and employees who work in those industries.“

 

[JerseyGirl]

Trading temporarily halted on Wall Street as Trump's stimulus package underwhelms

Wall Street futures trading was temporarily halted early Thursday morning ahead of the opening bell, after all three major averages sank below their thresholds.

The 5 percent "limit down" marker was breached after an address from President Donald Trump on Wednesday night tipped already-queasy traders into sell-off mode.

Markets were underwhelmed by Trump's economic stimulus package, which offers emergency loans to small businesses, deferred tax payments for some people, but made no mention of paid sick leave or free testing for the coronavirus, which continues its spread across the U.S.

The Dow looks set to open with a decline of more than 1,100 points. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq are currently down by just under 5 percent.

Coronavirus updates live: U.S. slaps travel restrictions on most of Europe

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Naomi Campbell and Kim Kardashian among stars sharing advice

Naomi Campbell has donned a full hazmat suit and Kim Kardashian is sharing hygienic greeting tips in the latest celebrity social media posts on coronavirus.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Europe wakes up to chaos and confusion after Trump travel ban

There was chaos and confusion at airports across Europe after President Donald Trump's decision to restrict most travel to the U.S. from 26 European countries early Thursday.

Both American citizens and foreigners were scrambling to work out what it meant for their travel plans, while others questioned the logic of Trump's decision and whether it would actually help the effort to slow down the spread of the deadly respiratory illness.

The travel ban comes into effect at midnight on Friday at midnight. The restrictions apply only to foreign nationals, and not U.S. citizens, green card holders or the families of U.S. citizens.

Coronavirus updates live: U.S. slaps travel restrictions on most of Europe

 

[margarita25]

I woke up this morning sick to my stomach over this. .

My office is having a "pot luck" breakfast today for someone's birthday. All I can do now is shake my head and close my office door.

No one is getting it, no one understands. We need Dr. Fauci to get on a national TV SPECIAL REPORT, just like the President last night, and explain the virus and how highly contagious it is. After last night's President's address, people STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND.

I hear ya. This is like one of those bad dreams where you’re trying to run but you’re not going anywhere...

You guys know how upset and concerned I’ve about this...I’ve literally been mocked and ridiculed for taking it seriously in my local area...bla bla you guys have heard the spiel over and over...

I am sick to my stomach too (not APVLD thankfully)

Oh god....not looking forward to those...

 

[zecats]

Yeah sitting on my hands.

Add that to the 3 wise monkeys who cover their eyes, their ears and their mouths. A fourth wise monkey sitting on his/her hands.