Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #42

[PommyMommy]

American Airlines makes cuts to its summer and winter schedules

[...]

The cuts include suspending plans for new service additions until 2021, and suspending about 60% if its international capacity this summer, the company said in a news release.

Projections from industry groups have indicated the decline in demand for air travel will likely extend into next year.

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[PommyMommy]

Trump says he's invoked the Defense Production Act "against 3M for face masks"

[...]

3M, which is the largest maker of medical face masks and more specifically the N95 respirator mask, said in a statement earlier this week that it already doubled its global output in January, and also plans "to double our capacity once again, to 2 billion globally within the next 12 months – and some of that additional capacity will begin to come online in the next 60-90 days."

In the US, 3M said it expects to produce 50 million 95 respirators per month in June, a 40 percent jump from current levels.

Even with accelerated production, the company's CEO Mike Roman acknowledged in a statement that "the reality is that demand for N95 respirators is much higher than the industries’ ability to deliver. That is why we continue to explore innovative partnerships and solutions to help protect our healthcare workers in this extraordinary time."

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[Trudie]

I

I imagine they don't care much what others think. They found a way to entertain their families and are aware of what can happen. I think it would make other children want to join in the play which could drive parents crazy having to explain why those kids can play together without them. I would say something if I had a child seeing those kids playing and begging to join.

I have a neighbor several doors away hosting a pool party at this moment. I took a bareback cruise on my horse & observed the party. Really nothing I can do, if I call LE they might respond & issue suggestions. The party house are professionals in my community, living in a million dollar house. They know. They made their decision.

 

[tresir2012]

I think this too. Always have.
I’m also interested in the younger people contracting it. Are they perhaps more affectionate with SO, kissing, snuggling, etc.? I’m single so none of that going on here.
But maybe the 45ish group do have more physical contact.
Also, elderly often lean in closely during convo due to hearing impairments. I have no clue what is going on in some of the churches with high transmission rates.

With churches, some congregations turn and shake hands next to and around each other. I had heard some time ago that churches were stopping this practice because of the virus but maybe some didnt get the email.

 

[Boston Corbett]

I'm from small places; the county in which I was born and raised has had one case; just across the border and only slightly larger, the one where I lived next-longest has seven cases.

How to account for the difference? A puzzler - but not really. The second county is serviced by a U.S. interstate highway; the first county has much smaller U.S. and state roadways.

 

[Gardenista]

ALL New Yorkers told to cover their mouth and nose with homemade cloth masks when they go outside | Daily Mail Online

 

[NuttMegg]

Life Care Center of Kirkland, the epicenter of Seattle-area coronavirus outbreak, faces $611,000 fine

Multiple findings by CMS reflect previous reporting by The Seattle Times, including that the nursing home continued to admit residents after noticing a respiratory outbreak on Feb. 10, and even after reporting it to health officials on Feb. 26. Interviews and a review of 911 call logs obtained by The Seattle Times indicated the disease could have appeared earlier.

Life Care staff have acknowledged being aware of a respiratory outbreak as early as Feb. 10. But CMS found cases of pneumonia or lower respiratory illness as early as Feb. 3, and noted in the report that four residents admitted between Feb. 11 and Feb. 24 contracted COVID-19 and died.

 

[Trudie]

Trump says he's invoked the Defense Production Act "against 3M for face masks"

[...]

3M, which is the largest maker of medical face masks and more specifically the N95 respirator mask, said in a statement earlier this week that it already doubled its global output in January, and also plans "to double our capacity once again, to 2 billion globally within the next 12 months – and some of that additional capacity will begin to come online in the next 60-90 days."

In the US, 3M said it expects to produce 50 million 95 respirators per month in June, a 40 percent jump from current levels.

Even with accelerated production, the company's CEO Mike Roman acknowledged in a statement that "the reality is that demand for N95 respirators is much higher than the industries’ ability to deliver. That is why we continue to explore innovative partnerships and solutions to help protect our healthcare workers in this extraordinary time."

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

I have a 3M plant appx 15mi from my house (its in Cynthiana, KY) one neighbor works for them in an exec position, she’s working 10-12 hour days. Her husband is an exec for a dif’ company. He’s off because ‘we must practice social distancing’. Yet once the wife comes home, he’s essentially exposed to her exposures. Go figure.

 

[PommyMommy]

Navarro previews additional Defense Production Act action

Peter Navarro said President Donald Trump will sign an additional order that will crack down on price gouging related to personal protective equipment.

“There is a black market which you have described, where we’re having people bid against each other, brokers come in, they’re bidding and bidding on all this different (personal protective equipment),” Navarro, the White House’s Defense Production Act policy coordinator, said during the White House briefing. “It’s driving the price up and guess what? You know where it’s going? The domestic sources here are being exported.”

[...]

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[Seenit]

^^^ Respectfully BBM

MOO...While difficult for other parents in the neighborhood to deal with, this is an opportunity for those parents to begin teaching their child/children that Life Is Not Always Fair and that parents cannot always make life fair for them (their child/children) no matter how much they might wish to.

I would remain silent and focus on my own children or grandchildren.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I will stick to that. I have lost a lot of respect for them, but I would hate to burn neighborly bridges.

Edited by me...typo

 

[PommyMommy]

Trump says a new guideline on masks is coming

President Trump tonight was asked whether Americans should wear masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus and again suggested scarves, saying "If people wanted to wear them they can. In many ways, the scarf is better. It's thicker."

[...]

Some more background: The administration was working Thursday to complete the recommendations, which would advise Americans to use a face covering when leaving their homes.

However, Trump said Thursday night, "A recommendation is coming out. We'll see what that recommendation is but I will say this: They can pretty much decide for themselves right now.

CNN reported on Wednesday that most members the task force have come to agree that Americans should begin wearing face coverings in public and could issue formal guidance on the matter soon.

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[gitana1]

Because we had @Henry2326.

Yup. And @Amonet

 

[Trino]

Navarro previews additional Defense Production Act action

Peter Navarro said President Donald Trump will sign an additional order that will crack down on price gouging related to personal protective equipment.

“There is a black market which you have described, where we’re having people bid against each other, brokers come in, they’re bidding and bidding on all this different (personal protective equipment),” Navarro, the White House’s Defense Production Act policy coordinator, said during the White House briefing. “It’s driving the price up and guess what? You know where it’s going? The domestic sources here are being exported.”[...]
Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

Someone should do something about price gouging on ebay.

 

[PommyMommy]

US health expert says the coronavirus task force is still missing 50% of testing data

[...]

“Well I'm telling you, I'm still missing 50% of the data from reporting. I have 660 (thousand) tests reported in. We've done 1.3 million, so there is, and it could be those sites, so we do need to see, the bill said you need to report. We are still not receiving 100% of the tests," she said.

When pressed about the possibility that one in three tests had produced false negatives, Birx said, “I haven't seen that kind of anomaly.”

Birx added that “the number of positive tests is tracking very closely with a number of cases diagnosed.”

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[KALI]

We, and many other small business owners will be applying tomorrow for this, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm not feeling positive about it being any sort of smooth sailing process...

Millions of small businesses are anxiously awaiting their slices of a $350 billion relief program that forms part of the government's $2 trillion economic support package. However, with just hours to go before the launch, major banks are still awaiting guidance from the Treasury Department on how to lend the money — and some haven't even decided whether they will participate.

In a strongly worded statement, one of the nation's biggest lenders said the much-touted relief program for small business owners wasn't ready for prime time.

"Financial institutions like ours are still awaiting guidance from the SBA and the U.S. Treasury," Chase Bank said in an email to business customers, referring to the Small Business Administration. "As a result, Chase will most likely not be able to start accepting applications on Friday, April 3rd, as we had hoped."

The bank said it would post electronic updates on its website and Twitter account and send emails when it was ready to start participating.

At a White House news briefing Thursday afternoon, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin maintained that the program is ready to go, and said he wasn't aware of the complaints. "We just put up the federal register with the new guidelines for lenders,” he said. “I've been assured that the banks will start lending tomorrow."

Banks warn of ‘utter chaos’ in new small business lending program

 

[Trudie]

If you get CNN, AC & Dr. Gupta beginning Covid TownHall #5. Starting now.

 

[MsMarple]

Once again thank you fellow members for posting all the latest news and stats on the virus. It's nice to keep on top of things in such a safe place. (Hugs)

Up in my neck of the woods - I'm on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state on the NE tip of Jefferson county. We have about a dozen cases but none nearby and so far no deaths.

My friend in Tacoma has diverted his small company to manufacturing plastic face shields for the local medical community. So far he's handed out about 1k and is still producing them. 200 went to our local hospital and the county approved them for clinical use so a big batch is going to local first responders.

Another friend in my gaming group had a terrible encounter when his little three-legged chihuahua, who is a great source of companionship to him, was attacked by another dog and had to go in for surgery. We were all worried for both as our friend has just completed one year of being clean of drugs and we were afraid he'd relapse.

Thankfully that didn't happen. The little dog is recovering nicely. The surgery cost $1600 and even though our friend is working it was a stiff vet bill. His support group got together and came up with $600 towards the bill.

So I don't have anything newsworthy to report but I wanted to share some good deeds that are happening in my area. It's nice to know that we can all step out of our own concerns while the virus looms over our lives and lend a hand to others.

 

[mickey2942]

@NuttMegg that article about the "care" center in Kirkland is the worst thing I have ever read. The center kept admitting patients, even though they KNEW that there was a respiratory infection going through the center.

The lack of ethics is beyond belief. I wonder if the center is CARF accredited? They should lose their accreditation. And even their licenses.

 

[PommyMommy]

Disney furloughs employees "whose jobs aren't necessary at this time"

Facing a complete standstill across its entertainment empire due to the coronavirus crisis, the Walt Disney Company notified its employees that it would furlough employees "whose jobs aren't necessary at this time" starting on April 19.

[...]

The impact is hitting Disney's theme park employees especially hard. All of Disney's 12 theme parks have been shuttered since March 12, after which the company committed to paying salaries through April 18.

[...]

Among those impacted would be the Disney Parks' storied "Imagineers," the designers of the parks, rides and hotels.

The furloughed workers would remain employees of the company and keep their health benefits, while also being able to access federal and state aid like unemployment benefits.

Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 1 million globally - CNN

 

[Trudie]

Alabama reaches 1,200 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Why no stay home advisory for Alabama? WTH?

New data reveals coronavirus hotspots brewing across the south, where the pandemic is set to 'hit hard'

Georgia & Alabama need to address some things!