Wow, it’s getting really scary in Texas - and everywhere else!

[travelover]

............The statement is true, the economic pain of shutting down the entire country for a couple of months would have been vastly cheaper than the long period of collapsed economic activity that is occurring because of our vastly insufficient response to the virus. We are paying a far higher price, for far longer, than if we had been more aggressive in combating it............

+1. And we don't even know the full cost yet. Once the slug of cash injected by the government passes through the snake, we are still going to have massive unemployment, mortgage defaults, evictions, business closures and probably civil unrest.

 

[Sojourner]

[W]ith all due respect, Gates has been thinking about, and actively working to prevent, pandemic outbreaks for years now, with his foundation spending huge amounts of money on the topic. Being rich doesn't mean you magically can't understand poverty.

The statement is true, the economic pain of shutting down the entire country for a couple of months would have been vastly cheaper than the long period of collapsed economic activity that is occurring because of our vastly insufficient response to the virus. We are paying a far higher price, for far longer, than if we had been more aggressive in combating it. We should have shut down everything we could instead of as little as we did, and built extensive contact tracing and testing capacity while we were shut down.

It was obvious in [F]ebruary that it was going to have to happen, we are now far enough along that we could have been on the recovery side of things rather than just getting started on the economic devastation and loss of life.

+1000

 

[Car-Guy]

With all do respect Mr. Gates has no idea what is means to be middle class much less low income or just plain poor. It’s one thing to lock down in a massive estate with a yacht and live In servants. It’s another to be stuck in a small crowded apartment .

I tend to agree with you.... However, as rich/powerful as he is, he has his own special sort of isolation all the time. I've seen/heard Gates speak in person a couple of times.... Not impressive at all. His handlers do most of the speaking and especially the Q&A's.

 

[harllee]

with all due respect, Gates has been thinking about, and actively working to prevent, pandemic outbreaks for years now, with his foundation spending huge amounts of money on the topic. Being rich doesn't mean you magically can't understand poverty.

The statement is true, the economic pain of shutting down the entire country for a couple of months would have been vastly cheaper than the long period of collapsed economic activity that is occurring because of our vastly insufficient response to the virus. We are paying a far higher price, for far longer, than if we had been more aggressive in combating it. We should have shut down everything we could instead of as little as we did, and built extensive contact tracing and testing capacity while we were shut down.

It was obvious in february that it was going to have to happen, we are now far enough along that we could have been on the recovery side of things rather than just getting started on the economic devastation and loss of life.

Totally agree. If we had shut down the whole country with a systematic plan that included strong testing and tracing we would probably be well on our way to a full reopen of the economy now. This piecemeal thing we have done has been a disaster from a health standpoint and from an economic stand point. And we are now lumped in with the very worst countries in the world so far as our response to this virus. Our country has been an embarrassment and it has cost us human lives and financial lives. We needed country wide leadership and we simply have had no leadership.

 

[Car-Guy]

Somebody wake up porky....

 

[MRG]

+1000

*1000

 

[audreyh1]

Somebody wake up porky....

Why?

Normal differences of opinion.

 

[frayne]

+1. And we don't even know the full cost yet. Once the slug of cash injected by the government passes through the snake, we are still going to have massive unemployment, mortgage defaults, evictions, business closures and probably civil unrest.

Yes and this covid pandemic could be with us for a couple of years, with or without a vaccine. As Donny Rumsfeld said, there are known, knowns and known unknowns and then there are unknown, unknowns. We are in the unknowns, unknowns arena for the foreseeable future.

 

[Chuckanut]

Totally agree. If we had shut down the whole country with a systematic plan that included strong testing and tracing we would probably be well on our way to a full reopen of the economy now. This piecemeal thing we have done has been a disaster from a health standpoint and from an economic stand point. And we are now lumped in with the very worst countries in the world so far as our response to this virus. Our country has been an embarrassment and it has cost us human lives and financial lives. We needed country wide leadership and we simply have had no leadership.

Above emphasis added....


I am reminded of a bumper sticker that was popular a few decades ago:

Which way did they go?
How many were there?
I must find them.
I am their leader.

And to keep on topic let me add: Good luck to Texas and Texans.

 

[Silver]

We needed country wide leadership and we simply have had no leadership.

We have had leadership. This virus is a public health issue, and the country has been provided hours of information and instruction from some of the world's best public health professionals. And their leadership continues today, as it should.

If an individual chooses to listen to anyone other than a epidemiologist, they are the fool.

 

[W2R]

And to keep on topic let me add: Good luck to Texas and Texans.

+1000

I guess things are starting to get much worse where I live, too. From what I read yesterday, our Parish (=County) President is mandating that starting on Wednesday, anyone inside stores or businesses will be required to use a certain four letter protective item starting with "m" (let's not close the thread!). Violations of this order would be a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 or jail for up to 6 months. We don't know if that's legal but that is the threat.

Understandably, Frank and I are concerned about this news and what it may signify about our recovery progress here. We are hoping that we don't have to go back to the way things were in April.

The official proclamation will be tomorrow and we think/hope it will include some clarification and that maybe the extent of the mandate was over-stated. For example she said for example in bars, restaurants, and gyms, but we don't see how one can wear a mask in a restaurant without taking it off to eat. Maybe we'll be restricted to take-out again. The whole thing is very unclear and upsetting.

 

[REWahoo]

I guess things are starting to get much worse where I live, too. From what I read yesterday, our Parish (=County) President is mandating that starting on Wednesday, anyone inside stores or businesses will be required to use a certain four letter protective item starting with "m" (let's not close the thread!). Violations of this order would be a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 or jail for up to 6 months. We don't know if that's legal but that is the threat.

Understandably, Frank and I are concerned about this news and what it may signify about our recovery progress here. We are hoping that we don't have to go back to the way things were in April.

Sorry to hear things have taken an unfavorable turn in the NO area. In this situation misery does NOT enjoy company.

Life is always unpredictable. If, years ago, someone asked me to make list of expected activities in my 70's, "hunkering" would not have even been a consideration, much less #1.

 

[Corporateburnout]

No Covid19 death was recorded today in our state since the first death on March 20. Our cases, positivity numbers, hospitalizations, ICU and intubation cases have been on a steady decline for the last 4 weeks.

The majority of people around here are compliant with physical distancing and masks which contributed to reducing our infection rate from 28% in April to the current 2% level.

 

[audreyh1]

No Covid19 death was recorded today in our state since the first death on March 20. Our cases, positivity numbers, hospitalizations, ICU and intubation cases have been on a steady decline for the last 4 weeks.

The majority of people around here are compliant with physical distancing and masks which contributed to reducing our infection rate from 28% in April to the current 2% level.

Wow, that’s great!

 

[Aerides]

Mod Note:

Let's make extra effort to keep this thread on specifics - news, local actions and changes, data, etc., vs. our opinions of political leadership, etc.

We all know well enough what takes a thread off the rails. Let's stay on them, please.

 

[ls99]

Am not in Texas .
The county next door which includes Pittsburgh PA, has a steadily increasing diagnosed virus problem 109 today,. The county is banning on site booze consumption. Westmoreland county where I am is now some days in double digits, today just 6. No deaths recently attributable to Covid.
Per the Guv. persons entering businnesses must wear the M... device.
Still, I spend lots of time at my camp or kayaking, last count I had more than 3 risk factors starting with being male, over 70, blood type A, etc.
Good luck to Texans!

 

[Chuckanut]

I have been in contact with a school chum in So. Cal (sorry, it's not Texas). We both agree that his area and my area (Seattle) are just about back to mid April in terms of new cases per day. Not so good. The one difference is in April CV was spiking due to convalescent centers. It pretty much ravaged them, killing over 30 at one in my area. This time the spike seems to be caused by the 20-40 year old group who are not as vulnerable. Deaths seem to be holding steady at a low level. (The local hospital had 80+ CV patients in April, as of yesterday, they had 6.) So there may be some hope. OTOH, when a person that young dies or gets permanently disabled by the disease, that's even more lifetime lost. Not good either way.

 

[Olbidness]

As the grim reaper whispers in your ear.

Don’t fear the reaper.

 

[Dtail]

Don’t fear the reaper.

Good tune.

 

[stepford]

Don’t fear the reaper.

Just as apt from BOC for the current thread...

"History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men"

 

[Gulfbeach]

Here in our smallish county in South Texas we had a record number of new cases today. This is definitely going the wrong way, as available ICU beds are way down also.
Stay safe everyone.

 

[Car-Guy]

I haven't been keeping track on a daily basis but our county (in Texas) has more than doubled the number of cases since mid June. Of course we only had about 12 cases in mid June.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow, at this rate Texas will pass New Jersey in number of cases very soon. Only question is if Florida will bypass Texas first! It’s closed the gap somewhat over the past week.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

 

[Dtail]

Wow, at this rate Texas will pass New Jersey in number of cases very soon. Only question is if Florida will bypass Texas first! It’s closed the gap over the past week.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

They will both pass New Jersey.
Texas will probably stay ahead of Florida. Race of losers.

 

[Car-Guy]

They will both pass New Jersey.
Texas will probably stay ahead of Florida. Race of losers.

Someone needs to tell Texas this is not a race they want to win. This is a case where bigger is not better.