Coronavirus/Covid-19 Post for 3/27/2020

Submitted by WGoNerd on March 27th, 2020 at 8:32 AM

Hope everyone is staying in and staying safe.

Latest news at time of posting:

  • USA now has more total cases than any other country.
  • USA #6 in total deaths.
  • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for cornavirus after displaying minor symptoms.
  • The US House is expected to vote on stimulus bill this morning. The president has said previously that he will sign the bill when it gets to him.

Wash your hands, stay at home, and GO BLUE!

WGoNerd

March 27th, 2020 at 8:35 AM ^

Posting here so I can edit for any new breaking news.

Thank you especially to all the medical staff dealing with this directly, and to everyone working at an essential service through all this. We, literally, couldn't get through this without you.

  • In an interview with WWJ this morning Governor Whitmer stated it would be, "very unlikely," that Michigan schools reopen this year. https://wwjnewsradio.radio.com/articles/gov-says-very-unlikely-schools-will-resume-this-year
  • 1:30PM: The House has passed the $2 Trillion Covid-19 stimulus bill. It now goes to the President to be signed. He has previously stated he would sign it.
  • Happened earlier but I missed it: China has re-shutdown all it's movie theaters.
  • 4:00pm: The President has invoked the Defense Production Act to compel GM to manufacture ventilators. This is after contract negotiations fell through. It should be noted that GM said they were going to start production anyway while negotiations were ongoing.
  • 4:45pm: The President has signed the stimulus bill.

1VaBlue1

March 27th, 2020 at 9:24 AM ^

This is fine, and I'll do the same with the kid.  But avoid crowds and stay away from people as best you can.  The cherry blossoms in DC are blooming like mad right now, and fools are just walking right past the National Guard troops telling them to stay away because there's too many people too close together.  Same was happening at Virginia's state parks - people ignoring 'road closed' signs and going in anyway to walk trails that are too congested for safety.

blue in dc

March 27th, 2020 at 4:36 PM ^

Do you mean this?

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/Reminder_of_Appropriate_Prescribing_and_Dispensing_3-24-2020_684869_7.pdf

I am pretty sure that refers to Drs who are prescribing it as a preventative measure and causing severe shortages, both for those who actually have covid-19 and those who need it for other medical purposes.  I do not think it applies to hospitals prescribing it as part of both treatment and testing to see if it works.

 

it is also worth noting that U of M is not widely prescribing it.

https://pharmacy.umich.edu/about-college/news/category/faculty-news/dr-jason-pogue-comments-use-chloroquine-and-hydroxychloroquine-against-coronavirus

“While Pogue says a “handful” of patients with COVID-19 are being treated with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine at Michigan Medicine, there are other scientifically well-designed clinical trials testing potential coronavirus treatments, and the primary goal is to direct patients to those trials first.”

JPC

March 27th, 2020 at 9:04 AM ^

How are things locally for people? Upstate NY is doing pretty well. Mass testing and around 20 confirmed sick in my county. 

NotADuck

March 27th, 2020 at 9:12 AM ^

In the Tampa area they've issued a "safer at home" order which is the same as stay at home but with a more media friendly name.  lol

As you may have heard, Governor DeSantis refuses to make it state-wide and is leaving it up to individual counties to make the decision.

For some reason the dealership I work at (I'm a salesman) in the Tampa area refuses to close.  I'm glad I can still make money because in sales if you're not selling you're not making money, but at this point it feels irresponsible to do so.  The service department is essential and should stay open but the sales department does not feel essential and also feels like a great way to spread the virus with the amount of people we come in contact with.

Also, yes people are still buying cars.  All things considered the dealership is doing well right now in terms of sales.

RockinLoud

March 27th, 2020 at 10:05 AM ^

I'm down in Manatee county, haven't left the house since last Friday until last night when I went to Publix. Couldn't believe it, so much traffic it seemed like a normal day other than no one being at the restaurants. My office is in Pinellas county and is offically closed until further notice, can't believe dealerships are still selling, but glad you still have the funds coming in. If that changes and you get into trouble let me know, I'll help out what I can.

Leatherstocking Blue

March 27th, 2020 at 9:49 AM ^

Same here, also in upstate New York. Five cases in the county, local/regional hospital is very quiet. They've had tents with negative pressure set up outside the emergency room for almost a month to prepare for the surge, but all remains calm so far. We are wrapping up the second week of stay-at-home order, which may have something to do with the low numbers (combined with a rural county).

The major revenue source for locals, the Cooperstown Dreams Park, cancelled their season for the summer. Many friends rent their houses out to baseball families to make ends meet and that revenue is gone. Will Hall of Fame induction (Jeter) be next to be cancelled?

UMinSF

March 27th, 2020 at 5:05 PM ^

Known cases in MI, FL, NJ, TX, PA, LA, MA, CT, AL, MD, WV, ID, KY, OK, MO, VA, OH, IN, AZ, KS, MT have more than doubled since Tuesday.

Every single state has experienced a significant rise in known cases.

It's either already reached or is fast approaching crisis levels in NY, NJ, LA, WA, CA, IL, MI, MA, CT, FL - with more places sure to come.

US now has more known cases than any other country, and the rate of increase is frightening.

Sure, much of this can be attributed to increased testing - but that simply means there are more infected people than we've identified. Per capita our testing is still far below many other countries.

Yes, the number of cases in some states remains pretty low - working to keep it that way should be everyone's goal.

Yes, a lockdown makes sense. 

 

 

reshp1

March 27th, 2020 at 2:36 PM ^

We're in the thick of it in SE MI. A few local hospitals are at capacity, all are short on supplies and protective gear. On the plus side, people are for the most part staying in or at least the amount of people going out is significantly reduced. We're trying to get groceries online w/curb side pick-up but it seems like more and more things are going out of stock. GM is announcing salary cuts and I'm sure the rest of the industry will follow suit. Wife and I are currently still being paid working at home, but who knows how long that lasts. Not great. :(

The Mad Hatter

March 27th, 2020 at 9:12 AM ^

I think Gov. Whitmer has been doing a pretty good job so far, but she's closing tobacco shops now, and leaving liquor stores open?  You've gone too far Gretchen!