Muh Muh Muh My Corona (virus)

And yet today the death toll went to 19

 

The number of twitter threads and other info out there (my wife is a physician, although shouldn't have tons of direct impact with those infected but could, and she is part of many online discussions on this as well) where tests are flat out being denied is insane. And denied to people who almost certainly have it based on symptoms and even where they've been. It's obvious the powers that be don't want real numbers out there. Regardless of their motivation, that's just a failure and doesn't do anything to even ease fears. Other than the groups who think it's made up by the media, which I suppose those are who the powers that be are pandering to.

 

Very trustworthy source here.

 

Italy has closed Lombardy, the area including Milan and its environs, as well as the area around Venice. Same lockdown the Chinese did with Wuhan. Lombardy is somewhere between 20-25 percent of Italy's GDP. It's impossible for me to imagine any American administration, let alone Trump's, taking such a drastic action to stop any epidemic. This is close to a guarantee of Italy's national bankruptcy.

 

It's happening, it's just not happening on the same scale - yet. Seattle pulled the plug on Emerald City Con, which brings in 100,000 people and a million dollars or so. Austin killed SXSW, which attracts 250,000 and $3m. Both of those dollar figures are for a week long/weekend event. It just hasn't gotten bad enough yet here for it to happen in wholesale lots. Quarantine and containment are very basic public health tools when fighting an epidemic. Frankly, I think that the stock market is still far behind the curve on how much economic damage this thing is going to do before it's over.

 

There's a certain horrible irony in the fact that the virus's first confirmed cases here in Mass. were the result of a conference for Biogen.

 

So what's the over/under on how long it is until they fire Azar and throw him under the bus over the incompetent roll out of testing? It's a giant clusterfuck, health authorities all over the nation are screaming about the lack of tests and how their patients are only allowed to be tested if they have confirmed contact or are in the ICU with symptoms. They can't sack Mike Pence. Someone's head is going to have to roll to appease the torch and pitchfork crowd.

Personally, I'm about ready to buy one of Beau's "We still know where the pitchforks are" t-shirts.

 

ACU says CPAC attendee tested positive for coronavirus

 

I would not be surprised if my law firm tells us all to work remotely for the foreseeable future. Even if we restrict visitors, we have 1,000 plus employees who come from all around the tristate area into our midtown office. Someone is going to bring it in, if they haven’t done so already. We are under orders to bring our laptop and all required paperwork home every night.

 

I'm supposed to fly to Jacksonville on the 17th to visit where my parents lived when they were alive, to see their surviving friends and to play golf. I wonder if JetBlue will be running the flight by then.

 

Leaving for Las Vegas Friday, and the Rio will be home for the following eight days. I plan on stocking up with wipes and antibacterial stuff before I leave. Ms. BYM2 was planning to come with for a couple of days. Since she's a bigwig at the state health department, that's now off the table. Don't see me spending much time in common areas off of working hours.