Wuhan Coronavirus: Megathread - Got too big

[Nonconsentual Pronouns]

Travis AFB update

The commissary is finally requiring anyone entering to be wearing a mask and to not remove it on the premises. They're also doing 100% ID checks (supposedly as of March 18th), probably only on adults, but no kids were seen inside, so I can't say for certain. Dependapotomi are the big mads over both of these. Fuck your life, they need their boxed wine.

Apologies for being late again, but the base hospital is now requiring personnel to wear some sort of face mask covering their nose and mouth as of one week ago. It can be pretty much anything as long as it's not N95, because of course. I don't know why even a tiny part of me expected any different.

The buildings containing the stashed infected still have no fencing at all, not even the pitiful shit that was there some time ago. No security to be seen. But fear not! There's some police tape on the pillars of the buildings, so it's practically under a force-field with a 24/7 guard.

At least the birds and frogs seem to be having a grand old time being left to frolic, forage and fuck in peace without the feral dependa-spawn roaming around. I have to admit that I'm enjoying the lack of screaming coming from outside as well. Aside from New Horizons being an assfest made for minecraft players, things have been oddly chill.

 

[JoseRaulChupacabra]

Now, summer starts in a couple months, and one would hope it would burn all this away, like a typical flu season. If it can be kept under control until then, maybe we'll see an end to this. However, it seems to be spreading somewhat in warmer climates, as well.

Over here in Flipland, the cases are still coming (+284 today, total 4,932) and April is supposed to be a really hot month, but, it's not particularly hot lately, only peaked at 32C (89.6 degrees Freedom) today. There were a few 35C days last week but it's nothing like last year.

We still have next month for the heat to kick in before the monsoon bring in rain and lower temps, but this hope of warm weather exhausting Corona chan doesn't look too good to me.

There will be significant trauma after all this. People losing loved ones and being unable to say goodbye. There will be a lot of anger as well.

There's already a lot of anger. This is one crisis certainly not going to waste.

 

[CeleryStalks]

USA

Antibody tests are starting to hit the market. So are fakes.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/coronavirus/2020/04/12/fears-wild-west-covid-19-blood-tests-hit-market/2980308001/

(archive)

Michigan, USA

Beaumont Health, here in Michigan, is starting the nation's largest study of antibodies.

Beaumont launches 'nation's largest' study of COVID-19 antibodies

Beaumont Health is launching what it called the nation's largest study on antibodies in the blood of people who have recovered from COVID-19

www.detroitnews.com

(archive)

One of our state senators, Jim Stamas, (R-Midland) is calling to lay off non-essential state employees. So far no state employees have been laid off, but Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has instituted a hiring freeze.

Key Michigan lawmakers encourage layoffs of nonessential state workers

The top lawmaker on Michigan's Senate Appropriations Committee, Republican Jim Stamas, is calling for layoffs of nonessential state workers

www.detroitnews.com

(archive)

Spoiler: Michigan Recap

SHUTDOWNS
Shelter-in-place order and shutdown of everything non-essential from Tuesday March 24 to Monday April 13. Friday, May 1. (archive) (executive order saved on KF) Travel between primary homes and secondary homes is banned. Gardening sections of stores are closed. (archive - extension). Marijuana shops are open. Tobacco shops are closed (archive). K-12 schools suspended for remainder of year, but alternate learning plans will be implemented (archive) (archive).
The Big Three Auto manufacturers (Ford, GM, Chrysler) are closing all factories in the USA, putting well over 150,000 workers out of work. This figure does not include workers at supplier factories, which will also be obliged to close. (archive) (archive) (archive). They will be making a small number of parts for emergency vehicles, and GM will be helping Ventec, a company that makes ventilators (archive - ventilators). Ford will be helping 3M and GE Healthcare to make respirators and ventilators (archive).

ECONOMY AND MISCELLANY
Unemployment so high that claims must be made on certain days, based on claimant's last name (archive).
Big Brother is watching, and he approves. Massive phone-tracking project reveals Michigan travel down by 45%, compared to 40% nation-wide (website) (news article archive).
Car crashes are down, fatal car crashes are down, and overall death is actually down. (archive - April 12)

FREE STUFF!
Evictions suspended while the state of emergency lasts (archive)
Water will be turned back on for all households while the crisis lasts (archive)

FREEDOM!
Semi-trucks carrying essential supplies can ignore seasonal road weight limits (archive).
Distilleries can make hand sanitizer without a permit (archive).
Pharmacists may prescribe 60 days of emergency medication and may substitute drugs without physicians approval in event of shortages (archive). Various other medical restrictions loosened (archive).
Restaurants can sell food like grocery stores (archive).

HEALTH CARE
Detroit hospitals are at or near capacity and have reached the point of moving patients out to other hospitals (archive - March 30). (archive of Detroit triage plans)
Detroit hospital staff protest unsafe patient-to-nurse ratio. Asked to leave hospital. Still plan to come back to work. (Their video; news article archive)
Hydroxychloroquine banned by governor's order (archive). Nevermind LOL! Now she's asking the federal government for it and claiming the ban was a typo in the first place. (archive). Detroit-area hospitals are testing the drug's effectiveness as a preventative on first responders and health-care workers (archive).
Up-to-date count of available hospital beds, etc. in the State (the Detroit area is "Section 2, North and South". (government website)
Field hospital in Detroit scaled back after drop in cases. Original plan was to open with 1,100 beds. Now they are only going to open with 250, planned to open April 20. (archive - April 11)

LAW AND ORDER
All localities given more discretion to release prisoners early (archive). The State prison system is not currently releasing inmates early.
Lansing (the capitol) police are not physically responding to minor crimes such as larceny, property damage, and break-ins to unoccupied buildings, including garages. Other police are adopting similar policies (archive) (archive).
Detroit crime still down (archive - April 12); Muskegon police report crime is up (archive).
Breaking the lockdown is a misdemeanor, punishable by $1500 fines and 90 days jail time. Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has stated there will not be a "ramp up" of police enforcement (archive). The attorney general has left it to local law enforcement to close businesses, as her hands are full with price-gougers and con artists (archive).
The police cannot, at present, pull drivers over simply for being out during the shutdown (archive).

DEATH TOLL

Detroit Metro (pop. 3,860,000 total; 1,796/sq. mi.; 694/sq km):*

20,139 confirmed / 1,347 dead
19,333 confirmed / 1,250 dead yesterday
(i.e. 97 new deaths, up 24 from previous day)
Normal Detroit Metro Death Rate: 104 per day.**

Other Michigan (6,120,000; 65/sq. mi.; 25/sq km):

5,496 confirmed / 255 dead
5,305 confirmed / 237 dead yesterday
(i.e. 18 new deaths, down 4 from previous day)
Normal not-Detroit Death Rate: 167 per day**

All Michigan (9,990,000; 103/sq. mi.; 40/sq km):

25,635 confirmed / 1,602 dead
24,638 confirmed / 1,487 dead yesterday
(i.e. 115 new deaths, up 20 from previous day)
Normal Michigan Death Rate: 271 per day.**

Death toll doubled since: April 6.
We have been locked down since: March 24.

Detroit Metro Daily Deaths Last Seven Days:
97 / 93 / 94 / 173 / 89 / 73 / 97 = 716

State Government site, daily - today's archive;
State Gov site, total, includes breakdowns by sex, age, race and ethnicity - today's archive.
*Here defined as the City of Detroit, and Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties, minus state prisoners, who are not counted towards any county's cases, but are kept in a category of their own.
** As of 2018.
Also one Ann Arbor man allegedly killed by his roommate in a Corona-related dispute (archive). The suspect has been released from custody while the investigation continues (archive).

 

[EmuWarsVeteran]

Ehh, higher population density, faster transmission, worse consequences. Just look at New York.

Not every American city is getting hit the same. Seattle isn't. Not even close. Washingtonians are already pretty antisocial. You ever see a Seattleite approach someone on the sidewalk? Fifteen-foot gaps and a cold aura of unfriendliness were already standard practice. Only 4400 cases and 300 deaths so far in King County.



Indeed. The authorities are working off of epidemiological models that indicate exponential spread and severe casualties if nothing is done to contain it. It's already killed 118,000 globally, and there are 1.88m known cases. The daily increase in the number of cases is tapering off and leveling out. We must be doing something right. Now, a typical flu season kills about 300,000 to 600,000 people, globally. In other words, COVID-19 has already accounted for 1/6th to 1/3rd the number of deaths of a typical flu season. In about a month, this thing has gone from 143k cases worldwide to 1.8m. It was doubling about once a week. Seems to be slowing down a little bit, now. Good.

If it were allowed to double a few more times, you'd be looking at 200,000, and then 400,000, and then 800,000, and then 1.6 million, and then 3.2 million dead. And that's to say nothing of those who are still fighting for their lives in the hospital. If you’re wondering why governments are freaking out so badly, they’ve been working off of those same sorts of projections.

Now, summer starts in a couple months, and one would hope it would burn all this away, like a typical flu season. If it can be kept under control until then, maybe we'll see an end to this. However, it seems to be spreading somewhat in warmer climates, as well.

The lockdown is starting to have severe consequences of its own. Joblessness and the risks of suicide are increasing. The food supply chain is being harmed. That's a one-way ticket to social unrest. If people can't get food, they lose their fucking minds and start breaking shit.

If we let up on the lockdowns and social distancing, will all this just get worse? Will the rate of infection increase again?

This is what the CDC's been putting forth, lately:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0282_article

http://archive.li/kx1El

R0 of 5.7, with a range of 3.8 to 8.9. They're basically saying it spreads as fast as smallpox. That's not good.

@EmuWarsVeteran How are things on the front lines? I’m more inclined to believe healthcare workers over clickbait.

Healthcare Amateur more like. I already explained why. Cadiz isn't much of a frontline right now. Since the second outbreak things have gone consistently down. Our sister hospital in jerez must look like a fucking warzone after their outbreak but so far they're not saying anything and not asking for anything, at least that I know of. From what I hear the rest is more or less the same, after things started going down they went down quick, most areas are relaxed. But of course tomorrow the floodgates open, so, we'll see how that goes.

 

[Non-Expert!]

The right to peaceful assembly is protected by the Constitution, by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. A city, town, municipality or county can not deny a person or persons a permit seeking to exercise the right of free speech. Restrictions may be imposed on the time, place, and manner of a peaceful assembly as long as it does not interfere with your God given rights under the First Amendment. Even if you want to sperg out about der Juden or We Wuz Kangs, the United States Supreme Court will protect your right to look silly.

Not wanting drama or expense is not a valid reason to abrogate the US Constitution.

Threats of violence, actual violence, riot and other unlawful things are good reasons to stop an assembly which is no longer peaceful and endangers the safety and well-being of the citizenry. It is no longer peaceful so it is not protected by the Constitution.

These rights are applied to the government, in all its forms. It does not apply, except in limited circumstances (in regard to discrimination and religion), to private entities.

Sure it is. But suppose a bunch of Klansmen wanted to March in Manhattan, or Downtown LA with an effigy of a Blackman being lynched, and a burning cross ...

That is technically peaceful. After all, they are only burning a piece of wood, and it isn't a real man hanging from a pole.

What's the problem?

I mean hey ... Don't we have every right to march on 5th avenue, donning our KKK robes? Technically we do.

Then can't the ADL, Black Panthers and La Raza peacefully join us?

I am just going on what I have passively picked up over the years. I admit that I do not have all the facts. But I thought that some cities can reject certain petitions for assembly based on their fear of riots and violence that could follow.

Like we have a right to assemble "somewhere else ..."

Not that I am into the erosion of our civil liberties and rights ... at all.

But in Germany, for example, it is illegal to possess Nazi paraphernalia, for example. Never mind a guy who has a historic interest in the time period.

It seems like we could be moving in that direction which is regrettable.

 

[mindlessobserver]

They need to hire michael bay to direct and the cameraman from Les Miserables.

Michael Bay would be perfect. China owns him and his production company already.

Also may as well do a Virginia update since nobody else is. This is real virginia mind you and not nova. Everyone is pretty much disregarding the "dont go outside rule. People are in the parks, walking the dogs going to stores. Lots more people wearing masks though and the cops are visibly rolling around. But they are leaving everyone alone. This is coming off the heels of pretty much every sheriff in the State telling the governor he can shove his gun laws up his ass. Looks like they feel the same way over harassing people minding their own business.

On that note I could not find ammo for my pistol ANYWHERE and had to order online. The liquor store also requires us to wait by the register so an associate can get what we ask. Which is lame because I dont know what I want till I want it. This whole corona thing has nuked my plans to stop drinking entirely. But eh.

From what I have seen of the hospitals they are sitting around absolutely bored out of their minds. Not much COVID here and people arent going for their routine shit either. I've yet to see the "ER wait time" timers on the highway exceed 5 minutes.

 

[Non-Expert!]

In other words, if you own a company and you're a white male, and you want to discuss things that have been discussed in every workplace since the beginning of time, don't hire an HR Karen or anyone who isn't a white male. How about we just create a world where people can hire whomever they want, and just teach people not to act like oversensitive faggots?

You hire the most qualified person for the job. If he is a white male so be it. If it is a Black lesbian or a Chinese, so be it.

In some areas, and in some fields, white males are in short supply. So even if you wanted to hire a qualified white male, you might have a hard time finding one.

What's the problem?

Anyway, back to the wu-flu. I was simply trying to explain to somebody from Iran, why the federal government is not the one limiting our freedom of speech in the workplace, in many cases anyway. It is often the employer.

One exception is this tranny stuff where by law (at least here in California) we have to "respect pronouns" and all this shit. "Call me ma'am or else ..."

If diversity is supposedly our strength, then why don't we appreciate differences more? Fuck if I know. Thin skinned people.

You think I am happy about all of this? Think again. It is a club-sized shit sandwich.

 

[Techpriest]

So an update from my part of the woods.

U.S. Meat Supply Is 'Perilously Close' To A Shortage, CEO Warns

A Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota that produces 4% to 5% of the nation's pork supply has become the latest meat processing facility to shut down as COVID-19 sickens plant workers.

www.npr.org

One of the country's largest pork-producing plants closed indefinitely after nearly 300 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. And the company's CEO warned that the coronavirus pandemic is pushing the nation's meat supply "perilously close" to the edge.

"It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running," Smithfield Foods CEO Kenneth Sullivan said in a statement.

Smithfield decided to close its plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., which provides 4% to 5% of the pork produced in the United States. The move came after South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem urged the company to "do more" to address the pandemic.

"The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply," Sullivan said.

Smithfield is one of several meat-producing companies that have suspended or cut back on production in recent weeks.

JBS USA has closed a Souderton, Pa., beef plant until at least Thursday and has reduced production at a second facility in Greeley, Colo., because of high absenteeism among employees.

Cargill and Tyson Foods have also closed plants in Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Sullivan warned that the growing shutdowns are hurting the nation's meat supply in a way that is reaching throughout the U.S. economy.

"These facility closures will also have severe, perhaps disastrous, repercussions for many in the supply chain, first and foremost our nation's livestock farmers. These farmers have nowhere to send their animals," he wrote.

Because meat is perishable it must be kept in cold storage, making it difficult for stores to carry large amounts of inventory, says Krista Foster, who teaches supply chain management at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.

"Once the existing inventory is used up, consumers can expect to see smaller quantities of pork products in stores due to processing plant closures," Foster says.

No evidence exists that COVID-19 can be passed through food or food packaging, the Food and Drug Administration said last month.

Top U.S. officials have moved to assure Americans that they won't lack for food, despite the coronavirus. Vice President Pence, while touring a Walmart distribution center earlier this month, said that "America's food supply is strong."

Smithfield coronavirus shutdown concerns shortage-wary meat industry

The American Association of Meat Processors expressed concern over the plant's closure.

www.foxbusiness.com

The closure of a Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota, one of the largest pork processing plants in the U.S., after hundreds of employees tested positive for coronavirus has the industry warning about another issue — a meat shortage.

“The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply," Smithfield CEO Kenneth Sullivan said in a statement Sunday.

The American Association of Meat Processors expressed concern over the Sioux Falls plant's closure, which came after pressure from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken.


"Normally the closure of a plant would not have a huge impact on supply, but the demand on meat and poultry during this pandemic has been vast," AAMP Executive Director Chris Young told FOX Business. "There is a concern that more companies could end up in the same situation as Smithfield. ... Many companies are screening employees and others who enter their plants on a daily basis, as well as trying to follow CDC guidelines for social distancing when they can."

The Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, where health officials reported more than 80 employees have confirmed cases of the coronavirus (AP Photo/Stephen Groves)
The plant, which employs about 3,700 people in the state's largest city, has become a hot spot for infections. Health officials said Sunday that 293 of the 730 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in South Dakota work at the plant.

Smithfield announced a three-day closure last week so it could sanitize the plant and install physical barriers to enhance social distancing. But on Sunday, it announced the plant's indefinite closure. It will resume operations in Sioux Falls after receiving further directions from local, state and federal officials.

"My commitment would be I would love to get them open as soon as possible … as soon as their employee base feels safe," TenHaken told FOX Business. "I’ve talked all along that when you fix one problem in COVID response, you create three or four more."

"A lot of industries are experiencing this level of disruption right now. ... Could it hurt the availability of pork to the consumer? Absolutely. Is this a forever shutdown? No," he said.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., reacted to news of the closure on Twitter on Monday.

"I’ve been warning about this for weeks now. The people throttling our economy have no idea how brittle the food supply chain is... and they have broken it," Massie wrote.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in March that the coronavirus pandemic is having "very little" impact on U.S. food supply on "Mornings with Maria."

"USDA, together with the FDA and CDC, will continue to support a whole of America approach to ensure the food supply chain remains safe and secure," a USDA spokesperson told FOX Business on Monday.

(Just as an aside, Massie can shove it. Management intended to go back online until the cases linked to the plant started to grow immensely. Over a third of those tested from the plant tested positive. And they still haven't tested everyone.)

One of the largest pork processing facilities in the US is closing until further notice

One of the country's largest pork processing facilities is closing until further notice as employees fall ill with Covid-19. The closure puts the country's meat supply at risk, said the CEO of Smithfield, which operates the plant.

www.cnn.com

New York (CNN Business)One of the country's largest pork processing facilities is closing until further notice as employees fall ill with Covid-19. The closure puts the country's meat supply at risk, said the CEO of Smithfield, which operates the plant."The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply," the meat processor's chief executive, Kenneth Sullivan, said in a statement Sunday.

"It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running," he said. "These facility closures will also have severe, perhaps disastrous, repercussions for many in the supply chain."

The Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, facility accounts for 4% to 5% of the country's pork production and employs about 3,700 people, according to Smithfield.South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said during a Saturday news briefing that Smithfield employees accounted for more than half of the active coronavirus cases in the state. About 240 employees are sick, she said, out of roughly 430 active cases in the state. Because of that, she and the mayor of Sioux Falls recommended that Smithfield suspend operations for at least two weeks.

The problem extends beyond South Dakota. Meat processors in Iowa and Pennsylvania have also shut their doors because of sick employees.
Smithfield will maintain some activity in the plant on Tuesday to process its inventory, the company said, as it prepares to fully shut down, adding that it will compensate employees for the next two weeks.

I know it's three different articles, but I wanted to make sure I covered the gambit and so people won't call bullshit.

The midwest is a really interesting area for pandemic data. With people isolated in rural communities, a population with a high amount of elderly individuals, and a general lack of healthcare resources, we're going to likely see some skyrocketing deaths after the fact, as people start analyzing the death certificates more closely. I think here in SD that the only 'certified' deaths are those of people who tested positive before death. The actual number is probably in the 30's or so now, simply because of lack of testing and how quickly an elderly patient can die from this. We're projected to hit the top of our curve sometime in June/August. Then there's our reservations, which are going to get pummeled to hell and back by this, and don't have the resources for testing.

Sioux Falls as the largest city in the area is getting hammered hard. Over half the cases in the state are in the city, and many of those are linked to the plant. It's not going to be pretty here; especially since the two week delay on when our cases really started to spike and the hospitalization is going to be rising. Right now Sioux Falls per capita rate of infection exceeds Chicago and Seattle. The mayor is begging for a shelter in place order from the governor - he's been pressing social distancing about as hard as you possibly can in a city full of people who don't understand what the big deal is because not many people are in the hospital so why should they care. And here I am, in the center of a brewing shitstorm, where cases could easily skyrocket to 20k... which is 10% of the city population.

 

[New & Improved Username]

Apologies for being late again, but the base hospital is now requiring personnel to wear some sort of face mask covering their nose and mouth as of one week ago. It can be pretty much anything as long as it's not N95, because of course. I don't know why even a tiny part of me expected any different.

That's maddening that they required you to not wear a mask and now you have to but also it's required to be a halfass cover because ?reasons? .

 

[JosephStalin]

It's interesting the way the coronavirus crisis makes already present contradictions in society all the more obvious and all the more serious. UK police have long decided that covering up for Islam is a higher priority than dealing with Muslim child exploitation gangs. Now they've decided it's a higher priority than coronavirus too.

The UK is so fucked - if any group is able to get its members out to riot, the police will cover up literally anything bad that group does. In the long run, this is the death of liberal democracy because it incentivizes groups to do this. This is basically how the Weimar Republic died - in the end the Commies and the Nazis took away the state's monopoly on the use of force and once that happened it was clear that one of them would end up taking over the state.

I think part of the reasons they're so very scared of Tommy Robinson is that he can get people out to riot too. The powers that be know that is the end, hence their obsessive need to destroy him. However in a sense covering up the child rape gangs made Tommy, or someone like him, inevitable. Crush him, and you're just setting the stage for someone more ruthless.

There can no longer be any doubt that this UK could never have stood up to Hitler after the fall of France. They would have come to him, whimpering, begging for an armistice, without a single German soldier crossing the English Channel, much less touch the soil of the UK. The battle would have been lost in Whitehall.

The Queen must be sickened inside to see what her country has become. The service and sacrifice of millions of British and Commonwealth people, in two wars, has, in the end, gone for naught. 🏳


On a different subject, had eye exam, ordered new glasses four weeks ago. Was told glasses would be here in 2-3 weeks. No glasses. No call. No card/note. Went by. Place has been closed since 18 March due to the ChiCom Flu. Sucks, but present glasses still work well.

 

[Gustav Schuchardt]

That's maddening that they required you to not wear a mask and now you have to but also it's required to be a halfass cover because ?reasons? .

If I was in the US military I'd cut up a spare reflective belt to make masks out of.

 

[Techpriest]

Oh I forgot to mention, we're seeing a doubling in cases every three days. Add in the delay and lack of testing and lack of people giving a fuck about social distancing here, and we're probably at an actual number of cases ~2 to 3 times what's reported right now. And what we *know* about here is doubling every three days.

 

[JosephStalin]

Travis AFB update

The commissary is finally requiring anyone entering to be wearing a mask and to not remove it on the premises. They're also doing 100% ID checks (supposedly as of March 18th), probably only on adults, but no kids were seen inside, so I can't say for certain. Dependapotomi are the big mads over both of these. Fuck your life, they need their boxed wine.

Apologies for being late again, but the base hospital is now requiring personnel to wear some sort of face mask covering their nose and mouth as of one week ago. It can be pretty much anything as long as it's not N95, because of course. I don't know why even a tiny part of me expected any different.

The buildings containing the stashed infected still have no fencing at all, not even the pitiful shit that was there some time ago. No security to be seen. But fear not! There's some police tape on the pillars of the buildings, so it's practically under a force-field with a 24/7 guard.

At least the birds and frogs seem to be having a grand old time being left to frolic, forage and fuck in peace without the feral dependa-spawn roaming around. I have to admit that I'm enjoying the lack of screaming coming from outside as well. Aside from New Horizons being an assfest made for minecraft players, things have been oddly chill.

Ya, had to wear a mask Saturday at the commissary. Must be a Defense Commissary Agency policy. 100% ID checks have always been done here, but now you can't bring in guests.

The dependopotami can just go piss up a rope. Mask isn't fun, but showing ID protects the privilege. Believe me, I have seen a commissary overrun with "guests" frantically filling multiple baskets with low-priced stuff. Enough to puke a dog off a gut wagon and despise ANY "guests". My guess - when this is over there may still be no more guests allowed into the commissary unless they are babies/small children, say, with a grandparent.


Do you need to wear a mask anywhere on base, or just in the hospital? Bet a mask would be a non-starter on the flight line. Nothing more than FOD fodder for a jet engine.

 

[Army Burger]

One of the first notable business casualties has occurred in my nearest city. The only gay bar has closed permanently after 15 years in operation. I hope it isn't the start of an avalanche of permanent closures, but that's optimistic thinking on my part.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

WHO IS READY TO CHECK THEIR IMMUNOPRIVILEGE?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/opinion/coronavirus-immunity-passports.html

Opinion | The Dangerous History of Immunoprivilege - The New York Tim…

archived 12 Apr 2020 20:59:23 UTC

archive.md

enslaved though legally sanctioned violence

Don't drink and blog, Kathryn.

In the 19th century, bloodletting was still in use. Humorism was still a thing when Yellow Fever was going around. Antibiotics hadn't been figured out. Plague doctors were still a thing. I highly doubt the author has much to worry about beyond an addiction to benzos and white claw.

Spoiler: Surprise, Kathryn is whiter than a mime

 

[TheRedChair]

This is Chinese propaganda. The goal is to overproduce the fuck out of such a basic thing in order to give the illusion they know what they're doing.

It isn't working, China. We need more special effects and explosions in the background.

You forgot singing. A lot of patriotic singing telling the virtues of Whinne the Poo's fight on Corona-chan. So far the Bitch is winning.

A friend that works at a hospital just told me that Albuterol HFA inhalers (those asthma inhalers you see people with) are going on shortage. Nothing so far on the FDA shortage website, so maybe it's only with the suppliers they have. Important because they are the easiest way to administer the drug (albuterol) that allows for easier breathing.

I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up on the list sometime soon, though.

EDIT: The nebulizing solutions are still fine, but don't be surprised if in 2-3 weeks I get another report saying that's on shortage too.

There are many other subsitutes to Albuterol. It could be that it is either the cheapest to get OR they won several contracts with Big Phama/Insurance companies. So I can see that Albuterol being in short supply.

U.S. Meat Supply Is 'Perilously Close' To A Shortage, CEO Warns A Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota that produces 4% to 5% of the nation's pork supply has become the latest meat processing facility to shut down as COVID-19 sickens plant workers.

www.npr.org

THESE fucking assholes were bought out by a Chinese group back in 2013. WHY do you think there will be a shortage you fucking MORONS who thought this was going to be a great deal. Some of THAT meat is going back where the SHIT monkeys live due to the fact that they been hit terribly with the Swine flu in late 2019. Please note on the comment of just who has a big share in acreage in the US and abroad.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithfield_Foods

 

[EmuWarsVeteran]

One word of advice: I've seen 1 news post claiming this sunday spanish churches tolled their bells for the deceased by coronavirus. It's bullshit. They did it because it's easter sunday, they do it every year, it ain't got nothing to do with best girl.

So an update from my part of the woods.

U.S. Meat Supply Is 'Perilously Close' To A Shortage, CEO Warns

A Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota that produces 4% to 5% of the nation's pork supply has become the latest meat processing facility to shut down as COVID-19 sickens plant workers.

www.npr.org

Smithfield coronavirus shutdown concerns shortage-wary meat industry

The American Association of Meat Processors expressed concern over the plant's closure.

www.foxbusiness.com

(Just as an aside, Massie can shove it. Management intended to go back online until the cases linked to the plant started to grow immensely. Over a third of those tested from the plant tested positive. And they still haven't tested everyone.)

One of the largest pork processing facilities in the US is closing until further notice

One of the country's largest pork processing facilities is closing until further notice as employees fall ill with Covid-19. The closure puts the country's meat supply at risk, said the CEO of Smithfield, which operates the plant.

www.cnn.com

I know it's three different articles, but I wanted to make sure I covered the gambit and so people won't call bullshit.

View attachment 1228387

The midwest is a really interesting area for pandemic data. With people isolated in rural communities, a population with a high amount of elderly individuals, and a general lack of healthcare resources, we're going to likely see some skyrocketing deaths after the fact, as people start analyzing the death certificates more closely. I think here in SD that the only 'certified' deaths are those of people who tested positive before death. The actual number is probably in the 30's or so now, simply because of lack of testing and how quickly an elderly patient can die from this. We're projected to hit the top of our curve sometime in June/August. Then there's our reservations, which are going to get pummeled to hell and back by this, and don't have the resources for testing.

Sioux Falls as the largest city in the area is getting hammered hard. Over half the cases in the state are in the city, and many of those are linked to the plant. It's not going to be pretty here; especially since the two week delay on when our cases really started to spike and the hospitalization is going to be rising. Right now Sioux Falls per capita rate of infection exceeds Chicago and Seattle. The mayor is begging for a shelter in place order from the governor - he's been pressing social distancing about as hard as you possibly can in a city full of people who don't understand what the big deal is because not many people are in the hospital so why should they care. And here I am, in the center of a brewing shitstorm, where cases could easily skyrocket to 20k... which is 10% of the city population.

If you need meat, consider telling your representatives to give us spaniards a call. Like two or three days ago we had on the news reports of meat plants resorting to dry aging because with our exports cut they can't sell enough to cope with their massive fucking productions.

Yeah spain's life and blood is exports, which is why the EU assfucked us so hard. But it also means that pretty much any first necessity you got, we got it covered, we literally produce more than we could ever hope to consume.

 

[Techpriest]

One word of advice: I've seen 1 news post claiming this sunday spanish churches tolled their bells for the deceased by coronavirus. It's bullshit. They did it because it's easter sunday, they do it every year, it ain't got nothing to do with best girl.



If you need meat, consider telling your representatives to give us spaniards a call. Like two or three days ago we had on the news reports of meat plants resorting to dry aging because with our exports cut they can't sell enough to cope with their massive fucking productions.

Yeah spain's life and blood is exports, which is why the EU assfucked us so hard. But it also means that pretty much any first necessity you got, we got it covered, we literally produce more than we could ever hope to consume.

We're probably good on food in the US - we're a net exporter of food as well, so we're going to be fine on that end.

Also another update (bolding mine)

New executive order will target Minnehaha & Lincoln Counties

South Dakota is at a “critical juncture” in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

www.keloland.com

South Dakota is at a “critical juncture” in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

That’s what Governor Kristi Noem told the media Monday.

As of Monday morning, the state has two more confirmed deaths due to coronavirus, bringing the total to 4.

The state also now has 288 positive cases.

164 of those are in the Sioux Falls area.

The Governor is issuing a new executive order which will extend efforts to flatten the curve through the end of May.

The order will also change the words “should’ to “shall.

The Governor’s other executive order that she announced Monday targets Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties.

It’s for people who are over the age of 65 or people who have chronic medical conditions.

The governor is directing them to stay home for the next three weeks.

“This group needs to be diligent about limiting their travel. Only critical trips will be allowed. They need to wash their hands often, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and they need to clean and disinfect all surfaces often,” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said.

Together the two counties have reported more than 160 positive cases.

“We could see a need to extend this kind of action in other counties, but what’s appropriate for today is to address those two counties and the trends that we’re seeing, especially among the vulnerable population in that area of our state,” Noem said.

While these groups of people are being told to stay home, they are encouraged to get fresh air as long as they are social distancing and following CDC guidelines.

The governor also said schools should continue distance learning through the remainder of the school year.

Those over 65 and with chronic medical aren't the ones who are going to spread it. It's everyone else, so this shall shelter issue is fucking nothing. At least the schools are going to remain closed - that's a massive infection vector right there.

 

[Barnard]

Very low numbers here in Poland, just 260 new cases. There was a drop in the number of tests because of Easter though, so this might as well be the result of a backlog building up. Not much point going into more detail then, I'll be back in a day or two with more meaningful news. Gotta come up with a few makeshift masks before Thursday too, the ones in shops and apothecaries cost an arm and a leg. I'm not paying for that.

I hear the WHO is in doomerposting mode. When did they hire @Drain Todger exactly?

 

[teriyakiburns]

But in Germany, for example, it is illegal to possess Nazi paraphernalia, for example. Never mind a guy who has a historic interest in the time period.

What you've mentioned is actually one of the exceptions in the law. Or more accurately, the law is that you aren't allowed to possess it for use in glorifying racism, nazism or the nazi reich (or to possess paraphenalia of any other substitute symbol for the same purpose). Use or possession for other purpose isn't illegal.