Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Josquius]

Watford general hospital almost ran out of oxygen yesterday had to tell people to stop going there and started to draw up plans how to prioritise who gets oxygen and who (likely) dies.

Also this: https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2020/apr/05/on-our-knees-nhs-nurse-pleads-with-public-to-stay-indoors-video#comments

But god forbid people can't go to parks!

Second time this has happened. Worrying.

And in such a windy country as Britain, sheesh.

[Sheilbh]

Queen's statement:
https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1246875266334539777?s=20

It is annoying that, despite being a republican, I quite like the Queen. I also thought this is one of those statements that are what the monarchy does well, because it's the sort of statement that no politician in the UK at least would be able to deliver.

Edit: Also, Johnson's condition has worsened:

Boris Johnson admitted to hospital with coronavirus
Move follows rumours that prime minister's condition had been worsening
Rowena Mason Deputy political editor
Sun 5 Apr 2020 21.32 BST
Last modified on Sun 5 Apr 2020 21.53 BST

Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital with coronavirus after suffering persistent symptoms for 10 days.

Downing Street insisted it was just a precautionary measure but Johnson's admission on a Sunday evening comes after days of rumours that his condition has been worsening.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "On the advice of his doctor, the prime minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests. This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus 10 days after testing positive for the virus."

It is understood Johnson remains in charge of the government, although Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, is poised to take charge if he should worsen.

Johnson had been hoping to leave quarantine on Friday after seven days of self isolation but his persistent temperature meant he had to remain inside his flat at No 11 Downing Street.

The Guardian was told last week that Johnson was more seriously ill than either he or his officials were prepared to admit, and that he was being seen by doctors who were concerned about his breathing.

But Downing Street flatly denied that the prime minister's health had seriously deteriorated, and insisted there were no plans at that point for him to be admitted to hospital.

Earlier on Sunday, Matt Hancock was asked just how ill the prime minister was. The health secretary told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "He's OK. I've been talking to him every day, several times a day... he's very much got his hand on the tiller. But he's still got a temperature." He added: "He's working away inside Downing Street. He's in good spirits."

Johnson's partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, revealed on Saturday that she had also been suffering from the virus but is recovering.

[Legbiter]

Boris Johnson is in hospital. If he passes who is his successor?

[Berkut]

So back in early December I got sick with what I thought was my chronic bronchitis (which I get every other year or so). Fever, brutal, brutal, BRUTAL fucking cough that would not go away. Was sick for nearly three weeks.

Too early to be Covid?

[Eddie Teach]

Considering this thread was started January 18, I would say so.

[mongers]

So back in early December I got sick with what I thought was my chronic bronchitis (which I get every other year or so). Fever, brutal, brutal, BRUTAL fucking cough that would not go away. Was sick for nearly three weeks.

Too early to be Covid?

Yes.

Whilst these personal experiences are real and it's understandable, there's no proof and Zanza further up the thread linked to a German study that had looked into the same claim over there, dis-proven.

[Sheilbh]

There isn't one technically. Dominic Raab has been appointed as the sort of "designated survivor". But we've not had a formal Deputy Prime Minister since 2015 and there's no deputy leader of the Tory Party.

Given the current situation I imagine the cabinet would decide who will act as PM and they'd very much be an old-fashioned chairman of the cabinet not a presidential style leader, until the current crisis was over and they could organise a leadership contest.

Though hopefully he will get better - and as mentioned before I feel for his pregnant girlfriend (who apparently had it but is recovering) because this must be very stressful.

Edit: Apparently Raab is First Secretary of State which is the de facto deputy so it would be him.

[Josquius]

Boris Johnson is in hospital. If he passes who is his successor?

I don't think we have a legal succession considering the PM job is technically just whichever pm the Queen thinks could hold a majority.
I think standard practice would be the most senior tory takes the role temporarily until they sort out a new leadership election?

[mongers]

I really hope Johnson doesn't die, because after the virus crisis is finally over, I want him to face up to mini-disaster that his 'authorship' of Brexit debate/process will turned out to be.   

[alfred russel]

It just hasn't grown enough yet. It will.

Virus hot spots in South poised for disproportionate suffering

I guess in a few weeks we are going to know whether you or I is correct--Georgia reopened its beaches Friday night.

https://www.ajc.com/news/breaking-georgia-beaches-reopening-friday-night/FeVxuRX6ohp7Yd8tDZlZdN/

New Orleans is one of those old cities that has some dense sections, but most Southern cities (and suburban / rural areas) are far apart. We do have inner cities, but most city development was post automobile.

Obviously we are at the beginning of this and the numbers will go way up in terms of deaths, but my bet on this is that New York ends up ahead of Georgia in per capita deaths.

[Eddie Teach]

Oh, I think there's no question that public transportation usage makes the virus easier to spread.

[Fate]

Some of the hardest hit parts of Italy don't have public transportation like subways and are smaller towns/cities.

Just because you live in Alabama doesn't mean your nursing home is some how a rural snowflake. These places are going to get devestated all across the country.

[Razgovory]

My orthodontist died this week from it.  We'll, former orthodontist.  I haven't seen him since Middle School.

[Tonitrus]

Time to break out some old style bandanas and put on the Western villain look!

Pentagon orders troops to wear masks when they can't meet 'social distancing' standards

By JOHN VANDIVER | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: April 5, 2020

Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See other free reports here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. troops worldwide must wear masks, and sew their own if necessary, if they cannot maintain "social distancing" standards to protect against the coronavirus, the Pentagon announced Sunday.

The directive follows a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the ranks and concerns about the ability to maintain 6-foot social distancing, especially aboard ships and aircraft.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the directive applies to all personnel: troops, family members, military civilians and contractors.

"Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or work centers," Esper said in a message to the force.

Personnel are not required to don masks inside their homes, the directive stated.

The Pentagon will not issue masks to the military community, Esper said, adding that people should make facial coverings from household material such as T-shirts and cloths that can cover the nose and mouth area.

Proper surgical masks will not be issued because they are being reserved for the "appropriate personnel," Esper said.

When troops and civilians approach bases for work, they should be prepared to lower their masks when crossing security checkpoints, Esper said.

Exceptions to Esper's mask instruction require the approval of local commanders and also must be submitted up the chain of command for notification.

Esper's announcement comes as coronavirus infections surge within the military. As of Friday, 978 service members were infected with the coronavirus along with nearly 700 hundred civilians, according to Pentagon data.

The issue of infections in the ranks and the dangers faced by personnel was underscored when the USS Theodore Roosevelt was forced to dock in Gaum after an outbreak among sailors. The aircraft carrier's commander, Capt. Brett Crozier, was relieved of command Thursday after a letter he wrote raising health concerns became public.

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Crozier was now among the more than 900 infected troops.

[11B4V]

Time to break out some old style bandanas and put on the Western villain look!

Pentagon orders troops to wear masks when they can't meet 'social distancing' standards

By JOHN VANDIVER | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: April 5, 2020

Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See other free reports here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. troops worldwide must wear masks, and sew their own if necessary, if they cannot maintain "social distancing" standards to protect against the coronavirus, the Pentagon announced Sunday.

The directive follows a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the ranks and concerns about the ability to maintain 6-foot social distancing, especially aboard ships and aircraft.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the directive applies to all personnel: troops, family members, military civilians and contractors.

"Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or work centers," Esper said in a message to the force.

Personnel are not required to don masks inside their homes, the directive stated.

The Pentagon will not issue masks to the military community, Esper said, adding that people should make facial coverings from household material such as T-shirts and cloths that can cover the nose and mouth area.

Proper surgical masks will not be issued because they are being reserved for the "appropriate personnel," Esper said.

When troops and civilians approach bases for work, they should be prepared to lower their masks when crossing security checkpoints, Esper said.

Exceptions to Esper's mask instruction require the approval of local commanders and also must be submitted up the chain of command for notification.

Esper's announcement comes as coronavirus infections surge within the military. As of Friday, 978 service members were infected with the coronavirus along with nearly 700 hundred civilians, according to Pentagon data.

The issue of infections in the ranks and the dangers faced by personnel was underscored when the USS Theodore Roosevelt was forced to dock in Gaum after an outbreak among sailors. The aircraft carrier's commander, Capt. Brett Crozier, was relieved of command Thursday after a letter he wrote raising health concerns became public.

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Crozier was now among the more than 900 infected troops.

No you silly man. The Arabs have in doing this, well since forever.

Forward to 3:35

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeG8PxJFv5s