Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[merithyn]

More on testing within the USA:

Coronavirus: US admits 'failing' on testing, says Fauci12

A top health official in the US says that the testing system for coronavirus is currently failing.

"The system is not really geared to what we need right now... let's admit it," said Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The government has come under fire as the US has conducted far fewer tests than many other affected countries.

There are currently more than 1,100 confirmed cases of the virus in the US.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said that the US had "a tremendous testing set up where people coming in have to be tested". However, he did not give further details, and there has not been routine testing for the virus in the US.

Trump will likely sideline or sack him?

That was my first thought on seeing his comments. He's just lost his job...

[Valmy]

NHL suspends season.

Sad.

But at least the Caps are suspended as division leaders

[crazy canuck]

NHL suspends season.

They pretty much had to follow the NBA lead on this one.

[Barrister]

NHL suspends season.

Sad.

But at least the Caps are suspended as division leaders

There are a million things more important than this, but I can't help but wonder what they'll do (assuming they resume play).  Jets were in the 1st wildcard spot after last night, with 80 point.  2nd wildcard is Nashville with 78, plus Vancouver and Minnesota with 78 and 77 points respectively.

But the Jets have played 71 games, whereas those other teams have played 69.

So are the Jets in the playoffs or not?  Assuming we even have playoffs.  I learned today that the Stanley Cup finals were called off in 1919...

[fromtia]

Boris Johnson talks about "Squashing the Sombrero" which is conceptually rather good and easy to grasp as a strategy.

[merithyn]

Our Washington offices have been sent home "for a bit" to work from home. No date given for a return, but they were all told to "watch for updates from the board." A number of our folks out there have been directly affected by either having a family member become very sick, or die. Most are in the danger zone age- and health-wise, though notably one employee's husband, 40s and as I understand it healthy, is in serious condition. He's an anomaly, which we all know happens in these things, but understandably it made a few people... nervous.

I'm planning to drive out to Eastern Washington next weekend for a museum show. We'll see if the museum is still open then.

[garbon]

If I get the coronavirus, I'm flying to Vancouver and coughing in every public place I can.

[Valmy]

So are the Jets in the playoffs or not?  Assuming we even have playoffs.  I learned today that the Stanley Cup finals were called off in 1919...

It would at least be a better reason than when they fucking cancelled it in 2005.

[merithyn]

Politico called Trump out on this.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/12/trump-coronavirus-travel-europe-resorts-126808

President Donald Trump's new European travel restrictions have a convenient side effect: They exempt nations where three Trump-owned golf resorts are located.

Trump is already under fire for visiting his properties in both countries as president, leading to U.S. taxpayer money being spent at his own firms. The president has been saddled with lawsuits and investigations throughout his term alleging that he's violating the Constitution's emoluments clause by accepting taxpayer money other than his salary.

The U.S. government proclamation initiating the ban targets 26 European countries that comprise a visa-free travel zone known as the Schengen Area.

The United Kingdom, which is home to Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links, and Ireland, which is home to another Trump-branded hotel and golf course at Doonbeg, do not participate in the Schengen Area. Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania are also not part of the Schengen Area. All three of the resorts are struggling financially.

Ireland's prime minister, Leo Varadkar, is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Thursday in one of the few events related to St. Patrick's Day that has not been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

The administration's European travel proclamation notes that "the Schengen Area has exported 201 COVID-19 cases to 53 countries. Moreover, the free flow of people between the Schengen Area countries makes the task of managing the spread of the virus difficult."

Trump's European travel ban comes with several other loopholes.

There are now 460 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.K., including Nadine Dorries, the British government's own health minister in charge of patient safety. Wednesday saw the biggest rise in U.K. cases in a single day, and the country's highest-level crisis committee — known as Cobra — will meet Thursday to consider additional moves to reduce the impact of the virus.

Though they are subject to border checks on arrival, residents of the 26 Schengen Area countries are also free to live and work in the United Kingdom, meaning they could fly to the United States from a British airport as long as they hadn't spent time within the Schengen countries in the last 14 days.

EU leaders condemned Trump's move on Thursday, and disputed the president's criticism of Europe's handling of the crisis.

"The Coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel said in a joint statement.

"The European Union disapproves of the fact that the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation," they said, adding that the bloc was "taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus."

[viper37]

You are missing the distinction between our Provincial Health Officials making the call rather than politicians - and especially federal politicians.

Provincial health officials are there to advise the government.  The government then take their suggestions and implement them, or any government could go any further than that if it pleases them.

So far, I've been satisfied from my provincial government response.

Anyway, I was reacting to your point of single payer system.  Lots of countries are like that and they don't fare that better than the US with this pandemic.

I haven't read much on Italy, though, I don't know what happenned so that this virus would spread so quickly.

Anyway, different situations, different recommendations.

[crazy canuck]

You are missing the distinction between our Provincial Health Officials making the call rather than politicians - and especially federal politicians.

Provincial health officials are there to advise the government.  The government then take their suggestions and implement them, or any government could go any further than that if it pleases them.

That is unfortunate.

I prefer our system where the health care professionals make the health care decisions.

[Barrister]

NHL suspends season.

They pretty much had to follow the NBA lead on this one.

Not necessarily. NBA had a diagnosed player, NHL hasn't had that yet.  They could've tried the 'play games in empty arenas' trick.  But it would probably just have been a matter of time

[viper37]

Well, that escalated quickly...
Yesterday morning was 8 cases in Quebec.
Today, 13.
About 100 are under investigations.
Interior gathering of more than 250 people are forbidden.  No more Habs games, I guess.
14 days quarantine for people coming back from abroad.

The other part is sketchy... I'm not sure I'm reading this right, I would assume that it's only for people who have symptoms, but it says public healthcare and education workers should also be under isolation for 14 days.

I'm sure they forgot some part, because the way it's writtent, it's as if everyone would go on isolation.

Ah, found another newspiece with clarification.

Healthcare and education staff are given recommandations to avoid traveling abroad, for personal or professional reasons.  It's a suggestion, not an order.
Same for students to avoid school trip to dangerous countries (that would include the UK, here I guess )
Govt crisis cell working on "plan B" in case we face a recession.
Possibility to cancel international events taking place in Quebec.

[PRC]

Jaír Bolsonaro has tested positive for the virus.

[crazy canuck]

@ Viper, just took a quick look at your legislation and I think your health officials have similar powers to ours. 

Here is a good overview of what our officials can do. 

I would be surprised if most health officials in North American and Europe do not have similar powers.  The difference may be that our politicians are deferring to the medical judgments of the experts whereas Trump knows best in all things.

Medical health officers are empowered to quarantine and isolate individuals who pose a significant risk of spreading serious communicable diseases to others, but enforcement of these powers would only be used for individuals who do not voluntarily comply with medical health officers' directions or orders.

An additional provision is included to allow a quarantine order to be made to a group of people to expedite the prevention of disease. This could apply, for example, if employees at a work site or a group of people at a social gathering were exposed to a disease that posed a serious public health risk.The ability to quarantine groups of individuals was an important power that had to be provided to deal with the SARS situation in Ontario.

The Act ensures administrative fairness by allowing for reconsideration of orders by the health officer, and review of orders by a senior health officer or the Provincial Health Officer. Judicial review is also available.
   
The Act also requires accountability for emergency powers exercised by health officials, and individuals affected must be given written reasons and/or rights to reconsideration or re-assessment once the emergency ends

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/legislation/public-health-act/overview-of-public-health-act#three