South Florida News reports Governor Ron DeSantis has Declared a Public Health Emergency.
Florida’s Department of Health (FDOH) says it is working to confirm two cases of the coronavirus in the state Sunday evening.
In a tweet, the agency says two adults – one in Manatee County, the other in Hillsborough – are being isolated and cared for.
The patient from Hillsborough county has a history of traveling to Italy, according to health officials. They say the patient out of Manatee county did not travel to any of the restricted travel areas identified by the CDC.
FDOH says it is working to contact, isolate and monitor people who could have come into contact with both patients.
Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a public health emergency in response to the announcement.
“I have been working with federal partners and our Department of Health to ensure that communities are ready to handle the challenges presented by COVID-19,” DeSantis said. “The dedicated professionals at our county health departments, as well as those working at local medical providers, are well equipped to address these and future cases.”
Communication Breakdown
That a governor would declare a state of emergency over the coronavirus is not shocking in the least.
However, Ron DeSantis is a Republican who in recent days met with Vice President Pence.
Somehow, DeSantis did not get the message Don’t Spread the Hoax™.
In retrospect, this emergency declaration is quite shocking.
Has DeSantis taken the appropriate test to prove he is a Genuine Republican™ ?
Trump is trying so hard to lose the election that it’s conceivable a socialist beats him.
All he had to do to win in November was act presidential and show a little humility for a change.
OK, I have had my say.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Don’t drink the coolaid, Mish. Trump meant the dems blaming him for the spread of coronavirus is a hoax, which of course it is.
I am amazed that the American population can so blindly follow and support a person such as Trump. I am a veteran and have served many commanders in chief, (I didn’t capitalize on purpose) this is the first one I truly believe is failing our country. I am also a devout Catholic and have never experienced such disgusting behavior from an adult who is suppose to represent the Unites States of America. Can you honestly say that you would regurgitate what Trump says to your children and grandchildren? That you would want them to grow up to be a racist, disgusting human being? I am ashamed.
608 you are entitled to your opinion. I thank you for your service and I am sad that you do not see what is going on in this country.
Mish, stop pretending that Trump said the virus is a hoax. He did not say that! He was simply implying that the democrats were once again lying and exaggerating. They are saying that the virus in the U.S. is all Trump’s fault and he’s not giving enough money, etc. You are clearly now a never-Trumper.
can anyone get into Florida?? we have a trip planned in 18 days!
This is no big deal. All the scare hype is silly. The virus is likely less deadly than the flu (in developed countries). Look up stats on the flu and tell me how scared we should be? Be careful and live your life. Being fearful is now way to go through life. There are always risks.
Mish, I’ve been a reader of yours for years, but you are way off base with this ridiculous “Trump said it was a hoax.” All the fact-checkers, including the Associated Press, have already stated that he did not say that. See https://checkyourfact.com/2020/02/29/fact-check-donald-trump-coronavirus-hoax-south-carolina-rally/
Exactly. Mish is now a never-Trumper, so it will be difficult to talk him down from the ledge. Once TDS takes hold, it is tough to cure.
A couple cases. State emergency. Oh no, this stuff isn’t serious at all. They know damn well how bad it is which is why it appears to be an over reaction but it really isn’t.
A couple of maps from Europe, so you get the idea of what in the US it might look like at say state level in the near future (is probably now like)
Italy
Blaming this on Trump is asinine. If this happened 10 years ago, the only difference would be the press would be praising the president instead of blaming him.
The difference between Obama’s response to Ebola and Trump’s is shocking if you are unbiased enough to open your eyes.
“Let’s really underline that. The stigma is the most dangerous enemy, for me it’s more than the virus itself.”
WHO Tedros
OK, it’s prediction time, folks!
Bernie gets the votes in Super Tuesday and the convention is wild. The Powers That Be play hardball with Bernie and dictate his VP, i.e. The “Next President” (TM). If Bernie doesn’t play ball, the POB’s disavow him, continue damage control, and start their 2024 run, leaving wild-hair Bernie standing alone and rather pathetic.
But, Bernie plays ball.
Either way:
Trump pivots and goes full-on statesman. The initial Democratic response is as inept as their response to the latest SOTU speech.
Lots of money buys an endless stream of “Lives of Others” movies. Americans plugged in to the Internet behold the spectacle of the entertainment industry giving the prison states of the Soviet Union, Cuba, and NK the industry’s full Hitler/Nazi treatment. The content isn’t from the usual suspects in the entertainment industry. The audience doesn’t notice. The university teachers of America are stunned silent. For a time.
Then, covid-19 takes out both Bernie and Trump.
And we all live happily ever after.
In any case, Trump goes statesman “at” the Republican convention, which, like the Democratic convention, is fiber optic based.
Well, how’s that for a plot?
There are measures each on of us can take to prevent getting infected. Got this e-mail yesterday and wanted to share this.
Subject: What I am doing for the upcoming COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic
Dear Colleagues,
As some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.
The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.
Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:
NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.
Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.
Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.
Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.
Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.
Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands.
If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain an infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!
What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US:
Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land is infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.
Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.
Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.
Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges are one brand available, but there are other brands available.
I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.
I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us! Jim
James Robb, MD
Opthalmologists point out that the eyes are susceptible to carrying transmission.
Also airborne transmission of virus has long been a topic of contention, studies show several metres of distance, and long time resident airborne is easily possible (several tens of minutes)
So masks wherever possible and nescessary , ignore advice to the contrary.
Add Goggles to the list then!
I get Trump’s handling of this, dumb though it may seem. He can’t troll the virus, nor can he sanction it. The Fed can’t print a cure, which means there is nothing left in the toolbox.
If the virus hits the US hard, we may be uniquely unprepared in the developed world. Treatment (even mere testing) would be prohibitively expensive for many, plus those who live paycheck to paycheck can’t afford to miss work, so they’d probably avoid testing anyway. If kids get let out of school or daycare there would be nobody to take care of many of them. Add to that a culture of people who can’t stand each other and this could get ugly.
So Trump may as well claim it’s all a nothingburger and the virus will disappear like he said in his “miracle” quote. If he’s right, he looks like a boss. If he’s wrong, we’re in real trouble anyway, plus he can always pull out the “nobody saw this coming” card. It sounds callous, but as a country we’re way, way past the pretense of caring about the future anyway.
I agree.
Trump only has one choice at this point and that is to keep saying it’s going to be all right. I think he understands we don’t have the resources or the time to prepare. The only play here is to keep things going for as long as possible and hope infection happens fast and gets over with.
It will in not way end up playing out like this but it’s the only play. This most likely will be a multi year process that cripples the world economy and completely reshapes world cultures.
The fourth coming was this year so the pattern fits.
I couldn’t disagree more. He should have played the “teamwork” card. He should have acknowledged the the difficult challenges ahead and called for teamwork and unity, stressing the strength of America that made it great, and which would allow us to survive and grow stronger through adversity. He could then have emphasized the importance of each person in containing this, that everyone needs to work together, and stay home if they have symptoms, or seek medical help, but not go to work, and not go to public places.
After saying that we are very, very ready, and that it was completely contained, I’m expecting to see his popularity under 30% soon.
Bear in mind that I’m not arguing this strategy is morally correct in any way, but in our actual political climate it makes good sense. Compromise and unity are boring compared to confrontation. If Trump waves his middle finger at a deadly virus and wins, it would elevate him to godlike status among the believers and probably spark a Q-Anon revival.
Our bizarre love affair with WWE-style posturing is a big part of why I think our society is in trouble anyway, second only to Fed QE.
He could not feasibly put the whole nation on alert without justifying it, i.e. proven cases are appearing ( testing screw up stopped that) , or full disclosure of official projections ( in which case it is still taken by the public as speculative unless enforced in some way, which is a big move). IOW he would have encouraged everyone going around in uncertainty.
OTOH he could have been more realistic ” It is possible there are cases circulating already, caution, we are doing our best to track “, but then he gets asked where are the tests, why aren’t you locking down the country etc.
So, basically not a good position to be in, and I already previously explained what my own approach would be, but I’m not privilege to wider info nor if there is reasoning I am unnaware of. I think his approach is just to give confidence to people, probably not much else the gov can realistically offer at this point seeing how triggered society can be, unless it wanted to take full initiative, maybe prematurely, (my choice). Either way, if anyone is expecting government to hold all the answers they are misleading themselves from the start.
Can always claim a derivative of force majeure, I suppose. If this “hits the fan” people will have other worries.
Futures are up.
I think we can all agree, that’s all that really matters.
Dark upside, it should free up some housing and better paying jobs.
Thanks CCP !!!
And they’re down…
Love it.
Sounds like if you have older people in your life you should reach out and spend some time with them because this virus is going to cause a lot of the 60+ part of our society to die sooner than they would have.
In an overrun hospital situation it seems the 60+ age groups odds of living though it are 50/50.
So basically, with a ten day incubation during which the patient is infecting those around and about, now is a good time for older folks to:
There is also some clinical evidence that fasting for 5-10 days (taking nothing but water) can dramatically rejuvenate the immune system. For those healthy enough to attempt it, this might be a worthwhile thing to do.
There’s also quite a lot of evidence suggesting starving people, tend to be immunocompromized…..
Trump’s tweet at 8:31pm tonight…
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Gallup Poll numbers on the handling of this situation are outstanding, the best. Thank you!
Outstanding, the best.
Of course, only the best.
ITALY: In Lombardy they’re delaying non-urgent surgeries and are re-hiring retired nurses and doctors. Bergamo, Lodi & Cremona are out of beds.
Italy 3.18 beds per 1000
US 2.77 beds per 1000
ARE WE READY?
If we were, bed supply would ensure hospitalization costs would be at most a fraction of what they currently are…
So no. We’re not ready. Basic supply and demand demonstrate we can’t even meet bed demand in the absence of a covid-19 like outbreak.
And fat chance the dunces running this place, will match the 1000 bed hospital/week construction rate the Chinese managed in Wuhan. I’d love to see them prove me wrong on that one; and the America which ramped up military production following Pearl Harbor could do so without batting an eye; but I’m not exactly holding my breadth.
The issue is, where would you build a giant hospital. That circumstance would only be the result of a massive outbreak.
Oh, wait, maybe the Seattle area…. A second person has died of coronavirus COVID-19 in the Seattle area. Five others are now in critical condition…
Time for a rate-cut tomorrow.
Draw a map of the continental US. Then add a layer, the height of a 60 story tower above it all. How much of the volume hence enclosed, is currently built? The rest is available for giant hospitals, housing, offices, factories…..
Cheaply, too. At least the lower 40 stories are. It ain’t that hard. At least not if one is endowed with even the tiniest traces of basic competence at anything useful whatsoever. Which, of course, can no longer be taken as a given, in a fully financialized dystopia during The Age of Incompetence.
Re: “ramped up … Pearl Harbor”
For fun, look up statistics for the US in 1940 and compare them to Russia of today.
It’ll be hard to find a current country more similar to US-1940 than Russia.
Not demographically…. Nor wrt industrial competitiveness. The latter which is what matters short term. The first long term.
China today is closer to what America was in the 40s. On both counts. They have some institutional capacity and competence to build stuff. Which is kind of nice, if you “need” to build hospitals in a hurry.
I have it on good authority that we are “ready for anything”
Which was the worst statement by a politician that I have ever seen. Forget the hoax crap, just saying that we were prepared, and that it was contained doomed Trump. On 9/11, Bush’s popularity soared to huge highs. What would have happened if, on 9/1 he had said “We are completely prepared for terrorism, and it is completely contained. No one in the US needs to fear Terrorism. Instead they should fear the flu.”
It’s been rumoured the UK health service will only be admitting “healthy” virus patients to ICU’s those with compromised immune systems will be shuffled off to a “normal” ward.
There’s just not enough ICU beds to handle everybody.
I suspect that this will be a pretty common issue worldwide.
The problem is that the UK population doesn’t understand what “prepared” means. I was in the pub on Saturday listening to friends talking about how they weren’t worried because the NHS is prepared.
I did some quick numbers for them. And pointed out that preparation includes buying body bags and making triage decisions.
In the rural Idaho county where I live, serving the county population of 45,000 there are 44 beds — about 1 per 1100. There are four critical care beds — about 1 per 11,000; and there is one virus-isolation room. Hmmm. I suspect this could be anywhere in the US, outside of large urban areas. But even in these places I suspect the ratios are simpler.
Half the population of Florida, and pretty much its entire population of Republicans, belong to maximally at-risk age groups….
…and the rest, all work in the hospitality industry. Hosting millions of tourists from various covid-19 hot spots around the world….
Half the population of Florida, and pretty much the entire population of presidential candidates, belong to maximally at-risk age groups…. <– There. I fixed it for you. 🙂