Thursday Morning COVID-19 Update

Washington Governor Jay Inslee is doing the right thing by announcing a ban on events and social gatherings attended by more than 250 people-- should be less than 100-- in an effort to slow the coronavirus outbreak. I see there is a big empty space in the Rolling Stones tour schedule between San Diego's Credit Union Stadium where it is still due to begin on May 8-- that will never happen-- and May 12's show at the BC Place Stadium in Vancouver. Charlie Watts is 78 years old. Jagger and Richards are both 76. This would probably have been their last tour but I would guess the chances of it happening are around about zero.

The DNC is being proactive for a change. The Sunday night Bernie v Biden debate in Arizona will take place the way more and more events will be taking place-- with no live audience. The White House, meanwhile, "is racing to develop contingency plans that would allow hundreds of thousands of employees to work remotely full time, an extreme scenario to limit the coronavirus that would test whether the government can carry out its mission from home offices and kitchen tables. The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees policy for the workforce of 2.1 million, has urged agency heads in recent days to 'immediately review' their telework policies, sign paperwork with employees laying out their duties, issue ­laptops and grant access to computer networks."

Everything is about playing catch-up with a regime run by a flaming asshole who only thinks about himself and about the here-and-now. not about the future and not about the American people. Yesterday David Lim and Brianna Ehley reported another only in America story, namely that testing, which pages behind the rest of the world, is threatened by shortages of critical lab materials. "The slow pace of coronavirus testing," they reported, "has created a major gap in the U.S. public health response. The latest problem involves an inability to prepare samples for testing, creating uncertainties in how long it will take to get results." Missing: "an adequate stock of the supplies used to extract genetic material from any virus in a patient’s sample."

On Monday, Trump promised he would address the coronavirus pandemic at a press conference on Tuesday. Tuesday he didn't show up. Wednesday morning the Dow headed down another thousand points on the opening. Investors were disappointed at Trump's malfeasance and very much want to see the stimulus package. Last night he addressed the public from the Oval Office and basically said nothing of importance or interest, just read the stuff that his health advisors wrote for him-- basically the opposite of everything he's been saying all along for the last month and a half.

Trump's attention seems to be focused on a costly taxpayer-funded bailout for the oil, travel and hotel industries. People are starting to notice that the Trumpist regime is moving rapidly to aid certain businesses, quite the contrast to its "lackadaisical response to the spread of the virus itself. After early warnings from the devastating outbreak in China, the federal government largely failed to prepare for the coming crisis, health experts say. Among other issues, the US is way behind other nations in testing. Trump himself has consistently downplayed the risks and spread erroneous advice and information." Reuters pointed out that House Dems are putting together a more sensible package to address the COVID-19 catastrophe, including paid sick leave for those affected and expanded "federal food aid programs, especially to low-income families whose children might not be able to attend schools where they receive meals." There is likely to be a House vote today before the House goes off for a week-long recess. If you see one of them out and about, don't shake his or her hand.

Unlike Trump's pointless speech last night-- which might have been of value if it had been made in January-- this clip is very scary but absolutely necessary to listen to-- all the way through. And pay attention-- and get your family and friends to listen as well: