Coronavirus Diaries

The IRS put money into my checking account today. I wasn't expecting that (I thought my salary was too high to warrant stimulus money).

Did anyone else get their money yet?

Many homeless foreigners are not entitled to social benefits in Germany. Now I'm very pleased that the Social Court in Düsseldorf has made a decision: in the Corona crisis the state has to ensure survival.

In the opinion of the court, a foreign homeless person who cannot currently travel back to his home country due to closed borders in Europe in order to apply for social benefits there, if necessary, must also be granted a humane minimum subsistence level by German authorities in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Constitutional Court, which secures his survival during this period, especially since due to the restrictions of public life it is probably more than difficult for homeless people to beg for benefits on the street. (S25 AS 1118/20 ER)


And this late afternoon it was announced by Chancellor Merkel that sthe lockdown measures will be slowly eased.
Social distancing rules will stay in place until at least 3 May, with Ms Merkel also strongly recommending people wear face masks in public.
But as of next week shops under a certain size could open their doors.
And schools will start to reopen from 4 May, with priority for students who have exams.
There still will be some differences in the states, but fortunately the federal and states' governments agreed on the essential basics

Im seeing an almost 100% compliance with the governors statement that hed wish that all Pennsylvanians wear face masks when their out in public doing grocery shopping.
He was really a bit ingenious in the way he sold it

" I know a lot of us have been hearing the news that face masks dont protect you any more than keeping your distance from others. But, lets look at it this way. Its known that a facemask will protect others from your aerosols and droplets . So if we really care about others and they care about you, we can add another layer of protection for us all".

This is a new world, we're learning all kinds of new things and practices daily.

The Guardian

Coronavirus diary pic:
The Mayor of NY, Bill DeBlasio, going about his business in the city.
4/16/2020

Thanks for the laugh!

I'm on a mission to lighten up as much as I can. I'm actually scheduling time during my day to watch groundhogs eating cucumbers and baby goats playing with puppies.

I can no longer stomach national press conferences.

So, I'll try to intersperse more.

I've never heard of groundhogs eating cucumbers. Baby goats with puppies yes. But I don't think I'd like groundhogs eating cucumbers. I thinks it's their beaver teeth. I don't like it.

It's very messy! He eats other vegs, too. I'm watching mostly for his enthusiasm and ridiculous spastic movements.

If you like beaver teeth I can't help you.

I might be losing it.

I'm definitely losing it. I'm not formerly a puppy and goat video-watcher.
In no way.

_________________________________________________

I'm a little horrified by this next addition to the thread. To me, it shows an astonishing gap between the Haves and the Have Nots.


Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
· 2h
DR OZ: "Schools are a very appetizing opportunity. I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet arguing the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3%, in terms of total mortality. Any, you know, any life is a life lost, but ... that might be a tradeoff some folks would consider."
___________

I didn't hear this interview, so I can't vouch for it, but Twitter is trending that this man, Dr. Oz, characterized a piece that estimated "only" 2-3% of children would die if we open schools as "nice."

If he had school children who had to attend public schools, he'd never say that.

The gap must be closed. If we all live on the same plane, the rules will be less ruthless. And less stupid.

Can you imagine someone saying your children are expendable in the pursuit of a stronger economy?

I imagine a punishment of strapping these people who say these horrific things into a sound chamber with mothers' voices shrieking: "What if they were your children?!" for a couple of days. I wonder if they'd be able to think about it in those terms later.

I am kind of iffy on any of these TV doctors - Dr. OZ, Dr. Phil and any other doctor that is really just on TV talk shows - but to be fair I always take anything from twitter or other social media (even the regular media) with a grain of salt as it is easy to twist things to fit what you want to promote.

As much as I am not a fan of Dr. OZ - I don't think he would suggest our children are expendable. If I were to guess reading this - he is referring to those people most at risk of dying from COVID-19.

So to be fair he was not referencing children as being expendable but total population He stated “may only cost us two to three percent in terms of total mortality.” It is not the children going to the school - but the possible total impact to the population as a whole.

This is his total quote

“We need our mojo back. Let’s start with things that are really critical to the nation where we think we might be able to open without getting into a lot of trouble,” he said. “I tell you, schools are a very appetizing opportunity. I just saw a nice piece in The Lancer arguing that the opening of schools may only cost us two to three percent in terms of total mortality. Any life is a life lost, but to get every child back in to a school where they’re safely being educated, being fed and making the most out of their lives with the theoretical risk on the backside, might be a trade-off some folks may consider.”

And he was referencing the fact that Boston University was talking about shutting down in the fall. That is why (at least it appears) why he brought this up -

” the television personality lamented Boston University’s decision to close amid concerns about the pandemic.
“I learned that Boston University canceled its fall semester. That really bothered me. How do you know right now in April — before you even tried to reopen– if you need to close down your school through the rest of this calendar year?” he said.

“You’re hurting people that you’re responsible for. I am a doctor. I want you to be safer — I want you to err on the side of being overly cautious, but not at the expense of making decisions that don’t really serve us,” he continued, saying that while the school aims to make the “right” choice, shutting down “is not the right thing” for everyone.

I do appreciate your thoughts and context, but the words he used were still as jarring to me. I’m sure the effect wasn’t intentional.

Meanwhile, New York is on lockdown until at least May 15...

....this will throw a wrench into plans many people might have for Mother's Day

Wow. I’ve been watching Mayor DeBlasio and he ended his remarks with a rough, direct appeal to / leveling responsibility on to Trump.

It’s like he’s playing good cop / bad cop with Cuomo. I really respect the way both of these men have been doing their jobs in the covid arena.

He says all it will take is the stroke of a pen to make NY whole—and without it, that economic recovery he’s touting will . not. happen.

Sounds like what "Gen Buck Turdgeson" would say. It turns out in the populational etiology, there are only 7 children that have succumbed to Covid 19 in the entire nation and half of them may have been treated in a manner that we are now looking at with some skepticim Its the use of intubation, ventilators and anti pyretics (the new fancy word for fever control meds). We may be the problem.

It appears as though what they’re saying in Germany may be true. When it comes to worldwide responses to this pandemic, Canada and Mexico are bordering on stupidity