Coronavirus thread

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/07/coronavirus-outbreaks-sweep-through-great-plains-states-as-wisconsin-activates-field-hospital-.html

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Time for some good news!

Coronavirus: How pandemic sparked European cycling revolution (BBC)

Of course here in the Netherlands everybody already bikes...
Though even here there has been an considerable increase in biking. People now buy electric bikes to cover longer distances and replace bus and short train rides.

Get ready for cleaner, quieter, healthier and safer cities that are more pleasant to live in.

Q

I like this news Q!

[T. D.]

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54472053

Top Republican Mitch McConnell avoids White House over Covid-19



The Kentucky Senator said he speaks to the president frequently over the phone but has not visited since 6 August.

Mr McConnell, a polio survivor, contrasted the White House with the Senate, where lawmakers are urged to wear masks and social distance.

His comments come as the White House deals with a Covid-19 outbreak.

Since President Donald Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis, at least two dozen people in his circle and staff at the White House have reported infections.

Speaking to reporters in Kentucky, Mr McConnell said he steered clear of the White House in the last two months "because my impression was their approach to how to handle this was different from mine".

[Karl Henning]

I like this news Q!

Nice!  I can hardly wait for my arm and hand to recover sufficiently that I can bike again.

[SimonNZ]

A longer read in The Atlantic:

This Overlooked Variable Is the Key to the Pandemic
It's not R.

[T. D.]

A longer read in The Atlantic:

This Overlooked Variable Is the Key to the Pandemic
It's not R.

Thanks, that's a really good article (I have training in statistics).
Interestingly, a couple of days ago I read a (less comprehensive) article that touched on the backward tracing mentioned:

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-10-06/michael-lewis-and-tracing-the-source-of-trump-s-covid-infection

[BasilValentine]

Well, doctors in Germany and Denmark find his treatment and early departure strange, highly unusual and supposedly not recommendable, based on the information they were given; I don't know if they've seen the recent balcony scene, where he obviously still had problems breathing, in spite of his claims.

The Trump administration will not disclose when Trump had his last negative test, which means those doctors and the rest of us don't know how long Trump has had Covid-19 or whether his release was in fact an "early departure." I would suspect that Trump did rallies, fund raisers, and the debate last Tuesday after he had tested positive — with his usual callous disregard for the health and well being of others. 

[MusicTurner]

Maybe the problem is that he has abstained from testing for a long time, finding it uncomfortable, and also sufficient enough that those around him were tested, like some are suggesting.

[BasilValentine]

Maybe the problem is that he has abstained from testing for a long time, finding it uncomfortable, and also sufficient enough that those around him were tested, like some are suggesting.

Nah. More likely he was infected and knew he was infected, but calculated that he needed a good showing in the first debate, money from his big donors, and a photo op for his supreme court pick. So, as long as he was not visibly disabled, he continued his normal activities without regard to the danger he posed to others.

[Karl Henning]

The Trump administration will not disclose when Trump had his last negative test, which means those doctors and the rest of us don't know how long Trump has had Covid-19 or whether his release was in fact an "early departure." I would suspect that Trump did rallies, fund raisers, and the debate last Tuesday after he had tested positive — with his usual callous disregard for the health and well being of others. 

Count on Trump to bullshit and deflect, and count on doctors on whom Trump has leverage to disinform.

[MusicTurner]

Count on Trump to bullshit and deflect, and count on doctors on whom Trump has leverage to disinform.

From what I've read, they signed a non-disclosure form years ago, possibly with the exception of two of them.

[prémont]

Nah. More likely he was infected and knew he was infected, but calculated that he needed a good showing in the first debate, money from his big donors, and a photo op for his supreme court pick. So, as long as he was not visibly disabled, he continued his normal activities without regard to the danger he posed to others.

You almost make it look as if Trump himself was the super spreader in the White House.

[BasilValentine]

You always make it look as if Trump himself was the super spreader in the White House.

Always? That's funny. I don't think I've written about it before this morning. Trump's responsibility for the super spreader event likely has nothing to do with him personally infecting people, although he might have. It's insisting on gatherings where wearing masks is discouraged. His disregard for the well being of others isn't in dispute, is it?

[prémont]

Always? That's funny. I don't think I've written about it before this morning. Trump's responsibility for the super spreader event likely has nothing to do with him personally infecting people, although he might have. It's insisting on gatherings where wearing masks is discouraged. His disregard for the well being of others isn't in dispute, is it?

Sorry, I meant almost, not always (I have edited the post above).

Of course Trump's behavior is condemnable, and if he has been infected earlier, than his doctors are willing to tell, even more condemnable.

[T. D.]

Sorry, I meant almost, not always (I have edited the post above).

Of course Trump's behavior is condemnable, and if he has been infected earlier, than his doctors are willing to tell, even more condemnable.

I posted this link a while back...If the White House wanted to know/disclose more about the chain of White House infections, it wouldn't be hard/costly to investigate:

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-10-06/michael-lewis-and-tracing-the-source-of-trump-s-covid-infection

Needless to say, don't hold your breath.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8822057/Trump-coughs-phone-interview-appears-mute-mic.html

Did Trump mute his line to cover up a coughing fit? Hoarse president goes silent after clearing his throat during phone interview and then coughs after coming back despite glowing doctor's note praising his vitals

[T. D.]

It's official!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-09/fauci-calls-white-house-ceremony-a-super-spreader-event

"The data speak for themselves," Fauci said in an interview Friday with CBS News Radio. "We had a super-spreader event in the White House. And it was in a situation where people were crowded together, were not wearing masks. So the data speaks for themselves."

[Karl Henning]

It's official!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-09/fauci-calls-white-house-ceremony-a-super-spreader-event

"The data speak for themselves," Fauci said in an interview Friday with CBS News Radio. "We had a super-spreader event in the White House. And it was in a situation where people were crowded together, were not wearing masks. So the data speaks for themselves."

A tweet from the Denier-in-Chief in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

[SimonNZ]

Herd immunity letter signed by fake experts including 'Dr Johnny Bananas'

"An open letter that made headlines calling for a herd immunity approach to Covid-19 lists a number of apparently fake names among its expert signatories, including "Dr Johnny Bananas" and "Professor Cominic Dummings".

The Great Barrington declaration, which was said to have been signed by more than 15,000 scientists and medical practitioners around the world, was found by Sky News to contain numerous false names, as well as those of several homeopaths.

Others listed include a resident at the "university of your mum" and another supposed specialist whose name was the first verse of the Macarena.

Sky News discovered 18 self-declared homeopaths in the list of expert names and more than 100 therapists whose expertise included massage, hypnotherapy and Mongolian khoomii singing."[...]

[T. D.]

It's official!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-09/fauci-calls-white-house-ceremony-a-super-spreader-event

"The data speak for themselves," Fauci said in an interview Friday with CBS News Radio. "We had a super-spreader event in the White House. And it was in a situation where people were crowded together, were not wearing masks. So the data speaks for themselves."

A tweet from the Denier-in-Chief in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Quite a unique achievement, IMO. All other super-spreader events I've read of took place indoors. This one, seemingly at the Rose Garden, appears to qualify as outdoors!

[T. D.]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-10/debate-site-covid-cases-sow-doubt-on-safety-of-indoor-events

A coronavirus outbreak among attendees at last week's presidential debate in Cleveland -- and 11 near-misses from people denied entry because of positive test results -- is stoking questions about the safety of convening another in-person session.

The health risks are central any more go-rounds between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, with the commission overseeing the forums canceling the Oct. 15 event after the Trump campaign balked at a newly proposed virtual format.

Trump and at least five aides and advisers involved in preparing him for the Cleveland debate have been diagnosed with Covid-19, along with 11 construction workers and members of the media who were barred from the site after testing positive.