February 28, 2020Gronda Morin

Make No Mistake, The Coronavirus COV-19 Is Already Here In The USA

Any talking points regarding the discounting of the future effects of the coronavirus on the American peoples emanating out of the White House is a lie. This is what happens when the USA has a commander-in-chief who’s an ignoramus regarding any subject of a scientific nature.

This coronavirus (nCOV-19) will eventually be widespread in the USA. What’s needed to best protect the health of those who live in the USA, are specific suggestions/ planned steps as to how to mitigate for its inevitable negative effects. The initial stages mimic an attack similar to typical flu symptoms which can cause carriers to discount any imminent danger at an early stage. It’s highly contagious with the fatality rate being higher than the normal winter flu at greater than 2%.

One step would be for the White House and the FDA to allow those states which follow or surpass the established protocols set by the (CDC) Center for Disease Control in the Atlanta  area, being permitted to test patients for coronavirus instead of just the CDC  Delays due to backlogs at the CDC due to high demand for requested confirmations could be costing some USA citizens, their lives.

People buy face masks at a retail store in the southeastern city of Daegu on February 25
Photo: Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

Here’s the rest of the story…

On February 25, 2020, the staff writer regarding health subjects for the Atlantic, Dr. James Hamblin penned the following analysis, “You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus:”

Excerpts:

The Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch is exacting in his diction, even for an epidemiologist. Twice in our conversation he started to say something, then paused and said, “Actually, let me start again.” So it’s striking when one of the points he wanted to get exactly right was this: “I think the likely outcome is that it will ultimately not be containable.”

Containment is the first step in responding to any outbreak. In the case of COVID-19, the possibility (however implausible) of preventing a pandemic seemed to play out in a matter of days. Starting in January, China began cordoning off progressively larger areas, radiating outward from the city of Wuhan and eventually encapsulating some 100 million people. People were barred from leaving home, and lectured by drones if they were caught outside. Nonetheless, the virus has now been found in 24 countries.”

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Despite the apparent ineffectiveness of such measures—relative to their inordinate social and economic cost, at least—the crackdown continues to escalate. Under political pressure to “stop” the virus, last Thursday the Chinese government announced that officials in Hubei province would be going door-to-door, testing people for fevers and looking for signs of illness, then sending all potential cases to quarantine camps. But even with the ideal containment, the virus’s spread may have been inevitable. Testing people who are already extremely sick is an imperfect strategy if people can spread the virus without even feeling bad enough to stay home from work.

Lipsitch predicts that within the coming year, some 40 to 70 percent of people around the world will be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. But, he clarifies emphatically, this does not mean that all will have severe illnesses. “It’s likely that many will have mild disease, or may be asymptomatic,” he said. As with influenza, which is often life-threatening to people with chronic health conditions and of older age, most cases pass without medical care. (Overall, about 14 percent of people with influenza have no symptoms.)

A woman wearing a sanitary mask talks on the phone as she walks in the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery shopping arcade, in downtown Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.
Claudio Furlan/Lapresse / AP

Lipsitch is far from alone in his belief that this virus will continue to spread widely. The emerging consensus among epidemiologists is that the most likely outcome of this outbreak is a new seasonal disease—a fifth “endemic” coronavirus. With the other four, people are not known to develop long-lasting immunity. If this one follows suit, and if the disease continues to be as severe as it is now, “cold and flu season” could become “cold and flu and COVID-19 season.”

At this point, it is not even known how many people are infected. As of Sunday (2/23/2020), there have been 35 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization. But Lipsitch’s “very, very rough” estimate when we spoke a week ago (banking on “multiple assumptions piled on top of each other,” he said) was that 100 or 200 people in the U.S. were infected. That’s all it would take to seed the disease widely. The rate of spread would depend on how contagious the disease is in milder cases. On Friday, Chinese scientists reported in the medical journal JAMA an apparent case of asymptomatic spread of the virus, from a patient with a normal chest CT scan. The researchers concluded with stolid understatement that if this finding is not a bizarre abnormality, “the prevention of COVID-19 infection would prove challenging.”

Link to entire article via Yahoo Notes: You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus

Tourists pose for selfies in front of the Rialto bridge in Venice after the carnival was canceled due to a coronavirus outbreak in Italy, on February 24, 2020.
Tourists in front of the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy, on February 24. Andrea Pattaro / AFP / Getty

What about travel plans for the rest of the year in 2020?

On February 26, 2020, Julia Belluz of VOX penned the following article, “How to travel during the international coronavirus outbreak:”

Excerpts:

With Covid-19 cases surging in Italy, South Korea, and Iran, travel has become increasingly fraught.

As of this week, CDC is also warning travelers to Italy, Iran, and Japan to “practice enhanced precautions,” since these are the countries next on the list with the highest burden of illness.

But just because a country you plan to visit isn’t on the list right now doesn’t mean it won’t be there tomorrow. The outbreak is evolving rapidly and these advisories are likely to change in the coming days, so keep checking in with CDC. This map and list of travel restrictions from the Council on Foreign Relations is another good resource.

A policewoman wearing a protective mask stands next to carnival revellers at Venice Carnival, which the last two days of, as well as Sunday night's festivities, have been cancelled because of an outbreak of coronavirus, in Venice, Italy February 23, 2020.
Ohad Zwigenberg / Reuters
“And keep in mind: The travel warnings are not entirely driven by the risk of catching this new virus. Airlines have been canceling or scaling back flights, trains have been halted, and countries have been imposing sometimes arbitrary quarantines on travelers and citizens.”

“As Jennifer Nuzzo, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Vox: “I’m more concerned about the unpredictability of the [outbreak] response at this point. It would not be fun to go to China and get stuck there somehow. And coming back, you’ll be subject to additional screening” or quarantines.”

A sign advising clients in various languages, including Chinese, that respiratory masks are sold out, is displayed on January 29, 2020 at a pharmacy in downtown Rome, in the wake of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus.
Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty

2) Is the city or country I’m going to at immediate risk of an outbreak?

Some of the best research on that question comes from researchers at the University of Oxford, University of Toronto, and the London School of Medicine and Tropical Hygiene. They published studies a few weeks ago on the places most vulnerable to novel coronavirus infections. The big takeaway then was that cities in East Asia and Southeast Asia were most at immediate risk.

Here are 15 of the top destinations where they predicted we’d see outbreaks next (also pay attention to the IDVI — the Infectious Disease Vulnerability Index — number. It’s a measure of a country’s ability to manage an infectious disease. Scores closer to zero mean they’re less prepared.) Note Japan, Singapore, and South Korea were among the places that topped the list — and as we’re seeing now, some of the biggest outbreaks outside of China are playing out in these countries.

Oxford Journal of Travel Medicine

Iran and Italy are also on the list, and over the last week, large outbreaks have emerged in these countries, too.

With the scope of this outbreak rapidly changing, the researchers just updated their models in a yet-to-be-published study focused on how the coronavirus disease will likely spread from Iran. They found Iran probably has thousands more cases within its borders than we currently know. And they predict that we can expect outbreaks with links back to Iran in Turkey, UAE, Iraq, Qatar and Georgia, among other countries. In Europe, they predict Germany, France, and Italy are also places at higher risk of imported cases from Iran.

Chinese tourists wearing face masks visit the Colosseum area on February 6, 2020 in Rome, Italy.
Tourists in the Colosseum area on February 6 in Rome. Antonio Masiello/Getty

Is there anything I should do to protect myself when traveling? Buy a face mask?

Just about every health expert Vox has spoken to has said there’s little evidence to support the use of face masks for preventing disease in the general population.

That’s why the CDC advises against the use of masks for regular Americans.

A woman in NYC wears a medical mask as a precaution against coronavirus..   Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
“The best thing you can do to prevent all sorts of illnesses, Messonnier said, is “wash your hands, cover your cough, take care of yourself, and keep alert to the information that we’re providing.”

“You’ll also want to protect yourself from financial losses related to travel. If you’re thinking about a trip in the coming months, make sure you’re comfortable with the cancellation policy on your tickets and consider paying extra for a flexible fare. Standard travel insurance doesn’t typically have exclusions for epidemics like Covid-19 (though you may be able to purchase an upgrade, like “cancel for any reason” insurance). Even if you’re feeling good about your individual risk right now, you might feel differently by the time (of) your departure date.”

Image result for PHOTOS OF GIUSEPPE CONTE
CONTE

UPDATE ON 3/8/2019 AS PER THE 3/7/2020 GUARDIAN REPORT:

  • “An area containing about 16 million people is now facing lockdown in Italy, after the prime minister, Guiseppe Conte, signed a decree ordering the quarantining of the entire Lombardy region and 14 provinces.” (This would include Milan, Bologna and Venice.)
  • “Anyone who breaks the lockdown on entering select provinces of northern Italy faces three months in jail.”
View image on Twitter
ITALY
  • “The legislation is expected to be approved later on Sunday (3/8/2020), the head of the civil protection agency said earlier, after the number of infections rose by more than 1,200 in the past 24 hours.”
  • “In all the areas covered by the decree, including towns in the northern regions of Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Piedmont, schools will be closed at least until 3 April, all museums, gyms and swimming pools will be also shut and leave is cancelled for all healthcare workers.”
FROM TRAVEL:
Coronavirus: What Travelers Need to Know

21 comments

  1. Frightening stuff … especially when they say “you are likely to …” But, the White House is saying that the only reason this is in the news so much is to bring down the prez. It’s always got to be about himself. Sigh. Guess I’ll stock up on extra hand sanitizer this weekend! Good to see you, Gronda! Miss you!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Dear Jill,

      The president telling tales to his constituents is harmful to their health. Folks need facts, not conspiracy theories.

      It’s important that peoples go online to CDC to get the facts regarding the coronavirus and not listen to the “fake news” GOP talking points emanating from the White House. Notice that there has not been much forthcoming from the GOP lawmakers in the US Senate. I’m wondering if they are finally facing the error of their ways in backing a “commander-in-chief who’s also a liar-in-chief.

      I’ve already stocked up on bottles of hand sanitizer.

      Thanks for your words of encouragement.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Liked by 1 person

      • After first Mulvaney, then Trump, then Huckabee trying to downplay this, I had enough and … well, if you feel up to it, check out my a.m. post, “Open Letter To The Three Stooges”. You’re right, they are doing a disservice to the people of this nation.
        Hugs!!!

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    Very interesting and complete post … worth a read!! Sharing …
    “The best thing you can do to prevent all sorts of illnesses, Messonnier said, is “wash your hands, cover your cough, take care of yourself, and keep alert to the information that we’re providing.”
    “You’ll also want to protect yourself from financial losses related to travel. If you’re thinking about a trip in the coming months, make sure you’re comfortable with the cancellation policy on your tickets and consider paying extra for a flexible fare.’

    Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Horty,

      Thanks a million for the reblog.

      I feel for all the folks out there who were in the process of making vacations plans for traveling abroad. When the coronavirus does hit the USA, I hope that the medical infrastructure will have been set up to deal with all those affected.

      President Trump needs to stop trafficking in his “fake news” political talking points of discounting this virus and to insure that he’s not an impediment to his constituent’s health.

      Thanks for attempting to contact me by phone. I’ll give you a call sometime this next week.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hi, dearest friend … it’s so good to see you back here. You were missed. I hope you are doing well now!! Tight hugs … talk soon when you can!! ❤ ❤ … agree 100% on your comments!! I hope traveling to Puerto Rico doesn't get affected. I need to go back home every so often!!

        Liked by 1 person

        • Dear Horty,

          In late October 2019, my orthopedic doctor was talking about a surgical consult if the movement range of my left arm didn’t improve because of my broken shoulder, the result of a bad fall.

          I got busy working overtime with a local physical therapist. This worked and I was able to avoid the S-word (surgery.)

          But not long after I met with blogger Keith and his wife Mary Ann, doctors told me that because I have a huge kidney stone in a problem location, I will most likely require surgical intervention. Because my best friend, my Mom died on the operating table at Tampa General when she was nor much older than I am now, I’m terrified of this prospect.

          I’m working to overcome this fear but it’s been a real stumbling block.

          Thanks a million for your kind words and best wishes. If I were in your shoes, beautiful Puerto Rico would be a great place to hide out for awhile. Damn the torpedoes! But if there’s an governmental order to restrict travel in and out of Puerto Rico, what can you do?

          Hugs, Gronda

          Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Mary,

      Wow! Reality again mimics fiction. Thanks for sharing this very interesting tidbit.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Dear Readers,

      Here are excerpts from the article that Mary Plumbago is referring to in her above commentary:

      When bestselling American author Dean Koontz penned the suspense thriller novel ‘The Eyes of Darkness’ in 1981, he might have unwittingly penned a stark prophecy about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus epidemic that is plaguing the world almost 40 years later.

      The Eyes of Darkness mentions a Chinese military lab outside of the city of Wuhan, where a deadly virus is invented as part of the country’s biological weapons warfare programme. Owing to the lab’s location, the virus is named ‘Wuhan-400’.

      This chilling coincidence did not go unnoticed on Twitter, as users highlighted the similarity of the novel’s events to the real-life, where indeed, as it turns out, the coronavirus epidemic has broken out from a seafood market in Wuhan. What’s more, according to a South China Morning Post article ⁠— the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which houses China’s only level-four biosafety laboratory that studies the deadliest viruses, is just 32 km from the epicentre of the current coronavirus outbreak.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Suze,

      Thanks for the update.

      The Washington Post is reporting that there’s a case, in Washington County, Oregon that marks the third case of unknown origin in the USA, indicating that the coronavirus is spreading.

      CNN is reporting that there are 65 known cases of coroavirus in the US.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Like

  5. I’ve been pleased that on Instagram and elsewhere, if you do a search for coronavirus, an automatic message pops up to encourage people to go directly to CDC to get good info.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Gronda, informative post. When a so-called leader says others are politicizing this issue, take it to the bank, the author is politicizing the issue. But, in this case, he is trying to blame others for his failure to address this issue like a leader would. David Brooks, a conservative pundit, said he sees no upside for Trump in how he has handled things, especially defunding global health advisors.

    Two points. Mark Shields noted there are 329 million Americans who are concerned and the US president is making this about him. The other is this is a global story with global ramifications. People are impacted. Businesses are impacted. The global stock markets are impacted. I agree it is not Ebola, but in the absence of credible and calming assurances from a leader, people will substitute information from other sources.

    To be frank, if the president and his chief of staff are not going to be helpful, then they need to let others do the talking, especially if they know what they are talking about and are not looking to blame anyone.

    Keith

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Keith,

      With the stock market skidding downward and the first death in the USA due to coronavirus, it will become clear to all that the president can not get away with his normal playbook like referring to this virus as a hoax; a way for the Democrats, deep sate (government career officials who will not lie for him) to take their vengeance on him. Mark Shields and David Brooks are right. The US commander-in-chief is about to be recognized as a buffoon who is naked as a jaybird.

      Have you noticed that most GOP lawmakers in the US Senate are not echoing his recent talking points regarding the coronavirus. How’s the Senate’s majority leader Mitch McConnell going to handle this hot potato?

      Did you notice that the president’s press conference on Saturday finally included government career scientists/ experts like Dr Fauci ?

      This is the time when the American public wants the government to work competently, effectively and efficiently. This corona virus may be even worse for President Trump than what Hurricane Katrina was for President Bush.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Like

      • Thanks Gronda. Since I have sent emails to many GOP Senators, I am on their email lists. They are sending out their concerns over the coronavirus and what they are doing. They indeed are breaking away from the president.

        We should also remind ourselves of his trying to dismiss the reports the military had more than a few dozens of brain trauma after the Irani’s retaliated. First, the military tried to hide it and then he said they were not serious. In a crisis, we need a leader who is concerned about the people, not himself. We do not have that in Donald Trump, the narcissistic president. It is all about perception with him.

        Liked by 1 person

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