Republicanism or survival?
Which will humanity choose?
8
In the week during which NY State had 32 Coronavirus cases we had over 8,459 laboratory-confirmed flu cases.
The CDC expects flu to kill 52,000 Americans this year.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm
Nary a media peep.
Thanks people...
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
9
Can we really afford to wait for, and believe in an upcoming election to, maybe, remove this idiot from the White House? Chances are, many of us might be dead and gone.
The longer this pariah remains in office, the more dire things become.
41
This is not the first crisis to be dealt with by an administration (Republican or Democratic) and it will not be the last. Some chaos is to be expected. We are, after all, dealing with a situation where the data is imperfect. Mistakes will be made. No president will be immune from that.
HOWEVER
The real problem is that instead of an crisis being managed by a President with a firm hand on the wheel who speaks to the American people with the calming voice of reason, we have loud mouth Uncle Ernie in the driver's seat of the family minivan, telling his passengers to unbuckle their seat belts because he's a great driver (BEST EVER!) as he crashes into the guard rail and other vehicles (LOSERS!)......all while checking his rear view mirror to see if his image has been damaged.
43
What to tell the public. The very young Surgeon General today with Jake Tapper failed to delineate as nearly everyone has, what IS AN UNDERLYING 'CONDITION' which is susceptible to a fatal Covid-19 experience.
Is it someone receiving chemotherapy for cancer treatment?
Is it someone who has suffered sepsis in the past, and has blood tests results which demonstrate an infection in the past?
Is it someone with intermittent bouts of herpes virus?
Is it someone with MS which is chronic, debilitating, an on and off and then progressively worsening disease?
It is someone with Parkinson's disease which is disabling, neurologically?
Exactly why would someone with a "heart" condition, (what do they mean by that) and why would that person be suscepectible?
Everyone understands that if a person has a chronic respiratory illness (there are many of those) that such individuals would be vulnerable to a virus infection of the lungs.
But diabetes? Isn't our population suffering from obesity? Doesn't obesity and diabetes go hand in hand? Wouldn't it make sense for our nation to go on a sugar diet, or sugar abstinence.
Most sufferers of chronic conditions do not passively lie around but engineer their health with varied things: exercise, specific diets, abstinence from specific chemicals (drugs, alcohol, allergens), and maybe even dietary supplements.
The medical community which is almost never proactively preventative in its communications, should be now.
14
When Trump was asked why in 2018 he had shut down his White House Directorate for Global Health Security & Biodefense that dealt with infectious diseases, he couldn’t justify it. Instead he stammered as he gave an incoherent answer.
“Well, I just don’t think — I just don’t think that somebody is going to — without seeing something, like we saw something happening in China. As soon as they saw that happening, they essentially — not from the White House. I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House. But they saw something happening.”
32
When Donald and his family leave the country, I guess then, we’ll know that things are worse than we thought.
Where we’ll he go?
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Israel
16
Based on what I have seen, I am thinking that might be the start of an upturn...
16
Neither Donald Trump nor his ardent supporters seem capable of "handling the truth" as Jack Nicholson might say. Trump lives in the self-created mental universe of his own imagined greatness. Any contrary realities just aren't allowed in. But, as Greta Thunberg recently reminded the EU, "you can't make deals with physics". The COVID-19 virus will spread according to its own nature and, while we can slow its progress, it will be very very difficult to completely stop. It certainly won't be stopped by Trump simply deciding what number of infections he can live with. This is the president who removed the people charged with preparing for a pandemic. So, if we are to have any hope of dealing with one, we will probably first have to remove him.
19
I honestly tried to watch Trump's first press conference about this with an open mind. As a school psychologist who works in a school district where keeping a sick child home is a luxury a lot of working parents can't afford, I really wanted to be reassured that our government was equipped to handle a national health crisis.
The only good thing about Trump's responses was that he didn't slur his words for a change. I also heard some useful information about the process of developing a vaccine (as in don't expect one anytime soon), but that didn't come from Trump.
Other than that, there was a bunch of confused statements and misleading information from Trump. He tried to blame the stock market's recent performance on the Democratic candidates, called Nancy Pelosi incompetent, gloated about his approval ratings, mocked Chuck Schumer for requesting more money to fight this virus, kept downplaying the seriousness of COVID-19 by comparing it to the flu, rambled on about how frequently he washes his hands, lied about the mortality rate and disputed the 2% figure, claimed (without evidence) that his travel restrictions have stopped the virus from spreading to the U.S., whined about being called a racist, and could not give a coherent reason for appointing Mike Pence to coordinate the administration's response to this.
I wasn't reassured. Not in the least.
49
The doctors, the medical researchers around the world, including the Chinese, are going to discover how to handle this virus.
On the other hand, dealing with Donald Trump and his delusional lies and stupendously ignorant and totally erroneous statements, is another matter. There is really no good way to deal with abject ignorance, egoism and the astounding, mind boggling stupidity that spews from the mouth of the man child, Donnie Trump.
Donald Trump needs to go away. The sooner the better. All our lives depend on this.
40
How about telling us the truth? Save a lot of closed door meeting time and respond like adults talking to adults. How can we prepare and what should we expect? Clear communication and hard facts are more likely to stop panic than rumors, misinformation, and random tweets.
22
This incompetent administration is no better than the Chinese keeping the virus outspread a secret for a couple of months. With all the lies they have racked up in 3 years, and then to add this to all the disastrous problems created is the beginning of the end of his presidency. That end will come with the 2020 election.
18
Trumps own tweets alerted me to this article thanks potus
6
None of this administration's sloppy response to this health problem should come as a surprise. Everything this administration has done to stimee the truth and protect lies should have been a clue.
This is not just another political lie. By turning it into a health care lie, it opens the door to pandemic.
110
@Pamela Katz The only person way, way worse as a president would be Joe Biden.
When Trump evaluated the situation in China in January and decided to close the border to people coming from there, Biden said that that was "xenophobic". So under a president Biden, the US would be now like Northern Italy, for the sake of political correctness.
People will not forget that, come Election Day. Or rather, they will be reminded from now on.
4
@novoad
Who has the consistent aversion to science and scientists? Biden or Trump?
42
Please tell me what you're smoking!
13
Why haven't there been polling with this question:
Do you trust President Trump to tell Americans the truth about the Coronavirus?
What would happen if the headlines were of how many Americans didn't trust Trump, and how many Republicans didn't trust Trump to tell them the truth? What would happen if Americans read non-stop that the majority of Americans didn't trust Trump to tell the truth and that caused even more people who weren't sure to decide that Trump was not to be trusted?
I find it very odd that those polls aren't done by the media which has absolved its job to report the truth in favor of taking whatever coherent but meaningless statement Trump offers among his lies and presenting it to readers to make Trump look as coherent as possible.
10
@RJ
True...we know how much stock he puts in opinion polls.
2
I watched the video of Trump's visit to the CDC and paid special attention to Dr. Redford who was following Trump around like a lap dog. He had this dumb smile on his face looking up at Trump that made my stomach turn. We've given this bunch control of our health and the health of our children. God help us.
18
@H. Stiles
It would not have been so nauseating if it was Robert Redford but it was Robert Redfield! I have watched him appear and sound somewhat competent in hearings but when he is around trump he’s just another sycophant. At least we still can listen to Dr. Fauci.
9
Can we, though? We are not workers we are costs, we are not neighbors we are strangers , we are not citizens we are marks, to be fleeced in the Market.
5
If, as geneticists in Japan and Taiwan assert, Covid-19 first saw the light of day in the USA and has been building strength since last September, then we are in for a replay of 2009's H1N1 outbreak, which had similar origins and lethality.
Is it any wonder that the Chinese refused admission to our officials? Based on the evidence of past international investigations, they probably feared that Covid-19 was another biowarfare weapon, created in our many purpose-built labs and released by our servicemen when they visited Wuhan for the Military Games in November.
Now it seems that its origins are quite innocent: a weakened government agency, incompetence, lying, coverups, a wretched public health regime, and indifference to human suffering.
If this latter is the case the world, having witnessed our cruel and mean-spirited excoriation of Chinese health authorities (while every public agency praised them), will further discount our claims to leadership of any kind.
1
@Godfree Roberts
What utter nonsense. The center of this pandemic is Wuhan. How it originated, whether a laboratory or an accidental human transfer from a lab to an animal, or a jump from from an animal to human occurred without a doubt in Wuhan. For ordinary military personnel to suddenly carry a virus all the way to Wuhan would have caused a center of infection in a military location not a dirty market for poor animals. The Chinese were irresponsible and continue to behave so by trying to elevate themselves as very efficient and decent. They have with one single blow destroyed the economy of the world. I hope this is a wake up moment for every other country dependent on Chinese goods and it wakes up indigenous manufacturing the world around. Now the rest of the world has to clean up China’s mess.
10
To all you believers and followers of your messiah Donald Trump, how’s this all working out for you? Still falling for all his lies and false promises?
I guess ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance is one thing, stupidity is all together very different.
26
Mr. Trump has said recently that the "fatality rate" from the virus is "only" 3.4%. I don't have a clue what he's talking about and am left to guess where that number comes from. Could it be a recent report - I think it was from WHO, but aren't sure. - that indicated 107,944 cases worldwide so far with around 3.4% of them resulting in death - so far? But the same report also indicated that only around 54% of these 107,944 cases have ended in recovery - so far. If this is where Mr. Trump's 3.4% comes from, - and I don't know that it is - it seems strange to call it a "fatality rate" unless none of the 40% plus who have not recovered or died, so far, remain at risk.
5
Hope we are all around, after the crisis is over, to hear what the scientists really think about Trump's level of competence, especially after--big surprise!--he claimed that all the doctors marveled at his understanding.
As far as I know, there is no known vaccine that prevents the kind of obvious, wanton and dangerous foolishness that Trump so happily puts on display. Fortunately there are remedies for getting him out of the office to which he was elected by a minority of voters. Let's hope the most obvious one works in November, now that craven Republican Senators prevented using a perfectly appropriate and called-for remedy.
12
@teach
“People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”
Trump, CDC, 3/6/2020
11
@Agent 99
Yes--precisely the bombastic statement to which I was referring.
4
@Agent 99
Yes--precisely the statement to which I was referring.
3
Trump's lucky star of no vital crises for his first 3+ years is exploding before our eyes and he is proving to be astonishingly ill-prepared, ill-informed, and ill-tempered, treating it as a personal nuisance. We need leadership and we're getting smoke screens.
26
All of the terrible things this article and the commenters are saying about Trump are true, of course, but he is still standing, despite it all, because of his vast legions of enablers... Senate, Cabinet, SCOTUS, Fox, talk radio, voting base, etc.
Meanwhile, there persists a residue of polite "both sides" equivalence in some media coverage where accountability opportunities are missed all too frequently, in my opinion.
Thanks to this NYT article for turning the screw a little more...every bit helps, I hope.
21
“A debate raged ...”.
Hmmm.
We live with news that follows Trump’s preferred style of tabloid journalism. Granted, it generates more profit and satisfies the seemingly pathological trolling tendencies of the public. Trump loves this, Sadly, it applies to nefarious leaders of history, as well as the present day.
For Trump, there’s less substance and credibility to “news” when it follows this path. It makes him less accountable. It also weakens the power of a well-informed citizenry. (And it can be dangerous to argue or reason with passionate, mistaken groups or people). Some companies love it too!
As citizen-consumers move away from their first-world positions into second-class stations, political and economic powerhouses eliminate the tools of governance that represent the majority’s common interests. Those arms-length mediation tools between government and economic activity are necessary.
The citizen-consumer, in a globalized, first-world order, is the only thing to stand between the anarchies of dictators and self-governance.
If people want the benefits of individual liberties and to survive on a global scale, what are the options? Do we need to build systems of mutually assured destruction at the most granular levels? Personally, I would rather that than some sort of Armageddon in the hands of a few.
2
Shouldn't be a political issue, either way. For either party. So far, Coronavirus is very worrisome. Yes, it is causing some deaths among HOSPITALIZED PEOPLE who are tested for it. But it is not uncommon for people hospitalized by flu-like symptoms to die. It never has been uncommon. The flu is serious and can kill.
With that said, I think that people are getting an unrealistic vignette of the real risks they face. For most, the primary risks facing us today are obesity, smoking and alcoholism and traffic accidents. Mental health is also a significant cause of deaths. Coronavirus is a flashy topic but this may all dissipate in the next few weeks. It is not yet worth all the panic. Perhaps it is, and we should panic now. Or perhaps the panic, and the damage it caused, will simply not be justified. As always... don't let Trump emotionally trick you into losing a scientific argument to him. He may be right.
3
@rjs7777
I'm not sure if your comment is intentional word salad or unintentional. It's word salad nonetheless. The problems are, yes... all the things you say, flu deaths, cancer, accidents etc, of course, but, do the math and now add on the 2% death rate of COVID-19 on the entire population of the USA. Do the math. Now tell me what your emergency departments are going to look like if you don't get moving and contain this virus?
16
@rjs7777
The coronavirus has a mortality rate of 3.4% That is 3400% higher than the seasonal flu, at 0.1%. Yet thousands of your fellow Americans die of the flu every year.
9
This crisis was something Trump is unable to manage.
Pandemics can destroy complex human societies. They are always caused by unfamiliar new life forms to which existing life has not adapted. There are no simple and well known ways to control them. People must learn and find new adaptions. This requires information and hard working through very difficult problems, sound thinking an intellectual honesty. It requires separating facts from fancy, courage and honesty not trying to dominate in relations with others.
Trump has raised himself to be utterly incapable of confronting this challenge.
141
They wondered what to tell the public? Uh... how about “everything”! These aren’t state secrets, you authoritarian buffoons.
13
We have two deadly diseases raging in the country right now.
1. Corona virus
2. Donald Trump.
20
Decidedly not in that order, as your #2. has been ravaging America since January, 2017.
6
I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing that out to me. Spot on. Thank you.
4
@Doremus Jessup Yes, and hope we have a vaccine for both of them by Nov. 3 2020.
7
It will be very interesting to see how things change when public buildings in DC are closed to the public. Smithsonian, Library of Congress, no school tours to the capitol. That and a few dozen congressmen out sick and it will be a lot harder to claim that this is just a hoax. Right now it’s more like a war in some distant country - a rather abstract event. That is changing fast. A real test of skill for the administration who’s best skill seems to be blowing smoke.
7
Trump either does things in a total spur of the moment way or in a deliberately calculated way. For example in the immediate aftermath of the horrific shooting at the school in Florida he responded as a human and voiced support for gin control. Then the penny dropped that his fanatical base all loved their guns more than people, especially young people and Trump totally caved and reiterated previous support for the medieval IRA. So much for the caring Trump, gone in a puff! Since then any sign of any caring Trump is invisible as is any sort of true Leader, a leader who can rise above partisan politics. His behavior since the start of this coronavirus has especially reeked of cheap politics. To be fair, Trump had nothing to do with the cause of the virus and that should have been his cue to behave like a true leader. Instead of letting the science and medical experts drive the response he has at first been in denial and then let his narrow political world vision drive the government response. Now thousands are at real risk! And putting Mike Pence at the top of the process is worse than farcical, especially considering his record. Of course it could be worse, he could have appointed dumbo Donald Jr in charge. He would have shot all the infected people in a a cull. Who can really trust Trump in a crisis now?
10
Has fabrication of the truth been ruled out?
1
As the article says, we need a "balance between encouraging calm, providing key information and leading an assertive response." This requires the truth, not concealment, sweet talk and ignoring the issue.
9
The liberal media seem to be backing off a bit from their assertions that Trump is to blame for the virus and its repercussions. They may be worried that the virus will end up not being as lethal or damaging as they had hoped, and then Trump will be credited with a positive outcome. This new hedging is particularly notable on CNN and MSNBC.
3
@Jose Pieste
Not backing off. Watching what's happening in Italy and Iran and working out why Trump's sitting at Mar-a-Lago
with his friend Bolsonaro. No doubt they're clinking their glasses and thinking they're above it all. Trump will be in jail after this.
14
Why even debate what to tell us? They should have been upfront and honest from the get-go. I continue to be disturbed Pence is the mouthpiece for this and the experts are muzzled. The administration is treating this like a campaign issue and appears more concerned with optics and messaging. Meanwhile, Trump is golfing.
11
@Lena
Pence? The no-show when intravenous drug use led to a spike in new incidents of HIV? On his own turf? Among white people??
4
The media only cares about what sells their product and message. When the Governor of Washington complained that the travel restrictions put in place by Trump were not needed, it was big news. Trump was wrong. When a month later that same governor complained that the Federal government is doing too little too late to stop the virus in Washington, it is Trump’s fault for not cutting travel from Asia sooner. Why is the Governor always right and Trump wrong?
1
Stark reminder that voting for anyone in high office is fundamentally an act of trusting someone with one's life as well as the lives of those we hold most dear.
7
Deaths from sabotage of health care by Republicans who believe in survival of the fittest.
Deaths from Global warming effects.
Deaths from unbridled gun use.
Deaths from a new disease amplified by holding back education.
Deaths from throwing money at the military for decades.
The Republicans are not the party of life.
12
There you have it--a president who can only see numbers, purporting to run a democracy. And it is the problem with some doctors who don't look to see beyond the numbers to the person either.
What is needed are people who can perceive what is beyond very narrow viewpoints which find only what they expect to find.
2
Weeks ago we had advance notice of what we all know will be a widespread public health threat. Trump chose to keep our nation ignorant, like the military, by putting up yet another wall between the learned Doctors and scientists with in depth knowledge of the disease and how to prevent it, and our citizens. That means millions of citizens lost valuable time to prepare. So Trump's misguided fear of fear and a lack of leadership means more deaths than were likely will result. The administration failed to adequately prepare Americans with the needed information right from the source of those who know the most. Thank you for advising we readers where Trump failed It appears Trump's fear of panic was in itself a projection of his own inner panic. I never panicked. I prepared.
8
To be fair how many people die of the flu every year? Probably ten times what the Coronavirus will cause. Today at the grocery store I witnessed people buying huge quantities of water like a hurricane is coming. We need to be concerned and prepared but the media are racing away with way too much sensationalism causing people to panic.
As a person considered to be high risk for Coronavirus complications, what am I to do? Avoid my children and grandchildren? Lock myself in my house? Segregate the dogs? Cancel medical appointments? Enough of this self-serving incoherence from the administration. I am confused and scared. And I deserve truth based on reliable data, as well as, an emergency response plan that puts Americans first—not the president’s re-election campaign!
14
The nation needs complete information to avoid panic. An unknowing mind always creates false impressions. Stop restraining government educators so everyone knows how to avoid getting sick. Hiding information will induce panic. It always does.
8
I have found the most informative people to be scientists who are not part of the administration. When the media interviews University scientists or health leaders from previous administrations, I find they give a much more thoughtful, complete response. I find them to be much more credible as well.
In the last 24 hours, they seem to be saying that the time is now for those at risk (those over 55 and those with preexisting conditions) to stop traveling, especially on cruise ships, and to stop going to places where you will be in contact with large numbers of people.
7
This report is itself confusing. Instead of who said what to whom, just give us facts and current incidence. Why not tell about the patients most likely at risk and what is necessary to prevent spread of infection. How hard is 20 minute hand washing or 14 days of self quarantine? Unlike S.Korea we still do not have enough tests. Yet it can be contained by a wall of scrupulous quarantine and simple hand washing. In spite of all mixed messages, Trump's "hunch" could prove right.
Debate raged over what to tell the public? Clearly telling the public the truth wasn’t in the table.
8
Unfortunately for Trump his pattern of deliberately spinning facts into nakedly false reality alternatives has permanently erased his credibility. A particular case in point was his bizarre fantasy about hurricane Dorian. While his high-visibility reporting that the storm was on path to Alabama at first seemed like inadvertent ignorance, his insistence on his hand-drawn weather forecast after he had been repeatedly told it was false proved that Trump was not misinformed, but intentionally misleading anybody who would listen.
Consequently we should not, and cannot, ever believe a single word that comes out of Trump's mouth, especially when it comes to public health and safety.
This autocratic president overruled the people, represented by both parties in Congress, to declare a false emergency at the southern border in order to build his wall. Now he should declare a true emergency in public health, and order government production of massive quantities of test kits, personal and household sanitizing supplies, and face masks.
Meanwhile it's up to the citizens to take care of themselves by taking informed, thoughtful precautions against coronavirus and Trump's deceitful misdirection.
7
Why tell them anything? Seriously, who in their right mind would believe anything - anything! - that the Trump Administration tells us? And, moreover, those who stand strong, with MAGA hats proudly on their heads, do not care what Trump tells them; they will simply follow the MAGA in front of them, and will continue, lemming-like, to move toward their ultimate (and much deserved) fates .
The time for good planning (based on solid input from scientists, medical specialists, and experienced epidemiologists) is long gone.
6
It really doesn’t matter what the Trump administration says. When you have no credibility, it’s all just background noise.
It’s very clear that Americans are simply going to go through this thing, each of us, on our own. Some will die. Many will face financial hardship. Most will pass it along.
There’s not going to be any containment, organization or planning. And without widespread systematic testing, we’ll never really know how the contagion spread and all numbers will be estimates. And the Trump Administration numbers will remain low, much lower than what we’re seeing with our own eyes already. A little like Puerto Rico during Hurricane María in slo mo. In the dark, thousands of deaths unrecognized.
Our government exists not for us, but for the grifters and crooks that people Trump’s cabinet and rake billions from insider government contracts.
Make America Great Again?
More like make America medieval.
10
Oh Chickpea!
I feel exactly the same- and wonder why this is not the level of truth telling being engaged in by our media and our leaders?
Nothing can be said because nothing has been done. Nothing will be done because it would cost money take coordination and expertise - all of which, are not considered legitimate qualifications, for any slot in this administration.
We are on our own.
People are being nicer out here in the real world.
We will need that.
3
Calling any power struggles that happen inside the so-called Trump "administration" debate is giving it dignity beyond the the competence of any of them. It more resembles the cat fights found in Third Reich over who had Hitler's ear.
7
I have inlaws in Israel, and they've commented that Israeli media has warned them more than once to ignore any "information" about the coronavirus coming out of the United States, as it is most certainly false. When one of our last few allies says this, we are in deep trouble.
The "preparation" this administration has done thus far is to simply claim the problem doesn't exist, and to persuade his rabid base that the virus is a hoax. Under this "president" our federal government has done nothing but worsen the problem. Expect our "president" to continue to lie to us about this virus. Expect our "president" to continue saying it is all a "hoax", even though several hundred community acquired cases have already been documented in this country. Mike Pence as "Virus Czar"? Positively Kafkaesque.
And expect that the "president's" supporters will believe him. This means that 45% of our citizens will not take even the most basic of sensible precautions. Trump has primed tens of millions of his adoring fans as nothing more than disease vectors. If this virus spreads rapidly, they'll be to thank for failing to take the crisis seriously.
So expect that the truth will not be reported. Expect that medical resources will not be available when they are needed. Expect hospitals to be overrun by tens of thousands of folks (or more) without health care coverage, or who cannot afford their deductibles. In short, expect to see this virus play out as it would in any Third World country.
8
"If he (Trump) approved, they would level with the public"
I think this sentence says it all.
5
More than 165 rural hospitals have closed in the last decade, most in red states that refused to expand Medicaid under ACA.
Here is a great map of the issue from the U.S. Health Rsources and Services Administration in 2017 (which hasn't been updated by the Trump administration since):
https://www.hrsa.gov/enews/past-issues/2017/october-19/hospitals-closing-increase.html
And for more details and up-to-date data, there is this study from earlier this year from the Chartis Group for Rural Health:
https://www.ivantageindex.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CCRH_InfoGraphic_Vulnerability-FNL.pdf
Elections have consequences.
7
One silver lining with this crisis is that it's not too abstract or legalistic to grasp. When they're out of toilet paper at Costco, it'll be an awakening for anyone who's entertaining the thought of voting for Trump or McConnell.
7
The moral turpitude, trying to determine how to spin it. The truth is never an option in Trump World.
9
Final paragraphs of "the Great Influenza" by John Barry.
Those in authority must retain the public's trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try and manipulate no one.
Abraham Lincoln said that first, and best:
Leadership must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will a strong people be able to break it apart.
10
Thanks to the issue of climate change, another issue that this administration downplays at every opportunity, spring/warmer weather is already here in many parts of the northern hemisphere as evidenced by the blooming daffodils. And yet, despite the stupid prognostications made by POTUS, the number of coronavirus infections continues to rise.
I am grateful that Congress approved emergency funding and that POTUS signed the bill. I am fearful, however, that, like everything else in this clown car of an administration, that funding will be held up if someone in the administration decides that a particular governor or state health care professional doesn't share/agree with/express the administration's views. I'm imagining the same sorts of scenarios that Puerto Rico experienced after the hurricanes, and like Puerto Rico, the consequences of neglect, incompetence and/or disagreement will be dire.
I didn't have this degree of faithlessness and cynicism about government before this administration began lying bald-faced about everything, but I sure have it now, and the cure is still months and months away.
4
Trump must envy Putin and would love to be in his shoes.
At a meeting last week Putin claimed that false rumours about the Coronavirus circulating in Russia are being directed from abroad.
He told ministers the country's FSB security service had reported to him that false information was being planted to create panic, while in reality the situation is not critical.
According to his Deputy Prime Minister,Tatiana Golikova who spoke out against recent "fake posts" on social media, the official total of confirmed cases in Russia is just six so far, she reiterated.
The “fake” posts have claimed there are "quite large numbers of sick people in Russia and that the official authorities are hiding this information," she said at the meeting.
"I want to tell you once again that this doesn't correspond to reality."
Aren't they lucky?
7
If Chick Koop were the Surgeon General now, he would take Trump out back into the woodshed and teach him a lesson hoe would not soon forget.
Koop was a REAL Doc - probably the best SG this country has ever had. He spearheaded the anti-smoking campaign and took no guff - from anyone. Unlike the fake sycophant child that Trump has appointed, who feels it necessary to politicize and praise The Dotard (undoubtedly by Trump's direct order), a REAL SG would have anticipated this outbreak a LONG time ago (let's say about 3 years at least) and had the necessary mechanisms in place to actually contain it, and certainly to be able to develop a vaccine faster than we are now.
Koop is why The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia/Penn is the foremost Pediatric Institution in the World. I am sure that Dartmouth would also agree.
Everything Trump touches dies.
7
Money and being re-elected is more important than the truth and the health of Trump's own faithful followers. So you know he care very little about the rest of us.
How is that “Make America Great Again” working out America?
7
Amity Mayor Larry Vaughn refused to close the beaches.
Money, the almighty motivator.
4
If we are, Amity, Stay Out of the Water! See you in a month or so. If we still have a beach.
4
We'd be so much better off not having a "president" than having one that's lied so much his "word" is meaningless. The folks continuing to "support" such a person are FAILING themselves, their children and the rest of America.
4
If the voice of God pronounced that he was sick of reckless liars who would cause suffering to those who believed their lies and acted in accordance with those lies, for all the world to hear, in every language, the last man in the world to try and yet fail to stop lying would be Donald Trump.
America needs to be rescued from the coming tyranny and sick people are coming to the rescue due to the ineptitude and willful ignorance of the Trump regime. Folks if you are feeling sick, go to a Trump rally and cough when Trump makes his speech. Ware masks of course and wash your hands.
4
Here's a wild suggestion, why not just tell the public the truth? Instead of, you know, sitting around figuring out how to spin things while people die?
5
A personal note to Governor Inslee, Of Washington State:
Sir, Trump publicly called you a “ Snake “. That means you are doing a GREAT Job, for your State and the rest of us.
Thank You.
9
Oh my gosh ...Watching this White House trying to respond is like watching an arcade of bumper cars.
7
Let’s be honest citizens, how many of us would not be concerned if a certain resident living in public housing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. just happened to become a coronavirus victim?
6
I don't believe a single thing that comes out of anyone's mouth who is connected to Trump.
8
How about they tell us the truth for a change?
5
This president's ego and anti-science bias keeps him from doing the right thing critical for the health and safety of the American people. Our only hope for getting through this mess is for him to remain in Mar-a-Lago and off Twitter--i.e., shut up--and then leaving the decision-making regarding action to be taken and communication to the American people up to the scientists that have credibility, like Dr. Falci. Trump's lack of credibility makes the threat of the coronavirus even more menacing for the American people.
5
Bumbling incompetence from bumbling incompetents. Why expect anything else?
8
Profoundly immoral Trump is a lie machine . Anyone who will believe him now is out of touch with their reality. Very sad.
6
How lucky we are to have a president who "knows more about ISIS than the generals" and knows more about world trade than anybody and knows more about renewable energy than anybody and ALSO has "a natural ability" to understand the science of dealing with the coronavirus? Wow. We are SO blessed. Let's just do away with the entire federal government and just have Trump do everything! Oh...wait...we're already doing that...
10
As for the Trump Administration, you can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but a corona virus is going to do whatever it wants.
7
Again President Trump demonstrates that he can only play one role: The Cheerleader. He isn't a leader, nor a manager. And he doesn't display the attributes of an intellectual. Rah rah sis boom bah.......blah blah blah
In life there is a role for cheerleaders, but not in charge of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
5
Now seriously...
...who are you going to take medical advice from; the World Health Organization, or a guy who childishly stared directly up into an eclipse immediately after he was warned not to?
10
So, Trump's reply is to get a map of the world, get out his Sharpie, draw a big black line around the contiguous states and write the words, "No Carona Virus Aloud" across the country. The Chosen One has spoken, there will be hands on healing events at all future rallies so do feel free to bring your ailing elders where the Anointed One shall lay His holy hands upon them and free them from this heious affliction.
All hail the Leader, our Chosen One, please donate to the Victory Fund and buy some merchandise on your way in and out.
/endsarcasm
6
Quality comment. Long time since I saw someone just riff and be funny and timely and grotesque all at once. Not just copying some ironic late note host-Well said.
3
A remarkably bland presentation of the Presidential Gong Show. Any public health issue in which Kelly Anne Conway has a voice for non-disclosure is clearly off the rails. There are no adults in the White House, just a germophobic idiot and his sycophants. The Presidential daily idiocies befog the hard work and expert judgment of the public health professionals. If there is panic out there, most of it comes from the fact that more lies than truth have come out of the White House since Trump's inauguration. Lock him in the private rooms and take away his Twitter account until the crisis is past.
5
Actually I think this would be a perfect time for Trump and Melanie to take a nice long, romantic cruise through the Caribbean...
6
With all of their well-heeled, septuagenarian billionaire friends and their Easternbloc Stepford wives.
5
I heard that the cruise ship near San Francisco was going to dock at a "non-commercial" port. What is a "non-commercial port"?
Today, I read that the cruise ship will dock at the Port of Oakland. I am certain that the Port of Oakland is a commercial port.
https://www.portofoakland.com/
Has any journalist defined "non-commercial port"?
2
This is serious. The elderly especially those with underlying condition are at risk. It’s more potent than seasonal flu in the way it strikes at the elderly. It’s almost a force of nature warning the elderly but sparing the young the middle aged.
6
Trump and his people only care about panic to the extent that it affects his re-election chances. If the world suffered terribly and he could still be president, they'd be fine with that.
33
The virus may “reduce the surplus population” à la one Ebeneezer Scrooge.
In’t see the plague that likely would have gotten her anyway.
She was an unmarried teenage mom, who went back to the high school she was kicked out of for being pregnant, then got an apprenticeship and grandfathered into nuclear medicine tech, then she moved out here and became a Trimet bus driver.
The last months of her life, she kept saying, “But this is America, life is supposed to keep getting better for all of us.”
2
The first priority in everything the Trump administration has done during this epidemic has been to protect his re-election prospects. Even closing the border to travelers who visited China, something Trump has been flogging relentlessly, was in line with electoral strategy. And it didn't work. He can't lie his way out of this crisis, but he'll try because it's the only way he knows
29
@Blueboat
Trump thinks this is all a branding issue for Trump, Inc.
3
Here's the "best guess" epidemiological estimate from a regional American Hospital Association conference last week. It appears to assume that US efforts to contain the virus will be less effective than China's draconian efforts. I'm alarmed, and wish we had someone competent in charge of our response. VP Pence's principal function appears to be to keep information like this from receiving too much publicity so as to avoid disturbing the financial markets.
US: 96 million cases
US: 4.8 million hospital admissions
US: 1.9 million ICU admissions
US: 480,000 deaths
19
Which “conference,” was this, and PRECISELY WHO are you sort of quoting?
Name, title of paper, date and place presented, please.
1
@Theodore Seto
I'm still puzzled how a guy who doesn't believe in evolution can grasp how viruses mutate.
Does anyone know if coronavirus conversion therapy works?
4
@Robert
You can see if these figures are valid yourself using the publicly available data from reputable sources.
For example the number of cases in the post (96 million) assumes around a 35% infection rate. Marc Lipsitch, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University estimates 20%-60% of adults will be infected.
The number for ICU admissions (1.9 million) assumes a 5% rate of cases needing ICU treatment. 5% is the WHO estimate.
So the figures are a very reasonable best guess.
1
How simple. The COVID-19 virus is a politically threatening challenge for Trump. Sure it’s making a lot of people sick and is seemingly far more deadly than the usual flu infections, but that is not what worries Trump. The reactions for reducing the threat to people is threatening economic activities and most worrisome, stock markets. This is what Trump finds most frustrating. He is up for re-election in just eight months and a recession will remove his main argument for being re-elected. The sooner these reactions to the pandemic are over, the less of a problem for Trump. He deals in perceptions not in real accomplishments, so appearances are about what he focuses.
15
@Casual Observer trump has to decouple politics from handling coronavirus. He doesn’t control everything. He might think he is the “doer” and assume credit for everything that ever happened but truth is none of us really make things happen. There is a far greater cause at work behind the scenes, we are all so interconnected interdependent that each of us affects everyone else. Our thoughts actions deeds are interlinked.
2
If the peak, of unquestionably necessary restrictions on public gatherings, can actually be pushed out to mid-November by means of an ineffective and too slow response early in the trajectory of the spread of the virus; then as a consequence, it may be necessary for your Presidential, Congressional and Senatorial elections to be temporarily suspended and deferred.
3
What's truly disturbing to us here in Canada is that, even as Americans begin dying from the coronavirus, the Trump administration remains preoccupied by its implications for President Trump's re-election.
The lateness and ineptitude of the U.S. official response is alarming (all levels of government have had seven weeks to prepare). Sharp contradictions between the now-galvanized medical community and the foot-dragging Trump administration are generating widespread confusion. The country's central leadership seems unable to comprehend, never mind deal with, such a potentially devastating disease outbreak.
Canada's 5,525-mile border with the U.S. (including Alaska) is the world's longest and most traveled. A major spread of the coronavirus among the U.S. population means a similar spread in Canada's, with the impact proportionally much greater due to ours being one-tenth the size. We can only hope that the White House will quickly shift focus from the President's desires to the U.S. population's needs, but it's a faint hope.
20
@Nick Wright
Your country should seriously consider closing the border.
There will be no effective containment here. There won’t even be an honest assessment of the problem
4
@Chickpea :
Our government probably has, but it will never happen; it would be the end of our economy!
An old adage has it about Canada's economy that "When the U.S. sneezes, Canada catches a cold."
That saying has much wider and more ominous implications today. Good luck to us all!
4
Trump's final comment about liking the 'numbers' without ever referring to the humans who constitute them is reviling. He is willing to sacrifice anything to make himself look better. I think he'd like to deny that there are any cases in the US. He'll take personal credit for all good news & assign blame to others for anything negative. He's tried to gut the part of government that was formed to handle this type of crisis. Take a look at the persons he has put in charge of those departments. The initial response from the Trump administration was way too passive.
19
The threat and the model for progression is certainly clear enough to know that the US faces a major health crisis — just a matter of time before the hundreds of cases already present burgeon into a full blow epidemic.
The stumbling and incremental ratcheting up of the federal, state and municipal level responses was inevitable given the stark failure of leadership from the very top in Washington from the get go.
Add in the blatantly politically driven damage control in place of expeditious, coherent and forthright action based on a worst case model and the prognosis for containment becomes uncertain at best.
4
What to tell the public? It's simple: the truth.
While we don't want panic, we also don't want falsehoods, like saying that the virus isn't serious. We don't want Americans left to suffer on a ship rather than getting good care in a safe facility. We don't want healthcare workers getting ill because they don't have proper personal safety equipment.
We don't want a president who "can live with those numbers" while not wanting to bring Americans home because the numbers would double. Trump would get far more respect if he told the truth and allowed information to be freely disseminated without political spin. Even the Surgeon General uses spin. That's not reassuring.
17
No doubt the Trump White house is mishandling the communication about the virus to Americans. My worry is much more on our federal agencies who are performing worse than third world countries. Even 2 months after China alerted the world about the novel Corona virus, CDC did not have a functioning test and until last week did not allow anyone else to do the tests. FDA only woke up last week to loosen the rule for the private labs to be permitted to conduct tests for this virus. WHO used the German test to use world wide, all because CDC slept at the wheel and at the very least should have ditched their own trials and adopted the German test protocol. FAA also failed badly in certifying the Max 737. Only after China suspended the license and the world followed did FAA follow Chinese FAA. FBI too hid some information from the secret court FISA court. Yet Trump has asked the Republicans for a "clean" extension of the act so FBI can secretly access American citizen data even when there is no evidence nor suspicion. Congress is not doing its duty and Americans continue to be polarized and are willing to forgive the agencies if their party is the administration. Here too the comments are only about the Trump administration. Not a single federal agency is up to the mark these days. FEMA failures were blamed on Bush. But the malaise in our over bureaucratic federal agencies continues.
6
Which part of Trump gutting those agencies did you miss?
6
I am wondering what this outbreak will look like after Spring Break when thousands of university students scatter from their respective campuses and re-emerge when class resumes.
8
@ECass, kids can get infected with the virus and may not even know, but it is the elderly the sick who will die from the infection if they are exposed. This virus spares the young they might only get it mild but they themselves then unknowingly become medium of infection :(
3
"Health experts say that telling people to remain calm is an effective message in an epidemic, and it is appropriate that it come from the president."
this assumes a President who has a smidgen of credibility and one without 15,000 [and counting] documented prevarications over three years.
14
When deciding what to do about a plague the stock market should be last thing on anyone's mind. Lives come first. My portfolio can always bounce back later.
10
So living in a country with no paid leave of any sort, nor health coverage for millions of people, nor many remaining vestiges of a working public health system could lead to bad things happening?
Who knew?
17
In this crisis, we, the public, are owed the truth! Our lives are at risk; I am one of the elderly with underlying conditions that make me especially vulnerable. I fully understand the need to not provoke a national panic, but we have to be treated as adults. This administration has played with the truth too often, using lies to such an extent that they probably don't even realize where the truth is. This crisis should make us all realize the lack of leadership in the White House.
9
There is a very strong chance of a severe recession from this. Possibly worse then that. The Fed is close to perhaps 5 more cuts. Those cuts will do nothing on aggregate demand.
6
What to tell the public? Why not try the truth?
Trump, who claims to be the most brilliant, most successful business man on the planet (maybe for all time), should be aware of the aphorism, "you must measure to manage". Left unsaid is the obvious point that the measurements should be accurate and shared with everyone doing the managing.
If individuals, households, schools, cities, states, and the government are to manage this "situation" they need to know the facts, the measurements, that allow them to properly manage.
You can't make stuff up (because it's what you'd like to be true) and expect anyone to make the proper decisions about how to proceed. Maureen Dowd's op-ed had it right - for Trump, he lives in a Fox News construct not unlike "Westworld" wherein Trump plays the man he hopes and thinks he is.
Let's hope that Trump's version of Westworld gets canceled on November 3, 2020.
14
The Sunday morning talk shows this morning were over-run with political spokesmodels, (some of them doctors & many nominally representing the Trump administration) telling people that, if they were not elderly or immune-compromised, they had nothing to worry about! Basically telling most of the population that, if they were not statistically likely to become critically ill, they didn't need to concern themselves with helping limit the epidemic. No need to worry about older people, just take care of yourself. No one else's survival is worthy of a even a minimal personal inconvenience or sacrifice . An amazing message!
12
@mike4vfr Of course there are also the Dem. politicians declaring “state of emergency” but with no accompanying follow thru. Example: Cuomo. Why hasn’t the Big East tourney at MSG next week been cancelled? Knicks are probably not an issue.
1
The message is loud and clear, the money of the few rules over the safety of the multitudes, particularly when the top decision maker has far less chance of becoming infected than the general public.
Does lying and denying really equal "A Very Stable Genius?
6
So often it seems that R’s must take a vow of silence to prevent an open discussion of important public issues from climate, to energy, to medical, and now even to public health. It’s a form of omertà that any gangland don of old would recognize. The problem is that our Don in the WH does not process the pubic interest without first establishing his own personal political interest.
5
"We need a vaccine from trump" says it all. I sincerely hope we survive this presidency; but I have my doubts.
6
The reason why we are so behind on testing is because of the greedy pharma corps. The govt doesn't want to acquire the ones that china and south korea developed and are proven to work 100%. Yet they are waiting for the big pharma corps to develop their own and they did but it wasn't fully working since they had false negative tests. That is also the reason why China does not want to cooperate at all because they don't want to share what they know, pharma will send their doctors and make their own here then sell it to the world. It's all about business while hospitals keep begging for tests kits.
6
Scientific facts don’t matter to Trump. Climate change isn’t happening. That fake hurricane really did threaten the United States, and Trump used a Sharpie morning to prove it. The coronavirus has nothing but flu, a mild one at that. If I worked at NOAA, the CDC, NIH, or any other federal, science-based agency, I’d be looking for another job
10
Foreign Policy 1/31/20: "...(the) US intentionally rendered itself incapable. ... In 2018 the Trump administration fired the entire pandemic response chain of command." When a reporter contacted key agencies across the US government, the only consistent responses were distressed confusion. The chain of command Trump destroyed was set up by Obama following the Ebola outbreak of 2014 to coordinate the several departments needed in an infectious disease outbreak. The NIH, CDC, State Department were designated the sources of scientific and diplomatic information and advise to the White House agencies: the National Security Council and Department of Homeland Security. In response the the chaos of his response to covid 19, Trump said he could quickly hire more doctors. He still doesn't get it; it's a coordinated chain of command, not just individual doctors that we need in a pandemic.
I wonder why the Democrats and, especially, Biden who loves the reflected glory from Obama, have not made use of this information. Those of us volunteering with grass roots groups to flip the Senate, keep the House and get out the vote would appreciate some help in getting Trump out.
9
Isn’t it funny how hard the volunteers must work? Why do republicans pay their operatives and democrats expect everyone to be delighted to work for free? Some of these vaunted billionaires should pay an army of underemployed and train them to do democratic messaging about all the good government can do! What is that so hard? Those well paid employees will spend all of their money in the economy. Ask Henry Ford!
@American Marlene Barbera
I do resent having to work as hard as I have for decades only to compensate for what our elected representatives do not do. In the past three years, it's been to educate my neighbors, my community with enough information to get them to push on their representatives. Seeing where we are now, I wonder why I bothered.
As for the rich guys paying volunteers, why would they? They're sitting pretty.
We missed our chance with Warren, who had the only comprehensive plan to put our government to work for us. I've never seen another presidential candidate who backed up her goals with plans and really clever and realistic plans at that. Never. With her gone, I see no leadership to even hope for. At this point, I guess I'm still working only to avoid more of Trump.
1
The very best way to give out information is to have Dr. A. Fauci be the "point person" for it: he's been at the CDC for decades, and is one of the most respected docs in infectious diseases and epidemiology.
HE should be the spokesperson: he will give accurate, honest, and medically sound information.
You can, in fact, trust him. I have, as an MD, for decades.
8
@Bob I listen to the Sturgeon General interview...A pity, the guy is contaminated by Trump!
2
The management of the impeding virus lies in professionals: public health and related scientists. The politicians should not be at it, especially trump, pence who had shown their disbelief in science and the appointed heads of related departments in the administration. We should take the valuable lesson from Taiwan government and Taiwanese citizens.
3
From another NYT article on Italy, "The country’s cases more than doubled last week from about 2,500 infections on Wednesday to more than 5,800 on Saturday. Deaths rose to 233."
233 deaths and 2% death rate means 233x 50 cases 3 weeks ago, or 11,600. The number doubles every 4-7 days, so they NOW have 90,000 or more.
Italy only knows about one case in 20 despite intensive testing. They've appropriately closed down schools and shut down travel, but possibly too late. The time to do that is when the FIRST known case appears, because at that point, there's 100 more cases you don't know about.
I write this in Southern California self-quarantine, as I have a cough tho no fever and feel relatively well. There is no way I can get a test, because they aren't available.
We rush to the abyss.
9
What's truly disturbing is that, even as Americans begin dying from the coronavirus, the Trump administration remains preoccupied by its implications for President Trump's re-election.
Like everyone else, Canadians were riveted on China's ability to contain the virus. Now that China seems to have had unprecedented success, according to the WHO, we seem to be facing a much greater threat across our border with the U.S.
We watch with growing alarm the lateness and ineptitude of the U.S. official response (all levels of government have had seven weeks to prepare); the confusion generated by sharp contradictions between the now-galvanized medical community and the foot-dragging Trump administration; and the inability of the country's central leadership to comprehend, never mind deal with, such a potentially devastating disease outbreak.
Canada's 5,525-mile border with the U.S. (including Alaska) is the world's longest and most traveled. A major spread of the coronavirus among the U.S. population means a similar spread in Canada's, with the impact being proportionally much greater due to ours being one-tenth the size. We hope the White House will quickly shift focus from the President's desires to the U.S. population's needs, but it's a faint hope.
4
If this is an indication of how the next one, and the next will be managed (and given a warming planet, there will inevitably be a next and a next), then America is in trouble. But then, when you look around you, America is in trouble anyway.
2
We must never forget that this administration is muffling the CDC. Why is the messaging going through Pence? This sort of micromanagement is un-American. We must never forget.
4
”We need a vaccine against Trump.” There is. It is called the voting booth. In November 2020 we will have a choice between President Trump and a Democratic presidential candidate. It is likely to be Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. I will go with President Trump. Bernie Sanders is a socialist who will destroy our country and Joe Biden is a very confused man who has memory lapses. He does not appear to have it all together.
I think President Trump is doing the best he can under very difficult circumstances. The coronavirus has affected over 90 countries. I cannot remember when we have seen such a tremendous scourge. People need to be cautious and not take chances. The hate is not helping anyone and instilling more fear than is necessary. This affects everybody.
The Trump administration remains unable to administer anything. It is time for people to remember that an administration is rated by their performance during crisis, not for their bluster when all is going well
4
I have extreme faith in Trump's ability to beat the Coronavirus. The man is positively brilliant. Furthermore, it always takes one dangerous virus to defeat another equally dangerous one.
1
@Plato
You think one man can beat a virus that replicates in the billions? That's delusional and exactly the problem with pro-Trumpers.
This will be the win of the scientists and doctors and the hard working medical community. Trump has done nothing to help these people. And the great thing is they will do it because they care.
Trump cares for nobody but other villains.
3
@KA - The sarcasm was obviously missed.
2
Trump has done everything just right. He says so.
"We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!"
1
"tried to secure some kind of military base in California, but was struggling to cut through Pentagon red tape. "
What?
Did he say, "This is the Office of the President calling. We want to have an airplane land at your base."
The answer was "No."?
How is that possible?
"After hours of wrangling,"
Near the end of the story, where Trump makes it clear he'd rather have the 20 infected cruise ship passengers stay off of American soil, the next line is a question by the reporter: "His concern?" Then she paraphrases Trump saying he does not want the US infected tally to increase. I would add another motive: He wants to be reelected. Remember, he uses the media to rally and reassure his nationalist base. By telling his trumpers that he disagrees with the science and would rather not risk contaminating a country he has already made "great again" with more sick people than necessary, he has a better chance of getting their votes in November. (Yeah, you can go ahead and interchange "sick" with "brown." To trumpers it matters not. They see both as threats.
6
I wonder how long before all data about COVID-19 infections and deaths in the United States is restricted to protect national security? I am pretty sure the President could try to do this and argue that his re-election is in the national security interest of the country and the release of accurate data might jeopardize that. (That kind of argument was effective with his supporters during his impeachment trial.)
2
At a time when the truth and credibility are critical, Trump and his maladministration come bearing neither.
6
It would be ideal if neither Trump nor Pence was in charge. It is out of control because of their incompetent response and ignorance about the spread of infectious diseases, especially those that jump species. I have heard ( and of course it’s only hearsay) from medical professionals in the UK that none of the Chinese data is believable or disseminated in any logical form. I agree, I read a paper on the demographics of a group of thousand patients from Wuhan, analyzed in Lancet and the study was virtually useless information. I also heard that there are young people affected in Italy. So now we need to wake up and realize the trouble we are really in. Is the strain in Italy different. I am loathe to believe it affects smokers etc. This almost sounds as if certain people are genetically programmed to set off a cytokine storm and there is nothing in our medical arsenal to help them recover. In short folks, we have encountered a fatal flaw in our human program and now are in a load of trouble with this runaway reaction. In the UK there was a company a long time ago that was trying to manufacture a block that would affect this switch the ox40 receptor on the T cells and the ox40 ligand on activated B cells. A company named Xenova, trying to address the same problem encountered in influenza. Then they disappeared. I say anyone out there figuring this out, please work overtime.
I don't like the Trump Administration at all but in all fairness I think any administration would have initially made missteps though they may have been different. Generals always to prepare to fight the last war not the new one that may occur. I believe that the Public Health establishment at all levels was focused on bio-terrorism for the last several years in reaction to 9/11 and they didn't anticipate a more generalized threat like a coronavirus. Federal funding was also more focused on BT rather than a threat like COVID-19. What is also worrisome is the lack of hospital beds for the number of very sick we may see from COVID-19. This issue wasn't created by the Trump folks but has been a multi year result of the focus on hospital efficiency, according to the current issue of the Economist has wiped out excess capacity in US Hospitals. We may need Army field hospitals set up in big cities to handle the overflow.
26
@Speculator
In fairness to Trump and forgetting the politics for a moment. Trump has been talking like a lunatic. This is not his typical nonsense. He literally sounds and acts like a crazy person.
It was amusing when he was running for President. It might have been mildly cute in year 1. Now that we have a national and international health emergency it's time for the Cabinet and VP to act.
The President is either demented from age and ill health or he has a serious mental disability that needs treatment. He clearly isn't fit to be President duding this emergency.
43
@Speculator
Yourspeculation is completely wrong. After the Ebola crisis, the Obama administration made plans to make the country ready for an epidemic or pandemic outbreak. Of course, the Trump Reign of Error cut funding because it was developed by Obama. And it did so just in time for corona virus’ arrival.
And never before in our country’s history have we had a president who thinks that his “hunch” is more valuable than the findings of actual experts in the field. He has done this about everything. Remember how the draft dodger said “I know more about it than the generals?”
In the context of Trump and his spineless enablers, it is always appropriate to cite Mary McCarthy: “Every word is a lie, including ‘and,’ and ‘the.’”
42
@Speculator
You need to do more homework. For many decades the DOD has been formulating every possible military scenario. This is but one, and I am sure there USED to be a game plan for this - certainly not unlike a true bioterrorism attack or the Anthrax scare years back.
Response should have been instantaneous - it was not. And yes, Trump IS to blame because he has been spending his fat time playing golf, Tweeting and campaigning since the day he got falsely elected. It's not a question of "fairness"; it's a matter of INCOMPETENCE. No cover for this! No excuses and diversions from republicans. He is supposed to do a job and he is not. DIVISION, hate-mongering, racism, xenophobia and failure to perform do not an executive make. He MUST be fired and he MUST be held accountable afterwards.
33
As someone who works in Public Health at one of the leading Universities in this country, I first want to say that the COVID-19 caught the USA flat-footed and it came here through travel and then incidental transmission. My great grandmother died from the Spanish flu which was made far worse due to the inactions by Woodrow Wilson, similar to what we are seeing now. The simple truth is that we are presently behind the curve and when we can roll-out testing much more extensively we will understand more about the N of COVID-19 in the USA.
Our country is different from all others and the invocation of a mass quarantine is unlikely to ever happen other than keeping people on a cruise ship which will lead to the deaths of those most susceptible to this virus - people 70 and older or people with a pre-existing condition which the virus will attack. I pray for the best but prepare for the worst. I believe that all locations which house our seniors need a lock-down to help save the lives of the residents. My mother-in-law lives in a very nice place on Long Island with over 1000 residents. Introduce COVID-19 into this facility and it will be a sure death to 15-18% of those residents IF there was a hospital close enough to take on the resulting cases.
This is what Trump does not understand and will not take heed. Read up about the Spanish Flu time cycles. It was the movement of people back then which made things much worse.
Just tell the truth.
129
The current pandemic is a serious leadership challenge. But the threat is not an existential one. Yet our fearless leader has proven himself not up to the task.
How comfortable should I deal about the 2 AM phone call?
49
One thing 45 excels at is keeping the media’s attention on himself. I wish the media would ignore him and he may self destruct.
9
"For weeks, the Chinese refused offers of public health cooperation." Well, the US has for years been requiring cancer research centers to fire collaborating Chinese cancer researchers, under the guise of protecting US business interests. In health care, international cooperation must take precedence over corporate secrecy concerns. This virus outbreak shows one reason why. Lives are at stake.
3
"Was this the time to provoke China? he asked."
His govt did nothing but provoke China throughout January. From gleeful speculation that the virus would cripple China's economy FROM A SECRETARY OF COMMERCE to various crack-pop GOP allies of the president accusing China of losing control of a biological weapon.
These things matter.
Al for Trump's bold move of cutting off Chinese travellers, he did it AFTER nearly all the airlines announced an end to flights to and from China. How bold...
6
The fact that one of the CPAC attendees has been diagnosed with the virus is a head shaking irony. I would like to see a campaign ad juxtaposing this discovery with footage of Mulvaney and others speaking there nattering on about "Democratic hoaxes".
7
Even if you don’t have a mask and don’t have hand sanitizer, what everyone can do right now is avoid crowds, avoid touching others, touching hand rails and counters and seats and any other place commonly touched by many people.
After being in a public place, wash your face, your eyes, the insides of your nose, and your hands with soap and water. Think about washing off after being in a dust storm.
Stay home if you have a runny nose, cough.
Go to a designated urgent care that have test kits if you develop a fever. Ask for a mask and gloves to protect yourself and others when you get there.
Every PATIENT and every healthcare worker should be wearing mask and gloves to avoid spreading the virus on counter tops, chairs, exam tables.
4
This is basically a cold virus. No matter how the government spins it, I don't see how we can possibly stop the spread of it. There will never be enough testing kits. We will never be able to control the population's movements, and in the long run, neither will China. The virus will just re-enter that and every other country. You can't lock down entire societies permanently. For every known case there are now likely unreported/undiagnosed multiples. We will not be able to disinfect our way out of it. There are likely thousands or tens of thousands who have had symptoms who will avoid being tested for fear of their freedom.
So there's actually nothing Trump can say one way or another. His best course of action was probably to try and say as little as possible. But of course, as usual, he can't stop from running his mouth. It's not like he had much credibility to begin with, though.
4
How can you not conclude that the administration is staffed by the Trump reelection team. We thought we had Americans serving America and its citizen in their time of need.
So folks are going to die because our President is afraid to step up and lead our country. He can only focus on himself.
This is bad.
9
News Flash: Trump makes another boneheaded remark. And media loves it! Since this article is about truth, why isn't anyone talking about how this is a two tier virus: Tier one is the young and otherwise healthy. Tier two are the unhealthy either by age or underlying health condition.
Tier one has very little to be concerned about. They should go on with their lives as before, but more aware about the value of good hygiene to ones own health. If they catch the virus there is a 99.9% chance their symptoms will be no worse than the flu. This is 90% of the population.
Tier two is another matter. Fortunately it is only 10% of the population to begin with. But if they get the virus it's very serious, including the possibility of death, in about 15% of them (stats from Korea experience). Fortunately the vast majority of tier two folks are retired, so they can become semi hermits for awhile without risking their livelihood, if they value their lives. If not, that's a personal choice no more than choosing to be a smoker is. At least they won't be making it any worse for the young and healthy if they choose to ignore their own well being.
Baby boomers have already made life so bad for the young they're looking to a communist for answers. Let's not ruin what's left of it for them to save some aging boomers and beyond that don't even care about themselves enough to stay off cruise ships.
3
Trump wants to keep the appearance of virus less than it is even if it's a lie, which has and will cost many lives. Yet, he has a chance of winning the election again. More than medical care for all, we need quality education for all. Hillary was completely qualified for the job, Trump has no qualifications for the job. How is that not understood by so many? I can see why dictators don't support education.
9
So, some didn't too much care for Barack Obama when he was president. Some say he was a failure. Think about that.
Could you have done better with Trump on the outside, hollering that YOU were not born in America; McConnell on the inside proudly saying: my job is to make sure YOU serve only one term. And yes, there was this third fella, named Putin, the last leg of the trifecta, to harm America.
You may not have cared for Obama. But let's face it. He's better than these three dudes I just named, individually and collectively.
He would have assembled an effective team, people with intellect and character, to deal with this virus. That we know, based on his experience against the odds.
Luckily, we have Biden now, to undo the damage that's been done to our democracy by the current administration. We've a mission come November. Let's do what we must do.
10
@DragAzz Hill
The U.S. response to Ebola under Obama has been widely credited for stopping it from becoming a pandemic.
4
The one upside to this epidemic is that it will expose the lack of preparedness on multiple levels and hopefully the populace will get angry with all our so called leaders.
Anyone remembers the scandal that hit the CDC several years back? They have been plagued by incompetence and a lack of proper equipment for decades.
Wait until parents see the waste in education and the missing funds that were suppose to be used for upgrades. Our lack of internet access for many and outdated tech will be blatant when these schools are actually forced to do remote teaching. The number of teachers who barely know how to turn on a computer will be shocking. Then there are all the hospitals shuttered or turned into condos with huge areas lacking medical facilities.
This coronavirus will expose a lot of greed, corruption and incompetence.
5
The Trump administration must take a back seat to the advice of the medical and public health experts now. This should have happened earlier, but to our great regret, it did not.
It is personally appalling to me that the President played politics with the testing issue, trying feebly to cast blame on President Obama.
Many Americans are worried as I am; will my elderly parents survive? Will my adult child with asthma survive the coronavirus?
At this dangerous time it is especially galling and upsetting to hear Trump's nonsensical and self-serving lies. Please allow the health experts to speak directly to the American public.
6
I am sure our government has been told more about the conditions of the coronavirus than China is telling its citizens. The Chinese communists have some of the worst human rights abuses in the world. They censor their media coverage and are not to be trusted.
2
Suppose the Trump administration had ditched the political spin and offered the medical facts, promised to act in the best interests of the people, and had actually taken aggressive steps to minimize covid-19’s impact on the public and mitigate its impacts; don’t you think promoting a responsible results-oriented response to the pandemic threat would have made Trump look good?
Instead, we get propaganda and political slurs from Trump; allegations of hoaxes, claims the media is using covid-19 to get Trump, Trump calls Governor Jay Inslee names for telling the truth; reassuring, isn’t it.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who realizes that a lack of test kits effectively conceals the extent of infection, and that Trump’s clown show has also figured that out.
10
Our Italian daughter is in Milan. As a young person she is not to worried about getting sick but more about the economy. I worry about her mother a doctor. Italy has called up all retired doctors to fight this pandemic. She is a radiologist. 70 and not in the best of health but happy and proud to do her part. This pandemic is now global. I read that the US was ordering 500,000 respirators. Seems a little late when the world will need 10’s of millions. Do we even make any here and where are the parts sourced?
3
The White House response to this public health menace is consistent with Republican responses to other social concerns: They really don't care about the problem--until it affects them personally. Same-sex marriage? Cheney had a sudden change of heart when his daughter came out. Abortion? Well, when the mistress of one of these Republican adulterers gets pregnant, there have been plenty of instances when the man encourages/pays for the abortion. The list of examples goes on and on. So who in the Administration actually needs to contract Covid-19 such that there is an appropriate response? Pence? Trump? Who? Because the only way we will see true concern is when one of them is affected.
6
Although Canadian hospitals are in worst shape funding wise than the US and woefully under staffed, by last week their labs had processed the same number of tests as the US.
Please note the CA pop is 30 million, the US is 300 million.
If the tests are not processed/available, those magic numbers that this administration values over human life will remain artificially low.
How's that for Pro Life??
5
The idea that Americans who tested positive being on a ship and not be allowed on American soil would be better so the numerator of the equation was smaller is more mental gymnastics than I thought Trump would be capable of.
Perhaps he IS a genius, albeit not a stable one.
4
Those who hate President Trump will never believe anything he says and criticize him unmercifully while In office. They have done this from the beginning of his presidency. I think the Trump administration is telling us the truth. The doctors and medical staff would not lie and neither would our president. Then again I support our president.
@KMW
Unfortunately you are right that a society will lack mercy toward those who lie, regardless of the position they are in. Fact checkers have proven that Trump's lies almost daily. A strong society will not thrive in an atmosphere of untruth.
I am sorry to read that you choose to support this.
5
Unfortunately for Trump his pattern of prolific LIES has permanently erased his credibility. A particular case in point was his bizarre fantasy about hurricane Dorian. While his high-visibility reporting that the storm was on path to Alabama at first seemed like inadvertent ignorance, his insistence on his hand-drawn weather forecast after he had been repeatedly told it was false only proved that Trump was not misinformed, but lying.
Consequently, we cannot believe a single word that comes out of Trump's mouth, especially when it comes to public health and safety.
Trump is an autocrat that is concerned with his political image above all else. He might look better than a liar if he took action to eliminate the current shortages. He declared a false emergency at the southern border in order to build his wall. Now he should declare a true emergency in public health, and order government production of massive quantities of test kits, personal and household sanitizing supplies, and face masks.
Meanwhile citizens must take care of themselves. Everything will be fine with informed, thoughtful precautions, not because Trump said so.
4
“The Swamp” as in “ Good Enough For Government Work” has finally caught up with us as seen by the malfeasance of office, and criminal unpreparedness, ineptness, of the CDC’s initial response to this killer plague that is now upon us! The lack of test kits, and lackadaisical screening of border security points, and transportation hubs is unbelievable ! Trump was right when he told us we needed to clean out The Swamp, but we didn’t listen.....
1
How about telling the public the truth as it is known since it works and is not difficult to keep straight. Lies are hard to remember from one day to another. Trump needs to be voted out in November, or more people will die in the next crisis.
4
I just watched the Surgeon General talking to Jake Tapper on CNN.
I was utterly shocked.
It was like an audition for being Trump's next Health Secretary.
I mean, WOW!
Politicians politicizing the current health crisis that's about to thoroughly test America's (from over here) ridiculously expensive, inefficient and unequal Healthcare system - probably the leading issue in this year's election, after the character of Jerome Adams' boss, the Fake President - is bad enough.
But 'America's chief doctor' Adam's shameless PR for Trump really is the bottom of the barrel.
As a 67-year-old male with a history of heart and lung problems I'm VERY relieved to be confronting the challenge of the pandemic that Adams more or less dismissed, here in crazy communist Europe, with an efficient functioning healthcare system, led by expert doctors, rather than aspiring politicians!
6
"Doctor" Donald is obviously incapable of making nothing short of "perfect" decisions on pandemics. Just nobody physically touch him or cough within a 50 mile radius of his greatness.
They say that how one reacts in a crisis is the real test of leadership. America and the world is watching the epitome of the most perfect incompetence unfold in real time, not the carefully edited content to maximize ratings of a reality television show. Unable to use his standard go-to safety net deflection of current stock market performance, circus performer Donald Trump is staring down at the erupting volcano of Coronavirus before he tentatively steps onto the tightrope as the boos drown out the cheers. Where is that unflabbable Congressional Republican cheerleading squad now?
5
People are saying they do not trust what the Trump administration is telling us about the coronavirus? Can we trust what China is telling us about their coronavirus numbers? They were not forthcoming when it started in December. They would not listen to the experts and the reason it has spread to over 90 countries. I trust America more than I do communist China. They have a very bad record on human rights abuses.
What bothers me most of all is that Trump is playing golf this weekend at one of his courses in Florida. Would any current world leader be so brazen and clueless at a time like this? Reminds me of Emperor Nero playing the harp while Rome burned.
6
and we are supposed to believe this same administration is capable of negotiating a "peace" deal with the Taliban, responding to the economic consequence of the coronavirus and a dozen other complex issues with many many moving parts?
The Republican's solution to simplify everything—create a monarchy.
2
On Friday Trump also said something to the effect that the testing would quickly be almost perfect, just like his perfect phone call to the Ukrainian Prime Minister (that got him impeached).
We are in serious trouble, folks.
6
Donald Trump and his supporters are the real enemies of America. No real president vilifies members of the opposition party or Americans who aren’t part of a personality cult, especially during a public health crisis.
7
Covfefe-19
The Trump administration is acting with more concern for protecting the ego of the Tweeter-in-chief than actually protecting the country from this contagion.
The utter silence re the implications of the ~24-day incubation period for this coronavirus is hiding from the public the magnitude of the invisible uncounted exposed-carrying-infectious persons in our communities and environment. We have no idea how widespread is this virus any more than we can see the mass of an iceberg underwater.
3
Maybe he should take a hint from the Pope and start doing his rallies online? Oh, sorry, he would not know how few people would be fawning before their computer screens as he lavishes his greatness about himself into a camera.
2
So I get it that Oakland is a sanctuary city. Is this why the cruise ship is being docked there? The city is also overwhelmingly diverse with African Americans as majority. I'm just thinking this is not random.
3
How about Trump and his phoney experts telling the American people the truth? How about Trump and his false front yappers who think that because they went to a doctor once, stop acting like they graduated from medical school? How about Trump and Pence take the restraints and iron grip off the information the CDC, DHS and other response groups are allowed to release to the public? How about Trump stop putting his image first and put the American people first? How about Trump stop lying to us. Trump’s lies are catching up with him and to him that is the real PR disaster. We are now seeing how Trump operated his businesses and why his deception caused banks to not financially back him. The chaos in this administration totally comes back to Trump and what he views as important. We need someone who cares about what the American people are experiencing more than he cares about himself. Make America Come First Again.
5
And we just now learned that the WH overrode CDC’s recommendation that those over 60 or those with chronic conditions avoid all nonessential air travel. Dr. Fauci stated on TV today that this was something under consideration. Meanwhile, Italy’s death toll went from 233 yesterday to 366 today. We know that testing in the US has been woefully inadequate - Seattle Times article today stated actual infection rate is probably 10x more than confirmed rate. There is no information on WHO or CDC websites as to the scope and accuracy of testing and reporting in almost all other countries outside of China and South Korea. Those of us in the at-risk group who months ago booked foreign travel are completely without any sound data or guidance from our government. The airlines (who will be bailed out at taxpayer expense) won’t consider refunds for tickets booked before 3/1/2020 to any country without a level 3 advisory. We the people will have to bear our financial losses or risk our lives, health or a miserable quarantine. This is Russian roulette. Never thought the USA could sink to such mediocrity. There is no leadership, only censorship. Shame on you all in the Trump administration, just a bunch of liars and cowards. The economy will eventually recover, so will our 401(k)s, but death is forever.
8
Dear NYT,
Please investigate the reasons for the test kit delays and shortages. This is such a fundamental need that had an easy solution yet is still a massive failure. Right now, CDC or NIH is the media's bad guy because they released a defective kit, and released it late. That is a minor error compared to the big ones. There are many leads and avenues for investigation:
Who decided not to use the WHO test kits and why?
Why did the CDC decide to reinvent the wheel and design its own test kits?
Did someone (Azar, former head of US operations of pharma giant Lilly) see an opportunity for US companies to make more money from the crisis by making their own test kits instead of the WHO kits?
Was testing delayed and/or manufacturing restricted because Trump didn't want the true numbers of infected to be known?
A comparison with the South Korea response on testing (overnight ramp-up of manufacturing to produce hundreds of thousands of kits, and currently tens of thousands of tests done every day) might also be useful.
6
The NYT's photographers have done an exceptional job of finding people wearing masks. In the past week, I have seen 3 or 4 masks out of tens of thousands of people. I have even been to 2 different hospitals in that time.
2
A good rule of thumb is that people are pretty smart and should be treated accordingly.
Trump's personal mantra—
"It's good to be the King!"
A personal mantra is a positive phrase or affirmative statement that you say to yourself for the purpose of motivation or encouragement.
1
As a resort and hotel operator, Trump would naturally seek to minimize the threat of a contagion like this. He has made no secret that he remains in the "hospitality" business as president. He insisted that the G7 summit be held at his hotel Mar a Lago at taxpayer expense. He hires undocumented workers while deploring their existence. He quarters troops and government officials at his hotel in Scotland at taxpayer expense. His frequent golf outings are paid for by taxpayers. And he receives bribes from foreign princes and trans-national corporations at his hotel in Washington. Yes, by all means, go to work with Caronavirus, especially if you work at a Trump Hotel!
5
How about just telling the whole unvarnished TRUTH for a change? I know this is a novel approach for this administration and this President, neither of whom have a glancing knowledge of the truth. They lie as easily as they breathe. Then to top it off, if you are a sentient, thinking, knowledgeable human being, you know that what Trump is saying is a LIE and it makes no sense.
You also know that whatever his minions are saying is a lie. The ONLY people who might be telling the truth are the DOCTORS, yet there is a little voice in the back of your head saying, "listen, but verify", because these guys shouldn't be working for a guy who has purged the government of its scientists and those who were in place to identify and solve virus pandemic situations. Instead he puts the politicians in charge of the messaging, and they can't be believed.
Trump does everything through the lens of politics, and what he thinks is good for him and his re-election, and that is the only thing he cares about. He doesn't care about the American people and how many are sickened or die, except on how, or if, it makes him look bad. It is all about him and the markets. So no, don't ever expect the truth out of these guys, because you won't get it, because they don't have a clue about how to tell the truth. That is the pathetic legacy of the Trump administration, one built on a foundation of lies from the very first day and the lies about his crowd size.
2
Donald Trump lacks the ability to truly serve the American people in a crisis. He has been unable to use the world class resources at his disposal to coordinate a plan and communicate all the relevant facts. He is highly effective at tearing down existing laws and making statements that divide the country. But the Corona virus has him completely out of his element. Putting Mike Pence in charge was a great move. What a welcome change his regular and rational communications are from Trump's self serving nonsense. Unfortunately his greatest strengths are irrelevant for this part of the job and his greatest weaknesses are a liability for dealing with a massive public health crisis.
1
When so many industries are being affected by a virus and the administration is doing everything possible to control it seems that the market going down is not the administration fault. So who do you think would do a better job of either one of the incompetent democrats running against Trump. That's right neither one of them.
Is it too much to ask for testing kits? Every other place in the world seems to have done a better job than us? Why?
1
From another NY Times article today:
"[Dr. Fauci]oversees a 2020 budget of $4.75 billion, which is $769 million less than last year’s after being cut by the Trump administration."
How dare Trump and his clan tell us that liberals are "politicizing" this epidemic? They have absolutely politicized every defense we had against it, but now they don't want to "point fingers". If we don't learn from mistakes, we make them again. And again. And again.
"Smaller government" comes with consequences. But those responsible don't want any blame.
5
What to tell the public?
The truth, for starters.
3
Hospitals and medical facilities will never be given the proper amount of test kits because trump does not want americans to know how many people are infected. He wants to just be able to make up a number every day. He wants to continue to claim it will go away "like magic". trump lies and lies. Will we ever get away from trump? I pray for the USA and I miss President Obama.
5
"Inside Trump Administration, Debates Raged Over What to Tell Public"
It seems the truth is always the last option for Trump and his toadies. No wonder American banks rejected him decades ago and he's had to operate under the radar through Deutsche bank to collect his laundered rubles.
The stakes are even higher this time... Real American lives are being destroyed with his incompetence and lies.
We must vote Trump and every last one of his enablers out in November, Folks. Then we can pass laws that require ten years of unredacted tax returns for all presidential candidates, and also provide a way for Congress to enforce subpoenas for testimony and documents.
With those two changes to the law, we'd have been rid of this dangerous scourge long ago.
6
So monopoly power on violence also believes it gets to know things that it won't disclose to the people who are supposed to be the government. Typical that sheep continue to think it acceptable that government tell you what you get to do and know.
Trump attempting to cover-up the COVID-19 reality in the United States - what a surprise. One of his obvious motives is simply to be re-elected and keep his presidential powers, but I wonder if his true top priority motive is the fear of what will happen to him once he is no longer president and open to potential prosecution. I have to believe that even as narcissistic as he is, he is somewhat aware of many of his criminal behaviours that can very well come back to haunt him.
3
The uncontrollable Corona Virus onslaught in the United States is a secondary infection spun off from the devastating effects of a more dangerous, weaponized virus, created by the Electoral College system in 2016.
4
A real estate developer leading a world disease out break. What could go wrong?
5
Republican leadership are mocking American's concerns over a deadly pandemic. They are telling people to go to work, they are telling the elderly it's ok to fly in an airplane, to not stay home, to make sure we all spend money and keep the stock market pumping out profits for the rich.
You are being lied to, cheated and tricked by the Republican party on every level. Just remember that when you vote.
6
They could just tell us the truth, but there's no precedent for it in this administration.
5
Each day this administration proves it’s more incompetent than we could have possibly imagined.
4
Pence's speech is a departure from the guidelines the CDC posted to their website on Friday, which told older adults and those with serious medical conditions such as a heart, lung or kidney disease – rather than just the elderly with a serious health condition – to "stay home as much as possible" and "take actions to reduce your risk of exposure."
Last week, Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of tropical medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, warned lawmakers not to downplay or minimize how severe the coronavirus risk is for vulnerable Americans. Speaking at a congressional hearing, Hotez explained that the coronavirus “is like the angel of death for older individuals,” AP reported.
According to Vanderblit University infectious diseases expert Dr. William Schaffner, “The clear message to people who fit into those categories is: ‘You ought to become a semi-hermit. You’ve got to really get serious in your personal life about social distancing, and in particular avoiding crowds of any kind,’” according to AP.
6
NYT - since you only printed snippets of trump’s ramblings at the CDC on Friday I have copied them here. His taint has almost completely smothered every government agency to the point that what little faith one had in anything is practically obliterated.
“If there’s a doctor that wants a test, if there’s somebody coming off a ship like the big monster ship that’s out there right now, which, you know, again, that’s a big decision. Do I want to bring all those people off? People would like me to do that. I don’t like the idea of doing that.
I like the numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault. They would like to quarantine people. Now when they do that our numbers are going to go up. The tests are all perfect, like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. This is not as perfect as that, but pretty good.
I like this stuff. You know my uncle was a great person. He was at MIT. He taught at MIT for, I think, like, a record number of years. He was a great supergenius, Dr. John Trump.
I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”
4
@Agent 99
Watch and cry
https://www.c-span.org/video/?470138-1/cdc-send-million-coronavirus-testing-kits-week
1
As you're hunched over the toilet, driving the porcelain bus, remember this next November: The Trump's moto is "Too little too late"... Then they will say, "Let's blame it on Obama". This administration will go down in history as the most corrupt, inept, uncaring group of morons ever assembled.
3
“Clear, honest communication is also crucial,“
Maybe it is best if Trump is quarantined on one of his golf courses as he is neither clear or honest.
2
A good way to cause panic is to constantly tell people not to panic, when you are clearly panicking yourself.
Remember calm, wise leadership?
1
I want the NYTimes to include links such as these.
-- A two-page summary of the history of CDC funding from 2017 to present.
https://www.cdc.gov/…/docum…/fy2019/fy-2019-detail-table.pdf
-- A justification of changes (increases and decreases) to various CDC programs summarized in the above two-page summary.
https://www.cdc.gov/…/fy-2019-cdc-congressional-justificati…
From page 177 of the second document:
"CDC’s FY 2019 request of $268,000,000 for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Public Health Informatics is $17,050,983 below the FY 2018 Annualized CR level. This request includes a programmatic realignment of $8,000,000 for Laboratory Safety and Quality activities, previously allocated to the Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases account. The FY 2019 request carries forward the proposed reduction in All Other Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Informatics from the FY 2018 President’s Budget request.
At the requested level, CDC will:
• Support core public health surveillance activities.
• Provide limited surge capacity during public health emergencies. Surge capacity allows CDC to gather rapidly surveillance data to monitor disease trends, identify emerging threats, and share new scientific information in response to emerging public health threats like Zika.
3
@history buff
Corrected link for the main website. All documents are there:
https://www.cdc.gov/budget/fy2019/congressional-justification.html
1
Seems like watching this unfold it should be clear to most there is more panic/fear in not knowing what we do not know. Trump is probably trying to reassure the market but given what is happening in much of the world and his overall track record the result is going to be more irrational fear, not less. It's unfortunate that the government did not prepare for this. Personally I would love to see 3-5% of areas of certain major cities tested (voluntarily of course) to see what is really going on. For example, test 5% of a large government building I work in where people travel in from all the suburbs to work. This could be extrapolated out to a larger area and also indicate where more focused attention or restrictions might be in place. How long is it before people start not going out to dinner or the movies and spending money because of what is not known? My guess it is happening to some degree already.
2
On twitter -
@realDonaldTrump at Mar-a-Lago tonight:
“I’m not concerned at all,” the president said when asked about Coronavirus getting closer to White House.
“We’ll hold tremendous rallies,” he said — rallies will continue.
Via pooler @Emilylgoodin
Well, this may serve as a real life experiment in natural selection for all those who always question evolution.
16
@Yuri Vizitei:
Not only is POTUS a liar, he's a blowhard too. I really wonder if rallies will continue.
Thanks Republicans...
2
@Yuri Vizitei
Trump and Bolsonaro living it up at Mar-a-Lago. Both duping and betraying all of the evangelicals.
2
Here is the Main Lesson: Voting for Republicans means Voting for useless, unnecessary Deaths and suffering. It’s inevitable, eventually.
Wake up.
9
This president has no regard for what the truth is. He has proven that he regards propaganda containing a mixture of a little truth in all his lies works for him the same way as when he managed casinos and golf courses. Bad Landlord.
7
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I am left with this image:
A photo of Trump at the CDC wearing one of his absurd red hats emblazoned with the writing: KEEP AMERICA GREAT. Underneath the absurd red hat is the bewildered expression on Trump's face.
Who but Trump would think about wearing an absurd red campaign hat during a serious and somber meeting with scientists dealing with a deadly virus spreading in the U.S.
15
Inept! But we should have already known this about trump/pence and this administration going on 3 years. Azar, inept too.
So the public will have to rely on the CDC, NIH and all of the medical personal on the front lines to keep our population safe and calm going forward.
Please follow the CDC guidelines for protecting yourself, family and community.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds, stop touching your face, and clean your mobile devices. If you are sick, please stay home. These are all of the common sense things that should be done during flu season and now with COVID-19.
Now we are about to dock a cruise ship in Oakland with 3500 passengers that already has passengers and crew aboard with the virus. Same issue as the ship in Japan.
Vote in November!
3
The Trump administration is all about lying. I would not believe anything they said without checking it out.
7
How about the truth for a change?
5
Has Trump ever made a speech that was not 95% about himself and how wonderful he is?
He apparently got mad at Mick Mulvaney because Mulvaney wanted to talk about the coronavirus instead of how he'd cost Trump political capital by banning e-cigarettes.
8
Every single issue the president has been involved with has been a disaster. He is without question the most selfish POTUS we've had in my 60+ years on this planet. The good news is people now understand he is a walking signpost of deceit and act appropriately from there.
5
These are the lies that will catch up to Trump. Tragic.
4
There should be no debate.
There should only be the truth.
3
I can't wait for the election. The Dems sweep the whole thing - Presidency, Senate and House. And then they get busy making sure that Trumpism cannot happen again: for one, they pass laws that make it illegal for the President to opine about subjects on which someone else is better qualified to speak. And they pass laws demanding that the President only speak truth when speaking to the people. There are hundreds of other issues. He is getting scarier and scarier. I hope the Defense Dept. is making plans on how to escort him out of the WH if he won't go. I can't wait.
7
The scariest part of this story is the revelation that Kellyanne Conway offers her opinion on matters of health and safety. We are all doomed!
6
What's up with this? Climate change denying Evangelical dupers seem to be up to nothing good at one of the worst times in world history.
"With the number of covid-19 cases in the United States having risen above three hundred, and the number of cases around the world now topping a hundred thousand, Donald Trump is spending the weekend hosting Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing President of Brazil, at his private beach resort in Florida."
John Cassidy - The New Yorker
Mar. 2 2020
6
@KA
Excuse the typo above. The article date is Mar. 7 2020
The more accurate headline would read: "Inside Trump Administration Debate Raged ov Over Which Lie To Tell The Public."
8
Since Republicans don’t believe coronavirus exists, there are some great deals on cruises. Bon voyage!
5
How about including a link to video of his CDC press conference? The sheer self-aggrandizing incompetence of Trump's COVID performance is stunning and not effectively conveyed in this piece. When every gaffe, 30-year old vote and minor transgression of every other candidate gets exhaustive coverage, why can't more be done to show American voters exactly who their president is?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAb8MAEE4FY
4
It is simple: just calmly tell us the TRUTH.
2
So now it is being reported that Trump/Pence blocked the CDC last week from warning seniors and immune compromised Americans about the dangers of flying and cruise ships/large gatherings??
This is pure insanity. This administration is utterly disgraceful.
11
PLEASE! Get everyone in this Republican administration AWAY from the microphone and let the people of science and medicine speak. Again, PLEASE!
7
Trump and his administration have been 100% totally lacking. It is absolutely time to change the president and to change the administration that takes care of us Americans. This one is surely not working in our favor. I'm quite frankly. We are foolish to follow this Administration.
2
Trump the pathological liar and narcissist cannot be trusted or believed. As the chief executive for our government, this crisis is his to manage.
I have no confidence the Trump administration has any idea what they are doing. We didn’t do enough testing in the early stages or prepare healthcare workers from what I have read. Trump is whistling through the graveyard.
I can only hope that most Americans will take precautions to keep away from the public as much as possible. Will that be enough? It remains to be seen.
2
You tell the public the truth, something that is totally foreign to trump.
2
From the vaunted I-4 Corridor, the most valuable political real estate in Florida:
Tomorrow, 3/9, Trump is coming to an adjacent neighborhood for a fundraiser in some millionaire's private home. A luncheon, supposedly. On Next Door, your friendly neighborhood app, over a hundred residents are organizing to either attend or line the streets, lots of MAGA and KAGA chanting, lots of "8 more years!" and "I'm proud to be an American." A couple of naysayers have posted as well, but they're swatted down quickly.
They must be binge-watching Fox News...or something. The majority are older residents uniquely at risk for COVID-19, but they think things are hunky-dory.
Meanwhile, the FL Dept. of Health "COVID-19 Toolkit" cannot even spell "respiratory." They have it as "Respatory."
http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/covid19-toolkit.html
As of today: 19 Positive Cases; 2 Deaths; Pending (for days) 108 people. No tests = No cases = MAGA
3
It's a shame the wheels of government don't work like this for climate change. I know, I know, the response is incompetence and lies. Still, better than just lies...
Kellyanne was asked her opinion about our national healthcare when faced with a pandemic? Do you need to know more?
4
Please pray for those on the front lines of hospital emergency rooms. My adult “child” is there every day. Thank you.
6
The Administration need to share with America the truth on a set numbers and facts out , daily on Coronavirus issues . The well known Public Health experts and professionals only with credibility in this field , speak and have Q & A sessions on electronic and print Media . What do you think ?
1
Withholding critical information from us is as bad as lying; Catholics call it the sin of lying by omission- liars like Larry Kudlow endanger us by saying we should go to work if we are infected; Trump disputes all the medical science and then lies by saying doctors are amazed at his knowledge; CDC is being stifled; Pence is clueless. McConnell sure is quiet isn’t he? Zero leadership from the Trump Administration while our risk of dying increases every day
3
When are decent Republicans going to learn that you cannot trust or rely on a man who has no integrity and constantly lies. What do they think they are doing by support this insane man?
2
It was either MSNBC or CNN that wondered if President Trump was going to cancel any upcoming rallies. Bernie Sanders is holding a rally tomorrow in Michigan and no one has questioned his canceling of this rally due to the coronavirus. His rallies are attended by thousands too. A bit of political bias don’t you think. The liberal media hates President Trump and makes no secret of this. Fake news anyone.
@KMW
I know you're working overtime to express rousing support for Trump - but in this case, there have been articles raising the same issue for Sanders. Not fake.
1
Never occurred to Trump to just tell the truth.
The newest fear to develop ... a knock at the door.
You fearfully open the door but it's not the cops.
It's a half a dozen aliens in Tyvek jumpsuits warning you not to open your storm door to them.
"Where were you on the afternoon of February 21st?"
"Were you at this strip club, at this big box store or at this dentist's office?"
"But sir, your sales receipts say otherwise."
instead of promoting fear the NYT should be featuring the latest thinking from the experts e.g. if you have the symptoms get checked for the flu before waiting for a coronavirus test
1
Trump is pushing the virus help on States and not helping them. This is hurting the coastal Blue States as they have the most populous, diverse and rich travelers. And they are claiming it's because "liberals" are lousy leaders. Trump and his administration are awful and very dangerous.
4
Trust Doctors NOT Spin Doctors!
2
Of course the White House is concerned about uncontrolled panic. Just like any other administration facing unparalleled threats.
But thanks to the media, threats always get blown way out of proportion. After all they need to keep those clicks coming to drive up ad revenue.
Look at 9/11. Sure it was a terrible event. But nothing that was even close to toppling this Republic. Several buildings damaged or destroyed. Few thousand dead.
I'm sure the American death toll to COVID-19 will exceed the death toll for 9/11. It's not a disease that can be eradicated like small pox. But considering the current global death toll to be something like 3400, out of 7.5 billion, that's 0.000044736842105% it's not a threat in the scheme of things. So it's obvious the real damage is caused by panic, largely fueled by the media, which is far more destructive. Especially domestically. MSM is desperate to do anything to paint the current administration black. No matter how low handed it might be.
@Mark
Mark, love your perspective. 9/11...just a few buildings damaged or destroyed and a few thousand dead, no big deal.
I would suggest that the POTUS and his administration are the ones causing the panic. They stumble over each other with conflicting stories almost daily. Factor in that no one believes anything Trump says to begin with which is part of the problem and when the public hears him say it's all a hoax, that sends the message he's totally clueless. Not to mention brow beating the Feds to cut rates in an emergency session which further added panic to the markets.
2
And this morning on one of the yak yak shows the administration trotted out Ben Carson to inform the public. I heard words but nothing that made sense. To be fair to Ben, maybe he drew the short straw.
2
It's disgusting that no matter what the issue is, it's all about Trump and what people think of Trump... I want the numbers where they are - sorry, but it's spreading domestically. Keeping sick people who may need treatment cooped up on a cruise ship, potentially infecting everyone else there because you don't want the numbers of sick here to rise is the epitome of narcissism.
2
The truth and how to take care.... simple!
1
The president will be reelected.... Get used to it. The two year collusion hoax shows the liberals have no plans, no proven and no ethics.
What I wonder about is how Gorsuch, Thomas, and Kavanaugh feel about our "king" and what he has "accomplished".
2
If you don't know what a "kakistocracy" is, now would be a good time to look it up. Our Pumpkinführer is a serious threat to all living things on this planet, with the exception of a handful of despotic dictators.
2
Here we have Trump for whom everything is about him trying to suppress information about Covid-19 because he thinks that every time a new case is reported it reflects badly on him personally.
Well, of course that is somewhat true, because he destroyed America's preparedness, but instead of trying to get the best possible information out to the public, he continues to put idiots in charge of messaging who will reliably do nothing to "make him look bad." And there you have it, the whole approach to this crisis is to make sure Trump's electability is not damaged. He thinks the health crisis is a political crisis.
This is the most venal, irresponsible official we have ever "elected" (with a 3 million vote deficit). His selfishness and dishonesty is putting us all in danger.
4
Politics over People.
If Americans have not figure it out yet, the WH is all about
the next election and who cares about a few deaths anyway.
1
I worry most right now about our lack of personal protective equipment for healthcare providers, particularly nurses. We used to have a ready stockpile on hand. No more. How's "taking down the deep state" working now? Sadly we have a very vocal imbecile in the White House painting an everything is fine narrative, worried most about his ego and reelection.
4
I miss Obama's managerial competence.
6
A useless president. Don't listen to anything he says.
Fox News and other right-wing propaganda machines: This isn't funny, this is serious business. People are dying. Stop with your irresponsible actions.
4
Reality check homeless are doomed million people homeless in nyc
2
We can't place all the blame on trump and the republicans. After all, They all have been busy starting up the Biden investigation again for the orange one.
Russia...if you're listening ????
1
Trumpty’s ONLY concern is how the stock market fairs through all of this. If you think he gives one whit about people dying, I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.
I think he should get out there & have a lot more rallies!
7
@C. Pierson
I heard he was seen vigorously scrubbing his hands at the CPAC conference.
But, hey, it's all a hoax, right/
2
What happened with the cruise ship?
Did Trump have his stooges look up the American passengers voter registrations and then make a decision to let it dock?
"Ooooh....look...there are 1000 Republicans on board...I guess we gotta let them off.....the crew.?..nah, furriners, the rest, quarantine in hot,desert conditions until after the primaries..."
I am dead serious.
Test requirements for coronavirus:
1. Take patient's name and test, but delay results.
2)Look up registration to vote.
3) Apply ( or with-hold or delay "treatment" or hospitalization.)
4) "You go there, you go thru that door to the street."
Did the lackeys working at Maralagoid all get tested before His Mononess arrived?
4
@Ignatz
I am convinced that part of Trump's lackadaisical response was becaue the early cases were all in blue states. It wasn't until Florida got a death that he started "working" on it.
1
Wonder when we’re going to get a president who actually knows what he’s doing, because this one is a nincompoop.
6
Does Trump think we, the American public, haven't noticed the coronavirus spreading around the world?
If so, Trump is even more stupid than we thought.
6
Quoted from your article: "But from Mr. Trump’s first comments on the virus in January to rambling remarks at the C.D.C...."
Is it safe to say that "rambling" is the obsequious understatement of the year so far? No doubt he will top it soon. His comments were vile, almost sociopathic, and it would be very helpful for a news outlet of NYT's caliber to begin to say so clearly and unequivocally. In fact, it's become essential. Here's a link to that sickening conference: https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1236054778318393344
Come on, NYT.
7
Never forget that Trump is a germaphobe. Maybe he believes that he can get covid19 if he thinks about it too much.
5
Someone should tell the White House about the small organisms that cause diseases. You know: germs...
They'll never believe it, tho...
5
@thinkLikeMe
Trump incredulously repeated several times at his first COVID-19 news conference that "people die of the flu." "Did you know that? People die of the flu every year."
Shocking news, your stable geniusness.
2
It’s all about how the numbers look. The ‘optics’. It’s yet another example, a sad and frightening one at that, of how far this administration will go to make itself look good. Facts be damned.
5
When one studies the history of authoritarian governments, one often learns that hiding the truth from the citizenry about a crisis and faking numbers is the best way to appear strong in the face of adversity. Stalin and Hitler were very good at this....even though they did not have Faux News, Facebook and Twitter for a megaphone.
This POTUS should be held accountable for his lies, his inaction, ineptitude and dangerous tweets when it comes to governing, making decisions and informing the public. We know that Faux News reports for an audience of one, his Majesty Strumpet the first himself. Some of his supporters don't even believe that the Coronavirus is in the US ( maybe the Wall prevents it from coming in, who knows...). The CDC cannot agree with what he says because he is so clueless, but they don't dare contradict him.
As a citizen, I want to know more from the CDC and the Medical Community, not from this POTUS. All he does is twist and lie.
In case of a crisis such as this COVID-19 he does not even ask the experts what he should say because for him his truth is not the same as ours. His truth is all about numbers and politics. He even blames President Obama for this crisis and of course the Democrats.... can we please get rid of this moron?
6
When you have an idiot in charge of the country, this is what happens.
6
More anti-Trump garbage from the NYT. There is no more that he and his administration can do than has already been done and is being done to combat this virus. Remember, when this first became a concern (in China) and President Trump restricted travel from China to the US, it was the |Democrats that accused him of being racist and continued with their quack Impeachment prosecution, instead of assisting the WH administration in early combat of this vile virus.
@TORQUEMADA
Why has Cambodia tested exponentially more people than the United States? South Korea is in the tens of thousands already on testing.
Last I heard, 1500 tests have been run in the U.S. so far. And not all of those have made it through our woefully-underfunded labs yet.
3
I say go for it trump supporters.
I mean let it all out.
You have an impeached president playing endless games of golf during a pandemic. You are just fine with this I'm sure. Every time you go out to your job? You are paying for his golf. Be cool with it...again...give it all you got.
Go ahead and drink up what he's pouring.
He knows everything. I won't stop you from believing that.
But remember, there are more of us who aren't in favor of your fuhrer.
You have until November.
We can still be cool right?
Will we accept your apology?
Probably not.
4
How far to go in telling the truth to the american people?
Wow, that’s a hard one Alex, but I’ll try the part from the oath when testifying, what is:
“the whole truth and nothing but the truth’**
**N. B., Does not apply to anyone in the trump administration.
3
The CDC Website expressly states that travelers returning from Italy should self distance themselves. BUT the customs and TSA and Airline staff are not even mentioning this directive to returning people. UConn asked all its returning students to self distance. I know of a senior aged woman who returned from Italy 3 days ago to her senior living community here in Santa Cruz who did not self isolate until today when her adult son insisted she follow the directive. Meanwhile, the Santa Cruz public health authorities are not tracking people returning to our community from cruise ships or Italy or Japan etc. This refusal to get active with containment is criminal.
8
@JohannaB
Everyone at the federal level is afraid of making our Toddler in Chief angry.
Meanwhile, every level of public health has been starved for funding for decades. "Smaller government" has conseqences, and unfortunately we're about to get an up-close and personal look at some of them.
2
There they go again. It's all the usual machinations over Trump's words while ignoring his swift and focused actions.
By the end of January, Trump had declared an emergency and cut off some travel from China. He just signed a $3.8B bill to fight the virus without blinking an eye.
This is just the usual jabbering that accompanies his actions. They are what rational people focus on, and they are demonstrating a very rapid response, which is exactly what is needed.
2
@AACNY
Do you realize that as of the end of last week our country is still unable to test even the people who are returning from visits to China and Italy or who have close contacts with confirmed COVID-19 cases?
Cambodia has tested far more people than America.
2
it seems inconceivable that the United States of America would not have a backlog of viral test kits, and would then refuse the offer of a shipment of kits.
One has to wonder if President Donald Trump decided the numbers of infected people would appear smaller and the stock market would continue to grow, if we simply didn't test people.
1837
@Patriot A backlog of test kits? With all due respect, the test kit has to be specific for this particular virus. It does take time to create, produce and distribute. An intial supply of kits had to be recalled as several state labs were having problems validating the kits (ie running tests on know positive and negative samples to determine that the kits are 1. good and 2. the lab techs are properly trained on this particular kit (this isn't really hard as it generally would be similar methods to other viral kits; but I dont know if there were specific "wrinkles" to this kit)
60
That’s what a business man would do vs. a politician who cares about their constituents.
89
@Patriot. agreed. We should have been able to ramp up production of test kits at least as quickly as South Korea, i.e., by early February. Like South Korea, we should be testing tens of thousands of people each day, including everyone hospitalized with severe pneumonia.
Instead our government limited test production to the CDC and imposed irrational restrictions on who could be tested. For example, nurses treating COVID19 patients in Northern California were refused testing by the CDC because they had worn protective gear, which is not always foolproof. So those nurses returned to the community without testing.
With aggressive testing and quarantine, we could have bought ourselves some time. Instead I suspect the virus is circulating widely in most states, but we just don't know.
COVID19 is more contagious than the seasonal flu. The virus is tougher, surviving on surfaces for days unless those surfaces are cleaned. And COVID19 is several times more deadly than seasonal flu (3.4 percent mortality), For those over 70 or those with other serious conditions (cancer, respiratory ailments, etc.) the mortality rate is 10 to 15 percent.
159
These are most unusual times. I don't feel right not being able to carefully diagnose and treat my patients. I believe that I am seeing possible Coronavirus patients in our Pediatric Urgent Care. I think that since the government is restricting us physicians from testing our patients for Coronavirus, the prudent thing to do to protect them is to do your best to diagnose them-fever, cough, possibly diarrhea, and possibly some signs of pneumonia, and Influenza rapid test negative. Treat them as needed and explain to them that we are not able to test for Coronavirus. For their safety, tell them we do not know if they have Coronavirus but that it is best to stay at home until well. Comfort them with good instructions for their care and for when to seek further medical attention. If they are worse in any way, have them try to call before coming in and if they need medical care, they should wear a mask in all medical settings.
109
@Maria Saavedra - If you are seeing a pediatric case, wouldn't these be the first in the world? The youngest case that I am aware of is that of a local teenager and I wouldn't think you would see too many of those in your clinic.
2
@Maria Saavedra
"I think that since the government is restricting us physicians from testing our patients for Coronavirus"
.
Do you have a link to back up that accusation? Because that's the first I've heard of this and find it hard to believe. In fact, it has been widely reported that the CDC is racing to get these test kits out.
.
If you're a doctor, you should take extra care with your words. First, do no harm.
3
@West Coaster
The test kits are limited in the U.S. Patients including nurses asking to be tested were being told they “don’t meet the criteria” which was initially limited to people who’d been in China. This means they have been restricted in who they can test.
The CDC is racing because their pandemic team was cut in 2018, they started late on this effort, didn’t use WHO information, bungled the first test sets and only now are racing along with other labs to get test kits produced.
Do some more reading. Read about South Korea’s test kit use etc.
3
The disconnected and disorganized US government response to the coronavirus outbreak will be studied by historians, economists, health experts and others in several years. The results will likely be several books and monographs documenting the inability of the USG, despite high-tech communications connectivity (email, instant global communications, etc.), to organize itself properly in a centralized fashion to deal with a real or imagined health emergency.
Ideally, the head of the national security council should have convened in late December 2019 what is called a "deputies committee" meeting of senior representatives from State, HHS, CIA, CDC, Transportation, Commerce, and any other cabinet agencies that conceivably might have had a role to play in developing a USG strategy to address all aspects of the "crisis." All aspects includes the production of testing kits and preparations for handling US citizens overseas to development of an information strategy that would be put in place uniformly throughout the government's vast bureaucracy.
It is unfair to pin this real or imagined "crisis" on Mr. Trump or Mr. Pence. The US government is staffed with thousands of experienced career civil servants who make it their business to prepare for precisely this sort of situation.
I place the blame for the failure to get organized at the feet of the head of the NSC.
7
@David H Is not at least part of the problem the incontrovertible fact that trump has eviscerated any number of professional panels of experienced and highly qualified experts who could/would have been able to mount a responsible response? How did disbanding these groups affect the response? The dismantling of expert groups (the Deep State?) may, possibly, not have been a good idea. But blame the NSC if you need to.
41
@David H
But DT has all the best people advising him!
@David H There was a lot of talk about "you cannot believe what the Chinese tell you about..."
Funny that no one with one ounce of brain is ever going to believe ANYTHING that trump sais. None of it! Not even the ones that claim they do. They are just willful enablers! But that game of his and total loss of credebility is costing the country lives. On many fronts! And the buck stops at the door of the WH! Lots of people will be standing there knocking. Remember November!
I live in the eastern WA state and work in a small rural hospital. We activated our "Incident Command System" last week, along with all the other hospitals in the state of WA. We are meeting once to twice a day to review new info coming from our local and state public health departments. We still do not have test kits, but are told they should be available soon in limited quantities. In the meantime, the community 35 miles away has at least one case. We are taking a pragmatic approach, with our concern being protecting our staff and our patients. We recognize that we may have issues soon with sterile medical supplies - as those are primarily manufactured & shipped from China. As the pharmacist, I am anticipating drug shortages, as the majority of the raw materials for our drugs come from China and India. I consider myself at low risk of dying from this outbreak, but my 87 & 89 year old parents with underlying health concerns may not if they contract it. My daughter, who lives in Seattle texted me and announced she is now on "dystopian snow days", now working from home, anticipating to do so through the rest of the month.
At this moment I am angry that we have such an inept POTUS that makes everything about himself, trying to rewrite the reality of the situation when I know that much of what he tells the American people is a lie. The response has been botched at the highest levels. He should be held accountable.
1256
@Patriot’s Bane
Excellent comment.
Trump needs to be voted out in November. Whatever is wrong with, and they are legion, will never improve.
Let's cut our losses in November and then be done with him forevermore.
129
@Patriot’s Bane: My mother, a retired nurse with decades of critical care experience, unexpectedly found herself in the emergency department yesterday with another family member. Her assessment? Our health care providers, those who will be on the front lines when this virus truly takes off in the Inited States, are not ready. Not even close.
102
@Patriot’s Bane
And Washington is coping with the largest US outbreak. Gov Inslee dared to say the state needed more federal support, and our president called him a snake. On hearing that, I was stunned but thought it might be a bad rumor so I found the numerous online plays. Another one of countless instances with Mr Trump where you just cannot believe your ears and eyes.
152
This is not about Trump anymore, he is virtually useless. This is about two things now. How people in local government act, From the Governor of the state down to the mayors of local city. Testing is the key, find the people who have it and isolate them and their families in quarantine, and anyone they have had contact with. Right now anybody who feels sick should stay home till they feel better, you can get anything you need from Amazon, or Walmart, BJs, etc, they deliver.
The second thing is not to panic.
Testing is now the key. Either get more test kits or hire thousands of labs to do it. Corona was inevitable, the people who recover, which will be most will create antibodies that protect them from future incursions. If we didn’t have this outbreak, we would have had one eventually.
New York is doing an excellent job, they are being upfront and not hiding anything this is very important.
We will get through this, just be smart.
The President is useless, let him go play golf. The mayor of your city and the governor of your state is what matters now.
748
@Lonnie
100% on the button. America, if you want to protect yourself completely ignore the President. His "hunches" have nothing to do with reality, it is simply election year spin. He does not use data, he simply riffs off the top of his head, He figures that if testing is kept to a minimum the number will stay low,true, and thus the disease isn't there.Classic Trump logic.Remember, according to the leader of our nation just a few weeks ago, that number 1 was going to become zero in just a bit. That idea aged well!
72
@Lonnie
You are assuming that the people who work at the Amazon warehouses, those who produce the things you need, and those who deliver them, will continue to do their jobs as usual, while you stay safely in your home. "Get more test kits" is an odd thing to say when they are not available. Including through Amazon, etc. As for "find the people who have it," you seem not to understand how hard that is to do when we can't test for it. If and when test kits are available, should people present to hospitals for testing? Via the emergency department? Sounds like there is much you haven't thought through before posting your "just be smart" assurances.
46
@Lonnie - It's commonplace to hear "trust the experts" and "the science" but the articles I've read don't really say much about the science. And I'm trying to find reliable articles.
Do you understand the science or how a test kit can isolate one virus from a group of over two hundred corona viruses that are all responsible for the common cold?
The news media are not staffed with expertise. They often borrow each other's material. The various internet news sites are all heavy on attitude.
Panic is the time when people start to act according to blind animal fear. The selfish dictator, bully and coward can run rampant.
I have seen online that anywhere from 35,000 to 80,000 people die each year in this country alone due to one or another of the three flu viruses. The old are warned to get a shot and I do. But most don't worry excessively. It is also obvious that even this virus variant has become politicized and that is itself suspicious.
BTW - who pays for extended quarantines in resort hotels or even in makeshift units? Have you abandoned any hope of autonomy for yourself or others in a blind panic? This disease is a variant of the common cold and that means otherwise mild diseases have become a danger. If this becomes a common threat to daily life, even the healthy won't have much to live for. They could soon abandon any hope of living an orderly life that they can still afford to pay for.
Young people will learn what it is like to be a shut in or even a prisoner.
4
Trump is more worried about the reported numbers of those having the virus than he is on the health and well being of United States citizens. Unfortunately, it appears the numbers are going to increase significantly anyway unless we just do not test significantly.
People could be passing with the virus as a contributing factor but their deaths could be blamed on underlying health conditions, old age, or unknown causes to maintain the illusion of containment.
Keep that stock market up at all costs.
349
@Gary
I am afraid you are correct. Donald is in no hurry to test anyone in this country. How better to keep "the numbers" where he wants them?
29
@Gary
You paint a pretty clear and honest picture, especially with that closing sentence.
At least that's what this spectator from the cheap seats sees.
18
@Gary
Now that Trump knows people actually can die from the flu any death will now be blamed on that.
He's so ignorant he never knew his own grandfather died from the flu. Not surprising though, since he doesn't care about anyone but himself.
21
Returning from a one month stay in Italy on Wednesday, March 4, no one asked where we had been in the country, how long, etc. Based on the news, our family was concerned we wouldn’t be allowed to enter the US. GUESS WHAT? The Customs agent said “feeling ok?” And stamped our passport. That was it! I was shocked and angry, frankly. Something as simple as handing us the CDC protocol—which had just been updated to include self-confinement on Wednesday—was not done. It was on us to be checking the CDC site ourselves. The owner of the B&B in Rome told us that his entire family had been tested. They had no symptoms and were negative. Yet, coming to the US, our doctor told us on Thursday we could not be tested unless we had symptoms. So it is no surprise that the number of infected people will continue to grow. It is a disgrace that even simple steps are not taken to minimize spread.
950
@Catherine The tests are not available as a result of the administration's refusal to use already developed and available WHO kits. How many deaths will this cause and how will Trump blame Obama?
75
Your story is horrifying. I can only imagine what the folks working in the airports feel like. They know the lack of screening is putting everyone at risk. My sister is a TSA inspector. They are pretty concerned but their leadership does nothing.
53
@Catherine
I have no expertise in infectious diseases or disaster planning, but I'll say this anyway. I suspect that what's going on is that TSA has no facilities and no plan to quarantine, feed, and treat those suspected of carrying the virus. In practice, they would have to quarantine everyone who has been in Italy during the last months until they can prove they're not carrying the virus. That's a lot of people quarantined for a long period of time. In addition, no TSA agent or customs agent wants to deal with large numbers of tired, angry travelers who resent being told what to do, especially if it means their freedom of movement is about to be taken away.
24
I don't understand what the fuss is all about. All the problems that the US Government & the Trump administration have been encountering with respect to the Coronavirus --e.g., 12 million respirators when there's a need for 300 million; faulty test kits; unclear, confused leadership, and so on-- could easily be resolved if only everything were privatized. As The Great American Hero Ronald Ray Gun proclaimed, government is the problem. I ask the American people, when, when, when are you going to realize that if McDonald's can hand you a hamburger, a drink, and a fistful of French fires in under four minutes, then the kid in the plastic shirt and cap who earns $9.50/ hr is more effective at delivering what this great country needs than any of those commies at the CDC.
Tell you what: if Uncle Sam had gone through a drive-through at Burger King and ordered those 288 million respirators, we'd have them by now! Down with government!
11
@Joseph E Marsh Jr should see the mess we have in Canada
Yesterday, Kelly-Ann and Kudlow proclaimed on TV that the virus has been contained. How can they say that when they can't even test for it? Test, test and test is the only way to know how far it has spread. I was just at Costco this morning. They are out of the most famous of their products, toilet paper. And no napkins either. But there was a frenzy of people buying bottled water. Literally every shopping cart I saw had the maximum allowed of two 24 bottle packages.
12
This is an example of people used to misrepresenting facts without accountability. They can say anything which they think advances their messages unconcerned about truth.
We should remember the role Main Land China apparently had in the emergence of this crises as we analyze the response to it.
if live stock markets were better regulated would we even have this situation. Had the emergence t been widely communicated rather than hidden, how much lower would the numbers be today.
5
Will the wise and candid Dr. Nancy Messonier be fired or put in jail by trump, or both?
51
@ElleJ
I would like to hear updates from her and Fauci. I would like them to lead the charge and give us their wise knowledgable voices and thoughts and plans - not the bumbling fools we have: Azar, Redfield, Pence, Trump. We are only at the very start of all this and we are failing in every single way, this is not strong seamless public health, it is a comedy of lethal errors.
Anyone who trusts trump’s opinion about anything is foolish.
80
Here's what really galls me, friends. While Rome burns, Nero flew down to Mar-a-Lago at taxpayer expense for a nice golfing weekend.
And the kicker: the only thing he has on his official schedule is a sumptuous dinner with Brazil's President Bolsonaro. He's the guy who opened the gates to the Amazon, allowing it to be burned down. Birds of a feather...
97
No doubt they will be dining on ortolan while the rainforest burns and the elderly die.
"... referring to Ms. Messonnier’s warnings."
She's a doctor. She should be referred to as Dr. Messonnier, especially when she's giving her medical opinions.
99
@KLD
Consult the Associated Press Stylebook.
First instance Dr. Messonnier paragraph two, all instances thereafter Ms.
c.f. President, which becomes Mr. after first instance.
1
Donald John Trump, a spectacularly ignorant and vainglorious man along with his loyalists, use the financial market as the sticker price of human life.
Your article, along with the verbal black Sharpie he uses to contort the facts, is confirmation, "We need a vaccine against Trump."
63
Costco is sold out of toilet paper, so I bought a copy of "The Art of the Deal".
128
@Hugh Briss
The Auzzies figured this one out. Don't know why the NYT doesn't do the same......
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/mar/05/australian-newspaper-prints-extra-pages-to-help-out-in-toilet-paper-shortage
We see what you did there!
@Hugh Briss I did the same thing.
Mike Pence refuses to say he’d take his kids to Disney World while coronavirus is spreading across America.
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/03/mike-pence-refuses-to-say-hed-take-his-kids-to-disney-world-while-coronavirus-is-spreading-across-america/
Disney is in Florida and Florida is a key battleground state for the Trump - Pence less than dynamic and less than truthful duo.
Pence knows if the Republican Governor of Florida declares an emergency and shuts down Disney (as has been done in Singapore and China) .... there goes the Presidential election to Biden.
The NYT should dig more there and they will find out that Disney preparations to prevent a coronavirus spread ARE NOT THERE!
1. They are not telling vulnerable elderly (65+) to stay away.
2. They are out of hand sanitizes
3. Their buffet food lines are wide open to virus spread
4. etc.
45
@Oscar Mayer - from Florida come the likes of Rick Scott, Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio, what's to worry about?
So basically, the GOP is now killing itself literally, not just ethically and politically? The party is full of elderly people and they're not discouraging them from doing things likely to expose them to the virus which is most deadly to elderly people.
@Oscar Mayer
All true. I just posted similar. Thank you.
OK so now we have clear evidence stated by himself that Trump is not only an incompetent Russian tool, a conman who bankrupted casinos and every business he ever touched, but he announces to the world that statistics about people with the virus matter to him more than their health. He is a killer. This is an almost unimaginable end to the American experiment.
52
Moi? It's quite simple in my book. Tell us the truth.
10
Leadership and Trump are incompatible.
29
Shame on anyone who dares vote for him in November. This man is a danger to us all.
53
Donald Trump is unfit to serve as President of the United States. Maybe this pandemic will bring people to their senses and finally understand he has no ability whatsoever to lead this country. The sooner he is out of the Oval Office the better. Utterly useless and a liar to boot. If you want to hear what is really happening with the corona virus, go on line to the World Health Organization where there is one specific section on the site dedicated specifically to the virus with constant updates.
40
I believe based on Trumps past behaviors, I think he had testing delayed thinking this whole thing would have disappeared on its own, hence the number of cases being kept low and take credit for his travel ban from China....stupid virus has no political affiliations......Now we are so far behind in the testing. I being healthy am not worried but am concerned for the elderly as people not knowing they having the virus are are in contact with their loved ones.....
24
Not only Trump is incompetent but so are the people he places in charge. Redfield, the head of CDC, thought HIV was God’s wrath on gays. He acted the stooge at Trump’s visit to CDC on Friday, spending his time adulating Trump rather than explaining why he failed so badly in getting test kits out for testing. Then his grinning and smiling while Trump called the Washington governor a snake told me all I need to know about him.
"His concern? It would increase the tally for the number of people infected in the United States. 'Because I like the numbers being where they are,' the president said."
Nothing new; trump cares more about his popularity than anything, including the deaths of his own constituents. When will his idiotic supporters see through it?
35
@JC
One supporter interviewed said she believes the whole thing is a Dem hoax. How long will that last? After that it will be the Dems unleashed the virus to kill millions as junior claims.
Dump et al they are not humane; are they even human?
Trump is an unequivocally dangerous ignoramus. The sooner he is moved from office, the better. The Republican Senate is 100% (minus half-Romney) complicit in allowing this monstrous creature to continue to run this once-great nation. Whatever happened to my country? Why are these people so willing to engage, so shamelessly, in such unprecedented treachery?
43
The government never tells us the truth, why would it start with the Trump cabal?
5
If you don’t Test, you can’t Confirm. Keep those numbers down.
“ The Test causes the Sickness. That’s why people that get tested go to the Hospital “. - typical Trump supporter.
Seriously.
37
Leadership 101:
1) tell the truth
2) fix the problem
3) don’t worry about what people are thinking about you.
31
Instead of leadership 101 you get:
404 leadership not found.
"Blazing Saddles" writ large, with GoodBrain as our national William J. Le Petomane.
"If we weren't crazy, we'd all go insane." Jimmy Buffet
11
Pathological liar meets pathogen. A lifetime liar meets something he can't lie his way out of. Remember those who have been complicit.
43
You ask a lot of the American public.
And the biggest question for Trump before his CDC visit: to put on his man-girdle or not? He didn't, and it showed. I guess Mulvaney was no longer around to advise him, and Meadows was already on his way to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend, preparing for — wait for it — dinner with fellow autocrat Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil. You can't make this stuff up, as much as Trump insists/lies it's all "fake."
36
They should tell us what Trump always claims, "fake news". Dr.Trump is the only authority on this matter. (the crowd goes wild!!!)
12
Dear America: Your president is guided not by facts but solely by self-aggrandizing thoughts in his own head. Do not listen to him.
19
INSIDE ADMINISTRATION EXPERTS FOUGHT AGAINST WH OFFICIALS PRONE TO LYING TO PUBLIC
13
“Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability.” Donald Trump comment on CDC visit.
God, please help us.
36
Has anyone else noticed but it looks like our dear leader is coming unstuck with the virus. His skin colour in his CDC visit was not his trademark orange and his hair was un-coiffed, one could almost call it a mess.
Possible explanations range from too busy attacking the virus to care about his looks (yeah, right) to, as the germaphobe-in-chief he his for going this hair and make-up "people". I think this says a lot about how we all should be reacting.
13
Trump is taking the authoritarian position. He sees himself as controlling the country. He's a deeply delusional toxic narcissist, what do you expect?
18
I’m truly shocked that this administration would not be prepared for a REAL national emergency...and then lie about it...no one saw this coming...pffft
13
I am waiting for the Democrats to impeach President Trump over the coronavirus. Give them time and they will start impeachment hearings.
@KMW
Trump has already blamed Democrats for the virus. His sheeple lap it up.
1
@KMW
If only.
1
That might be justified, since stable genius Trump has cut the budget for the CDC three times. That’s criminal neglect as experts have been warning that something like this was coming. Lying to the public about the extent of the threat should also be an impeachable offense.
1
Withholding basic info about a pandemic is exactly what creates anxiety and feeds a panic. The White House has gone from mere stupidity to deadly incompetence.
17
I wish we had a president.
39
There has never been a more important time in the history of America, in fact the Universe, for Americans to pray for Ivanka to start a new line of "COVID-19 Forever" protective fashion wear made in China like the rest of the trump crime family's MAGA caps and other cheap garbage. Pray, my fellow Americans. Pray. There is money to be made, and the trump crime family is here to lead the way!
11
12M expired respirator masks vs a need for 300M.
A plane circling the air scrambling to land.
Not listening to scientists.
Trump massaging numbers to his liking as if these were vacancies at Trump Tower.
Coronavirus clowns, what a debacle!
10
I’d feel more reassured if Trump would just shut up and let the experts handle this.
15
Trump is afraid of a legacy where his ineptitude killed the economy, not one where it killed Americans. Unfortunately, Trump's ineptitude means his legacy will be both.
18
@flyfysher
I expect markets to tank again Monday.
And Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.
Then a “correction” come Friday, so the inept fool in the WH can have a good weekend.
Donald has zero credibility - to anyone with an ounce of intelligence it matters not a whit what he says. Those that are less fortunate and believe what he says will suffer the consequences of this virus.
12
Trump wouldn't know the truth if he tripped over it.
18
Wall Street is finally coming to the realization that Traitor Trump is no leader and that no one is in charge. That, and not the coronavirus, is the major cause of the market collapse.
Look at the garbage in his dumpster: Azar, Pompeo, Pence, Mnuchin, Wolf, Esper. The list goes on and on.
18
It's clearly better to let people die on a cruise ship offshore than get them safely ashore, tested and have to account for their "numbers." This is "just trump being trump" as his republican apologists like to say, but what they refuse to disclose is that he is a full-blown sociopath. And apparently, that's exactly what Vladimir Putin and his republican party want in a president. The Republic is rotten to the core.
19
Sick people and medical professionals threaten the president’s ratings? The gall!
16
President donning - no pun intended, campaign cap during CDC visit is down right scary...
15
Apparently the corona-virus mutating with a life of its own. Because the infection rate is not known or how many people already infected the time has come for Donald Trump to do the right thing; get tested himself (if available). Ask Pence.
4
This original “Men in Black” sums up the situation nicely. Edwards is a new recruit; Kay is the mentor.
“Edwards: Why the big secret? People are smart, they can handle it.
“Kay: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the Universe. Five hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow.”
Donald Trump and his downscale appointed surgeon general and head of CDC (not the scientists and experts lower down) think their supporters are quite stupid, and that as long as they are allowed to hate and discriminate openly and freely, no one else’s lives count. They are to lie, steal, cheat in ways minor and major and to do so without any fear of correction, much less retribution.
In 2016, the majority of Americans knew exactly what they were, and voted accordingly. Despite that, they command the levers of government. When most of their crimes were merely financial, or involved enabling and encouraging hate and bigotry among the faithful, all was well. Now their crimes will involve Americans, even MAGAts, dying.
Viruses don’t stop because of bigotry or mean tweets. Trump’s faithful will die, possibly in greater shares than the rest of us and when they do he and his enablers will find out they aren’t quite as stupid as he thinks.
4
Trump is spending yet another weekend at Mara Lago. Is there anything wrong with this picture? Aside from proving that he is a completely useless fixture in the White House where his petulance, ignorance and bravado are filled with hot air. We have long known he lacks the capacity to emphasize . Aside from a nausea-inducing rally, wrapping his arms around the American flag, I don't for a minute think he cares about this country. With him it is all twitter and no brains.
21
This the 3am phone call Mrs Clinton warned us of during the campaign.
22
Covfefe-19
The stupid mistakes - strategic, tactical and operational, communications... - made over years and continuing by the Drumpf administration and their RePutinlican enablers, are hampering the actual professionals in the federal government who they have treated with such disdain yet these are the agencies and individuals who we are all relying on to mitigate this disaster
6
How about the truth.
7
@Joe Berger, Nope! tRump doesn't know anything about the truth. Its only about what he wants, nothing about what the US people needs or wants. Let them eat cake (die).
Trump will bully the experts, but he can't bully the virus. 12 million available masks vs. 300 needed. Trump: we've got this under control (Trump control, everyone knows what that means, amplified by his toady Pence). Many will needlessly suffer and die.
11
trump who has has lied to the American people about every facet of his life — his education, his family, his mistresses, his money, his presidential actions — is now asking us to believe him about a potential matter of life and death: the coronavirus?
Why exactly would we?
10
"We need a vaccine against Trump." That says it all.
16
@AB There would be no "President" Trump if the majority of Americans would use the antidotes we already have: education and experience. They protect many of us against the purveyors of ignorance.
1
The incompetence, ignorance and arrogance of this administration is horrific. The fact that some people support this president who is concerned more about himself than the American public is shameful. Oh, but SO happy that there’s a new tennis pavilion at The White House. Unbelievable.
10
Trump better hope that none of the 21 infected people and any more that may not yet be diagnosed don't die.
2
My god, how figurative is the language in this article? How genteel do we have to be in expressing that the president is a madman, a liar and a narcissist who will endanger millions of American lives to win the election?
20
A hesitant government trying to filter the real news, squandering precious time to face a global threat.
Dejavu a Banana Republic minister of information cooking the news per The sitting Capo whims.
3
Thisis just the fault of the "Deep State." Only Trump can solve it.
1
Who said, "A Single Death is a Tragedy; a Million Deaths is a Statistic"?
a) Donald Trump about not permitting people form disembarking on the cruise boat in San Francisco Bay to keep the statistic of the number of corona virus cases in the U.S. low.
b) Donald Trump Jr. accusing Democrats of wanting a million deaths from the corona virus.
c) Josef Stalin in referring to Russian casualties in World War II.
d) Bernie Sanders in pointing to the cruelty of the Trump administration.
e) Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control commenting on Trump's failed promise to provide a million test kits to detect the corona virus.
3
The Trump administration fired the U.S. pandemic response team in 2018 to cut costs... (really...?)
why did every elected official; Republican & Democrat allow this to happen?
When Covid-19 was on the horizon, why wasn't the U.S. pandemic response team ramped up ?
trump, his cabinet, Republicans & Democrats are public servants ... they dropped the ball, big time.
This article along with the comments I read scare me; big time.
The American People deserve so much better then this inept situation...
MAGA...(really...?)
The American People deserve so much better from our elected officials. Peoples lives are on the line.
6
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/person-with-coronavirus-attended-cpac-conference-in-maryland/2234065/
Someone who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last week in National Harbor, Maryland, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and the state's governor says anyone who attended may be at risk.
The New Jersey health department notified Maryland officials of the case on Saturday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Saturday evening.
Anyone who "attended or worked at the conference may be at some risk for acquiring COVID-19," the statement said.
… President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended CPAC but "there is no indication" they "met with or were in close proximity to the attendee," a White House spokeswoman said in a statement.
Trump addressed the right-wing conference on Feb. 29… The event was held Feb. 26-29 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The coronavirus patient was in Maryland Feb. 27 to March 1.
Given Trump’s inability to tell the truth about any contact he has had with anyone, wouldn’t it be in the interests of protecting the American people for all those who attended the CPAC to quarantine for 14 days until everyone is tested and the results certified as negative for coronavirus?
8
(Health experts say that telling people to remain calm is an effective message in an epidemic, and it is appropriate that it comes from the president.)
I don't know why, but the image of the 'great wizard' from the Wizard of Oz fame suddenly appeared in my mind.
How comforting.
6
With Trump and co, the focus is alternately on the blame game and the spin machine. No concern for how to disseminate ACCURATE information. Chaos and confusion rule the day. Our public health and safety is in the hands of an unqualified C team. This is scary territory.
And where is our concerned and dear leader? Golfing at Mar a Lago, that’s where!
16
Can someone please give Trump a standard white collar instead of the gigantic high-profile thing he wears, as at the CDC with his red hat indoor, to cover his triple chin.
5
Such a debate should NEVER happen: tell everything.
The only reason not to is to manage the politics of it.
That's the White House politicizing the disease outbreak!
4
Why is there a debate over telling us the truth?
18
My favorite insight into the mind of Trump supporters was the woman who, interference to the brewing pandemic, dismissed it by saying, "I don't believe a thing the Democrats say." Is she under the impression that "the Democrats" control the news coming out of China, Europe and the rest of the world?
How on earth can you successfully run a participatory democracy with such, and there is no other way to say it, stupid people having a vote? And the problem with stupid people is that they lack the intellectual tools to see through the blatant manipulative propaganda they are bombarded with from the right.
America, we have a serious systemic problem on our hands. Are we all beginning to see why the Founding Fathers originally wanted the franchise reserved for property owners? The theory being that you had to have a modicum of brains to succeed in life to the point where you could actually purchase property. They may have been on to something.
12
The answer, at least in part, is better, affordable (college) educational opportunities for all. An educated citizenry is, in general, more capable of making rational decisions and more resistant to brainwashing. An education doesn’t provide full immunity against willful stupidity and ignorance, but it helps.
1
Known liar continues to lie, do we really need to read a few thousand words regarding this?
6
America has a serious infection called trump.
The corona virus is nothing. We can get through this.
5
"We need a vaccine against Trump"
What she said.
10
Covfefe
Cough fever
Typo, or imperfect precognition?
4
@Richard Schumacher
Wow!
I guess people have to die before they wake up to the fact that they elected a pinhead. I would have thought his utterly stupid moves in foreign policy that endangered and cost the lives and health of our deployed armed forces would have caused an outcry. But no, he’s draining the imaginary swamp with his imaginary genius. I wonder how many supporters will get ill and possibly die because, the genius, holds rallies as he continues his rambling nonsense that the virus is “not so bad”. After all he’s got an uncle who was at MIT.
10
"But from Mr. Trump’s first comments on the virus in January to rambling remarks at the C.D.C. on Friday..."
Why are these 3 reporters claiming that President Trump made "rambling remarks" at the CDC? The link they provided above was to this newspaper's coverage of those remarks from this newspaper's White House correspondent who reported on Trump's appearance at the CDC just yesterday.
That story - prominently featured in this very newspaper, portrayed Trump as coherent and rational and very concerned about Americans and containing the virus.
Trump's appearance at the CDC was absolutely brilliant. I know this because I read the story in the NY Times that this newspaper's White House reporter posted yesterday. It portrayed Trump as concerned and coherent and very presidential. Why would these 3 writers today call it "rambling" and link to this newspaper's own story that portrayed Trump as offering perfectly intelligent and concerned comments at the CDC?
How about telling the truth from day one? I think I am dreaming. better pinch myself.
3
A President walking around in labs, wearing his childish hat with that hilarious slogan can never be taken serious. A President saying a virus will stop by itself within a month can never be taken serious. A President saying the WHO got it al wrong can never be taken serious.
And i can go on, and on, and on, and on, and on....
17
The CDC, it turns out, has posted (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html) the bad news that Trump so desperately wants to hide:
1) "While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases." How is our healthcare system going to cope with that particularly when many of these patients may lack health insurance? Later on the CDC says "Healthcare providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed."
2) "That this disease has caused severe illness, including illness resulting in death is concerning, especially since it has also shown sustained person-to-person spread in several places. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus." Followed by this "It is important to note that current circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a pandemic."
3) "More cases of COVID-19 are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States. It’s also likely that sustained person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including throughout communities in the United States. It’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur."
In times like these we need competence and honesty from our government. Sadly, we lack both.
6
The only thing Trump is preoccupied of is what could affect his chances of being re-elected. How can we expect a narcissistic bully to, not only understand the situation, but to feel anything for those who are affected by the Covid-19. Hope that natural selection and reason will finally prevail and kick him out of office so he can be prosecuted...
.
5
It's easy fellows; just tell the truth.
4
Tump is at Mar a Lago this weekend. After meetings with those members who have coughed up $200,000 to have the president's ear, we'll have a brand new plan of action by Monday.
5
Zero credibility from Trump and his minions, I'll trust my gut before Trump!
1
Truth appears to equate with anathema for this administration.
3
Watch, he’ll find a way to hold his rallies
Nothing stands in the way of his agenda
2
I dunno. I guess this president likes viruses that DON'T get captured.
5
The White House' lack of guidance makes the whole thing worse. What a total loser. Only cares about his polling numbers. I guarantee they are falling.
3
All this stumbling around... What will we do when the Really Big Disease hits?
Really Big Disease © 1968 The Firesign Theatre
Ah, yes. The typical response; When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.
3
And this is the kind of person we have in the white house right now:
In a meeting with health experts on Monday March 2nd, Trump asked why doctors don’t just administer the flu vaccine to combat the virus.
“But the same vaccine could not work?” he said. “You take a solid flu vaccine — you don’t think that would have an impact or much of an impact on corona?”
It would not have an impact, the experts told him.
/EPIC-FACEPALM!!
6
Can't lay this all at Trump's feet...
The irony gone viral of cruise ships held out of SF and NYC, as to not infect those cities' residents - a noticeable number of whom have raised defecating on sidewalks to art form...
“Debate Raged over What to Tell Public” ... really?
I have a simple suggestion for this White House:
Why not just tell the truth?
3
It is not just Trump whose incompetence has been exposed daily. His minions fail him a he fails America.
2
Here's an idea.... how about just telling the truth?
3
“ The Test causes the Virus. Notice how the people that get tested have to go to the Hospital “ ? - typical Trump Fan.
Seriously.
6
"I like the numbers being where they are" is just like "I like people who weren't captured," his unforgettably callous and idiotic jibe at John McCain: this man is clearly unfit for office. He doesn't care about decency, about the truth, about anything beyond his own bottom line, and he and the rest of his crew don't believe the government is there to serve and protect the citizenry. This situation is just horrifying, but perhaps it will at least wake up those who don't think they have anything to lose by electing a man who doesn't care about the job of governing.
6
Virtually none of the Republicans either at a distance or close to Trump has voiced any negativity over how this Administration has responded to the coronavirus.
How is it when elected American politicians remains silent on an issue as challenging as this pending pandemic.
The United States and it people are at risk. Think for a moment if the virus affects the homeless or those without access to health care except the emergency room..who pays, what precautions do these medical institutions have?
Trump is commonly known as the pathological liar..when even the truth would be better..Trump lies.
The Trump Administration. disgraceful!
11
One added problem they have and are probablytotally unaware of is that just looking at them, hearing them in a crisis such as this generates visceral fear. I saw headline where one of them said they have it under control. It genuinely petrified me. At this point there is nothing they say that can be believed. There is nothing they can do that anyone will have even remotest confidence that they know what they are doing. They are not only mean, arrogant, they are also ignorant and incompetent. I think the first thing they need to do is self-quarantine. This includes not saying one word in public. They need to totally disappear for the duration. Even one word from any one of them would send the country back into a tailspin.
5
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are two inherited power and privipge brats who by nature have no humble humane empathy nor respect for science to deal with coronavirus crisis.
Don't bring me no bad news that inteferes with my personal perceived partisan economic and political interests is their prime directive and motivation.
3
Can Trump lie his way out of this one?
Wouldn't it be something if the one thing that finally unseated him is lying about a virus.
Trump likes the numbers being where they are but the numbers don't care what he thinks.
3
Does it matter what Trump and his lackeys say? Does anyone believe them? How many little lies add up to a big one?
3
Think of it.
Coronavirus, a tiny single strand of RNA, 900 times smaller than the width of a human hair, vs an overweight, lying, self-centered human with yellow hair who ACTUALLY puts his interests ahead of the health of millions of Americans.
The tiny virus doesn't care a wit about the gigantic liar.
It is uncaring, relentless… existing only for self preservation
Just like Trump.
10
It appears that in the White House, Truth came down with Covid 19 and died. But with Truth dead, we don’t have to worry that Trump’s reputation will suffer...
1
When the criminal republicans said during the impeachment fake trial that the dems were coming after him because they hate him, I gotta say, they were and are correct. I detest every molecule of his existence.
7
President? No. Meglomaniacal dictator? Yes.
6
Once again, Trump putting himself before the country’s interests. This time with grave consequences. Despicable.
4
Yes, the administration was worried about telling the truth. But that stupidity pales in the face of the total lack of preparedness of our public institutions. And why? Because this administration has turned health care into a political football while also making sure all competence and expertise takes a back seat to loyalty and the President's own bizarre opinions. I heard today from a disease expert that our planning was as bad as Iran's. No surprise unfortunately.
4
This disease should now rightly be renamed:
RushaTrumpvirus in honor of the two "scientists" who know all about it!
The incompetence of this administration is truly epic and tragic and oh-so-exceptional!
4
Dear Mr.President, Re. those on that cruise ship set to dock in Oakland on Monday, why can't we deboard those infected right away on to a military hospital ship or something for treatment, and spare the others from further exposure to COVID-19 ?
5
@Madhu Thangavelu
The military wants no part in this, their combat readiness is at stake and planners have at least one scenario in front of them that includes the coronavirus being the opening move of a Chinese/Russian battle plan.
We really depend upon the NYTimes and other media to keep us informed. With the censoring of Public Health Officials and the long history of lies from the White House, all we have is the Media. It is scary not to trust what we are hearing and not knowing.
4
We’ve been in panic mode since Trump and his incompetents came to Washington. And, I fear their amateur abilities more than the coronavirus. It is that that will kill more people than the virus.
2
Fortunately, in a few months a Democrat will be elected, the virus will disappear, whistleblowers will not be needed, no one will lack medical care, and life will become so calm that the front page articles will discuss the best holiday meals.
His biggest worry is that he gets exposed for dismantling the government's capacity to deal with pandemic disease, and how that's one of his first achievements in 2017. Now he sees the mess he created, but his abnormally weak intellect and pathological psychosis are incapable of comprehending the severity and the gross atrocities of his "achievements."
4
Before this is over, it will become obvious why America must move to a Medicare for All healthcare system.
This thing we call our government will discover, if things spiral out of control, how enraged the people will get.
This is a national emergency now, and should be declared as such immediately.
With such a declaration we can mobilize our resources and go on an all-out offensive to protect all American lives.
No time for stupidity or saving face.
9
What a superficial shell of a human Mr. Trump is. The world watches it daily. He must be beaten at the polls on November 3rd.
4
Time to broadcast reruns of the TV show "The Walking Dead" to help people cope. Just need to find a bunker somewhere.
2
when you have to debate the truth of such matters...its time for all those involved to call it quits. pack your bags, clear out the desks and leave. its okay. what else can you do when you finally reach the point of absolutely corrupted ethics.? just go away WH staff. its okay. a short rest and some real clean work for a few years will clean you back up.
1
They must speak out. Don’t just leave and remain silent. Protest en masse and then give interviews often to let people know what Trump wants hidden and how dangerous this man is!
I feel much better knowing that Ms. Conway has a seat at the table and Mr. Pence in charge. C'mon 'Merica we got "only the best people" on this.
Relax.
5
If the President's initial reaction to the virus was politically motivated, so too has been the Left's respose.
His initial moves probably gained the country several weeks which he subseqently lost.
His reaction should have been a nuanced one portraying the gravity of the situation without spreading panic. And we all know how good he is at nuance.
At any rate the criticsm is not about what he is now doing, which seems accetable to all.
As the immortal bard said "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."
1
Let them eat cake. or, let them play tennis.
3
I know that Donald Trump's downfall has been forecast more times than I care to remember,that said,we have all dreaded the day when the President of the United States would have to deal with a real problem/emergency.....
......and here we are.
It's Obama's fault
"I have a hunch"
Here in my socialist province(in my socialist country)with a population of 5M we have tested more people than the ENTIRE United States.
But hey ,
Let's put a guy in charge who doesn't believe in science,thinks the universe is 6,000 years old?......
That aughtta work,right?
11
Why would Larry Kudlow have anything to say about this medical crisis? He supposedly is a financial advisor and not a scientific advisor. For him to state that this virus is contained is the most deceitful thing he could say.
8
With Trump wearing that red baseball cap, this virus has no chance. (That’s his plan. He doesn’t need the CDC or any advice from MDs.)
4
How about the truth? Just a thought.
1
1. How do we avoid people being reminded of us not appointing the people necessary to handle this emergency? https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-trump-administration-is-ill-prepared-for-a-global-pandemic/2017/04/08/59605bc6-1a49-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html
2. How do we avoid people being reminded of the fact that we shut down the NSC Office of Global Health Security whose jod it was to stay apprised of diseases in teh world and coordinating agencies across the US Gov. to handle exactly this situation? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/05/10/top-white-house-official-in-charge-of-pandemic-response-exits-abruptly/
3. How do we make this response a mess so confused and opaque no one notices it is a very good real world example of why we need universal health care?
5
How about the truth??! That would be refreshing and a first
1
“Inside Trump Administration, Debate Raged Over What to Tell Public”
I guess ‘the truth’ never made it as a finalist...
That’s a shame.
4
I guess telling the truth never occurred to Trump.
3
My first thought was honesty, too. But, “there’s not enough time to print most of Trump’s Lies.’” Yes, you have my permission to use as a slogan.
2
The craziest Trump administration comment this week came from Kudlow who repeated his, “we have this thing contained” remark for a second straight week. Unbelievable....
2
How ‘bout the truth...
2
Hopefully everyone used their fictional tax cuts to buy N-95 respirators, because he GOP’s small government didn’t.
6
No need in the Trump administration for a "Debate Rag[ing] Over What to Tell Public".
Just default to the usual, lie through your teeth.
We have a large fraction of the US enamored of a carnival barking con man. As Frank Zappa said, "the world's most plentiful ingredient is stupidity".
2
The debate over how to best lie to the American people. What a room full of losers. And the media treats it as normal. Just helping the Republican Dictatorship in the US.
4
This is what you get when you elect a malevolent grifter and buffoon as President- one disaster after another-keep voting GOP.
6
People, it is really not difficult. Trump lies about everything, the fickle media never use the word "LIE" . Even our beloved NYT never uses the word "LIE" So , Trump is lying again. Yes , there is a problem, but the lame media won't call it out. Donald J Trump is incompetent. He is a sick man. Stop making excuses for him. We need leadership, not a very ill old man.
7
Having trump and his lack spittle administration in charge is like having your 6 yr old drive your car on the freeway.
2
Trumpism—-and GOP collaboration—-are in effect an STD in and of themselves. The means of transmission are Fox and the internet. They OWN this epidemic.
3
Nobody believes the boy who cried hoax.
5
Mike Pence was exposed to coronavirus at AIPAC
2
Since the MSM and the left are actively trying to ferment panic we should all be grateful that the White House is trying to prevent it.
This virus coverage is unfortunately just one more example of how low the media and the left will stoop to undermine the administration. Instead of honest reporting and analysis, this virus is no worse than the flu, the leftist media will continue to harp this as the end of the world and the destruction of the free markets until they realize their dreadful coverage will not hurt the President.
1
@John Gilday
So I guess South Korea, Italy, UK, Singapore, etc - they have been commandeered by leftists as well? Wow - what coordination!
5
@John Gilday - And if you contract this?
1
@John Gilday "this virus is no worse than the flu"
Flu (influenza) comes in all shapes and sizes. Fact is no one knows how virulent this strain is, or may evolve to become.
Telling the truth, being proactive and taking precautions is a positive step. It's not about this administration.
1
As Pulitzer prize winning Laurie Garrett tells us, Redfield at CDC is a sorry piece of work himself:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/13/opinions/trumps-terrible-choice-for-cdc-redfield-garrett/index.html
Here's a sample of his past approach to public health crises:
"Redfield's early engagement with the AIDS epidemic in the US in the 1980s and 90s was controversial. As an Army major at Walter Reed Medical Institute, he designed policies for controlling the disease within the US military that involved placing infected personnel in quarantine and investigating their pasts to identify and track possible sexual partners. Soldiers were routinely discharged and left to die of AIDS, humiliated and jobless, often abandoned by their families. In the 1980s Redfield worked closely with W. Shepherd Smith, Jr. and his Christian organization, Americans for a Sound AIDS/HIV Policy, or ASAP. The group maintained that AIDS was "God's judgment" against homosexuals, spread in an America weakened by single-parent households and loss of family values."
5
Trump's being president is a real danger to this country and it's citizens. That is not hyperbole. That is reality, period.
That reality needs to be communicated to the public if this twisted, evil (yes, he is evil) awful man and his corrupt cult are to be removed from office in this upcoming presidential election.
5
I hope Trump continues his rallies. After all, the Coronavirus is just another deep state hoax.
7
Well, we should conclude this scientific experiment of having an incompetent, immoral, unethical , corrupt , paranoid sociopath as our " leader ". This crisis simply reinforces what rational, informed , fact based Patriots have recognized for some time. Trump and his associates are a clear and present danger. Save our children and grandchildren from his further destruction of our Nation and our Democracy.
4
The coronavirus is proving how poor the US healthcare system really is. The US has one of the lowest rates of corona I diagnosis of any advanced country in the world. It is failing the American people - completely. Socialist countries like Japan, the UK and Italy are doing far better than the US, yet the “capitalists”;and all their apologists in our 2 political parties, and opinion writers in the NYT, think our system is great and keep telling us that countries like Japan, the UK and Italy should have collapsed economically decades ago and yet none of them have. That’s because politicians and their apologists in the media are completely removed from the “people” and money is no object to them. Apparently a large percentage of Americans are fine with being lied to and exploited.
5
Why isn’t there a headline in the NYT saying trump is ignoring the safety of cruise passengers for the sake of keeping the numbers of infections artificially low?
This is one of the clearest examples of his true priorities and it ought to be given greater publicity.
8
All this media panic proves to me how utterly ignorant we are of death. Thousands die each year to viruses and there is no headline. This time is different because of the way the virus started, its globalization, AND the fact that Trump is president. Absurd. An outbreak was bound to happen because outbreaks have always happened. Not one person here can see on the other side of the “what if’s.” Lets get over ourselves, shall we?
Im not going to quarantine myself. I would have made it if the government had been taking care of its citizens. If the citizens believed this is a virus that might kill a lot of people. In this country, I am not going to quarantine myself while the president makes is believe it is an hoax, when people think it is a Democratic Party fabricated thing. You are by yourself in this country. Good luck!
1
This is not a time for alternative facts.
1
Where’s Rudy when we need him most? I’m surprised the President hasn’t blamed Ukraine for this outbreak. Perhaps it’s only a matter of time.
2
Everyone knows that Trump, single handedly, I mean one hand tied behind his back, kept the Covid-19 from infecting the USA.
I saw it on Fox News.
The Virus was just a Dem Hoax to try to keep Trump from winning again.
But, we know it is just the flu.
;-) That's the story that they will stick with. Get ready.
And, Trump voters will believe it.
However, thank you very much for this detailed look at yet another of Trump's many failures in his life.
4
POTUS is like that captain of the Costa Concordia ship that hit a an underground rock in Italy and abandoned the ship before everyone was rescued or when he had 5 deferments from Vietnam...
He is no leader. And that’s why we are anxious.
3
How many testing kits are stashed away in the White House?
3
Commenters here seem to be unaware of Trump's definition of the truth. He clearly is a disciple of Ambrose Bierce who, in "The Devil's Dictionary," defined Truth as "An ingenious compound of desirability and appearance."
3
Eventually, even the US Senate Republicans will disavow this imposter.
2
This may sound like a typical anti-Trump comment, but it’s what I’ve come to believe.
Simply, whatever Trump or anyone in his Administration tells us, it will be a lie.
4
"We'll see what happens."
Anything but the truth I’m sure.
Gee, if I didn't know any better, I'd say people in Trump's periphery are using his complete and utter incompetence to make the federal government look as flailing and incompetent as he is in order to justify further gutting and downsizing of the federal government...
2
Let’s face it. Instead of hugging and kissing in India, Donald Trump should have been home FINALIZING a plan for the Coronavirus intrusion in the country of his presidency - the United States of America.
Instead, scrambling, and speaking nonsensically, like a spoiled child about Democratic hoax, Trump has pretended to be in charge of a crisis for the citizens of this country. Then, because he feared responsibility, and ultimate blame, he sprung this responsibility on Mike Pence - who has no medical experience or national crisis management experience. To top it off, they had Alex Azar, a Trump appointed man whose medical experience is composed of being an attorney for Big Pharma, at the helm of the US Health and Human Services trying to explain the work of a newly found crisis solution.
One says coronavirus testing enough for 75,000. One says for a million. One says test some of the ship passengers, another says bring ‘em in and test ‘em all. Dr. Birx gets appointed to counsel, but she speaks nothing. She stands in the group, lips sealed, as we expected at least her, an Obama appointee, to give us hope.
In the meanwhile, the numbers mount. Healthcare workers declare no leadership or equipment. Pence poised a lottery on who gets tested and what criteria to be used.
In the meanwhile, the deaths climb, the cases climb, the public is totally confused and doing each their own thing.
Donald. Go golf. Please do not say anything else. This nurse is begging you. Shush!
3
The Trump cabal's standard is lying, why will it be different now?
In my layman's lack of serious psychiatric knowledge, I used to think Trump was just a narcissist pathological liar who uses
psychological 'projection' accusing others of his own failings.
Now, however, having some experience in the past with a father in law who was a serious manic depressive, I recognize him in an almost constant state of manic delusions of grandeur, which can be used to convince others--his base- true believers that he
knows the devil he's doing. Now, however. with the incompetence
of both him and all his toadies who fear correcting him lest he turns his vengeance on them----he is literally causing deaths. We desperately need others with the eloquence of Gabriel Marquez, or perhaps even a Romney?===to expose him. The eloquence of Adam Schiff is obvious, bit too partisan to be accected, but someone or many someones need to speak out.
2
I realize this is a new virus, something other than the flu, much like AIDS was a new virus. Panic has set in.
We are encouraged to get a flu shot with no guarantees that if you get that shot, you won't get the flu. If the numbers of flu cases and related deaths were published, there would be no panic even with those numbers in the tens of thousands, nothing more than a shrug. AIDS
can be treated. We're used to that. Life goes on as usual.
Our response to this new virus is not that much different than in 1918, quarantine, avoid crowds, etc. The main difference is that it is spreading quicker, or reported quicker and hopefully contained quicker. It's also been reported that this virus escaped from a Wuhan bioresearch laboratory, If that turns out to be true, that's a whole other kettle of fish and a different kind of panic will set in.
People, hoarding toilet paper and bottled water won't help. Use common sense. Wash your hands. Stay home if you are sick. Don't spit on a city street or sneeze on someone.
The definition of panic, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." True then, true today.
1
If we can’t trust our President to lie convincingly about our epidemic, why re-elect him?
Why would anyone think the Trump regime would have managed this health crisis competently?
The profound incompetence of the trump while house will actually cost lives.
The American people deserve the whole truth. How sickening that this political administration cares more about appearances than people’s lives.
I find it intriguing to read every single day what an absolutely grässliches human being Mr. Trump is.
1
Panic is stimulated by incomplete or incorrect information that allows rumors and speculation t9 flourish. Trump’s FIRST inclination is to lie and say everything is fine and it is a,, a democratic hoax...which he actually said! And trumps primary concern is how it affects the stock market and the prestige of the USA. He wants the people the cruise ships to stay there so they cannot be counted as people in the us so Our “nu,bears” will stay lower. Trump is a pure psychopath. He could not care less about the people infected. Therefore trump is completely untrustworthy.
1
I think the Times is actually doing its readers a disservice by failing to properly describe the sheer insanity of the White House's handling of this crisis. Trump's show at the CDC on Friday, where he once again rambled and incoherently misled the public; where he posited that he knew more about micro-viruses than experts; where he literally said he was keeping infected Americans trapped in a cruise ship off-shore so as to not inflate the total tally of infected...it's the stuff of madness! And the whole show began with the director of the CDC obsequiously praising Trump, North Korea-style!
A reader would be more informed simply by watching the video online - and take in the full insanity on display - than by the Times's constant straining to make it all seem somehow normal, lest they be accused of impartiality. At some point, journalists have to start calling a spade and spade, no? If not, what good are you?
4
How about telling the people the truth?
Given how inept and self-absorbed trump has been in response to this viral incursion, imagine his "leadership" if this country faced a serious military threat. My guess is he'd have the trump jet warmed up and sitting on the tarmac.
I am incredulous about the statements made by the head of the Trump Crime Family regarding the fate of the passengers on the Grand Princess.
I would ask him, feckless Pence, and his Evangelical sycophants two questions:
1. What would you say and do if Barron Trump were on board?
2. What would your Jesus do in this situation?
This man is unfit to be President. He shows it every single day.
2
I wonder if anyone’s kept track of the number of ludicrous statements the president has made beginning with, “I talk to a lot of people. People tell me that...”
Then Mr. Trump makes up some implausible nonsense about something or other. Something which no one told him.
“They tell me the fatality rate from corona-flu isn’t three point four percent. It’s actually less than one percent. Much lower than one percent.”
Who are these people who “tell” Trump things? Why are they never named? Why do they tell him such ridiculous “facts!?”
Most importantly, why is Donald Trump still our president? No one with any common sense believes these clumsy made-up self-serving lies.
Who could trust such a man?
2
Do the Republicans truly believe acquitting this pretender was the right thing to do??
1
Cue Mark Meadows...
Corona virus might wind up being known as Trump's Virus, because Trump's going to wind up owning it.
This of course is the "pro-life" president.
Trump wants pence to fail so he can ride in and replace him with Nikki Haley
It seems the NYT is again desperate to find something that will bring down Trump, having exhausted Russian COLLUSION, Ukraine, his family's successful development business, etc. There is no evidence of "chaos" in the response to this health issue which is not much more dangerous to the vast majority of people than the common cold. The economic impact is a separate issue related to the disruption of supply chains. Trump's tone and response has been spot-on based the reality of the situation rather than the hyperventilating, breathless reporting the Times now specializes in. We are a nation of 330 million with a relative few handful of cases, most, as elsewhere, not serious. Ask any doctor, as I did when I had my annual physical a few days ago and two doctors who were at a family gathering yesterday. They will tell you, as the administration and all CDC officials have said, that this disease is much ado about nothing. The Times does a great disservice is helping to sow panic about a situation that will soon end with very little physical damage to the vast majority of the population, news the Times will certainly ignore. Pitiful!
1
Is life in America imitating reality tv show? Or is it the other way around? Either way maybe the people in America can actually wish away COVID19?
After eating at my local b pub the Trump supports voiced the virus is a scam that will definitely run out when the weather improves and that China engineered this flu as a chemical weapon ! They were dead serious...
2
Trump is concerned about one thing and one thing only: that he gets elected again in November. Everything he has done about the coronavirus has that goal. Public health means nothing to him. Expertise means nothing to him. After all, he (according to himself) has a unique understanding of medical issues because he had an uncle who was a physicist.
There's a lot of verbiage here that is exhibit A for a group of reporters who are afraid to tell the truth straight out. Instead they weasel and waffle. Keep in mind that this is a man who doesn't want a cruise ship's passengers to get off the ship because the numbers of people with the virus in the US would rise. How can you not point out that this man knows nothing about public health and kneecaps anyone in his administration who does? Shame on all three of you.
I’ve read comments from several “experts “ with different opinions about the virus. Who is correct? But anyway, I guess that the job of the President is to stir up panic and fear among Americans.
1
How about just telling the truth.
1
Because 45 does nothing but lie, “stay calm” reads as the opposite, because his administration is inept.
what to tell America? how about the TRUTH?
Hey—Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, LaMar Alexander and every other spineless GOP senator who voted to keep Trump in office: you are directly responsible for this.
3
Easy, just tell the public what President Trump knows and understands.....
The silence will be deafening.
1
If it can't be solved by lying, it can't be solved by Trump.
1
Is it really a surprise from a president who admires Reagan? Reagan didn’t want to help gay people, and Trump doesn’t want to harm the economy. Reagan’s was worse but this is still disgusting.
I like best Kellyanne Conway having the president’s ear re a epidemic. Just, wow...
2
'Clear, honest communication is also crucial', not words ever associated with the Trump administration, so it looks like we are in the deep do dah from here on in
“Because I like the numbers being where they are,” the president said.
Kinda says it all, doesn't it??
1
How can Mitt and the other Republicans in Congress be a Ok with Trump in all seriousness that the tests are “perfect” just like the call he got impeached over? One of Trump’s biggest skills is to get people to lie for him and to support his lies.
The Surgeon General thinks anybody whose Doctor requests a test can get one. Trump says the same thing but unfortunately it’s just not true.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2020/03/08/surgeon-general-jerome-adams-coronavirus-test-kits-us-jake-tapper-sotu-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/coronavirus/
2
The more you try to hide a truth, the more damage you do to any trust that exists between people, and so the more people panic because they don't know what's true or who to believe. That about sums up this presidency. He doesn't believe in science, he cuts federal funding for public health, and he obfuscates all in the name of Donald Trump. The virus doesn't care. How ironic.
2
"If he approved, they would level with the public."
The appalling burden of this statement hammers home that Americans are now directly threatened by the one-man-nightmare in the White House. Decisions about our safety and well-being have been relegated, not to experts, but to the peculiar whims and demons of Mr. Trump.
2
Don’t they understand that the paucity of information and their utter lack of credibility is more frightening than the truth?
I wondered how Fox (and consequently the Trump base) was taking this, So I turned om Lou Dobbs. Jackpot! After interviewing CDC's Dr. Fauci, he turned to his (invisible) audience to say (don't have his exact words):
"Thankfully, the administration has responded with the candor and honesty we have come to expect."
I just looked at the CDC’s corona virus map (Sunday, March 8) for cases in the U.S. Their site notes, “This page will be updated regularly at noon Mondays through Fridays. Numbers close out at 4 p.m. the day before reporting. “ Their figure for the number U.S. cases shows 164. However, the Johns Hopkins live map, as of this writing, is 437. What conclusions are we to draw from this stark contrast?
4
Try to imagine for one minute how this fragile, unpredictable, unprepared, insecure administration would respond to a real national crisis. Good grief!
1
@PeterH Oh, This being the weekend, he would be down in Florida golfing on our dime. Just like he is today (Sunday)!
It’s time this know nothing administration understand that many in the population are well educated and very familiar with the principles of epidemiology. Nothing that has happened with the spread of this virus has been surprising. They only look foolish when they say things that anyone who took a basic biology class knows are false. We have terrific scientific resources in this country. Let’s look to them for the answers. All the administration needs to do is stay out of their way.
1
Why shouldn’t Trump advise the country over national television as follows:
“Get over it. The Coronavirus kills people”
It would make perfect sense.
1
What to tell the public? I'd suggest the truth, but that's anathema to this administration.
Let's not forget that the swine flu killed about 4000 Americans several years ago. The Obama administration suppressed information about it because it might reflect badly on him.. How many deaths from coronavirus? Under 200 at this point and we are going full speed ahead to control the spread.
I just listened to the complete news conference that took place at the CDC yesterday. To his credit, Mr. Trump comported himself in a proper manner, with the exception of his silly statement comparing the perfection of the test kits for the coronavirus to the perfection of his transcript and phone call with the Ukrainian president.
What I think many people commenting here do not understand is that Mr. Trump’s popularity is sourced to the fact that he speaks just like a normal human being. Voters can relate to him. And he does not really care what his political opponents think of him. Sure, he tells lies all the time, he exaggerates, and he miss represent reality.
But that is really nothing new. I understand that the Washington Post has filed a freedom of information act request to get copies of Obama administration memos, prepared at the White House and reportedly approved by the president himself, which instructed government personnel to fabricate stories about success in Afghanistan.
This hype about the coronavirus is to my mind a tempest in a teapot, and like the impeachment fiasco, it too will pass. Warmer weather, in which the virus cannot survive for long, it’s just around the corner.
And November is not far away after that.
1
@David H
Please note that the 1918 flu epidemic faded and returned with more lethal force in 1919. While we don't know enough about this virus yet (which is part of the problem with the way this administration is handling it), it is foolhardy to automatically assume it will vanish forever with warm weather.
If anyone had any doubt about Trump’s priorities and capabilities they are now on full display. Vote smart in November - your health and well being are at stake.
1
This is Katrina x 1000. Wow. Political malpractice on the highest order. And to think—the Senate could have avoided this calamity through impeachment
3
That the whitehouse is more “disciplined “ in its messaging is hardly reassuring, especially when the message is balony.
Trump said he didn't know the flu kills thousands of people.
Somehow he missed that information in his 73 years of existence.
Wow.
1
I have no idea what Trump means when he says, "It will all work out." What is "it"? The virus? Our reaction to it? The stock market? His golf game? And, how will it "work out"? What could that possibly mean? How does a pandemic "work out"?
1
In the hamlet of Shrub Oak located in Yorktown, NY have to deal with is a GOP operative now running the town, whose previous experience was being the mouthpiece to local GOP. No prior management experience, no expertise in anything. The two Republican council member dolts who just follow him around like velcro dogs refuse to address public health concerns created by Trumpy the con artist. No public policies are made, but lots of photos, tweets, fb posts are made by the Town Supervisor. Hey GOP, Trumpy said "We want to terminate Obamacare because it's bad. Look, we're running it really well, but we know it's defective. It's very defective. We got rid of the worst part. And that was a very important thing. You know getting rid of the individual mandate was a very important thing.
But we want to get something — if we can get the House, you'll have the best healthcare and health insurance anywhere on the planet. But we have to get the House back". Where is the Trumpy healthcare plan?
1
Winston Churchill was mistaken when he said “We have nothing to fear but fear itself”. Trump should not have followed that advice and Churchill should have shouted “The Germans are coming. The Germans are coming”.
1
"Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, got a day ahead of the plan."
Irresponsible action.
the anti-science president will gets us though this -
( sarcasm )
but first let's blame President Obama -
(I'm paraphrasing -)
so sad - so frightening !
1
The virus situation has demonstrably shown the ineptitude of the entire Trump administration. The bunch of then simply cannot function as a coordinated group. They are not the best of the best, more like the average to the almost average.
As every other ignorant and conceited person Trump thinks that he can compete with experts in every scientific and technical field, including climatology and medicine.
1
Competence Required to Mitigate Disaster. But... But you have Ben Carson telling George Stephanopoulos this morning-don't worry a 72 hour plan was devised yesterday for Oakland docking of contaminated cruise ship-tomorrow-which would make it 48 hours from yesterday? No? Brilliant.
Since long before Trump took office, it has been clear that most of the time he talks through his hat, and the rest of the time he lies outright. Reassurance from such a figure is like Macbeth's "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Just think of the other things Trump assured the public of. (1) We have a terrific health plan in mind, better than Obamacare and less expensive. Everyone's going to love it.
Where is it? The Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency. Where is the wonderful health plan?
(2) We're going to dedicate enormous resources to repairing crumbling infrastructure in the United States.
Where is it? The Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency. Have any infrastructure efforts actually happened? If they have, everyone's keeping it a deep, dark secret.
(3) The corona virus outbreak is well under control. It's nothing to be alarmed about.
Except that people are dying. Except that there are not enough testing kits. Except that the virus appears to be spreading over the globe and throughout the United States even faster than Trump's lies, if that's possible.
Yet Trump says everything is going to be fine. In the immortal words of Henry Blake, "I've gone to sleep with happier thoughts."
1
The Trump Administration has proven to be worse than useless in this crisis. They do more harm than good. It is up to our state and local officials to try to defend us as best they can.
1
When Trump told the public that the Coronavirus was a Democratic hoax, he signaled to us that many more lies would follow. Of the many lies he has told, this one may prove to be the most consequential. I’m not sure if there is anything they can tell the public that would be believable. As the number of cases rise and the death toll increases, the Coronavirus is telling a different story. And those numbers don’t lie.
1
Alarmingly, America has a President focused on how a public health emergency will either negatively or positively effect his own image in this election year and secondarily it’s consequences for the stock market. For President Trump it’s not a humanitarian issue. We have a President who over the last three years has shown himself to be troublingly deficient in all aspects of leadership. Now faced with the coronavirus his incompetence has risen to new heights, become front and center, with his inability to reassure Americans in the midst of a world wide/national crisis that he and his administration can expertly and constructively deal with what’s demanded of them. What we have here now in America with this issue is a failure of faith. As a nation we are confronted with the inability of its leadership to reassure Americans they know what they’re doing.
1
In 1721 a British ship arrived in Boston Harbor, its crew showing signs of small pox. Too late to act, the disease spread. Debate raged over whether to use a new technique, already practiced in Turkey, China, and parts of West Africa, to contain the spread of the small pox: inoculation. The Reverend Cotton Mather, a leading Boston citizen, became convinced of the efficacy of inoculation after learning from one of his slaves from West Africa, named Onesimus, that he had been inoculated while in West Africa against small pox. Mather advocacy of inoculation resulted in personal threats it appears from folks who believed that any attempt to interfere with small pox was going against God's will, or, further the spread of the contagion. Nonetheless, inoculation was adopted. Fifteen score later, I am amazed (not really) at how the Trump administration fumbled and stumbled its way through the opening stages of this potential calamity.
1
Sadly, the life expectancy in US will most likely tick downward next year in part to the policies of the current administration.
Many people from Asian countries work and live in Washington State. They like to go “home” during the winter to visit their families when the weather is cooler in Asia. When Trump imposed a travel ban for entry from Asia, the Governor of Washington and many businesses complained that Trump was overreacting. Washington was said to be well prepared for any projected emergency. Now, suddenly, Washington is complaining that the travel ban came too late and because the State really isn’t prepared, they need special help from the Federal government. Gee, I wonder why Trump is upset.
1
The reality tv president has now hit a wall with his avoidance of the truth, and Americans should be shocked at his willingness to throw vulnerable citizens under the bus to save his "ratings". The man is a clear and present danger and needs to be removed and put somewhere he cannot hurt others any longer. Maybe when those attending his maga rallies start dropping like flies they will be forced to accept science and realize this is not about a Dem plot to hurt their candidate. I'm not counting on it.
So many good thoughts but I would add that this too points out why we need good government...seems basic but, much like insurance, you don’t need it till you do. We should have a vaccine, particularly for health care workers, we need testing equipment and materials at the ready. This is exactly what comes from competence and the role of the federal government as the lead for states in their effects. Instead we see “Captain Chaos” for whom everything is political and about him (Campaign hat at the CDC is grotesque)...and while this makes me want to vomit on a daily basis, we must all learn a serious lesson from this crisis, excellence matters! Imagine “No Drama Obama’s” response, thoughtful, reassurance that while serious, we have this under control...and you’d believe it. Last thought, I’m worried that this virus has been around for a while longer than thought, and not only have they bungled the response, they missed the inception. Think what that suggests...
What some people call mistakes, other people call progress. I believe Trump and the Republican support for only the Rich and famous is a mistake. They believe it is progress. If all people can't gain a good life by way of their own efforts in the community they can't progress. We are shut out of information, education, and truth these days. The "Deep State" that Trump and his supporters oppose and is demeaned by them has a place in our history. It is my opinion that Trump's State is a "Shallow State", shallow in experience, shallow in science, shallow in truth, shallow in competence, shallow in plans for the future growth of freedom, shallow in the acceptance of responsibility for failure, and shallow in claiming responsibility for changes they did not accomplish. Given a ":Shallow State vs a Deep State I choose the deep one, reaching back to Jefferson and Madison: the one that said if you give your government the opportunity to rob you, use you, and hurt you, be prepared to be robbed, hurt, and used. Take the Deep State over the Shallow State.
Who needs testing and vaccines ?
We have Mike’s "thoughts and prayers".
Who needs experts ?
We have a stable genius at the helm.
1
Trump doesn’t want accurate reporting because it will increase the numbers. I’m in utter disbelief. Shocked that he actually spouts this stuff with a straight face. Can it be any plainer than the noses on our faces that Donald Trump is DANGEROUS to this country and its people?? That statement alone should have made Congress running for cover under the 25th Amendment. My god, what does he have to do to have our Congress take,with the utmost seriousness and solemnity, steps to remove this president??
2
Really not helpful calling Jay Inslee a snake after Jay asked him to stop with the disinformation about Coronavirus. Trump is deranged and non-presidential.
2
It seems the Trump administration has succinct advise fo all Americans: Good luck! you're on your own.
To everyone who voted for this man, who swears by this man, and who proudly wears that ridiculous hat: Good luck! You're on your own. Because Donald Trump cannot - and will not - save you.
1
Stack Trump's posturing
up against scientific fact
and too many Americans
would scratch their chins
(or whatever)
and pick Trump.
That's a fine strategy,
until reality comes knocking.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Covid-19
Covid-19 who?
Covid-19 don't care
how red your hat is.
1
How about enlightening the masses about the meaning of fact, falsehood, hunch and unknown?
Elections have consequences. This is where the rest of us suffer because a minority of Americans decided to elect a buffoon to lead our country.
The greater controversy in this article should be why this administration lies first and asks questions later,much later, because they preferNOT to know the truth themselves, as they simply are unable and unequipped to deal with real problems. It’s like their white, male privilege has left them defenseless in having to deal with reality because they’ve had the luxury of never having to pay real consequence. So now, the world is supposed to accept their ‘alternative reality’ versus them dealing with reality in an effective manner to solve real problems. They, obviously,didn’t know this is what they signed up for, not just the tax cuts. It’s NOT the ’economy, stupid’, it’s the global age with real problems and the most powerful person on the planet is playing pretend with our lives!
1
Why is so little attention being given in the press to Trump's fiscal cuts to CDC and to other agencies tasked with monitoring and responding to pandemics? Why is he once again being given a pass for the consequences of his idiotic and thoughtless actions.
And, by the way, where are all the stories comparing and contrasting this administration's response to this virus with the Obama administration's response to Ebola? And where are the quotes from Republicans who screamed from the rooftops that we were all going to die because of a Democrat president, at the same moment that the Obama administration was taking effective concrete measures to prevent that? Which measures succeeded.
If the press devoted as much energy to a genuine and quite serious issue like this as they did to the utter nonsense of Hillary's emails, an obviously fabricated non-issue, we as a country would be much better served.
Do your jobs!
1
How morally repulsive is it to leave those poor 3,500 people lingering in uncertainty and vulnerable exposure on the Grand Princess off California’s shores! And this president doesn’t want to repatriate these people because it would raise the tally of stricken people in the continental U.S. — and make him look bad.
The number of people being held hostage to this despicable man’s ego and pseudo-presidential ambitions is more than five times the number held hostage in Iran decades ago.
You can agree or disagree with Trump political and economic policies. His actions in relation to the coronavirus epidemic, however, unquestionably represent gross incompetence and heartless inhumanity. He is a shame to the nation.
2
Any coronavirus deaths in this country are blood on Trump’s hands. He is in denial and traffics in magical thinking.
Someone needs to tell the child-president that the virus is real, people are dying and it will not go away when the cherry blossoms bloom in April.
The healthcare officials need to stop placating our very stable genius and when necessary directly contradict his foolish talk. It is clear Trump,suffers from dementia and should not be allowed to control this serious and deadly epidemic.
1
This is a complete shambles.
What is most infuriating is that this situation has been tabled by experts for ever!!
Our elected officials are truly incompetent. but does this surprise.?
It seems that despite the result of the last general election most people in this country are smarter than our President. Believe this man and there is a good chance you will get sick and even die. Natural selection?
We all know the Trump admin. is a pack of incompetent power-junkie sycophants - nothing new there. We also know that Trump's head is attached to his fundament and not his shoulders.
But It would be somewhat ironic if the dictatorial virus that is Trump, et al., is eliminated by a virus that is, in English, a "crown".
At this point it's clear to me that the resources necessary for increasing test kits availability is being held up on purpose. The more the testing, higher the numbers will be and Trump doesn't want that. He clearly stated that he is against the ship docking because the numbers would increase for no fault of his. If I were a foreign government watching this, I would no longer admit US citizens until the US government can prove that it's speaking the truth.
24
The way numbers are stacking up now, there could be 20 000 - 40 000 cases in the US, anywhere from 500 - 1500 deaths.
7
@Coy Add a few zeros and you will have the numbers for a typical seasonal flu season in the US.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2018-2019.html
So no test kits are required to check into a Trump resort?
9
This is an incredibly fine piece of reportage.
12
The main thing is that the USA appears still to lack proper or enough testing for the virus. I suppose we always knew it was a Third World country - here we were previously worrying that Indonesia wasn't testing very much but the USA is a disgrace.
We are trying to force our government to have simple public advertisements everywhere and on all media: 1. Wash your hands, a lot; 2. do not sneeze of cough without covering your face - to stop spreading - and try a clean handkerchief; 3. masks are not necessary and nor is panic buying of loo paper [rife in Australia].
The main points are the first 2. I heard Pence wiped his nose with a hand he then used to shake someone else's hand. What is the matter with this man?
Most people do not wash their hands enough anyway, and cough all over people - this is common and disgusting at the best of times. The anti-Chinese factor is another vile problem.
12
Did it ever occur to Trump to just tell the truth?
16
Trump has to be managed and coddled like a problem child while the real work goes on behind his back if it goes on at all lest he throw a tantrum. We should be grateful that there are any competent pe who will put up with him for the sake of the nation.
11
So I am here in Israel after cancelling my trip to NJ. Given the quarantines proliferating there I decided to stay put. Israel is very assertive about travel restrictions and quarantines. I have no idea of what should be done but perhaps rereading An Enemy of the People is a good suggestion.
4
Resident dies in Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s Florida district, after the congressman wore a massive gas mask in the floor of congress. Gaetz was "making fun" of the Democrats asking for additional funding to fight the epidemic. Still waiting for President Trump's comments on this crude behavior of Gaetz? https://www.huffpost.com/entry/matt-gaetz-gas-mask-mock-coronavirus-concerns-one-of-his-constituents-just-died-from-it_n_5e64067cc5b68d61645545d6
20
This could be tried in court as involuntary manslaughter, at the very least. Why are Trump/Pence being allowed to get away with this? Time after time after time. They should be in jail.
Dr Fauci, we need you, but you are now part of the coverup team too. Resign.
4
@caroline
Yes, Fauci has been less than impressive, continually minimizing.