The Coronavirus “Could Disappear”
First COVID-19 death in the U.S. reported in Seattle, WA area.
“Trump has created a propaganda machine of the likes we’ve never seen.” — Steve Schmidt
The President has, unsurprisingly, claimed that the stock market is down because of the democratic debates. The downturn obviously has nothing to do with the sudden slow down across the globe of travel, and consumerism as a whole from fear of spreading COVID-19.
“I think (investors) they’re not very happy with the Democratic candidates when they see them, and I think that has an impact…” — Trump speaking on the White House lawn 2/28/20
I wonder what it’s like to exist in your own world.
This past Thursday was the worst day for the stock market since 2011. Shares have continued to drop for seven days in a row. The dip is mostly due to concern about how profits and economic growth will be affected should the outbreak of the coronavirus worsen.
I will say it was somewhat nostalgic to see the briefing room in the White House this past Wednesday during Trump’s address regarding COVID-19. Just like the good ole’ days. What poor soul must have spent hours (or perhaps days) dusting that space off, before letting the media in to take their seats.
I never thought I would say this, but I actually miss White House Press Secretary Huckabee. At least she actually squirmed and lied to the press face to face, day after day. Up close and personal. Can you name Trump’s new press secretary?
I didn’t think so.
Her name is Stephanie Grisham, if you spot her on the street, please ask her what she does to earn her $183,000 salary paid with our hard-earned tax dollars besides making appearances on Fox News? She hasn’t held a single press conference since taking on the role, but I digress.
Until recently, it hasn’t been clear who is actually in charge of the effort to combat the coronavirus. However, I am very excited to inform you if you haven’t heard the terrific news…
Mike Pence is large and in charge as the new “Coronavirus Czar.”
Did you notice Pence staring blankly at the back of Trump’s skull during his address to the nation regarding the coronavirus? It’s not so dissimilar from the viral video were he looks like he is enjoying the reckless abandon of a Ketamine-hole. His face expressionless; arms dangling meekly by his sides without movement.
Please don’t take my word for it, review some of the highlights for yourself.
If I was Trump’s Vice President, I would be dosing on Ketamine recreationally in public too.
Pence couldn’t be more qualified for this new task judging from his track record of “scientific opinions.” Please do read about how he masterfully handled the HIV outbreak in Indiana under his watch.
Or his statement that “despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn’t kill.”
Who can forget, “I also believe that someday scientists will come to see that only the theory of intelligent design proves even a remotely rationale explanation for the known universe.”
Also, condoms offer “very poor” protection. I could go on (sigh), alas we don’t have the time for this pit stop. I don’t know about you, but I find Pence’s personal scientific theories the ultimate comfort.
At least we can confirm that something is in fact, going on behind those vacant eyes.
I prefer the opinion described in an article by the Guardian. An analogy made by an epidemiology professor, who compared Pence in charge of the handling of the coronavirus as “putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department.”
Trump claimed during his address this past Wednesday that the United States has only confirmed 15 cases of the coronavirus. All completely under control. In fact, we will be at less than zero any day and this is completely contained because he’s doing such a good job spreading disinformation.
“We’re already almost at zero!” — Trump
The coronavirus has spread to every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
The actual number is 60 at the time of his address. We have 45 Americans still in quarantine that were in Wuhan, China.
Don’t you remember Trump? You were very angry that they were brought home. However, it was ultimately your responsibility and your administration that insisted on flying 14 infected persons on a plane with unaffected people, without proper protection from transmission.
I guess you’re right, its best to pretend they don’t exist.
No need to mention that one of the first confirmed cases of infection of unknown origin is in California. The infected person, a woman, had not traveled, and we have no idea how she got the coronavirus, so let us not worry or speak of that either.
Don’t forget the 700 New York residents who traveled to China and are under voluntary quarantine, according to USA Today. Have any of them been tested?
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California coronavirus patient of unknown origin was not tested for at least several days. Germany also has the only other case of unknown origin.
As of 2/27, it was reported that 8,400 others that have traveled internationally in California to areas of infection are being monitored… and 33 have tested positive. Solena County has declared a state of public health emergency.
This is contained?
In South Korea, they saw a 30% spike in a single day of infections this past week. Again as of Friday 2/28, another 500+ have been confirmed in South Korea. They have aggressively tested nearly 68,000 people with plans to test 200K in the coming weeks.
“We’re doing a great job testing people.” — Trump
America has crossed a terrifying threshold of a mystery case appearing in California with only 449 people in the U.S. tested.
The danger is that we have no idea how many people are a-systematic, yet infected. How many will think initially they have a common cold? Do the face masks help to not get it or spread it?
We only have a few hundred test kits as a country and are massively under-testing people. You can go to a drive-through in London to get tested for Christ’s sake. They’ve screened 7,000 people already in Great Britain.
Also, who, when, where, and how have we been testing people? How does testing work? How effective are these tests?
“Only a 2% mortality rate.” — Trump
This is a devastating number if hundreds of millions of people are infected with a 2% mortality rate.
“It’s just like a bad cold or flu.” — Trump
On a bad year, the flu kills .01-.05% of the infected.
The coronavirus, so far with limited global data, reports a significantly greater 2–2.5% mortality rate.
If it is just like a bad cold or flu, why do children seem to be immune from it? Why are men middle-aged and older the most susceptible to it? Viruses have the ability to change and evolve, we really have no idea what this thing could turn into in the long run.
“We’ll have a vaccine very soon.” — Trump
In reality, a vaccine is at the very least a year away.
Completely different warnings from the health and human resources top off this public debacle of misinformation. The Health and Human Services (HHS) Czar, Alex Azar said we have nothing to worry about.
“There’s a playbook…” — Alex Azar
Did you care to be more specific? What does this “playbook” entail?
Meanwhile, the head of immunization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told us our lives are about to be severely disrupted.
“Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread (of the coronavirus) in this country.” — Nancy Messonnier the head of immunization at the CDC
We have a report from a whistleblower complaint by the Washington Post and The New York Times that U.S. health workers responding to the coronavirus lacked training and protective gear.
HHS sent two teams of over a dozen from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to receive a plane full of American passengers evacuating Wuhan China at Travis and March Air Force Bases in California.
Why were these people sent to do this task? They’re not trained for an “Outbreak.”
“ACF personnel typically deal with supporting people recovering from natural disasters, such as floods and fires, and helping victims apply for temporary assistance, all of which are under the category of human services, the whistleblower’s lawyers said. HHS officials broke established protocols for emergency support by sending ACF workers to a health emergency for which they have no training…” — The Washington Post
They were given safety protocol training material five days into their assignment, nevermind equipment. Alex Azar, the head of HHS is responsible for this.
In some instances, the teams were working alongside personnel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in “full gown, gloves and hazmat attire,” the complaint said. — The Washington Post
Staff members exposed to people from Wuhan China infected with the virus moved freely around and off the Travis Air Force base, in Solano County. One staff member stayed at a nearby hotel and another left California on a commercial flight.
The woman who is fighting for her life, infected with the coronavirus of unknown origin in California, just so happens to live in Solano County.
When are we going to stop being so docile in letting the Trump administration get away with lying, ego-stroking, and spreading misinformation? Until wearing a face mask every day is your new normal?
We’re talking about a president that didn’t think twice about significantly altering the threat of a major hurricane path with a fucking sharpie.
There are over 84,000 reported cases in 54 countries as of 2/28/20. The World Health Organization (WHO) “has increased the assessment of the risk of spread and risk of the impact of COVID-19 to very high at the global level.”
We also have a second case of an infection of coronavirus in California, of unknown origin. Friday 2/28 Oregon has reported its first case of COVID-19.
As well as Washington State, reporting two new cases and the first reported death in the Seattle area; this is the first reported death in the United States.
Facebook and Google have canceled events as far out as May of 2020. Amazon has restricted travel by its employees. Japan closed schools, including Tokyo shutting down Disneyland. The Swiss have banned events of over 1,000 people. Lebanon has closed its schools. The Geneva Motor Show has been canceled.
Belarus, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Nigeria reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. As of the close of Friday night the United States has 64 confirmed cases of infection. Yet on Friday Trump was still telling reporters on the White House lawn that we are at the same number and “essentially” only have 15 cases.
Most disturbing, is reporting from BBC that Iran’s government reports 34 deaths. Individual hospitals were contacted reporting 210 deaths. What is going on?
Trump was playing at being a scientist in the briefing room for the American people by downplaying the potential danger of this new virus. He referred to this viral outbreak as the democrats “new hoax” at a rally in South Carolina Friday night.
This is a novel virus that we have never seen or experienced before. We must make preparations and test people that may think they just have a bad cold. Calling this a “hoax” offers the fiercest credibility challenge that Trump may not be able to recover from.
His abhorrent behavior, ego, and pathological lying has never caught up with him. This is where the facts will finally count. We’ve all feared that the lies he tells would result in real consequences for the public.
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but COVID-19 might actually kill you.
He always pivots or assigns blame to someone else when things don’t work out. The perverted silver lining we can all take solace in is that the COVID-19 is the first thing Trump can’t hide, or spin the reality of his handling, in his favor.
Forget about politics and who you think is right. The ignorance of Trump and his spread of disinformation in this instance is downright deadly.
*Enjoy this? Read the follow up article “The U.S. is the ‘Most Prepared in the World’ for COVID-19.”
*27 (all links) non-affiliated independent sources from major news outlets, and non-political public health organizations were linked to for citation in this article.
➡️ Jezebel Feast is the editor of “Jezebel’s Feast,” a personal blog focused on the vast topic of living a sustainable lifestyle. Visit her new home jezebelsfeast.com. Want to keep in touch? Catch Jeze on Instagram 📸 or Pinterest 📌…🔗…🚀
