Economy
States rushing to reopen are likely making a deadly error, coronavirus models and experts warn (tmn)
As several states — including South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida — rush to reopen businesses, the sudden relaxation of restrictions will supply new targets for the coronavirus that has kept the United States largely closed down, according to experts, math models and the basic rules that govern infectious diseases.
“The math is unfortunately pretty simple. It’s not a matter of whether infections will increase but by how much,” said Jeffrey Shaman, a leading epidemiologist at Columbia University.
Covid-19: Half of France’s private sector workers now unemployed (tmn)
Penicaud said entire sectors of the economy have effectively been shut down, with nine out of ten workers in hotels and restaurants as well as in construction now unemployed.
“We see how big a task it will be getting back to work after the confinement,” which the government plans to start lifting on May 11, Penicaud said.
Coronavirus Vaccine Doctor Says He Was Fired Over Doubts on Hydroxychloroquine (Sparky1)
“I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the Covid-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit,” he said in his statement. “I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way.”
Doubts about the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus and the lack of evidence about the drug’s effectiveness — including some small studies that indicated patients could be harmed — appear to have dampened Mr. Trump’s enthusiasm for it.
Fox News mentions of hydroxychloroquine have significantly dropped off (tmn)
It is unknown exactly why Fox News and the president are not as forcefully promoting hydroxychloroquine as they once did. However, on April 21, The Associated Press reported on a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. Although “the nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment” and it “has not been reviewed by other scientists,” the researchers concluded that hydroxychloroquine treatment “showed no benefit” and “there were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care.” This analysis joins other studies in throwing doubt upon the widespread effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, though other trials are still underway.
‘Incredibly small’ chance of mass vaccine or treatment in next year: UK official (tmn)
“Until we have those – and the probability of having those any time in the next calendar year are incredibly small and I think we should be realistic about that – we’re going to have to rely on other social measures.”
‘COVID toes’ could be another symptom of coronavirus infection: experts (Joshua)
Shortness of breath, a fever and a dry cough are the most common symptoms of the new coronavirus but medical experts are discovering patients are experiencing additional symptoms.
COVID-19 In Africa (maria dami)
Confirmed Cases: 26134, Dead: 1249, Recovered: 7039
Consequences, Crashes and Coronavirus (GE Christenson)
Boeing Stock: High close in March 2019 was $430. Close on April 21, 2020 was $136, down 68% from its high. Borrowing to buy back stock to boost share prices and management compensation worked for Boeing stock prices until it didn’t. Now Boeing has an impaired balance sheet, too much debt, not enough revenue and wants a $60 billion bailout. The piper must be paid, one way or another, by someone.
Over the past couple weeks, public health officials and policymakers have begun making the case for digital health credentials or “immunity certificates”. If implemented in conjunction with large-scale testing (for the COVID-19 virus and antibodies), immunity certificates could facilitate an incremental and orderly return to economic and social activities. While this presents a compelling opportunity, and one which may be worth considering, such a system cannot be allowed to compromise personal privacy rights, promote exclusion, or exacerbate existing social inequities.
‘Like the horror of war’: mayor of virus-ravaged Ecuador city calls for drastic response (tmn)
“It was as if we were attacked from the air like in Hiroshima,” said Viteri, a 54-year-old lawyer and former presidential candidate who sent desperate tweets as the scale of the dystopia unfolding there became clear.
“It was the horror of a war – there were dead in the streets, dead in homes, there were dead outside the hospitals,” remembered Viteri, who was infected and placed in quarantine but has recovered.
Banks Gave Richest Clients ‘Concierge Treatment’ for Pandemic Aid (tmn)
Customers of Citi’s private bank, where the minimum account size is $25 million, didn’t have to use an online portal to apply for a loan; they could simply submit paperwork to their banker, who would put in an application on their behalf. At Chase, the nation’s largest bank, nearly all private and commercial banking clients who applied for a small-business loan got one, whereas only one out of every 15 retail banking customers who sought loans was successful. Some banks provided highly personalized, so-called concierge service to their richest clients by enlisting representatives to walk them through every step and submit their paperwork.
The Climate Crisis Isn’t Coming, It’s Already Here (tmn)
The climate crisis has been called “our third world war.” John Kerry’s new coalition to wage it is World War Zero. The martial language emphasizes the human culpability at play. “All these disasters we see around the world—typhoons, hurricanes—they’re not natural, they’re man-made,” Sahakian said. “Rising seas, rising temperatures, fires—there’s a debate that they should be called man-made disasters, not natural disasters.”
To anticipate all manner of threats, Sahakian’s department conducts large-scale drills at its headquarters in downtown L.A. For bunker fans, the building is beyond compare: blast-resistant exterior surfaces, emergency backup generators, reserve sewage-storage tanks, all poised on 40 “seismically isolated” bases so it can survive massive impact.
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