COVID-19 Update 11, May 16
A COVID-19 outbreak at the White House. Oy Gevalt!
Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns stay at home order setting a precedent for other states.
Whistleblower Rick Smith fired by Trump from his job as head of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency warns of “darkest winter in modern history” coming unless a coordinated national action is taken immediately to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump supporters using personal attacks in response to scientific evidence – murdering the truth.
“When someone is honestly 55% right, that’s very good and there is no use wrangling. And if someone is 60% right, it’s wonderful, and let him thank God. But what is to be said about 75% right? Wise people say this is suspicious. Well, and what about 100% right? Whoever says he is 100% right is a fanatic, a thug, and the worst kind of rascal.” An old Jew of Galicia – from Czeslaw Milosz.
Canada should start building a wall along the border.
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CTV News, May 9: “Advocacy groups are sounding the alarm on what is being described as an epidemic of domestic violence in Canada, as victims are confined to their homes with their abusers amid the pandemic.”
The Guardian, May 11: “Russia domestic violence cases more than double under lockdown.”
The Guardian, May 11: “…marginalized Roma people, Europe’s largest minority – 10M, hit hard by Coronavirus. …facing a combination of health risk, economic deprivation and increased stigmatization.”
BBC, May 13 “Brazil reports highest daily rise in COVID-19 deaths. …the real figure may be far higher due to a lack of testing. It is amazing when you have two viruses to control: the coronavirus and the Bolsonaro virus.”
CNN, May 12: “Black UK Railway worker dies from Coronavirus after being spat on. On March 22, Belly Mujinga, 47, was working with a colleague when a member of the public assaulted them, spat and coughed over them and said he had the Coronavirus. Belly, who had an underlying health condition, died on April 5.”
CBC, April 26: “Filipino workers at meat packing plant feel unfairly blamed for Canada’s biggest COVID-19 outbreak. …588 cases at the Cargill plant in High River, Alta.”
Misinformation in 28% of COVID-19 YouTube videos.
Maria Branyas, oldest woman in Spain beats COVID-19 at 113.
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The Quebec government finally made the data from LTC residences available on its official COVID-19 site.
* Centre d’Hebergemant et de Soins de Longue Duree – Long Term Care and Housing Centre ** From Nora Loreto’s spreadsheet
Given Quebec’s poor outcome in controlling the pandemic, the provincial government and all other relevant authorities, especially those dealing with the management, oversight and regulation of “living environments” for vulnerable seniors, must be held to account. Canada’s mortality rate excluding Quebec would be 73.4/M, lower than Germany’s and California’s.
Ontario’s mortality rate was quite low compared to many jurisdictions. Had proper public health procedures been applied promptly in LTC institutions, the rate would have been much lower. Of 55 COVID-19 deaths in Nova Scotia 49 were from the Northwood Manor LTC in Halifax.
As far as the rest of the country – kudos for a job very well done!
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As has been the case for most jurisdictions, Canada’s daily % of new cases is painfully slow in coming down.
While the daily new infection rates are quite high, Russia’s reported mortality and infection numbers are considered as way too low, and the suddenly high testing rate is viewed with suspicion. The future looks bleak.
While Georgia and Florida started gradual reopening about 3 weeks ago, the daily new infection rates remain quite low lending credence to a study recently reported by the Fox Network. Researchers at the Jesus Knows Best University in Possum Bluff, Florida discovered that southern pro gun and anti abortion Whites have immunity to COVID-19, twice the immunity if they also have a penis.
The future looks bleak for South America as the pandemic sweeps the continent. With very little testing and for political reasons, Brazil’s reported numbers vastly underestimate reality and in the coming weeks the country will face a tsunami of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
AP, Toronto, May 16, 11:00
Andrew Pakula is a long time peace activist and has been a member of Science for Peace from the very beginning. He is a retired social research and management consultant with a background in social psychology.
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