Coronavirus Outbreak...

[carpedm9587]

So a slight uptick in new cases, despite a drop in New York's contribution, and a jump to over 2,400 deaths today. If this is the downside of the pandemic...it's a pretty slow slide.

[shunyadragon]

Unbelievable rude inconsiderate arrogance!

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/28/coronavirus-mike-pence-tours-mayo-clinic-without-mask.html

Vice President Mike Pence tours Mayo Clinic without coronavirus mask even though he was told to wear one

© Copyright Original Source

[shunyadragon]

So a slight uptick in new cases, despite a drop in New York's contribution, and a jump to over 2,400 deaths today. If this is the downside of the pandemic...it's a pretty slow slide.

It will be a slow downside, and possibly a hump due to isolated populations not yet exposed to the virus, and those exposed late. The graph in China reflected this. The French bell curve also resembles this type of gradual recovery.

[JimL]

But the degree to which you are willing to trust those outside observers depends on your biases. That's the part you're refusing to admit... and now we're just going in circles.

I don't think it has anything to do with trusting others, MM, it has to do with your own ability to be objective in your assessment of other perspectives despite your bias.

[Mountain Man]

It seems some journalists still have some integrity:

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...sting-numbers/

[rogue06]

It seems some journalists still have some integrity:

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...sting-numbers/

He will likely be ostracized much in the same manner that the Democrat state representative from Michigan Karen Whitsett is facing censure by state Democrats after she praised President Trump after successfully using hydroxychloroquine to fight her coronavirus infection

[JimL]

It seems some journalists still have some integrity:

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...sting-numbers/

His timing was off, that's all. The fact is that the U.S. lagged far behind in testing early on and has been playing catch-up ever since. As of April 20th the U.S. was still behind S. Korea in testing. The timing is the important thing, and the U.S. started late which allowed the virus to spread. Testing more now doesn't change the damage the late start in testing caused.

[Mountain Man]

His timing was off, that's all. The fact is that the U.S. lagged far behind in testing early on and has been playing catch-up ever since. As of April 20th the U.S. was still behind S. Korea in testing. The timing is the important thing, and the U.S. started late which allowed the virus to spread. Testing more now doesn't change the damage the late start in testing caused.

[lilpixieofterror]

His timing was off, that's all. The fact is that the U.S. lagged far behind in testing early on and has been playing catch-up ever since. As of April 20th the U.S. was still behind S. Korea in testing. The timing is the important thing, and the U.S. started late which allowed the virus to spread. Testing more now doesn't change the damage the late start in testing caused.

The US is also a whole lot larger, with a much bigger population, than most of the world. FYI, the US is ahead of SK in testing as of now.

[JimL]

The US is also a whole lot larger, with a much bigger population, than most of the world. FYI, the US is ahead of SK in testing as of now.

Perhaps the US is ahead of S. Korea now, I don't know, as of April 20th they were still behind, but if so it is only because they have caught up to them and the US is still in the middle of the pack. The point is that the US started testing late, rejected the testing kits offered by W.H.O. and sent out faulty testing kits of their own making, lagged way behind when it counted most, and allowed the virus to spread as a result. Catching up in testing doesn't change the damage done by starting late.

[carpedm9587]

His timing was off, that's all. The fact is that the U.S. lagged far behind in testing early on and has been playing catch-up ever since. As of April 20th the U.S. was still behind S. Korea in testing. The timing is the important thing, and the U.S. started late which allowed the virus to spread. Testing more now doesn't change the damage the late start in testing caused.

Yeah - but he still had his facts wrong when he asked the question. He should have known better. It was a bad question.

[carpedm9587]

Perhaps the US is ahead of S. Korea now, I don't know, as of April 20th they were still behind, but if so it is only because they have caught up to them and the US is still in the middle of the pack. The point is that the US started testing late, rejected the testing kits offered by W.H.O. and sent out faulty testing kits of their own making, lagged way behind when it counted most, and allowed the virus to spread as a result. Catching up in testing doesn't change the damage done by starting late.

The U.S. is now "ahead of testing" with respect to S. Korea because the need for testing in S. Korea has dropped off. They aggressively implemented trace/test/treat, so testing was driven by tracing. As they have flattened the curve, the need for testing has dropped off because the tracing is surfacing fewer and fewer contacts.

By comparison, the U.S. has had no consistent testing strategy. Testing has primarily been diagnostically driven, with people being tested as they present with symptoms. Tracing has been spotty at best, which means that community transmission has taken hold. Unfortunately, now that the virus is widespread, attempts at tracing going forward are going to produce limited results depending on locality. Where there is little instance of the virus, tracing should get started NOW!. For the rest, the best we can do is isolate until the new case count drops to a point that tracing becomes useful again. Random testing in the community will tell us something about breadth of infection and gains towards herd immunity, but will not help with isolating the virus and preventing spread.

All of that depends on effective leadership at a national as well as state level. Unfortunately, we don't have leadership that can even follow its own guidelines, never mind leadership that can provide clear and consistent information. Pence's explanation, recently, for why his "we'll have 4 million tests by the end of the week" promised over a month ago (and only just recently realized) was "not wrong" is the height of moving the goal posts. We had the kits - just not the ability to process them? Really? Seriously? This is their defense?

It's laughable - and sad - and tragic.

[shunyadragon]

[lilpixieofterror]

Perhaps the US is ahead of S. Korea now, I don't know, as of April 20th they were still behind, but if so it is only because they have caught up to them and the US is still in the middle of the pack. The point is that the US started testing late, rejected the testing kits offered by W.H.O. and sent out faulty testing kits of their own making, lagged way behind when it counted most, and allowed the virus to spread as a result. Catching up in testing doesn't change the damage done by starting late.

[Mountain Man]

Perhaps the US is ahead of S. Korea now...

Right, and the reporter was referencing "now" when he claimed that the US was behind. He was wrong, he admitted it, he apologized to Trump (although it would have been better if he did it in person during the next press briefing instead of dumping it on the graffiti wall known as "social media", but at least he apologized). Why are you still trying to act like his original incorrect statement has merit?