It’s a small world after all… Here’s the President of Brazil’s press secretary, handing off a special gift, and also a hat:
The guy standing to Trump’s left just tested positive for coronavirus, according to Brazilian media. Fabio Wajngarten posted this photo, taken during meetings at Mar-a-Lago, five days ago. pic.twitter.com/qioU4qIlxl
— Gabriel Stargardter (@gabstargardter) March 12, 2020
Ministry of (Dis)Info: UNPERSON WAJNGARTEN DOES NOT EXIST!
There is a photo of both men with the person who is infected. In the photo, the president is holding a hat that someone handed him. https://t.co/CkNTwQaD26
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 12, 2020
Bolsonaro’s son, lawmaker Eduardo, said he is going to get tested. Here he is in Mar-a-Lago with Trump and Ivanka. Photo posted four days ago. pic.twitter.com/hIG4zFPO2t
— Gabriel Stargardter (@gabstargardter) March 12, 2020
Of course every thread is a coronavirus thread right now, but I’m gonna use this to share some notes that might otherwise be missed in the flood of new information… and so that commentors on the other side of the world have a place to check in. Our thoughts are with you, now more than ever!
South Korea's social distancing is voluntary – but it's still taking a big toll. The mass testing is vital, but so is the price being paid by everyone to protect the vulnerable.https://t.co/o8ClWZxItp
— James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) March 12, 2020
4. New immigration procedures that monitor arrivals for 2 weeks
5. Twice daily media briefings
6. Mobile phone text alerts to people in neighborhoods with community transmissionhttps://t.co/Ap9h7MhcWZ— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) March 12, 2020
Amazing! What South Korea is doing is really bending their #Covid19 epidemic curve. Only 131 new cases today, versus 909 on Feb. 29.
It's not just China. This clearly can be done. https://t.co/sueAO9XLF7 pic.twitter.com/Bw7WX1s9nM— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 10, 2020
The United States is currently testing the smallest percentage of its population of any developed nation pic.twitter.com/WpAJhyxL0y
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) March 12, 2020
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, permanent residents aged 18+ will each receive a cash handout of HK$10,000 (US$1,200) in a HK$120 billion (US$15 billion) relief deal rolled out by the government to ease the burden on individuals and companies, while saving jobs. https://t.co/SI18KKeBZa
— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) March 13, 2020
Fearmongering alert:
2. @erinmcunningham + @DDaltonBennett's reporting makes clear that the outbreak and the death toll is greater than Iran's official figures suggest. There is no disputing that. But the title + framing + imagery gives the impression bodies are being dumped in secret "pits."
— Esfandyar Batmanghelidj (@yarbatman) March 12, 2020
5. As Tabnak reported on February 29, Masoumeh was designated as the single burial place for all of Qom's #COVID19 victims because it would enable sanitary conditions, such as cold storage for bodies. That's partly why one location has so many new graves.https://t.co/sw4WLC3fb7
— Esfandyar Batmanghelidj (@yarbatman) March 12, 2020
12. It would have been easy to spell all this out and explain that officials in Qom were preparing graves for many victims while underplaying the #COVID19 threat. But instead we get insinuations that Iranian authorities are secretly dumping hundreds of bodies into "burial pits."
— Esfandyar Batmanghelidj (@yarbatman) March 12, 2020
There has been alot of lazy stereotyping of Italy around the rates of #coronavirus there.????
Having tested over 42,000 people, Italy "may have a higher number of cases as a result of performing more rigorous tests than their European counterparts."??
https://t.co/BL1wKO1nxg— Ciarán O' Driscoll (@bearaboi) March 11, 2020
China is aiding Italy with supplies and expertise, which we will also be desperately needing, so maybe now isn't the time for Tom Cotton and company to be playing their little xenophobic blame game. https://t.co/CNmhPkv0uP
— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 13, 2020
Research shows that if interventions in China had been enacted a week earlier, 66% fewer people would have been infected. The same measures brought in three weeks earlier could have reduced cases by 95%.
The U.S. may by now have wasted that chance. https://t.co/iJkrWUIV0R— Adrian Zenz (@adrianzenz) March 12, 2020
I do think China fundamentally underestimated the threat and overestimated its ability to contain it. That is often the case with novel threats. But when it woke up it became literally a beast in shutting it all down, buying the world a couple months. Which the US squandered. https://t.co/5vNajZCJN8
— Vipin Narang (@NarangVipin) March 12, 2020
This isn't patient zero, more likely the index patient (meaning the first person detected with the disease as opposed to the first person actually infected), but a new analysis shows one of the first cases of #COVID2019 can be traced back to November 17 https://t.co/4MUPAQS52e
— Dr. Seema Yasmin (@DoctorYasmin) March 13, 2020
Small, small world…
AUSTRALIA's Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, who tested positive for coronavirus, met last week with Ivanka Trump pic.twitter.com/2V762HldV0
— Coronavirus Updates (@GlobaISpectator) March 13, 2020
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
Someone reposted this viral post in an earlier thread. It needs debunking.
There’s a Facebook Coronavirus Post Going Viral Claiming to be From Stanford. Don’t Believe It.
satby
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: I posted the debunking yesterday too, but it bears repeating.
La Nonna
Italy is very grateful for the supplies coming in from China, the triage for ventilators and other critical supplies is brutal. On the plus side, lockdown seems to be working well, we are obliged to carry a self-certification that our trip outside the home is necessary, for medical, work, or food/pharmacy shopping. Took 2.5 hours to shop in a large supermarket yesterday, shoppers going in 2 at a time, only 1 cashier, everyone masked and gloved. Shelves are full, however, no panic buying or apparent hoarding, we are set for another 2-3 weeks of enforced homestay, will shop again after that.
Brachiator
More people have been told to work from home, and some schools are ramping up remote learning. But Ars Technica reports that disruption of the supply chain because of the virus is affecting people who are trying to buy computer hardware so that they can comply with the new reality. Some folks are also having problems getting parts for repairs.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/03/ars-readers-share-their-stories-of-coronavirus-related-hardware-shortages-and-more/
Anne Laurie
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Thanks for the reminder! — I just added your link to the Friday Morning Open Thread, which will be posted soon.
OzarkHillbilly
Time will tell. They’ve never gone back on their word before, right?
TS (the original)
I know I shouldn’t … and I have little sense of fashion … but where does Ivanka get her clothes from. She dresses like my great grandma on a bad day
Edit: And I hate that politicians from Australia would have anything to do with the trump sycophants – just unbelievable.
OzarkHillbilly
@TS (the original): Flat out ignoring the trumpster sycophants has consequences too. The world is caught between a rock and a hard place, trying to pick the lesser of two weevils.
mrmoshpotato
(sigh)
“I’m luxurious at stable jeaniousing!”
Has the real President put up a policy on her website? Her policies from 4 years ago are still there.
Chyron HR
@TS (the original):
When we say there was a Russian conspiracy to install white nationalist governments in every western democracy, we mean EVERY western Democracy.
satby
The Trump era has made me a very bad person, because I hope they all get the virus. And for the notorious germaphobe, I hope the anxiety of being exposed to all these carriers is making his life hell right now. Because hell is what he deserves.
MagdaInBlack
@OzarkHillbilly:
He’ll be fired within a week.
mrmoshpotato
@satby: I’m still hoping for American Nuremberg trials like Cole.
And I hope for our own Oct. 16, 1946 – lots of Nazi trash met their hanging end that day.
prostratedragon
@La Nonna: Assisted shopping like that would reduce the need to hoard for many people I would think. Something for our cities to consider soon, judging by all the bare shelf posts around the twitterbox. Best of luck!
mrmoshpotato
Sab
Amazing how canceling sports get’s everyone to sit up and take notice finally.
Ascap_scab
The NASCAR races at Atlanta this weekend and Homestead, FL next weekend will be run without spectators.
It’s getting real for the “bubba” crowd.
Ohio Mom
[email protected]: You beat me to it, that is one hideous dress Ivanka is wearing. Just the color alone, let alone the cut. The brown sweater in the other photo isn’t doing her any favors either.
I know this comment isn’t furthering the discourse or raising the level of conversation but I can’t help myself.
On another note, can someone do the math: When were Trump and Ivanka potentially exposed, how long is the incubation period, and when would they start having a fever if they did catch the virus? I see Melania wisely stayed home.
Ken
@satby: It does appear that a large number of people have arranged meetings with Trump and family, and afterward announced they’ve got the virus. I’m half-expecting claims of a worldwide conspiracy to infect him.
In reality, it’s probably just statistics. Pandemic + guy who demands everyone kiss his ass = higher than usual number of contacts.
ziggy
@La Nonna:
Very interesting, thanks for the report from Italy! I am encouraged that this harsh quarantine seems to be working, and soon the situation in Italy can be turned around. Stay well!
terry chay
@Ohio Mom: Melania was at some huge gathering promoting “be best” against the recommendations from health officials earlier this week. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/melania-trump-ignores-coronavirus-from-her-be-best-bubble/2020/03/11/e007b964-6387-11ea-b3fc-7841686c5c57_story.html
You think she is any smarter than the rest just because she used her husband for a green card? Lol.
terry chay
Dice this thread got stomped. Here is another link about the San Francisco response to COVID-19, hopefully for tomorrow’s update.
https://twitter.com/vivekjainmd/status/1237969862548320256?s=21