Tag: COVID-19

Hand-Washing Is Now a Partisan Issue

Yep—new data shows how divided Democrats and Republicans have become over coronavirus.

To use the argot of public health experts, the COVID-19 virus has a new transmission vector in America: partisanship.

Polls have unsurprisingly showed a yawning gap between Democrats and Republicans over their political interpretations of the coronavirus, such as how they rate President Trump’s handling of the outbreak so far.

But new data suggests that these beliefs are also playing a role in Americans’ personal decisions about their own health—and that steps recommended by experts to prevent the spread of the virus are increasingly superseded by partisan identity. The findings come from a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday. The survey asked Americans how they were responding to the outbreak, posing questions about personal hygiene and other preventive measures. Continue reading.

Sick People Across the U.S. Say They Are Being Denied the Coronavirus Test

New York Times logoIn a health care system that is already difficult to navigate, some patients describe Kafkaesque quests for tests.

BOSTON — First came the tickle in the throat. Then, a hacking cough. Then, a shortness of breath she had never experienced before. Hillary King, a 32-year-old consultant in Boston who lives down the street from a hotel where dozens of Biogen executives contracted the new coronavirus, decided that she had better get tested.

But getting tested is far easier said than done, even as testing slowly ramps up nationwide. Five days after President Trump announced that anyone who wants a test can get a test, Ms. King’s experience shows how difficult it can be in the United States to find out if you have the coronavirus.

Many who fear they have the virus have faced one roadblock after another as they try to get tested, according to interviews with dozens of people across the country. Continue reading.

GOP views next few weeks as critical for Trump

The Hill logoPresident Trump’s actions over the next few weeks to contain the coronavirus and stabilize the economy may determine whether voters give him a second term in office.

Only weeks ago, Trump appeared to be in a strong position for reelection.

Despite being impeached by the House, the president’s approval ratings were near their all-time highs and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, which was viewed as a risky bet by many Democrats.

All of a sudden, Trump is presiding over a shaky economy. The pandemic afflicting the country has resulted in a brutal stock market sell-off and raised questions about whether the U.S. will dip into a recession. Continue reading.

Mayo Clinic develops COVID-19 detection test

The test specifically detects SARS-CoV-2, a virus that the clinic says causes COVID-19 coronavirus.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Mayo Clinic in Rochester says it has developed its own way of testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to its website Thursday afternoon.

The test specifically detects SARS-CoV-2, a virus that the clinic says causes COVID-19 coronavirus.

Some of the methods used to obtain samples include nasopharyngeal swabs, sputum, throat swabs, bronchoalveolar lavages, and bronchial washings.  Continue reading.

Rep. Dean Phillips: We will overcome this

Most of us are experiencing feelings of fear and insecurity that few have endured in our lifetimes. And while the coming days and weeks will be challenging, rest assured that we shall overcome.

We each have a role to play in “flattening the curve” and slowing the spread of COVID-19 over time to ensure our healthcare professionals and facilities can meet the growing demand for care.

We do so by practicing social distancing – implementing teleworking whenever possible, postponing gatherings, limiting physical greetings and interactions, staying home when feeling ill, avoiding anyone who appears symptomatic, washing hands regularly, and avoiding touching your face. Continue reading “Rep. Dean Phillips: We will overcome this”

Governor Walz: Minnesota schools to close starting Wednesday

The coronavirus is forcing state officials into more drastic action.

Governor Tim Walz has announced that Minnesota’s schools will close down for two weeks as of Wednesday.

The governor has signed an executive order authorizing the closure of the state’s K-12 public schools starting Wednesday until Friday, Mar. 27.

The move is being taken to give schools time to make plans for long-term distance learning, suggesting that the closure could be extended beyond Mar. 27, though for now the plan is to re-open on Mar. 30. Continue reading.

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on temporary closure of Minnesota schools

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statement on Governor Walz’s announcement regarding closure of Minnesota schools:

“Governor Walz’s decision to temporarily close Minnesota schools is in the best interest of Minnesotans, and we appreciate the thoughtful way his executive order addresses the need for care and meals for our children. The Minnesota House of Representatives has also introduced legislation to ensure our hourly school workers are compensated for days canceled due to COVID-19, and we are working to enact this quickly. We will continue working closing with Governor Walz and his Administration, along with Senate Republicans, as we navigate this pandemic.” 

 

Scientist details how Trump ‘obliterated’ Obama’s pandemic response infrastructure out of spite

AlterNet logoThe coronavirus disease that was first diagnosed in China’s Hubei province has now spread to at least 47 countries and every continent except Antarctica. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency. President Trump sought to play down the threat from coronavirus and announced Vice President Mike Pence would be his point person to coordinate government efforts to prevent a widespread outbreak. As Trump spoke, a new milestone in the novel coronavirus outbreak was reported, in a possible example of community spread: A person was diagnosed with the virus in Northern California who had not traveled to any of the affected regions of the world, nor had known contact with anyone else who did. We speak with Laurie Garrett, former senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer. She is the author of several books, including “Ebola: Story of an Outbreak,” “The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance” and “Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health.”

The coronavirus disease that was first diagnosed in China’s Hubei province has now spread to at least 47 countries and every continent except Antarctica. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency. President Trump sought to play down the threat from coronavirus and announced Vice President Mike Pence would be his point person to coordinate government efforts to prevent a widespread outbreak. As Trump spoke, a new milestone in the novel coronavirus outbreak was reported, in a possible example of community spread: A person was diagnosed with the virus in Northern California who had not traveled to any of the affected regions of the world, nor had known contact with anyone else who did. We speak with Laurie Garrett, former senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer. She is the author of several books, including “Ebola: Story of an Outbreak,” “The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance” and “Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health.” Continue reading.

Spain Becomes Latest Epicenter of Coronavirus After a Faltering Response

New York Times logoThe government declared a state of emergency Friday, days after it allowed mass gatherings in the capital and cases jumped to 4,200.

MADRID — Just last weekend, about 120,000 people marched through downtown Madrid to celebrate International Women’s Day. Some 60,000 soccer fans filled one of the city’s largest stadiums. And 9,000 supporters of Vox, Spain’s third-largest party, gathered inside a former bullring.

Now Spain has the second-highest number of coronavirus infections of any European country, after Italy — overtaking the larger nations of France and Germany — and faces the fastest spreading contagion on the Continent.

Between last weekend and Friday, the number of cases in the country shot from several hundred to 4,200, with 120 deaths, and the prime minister warned that the number of cases could reach 10,000 by next week. That would give Spain one of the fastest rates of coronavirus contagion in the world. Continue reading.

Trump and Pence Won’t Be Tested After Meeting With Infected Brazilian Official

New York Times logo“Both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive,” the White House press secretary said.

WASHINGTON — President Trump will not be tested for the coronavirus after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who tested positive for the virus just days after participating in meetings with him in Florida, the White House said on Thursday.

Fabio Wajngarten, a top communications aide to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, tested positive days after accompanying him to Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and posing for a photo with the president and Vice President Mike Pence. In the photo, which he posted on social media, Mr. Wajngarten is standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Trump, who is clutching a brown “Make Brazil Great Again” baseball cap.

A video from the event also showed Mr. Wajngarten standing directly behind Mr. Trump and Mr. Bolsonaro as they spoke to a crowd. Continue reading.