U.S. states, cities desperate for coronavirus help, military prepares

[webfact]

U.S. states, cities desperate for coronavirus help, military prepares

By Stephanie Kelly and Doina Chiacu

 

A general view of freeways leading into downtown Los Angeles after California issued a stay-at-home order due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

 

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several more U.S. governors on Monday joined the procession of states ordering millions of Americans to stay at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, while President Trump signaled he's considering a move in the opposite direction.

 

Public health authorities have pushed for the stay-at-home restrictions as essential to curb widespread transmission of a highly contagious respiratory virus that has infected more than 42,000 people in the United States, killing at least 559.

 

While a wave of statewide social distancing measures expanded, further stifling the U.S. economy amid another day of plunging stock prices and growing fears of a global recession, Trump said, "we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself."

 

"America will again and soon be open for business," Trump told a White House news conference. "We are not going to let it turn into a long-lasting financial problem."

 

A $2 trillion economic stimulus bill, however, stalled in the U.S. Senate as Democrats pressed for more money for states and hospitals and restrictions on business bailouts.

 

The president said he would re-evaluate his administration's position on whether to continue restricting business activity at the end of the month, after the lapse of a 15-day guidance the White House issued on March 15 to limit social interactions and curb unnecessary travel.

 

Trump suggested it was possible to ease up on businesses in states experiencing what he said were relatively low infection rates, like Nebraska, Idaho and Iowa, while continuing to clamp down on hot zones in other states, such as New York.

 

"If it were up to the doctors, they'd say let's shut down the entire world," Trump said.

 

MORE STATES IN LOCKDOWN

Since last week, governors in at least 18 states accounting for nearly half the U.S. population have issued directives requiring residents to stay mostly indoors, except for necessary trips to grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and doctors' offices. "Non-essential" businesses have also been ordered closed.

 

The measures are based on social distancing principles aimed at increasing the amount of space between individuals in order to stem transmission of a potentially lethal illness that threatens to overwhelm the nation's hospitals.

 

Washington, which accounts for over a quarter of the deaths, became the latest state to issue "stay at home" orders.

 

"This is a human tragedy on a scale we cannot yet project. So it's time to hunker down to win this fight," Washington Governor Jay Inslee said.

Even before statewide restrictions began to go into effect last week, the coronavirus pandemic had virtually paralyzed sectors of the U.S. economy and shattered U.S. lifestyles as school districts and colleges canceled classes, and many companies shuttered workplaces, either voluntarily or under local government orders.

 

While Trump's latest remarks showed his concern about the economic fallout, state and local officials continued to raise alarms about a healthcare delivery system in danger of collapse.

 

California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Monday his state needs 50,000 additional hospital beds to accommodate a surge in coronavirus patients predicted by computer modeling.

 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio appealed for ventilators, masks and other medical equipment, even asking for help from private citizens.

New York state is now at the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak with 157 deaths, the most of any state.

 

Karine Raymond, a nurse at Jack D. Weiler Hospital in New York City's Bronx borough, said most nurses were unable to get specialized N95 masks and even simpler surgical masks were in short supply. Nurses are being told to wear them for as long as possible, she said.

 

"We are the be all and end all and lifeline to these patients, and yet we are being contaminated and cross contaminating,” Raymond said.

 

RESCUES SOUGHT BY FED, CONGRESS

A far-reaching economic stabilization package for the coronavirus crisis failed to advance on Monday in the Senate after Democrats said it contained too little money for hospitals and not enough restrictions on a fund to help big businesses. Democrats predicted a modified version would win passage soon.

 

Both Democrats and Republicans say they are aware that failure to agree on the bill could have a devastating effect on states, cities and businesses, and trigger further heavy losses in U.S. stock markets.

 

Wall Street's slide deepened on Monday as an unprecedented moves by the U.S. Federal Reserve to shore up credit across the economy proved insufficient to sooth investors' fears about the swiftly spreading coronavirus.

 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 3.04% to end at 18,591.93 points, while the S&P 500, a broader-market index, lost 2.93% to 2,237.4.

 

The S&P 500 is now down about 34% from its February record high, its lowest level since fears of the coronavirus swept across Wall Street.

 

The steps briefly lifted U.S. stock index futures but share prices quickly dropped back into the red, putting the S&P 500 on pace for its worst month since World War Two.

 

A lack of coordinated federal action was causing chaos for states and municipalities, and even putting them in competition with each other for medical resources, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Illinois said.

 

The states "are all out looking for the same thing," New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told CNN on Monday.

 

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu, Dan Levine and Nathan Layne; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Howard Goller, Alistair Bell and Michael Perry)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-24

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Enoon]

As of 22 March NYC had tested 26,389.

 

10,764 Positive.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/nyregion/coronavirus-new-york-update.html

 

UK 78,340 tested

 

5,683 positive.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Enoon

[NCC1701A]

hopefully Trump will stop the madness before the economy collapses.

 

that was never going to be a way to lock down the USA in the way it needed to be done. It would have been impossible no matter who was president.   

 

I am hoping the people in the USA who are totally unaffected by the virus realize that losing your life savings, your house and prosperity for the next 10 years out weights any down side to this virus. That includes overwhelmed hospitals and the relatively small number of people who are going to die compared to the normal flu.    

 

and please dear god, no horrible new laws like the ones that were passed after 911 that striped Americans of their hard earned rights.     

 

[Langsuan Man]

4 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

hopefully Trump will stop the madness before the economy collapses

That really make me have no worries whatsoever since he has done such a magnificent/ PERFECT job of downplaying the emergency and keeping the markets calm with is steady tiny hands on the tiller  

[Sheryl]

What I can't figure out is how the many New Yorkers who live on daily wages are surviving now....?

 

Of course the long term economic impact is very important ,but there are a not inconsiderable number of people for whom the economic impact is immediate and severe.

[Nyezhov]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

What I can't figure out is how the many New Yorkers who live on daily wages are surviving now....?

 

Of course the long term economic impact is very important ,but there are a not inconsiderable number of people for whom the economic impact is immediate and severe.

There are a lot of folks suffering but a lot stepping up to the plate. We cant close down the whole country though. 

 

I guess the existential question here is: do we destroy a generation of economic promise for the young to save a generation of the old?

 

Im glad thats not my call.

[sukhumvitneon]

15 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

 

 

I am hoping the people in the USA who are totally unaffected by the virus realize that losing your life savings, your house and prosperity for the next 10 years out weights any down side to this virus. That includes overwhelmed hospitals and the relatively small number of people who are going to die compared to the normal flu.    

 

 

 

Easy to say when you've left the country.  If they eliminated the FEIE, treated more types of investment income as regular income, and started cutting SS benefits, you'd be whistling a different tune.

Edited March 24, 2020 by sukhumvitneon

[sukhumvitneon]

16 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

hopefully Trump will stop the madness before the economy collapses.

 

that was never going to be a way to lock down the USA in the way it needed to be done. It would have been impossible no matter who was president.   

 

I am hoping the people in the USA who are totally unaffected by the virus realize that losing your life savings, your house and prosperity for the next 10 years out weights any down side to this virus. That includes overwhelmed hospitals and the relatively small number of people who are going to die compared to the normal flu.    

 

and please dear god, no horrible new laws like the ones that were passed after 911 that striped Americans of their hard earned rights.     

 

Also one of the most tone-deaf posts I've read in my life

[unsubscribe]

22 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

hopefully Trump will stop the madness before the economy collapses.

 

that was never going to be a way to lock down the USA in the way it needed to be done. It would have been impossible no matter who was president.   

 

I am hoping the people in the USA who are totally unaffected by the virus realize that losing your life savings, your house and prosperity for the next 10 years out weights any down side to this virus. That includes overwhelmed hospitals and the relatively small number of people who are going to die compared to the normal flu.    

The economic issues were already there just waiting for a pin to pop them and wuflu serves that purpose nicely. If you're intelligent with your investments you won't lose much, and it will provide a great opportunity moving forward.

 

I'd much prefer the hammer and dance approach with suppression, I'm wondering when trump is going to realize that removing the current safety measures in place will essentially wipe out a large chunk of his, and fox news', constituency.

 

22 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

and please dear god, no horrible new laws like the ones that were passed after 911 that striped Americans of their hard earned rights.     

 

And the Patriot Act was already renewed last week under little fanfare. I'm sure there will be overreaching here as well, crises like these are what lobbyists live for.

Edited March 24, 2020 by unsubscribe

[simple1]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

What I can't figure out is how the many New Yorkers who live on daily wages are surviving now....?

 

Of course the long term economic impact is very important ,but there are a not inconsiderable number of people for whom the economic impact is immediate and severe.

Isn't the point raised by you trying to be addressed by the Dems? Dems are endeavouring to put additional support for the less well off with additions / changes to the proposed GOP Covid package. In the meantime you may be interested to have a read of the URL below which discusses the issues in more detail. 

 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/19/us-address-impact-covid-19-poor

[Chomper Higgot]

The Coronavirus help that the US needs now is medical equipment and test kits. 

 

Trump has still not implemented the Defense Production Act. 

 

Doing so would provide the needed equipment and provide work for those producing the equipment. 

 

Trump once again demonstrates he is not up to the job and once again America is paying the price. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"If it were up to the doctors, they'd say let's shut down the entire world," Trump said.

 

Ya, lucky for the world, the U.S. has an idiot conman in charge, instead of doctors and public health experts....  

[Nyezhov]

11 minutes ago, sukhumvitneon said:

Easy to say when you've left the country.  If they eliminated the FEIE, treated more types of investment income as regular income, and started cutting SS benefits, you'd be whistling a different tune.

Ah. Change the rules then cuz some folks have more money. Got it.

 

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Ya, lucky for the world, the U.S. has an idiot conman in charge, instead of doctors and public health experts...

So you think the risk of destroying the economy over a low fatality virus is worth it? Would there be a political aspect to your opinion?

 

Bet if Trump ordered the whole country to shut down right now you would be howling hes a dictator.

 

Wash your hands.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

Quote

 

‘It’s going to get bad’: As outbreak surges, nation faces tough start to a grim week

The sun had barely risen Monday when U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams took to the airwaves. “I want America to understand: This week, it’s going to get bad,” he said on NBC’s “Today.”

It got bad quickly.

For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic reached U.S. soil, the country reported more than 100 deaths in a single day, pushing the death toll past 500 and the infection total to more than 41,000.

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/its-going-to-get-bad-as-outbreak-surges-nation-faces-tough-start-to-a-grim-week/2020/03/23/77627f08-6d13-11ea-a3ec-70d7479d83f0_story.html

Edited March 24, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[unsubscribe]

this will be an interesting upcoming week or two.

Edited March 24, 2020 by unsubscribe

[metisdead]

Some offensive troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[nervona81732]

OK folks, we're going to be going hot. Pay attention , been in the works longer than you think. Some have been paying attention , most not. Stay tuned. Going to get interesting. 

[natway09]

And yet the Boss Mr T is going to have them all back at work next week. 

The man is a goose

[puipuitom]

3 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Ah. Change the rules then cuz some folks have more money. Got it.

 

So you think the risk of destroying the economy over a low fatality virus is worth it? Would there be a political aspect to your opinion?

 

Bet if Trump ordered the whole country to shut down right now you would be howling hes a dictator.

 

Wash your hands.

Much better the US way compared with the lackdown and maybe heavily destructed EU economy: just get rid of many older and sick, so a less burden to the population.

With a 25-30 million living in the USA who cannot afford a day off for sickness, and - in the crazy US health system - cannot afford to see a docter, forget a respiration activity in a hospital...I wonder how big the US curse on the world will be...

[Nyezhov]

11 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Much better the US way compared with the lackdown and maybe heavily destructed EU economy: just get rid of many older and sick, so a less burden to the population.

With a 25-30 million living in the USA who cannot afford a day off for sickness, and - in the crazy US health system - cannot afford to see a docter, forget a respiration activity in a hospital...I wonder how big the US curse on the world will be...

Id respond,but I dont quite know what you are saying LOL

[Bluespunk]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

 

"If it were up to the doctors, they'd say let's shut down the entire world," Trump said.

That’s because they care about lives and not your re-election campaign. 

[IAMHERE]

I think DiBlasio and New York officials are over-inflating the numbers in order to get MORE corona welfare out of Washington DC.

[puipuitom]

57 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Much better the US way compared with the lackdown and maybe heavily destructed EU economy: just get rid of many older and sick, so a less burden to the population.

With a 25-30 million living in the USA who cannot afford a day off for sickness, and - in the crazy US health system - cannot afford to see a docter, forget a respiration activity in a hospital...I wonder how big the US curse on the world will be...

Sorry for my sarcasm....

[Tug]

Imo trump is slow to activate the military on this is because to many of his cronies are profiteering on medical supply’s and he’s beeing denied the 500 billion taxpayer trough by the dems

[Gervais Bilodeau]

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

hopefully Trump will stop the madness before the economy collapses.

 

that was never going to be a way to lock down the USA in the way it needed to be done. It would have been impossible no matter who was president.   

 

I am hoping the people in the USA who are totally unaffected by the virus realize that losing your life savings, your house and prosperity for the next 10 years out weights any down side to this virus. That includes overwhelmed hospitals and the relatively small number of people who are going to die compared to the normal flu.    

 

and please dear god, no horrible new laws like the ones that were passed after 911 that striped Americans of their hard earned rights.     

 

Trump lost 2 months to get prepared...it will go away he kept saying. Now they are trying to catch up. States did not get prepared either. Hypnotized by the snake charmer at the White House.

 

[Nyezhov]

13 minutes ago, Gervais Bilodeau said:

States did not get prepared either. Hypnotized by the snake charmer at the White House.

So you are saying Inslee, Cuomo and Newsome are so stupid and easily led that Trump could make them do whatever he says?

 

How do you guys come up with this malarkey?

 

 

[Nyezhov]

20 minutes ago, Tug said:

Imo trump is slow to activate the military on this is because to many of his cronies are profiteering on medical supply’

Name one or your opinion is worthless. 

[Tug]

39 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Name one or your opinion is worthless. 

Opinions are like a certain part of our body’s everyone has one this I do say with certainty trump is a predator of the highest order financially sexually and emotionally if he sees a possibility of lining his pockets he will look at some of the schemes he’s tryed in the past predatory and corrupt his actions and history give in my opinion weight to what I said he’s earned it

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

https://www.businessinsider.com/number-of-coronavirus-tests-in-each-us-state-map-2020-3

 

 

Quote

Testing is a key part of fighting a pandemic — knowing the extent of an outbreak and how quickly it's spreading is essential for policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public. After weeks of delays in ramping up its testing, the US is now beginning to roll out testing on a much larger scale. More than 290,000 Americans have been tested for the coronavirus, up from just 10,000 on March 12.

 

 

[kensawadee]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

"America will again and soon be open for business," Trump told a White House news conference. "We are not going to let it turn into a long-lasting financial problem."

This pretty well sums up Trumps concerns....      More worried about money than the peoples well being........