From the moment I felt we were midst of a true pandemic, I've tried really hard to abstain from making many comments which might be construed as anything remotely relating to politics. Why? Because in times of crisis we NEED --and should!!!-- be pulling together with respect to solutions, while necessarily distancing ourselves --with respect to a "six-foot personal space"-- from one another. Yesterday, however, someone [a medical professional] emailed a copy of an Obama Administration "Pandemic Guide" --a whopping 69 pages of verbal fluff-- while wondering "where is our leader Biden in this time of crisis", speculating that the Trump Administration will likely 'kill us all' and concluding with "someone needs to light a FIRE!" ... Um, I've got news for you, someone --China-- already 'lit the FIRE' and it's called Covid-19.
This email was the final straw for me w.r.t. to the need to abstain from politics! Time for me to rant ... First off, this Obama Administration 'Pandemic Guide' kind of exemplifies everything that was wrong with the Obama Administration. The Obama Administration was REALLY BIG on WORDS, soaring rhetoric and a virtual sea of verbiage --including reams of stiffling, job and ingenuity killing regulations. The Obama Administration presided over a nearly of decade of time in which actual facts, longer term consequences and true accountability never really factored in the mix of day to day business in Washington -- and even today we are still seeing remnants of this approach to business in Washington, largely on the part of hold-over Democrats [Example 1: When the House of Representatives had nearly worked out a compromise deal between Democrats and Republicans for the Phase I Covid-19 rescue package, the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, returned from San Francisco and derailed the entire process by throwing in a bunch of wholly unnecessary --as it relates directly to Covid-19 and getting a much needed rescue bill out to the people-- crap into the bill (i.e., 1) fuel carbon-emission standards for vehicles, 2) radical affirmative action quotas, 3) funding for the "Kennedy Performing Arts Center", and 4) even a proposal to ban identification requirements for upcoming Presidential Election). Thankfully, even CNN called out Nancy on item #1, but her shenanigans delayed passage of this critical bill by another 3 full days.; Example 2: Tweet from Hillary R. Clinton, stating "Well he wanted to be First?" on the day United States Numbers for positive Covid-19 cases exceeded China's 'reported numbers'. What a callous remark? These are more than mere numbers Madame Secretary, these are HUMAN LIVES! This is the mark you will leave, during a time of national crisis, in the annals of History.] Sadly, the Democratic presumptive nominee, Joe Biden, is the living proof that facts no longer matter in the Democratic Party, given the fact that former VP Biden is having trouble formulating a single --let alone a string of --coherent sentence(s) these days. I suspect the latter is probably why we aren't seeing too much of this "fearless leader" at the present moment?
The truth is, we've never encountered the challenges of a true pandemic sweeping across our nation before. You just can't even begin to conceive of every possible challenge in a mere 69 page 'pandemic guide'; that's just not realistically feasible. Anyone capable of processing realistic, longer term consequences will concede this point. Instead, what you need during a first-time-ever pandemic hitting your nation is someone who is capable of taking decisive, meaningful and TIMELY action. You need someone willing to assemble the best panel of experts in their respective fields ( i.e., medical triage, epidemiology, immunology, economics, policy implementation, manufacturing, distribution, communications) ... Someone who is capable of taking in a myriad of diverse inputs/advice in order to formulate and implement both an immediate, as well as a longer term outline, plan for our nation. But more importantly, you need someone capable of adjusting 'plans' as needed, on the fly, in order to accommodate constantly changing facts on the ground, across all 50 states and territories. Trump may not always use 'the words' many would like, but I have to say I am truly thankful that we have a President of accountable ACTION in the White House right now! The instant President Trump, along with his advisers, had an inkling we were likely facing a true pandemic Trump took the bold step to stop all incoming traffic/flights from China. The Journal of Science , at the beginning of March, estimated that this single move alone --namely closing borders to incoming China travel-- probably reduced the likely death toll in our nation by a factor of 70%. That is HUGE!
How did the mainstream media and those on the Left react to shutting down incoming traffic from China? Rather predictably, I am sad to say, with across the board cries of "racism" sounding throughout those hollow echo-chambers. But Trump, being a man true to his principles did not budge; he held fast to his informed decision and kept the ban in place. Because based on all of the facts and data presented to him by experts this was best course of action for our nation as whole. That is what a true leader does! A leader does what is RIGHT, based on facts and data, not what is POPULAR at any given moment. Meanwhile, 'leaders' on the Left in New York City (i.e., Mayor Bill Deblazio, Council Members and City Public Health Officials .. specific names to follow!) were all urging people not to succumb to concerns about contracting a potentially deadly virus, lest they be willing converts to 'racist' tendencies. Without any facts, they downplayed the risk of this particular strain of Corona virus, while repeatedly and openly encouraging people --and the video footage is still available; this is the kind of stuff that is downright dangerous and the words of these reckless politicians will live on in infamy-- to attend the ongoing parades in Chinatown, to plan to attend the Saint Patrick's Day Parade, to visit their local bars and restaurants and basically go about their daily routines as if life was completely normal. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was caught on video, likewise urging people to attend the festivities in Chinatown, San Francisco. All anyone really needed to do was to [being sarcastic here] is to "wash their hands more." Mayor Deblazio likened the coronavirus to common cold on one of the morning programs late January 2020. The Medical Commissioner for New York City is on video record saying "The risk of residents contracting the virus is low; while our city's preparedness is very high" ... Yeah, tell that to Governor Cuomo, who was complaining about a lack of ventilators --a perceived upcoming need for more ventilators-- when he was found to have had 2,000 ventilators just sitting in a warehouse, unopened in boxes. As a result of this complete lack of common sense and foresight, 50% of the number of Covid-19 cases in the United States are within the borders of New York State, with about 90% of those cases being attributed to New York City proper. This is literally a case of 'political suicide', where politics of wanting to be perceived as being morally righteous in the moment winds up leading to the potential voluntary suicide of unwitting followers.
But the stupidity doesn't end there ... A member of the United States Congress, Democrat Thomas Massie, decided to take the opportunity to grandstand during the final House vote required to get a much needed, Phase I rescue/stimulus package out to the nation, thereby becoming the Benedict Arnold in the current war we are waging on the unseen Covid-19 virus. Representative Massie invoked adherence to a procedural rule requiring a two-thirds quorum be present in the House of Representatives Chamber in order for the final vote to be official, basically over-riding all previous plans that would have allowed for members of the House of Representatives to safely video record/conference-in their votes. This meant that Representatives who had returned home had to risk travel back to the Capitol in order to cast their vote. Let no good crisis go to waste, right??!!?? We need to infect as many people as possible in order to cripple the Trump Administration and make them appear weak leading up to the 2020 Presidential Election in November, the lives and well-being of our citizens be damned. Needless to say, when the dust settles the name, Thomas Massie, will live on in the annals of history, right along side the traitor Revolutionary war traitor Benedict Arnold. Congratulations, Congressman! You've truly made your mark!!
[Here in the greater Seattle area, in Washington State, my husband goes in for a routine injection at University of Washington hospital. They actually told him this week "Do NOT wear a mask into the hospital because it scares the patients." Can you believe that??!!?? Hospitals are the place you are most likely to encounter the virus and my husband falls into the high-risk category. That they would demand my husband not wear a mask is completely ridiculous! Moreover, to my way of thinking this request kind of negates all of the other precautions we are taking to keep him safe. This is the epitome of STUPIDITY?! Gotta love liberals and their 'moral' lack of reasoning ... but hey, at the end of the day "people won't be scared"?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
Putting stupidity momentarily aside, we can progress onto outright fear-mongering. Witness the mainstream media doing their part to stir the pot, in an effort to no doubt fan the flames of panic, ultimately hoping for outright hysteria I am assuming based on the words I hear issuing from various media pulpits, statement like "The Republicans want to kill our WWII veterans." ... And the latest absurdity coming from what Greg Gutfeld likes to call "Morning Blow", a.k.a. "Morning Joe", telling viewers the time has come for people to start thinking about "do not resuscitate" orders?! Really??... In times of crisis, insanity truly does rule?!? .... How hypocritical, given that the majority of mainstream media outlets --print and television alike-- started out comparing the Covid-19 virus to nothing more than another strain to influenza at the beginning of January 2020. Whereafter, they quickly changed gears and began criticizing the President for 'not taking early decisive action' --Do you recall the whole shutting down incoming travel from China??? I'd call that decisive early action. But wait, the media criticized Trump for taking this action? Will we let them get away with having it both ways????-- And now many in the mainstream media are calling for networks to stop broadcasting the Administration's daily Covid-19 briefings, "claiming these briefings are inaccurate and packed with 'misleading' information. Translation: "We don't like the fact that Trump is appearing Presidential, mustering resources, calming fears and offering timely, tangible solutions to real-world problems (i.e., The President's poll numbers for handling the Covid-19 situation are going UP, as are his overall approval numbers)." ... Maybe at long last, the good people of the United States will finally wake-up and realize that the mainstream media are no longer interested in reporting facts or news. It's all about sensationalism, ratings and pushing the current left-wing narrative on any given issue. In this environment, President Trump and those who support him will always be wrong and lacking in some way, even in a time of national crisis when we all should be pulling together in order to survive. Luckily, the moral arc of the universe is long, but ultimately self-correcting?
All the above being said, let not your heart be troubled because at the end of the day we can be thankful that the ADULTS are in charge during this pandemic crisis!! President Trump, a man of decisive action, is taking the balanced steps necessary to keep our country safe and viable, while constantly reassessing choices based on data and input from the experts he has surrounded himself with. President Trump acted swiftly by issuing a ban on travel coming from China, following up with a ban on incoming travel from Europe once their numbers began to spike. Despite a slower than desirable roll-out in viable testing kits, President Trump is working with U.S.A. manufacturing experts (Boeing, Ford, GM, etc.) to re-tool up plants for making personal protection equipment and ventilators. He removed barriers to allow local private labs and universities to conduct processing of Covid-19 tests. President Trump has worked to get a take-at-home test developed that could then be dropped off at drive-thru sites, thereby reducing the amount of PPE needed at those sites. Abbott Laboratories now has a 5-15 minute provider point-of-service test that give results immediately in a doctor's office. Normally, a roll-out on a test like this takes 9-12 months and Trump's FDA made it happen in a mere number of weeks. That is absollutely huge! [4/1/2020 As of this day America has now tested over a million people for Covid-19; that's more than any other country to date. Moreover, we are processing 100,000 tests per day, which is also more than any other country per Alex Azar, Healthy and Human Services Department Head]. President Trump and his team have worked to stream-line FDA requirements so that available antivirals can be put to use against the Covid-19 virus and so that a vaccine, currently in Phase I clinical trials at University of Washington, might be available as early as Fall 2020. Trump has called up the National Guard to assist in areas where they are needed to help distribute dispatched FEMA resources of food, medical equipment and PPE. He's mobilized the Army Corps of Engineers to construct make-shift hospitals in New York in anticipation of accommodating over-flow of patients and he's deployed two of the Navy's medical ships: one to California and the other to New York City, the USS Comfort (see above phote). President Trump has hammered out a Phase I rescue package to help keep families and small businesses afloat, while offering an initial life-line to larger corporations to help prevent mass layoffs. Meanwhile the President and his team of advisers are looking ahead to Phase II and Phase III stimulus plans.
President Trump is constantly reassessing/comparing the need to shutdown against what it will take to reopen our country, as well as assessing when it will be safe to do so and on what scale. His task force, headed up by the capable and confidence-inspiring VP Mike Pence, has successfully coordinated with State Governors to assess needs --and initial funding for States was included in the Phase I rescue package, with subsequent funding to follow in future phases-- as well as to coordinate the implementation a 15-day shutdown/"stay at home order" for our entire nation in an attempt to help curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus so that our nation can reopen again. This task force gives daily briefings and answers questions in order to keep a concerned public up to date and informed. It is also my understanding that the Trump Administration has worked with Google in order to develop a software app capable of helping people assess whether they might have Covid-19 or have been exposed; app then gives advice about when to seek testing and/or treatment, with included resources by area/location. Each of the above steps is an important, effective piece to a holistic crisis management in the face of a heretofore never before seen pandemic striking at the very heart of our nation ... And quite frankly, I whole-hardheartedly applaud the Trump Administration for their handling of this national crisis thus far!! ... Okay, rant over: Over and out.
4/1/2020 Updates:
o As of this day America has now tested over a million people for Covid-19; that's more than any other country to date. Moreover, we are processing 100,000 tests per day, which is also more than any other country per Alex Azar, Healthy and Human Services Department Head.
o President Trump wondered why were throwing away so many masks. "Couldn't they be sanitized and reused?" He wondered and wouldn't you know if a company in Ohio had such a product, it just needed help getting through the FDA approval process. Now that this sanitizing device, from company Batel (spelling?) has made it thru FDA approval, each unit is capable of sanitizing 120,000 masks per day, with each mask having a reuse life of 20 cycles.
o As of today 8,130 ventilators have been deployed, with more deployments set for next 48 hours (i.e., 400 to Michigan, 300 New Jersey, 150 Illinois, 150 Louisiana). And private manufacturers are working around the clock to produce even more. Ford in cooperation with GE Medical is presently working to deliver 50,000 ventilators. President Trump stated in press briefing that any excess of ventilators would be shipped over to hard-hit countries like Itally, Spain and France.
o As of today 11.6 million N95 respirators have been deployed along with: 26 surgical masks, 5.3 million face shields, 5.4 million surgical gowns, 22 million pairs of gloves. President stated that any of our excess would be again be shipped over to help out other countries in need (as specified above).
o 30 million doses of hydrochloroquine have been acquired from manufacturer Santos (sp?), 1 million doses of chloroquine were donated by Bayer, 6 million doses of hydrocholorquine were donated to hospitals by Tepa (sp?) Pharmaceuticals.
o The Army Corps of Engineers constructed a 2,500 bed hospital at the Javits Center, in New York City. This hospital went up in a record number of only 3 days and it is now ready to begin receiving over-flow patients. The government by way of the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA has contructed over 18 hospitals across the nation, along with countless make-shift medical centers, to meet the growing demand for hospital beds --for both regular overflow as well as Covid-19 patients.
o USS Comfort Navy Hospital Shop sailed into New York Harbor on March 30th. This ship is equipped with 12 surgical suites and 1,000 beds that can accommodate non-Covid-19 patients. USS Mercy has been deployed to the West Coast, docking in San Francisco, I believe. Read more here .
o New analytic data-modeling has indicated peak of virus will hit 4/15/2020 and that in order to "flatten the curve" the Presidential Shut-down will need to remain in effect until April 30, 2020. This extension is predicted to save over a million American lives (actual charts/images to follow)!
o Currently in the works is a test to determine if a person has Covid-19 antibodies in their system --meaning the person with these antibodies present in their blood would be immune from contracting the virus in the (near/TBD) future. This test will help determine those among us who are safe from contracting Covid-19, where these individuals would then be among the first to begin unshuttering our nation, as we strive for a return to a new normal. Apparently the Mayo Clinic already has this test available and they are capable of processing up to 1,000 tests per day -- with the current focus being on front-line healthcare workers to help give them piece of mind.
o 10 different therapuetics are currently in clinical trials. A second type of vaccine is now being tested, also in Washington State, where remarkably the curve has begun to flatten and come back down.
o Use of "convalescent plasma" is currently being evaluated, where antibodies found in the plasma portion of blood from recovered patients would be transferred to patients with Covid-19 in order to jump-start their recovery.
o 4/01/2020FINALLY! CDC, NIH and Surgeon General all recommend wearing a face-covering when out in public.
o 4/25/2020 CDC added 6 new symptoms to the list for Covid-19; DHS released lab data as to the effect of sunlight and humidity on the Covid-19 virus, very promising news for warmer weather on its way!; DHS also released impact of common disinfectants on Covid-19, check out their website for further details.
