Squirrel

Lol, yes.

Faucet just needs to go rogue.

The governor of FL has been blasted in the media for not taking actions when called upon to close beaches in Florida. He has now but pretty late. It was an economic decision. That seems to be driving all the decision making.

Very good video, featuring the chief infectious epidemiologist at the U of Chicago hospitals. Sobering, yet hopeful, yet firm ... we need to just stay home! To buy us time. https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/chicago-doctors-blunt-speech-about-covid-19-hits-home-across-the-country/2241880/?fbclid=IwAR3ooIiCz0SF2cULI2RU10CFp-UKk5IXNsuVfO1X41kRRDUAoEB2frOf2BA

This is the second time in recent weeks this has been an issue. Not sure why the comments to post from the front page have gotten screwed up. The only thing I can think of is if people are moving comments into and out of the forum article. And maybe they are being edited and something happens during that process. It will have to be something Brock looks into. In the meantime, as sconnie said, you can comment on it from the forum: http://twinsdaily.com/topic/36625-who-are-the-5-best-hitters-in-minnesota-twins-history/

I have plenty to say about this, about the entirety of this, and how the worst could have perhaps been prevented if we had put a National plan in place back in January when we received word about this. Back then we could have put into place what SKorea had done and beefed up hospitals and supplies. We knew back then and nothing was done. It was downplayed, called a hoax, to keep the markets stronger for a little while longer. Not testing keeps the numbers down. And even now, there still is no national plan in place, it’s each state for themselves. But saying more turns this into a political discussion. I’m exhausted running between worry, anger and resignation and back. We are all at the mercy of politicians who have roadblocked much on a national level. I mean Elon Musk has offered to turn one of his factories into building respirators ... has that happened yet? We delayed testing because it was decided we needed to produce ‘our own’ test kits instead of getting started using what was available to us until our own were ready to go. And still, we don’t have enough and results are slow. We have been behind on this the entire way because ... our leadership delayed and downplayed for a month, losing precious time. Anyway, I’ve said too much. I’m not speechless ... this just isn’t the platform to say what I want and what I think. All we can do now is watch the numbers climb and do our part to quarantine. And I don’t think we will be able to do large group activities again until we are immunized, either through having had it, or a vaccine. Given that, I may be out of work for some time. And a vaccine is a year away. All we can hope for is slowing the curve so our medical system can survive, but it’s already at its limits. Or maybe some of the anti-viral drugs already available can help alleviate symptoms.

Illinois started their ‘shelter at home’ mandate today through Apr. 7. I’m looking at work being shut down now until mid-May, although that’s not official yet. In Florida, now that the spring breakers had their beaches, bars and restaurants taken away, hopefully they will maybe go home. Many snowbirds decided to go home early, particularly those from Canada. The ones from Canada were told to get home by the govt there, as their insurance may not cover them here. Stringer got out of there just in time. The roads north ... hotels are full, no restaurants are open except drive throughs, and rest stops are crowded with lots of trucks and RVs. But many of the gated communities here have put their own rules in place. In my Mom’s community, everything is shut down ... no pools, no tennis, no bocce, no golf, all events and activities cancelled, the clubhouse and restaurant is closed, except for take out delivery only, the tiki bar is closed. Basically, all public spaces are locked or blocked off. They even went so far as to lower the nets on the tennis court and wrap them up, lest anyone get any ideas to play anyway. When I take my daily walks around the lakes, it’s quiet with few people out. Despite no mandate, people are basically sheltering at home. It feels like summer time in Florida. I’ll be here with my Mom for the duration. Well, until I need to go back to work.

I’m hearing inklings that my work will be shut down until mid-May. I don’t imagine we’ll be back to work at all this summer.

Starting tomorrow at 5pm, IL has a shelter at home order in place until Apr. 7

Just a point of FYI for everyone, we have a whole other forum to discuss non-baseball related things, called the Sports Bar, found here: http://twinsdaily.com/forum/12-the-sports-bar/ And there is a thread in there, ‘Current TV’, to discuss any or all the shows you want. Or, if you want a specific discussion on a specific show, feel free to start your own discussion topic. Or any topic that isn’t baseball, for that matter.

There’s always that hope but I read something on this the other day that there still is a time factor to trials, especially combining existing drugs. And it still won’t be something we take in prevention, but in hopefully helping in the survival rate in easing symptoms, especially in the most severe cases.

Well, yeah, which is why I said ‘if I could have done this ahead of time.’ I certainly won’t and can’t now since I’m basically staying here. And, it’s a little too late because I think we are already in a critical state where hospital beds are needed and it would be selfish of me to occupy one so intentionally. But, at this stage I feel our actions are necessary reactions because of where we are in this. It’s too late to be genuinely pro-active. If I had known what I know today a month ago, I’d have gotten it then and self isolated then, in order to better tend to family and others. Right now I’m just worrying myself sick that I am somehow asymptomatic and giving it to my 90 yr old mother.

Part of me wants to run out, contract it, and hopefully self-immunize. I’m healthy ... rarely get sick other than the occasional allergies and the more occasional cold, never had the flue, am up on my vaccines and immunizations. I’d then feel better about being here with my Mom if I could have done this ahead of time. But then, yeah, be careful what you wish for. I would either likely be the one who contracts it a second time (although they haven’t definitely concluded if you can get it again despite that one possible case), or despite my healthy system, get it bad and die

My niece also works in small pharma. She has been saying this for weeks. Human trials are just beginning for a vaccine and that will take a year.

My plane on American Monday was pretty full.

The facility is shut down.

Right now the sample size is way too low for me to take much stock in this, but I wonder if this will prove accurate regarding blood types and vulnerability? I saw this in Newsweek also, but the article is based on the same study. https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/blood-type-a-more-vulnerable-to-coronavirus/

The thing is, we should already be at China level and SKorea level. It WILL escalate because we haven’t done that. I’m currently in Florida where kids are still romping on the beach, because they don’t care, because they think, so what, it won’t be so bad for me. But it will be for everyone they come in contact with. We are looking at many, many months ahead of us because we haven’t done what it is necessary and it doesn’t seem as if we are even close to that. The testing levels is THE NUMBER ONE THING. I should be able to drive up, get a test, not because I’m showing symptoms or has been with someone diagnosed, I should be able to get a test, now, today, because we are testing every, single, person in this country. Because we are no where near that level, this will escalate and maybe escalate beyond our control. People should be FINED for not staying home ... unless it’s to go to the drugstore, grocery store or out to walk their dog. Of course, beyond necessary people. We are no where near doing that ... as a nation. These decisions need to be made at the top and are not. It is being left up to each state and there are vastly different protocols being taken. We should be transforming our schools to hospitals, now. We are so ill prepared. And major steps are NOT being taken, at all. Until I see this, I’m thinking we are going to hit that 2.2 million, or be closer to it than not.

I’m reading the possibility of 2.2 million Americans could die.

Worst case is where we are. We have not ramped up our testing, and don’t seem to be, and it’s likely too late. Heck, we even turned down offers for test kits because our egos are psychotic. We refused to acknowledge this and it’s too late to get done what needed to be done a month ago. S Korea and China are the models of what to do. Anything less than that is a failure. We have failed and been failed. We don’t have facilities to manage it when people do get sick. And we have too many vulnerable ... uninsured and underinsured who won’t and can’t seek medical help or get tested. Our country failed, horrifically. Other antivirals are not effective, or they’d be doing that widespread now. And I think I read somewhere already that isn’t true.My niece works for a pharma company. She has her ear to the ground on things ... the outlook is very bleak.

I’d still gird your loins. We haven’t taken nearly the precautions, as a country, that either China and South Korea did. As a nation, every state should be locked down by now and aren’t. Many aren’t taking this at all seriously. I have a niece who works for a small pharma company and she does not pain a good picture, at all. In my industry we are now seeing cancellations into and through May. While I want to be hopeful, I am literally preparing for the worst. Of all industrialized nations, we have the fewest hospital beds per capital. China locked down the area immediately and built two hospitals in 10 days. South Korea has been testing 10,000 people a day. There is no way to stay ahead of a pandemic without testing EVERYONE and we are only testing those who are symptomatic or in contact with someone who has already contracted it. Our country has failed us in their lack of preparedness, and hundreds of thousands, likely millions, will suffer the consequences in lost jobs, wages, savings, businesses, etc. While I am getting paid through April 12, I won’t be after that. And I’m lucky. I have friends who are instantly without income. Don’t know if medical benefits are maintained or if they now have to pay for cobra, with no job. Some will have a jobs to go back to, eventually, but many won’t. It sounds like maybe Congress will be making emergency financial relief available. My hope is that they will also be covering all medical costs, whether people are insured or not. (I am not opening up a political debate on Medicare for all here, so don’t turn it into that. But I hope it’s a realization that this is a necessity as many, many aren’t being tested or won’t even go to a doctor because of no insurance or a means to pay for the most basic medical necessities, making this situation a far more dangerous one for all of us nationwide.) The only thing that gives me some hope is that maybe we’ve bought enough time for some advancement of a vaccine. Human trials are just now beginning. Will we see it in time? And on another note, my Mom has been recollecting my Grandmother, her Mother, talking about the Spanish flu. My Grandmother and her family made it through.

Did you try logging out and then back in again?

I reordered two prescriptions and found out that insurance is no longer covering one of them. No biggie ... it's not very expensive and is an 'as needed' medication, and there are otc options.

Yep ... we should be following their model. As I said above ... heck, if we had had that set up, I'd have done it already.

Yep, we’re only testing those who are symptomatic. We need to follow South Korea’s model and test everyone. If I had that option, I’d have done it already ... drive and through. We are woefully unprepared. The only thing we can do is follow protocols in order to slow down contagion so that our healthcare system can manage cases over a period of time rather than too much all at once. That’s the burden Italy is facing, and it’s disastrous. It seems a little hypocritical of me to travel which is why I still waiver.