Dr. Anthony Fauci, the most trustworthy doctor in America and the best source of coronavirus guidance in Washington, D.C., told Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions this morning that we do not have the coronavirus pandemic under control:
Asked by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts whether the virus is contained, he said it is not.
“If you think we have it completely under control, we don’t,” Fauci said. “I think we are going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean, by any means, that we have this under control” [Domenico Montanaro, “Fauci Warns States Not to ‘Jump Over’ Guidelines to Reopening,” NPR, 2020.05.12].
Dr. Fauci said rushing to reopen the economy will make things worse:
Speaking remotely during a unique Senate health committee hearing, Fauci told lawmakers that his concern is that if some areas “jump over” guidelines from the federal government and “prematurely open up,” there will be “little spikes that turn into outbreaks” [Montanaro, 2020.05.12].
Reopening too soon will not only cost lives but also delay the economic recovery the early-openers crave:
Dr. Fauci on Monday said he would tell the panel that there could be “needless suffering and death” if the country opens prematurely, but steered clear of that language during the early part of the hearing, instead saying, “the consequences could be really serious.” Mr. Trump has pushed for states to reopen and at times has encouraged people to defy governors’ orders.
More than 80,000 people in the United States have died from the virus, and Dr. Fauci cautioned that the number is likely higher and will grow even more if some areas if some areas of the country reopen prematurely.
“If that occurs there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control,” Dr. Fauci said, adding that it would not only lead to deaths but would set the economic recovery back as well [“Coronavirus Testimony Live Updates: Fauci Says ‘Consequences Could Be Really Serious’ for Reopening Too Soon,” New York Times, 2020.05.12].
Dr. Fauci says we shouldn’t pin our hopes on a vaccine arriving in time to allow us to reopen schools this fall:
“The idea of having treatments available or a vaccine to facilitate the reentry of students in the fall would be something of a bridge too far,” Fauci told senators at Tuesday’s hearing about the federal government’s coronavirus response and reopening plan.
“Even at the top speed we’re going, we don’t see a vaccine playing in the ability of individuals to get back to school this term. What they really want is to know if they are safe,” he continued, adding that available testing will likely play more of a role in helping schools safely reopen.
…In his opening remarks, Fauci said that there are a number of coronavirus vaccine trials currently being developed, adding that the National Institutes of Health is hoping to know whether a vaccine is effective by the late fall or winter.
“There are at least eight candidate COVID-19 vaccines in clinical development. The NIH has been collaborating with a number of pharmaceutical companies at various stages of development,” Fauci said. “If successful, we hope to know that in late fall or early winter” [Lisa Hagen, “Fauci: Serious Consequences If States Reopen Too Early,” U.S. News and World Report, 2020.05.12].
Asked just now by a Senator what improved forms of personal protective equipment he envisions, Dr. Fauci responded, “The best PPE for the public right now” is to “maintain social distancing.”
Little queenie NOem nada is not a governor but she plays one on fox faux news, no effort has been made to hide the strings that control queenie. The compulsively lying orange fool on the hill is consulted for advice on applying fox’s special make-up as well as covid-19 mismanagement. When politics trump science people die, We the People must demand more from our so-called leadership, manage the pandemic now, support those who need it and repair the economy with a healthy workforce. Keep each other safe, make an effort to directly pen or voice your concerns to your elected representatives. Mike Livingston Midland SD
As we vote by mail, why is my official ballot envelope to the auditor pre-labeled “…Penn County Primary 6/02…DEM 5-4 RC5….” Whoops, lost that one! (Overheard from Trump loyalist.)
That goes for Gov. Noem: Just a note to all out-of-state visitors to South Dakota during the Covid-19 Pandemic:
South Dakota is a pretty large, low population state. Little happens to draw tourists here from the end of September to the first of May. The Governor is right…14 million out-of-staters travel here in the summer and shoulder months.
The Governor did not shut down the state for the virus, only asked folks to use common sense. What you need to know is that not every citizen agrees that she did enough. Only pressure from citizens and the Mayor of Sioux Falls got her to act in regards to a massive outbreak at Smithfield Pork plant.
I ask only that visitors to this state remember that you are guests. If you enter a grocery store, gas station, cafe or restaurant or any other business and find employees and customers wearing masks and practicing social distancing, then respect them…WEAR A MASK!
There are already several anecdotal stories of visitors ignoring owner-posted limits to several Black Hills businesses indicating that one of the reasons they are visiting here is the lack of official shutdown and rules and that they can do what they want. Visitors who force their own agenda on the citizens and business of South Dakota can only be described as, “UGLY OUT-OF-STATERS!”
Show us the same respect that you would expect from us when we visit your states. Particularly show respect to the Native American Reservations that are controlling access to those reservations…they are underserved medically and remote from those services…two to three hours by car. Our own Governor has not shown that respect.
Just remember, your “Freedom” is attached to an unwritten responsibility. Your “Freedom” never “trumps” another citizen’s Freedom!
Rolling Stone lays the blame exactly where it belongs.
“The government leaders who failed to safeguard the nation are CDC Director Redfield; FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn; Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar; and of course, President Trump. Together, these men had the power to change the direction of this pandemic, to lessen its impact on the economy, and constrain the death toll from COVID-19. Each failed, in a series of errors and mismanagement that grew into a singular catastrophe — or as Jared Kushner described it on Fox & Friends, ‘a great success story.’ ”
The Four Men Responsible For America’s COVID-19 Test Disaster
https://flip.it/ZMg3z7
Since Kruel Kristi is following their lead like a piglet follows a sow, we can add her to the guilty in SoDak.
Why here is Queen NOem calling to trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnTUV5mKypY
It’s a beautiful thing, no?
Wow. 500 new SD positive cases since yesterday?!
As Queen NOem might say,”ya ain’t seen nothing yet”, 500 is just a number…as long as it ain’t my number.”
Hello Debbo: Forgive my interference but the force that needs to be reckoned with is very expansive and short-fingered vulgarion grifters are expendable to the oligarchy. mike livingston
I agree Mike L, but the others should not get a pass.
Too bad competent people like dr. fauci are drawn to lives of quiet importance while incompetent bigmouths everywhere run for office and con the people into thinking they aren’t just there for attention.
So we have smart and caring people like Dr. Fauci to listen to and learn from. Blubbering Bozo has this joker:
is.gd/ldPlEO
trumpie and noem are killing their voters
COVID infections up 1000% in rural areas
We barely know of this since trumpie killed reliable reporting, and of course, noem could care less.
https://www.salon.com/2020/05/12/leaked-white-house-data-shows-infections-spiking-more-than-1000-in-rural-areas-that-backed-trump/
“Ending social distancing policies too soon could result in a loss of value to the U.S. of around $5 trillion. Nobody would take $5 trillion out of the bank and burn it. But based on what these scientists calculated, ending social distancing now is basically the equivalent of doing just that.
“Those who would argue that this calculation is wrong need to make a convincing case that the arguments presented in the research paper are mistaken. It isn’t a case of political ideology. It is a matter of economic projections based on observation and scientific reasoning. Any valid argument against social distancing needs to be made on that same basis.”
is.gd/fiKBjI (Strib paywall)
Richard Howey
Wired has an exemplary explanation of how COVID-19 works. It’s a longer article, no paywall and news of the first two people in a vaccine trial is interjected. It’s really well worth reading. You’ll significantly expand your knowledge.
The First Shot: Inside the Covid Vaccine Fast Track
https://flip.it/LQY0cq
Last updated: May 13, 2020, 22:36 GMT
United States
Coronavirus Cases:
1,427,739
Deaths:
85,041
No peak in sight unless it would be the massive pile of bodies being dded to due to inaction and incompetence from drumpf.
Here’s a list of 32 nations that, so far, beat COVID19 – the winners. Note that the losers are authoritarian, anti-science governed nations: US, Philippines, Iraq, UK, Brazil . . .
https://www.endcoronavirus.org/
The data is clear. It’s a leadership failure.
John, A collective sneeze brought down an empire. Translated from Spanish news “un estornudo colectivo derribo un imperio”
It didn’t have to be like this, but the Diamond Princess cruise ship should have given a strong clue about trumps complete lack of leadership and stupidity. And still no tests from a failed South Dakota fakey governor.
Mr. jerry, who do you want tested? grudznick would like a test. I bet I’ve had the covids crawling all over, and my stout constitution beat them down. Studies show sausage gravy contains many nutrients that make one more impervious to the covids. But I will take a test and give you some of my magic antibodies.
Mr. grudznick, I want all 890,000 South Dakotan’s tested. I want them tested weekly by trained South Dakota public health teams of at least 1,000 workers ($25.00 per hour) to gather the test results and to bring them to labs that can give the results in a couple of days. Then business can open safely for their clients and their dedicated employees
Now, if we are insistent on sending students to the colleges in our state, these students would need to be tested every other day and have dedicated labs at those locations to give about 3 hours notice of the results. The same would follow if high schools and elementary schools should open.
In short, the state has the money for this and the state needs to follow through with it’s obligation to all citizens to care for their safety.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/brian-kemp-coronavirus-georgia-poll/index.html
Just click the link and gander the map that shows Northern miss. and Minnesota as the two states with rapidly increasing covid numbers. Up 50%. Sounds like doing nothing is doing nothing to stop the virus in wingnut hell.
Minnesota’s rise is due in part to increased testing.