The World Health Organization finally declared that the Wuhan Virus, now known as COVID-19, is a PANDEMIC. More than 100,000 cases in 114 countries with more than 4,000 deaths. Here a mask is being placed on a statue as part of the Valencia Fallas festival, which is being cancelled. This will become the new normal for social distancing.
However, let me start with an aside, for something startling is happening to the Democratic primary race between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. The expected battling and scrapping and name-calling usually prominent in these competitions saw a sudden adjustment this morning. While Sanders hasn't officially stepped aside, he, apparently, has decided to help Biden get elected president on November 3. You will see a totally different kind of debate on Sunday (March15) at 8PM (EDT, 2PM Hawaii time).
For the next few months the relationship between both will be cordial and supportive. Sanders will continue to underscore his more progressive program for weeks and maybe even months, but he will do so mostly to engender compromise from Biden.
In my mind, the person who most will benefit from this rapprochement is AOC, also known as, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 30-year old Hispanic. She can't be Biden's vice-presidential-mate because you need to be 35 years old to serve as President of the United States. She will become a cabinet member if Biden beats Trump.
This now places Juan Castro, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary under President Obama, high on the VP list, for he is Hispanic and progressive. According to the New York Times Hispanic voters will determine who will be the next President of the U.S. For first time, more Hispanic voters will go to the polls than African-Americans.
Okay, about the PANDEMIC known as COVID-19. I still think the real pandemic is the media, as I wrote in The Huffington Post nine years ago. However, government and international officials need to be safe, rather than sorry. They absolutely must be overprotective.
It's almost embarrassing, but the only high-level government official who leans in my direction is President Donald Trump. In an Atlantic article entitled Incompetence Exacerbated by Malevolence (mind you, he is, but that's not me), details are provided on how the Trump administration has mangled the COVID-19 affair. Compounding this all is the the lack of any kind of game plan:
During a Wednesday night interview (Sean Hannity) with Fox News, President Trump said he believes people infected with the novel coronavirus may get better "by sitting around and even going to work." The statement garnered widespread backlash on Twitter, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently urged employees to stay home if they are sick.
But he struck back by saying he never said that and this is just Fake News. But, aha he did, confirmed by an AP Fact Check.
- World: 125,690 cases and 4,607 deaths
- The country I visited, Thailand, was #2 to China in cases on February 12 when I left Honolulu. Today, Thailand is #37 with 59 cases and one death.
- Cases per million population:
- Italy: 206
- S. Korea: 151
- Bahrain and Norway: 115
- Iran: 107
- Quatar: 91
- Denmark: 76
- Switzerland: 75
- CHINA 56
- Sweden 50
- The USA is #8 in number of cases (1109), but with a death rate of only 3.4 / million people. Perhaps The Donald is being blamed more than necessary because of the usual partisan politics. But boy, do we buy toilet paper. And we are not alone.
- China (80,790 cases) has shown a decline in cases just about every day in March, with only 36 new cases over the past 24 hours. This is the lowest of new cases in the top 20 countries with this ailment. The epidemic in China is under control. That is very good news for Humanity.
- Italy has 12,462 cases, mostly in their north, with still increasing deaths:
- March 8: 366
- March 10: 631
- March 11: 827
About that Swine Flu pandemic in 2009 I panned two years after it was all over, up to 203,000 might have died from the H1N1 virus. So my attempt at some humor might have been inappropriate. But the reason why I continue to press my case against the media today is that, so far, there have "only" been 4000 COVID-19 deaths, total, world-wide, and about as many die in traffic accidents EVERY DAY. We still drive. According to the CDC, from October 1, 2019 to February 1, 2020, there have been 30,000 seasonal flu deaths, just in the U.S. Globally:
Flu Kills 646,000 People Worldwide Each Year: Study (1770/day)
The bulk of these deaths occur during the flu season from October to May. There is good reason to believe that with the new precautions being taken, a world-peaking of COVID-19 cases should occur in May.
Mind you, the death rate from the seasonal flu is 0.1%, while that of COVID-19 could well end up being 2%, or 20 times higher. People like me should be more concerned, for I am 74 times more susceptible to termination than anyone 39 and younger:
Clearly, seniors communities should take higher precautions. Exactly what happened yesterday, for we residents received an update and "edict" from 15 Craigside:
- A temperature and wellness screening will be performed on all visitors and employees on entrance. I went through this for three days when I returned from Thailand two weeks ago. Anyone who has a temperature 100 F or above will not be allowed to enter. I continue to be fine.
- Children 12 and younger will not be allowed to enter.
- Any visitor or employee who has traveled to an affected geographic area (Levels 1, 2, and 3) with widespread or sustained community transmission as identified by the CDC will be restricted from entering for 14 days. Then, they must be symptom free to enter.
- Employees who have any respiratory infection must stay home.
- Large gatherings at 15 Craigside will be cancelled. What is a large gathering? Movies? Exercise classes? We'll find out.
Well, the NCAA has suggested that their basketball tournament be held with no audience, as I predicted yesterday. I continue my euphoric lifestyle. However, I've noticed that when I walk on at the first hole now, players don't shake hands. Everywhere I go around the world, a Blue-bar Pigeon greets me. I don't see any at the Ala Wai Golf Course. However, a Brown-bar comes up to me on the 16th hole.
Another amusing note, for here is Frank De Lima's latest: Corona Corona.
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