The Walls Come Down: No Travel Betwen US and Europe for 30 Days

[MKSheppard]

nygovcuomo says experts project the coronavirus outbreak in NY will peak in about 45 days. As many as 55,000-110,000 hospital beds and 18,600-37,200 ICU beds will be needed. There are currently 53,000 hospital beds in the state and 3,000 ICU beds.

Spectrum News NY1 Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) March 17, 2020

[chimericoncogene]

Infections outside China have outstripped infections inside for the first time ever. 160,000 people are now infected worldwide, with 80,000 of those infections having occurred in the Middle Kingdom.

https://qz.com/1819064/coronavirus-deat ... ass-china/

[bilateralrope]

Firm wielding Theranos patents asks judge to block coronavirus test [Updated]

Legal expert calls it "the most tone-deaf IP suit in history."
TIMOTHY B. LEE - 3/18/2020, 3:20 AM

Back in 2018, the disgraced biotech company Theranos sold its patent portfolio to Fortress Investment Group, a division of Softbank. Now two of those patents have wound up in the hands of a little-known firm called Labrador Diagnostics—and Labrador is suing a company called BioFire Diagnostics that makes medical testing equipment.

And not just any medical testing equipment: BioFire recently announced it had developed three tests for COVID-19 using its hardware—tests that are due out later this month. But Labrador is asking a Delaware federal court to block the company from using its technology—presumably including the new coronavirus tests.

As Stanford patent scholar Mark Lemley puts it, "this could be the most tone-deaf IP suit in history."

[Update: Facing an avalanche of bad publicity, Labrador announced on Tuesday that it would grant royalty-free licenses to companies developing COVID-19 tests. The company also claims it didn't know that BioFire was working on a coronavirus test when it filed its lawsuit last week. The company seems to be going forward with the lawsuit.]

Weaponizing Theranos patents
One of the peculiarities of the patent system is that you don't have to actually prove your technology works to get a patent on it. That explains why Theranos—which was famously unable to get its technology working—managed to get a number of patents anyway. These included Patent #8,283,155: "Point-of-care fluidic systems and uses thereof."

This patent describes a generic architecture for a machine that automates testing for the presence of substances in bodily fluids. In the system described by the patent, an operator inserts a "test device" (which contains both the bodily fluid to be tested and the reactants required to perform the test) into a "reader device." The reader device then triggers the necessary chemical reactions to perform the test and reports the results. Theranos' patent isn't limited to any specific bodily fluid, reactants, or testing protocol.

While Theranos never got a machine like this working, BioFire did. BioFire's product line includes the BioFire Filmarray, a machine that automates detection of a variety of pathogens. BioFire says that it has added the new coronavirus to the slate of pathogens its devices can detect, and it expects to make this capability available to customers later this month.

But Labrador Diagnostics argues that the FilmArray infringes on two of its Theranos patents. And as is common practice in this kind of lawsuit, Labrador isn't just asking for royalties. It's also asking the court to issue an injunction against further infringement of its patents. That would apparently mean shutting down sales or use of the BioFire Filmarray product line—including its forthcoming coronavirus tests.

Luckily for BioFire—and for patients in need of coronavirus tests—a landmark 2006 Supreme Court ruling raised the bar for granting injunctions in patent cases. Since then, it has been fairly rare for judges to grant this kind of injunction as opposed to just awarding a winning plaintiff cash damages at the end of a case.

Also, Labrador just filed its lawsuit last week. Given how slowly patent cases move through the courts, it will be many months before a judge makes even initial rulings. With luck, the coronavirus crisis will be long over before the courts rule on the merits of the lawsuit.

Capitalism working as intended.

[MKSheppard]

HIPPA waved apparently.

[Broomstick]

And.... it's officially in my county. Two positives today in Lake County, Indiana. Those were the two bad enough to go to the hospital for it, so you know there are many more already out there.

[Sky Captain]

To be fair, Mr friendly guy, the search results that come up for "Serbia China" are all about Serbia stating the EU is useless in the crisis and only China can help, so I'm not sure there's any positive benefit to underplaying the help sent article.

It's not like any other EU country has surplus medical equipment. France, Spain, Germany and many smaller countries are soon going to face similar situation as Italy. With production of almost everything outsourced to China no surprise there. China probably is only country which has capacity to quickly produce large amounts of medical gear and has spread of virus under control.

[J]

US Tax deadlines extended by 90 days
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/treasur ... -days.html

There's also a plan in the works to send up to $500 billion in cheques to Americans.

[MKSheppard]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... place.html

Mayor Bill de Blasio told New Yorkers to prepare to shelter in place on Tuesday and that he would make a decision on whether or not to shut the city down entirely in the next 48 hours.


'New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter in place order. That has not happened yet but it is a possibility.

'That decision will be made in the next 48 hours,' he said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

He also signed an executive order to ban shared Ubers, Lyfts and other ride-shares.

They are now limited to one person per car unless the two passengers are a couple and de Blasio said he was going to firm on the two passengers being a 'real' couple.

There are now more than 800 cases of the virus in New York City and a drastic shortage of healthcare officials and medical supplies.

De Blasio said he is launching a citywide campaign that will 'look and feel like a wartime message' to get 'anyone' with 'any' healthcare qualifications to led a hand.

He said the only public health crisis that is comparable to this is the Spanish Influenza and warned the economic ramifications would be as bad as during the Great Depression.

'This is so far from business as usual there's no words for it. Anyone who brings healthcare skills to the equation - your city needs you now.'

He urged all New Yorkers to stay home unless they had to go to the grocery store and said: 'If you don't need to be outside, stay home.'

Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier said it would be up to him whether or not any city in New York shuts down.

He said he wasn't yet ready for it but that it was 'on the table'.

As of Tuesday morning, 1,374 people in New York had tested positive for coronavirus. Of that, 264 people have been hospitalized. In just a day, there have been 432 new cases, making it the hardest hit area in America.

This is so far from business as usual there's no words for it
Mayor Bill de Blasio

Cuomo said healthcare experts have told him the virus is going to peak in New York in 45 days. Then, he anticipated needing between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds, along 18,600 and 37, 200 ICU beds.

At the moment, the state only has 53,000 beds and 3,000 ICU beds.

After delivering the sobering statistics, he gave a rousing speech where he told of his own 'heartbreak' at not being able to hug and kiss his own daughter.

He asked retired doctors and nurses, if they are able to, to return to the workforce to help battle the cases.

De Blasio appeared on CNN on Tuesday morning and was asked whether city officials would follow San Francisco's lead in implementing the order, which would allow New Yorkers to leave their home only for food, medicine and exercise.

'We're absolutely considering that,' the mayor said. 'We're going to look at all other options, but it could get to that for sure for the whole country.'

San Francisco announced it's version of shelter in place on Monday - preventing people from leaving their homes except for necessities for the next three weeks.

'This is an extraordinary time in our nation's history. This will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis and confusion and chaos.

'I lived through 9/11. I remember the fear and the panic that existed in 9/11 when a single moment, your whole concept of life and society can be shaken.

'Where you need to see government perform at its best. You need to see people at their best.

'Everybody's afraid, everybody's nervous. How you respond, how you react.

'This is a character test for all of us.

'What did you do at that moment? When all around you lost their head?' he said, quoting Rudyard Kipling.

'That is this moment. What does government do in this moment? It steps up, it performs,' he said.

'What does government not do? It does not engage in politics or partisanship.

'It is essential that the federal government works with this state. We cannot do this on our own.'

Cuomo urged people, especially families, to get out of the house and take their children to state parks - where all fees have been waived to allow more visitors during the crisis. He said it was safe to be out in the open.

There was no one at Time's Square on Monday as people stayed at home and the city braced for shut down +8
There was no one at Time's Square on Monday as people stayed at home and the city braced for shut down
Cuomo went on to say he too was feeling the strain of not being able to have physical contact with the people he loved.

'There is something to this lack of ability to connect. Don't hug.Don't kiss.

'We are emotional beings. It is important for us, in times of fear or stress to feel connected to someone.

'To feel comforted by someone,' he said.

Cuomo added that it 'breaks his heart' that he cannot see his own daughter - who has not seen for two weeks.

'It frightens me to the core.'

He said he told his daughter when he spoke to her how heartbroken he was not to be able to hold her and kiss her, but he urged the public to push through and said it was only a short amount of time.

'Be a little bit more sensitive. Understand the stress. Understand the fear. Be a little bit more loving, compassionate, cooperative and we will get through this time.

'We will lose people, yes. Like we lose people every year with the flu. We're going to be challenged and tested, there's going to be periods of chaos.

'We will learn from it and be better prepared the next time because this is not the last time my friends. This has been a growing rate of health emergencies and storms.

'We're going to get through it and we're going to get through it together.'

Cuomo also spoke of the frantic scramble for trying to buy ventilators.

'China bought all the ventilators then South Korea bought all the ventilators then Italy bought all the ventilators,' he said.

Trump insisted on Tuesday that he had ordered ventilators and medical supplies but it is unclear where from.

CORONAVIRUS SHUTDOWNS IN THE UNITED STATES
ALABAMA

Jefferson County restaurant are take out only, child care centers are closed and visits to nursing homes have been restricted.

Public gatherings of more than 25 people banned across the state.

All public schools closed until April 6.

Jefferson County Health Officer Mark Wilson said: 'I know this has a big impact on our community. It's quite restrictive.'

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Monday urged people statewide to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people, unless they can maintain a 6-foot distance between others, to limit spread of the new coronavirus.

ALASKA

Anchorage - a ban on dine-in service from 5pm Monday until March 31.

Theaters, gyms and bingo halls closed through March 31.

The mayor of Anchorage signed the order Monday closing gyms and entertainment venues and barring restaurants, bars and other establishments from offering dine-in service to the public through the rest of March.

PENNSYLVANIA

All liquor stores and licensee service centers will close indefinitely at 9pm on Tuesday.

Gov Tom Wolf extended the shutdown to the entire state of Pennsylvania on Monday bar essential services.

LOUISIANA

All bars, nightclubs, casinos, movie theaters, gyms and health clubs will be closed until April 13. Restaurants may open for take-out options only.

Governor John Bel Edwards said the new restrictions take effect Tuesday and will last until April 13.

Public gatherings of 50 people or more will be banned. No one will be allowed to eat onsite at a restaurant.

In heavily Catholic New Orleans and in Baton Rouge, church leaders announced cancellation of masses until further notice.

CONNECTICUT

Gatherings of more than 50 people banned.

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers.

Clubs, bars, cinemas, gyms shut indefinitely.

Hospitals across the state are restricting visitation, and some, including UConn Health in Farmington, have announced the indefinite postponement of elective surgeries.

MASSACHUETTS

Gatherings of more than 25 people banned.

Bars and restaurants to offer take-out only until April 7.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is shutting down construction sites across the city. Walsh also announced all branches of the Boston Public Library will close.

NEW JERSEY

Curfew from 8pm – 5am; gatherings of more than 50 people banned; bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-out.

Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely.

The new region-wide closure for gyms, casinos and theaters was ordered by the governors of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

NEW YORK

Gatherings of more than 50 people banned

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-out

Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely

Essential businesses such as supermarkets and gas stations will be able to stay open after 8 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he is 'strongly encouraging' nonessential businesses to close in New York after 8 p.m.

New York City - Eateries could only accept takeout and delivery orders. Mayor Bill de Blasio also ordered nightclubs, movie theaters and other entertainment venues closed

New York City announced its public school district, the nation's largest, will be closed starting Monday, joining most of the rest of the country

New Rochelle - one mile containment area set up

ILLINOIS

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers until March 30

KENTUCKY

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers until March 30.

The Democratic governors of Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington on Monday all ordered the full or partial closure of certain categories of businesses.

OHIO

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers, but can offer take-out.

Ohio marked St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday with no parades and no primary election over fears of the coronavirus. Health Director Dr. Amy Acton issued an order late Monday shutting down polls Tuesday.

Youngstown State University and Capital University in Columbus were among those announcing the cancellation of May commencement ceremonies, saying they couldn’t comply with restrictions severely limiting the size of gatherings.

Ohio’s Roman Catholic bishops suspended all publicly celebrated Masses through Easter on April 12, extending an earlier suspension of services through Palm Sunday one week earlier.

OKLAHOMA

Public schools closed at least until April 6.

Oklahoma’s governor declared a statewide emergency Sunday evening.

MICHIGAN

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers indefinitely, but can offer take-out.

The Detroit Department of Transportation canceled bus service shortly after 8 a.m. due to the shortage of drivers.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has banned more than 50 people in a gathering at a time.

Whitmer issued a sweeping order Monday banning dine-in customers at restaurants and closing all bars, movie theaters, gyms and other sports facilities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The measure was to last through March.

Besides those restrictions, all Michigan schools are closed.

WASHINGTON

Restaurants and bars ordered to shut temporarily.

Gatherings of more than 50 people banned for at least two weeks.

MINNESOTA

Dine-in restaurants and bars ordered to shut through March 27 beginning Tuesday evening.

Gov. Tim Walz ordered bars and restaurants across Minnesota to temporarily close to customers who dine in.

Delivery and curbside takeout services may continue to operate. The temporary closure also applies to other places of public amusement, including theaters, museums, fitness centers and community clubs.

Affected businesses must close by 5 p.m. Tuesday. While the governor’s order runs through March 27, he said he’ll likely end up extending it. Supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers are not affected.

OREGON

Gatherings of more than 25 people banned.

Restaurants and bars allowed to offer take-out only.

Gov. Kate Brown on Monday banned on-site consumption at bars and restaurants around the state for at least four weeks in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and said gatherings will be limited to 25 people or fewer.

Restaurants can still offer takeout or delivery, she said at a news conference.

CALIFORNIA

All bars advised to shut, restaurants cut occupancy by half and over 65s are told to self-quarantine.

San Francisco Residents are ordered to 'shelter in place' in five counties. Residents in the city are legally banned from leaving their homes for three weeks for non-essential reasons.

Disneyland closed to the public.

WASHINGTON D.C.

Restaurants, bars and clubs to shut down by 10pm Monday, with take-out and delivery still available until April 1.

Health clubs, spas, massage parlors and theaters to shut down.

MARYLAND

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-ou.t

Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely.

FLORIDA

In Florida, Walt Disney World and Universal-Orlando closed Sunday night for the rest of the month, joining their already closed California siblings.

Farther south, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale closed their beaches, where thousands of college spring breakers flocked.

All bar and nightclubs are set to close.

NEVADA

Wynn Las Vegas and MGM Resorts to plan closures

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak says all public, private and charter K-12 schools in the state will be closed Monday until at least April 6 in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus

COLORADO

Restaurants closed to dine-in customers for the next 30 days

INDIANA

Bars, nightclubs and restaurants closed for dine-in with and takeout allowed until the end of March

RHODE ISLAND

All restaurants, bars, coffee shops shut down for dine in until March 30

Drive-thru and delivery services remain open

VERMONT

Bars and restaurants can only serve takeout from Tuesday night

ARIZONA

All schools closed through March 27.

Restaurants will be limited to offering to-go service, and bars, theaters, fitness centers and indoor recreation facilities will be closed in Flagstaff under a proclamation issued by the city’s mayor over concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus.

The closures go into effect Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the mountainous city.

ARKANSAS

All schools closed from Tuesday.

Arkansas casinos are closing temporarily because of concerns about the coronavirus.

Arkansas’ largest city is imposing more restrictions, including a curfew, in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus as the number infections in the state continues to rise.

Mayor Frank Scott said Monday that a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. will be in effect in Little Rock beginning early Wednesday.

DELAWARE

All restaurants closed for dine-in, take out and delivery continues

Bans on public gatherings of 50 or more people

GEORGIA

All public schools and universities closed

HAWAII

Ban on gatherings of more than 50 people on city property until April

City's indoor venues for events and recreation close

Hanauma Bay is closed

IDAHO

Boise: State of emergency declared Monday, city buildings closed with the exception of the Boise Airport

IOWA

Cedar Rapids: City buildings closed

Dozens of Iowa school districts are following the governor’s guidance and suspending classes for four weeks to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

And after legislative leaders made a similar decision to suspend the legislative session, lawmakers began the process Monday of at least temporarily shutting down their work at the Capitol.

KANSAS

Kansas State University to teach remotely

In Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months.

MAINE

Maine’s largest city, Portland, declared an emergency and adopted a curfew to prevent the spread of the virus on St. Patrick’s Day.

The curfew applies to establishments where groups gather all day Tuesday and from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. from Wednesday to Saturday.

L.L. Bean is closing all of its retail stores across the country, including its flagship store in Freeport, Maine, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

The North Haven Select Board voted Sunday to ban visitors and seasonal residents immediately to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to the Penobscot Bay island, where there have been no cases yet.

MISSISSIPPI

Casinos, public universities and school districts closed until further notice

MISSOURI

Restaurants, bars and movie theaters ordered shut for 15 days in Kansas City metro from Tuesday

MONTANA

Public schools closed for two weeks

Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Butte and Helena restrict restaurant openings

NEBRASKA

Omaha bars and restaurants limited to 10 and under patrons

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Restaurants will be restricted to take-out, schools are shut down and large public gatherings are being banned in an effort to contain the coronavirus in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire’s directive, which extends until April 7, also will ban public gatherings of 50 people or more.

NEW MEXICO

Restaurants and bars to operate at 50 per cent capacity; tables must not seat more than six people, and must be separated by at least six feet.

NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is ordering all restaurants and bars be closed to dine-in patrons.

Cooper’s office announced he would issue a new executive order directing the closings effective at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The establishments can continue to offer takeout and delivery.

NORTH DAKOTA

No mandated closing of restaurants and bars.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum issued an executive order closing schools across the state for one week beginning Monday.

PUERTO RICO

Two-week closure for the majority of businesses; 9pm overnight curfew through March 30.

Puerto Rico Secretary of State Elmer Román said at a press conference on Monday that no one is allowed to go to the beach.

On Sunday, Gov. Wanda Vázquez ordered a two-week closure of nonessential government offices and commercial businesses except for gas stations and those in the food, health and finance sectors. Puerto Rico also cancelled major events, including an Ironman race scheduled for this past weekend.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston banned gatherings of more than 50 people outside of stores and private offices.

Columbia restricted businesses to no more than half their legal occupancy and won’t allow more than six people to sit at a restaurant table.

Schools closed from Monday

SOUTH DAKOTA

No current plans to close restaurants or bars.

The governor signed a state of emergency order last week, requesting public schools to close and ordering non-essential state employees to work from home.

South Dakota public universities announced on Monday that all classes will move online next week after an extended spring break.

TENNESSEE

All bars closed in Nashville; restuarants ordered to operate at no more than 50 per cent capacity.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday asked schools to close, exhorted people to avoid crowded bars

TEXAS

Austin considering closing restaurants and bars

SXSW canceled

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

State of emergency declared

All public schools closed for at least three weeks from Wednesday

UTAH

Salt Lake City shuts restaurants to dine in customers and bars; take out continues

VIRGINIA

Gov. Ralph Northam bans public gatherings of more than 100 people

WEST VIRGINIA

No reported cases

WISCONSIN

Bans on 50 people or more gatherings; bars and restaurants limiting customers

WYOMING

Dine in customers banned at restaurants and bars

[MKSheppard]

Good job Chin... wait what, this is MURICA?

Remember when China does it, it's evil, but when MURICA does it, it's ok.

Filling in here for Mr friendly guy

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/ ... oronavirus

The U.S. government is in active talks with Facebook, Google and a wide array of tech companies and health experts about how they can use location data gleaned from Americans’ phones to combat the novel coronavirus, including tracking whether people are keeping one another at safe distances to stem the outbreak.

Public-health experts are interested in the possibility that private-sector companies could compile the data in anonymous, aggregated form, which they could then use to map the spread of the infection, according to three people familiar with the effort, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the project is in its early stages.

Analyzing trends in smartphone owners’ whereabouts could prove to be a powerful tool for health authorities looking to track coronavirus, which has infected more than 180,000 people globally. But it’s also an approach that could leave some Americans uncomfortable, depending on how it’s implemented, given the sensitivity when it comes to details of their daily whereabouts. Multiple sources stressed that — if they proceed — they are not building a government database.

In recent interviews, Facebook executives said the U.S. government is particularly interested in understanding patterns of people’s movements, which can be derived through data the company collects from users who allow it. The tech giant in the past has provided this information to researchers in the form of statistics, which in the case of coronavirus, could help officials predict the next hotspot or decide where to allocate overstretched health resources.

“We’re encouraged by American technology companies looking to leverage aggregated, anonymized data to glean key insights for covid-19 modeling efforts,” said an official with the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

[mr friendly guy]

To be fair, Mr friendly guy, the search results that come up for "Serbia China" are all about Serbia stating the EU is useless in the crisis and only China can help, so I'm not sure there's any positive benefit to underplaying the help sent article.

It's not like any other EU country has surplus medical equipment. France, Spain, Germany and many smaller countries are soon going to face similar situation as Italy. With production of almost everything outsourced to China no surprise there. China probably is only country which has capacity to quickly produce large amounts of medical gear and has spread of virus under control.

Some Chinese companies are getting in on the act of making masks. And when I say some Chinese companies, I mean companies which aren't in the business of making medical masks or medical gear in general. For example, the electric car and electric battery maker BYD. Their masks appear to be similar to what we wear in hospital and not the N95 variety, ie simpler to make. During the height of the outbreak, China also converted unused factories designed for other things to manufacture masks. I am sure Europe can have empty land for factories. I can only make a wild guess that it must be the raw materials required to make masks that Europe lacks.

[Gandalf]

I just typed "China donates medical supply to Serbia" and the whole first pages was filled with relevant links (with the exception of one for the Philippines). Um.... why did we get such different results...?

Google search results vary from person to person depending on various criteria.

[Jub]

The WHO is recommending that people stop taking ibuprofen for Covid-19 related symptoms:

https://www.sciencealert.com/who-recomm ... TIW3Woyrq8

[The Romulan Republic]

The WHO is recommending that people stop taking ibuprofen for Covid-19 related symptoms:

https://www.sciencealert.com/who-recomm ... TIW3Woyrq8

ibuprofen and various similar (anti-inflammatory) drugs including Aspirin, yeah. It started with a report from France, IIRC, warning that they weakened the immune response and could aggravate Covid-19.

Tylenol is being recommended instead for fevers:

https://theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/ ... -infection

French authorities have warned that widely used over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs may worsen the coronavirus.

The country’s health minister, Olivier Véran, who is a qualified doctor and neurologist, tweeted on Saturday: “The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone … ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection. In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor’s advice.”

Health officials point out that anti-inflammatory drugs are known to be a risk for those with infectious illnesses because they tend to diminish the response of the body’s immune system.

The health ministry added that patients should choose paracetamol – which is known in the US by the generic name acetaminophen and commonly by the brand name Tylenol – because “it will reduce the fever without counterattacking the inflammation”.

French patients have been forced to consult pharmacies since mid-January if they want to buy popular painkillers, including ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin, to be reminded of the risks.

Jean-Louis Montastruc, the head of pharmacology at Toulouse hospital, told RTL radio: “Anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of complications when there is a fever or infection.”

The French health ministry announced on Friday evening that the number of coronavirus case in the country had increased by 800 in 24 hours. Véran said there were 3,661 confirmed cases that had lead to 79 deaths. Of the sick, 154 people are in intensive care.

Véran said in his daily briefing that the evolution and spread of the virus was “rapid and real”, but that 98% of those who had tested positive had recovered.

The Eiffel Tower, Château de Versailles, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou are among the public attractions that have closed. The archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, said there would be no Sunday masses held in churches in the Paris region.

About 400 gilets jaunes, or yellow vests, gathered in Paris for “Act 70”, the 70th consecutive Saturday of protests since November 2018. An authorised march from Montparnasse station to Bercy, where the economy ministry is situated, is expected to go ahead. Public gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned in France, but it has been reported that demonstrations are exempt.

Schools closed across the country after lessons on Saturday, meaning 12.4 million students will remain at home. The education minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, has said they will be expected to follow the national curriculum syllabus by internet. “This coming period is not one in which the youngsters don’t have to work,” he told BFMTV.

In other news, the US and Canada are expected to close their border to non-essential travel within 48 hours:

https://cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/us- ... index.html

[mr friendly guy]

Good job Chin... wait what, this is MURICA?

Remember when China does it, it's evil, but when MURICA does it, it's ok.

Filling in here for Mr friendly guy

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/ ... oronavirus

You might find this article interesting Shep. Its more along the same vein, only its Israel doing the same thing. I will just quote some parts to give you an idea of what is planned.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-03- ... s/12066256

The Israeli Government has approved emergency measures for its security service to use mobile phone surveillance technology to track data of people to help curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The move sparked widespread criticism by politicians and civil rights groups.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet approved the emergency regulations on Monday (local time) that will enable the Shin Bet internal security service to tap into mobile phone data to retrace the movements of people infected by the virus.

The data, customarily used for anti-terrorism, will be used by the Health Ministry to locate and alert those who have been in their vicinity, the Government said.

Such cyber monitoring would normally require parliamentary ratification and judicial oversight.

Mr Netanyahu, who announced the measure, circumvented the process by invoking the emergency orders.

The new tactic looked to use mobile phone tracking technology and a review of credit card data to give a far more precise history of an infected person's movements before they were diagnosed, and identify people who might have been exposed.

[Ace Pace]

It's important to note that all the wide spread criticism is not about the move itself but the fact Bibi is doing it as part of a transitional government thats in place for 15 months, during multiple constitutional crisis occurring at once and without legislative backing.

Also, the security services basically told Bibi "no" until the health ministry asked.

[LaCroix]

Austrian companies are currently assessing which of their employees have finished their mandatory draft in the last 5 years.

Government is making noises of reactivating these in case we need more bodies to care for the sick or keep the people indoors...

[FaxModem1]

NPR

Dow Dives 10%; Stock Trading Halted For 4th Time In 2 Weeks
March 18, 20209:15 AM ET
AVIE SCHNEIDER

Twitter
Instagram

A trader reacts after automatic circuit breakers kicked in and trading was halted temporarily Wednesday at the New York Stock Exchange.
Mark Lennihan/AP
Updated at 2:17 p.m. ET

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more than 2,100 points, or 10%, Wednesday after President Trump announced new emergency steps to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, including suspending foreclosures and evictions until the end of April.

Trading on the New York Stock Exchange was temporarily halted for the fourth time in two weeks after the S&P 500 index plunged 7%. Major indexes continued to fall after the 15-minute pause in trading, with the S&P 500 down more than 9%.

At 19,073, the Dow hasn't been this low since late 2016, meaning the blue chip index has lost three years of gains.

Total confirmed infections from the virus topped 200,000 worldwide, and more than 8,000 people have died, as of midday Wednesday.

Vice President Pence told NPR that disruptions from the outbreak could continue until midsummer. Trump said Wednesday on Twitter that the U.S. border with Canada will be closed temporarily "by mutual consent" but that "trade will not be affected." It's the latest in a series of border shutdowns around the world in response to the pandemic.

The stock market has been in a jarring up-and-down pattern for weeks. Just on Tuesday, the Dow soared 1,049 points, or 5.2%, after the Trump administration unveiled plans for a $1 trillion stimulus package and the Federal Reserve unveiled a special loan program to help offset the economic damage.

The Dow has fallen by one-third from its record high set on Feb. 12. European markets were also down sharply.

Oil prices tumbled 20%, to about $21 per barrel. The price of oil has dropped more than 60% so far this year as the world economy has virtually ground to a halt in response to the coronavirus and as major producers Saudi Arabia and Russia have entered a price war.

The pandemic is hitting American pocketbooks, with nearly 1 in 5 households experiencing a layoff or a cut in work hours, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Restaurants, bars, hotels and airlines have been hit hard, but the ripple effects are spreading across the economy and thousands of people are suddenly out of work.

How long before we start hitting Bush era stock numbers?

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

And just in case you were expecting Americans to behave rationally A mere 56% of Americans view the coronavirus as a "real" threat.

Takeaways:

1) This is 10% fewer Americans versus the last time this question was asked.
2) Unsurprisingly, like everything else in America, one's response can be predicted by their response to the question "Republican, or Democrat?" as 76% of Democrats think the coronavirus is a serious threat, compared to a mere 40% of Republicans. 59% of Democrats are practicing social distancing (i.e. avoiding large gatherings,) but more Republicans (60%) are not.

I was telling my wife, the other day, that in Hubei Province, a mere 0.5% of people caught the coronavirus before the Chinese got a handle on things; and while the United States was going to be a lot worse, it was hard for me to imagine the United States being, say, at least 10x worse (as back-of-the-envelope math suggests that's the territory where, if all those cases came in quick succession, the country'd run out of ventilators for the worst affected.) I'm used to walking back pessimism ... it's a rare day when I have to consider walking back optimism.

[Broomstick]

The WHO is recommending that people stop taking ibuprofen for Covid-19 related symptoms:

https://www.sciencealert.com/who-recomm ... TIW3Woyrq8

Dang, and ibuprofen is my usual go-to due to it being more effective for arthritis.

Makes me glad I thought of buying acetaminophen/paracetemol when I was stocking up for the siege. OK, generic Tylenol it is....

[Broomstick]

How long before we start hitting Bush era stock numbers?

Which Bush?

Not long in any case - this is not a situation were anything can be done to buoy up the markets. The economy is crashing and crashing hard due to a Black Swan that isn't going away for months. Recession? Pshaw! We're going to get a global depression. Make me glad I work for a grocery store, apparently we're essential.

That's assuming I survive working at a grocery store - the company is currently hiring massive numbers of new employees for when - not IF but WHEN - the current staff start to fall ill. Because by the nature of our jobs we're almost guaranteed to get this. Statistics predict 2-8 deaths per store, probably some gone due to permanent disability but even the 160-180 or so per store expected to fully recover will be out of commission for weeks. So yeah, we're going to have to get those new folks trained up to take over when us old-timers start falling in and entering quarantine. And some of us won't be coming out of quarantine outside of a pine box.

Meanwhile - the company did promise at least two weeks paid leave to anyone either diagnosed with covid-19 or quarantined by the health authorities, and up to $2500 as a grant to the most needy employees and that's offered to all, both full time and part time. So yeah, that's something for those of us that survive.

Never in a million years did I ever think working in a grocery store would put me on the front lines of a battle to keep civilization running.

So... yeah, I do get pissed as hell when people politicize this shit, or engage in pissing matches, or whatever the hell mischief they get up to here due to boredom. Because I drag my ass out of bed every day and go to work where I am exposed to hundreds or a thousand or more people every day to get people the goods they need to hunker down for a couple weeks in relative safety.

I am almost certainly going to get this disease.

I might die from it.

DOES ANYONE FUCKING CARE ABOUT THAT?

What the fuck have YOU done to alleviate this world-wide crisis? If there is something you could do and haven't done then FUCK YOU TO HELL.

Frankly, I don't care what that "what" is - stay the fuck inside so the sacrifice of others to enable you to do just that is not in vain. Wash your goddamned hands. Give blood - because donations are plummeting. Call a loved one. Call a friend. If you're young and healthy do necessary errands for someone who should stay inside. Or just DON'T be god-damned fucking internet troll, shit-stirrer, and asshole. Please.

I am now going away for awhile because I am having a hard time of things today.

[The Romulan Republic]

For whatever its worth, I think that all of you working to keep essential services running right now are as much heroes, and as worthy of honour, as the men who stormed the beaches at Normandy. So, thank you.

[The Romulan Republic]

In other news:

https://businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-p ... reddit.com

McDonald's is pushing for changes to a coronavirus relief bill that would require its restaurants across the US — 95% which are owned by franchisees — to give workers two weeks of paid sick leave, describing it as an effort to protect franchisees' financials.

The fast-food giant has been lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to alter a bill that would require employers with 50 to 500 workers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave, executives said on an internal conference call on Monday. McDonald's has pushed back against plans to use a tax credit to cover the cost, which executives said would fail to protect franchisees.

"We know that the funding mechanism and the repayment timing could cripple small-business owners," David Tovar, McDonald's vice president of US communications, said on the call, a recording of which was obtained by Business Insider.

Tovar said McDonald's was "pulling out all the stops to work with" the National Franchisee Leadership Alliance, "owner-operators, our trade partners, our friends in Congress, congressional leaders, and anyone who can make a difference to fix the bill."

A McDonald's representative told Business Insider that the company was not opposed to the bill itself.

"To be clear, McDonald's supports the bill that would provide sick leave support to employees impacted by Coronavirus, and in fact, McDonald's and many of its franchise owners have already committed to offer those same benefits to potentially diagnosed employees," the representative said. "At the same time, we are sensitive to the economic pressures independent owner-operators face and are supportive of efforts to ensure they have the cash flow needed to keep their employees working."

McDonald's leadership, along with other fast-food executives, spoke with President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning about the response to the coronavirus outbreak. In a speech that afternoon, Trump praised companies' drive-thru and delivery efforts.

McDonald's leadership also spoke on Monday with members of the Trump administration, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to discuss concerns about the bill. Tovar said that he was "encouraged" by Mnuchin's comments and that the Trump administration was open to feedback from McDonald's.

On the internal call on Monday, McDonald's discussed new policies meant to assist franchisees financially amid the coronavirus outbreak. Executives said the fast-food giant would eliminate effective rent for March, forgo base rent in April and May, and delay scheduled ground breaks for new locations. The company is also cutting media spending.

McDonald's announced on Monday that it would close seating areas at all company-owned stores and encouraged franchisees to do the same. McDonald's executives said on Monday's internal call that the company was planning for every possible outcome, including serving a reduced menu and closing locations.

Fast food under fire
mcdonalds employee customer soda
A McDonald's worker. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The fast-food industry has faced criticism for its lack of paid sick leave amid the coronavirus outbreak. Several restaurant chains and retailers have recently changed their sick-leave policies to allow for two weeks of paid leave for employees who are quarantined or have COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

McDonald's adjusted its sick-leave policy to provide 14 days' protected leave for employees at company-owned restaurants following exposure to or a diagnosis of COVID-19. The company previously allowed and continues to allow employees at company-owned stores to earn up to five days of paid time off a year.

A McDonald's representative told Business Insider that while sick-leave policies varied in accordance with local laws, restaurants worked to offer flexibility to employees. Further, the representative added, it is "McDonald's expectation that crewmembers stay home when they are sick."

At 95% of McDonald's locations in the US, owner-operators have the freedom to determine their own sick-leave policies.

Citing surveys from The Shift Project, a New York Times opinion article published on Saturday highlighted McDonald's as the employer in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries with the most workers who lack paid sick leave, with 517,000 employees.

"As the new coronavirus spreads across the United States, the time has come for restaurants, retailers and other industries that rely on low-wage labor to abandon their parsimonious resistance to paid sick leave," The Times' editorial board said. "Companies that do not pay sick workers to stay home are endangering their workers, their customers and the health of the broader public."

The coronavirus relief bill originally required a permanent paid-sick-leave requirement. Republicans pushed back, and it was dropped.

McDonald's has asked franchisees to reach out to local representatives to express concerns about the bill's funding mechanism. The International Franchise Association has also pushed back on the bill.

"The construction of the paid leave mandate and refundable tax credit leaves small businesses with a significant and immediate cash flow crisis for the next six to eight critical weeks," Matt Haller, the IFA's senior vice president of government relations and public affairs, wrote in an open letter on Monday.

Are you working at a chain restaurant during the coronavirus outbreak? Email retail@businessinsider.com to share your story.

[Ralin]

I'm not immediately sure that the McDonald's corporation is wrong here. This seems like something that should be provided by the government. Not McDonald's.

[Jub]

I'm not immediately sure that the McDonald's corporation is wrong here. This seems like something that should be provided by the government. Not McDonald's.

If you make your living forcing people to work in conditions no sane person would desire for minimum wage you should damned well be ready to pay your staff enough that they can survive a few weeks away from work.

-----

Politics aside, stay safe board members. We're a shrinking lot as it is we don't need Covid-19 shrinking ou numbers any further.

[Gandalf]

Our major supermarkets here have suspended home deliveries. A lot of people with medical conditions who can't leave the house rely on those deliveries.

Now they get to compete in the Supermarket Hunger Games.