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

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, we all know who is and will be first in line: the Rich. As always.

Enjoy it, folks. This is what we won the Cold War for.

[MKSheppard]

Tomato sauce is a pretty good source of vegetables and vitamins which won't expire, yeah.

Tomato sauce is acidic. If you're planning on long term storage, get it in glass or plastic jars. If it's to be consumed ASAP, metal cans are OK.

[loomer]

Just don't forget how monotonous it can get. Add tinned/frozen fruits and vegetables, sauerkraut, kimchi, and so on.

[Beowulf]

Tomato sauce is a pretty good source of vegetables and vitamins which won't expire, yeah.

Tomato sauce is acidic. If you're planning on long term storage, get it in glass or plastic jars. If it's to be consumed ASAP, metal cans are OK.

Most metal cans are lined with plastic. So I wouldn't worry about that part

[MKSheppard]

Doctors and nurses come to my store every day asking about masks, gloves, alcohol, wipes, etc. because they can't get them anywhere else.

Nobody can either; the entire supply chain for those has been decimated. The only people who have them now are those who had the foresight to stock up on PPE a few months ago.

There are a few hospitals in the US who actually do keep PPE stockpiles; but most of them are "JIT" ruled by beancounter hospital administrators; because PPE stocks expire and have to be rotated.

After this, I think we're going to need regulations saying if you want to have a license to run X amount of beds as a hospital, you need to maintain A, B, and C amounts of PPE.

Which doesn't make it OK, quite the contrary - I'm convinced the death toll in the US will be in the millions because of the greed and denial of oligarchs.

You know.

There's a rumor/conspiracy making the rounds now -- it's based off public numbers that Chinese Telecom companies release of the amount of subscribers they gained/lost that past month.

https://www.chinamobileltd.com/en/ir/operation_m.php
Actual Chinese site


Screencap made at 10:30~ AM EDT, 21 March 2020.


Data made from 2019 and 2020 data

Basically, given how much more important phones are in China with Alipay; people basically don't get rid of phone numbers.

There are two possible options, linked to your phone # being shut down after two months of non-payment

A.) You died.
B.) You can't pay the bill.

I'm leaning more towards "people can't pay bill" since Wuhan's population is 11~ million; and the place has been shut down for two months on quarantine.

As for Death rate in Wuhan:

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus ... wuhan.html

Using a slew of public and previously published information, a group of researchers estimated the "symptomatic case fatality risk" or the probability of dying after developing symptoms of COVID-19 in Wuhan, was 1.4%.

Given 11 million population; estimating a 15% attack (infection) rate before the quarantine was instituted and 60% of infected developing symptoms; that works out as:

11,000,000 population
1,650,000 infections
990,000 infections develop symptoms
13,860 fatalities (1.4% death rate of symptomatics)

That's a lot more than the official numbers.

[MKSheppard]

https://www.latimes.com/california/stor ... oronavirus

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday deployed the California National Guard to assist food banks statewide serving residents whose needs have not been met due to food shortages during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Newsom said the short-term deployment will initially assist a food bank distribution warehouse in Sacramento County and will also assess the needs of other California counties that have requested assistance with their food bank programs.

Newsom said that due to the coronavirus crisis, food banks throughout California have been affected by a decline in volunteers. The California National Guard will play a temporary role until assistance can be provided by other public service groups, including AmeriCorps, California Conservation Corps and Local Conservation Corps members, Newsom said.

The California National Guard could later be called on to provide medical and logistical support to deal with the spread of the coronavirus throughout California, which state officials expect to overwhelm the state’s hospital system.

The guard could also assist local law enforcement if needed to enforce the governor’s executive order to have most Californians stay at home and businesses deemed nonessential to remain closed.

[MKSheppard]

BALTIMORE, MD. — Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young issued the following statement regarding the arrival of the Maryland National Guard in Baltimore today:

“My administration requested that the Guard deploy in Baltimore to provide humanitarian assistance in partnership with our city agencies as we work to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Mayor Young said. “The Guard's deployment helps provide resources we need to support the work being done to keep Baltimore healthy.”

The National Guard will be stationed to help support meal distribution at school sites throughout Baltimore, feeding children through the program begun earlier this week and led by staff from the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, the Department of Planning, and the Department of Recreation and Parks. The guard will also provide aid in planning and logistical support for the city’s hospitals and medical teams.

“I am confident that the deployment of the National Guard will help ensure Baltimore City has everything it needs to fully address COVID-19. I would like to thank Governor Hogan for working closely with the City of Baltimore and other counties throughout the State,” Mayor Young said.

[MKSheppard]

LINK

Basically, Rhode Island has a law saying that Rhode Island Police must perform firearms background checks for ALL sales (FFL and Private) on top of the Federal NICS check.

By law, they must be performed in 7 days -- basically making a 7 day wait defacto standard.

Now, there's a proviso in the law saying that if no background check is done in 7 days by the local Rhode Island Police, then it's possible to pick up your firearm; since you'd already have passed a Federal NICS check. This is intended to keep the police from "slow rolling" applications forever, by incentivizing them to actually process them.

Well, the surge in firearms purchases has so overwhelmed the poor little RI police departments that they sent a letter to the Governor saying:

RHODE ISLAND POLICE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION
March 20, 2020

The Hon. Governor Gina Raimondo State House

Providence, RI

Dear Governor Raimondo;

I am writing on behalf of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA) regarding the current state of affairs, where recent events have triggered a run by individuals purchasing firearms from local gun dealers. These gun dealers themselves have indicated that they have been flooded with gun purchases over the past week like they have never seen before, commenting that they struggle to keep up with the demand. Many say they have had trouble completing the required National Instant Criminal Background Checks through (NICS) due to busy signals while trying to phone in the checks, which we have learned is due to the massive increase of gun purchases nationally.

Two police departments, Warwick and Richmond handle a significant amount of the gun applications in the state and both have stated that they are overrun with applications. Colonel Rathbun of Warwick Pd advised that his department generally averages approximately 28 applications per day up until March 15th. Since then he has received 404 covering 3 days of sales, or approximately 135 per day. Chief Johnson of Richmond Pd indicated he was averaging about 5 permits per day prior to the 13 th but increased to approximately 20 per day since that time. A survey of other departments advise of similar increases.

The issue law enforcement is having is the requirement under R.I.G.L. 11-47-35 and 1147-35.2 which requires law enforcement to conduct background check of each applicant within 7 days to determine if there is any disqualifying information on the purchaser. Both statutes further state that if the law enforcement agency conducting the background check fails to complete or respond within those 7 days the transfer is allowed to proceed.

Many law enforcement agencies have reduced non-essential staff from their daily work force in compliance with The Center for Disease Control as well as your very own recommendations in an attempt to lessen the possibility of infection and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Coupled with the extraordinary increase in gun applications, Chiefs are struggling and in fact predicting they will be unable to process all of the applications within the 7 day period which will result in the transfer of guns to individuals which have not been thoroughly vetted as required.

With the uncertainty of what each day moving forward has in store for RI Law Enforcement and the possibility of staffing being further influenced by contact with individuals with suspected COVID-19 virus, causing personnel to be quarantined will only cause further delays in handling the gun applications.

The Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association is respectfully requesting you consider using your executive authority to suspend the 7 day background processing requirement and consider extending that deadline to 30 days from the date of the application under both R.I.G.L. 11-4735 and 11-47-35.2. The RIPCA respects the requirements under the law and the right to purchase firearms, but due to circumstances beyond their control feel the above request is not only reasonable but prudent and has the full support of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association.

Respectfully submitted,
Sidney Wordell Executive Director
RI Police Chiefs’ Assoc.

The governor then signed the following EO:

State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Gina M. Raimondo
Governor

EXECUTIVE ORDER 20-07
March 20, 2020

FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION -EXTENSION OF TIME FOR WEAPON AND FIREARM BACKGROUND CHECKS

This Emergency Declaration supplements Executive Order 20-02 issued March 9, 2020.

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020,1 declared a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life pdsed by COVID-19;

WHEREAS, Rhode Island General Laws § 11-47-35 governs the delivery and sale of pistols and revolvers (also referred to as “concealable weapons”) and Rhode Island General Laws § 11-47-35.2 governs the sale of rifles and shotguns (hereafter collectively referred to as “firearms”) in the State of Rhode Island;

WHEREAS, those laws provide that no person shall deliver a firearm to a purchaser until seven (7) days have elapsed from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the day of application for the purchase;

WHEREAS, those laws further provide that a person selling a firearm shall send or deliver a copy of the purchase application to the police chief in the city or town where the person resides or the superintendent of the state police and that “it shall be the duty of the police authority ... to make a background check of the applicant” to ascertain whether they are prohibited from possession of a firearm under Rhode Island law. R.L Gen. Laws 11-47-35 (a)(2) and 11-47-35.2(b);

WHEREAS, those laws further provide that, “fi]f, after the lapse of seven (7) days from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the person who is selling [the firearm], he or she will deliver the firearm applied for to the applicant.” R.I. Gen. Laws 11-47-35(a)(2) and 11-47-35.2(b);

WHEREAS, Rhode Island General Laws § 11-47-36 provides that a purchaser of a concealable firearm from an out-of-state dealer must submit the application form prescribed in § 11-47-35 to the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or to the chief of police of the city or town in which the purchaser resides, and further provides that the investigating police authority shall have seventy two (72) hours from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the date of application to determine whether the individual is disqualified from possession of a firearm under Rhode Island law;

WHEREAS, since the declaration of the state of emergency, state and local law enforcement agencies have reported a significant increase in the number of applications for concealable weapons and firearms purchases;

WHEREAS, many state and local law enforcement agencies have adjusted their staffing levels, particularly among the support staff who process background check requests, in response to the COVID-19 health emergency;

WHEREAS, as a result of the significant increase in the number of background checks requested by firearms dealers and reduced staffing levels, law enforcement agencies cannot reasonably complete the required background checks within the seven-day statutory timeframe;

WHEREAS, failure to perform the required background check within the statutory timeframe will result in the transfer of guns to purchasers for whom no background check has been performed, a situation potentially dangerous to the public; and

WHEREAS, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association has advised that the increase in gun applications threatens to overwhelm police resources and has requested additional time within which to complete the necessary background checks.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GINA M. RAIMONDO, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, do hereby order and direct the following:

1. I hereby suspend the statutory time period within which police authorities must conduct background checks for concealable weapons and firearms. A police authority conducting the background investigation required by R.L Gen. Laws §§11-47-35(a)(2), 11-47-35.2(b), and 11-47-36 shall have up to thirty (30) days from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the application to complete the background investigation and notify the person selling the firearm whether the applicant is disqualified from purchasing a firearm, and, in the case of § 11-47-36, notifying the purchaser whether his or her application was approved.

2. Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 30-15-9 (e)(8), no person shall deliver a firearm to a purchaser until the person has been notified by the police authority conducting the background investigation of the purchaser that the purchaser is not disqualified under Rhode Island law. If, after the lapse of thirty (30) days from twelve o'clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the person who is selling the firearm, he or she will deliver the firearm to the purchaser.

3. All other provisions of Rhode Island General Laws §§ 11-47-35,11-47-35.1, 11-47-35.2 and 11-47-36 shall remain unchanged.

This Order shall take effect immediately and applies to any applications to purchase concealable weapons or firearms submitted on or after March 13, 2020 and shall remain in full force and effect until April 19, 2020 unless renewed, modified or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.

So Ordered:

/S/
Gina M. Raimondo
Governor

[MKSheppard]

In Illinois, there's been a decision, obtained via facebook:

Cumberland County [illinois] State's Attorney

Public Notice: The ISP has made the statement that Gun Shops may remain open and people may travel to and from Gun Shops as they are considered supplies to maintain the safety of residences. Executive Order 5(b) and 12(a) COVID-19 Executive Order No. 8

The statement was made from ISP during a conference call Friday evening following the Governor's Executive Order.

It was the ISP representative's interpretation of the Executive Order and I certainly agree with the interpretation that firearms would be necessary to maintain the safety of residents. However it would ultimately be up to your local prosecuting authority as to their interpretation of what products are necessary for the safety of residences.

[Ace Pace]

Why the fuck?

[The Romulan Republic]

Oh, yes. Every business under the Sun is being closed, tanking our entire economy out of the necessity to preserve public safety, but God forbid that stressed and frightened people don't have easy access to firearms!

[aerius]

Why the fuck?

Would you like to see what happens when things go south and gun shops get broken into and looted?

[chimericoncogene]

Given 11 million population; estimating a 15% attack (infection) rate before the quarantine was instituted and 60% of infected developing symptoms; that works out as:

11,000,000 population
1,650,000 infections
990,000 infections develop symptoms
13,860 fatalities (1.4% death rate of symptomatics)

That's a lot more than the official numbers.

Shep, the phone numbers just mean fewer people are signing up. Old people have phones, and old people die all the time.
They probably lose ten million subscribers on a normal month to normal attrition: deaths, sign-offs, and whatnot, and make up for it with fresh blood. Once the economy hits a recession, people stop buying new phone plans but keep dying/unsubscribing at the same rate as before, so you enter negative growth territory.

Official death figures are 3,100 or so dead Hubei-wide, so I guess anything up to 10,000 dead, however unlikely, is not inconceivable (this does not necessarily imply malice, but rather people dying at home or arriving in hospital in such poor condition they don't get tested or get misdiagnosed - I seriously doubt they're fudging those figures after the political crapshow that went down in January, and I believe the official figures are pretty reasonable).

Italy is losing more people simply because their healthcare system is getting overwhelmed faster and it has less backup; the EU can't flood Italy with aid the same way China could Hubei Province. That explains a large chunk of the discrepancy.

[MKSheppard]

Hurm

https://covidactnow.org/state/MD

Maryland estimates
No Action: 70% infected, hospitals overload 7 April, 122,000 deaths.
3 months of CA shelter in place: 4% infected, hospitals don't fail within time bound, 3,000 deaths.
3 months of Wuhan Lockdown: <1% infected, hospitals never fail, <1,000 deaths.

[chimericoncogene]

Hurm

https://covidactnow.org/state/MD

Maryland estimates
No Action: 70% infected, hospitals overload 7 April, 122,000 deaths.
3 months of CA shelter in place: 4% infected, hospitals don't fail within time bound, 3,000 deaths.
3 months of Wuhan Lockdown: <1% infected, hospitals never fail, <1,000 deaths.

These are bad case estimates, with an uncontrolled outbreak. The outbreak has obviously been stopped from going exponential in SK and Japan. Control is possible.

Hospitals failed pretty obviously and badly in Wuhan, and were only saved by flying in mobile field hospitals and shipping hundreds (thousands?) of docs in from around the country. They have clearly recovered now, since those mobile hospitals have been dismantled. And whaddaya mean 1,000 dead? Johns Hopkins numbers are in the 3,000 range for Hubei Province at least (no breakdown) !

Based on hard-to-fake indicators (withdrawing personnel, packing field hospitals), Wuhan contained the outbreak well within two months of shelter-in-place and is now talking about lifting it after 14 days without new cases (that estimate you have is three months, although I have no idea what the curve looks like). The US is likely to too, although I'm not sure how cultural differences will affect this. The US is in the panic phase of the outbreak, and has never faced a SARS-like illness before. Things look bad now; they usually get better. Reactions are not going to be as smooth as in East Asia, where we lived with bird flu kill-all-the-chickens-now-now-now and SARS-1.

The numbers also jive well with my own anecdotal experience in East Asia. On 30/1, after stopping flights from China, my city had maybe a dozen or two imported cases of COVID-19, with a few secondary infections dribbling in every day. We have a lot more contact with China than Italy.

Now, we've just closed the border with Europe (anyone coming from Europe or N'Am has to stay home with an ankle bracelet for fourteen days), and on the last open-border day we got 50 imported cases. The scale of the outbreak in Europe is clearly more substantial than the Chinese one was at a similar timeframe (Say mid-late-January). More deaths are reasonable. What happened after that, I dunno, because the borders were closed.

Also, Americans and Europeans don't have masks, and mostly refuse to/dislike wearing them/have weird taboos against them (personal anecdote - even in East Asia, you can bet that the Westerners will be the only people in public not wearing masks).

Some East Asian schoolkids wear masks during exam season whether they're sick or not - just so that they don't get sick, which might affect exam performance.

[The Romulan Republic]

The deep undercurrent of "fuck the government, fuck society, I've got mine fuck everybody else" in mainstream American culture is going to make it a lot harder to contain in America, I think.

Plus we've got the brilliant minds and high moral standards of Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and Mitch McConnell leading the response.

God help us.

[Nicholas]

The scale of the outbreak in Europe is clearly more substantial than the Chinese one was at a similar timeframe (Say mid-late-January). More deaths are reasonable. What happened after that, I dunno, because the borders were closed.

Also, Americans and Europeans don't have masks, and mostly refuse to/dislike wearing them/have weird taboos against them (personal anecdote - even in East Asia, you can bet that the Westerners will be the only people in public not wearing masks).

Some East Asian schoolkids wear masks during exam season whether they're sick or not - just so that they don't get sick, which might affect exam performance.

The scale of the outbreak being larger is logical. China's outbreak likely started from one case and spread from there. Europe and America surely imported a number of independent first cases. I suspect we are seeing the effect of culture (and maybe populating density) in the different rates of infection between Europe and America and the different death rates. The US culture tends to be very age segregated and have more personal space then most. I suspect that has kept the US case numbers, especially among the very old, lower, so far.

The taboos against masks are based on the strong connection between wearing a mask and criminality in western culture. You are right though, it isn't very useful now.

Nicholas

[Mr Bean]

New Jersey is in lockdown

The governor of New Jersey on Saturday issued a stay-at-home order for nearly all of the state's 9 million residents in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

Similar sweeping mandates have been made in California, Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania.

“We must flatten the curve and ensure residents are practicing social distancing," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in announcing the new restrictions. But, he added, “Even with this order in effect … life in New Jersey does not have to come to a complete standstill.”

The governor told residents not to panic, but, he said, "We're at war."

Starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, New Jersey residents must stay home and all nonessential businesses have to close indefinitely. All gatherings including weddings, in-person services and parties, are canceled until further notice, Murphy said.

I'm now not just in lock down myself in Pennsylvania but almost surrounded, once Maryland closes down then I will be fully locked in.

[bilateralrope]

Coronavirus: Olympic boss Thomas Bach determined to press on with Tokyo 2020 despite global pandemic

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has defended pressing on with plans to stage the Tokyo Olympics despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers still insist the July 24-August 9 showpiece will go ahead as planned despite Europe and the US struggling to control the spread of the virus.

"A cancellation would destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes from 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC refugee team. Such a cancellation would be the least fair solution," Bach told German SWR radio on Sunday (NZ time).

He said because of their complexity "you can't postpone the Olympic Games like a football match next Saturday," and insisted that any decision required reliable and clear information.

His optimism that the show will go on, however, is looking increasingly out-of- step with countries in lockdown and athletes around the world unable to train.

In a letter to United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), USA Track and Field (U STAF) chief executive Max Siegel urged USOPC to use its voice to "speak up for athletes".

Siegel said the USTAF "understood" the ramification of postponing the Games for the first time ever in peace time, but that moving forward would not be in the best interest of athletes.

"We acknowledge that there are no perfect answers, and that this is a very complex and difficult decision, but this position (to postpone the Games) at least provides our athletes with the comfort of knowing that they will have adequate time to properly prepare themselves physically, mentally and emotionally to be able to participate in a safe and successful Olympic Games," he wrote.

USA Swimming wrote to USOPC on Saturday calling for a delay of one year, CEO Tim Hinchey saying: "we have watched our athletes' worlds be turned upside down".

The chairman of UK Athletics said last week the Olympics should be called off to spare athletes the stress of trying to train in the grip of a pandemic which has killed around 12,000 people since the virus surfaced in China.

Brazil's Olympic chief Paulo Wanderley echoed those thoughts on Saturday, saying athletes would not be able to arrive in Tokyo in top form because of the impact of the crisis.

"It's clear that right now, maintaining the Games for this year will impede [the athletes] dream from being realised," he said.

Suggesting a year's delay, he said the IOC was experienced in dealing with obstacles, citing the cancellations in 1916, 1940 and 1944 because of World Wars and the political boycotts of the Games in Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984.

Norway's Sports Federation and Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it had written to IOC chief Thomas Bach calling for the Games to be postponed, even if the pandemic is under control in Japan by the summer.

"Given the highly unresolved situation in Norway and in large parts of the world, it is neither justifiable or desirable to send Norwegian athletes to the Olympics or Paralympics in Tokyo until the world community has put this pandemic behind them," sports president Berit Kjoll said.

Reuters

I see that public safety and giving the athletes a chance for fair competition is less important than however much money the Olympics would earn the IOC.

[Broomstick]

You completely forgot any fruit or vegetables in that list. Yes, pasta and spam will sustain life, but it's shit nutrition. You might want to add a bottle of vitamin C tablets to that list, too, otherwise scurvy might be an issue and, oh yeah, it might be a good idea to have all those "extras" in your diet to keep your immune system healthy.

You could skip the tablets just by buying plenty of ready-made spaghetti sauce to go with all that pasta.

Yeah, that might work except for 1) my potentially lethal allergy to tomatoes and 2) the canning process usually eliminates the vitamin C in food.

Come to think of it, if you have the necessary kitchen space you could get one over the panic buyers by stocking up on fresh fruit and vegetables and the necessary supplies to pickle them.

Well, sure, except that I don't really have the room in my small kitchen and I'm working 10+ hours a day six days a week which doesn't leave a lot of time.

Think just freezing them would actually preserve more vitamin C.

Though those suggestions might work out for people staying at home.

[Broomstick]

The US government has a special duty of care towards domestic subaltern tribal nations. They should be first in line, not last.

Since you didn't get it the first time:

In the United States there is no line. It does not exist.

NO ONE is getting helped by the Feds at this point.

At this point, the only governments doing jack are the STATE and LOCAL governments.

The Feds have completely failed in their duty towards EVERYONE.

[MKSheppard]

30 day stay at home order going into effect in Kansas City starting Tuesday except for "essential needs".

https://www.kctv5.com/coronavirus/core- ... 1ec71.html

[MKSheppard]

PA apparently has pulled Gamestops operating licenses for the state and declared all the stores hazmat areas requiring PPE to enter.

[MKSheppard]

[The Romulan Republic]

PA apparently has pulled Gamestops operating licenses for the state and declared all the stores hazmat areas requiring PPE to enter.

Couldn't have happened to nicer guys.

I see that public safety and giving the athletes a chance for fair competition is less important than however much money the Olympics would earn the IOC.

I would urge everyone to boycott the Olympics this year. There's other shit you can watch in isolation that isn't profiting on risking the safety of its employees and indeed the entire society.

The US government has a special duty of care towards domestic subaltern tribal nations. They should be first in line, not last.

Since you didn't get it the first time:

In the United States there is no line. It does not exist.

NO ONE is getting helped by the Feds at this point.

At this point, the only governments doing jack are the STATE and LOCAL governments.

The Feds have completely failed in their duty towards EVERYONE.

Which, not to be too blunt, raises the question: if the government is either unable or unwilling to provide the most basic of assistance and security to its people during an unprecedented crisis (we are literally talking about something on the scale of a major war, with a second Great Depression likely thrown on top), then what legitimate reason does that government have for existing?

I still have my objections to immediate revolution, but they are purely pragmatic ones (the lack of sufficient support for a revolution, the likelihood that it would catastrophically fail, and now the impossibility of organizing one while everyone is in quarantine). Morally, I can make no justification for the continued existence of the federal government of the United States in its current form.