The Coronavirus thread

[QCxpat]

March 14, 2020 - Today, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an Executive Order directing that all public schools in North Carolina be closed for at least 2 weeks in an effort to halt the spread of Covid 19, the illness spread by the coronavirus.  This includes the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System (CMS).  The order begins on Monday, March 16th.

Governor Cooper orders closing of all N.C. public schools, bans large gatherings

Governor Roy Cooper announced Saturday, March 14 he is ordering all public schools and venues closed for at least two weeks starting March 16. (Source: WECT)

 

Links:  https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article241196181.html

https://www.wbtv.com/2020/03/14/gov-roy-cooper-orders-nc-schools-close-least-weeks/

https://www.wect.com/2020/03/14/governor-cooper-suspends-all-nc-public-schools/

Edited March 14, 2020 by QCxpat

[davidclt]

It seems like most churches of any size in Charlotte will not be meeting in person for the foreseeable future with most going online.  I'm surprised to see this even the congregations I would expect "God will protect." The Park and most Catholic parishes will meet tomorrow. What surprises me more is all the churches (big and small) where I grew up in Lakeland, FL are going forward as though nothing is happening. My 19-year-old, home from UNC simply commented,  "dad, this looks like natural selection at work."

[urbanlover568]

If cases don't go down next week, would not be surprised to see Martial Law and the same measures Spain, Italy, and China implemented. 

[KJHburg]

2 hours ago, davidclt said:

It seems like most churches of any size in Charlotte will not be meeting in person for the foreseeable future with most going online.  I'm surprised to see this even the congregations I would expect "God will protect." The Park and most Catholic parishes will meet tomorrow. What surprises me more is all the churches (big and small) where I grew up in Lakeland, FL are going forward as though nothing is happening. My 19-year-old, home from UNC simply commented,  "dad, this looks like natural selection at work."

I think most of the most vulernable members of churches will stay home as that is happening at my church.  Has every school closed in the country no or even in the state of Florida. People will make their own choices whether they will go out or not.   Not sure what this comment means  "dad, this looks like natural selection at work."   

 

[mad_park]

2 hours ago, urbanlover568 said:

If cases don't go down next week, would not be surprised to see Martial Law and the same measures Spain, Italy, and China implemented. 

A month of that will do a number on a lot of businesses.

[urbanlover568]

Apparently you don't need Martial law for it ..

 

BREAKING: Hoboken, New Jersey has instituted a 10pm-5am city-wide curfew, and has closed all restaurants and bars. (Restaurants will be allowed to deliver & fulfill takeout orders but not to serve on premises.)

[davidclt]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Not sure what this comment means  "dad, this looks like natural selection at work."   

People making choices to go out in spite of guidance of professionals to avoid crowds will possibly negatively affect them and others. I think he was just being flippant.

[QCxpat]

VATICAN CITY (REUTERS) -  March 15, 2020 

"All of Pope Francis' Easter services next month will be held without the faithful attending due to the coronavirus outbreak, The Vatican said on Sunday, in a step believed to be unprecedented in modern times.  The services, four days of major events from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, usually draw tens of thousands of people to sites in Rome and in The Vatican.  A note on the website of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household also said that until Easter Sunday on April 12, the pope's general audiences and Sunday blessings will continue to be seen over the internet and television without public participation."

FILE PHOTO:  Pope holds his first ever virtual general audience, amid Italy's coronavirus epidemic, at the Vatican, March 11, 2020.  Vatican Media/­Handout via REUTERSREUTERS

Link:  https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-03-15/papal-easter-events-to-be-held-without-faithful-attending-vatican-says

Edited March 15, 2020 by QCxpat

[CLTProductions]

It's a double edged sword, people completely get shut in, tons of local businesses are going to be impacted and many won't survive (unearned closers). On the other hand, people need to stay the f in their homes and not freaking bar crawl. I am so disappointed in half (??) of the city's population (re: yesterday).

[urbanlover568]

Some good news for the day:

 

Fauci: Worst-case coronavirus predictions 'unlikely if we do the kinds of things that we're essentially outlining right now'

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/487626-fauci-worst-case-deaths-unlikely-if-we-do-the-kinds-of-things-that

[NCMike1990]

[videtur quam contuor]

 

Over 65 in NC are mountain and coastal plus Moore (Pinehurst), Chatham, and Person

https://metricmaps.org/2020/03/14/15-percent-of-us-population-is-age-65-up/

 

[KJHburg]

for example my friend works at the Embassy Suite Uptown the 10 story 250 room hotel.  they are only using 2 of the 9 floors of room levels right now.  Basically over 75% reduction in business.  

I am trying to support the hotels at least in some drive to markets in the next few months as the rates have been lowered dramatically.

Down at my resort in Hilton Head cancellations are piling up for everyone who rents their condos.  Everyone in this country will be economically affected by this. 

you know things are getting serious when the mayor of Nashville wants to close down the bars and honky tonks on Broadway.

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2020/03/15/coronavirus-cooper-asks-to-close-bars-tighten.html

I am just reading and re-reading Ps. 91. 

[CLT2014]

The Federal Reserve has slashed rates a full percentage point to near 0% and re-launched quantitative easing. 

The Fed will keep interest rates near zero “until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement. “This action will help support economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation returning to the Committee’s symmetric 2% objective.”

Edited March 15, 2020 by CLT2014

[urbanlover568]

6 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

The Federal Reserve has slashed rates a full percentage point to near 0% and re-launched quantitative easing. 

The Fed will keep interest rates near zero “until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement. “This action will help support economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation returning to the Committee’s symmetric 2% objective.”

Wow that's scary, at least during 2008 we had a few percentage points to cut. We are at 0 already. 

[Tyrone Wiggum]

44 minutes ago, urbanlover568 said:

Wow that's scary, at least during 2008 we had a few percentage points to cut. We are at 0 already. 

We’re at the end of time with regards to monetary policy as an economic driver; Japan has been in a liquidity trap for (checks notes) thirty years; we just happen to be a generation and a half behind them.

now the question really truly is: who has the chutzpah to print money like crazy to inflate their way out of this debt bomb?  Cuz, the west is gonna begin decades-long deflation  without just making money up.
 

The everything bubble was gonna end one way or another. Destiny always arrives. Or something 

 

 

 

 

 

[KJHburg]

Speaking of toilet paper my brother ordered a huge box from Amazon.  He was notified it was like the 10th stop on the route.  He was working home that day and out in the yard. Delivery never arrived. Checked with Amazon said it was delivered  and put in a secure location (he said there was no photo as they do frequently)  Called Amazon again and basically it was stoled by his Amazon delivery driver.  Order cancelled and money returned.   (this is no joke)

THERE IS NO TOILET PAPER SHORTAGE people!  But when demand increased 100 fold in less than a week some stores are running out.  Did a little test out of town Pooler Georgia Home Depot had plenty,  Walmart next door not a single roll, another Walmart supercenter in Bluffton SC all out and even the Dollar Tree could not spare a square of the toilet paper. 

With rising tensions at retail outlets and general fear maybe a levity will help.  I refer to Seinfeld.

 

 

 

[videtur quam contuor]

A woman I know who grew up in the family funeral home business learned that it was appalling what people would steal from the home. Unobserved, they would take hand soap, and toilet paper from bathrooms, even in normal times. Plus light bulbs and almost anything. So I expect to see reports of missing tp from businesses any time now.

[DMann]

Well if someone is looking for good news, at least Trumps border wall is keeping Mexico from getting the virus.

[kermit]

IMO Gov Cooper has, so far, been both reassuring and thoughtful in preventative actions. I have been impressed.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2020/03/16/gov-cooper-requests-disaster-relief-for-small.html

Seems like lots of silence at the local level, other than Jeff Jackson's emails (which have been incredibly helpful).

Now if only there were enough tests out there to actually understand how many cases really are out there... {why didn't the federal government say yes to the WHO tests that worked everywhere else in the world??? Many heads better roll when this is over! ]

Edited March 16, 2020 by kermit

[nakers2]

6 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

A woman I know who grew up in the family funeral home business learned that it was appalling what people would steal from the home. Unobserved, they would take hand soap, and toilet paper from bathrooms, even in normal times. Plus light bulbs and almost anything. So I expect to see reports of missing tp from businesses any time now.

I was half tempted to nab the unattended bottle of hand sanitizer from the photo desk at Walmart (I didn't). What's scary is not necessarily the virus, though as a diabetic I am in the higher risk category, it's the irrational panic. Don't get me wrong, my faith in the federal government is tepid, however, if things get to a point where there's massive store closures, a large pack of toilet paper will last you months, if not a whole year, not to mention a good old fashioned bidet never killed anyone. People are hoarding so much that it's making "normal" people rush to the store even to just buy a small pack which is in turn depleting the supply even more. What baffles me is some of the select stuff that is being sold out, great example was a display that was half vitamins for "recovery" and half for "prevention" and the prevention half was all gone, recovery was untouched. Also notable is the medications being sold out, even allergy and pain meds, as if that will do anything.  

[JRNYP2C]

Somewhat good thought here (courtesy of my eye doctor this morning).  If you are compelled to go out to eat to somewhere that is open, you may think about tipping more than you normally would.  Those that rely on tips are in a real struggle here.  I will admit, I was out and about in Gastonia and Charlotte Thursday through yesterday, and I saw a marked decrease in the public places we were patronizing.

In light of today's news, and continued cancellations/closings, I may rein that in sooner than later.

Hope everyone stays safe!!

[CLT2014]

So with Trump announcing to plan for this to last through August.... should we assume we are gonna lose our moment to host the Convention (which is good or bad depending on perspective) or will we likely be over the hill by then?

[elrodvt]

Please forgive a bit of a tiraid and don't let your BP rise. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/airline-industry-seeking-more-than-50-billion-in-government-aid-amid-coronavirus-crisis/2020/03/16/62f21e06-67ab-11ea-9923-57073adce27c_story.html

Nothing about $ for layoff victim?

I suspect that the House will force a compromise though.

Think about those tax cuts the companies already won from Congress. "Voodoo economics redux" for those alive back in Reagan / Bush 1. 

Then 45 wants the fed to be more aggressive in rate cuts. 'Cause after all, who needs something to fall back on in hard times? Oh whoops, We have to watch the debt now right? We can't possibly help employees and employers.

Ok, out of my system...

 

Back to the now and airports:   I don't have time to find the story but I believe it was NYT or Wash Post who reported that Sunday,  March 14  screening at Dulles was an example of how TO spread a pandemic? It seemed more like a first hand encounter than a report though so not sure it was well vetted. 

Finally, the White House tells governor's to find their own ventilators.

From an apolitical perspective, I can't remember such an incompetent response to an emergency. This is bound to make cv19 last longer than it could've and take more lives.

[davidclt]

4 hours ago, nakers2 said:

Also notable is the medications being sold out, even allergy and pain meds, as if that will do anything.  

Actually, for some of us, 'tis the season to be sneezing. I keep meaning to go buy some allergy relieving eye drops because I'm about to get so puffy I'll barely be able to open my eyes.