Kansas and Missouri are at 4% while Texas is at 3% mortality.
Tennessee (2%), Missouri (4%) and Montana (3%) are relaxing the house arrest restrictions to unburden their economy.(1)
These numbers haven’t changed much in the last 4 months.
Cancer screenings plummet in US amid coronavirus pandemic: report…(2) It’s not just cancer screening, but all primary care. Doctor’s offices and clinics have stopped seeing patients, except on Zoom or Skype. Hospitalists aren’t even going into patient’s rooms, but interviewing them from the doorway. Seriously, what would a hands-on physical exam contribute to the care of their patient?
Komodo Health Chief Executive Dr. Arif Nathoo, is reported to have said, “It speaks volumes to just how much COVID is impacting everyone’s health and wellness.”
No twinky, it says volumes to how much our governments have stripped us of civil liberties and how far we, as citizens, have let them rob us of the same. And, for what? Look at the numbers I’ve opened with. [William] Barr tells federal prosecutors to ‘be on the lookout’ for overly restrictive coronavirus shutdown orders. No young Billy, we’re already there.(3)
First known US coronavirus fatality did not show signs of virus, father claims.(4) How do we know? COVID-19 is called a novel coronavirus. In other words a new strain, not seen before. Not previously known. Therefore, not tested for. There were no tests known to be used. For several years the influenza season would usher in with many new, presumed cases. Usually starting in about November (in the Midwest USA). But many of these cases would test negative for influenza, a test that has been readily available and used. The classic symptoms of headache, fever, body aches, cough and congestion. But, that tested negative for the flu. Nobody tested for COVID-19, because it wasn’t known to exist and there were no tests for it.
So I ask, has this novel coronavirus been here longer than we suspect?
From your grumpy Uncle Dave. Still under house arrest.
I can only call these reported mortality rates. We have no clue as to the prevalence of this novel coronavirus because of the restriction on testing in the early stages of the “epidemic”. The newer antibody testing may shed some light on the true prevalence. Then some degree of accurate case fatality rate may be discerned. I predict that the mortality rate for this COVID-19 “epidemic” will be much lower than presumed.
Now we are starting to see some truth come to light.
“Experts” are saying that the infection rate (prevalence) of the virus in the population is much higher than thought.(1,2,3) My reports of mortality are case mortality rates, deaths reported based on infections reported. But, that ignores the fact that the CDC has restricted the testing criteria to include only those that could be easily diagnosed based on symptoms. Headache, fever, cough, congestion, myalgias and arthralgias must be present to qualify for testing. Cool, but totally ignores the asymptomatic, the less than full symptomatic and those who have recovered without seeking healthcare.
Now it seems, that up to 30% of the population has antibodies to coronavirus. Way, way, way more than predicted by “experts”. Granted,these screening studies were done in high density populations (California and Massachusetts), but sobering no less.
Just for the fun of it, lets look at this new data.
The population of the US is about 300 million. If 30% were infected (90 million) and 37,079 deaths have occurred, that would leave a mortality rate of 0.04%. Four out of 10,000 cases results in a death. Our government and the “experts” have decimated the US economy and trashed the constitution over something that is about as deadly, population wise, as paper cuts.
From your stay-at-home, grumpy Uncle Dave.
Top coronavirus model significantly lowers total estimates of US deaths in new projection, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/coronavirus-model-estimates-us-deaths-down, Adam Shaw, April, 18, 2020.
New data suggest the coronavirus isn’t as deadly as we thought, https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/andrew-bogan-new-data-suggest-the-coronavirus-isnt-as-deadly-as-we-thought, Andrew Bogan, April, 18, 2020.
One third of participants in Massachusetts study tested positive for coronavirus, https://www.foxnews.com/science/third-blood-samples-massachusetts-study-coronavirus, Peter Aitken, April, 18, 2020.
Meet the former New York Times reporter who is challenging the coronavirus narrative.(1) Alex Berenson seems to be a skeptic, not of coronavirus, but of the news media and government response to and public discourse of it. He has some good points, and he pretty much agrees with me. Or, I with him. “The response we have taken has caused enormous societal devastation…”, he said in this interview.
As of 2 days ago, world wide, there have been 1,622,167/97,200 with a mortality rate of about 6%. In the US, there have been 466,396/16,703 with a mortality of about 4%. In New York City, there have been 159,937/7,67 with a mortality of about 4.4%. So, all of the US except NYC makes up enough cases to push the mortality rate from 4% to 4.4%. Texas, Missouri and Kansas have mortality rates 2% or less.
Berensen agrees, more or less and for different reasons, that NYC is the epidemic, not the entire nation.
Berenson points out the impotency of these lock downs that have been implemented, whether before or after the arrival of the virus, or not at all.
Let’s take a novel approach. Let’s say that an automobile accident is a virus and death results from some of them, just like coronavirus. In 2010, an estimated 5,419,000 accidents occurred resulting in 32,999 deaths and 2.239,000 injuries. That is a mortality rate of about 1% and a morbidity of 41%. (2) Anybody notice talk of quarantine/house arrest/stay-at-home orders over this?
And consider the leading causes of death in the US in 2017 with the number of deaths attributed to each.(3)
Heart disease: 647,457
Cancer: 599,108
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383
Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404
Diabetes: 83,564
Influenza and Pneumonia: 55,672
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis: 50,633
Intentional self-harm (suicide): 47,173
And, we are being stripped of our civil rights over 16,700 deaths, for our own good and the good of the whole.
This past week in California, about 400 people ignored a stay-at-home order to attend a party. Gunfire broke out and 6 were injured. No deaths (at the time of the post). California had, at that time, 22,416/634 coronavirus cases/deaths for an overall mortality of 2.8%. The California party had 400/6 attendees/injured for a morbidity rate of 2%. Elsewhere in the news, there are numerous reports that crime is down significantly because of the coronavirus epidemic/pandemic. I have a couple of questions. Were the party attendees safer attending the party than staying at home waiting for their government to do something, else, about the epidemic? Has coronavirus achieved something in a few weeks that all of government has failed to do for many, many years? Which is safer, random gun violence or government oversight?
The state of Kansas’ Governor won the right to overturn the US constitution of the United States in State Supreme Court last Saturday. She made an executive order limiting religious gatherings to 10 or fewer people.(4) Gov. Laura Kelly won this one because even if it is overturned in the US Supreme Court, there will be years of enforcement until it can be heard. This in a state with 1376 cases and 62 deaths where the majority of religious services have self-quarantined.
A chilling video reveals how a virus spreads from a single cough in a supermarket-like environment.(5) Social distancing is inadequate. Six feet in some (most?) situations is inadequate distance to prevent the transmission and the aerosollized droplets remain viable longer than thought, according to this demonstration. If anyone has been to a big-box store or a supermarket, you may have noticed the plexiglass barriers put up to protect the staff from us vermin. Impotent attempts to fool the masses that something is being done to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. My local US post office has a 2×2 foot square plexiglass barrier with a surrounding 100 square foot open area.
The powers that require these measures are of the same ilk that told us in February, that we didn’t need to wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus. Now proved wrong. The same powers are now telling (some of) us that we have to wear these masks to gain entry to grocery stores to purchase life sustaining supplies.
What about gloves? Do they help? No. Viable aerosol droplets containing coronavirus on fomites (non-living surfaces) can as easily be transmitted to ourselves with naked hands as with gloved hands. Hand washing is the key here. This was told to us in February, so they got it half right. Of course, one could wash gloved hands as well as naked hands and achieve the same results. Wearing gloves is cool, after all.
I am not a conspiracy theorist but I point out that a great philosopher, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Castro and others attained the power to commit the greatest atrocities known to man by nipping at the heels of civil liberties until they were gone.
From your grumpy Uncle Dave, under marshal law/house arrest/stay-at-home orders.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-nyt-reporter-challenging-the-coronavirus-narrative, Adam Shaw, Thursday April 9, 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year, Wikipedia, April 8, 2020.
I have collected a few more oxymoron-ish fables and allegories.
Driving through College Station, TX, I passed a Meineke muffler shop with a big marquee out front.
“Brakes not working? Stop here.”
Uh? Ok, but how?
And, right in front of most convenience stores are fairly large metal cabinets for storing propane that customers can buy. Look closely and you will see an emergency telephone number that can be called. I don’t know about you, but the only emergencies related to propane, that I can think of, are fire and explosion. I’m not getting anywhere near close enough to read a phone number if that’s the case. And, what is the person on the other end of the line going to do about either emergency except take a body count?
I was picking up some medicine at a CVS pharmacy yesterday and noticed that they have a program that really benefits their customers. For a certain price per month, one gets special deals on CVS brand products, coupons and immortality. At least I assume that is what non-stop life means.
I’ve written about texting and driving before (here). Now, the car manufactures are getting on board with the new fad. The new automobiles are absolutely baffling. For instance, when I start my new-ish truck, I see this.
Or sometimes, this.
but every now and then I see this.
So why put a monitor in the vehicle if you’re going to tell everyone to not use it and that it is dangerous?
Stay at home order. This is apparently a new post to Wikipedia, the sources for the post reference the 2019-2020 corona virus epi/pandemic/hysteria.(1)
Quarantine. This is the restriction of movement of people or goods to prevent the possible transmission of pests or disease, but of those for whom there is no confirmed diagnosis. Medical isolation is the restriction when there is a confirmed diagnosis (rarely, if ever in modern times, used outside a hospital). (2)
House arrest. This is a legal term, implying from a judicial or other governmental authority, restricting an individual to limited/no travel outside their house.(3)
Marshal law. This s the implementation of military control of a civilian population in situations of temporary emergency, major disaster or invasion of another territory by a federal authority.(4)
So we find ourselves in one of these situations, above. Which one? Well, that depends on where you live, how you observe the order, how the local Power-Mongers (law enforcement, military, government) decide to enforce the order. IMHO, I choose to consider it marshal law by proxy, because even a few of my fellow Americans are unjustly being charged and fined, even killed, because of this unfounded hysteria and yet President Trump has not yet anounced marshal law.
Students returning from Europe this year, Spring Breakers, are being ordered to house arrest in fear of their being carriers of coronavirus. They are not allowed to leave their house for any reason. This meets the definition of quarantine because they have not necessarily tested positive for the virus, just possibly been exposed to it.
In almost every state, stay at home orders have been implemented. In many of those states, there have been fines implemented and served for supposed infractions. Qualification to disobey (exclusion criteria for) the orders include, shopping for food or medicines, applicable critical job requirements, doctor and hospital visits. But, many states have implemented border control, turning back travelers that don’t meet their individual guideline exclusions. If I live in a rural state, where there are few to no facilities for food, medicine or healthcare, and my sources are in the neighboring state, am I to be turned away from my medical home in the neighboring state because of some hysteria on the part of that neighboring state. Reminds me of the smallpox hysteria of the late 1800s. Definitely qualifies for the definition of marshal law.
An 86 y/o woman was pushed and fell down while seeking medical help in a Brooklyn Hospital. The assailant, another patient, did this because the woman was not observing social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus outbreak. This doesn’t meet any of the above restraining criteria but supports my calling this a hysteria as opposed to an epi/pandemic.(5)
Online credit card theft is at an all time high. Because of coronavirus. But what about the disobedience of the stay at home laws. Sure, the person at home is at home, ordering that 1000-count-linen-covered-goose-down duvet that they have been wanting since their stay at the Hollidy Inn Express, but some poor schmuck that is trying to make ends meet during the unlawful stay at home orders by working for some delivery service has to be out and about to deliver all these online purchased goods. Definitely qualifies as stay at home order.
Hypothetically, I might have broken a stay at home order. I might have gone on a road trip and in the process stopped at my local convenience store for my daily diet Coke. Unfortunately, the (national chain) company that runs this particular brand of store has implemented some really stupid rules. They have shut down their offering of fountain drinks, coffee and tea. You can purchase bottled drinks in a buy 2 get one free offer. But, the price of a 16 oz bottle has gone from $1.49 to $2.49. The company has also implemented social distancing by ordering that a yellow strip of tape be applied 3 feet from the cashiers counter, on both sides of the counter, effectively putting 6 feet between the tape strips. The cashier stands behind the tape , the customer puts the items to be purchased on the counter and steps back behind the tape on the customer side. The cashier then steps to the counter and rings up the customer’s intended purchase and steps back to the tape on the cashier’s side and tells the customer what the purchase total. The customer then steps to the counter and offers whatever form of payment and returns to the customer’s tape. The cashier returns to the counter, completes the transaction, lays on the counter the change and receipt and returns to the cashier tape. The customer comes to the counter, collects the change and receipt and leaves. The whole process takes about 10 times as long to occur as it took you to read this and few have figured out that 5 times during that transaction there was only 4 feet between the cashier and the customer blatantly violating social distancing because of stupid company hysteria rules.
As I, hypothetically, might have driven through a hypothetical local town, very lawfully observing the rules of the road, I might have had to slow my driving speed from the usual 35 mph to 20 mph because of a flashing of twin yellow lights on a School Zone sign. It was 4:00 pm when school usually lets out and there are numerous little Kansas kids running around happy to be free of the tyranny of organized learning. But with the current coronavirus hysteria, there is no school in session.
Like I’ve said, there is no shortage of posts to come. Your grumpy Uncle Dave.
