UNDlaw80

Huh? The extent of the outbreak is directly proportionate to the preventative measures taken to control it. Ironically, Trump's inaction is the reason we need to shut everything down. If this administration had mass testing available early on, we'd have the ability to contain and track COVID's movement from the very earliest stages to present time. Because he completely botched this, we don't know where the virus is concentrated, where it isn't, or have any clue about its movement patterns. As such we're forced to flatten the curve everywhere....which is directly screwing up the economy and everyone's financial life. Again, accountability, not politics. Anyways, like I said, it's overkill. I'm done.

It's only a preliminary report. If verified, this isn't good. Japanese man tests positive for coronavirus again https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200315_13/

You’re the one being political now. That the democrats certainly would've screwed this up doesn't let Trump off the hook. This is not an either/or scenario. It’s about accountability. The buck stops at the top no matter who is in office. Like I said, Trump did a fantastic job shutting down travel to China, but he screwed up royally in other areas that has left us woefully unprepared. But whatever, I don’t expect the Trump cult followers to be able to admit this. Same way left wing radicals wouldn't either in the same situation. I think it's time to move on from this topic though. It's overkill. Everybody has basically had their say.

That's the sad thing. Everything's been politicized. In times like these public officials should be held to the utmost standards by everyone because (potentially) many lives are on the line, nor does the virus care about politics. I guess, at least for the time being, all we can do is make the best of it, be safe and help others!

Yea, it's probably understated. But not overly so. Here's a good article regarding the numbers: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51875871 What's more infuriating is that this country doesn't even have a centralized data registry tracking system in place. Some of this incompetency is astounding.

I'm not sure what your point is here. Trump did a very good job on the travel ban to China. Very commendable on his part, especially in light of what Biden was saying. But that doesn't diminish, nor rectify his ridiculous incompetency in other areas. The two aren't mutually exclusive. If your kid comes home with a 50% on a test, do you throw a party for him because he got half the answers right?

What's being implemented now should've been done much earlier. Times of war, disease, etc. is when the federal government is needed. Trump's initial response was slow, muddled, lacked communication and chain of command; mainly due to 1. Trump not taking it seriously, 2. His dismantling of the Office of Pandemic Response. Health security officials were screaming about the risks of cutting that program 2 years ago. It wasn't until the stock market tanked did Trump start taking this situation seriously. That failure is most abundantly clear the lack of testing. We've tested a fraction of our people compared to other countries. Take note, testing is the basic cornerstone of fighting any new disease. We're navigating blind without it. Holding our public officials accountable shouldn't be an issue of politics in times like these. But, as Trump stated himself, he could shoot somebody on 5th Ave and not lose any votes. Unfortunately, these are the times we're in, on both sides of the isle.

Half the problem is that this entire situation has been politicized from the start, by both sides. Even the extent of how one prepares for the oncoming virus can have political under-linings. Yesterday I read an article about some religious nutjobs who are denying the existence of covid-19 as a means of ‘owning the liberals’. Darwin Award?

You can’t be serious. No, the CDC doesn't consider abortion a death statistic. How did we get from coronavirus to the abortion is murder debate? What’s wrong with you people. Oh wait, I forgot, it’s the internet. For the normals in the building, what IS interesting about that chart is it confirms the overwhelming level of heart disease in this country, which, next to being elderly, is the #1 risk factor for coronavirus death. This is a risk other countries haven't had to factor into their coronavirus equations; at least not en masse. God help some of those places down south. lol.

Should've made myself clearer. Despicable individuals like Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow will never stop playing politics; that’s their gig, they sow division. They and their type can go jump into a fire pit as far as I’m concerned. By ‘putting politics aside’, I meant we’re at the point where Ted Cruz is retweeting AOC. Whatever your politics, it’s a welcoming sight in a time like this. We need everybody pulling on the same rope and everybody held to the highest level of accountability. This isn't a time for amateur hour.

Not really. We’re now at the point where pundits, from both sides of the isle, are starting to put politics aside and realize we may be in for some long days ahead. Its gonna take a collective effort. Here’s Newt, of all people: NEWT GINGRICH: I AM IN ITALY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. AMERICA MUST ACT NOW—AND ACT BIG https://www.newsweek.com/newt-gingrich-i-am-italy-amid-coronavirus-crisis-america-must-act-now-act-big-opinion-1492270

Interesting take in Newsweek. Part and parcel of covid-19 being less prevalent,t but far more dangerous than the flu. We are still awaiting the peak of the epidemic in Europe: probably early April for Italy, mid-April for Germany and Switzerland, somewhere around that time for the UK. In the U.S., the infection has only just begun. But why the urgency (to self-quarantine), if most people survive? Here's why: Fatality is the wrong yardstick. Catching the virus can mess up your life in many, many more ways than just straight-up killing you. "We are all young"—okay. "Even if we get the bug, we will survive"—fantastic. How about needing four months of physical therapy before you even feel human again. Or getting scar tissue in your lungs and having your activity level restricted for the rest of your life. Not to mention having every chance of catching another bug in hospital, while you're being treated or waiting to get checked with an immune system distracted even by the false alarm of an ordinary flu. No travel for leisure or business is worth this risk. Now, odds are, you might catch coronavirus and might not even get symptoms. Great. Good for you. Very bad for everyone else, from your own grandparents to the random older person who got on the subway train a stop or two after you got off. You're fine, you're barely even sneezing or coughing, but you're walking around and you kill a couple of old ladies without even knowing it. Is that fair? You tell me. https://www.newsweek.com/young-unafraid-coronavirus-pandemic-good-you-now-stop-killing-people-opinion-1491797?fbclid=IwAR2e01AiqhwabGxvLA0vmesXurUWwH6YnseVfEgCddaOWr0Svi8pR6o3GlY

Well said. Like it or not, it's the direction we're headed in. And we're hardly unique. Most of Europe/Asia are being asked to do the same as we are and/or will be. Deal with it, do the best you can, and give a helping hand to those in need.

Spain in full lock-down now. Trump's main guy at NIAID, Dr. Fauci, was just on TV and didn't reject the notion of this country doing the same. Meanwhile, the first known occupational transmission has occurred. That sucks, doctors/nurses/medical employees are the true heroes in this situation. https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/03/er-doctor-in-new-jersey-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-officials-say.html Crazy times we're living in.

The media.

Obesity. This country is brimming with ridiculously fat unhealthy people of all ages. It's something Europe/Asia didn't necessarily need to concern themselves with in their outbreaks. We have a completely new set of potential risk factors, which is part of the problem.

Shut down airports? No. Should Trump have had the foresight and common sense to properly staff airports before implementing the travel ban? Absolutely. This is just the latest of this admin's hastily ordered and thoughtlessly organized policies as it pertains to Covid-19. Mind you, this occurred at customs, These people, returning from all over the world, were jammed together for hours with no coronavirus protocols in place - then they all entered the country. Holy crapballs. As for shutting down subways and malls? Depends on how severe cases are by region I suppose, and it should left to states/localities to decide. China for instance had hot zones, other areas were relatively covid free. That said, for several reasons, we have so little information as to the severity and spread of covid-19 in the US. Same thing happened at O'Hare

This isn't some high school cafeteria. DFW is one of the largest international airports on the planet - it is literally contamination ground zero and one of the first places the government should keep under control if the goal is to limit the spread of anything into this country. That this is allowed to occur is simply astounding.

Sweet Jesus this makes my blood boil. Covid-19 is deemed serious enough to declare a national emergency; serious enough for numerous lawmakers to self-quarantine (Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz being the latest), yet this was the scene today at DFW for the average Joe: Yes Donald, your "greatest and most prepared response to covid-19" looks like a human petri dish. How is this allowed to occur, like seriously.

I'd guess administrators or whoever are forced to decide between limiting potential infection and parents needing to make a living (they will need to take off work to watch kids if school is closed). It's sort of a lose/lose situation.

This isn't brain surgery. No one cared about covid-19 a week ago because this country wasn't experiencing the effects of it yet, nor was the government doing what it was supposed to do in such a situation. Also, by and large, we're an insular thinking country that doesn't care about the world outside our own borders. We didn't bother to see it coming. However things change fast when people start dying. AND the difference between covid-19 and the flu is that we know what to expect from the flu. The flu is predictable, we have antidotes and our bodies have built up somewhat of an immunity to it (at least for some of the strains that don't mutate). In comparison, we know virtually nothing about covid-19. Sure people are overreacting, it's ridiculous. However that doesn't mean covid-19 isn't a potentially serious problem going forward. The two aren't mutually exclusive. I swear, "it's the media" has become the reactionary response to anything that doesn't fit into some people's preconceived worldviews. It's like clockwork.

To be fair, the ability to properly administer tests is the foundation of a proper response. Everything is built upon it. So is proper communication. Without both we’re navigating blind.....which is, frankly, our biggest problem now. We've been forced to play catch-up because of this administration's incompetent initial response. So, it that sense, criticism is certainly warranted. Again, this isn't a political rant; Trump has done a very good job since the initial failure.

I moved to Madison in Feb of 1982, a lone sioux fan in a sea of red when both teams absolutely despised each-other. I actually had my car keyed, presumably because of the ND plate. A month later we defeated UW for the national title. Best hockey memory of my life. Suck it Sconnie.

This isn’t a black/white, all/nothing scenario, Nor should it be political. This should be about facts, truth and public health. Trump is doing a fine job as of late. I applaud him. However his initial actions have left us behind the curve as it pertains to preparation. He systematically dismantled the Office of Pandemic Response and never replaced them. This isn’t ‘fake news’. As such, it greatly affected management, communication and chain of command as it pertained to the ability to effectively implement a comprehensive strategy and response to the pandemic. Health security officials were screaming about this 2 years ago. So what happened? Covid spread for several weeks, without most people knowing anything, nor did the administration care to do anything about it. "We have it totally under control. It's just one person coming from China. It's going to be just fine." - Trump, Jan 22, 2020 And here we are, with a lack of diagnostic testing, delay testing labs result, etc. As I said, continued problems in communication and supply chain. Recent article from LA: Problems mount with coronavirus testing, limiting access and sowing confusion https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-11/coronavirus-testing-kits-lack-key-ingredient-causing-confusion