“”We alerted the world on January the 5th,” Ryan said. “Systems around the world, including the U.S., began to activate their incident management systems on January the 6th. And through the next number of weeks, we’ve produced multiple updates to countries, including briefing multiple governments, multiple scientists around the world, on the developing situation — and that is what it was, a developing situation.””
Medicynical note: What went wrong? In previous new infectious disease outbreaks such as Lassa, Marburg, Ebola, HIV and SARS the US had a strong, if not leadership presence, in finding the outbreak and figuring the appropriate response. What was different this time?
Trump.
He singlehandedly crippled the previously set up teams, in the NSC and the CDC , tasked with identifying and responding to potential epidemic situations. He also, as recently as June of 2019, removed an embedded CDC staff person from the Chinese CDC whose purpose was to observe and report on outbreaks like covid-19.
Trump blinded us to the risk and now blames everyone…….but you know who.
“Florida residents who successfully file for unemployment are eligible for a maximum $275 weekly benefit to compensate for the loss in pay. Congress, in its recent stimulus package, also guaranteed an additional $600 a week starting whenever a person filed their claim.”
“But a person cannot get either payout unless they have been processed and approved by the state’s system. Unable to file an application, many are left without compensation and fear they will miss out on weeks of essential paychecks. People have been lining up for miles to receive food from food banks.”
Medicynical Note: Full bore Conservative/Libertarian belief dismantles Federal government services except for possibly defense. This is disastrous when done without careful consideration of the consequences of the cuts in other services–some of which we are now experiencing in the Trump era.
Blindly following the radical conservative/libertarian playbook Trump cut taxes for the wealthiest in the country and in this case created record debt in the “best of times.” At the same time along with many other bizarre roll backs of policy, Trump and his cronies destroyed the ability of the government to anticipate and respond to the predicted inevitable epidemic/pandemic. As happened time after time in my medical career if we didn’t think something was possible sooner or later it happened.
Not only did the conservative/libertarian brain-trust undermine our medical capabilities in the NIH, CDC and the NSC, but they also cut to shreds the safety net for citizens. In Florida their staff cuts and inadequate support systems make accessing benefits for the newly out-of-work at least inconvenient and at worst impossible.
In the future if these folks get their way you can bet there will be major cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaids as well as a dissolution of the Affordable Care Act and undermining of the pre-existing illness protections. Trump has already indicated these are his intentions by his budget requests and legal actions.
Full implementation of any -ism whether libertarianism, liberalism, or communism without balancing the needs of the citizenry, will lead to consequences, some unintended and often disastrous. Instead we need a balanced approach with an understanding by government and citizenry of the scope of necessary services and the needs of the great majority of citizens. The current group’s main concern seems to be the welfare of corporate entities and the 1% highest income groups (i.e. big campaign contributors) in the country. Not good.
Trump’s schtick claims that because of the early stoppage of some flights from China (40,000 people entered the US from China after the ban) thousands of lives were saved. This dubious claim obviously did not affect the spread of the virus from other locations.
The NY Times published an article that traced the source of the epidemic in New York to travelers from Europe. And of course the epidemic in Europe first started from travelers from China. Trump in his uninformed comment on the article revealed that he either didn’t read the article or simple didn’t understand what the article was documenting.
This article points out Trump’s misinterpretation of facts: “Contrary to Trump’s assertions, the Times’ story never said that the coronavirus originated in Europe. Instead, the article details research findings that suggest a majority of the first cases of the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, in New York City resulted from travelers from Europe. “New research indicates that the coronavirus began to circulate in the New York area by mid-February, weeks before the first confirmed case,” the story begins, “and that travelers brought in the virus mainly from Europe, not Asia.”
And by inference:
“The findings indicate that the virus, which goes by the name SARS-CoV-2, was being passed around for weeks prior to the first confirmed case in the city, which was announced on March 1. That suggests that the president’s travel restrictions, which applied to China on Feb. 2, Iran on March 2 and the bulk of Europe on March 13, had little effect on the outbreak in New York City, which has been the largest in the country.”
Medicynical note: Trump doesn’t get it. What doesn’t he get? EVERYTHING.
He’s intellectually limited and unfit. He would have been gently retired from any executive position in any organization months ago for such obvious gaffs.
Medicynical note: There doesn’t appear to be a large number of asymptomatic people testing positive. That means, if true, that we’ll need a vaccine to safely reach the point where herd immunity offers protection. Not good news as a safe effective vaccine may be very difficult to develop. The covid-19 infection is unlikely to go away like “magic”—we tried that strategy already.
“Health authorities in China confirm that dozens of people in Wuhan, China, are being treated for pneumonia from an unknown source. Many of those sickened had visited a live animal market in Wuhan, but authorities say there is no evidence of the virus spreading from person to person.”
“Jan. 1: The CDC begins developing reports for the Department of Health and Human Services about the situation.”
“Jan. 3: A Chinese official officially informs CDC Director Robert Redfield of the outbreak of a respiratory illness in the city of Wuhan. Redfield later relays the information to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, and Azar informs the White House National Security Council.”
“Early January: Intelligence officials begin offering ominous, classified warnings about the virus to Trump in the President’s Daily Brief. The warnings will persist into February.”
“Jan. 8: The CDC issues its first public warning about the outbreak in China, saying that it is monitoring the situation and that people should take precautions when traveling to Wuhan.”
“Mid-January: Assistant HHS Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec instructs subordinates to make contingency plans for using the Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to compel the production of certain materials in a crisis.”
“Jan. 17: The CDC begins monitoring major airports for passengers arriving from China.”
“Jan. 18: Azar, who had been trying to speak to Trump about the virus, is finally able to meet with him. Before Azar can begin talking about the virus, though, Trump interjects to ask him about a federal crackdown on vaping.”
“Jan. 21: The first confirmed coronavirus case arrives in the United States, in Seattle.”
“Jan. 22: Trump makes his first comments about the coronavirus, saying he is not concerned about a pandemic. “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. … It’s going to be just fine.””
Medicynical note: Trump’s denial of the seriousness of covid-19 infections continued until March. Yes the WHO could have done better, but Trump carelessly disregarded his own intelligence briefings in January and February, as well as warnings from the CDC and NIH.
It should be noted that several congresspeople sold millions in stocks after being briefed on the seriousness of the problem…while Trump slept at the wheel.
“GIVEN THE gravity of the global pandemic, President Trump and Republicans have picked an inopportune momentto hector the World Health Organization, a United Nations agency, by threatening a loss of funding from the United States. The WHO has made mistakes in this outbreak and others, but it has also provided valuable guidance, resources and action. Mr. Trump and his GOP pals are looking for scapegoats to distract attention from the administration’s bungling.”
“At a White House briefing, Mr. Trump declared, “We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it.” Then he said, “We’re going to look at it.” He said on Twitter, “The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James E. Risch (R-Idaho) declared the WHO “has become a political puppet of the Chinese government” and called for an investigation.”
Medicynical Note: Having gutted the U.S. Government’s pandemic early recognition capabilities in the NSC and CDC and it’s embedded staff with the Chinese CDC, Mr. Trump is blaming the WHO for slow recognition of the epidemic in China. He spins it as WHO is somehow favoring China. It’s no great surprise that it was the Taiwanese who decided that this was the way to spin this issue.
In fact the WHO was on the epidemic and calling attention to it while Trump was calling it a media hoax; saying it would go away like a miracle; and that it would disappear in April. Never in history has a President been so wrong about something as obvious as a spreading epidemic. He ignored his own health experts as well.
And yes, his response to the epidemic has been slow rolling disaster. Who is responsible? Not Trump. He has famously declared he was not responsible at all for the testing failure. He designated Pence to, ostensibly, be in charge of the government’s response and then within two weeks allowed the creation of two or three (no one really knows) other task forces, none of which has ultimate authority. That seemingly rests on the whim of you know who. It’s apparent that Trump is torn, he doesn’t think it’s the Federal Government’s job to protect it’s citizens from a pandemic saying at times it the state’s problem but at other times is driven to inappropriately intervene.
So we have 50 states scurrying helter skelter trying to figure out how best to get supplies and shelter their citizens. They find themselves in a competition with the several U.S. task forces for equipment and receive almost daily conflicting advice on how to respond. It would be humorous if not so tragic that this man, who bankrupted 5 businesses and has been found more or less guilty of fraud in regard to his personal charity and the so-called Trump University, is in charge of the response to the largest systemic health threat in 100 years.
“The coronavirus presented DuPont, the chemical giant based here, with a golden business opportunity.In January, the company convened a crisis team to figure out how to ramp up global production of personal protective equipment, including suits made out of its patented Tyvek material, which normally sell for about $5 apiece to hospitals. By early March, as the disease began to spread in the United States, DuPont’s factory in Richmond, Virginia, was cranking out Tyvek.”
And
Then DuPont sold 60 percent of the protective gear to Uncle Sam while keeping 40 percent for its other customers. The company refused to say how much the Department of Health and Human Services paid for 450,000 suits, but a spokesperson noted that they sell for up to $15 each, three times the amount they fetched before the virus pandemic.
And
“The two priorities that officials say have not been sacrificed by Trump or his supply chain task force, dubbed “the children” inside FEMA’s headquarters, are private profit and the ability of the White House to choose where supplies go.”
Medicynical note: There were people aware of the risk of the covid-19 epidemic during the period when Trump, Hanrity and a sad sack Medal of Freedom recipient were engaging in magical thinking.
Congressmen (Senators and Representatives) briefed on the epidemic in December and January used their insider information to make strategic lucrative stock sales and purchases.
Some in industry took steps to take advantage of the predicted need for medical equipment and protective gear. They raised prices and worked the government to control the market and limit competition.
And Trump and Jared? Not surprisingly they’re facilitating.
But hey, that’s capitalism. The idea is to MAKE MONEY. Capitalize on insider info? Of course if you can get away with it!
Find a market weakness and take advantage for the benefit of stockholders? Sure! Always work toward a monopoly.
Fair competition? Really? The core idea of capitalism is to work to control……everything.
Sick people? Protecting health care providers? Concern about other producers? Not really an issue……at all.
“”We are living in hell.”— Blanca Moncada, journalist for El Diario Expresso in Guayquil”
“As the death toll has overwhelmed hospitals and morgues, bodies have been abandoned in the streets or left to decay in houses, cargo trailers, and parking lots. The smell of the exposed corpses sticks like bile in the throat, and flocks of vultures wheel above the city waiting their chance to feed on human carrion.”
Medicynical Note: Terrible things happening in Ecuador and other countries with limited health care facilities. Not that we’re doing so well here.
The point is however, that Guayaquil is located near the equator with daily temperatures in the 90’s. Those who engaged in Trumpian magical thinking and assumed that covid-19 would go away in warm weather may be terribly wrong.
“Everyone says you are supposed to be on your own,” Camacho said, noting Trump’s repeated admonition that states and local health systems cannot rely on Washington for supplies. “Then to have this happen, you just sit there wondering what else you can do. You can’t fight the federal government.”
Medicynical note: Organization? There is none. No one is responsible. VOTE
The worst labor secretary ever. No concern about corporations benefitting unduly but workers, cut them where it hurts. Where did they dig up this loser?? Oh, oh, it’s a genetic defect.
“In recent days, Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, who has expressed concerns about unemployment insurance being too generous, has used his department’s authority over new laws enacted by Congress to limit who qualifies for joblessness assistance and to make it easier for small businesses not to pay family leave benefits. The new rules make it more difficult for gig workers such as Uber and Lyft drivers to get benefits, while making it easier for some companies to avoid paying their workers coronavirus-related sick and family leave.”
Medicynical note: A proud Trump appointee works hard to screw unemployed workers during the covid-19 epidemic. Such actions are immoral but consistent with conservative ideology. Hard to believe but true. VOTE
Medicynic 