"WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction".

Haven't heard it yet, but here in Milan we are already very self-contained. Maybe they are focusing on other areas of the country. I can't determine the place, from the video.

By the way: thanks for your work, dear steele. I've been hanging out around SE for twenty years; lately I've been less assiduous, but the emergency made me run back home (the way you go back to a fat internet mamma).

Welcome. Good luck over there. My dystopian movie vibes have been increasing as there's now a question as to whether the personnel from my hospice support will be able to visit my grandfather and me. And I can't really blame them, but it makes me feel very alone despite the other old folks here.

Do they assist you with stuff like lifting and washing or is he dependent on medical stuff as well? And I second complimenting your 2 community supports over the last years.

So basically, I have an aide that comes to wash him 3 times a week, a nurse that comes once a week to advise me and refill his RXs, a social worker I see once a month, and then a volunteer that watches him for an hour or two so I can go grocery shopping. Up until late january he was at least mobile, now he's completely bedridden and the dementia has pretty much taken over for quite a bit of the time. Unfortunately, that means the past couple of months has required a lot more lifting on my part, and much less sleep as I have to get up throughout the night to do various things like empty his urinals or make sure he hasn't pulled out his oxygen tube. The hospice group also provides me with equipment like bedside commodes, a hospital bed, oxygen concentrator, bed pads, urinals, etc. The group is covered as a medicare service provider.

The circle of life might not be how Elton John envisioned it. Wait. Tim Rice.

I actually knew who Tim Rice was because a girl I knew in middle school claimed to be related to him. #TheMoreYouKnow

Strikes in northern Italy industries: the workers refuse to carry on the production without proper safety conditions, since the anti-COVID-19 protocols are poorly adopted.

...About this and other comments of mine: I know they are redundantly centered on Italy.
The reason is my country is some weeks in advance on the western COVID-19 timeline. Since the general pattern shows many similarities in every country, I consider them to be someway useful, in order to get a general sense of the situation, and try to think in advance.

how's –your– fever coming along, by the way?

Not serious. Come and go. But my doctor confined me, strictly. She asked me to keep her updated twice a day.
Two weeks more before I can see my kid. Not pleasant. I have to postpone continuously with him, ad it makes me very uncomfortable; he's quite smart.

I feel you. Wait, that's not the point of painkillers: I numb you.

...And, yes: I'm actually assuming paracetamol when necessary, dear Paracetamol.

Oof.

Fermin (Fur-mean)🌹☭ on Twitter: "Cuba has discovered an antiviral against the #Covid_19 and have collaborated with China. The treatment has shown to be successful. According to a different article, they’re also collaborating with Italy and Venezuela. https://t.co/PxauUyo5jr" / Twitter

Interesting. Early, but encouraging. Let's see.

Since all the old people are likely to die, it's possible that the coronavirus outbreak may swing the 2020 US election.

Die or at least incapacitate.

That in itself would give you president Pence.

More like, may suspend the 2020 US election. 💁‍♂️😓

This is not going to end well, we're very much not prepared for it.

Not joking: it's highly possible. The growth curve of this thing is crazy fast: the first uncontrolled patient was spotted here in Lombardy exactly 20 days ago. Look at us today: from this evening here in Milan you need a self-certification, explaining your compelling reasons, just in order to go out home.


Last minute update:
starting from now every commercial activity in Italy is closed, with the only exception of supermarkets and pharmacies.

Absolutely. Watching what it took China to get this under control, and seeing how our for-profit joke of a "healthcare" system kneecaps us from doing serious prevention has me worried sick about all this. Tomorrow will probably be my last escape from the old folks home for quite a while to try and help them keep this place covid free... But I'm not expecting them to be able to avoid it for long. They've got too many workers going in and out.

China saying it's under control has to be taken with a cart load of sand.

So does most western reporting of foreign countries.

It's prompted another push for nationwide vote-by-mail, but Oregon senators have been beating that drum ever since we first made it work here so I doubt anything's going to happen.

We just had a town hall at the old folks home I'm imprisoned at with my grandfather. They packed 60 senior citizens in the room to tell them about the highly contagious virus that could kill them. 😅😅

I should note it has been spotted in the county next door. Oh boy.

Robert Redfield, CDC Director, said there are no plans to set up drive through COVID-19 test centers because "We're trying to maintain the relationship between individuals and their healthcare providers."
US coronavirus death toll rises to 31 as official warns 'things will get worse' | Coronavirus outbreak | The Guardian

E3 2020 has been cancelled adding to a bunch of other vr, game, mobile conferences.

Gatherings of 250 people or more is now prohibited in Washington State through March 31. That date may get pushed out.

...make that 50 people or more. Also: restaurants, bars, and recreation are now closed in King County (Seattle, Western Washington area).

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tests positive for coronavirus as NBA suspends season

Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson Test Positive For Coronavirus – Deadline

Tom Hanks NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

He's got money, he'll be fine.

The World Health Organization has announced that dogs cannot contract Covid-19. Dogs previously held in quarantine can now be released. To be clear, WHO let the dogs out.

— Liam Hackett (@DiageoLiam) March 12, 2020

Uuuuuuuuuhg. That one hurt.

Here in Milan (first big western conurbation interested by COVID-19) starting from today, march 13, the streets will be sanitized.

Fucking about time. I suppose I'll have to curb my spectacular expectations, though; in China they contracted the Scout Troopers:

You holding up alright?

Okie dokie.

I'm happy I'm not a UK citizen. Boris Johnson is 'a schifezza e' ll' uommene, as my relatives from Naples would say.