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corona virus pandemic update

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Corona Virus Pandemic Thoughts

Part One My thoughts on the Corona Virus Pandemic from South Korea.

Joe, Either Go Bold or Retire!

Updated:

there is too much to cover so will probably try to update this once a week every Monday. Enjoy: I have turned this into three different postings, my observations and news clippings, right wing Christian nonsense and corona poems.

updated assessment on the USG response:

I have to revise my assessment. I would give the government a B now and Trump a C. He is stepping up to the plate and a lot is going on. and the stimulus package if they can approve it and I am sure they will, will make a great difference.

but the President is still wasting everyone\'s time. His advisors need to shut him up. Have him read his prepared statements then leave answering no questions. When he asked questions he veers off script and goes on unhelpful tangents. He is still too insulting and off message. And for God\'s case he needs to stop calling it the China virus. It is just a matter of time before some nut case is going to start shooting Asians.

finally the US should start providing assistance to foreign governments rather that shutting borders. he should also ask for help from other governments and the WHO should ask for additional tests etc.

overall too little too late and he is still making it all about Trump. He needs to shut up, quit tweeting and let the VP lead the task force. He should not even be in the room but if he feels he needs to be there, he should just read his statement and leave and answer no questions and god forbid do not tweet anything.

Update on stimulus package -

if it passes with robust unemployment insurance, food security assistance, student debt relief, two thousand dollars stimulus cash payments, bailouts of the hotel and airline, and cruise ship industry and prohibitions against corporations using bail out money on stock buy backs and CEO bonuses, it will go a long way towards blunting the impact of the crisis. I fear though we are not prepared for the coming months. I hope it will calm down by June and with the help of the supercomputer resources pledged by MIT, google and others treatment and vaccines will be in place by the end of the summer and the crisis will be over early in the fall although experts believe it won\'t be over for 18 months to 2 years but the shut down of the economy will end by June and the travel bans will be lifted by July. The Olympics will be postponed until next year. whoever is elected president will have to embrace medicare for all option as well as mandatory paid sick leave for all full time employees.

worst case scenario we are entering a world wide recession and by December we will be looking at 30% unemployment. and a revival of the civilian conservation corps and perhaps a draft as well. End update

original posting follows:

During the last two months the corona pandemic has been overwhelming governments, societies and individuals and me as it rapidly spreads across the globe. Here are my thoughts on the virus from my home in Youngjongdo, Korea, near the Incheon airport. Following my thoughts I have added some key articles for you to read. Then I post my corona poems. But I am having some audacity issues so I will post my audio clips next week along with perhaps a few more articles, and poems and update to my thoughts.

What governments need to do now

First, we realize that governments and societies around the world have failed miserably at handling the crisis as it unfolds.

Second, the pandemic has revealed that that the US health care system -- and we need universal health care and we need paid sick leave now. Whoever becomes President will have to enact these two policies.

Third, governments around the world will have to spend a lot more money and policies on public health care.

Fourth, governments around the world will have to have a standing interagency public health task force that coordinates policies worldwide.

Fifth, WHO will have to have a lot more resources, governments and institutions will have share information around the world.

Sixth, the federal government must reallocate resources from the bloated military national security sector to the public health sector, including funding for medicare for all and paid family/sick leave for all.

Seventh, the federal government once this is over should hold a lesson learned exercise with all 50 states, major cities and major hospitals and universities taking part in the virtual national conference. A federal commission should conduct this. They should share the results with the public, and with foreign governments and WHO. The federal public health commission should become a standing body, with representatives from all the states, major hospitals and universities and pharmacies and labs and representatives from the military. They should hold a mini-public health conference once a year to review policies to prepare for the next pandemic which will hit us.

The USG should call upon the world community under the auspices of WHO to convene a world-wide virtual conference to prepare for the next pandemic based on lessons learned from this pandemic and WHO should hold an annual pandemic response virtual conference.

Eight, both the DNC and RNC must postpone the remaining primaries until June and turned them into mail in elections. This should also apply to the national election.

Nine, the DNC and RNC must turn the conventions into virtual conventions and that too should be the new normal.

Tenth, Universities and school districts across the country should move a significant number of classes online and that should also become the new normal.

the Democrats must ensure that the republicans don\'t dismantle the rest of the federal budget to pay for expanded public health spending. And they must insist on some modest tax increases. But the democrats should consider some targeting reductions in less essential spending.

Public health screenings before traveling on planes, trains, long-distance buses and cruise ships must become the new normal. Those denied boarding must be able to-book their travel with a minimum of expense and bureaucratic delays. The basic principle must be that if you have a fever or a severe cough, you can\'t travel. This also means that governments must grant automatic extensions of visas for those who can\'t travel because of illness.

The USG should require foreigners to purchase Traveler\'s medical insurance prior to travel to the U.S.

Drug companies, research labs and universities must share their research with the entire worldwide medical community, and WHO should set up a universal medical research data base so researchers can research the latest medical advances in real time.

The Olympics and major international sporting events should be postponed for one year.

the USG should consider the following emergency measures once the number of cases exceed 100,000 which it will with a week.

Total national shut down shelter in place for 30 days, re-newable at the end of the month and reviewed monthly

total shut down of the border, and US domestic travel except for essential travel defined as follows:

diplomatic travel

military travel

government travel related to the virus response

travel by medical worker

travel by private sector employee related to the virus response

travel by family members of military/diplomatics returning home

travel by non-essential employees and military/diplomatic family members returning home

travel by high level business delegations especially related to the virus response

travel by Americans coming returning overseas

other essential travel approved on a case by case basis

coupled with the travel ban, postponing all visa processing except as part of the exemptions listed above, and cancelling visa waiver travel except as part of the exceptions listed above, visa bans would remain in place as long as the travel ban remains in place

Before this is put into place the USG must coordinate with all of its partners so we all get on the same wave length.

Finally the US should convene a world wide high level virtual conference of world leaders followed up by actions that are agreed to by all leaders

Update: and the stimulus package must be enacted now with a supplemental package if needed this summer. Quit the politics now!

USG Response - updated from 2/10 or a Solid D to C

If I had to grade the US response, I would grade it as D so far up to now-given the President some credit for finally realizing in the last few days how it is indeed a real national emergency and taking steps that they should have taken back in January.

based on the presidents actions the last few days and the congressional finally putting politics aside I would upgrade the President\'s response from a D to a C. It will take some time for me to rate him as a B. Hope he gets there.

Finally I am looking for the government to do the actions outlined above.

If we pull together and get the virus under control, we should be able to recover from this by September, if not, or we get a second waive before we get the vaccine under control we could be looking at another great depression which may take years to recover.

if we head down that path the government must set up an updated civilian conservation corps to put people to work. And we may need to re-impose the draft but if we do that we should couple it with a massive GI bill afterwards paying for college and training in return for national service. The national service requirement would also mean that people will be drafted to work in the health care system and industry as well as in the military.

we will know if we need to do this by June and if so we must set it up so it goes into effect by September.

Quit Calling It the China Virus

the one thing I am still upset about if Trump calling this the China flu. he needs to stop that sh,,, right now before unhinged nut cases with guns start shooting Asians because somehow they thought that Trump was either calling them to do so or condoning it. he needs to address this now and say that asians are not virus carriers and he will condemn any and all racist attacks on Asian owned businesses. He should also make it clear that we will not under any circumstances repeat the internment policies of world war 11. to top it off he should start ordering Chinese food for the white house staffers and the pandemic support team.

Apologize for having gotten it wrong and responding too late use the dread words I take responsibility!!!!!

Final point I would call upon both Trump and Pence to take responsibility for their inept initial responses and promise to retire by the end of their term.

For Biden Keep your comments positive there will be time to cast blame later

For Biden I would call upon him to talk about what he would do if President but not criticize the President or his team instead he should congratulate them on their finally getting it together and offer concrete positive suggestions for moving forward. Now it not the time for political gamesmanship on either parties.

The one thing that I feared would happen has not yet happen. Gun nuts shooting up Asians. Hopefully that will not become a thing.

Update

the most important thing the president can do now is to read his prepared statement then walk away and not take questions. We don\'t need to hear his extended boasting that he is a billionaire etc etc nor do we need to hear his inept answering of questions or his overly optimistic assessments etc. Let the task force speak and please no tweets!!!!!! I am going to send a link to my blog to Trump and to Biden and will let you know if anyone responses or if I am sued or arrested because I pissed off the President. I truly want the President to rise to the occasion and be the leader we need in these dark times and I hope if he is reading this that he understand that.

end comment

South Korean response Solid B

If I had to grade South Korea where I am currently lying low a grade I would give them a B - they have done something very well -- mass testing, developing drive through and now walk through testing, public health tracing of infected people. They have failed in mask distribution, should have banned exports of masks right away, and their overly bureaucratic mask distribution policy requiring people to line up and get two masks per person based on the birthday is a disaster. And they like all governments around the world are not prepared for the massive unemployment that will soon hit the country. But on balance, we are probably better off here than in.

the one thing I would caution them is to assume that the crisis is over and return to business as usual. As long as there are cases spreading the government must be vigilant. It would not take much for a second wave to occur. By May or June perhaps the crisis will be over.

afterwards institutionalize health checks at the airport and refuse boarding to anyone who has a fever or put in quarantine if they are coming from abroad.

make the government corona task force a standing body that would meet weekly to coordinate public health measures and prepare for the next epidemic which will happen sooner or later. Korea has built up an impressive response to the pandemic. They need to keep it ready for future crises. And Korea needs to work with other governments in developing tests, medicine, vaccine and data collection techniques.

What governments need to do now

First, we realize that governments and societies around the world have failed miserably at handling the crisis as it unfolds.

Second, the pandemic has revealed that that the US health care system -- and we need universal health care and we need paid sick leave now. Whoever becomes President will have to enact these two policies.

Third, governments around the world will have to spend a lot more money and policies on public health care.

Fourth, governments around the world will have to have a standing interagency public health task force that coordinates policies worldwide.

Fifth, WHO will have to have a lot more resources, governments and institutions will have share information around the world.

Sixth, the federal government must reallocate resources from the bloated military national security sector to the public health sector, including funding for medicare for all and paid family/sick leave for all.

Seventh, the federal government once this is over should hold a lesson learned exercise with all 50 states, major cities and major hospitals and universities taking part in the virtual national conference. A federal commission should conduct this. They should share the results with the public, and with foreign governments and WHO. The federal public health commission should become a standing body, with representatives from all the states, major hospitals and universities and pharmacies and labs and representatives from the military. They should hold a mini-public health conference once a year to review policies to prepare for the next pandemic which will hit us.

The USG should call upon the world community under the auspices of WHO to convene a world-wide virtual conference to prepare for the next pandemic based on lessons learned from this pandemic and WHO should hold an annual pandemic response virtual conference.

Eight, both the DNC and RNC must postpone the remaining primaries until June and turned them into mail in elections. This should also apply to the national election.

Nine, the DNC and RNC must turn the conventions into virtual conventions and that too should be the new normal.

Tenth, Universities and school districts across the country should move a significant number of classes online and that should also become the new normal.

1. the Democrats must ensure that the republicans don\'t dismantle the rest of the federal budget to pay for expanded public health spending. And they must insist on some modest tax increases. But the democrats should consider some targeting reductions in less essential spending.

2. Public health screenings before traveling on planes, trains, long-distance buses and cruise ships must become the new normal. Those denied boarding must be able to-book their travel with a minimum of expense and bureaucratic delays. The basic principle must be that if you have a fever or a severe cough, you can\'t travel. This also means that governments must grant automatic extensions of visas for those who can\'t travel because of illness.

3. The USG should require foreigners to purchase Traveler\'s medical insurance prior to travel to the U.S.

4. Drug companies, research labs and universities must share their research with the entire worldwide medical community, and WHO should set up a universal medical research data base so researchers can research the latest medical advances in real time.

5. The Olympics and major internationl sporting events should be postponed for one year.