The COVID-2019 Thread

[harrybarracuda]

How China(stan) Corrupted the World Health Organization's Response to COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) put out questionable guidance on how to deal with the coronavirus, it was slow to communicate the magnitude of the threat, and it whitewashed the Chinese government's early handling of the crisis.

President Donald Trump, who put a hold on WHO funding yesterday, isn't absolved of his own failures in confronting COVID-19. But there's no doubt that the WHO's response destroyed much of its credibility, damaged the field of public health, and failed to contain the pandemic.

The WHO's actions in response to COVID-19, in part, stemmed from its overly deferential stance towards China, which is its second-biggest financial contributor among 194 member states.

"A phenomenal collective action by the people of China to this response" is how Bruce Aylward, head of the joint WHO-China mission, described China's handling of the outbreak on February 25, 2020, a day after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised China's "rapid response," which he claimed "changed the course of this epidemic."

The WHO also praised China for releasing the virus's genome while neglecting to mention that it took them at least 17 days to do so. It didn't report human-to-human transmission until late January—even though Chinese doctors suspected it at least a month earlier. Although the extreme lockdown of Wuhan likely saved thousands of lives, WHO scientists weren't allowed into Wuhan until 3 weeks after the outbreak first came to light, leaving open many questions about measures the government took in the interim. Meanwhile, the WHO praised the country for its supposed openness.

"China took action at the epicenter, and that helped prevent the spread to other provinces and the rest of the world," Ghebreyesus said on February 15.

"As China has shown, this does not need to be a pandemic if we take action," WHO Executive Director Michael Ryan said on February 28.

As the virus continued spreading across Europe and reached America, the WHO recommended "no interference with international travel."

One country that ignored this advice was Taiwan, which also warned the WHO that it suspected that the virus was spreading through human-to-human transmission, yet was ignored. Taiwan, which has one of the lowest rates of known COVID-19 infections per capita, was prevented from joining the WHO as a member country in 2015 by China, which refuses to acknowledge Taiwan's independence.

In late March, World Health Organization epidemiologist Bruce Aylward declined to answer a Hong Kong reporter's question about Taiwan—or even acknowledge its existence.

As Taiwan was distributing face masks to its citizens, the WHO was advising the rest of the world that they were unnecessary—and initially, the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Surgeon General followed its lead.

But health experts pointed to mounting evidence that masks can help slow the spread of respiratory disease, especially among asymptomatic carriers, a population that the WHO maintains is virtually nonexistent despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

In mid-February, the WHO trumpeted good news from China, claiming confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 had declined, ignoring evidence that it may have been a statistical anomaly. U.S. intelligence, meanwhile, believes that China has entirely misrepresented both case numbers and death tolls, according to Bloomberg News.

Finally on March 11, after Italy was already in full national lockdown with more than 10,000 cases, the WHO finally acknowledged the true magnitude of the crisis, declaring a global pandemic.

As the death toll climbs above 100,000, the global economy remains in crisis, and billions of lives are disrupted, it's important to remember that if the World Health Organization had done its job, the nightmare we're living through might not have happened at all.

How China Corrupted the World Health Organization’s Response to COVID-19 – Reason.com

[jabir]

^^

"Officials explained that the deaths had initially gone uncounted because in the early stages of the pandemic some people died at home, overwhelmed medics were focused on treating cases rather than reporting deaths and a delay in collecting figures from various government and private organizations.

They added that the figures had been revised to show "accountability to history, to the people and the victims," as well as to ensure "open and transparent disclosure of information and data accuracy."

Wuhan officials have revised the city's coronavirus death toll up by 50% - CNN


Another way of reporting the numbers.

I look forward to all countries similarly reporting all their numbers in a similar way.

Much of the evidence has been burned or buried, and not just metaphorically.

[harrybarracuda]

I look forward to all countries similarly reporting all their numbers in a similar way.

I'd rather have the fucking truth, a word you can't associate with the lying chinky bastards.

[harrybarracuda]

Although there is some rare honesty here:

Not this bit.

CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The daily column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

The numbers are more than a correction - CGTN


But this:

Script writer: Huang Jiyuan

[Seekingasylum]

Really quite funny the septics and their bandwagon of "let's fuck the WHO" are blaming the organisation for not telling them how dangerous the fucking virus was yet in March when the bodies were stacking up ten high in Italy Trump and BoJo were still doing fuck all.

Anyone falling for this deflection ploy is clearly an idiot.

[OhOh]

Much of the evidence has been burned or buried

One presumes "paperwork" is required from an official agency, prior to either being performed.

Another graph, this one from the FT:

https://twitter.com/J_CD_T/status/12...521985/photo/1

[misskit]

Australia may keep coronavirus restrictions for a year, schools may work on roster

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian public life could be constrained for another year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned on Friday, as the country’s most populous state mulled sending children to school in shifts.


Australia has so far avoided the high numbers of coronavirus casualties reported around the world after closing its borders and imposing strict “social distancing” measures for the past month.


Restaurants, bars and other “non-essential” businesses have closed and public gatherings of more than two people are banned under the threat of fines and even prison, measures that are expected to double the unemployment rate by mid-year.


In response, the daily growth rate of reported new infections has steadied in the low percentage single digits, from about 25% several weeks ago, for a total of about 6,500 infections, including 63 deaths.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison said some measures, like the rule requiring people to stand at least 1.5 metres apart, would likely remain for several months, given there was no guarantee a vaccine would be developed in that time.


“Social distancing is something we should get very used to,” Morrison told radio station 3AW. “It could be a year, but I’m not speculating about that.”


“Certainly while the virus is prevalent across the world (the 1.5 metre rule) should be a natural instinct.”


Morrison had said on Thursday the wider social distancing measures would be in place for at least another four weeks, while advocating the reopening of schools across the country, citing medical advice that children are a low risk of transmission.


That guidance has been contradicted by several states and territories, which are responsible for schools governance, and brought a public backlash from parents and teachers concerned about exposure to the virus.


In Australia’s second most populous state, Victoria, just 3% of children returned to school after the Easter break this week, while the most populous state, New South Wales, has children still on a break.


“We are considering our options around a rostering system which will have some students go back on a particular day to increase that level of face-to-face,” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Friday.


“The alternative is that unfortunately students could face up to a year or longer at home and we don’t that’s appropriate,” she added.

Australia may keep coronavirus restrictions for a year, schools may work on roster – Thai PBS World

[harrybarracuda]

Is it going to make it past 100K again?

[misskit]

29 new cases confirmation Covid-19 curve flattening in Thailand

Thailand’s total number of Covid-19 patients rose to 2,672 with 29 new cases confirmed over a 24-hour period, and two more deaths, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Thursday (April 16).


This compares with 54 new cases last Thursday, 50 on Friday, 45 on Saturday, 33 on Sunday, 28 on Monday and 34 on Tuesday and 30 on Wednesday. He said the situation is still a cause for concern. “We should not ease lockdown restrictions too early “ he said.

MORE 29 new cases confirmation Covid-19 curve flattening in Thailand (Updated)

[Dragonfly]

it's not over, it's just the beginning

business is re-opening because we have no choice, and now most politicians are starting to get that they can't do anything about it

bring it on, it's going to be a Chinese carnage,

well done China, you put the world capitulating to your demands

[misskit]

Remdesivir: Covid-19 patients recovering quickly after getting experimental drug - CNN

[snakeeyes]

^
125 Patients on ventilators , 123 recovered in 6 days 2 died so looks good , stock market rising already .

[SKkin]

"We understand the urgent need for a Covid-19 treatment and the resulting interest in data on our investigational antiviral drug remdesivir. The totality of the data need to be analysed in order to draw any conclusions from the trial."

"Anecdotal reports, while encouraging, do not provide the statistical power necessary to determine the safety and efficacy profile of remdesivir as a treatment for Covid-19. We expect the data from our Phase 3 study in patients with severe Covid-19 infection to be available at the end of this month, and additional data from other studies to become available in May."

Gilead

[SKkin]

stock market rising already .

Pump and dump...

Edit: CNN news in post 4686 came from "Stat News" and Adam Feuerstein

Read more about them here:

Washington Post Calls For An Investigation Into Hedge Fund Trading And Adam Feuerstein's Blogging - Smith On Stocks | Seeking Alpha

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...e5f_story.html

[baldrick]

Gilead

stock price bump - but

“The data from this paper are almost uninterpretable,” Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told Bloomberg. “There is some evidence suggesting efficacy, but we simply do not know what would have happened to these patients had they not been given the drug.”

[Dragonfly]

they are expecting another 40% drop in markets,

that should help improve things

[Bettyboo]

they are expecting another 40% drop in markets,

that should help improve things

I'm not sure that's true, Paps...

I was watching some stuff today which suggested the federal reserve and other institutions are putting so much money into stocks (illegal for the federal reserve, but they are still doing it...) and other areas of the market such as junk bonds that the market may continue to rise thus it may be prudent to ride the wave. At this point, there's no more pretence, the fed is just pumping up the market for the benefit of the few, so you may as well buy stocks and benefit too - FIAT currency has gone beyond stupid and/or failure, the FED and many governments/central banks are just playing the wealth game with zero regard for economics or social support (of the many, anyways...).

[NamPikToot]

So getting pissed and trying out a Mick Jagger with only cling film for protection once you've retrieved your chocolate, notable absence of prophylactics

Vodka and chocolate: UK cornershops see lockdown sales soar


Vodka and chocolate are among the most bought items at convenience stores during the lockdown, according to new UK data.


The luxuries are being snapped up alongside isolation essentials such as bread, milk and toilet roll, payments provider Paypoint said.


The company, which serves 28,000 stores across the UK, said sales were up 56% compared with the same time last year.


Paypoint has also announced it will work with takeaway service Deliveroo to help small shops reach their customers.

[NamPikToot]

coz there's Almond and polenta glut ....Mendip !!!!

Flourless lemon drizzle cake recipe:

To make the recipe you will need:

175g butter, softened

150g caster sugar (I like to use golden)

Zest of 2 lemons, plus the juice of one

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

3 medium free-range eggs

150g ground almonds

80g polenta

1 tsp baking powder (*use gluten free if you are making this for someone who is gluten intolerant)

[Dragonfly]

I'm not sure that's true, Paps...

I was watching some stuff today which suggested the federal reserve and other institutions are putting so much money into stocks (illegal for the federal reserve, but they are still doing it...) and other areas of the market such as junk bonds that the market may continue to rise thus it may be prudent to ride the wave. At this point, there's no more pretence, the fed is just pumping up the market for the benefit of the few, so you may as well buy stocks and benefit too - FIAT currency has gone beyond stupid and/or failure, the FED and many governments/central banks are just playing the wealth game with zero regard for economics or social support (of the many, anyways...).

on what planet are you on? link to Fed buying stocks, that should be funny to see, I think you got confused in that process

another 40% drop is very much possible, this is from one guy who predicted the big drop after the first drop when everyone (including me) was buying back too early

[David48atTD]

another 40% drop is very much possible, this is from one guy who predicted the big drop after the first drop when everyone (including me) was buying back too early

I'm all Cash ATM

The FOMO Bug itches, but I just can't see the risk being worth the reward ATM

[NamPikToot]

My Mrs after doing well on a few land sales is luckily in clover, she was always big on cash but she's forking out for staff who aren't working so its being slowly nibbled away at; she's paying a flat 200THB a day per person.

I have been playing with an Oil ETF and cashed out but made about 7 months of Sausages pension payments - got back in today so its knees up trousers down time...

[harrybarracuda]

I'm pretty sure someone (Baldrick?) jokingly commented that the Thais would probably pull this puppy out.

But the Iranians have beaten them to it.

IRAN: The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been promoting what appears to be a notorious fake bomb-detecting device as a coronavirus detector.

Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, who replaced Qassem Soleimani as head of Iran’s asymmetric warfare unit after his assassination by a US drone in Iraq in January, presented the device on state TV on Wednesday, claiming that it could detect COVID-19 “within seconds.”

The model shown is almost identical in appearance to the famously useless plastic and metal fake bomb-detecting device that was first sold by convicted British fraudster James McCormick to Iraqi security forces.

But despite years of useless service in bomb detection, Salami said the device was a “technological and scientific” innovation that was developed by Iran’s Basij militia.

“The antenna of this device can detect any spot infected with the virus within a 100-meter radius,” Salami added. “It detects the virus within five seconds.”

He said the device is superior to other COVID-19 tests because “there’s no need for taking blood. You can accomplish this from
a distance.”

Salami also claimed that the device had been tested at hospitals with an “80 percent” success rate.

Many independent researchers and news outlets have suggested that the government is covering up the true extent of the pandemic’s spread throughout the country.

Iran Guards commander promotes fake anti-bomb device as virus detector | Arab News

[NamPikToot]

Grim....

The number of coronavirus cases by US state

The US recorded its highest daily death toll on Thursday, reporting 4,591 deaths in 24 hours.

It has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world, with more than 672,200 confirmed. There have been more than 33,000 deaths.

Our map shows the states with the highest number of cases.



President Trump has unveiled his plan to re-open the US and has called on states to follow his plan.

He has clashed with New York governor Andrew Cuomo who said reopening is up to the states as "everyone is in a different position".

Cuomo said states needed better support to enable them to reopen.

There have been protests in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia and Kentucky, calling on authorities to end their shutdowns. On Friday, Trump tweeted messages of support to the protesters.

[Chittychangchang]

McDonald's and KFC will take a massive hit in profits over the next several years...