The Covid Scamdemic and Resulting Fallout

[Honoria]

Queen quits Buckingham Palace over coronavirus fears after Cobra crisis talks

Her Majesty, 93, has been taken to Windsor Castle as the outbreak worsens

She and Prince Philip will be taken to Sandringham if situation deteriorates

It comes after her upcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden were postponed

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By JAMES WOOD FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 18:48 EDT, 14 March 2020 | UPDATED: 19:21 EDT, 14 March 2020


The Queen has quit Buckingham Palace over coronavirus fears after Corbra crisis talks, it has been reported.



Her Majesty, 93, has been taken to Windsor Castle with plans in place to quarantine her and Prince Philip, 98, at Sandringham if the outbreak worsens.



The news comes as Britain's coronavirus death rate almost doubled today as ten more people died, bringing total deaths to 21.



A royal source told The Sun: 'She is in good health but it was thought best to move her. A lot of her staff are a bit panicky over coronavirus.



'The Queen has met a lot of people there until recently. But she is weeks away from her 94th birthday and advisers believe it is best to get her out of harm’s way.'



Her Majesty's upcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden were yesterday postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.



She is also said to have been advised to cancel her annual garden parties in May and June in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus.



It comes after she was earlier this month reporter to have vowed not to let the outbreak stop her from performing her duties and to set an example by 'keeping calm and carrying on' until there is 'compelling advice to the contrary'.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[Honoria]

'Don't do what we did - people are needlessly dying': Italian journalist urges UK and US to lockdown NOW amid coronavirus pandemic

Italian journalist Mattia Ferraresi has urged UK to lockdown now amid pandemic

He called mass quarantine 'exercise in humility' as Covid-19 cases pass 17,000

Top medic Giuseppe Natalini called Italy's crisis 'catastrophic, unimaginable'

Up to 60million Italians are on lockdown as the coronavirus death toll hit 1,000+

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By JACK WRIGHT FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 17:01 EDT, 14 March 2020 | UPDATED: 17:35 EDT, 14 March 2020


An Italian journalist is warning Britons to 'stay home' amid the coronavirus pandemic as one of the country's top doctors warns Covid-19 is 'apocalyptic'.



The stark pleas to ban mass gatherings, avoid contact with others, and self-isolate in the UK and US come as 60million Italians are forced to endure a lockdown.



Mattia Ferraresi, who writes for Il Foglio, has said the Government wasted time in not acting decisively and more drastically early on - and claims that Italy's universal healthcare system has been 'felled' by more than 17,000 confirmed cases.



He has described life in the lockdown is an 'exercise in humility' and is now urging people to sacrifice 'individual freedom in order to protect everybody'.



Writing in The Boston Globe newspaper, Mr Ferraresi, of Rome, said: 'Until last week, the Italian public health care system had the capacity to care for everyone.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[OmegaMan]

Burial pits from Iran's coronavirus outbreak have grown so large you can see them from space

John Haltiwanger Mar 13, 2020, 1:20 PM




Qom cemetery

Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has hit Iran especially hard.

Burial pits are being expanded so rapidly that they're visible from space, based on satellite images taken by the private space technology company Maxar Technologies and first reported by the Washington Post.

The images show that new trenches have been dug at a cemetery in Qom, Iran, and what appears to be a pile of lime, which is sometimes used in mass graves to prevent decay and manage odor.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Burial pits have grown so large amid a devastating coronavirus outbreak in Qom, Iran, that they're visible from space, satellite imagery shows.



Along with China and Italy, Iran has been hit especially hard by coronavirus.



Dozens of lawmakers have been infected, as have senior officials — including the Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. And an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died from the novel coronavirus.



Meanwhile, Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for $5 billion in emergency funding to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak.



Iranian Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour on Friday said 514 people have died of the virus in Iran and 11,364 have been infected, per Fars News Agency. But media reports have suggested the Iranian government has not been forthcoming about the death toll, in an effort to mask the devastating scale of the outbreak.


Full story with pictures at link

[OmegaMan]

National Guard to Deploy 1,000 Troops in Six States

By Jack Phillips March 13, 2020

National Guard to Deploy 1,000 Troops in Six States




Members of the National Guard hand out bags of food to residents near a one-mile radius “containment area” set up to halt the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in New Rochelle, N.Y., on March 12, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)


The National Guard announced that it is will deploy 1,000 troops across six states by the end of Friday in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.



Components of the Army and Air National Guard are activated in Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington state as of Friday morning, according to a statement obtained by Fox News. About 400 Guard members are in those states.



“As other states are requested to support civil authorities, those numbers will change rapidly. By the end of the day we expect that number to approach 1,000,” according to the National Guard, reported Stars and Stripes.



Several dozen states have declared emergencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Data provided by Johns Hopkins University shows that more than 1,700 cases have been confirmed across the United States.



“The National Guard is fully involved at the local, state, and federal level in the planning and execution of the nation’s response to COVID-19,” said National Guard Bureau spokesperson to the Military Times. “In times of emergency, the National Guard Bureau serves as a federal coordinating agency should a state require assistance from the National Guard of another state.”



“At the national level, Guard members are training personnel on COVID-19 response, identifying and preparing National Guard facilities for use as isolation housing, and compiling state medical supply inventories,” the statement said. “National Guard personnel will provide assistance to the states that include logistical support, disinfection/cleaning, activate/conduct transportation of medical personnel, call center support, and meal delivery.”



It comes as President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the virus to free up more resources and funding.



The National Guard Bureau’s website says that a state’s governor can activate the National Guard “in response to natural or man-made disasters or Homeland Defense missions.”


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[OmegaMan]

CDC: School closures of 8 weeks or more may be needed



Updated: Sat 2:53 PM, Mar 14, 2020



(CNN) Closing schools for eight weeks or more may have a greater impact on mitigating the spread of the novel coronavirus than two- to four-week closures, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.



Shorter-term closures will likely make little difference in the spread of the disease, new CDC guidance states, even as K-12 school districts across the country began announcing school closures within the shorter time frame.



Closing schools also comes with its own setbacks, namely a potentially negative impact on academic outcomes, which the CDC also acknowledged in its updated guidelines.



The Department of Education recently issued its own guidance to educators about its flexibility related to student absences and testing standards.



In any school closure, students could still congregate outside of school and spread the disease, the CDC acknowledged.



Other mitigation efforts, including handwashing and home isolation, "have more impact on (the) spread of disease," the new CDC guidance states.


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[bloodbought]

The craziness continues!  I'm becoming more and more convinced there's an agenda behind this - "management by crisis."  If you haven't already, watch the video I just posted in the prophecy updates forum.

Coronavirus updates live: Hoboken, New Jersey, mayor orders curfew

Here are the latest updates from around the world.

People gather at a cafe's terrace in Lyon, France, after it was announced that all non-essential public places, including restaurants and cafes, would be closed at midnight.

Updated March 15, 2020, 1:04 AM EDT


President Donald Trump tested negative for coronavirus, his doctor said Saturday. Vice President Mike Pence also said new travel restrictions would be put in place with regard to the U.K. and Ireland.



Meanwhile, the French prime minister said the country is getting ready to close all cafés, restaurants, clubs and cinemas because the spread of the virus has continued.



And the mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, ordered a curfew across the city starting Monday.



The United States has surpassed 2,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and the death toll climbed to 59, with 25 of the deaths associated with the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington.




Here's what to know about the coronavirus.

MAPS: Where cases have been confirmed in the U.S. and worldwide.

Download the NBC News app for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak.



Live Blog

SEE NEW POSTS



Nicole Acevedo



20h ago / 4:36 PM EDT

France gets ready to close all cafés, restaurants, clubs and cinemas

Image: FRANCE-HEALTH-VIRUSPeople gather at a cafe's terrace in Le Touquet, France, on Saturday, after the government announced that the closure of all non-essential public places starting at midnight, including restaurants and cafes.Ludovic Marin / AFP - Getty Images

All restaurants, cafés, cinemas and clubs in France will close at midnight in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the French prime minister Édouard Philippe said in a press conference.



He said the virus is spreading faster even though limitations on mass gatherings were imposed.



"People are still going to cafes and restaurants which is something that I would normally enjoy because this is the French way of living but not during these times," he said.



Places of worship are expected to remain open but no ceremonies will be taking place.



Some stores, pharmacies, tobacco shops and public offices will remain open as well.



SHARE THIS -

Nicole Acevedo and Paul Goldman



21h ago / 4:07 PM EDT

Israel to close restaurants and coffee shops to stop coronavirus spread

Israel will be closing "all unnecessary institutions like restaurants and coffee shops" in an effort to halt all leisure activities starting Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a press conference on Saturday.



All supermarkets and pharmacies will stay open in an effort to avoid food and medicine shortages, he said.



Banking services are expected to continue as usual, and gas stations will remain open.



Netanyahu also advised people to keep two meters away from one another and encouraged anyone who doesn't need to go to work to stay home.



SHARE THIS -



Phil McCausland



21h ago / 4:04 PM EDT

Court cites coronavirus in blocking Trump administration's food stamp cuts

Food Stamp StoryFood stamps beneficiaries do their grocery shopping at Agranel Supermarket in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, in 2019.Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo / The Washington Post via Getty Images

A federal court blocked the Trump administration's rule that would have forced 700,000 low-income Americans to lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, on April 1.



Judge Beryl A. Howell, the chief of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, cited the coronavirus pandemic in her decision to suspend the rule from going into effect.



"Especially now, as a global pandemic poses widespread health risks, guaranteeing that government officials at both the federal and state levels have flexibility to address the nutritional needs of residents and ensure their well-being through programs like SNAP, is essential," Howell wrote.



The U.S. Department of Agriculture rule change affects people between the ages of 18 and 49 who are childless and not disabled. Under current rules, this group is required to work at least 20 hours a week for more than three months over a 36-month period to qualify for food stamps, but states have been able to create waivers for areas that face high unemployment.



"USDA disagrees with the court’s reasoning and will appeal its decision," an agency spokesperson said.



Read the full story  and more here.

[bloodbought]

Ohio governor: I wouldn't be surprised if schools didn't reopen this school year


Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that it would not surprise him "at all" if schools in his state did not reopen this school year due to the coronavirus outbreak.



The big picture: DeWine on Thursday became the first governor in the country to announce that all public and private schools in his state would close for three weeks or more.



DeWine explained that while students may not be as hard hit by the virus, they could act as carriers and infect more vulnerable members of society, such as grandparents or parents with underlying conditions.

There are currently at least 26 reported cases of coronavirus in Ohio.

What he's saying:



"Look, the projections — and again, this is all projections. I'm just going by what medical experts are telling us. You know, this may not peak until, you know, the latter part of April or May. So we've informed the superintendents, while we've closed schools for three weeks, that the odds are this is going to go on a lot longer and it would not surprise me at all if schools did not open again this [school] year."

— Mike DeWine


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[J.J.Gibbs]

ISIS issues travel warning to coronavirus-hit countries



An ISIS flag is seen in this picture illustration. (File photo: Reuters)

Tamara Abueish, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 14 March 2020Text size A A A

ISIS has issued a travel warning to its fighters to avoid coronavirus-hit countries, according to an analyst on the Syrian civil war.



For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.



“Healthy people should refrain from entering virus-hit states, and infected people should not exit them,” a list Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi says was published by ISIS mouthpiece al-Naba newspaper.

The list, titled “directives to deal with the epidemic,” includes tips such as covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and washing your hands regularly.



ISIS fighters should also remember that “illnesses do not strike by themselves, but by a decree from God,” one of the directives stated.



Globally, coronavirus has infected more than 145, 000 people. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus a global pandemic on Wednesday.


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[PrisonerOfHope]

Israeli virologist urges world leaders to calm public, slams ‘unnecessary panic’

‘People think this virus is going to attack them all, and then they’re all going to die,’ says Prof. Jihad Bishara. ‘Not at all. In fact, most of those infected won’t even know it’

By TOI STAFF

15 March 2020, 6:28 pm 5


A leading Israeli virologist on Sunday urged world leaders to calm their citizens about the coronavirus pandemic, saying people were being whipped into unnecessary panic.



Prof. Jihad Bishara, the director of the Infectious Disease Unit at Petah Tikva’s Beilinson Hospital, said that some of the steps being taken in Israel and abroad were very important, but the virus is not airborne, most people who are infected will recover without even knowing they were sick, the at-risk groups are now known, and the global panic is unnecessary and exaggerated.

“I’ve been in this business for 30 years,” Bishara said in a Channel 12 interview. “I’ve been through MERS, SARS, Ebola, the first Gulf war and the second, and I don’t recall anything like this. There’s unnecessary, exaggerated panic. We have to calm people down.



Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top storiesFREE SIGN UP

“People are thinking that there’s a kind of virus, it’s in the air, it’s going to attack every one of us, and whoever is attacked is going to die,” he said.



“That’s not the way it is at all. It’s not in the air. Not everyone [who is infected] dies; most of them will get better and won’t even know they were sick, or will have a bit of mucus.”



But in Israel and around the world, “everybody is whipping everybody else up into panic — the leaders, via the media, and the wider public — who then in turn start to stress out the leaders. We’ve entered some kind of vicious cycle.”





Prof. Jihad Bishara (Courtesy)

He urged the public to internalize that “we’re talking about a virus that is not airborne. Infection is via droplet transmission… Only if you are close to someone who has the virus, and you get the saliva when he sneezes or coughs, can you get ill. And if you don’t then maintain personal hygiene,” primarily by washing hands.



He said the virus did not appear to be “too intelligent” — unlike flu, “which is very intelligent, it changes, adapts, and it infects people via their airway passages.”



Bishara said some of the harsh steps taken in Israel — which has essentially closed its borders, limited gatherings to no more than 10 people, closed all educational facilities, and shut down malls, restaurants and places of entertainment and culture — were motivated by the leaders’ acknowledged awareness that the Israeli health system will buckle under any further strain.



Home quarantine has been ordered for “everyone who has passed by someone who may have been infected by someone else,” he protested, “because they know that our health system cannot withstand coming under any more strain, because we are perennially stretched to the limit.”



Referring to Italy’s national lockdown, he said that “quarantine is an effective precaution, but there has to be temperate use. You can shut down a whole country, but there are other means.”


At this stage, he said, “we know how the virus behaves, how it spreads, and which groups are in danger. We know now that his virus is primarily dangerous to old people, and to people with a history of chronic disease, and those who are immunocompromised.”



Appealing to Israeli leaders “who are appearing every night at 8 p.m. to announce all kinds of steps, some of them very important,” he said, they should “first and foremost calm people down.”



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[PurplePuppy]

UN diplomats claim NYC officials told them 'coronavirus has spread throughout the city and EVERYONE should assume they have been exposed - with the threat lasting until fall'

On Saturday the Mayor's Office for International Affairs held a briefing for foreign diplomats in NYC on the coronavirus outbreak

Health officials warned NYC residents should assume they've been in contact with the COVID-19 virus and the health threat could last till September

'All individuals should assume they have had some contact with the virus and practice maximum-possible social distancing,' a read-out from that meeting said

On Saturday New York state cases hit over 700 with 329 cases reported in NYC

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By MARLENE LENTHANG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 08:07 EDT, 15 March 2020 | UPDATED: 15:48 EDT, 15 March 2020




Several United Nations diplomats claim New York City officials warned them that everyone in the city should assume they've been exposed to the novel coronavirus and threats of proliferating cases are projected to last until the fall.



On Saturday New York City commissioner Penny Abeywardena in the Mayor's Office for International Affairs and officials with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene led a briefing for foreign delegations in the city.



'Everyone in New York should assume that they have been in contact with COVID 19,' a read-out of the conference call obtained by Foreign Policy from a representative of a diplomatic mission who listened in said.



In the Saturday briefing officials stressed that the city is 'in the mitigation phase of the outbreak' and the virus could threaten the health of residents until as late as September, four diplomat sources said.



DailyMail.com has reached out to the Mayor's Office for International Affairs for comment.

Full story with pictures and video at link

[PurplePuppy]

New York City's bars, restaurants, nightclubs, movie theaters and concert venues must all CLOSE from 9am on Tuesday to fight coronavirus

De Blasio said the city's bars and restaurants will begin to close Tuesday at 9am

The mayor made the decision to shut the establishments in bid to fight COVID-19

Earlier on Sunday, de Blasio announced the closure of New York City's schools

More than 1.1 million children will stay home starting Monday until April 20

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By VALERIE EDWARDS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 22:33 EDT, 15 March 2020 | UPDATED: 00:05 EDT, 16 March 2020




Just hours after announcing the closure of the nation's largest public school district, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio informed New Yorkers that all bars and restaurants will be closing as the city continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus.



De Blasio made the announcement in a statement around 10pm Sunday evening, limiting the city’s 27,000 restaurants, bars and cafes to food takeout and delivery beginning Tuesday.



'Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago. We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbors,' de Blasio said as he ordered restaurants and bars to close effective Tuesday morning at 9am.



'Now it is time to take yet another drastic step,' he said.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[PurplePuppy]

Closing time in America: CDC backs an EIGHT-WEEK nationwide ban on gatherings of more than 50 - as New York City, California Ohio, Illinois and Massachusetts order bars and restaurant to SHUT leaving millions of workers facing hardship

Gov Gavin Newsom called for the closure of all bars across the state during press conference on Sunday

Newsom also said that restaurants will have to cut their seating capacity by 50% and social distance people

New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that bars and restaurants will start to close Tuesday morning

Washington state's governor said that the state's bars and restaurants will be limited to takeout and delivery

Ohio Gov Mike DeWine also announced the closure of all bars and restaurants throughout state on Sunday

Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker said the closure of all of the state's bars and restaurants will begin on Monday

The closures came after CDC advised officials that large events could contribute to the spread of COVID-19

Earlier Sunday, New York City's mayor, Bill de Blasio, ordered closure of nation's largest public school district

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By VALERIE EDWARDS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 19:52 EDT, 15 March 2020 | UPDATED: 00:10 EDT, 16 March 2020




States implement closures of bars and restaurants

California: Effective immediately



Gov Gavin Newsom called for the closure of all bars and advised restaurants to cut seating capacity by 50 per cent.



Ohio: Effective March 15-Indefinitely



The order will shut down all in-person dining, but restaurants and bars will still offer carryout and delivery.



Illinois: Effective March 16-30



Ordered the closure of bars and restaurants for two weeks. Drive-through and pickup services at restaurants will still be allowed.



Massachusetts: Effective March 17-April 17



Massachusetts Gov Charlie Baker banned gatherings with more than 25 people and limited restaurants to offer take-out only. Baker also ordered the closure of all bars.



New York City: Effective March 17



The city will close all bars and restaurants beginning Tuesday, but customers still have takeout and delivery options.



Washington state: Effective March 16-31



Governor Jay Inslee announced that bars and restaurants will be closed beginning Monday, but customers will still have takeout and delivery options.





The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised officials across the United States to crack down on large gatherings of more than 50 people for at least eight weeks as the governors of California, Illinois, New York City and Ohio close all of the bars in their states.



In a memo shared on their website, the CDC advised state officials that large events and mass gatherings, such as festivals, conferences and parades, could contribute to the spread of COVID-19.



'Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,' the CDC said.



The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 165,000 people and left more than 6,500 dead, with thousands of new cases confirmed each day. In the United States, there are more than 3,700 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and nearly 70 deaths.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[Honoria]

Bleak and worried, Netanyahu implies virus could kill tens of millions worldwide

Closing schools, telling Israelis to stay away from each other, and urging an emergency government, PM likens coronavirus to Spanish flu of 1918, which killed up to 50 million

David Horovitz

By DAVID HOROVITZ

12 March 2020, 10:12 pm 17


Announcing nationwide school closures and urging an emergency unity government to “save the lives of tens of thousands” of Israelis from the coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night presented a profoundly stark assessment of the pandemic’s potential global consequences, indicating that it could cause tens of millions of deaths if it cannot be stopped.



Netanyahu, who has instituted some of the world’s most stringent measures to try to thwart the spread of the virus in Israel in recent days and weeks, described the pandemic as “a global and national incident the likes of which Israel has never known.”

The last threat to which the coronavirus could be likened, he said, was the Spanish flu, one of the deadliest epidemics in human history, “which raged worldwide” in 1918. “Tens of millions of people died from it,” he noted, “at a time when the world population was a quarter of today’s.”



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Not a country on earth would be unaffected by the virus, it was advancing at “dizzying” speed, and a vaccine was at best months away, he warned, speaking gravely and with deliberation. It spreads slowly at first, “but then incredibly fast, suddenly, really in a day or two.” That, he said, was what had happened in Italy. That, he feared, was what now might be happening in Spain.



Noting her scientific background, Netanyahu quoted Germany’s “level-headed” and “analytical” Chancellor Angela Merkel estimating that 60-70 percent of her country’s population would be infected — some 50 million people. And given that the death rate for the virus is 2-4% of those infected, he said, “you do the math… that means very, very large numbers of dead.”



Israel, too — with over 100 confirmed cases, but possibly many times that number as yet unreported — faced “large numbers of dead,” he said. “So we have to do everything we can to avert that.”



As Netanyahu was addressing the nation, regulations announced earlier in the week came into force, requiring anyone entering Israel — Israeli nationals and foreign nationals alike — to immediately self-quarantine for 14 days. Non-citizens who cannot show that they have a place to self-quarantine are simply no longer allowed to enter. International airlines, as a consequence, have been gradually suspending their routes to and from Israel.



On Wednesday night, Netanyahu had urged Israelis not to shake hands, embrace or kiss, in order to prevent contagion. If you cough or sneeze, do it into a tissue, he ordered. He had also instituted a ban on all gatherings of over 100 people, prompting Israel’s chief rabbis on Thursday to do the almost unthinkable and tell observant Jews to stay away from the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray.



On Thursday, Netanyahu repeated some of those imperatives, again taking out a tissue to illustrate his points. Some young people were saying it wasn’t cool to obsess about hygiene and to keep washing your hands. “It’s as cool as it gets,” he insisted. “It’s being responsible.”



And he now added a new instruction, explicitly telling the watching nation to “keep your distance” from each other — ideally two meters; a minimum of one. His ministerial colleagues weren’t up there on the stage alongside him, he said, because the room wasn’t large enough to meet that minimum requirement.



The prime minister concluded his bleak address with the warning that further restrictions were in prospect, since this was an escalating crisis, and fresh decisions were being taken as the need arose.



And then he issued a call for an emergency unity government, likening today’s challenges to those of 1967, when Israel faced imminent attack by the combined forces of its Arab enemies, and its rival politicians united ahead of the resonant victory of the Six Day War. Now, again, he declared, a unification of political forces, for a limited period, was essential in the battle to prevent large-scale Israeli loss of life.



The coronavirus crisis is impacting here in the immediate aftermath of Israel’s third inconclusive election in less than a year. Netanyahu is struggling to retain power against rival Benny Gantz, with each of them seeking to win over allies and somehow muster a parliamentary majority. Moreover, Netanyahu is set to appear in court on March 17, for the reading of bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges against him.



Some domestic critics have sought to present the measures Netanyahu has introduced to tackle the virus as wildly exaggerated, economically devastating — and part of a cynical effort by the prime minister to deflect attention from his political and legal struggles.



Watching much of the rest of the world belatedly recognizing that he was ahead of the curve in, first, advising Israelis against all overseas travel and, second, moving to close Israel’s borders against the contagion, such criticism has become harder to sustain.



Plainly, an emergency unity government under his leadership would be politically advantageous to Netanyahu. But, all too plainly, too, Israel and the rest of the world find themselves at a moment of genuine crisis — whose appalling potential proportions simply dwarf all other concerns.


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[maybetoday]

With all the homeless,and all the filth in the streets, I seriously doubt that this is going to help! 


San Francisco Bay Area ordered to 'shelter in place' until April 7 as the city attempts to contain the coronavirus outbreak

Katie Canales 9 hours ago

San Francisco

The San Francisco Bay Area will be directed to "shelter in place" at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday until April 7 in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

The order will require residents to remain indoors except for essential travel, like going to get groceries.

The shelter-in-place order is different from a full lockdown, which would prohibit people from leaving their homes without government permission.


The Bay Area, including San Francisco, will be directed to "shelter in place" until April 7 in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported on Monday.



The directive, which will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, affects six Bay Area counties, including the county and city of San Francisco.



As the Chronicle noted, the affected population totals more than 6.7 million people. They will still be allowed to go shopping for groceries and supplies.



The directive is not a full lockdown, so people will not be prohibited from leaving their homes without government permission. Instead, they're directed to stay inside and avoid contact with others as much as possible for three weeks. Law enforcement is being asked to "ensure compliance" with the order, according to the Chronicle.



San Francisco Mayor London Breed tweeted on Monday that residents would be required to stay home "except for essential needs."

"Essential needs" include obtaining medicine, food, and supplies for household members — including pets — seeing a doctor, and caring for a relative who lives in a separate household.

east cut neighborhood san francisco

San Francisco's "East Cut" neighborhood in 2019. Katie Canales/Business Insider

Everyone must work from home or stop working, except for those providing essential services, like healthcare workers, law-enforcement officials, and firefighters and emergency responders, according to the order.



Nonessential travel on foot or via scooters, bicycles, cars, and public transportation is also banned — though public transit will remain open for essential travel. Walking, running, taking a pet out to go to the bathroom, and hiking are still allowed, as long as people keep six feet between themselves and others.



Gatherings of more than 100 people were already banned last week, but now all nonessential events of any size are prohibited. Bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues, gyms, and fitness studios will be closed. The city is telling residents that trips to the nail salon and dinner parties are also not allowed.



Full story with pictures at link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Churches are closing doors, live streaming services for congregants avoiding coronavirus

Dalvin Brown

USA TODAY





With the number of coronavirus cases on the rise, Aaron Trank and his wife, Rachelle, held church at home on Sunday.



Trank called on the family's Amazon Echo to stream worship songs for their kids. The family also sang along to music on YouTube before praying together. Next week, they'll stream sermons online.



"We've never done anything like this before," Trank said. "We were trying to re-create the structure of a typical Sunday because it's become part of our weekly cadence. Thankfully, technology has helped us to do so."



The Tranks are among many in pockets of America who had to modify religious plans over the weekend in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 3,000 people and sickened many more globally.



Coronavirus testing:Gates Foundation wants to deliver at-home testing kits



Can cash carry coronavirus? WHO says use digital payments when possible



The family typically attends service at Reality SF in San Francisco, however, the church curtailed meeting after the city's mayor called for a halt on nonessential large gatherings.



Tech in church: Sermons on social

In the past, before Facebook Live and digital payment apps, a bottleneck on church services would have been logistically and fiscally disruptive, religious leaders say. Today, it's not much of an inconvenience.



For years now, churches have bolstered their digital footprints by accepting offerings online, posting sermons on social media and hosting group meetings via video chat. So in the wake of coronavirus, when cities are shutting down and quarantine is spreading, clergy leaders are ramping up services that are usually an extension of a typical Sunday.



"What was once only 20% of our ministry has become 100% of our ministry," said pastor Kaloma Smith of University AME Zion Church in Palo Alto, California.


Full article at link

[bloodbought]

Italian coronavirus victims over 80 will not receive treatment if situation worsens under emergency plans, as PM warns country is entering its 'riskiest weeks'

Officials warn it may be impossible to treat every virus patient in intensive care

Plans drawn up in Turin propose that criteria 'must include age of less than 80'

Doctors have described making life-or-death decisions over who will be treated

Prime minister Giuseppe Conte warned that 'we have not yet reached the peak'

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By TIM STICKINGS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 05:32 EDT, 16 March 2020 | UPDATED: 12:41 EDT, 16 March 2020


Italian coronavirus patients who are 80 or older will not receive intensive care if the crisis worsens, under emergency plans being proposed in Turin.



The plans drawn up by civil protection officials warn that 'it will be necessary to apply criteria for access to intensive treatment' if there are too many patients.



The document, seen by the Daily Telegraph, proposes that these criteria 'must include age of less than 80'.



Doctors have already described making life-or-death decisions about who can be treated and who may effectively be left to die.



One doctor said a patient's fate 'is decided by age and by health conditions', adding: 'This is how it is in a war.'



Prime minister Giuseppe Conte warned today that the country is entering its 'riskiest weeks' as he signalled 'we have not yet reached the peak'.



Full story with pictures and video at link

[bloodbought]

'We are at WAR': President Macron orders full lockdown in France telling everyone they MUST stay home (and be fined if they go out without filling in online form) - as he drafts in the military to take sick to hospital

In an address to the nation, Macron said the French had to 'severely restrict movements for the next 15 days'

Authorities will enforce the new restrictions, with so-far unspecified 'punishments' for those who break them

Hotels and private businesses will be requisitioned by the state in order to help sufferers of the lethal virus

After thousands crowded into parks in Paris yesterday the capital city appeared near-deserted this morning

France has reported 5,437 infections and 400 people in intensive care. It has said 127 people have died

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By PETER ALLEN FOR MAILONLINE and REUTERS



PUBLISHED: 04:59 EDT, 16 March 2020 | UPDATED: 22:14 EDT, 16 March 2020




President Emmanuel Macron tonight said 'we are at war' with coronavirus as he ordered a full lockdown in France and told the public to stay at home.



In a solemn live TV address on Monday evening, the head of state said that people would have to stay at home unless shopping for food or going to a pharmacy, heading for absolutely essential work, or exercising alone.



French troops are also being deployed to transport patients to a field hospital which is being set up in the east of the country and today, in scenes reminiscent of China's lockdown, army trucks rolled through the streets of Paris.



Macron also announced that the second round of local elections due to be held on March 22 would be postponed and hotels and other private businesses will meanwhile be requisitioned by the state in order to help treat sufferers of the lethal virus.



The country's Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, later clarified that anyone leaving the house in France 'for any reason' will have to download a form or risk a minimum £34.60 fine enforced by 100,000 police and gendarmes.



He said 'essential professions' who can still enjoy easy travel include medical and postal workers, but few others.



They will instead have to write 'going out to buy a baguette' or 'walking the dog' on an individual printed form every single time.



'We can always practice a physical activity or take our dog out, but everyone should do it sparingly, without meeting in a group,' Mr Castaner said.



'We can get some fresh air yes, but certainly not play a football match. A control system will be set up by 100,000 police and gendarmes,' he added.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[bloodbought]

Iran sees its biggest daily rise in coronavirus deaths, with 129 fatalities in 24 hours, taking its total to 853

Iran has suffered worst daily death toll yet, taking official total to 853 fatalities

Ayatollah Hashem Bathayi Golpayeganim, 78, has died from coronavirus

He died two days after testing positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalised

His death takes the death toll among serving & ex-serving officials to at least 12

Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By SOPHIE TANNO FOR MAILONLINE and AFP



PUBLISHED: 06:00 EDT, 16 March 2020 | UPDATED: 09:22 EDT, 16 March 2020


Iran has suffered its worst daily death toll yet with 129 more people dying from coronavirus in one of the world's worst-hit countries.



The latest deaths bring the overall toll to 853 fatalities since February 19, when the government announced Iran's first two deaths from the COVID-19 disease.



It comes as Iran's coronavirus outbreak killed a member of the clerical body that appoints the supreme leader. State media reported the death of Ayatollah Hashem Bathayi Golpayeganim, 78, on Monday, taking the death toll among serving and ex-officials to at least 12.


Full story with pictures and video at link

[Midnight]

US halts deployment & recalls troops from NATO’s biggest drill ‘Defender Europe 2020’ due to coronavirus threat

17 Mar, 2020 04:35 / Updated 40 minutes ago


US halts deployment & recalls troops from NATO’s biggest drill ‘Defender Europe 2020’ due to coronavirus threat


The Pentagon has announced it will drastically reduce the “size and scope” of its participation in the NATO ‘Defender Europe 2020’ exercise, stopping just short of calling quits on the much-touted drill set to run until May.

Some 20,000 American soldiers, who were expected to form the backbone of the massive 37,000-strong drill involving forces from 18 NATO member states, will now either stay home or – for those already moved into Europe – return to the US.



“As of March 13, all movement of personnel and equipment from the United States to Europe has ceased,” US Army Europe confirmed in a press release on Monday. “As we make the appropriate adjustments, the linked exercises to Exercise Defender-Europe 20 – Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response – will not be conducted.”

Full story at link

[Midnight]

Trump urges no gatherings of 10+ people, says peak of coronavirus could carry into ‘July or August’

16 Mar, 2020 20:18 / Updated 29 minutes ago

Get short URL

Trump urges no gatherings of 10+ people, says peak of coronavirus could carry into ‘July or August’


The White House is encouraging people to avoid crowds of 10 or more and practice social distancing over the next 15 days, while President Donald Trump says the response to the disease could last for months.

The safety tips released by the White House on Monday include avoiding large public spaces like restaurants, bars, and food courts, which shouldn’t be hard since states like New York, Illinois, and others have ordered establishments such as these to only serve takeout and delivery customers.



The elderly, who are most at risk of dying from the coronavirus, are encouraged to “stay home and away from people” in the new guidelines. The handout also asks young, healthy people to do their part and practice social distancing.



“It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus,” it reads.

Full story at link

[Midnight]

SHUT BRITAIN Boris Johnson tells 1.4m they must stay in for 12 WEEKS and everyone else should avoid going out

Natasha ClarkTom Newton Dunn

16 Mar 2020, 15:32Updated: 17 Mar 2020, 9:03




OVER a million people should stay inside their homes for 12 weeks and everyone else must avoid going out, Boris Johnson told the nation yesterday.

In dramatic actions not seen since World War Two, the PM drastically ramped up Britain's battleplan - shutting down mass gatherings and urging everyone to stop non-essential travel and contact with others.



⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates



Boris ordered drastic measures yesterday to tackle the outbreak




He said that means all Brits (around 66million people) staying out of pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas for weeks - and potentially months into the summer.



All who can can should work from home, he said.



The over 70s, those who are pregnant, and anyone with underlying health conditions (around 20million Brits) should try not to leave their homes if they can, and avoid crowded spaces immediately.



This will continue for the "long haul" - likely weeks or months.



And those with severe illnesses like cancer (around 1.4million Brits) must start cocooning themselves in their homes and get food delivered in from this weekend.





They will be shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks.



The 'social distancing' guidelines advise people not to visit vulnerable and elderly family and friends - and could mean Mother's Day is effectively cancelled.



It comes as 55 Brits have been killed by the illness, with more than 1,500 cases across the country.



The number of cases could DOUBLE every five or six days if Britain doesn't take "draconian" action now, the PM warned the country, in the most drastic action taken so far to tackle the disease.



The PM announced major crackdown rules including:



Whole families with symptoms such as a cough or a temperature should stay at home for TWO WEEKS to stop spreading it on to anyone else

From tomorrow, the Government will no longer support mass gatherings either, meaning concerts and all major sporting events are likely to be cancelled

Pregnant women will be told to avoid social contact with others too - sparking fresh fears for anyone expecting

The PM refused to rule out drastic curfews like in other countries

London is at the centre of the outbreak and was ahead of the rest of the country

Schools will stay open for now - but they will be told to send kids with a cough home to stop the spread

Levelling with a worried nation in a dramatic No10 press conference, Boris said: "Clearly what we’re announcing today is a very substantial change in the way we want people to live their lives, and I can’t remember anything like it in my lifetime.



"I don’t think there’s really been anything like it in peacetime.



"It’s a very considerable, psychological, behavioural change that we’re asking you, we’re asking the public, the nation to do.



"But I’ve absolutely no doubt that we can do it, that we can do it together."



It came as President Emmanuel Macron tonight announced a total shutdown of France with its borders closed and all social gatherings banned from tomorrow.



The lockdown will be enforceable by law - unlike in Britain.



And Donald Trump recommended a drastic shutdown of the US too - with the President even considering a nationwide curfew.



Boris said: "We are asking people to do something difficult and that will disrupt their lives."



But he stressed that the most vulnerable were the focus of the new measures.



The number of cases has spiralled faster than experts thought, prompting the Government to push ahead with measures quickly, he said.



In a stark change from last week, Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said Britain is now entering “the fast growth part of the upward curve”.



Five days ago during the trio’s last press conference, his modelling predicted the contagion’s peak was 10 to 14 weeks off.



Boris added: "I know we are today asking a lot from everybody, but I can tell you people and businesses are responding with amazing energy and creativity.



"I want to thank everybody for the part you are playing, and are going to play."



It came as actor Idris Elba tonight revealed he had caught Covid-19 and was in self-isolation too.



Brits who feel ill should stay at home for at least 14 days - which includes the whole family if you live with other people.



Sick people should not go out of the house - even to buy food or essentials. Going for a run or walk is allowed, but only at a safe distance.



If you live alone, self-isolate for just seven days.



However, the new rules are only advisory for now, and no one will be forced into action.



Boris even speculated that curfews could be on the cards in future, banning people from going out after a certain time.



He described them as "extreme measures" but added: "I appreciate this is something we need to keep under review".



The PM was speaking at the first of now daily press conferences that he or another senior Cabinet minister will give in a bid to reassure nervous Brits.



Today the Government will bring in emergency laws to give the government sweeping power to fight the epidemic.



They will include allowing police to detain infected people and forcing schools to stay open to help to limit the spread of the virus.

Video at link

[PurplePuppy]

NYC Should Expect Imminent Shelter-In-Place Decision, Mayor Says

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he'll make the shelter-in-place decision in the next 48 hours.

By Kathleen Culliton, Patch Staff

Mar 17, 2020 2:43 pm ET | Updated Mar 17, 2020 4:05 pm ET




NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers should prepare for a shelter-in-place order that could come within the next 48 hours, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.



"New Yorkers should be prepared right now for a shelter-in-place order," de Blasio said. "It has not happened yet, but it is a definite possibility at this point."



The decision would allow New Yorkers to leave their homes only for essential goods, services and activity, the mayor said.



To keep up to date with coronavirus developments in NYC, sign up for Patch's news alerts and newsletter.



De Blasio acknowledged the city would face enormous challenges, such as how to best connect New Yorkers to needed resources especially with lost and restricted incomes.



"A shelter-in-place begs a lot of questions," the mayor said. "Those questions are particularly difficult in a city as large as New York City."



The city would likely move to ease the financial burden by halting evictions, but other resources would be more difficult to supply to New Yorkers.



"You gotta pay for food," de Blasio noted.



New York City would partner with New York state and police to create a monitoring system to allow leeway for grocery store and pharmacy visits, the mayor said.



That announcement contradicts Gov. Andrew Cuomo's assertion Tuesday that the order would need to come from the state and was not imminent.



Secretary to the Governor Melissa Derosa issued a statement reaffirming Cuomo was not considering the action.



"Any blanket quarantine or shelter-in-place policy would require state action and, as the governor has said, there is no consideration of that for any locality at this time," Derosa said.



De Blasio admitted he had not yet spoken directly to Cuomo about the decision.



"I look forward to talking to the governor directly about it," de Blasio said. "We've had a variety of conversations on the staff level."



There are 814 cases of the new coronavirus in New York City, already more than 100 higher than the 644 cases Gov. Cuomo reported earlier Tuesday, the mayor said.



The breakdown is 248 in Queens, 277 in Manhattan, 157 in Brooklyn, 96 in The Bronx and 36 in Staten Island, the mayor said.



Thus far, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of seven New York City dwellers.



New York should expect to see thousands of cases as soon as next week, de Blasio said.



"It's not that long until we hit 10,000 cases — that is a true statement."

link

[maybetoday]

Why Covid-19 in the US is Not the Same as in Italy

[Berean]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces statewide coronavirus 'stay at home' order

By Louis Casiano | Fox News


ep. McCarthy hopes California Gov. Newsom consulted with experts before issuing statewide stay at home order

California produces essential items including pharmaceuticals, says House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican congressman from California.



LOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday evening announced he's enacting a "statewide order" for its nearly 40 million residents to "stay at home," a wide-reaching measure for the most populous state in the country as the coronavirus spreads.



The order taking effect midnight on Friday morning. The order prohibits gatherings outside and required nonessential businesses to close. The measure is intended to slow the spread of the virus.



“We need to bend the curve in the state of California,” Newsom said during a news conference. “There’s a social contract here. People, I think, recognize the need to do more. They will adjust and adapt as they have.”

He added, “This is a moment we need to make tough decisions. This is a moment where we need some straight talk and we need to tell people the truth.”



Public events have been canceled and bars, dine-in restaurants, gyms and clubs will be closed. Essential services such as grocery stores, pharmacies and banks will stay open.



Newsom's office projected the virus will infect more than half of Californias within two months, according to a letter he sent to President Trump on Wednesday where he said the state has been disproportionality impacted.



"In some parts of our state, our case rate is doubling every four days," he wrote Trump.



Newsom's order came just after Los Angeles County officials announced a near-lockdown of the county, affecting 10 million residents who were urged to stay home except in cases when they need to go outside for essential needs.



California taking unprecedented steps to stop the spread of coronavirusVideo

"We're about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles," Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a news conference. "What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts."



On Wednesday, Newsom directed $150 million to go toward local governments for emergency housing and shelter support for homeless individuals. San Francisco officials on Monday ordered the country's first "shelter in place" order.



Statewide, more than 900 people have contracted the virus and 19 have died. More than 10,000 people have been infected nationwide.



This is a developing story; check back for updates.

link

[Berean]

‘We Are All in Quarantine’: 100% of NY Work Force Must Stay Home, Cuomo Puts State on Pause

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the measures enacted Friday, the most drastic to date, were necessary as state cases surged again; NJ Gov. Phil Murphy said his state would "further tighten the screws" on social distancing Saturday

Published March 20, 2020 • Updated 5 mins ago



NBC Universal, Inc.

What to Know

U.S. novel coronavirus cases have surpassed 18,000; more than 200 people have died. Tri-state cases have eclipsed 9,400; at least 68 in the three states have died

Hospitals are bracing for a flood of patients; Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it may take 45 days to reach the peak of infection and the state could need more than 2x the number of hospital beds (110,000) it currently has

New York has banned non-essential gatherings of any number of people, its strictest measure to date; NJ Gov. Phil Murphy said his state intends to "further tighten the screws" on social distancing this weekend and Connecticut adopted its own version as well

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that 100 percent of non-essential work forces are now required to stay home, calling it "the most drastic measure we can take" as he said the entire state of New York was "on pause."



Two days ago, that decree applied to 50 percent of the non-essential work force. A day ago, it rose to 75 percent. Now it's practically everyone; Cuomo said the escalation of the numbers gave him no choice but to further control density. The new order goes into effect as of 8 p.m. Sunday.



"This is not life as usual. Accept it. Realize it. And deal with it," Cuomo said. He asked the public to "remain indoors to the greatest extent possible to protect physical and mental health. Your actions can affect my health; that's where we are. We are all in quarantine."



By Friday evening, New York state's COVID-19 cases had surpassed 9,400, accounting for nearly half of all confirmed cases in the country. New York City had more than 5,600 cases, adding thousands more cases for the second time in as many days.



Right now, the five boroughs account for nearly a third of of all cases in America. More than 40 people in the city, and 68 across the tri-state, have died.



Effective immediately, non-essential gatherings of any size are banned and strict social distancing -- maintaining at least a 6-foot distance from others in public -- must be obeyed. Public transportation will keep running to get nurses, doctors, law enforcement officers, and other essential personnel where they need to go. Everyone else is asked to use mass transit only if absolutely necessary.



"I strongly support what he's doing," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at a White House news conference Friday. "I know what New Yorkers can do. We're tough."


 Story continues at link