How can I put this...hmmm....ok....

[PCIntern]

The Establishment is vaguely celebrating that the rate of increase is decreasing, and whereas any use of the word "decreasing" in a pandemic (with the exceptions of it being applied to medications, ventilators, or food supply) is I suppose, a good thing.

But let's examine the facts:

1. What that statistic means, assuming that it is correct, and we shall get to that in a moment, is that the rate of infection has slowed to a degree and so fewer people are becoming ill on a daily basis, and thus fewer people are dying on a daily basis. Of course that is a very good thing in several senses....but in no way does it imply that there is:

a. A decrease in the actual numbers of those who are or have been ill. It's just that fewer are getting sick on a daily basis which would certainly be expected when a very large portion of the population is barely leaving their homes and when they do they're taking precautions. It proves, by the way, the existence of science and the germ/viral theory of disease, unless you are one of those who believes that God Him/Herself has planned it this way. More and more people have or have had the disease each day, it's just that its spread is more limited. All that being said, do you really believe that the numbers are correct? This from a group that lies about what it ate for breakfast? All these EMT's are arriving at homes with dead people who have not been tested, so are we thus to assume that The Grim Reaper arrived and pointed to the Salmon Mousse as the cause. (Some of you will get this reference, others, not).

b. A conferred immunity from time from the admission of the existence of the outbreak which may be described as either December 31st of last year, or 24 hours ago, depending upon your political party and obeisance to the (so-called) President. The way these politicians of all stripes and media people talk, it's like the people who've confined themselves to their homes...well...now they're gonna be okie-dokie, artichokie, and it's back to work and socialization for you, and no worries...

2. Since you've taken the time to read this, I have a story for you: many years ago in the early era of mass-produced dental implants, there was an inventor who started the Branemark Company, whose name was coincidentally Branemark. Anyway, he offered courses to dentists in the placement of his (shitty) implants and I do recall some really weird pronouncements that these individuals returned from their courses. I questioned one issue, and the dentist said to me, and I'll never forget it, "If Dr. Branemark said that I would have to wear a jester's hat when I placed the implant or it would fail, I would." I told him he was the second most ridiculous person I'd ever met and that was that. Just because you're a doctor...or a dentist, or an engineer, or an biologist does not mean that you have no biases or weird personality traits. But I'm going to state for the record that I'm not a big fan of any of the experts who are appearing on the dais with this poor excuse for a human being. They have been to some degree been coopted, and mark my words, this is much worse than they're letting on. You only know what you're allowed to hear, and when I hear the outside experts speaking, I can hear the real concern in their voices and their measured language. There is great caution and concern in their verbiage and well that there should be.

[gibraltar72]

1. And little to no testing.

[PCIntern]

2. We don't need no stinking testing...nt

[BComplex]

4. If you don't test, you don't have any idea if the numbers of infected people are decreasing.

All you know is that you haven't tested anybody to find out if they are sick.

[gibraltar72]

5. By Jove I believe you've got it.

[PCIntern]

17. If you don't take a temperature

you can’t find a fever

[gratuitous]

3. Trump is desperately trying to find a shortcut

He's already bored with this little problem and it's really cut into his golf game and executive time. He can't hold his little Nurembergs, and he's starving for adulation. He could hire a team of trained seals to clap and bark, but it's just not the same. This intransigent little problem even has the cheek to begin impinging on his re-election chances. And that is an aggression that will not stand, man.

So Trump stands at the edge of the shore, a latter day King Cnut, commanding Covid-19 to stop its ravages. And like the former, Trump has his dedicated band of courtiers flattering him and encouraging him that in his greatness he can command a virus and bend it to his will. Trump vs. Coronavirus: Who ya got?

[dweller]

6. 1918 pandemic death toll 50-100 million

give or take a million ?

✌🏼

[Squinch]

7. From the beginning of this, the ONLY thing they have competently done has

been to hide the real number of infections, thereby hiding the real number of deaths.

They have taken to stealing tests municipalities have bought with no warning or explanation.

We know who they are, and we know what they are but people keep believing them and their sources and mouthpieces.

That being said, though, while everything you have said is absolutely true, the fact that the number of infected is taking 7 days to double instead of 3 IS a huge improvement. It IS great news.

But Donnie Bodybags will find a way to fuck that up.

[PCIntern]

8. Yes, and it is necessary to say that

Although it takes the pressure off of hospitals it is by no means a guarantee that the eventual result of this will be the same or nearly the same number of deaths or very ill individuals who will carry the disease in perpetuity.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

9. The definition of an expert,

a squirt under pressure.

[PCIntern]

10. In clinical academics an expert is

someone from out of town with slides you’ve never seen before.

[Captain Zero]

15. And a consultant is....

A guy who knows a hundred ways to have sex, but doesn't have a girlfriend.

or

A guy who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is.

[Historic NY]

11. So far as wacky as the west coast is at times

its citizens proving the distancing and other precautions are working in California and Washington. They got to it sooner. Rep. Porter today yes the Total numbers shifted from the assumptions mostly because fresh accurate data is making those changes.

Initial assumption that only 50% of the population would follow the rules and warning, social distancing. The task force was actually surprised its actually higher. Most people are heeding the warnings.

One other thing Rep.Porter stressed this was all business start to finish, lead by the VP. no bullshit actual answers.

[cos dem]

12. But I didn't eat the mousse!

[bucolic_frolic]

13. This time period is the Phony Recovery

We've wrapped our heads around it, and are glad to see Congress taking action. But there are unknown number of cases out there, hospitals in critical areas are overwhelmed and will be for 4-6 weeks even as other critical hotspots popup with similar magnitude. We think the economy is ok because generally we have food and Wall Street is afloat and checks are on the way as payment deadlines are relaxed. But there are postings of food shortages which are perhaps distribution problems, and to watch a critical point on this, social service agencies are flooded with requests for food because paycheckers don't have the cash flow to buy what they did. Food that went to restaurants is slow to surface in the retail distribution system. Spending will be slow to recover, I mean very slow, months and months slow, well into 2021, and even there until a vaccine is universally administered, wavelets will recur and bog things down.

So yes, per the OP, things are not good and don't let anyone tell you they are.

And OP, PCIntern, Phillies? Al Kaline passed this week, I watched several games from the '68 Series. Like everything else, in retrospect there are so many things they didn't tell you at the time, and still won't tell you lest they start a war. Bad manager decisions go unnoticed, skills deployed at prime spots trump rah-rah grandstanding, and no one will tell the public, as if it makes any difference. But as in sports, as in politics. The public is shaded with wool hats. Nobody telling it like it is.

[LiberalArkie]

14. Numbers going down because people died at home or on the street?

[mgardener]

16. How many people are sick at home??

If we are not testing those with symptoms, then we don't know how many are sick.
I don't trust Trump and his crew.
Didn't he say he wanted everybody in church this Sunday.
Well, I bet there will be outbreaks in 7-10 days in the states that allowed it.

[niyad]

18. KNR

[live love laugh]

19. Which is why I don't get Dr. Fauci's rave reviews...

that Fauci is part of the “inner circle” automatically diminishes his standing in my book.

[PCIntern]

20. Ex-actly

I was saying that back in the GRID/AIDS era

[I_UndergroundPanther]

27. Same here

He sucks up to a narcissist criminal
That right there makes me question whatever he says. It points to a lack of integrity in him.

[crickets]

21. K&R for the post and the discussion.

[Turbineguy]

22. We have a retired Physician in our building who voted for trump.

It would seem to me that if you are smart enough to get through medical school, you'd be way to smart to vote for trump.

But that's not so.

[PCIntern]

23. What do they call the person who graduated last

in his or her class in Medical School?

Doctor.

[lunatica]

24. Thanks for this thread

If I see your name I open the thread. You are one of the DUers who can be trusted.

[PCIntern]

25. I'm honored

Sincerely.

You’re one of the names I recognize and respect immensely from “forever”ago.

[SheltieLover]

26. Great Post!👍

mark my words, this is much worse than they're letting on. You only know what you're allowed to hear,

Absolutely this!

Thank you for posting this.

[thucythucy]

28. I have the same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach

that I had when Bush II was selected.

Back then I thought--we're doomed, unless we can somehow drift through the next four years without a crisis.

Actually, the feeling now is worse. I don't dare put my darkest thoughts into writing because it would only serve to depress others (or perhaps call my sanity into question).

There was an article posted here earlier today from Germany, I think the title was something like "The Implosion of a Superpower."

I think that's going to be the theme of a very many books and documentaries about this era.

[Ferrets are Cool]

29. K and R

[Baked Potato]

30. They have a schedule to keep.