Emergency over coronavirus

I am living in the middle of the emergency over coronavirus in Finland. Due this reason the update cycle to make posting to this blog could be slowed down.

The Finnish government announced on Monday nationwide school closures in order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Read more on the following aricles:

Finland closes schools, declares state of emergency over coronavirus
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_closes_schools_declares_state_of_emergency_over_coronavirus/11260062

Daycare centres are to stay open but parents were asked to keep their kids home if possible. The government also published a 19-point list of emergency legislation that takes effect on 18 March.

Coronavirus latest: 359 cases confirmed in Finland, S-Group shuts its Helsinki eateries, bankruptcy fears mount
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/coronavirus_latest_359_cases_confirmed_in_finland_s-group_shuts_its_helsinki_eateries_bankruptcy_fears_mount/11249610

Here is a link to an earlier post related to Coronavirus:
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2020/02/12/mobile-trends-2020-mwc-canceled/

1,657 Comments

  1. Tomi Engdahl says:

    239 Experts With One Big Claim: The Coronavirus Is Airborne
    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/health/239-experts-with-one-big-claim-the-coronavirus-is-airborne.html

    The W.H.O. has resisted mounting evidence that viral particles floating indoors are infectious, some scientists say. The agency maintains the research is still inconclusive.

    The coronavirus is finding new victims worldwide, in bars and restaurants, offices, markets and casinos, giving rise to frightening clusters of infection that increasingly confirm what many scientists have been saying for months: The virus lingers in the air indoors, infecting those nearby.

    If airborne transmission is a significant factor in the pandemic, especially in crowded spaces with poor ventilation, the consequences for containment will be significant. Masks may be needed indoors, even in socially-distant settings. Health care workers may need N95 masks that filter out even the smallest respiratory droplets as they care for coronavirus patients.

    Ventilation systems in schools, nursing homes, residences and businesses may need to minimize recirculating air and add powerful new filters. Ultraviolet lights may be needed to kill viral particles floating in tiny droplets indoors.

    The World Health Organization has long held that the coronavirus is spread primarily by large respiratory droplets that, once expelled by infected people in coughs and sneezes, fall quickly to the floor.

    But in an open letter to the W.H.O., 239 scientists in 32 countries have outlined the evidence showing that smaller particles can infect people, and are calling for the agency to revise its recommendations.

    Reply
  2. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The 3 Biggest States Have All Broken Coronavirus Death Records
    http://on.forbes.com/6188GT7du

    Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. declined from early May through mid-June, but have picked up recently, and are now pacing at just under 1,000 per day.

    Experts have said that deaths lag behind increases in cases and hospitalizations, with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb saying in an interview Sunday that “the total number of deaths is going to start going up again.”

    4.3%. According to Johns Hopkins University, that’s what the current mortality rate is among confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S., a number that’s continually dropped as testing has increased. However, health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci said early on in the pandemic that they believe the actual mortality rate is around 1%, which is still at least 10 times the lethality of the seasonal flu. And Gottlieb noted that even if the reported death rate continues to drop, if there is an increase in infections, the amount of deaths will ultimately rise, as well.

    Reply
  3. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Worse Than Covid-19? China And Kazakhstan Disagree Over “New” Virus
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2020/07/10/worse-than-covid-19-china-and-kazakhstan-disagree-over-new-virus/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    It never ends. Another virus? A new pnuemonia? Kazakhstan disagrees with their Chinese counterparts. Here, a Kazakh woman receives a swab test for Covid-19 on June 16, 2020. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/ via Getty Images) Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

    China is panicking the world over viruses and here is another one: an unknown pneumonia sweeping Kazakhstan that was highlighted by the Chinese Embassy as a fair warning to their biggest Silk Road partner in Central Asia.

    The story broke on Thursday. And on Friday, Kazakhstan rejected China’s warning of a new bug circulating on its home turf.

    “The death rate of this disease is much higher than the novel coronavirus. The country’s health departments are conducting comparative research into the pneumonia virus, but have yet to identify it,” the embassy said in a warning to Chinese citizens in the country.

    Kazakhstan public health officials said it was standard pneumonia.

    Reply
  4. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Trump’s Coronavirus Response More Unpopular Than Ever, Poll Finds
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/07/10/trumps-coronavirus-response-more-unpopular-than-ever-poll-finds/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    More Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic than at any point since it began, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released Friday, as the president has largely ignored the surging number of Covid-19 cases across the U.S. and pushed to reopen schools.

    Only 33% of Americans approve of Trump’s coronavirus response, while 67% disapprove.

    Reply
  5. Tomi Engdahl says:

    A German biotech firm working with Pfizer Inc. to develop a coronavirus vaccine claims it’s confident it will be ready to seek regulatory approval for the widespread distribution of its drug by the end of the year.

    Coronavirus Vaccine Approval Might Be Sought This Year, According To CEO
    http://on.forbes.com/6184GpwSy

    A German biotech firm working with New York-based pharma giant Pfizer Inc. to develop a coronavirus vaccine claims it’s confident it will be ready to seek regulatory approval for widespread distribution of its drug by the end of the year, its chief executive told the Wall Street Journal, making what scientists had seen as an optimistic goal appear achievable.

    There is no cure for the deadly virus that in seven months has infected 12.3 million people worldwide and caused more than a half million deaths, meaning the winner of the vaccine sweepstakes stands to bring in billions.

    Earlier this week, U.S. vaccine specialist Novavax said in a news release it will receive $1.6 billion from the federal government to support the development of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate as a new member of the government’s Operation Warp Speed (OWS) program, which aims to accelerate development of a vaccine.

    July is a crucial moment in the race to hit the end-of-year target. “If things go the way it looks like they’re going, one of these [vaccine candidates] will enter phase 3 at the end of July,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases doctor, said in a Facebook live event, according to NBC News.

    The Holy Grail for Big Pharma today is finding a vaccine that can stop the spread of a virus that has caused the worst infectious disease outbreak in a single year or season in the U.S. since the 1918–’19 influenza pandemic.

    Last week, the FDA said that to win approval, a Covid-19 vaccine would need to be at least 50% more effective than a placebo. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said he thinks eradicating the disease will take a vaccine that’s 70% effective—and received by 70% of the population, according to FiercePharma.

    Reply
  6. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Leaving Airplane Middle Seats Empty Could Cut Coronavirus Risk Almost In Half, A Study Says
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/07/11/leaving-airplane-middle-seats-empty-could-cut-coronavirus-risk-almost-in-half-a-study-says/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#6363ca241a0c

    A new research paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that blocking out the middle seat on airplanes could cause the likelihood of passengers being infected with coronavirus to drop by nearly half, just as some airlines are starting to book flights to capacity again.

    According to the MIT paper (which has not been peer reviewed) the chances of catching coronavirus from a nearby passenger on a full airplane when all coach seats are filled is about 1 in 4,300.

    However, those odds drop to 1 in 7,700 when all the middle seats on board are left empty, the paper states.

    Taking into account a 1% mortality rate according to the statistical model, the likelihood of dying from a coronavirus case contracted on a plane is far more likely than dying in a plane crash, which has odds of about 1 in 34 million, the paper stated.

    “The airlines are setting their own policies but the airlines and the public should know about the risk implications of their choices,” Barnett told ZDNet this week.

    United Airlines warned this week that it could be forced to furlough 36,000 jobs, or nearly half of its American workers, starting in October if travel doesn’t pick up.

    If airlines continue to extend their policy of keeping middle seats blocked off or if they’ll be forced to book to capacity to turn a profit. Southwest and Delta have both committed to keeping their middle seats blocked off until at least the end of September

    Reply
  7. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Pompeo: China Will ‘Pay A Price’ For Coronavirus Pandemic
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/07/15/pompeo-china-will-pay-a-price-for-coronavirus-pandemic/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    As the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly across the United States and diplomatic relations with China continue to deteriorate, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told The Hill that the world will “absolutely” make China “pay a price” for the spread of the virus.

    Pompeo said he expects that price to come in the form of chillier relations with the global superpower. 

    Reply
  8. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The sailors tested negative and self-quarantined before they set sail. 35 days later, 57 out of 61 people onboard have tested positive.

    Mysterious Covid-19 Outbreak On Ship After 35 Days At Sea Stumps Scientists
    https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/mysterious-covid19-outbreak-on-ship-after-35-days-at-sea-stumps-scientists/

    Argentina is currently dealing with a mysterious Covid-19 outbreak onboard a ship that’s been out at sea for over 35 days. Considering all the sailors tested negative and self-quarantined before they set sail, no one is quite sure how the virus came aboard and infected dozens of crewmembers.

    At least 57 out of 61 people onboard the Etchizen Maru fishing trawler have tested positive for Covid-19

    Reply
  9. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Travel Alert: Americans From 26 States Should Stay Home, Per Harvard’s COVID-19 Tracking Site
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2020/07/16/travel-alert-americans-from-26-states-should-stay-home-per-harvards-covid-19-tracking-site/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Americans from 26 states — more than half of the country — should not be traveling right now, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute’s risk-assessment map.

    Reply
  10. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Koronakriisin tuoma globaali taloudellinen epävarmuus heitti suuryritykset suuren tuntemattoman eteen. Miten suuryrityksissä reagoitiin kriisin alkuvaiheessa? Ja mitkä ovat tärkeimmät koronkriisistä käteen jäävät opit?

    Mitä yritys voi oppia kriisistä?
    https://op.media/yrityselama/yrittajyys/mita-yritys-voi-oppia-kriisista-74f60c56505b40798703f6e123d03609

    Koronakriisin tuoma globaali taloudellinen epävarmuus heitti suuryritykset suuren tuntemattoman eteen. Miten suuryrityksissä reagoitiin kriisin alkuvaiheessa? Ja mitkä ovat tärkeimmät koronkriisistä käteen jäävät opit?

    Reply
  11. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Another day, another astonishing utterance from the Trump administration on the coronavirus.

    On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany argued that science, in regards to COVID-19, should not “stand in the way” of the president’s desire for schools to re-open nationwide in the fall.

    https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/White-House-Science-Should-Not-Stand-in-the-15414265.php

    Reply
  12. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Repeating N.Y.’s Nightmare, Texas And Arizona Request Refrigerated Trucks For Filling Morgues
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/07/17/repeating-nys-nightmare-texas-and-arizona-request-refrigerated-trucks-for-filling-morgues/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    Reminiscent of New York at its worst, Texas and Arizona officials have ordered refrigerated trucks and extra body bags for their rapidly filling morgues, in a marker of how the coronavirus pandemic is spinning out of control in Southern and Western states.

    Soaring infections across the South and West have pushed hospitals in Texas, Arizona and Florida to near capacity as hospitalizations and deaths continue to tick upwards; South Florida also warned yesterday that it was running low on remdesivir, one of few drugs proven effective in treating Covid-19. 

    While New York was completely locked down during its hardest-hit month of April, Arizona and Florida do not yet have mask mandates, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced a plan for schools to return for in-person learning come fall. 

    Reply
  13. Tomi Engdahl says:

    ‘This Was Avoidable’: Zuckerberg Slams Trump Administration’s Covid Response
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/07/16/this-was-avoidable-zuckerberg-slams-trump-administrations-covid-response/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg blasted the Trump administration for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic during a Thursday interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, taking particular aim at White House attempts to undermine the credibility of the nation’s top infectious diseases expert.

    “It’s really disappointing that we still don’t have adequate testing, the credibility of our top scientists like yourself in the CDC is being undermined and until recently, parts of the administration were calling into question whether people should follow basic best practices like wearing masks,” said Zuckerberg during a frank discussion about the pandemic with Fauci on Facebook Live. 

    The tech CEO said Fauci had been “generous” with his criticism of the U.S. coronavirus response and suggested that Covid-19’s fiery resurgence was “avoidable.” 

    Fauci responded by critiquing an “unfortunate mindset” that public health measures and getting the economy back on track are two opposing forces. 

    “As I’ve said before and as I’m repeating with you here Mark, we should be looking at public health measures as a vehicle or a gateway of opening the country again, to getting the economy back,” said Fauci. 

    Reply
  14. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Maailma voi olla koronaviruksen jälkeen kovin erilainen – tämä kaikki saattaa tapahtua https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000006570244.html

    Reply
  15. Tomi Engdahl says:

    CDC Director Robert Redfield said the U.S. could control the pandemic in months if everyone wears face coverings.

    Here Are All The Major Retailers Requiring Customers To Wear Masks
    https://on.forbes.com/6183GXo9f

    Thirty states have mandated that customers wear masks in stores, regardless of retailer policy. Despite a surge in cases, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, have not issued a statewide order. Though the majority of Americans say they are wearing masks in public, according to a July 6 Gallup poll, the issue has become politicized and a small group of vocal opponents have been featured in scores of viral videos confronting frontline workers about the issue. Some incidents have even turned violent as frontline workers say they’ve been assaulted in fights with customers.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said this week the U.S. could “shut down transmission” and have coronavirus under control in four to eight weeks if every American were to wear a face mask.

    Reply
  16. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Coronavirus hospital data will now be sent to Trump administration instead of CDC
    https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/politics/trump-administration-coronavirus-hospital-data-cdc/index.html

    Washington (CNN) – Hospital data on coronavirus patients will now be rerouted to the Trump administration instead of first being sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.

    Reply
  17. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Young People Most Likely To Spread Coronavirus At Home, Large Study Finds
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/07/18/young-people-most-likely-to-spread-coronavirus-at-home-large-study-finds/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Younger people aged 10 to 19 years old are more likely than other age groups to spread the coronavirus in their household, according to a large contact tracing study in South Korea soon to be published by the Centers for Disease Control, a concerning sign as U.S. school districts weigh whether to reopen for in-person classes in the fall.

    The study found that young people, between the ages of 10 to 19, were not often the first in their household to show symptoms—but when they were, 18.6% of their contacts contracted the disease, which is more than any other age group.

    By contrast, children 9 years old and younger were the least likely group to spread coronavirus in their household, with 5.3% of their contacts—which represents three people—testing positive.

    The second-most likely age group to spread the coronavirus in their household are older adults 70-79, who had 18% of their household contacts become infected (60-69 year olds follow with 17%).

    Outside the household, older people between the ages of 70 and 79 were the most likely to spread the disease, with 4.8% of their non-household contacts becoming infected.

    “We showed that household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was high if the index patient was 10–19 years of age,” the study says. “… The role of household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 amid reopening of schools and loosening of social distancing underscores the need for a time-sensitive epidemiologic study to guide public health policy.”

    Reply
  18. Tomi Engdahl says:

    ‘It Is What It Is’: Trump Continues To Dismiss Severity Of The Virus As Outbreak Worsens
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/07/19/it-is-what-it-is-trump-continues-to-dismiss-severity-of-the-virus-as-outbreak-worsens/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    In an interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace that aired Sunday, President Trump continued to propagate his long-held belief that the coronavirus pandemic is overhyped, incorrectly asserting that the U.S. has the lowest mortality rate of any country and that most non-fatal cases are harmless.

    “It is what it is. Take a look at Europe,” Trump said of the fact that the U.S. is seeing nearly 1,000 coronavirus deaths a day, despite saying he takes the virus “very seriously.”

    Trump also reiterated his opposition to a mask mandate, saying he wants Americans to “have a certain freedom,” adding that “masks cause problems too.”

    Reply
  19. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Covid-19 has forced businesses to change how they operate with great speed and agility. Meanwhile, hackers have been equally innovative.
    WIRED and Accenture have examined the company strategies being used to stay secure during the pandemic #WIREDpartner https://buff.ly/2OkATHJ

    The Covid-19 risks businesses may not have considered
    https://www.wired.co.uk/article/business-risks-coronavirus-hacking-accenture

    The pandemic has forced businesses to change how they operate with great speed and agility – but they’re not the only ones. Hackers and scammers have been equally innovative

    Reply
  20. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Nearly A Third Of Americans Believe Covid-19 Death Toll Conspiracy Theory
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/07/21/nearly-a-third-of-americans-believe-covid-19-death-toll-conspiracy-theory/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Even as cases of Covid-19 and hospitalizations surge across the U.S.—and public trust in what President Donald Trump says about the virus falls—a growing number of Americans are buying into a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated, an Axios/Ipsos poll released Tuesday found.

    31% of Americans believe that the Covid-19 death toll is less than officially reported—up from 23% in early May—while 34% believe the actual death toll is higher than the official number.

    The number of Americans who believe the death toll is inflated is highest among those who get their news from Fox News (61%) and Republicans (59%), while only 9% of Democrats and 7% of those getting their news from CNN and MSNBC believe the same.

    The idea that the official coronavirus death toll has been inflated has been pushed most heavily by conservative media—which argue that Democrats are inflating the number to weaponize the death count against Trump—and Axios reported in May that Trump and some of his aides also believe the theory.

    Reply
  21. Tomi Engdahl says:

    “We live in highly tribal and partisan times, and people are more likely to believe cues and signals from their political leaders than the scientists or the experts,” Cliff Young, president of Ipsos U.S. Public Affairs, told Axios. “People can see the world around them, they know it’s different, but they still can think that the media and politicos are using it to go after Trump.”

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/07/21/nearly-a-third-of-americans-believe-covid-19-death-toll-conspiracy-theory/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Reply
  22. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Maailmalla käydään jo kauppaa lupaavista koronarokotteista – Suomi ei ole tehnyt päätöstä mistään rokotteesta
    https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11462029

    Reply
  23. Tomi Engdahl says:

    19 States Still Don’t Mandate Masks. 18 Are Run By Republican Governors.
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/07/24/19-states-still-dont-mandate-masks-18-are-run-by-republican-governors/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    Of the 19 states that have yet to issue a mask mandate, 18 are run by Republican governors, a sign facial covering orders remain a partisan issue among public officials even as polling shows the divide around them fading.

    Reply
  24. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Coronavirus: ‘Infection here for many years to come’
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53488142

    The UK will be living with coronavirus for many years to come and even a vaccine is unlikely to eliminate it for good, experts are warning.

    Reply
  25. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Lähde:
    “Overall, more than 52 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits over the past 18 weeks, and that makes this the biggest spike in unemployment in U.S. history by a very wide margin.”

    “Of course it isn’t just the employment numbers that are depressingly bad. According to Jefferies, in late June 19 percent of all U.S. small businesses were closed, but now that number has risen to 24.5 percent…”

    “Yelp’s Economic Average report out Wednesday shows exactly how tough: 60 percent of the 26,160 temporarily closed restaurants on the business review site as of July are now permanently shut. Temporary closures are dropping, and permanent shutdowns are increasing.”

    “In New York City, it is being projected that one-third of all small businesses will never be able to open again…

    As many as 76,000 small businesses in New York City – a third of the 230,000 citywide – may never reopen after forced to close during the COVID-19 lockdown, business leaders have warned.”

    http://themostimportantnews.com/archives/the-numbers-tell-us-that-the-economic-recovery-is-dead-and-businesses-are-failing-at-a-staggering-pace

    Reply
  26. Tomi Engdahl says:

    30% of Americans missed their housing payments in June
    https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/30percent-of-americans-missed-their-housing-payments-in-june.html

    As the United States continues to face record unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic, 30% of Americans missed their housing payments in June, according to a survey by Apartment List, an online rental platform.

    That’s up from 24% who missed their payment just two months earlier in April and about on par with the 31% who missed payments in May. Renters, younger and lower-income households and urban dwellers were the groups most likely to miss their housing payments, Apartment List found.

    Some 37% of renters and 26% of homeowners are at least somewhat worried that they will face eviction or foreclosure in the next six months

    homelessness could increase by between 40% and 45% this year over where it was in January 2019.

    Some legal experts expect “at least” 50,000 eviction filings in New York City alone

    “In the current climate, with unemployment at record levels and with many unable to pay rent for Covid-related reasons, neither housing court judges nor our lawyers will be able to resolve many of these disputes, resulting in evictions, displacement, homelessness, senseless exposure to infection and more difficulty in containing Covid-19,” writes The Right to Counsel NYC Coalition in a letter to Lawrence K. Marks, Chief Administrative Judge at the New York State Unified Court System.

    To prevent a homelessness crisis, governors could extend, or put into place for the first time, universal eviction moratoriums for the duration of the coronavirus crisis, advocates argue.

    Reply
  27. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Covid-19 has forced businesses to change how they operate with great speed and agility. Meanwhile, hackers have been equally innovative.
    WIRED and Accenture have examined the company strategies being used to stay secure during the pandemic #WIREDpartner https://buff.ly/2OkATHJ

    Reply
  28. Tomi Engdahl says:

    “Like Nothing We’ve Ever Seen”: Imminent Eviction Wave Is Coming To These States
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/imminent-eviction-waves-could-be-seen-these-states

    The eviction moratorium expired last Friday nearly four months after the US economy effectively shutdown due to the covid pandemic, and more than 12 million renters – all behind on rent payments because of the virus-induced recession – are now at imminent risk of getting booted to the curb.

    This Friday, some 25 million Americans will no longer receive their weekly $600 federal unemployment checks, and the next round of government handouts, currently discussed by Republicans and Democrats, could see benefits slashed from $600 to $200 (or be nothing at all if no deal is reached in Congress). This would crush household finances across middle-class America, resulting in an even higher number of households unable to pay their rent bill in the months ahead.

    Reply
  29. Tomi Engdahl says:

    FAO: Tutkimukset osoittavat, että korona ei leviä lihaa sisältävissä elintarvikkeissa
    https://www.maaseuduntulevaisuus.fi/ruoka/artikkeli-1.1151013

    Reply
  30. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The First U.S. Dog Diagnosed With Coronavirus Has Reportedly Died
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/07/30/the-first-us-dog-diagnosed-with-coronavirus-has-reportedly-died/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    As the pandemic devastating the United States has infected millions of Americans, National Geographic has reported that the first dog in the country to be diagnosed with the coronavirus died earlier this month after a months-long battle with the virus, and the case highlights how little experts know about the disease’s effects on animals.

    Reply
  31. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Moderna’s 30,000-participant Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial kicks off in the US
    https://tcrn.ch/2OWQuOd

    The largest trial yet for a potential COVID-19 vaccine began on Monday, as drug company Moderna began providing the first of an anticipated 30,000 volunteers with shots of its candidates. This is a blind trial, wherein some participants will get the vaccine and some will get placebos. Each participant will get two doses, and researchers will study them to see which group suffers more actual infections as they proceed about their lives as they would normally.

    Reply
  32. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Dunkin’, McDonalds, And Starbucks To Close Hundreds Of U.S. Restaurants
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandrasternlicht/2020/07/30/dunkin-mcdonalds-and-starbucks-to-close-hundreds-of-us-restaurants/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    Dunkin’, McDonalds and Starbucks will close a combined 1,400 locations across the U.S.,  as the companies report major sales plunges amid the coronavirus crisis.

    Reply
  33. Tomi Engdahl says:

    If Covid-19 Really Isn’t A Big Threat To The Average Airline Passenger But No Airline Bothers To Tell The Story, Does It Make Any Noise?
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2020/07/30/if-covid-19-really-isnt-a-big-threat-to-the-average-airline-passenger-but-no-airline-bothers-to-tell-the-story-does-it-make-any-noise/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Air travelers gradually are becoming less fearful of catching the Covid-19 virus on planes. Could airlines attract even more customers by publicizing the very low odds against their catching the virus on a commercial flight?

    If every airline in the United States joined together in advertising that the average person has only about a 0.013% chance of getting (not dying from, just getting) Covid-19 from traveling aboard a commercial airliner in which every seat is filled, would that be enough to get you to fly again?

    After all, the reverse of that number translates into a 99.987% chance that you won’t catch Covid-19 on such a flight?

    Compared with a lot of other risky and not-so-risky things people do all the time, catching Covid-19 from flying on a full plane today is not very likely at all. In fact, statistically speaking, it’s only a tiny bit less likely than the average person being killed by commercial fireworks, or by a falling meteorite. And neither of those come close to qualifying as a common cause of death.

    Indeed, the average person’s chances of being killed – not just involved in, but actually dying from – a car crash are much, much higher; about 1-in-103 every time you get in one. Yet few people give a second thought to getting into a vehicle to drive or ride somewhere. And it’s likely safer to fly now than doing a lot of things in public that many Americans are doing regularly once again, like shopping in food stores, eating in restaurants, going into their offices to work, and gathering in groups of 10 or more.

    Data, used appropriately, can convince some – though not all – consumers that not every activity they’re avoiding right now like – well, the plague – actually is an activity that needs to be avoided. And in the case of Covid-19, that’s especially true if people follow the widely promulgated hygiene practices aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 (wearing a mask, frequent washing of hands with soap or the use of disinfectant gels, social distancing and more). Carriers also need to show sensitivity by communicating effectively that while flying is much more safe than most people now believe, for those at elevated levels of risk because of their age and/or underlying health issues it’s still a good idea not to fly – yet.

    Reply
  34. Tomi Engdahl says:

    New Evidence Suggests Young Children Spread Covid-19 More Efficiently Than Adults
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2020/07/31/new-evidence-suggests-young-children-spread-covid-19-more-efficiently-than-adults/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

    Two new studies, though from different parts of the world, have arrived at the same conclusion: that young children not only transmit SARS-CoV-2 efficiently, but may be major drivers of the pandemic as well. 

    Whenever these young children cough, sneeze, or shout, they expel virus-laden droplets from the nasopharynx into the air. If they have as much as one hundred times the amount of virus in their throat and nasal passages as adults, it only makes sense that they would spread the virus more efficiently. The study also shows that children from the ages of 5 to 17, also with mild to moderate Covid-19 symptoms, have the same amount of virus in the nasopharynx as adults age 18 and above. 

    The authors conclude it is likely that young children, while not as prone to suffering from Covid-19 infection, still drive its spread—just as they do with several other respiratory diseases.

    The researchers found that although young children had a somewhat lower risk of infection than adults and were less likely to become ill, children age 14 and younger transmit the virus more efficiently to other children and adults than adults themselves. Their risk of transmitting Covid-19 was 22.4 percent—more than twice that of adults aged 30 to 49, whose rate of contagiousness was about 11 percent. “Although childhood contacts were less likely to become cases,” they wrote, “children were more likely to infect household members.”

    Reply
  35. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Schools are reopening across the world after COVID-19 lockdowns.

    As a parent, this is what you need to know to help keep your child safe and healthy.

    ‘What will a return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic look like?’
    https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/what-will-return-school-during-covid-19-pandemic-look?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=coronavirus

    What parents need to know about school reopening in the age of coronavirus.

    Life during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for parents and children alike. The return to school is an important and hopefully welcome step, but you and your children likely have many questions. Here’s the latest information on what to expect and how you can support your young student.

    Given the difficulty of the situation and variation across the globe, countries are in different stages regarding how and when they plan to reopen schools. These decisions will usually be made by national or state governments, often in discussion with local authorities. They will have to consider public health, the benefits and risks for education and other factors.

    Reply
  36. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Jobs devastation as state’s economy goes into deep freeze
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/jobs-devastation-as-state-s-economy-goes-into-deep-freeze-20200803-p55i5k.html

    A quarter of a million more Victorians will be stood down or sent home as thousands more shops, offices and factories close their doors this week under stage four COVID-19 restrictions.

    As the state reported another 13 lives lost to the coronavirus on Monday, with 429 new cases, Premier Daniel Andrews pledged that essential shops in metropolitan Melbourne, including supermarkets, bottle shops, pharmacies, petrol stations, banks, post offices and news agencies, would all stay open.

    But most other shops, including department stores, hairdressers, and furniture and homeware stores, will close their doors to the public from midnight on Wednesday, with trading limited to click-and-collect services for online shoppers.

    Mr Andrews said the government believed about 250,000 workers would be stood down or sent home under the latest changes, joining the other 250,000 who have been stood down since the pandemic began. An additional 500,000 Victorians are thought to be working from home.

    “Whilst I never thought that I would be telling people not to work, that is what we have to do in order to stop the spread of this wildly infectious virus, this deadly loss,” the Premier said.

    “This will have a very significant impact, but until we fix the health problem until we get these case numbers down to a much, much lower level, then we simply cannot open the economy up again,” Mr Andrews said.

    Reply
  37. Tomi Engdahl says:

    260 Employees Of Largest School District In Georgia Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus Or Are In Quarantine

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/08/03/260-employees-of-largest-school-district-in-georgia-have-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-or-are-in-quarantine/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    Despite President Trump’s continued insistence that all schools reopen for in-person learning, the country has already experienced some concerning setbacks while preparing for the academic year, with Georgia’s largest school district confirming over the weekend that more than 250 employees have either tested positive for Covid-19 or been exposed to the virus.

    Georgia’s Gwinnett County Public School teachers began in-person pre-planning last Wednesday, yet, within 24 hours, approximately 260 employees had been excluded from work due to a positive Covid-19 result or contact with a case.

    Reply
  38. Tomi Engdahl says:

    A Second-Grader Went Back To School And Tested Positive For Coronavirus The Next Day
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/08/05/a-second-grader-went-back-to-school-and-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-the-next-day/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

    A second-grader in Georgia has tested positive for coronavirus after going back to school this week, sending the teacher and entire class into a two-week quarantine and raising more questions about whether children going back to class for in-person instruction is safe during the coronavirus pandemic that has thus far infected 4.7 million Americans.

    The district, which confirmed the outbreak, said the child began to develop symptoms when they arrived back at home after the first day of school Monday, and ended up testing positive.

    The diagnosed child, their teacher and 20 classmates have been sent home to quarantine for 14 days and will continue instruction virtually.

    The school district offered both virtual and in-person learning options, and of Cherokee County’s 42,000 students, more than 75% opted to go back to physical classrooms, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

    Reply
  39. Tomi Engdahl says:

    China’s exports show surprising surge in July, powered by demand for lockdown goods overseas
    https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3096403/chinas-exports-surprising-surge-july-strong-trade-recovery?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=share_widget&utm_campaign=3096403

    China’s exports surged 7.2 per cent in July, with shipments well ahead of analysts’ expectations
    Strong shipments of medical supplies, electronics and ‘work-from-home equipment’ power July’s boom, with exporters capitalising on lockdowns overseas

    Reply
  40. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Back To School: A Billion Students Still Hit By Closures
    https://www.statista.com/chart/22484/coronavirus-school-closures-worldwide/

    1,058,547,236. Back to school season is just around the corner and that’s the number of learners who still aren’t able to attend class (as of early August) due to the pandemic. According to UNESCO, that figure represents 60.5 percent of all learners worldwide though it is an improvement on the 1.4 billion students kept out of school in mid March. At that point, there were national school closures in 138 countries and that has now fallen to 105.

    Reply
  41. Rose Martine says:

    “An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been doing a little
    homework on this. And he actually ordered me dinner simply because
    I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this….
    Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to discuss
    this topic here on your blog.”

    Reply
  42. Tomi Engdahl says:

    The study, conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and published in the Lancet medical journal, said that hunger stemming from coronavirus restrictions is causing the deaths of 10,000 children per month and stunting the growth of another 550,000 per month.

    Study: Coronavirus restrictions killing 10,000 children per month and ‘wasting’ and ‘stunting’ millions more
    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/study-coronavirus-restrictions-killing-10-000-children-per-month-and-wasting-and-stunting-millions-more?fbclid=IwAR292wGSJ8W6xS5RB0cE4EmFLRJ9Ipd4AUphg0sRKLVBOMQ0Qa7Ee-Y0xwE

    “It’s been seven months since the first COVID-19 cases were reported, and it is increasingly clear that the repercussions of the pandemic are causing more harm to children than the disease itself,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. “Household poverty and food insecurity rates have increased.”

    “By having schools closed, by having primary healthcare services disrupted, by having nutritional programs dysfunctional, we are also creating harm,” Victor Aguayo, the head of UNICEF’s nutrition program, said.

    The disruption of food chains has caused prices to rise, making it difficult for many regions that already had difficulty acquiring food before the pandemic even more difficult,

    “The food security effects of the COVID crisis are going to reflect many years from now,” Branca said. “There is going to be a societal effect.”

    An “increase in child malnutrition” is causing “steep declines in household incomes, changes in the availability and affordability of nutritious foods, and interruptions to health, nutrition, and social protection services,” according to the study.

    “Estimates from the International Food Policy Research Institute suggest that because of the pandemic an additional 140 million people will be thrown into living in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 per day in 2020. According to the World Food Program, the number of people in low and middle income countries facing acute food insecurity will nearly double to 265 million by the end of 2020.”

    Reply
  43. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Pese rillit tiskiaineella ja valitse maski asusi mukaan – lue ranskalaisten vinkit, miten arki sujuu hengityssuojaimen kanssa
    https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11477610

    Ranskalaiset ovat kärvistelleet maskien kanssa yli kaksi kuukautta. Koronatartuntojen lisääntyessä maskipakko laajenee uusille alueille.

    Reply

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