March Madness

The US accounted for the highest number of coronavirus infections in the world, recording nearly 124,000 cases. The death toll in the country surged past 2,000 which is more than double the figure two days ago.  Spain's health ministry announced 838 new coronavirus deaths, marking the country's highest daily jump in fatalities and bringing its total to 6,528.  Aljazeera.com daily snapshot

29 Mar 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
12:14 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	614,224	679,091	28,240	31,773	137,328	146,352
US	104,256	123,781	1,704	2,229	2,525	3,238
NY	46,262	53,455	606	883	40	40
CT	1,291	1,524	31	33	0	0
NC	880	1,022	3	4	0	0

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/               https://www.coronainusa.com/  

In the news…

The CDC issued a travel advisory for NY, NJ and CT shortly after President Trump considered an enforceable tri-state quarantine then decided that it was not necessary.

Most Americans prefer to extend stay at home isolation rather than rush return to normalcy. So far we’ve seen rolling stay at home orders in large cities first, then smaller towns and counties, and some entire states. Bill Gates and Joe Biden both are calling for a nationwide shutdown. 

A 3-month rent freeze and a moratorium on evictions is supported by both Biden and Sanders.

President Cuomo is still trending, despite Biden working on his VP short list.

Canada and Mexico are concerned about Americans crossing borders and spreading the virus.  

The UN warned that protectionist measures by national governments during the coronavirus crisis could provoke food shortages around the world. Here in the US, current empty shelves are due to increased demand, not supply chain issues.

Medical supply donations continue to come in from surprising sources. Lots of distilleries are now making hand sanitizer. And 3D technology is being used in increasingly effective ways.

The Gates Foundation committed $50 million to a fund researching COVID-19 treatments while the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative committed $25 million to the fund, reported The Verge.  For what it’s worth, Reuters reported Zuckerberg sold nearly $500 million Facebook stock in February.

Postal workers expressed concerns about lack of protection and funding fears.

Despite a $25 million bailout, the Kennedy Center notified National Symphony Orchestra musicians to expect their last paycheck April 3, reported the Washington Free Beacon.

Reading the fine print of the stimulus package revealed those who file their taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number have been left out, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Omitting these taxpayers will hurt those who are among the most vulnerable.

Researchers concluded the novel coronavirus is not a human creation, refuting claims made by conspiracy theorists.

Two days after a record 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment, mega wealthy David Geffen shared photos of his mega yacht with a mega tone-deaf caption, reminding everyone why Instagram and mega wealthy people mega suck sometimes.

#QuidProCOVID19 trended after President Trump told VP Pence not to call governors who aren’t “appreciative” of his efforts. Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer claimed medical vendors have been told not to help her.

#TrumpGenocide trended after Sen. Chris Murphy (CT-D) said Trump administration officials declined an offer of congressional funding assistance made in early February. 

A “heat map” using cell phone location data shows the terrifying consequences of Florida’s beaches remaining open during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. California is likely to follow New York as the next US epicenter. Louisiana is an emerging hot spot in the south. Arkansas is dealing with tornado damage as well as a virus outbreak in a church.

If you’re looking for something good in the world as a palate cleanser after all the crap sandwiches above, check out the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City twitter account managed by Tim, their head of security. You’re going to love reading his wholesome tweets. Trust me on this.

In my personal life…

While I weeded and planted two small raised garden beds Saturday morning, Greg bought us some fresh spinach and a variety of fresh meats. Still no toilet paper on store shelves locally, though according to this TP calculator, we’re probably ok for 2 more weeks. Greg’s healthy food to junk food ratio was much better than usual, which earned him triple husband points, redeemable for absolutely nothing.

At the same time I was reading about a DC shopping app to help people find supplies, Greg mentioned to me he wished there was an app or website in our area to help people offer and swap needed items, something less sketchy than Craigslist. Farmers markets are still allowed to operate so maybe folks could sell or trade there -- being careful to stand 6 feet apart at all times, of course.

The Forsyth County stay at home order includes a helpful FAQ. For any folks reading this who are not yet practicing physical distancing measures to flatten the curve, please know that it’s not too bad, definitely manageable. A friend recently told me she and her family are treating it like a staycation. Please cooperate and ride it out as best you can.