COVID-19

Beer & Queso
1002

I wish our governor would grow a pair and take a stand making masks mandatory in public.

1 Like
1003

Can’t do that if you don’t want Trump tweeting to his minions about you.

1004

…but muh freedoms

1005

Ignoring the last spike as that still appears to be part of the erroneous reporting yesterday, Houston is on a steady, scary upward trend.

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1006

My wife (a doctor) just said her hospital is seeing a lot more COVID-19 patients in the ER. We’re in San Antonio.

1007

A database of 1,100+ super-spreader COVID-19 events:

Here is a summary of the Preliminary Results:

  • Nearly all SSEs in the database — more than 97% — took place indoors
  • The great majority of SSEs happened during flu season in that location
  • The vast majority took place in settings where people were essentially confined together, indoors, for a prolonged period (for example, nursing homes, prisons, cruise ships, worker housing)
  • Processing plants where temperatures are kept very low (especially meat processing plants) seem particularly vulnerable to SSEs

Wonder how many of those places people wore masks (I would guess the nursing homes might).

1008

NPR: Gov. Greg Abbott has barred Texas cities from implementing any rules that would require face coverings — despite a concerning uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state. https://trib.al/h490Q8Y

1009

I applaud the Mayors and County Judges making this an issue. Most importantly, we have to break this stupid idea that COVID isn’t important/real and the idea that your perceived “freedom” is more important than public safety. Also, politically, it will highlight the idea that if Republicans don’t start acting responsibly, they’re going to take most of the blame.

2 Likes
1010

It’s just stunning how they’re the party of local governance, until they’re not.

2 Likes
1011

Submitted without comment:

1012

They forced the meat plants to stay open costing the lives a scores of workers because it was vital to prevent a meat shortage in the country. There was no shortage, and the meat industry exported a record amount of pork to China.

1 Like
1013

I am shocked to learn that an industry known for exploiting its workers was exploiting its workers. And the rest of us, to boot.

1 Like
1014

It’s just stunning how Republicans are pieces of shit, until they stay that way.

2 Likes
1015

You guys are so unfair. In response today to Bexar County’s adoption of fines against businesses that don’t enforce face mask requirements, the governor’s office has explained that that was permitted under his orders all along.

You just didn’t read carefully enough.

1016

Be careful!

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1017

Yeah. Nelson “finally figured it out.”

1018

I don’t think he’s worried about them arresting him. I really like Nelson!

1019

Maybe they were once, but not lately - by which I mean a decade or two. They’re all “states rights” when out of power in the federal govt but, when in control in Washington, they’re all up in everyone’s local business.

1 Like
1020

This is the full quote from the Chron from Abbott:

"Government cannot require individuals to wear masks,” Abbott said. “However, pursuant to my plan, local governments can require stores and business to require masks.”

Abbott said local leaders always had the power to issue such an order, and said Wolff had “finally figured that out.”

So smug and passive aggressive. I guess that was the part of his plan to protect the public’s health that he didn’t bother telling anyone about.

But yeah, Nelson is great.

1021

Those plants were getting closed because of the health hazard to the community; and then Trump ordered them open. Now the many of the blazing rural hot spots are meat-packing plant related.

We’re at the point when it’s legitimate to question whether Trump is doing this on purpose.

1 Like