^ "First they came for the New Yorkers and I said nothing because I wasn't a New Yorker." - - Sound familiar? Don't be a Covidiot! ^
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Flip-Flopping
From the BBC:
“Coronavirus: Trump backs away
from New York quarantine”
US President Donald Trump has
said quarantining New York "will not be necessary", after the state's
governor said doing so would be "preposterous". Mr Trump said the
latest decision was taken on the recommendation of the White House Coronavirus
Task Force. The president had earlier said he might impose a quarantine on New
York, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, to slow the spread of Covid-19. There
are more than 52,000 cases in New York. The state has about half of the total
confirmed Covid-19 cases in the entire US. Mr Trump tweeted that instead of
quarantine, a "strong travel advisory" would be issued to New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The CDC then published a statement urging residents of those three
states to "refrain" from all non-essential domestic travel for 14
days. The agency said the advisory did
not apply to "critical infrastructure" service providers, including
healthcare professionals and food suppliers. Speaking to reporters earlier on
Saturday about the situation in New York, Mr Trump said: "We'd like to see
[it] quarantined because it's a hotspot... I'm thinking about that." He
said it would be aimed at slowing the spread of the virus to other parts of the
US. "They're having problems down
in Florida. A lot of New Yorkers are going down. We don't want that," he
said. What did New York's governor say?
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
responded by saying that quarantining the state of New York would be
"preposterous" and "anti-American". "If you said we
were geographically restricted from leaving, that would be a lockdown." He
said New York had already implemented "quarantine" measures, such as
banning major gatherings and ordering people to remain at home, but that he
would oppose any "lockdown" efforts. "Then we would be Wuhan, China, and that
wouldn't make any sense," he told CNN, adding that this would cause the
stock market to crash in a way that would make it impossible for the US economy
to "recover for months, if not years". "You would paralyse the
financial sector," he said. He
added later: "I don't know how that can be legally enforceable. And from a
medical point of view, I don't know what you would be accomplishing. "But
I can tell you, I don't even like the sound of it." Mr Cuomo also said he
would sue nearby Rhode Island if the authorities there continued targeting New
Yorkers and threatening to punish them for failing to quarantine. On Friday, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo
deployed National Guard troops to stop cars with a New York licence plate, to
remind them of their state's advice that they quarantine. Soldiers are going door-to-door in coastal
vacation communities to ask if any residents have recently visited New York
City.
What's the latest in the US? With more than 1,800 virus-related
fatalities, the US death toll remains lower than those in Italy and China. But
there are virus hotspots in New York, New Orleans, Detroit and Seattle. Saturday
saw the first death in the US of an infant who had tested positive for
coronavirus. The baby died in Chicago. In his press briefing, Mr Cuomo said New
York was postponing its presidential primary by almost two months until 23 June
as a result of the outbreak. He also said the apex of the crisis would occur inthe next 14 to 21 days. Mr Cuomo said the state would soon require 30,000
respiratory ventilators, which had increased in price to $45,000 (£36,000) each
due to demand. He added that Mr Trump
had approved the construction of four temporary hospitals. Demand for
ventilators has also doubled in the southern state of Louisiana. Governor John
Bel Edwards said New Orleans would run out of ventilators by 2 April and
possibly run out of hospital beds by 7 April if the number of new infections
did not subside. "It's not some flimsy theory. This is what is going to happen,"
he said. President Trump has ordered a car manufacturer in Detroit to produce
more ventilators. Hospitals in New York City are rapidly running out of medical
equipment and personal protective gear. More widely, the mayors of most US
cities have said they expect massive shortages of critical personal safety
equipment in the coming weeks. On Saturday, Mr Trump watched as the USNS
Comfort, a navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds aboard, left for New York from
Virginia. It will station itself at a Manhattan pier to deal with the overload
of patients that New York expects. It
came after Mr Trump signed a $2.2 trillion (£1.8tr) bailout bill passed by
Congress on Friday, the largest fiscal stimulus in US history.
^ Trump doesn’t do a very good
job of reassuring a scared country. He is constantly flip-flopping on every
single thing and it’s not just something he says or posts and then changes an
hour or a day later he has constantly flip-flopped when giving his daily
Covid-19 press conferences. You can literally hear him live on the air say one
thing and then he flips his meaning when questioned about the earlier statement
(by a reporter or someone on his Covid-19 Task Force.) That doesn’t show a
strong command of the facts or what should and should not be done. He says we
are at war with Covid-19 and I agree with that, but he needs to step-up and
assert the facts, put away his petty political fighting with Governors and
everyone else and be a symbol that the country needs right now. ^
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52080119
Goosestepping RI
From Yahoo/Time:
"Rhode Island Governor Announces
National Guard Will Go 'Door-to-Door' to Identify New Yorkers to Slow COVID-19
Spread”
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo
announced during a press conference on Friday that the state would take drastic
steps to “pin-point” individuals who had recently traveled to New York in an
attempt to stem the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
“Right now we have a pin-pointed risk that we need to address and we need to be
very serious. And that risk is called New York City,” she said. Over the past
week, New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in the United
States. As of Saturday afternoon Eastern Time, New York had at least 52,318
confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to a tracker by Johns Hopkin’s
University; that’s nearly half of the at least 115,547 cases in the entire
United States. In comparison, Rhode Island currently has at least 203 confirmed
cases, per the tracker. Raimondo had previously issued an order, enforceable by
law, that anyone coming to Rhode Island “in any way” from New York must be
quarantined for two weeks. “That could be in a hotel, that could be in a rental
property, that could be your own summer home,” she said. She announced that
starting on Friday afternoon, state police will monitor highways and pull over
anyone with New York plates to ask them for their contact information.
Officials will order “you into quarantine if you plan to stay in Rhode Island,”
she said. Raimondo also announced that, starting Saturday, the National Guard
will work with local law enforcement to go “door-to-door” in communities on the
state’s border, asking if anyone has come from New York and requesting their
contact information. She said officials will order any individuals who have
come from New York to quarantine for 14 days.
“Obviously we will be doing out best to target those homes where we know
people are likely to have come from New York,” she said. Texas, Maryland, South
Carolina and Florida have all also ordered anyone coming from New York to
self-quarantine for two weeks. On March 24, President Donald Trump also
requested anyone who has recently been in New York self-quarantine for 14 days,
although that guidance is not enforceable by law. Raimondo also announced that
all hotels, renters and rental companies will be notified of this quarantine
order in writing, and will be asked to provide the guidance to their renters. “I
know this is unusual. I know it’s extreme. And I know some people don’t agree
with it. And it’s absolutely not a decision that I make lightly,” she said. “We’re
not shutting down our borders, per se,” she continued. “But what we’re saying
is, if you want to seek refuge in Rhode Island, you must be quarantined.”
^ People are called racists when
they say Covid-19 came from China, but when the Governor of Rhode Island has
all local and State Police and the National Guard targeting everyone with New
York License Plates and Driver's Licenses (even going door-to-door) no one
seems to have an issue with that.
In my State we know about people
from other States bringing their problems with them. Our crime rate from May to
October (Memorial Day to Columbus Day) more than doubles every year and the vast
majority of of the crimes are committed by people from Massachusetts. Yet we
don't go goose-stepping all over the State checking for Massachusetts License
Plates and Driver's Licenses.
Don't be a Covidiot. ^
https://news.yahoo.com/rhode-island-governor-announces-national-211516742.html
Vietnam Veterans
National Vietnam War Veterans Day
in the United States
March 29 is National Vietnam War
Veterans Day in the United States. First observed in 2012, it honors the US
military members who served during the Vietnam War (1955-1975).
Is National Vietnam War Veterans
Day a Public Holiday?: The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017
establishes the day as a national observance. However, it is not an official
holiday in any part of the United States.
Vietnam War Veterans Day Events: All
across the United States, commemorative events like wreath-laying ceremonies,
speeches, and luncheons are held to mark the occasion. Typical venues include
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, war veteran medical facilities,
and military cemeteries.
First Observed in 2012: Vietnam
War Veterans Day was first observed as a one-time occasion on March 29, 2012,
when President Barack Obama issued a proclamation calling on “all Americans to
observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.” The
day was then introduced as an annual event in 2017 when President Donald Trump
signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017.
Vietnam War History: Lasting from
1955 to 1975, the Vietnam war engulfed the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam
as well as its neighboring countries, Cambodia and Laos. It resulted in several
million deaths, most of whom were Vietnamese civilians. The conflict began
during the 1950s when the struggle between the country's communist northern
part and the anti-communist south escalated. The United States began its
military involvement in an effort to back the South's effort to quell the
communist onslaught, which, at the height of the Cold War, was feared to
promote the spread of communist ideology and influence worldwide. During the
war, about 500,000 US troops were dispatched to Southeast Asia, about 58,000 of
whom were killed. The conflict ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon and the
victory of North Vietnam.
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/national-vietnam-war-veterans-day
Saturday, March 28, 2020
NATO
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO. French: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique
nord, OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental
military alliance between 30 North American and European countries. The
organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April
1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent
member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external
party. NATO's Headquarters are located in Evere, Brussels, Belgium, while the
headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium. Since its founding, the admission of new
member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 30.
The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27
March 2020. NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and
Ukraine as aspiring members. An
additional 20 countries participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace program,
with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs. The
combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the
global total. Members agreed that their aim is to reach or maintain the target
defense spending of at least 2% of GDP by 2024.
Military operations: No military operations were conducted by
NATO during the Cold War. Following the end of the Cold War, the first
operations, Anchor Guard in 1990 and Ace Guard in 1991, were prompted by the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Airborne early warning aircraft were sent to provide
coverage of southeastern Turkey, and later a quick-reaction force was deployed
to the area.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Intervention:
1992-2004
Kosovo Intervention: 1999-Present
Day
War in Afghanistan: 2001-Present
Day
Iraq Training Mission: 2004-2011
Gulf of Aden Anti-Piracy: 2009-2016
Libya Intervention: 2011
Member Countries: Of the 30 member countries, two are located in
North America (Canada and the United States), 27 are in Europe, and one is in
Europe and Asia (Turkey). All members have militaries, except for Iceland which
does not have a typical army (but does, however, have a coast guard and a small
unit of civilian specialists for NATO operations). Three of NATO's members are
nuclear weapons states: France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO
has 12 original founding member nation states, and from 18 February 1952 to 6
May 1955, it added three more member nations, and a fourth on 30 May 1982.
After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more member nations (10 former
Warsaw Pact members and four former Yugoslav republics) from 12 March 1999 to
27 March 2020.
Founding Members: 1949:
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France (left 1966-2009), Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States
Other Members:
West Germany (joined in 1955 and
merged with East Germany in 1990)
Greece (joined in 1952. Left
1974-1980)
Spain (Joined NATO: 1982)
Turkey: (Joined NATO: 1952)
Formerly Part Of The Warsaw
Pact:
Albania (Warsaw Pact: 1955-1968 Joined
NATO: 2008)
Bulgaria (Warsaw Pact: 1955-1991
Joined NATO: 2004)
The Czech Republic (Warsaw Pact
as Czechoslovakia: 1955-1991. Joined NATO: 1999)
Estonia (Warsaw Pact as Soviet
Union: 1955-1991. Joined NATO: 2004)
East Germany (Warsaw Pact: 1956-1990.
Joined when reunited with West Germany in 1990.)
Hungary (Warsaw Pact: 1955-1991.
Joined NATO: 1999)
Latvia (Warsaw Pact as Soviet
Union: 1955-1991. Joined NATO: 2004)
Lithuania (Warsaw Pact as Soviet
Union: 1955-1991. Joined NATO: 2004)
Poland (Warsaw Pact: 1955-1991. Joined
NATO: 1999)
Romania (Warsaw Pact: 1955-1991.
Joined NATO: 2004)
Slovakia (Warsaw Pact as
Czechoslovakia: 1955-1991. Joined NATO: 2004)
Formerly Non-Aligned
Communist:
Croatia (as Yugoslavia: 1945-1991. Joined NATO:
2009)
Montenegro (as Yugoslavia:
1945-1991. Joined NATO: 2017)
North Macedonia (as Yugoslavia:
1945-1991. Joined NATO: 2020)
Slovenia (as Yugoslavia:
1945-1991. Joined NATO: 2004)
NATO's 30th
From the DW:
“NATO: North Macedonia becomes
30th member"
Skopje submitted formal accession
papers on Friday, becoming the 30th member of the transatlantic military
alliance. The move caps a week of EU diplomacy allowing North Macedonia to
begin EU accession talks. North Macedonia on Friday officially joined the NATO
military alliance. "The Republic of North Macedonia is officially the new,
30th NATO member," the government in Skopje said in a statement. "We
have fulfilled the dream of generations." From NATO headquarters,
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared: "North Macedonia is now part
of the NATO family.” It was a family of 30 nations and almost 1 billion people
"based on the certainty that, no matter what challenges we face, we are
all stronger and safer together,” Stoltenberg added. German Foreign Minister
Heiko Maas said a long journey had finally come to an end. "North
Macedona's NATO accession increases security and stability across the Western
Balkans and is a sign of NATO's open-door policy, which contributes towards
freedom, democracy and human rights," he said.
The final step: Earlier on Friday, North Macedonia had
deposited its "instrument of accession” at the US State Department in
Washington — the final formal step. It represented the "culmination of
many years of effort by the government and people of North Macedonia,” said US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Last year, North Macedonia changed its name
from Macedonia to settle a long-running row with NATO and EU member Greece. Athens
had made that a condition if Skopje was to join both organizations. "We
have waited for this day nearly 30 years,” tweeted North Macedonian Defence
Minister Radmila Sekerinska. "Congratulations to all of us." A formal
flag-raising ceremony is set to take place in Brussels on Monday.
^ North Macedonia has gone through
a lot since the collapse of Communism 30 years ago and it’s nice to see them
become a member of NATO. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/nato-north-macedonia-becomes-30th-member/a-52944781
Amazon Fix
From Military.com:
“Amazon Says It Has Fixed
'Glitch' Thwarting Overseas Military Families"
Amazon had a glitch that caused
multiple military families living in Italy, Bahrain and Japan to be unable to
order goods Wednesday, an Amazon spokeswoman said via email Thursday. "We
noticed an unfortunate glitch in our system on Wednesday that did not allow
some items to be shipped to military addresses," she wrote. "We
worked quickly to fix the issue, and thank our customers for their patience and
understanding." Since Monday, military families have reported that Amazon
would not deliver certain items, including diapers, electronics and clothes, to
their international APO, FPO and DPO addresses. While Norway appears to have
stopped its mail to and from the U.S., Amazon said customers at APO, FPO and
DPO addresses should now be able to purchase in-stock items again. However,
there might be a delay in customers receiving these items due to increased
demand. And Amazon is prioritizing the delivery of household staples,
sanitizers, baby formula and medical supplies. "To serve our customers
while also helping to ensure the safety of our associates, we've changed our
logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third-party seller
processes to prioritize stocking and delivering items that are a higher
priority for our customers," the Amazon spokeswoman wrote Friday.
"This has resulted in some of our delivery promises being longer than
usual." To overcome this, the company is hiring more than 100,000
positions across the country, she added.
^ I’m glad that Amazon fixed this
glitch and hopefully now Americans using an APO/FPO/DPO address will be able to
have things shipped to them. I also hope this glitch doesn’t return. ^
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/27/amazon-says-it-has-fixed-glitch-thwarting-overseas-military-families.html
PM Positive
From the BBC:
“Coronavirus: Prime Minister
Boris Johnson tests positive”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has
tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating in Downing Street. He
said he had experienced mild symptoms over the past 24 hours, including a
temperature and cough, but would continue to lead the government. England's
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he had also tested positive while England's
Chief Medical Officer, Prof Chris Whitty, has shown symptoms. Another 181 people
died with the virus in the past day, figures showed. It takes the total number
of UK deaths to 759, with 14,543 confirmed cases. The daily coronavirus news
conference was led by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, alongside deputy
chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries and NHS England chief executive Sir
Simon Stevens.
What we don't know about
coronavirus deaths: They announced
plans to begin a large-scale testing programme of health service staff,
starting with critical care teams. It will later be expanded to cover social
care staff too. It follows mounting
criticism from NHS staff over a lack of testing - currently, only seriously-ill
patients in hospital are being tested. Testing will be carried out on staff
showing possible symptoms of the virus or staff who live with people who have
symptoms - not for all frontline workers as a matter of course. "This will
be antigen testing - testing whether people currently have the disease - so
that our health and social care workers can have security in the knowledge that
they are safe to return to work if their test is negative," Mr Gove said. The
British Medical Association, which represents doctors, said the announcement
was "long overdue" and the lack of testing so far had been
"incredibly frustrating". "For every healthy member of staff at
home self-isolating needlessly when they do not have the virus, the NHS is
short of someone who could be providing vital care to patients on the
frontline," BMA chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said.
'No respecter': Sir Simon Stevens also announced plans for
two further field hospitals in Birmingham and Manchester, similar to that being
readied at the ExCel centre in east London. He said that 33,000 beds - the
equivalent of 50 hospitals - had been freed up across England ready for
coronavirus patients. The government has imposed strict restrictions on
everyday life designed to slow the spread of the virus. However, BBC medical
correspondent Fergus Walsh said the UK's daily death toll will still rise into
the many hundreds in the coming weeks. This
does not mean social distancing measures are not working - but there will be a
lag of two to four weeks before we see the effects, our correspondent says. Mr Gove said scientific analysis suggested the
rate of infection had been doubling every three to four days, but the "fantastic"
public response to the restrictions would make a difference. Asked whether the
prime minister and health secretary should have been "better
protected", he said: "The fact that the virus is no respecter of
individuals, whoever they are, is one of the reasons why we do need to have
strict social distancing measures so that we can reduce the rate of infection
and reduce the pressure on the NHS," he added.
Working from home: Mr Johnson is thought to be the first world
leader to announce they have the virus. He was last seen on Thursday night,
clapping outside No 10 as part of a nationwide gesture to thank NHS staff and
carers. In a video on his Twitter account, Mr Johnson, 55, said: "I'm
working from home and self-isolating and that's entirely the right thing to do.
"But, be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern
technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight-back
against coronavirus." The PM chaired a phone call on Friday morning, and
later in the day, Downing Street said he had spoken to US President Donald
Trump. "The president wished the prime minister a speedy recovery from
coronavirus," a spokesman said. "They agreed to work together
closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to
defeat the coronavirus pandemic." Mr
Hancock said he was experiencing mild symptoms of the virus, and would be
self-isolating until next Thursday. He told BBC Look East it was
"understandable that people will ask the question" why he and the
prime minister were tested, but most people with possible symptoms were not. The
health secretary said there was a protocol laid down by the chief medical
officer which required a small number of senior figures, key to the national
effort, to be tested. Earlier this week the prime minister's spokesman said if
Mr Johnson was unwell and unable to work, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, as
the first secretary of state, would stand in. The prime minister's fiancée,
Carrie Symonds, who is several months pregnant, is also self-isolating,
although it is not known if they are still living together. Pregnant women in
their third trimester are advised to be particularly stringent when following
social distancing advice, and minimise social contact for up to 12 weeks. Maybe
it was inevitable: One of the first
moments that raised eyebrows in the course of the UK outbreak was when health
minister Nadine Dorries came down with coronavirus. Then, last week, we
discovered that some key staff in No 10, including the prime minister's chief
Brexit negotiator David Frost, were self-isolating with suspected symptoms. A
fair number of MPs took themselves off into isolation for fear of having
contracted the infection. Their remaining colleagues were continually ordered
to sit far apart on the green benches, before finally, this week, Parliament
itself closed early, with no certain date for a return of normal business. Still, the news this morning that the prime
minister himself has contracted coronavirus felt like a shock. Neither the PM's
senior adviser Dominic Cummings nor Chancellor Rishi Sunak has symptoms. They
have not been tested. A Buckingham
Palace spokesman confirmed the Queen, 93, saw Mr Johnson more than two weeks
ago on 11 March, and she is in good health. The pair usually meet weekly for
the prime minister's audience with the Queen, but the most recent meetings have
been over the phone.
In other developments: Police forces in England and Wales have
fined people for ignoring guidance issued to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The UK's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has said he expects the
number of coronavirus cases to increase over the next two to three weeks, and
then start to gradually decrease due to the current lockdown. Mayor Sadiq Khan
has warned Londoners there will be "a large number" of deaths and
temporary mortuaries will be set up across the capital. The Ministry of Justice
says 27 prisoners, in 14 prisons, have tested positive. Italian restaurant
chain Carluccio's is facing collapse, after warning it is facing permanent
branch closures due to coronavirus. The number of people who have volunteered
to help the NHS has reached 700,000. The government originally set a target of
250,000 but increased it to 750,000 after a huge response. More than 7,000
former nurses and midwives have signed up to return to the profession. Tesco
has said that online shoppers will have their deliveries capped at 80 items
from now on, while supermarkets will also use a government database of 1.5
million vulnerable shoppers in England to help prioritise delivery slots. The
Queen's birthday parade, the Trooping the Colour, will not go ahead in its
usual form, and other options are being considered.
Other world leaders including
Canada's Justin Trudeau and Germany's Angela Merkel have self-isolated after
coming into contact with people who have tested positive for the virus. Politicians
including Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott shared messages to the
PM, wishing him a "speedy recovery". Meanwhile, the president of the
European Council, Charles Michel, told Mr Johnson: "Europe wishes you a
speedy recovery." In the Irish
Republic, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has announced tough new restrictions on
movement. From midnight on Friday, for a two-week period until Easter Sunday,
everyone must stay at home unless their work is essential or they are buying
food. Twenty two people with coronavirus have died in the Irish Republic.
^ Hopefully the Prime Minister
gets better soon. ^
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52060791
Friday, March 27, 2020
Lieutenant Dan
From Yahoo Lifestyle:
“Meet Lieutenant Dan! Cadbury
names two-legged dog the face of its new candy commercial”
Meet Lieutenant Dan! The
two-legged pup lives his life to the fullest — and has now been crowned Cadbury
USA’s 2020 Easter Bunny. This year, Cadbury USA asked America to help decide
the face of its next Easter candy commercial and voters delivered. “Lieutenant
Dan is the epitome of inspiration, passion and energy, showcasing that no
matter what challenges you, you can overcome it,” said Ethan Mandel of the
Cadbury Brand team. With over 4,000 entries in the second annual Cadbury Bunny
Tryouts, Lieutenant Dan was one of the ten finalists. Nearly 200,000 ballots
were cast for the top ten contenders and ultimately, the adorable pup took home
the first-place prize. Lieutenant Dan or Lou, as he’s affectionately called,
“has such an infectious joy for life. He is one of the happiest dogs I have
ever owned or met! I swear he is always smiling,” his family told Walkin’ Pets,
a pet mobility company. The Treeing Walker Coonhound was born with his hind
legs and tail deformed. He quickly started using only his front legs for
support. At six months old, his owners made the difficult decision to amputate
his back legs and later his tail, according to Walkin’ Pets. The “big personality”
pup uses a Walkin’ Wheels wheelchair to help him run and play just like any
other dog. His family hopes that his big bunny win will show people how special
handicapped dogs can be. “Although, owning a handicapable pet is not always
easy, trust me it is extra work on our part, I wouldn't trade it for the world.
You can't be around him and not be smiling or laughing,” his family said.
^ Lieutenant Dan is so cute and
deserves to be the new Cadbury Bunny. ^
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disabled-dog-cadbury-first-handicapped-bunny-
Royal Thanks
From USA Today:
“Prince George, Princess
Charlotte, Prince Louis clap for health care workers in sweet video”
The royal family and celebrities
are leading the applause for health care workers on the front lines of the
coronavirus pandemic. Queen Elizabeth II
and her great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince
Louis, joined an online round of
applause from home to honor the doctors, nurses and caretakers putting their
lives on the line to combat COVID-19. The
moving gesture was done alongside millions of people around the world during
the viral #clapforourcarers challenge Thursday to express gratitude toward
first responders and boost morale as people shelter in place to try to slow the
spread of the coronavirus. "To all the doctors, nurses, carers, GPs,
pharmacists, volunteers and other NHS staff working tirelessly to help those
affected by #COVID19: thank you," Kensington Palace tweeted, alongside an
adorable video of Prince William and Duchess Kate's three children
enthusiastically clapping. The video was
taken as George, 6, and Charlotte, 4, transition to at-home "remote
learning" after their London school, Thomas's, closed last week. The
footage also offered a rare look at Prince Louis, 1, who has grown
substantially since our last glimpse of him on the family's Christmas card.
The Queen clapped from Windsor
Castle, where the 93-year-old monarch relocated to ride out the pandemic. Her
son Prince Charles, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, and wife
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, applauded from a royal estate in Scotland, where
they are self-isolating. The Instagram account for Clarence House shared a
video of the Prince of Wales and Duchess Camilla clapping at separate
locations. "Thank you to you all," the post added. It marks the first
time Charles, 71, has been seen since his COVID-19 diagnosis was announced
Wednesday. Camilla, 72, tested negative for the virus. The cast of the upcoming James Bond movie,
"No Time to Die" whose film release date was postponed from April
until November amid the global outbreak, also participated. "Thank you to everyone, everywhere, who
is working to keep us safe," the movie's official Twitter wrote, alongside
a video of Daniel Craig, wife Rachel Weisz and Naomie Harris clapping. Priyanka
Chopra applauded from her balcony and gave a shout-out to her home country:
"Although I couldn’t be there in India today to join, I am there in
spirit.”
^ It is important for celebrities
and ordinary people alike to show our support for the all the health care
workers, the police, fire, soldiers, etc. that are working hard to keep us safe.
^
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/03/26/prince-george-princess-charlotte-prince-louis-applaud-health-care-workers/2921700001/
Balkan Support
From the DW:
“Coronavirus in the Balkans: Can
disasters defeat hatred?”
Amidst the coronavirus outbreak,
the cities of Belgrade and Sarajevo are expressing strong and visible support
for Croatia. For the first time in 30 years, solidarity and care overshadow
hatred in the Western Balkans.
(Sarajevo City Hall illuminated
with a message of support for Zagreb)
Like in many other places in the
world, Belgrade's citizens have opened their windows and balconies to support
nurses, doctors, epidemiologists and police officers. But on March 22, the
applause was also directed at something else. That Sunday evening's
"Applause at 8" was meant to support Croatia — the country against
which Serbia fought a war 30 years ago. That very morning, Croatia's capital,
Zagreb, had been shaken by a strong earthquake. Sarajevo quickly joined
Belgrade's citizens in their support. The applause was well received in Croatia
and across the region. It was the first time in 30 years that Belgrade
expressed such strong and visible support for Croatia. A similar kind of
solidarity, though with less impact, has been seen during the last decade in
the context of floods and sports events on both sides of the border. Serbs
supported the Croatian soccer team during the final games of the 2018 World
Cup, while Croats supported Novak Djokovic as he was winning Grand Slams.
Solidarity over indifference: Right after the earthquake, a cartoon emerged
in Sarajevo depicting "Vucko" (the wolf) — the symbol of 1984
Sarajevo Olympic Games — who was holding "Zagi" (the sea lion) — a
symbol of the 1987 Zagreb University Games — to help him get out of debris left
by a collapsed building. The more cynical critics focused on the fact that both
symbols represent events that happened before the breakup of Yugoslavia. The
majority of the public is not so cynical, however. The cartoon went viral. As a
message of support to Zagreb, the Sarajevo City Hall was lit with colorful
lights and a big heart appeared in the middle of its facade. The messages were
received with overwhelming emotion in both countries.
(Zagreb was hit by a strong
earthquake on March 22)
An ongoing Balkan joke says that
coronavirus has no chance in Bosnia-Herzegovina because the leaders will first
divide it into three ethnic coronaviruses, weaken it and, as a result, minimize
its danger. Well, the virus does not care for ethnicity, of course, but it does
force leaders to act differently. In Mostar, the city which symbolizes the
ethnic division in Bosnia, there are two hospitals: one for the ethnic Croats
(Catholics) in the west of the city, and the second one for the ethnic Bosniaks
(Muslims) on the east side. The hospital in the west recently received a
pregnant woman who had tested positive for coronavirus. The two hospitals then
quickly made a deal — they moved their entire gynecology section to the
hospital in the east. The whole place was disinfected and a few days later, the
gynecology department was moved back. A baby from the "west" being
born in the "east" might become an interesting story one day.
The virus that defeated hatred: In Dobrinja, on the outskirts of Sarajevo,
people leave food in front of buildings for those who cannot afford it. The
receiver's ethnicity does not matter. The same is happening in the city of
Zenica. Young volunteers from the region bring food to the elderly; medical
students offer to volunteer in hospitals or babysit the children of doctors,
nurses or police officers, free of charge. Successful sportsmen keep sending
donations both in the region, and in neighboring countries. Miralem Pjanic, a
soccer player for Italian club Juventus, posted a photo of himself on Instagram
wearing a shirt belonging to his former teammate, Mario Mandzukic. His photo
has received over 130,000 likes. Suddenly, ethnicity is of little importance. Even
media outlets have no time left to forge conflict in these troubled
circumstances, since everybody discusses the same topic with the same message —
follow experts' advice, stay at home, wash your hands, and so on.
Has intolerance disappeared?: Those who organized the "Applause at
8" in Belgrade said: "The virus will pass, but what we wish for is
that solidarity stays. Care and support do not give in to ethnic, religious or
political divisions." How long will this honeymoon phase last? If the
coronavirus keeps forcing people in the Balkans to express solidarity, like in
any another part of the world, can this unity become a pattern, following the
crisis? The amount of likes and support on Instagram, Facebook and independent
media for the "Applause at 8" in Belgrade, the cartoon from Sarajevo,
the City Hall's message of love and other similar actions, is huge. They do not
go together well with political messages and actions, which have been leading
the Western Balkans towards the verge of conflict for years. The current
solidarity in the region seems to show that things could go in the opposite
direction. Should decisionmakers not sense the message and the spirit of hope
blooming all over the Western Balkans, a huge opportunity will be missed. For a
change, politicians in the region should really try to win elections based on
solidarity and tolerance, instead of indifference and hatred. Opting for this
positive approach, 30 years after the collapse of Yugoslavia, is far too late,
anyway. Still, better late than never. If they needed a disaster to lead them
towards change, so be it.
^ I have been to Croatia (Zagreb
and Dubrovnik), Montenegro (Kotor and Budva) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (Mostar)
and have experienced nothing but very friendly and helpful people in each of
those places. I didn’t know if they were ethnic Croatians, ethnic Montenegrians,
ethnic Bosniaks or ethnic Serbs. I just knew they were friendly and helpful. While
I was a just a tourist there I know the long and complicated history of the
Balkans. I only hope this current trend of non-ethnic issues continues long
after the damage from the earthquake is fixed and the Covid-19 pandemic is over. There is a real
chance for the countries and the people living there to make themselves and
their countries a modern and prosperous region. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-in-the-balkans-can-disasters-defeat-hatred/a-52928009
Thursday, March 26, 2020
What Is Essential?
From WMUR:
“What is an 'essential business'?
State officials provide list”
State officials have released a
list [see it below] of industry sectors that provide essential services and
support to the response to the spread of COVID-19 and entities that will
continue to operate with necessary staff to complete critical and essential
functions. The list of sectors deemed essential and supporting criteria will be
reviewed by the state as the COVID-19 outbreak continues, according to
officials. If the function of your
business is not listed below, but you believe that it is essential or it is an
entity providing essential services or functions, you may request designation
as an essential business. Those requests can be sent to essential@nheconomy.com
and should include basic contact information and a brief justification.
Entities considered essential
services:
Law Enforcement, Public Safety,
First Responders
Personnel in emergency
management, law enforcement, Emergency Management Systems, fire, and
corrections, including front line and management required to maintain
operations
Emergency Medical Technicians
911 call center employees,
including telecommunicators, dispatchers and managers
Information and Analysis Center
employees
Hazardous material responders
from government and the private sector.
Workers – including contracted
vendors -- who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting law
enforcement and emergency service operations.
Food and Agriculture
Workers supporting groceries,
pharmacies, florists, and other retail, including farmers markets and farm
stands, that sells food and beverage products, including liquor stores
Restaurant carry-out and quick
serve food operations, including beer and wine curbside and takeout - Carry-out
and delivery food employees
Food manufacturer employees and
their supplier employees—to include those employed in food processing
facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal
feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for
animal food; beverage production facilities, including breweries, wineries, and
distilleries; and the production of food packaging
Farm workers to include those
employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging,
distribution, and retail; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of
veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed
to produce our food supply domestically
Farm workers and support service
workers to include those who field crops, beekeeping; commodity inspection;
fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
Workers supporting the seafood
and fishing industry
Commercial and residential
landscaping services, including golf courses.
Employees and firms supporting
food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers,
vendor-managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers
Workers supporting the sanitation
of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail
Company cafeterias - in-plant
cafeterias used to feed employees; food service workers in residential schools
with students who are unable to leave campus
Workers in food testing labs in
private industries and in institutions of higher education
Food banks
Nurseries, greenhouses, garden
centers, and agriculture supply stores
Workers essential for assistance
programs and government payments
Employees of companies engaged in
the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by
the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides,
fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
Animal agriculture workers to
include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of
animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients,
feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live animals, animal medical
materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; raising of animals
for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and
associated regulatory and government workforce
Organizations and workers
responsible for the care and custody of animals, pets and livestock
Workers who support the
manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to
timber, paper, and other wood products
Employees engaged in the
manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to
agricultural production and distribution
Health Care/ Public Health /
Human Services
Workers providing COVID-19
testing; Workers that perform critical clinical research needed for COVID-19
response
Medical Professionals and
caregivers (e.g., physicians, dentists, psychologists, mid-level practitioners,
nurses and assistants, infection control and quality assurance personnel,
pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists and assistants, social
workers, speech pathologists and diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and
technologists, other providers of mental and behavioral health care, personal
care attendants, home health aides and home care workers)
Hospital and laboratory personnel
(including accounting, administrative, admitting and discharge, engineering,
epidemiological, source plasma and blood donation, food service, housekeeping,
medical records, information technology and operational technology,
nutritionists, sanitarians, respiratory therapists, etc.)
Workers in other medical
facilities (including Ambulatory Health and Surgical, Blood Banks, Medical
Clinics, Community Mental Health Centers, Methadone/OBOT Clinics, 24 hour
Diversionary and Residential Behavioral Health Providers, Comprehensive
Outpatient rehabilitation, End Stage Renal Disease, Health Departments, Home
Health care, Hospices, Hospitals, Nursing Facilities, Rest Homes, Assisted
Living Residences, Organ Pharmacies, Procurement Organizations, Psychiatric
Residential, Residential Treatment Schools, Rural Health Clinics and Federally
Qualified Health Center s and Community Health Centers, State Hospitals)
Workers in other 24/7 community
resident services serving children and youth, and individuals with
developmental, intellectual, physical and/or cognitive disabilities
Workers in recovery centers and
sober homes
Manufacturers, technicians,
logistics and warehouse operators, and distributors of or necessary to the
supply chain of medical equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical
gases, pharmaceuticals, blood and blood products, vaccines, testing materials,
laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization
supplies, and tissue and paper towel products
Public health / community health
workers, including those who compile, model, analyze and communicate public
health information
Blood and plasma donors and the
employees of the organizations that operate and manage related activities
Workers that manage health plans,
billing, and health information, who cannot practically work remotely
Workers who conduct
community-based public health functions, conducting epidemiologic surveillance,
compiling, analyzing and communicating public health information, who cannot
practically work remotely
Workers performing cybersecurity
functions at healthcare and public health facilities, who cannot practically
work remotely
Workers conducting research
critical to COVID-19 response
Workers performing security,
incident management, and emergency operations functions at or on behalf of
healthcare entities including healthcare coalitions, who cannot practically
work remotely
Workers who support food, shelter,
and social services, and other necessities of life for economically
disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, such as those residing in
shelters
Pharmacy employees necessary for
filling prescriptions
Workers performing mortuary
services and workers at funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries
Workers who coordinate with other
organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling, identification,
transportation, tracking, storage, and disposal of human remains and personal
effects; certify cause of death; and facilitate access to mental/behavioral
health services to the family members, responders, and survivors of an incident
Energy and Electricity industry:
Workers who maintain, ensure, or
restore the reliable generation, transmission, and distribution of electric
power, including call centers, utility workers, reliability engineers and fleet
maintenance technicians
Workers needed for safe and
secure operations at nuclear generation
Workers at generation,
transmission and electric blackstart facilities
Workers at Reliability
Coordinator (RC), Balancing Authorities (BA), and primary and backup Control
Centers (CC), including but not limited to independent system operators,
regional transmission organizations, and balancing authorities
Mutual assistance personnel
IT and OT technology staff – for
EMS (Energy Management Systems) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA) systems, and utility data centers; Cybersecurity engineers;
cybersecurity risk management
Vegetation management crews and
traffic workers who support
Environmental
remediation/monitoring technicians
Instrumentation, protection, and
control technicians
Petroleum workers:
Petroleum product storage,
pipeline, marine transport, terminals, rail transport, road transport
Crude oil storage facilities,
pipeline, and marine transport
Petroleum refinery facilities
Petroleum security operations
center employees and workers who support emergency response services
Petroleum operations control
rooms/centers
Petroleum drilling, extraction,
production, processing, refining, terminal operations, transporting, and retail
for use as end-use fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing
Onshore and offshore operations
for maintenance and emergency response
Retail fuel centers such as gas
stations and truck stops, and the distribution systems that support them
Natural and propane gas workers:
Natural gas transmission and
distribution pipelines, including compressor stations, and road transport
Underground storage of natural
gas
Natural gas processing plants,
and those that deal with natural gas liquids
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
facilities
Natural gas security operations
center, natural gas operations dispatch and control rooms/centers natural gas
emergency response and customer emergencies, including natural gas leak calls
Drilling, production, processing,
refining, and transporting natural gas for use as end-use fuels, feedstocks for
chemical manufacturing, or use in electricity generation
Propane gas dispatch and control
rooms and emergency response and customer emergencies, including propane leak
calls
Propane gas service maintenance
and restoration, including call centers
Processing, refining, and
transporting natural liquids, including propane gas, for use as end-use fuels
or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing
Propane gas storage,
transmission, and distribution centers
Steam workers:
Workers who support steam
distribution companies’ provision of district heating and any electric
generation
Workers who support steam
distribution companies’ dispatch and control rooms and emergency response and
customer emergencies, including steam leak calls
Workers who support steam distribution
companies’ service maintenance and restoration, including call centers
Workers who support steam
distribution companies’ storage, transmission, and distribution centers
Waste and Wastewater
Employees needed to operate and
maintain public and private drinking water and wastewater/drainage
infrastructure, including:
Operational staff at water
authorities
Operational staff at community
water systems
Operational staff at wastewater
treatment facilities
Workers repairing water and
wastewater conveyances and performing required sampling or monitoring
Operational staff for water
distribution and testing
Operational staff at wastewater
collection facilities
Operational staff and technical
support for SCADA Control systems
Chemical disinfectant suppliers
for wastewater and personnel protection
Workers that maintain digital
systems infrastructure supporting water and wastewater operations
Transportation and Logistics
Employees supporting or enabling
transportation functions, including dispatchers, maintenance and repair
technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers
that maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require
cross-border travel)
Employees of firms providing
services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing,
packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use
Mass transit workers, including
contracted vendors providing transportation and maintenance services to public
transit authorities
Workers critical to operating
rental car companies and Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) that
facilitate continuity of operations for essential workforces, and other
essential travel
Workers responsible for operating
dispatching passenger, commuter and freight trains and public transportation
and buses and maintaining rail and transit infrastructure and equipment
Maritime transportation workers -
port workers, mariners, equipment operators
Truck drivers who haul hazardous
and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities,
functions, and services
Bicycle repair shops
Automotive sales, repair and
maintenance facilities
Workers who respond to and clear
traffic crashes, including contracted vendors and dispatchers
Manufacturers and distributors
(to include service centers and related operations) of packaging materials,
pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing,
packaging staging and distribution operations
Postal and shipping workers, to
include private companies
Workers who support moving and
storage services
Employees who repair and maintain
vehicles, aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels, and the equipment and
infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and
passengers
Air transportation employees,
including air traffic controllers, ramp personnel, aviation security, and
aviation management and other workers – including contracted vendors –
providing services for air passengers
Workers who support the
maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including flight
crews, maintenance, airport operations, and other on- and off- airport
facilities workers
Public Works
Workers who support the
operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential dams, locks and levees
Workers who support the
operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential public works facilities and
operations, including roads and bridges, water and sewer main breaks, fleet
maintenance personnel, construction of critical or strategic infrastructure,
traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried utilities,
maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations,
and other emergent issues
Workers – including contracted
vendors – involved in the construction of critical or strategic infrastructure
including public works construction, airport operations, water, sewer, gas,
electrical, nuclear, oil refining and other critical energy services, roads and
highways, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, municipal
transfer stations, and internet, and telecommunications systems (including the
provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing
services)
Workers such as plumbers,
electricians, exterminators, inspectors and other service providers who provide
services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and
essential operation of residences, construction sites and projects, and needed
facilities
Support, such as road and line
clearing and utility relocation, to ensure the availability of needed
facilities, transportation, energy and communications
Support to ensure the effective
removal, storage, and disposal of residential and commercial solid waste and
hazardous waste
Licensed site clean-up
professionals and other workers addressing hazardous spills, waste sites, and
remediation.
Workers who support the
operation, maintenance and public safety of state parks, forests, wildlife
management areas, water supply protection lands, and other critical natural
resources.
Workers who support storm
clean-up operations (e.g., foresters).
Communications and Information
Technology
Communications:
Maintenance of communications
infrastructure- including privately owned and maintained communication systems-
supported by technicians, operators, call-centers, wireline and wireless
providers, cable service providers, satellite operations, undersea cable
landing stations, Internet Exchange Points, and manufacturers and distributors
of communications equipment
Workers who support radio,
television, and media service, including, but not limited to front line news
reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering and reporting
Workers at Independent System
Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations, and Network Operations
staff, engineers and/or technicians to manage the network or operate facilities
Engineers, technicians and
associated personnel responsible for infrastructure construction and restoration,
including contractors for construction and engineering of fiber optic cables
Installation, maintenance and
repair technicians that establish, support or repair service as needed
Central office personnel to
maintain and operate central office, data centers, and other network office
facilities
Customer service and support
staff, including managed and professional services as well as remote providers
of support to transitioning employees to set up and maintain home offices, who
interface with customers to manage or support service environments and security
issues, including payroll, billing, fraud, and troubleshooting
Dispatchers involved with service
repair and restoration
Information Technology:
Workers who support command
centers, including, but not limited to Network Operations Command Center,
Broadcast Operations Control Center and Security Operations Command Center
Data center operators, including
system administrators, HVAC & electrical engineers, security personnel, IT
managers, data transfer solutions engineers, software and hardware engineers,
and database administrators
Client service centers, field
engineers, and other technicians supporting critical infrastructure, as well as
manufacturers and supply chain vendors that provide hardware and software, and
information technology equipment (to include microelectronics and
semiconductors) for critical infrastructure
Workers responding to cyber
incidents involving critical infrastructure, including medical facilities, SLTT
governments and federal facilities, energy and utilities, and banks and
financial institutions, and other critical infrastructure categories and
personnel
Workers supporting the provision
of essential global, national and local infrastructure for computing services
(incl. cloud computing services), business infrastructure, web-based services,
and critical manufacturing
Workers supporting communications
systems and information technology used by law enforcement, public safety,
medical, energy and other critical industries
Support required for continuity
of services, including janitorial/cleaning personnel
Other Community-Based Essential
Functions
Workers to ensure continuity of
building functions, including local and state inspectors and administrative
support of inspection services who are responsible for the inspection of
elevators, escalators, lifts, buildings, plumbing and gas fitting, electrical
work, and other safety related professional work
Security staff to maintain
building access control and physical security measures
Residential and commercial
janitorial and cleaning services
Elections personnel
Trade Officials (FTA negotiators;
international data flow administrators)
Weather forecasters
Workers that maintain digital
systems infrastructure supporting other critical government operations
Workers at operations centers
necessary to maintain other essential functions
Workers who support necessary
credentialing, vetting and licensing operations for transportation workers
including holders of Commercial Drivers Licenses
Workers who are critical to
facilitating trade in support of the national, state and local emergency
response supply chain
Educators and staff supporting
public and private emergency childcare programs, including remote learning and
facilitating distance learning among residential schools for students with
disabilities, K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, provision of school
meals, or performing other essential student support functions, if operating
under rules for social distancing
Workers at hotel and commercial
lodging facilities
Construction Workers who support
the construction, operation, inspection, and maintenance of construction sites
and construction projects (including housing construction)
Workers that provide services for
or determine eligibility for public benefits such as subsidized health care,
food and feeding programs, residential and congregate care programs, shelter,
in-home supportive services, child welfare, juvenile justice programs, adult
protective services and social services, and other necessities of life for
economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including family
members)
Professional services (such as
legal and accounting services) and payroll and employee benefit services, when
necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities and critical
sector services or where failure to provide such services during the time of
the order would result in significant prejudice
Commercial retail stores that
supply essential sectors, including convenience stores, pet supply stores, auto
supplies and repair, hardware and home improvement, and home appliance
retailers
Laundromats, dry cleaning, and
laundry services
Workers and instructors
supporting academies and training facilities and courses for the purpose of
graduating students and cadets that comprise the essential workforce for all
identified critical sectors
Workers at places of worship
Manufacturing
Manufacturing companies,
distributors, and supply chain companies producing and supplying materials and
products for industries that include, but are not limited to, pharmaceutical,
technology, biotechnology, healthcare, chemicals and sanitization, waste pickup
and disposal, agriculture, food and beverage, transportation, energy, steel and
steel products, petroleum and fuel, construction, gun and related products
(including associated retail), operations of
dams, water and wastewater treatment, national defense, communications, as well
as products used by other essential businesses and operations
Hazardous Materials
Workers at nuclear facilities,
workers managing medical waste, workers managing waste from pharmaceuticals and
medical material production, and workers at laboratories processing test kits
Workers who support hazardous
materials response and cleanup
Workers who maintain digital
systems infrastructure supporting hazardous materials management operations
Financial Services
Banks, financial services institutions,
credit unions, insurance, payroll, regional development corporations, and
accounting services
Workers who are needed to process
and maintain systems for processing financial transactions and services (e.g.,
payment, clearing, and settlement; wholesale funding; insurance services; and
capital markets activities)
Workers who are needed to provide
consumer access to banking and lending services, including ATMs, and to move
currency and payments (e.g., armored cash carriers)
Workers who support financial
operations, such as those staffing data and security operations centers
Chemical
Workers supporting the chemical
and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical manufacturing
plants, workers in laboratories, workers at distribution facilities, workers
who transport basic raw chemical materials to the producers of industrial and
consumer goods, including hand sanitizers, food and food additives,
pharmaceuticals, textiles, and paper products.
Workers supporting the safe
transportation of chemicals, including those supporting tank truck cleaning
facilities and workers who manufacture packaging items
Workers supporting the production
of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective equipment,
and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among
others essential products
Workers supporting the operation
and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals
and/or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and
requires the presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations,
including plant contract workers who provide inspections
Workers who support the
production and transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use
plastics, and packaging that prevents the contamination or supports the
continued manufacture of food, water, medicine, and other essential products,
including glass container manufacturing
Defense Industrial Base
Workers who support the essential
services required to meet national security commitments to the federal
government and U.S. Military. These individuals, include but are not limited
to, aerospace; mechanical and software engineers, manufacturing/production
workers; IT support; security staff; security personnel; intelligence support,
aircraft and weapon system mechanics and maintainers
Personnel working for companies,
and their subcontractors, who perform under contract to the Department of
Defense providing materials and services to the Department of Defense, and
government-owned/contractor-operated and government-owned/government-operated
facilities
^ Each State has their own list
of what is deemed essential, but this list was the first one that came up when
I typed-in “What occupations are deemed essential during the Covid-19 pandemic?”
It seems to be a fairly long and balanced list that I’m sure can be found in
other States. ^
https://www.wmur.com/article/essential-businesses-new-hampshire-list-coronavirus-response/31947963
Most Cases
From the BBC:
“Coronavirus: US overtakes China
with most cases”
The US now has more confirmed
cases of coronavirus than any other country with more than 83,500 positive
tests. According to the latest figures collated by Johns Hopkins University,
the US has overtaken China (81,782 cases) and Italy (80,589). But with 1,200
Covid-19-related fatalities, the US death toll lags behind China (3,291) and
Italy (8,215). The grim milestone came as President Donald Trump predicted the
nation would get back to work "pretty quickly".
How did the White House react? Asked about the latest figures at a White
House briefing on Thursday afternoon, President Trump said it was "a
tribute to the amount of testing that we're doing". Vice-President Mike Pence said coronavirus
tests were now available in all 50 states and more than 552,000 tests had been
conducted nationwide. Mr Trump also cast doubt on the figures coming out of
Beijing, telling reporters: "You don't know what the numbers are in
China." He said he would speak to President Xi Jinping by phone on
Thursday night, but denied the Chinese leader had asked him to "calm
down" the language he uses to refer to the pandemic, which the US leader
refers to as "the Chinese virus".
Does the president still hope to
ease restrictions? Mr Trump has set a
much-criticised goal of Easter Sunday, 12 April, for reopening the country.
That plan seemed to gather impetus on Thursday as it emerged an unprecedented
3.3 million Americans have been laid off because of the virus. At Thursday's
briefing, he said: "They [the American people] have to go back to work,
our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think it's going
to happen pretty quickly. "We may take sections of our country, we may
take large sections of our country that aren't so seriously affected and we may
do it that way." He added: "A lot of people misinterpret when I say
go back - they're going to be practising as much as you can social distancing,
and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things we talked
about." He promised more details next week.
What could he be planning? In a letter to state governors on Thursday,
Mr Trump said his team plans to release federal social distancing guidelines
that may advise some regions to loosen restrictions. Mr Trump wrote of a "long battle
ahead" and said "robust" testing protocols might allow some
counties to lift their safeguards against the coronavirus. He said the
"new guidelines" would create low, medium and high risk zones that
would allow the government to advise on "maintaining, increasing, or
relaxing social distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in
place". The plan emerged as new research on Thursday estimated
Covid-19-related deaths in the US could top 80,000 over the coming four months.
As many as 2,300 patients could die every day during the epidemic peak, set for
some point in April, even if people observe strict social distancing, according
to the study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the
University of Washington's School of Medicine.
Can the president order everyone
back to work? No. Earlier this month,
he set a 15-day period to slow down the spread of Covid-19 by urging all
Americans to drastically scale back their public interactions. But those guidelines were voluntary and did
not amount to a national order. The US
Constitution makes clear states have the power for maintaining public order and
safety, which scholars say means it is the responsibility of governors to
decide when virus-related restrictions get lifted. Currently 21 US states have
told residents to stay in their homes in order to contain the pandemic.
^ This a milestone that the US
doesn’t need or want. With this current news I don’t see the US getting “by to
work” before Easter. ^
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52056586
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