What are your thoughts on how government is handling COVID-19

[Calliecake]

I thought a separate thread for this topic would be better than discussing the political aspect in the Coronavirus thread.
What are your thoughts? Do you trust what we are being told? Do you feel the government is doing a good job with COVID 19?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I don't trust the government anyways and certainly not with something of this nature. I'm just trying to keep my head straight and not give into the inclination to panic.

 

[missy]

Acutely awful at all levels. IMO.

 

[Niffler75]

I feel very mixed about the UK Government. There have been very high up medical experts criticising our government's slow response initiating social distancing strategies. Many people are wondering if they are prioritising the economy and trying to minimise the knock on effects financially to the country.
Then there is a significant number who think the Government are scaremongering and this will all come to nothing.
Seeing the latest news coming out of Italy and the situation in their hospitals coupled with health experts projecting UK is 10-14 days behind Italy is really worrying.

 

[stracci2000]

I honestly don't know what to think, or who to believe.
My state still doesn't have any confirmed cases.
But as soon as we do, people here are going to go nuts.

 

[Arcadian]

Can tell you that in this country (United States) there's some willful ignorance at the highest levels of our federal government. Now that said, there's some very smart people who are getting the right words out there as well. It does create confusion though, because basically you have to pick and choose what to believe as the average person.

Even at the state level, they're not being completely truthful though they are I think trying to do the best they can with what they have available to them.

Lastly, you have the willful ignorance and stupidity of the public.
You can't tell me what to do
I can go wherever I want
I can do what I want to do
Imma sue for blah blah blah

And that shit right there is what makes it bad for everyone. Its top down to the common man, and with both major parties in this country.

I try to stay as factual and as science based as I can about it.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I find Germany and France pretty good regarding the communication. Matter of fact and science based. No signs of public panic, really. But the geographical proximity to Italy is there and nothing they can control. People were quarantined fast and the first patients who were infected but well were brought to one of the best university Hospitals to conduct a study. The results were communicated. It does help that Angela Merkel has a ph.d. in physics. Science based handling. People were quarantined fast. Only things that were lacking: not forbidding certain mass gatherings early on. France: football game vs Italian club with thousands of Italian supporters. Germany: traditional carnival was not forbidden. People attended a party and got infected. Totally foreseeable...

 

[BarbBe]

I live in Switzerland and have been working from home since last week. My employer has encouraged everyone to stay at home and when possible work from home.

 

[kgizo]

I don’t trust the federal gov’t at all and think they are dong a terrible job of handling Covid19.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i really despise my government with the kind of hatred some American have for President Trump (the NZ government is very far to the left of Mr Trump mind you)
But as much as i hate to praise St Jusinta's i'm reasonably happy with how the crisis is being handled, the same way i was happy with how the right wing National party did things in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake

i guess i trust our system in a crisis
and the PM does have acess to the best minds in what ever field is the need of the day

in this country poloticans tend to listen to their advisors

and i don't buy into all the panic and conspiracy theories overflowing from social media/ the internet

 

[Karl_K]

Like pretty much anything the US goverment does its totaly messed up beyond repair.
The useless cdc bureaucrats need to be takin out behind the woodshed.

 

[Bonfire]

As if things aren’t scary enough! He is out and out terrifying . With this mess at the helm, we’re doomed!

 

[Tekate]

I think we are getting piecemeal info. Is there ANY plan, any coordinated action, I read NY is sending in the national guard because New Rochelle area is being quarantined, my son says is company is saying work from home in Brooklyn NY, in Austin here in Texas there's no plan that I can tell except to cancel large groups but have yet to discern what is connected.

Our government wants to cut payroll taxes? why? I cannot get a handle on any person in charge.

 

[Loves Vintage]

New Rochelle, NY - seems to be taking most reasonable and decisive action by setting up a containment area and deploying National Guard. I hope the containment area is large enough.

CT - yesterday began disallowing visitors to nursing homes, suggesting no large gatherings, many universities going to e-learning.

Federal Government - trump and his people need to stay off tv and social media. Incompetent. Selfish. Dangerous.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

its a bit sad for an oldie to get no visitors for a wee while but no visitors at rest homes sounds a no brainer

 

[Phoenix]

I feel very mixed about the UK Government. There have been very high up medical experts criticising our government's slow response initiating social distancing strategies. Many people are wondering if they are prioritising the economy and trying to minimise the knock on effects financially to the country.
Then there is a significant number who think the Government are scaremongering and this will all come to nothing.
Seeing the latest news coming out of Italy and the situation in their hospitals coupled with health experts projecting UK is 10-14 days behind Italy is really worrying.

I'm a Brit and my family lives in London. I try to read up on UK news and although admittedly I am not that well informed, but from what I can see, I don't think the UK govt is doing anywhere near enough. When I speak to family and friends there, there doesn't seem to be enough awareness amongst people who live there and they still go about socialising, going to large gatherings and some even say "oh, this will just blow over!!".

In contrast, in Singapore where I now live, the govt is doing a great job containing it. BUT, there still doesn't seem to be sufficient awareness amongst the population - I dunno why that is. The majority of the latest cases are from a large gathering on Feb 15th, when the coronavirus was infecting and killing scores of people in China and people here were already sick too!!

 

[happybear]

I live in Singapore too and I agree with Phoenix. The government here has gone through great length in tracking people down to limit the transmitability. However, the seriousness of the disease was somehow lost in the government's message. Perhaps it is to minimize panic, but large gathering should have been discouraged when the first case appeared.
To make matters worse, the largest cluster now involves mostly retirees who participated in the said gathering - a high risk group. We saw the number of patients currently in ICU jump from 7 to 13 in a couple of days.

 

[Phoenix]

I live in Singapore too and I agree with Phoenix. The government here has gone through great length in tracking people down to limit the transmitability. However, the seriousness of the disease was somehow lost in the government's message. Perhaps it is to minimize panic, but large gathering should have been discouraged when the first case appeared.
To make matters worse, the largest cluster now involves mostly retirees who participated in the said gathering - a high risk group. We saw the number of patients currently in ICU jump from 7 to 13 in a couple of days.

+1

 

[missy]

New Rochelle, NY - seems to be taking most reasonable and decisive action by setting up a containment area and deploying National Guard. I hope the containment area is large enough.

CT - yesterday began disallowing visitors to nursing homes, suggesting no large gatherings, many universities going to e-learning.

Federal Government - trump and his people need to stay off tv and social media. Incompetent. Selfish. Dangerous.

The containment area seems to be containment by disinfecting. Let's hope that is sufficient as New Rochelle cases are increasing as are all of NY. I believe CT only has 2 cases so far? Let's hope CT can contain this better than NY has so far.

 

[missy]

New Rochelle area is being quarantined

I don't think it is quarantine in the traditional sense of the word. From what I understand people are going to work re train and traveling etc but what is happening is the area is being disinfected.

Cuomo’s circular logic: His ‘containment zone’ approach to coronavirus in New Rochelle is worth a try

It’s not a quarantine. It’s not a lockdown. It may not have much of an impact in the scheme of things. But Gov. Cuomo’s Tuesday announcement of a “containment zone” in…

www.nydailynews.com

 

[House Cat]

The federal government has made this a total mess. Donald Trump thought he could wing it and politicize this issue like he does everything else. I still don’t think he’s realized how serious this issue is. He looked like a fool standing there in his campaign hat talking about how he has a natural knack for this sort of thing. He needs to go sit in the Oval Office and eat McDonald’s and let the experts do their job in order to save lives.

Edit: many lives will be lost because of his actions.

 

[Loves Vintage]

I don't think it is quarantine in the traditional sense of the word. From what I understand people are going to work re train and traveling etc but what is happening is the area is being disinfected.

Cuomo’s circular logic: His ‘containment zone’ approach to coronavirus in New Rochelle is worth a try

It’s not a quarantine. It’s not a lockdown. It may not have much of an impact in the scheme of things. But Gov. Cuomo’s Tuesday announcement of a “containment zone” in…

www.nydailynews.com

Oh, I misunderstood and thought people in the containment area were not leaving their homes? I read that National Guard was to deliver food.

Yes, CT has only two reported cases, but I am certain this will increase with time, unfortunately. And, probably many more have it, but haven't been tested, have only mild symptoms. Apparently CT received 600 tests yesterday, but then I read people in WA state who have symptoms and who worked at the nursing home experiencing the outbreak can't be tested because not enough tests. How can that be???

 

[missy]

Oh, I misunderstood and thought people in the containment area were not leaving their homes? I read that National Guard was to deliver food.

Yes, CT has only two reported cases, but I am certain this will increase with time, unfortunately. And, probably many more have it, but haven't been tested, have only mild symptoms. Apparently CT received 600 tests yesterday, but then I read people in WA state who have symptoms and who worked at the nursing home experiencing the outbreak can't be tested because not enough tests. How can that be???

It could be the info is not consistent and I am not sure which is correct. As for the shortage of tests I share your frustrations and disbelief. How can that be indeed.

 

[missy]

This is what we are getting info wise re containment area in New Rochelle.

Coronavirus: New York Creates 'Containment Area' Around Cluster In New Rochelle

The governor is calling on the National Guard to support the containment area, which has a 1-mile radius, by delivering food and helping to clean public spaces.

www.npr.org

If I am understanding correctly people will be allowed to leave the containment zone and return to the containment zone...


ETA: We just finished watching the Netflix series "Containment" and let's hope it doesn't reach those proportions!

 

[MarionC]

This is what we are getting info wise re containment area in New Rochelle.

Coronavirus: New York Creates 'Containment Area' Around Cluster In New Rochelle

The governor is calling on the National Guard to support the containment area, which has a 1-mile radius, by delivering food and helping to clean public spaces.

www.npr.org

If I am understanding correctly people will be allowed to leave the containment zone and return to the containment zone...


ETA: We just finished watching the Netflix series "Containment" and let's hope it doesn't reach those proportions!

Missy, I cannot get “Containment” on Netflix. Boo!
I had access “World War Z” (Brad Pitt) instead, where a virus turns everyone into zombies.

 

[missy]

Missy, I cannot get “Containment” on Netflix. Boo!
I had access “World War Z” (Brad Pitt) instead, where a virus turns everyone into zombies.

You're not missing anything. In hindsight probably not the best series to watch right now. I must have a streak of masochism in me that I chose to watch that for the past week.
And it was gory so just be warned if you can get it eventually and want to watch it. Very gory. I was on PS during the bloodiest scenes lol.

 

[telephone89]

I wish the western govts were treating this as seriously as the Asian govts. In korea, you get a full run down of an infected persons whereabouts prior. There is no privacy if public health is at risk. You comply. You are punished for breaking quarantine. I'm very upset to hear about companies, communities and governments keeping this kind of info on the DL. My own company included.
Aggressive and immediate action is needed to stop these outbreaks, and I'm getting frustrating seeing new cases doubling (alberta) and communities keeping quiet to "protect" the infected (Vancouver). I get not wanting to spread panic and hysteria, but IMO more info is better than less right now.

I don't even know WTF Canada is doing with their $1B "plan" and "covid19 team". Seems a bit late chaps!

 

[jaaron]

It's hard to imagine a scenario in which it's worse-handled than it has been in the US, but at the moment, the UK seems to be trying to come a close second. They have great civil service people in the UK--chief science officer and chief medical officer--advising, but the government seems to be choosing to listen to other sources for direction.

https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/...ategy-to-beat-virus?__twitter_impression=true

A friend just told me this morning about returning from Italy, with a woman getting off the plane, wearing a mask who had very obvious symptoms--sweating, coughing, who just walked out of the airport and got on the train to central London without anyone stopping her.

Italy is begging the world to pay attention, but their voices seem to be falling into the void.

 

[lyra]

In Canada, I have no idea what's going on. We are crippled by our privacy laws to some extent. I think the health care responses are appropriate, but at some point the infrastructure might not hold. I'm unsure.

 

[Niffler75]

@jaaron I agree as a UK resident. It is very concerning indeed.