FUCKDOWN, U.S.A.

[BlodwynPig]

Also, yesterday saw the largest number of new cases since the start. 290,000

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Oz in trouble land, now.

Perhaps that warrants a thread given our antipodean contingent.

All different shades of shit, but there's something about a nation that has gone through New York and New Jersey being hit 4 times as bad as any other nation or state on Earth and still not learning from that.

By contrast Australia seemed to have dealt with it pretty early, and they were never hammered by this in the first place, perhaps complacency has crept in. I imagine they should deal with these new cases at state level/target more locally and see if that makes a difference without having to enforce another nationwide lockdown.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Interesting story on how the American healthcare system could be discouraging people from taking a COVID test: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/01/coronavirus-texas-COVID-test-charges-emergency-room/

...De Cordova is an attorney who specializes in civil litigation defense and maritime law. She cringes when she's asked to sign away her rights and scrutinizes the fine print. The documents she had been given included disclosures required by recent laws in Texas that try to rein in the billing practices of stand-alone emergency centers like SignatureCare. One said that while the facility would submit its bill to insurance plans, it doesn't have contractual relationships with them, meaning the care would be considered out-of-network. Patients are responsible for any charges not covered by their plan, it said, as well as any copayment, deductible or coinsurance.

The more she read, the more annoyed de Cordova became. SignatureCare charges a "facility fee" for treatment, the document said, ranging "between five hundred dollars and one hundred thousand dollars." Another charge, the "observation fee," could range from $1,000 to $100,000.

De Cordova didn't think her fees for the test could rise into the six figures. But SignatureCare was giving itself leeway to charge almost any amount to her insurance plan — and she could be on the hook. She knew she couldn't sign the document. But that created a problem: She still needed to get her test results.

Even in a public health emergency, what could be considered the first rule of American health care is still in effect: There is no set price. Medical providers often inflate their charges and then give discounts to insurance plans that sign contracts with them. Out-of-network insurers and their members are often left to pay the full tab or whatever discount they can negotiate after the fact...

The Texas Tribune seems like a pretty good paper, btw, it's where I get my news about Texas from.

[Mister Six]

...De Cordova is an attorney who specializes in civil litigation defense and maritime law.

De Cordova in action:

[Alberon]

According to that Worldmeters site over 1400 people died of the coronavirus in the US yesterday.

[Dog Botherer]

mate's aunt just died from it, apparently another handful of his relatives are in the ICU and not looking great either. poor fucks got infected at a church here then went on vacation to Florida, where they became symptomatic after presumably getting a huge viral load.

this shit is gonna escalate so fucking fast.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

Signs in the last week that US keeping a lid on it. Infections and deaths tailing off a bit.

That prediction a few pages back about another New York/NJ occurring seems to have perhaps underestimated that the vast testing program is capturing more cases, whereas in NY/NJ back in April they had no idea just how fast and far the infections had spread. If a similar testing program was in place you'd have seen similar figures, I'd suggest. Not to mention that there is now widespread awareness regarding distancing, increased mask wearing and so forth.

[Dex Sawash]

Our main auto parts supplier with 4x/day delivery got the covid in local warehouse and has shut down. RIP just in time inventory and I probably shouldn't have been licking all those brake linings.

[Fambo Number Mive]

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

Signs in the last week that US keeping a lid on it. Infections and deaths tailing off a bit.

That prediction a few pages back about another New York/NJ occurring seems to have perhaps underestimated that the vast testing program is capturing more cases, whereas in NY/NJ back in April they had no idea just how fast and far the infections had spread. If a similar testing program was in place you'd have seen similar figures, I'd suggest. Not to mention that there is now widespread awareness regarding distancing, increased mask wearing and so forth.

I know Florida closed some testing sites ahead of the hurricane which has probably contributed to their lower numbers the past few days, not sure if any other state has. The next big challenge for the USA - as for the UK - will come with school reopenings for those districts where education won't remain online only. Did anyone see those pictures from the school in Georgia where there was no social distancing and very few children wore masks?

[Dog Botherer]

the drop in numbers in the USA directly correlates with all numbers going directly to the government for massaging, unfortunately. now with schools reopening, the turbofucking is about to begin.

[Dog Botherer]

restaurants in the midsize Midwest city where I live are jam packed again, servers coming down with the COVID left right and centre, management don't give a fuck, employees have to keep working as there's no unemployment.

something has to give soon

[BlodwynPig]

the drop in numbers in the USA directly correlates with all numbers going directly to the government for massaging, unfortunately. now with schools reopening, the turbofucking is about to begin.

Yes, don't believe the numbers if they are handled by the government.

[Chedney Honks]

[Dog Botherer]

good one blod

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Trump repeatedly sidelining the CDC, probably the world's best institution for this kind of stuff, is just incredible isn't it. What did they do to him? Tell him the truth?

How did he not get that the virus was such a big threat to his reelection and he had a chance to "finally become President" in the eyes of credulous centrists who are desperate to normalise him by simply doing his fucking job and keeping Americans safe.

[Cuellar]

What is the source of this image

[Alberon]

Trump repeatedly sidelining the CDC, probably the world's best institution for this kind of stuff, is just incredible isn't it. What did they do to him? Tell him the truth?

How did he not get that the virus was such a big threat to his reelection and he had a chance to "finally become President" in the eyes of credulous centrists who are desperate to normalise him by simply doing his fucking job and keeping Americans safe.

Yeah, if he had a fucking clue he'd be really dangerous. All that mattered to him was winning each day as it came, and the result is that he's lost the year.

[Dex Sawash]

Wife got word this week they will work from home until January, at least.
They've been doing 6 week projections so she was prepared to hear mid-september.

[JamesTC]

Hundreds in South Dakota risking Covid in order to see Smash Mouth live. Pure desolation.

[chveik]

thoughts and prayers for our US cabbers

[QDRPHNC]

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, all of Toronto Health's indicators are green, so that's nice.

Very surprised they've decided to send kids back to school next month though.

[The Roofdog]

Yeah, if he had a fucking clue he'd be really dangerous. All that mattered to him was winning each day as it came, and the result is that he's lost the year.

Bleak as fuck to think that if the pandemic had hit 6-7 months later his insane initial reaction would probably have got him over the line in November though.

[Ferris]

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, all of Toronto Health's indicators are green, so that's nice.

Very surprised they've decided to send kids back to school next month though.

Me leaving was the seventh seal of green indicators.

[BlodwynPig]

Me leaving was the seventh seal of green indicators.

Have you left for good?

[Ferris]

Have you left for good?

Yup, I'm one of those coastal elites you hear about now. Moved to (covid-free) Nova Scotia last week.

[Dex Sawash]

Dr. Ellen Behrend, acting director of Auburn University's Veterinary Teaching Hospitals and the Joezy Griffin Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Clinical Sciences, offers advice for keeping your pets healthy. BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

The first dog confirmed to have the coronavirus in North Carolina has died, state officials said.

An investigation is ongoing into the dog's health at the time it became sick and its cause of death, according to a press release.

"Right now, there's not a definitive cause of death," said Dr. Steve Marks, associate dean and director of veterinary medical services for the NC State University Veterinary Hospital, in an interview with The News & Observer.   

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article244878482.html

[QDRPHNC]

Yup, I'm one of those coastal elites you hear about now. Moved to (covid-free) Nova Scotia last week.

That was fast! I'll be out your way in a couple of months, we'll have to beer.

[BlodwynPig]

That was fast! I'll be out your way in a couple of months, we'll have to beer.

I'll pop over on the boat. Leaving next week.

[QDRPHNC]

That would be lovely, big long boat ride.

[Ferris]

That was fast! I'll be out your way in a couple of months, we'll have to beer.

Absolutely, I'll know where the decent bars are by then (probably).

I'll pop over on the boat. Leaving next week.

It's a port town, but that is the extent of my knowledge about how boats work.