As of today (4/16) at noon, the number of worldwide cases have exceeded 2.1 million with over 144 thousand deaths. In the U.S., 667,572 cases with 33,903 deaths, and in Colorado, 8,280 cases with 357 deaths!
President Trump wants to open up business on a limited scale, but the medical pundits recommend against doing this. They are afraid of a second wave that happened with the Spanish Flu pandemic, which killed over 500 thousand Americans. New York Governor Cuomo has extended the ‘Stay at Home’ order through May 15. Several European countries are starting to open some businesses on a limited scale.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is under fire by critics on last night’s entertainment TV show showing her 15 flavor ice cream collection in extremely expensive appliances. Critics are asking is this meant to be reassuring to people fighting 15 bill collectors during a pandemic and struggling to buy food?
President Trump announced yesterday cutting the $893 million funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). Public health advocates and several celebrities such as Bill Gates have responded strongly after Trump’s announcement and concerned about the funding freeze could have a tragic impact. According to the State Department, the United States was committed to provide the WHO with $893 million during its current two-year funding period. What is even more absurd is China has committed only $86 million during the same period. Remember, China is the second largest economy in the world behind the U.S., claiming to overtake the U.S. and the world in security products and military services by 2025!
At the beginning of the COVIDD-19 crisis, WHO promoted the apparent low Chinese case numbers and deaths without any verification. WHO was slow to respond to the China crisis and even slower to declare a public health emergency and pandemic. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general, continued to give praise to Beijing and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The WHO Director dodged questions about undercounted cases and the Chinese response. In late 2019, Chinese doctors in Wuhan started discussing a SARS-like ailment that was spreading through hospitals. They were silenced for spreading rumors and shamed on state television. What kind of a society intimidates whistleblowers and gets away with this behavior?
It’s been strongly suggested the Americas, European Union, Middle East, and Pacific nations should penalize and fine China over $10 trillion per IMF estimates for its role in covering up the truth of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, suspected release of the COVID-19 virus on a worldwide basis, and starting a worldwide pandemic, that has cost thousands of lives, loss of many worldwide jobs, and literally destroying the worldwide economy. Even better, if China resists, the world should stop doing business with China!
Remember the Chinese dog food scandal that killed many pets worldwide, the poor quality of Chinese made medicines, poorly made products in general, and more recently, WWF reports their commercial use of the expanding Chinese Tiger Farms for possible food supplies and other distasteful commercial purposes. Even though the tigers are on the extinction list, China seems to hoard them for the wrong reasons. Thanks to several major retailers and our economists for putting pressure on many U.S. companies to do business with China in order to cut costs, actually cut many American jobs, and giving the Americans poor quality products.
In different states, many citizens are protesting the ‘Stay at Home’ orders, not being able to work, and likely will cause many bankruptcies and undue stress on many families. Many governors are resisting the protests indicating it’s not time yet! The governors and health officials are worried about a second wave of cases and more deaths if the lockdown is lifted too soon!
We wonder who is to really blame for the coronavirus crisis? China, WHO, our government officials, or our own blindness! Unfortunately, everyone is to blame! Now, what do we do to fix the problem beyond the coronavirus?
On the bright side, Captain Tom Moore, a 99 year old WWII England veteran serving in Myanmar and India, had a goal of raising $1,245 for charity from walking 100 laps in his garden. Surprisingly, he raised over $17 million from 650,000 generous donors across the world. He will turn 100 in several weeks. Nice going Tom!
Stay Home, Be Patient, Stay Healthy, and Protect our Health Workers and Our Seniors!