pandemic

[cellio]

Pennsylvania shut down "non-life-sustaining businesses" tonight. There's a link there with a detailed list of what's in and out -- some oddities (beer distributors are life-sustaining, apparently), but mostly what you'd expect.

And California extended the stay-at-home order already in force in San Francisco to the entire state tonight. Even so, their governor thinks half the state will be infected in the next eight weeks. I haven't heard any projections for PA, but cases here have been following the usual curve so far.

siderea posted a summary of the Imperial College report that might be spurring the government to take this more seriously. (The report is linked.) They ran simulations of a few response scenarios, ranging from "basically do nothing" to fuller responses. Even with stronger responses, it's looking grim. And it's (at the national level) self-inflicted; we saw what was happening elsewhere and dallied anyway.

Comments

[hlinspjalda]

SFGate, the local web news outlet here in the Cradle of Kingdoms, noted about the governor's words: A spokesperson for Newsom later told Politico that the 56 percent number reflects the infection rate if "mitigation efforts aren't taken into account." So not quite as dire as it sounds in headlines. But still bad.

[juan_gandhi]

Seems like, when things went serious, California, with Newsom, were relatively very smart and fast-moving, compared to DC swamp/ Pennsylvania looks totally idiotic, though.

[madfilkentist]

I wonder what they're going to do with people who flout the orders. Pack them into jails, where they can spread the disease faster?

[(Anonymous)]

A small correction: Calif extended the shelter in place order from the San Francisco Bay Area to the entire state. San Francisco is just one city. The existing order involved SF County (which is the city) and I believe 9 other counties, covering a huge area and nearly 8 million people. About 10 times the population of the city of SF.

I don't have a problem with beer being included as "essential" (alcohol is here too) as long as it's pickup only and no bars open to drink in (here in Calif all restaurants are takeout or delivery only and most who choose to stay open are doing curbside pickup too). I mean, we really don't want people venturing out just to get a drink.

Please pretend that Penn is like Calif and change your plans accordingly. Be safe out there!