Don’t DeathSantis My Floriduh

Posted on by Thor

Floriduh Governor Ron DeathSantis has driven the state into the deep end of the pandemic pool.He is more interested in reelection stunts than working to protect his constituents from the virus.

The state is now the epicenter of the pandemic. With less than half of Floridians vaccinated the Delta variant is finding and attacking the unvaccinated. One in five cases in America are now from Florida. The state is seeing an average of 49.3 new daily Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people, according to data from the Brown School of Public Health. That’s nearly double the threshold for “red” designation on the risk-assessment map.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Deming declared a state of emergency, but his hands are tied because DeathSantis will not allow for mask mandates. Demings “strongly recommended’ that people wear masks indoors. Yet he can not enforce the recommendation. The CDC has said that everyone in high risk areas must wear a mask indoors, vaccinated or unvaccinated due to the heightened risk presented by the highly transmissible Delta variant.

DeathSantis’s goal is to dis-inform, deny, and deflect. He has blocked the Florida Health department from posting daily COVID case numbers. It shouldn’t take unending media requests and lawsuits to jar loose information the public needs to understand this horrible pandemic. It shouldn’t take unending media requests and lawsuits to jar loose information the public needs to understand this horrible pandemic. The media have to send constant requests for the numbers and fight the Governor in lawsuits to get the information. Tax payers foot the bill for his need to hide the numbers. Do not trust this man with your life. stay informed and follow the advise of health experts.

Despite this surge in cases Florida theme parks are filling to capacity with no mask requirements. There is money to be made as the guests infect one another and spread the virus across the country. DeathSantis has also been fighting the cruise ship industry insisting that the infected should be allowed to board ships to infect whoever they like. Norwegian Cruise Line filed a lawsuit against Florida, saying that said the state’s ban hurts its ability to prevent the spread of the virus onboard ships.

Advent heath hospital in Orange County is at capacity. Sick patents are lining the halls of the ER. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC said, “If you are not vaccinated, you remain at risk.” “The good news is that if you are fully vaccinated, you are protected against severe Covid, hospitalization and death, and are even protected against the known variants, including the Delta variant.” However a study done in Israel points out that the Pfizer vaccine has been loosing its efficacy. At first it was said that the Pfizer vaccine offered 94% protection against infection. However the Israel study found it is now just 35% effective against infection. The upside is that the vaccine is still very effective, protecting against serious illness and hospitalizations. Pfizer is working on a booster shot but the CDC is slow to course correct. The CDC is now considered that everyone wear masks when indoors.

The DeathSantis campaign merchandise thumbs it’s nose at science and the pandemic, taking aim at Dr. Fauci. You can order a t-Shirt that says, “Don’t Fauci My Florida.” I think a t-Shirt that says, “Don’t DeathSantis My Floriduh.” would be more accurate. DeathSantis also has beer koozies that say, “How am I going to drink my beer with a mask on?” It does take an idiot to not know how to drink a beer and them lift a mask back in place. A better Koozie might say “How am I going to drink this beer, since I am on a ventilator.”

Younger Pool of Vulnerable Hosts

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Children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated. Hospital admissions are ticking up all across America thanks to the Delta variant which is 60% more transmissible than previous variants of COVID-19. It is spreading easily because people have dis-guarded masks, are crowding into indoor spaces, have resumed travel, and are resisting vaccinations.

Florida now accounts for 20% of the new cases of COVID many of those cases being the Delta Variant. Governor DeathSantis is not likely to reinstate any forms of health mandates to help stop the carnage. He has his eye on a presidential bid and needs the support of conspiracy theory believing MAGAts.

ICUs are filling with younger patients, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s,  many with no underlying health problems. Since the elderly are vaccinated the virus is burning its way through the unvaccinated population. Nearly all COVID related deaths are unvaccinated. Florida has less than 50% of its citizens vaccinated.

What is frustrating is that all this disease and death is entirely unnecessary. Misinformation first promoted by the former president is killing Americans. Many patients don’t realize their mistake until it’s too late. Doctors and nurses exhausted after more than a year of battling the virus are now becoming overwhelmed again by the needless death. They end of resenting the patients who are extending the pandemic needlessly. There is no cure once you are sick enough to need admission into the hospital.

675,000 Americans died in the in the U.S. 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. As of July 19, 2021 there have been Spanish Flu.  It would be nice to think that we as a nation had learned something in the 100 plus years since that tragedy. However history is repeating itself and stubborn and misinformed people are willingly going to slaughter. They believe until their dying breath that COVID is not real.

Little Shop of Vaccines

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Covid-19 cases are surging around the world, fueled by highly contagious variants of the coronavirus that continue to spread quickly. Covid-19 deaths have surpassed 3 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

India on April 18, 2021 reported 261,500 new cases of Covid-19, the fourth consecutive day of more than 200,000 infections and the highest since the start of the pandemic, according to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian Ministry of Health. They also reported 1,501 new deaths, the highest in almost 10 months.

In Florida COVID-19 cases have  surged since spring break and deaths from new variants are rising. As of April 15, 2021, there were 5,177 cases that involved variants of concern in the state — six times higher than what was there in mid-March, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The Sentinel obtained the figures through a lawsuit it filed against the Florida Department of Health.

Cases across the United States continue to climb despite the epic vaccine roll out by the new administration. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said earlier this month that hospitals are seeing more younger un-vaccinated adults  are being admitted with Covid-19 as more contagious variants spread. In Michigan, where Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rapidly increasing, case rates are at an all-time high for those age 19 and younger, according to state data published April 6, 2021.

States have begun to lift health safety measures to quickly allowing the virus to spread. Controlling the spread of the virus is as simple as following health measures like mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. However politicians insist on making these safety measures a political flashpoint, claiming they are an infringement on civil liberties. Experts spanning law, public health and privacy policy say it’s a false choice.

 

5 States: 44% of Cases

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CNN reported that five states account for 44% of the COVID-19 cases in the past week according to data from Johns Hopkins University. New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey had more than 196,400 of the country’s 453,360 cases reported in the last week, according to data available the morning of April 7. 2021.

Michigan has been hit especially hard with 6,600 cases a day over a week as opposed to 1,350 daily cases five weeks ago. The highly contagious and deadly B.1.1.7 variant of the COVID virus has helped cause the spike in cases. People are also experiencing pandemic fatigue and are taking fewer precautions giving the virus plenty of opportunity to spread.

The B.1.1.7, first identified in the UK, is now the most common strain of coronavirus in the United States, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said April 7, 2021.

With more-transmissible variants adding up, surges like Michigan’s may soon be seen more widely, even though vaccination rates have increased nationally, epidemiologist Dr. Michael Osterholm said. The CDC says more than 16,200 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant have been confirmed in surveillance testing in the US, and B.1.1.7 has been found in every state. This number does not represent the total number of such cases circulating in the United States, but rather only those found by analyzing samples. Florida has more that 3000 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant, more than any other state.

The US has averaged 774 Covid-19 deaths a day over the last week. According to the latest CDC data, 19.4% of the total US population was fully vaccinated as of the morning of April 7, 2021; and 57.4% of people age 65 and older are fully vaccinated. But the US has a long way to go before reaching herd immunity. Dr. Anthony Fauci has estimated 70%-85% of the population needs to become immune.

The Naked Virus: A Daytona Superspreader

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Bike Week in Daytona Florida continues through March 14, 2021. This is the 80th Daytona Bike Week.Last year the rally happened right at the beginning of the pandemic and it helped spread the virus.

300,000 bikers are expected to show up in Daytona the midst of the pandemic. It will of course spread the virus all across the country. The new COVID variant, B117 is far more contagious and deadly than the first strain of the virus and Florida is ground zero. There have been 31,000 deaths from COVID-19 in Florida so far, the third highest death toll in the country. Florida continues to do every stupid thing it can to be number one.

Officials in Daytona allowed bars to open at 60 percent indoor capacity for the annual Bike Week. Just like the Sturgis Bike Rally in North Dakota during the pandemic, making money took a priority over public health.

Infectious Disease doctor Mohammed Reza of Daytona is worried about the possible outcomes. “My concern is this will become a superspreader event,” Reza said. “Especially if we have this more contagious variant of the virus already in Florida. No matter how much we do, anytime people congregate and come together, this virus will spread.”

Bobby chin strap, The Naked Virus, has been pan handling at Bike Week for 21 years. His wife, The Naked Cow Girl also works the event. This year Daytona instituted a policy that prohibits pan handling within 10 feet of businesses. The Naked Cowboy was arrested for pan handling.

At first I was sympathetic to the plight of the guitarist who only wore Fruit of the Loom underwear. Perhaps he was truly an artist. But then he started throwing the  N-Word around. “So the blacks can walk around and take tips all day long.” he said. He also gave the female officer a hard time for wearing a mask saying she must be a fan of Biden. She was wearing a neck garter which is the least effective form of a mask, the other officer had no mask. Bobby chin-strap,  The Naked Virus, WAS wearing a mask when he appeared in court. Pan handling charges were dropped and he pleaded no contest to resisting arrest. Chin strap paid $223 in court costs.

With the vaccines rolling out there is light at the end of the tunnel. Stop being stupid.

Travel Ban

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The Joe Biden administration is considering whether to impose domestic travel restrictions, including on Florida, fearful that COVID-19 mutations are threatening to reverse hard-fought progress on the pandemic. Discussions in the administration over potential travel restrictions  focus on how to prevent the spread of variants that appear to be surging in a number of states, including Florida and California.

The U.K. variant, known as B.1.1.7, has recently surged in Florida, where over a third of all cases in the United States have been identified. “This is a war and we’re at battle with the virus. War is messy and unpredictable, and all options are on the table,” the White House official said.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said “It would be unconstitutional. It would be unwise and it would be unjust,” February 11, 2021 at a vaccination site in Port Charlotte, on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Florida leads the nation in the number of known cases of the B.1.1.7 strain of the coronavirus, the variant that emerged in the U.K. Researchers says the variant now accounts for up to 15% of the new cases statewide. Because it is more contagious, public health experts worry the emergence of the variant could accelerate spread of the disease. Florida had 202 deaths per day on January 11, 2021 and those numbers are slowly settling with a seven day average of 170 deaths a day on February 10, 2021. A Boeing 732 has 174 seats so the state is still experiencing the deaths of a commercial airplane crash every day.

 

 

Pre-Pandemic: Craft Beer Fest

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I had a magnificent student in my Elite Animation Urban Sketching Class. She had noticed on the drive to Elite that a festival was setting up in Windermere, Florida so we decided to head over to sketch.

We set up outside the town hall an watched as a band set up their sound equipment on the main stage. They were lugging speakers a drum set and various guitars the entire time we sketched. I was getting my student to focus on capturing at least one active gesture in the final sketch. I chose to include one guy bending over holding a speaker.

Often people repeat the same pose again and again so I had her looking for this as well. As we settled in and added watercolor to the sketches, the band began to do a sound check and we got to enjoy a short concert as they listened to the sound levels.

Tents were being set up all along the main street as well. As we finished up and gt ready to return to the classroom, people had started lining up to order arm bands which would allow them to taste as many samples as they wanted. I am more intrigued by the moments before an actual event.  There is an energy in the panic and hurry of getting ready for a possible crowd.

Days Apart

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A Douglas County, Colorado couple in their 70s died within days of each other from COVID-19.

An Oklahoma couple married 45 years, died days apart. They texted each other “I love you” before going into coma.

In Jacksonville, Florida a mother and daughter died 19 days apart from COVID-19.

A Wisconsin couple married for six decades died from COVID-19 just 2 days apart.

A California couple married 35 years died from COVID-19, 11 days apart.

The wife and husband behind Seattle’s Kona Kitchen died from COVID-19 just days apart.

A South Carolina couple married for 66 years died days apart from COVID-19.

A Louisiana woman lost both of her parents days apart due to COVID-19.

An Atlanta, Georgia couple married for 49 years died days apart from COVID-19.

Three members of a Freehold Township, New Jersey family died days apart after contracting COVID-19.

Just as the United States is rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, the numbers have become gloomier than ever: Over 3,000 Americans died in a single day, more than on D-Day or 9/11. One million new cases in the span of five days. More than 106,000 people in the hospital. The U.S. recorded 3,124 deaths Wednesday, December 9, 2020 the highest one-day total yet, according to Johns Hopkins University. Up until last week, the peak was 2,603 deaths on April 15, when New York City was the epicenter of the nation’s outbreak.

 

Disney Digital Brains

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Disney World in Orlando, Florida shut down at the beginning of the pandemic but re-opened as the cases spiked in Florida over the summer. Guests had to wear face masks at all times, except while eating or swimming, but enforcement has been a challenge.

Some guests would take off their masks for the photo opportunity. At first the parks refused to offer those photos to guests but that meant that guests who were wearing masks could not get a copy of the photo. To overcome that problem, digital masks were Photoshopped onto guests who did not wear a mask, allowed those in the photo properly wearing their face masks to get the photos.

Since this issue caused online discussion, Disney decided to reverse the policy and will not be digitizing face masks over guests’ faces any longer. Convincingly Photoshopping a mask onto a guests face is a challenge, and it comes off as a clear fake. My advice is that Disney Photoshop brains onto guests who slip their masks off. It might hide most of their face, but it makes them seem like they are capable of thinking and reasoning. The only real solution to the Photoshop conundrum is to escort any guest photographed without a mask out of the park. Better yet close the damn parks during the pandemic.

In September 2020 Florida Governor Ron DeathSantis signed an executive order removing all statewide restrictions. This executive order allowed the Central Florida theme parks to re-open. Disney invested $2.4 billion in COVID-19 related safety measures in latest quarter. It would be difficult or near impossible to contract trace COVID-19 cases back to Disney World. The infected person might have been infected at a restaurant off property, at the hotel, or on the trip to or from Florida. This is what allows the parks to function with immunity. Disney Land out in California remains closed because that Governor is working to keep his constituents safe.

Florida reported 11,699 new COVID-19 cases, the most since July, as the total deaths near 20,000. The Florida governor has been bragging about the first vaccines to be administered, but it will be many months before everyday citizens are able to be inoculated. Florida has the fourth most deaths of any state with 20,133, following New York (35,360), California (20,969), and Texas (23,911). The following months will be the darkest of the pandemic.

Pre-Pandemic: A Holdover in Washington DC

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On The flight back from Turkey there was a holdover n Washington D.C. before flying back to Orlando, Florida. Back in April of 2020 the Trump administration gave a $25 billion dollar bailout to the airlines industry crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic. That money was used to pay salaries and keep the flights in the air. That was provided so long as the industry  didn’t cut jobs until Oct. 1, 2020. That date is fast approaching. U.S. airlines have warned more than 70,000 of their workers that their jobs are at risk when the current round of aid expires in the fall.

President Donald Trump has recently expressed support for a proposal for another $25 billion in federal aid to support airline industry jobs. The proposed extension has gained bipartisan support as a rebound in travel demand remains remote. He said, “I think it’s very important that we keep the airlines going,” Trump said in a White House press briefing when asked whether he supported the proposal for the extension of the aid. “We don’t want to lose our airlines. If they’re looking at that, whether they’re Republican or Democrat, I’d be certainly in favor. We can’t lose our transportation system.”

Orlando Arts venues are being illuminated in red to highlight how the arts have also been crippled by COVID-19 shutdowns.