The Horder

Posted on by Thor

 States lacking essential equipment like ventilators and masks need
relief quickly. Donald Trump has been fighting with state
governors blaming
them for the shortage of ventilators. The Trump administration wants
states to take care of themselves before bugging the federal government
for life saving equipment. The Strategic National Stockpile, a relatively obscure office in the
federal government that manages the country’s emergency medical
supplies, exists to respond to a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jared Kushner, senior adviser to the president and his son in law, prompted controversy
when he made a rare public appearance at the April 2 Covid-19 task
force briefing and commented on the federal stockpile. When asked about
states’ needs for supplies, Kushner said the stockpile was “supposed to
be OUR stockpile.”
He added, “It’s not supposed
to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”  The next day the
stockpile website was altered stating that the federal stockpile was “a short-term stopgap buffer.” More than once, President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that
the federal stockpile of emergency medicine and supplies he inherited
from his predecessor was an “empty shelf.” He has sought to blame former President Barack Obama’s administration for the current state of the stockpile.

The
National stockpile  of ventilators and medical equipment is likely running
low. The medical supplies are stored in six warehouses located in
strategic, undisclosed locations across the country, where they are
maintained by a staff of about 200. The stockpile has maintained a large
supply of personal protective
equipment, including N95 masks, face shields, and surgical gowns, as
well as medical equipment like the ventilators that hospitals so
urgently need now to treat Covid-19 patients.

On April
3, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) said the federal government has just 9,800
ventilators available. There are 9,054 remaining in the Strategic
National Stockpile, and the Department of Defense had 900.  The
department of Defense has wanted to distribute the ventilators they
have, but the administration has not helped them in fining where they
should be sent.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
said that just his state, which is currently at the epicenter of the
pandemic, will need as many as 37,000 ventilators at the peak of the
outbreak. After waiting for relief from the Trump administration, Cuomo
ultimately enlisted the National Guard to sieve and relocate ventilators
from upstate facilities to New York City. Cuomo  reportedly only had
2,200 in the state stockpile. But
instead of using all the tools at his disposal to help, Trump has
indicated that he doesn’t believe Cuomo actually needs that many. New
York Sate is not crucial to his reelection hopes.Trump further said,
“The states should have been building their stockpiles … we’re a
backup. We’re not an ordering clerk.” China donated 1000 ventilators,
and Oregon donated 140 ventilators to New York State to try and make up
for the federal disregard for the states plight. Cuomo pledged that New
York would follow suit and help other states at the pandemic sweeps
across the country.

Experts and lawmakers are concerned that the Trump administration’s
uneven distribution of supplies is driven by political goals. In early March, Washington State requested 233,000 N95 respirators
and 200,000 surgical masks, the Strategic National Stockpile sent them less than half that amount. Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maine also said they received fractions of what they requested. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
however asked for 430,000 surgical masks, 180,000 N95 respirators, and
other equipment. The full order arrived three days later. One anonymous
official told the Washington Post, “The president knows Florida is so
important for his reelection … He pays close attention to what Florida
wants.” 

The House Oversight Committee revealed that President Donald Trump’s administration failed to allot masks and equipment from the federal stockpile based on states’ needs. Trump has also been reportedly seizing shipments from private
companies to distribute to his political allies.

At a
White House press briefing on March 13, Trump told states to order their
own medical supplies, kicking off a process that has led to governors
entering bidding wars
with each other, the federal government and other countries over
essential
goods like ventilators and N95 masks. “It’s like being on eBay with 50
other states, bidding on a ventilator,” Cuomo said in a daily press
briefing.

The Trump administration has been getting
worse at dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. After spending the first two
months of the year denying the severity of the Covid-19 outbreak,
it’s now clear that the Trump administration has settled on deflecting
blame. Trump seeks scapegoats not solutions and accountability.

At
FEMA, the agency tasked with coordinating the federal response to the
outbreak, about 9,000 additional ventilators are still on hold as
officials seek to determine where they are needed most urgently. A
unified National response is needed to address the crisis but there is
no leadership to oversee the desperate need.

The number
of deaths has spiked to 1,255 in one day which is the largest death rate
of any country in the world. By Tuesday April 6, 2020, 5,489 New
Yorkers had lost their lives to COVID-19, up from 4,758 a day earlier.
Refrigeration trucks are acting as temporary morgues since the city’s
morgues are full. Between 200 and 250 people are dying each day and so
plans are being made for mass burials on Hart Island in Long Island
Sound off of the Bronx and other public lands. 

Viral Healing Touch

Posted on by Thor

On Palm Sunday (April 5, 2020) Pastor Rich Vera preached to a crowd gathered at The Center Arena on South Hiawassee Road in Orlando. After weeks of resisting a stay at home order, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state wide stay at home order but then issued a second order that exempted religious services. His order specifically stated that only 10 people can congregate. DeSantis said in a news conference Thursday, “I don’t think government
has the authority to close churches, and I’m certainly not going to do
that.” He added Florida religious leaders he’d spoken with “almost 100%
agree” with mandating social distancing policies. Orlando had a stay at home order issued by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings that would not allow a church gathering of more than 10 people. The State governor’s second order over rules the county order making religion an essential service. This piece meal approach to public safety will cost lives.

The horrific thing about Vera’s service is that he touches the faithful to heal them. This is certainly a breach of any form of social distancing.  Concern over the worship service prompted a call to the Orange County
Sheriff’s Office. The agency said a deputy responded to the church but
did not write a report. Noting the negative comments on social media, Vera responded during his sermon – “mind your own business.”

On the Rich Vera web page, one parishioner said, “This is regarding your comment in the most recent news story related to
holding services during the corona virus outbreak where you said others
should mind their own business.
If your service; involves more than 10 people, they are not keeping a
distance of 6 feet apart, if they are touching the same surfaces without
disinfecting them between touches, then it is everyone’s business. You
mentioned that you regularly touch your parishioners which means you are
violating the 6 ft distance requirement. The reasons it is everyone’s
business should be obvious. You and your parishioners may already
have the virus and not know it. Some may even have had it and recovered
without knowing it but still be contagious. You are taking unnecessary
chances that you won’t pass the virus within your congregation and then
to others outside your congregation. You may end up being responsible
for propagating the virus to far more people than you can imagine. Do
you want to be responsible for others suffering because your actions
indicate you either do or simply don’t care.”  

Choir of Death

Posted on by Thor

In Mount Vernon, Washington a choir decided to go ahead with a rehearsal in early March and now dozens of members have contracted the Covid-19 virus and two have died. With the virus spreading quickly through the state, leaders of the Skagit Valley Chorale debated whether to go ahead with weekly rehearsal. People were already dying in the Seattle area an hour’s drive to the south. But in Skagit county it was business as usual with no reported cases and no prohibitions on gatherings yet announced.

On March 6, 2020 Adam Burdick, the choir’s conductor sent out an email to the 121 member chorus saying the rehearsal would proceed as scheduled on March 10, 2020 at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church.

60 singers showed up. Choir members were offered hand sanitizer at the door and everyone refrained from the usual hugs. The 2 1/2 hour rehearsal went smoothly with everyone trying to maintain some level of social distancing. Everyone had their own sheet music and they avoided social contact. On March 10, 2020 I was also going about business as usual here in Orlando. I entered a crowded sold out theater that night to sketch.

Three weeks later 45 of the singers developed symptoms and have been diagnosed with Covid-19. At least three singers have been hospitalized and two are dead.

No one at the rehearsal reported seeing anyone coughing or sneezing. Someone must have had the virus and yet not yet exhibited any sign of the illness. Some members did help set up and remove folding chairs and there were some mandarin oranges which people helped themselves to.

On infectious disease expert said that the act of singing might have resulted in fine particles being dispersed as people sang. It is possible the viral particles suspended in the air can be infectious for up to three hours. It apparently could spread without touch and among people who were asymptomatic.

The next choir performance was going to be in late April for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival which attracts more than a million people. As of March 31, 2020, Tulip Festival organizers implored all tulip fans to follow the directives of the governor and the president. Stay home, stay healthy, stay alive. There are no services in Skagit Valley. Not even portable toilets! No open restaurants. Many public buildings are closed. All festival events were canceled. Organizers are asking people to enjoy the tulips virtually. #togetherwetulip

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a “Safer at Home” order which went into effect Thursday night, April 2, at midnight. The order instructs people to stay home except for those working at essential business. The order was meant to follow the CDC guidelines to “Slow the Spread” which recommended restrictions to certain establishments conducive to mass gatherings and congregations. The order will last for 30 days.

On Monday March 30, 2020, a Tampa Florida mega church pastor was arrested after leading packed services despite the “safer at home” order issued in Hillsborough County. Sheriff Chad Chronister said up to 500 people were in attendance at Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne‘s Sunday services. The pastor was charged with unlawful assembly and violating public health emergency rules of isolation and quarantine. He paid the $500 bond and was released 40 minutes later.

At a press conference Monday afternoon the sheriff said, “Pastor Rodney Howard-Brown’s reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger.”

The goal is not to stop anyone from worshiping but to have them worship safely. The Church has a steaming service that can allows parishioners to see the service from home. At a church service on March 15, Howard-Browne said he would not close his church’s doors until the Rapture, when believers will be lifted up to heaven, according to evangelical theology. Brown claimed his church was an essential business, like Walmart.

State Attorney Andrew Warren referred to Mark 12:13 “There is no more important commandment than to love your neighbor as yourself. And loving your neighbors is protecting them and not jeopardizing their health by exposing them to this deadly virus.”

As of this writing there are over 1,000,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US resulting in over 51,000 deaths. In Florida there are 7717 confirmed cases with 128 deaths.

Stay home, stay safe.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis added a loop hole in his “Safe at Home” order allowing church services. This is insane! DeSantis puts the DUH in Floriduh.

In the Florida order “Essential Activities” means and encompasses the following:

1. Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship; (Is this limited by the more sane CDC mandate that only 10 people can congregate?) and

2. Participating in recreational activities (consistent with social distancing guidelines) such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or swimming; and

3. Taking care of pets; and

4. Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend.

DeSantis issued a second executive order that says statewide rules will “supersede any conflicting official
action or order issued by local officials in response to COVID-19.” Meaning cities that are suffering from higher rates of infection can not issue stricter guidelines to save lives.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem 

Lyrics translated from Latin:

When the accursed have been condemned

And doomed to the searing flames,

Summon me with the saved.

Suppliant and prostrate, I entreat you,

My heart as spent as ashes,

Have care for my fate.

Beached: NO Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday 3/17/2020 that he will NOT be ordering the beaches in his state
to close, despite growing concerns over the international COVID-19
outbreak, NBC News reported.

DeSantis
said that beaches in the state must adhere to guidelines issued by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has advised the
public to practice social distancing and avoid gatherings with more than
10 people. “What we’re going to be doing for the statewide floor
for beaches, we’re going to be applying the CDC guidance of no group on a
beach more than 10 and you have to have distance apart if you’re going
to be out there. So that applies statewide,” DeSantis reportedly said at
a press conference.

The result during the height of spring break was that the beaches became insanely crowded, making them the perfect breeding ground for the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Local officials took it upon themselves to shut down their own beaches.

Beaches Closed:

Tampa and Naples, Brevard, Walton, Collier counties, Fort Meyers, Port Charlotte, Englewood and all Sarasota beaches.

Thursday 3/19/2020, all public beaches in Miami-Dade
County, and Lee County closed.

Friday 3/20/2020, Santa Rosa County closed Navarre Beach and the pier. Pinellas County and Duval County closed their beaches as did Florida State Park beaches due to overcrowding.

Saturday 3/21/2020, Fernandina Beach closed.

Sunday 3/22/2020, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and Nassau County closed their beaches.

Monday 3/23/2020, Clearwater closed its beach. Flagler County closed its beaches, parks, community
centers, pavilions, camping areas, and associated facilities, like
parking lots and restrooms.

Beaches that ignored the pandemic:

Monday 3/16/2020 Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham said he does not expect the city
to close beaches to the public, and the situation is under control.

On Tuesday 3/17/2020 Pompano Beach was packed with Spring Break revelers. The cases of Covid-19 in Florida had surpasses 800 with 13 dead as of this writing. Collier County beaches also remained open.

Saturday 3/21/2020, although vehicles were not currently permitted on St. Johns County
beaches, all 42 miles of its beaches were open to pedestrians . Flagler County beaches also remained open.

College students and younger people in general have been criticized for
not taking the virus seriously and for seeming to disregard that they
could carry it to higher-risk people, like the elderly. “If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I’m not going to
let it stop me from partying,” spring break goer Brady Sluder told Reuters in Miami. Younger people can still face serious complications. People ages 20 to
44 accounted for about 20% of U.S. cases that resulted in known
hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s preliminary data on the health
outcomes of patients with COVID-19. The CDC said the data were limited
and did not account for underlying medical conditions.

In Germany young adults hold “corona parties” and cough toward older people. “Some consider they’re little heroes when they break the rules,” said
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. “Well, no. You’re an
imbecile, and especially a threat to yourself.”

After images of
rowdy spring break college crowds appeared on TV for days, Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis told Fox and Friends Thursday
3/19/2020 that the state’s beaches have either closed or if open, must abide by
the CDC guidelines on crowds and
distancing for the Covid-19 pandemic. So, he did not close the beaches himself, he passed the buck, expecting each beach township to decide for itself. He said, “The message I think for spring breakers is that the party is over in
Florida. You’re not going to be able to congregate on any beach in the
state. Many of the hot spots that people like to go to, whether it’s
Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Clearwater Beach, are closed entirely
for the time being.”

  

As of 3/22/2020, Florida had 830 cases of Covid-19 with 13 dead. In the US there were over 27,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Stay home, stay safe, self isolate. 

“Not Practical to Lock Down State”

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference from his office in Tallahassee, Florida. New York State issued a shelter in place order, but he feels that a Shelter in Place order for Florida would not be advisable or practical. He claims it would be a very blunt instrument. He is afraid of hundreds of thousands of Floridians loosing their jobs. My feeling is that everyone should be more concerned about loosing their lives.

DeSantis seems to feel that this virus is not something that is affecting every part of the state. He outlined some counties that have low cases of Covid-19 but the fact is, that without testing, no one knows how many cases are out there. He feels that a massive shutdown of the entire state would not work. The issue of non-compliance is a concern. He sees instances of people in NYC and California being non-complaint and thus he seems to think Floridians are incapable of practicing self isolation. He sees it as impractical for a State Governor to enforce a shelter in place order.

Like President Trump, he seemed concerned more about people’s mental health and suicide rates if they have to isolate to stay safe and alive. As Donald Trump said on Twitter, “We can not make the cure worse than the problem”. Or restated, “The benefit of keeping people alive is not worth the cost to the economy.” The problem however is a viral death rate with unimaginable numbers if the problem is ignored. This can not be overlooked. The skewed thinking on this issue amazes me. There is no option to go back to life as normal after 14 days. The United Kingdom ordered a country wide lock down for 3 weeks, which seems like a more sane approach to try and stop the spread of the virus. However, here in America, the President seems intent on ignoring science and getting the economy back up at any cost. His medical advisor, Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was absent at a White House press briefing today. He has been the one voice of reason on how to stop the spread of the virus but his blunt comments are rumored to have rubbed the president the wrong way since science doesn’t line up with the president’s lies.

DeSantis seems to follow the president’s mantra.  DeSantis said he will work with all the metro areas, but decisions about public health have to come from Municipal and County Governance. So the president passed the buck to state governors, and this state governor passed the buck to city mayors. Any benefit of a lock down might be overwhelmed by people coming to Florida. On the day of his address there were 190 direct flights from the New York area to Florida. Those people may be fleeing a shelter in place order issued in that state. Given the situation in New York, it is very possible that there is someone on every flight who has the Covid-19 virus. The Federal Government is doing nothing to restrict domestic flights. DeSantis insisted that anyone coming from New York or a similar hot spot must do a mandatory self isolation.

The bottom line is that Ron DeSantis feels it is impractical to lock down a state with no end in sight.

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Local county and city officials in Central Florida were waiting for Governor DeSantis to issue
some kind of shelter in place order, and when they realized it was not
coming, they decided to protect their citizens with their own orders
and proclamations. Orlando City Mayor Buddy Dyer along with County Mayor Jerry Demings and the leaders from the municipalities in Orange
County have instated a “Stay at Home” order for all residents, and
all non-essential businesses will be closed, which includes most
retail, recreation, and entertainment businesses, starting this Thursday
March 26, 2020, at 11 p.m., and
continuing for two weeks through April 9, 2020.

“This means you should stay at home, unless it is
absolutely needed – like shopping at the grocery store, going to a
doctor’s appointment, providing necessary care for a family member,
visiting a restaurant for a takeout order or going
outside to exercise, all while keeping six feet between you and
others.

You should not go to work unless you are providing essential services that are defined in

this order. Visits to family members or friends should be limited to
those who need medical or other essential assistance, such as ensuring
an adequate supply of food or medicine.

We know that this order will impact the
livelihood of residents, our local businesses and our region’s economy.
But the health of our community is our top priority and we must do
everything that we can to protect the lives of our family
members, friends and neighbors.

It is our goal that through aggressive action we
will help minimize how many people in our community are impacted by
this virus, and then how quickly residents and businesses can recover
emotionally and financially.”

This is a challenge unlike any we’ve seen before, but I know that Orlando is up to it.

Stay home, stay safe.

Leu Gardens Crowds: Business as Usual

Posted on by Thor

In 2017, Hurricane Irma blew through Central Florida blowing down a tree that damaged the roof of this historic Leu Garden Museum. The upper floors were water damaged. The historic museum has been closed for the past three years for restoration and repairs. At this time, there is no reopen date. The gardens however are open for business as usual.

While restaurants, bars, beaches, and Florida State Parks have been shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Orlando has for some reason left Harry P. Leu Gardens open. The city said it will close all city-owned and operated
playgrounds and the swan boats at Lake Eola Park at 5 p.m. Monday 3/23/2020 until
further notice, but Leu Gardens continues to draw big crowds. Last weekend 400 to 500 people crushed into the gardens each day to escape cabin fever. The gardens have replaced Orlando’s sports stadiums for people to crowd together.

Leu Gardens volunteers and staff are working hard to wipe down the surfaces in the gift shop and entry hall but it is hard to keep up. It seems extreme to expect Garden staff to risk their lives in the face of a pandemic for the City of Orlando. Things might not be so bad if people were practicing social distancing, but they are not. As one expert said, “If it were possible to wave a magic wand and make all Americans
freeze in place for 14 days while sitting six feet apart,
epidemiologists say, the whole epidemic would sputter to a halt.” It is human nature to want to hug and shake hands to greet friends, or to hold each other tight when grieving a loss.

“Our outdoor facilities, such as our city parks, Leu Gardens and
Dubsdread Golf Course are open to the public, but residents must follow
necessary social distancing measures while there,” said Karyn Barber, a
city spokeswoman. “We encourage residents to use these facilities
responsibly to get fresh air and exercise, which are important for
physical and mental health always, but especially during this uncertain
time.” I am left wondering, who enforces responsible social distancing? Does this responsibility fall on Leu Gardens staff?

Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis wants to avoid a state-wide lock down leaving local governments to decide what should close and what should remain open. DeSantis still believes targeting the counties hardest hit by the Covid-19 for the most extreme measures is the preferable path.

The Florida Department of Health said Monday 3/23/2020 that there are now 1,171 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Florida with 14 deaths. I put 14 caskets in my sketch in their honor. Stay home, Stay safe.