# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 144
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2868 "2020-04-30T14:34:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Why would you get a stimulus check if you are Canadian? The correct answer was posted, but I’m a US citizen (well, US / Canadian dual citizen), Canadian resident. I file US taxes every year, and as far as I understand it, US resisdency is not a criterion—mostly, I would guess, because it didn’t occur to them to exclude us ex-pats, but possibly because their software was not up to doing so. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2869 "2020-04-30T18:41:19Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > The correct answer was posted, but I’m a US citizen (well, US / Canadian dual citizen), Canadian resident. I file US taxes every year, and as far as I understand it, US resisdency is not a criterion—mostly, I would guess, because it didn’t occur to them to exclude us ex-pats, but possibly because their software was not up to doing so. See, all we had to do it wait for the poster to answer the question, the other five posts were unnecessary. Of course there are several ways to get a stimulus check and be in Canada, i wanted to know which one applied. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2870 "2020-04-30T18:50:55Z")
NY Times article on the path to a vaccine: [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/30/opinion/coronavirus-covid-vaccine.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage&action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/30/opinion/coronavirus-covid-vaccine.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage&action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage) Long story short, it could take a LOT longer than we’d like to contemplate. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2871 "2020-04-30T21:12:29Z")
Today in Austria: [ul] [li] Austria’s **strengthened border controls** have been extended until the end of May. The general rule is that incoming travellers must present a negative coronavirus test, no older than four days, in order to be admitted. Incoming citizens and residents must self-quarantine for 14 days.[/li] [li] The government and energy industry leaders have agreed that households and small business owners will continue to be supplied with **gas and electricity** , even if they cannot pay, at least until the end of June.[/li] [li] The government has approved an extra €10 billion for financial aid to companies to pay salaries for the country’s **1.2 million furloughed employees**. A further 588,000 workers are unemployed.[/li] [li] The national rail operator will resume normally scheduled **long-distance train service** starting on 11 May.[/li] [li] Current statistics: 15,424 confirmed infections, 584 deaths, 12,907 recovered.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2872 "2020-04-30T21:17:10Z")
Per Worldometer, New York has now surpassed San Marino in deaths per capita: 1212 / million vs. 1208 / million. New Jersey, at 814 / million, is also higher than Belgium, the second-highest of the countries on their list. I realize that comparing states to countries is a bit less than ideal, but it’s the numbers I have. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2873 "2020-04-30T21:28:26Z")
No Evidence of Coronavirus Reinfection, South Korean Officials Say “Some recovered covid-19 patients who again tested positive for the coronavirus likely weren’t reinfected after all. On Thursday, South Korean officials stated that there’s no evidence currently that the virus is reinfecting people in the country, and the test results that suggested reinfection were likely false positives finding dead virus particles.” > **[No Evidence of Coronavirus Reinfection, South Korean Officials Say](https://gizmodo.com/no-evidence-of-coronavirus-reinfection-south-korean-of-1843180554)** > > Some recovered covid-19 patients who again tested positive for the coronavirus likely weren’t reinfected after all. On Thursday, South Korean officials stated that there’s no evidence currently that the virus is reinfecting people in the country, and... And some good news on the treatment front: A wave of results from studies involving remdesivir, an experimental antiviral being used to treat covid-19, has arrived today. The data so far doesn’t provide a concrete answer as to how effective or life-saving the drug truly is for coronavirus patients. Nonetheless, the New York Times reports that the Food & Drug Administration is set to issue an emergency use authorization for remdesivir, which would expand its availability. > **[FDA to Allow Emergency Use of Experimental Drug as Studies Show Mixed Results...](https://gizmodo.com/fda-to-allow-emergency-use-of-experimental-drug-as-stud-1843160891)** > > A wave of results from studies involving remdesivir, an experimental antiviral being used to treat covid-19, has arrived today. The data so far doesn’t provide a concrete answer as to how effective or life-saving the drug truly is for coronavirus... ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2874 "2020-04-30T21:52:26Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > And some good news on the treatment front: > A wave of results from studies involving remdesivir, an experimental antiviral being used to treat covid-19, has arrived today. The data so far doesn’t provide a concrete answer as to how effective or life-saving the drug truly is for coronavirus patients. Nonetheless, the New York Times reports that the Food & Drug Administration is set to issue an emergency use authorization for remdesivir, which would expand its availability. > > [FDA to Allow Emergency Use of Experimental Drug as Studies Show Mixed Results for Treating Covid-19](https://gizmodo.com/fda-to-allow-emergency-use-of-experimental-drug-as-stud-1843160891) We must have different standards for good news. The part you quoted, “the data so far doesn’t provide a concrete answer as to how effective or life-saving the drug truly is for coronavirus patients,” isn’t really promising. And the rest of the article isn’t much better. The Gilead study didn’t even have a control group, making it basically worthless. You have to really squint to see anything positive in the NIH study. > [@](#): > > The trial, which involved over 1,000 patients with severe covid-19, found a significant improvement in the time to recovery for those taking the drug. People on remdesivir took a median length of 11 days to recover, compared to the 15 days it took for people receiving placebo. I guess that’s good? Although dropping the recovery time from 2 weeks to a week and half isn’t exactly a magic bullet that can reopen an economy. And as far as deaths: > [@](#): > > Though people on remdesivir did die at a slightly lower rate than those on placebo—8 percent compared to 11 percent— **the difference between the groups was not statistically significant.** Yeah, not too exciting. And then there’s the Lancet study also released today: > [@](#): > > The findings confirmed what was already previewed: Those on the drug did not seem to recover any quicker than those on placebo. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2875 "2020-04-30T22:22:16Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > In “wait… what?” news:Sure: flea markets sound like places where people can & will keep their distance from each other. Summer camps, too. :rolleyes: More in wait…what? Beginning tomorrow you [don’t have to take a road test](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-04-30/georgia-drivers-can-get-a-license-without-road-test-during-covid-19) to get a Georgia driver’s license. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2876 "2020-05-01T00:12:40Z")
Citizens in Canada aren’t living in a country whose leader suggests inserting a florescent light bulb up the bum, downing a shot of isopropyl alcohol and shooting up with bleach as a precaution. Not as distressed as we here in the Lower 48, but I am glad they get it. I got mine too, along with that hokey letter. Only $250 since I had a good year last year, but I still found it stimulating. The sound I thought it made was _pop_ or _poof_, the same sound Social Security and Medicare make as they wink out of existence… ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2877 "2020-05-01T00:43:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > See, all we had to do it wait for the poster to answer the question, the other five posts were unnecessary. > > Of course there are several ways to get a stimulus check and be in Canada, i wanted to know which one applied. Very odd phrasing if you had indeed been wondering that. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2878 "2020-05-01T01:08:43Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Sure: flea markets sound like places where people can & will keep their distance from each other. Summer camps, too. :rolleyes: I agree that summer camps seem dubious; but if people can keep apart at grocery stores, I don’t see why they can’t at flea markets; especially if the flea markets arrange themselves so as to encourage it. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2879 "2020-05-01T01:59:54Z")
I just found out a local drive-in movie theater is opening this weekend. Also apparently there’s a local drive-in theater. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2880 "2020-05-01T02:06:28Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I agree that summer camps seem dubious; but if people can keep apart at grocery stores, I don’t see why they can’t at flea markets; especially if the flea markets arrange themselves so as to encourage it. The essence of flea market shopping is browsing. i.e., lingering and taking your time. It used to be fun to do that in the grocery store if you had the time, but these days, it’s dash through the store and get out. That approach wouldn’t work at a flea market. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2881 "2020-05-01T03:28:03Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Not the next couple days. The rate of loss is falling. We will probably not reach sixty thousand until early next month. Well, obviously I was very wrong here. In fact, looking at [**Snowboarder Bo** ’s post from 31 March](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22222893&postcount=1785), it looks like we lost just shy of sixty thousand friends, family, loved ones and nameless strangers just in the month of April alone. Fortunately, that rate shows a bit of decline, largely due to the fact that New York seems to be tapering off from their heart-wrenching losses, although some other states seem to be starting to show rising numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2882 "2020-05-01T04:04:52Z")
3,308,323 total cases 234,112 dead 1,042,874 recovered In the US: 1,095,210 total cases 63,861 dead 155,737 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 3,220,847 total cases > 228,239 dead > 1,001,008 recovered > > In the US: > > 1,064,572 total cases > 61,669 dead > 147,411 recovered ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2883 "2020-05-01T04:22:01Z")
In the non-affected country list, we are down to several small islands and two very repressive countries (North Korea and Turkmenistan) who are probably lying about their cases. Tajikistan just reported 15 cases yesterday. This is truly a worldwide disease. There is apparently nowhere safe. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2884 "2020-05-01T05:45:22Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Fortunately, that rate shows a bit of decline, largely due to the fact that New York seems to be tapering off from their heart-wrenching losses, although some other states seem to be starting to show rising numbers. Fatalities will follow diagnoses by about 11 days. The trajectory of diagnoses has been a fairly straight line for the last couple of weeks so (it’s not pleasant to say) there can be no tapering off for at least the next 11 days, regardless of what IHME predicts. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2885 "2020-05-01T07:43:01Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > There is apparently nowhere safe. I donno. Taiwan, Vietnam and some other countries are pretty safe now. I’m not particularly worried at this stage. They just announced that there were no new cases for the sixth consecutive day, also marking 19 days since the last case of local transmission. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2886 "2020-05-01T17:33:01Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > In the non-affected country list, we are down to several small islands and two very repressive countries (North Korea and Turkmenistan) who are probably lying about their cases. Tajikistan just reported 15 cases yesterday. This is truly a worldwide disease. There is apparently nowhere safe. antartica? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2887 "2020-05-01T17:46:32Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > I donno. Taiwan, Vietnam and some other countries are pretty safe now. I’m not particularly worried at this stage. > > They just announced that there were no new cases for the sixth consecutive day, also marking 19 days since the last case of local transmission. New Zealand is down to 3 cases in the last 24 hours. They’ll probably be OK pretty soon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=143) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=145)