Oh, Florida!!! Covid19 Response

[OtherJen]

School hasn't even started yet in this district: Four Broward County Educators Lose Battle With COVID-19 In Less Than 24 Hours (CBS Miami)

[hooplady]

School hasn't even started yet in this district: Four Broward County Educators Lose Battle With COVID-19 In Less Than 24 Hours (CBS Miami)

"Fusco said three of the teachers who died were unvaccinated. It is not clear if the fourth teacher had been vaccinated."

I don't even know what to say.

[Kris]

School hasn't even started yet in this district: Four Broward County Educators Lose Battle With COVID-19 In Less Than 24 Hours (CBS Miami)

"Fusco said three of the teachers who died were unvaccinated. It is not clear if the fourth teacher had been vaccinated."

I don't even know what to say.

I know exactly what to say. But it isn't very polite.

[MrGreen]

I would argue that it’s a huge huge problem. One of the main things that happened in March 2020 was the world shutdown without establishing clear metrics for what constituted an opening, leading to a ton of the strife we see now. I would be much more amenable to granting the government emergency powers if there was a clear definition of when they would expire. “You must do this until I say you can stop” is not how a representative democracy should run.

Huge problem. Unless we recall that 4,300,000 people died globally; 600,000 of them in the US. And then it's a tiny problem. Our representative democracy has its challenges, but the response to Covid isn't it.

The world never shut down. Definitely did not shut down the US, where people kept applying terms "lockdown" and "shutdown" to rather mild measures that never approached either by a mile.

I mean, we could have just thrown people in jail like we did during the last pandemic a hundred years ago. The pass people are getting is about as lenient as it gets when you really think about it.

In a pandemic, jail seems like a dumb thing.  It's likely to just result in more cases, and in a group of people that the state is then going to be required to pay for as they're under state control.

This is a scenario where I think the free market approach would have worked better.  Implement fines for breaking rules.  No mask or mask worn improperly in a public place where mask mandates are in effect?  1000$ first offense and double the fine each consecutive time it's broken.  That sort of thing.

I would agree. And if you can't pay the fine, then jail! Lol

[Roots&Wings]

School hasn't even started yet in this district: Four Broward County Educators Lose Battle With COVID-19 In Less Than 24 Hours (CBS Miami)

"Fusco said three of the teachers who died were unvaccinated. It is not clear if the fourth teacher had been vaccinated."

I don't even know what to say.

I know exactly what to say. But it isn't very polite.

That article left out that one who “was on the road to getting vaccinated” but wasn’t yet cleared by her doctor to get the shot. She “was really looking forward to getting it in the next couple weeks,” the union president said. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/08/13/4-broward-educators-with-covid-die-within-2-days-as-school-year-nears/

The stress puts on people like @Dollar Slice and others medically vulnerable is awful. Whereas if you were an unborn fetus...

[SunnyDays]

I would argue that it’s a huge huge problem. One of the main things that happened in March 2020 was the world shutdown without establishing clear metrics for what constituted an opening, leading to a ton of the strife we see now. I would be much more amenable to granting the government emergency powers if there was a clear definition of when they would expire. “You must do this until I say you can stop” is not how a representative democracy should run.

Huge problem. Unless we recall that 4,300,000 people died globally; 600,000 of them in the US. And then it's a tiny problem. Our representative democracy has its challenges, but the response to Covid isn't it.

The world never shut down. Definitely did not shut down the US, where people kept applying terms "lockdown" and "shutdown" to rather mild measures that never approached either by a mile.

I mean, we could have just thrown people in jail like we did during the last pandemic a hundred years ago. The pass people are getting is about as lenient as it gets when you really think about it.

In a pandemic, jail seems like a dumb thing.  It's likely to just result in more cases, and in a group of people that the state is then going to be required to pay for as they're under state control.

This is a scenario where I think the free market approach would have worked better.  Implement fines for breaking rules.  No mask or mask worn improperly in a public place where mask mandates are in effect?  1000$ first offense and double the fine each consecutive time it's broken.  That sort of thing.

I would agree. And if you can't pay the fine, then jail! Lol

My province fined people $298 for not wearing a mask in public places during the mandate.  If you didn't pay it by the due date, you then got another $100 added to it.  If you still didn't pay it, then you couldn't renew your driver's license and the amount was sent to collections.  The government also had the right to garnish your wages if you didn't drive.  I don't know if any ever got that far, but there were lots of tickets issued.  Businesses that violated the mask and/or 6 foot rule or were overcapacity were fined $5000 per offence, and there were quite a few of those tickets also.

[RetiredAt63]

So once you hit 65, you’re just…worthless?

I'll inform my mom, who turned 70 earlier this week, that she's going to die soon anyway. She should inform her employer and cancel the iPad that she ordered today as a birthday gift to herself. Ditto for my 72-year-old father, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. My aunt is about to turn 80. I'll let her know that her time is up. Ditto for a couple of dear friends, one of whom turned 90 this year.

I feel like I already had this discussion 18 months ago. I'm sadly unsurprised to learn that the lives of those past middle age are still deemed entirely expendable so that younger people don't have to inconvenience themselves in the slightest.

I was at a get-together with friends today (outside, well distanced, we are all fully vaccinated) and one of them just had her 90th birthday.  Still sharp, still active.  Her family are being so careful of her health that she is finding it a bit annoying, she is being perfectly careful herself.  I guess we should tell her family to stop worrying, she has outlived her usefulness.   /s

[jrhampt]

So one of my siblings wants me to come visit in Texas…had originally planned a visit earlier this summer for late this month.  Sibling is vaccinated as am I but has kids who just started school who are too young to be vaccinated.  I’m not thrilled about flying to Texas in the middle of a spike…am I being overly cautious? 

[Abe]

So one of my siblings wants me to come visit in Texas…had originally planned a visit earlier this summer for late this month.  Sibling is vaccinated as am I but has kids who just started school who are too young to be vaccinated.  I’m not thrilled about flying to Texas in the middle of a spike…am I being overly cautious?

If you’re not flying in with unvaccinated children, risk to vaccinated adults with normal immune systems is minimal. If you need an ER while visiting, expect a delay in care. 

[jrhampt]

I would be sharing a house with unvaccinated kids and probably sharing a flight with unvaccinated kids…it’s not like airlines are requiring anyone to be vaccinated.

[Zamboni]

Thank you, @MaybeBabyMustache and @Dollar Slice (your name always makes me hungry.)

My doctor put in the order Thursday hoping I would get the antibody infusion on Thursday or Friday. But, the treatment got delayed due to a shortage. On the bright side, now they've got me scheduled to get an infusion from the new shipment that arrives on Monday. Once on the schedule, the odds seem very good to me that I will receive it. I am very, very thankful to live somewhere that has access to these medicines, and also to have good employer health insurance, because I don't even want to think about what this would cost without it.

[GodlessCommie]

Call me careless, but we lost 29k people under 49, and another 97k between 49 and 64. The balance were, sorry…going to die soon anyways.

Another reminder of how much about Covid is a package deal. And no, "careless" is not the word I'd choose.

[scottish]

I would argue that it’s a huge huge problem. One of the main things that happened in March 2020 was the world shutdown without establishing clear metrics for what constituted an opening, leading to a ton of the strife we see now. I would be much more amenable to granting the government emergency powers if there was a clear definition of when they would expire. “You must do this until I say you can stop” is not how a representative democracy should run.

Huge problem. Unless we recall that 4,300,000 people died globally; 600,000 of them in the US. And then it's a tiny problem. Our representative democracy has its challenges, but the response to Covid isn't it.

The world never shut down. Definitely did not shut down the US, where people kept applying terms "lockdown" and "shutdown" to rather mild measures that never approached either by a mile.

I mean, we could have just thrown people in jail like we did during the last pandemic a hundred years ago. The pass people are getting is about as lenient as it gets when you really think about it.

In a pandemic, jail seems like a dumb thing.  It's likely to just result in more cases, and in a group of people that the state is then going to be required to pay for as they're under state control.

This is a scenario where I think the free market approach would have worked better.  Implement fines for breaking rules.  No mask or mask worn improperly in a public place where mask mandates are in effect?  1000$ first offense and double the fine each consecutive time it's broken.  That sort of thing.

I would agree. And if you can't pay the fine, then jail! Lol

My province fined people $298 for not wearing a mask in public places during the mandate.  If you didn't pay it by the due date, you then got another $100 added to it.  If you still didn't pay it, then you couldn't renew your driver's license and the amount was sent to collections.  The government also had the right to garnish your wages if you didn't drive.  I don't know if any ever got that far, but there were lots of tickets issued.  Businesses that violated the mask and/or 6 foot rule or were overcapacity were fined $5000 per offence, and there were quite a few of those tickets also.

I think many of those fines weren't enforced in Canada.   so the perps were given tickets, but they didn't have to pay up.   I can't find the article right now, but if I find it I'll come back with an update.

[PeteD01]

DeSantis Losing Support Among Voters Opposed to Dying

https://tinyurl.com/2jpfzzbf

[OtherJen]

AP: Top Donor Of Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Major Regeneron Investor (CBS Miami)

Regeneron Stock Jumps as GOP Governors Boost Its Antibody Therapy (Barron's)

But of course. Personal profit above all.

[Zamboni]

^Yep.

Ban even common sense precautions = more infections = more Regeneron demand = $profit$

It's a pretty ugly state of affairs. We need to figure out how to keep this kind of damaging money out of politics.

[lost_in_the_endless_aisle]

AP: Top Donor Of Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Major Regeneron Investor (CBS Miami)

Regeneron Stock Jumps as GOP Governors Boost Its Antibody Therapy (Barron's)

But of course. Personal profit above all.

Oh my goodness, 0.04% of Citadel's AUM is Regeneron? Let's get the breaking wheel out.

[By the River]

AP: Top Donor Of Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Major Regeneron Investor (CBS Miami)

Regeneron Stock Jumps as GOP Governors Boost Its Antibody Therapy (Barron's)

But of course. Personal profit above all.

and Citadel has three times the amount invested between Pfizer, Moderna, JNJ, and Biotech so shouldn't he would be pushing the vaccines three times as hard?

[GuitarStv]

AP: Top Donor Of Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Major Regeneron Investor (CBS Miami)

Regeneron Stock Jumps as GOP Governors Boost Its Antibody Therapy (Barron's)

But of course. Personal profit above all.

and Citadel has three times the amount invested between Pfizer, Moderna, JNJ, and Biotech so shouldn't he would be pushing the vaccines three times as hard?

The cynical argument would be that the US has already purchased their doses of vaccines.  The number of people in the US who actually take them doesn't matter - and would actually eat into Regeneron profits.  More infected is good for profits.

The extra cynical argument would be that the longer the pandemic goes on, the more mutations, the greater the payoff from Regeneron AND Pfizer, Moderna, JNJ, and Biontech . . . so getting more people infected whenever possible also stands to increase profits.

[Samuel]

One of the problems with so much money sloshing around our political system is that it can be used to cast doubt on even good, sensible decisions.

We should be both encouraging the vaccine holdouts to get vaccinated and improving treatments for those who do get seriously sick. 

[Dollar Slice]

From Florida today:

The city of Orlando and its water utility made an urgent appeal Friday afternoon for residents to cut back sharply on water usage for weeks because of a pandemic-triggered shortage of liquid oxygen used to purify water.

If commercial and residential customers are unable to reduce water usage quickly and sufficiently, Orlando Utilities Commission may issue a system-wide alert for boiling water needed for drinking and cooking. Without reductions in water usage, a boil-water alert would come within a week, utility officials said.

[OtherJen]

From Florida today:

The city of Orlando and its water utility made an urgent appeal Friday afternoon for residents to cut back sharply on water usage for weeks because of a pandemic-triggered shortage of liquid oxygen used to purify water.

If commercial and residential customers are unable to reduce water usage quickly and sufficiently, Orlando Utilities Commission may issue a system-wide alert for boiling water needed for drinking and cooking. Without reductions in water usage, a boil-water alert would come within a week, utility officials said.

That is horrifying.

[Zamboni]

I saw that too. It was that long ago that India ran short of O2.

Bet there isn't much bottled water left on the shelves in your average Orlando grocery store this evening.

[bacchi]

The developing state of Florida looks like a scary place.

https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/moaning-crying-unable-to-move-viral-photo-shows-covid-19-patients-lying-on-floor-waiting-for-antibody-treatment-in-florida/

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/verify/sick-covid-patients-on-the-ground-waiting-for-monoclonal-therapy/77-165d31f7-fc0d-4654-9add-e8db9d0c0d4b

And the photo in question:

https://i.redd.it/7snmdl97o5i71.jpg

A striking image circulating on Reddit shows a COVID-19 treatment site struggling to respond to an influx of patients in Jacksonville.
[...]
[City spokeswoman] Kimbleton verified the authenticity of Lopez’ photo in an statement to First Coast News.

“The volume of patients at this state operated facility more than doubled yesterday. There were wheelchairs on hand, but at the time these pictures were taken, all of the available wheelchairs were in use,” she said.

[OtherJen]

At the Main Library downtown.

[OtherJen]

Straight from the Trump playbook: if you don't like the truth, use your position of power and social media to get your brainwashed minions to bully and threaten the source, and then lie when confronted. (Pushaw is DeSantis' press secretary.)

AP urges DeSantis to end bullying aimed at reporter (AP News)

Pushaw denied trying to direct the governor’s followers to target AP’s reporter despite retweeting his article and writing “drag them” in a now-deleted post.

She had objected to Tuesday’s story by AP’s Tallahassee, Florida-based reporter Brendan Farrington, which pointed out that one of DeSantis’ multimillion-dollar donors invests in a company making the COVID-19 treatment drug Regeneron. DeSantis has been touting the monoclonal antibody treatment throughout the state.

In another tweet, she wrote that if Farrington didn’t change the story, she would “put you on blast.” She also retweeted a message that said “Light. Them. Up.” in reference to the AP.

Early Wednesday, Farrington tweeted that he had received online threats and hate messages about the story. “For your sake, I hope government doesn’t threaten your safety. I’ll be fine, I hope. Freedom. Just please don’t kill me.”

[dragoncar]

In a pandemic, jail seems like a dumb thing.  It's likely to just result in more cases, and in a group of people that the state is then going to be required to pay for as they're under state control.

This is a scenario where I think the free market approach would have worked better.  Implement fines for breaking rules.  No mask or mask worn improperly in a public place where mask mandates are in effect?  1000$ first offense and double the fine each consecutive time it's broken.  That sort of thing.

Can you imagine the vaccination rate if just one of the stimulus checks were tied to vaccination? 

[PeteD01]

Florida governor Ron DeSantis now refuses to take responsibility for the mask mandate ban.
DeSantis said he, Comissioner Corcoran and the Florida state board of education are just enforcing the law.
As if his hands were tied...

https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/2021/08/22/schools-in-floridas-capital-city-impose-mask-mandate/?fbclid=IwAR0maJEJG8PuKbcbIRcRggmoFpnq9ViPntqBOPFWahMk0R3ktBvcV_-Witc

[bacchi]

Florida hospitals are requesting more refrigerated trucks.

https://www.wesh.com/article/central-florida-portable-morgues-covid/37419956#

This NYT article is nothing too revelatory for those who have been following along but it's a good summary of the situation.

The best explanation of what has happened is that Florida’s vaccination rates were good, but not good enough for its demographics.
[...]
And Florida is Florida: People have enjoyed many months of barhopping, party-going and traveling, all activities conducive to swift virus spread.
[...]
Unlike in places like Oregon, which is clamping down again, adopting even outdoor mask mandates, Mr. DeSantis continues to stay the course, hoping to power through despite the devastating human toll

Some 800,000 of over 65s are not fully vaccinated and people under 65 are now 28% of covid deaths, which are 242/day. Mortality in general is also much higher, probably reflecting the increased stress on the hospital system.

This comment is classic,

“My mom had no prior illnesses — she was strong as an ox,” said Tré Burrows, whose 50-year-old mother, Cindy Dawkins, died from Covid-19 on Aug. 7. “There was literally nothing wrong with her. This just came out of nowhere.”

(bolded)

Out of nowhere?

[gooki]

This just came out of nowhere.

Someone's been smoking some good shit.

[Steeze]

My grandparents (80's) have Covid in FL

They were sick about a week before their condition declined...

Grandma called the hospital for my grandfather, they said they could not admit him without a referral from urgent care due to capacity issues. They would not send a nurse or ambulance. Too sick to drive, they decided to tough it out at home. They did not want to be separated if one person was admitted and the other wasn't, they didn't want to die alone. Two days later my cousin went to check on them and they were both unable to breath, couldn't get out of bed. Grandpa had lost control of his bladder. My cousin called 911 and was able to get an ambulance to pick them up.

Grandma was evaluated and sent home with meds. Grandpa was admitted, except there were no beds. He stayed for 3 days on a stretcher in a room off the lobby with other patients waiting for a room. Eventually he was given his own room for 2 days until his blood oxygen levels stabilized. He was sent home so they could free up the room. The hospital was sending a nurse to check on them at home once a week.

Not a great situation.

[Prairie Gal]

My grandparents (80's) have Covid in FL

They were sick about a week before their condition declined...

Grandma called the hospital for my grandfather, they said they could not admit him without a referral from urgent care due to capacity issues. They would not send a nurse or ambulance. Too sick to drive, they decided to tough it out at home. They did not want to be separated if one person was admitted and the other wasn't, they didn't want to die alone. Two days later my cousin went to check on them and they were both unable to breath, couldn't get out of bed. Grandpa had lost control of his bladder. My cousin called 911 and was able to get an ambulance to pick them up.

Grandma was evaluated and sent home with meds. Grandpa was admitted, except there were no beds. He stayed for 3 days on a stretcher in a room off the lobby with other patients waiting for a room. Eventually he was given his own room for 2 days until his blood oxygen levels stabilized. He was sent home so they could free up the room. The hospital was sending a nurse to check on them at home once a week.

Not a great situation.

That's so awful! I hope they will be OK. I can't imagine the hospital not sending an ambulance on the first call. Were they vaccinated?

[Steeze]

My grandparents (80's) have Covid in FL

They were sick about a week before their condition declined...

Grandma called the hospital for my grandfather, they said they could not admit him without a referral from urgent care due to capacity issues. They would not send a nurse or ambulance. Too sick to drive, they decided to tough it out at home. They did not want to be separated if one person was admitted and the other wasn't, they didn't want to die alone. Two days later my cousin went to check on them and they were both unable to breath, couldn't get out of bed. Grandpa had lost control of his bladder. My cousin called 911 and was able to get an ambulance to pick them up.

Grandma was evaluated and sent home with meds. Grandpa was admitted, except there were no beds. He stayed for 3 days on a stretcher in a room off the lobby with other patients waiting for a room. Eventually he was given his own room for 2 days until his blood oxygen levels stabilized. He was sent home so they could free up the room. The hospital was sending a nurse to check on them at home once a week.

Not a great situation.

That's so awful! I hope they will be OK. I can't imagine the hospital not sending an ambulance on the first call. Were they vaccinated?

Nope. Grandma is a retired ER nurse after 40 years of service. She doesn’t trust the medical system much as it is, haha. She has seen the worst of it. They are doing better the last couple days thankfully. Sounds like they are ready to get back to their routine again as soon as they get the all-clear.

[jinga nation]

This hurts my noggin' on so many levels... my local hospitals.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2021/09/03/tampa-bay-hospitals-push-covid-shot-but-wont-mandate-it-for-their-workers/

[LifeHappens]

This hurts my noggin' on so many levels... my local hospitals.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2021/09/03/tampa-bay-hospitals-push-covid-shot-but-wont-mandate-it-for-their-workers/

It is so concerning. I suspect they won't mandate it because they would lose too many staff.

[Chaplin]

What is going on with Florida's data? If you look at the charts for cases and deaths here: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/florida/ you see the death rate dropping off to almost nothing while the cases have only leveled off at a high level. It seems so blatantly manipulated but I haven't been able to find any commentary about it.

[OtherJen]

What is going on with Florida's data? If you look at the charts for cases and deaths here: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/florida/ you see the death rate dropping off to almost nothing while the cases have only leveled off at a high level. It seems so blatantly manipulated but I haven't been able to find any commentary about it.

Florida changed its COVID-19 data, creating an ‘artificial decline’ in recent deaths (Miami Herald, Aug. 31, 2021)

As the delta variant spreads through Florida, data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest this could be the most serious and deadly surge in COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic.

As cases ballooned in August, however, the Florida Department of Health changed the way it reported death data to the CDC, giving the appearance of a pandemic in decline, an analysis of Florida data by the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald found.

On Monday, Florida death data would have shown an average of 262 daily deaths reported to the CDC over the previous week had the health department used its former reporting system, the Herald analysis showed. Instead, the Monday update from Florida showed just 46 “new deaths” per day over the previous seven days.

[bacchi]

Florida also updates once per week, on Friday.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/state-reporting-frequencies

[Chaplin]

Thanks OtherJen and bacchi, I just wasn't searching with the right terms, but that explains it clearly.

[JGS1980]

https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1435459867364446209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1435459867364446209%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2021%2F9%2F9%2F2051255%2F-Covid-in-California-vs-Florida-by-the-numbers

Florida vs California since April 1st. Basically Governor Newsom vs Desantis.

[jinga nation]

More FLoriduh Fuckery:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2021/09/10/for-now-desantis-order-on-school-masks-will-stand-appeal-court-rules/

[Abe]

https://twitter.com/ashishkjha/status/1435459867364446209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1435459867364446209%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2021%2F9%2F9%2F2051255%2F-Covid-in-California-vs-Florida-by-the-numbers

Florida vs California since April 1st. Basically Governor Newsom vs Desantis.

So Florida won?

[marty998]

https://healthdata.gov/Community/COVID-19-State-Profile-Report-Florida/ht94-9tjc

Oooof.

One interesting/morbid stat published is the hospital utilisation... 27% of all hospital beds in Florida are occupied by a confirmed or suspected case of Covid.

That's an awful lot of beds unable to be occupied by people with other health issues, when you consider the sheer range of medical treatments most people require from oncology, physio & rehabilitation, surgery, trauma & emergency, pregnancy....

[OtherJen]

https://healthdata.gov/Community/COVID-19-State-Profile-Report-Florida/ht94-9tjc

Oooof.

One interesting/morbid stat published is the hospital utilisation... 27% of all hospital beds in Florida are occupied by a confirmed or suspected case of Covid.

That's an awful lot of beds unable to be occupied by people with other health issues, when you consider the sheer range of medical treatments most people require from oncology, physio & rehabilitation, surgery, trauma & emergency, pregnancy....

Yes. Which is why many healthcare systems in Florida began cancelling elective and nonemergency procedures a month ago. They don't have the physical or staff capacity to handle them.

We saw this in my area last year, when my dad's cancer treatment was delayed by month because the radiology facilities needed for treatment planning were shut down and then had a backlog. You'd think that 18 months later, Florida would be have been better prepared. I underestimated the levels of DeSantis' arrogance and utter disrespect for his constituents.

[bacchi]

https://healthdata.gov/Community/COVID-19-State-Profile-Report-Florida/ht94-9tjc

Oooof.

One interesting/morbid stat published is the hospital utilisation... 27% of all hospital beds in Florida are occupied by a confirmed or suspected case of Covid.

That's an awful lot of beds unable to be occupied by people with other health issues, when you consider the sheer range of medical treatments most people require from oncology, physio & rehabilitation, surgery, trauma & emergency, pregnancy....

Yes. Which is why many healthcare systems in Florida began cancelling elective and nonemergency procedures a month ago. They don't have the physical or staff capacity to handle them.

We saw this in my area last year, when my dad's cancer treatment was delayed by month because the radiology facilities needed for treatment planning were shut down and then had a backlog. You'd think that 18 months later, Florida would be have been better prepared. I underestimated the levels of DeSantis' arrogance and utter disrespect for his constituents.

The psychology is fascinating. You'd think a politically astute governor would not want a clusterfuck on his watch (let alone one that's literally killing those who'd vote for him) but he's still pandering to the conspiracy nuts because they will vote. And storm the capitol.

Was it always this crazy during times of extreme change? During the tent revival period in the 1800s? The temperance movement?

[ixtap]

https://healthdata.gov/Community/COVID-19-State-Profile-Report-Florida/ht94-9tjc

Oooof.

One interesting/morbid stat published is the hospital utilisation... 27% of all hospital beds in Florida are occupied by a confirmed or suspected case of Covid.

That's an awful lot of beds unable to be occupied by people with other health issues, when you consider the sheer range of medical treatments most people require from oncology, physio & rehabilitation, surgery, trauma & emergency, pregnancy....

Yes. Which is why many healthcare systems in Florida began cancelling elective and nonemergency procedures a month ago. They don't have the physical or staff capacity to handle them.

We saw this in my area last year, when my dad's cancer treatment was delayed by month because the radiology facilities needed for treatment planning were shut down and then had a backlog. You'd think that 18 months later, Florida would be have been better prepared. I underestimated the levels of DeSantis' arrogance and utter disrespect for his constituents.

The psychology is fascinating. You'd think a politically astute governor would not want a clusterfuck on his watch (let alone one that's literally killing those who'd vote for him) but he's still pandering to the conspiracy nuts because they will vote. And storm the capitol.

Was it always this crazy during times of extreme change? During the tent revival period in the 1800s? The temperance movement?

Yes. Those who are afraid of change will cling to anything that convinced them they won't have to change.

[GuitarStv]

https://healthdata.gov/Community/COVID-19-State-Profile-Report-Florida/ht94-9tjc

Oooof.

One interesting/morbid stat published is the hospital utilisation... 27% of all hospital beds in Florida are occupied by a confirmed or suspected case of Covid.

That's an awful lot of beds unable to be occupied by people with other health issues, when you consider the sheer range of medical treatments most people require from oncology, physio & rehabilitation, surgery, trauma & emergency, pregnancy....

Yes. Which is why many healthcare systems in Florida began cancelling elective and nonemergency procedures a month ago. They don't have the physical or staff capacity to handle them.

We saw this in my area last year, when my dad's cancer treatment was delayed by month because the radiology facilities needed for treatment planning were shut down and then had a backlog. You'd think that 18 months later, Florida would be have been better prepared. I underestimated the levels of DeSantis' arrogance and utter disrespect for his constituents.

The psychology is fascinating. You'd think a politically astute governor would not want a clusterfuck on his watch (let alone one that's literally killing those who'd vote for him) but he's still pandering to the conspiracy nuts because they will vote. And storm the capitol.

Was it always this crazy during times of extreme change? During the tent revival period in the 1800s? The temperance movement?

Yes. Those who are afraid of change will cling to anything that convinced them they won't have to change.

What's the definition of social conservatism again?

[Zamboni]

FL most recent report is a record: over 25000 new cases.

Looks like DeSatan is getting his wish for it to wash over the population of his state like a red tide.

[JGS1980]

Oh, Florida!!!

Last 15 days Covid count in Florida, in reverse chronological order:

12647
8988
8012
8010
8490
8225
7011
6425
5095
5094
5790
4840
3911
2303
2301

Desantis quote from today (7/22/21) -he refuses to change Florida's approach to Covid 19 as "We need our kids to breath."

He can't back down since he has already claimed victory and beat the pandemic (after minimizing it's effects for months). This fucking country...

Comparison:

Last 15 days Covid count in Pennsylvania, in reverse chronological order:
5198
5786
4812
3732
3150
5131
5005
4197
4390
2537
2503
3176
4783
3438
4560

The way I see it, its the difference between having sufficient testing and appropriate (but not perfect) mitigation methods vs not having any precautions at all. Florida, by the way, has averaged well over 15K cases per day over the last month.

[By the River]

Oh, Florida!!!

Last 15 days Covid count in Florida, in reverse chronological order:

12647
8988
8012
8010
8490
8225
7011
6425
5095
5094
5790
4840
3911
2303
2301

Desantis quote from today (7/22/21) -he refuses to change Florida's approach to Covid 19 as "We need our kids to breath."

He can't back down since he has already claimed victory and beat the pandemic (after minimizing it's effects for months). This fucking country...

Comparison:

Last 15 days Covid count in Pennsylvania, in reverse chronological order:
5198
5786
4812
3732
3150
5131
5005
4197
4390
2537
2503
3176
4783
3438
4560

The way I see it, its the difference between having sufficient testing and appropriate (but not perfect) mitigation methods vs not having any precautions at all. Florida, by the way, has averaged well over 15K cases per day over the last month.

Don't you have to adjust this by population differences?  Florida's population (21.5 million) is 1.67x that of Pennsylvania (12.8MM) Adjusted numbers from these two sets leads to Penn. having higher numbers on 10 of the 15 days.