Unfortunately, this speech was not given by President Trump to America. Much as America can learn from the fast powerful responses by the nations of East Asia to COVID-19, now we can learn from Europe about presidential leadership. This is late, but in life now is better than later.
Address to the people of France
By the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron.
Given March 16. Excerpt; full text here. translated by Google.
Thursday evening, I spoke to you to discuss the health crisis in our country. Until then, the epidemic was perhaps for some a distant idea. It has become an immediate, pressing reality.
The Government has taken, as I told you, firm measures to curb the spread of the virus. Nurseries, schools, colleges, high schools, universities have been closed since that day. On Saturday evening, the restaurants and all the businesses not essential to the life of the Nation also closed their doors. Gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned. France had never had to take such decisions – obviously exceptional, obviously temporary – in times of Peace. They were taken with order, preparation, on the basis of scientific recommendations with a single objective: to protect us against the spread of the virus. …
But at the same time, even as the {medical} staff alerted us to the seriousness of the situation, we also saw people gather in parks, crowded markets, restaurants, bars that did not respect the closing instruction. As if life had not changed.
To all those who, adopting these behaviors, have defied the instructions, I want to say this evening very clearly: not only do you not protect yourself – and recent developments have shown that no one is invulnerable including the youngest – but you don’t protect others. Even if you have no symptoms, you can still spread the virus. Even if you have no symptoms, you may infect your friends, parents, grandparents, and endanger the health of your loved ones.
In the Great East, in Hauts-de-France, in Île-de-France, our caregivers fight to save lives, with dedication, with strength. At a time when the health situation is deteriorating sharply, when the pressure on our hospitals and our caregivers is increasing, all our commitment, all our energy, all our strength, must focus on a single objective: to slow the progression of the virus.
I will repeat it to you forcefully this evening: let us respect the barrier gestures, the health instructions. It is the only way to protect the vulnerable, to have fewer infected citizens and thus reduce the pressure on resuscitation services so that they can better receive and provide better care.
Without serious signs, let us contact our attending physician. Do not call the Samu and do not go to the hospital except in case of high fever, difficulty in breathing, otherwise they will not be able to cope with the wave of serious cases which is already looming in certain regions.
Let us demonstrate deep solidarity and a sense of responsibility. Each of us must at all costs limit the number of people with whom we are in contact each day. Scientists say it is the top priority. This is why, after having consulted, listened to the experts, the field and in conscience, I decided to further strengthen the measures to reduce our travel and our contacts to the bare essentials. From tomorrow noon and for at least 15 days, our trips will be greatly reduced.
This means that outside gatherings, family or friendly gatherings will no longer be allowed. Walking, meeting friends in the park, on the street, will no longer be possible. This is to limit as much as possible these contacts beyond the home. All over French territory, in mainland France and overseas, only the necessary journeys must remain, necessary to go shopping with discipline and putting distances of at least one meter, not shaking hands, not kissing, the journeys necessary to take care of themselves, obviously, the journeys necessary to go to work if remote work is not possible and the journeys necessary to do some physical activity but without finding, there again, friends or relatives.
All businesses must organize to facilitate remote work, and when this is not possible, they will have to adapt their organization tomorrow to enforce these barrier gestures against the virus, that is to protect their employees, or, when it comes to ‘independent, protect themselves. The Government will specify the modalities of these new rules this evening, after my speech. Any violation of these rules will be penalized. I tell you with great solemnity this evening, let’s listen to the caregivers, who tell us: if you want to help us, you must stay at home and limit contact. It is the most important. Obviously, this evening, I am laying down new rules, we are banning, there will be controls. But the best rule is that as a citizen, you apply yourself. …
My dear compatriots, I measure the impact of all these decisions on your lives. Giving up seeing your loved ones is a heartbreak; stopping your daily activities, your habits, it’s very difficult. This should not prevent us from keeping in touch, calling our loved ones, giving news, also organizing things with our neighbors, inventing new solidarity between generations, staying, as I told you last Thursday, deeply united and innovate there too on this point. I know I ask you to stay home. I also ask you to keep calm in this context. I have seen panic in all directions in recent hours. We must all have a spirit of responsibility. False information must not run wildly.
Staying at home, take care of loved ones who are in your apartment, in your house. Give news, take news. Read, also find this sense of the essential. I think that it is important in the moments that we live. Culture, education, meaning is important.
Avoid the spirit of panic, to believe in all the false rumors, the semi-experts or the false-knowing ones. The word is clear, the information is transparent and we will continue to give it. But believe me, this effort that I ask you, I know that it is new but the circumstances force us to do so. is important in the times we live in. Culture, education, meaning is important. And avoid the spirit of panic, to believe in all the false rumors, the semi-experts or the false-knowing ones. The word is clear, the information is transparent and we will continue to give it. …
Avoid the spirit of panic, to believe in all the false rumors, the semi-experts or the false-knowing ones. The word is clear, the information is transparent and we will continue to give it. But believe me, this effort that I ask you, I know that it is new but the circumstances force us to do so.
We are at war, in a health war, of course: we are not fighting against an army or against another Nation. But the enemy is there, invisible, elusive, advancing. And that requires our general mobilization.
We are at war. All the action of the Government and the Parliament must henceforth be turned towards the fight against the epidemic. Day and night, nothing should keep us entertained. This is why, I decided that all the reforms in progress would be suspended, starting with the pension reform. As of Tuesday, in the Council of Ministers, a bill will be presented allowing the government to respond to the emergency and, when necessary, to legislate by ordinances in the areas strictly pertaining to crisis management. This project will be submitted to Parliament on Thursday.
Earlier, I saw the Presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate so that these texts could be voted as quickly as possible, so that democratic life and the control of Parliament could continue during this period. I thank them and I thank all of our parliamentarians at this time.
We are at war. I call on all political, economic, social, associative actors, all French people to join this national union which has enabled our country to overcome so many crises in the past.
We are at war. The Nation will support its children who, caregivers in town, at the hospital, are on the front line in a fight that will require their energy, determination, solidarity. They have rights over us. We obviously owe them the means, the protection. We will be there. We owe them masks, gel, all the necessary equipment and we take care of it and will take care of it. We decided with the scientists to reserve the masks in priority for the hospital and for the medicine of town and country, in particular the general practitioners, the nurses from now on on the front line also in the management of the crisis. Masks will be delivered to pharmacies tomorrow evening in the 25 most affected departments. Wednesday for the rest of the national territory. I also heard the message from the specialists, especially dental surgeons and many others. Solutions will be found with the Minister of Health in the coming hours.
We also owe caregivers the care of their children: a minimum daycare service has been in place since that day in nurseries and schools. We also owe them serenity in their movements and rest. This is why I decided that, as of tomorrow, taxis and hotels could be mobilized for their benefit. The state will pay.
We are at war, yes. During this period, the country will support the regions most affected today as well as those that will be tomorrow. As such, I want to assure the inhabitants and the nursing staff of the Grand Est that we will be there to support them in the face of the influx of patients and the saturation of hospitals. I know what they have been going through for days and days, we are with them. I have therefore decided that a field hospital of the army health service will be deployed in the days to come in Alsace. The army will also help to move the sick from the most affected regions and thus reduce congestion in hospitals in certain territories.
We are at war. As I told you on Thursday, to protect us and contain the spread of the virus but also to preserve our healthcare systems, we made a joint decision between Europeans this morning. From noon tomorrow, the borders at the entrance to the European Union and the Schengen area will be closed. Concretely, all trips between non-European countries and the European Union will be suspended for 30 days. French women and men who are currently abroad and wish to return will of course be able to join their country.
We must make this decision because I am asking you for major efforts this evening and that we must protect ourselves over time. I want to say to all our compatriots who live abroad that there too, in good order, they must approach the embassies and consulates and that we will organize, for those who wish and where necessary, their repatriation. As you can see, you could sense that this unprecedented health crisis will have major human, social and economic consequences. It is also this challenge that we must take up.
I ask you for sacrifices to slow down the epidemic. They should never question aid to the most vulnerable, the sustainability of a business, the livelihoods of employees and the self-employed. For the most precarious, for the most deprived, for the isolated people, we will make sure, with the big associations, with also the local communities and their services, that they can be fed, protected, that the services that we owe them be insured.
For economic life, as far as France is concerned, no business, whatever its size, will be delivered to the risk of bankruptcy. No Frenchwoman, no Frenchman, will be left without resources.
In the case of companies, we are setting up an exceptional system for deferring tax and social charges, supporting the postponement of bank deadlines and State guarantees in the amount of 300 billion euros for all bank loans contracted with banks. For the smallest of them and as long as the situation lasts, those who face difficulties will have nothing to pay, neither for taxes nor for social security contributions. Water, gas or electricity bills and rents must be suspended.
In addition, so that no one is left without resources for employees, the partial unemployment system will be massively expanded, as I announced to you last Thursday and as the Government has started to specify. For entrepreneurs, traders, artisans, a solidarity fund will be created, funded by the State, and to which the Prime Minister will also propose to the regions to contribute. The Government, as of tomorrow, will specify all these measures. They will be based on needs, economic realities, needs sector by sector, obviously adapted. We will be there so that our economy is preserved in this difficult period and so that all workers can have this security also in terms of purchasing power, continuity of their lives.
My dear compatriots, France is going through a very difficult time. No one can predict precisely the duration. As the days follow the days, as the problems succeed the problems, it will be necessary, in connection with the lighting given by the scientists, of the field experiments, we will have to adapt. We will also continue, during this period, to work and progress on treatments.
I know the dedication of several teams throughout our territory with the first hopes that are emerging, and we will also continue to move forward on the vaccine. Regularly, I will address you. I will tell you each time, as I have done, as the Government does, the truth about the development of the situation.
I have a certainty: the faster we act together, the more we will overcome this ordeal. The more we act as citizens, the more we will show the same strength of soul, the same patriotic abnegation that our caregivers, our firefighters, all of the actors of civil security demonstrate today, the faster we will come out of this life in slow motion. We will get there, my dear compatriots, by being united. I ask you to be responsible all together and not to give in to any panic, to accept these constraints, to bear them, to explain them, to apply them to yourself, we will apply them all, there will not have a free pass, but, there too, to give in neither to panic, nor to disorder.
We will win, but this period will have taught us a lot. Many certainties and convictions will be called into question. Many things that we thought were impossible are happening. Let us not be impressed. Let us act with strength but remember this: the day after, when we have won, it will not be a return to the day before. We will be stronger morally, we will have learned and I will also know with you to draw all the consequences, all the consequences.
Let us rise individually and collectively to the height of the moment. I know my dear compatriots that I can count on you. Long live the Republic, long live France!
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Another nation we can learn from
East Asia showed us how to respond to an epidemic. Macron showed us presidential leadership. And Putin’s Russia shows us global leadership: “Russian army to send coronavirus help to Italy.”
Contrast Macron’s speech with that of NY Governor Cuomo, the first comment below. One spoke as a leader. The other as a bureaucratic manager. Both have their roles, but it seldom works well to have the latter instead of the former.
Posts about effects of COVID-19
- Hidden news about the epidemic sweeping across America! – Fake news drives out good news.
- Lessons from the coronavirus about climate change.
- A devastating epidemic spreads across America – An epidemic of panic and ignorance.
- Soon we’ll see if the US can defend itself again COVID-19.
- COVID-19 will hit the world economy hard. Here’s how.
- Seeing what went wrong can help us beat COVID-19.
- COVID-19 shows the new center of the world.
- Prepare now in case they close the stock market.
- The key to surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Useful information amidst the flood of chaff & guesses about COVID-19.
It’s easy to follow the COVID-19 story
The World Health Organization provides daily information, from highly technical information to news for the general public. These are the best sources of information.
- There is their daily situation report, with detailed numbers.
- The Director-General of WHO gives frequent briefings, which are quite insightful.
- Their daily press briefings have more information. An audio goes up quickly afterwards. A transcript is posted the next day.
Also, see the wealth of information at the CDC website, especially their situation reports.
For More Information
Ideas! For some shopping ideas, see my recommended books and films at Amazon. Also, see a powerful and disturbing story about “Birth of a Man of Steel …for the Soviet Union.”
Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Also, see these posts about epidemics…
- See the ugly cost of the next big flu pandemic. We can do more to prepare.
- Stratfor: The superbugs are coming. We have time to prepare.
- Posts debunking the hysteria about the 2009 swine flu in America.
- Posts debunking the hysteria about the 2015 ebola epidemic in America.
- Important: A vaccine against the fears that make us weak.
A fictional president defeats a plague
In his 1994 novel Debt of Honor
“Therefore containment is the only option,” General Pickett went on.
“How do you contain a whole country?” said Cliff Rutledge, Assistant Secretary of State for Policy.
“That’s the problem we face,” President Ryan said. “The only way to contain the epidemic is to shut down all places of assembly – theaters, shopping malls, sports stadia, business offices, everything – and interstate travel. To the best of our information, at least 30 states are so far untouched by this disease. We would do well to keep it that way. We can accomplish that by preventing all interstate travel until such time as we have a handle on the severity of the disease we are facing, and then we can come up with less severe countermeasures.”
“Mr Presdient, that’s unconstitutional,” Pat Martin (representing DoJ) sid at once. Travel is a constitutionally protect right. … {But} Mr. President, I do not see that we have much of a choice here. …The Constitution is not a suicide pact.” …
“Thank you” Ryan said, checking his watch. “I am calling the issue on the table.”
Defense, Treasury, Justice, and Commerce voted aye. All the rest voted no. Ryan looked at them for a long few seconds. “The ayes have it,” the President said coldly. …This has absolute nad unconditional priority over any other matter.”
A US politician gives a speech
NY Governor Cuomo on March 21.
Cumo spoke for 34 minutes – 4003 words of mind-numbing detail about programs, like he was a Soviet leader talking about the new 5-year plan. Perhaps it was nice that he named and thanked so many prominent people and gave so many numbers (none of which had any meaningful context to the public). But how many people stuck it out until the end?
Macron spoke less and just hit the high points about what the govt is doing. He spoke about what people can do together to get thru this.
Of course Cuomo gave powerpoint slides. IMO these almost always distract the audience from the speakers words. They are essential in technical presentations, which this wasn’t. Perhaps a few for emphasis of key points were useful.
Here’s the transcript in a format that conveys how I felt when listening to it. At the end is the YouTube video of his speech.
YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO MY FAR-RIGHT. IN CHARGE OF MANAGING SUPPLIES, ROBERT MEJIA, DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET, SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR, THE NUMBERS ARE STILL INCREASING. WE HAVE BEEN SEEING THAT. THAT IS THE LINE WE ARE TRACKING. THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE GOVERNOR — NUMBER OF INCREASE THESE AND MANAGING NUMBER OF CASES TO THE CAPACITY OF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. WE ARE REDUCING THE RATE OF THE SPREAD TO MATCH THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES AND INCREASING HOSPITAL CAPACITY AT THE SAME TIME. HOW DO OUR HOSPITALS MANAGE THE RAGE OF THE SPREAD. WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE THE SPREAD TO OVER A. OF –A PERIOD OF MONTHS. WE HAVE REDUCED NON-ESSENTIAL WORKERS TO ZERO. YOU PUT OUT NEW RULES ON PERSONAL CONDUCT AND WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE BEHAVING AND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. MATILDA’S LAW, WHICH IS FOR THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, PEOPLE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS UNDERLYING ILLNESSES, THAT WAS VERY SPECIFIC. I NAMED IT FOR MY MOTHER MATILDA BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THIS WITH MY OWN SIBLINGS — “HOW DO WE HELP A MOM? HOW — WHERE DO WE BRING MOM?” THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN OPINION. LEADING HEALTH OFFICIALS PUT TOGETHER GUIDELINES. I KNOW IT WAS HELPFUL TO MY FAMILY. THE QUESTION AMONG SIBLINGS, THESE LAWS AND GUIDELINES ANSWERED. I DO NOT WANT TO MENTION WHICH A SIBLING THAT TURNS OUT THAT HE WAS WRONG. THE PERSONAL CONDUCT RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE ALSO VERY HELPFUL. I WANT TO THANK DR. FAUCI WHO IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN AND HAS GIVEN ME GREAT GUIDANCE AND HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN PUTTING TOGETHER THESE POLICIES. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM AND WE ARE DOING THOSE. WE ARE WORKING ON EVERY LEVEL. EVERY PISTON IS FIRING. EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IS BEING DONE. NEW YORKERS ARE LUCKY. WE HAVE A VERY EXPERIENCED TEAM WORKING ON THIS. THIS IS NOT THEIR FIRST RODEO. INCREASING HOSPITAL CAPACITY, WE WANT TO GET THE CAPACITY OF 50,000 UP TO A MINIMUM OF 75,000. WE TOLD HOSPITALS WE WILL BE ALL — ENDING ELECTIVE SURGERIES. WE WILL RECONFIGURE SPACE IN THE HOSPITAL TO GET MORE BEDS AND FIND MORE STAFF TO MANAGE THOSE BEDS. WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING NEW BEDS. WE WILL REVIEW A NUMBER OF SITES TODAY. I WHILE — I WILL GET THE FINAL LIST TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TODAY. YOU’RE LOOKING AT SUNY WEST BERRY WESTCHESTER CONVENTION CENTER. I WILL LOOK AT THOSE SITES TODAY. THAT WOULD GIVE US A REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND A REAL CAPACITY IF WE CAN GET THEM UP QUICKLY ENOUGH AND INCREASING SUPPLIES WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ACTIVITIES, WE ARE LITERALLY SCOURING THE GLOBE LOOKING FOR A MEDICAL SUPPLIES. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 2 MILLION N- 95 MASKS. WE HAVE APPAREL COMPANIES THAT ARE CONVERTING TO MASK MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. I WANT TO THANK THEM. I PUT OUT A PLEA YESTERDAY TO ASK THEM FOR HELP AND WE HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH THOSE SORTS OF COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY DOING GREAT WORK. WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING THE STATE OF NEW YORK MANUFACTURING MASKS OURSELVES. WE ARE GOING TO SEND ONE MILLION N-95 MASKS TO NEW YORK CITY TODAY. ONE MILLION MASKS WILL NOT GET US THROUGH THE CRISIS BUT IT WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEW YORK CITY’S MASK ISSUE. I WANT TO THANK MAYOR DE BLASIO FOR WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SENDING 500,000 N-95 MASKS TO LONG ISLAND. WE ARE GATHERING VENTILATORS. VENTILATORS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS MOST SCARCE. WE ARE GATHERING THEM FROM ALL DIFFERENT HEALTH FACILITIES ACROSS THE STATE. WE ARE GOING TO USE THOSE IN THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS. WE ALSO IDENTIFIED 6000 NEW VENTILATORS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PURCHASE, SO THAT’S A BIG DEAL. FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S POINT OF VIEW I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE PRESIDENT A NUMBER OF TIMES. I SPOKE TO THE VICE PRESIDENT A NUMBER OF TIMES. THEY ISSUED A FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION, WHICH IS A TECHNICAL ACT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT ALLOWS THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO STEP IN AND ASSIST FINANCIALLY BY THAT DECLARATION FEMALE WOULD PAY 75 PERCENT OF THE COSTS OF A DISASTER IN NEW YORK CITY. NEW YORK STATE WOULD PAY 25% — FEMA WOULD PAY 75% OF THE COSTS OF A DISASTER IN NEW YORK CITY. NEW YORK STATE WOULD PAY 25 PERCENT. I HAVE WORKED ON MANY DISASTERS. FEMA HAS WAIVED THE 25%. IF THERE IS ANY SITUATION WHERE FEMA SHOULD WAIVE THE 25% OF THIS IS THE SITUATION. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE ARE REQUESTING FOR FIELD HOSPITALS AT 250 CAPACITY EACH. THAT WOULD GIVE US 1000 FIELD HOSPITAL BEDS. PEOPLE — WE WILL BE LOOKING AT JAVITS FOR THOSE FIELD HOSPITALS. WE WILL ALSO BE ASKING THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR TEMPORARY HOSPITALS. THAT IS THE WESTBERRY, WESTCHESTER CONVENTION CENTER AND JAVITS. JAVITS IS SO BIG THAT IT CAN TAKE FOR FIELD HOSPITALS AND AND ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TEMPORARY HOSPITAL. WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICAL SUPPLIES, WHICH HAS BEEN A VERY BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE ARE ALSO ASKING HER FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO FIX A LAW THAT WAS PASSED ON THE CORONAVIRUS FEDERAL AID BECAUSE OF A TECHNICAL ISSUE. THE WAY THE BILL WAS WRITTEN, NEW YORK DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR AID. THAT IS $6 BILLION. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY. WE NEED THE FEDERAL DELEGATION TO FIX THAT BILL OR ELSE NEW YORK STATE GETS NOTHING. NEW YORK STATE HAS MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BILL MAKES NO SENSE. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO CONDUCT IMMEDIATELY TRIALS FOR THE NEW DRUG THERAPY, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING. I SPOKE TO DR. ZUCKER ABOUT IT. THERE IS A THEORY THAT THE DRUG TREATMENT COULD BE HELPFUL. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SERIOUS CONDITION AND DR. ZUCKER FEELS COMFORTABLE AS WELL AS ANOTHER — A NUMBER OF OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE IS IN DIRE CIRCUMSTANCE TRY WHAT YOU CAN. THE FDA IS GOING TO ACCELERATE TO NEW YORK 10,000 DOSES AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE DOSES WE WILL WORK WITH HOSPITALS AND FAMILIES ON USING THOSE DRUGS INTO SEEING WHERE WE GET — AND SEEING WHERE WE GET. I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT. I SAID THAT NEW YORK WOULD BE INTERESTED AND WE HAVE THE MOST NUMBER OF CASES AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAVE ALL RECOMMENDED TO ME THAT WE TRY IT , SO WE WILL TRY IT. WE ARE ALSO TRYING ON A NUMBER OF OTHER DRUG THERAPIES — AN ANTI-BODY THERAPY, POSSIBLE VACCINES. WE HAVE A COMPANY IN NEW YORK CALLED REGENERON, THAT IS REALLY SHOWING SOME PROMISING RESULTS. I HAVE EXEMPTED THEM FROM THE NO WORK ORDER. THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT FOR US. THE NEW NUMBERS — THE MORE TESTS YOU TAKE THE MORE POSITIVES YOU FIND. I GIVE THIS CAUTION BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE MISINTERPRET THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES. THEY TAKE THAT NUMBER OF NEW CASES AS IF IT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES, THE SPREAD. IT IS NOT. THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IS ONLY REFLECTIVE OF THE NUMBER OF CASES YOU ARE TAKING. OUR GOAL IS TO FIND THE POSITIVE CASES BECAUSE IF WE FIND A POSITIVE CASE WE CAN ISOLATE THAT PERSON AND THAT STOPS THE SPREAD. WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR POSITIVES. THE MORE TESTS YOU TAKE, THE MORE POSITIVES YOU WILL FIND. WE ARE TAKING MORE TESTS IN NEW YORK THAN ANY PLACE ELSE. WE ARE TAKING MORE TESTS PER CAPITA THAN CHINA OR SOUTH KOREA. WE ARE TAKING MORE TESTS THAN ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER TWO WEEKS — WHAT SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME NOW — THE WHOLE QUESTION WAS COMING UP TO SCALE ON TESTS. HOW DO WE GET THE NUMBER OF TESTS BEND HOW DO WE GET IT UP QUICKLY? I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT AND I SAID ” DECENTRALIZE THE TESTING. LET THE STATES DO IT. I HAVE 200 LABS, I CAN MOBILIZE QUICKLY. LET US DO THE TESTS. ” THEY AGREED. WE HAVE DONE 45,000 TESTS. CALIFORNIA HAS DONE 23 THOUSAND, WASHINGTON HAS DONE 23,000. YOU SEE HOW MANY MORE TESTS WE ARE DOING. I CREATED THE TEAM THAT IS WORKING HERE BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE MANDATE WAS — PERFORM AS MANY TESTS AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN. THE HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT — OUR NUMBERS SHOULD BE HIGHER AND THEY ARE. TOTAL NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES IS UP TO 10,000. THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES HAS INCREASED BY 3000. LET’S GO BACK IN CASE YOU CANNOT READ AS FAST. 6000 IN NEW YORK CITY, 1200 IN NASSAU. THE NUMBER IS SLOWING. WE DID A NEW ROCHELLE CONTAINMENT AREA. THE NUMBERS WHAT IT SUGGEST — WOULD SUGGEST THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL. YOU SEE NASSAU INCREASING, SUFFOLK INCREASING. THAT IS JUST THE WIDESPREAD INCREASE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING BUT OUR HOTSPOT OF WESTCHESTER IS NOW SLOWING AND THAT IS VERY GOOD NEWS. NEW YORK CITY, IT IS THE MOST DENSE ENVIRONMENT. THIS VIRUS SPREADS IN DENSITY. THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IN NEW YORK CITY. NEW YORK CITY OBVIOUSLY HAS MORE PEOPLE THEN ANY OTHER SPECIFIC LOCATION IN THE STATE. THE NUMBER OF COUNTIES ARE INCREASING. YOU SEE THE BLUE. I SAID TO YOU EARLY ON THAT BLUE IS GOING TO TAKE OVER THE WHOLE STATE JUST IN THE WAY EVERY STATE IN THE U.S. HAS BEEN COVERED. THE MOST IMPACTED STATES, YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CASES IN NEW YORK IS 10,000, WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA, 1000 EACH. DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE 10 TIMES THE NUMBER OF CASES OF CALIFORNIA OR THAT WE ARE DOING MORE TESTS THAN CALIFORNIA OR WESTCHESTER? THE TRUTH IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE INTO NO ONE CAN TELL YOU. — AND NO ONE CAN TELL YOU. THE NUMBER OF NEW TESTS, THIS IS A RATE THAT WE WATCH. WHAT IS THE RATE OF HOSPITALIZATION? THIS IS ALL ABOUT HOSPITAL CAPACITY. 1600 OUT OF 10,000 — THAT IS ROUGHLY 15% OF THE CASES. IT HAS BEEN — GONE AS HIGH AS 20%, 21%. 15% RATE OF HOSPITALIZATION IS NOT A BAD NUMBER. IN FACT IT IS DONE — DOWN FROM WHERE IT WAS. THE MORE REFINED THE NUMBER IS OF HOW MANY ARE HOSPITALIZED, HOW MANY REQUIRE VENTILATORS BECAUSE VENTILATORS ARE THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS MOST SCARCE, THAT IS THE NEXT REFINEMENT OF THESE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE TO DO. THE CONTEXT ON THE NUMBERS IS IMPORTANT. WE ARE TALKING 10,000. YOU LOOK AT ANY WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OR THE NIH OR WHATEVER, THE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE SAYING “YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THAT 40% TO 80% OF THE POPULATION IS GOING TO BE INFECTED.” THE ONLY QUESTION IS HOW FAST IS THE RATE TO THAT 40%, 80%, AND HIT — CAN YOU SLOW THAT RATE SO YOUR HOSPITALS CAN DEAL WITH IT? THAT MEANS BETWEEN 10 MILLION AND 15 MILLION NEW YORKERS WILL BE INFECTED AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE ARE JUST TRYING TO POSTPONE THE END OF THE DAY. THIS IS NOT A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE MOVIE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS. DON’S HOPKINS HAS STUDIED EVERY CASES SINCE IT STARTED, 280 4000 — JOHNS HOPKINS HAS IT STUDIED EVERY CASE SINCE IT STARTED. 284,000 TOTAL CASES. OUR FIRST CASE, HEALTH CARE WORKER, 30 NINE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WHO WAS IN IRAN, SHE WENT HOME, SHE NEVER WENT TO A HOSPITAL, SHE RECOVERED, SHE IS NOW NEGATIVE. YOU GET SICK, YOU GET SYMPTOMS, YOU RECOVER. THAT IS TRUE FOR THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PEOPLE. AGAIN, CONTEXT. PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE FLUE — FROM THE FLUE IN 2018, 2019. 34,000 AMERICANS. WHEN YOU HEAR THESE NUMBERS OF DEATHS, KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE. 34,000 PEOPLE DIED OF THE FLU. OVER 74% OF THE PEOPLE WERE OVER 65. 25% WERE UNDER 65. IF YOU HAVE AN UNDERLYING ILLNESS, YOU CATCH THE FLU, YOU CAN DIE. MORE LIKELY, IF YOU HAVE AN UNDERLYING ILLNESS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY. YOU HAVE 25% UNDER 65 DIE FROM THE FLU. IN TERMS OF CONTEXT PERSPECTIVE, DO NOT LISTEN TO RUMORS. YOU HAVE SUCH WILD RUMORS OUT THERE AND PEOPLE CALL ME WITH THE CRAZIEST THEORIES. I UNDERSTAND THIS ANXIETY AND STRETCH — STRESS, BUT LET’S REMEMBER SOME BASIC CONTEXT. SOCIETY FUNCTIONS, EVERYTHING WORKS, THERE IS GOING TO BE FOOD IN THE GROCERY STORES, THERE IS NO REASON TO BUY 100 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER, THERE REALLY ISN’T. WHERE DO YOU EVEN PUT 100 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER? THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. THE PHARMACY SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. THESE THINGS ARE ALL GOING TO WORK. NON-ESSENTIAL WORKERS STAY HOME, BUT THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE STAYING HOME, ESPECIALLY THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS. THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY ROADBLOCK WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING THAT SAYS YOU CANNOT LEAVE THIS PLACE, YOU CANNOT LEAVE THAT PLACE. IF YOU HAVE A REAL QUESTION BECAUSE YOU THINK THERE IS A REAL CONCERN FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE CONTACT MY TEAM. WE HAVE A SPECIAL WEBSITE CORONAVIRUS.HEALTH.NY.GOV. ASK THE QUESTION AND YOU WILL GET A FACTUAL RESPONSE. I HAVE NOT HIDDEN ANYTHING FROM THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE. — I HAVE NOT TILTED FACTS. IN GLEN DELANO ROOSEVELT — “THE AMERICAN PEOPLE — FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT — “THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE THE TRUTH.” IF I THINK I AM BEING DECEIVED OR THERE IS SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT TELLING ME, OR YOU ARE SHADING THE TRUTH, NOW I AM ANXIOUS, EVERYTHING I KNOW I HAVE TOLD YOU AND I WILL CONTINUE TO TELL YOU. THESE ARE FACTS. YOU HEAR A RUMOR AND YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, GO TO THAT WEBSITE . THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR ME DIRECTLY AND YOU WILL HAVE THE TRUTH. WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT COMPLYING. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE BUT IT HAS NOT GOTTEN BETTER. YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN OPINION. YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR OWN FACTS. YOU WANT TO HAVE AN OPINION, HAVE AN OPINION, BUT YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR OWN FACTS. YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT GET THIS DISEASE — YOU ARE WRONG. THAT IS NOT A FACT. 18 TO 49 YEARS OLD ARE 54 PERCENT OF THE CASES IN NEW YORK STATE. 54%, 18 TO 49 YEARS OLD. YOU ARE NOT SUPERMAN AND YOU ARE NOT SUPERWOMAN. YOU CAN GET THIS VIRUS AND YOU CAN TRANSFER THE VIRUS AND YOU CAN WIND UP HURTING SOMEONE WHO YOU LOVE OR HURTING SOMEONE INADVERTENTLY. SOCIAL DISTANCING WORKS AND YOU NEED SOCIAL DISTANCING EVERYWHERE. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NONCOMPLIANCE ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK CITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE PARKS. I’M GOING TO GO DOWN THERE TODAY AND SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS MYSELF BUT IT HAS TO BE STOPPED BECAUSE YOU ARE ENDANGERING PEOPLE AND IF IT IS BECAUSE OF MISINFORMATION, IF IT IS BECAUSE OF NONCOMPLIANCE, I DO NOT CARE FRANKLY. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND YOU CANNOT ENDANGER OTHER PEOPLE’S HEALTH. YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN AND DATE — ENDANGERING YOUR OWN BUT YOU DEFINITELY DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENDANGER SOMEONE ELSE’S. THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION. THIS IS NOT A FACT. TO ME IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS TELL ME THE FACTS THEN TELL ME YOUR OPINION. THIS IS MY OPINION. WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY — ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY SHOULD. WE PASSED A LOT OF GROUNDBREAKING LEGISLATION IN THIS BUILDING, NATIONAL FOR ITS — FIRSTS. FIRST STATE TO PASS A MARRIAGE EQUALITY, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, WE TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY, THIS STATE HAS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND I AM PROUD OF IT BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH. WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE. IT IS NOT REALLY AN ISSUE. IT IS NOT REALLY A #– HASHTAG. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY APPLIES TO PUBLIC HEALTH JUST AS IT DOES TO ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS, PUBLIC HEALTH ESPECIALLY IN A MOMENT LIKE THIS IS PROBABLY MOST CRITICAL, SO LET’S THINK ABOUT THAT AND LET’S ACT ON THAT. IN THIS CRISIS, THINK OF YOURSELVES. WE ARE ALL FIRST RESPONDERS. YOUR ACTIONS CAN EITHER SAVE OR ENDANGER A LIFE. WE ARE ALL FIRST RESPONDERS. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE US TO GET THROUGH THIS, BUT THE FACT IS WE ARE TRYING TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS TO A NUMBER OF MONTHS SO THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CAN DEAL WITH IT SO BY DEFINITION IT WILL BE A NUMBER OF MONTHS. I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR “IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF WEEKS AND THEN EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.” I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS GOING TO BE A MATTER OF WEEKS. IT IS GOING TO BE A MATTER OF MONTHS. WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT. HOW LONG AND HOW WELL IT TAKES US TO GET THROUGH IT IS UP TO US. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO. WHEN YOU ARE SECOND YOU SAY TO THE DOCTOR, “HOW LONG UNTIL I GET BETTER?” THE DOCTOR SAYS ” IT IS UP TO YOU. IF YOU FOLLOW MY ADVICE YOU WILL GET BETTER FASTER BUT IT IS UP TO YOU.” CHINA IS NOW REPORTING NO NEW CASES. LET’S ASSUME THAT’S TRUE. LOOK AT THAT PART — TRAJECTORY. LOOK AT THAT TURNAROUND. WE KNOW WHAT THEY DID. SO HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE? IT DEPENDS ON HOW SMART WE ARE AND HOW RESPONSIBLE WE ARE AND HOW DILIGENT WE ARE. YOU TELL ME THE PERCENTAGE OF COMPLIANCE AND INTELLIGENCE AND COMPLIANCE — DISCIPLINE, I WILL TUCK YOU — TELL YOU HOW LONG. WE SHOULD START TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THIS SITUATION. THEY ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AND NEW YORK WILL BE RIGHT ON TOP OF IT AND AS AGGRESSIVE AS WE ARE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE. ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES COME SECOND. FIRST IS DEALING WITH THIS CRISIS. WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES. IT IS HARD TO GAUGE AND MEASURE BECAUSE THERE IS NO DOW JONES INDEX THAT WE CAN WATCH ON THE SCREEN THAT IS MEASURING THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES AND THE SOCIAL DECLINE, BUT THE STRESS, THE ANXIETY, THE EMOTIONS THAT ARE PROVOKED BY THIS CRISIS ARE TRULY SIGNIFICANT AND PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE EMOTIONS AS MUCH AS THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE ECONOMICS. THIS STATE WANTS TO START TO ADDRESS THAT. I’M ASKING PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, THERAPISTS WHO ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO CONTACT THE STATE. IF THIS WORKS OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A VOLUNTARY NETWORK WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO FOR MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE WHERE THEY CAN CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL TO TALK THROUGH HOW THEY ARE FEELING ABOUT THIS — THEY ARE NERVOUS, THEY ARE ANXIOUS, THEY ARE ISOLATED. CAN BRING ALL SORTS OF EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS TO THE SURFACE. WHEN YOU ARE ISOLATED, YOU DO NOT HAVE PEOPLE TO TALK TO, SO I AM ASKING THE PROFESSIONAL UNTIL HEALTH ESTABLISHMENT TO CONTACT US, LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TIME. IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY ALL BE ELECTRONIC. IT WOULD BE OVER THE TELEPHONE. I ASK YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS — MANY ARE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS DURING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. MANY ARE LOOKING HOW TO PARTICIPATE. IF WE GET ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WANTING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, WE WILL SET UP A MENTAL HEALTH ELECTRONIC CENTER AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND — BESIDES HOW LONG? THE BIGGER QUESTION TO ME IS WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES THROUGH THIS. AS A SOCIETY WE HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH THIS. THANK GOD WE HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH A WORLD WAR. WE HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH ANY GREAT SOCIAL CRISIS HERE IN NEW YORK. WE WENT THROUGH 9/11, WHICH I THINK IS RELEVANT IN TERMS OF SOME FEELINGS THAT MAY BE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING. 9/11 TRANSFORMED SOCIETY. I WAS THERE. YOU WERE NEVER THE SAME AFTER 9/11. YOU HAD A SENSE OF VULNERABILITY YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE, WHICH I FEEL TO THIS DAY. THERE WAS A TRAUMA TO 9/11 BUT AS A SOCIETY, AS A COUNTRY, WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND THAT WE HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH SOMETHING AS ABRUPT AS THIS. WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES? WHAT WE ARE SEEING ALREADY IS A CRISIS REALLY BRINGS OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES FIRST OF ALL AND ABOUT OTHERS. YOU SEE PEOPLE’S STRENGTH AND YOU SEE PEOPLE’S WEAKNESSES. YOU SEE IS SOCIETY’S STRENGTHS AND SOCIETIES WEAKNESSES. YOU SEE BOTH THE BEAUTY AND THE VULNERABILITY. YOU SEE THE BEST IN PEOPLE AND YOU SEE THE WORST IN PEOPLE. YOU SEE PEOPLE RISE TO THE OCCASION AND YOU SEE PEOPLE FALL FROM THE BURDEN OF THE EMOTION. I THINK YOU TAKE A STEP BACK — FIRST AT THERE ARE PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY WORK WHO DESERVE OUR THANKS. WHEN YOU SEE A HEALTH CARE WORKER ON THE WAY TO WORK, WHEN YOU SEE A GROCER WHO HAS BEEN WORKING A DOUBLE SHIFT TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE DEMAND IN THE STORES, WHEN YOU SEE A PHARMACIST WHO IS UNDERWHELMED — OVERWHELMED WITH A LONG LINE, WHEN YOU SEE A POLICE OFFICER OR FIREFIGHTER DOING THEIR JOB, OPENING DOORS, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO IS ON THE OTHER OF THE DOOR, WALKING UP TO CAR WINDOWS, THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY HEROES. ASK YOURSELF, WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT KIND OF SELFLESSNESS AND COURAGE? WHAT DOES PUBLIC SERVICE MEAN? THIS IS PUBLIC SERVICE. THIS IS PUBLIC SERVICE ON STEROIDS. THESE ARE PEOPLE REALLY STEPPING UP. WHEN YOU SEE THEM SAY “THANK YOU ,” THE PUBLIC TRANSIT WORKERS, THE BUS DRIVERS, THESE ARE PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR FAMILY, THEY ARE JUST AS NERVOUS AS YOU ARE BUT THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOB . CHILDCARE WORKERS WERE WATCHING PEOPLE’S CHILDREN SO THEY CAN GO WORK IN A HOSPITAL OR DO THEIR ESSENTIAL FUNCTION, THEY DESERVE OUR THANKS. UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY DO IN SOME WAYS GIVES US PERSPECTIVE ON HOW BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE CAN BE AND HOW COURAGEOUS PEOPLE CAN BE AND HOW GREAT AMERICANS CAN BE. I LAST POINT IS, — MY LAST POINT IS, PRACTICE HUMANITY. WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT PRACTICING HUMANITY, BUT IF EVER THERE IS A TIME TO PRACTICE HUMANITY, THE TIME IS NOW. THE TIME IS NOW TO SHOW SOME KINDNESS, SOME COMPASSION, SOME GENTILITY EVEN AS A NEW YORKER. YEAH, WE CAN BE TOUGH. YEAH, THIS IS A DENSE ENVIRONMENT. IT CAN ALSO BE THE MOST SUPPORTIVE,’S — COURAGEOUS COMMUNITY YOU HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS IS THE TIME FOR A LITTLE GENTILITY. THIS THE TIME FOR A SMILE WHEN YOU WALK PAST SOMEONE. IT IS A TIME TO SAY HELLO, IT IS A TIME FOR PATIENTS AND TO DO NOT LET THE — PATIENCE AND DON’T LET THE LITTLE THINGS GET YOU ANNOYED. THAT WAS NEW YORK AFTER 9/11. YES WE HAVE A PROBLEM, YES WE WILL DEAL WITH IT, I WE WILL OVERCOME IT, BUT LET’S FIND THAT OUT OURSELVES IN DOING THAT AND LET NEW YORK LEAD THE WAY IN FINDING THEIR BETTER SELVES AND DEMONSTRATING THEIR BETTER SELVES. THAT IS THE NEW YORK DESTINY AND THAT IS THE NEW YORK LEGACY AND THAT IS WHY I AM PROUD TO BE A NEW YORKER. THAT IS WHY I AM PROUD TO BE THE GOVERNOR OF THIS GREAT STATE. WE ARE GOING TO DO IT LIKE WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT BEFORE. QUESTIONS?
As a french speaking Swiss, I watched the president’s speech and found it a bit wanting because of what I took for unnecessary digressions, but trying to read the transcript of Cuomo and then giving the video (link in comment seems down) a chance, I can say that the French did a good job in that department at least.
The constant “these guy’s are going to do this, and these guys did that and they got X number of beds that will be ready in X days” gets in the way, plus the whole presentation feels disjointed because of those exact unnecessary details constantly diverting attention. Yes those numbers can be put out, but they should get the important stuff out first and THEN the numbers and all that.
The whole thing feels like an academic UN conference in demographics of some epidemiological thing everyone forgot the name of halfway through.
In Switzerland the first official statements were a bit like Cuomo’s but much shorter, and then they made a few better speeches saying what measures were put into action, and what people needed to do, followed by other videos on advices, etc. We Swiss are a bit like the US in this regard, federalism seems to get into these routines, where more presidential systems can be more direct.
Walisser,
“As a french speaking Swiss, I watched the president’s speech and found it a bit wanting because of what I took for unnecessary digressions”
Oh, yes. Me too.
Re: Switzerland
What is being done there to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19?
They did the pretty usual stuff, some regional govt’ started measures a few days before the federal level announced theirs. On march 16, all non essential commercial activities were closed, except food and medicine stores, and social distancing measures, pretty much the same measures as France and the rest, except for fines for unruly people, even if some local govt have taken more stringent measures.
As for now, the overall health system is not completely saturated, but Ticino (close to Italy) and Geneva are pretty full. The measures are followed somewhat well, with some exceptions in the beginning. The army hospital personnel and facilities are being deployed, along with the “civilian protection” people.
Apparently their main problem right now is the total number of tests they can do each day, if you see graphs for No of cases for Switzerland, you will see some glitch for the 15th of march as they started using them more selectively.
All stores are not allowed to let more than a certain number of people in at the same moment (it’s based on store size), people wait outside respecting the distancing measures but inside it can be more difficult…
Today, monday, it will be one full week that the measures have been taken, everybody hopes they will have some effect, but only time will tell…
Walisser,
Wow. So the Swiss govt has reacted small and late, like most of the West. That’s amazing. We will see how this plays out for the various nations.
Swizterland has more cases per capita than Italy at the moment.
Larry,
Indeed, the only advantage we have is maybe a slight edge in health facilities (beds per 100’000, respirators, etc) but its still only a drop in the ocean. To reforumlate your saying : freedom is a right, and it will be a costly one…
Walisser,
“the only advantage we have is maybe a slight edge in health facilities (beds per 100’000, respirators, etc)”
The number of hospital beds is not a meaningful number in an epidemic. The number of beds can be expanded. The number of nurses and doctors is a factor, although those can relatively easily be reallocated to deal with the epidemic. The hard limit is the number of ICU beds (aka critical care beds). The US has the largest number of those per capita. Germany is a distant second. Swisserland is far down the list. Each of these beds is expensive!
Here is the most recent international data: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00134-012-2627-8
Here is a summary article: https://www.statista.com/chart/21105/number-of-critical-care-beds-per-100000-inhabitants/
Larry,
Maybe the only advantage that some countries that are still only now getting touched is that their populations will be scared into hiding faster. China seemed far away, now with Italy and the rest of Europe as an example, the weakest link becomes the government order date vs spread of virus…
Also I think that demographics will play a role, most european countries have been ageing for a long time now, so the losses will be proportionnally higher with regards to population than much younger ones, even after all parameters have been taken into account.
Thank you for all the good info/posts, and stay safe!
Walisser,
Likewise to you!
These posts about the epidemic are some of my best work (IMO, esp looking at the early ones – which look prescient now). But some sensationalists have seen their volume up 10x, while the FM website’s traffic is down substantially. Almost no reposts.
Life during the pandemic.
Thanks Larry, I think.
Was this transcript before Cuomo’s Q&A where he wagered the audience on his accuracy and challenged the press corp to come to his private gym for workouts? I may have the days wrong, since it seems (insert any other western leader name) shuffles the deck, changes the numbers and solemnly explains how their deaths will not be because they didn’t try, or that someone else failed them.
I commend Macron for the level of intellect, thought, and coherence he put into his address, but I can’t help but think that he’s as late in addressing this as most everyone else is. “I like what he did with the lipstick, but I can still see the pig”. Some find these ‘periodic status reports, of plans that don’t exist’, Presidential and open communications at a “leadership” level. I think we have evidence they’re not. In the corporate world, I’d be cleaning my desk if I communicated in a critical situation in this manner.
I personally find it, at this point in the timeline, complicit. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate discussion at all levels of the intellectual scale, if there’s something to be said, but the messaging is still the same for the most part. Has anyone heard of an actual “PLAN”? A plan, you know; Sponsors, owners, team, objectives, goals, scope, dependencies, key assumptions, timelines, schedules, resource allocations, deployments and implementation strategies, types of plans? Plans that have been vetted, analyzed, and quantified? This is a war, what is our exit strategy? We’re far enough into this that the next 90 days are in clear focus and we need to act. We haven’t even started. We still have the POTUS and VPOTUS in the same room sometimes less than 6 feet apart. WTF, sorry.
Do I sound desperate?
Considering the availability of lessons learned, evidence of successes, efforts in combating this in the scientific community, and key shortages in critical chain resources (people and supplies), has anyone heard a death rate that will trigger doing what should have been done, minimally, 10 days ago? Full lock down and closures. Let’s get this done, and while we do, let’s make a list of every Congressperson, their aides, their financial institutions, and their transactions at the top and bottom of this pandemic to see where integrity and dignity reside, and are nonexistent. That’ll get the swamp drained!! You probably know how to do this, given your background.
Thanks, and sorry for my half empty viewpoint, but I’m tired of hearing how all of these western leaders are so great, while the body count increases exponentially, while communist nations are praised for their “caring”.
Jim
Jim,
I agree with most of your observations.
Macron is late. Pretty much every govt in the West is late, inexplicably so. But as I said in my summary, “This is late, but in life now is better than later.”
“Has anyone heard of an actual “PLAN”?”
I too have wondered about that. My guess (guess) is that the US govt is flailing about at all levels (don’t know about France). I had expected that Pence (the adult in the White House) would take charge and begin a rational process when he was appointed COVID-19 Czar on Feb 28 (date from memory). But that obviously didn’t happen.
This astonishes me beyond measure. We were considered the nation best prepared for an epidemic, yet acted like a 3rd world bit player.
Unfortunately this kind of scattershot mobilzation – with effectively an empty suit at the helm – is unlikely to work efficiently. But it might work well enough, albeit at a fantastic economic cost.
Since we don’t know the scale of the current infection (too little testing), we cannot reliably predict what happens from here.
Hi Jim and Larry,
It’s difficult to follow what each country is doing these days, as there is a lot of information flowing around which is often not communicated in English. I assume many western European governments have a plan, but they’re hard to follow for foreigners.
I did ask about France to french colleagues, and their government seems to have a clear and strong plan, combining a lockdown with a coordinated mobilization to fill shortages in people and supplies, and economic measures to address the coming recession. This is also the case in Spain and Portugal; all three countries are on wartime mobilization mode.
Euronews has a summary in english here (a bit outdated): https://www.euronews.com/2020/03/19/coronavirus-which-countries-are-under-lockdown-and-who-s-next
JP,
Thank you for providing that!
I got scared when Como made this statement while justifying his actions: “If this saves just one life”
Pete,
These speeches are efforts to build public morale and maintain social cohesion. They’re like FDR’s speeches during the Depression and WWII, and Churchill’s during WWII. They’re exercises in political theater, not political science essays. I suggest not looking at them in such detail.
Did you pee your pants when you heard it?
Randolorian,
Please play nice. Personal attacks will lead to future comments being moderated.
Most comment threads on the internet quickly descend into grade school playground level antics. That will not happen here.
Illuminating that your main example of proper executive action is a fictional character in a Tom Clancy fantasy novel.
Carl,
“Illuminating that your main example of proper executive action is a fictional character in a Tom Clancy fantasy novel.”
Yes, that is what stories have done for us since the dawn of history. Greeks used Achillies and Odysseus as inspirational role models. Romans learned from their mythical characters, such as Romulus and Remus. Western civilization has been shaped by stories from the Bible. Americans were inspired by the dime novels about the deeds of western heroes.
Did you really need me to explain this to you?
A great speech to a great nation……. shame it didn’t come from a Great President.
Macron is Great Piece of Work. How the hell he’s still in politics is way beyond me
The following is Macrons latest antics:
On March 3, France confiscated all protective masks made in the country.
“We will distribute them to healthcare professionals and to French people affected by the coronavirus,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter.
On March 6, the French government forced Valmy SAS, a face mask manufacturer near Lyon, to cancel an order for millions of masks placed by the UK’s National Health Service.
Proof that Macron really is a proper “piece of work”
Proper,
Nationalizing the supply of masks is a rational step, putting them in the hands of vital health care workers (who put their lives at risk) than letting people buy them for casual use. It is standard policy for vital supplies during wars, national disasters, and epidemics.
Nationalizing health care supplies is commonplace nationalism at work. America does it. China does it. Everybody does it when seen in their vital interest.
Neither of these remotely supports your Macron-hating.