COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US) (5 Viewers)

[Dago]

literally arguing with an idiot who is an EMS right now about the severity of this...says that the shutdown is just a power grab by the government and claims that the mortality rate in Italy is only .04% because he insists on using total population
right now Italy's mortality rate of those that have gotten it is 9.9% with over 50,000 yet to be determined. Recoveries only outpace deaths by less than 33%

 

[bclemms]

The consensus in the scientific community appears to be that we will have a vaccine in no more than a year. So, there is a outside limit on the whole thing. And nobody is saying shut everything down until there are zero cases of COVID-19 in the world. The point is to shut stuff down until we can flatten out the curve and make sure the curve remains flattened or goes down. We just aren't close to that at this point now and we can't make arbitrary decision regarding when that point will be until we have more information and evidence.

Consensus is 14-18 months is best case scenario before human trials are over, a vaccine is approved, the vaccine is manufactured and distributed on a large enough scale to hit most people.

 

[tomwaits]

I mean, I guess people would rather save the economy and let the hospitals get overrun then the economy is lost anyway. Some seriously short sighted people out there.

If the hospitals are overrun, why is the economy lost in that situation more so than the shutdowns?

 

[Andrus]

It's completely arbitrary. How do they decide which year of income to choose? And, it doesn't take into account people who may lose jobs because of the COVID-19 outbreak. If you want to both stimulate the economy and guarantee that you help everyone who needs help, you just give the money to everyone. That way all the people who need help get it and those who don't really need it can use the money to put into the economy and keep businesses open.

Question (if anyone knows the answer)... My wife and I, both self-employed contractors in the Oil & Gas industry (Landman/Abstractor) lost our work due to a combination of the coronavirus outbreak and the Saudi/Russian oil price war driving oil prices way down. So there are no unemployment benefits for us. In 2018 we actually lost money for the year due to a business that we started that didn't work out. So we ended up with a net loss on our 2018 taxes. So are we just going to be out of luck here?

 

[KulBreez]

Question (if anyone knows the answer)... My wife and I, both self-employed contractors in the Oil & Gas industry (Landman/Abstractor) lost our work due to a combination of the coronavirus outbreak and the Saudi/Russian oil price war driving oil prices way down. So there are no unemployment benefits for us. In 2018 we actually lost money for the year due to a business that we started that didn't work out. So we ended up with a net loss on our 2018 taxes. So are we just going to be out of luck here?

As long as you filed you will receive stimulus

 

[Goatman Saint]

Question (if anyone knows the answer)... My wife and I, both self-employed contractors in the Oil & Gas industry (Landman/Abstractor) lost our work due to a combination of the coronavirus outbreak and the Saudi/Russian oil price war driving oil prices way down. So there are no unemployment benefits for us. In 2018 we actually lost money for the year due to a business that we started that didn't work out. So we ended up with a net loss on our 2018 taxes. So are we just going to be out of luck here?

No, unless I misread something they took the bottom disqualification off. So you should be good.

 

[ThibodauxSaint]

From what I'm seeing in my area I don't see any way the curve will get flattened. Most businesses in town are still open, just as much traffic on the road as normal. Its business as usual. Unless the governor is willing to take even more drastic measures, which I don't believe he will, the numbers we see rolling in will not change and we'll have to accept this as the new normal.

 

[Saint by the Bay]

Question (if anyone knows the answer)... My wife and I, both self-employed contractors in the Oil & Gas industry (Landman/Abstractor) lost our work due to a combination of the coronavirus outbreak and the Saudi/Russian oil price war driving oil prices way down. So there are no unemployment benefits for us. In 2018 we actually lost money for the year due to a business that we started that didn't work out. So we ended up with a net loss on our 2018 taxes. So are we just going to be out of luck here?

Under this stimulus, you can actually get unemployment. They are extending it to self-employed and freelancers.

 

[Crzycjunx76]

So, based on those hospitalization and ICU figures in that graphic, roughly 7% of total hospital beds in NY State and 30% of ICU beds are now occupied with Covid19 patients. I have no idea how much of the capacity was already occupied so no telling how much is remaining.

NY state is working on adding additional facilities/capacity, but I have not heard of a time frame. Also the quotes I have heard on these facilities say they are adding beds, but im not sure what sort of care will be available there.

The Comfort will be available at some point, though it is being set aside for non-Covid patients, which is probably a wise move.

I wonder if Toronto or Montreal would be in a position to provide medical aid for non COVID patients to free up capacity. The figures I see for Canada are by province so im not sure about the urban load in those cities.

 

[BigFrosty]

It's completely arbitrary. How do they decide which year of income to choose? And, it doesn't take into account people who may lose jobs because of the COVID-19 outbreak. If you want to both stimulate the economy and guarantee that you help everyone who needs help, you just give the money to everyone. That way all the people who need help get it and those who don't really need it can use the money to put into the economy and keep businesses open.

I agree. Many of the people that I know who are in the $200k arena are upper end sales people, producers, or design/engineers. They produce transactions, sales, and/or widgets. Much of their salaries are based on bonuses and commission. Right now, everyone's at the poker table holding their chips and playing the ante only. Even though these people are essential to their companies and lower level employees would be cut first, their salaries will drastically decrease.

 

[Xeno]

If the hospitals are overrun, why is the economy lost in that situation more so than the shutdowns?

Because then we'll see thousands more people die without being able to get health care. Dead people can't spend money.

 

[B4YOU]

We need to shutdown everything beyond absolutely critical services nation-wide and we should have done it a month ago.

DC is closing non-essential businesses until April 24. Schools are closed until then too. I’m an essential employee who responds to complaints and emergencies for an agency with no telework policy. I am now on 4 days per week telework with one day in the office to keep staff on hand at 20%. I can do 90% of my job teleworking thankfully. I would not be surprised if there is a reduction in force for many government employees in DC and the nation following this outbreak. The tax revenue impact of Covid-19 is going to be staggering.

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

 

[KulBreez]

I agree. Many of the people that I know who are in the $200k arena are upper end sales people, producers, or design/engineers. They produce transactions, sales, and/or widgets. Much of their salaries are based on bonuses and commission. Right now, everyone's at the poker table holding their chips and playing the ante only. Even though these people are essential to their companies and lower level employees would be cut first, their salaries will drastically decrease.

If u have already filed for this year. Their using this years tax returns. If not they are using last years.

 

[AARPSaint]

If I get a check, I may try to return it. Social Security and pensions come in via automatic deposit. Why would I need a stimulus at all? There's very little to spend it on right now, anyway, unfortunately. We'll see what happens.

By contrast there are without question folks who need it desperately and they needed it at least a week ago. The problem with these sorts of blanket giveaways is that there will inevitably be bad inequities. That said, the government has to do something and do it quickly before the economy shuts down.

 

[DaveXA]

If the hospitals are overrun, why is the economy lost in that situation more so than the shutdowns?

Because if they get overrun, we won't be talking tens of thousands dead, but rather, hundreds of thousands, and possibly even millions if everyone starts going back to work before we've beaten this thing. That's gonna have a far, far worse hit on the economy than a month long complete shutdown.