The US situation.

[Orangeblossom78]

Finding this difficult to understand. They now have more cases than China and Italy, but Trump is on about loosening restrictions and opening up areas?

I don't understand any thoughts? It seems he is thinking they have done more testing which is the reason for the numbers. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52056586

I can't imagine for one minute why anyone would think things could open up at Easter when you are on an upward trajectory?

he thinks hydroxychloroquine might be a miracle cure for it. It may or may not work, but that's why he's hopeful the situation will not be as bad as the received wisdom is.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/vital-drug-people-lupus-coronavirus-covid-19-link-hydroxychloroquine

I'm very interested in it, in terms of possibly ending the crisis soon; unfortunately it seems it's turning into a political issue, despite the seriousness of the situation we're facing.

As other posters have mentioned, you just can't underestimate the size of the US. I live in a Southern city, approx 900 miles from New York, which is the same as the distance from London to Monte Carlo.
While the situation in NY looks desperately sad, it has very little to do with the situation in my State and many others.
Our individual State Governor's have the most influence over current rules and precautions and then the City Mayors are also putting in extra precautions in places that need it.
For me, the only influence the President has, is on when the borders reopen but I imagine most countries will prohibit Americans from visiting for now so even that is irrelevant!
In my city, we are at the end of week 2 of our 'safer at home' order issued by the mayor. I've been out twice to grocery stores this week, both were fully stocked and with very few other customers in. I've walked around my neighborhood several times at day but the houses are well spread out and I've not come anywhere near another person. Schools here are operating online, on their usual schedule, so my DS is still doing a full days work and with all the technology available my DH has been able to work efficiently from home.
We 'only' have 3 hospitalized cases of Covid 19 in my city and still nobody I know, knows anybody who has tested positive (and tests are readily available for free in several local clinics)
All this is to say that the vast majority of the US are not experiencing anything like the apocalyptic stories the media are telling about this country which may go a long way to explain why the President is not seen as the root of all evil by many Americans and the States that are suffering are looking to their Governor's to help not Trump.

Not surprised at the figures. My American relatives have only just started taking it seriously because I haven't shut my gob about it and they say most of their friends and colleagues are still laughing it off.

At times of crisis governments tend to have a surge in popularity; witness Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands War. I suspect Trump is benefiting from that at the moment, but it may not last if people come to realise that he's the one making the crisis much worse than it needs to be.

he just rambles and repeats himself, 'tremendous, lotta people say' on a loop!

actually the evidence is that Trump has a way smaller surge than usual. This is a good analysis of the numbers.

www.npr.org/2020/03/27/822043781/trumps-approval-hits-new-high-but-a-rally-around-the-flag-effect-is-small

Doctors in China and in Eastern Europe have been using hydroxychloroquine long before Trump even knew it existed. From what I read it helps some of those who are severely ill, but it's not a magic cure to Covid-19.

Doctors in China and in Eastern Europe have been using hydroxychloroquine long before Trump even knew it existed.

Yes, I don't think Trump is trying to claim credit for it, of course the doctors use it first and then the decision makers follow.

Anyway, it seems wider trials will take place very soon, and we should get an idea one way or the other. If it doesn't work, well, better to know sooner I suppose.

The Republicans actually managed to prevent Planned Parenthood from being able to access any of the stimulus money going towards healthcare, despite the fact that PP provides healthcare to low income people and specifically towards women

It’s a bit shady actually as PP donates a lot of money to the Democratic Party. It’s be as if the GOP were giving out funds to the NRA.

PP has plenty of money from both government and charitable groups along with individual donations. The operating restrictions they face are political not financial. There was absolutely no need for this in the bill.

I am not in NYC (DC area) but people in NYC are taking it very seriously. New York City also has an extensive system of public hospitals and clinics, and the state Medicaid program is extensive, unlike some red states that haven't expanded theirs. If you read the New York Times, the hardest hit hospital is Elmhurst which is public. The thing is that they think the density of the city is really helping it spread so quickly, and even with many things closed, there are still people going out to work or to buy food. New Yorkers really aren't the god-and-guns type (there have been issues in some of the Hasidic Jewish communities, people were holding weddings when they were told not to!)

Remember that more people voted for Hillary than Trump, please! The problem is the Electoral College system. And Americans I know were appalled that Boris was talking about herd immunity and was slow to shut everything.

The US is really very diverse and it's a shame that people generalise so much about Americans.

Regardless of what the leadership did, the vast size of the country combined with the privatised healthcare and an ethos of personal freedom means it would always be incredibly challenging to manage a public health emergency like this. Add on top a lack of coordination between federal and state leadership, and a president who is focused on the economy as his basis for reelection, and seems in denial about the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in front of him, and I think it’s just going to spiral.

My brother has just had notice of lock down to start April 1st in his bit of Texas..
About a week ago he said there were 50 cases known of in his area so I'd imagine a lot more now... be interesting to see if Trumps approval ratings drop as the effects of the virus hit traditional Trump voting states...

but people in NYC are taking it very seriously

This genuinely does not match what I hear from my DM in NYC. I guess it depends what you mean by taking it seriously. Cuomo is taking lack of ventilators seriously, certainly and New Yorkers are impressed by him but the inhabitants are very resistant to staying indoors, not shopping frequently, not congregating in parks, not just walking the streets. And clearly the poverty stricken areas, and the homeless in NYC, are really going to struggle as the virus spreads which is alarming.

I was thinking about people I know in NYC. When they first moved there they sublet an apartment and it was tiny. The kitchen was almost non existant. No space to store supplies so they shopped daily and had a lot of take out. If people are living in those sorts of apartments then of course they will carry on going out a lot.

Yes, that describes a lot of New Yorkers, including my mum, although she has the added oddity of not lining with the man she is married to so wandering in between two apartments ! Don't ask...

living

It's a shame that people generalise so much about Americans
I agree I hate that America has become so defined by/synonymous with that orange idiot 🙈😳, that he has the top job in the world when there are so many brilliant clever entertaining generous kind funny good people that person has the top job in the world 😳
All those amazing people fronted up by that😳

Agree UYScuti, I've met very many wonderful Americans, and two of our best friends are a male couple over there who are completely at the end of their tether with Trump and his shenanigans.

My state has seen an upward swing in numbers. We have almost 3,000 positive patients and more then 20 dead.

Our proximity to NY has probably increased those numbers. My poor, little town currently has four known cases. The public school is closed of course but is still providing breakfast and lunch to anyone under 18.

As @pallisers has noted, our governor has acted with reasoning and compassion. He is a Republican but seems to be liberal on social issues.

I get really upset when I see the anti Americanism on this site. I have been in this country since I was 5 yrs old. Americans are like any other population, the good, the bad and the ugly. I can’t comment on why so many citizens voted and will vote for Trump. I think maybe because of the ingrained fear of socialism?