US Cases: 3,303
US Deaths: 62
Worldwide Cases: 167,457
Worldwide Deaths: 6,454
It would be really great if Trump could manage to get through even ONE day without saying/doing something evil and/or stupid. And that may well happen before the pandemic subsides. But today is not that day:
A biopharmaceutical based in Germany reportedly rejected a proposal by the US to purchase the exclusive rights to a coronavirus vaccine, according to the German news organization Mannheimer Morgen.
CureVac AG, a vaccine and therapeutics developer headquartered in Tübingen, Germany, was approached by the Trump administration to bring the company to the US, in exchange for funding, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
A German official reportedly claimed that Trump was trying to obtain the scientist's research exclusively, and that the administration wanted to get a potential vaccine "only for the United States."I'm no legal scholar, but unfortunately, the desire to deny a vaccine to the rest of the world --- or to engage in price-gouging with a life-saving vaccine --- probably doesn't rise to the definition of 'high crimes and misdemeanors', since the United States and its citizens would benefit from it.
But it does mean Trump is one evil, inhumane bastard.
In more useful news, the New York Times and the Washington Post both have cool, interactive explanations of the benefits of social distancing. If you still doubt that social distancing is necessary (or know someone who does), you should check them out. Furthermore, the CDC is now strongly urging people to avoid and/or cancel any event or gathering of more than 50 people until Mothers' Day.
In an effort to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic, the Fed has now cut interest rates to zero.
On the personal side --- I feel like society has basically shut down. As I mentioned earlier, today I went out and talked to 5 of my neighbors (a sixth wasn't home), and exchanged phone numbers so that we have some sort of support network for the time when (not if, but when) one of us needs emergency assistance from the others.
Just before that, my boss texted me to inform me that I should plan to work from home until further notice. As a software developer, I'm well-prepared to do that.
And before THAT --- the governor of Minnesota declared that all schools will close, effective Wednesday, March 18. My daughter's school district, however, decided to beat the rush and close effective immediately. Teacher and staff will spend the next 2 weeks planning how to provide distance learning to students --- and presumably that distance learning will start up on Monday, March 30.
I went shopping again today, and was still unable to buy toilet paper, sanitizing wipes, or foaming soap. Fortunately, I still have reasonable reserves of all of those things, and I'm optimistic the shortages won't last too long.
I also have plenty of food for one person. And my chili is done, so I'm going to go eat now.
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