Just to keep track of the nonsense that has wrecked our economy and generally made our politicians run around as if their fool heads were on fire, each day I publish the corona virus total death toll in the US based upon the latest data I can find. A single death is an immense tragedy if you love the person. However, we are not talking about love, but rather public policy, which should always involve a sober analysis of risk and cost. Please recall that in a bad normal flu year our death toll in the US can be as high as 90,000.
Note: this will be a total death toll since the beginning of this bad farce, and not a daily toll. As of the beginning of April 14 the death toll is 23,644. May the Perpetual Light shine upon them.
Wherein one old crank plays ‘statistician.’
As of 14 April 2020 AD, the US’ survival rate was 99.993%, or 999,928 per million. The braying jackasses breathlessly cry that now there are 2,000,000 worldwide infections. If there are 7.8 billion people on the planet, that works out to 0.03% of world population.
The curve appears to be trending down, even with inflated fatality numbers. Praise the Lord.
BTW, has anyone else noticed how few of our, ahem, “shepherds” have actually prayed publicly for the virus itself to be eradicated? As Father Z has pointed out repeatedly in recent weeks, if you don’t pray for a miracle you won’t get one. I suppose many or most of them just don’t believe it’s worth the effort. Too bad.
This reminds me more & more of the Iraq war in terms of “Exit Strategy”. Easier to “enter” into an economic shut down during a crisis, than to exit.
This reminds me more & more of the Iraq war in terms of “Exit Strategy”. Easier to “enter” into an economic shut down during a crisis, than to exit.
That depends on how readily the supply chain can be cleared. Revise the advisories and hammer them every day. (1) a moratorium on gatherings of a certain dimension; (2) a moratorium on group singing and the like; (3) special temporary rules on spacing in eating and drinking establishments; (4) no-mask-no-gloves-no-service on public transportation &c.; (5) a revision of industrial processes until further notice which would limit close contact on shop floors; (6) daily temperature checks &c at certain sorts of employers; and (7) take great care around anyone over 60 and around anyone over 50 with a weight problem.
Here in Texas, Governor Abbott has announced that he’d like to see the state reopen soon. It’ll need to happen in stages, of course, but once Texas begins such a process, other states will have a difficult time justifying their continued total lockdowns.
BTW, has anyone else noticed how few of our, ahem, “shepherds” have actually prayed publicly for the virus itself to be eradicated?
The Bishop of my diocese has distributed prayers for the ending of the Coronavirus. Overall his response has been one of the best of the surrounding diocese.
But it’s a very low bar to pass. He’s at the top simply by mentioning prayer at all and by only closing churches for the duration of the government shut down rather than proactively closing them for months and then going radio silent.
And even my bishop characterized the need to cancel masses as being necessary to “not endanger diocesan clergy.”
I think after this mess we will come out of things a stronger Church, but only because our weak leaders have been identified.
Our priests pray for the divine miracle at Mass; as I do in my Rosary and day-long prayers. You know the seculars can’t do it themselves.
Our Masses are on ‘You Tube.’
This Easter Sunday from 1000 hours to 1300 hours, both our priests were in front of the Church for drive-bys. The pastor greeted everyone (I was mildly shocked he greeted us by name!! – He married our youngest son and baptized our granddaughter.) His assistant was giving blessings. They had a make-shift altar upon the stairs with the Blessed Sacrament Exhibited. We drove by right at 1000 and were fourth of fifth. We drove by later and the line of cars was quite long.