Hopefully this crisis doesn't turn into some version of The Purge movies...

Our schools are not closed, everyone carrying on with life as normal. No-one wearing masks except for the medical professionals who come into close contact with you while treating you. Yes our financial markets have taken a plunge due this bloody virus, but then it's the case all over the world.

@TimeOutForMe
I heard that both Los Angeles and San Diego school districts have announced closures.

@Flyingsaucesir
We've just had a state of the nation address:

15 MARCH 2020 - KEY HIGHLIGHTS – PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS ON COVID 19 VIRUS
• 61 confirmed cases
• Declared national state of disaster
• Limit contact with possible infected persons
• Travel ban on foreign nationals from high risk countries from 18 March – such as China, Iran, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain
o Visa cancellations/ revocations implemented
• SA citizens returning from high risk countries
o testing and self-quarantine
• Medium risk countries – Hong Kong, Singapore, Portugal
o High intensity screening
• Strengthen measures at OR Tambo, CT
• 72 ports of entry in SA
o 53 land ports – 35 to be shut down
o 8 sea ports – 2 to be closed
• Non-essential travel for all spheres of govt banned
• Discourage public transport
• Encourage social distancing
o Gatherings over 100 prohibited
o Large government events to be cancelled
o Public holiday celebrations to be cancelled
o Schools to be closed from 18 March until after the Easter weekend.
 To compensate – June holidays will be shorter
o Intensifying health measures at Universities, Prisons, Police Stations
 Additional measures to be announced for colleges and universities
o Visits to correctional facilities suspended for 30 days
• Businesses and public entertainment facilities to intensify health measures
• In process of identifying isolation and quarantine sites in each district and metro
• Capacity increases at designated hospitals in all provinces
• Increasing capacity of existing contact tracing processes
• Partnering with private sector to set up a national tracking, tracing and monitoring system of all infected and those they have been in contact with.
• Undertaking mass communication campaign on good hygiene and prevention behaviour
• CITIZENS MUST CHANGE BEHAVIOUR
o Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and use hand sanitiser
o Cover nose and mouth with a tissue/ flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing
o Avoid close contact with persons who have cold or flu like symptoms
• Minimise physical contact and discourage handshakes as a greeting mechanism
• Funding will be made available to capacitate sectors dealing with the response to this outbreak
• Establish a National command council chaired by the President including the inter-ministerial committee who has been handling the situation so far
o Meet 3 times a week
• COVID-19 has caused a severe economic decline and tourism levels and will impact production, viability of industries and employment levels
o Cabinet is finalising a comprehensive package of interventions to mitigate the expected impact on the economy including fiscal and other measures
• DO NOT spread fake and unverified news/ messages – fear and ignorance will only result in unnecessary panic
• Government is working with the World Health Organisation and acting effectively will limit the effects on people.

I am impressed. It was an expected welcomed address.

@TimeOutForMe
I'm listening to Gov. Gavin Newsom address Californians on this emergency as I write this message. I must say, he inspires a LOT more confidence than the twit in the White House. ☺

@Flyingsaucesir just received this from a friend in the UK. Don't know how true or accurate it is, but for whatever it's worth, if any, as follows :
(the financial crash seems true though)

Impact of coronavirus on stock exchanges worldwide, within 1 month:

-26%
-26%
-25%
-27%
-20%
-19%
-16%
-24%
-14%
-17%
-12%
- 17%

Now, look at this:

(China) + 0,3%

China, creator of the pandemic, has miraculously "recovered", has almost no more cases of coronavirus. The world is now beginning to feel the effects and panic about the disease. Who recovered first ?? China itself! It seems to be that this virus was a move by the Chinese government in response to the loss of the trade war with the United States. The goal: to throw the world into recession !!!
Is the scenario not clear? They are already growing! China bought almost everything it devalued on the stock exchanges around the world ... with that the Chinese became owners of the global companies that are in China and without the money leaving China.

This is what it's all about.

@Flyingsaucesir I doubt the part about the China conspiracy is true. I believe those that were held in quarantine and who were released, are now re-affected. The affected are not yet under control and has nothing to do with trade war.

@TimeOutForMe
I think you are right to discount the conspiracy theory. The idea that China "created" this emergency is simply ridiculous. That the virus originated there is purely a biological fact, like a hurricane is a meteorological fact. Did the governments of Guinea and Sierra Leon "create" their ebola epidemics? Of course not. The wild swings in the stock markets are telltale signs that many investors are just blindly gambling, and have no idea what they are really doing with their money. Really savvy investors buy quality and hold it long-term; they don't lose confidence over short-term setbacks.

@Flyingsaucesir agree, agree, agree.
...and short term losses are expected with long term focus. Good fund managers with mandate to diversify portfolios, possess the expertise to narrow volatility during this uncertain period. ...however difficult to time the market, as not rocket scientists and good stocks should be firmly held onto.

This was good. Plain speak.

@NHjulie won't see anything like this information on fox. Thanks for posting!

@Capitalist They are obviously their opinions.

@Capitalist Biased in the mind of anyone to the extreme ‘right’ (wrong). Shields, is a moderate Democrat; Brooks is moderate Republican. They are consistent, well informed, and provide much needed honest, no-spin commentary.

@Capitalist Yah, though maybe you’re too young to remember them..? Not me, in fact, I once was! Back when fiscally conservative, yet social progressives could be ‘republicans.’ Not no more, they were shoved out as “RINO’s” decades ago..

Here you go: “David Brooks is a Canadian-born American conservative political and cultural commentator who writes for The New York Times.” He’s got a new book out, but you’d likely have a serious problem with it … because, like me, he’s evolved ~

@seenoevil9620 Hence the quotation marks.

Thank you for that clarification. Can you provide a link or citation?

@Flyingsaucesir

I'll look it was on the news last night.

All he kept saying in-between patting himself for his great response effort was "some great guys behind me" all business for profit. He has found a way to enrich himself in this for sure. Weeks ago, at least 5 places said they could make tests; now, suddenly, this one place will develop and have it ready in a week for 1 to 2 million.
South Korea is testing 15k to 20k per day. And not just the sick, as others can carry the virus.

We need your cat Smudge to lead us instead..