Morning Politocadoes!
I hope everyone is doing well. The world is scarier and even more uncertain than it was a month ago. Be sure to check in with friends and family when you can.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally, finally, issued a Stay At Home order for the entire state of Florida yesterday. Florida is one of the highest risk states for COVID-19 with a large population where one in five residents is 65 or older. DeSantis is believed to have resisted out of some level political calculation that his base would chafe at the restrictions in place. Which under any normal circumstances is understandable, NOT when you’re dealing with a plague.
He also had been refusing to let two cruise ships with sick passengers dock. The Zaandam and the Rotterdam belong to a British American cruise line which had mostly foreign passengers. Initially DeSantis would only be willing to accept Floridians.
There are 808 guests and 583 crew on the Rotterdam and 442 guests and 603 crew on the Zaandam, according to Holland America. There are 311 American citizens, including 52 Floridians.
Most of the passengers appear to be fit for travel, per CDC guidelines but concerns remain with those who are not and those who are in need of immediate medical care. They appear to still be trying to find a solution that won’t end up with another wave of infection. Hopefully, a solution will be reached.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/us/holland-america-zaandam-cruise-ship-florida/index.html
Meanwhile, a second wave of the Coronavirus infection has spread in Hong Kong. The government has forced the shutdown of all restaurants, beauty parlors, and karaoke bars. A reminder that none of this will really be over until a vaccine has been developed is widely available.
Hong Kong is closing all beauty parlors, clubhouses, nightclubs, karaoke rooms and mahjong centers as the city fights a second wave of coronavirus https://t.co/DdDbMbejlt
— CNN (@CNN) April 1, 2020
Amidst all of this, you’d think that our government would want to make sure people have access to health care right? Even if you still had to purchase it yourself? Well, you’d be wrong! The Trump Administration has decided against reopening the Obamacare marketplace for special enrollment period. Several states have reopened their’s to help combat the sudden need for insurance in the wake of so many unemployed workers. Apparently Trump was ‘seriously considering’ it and decided ‘Nah’. Just goes to show you that we remain under the guidance of a cavalcade of gigantic fuck-ups.
Welcome to Thursday! PLEASE BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER. The Mayor McSquirrel Rule is in effect because we’re better than him. If you notice a news item being posted too often, alert a mod so it can be pinned to the top of the thread.