Posted on 03/18/2020 4:34:45 PM PDT by usafa92
WASHINGTON D.C. – South Florida congressman Mario Diaz-Balart has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a release sent by his office, Diaz-Balart (FL-25) received word on Wednesday that a test he took over the weekend had come back positive.
He is the first member of the United State Congress to test positive for coronavirus.
Diaz-Balart began feeling symptoms of coronavirus on Saturday night, including fever and a headache.
He then decided to self-quarantine in Washington D.C., where he will remain.
“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart said in a statement. "However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
Okay, thanks.
For the record, I’m very concerned about the virus. I’m elderly, slowly recovering from a serious illness, and I have mild COPD. I’m at risk. I’m try to be as careful as possible, but I go to the grocery store for one thing or another almost every day. Most people seem polite and keep their distance, a few not at all.
Now HERE is a thinking, rational FReeper (sans tin foil or lulled into complacency).
Man oh man I hope your type begins to proliferate here on FR and common sense takes over from nonsense. Years down the line it will be a real study to see where the “FAKE NEWS” about Novel Coronavirus being ‘no big deal’ and a political hoax (lie) actually took seed and was irresponsibly propagated.
Republican, Cuban-born, I believe.
Of course.
You’ll have to do what you think is best, but this might be a time to think of not going to the grocery store almost every day. Even if people keep their distance from you, the virus can live on surfaces for up to 9 days.
I personally don’t care for shopping, so I only go to the grocery about every 3 weeks or so. I have more than enough food and supplies (including lots of the sorts of produce that last for while in the refrigerator and a great deal of frozen meats), and I keep a grocery list of things to get in the future. I typically don’t go to the store until there are numerous items to get.
I’m not in a high risk group so it may not matter so much for me, but people in high risk groups especially should try going out less frequently if they can. We don’t want anything happening to our older or sicker Freepers. (Just some friendly advice; feel free to disregard.)
Free Republic is getting unbearable with some of this Corona stuff. Everybody has an opinion but it seems some are getting dog sh*t thrown in their face if they sway to the this is hysteria/overblown side.
"It's just the flu" means anywhere from 10,000-60,000 deaths. Were you advocating that the country should be shut down for flu season?
I'm sure we would have noticed.
What's the difference?
Look, no choice here is a good one. Leaders are presented with an awful choice: Let huge numbers of people die or destroy the economy. I could make an argument for going either way, but I’m just trying to point out that contrary to the head-in-the-sand scoffers here, we are dealing with a real threat, and not “just the flu.”
People need to disabuse themselves of the notion that this virus only affects the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory deficiencies. Many are now coming down with it, and having severe problems, who are much younger and who have no apparent pre-existing health issues.
"Projection." Based upon...?
That's what's called a WAG, and a worst case at that.
People who suggest that the panic will be more costly than the disease are not "head in the sand." Those who refuse to recognize that, ARE.
The death toll is a maybe. The economic carnage is much closer to a certainty.
Again I ask: why are you minimizing the numbers of people who die from the flu each year? Not as sexy?
I don't know that we should be doing anything differently. I believe the fire of hysteria and dualistic thinking means that we'll regret the decisions made in the cool air of hindsight.
And your rhetoric is adding to the fire.
Then there’s the added feature of lung damage(fibrosis) that has been found in many who have “recovered”.
Well, I’ve been erring on the side of caution myself anyway. I just think looking at the stats that it’s the most important for the old and the ill to stay home for the time being. It’s good advice for the younger and healthier too within reason, but they are quite a bit less likely to die from this.
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