Free Republic

Prayers up for all the families suffering from the impact of this virus. And we're still praying that the spread starts fading with the warmer Spring weather and that an effective treatment and vaccine are developed before the next flu season starts. And we pray that our people are allowed to go back to work very soon and that our economy comes roaring back. Meanwhile, we may be hurt and slowed down somewhat, but we have faith in the long-run that "what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger." God willing, America will survive and we will survive and we...

Click on link. Note: these pressers rarely start on time. Presser from Tuesday, 3/31: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2TRmlsmMNU 2:11:07

Up to $50 million has been approved for new research on a potential COVID-19 treatment, and Duke is taking charge. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, a federal government-sponsored nonprofit that funds studies across a variety of types of research, announced a new program April 1 to research hydroxychloroquine, most commonly used as an anti-malaria drug, as a way to prevent COVID-19 infections for high-risk healthcare workers. The program will be led by a Duke research team at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, which is part of the School of Medicine.

(Dr. Evil Parody)

Even in the throes of a global pandemic, it's possible to find things to be grateful for. In fact, I would argue that we are doing things and appreciating things that we really should have been doing and appreciating all along. I'm sure everyone has their own list of things they're grateful for. Here's mine: 1. I'm grateful for private enterprise and American business. There is none better anywhere. Our news is filled with stories of companies such as Under Armour, Ford, GM, JoAnn Fabrics, My Pillow, and Vera Bradley that are pitching in to help make hospital gowns, ventilators...

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday announced the creation of a special House committee charged with overseeing the unprecedented, multitrillion-dollar federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Pelosi has tapped Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the Democratic whip, to lead the bipartisan panel, which will be authorized "to examine all aspects of the federal response to the coronavirus and ensure the taxpayer's dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent." "The panel will root out waste, fraud and abuse; it will protect against price-gauging, profiteering and political favoritism," she told reporters on a press call. "The fact is, we do need transparency and...

The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine has shown promise in treating the coronavirus – helping to speed up the recovery of a small number of patients suffering a mild form of the illness, according to a report. In a study published online this week, Chinese researchers found that patients who were administered the drug saw their cough, fever and pneumonia go away faster than in a group that did not receive it, according to the New York Times. The illness also appeared less likely to become severe among those who were treated with hydroxychloroquine, according to the small study posted on the...

Yesterday is here: http://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3830614/posts?q=1&;page=1

An ABC News investigation offers sobering insight into how COVID-19 has spread and penetrated so broadly, so deeply and so quickly in the United States. Travel data of passengers arriving in the United States from China during the critical period in December, January and February, when the disease took hold in that country, shows a stunning 759,493 people entered the U.S. "This is an astonishing number in a short period of time, illustrating how globalized our world has become. Just as people can hop continents with amazing ease, the infections they carry can too," said Dr. Vinayak Kumar, an internal...

What would you do to save your local hospital? That question is on the mind of many lawmakers in states struggling with whether or not to expand Medicaid to able-bodied adults under ObamaCare. Advocates of expansion have time and again pitched expansion as a way to save struggling, rural hospitals across the nation. More recently, activists are pitching Medicaid expansion as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. As more hospitals find themselves in financial trouble, expanding Medicaid is promised to be the cure-all: not only will it save hospitals from closing, but it’ll create jobs too (or so advocates say)....

Tom Hanks has shared an update now that he and wife Rita Wilson returned home safe and sound after their coronavirus diagnoses and quarantine in Australia. "Hey, Folks... We're home now and, like the rest of America, we carry on with sheltering in place and social distancing," Hanks said on Twitter on Saturday. "Many, many thanks to everyone in Australia who looked after us. Their care and guidance made possible our return to the USA. And many thanks to all of you who reached out with well wishes. Rita and I so appreciate it." The married couple were recently photographed...

Seattle chief of police said in a Monday night video that she wants residents to call 911 if called racist names during the coronavirus pandemic. "Washington state is no place for hate. In a show of solidarity between police and community, I'm joined today by Lori Matsukawa," Chief of Police Carmen Best said, referring to the retired KING 5 news anchor who joined her in the video. "Hate crimes have no place in our community," Matsukawa continued. "We're better than that, Washington. We're all trying to deal with the COVID-19 public health crisis together. If you are a victim of a hate crime or hate-based harassment,...

NEW YORK - The coronavirus pandemic has touched every part of New York City, but new data shows it is hitting especially hard in neighborhoods that tend to be poorer and might be more likely to have many people living under one roof. Here are the latest coronavirus developments in New York: Data released late Wednesday by city health officials shows that residents in the immigrant-rich Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona sections of Queens have tested positive for the virus in far greater numbers and at higher rates per capita than in wealthy, mostly white parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn....

US air safety bods call it 'potentially catastrophic' if reboot directive not implemented The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered Boeing 787 operators to switch their aircraft off and on every 51 days to prevent what it called "several potentially catastrophic failure scenarios" – including the crashing of onboard network switches.The airworthiness directive, due to be enforced from later this month, orders airlines to power-cycle their B787s before the aircraft reaches the specified days of continuous power-on operation.The power cycling is needed to prevent stale data from populating the aircraft's systems, a problem that has occurred on different 787 systems...

Key Updates for Week 12, ending March 21, 2020 Laboratory confirmed flu activity as reported by clinical laboratories continues to decrease; however, influenza-like illness activity is increasing. Influenza severity indicators remain moderate to low overall, but hospitalization rates differ by age group, with high rates among children and young adults. Key Points: * Nationally, the percent of laboratory specimens testing positive for influenza at clinical laboratories continued to decrease while ILI activity continued to increase. More people are seeking care for respiratory illness due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. * Nationally, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses are the most commonly reported influenza...

Coronavirus patients may have life-saving treatment withdrawn if others with the virus are more likely to survive, according to new guidance issued to UK doctors. Health workers could be forced to make "grave decisions" should hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, the latest advice from the British Medical Association (BMA) states. The document warns that decisions around rationing scarce resources, such as ventilators, could determine whether large numbers of patients will receive life-saving treatment or not. The deaths of another 563 coronavirus patients in the UK were announced on Wednesday, the country's biggest daily increase since the outbreak began. Prime...

The creation of an accurate .22 Magnum autoloader has long been plagued by cycling challenges caused by the cartridge shape and construction. The long, skinny case has a lot of surface area and resists extraction. Extracting it while the gas pressure is high runs the risk of blowing out the thin case head typical of rimfire ammunition. Balancing these conflicting requirements was a huge technical challenge to overcome – until the Magnum Lite. Magnum Research calls the action "gas-assisted blowback," but it is not. Gas assistance uses a muzzle booster to move the whole barrel (as on a Maxim machine...

For over a year now, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has been on a mission to nationalize the United States’ emerging 5G market, advocating for the government to act as a wholesaler of spectrum to internet service providers. Citing national security concerns, Gingrich has written that our country’s “laissez-faire tendencies and preferences are being used to defeat us” as China rapidly expands its Huawei 5G network across the world. Yet, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation released last week reports that the former Speaker’s advocacy may be more self-interested than simple concern for the privacy of his fellow...

Actress and comedian Ali Wentworth, the wife of ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos, has tested positive for the coronavirus, she announced on her Instagram account. "I have tested positive for the coronavirus. I’ve never been sicker. High fever. Horrific body aches. Heavy chest. I’m quarantined from my family," Wentworth wrote in a post to her 185,000 followers. "This is pure misery," she added with the hashtag "stayhome.

Look at what Jihad-Rep Il-han Omar said when news broke of President Trump’s warnings of the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans from Corona virus. Trump says next two weeks in the U.S. will be “very painful” and that he wants “every American to be prepared for the days that lie ahead.” Ilhan Omar: Subhanallah! = “May Allah be praised!” Pamela Geller ✔ @PamelaGeller Ilhan Omar is an evil bitch. https://twitter.com/yasmohammedxx/status/1245458853447122947 … Yasmine Mohammed ياسمين محمد 🦋 @YasMohammedxx Replying to @IlhanMN For those of you unaware, that phrase is said when you’re happy. She is praising Allah. She...