back to article US prez Donald Trump declares America closed to those flying in from Schengen zone over coronavirus woes

Last night, Donald Trump made the second presidential address of his premiership to announce drastic steps to combat COVID-19 – including a ban on travel to the US from all 26 Schengen-area countries. Trump, who described COVID-19 as a "foreign virus", said the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US. The ban goes …

  1. wolfetone Silver badge

    Well in fairness to Trump, COVID19 does affect the elderly the hardest. So he's got to do what he's got to do to keep himself alive.

    1. Persona Silver badge

      His Democrat party challengers are both even older so you should expect an unusual display of cross party support.

    2. tmTM

      and in fairness at least they're trying something, even if it does appear flawed.

      1. Blank Reg

        Trying something to make it look like they are doing something, rather than doing what they should have been doing weeks ago.

        Many countries are testing more people in a day than the US has tested in a month. The numbers are so embarassing that the CDC took them off their web site. When pressed in an interview the surgeon general refused to give numbers.

        This all looks like an incompetent government trying to pretend the problem isn't there. If you don't test then you don't have cases to report, problem solved.

        1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

          Many SMALL countries are testing more people in a day than the US has tested in a month.

          FTFY

          NB: Compared to the USA all European countries are small.

          1. ClockworkOwl
            WTF?

            Surely a bigger country should be able to test more people more quickly.

            I don't understand your logic...

            1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

              No logic involved, just looking at actual numbers. And yes, the USA should be able to test more people more quickly than most if not all European countries, but is failing to do so. In testing it is behind the Netherlands, which is already pretty lax with testing, with only 17 million inhabitants.

              1. ClockworkOwl
                Windows

                OK, phew I not going mad!!!

            2. Stoneshop

              Ratio of medical staff to total population

              And testing kit, obviously.

              For most European counties those numbers are quite a bit better than the US.

              1. Blank Reg

                Re: Ratio of medical staff to total population

                The ratio improves when you ignore all the Americans with little or no health insurance

                1. Phil Endecott

                  Re: Ratio of medical staff to total population

                  Also improves when you include the hospitals’ marketting and billing departments in medical staff.

                  1. Stoneshop
                    Devil

                    Also improves when you include the hospitals’ marketting and billing departments in medical staff.

                    It's just fair to count them as such as they make sure the other staff won't ever be out of a job,

                    ... by causing high blood pressure, ulcers, heart attacks and strokes.

                2. sanmigueelbeer

                  Re: Ratio of medical staff to total population

                  The ratio improves when you ignore all the Americans with little or no health insurance

                  Anti-vaxers. Don't forget the anti-vaxers.

                  Anti-vaxers, most likely, would avoid getting themselves tested.

                  1. Stoneshop

                    Anti-vaxers.

                    Look, those machines have been out of production for, what, nearly twenty years already? Get with the times and be anti-Itanium if you want to make a point; anti-Alpha would be also rather futile although I expect those to be in wider use still.

                    1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

                      Re: Anti-vaxers.

                      True PDP-11 fans will never surrender!

        2. Someone Else Silver badge

          This all looks like an incompetent government trying to pretend the problem isn't there. If you don't test then you don't have cases to report, problem solved.

          And that is all that matters to His Royal Hinie. He said so himself last Friday at the CDC photo-op tour; he likes the "numbers" where they are. So, if you don't test, you don't find more cases, and the "numbers" stay artificially low.

      2. Khaptain Silver badge

        It's all far too late

        "and in fairness at least they're trying something, even if it does appear flawed."

        Try telling that to business...

        He had a choice several weeks ago BEFORE the virus entered the States... He could have followed the Chinese lock-down and immediately closed the borders. He would only have had business to deal with.

        Because HE didn't close the borders he now has the Population AND Business to care about. It's more than double the trouble now..

        Thank you Mr Orange for all your clever ideas ( Only a week again he spouted out about how well they had handled the virus)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: It's all far too late

          Ahh, ok, I see,a Trumpette.

          "He had a choice several weeks ago BEFORE the virus entered the States"

          He was in India, Adam Schiff had to chide him over Twitter to get him to do something, *anything*. Trump appointed the German Ambassador, who Tweeted "Has the Johns Hopkins map of the coronavirus stopped working for other people, or just me?" indicating he had no idea how to take charge of the agency that makes the numbers that John Hopkins map is based on.

          https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/484501-a-member-of-trumps-coronavirus-task-force-asks

          So then Trump appoints Alex Azar, HHS manager. Who sends HHS people to meet the Diamond Princess evacuees. People from HHS who have no protection, no equipment and no training, they meet Covid 19 patients, greet them and promptly go around the airbase all contaminated and go home on commercial flights and to their homes.

          So then he demands emergency money from Congress, 2.5 billion and appoints Vice President Pence. Congress has no idea what the money is for. There is no plan. because he sacked the Pandemic response team that would normally track and plan these things. He has no idea what he's doing, So they pull out an old Obama H1N1 plan, add inflation and give him 8 billion. Republicans too, that's literally where that number came from, they all agreed he was an idiot and based the funding on the Obama plan.

          So now he's variously gone from pretending it's nothing, pretending it's already contained, pretending its Obama's fault, pretending its Europe's fault.

          And I see, from your history, that you've tried various contradictory defenses of his various contradictory positions.

          PEOPLE WILL DIE. Those people will be mostly Republican demographic. Older weaker Republicans. I get that you're a sock puppet, but there will be actual deaths and they will be the people you think you're sock puppeting for.

          Grow up.

          1. Someone Else Silver badge

            Re: It's all far too late

            So now he's variously gone from pretending it's nothing, pretending it's already contained, pretending its Obama's fault, pretending its Europe's fault.

            And China. Don't forget China. It's the "China virus", or alternatively, the "Wuhan virus"( for those who may actually be able to read that furrin word).

            1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
              Joke

              Re: It's all far too late

              I heard it was planted in China by the Federal Bureau of Infection. Someone on Facebook said so.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: It's all far too late

            > Ahh, ok, I see,a Trumpette.

            I'm confused, fellow anon. The post you are replying to is decidingly un-trumpetting.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > and in fairness at least they're trying something, even if it does appear flawed.

        What? It's the US government, not the girl guides. Maybe we give them cookie?

      4. Frumious Bandersnatch

        and in fairness at least they're trying something, even if it does appear flawed.

        The old "We must do something. This is something. Therefore we must do it!" approach?

    3. JimboSmith Silver badge

      Reportedly POTUS is a germaphobe and has an aide carry hand sanitizer for him everywhere he goes. So why he hasn't been more proactive in dealing with this is a mystery.

      1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

        I believe that the Whitehouse does indeed have a top notch team of telephone sanitisers.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Not the only "B" Ark candidates contained therein.

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

      3. JimboSmith Silver badge

        And as I like to back things up with sources where possible:

        from CNBC "I'm also very much of a germophobe, by the way," he said. "Believe me."

        from Politico

        the first thing he often tells his body man upon entering the Beast after shaking countless hands at campaign events: “Give me the stuff” — an immediate squirt of Purell.

      4. 2much2young

        Agreed it's surprising. I'm not joking but I just wonder what line Fox was running on this up until, say two weeks ago ? It might have lulled him into a false sense of security ?

        I was pretty amazed that the US financial industry only seemed to sit up and take notice when cases began to appear in places they might have been on holiday to (eg Venice) rather than four weeks previously when hundreds of thousands of workers in the "worlds factory" were sitting at home by government order.

    4. NeilPost Silver badge

      You should worry then - Mike Pence is a sprightly 60.

    5. Version 1.0 Silver badge

      fixed your typo

      Well in fairness to Trump, COVID19 does affect the elderly the hardest. So he's got to do what he's got to do get reelected.

  2. Aladdin Sane

    Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

    Well that's just fucking stupid.

    1. John Robson Silver badge

      Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

      Hopefully it won’t matter because there won’t be any flights to catch...

    2. iron Silver badge

      Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

      Well that's just fucking Trump.

      1. Dr. Mouse

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        What a horrible thought... I'm sure even Melania would agree!

    3. big_D Silver badge
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

      But, you are forgetting, that they have the special US-gene(tm), so they won't be affected whilst abroad!

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
        Megaphone

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        I find that if you're firm with viruses and speak to them in a firm, slow, clear and (most importantly) loud voice - in english of course (or as close as an American can get to that...) - then they do as they're told.

        We can't let johnny-foreigner get all uppity, be he virus or no.

        I also suggest we send a gunboat. Someone fetch Raquel Welch, a submarine and a miniaturising ray at once!

        1. Someone Else Silver badge

          @ I ain't Sparticus -- Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

          You're showing your age, mate.

          1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
            Happy

            Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

            At least I'm not old enough to remember Raquel Welch wearing even less, and battling dinosaurs in One Million Years BC...

            1. Scroticus Canis
              Unhappy

              Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

              Huh, spring chicken eh? I am, and to think I paid two and six pence to watch it!

              Or was it five bob for the pair?

              1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
                Happy

                Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

                Five bob seems pretty reasonable for that pair. You don’t get many of those to the pound...

            2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

              Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

              Yeah, but Jane Fonda in Barbarella is difficult to top when it comes to the shameless projection of male sexual fantasies on to women.

            3. Someone Else Silver badge

              Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

              At least I'm not old enough to remember Raquel Welch wearing even less, and battling dinosaurs in One Million Years BC...

              Sorry to hear. That's why there are streaming services....

            4. Frumious Bandersnatch

              Re: @ I ain't Sparticus -- Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

              Don't dis it! Good film (even if it was a little bit before my time)

      2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        And guns, they can just shoot the virus

        1. BebopWeBop

          Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

          Guns don't kill people. Guns kill viruses.

          1. hplasm
            Holmes

            Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

            "Guns don't kill people. Guns kill viruses."

            Viruses don't kill people -people with viruses kill people.

            1. Khaptain Silver badge
              Coat

              Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

              Virii don't kill, People are just weak.....

              1. ICL1900-G3
                Headmaster

                Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

                Viruses is the plural of virus. In Latin, it was singular only.

      3. hplasm
        Devil

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        "But, you are forgetting, that they have the special US-gene(tm), so they won't be affected whilst abroad!"

        Generally because people avoid loud tourists with MAGA hats on...

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

      What are the odds non-white US citizens and green card holders are barred entry anyway?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        > What are the odds non-white US citizens

        What, even orange ones?

        1. onemark03

          Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

          In the US, orange is currently white.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        Zero percent, as it always has been.

    5. jmch Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

      "The actions President Trump is taking to deny entry to foreign nationals who have been in affected areas will keep Americans safe and save American lives"

      Because of course Americans can't be carriers, and we don't really care about foreigners' lives.

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

        He's going to build a big, beautiful facemask across the whole of America...

        1. kiwimuso
          Facepalm

          Re: Green card holders and the immediate family of US citizens get a pass.

          Arrange the following words into a suitable sentence.

          door. horse. stable. bolted. locking

          Un-fucking-believable!! That is all.

  3. Julz

    Well

    It would seem that the measures being implemented to effect a change on what would seem to be now to be the inevitable spread of this virus are just engendering and reinforcing panic. The reaction to this threat would seem to be doing more harm than good.

    1. Baldrickk

      Re: Well

      It's also too late - it's in the country, and spread all over, with lots of the confirmed not having caught it from being abroad - that is, it's spreading within the US already.

      1. Gordon 10

        Re: Well

        Agreed and far more widespread than official numbers probably as well. The US has run a fraction of the tests any other country has, AND aren't even counting them centrally, which means that there are probably hundreds of un-diagnosed Americans wandering around.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Well

          To reference Larry Brilliant ... South Korea - 3,500 tests per 1m people. USA - 5 tests per 1m people.

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Well

            But I bet they made more profit from those 5 tests than the Koreans made from 3500

            1. Munchausen's proxy
              Pint

              Re: Well

              "But I bet they made more profit from those 5 tests than the Koreans made from 3500"

              I expect we'll see testing numbers skyrocket here, as soon as Ivankacorp LLC gets the sole-source contract for the tests.

              1. DJO Silver badge

                Re: Well

                And the tests will be conducted using the Magic Mystic Trumpian Dowsing Rod ($35,000 at all major retailers), just wave it over the head of the patient to telepathically get the verdict.

              2. Stoneshop
                Holmes

                Re: Well

                I expect we'll see testing numbers skyrocket here, as soon as Ivankacorp LLC gets the sole-source contract for the tests.

                Nope. IvankaCorp LLC will obviously try to order testing kit from the cheapest supplier on Amazon, who happens to be based in China. Cheapest, because Profit!!11!Eleven So. delivery is stalled until Daddy opens the borders again and lets that nasty Corona beer come in again.

          2. Persona Silver badge

            Re: Well

            Whilst Larry Brilliant is an expert in this field and makes the case that testing is like turning on the light in the dark room, testing has it's limitations. Due to the slow incubation time infected people can have several negative tests before testing positive. Secondly, asymptomatic carriers tend not to get tested unless they infect someone who does get symptoms and the infection is traced back to them. Given that the virus can survive on a plastic or stainless steel surface for 2 days a great deal of contagion is untraceable. South Korea is attempting to tackle this by making public everywhere anyone with the virus has been: home, work, shops, relatives houses, bars, restaurants, love hotels (yes these are quite common in Korea). It must make for interesting consumption that makes all known GDPR breaches seem quite trivial.

            Testing has its uses but it's not going to make this virus go away. Sufficient deaths to make people wary and keep a healthy distance from one another and get in the behavioural habit of not touching anything (especially their face) isn't going to eliminate it either, but it's certainly going to limit the speed of its spread.

        2. Commswonk

          Re: Well

          there are probably hundreds of un-diagnosed Americans wandering around.

          Good heavens; think of all those people not realising they are American.

          1. Blank Reg

            Re: Well

            It might just be a relief when they finally find out the root cause of their problems :)

          2. Frumious Bandersnatch

            Re: Well

            Lucky for them to get such a diagnosis in a timely fashion. They probably harboured thoughts that they might be secretly Canadian.

        3. Falmor

          Re: Well

          There's quite detailed analysis of the likely number of cases at https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

        4. A.P. Veening Silver badge

          Re: Well

          Agreed and far more widespread than official numbers probably as well. The US has run a fraction of the tests any other country has, AND aren't even counting them centrally, which means that there are probably hundreds of un-diagnosed Americans wandering around.

          Make that thousands if not tens of thousands. And for the thousands there is no probably, that is already a certainty.

  4. Phil Endecott

    This reminds me of when in the 90s Russia decided foreigners needed to be tested for HIV, because Russia was suffering an out-of-control AIDS epidemic and it must be the fault of outsiders.

    1. Someone Else Silver badge

      Well, it's a well-known fact that tRump takes his lead from Putin....

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Maybe this is a good thing

    Considering the lack of tests in the US perhaps it will turn out to be a good thing for EU-citizens not to find themselves trapped in the US.

  6. Tom 7

    So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

    That are like in the middle of the biggly sea and have easy access to Europe. It was Heathrows reason for asking for a 3rd runway after all.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

      As per the article, it is based on travel history - e.g. if you have been in Shengen in the last 14 days, no bueno.

      So for them to transit Heathrow, they would have to arrive, stay in the UK for 14 days and then go on to USA. In other words, Trump is using us as a quarantine area for the rest of Europe...

      1. Tom 7

        Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

        Do they have access to that info in the US? Do we now have that info to forward on - once payment for flight is taken?

        1. Graham Cobb Silver badge

          Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

          In general, lying to Immigration officers is a bad plan. They have access to a lot more information than they admit to, and the costs of being found out lying is serious: as well as immediate penalties you are unlikely to be able to ever enter the country in the future.

      2. Someone Else Silver badge

        Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

        In other words, Trump is using us as a quarantine area for the rest of Europe...

        Well, while they are there, perhaps they can shoot a round at one of tRump's fine golf establishments....

      3. Cynic_999

        Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

        And how would US immigration officials know whether a person arriving from Heathrow has just transited from an EU country? If the passenger bought separate tickets there would be know way to know - AFAIK the UK does not stamp passports of arriving EU visitors (or maybe it now does?).

        1. FrogsAndChips Silver badge
          Black Helicopters

          Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

          Your passport is still scanned, that gets entered into a database of who entered the UK when and coming from where. Database which can be easily (if not already) shared with other border agencies to check if you can be granted entry.

          I'm not even mentioning the fact that your whole travel booking history is probably already available to US snoops anyway, unless you are able to travel incognito.

    2. Mark 85

      Re: So has the fat idiot not heard of Heathrow or other UK airports?

      Some news outlets are suggesting that Ireland and England are not included because he has resorts there. Sounds like something Trump would do but who knows....

  7. Noonoot

    Trump should just....?

    The fact that the Americans have been travelling from EU to USA before now doesn't affect them at all. of course not, it's just the EU countries' own travellers that have brought the Covid19 to USA since numbers have been growing.

    Questionable. I'd like to see the Covid19 strains that they analyse to see what the origins are. For example, in Italy the strain comes from the German one found mid January before this all broke out in Italy a few weeks later.

    1. Korev Silver badge
      Boffin

      Re: Trump should just....?

      Have a play with Nextstrain and model for yourself.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Trump should just....?

      NextStrain has a lot of genetic data and the current set of data they have (as limited as it is) does strongly indicate community transmission in the states.

      Just look at the red and grey chunk on the tree now ( https://nextstrain.org/ncov ) - that is a load of cases in Washington and on the Grand Princess, all nicely related.

      Indeed, most of the US cases that have been submitted to GISAID (the underlying dataset) seem to come from China rather than Europe. OK, there are a couple that may have come via the UK (hard to say definitively with the limited data), but they have then spread in-country.

    3. phuzz Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Trump should just....?

      He's been very clear about it, it's a foreign virus, so clearly foreigners are the problem, not Americans.

      1. Frumious Bandersnatch

        Re: Trump should just....?

        でも、もしかして、「外来」とか、「外国から」とかの代わりに、「異物」と言われれば、本当にそれがビルスの特徴であるのでしょうか。

        1. deadlockvictim

          Re: Trump should just....?

          Nihongo ga muzukashii ne!

  8. codejunky Silver badge

    Hmm

    Maybe its a good thing being the UK instead of just part of the monolithic EU.

    1. deadlockvictim

      Slave States

      Like all good right-thinking people, I think that if Puerto Rico is to be accepted as a full state in the United States, then it needs to be balanced with a right-thinking state and I can think of no better country than Airstrip One.

    2. Just Enough

      Re: Hmm

      That right, because only a stupid decision could make a previous stupid decision seem sensible.

    3. joeW

      Re: Hmm

      Most of Ireland is still in the "monolithic EU" so that doesn't seem to have been a factor in this decision.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hmm

        Sure, but I doubt the crazy aircut lunatic knows Ireland is in fact 2 countries !

        1. Evil Scot

          Re: Hmm

          I'm sure he does. He was pictured at a fundraiser for a terror organisation in that general location.

    4. Brangdon

      Re: Hmm

      Yes, it was a good thing the UK was outside of the Schengen Zone even while gaining the benefits of belonging to the EU.

      1. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: Hmm

        @Brangdon

        "Yes, it was a good thing the UK was outside of the Schengen Zone even while gaining the benefits of belonging to the EU."

        I like that choice of words because it sounds honest. The UK belonging to the EU. A possession the EU felt it owned.

        1. desht

          Re: Hmm

          Maybe you felt "owned", but that says more about you are your victim mentality than it does about the EU.

          And way to ignore Brangdon's actual point (well, you kind of had to, because you don't have an answer to it) that the travel ban was applied to the Schengen zone, not to the EU.

          1. codejunky Silver badge

            Re: Hmm

            @desht

            "Maybe you felt "owned", but that says more about you are your victim mentality than it does about the EU."

            It wasnt me who used the wording. And the EU was over the country which is why the loss of sovereignty thing was an issue. Which is why the tampon tax (for example) can be lifted next year. Literally the piss poor excuse for not being able to control our own domestic tax affairs is because we belonged to the EU.

            "And way to ignore Brangdon's actual point (well, you kind of had to, because you don't have an answer to it) that the travel ban was applied to the Schengen zone, not to the EU."

            I didnt intend to ignore it. By no longer belonging to the EU we no longer have to fear being forced to join as they push 'more Europe' and 'ever closer Union'. Again opting out of part of the project brings gains.

        2. AndrueC Silver badge
          FAIL

          Re: Hmm

          like that choice of words because it sounds honest. The UK belonging to the EU. A possession the EU felt it owned.

          Strange. To me it felt like family. Sometimes we argue. We like to live our own lives. But we love each other nonetheless.

          1. codejunky Silver badge

            Re: Hmm

            @AndrueC

            "Strange. To me it felt like family. Sometimes we argue. We like to live our own lives. But we love each other nonetheless."

            Some people might have a sense of belonging but the wording didnt suggest that (nor is that my view). As individual countries I dont think we have too many problems but the EU as a separate entity isnt much of a friend.

          2. Clunking Fist

            Re: Hmm

            Strange. To me it felt like someone else's family. Sometimes we argue. We like to live our own lives. So we left.

    5. This post has been deleted by its author

    6. nematoad
      FAIL

      Re: Hmm

      Then it's doubly hard on the Icelanders.

      They have been banned and are not even in the EU. They are in the EEA so they miss out on some of the benefits that being a member gives as we are now starting to find out.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Surprised that Trump didn't manage to work Huawei somewhere into that release.

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      He has regularly called it "The Chinese Virus"

      1. KarMann Silver badge
        Coat

        Which one, coronavirus or Huawei?

        1. Stoneshop
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Surprised that Trump ...

      *cough*

      And along those lines, has anyone noticed the suspicious similarity between the infamous Trump mislepting "covfefe" and "covid-19"? This covspiracy has been around a long-time! The covfering up operation has clearly been extensife.

      Which is probably why now everyone who finds out about it is finished off in suspicovious circumstancevs...

      ... oops ...

      Sorry guys...

      .. anyway, see you on the ovther side.

      1. AndrueC Silver badge
        Joke

        Re: Surprised that Trump ...

        *cough*

        I hope you're going to self-isolate yourself now that you've coughed.

  10. Chris G

    Another brick in the wall

    Just keep building that wall Donny boy!

    I just feel sorry for all the sensible Americans who will be stuck behind it.

    1. deadlockvictim

      Re: Another brick in the wall

      CG: Just keep building that wall Donny boy!

      He prefers to see himself as 'The Don'.

      1. phuzz Silver badge

        Re: Another brick in the wall

        'Donny boy' it is then.

    2. Don Jefe

      Re: Another brick in the wall

      Thank you!

  11. big_D Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Precautions...

    Trump, who described COVID-19 as a "foreign virus", said the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US.

    Yes, well, our soil here isn't very sandy, so burying our heads in the ground hurts a lot more.

    And we didn't botch up the test kits or refuse to test people.

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: Precautions...

      Careful! If you leak those classified American secrets on the net you will get extradited to the US... when the travel ban is over.

    2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Precautions...

      But you also didn't hold any prayer meetings and failed to send sufficent "thoughts and prayers" to the victims

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "didn't hold any prayer meetings"

        Well, that's how in the Middle Ages they hoped to stop pestilences... looking forward for people in the US to huddle together for the same reason, in the name of some god...

        1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

          Re: "didn't hold any prayer meetings"

          Probably the almighty Mammon.

  12. markr555

    They'll see the worst of it

    It's quite obvious that in a country with no protections for workers, no free healthcare system, and no bloody kits to test anyone, you are likely to see a much bigger spread of the virus than anywhere else. So in fact, this is the best thing that could have happened to Europe. As soon as the virus takes hold fully in the US of A there is absolutely nothing to stop its inexorable spread.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: They'll see the worst of it

      https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

      Stats and predictions. Essentially the sooner they lock down the (massively) fewer cases. If you allow your healthcare system to become overwhelmed then the death rate will be ~3%-5%. If not overwhelmed then the death rate will be ~0.5%-0.9%.

      This might be the event that finally gets American politicians to accept that a universal healthcare system is actually a good idea and not Communism dressed as a medic.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: They'll see the worst of it

        First thumb down received 11 minutes after posting but the Medium article is a 20 min read. Glad to see you gave it your full attention.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: They'll see the worst of it

          It's about a 10 minute read, or 5 if you skip the repeated examples, or 0 if you assume that it was probably a waste of time because all evidence used in an internet argument is probably made up bollocks anyway.

          Of course, you should totally read this article about how posting links in your comment makes your sexual organs 20% bigger.

          1. EVP

            Re: They'll see the worst of it

            ” Of course, you should totally read this article about how posting links in your comment makes your sexual organs 20% bigger.”

            Does lenght of the link make any difference? Anyhow, I need to try posting a link sometime.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: They'll see the worst of it

              Don't run it through tinyurl.com, the results could be ... disappointing.

        2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: They'll see the worst of it

          "the Medium article is a 20 min read."

          (S)he probably read the Small article. Personally, I went Extra Large and am still reading. I'll get back to you next week with a comment.

      2. phuzz Silver badge
        Unhappy

        Re: They'll see the worst of it

        I keep seeing these graphs showing how if we work together (well, apart) then we can shift the peak of the outbreak and keep it under the dotted line of the capability of our health care system to cope.

        Every time I can't help thinking that the dotted line of 'healthcare system capacity' is much higher than it really is in the real world, and no amount of mitigation is going to let us limbo out way underneath it.

        Not that we shouldn't try of course, but the NHS runs out of capacity when there's a bad cold going about, and this is going to be worse.

      3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: They'll see the worst of it

        > Essentially the sooner they lock down the (massively) fewer cases.

        Fortunately in american the immense social cohesion between the federal government and an AR15 totting, anti-vaxx population will ensure this operates with Singapore levels of efficency

      4. Palpy

        Re: Tomas Pueyo's article --

        -- Thanks, AC. Took me a while to work through the maths, but -- keeping in mind that the figures are meant as very rough estimates -- most of the essay makes sense. At least to my muddled mind.

        Funny, waiting for the other shoe to drop. The people I have to worry about are relatively few, and while both myself and my wife are in the danger zone age-wise, we're both lean and healthy with strong lungs, so our odds for recovery are good. If infected. So my concern is being socially responsible about limiting the spread.

        Few people here in southern Oregon seem to be taking precautions. Two days ago no one at the supermarket was wearing gloves or wiping shopping cart handles, except me. Right now the officially known cases in Oregon stand at 15, but with no travel restrictions inside the USA, I expect that will change as the epidemic travels along Interstate 5 from northern Washington and central California.

      5. Holtsmark Silver badge

        Re: They'll see the worst of it

        The problem with enacting a lockdown in the US with the current state of right wing "hyperpartisanship", is that this will most likely bring out all the nutcases that desire to "protect themselves against the guburmint" with gun in hand.

  13. Martin 63

    Fake retaliation

    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm

  14. adam payne

    Trump, who described COVID-19 as a "foreign virus", said the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US. The ban goes into effect tomorrow (Friday, March 13) and will last for 30 days.

    What precautions are they then Trump?!? I thought you'd beaten it.

    1. Don Jefe

      Shut out foreigners and throw money at everything else. That’s the only solution President Dickbag has.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Bail-out oil companies - the only sensible reaction to a virus

    2. the spectacularly refined chap

      He's just following Dubya's example. It was him that kept banging on about The War Against Tourism.

  15. IGotOut Silver badge

    I felt a great disturbance in the tourist industry, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out.....

  16. Saruman the White Silver badge

    Well air fares have gone up

    Booking a flight to the US on business next month, air fares pretty much doubled in the space of 30 minutes. Suspect there are a lot of Europeans who think they can get around the band by flying via Heathrow. Bet Border Control has a surprise for them ...

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "will be subject to enhanced screening"

    Will it be the same TSA agents that have COVID virus themselves

    https://abc7news.com/6002113/

  18. Someone Else Silver badge

    For those of you living under a rack for the last 3+ years...

    This paragraph sums up all you need to know about our Dear Leader and his premiership1

    Trump, who described COVID-19 as a "foreign virus", said the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US. The ban goes into effect tomorrow (Friday, March 13) and will last for 30 days. Both the UK and Ireland — which happen to be the only European nations with Trump golf courses — are exempt.

    There you have it: xenophobia, blaming everybody else, self-dealing --- the whole enchilada. (OOPS!, that is a reference to something Mexican, which as we all know is not permitted in tRump's Cowardly New World.)

    1The "premiership" term came from the paragraph preceding the one quoted above. El Reg was really on its game for this article.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bring back brexit. That was sane compared to this fustercluck

    1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      To bring back Brexit, the UK would first have to be accepted as a member again by the EU, not going to happen. I give Scotland and Northern Ireland a fair chance (though Northern Ireland has a quicker route through reuniting with the Irish Republic), but not the UK as a whole and not England.

  20. steelpillow Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    Shengen, Schmengen

    I wonder if Trump is aware, even if you are aware, that Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are members of the EU but not signed up to the Schengen agreement. Are their citizens allowed to enter the US of A? That's a rhetorical question, of course: EU lawyers say "Yes", US border security say >THWACK!<

  21. JDX Gold badge

    the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US

    The scary thing is people in the US will believe that, rather than that the USA has probably been the worst-prepared civilised nation.

    1. TRT Silver badge

      Re: the worst-prepared civilised nation

      They have a government department dedicated to home preparation and preservation of foodstuffs. Tried and approved recipes and methodologies for every type of food you could think of. The "survivalist" mentality is well engrained over there.

      Not that I'm complaining, because it's rather handy to know how to safely prepare fruits and meals that will keep for two years unrefrigerated. I've got a big shelf full of stuff already. Now all I need is a shotgun in case any of them pesky varmint virus particles come a tryin' to git into Fort TRT.

    2. Someone Else Silver badge

      Re: the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US

      The scary thing is people some mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging brain-dead MAGATs in the US will believe that, rather than that the USA has probably been the worst-prepared civilised nation.

      There, FTFY.

    3. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      Re: the "EU failed to take the same precautions" as the US

      rather than that the USA has probably been the worst-prepared civilised nation.

      But it isn't, civilised that is.

  22. TRT Silver badge

    I was particularly amused...

    ...by the way that he said they'd taken the advice of doctors, scientists and experts.

    Well 2/3rds of that list seemed to know fuck all about global warming when it came to the Paris accord, so why trust them this time?

    1. Saruman the White Silver badge

      Re: I was particularly amused...

      Blame management. He has someone to sack when it all goes runny on him.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    4k virus deaths vs 15k gun deaths last year ...nobody's suggesting that we should restrict guns are they?

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      What a stupid fucking statement! How you supposed to kill the virus is you don't own a dozen semi automatic rifles with 10,000 rounds of ammunition?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Truth in Jest !!!

        IGotOut,

        I know that your comment is in jest *but* ....

        I predict that in the next month or two some 'usian', out of fear & ignorance, will shoot someone to save themselves from the 'Foreign virus'.

        Their victim will be a 'Foreign' intruder in their community with a less than 'lily white' complexion.

        They will, of course, *not* be infected with coronavirus COVID-19.

        The clock starts ticking now !!! .......

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      One statistic I would dread seeing is the number of US deaths from being shot for suspected Corny-vairus infection.

      The amount of antibacterial sprays and wipes used in the vain belief they can combat a virus will no doubt also make interesting reading.

      P.S. I am a different AC

      1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

        Louisiana has currently had 14 cases of the virus since the start of the outbreak, but Baton Rouge has had only 4 shooting deaths this week so the local view is that there's nothing to worry about.

      2. Palpy

        re: Antibacterial sprays and wipes:

        If the spray or wipe contains at least 60% alcohol, then it is effective against coronavirus.

        A lipid membrane holds together the virus' proteins and DNA, and because that membrane is rather fragile -- no covalent chemical bonds -- alcohol breaks it up. So does soap, for that matter.

        So wash yo' danged hands! And if you don't gots no soap and water, use alcohol-based wipes and sanitizers.

        1. skeptical i
          Devil

          Re: re: Antibacterial sprays and wipes:

          Curious how well Everclear, Bacardi 151, and other high-octane spirits are selling. "Also works as a hand sanitizer!"* might not be to everyone's taste but why waste a good crisis?

          * I heard that someone tried to promote a brand of vodka for home-made hand sanitizer, but alas that brand (tasty, I hear) was only 40% and not effective for that use.

          1. Palpy

            Re: Everclear for the antivirus win!!

            Damn it, gin is my high-octane flavor of choice. Hulk say, "GIN NOT STRONG ENOUGH!!" (Bruce Banner says, "Don't buy me a drink... you wouldn't like me when I'm drunk)."

            I put together a spreadsheet with variable factors for rate of spread, death rate, calcs for current infections based on known deaths and as extrapolated from foreign vs community sources of infection, etc. USA only, I'm afraid.

            This is strictly amateur stuff, based on current data and assuming that the US infection rate behaves as a block, with no regional quirks and discontinuities -- WHICH IS UNREALISTIC. So caveat lector, and I put it in italics so you'd notice.

            For the US, the (caveat lector!) upshot seems to be 100,000 infections by the end of March, 1,000,000 by the third week in April. Total deaths hit 4000 by the last quarter of April as well.

            There's bound to be a drop-off in infection rate as the number of immune individuals -- those who have been through the viral wringer and so acquired immunity -- becomes appreciable. I don't know where that epidemiological break-point is and I am too lazy to look it up. It may be around the 30% infection benchmark, as mentioned in the Tomas Pueys essay. I ramped down the infection rate starting at about 900,000 cases, but it's not enough. At the peak, May 18, I still end up infecting more than the entire population of the USA.

            Maybe the spreadsheet is telling me the virus jumps to dogs after it infects 900,000 humans. Um. No, can't be right. Maybe it's user error... just maybe...

            Note that a vaccine is probably 12 to 18 months away. At current rates of spread, the vaccine is the horse that slept through the race.

          2. steelpillow Silver badge
            Joke

            Re: re: Antibacterial sprays and wipes:

            Mmm, hand sanitizer breezer. slurp!

        2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: re: Antibacterial sprays and wipes:

          "use alcohol-based wipes and sanitizers."

          Hey Billy-Bob, fire up that there still, we's a gonna be rich!

    3. Frumious Bandersnatch

      "15k gun deaths last year"

      ‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens

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