3 Stories You Should Read 4/28/2020: Meat plants, Re-opening, 1 million infected

April 28, 2020 Confluence

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In the category of: Grim report

US coronavirus cases surpass 1 million as projections show deaths could rise in coming weeks

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States topped 1 million on Tuesday as researchers say the number of deaths could rise in coming weeks.

There are at least 1,002,498 cases of the virus across the US, according to a tally from health officials by John Hopkins University.

The grim milestone comes after seven coronavirus models anticipate a rise in cases that will depend on how much “contact reduction” Americans practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The models estimate the numbers of cases and deaths on the state and national levels, and one model from the University of Texas at Austin makes metro-area projections.

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In the category of: Unlockdown

Coronavirus Lockdowns Have Been Hard. Ending Them May Be Even Harder.

As countries begin to reopen society, there is growing evidence that people are becoming complacent — raising the risk of a second wave of infections.

For the past few weeks, the basic message from politicians and public health officials around the world has been straightforward: Stay home, reduce the spread of the coronavirus and save lives. As authorities begin to ease restrictions on daily life, however, that simple directive risks becoming muddled, leading people to believe the danger has passed and they are free to resume their normal activities.

Already, troubling scenes have emerged in Spain, France and parts of the United States.

In Paris, a throng of people danced together on a street corner in the 18th arrondissement on Saturday as music played over a loudspeaker, HuffPost France reported. The French government plans to ease lockdown restrictions starting May 11.

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In the category of: Hazard pay???

Trump to order meat plants to stay open as worker deaths rise

The president plans to declare meat-processing plants critical infrastructure amid fears of disruptions to the food supply.

Meatpacking plants have become incubators for the virus as employees work side-by-side in dangerous conditions. Twenty meatpacking and processing workers have died from coronavirus, and at least 6,500 have been affected, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

At least 22 plants processing meat from pork to chicken have closed at some point after clusters of employees tested positive for Covid-19, according to UFCW.

The shutdowns have led to worries about meat shortages. Some economists warn that consumers could see fewer options at grocery stores starting in May if plants continue to shut down at the same pace.

But Trump on Tuesday played down any worries about shortages. “There’s plenty of supply,” he said. “It’s distribution.”

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