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Erick, what would happen if the president came out one day and said the sky is orange?

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I've gotten in the habit of checking full quotes on anything the President says that worries me. Sometimes he's taken out of context, sometimes he says something dumb, sometimes he says something smart. He speaks off the cuff (perhaps too often) and that can cause trouble. And he comes from a sales background which affects how he reacts to situations (particularly at the beginning of the administration.) Anyway, it's been good for my blood pressure.

Second, the scary thing for me about COVID-19, aside from the contagion, is that it can move so quickly to pneumonia. I was trying to find out how fast the flu does that, and no luck yet. Pneumonia is where you want your ICU and ventilator. It's affecting even the young people. And if your heart is weak, pneumonia can kill you.

I'm in one of those small towns where the city folks want to escape to. I sympathise. I really do. What's happening in NYC right now is terrifying. But we have one hospital that serves two counties, maybe three ICU beds? Even if visitors come here and isolate, what do they do if they get sick? The virus is exposing fault lines here and I don't know if they'll close.

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Erick, this piece is exactly why I subscribed. I've struggled with the true seriousness of COVID-19 as I watched flame throwers on both sides of the aisle use the virus to forward their personal agenda, each with an extremely different interpretation of the situation. It wasn't reliable information, and in times like these that's unacceptable.

Your comparison of COVID-19 to H1N1 is exactly the type of fact-based information I need to make decisions as to how best to proceed. Thank you, and nicely done.

We haven't always seen eye-to-eye, and I don't suppose we ever will. But you deal in facts first, then opinion, and I've seen you change your opinion when the facts support it. That's an admirable and rare quality. Keep up the good work and I'll continue to do my part by supporting you.

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Maybe 2 week shut down is fine but when you hear folks calling for 6 months, that's when people freak out! And that's all I'm hearing. Events out in the summer are now being cancelled! Let's kill Christmas!!! That's where this doesn't look like a halt to a virus but control of the people. Americans aren't sheep and won't stand for this uncertainty for long! Either the experts know what they are doing or they don't! And if they don't, then stop controlling a free people! If this virus doesn't get under control soon, and this shut down does go for months, more peoples lives will hurt than the virus itself! Not everyone can stay out of work 3-6 months! Isolation isn't normal or healthy in the long run either!

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The idea of shutting the country down for six months is insane and the people who are suggesting that are speculating as wildly as the people who think we should just go about our business.

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Spanish flu. Good

German Measles Good

West Nile virus Good

MERS Middle East Respirating syndrome Good

EVOLA came from river named EBOLA in Congo.

Oh oh oh But.

China virus/Wuhan virus is RACIST of course

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We have to go with Commie Bat Virus

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