3495

I think if / once there are Instagram videos of overrun emergency rooms in Seattle or NYC in 10-14 days will wipe out any gains from this presser.

3496

OK, amid the gobbledygook, ass licking, lies, and parade of CEOs, what was actually announced:

  1. There is a not-terrible plan to identify who needs testing using a website for self-assessment->drive-thru clinic->assay and results.
  2. A few companies have been tapped to provide assistance by using their parking lots. (For free? hahahahahah)
  3. No word on school closings, child care, sick pay, critical employees, increased hospital capacity, critical staffing, etc.

This press conference was entirely a knee-jerk response to criticism of the president’s failures wrt to testing, and a chance to stroke some CEO dicks (and they all had dicks) for a couple of thousand DOW points that still have us down 20% from last week. Nothing about an actual response to a potential pandemic.

3497

Hey I suddenly feel the need to take a cruise.

3498

Also @Starflightdream since you are original poster…

other people at the conference said it was wrong & hadn’t been reviewed.

3499

Well, at least it has bounced stocks up a bit

3500

So I guess we can all start posting in other threads now, right?

3501

The problem isn’t the lack of hospital beds per se, it’s the lack of proper ICU beds with ventilators. The key choke point AFAIK is making more ventilators available. Secondary choke point is potential shortages of protective equipment for health care personnel dealing with patients. I think both these items are dependent on supply chains extending into China.

3502

I don’t think this is the right attitude.

We want confidence in the process. Stocks can come later.

3503
3504

They took the mic away from the one fucking reporter to ask a real question. (The 2008 firing of CDC team)

That’s why he’s not calling on any American reporters…

3505

The latter relies heavily on the former, though.
The former helps the latter a lot, though. It’s a good start for both.

3506

Yes. Ugh… well, at least the US finally get increased testing. It’s better than not doing any testing of the sick, I guess (i.e., the UK approach), but it doesn’t particularly help slow down the spread or anything. So I guess the actual mitigating measures remain a matter for state and local governments.

3507
3508

Me neither, nor did the market.

Honestly, having Google develop website a which evaluates if you need a test (something which can obviously change over time) then helps schedule you a drive through test at facility at your local Walmart parking lot or CVS parking lot is a good thing. The Roche automated testing platform, which I’ve been hearing about for a week, should dramatically increase testing speed.

Filling up the Strategic Oil Reserve at $32 which shot up to $35 during the talk is also a good thing. Since $35 is basically the break even price for US shale producers. Nor is there anything wrong with waiving interest on Student Loans, or prohibiting unnecessary visits to nursing homes.

The market definitely did better while anybody but Trump was talking, and he’d be smart to stop talking now.

3509

Is that the guy from Fringe?

3510

I wonder how they’ll do these centers in a pedestrian focused city like Manhattan, San Francisco, etc.

3511

Incidentally, two of the Roche diagnostics machines mentioned in this press conference are currently being installed in Norway. They can supposedly process 1440 tests per day, according to the news. Rolling out a large number of those will certainly help with testing.

3512

It’s Jared Harris in a screen grab from Chernobyl of him explaining in court how the accident happened.

3513
3514

Trump is such a shit-stain & terrible example for others. When the reporter asked him the question about CDC funding & firings, Trump literally & on-camera blamed it on somebody else & disavowed any responsibility.

Taking responsibility is one of the most basic tenants of good leadership.

Diego