Here's a summary of what has happened Wednesday night with regard to COVID-19 and the nation's response:
Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office, blaming China for the virus, announcing that he would ban travel to and from Europe, with an exception for the United Kingdom.
Here is Utah Jazz Player Rudy Gobert 2 days ago, touching things on purpose.
It turns out he has COVID-19 and is symptomatic. Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder were warming up before the game when both teams were called off the court, and the game was postponed. Ultimately the NBA announced they were suspending the entire season until further notice because of Gobert's illness.
At the same time all of that was happening, Tom Hanks announced that he and his wife Rita Wilson also tested positive in Australia. Here is his statement:
“Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive.
Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?
We’ll keep the world posted and updated.
Take care of yourselves!”
– Tom Hanks
Thank God they were in Australia, where apparently one can get tested. Here in the United States, it's tough to get one! Hanks is diabetic, which is a high-risk group for this virus. We wish him and Rita Wilson the best.
And finally, expect the markets to continue their descent. Immediately after Trump's Oval Office address, they went in the tank. This is because he did not actually do or say anything that vaguely resembled a plan, instead pretending that this global public health threat could be cured by tax cuts, payroll tax suspensions and more.
There's this just in:
Oh, and today marked the end of an 11-year bull market and President Barack Obama's robust economy. We are now in the Trump economy. It ain't pretty. Not at all.
Here, this sums things up well:
Why are famous people getting COVID-19?
BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH TESTS FOR FAMOUS PEOPLE.— Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) March 12, 2020
UPDATE: After mocking Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders for canceling their rallies in Ohio last night, Trump announced that he would be postponing his Colorado and Nevada rallies "out of an abundance of caution."
Life comes at you fast. From hoax to rally-canceling pandemic in a week.
