I honestly had not read about the fuss of cdc cuts.
So I searched and read and ran into some eye-opening stuff. Probably the best overview, it does deal with government figures.
I am honestly a middle of the road person whom loves Country first this is not intended to be political, yet includes a good overview of what happened with funding, forget the politican stuff it's nice to read what appeard to be factual events. I checked a few refrences against Congress Daily Record and feel it's a good synopses.
Anyone inclined might make the long read
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/democrats-misleading-coronavirus-claims/

"Drastic times require drastic measures"
Wasn't it the governor of FL who decided not to issue a Stay-At-Home order, because (legally) it wasn't in the state's laws? Allowing Spring-Break; WELL AWARE of other states situations & how this was spreading already. Guess he needed the "Go Ahead from Feds" from your "Top Down" governing mentality.
So it's rational to assume that States/Cities were correct in not taking "drastic actions" UNTIL told to by the higher ups.
You DON'T need any man-power nor resources to issue a General Keep-Distance Limit-Travel Stay-Home DIRECTIVE.
Just my observation seemingly looking like NOW Pass-The-Buck-Upward til it stops at the top.
This virus didn't start at the TOP (entire US), but rather state wise. Now I see some states taking "their OWN" actions at the 23rd hour.
As so typically I guess: It's Reactive rather then Proactive.
"I heard my engine making really bad knocking noises, but figured I'd make the 100 mile trip home ok. Now my engine frozen"
Holds true across ALL venues.

It's interesting to view the timeline.
Ill people Wash State a person whom visited Wuhan, then another in Chicago, a single person in so cal and 2 more recent Wuhan visitors, all asked to voluntarily quarantine themselves. 195 State Dept employees non test +. In Chicago a single person to person infection from spouse whom visited China (the 2nd person mentioned above. All this was in January. Bringing 195 St Dept Employees home definitely had governments attention back then. Things accelerated after and China visitors were suspect while European Strains got a foothold on the East Coast. In this early mess Cruise ships many Chinese and God only knows how many people streamed into the country from abroad.
Sure begs the question how it escaped attention. It's a Novel Virus. Flares had been launched for weeks before it gained National attention. Now, it will take years to truly get over the impacts.

Sure. I never said anything about CDC funding. I was talking about the National Pandemic Response office which was part of the National Security Council. That was why the article mentioned John Bolton. It's original intent was to have a high-level team in place to respond to an imminent threat of an infectious disease outbreak. That office had nothing to do with the CDC. If I had to guess, the article referenced the rumored CDC funding cuts as part of a broader narrative but thankfully it didn't happen.

But yeah, I'm done. Please, no applause...

I'll admit I tried to stay away for a few days but got drawn back in. Frankly though, it gets tiresome arguing these things. The polarization of our culture is so evident in everything we talk about now, it's pointless to try and convince anyone of anything, including myself. I wish that wasn't the case and we could have more civil discourse without all the finger pointing, questioning of references and raw, entrenched attitudes. We need to find some common ground in this country or it's going to destroy us. You would think suffering through a pandemic would be something we could all unite behind but clearly that's not happening. In a way I kinda miss the days of Walter Cronkite on the evening news, was a much simpler time.

Stay safe.

Well if you aren't part of the solution then you are part of the problem. We should all start with a good look in the mirror.

Interesting stat about "the regular flu"....

Flu deaths skyrocket to 328 in California, 14,000 in U.S.
Feb 20, 2020 - While Americans have been transfixed by concerns about the potential spread of new coronavirus in the United States, a growing number of U.S. citizens have been dying as a result of the seasonal influenza epidemic.

People die from the flu every year (2010-2019) least was 12k most was 61k with an average of 37k per year. cv19 very likely would have eclipsed the 61K (we're at 20k+ now). Add the "regular" flu and cv19 numbers and one would be faced with a huge number of deaths. The odd thing is hwd dependent we have become of the experts picking the right strains to put into the yearly vaccine. And then people yet need to have the shot to get antibodies.

I haven’t had a flu shot in 30 years after departing the medical field, (paramedic). I have yet to catch a cold or flu since, just lucky I guess

Same here... the wife and I have never had a flu shot.. the most issue I have now days
is sinus issues at certain times of the year

I think cleanliness and avoiding sick people are the best defense for avoiding the flu.
Hmm, sounds familiar.
I wonder what % of people get the flu vaccine each year. Less sick = less distribution of virus cells.

To be honest I dont even think its the cleanliness.. I'm not saying I am filthy but I think I wash
my hands about 2 no more the 3 times a day when I'm working in my shop(about 6 hours a day)
but I do get brake cleaner on my hands ALOT if you want to call that washing

Do you avoid people in your shop?

Other than my wife I havent even seen a person in about 1 1/2 to 2 months... I did have to
go to the dentist for about 30 minutes when I broke 3 teeth out in my shop
when he pulled them

There's a meme floating around that basically says:

"Before I had kids, I thought I had a great immune system, but it turns out I was just really good at staying away from the type of people who sneeze directly into your eyeballs while telling you a story."

There's some truth to that If you can avoid most people during your normal routine, you won't be exposed to much. The normal flu has an R0 of 1.3ish? This virus is at least twice that, so it takes a lot less to catch.

My Father is a retired Pharmacist.
The only time that he claims that he has ever been really sick is when he was required to get a Flu Shot as a condition of his employer. He retired in 2007 but went back to work a few times part time to have something to do. After getting sick and recovering, he quit that job.
This is a Scam-demic.

To those that keep thinking this is a Hoax, Scam or really nothing.

It would not take too much for them to find someone in their area that is Covid19 infected and go spend some quality time up close with them. Read them some stories and give them a few get well hugs. Then wait for 5 days and then visit loved ones and give them all hugs. After 14 days come and report how well everyone is doing.

I mean, its a scam, right? Nothing to worry about. Gain some Hurd Immunity.

This week we had a family reunion scheduled. We normally have 60 members show up, about 40 are 55+ and 5 are 85+. And a bunch always go visit cousin Russ. He is a Silver Star awardee from WW2, a Tank Killer. Russ is going to be 102 this year. He lives at home alone and still drives to the store.

I have been getting the “Flublok” influenza vaccine for 2 of the last 3 years.
It is a recombinant dna vaccine made from the cells of the corn borer caterpillar.
No eggs involved in making it. No egg allergy reactions.
$60 cash price at Walmart.

The one year I skipped getting it I got the Flu while at a wedding in New Orleans.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03694392

So far it appears more effective than the old fashioned egg vaccines.

The US gov gave a special grant to create Flublok and another dna vaccine because they can be made much faster than the 100 year old egg way, and the strain of virus does not “drift” from a “grows good in humans” virus to a grows good in chickens virus strain.

I suspect that Flublock will have a COVID-19 vaccine 60 days after they find out which piece of DNA creates effective human antibodies.

Learn about where the nerves are in your deltoid muscle.
Before you get your shot draw a little circle where you insist they should stick the needle straight in at a right angle.
If they hit the nerve your shoulder will be sore for a long time.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6347325/pdf/0650040.pdf

After getting your shot go for a long tiring walk that will stimulate your immune system.

If you are unlucky and catch Influenza and COVID-19 at the same time the duo team of viruses has an even greater chance of killing you. Same thing with RSV virus or Noro virus.

I will go out on a limb and guess that somewhere there is a beneficial virus - one that if you had it at the same time as coronavirus it would help keep you alive.

None of this is difficult...Just like working on our cars or ordering parts or anything else you have to put the research in...

Opinions need to be formed via informed message(s)...often it requires several sources and articles to weed out an actual event or what truly happened...

If your information merely consists of what is scrolled along the bottom of a screen your only getting what they want you to see...

Wall Street Journal is reporting on their front page that there have been at least 14,851 positive tests for COVID-19 in USA nursing home residents and at least 2000 have died.

That more than 80% survival rate is larger than I would have guessed.

There are about 15,672 USA nursing homes.
So far only 2,169 have reported COVID infections.

Now listening to these morons advocate for eliminating the USPS.