Louisiana Voice

“Whenever you start to think that the federal government under Donald Trump has hit a moral bottom, it finds a new way to shock and horrify.

Over the last few weeks, it has started to appear as though, in addition to abandoning the states to their own devices in a time of national emergency, the federal government has effectively erected a blockade — like that which the Union used to choke off the supply chains of the Confederacy during the Civil War — to prevent delivery of critical medical equipment to states desperately in need.”

—The New York Times Magazine, April 19, 2020,  on the problems experienced by states in trying to procure PPEs, frustrating—and unnecessary—roadblocks thrown up by the Trump administration which has threatened to seize shipments already paid for by states.

“Our supply-chain group has worked around the clock to secure gowns, gloves, face masks, goggles, face shields, and N95 respirators. These employees have adapted to a new normal, exploring every lead, no matter how unusual. Deals, some bizarre and convoluted, and many involving large sums of money, have dissolved at the last minute when we were outbid or out-muscled, sometimes by the federal government.”

—Excerpt from a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine, April 18, 2020. [for those who don’t trust The NYT, the NEJM could hardly be considered fake news. And by the way, we thought price-gouging in times of emergency was illegal.]

“We’ve gotta re-open and when we do, the coronavirus is going to spread faster…So, when we open up and we’re going to have to, and somebody’s got to make the call, we got to be smart about how we do it. When we end the shutdown, the virus is going to spread faster. That’s just a fact. And the American people understand that.”

—U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, on the need to end the shutdown in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Concentrations of population continue to be a hot spot for outbreaks of the coronavirus and the St. Tammany Parish Detention Center is the latest such facility to be affected, according to a statement issued by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.

A prisoner has tested positive for COVID-19 after suffering symptoms earlier in the week and four others are now suffering from low-grade fevers, one symptom of the virus. They have been isolated in a quarantined housing unit and are awaiting results from tests, the sheriff’s office said.

A jail medical facility spokesperson refused comment on a report that the outbreak was more widespread than a single inmate. “We can neither confirm nor deny any information,” the spokesperson said. LouisianaVoice was referred to the sheriff’s office but a call to that office got only a recording saying the office was open on weekdays.

The facility houses 57 inmates and the mother of one inmate told LouisianaVoice that she was informed by her son that prisoners have no protective masks or gloves, items that are limited to employees.

But a statement released by the sheriff’s office said all CDC guidelines for sanitation are being followed by inmates and staff and that additional cleaning supplies and clothing and linen exchanges have been provided for all 57 inmates in the affected housing areas.

The inmate who tested positive was placed in isolation after he became symptomatic, officials said, adding that all other inmates in the same housing unit are being monitored and that they were having their temperatures checked twice daily.

Prisons, along with nursing homes, are considered to be ideal breeding grounds for the COVID-19 virus because of the necessarily close proximity to each other in confined areas.

More evidence [as if additional proof is needed] that Donald Trump is completely out of control, incompetent, imbalanced, and yes, unhinged—but most of all, dangerous:

“The president’s statements this morning encourage illegal and dangerous acts. He is putting millions of people in danger of contracting COVID-19. His unhinged rantings and calls for people to ‘liberate’ states could also lead to violence.”

—Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, in response to Trump’s irresponsible tweets of “LIBERATE MINNESOTA,” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA.”

“I think elements of what they’ve done is too much and it’s just too much.”

—Donald Trump, in justifying the tweets about restrictions imposed by the states in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19—without expanding on what orders he thinks have gone too far. [The states in question have imposed restrictions that precisely follow the recommendations laid out by Trump’s own White House coronavirus task force last month that go by the name “The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines For America.”

“Every one of us has a role to play in winning this war. Every citizen, family, and business can make the difference in stopping the virus. This is our shared patriotic duty.”

—Trump, on Friday, in a typical [for him] mixed message, adding more confusion to the national dialog.

“As the governor of the commonwealth of Virginia I, along with my staff, are fighting a biological war. I do not have time to involve myself in Twitter wars. I will continue to do everything that I can to keep Virginia safe and to save lives.”

—Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, when asked about Trump’s tweet.

“If he’s sitting home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work.”

—New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, responding to another Trump tweet which said Cuomo should “spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining.’ Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking!”

“I don’t take responsibility at all.” 

—Donald Trump, March 13, 2020, on the administrations inability to test Americans for coronavirus.

“When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total.”

—Donald Trump, at coronavirus update briefing on Monday of this week.