February 18
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 73,332 (1873 deaths); China — 72,528 (1870 deaths).
Donald Trump “I’ve talked to my health gurus and we all agree that the United States is best positioned in the world to handle any kind of epidemic. We’re the best. ”
Scott Morrison “There is no need for hysteria about this issue. We are on alert, but the last thing we want to do is create havoc and confusion in the community.”
February 19
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 75,204 (2009 deaths); China — 74,280 (2006 deaths).
Donald Trump: “I think it’s going to work out fine. I think when we get into April, in the warmer weather, that has a very negative effect on that and that type of a virus. So let’s see what happens, but I think it’s going to work out fine.”
Scott Morrison: “You can imagine how exciting it is for me as a prime minister — as difficult as that issue is, the coronavirus impacts on the globe and its particular impacts here in Australia — that Australian scientists are the ones who are the first to grow and share that virus and understand its componentry”
February 25
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 80,239 (2700 deaths); China — 77,780 (2666 deaths); Italy — 229 (six deaths); Iran — 61 (12 deaths).
Donald Trump: “You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country. We have very few people with it, and the people that have it are … getting better. They’re all getting better”
Scott Morrison: “If we can overcome the virus, we can overcome the longer term and medium term impacts … We’re not a government that engages extreme fiscal responses.”
February 27
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 82,294 (2804 deaths); China — 78,630 (2747 deaths); Italy — 400 (12 deaths); Iran 141 (22 deaths).
Donald Trump:
Scott Morrison: “You can still go to the football, you can still go to the cricket, you can still go and play with your friends down the street, you can go off to the concert, and you can go out for a Chinese meal. You can do all of these things because Australia has acted quickly, Australia has got ahead of this at this point in time.”
March 3 and 4
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 93,091 (3198 deaths); China — 80,422 (2984 deaths); Italy — 2502 (32 deaths); Iran — 2336 (77 deaths).
Donald Trump: “I think the 3.4% number is really a false number. Now this is just my hunch, but based on a lot of conversations … personally, I’d say the number is way under 1%.”
Scott Morrison: “In Australia, we moved very early. We got ahead of it early and we’re staying ahead of it. And we’re working together with state and territory governments, but also those in the private sector as well, the big companies to ensure that we can stay ahead of what’s occurring here.”
March 9 and 10
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 113,702 (4012 deaths); China — 80,924 (3140 deaths) Australia — 92 (three deaths); Italy — 9172 (463 deaths); USA — 472 (19 deaths)
Donald Trump:
Scott Morrison: “Australia moved quickly, and we got ahead of the rest of the world. Our swift and decisive action to initiate travel restrictions on the basis of expert medical advice has helped to first contain and now slow the spread of the virus in Australia.”
March 11
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 118,319 (4292 deaths); China 80,955 (3162 deaths); Australia — 112 (three deaths); Italy — 10,149 (631 deaths); United States — 696 (25 deaths)
Donald Trump: “This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history.”
Scott Morrison (on Labor’s GFC stimulus package): “What we’ve been having to deal with over the last six years is repairing an over extended stimulus that went well beyond the event and baked in spending, you know, a decade into the future.”
March 13
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 132,758 (4955 deaths); Australia — 140 (three deaths); Italy — 15,113 (1016 deaths); USA — 1264 cases (36 deaths).
Donald Trump: The FDA “will bring, additionally, 1.4 million tests on board next week and 5 million within a month. I doubt we’ll need anywhere near that.”
Scott Morrison: “Look I’m sorry to say that to the Bunnies fans down there at South Juniors this morning, but I’ll be out supporting the Sharks on Saturday night.”
March 16
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 167,515 (6606 deaths); Italy — 24,747 (1809 deaths); USA — 1678 (41 deaths); Australia — 298 (five deaths).
Donald Trump: rates his administration’s response “10 out of 10”.
Scott Morrison: “The shops remain open, the trains still run, the phones still work, the lights still switch on. This is not a physical disaster where you’ve had a cyclone or something like that, which, you know, we do see in parts of Australia.”
March 18
Confirmed cases and deaths: world — 191,127 (7807 deaths); Italy — 31,506 (2503 deaths); United States — 3536 (58 deaths); Australia — 414 (five deaths); Iran — 16,169 (988 deaths).
Donald Trump: “I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the “borders” from China – against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!”
Scott Morrison: “Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world. Life is going to continue to change as we deal with the global coronavirus. This is a once in a hundred year type event, we haven’t seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the First World War.”
The Sorcerer and his Apprentice.
LOL, the only “Baked in spending” I see is the nearly 20 years of baked in “spending” put in place by Howard/Costello…..or have they forgotten how things like CGT exemptions, concessional tax rates on Superannuation, Franked Dividends for Self-funded Retirees & tax cuts to high income earners might impact on the ability of government to raise revenue?
This is good practice for “ONCE IN A HUNDRED YEARS EVENTS”.
Climate change is going to give us a number of them in the next 100 years.
Been thinking that often 124C4U.
This is a walk in the park compared to what climate change brings, and look at how we’re going.
Can’t help but think of that strange human quality, the capacity to think ahead and imagine a future, with so little will to do anything about it.
Also can’t quite get out of my head the focus this has brought to the minds of the older generation, the same ones who are most sceptical about climate change. Immediacy and return of action certainly focusses the mind.
And Greta Thunberg is emotional and hysterical, I’m just buying up a year’s supply of toilet paper. I’m forward thinking, she’s crazy.
For the record, I’m 58 and in good health, parents long gone but a few elder siblings who are close to the front line. I’m assuming we’ll all know someone who died from Covid by the time it’s over. Won’t be around when the kids get taken by climate change.
I’ve been thinking the same thing too. The level of chaos the fires and now the virus have caused should be a wake up call and an opportunity to transform our society and economy to be fairer and more sustainable. Seems like Mother Nature is sending us some pretty clear messages but I just don’t have confidence people en masse will see this or be vocal and active enough about it if they do. And as this piece demonstrates we certainly can’t trust the ‘leaders’ we have in place right now.
It would be hilarious if it was not so deeply shameful.
As disgusting as Scummo is, he looks pretty good compared to the Trumpkopf….
“The truth is what I say it is, which is when I say it. If I say a truth, which is later proved to be false, it was true at the time, even if it clearly wasn’t.
When my mouth moves and expels sound, truth lies therein.”
And so endeth the lesson.