I am NOT IMPRESSED with Gov Cuomo's message today - DON'T GET TESTED.

[Maru Kitteh]

Seriously, WTF? He's having a presser, explains that his own sister called him, her daughter (his neice) 1) had a fever 2) had flu-like symptoms (he did not specify) and his sister was asking him where to get tested. He asked his sister if the niece had come into known contact with someone who has tested positive or if she had traveled to a hot-spot (NY IS A HOTSPOT, IMO) and his sister said no. He said DON'T GET THE TEST. Just keep her at home for two weeks but don't let her anywhere near grandma.

Cuomo knows DAMN WELL this is a community spread disease and that is why all these social distancing measures are being put in place. He must believe it's possible that his niece HAS COVID because he placed extraordinary emphasis on "Don't let her anywhere near Mom."

So he is telling people, if you are sick with CV19 symptoms, and you are afraid that you may have acquired it in the community, DON'T GET TESTED, WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW.

This to me is NO BETTER than Trump's wanting to keep the cruise ship off our shores because he "didn't need his numbers to double."

We NEED TO KNOW how extensive the spread in the community is. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus of the WHO has said that the first key to flattening the curve is TESTING, TESTING, TESTING. Find the cases, isolate them, treat them and do contact tracing on EVERY CASE. You have to test them for that to happen. TIME has a nice article about it here https://time.com/5804899/u-s-coronavirus-needs-follow-s-korea/

Telling any clearly symptomatic person NOT to test is an absolute disgrace.

EDITING TO ADD: NOT TESTING is TRUMP's PLAN TO HELP HIMSELF, while harming and killing more of us.

[uponit7771]

1. THANK YOU !!! Cuomo" Have you come across someone infected?" HOW ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!

People can be asymptomatic !!!

Also, DON'T GO HOME WITH AN INFECTED PERSON !!!

[we can do it]

24. Calm down. Cleveland Clinic modified testing criteria as well.

[ScratchCat]

2. Its to save tests for those who need them

A child is not in need of the test because there is nothing we are going to "do" for them if they test positive anyway. Cuomo is 100% correct here.

Here in Florida, 87% of people tested so far were negative. Its wasting tests. We now have drive-through collection stations but are only going to test those who have a doctor order to do so.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. Ditto. People are in a panic mode, and tons of very valuable tests will be wasted (until we have ..

more available). He did ask appropriate questions, e.g., have they been to an infected area w/ CV (answer was NO). Why waste the test (like they said, 87% of results were negative). This puts a strain on the limited number of available tests until we have more available.

[Crunchy Frog]

73. IMO, gathering important epidemiological information is never a waste.

Last edited Thu Mar 19, 2020, 11:28 AM - Edit history (1)

Also, keeping the numbers of infected people artificially low will just encourage a false sense of security, and discourage people from avoiding engaging in risky behavior.

And if they've been in or around NYC, then they sure as fuck HAVE been in an infected area.

[LAS14]

77. What about the point about saving scarce test kits?Especially for patients and staff in hospitals?

[uponit7771]

12. Because the infected can be asymptomatic .. ***EVERYONE*** ... needs to be tested. EVERYONE!!!

[TwilightZone]

17. We don't have the testing capacity to test everyone at the moment.

Hence, the need to prioritize.

[uponit7771]

21. Yes there ... IS ... the capacity Trump just wont call on it. We can have self test for 20 each

... and get them here in weeks.

They wont call on them, he's doing this shit on purpose.

Obama admin tested 1 million in less than a month under a novel swine flu.

[TwilightZone]

25. "get them here in weeks"

What part of "we don't have the capacity to test everyone at the moment" are you having difficulty with?

Weeks from now isn't "at the moment". If the kits aren't in the hands of medical professionals right now, they can't test everyone right now.

I mean...seriously. You really insist on not getting this?

[Merlot]

18. That would be ideal, but trumpft made sure we don't have enough tests

We're basically rationing tests.

[uponit7771]

22. THIS !!! This shit Red Don is doing is on purpose

[Maru Kitteh]

15. I have a child. She's 32. You don't know how old the niece is, you're making assumptions.

Cuomo's sister is 60 years old. Her daughter is not going to be some grammar school tot. Furthermore, if she is symptomatic, I don't care how old she is, she needs to be tested so she can be contact traced, just like every other positive individual.


There are NO wasted tests especially on symptomatic individuals. Period.

[uponit7771]

23. RIGHT !!! We have such lack of leadership at the federal level we have to ration test that took

... weeks for other countries to make and we're behind 2 months !!

[Maru Kitteh]

35. NOT TESTING is TRUMP's PLAN TO HELP HIMSELF, while harming and killing more of us.

I really can't believe anyone on here is going along with that plan. It's causing more of us to suffer permanent lung damage and death. Why should he care?
WE have to care, we must DEMAND the testing needed for our health.

[babylonsister]

19. Also, I think I've heard the tests

need to be available for medical personnel and they're still in short supply.

[matt819]

28. Cut the crap

We're only reserving kits for "those who need them" because this government is unable to create enough kits.

As for those who need them. . . My son was abroad when this virus hit the news hard. Came back. (Multiple flights in both directions.) Felt okay for a couple of weeks, now not so much. Not awful, but not at 100%. Called the doctor. Not sick enough, no test. So he's hunkering down at home. Does he have COVID-19? Was he contagious for the two weeks after he returned to the US? Is he contagious now? The answers are probably no, but the fact remains that he doesn't know for sure because we don't have enough tests because we don't have a responsible government in place. And so he's self-quarantining. And because there's no test, the epidemiologists don't know if he, and so many others like him, should be counted among the confirmed cases.

So let's call this what it is. Tests are not "being reserved for those who need them." They are being rationed because of gross negligence and as a result we don't know whether everyone who's under the weather is just under the weather or a case of COVID-19.

[LAS14]

78. The cause of scarcity doesn't erase the fact of scarcity. nt

[matt819]

79. True

But that doesn’t mean we have to use the language inappropriately. Even among ourselves.

[marybourg]

3. From the discussion I heard on WNYC yesterday, my understanding

is that it’s too late in the course of this outbreak for contact tracing. That it’s essentially endemic in the population now, and that the protocol for this stage in an epidemic is mitigation. Which is what Cuomo was espousing.

[uponit7771]

14. No its not, we can still test and isolate RIGHT NOW. If we test, isolate, hunker down and clean then

... in two weeks we test again our economy is back at it.

[we can do it]

27. 🙄So you know more than experts. OK🙄

[uponit7771]

30. You mean the ones in Hubie China !? Those experts ?! or the complete fuck ups in Red Don's admin?!

Hubie China outlined what needs to be done and they're back at it in 3 weeks !!!

We're not doing the first step because of Red Don's fuck ups and the know it alls here who are making good the enemy of adequate.

We can have self test now, they wont even call them in

[Bookworm2586]

52. I'm not convinced

that we can trust any reports coming from China. They have a history of stifling info that isn't positive for them.

[uponit7771]

57. true, we'll see .. end of month if the infection rate goes back up like in Singapore we're screwed

[forthemiddle]

80. China also had people locked in houses by the barrell of a gun!

They blocked off roads by building ditches, and supposedly shot at people that dared to leave their houses.
It wasn't testing that stopped the virus, it was fear!
Do you really think that the USA would do that to citizens?
I personally hope not.

Apparently over 80% of tests were coming back negative, so when you have a shortage of tests we don't need to be wasting them on people that should self isolate themselves if they are feeling sick!

People need to take responsibility for themselves, and their families and stay home unless absolutely necessary.

[uponit7771]

81. Health people stay home with sick people? Thanks makes no sense

[marybourg]

38. Yes, all those things are included in mitigation, but not contact tracing.

[flamingdem]

4. One hopes this is only due to a lack of testing capacity

Testing is limited by the supplies of tests and even in NY they don't have enough. Also the facilities could be overwhelmed. And when she goes to get a test she could inadvertently be infecting others en route.

The tRump admin is to blame but responsible leaders like Cuomo have to deal with the situation on the ground.

Eventually we'll be able to test for antibodies and will know who had it and who did not so at least the data will improve.

[Squinch]

10. Of course it is. He is right.

[Beringia]

5. Cuomo also is saying he has no intent to quarantine

From Democracy Now

In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that all 8.6 million city residents may soon be asked to shelter in place, with a decision expected within 48 hours. Governor Andrew Cuomo quickly contradicted the mayor’s warning.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “No city in the state can quarantine itself without state approval. And I have no interest whatsoever and no plan whatsoever to quarantine any city.”

Governor Cuomo has slammed the Trump administration for inaction. He said New York has only about 4,000 ventilators — critical tools in keeping patients with severe respiratory problems alive. A government task force warned New York could be short by some 16,000 ventilators at the peak of the crisis. Cuomo said that peak will occur in about 45 days.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “They are expecting as many as 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds will be needed at that point.”

New York currently has just 53,000 hospital beds. New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority — the largest public transit system in the U.S. — asked the federal government for a $4 billion bailout as ridership plummeted.

https://www.democracynow.org/2020/3/18/headlines/new_yorkers_prepare_to_shelter_in_place_as_hospitals_face_severe_shortages

[Sanity Claws]

6. I live in NYC and agree with him

I suspect I have it and called around yesterday to find out about testing. I finally concluded to stay at home and not get tested because going out would spread whatever I had, whether COVID 19 or not.
Keep in mind that in NYC, people rely on public transit or Uber to get around. Using either will increase the probability of infecting others.

[uponit7771]

16. NO NO NO !! Cuomo said take the sick daughter home, for what? To get everyone else sick?! This

... is not being handled like Wuhan because we have no leadership.

Test, isolate (from well people), hunker down, clean ... then we can go on with out lives

[Maru Kitteh]

26. Thank you. nt

[Sanity Claws]

31. You know that Cuomo can not get all the tests that are needed?

South Korea dispatched scores to test people on the street. We don't have the tests or the necessary medics to do this kind of testing.

He also knows his sister and her family. The only really vulnerable family member is grandma and he emphasized how the child should not go near her.
I made the decision not to get tested because I know that I am in much better condition to withstand whatever I have and didn't want to expose others to it. I would make this decision the same way again regardless of your yelling NO NO NO at me.

[Maru Kitteh]

37. Then his message should be "We don't have enough tests" and

"we are asking for more tests so we can properly test and trace every positive case"

Not - DON'T GET TESTED. That serves ONLY TRUMP - not the public health.

[Sanity Claws]

40. I think he is being realistic

and telling people how to handle the situation now, not in some far off future when there are enough tests.
I live in the state and think that he is doing a good job.

[Maru Kitteh]

42. His message of "DON'T GET TESTED" is going out to the whole country and the world and

so it affects all of us, and his message today serves TRUMP, not the public health.

[Sanity Claws]

46. He is the governor of New York and is speaking to New Yorkers.

That is his job.
If he is having a bigger effect, as you think, then it is because the others in leadership are so lacking. I suggest you go after the others and get them to do their jobs.

[Maru Kitteh]

54. Well right now his addresses are being carried everywhere, so I will address him.

[Kaleva]

8. Michigan and Wisconsin state labs are triaging testing.

They are so overwhelmed with tests coming in that they can't handle them all so they are prioritizing.

Note: I heard this second hand, from someone who works in a hospital, so take it for what it's worth.

[Dream Girl]

9. I'm guessing that it's because there's no treatment anyway. So unless she has severe symptoms

She could be using resources that’s could go to others. There aren’t enough tests.

[Maru Kitteh]

29. So we continue Trump's strategy of not testing, not knowing so it can hurt him less

A damage and kill more of us.

NO! NO! NO!

FUCK.

[Dream Girl]

32. I'm not defending it, just posited a rationale

[Maru Kitteh]

43. Im sorry, I was expressing my anger at what is going on - not you.

We're all being damaged by Trump's slow-roll of the testing and terrible messages like this.

[Dream Girl]

44. So worries.we're all on edge.

[brush]

65. Do you not get there aren't enough tests for everyone yet?

[Coventina]

11. I'm just tired of Cuomo, period.

Do we really need his five hour daily press conference in full?

How many times do we have to hear his "I'll just go and stay with my sister in Westchester" anecdote?
Is this really news worthy?

[Kaleva]

13. Why do you spend 5 hours a day doing that?

[Coventina]

33. Well, I don't. I've been listening (not really sitting and watching)

to MSNBC a lot more than usual lately, just to keep myself informed.

It's just kind of "on" while I'm doing other things.

But, after the first two Cuomo-thons, I've started to mute the TV.

[babylonsister]

20. Well, living in FL, I think you're lucky to have him. nt

[Coventina]

34. Oh, I don't. I live in AZ. But he's on MSNBC for 23 hours a day, it seems. n/t

[brush]

66. Giving out much more useful info than trump's shit show though...

don't you agree?

[Coventina]

69. Yes, I do agree. I just wish he didn't repeat himself so much. n/t

[Progressive dog]

36. When enough tests are not available,

that is the right way to handle the possible corona virus of Cuomo's niece. They are treating her as if she has the disease. In spite of all the extravagant claims of Trump, NYS has just passed the 10,000 actual tests done milestone.

[Maru Kitteh]

39. When there are not enough test available ALL the Governors messages

Should be "WE DEMAND MORE TESTS" in unison, to protect our people. Not "DON'T get tested." That's a hideous, harmful message that serves only Trump, not the public health.

[Progressive dog]

41. The CDC sets thenguidelines for testing

There are not infinite resources of any kind available. Resources ned to go to those who need them most. That includes tests. Cuomo was correct.

[Maru Kitteh]

45. That wasn't his message today at all.Cuomo didn't say I'm following guidelines BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE

ENOUGH TESTS. He said don't test. That's a message that keeps the numbers artificially low and endangers public health whilst helping Trump.

[Progressive dog]

47. Yes, the governor who was the first to get approval for

the state lab to test and the first to set up drive in testing believes in not getting tested because you say so.

[Maru Kitteh]

48. Because he said so. nt

[Progressive dog]

49. This is what Cuomo actually said

11:45 AM: Cuomo: his niece did not need to take the coronavirus test because despite having cold-like symptoms she had not visited a hotspot, had not come in contact with anyone that she knew of with the virus.

It doesn't agree wuth whatn you claim he said, does it?

[Maru Kitteh]

53. Where's your link to the transcript?

[Progressive dog]

58. People who don't post a link to the transcript in their OP

and get it wrong shouldn't complain if they have to actually look for the transcript. Here it is anyway.
https://www.fox5ny.com/news/latest-developments-in-the-coronavirus-pandemic-for-march-18-2020
Thank you in advance for your apology.

[Maru Kitteh]

60. Oh good god. That's not a transcript. Talk to me when you have one. I was

writing the OP as I was hearing it. Contemporaneous note-taking, if you will.

[Maru Kitteh]

51. Cuomo was WRONG and needs to stop telling people with symptoms NOT to get testing.

It's a clear, logical recipe for continued, careless, wildfire spread of the virus.

The job of governors is to care for the residents of their state. If there are not enough tests for symptomatic citizens, they must DEMAND more tests. Trump admitted today in his presser he was holding back on tests available to us NOW. Artificially low numbers help him while our citizens are being harmed and killed and the virus continues to explode, Cuomo's message to NOT TEST if you have symptoms is wrong.

[Progressive dog]

55. Cuomo was not wrong. He said this, not what you claimed

11:45 AM: Cuomo: his niece did not need to take the coronavirus test because despite having cold-like symptoms she had not visited a hotspot, had not come in contact with anyone that she knew of with the virus.

He does not want every fool with a sniffle running to the doctor.

[Maru Kitteh]

56. AGAIN - Where is your link to the transcript? Let's see it.

[Progressive dog]

59. Again, here it is.

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/latest-developments-in-the-coronavirus-pandemic-for-march-18-2020

[Maru Kitteh]

61. Again. That's not a transcript.

[Progressive dog]

62. It's a lot better than what you have.

If you can find anything that supports the story you spun, you should post it. I'm certain the television station has the footage if you'd like to watch it again and see if you still disagree with the synopsis of it that I linked to.

[Maru Kitteh]

63. I heard his words first hand. Obviously you didn't, and you don't have anything to back yourself up.

[Progressive dog]

64. Here is the transcript, I also heard it first hand

One of my sisters called me yesterday. I have to have my daughter tested for coronavirus. Why? She has a fever. She’s sick. She has flu like symptoms. I said, “Has she been exposed to someone positive?” “No, not that we know.” “Did she travel to a hotspot?” “No.” I said, “Then there’s no test and there’s no reason for a test. Leave her home. Help her. Be careful that she doesn’t infect you, but that’s it.”

Andrew Cuomo: (14:23)
And flu like symptoms and a couple of weeks, she’ll feel better and she’ll get on with it. The one thing I said to my sister is, “Don’t let her go near mom.” It’s my mother. My mother’s in a different situation. Again, senior citizen, but senior citizens, compromised the immune system, underlying illnesses. I said, “Don’t let her go near mom. Otherwise, treat her as if she has the flu.” Well, what do I do? What’s self quarantine? Well, self quarantine is what we used to do when somebody had the flu, right? My father would say, “Go in the room. Stay there until you feel better.” Right? That’s crude self quarantine. Don’t get infected. Stay away, throw things away, use hand sanitizer, et cetera. That’s the reality of the situation. I get the drama, I get the anxiety, but all in moderation and all in connection with the facts.

And here is the link. I would suggest you might want to read the whole thing since your memory doesn't seem to be reliable.
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/andrew-cuomo-new-york-coronavirus-news-briefing-march-18

[Maru Kitteh]

67. Thanks, because that transcript bears out EXACTLY what I have been saying. HE'S WRONG.

I find it absolutely HORRIFYING that he is telling symptomatic people they should not be tested. Full stop.

[Progressive dog]

68. No it doesn't, it explains why his niece should not be tested

and why she should be isolated from the rest of the population until her symptoms are gone. I find it horrifying that anyone would place their judgement ahead of the judgement of experts and their need for knowledge ahead of the need of others to receive the treatments they need.
What the hell if a few old people die for lack of care, I got the test I wanted.

[Maru Kitteh]

70. It explains how to accelerate the spread of a deadly pandemic, that's what it does.

Causing the deaths of more.

[Progressive dog]

71. Now that is some BS

Testing someone does not stop the spread, isolating them does.

[Maru Kitteh]

74. Not testing for contagious disease discards vital epidemiological data NEEDED if the goal is

to flatten the curve. If we are trying to flatten the curve, then telling symptomatic individuals NOT to test is an irrecoverably stupid way to go about it that ignores all evidence-based recommendations.

[Progressive dog]

75. That is even more misinformation that could prove

deadly, and you show no sign of caring. Your BS is flat wrong. It is not debateable. The tests are not available in anywhere near the quantities necessary to even test patients with symptoms in hospitals. There are presently thousands of medical workers who are in isolation because they have been exposed to patients with the disease. Now they have to wait through the 14 day possible development period before they can even be tested. You need to shut up about your dangerous mischaracterization of how the pandemic is and should be handled.

[crickets]

50. Agreed! Thank you.

There are not enough tests partly because trump* and co have held back on options that don't involve a personal profit margin for them and for their cronies. If the current administration really gave a damn, every pertinent lab and med school would be given encouragement, including funds, to develop the most effective tests and treatments they possibly could. The needed infrastructure for manufacture would be spooling up right now. An emphasis on public health and national security would be taking heavy precedence in all messaging, to the point that anti-gouging and any talk of profit in addressing this pandemic would be outlawed and scorned.

It would take time, but it could and should be done. Testing is needed, and it does matter.

Aggressive testing helps Italian town cut new coronavirus cases to zero

[Crunchy Frog]

72. Why is he saying it matters whether or not you've traveled to a "hot spot"?

First, NYC is a fucking hot spot.

Second, if it doesn't matter based on having milder symptoms, then it doesn't matter based on "risk factors" either.

I feel like the whole country is delusional right now.

[Hoyt]

76. I think we are in a mode where it is best to just assume you have it. Cuomo seems to know

what he is doing. If tests were widely available, yeah get tested. But even if you have it, there is not much they can or will do right now, unless you develop serious complications.