Feds Loosen Virus Rules To Let Essential Workers Return

[appalachiablue]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a first, small step toward reopening the country, the Trump administration issued new guidelines Wednesday to make it easier for essential workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 to get back to work if they do not have symptoms of the coronavirus.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced at the White House that essential employees, such as health care and food supply workers, who have been within 6 feet of a confirmed or suspected case of the virus can return to work under certain circumstances if they are not experiencing symptoms.

The new guidelines are being issued as the nation mourns more than 14,000 deaths from the virus and grapples with a devastated economy and medical crises from coast to coast. Health experts continue to caution Americans to practice social distancing and to avoid returning to their normal activities. At the same time, though, they are planning for a time when the most serious threat from COVID-19 will be in the country’s rear-view mirror.

President Donald Trump said that while he knows workers are “going stir crazy” at home, he can’t predict when the threat from the virus will wane. “The numbers are changing and they’re changing rapidly and soon we’ll be over that curve. We’ll be over the top and we’ll be headed in the right direction. I feel strongly about that,” Trump said about the coronavirus, which he called “this evil beast.” ...


Read more: https://apnews.com/fab319a90ead9aae057f7fab059c2ccb

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Regarding new guidelines for essential workers, the CDC recommends that exposed employees take their temperatures before their shifts, wear face masks and practice social distancing at work. They are advised to stay home if they are ill as well, not share headsets or other objects used near the face, and refrain from congregating in crowded break rooms.

Employers are asked to take exposed workers’ temperatures and assess symptoms before allowing them to return to work, aggressively clean work surfaces, send workers home if they get sick and increase air exchange in workplaces.

[iemitsu]

1. This plague won't end until Trump is gone.

[riversedge]

20. yes. and it is a plague.

[elleng]

2. Sure as hell hope governors ignore this.

[Eyeball_Kid]

3. News Flash!!!

Trump cheerleads the nation into a second CV-19 wave. This time, the wave will be something the likes of which we've never seen. It will be so unbelievable. The virus will blanket factory floors and restaurant booths, and it will mutate and strengthen. So factories and retail outlets will have to shutter once again, as will restaurants. But in Trump's fantasy, people will simply overlook the potential for death or permanent injury. Why bother when there's money to spend?

[gab13by13]

9. Yes, you get it,

Instead of taking their temperatures before allowing them to go back to work, why not just fucking test them? Trump wants to get people back to work to get the stock market back up. I agree with you, this lack of testing, we have tested 0.8% of our population, will backfire and we will in short order get a 2nd wave.

[Baclava]

4. Why am I getting flashbacks of workers being sent back into the exploded Chernobyl reactor?

[gab13by13]

15. Don't know if you're old enough,

but Saturday Night Live did a skit about 3 mile Island's melt down. Jimmy Carter had cleaning lady Garrett Morris. with a mop and a bucket, go into the facility to clean up the mess. They both glowed green and grew really large and ended going off together.

[TeamPooka]

5. asymptomatic spread. you can have the virus and no symptoms but still infect others

this is why EVERYONE needs to be tested, then all those infected can isolate for the 15 day period and truly flatten the curve exponentially

[C Moon]

6. He now wants this to last so he can have a chance at stopping people from voting.

Putin's getting creative.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

18. We can't have mail-in paper ballots because of voter ID requirements in red states.

These requirements apply to everyone but he and his gold digger wife, who voted by mail.

[Doreen]

7. You mean to MAKE essential workers go back to work.

LET them go back to work....yeah.....right.

[duforsure]

8. What he's saying is

Screw testing and go back to work , and soon he'll be using threats forcing people back knowing its unsafe . He could care less about anyone's health , and this is all about his economic troubles from his failures on the virus . Every person now working needs anti body testing done, first , before they are working , especially all food handling workers . trumps looking to start fights with Gov's who refuse by withholding funds. He will intentionally hurt Americans either way . Americans health is ignored by trump. Its all about him . His supporters will be forced to go back putting their health at great risk too, so maybe they should go first since they support him so much.

[gab13by13]

10. Exactly,

Why not test them instead of taking their temperatures? Trump's plan all along has been to thwart testing. He refused those test kits that the WHO offered to send us, instead Trump sent out test kits that didn't work. Not testing is going to backfire on Trump bigly.

[Hugin]

21. That seems to be the plan. It's all about reelection and The High Dow...

Screw everything else. Go leap on the fire and die quickly.

[Ford_Prefect]

11. They should sacrifice themselves, and others, for the good of DJT enterprises.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Putin et al, LLC.

*************************

Or in the words of Al Capp's immoral legend General Bullmoose:

General Bullmoose:
What's good for General Bullmoose is what's good for the U.S.A.
And by Dow Jones and all their little averages,
Don't you forget it! Right, boys?

GOP Chorous
(Singing)
Right!
Three rousing rahs and a few hussahs
And a hip-hip-hip hooray
What's good for General Bullmoose
Is good for the U.S.A.

General Bullmoose:
(Speaking)
We?ll show these hillbillies what?s what!
Right, boys?

All but General:
(Singing)
Right!
He makes the rules
And he intends to keep it thataway
What"s good for General Bullmoose
Is good for the U.S.A.

General Bullmoose:
(Speaking)
Good. Then proceed as planned.
Right, boys?

All but General Bullmoose:
(Singing)
Right!
He calls the shots
And he expects to keep it thataway
What's good for General Bullmoose
Is good for the U.S.A
____________________________
From the Musical Lil' Abner, lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
I did add the GOP Chorous just for emphasis.

[csziggy]

14. Yep

[Sherman A1]

12. Until there's a vaccine

There’s no point in trying to attempt to return to the previous normal.

[gab13by13]

16. I'm still waiting for a vaccine for the common cold.

[Sherman A1]

17. Good for you

[Steelrolled]

23. Last I heard there were more than 20 vaccines under development

and at least one has started human safety trials.

[OhioChick]

29. Agreed n/t

[ananda]

13. GOP: definitely a death cult!

No question.

[Wuddles440]

19. I'm confused...

by referring to "this evil beast" is he not actually speaking about himself? This may prove to be one of the first factual statements that he's ever made.

[Steelrolled]

22. We do need a systematic way for people who are now immune

to be able to go back out into the world. In fact they could be very beneficial with this new superpower. I heard Germany plans to issue some kind of document based on a test that shows you already had it.

[Maggiemayhem]

24. What about South Koreans that were cleared being retested positive?

[Steelrolled]

25. I have heard that but don't know the details

The "fog of war" seems an apt metaphor here.

My understanding is that with a number of similar diseases, reinfection is possible, but not common. And if you get it a second time, it is usually milder.

And of course the same goes with vaccines. They are not 100% effective, but they don't need to be. Safety is perhaps more important.

It seems there is little in medicine that is absolutely certain, as nature is so complex.

I'll let the experts work it out, and we should learn a lot more over the past and coming weeks about reinfection.

[Newest Reality]

26. Future News:

Washington: The resurgence of COVID-19 in America after President Trump's aspirational efforts to reopen the country prematurely has resulted in what is now being called: The Trump Wave.

While early attempts to reduce the spread of the pandemic in America were proving to be somewhat successful, experts say that Trump's actions are responsible for this major resurgence of cases and deaths across the country and the economic impact that is most likely far greater because of it.

President Trump said, "I am not responsible for anything at all. Just as soon as I think of someone or an organization to blame, I'll let you know. Now excuse me, I have more power to grab the country by."

[procon]

27. So when is Trump going to scheduled his next rally?

Certainly he's essential to his fans, so they need to be reunited. If he says it's safe for some workers to return to their jobs, then it must apply to him as well.

So hop aboard AF One, Mr. President and go visit with all your favorite dictators, tyrants and kings, you'll be fine.

[Marrah_Goodman]

28. It's like they want more people to die