- See also: SARS-CoV-2
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.
Quotes
Disease characteristics
- When SARS hit (the Southern China region) 17 years ago (in 2002-2003), Macau was lucky enough that it recorded only one imported case. But now, the (COVID-19) viral pneumonia coincides with the peak domestic travel season for Chinese New Year across China. That huge passenger traffic means the disease could be spread to each of the Chinese province.
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "Macau multi-stage response to pandemic risk: city chief" on GGR Asia, 23 January 2020.
- At present (26 January 2020), the rate of development of the (COVID-19) epidemic is accelerating. I am afraid that it will continue for some time, and the number of cases may increase.
- Ma Xiaowei (2020) cited in "Wuhan Coronavirus Can Be Infectious Before People Show Symptoms, Official Claims" on Science Alert, 26 January 2020.
- It was important to make the (COVID-19) disease notifiable. Although it did not appear to be as deadly as the previous SARS and MERS strains, there was still much to learn about it.
- Lance Jennings (2020) cited in: "China coronavirus checks: 'Looking for a needle in a haystack'" in RNZ, 27 January 2020.
- I say "possibly" (for the SARS-CoV-2 to more dangerous to humans than the other coronaviruses) because so far, not only do we not know how dangerous it is, we can't know. Outbreaks of new viral diseases are like the steel balls in a pinball machine: You can slap your flippers at them, rock the machine on its legs and bonk the balls to the jittery rings, but where they end up dropping depends on 11 levels of chance as well as on anything you do. This is true with coronaviruses in particular: They mutate often while they replicate, and can evolve as quickly as a nightmare ghoul.
- Shi Zhengli (2020) cited in "We Made the Coronavirus Epidemic" on The New York Times, 28 January 2020.
- It's still unclear whether that takes place (that COVID-19 can spread before people show sings of being infected). But if it does, that might explain why the disease is spreading so quickly.
- Malik Peiris (2020) cited in "Number of Coronavirus Cases Passes SARS Outbreak" on Learning English, 29 January 2020.
- If the (COVID-19) infected (patient) droplets were sneezed at you by a patient and enters your eyes, they will eventually be washed from your eyes to your nose, as both are connected through what is known as a nasolacrimal duct.
- Paul Kellam (2020) cited in "Medical Experts Claim Wuhan Virus May Be Transmitted Through Your Eyes Or By Touch Alone" on World of Buzz, 31 January 2020.
- China must have realized the epidemic did not originate in that Wuhan Huanan seafood market. The presumed rapid spread of the (COVID-19) virus apparently for the first time from the Huanan seafood market in December (2019) did not occur. Instead, the virus was already silently spreading in Wuhan, hidden amid many other patients with pneumonia at this time of year. The virus came into that marketplace before it came out of that marketplace.
- Daniel Lucey (2020) cited in "Scientists rush to find 'Patient Zero' in a bid to stop the coronavirus" on NZ Herald, 1 February 2020.
- We didn't know until the last 24 hours.
- Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia, on that asymptomatic COVID-19 infected individuals can transmit the disease, in a CNN interview recorded in April 2020
Evacuations from and travel restrictions within Mainland China
- This is impossible (to impose entry limit to Mainland China people from entering Macau due to COVID-19 outbreak). So far, the World Health Organization has so far not given indications to impose entry restrictions so we can't block Wuhan residents from entering Macau. But we (Government of Macau) have requested for them to not travel to Macau, or only after the disease is contained.
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "People from Wuhan will not be barred from entering Macau – Chief Executive" on Macau Business, 23 January 2020.
- This was a very difficult choice (imposing travel lock down in Wuhan and halting public transportation in nearby cities of Huanggang, Ezhou, Zhijiang and Chibi due to COVID-19 outbreak).
- Wang Xiaodong (2020) cited in "China Expands Virus Lockdown, Encircling 35 Million" on The New York Times, 23 January 2020.
- It (travel restriction for the Chinese people due to the COVID-19 pandemic) has never been done before, there is no evidence this will do anything by shutting these people in. There is still the virus there.
- Ian Mackay (2020) cited in: "The U.S. Scientist who Predicted Coronavirus could Kill 65 Million People–Three Months before the Outbreak in Wuhan, China" in Electroverse, 25 January 2020.
- We are working on a number of fronts (against COVID-19), firstly to make sure that there is support for those Australians and we are also working on, as are other countries, to try to secure their ability to return to Australia.
- Greg Hunt (2020) cited in: "Wuhan virus: Australia confirms fifth coronavirus case from last flight out of Wuhan" in The Straits Times, 27 January 2020.
Virus containment and fighting efforts
- Physicians’ and pharmacists’ first and foremost ethical obligation in situations of epidemic, disaster or terrorism is to provide urgent medical care and ensure availability and appropriate use of necessary medications. This requires close coordination with the entire health care team to help ensure patients receive the testing, treatments, follow-up care and medications they need. We applaud the innumerable selfless acts by health care professionals across the nation who are putting themselves in harm’s way to provide care to America’s patients.
- Milan carries on! ... #italywontstop
- Beppe Sala, Milan's mayor, 27 Feb 2020 in All Of Italy — The Entire Country — Is Now On Coronavirus Lockdown
- When the UN security council and the G7 group sought to agree a global response to the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts stumbled on the US insistence on describing the threat as distinctively Chinese... the focus on labelling the virus Chinese and blaming China pursued by the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, helped ensure there would be no meaningful collective response from the world’s most powerful nations.
- It's quite unusual for a government to publish a plan with things in it we hope we won't have to do. [...] It's far too early to be able to tell in that instance. What we can say for sure is that, right now, we do not recommend the cancelling of mass events, and schools as well should not be closing unless there is both a positive case and the school has had the advice to close from Public Health England.
- Matt Hancock, speaking in BBC Breakfast about the cancellation of mass gatherings during the 202 coronavirus pandemic. As quoted in British army on standby over coronavirus spread, 3 March 2020, Al Jazeera English.
- I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual.
- Boris Johnson, as quoted in Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers 'could be off sick at same time', 3 March 2020, BBC News.
- When the Vice President first asked me to help on the task force with different tasks, I asked the President what he expected from the task force and how I can best serve him and the task force. What the President asked is that all of the recommendations that we make be based on data. He wanted us to be very rigorous, to make sure that we were studying the data, collecting data. A lot of things in this country were happening very quickly, and we wanted to make sure that we were trying to keep updating our models and making sure that we were making informed decisions and informed recommendations to him based on the data that we were able to collect and put together.
- The President wanted to make sure that we had the people doing the best jobs, and making sure that we had the right people focused on all the things that needed to happen to make sure that we can deliver in these unusual times for the American people. The President also instructed me to make sure that I break down every barrier needed to make sure that the teams can succeed. This is an effort where the government is doing things that the government doesn’t normally do, where we are stretching, we’re acting very quickly. And the President wants to make sure that the White House is fully behind the different people running the different lines of effort to make sure that we get everything done in a speed that the President demands. The President also wanted us to make sure we think outside the box, make sure we’re finding all the best thinkers in the country, making sure we’re getting all the best ideas, and that we’re doing everything possible to make sure that we can keep Americans safe, and make sure we bring a quick end to this in the best way possible, and balance all the different aspects that need to be thought of while we do this. This truly is a historic challenge. We have not seen something like this in a very, very long time. But I am very confident that, by bringing innovative solutions to these hard problems, we will make progress.
- The President has been very, very hands on in this. He’s really instructed us to leave no stone unturned. Just this morning — very early this morning — I got a call from the President. He told me he was hearing from friends of his in New York that the New York public hospital system was running low on critical supply. He instructed me this morning. I called Dr. Katz, who runs the system, asked him which supply was the most supply he was nervous about. He told me it was the N95 masks. I asked what his daily burn was. And I basically got that number, called up Admiral Polowczyk, made sure we had the inventory. We went to the President today, and earlier today,the President called Mayor de Blasio to inform him that we were going to send a month of supply to the New York public hospital system, to make sure that the workers on the frontline can rest assured that they have the N95 masks that they need to get through the next month. We’ll be doing similar things with all the different public hospitals that are in the hotspot zones and making sure that we’re constantly in communications with the local communities.
- One thing I will say, just based on data, is that we’ve been getting a lot of data from different governors and from different mayors and from different cities. One thing I’ve seen FEMA do very, very well, over the last week or so, is now we’re getting real-time data from a lot of cities. People who have requests for different products and supplies, a lot of them are doing it based on projections, which are not the realistic projections. The projections change every day as we see the cases, as we see the impacts of the “stop the spread” effort that this task force recommended and the President has been pushing forward. So I do think that we’ll see that. Hopefully, there’ll be impact of that. And the task force has been working very hard, through the FEMA group, with Admiral Polowczyk to make sure that we’re getting the supplies to people before they run out, and making sure that we’re doing it in a proper way.
- And what they’ve done over the last 13 days has been really extraordinary. We’ve done things that the government has never done before, quicker than they’ve ever done it before. And what we’re seeing now is we found a lot of supplies in the country. We’ve been distributing them where we anticipate there will be needs, and also trying to make sure that we’re hitting places where there are needs. So I can tell you the people on the — in the task force, they’re working day and night. You’ve got a lot of people in the government. We recognize the challenge that America faces right now. We know what a lot of the people on the frontlines are facing, the fear that they have that they won’t have the supplies they need. And our goal is to work as hard as we can to make sure that we don’t let them down.
- At the time of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus outbreak (in 2002-2003), we (Government of Macau) also did not prohibit the entry of people from Hong Kong and we refused to think of establishing a quota for entries from the neighboring Special Administrative Region for the time being (due to COVID-19 outbreak).
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "No reason to ban visitors from Wuhan, said Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng" on Macau News, 23 January 2020.
- The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!
- Donald J. Trump, Twitter, 24 Feb 2020
- Nobody could have imagined a thing like this — a tragedy like this would have happened: the invisible enemy.
- Donald Trump, as quoted in Remarks by President Trump in a Meeting with Supply Chain Distributors on COVID-19 (March 29, 2020), whitehouse.gov.
- World Health Organization — because they really are — they called it wrong. They called it wrong. They really — they missed the call. They could have called it months earlier. They would have known, and they should have known. And they probably did know, so we'll be looking into that very carefully. And we're going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. [When asked later in the same press briefing if freezing money to the WHO during a pandemic was a good idea he replied, "No, maybe not. I mean, I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but we're going to look at it."]
- Donald Trump, as quoted in Remarks by President Trump in a Meeting with Supply Chain Distributors on COVID-19 (April 7, 2020), whitehouse.gov.
- The federal government has done something that nobody has done anything like this other than perhaps wartime. And that’s what we’re in: We’re in a war.
- Donald Trump, as quoted in Remarks by President Trump in a Meeting with Supply Chain Distributors on COVID-19 (March 29, 2020), whitehouse.gov.
- We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors.
- Captain Brett E. Crozier wrote in a letter over which he was fired.
- This will be our Pearl Harbor.
- From the perspective of continued understanding of the (COVID-19) situation, it is only at this time that everyone realizes it is so dangerous. If we (the Government of Wuhan) knew at first from the virus spread that it would be so serious, finding effective control and prevention methods of course would be good, but the problem is usually we cannot realize the severity from the outset.
- Zhou Xianwang (2020) cited in "Wuhan mayor under pressure to resign over response to coronavirus outbreak" on South China Morning Post, 23 January 2019.
- We (Government of Macau) appeal to the public not to go out unless it's absolutely necessary. That's the best prevention (against the COVID-19). We had no choice but to cancel the (2020 Lunar) new year celebrations even when everything was ready.
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "Macau confirms second patient infected with Chinese coronavirus" on South China Morning Post, 23 January 2020.
- We (China) are sure to be able to win in this battle to beat the (COVID-19) epidemic through prevention and control.
- Xi Jinping (2020) cited in "Xi Jinping warned of the ‘grave situation’ created by the ‘accelerating’ spread of coronavirus" on Business Insider Malaysia, 25 January 2020.
- We are now (26 January 2020) in a critical period of prevention and control (of the COVID-19).
- Ma Xiaowei (2020) cited in "China Urges Calm Over Virus During ‘Critical Period’" on The Wall Street Journal, 26 January 2020.
- Momentum of the Wuhan virus epidemic outbreak may decline in 20 days (since 26 January 2020) based on the current prevention and control measures of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.
- Wen Yumei (2020) cited in "Expert believes China's control measures on Wuhan virus will take effect in 20 days" on The Star Online, 27 January 2020.
- We (World Health Organization (WHO)) are working 24/7 to support China and its people during this difficult time (COVID-19 pandemic) and remain in close contact with affected countries, with our regional and country offices deeply involved. WHO is updating all countries on the situation and providing specific guidance on what to do to respond.
- Tedros Adhanom (2020) cited in "WHO chief arrives in China for talks on coronavirus crisis as death toll jumps" on South China Morning Post, 27 January 2020.
- You (medical staffs who attain to COVID-19 patients treatment) are trying every means to save lives. When you are putting your efforts to save lives, you have to protect yourselves too.
- Li Keqiang (2020) cited in "China coronavirus: Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Wuhan to lead fight against deadly outbreak" on South China Morning Post, 27 January 2020.
- We (Centers for Disease Control) are warning that anyone who refuses to cooperate with our quarantine officers or is disrespectful toward them (for the examination of COVID-19) will be strictly punished according to the law. Disease prevention is not a game, so we will impose the heaviest punishment for obstructing public officers in discharging their duties.
- Chen Shih-chung (2020) cited in "Taiwan confirms fifth new virus case" on Taipei Times, 28 January 2020.
- There are two keys to tackling the (COVID-19) epidemic: early detection and early isolation. They are the most primitive and most effective methods.
- Zhong Nanshan (2020) cited in "Wuhan virus outbreak may reach peak in a week or about 10 days, says expert" on The Star Online, 29 January 2020.
- Those (anyone who returns from Wuhan being isolated for 14 days with all necessary medical attention) are the sorts of measures that will protect countries from the introduction of the (COVID-19) virus and onward transmission. There's always a balance between the draconian measures of public health and what people might want to do, and obviously it's regrettable if people who turn out not to have the virus are quarantined unnecessarily.
- Mark Woolhouse (2020) cited in "Coronavirus Cases In China Eclipse SARS As Evacuations Begin" on Huffpost, 29 January 2020.
- The main reason for this (global emergency) declaration (of COVID-19) is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries. Our (World Health Organization) greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems.
- Tedros Adhanom (2020) cited in "China virus death toll rises to at least 212 as WHO declares global emergency" on The Star Online, 31 January 2020.
- The moment we heard about this (COVID-19) outbreak, we started to put our feelers out to get access to these isolates.
- Vincent Munster (2020) cited in "China coronavirus: labs worldwide scramble to analyse live samples" on Nature, 31 January 2020.
- We (China) are still at a very critical stage in fighting the (COVID-19) Coronavirus. International solidarity is extremely important and for that purpose all countries should behave in a responsible manner.
- Zhang Jun (2020) cited in "China virus death toll rises to at least 212 as WHO declares global emergency" on The Star Online, 31 January 2020.
- Closing the (Hong Kong's) border entirely (from Mainland China) is the only effective way to prevent the spread of the (COVID-19) virus.
- Ho Pak-leung (2020) cited in "Hong Kong hospital strike kicks off as top doctor backs mainland China border closure calls amid coronavirus fears" on South China Morning Post, 3 February 2020.
- The (COVID-19) outbreak will probably continue for at least several more months. It would be best that the (Japan) national government comes up with a plan that accounts for the long-term issues.
- Koji Wada (2020) cited in "Japan must prepare for 'inevitable' coronavirus spread, expert says" on The Japan Times, 4 February 2020.
- Building new hospitals or shelters alone (to treat COVID-19-infected people) is not adequate. It will also need to be complemented by community strategies, such as limiting group activities, and personal hygiene practices.
- Winnie Yip (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: Wuhan Communist Party official apologises for failure to provide patients treatment" on South China Morning Post, 6 February 2020.
- The public has criticised us (Wuhan government) a lot ... why? It was because some of our work was not done well. What have we not done well? At present, the contradiction between supply and demand of hospital beds has remained conspicuous. Honestly, we are in pain and feel regrettable that a lot of the patients who have been confirmed infected or were suspected to have contracted the (COVID-19) coronavirus were unable to receive proper treatment at hospitals. This problem definitely has remained unresolved.
- Hu Lishan (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: Wuhan Communist Party official apologises for failure to provide patients treatment" on South China Morning Post, 6 February 2020.
- The local (COVID-19) transmission chain (in Hong Kong) has begun (as of 6 February 2020), and if we do nothing to control it, Hong Kong will become another mainland city that has suffered lots of cases.
- Yuen Kwok-yung (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: community outbreak declared in Hong Kong as government prepares to quarantine mainland Chinese entering city in hotels and facilities" on South China Morning Post, 6 February 2020.
- In order to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus (in Japan), commuting in shifts and teleworking need to be widely exercised across society. We will call on the corporate world to actively implement (the measures).
- Hiroshi Kajiyama (2020) cited in "Flexible working hours key to fighting Covid-19: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe" on Hindustan Times, 25 February 2020.
- The health of the population (due to COVID-19 outbreaks) takes precedence over economic interest.
- Jens Spahn (2020) cited in: "Coronavirus is now a 'worldwide pandemic,' German health minister says" in DW. 4 March 2020
- My administration has done a job on really working across government and with the private sector, and it’s been incredible. It’s a beautiful thing to watch, I have to say. Unfortunately, the end result of the group we’re fighting — which are hundreds of billions and trillions of germs, or whatever you want to call them — they are bad news. This virus is bad news and it moves quickly, and it spreads as easily as anything anyone has ever seen.
- Donald Trump, as quoted in Remarks by President Trump in a Meeting with Supply Chain Distributors on COVID-19 (March 29, 2020), whitehouse.gov.
Virus-infected patients
- From observations, the (COVID-19) virus is capable of transmission even during incubation period. Some patients have normal temperatures and there are many milder cases. There are hidden carriers. There are signs showing the virus is becoming more transmissible. These walking "contagious agents" (hidden carriers) make controlling the outbreak a lot more difficult.
- Ma Xiaowei (2020) cited in "5 million left Wuhan before lockdown, 1,000 new coronavirus cases expected in city" on South China Morning Post, 26 January 2020.
- We (France) are going to have patients suspected of having the (COVID-19) virus, there are going to be (more) cases.
- Yazdan Yazdanpanah (2020) cited in: "French carmaker to evacuate expats from virus-hit Chinese city" in Borneo Post Online, 26 January 2020.
- Making it (COVID-19) a notifiable disease would give them (Auckland Regional Public Health Service) more powers to isolate and quarantine people who might have been exposed (to the virus as they enter New Zealand), as well as monitor their health.
- William Rainger (2020) cited in: "China coronavirus checks: 'Looking for a needle in a haystack'" in RNZ, 27 January 2020.
- Fatality rate of the 2019-CoV infection is relatively low, at slightly more than three percent, suggesting the possibility that those who died could have other predispositions. Most (of the patients) would fully recover.
- Sazaly Abu Bakar (2020) cited in "'Most coronavirus patients will recover'" on New Straits Times, 28 January 2020.
- In general however, those hit by the new (COVID-19) virus are in a less serious condition than with SARS.
- Yazdan Yazdanpanah (2020) cited in: "Here's The Science on How Serious The Wuhan Coronavirus Outbreak Actually Is" in Science Alert, 29 January 2020.
- In six months, it's impossible to produce a vaccine against the (COVID-19) coronavirus. It takes a year to develop a vaccine. As for Thailand, we have no staff, no people who are experts in this field. But we expect that China will be able to develop a vaccine within one year. The best we can do is to treat patients based on their symptoms and diagnosis, and develop examination methods which are rapid and accurate.
- Yong Poovorawan (2020) cited in "Virologist: Coronavirus vaccine could take about a year" on Bangkok Post, 30 January 2020.
- One thing about this (COVID-19) that's somewhat unprecedented is the speed at which new data is coming out and becoming available for mass consumption. In that article, there's not a lot of detail about when the initial patient returning to China became symptomatic. It's really hard to tell. People don't always accurately report. That's not on purpose or anything, but people aren't so self-aware that they're going to notice a single sneeze, or every little cough, or clearing their throat, or their nose is running and they think it's allergies. There are a lot of reasons why people might not necessarily recognize that they are symptomatic when they actually are.
- Angela Rasmussen (2020) cited in "Talking to a Virologist About How Worried We Should Be About Coronavirus" on Intelligencer, 31 January 2020.
- Our (Government of Hong Kong) primary duty is to care for (COVID-19) patients. Everyone can hold a different political view and different thoughts, as well as different views on the (Hong Kong) government's way of combating the pandemic. But I sincerely hope, amid choppy waters and at a critical moment, we can all put aside our conflicts ... and do our share for patients who need help.
- Anthony Wu (2020) cited in "Hong Kong hospital strike kicks off as top doctor backs mainland China border closure calls amid coronavirus fears" on South China Morning Post, 3 February 2020.
- We have developed an effective treatment plan (to patients contracting COVID-19) based on our experience of dealing with SARS, by employing various life support methods to (achieve) a higher rate of recovery.
- Zhong Nanshan (2020) cited in "China starts clinical trials for new antiviral drug to treat coronavirus" on South China Morning Post, 3 February 2020.
- We need to get a better idea of how many people are discharged from hospital and a better understanding of how many mild cases have been missed (from this COVID-19), while we focused on more severe disease (until this moment (3 February 2020)). When we find that out will depend on China giving us more details, because that's where most cases are, and so far, a decent number of cases outside of China have not seemed as severe.
- Ian Mackay (2020) cited in: "Can the Wuhan Coronavirus Be Stopped?" in TheStreet, 3 February 2020.
- This (COVID-19) virus is different from SARS-CoV, which caused severe illness in most infected patients. It appears that many patients have relatively mild illness. These relatively mild cases may recover after one week or so.
- Hitoshi Oshitani (2020) cited in "China’s health officials say priority is to stop mild coronavirus cases from getting worse" on South China Morning Post, 4 February 2020.
- Take a look at the death toll now (as of 5 February 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak), there are almost no children. A nine-month-old baby is the youngest known patient, and the baby's still alive. The youngest patients who died are about 30 years old. Most of them have congenital diseases, such as brain disorders, heart diseases, lung diseases, diabetes or cancer. There are patients who are over 80 years old. At first, more than half of them were over 80 years old. Many cases are 89. If you ask me, some 89-year-old people happen to fall and die. So, don't panic about the number of fatalities. A majority of them have congenital diseases, pneumonia or influenza. Their depth of breathing is lower than normal, and there's a possibility that they want to eliminate excess phlegm. This can pose a life-threatening risk. Most fatalities are not young people. There's not much difference from the common influenza. If people who are 89 or 90 years old have influenza, that's not good.
- Yong Poovorawan (2020) cited in "Virologist says measures must be implemented for one year to address coronavirus" on Pattaya Mail, 5 February 2020.
Accountability related to the virus outbreak
- If people want to pursue accountability (about the lockdown of Wuhan City due to the COVID-19 outbreak and Wuhan City Government below-standard handling of the outbreak) and the public has a strong opinion, we (Zhou Xianwang and Wuhan Communist Party Chief Ma Guoqiang) are willing to step down.
- Zhou Xianwang (2020) cited in "Mayor of Wuhan, epicenter city of coronavirus, offers to resign over outbreak" on New York Post, 27 January 2019.
Effects of the virus outbreak
- Honestly, from the experience of SARS (in 2002-2003), if the (COVID-19 outbreak) situation is so serious, no one will go to a casino (in Macau).
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "Macau casinos could be closed if risk of Wuhan virus rises: Ho Iat Seng" on Inside Asian Gaming, 23 January 2020.
- We (Government of Macau) don't know if this is the peak of the (COVID-19) disease. I think it could be only after Lunar New Year (CNY) because now people are moving a lot. If there is contagion it is now, during these travels, but maybe the most critical time could be registered after the CNY. That's why we took the hard decision to cancel CNY festivities, to prevent further aggravation of the disease.
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "Chief Executive advises residents to stay home during CNY or at least wear health masks outside" on Macau Business, 23 January 2020.
- We (Japan) may have more information about the risk of infection and the risk of severity of getting the (COVID-19) virus, so we can prepare. So we can have some precautions for infection control ... but I hope we can conduct the Tokyo Olympics as scheduled.
- Koji Wada (2020) cited in "Japan hopefully has time to build virus defences before Olympics - professor" on The Star Online, 30 January 2020.
- If local (COVID-19) transmission is indeed established, that could be very dangerous, and Hong Kong can become another Wuhan.
- Yuen Kwok-yung (2020) cited in "'Hong Kong in danger of becoming another Wuhan'" on rthk.hk, 2 February 2020.
- Across the United States, we are seeing workers walk off the job in wildcat strikes in response to the employers’ failure either to shut down the workplace or to make it safe. The strikes are too few to call them a strike wave, but we should be aware that on their own initiative workers are taking what practically is the most powerful action they can: withdrawing their labour. The strikes are taking place in both the private and public sector, in both unionised and non-union workplaces large and small.
- Dan La Botz, Wildcat strikes across the US as pandemic spreads, 1 April 2020, Red Flag
- The impact on the (China's) economy (by this COVID-19 outbreak) is gaining weight, especially on transport, tourism, hotels, catering and entertainment. But, the impact will be temporary and will not change the positive foundation of China's economy. Many have tried to estimate the impact (of this COVID-19 outbreak) based on the impact of SARS in 2003, but China's economic power and ability to handle such an outbreak is significantly stronger than in those days.
- Lian Weiliang (2020) cited in "Coronavirus will ‘hit China’s economy but not as much as Sars’" on South China Morning Post, 3 February 2020.
- It was a hard decision (to close casinos in Macau for two weeks after a hotel worker was infected by COVID-19), but we (Government of Macau) must make it for the health of Macau residents. Macau can still withstand economic losses.
- Ho Iat Seng (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: casinos to close in Macau for at least two weeks after hotel worker infected" on South China Morning Post, 4 February 2020.
- There is (currently) indeed a shortage of surgical masks (in New Taipei due to COVID-19 outbreak). There is a lack of transparency on information about mask manufacturers and distribution. The (Republic of China) central government should clearly tell people how many masks each person can purchase.
- Hou You-yi (2020) cited in "Virus Outbreak: NHI cards required to purchase masks" on Taipei Times, 4 February 2020.
Individual virus prevention efforts
- So, right now, as long as you wash your hands more often, that is the number one thing you can do to keep you and the country safe. [...] The scientific advice is that the impact of shaking hands is negligible and what really matters is that you wash your hands more often.
- Matt Hancock speaking in BBC Breakfast, as quoted in British army on standby over coronavirus spread, 3 March 2020, Al Jazeera English.
- I don't think there's any need to panic (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). We manage these things the same as we manage influenza. The sensible thing (to do) at this point is to increase awareness of what is going on overseas. We can't treat the (COVID-19) virus at the present time, so what we can do is use simple personal protection and public health interventions ... should it enter New Zealand.
- Lance Jennings (2020) cited in: "No NZ airport screening for cases of China's coronavirus" in Stuff, 22 January 2020.
- I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands. People obviously can make up their own minds but I think the scientific evidence is… our judgement is that washing your hands is the crucial thing.
- Boris Johnson at a press conference, as quoted in U.K. Leader Boris Johnson Boasts He Has Shaken Hands With Coronavirus Patients by Khaleda Rahman, 3 March 2020, Newsweek.
- Normal surgical masks are sufficient to guard against the (COVID-19) virus.
- Chen Shih-chung (2020) cited in "WUHAN VIRUS / Taiwan closes borders to current, former Wuhan residents" on Focus Taiwan, 23 January 2020.
- No human-to-human transmission of the (COVID-19) novel coronavirus has been reported in the country (Malaysia, as of 2 February 2020), and thus there is no need for the public to panic and start wearing masks. However, those with such symptoms, must wear the masks to prevent infecting others, as it is also the influenza season. What is more important is to keep on washing hands properly using soap.
- Lee Boon Chye (2020) cited in "No need to wear face masks unless you have flu-like symptoms, says Deputy Health Minister" on The Star Online, 2 February 2020.
- We believe the (Hong Kong) government should take the lead (by not wearing surgical mask unless those feeling unwell, working in frontline services or attending crowded places), so we have issued internal guidelines asking all departments to follow this in wearing masks. The goal is to save stocks for medical staff (to deal with patients infected with COVID-19).
- Carrie Lam (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: Carrie Lam orders Hong Kong officials not to wear masks to save stocks for medical workers" on South China Morning Post, 4 February 2020.
- The confirmed local (COVID-19 infection) cases (in Taiwan so far as of 5 February 2020) are mostly people who were infected overseas before returning to Taiwan and the only two indigenous cases are people who were infected by other members of their household. Therefore, the (Central Epidemic Command) center does not recommend foreign nationals traveling in Taiwan wear masks, but they can prepare masks and bring them on their own if they are concerned.
- Chen Shih-chung (2020) cited in "Virus Outbreak: Chunghwa Post to distribute masks" on Taipei Times, 6 February 2020.
- I want to advise everyone to wear a face mask at all times when travelling in an aircraft and also in confined spaces such as inside airports (to protect oneself against COVID-19).
- Chen Shih-chung (2020) cited in "Taiwan says coronavirus couple likely infected on Hong Kong flight to Italy" on Channel News Asia, 7 February 2020.
- What we can do at this moment (COVID-19 outbreak) is gain a scientific understanding of the disease and protect ourselves. Wear a mask when you go out.
- Wang Ying (2020) cited in "Chinese Medicine Experts Offer Opinions on Protection against Coronavirus" on Macau Daily Times, 7 February 2020.
- Three weeks ago, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee privately warned dozens of donors about the harrowing impact the coronavirus would have on the United States, while keeping the general public in the dark. In a secret recording obtained by NPR, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr is heard giving attendees of a club luncheon a much different message than most federal government officials, especially President Trump, were giving the public at the time... Sen. Burr sold off up to $1.56 million in stock on February 13th, as he was reassuring the public about coronavirus preparedness.
- There’s one thing that I can tell you about this... It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history... It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.... There will be, I’m sure, times that communities... have a transmission rate where they say, let’s close schools for two weeks, everybody stay home.
International encouragement
- While Malaysians are concerned about the spread of the (COVID-19) virus to our shores, we are equally sympathetic towards China, especially given that the two countries share deep cultural and business ties which have been built over decades.
- Teresa Kok (2020) cited in "Coronavirus: Malaysia to donate 18 million medical gloves to China" on The Star Online, 31 January 2020.
- We will get through corona (virus).
- Hassan Rouhani (2020) cited in "Iran's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive to coronavirus" on ABC News, 26 February 2020.
- A pandemic has been declared, but not for the 24,600 who die every day from unnecessary starvation, and not for 3,000 children who die every day from preventable malaria, and not for the 10,000 people who die every day because they are denied publicly-funded healthcare, and not for the hundreds of Venezuelans and Iranians who die every day because America's blockade denies them life-saving medicines, and not for the hundreds of mostly children bombed or starved to death every day in Yemen, in a war supplied and kept going, profitably, by America and Britain. Before you panic, consider them.
- John Pilger, quoted in Here is what legendary journalist John Pilger said about coronavirus outbreak Pilger decries inattention to hunger, malaria and American wars and blockades, The Week, 12 March 2020
- And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”- Kitty O’Meara, In The Time of Pandemic, The Daily Round, 16 March 2020
- There are two ways this could go. We could, as some people have done, double down on denial. Some of those who have dismissed other threats, such as climate breakdown, also seek to downplay the threat of Covid-19... Or this could be the moment when we begin to see ourselves, once more, as governed by biology and physics, and dependent on a habitable planet. Never again should we listen to the liars and the deniers. Never again should we allow a comforting falsehood to trounce a painful truth. No longer can we afford to be dominated by those who put money ahead of life.
- George Monbiot, Covid-19 is nature's wake-up call to complacent civilisation, The Guardian, 25 March 2020
- The Coronavirus is serious enough but it's worth recalling that there is a much greater horror approaching, we are racing to the edge of disaster, far worse than anything that's ever happened in human history... the corona virus is a horrible... can have terrifying consequences but there will be recovery, while the others won't be recovered... If we don't deal with them we're done.
- The w:queen of England ... "this time is different this time we join all nations in a vcommon endeavour"...[1]
Lockdowns /self-isolation
- Pandemics don’t always trigger social unrest, but they can do, by throwing into relief the very inequalities that caused them. That’s because they hit the poor hardest – those in low-paid or unstable employment, who live in crowded accommodation, have underlying health issues, and for whom healthcare is less affordable or less accessible. This was true in the past and remains so today. During the 2009 flu pandemic the death rate was three times higher in the poorest fifth of England’s population than in the richest. Covid-19 is showing no signs of departing from the pattern, which, because of the way the socioeconomic dice fall, also has a racial dimension. But there is something brand new about this pandemic, which has never been seen before in the history of humanity – and that is our unprecedented global experiment in lockdown. These lockdown measures are designed to slow the spread of the disease, relieve the burden on health systems and ultimately save lives – and it looks as if they may be doing that. But they may also be exacerbating social inequalities themselves.
- In India there have been reports of deaths among unemployed migrant workers returning home in search of food; many countries, including the US, have seen workers taking industrial action, and anger has been expressed in rural communities over wealthy city-dwellers retreating to their second homes for the duration. Governments should keep an eye on these developments, in weighing up when and how to lift the lockdown, because even if it’s difficult to argue today that the cure is worse than the disease, the cure might provoke an entirely different malaise – and history teaches us that no society is immune to that. That’s the symptomatic treatment. In the long term, of course, they – and we – should address the dreadful inequality in our societies, which this pandemic is picking apart with a lethal scalpel.
- Enough is enough. go home and stay home
- Justin Trudeau, himself in self-isolation since his wife had tested positive, scolded Canadians who did not stay home
Number of deaths
- President Trump: .."think of the number 2.2 million people"..."when I heard that I felt even better about what we did last week with the 2.2 trillion dollars"..."so we are talking about 2.2 million people"... "if we can hold that down to 100 thousand".. "between 100 thousand and 200 thousand then we all would have done a good job"..."2.2 million deaths"...[2]
- President Trump (solemn): "There will be a lot of deaths unfortunately, but a lot less deaths"...[3]
Availability of ventilators/respirators
- I have all this data about ICU capacity. I’m doing my own projections, and I’ve gotten a lot smarter about this. New York doesn’t need all the ventilators.
- Attributed to Jared Kushner by Gabriel Sherman in “The Campaign Panicked”: Inside Trump’s Decision to Back Off of His Easter Coronavirus Miracle (April 1, 2020), Vanity Fair.
- Why don't you act a little more positive.
See also
External links
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2klmuggOElE (3:40th second)
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0bbDK6WZ_w (excepts from 2 first minutes of recording)
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-52169749/coronavirus-trump-warns-us-there-will-be-a-lot-of-death (42nd second)
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