Read chapter 39 here
A few months into the pandemic, the teal lines on the first two graphs here tell different stories. Germany’s active COVID cases, the number of people currently infected, peaked on April 6. Five weeks ago. Except for a dip this past Tuesday, the number of active cases in the United States continues to grow. After dropping by nearly 13,000, the U.S. added more than 24,000 during the past two days. What’s worrisome is that some parts of the country – Florida, Georgia, Texas being the most egregious examples – are ‘reopening’ at a pace that exceeds Germany’s. Eddie reports that Germany has allowed small businesses to reopen but not large department stores. As of last Sunday, restaurants have yet to open, although, as in the U.S., pickup and delivery is allowed. Protective masks are required in public places and on transportation – stores, offices, busses, trains – since late April.
An equally instructive statistic is the number of cases per 100,000 population. Trump’s statements to the contrary, the U.S. is not leading in anything positive when it comes to the pandemic and our response to it. Germany, with a population 83 million, has (of today) a total of 179,985 confirmed cases (active and recovered), or 2,089 per 100,000. The United States, with a population 328 million, has a total of 1,459,689 cases, or 4,413 per 100,000. The U.S. ranks 12th among countries of the world, Germany is 34th.
As I previously noted, some Wisconsin residents threw caution to the wind once the state’s Supreme Court voided Gov. Evers’ ‘safer-at-home’ order. Minutes after the announcement, the Wisconsin Tavern League, a powerful lobbying organization, sent an email to its 5,000 members
encouraging them to reopen. (If local ordinances don’t prohibit it.) A video of a packed bar in Platteville went viral that same evening. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Wisconsin ranks first for binge drinking. (The Tavern League bills itself the “largest trade association in the United States to exclusively represent the interests of licensed beverage retailers”. Welcome to Wisconsin!)
My question. Does this C.H.E.E.R.S. fund cover medical expenses, sick leave, and lost wages for restaurant and bar employees who become infected?
Read chapter 41 here
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