Coronavirus: UK changes course amid death toll fears

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51915302

Change course or a quarter of a million people will die in a "catastrophic epidemic" of coronavirus - warnings do not come much starker than that.

 

Trump, finally, takes the coronavirus emergency seriously

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/white-house-donald-trump-coronavirus-emergency/index.html

This version of Donald Trump will save lives.

The President offered Americans something they have rarely seen from him in his latest and most somber press conference yet on the coronavirus pandemic on Monday.

He dispensed unimpeachable information based on fact. He called for national unity and seemed like he meant to help forge it. And he ditched his normal habit of hyping the best possible outcome to a situation with improbable superlatives -- instead communicating the gravity of a fast-worsening crisis.

Entire Dead Sea Scroll Fragment Collection at Washington, D.C.'s Museum of the Bible Is Fake, Investigation Reveals

https://www.newsweek.com/entire-dead-sea-scroll-fragment-collection-washington-dc-museum-bible-fake-1492470

"After an exhaustive review of all the imaging and scientific analysis results, it is evident that none of the textual fragments in Museum of the Bible's Dead Sea Scroll collection are authentic," Loll concluded in a report describing the findings of the investigation. "Moreover, each exhibits characteristics that suggest they are deliberate forgeries created in the twentieth century with the intent to mimic authentic Dead Sea Scroll fragments."

New White House Coronavirus Guidelines Tell Older People to Stay Home, All Ages to Avoid Groups of More Than 10

https://time.com/5804402/white-house-coronavirus-guidelines/

President Donald Trump, employing a newly somber tone about the crisis enveloping the globe, urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants. The president for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until “July or August.”

 

The conspiracy theories about the origins of the coronavirus, debunked

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/4/21156607/how-did-the-coronavirus-get-started-china-wuhan-lab

Meanwhile, on Fox News and social media, a dangerous conspiracy theory about the origin of the health crisis won’t die.

There are two main versions of the rumor, and they have one common thread: that the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, originated in a level 4 (the highest biosafety level) research laboratory in Wuhan.

In one version of the rumor, the virus was engineered in the lab by humans as a bioweapon. In another version, the virus was being studied in the lab (after being isolated from animals) and then “escaped” or “leaked” because of poor safety protocol.

 

The U.K.’s Coronavirus ‘Herd Immunity’ Debacle

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-pandemic-herd-immunity-uk-boris-johnson/608065/

There was a time when it seemed possible for the world to contain COVID-19—the disease caused by the new coronavirus. That time is over. What began as an outbreak in China has become a pandemic, and as a growing number of countries struggle to control the virus, talk of “flattening the curve” is increasing. That is, a lot of people are going to get sick, and delaying infections as much as possible is imperative, so that cases occur over a long period of time and health systems aren’t suddenly inundated. Almost every country is trying to achieve this goal through the standard arsenal of public health—testing people and tracing contacts—and through more restrictive measures that include instituting quarantines, closing public spaces, banning mass gatherings, and issuing strong advice about social distancing.

White House advises public to avoid groups of more than 10, asks people to stay away from bars and restaurants

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/politics/white-house-guidelines-coronavirus/index.html

The guidelines -- and specifically the recommendation that people don't gather in groups of more than 10 -- marks a notable escalation from the guidance put out by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday recommending that no gatherings with 50 people or more take place for the next eight weeks to slow the spread of the virus.

Striking a far more somber tone than previous press conferences, Trump acknowledged that the coronavirus is not under control in the US or internationally just one day after saying the virus is "something we have tremendous control of."

Asked by CNN to revisit that statement, Trump claimed he was "not referring to it" -- meaning the virus -- when he talked about the situation being under control.

"When I'm talking about control, I'm saying we are doing a very good job within the confines of what we're dealing with," Trump said, adding that the virus is "not under control for any place in the world."

The President also predicted the coronavirus outbreak could start to subside in July or August of this year, although he conceded that it could continue to be a threat even longer.

 

Trump claims coronavirus is under control -- contradicting reality and his own top expert

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/politics/coronavirus-us-president-donald-trump-fauci-politics/index.html

 America's top infectious diseases expert is warning that hundreds of thousands of Americans could die unless every citizen joins an effort to blunt the coronavirus pandemic -- only to be contradicted by President Donald Trump, who insists the virus is under "tremendous" control.

The fresh sign of Trump's unwillingness to accept the full, sobering reality of the outbreak came as an anxious America knuckles down to its new self-isolating reality. The country is bracing for the full fury of the virus that is already escalating sharply and is set to subject the foundations of basic life — the nation's health care, economic and political systems — to a fateful test.

 

Dr. Siegel warns people not to go to bars and concerts as coronavirus spreads in US

https://www.foxnews.com/media/dr-siegel-bars-concerts-coronavirus-highly-contagious

https://www.foxnews.com/media/dr-siegel-bars-concerts-coronavirus-highly-contagious

Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel said on Monday that it is important to cancel large social gatherings because the coronavirus is classified as “highly contagious.”

“For every person that has it, two or two-and-a-half more people get it,” Siegel told “Fox & Friends.”

“If you’re at a bar drinking with your buddies, which everybody is still doing, unfortunately — it’s a free-for-all. It’s going to spread from one person there who has it to two to three or more people,” Seigel said.

Rep. Nunes: China 'downplayed' the virus

Joe: Trump Was So Ill-Prepared On Airport Screenings | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Disconnect From Scientists, Trump On Coronavirus Continues | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Meet The Press Broadcast (Full) - March 15th, 2020 | Meet The Press | NBC News

Dr. W. Ian Lipkin Breaks Down Coronavirus | Amanpour and Company

Only 48 Percent of Americans Trust Donald Trump to Handle Coronavirus Crisis, Poll Says

https://www.newsweek.com/only-48-percent-americans-trust-donald-trump-handle-coronavirus-crisis-poll-says-1492397

When asked who they carried the most confidence in to handle the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus, respondents put most confidence in their respective state government at 75 percent. Of those answers, 53 percent indicated a 'fair' amount of confidence; 22 percent a 'great deal of confidence'; 15 percent with 'not very much'; and 8 percent with none.

In comparison, those surveyed expressed 62 percent confidence in the federal government's response, while 48 percent were confident in Trump's response. For Trump, 35 percent said they have no confidence in his response to the pandemic; 25 percent said a great deal of confidence; 23 percent a fair amount; and 15 percent no confidence.

For the federal government, 62 percent said they felt a great or fair amount while 36 percent said 'not much' or no confidence in responses from Congress and federal agencies.

Netanyahu meets ultra-Orthodox leaders to persuade them to shutter yeshivas

https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-meets-ultra-orthodox-leaders-to-persuade-them-to-shutter-yeshivas/

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the chief rabbis and other ultra-Orthodox representatives on Sunday evening to convince segments of the Haredi community to shutter their schools, in accordance with Health Ministry directives designed to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Netanyahu last week announced that schools would be closed to stem the outbreak and on Saturday night expanded the order to include daycare centers, special education and boarding schools.

Zohar on marriage

Zohar (Bereishis 49a) AND G-d brought her to the MAN. From this we learn that it is incumbent on the father and mother of the bride to transfer her to the domain of the bridegroom; so we read ‘my daughter I have given to this man’ (Devarim 22:16).After she has been transferred to her husband, he needs to come to her because the house is now her  domain as we see in Bereishis (24;23)”and he came to her”i.e. and he came to Rachel”This is reinforced by the fact that regarding the parents it says “brought” but in reference to the husband it says “he came”. That shows that the husband now needs his wife’s permission. Similarly the verse says:”And he prayed in the place and stayed there for the night Bereishis 28:11) which means he sought permission first. From this we learn that if he wants intercourse with his wife he must persuade and placate her with words first. Otherwise he can not be with her because the relationship needs to be of mutual consent and desire without force. We also see that the Torah states “He stayed there because the sun had set” That means that intercourse is forbidden during the day.It also says “he took of the stones of the place and put it under his head”. From this we learn that even a king who has a bed of gold with expensive covers,if his wife prepares a bed of stone for him he must leave his own bed and sleep on the stone bed which she prepared. As it says “and he lay down in that place” Also see that it says here “and the man said “this time” that shows he spoke to her to coax and attract her to him in a friendly and affectionate manner. Look how tender his words were,”bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh”, to express that they were truly one entity and inherently inseperable. And then he began to sing her praises, “and this one shall be called woman” meaning she surpasses all others and is so perfect as if other woman were like monkeys compared to human beings. Only she is seen as the perfect woman. Every word is inspired by love  this is comparable to the verse in Shir HaShirim(31:29) “Many woman have done great  things but you surpass all of them .”therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh.” All this was to win her affection and attract her to him

'אין פה מקום ללמדנות; צריך לקיים את כל הוראות המדינה'

https://www.kikar.co.il/351250.html


 בדרשה שנשא בפני קהילתו ביקר ה'פוסק' הגרי"מ רובין את המצב הנוכחי בציבור החרדי, כאשר ישנם רבים המתעלמים ממילוי ההוראות שנועדו להילחם בהתפשטות הנגיף, ואף פירט תרחיש אימים

Trump’s Coronavirus Address, Blooper Reel Included | The Daily Show

Democrat DESTROYS Trump in MUST-WATCH speech over botched handling

Peter Thiel Makes a Nakedly Political Play in the New York Times

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/peter-thiel-is-complains-about-google.html

That Thiel makes no mention of the fact that he sits on the board of Facebook as he attacks its biggest competitor seems like a pretty big omission. The Times editors also clearly saw no issue with describing him simply as “an entrepreneur and investor.” Facebook is also heavily invested in developing artificial intelligence (it’s gonna use AI to fix all of society’s problems and build a global utopia lol) and has been trying to crack the Chinese market for years. Read in this light, Thiel’s op-ed feels like an indirect effort to force Google out of China, either through shame or indirectly spurring political intervention. It seems to me that Thiel thinks if Facebook can’t have China, Google can’t either.

Trump: Google should be probed over China treason claim

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49004002

President Trump has said his administration will look into alleged links between Google and China.

It follows a speech given by Peter Thiel in which the billionaire tech investor asked whether Google's senior management considered itself to have been infiltrated by Chinese spies.

Mr Thiel also questioned why Google had made "the seemingly treasonous decision to work with the Chinese military" but not that of the US.

Google has denied such ties.

Trump’s Outrageous Google Lie Proves U.S. Isn’t Prepared for Coronavirus

https://www.ccn.com/trumps-outrageous-google-lie-proves-u-s-isnt-prepared-for-coronavirus/

• Donald Trump blatantly lied about having Google’s assistance on a coronavirus website.
• His travel ban is little more than a facade as it doesn’t actually protect US borders from potentially infected travelers.
• Trump’s inability to put action before his appearance means his coronavirus response is effectively useless.

Donald Trump is trying to keep up with the public’s outcry as the coronavirus continues to spend. Unfortunately, his bumbling incompetence proves just how underprepared the US is for the rising tide of coronavirus cases.

UK Coronavirus Gamble Could Be Best Approach

But is feeding the panic really what we need right now? With closed borders, cancelled flights and school closures you have to wonder whether coronavirus is plunging us into economic turmoil or if we’re bringing it on ourselves.

The UK, for example, is taking a more measured approach. Instead of closing schools and encouraging panic, the nation is calling for its citizens to be responsible but maintain as normal a life as possible. According to the nation’s lawmakers that approach means there will be more resources available to the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

The Moral Dilemma of Coronavirus Quarantines

https://time.com/5800379/coronavirus-quarantine-morality/

The novel coronavirus, of course, ticks both the contagion and scarcity boxes, which is one reason people are behaving badly. And when they do behave badly—like breaking quarantine—there’s a social reason too for the tongue-clucking and finger-wagging that follow. “There is a certain amount of social glory that comes from being the punisher,” says Pinker.

 

Police bid to convince rabbi to close yeshivas as his sect defies virus rules

https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-bid-to-convince-rabbi-to-close-yeshivas-as-his-sect-defies-virus-rules/

While Hasidic and national religious sectors follow Health Ministry restrictions, Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox leadership orders schools to remain open, violating regulations

 

Trump Passes COVID-19 Test, But Is Still Failing the Course

https://time.com/5803363/trump-test-coronavirus/

  But beyond Trump’s public pronouncements, there’s a deeper test of his leadership at work. As he takes credit for his decision to restrict travel from China in late January, which health experts around him have said slowed the progression of the virus to the U.S. and bought time to prepare for its inevitable arrival here, he’s sidestepped blame for any mistakes by his administration. Those include cutting personnel from pandemic preparedness, lack of adequate testing capacity for the COVID-19 outbreak, and a belated turn to mitigating its effects in the U.S., despite years of warnings.

“Yeah, no, I don’t take responsibility at all,” Trump said when asked on Friday if he takes responsibility for the limited number of COVID-19 tests available inside the U.S. He blamed the lag in testing on “rules, regulations, and specifications from a different time” that wasn’t designed for the volume of tests needed to respond to the crisis. Asked later if he took responsibility for the disbanding of the White House office responsible for overseeing the response to pandemics in 2018, Trump said, “I didn’t do it,” adding, “I don’t know anything about it.”

ברי הבד"ץ התכנסו במעונו של הראב"ד מרן פוסק הדור הגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א לדיון חירום בנושא הקרונה, ההחלטה: לקיים את הלימודים בכיתות מצומצמות

חברי בד"ץ העדה החרדית התכנסו הבוקר במעונו של הראב"ד מרן פוסק הדור הגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א לדיון חירום בעקבות התקנות החדשות של משרד הבריאות בעניין ההתגוננות מנגיף הקרונה ה"י.

במהלך הדיון התקבל מכתב מפרופ' סיגל סדצקי ראש שירותי בריאות הציבור מטעם משרד הבריאות - לרבני העדה החרדית, שהסביר את נחיצות הפעולות שיש לנקוט לצמצום התפשטות המחלה.

בד בבד דנו הרבנים על חשיבות לימוד התורה שבכוחה וסגולתה לשמש כהגנה מפני התפשטות נגיף הקרונה, ועמדו על כך שבלתי ניתן לבטל את מוסדות לימוד התורה כשם שבלתי ניתן לבטל את מפעלי וחנויות המזון והאוכל.

לאחר דיון מעמיק שנערך במשך מספר שעות הוחלט על ידי הרבנים לפעול להגברת ההיגיינה בכיתות הלימוד, ולצמצום הכיתות ולחלוקתם כפי האפשר, תוך כדי ביטול התפילה המשותפת והאוכל המשותף והמשחקים המשותפים לכלל התלמידים, ושימת דגש על השארת רק לימוד הקודש תוך כדי צמצום כמות התלמידים בכיתות ככל הניתן.

מרן פוסק הדור הגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א הזכיר בדבריו את אשר נהגו בשנות השואה בישיבתו ובקהילתו בלונדון, כאשר המשיכו ללמוד תורה יומם ולילה למרות ההפגזות הקשות ולמרות ההרוגים שהיו מידי יום ביומו, וסיפר מה ששמע מפי הגה"צ רבי מרדכי פגרמנסקי זצ"ל שבגטו קובנה בכל יום השליכו למוות עשרים אלף ילדים, וכל הנשארים ישבו ולמדו מידי יום ביומו.

בסיום הדיון מינו חברי הבד"ץ וועד עסקנים שיעמדו בקשר מול המוסדות לפקח על קיום הוראות הבד"ץ בנושא ההגיינה, וכן ביקשו לעמוד בקשר מול ראשי הרשויות והשלטונות להביא בפניהם את עמדת העדה החרדית ולנסות להגיע להסדר חוקי.

כמו כן החליטו הבד"ץ להוסיף בכל יום לאחר התפילה את סדר אמירת "אבינו מלכנו" עד יעבור זעם.

בסיום הדיון התפללו הדיינים תפילת מנחה במעונו של הראב"ד מרן פוסק הדור הגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א, כשבסיום התפילה העתירו לביטול רוע הגזירה ולצמצום התפשטות הנגיף.

במכתבם כתבו הרבנים הגאונים חברי הבד"ץ תחת הכותרת "לך עמי בוא בחדרי תורה": "הביד"צ שמעו היום במושב מיוחד על המצב בהתפשטות המכה בארה"ק ובעולם כולו, והצעדים שעומדים להפעיל ושמעו על המנהג בעוד ארצות, ולדעת רבים צריכים להחמיר כי חמירא סכנתא, וכבר שבנו זה פעמיים בקו"ק על חובת התפלה וכו', ומן השמים מעוררים אותנו לחזור בתשובה ולא נבראו אלא לפשט עקמימיות שבלב.

"ועתה באנו ע"ד בתי התלמוד תורה לתשב"ר מעיקר הדין לא נבטל חלילה תורה מתשב"ר עליהם עומד העולם, וצריכים להמשיך בלימוד התורה, ומדור דור גם במצבי סכנה לא סגרו ת"ת, כי היא מגינה ומצלת, והיא מבטחינו האמיתי בבוכ"ע, ובסגירתם הסכנה יותר חלילה.

"רק תלמידים שיש בביתם חולה או מי שחש באחד מהסימנים או חום וכו', לא יצא מביתו לת"ת. ושאר התלמידים יבואו לסדר לימודים (או לסדר להם מקום וסדר מיוחד), והמלמדים והמנהלים שיחיו ידאגו לצמצם את הכתות ולהפריד בין הכתות בכל מה דאפשר ללימודי קודש, וכמובן שיש להקפיד ביותר על הוראות הנקיות והשמירה עליהם בכל החומר ולא להקל בזה.

"כמובן שישיבות לא יסגרו ח"ו את שעריהם, אלא יצמצמו את השהות במקום אחד ככל הניתן, ויקבעו סדר לימודים באופן שימשיכו סדרי הלימודים,  ותורה מגינה ומצלי.

"והעיקר בימים אלו בהם להתחזק באמונה ובטחון בהשי"ת, ולהוסיף גדרי צניעות וקדושה, ולהרבות בתפלה ותחנונים, ונוסף על קפי' התהילים שקבענו, וסדר קטורת ומאה ברכות שכבר הודענו עליהם, יוסיפו בכל יום תפלת אבינו מלכינו על סדר התפלה ובמיוחד בבתי הת"ת והישיבות הק'.

"ומן השמים ירחמו עלינו להסיר כל נגע ומחלה, ובין גאולה לגאולה נוושע בתשועת עולמים בעגלא ובזמן קריב בב"א.

"הכו"ח הביד"צ דפעיה"ק ת"ו, יום י"ט אדר תש"פ לפ"ק יומ"ד מרן הגרי"ח זאנענפעלד זיע"א

'Wwhy dont we say who has not made me an animal?

חשוקי חמד נדרים דף סב עמוד א
למה אין מברכין בבוקר 'שלא עשני בהמה'
שאלה יש גם להסתפק, כמו שאנו מברכים בכל בוקר שלש ברכות שלא עשני גוי עבד ואשה, למה לא נברך גם 'שלא עשני בהמה'.

תשובה בלקט יושר (הלכות הנהגות הבוקר עמוד 7) כתב, שבעל התרומת הדשן אמר שאשה מברכת במקום שלא עשני אשה, שלא עשני בהמה, אבל שמעתי מאשה שאומרת במקום שלא עשני אשה, שעשני כרצונו, וכן מצאתי באו"ח בסימן מ"ו וז"ל: ונהוג הנשים לברך שעשני כרצונו וכו', וכמדומה לי שלא הודה לה הגאון זצ"ל, כי אמו של הגאון זצ"ל הקדושה בגזרת אושטריך הי"ד, היתה אומרת שלא עשני בהמה, זכורני מצאתי בספר אחד (ריקאנטי שמות כב יז) וז"ל: ושמא כי בזה נחלקו רבותינו ז"ל במנחות (דף מג ע"ב) אם יש לברך שלא עשני בהמה ודו"קו.

ההחלטה למחר בלבד: תלמודי התורה והישיבות ילמדו רגיל

 https://www.kikar.co.il/351117.html

למרות שגורמי המקצוע הורו באופן ברור על השבתת כל מערכות החינוך הארציות, כולל החינוך המיוחד, במטרה לעצור את התפשטות הנגיף - מרן הגר"ח הכריע כי הלימודים יתקיימו כרגיל

New Israeli app to notify users of potential coronavirus exposure

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/New-Israeli-app-to-notify-users-of-potential-coronavirus-exposure-620991

A new app developed in Israel in partnership with United Hatzalah will alert users if they have been in proximity with a confirmed coronavirus patient.

The app, called Track Virus, works by tracking the user's location since it was downloaded, crosschecking their path with those of confirmed coronavirus cases through the use of data listed by the Health Ministry. Users will receive a notification should they have been near a case.

https://www.facebook.com/TrackVirus/