COVID-19: Also noted

Even if the view that the dangers may have been exaggerated due to a lack of accurate data turns out to be correct, Trump’s entire approach to governing and the administration’s erratic response squandered public confidence and made a more measured reaction untenable. Despite his denials, he is still responsible for where the country is today.
But that’s not the only damage the United States will suffer. Far from making “America great again,” this epic policy failure will further tarnish the United States’ reputation as a country that knows how to do things effectively.

The Hard Choices CPVID Policymakers Face (Economist)
Epidemiological models are among their only guides

Fox News Moguls Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch Stockpile Attorneys Against Coronavirus Lawsuits(Lachlan Cartwright, Daily Beast)
After one non-profit org sued the network for pushing coronavirus misinformation, the network is readying to go to war against more such lawsuits.

With Millions Stuck at Home, the Online Wellness Industry Is Booming (Economist)
Fitness, cooking and meditation can all be taught remotely

The Next Shortage That Could Kneecap Our Medical System (Olivia Messer, Daily Beast)
On Tuesday, Pranish Kantesaria drove to three pharmacies in Austin, Texas, before he was able to find hydrocortisone, a generic medicine his infant daughter could die without.

Along with Americans struggling to obtain hand sanitizer and frontline medical professionals desperate for masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE), a new supply issue has become inescapable as the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the United States: life-saving drugs.

“I know that we will run out of essential drugs in the coming months,” one frontline doctor said.

America’s Emergency Medical Stockpile Is Almost Empty. Nobody Knows What Happens Next. (Adam Clark Estes, Vox)
The Trump administration apparently wants states to take care of themselves before bugging the federal government.

Competition among State, Local Governments Creates Bidding War for Medical Equipment (ABC News)
Gov. Cuomo has called for the creation of a ‘nationwide buying consortium.’

Another Thing to Fear Out There: Coronavirus Scammers (Sharon LaFraniere and Chris Hamby, New York Times)
The authorities say there has been a surge in fraud and cons seeking to capitalize on fears of the virus.

It’s Not Easy to Get a Coronavirus Test in the U.K., So Britons Are Turning to Mail-order Kits (Nick Paton Walsh, Mick Krever, and Jo Shelley, CNN)
People in the UK are turning to mail-order coronavirus tests as the government scrambles to offer mass public testing and get a hold on the virus’ spread across the country.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, recently returning to public life after testing positive for coronavirus, announced Thursday the UK would aim to test 100,000 Britons a day by the end of April. Critics of the government’s stark U-turn on testing suggest it may have been spurred by about 8% of National Health Service (NHS) staff being off work because of Covid-19-related issues.