Friday, March 20, 2020

Coronavirus: Texas, Vaccines and Scams


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  • In Texas, Governor Greg Abbot has ordered all restaurants, gyms, schools, and other places of public gatherings where there are more than 10 people to close their doors. Restaurants are allowed to do carry-out and drive-thru, but their dining rooms are off limits to the public, starting at midnight tonight.

  • The IRS is deferring tax payment due dates and associated tax penalties for 90 days for individuals and small businesses due to the Coronavirus crisis.

  • Price Gouging in Texas: 1-800-621-0508

  • Texas is up to 352 confirmed cases of Coronovirus (up from this morning's 307). Only 5 deaths reported, with 4 recovered.

  • University Hospitals has secured two clinical trials that will provide the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir to hospitalized adults with a pneumonia due to the novel coronavirus. One trial will focus on COVID-19 patients with moderate illness. The second will focus on patients with more severe illness who may require care in the intensive care unit (ICU).

    "This is some promising news in the midst of this COVID-19 situation," said Daniel Simon, MD, Chief Clinical & Scientific Officer and President, UH Cleveland Medical. "Our UH research team has worked closely with the manufacturer, Gilead, in recent days to secure the studies. We are grateful to be one of the first sites in the U.S. to participate in these clinical trials. Both trials are now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and our Institutional Review Board, and we are expecting shipment of the experimental drug remdesivir in the next couple of days."

  • They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Many people, groups and organizations are shifting to remote operations during this crisis. As a result, many businesses are learning and growing online. Even schools and colleges and adapting to the "new norm" in the face of this crisis. The Ponder predicts that, soon, there will be nothing you can't do online. For those who have no internet access and refuse to learn, it is going to be harder to adapt. Our elderly are going to be the most effected and confused by this change.