Don’t worry everybody, Mike Pence is now America’s Coronavirus Czar

United States President Donald J. Trump Holds Press Conference on Coronavirus

Uh, does the Coronavirus turn your skin a gross shade of orange-poop-brown? Because I think Donny J. Smallhands might be a corona-carrier. These are photos from last night’s White House briefing on the Coronavirus, which has already come to America, like everyone knew it would. There’s so much information and misinformation about Corona and clearly, I don’t know what to say about it because I am quite worried too. I feel like it’s just a particularly deadly flu with a longer incubation period which is even more contagious. That’s how I’ve started to think about it.

I feel like if Smallhands described it that way, perhaps he might even calm down the hysteria. But he didn’t. He made broad denials about how Corona wouldn’t do anything and in any case, America is completely prepared and to show how prepared we are, he put Mike Pence in charge as the Coronavirus Czar. None of this makes me feel better.

Did you know that when Pence was governor of Indiana, he enabled one of the worst HIV outbreaks in the state’s history when he slashed all of the HIV-prevention funding from the state’s budget? That’s probably what he’ll do as Coronavirus Czar too – slash funding for treatment and hospitals and encourage people to pray away the Coronavirus. Oh God.

United States President Donald J. Trump Holds Press Conference on Coronavirus

United States President Donald J. Trump Holds Press Conference on Coronavirus

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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164 Responses to “Don’t worry everybody, Mike Pence is now America’s Coronavirus Czar”

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  1. FHMom says:

    At least Mike knows how to address the press. Trump’s speech was a rambling mess as usual.

    • Annaloo says:

      This is one thing that I am GLAD Bloomberg did during that debate was to CALL OUT how this administration CUT funding to the CDC and the NIH. Trump had to answer bc he knew this was true. This is a kitchen table issue and we have no idea how many Americans will be affected.

      This hope this finally pulls the wool from Trump supporters’ eyes how much of a fraud and phony he is!! We are in such big trouble right now bc of the incompetence of this administration. I truly and totally am worried for the well being of us!

      • powdered says:

        I say THIS regarding *rump supporters each ~new~ crisis yet it doesn’t happen. Then a more serious crisis comes along…repeat cycle. Do they believe only *rump? Do they live uninformed lives? Do these supporters not care to investigate for themselves? Are they brainwashed by listening to repeated phrases from *rump?
        I would love for a university, doctors, scientists, specialists to do an in-depth study on *rump supporters’ loyalty. Maybe then we could know why it is blind.

    • Diane says:

      Ask the people of Indiana how Mike Pence handled the HIV crisis. I’d start to worry if I were you.

  2. Lightpurple says:

    I loved how Big Pharma Azar grabbed the mike to insist that he’s the one running things. He and Pence can mud wrestle over who is the most incompetent. Meanwhile, they all knew full well that a new case in California had just been diagnosed that had no connection to any known contact. The virus is here. As viruses do, it has gone viral. Here in Massachusetts, 600 people are being monitored because they had contact. But hey, we have a partial Fence of Hate to save us, right?

    • whatWHAT? says:

      the ONLY reason 45 put Pence in charge is so that, when this goes to sh*t (and we all know it will), he can blame someone else for the country being in quarantine, the markets falling, and businesses and cities at a standstill.

      add to the admin’s incompetence in all things, so many people in the country don’t have health insurance, so they won’t go to the doctor if they feel sick. they’ll wait until they can’t walk and then have to go to the ER. meanwhile, they’ll infect everyone they come into contact with. and then there are the folks who CAN’T take time off (food service, etc) when they’re sick, will go to work when they’re just starting to feel bad (thinking “eh, it’s just a cold”) and infect a bunch of people.

      enjoy that Chipotle.

      I swear we are so F*CKED.

      • Ash says:

        Absolutely this, especially the first paragraph. There’s some speculation that this announcement is the first step towards having a new running mate at the next election now that the Evangelicals are already all in. VP Stephen Miller or VP Ivanka, take your pick.

      • Lightpurple says:

        We truly are. Meanwhile, Nikki Haley probably sees this as her great opportunity.

        And Mexico might finally pay for that wall after all, to keep us out.

      • Mac says:

        Trump is deeply paranoid about the federal bureaucracy so he is not going to put a civil servant in charge. No appointee with an ounce of intelligence would agree to the role, which leaves Pence. If he gets the job done, great, if he doesn’t, it’s a big opportunity for Ivanka. It’s a win-win for Trump.

      • TeamMeg says:

        That’s what I was thinking, too. I think Pence looked kinda scared at the press conference, maybe for this reason. Like, this could be the beginning of the end for him!

      • 10KTurtle says:

        @lightpurple- Nikki Haley would be a mild relief in my nightmare scenarios of Donald replacing Pence with Ivanka, getting re-elected, and then stepping down for medical reasons and leaving us with President Princess Nagini.

      • Sean says:

        Has anyone else noticed for Trump’s 2020 campaign ads, Pence’s name is nowhere to be found? It’s been long rumored he’d be replacing Pence with another running mate (Ivanka). This will be a shitshow no matter what so by making Pence the fall guy, Trump can now “justify” replacing him. Paving the way for a future Jared/Ivanka reign.

      • Bettyrose says:

        Nothing says strong leadership like appointing a scapegoat before addressing a major problem.

      • Tina says:

        This is the chance to make Mike Pence the fall guy and get Ivanka in as VP

      • Megan2 says:

        Do they give tours of the White House to anyone who is interested? Like, is a touristy sort of place where you can show up at certain times to be escorted around the premises?

        If I lived in America, I would hope to catch a mild case of this. I would take that effing tour and touch every single thing that was touchable. I would breathe through my mouth. I would hope and cross my fingers that it would spread throughout this malignant administration and I would absolutely delight in seeing the Orange Menace brought low, even if I was dying from it myself. Such is the level of my absolute horror and hate (yes, literal hate) of that terribly ignorant POS and all of his little sycophantic hangers on.

        I feel like I need to cuddle a puppy after saying all that; felt like lancing a boil. I will allow you all to carry on with your (hopefully) infection free days now.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Nikki Haley is a smart woman who uses her power for very bad things. Having her in a position of power is NOT a good thing. I think she would be worse than Pence or Ivanka, because she would be more effective in policy making and propaganda. She’s a very effective messenger for bad ideas.

    • (The OG) Jan90067 says:

      I just read a news story that said a So, Korean flight attendant brought it I to Israel, then here, in LA. The flight from Seoul had Korean pilgrims going to Israel, through Ben Gurion airport, then onto LAX, and back to So. Korea, where she was put in quarantine. They don’t know how many from that original flight, and subsequent flights, may be incubating, and spreading the virus.

      I’ve finally found some of the n95 masks and ordered some for my 92 year old dad to wear when we have to go out to doctors visits.

      It really is the movie Contagion, as well as that Dean Koontz book, from 1981, Eye of Darkness, that had a plot of a virus IN 2020!!! Spreading from WUHAN CHINA!! Seriously!! I tweeted copies of the pages from that book, with those lines underlined.

      This is beyond scary. We’re into The Twilight Zone now.

      • Thea says:

        You have to have the n95 & 99 professionally fitted for it to actually work.

      • olala says:

        Wow that is crazy! Need to google it.
        But scary times indeed. I stockpiled food so well prepared as we in Europe already fuck…d. just need to stop watching/reading news. So depressed today.Syria breaks my heart, then virus,and then you hear about idiots clowns in power and finito no will to live

  3. Swack says:

    Hopefully the CDC and others who are knowledgeable about the Coronavirus keeps putting the word out about what is truly going on. We all know how Trump doesn’t like the truth when it makes him look bad.

    • Esmom says:

      I don’t know. As Lightpurple mentioned above, a UC hospital tried to raise a red flag about a possible infection (which turned out to be correct) but the CDC pushed back and didn’t initially approve testing the patient. I feel like the order is essentially if you don’t test for it, you can minimize it, the old head in the sand approach. I’m sickened.

      • Sportlady20 says:

        I work for a health system in Oregon, I’m in billing but I receive all the updates. We are being instructed by the cdc Not to test anyone without their permission & they have to meet certain standards of exposure. I know I’m not supposed to say this but it’s starting to terrify me. I know there is a shortage in tests and not a complete grasp on how it transfers and how long it lives on surfaces.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Very much similar to China’s initial handling of the virus.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Sportlady, that is incredibly terrifying.

        The easy transmission of this virus is what makes it so dangerous. If 50% of the population gets it (150 million people) and only 2% die, that is still 3 million people that will die.

      • TestingMe says:

        Labs cannot be producing results for tests that have not been properly validated. With this new coronavirus assay (aka test) CDC is trying to ensure that the labs that are running the tests are doing so properly. The last thing anyone needs are labs who haven’t take the proper measures to ensure quality testing producing false results i.e. false positives (aka someone is actually negative but tests positive) or a false negative (aka someone is really positive but tests negative). Given the already known issues with the assay, it’s about taking proper measures.

    • Mac says:

      One of the dangers is that symptoms can be mild for otherwise healthy people and they won’t know they have the virus, much less self quarantine. A massive, multi-lingual public education campaign is needed and I’m pretty sure we aren’t going to get it because Trump thinks it will hurt his re-election bid.

      • whatWHAT? says:

        “A massive, multi-lingual public education campaign is needed and I’m pretty sure we aren’t going to get it because Trump thinks it will hurt his re-election bid.”

        which is a major miscalculation by him. if he ACTED like a leader and did what you suggested above, people might be MORE inclined to vote for him.

        if this admin fumbles, like you know they will, and entire cities are quarantined (which they might be, as other countries have done), and businesses are shuttered, and people are filling hospitals and people can’t conduct business-as-usual, that’s MORE likely to hurt his re-election bid.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “we aren’t going to get it because Trump thinks it will hurt his re-election bid.”

        I hate that his priorities are 1st and foremost selfish and political. Even in the most dire circumstances, he can’t put his ego aside and do the BARE MINIMUM.

  4. Chrissy says:

    Didn’t Pence as Govenor, purposely mishandle an HIV epidemic in Indiana simply because he saw AIDS as being part of God’s divine plan to purge those sinners,or some such BS? Do you feel safer now America?

    • Lightpurple says:

      And also because Planned Parenthood was involved in providing access to testing and treatment. He didn’t want Planned Parenthood to get any money because, you know, women’s bodies.

    • Arpeggi says:

      Yeah, Pence is only good at creating epidemics, not containing them.

      Also, good luck trying to find a cure or vaccine without using any byproduct of aborted fetuses since US scientists aren’t allowed to use those for fear of losing fundings now…

      • Snappyfish says:

        Evil comment coming. Whatever Religious horrors of Hell that Pence believes in I hope visit him 10 fold. He is a horrible horrible person. While I believe he has been placed in this position as a fall guy I worry about people who become sick & need real help. Oh wait, IMPOTUS & Larry Kudlow said it’s “locked down” how silly of me to worry!

        Stay safe everyone! Wash your hands

      • Mac says:

        A vaccine has already been produced but testing takes about a year.

      • Giddy says:

        I’ll sit beside you as I wish all demons upon Pence and his science denier buddies. Meanwhile I’ll be washing my hands until they are raw, but it sure would be nice if we had an actual fact based government response.

      • (The OG) Jano0067 says:

        Is there more room on that couch? I’m right there with you guys.

      • EveV says:

        @Arpeggi
        Wow, I had no idea about the ban on using aborted fetuses for science! Just when I think this administration can’t sink any lower while using “religion” as a cover, they prove me wrong. This makes me sick.

    • Angela82 says:

      I am sure he still falsely believe its a gay disease. I hate what America has become.

  5. Ariel says:

    What won’t a combination of racism, Christian bigotry, and prayer accomplish? Oh, nothing, huh.

  6. KellyRyan says:

    Is mother his primary advisor? I’m amused at Drumpf and his backtracking due to saying he’d have a cure within a month. Subsequently the Dow collapses.

    • whatWHAT? says:

      oh, he says the craziness of the dem debates is what’s pushing the market down.

      has to find SOME way to blame them and absolve himself to his base.

    • Ponchorella says:

      Trump has Kudlow out telling the rubes to “buy the dips” in the market as it continues to free fall.

  7. Who ARE These People says:

    It was that or Jarod, and he needed the less scientifically minded of the unqualified dopes.

  8. Guest2.0 says:

    Why, oh why, did these f$#king morons have to be on watch when something as serious as a potential major pandemic is upon us. This is no game and has to be treated seriously. The CDC and Public Health Service (you know, the real professionals who have scientific and medical knowledge) need to be the ones running things. If there is any mercy, then the coronavirus should sweep through the White House and do us all a favor.

    • Lightpurple says:

      The CDC has been decimated by Trump. 700 top positions are vacant. He eliminated almost three dozen pandemic units. The CDC is struggling to keep on top of this.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        The horrific irresponsibility is almost too much to believe. And yet, people STILL support him!

    • fluffy says:

      I sent this text to a relative yesterday thinking she may wish to cosign:

      Dear Pathogens,

      There is someone who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, USA who thinks he is better than you.

      Your friend,
      Fluffy

    • lucy2 says:

      Everyone kept saying God help us when something serious happens, and here we go. We saw how this administration did nothing to help Puerto Rico, and now they will bungle this.

  9. Nic919 says:

    Dump is an idiot and nothing he says will reassure anyone. One of the big concerns though is the lack of universal health care in the US. Right now they have been relying on self reporting to track where the cases are. Because so many either don’t have health care plans in the US or they are bad ones, there will be many who don’t bother going to a doctor or the ER to confirm if it is his virus or not. That’s a huge problem.

  10. Izzy says:

    This is a guy who once saw a piece of sterile space equipment with a sign that said it was sterile and do not touch it,,, and proceeded to caress it like it was Mother. So he’s definitely gonna science the shiznit outta this problem, amirite?

    • Esmom says:

      I know, right? Pence is useless in any capacity. Just when I think Trump’s reign can’t be any worse, we drop further into the gutter. Every single day.

    • Liz version 700 says:

      That assessment is accurate to be sure. Now I have the image of Pence caressing stuff in my head. I don’t have bleach at work I wonder if I could Lysol my eyes.

      • Lightpurple says:

        MAGATs are all over Twitter this morning saying Lysol will kill the virus so we don’t need to do anything else. Spare your eyes and maybe Pence will drink it or bathe in it and we’ll all be saved from him.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      “and proceeded to caress it like it was Mother.”

      LMAO!! Thank you so much for making me smile during these bleak times. It is seriously appreciated!

  11. Polyanna says:

    Anyone else on the verge of self-isolating? I have a child in kindergarten and a toddler. The US is literally just not testing! And we have seen in Italy and Iran that once there’s a death, they start testing and find hundreds of active cases already in the population.

    I sent my kid to school this morning but I’m very nervous, what with the monitored cases in Long Island (I’m near Philly). If this virus is active in NYC, it’s everywhere. Let me know, who else feels that at any minute we will finally start testing and come to find out it’s already totally spread among our population? I have stocked up my house for an isolation period and I’m calmly suggesting to loved ones that they do the same. I don’t want to be out in a panic, in the stores, getting food for my little ones in crazy conditions.

    And yes I do remember Pence’s inhuman, bigoted handling of HIV in his home state. It’s one of the reasons I was so appalled that he was Trump’s running mate (that, and his proposed bill to JAIL individuals who apply for a same-sex marriage license). This is like a dystopian pulp fiction novel at this point.

    • Arpeggi says:

      I’ll say it again: I’m a virologist and I’m not worried at all. While it’s important to to monitor the situation and I’m happy not to be at the WHO or CDC right now, there’s no reason to go full survivalist mode. Part of the reasons why there aren’t mass-screening is that it would increase unneeded hysteria: I haven’t checked how accurate the test is right now, but false positives and false negatives happen, the more you unnessarily screen people, the more of those you’ll have. It’s costly, it takes time away from doing more impactful work and in all likelihood it’s not useful.
      If you start testing massively and notice that the virus has spread in the population already, then so what? It means it has spread but that most were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms they didn’t even notice, just like it’s the case for so many other respiratory infections. Screen those showing up with symptoms at the hospital, isolate them because they are a threat to the other sick ppl there, test their relatives and maybe ask for self-quarantine in those cases to reduce spread, but let’s try to stay rational here.

      • Mary says:

        @arpeggi, “so what” if it has spread? Are you for real? Having myself been caught up in a small community outbreak of a nasty respiratory virus (ad b7) and almost dying (pneumonia into sepsis) a few years ago I find your dismissal of the other poster’s legitimate concerns arrogant and possibly dangerous. Until we know more about the virus, being cautious does not mean hysteria. At the very least, people should now be told about how to best protect ourselves. I for one do not want to be naysayed into an early death.

      • lucy2 says:

        But being cautious for most people means washing your hands, trying to avoid touching your face, being well prepared, avoiding ill people, and staying home if you ARE sick, not going into lockdown right now.

      • Agirlandherdog says:

        Thanks Arpeggi. I feel like what the press (or the government) is not stressing enough is that the people who are dying from this are people who are already AT RISK. They’re older or otherwise have some underlying condition that makes it more difficult for their bodies to fight off the virus.

        And Mary, people are being told how to best protect themselves. Wash your hands. Often. If you can’t wash your hands, use hand sanitizer. Disinfect surfaces. Teach kids (and adults) to cough and sneeze into their elbows, so they’re not spraying particulates all over their hands or into the ether. Without a vaccine, the only way to protect yourself is just to use common sense, just like with any flu outbreak.

      • Mary says:

        @lucy2, I objected, in good part, to the dismissal of @Pollyanna’s concerns. Further, it appears as though it is impossible to just “avoid” Ill people, given the lengthy incubation period and the now apparent ability of transmission when the virus carrier is asymptomatic or is only mildly Ill.

        Immune compromised individuals and the parents of young children need to be vigilant. It may sound over the top to you but if I had a child in kindergarten, with a toddler at home, and the coronavirus came to my town, I would pull the child out of school.

      • Mich says:

        How very condescending. It is okay for people to be worried. And it is okay for people to channel that worry into preparing for the worst (while hoping it doesn’t happen).

      • Arpeggi says:

        @Mary, thinking about pulling your kids out of school because there’s a recorded case in a nearby state and starting to pile up canned goods is past being simply cautious. People have been told about how to protect themselves: wash your hands multiple times a day, after touching surfaces, as soon as you get home, try to not touch your face too often, remove yourself from public spaces if you start feeling feverish and go to the clinic if you have harsher symptoms.

        I know my answer sounds cold but infectious diseases have always been around and some people will get really sick and die from them, that’s just the reality of life. It sucks when you are that person or when it’s a loved one (dad died from AIDS, mom’s uncle survived polio and had to deal with post-polio symptoms all his life: I know very well how much it sucks when it happens to you, it’s part of why I chose my career), but infectious diseases are here to stay because they have never left. covid-19 is less deadly than MERS, it’s less contagious than measles, most people will suffer mild symptoms and be asymptomatic and there are somewhat simple and cheap ways to limit its propagation even though it’ll very likely become a pandemic. I’m extremely worried of the effects it could have in poorer regions of the world that are already constantly stricken by diseases: those living there don’t need yet another health problem to have to deal with, they don’t need further impoverishment as a result; what we will have to go through in Western countries will be nothing in comparison.

      • Samanthalous says:

        Appreciate you went to become a virologist, but people have a right to worry. THere not enough isolation chambers for the mass of people that will be infected. Our first responders need protection as if our doctors and nurses go down what then? Our elderly populations, those with immunity issues? The fact that emergency food prep kits are selling out even at Costco. While I hope everyone

      • Leah says:

        Anonymous person on the internet claims to be a virologist and says not to worry.
        What you are doing is very dangerous and it’s worse than the people who were claiming this virus is like the flu and will be gone by April because that’s what the flu does. Many of these accounts have political motives behind their posts and the trolls are working hard to act nonchalant about it because of the impact on the world markets and the upcoming election. Just yesterday I saw a political hack accusing the dems of using the virus to destroy Trump. Yes it has gotten that bad.

        Sorry, but I’d rather listen to the CDC. I know that they are legit and they don’t hide behind an internet handle.

      • Mary says:

        @arpeggi, I said that I would pull my child out of school if the coronavirus came to my TOWN (not a neighboring state). You do realise that children and the elderly , as well as immune compromised people, need to take extra care, right? You do see that seemingly well people can spread the virus, right? You do understand that a lot of people go to work when sick, right?

        You may be all about statistics but they are no comfort to the loved ones of those that have died and will die.

      • emmy says:

        Thank you. It’s okay so be slightly worried but people are going nuts and honestly, I can’t even blame them. The media is treating this like the movie Outbreak. Every fall I get the flu shot and people dismiss me. Those same people are now panicking. There’s no rhyme or reason to the reactions to this but again, looking at the media (worldwide), it’s no surprise.

      • lucy2 says:

        Mary, I misunderstood your post and thought you were about to pull your kids from school and isolate NOW.

      • Arpeggi says:

        The irony Leah is that I’m saying pretty much the same as the CDC: use normal hygiene practices, no need to prep for doomsday, or purchase special expensive gizmos to protect you, be cautious, even more so if you are immunosuppressed but there are absolutely no reasons to start self-quarantining as prophylaxis.

        Yes, masks are selling out, so are emergency kits because panic sells and snake oil vendors smell a market. We got an email from our head of the animal facilities saying to be mindful of our usage of N95 masks as we are running out of them, whatever stock can be found is sent in priority to hospitals just in case. I’m fine with that, medical workers should be the priority as they are the ones who’ll have to deal with body secretions from actual sick people. I’ll be angry however to hear that part of the shortage in hospitals is due to individuals buying those masks for themselves as they are pretty useless without a proper fit test: this won’t help anyone. I’m also angry when I see lies such as that covid-19 was human engineered being repeated (including on this site): spreading fake news is dangerous (also, scientists don’t have time to create monster viruses: why would we do that? Malaria, measles, dengue, influenza already exist). I don’t really care about my credentials being questioned online though. I get why it’s scary: few of us actually have had to live through epidemics before, it wasn’t well managed at the beginning and Trump is POTUS but ultimately it’s seems like most of the damages will be financial.

      • Lizzie says:

        If they are not testing they will never accurately determine the mortality rate.

      • Erinn says:

        I mean, influenza kills a f-ck ton of people. If you don’t start doing emergency prep work for that, I don’t see why this would be different. Literally babies have been born with it, and they didn’t get treatment for it and made it through.

        And I say this as someone has autoimmune issues… I’m not worried. Wash your hands, sanitize stuff, be extra cautious… but that’s the extent of my effort for the time being.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “influenza kills a f-ck ton of people. If you don’t start doing emergency prep work for that, I don’t see why this would be different.”

        Influenza has a mortality rate of 0.1%. This has a mortality rate of 2.3%, which is many times greater. If 1/2 the population gets it, which could happen because of its easy transmission, that means that 3 million people will die. Not like the black plague, but like the Spanish Flu of 1918. Unlike the plague, 1/3 of people didn’t die….but most knew someone who died. That is very serious stuff.

        This is not the flu.

      • emmy says:

        Nobody knows this virus’ mortality rate yet. Please stop spreading half-truths, that’s just irresponsible.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Emmy, I’ve read articles and listened to an expert on pandemics this morning. He did discuss the current known mortality rate, which is still in the early stages. It’s incorrect to say there’s not a mortality rate. I’ll take the experts take over yours, thanks.

      • emmy says:

        I said “yet”. Why do people read so selectively? You made it sound like it’s the final rate. It’s just not. So yes, you were stating half-truths.

    • Samanthalous says:

      There are already cases I have been watching the Johns Hopkins dashboard, but there is just the “self isolation” cases 800 which is bs. Our resources are stretched so thin that I don’t believe people to be so responsible and keep to themselves for 14days.

    • Cate says:

      For the moment, no, I am not self-isolating. I’m not in an “at risk” population (elderly, respiratory problems, etc). I AM being extra vigilant about washing hands with warm water and plenty of soap, sneezing into my elbow, not touching my face, etc, and have been stressing the importance of hand-washing to my son more than usual also. We’ll probably be avoiding any large gatherings but I’m not disrupting my normal daily routine yet.

      I’ll admit I have also stocked up on some of our basic non-perishable/slow-perishable supplies just in case things ramp up and self-isolating does become the recommended practice. We live in earthquake country so keep a pretty well-stocked emergency kit on hand anyway.

  12. TheOtherSarah says:

    I feel like this potential heath crisis is going one of these moments, like the Puerto Rico crisis, when both the depth of Trump’s incompetence and the real scale of his decimating federal agencies is going to be revealed to the American public.
    He lied about the number of deaths in Puerto Rico, he modified a US map to lie about the trajectory of a hurricane. What will it be this time around?

    • Liz version 700 says:

      We will see people sick and suffering and he will deny it is even here because buy stocks people.

      • grabbyhands says:

        I would agree except that the country has already seen the width and breadth of his incompetence multiple times and zero has changed.

        Honestly, a lot of his supporters already believe that this is a deep state created illness in order to drive up drug prices for profit. I’m sure somewhere in there is a conspiracy that Obama created it to wipe out white people. Literally nothing will affect their loyalty to him.

        The problem with having everyone jerking you off on a daily basis is now he almost really believes what he he is saying – like, if you just wave your flag and bible around enough, the virus wouldn’t dare take hold here. Stupid human arrogance and jingoism. But I say almost because I’m pretty sure the only reason he chose Pence is A. He needs a fall guy and B. No one else wanted to be THAT much of a fall guy

    • FHMom says:

      This will be Trumps Katrina

      • Arpeggi says:

        Aside from being called racist by Kanye, Katrina didn’t affect GWB’s presidency very much, it was business and war as usual… So I hope that the American ppl react differently this time. Though you shouldn’t have to wait for a pandemic to realize those crooks are incompetent

    • Louisa says:

      If it doesn’t affect him or his family then it doesn’t exist. Won’t matter how many people are sick / dying, he will keep denying there is any problem.

      • Arpeggi says:

        Trump dumped his mentor/father figure/consigliere Roy Cohn (aka McCarthy’s croonie) the moment he learned Cohn had AIDS. You can bet he’d sent Melania to Gitmo if she comes up with the sniffles: he doesn’t care about anyone but himself

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I’m terrified to see how this Administration will bungle this. They are so incompetent.

  13. Liz version 700 says:

    Not kidding I would rather have Mother in charge. She is scary enough to rally the troops…Pence is too busy gazing lovingly at the Orange one. However, since Trump disbanded the pandemic response unit because Obama created it….well we are screwed…even Mother

  14. boredblond says:

    All I saw was one long pence-praising-trump to thank him for finally give him a job…it was just the longest butt kiss ever and a maneuver not out of concern for public health, but to please wall street. Just one more example of trump wanting credit for putting out fires he sets.

  15. Mar says:

    I feel like Trump had to do this due diligence because if the falling stock market. This impromptu and bizarre briefing is supposed to make people feel better about stocks, what really matters lol

  16. Sean says:

    Aside from the horrible news that Pence will be handling this, did anyone else notice Trump’s twitching? At one point, his arm had a spasm and a few minutes later his shoulder did the same thing. Something is seriously wrong on a neurological level with him. I don’t know if it’s dementia or years of drug abuse coupled with the stress of the job but the Jan is unwell. Save us Jebus!

    • Lightpurple says:

      The most popular theories are that he had a stroke of some sort during that medical episode last fall or that he has parkinsons.

      • Sean says:

        I’ve heard the stroke theory as well. I also read different theories that he’s displaying symptoms that correlate with dementia and alzheimer’s. Others are saying it’s the result of drug abuse over decades. I’m sure it’s a combination of things.

        I’m fascinated by what’s going on with his health and read everything I can get my hands on about it.

        What’s so concerning to me is that he’s obviously failing and they still won’t invoke the 25th amendment. I know the Republicans want a dictatorship with them at the helm but what’s the point of that if there’s not even a country left?

      • lucy2 says:

        Considering he’s up tweeting all hours of the night, I lean towards drug abuse. But who knows. We’ll never get the real story, but something ain’t right there.

    • Kate says:

      Your shoulder can twitch up when you are lying. Neuropsychology.

    • Lipreng says:

      Frontotemporal Dementia runs in my family. It causes all kinds of outrageous behaviors along with memory loss and symptoms of Parkinsonism/ALS. I don’t think there is a better explanation for his behavior. He is going to rapidly deteriorate.

    • Liz version 700 says:

      His speaking patterns remind me so much of my dad in the months before we lost him to Alzheimer’s. The word shuffling, wild statements followed by an “I don’t know.” My dad wasn’t an evil troll so there are differences. But yeah I think something has a grip on him, I am not a doctor but it feels very familiar.

  17. ChillyWilly says:

    Looks like Trump fell in the deep fryer during an “official visit” to KFC. And yes , we are all very, very screwed.

    • Mel M says:

      Seriously, he was looney particularly orange last night and the contrast with that pink tie made it even more obvious. How any one can take him seriously on looks alone blows my freakin mind. My trumpster parents were up the other weekend and we never talk politics anymore but my dad starting talk shit and I couldn’t take it so I showed him a pic of him and asked how he gets that orange color and my mom even questioned why he has the white circles around his eyes. I said because he’s fake tanning and both of them went on to try and defend him about how a 70 year old man wouldn’t be doing that and blah blah blah. You can’t reason with these people. Trump is exactly the 70 year old man who would be fake tanning and he OBVIOUSLY DOES!!!

      • whatWHAT? says:

        It’s also really noticeable from the side. There is a line down the side of his face, just before his ear, where it’s orange on one side and grayish-white on the other. I really think he does a spray tan…covers his “hair” with a shower cap, over the ears, and also the eyes and does an airbrush. when I see him with the “face-dipped into a cheeto-pie” look, I too think, “how can ANYBODY take this idiot seriously when he looks so stupid?” and what’s amazing is that HE THINKS HE LOOKS GOOD.

        if you want to see something scary/weird, do a google image search of “what trump would look like without his tan”…I’ve seen a few but the gist is that someone photoshopped his entire face to match the color around his eyes. He looks like a corpse.

      • Shirleygailgal says:

        @WhatWHAT? I did the google search…I discovered in some of the pictures he looks disturbingly like Pierre Elliot Trudeau (a former Prime Minster of Canada and the father of our current Prime Minster Justin Trudeau). It was weird.

  18. EMF999 says:

    I just want to say that I hoped you would cover this so that I could read the well-informed and intelligent comments. As always, you did not disappoint 🙂

  19. SJR says:

    You know, I was not worried Until I saw Mike Pence will be in charge.
    Oh, Lord protect and save us from Team Trump.

    My dog could do a better job making serious decisions vs. anyone left on Team Trump.

  20. Rapunzel says:

    The guy who is too chicken to be alone with women is gonna battle this virus? Sure Jan. This is definitely Trump wanting a new running mate.

  21. Liz version 700 says:

    I just had a doctor’s appt and my doctor recommended getting several jars of peanut butter or almond butter and crackers for calories in case we have to shelter at home for some period of time. Bleep is getting real..

    • Mich says:

      Worst case scenario with this kind of preparation – the virus never reaches where you are and you still get to eat yummy almond butter and crackers 🙂

    • ME says:

      Hey honestly, I know this sounds insane, but clean those jars and any other packaging before using. You have no idea how many germs can be on that stuff. I was at the grocery store a few weeks ago and this guy was unpacking boxes of crackers/chips and placing them on the shelves. He let out a HUGE sneeze and didn’t even bother to cover his mouth. The spit landed all over the cracker/chips on the shelves. He just kept on doing his job without a second thought. That is so gross.

      • Christin says:

        This is a good suggestion. I try to pick at least the third item (never the one at the front of the shelf), thinking that the front products have likely been handled more recently.

        We try to think about anything that enters the home, such as mail. We wash our hands immediately after handling letters or boxes. The mail carrier or postal/delivery staff could be sick.

      • ME says:

        @ Christin

        LOL I do the same thing ! I always try to get the items from the BACK of the shelf. I also always wash my hands as soon as I get home and always after handling mail. I do this year around. It’s like second nature to me now.

      • Liz version 700 says:

        That makes me cringe sooooo hard. Thanks for the excellent suggestion.

    • april says:

      I already do that. I have almond butter, bread in the freezer because it lasts for 6 mo. frozen, and honey/jam in case the power goes out,

  22. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    I had an evil thought enter my mind when I read the title. I’m not proud.

  23. MellyMel says:

    I was already concerned, but now my worry has shot all the way up! And on top of this mess, I just read about what happened at UC Davis. The CDC is not prepared for this at all and they would have been if Trump hadn’t dismantled that agency. Wash your hands, eat healthy, don’t touch your face, and try not to stress y’all.

  24. Mellie says:

    Is it me or does Pence look like a corpse?

  25. Scal says:

    Well I wasn’t worried before but with this joker in ‘charge’…..it was nice knowing you folks. *eye roll*

  26. Lightpurple says:

    Through all this I keep hearing Kate Winslet’s character from Contagion shouting at me: “Stop touching your face!”

    • Christin says:

      I live by this. My mother had an immune-related chronic illness, so germ mitigation was always top of mind. Years ago, she asked her family physician how to avoid illness, and that was his number one suggestion. Do not touch your face.

      My concern is being close to people who will not practice respiratory etiquette/hygiene. Sneezing or coughing needs to be covered by tissue or sleeve. If someone fails to do that, and you happen to be nearby in a store or office, it is worrisome.

      • whatWHAT? says:

        oh, man…I was at Macy’s over the weekend and there was a young woman in the dressing room who was coughing like she had TB…and NOT covering her mouth as you could hear her clearly (there were only about six stalls in that area so it was obvious she was not covering her mouth or coughing into her elbow).

        After the second or third time I put my clothes back on and went to another area of the store. I didn’t even get to try on anything in the first stall, I was halfway undressed, re-dressed myself and ran out with a “cover your MOUTH!” as I left.

  27. Leah says:

    Yeah, I feel really safe knowing idiot #2 is now in charge of keeping the virus in check.

    He’s in for a surprise if he thinks he can pray this virus away. He has no medical experience and from what I understand he allowed HIV to run amok unchecked in Indiana.

    My family and I are just getting supplies gathered up just in case.

  28. Samanathalous says:

    I feel like the person who does their makeup also works for the walking dead.

  29. L4frimaire says:

    This is ridiculous. Pence has the expertise of a potted plant with regards to any health policy. Pence was governor when Indiana had a massive HIV outbreak, like developing country without health resources level. He stalled on providing a needle exchange in the affected area, and didn’t want to fund Planned Parenthood, which provides a lot of HIV testing. It’s obvious this is only to make Pence look relevant before the election, and God help us if this virus gets worse. They also want to take the funds from heating assistance from the poor, because Trump never forgets to punish them. Freeze to death or die from Coronavirus.

    • lucy2 says:

      I saw that about the funds. Disgusting. Good thing they got that awful tax bill passed and all the billionaires have more billions!

  30. What. . .now? says:

    Seriously, we are doomed! UGH, with buffoons 1 and 2 in charge? Puh-lease, this is going to get so much worse.

    They keep saying it’s like the flu. According to a Bloomberg article, the flu has about a 0.1 mortality rate where as Corona virus has between a 2-4% fatality rate. In a population as large as ours, we could really be up the creek. . .

    • OG Cleo says:

      According to WHO, the 2-4% is the mortality rate in Wuhan and outside of China the mortality rate is closer to 0.7%. The numbers vary, in Iran the mortality rate is about 19%, which isn’t incredibly shocking given the lack of healthcare and infrastructure in the rural areas.

      • lucy2 says:

        I just read that as well, right now it varies widely depending on healthcare. Smoking, age, and pre-existing health issues also seem to affect the rates.

      • What. . .now? says:

        Well it seems like the percentage is going to go up or down depending on where the virus “lands.”

        In the US with our poor health care system, denial and conspiracy theories running rampant, and the fact that we are not a “healthy, fit” nation — 2-4% doesn’t seem like it’s too far fetched–especially in certain pockets of this country.

    • Cate says:

      One thing to keep in mind is that there are probably a lot of survivors who are not getting diagnosed (b/c they just think they have a cold or whatever and don’t seek medical treatment). Most of what I’ve been hearing suggests the mortality rate is probably lower than 2%.

  31. Samanathalous says:

    Also please take off your shoes, first thing when anyone comes to my household they are asked to remove their shoes. They are provided with fresh slippers (usually $1 online) if they would like. I hand mop and steam clean my floors because if you think of what gets disposed of on the ground you walk everyday, I feel like this measure is overlooked.

    • ME says:

      I find it absolutely disgusting when I see people wearing shoes in their homes. Why would you do that? I just don’t get it.

      • Mel M says:

        I am with you on this. I grew up not wearing shoes in the house and I don’t do it now with my kids. I honestly thought that’s what everyone did until I saw stuff making fun of it or someone complaining about having to take their shoes off at someone’s house. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR SHOES HAVE BEEN! GROSS! You obviously don’t want your bare feet to touch the dirty ground so why would you be ok with dragging all that into your house? Wear socks or slippers and it’s a non issue if you have a problem with bare feet.

      • Ali says:

        I go barefoot all the time outside at home and at the beach and while the kids and I take off our shoes inside as a way to not track sand/dirt it has nothing to do with preventing germs.

        Also, pets.

      • ME says:

        @Ali

        Well it’s your home and your choice.

  32. Nev says:

    EVIL HOMOPHOBIC JACK-ASS.

  33. Lizzie says:

    I see people saying CDC testing will cause panic. I don’t believe that is true , people sense a lack of planning or lack of transparency and that causes panic. And if I am wrong (just this once 🙂 ) and testing does cause panic I don’t believe that is justification to not test. A small percentage will panic no matter what but the general public is not a big fan of being treated like grade-schooler’s.

    • Erinn says:

      It will put an unneccesary strain on the healthcare system, though. If they start testing anyone with a sniffle, think of how many people are sick this time of year. Think about how many tests they would need, how many staff members to actually process them… and while you don’t see how that could increase panic, that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t. Quite honestly, if there was an announcement that all of a sudden they’re going to be testing people in your community – wouldn’t that increase your concerns? I think the average person would assume the risk was much higher, or that something was becoming a pandemic in their area.

      • Arpeggi says:

        Also false positives and negatives happen: the more you test, the more you’ll have them creating both a false sense of security and false alarm/unnecessary stress

  34. Rashida says:

    The Coronavirus is a huge beat up. For people over 80 the fatality rate is 14% and the rate decreases for younger demographics. For people 39 and under the fatality rate is less than 1%. Don’t know why people are freaking out.

    • Mary says:

      @rashida, seriously? You must be under 39 years old and not have any loved ones over that age! Those statistics would vary per population and region but young and middle-aged, seemingly healthy, people are dying from covid-19. Regardless, how can you be so callous about high death rates in the elderly?

  35. MeghanNotMarkle says:

    Goddess help us.

  36. virginfangirls says:

    UGH!

  37. Mary says:

    Egads, it is now being reported that any US
    health official’s statement/appearance regarding Covid-19 needs prior approval from Pence! We cannot trust the government to be forthcoming with all the relevant information. Look to other countries for guidance. Personally, I trust the German government on medical matters.

    • april says:

      Wow – that is sad. Thanks for the update. Good advice regarding German gov’t.

    • april says:

      Also on cable news this afternoon they said 8400 in California need to be tested for corona and 700 people in New York need to be tested. I wonder if this info now has to go through the gov’t before reporting.

      • Mary says:

        It is my understanding that it is the federal authorities and not state that are gagged. This is so ridiculous that it hopefully does not last long. Even Fauci is gagged fgs !

    • Tate says:

      Just said to my friend that we are going to have to depend on foreign governments to get accurate information. We cannot trust our current government

  38. april says:

    Japan has shut down all of their schools for one month.

  39. Jackson says:

    Sorry folks, there’s a lot of problematic issues with some of these comments. I apologize in advance for a long post, but I believe I have information that will help Celebitchy readers in relation to the Covid-19 Virus.

    I am the captain of our local volunteer emergency response team (CERT). We provide support for emergency response and public health agencies. Part of our job, in addition to community outreach and education, is to assist state and local health agencies to administer mass immunizations. We are trained and certified to assist health professionals with pandemic responses. Our protocol is the same for Covid-19 as it would be for any other highly contagious virus.

    I suffer from bouts of anxiety which increases greatly if I don’t feel I have control over circumstances affecting my life. I am also a Type-A problem solver. I’ve learned that my fears and anxieties lessen greatly when I know that I am prepared and have taken precautions for disasters whether they be man made or natural.

    More than a few commenters have stated they “want to know how to prepare” yet they’re taking the time to complain on a gossip blog rather than reading readily available information on the CDC website. We HAVE been told how to prepare. Every major news site and public health agencies have been providing that information for at least the past 4 weeks, but not everyone’s listening so here’s a FEW of the tips that you should know: As with any flu outbreak, wash your hands frequently and avoid large gatherings. Do NOT go to work, school or socialize if you are already sick. Only stupid people do that. Don’t be stupid. Stay home. These are common sense precautions so perhaps that’s why so many people expect precautions for Covid-19 to be different? At any rate, my organization as well as thousands of others just like it across the country are prepared to assist if necessary. Should the need arise, we’ll be called out and go to work. Every state already has a pandemic plan in place. Part of that plan involves activating a network of agencies and organizations trained to deal with such matters. We’ve done pandemic drills (at least once annually) and we each know what our roles will be within the chain of command. FYI, the number one rule in any pandemic plan is that NO one agency or organization should self-activate. If one does self-activate, they are operating outside of the plan. Trust me, if the plan needs to be activated, Federal and state governments know how to reach me and every other head of an emergency agency or support group. We are part of a Medical Corps and Citizen Corps network that’s been actively training separately and together since 9/11 and then Katrina.

    I totally understand fear and anxiety. I am unfortunately plagued with it at the most inconvenient times. I have learned that being prepared for and taking precautions against ANY disaster (natural or manmade) greatly helps to lower my anxiety. If you’re like me, I encourage you to begin preparing by doing the following: Stock your pantry with at least two weeks of shelf stable foods in boxes, cans and bottles, etc. Stock your freezer with fish/meats/veggies. Have fever reducers (both adult and infant/child if there are children in your home) and at least a two-week supply of prescription medications on hand. Drinks like Pedialyte (for kids) and Gatorade (adults) will help to restore electrolytes if someone does get sick. Broths and soups are soothing and also well-tolerated. Don’t forget paper products and if you have a child in diapers, stock up on those too. These are of course not all the preparations you can or should make, but it’s a start and will ensure that you can minimally get through a quarantine period at home.

    I KNOW this is scary and a lot of people need help getting through their anxieties, so be a friend and ask others how they’re doing. If you hear back that they’re scared and don’t know what to do, you now have some tips to share. After you do that, next direct them to visit CDC.gov. FEMA.gov also has general information about sheltering in-place at home which is the type of quarantine that will occur should an outbreak affect your community.

    We CAN do this people, but it’s not a time for division or fear mongering. It’s a time to reach out to others and ask if they’re prepared. It’s a time to ask your 85 year old neighbor if you can pick up supplies for them. It’s a time for government and non-government support agencies to work together on implementing emergency protocols should they be required.

    • april says:

      You did such an excellent job providing this information. Very well-written and informative. Thank you so much!

  40. Veronica says:

    The media sensationalism over this outbreak is, uh, something else. The groups predominantly impacted by this at a serious level are the same as influenza – elderly, very young, immune compromised. That they should try to contain it – absolutely. That it deserves this level of media driven panic is way scarier than the virus itself to me. Because holy shit, this is the kind of hysteria that rams through legislation like the Patriot Act. That’s more what we should be keeping an eye on while they distract us with Trump’s circus.

  41. Veronica says:

    The media sensationalism over this outbreak is, uh, something else. The groups predominantly impacted by this at a serious level are the same as influenza – elderly, very young, immune compromised. That they should try to contain it – absolutely. That it deserves this level of media driven panic is way scarier than the virus itself to me. Because holy shit, this is the kind of hysteria that rams through legislation like the Patriot Act. That’s more what we should be keeping an eye on while they distract us with Trump’s circus.

  42. Laurie says:

    I wasn’t too concerned about the virus but now I’m really scared knowing that Pence is going to be in charge! This is seriously frightening!

  43. whybother says:

    time for the rest of the world build walls around US?
    may your czar save you all

    *looks at my free hand sanitizers and masks lovingly*

  44. Katherine says:

    Trump’s isolationist policy hasn’t helped, by taking funds away from international organisations like the WHO. They need money to run efficiently and independently of political pressure.

    And as for the Westerdam… I might cut him some slack that maybe it’s better that those passengers were quarantined off the ship rather than on, or it could have turned into another Diamond Princess. But he was wrong that no one onboard was infected.