This is starting to get freaky. It would appear as though yet another episode of The Simpsons has correctly predicted future events, after it was pointed out that the same episode that seemed to foreshadow the coronavirus pandemic also included a plot about a swarm of murderous bees. It's definitely not a new concept that The Simpsons writers are basically psychic, considering they seemed to have predicted tons of major occurrences like Donald Trump becoming president, but this one hits the nail on the head a little too closely.
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Back when the coronavirus first began spreading, folks pointed out that the events in an episode of The Simpsons from 2004 called, "Marge in Chains" beared a striking resemblance to the real world events going on in the present day. In the episode, a worker at an overcrowded factory in Asia accidentally sneezes on a box of juice to be shipped to Springfield. Homer later opens the box, and unintentionally kicks off the "Osaka Flu" pandemic in the United States. While the connections between this storyline and the current global health crisis have already been made, a plot that occurs later in the episode proves that the writers weren't even trying to hide the fact that they can totally see into the future.
After the Springfield citizens are told that there isn't a real vaccine for the new virus yet, they begin searching boxes in an open truck to find placebos. However, the townspeople instead come into contact with a swarm of "killer bees." As you may know, it was recently revealed that a species of "murder hornets" have made their way to the United States, because 2020 was already going so well.
We may need to start studying The Simpsons from now on if we want to prepare ourselves for the worst.
CDC Director Warns Second Wave Of COVID-19 Will Be Even Worse
The CDC director explains that we need to brace ourselves for next year, and the second wave of coronavirus.
The second wave of coronavirus could be a lot scarier than our current circumstances.
This past Tuesday, according to the NY Post, the head of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the second wave, expected this winter, could be a lot deadlier than what we’re experiencing right now.
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The first wave of this coronavirus has already killed over 42,000 Americans. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, expressed that even though stay-at-home orders are being turned over and even protested, “it’s not helpful” to combat the pandemic. He urged officials to continue to stress the importance of social distancing and washing hands. Redfield said that city officials need to prepare for the worst case scenarios.
“There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,” Redfield said. “And when I’ve said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don’t understand what I mean.”
Redfield explains, “We’re going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time,” and having both outbreaks simultaneously will put even more weight on the healthcare system. “It could have been really, really, really, really difficult in terms of health capacity,” Redfield stated, if both the flu season and coronavirus peaked at the same time this year.
Stay safe.
Chicago Mayor Personally Patrolled City To Enforce Social Distancing
The mayor of Chicago is patrolling the city’s street to enforce social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot personally patrolled the city’s streets, Tuesday night, in an effort to encourage social distancing.
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Lightfoot spoke about the patrol during a press conference the following day, as reported by the Chicago Tribune: “I personally drove around yesterday, and I was up on the North Side, in the 50th Ward, and I’ll continue to do that,” Lightfoot said. “I told people that I saw gathering in clusters not abiding by the social distancing rules to break it up. Yes. And I’ll continue to do that. I mean what I say: We have to protect ourselves. We have to be smart about what we’re doing in the course of this pandemic. And if it means that I drive around and check whether people are in compliance, I’m happy to do it.”
“Most people do a double-take and are like, wait, is that the mayor? And then as we roll away, you’ll hear somebody saying, ‘Hey, that was the mayor. Hey, that was Lori Lightfoot,'” the mayor said regarding the public’s reaction to her patrol, during a Connected to Chicago interview.
The state of Illinois will be under a stay-at-home order until, at the earliest, April 30. In the United States, there have been over 500,000 confirmed cases and 20,000 deaths.
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Tiger At Bronx Zoo In NYC Tests Positive For Coronavirus
A tiger in New York City has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting a statement from the USDA.
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the Coronavirus.
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The USDA confirmed the news through a statement posted to its website. This is the first case of its kind and the department says more research needs to be done to see if and how different animals are affected by COVID-19.
“Public health officials believe these large cats became sick after being exposed to a zoo employee who was actively shedding virus,” the statement explains. “The zoo has been closed to the public since mid-March, and the first tiger began showing signs of sickness on March 27. All of these large cats are expected to recover. There is no evidence that other animals in other areas of the zoo are showing symptoms.
“There is no evidence of this virus affecting animals at any other facilities in the United States. However, anyone sick with COVID-19 should restrict contact with animals, including pets, during their illness, just as they would with other people. Although there have not been reports of pets becoming sick with COVID-19 in the United States, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. If a sick person must care for a pet or be around animals, they should wash their hands before and after the interaction.”
There is currently no evidence that any animals can spread the COVID-19 infection to people.
The USDA and CDC are continuing to monitor the situation.
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Stephen A. Smith Goes Off On Those Not Practicing "Social Distancing"
Stephen A. Smith had some words for those who won't listen to the medical professionals out there.
"Social Distancing" has become the new thing everyone is talking about and rightfully so. We are currently going through a horrible pandemic and we are all being told to isolate ourselves as a means to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus. When we do have to leave the house, we must remain at least two meters apart from everyone as a means to make sure we don't come in contact with germs and potentially, the virus.
Stephen A. Smith and numerous ESPN reporters came through with a PSA the other day about staying home and helping to flatten the curve. Now, Smith is giving a PSA all on his own where he angrily ripped those who are still leaving their houses despite being told to do otherwise. You can tell Smith is passionate about this and doesn't seem impressed that after all this time, he still has to give such lofty warnings.
Cases in the United States continue to rise and by the middle of April, we could see close to one million people in the country infected. With this in mind, it is important that everyone act now so we can get back to normal life, sooner rather than later.
Hopefully, Smith's words don't fall on deaf ears.
Primavera Sound Festival Postponed Facing Coronavirus Concerns
Primavera Sound Festival will now be held at the end of August after being delayed facing concerns regarding the Coronavirus.
Primavera Sound Festival is following in the footsteps of, what seems to be, every major event by postponing, due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus. The Festival announced it would now be taking place in August on its website and social media pages.
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“There are things that only happen once in a lifetime. The current global COVID-19 health crisis is, unfortunately, one of them,” the announcement begins.
“We feel obliged and responsible to contribute insofar as we can to the survival of the live music scene, whose role will be key to the return to normality after this absolutely unprecedented situation. We will make every effort to ensure that this change, imposed as a result of the current global health crisis, affects the festival’s program as little as possible.”
As of Saturday, Primavera’s lineup features Tyler, The Creator, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, Earl Sweatshirt, Lana Del Rey, Young Thug, Brockhampton, 100 Gecs, and many more.
The Festival was originally scheduled for June 3-7, but will now run from August 26-30. Any original tickets already purchased will be honored in August.
The post concludes, “Our absolute priority has always been to guarantee the safety of our audience, artists and all the people involved in the festival.”
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Facebook Donates 720,000 Respiratory Masks To Combat Coronavirus
Facebook donates a surplus of over 700,000 respiratory masks to health care workers across the country.
Facebook is donating 720,000 respiratory masks to health care workers as shortages of masks plague hospitals across the United States, according to Variety.
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Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook have a surplus of masks to give away after purchasing them for the California wildfires. Zuckerberg announced the donation on Facebook: “Health workers urgently need more protective gear. To help, Facebook donated our emergency reserve of 720,000 masks that we had bought in case the wildfires continued. We’re also working on sourcing millions of more to donate. I hope you’re all staying healthy and safe!”
Facebook has also added the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center, a new feature that displays atop the news feed with updates from WHO, and CDC and more organizations.
Facebook joins Apple, which will also be donating a surplus of respiratory masks. “Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19,” CEO Tim Cook wrote on Twitter. “We’re donating millions of masks for health professionals in the US and Europe. To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you.”
The White House has asked any private companies, who are able, to donate respiratory masks to health organizations. The masks are designed to filter out at least 95% of airborne particles.
Idris Elba Speaks With Oprah Winfrey About Testing Positive For Coronavirus
Idris Elba spoke with Oprah Winfrey on FaceTime for her new show, "Oprah Talks COVID-19."
Idris Elba was one of the first high-profile celebrities to test positive for Coronavirus. The actor, as well as his wife Sabrina Dhowre, spoke with Oprah on Facetime, Saturday, to discuss how he is handling the situation, according to Deadline.
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"Like millions of people all over the world, I've been staying safer at home for over a week now. I know a lot of people are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, & uncertain. Bc of that, I want to offer some hope & gather thought leaders & people going through it to add some perspective," Oprah explained on Twitter.
"Which is why I FaceTimed @idriselba & his wife Sabrina who are safely quarantined together after he tested positive for COVID-19. Idris fills me in on his journey and Sabrina reveals the result of her test after they decided to quarantine together."
"One of the upsides of this whole drama is that we are forced to think together as a race, as a human race," Elba says in a two-minute clip Oprah shared on social media. He continues to say that the whole situation will force us to see ourselves and the world differently.
The interview is a part of Oprah's new series on Apple TV+, Oprah Talks COVID-19. You can watch the first episode here.
Will Smith Feels "Responsible" For Coronavirus Misinformation
Will Smith joked about feeling guilty for some of the misinformation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic due to his role in “I Am Legend.”
Will Smith is making up for the misinformation he feels he partook in spreading about viruses by starring in the 2007 post-apocalyptic film, I Am Legend, about a deadly disease that wipes out most of mankind. Will took a seat at his family’s Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, in an episode titled, “What You Need To Know About Coronavirus.” The patriarch of the famous family began the emergency episode by cracking a joke about how he participated in misleading folks about viruses.
“I wanted to do this because in 2008, I made I Am Legend, so I feel responsible for a lot of the misinformation,” he said, although he did get the film’s date wrong by one year. However, as Uproxx points out, the similarities between the coronavirus outbreak and the plague in I Am Legend are pretty slim, as the cinematic story “featured a virus that essentially turned humans into a sort of vampire zombie hybrid.” Despite the differences between this particular onscreen portrayal of a virus and the reality we are living today, Will explains the relevance of what he learned when he visited the Center for Disease Control (CDC) back then to prepare for his role as a virologist in the film. “It really changed my life and how I looked at the world,” he revealed. “There’s basic concepts that people do not understand.”
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The Smiths also managed to snag an interview with the director of the Center for Infectious Diseases, Michael Osterholm. The virus expert offered up plenty of useful information, among that was debunking the misconception that coronavirus is largely transmitted through touching doorknobs and rubbing one’s eyes. “It may occur rarely,” he says. “But the most important way is just breathing in the air.” He also recommends that individuals have more than just three to six feet separation between themselves and others at this time. “If one of you had it in the room you’re in right now,” he told the Smith family, “you might transmit it to everyone sitting around the table.'” Uh oh. At least Jaden won’t be spreading coronavirus to his family members, as Jada explained that he’s keeping his distance from them after traveling a lot recently.
President Trump Bashes NY Governor Cuomo; Calls Coronavirus “The Chinese Virus”
Trump had another twitter outburst Tuesday morning, deflecting any responsibility for his delayed response & actions.
President Trump decided to call out New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Twitter Tuesday morning, after Cuomo called Trump’s response to the coronavirus “inexcusable” during a press conference Monday. Trump, most likely sitting on the toilet, had another series of tweets a little while ago, asking Governor Cuomo to keep politics out of it. During his hypocritical tweet, Trump continued his deflection of his poor handling of the pandemic by referring to the coronavirus as “The Chinese Virus” too, not wanting to take any responsibility for his delayed actions.
At 7:22 this morning, Trump tweeted: “Cuomo wants “all states to be treated the same.” But all states aren’t the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big “hotspot”, West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases. Andrew, keep politics out of it.”