COVID Con: The response is worse than the virus – April 25, 2020

As the news media continues to whip people into frenzied masses and force governments into imposing irrational responses to the COVID-19 panic, here are some of the more extreme examples of how American liberties are being chipped away all in the name of promoting “safety.”

For the week of April 19 – 25, 2020: (click on headlines for full story)

St. Louis extends lockdown indefinitely

St. Louis City Mayor Lyda Krewson (D) said Thursday afternoon her stay-at-home order is in effect indefinitely. Krewson said they will reevaluate the order in the next two or three weeks. She also ordered businesses that are allowed to remain open to require each employee to wear gloves and masks. With 2,026 cases in the county of 998,692 people means the infection rate is 0.002%.

As Texas prepares to reopen economy, Houston officials force everyone to wear face masks

While the rest of Texas plans to start reopening businesses next week, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) on Wednesday ordered residents to cover their faces in public starting April 27 and continuing for 30 days. The county’s 4.7 million residents must wear masks or face a $1,000 fine. When the order was issued, a total of 5,211 people had tested positive for the illness this year, meaning the infection rate was 0.0011%.

Milwaukee County threatens citizens and business owners alike

Officials in Milwaukee County, WIs., were not subtle in declaring ways they would penalize people for failing to abide by the county’s lockdown orders. Police were given authority to issue $500 tickets, 107 people referred for criminal charges, the health department was closing “non-essential” businesses, and officials strongly hinted businesses would be denied future business licenses if they did not voluntarily cooperate with the edicts. The COVID-19 infection rate in the county currently stands at 0.0024%.

Kids trade skateboards for bikes in California pushback

After officials in San Clemente, Calif., dumped 37 tons of sand in a park in an attempt to discourage kids from skateboarding during the lockdown, the youngsters traded their boards for bikes. Videos show kids catching air with dirt bikes instead. In fact, the children learned to share the space by helping to relocate the sand to buckets so that skateboarders could play, too.

New York City shuts down tattle line after flood of inappropriate messages

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s (D) social distancing tip line was shut down after one week because users flooded the service with prank messages and obscene pictures. De Blasio had asked New Yorkers to inform city government via text if they spotted people ignoring coronavirus prevention guidance. Instead, residents submitted links to news stories of the mayor violating his own guidance as well as with porn images and Hitler memes.

Missouri city threatens people with 90 days in jail for violating lockdown orders

The city of Portageville, Mo., population 2,992, issued an 11-page emergency order threatening people with 90 days in jail or a $500 fine for violating a host of restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 in a county with nine confirmed cases and zero deaths.

California city cites 22 people for watching sunset

Citations were issued to 22 people found near the beach in Encinitas, Calif., in violation of San Diego County’s stay-at-home order. Violations are punishable by 30 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. The tickets were issued to people who “were watching the sunset, having picnics near the beach. Mayor Catherine S. Blakespear (D) said, “I received feedback second-guessing the decision to close beaches, saying that crowding isn’t that common on Encinitas beaches and the risk of transmission is low.” But, she noted the virus spreads wherever people meet. There are 2,491 confirmed cases in the county of 3.3 million people, making the infection rate of 0.00074%.

New Jersey woman crashes car over “excessive wearing of face mask”

A New Jersey woman who crashed her car into a power pole may have passed out after wearing an N95 coronavirus mask behind the wheel for several hours, police said. “The crash is believed to have resulted from the driver wearing an N95 mask for several hours and subsequently passing out behind the wheel due to insufficient oxygen intake/excessive carbon dioxide intake,” the department said on Facebook Friday.

Government silliness isn’t limited to the United States, as these reports from other countries confirm:

In April, Germany cancels mid-September Oktoberfest celebration

For the first time since World War II, Germany announced the cancellation of its famed Oktoberfest celebration planned for Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. The festival attracts 6 million people and brings in the equivalent of $1.1 billion to Munich alone. “We have agreed that the risk is simply too high,” said Markus Söder, Bavaria’s minister president.

Virus numbers as of 7:30 p.m. Central on April 26, 2020

Confirmed cases in the United States = 964,937

Percent of population infected = 0.295%

COVID-related deaths in the United States = 54,841

Percent of population killed = 0.000167%

Confirmed cases worldwide = 2,968,627

Percent of population infected = 0.0395%

COVID-related deaths worldwide = 206,402

Percent of population killed = 0.00275%

Most recent pandemic comparison: Influenza in 2017-2018

Infected in the United States = 45,000,000

Hospitalized = 810,000

Died = 61,000

Restrictions in place: None