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Community News Coronavirus Health Opinion Politics

No one would allow more pollution during a pandemic, would they?

Some people call them the Environmental Pollution Agency because the EPA is responsible for determining how much pollution an industry is allowed to emit before their pollution is deemed harmful to the environment and a health hazard, especially to the people who live nearby. Companies are issued permits that outline the rules to which a company can pollute and still operate within the law.

When done fairly, this process works pretty good. Of course, no amount of pollution is good and it’s virtually impossible for a smoke stack not toss out some pollutants.

Each state has an environmental agency that does the dirty work under EPA guidance at issuing these permits along with regulating industries to operate within the permit limits. When companies disobey, they get fined and if they continue to disobey, they can be put out of business.

Until now.

Categories
Business Coronavirus Opinion Technology

Would you like to be tracked by your Smartphone if you get COVID-19?

I took a little flack when I mentioned COVID-19 carriers should have to wear dayglow clothing so people could identify them. I’ve also written about countries tracking people using their Smartphone location data who should be in quarantine.

Since then, there’s been reports of issuing COVID-19 folks a card they’d keep in their wallet to identify them with the disease. Not sure how that helps anyone, but okay.

Since it’s unlikely any of those efforts will work, Google and Apple are teaming up to create an app that will perform ‘digital tracing’ of COVID-19 folks. I guess they figure if folks are too ashamed to identify themselves, they’ll let your phone identify you.

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Community News Coronavirus Government Health Opinion

Has Chester started COVID-19 testing yet?

On March 23, Mayor Kirkland sent out a press release saying he intended to request COVID-19 tests for Chester. Those aren’t my words. This is from his press release. https://wp.me/p2kkJO-75y

I don’t know if he still intends to request; has requested; had his request denied; or the tests are on the way. There hasn’t been an update on the city’s daily updates regarding his intent to request or another press release to update us. We’ve never heard from the Chester Bureau of Health. I don’t know where to turn for answers.

One thing is for certain. COVID-19 in Chester is on the rise.

  • April 8 – 14 cases.
  • April 9 – 28 cases.
  • April 16 – 61 cases.
  • April 17 – 71 cases.
Categories
Coronavirus Government Health Opinion

Black folks, pollution, the president, and coronavirus are a deadly cocktail

I think it’s old news by now that Black and Brown folks are not faring well with COVID-19 compared to Whites and Asians. A lot of environmental racism occurs in America which contributes to the health conditions of the people living around polluting industries and the president isn’t helping by rolling back EPA regulations.

Here’s quotes from a couple articles addressing the deadly cocktail…

Categories
Coronavirus Family

Karl Anthony-Townes mom dies from COVID-19

I saw an interview with NBA star Karl Anthony-Townes a couple weeks ago on Newsy talking about his mom in the hospital in a coma suffering from COVID-19. It was heartbreaking.

She died.

His father is recovering from COVID-19.

Thousands have died from COVID-19 and it really hits home when it’s someone you know. I don’t know Karl but he’s one of my favorite young players to watch. A North Jersey kid who many of us watched come up through the ranks.

I just pause to say how sad I am for him.

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/news/_/id/3136195/karl-anthony-towns

Categories
Coronavirus Health Opinion

One critical group of hospital workers are being overlooked during coronavirus

Once upon a time, I was married to a hospital pharmacist where I learned a lot about a profession I knew little about. We’re all familiar with the drugstore pharmacist who fills our prescriptions and many hospitals have a pharmacy on the first floor which is a popular place to get your meds upon discharge from the hospital or during a trip to see your doctor who may be located in the hospital building.

Few of us interact with the pharmacist who distributes the meds for the patients of the hospital. It’s easy to not give any thought to where the little cup of pills the nurse brings you comes from. It’s the hospital pharmacist that make that happen.

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Uncategorized

Libraries versus Larimer challenges what’s essential in Chester during coronavirus

Larimer Beer Company is pumping out beer because they can. You have to place and pay for your order online then pick up your 4-pack from a table set up outside the brewery. As long at the state says it’s okay, it’s okay.

Crozer Library is closed. Since schools are out, the state says there’s no need for a library. It’s the only place in the city where people can publicly access a computer, though.

Categories
Community News Coronavirus Opinion

DELCO COVID-19 map jumping 70 new cases a day

It seems like only a couple days ago Upper Darby was the only municipality in Delaware County in red. Now, 12 are red and they found a new color for Upper Darby when they topped 50 cases.

Chester sits at 8-cases which is trending toward 20 by the weekend (oh, I said I would stop predicting).

Let’s see how long Rutledge, Upland, Marcus Hook, and Lower Chichester can fend off the virus. 

With 70 news cases popping up in Delco each of the last 2-days, the curve isn’t getting any flatter. 

Stay home. Stay safe. 

Categories
Coronavirus

One funeral causes major coronavirus outbreak in Albany, Georgia

Albany, Georgia. The place I visited when I was 19-years-old and asked a lady for a dance, and she said no. We ended up getting married and had 3 children. Proves how I never take no for an answer. 

To read how that sleepy little southern town has been turned upside down thanks to one person coming to town for a funeral is a testament to how mean this virus can be.

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Uncategorized

Young folks topping the middle aged folks with COVID-19 in DELCO

The map of COVID-19 cases in Delaware County indicates there are more people between the ages of 20-39 with the disease (133) than there are people between 50-69 – (130) 

The difference is only 3 more cases for the youngsters, but there was a time not so long ago when people were saying young folks aren’t getting this disease. They also said Blacks weren’t getting it, but both these myths have been conclusively shattered.