CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: March 18th

Glenn gives the latest coronavirus numbers, updating YOU on everything needed to know as Americans and officials monitor China's new COVID-19 virus:

Daily Stats as of 5:30 AM CT (from John's Hopkins)

  • Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide 202,272 (up from 185,461 yesterday)
  • Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 8,012 (up from 7,332 yesterday)
  • Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 82,813 (up from 79,935 yesterday)
  • 167 Countries have confirmed cases (up from 162 yesterday) 4 more have suspected cases
  • 6% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization), steady from 6% yesterday and down from 19% just 3 weeks ago
  • US has 6,524 Confirmed Cases and 116 Deaths, up from 4,743 Cases and 93 deaths yesterday
  • In the US, all 50 States plus Washington DC and 4 US Territories all have at least 1 confirmed case
Doctor Urging Younger Patients: COVID-19 Causes Permanent Lung Damage to All Survivors https://nypost.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-doctor-says-lung-scans-for-young-patients-were-nothing-short-of-terrifying/
  • In a bid to disabuse younger patients of the notion that COVID-19 is only dangerous to older people, a Doctor in Belgium who has treated several younger victims said: "The images we took yesterday are nothing short of terrifying."
  • "They just walk in, but they are terribly affected by the virus," Dr Ignace Demeyer told the Belgian broadcaster VRT.
  • He said CT scans indicated they were suffering from severe lung damage.
  • The report seems to validate reports out of Hong Kong and Korea that even younger victims who recover from COVID-19 may have permanent lung damage due to scarring on lung tissue, with one study suggesting a 20% permanent loss in lung function.
  • "They are younger people who do not smoke, who have no other conditions such as diabetes or heart failure," Demeyer added.
President Andrew Yang Mitt Romney Donald Trump Pushes for $210 Billion "Free" Dollars Month To US Adultshttps://apnews.com/22b4db74a897c8803d228269827d8612
  • President Trump pressed Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to get checks of $1,000 per person per month into the hands of Americans starting within two weeks.
  • The $1,000 per month stimulus would cost approximately $210 Billion per month, given the fact there are just over 209 Million American adults over the age of 18.
  • "Millionaires would not receive the Freedom Dividend stimulus", Trump said.
  • No details were provided as to who would be eligible to receive the stimulus or how monies would be distributed.
  • His total proposed economic package alone could approach $1 trillion, a rescue initiative not seen since the Great Recession.
  • Trump wants checks sent to the public within two weeks and is urging Congress to pass the eye-popping stimulus package in a matter of days.
  • As analysts warn the country is surely entering a recession, the government is grappling with an enormous political undertaking not seen since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008.
  • Former Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang said, "It's a great idea, and I'm glad he thought of it."
Bored During COVID-19 Quarantine? Dr Oz Has Some Friendly Advice for Coupleshttps://www.tmz.com/2020/03/17/dr-oz-sex-couples-quarantine-coronavirus-weeks/
  • In a bid to help couples avoid going stir crazy during Quarantine, Dr Oz recommends turning off Netflix and enjoying some 'quality time'.
  • "The Best solution if you're holed up with your significant other in Quarantine is to have sex." Dr Oz suggested to TMZ.
  • The Doctor indicated that having sex can reduce stress, plus studies show that human Immune System response is improved via regular lovemaking, the Dr indicated.
  • "It's certainly better than staring at each other and getting on each other's nerves," he said.
  • "Plus, you might make some babies, so go for it," the Doctor suggested.
US Hospital Ships Activatedhttps://news.usni.org/2020/03/17/pentagon-preparing-navy-hospital-ships-mercy-comfort-for-coronavirus-response
  • Secretary of Defense Mark Esper confirms that two US Hospital Ships have been activated and will be anchored off the East and West Coast of the US.
  • USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort began the several days-long process of deployment on Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed.
  • DoD officials indicated the ships would most likely be used to take on Non-COVID-19 cases, allowing Hospitals to care for the most critically ill.
  • Each ship is capable of adding approximately 1,000-bed additional capacity to regional hospitals.
Type A Blood May Be More Likely to Catch COVID-19?https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8122493/People-Type-blood-likely-catch-coronavirus.html
  • People with Type A blood are significantly more likely to catch coronavirus than those with Type O, Chinese academics have found.
  • The study in Wuhan - the epicenter of the disease - also found those with Type A blood are more likely to die from COVID-19, with no clear indication as to why that might be true.
  • Researchers note: The controversial correlation has yet to be scrutinized by other academics in peer review and the researchers are unable to explain why infection varies by blood type.
COVID-19 Cured By Existing Anti-Viral Drug Cocktail?https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/health/coronavirus-australia-queensland-researchers-find-cure-want-drug-trial/news-story/93e7656da0cff4fc4d2c5e51706accb5
  • University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research director Professor David Paterson said today they have seen two drugs used to treat other conditions wipe out the virus in test tubes.
  • The Doctor is pressing Australian authorities to grant him leave to begin human clinical trials by the end of the month.
  • Prof Paterson, who is also an infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, said it wasn't a stretch to label the drugs "a treatment or a cure". "It's a potentially effective treatment," he said.
  • The Doctor did warn that even if the anti-viral drugs prove to be effective, it may take months to get the studies through human clinical trials.
  • "...If we can test it in this first wave of patients, and we do fully expect that there are going to be ongoing infections for months and months ahead, and therefore we'll have the best possible information to treat subsequent patients," Dr Paterson said.
Amazon No Longer Shipping Cheap Clothes and Knick Knacks to Warehouses, Memo Indicateshttps://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-amazon-suspends-all-non-essential-shipments-to-warehouses-2020-3
  • Amazon told sellers and vendors on Tuesday that it was suspending shipments of all nonessential products to its warehouses to deal with the increased workloads following the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Amazon is now prioritizing medical supplies, household staples, and other high-demand products to its warehouses until April 5.
  • The change only affects shipments to Amazon's warehouses, not the last-mile deliveries to consumers.
  • "We are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies, and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock, and deliver these products to customers," the message read.
  • Thousands of household items currently show as out of stock or are back-ordered on Amazon's website, including canned goods, cleaning supplies, paper towels, toilet paper and hand soap.
First Dog Diagnosed With COVID-19 Has Diedhttps://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3075650/first-dog-found-coronavirus-has-died-after
  • The 17-year-old Pomeranian, which belonged to a Covid-19 patient, had been quarantined at a government facility since February 26, and returned home on Saturday.
  • The owner said she was not willing to allow an autopsy to determine the cause of death, according to Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
  • Doctors said the death does not necessarily indicate that COVID-19 is dangerous to pets or other animals, noting that other forms of Coronavirus including SARS-1 and MERS have not proven to be dangerous to animal health, even though they can be carriers of the virus and pass them to humans.
Achieving True Herd Immunity Requires Extreme Measures, According to New Studyhttps://www.axios.com/coronavirus-report-us-uk-strategies-e45bc5d4-d2f1-40e2-825e-429b2b7c1b50.html , https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf
  • A startling new report from Imperial College London warns that 2.2 million Americans and 510,000 Britons could die from coronavirus if extreme action isn't taken to change the course of the outbreak.
  • The report's dire warnings prompted a quick course correction from both the American and British governments on their strategies, but its strict recommendations and long timeline — 18 months — to stem the tide could have far-reaching implications for both populations and economies.
  • The report states the effectiveness of "mitigation," which includes isolating only the sick and those linked to them while advocating social distancing for at-risk groups, is extremely limited.
  • It instead recommends "suppression," a much more wide-ranging tactic to curb coronavirus' spread, including extreme social distancing for several months.
  • The researchers say that suppression "will minimally require a combination of social distancing of the entire population, home isolation of all suspected cases and household quarantine of their family members for any household with even 1 infection."
  • It also recommends school closures for up to 6 months, including Primary schools and Colleges.
  • The report notes that this strategy could have to be in place until a vaccine is developed, which could take 18 months — saying it is "the only viable strategy at the current time" to avoid high death rates.
  • The study warned that based on the current Serious/Critical ratio of infected to those requiring hospitalization, over 250 hospital beds would be required for every 1 bed currently available.
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POLL: Should the Government control the future of AI?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Earlier this week, tech titans, lawmakers, and union leaders met on Capitol Hill to discuss the future of AI regulation. The three-hour meeting boasted an impressive roster of tech leaders including, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and others, along with more than 60 US Senators.

Tech Titans and Senators gathered in the Kennedy Caucus Room.The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The meeting was closed to the public, so what was exactly discussed is unknown. However, what we do know is that a majority of the CEOs support AI regulation, the most vocal of which is Elon Musk. During the meeting, Musk called AI "a double-edged sword" and strongly pushed for regulation in the interest of public safety.

A majority of the CEOs support AI regulation.

Many other related issues were discussed, including the disruption AI has caused to the job market. As Glenn has discussed on his program, the potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real, and many have already felt the effects. From taxi drivers to Hollywood actors and writers, AI's presence can be felt everywhere and lawmakers are unsure how to respond.

The potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real.

Ultimately, the meeting's conclusion was less than decisive, with several Senators making comments to the tune of "we need more time before we act." The White House is expected to release an executive order regarding AI regulation by the end of the year. But now it's YOUR turn to tell us what YOU think needs to be done!

Should A.I. be regulated?

Can the government be trusted with the power to regulate A.I.? 

Can Silicon Valley be trusted to regulate AI? 

Should AI development be slowed for safety, despite its potential advantages?

If a job can be done cheaper and better by AI, should it be taken away from a human?

Do you feel that your job is threatened by AI?

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Glenn wrote this essay on September 12, 2001. Are we the same people now?

ED JONES / Contributor | Getty Images

Twenty two years ago today on September 12th, 2001, Glenn wrote an essay called "The Greatest American Generation." These were his visceral thoughts immediately following the 9/11 attacks. This beautiful essay calls upon the American spirit to rise to the occasion to pull us through what was one of the darkest days in our nation's history. He called us to unite around the common vision that unites us as Americans.

Yesterday, Glenn revisited this essay, wondering if we are the same people who could have pulled through that dark hour. Do you still believe the things that he wrote in this essay? Or have we become a people too divided to overcome a tragedy of the magnitude of 9/11? Consider these questions as you read Glenn's essay below, "The Greatest American Generation," published on September 12, 2001.

I've always believed that the greatest American generation is the one that's living, in the here and the now. The question is not if this is the greatest American generation. The question was when were we going to wake up? I remember staying at my grandparents' house in the summer when I was small. Every morning my grandmother would open the attic door and call up, "Kids, time to wake up." For me she'd have to do this a couple of times before I'd lumber out of bed and cross the cold, squeaky wooden floor. But finally, I would. And she'd be there in the kitchen ready with breakfast. My grandfather was already outside in the henhouse because there was work to do. They were hardworking, good and decent people. Seemed to me that they were from not only a different time but a different place. They weren't.

The spirit of our parents and our grandparents isn't from some foreign place. It hasn't died out. It's a flame that flickers in all Americans. It's there and it's ready to blaze to life when we're ready to face the challenges that now lie at our feet. It's what sets us apart. It's what built this country. It's why our borders still teem with the poor and the tired and those yearning to be free, burned with zeal in the hearts of millions of immigrants from every corner of the Earth who came here in search of a better way of life. The flame that Lady Liberty holds is the American spirit which burns deep within all of us, no matter what our race, gender, our religious background. And today the world is watching us. It's really nothing new. It always has.

Since the dawn of man people dreamt of a better life, dreamt of a better way, of freedom. But it was Americans that finally found a way to build it. And out of all that we've built, the powerful machines, the computers, the weapons of mass destruction, hardware and software that we spent millions on every year to protect and keep the plan secret, our biggest seeming secret, the one the world wants most of all, isn't a secret at all. It's something we freely give to the rest of the world. And while it seems self‑evident to us, for some reason it can't be duplicated. Yet it can be passed on from person to person, torch to torch. It's the American spirit.

If you weren't trapped in one of those towers or on a plane or in the Pentagon, then you have great reason to humbly give thanks today, not for our lives but because we're the lucky ones. God hasn't forsaken us. He's awakened us. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, he's gently called out, "Kids, it's time to wake up! We've been given another chance."

Thousands of years ago in Babel, the great civilization in their arrogance built a tower that reached the sky. It crumbled and they were scattered. Our heart and steely symbols of power and wealth may have crumbled, but we have not been scattered. Americans aren't ever going to scatter. Let the world recognize through our actions today that those firefighters in New York are not the exception. They are the rule. Americans don't run from burning buildings. We run into them. It was a beautiful fall morning on the edge of the land created through divine providence. Coffee shops were open. Children were on their buses and people easing into another typical workday when America's greatest generation heard the voice: "Kids, it's time to wake up."

Several times we've ignored the voice. We've drifted back into twilight sleep muttering, "I know, I know, in a minute." But finally we are awake and out of bed, for there is much work to do. The task before us is much more daunting than what our grandparents and parents faced, but we are stronger, a more prepared nation. The torch has been passed. We are the greatest American generation. The American spirit is alive and well. Our flame has not burned out. It had just been dimmed while we were asleep."

Remembering 9/11: A call to unify as Americans

Robert Giroux / Staff | Getty Images

Glenn often harkens back to September 11, 2001, as a pivotal day for the American spirit. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit the South Tower at 8:46 a.m. that sunny September morning in Manhattan, there was no question that September 11 would become one of the most consequential moments in American history. However, in that moment, the outcome of that day was yet to be determined.

How would September 11 be remembered in history textbooks? Would it be the beginning of the end of our Republic? Many thought so and for just reason. Our country was under attack. Planes hijacked by our enemy were headed towards the buildings that represented the institutions that comprise the fabric of our republic. If there was any day that called into question our nation's future, it was September 11.

New York City firefighters and a photojournalist work at Ground Zero after two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin TowersRon Agam / Stringer | Getty Images

But the American spirit had a different narrative in mind. Instead of caving to the narrative that the hijackers attempted to write, the American people rose to the occasion that duty beckoned. As Glenn wrote in an essay the day after the September 11 attacks, "Americans don't run from burning buildings. We run into them." And we did. Many remained there as their final burial place.

The American people rose to the occasion that duty beckoned.

As New York Governor Pataki remarked, "On that terrible day, a nation became neighbors." We weren't Democrats. We weren't Republicans. On that day, we were Americans. We chose to write a different narrative in the history books following 9/11, one of resilience, bravery, brotherhood, and the triumph of the American spirit.

As Glenn so poignantly wrote on September 12th:

The spirit of our parents and our grandparents isn't from some foreign place. It hasn't died out. It's a flame that flickers in all Americans.

And that flickering light turned into a roaring fire on that pivotal day, one that not even the fires in the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, or the empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania could consume.

We chose to write a different narrative in the history books following 9/11, one of resilience, bravery, brotherhood, and the triumph of the American spirit.

But can we say the same about the American people today? Do we still carry the flickering flame of the American spirit that has been passed down to us from generations past? As Glenn reflected today, 22 years after penning those words, he isn't so sure. And I'm not either.

A candlelight vigil for the victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attack is held at Union Square in New York City.Evan Agostini / Contributor | Getty Images

The same American spirit that we relied upon to pull us through September 11 seems to be a waning flame in a torch that few are clinging to. We are increasingly losing sight of what it means to be an American. Common principles that we traditionally shared across party lines are now being vehemently contested, both by the ruling class and in the public square. This is not the same America that triumphed over September 11.

We are increasingly losing sight of what it means to be an American.

This raises the troubling question: Could we endure another attack of a similar magnitude? Would the triumph of the American spirit dictate the narrative of that day, or would a foreign enemy steal the pen from liberty's fingers? These are the tough questions we must wrestle with in our pivotal moment as a nation.

But these questions aren't devoid of hope. There is still time to recall those timeless principles that transcended party lines on September 11 and united us as Americans. There is still time to nurse the waning flame for those who are committed to holding liberty's torch. There is still time to view our political opponents as, in the words of Pataki, "neighbors," whose livelihood and future depend on the survival of our great nation.

There is still time to recall those timeless principles that transcended party lines on September 11.

But that window is short. We must strive towards unity now if our nation hopes to, as Lincoln said in his own time of division, "endure."

As Glenn wrote in that essay on September 12, 2001, we must be, "awake and out of bed, for there is much work to do. [...] Our flame has not burned out. It had just been dimmed while we were asleep."

Acouple cary the American flag down a lower-Manhattan street a week after the September 11 attacksRichard Baker / Contributor | Getty Images

Flames cannot flicker forever. If they are not nursed, they will flicker out, leaving darkness in its wake. It's time to wake up. We must be attentive and awake, nursing the remnant of liberty's flame until it is blazing like it did 22 years ago today. We cannot let it die on our watch. Too many people have sacrificed too much for us to drop the torch.