10 U.S. service members test positive for coronavirus, military says

[lanlady]

Source: Washington Post

Ten U.S. service members have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, along with one Defense Department civilian and two contractors, military officials said Saturday.

Eight Defense Department dependents have also tested positive, the officials said, adding that 13 military labs are now able to conduct tests for the virus, including a site at the Pentagon.

The officials also described far-reaching new domestic travel restrictions to help stop the spread of the virus. The rules, which are due to go into effect Monday, will halt virtually all trips for service members and their families through at least May 11. The move could affect hundreds of thousands of service members, civilian employees and their dependents in the United States and its territories.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/13/coronavirus-is-an-indictment-our-way-life/

[yaesu]

1. I know congress got involved after a concerned mother called the Hartmann show

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213068896

[greenjar_01]

2. Ooof, it's gonna be a fucking disaster in the military

[riversedge]

4. yes, Hoping they caught it early.

[sarisataka]

6. Why?

They are among the healthiest members of society, have access to excellent health care and are trained in countering bio warfare which is applicable to widespread natural disease.

[NewEnglandAutumn]

7. Donnie made huge cuts to military healthcare

They have cut over 18,000 healthcare workers. Cut hours at clinics. Pushed retirees and many defendants out of clinics. Cut hours and available services. It will NOT be OK. They are even having difficulty immunizing some people.

[lanlady]

3. Wish they had provided more details

such as where the sick are located geographically. Where they all at one location? Were they at a US base overseas? in DC area?

[HDSam]

5. Your typical service member

is 17-50 years old, generally in very good health, has excellent access to healthcare, and doesn’t have respiratory issues or compromised immune systems. I would expect the impact on the military to be minimal.

[NewEnglandAutumn]

8. Wrong

People in the military are exposed to toxic chemicals, work for dangerously long hours, and then there is the fact that they have families who are not being seen in many clinics because of cutbacks. Look at the average lifespans of veterans and retirees (significantly worse than civilian counterparts).

[HDSam]

9. Definitely not wrong, As an Army retiree

who was a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) specialist who has trained thousands of Soldiers to identify and defend against these threats and currently works in healthcare, I think I’m on pretty solid ground. In any case, you tried valiantly (good effort!) to bring Veterans, retirees, and families into the discussion to make your point, but those groups weren’t at all what the discussion was about. Better luck next time!