Starting a new thread since people could not keep from talking about politics unrelated to the outbreak and got the "How safe is it to go to tournaments right now?" thread locked.

Be forewarned. The follow kinds of posts will result in a block:

- Politically-leaning posts that are not related to the outbreak, or any post that is primarily politics over anything else.

- Rumors, conspiracy theories, unverified anecdotal information disguised as "facts" about the outbreak, etc.

- Advice and suggestions about how people should handle Covid-19 that are the poster's personal opinions and are not backed up any research.

- Nonsense posts. One and done if you are being immature.

- Zero content posts. If you are just posting with nothing to really say, you may end up saying nothing elsewhere.

- One on one arguments and unilateral attacks on other posters. This thread is not a chat room. Take it to PMs.

- Blocked posters will be listed below along with the reason for the block and the link to the post that triggered the block, so nobody will have to wonder about who has been blocked, or why, or if it was warranted.

Edit 2023: I am not actively enforcing all of these guidelines anymore, it been over 3 years and people should be able to handle themselves. I will still block trolls and people posting misinformation, though. Note that even though it was never announced formally, the mods are not enforcing this as the only allowed thread for posting about Covid-19 anymore.

Best links for up-to-date Covid-19 outbreak numbers:

Worldometer's Coronavirus page:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

John Hopkins University - Coronavirus Outbreak Map

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

Current CDC guidelines and info:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Where to get Covid-19 vaccines in the US:

https://www.vaccines.gov/

List of all the vaccines that are approved by the CDC:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vaccines-list.html

Also, for those in the US, you can put your order in for 4 free at-home Covid-19 tests delivered from the US Postal Service:

https://www.covidtests.gov/

Block list (most recent to oldest):

@heavenly-father for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=229#comment-105457381)

@ahh_fiddlefaddle for posting conspiracy theories (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=223#comment-87107079)

@pleasedontsing for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=221#comment-86472117)

@goatedpawn12 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=219#comment-86099949)

@FavelaSwagKing for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=217#comment-80308403)

@Peeblozchess324 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=217#comment-80270893)

@CesilyaRansom for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=217#comment-80271255)

@Ghost_of_Ninja (aka @ExploringWA, @TumpaiTubo) for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=216#comment-80158327)

@officialtroll for spamming and harassment (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=215#comment-79190343)

@Bobery1 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=215#comment-74746375)

@0wumbo0 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=213#comment-74167711)

@rahul007t for posting without supporting links/backup repeatedly (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=205#comment-71044719)

@Buckarooo0520 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=179#comment-68183501)

@PetraGompa for spamming YouTube videos (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=169#comment-66134533)

@kidathome07 for posting unsupported conspiracy theories and abusing other posters (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=160#comment-64988233)

@Optimissed for attacking other posters (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=150#comment-62695593)

@4kingknight for posting without supporting links/backup repeatedly (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=141#comment-62528555)

@jewelqueen52 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=135#comment-62426647)

@MelanieJungreis for posting conspiracy theories and partisan politics (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=134#comment-62424165)

@FunkleSweet (UnclePeet) for [see UnclePeet entries below] (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=130#comment-62265617)

@joshjones17 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=127#comment-62016453)

@XenonNinjaYT for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=127#comment-61965611)

@UnclePeet for attacking other posters (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=122#comment-60865919)

@stopvaccuming for posting conspiracy theories (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=117#comment-59405680)

@Bren-Phoenix-187 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=117#comment-59328302)

@TheBestBeer_Root for spamming and posting unsupported conspiracy theories (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=108#comment-59308606)

@MAZEGAZER for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=109#comment-58234318)

@Ffgghhgghhhggg for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=108#comment-58104614)

@ExploringWA (aka @TumpaiTubo)for posting conspiracy theories (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=108#comment-58104342)

@Saurya03 for trolling [post deleted by @UpbeatAngle] (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=108#comment-57319382)

@Tonya_Harding for attacking other posters (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=108#comment-57306994)

@Pat_Zurr for unsupported links/pushing conspiracy theories (x3) (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=105#comment-57232753)

@Problem5826 for attacking other posters [post deleted by @David] (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=103#comment-57224628)

@the_chess_troller for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=99#comment-56450176)

@UnclePeet for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=95#comment-55542964)

@CoronaVirusPandemic for trolling (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=93#comment-55526494)

@stopvaccuming for trolling (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=93#comment-55289482)

@MarkofGreatness for politics and spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=87#comment-54252858)

@hvenki for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=86#comment-53743298)

@ooooeeeeooeeoe for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=85#comment-53702706)

@Thee_Ghostess_Lola for going off topic and attacking other posters (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=84#comment-53109006)

@Smositional_Player for trolling (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=84#comment-52715964)

@toxic_ness_2 for trolling (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=83#comment-52286184)

@NewSonic_exe2 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=83#comment-52286184)

@TumpaiTubo for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=82#comment-51735696)

@Free-de-la-hoy2 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=79#comment-51574060)

@hdbb8 for unsupported links/conspiracy theories (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=75#comment-50991886)

@olJoshie1 for trolling (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=71#comment-50392120)

@Kingsgam for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=60#comment-48960198)

@SKIfreek05 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=51#comment-48356788)

@wsswan for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=50#comment-48201474)

@TheBestBeer_Float for spamming and religion (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=37#comment-47921194)

@Norahflower2 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=35#comment-47858286)

@toxic_ness_main for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=31#comment-47690118)

@ericthatwho for going off topic (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=31#comment-47679740)

@Itude for spamming, going off topic, and attacking a moderator (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=29#comment-47608280)

@Zborg for moderator green text usage (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=28#comment-47596734)

@Khannate1 for attacking a moderator and politics [post deleted by @David] (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=28#comment-47596734)

@PicklesOfTheJar for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=20#comment-47510352)

@nighteyes1234 for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=11#comment-47419600)

@Puppernes [formally @NormalGopher] for spamming (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/covid-19-discussion?page=6#comment-47392652)

Snapshot of confirmed cases by country:  April 1st 2020

Is there any country which still has no cases of coronavirus?

Countries with no confirmed cases?  Yes.  Some countries have not done any testing, and some, most notably Belarus, are run by dictators that are suppressing all coverage.

The US passed 5,000 deaths today, putting the 9/11 death total firmly in the rearview mirror...

No, I'm not saying that at all.  That seems like a strange leap of logic.  I guess what I would say is that people that are still looking at the outbreak with skepticism need to start treating it with at least the same gravity.

Do you have any actual information about China's death toll being 10 times higher?  I've seen an article saying that US intelligence agencies are actively trying to confirm China's numbers, but I'm pretty sure if they had anything concrete showing China is lying, Trump would be tweeting all about it by now.

Not to take away form your post.  But i started a Pt. 2 for the one that was shut down.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-safe-is-it-to-go-to-tournaments-right-now-part-2

You said 10 times higher, though.  That's what I am getting at.  I am not a fan of China's government myself, but I have seen nothing that would seem to affirm 33,000 Covid-19 deaths in China's outbreak.  

That's fine if you want to put up another one.  This has been up since last night about an hour after the lock.  I purposefully renamed it and put this thread in Off Topic.  I don't mind people continuing the discussion of attending tournaments, and I'd be happy to see chess-related outbreak stuff here, but I wanted to be clear that this thread is about the outbreak first and foremost.  That was the general direction of the locked thread after 100+ pages.

Noted .  

We're at 1 million confirmed cases worldwide now...

Coronavirus is not the flu. It's worse:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVIGhz3uwuQ

Lot of good info in this article, albeit poorly named:

https://news.yahoo.com/flattening-the-curve-on-coronavirus-what-california-and-washington-can-teach-the-world-130405639.html

Sample:

A new “social distancing scoreboard” by New York technology company Unacast suggests that people are now following these shelter-in-place orders. Using smartphone GPS data to compare how far residents of every U.S. county travel each day, the scorecard awards New York, California and Washington high grades for cutting average mobility by more than 40 percent since the start of the outbreak. In fact, mobility has declined by more in Manhattan (72 percent) than in San Francisco (65 percent), Seattle (56 percent) or Los Angeles (46 percent).

But timing is everything during a pandemic, and it appears the virus had already spread widely in the nation’s largest, most densely populated city before the lockdown. Kinsa Health, which produces internet-connected thermometers, has been compiling and analyzing up to 162,000 daily temperature readings since COVID-19 struck the U.S., as the New York Times recently reported, adapting its software to detect spikes of “atypical fever” that do not correlate with historical flu patterns and are likely attributable to the coronavirus.

And another good one:

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-warns-very-very-painful-233703809.html

Sample:

After spending weeks downplaying the threat of the novel coronavirus, President Trump on Tuesday admitted that at least 100,000 Americans will likely die but said it would have been worse if he had listened to some people he claimed had great “common sense” who wanted to “just ride it out.”

COVID-19 | Corona Virus: Treatment, Prognosis, Precautions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdoN_XsHWBI

Inside One Of Italy's Most Advanced Infectious Disease Hospitals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svGD6e_X_2w

Yahoo is a news aggregator.  They pick up stories from AP, Reuters, etc.  They also have some of their own news people writing articles, but they do not produce the bulk of their articles.  It does not really matter what the slant is, if it's getting hits it will rise to the top of the new pages.  I see plenty of partisan stories from both left and right on Yahoo.

Here's some tweets/quotes from Trump during the outbreak up until he agreed with the shutdowns:

January 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. It’s going to be just fine.”

February 2: “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China.”

February 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA… Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

February 25: “CDC and my Administration are doing a GREAT job of handling Coronavirus.”

February 25: “I think that's a problem that’s going to go away… They have studied it. They know very much. In fact, we’re very close to a vaccine.”

February 26: “The 15 (cases in the US) within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”

February 26: “We're going very substantially down, not up.”

February 27: “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

February 28: “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus, you know that, right? Coronavirus, they’re politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs. You say, ‘How’s President Trump doing?’ They go, ‘Oh, not good, not good.’ They have no clue. They don’t have any clue. They can’t even count their votes in Iowa.” “They tried the impeachment hoax. That was on a perfect conversation. They tried anything. They tried it over and over. They’d been doing it since you got in. It’s all turning. They lost. It’s all turning. Think of it. Think of it. And this is their new hoax.”

March 4: “If we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work — some of them go to work, but they get better.”

March 6: “Anybody right now, and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test. They’re there. And the tests are beautiful…. the tests are all perfect like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. Right? This was not as perfect as that but pretty good.”

March 6: “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it… Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”

March 6: “I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault.”

March 8: “We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus.”

March 9: “This blindsided the world.”

March 9: "The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant.”

March 10: "It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away."

March 13: “I don't take responsibility at all” (after National Emergency Declaration)

March 16: "I give myself a 10 out of 10"

Those are not "slanted".  He said them word for word .

Yes it's really interesting!Thanks!