AlertsUSA Threat Journal - April 18, 2020

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April 18, 2020	Threat Journal is a weekly supplement to the AlertsUSA National Threat and Incident Notification Service for Mobile Devices

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP
Published Each Saturday Afternoon

New White House Guidelines to Reopen America

April 18, 2020

Between April 14-17, the following related Flash SMS
messages were sent to AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

4/17 - VPOTUS: All 50 states and all territories are now under a federal disaster declaration for the first time in American history.

4/16 - Guidelines for Opening Up American Again: Note that "Use of face coverings while in public" is in the guidance for all phases.

4/16 - White House releases Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, incl proposed gating criteria, state resp, guidelines for individuals & employers, etc. See email.

4/16 - Governors of IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, OH & WI form partnership to reopen the economy in the Midwest region while maximizing health and safety. More via email.

4/15 - Sec of Agriculture Perdue: Bare shelves in grocery stores are "a demand issue, not a supply issue. In the U.S. we have plenty of food for all of our citizens."

4/14 - POTUS halts all funding of World Health Organization as USGOV investigates their recent failed response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

What You Need To Know

This week President Trump announced a three-phase road map to reopening the country’s economy and for the states to begin lifting restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. These guidelines explicitly leave the time table for opening up their states to the governors.

Before the phases can be initiated, states must meet a series of “gating criteria” including a downward trajectory of confirmed cases, as well as a decreasing number of cases of patients with Covid-19 symptoms over a 14-day period.

During phase one, vulnerable populations continue to shelter at home, outside the home social distancing is still practiced and gathering in groups of more than ten people is not allowed. Schools remain closed but restaurants and other gathering places can operate only while enforcing strict physical distancing protocols.

In phase two, gatherings of more than 50 people are discouraged, but non-essential travel can resume. Schools can reopen and large venues including restaurants can operate with only moderate physical distancing.

Phase three represents a return to what is being called the “new normal” - going about normal life with a focus on good hygiene, hand-washing and keeping as much space as possible between people when outside the home and with everyone avoiding crowds wherever possible.

It is important to note that in each of these phases, the guidelines call for the wearing of masks while in public. And for the doubters, yes, they do work.

1.) They offer protection for you by reducing the possibility of inhalation of infectious aerosols.

2.) They offer protection for others by reducing the possibility of YOU spreading infectious aerosols. Remember, one can be infected with the virus and be completely asymptomatic, while still being wildly infectious.

View the guidelines HERE

Download the guidelines HERE (PDF)

OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS

World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 Case Count (Interactive map updated multiple times daily) - ALLOW IMAGES

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 U.S. Case Count Graph - ALLOW IMAGES

WHO RISK OF SPREAD & IMPACT ASSESSMENT

China Very High
Regional Level Very High
Global Level Very High

PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE RESOURCES

White House

The President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America (PDF)

Official Coronavirus Information Pages:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization

Official Pandemic Preparedness Guidance:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization

DIY CLOTH MASK RESOURCES

Don't buy the masks online. At the present time, most retail masks are made in China anyhow. Make it at home.

CDC Homemade Cloth Face Coverings
Instructables DIY Cloth Face Mask
NYT How to Sew a Face Mask
The Olson Mask Pattern

Assorted Resources

(While some of the resources below were prepared for pandemic influenza, the broader guidance contain therein is directly applicable to the current coronavirus crisis).

Home Care for Patients w/ Suspected Coronavirus Infection
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
Fundamentals of Emergency Planning for Schools
Healthcare Systems Preparedness for COVID-19
Pub Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness & Response (SARS)
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Faith-based & Community Org. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist
WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu
Dept of Defense Coronavirus Response Page
DHS Supplemental Instructions For Inbound Flights

View Last Week's Issue

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.

AlertsUSA.com

OTHER SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

3/31 - Shallow M6.5 earthquake in Southern Idaho, 72km W of Challis. AlertsUSA monitoring for damage reports.

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Feds Warn of N. Korea Cyber Threat
to Critical Infrastructure

April 18, 2020

On April 15, the following related Flash SMS message
was sent to AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

4/15 - State Dept, Treasury, DHS & FBI issue advisory highlighting disruptive / destructive cyber activities of DPRK affecting US critical infrastructure. See email.

What You Need To Know

On Wednesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a joint advisory issued by the State Dept, Treasury, DHS & FBI highlighting the disruptive and destructive cyber activities of North Korea affecting US critical infrastructure. North Korea’s malicious cyber activities threaten the United States and the broader international community and, in particular, pose a significant threat to the integrity and stability of the international financial system.

Under the pressure of robust U.S. and UN sanctions, North Korea has increasingly relied on illicit activities – including cybercrime – to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. These activities include a wide range of malware tools, Cyber-Enabled Financial Theft and Money Laundering, Extortion Campaigns through compromising an entity’s network and threatening to shut it down unless the entity pays a ransom, as well as cryptojacking, which is a scheme to compromise a victim's machine and steal its computing resources to mine digital currency.

Download the full advisory HERE (PDF - Dept. of Treasury website)

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.

Medical staff stand by at the ready to recieve incoming patients at an outdoor triage center.

Commentary / Analysis / Research

April 18, 2020

We Are Probably Only One-Tenth of
the Way Through This Pandemic

Getting out of the lockdown — and out of your shelter-in-place bunker — is not the beginning of the end of the pandemic. It is only the end of the beginning — the very brief beginning of what seems likely to be an epically long saga of disease, fear, and uncertainty.

~ READ MORE HERE ~

Even Expected Pandemics Are Problematic.
Still, We Can Learn From Them

Generals are often accused of “fighting the last war,” meaning they prepare for wars similar to ones most recently fought, rather than preparing for a different type of warfare that the future will bring. The next security challenge America faces will likely take a still different form. Working together, Congress, states and administration will need to effectively address the deficiencies uncovered in this emergency while being careful not to undermine other areas of national security.

~ READ MORE HERE ~

How WHO Parroted Chinese Lies as
Coronavirus Pandemic Unfolded

The World Heath Organization has found itself with serious questions to answer after President Trump accused the UN agency of 'severely mismanaging' its response to the coronavirus pandemic and withheld $500million in funding.

The WHO has been spearheading global efforts to fight the virus, but has come under attack for playing along with China as the country sought to minimize its initial outbreak and the threat the disease posed.

~ READ MORE HERE ~

China’s Aircraft Carriers: Bark or Bite?

China currently has two carriers and a third in the shipyard, with a fourth planned. But what is the Chinese aircraft carrier program like?

~ READ MORE HERE ~

Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of April 13, 2020 - ALLOW IMAGE8

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker

April 18, 2020

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of April 13th, 2020 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Micah Callwood signals an Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey to land during flight operations aboard the USS America in the Philippine Sea, April 14, 2020.

World News Roundup

April 18, 2020

AMERICAS

Canada to keep border restrictions with U.S. for a 'significant' time
World Marks 100 Days Since The Iranian Downing Of Ukraine Int'l Flight 752
Canada, Ukraine reject report Iran seeking legal immunity for fatal plane crash
U.N. warns downturn could kill hundreds of thousands of children in 2020
COVID-19 to have 'immediate and drastic' impact on Canadian meat supply
USS Theodore Roosevelt Outbreak Is Linked to Flight Crews, Not Vietnam Visit
PRC, Russian Subs May Soon Face UUV-Launched US Sea Mines
HIV-Discoverer Says COVID-19 "Could Only Have Been Created In A Lab"
Police collect nearly 800 bodies from Ecuador's virus epicentre
Warnings as Nicaragua continues life as normal
U.S. offers $10 million reward for Hezbollah’s commander in Iraq
How the coronavirus is reshaping terrorists' attack plans

EUROPE

A third of French aircraft carrier crew have Covid-19, says defence ministry
US sailors aboard French aircraft carrier have tested positive for the virus
Russia’s Coronavirus Outbreak Is ‘Changing for the Worse,’ Putin Warns
Russian Covid-19 cases exceed 21,000, Putin warns of 'extraordinary crisis'
Russian Veterans Urge Putin to Postpone WWII Parade Over Virus
Russia tests anti-satellite missile, US general says
Russian jet buzzes Navy P-8 Poseidon within 25 feet, intercept lasts 42 minutes
Russia says it's ready for hypersonic missile talks with U.S.
Italy's Covid-19 death toll tops 20,000
Hundreds of thousands return to work as Spain relaxes coronavirus lockdown
UK to remain in lockdown as coronavirus deaths rise above 11,000
Promising 'better days,' Macron extends France's lockdown until May 11
Huawei urges UK not to make 5G U-turn after pandemic
Trump halts US funding for WHO as it conducts coronavirus review
WHO chief says he 'regrets' Trump's decision to suspend funding

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Iranian boats come 'dangerously' close to US navy warships
American F-35s overfly Special Operations bases in Syria
US Flexes Military Might Near Russian Forces In Syria
Armed men board vessel in Gulf of Oman
U.S. oil sanctions against Iran are unjust: Rouhani
Iran records 4,585 coronavirus deaths as restrictions eased
Turkish parliament passes bill to release thousands from prison amid COVID-19
Yemen 'faces nightmare' as first coronavirus case confirmed
COVID-19: 4 health officials sacked in Saudi Arabia
Libyan coronavirus hospital closes amid attacks
Second wave of locusts in east Africa said to be 20 times worse
Ebola deaths in Congo halt plan to declare virus eradicated

ASIA

Possible Chinese nuclear testing stirs US concern
DPRK fires barrage of missiles on eve of founder’s birthday, ROK’s elections
On N. Korea's most important holiday, Kim Jong Un was nowhere to be seen
Chinese Communist Party didn't warn public for 6 KEY DAYS
IMF: Pandemic to bring Asia's 2020 growth to halt for first time in 60 years
A few reasons why China's navy gloating is badly misplaced
China’s claim of zero coronavirus infections in military is bogus, expert says
China Gleeful That 4 US Carriers Hampered By COVID-19
China expects no large-scale foreign investment withdrawal amid outbreak
China’s Export Restrictions Delaying Medical Supply Shipments To U.S.
It's Not Just the WHO: How China Is Moving on the Whole U.N.
China tries reviving economy after lockdown but consumer engine sputters
Kazakhstan Protests Over Chinese Article Questioning Its Territorial Integrity

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Travel Security

Department of State Seal - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to do a little research on the security situation at your destination well prior to departure.

Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution

Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map

Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler's Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad

Overseas Security Advisory Council Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.

CDC Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.

Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance

		Global Affairs Canada

		Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs

		UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Take Advantage of These Resources

Our social media channels provide a steady steam of important news and resources between issues of Threat Journal with little or no overlap of content. Combined with the AlertsUSA service for instant mobile notification of the really bad developments, you have an unmatched set of tools to keep yourself fully up to speed on the nation's threat environment. With times getting worse by the day, we urge you to utilize these resources.

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Ezekiel 33:3 - "Then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head."