thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-21--David Schwimmer Gives The Most Ross Response To 'On A Break' Question

“ Friends ” star David Schwimmer didn ’ t go totally Red Ross when asked where he stands on the debate over whether his character Ross and Jennifer Aniston ’ s Rachel were indeed “ on a break ” when Ross had a one-night stand on the show .
“ Yeah .
It ’ s not even a question .
They were on a break , ” Schwimmer comically deadpanned to Jimmy Fallon on Monday ’ s broadcast of “ The Tonight Show.
” “ I love the way you delivered that , it ’ s perfect .
Not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laughing and clapping .
Schwimmer also explained why he initially turned down the role of Ross due to a negative experience on a previous show , and dished on the upcoming “ Friends ” reunion special .
The highly anticipated reunion episode will feature an unscripted interview with cast members and “ some other surprise bits , ” he said .
He warned that filming slated for August could be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Check out the interview above .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
@ @ @ @

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“Friends” star David Schwimmer didn’t go totally Red Ross when asked where he stands on the debate over whether his character Ross and Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel were indeed “on a break” when Ross had a one-night stand on the show.
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But it was close.
“Yeah. It’s not even a question. They were on a break,” Schwimmer comically deadpanned to Jimmy Fallon on Monday’s broadcast of “The Tonight Show.”
“I love the way you delivered that, it’s perfect. Not even a question,” responded Fallon, laughing and clapping.
Schwimmer also explained why he initially turned down the role of Ross due to a negative experience on a previous show, and dished on the upcoming “Friends” reunion special.
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The highly anticipated reunion episode will feature an unscripted interview with cast members and “some other surprise bits,” he said. He warned that filming slated for August could be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-21--Late Night Hosts Reveal Most ‘Chilling’ Moment From Trump’s Fox News Interview

President Donald Trump ’ s interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News quickly turned into fodder for the late night hosts ― and one moment stood out to all of them .
Trump boasted of passing a “ very hard ” cognitive test , but Wallace said he took the test himself when Trump first announced that he had passed it .
“ It ’ s not the hardest test , ” Wallace said .
“ They have a picture and it says , ‘ What ’ s that ?
’ and it ’ s an elephant.
” The late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that exchange .
“ Passing a cognitive test is not impressive , ” Stephen Colbert of “ The Late Show ” noted .
“ It checks for things like brain damage , asking real stumpers like ‘ name these three animals.
’ ” It ’ s chilling to see the most powerful man in the world bragging that he passed a test that they give to people to find out whether they should be allowed to take the bus by themselves .
Trevor Noah of “ The Daily Show ” likewise wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to identify on elephant on the test .
“ If they wanted to test Trump , they shouldn ’ t have asked him to identify an elephant , ” he said .
“ They should ’ ve asked him to identify his second daughter .
That would ’ ve been impressive.
” But he did admit there ’ s a time it could come in handy : Jimmy Fallon of “ The Tonight Show ” cracked that at least the country would be in great shape if faced with an elephant pandemic : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said he ’ s not sure what ’ s more alarming : “ that Trump even had to take this test in the first place , or how proud he is with how he did.
” He said there was one question on the test that he ’ d pay to see Trump try to answer ― then did an impression of Trump taking a stab at it :

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President Donald Trump’s interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News quickly turned into fodder for the late night hosts ― and one moment stood out to all of them.
Trump boasted of passing a “very hard” cognitive test, but Wallace said he took the test himself when Trump first announced that he had passed it.
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“It’s not the hardest test,” Wallace said. “They have a picture and it says, ‘What’s that?’ and it’s an elephant.”
The late night hosts each offered a take on that exchange.
“Passing a cognitive test is not impressive,” Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show” noted. “It checks for things like brain damage, asking real stumpers like ‘name these three animals.’”
He added:
It’s chilling to see the most powerful man in the world bragging that he passed a test that they give to people to find out whether they should be allowed to take the bus by themselves.
See his full monologue below:
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Trevor Noah of “The Daily Show” likewise wasn’t impressed with Trump’s ability to identify on elephant on the test.
“If they wanted to test Trump, they shouldn’t have asked him to identify an elephant,” he said. “They should’ve asked him to identify his second daughter. That would’ve been impressive.”
But he did admit there’s a time it could come in handy:
Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show” cracked that at least the country would be in great shape if faced with an elephant pandemic:
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And Seth Meyers of “Late Night” said he’s not sure what’s more alarming: “that Trump even had to take this test in the first place, or how proud he is with how he did.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Mental Health Is Often A Privilege For BIPOC. Here's Why That Needs To Change.

Like so many other immigrants , my parents didn ’ t have time to deal with their negative emotions when they were starting out as a young family .
“ Self-care ” was not in their vocabulary .
To pause could mean sinking and they needed to keep swimming .
They had to push past their emotions in order to work five times harder ( while being five times more agreeable ) in order to be seen as “ hardworking ” and “ good ” enough to be taken seriously in America .
To talk about struggles with mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many BIPOC communities .
My emotions , both good and bad , were never something my family sat around the dinner table discussing .
Instead , it was assumed we all would hide or work through our negative emotions by ourselves .
Even showing vulnerability through affection was difficult and love was more often expressed through acts of service .
A plate of sliced fruit placed in front of you , for example , is the ultimate Asian mom gesture to show they care .
Perhaps thanks to both nurture and epigenetics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as I can remember .
As a child , I would stay awake at night regretting that I ’ d circled the wrong answer on a test ― an answer that I ’ d immediately looked up after turning in my paper ― or unsettled that my crayons , which I organized by the colors of the rainbow ( obviously ) , were out of order .
As an adult , my anxiety often led me to overthink every single interaction I had with just about everyone .
It wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20s when I started having silent anxiety attacks in the stairwell of my office building ― which hindered my ability to work ( sad that work is what got me to this realization ) ― that I decided to seek professional help .
My search was rushed and uninformed , as I didn ’ t speak to anyone I knew about it .
I felt embarrassed .
In retrospect , I realize that while I know plenty about white co-workers and white influencers on social media going to therapy and the latest advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t say the same about BIPOC I know .
Only a couple of my closest friends have ever confided in me about going to therapy , and I know they aren ’ t bringing it up across the conference room at work .
At the time , therapy did not feel like something that was geared toward someone like me .
After searching for therapists who took my insurance , I found one on New York ’ s Upper East Side , an easy trip from my job .
At my first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my anxiety manifested in areas of my life .
The therapist immediately suggested that the root of all this was that my parents had pushed me to overachieve ( a common stereotype of first-generation Asian Americans ) .
While that could very well be the case , I had not even spoken for more than five minutes nor had I mentioned my childhood , parents or anything about my upbringing .
I experienced that all-too-familiar tingly , hot-cheeked feeling of being on the receiving end of a microaggression , but I kept going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory ; I just wanted to finish speaking .
After she quickly brought it up again , I told her I wasn ’ t positive that ’ s what it was and wanted to keep exploring all possibilities .
I can ’ t say for certain what happened after I said it , but I definitely felt the mood shift to one of apathy , and we soon ended the session without any talk of me returning .
I left feeling guilty , partly because opening up ( to a complete stranger ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a betrayal ( of whom , I ’ m not sure ) , and I left feeling dismissed .
I wondered if she would have insisted so quickly on the root cause of my problem had I been a fellow white woman explaining the same anxieties or if she would have had the same reaction to me once I had ( not really ) disagreed with her .
I then visited a primary care doctor ( also white ) near my Harlem apartment , hoping to discuss solutions or get a referral .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and said , “ Maybe it ’ s your weight that ’ s giving you anxiety .
Asian girls are usually more petite , no ?
I think your focus should be on weight loss first to see if that helps.
” This was the kind of advice this doctor gave for mental health ?
Luckily , as I was then studying to become a dietitian , I knew better and hightailed my fragile ass out of there as fast as I could .
But again , I was left with zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than when I had arrived .
BIPOC struggle with getting help for mental health issues on multiple fronts .
Not only is admitting mental health problems stigmatized in many BIPOC communities , but health care professionals don ’ t take our issues as seriously as they do those of their white patients .
Among adults with mental illness , a 2015 federal report found that 48 % of white people received mental health care , versus only 31 % of both Black and Hispanic people and only 22 % of Asians .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for help and this is what you receive .
We health care providers have a duty to unlearn old behaviors and adopt better ones .
These guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association are a good place to start .
In order to provide quality care , practitioners must understand their patients ’ cultures and backgrounds and be aware of the disparities and stigmas they face .
If I had found a therapist or primary care doctor who took an active role in unpacking their own racial biases about Asians , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped to understand that my anxiety was not a shameful weakness I ’ d brought on myself .

The author. Courtesy of Lorraine Chu
As a first-generation Asian American, I didn’t fully understand until adulthood that being able to openly discuss my mental health is a privilege.
Like so many other immigrants, my parents didn’t have time to deal with their negative emotions when they were starting out as a young family. “Self-care” was not in their vocabulary. To pause could mean sinking and they needed to keep swimming. They had to push past their emotions in order to work five times harder (while being five times more agreeable) in order to be seen as “hardworking” and “good” enough to be taken seriously in America.
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To talk about struggles with mental health is considered a weakness or taboo in many BIPOC communities. My emotions, both good and bad, were never something my family sat around the dinner table discussing. Instead, it was assumed we all would hide or work through our negative emotions by ourselves. Even showing vulnerability through affection was difficult and love was more often expressed through acts of service. A plate of sliced fruit placed in front of you, for example, is the ultimate Asian mom gesture to show they care.
Perhaps thanks to both nurture and epigenetics, anxiety has been my baseline for normal as long as I can remember. As a child, I would stay awake at night regretting that I’d circled the wrong answer on a test ― an answer that I’d immediately looked up after turning in my paper ― or unsettled that my crayons, which I organized by the colors of the rainbow (obviously), were out of order. As an adult, my anxiety often led me to overthink every single interaction I had with just about everyone.
When I began to verbalize my anxiety as an adult, my family ― always well-meaning but practical ― was quick to suggest practical solutions to my anxious or depressed moods:
“Maybe you need a walk for some fresh air.”
“You just need to stop thinking about it.”
“If you prepared better, there wouldn’t be anything to be anxious about.” (Great, I’ll just be hopping into my time machine now!)
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“My emotions, both good and bad, were never something my family sat around the dinner table discussing. Instead, it was assumed we all would hide or work through our negative emotions by ourselves.”
It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s when I started having silent anxiety attacks in the stairwell of my office building ― which hindered my ability to work (sad that work is what got me to this realization) ― that I decided to seek professional help. My search was rushed and uninformed, as I didn’t speak to anyone I knew about it.
I felt embarrassed. In retrospect, I realize that while I know plenty about white co-workers and white influencers on social media going to therapy and the latest advice their therapist gave them, I can’t say the same about BIPOC I know. Only a couple of my closest friends have ever confided in me about going to therapy, and I know they aren’t bringing it up across the conference room at work. At the time, therapy did not feel like something that was geared toward someone like me.
After searching for therapists who took my insurance, I found one on New York’s Upper East Side, an easy trip from my job. At my first session, I started speaking about how my anxiety manifested in areas of my life. The therapist immediately suggested that the root of all this was that my parents had pushed me to overachieve (a common stereotype of first-generation Asian Americans). While that could very well be the case, I had not even spoken for more than five minutes nor had I mentioned my childhood, parents or anything about my upbringing.
I experienced that all-too-familiar tingly, hot-cheeked feeling of being on the receiving end of a microaggression, but I kept going. I wasn’t dismissing her theory; I just wanted to finish speaking. After she quickly brought it up again, I told her I wasn’t positive that’s what it was and wanted to keep exploring all possibilities. I can’t say for certain what happened after I said it, but I definitely felt the mood shift to one of apathy, and we soon ended the session without any talk of me returning. I left feeling guilty, partly because opening up (to a complete stranger) about my mental health seemed somehow like a betrayal (of whom, I’m not sure), and I left feeling dismissed. I wondered if she would have insisted so quickly on the root cause of my problem had I been a fellow white woman explaining the same anxieties or if she would have had the same reaction to me once I had (not really) disagreed with her.
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I then visited a primary care doctor (also white) near my Harlem apartment, hoping to discuss solutions or get a referral. Instead, he looked me up and down and said, “Maybe it’s your weight that’s giving you anxiety. Asian girls are usually more petite, no? I think your focus should be on weight loss first to see if that helps.” This was the kind of advice this doctor gave for mental health? Luckily, as I was then studying to become a dietitian, I knew better and hightailed my fragile ass out of there as fast as I could. But again, I was left with zero solutions and this time even more anxiety than when I had arrived.
“My experience trying to find adequate support for my mental health is only a tiny fraction of what the BIPOC community experiences. Even as a minority, I acknowledge I have many privileges that other BIPOC do not.”
My experience trying to find adequate support for my mental health is only a tiny fraction of what the BIPOC community experiences. Even as a minority, I acknowledge I have many privileges that other BIPOC do not (i.e., I’m middle class, cisgender, straight, light-skinned and thin, except in the eyes of that awful doctor).
BIPOC struggle with getting help for mental health issues on multiple fronts. Not only is admitting mental health problems stigmatized in many BIPOC communities, but health care professionals don’t take our issues as seriously as they do those of their white patients. Among adults with mental illness, a 2015 federal report found that 48% of white people received mental health care, versus only 31% of both Black and Hispanic people and only 22% of Asians.
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As a registered dietitian, I also see this in play: Disparities are present in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders within BIPOC communities. Barriers to mental health care include lack of or insufficient insurance, mental illness stigma, lack of diversity among mental health care providers, lack of culturally competent providers, language barriers, and distrust in the health care system.
Additionally, society and mainstream media preach a physical ideal that focuses on the thin, white body, which can undermine BIPOC’s own positive body image. Many BIPOC who suffer from disordered eating do not get the help they need, in part, because their bodies do not reflect the image of a white person commonly associated with an eating disorder.
Researchers have found a trend toward higher rates of binge eating disorder in all minority groups. Hispanic adolescents are more likely to suffer from bulimia than their non-Hispanic peers. Black teens are 50% more likely than white teens to exhibit bulimic behavior, such as binging and purging. But studies show that BIPOC are significantly less likely to receive help for eating issues.
As a health care professional, I have seen firsthand how BIPOC receive lesser care. I have seen fellow practitioners being too impatient to find an appropriate translator, not giving patients a thorough education in their illness, promoting solutions (e.g., certain foods) that are Eurocentric and difficult to obtain (and therefore utilize) by the patient, and exhibiting a general lack of cultural competency.
“In order to provide quality care, practitioners must understand their patients’ cultures and backgrounds and be aware of the disparities and stigmas they face.”
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You can feel hopeless when you reach out for help and this is what you receive. We health care providers have a duty to unlearn old behaviors and adopt better ones. These guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association are a good place to start. In order to provide quality care, practitioners must understand their patients’ cultures and backgrounds and be aware of the disparities and stigmas they face. If I had found a therapist or primary care doctor who took an active role in unpacking their own racial biases about Asians, for example, I might have felt better supported and helped to understand that my anxiety was not a shameful weakness I’d brought on myself.
Because of stigma, the rate of mental illness in BIPOC communities goes underreported. Health care practitioners may not even know of our mental health struggles, which can also underlie more physical symptoms. If we can’t openly discuss mental illness even with those closest to us, we simply won’t get the help we need.
So those of us who can need to start speaking up about mental health and demanding better care. Advocate not only for yourself but also for those in other BIPOC communities, if you have the privilege to do so.
And if you do not agree with your practitioner, if you feel their advice is based on bias, ask them to document their decision and state the reasoning. Documentation in health care is everything; their very license to practice depends on it. If they can’t give sound medical reasons to justify their decision, it could change their response. Hold them accountable.
We all deserve the privilege of proper care.
Have a compelling first-person story or experience you want to share? Send your story description to pitch@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--What’s Safe To Do Right Now? The Most Common COVID-19 Questions, Answered

Is it safe to go to restaurants right now ?
Is it safe to go to the dentist for a cleaning ?
Patel : Depends on where you live .
If you are in an area with a high number of cases , I would consider delaying it .
If you are in an area that has had declines , I would schedule and ask on the phone what precautions your dentist and the hygienist are taking .
If you do go , I would bring hand sanitizer and a mask to your appointment , just to have if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you can wait in your car/outside and they can text you to come in , even better .
Is it safe to go to the gym ?
Is it safe to take the subway or other public transportation ?
Is it safe to go back to work ?
Is it safe to go to a salon or spa right now ?
Is it safe to go swimming in an outdoor pool ?
For traveling , is it safe to stay with other people outside of your household ?
Is it safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to go to in-person gatherings like weddings or showers ?
If you ’ re not able to socialize outside , what are the risks and precautions to take inside ?
Is it safe to stop wiping down groceries ?
Is it safe to go out in states where cases are spiking ?
What precautions should you take if you ’ re going to fly ?
What precautions should you take when staying at a hotel ?
What precautions should you take during a road trip ?
What precautions should you take when @ @ @ @

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With states in various stages of reopening, coronavirus cases are increasing across the country. And without standardized guidelines on how we’re supposed to behave, everyone seems to be living by their own rules.
Many of us are wondering: What is actually safe to do right now? Is it safe to fly or stay at a hotel? What about a road trip? Can you go to the dentist, restaurant or gym?
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HuffPost hosted a COVID-19 Q&A with Dr. Kavita Patel, HuffPost’s medical contributor and a practicing internal medicine physician in Washington, D.C., and Lindsay Holmes, HuffPost’s senior wellness editor, to get answers during this confusing time. Below are the most common questions readers asked during the event and some guidance on what to do:
Is it safe to go to restaurants right now?
Patel: While there have been no reported cases of contracting the virus from prepared food, there have been case studies of spread from people inside of restaurants, particularly those with poor air circulation. Therefore, it is reasonable to take precautions with contact in general.
It is important to make sure that any outdoor or indoor space has been observing physical distance, workers are wearing masks and washing hands. The safest option would be curbside or contactless delivery, outdoor dining next, and then limiting indoor dining to places with confidence in air circulation, etc. If you are a high-risk person, it would be safest to avoid the physical location and contact altogether.
Is it safe to go to the dentist for a cleaning?
Patel: Depends on where you live. If you are in an area with a high number of cases, I would consider delaying it. If you are in an area that has had declines, I would schedule and ask on the phone what precautions your dentist and the hygienist are taking. If you do go, I would bring hand sanitizer and a mask to your appointment, just to have if you end up waiting in a waiting area. If you can wait in your car/outside and they can text you to come in, even better.
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Is it safe to go to the gym?
Patel: It will be impossible to have a guarantee that it’s safe, so I think you will have to assess the risk of going to the gym compared to what benefits outweigh the risks. You may also need to take precautions on top of what the gym is doing to make it as safe as possible (like going at a low-volume time, taking your own face mask, sanitizer and wipes to wipe down equipment, avoiding equipment near a lot of people, etc.).
Holmes: I would also say that gyms and fitness centers still pose a substantial risk right now, especially for those who are more susceptible to severe cases of COVID-19. Some experts have told us that they wouldn’t go until there’s a vaccine. You should personally assess your risk and also call the gym and ask what their health and safety measures are. But, if you’re able to, try working out from home.
Is it safe to take the subway or other public transportation?
Holmes: It’s safer to drive or walk, but that is often not an option. If you do take public transportation, try to get on a subway car with as few riders as possible. Make sure to wear a face mask, and be cautious about holding poles since they’re higher-touch surface areas. Make sure to disinfect your hands after getting off the train (carry hand sanitizer if you can), and wash your hands once you arrive at your destination for an added measure.
Is it safe to go back to work?
Patel: Depends on the case rates locally. If cases are going up or the seven-day average is high, then this is not recommended. If you have a workplace or type of work where you can’t avoid contact or in-person work, then you should also make sure that your office or building is following precautions and also being clear about how you can stay safe at work.
Is it safe to go to a salon or spa right now?
Patel: These services can be safe again if the precautions [like wearing face masks and hygienic practices] are taken. I would limit the service to those that are essential and would consider delaying optional services.
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Is it safe to go swimming in an outdoor pool?
Holmes: Unfortunately, being outside in the water is not completely risk-free (neither is any activity around others, for that matter). However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that there is currently no evidence that you can contract the coronavirus from swimming in a pool.
The most important part is to maintain social distancing between yourself and people who are not in your household. Washing your hands frequently, especially after using a high-touch surface area like a railing, is also important.
Don’t share pool floats, goggles or any other swimming equipment with others. Face masks are also still recommended if you’re going to be in more public areas around other people, but should be taken off once you’re in the water (while you continue to maintain distance from others).
For traveling, is it safe to stay with other people outside of your household?
Patel: Traveling with others or staying somewhere outside your household/apartment/etc. will introduce some degree of risk, and again, the important factors are case rates or the prevalence in your area, risk precautions of the other people that you are considering going with, and if you are renting, it would be worth knowing if there is a 72-hour turnaround time to minimize contact risks with previous renters.
Is it safe to use public bathrooms?
Patel: Public bathrooms are incredibly risky given the volume of people in and out of bathrooms and the lack of disinfecting between visits. If you need to use a public bathroom, it would be wise to use personal hand wipes especially when handling doorknobs/handles surfaces, etc. Try to minimize contact with surfaces.
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Is it safe to go to in-person gatherings like weddings or showers?
Holmes: Large gatherings of any kind definitely come with some level of danger. According to the CDC, “the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading.”
Medium to large in-person gatherings are classified as higher risk events. For this reason, I personally am not going to any big event like a wedding anytime soon.
I would encourage people to consider their own personal risk, the risk of other people they may be around (like older family members or those who are immunocompromised) and what type of traveling would be involved.
If you absolutely do insist on going, be smart. It’s important to follow your state guidelines on group sizes, wear face coverings, wash your hands and try to maintain 6 feet of distance from others at the event.
If you’re not able to socialize outside, what are the risks and precautions to take inside?
Holmes: Experts do say that being outdoors is better than being inside. If you absolutely must be indoors, make sure each person wears a face covering and keeps at least 6 feet of distance. Open your windows and blinds, and if you have control over it, make sure your air conditioning’s filtration system is in top shape or try to circulate air from the outside. Sanitize high-touch surface areas and wash your own hands regularly.
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You should also limit the amount of time you spend indoors socializing with others ― the longer the interaction, the higher the risk, according to the CDC. And, of course, if you or someone you plan to hang out with is sick ― don’t do it.
Is it safe to stop wiping down groceries?
Patel: There has not been evidence of transmission of the virus from groceries. The risk is low, so I would not wash anything longer than you would normally do for protection from COVID-19.
Is it safe to go out in states where cases are spiking?
Patel: Being outside if you can socially distance and wear a mask can be safe and can be very healthy. But I would make sure that those conditions are met first.
What precautions should you take if you’re going to fly?
Patel: Airplane cooling and circulation systems are safer than you might think, so the real risk is human contact and common areas such as bathrooms on the plane and eating or drinking from a cart. I would consider bringing your own food and handling your beverages, wearing a mask, consider glasses or goggles and bring sanitizer and wipes for surfaces. Also, remember to circulate your legs in your seat to prevent blood clots.
What precautions should you take when staying at a hotel?
Patel: Call the hotel in advance and find out what their COVID-19 cleaning policies are. If you get there and it doesn’t seem to be enforced, leave and call for a refund. Ask for a room on the ground floor to avoid elevators. Wipe surfaces down with bleach wipes inside the room. Wash your own hands often.
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What precautions should you take during a road trip?
Patel: Minimize stops. If you need to refill gas, use hand sanitizer and a bleach wipe to open doors, insert credit card for payment and put handles in and out of the spout. Bring food with you so you can avoid restaurants. Even in drive-thrus, you should be aware of surfaces touched, etc.
What precautions should you take when participating in protests?
Patel: I have encouraged masks, physical distancing when possible, and face shields or something to protect the eyes. And lots of hand sanitizer.
Answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity and length.
If you have a COVID-19 question, email coronavirus.questions@huffpost.com, and our reporters may answer it in a future story.
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but it’s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Nancy Pelosi Rips Donald Trump With Damning New Name For The Coronavirus

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) repeatedly called the coronavirus the “ Trump virus ” on Tuesday as she slammed President Donald Trump ’ s disastrous handling of the pandemic .
Appearing on CNN ’ s “ The Situation Room ” with Wolf Blitzer , Pelosi said Trump — who in his earlier coronavirus briefing , his first since April , finally urged people to wear face masks and admitted the crisis will “ get worse before it gets better ” — appeared to have “ recognized the mistakes that he has made by now embracing mask-wearing and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It is a pandemic that has gotten worse before it will get better because of his inaction , ” the speaker continued .
“ And in fact , clearly , it is the Trump virus.
” “ The Trump virus .
If he had said months ago ‘ Let ’ s wear masks , let ’ s socially distance instead of having rallies ’ and political whatever they were , then more people would have followed his lead , ” Pelosi replied .
“ He ’ s the president of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad example of refusing to cover his face in public had made it “ like a manhood thing not to wear a mask , ” describing his coronavirus briefing as “ weird ” because it “ should be about science and that is something the president has ignored.
” “ A good deal of what we have suffered is clearly the Trump virus , ” she added .
Blitzer asked Pelosi to confirm whether she believed thousands of Americans had unnecessarily died because of the Trump administration ’ s botched response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s what I am saying .
I think it ’ s clearly evident , ” she responded .
“ If it ’ s important to wear a mask now , it would have been important to wear it in March instead of telling us by April we ’ d have all been going to church together , ” she added .

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) repeatedly called the coronavirus the “Trump virus” on Tuesday as she slammed President Donald Trump’s disastrous handling of the pandemic.
Appearing on CNN’s “The Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer, Pelosi said Trump — who in his earlier coronavirus briefing, his first since April, finally urged people to wear face masks and admitted the crisis will “get worse before it gets better” — appeared to have “recognized the mistakes that he has made by now embracing mask-wearing and the recognition this is not a hoax.”
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“It is a pandemic that has gotten worse before it will get better because of his inaction,” the speaker continued. “And in fact, clearly, it is the Trump virus.”
Blitzer asked Pelosi what she meant with the turn of phrase.
“The Trump virus. If he had said months ago ‘Let’s wear masks, let’s socially distance instead of having rallies’ and political whatever they were, then more people would have followed his lead,” Pelosi replied. “He’s the president of the United States.”
Pelosi suggested Trump’s bad example of refusing to cover his face in public had made it “like a manhood thing not to wear a mask,” describing his coronavirus briefing as “weird” because it “should be about science and that is something the president has ignored.”
“A good deal of what we have suffered is clearly the Trump virus,” she added.
Blitzer asked Pelosi to confirm whether she believed thousands of Americans had unnecessarily died because of the Trump administration’s botched response to the public health crisis.
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“Yes, that’s what I am saying. I think it’s clearly evident,” she responded.
“If it’s important to wear a mask now, it would have been important to wear it in March instead of telling us by April we’d have all been going to church together,” she added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Scathing 1928 Takedown Shows Why Robert E. Lee Deserves Zero Statues

A nearly century-old assessment of Robert E. Lee written by W.E.B .
DuBois resurfaced on social media this week to illustrate the fundamental flaw with statues honoring the Confederate general .
“ Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense , or he did not , ” DuBois wrote in 1928 in the NAACP ’ s The Crisis magazine .
“ If he did not he was a fool .
If he did , he was a traitor and a rebel ― not indeed to his country , but to humanity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the notion that Lee and the Confederates were fighting for states ’ rights as “ nonsense , ” adding : “ The South cared only for State Rights as a weapon to defend slavery .
If nationalism had been a stronger defense of the slave system than particularism , the South would have been as nationalistic in 1861 as it had been in 1812.
” DuBois ― sociologist , civil rights activist , author and cofounder of the NAACP ― said the best way to perpetuate Lee ’ s memory is not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this to “ the young white south.
” The essay has been widely shared on Twitter after being tweeted by Current Affairs magazine editor Nathan J Robinson .
W.E.B .
DuBois ’ brief note on the life and moral cowardice of Robert E. Lee is one of the single most brutal pieces of writing I ’ ve ever read pic.twitter.com/iPYrGBWA8J — Nathan J Robinson ( @ NathanJRobinson ) July 21 , 2020 A number of Confederate monuments have been removed or are scheduled to be removed , but some have defended the statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of Lee ’ s descendants told Congress this week it ’ s time for the monuments to come down .
Rev .
Robert Wright Lee called the statues “ an affront to those now who are suffering under current weights of oppression .
”

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A nearly century-old assessment of Robert E. Lee written by W.E.B. Du Bois resurfaced on social media this week to illustrate the fundamental flaw with statues honoring the Confederate general.
“Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not,” Du Bois wrote in 1928 in the NAACP’s The Crisis magazine. “If he did not he was a fool. If he did, he was a traitor and a rebel ― not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.”
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Du Bois debunked the notion that Lee and the Confederates were fighting for states’ rights as “nonsense,” adding:
The South cared only for State Rights as a weapon to defend slavery. If nationalism had been a stronger defense of the slave system than particularism, the South would have been as nationalistic in 1861 as it had been in 1812.
Du Bois ― a sociologist, civil rights activist, author and co-founder of the NAACP ― said the best way to perpetuate Lee’s memory is not to honor him with statues, but explain this to “the young white south.”
The essay has been widely shared on Twitter after being tweeted by Current Affairs magazine editor Nathan J. Robinson.
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W.E.B. DuBois’ brief note on the life and moral cowardice of Robert E. Lee is one of the single most brutal pieces of writing I’ve ever read pic.twitter.com/iPYrGBWA8J — Nathan J Robinson (@NathanJRobinson) July 21, 2020
A number of Confederate monuments have been removed or are scheduled to be removed, but some have defended the statues and memorials, including President Donald Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Beto O'Rourke Slams Texas GOP’s Coronavirus Response

Former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke ( D-Texas ) minced no words with his blistering rebuke of the Texas GOP ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday , slamming Republican leaders as a “ death cult.
” The former presidential contender , in an interview on MSNBC ’ s “ All In ” with Ali Velshi , ripped Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ’ s ( R ) reported unwillingness to back local officials seeking to reimpose restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 .
Abbott is “ choosing to allow people to die when he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives , ” said O ’ Rourke , calling it “ one of the most craven , callous failures of leadership that I ’ ve ever witnessed in my life.
” Texas “ desperately needs ” a governor “ guided by the facts and the science and the truth , ” he added .
O ’ Rourke suggested Abbott , who has faced criticism for the premature reopening of the state and for his initial railing against face masks in public places , was focused on his 2022 reelection and “ trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick , who on Fox News said there are more important things than living.
” “ In other words , let ’ s get on with the dying , knowing full well that it will be those frontline workers making $ 7.25 an hour , which is the minimum wage in Texas , ” O ’ Rourke continued , warning how it will be “ African-Americans , it will be Latinos and Mexican-Americans who will be doing the dying right here in Texas.
” “ This is a death cult .
The Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Only they want you to do the dying , and that is exactly what ’ s happening in Texas right now .
”

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Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) minced no words with his blistering rebuke of the Texas GOP’s response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, slamming Republican leaders as a “death cult.”
The former presidential contender, in an interview on MSNBC’s “All In” with Ali Velshi, ripped Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) reported unwillingness to back local officials seeking to reimpose restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.
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Abbott is “choosing to allow people to die when he could choose to allow county judges to save their lives,” said O’Rourke, calling it “one of the most craven, callous failures of leadership that I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”
Texas “desperately needs” a governor “guided by the facts and the science and the truth,” he added.
“In other words, let’s get on with the dying, knowing full well that it will be those frontline workers making $7.25 an hour, which is the minimum wage in Texas,” O’Rourke continued, warning how it will be “African-Americans, it will be Latinos and Mexican-Americans who will be doing the dying right here in Texas.”
“This is a death cult. The Texas GOP,” said O’Rourke. “Only they want you to do the dying, and that is exactly what’s happening in Texas right now.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Elizabeth Warren Urges CDC To Wade Into Mask Mandates As Cases Continue To Surge

Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use its authority to implement masks bans in regions around the country amid surging cases of the coronavirus , asking the agency if it could step in amid spats over face coverings in states such as Georgia .
The Democrat from Massachusetts sent a letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield on Monday pointing to the agency ’ s broad authority to intervene should a state take insufficient steps to “ prevent the spread ” of a communicable disease .
“ These authorities were delegated to the CDC to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and municipal borders and therefore can not be controlled by a single state or community — such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , ” Warren wrote in the letter .
“ Specifically , I would like you to provide me with information on whether the CDC has considered efforts to implement mask requirements , a limit on gatherings , and other measures that the CDC has recommended to stop the spread of the virus.
” The calls come amid surging cases of the virus in nearly every state in America .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 , and the U.S. reported more than 1,000 deaths in a day for the first time this month on Tuesday .
“ Despite President Trump ’ s and Vice President Pence ’ s claims that concerns over a second wave of coronavirus infections are ‘ overblown , ’ that one day COVID-19 will just ‘ disappear , ’ and that ‘ we are winning the fight against the invisible enemy , ’ we are seeing a massive surge of COVID-19 cases in nearly 50 states and territories across the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for masks to be worn by all Americans this month .
In an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association , he said he believed “ if we can get everyone to wear masks right now , we can bring this under control within four , six , eight weeks.
” The statement , however , stood in contrast to the president ’ s own resistance toward face coverings throughout the pandemic .
In May , Trump mocked former Vice President Joe Biden , his Democratic presidential rival , for wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political statement ( he ’ s since said this week that masks are “ patriotic ” ) .
A growing number of states have required residents to wear masks while out in public , but several notable outbreak centers , including Florida and Arizona , have so far resisted calls to do so .
In Georgia , Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp sued the Democratic mayor of Atlanta over her attempts to implement a mandatory mask policy , saying she overstepped her authority .
Kemp has said he supports mask wearing but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t need a mandate to do the right thing.
” Warren published a “ must-do ” list to fight the pandemic in The New York Times this week , including efforts to fund child care , provide federal money for hazard and sick pay , and expand the national eviction moratorium throughout the crisis .
The senator pointed specifically to the stalemate in Georgia , asking Redfield if the CDC had considered intervening should Kemp ’ s resistance contravene the agency ’ s mandate .
“ I would like to know whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in instances where state governors or other officials order the removal of restrictions or mask mandates , ” she said .
“ Allowing orders of this kind , like Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ’ s announcement last week , would seem to be in direct contradiction to the Department ’ s mandate .
”

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use its authority to implement masks requirements in regions around the country amid surging cases of the coronavirus, asking the agency if it could step in amid spats over face coverings in states such as Georgia.
The Democrat from Massachusetts sent a letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield on Monday pointing to the agency’s broad authority to intervene should a state take insufficient steps to “prevent the spread” of a communicable disease.
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“These authorities were delegated to the CDC to address significant public health threats that cross state and municipal borders and therefore cannot be controlled by a single state or community — such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” Warren wrote in the letter. “Specifically, I would like you to provide me with information on whether the CDC has considered efforts to implement mask requirements, a limit on gatherings, and other measures that the CDC has recommended to stop the spread of the virus.”
The calls come amid surging cases of the virus in nearly every state in America. More than 3.9 million people have tested positive for COVID-19, and the U.S. reported more than 1,000 deaths in a day for the first time this month on Tuesday.
“Despite President Trump’s and Vice President Pence’s claims that concerns over a second wave of coronavirus infections are ‘overblown,’ that one day COVID-19 will just ‘disappear,’ and that ‘we are winning the fight against the invisible enemy,’ we are seeing a massive surge of COVID-19 cases in nearly 50 states and territories across the country,” Warren wrote.
Redfield has advocated for masks to be worn by all Americans this month. In an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association, he said he believed “if we can get everyone to wear masks right now, we can bring this under control within four, six, eight weeks.”
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The statement, however, stood in contrast to the president’s own resistance toward face coverings throughout the pandemic. In May, Trump mocked former Vice President Joe Biden, his Democratic presidential rival, for wearing one and has suggested mask wearing was a political statement (he’s since said this week that masks are “patriotic”).
A growing number of states have required residents to wear masks while out in public, but several notable outbreak centers, including Florida and Arizona, have so far resisted calls to do so.
In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp sued the Democratic mayor of Atlanta over her attempts to implement a mandatory mask policy, saying she overstepped her authority. Kemp has said he supports mask wearing but felt “confident that Georgians don’t need a mandate to do the right thing.”
Warren published a “must-do” list to fight the pandemic in The New York Times this week, including efforts to fund child care, provide federal money for hazard and sick pay, and expand the national eviction moratorium throughout the crisis. The senator pointed specifically to the stalemate in Georgia, asking Redfield if the CDC had considered intervening should Kemp’s resistance contravene the agency’s mandate.
“I would like to know whether the CDC will use its authorities to intervene in instances where state governors or other officials order the removal of restrictions or mask mandates,” she said. “Allowing orders of this kind, like Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s announcement last week, would seem to be in direct contradiction to the Department’s mandate.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Obama Hits Trump In Biden Campaign Video: 'Those Words Didn't Come Out Of Our Mouths'

Former President Barack Obama fired off one of his most direct criticisms of President Donald Trump yet in a new video for Joe Biden ’ s campaign .
The video ― a teaser for a longer conversation between Obama and Biden set for release later this week ― refers to Trump ’ s comment earlier this year that he ’ s not responsible for his administration ’ s failure to secure adequate testing and supplies for the coronavirus earlier in the outbreaks .
“ I don ’ t take responsibility at all , ” Trump said in March when asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying ’ it ’ s not my responsibility , I take no responsibility , ’ ” Biden said in the clip .
“ I mean literally .
Literally.
” “ Those words didn ’ t come out of our mouths when we were in office , ” he said .
Biden said Trump has no sense of what people are going through during the pandemic and resulting economic collapse .
Obama replied by praising Biden ’ s ability to relate to others as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president and was effective at the job : Obama has rarely spoken out publicly against Trump , and hasn ’ t mentioned him by name very often , but has been blunt in private conversations .
Last month , when Trump used racist terms such as “ Kung Flu ” to describe the coronavirus , Obama reportedly said in a private Zoom fundraiser that it “ shocks and pisses me off .
”

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Former President Barack Obama fired off one of his most direct criticisms of President Donald Trump yet in a new video for Joe Biden’s campaign.
The video ― a teaser for a longer conversation between Obama and Biden set for release later this week ― refers to Trump’s comment earlier this year that he’s not responsible for his administration’s failure to secure adequate testing and supplies for the coronavirus earlier in the outbreaks.
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“I don’t take responsibility at all,” Trump said in March when asked about the shortage of tests.
“Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying ’it’s not my responsibility, I take no responsibility,’” Biden said in the clip. “I mean literally. Literally.”
Obama agreed.
“Those words didn’t come out of our mouths when we were in office,” he said.
Biden said Trump has no sense of what people are going through during the pandemic and resulting economic collapse.
“He just can’t relate in any way,” Biden said.
Obama replied by praising Biden’s ability to relate to others as a reason he was chosen to be vice president and was effective at the job:
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--15 People Injured In Shooting Outside Chicago Funeral Home

CHICAGO ( AP ) — Fifteen people were injured , one person was being questioned and multiple suspects were being sought after gunfire erupted outside a funeral home on Chicago ’ s South Side where at least one squad car was present , police said .
First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter said mourners outside a funeral home in the Gresham neighborhood were fired upon Tuesday from a passing vehicle .
Carter said several targets of the shooting returned fire .
The vehicle later crashed and the occupants fled in several directions .
Carter said all the victims were adults .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security is planning to deploy dozens of federal agents to Chicago to deal with an uptick in violent crime in the city .
Most victims were taken by the Chicago Fire Department to nearby hospitals in serious condition , said spokesman Larry Langford .
They include 10 women from the ages of 21 and 65 , including one of whom was shot in the chest , police said .
The 65-year-old was treated at the scene .
Other victims include a man who was shot in the chest , arm and forearm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 , who were shot in a hand , police said .
More gun violence struck early Wednesday .
A few miles away in the city ’ s South Shore neighborhood , a 3-year-old girl was hospitalized in serious condition after being shot in the head while riding in a vehicle with her parents , police said .
Her parents told police two people fired at them from a corner .
No one was immediately arrested .
Police said Tuesday ’ s shooting outside the funeral home happened at or near the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man fatally shot last week in the Englewood neighborhood .
Arnita Geder and Kenneth Hughes said they heard gunshots while in their home watching television , adding that they came outside to find bodies that were shot up and “ laying everywhere.
” “ We thought it was a war out here , ” Geder told the Chicago Sun-Times .
“ It ’ s ridiculous all the shooting that ’ s going on out here , it really has to stop.
” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday night in a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people ” have attended funerals and attempted to begin the process of healing entire communities following another “ senseless tragedy.
” She added that people with information should speak up , even if anonymously .
“ When a person picks up a gun , we suffer as a city .
This can not be who we are .
Too many guns are on our streets and in the hands of people who should never possess them , ” Lightfoot continued .
“ These individuals will be held accountable.
” Carter said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scene of the shooting .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if anyone other than attendees of the funeral were victims , nor if anyone in the SUV had been wounded .
The person being questioned was uninjured , according to authorities .
Investigators haven ’ t determined how many people were involved in the shooting .
A squad car was assigned to monitor the funeral as a precaution because of the sizable number of mourners attending , Carter said , adding that he was unaware of any warnings from community activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lightfoot has been skeptical of federal agents being sent to Chicago by Trump due to the controversy in Portland , Oregon , where the Trump administration sent federal officers after weeks of protests there over police brutality and racial injustice that followed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Lightfoot said she expects Chicago will receive resources that will plug into existing federal agencies that already work with the city , including the FBI , Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives .
Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor have expressed anger with the presence of the federal agents , saying that the city ’ s protests had started to ease just as the federal agents started taking action .
Trump has framed such protests in the nation ’ s large cities as a failure by “ liberal Democrats ” who run them , praised the officers ’ actions and said he was looking to send agents to other cities .

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CHICAGO (AP) — Fifteen people were injured, one person was being questioned and multiple suspects were being sought after gunfire erupted outside a funeral home on Chicago’s South Side where at least one squad car was present, police said.
First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter said mourners outside a funeral home in the Gresham neighborhood were fired upon Tuesday from a passing vehicle. Carter said several targets of the shooting returned fire. The vehicle later crashed and the occupants fled in several directions. Carter said all the victims were adults.
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A person of interest was being questioned Tuesday night but no arrests had been made, said police spokesman Hector Alfaro.
The shooting comes as the Department of Homeland Security is planning to deploy dozens of federal agents to Chicago to deal with an uptick in violent crime in the city.
Most victims were taken by the Chicago Fire Department to nearby hospitals in serious condition, said spokesman Larry Langford. They include 10 women from the ages of 21 and 65, including one of whom was shot in the chest, police said. The 65-year-old was treated at the scene.
Other victims include a man who was shot in the chest, arm and forearm, and two men, 32 and 22, who were shot in a hand, police said.
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More gun violence struck early Wednesday. A few miles away in the city’s South Shore neighborhood, a 3-year-old girl was hospitalized in serious condition after being shot in the head while riding in a vehicle with her parents, police said. Her parents told police two people fired at them from a corner. No one was immediately arrested.
Police said Tuesday’s shooting outside the funeral home happened at or near the site of a funeral or post-funeral event for a man fatally shot last week in the Englewood neighborhood.
Arnita Geder and Kenneth Hughes said they heard gunshots while in their home watching television, adding that they came outside to find bodies that were shot up and “laying everywhere.”
“We thought it was a war out here,” Geder told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s ridiculous all the shooting that’s going on out here, it really has to stop.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday night in a series of Twitter posts that “far too many people” have attended funerals and attempted to begin the process of healing entire communities following another “senseless tragedy.” She added that people with information should speak up, even if anonymously.
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“When a person picks up a gun, we suffer as a city. This cannot be who we are. Too many guns are on our streets and in the hands of people who should never possess them,” Lightfoot continued. “These individuals will be held accountable.”
Carter said at least 60 shell casings were found at the scene of the shooting. It wasn’t immediately known if anyone other than attendees of the funeral were victims, nor if anyone in the SUV had been wounded. The person being questioned was uninjured, according to authorities. Investigators haven’t determined how many people were involved in the shooting.
A squad car was assigned to monitor the funeral as a precaution because of the sizable number of mourners attending, Carter said, adding that he was unaware of any warnings from community activists that trouble at the funeral was imminent.
“The district commander took every precaution that he could,” Carter said.
Lightfoot, after threatening to sue if President Donald Trump acted without her permission, also noted earlier Tuesday that the city would be working with federal agents to fight crime.
Lightfoot has been skeptical of federal agents being sent to Chicago by Trump due to the controversy in Portland, Oregon, where the Trump administration sent federal officers after weeks of protests there over police brutality and racial injustice that followed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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Lightfoot said she expects Chicago will receive resources that will plug into existing federal agencies that already work with the city, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Oregon’s governor and Portland’s mayor have expressed anger with the presence of the federal agents, saying that the city’s protests had started to ease just as the federal agents started taking action.
Trump has framed such protests in the nation’s large cities as a failure by “liberal Democrats” who run them, praised the officers’ actions and said he was looking to send agents to other cities.
He pointed to rising gun violence in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, where more than 63 people were shot, 12 fatally, over the weekend.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Kayleigh McEnany Dishes Dirt On Donald Trump In Seth Meyers’ Spoof Presser

Kayleigh McEnany spilled the beans on President Donald Trump and his allies in Seth Meyers ’ latest spoof White House @ @ @ @ @ of NBC ’ s “ Late Night ” on Tuesday reprised the cleverly edited bit @ @ @ @ @ lob uncomfortable questions at the White House press secretary , who is surprisingly honest in @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s biggest nemesis when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic , recalled a @ @ @ @ @ and disclosed Jared Kushner ’ s “ real ” White House role in the parody @ @ @ @ @ video above and Meyers ’ monologue below : Important conversations are happening now .
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--The Model For Joe Biden’s Climate Justice Pledge Is Already Facing Problems

That concept came from the climate law New York passed last summer , setting the Empire State on a path to 100 % carbon-free power by 2045 .
Biden ’ s plan goes even further , promising to phase out natural gas , coal and oil-fired power plants by 2035 .
New York ’ s law mandates that a minimum of 35 % of benefits go to front-line communities , with the goal of 40 % .
The former vice president ’ s campaign set a firm target of 40 % .
It ’ s a noble goal , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular support for the energy transition and addressing environmental racism .
But there ’ s a problem : New York ’ s law isn ’ t yet working out as hoped , and that ’ s raising concerns about how the effort would scale nationally under a Biden administration .
The initial version of New York ’ s law directed 40 % of New York ’ s clean energy “ spending ” ― an easy metric to track ― to front-line communities .
But the final version lowered the guaranteed figure to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed that language from “ spending ” to “ benefits ” ― a much less specific goal , and one that two state panels have been tasked with figuring out how to implement and measure .
One of those panels was just established last month and has yet to meet .
The other hasn ’ t even been formed .
Meanwhile , the state lacks any plan to coordinate different agencies around the mandate at a moment when the coronavirus pandemic is taking a disproportionate toll on the very communities the provision is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear the budget gap the state faces due to COVID-19 could reduce the benefits polluted communities are due .
Last Friday , New York Renews , the coalition of 200 environmental and labor groups that spearheaded the legislation , called for an audit of all state agency spending to ensure that front-line communities are receiving 35 % of climate-related funding .
On Tuesday evening , climate activists protested at Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s Manhattan office to raise awareness of how the ongoing heat wave is putting poor New Yorkers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up of advocates , utility chiefs and state agency officials , and has met just once , in early March , at a gathering the Albany Times Union described as “ uneventful.
” It ’ s that body that is ultimately responsible for devising how to calculate the benefits communities receive .
Its environmental justice working group , which will discuss and recommend a system of accounting , only officially formed last month .
Cuomo has yet to appoint names to a separate environmental justice advisory board with a broader , statewide mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companion piece of legislation , failed to even start planning last year because Cuomo waited until December to sign the bill , despite making no changes to the version the legislature passed in June , Bautista said .
“ Nothing happened .
I ’ m not sure why it took six months , but it did , ” he said .
“ That ’ s six months that , in retrospect , had we known a pandemic was coming , we could have really used.
” The lack of a strategy to coordinate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-income New Yorkers seeking help amid the virus-induced economic depression .
Establishing a system that allows households to enroll in multiple programs at once would “ be a win-win , and make things real , ” Salter said .
In November , the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ’ s proposal to expand the state ’ s solar incentive program was largely in line with the justice provisions in the new law .
Bautista said he ’ s hopeful New York ’ s bid to overhaul the Regional Greenhouse Gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will similarly comply with the mandate .
The administration , meanwhile , has twice cited the law to block permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure , including the controversial gas project known as the Williams Pipeline .

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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden last week announced a new climate justice plan that would direct nearly half the benefits of its proposed $2 trillion clean electricity investment to poor and minority communities that have borne the brunt of fossil fuel pollution.
That concept came from the climate law New York passed last summer, setting the Empire State on a path to 100% carbon-free power by 2045. Biden’s plan goes even further, promising to phase out natural gas, coal and oil-fired power plants by 2035. New York’s law mandates that a minimum of 35% of benefits go to front-line communities, with the goal of 40%. The former vice president’s campaign set a firm target of 40%.
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It’s a noble goal, and one activists say is key to winning popular support for the energy transition and addressing environmental racism. But there’s a problem: New York’s law isn’t yet working out as hoped, and that’s raising concerns about how the effort would scale nationally under a Biden administration.
The initial version of New York’s law directed 40% of New York’s clean energy “spending” ― an easy metric to track ― to front-line communities. But the final version lowered the guaranteed figure to “no less than 35%” and changed that language from “spending” to “benefits” ― a much less specific goal, and one that two state panels have been tasked with figuring out how to implement and measure. One of those panels was just established last month and has yet to meet. The other hasn’t even been formed.
Meanwhile, the state lacks any plan to coordinate different agencies around the mandate at a moment when the coronavirus pandemic is taking a disproportionate toll on the very communities the provision is meant to help. Now some advocates fear the budget gap the state faces due to COVID-19 could reduce the benefits polluted communities are due.
A man stands by the remains of his home in Breezy Point, Queens, after Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York City in 2012. Mario Tama via Getty Images
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Last Friday, New York Renews, the coalition of 200 environmental and labor groups that spearheaded the legislation, called for an audit of all state agency spending to ensure that front-line communities are receiving 35% of climate-related funding. On Tuesday evening, climate activists protested at Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan office to raise awareness of how the ongoing heat wave is putting poor New Yorkers at risk.
“This is not a joke,” said Raya Salter, a policy organizer for New York Renews and a member of the Climate Action Council, the state panel the law created to oversee its implementation. “The costs of delaying are not acceptable.”
The governor’s office did not respond to emailed questions.
The 22-member council is made up of advocates, utility chiefs and state agency officials, and has met just once, in early March, at a gathering the Albany Times Union described as “uneventful.” It’s that body that is ultimately responsible for devising how to calculate the benefits communities receive. Its environmental justice working group, which will discuss and recommend a system of accounting, only officially formed last month.
“They’re in the process of scheduling their meeting,” said Eddie Bautista, the executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. “It’s Doodle poll Hell.”
The absence of a clearly defined mechanism to account for the benefits the law provides New Yorkers makes the working group that much more urgent, he said.
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“What the law effectively did is made a squishier target harder to both confirm and hold the government accountable to,” he said.
Cuomo has yet to appoint names to a separate environmental justice advisory board with a broader, statewide mandate. That panel, formed under a companion piece of legislation, failed to even start planning last year because Cuomo waited until December to sign the bill, despite making no changes to the version the legislature passed in June, Bautista said.
“Nothing happened. I’m not sure why it took six months, but it did,” he said. “That’s six months that, in retrospect, had we known a pandemic was coming, we could have really used.”
The lack of a strategy to coordinate different agencies risks creating more obstacles for low-income New Yorkers seeking help amid the virus-induced economic depression. Establishing a system that allows households to enroll in multiple programs at once would “be a win-win, and make things real,” Salter said.
“If you’re qualified for the rent relief program, you should automatically qualify for the energy efficiency co-benefit there without having to apply twice,” she said. “There shouldn’t be another hoop.”
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There are still promising signs the law is making a difference in how the Cuomo administration governs.
“Say point-blank, without any confusion, that these investments will go directly to front-line communities.” - Rahwa Ghirmatzion, executive director of Push Buffalo
In November, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s proposal to expand the state’s solar incentive program was largely in line with the justice provisions in the new law. Bautista said he’s hopeful New York’s bid to overhaul the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the 11-state cap-and-trade system, will similarly comply with the mandate. The administration, meanwhile, has twice cited the law to block permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure, including the controversial gas project known as the Williams Pipeline.
On Tuesday, Cuomo’s office announced the “largest combined clean energy solicitations ever issued in the U.S., seeking up to 4,000 megawatts of renewable capacity.” The press release said the administration would “prioritize low-income census tracts and environmental justice areas.”
Biden’s proposal calls for using a climate justice screening tool, a mapping algorithm California regulators pioneered to track pollution and poverty, to implement its 40% pledge. His plan also aims to establish new federal offices to prosecute polluters and deliver new services to communities suffering from toxic air and water.
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But Rahwa Ghirmatzion, executive director of the group Push Buffalo, said the candidate should consider adopting the initial language on spending to guarantee that more federal resources reach impoverished communities like those her nonprofit serves.
“Say point-blank, without any confusion, that these investments will go directly to front-line communities,” she said. “It’s always very vague.”
Predictions for mounting crises, meanwhile, are anything but. As officials struggle to contain the coronavirus pandemic and prepare for a historic wave of evictions and poverty, federal forecasters said the ongoing hurricane season in the Atlantic will likely see an uptick in extreme storms.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--U.S. Tells China To Shut Houston Consulate In Move China Calls 'Unprecedented Escalation'

BEIJING ( Reuters ) — The United States has told the Chinese consulate in Houston to shut down in three days , citing a need to protect American intellectual property and information , amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries .
Beijing condemned the order and threatened retaliation .
A source said China was considering closing the U.S. consulate in the city of Wuhan .
Ties between the United States and China have become increasingly tense since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan at the beginning of the year .
The U.S. Department of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulate , after China ’ s foreign ministry reported it had been told to shut the mission .
The news ruffled financial markets with a bout of risk aversion in European stock trading .
The closure had been ordered “ in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans ’ private information , ” State Department Morgan Ortagus spokesperson said in a statement .
“ The United States will not tolerate the PRC ’ s violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people , just as we have not tolerated the PRC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of American jobs , and other egregious behavior , ” she added , referring to China by its official name , the People ’ s Republic of China .
The two countries have clashed recently over trade , technology , a national security law imposed on Hong Kong and China ’ s claims in the South China Sea .
China denounced the U.S. order as an escalation .
“ The unilateral closure of China ’ s consulate general in Houston within a short period of time is an unprecedented escalation of its recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular news briefing .
“ We urge the U.S. to immediately revoke this erroneous decision .
Should it insist on going down this wrong path , China will react with firm countermeasures , ” he said .
The U.S. government has been harassing Chinese diplomats and consular staff for some time , Wang said , as well as “ intimidating and interrogating Chinese students and confiscating their personal electrical devices , even detaining them .
”

BEIJING (Reuters) — The United States has told the Chinese consulate in Houston to shut down in three days, citing a need to protect American intellectual property and information, amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Beijing condemned the order and threatened retaliation. A source said China was considering closing the U.S. consulate in the city of Wuhan.
Ties between the United States and China have become increasingly tense since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan at the beginning of the year.
The U.S. Department of State confirmed the impending closure of the Houston consulate, after China’s foreign ministry reported it had been told to shut the mission.
The news ruffled financial markets with a bout of risk aversion in European stock trading.
The closure had been ordered “in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information,” State Department Morgan Ortagus spokesperson said in a statement.
“The United States will not tolerate the PRC’s violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC’s unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behavior,” she added, referring to China by its official name, the People’s Republic of China.
The two countries have clashed recently over trade, technology, a national security law imposed on Hong Kong and China’s claims in the South China Sea.
China denounced the U.S. order as an escalation.
“The unilateral closure of China’s consulate general in Houston within a short period of time is an unprecedented escalation of its recent actions against China,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular news briefing.
“We urge the U.S. to immediately revoke this erroneous decision. Should it insist on going down this wrong path, China will react with firm countermeasures,” he said.
The U.S. government has been harassing Chinese diplomats and consular staff for some time, Wang said, as well as “intimidating and interrogating Chinese students and confiscating their personal electrical devices, even detaining them.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Big Boss Bear Bashes Down Door For Incredible Entrance Into Cabin

A bear in the Lake Tahoe area made an entrance worthy of the Kool-Aid Man when it burst through the @ @ @ @ @ a hunt for food .
Footage from the cabin shows the door burst open , @ @ @ @ @ flying off .
The bear then uses a paw to steady the door , and @ @ @ @ @ .
The bear sat by the door until authorities came and removed it .
The @ @ @ @ @ not clear .
Many are relocated , but some bears may be euthanized depending on @ @ @ @ @ are common around Lake Tahoe .
Screen icon Helen Mirren , who moved to the @ @ @ @ @ began , said she encountered one in her garden recently .
Mirren said on Marc @ @ @ @ @ she chased it off with shouts of “ bad bear !
” She ’ s @ @ @ @ @ wildlife : Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today @

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A bear in the Lake Tahoe area made an entrance worthy of the Kool-Aid Man when it burst through the door of a cabin during a hunt for food.
Footage from the cabin shows the door burst open, with parts of the frame flying off. The bear then uses a paw to steady the door, and marches in to sniff around.
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The bear sat by the door until authorities came and removed it.
The bear’s fate is not clear.
Many are relocated, but some bears may be euthanized depending on their history.
Bear encounters are common around Lake Tahoe. Screen icon Helen Mirren, who moved to the area before the coronavirus pandemic began, said she encountered one in her garden recently.
Mirren said on Marc Maron’s podcast that she chased it off with shouts of “bad bear!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-21--Twitter Bans Thousands Of QAnon Accounts As Part Of Crackdown On Conspiracy Movement

Twitter has banned thousands of QAnon accounts and has limited the QAnon-related activity of tens of thousands more as part of a “ strong enforcement action ” aimed at limiting the spread of the far-right conspiracy movement and its baseless — and often dangerous — theories .
A spokesperson for Twitter told NBC News on Tuesday that more than 7,000 accounts had been permanently suspended as part of the action and about 150,000 accounts had been affected .
The spokesperson said Twitter was taking steps to crack down on QAnon “ because of an escalating degree of harm associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
We will permanently suspend accounts Tweeting about these topics that we know are engaged in violations of our multi-account policy , coordinating abuse around individual victims , or are attempting to evade a previous suspension — something we ’ ve seen more of in recent weeks .
— Twitter Safety ( @ TwitterSafety ) July 22 , 2020 Followers of QAnon ― who include several Republican candidates for Congress ― believe that an individual dubbed “ Q , ” who claims to have high-level government clearance , has been dropping “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump and others .
Among the unfounded beliefs , QAnon followers have claimed that Trump was in cahoots with special counsel Robert Mueller to uncover a so-called “ deep state ” cabal of liberal and Hollywood elites who worship Satan and traffic children .
Adherents of the movement have been implicated in multiple crimes in recent years , including armed standoffs , kidnappings and murder .
Twitter said that QAnon content has the “ potential to lead to offline harm.
” As such , the company said this week that it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such content on its platform , including no longer serving “ content and accounts associated with QAnon in Trends and recommendations ” and blocking URLs associated with QAnon .
The company said it would roll out its actions against QAnon content “ comprehensively ” in the coming days .
As we work at scale to protect the public conversation in the face of evolving threats , we ’ ll continue to lead with transparency and offer more context on our efforts .
— Twitter Safety ( @ TwitterSafety ) July 22 , 2020

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Twitter has banned thousands of QAnon accounts and has limited the QAnon-related activity of tens of thousands more as part of a “strong enforcement action” aimed at limiting the spread of the far-right conspiracy movement and its baseless — and often dangerous — theories.
A spokesperson for Twitter told NBC News on Tuesday that more than 7,000 accounts had been permanently suspended as part of the action and about 150,000 accounts had been affected. The spokesperson said Twitter was taking steps to crack down on QAnon “because of an escalating degree of harm associated with the conspiracy theory,” the network reported.
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We will permanently suspend accounts Tweeting about these topics that we know are engaged in violations of our multi-account policy, coordinating abuse around individual victims, or are attempting to evade a previous suspension — something we’ve seen more of in recent weeks. — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) July 22, 2020
Followers of QAnon ― who include several Republican candidates for Congress ― believe that an individual dubbed “Q,” who claims to have high-level government clearance, has been dropping “breadcrumbs” of information online about President Donald Trump and others.
Among the unfounded beliefs, QAnon followers have claimed that Trump was in cahoots with special counsel Robert Mueller to uncover a so-called “deep state” cabal of liberal and Hollywood elites who worship Satan and traffic children.
Adherents of the movement have been implicated in multiple crimes in recent years, including armed standoffs, kidnappings and murder.
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Twitter said that QAnon content has the “potential to lead to offline harm.” As such, the company said this week that it would take steps to limit the dissemination of such content on its platform, including no longer serving “content and accounts associated with QAnon in Trends and recommendations” and blocking URLs associated with QAnon.
The Twitter spokesperson told NBC that the platform started blocking QAnon websites last week.
The company said it would roll out its actions against QAnon content “comprehensively” in the coming days.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--U.S. Labs Buckle Under Coronavirus Testing Surge

With the U.S. tally of infections at 3.9 million Wednesday and new cases surging , the bottlenecks are creating problems for workers kept off the job while awaiting results , nursing homes struggling to keep the virus out and for the labs themselves , dealing with a crushing workload .
“ There ’ s been this obsession with , ‘ How many tests are we doing per day ?
’ ” said Dr. Tom Frieden , former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ The question is how many tests are being done with results coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual tested is promptly isolated and their contacts are promptly warned.
” The testing lags in the U.S. come as the number of people confirmed to be infected globally passed a staggering 15 million on Wednesday , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The U.S. leads the world in cases as well as deaths , which stand at more than 142,000 nationwide .
New York , once by far the U.S. leader in infections , has been surpassed by California , though that is partly due to robust testing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population of New York .
It was “ frustrating that I ’ ve missed so much work due to testing taking forever , ” Warner said .
“ It is what it is ... ( but ) I ’ m glad I ’ m negative and happy to be able to get back to work this week.
” In Florida , as the state confirmed 9,785 new cases on Wednesday and the death toll rose to nearly 5,500 , nursing homes have been under an order to test all employees every two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some questioning the point .
U.S. officials have recently called for ramping up screening to include seemingly healthy Americans who may be unknowingly spreading the disease in their communities .
But Quest Diagnostics , one of the nation ’ s largest testing chains , said it can ’ t keep up with demand and most patients will face waits of a week or longer for results .
The U.S. is testing over 700,000 people per day , up from less than 100,000 in March .
Trump administration officials point out that roughly half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems that give results in about 15 minutes or in hospitals , which typically process tests in about 24 hours .
But last month , that still left some 9 million tests going through laboratories , which have been plagued by limited chemicals , machines and kits to develop COVID-19 tests .
There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus in the U.S. , but experts have recommended for months that the U.S. test at least 1 million to 3 million people daily .
Health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that the U.S. should scale up to testing 30 million Americans per week by the fall , when school reopenings and flu season are expected to further exacerbate the virus ’ spread .
The group acknowledged that will not be possible with the current laboratory-based testing system .
Until then , the backbone of U.S. testing remains at several hundred labs with high-capacity machines capable of processing thousands of samples per day .
Many say they could be processing far more tests if not for global shortages of testing chemicals , pipettes @ @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Laboratories across the U.S. are buckling under a surge of coronavirus tests, creating long processing delays that experts say are actually undercutting the pandemic response.
With the U.S. tally of infections at 3.9 million Wednesday and new cases surging, the bottlenecks are creating problems for workers kept off the job while awaiting results, nursing homes struggling to keep the virus out and for the labs themselves, dealing with a crushing workload.
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Some labs are taking weeks to return COVID-19 results, exacerbating fears that asymptomatic people could be spreading the virus if they don’t isolate while they wait.
“There’s been this obsession with, ‘How many tests are we doing per day?’” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The question is how many tests are being done with results coming back within a day, where the individual tested is promptly isolated and their contacts are promptly warned.”
Frieden and other public health experts have called on states to publicly report testing turnaround times, calling it an essential metric to measure progress against the virus.
The testing lags in the U.S. come as the number of people confirmed to be infected globally passed a staggering 15 million on Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. leads the world in cases as well as deaths, which stand at more than 142,000 nationwide. New York, once by far the U.S. leader in infections, has been surpassed by California, though that is partly due to robust testing in a state with more than twice the population of New York.
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Guidelines issued by the CDC recommend that states lifting virus restrictions have testing turnaround time under four days. The agency recently issued new recommendations against retesting most COVID-19 patients to confirm they’ve recovered.
“It’s clogging up the system,” Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant health secretary, told reporters last week.
Zachrey Warner knows it all too well.
The 30-year-old waiter from Columbus, Ohio, was sent home from work on July 5 with a high fever a few days after he began feeling ill. He went for a test five days later at the request of his employer.
Almost two weeks and one missed pay period later, he finally got his answer on Wednesday: negative.
Though Warner said most symptoms — including fever, diarrhea, chest tightness and body aches — stopped a few days after he was tested, he wasn’t allowed to return to work without the result. On Wednesday he got a call telling him he didn’t have COVID-19.
It was “frustrating that I’ve missed so much work due to testing taking forever,” Warner said. “It is what it is ... (but) I’m glad I’m negative and happy to be able to get back to work this week.”
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Beyond the economic hurt the testing lags can cause, they pose major health risks too.
In Florida, as the state confirmed 9,785 new cases on Wednesday and the death toll rose to nearly 5,500, nursing homes have been under an order to test all employees every two weeks. But long delays for results have some questioning the point.
Jay Solomon, CEO of Aviva in Sarasota, a senior community with a nursing home and assisted living facility, said results were taking up to 10 days to come back.
“It’s almost like, what are we accomplishing in that time?” Solomon said. “If that person is not quarantined in that 7-10 days, are they spreading without realizing it?”
Test results that come back after two or three days are nearly worthless, many health experts say, because by then the window for tracing the persons’ contacts to prevent additional infections has essentially closed.
Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University said it’s reasonable to tell people awaiting test results to isolate for 24 hours, but the delays have been unacceptable.
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“Imagine, you tell a parent with young children to self-isolate for 10 days or more without knowing they actually have COVID? I mean, that’s ridiculous. That’s actually absurd,” Wen said.
U.S. officials have recently called for ramping up screening to include seemingly healthy Americans who may be unknowingly spreading the disease in their communities. But Quest Diagnostics, one of the nation’s largest testing chains, said it can’t keep up with demand and most patients will face waits of a week or longer for results.
Quest has urged health care providers to cut down on tests from low-priority individuals, such as those without symptoms or any contact with someone who has tested positive.
As testing has expanded, so have mask orders and other measures aimed at keeping infections down. Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon became the latest to announce statewide mandatory mask orders on Wednesday.
The U.S. is testing over 700,000 people per day, up from less than 100,000 in March. Trump administration officials point out that roughly half of U.S. tests are performed on rapid systems that give results in about 15 minutes or in hospitals, which typically process tests in about 24 hours. But last month, that still left some 9 million tests going through laboratories, which have been plagued by limited chemicals, machines and kits to develop COVID-19 tests.
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There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus in the U.S., but experts have recommended for months that the U.S. test at least 1 million to 3 million people daily.
Health experts assembled by the Rockefeller Foundation said last week that the U.S. should scale up to testing 30 million Americans per week by the fall, when school reopenings and flu season are expected to further exacerbate the virus’ spread. The group acknowledged that will not be possible with the current laboratory-based testing system.
The National Institutes of Health has set up a “shark tank” competition to quickly identify promising rapid tests and has received more than 600 applications. The goal is to have new testing options in mass production by the fall.
Until then, the backbone of U.S. testing remains at several hundred labs with high-capacity machines capable of processing thousands of samples per day. Many say they could be processing far more tests if not for global shortages of testing chemicals, pipettes and other materials.
Dr. Bobbi Pritt of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says the hospital’s machines are running at just 20% of capacity. Lab technicians run seven different COVID-19 testing formats, switching back and forth depending on the availability of supplies.
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At Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, lab workers lobby testing manufacturers on a weekly basis to provide more kits, chemicals and other materials.
“There’s no planning ahead, we just do as many as we can and cross our fingers that we’ll get more,” said Dr. Colleen Kraft, who heads the hospital’s testing lab.
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This story has been corrected to show that the CDC has issued guidelines recommending against repeat testing for patients recovering from coronavirus.
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Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan, and Sedensky reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Michelle R. Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, and AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.