thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--New Hampshire Governor Keeps Referring To Coronavirus As 'The Flu'

New Hampshire Gov .
Christopher Sununu ( R ) consistently refers to the coronavirus as “ the flu , ” a comparison that medical experts say is inaccurate and downplays the risk to individuals and the wider population .
“ Once you get it ― you remember 98 % of the people that get it are going to get better .
And we ’ re going to have the flu .
And then you ’ re going to be immune to it , ” Sununu said in a radio interview on WRKO Friday .
“ So there is an end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said that people should “ treat it as the flu , which it is , ” in another radio interview two days ago .
And on March 11 , he told New Hampshire Public Radio that there was no need for him to declare a state of emergency .
At that point , there were five confirmed coronavirus cases in the state .
“ The good news is , is that when you go on quarantine or God forbid , you should even get the virus , it ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going to have the flu for a couple of weeks .
You ’ re going to be off for a couple of weeks .
It ’ s not months , and months and months , ” he said , again trying to downplay the disease ’ s severity .
“ So it is something that is very likely manageable from a financial standpoint.
” “ It ’ s a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for , ” he said in February .
“ And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this in a fairly quick manner.
” So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu .
It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year .
Nothing is shut down , life & the economy go on .
At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus , with 22 deaths .
Think about that !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) March 9 , 2020 The coronavirus and the flu are not the same thing .
The coronavirus is far more lethal .
“ I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu does this , the flu does that , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health , said on March 11 .
“ The flu has a mortality of 0.1 % .
This has a mortality rate of 10 times that .
That ’ s the reason I want to emphasize we have to stay ahead of the game in preventing this.
” There is also a vaccine for the seasonal flu .
It ’ s not 100 % effective , but it does provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved vaccine for the coronavirus .
And as NPR has noted , “ Data from China shows that each coronavirus case seems to infect around 2 to 2.5 additional people .
That ’ s higher than flu .
The average patient spreads the flu virus to about 1.3 others.
” And the seasonal flu is the most contagious three to four days after symptoms begin appearing , whereas it appears that the coronavirus may be especially contagious before any symptoms show ― making it hard to catch and contain early .

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New Hampshire Gov. Christopher Sununu (R) consistently refers to the coronavirus as “the flu,” a comparison that medical experts say is inaccurate and downplays the risk to individuals and the wider population.
“Once you get it ― you remember 98% of the people that get it are going to get better. And we’re going to have the flu. And then you’re going to be immune to it,” Sununu said in a radio interview on WRKO Friday. “So there is an end game here to be sure.”
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Similarly, he said that people should “treat it as the flu, which it is,” in another radio interview two days ago.
And on March 11, he told New Hampshire Public Radio that there was no need for him to declare a state of emergency. At that point, there were five confirmed coronavirus cases in the state.
“The good news is, is that when you go on quarantine or God forbid, you should even get the virus, it’s about a two-week period, right? Either you’re going to have the flu for a couple of weeks. You’re going to be off for a couple of weeks. It’s not months, and months and months,” he said, again trying to downplay the disease’s severity. “So it is something that is very likely manageable from a financial standpoint.”
New Hampshire Gov. Christopher Sununu (R), pictured here with Vice President Mike Pence, keeps referring to the coronavirus as "the flu." Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
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Trump has also repeatedly compared the coronavirus to the flu, trying to downplay the seriousness of the crisis.
“It’s a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for,” he said in February. “And we’ll essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner.”
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
The coronavirus and the flu are not the same thing. The coronavirus is far more lethal.
“I mean, people always say, well, the flu does this, the flu does that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said on March 11. “The flu has a mortality of 0.1%. This has a mortality rate of 10 times that. That’s the reason I want to emphasize we have to stay ahead of the game in preventing this.”
To underscore, the coronavirus “is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu,” in Fauci’s words.
There is also a vaccine for the seasonal flu. It’s not 100% effective, but it does provide some defense. There is currently no approved vaccine for the coronavirus.
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And as NPR has noted, “Data from China shows that each coronavirus case seems to infect around 2 to 2.5 additional people. That’s higher than flu. The average patient spreads the flu virus to about 1.3 others.”
And the seasonal flu is the most contagious three to four days after symptoms begin appearing, whereas it appears that the coronavirus may be especially contagious before any symptoms show ― making it hard to catch and contain early.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Elizabeth Warren, Ayanna Pressley Urge Trump To Reduce Prison Population Amid Coronavirus

“ We have grave concerns that without urgent action it is just a matter of time before our nation ’ s correctional facilities and detention centers , and the detainees and correction officers who live and work in them , are devastated by this pandemic , ” they wrote in a letter published Friday morning .
The senator and congresswoman urged the president to maximize his clemency power to commute sentences of elderly inmates , who are the most likely to contract the virus and the least likely to reoffend out of prison ; commute sentences of prisoners who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as those with underlying health issues like heart disease and diabetes ; and create and implement guidelines to release all individuals who have not been convicted of a crime but are awaiting trial in prison or jail .
“ People in prisons , jails , and detention facilities must not be overlooked during this crisis , ” Warren and Pressley wrote .
“ We still have time to prevent more devastating outcomes , but we must act quickly.
” People over the age of 55 are the most vulnerable to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are currently nearly 125,000 prisoners in this age group , including more than 26,000 over the age of 65 .
Public health officials have warned that the prison system is especially susceptible to a coronavirus outbreak because of prisoners ’ inability to implement social distancing .
More than 500 prisoners were infected in China as the virus spread through five prisons in three provinces during the onset of the epidemic there .
In Iran , 54,000 inmates were temporarily released as the outbreak spurred concerns the illness would rapidly spread in detention facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners at 27 facilities rioted in response to quarantine attempts by prison officials desperate to contain the spread of a disease that has infected over 9,000 people in the country .
Now , correctional facilities in the U.S. are faced with the exact circumstances for which they are openly unprepared .
Inmates and prison employees tested positive for the coronavirus in Pennsylvania and Washington last week , and a police investigator in New York died from the virus on Sunday , according to the New York City Department of Correction .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that state and local officials will understand the importance of taking similar actions in their jails and prisons , to start saving lives and doing all that we can , as public officials , to protect our communities , ” Warren and Pressley concluded .
“ For millions of incarcerated people , COVID-19 should not be a death sentence .
”

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) on Friday called on President Donald Trump to reduce the federal prison population amid the coronavirus outbreak that’s gripping the country.
“We have grave concerns that without urgent action it is just a matter of time before our nation’s correctional facilities and detention centers, and the detainees and correction officers who live and work in them, are devastated by this pandemic,” they wrote in a letter published Friday morning.
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The senator and congresswoman urged the president to maximize his clemency power to commute sentences of elderly inmates, who are the most likely to contract the virus and the least likely to reoffend out of prison; commute sentences of prisoners who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus, such as those with underlying health issues like heart disease and diabetes; and create and implement guidelines to release all individuals who have not been convicted of a crime but are awaiting trial in prison or jail.
“People in prisons, jails, and detention facilities must not be overlooked during this crisis,” Warren and Pressley wrote. “We still have time to prevent more devastating outcomes, but we must act quickly.”
“For millions of incarcerated people, COVID-19 should not be a death sentence.” - Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley
People over the age of 55 are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, health officials say. There are currently nearly 125,000 prisoners in this age group, including more than 26,000 over the age of 65.
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Public health officials have warned that the prison system is especially susceptible to a coronavirus outbreak because of prisoners’ inability to implement social distancing. More than 500 prisoners were infected in China as the virus spread through five prisons in three provinces during the onset of the epidemic there. In Iran, 54,000 inmates were temporarily released as the outbreak spurred concerns the illness would rapidly spread in detention facilities. And this week in Italy, prisoners at 27 facilities rioted in response to quarantine attempts by prison officials desperate to contain the spread of a disease that has infected over 9,000 people in the country.
Now, correctional facilities in the U.S. are faced with the exact circumstances for which they are openly unprepared. Inmates and prison employees tested positive for the coronavirus in Pennsylvania and Washington last week, and a police investigator in New York died from the virus on Sunday, according to the New York City Department of Correction.
“This is an opportunity to set an example, so that state and local officials will understand the importance of taking similar actions in their jails and prisons, to start saving lives and doing all that we can, as public officials, to protect our communities,” Warren and Pressley concluded. “For millions of incarcerated people, COVID-19 should not be a death sentence.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Endorses Joe Biden For President

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ( D-N.Y. ) , who quit her Democratic presidential campaign in August , endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the party ’ s nomination , calling him the “ absolute best candidate to defeat President Donald Trump.
” “ I ’ m proud to endorse @ JoeBiden today , ” Gillibrand wrote Thursday on Twitter , becoming the latest big-name Democrat to throw her support behind Biden .
“ Our country needs a president who will provide steady , honest leadership , and I believe Joe has the right experience , empathy , and character to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help him defeat Donald Trump in November.
” Biden has amassed a deep roster of support in recent weeks , with endorsements from many former 2020 rivals .
Sens .
Cory Booker ( N.J. ) , Amy Klobuchar ( Minn. ) and Kamala Harris ( Calif. ) all said they ’ ll back him , as did former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire Mike Bloomberg .
“ He ’ s the absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump , and I think he is the person who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people in a way that no one else has , ” Gillibrand told The Washington Post , noting Biden was prepared to handle the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The truth is he ’ s run the strongest campaign.
” Sen. Bernie Sanders ( Vt. ) , Biden ’ s last major competitor , has lagged behind in recent primaries .
Biden scored major victories in Tuesday ’ s primaries in Florida , Arizona and Illinois , and now holds a commanding lead in delegates .
Biden thanked Gillibrand for her support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been afraid to speak without fear , to be brave in the face of injustice , and to empower others to get off the sidelines.
” .
@ SenGillibrand has never been afraid to speak without fear , to be brave in the face of injustice , and to empower others to get off the sidelines .
I 'm thrilled and honored to have her support .
https : //t.co/3DWCZnsnqB — Joe Biden ( Text Join to 30330 ) ( @ JoeBiden ) March 20 , 2020 Sanders said he is “ assessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses .

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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who quit her Democratic presidential campaign in August, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the party’s nomination, calling him the “absolute best candidate to defeat President Donald Trump.”
“I’m proud to endorse @JoeBiden today,” Gillibrand wrote Thursday on Twitter, becoming the latest big-name Democrat to throw her support behind Biden. “Our country needs a president who will provide steady, honest leadership, and I believe Joe has the right experience, empathy, and character to lead. I’m excited to help him defeat Donald Trump in November.”
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Biden has amassed a deep roster of support in recent weeks, with endorsements from many former 2020 rivals. Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.) all said they’ll back him, as did former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire Mike Bloomberg.
“He’s the absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump, and I think he is the person who has gained the trust and the respect of the American people in a way that no one else has,” Gillibrand told The Washington Post, noting Biden was prepared to handle the coronavirus pandemic. “The truth is he’s run the strongest campaign.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Biden’s last major competitor, has lagged behind in recent primaries. Biden scored major victories in Tuesday’s primaries in Florida, Arizona and Illinois, and now holds a commanding lead in delegates.
Biden thanked Gillibrand for her support, saying the lawmaker has “never been afraid to speak without fear, to be brave in the face of injustice, and to empower others to get off the sidelines.”
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.@SenGillibrand has never been afraid to speak without fear, to be brave in the face of injustice, and to empower others to get off the sidelines. I'm thrilled and honored to have her support. https://t.co/3DWCZnsnqB — Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Airline Union Leader: ‘The Casualties Are Starting To Pile Up’

The airline layoffs that began this week will snowball and cripple the industry ’ s ability to recover once the novel coronavirus pandemic is contained unless federal lawmakers act swiftly to prop up payrolls , the leader of the nation ’ s top flight attendants union said Friday .
On Thursday , Norwegian Air Shuttle announced plans to lay off about 90 % of its employees , including all its U.S.-based flight attendants , who had hours earlier voted to approve their first union contract with the Association of Flight Attendants ( AFA-CWA ) .
Compass Airlines , a Minneapolis-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the union , announced plans to completely shut down on April 1 .
The news came days after Missouri-based Trans State Airlines , whose flight attendants are unionized with the Teamsters , became the first U.S. carrier to close down amid what economists say is already likely a recession .
As Congress drafted bailout packages for industries gutted by the downturn this week , Nelson released a sweeping list of demands that any federal relief bill requires companies receiving funds to use the money to keep workers on the payroll and bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , buying back stock or paying dividends to shareholders .
The proposals , included in a two-page memo and outlined in a tearful five-minute speech Nelson gave in a video posted to Twitter this week , include mandating companies honor union contracts and forcing some firms that receive larger government loans to allow workers to elect at least one member to the board of directors .
“ There ’ s not an airline out there that will be able to meet payroll in a couple months ’ time if something ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps before that to get people off the payrolls , ” said Nelson , who rose to fame last year by calling for a general strike to end the government shutdown of 2019 and now is widely considered a front-runner to be the next leader of the AFL-CIO .
If that happens , she warned , it will be impossible to quickly reassemble and train the workforce needed to rev the industry back up once the global pandemic is under control .
Labor unions have been pressuring lawmakers to look out for workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescue packages .
The pain in the airline industry goes well beyond just flight attendants : baggage handlers , in-flight food prep workers and airport concessions workers have all been hit hard by the sudden dropoff in travel .
Many of those workers don ’ t earn much money to begin with .
With fewer flights and many of them nearly empty , they are now facing cuts to their hours as well as layoffs , according to Unite Here , a hospitality union that represents thousands of airport employees .
The union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of them hotel workers , to lose their jobs at least temporarily due to the outbreak .
There ’ s not an airline out there that will be able to meet payroll in a couple months ’ time if something ’ s not done , and they will all take steps before that to get people off the payrolls .
D. Taylor , the union ’ s president , said that airport service workers need to be taken care of if the industry is going to receive help such as low- or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He suggested guarantees of continued health care coverage and paid leave as the kind of provisions that should be included .
He noted that the airline industry received a $ 15 billion aid package after the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terror attacks .
“ I don ’ t think it went down to the workers , ” Taylor said of that bailout .
“ We think the strings attached to airlines is the workers who prepare the food , who do all that work , should have health care .
They should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have sick leave .
I don ’ t think any package to the airlines should [ pass ] until we secure the safety of those workers .
”

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The airline layoffs that began this week will snowball and cripple the industry’s ability to recover once the novel coronavirus pandemic is contained unless federal lawmakers act swiftly to prop up payrolls, the leader of the nation’s top flight attendants union said Friday.
“The casualties are starting to pile up,” Sara Nelson, the powerful leader of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), told HuffPost by phone Friday. “We’re just working as fast as we can to keep as many people strong.”
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On Thursday, Norwegian Air Shuttle announced plans to lay off about 90% of its employees, including all its U.S.-based flight attendants, who had hours earlier voted to approve their first union contract with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA). Compass Airlines, a Minneapolis-based regional carrier whose workers are also part of the union, announced plans to completely shut down on April 1.
The news came days after Missouri-based Trans State Airlines, whose flight attendants are unionized with the Teamsters, became the first U.S. carrier to close down amid what economists say is already likely a recession.
Jobless claims across industries could top 2.25 million in next Thursday’s Labor Department report, economists at Goldman Sachs predicted this week, smashing the record 695,000 claims filed in the week that ended Oct. 2, 1982. A Wall Street Journal survey projected 875,000 new jobless claims by this Saturday alone.
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) rose to prominence last year when she called for a general strike to end the longest government shutdown in history. Tom Williams via Getty Images
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As Congress drafted bailout packages for industries gutted by the downturn this week, Nelson released a sweeping list of demands that any federal relief bill requires companies receiving funds to use the money to keep workers on the payroll and bars those firms from giving out executive bonuses, buying back stock or paying dividends to shareholders.
The proposals, included in a two-page memo and outlined in a tearful five-minute speech Nelson gave in a video posted to Twitter this week, include mandating companies honor union contracts and forcing some firms that receive larger government loans to allow workers to elect at least one member to the board of directors.
“There’s not an airline out there that will be able to meet payroll in a couple months’ time if something’s not done, and they will all take steps before that to get people off the payrolls,” said Nelson, who rose to fame last year by calling for a general strike to end the government shutdown of 2019 and now is widely considered a front-runner to be the next leader of the AFL-CIO.
If that happens, she warned, it will be impossible to quickly reassemble and train the workforce needed to rev the industry back up once the global pandemic is under control.
“It will be completely decimated if we don’t do something,” she said. “And we’ll have to deal with taking care of people who now are out of work.”
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Labor unions have been pressuring lawmakers to look out for workers whose employers may benefit from any federal rescue packages. The pain in the airline industry goes well beyond just flight attendants: baggage handlers, in-flight food prep workers and airport concessions workers have all been hit hard by the sudden dropoff in travel.
Many of those workers don’t earn much money to begin with. With fewer flights and many of them nearly empty, they are now facing cuts to their hours as well as layoffs, according to Unite Here, a hospitality union that represents thousands of airport employees. The union expects 90% of its membership, most of them hotel workers, to lose their jobs at least temporarily due to the outbreak.
“There’s not an airline out there that will be able to meet payroll in a couple months’ time if something’s not done, and they will all take steps before that to get people off the payrolls.” - Sara Nelson, Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA)
D. Taylor, the union’s president, said that airport service workers need to be taken care of if the industry is going to receive help such as low- or no-interest federal loans or tax deferrals. He suggested guarantees of continued health care coverage and paid leave as the kind of provisions that should be included. He noted that the airline industry received a $15 billion aid package after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
“I don’t think it went down to the workers,” Taylor said of that bailout. “We think the strings attached to airlines is the workers who prepare the food, who do all that work, should have health care. They should have a decent wage. They should have sick leave. I don’t think any package to the airlines should [pass] until we secure the safety of those workers.”
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Other unions have also called for tighter limits on executive pay and stock buybacks for any airline package. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for “really severe” caps on executive compensation, as well as commitments for consumers on issues like baggage fees.
The Service Employees International Union, which represents 32,000 airport workers around the country, warned that a rescue package could carve out those who aren’t employed directly by the airlines. Many baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants are technically employed by airline contractors.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Trump’s Most Faithful Don’t Really Care If He Botched The Coronavirus Response

To his most avid supporters , the president has done all these things , and they ’ re not about to let his handling of the coronavirus — and potentially the thousands of extra deaths it could cause — change their minds .
She and her husband , a Vietnam War veteran , are retired and travel the country in their RV , hitting as many Trump rallies as they can .
They attended the July 4 event Trump staged on the National Mall last year , a rally in Minneapolis in October and one in Phoenix last month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how contagious this thing is .
It does seem like we ’ ve overreacted to a point , ” said Stephen Moreno , 69 , adding that they nevertheless returned to their Chino , California , home and are abiding by the guidelines to stay away from others .
“ I ’ m in that high-risk category .
And it ’ s driving me nuts .
I ’ d rather be out.
” Trump downplayed the seriousness of the virus for six weeks after its rapid spread started raising concerns globally .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the seasonal flu , predicted without any scientific basis that it would disappear on its own come April and accused Democrats and the news media of trying to tank the stock market to hurt his reelection chances .
All this came two years after Trump dismantled the pandemic response team that his predecessor Barack Obama had created within the White House .
Trump justified that move three weeks ago as a desire to save money — “ Some of the people we cut , they haven ’ t been used for many , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could hire them all back quickly if needed .
“ If the coronavirus spread is as bad as it ’ s been in Italy , the election will only be about the competence of the federal response , which to date Trump has completely bungled , ” Tyler said .
“ He lacks the knowledge and leadership to offer any useful information .
His mostly irrelevant or non-factual statements have only added to confusion , panic and destabilization .
Trump should not attend press briefings , tweet or issue statements about coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their work keeping Americans healthy and safe.
” John Weaver , who worked for former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich ’ s campaign in those primaries , said Trump won the benefit of the doubt in 2016 from some voters who heard the arguments that he was not qualified to deal with serious crises but supported him anyway because of their dislike of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton .
“ In 2016 , for all intents and purposes , Secretary Clinton was treated as the incumbent and Trump was the theory .
Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Weaver said .
Trump ’ s defenders , though , argue that as sitting president , he can project “ big , bold , strong leadership ” that voters will like , even if he is not as detail-oriented as previous presidents .
“ You need some of that unconventional leadership , ” said Jason Miller , a top official in Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and an outside adviser now .
“ If President Trump can continue leading us through this crisis , voters are going to reward him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” For many voters who backed Trump in 2016 and continue to back him now , that “ unconventional ” style is still attractive , even if it might lead to some poor decisions .
They believe Trump is doing the best he can , and they doubt anyone else would have done much better — even Republican governors who had run against Trump in 2016 like Florida ’ s Jeb Bush or New Jersey ’ s Chris Christie , both of whom had experience guiding their states through natural disasters .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is glad Trump is in charge .
“ Considering we ’ re in uncharted territory , given the choice between having him or some of the other options , I ’ d rather have him .
...
I don ’ t think necessarily that anyone would have handled it differently.
” Barbara Guzman , who owns a label business in Cape Coral , Florida , and who saw Trump at a 2018 rally in nearby Naples , said Trump would be better off keeping his mouth shut and letting the experts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of misleading or false statements that wind up needing to be corrected , thereby confusing the public .
“ Sometimes he shouldn ’ t say anything , ” she said , but then added that such a wish was not likely to come true .
“ It ’ s almost like a child .
You tell him not to do something , but he does it anyway .
...
He ’ s 70-something .
He ’ s not going to change .
”

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WASHINGTON — They wanted Donald Trump to come to Washington to break things. Turn over tables. Shake up the system.
To his most avid supporters, the president has done all these things, and they’re not about to let his handling of the coronavirus — and potentially the thousands of extra deaths it could cause — change their minds.
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“It sounds callous, but maybe that’s population control,” said Linda Moreno, 66, pointing out that the disease is most deadly to the elderly, such as herself.
She and her husband, a Vietnam War veteran, are retired and travel the country in their RV, hitting as many Trump rallies as they can. They attended the July 4 event Trump staged on the National Mall last year, a rally in Minneapolis in October and one in Phoenix last month.
Like many of his supporters, they believe that concerns about COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, are overblown, despite Trump’s recent 180-degree shift on the subject.
“I really don’t know how contagious this thing is. It does seem like we’ve overreacted to a point,” said Stephen Moreno, 69, adding that they nevertheless returned to their Chino, California, home and are abiding by the guidelines to stay away from others. “I’m in that high-risk category. And it’s driving me nuts. I’d rather be out.”
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Trump downplayed the seriousness of the virus for six weeks after its rapid spread started raising concerns globally. He falsely claimed it was no worse than the seasonal flu, predicted without any scientific basis that it would disappear on its own come April and accused Democrats and the news media of trying to tank the stock market to hurt his reelection chances.
That unwillingness to prepare for its inevitable spread in the United States cost the country precious weeks that it could have spent aggressively ramping up the production of coronavirus tests and increasing intensive care capacity at the nation’s hospitals, pandemic experts said.
All this came two years after Trump dismantled the pandemic response team that his predecessor Barack Obama had created within the White House. Trump justified that move three weeks ago as a desire to save money — “Some of the people we cut, they haven’t been used for many, many years” — and falsely claimed he could hire them all back quickly if needed.
“I believe in an outsider. Career politicians are nothing but trouble,” said one 58-year-old Trump supporter. AP Photo/Mike McCarn
Rick Tyler, a political consultant who worked for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, said Trump’s performance in this crisis will have consequences this November.
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“If the coronavirus spread is as bad as it’s been in Italy, the election will only be about the competence of the federal response, which to date Trump has completely bungled,” Tyler said. “He lacks the knowledge and leadership to offer any useful information. His mostly irrelevant or non-factual statements have only added to confusion, panic and destabilization. Trump should not attend press briefings, tweet or issue statements about coronavirus. He should let the professionals do their work keeping Americans healthy and safe.”
John Weaver, who worked for former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s campaign in those primaries, said Trump won the benefit of the doubt in 2016 from some voters who heard the arguments that he was not qualified to deal with serious crises but supported him anyway because of their dislike of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. “In 2016, for all intents and purposes, Secretary Clinton was treated as the incumbent and Trump was the theory. Well, the madness theory is now a fact,” Weaver said.
Trump’s defenders, though, argue that as sitting president, he can project “big, bold, strong leadership” that voters will like, even if he is not as detail-oriented as previous presidents. “You need some of that unconventional leadership,” said Jason Miller, a top official in Trump’s 2016 campaign and an outside adviser now. “If President Trump can continue leading us through this crisis, voters are going to reward him and he’s going to be reelected.”
For many voters who backed Trump in 2016 and continue to back him now, that “unconventional” style is still attractive, even if it might lead to some poor decisions. They believe Trump is doing the best he can, and they doubt anyone else would have done much better — even Republican governors who had run against Trump in 2016 like Florida’s Jeb Bush or New Jersey’s Chris Christie, both of whom had experience guiding their states through natural disasters.
“I believe in an outsider. Career politicians are nothing but trouble,” said Norris Vivier, a 58-year-old owner of a real estate business in Manchester, New Hampshire, who has already had to lay off workers because of the pandemic.
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He, like many Trump supporters, also wonders if the experts are not overreacting: “Destroy our economy and way of life over a virus?”
He added that, in any event, he is glad Trump is in charge. “Considering we’re in uncharted territory, given the choice between having him or some of the other options, I’d rather have him. ... I don’t think necessarily that anyone would have handled it differently.”
Even those who see some of Trump’s habits as counterproductive nevertheless said they will continue to support him.
Barbara Guzman, who owns a label business in Cape Coral, Florida, and who saw Trump at a 2018 rally in nearby Naples, said Trump would be better off keeping his mouth shut and letting the experts in the government speak, rather than make a series of misleading or false statements that wind up needing to be corrected, thereby confusing the public.
“Sometimes he shouldn’t say anything,” she said, but then added that such a wish was not likely to come true. “It’s almost like a child. You tell him not to do something, but he does it anyway. ... He’s 70-something. He’s not going to change.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Most New York And Delaware Voters Can't Vote By Mail, Even With Coronavirus Outbreak

Most voters in Delaware and New York are unable by law to vote by mail , which could force them to make a difficult choice in the April 28 primary : Either risk going out to the polls during the coronavirus pandemic or don ’ t exercise the right to vote .
Delaware and New York are the only two of these eight states that do not currently allow voters to cast an absentee ballot by mail without an excuse .
Connecticut , which was also slated for an April 28 primary and does not allow voting by mail without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to June 2 , Gov .
Ned Lamont ( D ) announced on Thursday .
New York still plans on holding its presidential preference primary election on April 28 despite it being an epicenter for the coronavirus outbreak , with 7,102 confirmed cases as of Friday morning .
In response to the crisis , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) ordered all state residents to “ remain indoors to the greatest extent , ” and shuttered most businesses across the state on Friday .
Cuomo has the power to either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consideration , or to allow every citizen to use the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot .
He already did so when he issued an executive order on March 14 to allow anyone to request an absentee ballot for the March 24 Queens borough president election , but New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ( D ) later canceled that election .
New York county election boards also have the ability to allow voters to cast an absentee ballot without an excuse .
Erie County , which includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 11 that all voters for the April 28 presidential primary and the 27th congressional district special election to replace jailed ex-Rep. Chris Collins ( R ) can cast an absentee ballot by mail .
Delaware also plans to go ahead with its April 28 primary election by complying with Center for Disease Control recommendations to wipe down voting machines and limit the number of people inside any polling location at a given time .
There are no plans at this moment to change the rules limiting who can get access to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also set to hold its presidential preference primary on April 28 , technically requires an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot , but voters are allowed to request an absentee ballot if they can ’ t get to the polling location on Election Day , and that excuse is interpreted rather liberally .
Rhode Island Gov .
Gina Raimondo ( D ) is currently considering whether to allow the state to conduct a nearly all-mail election as Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea ( D ) and the Board of Elections have suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election to June 2 , a recommendation approved by the Board of Elections , but opposed by Gorbea .
“ As we ’ ve seen , this is a quickly evolving situation , ” Josh Block , press secretary for Raimondo , said in a statement .
“ The Rhode Island primary is still more than a month away , and the Governor ’ s top priority is protecting the immediate public health and safety of Rhode Islanders .
She is open to the idea of moving the election date and will rely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials to inform that decision.
” Gorbea wants the governor to issue an emergency decree to allow her to send all 780,000 registered voters on file a letter with a prepaid postage return envelope that they can send back to request an absentee ballot .
Those ballots would then be sent out to those requesting them with their own return envelopes with postage prepaid .
“ I actually feel that we could do this for April 28 and it would be less confusing to voters if we kept the dates but moved some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gorbea said .
Lamont ’ s decision to postpone Connecticut ’ s April 28 primary election to June 2 came amid discussions about postponement and loosening restrictions on absentee voting .
Connecticut does not currently allow for no-excuse absentee voting .
Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill ( D ) called on Lamont to issue an emergency declaration allowing anyone to request an absentee ballot amid the pandemic emergency on March 13 .
While the primary election was delayed , there has been no announcement on allowing increased access to absentee voting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks on April 7 .
Election officials are urging voters to request absentee ballots now so they can vote by mail .
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported on Tuesday that requests for absentee ballot applications are “ at a record pace ” that exceeded total application requests from the state ’ s 2017 , 2018 and 2019 spring elections .
Voters have until April 2 to request a mailed absentee ballot .
The lawsuit challenges the registration deadline for absentee voters , which passed on Wednesday , the requirements for those applying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identification and that the requirement that ballots be submitted by 8 p.m. on election day to be counted .
These provisions all create barriers to voting for Wisconsinites as the pandemic has suddenly changed the election landscape under voters ’ feet , the lawsuit argues .

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Most voters in Delaware and New York are unable by law to vote by mail, which could force them to make a difficult choice in the April 28 primary: Either risk going out to the polls during the coronavirus pandemic or don’t exercise the right to vote.
The states are among eight planning to hold primary elections in April, which face a range of challenges related to how they plan to deal with recommendations to avoid crowded places during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Delaware and New York are the only two of these eight states that do not currently allow voters to cast an absentee ballot by mail without an excuse. Connecticut, which was also slated for an April 28 primary and does not allow voting by mail without an excuse, is moving its primary to June 2, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced on Thursday.
New York still plans on holding its presidential preference primary election on April 28 despite it being an epicenter for the coronavirus outbreak, with 7,102 confirmed cases as of Friday morning. In response to the crisis, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) ordered all state residents to “remain indoors to the greatest extent,” and shuttered most businesses across the state on Friday.
The state is currently transitioning to reduce barriers to absentee voting, but does not provide for anyone to get one without an excuse at this moment.
Cuomo has the power to either delay the election, which is under consideration, or to allow every citizen to use the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot. He already did so when he issued an executive order on March 14 to allow anyone to request an absentee ballot for the March 24 Queens borough president election, but New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) later canceled that election.
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New York county election boards also have the ability to allow voters to cast an absentee ballot without an excuse. Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, announced on March 11 that all voters for the April 28 presidential primary and the 27th congressional district special election to replace jailed ex-Rep. Chris Collins (R) can cast an absentee ballot by mail.
New York State faces severe restrictions on business operations and limitations on group gatherings, but does not provide for no-excuse absentee voting. (Photo by John Lamparski/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images
Cuomo has not yet issued an executive order for the April 28 election. The governor’s office and the State Board of Elections did not respond to requests for comment.
Delaware also plans to go ahead with its April 28 primary election by complying with Center for Disease Control recommendations to wipe down voting machines and limit the number of people inside any polling location at a given time. There are no plans at this moment to change the rules limiting who can get access to an absentee ballot.
“We don’t have any authority to deviate from the state law,” Anthony Albence, Delaware State Election Commissioner, said regarding allowing no-excuse absentee voting during the pandemic.
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The office of Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) did not respond to a request for comment.
While the Delaware state government is not yet moving to provide for no-excuse absentee voting, the Newark, Delaware, city government plans to mail ballots to all registered voters who request them to enable more voting from home in the city’s April 14 municipal elections.
Rhode Island, which is also set to hold its presidential preference primary on April 28, technically requires an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, but voters are allowed to request an absentee ballot if they can’t get to the polling location on Election Day, and that excuse is interpreted rather liberally.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) is currently considering whether to allow the state to conduct a nearly all-mail election as Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D) and the Board of Elections have suggested. She is also considering moving the election to June 2, a recommendation approved by the Board of Elections, but opposed by Gorbea.
“As we’ve seen, this is a quickly evolving situation,” Josh Block, press secretary for Raimondo, said in a statement. “The Rhode Island primary is still more than a month away, and the Governor’s top priority is protecting the immediate public health and safety of Rhode Islanders. She is open to the idea of moving the election date and will rely on guidance from public health and election officials to inform that decision.”
Gorbea wants the governor to issue an emergency decree to allow her to send all 780,000 registered voters on file a letter with a prepaid postage return envelope that they can send back to request an absentee ballot. Those ballots would then be sent out to those requesting them with their own return envelopes with postage prepaid.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) has the power to issue an executive order allowing New Yorkers to cast an absentee ballot by mail for the April 28 primaries. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“I actually feel that we could do this for April 28 and it would be less confusing to voters if we kept the dates but moved some of the timelines for it,” Gorbea said.
Those timelines include the cutoff dates for registering to vote and requesting and submitting mailed or absentee ballots.
Lamont’s decision to postpone Connecticut’s April 28 primary election to June 2 came amid discussions about postponement and loosening restrictions on absentee voting. Connecticut does not currently allow for no-excuse absentee voting. Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill (D) called on Lamont to issue an emergency declaration allowing anyone to request an absentee ballot amid the pandemic emergency on March 13. While the primary election was delayed, there has been no announcement on allowing increased access to absentee voting.
Wisconsin holds its primary election in just three weeks on April 7. Election officials are urging voters to request absentee ballots now so they can vote by mail. The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported on Tuesday that requests for absentee ballot applications are “at a record pace” that exceeded total application requests from the state’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 spring elections. Voters have until April 2 to request a mailed absentee ballot.
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The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Wednesday challenging provisions that pose “direct and severe obstacles to voting,” under the circumstances created by the pandemic.
The lawsuit challenges the registration deadline for absentee voters, which passed on Wednesday, the requirements for those applying and casting absentee ballots to provide photo identification and that the requirement that ballots be submitted by 8 p.m. on election day to be counted. These provisions all create barriers to voting for Wisconsinites as the pandemic has suddenly changed the election landscape under voters’ feet, the lawsuit argues.
Voters in Pennsylvania are allowed to vote by mail in the state’s April 28 primary election and state officials are encouraging everyone who can to do so. But discussions are still underway about possibly postponing the election or changing other rules to increase safe voting options for voters.
The Wyoming Democratic Party announced on March 12 that it would scrap its April 4 in-person presidential preference caucus and encouraged every voter to vote by mail instead. The two other states hosting April 4 primary elections ― Alaska and Hawaii ― already conduct their elections primarily through the mail and don’t anticipate any major changes due to the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Texas Court Upholds Woman's 5 Year Sentence For Trying To Vote

A Texas appeals court on Thursday upheld a five-year sentence for Crystal Mason , a Fort Worth woman who cast a provisional ballot in the 2016 election despite being ineligible to vote .
Texas authorities jumped on Mason ’ s case to bolster claims of a widespread “ voter fraud ” problem and sought to make an example of her , even though her ballot was never even counted .
Voter fraud is very rare in the United States .
In 2016 , Mason was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction of tax fraud .
She ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , a fact her probation officer testified to during her trial .
Writing for the appellate panel , Justice Wade Birdwell deemed that fact “ irrelevant to her prosecution.
” Representatives from Mason ’ s legal team told The Guardian they intend to appeal .
“ Crystal submitted a provisional ballot that was not counted , she did not vote illegally , ” Thomas Buser-Clancy , an attorney with the Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union , told the outlet .
“ They know that these prosecutions and harsh sentences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinly veiled attempts to suppress the vote , ” Beth Stevens , an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project helping to represent Mason , said after an appeals court hearing in 2019 .
“ These are efforts that are meant to strike fear in the heart of other people.
” Texas has been at the forefront of a movement to restrict access to the voting booth since 2013 , when the Supreme Court overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act .
Following the ruling , the state has rapidly reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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A Texas appeals court on Thursday upheld a five-year sentence for Crystal Mason, a Fort Worth woman who cast a provisional ballot in the 2016 election despite being ineligible to vote.
Texas authorities jumped on Mason’s case to bolster claims of a widespread “voter fraud” problem and sought to make an example of her, even though her ballot was never even counted. Voter fraud is very rare in the United States.
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In 2016, Mason was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction of tax fraud. She’d never been told she couldn’t vote, a fact her probation officer testified to during her trial.
Writing for the appellate panel, Justice Wade Birdwell deemed that fact “irrelevant to her prosecution.”
Representatives from Mason’s legal team told The Guardian they intend to appeal. “Crystal submitted a provisional ballot that was not counted, she did not vote illegally,” Thomas Buser-Clancy, an attorney with the Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, told the outlet.
Voting rights advocates say the case is a clear instance of voter suppression.
“They know that these prosecutions and harsh sentences in cases like Crystal’s are thinly veiled attempts to suppress the vote,” Beth Stevens, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project helping to represent Mason, said after an appeals court hearing in 2019. “These are efforts that are meant to strike fear in the heart of other people.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Coronavirus Is Endangering Abortion Access. Telemedicine Could Solve it.

Illustration : Damon Dahlen/HuffPost ; Photos : Getty Images Medication abortion is safe and effective .
But federal regulations strictly limit how women get the drugs they need .
Imagine you take a cruise in late February .
When you get back to the U.S. , you start to self-quarantine out of concern that you were exposed to coronavirus on the ship .
Then you find out you are pregnant .
You do not want to be .
What do you do ?
If you were in Canada , you could get a doctor to prescribe you what is colloquially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which you could pick up from your local pharmacy .
Using medication abortion , women end their pregnancies by taking a combination of two drugs , usually spaced 24 hours apart , which essentially cause a miscarriage .
Medication abortion is safe , effective and allows people to terminate their pregnancies from the privacy of their own home , provided they are in the early stage of pregnancy .
But in the U.S. , federal regulations require that women physically travel to abortion clinics ― which could be hundreds of miles away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can ’ t get it from a pharmacy or through the mail .
A growing chorus of reproductive health experts are calling for that to change .
They say that telemedicine ― the practice of using technology to provide care to a patient from a distance ― is safe for medication abortion and should be employed now , as the coronavirus pandemic overwhelms the health care system , doctors can not travel to faraway clinics and patients may be trapped indoors .
“ People across the country are being urged to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible , ” said Megan Donovan , senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute .
“ Visiting a health center in person is an unnecessary risk for patients and providers if someone is eligible for medication abortion and it can be provided to them at home.
” The Trump administration and a handful of governors have already taken steps to expand access to telemedicine in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak .
The public is taking advantage of remote health care services like never before .
But abortion care by telemedicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that means that women seeking an abortion must generally go into a clinic to obtain the pills .
In an emailed statement , the FDA ’ s Office of Media Affairs said that “ certain restrictions , known as a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy ( REMS ) , are necessary for mifepristone when used for medical termination of early pregnancy in order to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks.
” Her clinics in New York state have already been contacted by patients with symptoms of coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developing a new protocol for medication abortion so that most of the counseling and paperwork is done remotely , using telemedicine .
But patients will still need to physically come in to get the pills , she said , due to FDA regulations .
The overwhelming medical consensus is that medication abortion is safe and the current restrictions are not justified by the limited risks posed by the drugs .
A study published in 2019 found that people who received medication abortion by mail had similar outcomes as those who received it at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high levels of satisfaction with the service .
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that mifepristone be made available in retail pharmacies , like other prescription drugs .
Telemedicine for medication abortion is particularly important in the 27 “ abortion deserts ” in the U.S. — major cities where women have to travel more than 100 miles to access an abortion .
Six states in the U.S. have only one clinic remaining .
“ This is a time period where we should be focusing on moving all health care to telemedicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within a clinic , ” she said .
“ We could be moving all our patients in the first trimester to telemedicine for medication abortion so they don ’ t have to come in at all.
” In some states , a limited form of telemedicine for medication abortion already exists .
While patients are still required to travel to a health clinic for care , once there , they can consult via telemedicine with a clinician in another location who is authorized to dispense the drugs .
This method minimizes how far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who provides abortions , and allows physicians to extend their reach into underserved communities without physically traveling to remote locations .
In 12 states , pregnant women can get the abortion pill by mail by participating in a study called the TelAbortion Project .
Under the protocol , women obtain the necessary tests at medical facilities near their home .
They do a video evaluation over the internet with an abortion provider .
Then the drugs are sent to them by mail .
( You can find out if you qualify here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rapidly expand services to additional states where there are no bans on telemedicine abortion .
Currently , 18 states prohibit the use of telemedicine to prescribe medication for abortion remotely .
A bill in Ohio to ban telemedicine for medication abortion passed the state Senate earlier this month .

Imagine you take a cruise in late February. When you get back to the U.S., you start to self-quarantine out of concern that you were exposed to coronavirus on the ship. Then you find out you are pregnant. You do not want to be. What do you do?
If you were in Canada, you could get a doctor to prescribe you what is colloquially known as the “abortion pill,” which you could pick up from your local pharmacy. Using medication abortion, women end their pregnancies by taking a combination of two drugs, usually spaced 24 hours apart, which essentially cause a miscarriage.
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Medication abortion is safe, effective and allows people to terminate their pregnancies from the privacy of their own home, provided they are in the early stage of pregnancy. But in the U.S., federal regulations require that women physically travel to abortion clinics ― which could be hundreds of miles away ― to pick up the medication. You can’t get it from a pharmacy or through the mail.
A growing chorus of reproductive health experts are calling for that to change. They say that telemedicine ― the practice of using technology to provide care to a patient from a distance ― is safe for medication abortion and should be employed now, as the coronavirus pandemic overwhelms the health care system, doctors cannot travel to faraway clinics and patients may be trapped indoors.
“People across the country are being urged to stay at home and limit social interactions as much as possible,” said Megan Donovan, senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute. “Visiting a health center in person is an unnecessary risk for patients and providers if someone is eligible for medication abortion and it can be provided to them at home.”
The Trump administration and a handful of governors have already taken steps to expand access to telemedicine in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The public is taking advantage of remote health care services like never before. But abortion care by telemedicine is still strictly limited.
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That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that mifepristone, the first of the two drugs used to end a pregnancy, may only be dispensed in “clinics, medical offices, and hospitals by or under the supervision of a certified healthcare provider.”
In practice, that means that women seeking an abortion must generally go into a clinic to obtain the pills. In an emailed statement, the FDA’s Office of Media Affairs said that “certain restrictions, known as a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS), are necessary for mifepristone when used for medical termination of early pregnancy in order to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks.”
As coronavirus spreads across the U.S., doctors who provide abortions are now trying to work out how to best assist patients in their homes, without violating state and federal regulations.
“We’re gearing up to be able to provide care to as many people as we can, balancing what’s going on with COVID-19 with ensuring our patients have access to sexual and reproductive health care,” said Meera Shah, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic.
Her clinics in New York state have already been contacted by patients with symptoms of coronavirus, she said. Her staff is currently developing a new protocol for medication abortion so that most of the counseling and paperwork is done remotely, using telemedicine. But patients will still need to physically come in to get the pills, she said, due to FDA regulations.
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Leading health experts say this is unnecessary.
The overwhelming medical consensus is that medication abortion is safe and the current restrictions are not justified by the limited risks posed by the drugs. A study published in 2019 found that people who received medication abortion by mail had similar outcomes as those who received it at a physician’s office and reported high levels of satisfaction with the service. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that mifepristone be made available in retail pharmacies, like other prescription drugs.
Telemedicine for medication abortion is particularly important in the 27 “abortion deserts” in the U.S. — major cities where women have to travel more than 100 miles to access an abortion. Six states in the U.S. have only one clinic remaining.
“As a necessary part of healthcare, abortion should not be sidelined.” - Megan Donovan, senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute
Beyond the FDA rules, onerous state regulations can make it even harder for people to access medication abortions. As Ghazaleh Moayedi, an abortion provider in Texas, told HuffPost earlier this week, women in her state must make three separate visits to a clinic, in person, if they want to obtain a medication abortion.
“This is a time period where we should be focusing on moving all health care to telemedicine, minimizing the number of patient contacts within a clinic,” she said. “We could be moving all our patients in the first trimester to telemedicine for medication abortion so they don’t have to come in at all.”
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In some states, a limited form of telemedicine for medication abortion already exists. While patients are still required to travel to a health clinic for care, once there, they can consult via telemedicine with a clinician in another location who is authorized to dispense the drugs. This method minimizes how far patients must travel to find a doctor who provides abortions, and allows physicians to extend their reach into underserved communities without physically traveling to remote locations.
In 12 states, pregnant women can get the abortion pill by mail by participating in a study called the TelAbortion Project. Under the protocol, women obtain the necessary tests at medical facilities near their home. They do a video evaluation over the internet with an abortion provider. Then the drugs are sent to them by mail. (You can find out if you qualify here.)
“Our patients are very satisfied,” said Erica Chong, the co-director of the study. “They feel like it fits into the constraints of their life very well, it accommodates them and meets them where they are.”
She said her team was trying to rapidly expand services to additional states where there are no bans on telemedicine abortion. Currently, 18 states prohibit the use of telemedicine to prescribe medication for abortion remotely. A bill in Ohio to ban telemedicine for medication abortion passed the state Senate earlier this month.
“I think there’s probably about 12 more states that we could probably expand to
reasonably quickly,” Chong said. “This is a really unprecedented time.”
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Abortion access is already under threat. Now it’s being jeopardized by coronavirus. Telemedicine is a way to solve that. But first, public officials must understand that it’s a vital aspect of medical care that deserves to be taken seriously.
“There’s a reason that attention and resources are being deployed promoting and supporting telehealth as we grapple with COVID-19,” said Donovan, the Guttmacher policy analyst. “As a necessary part of healthcare, abortion should not be sidelined.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Trump Shrugged Off Repeated Intelligence Warnings About Coronavirus Pandemic: Report

After China reported the outbreak of a new coronavirus in December , U.S. intelligence agencies repeatedly warned the Trump administration in classified messages about the potentially devastating threat , The Washington Post reported Friday .
Yet President Donald Trump largely ignored the warnings and delayed action that might have slowed the spread of the COVID-19 disease , according to the newspaper .
Intelligence reports warned that China initially appeared to be minimizing the danger of the virus but that the U.S. would be wise to prepare for a likely pandemic .
Yet Trump shrugged off the intelligence and repeatedly assured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry about .
Now , as cases of the illness and its death toll mount in the U.S. , Trump is insisting he thought the problem was “ urgent ” right from the start and that he “ felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.
” Intelligence agencies “ have been warning on this since January , ” a U.S. official who had access to reports given to Congress and Trump officials told the Post .
“ Donald Trump may not have been expecting this , but a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were — they just couldn ’ t get him to do anything about it , ” the official said .
“ The system was blinking red.
” White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley denied the account , insisting to the Post that Trump has “ taken historic , aggressive measures to protect the health , wealth and safety of the American people — and did so while the media and Democrats chose to only focus on the stupid politics of a sham illegitimate impeachment.
” It ’ s clear by Trump ’ s own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not believe coronavirus was a concern .
He called criticisms of the White House response to the outbreak a “ new hoax ” from the Democrats .
He said last month that the 15 domestic cases in the U.S. would go down “ close to zero ” and that the disease would vanish “ like a miracle ” or disappear by April when the weather turned warmer .
( Check out the video above . )
The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA .
We are in contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & World Health have been working hard and very smart .
Stock Market starting to look very good to me !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 24 , 2020 As intelligence warnings increased in urgency , Trump administration officials repeatedly attempted to persuade Trump to focus on the issue — without success , according to the Post .
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney encouraged Trump to engage in a response to the growing threat .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post reported .
Concerns about a dearth of testing for coronavirus was raised in early February by Joe Grogan , the head of the White House Domestic Policy Council , accordng to the Post .
The Post attributed part of Trump ’ s reluctance to take the coronavirus threat seriously to his relationship with China ’ s President Xi Jingping , who Trump initially believed was providing accurate information , according to the newspaper .
He has praised Xi ’ s efforts and “ transparency.
” China has been working very hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency .
It will all work out well .
In particular , on behalf of the American People , I want to thank President Xi !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) January 24 , 2020 Now Trump is referring to coronavirus as the “ Chinese virus ” and has suggested China did not alert the U.S. soon enough .
In the meantime , the outbreak has exploded across America , with more than 15,000 cases confirmed as of Friday , according to the Centers for @ @ @ @ @

After China reported the outbreak of a new coronavirus in December, U.S. intelligence agencies repeatedly warned the Trump administration in classified messages about the potentially devastating threat, The Washington Post reported Friday. Yet President Donald Trump largely ignored the warnings and delayed action that might have slowed the spread of the COVID-19 disease, according to the newspaper.
Intelligence reports warned that China initially appeared to be minimizing the danger of the virus but that the U.S. would be wise to prepare for a likely pandemic. Yet Trump shrugged off the intelligence and repeatedly assured the public that coronavirus was nothing to worry about.
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Now, as cases of the illness and its death toll mount in the U.S., Trump is insisting he thought the problem was “urgent” right from the start and that he “felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.”
Intelligence agencies “have been warning on this since January,” a U.S. official who had access to reports given to Congress and Trump officials told the Post.
“Donald Trump may not have been expecting this, but a lot of other people in the government were — they just couldn’t get him to do anything about it,” the official said. “The system was blinking red.”
White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley denied the account, insisting to the Post that Trump has “taken historic, aggressive measures to protect the health, wealth and safety of the American people — and did so while the media and Democrats chose to only focus on the stupid politics of a sham illegitimate impeachment.”
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It’s clear by Trump’s own public statements, however, that he did not believe coronavirus was a concern. He called criticisms of the White House response to the outbreak a “new hoax” from the Democrats. He said last month that the 15 domestic cases in the U.S. would go down “close to zero” and that the disease would vanish “like a miracle” or disappear by April when the weather turned warmer. (Check out the video above.)
The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2020
As intelligence warnings increased in urgency, Trump administration officials repeatedly attempted to persuade Trump to focus on the issue — without success, according to the Post. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney encouraged Trump to engage in a response to the growing threat. But he was “dismissive,” the Post reported.
Concerns about a dearth of testing for coronavirus was raised in early February by Joe Grogan, the head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, accordng to the Post.
The Post attributed part of Trump’s reluctance to take the coronavirus threat seriously to his relationship with China’s President Xi Jingping, who Trump initially believed was providing accurate information, according to the newspaper. He has praised Xi’s efforts and “transparency.”
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China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
Now Trump is referring to coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” and has suggested China did not alert the U.S. soon enough.
In the meantime, the outbreak has exploded across America, with more than 15,000 cases confirmed as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-21--Washington Post Editorial Board Issues Sharp Rebuke Of Donald Trump's Coronavirus Response

The Washington Post editorial board on Friday followed its counterpart at The New York Times in calling for President Donald Trump to address the coronavirus pandemic as if the country was at war .
In an op-ed titled “ We face a wartime supply shortage .
Where is Trump ’ s wartime response ?
” , the Post ’ s board noted how looming shortages of medical supplies ( such as masks and chemical reagents ) threatened to undermine the hard work of health-care workers who are on the front line .
“ The dimensions of the supply problem approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wrote .
“ No one was prepared for a pandemic ; now everyone must shoulder extra effort.
” The board chided Trump ’ s confusing messaging on the Defense Production Act that allows “ the government to address supply shortages by giving directives to industry to ramp up production ” and the president ’ s suggestion that state governors should solve supply issues themselves .
It then urged Trump to “ deploy every tool at his disposal to address the shortages now.
” “ If this is a wartime scale of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” the column concluded .
On Tuesday , the Times ’ board similarly called on Trump to put the country on a wartime footing .
The virus has so far sickened more than 270,000 people worldwide , killing almost 11,500 .
In the U.S. , there have been almost 20,000 cases and 275 deaths .

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The Washington Post editorial board on Friday followed its counterpart at The New York Times in calling for President Donald Trump to address the coronavirus pandemic as if the country were at war.
In an op-ed titled “We face a wartime supply shortage. Where is Trump’s wartime response?” the Post’s board noted how looming shortages of medical supplies (such as masks and chemical reagents) threatened to undermine the hard work of health care workers who are on the front lines.
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“The dimensions of the supply problem approach wartime in size and scope,” it wrote. “No one was prepared for a pandemic; now everyone must shoulder extra effort.”
The board chided Trump’s confusing messaging on the Defense Production Act that allows “the government to address supply shortages by giving directives to industry to ramp up production” and the president’s suggestion that state governors should solve supply issues themselves.
It then urged Trump to “deploy every tool at his disposal to address the shortages now.” “If this is a wartime scale of a problem, where is the wartime response?” the column concluded. On Tuesday, the Times’ board similarly called on Trump to put the country on a wartime footing.
The virus has so far sickened more than 270,000 people worldwide, killing almost 11,500. In the U.S., there have been almost 20,000 confirmed cases and 275 deaths.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-21--Rachel Maddow Tells Media To Stop Airing Trump’s Coronavirus Pressers On Live TV

MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow on Friday issued an impassioned plea for news networks to stop broadcasting President Donald Trump ’ s daily press briefings about the coronavirus pandemic on live TV , warning they are “ going to cost lives.
” Maddow , in a lengthy monologue , noted how Trump has repeatedly used the conferences to spread misinformation and promote developments that he knows Americans would love to hear but actually are not true .
“ There may be other people in the federal government saying things that are true but these daily briefings from the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president that would be awesome if they were true , if they were happening , but they ’ re not .
And so the sooner we come to terms with that , I think the better for all of us , ” she said .
“ If it were up to me , and it ’ s not , I would stop putting those briefings on live TV .
Not out of spite , but because it ’ s misinformation , ” Maddow explained .
“ If the president does end up saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as tape .
But if he keeps lying like he has been every day on stuff this important , we should , all of us should stop broadcasting it .
Honestly , it ’ s going to cost lives , ” Maddow concluded .

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MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Friday issued an impassioned plea for news networks to stop broadcasting President Donald Trump’s daily press briefings about the coronavirus pandemic on live TV, warning they are “going to cost lives.”
Maddow, in a lengthy monologue, noted how Trump has repeatedly used the conferences to spread misinformation and promote developments that he knows Americans would love to hear but actually are not true.
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“There may be other people in the federal government saying things that are true, but these daily briefings from the White House are a litany of things from the president that would be awesome if they were true, if they were happening, but they’re not. And so the sooner we come to terms with that, I think the better for all of us,” she said.
“If it were up to me, and it’s not, I would stop putting those briefings on live TV. Not out of spite, but because it’s misinformation,” Maddow explained.
“If the president does end up saying anything true, you can run it as tape. But if he keeps lying like he has been every day on stuff this important, we should, all of us should stop broadcasting it. Honestly, it’s going to cost lives,” Maddow concluded.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--This Is Life For Emergency Professionals On The Frontline Of The Coronavirus Outbreak

Heather, an emergency nurse of seven years, described her medical department in Southern California as a “war zone.”
She works in one of the busiest emergency departments in Los Angeles County, but this week things were more intense for patients than usual.
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It starts even before anyone even enters the hospital, Heather said. (She asked to be identified by her first name to avoid repercussions from her employer, which has a policy against speaking to the press.)
There are stations set up outside to separate visitors from patients and to funnel patients with COVID-19 symptoms into a separate triage tent. Security guards are on standby to tell visitors they can’t visit loved ones; police have to be called if those visitors push back against the new policy.
And that’s just the outside of the building.
Inside, Heather and her colleagues have been asked by hospital administration to bring in bandannas and scarves in case they run out of protective masks ― the same advice offered by the federal government this week to hospitals with dwindling supplies.
“The ER is considered a war zone right now, and this is the last place people should be,” Heather told HuffPost over the phone.
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As city and state officials urge residents across the country to self-isolate and shelter in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, health care workers are on the frontline juggling their commitment to their patients, the panic from their patients and their own anxiety.
HuffPost talked to doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians in California (which has at least 982 reported COVID-19 cases), New Jersey (at least 742 cases), Hawaii (at least 26 cases) and Rhode Island (at least 44 cases) about what it’s like fighting against the pandemic. Many health care workers requested anonymity due to hospital policies on speaking to the press.
This week, Heather’s hospital in Los Angeles County announced that visitors were no longer allowed inside, which has led to confrontational and upset would-be visitors. Administrators also set up a tent to keep patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms separated.
Inside the emergency department, Heather and her colleagues are briefed daily on new developments on coronavirus and COVID-19 research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This information changes all the time, which then affects their day-to-day procedures.
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“It’s anxiety-provoking for sure,” she told HuffPost. “We’re barely able to grasp these new developments that come day to day and change our method of practice, let alone have to combat paranoid and panicked patients.”
Heather said that it can be difficult to comfort patients who are exhibiting severe symptoms of COVID-19. Some patients have asked her if their condition would get worse; others have asked her if they were going to die.
“Sometimes we just don’t know what to say,” Heather said. “Even the CDC doesn’t know.”
“Sometimes we just don't know what to say. Even the CDC doesn’t know.” - Heather, an emergency room nurse in Los Angeles County
Infectious disease researchers say that it is still unclear how severe the disease actually is. According to the University of Chicago Medical Center, the numbers of people diagnosed and dying around the world “are changing daily,” and the numbers that we are seeing now “mostly are just estimates.”
The CDC has a banner prominently displayed up high on its website noting that it is still trying to figure out how the virus spreads. The agency also notes numerous times that there is still a lot they don’t know about the virus, including how it is transferred.
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Every day, doctors and nurses are briefed on the latest information on COVID-19, then they go off to tend to their patients the best they can.
Every hospital has its own procedures on how to handle a person who is exhibiting symptoms. Heather’s hospital in California, which is one of the four states with the highest reported cases, begins the evaluation and testing process at the stations outside.
At a hospital in Honolulu, nurses perform these tests while wearing a full PPE (personal protective equipment) suit, including a gown, mask, gloves and head cap.
The test involves long Q-tip-like cotton swabs that nurses swab deep inside both of the patient’s nostrils, often triggering the patient to sneeze near them.
Most emergency professionals are treating every patient as if they might be carrying it to avoid spreading ― and catching ― the virus. That has led to a dangerous shortage of PPEs for medical workers.
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From a FB contact: Used a CO2 sampling NC. Bag on over head w/seal. O2 10 L. He sampled his CO2 to monitor. He did this for 10 min (long enough to intubate a patient). THIS is what we have to do b/c we have no PPE. Pls demand appropriate PPE! Pls RETWEET. Ask community 4 masks. pic.twitter.com/fayg7gc1NH — Rekha Kuttikat, MD (@rekhakuttikat) March 19, 2020
Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician in Rhode Island and professor at Brown University, says it is highly likely that health care facilities will soon run out of protective gear as the outbreak continues.
Ranney has been trying to get the federal government’s attention to address the shortage of equipment and COVID-19 tests by tweeting at celebrities and encouraging others to use the hashtag #GetMePPE.
This week, she and several other medical doctors launched a petition asking President Donald Trump to increase the supply of protective equipment and ventilators and to develop federal guidelines to protect health care workers from infection.
Similar petitions have been launched across the country, from the East Coast to Hawaii. In San Francisco, members of the California Nurses Association protested against Kaiser Permanente Medical Center for restricting the use of N95 masks and not doing enough to protect them from coronavirus.
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Nurses at Kaiser in SF protesting what they say are dangerously relaxed standards. Nurses asked to reuse one-time use equipment like masks and goggles, risking cross-contamination. pic.twitter.com/zTMRP4jPBK — Megan Cassidy (@meganrcassidy) March 19, 2020
Ranney said she’s concerned after hearing that other hospital administrations, in an effort to preserve PPE stock, directed doctors and nurses to wear masks only if they expected to test the patient for COVID-19.
“Which is totally creepy and goes against all of the medical evidence that we have,” Ranney told HuffPost.
“Patients don’t always know what they have before they’re diagnosed. That’s why they come in to see us,” she said, such as patients who come in for things like car crash injuries or stomach pain.
“If patients don’t report that they’ve had a cough or a low-grade fever for a few days, and I’m not masked before I find out that information, and they happen to breathe down or cough on me, then I’m at risk of catching the infection ― and then I can’t take care of other patients,” Ranney said.
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Health care workers also run the risk of passing on the virus to other patients if they are not properly protected.
A drive-through patient has his nose swabbed by staff during a screening at Waddell Family Medicine as Athens-Limestone Hospital opens a flu and fever clinic Thursday in Athens, Ala. Patients will only be tested for COVID-19 if indicated by their exam or ordered by a physician or provider. Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via ASSOCIATED PRESS
Early research on the transmission of COVID-19 suggests that asymptomatic carriers may be responsible for the rapid spread of the virus.
People with mild symptoms may also unwittingly pass it on to others, including doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
This problem is especially dire for first responders who have to enter peoples’ homes and expose themselves to any potential viruses on surfaces or carried by the patient.
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The emergency medical station in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, is fully staffed by volunteer EMTs and relies partially on donations to maintain their stock of PPE.
Jay Zimmerman, the captain of the Great Bay Regional Volunteer EMS station, had to create new procedures for EMTs responding to calls with patients exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, which have increased in the last few days.
Instead of having two to three EMTs enter a patient’s house, only one EMT approaches the patient in a full PPE suit while the other stays inside the vehicle.
If the calls continue to come in as they do, Zimmerman estimated that their station will run completely out of N95 masks, which are designed to filter out 95% of airborne particles, in the next couple of weeks.
Zimmerman also worries about his volunteers’ health. Volunteers who are vulnerable to the virus have been asked not to participate, and the others, Zimmerman said, were ready to serve the community.
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“We know we’re on the frontlines,” he told HuffPost. “We’re the ones that are actually walking into every home where people are scared they have the coronavirus ― and that the reality is some of them do.”
In Hawaii, where there are relatively few reported cases, one emergency doctor in Honolulu is wary about the outbreak worsening in the islands. He is concerned that the isolated state is not ready to deal with the influx of patients.
“Overall, I feel a sense of dread. Work has been fine, actually, these past few days. But that’s only because we are still early in the outbreak locally. It is here, though,” Dr. Justin Huggins of the Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, told HuffPost in an email.
Huggins said his emergency department has not had many patients so far, though the hospital has delayed elective procedures. His staff has also redesigned the department’s physical space and triage station to prepare for what might come. To protect himself, Huggins also now wears a mask with every patient he sees and does not shake hands or get too close to them.
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“It feels eerie, a lull before the inevitable storm we are bracing for,” he said. “Anxiety is palpable in the department among patients and staff.”
Huggins is preparing for a new normal that he’s seeing his colleagues elsewhere in the U.S. adjust to; one emergency doctor he knows in Phoenix has been reusing the same N95 mask for four shifts.
He’s still shocked that the federal government suggested they bring in bandannas if they run out of protective equipment.