thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--What 'Distance Learning' Looks Like For Students Without Computers Or Wi-Fi

James Hill III , a first-year student at Borough of Manhattan Community College , depends on a delicate routine to make his life work .
He doesn ’ t have the money to buy a computer or access Wi-Fi , so he does his homework at his college ’ s library .
In addition to taking a full course load , he works three jobs to pay for his living expenses and is saving up to transfer to a four-year college .
On Wednesday , that routine was thrown into disarray .
To combat the spread of coronavirus , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D ) announced that all SUNY and CUNY schools ― like the one Hill attends ― would be switching to a “ distance learning model , ” meaning that all classes would move online .
The SUNY and CUNY closures will affect hundreds of thousands of students .
And students without access to a computer or internet are scrambling to figure out what the rest of the semester will look like for them .
“ I don ’ t know how these schools are going to be able to ensure , if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have access to the technology they need , ” she said .
A 2019 survey of over 10,000 community college students , conducted by Wolff-Eisenberg and other researchers , found that only 78 % of students reported having reliable access to a computer or laptop .
Eight in 10 students said they would find it helpful to be able to borrow or use Wi-Fi hotspots from their university .
Over 70 % said they would like to borrow computers .
“ I can ’ t imagine this is going to impact Harvard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the community colleges that are closing , ” she said .
“ It felt like they pulled the rug out from underneath me , ” says Borough of Manhattan Community College student James Hill III .
Campuses around the country have switched to online learning due to the spread of the coronavirus .
The Borough of Manhattan Community College has said it will keep its library open .
Hill anticipates that between using the computers there to access classes and do homework , he will spend upwards of 15 hours a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he would use one of the city ’ s other public libraries for computer access as backup .
But as of Friday , all New York Public Library locations are closed through March .
“ It felt like they pulled the rug out from underneath me , ” Hill told HuffPost of the school closures announcement .
“ There ’ s other students in my situation or similar situations .
I think there could be a significant number of people at the library.
” Hill is still waiting to hear back about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One can be done virtually ― a paid advocacy fellowship with the group Young Invincibles .
Some of the second ― working with the CUNY Census Corps ― can also be done over the computer .
He hasn ’ t heard about the third ― a work-study job provided through campus .
It ’ s money he relies on .
He lives in an apartment with a roommate in the Bronx .
Without the cash , he will have to turn to an older brother for help with the basics .
Sara Goldrick-Rab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sociology at Temple University , is concerned that after a life-altering event like this , some students will choose not to go back to school at all .
“ It ’ s going to be so financially stressful … some of these students are not going to return to college , ” said Goldrick-Rab .
“ This is a make it or break it moment for them .
”

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James Hill III, a first-year student at Borough of Manhattan Community College, depends on a delicate routine to make his life work. He doesn’t have the money to buy a computer or access Wi-Fi, so he does his homework at his college’s library. In addition to taking a full course load, he works three jobs to pay for his living expenses and is saving up to transfer to a four-year college.
On Wednesday, that routine was thrown into disarray. To combat the spread of coronavirus, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that all SUNY and CUNY schools ― like the one Hill attends ― would be switching to a “distance learning model,” meaning that all classes would move online.
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The SUNY and CUNY closures will affect hundreds of thousands of students. And students without access to a computer or internet are scrambling to figure out what the rest of the semester will look like for them.
Community college students like Hill are the ones Christine Wolff-Eisenberg, manager of surveys and research at the nonprofit research organization Ithaka S+R, says she’s particularly worried about.
“I don’t know how these schools are going to be able to ensure, if they do move online, all their students have access to the technology they need,” she said.
A 2019 survey of over 10,000 community college students, conducted by Wolff-Eisenberg and other researchers, found that only 78% of students reported having reliable access to a computer or laptop. Eight in 10 students said they would find it helpful to be able to borrow or use Wi-Fi hotspots from their university. Over 70% said they would like to borrow computers.
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“I can’t imagine this is going to impact Harvard the same way as it will impact some of the community colleges that are closing,” she said.
“It felt like they pulled the rug out from underneath me,” says Borough of Manhattan Community College student James Hill III. Campuses around the country have switched to online learning due to the spread of the coronavirus. Philip Pacheco via Getty Images
The Borough of Manhattan Community College has said it will keep its library open. Hill anticipates that between using the computers there to access classes and do homework, he will spend upwards of 15 hours a week at the library. Under normal circumstances, he would use one of the city’s other public libraries for computer access as backup. But as of Friday, all New York Public Library locations are closed through March.
If his university library closes, Hill doesn’t know what he’ll do.
“It felt like they pulled the rug out from underneath me,” Hill told HuffPost of the school closures announcement. “There’s other students in my situation or similar situations. I think there could be a significant number of people at the library.”
Hill is still waiting to hear back about what will become of his jobs. One can be done virtually ― a paid advocacy fellowship with the group Young Invincibles. Some of the second ― working with the CUNY Census Corps ― can also be done over the computer. He hasn’t heard about the third ― a work-study job provided through campus.
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It’s money he relies on. He lives in an apartment with a roommate in the Bronx. Without the cash, he will have to turn to an older brother for help with the basics.
“It’s very important for me to get paid,” Hill said.
Sara Goldrick-Rab, professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University, is concerned that after a life-altering event like this, some students will choose not to go back to school at all.
“It’s going to be so financially stressful … some of these students are not going to return to college,” said Goldrick-Rab. “This is a make it or break it moment for them.”
Hill is on the dean’s list. He is involved in multiple student organizations and clubs. He’s in awe of his professors, whom he describes as hardworking and dedicated.
Nonetheless, “I don’t know if professors have thought about people like me,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Trump Calls For Putting Politics Aside Over Coronavirus, Then Attacks Biden Anyway

In his somber prime-time Oval Office address on Wednesday , Donald Trump asked people to put politics aside amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We are all in this together .
We must put politics aside , stop the partisanship and unify together as one nation and one family , ” the president said .
But Trump did not heed his own request — and critics on Twitter noticed .
Late Thursday , the president returned to politicizing the public health crisis that has sickened more than 134,000 people worldwide by lashing out at his potential Democratic 2020 election rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sleepy Joe Biden was in charge of the H1N1 Swine Flu epidemic which killed thousands of people .
The response was one of the worst on record .
Our response is one of the best , with fast action of border closings & a 78 % Approval Rating , the highest on record .
His was lowest !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) March 13 , 2020 Twitter users ripped Trump over the post , which followed a string of attacks from him on Democrats about other issues : Teleprompter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all in this together .
We must put politics aside , stop the partisanship.
” https : //t.co/urNrYK92I1 — j.d .
durkin ( @ jiveDurkey ) March 13 , 2020 So that `` working together '' stuff and ending partisanship was just more b.s .
as you play politics with COVID-19 .
@ realDonaldTrump .
Thanks .
https : //t.co/LqfSRanQvZ — Brian J. Karem ( @ BrianKarem ) March 13 , 2020 “ We are all in this together ... We must put politics aside , stop the partisanship , and unify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” -This guy , last night https : //t.co/aXuMPgryr7 — John Fugelsang ( @ JohnFugelsang ) March 13 , 2020 I guess all that stuff about how `` we must put politics aside , stop the partisanship , and unify together as one nation and one family ” only had a 24-hour expiration date https : //t.co/jtSoqKvUwX — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) March 13 , 2020 What was that about not being politically decisive around this pandemic ?
What does Jesus say about lying ?
Also the stock market never crashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that # TrumpLiesAboutCoronavirus # TrumpResignNow # TrumpRecession # BidenbeatsTrump https : //t.co/FqFmOQpWLs — Stefan Lessard ( @ SLessard ) March 13 , 2020 In times of crises , I want my president focused on the present not the past .
I also want her/him focused on bringing all Americans together , not slandering leaders of the opposition party with insults like `` sleepy Joe . ''
Call me crazy .
Call me naive .
I call myself an American .
https : //t.co/Q7OYk4JkUm — Michael McFaul ( @ McFaul ) March 13 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the coronavirus at our live blog .

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In his somber prime-time Oval Office address on Wednesday, Donald Trump asked people to put politics aside amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship and unify together as one nation and one family,” the president said.
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But Trump did not heed his own request — and critics on Twitter noticed.
Late Thursday, the president returned to politicizing the public health crisis that has sickened more than 134,000 people worldwide by lashing out at his potential Democratic 2020 election rival, former Vice President Joe Biden:
Sleepy Joe Biden was in charge of the H1N1 Swine Flu epidemic which killed thousands of people. The response was one of the worst on record. Our response is one of the best, with fast action of border closings & a 78% Approval Rating, the highest on record. His was lowest! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Twitter users ripped Trump over the post, which followed a string of attacks from him on Democrats about other issues:
Teleprompter Trump 25 hours ago: “We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship.” https://t.co/urNrYK92I1 — j.d. durkin (@jiveDurkey) March 13, 2020
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So that "working together" stuff and ending partisanship was just more b.s. as you play politics with COVID-19. @realDonaldTrump. Thanks. https://t.co/LqfSRanQvZ — Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) March 13, 2020
“We are all in this together... We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together as one nation and one family.”
-This guy, last night https://t.co/aXuMPgryr7 — John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) March 13, 2020
He cannot stop himself. It's obscene. https://t.co/PXcGbPpsYF — Dylan Reeve ⬆⬆⬇⬇⬅➡⬅➡🅱🅰 (@DylanReeve) March 13, 2020
WHAT I truly thought I couldn't be surprised https://t.co/NjbyGuGnqa — ✊ (@jujueyeball) March 13, 2020
I guess all that stuff about how "we must put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together as one nation and one family” only had a 24-hour expiration date https://t.co/jtSoqKvUwX — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 13, 2020
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You, last night to the nation: "Stop the partisanship."
Good job. https://t.co/rBUUqelr87 — Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) March 13, 2020
What was that about not being politically decisive around this pandemic?
What does Jesus say about lying?
Also the stock market never crashed during their administration you forgot to mention that#TrumpLiesAboutCoronavirus #TrumpResignNow #TrumpRecession #BidenbeatsTrump https://t.co/FqFmOQpWLs — Stefan Lessard (@SLessard) March 13, 2020
In times of crises, I want my president focused on the present not the past. I also want her/him focused on bringing all Americans together, not slandering leaders of the opposition party with insults like "sleepy Joe." Call me crazy. Call me naive. I call myself an American. https://t.co/Q7OYk4JkUm — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) March 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Trevor Noah Hails Trump's Coronavirus 'Blooper' Reel As 'Comedy Gold'

Trevor Noah on Thursday shredded President Donald Trump ’ s Oval Office speech on his plan to stem the spreading coronavirus , wondering : “ How is it possible to have so many things wrong in a prewritten speech ?
” But Noah ’ s favorite of all were Trump ’ s “ bloopers , ” captured on camera before and after his speech , which “ The Daily Show ” host deemed “ comedy gold.
” Noah first had the audience groaning with a list of all the things in the actual speech the president screwed up : Warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned from much of Europe when the new policy only pertains to foreign nationals ; that cargo would also be prohibited when it won ’ t , and that health insurance companies would eliminate co-pays for coronavirus treatments , when he meant to say tests .
Noah called Trump ’ s speech about as “ calming as a pack of fireworks dropped in bag of cocaine.
” The best was Trump caught on camera fiddling with a binder beforehand asking if it looked better as a prop — or not .
Then he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pen mark on his shirt .
“ Anybody have any white stuff ?
” Trump called out .
Noah quipped : “ First of all , his name is Mike Pence , OK , Mr. President ?
” Check out the video , complete with bloopers , above .

Trevor Noah on Thursday shredded President Donald Trump’s Oval Office speech on his plan to stem the spreading coronavirus, wondering: “How is it possible to have so many things wrong in a prewritten speech?”
But Noah’s favorite of all were Trump’s “bloopers,” captured on camera before and after his speech, which “The Daily Show” host deemed “comedy gold.”
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Noah first had the audience groaning with a list of all the things in the actual speech the president screwed up: Warning that travelers to the U.S. would be banned from much of Europe when the new policy only pertains to foreign nationals; that cargo would also be prohibited when it won’t, and that health insurance companies would eliminate co-pays for coronavirus treatments, when he meant to say tests.
Noah called Trump’s speech about as “calming as a pack of fireworks dropped in bag of cocaine.”
The best was Trump caught on camera fiddling with a binder beforehand asking if it looked better as a prop — or not. Then he dropped the F-bomb when he suddenly noticed a pen mark on his shirt. “Anybody have any white stuff?” Trump called out.
Noah quipped: “First of all, his name is Mike Pence, OK, Mr. President?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Rep. Karen Bass, Chairwoman Of Congressional Black Caucus, Endorses Joe Biden

The endorsement by Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California on Friday is the latest testament of a growing coalescence of support for Biden ’ s White House bid .
Biden ’ s campaign has seen a resurgence powered by black voters , who have helped cement his front-runner status after commanding wins in several recent primaries , including in South Carolina , in several Southern states and just this week in Michigan .
“ It ’ s very clear to me that he is the best person , not just to beat ( President Donald ) Trump , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , ” Bass said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ I think him having a long-standing history of working with African American communities , most notably in his own state but around the country , was qualitatively different from the other candidates.
” Biden ’ s progressive rival , Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont , who has performed well among younger and Latino voters , has struggled to garner support within the African American community .
Black voters will continue to be a key demographic as both campaigns eye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black populations , like Georgia .
Bass said she held off endorsing a candidate because two CBC members , Cory Booker and Kamala Harris , were running for president .
Booker and Harris have since dropped out and endorsed Biden , a former vice president and U.S. senator from Delaware .
The CBC as a whole is not officially endorsing a candidate , Bass said , but the majority of members have already announced support for Biden .
The powerful group , created in 1971 , is composed of most African American members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the Democratic majority in the House .
Of the 54-member group , 37 have endorsed Biden , including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn , who has been credited with helping turn the tide for Biden with a big win in Clyburn ’ s home state of South Carolina .
Bass , a progressive Democrat who is serving her fifth term in a congressional district that includes south Los Angeles and Culver City , said she believes Biden would be able to grow support among those groups , if he were to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this race settles down , it is my job personally and the job of members of the Congressional Black Caucus to be extremely clear with people in our districts what is at stake here , and what is at stake is their future , ” Bass said .
“ It ’ s a job that we ’ ve all been doing over the last 3 1/2 years , but we have to step it up.
” Asked whether Sanders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii should drop out of the race to unite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bass said she believes the primary process needs to run its course and allow every voter the chance to weigh in .
“ I would never be in a position to say , ‘ You need to drop out , ’ ” Bass said .
“ I do think , though , that math is math.
” She continued : “ I think they have to do the soul searching and say , ‘ Why am I still doing this ?
’ But I think that ’ s an individual decision or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a presidential candidate has got to choose somebody that they feel that they can trust , that they can work with , ” Bass said .
“ Now , having said that , I certainly hope it ’ s a woman .
I certainly hope it ’ s a woman of color .
”

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The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus has endorsed Joe Biden for president, an influential nod of support that could bolster his 2020 Democratic campaign.
The endorsement by Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California on Friday is the latest testament of a growing coalescence of support for Biden’s White House bid. Biden’s campaign has seen a resurgence powered by black voters, who have helped cement his front-runner status after commanding wins in several recent primaries, including in South Carolina, in several Southern states and just this week in Michigan.
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“It’s very clear to me that he is the best person, not just to beat (President Donald) Trump, but he is the person to lead at this time,” Bass said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think him having a long-standing history of working with African American communities, most notably in his own state but around the country, was qualitatively different from the other candidates.”
Biden’s progressive rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has performed well among younger and Latino voters, has struggled to garner support within the African American community. Black voters will continue to be a key demographic as both campaigns eye upcoming primary contests in states with large black populations, like Georgia.
Bass said she held off endorsing a candidate because two CBC members, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, were running for president. Booker and Harris have since dropped out and endorsed Biden, a former vice president and U.S. senator from Delaware.
The CBC as a whole is not officially endorsing a candidate, Bass said, but the majority of members have already announced support for Biden. The powerful group, created in 1971, is composed of most African American members of Congress, making up nearly 25% of the Democratic majority in the House. Of the 54-member group, 37 have endorsed Biden, including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who has been credited with helping turn the tide for Biden with a big win in Clyburn’s home state of South Carolina.
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One member of the CBC, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, has endorsed Sanders.
Although Biden has strong support within the African American community, especially among older voters, concerns have been raised about his ability to energize young and progressive voters.
Bass, a progressive Democrat who is serving her fifth term in a congressional district that includes south Los Angeles and Culver City, said she believes Biden would be able to grow support among those groups, if he were to become the eventual nominee.
“As this race settles down, it is my job personally and the job of members of the Congressional Black Caucus to be extremely clear with people in our districts what is at stake here, and what is at stake is their future,” Bass said. “It’s a job that we’ve all been doing over the last 3 1/2 years, but we have to step it up.”
Asked whether Sanders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii should drop out of the race to unite the party before the Democratic National Convention, Bass said she believes the primary process needs to run its course and allow every voter the chance to weigh in.
“I would never be in a position to say, ‘You need to drop out,’” Bass said. “I do think, though, that math is math.”
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She continued: “I think they have to do the soul searching and say, ‘Why am I still doing this?’ But I think that’s an individual decision or a campaign decision.”
Bass said she hopes, though, that the eventual nominee considers a person of color as his running mate.
“I think that a presidential candidate has got to choose somebody that they feel that they can trust, that they can work with,” Bass said. “Now, having said that, I certainly hope it’s a woman. I certainly hope it’s a woman of color.”
___
Kat Stafford is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kat__stafford.
___
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--I Live In Seattle. No One Can Tell Me What It Costs To Get A COVID-19 Test.

And while I don ’ t have symptoms of COVID-19 ( *makes sign of the cross three times* ) , thousands of people in this city do .
Many of them do not have $ 1,600 lying around .
Some do not have $ 100 .
But all of them need clear information from politicians and public health workers and , yes , even people who work in hospitals , about the cost implications of getting tested .
America ’ s pandemic response relies on getting this right .
After my visit to the University of Washington Medical Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed up at Swedish and Harborview , two of the city ’ s largest hospitals , with the same story : I was having symptoms and needed a test .
Staffers assured me that I would pay something but that no one at the ER , in the building or on the phone would know how much .
After an impressively short wait , I was connected with an operator who told me that she was concerned about my symptoms but that nowhere in Seattle offered walk-in testing .
Any individual who earns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ineligible for state health care subsidies , so I would have to pay for the test myself .
She didn ’ t know , however , what the test would cost me .
If I couldn ’ t afford it , she said , I should “ hunker down and wait it out.
” When she first showed up at the ER , they told her it was probably pneumonia and sent her home .
When she had to take an ambulance back to the hospital a few days later , the paramedics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towel as a face mask .
Everyone thinks their common cold is the coronavirus , they said .
She could see their smirks because they weren ’ t wearing masks .
Five days later , the bill came .
The COVID-19 test was $ 907 , a tiny fraction of the $ 33,000 total cost of being tested and treated for the virus .
At the hospital , doctors had told Askini that she couldn ’ t get the COVID-19 test until she came up negative for nearly a dozen other illnesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fees alone were $ 801 .
She also had to pay for X-rays and other diagnostics .
The generic “ emergency department ” charge was $ 1,804 .
Plus , she had to pay for all the other services she received .
The Toradol , the oxygen , the drip , everything .
Her out-of-pocket total came to $ 2,800 .
Askini is on Medicaid and confident she can get her costs waived with a couple of phone calls , but , as a nurse , she knows intimately how poorly the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus that makes no distinction on the basis of wealth , insurance status or tolerance for medical bill negotiations .
Time To Get Some Generic Political Responses I am a person who reads and writes words for a living , and I had to read those two sentences roughly 25 times to understand them .
After three hospital visits and more than 20 phone calls , this was my definitive answer : Hospitals should not be charging patients for costs related to COVID-19 but are still allowed to charge them for other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is presumably up to insurance companies to decide the difference .

SEATTLE — Nearly six weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first coronavirus case here, people living in the U.S. epicenter of the epidemic are still waiting for clear information about how to get tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and what it will cost.
Last week, things seemed to be moving forward. Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced that the state would cover testing costs for uninsured patients. The state’s insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, said he had ordered insurance companies to waive all copays and deductibles.
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But political orders rarely match the realities of the American healthcare system. Starting on Wednesday, first posing the inquiry as a potential patient and then as a journalist, I spent two days trying to get a clear answer to a simple, essential, possibly lifesaving question: What does it cost to get a COVID-19 test?
First stop: the University of Washington Medical Center. Last week, the hospital announced that it had established a drive-through COVID-19 testing center. I arrived at the main entrance and told the Walmart-style greeter that I had coronavirus symptoms and wanted to get tested. She directed me to the hospital’s emergency department, where I told the front desk staffer the same thing: coughing, fever, shortness of breath.
(I should mention here that all of the emergency rooms I visited were eerily empty and that I never waited in line to speak with staff or received any services. None of my conversations with health care workers for this article exceeded a few minutes. I’m not a monster, the last thing I want to do is make it even harder for real COVID-19 patients to get care.)
As the receptionist handed me an N95 mask, I asked how much getting the test would cost me. If I had insurance, he replied, probably somewhere between $100 and $500. If I didn’t, it would be roughly $1,600.
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“I thought the governor had given assurances that the test would be free,” I said.
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing some crazy stuff,” he replied.
Later, when I called the UW Medical Center’s press team and told them about this interaction, they said the receptionist was “misinformed” and apologized for the error. Instead of asking someone at the hospital, I should have called the billing department.
This is common in the American health care system ― doctors, nurses and hospital staff often don’t have answers to what medical care will cost. That’s a major impediment to people getting care in all situations, and a serious problem during the coronavirus outbreak, when it’s vital for people to access tests and treatment to avoid spreading the virus further.
And while I don’t have symptoms of COVID-19 (*makes sign of the cross three times*), thousands of people in this city do. Many of them do not have $1,600 lying around. Some do not have $100. But all of them need clear information from politicians and public health workers and, yes, even people who work in hospitals, about the cost implications of getting tested. America’s pandemic response relies on getting this right.
After my visit to the University of Washington Medical Center, I tried other emergency rooms. I showed up at Swedish and Harborview, two of the city’s largest hospitals, with the same story: I was having symptoms and needed a test. Staffers assured me that I would pay something but that no one at the ER, in the building or on the phone would know how much.
Two more free masks later, I decided to try my luck with phone calls.
“There are currently no medications to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, your health care provider’s recommendations will be the same.” - Washington State Health Department's COVID-19 hotline
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Swedish Hospital’s billing department transferred me to the “patient financial advocate,” who informed me that the test was available only through the emergency room and that getting it would cost me roughly $8,000 — with a 30% discount and financial assistance if I was uninsured.
When I asked why the cost was so high, the operator replied that the doctors would want to perform a battery of other tests (draw blood, get X-rays, etc.) alongside the COVID-19 test. She also told me that I could pop down to the UW Medical Center and get a free drive-through test, which is not true.
Then I called UW Medical Center’s billing department. The operator told me that the COVID-19 test had not been assigned a “CPT code,” so she couldn’t tell me the price. I gave the (extremely personable!) operator my number, and she said she would call me back.
While I waited, I kept calling around. An operator at Providence, the largest hospital in Snohomish County, where some of the first COVID-19 cases in the Seattle area had been discovered, told me to contact my primary care doctor. Another operator in the emergency department told me she had no idea about costs whatsoever.
At Virginia Mason, another major Seattle hospital, the operator directed me to a “financial navigator,” who told me that a consultation for the test would cost $41 to $132. I gave her my number so she could call me back with a cost estimate for the virus test. I still haven’t heard back.
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Schools in Seattle, including the University of Washington, have been closed. Karen Ducey via Getty Images
Next up: the Washington State Health Department. In lieu of hold music, the agency’s COVID-19 hotline has a spoken message about how to stay safe. “While anyone can be tested,” it says, “there are currently no medications to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, your health care provider’s recommendations will be the same.”
After an impressively short wait, I was connected with an operator who told me that she was concerned about my symptoms but that nowhere in Seattle offered walk-in testing. Any individual who earns more than $17,232 per year is ineligible for state health care subsidies, so I would have to pay for the test myself. She didn’t know, however, what the test would cost me. If I couldn’t afford it, she said, I should “hunker down and wait it out.”
Just after I hung up, the nice lady from the UW Medical Center called back. $250. According to its new CPT (common procedural technology) code, the COVID-19 test costs $250.
Finally, some clarity.
Not So Fast
“They’re lying,” said Danni Askini, a public health nurse and social worker from Seattle who moved to Boston a few months ago for lymphoma treatment. She tested positive for COVID-19 on March 6. “They might not know they’re lying, but they’re lying.”
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That $250 charge, Askini told me, refers only to the test itself. It doesn’t include all of the other costs that come with an emergency room visit.
Askini contracted the virus in late February, probably from sharing a hospital waiting room with COVID-19 patients when she was in the middle of chemotherapy. Her illness started with chest pain, high blood pressure and a screaming migraine. On Day 3, it turned into a dry cough, cold sweats and a 103.5 degree fever.
When she first showed up at the ER, they told her it was probably pneumonia and sent her home. When she had to take an ambulance back to the hospital a few days later, the paramedics laughed at her for wearing a dish towel as a face mask. Everyone thinks their common cold is the coronavirus, they said. She could see their smirks because they weren’t wearing masks.
Nursing homes in the Seattle area are at the center of the outbreak of COVID-19 in Washington state. ASSOCIATED PRESS
She didn’t get tested for COVID-19 until Day 7 of her symptoms. By then she could hear the water in her lungs every time she coughed, like gargling mouthwash. After the test came back positive, her doctors sent her home with an IV drip, an oxygen tank, Toradol for her migraine and a generic anti-viral medication. She started feeling better.
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Five days later, the bill came. The COVID-19 test was $907, a tiny fraction of the $33,000 total cost of being tested and treated for the virus. At the hospital, doctors had told Askini that she couldn’t get the COVID-19 test until she came up negative for nearly a dozen other illnesses, including influenza and SARS. The lab fees alone were $801. She also had to pay for X-rays and other diagnostics. The generic “emergency department” charge was $1,804.
Plus, she had to pay for all the other services she received. The Toradol, the oxygen, the drip, everything. Her out-of-pocket total came to $2,800. Askini is on Medicaid and confident she can get her costs waived with a couple of phone calls, but, as a nurse, she knows intimately how poorly the U.S. health care system is set up for a virus that makes no distinction on the basis of wealth, insurance status or tolerance for medical bill negotiations.
“The insurance system isn’t set up for this,” she says. “It’s all automatic. Hospital staff just type in the codes and it goes straight to billing. If you have a high deductible, one visit is going to hit your max.”
Time To Get Some Generic Political Responses
After my patient experience was complete, I put on my HuffPost hat and started calling politicians, hospitals and public health agencies to put it into perspective.
If the costs of COVID-19 tests had been waived, why didn’t health care workers know that? How come symptomatic patients couldn’t get clear info on how much a diagnostic test would cost them? It’s not too much to ask for hospitals to send a clear, consistent message about the financial implications of doing the right thing for public health.
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Unfortunately, I never got the chance to make this speech to anyone who could do anything about it. Inslee’s press team didn’t answer my nice email, so I sent a salty one and they replied: Ask the insurance commissioner. The King County Department of Health referred me to the Washington State Department of Health, which sent me the following soup:
“Commissioner Kreidler instructed health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for people needing testing for novel coronavirus, COVID-19. If you don’t have health insurance, contact the Washington Health Benefit Exchange to find out if you qualify for free health coverage or a special enrollment for individual health insurance.”
Tina Mankowski, UW Medicine’s senior director and associate vice president for medical affairs, confirmed what Askini had told me: The hospital was billing patients as normal. It was insurance companies’ responsibility to waive the fees rather than pass them on to patients.
The Washington state insurance commissioner’s office said the same thing, but with an important caveat. Stephanie Marquis, the commissioner’s media and outreach manager, sent me the following statement via email: “The commissioner’s executive order applies to the testing for coronavirus and the office visit associated with it. It does not apply to tests and other services for other conditions that may occur as part of the visit.”
I am a person who reads and writes words for a living, and I had to read those two sentences roughly 25 times to understand them. After three hospital visits and more than 20 phone calls, this was my definitive answer: Hospitals should not be charging patients for costs related to COVID-19 but are still allowed to charge them for other costs they incur during the same visit. It is presumably up to insurance companies to decide the difference.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Transgender Woman Sexually Assaulted At ICE Site, Advocates Say

PHOENIX ( AP ) — A transgender woman seeking asylum should be released after she was sexually assaulted and harassed while being detained in an Arizona immigration facility with men for nine months , advocates said Thursday .
Alejandra Alor Reyes , who is from Mexico , is suffering from PTSD and should be released on humanitarian grounds while she awaits an appeal in her asylum case , according to several groups , including ACLU of Arizona , Trans Queer Pueblo and Detention Watch Network .
They say her case is a further indication that transgender immigrants face unsafe conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the gender they identify with .
Reyes , 24 , says she fled Mexico after suffering abuse and discrimination because she is transgender .
Shortly before presenting herself at an official border crossing to seek asylum , Reyes was kidnapped and beaten , and part of her thumb was cut off , advocates said .
She asked for asylum in June and has been in custody since then , serving two stints— one for a month— in solitary confinement , according to the advocacy groups .
Supporters are pleading with ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeals her asylum denial .
They say the agency has violated its own polices by placing Reyes in solitary for longer than it should .
In this 2018 file photo , Gabriela Hernandez , executive director of the nonprofit New Mexico Dream Team , holds up a photo of Roxsana Hernandez , a Honduran transgender woman who died while in U.S. custody .
“ ICE continues to fail to address her needs and further harms her by keeping her in custody , ” said Yvette Borja , an attorney with the ACLU of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t typically name people who say they are sex abuse victims , but Reyes and her advocates have gone public with her claims , hoping to bring attention to her case .
“ ICE is committed to upholding an immigration detention system that prioritizes the health , safety , and welfare of all of those in its care and custody , including lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender , and intersex ( LGBTI ) individuals , ” spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O ’ Keefe wrote .
However , the nation ’ s only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Mexico before it closed in January amid long-standing allegations of inadequate medical care and mistreatment .
Asylum-seeker Roxana Hernandez , 33 , was held at that facility after making her way to the U.S. from Honduras in 2018 .
An autopsy by the New Mexico medical examiner showed Hernandez died of a rare disorder that developed quickly due to AIDS .
Supporters said she didn ’ t receive the medical care she needed when she became ill. Hernandez died at a hospital .
Advocates estimate there are currently about 90 transgender migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with detainees who identify as a different sex .
Reyes , who is being held at a facility about 65 miles ( 105 kilometers ) northwest of Phoenix , knew she was transgender as a child and faced harassment at home for being effeminate .
She ran away when she was 13 and has spent her life fleeing abuse , living on the streets off and on for many years , according to Cyrina King , an immigrant advocate .
In detention , Reyes devours romance novels by Isabel Allende while she waits @ @ @ @

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PHOENIX (AP) — A transgender woman seeking asylum should be released after she was sexually assaulted and harassed while being detained in an Arizona immigration facility with men for nine months, advocates said Thursday.
Alejandra Alor Reyes, who is from Mexico, is suffering from PTSD and should be released on humanitarian grounds while she awaits an appeal in her asylum case, according to several groups, including ACLU of Arizona, Trans Queer Pueblo and Detention Watch Network.
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They say her case is a further indication that transgender immigrants face unsafe conditions and that none are being held with members of the gender they identify with.
Reyes, 24, says she fled Mexico after suffering abuse and discrimination because she is transgender. Shortly before presenting herself at an official border crossing to seek asylum, Reyes was kidnapped and beaten, and part of her thumb was cut off, advocates said.
She asked for asylum in June and has been in custody since then, serving two stints— one for a month— in solitary confinement, according to the advocacy groups.
Supporters are pleading with ICE to release her from custody while she appeals her asylum denial. They say the agency has violated its own polices by placing Reyes in solitary for longer than it should.
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In this 2018 file photo, Gabriela Hernandez, executive director of the nonprofit New Mexico Dream Team, holds up a photo of Roxsana Hernandez, a Honduran transgender woman who died while in U.S. custody. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“ICE continues to fail to address her needs and further harms her by keeping her in custody,” said Yvette Borja, an attorney with the ACLU of Arizona.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically name people who say they are sex abuse victims, but Reyes and her advocates have gone public with her claims, hoping to bring attention to her case.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it had offered to transfer Reyes to housing for transgender detainees in August but she declined.
“ICE is committed to upholding an immigration detention system that prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of all of those in its care and custody, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals,” spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe wrote.
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However, the nation’s only housing for transgender migrants was located in New Mexico before it closed in January amid long-standing allegations of inadequate medical care and mistreatment.
Asylum-seeker Roxana Hernandez, 33, was held at that facility after making her way to the U.S. from Honduras in 2018. An autopsy by the New Mexico medical examiner showed Hernandez died of a rare disorder that developed quickly due to AIDS. Supporters said she didn’t receive the medical care she needed when she became ill. Hernandez died at a hospital.
Advocates estimate there are currently about 90 transgender migrants in immigration detention, all being held with detainees who identify as a different sex.
They say transgender inmates face a lack of sufficient medical care and that staff aren’t trained to deal with what’s considered a more vulnerable population.
Reyes, who is being held at a facility about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Phoenix, knew she was transgender as a child and faced harassment at home for being effeminate.
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She ran away when she was 13 and has spent her life fleeing abuse, living on the streets off and on for many years, according to Cyrina King, an immigrant advocate. In detention, Reyes devours romance novels by Isabel Allende while she waits for her appeal.
Reyes is in peril as long as she’s detained, advocates say.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Trump Slams 'Nasty' Question As PBS Reporter Challenges Him On Shutdown Of Pandemic Unit

President Donald Trump lashed out at a PBS reporter on Friday when she challenged him about the shutdown of a pandemic response unit within the National Security Council in 2018 .
After calling journalist Yamiche Alcindor ’ s question “ nasty , ” the president claimed he knew absolutely nothing about the topic — and cut her off .
Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D-Ohio ) quickly attempted to jog Trump ’ s memory by posting a letter on Twitter he ’ d sent the president nearly two years ago complaining about the Trump administration move .
Trump ’ s former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSC ’ s Global Health Security team in a controversial decision widely covered by the media .
The Obama administration had established the unit after the Ebola outbreak to coordinate the U.S. government ’ s response to a pandemic .
Alcindor , of “ PBS NewsHour , ” asked Trump to reconcile the elimination of the pandemic team with his insistence Friday that he takes no responsibility for a critical dearth of testing in the U.S. fight against coronavirus .
She noted that officials who had worked in the unit said the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
“ I just think it ’ s a nasty question , ” Trump replied .
“ When you say ‘ me , ’ I didn ’ t do it ... You say we did that , I don ’ t know anything about it.
” Alcindor pressed : “ You don ’ t know about the reorganization that happened at the National Security Council ?
” Trump responded : “ It ’ s the administration .
Perhaps they do that ... let people go .
You used to be with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know things like that happen.
” Trump also praised himself , claiming that his top health expert Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has said “ innumerous times we ’ ve saved thousands of lives because of the quick [ border ] closing.
” Fauci testified before a House subcommittee on Thursday that the ongoing shortfall of coronavirus testing in the U.S. was “ a failing.
” The “ idea of anybody getting it [ testing ] easily the way people in other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not set up for that .
Do I think we should be ?
Yes.
” When another reporter asked Trump on Friday if he took responsibility for that “ failing , ” he responded : “ Yeah , no , I don ’ t take any responsibility at all.
” He claimed he was hamstrung by “ circumstances ” and “ regulations ” and aims to finally ramp up testing now .
Video of my question to @ realDonaldTrump today on his administration 's disbanding of the White House team responsible for coordinating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question nasty & said he knew nothing about it .
I call it a relevant , fair , and truth-seeking question .
https : //t.co/ncYwqZ0Xtp — Yamiche Alcindor ( @ Yamiche ) March 13 , 2020 Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog .

President Donald Trump lashed out at a PBS reporter on Friday when she challenged him about the shutdown of a pandemic response unit within the National Security Council in 2018.
After calling journalist Yamiche Alcindor’s question “nasty,” the president claimed he knew absolutely nothing about the topic — and cut her off. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) quickly attempted to jog Trump’s memory by posting a letter on Twitter he’d sent the president nearly two years ago complaining about the Trump administration move.
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Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton dissolved the NSC’s Global Health Security team in a controversial decision widely covered by the media. The Obama administration had established the unit after the Ebola outbreak to coordinate the U.S. government’s response to a pandemic.
Alcindor, of “PBS NewsHour,” asked Trump to reconcile the elimination of the pandemic team with his insistence Friday that he takes no responsibility for a critical dearth of testing in the U.S. fight against coronavirus. She noted that officials who had worked in the unit said the White House “lost valuable time” without it.
“I just think it’s a nasty question,” Trump replied. “When you say ‘me,’ I didn’t do it ... You say we did that, I don’t know anything about it.”
Alcindor pressed: “You don’t know about the reorganization that happened at the National Security Council?” Trump responded: “It’s the administration. Perhaps they do that ... let people go. You used to be with a different newspaper than you are now, you know things like that happen.”
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Trump also praised himself, claiming that his top health expert Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said “innumerous times we’ve saved thousands of lives because of the quick [border] closing.”
Fauci testified before a House subcommittee on Thursday that the ongoing shortfall of coronavirus testing in the U.S. was “a failing.” The “idea of anybody getting it [testing] easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes.”
When another reporter asked Trump on Friday if he took responsibility for that “failing,” he responded: “Yeah, no, I don’t take any responsibility at all.” He claimed he was hamstrung by “circumstances” and “regulations” and aims to finally ramp up testing now.
In a tweet, Alcindor defended her question as “relevant, fair and truth-seeking.”
Video of my question to @realDonaldTrump today on his administration's disbanding of the White House team responsible for coordinating responses to pandemics.
He called my question nasty & said he knew nothing about it.
I call it a relevant, fair, and truth-seeking question. https://t.co/ncYwqZ0Xtp — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 13, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-14--Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Presser Flowchart Is Now A Scathing New Meme

President Donald Trump and members of his coronavirus task force made the meme-worthy mistake of using a flowchart during Friday @ @ @ @ @ national emergency : Trump really out here taking credit for a group project presentation his @ @ @ @ @ using a poster board from CVS pic.twitter.com/Js3lHA39g9 — Fran Tirado ( @ fransquishco ) March @ @ @ @ @ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee ” team asked America to “ go at it ” @ @ @ @ @ at it , America .
Just tag us , ok ?
pic.twitter.com/N1C55jJDfd — Full Frontal @ @ @ @ @ 13 , 2020 Twitter users didn ’ t disappoint as they seized on the moment @ @ @ @ @ his administration ’ s widely criticized handling of the crisis :

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Jared Kushner Collected Crowdsourced COVID-19 Advice Via Facebook For White House

Drew Angerer via Getty Images One more job for political neophyte Jared Kushner : battling coronavirus with crowdsourced advice .
Supermodel Karlie Kloss ’ s physician father sought crowdsourced medical advice on how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic at the request of White House senior adviser Jared Kushner , Politico and The Spectator reported .
Dr. Kurt Kloss asked for coronavirus advice at the request of Jared Kushner just hours after President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night about the U.S. battle against the spread of the new coronavirus , according to his posts to the 20,000-member Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked by Jared through my son-in-law for my recommendations , that ’ s when I turned to you guys my fellow BAFERDs for help , ” Kloss wrote .
The acronym Kloss used stands for “ Bad Ass Fucking Emergency Room Doctors.
” He asked : “ If you were in charge of Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendation be ?
Please only serious responses , ” according to The Spectator , which was the first to report the posts late Wednesday .
“ I have direct channel to person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been asked for recommendations , ” Kloss added .
Kloss reportedly sent Kushner a dozen recommendations from doctors , including “ aggressive ramping up of tests , ” nationalizing the production of testing kits , free tests , national teleconference for screening ( Trump referred to “ telehealth ” Friday ) , pop-up field hospitals and “ return funding ” to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Kloss noted in his post that he had suggested more ventilators at hospitals and more personal protective equipment ( PPE ) for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doctors responded to his request .
The posts about the request have been removed , but members shared screenshots with Politico and The Spectator .
Karlie Kloss and her husband are Democrats .
In an interview with Vogue , Karlie described being related to Jared and wife Ivanka Trump as “ hard .
”

One more job for political neophyte Jared Kushner: battling coronavirus with crowdsourced advice. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Supermodel Karlie Kloss’s physician father sought crowdsourced medical advice on how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic at the request of White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, Politico and The Spectator reported.
Karlie Kloss is married to Kushner’s brother, Joshua Kushner.
Dr. Kurt Kloss asked for coronavirus advice at the request of Jared Kushner just hours after President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night about the U.S. battle against the spread of the new coronavirus, according to his posts to the 20,000-member Facebook group EM Docs.
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“I was asked by Jared through my son-in-law for my recommendations, that’s when I turned to you guys my fellow BAFERDs for help,” Kloss wrote. The acronym Kloss used stands for “Bad Ass Fucking Emergency Room Doctors.”
He asked: “If you were in charge of Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendation be? Please only serious responses,” according to The Spectator, which was the first to report the posts late Wednesday. “I have direct channel to person now in charge at White House and have been asked for recommendations,” Kloss added.
Screenshot of one of Dr. Kurt Kloss's Facebook posts. Screen Shot/Facebook EM Docs
Kloss reportedly sent Kushner a dozen recommendations from doctors, including “aggressive ramping up of tests,” nationalizing the production of testing kits, free tests, national teleconference for screening (Trump referred to “telehealth” Friday), pop-up field hospitals and “return funding” to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Kloss noted in his post that he had suggested more ventilators at hospitals and more personal protective equipment (PPE) for testing and frontline health care workers. Hundreds of doctors responded to his request.
Kloss posted that Kushner is “now directly involved in the response” to coronavirus.
The posts about the request have been removed, but members shared screenshots with Politico and The Spectator.
Karlie Kloss and her husband are Democrats. In an interview with Vogue, Karlie described being related to Jared and wife Ivanka Trump as “hard.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--The Real Star Of Trump's Coronavirus Press Conference: Big Business

President Donald Trump gave a press conference on Friday afternoon to announce new measures to address the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. ― and to extensively praise a slew of corporate executives who went to the mic one by one to talk up their own companies ’ efforts .
“ We ’ re doing a great job , let me tell you , ” Trump said .
“ These professionals behind me ― these great , incredible doctors and business people ― the best in the world and I can say that .
Whether it ’ s retailers or labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these are the best in the world.
” Typically , the response to a nationwide health crisis would be led by the federal government .
But its resources have been diminished by the Trump administration , which disbanded the White House office that prepared for pandemic threats and has repeatedly tried to defund global health programs .
Trump was slow to address the coronavirus crisis , finally declaring a national emergency on Friday ― which opens up additional funding , encourages additional testing capacity and more .
But much of Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector response ― an emblematic move for a GOP-run government that looks to corporations and private aid to take care of public needs .
Trump noted that Google will be creating a website to put out information on the coronavirus and that health care and testing companies , including Roche International , Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp , will participate in the testing for the virus .
Big stores , including Walmart , CVS , Target and Walgreens , will allow drive-thru screening sites to operate in their parking lots , top executives said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would do .
“ These incredible companies will process the tests and then we will see that information , ” Pence said .
The press conference started 30 minutes late , about a half-hour before the stock markets closed for the day .
And it seemed to have the desired effect : After major losses in recent days , stocks went up soon after the president boosted the role of giant corporations in addressing the crisis .
Later in the press conference , Trump even urged the media to ask questions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Ask them first , ” he told one reporter .
Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog .

A parade of corporate executives spoke at Trump's coronavirus press conference. Getty Images
President Donald Trump gave a press conference on Friday afternoon to announce new measures to address the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. ― and to extensively praise a slew of corporate executives who went to the mic one by one to talk up their own companies’ efforts.
“We’re doing a great job, let me tell you,” Trump said. “These professionals behind me ― these great, incredible doctors and business people ― the best in the world and I can say that. Whether it’s retailers or labs or anything you want to say, these are the best in the world.”
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Typically, the response to a nationwide health crisis would be led by the federal government. But its resources have been diminished by the Trump administration, which disbanded the White House office that prepared for pandemic threats and has repeatedly tried to defund global health programs. Trump was slow to address the coronavirus crisis, finally declaring a national emergency on Friday ― which opens up additional funding, encourages additional testing capacity and more.
But much of Trump’s press conference was devoted to the private sector response ― an emblematic move for a GOP-run government that looks to corporations and private aid to take care of public needs.
Trump noted that Google will be creating a website to put out information on the coronavirus and that health care and testing companies, including Roche International, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, will participate in the testing for the virus.
Big stores, including Walmart, CVS, Target and Walgreens, will allow drive-thru screening sites to operate in their parking lots, top executives said. It was not clear what else they would do.
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Trump and other top officials threw praise at the executives throughout the press conference.
“These incredible companies will process the tests and then we will see that information,” Pence said.
The press conference started 30 minutes late, about a half-hour before the stock markets closed for the day. And it seemed to have the desired effect: After major losses in recent days, stocks went up soon after the president boosted the role of giant corporations in addressing the crisis.
Later in the press conference, Trump even urged the media to ask questions of the business leaders rather than of himself. “Ask them first,” he told one reporter.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-14--Trump's Old Tweet About Responsibility Comes Back To Haunt Him Amid Pandemic

An old tweet from Donald Trump came back to haunt the president Friday after he refused to take responsibility for delays in testing for coronavirus in the U.S. “ I don ’ t take responsibility at all , ” Trump announced during a press conference declaring a national emergency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Critics resurfaced this November 2013 post in which Trump claimed that leadership means “ whatever happens , you ’ re responsible.
” Leadership : Whatever happens , you 're responsible .
If it does n't happen , you 're responsible .
— Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 , 2013 “ If it doesn ’ t happen , you ’ re responsible , ” the then-reality television personality added at the time .
Many of Trump ’ s detractors noted there is “ always a tweet.
” He .
Does n't .
Even .
Bother .
To .
Take .
This .
# @ % & .
Down .
https : //t.co/bMujTQA8Ri — Marc Guggenheim ( @ mguggenheim ) March 13 , 2020 President Trump should really listen to this guy tweeting in 2013. https : //t.co/Zf5IkRuH5v — Josh Jordan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 '' I do n't take responsibility at all . ''
— @ realDonaldTrump about the Coronavirus .
March 13 , 2020. https : //t.co/ffQesh1dhU — Erin Schrode ( @ ErinSchrode ) March 13 , 2020 '' No , I 'm not responsible at all . ''
- # TrumpPressConference https : //t.co/xF67oD9qzD — Grant Stern ( @ grantstern ) March 13 , 2020

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An old tweet from Donald Trump came back to haunt him Friday after the president refused to take responsibility for delays in testing for the coronavirus in the U.S.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” Trump announced during a press conference declaring a national emergency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Critics resurfaced this November 2013 post in which Trump claimed that leadership means “whatever happens, you’re responsible.”
Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2013
“If it doesn’t happen, you’re responsible,” the then-reality television personality added at the time.
Many of Trump’s detractors noted there is “always a tweet.”
We finally agree on something! https://t.co/yR7PZwO4VL — Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) March 13, 2020
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Nov 8 2013 https://t.co/oKSpYAu1CO — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 13, 2020
there's always a tweet https://t.co/g97myIpGJw — Emmy Bengtson (@EmmyA2) March 13, 2020
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Today: "I dont take responsibility at all."
2013:..... https://t.co/QMy61mmddg — Nick Weig (@tbweig) March 13, 2020
President Trump should really listen to this guy tweeting in 2013. https://t.co/Zf5IkRuH5v — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) March 14, 2020
"I don't take responsibility at all." — @realDonaldTrump about the Coronavirus. March 13, 2020. https://t.co/ffQesh1dhU — Erin Schrode (@ErinSchrode) March 13, 2020
Couldn't say it better myself. https://t.co/I3iR2LncIV — Chris Meagher (@chrismeagher) March 13, 2020
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Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-14--Trish Regan’s Fox Show Put 'On Hiatus,' Days After Off-The-Rails Coronavirus Rant

Trish Regan ’ s prime time show on Fox Business has been taken off the air “ until further notice , ” the network announced Friday , just days after the anchor engaged in an off-the-rails rant about the coronavirus pandemic .
Lisa Kennedy Montgomery ’ s “ Kennedy ” show will also go “ on hiatus ” as the network announced it will now deploy “ all resources from both shows for staffing needs during critical market hours , ” reported multiple outlets .
Long-form programming will fill the slots “ for the foreseeable future , ” Fox Business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Times .
Regan confirmed the news on Twitter , saying she fully supported the decision : I want to let everyone know that Trish Regan Primetime is now on hiatus .
FBN has taken prudent steps to limit staffing levels and is prioritizing its coverage during market hours .
I fully support this decision — we all must to do our part to keep our colleagues safe .
# TrishRegan — Trish Regan ( @ trish_regan ) March 14 , 2020 The timing of the announcement raised eyebrows on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely criticized Monday night rant in which she claimed the coronavirus outbreak was just “ another attempt ” by Democrats “ to impeach ” President Donald Trump .
March 9 : on her @ FoxNews show , Trish Regan rants about the “ Coronavirus impeachment scam.
” March 13 : Trish Regan 's show is placed on hiatus so that @ FoxNews can devote more time to Coronavirus coverage .
If Fox wants to do their viewers a real service they 'll make it permanent .
https : //t.co/BpOWqw3Unj — Dana Nuccitelli ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re pretending it ’ s about Fox News being responsible instead of owning up to damage that Regan has caused .
That is because if they acknowledge that , almost every Fox host would need to go on “ hiatus.
” https : //t.co/yHPMUAdWfJ — Angelo Carusone ( @ GoAngelo ) March 14 , 2020 But I thought I heard this week that the coronavirus was a plot against Trump , and certainly not a real threat .
Now where could I have heard that ?
https : //t.co/DdIkFUYZUE — John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , 2020 The damage is already done , think of all the viewers who will get sick because they don ’ t take covid-19 seriously .
https : //t.co/QmTLZaJkA8 — Molly Jong-Fast ( @ MollyJongFast ) March 14 , 2020 The “ Trish Regan Primetime ” host claimed Monday that Democrats were blaming Trump “ and only him for a virus that originated halfway around the world ” and accused them of trying to “ create mass hysteria ” to “ stop our economy dead in its tracks.
” We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hate being leveled at # PresidentTrump is nearing a crescendo as # Dems blame him—and only him—for # coronavirus - a # virus that originated halfway around the world !
This is yet another attempt to # impeach THE PRESIDENT .
# TrishRegan pic.twitter.com/nU3P4zcONA — Trish Regan ( @ trish_regan ) March 10 , 2020 Since Regan ’ s comments , Trump has declared a national emergency to tackle the spread of the virus .
So far , it has sickened more than 145,000 people worldwide and killed more than 5,400 .

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Lisa Kennedy Montgomery’s “Kennedy” show will also go “on hiatus” as the network announced it will now deploy “all resources from both shows for staffing needs during critical market hours,” multiple outlets reported.
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Long-form programming will fill the slots “for the foreseeable future,” Fox Business said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
Regan confirmed the news on Twitter, saying she fully supported the decision:
I want to let everyone know that Trish Regan Primetime is now on hiatus. FBN has taken prudent steps to limit staffing levels and is prioritizing its coverage during market hours. I fully support this decision — we all must to do our part to keep our colleagues safe. #TrishRegan — Trish Regan (@trish_regan) March 14, 2020
The timing of the announcement raised eyebrows on social media, however, following Regan’s widely criticized Monday night rant in which she claimed the coronavirus outbreak was just “another attempt” by Democrats “to impeach” President Donald Trump.
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March 9: on her @FoxNews show, Trish Regan rants about the “Coronavirus impeachment scam.”
March 13: Trish Regan's show is placed on hiatus so that @FoxNews can devote more time to Coronavirus coverage.
If Fox wants to do their viewers a real service they'll make it permanent. https://t.co/BpOWqw3Unj — Dana Nuccitelli (@dana1981) March 14, 2020
They’re pretending it’s about Fox News being responsible instead of owning up to damage that Regan has caused.
That is because if they acknowledge that, almost every Fox host would need to go on “hiatus.” https://t.co/yHPMUAdWfJ — Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) March 14, 2020
But I thought I heard this week that the coronavirus was a plot against Trump, and certainly not a real threat. Now where could I have heard that? https://t.co/DdIkFUYZUE — John Aravo🐍is 🇺🇸 (@aravosis) March 14, 2020
The damage is already done, think of all the viewers who will get sick because they don’t take covid-19 seriously. https://t.co/QmTLZaJkA8 — Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 14, 2020
The “Trish Regan Primetime” host claimed Monday that Democrats were blaming Trump “and only him for a virus that originated halfway around the world” and accused them of trying to “create mass hysteria” to “stop our economy dead in its tracks.”
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Check out the clip here:
We’ve reached a tipping point. The chorus of hate being leveled at #PresidentTrump is nearing a crescendo as #Dems blame him—and only him—for #coronavirus - a #virus that originated halfway around the world! This is yet another attempt to #impeach THE PRESIDENT. #TrishRegan pic.twitter.com/nU3P4zcONA — Trish Regan (@trish_regan) March 10, 2020
Since Regan’s comments, Trump has declared a national emergency to tackle the spread of the virus. So far, it has sickened more than 145,000 people worldwide and killed more than 5,400.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-14--House Passes Bipartisan Coronavirus Relief Bill

WASHINGTON — After multiple moments of near-collapse and a week of negotiation between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , the House passed a bipartisan bill early Saturday to deal with some of the potential financial fallout for families affected by the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The bill passed the House , 363-40 , just after midnight on Saturday , with 223 Democrats and 140 Republicans in support , and zero Democrats and 40 Republicans opposed .
Independent Justin Amash of Michigan was the only member to vote present , over concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to read the legislation .
Democrats had been intent on offering a bill that would provide for paid sick leave , which the bill partly does .
But Democrats had wanted a permanent program requiring employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave annually .
Republicans balked at that idea , and instead the bill would create a national sick leave program for one year .
The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic , with the government reimbursing 100 % of the cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a paid sick leave policy could bankrupt some businesses .
After the coronavirus crisis abates , the U.S. would go back to not having paid sick leave and will once again become the only advanced nation in the world with no paid sick leave policy .
Pelosi has emphasized the need for testing after the Trump administration stumbled in its initial response to the outbreak , with patients still largely unable to get tests for the virus .
President Donald Trump and his administration said Friday that there was an ongoing push from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , assuring Americans that half a million tests would be ready by next week .
On top of making tests more widely available , the bill the House approved early Saturday also includes provisions that would expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of coronavirus .
The bill also would give the Trump administration more flexibility on who ’ s eligible for the food stamp program , a school lunch program used to feed low-income children during the summer — in case there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women , Infants and Children nutrition program .
The bill instead focuses far more on the immediate needs of people who may get sick or may be financially strapped because of the economic effects of the measures to battle the spread of coronavirus .
The vote Saturday morning was the culmination of a week of intense negotiation ― and nearly 48 hours of constant back and forth between Pelosi and Mnuchin .
House lawmakers were expected to leave the Capitol on Thursday but were held in Washington overnight because negotiations ended up dragging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of more than a dozen phone calls Friday , the vote eventually stretched into early Saturday .
Pelosi and Mnuchin thought they had reached a deal late Friday afternoon , but it nearly evaporated when the White House balked at some of the technical language in the bill .
And that near-derailment came after multiple other near-derailments .
Ultimately , it took some stagecraft from both sides to even get an agreement in principle .
After hours of haggling on Friday , Pelosi called a news conference early in the afternoon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a bill ― with or without the White House ’ s sign-off .
Pelosi and Mnuchin continued talking ― even during Trump ’ s news conference .
About 6 p.m. , Pelosi announced they had a deal .
But again , that agreement almost fell apart over technical language , as Democrats and Republicans both waited for the president to tweet his support .
The only remaining question is what the Senate will do .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) had previously shown opposition to similar deals ― with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the floor ― but it would be hard for him to ignore a bill that the president has now signed off on and the House has passed with strong bipartisan support .
McConnell is keeping the Senate in session next week , even though it was scheduled for a recess and there are multiple concerns in Washington about coronavirus spreading around the Capitol .
It ’ s expected that his chamber will pass the bill in short order , sending it to Trump ’ s desk for his signature , and that Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in crafting the legislation .

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Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.
WASHINGTON — After multiple moments of near-collapse and a week of negotiation between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the House passed a bipartisan bill early Saturday to deal with some of the potential financial fallout for families affected by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The bill passed the House, 363-40, just after midnight on Saturday, with 223 Democrats and 140 Republicans in support, and zero Democrats and 40 Republicans opposed. Independent Justin Amash of Michigan was the only member to vote present, over concerns that lawmakers didn’t have enough time to read the legislation.
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Democrats had been intent on offering a bill that would provide for paid sick leave, which the bill partly does. But Democrats had wanted a permanent program requiring employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave annually. Republicans balked at that idea, and instead the bill would create a national sick leave program for one year.
The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with the government reimbursing 100% of the cost to employers ― placating Republican complaints that a paid sick leave policy could bankrupt some businesses. After the coronavirus crisis abates, the U.S. would go back to not having paid sick leave and will once again become the only advanced nation in the world with no paid sick leave policy.
But the bill does include a number of Democratic priorities.
“This legislation is about testing, testing, testing,” Pelosi said in a statement Friday. “To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured.”
Pelosi has emphasized the need for testing after the Trump administration stumbled in its initial response to the outbreak, with patients still largely unable to get tests for the virus.
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President Donald Trump and his administration said Friday that there was an ongoing push from his administration to make tests more available, assuring Americans that half a million tests would be ready by next week.
“But we don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it,” Trump said.
On top of making tests more widely available, the bill the House approved early Saturday also includes provisions that would expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of coronavirus.
The bill also would suspend all so-called work requirements for food benefits for the duration of the public health emergency, while giving additional flexibility to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deploy a school lunch program used to feed low-income children during the summer — in case there are extended school closures. The bill boosts funding for home-delivered meals for seniors as well as benefits under the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program.
The bill won’t include, as Trump and some other Republicans had wanted, a payroll tax cut. That was a low priority for Democrats, and many House members told HuffPost this week that a tax cut was a premature financial stimulus.
The bill instead focuses far more on the immediate needs of people who may get sick or may be financially strapped because of the economic effects of the measures to battle the spread of coronavirus.
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The vote Saturday morning was the culmination of a week of intense negotiation ― and nearly 48 hours of constant back and forth between Pelosi and Mnuchin. House lawmakers were expected to leave the Capitol on Thursday but were held in Washington overnight because negotiations ended up dragging into Friday. And then over the course of more than a dozen phone calls Friday, the vote eventually stretched into early Saturday.
Pelosi and Mnuchin thought they had reached a deal late Friday afternoon, but it nearly evaporated when the White House balked at some of the technical language in the bill. And that near-derailment came after multiple other near-derailments.
Ultimately, it took some stagecraft from both sides to even get an agreement in principle. After hours of haggling on Friday, Pelosi called a news conference early in the afternoon to confirm that the House would be voting on a bill ― with or without the White House’s sign-off.
About an hour later, Trump held his own news conference, where he neglected to mention whether he’d support the legislation.
Pelosi and Mnuchin continued talking ― even during Trump’s news conference. About 6 p.m., Pelosi announced they had a deal. But again, that agreement almost fell apart over technical language, as Democrats and Republicans both waited for the president to tweet his support.
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Finally, at 8:42 p.m., Trump tweeted that he would support the agreement ― an agreement he was largely left out of negotiating.
When Pelosi was asked late Friday night if she had ever spoken to Trump to negotiate the deal, she said no.
“There was no need to,” Pelosi said.
The only remaining question is what the Senate will do. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had previously shown opposition to similar deals ― with Republican senators blocking legislation from coming to the floor ― but it would be hard for him to ignore a bill that the president has now signed off on and the House has passed with strong bipartisan support.
McConnell is keeping the Senate in session next week, even though it was scheduled for a recess and there are multiple concerns in Washington about coronavirus spreading around the Capitol. It’s expected that his chamber will pass the bill in short order, sending it to Trump’s desk for his signature, and that Republicans will tout the president’s role in crafting the legislation.
As House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday night, the bill is a “very good sign of bipartisanship and working together.”
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“We can overcome this virus. We’ve done much bigger things before,” McCarthy said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Donald Trump Is Showing People The Wrong Way To Handle Exposure To Coronavirus

President Donald Trump demonstrated all the wrong ways to handle coronavirus exposure during a news conference Friday ― he touched a microphone others were using , shook hands and patted people on the back .
Trump has met with at least one individual who has tested positive for the virus : Fabio Wajngarten , an aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who posed for a photo with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence while at Mar-A-Lago over the weekend .
( Wajngarten is on the right in the photo . )
Trump has refused to self-quarantine , doing quite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of corporate executives on Friday as he declared a national emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic and refused to take responsibility for a lack of testing .
Other lawmakers who came in contact with Wajngarten , including Sens .
Rick Scott ( R-Fla. ) and Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution .
Trump argued Friday that he didn ’ t need to isolate himself because he ’ s “ not coming back from someplace ” abroad and he spent “ seconds ” with Wajngarten .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has it .
I have no idea who he is , but I take pictures and it lasts for literally seconds .
I don ’ t know the gentleman that we ’ re talking about , had no idea who is .
I haven ’ t seen the pictures , ” Trump said .
“ It is a picture of somebody , but I take sometimes hundreds of pictures a day .
And that night I was taking hundreds of pictures , so I just don ’ t know.
” The Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can spread between individuals who are within 6 feet of each other .
It ’ s possible for someone with no symptoms to get another person sick .
President Donald Trump adjusts the microphone for Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , during a news conference about the coronavirus on Friday .
Trump also said he hasn ’ t shown symptoms of coronavirus , which include fever , shortness of breath and cough , according to the CDC .
It could take two to 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even mild symptoms , and research suggests that on average it takes about five days .
“ An individual may think nothing of these symptoms because they do not significantly change or impact their daily lives , ” Eudene Harry , a board-certified physician in emergency medicine and medical director for the Oasis Wellness & Rejuvenation Center in Orlando , Florida , previously told HuffPost .
The CDC recommends anyone who has been exposed to a confirmed case of coronavirus to quarantine if they are in a “ high-risk ” group , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are considered high-risk ; Trump is 73 years old .
When CBS ’ s Weijia Jiang asked Trump Friday if it ’ s “ selfish ” for him to bypass a test , Trump said he would “ most likely ” be tested , but not because he ’ d been around someone with the virus .

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President Donald Trump demonstrated all the wrong ways to handle coronavirus exposure during a news conference Friday ― he touched a microphone others were using, shook hands and patted people on the back.
Trump has met with at least one individual who has tested positive for the virus: Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who posed for a photo with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence while at Mar-A-Lago over the weekend. (Wajngarten is on the right in the photo.)
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Trump has refused to self-quarantine, doing quite the opposite instead. He stood among a group of corporate executives on Friday as he declared a national emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic and refused to take responsibility for a lack of testing.
Other lawmakers who came in contact with Wajngarten, including Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution. Trump argued Friday that he didn’t need to isolate himself because he’s “not coming back from someplace” abroad and he spent “seconds” with Wajngarten.
“There was somebody that they say has it. I have no idea who he is, but I take pictures and it lasts for literally seconds. I don’t know the gentleman that we’re talking about, had no idea who is. I haven’t seen the pictures,” Trump said. “It is a picture of somebody, but I take sometimes hundreds of pictures a day. And that night I was taking hundreds of pictures, so I just don’t know.”
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus can spread between individuals who are within 6 feet of each other. It’s possible for someone with no symptoms to get another person sick.
President Donald Trump adjusts the microphone for Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a news conference about the coronavirus on Friday. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Trump also said he hasn’t shown symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath and cough, according to the CDC. It could take two to 14 days for an infected person to exhibit even mild symptoms, and research suggests that on average it takes about five days.
“An individual may think nothing of these symptoms because they do not significantly change or impact their daily lives,” Eudene Harry, a board-certified physician in emergency medicine and medical director for the Oasis Wellness & Rejuvenation Center in Orlando, Florida, previously told HuffPost.
The CDC recommends anyone who has been exposed to a confirmed case of coronavirus to quarantine if they are in a “high-risk” group, even if they are asymptomatic. Older adults are considered high-risk; Trump is 73 years old.
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When CBS’s Weijia Jiang asked Trump Friday if it’s “selfish” for him to bypass a test, Trump said he would “most likely” be tested, but not because he’d been around someone with the virus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Nearly 500,000 People Who Have Not Been Convicted Are In Jail At High Coronavirus Risk

There are nearly half a million people incarcerated in the U.S. who have not been convicted of a crime but can ’ t afford to pay bail .
They should be released to await their day in court , the American Civil Liberties Union said Thursday as the deadly coronavirus spreads throughout the country .
Jails and prisons are high-risk environments for a coronavirus outbreak .
At a time when public health officials are urging people to self-quarantine , practice social distancing and wash their hands frequently , people who are incarcerated typically don ’ t have those options .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarters , and several prisoners have reported not having access to soap .
Hand sanitizer is banned in most jails and prisons because it contains alcohol — even though New York state has prisoners producing the product at a wage of about 65 cents per hour for non-incarcerated people to use .
In China , the new coronavirus spread through five prisons , resulting in more than 500 cases .
Iranian officials temporarily released 54,000 inmates in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus .
Detention centers in the U.S. that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high risk of outbreaks because of the high volume of people entering and leaving the facility each day , David Patton , the executive director of the Federal Defenders of New York previously told HuffPost .
Pretrial detention contradicts the concept of being innocent until proved guilty , a foundation of the U.S. legal system .
Money bail was introduced as a way to ensure that a person accused of wrongdoing would show up in court to face the charges against them .
But it has created a two-tiered justice system : People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their court date in freedom and people who don ’ t have the money wait in jail .
It can take years for court cases to be resolved , and people detained pretrial are at risk of losing their jobs and homes .
Conviction rates are higher among people who are detained ahead of the court date because people are incentivized to accept plea bargains to get out of jail , even if they did not do what they were accused of .
There was already a growing nationwide movement to reform pretrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the COVID-19 outbreak .
But the onset of a global pandemic illuminated the cruelty and unjustness of the system .
“ It was already unacceptable that people are locked up because they can ’ t afford to buy their freedom , ” Scott Hechinger , a senior staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services , said in an interview .
“ On top of that , they are now being exposed at a far higher risk to a deadly virus and they are unable to do what everyone else outside of jail and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus outbreak , which has reached more than 1,600 confirmed cases in the U.S. , creates an “ opportunity to step back , assess and grapple with our overreliance on criminalization as the answer to all our societal ills , ” Hechinger said .
With the sudden focus on the public health risk posed by overcrowded jails and prisons , more people are starting to question whether it makes sense to imprison people who have not been convicted of a crime .
That ’ s something public defenders and criminal justice advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Hechinger continued .

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There are nearly half a million people incarcerated in the U.S. who have not been convicted of a crime but can’t afford to pay bail. They should be released to await their day in court, the American Civil Liberties Union said Thursday as the deadly coronavirus spreads throughout the country.
“Nobody should be locked up simply because they can’t afford freedom,” the ACLU said.
Jails and prisons are high-risk environments for a coronavirus outbreak. At a time when public health officials are urging people to self-quarantine, practice social distancing and wash their hands frequently, people who are incarcerated typically don’t have those options. They are forced to live in close quarters, and several prisoners have reported not having access to soap. Hand sanitizer is banned in most jails and prisons because it contains alcohol — even though New York state has prisoners producing the product at a wage of about 65 cents per hour for non-incarcerated people to use.
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In China, the new coronavirus spread through five prisons, resulting in more than 500 cases. Iranian officials temporarily released 54,000 inmates in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. Detention centers in the U.S. that mostly incarcerate those awaiting trial are at high risk of outbreaks because of the high volume of people entering and leaving the facility each day, David Patton, the executive director of the Federal Defenders of New York previously told HuffPost.
Pretrial detention contradicts the concept of being innocent until proved guilty, a foundation of the U.S. legal system. Money bail was introduced as a way to ensure that a person accused of wrongdoing would show up in court to face the charges against them. But it has created a two-tiered justice system: People who can afford to post bail await their court date in freedom and people who don’t have the money wait in jail.
It can take years for court cases to be resolved, and people detained pretrial are at risk of losing their jobs and homes. Conviction rates are higher among people who are detained ahead of the court date because people are incentivized to accept plea bargains to get out of jail, even if they did not do what they were accused of.
There was already a growing nationwide movement to reform pretrial detention and end money bail, even before the COVID-19 outbreak. But the onset of a global pandemic illuminated the cruelty and unjustness of the system.
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“It was already unacceptable that people are locked up because they can’t afford to buy their freedom,” Scott Hechinger, a senior staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services, said in an interview. “On top of that, they are now being exposed at a far higher risk to a deadly virus and they are unable to do what everyone else outside of jail and prison is being told to do.”