thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--The Coronavirus Is Making Mental Health In ICE Detention Even Worse

It is not clear that the man ’ s death was related to the coronavirus .
But unless the Trump administration releases people from immigrant detention during the pandemic , activists and legal groups warn , the nearly 40,000 immigrants in government custody could face serious mental health issues in addition to physical illness .
“ The added stress of the coronavirus potentially getting inside the center is deadly .
We anticipate that this won ’ t be the last death at Karnes unless ICE immediately releases all those detained at this detention center and in custody around the country.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about which family members the Honduran man was detained with or how long he had been held in the detention center .
BuzzFeed reported that the 27-year-old crossed the border as part of a “ family unit ” on Feb. 19 .
Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
One man detained at Karnes said his wife has been unable to get medical care for her ovarian cysts and that “ I fear for our lives if the virus reaches us and we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaration taken by RAICES staff .
So far , four immigrants in ICE custody have been tested for the coronavirus , and one employee at a detention center in New Jersey was tested and went into self-quarantine .
On Tuesday , the agency said 10 more detained immigrants may have been exposed to COVID-19 , but ICE has not yet confirmed any cases in its facilities and did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for an update on these results .
On Monday , the American Civil Liberties Union filed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detainees at the immigrant detention facility in Tacoma , Washington , including immigrants who suffer from lung disease , autoimmune disorders and asthma .
The agency has the discretion to release any asylum-seekers who are not a risk to the community on parole or bond while they wait for their court dates .
ICE has said it ’ s working to stave off a possible outbreak by suspending visits to detention centers ― which makes people all the more isolated from their friends , families and legal aid ― and noted it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine facilities .
But it ’ s not administering proper care to people inside , according to advocates .
An immigrant told RAICES that hand sanitizer and masks aren ’ t available inside the Karnes detention center and that “ officials have not said anything to us about what is happening outside , or any extra precautions that we should take.
” Meza says immigrants at Karnes aren ’ t being tested for the coronavirus , despite the fact that she and other staff members have spoken to many people who are coughing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say their babies are sick as well .
A dirty and cramped detention center in the face of a pandemic is unsafe and inhumane .
Lucia Allain , Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services Karnes detention center , where the Honduran man was incarcerated , is one of three facilities in the U.S. where immigrant families are held together .
Meza said people ’ s medical needs are routinely ignored there .
HuffPost has reported on immigrants with brain tumors , cancer and psychiatric issues who have been denied proper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently 700 people being held at Karnes , and immigrants have told RAICES that they lack access to supplies for basic hygiene and that soap is in short supply .
Medical experts say a coronavirus outbreak in these facilities would be disastrous , since people live in close quarters , have compromised immune systems , and are not receiving quality medical care .
“ I am worried about additional preventable deaths that could occur , ” said Dr. Altaf Saadi , a neurologist and an asylum evaluator for the Physicians for Human Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s impossible for immigrants who are confined in small spaces with inadequate supplies that would allow them to follow government guidelines to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 .

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On Wednesday, a 27-year-old Honduran man reportedly killed himself while jailed at Karnes County Residential Center, an immigrant detention center in Texas.
It is not clear that the man’s death was related to the coronavirus. But unless the Trump administration releases people from immigrant detention during the pandemic, activists and legal groups warn, the nearly 40,000 immigrants in government custody could face serious mental health issues in addition to physical illness.
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“The mental health impact on people who are imprisoned for the crime of seeking a safe haven is overwhelming,” Lucia Allain, a spokesperson for the advocacy group Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, said in a statement.
“The added stress of the coronavirus potentially getting inside the center is deadly. We anticipate that this won’t be the last death at Karnes unless ICE immediately releases all those detained at this detention center and in custody around the country.”
RAICES has not yet released details about which family members the Honduran man was detained with or how long he had been held in the detention center. BuzzFeed reported that the 27-year-old crossed the border as part of a “family unit” on Feb. 19. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
But the man’s suicide highlights problems with medical care, including mental health treatment, at immigration detention facilities, which advocates say could be exacerbated by the coronavirus outbreak.
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“A dirty and cramped detention center in the face of a pandemic is unsafe and inhumane,” said Allain.
“It’s only a matter of time until there’s a positive test result within the detention center," says Andrea Meza, the director of family detention services at RAICES. David McNew via Getty Images
Immigrants at Karnes are panicked about a potential coronavirus outbreak, which is taking a big toll on their mental health, said Andrea Meza, the director of family detention services at RAICES. “They are scared and worried and feel trapped,” she told HuffPost. “They feel like sitting ducks.”
One man detained at Karnes said his wife has been unable to get medical care for her ovarian cysts and that “I fear for our lives if the virus reaches us and we are stuck here,” according to a declaration taken by RAICES staff.
So far, four immigrants in ICE custody have been tested for the coronavirus, and one employee at a detention center in New Jersey was tested and went into self-quarantine. On Tuesday, the agency said 10 more detained immigrants may have been exposed to COVID-19, but ICE has not yet confirmed any cases in its facilities and did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for an update on these results.
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On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit demanding ICE release its most vulnerable detainees at the immigrant detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, including immigrants who suffer from lung disease, autoimmune disorders and asthma. The agency has the discretion to release any asylum-seekers who are not a risk to the community on parole or bond while they wait for their court dates.
ICE has said it’s working to stave off a possible outbreak by suspending visits to detention centers ― which makes people all the more isolated from their friends, families and legal aid ― and noted it would use funding from Congress to set up quarantine facilities.
But it’s not administering proper care to people inside, according to advocates. An immigrant told RAICES that hand sanitizer and masks aren’t available inside the Karnes detention center and that “officials have not said anything to us about what is happening outside, or any extra precautions that we should take.”
Meza says immigrants at Karnes aren’t being tested for the coronavirus, despite the fact that she and other staff members have spoken to many people who are coughing and have respiratory illnesses, and who say their babies are sick as well.
“It’s only a matter of time until there’s a positive test result within the detention center,” she said as part of a RAICES panel on Wednesday, adding that the closest major hospital is over an hour away.
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“A dirty and cramped detention center in the face of a pandemic is unsafe and inhumane.” - Lucia Allain, Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services
Detention centers and border stations are notorious for subpar medical care. The Honduran man is the ninth immigrant to die in ICE custody since October, and last year, six immigrant children died in U.S. custody.
Karnes detention center, where the Honduran man was incarcerated, is one of three facilities in the U.S. where immigrant families are held together. Meza said people’s medical needs are routinely ignored there. HuffPost has reported on immigrants with brain tumors, cancer and psychiatric issues who have been denied proper treatment at the facility.
There are currently 700 people being held at Karnes, and immigrants have told RAICES that they lack access to supplies for basic hygiene and that soap is in short supply. Medical experts say a coronavirus outbreak in these facilities would be disastrous, since people live in close quarters, have compromised immune systems, and are not receiving quality medical care.
“I am worried about additional preventable deaths that could occur,” said Dr. Altaf Saadi, a neurologist and an asylum evaluator for the Physicians for Human Rights Asylum Network. Saadi said it’s impossible for immigrants who are confined in small spaces with inadequate supplies that would allow them to follow government guidelines to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
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Since Iran temporarily released prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak and Britain is considering doing the same, the Trump administration should free detained immigrants, most of whom are not even facing criminal charges, according to RAICES.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--Lou Dobbs Reaches 'North Korea Levels' Of Trump Adoration With Bizarre Poll

Fox Business host Lou Dobbs took his exaltation of President Donald Trump to new highs on Wednesday .
In a poll shared on-air and on Twitter , Dobbs asked viewers to rate the president ’ s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic , opting , as he regularly does on air , to call the new coronavirus the “ Wuhan Virus ” ― a xenophobic misnomer that the World Health Organization has repeatedly asked people not to use .
His poll offered three ratings , ranging from “ very good ” to “ superb.
” # LDTPoll : How would you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation 's fight against the Wuhan Virus ... superb , great or very good ?
# KAG2020 # AmericaFirst # Dobbs — Lou Dobbs ( @ LouDobbs ) March 18 , 2020 Dobbs read the polling options sincerely on air , urging viewers to cast their votes on Twitter .
In reality , Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus has lost him the confidence of many voters , and a majority of Americans do not feel as if they can ’ t trust the information he shares about coronavirus , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president ’ s slow response and repeated downplaying of the outbreak ’ s severity created dangerous complacency and squandered valuable time needed to prepare for and mitigate the crisis , which has now resulted in more than 7,000 infections and 97 deaths in the U.S. Twitter users noted that even for Dobbs , who is among Trump ’ s most devoted allies , this level of praise was disturbing and reminiscent of dictatorship propagandists .

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Fox Business host Lou Dobbs took his exaltation of President Donald Trump to new highs on Wednesday.
In a poll shared on-air and on Twitter, Dobbs asked viewers to rate the president’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, opting, as he regularly does on air, to call the new coronavirus the “Wuhan Virus” ― a xenophobic misnomer that the World Health Organization has repeatedly asked people not to use.
His poll offered three ratings, ranging from “very good” to “superb.”
#LDTPoll: How would you grade President Trump’s leadership in the nation's fight against the Wuhan Virus... superb, great or very good? #KAG2020 #AmericaFirst #Dobbs — Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) March 18, 2020
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Dobbs read the polling options sincerely on air, urging viewers to cast their votes on Twitter.
In reality, Trump’s response to the coronavirus has lost him the confidence of many voters, and a majority of Americans do not feel as if they can’t trust the information he shares about coronavirus, according to a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
The president’s slow response and repeated downplaying of the outbreak’s severity created dangerous complacency and squandered valuable time needed to prepare for and mitigate the crisis, which has now resulted in more than 7,000 infections and 97 deaths in the U.S.
Twitter users noted that even for Dobbs, who is among Trump’s most devoted allies, this level of praise was disturbing and reminiscent of dictatorship propagandists.
Even by Lou Dobbs standards, this poll has really strong North Korean vibes pic.twitter.com/wmbIHWth7d — Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) March 18, 2020
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we have reached North Korea levels of Lou Dobbs Tonight pic.twitter.com/PbNvZzHNZz — Brendan Karet 🚮 (@bad_takes) March 18, 2020
This way more Democratic. pic.twitter.com/Hhyg51hCCP — Jimmy Crow (@jimmmycrow) March 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--House Cleaners Are Out Of Work And Unprotected During The Coronavirus Outbreak

Lourdes Dobarganes , 54 , works for over a dozen families in the San Francisco Bay area as a house cleaner , babysitter and caretaker for seniors .
During the coronavirus pandemic and a regional order to “ shelter in place , ” all of her employers have told her not to come in to work .
Not a single one has offered to pay her in the meantime .
“ They left me without work , ” Dobarganes said , adding that the three families for whom she babysits now have parents working from home , and relatives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all over age 90 , have said the risk of infection is too high .
Those whose homes she cleans don ’ t want to risk contagion .
So she ’ s staying home , without pay .
Her daughter , who usually helps with money , is also out of work , because the restaurant she worked for moved to take-out only , in compliance with San Francisco ’ s “ shelter-in-place ” order .
She ’ s not alone .
Dobarganes is one of 2 million domestic workers across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homecare workers — who will likely face similar situations of being asked to not come in to work , as more and more districts close schools , companies mandate that employees work from home , and local governments enact stricter orders to keep residents apart to stem the spread of the virus .
What ’ s worse , for house cleaners who are still asked to come in to work , their duties could expose them to the virus , as they touch people ’ s clothes , change sheets , and wipe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m worried about not going to work and I ’ m worried about going to work , ” Betania Shephard , 33 , who cleans homes in Philadelphia , said in Spanish .
She cleans five family homes and nine apartments rented out as Airbnbs .
So far one family canceled an upcoming cleaning and she hasn ’ t heard yet from the others , who may do so as well .
Meanwhile , she ’ s scheduled to clean one of the rental apartments on Saturday .
“ If I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the month there ’ s bills to pay .
But when I go out , I ’ m worried , ” Shephard added , noting that many people who stay in Airbnbs are travelers who came from other areas .
“ The virus can stay in any place .
I ’ m running a risk — I touch things , I clean bathrooms .
It ’ s hard.
” House cleaners don ’ t have the option to work from home — and they also generally don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick leave .
Domestic workers have long been excluded from basic labor protections under federal and state laws , including rights like paid time off or pay for shifts that are canceled last-minute .
And as they often work for multiple employers for short amounts of time and may be paid in cash , it can be challenging for them to prove earnings to qualify for unemployment benefits .
Over 90 % of domestic workers in the U.S. are women , according to a 2012 national study of domestic workers .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 46 % were immigrants .
“ House cleaners ’ lives are at risk : They need to work , to pay their bills and rent , and feed their children , but the nature of domestic work requires them to be in someone else ’ s home , where they would be at risk for infection , ” said Mariana Viturro , deputy director at the National Domestic Workers Alliance .
“ Many house cleaners are facing an impossible choice : risk their income , or their health.
” A new NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in five U.S. workers lost jobs or had their hours reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic .
For people making less than $ 50,000 a year , that figure jumped to one in four .
The poll was conducted in mid-March , before San Francisco ’ s lockdown and other school and workplace closures around the country .
Unite Here , a union of hospitality workers in the U.S. — including cleaners in hotels , and those who work in food services and other industries — said Wednesday that they expect 80 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of work due to coronavirus .
She urged people to donate to NDWA ’ s fund for domestic workers affected by coronavirus , and said it was important for Congress to pass the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights , which enshrines things like paid sick leave , overtime and breaks for house cleaners and nannies .
Congress passed a coronavirus aid bill on Wednesday , which included paid sick leave for some workers .
Technically domestic workers in a “ formal employment relationship ” with an employer who pays employment taxes for them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Vicki Shabo , a policy expert on paid leave at New America , a think tank .
However , in practice , “ this would be difficult to enforce — and workers might not know their rights , ” she added .

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Lourdes Dobarganes, 54, works for over a dozen families in the San Francisco Bay area as a house cleaner, babysitter and caretaker for seniors. During the coronavirus pandemic and a regional order to “shelter in place,” all of her employers have told her not to come in to work. Not a single one has offered to pay her in the meantime.
“They left me without work,” Dobarganes said, adding that the three families for whom she babysits now have parents working from home, and relatives of the three elderly people she cares for, all over age 90, have said the risk of infection is too high. Those whose homes she cleans don’t want to risk contagion.
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So she’s staying home, without pay. Her daughter, who usually helps with money, is also out of work, because the restaurant she worked for moved to take-out only, in compliance with San Francisco’s “shelter-in-place” order.
“This situation is hard — I need to pay rent, pay food,” Dobarganes said in Spanish.
She’s not alone. Dobarganes is one of 2 million domestic workers across the country — house cleaners, nannies and homecare workers — who will likely face similar situations of being asked to not come in to work, as more and more districts close schools, companies mandate that employees work from home, and local governments enact stricter orders to keep residents apart to stem the spread of the virus.
What’s worse, for house cleaners who are still asked to come in to work, their duties could expose them to the virus, as they touch people’s clothes, change sheets, and wipe bathrooms and other surfaces.
“I’m worried about not going to work and I’m worried about going to work,” Betania Shephard, 33, who cleans homes in Philadelphia, said in Spanish. She cleans five family homes and nine apartments rented out as Airbnbs. So far one family canceled an upcoming cleaning and she hasn’t heard yet from the others, who may do so as well. Meanwhile, she’s scheduled to clean one of the rental apartments on Saturday.
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“If I don’t go to work, at the end of the month there’s bills to pay. But when I go out, I’m worried,” Shephard added, noting that many people who stay in Airbnbs are travelers who came from other areas. “The virus can stay in any place. I’m running a risk — I touch things, I clean bathrooms. It’s hard.”
House cleaners don’t have the option to work from home — and they also generally don’t have access to employer-provided health care or paid sick leave. Domestic workers have long been excluded from basic labor protections under federal and state laws, including rights like paid time off or pay for shifts that are canceled last-minute. And as they often work for multiple employers for short amounts of time and may be paid in cash, it can be challenging for them to prove earnings to qualify for unemployment benefits.
Over 90% of domestic workers in the U.S. are women, according to a 2012 national study of domestic workers. More than half of them were women of color and 46% were immigrants.
“House cleaners’ lives are at risk: They need to work, to pay their bills and rent, and feed their children, but the nature of domestic work requires them to be in someone else’s home, where they would be at risk for infection,” said Mariana Viturro, deputy director at the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “Many house cleaners are facing an impossible choice: risk their income, or their health.”
The best way to slow the spread of #Coronavirus: ensure that everyone has the ability to stay home. The Coronavirus Care Fund will provide assistance for home care workers, nannies, and house cleaners, and enable them to stay home and healthy. Donate now: https://t.co/EuZnHCX5LM pic.twitter.com/65O5Wgi6R8 — Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) March 18, 2020
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As of Wednesday, there were over 100 people reported dead from COVID-19 in the U.S., with over 7,000 cases across all 50 states.
A new NPR and PBS poll found that nearly one in five U.S. workers lost jobs or had their hours reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic. For people making less than $50,000 a year, that figure jumped to one in four. The poll was conducted in mid-March, before San Francisco’s lockdown and other school and workplace closures around the country.
Unite Here, a union of hospitality workers in the U.S. — including cleaners in hotels, and those who work in food services and other industries — said Wednesday that they expect 80 to 90% of members to be out of work due to coronavirus.
“In this moment I have nothing to protect me,” Shephard said. “If I don’t work, I don’t get paid.”
Dobarganes said she’s also been “psychologically affected” over the past weeks. “I feel panic, I feel afraid. And for the people I take care of, too,” Dobarganes added, in tears.
Shephard said employers should provide house cleaners with pay when they’re forced to take time off, or with protective gear, like masks and gloves, to be able to work more safely.
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She urged people to donate to NDWA’s fund for domestic workers affected by coronavirus, and said it was important for Congress to pass the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, which enshrines things like paid sick leave, overtime and breaks for house cleaners and nannies.
Congress passed a coronavirus aid bill on Wednesday, which included paid sick leave for some workers. Technically domestic workers in a “formal employment relationship” with an employer who pays employment taxes for them would be included under the bill, according to Vicki Shabo, a policy expert on paid leave at New America, a think tank. However, in practice, “this would be difficult to enforce — and workers might not know their rights,” she added.
“It’s stressful, it’s exasperating,” Dobarganes said of her and other cleaners’ situations now, adding that domestic workers are “unprotected” and “don’t have rights.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--Yes, Viruses Used To Be Named After Places. Here's Why They Aren't Anymore.

Despite repeated advice from the medical community that naming diseases after their place of origin has no benefit and actually causes harm , President Donald Trump and some conservative media figures continue to use the phrase “ Chinese Virus ” to describe the new coronavirus .
In 2015 , the World Health Organization issued new guidelines for naming new infectious diseases in humans .
The guidelines are meant to “ minimize unnecessary negative effects on nations , economies and people.
” The best practice for naming diseases , WHO states , should consist of generic terms that describe the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pathogen that causes the disease is known , it should be part of the disease name .
Nonetheless , President Donald Trump ― spurred on by Fox News hosts including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham , who have been attacking China ’ s role in the outbreak for weeks ― adopted the harmful terminology in a tweet .
Spanish Flu .
West Nile Virus .
Zika .
Ebola .
All named for places .
Before the media ’ s fake outrage , even CNN called it “ Chinese Coronavirus.
” Those trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis .
— The White House ( @ WhiteHouse ) March 18 , 2020 But historians , the medical community and advocacy organizations have since found that these names have adverse effects , and in some cases , are also inaccurate .
The Spanish flu , for instance , did not originate in Spain .
Major countries involved in World War I sought to avoid panic and suppressed reports of the outbreak .
However , Spain , which remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censorship , reported the pandemic early , creating a false impression that the nation bore the brunt of the outbreak .
Medical community experts have abandoned other naming conventions for similar reasons .
WHO says disease names should avoid geographic locations , people ’ s names , species of animal or food , and other references that could incite fear or place blame .
John Yang , the president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice , explained to HuffPost that rhetoric like the president ’ s needlessly stigmatizes entire communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ already facing greater violence and hate linked to the COVID-19 outbreak .
While naming a virus based on the location of its first reported case or original epicenter might have been the norm in the past , Yang said , the practice now goes against clear guidelines designed to minimize harm .
“ We all know that language evolves , ” Yang said .
“ What may have been an appropriate term in the past doesn ’ t make it appropriate now.
” As an example , Yang cited old naming conventions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the practice was dropped in 1978 when the meteorological community caved to pressure .
“ We all recognized at a certain point that that was sexist and silly , so we don ’ t do it now , ” Yang said .
Asked about Trump ’ s use of the term “ Chinese Virus , ” Dr. Mike Ryan , the executive director of WHO ’ s emergency program , said at a press conference on Wednesday that it was something everyone should avoid .
“ It ’ s been very clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no borders , and they don ’ t care about your ethnicity or the color of your skin , ” he said .
“ We didn ’ t call it the North American flu , so it ’ s very important that we have the same approach when it comes to other viruses , ” Ryan said .

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Despite repeated advice from the medical community that naming diseases after their place of origin has no benefit and actually causes harm, President Donald Trump and some conservative media figures continue to use the phrase “Chinese Virus” to describe the new coronavirus.
In 2015, the World Health Organization issued new guidelines for naming new infectious diseases in humans. The guidelines are meant to “minimize unnecessary negative effects on nations, economies and people.”
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The best practice for naming diseases, WHO states, should consist of generic terms that describe the disease’s symptoms, or, if the pathogen that causes the disease is known, it should be part of the disease name.
Nonetheless, President Donald Trump ― spurred on by Fox News hosts including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, who have been attacking China’s role in the outbreak for weeks ― adopted the harmful terminology in a tweet.
On Wednesday, following a huge backlash, the White House tweeted a defense:
Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places.
Before the media’s fake outrage, even CNN called it “Chinese Coronavirus.”
Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis. — The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2020
But historians, the medical community and advocacy organizations have since found that these names have adverse effects, and in some cases, are also inaccurate.
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The Spanish flu, for instance, did not originate in Spain. Major countries involved in World War I sought to avoid panic and suppressed reports of the outbreak. However, Spain, which remained neutral and was not subject to wartime censorship, reported the pandemic early, creating a false impression that the nation bore the brunt of the outbreak.
Medical community experts have abandoned other naming conventions for similar reasons. WHO says disease names should avoid geographic locations, people’s names, species of animal or food, and other references that could incite fear or place blame.
John Yang, the president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, explained to HuffPost that rhetoric like the president’s needlessly stigmatizes entire communities. Asian Americans, for example, are already facing greater violence and hate linked to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Citing data recorded from AAAJ’s reporting tool for hate incidents, Yang noted a “definite significant increase” in incidents “directly attributable to COVID-19.”
While naming a virus based on the location of its first reported case or original epicenter might have been the norm in the past, Yang said, the practice now goes against clear guidelines designed to minimize harm.
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“We all know that language evolves,” Yang said. “What may have been an appropriate term in the past doesn’t make it appropriate now.”
As an example, Yang cited old naming conventions for hurricanes, which received exclusively female names until the practice was dropped in 1978 when the meteorological community caved to pressure.
“We all recognized at a certain point that that was sexist and silly, so we don’t do it now,” Yang said.
Asked about Trump’s use of the term “Chinese Virus,” Dr. Mike Ryan, the executive director of WHO’s emergency program, said at a press conference on Wednesday that it was something everyone should avoid.
“It’s been very clear since the beginning that the viruses know no borders, and they don’t care about your ethnicity or the color of your skin,” he said.
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He noted that the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic (referred to as “swine flu” early on) originated in North America.
“We didn’t call it the North American flu, so it’s very important that we have the same approach when it comes to other viruses,” Ryan said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart Is First Member Of Congress To Test Positive For Coronavirus

Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart ( R-Fla. ) and Ben McAdams ( D-Utah ) both announced Wednesday that they have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
Hours later , Rep. Steve Scalise ( R-La . )
reported he was in self-quarantine .
In a statement , Diaz-Balart said he had developed symptoms of illness , including a high fever and headache , on Saturday .
On Wednesday , the Republican congressman was told he had tested positive for coronavirus .
“ I ’ m feeling much better , ” Diaz-Balart tweeted , urging people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal health guidelines to avoid spreading the virus .
Though he has been self-quarantined for several days , he was on the floor of the House voting on Friday , where he presumably came in contact with other lawmakers .
I 'm feeling much better .
However , it 's important that everyone take this seriously and follow @ CDCgov guidelines in order to avoid getting sick & mitigate the spread of this virus .
We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times .
pic.twitter.com/g5W5vSQIyH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 18 , 2020 Later Wednesday , McAdams said he ’ d also tested positive for coronavirus .
The Utah Democrat said he ’ d developed “ mild , cold-like ” symptoms Saturday after returning from Washington , D.C .
He then quarantined himself at home starting Sunday .
On Wednesday , he got his positive test results .
Scalise said Wednesday night that he is self-quarantining “ out of an abundance of caution ” because he had an “ extended meeting ” with Diaz-Balart late last week .
“ Fortunately , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue working remotely on Congress ’ Coronavirus response , and will remain in close contact with the Trump administration ’ s Coronavirus task force , my colleagues in Congress , as well as local officials and health professionals in Louisiana to ensure that swift action to address the crisis continues , ” Scalise said in a statement .
Earlier this month , several Republican members of Congress self-quarantined after interacting with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference who later tested positive for coronavirus .
President Donald Trump ’ s doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative for the virus after he came into contact with Fabio Wajngarten , an aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who was later diagnosed with COVID-19 .
As of Wednesday , there were over 100 reported fatalities from COVID-19 in the U.S. , with more than 7,000 cases diagnosed across all 50 states .
This article has been updated with Rep. Steve Scalise announcing he is in self-quarantine .

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Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Ben McAdams (D-Utah) both announced Wednesday that they have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Hours later, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) reported he was in self-quarantine.
In a statement, Diaz-Balart said he had developed symptoms of illness, including a high fever and headache, on Saturday. On Wednesday, the Republican congressman was told he had tested positive for coronavirus.
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“I’m feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart tweeted, urging people to “take this seriously” and follow federal health guidelines to avoid spreading the virus.
Though he has been self-quarantined for several days, he was on the floor of the House voting on Friday, where he presumably came in contact with other lawmakers.
I'm feeling much better. However, it's important that everyone take this seriously and follow @CDCgov guidelines in order to avoid getting sick & mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times. pic.twitter.com/g5W5vSQIyH — Mario Diaz-Balart (@MarioDB) March 18, 2020
Later Wednesday, McAdams said he’d also tested positive for coronavirus. The Utah Democrat said he’d developed “mild, cold-like” symptoms Saturday after returning from Washington, D.C. He then quarantined himself at home starting Sunday. On Wednesday, he got his positive test results.
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He, too, urged people to “take this seriously” and follow health officials’ recommendations.
Please read my statement on contracting #COVID19. I have self-quarantined since first having symptoms and consulted with my doctor. #utpol pic.twitter.com/upx4NcTvF8 — Rep. Ben McAdams (@RepBenMcAdams) March 19, 2020
Scalise said Wednesday night that he is self-quarantining “out of an abundance of caution” because he had an “extended meeting” with Diaz-Balart late last week.
“Fortunately, I am not experiencing any symptoms, and will continue working remotely on Congress’ Coronavirus response, and will remain in close contact with the Trump administration’s Coronavirus task force, my colleagues in Congress, as well as local officials and health professionals in Louisiana to ensure that swift action to address the crisis continues,” Scalise said in a statement.
My full statement regarding the news that a Republican Member of Congress tested positive for COVID-19: pic.twitter.com/veNSVuTuLW — Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 19, 2020
Earlier this month, several Republican members of Congress self-quarantined after interacting with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference who later tested positive for coronavirus.
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President Donald Trump’s doctor said Saturday that the president had tested negative for the virus after he came into contact with Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who was later diagnosed with COVID-19.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--White Evangelicals Largely Approve Of How Trump Is Handling The Coronavirus Outbreak

About 7 in 10 white evangelical Christians approve of the way Trump is handling issues related to the coronavirus outbreak , including 52 % who strongly approve of his performance , according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted over the weekend .
Seventy percent of white evangelicals also approve of the way the U.S. government is managing the outbreak .
Only 47 % of all respondents surveyed said the same .
The data suggests that the president ’ s most loyal religious supporters are standing by their man despite reports of infighting and indecision at the White House as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to downplay the threat of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
Since January , he has lied repeatedly about the severity of the threat and about the U.S. government ’ s ability to handle an outbreak ― at one point claiming that criticism of his coronavirus strategy was a hoax concocted by Democrats to undermine his presidency .
But Trump ’ s approach to the virus has changed in recent days , as he has announced new measures to curb the spread of the pandemic and boost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign events in light of the virus .
White evangelicals are on the same page as all Americans about the need to cancel large events such as conferences or political rallies due to the coronavirus .
Seventy percent of white evangelicals said these cancellations were the right decision , which is about the same percentage as all respondents .
A 61 % majority of white evangelicals said the U.S. government has a responsibility to provide free coronavirus testing for any Americans who might have the virus ― that ’ s 11 percentage points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roughly half ( 48 % ) of white evangelicals said the government has a responsibility to provide free medical treatment for confirmed cases , 14 points lower than the result among all Americans .
White evangelicals ’ views on these two questions aligned quite closely to those of Republican respondents ― which makes sense since most white evangelicals lean Republican .
However , there are some key differences .
For example , Republicans are about 18 points likelier than white evangelicals to say they approve of Trump ’ s handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than white evangelicals to say that they are at least somewhat confident that the U.S. government ’ s statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate ( 82 % vs. 67 % ) .
Looking at the bigger picture , about 46 % of all respondents said they ’ re confident that the government ’ s statements about the virus are reliable and accurate , while 41 % said they ’ re not very or not all confident .
Partisan disagreements about government preparedness during disease outbreaks are nothing new .
During President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that Republicans were far less confident than Democrats in the federal government ’ s ability to respond effectively to Ebola in 2014 .
And when President George W. Bush was in charge , the opposite was true during a potential avian influenza outbreak in 2006 .
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted March 13-15 among U.S. adults , using a sample selected from YouGov ’ s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population .
The poll included a subgroup of 211 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christians , the majority of whom identified as Protestants .
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls .
You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate .
Click here for a more detailed explanation of the model-based margin of error .

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Even when faced with plague and pestilence, white evangelicals are placing their hopes in President Donald Trump.
About 7 in 10 white evangelical Christians approve of the way Trump is handling issues related to the coronavirus outbreak, including 52% who strongly approve of his performance, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted over the weekend.
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In contrast, only 45% of all American adults surveyed said they strongly or somewhat approve of how Trump is handling the outbreak.
Seventy percent of white evangelicals also approve of the way the U.S. government is managing the outbreak. Only 47% of all respondents surveyed said the same.
The data suggests that the president’s most loyal religious supporters are standing by their man despite reports of infighting and indecision at the White House as the pandemic unfolded.
Until recently, Trump sought to downplay the threat of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Since January, he has lied repeatedly about the severity of the threat and about the U.S. government’s ability to handle an outbreak ― at one point claiming that criticism of his coronavirus strategy was a hoax concocted by Democrats to undermine his presidency.
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But Trump’s approach to the virus has changed in recent days, as he has announced new measures to curb the spread of the pandemic and boost the economy. The president has also canceled campaign events in light of the virus.
This chart shows the responses of white evangelical or born-again Christians to one question on a HuffPost/YouGov poll. HuffPost
White evangelicals are on the same page as all Americans about the need to cancel large events such as conferences or political rallies due to the coronavirus. Seventy percent of white evangelicals said these cancellations were the right decision, which is about the same percentage as all respondents.
A 61% majority of white evangelicals said the U.S. government has a responsibility to provide free coronavirus testing for any Americans who might have the virus ― that’s 11 percentage points lower than the public as a whole. Roughly half (48%) of white evangelicals said the government has a responsibility to provide free medical treatment for confirmed cases, 14 points lower than the result among all Americans. White evangelicals’ views on these two questions aligned quite closely to those of Republican respondents ― which makes sense since most white evangelicals lean Republican.
However, there are some key differences. For example, Republicans are about 18 points likelier than white evangelicals to say they approve of Trump’s handling of the outbreak. Republicans are also more likely than white evangelicals to say that they are at least somewhat confident that the U.S. government’s statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate (82% vs. 67%). Looking at the bigger picture, about 46% of all respondents said they’re confident that the government’s statements about the virus are reliable and accurate, while 41% said they’re not very or not all confident.
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President Donald Trump meets with representatives of nurses organizations to discuss the coronavirus response at the White House on March 18, 2020. Leah Millis / Reuters
Partisan disagreements about government preparedness during disease outbreaks are nothing new. During President Barack Obama’s presidency, surveys suggested that Republicans were far less confident than Democrats in the federal government’s ability to respond effectively to Ebola in 2014. And when President George W. Bush was in charge, the opposite was true during a potential avian influenza outbreak in 2006.
This week, many of Trump’s closest evangelical allies tweeted to thank the president for designating Sunday as a national day of prayer.
Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, praised Trump for reminding the country to turn to God for strength and protection in difficult times.
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The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted March 13-15 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population. The poll included a subgroup of 211 white respondents who described themselves as evangelical Christians, the majority of whom identified as Protestants.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--Not Even A Pandemic Can Stop Trump From Pushing Fossil Fuels

During the partial government shutdown that started in December 2018 and became the longest in U.S. history , the fossil fuel-friendly Trump administration plowed ahead with its “ energy dominance ” agenda .
As about 800,000 federal workers went without paychecks , the Interior Department worked to boost oil and gas development in the Alaskan Arctic , processed fossil fuel drilling applications and permits , and even brought back dozens of furloughed employees to ensure offshore drilling activities continued .
The administration is considering bailing out the oil and gas industry , which has been hit hard by an overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a drop in global demand due to the coronavirus .
That relief is expected to include the Department of Energy purchasing 77 million barrels of crude oil from U.S. producers , enough to fill the nation ’ s emergency reserve to capacity , at a cost of $ 2.5 billion .
The Interior Department is also moving forward with fossil fuel lease sales , as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management offered up a sweeping 78 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for bidders on Wednesday despite environmental groups ’ calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
John Filostrat , a spokesman for the bureau , said the event was “ live-streamed with only a handful of BOEM workers , ” with bids submitted either by mail or in person at the bureau ’ s New Orleans office .
That amounts to roughly half the previous lease sale , which took place last August , and marked the first time since region-wide sales began in 2017 that total bidding failed to surpass $ 100 million .
It ’ s a sign that oil prices are too low for anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said an analyst for energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie .
“ With the recent drop in oil price , it came as no surprise that the bidding dollar amount was significantly lower , ” said Mfon Usoro , a senior research analyst covering the Gulf of Mexico for Wood Mackenzie .
“ We think more lease sales are still in the cards , but higher oil prices will be required for bid amounts to climb back to historical norms.
” Indeed , the sale came the same day the price of oil plummeted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with West Texas Intermediate , the primary U.S. benchmark for crude , falling to $ 22.90 per barrel on Wednesday , a 15 % plunge and the cheapest price since 2002 .
Brent crude , the global gauge for oil prices , dropped 9 % to $ 26.16 per barrel .
At those prices , it ’ s nearly impossible for many U.S. fracking companies , responsible for the majority of the country ’ s oil production , according to the Energy Information Administration , to pay back steep debts , prompting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out drillers .
But analysts told HuffPost last week to expect a wave of bankruptcies of smaller producers that could lead to consolidation within the industry as oil majors , the companies that almost exclusively had the capital to bid in Wednesday ’ s auction , buy up troubled rivals .
Plunging prices and mergers aren ’ t the only things that could cost big oil companies in the near term .
Almost immediately after Wednesday ’ s auction took place , the legal challenges began .
Earthjustice filed a lawsuit Wednesday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal judge to block the Gulf of Mexico lease sale on the grounds that it violated the law by failing to fully analyze the risks new drilling posed to the public .
Brettny Hardy , an attorney for Earthjustice , called it the latest example of the administration “ putting profits before the health and safety of people and the planet.
” “ Most of BLM ’ s oil and gas lease sales are run entirely via an online platform ( only Alaska does in-person sales , and those are not scheduled until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned at this time , ” BLM spokesman Greg Fuhs told E & E News on Tuesday .
Kate Kelly , public lands director at the left-leaning Center for American Progress , was among those who expressed outrage over the administration ’ s actions .
“ It ’ s both tone-deaf and fleecing taxpayers to be holding lease sales during a public health crisis , ” she told HuffPost .
The Coalition to Protect America ’ s National Parks , an organization representing current and former parks employees , also called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gas auctions , as well as public comment periods and major policy proposals .
“ There are huge implications and consequences surrounding proposed policy changes and lease sales , ” Phil Francis , the coalition ’ s chair , said in a statement .
“ These actions should be given full and deliberate consideration , not rushed through at a time when we should be focused on the health and safety of the American people.
” The Interior Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s question about whether oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission critical ” services .
But in an email statement , an agency spokesperson said that “ the health and safety of the public and our employees is our highest priority .
”

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During the partial government shutdown that started in December 2018 and became the longest in U.S. history, the fossil fuel-friendly Trump administration plowed ahead with its “energy dominance” agenda. As about 800,000 federal workers went without paychecks, the Interior Department worked to boost oil and gas development in the Alaskan Arctic, processed fossil fuel drilling applications and permits, and even brought back dozens of furloughed employees to ensure offshore drilling activities continued.
Now, amid a global coronavirus pandemic that has upended daily life and slashed oil prices, Trump and his team have once again prioritized fossil fuel production.
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The administration is considering bailing out the oil and gas industry, which has been hit hard by an overseas price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia and a drop in global demand due to the coronavirus. That relief is expected to include the Department of Energy purchasing 77 million barrels of crude oil from U.S. producers, enough to fill the nation’s emergency reserve to capacity, at a cost of $2.5 billion.
President Trump says he has instructed the secretary of energy to buy "large quantities" of crude oil for strategic reserve during the coronavirus response https://t.co/FIAmzRAAku pic.twitter.com/fopP207MiW — CBS News (@CBSNews) March 13, 2020
The Interior Department is also moving forward with fossil fuel lease sales, as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management offered up a sweeping 78 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for bidders on Wednesday despite environmental groups’ calls to halt the sales during the pandemic. John Filostrat, a spokesman for the bureau, said the event was “live-streamed with only a handful of BOEM workers,” with bids submitted either by mail or in person at the bureau’s New Orleans office.
Wednesday’s auction yielded about $93 million for just shy of 400,000 acres ― the “lowest total for any U.S. offshore auction since 2016,” according to Reuters. Twenty-two companies participated in the sale.
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That amounts to roughly half the previous lease sale, which took place last August, and marked the first time since region-wide sales began in 2017 that total bidding failed to surpass $100 million. It’s a sign that oil prices are too low for anyone but industry behemoths to make offers, said an analyst for energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie.
“With the recent drop in oil price, it came as no surprise that the bidding dollar amount was significantly lower,” said Mfon Usoro, a senior research analyst covering the Gulf of Mexico for Wood Mackenzie. “We think more lease sales are still in the cards, but higher oil prices will be required for bid amounts to climb back to historical norms.”
Indeed, the sale came the same day the price of oil plummeted to its lowest level in 18 years, with West Texas Intermediate, the primary U.S. benchmark for crude, falling to $22.90 per barrel on Wednesday, a 15% plunge and the cheapest price since 2002. Brent crude, the global gauge for oil prices, dropped 9% to $26.16 per barrel. At those prices, it’s nearly impossible for many U.S. fracking companies, responsible for the majority of the country’s oil production, according to the Energy Information Administration, to pay back steep debts, prompting the Trump administration to consider measures to bail out drillers.
But analysts told HuffPost last week to expect a wave of bankruptcies of smaller producers that could lead to consolidation within the industry as oil majors, the companies that almost exclusively had the capital to bid in Wednesday’s auction, buy up troubled rivals.
Pump jacks draw crude oil from the Long Beach Oil Field near Signal Hill, California. DAVID MCNEW via Getty Images
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Plunging prices and mergers aren’t the only things that could cost big oil companies in the near term. Almost immediately after Wednesday’s auction took place, the legal challenges began. Earthjustice filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of several environmental groups asking a federal judge to block the Gulf of Mexico lease sale on the grounds that it violated the law by failing to fully analyze the risks new drilling posed to the public. Brettny Hardy, an attorney for Earthjustice, called it the latest example of the administration “putting profits before the health and safety of people and the planet.”
Onshore, the Bureau of Land Management is scheduled to hold oil and gas auctions this month in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada.
“Most of BLM’s oil and gas lease sales are run entirely via an online platform (only Alaska does in-person sales, and those are not scheduled until November), so no postponement is planned at this time,” BLM spokesman Greg Fuhs told E&E News on Tuesday.
Kate Kelly, public lands director at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, was among those who expressed outrage over the administration’s actions. “It’s both tone-deaf and fleecing taxpayers to be holding lease sales during a public health crisis,” she told HuffPost.
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, an organization representing current and former parks employees, also called on the Department of the Interior to halt oil and gas auctions, as well as public comment periods and major policy proposals.
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“There are huge implications and consequences surrounding proposed policy changes and lease sales,” Phil Francis, the coalition’s chair, said in a statement. “These actions should be given full and deliberate consideration, not rushed through at a time when we should be focused on the health and safety of the American people.”
The Interior Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s question about whether oil and gas operations have been identified as “mission critical” services. But in an email statement, an agency spokesperson said that “the health and safety of the public and our employees is our highest priority.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-18--Trump Signs Coronavirus Aid Bill

Trump Signs Coronavirus Aid Bill

WASHINGTON ― After some changes that watered down its paid sick leave provisions over the weekend , a bipartisan bill offering financial relief to vulnerable Americans affected by the coronavirus was passed by the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump on Wednesday .
“ The Act makes emergency supplemental appropriations and other changes to law to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak , ” Trump said in a statement .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) called the measure “ well-intentioned ” and urged its passage on Wednesday .
But he said it had some “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid sick leave mandates for small business .
He pledged not to adjourn the Senate until it approves a broader bill to shore up the economy , rescue industries hit hard by the crisis , and put money directly into the hands of people who are suffering .
The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation early Saturday after changing it significantly over the weekend because of opposition by the White House and business groups to the bill ’ s paid leave provisions .
Democrats said the changes were needed to secure bipartisan support and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passage in the Republican-controlled Senate .
The bill now provides only 10 days of sick leave to workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
It offers paid family leave , but only to parents who are home with kids due to school closure .
The bill also includes carve-outs for many businesses , too .
Companies with more than 500 employees are exempt from the bill ’ s paid leave provisions .
Companies with fewer than 50 workers can apply for hardship relief and get out of providing both sick and family leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price tag of the bill ― its paid leave provisions alone are estimated to cost $ 100 billion .
They also worried that mandating paid leave could bankrupt businesses , noting that many employers are already cutting jobs amid anemic demand as the economy hits a standstill .
“ My counsel is to gag and vote for it anyway , ” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the misgivings in his caucus , urging critics to focus on addressing them in the next bailout bill .
Apart from its paid leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus more widely available and expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of the virus .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said she planned on pushing for more paid sick leave guarantees in coming negotiations with Republicans over a larger bailout package , something that is expected to take place this week .
“ The Democratic House will continue to make clear to the Administration that any emergency response package must put Families First before any aid to corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement on Tuesday .
One idea gaining traction on Capitol Hill is simply sending Americans cash to deal with the economic downturn sparked by the epidemic .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave the idea a boost on Tuesday while he announced the Trump administration was seeking at least $ 850 billion in funding from Congress to address the crisis , including aid to prop up struggling hospitality and airline industries .
“ We ’ re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately ... and I mean now , in the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference at the White House .

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WASHINGTON ― After some changes that watered down its paid sick leave provisions over the weekend, a bipartisan bill offering financial relief to vulnerable Americans affected by the coronavirus was passed by the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump on Wednesday.
Forty-five Republicans joined all Democrats in voting to send the measure to his desk.
“The Act makes emergency supplemental appropriations and other changes to law to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak,” Trump said in a statement.
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The bill will make coronavirus testing free, expand unemployment insurance benefits, give paid leave to some displaced workers, and increase spending on Medicaid, food stamps and nutrition assistance.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the measure “well-intentioned” and urged its passage on Wednesday. But he said it had some “real shortcomings,” pointing to its paid sick leave mandates for small business. He pledged not to adjourn the Senate until it approves a broader bill to shore up the economy, rescue industries hit hard by the crisis, and put money directly into the hands of people who are suffering.
“The Senate is not going to leave small business behind,” McConnell said in a floor speech on Wednesday.
The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation early Saturday after changing it significantly over the weekend because of opposition by the White House and business groups to the bill’s paid leave provisions. Democrats said the changes were needed to secure bipartisan support and increase the bill’s chances of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate.
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The bill now provides only 10 days of sick leave to workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It offers paid family leave, but only to parents who are home with kids due to school closure. The bill also includes carve-outs for many businesses, too. Companies with more than 500 employees are exempt from the bill’s paid leave provisions. Companies with fewer than 50 workers can apply for hardship relief and get out of providing both sick and family leave.
Senate Republicans expressed concern about the price tag of the bill ― its paid leave provisions alone are estimated to cost $100 billion. They also worried that mandating paid leave could bankrupt businesses, noting that many employers are already cutting jobs amid anemic demand as the economy hits a standstill.
“My counsel is to gag and vote for it anyway,” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the misgivings in his caucus, urging critics to focus on addressing them in the next bailout bill.
Apart from its paid leave provisions, the bill will make testing for the coronavirus more widely available and expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of the virus.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she planned on pushing for more paid sick leave guarantees in coming negotiations with Republicans over a larger bailout package, something that is expected to take place this week.
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“The Democratic House will continue to make clear to the Administration that any emergency response package must put Families First before any aid to corporate America is considered,” Pelosi said in a statement on Tuesday.
One idea gaining traction on Capitol Hill is simply sending Americans cash to deal with the economic downturn sparked by the epidemic. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave the idea a boost on Tuesday while he announced the Trump administration was seeking at least $850 billion in funding from Congress to address the crisis, including aid to prop up struggling hospitality and airline industries.
“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately ... and I mean now, in the next two weeks,” Mnuchin said at a press conference at the White House.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--At Least 2 GOP Senators Dumped Millions In Stock After Coronavirus Briefings

At least two Republican senators sold hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in stock shortly after Congress began receiving regular briefings about the outbreak of coronavirus spreading around the globe , according to several reports and reviews of financial disclosures .
ProPublica first reported Thursday that Sen. Richard Burr ( R-N.C. ) , the chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee , offloaded between $ 628,000 and $ 1.72 million worth of holdings in 33 transactions on Feb. 13 , shortly after he publicly assured Americans the government was prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week after the sales , the stock market began to precipitously fall , erasing about 30 % of its value .
Just hours later , the Daily Beast first reported that Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) began selling stocks jointly owned with her husband on Jan. 24 , the day the Senate Health Committee held a private , all-chamber briefing from top American officials about COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
In a series of 29 transactions ending in mid-February , documented in Senate financial disclosures , Loeffler and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3,100,000 in stock .
The Georgia senator also made two purchases , including one in a company that owns teleworking software , the Beast noted .
Loeffler ’ s husband is Jeffrey Sprecher , the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange .
The pair are worth an estimated $ 500 million .
Two other senators made major stock sales around the same time : Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) and James Inhofe ( R-Okla. ) .
Feinstein ’ s office told The New York Times the lawmaker ’ s assets are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has “ no involvement ” in the sales .
Selling stock before a market crash can insulate stockholders from any potential losses .
It ’ s against the law for lawmakers to use non-public information to influence financial decisions .
Burr ’ s office has pushed back against ProPublica ’ s reporting — which is also based on public financial disclosures required by law ― saying the forms were filed “ several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the growing coronavirus outbreak.
” “ As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy , ” an aide said in a statement Thursday .
“ Investment decisions are made by multiple third-party advisors without my or my husband ’ s knowledge or involvement , ” she added in a post on Twitter .
“ As confirmed in the periodic transaction report to Senate Ethics , I was informed of these purchases and sales on February 16 , 2020 — three weeks after they were made.
” On Feb. 28 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial threat the spread of the virus posed to America , writing that Democrats had “ dangerously and intentionally misled the American people ” about the country ’ s preparedness for the outbreak .
Loeffler was appointed to the Senate in December by Gov .
Brian Kemp to fill a vacated seat .
She is up for reelection later this year .

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At least two Republican senators sold hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in stock shortly after Congress began receiving regular briefings about the outbreak of coronavirus spreading around the globe, according to several reports and reviews of financial disclosures.
ProPublica first reported Thursday that Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, offloaded between $628,000 and $1.72 million worth of holdings in 33 transactions on Feb. 13, shortly after he publicly assured Americans the government was prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus that has since been declared a pandemic. A week after the sales, the stock market began to precipitously fall, erasing about 30% of its value.
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Just hours later, the Daily Beast first reported that Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) began selling stocks jointly owned with her husband on Jan. 24, the day the Senate Health Committee held a private, all-chamber briefing from top American officials about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In a series of 29 transactions ending in mid-February, documented in Senate financial disclosures, Loeffler and her husband sold between $1,275,000 and $3,100,000 in stock.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) reportedly sold hundreds of thousands in stock shortly after Congress began receiving regular briefings about the outbreak of coronavirus. Getty Images
The Georgia senator also made two purchases, including one in a company that owns teleworking software, the Beast noted. Loeffler’s husband is Jeffrey Sprecher, the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. The pair are worth an estimated $500 million.
Two other senators made major stock sales around the same time: Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.). Feinstein’s office told The New York Times the lawmaker’s assets are held in a blind trust and she has “no involvement” in the sales.
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Selling stock before a market crash can insulate stockholders from any potential losses. It’s against the law for lawmakers to use non-public information to influence financial decisions.
Burr’s office has pushed back against ProPublica’s reporting — which is also based on public financial disclosures required by law ― saying the forms were filed “several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the growing coronavirus outbreak.”
“As the situation continues to evolve daily, he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy,” an aide said in a statement Thursday.
Early Friday, Loeffler called reports about the sales a “ridiculous and baseless attack”:
This is a ridiculous and baseless attack. I do not make investment decisions for my portfolio. Investment decisions are made by multiple third-party advisors without my or my husband's knowledge or involvement. — Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) March 20, 2020
“Investment decisions are made by multiple third-party advisors without my or my husband’s knowledge or involvement,” she added in a post on Twitter. “As confirmed in the periodic transaction report to Senate Ethics, I was informed of these purchases and sales on February 16, 2020 — three weeks after they were made.”
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On Feb. 28, Loeffler moved to downplay the health and financial threat the spread of the virus posed to America, writing that Democrats had “dangerously and intentionally misled the American people” about the country’s preparedness for the outbreak.
“Here’s the truth: @realDonaldTrump & his administration are doing a great job working to keep Americans healthy & safe,” she wrote at the time.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--California Governor Announces Statewide Order To Stay At Home

California , which is home to approximately 40 million people , will be the first state in the nation under such an order .
The policy , aimed at curbing the rate of infection , goes into effect Thursday evening .
“ We are confident that the people in the state of California will abide by it , ” Newsom said in a Thursday news conference .
Under the stay at home , or “ shelter-in-place , ” policy , Californians are permitted to leave their residences for errands such as going to the grocery store or picking up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses deemed essential are also permitted to work outside the home .
And residents are still permitted to go for walks outside , so long as they practice safe social distancing .
The specific rules for Californians can be found here .
There is no set end date for the policy .
Newsom said he doesn ’ t plan to use law enforcement to regulate the policy but urged Californians to use their “ common sense ” and self-regulate .
“ We will have social pressure that will encourage people to do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As of Thursday , California had more than 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus , and at least 19 people had died of COVID-19 .
Newsom said the stay-at-home policy comes as the current rate of infection is threatening to overwhelm the state ’ s hospital resources .
He noted the current trajectory shows the state will soon be short 10,000 hospital beds .
“ If we meet this moment , we can truly bend the curve , ” Newsom said .
“ Home isolation is not my preferred choice , I know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a necessary one.
” In a Thursday letter to President Donald Trump , Newsom requested further federal assistance as the state deals with the growing pandemic .
Newsom wrote that the state projected 56 % of Californians ( or 25.5 million people ) could become infected in a worst-case scenario , not accounting for the mitigation strategies already underway .
“ The numbers we put out today assume we ’ re just along for the ride , ” he said .
“ We ’ re not .
We want to manipulate those numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order is all about.
” The governor has implemented several other policies aimed at mitigating the damage of the coronavirus pandemic , including allocating as much as $ 1 billion in state emergency funds to address the outbreak and authorizing local governments to stop evictions as employment drops .

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a statewide order on Thursday mandating that Californians stay at home except for essential work and errands due to the coronavirus pandemic.
California, which is home to approximately 40 million people, will be the first state in the nation under such an order. The policy, aimed at curbing the rate of infection, goes into effect Thursday evening.
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“We are confident that the people in the state of California will abide by it,” Newsom said in a Thursday news conference.
Under the stay at home, or “shelter-in-place,” policy, Californians are permitted to leave their residences for errands such as going to the grocery store or picking up a prescription at a pharmacy. Employees of businesses deemed essential are also permitted to work outside the home. And residents are still permitted to go for walks outside, so long as they practice safe social distancing.
The specific rules for Californians can be found here. There is no set end date for the policy.
Newsom said he doesn’t plan to use law enforcement to regulate the policy but urged Californians to use their “common sense” and self-regulate.
“We will have social pressure that will encourage people to do the right thing,” he said.
As of Thursday, California had more than 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and at least 19 people had died of COVID-19.
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Newsom said the stay-at-home policy comes as the current rate of infection is threatening to overwhelm the state’s hospital resources. He noted the current trajectory shows the state will soon be short 10,000 hospital beds.
“If we meet this moment, we can truly bend the curve,” Newsom said. “Home isolation is not my preferred choice, I know it is not yours, but it is a necessary one.”
Several counties in the state, including most of the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, adopted similar policies earlier this week.
In a Thursday letter to President Donald Trump, Newsom requested further federal assistance as the state deals with the growing pandemic. Newsom wrote that the state projected 56% of Californians (or 25.5 million people) could become infected in a worst-case scenario, not accounting for the mitigation strategies already underway.
Newsom addressed that statistic at Thursday’s news conference.
“The numbers we put out today assume we’re just along for the ride,” he said. “We’re not. We want to manipulate those numbers down. That’s what this order is all about.”
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The governor has implemented several other policies aimed at mitigating the damage of the coronavirus pandemic, including allocating as much as $1 billion in state emergency funds to address the outbreak and authorizing local governments to stop evictions as employment drops.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--Photographer Captures Trump's Handwritten 'Chinese' Virus Revision On Speech Script

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images A closeup of Donald Trump 's news conference statement Thursday shows where the word `` corona '' was crossed out and replaced with `` Chinese '' virus as he speaks to reporters .
An enterprising Washington Post photographer captured a startling image of President Donald Trump ’ s altered news conference script Thursday showing what appeared to be his own handwritten change from “ corona ” to “ Chinese ” to form “ Chinese virus.
” Photographer Jabin Botsford posted the close-up on Twitter amid raging criticism of Trump over his repeated insistence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Chinese virus.
” Critics have slammed the implied racism of his tactic , which they say is aimed at blaming a nation and a race of people for the pandemic to distract the American public from the dangerous failings of his own administration to battle the virus .
Close up of President @ realDonaldTrump notes is seen where he crossed out `` Corona '' and replaced it with `` Chinese '' Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force today at the White House .
# trump # trumpnotes pic.twitter.com/kVw9yrPPeJ — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 , 2020 Trump on Wednesday dismissed the idea that the term “ Chinese virus ” was in any way racist .
“ It comes from China , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not racist at all .
I want to be accurate.
” It ’ s not accurate .
Trump ’ s own top health advisers , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield have said it is inappropriate and inaccurate to label the novel coronavirus as the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus ( officially SARS-CoV-2 ) , which causes the disease COVID-19 .
Those are the terms international scientists , the World Health Organization , U.S. health officials , physicians and much of the general public use .
A report by Human Rights Watch on Thursday linked Trump ’ s use of his term Chinese virus to the fueling of “ anti-Chinese sentiment ” as anti-Asian hate crimes soar in the U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu ( D-Calif. ) , in an opinion article in The Washington Post on Wednesday , slammed Trump for “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis ” and shrugging off blame instead of doing his job to help Americans survive the pandemic .
Dear @ WhiteHouse : This virus has an official name , Covid-19 and an unofficial name , Coronavirus .
Your language will cause more discrimination against Asian Americans .
What would help is if you can get hospitals & first responders much more test kits & protective equipment .
https : //t.co/BrMvEjABfO — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) March 18 , 2020 Trump complained on Thursday that China “ could have given us a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disease there , which began in early December .
Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization on Dec. 31 .
It wasn ’ t until this week that Trump first pledged to ramp up testing in the U.S. , which remains far behind other nations and the current demand .
Trump actually thanked the Chinese in January for their efforts against the illness and for their “ transparency.
” Funny how he was calling it # coronavirus back in January and was very complimentary of the Chinese government , but now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he thinks the racist dogwhistle will get him donations from his racist base .
pic.twitter.com/zCxRyaHPgH — Bread & Circuses 🥖🎪 🆘 ( @ FeasterFamine ) March 19 , 2020

A closeup of Donald Trump's news conference statement Thursday shows where the word "corona" was crossed out and replaced with "Chinese" virus as he speaks to reporters. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
An enterprising Washington Post photographer captured a startling image of President Donald Trump’s altered news conference script Thursday showing what appeared to be his own handwritten change from “corona” to “Chinese” to form “Chinese virus.”
It appeared he used his favorite reality-altering tool: a black Sharpie.
Photographer Jabin Botsford posted the close-up on Twitter amid raging criticism of Trump over his repeated insistence this week on incorrectly calling coronavirus the “Chinese virus.” Critics have slammed the implied racism of his tactic, which they say is aimed at blaming a nation and a race of people for the pandemic to distract the American public from the dangerous failings of his own administration to battle the virus.
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Close up of President @realDonaldTrump notes is seen where he crossed out "Corona" and replaced it with "Chinese" Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force today at the White House. #trump #trumpnotes pic.twitter.com/kVw9yrPPeJ — Jabin Botsford (@jabinbotsford) March 19, 2020
Trump on Wednesday dismissed the idea that the term “Chinese virus” was in any way racist. “It comes from China,” he said. “It’s not racist at all. I want to be accurate.”
It’s not accurate. Trump’s own top health advisers, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield have said it is inappropriate and inaccurate to label the novel coronavirus as the “Chinese virus.”
The correct term is coronavirus (officially SARS-CoV-2), which causes the disease COVID-19. Those are the terms international scientists, the World Health Organization, U.S. health officials, physicians and much of the general public use.
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A report by Human Rights Watch on Thursday linked Trump’s use of his term Chinese virus to the fueling of “anti-Chinese sentiment” as anti-Asian hate crimes soar in the U.S.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), in an opinion article in The Washington Post on Wednesday, slammed Trump for “stoking xenophobic panic in a time of crisis” and shrugging off blame instead of doing his job to help Americans survive the pandemic.
Dear @WhiteHouse: This virus has an official name, Covid-19 and an unofficial name, Coronavirus. Your language will cause more discrimination against Asian Americans.
What would help is if you can get hospitals & first responders much more test kits & protective equipment. https://t.co/BrMvEjABfO — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 18, 2020
Trump complained on Thursday that China “could have given us a lot earlier notice” about the spread of the disease there, which began in early December. Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization on Dec. 31. It wasn’t until this week that Trump first pledged to ramp up testing in the U.S., which remains far behind other nations and the current demand.
Trump actually thanked the Chinese in January for their efforts against the illness and for their “transparency.”
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Words matter!@hrw found COVID19 motivated anti-Asian hate crimes including physical attacks & beatings, violent bullying in schools, angry threats & discrimination in workplaces.
Instead of warning against that, our president is stoking those fireshttps://t.co/YVujtDgQJF — Akshaya Kumar (@AkshayaSays) March 19, 2020
Perhaps it's now time for someone to use a Sharpie to cross that out and write 'Trump'.#TrumpVirus
Trump's exceptional incompetence is making this pandemic far worse. — Steve Herzfeld 🌊 (@american2084) March 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Tucker Carlson: If Allegations Against Sen. Richard Burr Are True, 'He Must Resign'

“ He didn ’ t give a primetime address .
He didn ’ t go on television to sound the @ @ @ @ @ t even disavow an op-ed he ’ d written just 10 days before claiming America @ @ @ @ @ better prepared than ever for coronavirus.′ He didn ’ t do any of those things @ @ @ @ @ he do ?
He dumped his shares in hotel stocks so he wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ he stayed silent .
”

He didn’t give a prime time address. He didn’t go on television to sound the alarm. He didn’t even disavow an op-ed he’d written just 10 days before claiming America was, quote, ’better prepared than ever for coronavirus.′ He didn’t do any of those things. Instead, what did he do? He dumped his shares in hotel stocks so he wouldn’t lose money. And then he stayed silent.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-20--George Conway: 'Don't Be Fooled' By Donald Trump's Change In Tone On Coronavirus

President Donald Trump may appear to have struck a more serious tone regarding the coronavirus pandemic in recent days .
“ The new Trump is the same as the old Trump .
He can ’ t help it .
He ’ s incapable of taking responsibility for his role in this crisis — and thus incapable of leading us out of it , ” wrote Conway , who is a fierce critic of the president despite his wife Kellyanne Conway ’ s senior role within the administration .
Conway said the president ’ s apparent sudden shift “ can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown himself to be wholly inept at dealing with the pandemic .
It doesn ’ t change the fact that he puts himself first , always.
” “ It doesn ’ t dissolve Trump ’ s compulsion to lie , even when truth would serve him best , ” he continued .
“ It doesn ’ t diminish his incompetence , ignorance or propensity for administrative chaos.
” Trump has been widely criticized for initially downplaying the threat of the virus .
The federal response to the public health crisis has also come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs a credible , competent president , now more than ever .
The surest and best thing Trump could do to come to the aid of his country — to save lives — would be to go , as the hapless Chamberlain did , ” Conway concluded .
“ But that won ’ t happen .
Because that would be taking responsibility , something Trump has never done and will never know how to do .
It ’ s too bad for us .
”

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“The new Trump is the same as the old Trump. He can’t help it. He’s incapable of taking responsibility for his role in this crisis — and thus incapable of leading us out of it,” wrote Conway, who is a fierce critic of the president even though his wife, Kellyanne Conway, has a senior role within the administration.
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Conway said the president’s apparent sudden shift “can’t conceal the fact that Trump has shown himself to be wholly inept at dealing with the pandemic. It doesn’t change the fact that he puts himself first, always.”
“It doesn’t dissolve Trump’s compulsion to lie, even when truth would serve him best,” he added. “It doesn’t diminish his incompetence, ignorance or propensity for administrative chaos.”
Trump has been widely criticized for initially downplaying the threat of the virus. The federal response to the public health crisis has also come under fierce scrutiny.
“The nation needs a credible, competent president, now more than ever. The surest and best thing Trump could do to come to the aid of his country — to save lives — would be to go, as the hapless Chamberlain did,” Conway concluded. “But that won’t happen. Because that would be taking responsibility, something Trump has never done and will never know how to do. It’s too bad for us.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--Republican Coronavirus Supercut Serves Up Words For Trump To Eat

Republicans for the Rule of Law on Thursday dropped another scathing video about President Donald Trump , this time ridiculing his remark that he was battling the coronavirus threat right from the start — when the rest of us heard him calling it a “ hoax.
” In the video , Trump insists that 15 cases in the U.S. last month would quickly drop to “ close to zero , ” that they would be gone by April or would disappear “ like a miracle.
” Trump ’ s economic adviser Larry Kudlow insisted in a clip from last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and later urged American to “ stay at work ” ) before anyone died of the illness .
The U.S. death toll was at least 150 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
As Trump and Kudlow speak , a meter keeps ratcheting up the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. from one in late January to 6,421 as of March 15 .
( As of Thursday there were more than 14,200 cases . )
The video ends with the screen message : “ America needs a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : “ Our lives depend on it.
” Leaders communicating during times of crisis need to “ be first , be right , be credible , ” said a statement from the anti-Trump group led by conservative commentator Bill Kristol .
“ President Trump has often been first , but he had seldom been right — and he has never been credible , ” it added .

Republicans for the Rule of Law on Thursday dropped another scathing video about President Donald Trump, this time ridiculing his remark that he was battling the coronavirus threat right from the start — when the rest of us heard him calling it a “hoax.”
The ad will run Friday morning during “Fox & Friends” on Fox News.
In the video, Trump insists that 15 cases in the U.S. last month would quickly drop to “close to zero,” that they would be gone by April or would disappear “like a miracle.” Trump’s economic adviser Larry Kudlow insisted in a clip from last month that the coronavirus was “contained” (and later urged American to “stay at work”) before anyone died of the illness. The U.S. death toll was at least 150, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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As Trump and Kudlow speak, a meter keeps ratcheting up the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. from one in late January to 6,421 as of March 15. (As of Thursday there were more than 14,200 cases.)
The video ends with the screen message: “America needs a president who tells the truth,” adding: “Our lives depend on it.”
Leaders communicating during times of crisis need to “be first, be right, be credible,” said a statement from the anti-Trump group led by conservative commentator Bill Kristol. “President Trump has often been first, but he had seldom been right — and he has never been credible,” it added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-19--Homeless Families In Los Angeles Take Over Vacant Homes As Coronavirus Spreads

Starting on Saturday — as cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , ballooned statewide — homeless mother Martha Escudero , 42 , and her 10- and 8-year-old daughters moved into a vacant house owned by the California Department of Transportation ( Caltrans ) in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles .
Ruby Gordillo , 33 , and her three kids , ages 8 to 14 — who had been “ precariously housed , ” living five people to a one-bedroom — also moved in , along with Benito Flores , 73 , who had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s part of an effort they ’ re calling “ Reclaiming Our Homes ” — and over the past week , other homeless people organized by the group have moved into 12 vacant houses in the area , the Los Angeles Times reported .
Caltrans owns dozens more empty homes in the area , which were bought up under a previous plan to extend a freeway .
( That plan was nixed before development began . )
The group is demanding that local and state governments take action immediately to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly at risk of being exposed to coronavirus .
A Caltrans spokesperson told HuffPost Thursday that the agency was “ aware of the situation ” and “ in discussions regarding the use of these properties.
” The agency did not immediately respond to clarify if it intends to allow the families to stay and use other such properties to house more people experiencing homelessness .
California , where about one-quarter of the nation ’ s homeless people reside , is also among the states with the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a dozen have died as of Thursday — and the figures keep mounting each day .
Earlier this week , the first homeless person was reported to have died of COVID-19 in Northern California .
“ Since the government ’ s not doing their job , we the people have to take power into our own hands , ” she added , saying she ’ d like to see all vacant state-owned properties used to house homeless families and seniors — “ those most vulnerable … especially in the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group was inspired by Moms 4 Housing , a group of homeless mothers in Oakland , California , who occupied a vacant house owned by Wedgewood real estate company late last year .
After the Oakland moms were removed by sheriff ’ s deputies in January , followed by an outcry from supporters , Wedgewood agreed to sell the property to an Oakland community land trust .
Negotiations are ongoing .
Meanwhile , the mothers have been living elsewhere , and some are experiencing homelessness , organizers told HuffPost .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice social distancing — but how can you do that when your family is homeless ?
” Oakland-based Moms 4 Housing founder Dominique Walker said in a statement of support for the LA families .
While law enforcement has patrolled outside the newly occupied LA houses , they haven ’ t yet ordered anyone out , according to Escudero .
She said she ’ d like the opportunity to negotiate with the government to pay rent , noting that she , Gordillo and Flores all work , but are unable to afford rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to just be downtown .
Now it ’ s the state of California , ” Escudero said , referencing the notorious blocks-long area where many homeless people reside unsheltered in LA .
The native Angeleno said three years ago she paid $ 1,200 rent on a two-bedroom , but now similar places go for over $ 2,000 per month .
Newsom has announced several plans to support homeless residents throughout the coronavirus pandemic , including committing to distribute over 1,300 trailers across the state in the coming days , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 rooms .
The state is negotiating with about 900 other hotels and motels statewide — though the tens of thousands of rooms represented would not only be used to house those experiencing homelessness , but also to meet a potential surge in rooms needed as the hospital system may reach capacity in treating COVID-19 cases .

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Homeless families are occupying vacant homes in the Los Angeles area as two major crises collide in California: the years-long affordable housing crisis and the immediate, mounting coronavirus pandemic.
Starting on Saturday — as cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, ballooned statewide — homeless mother Martha Escudero, 42, and her 10- and 8-year-old daughters moved into a vacant house owned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles. Ruby Gordillo, 33, and her three kids, ages 8 to 14 — who had been “precariously housed,” living five people to a one-bedroom — also moved in, along with Benito Flores, 73, who had been living in his van for years.
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It’s part of an effort they’re calling “Reclaiming Our Homes” — and over the past week, other homeless people organized by the group have moved into 12 vacant houses in the area, the Los Angeles Times reported. Caltrans owns dozens more empty homes in the area, which were bought up under a previous plan to extend a freeway. (That plan was nixed before development began.)
The group is demanding that local and state governments take action immediately to provide housing to homeless families, which are particularly at risk of being exposed to coronavirus.
A Caltrans spokesperson told HuffPost Thursday that the agency was “aware of the situation” and “in discussions regarding the use of these properties.” The agency did not immediately respond to clarify if it intends to allow the families to stay and use other such properties to house more people experiencing homelessness.
California, where about one-quarter of the nation’s homeless people reside, is also among the states with the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases: Nearly 700 Californians have confirmed cases and more than a dozen have died as of Thursday — and the figures keep mounting each day. Earlier this week, the first homeless person was reported to have died of COVID-19 in Northern California.
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“There’s people living in shelters, a lot are dirty, libraries and gyms have shut down — there’s nowhere for homeless people to even keep their hygiene up,” Escudero told HuffPost on Tuesday.
“Since the government’s not doing their job, we the people have to take power into our own hands,” she added, saying she’d like to see all vacant state-owned properties used to house homeless families and seniors — “those most vulnerable … especially in the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.
We need shelter from the storm. If the government can’t provide SAFE, healthy housing for people in need, we will take action ourselves. #ReclaimLA pic.twitter.com/Xs3gNJ1MkC — Reclaiming Our Homes (@ReclaimingHomes) March 18, 2020
The LA-based group was inspired by Moms 4 Housing, a group of homeless mothers in Oakland, California, who occupied a vacant house owned by Wedgewood real estate company late last year. After the Oakland moms were removed by sheriff’s deputies in January, followed by an outcry from supporters, Wedgewood agreed to sell the property to an Oakland community land trust. Negotiations are ongoing. Meanwhile, the mothers have been living elsewhere, and some are experiencing homelessness, organizers told HuffPost.
“We are all being urged to stay home and practice social distancing — but how can you do that when your family is homeless?” Oakland-based Moms 4 Housing founder Dominique Walker said in a statement of support for the LA families.
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While law enforcement has patrolled outside the newly occupied LA houses, they haven’t yet ordered anyone out, according to Escudero. She said she’d like the opportunity to negotiate with the government to pay rent, noting that she, Gordillo and Flores all work, but are unable to afford rent in the area.
“Skid Row used to just be downtown. Now it’s the state of California,” Escudero said, referencing the notorious blocks-long area where many homeless people reside unsheltered in LA. The native Angeleno said three years ago she paid $1,200 rent on a two-bedroom, but now similar places go for over $2,000 per month.
In Los Angeles County, there were nearly 59,000 homeless people on a given night in January 2019 — up 12% from the previous year.
Half a dozen state lawmakers wrote a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) earlier this week, calling on his administration to make the “scores of homes” owned by Caltrans in the LA area available for occupancy “immediately.”
HuffPost reached out to Newsom but did not immediately hear back.
Newsom has announced several plans to support homeless residents throughout the coronavirus pandemic, including committing to distribute over 1,300 trailers across the state in the coming days, as well as securing two hotels in Oakland with nearly 400 rooms. The state is negotiating with about 900 other hotels and motels statewide — though the tens of thousands of rooms represented would not only be used to house those experiencing homelessness, but also to meet a potential surge in rooms needed as the hospital system may reach capacity in treating COVID-19 cases.
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