buzzfeednews--2020-06-11--Immigrants Delayed By The Coronavirus Are Suing To Be Naturalized In Time To Vote In The Presidentia

Immigrants Delayed By The Coronavirus Are Suing To Be Naturalized In Time To Vote In The Presidential Election

New citizens recite the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York City , Sept. 17 , 2019 .
Earlier this month , US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) reopened offices and began conducting smaller naturalization ceremonies .
On Friday , the agency conducted 50 ceremonies and naturalized almost 2,000 people across the US .
Before the pandemic , however , ceremonies could accommodate up to 5,000 immigrants at once .
Moving forward , the agency plans to focus its resources on conducting quick but smaller ceremonies to allow for social distancing measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative fallout from the pandemic , including delaying the rights of citizenship to hundreds of lawful permanent residents in the Philadelphia area , every one of whom has already had their application approved , but now have been unable to complete the oath — the last step of the citizenship process , ” said Matt Adams , legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project , which filed the lawsuit along with other organizations .
“ Fortunately , Congress provided a tool for rare situations like this to allow the federal court to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USCIS to provide immediate administrative naturalizations.
” The lawsuit , filed this week in a federal court in Pennsylvania , says the two plaintiffs are among thousands of immigrants who had their ceremonies canceled or not scheduled as the coronavirus spread rapidly in March .
To become a US citizen , immigrants must go through a long and at times arduous process that includes an interview with an immigration officer and a test on American civics and the English language .
The final step , however , is the easiest of them all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event that ’ s often held in American theaters , convention centers , and courthouses .
A pair of would-be US citizens have filed a lawsuit to force immigration officials to schedule the oath ceremony they need to become Americans in time to register to vote in the presidential election this fall .
USCIS officials have said that the rate of the ceremonies is increasing as they become `` more adept '' at implementing them in areas where they can host larger groups ; they have also said that ceremonies are being conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A key aim of this agency has been and continues to be the timely naturalization of qualified and vetted candidates for American citizenship .
Any suggestion to the contrary ignores an 11-year high in naturalizations last year and a 12 % reduction in pending naturalizations , ” a USCIS spokesperson said .
It ’ s this process , however , that has the attorneys worried that their clients won ’ t get their citizenship in time for voter registration in Philadelphia on Oct. 19 .
“ It will take several months , under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Field Office to administer the oath of allegiance to Plaintiffs and proposed class members , ” the attorneys said in the lawsuit .
The advocacy groups want a federal judge to order USCIS to institute “ expedited ” ceremonies for hundreds of immigrants in the region that could include oaths done by judges and others over the phone or video , among other options to ensure that the would-be citizens are sworn in three weeks prior to the voter registration deadline .
Officials have said that virtual ceremonies are not possible because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logistical issues , and would rely on third-party software that would not be secure enough .
USCIS also conducts verifications of identity and records prior to the oath that need to be done in person , agency officials said .
“ In-person ceremonies allow USCIS to check official identification materials against the list of eligible candidates and ensure that the applicant is within the United States and within the area over which the particular field office has jurisdiction , ” an agency spokesperson said .
Experts have warned that the delayed naturalizations could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eligible voters in November , as many states require registration by October .
As of September 2019 , there were already more than 600,000 naturalization applications pending .
Under normal conditions , USCIS is able to naturalize 66,000 immigrants on average every month , according to Sarah Pierce , an analyst at Migration Policy Institute .
The agency generally relies on in-person oaths at its office or in larger ceremonies outside of its own facilities .
The naturalization oath has been a long-held American tradition , spanning back to the late 1700s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country administered the oath in various ways , and it wasn ’ t until 1929 that a standardized oath was created .
Later , the Immigration Act of 1950 added language to the oath that made immigrants promise to bear arms for the US and perform “ noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law .
”

USCIS officials have said that the rate of the ceremonies is increasing as they become "more adept" at implementing them in areas where they can host larger groups; they have also said that ceremonies are being conducted and scheduled across the country.
“A key aim of this agency has been and continues to be the timely naturalization of qualified and vetted candidates for American citizenship. Any suggestion to the contrary ignores an 11-year high in naturalizations last year and a 12% reduction in pending naturalizations,” a USCIS spokesperson said.
It’s this process, however, that has the attorneys worried that their clients won’t get their citizenship in time for voter registration in Philadelphia on Oct. 19.
“It will take several months, under current measures, for the USCIS Philadelphia Field Office to administer the oath of allegiance to Plaintiffs and proposed class members,” the attorneys said in the lawsuit.
The advocacy groups want a federal judge to order USCIS to institute “expedited” ceremonies for hundreds of immigrants in the region that could include oaths done by judges and others over the phone or video, among other options to ensure that the would-be citizens are sworn in three weeks prior to the voter registration deadline.
Officials have said that virtual ceremonies are not possible because they need to be public, would cause logistical issues, and would rely on third-party software that would not be secure enough. USCIS also conducts verifications of identity and records prior to the oath that need to be done in person, agency officials said.
“In-person ceremonies allow USCIS to check official identification materials against the list of eligible candidates and ensure that the applicant is within the United States and within the area over which the particular field office has jurisdiction,” an agency spokesperson said.
Experts have warned that the delayed naturalizations could have an impact on the number of eligible voters in November, as many states require registration by October. As of September 2019, there were already more than 600,000 naturalization applications pending.
Under normal conditions, USCIS is able to naturalize 66,000 immigrants on average every month, according to Sarah Pierce, an analyst at Migration Policy Institute. The agency generally relies on in-person oaths at its office or in larger ceremonies outside of its own facilities.
The naturalization oath has been a long-held American tradition, spanning back to the late 1700s. Before the early 1900s, courts from across the country administered the oath in various ways, and it wasn’t until 1929 that a standardized oath was created. Later, the Immigration Act of 1950 added language to the oath that made immigrants promise to bear arms for the US and perform “noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law.”


buzzfeednews--2020-06-11--As Peloton Sales Soared, Warehouse Workers Feared For Their Safety

The early months of the coronavirus pandemic were a boon for Peloton .
Nationwide shelter-in-place orders inspired a surge in purchases of its luxury stationary bikes and treadmills and created a massive new , captive audience for the $ 12 billion exercise technology company ’ s streaming video workouts .
But it also caused consternation and conflict inside Peloton 's nascent logistics operation , where workers feared the company ’ s “ high-touch ” in-home delivery policy put them at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus .
For Peloton , which had to deal with manufacturers in Taiwan , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery operation across the US , the crisis was something of an operational nightmare .
“ We ’ ve had to scramble on a number of fronts , ” CEO John Foley told Time .
It was also an unprecedented opportunity to drive sales at a time when gyms were closed and people were eager to find new ways of safely exercising at home .
Peloton jumped at the chance to promote its brand : Having designated its business essential , the company extended free trials of its streaming video content , shipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter of weeks , and exceeded its revenue targets ; it racked up more than half a billion dollars in revenue in the first three months of 2020 .
But while Peloton ’ s leadership was scrambling to keep up with consumer demand and rapidly expanding market share , the warehouse and delivery workers who assemble , repair , and deliver Peloton equipment were apoplectic .
According to internal communications reviewed by BuzzFeed News , some felt the company ’ s decision to designate delivery of pricey exercise bikes as essential during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ danger of contracting the coronavirus .
“ I ’ m actually livid right now , ” one Peloton employee wrote in a post to an internal company message board .
“ Peloton really doesn ’ t care about our safety or health.
” Others echoed concerns that the company wasn ’ t taking the risk of their exposure seriously .
In response to a detailed list of questions , Peloton offered a statement noting that it has followed CDC and public health guidelines throughout the pandemic and referred BuzzFeed News to the delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and treadmills retail for between $ 2,000 and $ 5,000 .
The frames are manufactured in Taiwan and shipped to the US , where most of them are assembled and stored in one of the company ’ s 23 warehouses to be delivered and installed in homes by its employees driving black Peloton vans .
( Slightly less than half of the deliveries are handled by XPO , a third-party logistics company with allegedly poor service that has caused problems for Peloton ’ s brand , according to Business Insider . )
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company said it considers itself in part “ a logistics company that provides high-touch delivery , set up , and service for our Members.
” Delivery and installation of the bikes costs customers $ 250 .
Maintaining that promised level of service during a period of rapid growth in the midst of a global pandemic was a challenge .
“ There ’ s rocket fuel in your business , and your business has just been displaced and you ’ re no longer together , you ’ re trying to change the engines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the air , or whatever the metaphor is , ” CEO Foley told Time .
“ It ’ s tricky operational stuff.
” For some Peloton employees , the idea of carrying out the company ’ s “ high-touch ” in-home delivery service during a highly communicable pandemic was more than tricky — it felt like a very serious health risk .
On March 12 — as professional sports and music performances were canceled and President Donald Trump banned travelers from Europe from entering the country — a Peloton human resources employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forum addressing the quickly spreading coronavirus threat .
“ I know there have been some questions around procedures with the Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) illness , ” the HR rep wrote .
Directed at employees in Peloton ’ s field operations division , the message said the company would be “ increasing janitorial services at each site ” and providing gloves and sanitizer wipes , which it recommended employees bring “ into the home when delivering.
” Peloton did not respond to questions from BuzzFeed News regarding when gloves were distributed to delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with masks .
Some employees were angered by the company ’ s expectation that they keep delivering to homes during a pandemic .
“ Are we taking the steps and asking these clients if they have travelled out [ of ] the country within this time ?
If they have any signs of these symptoms beforehand ?
” said one reviewed by BuzzFeed News .
“ We have to take extra precautions… ” “ There should be some kind of pre-screening [ of ] members , ” said a second , “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peloton Field Ops Team as well.
” “ Just learning more about the coronavirus , it said that symptoms can show 2 to 14 days after contact , ” said a third .
“ Due to that statement alone , I feel us field specialist [ s ] should be restricted until further notice from delivering our products.
” The unrest among employees didn ’ t go unnoticed .
Hours later , a regional Peloton manager replied , saying , “ I just wanted to let you all know that we really are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On March 15 , CEO Foley wrote a public letter about the company ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic in which he said that all Peloton office employees around the world should work from home if possible .
Retail stores would close , trainers would film fitness content in “ closed studios , ” and customer support agents would work remotely .
But warehouse and delivery workers , Foley wrote , “ will continue to deliver Peloton Bikes and Treads to people ’ s homes , while taking extra precautions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our team.
” “ Our goal is to bring the Peloton experience — and our community — to as many new Members as we can , particularly during this time of uncertainty , ” he continued .
Foley also decided to offer to deliver employees $ 100 a day ( pre-tax ) “ hazard pay.
” But , according to comments on a second internal message board post , the gesture hardly mollified employees .
“ Y ’ all really sat down in a room came up with this plan and thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of our loved ones for $ 100 [ ? ]
” said one comment .
“ [ If ] y ’ all really care start administering screenings to let us know if we good or not , or just keep us home.
” “ That $ 100 really told y ’ all what they think we ’ re worth after killing ourselves for them peak season , ” said another .
It wasn ’ t until March 19 , a week after employees first raised an alarm , that Peloton paused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-home delivery and assembly due to its size .
The company continued to sell bikes , instructing customers to open their front doors and back 3 meters away to allow the delivery workers to leave the bike on the “ the entrance to your home or apartment unit.
” “ Since states and regions began deploying shelter in place orders , we followed the guidance of local governments , the CDC and other public health agencies in our warehouses and implemented a threshold delivery protocol , which can be found here , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ We actively monitor the situation to make any necessary adjustments that allow us to keep our team safe and bring the Peloton experience to our community.
” In the end , some Peloton facilities , including a few warehouses , were forced to shutter due to employees who tested positive for COVID-19 , according to a former employee who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation .
On April 7 , the company stopped broadcasting live exercise classes from its New York City studio — which had been deemed an essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who worked there contracted the disease .
Peloton declined to respond to specific questions about infections among its staff .
Any Peloton devotee will tell you that the draw of membership isn ’ t as much the expensive equipment as it is the community , competition , and coaching found in the company ’ s online classes .
A peloton is a group of cyclists riding together , and the company ’ s trainers and executives love to incant its hashtag-ready slogan , “ One Peloton , ” emphasizing that members , trainers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same big team .
The coronavirus pandemic tested the strength of that team , but Peloton — with thousands of new members and skyrocketing stock prices — came out on top .
“ As a New York City–based company , we 've seen firsthand the magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis , ” Foley said on a May 7 earnings call , “ and we offer a heartfelt thank you to all of those working tirelessly on the front lines to battle this epidemic .
”

The early months of the coronavirus pandemic were a boon for Peloton. Nationwide shelter-in-place orders inspired a surge in purchases of its luxury stationary bikes and treadmills and created a massive new, captive audience for the $12 billion exercise technology company’s streaming video workouts. But it also caused consternation and conflict inside Peloton's nascent logistics operation, where workers feared the company’s “high-touch” in-home delivery policy put them at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.
For Peloton, which had to deal with manufacturers in Taiwan, a spike in demand, and an in-home delivery operation across the US, the crisis was something of an operational nightmare. “We’ve had to scramble on a number of fronts,” CEO John Foley told Time.
It was also an unprecedented opportunity to drive sales at a time when gyms were closed and people were eager to find new ways of safely exercising at home. Peloton jumped at the chance to promote its brand: Having designated its business essential, the company extended free trials of its streaming video content, shipped tens of thousands of bikes in a matter of weeks, and exceeded its revenue targets; it racked up more than half a billion dollars in revenue in the first three months of 2020.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-07--As Chinese Internet Users Try To Track The Coronavirus, Their Government Is Tracking Them

China 's censorship laws , which far predate the first coronavirus cases in the city of Wuhan late last year , have been deployed under the pretense of preventing mass panic .
But it has still been a constant struggle for China 's government to control the narrative around the outbreak .
A spokesperson for Tencent told BuzzFeed News the screenshots were fake : “ Unfortunately , several social media sources have circulated doctored images of our ‘ Epidemic Situation Tracker ’ featuring false information which we never published , ” the spokesperson said .
“ Tencent does not condone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news especially during this sensitive period .
We reserve all legal rights and remedies in this matter.
” Adding to the alarm , the numbers matched a viral WeChat rumor that spread separately across Chinese and American social media .
( In actuality , the coronavirus outbreak has killed 565 people and grown to more than 28,000 cases , according to the World Health Organization , with 265 outside of China . )
On Wednesday , Tencent , a Chinese tech giant best known for its super-popular messaging app WeChat , found itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Screenshots began to circulate of the company ’ s `` Epidemic Situation Tracker , '' which tracks the coronavirus ’ s spread in mainland China , displaying a death toll almost 80 times higher than the official number .
This time was reportedly the third instance the tracker briefly displayed numbers much higher than the official counts coming out of Beijing .
A viral screenshot of Tencent 's outbreak tracker with numbers higher than official counts .
Tencent said the screenshot was doctored .
On Thursday , Chinese state media reported via Weibo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Li Wenliang died after contracting the coronavirus , only to report hours later that he was alive but in critical condition .
Li was then declared dead hours later on Thursday night .
`` We deeply regret and mourn this , '' hospital staff wrote on Weibo .
Li , who contracted the virus while treating patients , was one of the eight whistleblowers initially arrested by local police in Wuhan , China , last month for `` spreading rumors ” about the outbreak .
There are reports that up to 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges across the country .
The reaction to Li ’ s death on platforms like Weibo and WeChat has been intense .
“ I ’ ve never seen such collective anger and sadness on my WeChat feed , ” journalist Viola Zhou tweeted .
But even as Li became a hero on Chinese social media , the enforcement of anti-misinformation laws like the one used to arrest him is becoming common across Asia .
In the last month , three people were arrested in Kerala , India , on allegations of “ spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested for purportedly sharing “ false information '' in Bangkok , and five people were arrested for similar charges in cities across Malaysia .
This week , Hong Kong police arrested a mall security guard for the alleged “ transmission of false message [ s ] by telecommunication , '' accusing the 37-year-old man of causing panic by sharing an audio file on WhatsApp that claimed five mall staffers had called in sick with a fever .
The arrest did little to quell rumors , because following it , Hong Kong police bragged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unlike the rest of China , Hong Kong has no `` fake news '' law , but it does have a law dating back to 1935 against using a phone to send false messages to cause annoyance , inconvenience , or needless anxiety .
But people in China are still using the internet to track the outbreak .
The problem is : If they amplify the wrong thing , they could get arrested .
Yuan Xiaohui , the CEO of Beijing-based tech company QuantUrban , is trying to create a useful coronavirus crowdsourcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent arousing panic , we only add government publicly released data .
All of the data comes from [ the ] Health Commission of the related city , ” Yuan told BuzzFeed News .
QuantUrban combines preexisting map data of Chinese cities with reports from volunteers along with outbreak data that comes from cities ’ health commissions .
So far , it shows infection cases for 23 cities , including Beijing , and a timeline of daily changes .
To minimize the possible accusations that a live , hyperlocal heat map of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a warning on its website that reads “ don ’ t panic.
” “ Some users of our websites will give us feedback when [ a ] certain place is mistakenly or not accurately annotated , then we will correct it and update the website , ” Yuan said .
Hong Kong 's government has the almost impossible task of navigating between the CCP ’ s coronavirus plan and a pro-democracy protest movement now entering its eighth month .
The city government has demanded more transparent and proactive containment measures and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks like Reddit and LIHKG of downplaying the outbreak ’ s seriousness and putting its citizens in danger to appease the government in Beijing .
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has resisted a total border closure , instead enacting quarantines for mainland Chinese travelers entering Hong Kong .

On Thursday, Chinese state media reported via Weibo, a Twitter-like social platform, that Dr. Li Wenliang died after contracting the coronavirus, only to report hours later that he was alive but in critical condition. Li was then declared dead hours later on Thursday night.
"We deeply regret and mourn this," hospital staff wrote on Weibo.
Li, who contracted the virus while treating patients, was one of the eight whistleblowers initially arrested by local police in Wuhan, China, last month for "spreading rumors” about the outbreak. There are reports that up to 40 other people have been investigated for similar charges across the country.
The reaction to Li’s death on platforms like Weibo and WeChat has been intense. “I’ve never seen such collective anger and sadness on my WeChat feed,” journalist Viola Zhou tweeted.
But even as Li became a hero on Chinese social media, the enforcement of anti-misinformation laws like the one used to arrest him is becoming common across Asia.
In the last month, three people were arrested in Kerala, India, on allegations of “spreading fake news,” two people were arrested for purportedly sharing “false information" in Bangkok, and five people were arrested for similar charges in cities across Malaysia.
This week, Hong Kong police arrested a mall security guard for the alleged “transmission of false message[s] by telecommunication," accusing the 37-year-old man of causing panic by sharing an audio file on WhatsApp that claimed five mall staffers had called in sick with a fever. The arrest did little to quell rumors, because following it, Hong Kong police bragged about arresting the man on Facebook. Unlike the rest of China, Hong Kong has no "fake news" law, but it does have a law dating back to 1935 against using a phone to send false messages to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety.
But people in China are still using the internet to track the outbreak. The problem is: If they amplify the wrong thing, they could get arrested.
Yuan Xiaohui, the CEO of Beijing-based tech company QuantUrban, is trying to create a useful coronavirus crowdsourcing service while avoiding rumors.
“To prevent arousing panic, we only add government publicly released data. All of the data comes from [the] Health Commission of the related city,” Yuan told BuzzFeed News.
QuantUrban combines preexisting map data of Chinese cities with reports from volunteers along with outbreak data that comes from cities’ health commissions. So far, it shows infection cases for 23 cities, including Beijing, and a timeline of daily changes. To minimize the possible accusations that a live, hyperlocal heat map of coronavirus cases could cause alarm, there’s a warning on its website that reads “don’t panic.”
“Some users of our websites will give us feedback when [a] certain place is mistakenly or not accurately annotated, then we will correct it and update the website,” Yuan said.
Hong Kong's government has the almost impossible task of navigating between the CCP’s coronavirus plan and a pro-democracy protest movement now entering its eighth month. The city government has demanded more transparent and proactive containment measures and has been accused by users on pro-democracy social networks like Reddit and LIHKG of downplaying the outbreak’s seriousness and putting its citizens in danger to appease the government in Beijing. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has resisted a total border closure, instead enacting quarantines for mainland Chinese travelers entering Hong Kong.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-08--Walmart Employees Are Worried About Bringing The Coronavirus Back Home To At-Risk Family Members

Nearly a dozen Walmart employees across the US said they ’ re worried corporate managers and customers are n't taking the coronavirus seriously enough .
WASHINGTON — Every day , as Sarah leaves work , she washes her hands and sprays the soles of her shoes with Lysol .
When she gets home , she reaches one arm into the house and grabs a bag with a change of clothes she left that morning on the table by the front door .
Then , she changes her clothes outside , sprays her work clothes with Lysol , and puts them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets inside , she immediately washes her work clothes and takes a shower .
As an employee at Walmart in Texas , Sarah is considered an essential worker , staffing a store that ’ s among the rare US businesses still open during the coronavirus outbreak .
Several weeks ago , during the first week of March , she approached her manager about having hand sanitizer at the cash registers .
“ She told us no , ” said Sarah , who asked that only her first name be used because she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conditions at her store .
“ [ The manager ] said there 's some in the cash office , which is locked .
… You can just ask them , but that 's not really feasible .
We ca n't stop and ask somebody to come up there [ and ] unlock a door so we can use hand sanitizer .
Turns out , there was n't even any in there.
” By the second week of March , Walmart had provided some gloves for employees at her store , but Sarah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She added that though stores have started closing early to make more time for cleaning , the focus at her store is instead on restocking , and extra cleaning only happens if employees take it upon themselves .
“ We 're asking for these things , these necessary things , to keep us safe [ and ] keep the store clean , and we 're not being provided with them , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
To make matters worse , Sarah ’ s husband has diabetes , putting him in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by the novel coronavirus .
That ’ s why she ’ s so vigilant about cleaning and washing whenever she comes home .
And she isn ’ t alone .
Eleven Walmart employees from across the country told BuzzFeed News that as the coronavirus outbreak worsens in the US , their stores don ’ t have standard sanitary supplies , employees lack basic protective gear , and customers and corporate managers alike are not taking the problems seriously enough .
Other employees said they were concerned about their safety in the break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new workers hired to help keep the stores up and running during the pandemic .
The employees all asked to speak anonymously or use only their first names because they were worried about getting in trouble at work for speaking to the media .
A 23-year-old Walmart employee in Southern California said he takes care of his grandmother , who , at 86 , is at a high risk for COVID-19 .
A Tennessee employee said she lives with her dad , who has diabetes and heart problems .
Both said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear at their stores , and what they do have is in increasingly short supply .
“ Cleaning supplies are basically out .
We ran out of gloves the other day and we had to , like , basically buy gloves that came into the store as products for customers , ” the California employee said in a recent phone interview with BuzzFeed News .
“ There 's no hand sanitizer left for customers .
… I always tell people , ‘ Do n't use a cart .
We do n't have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re touching all the hands of the people who touched it over the past few days.
” Cashiers are calling out frequently , he said , and the store is short-staffed in the midst of the crisis .
Though the store is technically restricting its capacity , he said , the limits aren ’ t being enforced , and sometimes hundreds of people are in the store at once .
“ They have n't enforced anything safety-wise , ” he said .
“ I have n't gotten an email or a directive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I need you to clean all the registers , all the touchscreens , and PIN pads.
’ That 's all been on my own doing.
” As of last Wednesday , he said , he had heard that the company would be sending masks and gloves , installing plexiglass barriers , and placing stickers near checkout lanes reminding people to social-distance , but that it could take up to three weeks for the installation .
The Tennessee employee said her store had received gloves but no masks , and because she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t fit her .
Already , many Walmart employees have contracted the virus .
On Sunday , a company spokesperson announced that two employees from one Chicago-area store had died from COVID-19 .
“ We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of two associates at our Evergreen Park store , and we are mourning along with their families , ” the statement said .
“ While neither associate had been at the store in more than a week , we took action to reinforce our cleaning and sanitizing measures , which include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store.
” It ’ s particularly frustrating , many employees said , because Walmart originally announced it would waive their entire attendance policy for the month of April .
( Workers get “ points ” when they call out of shifts .
Getting five points means the worker will be fired . )
But later , workers noted , they received information from the company that said employees who take more than two weeks work during the outbreak will not have their job protected .
“ If you choose to self-quarantine you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive pay but you ’ re not required to , ” reads the policy , a copy of which was shared with BuzzFeed News .
“ You 'll receive a maximum of two work weeks of pay if you 're required to quarantine by a government agency or by Walmart or if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
” Employees diagnosed with COVID-19 “ may be eligible for additional pay replacement for up to 26 weeks , ” according to the policy , despite the fact that tests remain in extremely short supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are encouraging people without severe symptoms to avoid getting tested .
Wilson told BuzzFeed News there are instances where employee leave can be extended .
“ We encourage the associates to speak with their management team to make arrangements for their particular situation , ” she said .
Asked about the test shortage and whether an employee ’ s leave can be extended without a test , Wilson later added , `` A confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis by a physician is sufficient to activate our COVID-19 policy , including up to 26 weeks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition to our COVID-19 policy , Walmart offers paid sick leave to ALL hourly associates in the U.S. , including part time , through protected paid time off ( PPTO ) in addition to standard paid time off ( PTO ) . ''
One Arizona employee told BuzzFeed News she recently had to train 13 new employees in a small room .
Her store has started taking employees ’ temperatures when they arrive for shifts — but for safety reasons she decided she would begin holding a series of smaller trainings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said during a recent phone interview .
“ I do n't know , but I 'm still exposing myself to 12 , 16 people , even though they 're not all together , but I figured that ’ s probably the best option that I have right now.
” Her store has gloves for employees but no masks , and no sanitizing wipes for customers to wipe down their carts .
“ I 'm able to stay in my office in the back .
I 've set up kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associates ca n't get into my actual little cubbyhole in an office , ” she said .
“ And I still do n't feel 100 % safe .
… I do n't want to be here.
” Another employee at a Massachusetts store said she works at a service desk that ’ s less than 2 feet wide , and recently she had to train another employee to work the desk , forcing them into close proximity for hours .
“ I am literally within spitting distance of customers in front of me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I told my supervisor that coughing children had given me a panic attack , she said , ‘ Well , you do n't have to be here.
’ … I really wanted to be like , ‘ Well , are you going to pay my bills ?
’ I 'm not there for fun.
” She keeps her own hand sanitizer and said she ’ s washing her hands so often and they ’ ve gotten so dry that water hurts her skin .
Meanwhile , the bargain DVD bin at her store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they continue to accept returns , something some other essential retail stores have shut down .
“ [ At the DVD bin , ] they reach in where 90 people have reached in in the last three days .
And then they take it out with everything that 's on it .
Then they bring it to the register , ” she said .
“ So the cashiers got it .
And it 's on the belt , so it 's on there .
And when you really start looking at it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much , it will literally make me sick to my stomach.
” Another employee in Texas , who has worked for Walmart for 19 years , said that break rooms are a major issue .
“ If it 's been a rough day and you 're going to take a break and you want to sit down , you 're pretty much forced to sit next to somebody , ” he said .
“ There are some people that work at the store [ who ] are self-quarantining themselves because they were around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know if they have it or not but , you know , they 're just trying to be careful about it .
But you hear that and you think , Wow , I was sitting next to that guy like two days ago.
” Wilson said the company has recently instituted new standards in break and meeting rooms to make more space for social distancing , including setting up break areas outside the store where possible .
Additionally , she said , Walmart has called off as many non-essential meetings as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longtime Texas employee has a daughter who has had pneumonia and could be at a high risk if she contracted the virus , he said , making the situation particularly scary .
He has had a cough for a few weeks ; after talking to a doctor , he learned it ’ s likely bronchitis , not COVID-19 .
Still , his manager recently sent him home from work out of an abundance of caution .
“ Even my store manager said , ‘ I do n't think you have it , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are gon na be panicky .
You know , I agree , ” he said .
The problem for him , though , is that because it isn ’ t the coronavirus , he has to use paid time off — and he ’ s already very low on days .
“ I have to use my own time , which only has , like , three days .
I ’ ve already used two of those days , ” he said .
“ I still have my cough .
If I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home — after that , I can not afford to stay home.
” He said customers at his store have not been following social distancing guidelines and there have at times been as many as about 250 people in the store at once .
“ I am trying not to be panicky about it , but I 'm really just kind of waiting to catch it , to be honest with you , ” he said .
A few days after the phone call with BuzzFeed News , he followed up and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for employees ; he also shared the questions Walmart is now asking staffers before shifts : “ Do you have any of the following symptoms ?
: Fever/feverish , chills , dry cough , difficulty breathing or digestive symptoms such as diarrhea , vomiting or abdominal pain .
“ Have you traveled via airplane internationally or domestically in the last 14 days ?
“ Have you had close contact with a confirmed/probable COVID-19 case ?
” The worker said the store was not checking employees ’ temperatures , however .
( Wilson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company is still in the process of sending thermometers to every store .
Once stores receive thermometers , she said , it will be the standard for them to check employee temperatures . )
The employee in Tennessee whose father has diabetes and heart problems said she recently overheard her manager telling another employee that a worker in the store had contracted the virus — though there was never an official announcement to the rest of the staff .
“ If I did n't happen to be in the break room , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the manager , but I went in and told everyone , ” she said .
“ I work as a cashier , so I went and I told everyone in the front as I could .
A lot of them had n't even heard about it yet.
” Another Illinois employee told BuzzFeed News last week the store was running very low on hand sanitizer and that workers at her store have been required to buy their own masks if they wanted them .
The day after a phone call with BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a text message , “ somebody at our store has been confirmed to have the coronavirus .
they have not told us who , nor what department .
… i officially started my leave of absence and will no longer be going .
… im almost certain they ’ re not gon na handle it well.
” Many employees also described daily stress with customers mistreating employees while they stock up on food and household products .
“ The last three weeks have been some of the toughest I ’ ve ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Black Friday plus a snowstorm or hurricane prep , with 60 % of your staff calling out , ” one Pennsylvania employee told BuzzFeed News .
The Tennessee employee said a customer recently threw a package of Honey Buns at a store manager , hitting her in the face , and that another customer hit her in the leg with a pack of Clorox wipes .
“ The amount of people that are just cursing us out right now , ” she said .
“ There have been times [ when ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety from the coronavirus but my safety from the people who are trying to shop there because of all the worry , all the stress that this pandemic is causing right now.
” The Arizona employee said she doesn ’ t think higher-ups at the corporation really care .
“ It ’ s more like , ‘ We know you ’ re scared , but serving our communities is more important ’ — which I know it 's important , but it 's hard to kind of reconcile that with that [ being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people I work with , ” she said during a phone call with BuzzFeed News .
In an email , she said that on a recent conference call , she was struck when an employee asked what to do when a customer says they are positive for COVID-19 but still want to shop .
“ Why should we have to prepare for that ?
” she wrote .
“ I doubt the presidents and chief executive officers have anyone showing up in their corner offices asking that question .
”

Already, many Walmart employees have contracted the virus. On Sunday, a company spokesperson announced that two employees from one Chicago-area store had died from COVID-19.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of two associates at our Evergreen Park store, and we are mourning along with their families,” the statement said. “While neither associate had been at the store in more than a week, we took action to reinforce our cleaning and sanitizing measures, which include a deep-cleaning of key areas of the store.”
It’s particularly frustrating, many employees said, because Walmart originally announced it would waive their entire attendance policy for the month of April. (Workers get “points” when they call out of shifts. Getting five points means the worker will be fired.)
But later, workers noted, they received information from the company that said employees who take more than two weeks work during the outbreak will not have their job protected.
“If you choose to self-quarantine you can use paid time off in order to receive pay but you’re not required to,” reads the policy, a copy of which was shared with BuzzFeed News. “You'll receive a maximum of two work weeks of pay if you're required to quarantine by a government agency or by Walmart or if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.”
Employees diagnosed with COVID-19 “may be eligible for additional pay replacement for up to 26 weeks,” according to the policy, despite the fact that tests remain in extremely short supply across the country and public health experts are encouraging people without severe symptoms to avoid getting tested.
Wilson told BuzzFeed News there are instances where employee leave can be extended. “We encourage the associates to speak with their management team to make arrangements for their particular situation,” she said.
Asked about the test shortage and whether an employee’s leave can be extended without a test, Wilson later added, "A confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis by a physician is sufficient to activate our COVID-19 policy, including up to 26 weeks of pay replacement, even without a test. In addition to our COVID-19 policy, Walmart offers paid sick leave to ALL hourly associates in the U.S., including part time, through protected paid time off (PPTO) in addition to standard paid time off (PTO)."
One Arizona employee told BuzzFeed News she recently had to train 13 new employees in a small room. Her store has started taking employees’ temperatures when they arrive for shifts — but for safety reasons she decided she would begin holding a series of smaller trainings.
“Maybe I'm being selfish,” she said during a recent phone interview. “I don't know, but I'm still exposing myself to 12, 16 people, even though they're not all together, but I figured that’s probably the best option that I have right now.”
Her store has gloves for employees but no masks, and no sanitizing wipes for customers to wipe down their carts.
“I'm able to stay in my office in the back. I've set up kind of a barrier so that you know my associates can't get into my actual little cubbyhole in an office,” she said. “And I still don't feel 100% safe. … I don't want to be here.”
Another employee at a Massachusetts store said she works at a service desk that’s less than 2 feet wide, and recently she had to train another employee to work the desk, forcing them into close proximity for hours.
“I am literally within spitting distance of customers in front of me,” she said. “When I told my supervisor that coughing children had given me a panic attack, she said, ‘Well, you don't have to be here.’ … I really wanted to be like, ‘Well, are you going to pay my bills?’ I'm not there for fun.”
She keeps her own hand sanitizer and said she’s washing her hands so often and they’ve gotten so dry that water hurts her skin.
Meanwhile, the bargain DVD bin at her store is still open, she said, and they continue to accept returns, something some other essential retail stores have shut down.
“[At the DVD bin,] they reach in where 90 people have reached in in the last three days. And then they take it out with everything that's on it. Then they bring it to the register,” she said. “So the cashiers got it. And it's on the belt, so it's on there. And when you really start looking at it, it just— If I focus too much, it will literally make me sick to my stomach.”
Another employee in Texas, who has worked for Walmart for 19 years, said that break rooms are a major issue.
“If it's been a rough day and you're going to take a break and you want to sit down, you're pretty much forced to sit next to somebody,” he said. “There are some people that work at the store [who] are self-quarantining themselves because they were around somebody that was diagnosed later. They don't know if they have it or not but, you know, they're just trying to be careful about it. But you hear that and you think, Wow, I was sitting next to that guy like two days ago.”
Wilson said the company has recently instituted new standards in break and meeting rooms to make more space for social distancing, including setting up break areas outside the store where possible. Additionally, she said, Walmart has called off as many non-essential meetings as possible to avoid employee gatherings.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-06--The Coronavirus Has Changed Everything For The Soon-To-Be Graduates Of Nursing And Medical Schools

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
As health professionals are swamped by coronavirus cases , the graduating class of 2020 health care workers has been put on hold , forced to watch without being able to help .
The coronavirus hit as tens of thousands of medical students were about to become doctors , and well over 100,000 nursing students were about to become nurses .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schooling , and politicians have vowed to get them into the workforce as early as possible .
But the reality is largely the opposite .
Students have been ordered out of hospitals to comply with social distancing .
Since mid-March the American Association of Medical Colleges has strongly urged that med students not be allowed to directly treat patients , to prevent further spread of the coronavirus .
Clinical work ground to a halt .
Most students are not seeing their starting dates moved up .
Instead , they ’ re at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only they know that after two agonizing months of waiting , they will be thrown to the front lines of the coronavirus response .
Through interviews and online submissions to BuzzFeed News , medical and nursing students overwhelmingly expressed two contrasting feelings : desire to help and fear of what that help would mean .
“ Sitting at home and not doing anything is kind of a helpless feeling .
Personally I just feel very low because I know exactly what they need and I know that I could help them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearance , ” said Danielle , a nursing student in Sacramento , California , who asked that her last name not be used .
But students still have real concern about being thrown into chaotic hospital environments that are dealing with supply problems .
They ’ re well aware of the lack of personal protective equipment , brutal working conditions , and wrenching choices .
“ We are all afraid , ” said Danielle .
`` If you ’ re not afraid , you ’ re either lying to yourself or you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has.
” Many nursing students were sent home when they were on their way to completing mandatory clinical hours .
Danielle was pulled out of hospital work on March 9 , costing her 120 hours of in-hospital training she needed to graduate .
She said her class has been given no guidance on whether those criteria will be lifted .
It ’ s a case of being so close and yet so far .
The students were put on hold less than a month before graduation but now don ’ t know how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In our minds , we are essentially nurses already , ” said Danielle .
“ Seeing everything unfold and the conditions that these nurses are going through , they need our help.
” There has been a lot of talk about getting graduating students into the workforce immediately , but for most grads , the logistics make this difficult , or even unrealistic .

As health professionals are swamped by coronavirus cases, the graduating class of 2020 health care workers has been put on hold, forced to watch without being able to help.
The coronavirus hit as tens of thousands of medical students were about to become doctors, and well over 100,000 nursing students were about to become nurses. They are done with or are finishing years of schooling, and politicians have vowed to get them into the workforce as early as possible.
But the reality is largely the opposite. Students have been ordered out of hospitals to comply with social distancing. Since mid-March the American Association of Medical Colleges has strongly urged that med students not be allowed to directly treat patients, to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Clinical work ground to a halt.
Most students are not seeing their starting dates moved up. Instead, they’re at home isolating and waiting, like everyone else. Only they know that after two agonizing months of waiting, they will be thrown to the front lines of the coronavirus response.
Through interviews and online submissions to BuzzFeed News, medical and nursing students overwhelmingly expressed two contrasting feelings: desire to help and fear of what that help would mean.
“Sitting at home and not doing anything is kind of a helpless feeling. Personally I just feel very low because I know exactly what they need and I know that I could help them, but I don’t have the clearance,” said Danielle, a nursing student in Sacramento, California, who asked that her last name not be used.
But students still have real concern about being thrown into chaotic hospital environments that are dealing with supply problems. They’re well aware of the lack of personal protective equipment, brutal working conditions, and wrenching choices.
“We are all afraid,” said Danielle. "If you’re not afraid, you’re either lying to yourself or you do not fully understand the implications this virus has.”
Many nursing students were sent home when they were on their way to completing mandatory clinical hours. Danielle was pulled out of hospital work on March 9, costing her 120 hours of in-hospital training she needed to graduate. She said her class has been given no guidance on whether those criteria will be lifted.
It’s a case of being so close and yet so far. The students were put on hold less than a month before graduation but now don’t know how it may affect their careers. “In our minds, we are essentially nurses already,” said Danielle. “Seeing everything unfold and the conditions that these nurses are going through, they need our help.”
There has been a lot of talk about getting graduating students into the workforce immediately, but for most grads, the logistics make this difficult, or even unrealistic.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-06--Local Lawmakers Want The Justice Department To Investigate How Coronavirus Responses Failed People O

Local Lawmakers Want The Justice Department To Investigate How Coronavirus Responses Failed People Of Color

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the hardest-hit communities across the country are calling on the Justice Department to investigate potential civil rights violations in the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on communities of color .
Nearly three dozen lawmakers from all over the country , including New York , Chicago , Baltimore , Austin , and Detroit , signed onto a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil Rights Division investigate the actions of executive branches , at all levels of government , and their responses to COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
In cities across the country , black and Latinx people are dying at higher rates , the letter notes .
BuzzFeed News has reported on a system of comorbidities and structural racism that have contributed to the disproportionate numbers .
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams , who signed the letter obtained in advance by BuzzFeed News , said Tuesday that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequities that existed beforehand that we have to address , [ it was ] exacerbated by terrible decisions that were made as the virus came into play.
” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams , another signatory , told BuzzFeed News , “ It could not have been a coincidence that from the Southside of Chicago to South Jamaica , Queens , you get the same outcome .
There was information that was known beforehand so you have to believe there were conscious decisions made in the deployment of resources , assets , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask DOJ to investigate , among other things , an uneven distribution of testing sites and inadequate protection for essential workers , who are disproportionately people of color .
“ Primarily people who are getting it , dying from it , are in the very communities that they just sent out to work without protection , ” Williams said .
“ These are intentional decisions that were made by local executives in the state.
” The group hopes the DOJ will expedite an investigation and offer subsequent policy recommendations ahead of a possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said could happen this fall and winter .
“ We need some systems in place , so we ’ re hoping there ’ s a preliminary finding and then a longer-term finding , ” said Adams .
Access to testing is also an issue local lawmakers hope the DOJ will help address .
In mid-April , the New York Post reported that most residents living in zip codes with the highest per capita testing rates in New York City were whiter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blacks make up 78.6 % of the population , city councilmember Mary Sheffield told BuzzFeed News there have been reports that some residents did not have access to testing .
“ There ’ ve been some concerning news reports of individuals who are denied treatment , denied testing , and then , unfortunately , passed away and bus drivers not having personal protective equipment when they ’ re on their jobs , ” Sheffield , who also signed onto the letter , told BuzzFeed News Tuesday .
Federal lawmakers have made their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic is affecting people of color .
Democrats in Congress pushed last month for the CDC to publish race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 .
And this week , Sen. Kamala Harris will introduce legislation that would create a federally appointed task force to oversee the distribution of coronavirus-related resources and funding in communities of color .
“ We can ’ t make the same errors or intentional decisions that affected black and brown communities , like the ones we just did , ” said Williams .
“ It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened , let ’ s move forward .
”

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the hardest-hit communities across the country are calling on the Justice Department to investigate potential civil rights violations in the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on communities of color.
Nearly three dozen lawmakers from all over the country, including New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Austin, and Detroit, signed onto a letter requesting the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division investigate the actions of executive branches, at all levels of government, and their responses to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
In cities across the country, black and Latinx people are dying at higher rates, the letter notes. BuzzFeed News has reported on a system of comorbidities and structural racism that have contributed to the disproportionate numbers.
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who signed the letter obtained in advance by BuzzFeed News, said Tuesday that while the disparity “is built upon historical inequities that existed beforehand that we have to address, [it was] exacerbated by terrible decisions that were made as the virus came into play.”
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, another signatory, told BuzzFeed News, “It could not have been a coincidence that from the Southside of Chicago to South Jamaica, Queens, you get the same outcome. There was information that was known beforehand so you have to believe there were conscious decisions made in the deployment of resources, assets, and instructions.”
The letter goes on to ask DOJ to investigate, among other things, an uneven distribution of testing sites and inadequate protection for essential workers, who are disproportionately people of color.
“Primarily people who are getting it, dying from it, are in the very communities that they just sent out to work without protection,” Williams said. “These are intentional decisions that were made by local executives in the state.”
The group hopes the DOJ will expedite an investigation and offer subsequent policy recommendations ahead of a possible “second wave” of coronavirus cases that the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said could happen this fall and winter.
“We need some systems in place, so we’re hoping there’s a preliminary finding and then a longer-term finding,” said Adams.
Access to testing is also an issue local lawmakers hope the DOJ will help address. In mid-April, the New York Post reported that most residents living in zip codes with the highest per capita testing rates in New York City were whiter and wealthier. And in Detroit, where blacks make up 78.6% of the population, city councilmember Mary Sheffield told BuzzFeed News there have been reports that some residents did not have access to testing.
“There’ve been some concerning news reports of individuals who are denied treatment, denied testing, and then, unfortunately, passed away and bus drivers not having personal protective equipment when they’re on their jobs,” Sheffield, who also signed onto the letter, told BuzzFeed News Tuesday.
Federal lawmakers have made their own calls for better oversight into how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting people of color. Democrats in Congress pushed last month for the CDC to publish race and ethnicity data for COVID-19. And this week, Sen. Kamala Harris will introduce legislation that would create a federally appointed task force to oversee the distribution of coronavirus-related resources and funding in communities of color.
“We can’t make the same errors or intentional decisions that affected black and brown communities, like the ones we just did,” said Williams. “It’s not enough to say, ‘Oh this has happened, let’s move forward.”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-06--Trump Claims The Coronavirus Came From This Wuhan Lab. Here’s What We Actually Know About Its Resear

Trump Claims The Coronavirus Came From This Wuhan Lab. Here’s What We Actually Know About Its Research.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology previously conducted controversial experiments to test what could make coronaviruses more dangerous to humans , but scientists have ruled out that SARS-CoV-2 is a product of genetic engineering .
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been beating a drumbeat of blame for COVID-19 : Both claim that the novel coronavirus behind the pandemic came from a lab in Wuhan , China .
Asked on April 30 by a reporter if he had seen evidence that the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology , Trump responded : “ Yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” going on to accuse the World Health Organization of being “ like the public relations agency for China.
” On May 3 , Pompeo said on ABC News that there was “ enormous evidence ” that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab .
Both men claimed they were “ not allowed ” to reveal what this evidence was , suggesting their information came from classified intelligence .
Before being seized on by Trump and Pompeo , the theory that the virus came from a Wuhan lab had been promoted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Examiner , as well as the Epoch Times , a publication linked to the Chinese dissident religious group Falun Gong .
While scientists can ’ t eliminate the possibility of a lab escape entirely , the evidence suggests that the virus most likely evolved naturally , probably spreading to people in a seafood market in Wuhan where live animals were also on sale .
Anonymous briefings from international intelligence officials have also suggested that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is unlikely to be the source of COVID-19 .
Despite the questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit we do know about the research that was done at the Wuhan lab and why it ’ s unlikely to be the origin of the new coronavirus .
Here ’ s what we know : The Wuhan lab began studying bat coronaviruses in 2004 after SARS .
The head of the lab , which is operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences , is virologist Shi Zhengli .
( Shi did not immediately respond to queries about her work from BuzzFeed News ; a representative said by email that they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sciences for her to be interviewed . )
Popularly known as China ’ s “ bat woman , ” Shi studies the many different coronaviruses circulating in bats across China and beyond , trying to assess the risk that they could jump into people and cause a pandemic like COVID-19 .
That became a priority after SARS , a respiratory illness caused by another coronavirus , which appeared in China in 2002 and spread to more than two dozen countries , killing 774 people .
MERS , a similar disease caused by yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2012 , spread to 27 countries , and has killed 858 people .
Both SARS and MERS are thought to have spread to people from animals — civets in the case of SARS and dromedary camels for MERS .
But bats are believed to be the natural reservoir for these and other potentially pandemic coronaviruses , circulating the viruses in their populations and occasionally passing them to other species .
And so from 2004 onward , Shi searched caves across China for colonies of roosting bats , taking swabs from the animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronaviruses they carry .
Shi ’ s team has since identified dozens of coronavirus variants in bats , constructing an evolutionary tree of how they are related to one another based on the sequences of the RNA that makes up their genetic material , and showing that viruses from distinct branches of this tree seem to be found in different parts of China .
In 2013 , Shi ’ s group identified two coronavirus strains from horseshoe bats that were 95 % genetically similar to the virus that caused SARS , providing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely jumped to humans via a civet , bats were the ultimate origin of the virus .
Shi ’ s team has also studied the genetic mutations that seem to make bat coronaviruses more likely to cross over into people , focusing in particular on the gene that encodes its “ spike protein.
” The halo of spikes on the surface of coronaviruses gives them their signature crownlike appearance when viewed through an electron microscope .
The ability of bat coronaviruses to infect human cells seems to depend on the interaction between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the surface of cells in the lungs .
The lab previously conducted controversial experiments to test what could make coronaviruses more dangerous to humans .
Most controversially , Shi ’ s research on the spike protein has involved experiments that some scientists view as unacceptably risky : deliberately genetically engineering viruses to study what makes them more dangerous .
In 2015 , Shi and Ralph Baric , a virologist at the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , described experiments in which they engineered the spike protein from one of Shi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another coronavirus that had already been adapted to infect mice .
The engineered virus replicated easily in human cells , and antibodies and vaccines developed against the SARS virus were relatively ineffective in protecting mice from infection .
Shortly after these experiments were run , the US government placed a moratorium on so-called gain-of-function research to make pathogens more dangerous .
The ban was eventually lifted in December 2017 , but the research remains controversial .
“ As the world reels from the impacts of the present pandemic , it should be clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that creating new potential pandemic pathogens is unwise , ” Richard Ebright , a molecular biologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey , told BuzzFeed News by email .
Baric did not respond to requests from BuzzFeed News to discuss his work with Shi .
BuzzFeed News could find no evidence that Shi has performed gain-of-function studies since .
Scientists are certain that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was not genetically engineered .
In March , an international team of virologists led by Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 , the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
They concluded : “ Our analyses clearly show that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus.
” If the virus had been deliberately engineered , scientists would expect to see sequences that are suspected to make coronaviruses more dangerous spliced into the backbone of a viral strain commonly used for experiments of this type .
Instead of this smoking gun , SARS-CoV-2 has mutations all along its genetic sequence that experts would have had no prior reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially pandemic virus .
This result is what they would expect to see if the virus had evolved naturally .
“ I am quite sure SARS-CoV-2 was not lab-synthesized , judging by the sequence , ” Susan Weiss , a coronavirus expert at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in Andersen ’ s study , told BuzzFeed News by email .
“ It seems impossible that someone could figure out how to make a virus with these properties.
” It ’ s also highly unlikely the virus escaped the Wuhan lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t rule out the possibility .
Such “ lab escape ” accidents are not unknown .
They happened several times during the SARS epidemic , with accidental infections occurring at labs in Singapore , Taiwan , and China .
The most serious incidents were at the Chinese National Institute of Virology in Beijing , where the virus escaped and infected people on several occasions .
Scientists also now think that the 1977 reemergence of the H1N1 flu was the result of a laboratory accident .
H1N1 , the subtype of flu that caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been seen in the wild since 1957 .
But in 1977 , an H1N1 virus turned up in China and Russia .
It spread across the world , but fortunately only affected younger people who had not been exposed to similar viruses before and proved less deadly than regular seasonal flu .
The 1977 pandemic H1N1 was very similar to viruses sampled from flu patients around 1950 .
Because viruses typically accumulate genetic mutations as they replicate , making them slowly change over time , the explanation for this uncanny similarity was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years in a laboratory .
“ We and others estimated that it was 27 years in the freezer , ” Joel Wertheim of the University of California , San Diego , who has studied the origins of the 1977 flu pandemic , told BuzzFeed News .
The closest known virus to SARS-CoV-2 is called RaTG13 .
Isolated by Shi ’ s team from a horseshoe bat in Yunnan province in southern China , hundreds of miles away from Wuhan , RaTG13 has a genetic sequence that is 96 % similar to SARS-CoV-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close match , it means the two viruses are probably separated by “ decades of evolution , ” according to Wertheim .
Andersen ’ s team also considered the possibility that the particular combination of mutations seen in SARS-CoV-2 arose as a result of growing it in cell cultures in the lab .
But they decided this was unlikely .
Some of the mutations , they noted , seemed to be the result of interacting with an animal ’ s immune system , while the part of the spike protein that binds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar to sequences found in coronaviruses in pangolins .
Together , this evidence suggested a natural origin , they concluded .
Shi has said that she initially worried that the virus might have escaped from her lab , but found no close match among her samples .
“ That really took a load off my mind , ” she told Scientific American .
“ I had not slept a wink for days.
” Proponents of the lab-origin theory have also pointed out that only 27 of 41 patients described in a study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct connection to the seafood market that has been blamed for the emergence of COVID-19 .
But unlike the accidents with SARS , there is no evidence that anyone connected to the Wuhan Institute of Virology was among the early patients .
While highly unlikely , scientists can ’ t rule out that SARS-CoV-2 was secretly studied in a lab and accidentally released .
The brief appearance in mid-April of online notices and a Chinese government directive suggesting that research in China on the origins of COVID-19 must be “ strictly and tightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has added to suspicion of a cover-up by Chinese authorities .
US intelligence is looking into whether the virus escaped from the lab , but the international intelligence community suggests that ’ s “ highly unlikely.
” Speculation that COVID-19 may have been released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology grew after Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin reported on April 14 that he had seen a 2018 US diplomatic cable warning about “ inadequate safety ” at the facility .
However , Dennis Carroll , a virologist and former official with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has funded Shi ’ s work , has questioned the importance of the cables , which he saw while working in Beijing .
“ I didn ’ t place an enormous amount of weight on the observations that were made because they were not part of a critical , standardized evaluation , ” Carroll told Science .
On April 30 , after Trump started to blame the Wuhan lab for COVID-19 , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a statement saying that “ the entire intelligence community ” agreed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not genetically modified , but was leaving open the possibility that it had been accidentally released from a lab .
“ The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan , ” the statement went on .
The same day , the New York Times reported that senior Trump administration officials had been applying pressure to US intelligence agencies to hunt for evidence to support the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sydney Morning Herald that a dossier shared among political leaders in the Five Eyes coalition — the US , UK , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand — linking the coronavirus to a Wuhan laboratory was mostly based on news reports and contained no original intelligence .
Anonymous officials from the Five Eyes coalition told CNN that an intelligence assessment shared in the network suggests the lab-release theory is “ highly unlikely.
” Nevertheless , the fight over the Wuhan lab has dealt a blow to research into COVID-19 and other potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a grant to Peter Daszak of the EcoHealth Alliance in New York City from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) , given to understand the risks of coronaviruses spreading from bats to people .
Daszak has worked with Shi to study China ’ s bat coronaviruses , including the 2013 paper on the two horseshoe bat viruses similar to the SARS virus .
But on April 24 , the grant to Daszak was abruptly terminated , as first reported by Politico .
That happened just one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the funding for the Wuhan lab at a press conference and said : “ We will end that grant very quickly.
” In 2016 , Shi and Daszak also described a “ fast and cost-effective method ” for genetically engineering coronaviruses , funded in part by the NIAID grant .
But it ’ s unclear that this aspect of the work had anything to do with the termination of the grant .
Instead , emails obtained by Science from the National Institute of Health ’ s deputy director for extramural research suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was made because of safety issues at the lab , though no evidence was given to support that claim .
Other scientists have described the termination of the grant as a “ horrible precedent ” that will hamper efforts to understand the threat of future pandemics .
“ Our work on the NIAID funding was to assess the risk of bat-origin coronaviruses getting into people , causing sickness and emerging globally , ” Daszak told BuzzFeed News by email .
“ The real risk is out in nature , not in the lab @ @

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been beating a drumbeat of blame for COVID-19: Both claim that the novel coronavirus behind the pandemic came from a lab in Wuhan, China.
Asked on April 30 by a reporter if he had seen evidence that the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Trump responded: “Yes, I have. Yes, I have,” going on to accuse the World Health Organization of being “like the public relations agency for China.”
On May 3, Pompeo said on ABC News that there was “enormous evidence” that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab. Both men claimed they were “not allowed” to reveal what this evidence was, suggesting their information came from classified intelligence.
Before being seized on by Trump and Pompeo, the theory that the virus came from a Wuhan lab had been promoted by right-wing media outlets including Fox News and the Washington Examiner, as well as the Epoch Times, a publication linked to the Chinese dissident religious group Falun Gong.
While scientists can’t eliminate the possibility of a lab escape entirely, the evidence suggests that the virus most likely evolved naturally, probably spreading to people in a seafood market in Wuhan where live animals were also on sale. Anonymous briefings from international intelligence officials have also suggested that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is unlikely to be the source of COVID-19.
Despite the questions and rumors, there’s quite a bit we do know about the research that was done at the Wuhan lab and why it’s unlikely to be the origin of the new coronavirus. Here’s what we know:
The Wuhan lab began studying bat coronaviruses in 2004 after SARS.
The head of the lab, which is operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is virologist Shi Zhengli. (Shi did not immediately respond to queries about her work from BuzzFeed News; a representative said by email that they would seek permission from the Chinese Academy of Sciences for her to be interviewed.)
Popularly known as China’s “bat woman,” Shi studies the many different coronaviruses circulating in bats across China and beyond, trying to assess the risk that they could jump into people and cause a pandemic like COVID-19.
That became a priority after SARS, a respiratory illness caused by another coronavirus, which appeared in China in 2002 and spread to more than two dozen countries, killing 774 people. MERS, a similar disease caused by yet another coronavirus, emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012, spread to 27 countries, and has killed 858 people.
Both SARS and MERS are thought to have spread to people from animals — civets in the case of SARS and dromedary camels for MERS. But bats are believed to be the natural reservoir for these and other potentially pandemic coronaviruses, circulating the viruses in their populations and occasionally passing them to other species. And so from 2004 onward, Shi searched caves across China for colonies of roosting bats, taking swabs from the animals and collecting their droppings to examine the coronaviruses they carry.
Shi’s team has since identified dozens of coronavirus variants in bats, constructing an evolutionary tree of how they are related to one another based on the sequences of the RNA that makes up their genetic material, and showing that viruses from distinct branches of this tree seem to be found in different parts of China. In 2013, Shi’s group identified two coronavirus strains from horseshoe bats that were 95% genetically similar to the virus that caused SARS, providing the strongest evidence that, while the virus likely jumped to humans via a civet, bats were the ultimate origin of the virus.
Shi’s team has also studied the genetic mutations that seem to make bat coronaviruses more likely to cross over into people, focusing in particular on the gene that encodes its “spike protein.” The halo of spikes on the surface of coronaviruses gives them their signature crownlike appearance when viewed through an electron microscope. The ability of bat coronaviruses to infect human cells seems to depend on the interaction between the spike protein and a receptor called ACE2 on the surface of cells in the lungs.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-09--Three Scenarios Of How The Coronavirus Could End

Experts are making wildly different predictions about the future of the coronavirus .
`` We are at the blind-men-feeling-the-elephant stage of this outbreak.
” China ’ s new coronavirus may peter out .
Or it might join the flu on the roster of the world ’ s winter illnesses — a bug that will be routinely vaccinated against .
Or it might become a global pandemic , killing millions of people .
Experts don ’ t have enough information to predict which of these very different scenarios will come to pass .
So for now , they are cautious .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know .
And any sort of prediction would be ill-advised , ” said the director of National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Disease , Anthony Fauci , at a Friday briefing by the presidential task force on coronavirus .
“ You really do prepare for the worst possible scenario.
” Coronavirus 2019-nCoV reports began at the start of the year with 41 cases in Wuhan , a city of 11 million people , tied to visitors to a now-shuttered seafood market .
As of Sunday , there were 37,592 reported cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those in China , and 814 deaths , the vast majority of those in Hubei province , home to Wuhan .
But cases have also cropped up in 28 other countries or territories , including one death in the Philippines and 69 cases on a Japanese cruise ship , the Diamond Princess , anchored outside Yokohama .
“ It ’ s hard to believe that just two months ago , this virus was unknown to us , ” said World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday , explaining what still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : its true origin , how contagious it is , and how deadly .
“ To put it bluntly : We ’ re shadow-boxing.
” “ We are at the blind-men-feeling-the-elephant stage of this outbreak , ” epidemiologist David Fisman of the University of Toronto told BuzzFeed News .
“ We obviously have people feeling the virus from different angles right now , and we need to see the whole elephant.
” Those unknowns mean that there ’ s a wide array of possible outcomes for the outbreak , ranging from a contained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( a closely related coronavirus that killed 774 people and spread to a dozen countries ) to a seasonal increase in pneumonia among the elderly worldwide , to a widespread pandemic resembling the 1918 flu outbreak that killed at least 50 million people .
Scenario 1 : The virus stays mostly in China In support of a containment scenario , Mike Ryan , executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program , noted that while case reports have steadily increased in Hubei province , “ we haven ’ t seen that same acceleration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we haven ’ t seen that same acceleration in Hong Kong , and Macau , in Taiwanese people either .
I think we ’ re seeing a relatively stable situation outside Wuhan.
” One big question determining the success of China ’ s containment — where a deadly outbreak is tamped down by quarantines and hospitalization — is whether the virus is effectively transmitted by people without symptoms .
Doctors have recorded mild cases , like a child described in a study who only was revealed to be ill through a genetic test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who were screened too early in their infection and went on to get seriously ill. Those cases might escape quarantine and increase the spread of the disease , making it “ very difficult to stop in China , ” Alessandro Vespignani , an infectious disease expert at Northeastern University , told Science .
In the past week , that sort of break-out seemed likely with a New England Journal of Medicine report of a Chinese woman who traveled to Germany on business for a few days , infected four Germans at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning home .
US health officials cited the case in a White House briefing announcing quarantine of US travelers from Wuhan and forbidding foreigners traveling from China entry into the US .
But the case study has since proven overstated , with reports that the woman actually did have a fever and other symptoms while still in Germany , but suppressed them with cold medicine for her business meetings .
Still , Chinese scientists are certain that asymptomatic infections have taken place , said NIAID ’ s Fauci on Thursday when answering questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said that he thinks asymptomatic infections are “ not the driver of the outbreak , ” based on other coronaviruses .
There are four common coronaviruses already endemic in people , thought to cause about 10 % to 30 % of colds , and pneumonia , as well as the more dangerous MERS and SARS , the latter the closest genetic match to 2019-nCoV .
If the coronavirus does manage to spread widely outside of China , it isn ’ t necessarily catastrophic .
It could turn out to have seasonal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flu .
That pattern has been seen in at least two of the common coronaviruses that affect people .
If that ’ s the case for this new one , said Fauci , “ when you start getting into the spring weather of April , May , and June , it almost certainly would start to turn around.
” On the downside , that means it would just come back next winter .
That happened with the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic that hit the world in two seasonal waves .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing for clinical trials to test the effectiveness of antiviral drugs used on an emergency basis in the outbreak .
China has started two randomized clinical trials of a promising drug called remdesivir , overseen by respiratory disease expert Cao Bin at Beijing ’ s China–Japan Friendship Hospital .
( One of the 12 US patients with the coronavirus tried the drug and recovered a day later . )
“ If it keeps going , but tapers down in the Northern Hemisphere over the summer , and then resurges next winter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , ” Fauci told BuzzFeed News by phone on Saturday .
Several vaccines are already in development .
One might prove safe within a year , Fauci said , and then be churned out in large quantities within two years .
That ’ s remarkably fast : A decade ago it would have taken seven years to roll out a new vaccine , he added .
The earliest doses of a new coronavirus vaccine would likely go first to health providers and next to the elderly and people with health risks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system has rolled out rapid mass vaccination programs as recently as 2009 , when an H1N1 influenza outbreak jumped from Mexico to the US .
CDC ’ s Nancy Messonnier , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , has compared the spread of that influenza strain , now found worldwide , to the likely eventual spread of the new coronavirus in the US .
With H1N1 , she said to reporters on Monday , “ by the time we caught it , it was already at our borders.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was caught early before it spread around the world and we had this window of time in which they could intervene to slow it down.
” That slowdown gave CDC a chance to roll out a new diagnostic test for the coronavirus , which was approved by the FDA this week .
In the US , there are only 12 cases so far , and all are doing well , according to CDC and the public health department in Wisconsin , where the latest case was announced on Wednesday .
Only two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , and they had direct contact with ill spouses .
Case numbers from other countries are similar in size , ranging from 40 patients in Singapore to 1 in Sri Lanka .
“ I can ’ t predict , but I can say we are on a close watch around the world to see if there ’ s another country that starts to get what we call sustained human-to-human transmission , ” CDC Director Robert Redfield said .
“ Obviously then you try to get the collective effort of the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China.
” Then there ’ s the worst-case scenario : The relatively few cases popping up in dozens of countries flare up worldwide in the coming months with deadly consequences .
It happened in 1957 , when a flu pandemic killed 1.1 million people worldwide , and again in 1968 , when another flu strain killed about 1 million people .
The death of Chinese physician Li Wenliang on Friday , killed by a coronavirus infection in Wuhan after Chinese authorities had forced him to renounce his December warnings about the outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s odds of having bottled up 2019-nCoV when it originated .
( WHO says it has not seen an outbreak in doctors and nurses outside of Wuhan . )
“ This is a much bigger thing going on that probably started back in November , ” said the University of Toronto ’ s Fisman , based on both the genetics of the virus , showing how often it has reproduced in human patients , and the trajectory of the increasing case numbers .
He and his colleagues suggested in a preliminary study that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting only 59 % of the actual cases , which would point to about 5,000 unreported patients , each one a possible source of more infections .
Those numbers suggest that China ’ s strict internal travel bans have failed to lower the rate at which the average patient infects another person , a number called R0 , to below 1 , the point at which an outbreak peaks and begins to decline .
That means the new coronavirus might have already skirted containment efforts and might be worse than reported in Hubei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come of elderly people dying without ever being tested by hospitals .
China ’ s nationwide travel ban , and reports of one province offering a $ 140 bounty to people who turn in recent arrivals from Wuhan , said Fisman , “ are not things you do when you are winning against an outbreak.
” Outside China , some numbers are suspiciously low , with only one reported case from Cambodia , which had direct airplane flights from Wuhan , and few cases in Thailand despite the many planes it receives from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawrence Wong reported a coronavirus patient “ without any links to the previous cases or any recent travel history to mainland China , ” suggesting the virus was loose in the city-state , a pivotal hub in global travel and commerce .
Seasonality might also not be something to count on , pneumonia expert Richard Wunderink of Northwestern University ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine told BuzzFeed News , saying he sees pneumonia cases associated with coronavirus cases all year round .
“ We will see the stress in emergency departments first , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard right away.
” In that case , the true lethality of the virus — yet another unresolved question — takes on even more weight .
From current case counts , a death rate of about 2 % has been estimated for 2019-nCoV — not as deadly as SARS , which had a 9 % death rate , but still horrific .
The Spanish flu outbreak of 1918 had a death rate of 2.5 % and preyed on the young .
( The new coronavirus instead looks particularly dangerous for people over 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , or those with health conditions like diabetes . )
Most likely , the new coronavirus mortality rate is much lower than 2 % , because of unreported milder cases .
A Chinese National Health Commission official said on Monday that the death rate in provinces other than Hubei was 0.16 % .
That ’ s still much higher than influenza , which has about a 0.1 % mortality rate .
( And even then : In the first three weeks of 2020 alone , flu has killed more than 8,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , WHO ’ s Maria Van Kerkhove said at a news briefing that based on 17,000 cases confirmed by China , around 82 % of 2019-nCoV cases are mild , 15 % are severe , and 3 % are critical .
But she cautioned that blood tests to detect antibodies to the virus taken from a broader sample of people in China are needed to reveal the true extent of the outbreak , complicating projections of its future course .
“ The one caution about all predictions early in past outbreaks is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with the outcome , ” said Fisman , acknowledging his own expectations have worsened as the outbreak has continued .
“ We still don ’ t know a lot .
”

If the coronavirus does manage to spread widely outside of China, it isn’t necessarily catastrophic. It could turn out to have seasonal behavior, flaring up in winter like the flu. That pattern has been seen in at least two of the common coronaviruses that affect people. If that’s the case for this new one, said Fauci, “when you start getting into the spring weather of April, May, and June, it almost certainly would start to turn around.”
On the downside, that means it would just come back next winter. That happened with the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic that hit the world in two seasonal waves.
Still, the extra time wouldn’t hurt, allowing for clinical trials to test the effectiveness of antiviral drugs used on an emergency basis in the outbreak. China has started two randomized clinical trials of a promising drug called remdesivir, overseen by respiratory disease expert Cao Bin at Beijing’s China–Japan Friendship Hospital. (One of the 12 US patients with the coronavirus tried the drug and recovered a day later.)
“If it keeps going, but tapers down in the Northern Hemisphere over the summer, and then resurges next winter, we are really going to need a vaccine,” Fauci told BuzzFeed News by phone on Saturday.
Several vaccines are already in development. One might prove safe within a year, Fauci said, and then be churned out in large quantities within two years. That’s remarkably fast: A decade ago it would have taken seven years to roll out a new vaccine, he added.
The earliest doses of a new coronavirus vaccine would likely go first to health providers and next to the elderly and people with health risks like lung disease. The US public health system has rolled out rapid mass vaccination programs as recently as 2009, when an H1N1 influenza outbreak jumped from Mexico to the US. CDC’s Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, has compared the spread of that influenza strain, now found worldwide, to the likely eventual spread of the new coronavirus in the US.
With H1N1, she said to reporters on Monday, “by the time we caught it, it was already at our borders.” But with the new coronavirus, “it was caught early before it spread around the world and we had this window of time in which they could intervene to slow it down.” That slowdown gave CDC a chance to roll out a new diagnostic test for the coronavirus, which was approved by the FDA this week.
In the US, there are only 12 cases so far, and all are doing well, according to CDC and the public health department in Wisconsin, where the latest case was announced on Wednesday. Only two of those patients are not travelers from China, and they had direct contact with ill spouses. Case numbers from other countries are similar in size, ranging from 40 patients in Singapore to 1 in Sri Lanka.
“I can’t predict, but I can say we are on a close watch around the world to see if there’s another country that starts to get what we call sustained human-to-human transmission,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said. “Obviously then you try to get the collective effort of the world’s public health community to prevent another China.”
Scenario 3: Deadly global pandemic


buzzfeednews--2020-05-07--A Florida Entrepreneur Bought Anti-Lockdown URLS To Raise Money. But He Got Death Threats.

Last month , a man from Florida purchased several domains associated with the nationwide anti-lockdown protests during the coronavirus pandemic , which he planned to use to raise money for the protesters .
But he told BuzzFeed News that after he forgot to make his email address private on the domain registry , he was flooded with death threats .
In April , Brad Lee Butcher , an entrepreneur from Sebastian , Florida , bought reopenNC.com , reopenNC.org , reopenNY.com , reopenFL.com , and reopenMI.com , and several others , all of which he redirected to a petition he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of businesses in North Carolina .
As of Thursday , all of the sites Butcher bought have been taken down .
Butcher said that he purchased the domains because he had family in North Carolina who were part of the Reopen NC protests , and he thought the website could raise money for them to make signs and T-shirts .
“ I have been in advertising and marketing for a while and my natural train of thought is to follow trends , ” Butcher said .
“ I figured maybe I could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or whatever would help them out.
” The anti-lockdown protests spreading across the US over the last month were organized on Facebook in groups like `` Indiana Citizens Against Excessive Quarantine , '' `` Operation Gridlock Tennessee , '' and “ Reopen NC.
” Butcher said his mother was active in the Reopen NC Facebook group , the leader of which announced last month she had tested positive for COVID-19 .
The quick spread of these lockdown groups in April made some digital security experts suspicious that the protests could be part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these groups are the work of conservative activists in the United States .
Butcher is not the only entrepreneur who bought domain names to capitalize on the anti-lockdown protests — nor the only one from Florida .
More than 200 domain names , like reopenmaine.com , reopenky.com , liberatewyoming.com , are owned by Michael Murphy , a former day trader from Jacksonville , who runs an antiques and buildings supplies salvage business with his wife .
In April , Murphy told BuzzFeed News he had purchased them to “ hoodwink '' conservatives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murphy ’ s attempt to snap up the domain names backfired , however , after a Reddit thread accusing him of astroturfing went viral .
Butcher ’ s plan to buy a few reopen domains also went awry after he forgot to hide his personal information on the site 's registration information .
From that , people were able to look up his name , email , and phone number .
Soon after his sites went up , he said he got a call from someone he didn ’ t know telling him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over Twitter .
“ Profiting from people dying was what the main theme was , ” he said .
“ They made me the merchant of death.
” He said the websites didn ’ t also raise as much money as he had thought .
“ We were able to have two to three people making the shirts in North Carolina for about two to three weeks , ” he said .
Following his domain buying spree , Butcher said he was pivoting to a new business : He 's started a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sells shirts that say things like “ Fuck China '' and “ Fuck COVID-19.
” According to the site ’ s description , “ This is not a call for violence .
This is not a racist shirt .
China is not a race .
It does not say Fuck the Chinese anywhere in the world .
This shirt says , fuck the leaders of China and communism .
This includes most of our US media and all wanting to undermine our constitution and instill socialism in the US.
” “ The merchant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ I 'll be selling even more interesting shirts there .
”

Last month, a man from Florida purchased several domains associated with the nationwide anti-lockdown protests during the coronavirus pandemic, which he planned to use to raise money for the protesters. But he told BuzzFeed News that after he forgot to make his email address private on the domain registry, he was flooded with death threats.
In April, Brad Lee Butcher, an entrepreneur from Sebastian, Florida, bought reopenNC.com, reopenNC.org, reopenNY.com, reopenFL.com, and reopenMI.com, and several others, all of which he redirected to a petition he had posted on reopenNC.com calling for the reopening of businesses in North Carolina.
As of Thursday, all of the sites Butcher bought have been taken down.
Butcher said that he purchased the domains because he had family in North Carolina who were part of the Reopen NC protests, and he thought the website could raise money for them to make signs and T-shirts.
“I have been in advertising and marketing for a while and my natural train of thought is to follow trends,” Butcher said. “I figured maybe I could help them all get shirts or signs, or whatever would help them out.”