buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--Some Basic Financial Advice As The Coronavirus Hurts Service And Hourly Workers’ Finances

According to a recent survey conducted among roughly 400 members of the Freelancers Union , more than two-thirds of the respondents expect to lose revenue in the coming weeks .
Roughly a third of them would be unable to work from home if they had to self-quarantine .
Low-income , independent , hourly , and gig economy workers are particularly hurt by the recession that could be brought on by the coronavirus , which is forcing governments to restrict businesses and limit crowds to stem the number of infections .
Unemployment benefits are specific to the state and the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a personal finance expert at NerdWallet , told BuzzFeed News .
It ’ s important for you to look into what your state may require your employer to pay in case they lay you off , which can easily be done by googling your state and the words “ unemployment benefits , ” Palmer said .
If you are on payroll and are laid off or furloughed , you should qualify for some kind of unemployment , Richard Cecchi , a certified public accountant based in Babylon , New York , told BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other self-employed people don ’ t generally qualify for unemployment benefits .
BuzzFeed News spoke to an accountant , a personal finance adviser , and the president of the Freelancers Union to find advice for these workers during the pandemic .
Coronavirus In The Workplace : BuzzFeed News looks at how companies and employees are handling the coronavirus pandemic .
Then there are decisions that each company makes .
Given that these are exceptional circumstances , companies may also decide to provide additional benefits , Palmer said .
Uber , for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks for drivers who test positive for COVID-19 .
Instacart and DoorDash are doing the same for workers who get the virus .
To find out what your company may offer , it could be worth getting in touch with an HR representative .
In terms of health benefits , employees who have been laid off may qualify for continued health care coverage via the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act ( COBRA ) .
As with unemployment benefits , this varies from state to state as well as from company to company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News that it ’ s important to keep an eye out for new bills that local , state , and federal governments might introduce to help employees in response to the pandemic , like after 9/11 and during the 2008 recession .
A bill passed by the House on Sunday , for instance , is supposed to extend paid sick leave to people who work for smaller companies ( fewer than 500 employees ) or for the government and who tested positive for the virus , are in quarantine , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacted by the school closings .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter , Outbreak Today , will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
What if I can ’ t pay for rent or other housing on time ?
More than 18 million people are currently paying at least half of their income in housing , so missing a paycheck can mean they won ’ t be able to pay the rent .
Palmer suggests talking to your landlord and finding a way to delay payments given the circumstances .
Eviction moratoriums are going into place around the US .
Cities like San Jose , California ; San Francisco , Seattle , Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evictions .
Kentucky , New York , and Massachusetts are among the states that have halted all eviction proceedings , and advocates are pushing for similar measures nationally , Marketplace has reported .
This situation is changing day by day , so it ’ s important to keep an eye out for any announcements from your local government .
Tenant right laws vary from state to state , and the Administration for Children and Families has a helpful rundown of some basic information on your rights in each state ( its guide is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of useful information for just about any tenant ) .
Thomas J .
Waters , a housing policy analyst of the Community Service Society of New York , said that in locations where tenant protections have not kicked in yet , it may be helpful to call your local assembly member or city council member to get a referral to a local tenant rights organization that may help you collect information or evidence that you are acting in good faith , even if you don ’ t have the income to pay your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways in which I can find income ?
“ I would really encourage people to see if they are flexible enough to do different work , ” Palmer said .
“ Demand for some things is really dropping but demand for other things is popping up.
” For example , delivery workers are currently in high demand , as restaurants in some states close to sit-in dining but are still open for takeout , and people in lockdown use delivery apps .
Rafael Espinal , president of the Freelancers Union , said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His union is looking to begin crowdsourcing funds to help people who may face evictions , not have access to health care , or don ’ t have enough money to go grocery shopping .
Espinal and his colleagues will work out criteria to determine who would receive financial support .
“ What I ’ ve been telling independent workers to do is to organize , ” Espinal told BuzzFeed , and added that it ’ s important to make the needs of independent workers known to lawmakers .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing in modern history and there ’ s no clear plan as to what they are going to do to help independent workers , ” he said .
How much should I continue to save and what are good tips to do that ?
Savings are an important factor in weathering economic shocks , especially for people who are self-employed .
“ We really encourage people who work in the gig economy to save up 3-6 months worth of expenses for a downturn when work may not come as readily , ” Palmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the short term is to look really close look at your budget : what are you spending money on right now.
” This is not something everyone can do , but if there ’ s even a little bit of wiggle room in your budget , this may help .
• None 50 % to your needs , like rent or food • None 30 % to pay for your wants , like haircuts or dining out • None 20 % to your debt ( if you have any ) and savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt by the coronavirus shutdowns should look really closely at your “ wants ” column and focus on cutting a lot of items in there right away .
If you do have some savings , consider moving them into an online high-yield savings account , she said , where your savings can earn a lot more interest .
( You can look up a few here . )
If you keep your savings in an account at a traditional bank , you may only earn 0.5 % interest .
Online accounts could earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tax season .
What should I do if I think I owe money ?
Tax bills can be fairly large , depending on how much of your income was not taxed .
If you think that you owe money and may not be able to pay it in one chunk due to coronavirus-related work disruptions , consider filing a 9465-form along with your tax return to apply for an installment plan , Cecchi said .
And make sure that you file everything on time .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin just announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million can get an extra 90 days after the filing deadline —April 15 — to pay any federal taxes they owe .
Lawmakers do , however , recommend to file on time .
You should also check in on what your state is doing .
The American Institute of CPAs has been keeping track of state-related changes to tax deadlines here .

Then there are decisions that each company makes. Given that these are exceptional circumstances, companies may also decide to provide additional benefits, Palmer said. Uber, for instance, extended paid sick leave up to two weeks for drivers who test positive for COVID-19. Instacart and DoorDash are doing the same for workers who get the virus.
To find out what your company may offer, it could be worth getting in touch with an HR representative.
In terms of health benefits, employees who have been laid off may qualify for continued health care coverage via the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). As with unemployment benefits, this varies from state to state as well as from company to company.
Last but not least, Cecchi told BuzzFeed News that it’s important to keep an eye out for new bills that local, state, and federal governments might introduce to help employees in response to the pandemic, like after 9/11 and during the 2008 recession.
A bill passed by the House on Sunday, for instance, is supposed to extend paid sick leave to people who work for smaller companies (fewer than 500 employees) or for the government and who tested positive for the virus, are in quarantine, have a sick family member, or are impacted by the school closings.
There’s a lot we still don’t know about the coronavirus outbreak. Our newsletter, Outbreak Today, will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here. Do you have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And if you're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand, we’d also love to hear from you (you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels).
What if I can’t pay for rent or other housing on time?
More than 18 million people are currently paying at least half of their income in housing, so missing a paycheck can mean they won’t be able to pay the rent. Palmer suggests talking to your landlord and finding a way to delay payments given the circumstances.
Eviction moratoriums are going into place around the US. Cities like San Jose, California; San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Boston have implemented a moratorium on evictions. Kentucky, New York, and Massachusetts are among the states that have halted all eviction proceedings, and advocates are pushing for similar measures nationally, Marketplace has reported. This situation is changing day by day, so it’s important to keep an eye out for any announcements from your local government.
Tenant right laws vary from state to state, and the Administration for Children and Families has a helpful rundown of some basic information on your rights in each state (its guide is geared toward refugees but contains a lot of useful information for just about any tenant).
Thomas J. Waters, a housing policy analyst of the Community Service Society of New York, said that in locations where tenant protections have not kicked in yet, it may be helpful to call your local assembly member or city council member to get a referral to a local tenant rights organization that may help you collect information or evidence that you are acting in good faith, even if you don’t have the income to pay your rent right now.
Are there alternative ways in which I can find income?
“I would really encourage people to see if they are flexible enough to do different work,” Palmer said. “Demand for some things is really dropping but demand for other things is popping up.”
For example, delivery workers are currently in high demand, as restaurants in some states close to sit-in dining but are still open for takeout, and people in lockdown use delivery apps.
Rafael Espinal, president of the Freelancers Union, said a lot of informal organizing is taking place. His union is looking to begin crowdsourcing funds to help people who may face evictions, not have access to health care, or don’t have enough money to go grocery shopping. Espinal and his colleagues will work out criteria to determine who would receive financial support.
“What I’ve been telling independent workers to do is to organize,” Espinal told BuzzFeed, and added that it’s important to make the needs of independent workers known to lawmakers.
“This is the biggest financial crisis that freelancers are facing in modern history and there’s no clear plan as to what they are going to do to help independent workers,” he said.
How much should I continue to save and what are good tips to do that?
Savings are an important factor in weathering economic shocks, especially for people who are self-employed.
“We really encourage people who work in the gig economy to save up 3-6 months worth of expenses for a downturn when work may not come as readily,” Palmer said. “The most important thing in the short term is to look really close look at your budget: what are you spending money on right now.”
This is not something everyone can do, but if there’s even a little bit of wiggle room in your budget, this may help.
Palmer suggested using the “50/30/20” method:
50% to your needs, like rent or food
30% to pay for your wants, like haircuts or dining out
20% to your debt (if you have any) and savings
With this division, people who are hurt by the coronavirus shutdowns should look really closely at your “wants” column and focus on cutting a lot of items in there right away.
If you do have some savings, consider moving them into an online high-yield savings account, she said, where your savings can earn a lot more interest. (You can look up a few here.) If you keep your savings in an account at a traditional bank, you may only earn 0.5% interest. Online accounts could earn you 1.5% or more.
It’s tax season. What should I do if I think I owe money?
Tax bills can be fairly large, depending on how much of your income was not taxed.
If you think that you owe money and may not be able to pay it in one chunk due to coronavirus-related work disruptions, consider filing a 9465-form along with your tax return to apply for an installment plan, Cecchi said. And make sure that you file everything on time.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin just announced that people who owe less than $1 million can get an extra 90 days after the filing deadline —April 15 — to pay any federal taxes they owe. Lawmakers do, however, recommend to file on time. You should also check in on what your state is doing. The American Institute of CPAs has been keeping track of state-related changes to tax deadlines here.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--These People Bought Up 100,000 Medical Masks. When They Tried To Sell Them, They Were Robbed By Arme

These People Bought Up 100,000 Medical Masks. When They Tried To Sell Them, They Were Robbed By Armed Men.

The targets of the robbery notified the authorities and provided details , including text messages , that led to the arrests .
The medical mask heist , which went down Saturday , was announced Tuesday by Ukraine ’ s Kyiv Directorate of the National Police and the Kyiv Prosecutor ’ s Office .
Those law enforcement bodies said three suspects had been arrested .
Some of the details about the heist were provided exclusively to BuzzFeed News by the police .
A group of three men , wearing a uniform similar to that of Ukraine ’ s State Security Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But these men weren ’ t agents of the state — they were in fact thieves dressed up in order to rob the sellers .
The men threatened the sellers with “ pistol-like weapons ” and forced them to lay on the ground .
Then they loaded the boxes of medical masks into their cars and sped away in different directions .
The deal turned out to be more than they bargained for .
Last week , they posted an advert online offering to sell the masks — which had cost them around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant markup .
They soon got a response and arranged a time and place to cut a deal with their prospective buyers .
A group of opportunists spent weeks buying up 100,000 medical masks from pharmacies around the Ukrainian capital , Kyiv .
Seeing the demand for medical masks on the rise as the coronavirus spread across the globe , they hoped to resell them and make a quick profit .
A video of the bust published by the police shows officers inspecting dozens of stacked cardboard boxes filled with blue medical masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The thieves face 10 years ’ imprisonment and confiscation of personal property if they ’ re convicted of armed robbery .
While their actions might be morally dubious at a time of global pandemic , the group of opportunists who bought up the medical supplies do not face any charges .
Ukraine has just 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , seven of which were confirmed by the Ukrainian Health Ministry ’ s Public Health Center on Tuesday , but it has taken extraordinary measures to try to stave off an outbreak like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the virus .
Its president has ordered nationwide quarantine measures , including a ban on international and domestic travel and exports of medical equipment , until at least June 1 .
As the novel coronavirus sweeps across the world and the demand for medical supplies grows , some people are jumping at the chance to profit from it — and perhaps fueling the outbreak of the coronavirus in the process .
In perhaps the best example of hoarding and price gouging in the US , two brothers in Tennessee stockpiled 17,700 bottles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Amazon at $ 70 per bottle .
While they managed to sell some of their merchandise at marked-up prices , they were blocked by the platform from selling most of it .
The brothers , featured in a New York Times article on Saturday , received a barrage of criticism from a public frustrated by empty store shelves .
On Sunday , the men were finally forced to give away their products .
Tennessee , which declared a state of emergency last Thursday , triggering an anti–price gouging law , is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News reported .
According to the New York Times , attorney general offices in California , Washington , and New York are all investigating price gouging related to the coronavirus .
Health experts say hoarding medical supplies actually raises the risk of the coronavirus spreading farther and faster .
Volodymyr Kurpita , former chief of the Ukrainian Public Health Center , told BuzzFeed News by phone from Kyiv that stockpiling supplies like masks can lead to shortages , which “ puts the people fighting the coronavirus ” — doctors , nurses , paramedics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come in frequent contact with people — “ at increased risk.
” “ You are also putting yourself at higher risk because you are visiting shops and pharmacies and places elsewhere and are coming in contact with people ” who may not have a mask or be using hand sanitizer because of shortages , Kurpita added .
Underscoring the danger of such shortages , a top New York cancer clinic with only enough masks for about a week has seen at least three patients and five staff members diagnosed with COVID-19 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a staff meeting obtained by BuzzFeed News .
Andriy Kryshchenko , deputy head of Ukraine ’ s National Police , suggested in a statement to the media Tuesday that the incident that occurred in his country should serve as a warning for both medical supply hoarders and criminals .
“ Taking advantage of the situation , the attackers decided to try and profit off of the demand for essential goods , ” Kryshchenko said .
“ In the future , their accomplices planned to resell the medical masks , but their illegal actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

A video of the bust published by the police shows officers inspecting dozens of stacked cardboard boxes filled with blue medical masks and two of the suspects in handcuffs.
The thieves face 10 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of personal property if they’re convicted of armed robbery.
While their actions might be morally dubious at a time of global pandemic, the group of opportunists who bought up the medical supplies do not face any charges.
Ukraine has just 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19, seven of which were confirmed by the Ukrainian Health Ministry’s Public Health Center on Tuesday, but it has taken extraordinary measures to try to stave off an outbreak like those in countries that have been ravaged by the virus. Its president has ordered nationwide quarantine measures, including a ban on international and domestic travel and exports of medical equipment, until at least June 1.
As the novel coronavirus sweeps across the world and the demand for medical supplies grows, some people are jumping at the chance to profit from it — and perhaps fueling the outbreak of the coronavirus in the process.
In perhaps the best example of hoarding and price gouging in the US, two brothers in Tennessee stockpiled 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer they hoped to resell on Amazon at $70 per bottle. While they managed to sell some of their merchandise at marked-up prices, they were blocked by the platform from selling most of it.
The brothers, featured in a New York Times article on Saturday, received a barrage of criticism from a public frustrated by empty store shelves. On Sunday, the men were finally forced to give away their products. Tennessee, which declared a state of emergency last Thursday, triggering an anti–price gouging law, is still investigating the brothers’ case, CBS News reported.
According to the New York Times, attorney general offices in California, Washington, and New York are all investigating price gouging related to the coronavirus.
Health experts say hoarding medical supplies actually raises the risk of the coronavirus spreading farther and faster.
Volodymyr Kurpita, former chief of the Ukrainian Public Health Center, told BuzzFeed News by phone from Kyiv that stockpiling supplies like masks can lead to shortages, which “puts the people fighting the coronavirus” — doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other health care workers who come in frequent contact with people — “at increased risk.”
“You are also putting yourself at higher risk because you are visiting shops and pharmacies and places elsewhere and are coming in contact with people” who may not have a mask or be using hand sanitizer because of shortages, Kurpita added.
Underscoring the danger of such shortages, a top New York cancer clinic with only enough masks for about a week has seen at least three patients and five staff members diagnosed with COVID-19, according to internal emails and a transcript of a staff meeting obtained by BuzzFeed News.
Andriy Kryshchenko, deputy head of Ukraine’s National Police, suggested in a statement to the media Tuesday that the incident that occurred in his country should serve as a warning for both medical supply hoarders and criminals.
“Taking advantage of the situation, the attackers decided to try and profit off of the demand for essential goods,” Kryshchenko said. “In the future, their accomplices planned to resell the medical masks, but their illegal actions earned them only a jail term.”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-05--A Salon Owner Was Ordered Jailed For 7 Days After Refusing To Close Her Business During Quarantine

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 .
A salon owner was jailed Tuesday after she refused to temporarily close her business during stay-at-home orders , actions that a judge said were `` selfish '' amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic .
`` The society can not function when one 's own belief in a concept of liberty permits you to flaunt your disdain for the rulings of duly elected officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a court hearing that was broadcast on YouTube .
Shelley Luther , owner of Salon à la Mode , reopened her salon in Dallas on April 24 , about a month after the county issued stay-at-home orders that shut down nonessential businesses .
When she received a cease-and-desist order to close her salon , Luther tore up the letter during a protest where demonstrators were urging Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott to reopen businesses across the state .
During the court hearing Tuesday , Moyé told Luther she had the `` keys '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sentence that included incarceration .
`` You may utilize them now if you would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that your actions were selfish , putting your interests ahead of those of the community in which you live , '' he said .
`` This court will consider the payment of a fine in lieu of the incarceration , which you have demonstrated you have so clearly earned . ''
The judge pointed out that Dallas County has so far seen 4,330 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , including 237 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face mask during the court proceeding and held a phone close to her face so that a court reporter , who logged into the hearing via teleconference , could hear her comments .
`` I have to disagree with you , sir , when you say I 'm selfish , because feeding my kids is not selfish , '' she said .
`` I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they 'd rather feed their kids .
So , sir , if you think the law is more important than kids being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , because I 'm not going to shut the salon . ''
Luther was then taken into custody at the end of the court hearing .

A salon owner was jailed Tuesday after she refused to temporarily close her business during stay-at-home orders, actions that a judge said were "selfish" amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
"The society cannot function when one's own belief in a concept of liberty permits you to flaunt your disdain for the rulings of duly elected officials," Judge Eric Moyé said in a court hearing that was broadcast on YouTube.
Shelley Luther, owner of Salon à la Mode, reopened her salon in Dallas on April 24, about a month after the county issued stay-at-home orders that shut down nonessential businesses. When she received a cease-and-desist order to close her salon, Luther tore up the letter during a protest where demonstrators were urging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to reopen businesses across the state.
During the court hearing Tuesday, Moyé told Luther she had the "keys" to the county jail and could avoid a sentence that included incarceration.
"You may utilize them now if you would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that your actions were selfish, putting your interests ahead of those of the community in which you live," he said. "This court will consider the payment of a fine in lieu of the incarceration, which you have demonstrated you have so clearly earned."
The judge pointed out that Dallas County has so far seen 4,330 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 237 new cases since Monday.
Luther wore a face mask during the court proceeding and held a phone close to her face so that a court reporter, who logged into the hearing via teleconference, could hear her comments.
"I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say I'm selfish, because feeding my kids is not selfish," she said. "I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they'd rather feed their kids. So, sir, if you think the law is more important than kids being fed, then go ahead with your decision, because I'm not going to shut the salon."
Luther was then taken into custody at the end of the court hearing.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-05--US Citizen Kids Of Undocumented Immigrants Sued The Trump Administration For Denying Them Coronaviru

US Citizen Kids Of Undocumented Immigrants Sued The Trump Administration For Denying Them Coronavirus Stimulus Checks

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 — US citizen kids whose parents are undocumented immigrants filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday challenging their exclusion from a coronavirus relief program that Congress intended to benefit children .
Under the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security , or CARES Act , eligible families can receive up to $ 500 for each child under 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum payment available to individual adults .
But the Trump administration and Congress won ’ t pay out CARES Act money to undocumented immigrant parents for their US citizen children .
The children named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland , using their initials , are between seven months and nine years old .
Their parents paid federal and state taxes , and would otherwise meet the income-based criteria for being eligible for relief funds , per court papers .
“ The refusal to distribute this benefit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s goal of providing assistance to Americans in need , frustrates the Act ’ s efforts to jumpstart the economy , and punishes citizen children for their parents ’ status — punishment that is particularly nonsensical given that undocumented immigrants , collectively , pay billions of dollars each year in taxes , ” lawyers for the children and their families wrote in the complaint .

WASHINGTON — US citizen kids whose parents are undocumented immigrants filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday challenging their exclusion from a coronavirus relief program that Congress intended to benefit children.
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act, eligible families can receive up to $500 for each child under 17, in addition to the $1,200 maximum payment available to individual adults.
But the Trump administration and Congress won’t pay out CARES Act money to undocumented immigrant parents for their US citizen children. The children named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland, using their initials, are between seven months and nine years old. Their parents paid federal and state taxes, and would otherwise meet the income-based criteria for being eligible for relief funds, per court papers.
“The refusal to distribute this benefit to U.S. citizen children undermines the CARES Act’s goal of providing assistance to Americans in
need, frustrates the Act’s efforts to jumpstart the economy, and punishes
citizen children for their parents’ status — punishment that is particularly
nonsensical given that undocumented immigrants, collectively, pay billions of
dollars each year in taxes,” lawyers for the children and their families wrote in the complaint.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-11--The Coronavirus Is Shattering A Generation Of Kids

Interviews with more than 40 children across the country reveal American childhood in the midst of COVID-19 — and how race and class help define which children will emerge unscathed .
If you ’ re a kid right now , and you ’ re doing OK , the biggest question you have about the virus might be something like : How did it start ?
How does it spread ?
Or maybe : Why is there no medicine ?
But if you ’ re a kid and you ’ re not OK — and a lot of kids aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the luxury of curiosity .
Instead , you have only one question about the virus that has upended your entire life .
Banner Gusler , who is 10 , takes a deep breath before he says it .
He screws up his face .
Loudly , slowly , enunciating each word , he belts out : “ WHEN .
WILL .
THIS .
END ?
” The coronavirus generation has sometimes been described as a whole , vast constellation of American children , linked by the virus and the unprecedented force it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some ways , that is real .
Every child in America stopped attending school .
Every child in America stopped playing sports , doing theater , going down the slide at the park .
And summer brings with it only more uncertainty , even as some kids and families begin to cautiously leave their homes .
But the reality of the coronavirus generation is not connection — it ’ s the opposite .
This spring , I spoke to more than 40 children across the country , as well as dozens of parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations .
Many children are adapting .
They ’ re resilient .
You can tell because if you ask them what they ’ re worried about , they say nothing , really : They feel safe , they think their parents are too .
They know where their next meal is coming from .
They miss their friends , they stay away from the news , they dream about a summer that might not come .
But there are many kids who are not OK.
It ’ s not possible to make hard-and-fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even under one roof , different children have had entirely separate experiences with the pandemic .
For some kids , the collapse of routines has been debilitating .
Social isolation has been achingly hard — even with two parents at home , with routine and school and food and shelter , they have had mood swings , anxiety .
Others have struggled to cope with losses — of milestones , of opportunities , of family .
One thing is clear , though : What has not changed about childhood in the midst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic inequality .
If anything , coronavirus has lengthened those tentacles , at a time when hundreds of thousands of Americans are in the streets protesting racist social structures and police brutality .
Teachers and psychologists have no doubt , they say , that most of the children who were already at an advantage will emerge from this pandemic — from their small constricted worlds , from their bubbles — with an even greater lead .
And the children who did not have those advantages , who were already struggling , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the virus takes its toll unevenly , mostly affecting low-income people and people of color , all of society ’ s equalizers — school , health care , sports , even public parks and playgrounds — have been at least partially stripped away .
So too have external support networks , the friends and organizations and adults holding many children upright .
Children ’ s entire lives are in their homes .
And their homes are vastly , vastly different .
So it ’ s a bit like a game of chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a child living through this — whether you ’ re OK or not , what this whole thing has been like for you .
Except it has the most American twist : For some children , the cards are stacked heavily against them .
Banner , who has high-functioning autism , liked school because he liked his teacher , and he was in a class that worked on mindfulness and yoga techniques .
His mom says he was “ finally comfortable ” at his school this year , finally settling into a routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what Banner calls it — happened .
Trying to do school online has been “ traumatic for everyone involved , ” his mom says .
This is where WWE comes in .
Lately , WWE has become Banner ’ s whole life .
That was how Jennifer , Banner ’ s mom , knew he was having a hard time .
“ When he gets really uncomfortable or stressed out , wrestling is his go-to , ” Jennifer says .
“ By the end of March , he really started obsessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how we knew , okay , we ’ re struggling.
” Jennifer has to work four days a week .
She scrambles to put together childcare .
Banner ’ s autism makes him more reliant on routines , and that makes it hard for him when the routines simply disappear .
Banner ’ s structured day has been replaced , mostly , by WWE .
When the pandemic first started , he built himself a space he calls his cubby : the nook under his lofted bed where he has set up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action figures to fight each other in , and a screen to play WWE video games and watch WWE on YouTube .
There ’ s a sensory light under there that admits rays of watery blue and makes soft , calming ocean sounds .
This is Banner ’ s absolute favorite place .
Banner has been having trouble sleeping since the outbreak started , so his mom orchestrated The Renovation , which meant she moved her bed into Banner ’ s room , and Brother ’ s stuff into her old bedroom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mornings in his bed surrounded by more than 100 stuffies , his mom ’ s bed is usually already empty .
She has to leave early for work .
So Banner wakes Brother up , and then he goes to his cubby .
He comes out for breakfast , then back into the cubby .
He will come out again only for a few things : a weekly Zoom call with his school on Wednesdays , which he likes ; or there ’ s occupational therapy with a disability nonprofit called Easterseals ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brother watches , which is sort of like gym class ; or pizza rolls .
“ You and Brother don ’ t have much of a routine , ” Jennifer says , sighing .
That sudden absence of routine has also upended life for Khalil Hardy , who is 8 .
( His first name has been changed for this story . )
Khalil is usually a happy kid , the kind who likes school .
“ The virus has destroyed his world , ” his mom , Clarissa , says .
Khalil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t understand why his routine has imploded .
He doesn ’ t understand why he has to go to school online , why he has to sit in front of a computer for 45 minutes at a time .
Every morning he wants to know : Is today the day I get to go see my school ?
See my classmates ?
Sometimes , Clarissa says , he reaches out and tries to touch his teachers through the screen .
Like many kids with disabilities , especially those in school districts that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khalil , who lives in Washington , DC , hasn ’ t been getting nearly enough of the services he ’ s entitled to , like speech and occupational therapy .
His mom had already been working with a nonprofit legal group , the Children 's Law Center , to fight for the services he needed .
Now technology , too , has become a huge barrier , along with the district ’ s already strapped resources .
With Khalil struggling , Clarissa did the only thing she could think of for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed a bulk order , and then she cleared out her dining room and made it into a classroom .
A place Khalil recognized — where he could feel safe .
There ’ s an ABC rug and a giant calendar and a desk .
Khalil likes to show it off : `` This is my classroom . ''
Like Clarissa , many parents have done what they can to replicate their children ’ s routines : taking walks around the block before the start of the school day , having strict schedules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But for those , like Banner , whose parents are essential workers — or who are out of work and overwhelmed by just trying to make ends meet — routines are not possible .
Not very long ago , Banner and his mom were lying down together , just talking , and Banner admitted that he was worried about her getting the Rona .
He ’ d never said that to her before .
His mom , who spends all day in a hospital .
As soon as she gets home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then she strips and goes straight into the shower .
All Banner wants to do when she walks in the door is give her a hug , Jennifer says .
But he can ’ t .
Does he miss his mom when she ’ s gone ?
“ I wish you could see his face , ” Jennifer says .
“ He ’ s looking at me and he ’ s got this smirk.
” He just wants to know when all of this will end .
“ I do n't want my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luke Smith ’ s young patients , in the flat farmland of rural North Carolina , had things easy before the pandemic .
Smith is a psychiatrist and the executive director of El Futuro , a bilingual mental health clinic .
He works with the children of immigrants , migrant farmworkers and meat industry workers — most struggling with mental health issues like anxiety and depression .
In the pandemic , Smith says , there ’ s no rule about which of his kids are doing well and which are struggling .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them the first chance they ’ ve had in years to feel safe .
They used to be afraid of their parents being deported , that every knock on the door was ICE — but now , there ’ s no more visitors .
Now they ’ re “ cocooned ” with their family , he says , safe .
Smith has had a chance to look into his patients ’ homes over video chat , and sometimes , he ’ s seen glimpses that give him hope and relief : a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was at the dinner table together , eating Burger King — Smith had been worried they weren ’ t getting enough to eat .
Some kids who struggled in school because of racism or cultural barriers are doing better academically .
But other kids are much worse off : “ reclused in their rooms , ” he says , sleep-wake cycles reversed , their parents gone all day because they ’ re essential workers .
Some kids worry constantly about what they will eat next .
Others watch anxiously while their father leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded in the back of a truck with other men .
Smith talks regularly to a boy who used to be doing well in school , used to turn in all his assignments .
Now he doesn ’ t .
He doesn ’ t have reliable Internet access in the mobile home park where he lives .
He spends all day alone in his room , blinds drawn , parents at work , where he worries about them .
Before the pandemic , he ’ d been reticent to talk to Smith .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , telling his doctor that he often wakes up in the middle of the night , crying .
Evan Yerena and his mom , Claudia , work with Smith at El Futuro .
Claudia and her three children are together most of the day in one room , their living room , while Claudia works as a go-between with needy families in Orange County — helping them find food and social services , texting with families who the pandemic has trapped in ever-worsening domestic violence situations .
Claudia ’ s 12-year-old son has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe doing better , home all day with her mom .
But Evan , 10 , is having a difficult time .
School is hard , he says , and he misses soccer , which he loves so much — he plays goalie , and also forward .
Mostly , though , Claudia has noticed that he is torn up with anxiety about his father , who works for an air conditioning company and must leave the house every day for work .
“ I ’ m scared , ” Evan says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks to his mom about his father .
He says to her , “ I don ’ t want my dad to die.
” He thinks about it a lot .
It ’ s the thing that worries him most of all , he says .
He just wants his dad to be able to stay at home .
When Evan talks about the virus , and about his dad , his voice is very soft , and you almost can ’ t hear him as he speaks .
He has a mop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that make him look older than he actually is .
He only wants to know this : “ When is the cure ?
” School is hard because it feels like they aren ’ t even learning anything — just doing things like multiplication problems .
No one ever explains why things happen , you ’ re just supposed to do the work .
And Nora doesn ’ t even do the work sometimes .
Because it ’ s hard to get motivated .
Because when she wakes up , all she wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nora has been having a lot of bad dreams lately .
She wakes up in the middle of the night and she just can ’ t go back to sleep .
“ I had a bad dream yesterday , ” Dottie interjects .
“ It was about someone coming out of the walls and pulling your hair.
” Yeah , but Nora has been having them every night .
If she can even go back to sleep , she sleeps in .
Sometimes she does a little bit of her schoolwork .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all day , ” she says .
“ I don ’ t know.
” One of the biggest divides parents have noticed within their families is between the introverts and the extroverts .
Many kids who are happy being alone have been coping better .
Then there are those for whom losing their social life , their friends , has been acutely devastating .
Two of Kathryn Meeker ’ s children are doing well in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak — better than ever , maybe .
But Anna , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anna is far more extroverted than her siblings .
She misses her grandma and her church youth group and her teachers and friends .
And missing them makes her mad .
There ’ s such an intensity to her rage , Meeker says : multiple tantrums in a day over little stuff , like putting the wrong kind of sugar in her oatmeal ; pushing and screaming if her siblings are using the swing when she wants a turn .
Meeker tries to help her understand her rage , but that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an amorphous thing , the virus .
The kids were used to visiting their grandma at least weekly , if not more .
They ’ ve walked over so that they can see her from across the street , because Zoom calls , at least for Anna , are such a poor substitute that they make her hysterical , furious : “ I don ’ t want to see her on the screen , ” she says , “ I want to see her in person.
” Kathryn asked Anna if she wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was like for her , but she would only yell back in Russian : Nyet , nyet .
For Nora , the thought of losing her friends without being able to say goodbye has been consuming .
It ’ s the first thing she wants to do when this is all over : drive back to Napa and hug them .
If they had one question about the virus , Dottie would ask : “ How did it start ?
Because I heard it was because of a bat.
” Nora wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can see my friends ?
” Class is over , and there ’ s only a few more days until school ’ s out for the summer .
But no one wants to leave .
As their teachers say goodbye , the fourth-graders linger on the call .
“ This is so sad , ” one girl says .
“ Well , ” another chimes in , “ at least it ’ s a school year we ’ ll never forget.
” “ It ’ s like sometimes , when you have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wait a minute , I don ’ t remember that part.
’ But now you ’ re like , ‘ Oh yeah , you remember this , ’ because it ’ s like , you ’ re stuck at home.
” “ I survived COVID-19 , ” someone pipes in , to laughter .
Ms. Sullivan and her co-teacher start , again , to say goodbye , and in the chat window , her students respond with memes : Stewie Griffin shouting “ NOOOOOO , ” a man with his arms crossed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaring , “ I DON ’ T WANT TO GO.
” As the rest of them say “ Bye , ” another writes into the chat window : “ I don ’ t wan na die.
” This is how it has been for the past 10 weeks in Ms. Sullivan and Ms. Phoenix ’ s class at Watkins Elementary School , in Southeast Washington , DC .
This is the only chance most students get to talk to their friends , to see their faces , and they miss each other so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to log off , one by one , until it ’ s only Ms. Sullivan and Ms. Phoenix , and Ms. Sullivan ’ s 6-year-old daughter , who has spent the morning class sitting on her mom ’ s lap .
Some students talked a lot , asking detailed questions while they sat in their beds or at their kitchen tables .
But with some students , Ms. Sullivan got only a few fleeting glimpses : one girl ’ s blurry chin , a single syllable of a boy ’ s voice as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t turn his mute off .
A single chat sent : “ Good morning.
” And then there are the kids that didn ’ t log on : Many days , at least 20 students don ’ t call in .
Ms. Sullivan ’ s mind is occupied with all of them , but the students she doesn ’ t see — those are the ones that consume her thoughts .
For weeks , there were students that she could not get in contact with at all .
For one girl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan had been close with the girl ’ s mom before the pandemic .
When she finally was able to speak to her , she found out the family had been thrown into chaos : The mom was single with two kids , out of work and trying to string together gig jobs .
Her days were spent working for Instacart , stretching to find child care .
There ’ s a huge split in Ms. Sullivan ’ s class , she says , when it comes to who is learning .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine , ” she says .
“ Some aren ’ t .
And of course , a lot of it falls along stereotypical race and class lines.
” There ’ s one boy in her class , white , upper-middle class — his parents split the day up in two , one of them constantly managing his schoolwork while the other works from home .
“ He basically has two full-time tutors , ” Ms. Sullivan says .
He was already ahead .
The girl who went MIA for seven weeks , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — she was already behind .
When Ms. Sullivan finally talks to parents whose children have been absent , they feel awful — they know their kids are missing something , and they ’ re torn up about it .
But they ’ re drowning .
Some kids go to work with their parents .
Some are shuttling between three , four different houses .
Some are helping with childcare .
“ When we were all in the classroom together , the classroom was this leveling field , and that ’ s gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All the discrepancies that there were before , that gap — now it ’ s a chasm.
” The thought of that widening chasm beats down daily on teachers , social workers , and school counselors in places where large numbers of kids are low-income .
They know the research on what happens to kids during the summers , when they ’ re out of school : an academic slide that is far more pronounced for low-income children .
But this is worse .
It ’ s not just that the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many months longer than during the summer .
It ’ s worse because students and their families are suffering more acutely than they ever have .
For many teachers , academics have simply fallen by the wayside in favor of far more pressing questions : Is this kid safe ?
Is she hungry ?
Does she own a book ?
“ Most teachers in public school , we walk around with that mental checklist : ‘ When ’ s the last time I talked to that girl ?
’ ” Ms. Sullivan says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I get off the phone : ‘ Oh , there ’ s this kid I haven ’ t heard from in more than a week.
’ ” The pandemic has given Ms. Sullivan the kind of chance to look at her students ’ home lives that she ’ d never had before .
There were some kids , she says , whom she didn ’ t have on her “ radar ” before , but for whom a glimpse into their kitchens has left her worried .
She ’ s watched parents being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she sits there on camera .
Sometimes a student will pause the call and return trying to fight back tears .
“ You don ’ t see that at school , but now that you ’ re sitting in your kitchen , you get to see a lot more of it.
” But there is even more , now , that might be hidden from teachers ’ eyes .
With school shut down , abuse and neglect have become far more pressing worries for those who work with children .
The vast majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from schools ; many states saw a steep drop-off after the virus closed classrooms .
Now , many children are not just cut off from social services — they ’ re stuck at home with their abusers .
In Ms. Sullivan ’ s class , though , there have been bright sides , too .
She ’ s working more closely than ever with parents .
She ’ s seen “ a lot of beauty ” for families in her class : chances to spend more time with each other , opportunities for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and creativity up close .
Technology , though , can get in the way .
So much of Ms. Sullivan ’ s job now is tech support : walking fourth-graders through things like submitting documents or clicking in and out of windows .
Are you muted ?
Can you click mute so that we can hear you ?
Parents have struggled with figuring out how to use and install software , which can feel confusing and cumbersome .
A few kids had no computers in their homes , and it took the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laptops .
So for some of her students , Ms. Sullivan had to throw tech out the window .
There ’ s one mom in her class who has been bringing her two kids with her to and from work , every day , and she was overwhelmed by the prospect of installing and navigating the school ’ s software .
But when they talked , she told Ms. Sullivan she had been having her son read for 45 minutes every day and write in his reading journal .
The way Ms. Sullivan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being expected to do something impossible.
” And she was doing a really good job of it .
It has startled many parents of young children , the way the virus has trickled down to toddlers and kindergartners .
Some children have regressed : started wetting their beds , throwing tantrums , calling names , hitting siblings .
Others , like Joe , have become obsessed with the virus .
Some parents choose not to tell their toddlers about what ’ s going on , trying to keep them cocooned in a bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the disruptions to routine — canceled daycare , absent friends and relatives — can be explained away without trauma .
But even then , the virus has crept in .
Kids , parents say , can tell that something is wrong .
“ At first , I was so not prepared for this to affect either of them , ” says Betsy Portillo , whose 3-year-old son , Diego , was already used to her staying at home with her newborn on maternity leave .
But a week or two into quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though he ’ d been potty-trained for more than a year .
Diego is a social kid , and she can tell he misses his friends .
He was never physical with his little brother , but now he is , violent outbursts that seem like so much energy building up in his little body and then releasing itself .
He talks all the time about “ the germies , ” which is what his parents took to calling the virus — they had to keep him from touching the fire hydrants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain the yellow caution tape they passed around the playground where they used to be able to go .
Nancy ’ s older son , Francis , is almost 5 , and she can see his behavior change too : temper tantrums and mood swings , uncontrollable sobbing for no apparent reason .
“ It ’ s almost like he lost his kindness bone for a while , ” she says .
Nancy knows , now , that her sons ’ struggles are partly a reflection of how she and her husband have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the news on TV , the things they said to try to keep the boys from touching everything on their walks .
But that wasn ’ t clear to them at first , how much the kids would absorb what they heard and saw and felt .
Things have gotten better for the boys lately , as Nancy and her husband have become more aware of how their own moods in the midst of this affect their children .
But still , sometimes , when the boys see crowds on their movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Is the Sickness not there ?
” they want to know .
“ Was that before the Sickness ? ''
Who will be left with the stamp of coronavirus , and who will not ?
We don ’ t know , but we can guess .
As I called kid after kid , I could see the stark lines of race and class appearing from the very beginning .
I could take guesses about how the kids who appeared on my screen would be doing , but sometimes I was wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ different than talking to adults .
It was harder .
They never , ever mentioned what the grown-ups had done to them — the politics , the missteps , the miscalculations — but you could see forces of all of it working in their lives anyway .
Which is always true , of course , but so much sharper now , like everything had been put under a microscope .
It was hard not to think , frequently , how unfair it all was for them .
There was another part of why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I was lonely , and my own life was hard sometimes , and the children I spoke with were smart and funny and joyful .
They were better than the adults .
To say that is not to minimize their suffering , which was acute : It ’ s just true .
They showed me toys who wore masks and bandannas to go outside .
They told me about their new family traditions — the games , the endlessly boring walks .
They were isolated , but they tried to explain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : where you could find the llamas in Fortnite , their Animal Crossing island , their favorite Roblox game .
They showed me their art , the fanfiction they were writing to fill the time , so much time .
Larkin Hinkley , who is 6 , showed me the most incredible drawing she made .
She ’ s autistic , and her mind makes a lot of connections other peoples ’ don ’ t , so when she learned about the virus ’ s shape and name , she drew it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s shaped almost exactly like the scientific models of the real virus .
“ King Coronavirus , ” she calls him .
I ’ m still thinking of all of them .
On my own Zoom hangouts , I ’ ve told my grown-up friends about the funny things they ’ ve said — the 6-year-old boy who , asked what he most wanted to do when the pandemic was over , said , “ I want to make sure the video games keep happening.
” His parents hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am worrying about them , still , and it feels familiar , because I know it ’ s a tiny sliver of what their parents and teachers and counselors are feeling all the time now .
I ’ m worrying about how long it will be before Nora gets to hug her friends , about whether Ms. Sullivan will be able to get in touch with her students tomorrow , about whether Banner can sleep at night .
I ’ m worrying about Diego , about the moment where he saw me on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his eyes went wide with fear .
He asked : “ Does she have the germies ?
” I have thought about that moment a lot .
But I try to think about the next moment , too , when he asked his mom if he could go out onto their front deck and play with the bubbles .
I also think about Valentina and her mom , Francisca .
Francisca is an undocumented immigrant outside San Francisco who works as a house cleaner , which means a lot of people have stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when she can ’ t go into work .
Valentina ’ s dad ’ s job has dried up too .
It ’ s been so hard that Valentina , who is only 9 years old , can feel it .
While her mom explains how they have n't been able to get stimulus checks because they ’ re undocumented , Valentina pops up in the background and shouts : “ WE NEED MONEY !
” Valentina gets scared when she hears about the virus , that ’ s true .
Sometimes she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so she runs around and hits herself and jumps up and down .
But the other thing about the virus is : It means she and her mom get to spend time together .
“ I love my mom , ” Valentina says , and she presses herself up against Francisca ’ s side , very close , grinning .
“ She used to always go to work .
She was always at work .
Right away when I was sleeping she would leave , so I never got to see her.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Valentina and her mom watch game shows , and they draw , and they go for long walks all the way to the mountain , and it ’ s enough .
●

If you’re a kid right now, and you’re doing OK, the biggest question you have about the virus might be something like: How did it start? How does it spread? Or maybe: Why is there no medicine?
But if you’re a kid and you’re not OK — and a lot of kids aren’t — you don’t have the luxury of curiosity. Instead, you have only one question about the virus that has upended your entire life. Banner Gusler, who is 10, takes a deep breath before he says it. He screws up his face. Loudly, slowly, enunciating each word, he belts out: “WHEN. WILL. THIS. END?”
The coronavirus generation has sometimes been described as a whole, vast constellation of American children, linked by the virus and the unprecedented force it is exerting on their young lives. In some ways, that is real. Every child in America stopped attending school. Every child in America stopped playing sports, doing theater, going down the slide at the park. And summer brings with it only more uncertainty, even as some kids and families begin to cautiously leave their homes.
But the reality of the coronavirus generation is not connection — it’s the opposite.
This spring, I spoke to more than 40 children across the country, as well as dozens of parents, teachers, child psychologists and nonprofit organizations.
Many children are adapting. They’re resilient. You can tell because if you ask them what they’re worried about, they say nothing, really: They feel safe, they think their parents are too. They know where their next meal is coming from. They miss their friends, they stay away from the news, they dream about a summer that might not come.
But there are many kids who are not OK.
It’s not possible to make hard-and-fast rules about who, or why. Even under one roof, different children have had entirely separate experiences with the pandemic. For some kids, the collapse of routines has been debilitating. Social isolation has been achingly hard — even with two parents at home, with routine and school and food and shelter, they have had mood swings, anxiety. Others have struggled to cope with losses — of milestones, of opportunities, of family.
One thing is clear, though: What has not changed about childhood in the midst of coronavirus is the vast reach of racial and economic inequality.
If anything, coronavirus has lengthened those tentacles, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Americans are in the streets protesting racist social structures and police brutality. Teachers and psychologists have no doubt, they say, that most of the children who were already at an advantage will emerge from this pandemic — from their small constricted worlds, from their bubbles — with an even greater lead.
And the children who did not have those advantages, who were already struggling, will almost certainly emerge even farther behind.
While the virus takes its toll unevenly, mostly affecting low-income people and people of color, all of society’s equalizers — school, health care, sports, even public parks and playgrounds — have been at least partially stripped away. So too have external support networks, the friends and organizations and adults holding many children upright. Children’s entire lives are in their homes. And their homes are vastly, vastly different.
So it’s a bit like a game of chance, really, if you’re a child living through this — whether you’re OK or not, what this whole thing has been like for you. Except it has the most American twist: For some children, the cards are stacked heavily against them.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-16--A Man's Remix Of Cardi B Saying "Coronavirus" Is Giving People Some Much-Needed Relief — And It's A

A Man's Remix Of Cardi B Saying "Coronavirus" Is Giving People Some Much-Needed Relief — And It's A Bop

Brandon Davidson , aka DJ iMarkkeyz , is known for turning memes and online moments into full-length songs .
But @ @ @ @ @ B screaming about the novel coronavirus is coming at a time when people are yearning @ @ @ @ @ .
The 29-year-old producer and DJ from Brooklyn told BuzzFeed News it 's been `` @ @ @ @ @ dancing and laughing around the world during stressful times .
On Saturday , Davidson posted @ @ @ @ @ , which samples the rapper saying `` coronavirus — shit is real . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ .
Yes — the topic itself is timely , but the track is actually a @ @ @ @ @ Brazil have apparently played his song .

Brandon Davidson, aka DJ iMarkkeyz, is known for turning memes and online moments into full-length songs. But his latest remix of Cardi B screaming about the novel coronavirus is coming at a time when people are yearning for some fun and levity.
The 29-year-old producer and DJ from Brooklyn told BuzzFeed News it's been "heartwarming" to see people dancing and laughing around the world during stressful times.
On Saturday, Davidson posted his "Coronavirus" remix, which samples the rapper saying "coronavirus — shit is real." And it's gone hugely viral. Yes — the topic itself is timely, but the track is actually a huge smash.
Clubs in Brazil have apparently played his song.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--The US Government Is Giving Out Millions In Federal Contracts To Fight The Coronavirus

Dozens of government contracts awarded in recent weeks reveal how the administration is trying to deal with the spread of the virus .
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has awarded dozens of government contracts to businesses in recent weeks in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and show how the federal government is planning to spend millions of dollars to respond to the growing crisis .
The recent flurry of contracts , some awarded without an open competition , reflect the urgency with which the US government is attempting to contain the coronavirus outbreak , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , has already killed more than 3,100 people in China .
Congress has approved an $ 8.3 billion emergency spending package to help agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fight the spread of the virus , and President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency to free up billions more in funding .
Between the start of this year and Monday , the Department of Health and Human Services has issued $ 5.8 million in contracts mentioning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of 2019 combined .
( Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that have been around for years ; the novel coronavirus , which originated in Wuhan , China , in 2019 is the current strain . )
When the term “ COVID-19 ” is added , the total hits $ 7.3 million .
Government-wide spending mentioning just “ coronavirus ” sits at $ 7.5 million — higher than any of the 10 preceding years .
Government departments and agencies are making plans to buy everything from cleaning wipes to respirator masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contracts will undoubtedly increase in the weeks ahead as the number of cases increases .
The figure also leaves out many contracts connected to the outbreak that don ’ t explicitly mention the coronavirus in their description .
Earlier this month , FEMA said that due to the “ significant increase of the COVID-19 virus , ” it was looking for disinfecting wipes and sprayers , as well as “ the ability to immediately deploy personnel to provide and administer disinfectant cleaning services ” for FEMA facilities in Oregon , Alaska , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been home to a recent coronavirus outbreak .
“ The contract is currently being competed and we can ’ t comment on contracts being competed , ” a FEMA spokesperson said .
The government is also looking to purchase masks to deal with the outbreak .
Last week , the Department of Veterans Affairs said it was paying a Florida-based company $ 338,234 for special air purifying masks as part of the “ COVID-19 response.
” Neither Veterans Affairs nor the company , Native Instinct , returned a request for comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 519,000 in other contracts since the outbreak began for more breathing equipment and an “ emergency diesel generator w/ trailer , ” among other things , but it ’ s uncertain if the items are connected to the coronavirus response .
The Treasury Department ’ s Bureau of the Fiscal Service also said last week that it was spending $ 13,878 on a “ bulk order ” of 3M-brand “ respirator masks.
” The name of the contractor was not provided .
The Fiscal Service did not answer questions about whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response .
The urgent spending presents a possible windfall for contractors who land deals to provide the government the goods and services it needs to quickly handle an outbreak that threatens to kill scores of Americans .
But urgency , especially if combined with understaffing or lack of experience , can also lead to poorly sourced or written contracts , as evidenced during past national crises .
“ Unfortunately there are lots of examples of waste , fraud , and corruption when the government spends money quickly , ” said Sean Moulton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Government Oversight who specializes in government spending .
“ But the problems that lead to poor spending decisions in emergency situations have been around for years — poor planning and preparation , inadequate competition , and minimal accountability and transparency .
We issued a report after Hurricane Katrina ( almost 14 years ago ) detailing these problems that is still directly relevant today .
We have n't adequately addressed these shortcomings for hurricane response spending much less for other emergencies.
” “ Obviously in disaster situations the urgency of need necessitates a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That is why we have continually encouraged Uncle Sam to fully review and vet disaster response contractors ahead of time and have contracts and rates in place for goods and services .
Such steps , plus including contract provisions for additional oversight and accountability of performance and billing , will ensure that taxpayers are not being gouged by profiteers.
” There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter , Outbreak Today , will do its best to put everything we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
One of the contractors hired to help respond to the coronavirus outbreak has experience with a poorly written contract .
Bruce Wagner , whose company Rapid Deployment has received more than $ 26 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs a second company whose deal with FEMA after Katrina came under scrutiny by a government watchdog .
FEMA paid that company , Clearbrook , more than $ 76 million to provide base camps for first responders to live in after the storm ravaged Louisiana in 2005 .
But later that year , the Department of Homeland Security ’ s inspector general said it had “ identified several significant problems with the contract and its billings , ” and urged FEMA to stop paying Clearbrook until the issues were fixed .
The inspector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review recommending that FEMA disallow $ 16.4 million in charges that Clearbrook had billed .
A lawyer who responded to questions from BuzzFeed News on behalf of Wagner said that Clearbrook is “ a separate and distinct company from ” Rapid Development and that the issue with the FEMA contract has been resolved .
“ After a lengthy internal review by the Office of Investigator General , with Clearbrook ’ s full cooperation , no penalties or charges were levied against Clearb [ r ] ook and the contract was final billed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting agency , ” attorney John P. Browning said in an email Thursday .
FEMA directed questions about the contract to the Inspector General ’ s Office , which didn ’ t respond to a request for comment .
HHS did not respond to questions for this story , either .
In more than two dozen recent contracts and modifications with Rapid Deployment , the government lists many of the emergency services it has hired the Alabama-based company to provide , including meals , port-a-potties , generators , and more at US quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly exposed to the virus abroad have been repatriated and subject to two-week quarantines at military bases across the country .
The largest single contract awarded to the company so far is valued at $ 16.2 million and was sole-sourced , according to publicly available documentation .
“ Any delay in the contract award would have resulted in serious injury to the agency 's mission and to the lives of hundreds of citizens/repatriates arriving in the United States , or to individuals within the United States that interacted with the repatriates that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” CDC officials wrote when justifying why an open bidding process wasn ’ t an option .
“ The time available to solicit and issue award could easily be measured in hours/days.
” At the time , the officials said the “ core nature of the services to be provided are commercial in nature — housekeeping and providing food/drinks , ” and listed four military bases in California , Texas , and Hawaii as the locations needing the services .
The government listed additional military bases in California , Texas , and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
Rapid Deployment — which said it has also done work in “ Iraq , Lebanon , Yugoslavia , Nigeria and other countries , conflicts , and disasters ” — has been hired to provide everything from janitorial to laundry services at the bases .
“ All operations and contract performance is being achieved as planned , ” Browning said .
The tasks share similarities with Clearbrook ’ s responsibilities after Katrina , a storm that killed more than 1,000 people and ravaged New Orleans .
At the time , the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katrina disaster responders at seven base camps throughout Louisiana , ” the DHS inspector general said in its first writeup on the contract in November 2005 .
Over a year later , the Inspector General ’ s Office published a longer review of the Clearbrook contract .
“ As a result of FEMA ’ s haste to establish base camps , and the shortage of trained and experienced contracting officials , the Clearbrook contract was not effectively awarded and administered , leading to contractual deficiencies , excessive billings , and questionable costs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2007 report read .
The $ 16.4 million were charges for “ staging costs ” that the Inspector General ’ s Office concluded should have been included in the fixed rate for the camps .
“ There was no evidence that direct costs could be billed separately , ” the report said .
But nearly three years later , FEMA had yet to recoup the money , according to a local news report .
FEMA had responded to the audit in 2008 , saying it wouldn ’ t pursue a claim because most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the story said .
Wagner ’ s company is among several helping the US government respond to the coronavirus crisis .
In late February , the US Army published a notice announcing its plans to sole-source the purchase of a medical testing device known as the Panther Fusion platform , acknowledging issues with the CDC ’ s tests for the virus .
“ The deployment of the U.S. CDC Emergency Use Authorization assay has been plagued by problems with reagents , thus delaying implementation of testing in U.S. civilian and DOD laboratories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February .
It said that as a result , current testing systems were slower and limited in their “ ability to scale up to high-volume testing required in the dynamically changing epidemic situation.
” The Panther Fusion platform “ can be implemented for rapid coronavirus detection , ” the notice said , adding that “ Gen Probe is the sole manufacturer and distributor of the Panther System.
” The Army did not respond to questions about the notice .

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has awarded dozens of government contracts to businesses in recent weeks in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and show how the federal government is planning to spend millions of dollars to respond to the growing crisis.
The recent flurry of contracts, some awarded without an open competition, reflect the urgency with which the US government is attempting to contain the coronavirus outbreak, which the World Health Organization recently declared a pandemic. COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has already killed more than 3,100 people in China. Congress has approved an $8.3 billion emergency spending package to help agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fight the spread of the virus, and President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency to free up billions more in funding.
Between the start of this year and Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services has issued $5.8 million in contracts mentioning the term “coronavirus” — more than all of 2019 combined. (Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that have been around for years; the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, in 2019 is the current strain.) When the term “COVID-19” is added, the total hits $7.3 million. Government-wide spending mentioning just “coronavirus” sits at $7.5 million — higher than any of the 10 preceding years.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--Five Doctors From Around The Country Who Went To A Conference In New York Now Have COVID-19

Five emergency room doctors and medical school professors who attended an industry conference in New York City last week have tested positive for COVID-19 , organizers told BuzzFeed News .
Around 1,300 physicians and educators from at least 34 states , as well as Canada , attended the assembly , which was organized by the Council of Residency Directors ( CORD ) in Emergency Medicine and ran from March 8 to 11 .
The five infected doctors are from California , Texas , Michigan , and Tennessee .
“ We have notified all of our attendees and the appropriate health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s executive director , told BuzzFeed News .
“ The affected institutions are also aware and will be following their internal guidelines and protocols related to COVID-19 cases in their workforce .
We have also notified the Hilton Hotel management team.
” The possibility that hundreds of emergency room doctors at the conference were exposed to the virus was first revealed when BuzzFeed News reported that a San Francisco doctor who made public his diagnoses had attended the conference .
That doctor , Rosny Daniel , who works in the emergency room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , was present at the conference from March 8 to March 10 , flew home March 11 , began feeling symptoms the night of March 12 , and was tested the following day , before receiving his diagnosis 24 hours later , on Saturday , March 14 .
The following day , he announced he had contracted the disease in a Medium post .
Like many in attendance , Daniel had treated patients for weeks since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the US .
He wore gloves , face masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did his patients at UCSF .
Due to the limited availability of COVID-19 tests in the US , few of Daniel ’ s patients were tested for the virus , and none of them were diagnosed as positive , he said .
Whether Daniel and the four other doctors caught the virus at the conference , from their hospital work , or via another source is nearly impossible to trace .
“ I have been told that everyone who has confirmed positive were exposed to the virus at their institutions prior to traveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It is important to note that none of the confirmed positive attendees were symptomatic during the dates of the conference .
As the CDC notes in their advisory , this would be classified as a low risk exposure.
” In the lead-up to the start date , conference organizers acknowledged the possible risk of holding the gathering amid a growing pandemic .
In a “ coronavirus update ” posted to its website ahead of the meeting , they wrote , “ In this time of public uncertainty and fear , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as leaders and advocates for our patients , so CORD has no intention of canceling Academic Assembly at this time .
”

Five emergency room doctors and medical school professors who attended an industry conference in New York City last week have tested positive for COVID-19, organizers told BuzzFeed News.
Around 1,300 physicians and educators from at least 34 states, as well as Canada, attended the assembly, which was organized by the Council of Residency Directors (CORD) in Emergency Medicine and ran from March 8 to 11. The five infected doctors are from California, Texas, Michigan, and Tennessee.
“We have notified all of our attendees and the appropriate health authorities,” DeAnna McNett, CORD’s executive director, told BuzzFeed News. “The affected institutions are also aware and will be following their internal guidelines and protocols related to COVID-19 cases in their workforce. We have also notified the Hilton Hotel management team.”
The possibility that hundreds of emergency room doctors at the conference were exposed to the virus was first revealed when BuzzFeed News reported that a San Francisco doctor who made public his diagnoses had attended the conference. That doctor, Rosny Daniel, who works in the emergency room of the University of California San Francisco hospital, was present at the conference from March 8 to March 10, flew home March 11, began feeling symptoms the night of March 12, and was tested the following day, before receiving his diagnosis 24 hours later, on Saturday, March 14. The following day, he announced he had contracted the disease in a Medium post.
Like many in attendance, Daniel had treated patients for weeks since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the US. He wore gloves, face masks, and other protective clothing — as did his patients at UCSF. Due to the limited availability of COVID-19 tests in the US, few of Daniel’s patients were tested for the virus, and none of them were diagnosed as positive, he said. Whether Daniel and the four other doctors caught the virus at the conference, from their hospital work, or via another source is nearly impossible to trace.
“I have been told that everyone who has confirmed positive were exposed to the virus at their institutions prior to traveling to CORD,” McNett said. “It is important to note that none of the confirmed positive attendees were symptomatic during the dates of the conference. As the CDC notes in their advisory, this would be classified as a low risk exposure.”
In the lead-up to the start date, conference organizers acknowledged the possible risk of holding the gathering amid a growing pandemic. In a “coronavirus update” posted to its website ahead of the meeting, they wrote, “In this time of public uncertainty and fear, it is especially important for emergency physicians to be seen as leaders and advocates for our patients, so CORD has no intention of canceling Academic Assembly at this time.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-23--What Are Your Plans For Ramadan During The Coronavirus Outbreak?

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 .
In much of the US , and the world , the coronavirus outbreak has caused lockdowns and mandated social isolation .
Many places of worship are closed , and federal and local governments have recommended against visiting older , more vulnerable friends or relatives , as well as most travel , between states , cities , or even houses .
Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak swept the US , three of the world ’ s major religions — Christianity , Judaism , and Islam — have had major holidays .
Around the world , people held Passover seders over video calls with their friends and family , substituting the symbolic seder plate foods they couldn ’ t get from their local grocery stores with similar food items or paper replicas .
Many Christians had Easter egg hunts in their apartments or front yards and attended services online , though others went to in-person church services against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments .
Thursday is the beginning of Ramadan , the month of daytime fasting leading up to the major Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr .
The holiday is about understanding the pain of those who can not access food or water , and under normal circumstances , Muslim adults who are not ill , pregnant , or have other significant mitigating circumstances go without food or water from sunrise to sunset every day for the full month .
They have large traditional evening meals , or iftars ( literally break-fast ) , with friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves going from house to house for delicious meals and sweets , and gathering at the mosque for prayer and celebration .
This year , as people socially isolate and avoid gathering in groups outside their immediate family , and as grocery stores struggle with stock limitations and supply issues , Ramadan will be very different all over the world for everyone , but especially for essential workers .
Doctors , nurses , and transportation , grocery store , and delivery workers are working long hours during the pandemic , helping to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have less control over their schedules than they ever had before and are more exposed to potential cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Not eating or drinking all day can make you feel weak and have less energy , potentially lowering your immune defenses and making you more susceptible to illnesses and viruses .
Whether you are an essential worker or not , we want to know how you plan on celebrating Ramadan and Eid during this pandemic .
Do you plan on seeing people in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year because of your job ?
Any and all answers are welcome , and we will keep you anonymous if you prefer .
If you ’ d like to tell us about your plans/how Ramadan has been going for you so far , fill out this form .
We look forward to hearing from you !

In much of the US, and the world, the coronavirus outbreak has caused lockdowns and mandated social isolation. Many places of worship are closed, and federal and local governments have recommended against visiting older, more vulnerable friends or relatives, as well as most travel, between states, cities, or even houses.
Over the past month, as worst of the outbreak swept the US, three of the world’s major religions — Christianity, Judaism, and Islam — have had major holidays. Around the world, people held Passover seders over video calls with their friends and family, substituting the symbolic seder plate foods they couldn’t get from their local grocery stores with similar food items or paper replicas. Many Christians had Easter egg hunts in their apartments or front yards and attended services online, though others went to in-person church services against the recommendations or even laws of their state governments.
Thursday is the beginning of Ramadan, the month of daytime fasting leading up to the major Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr. The holiday is about understanding the pain of those who cannot access food or water, and under normal circumstances, Muslim adults who are not ill, pregnant, or have other significant mitigating circumstances go without food or water from sunrise to sunset every day for the full month. They have large traditional evening meals, or iftars (literally break-fast), with friends and family each night. It often involves going from house to house for delicious meals and sweets, and gathering at the mosque for prayer and celebration.
This year, as people socially isolate and avoid gathering in groups outside their immediate family, and as grocery stores struggle with stock limitations and supply issues, Ramadan will be very different all over the world for everyone, but especially for essential workers. Doctors, nurses, and transportation, grocery store, and delivery workers are working long hours during the pandemic, helping to save lives and keep society functioning. Many have less control over their schedules than they ever had before and are more exposed to potential cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Not eating or drinking all day can make you feel weak and have less energy, potentially lowering your immune defenses and making you more susceptible to illnesses and viruses.
Whether you are an essential worker or not, we want to know how you plan on celebrating Ramadan and Eid during this pandemic. Do you plan on seeing people in person? Are you not going to fast this year because of your job? Any and all answers are welcome, and we will keep you anonymous if you prefer.
If you’d like to tell us about your plans/how Ramadan has been going for you so far, fill out this form. We look forward to hearing from you!


buzzfeednews--2020-04-23--After He Died Of The Coronavirus, She Opened Up His Phone And Found His Last Words To Her

“ I love you guys with all my heart and you ’ ve given me the best life I could have ever asked for . ''
When Katie Coelho , 33 , rushed to the hospital in Danbury , Connecticut , on Wednesday just before 3 a.m. , it was too late .
Her husband , Jon , who had spent the past month there being treated for the coronavirus , had just died of cardiac arrest brought on by the disease .
He was just 32 years old .
Distraught and bereft , she gathered her late husband ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanting to save as many pictures of him and their two children as she could .
But what she found when she turned it on stopped her in her tracks .
“ I love you guys with all my heart and you ’ ve given me the best life I could have ever asked for , ” Jon had written .
“ I am so lucky it makes me so proud to be your husband and the father to Braedyn and Penny.
” “ Katie you are the most beautiful caring nurturing person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the note continued .
“ You are truly one of a kind ... make sure you live life with happiness and that same passion that made me fall in love with you .
Seeing you be the best mom to the kids is the greatest thing I ’ ve ever experienced.
” Katie was stunned to find the note , which she believes Jon must have written weeks earlier before he was first intubated , she told BuzzFeed News on the day of his death .
“ Even though he was fighting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know up until the last second he wanted to make sure the kids and I were okay , ” she said .
“ He knew he had to say something to me because I haven ’ t been able to speak to him in so long.
” Jon and Katie met as college students at Western Connecticut State University .
They started out as close friends , then became boyfriend and girlfriend , and finally , in 2013 , became husband and wife .
Together , they had two children : Braedyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Penelope , 10 months .
Katie and Jon had a difficult road to building their family , she told BuzzFeed News .
They had two miscarriages and went through IVF .
Braedyn was born with severe neurological problems and the parents were told he had just six weeks to live .
Miraculously , he survived .
Katie now cares for him full-time , and Jon provided for the family working at a nearby courthouse .
Jon ’ s friend Jacob Wycoff told BuzzFeed News that Jon was a “ devoted father ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to Katie.
” “ Jon was the sole provider for the family , so he worked really hard to make sure Katie didn ’ t have to leave the house to take care of earning , ” Wycoff said .
“ But when it was his time with the kids , he really , really enjoyed it.
” Wycoff went to college with Jon and Katie , and he and Jon were in the same fraternity .
They stayed close friends over the years , attended each other 's weddings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than anything , Wycoff said he feels the most sadness for Jon ’ s children .
“ They ’ re not going to grow up to know how amazing their dad was , ” Wycoff said .
“ And that really is sad to me , because he is — was — an amazing guy.
” Because Braedyn is considered high risk for the coronavirus , the entire family had been extremely cautious about quarantining .
Katie and the two children stayed home , but Jon , who was considered an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work .
“ My husband wore gloves , masks , he washed his hands , ” Katie said .
“ He was so super vigilant because he was so afraid of what would happen to our son if he caught it.
” But on March 24 , he found out he ’ d been in contact with someone who ’ d tested positive for the virus .
Jon didn ’ t feel very sick — just fatigue , a migraine , and no sense of smell — but he got tested , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he quarantined himself in a separate part of the house .
“ Within 24 hours , he started coughing , and with the coughing fits , he wouldn ’ t be able to catch his breath in between , ” Katie said .
“ The doctor told him to go to the hospital because he ’ d probably need nebulizer treatments.
” For nearly a week , the doctors tried treating him with medications , but he was still struggling and had to be intubated .
“ I don ’ t know why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , but I did , ” Katie said .
“ And I slept through a 4 a.m. phone call from him that said his breathing got a little weird in the night , so they said they ’ re gon na have to let his body rest so he could come home to me and the kids , and that he loved us.
” Even after Jon was put on the ventilator , the doctors expected him to make a full recovery , Katie said .
But things quickly took a turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wake him up on day seven , and he was breathing way , way , way too hard , ” she said .
“ They thought he was having a panic attack , so they FaceTimed me , and he just said , ‘ I love you and I ’ m sorry , ’ and then they had to re-intubate him.
” After that , his kidneys started failing , and he ran a high fever for days .
Jon had to be sedated because he would wake up delirious and panicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tubes , she said .
“ He especially became agitated after talking to us , because he ’ d try to talk over the ventilator , and it would cause too much stress and his breathing would get out of whack , ” she said .
But over the course of a couple weeks , Jon showed signs of improvement .
Doctors gradually started weaning him off the sedatives and began testing to see how he ’ d do off the ventilator .
“ They trialed him all day [ Tuesday ] , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ He would get nervous , but the nurses were able to talk him down , and he was responsive.
” She spoke to a doctor that night around 9 p.m. , and hung up feeling hopeful , she said .
“ The doctor I ’ d spoken to said , ‘ We ’ re going to be able to wake your husband up in two days , ’ ” she said .
“ And they started talking to me about recovery.
” Hours later , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Katie said she and the doctors still don ’ t really know how or why it happened .
The doctors took Jon off the ventilator Tuesday night , saying he was awake and responsive and the tubes were making him panic again , but he seemed mostly OK just hours before his death .
“ My son just got his adaptive communication device [ Tuesday ] night , and I sent [ Jon ] a video of our son saying , ‘ Dad , you ’ re my best friend , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to him , and out of nowhere , his heart just started freaking out.
” The doctors called Katie , who rushed to the hospital .
By the time she got there less than an hour later , he was gone .
Katie is having trouble believing her husband will never come home alive from the hospital .
He was young and healthy .
He ’ d survived bouts of cancer at ages 8 and 16 , but because he ’ d been in remission for so long , his doctor had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They kept telling me he would make it because he was a healthy 32-year-old with no preexisting health conditions , ” Katie said .
A GoFundMe has been arranged to support the family .
In the note he left her , Jon wrote special messages to his two kids .
“ Let Braedyn [ know ] he ’ s my best bud and I ’ m proud to be his father and for all the amazing things he ’ s done and continues to do , ” Jon wrote .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ princess and can have whatever she wants in life.
” He also encouraged Katie to find love again .
“ I ’ m so lucky , ” he wrote .
“ Don ’ t hold back , and if you meet someone know that if they love you and the kids that I love that for you .
Always be happy no matter what !
” He ’ d also taken the time to write out the passwords to access important information , such as their mortgage , Katie said .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ I never doubted how much he loved me and the kids.
” Finding his letter feels like a bit of a double-edged sword , Katie said .
“ I ’ m so thankful I found the note , but the other part of me is so sad , ” she said .
“ Because I know how scared he was and where his mind must ’ ve been to think he had to write something like that.
” “ Right now , I feel like a part of me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s been my best friend for 13 years , and we ’ ve been married for eight , and he was the only person who understood our life with having a special needs child.
” What hurts most , Katie said , is knowing her two children will have to grow up without their father — and that their father will never get to see them grow up .
“ My kids aren ’ t going to remember their dad — it ’ s going to be me making sure they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ So I have that note to say , ‘ Your dad was really sick and fighting for his life , but he wanted you to know how much he loved you.
’ ” “ He loved his kids so much , and I know he didn ’ t want to leave them , ” she said .
“ It feels so sad that they ’ re both going to miss out on each other .
It ’ s not fair .
”

When Katie Coelho, 33, rushed to the hospital in Danbury, Connecticut, on Wednesday just before 3 a.m., it was too late.
Her husband, Jon, who had spent the past month there being treated for the coronavirus, had just died of cardiac arrest brought on by the disease.
He was just 32 years old.
Distraught and bereft, she gathered her late husband’s belongings and opened his phone, wanting to save as many pictures of him and their two children as she could.
But what she found when she turned it on stopped her in her tracks.
He’d left her a note.
“I love you guys with all my heart and you’ve given me the best life I could have ever asked for,” Jon had written. “I am so lucky it makes me so proud to be your husband and the father to Braedyn and Penny.”
“Katie you are the most beautiful caring nurturing person I’ve ever met,” the note continued. “You are truly one of a kind...make sure you live life with happiness and that same passion that made me fall in love with you. Seeing you be the best mom to the kids is the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced.”
Katie was stunned to find the note, which she believes Jon must have written weeks earlier before he was first intubated, she told BuzzFeed News on the day of his death.
“Even though he was fighting for his life for the past month, I know up until the last second he wanted to make sure the kids and I were okay,” she said. “He knew he had to say something to me because I haven’t been able to speak to him in so long.”