buzzfeednews--2020-06-05--Mark Zuckerberg Promised Sweeping Changes At Facebook While Declaring “Black Lives Matter”

“ It ’ s encouraging to see Zuck post this , but I ’ ll maintain my skepticism until some sort of action is taken by the company , ” one current Facebook employee told BuzzFeed News under the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution .
“ I do think Zuck is being sincere in all this , I just don ’ t know if he will be convinced to do anything.
” Zuckerberg ’ s response follows two weeks of immense pressure from employees who engaged in open revolt to the company ’ s decisions on Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their employer on Twitter , engaged in a virtual walkout on Monday , and confronted their CEO , who maintains majority voting control over Facebook , during question-and-answer meetings .
“ While we will continue to stand for giving everyone a voice and erring on the side of free expression in these difficult decisions -- even when it 's speech we strongly and viscerally disagree with -- I 'm committed to making sure we also fight for voter engagement and racial justice too , ” he wrote in the nearly 1,400-word message .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ backlash from the public and its own employees after it allowed posts last month from President Donald Trump that spread misinformation about voting and suggested that violent action would be taken against protestors amid widespread national demonstrations against racism and police brutality .
In his post , which was originally directed to his workers , Zuckerberg said he acknowledged his decision to allow Trump ’ s posts “ left many of you angry , disappointed , and hurt.
” In a post on his Facebook page on Friday , the 36-year-old billionaire also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” while noting that he believes that the company ’ s platforms , which also include WhatsApp and Instagram , “ will play a positive role ” in overcoming racial injustice in the US and around the world .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised sweeping changes to the social network ’ s internal policies on threats of state use of force and voter suppression after weeks of internal and external pressure at the embattled company .
Zuckerberg ’ s was less a commitment to any real action , but made several promises that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to heal the divisions in our society.
” In recent years , critics have railed on Facebook for its algorithmic spreading of misinformation , abetting genocide , and failure to protect its users personal information .
Last week , Trump came under fire for posting on Facebook that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts , ” words that were deemed appropriate by the company and its CEO to leave on its platform .
On Friday , Zuckerberg said Facebook will review situations around content that discusses “ excessive use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in countries that have “ ongoing civil unrest or violent conflicts.
” “ We already have precedents for imposing greater restrictions during emergencies and when countries are in ongoing states of conflict , so there may be additional policies or integrity measures to consider around discussion or threats of state use of force when a country is in this state , ” he wrote without committing to any specific change in policy .
On voter suppression , Zuckerberg noted that “ there 's a good chance that there will be unprecedented fear and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November , and some will likely try to capitalize on that confusion.
” He then posed a series of rhetorical questions , asking where Facebook should draw the line on what comprises voter suppression .
As one possible example , he asked , “ If a newspaper publishes articles claiming that going to polls will be dangerous given Covid , how should we determine whether that is health information or voter suppression ?
” Zuckerberg also said the company is building a voter hub to help people understand how they can vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus pandemic and 2016 election .
Notably , the company will also consider ways to label potentially volitive content on its platform without having to decide between the two options of leaving it up or taking it down .
While company executives had previously derided this idea in past meetings with employees following Twitter ’ s decision to place some of Trump ’ s tweets behind warning labels , Zuckerberg said he is open to discussions around the idea .
He previously expressed that same sentiment in a company meeting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In general , I worry that this approach has a risk of leading us to editorialize on content we do n't like even if it does n't violate our policies , so I think we need to proceed very carefully , ” Zuckerberg wrote on Friday .
Mark Luckie , a former Facebook employee who quit in 2018 because he said he experienced discrimination at the company , was not impressed by Zuckerberg ’ s post .
“ In classic Mark Zuckerberg fashion , there is very little in his note that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accountable for , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ Most of the bullet points are ‘ we are going to review ’ and the most concrete effort — a voter hub — is something that has already been executed previously.
” Zuckerberg also said Facebook would be building products to “ advance racial justice ” before declaring “ Black lives matter.
” Those words carry with them plenty of controversy within Facebook ’ s walls .
In 2016 , an employee crossed out the phrase on a whiteboard at the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wrote beside it “ all lives matter , ” stirring outrage .
“ Mark can say he stands by the Black community but until he shows us actual proof of this we should not be content with fluffy , PR-friendly statements , ” Luckie told BuzzFeed News .

Zuckerberg’s was less a commitment to any real action, but made several promises that the Facebook CEO said could help “to heal the divisions in our society.” In recent years, critics have railed on Facebook for its algorithmic spreading of misinformation, abetting genocide, and failure to protect its users personal information.
Last week, Trump came under fire for posting on Facebook that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” words that were deemed appropriate by the company and its CEO to leave on its platform. On Friday, Zuckerberg said Facebook will review situations around content that discusses “excessive use of police or state force” or occurs in countries that have “ongoing civil unrest or violent conflicts.”
“We already have precedents for imposing greater restrictions during emergencies and when countries are in ongoing states of conflict, so there may be additional policies or integrity measures to consider around discussion or threats of state use of force when a country is in this state,” he wrote without committing to any specific change in policy.
On voter suppression, Zuckerberg noted that “ there's a good chance that there will be unprecedented fear and confusion around going to the polls in November, and some will likely try to capitalize on that confusion.”
He then posed a series of rhetorical questions, asking where Facebook should draw the line on what comprises voter suppression. As one possible example, he asked, “If a newspaper publishes articles claiming that going to polls will be dangerous given Covid, how should we determine whether that is health information or voter suppression?”
Zuckerberg also said the company is building a voter hub to help people understand how they can vote, drawing on experiences the social network learned during the coronavirus pandemic and 2016 election.
Notably, the company will also consider ways to label potentially violative content on its platform without having to decide between the two options of leaving it up or taking it down. While company executives had previously derided this idea in past meetings with employees following Twitter’s decision to place some of Trump’s tweets behind warning labels, Zuckerberg said he is open to discussions around the idea. He previously expressed that same sentiment in a company meeting on Tuesday, as reported by Recode.
“In general, I worry that this approach has a risk of leading us to editorialize on content we don't like even if it doesn't violate our policies, so I think we need to proceed very carefully,” Zuckerberg wrote on Friday.
Mark Luckie, a former Facebook employee who quit in 2018 because he said he experienced discrimination at the company, was not impressed by Zuckerberg’s post.
“In classic Mark Zuckerberg fashion, there is very little in his note that he and the company can be held accountable for,” he told BuzzFeed News. “Most of the bullet points are ‘we are going to review’ and the most concrete effort — a voter hub — is something that has already been executed previously.”
Zuckerberg also said Facebook would be building products to “advance racial justice” before declaring “Black lives matter.”
Those words carry with them plenty of controversy within Facebook’s walls. In 2016, an employee crossed out the phrase on a whiteboard at the company’s Menlo Park, California, headquarters and wrote beside it “all lives matter,” stirring outrage.
“Mark can say he stands by the Black community but until he shows us actual proof of this we should not be content with fluffy, PR-friendly statements,” Luckie told BuzzFeed News.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-30--They Thought The Pandemic Was The Perfect Time To Get A Puppy. Instead, They Got Scammed.

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Raquel and her teenage son looked at the online photos and settled on Duke , an adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy wearing a red bow tie with white polka dots .
“ He was really excited about getting a puppy , ” Raquel said of her son .
“ We ’ re kind of housebound now with the COVID-19 and figured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of joy , a little excitement to the house.
” The online breeder agreed to sell Duke for $ 600 , plus $ 150 to ship the dog to Raquel in Cleveland .
It was a big discount from the $ 1,500 or more local breeders told Raquel they charge for spaniel puppies .
Wary of dealing with someone online , she pressed the breeder for photos and video of the dog , and verified his phone number had an Oklahoma area code , as he ’ d claimed .
She sent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her family went to a pet store to buy supplies , and that ’ s when she received the email that made her realize she was being scammed .
“ They said that they were having shipping issues , and because of the COVID-19 , the dogs required a special thermal crate in order to ship them , ” said Raquel , who asked not to use her full name in order to protect her family ’ s privacy .
They said the shipping company wanted $ 1,500 for the crate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ breeder cut off contact and has not refunded her $ 750 .
Online pet scammers have been ripping off consumers for years , but business is booming thanks to the pandemic .
Police in the UK and Canada , as well as the Better Business Bureau , recently issued warnings that pet scammers are exploiting the coronavirus .
“ The kittens and pups are advertised for sale online but scammers state potential buyers are unable to see them in person due to the coronavirus outbreak , ” said an alert issued Tuesday by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new huge market of people that are being scammed .
People who would never buy a pet unseen now have a reason for doing that , ” Paul Brady , who runs petscams.com , told BuzzFeed News .
Brady said a victim told him they paid more than $ 800 to “ quarantine ” a puppy that never arrived .
Traffic to his site has exploded over the past month , and Google Trends data also shows a sharp increase in searches for “ buy a puppy ” worldwide since March 22 @

Raquel and her teenage son looked at the online photos and settled on Duke, an adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy wearing a red bow tie with white polka dots.
“He was really excited about getting a puppy,” Raquel said of her son. “We’re kind of housebound now with the COVID-19 and figured we’d bring a little bit of joy, a little excitement to the house.”
The online breeder agreed to sell Duke for $600, plus $150 to ship the dog to Raquel in Cleveland. It was a big discount from the $1,500 or more local breeders told Raquel they charge for spaniel puppies. Wary of dealing with someone online, she pressed the breeder for photos and video of the dog, and verified his phone number had an Oklahoma area code, as he’d claimed.
She sent the money last Saturday. The next day, her family went to a pet store to buy supplies, and that’s when she received the email that made her realize she was being scammed.
“They said that they were having shipping issues, and because of the COVID-19, the dogs required a special thermal crate in order to ship them,” said Raquel, who asked not to use her full name in order to protect her family’s privacy.
They said the shipping company wanted $1,500 for the crate. Raquel refused to pay. Soon the breeder cut off contact and has not refunded her $750.
Online pet scammers have been ripping off consumers for years, but business is booming thanks to the pandemic. Police in the UK and Canada, as well as the Better Business Bureau, recently issued warnings that pet scammers are exploiting the coronavirus. “The kittens and pups are advertised for sale online but scammers state potential buyers are unable to see them in person due to the coronavirus outbreak,” said an alert issued Tuesday by West Midlands Police.
“You have a new huge market of people that are being scammed. People who would never buy a pet unseen now have a reason for doing that,” Paul Brady, who runs petscams.com, told BuzzFeed News.
Brady said a victim told him they paid more than $800 to “quarantine” a puppy that never arrived.
Traffic to his site has exploded over the past month, and Google Trends data also shows a sharp increase in searches for “buy a puppy” worldwide since March 22:


buzzfeednews--2020-04-17--These Texts Show The Devastating Impact Of The Coronavirus On People's Mental Health

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 .
The coronavirus outbreak has so far led to more than 28,000 deaths in the US , but the reach of such an unprecedented crisis extends far beyond the devastating physical damage of the disease .
Across the country , people are anxious about their finances , uncertain about the future , grieving over the loss of loved ones , fearful about their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolated in statewide lockdowns during the pandemic .
Crisis Text Line , a service that provides free , 24/7 mental health support through text messages , has seen a 40 % increase in the volume of texts sent by people seeking help over the past three weeks in the US .
The majority of coronavirus-related texts ( 80 % ) came from people feeling lonely and isolated , Miranda Pollard , a data scientist at Crisis Text Line , told BuzzFeed News .
About 74 % of people said they were distressed because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 67 % experienced distress over their loss of routine due to the pandemic .
About 47 % of people who texted also reported feeling financial distress related to the pandemic .
People were 44 % more likely to be more fearful about their loved ones contracting the virus compared to themselves becoming infected with it , Pollard said .
Pollard said counselors at Crisis Text Line are expecting a second wave of mental health issues stemming from the downstream effects of COVID-19 , including self-isolation and containment , job loss , and fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Line provided BuzzFeed News with several text messages they received from people across the country seeking counseling and comfort during the pandemic .
( Some of the messages were paraphrased to protect the privacy of the texters . )
These text messages from paramedics , nurses , cashiers , unemployed workers , domestic violence victims , and grieving family members illustrate the nation 's collective anxiety , fear , and uncertainty during the pandemic .

The coronavirus outbreak has so far led to more than 28,000 deaths in the US, but the reach of such an unprecedented crisis extends far beyond the devastating physical damage of the disease.
Across the country, people are anxious about their finances, uncertain about the future, grieving over the loss of loved ones, fearful about their own health, and feeling lonely and isolated in statewide lockdowns during the pandemic.
Crisis Text Line, a service that provides free, 24/7 mental health support through text messages, has seen a 40% increase in the volume of texts sent by people seeking help over the past three weeks in the US.
The majority of coronavirus-related texts (80%) came from people feeling lonely and isolated, Miranda Pollard, a data scientist at Crisis Text Line, told BuzzFeed News. About 74% of people said they were distressed because of uncertainty about the future, while 67% experienced distress over their loss of routine due to the pandemic. About 47% of people who texted also reported feeling financial distress related to the pandemic.
People were 44% more likely to be more fearful about their loved ones contracting the virus compared to themselves becoming infected with it, Pollard said.
Pollard said counselors at Crisis Text Line are expecting a second wave of mental health issues stemming from the downstream effects of COVID-19, including self-isolation and containment, job loss, and fears about an impending recession.
Crisis Text Line provided BuzzFeed News with several text messages they received from people across the country seeking counseling and comfort during the pandemic. (Some of the messages were paraphrased to protect the privacy of the texters.)
These text messages from paramedics, nurses, cashiers, unemployed workers, domestic violence victims, and grieving family members illustrate the nation's collective anxiety, fear, and uncertainty during the pandemic.
Essential workers


buzzfeednews--2020-04-17--Behind The Scenes Of How The “Disney Family Singalong” Came Together During The Coronavirus Quaranti

Behind The Scenes Of How The “Disney Family Singalong” Came Together During The Coronavirus Quarantine

“ People had been doing some filming with celebrities from home , but it was still at that stage that it felt a bit like it was a brave new world of production.
” Two weeks ago while the United States continued to grapple with the impact of the global spread of the coronavirus , Disney Executive Chair and recent former CEO Bob Iger noticed a trend of people leaning on music from their favorite Disney classics while they were in quarantine .
According to Rob Mills , a senior vice president at ABC Entertainment , it was Iger ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special .
After collaborating with outside producers , the company came up with Thursday night ’ s hourlong Disney Family Singalong special featuring more than 16 performances from beloved singers and entertainers .
“ Bob Iger had celebrities and noncelebrities posting Disney songs on their social pages , and I think you sort of saw the common thread there was that the Disney songbook has been there for us in good times and bad , ” Mills told BuzzFeed News .
“ This was a way that people were really turning to Disney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star-studded lineup of performers included Ariana Grande singing “ I Won ’ t Say I ’ m in Love ” from Hercules , Josh Groban performing “ You ’ ve Got a Friend in Me ” from Toy Story , Christina Aguilera singing “ Can You Feel the Love Tonight ” from The Lion King , and “ A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes ” sung by Demi Lovato and Michael Bublé .
Cast members from High School Musical , including Zac Efron , Vanessa Hudgens , Ashley Tisdale , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance of “ We ’ re All in This Together.
” The talent were all enthusiastic to join the special , which was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and included PSAs about Feeding America to help awareness and funds to help people who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis , since they had the time on their hands and wanted to bring people at home some joy .
Mills also said that Iger personally reached out to Beyoncé and asked her to participate .
“ She sent something in and it was absolutely beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Upon a Star ’ was in the total spirit of not only what the special is about , but what the country is about right now , and it was something only she could do , ” Mills said .
Beyoncé ’ s performance was a surprise for viewers who tuned in on Thursday , unlike the other artists who were announced ahead of time .
Mills said she sent in her recording “ in the nick of time ” on Wednesday afternoon with only hours left to finish editing the final cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News she delivered the final version of the special on Thursday morning after having only two hours of sleep in two days , editing through all hours of the night .
“ We were working in such a condensed timeframe .
Normally we take six to three months to put together a big talent-filled special like this , and the whole idea of doing it in under two weeks was bananas , ” Mullan said .
“ People had been doing some filming with celebrities from home , but it was still at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it was a brave new world of production.
” Mullan said there were people across the US working virtually on the production team , dropping off professional equipment at talents ’ front doors and working to produce , direct , and troubleshoot performances over Zoom .
They booked all of the talent in four days , shot all of the performances in three days , and spent the rest of their time in a virtual edit suite to achieve the final product .
“ We had to figure out a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of celebrities were tech-savvy , and in other instances it was a lot of talking people through exactly how to have the camera , doing test shots , reworking them , and having your fingers and toes crossed that it would be good when it came back , ” Mullan said .
“ There was a bit of a learning curve and a few technical problems at the beginning , but within 24 hours we really got a feel for where the issues were and just refined it from there.
” Ariana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Won ’ t Say I ’ m in Love ” was shot on her iPhone and filmed in just one day , according to director and photographer Alfredo Flores .
The singer came up with her own idea of how she wanted to creatively execute the Hercules performance , including how she would sing the part from the five muses as well as Meg .
“ We ’ re always very hands-on when we ’ re working on a project so if it weren ’ t for COVID-19 we would ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually on FaceTime going back and forth with different edits and ideas , ” Flores told BuzzFeed News .
Grande filmed all of Meg ’ s lyrics first , then one by one she sang the different parts from the different muses .
“ We wanted it to look like the scene in the Disney movie when you see Meg walking around and all of the five muses are with her .
We thought it ’ d ’ be a cool way to put it all together visually with Ariana ’ s face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen.
” During the special , the lyrics of each song also appeared onscreen , allowing viewers to sing at home and participate in “ a giant karaoke for America of Disney music , ” as Dancing With the Stars dancer and choreographer Derek Hough put it .
When producers reached out to Hough a little more than one week ago to see if he and his girlfriend Hayley Erbert wanted to perform in the Disney Family Singalong , he jumped at the chance to bring people some fun and entertainment while they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an excuse for us to do something fun around the house and it 's just great to be a part of something where we 're still being entertainers .
We 're just trying to bring joy and bring a smile to someone 's face , ” Hough told BuzzFeed News .
According to Hough , producers asked him to perform the iconic Beauty and the Beast song “ Be Our Guest.
” With a tight timeline and quick turnaround , Hough and Erbert nailed down their ideas for costumes , improvised most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just one day on Hough ’ s GoPro .
“ It 's just the two of us moving the camera around and we did n't plan anything , ” he said .
“ With the choreography , we were just running around the house making a mess and asking each other , ‘ Okay , what should we do next ?
’ ” Hough was able to FaceTime his sister , dancer and singer-songwriter Julianne Hough , into their performance , setting her up on an iPad so it appeared as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around their house .
He said he later edited the footage together before sending it back to producers .
“ It 's designed to spread a little joy and a little bit of magic in people 's homes during this time , ” he said .
“ For me at least , during this time it 's about entertaining , staying positive , trying to have a good time , and being creative but also to raise money and awareness for people who are truly struggling.
” During a time when so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertain , Hough said the Disney Family Singalong and the studio ’ s movies in general can provide people with a sense of comfort .
“ I think we 've watched 20 Disney movies during this quarantine , ” he said .
“ Disney movies and music make people feel nostalgia , familiarity , and warm and fuzzy feelings that you associate the music with .
When you hear the music or watch one of the movies , it ’ s like a warm blanket.
” Mills echoed Hough ’ s sentiment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more time together at home , the Disney Family Singalong would hopefully be a uniting piece of entertainment that people can bond over .
“ People are together with families in a way that they have n't been in a long time because we 're sort of forced into our homes and people are spending this time together even remotely now through things like Zoom or whatever , ” he said .
“ So it was important to put something on that felt like everybody could come together and it is something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special was also inspired by viral videos that showed people in Italy singing from their balconies that illustrated `` a moment where even though we 're all isolated and we ca n't be together physically , we all feel connected . ''
`` That 's what we hope this does .
People can gather around with their families in their homes , escape what 's going on in the rest of the world for an hour , and feel not only togetherness within that household , but togetherness across America , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the shared love of singing the shared love of this music . ''

“We had to figure out a way to talk them through everything remotely. A lot of celebrities were tech-savvy, and in other instances it was a lot of talking people through exactly how to have the camera, doing test shots, reworking them, and having your fingers and toes crossed that it would be good when it came back,” Mullan said. “There was a bit of a learning curve and a few technical problems at the beginning, but within 24 hours we really got a feel for where the issues were and just refined it from there.”
Ariana Grande’s rendition of “I Won’t Say I’m in Love” was shot on her iPhone and filmed in just one day, according to director and photographer Alfredo Flores. The singer came up with her own idea of how she wanted to creatively execute the Hercules performance, including how she would sing the part from the five muses as well as Meg.
“We’re always very hands-on when we’re working on a project so if it weren’t for COVID-19 we would’ve been editing together. But we worked together virtually on FaceTime going back and forth with different edits and ideas,” Flores told BuzzFeed News. Grande filmed all of Meg’s lyrics first, then one by one she sang the different parts from the different muses.
“We wanted it to look like the scene in the Disney movie when you see Meg walking around and all of the five muses are with her. We thought it’d’ be a cool way to put it all together visually with Ariana’s face in the different boxes together on one screen.”
During the special, the lyrics of each song also appeared onscreen, allowing viewers to sing at home and participate in “a giant karaoke for America of Disney music,” as Dancing With the Stars dancer and choreographer Derek Hough put it.
When producers reached out to Hough a little more than one week ago to see if he and his girlfriend Hayley Erbert wanted to perform in the Disney Family Singalong, he jumped at the chance to bring people some fun and entertainment while they’re quarantined.
“It was an excuse for us to do something fun around the house and it's just great to be a part of something where we're still being entertainers. We're just trying to bring joy and bring a smile to someone's face,” Hough told BuzzFeed News.
According to Hough, producers asked him to perform the iconic Beauty and the Beast song “Be Our Guest.” With a tight timeline and quick turnaround, Hough and Erbert nailed down their ideas for costumes, improvised most of their choreography, and shot their performance in just one day on Hough’s GoPro.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-16--These Nurses Were Suspended For Refusing To Work With Coronavirus Patients Without N95 Masks

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 .
Ten nurses at a California hospital have been placed on administrative leave after each refused to continue to work with coronavirus patients until they received face masks known as N95 respirators .
Chelsea Halmy , one of the nurses who was suspended , told BuzzFeed News she spoke up about the lack of personal protective equipment on Saturday and is n't sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work at Providence Saint John ’ s Health Center in Santa Monica .
N95 respirators are designed to filter out 95 % of particles in the air and provide the best protection against the coronavirus for health care workers .
At Providence Saint John ’ s , nurses say they have been given much more porous surgical masks while the N95s have been saved for doctors .
`` We spend significantly more time with these patients than doctors , '' Halmy said .
`` It just made us feel like they are valuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nurses . ''
Halmy , who started her nursing career in the fall , requested an N95 mask when she reported to her night shift on Saturday , but she was denied .
She then told the charge nurse that she would n't be working with coronavirus patients without one .
Soon , senior management appeared with a form for Halmy to sign .
`` Failure to accept a direct order is a violation of our Hospital policy and is considered insubordination , '' the notice read .
`` In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is reportable to your licensing body as patient abandonment or other professional misconduct . ''
But Halmy wrote her side of the story on the notice .
`` I do n't want to leave , I want to stay and take care of my patients , '' she wrote .
`` However , I do not feel safe and would like an N95 mask . ''
In a statement to the Associated Press , the hospital said that as of Tuesday it 's providing N95s to all nurses caring for coronavirus patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a national shortage , ” the statement added .
Hambly does n't just blame her hospital , but also the CDC .
In response to a run on N95 masks and other protective equipment , the CDC has lowered its standards for nurses and other health care providers working with coronavirus patients .

Ten nurses at a California hospital have been placed on administrative leave after each refused to continue to work with coronavirus patients until they received face masks known as N95 respirators.
Chelsea Halmy, one of the nurses who was suspended, told BuzzFeed News she spoke up about the lack of personal protective equipment on Saturday and isn't sure when she'll be allowed back to work at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica.
N95 respirators are designed to filter out 95% of particles in the air and provide the best protection against the coronavirus for health care workers. At Providence Saint John’s, nurses say they have been given much more porous surgical masks while the N95s have been saved for doctors.
"We spend significantly more time with these patients than doctors," Halmy said. "It just made us feel like they are valuing the lives of the doctors more than the nurses."
Halmy, who started her nursing career in the fall, requested an N95 mask when she reported to her night shift on Saturday, but she was denied. She then told the charge nurse that she wouldn't be working with coronavirus patients without one.
Soon, senior management appeared with a form for Halmy to sign.
"Failure to accept a direct order is a violation of our Hospital policy and is considered insubordination," the notice read. "In addition, we would need to consider if it is reportable to your licensing body as patient abandonment or other professional misconduct."
But Halmy wrote her side of the story on the notice.
"I don't want to leave, I want to stay and take care of my patients," she wrote. "However, I do not feel safe and would like an N95 mask."
In a statement to the Associated Press, the hospital said that as of Tuesday it's providing N95s to all nurses caring for coronavirus patients.
“It’s no secret there is a national shortage,” the statement added.
Hambly doesn't just blame her hospital, but also the CDC. In response to a run on N95 masks and other protective equipment, the CDC has lowered its standards for nurses and other health care providers working with coronavirus patients.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-17--He Honed His Skills On The Frontline In Gaza. Now He’s 3D-Printing Face Shields In His Basement For

He Honed His Skills On The Frontline In Gaza. Now He’s 3D-Printing Face Shields In His Basement For Canadian Hospitals.

ER doctor Tarek Loubani has printed around 1,000 face shields during the coronavirus crisis , working in his spare time from his basement .
LONDON — Tarek Loubani has spent years 3D-printing simple medical devices with a team of engineers to help patients in the Gaza Strip , one of the toughest places in the world to source medical equipment .
But now the coronavirus pandemic has left hospitals around the world short of the most basic medical supplies , and Loubani , an ER doctor , is printing face shields back home in Canada .
Loubani has so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , working mostly by himself from the basement of his house in London , Ontario .
The 39-year-old describes himself as “ one of your friends who was a geek in his basement in high school.
” “ I always really enjoyed technology , and I always would look at it and try to imagine what I could do with it , ” he said .
If you 're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand , we ’ d like to hear from you .
Reach out to us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Loubani , along with a group of engineers and other doctors , started an organization in 2013 called the Glia Project that 3D-prints medical supplies .
He came up with the idea while working in Gaza — a place where hospitals frequently lack basic medical and surgical supplies in part because of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade .
( Loubani has worked in the region on and off since 2011 . )
Hospitals around the world , including in North America , are currently grappling with shortages of personal protective equipment ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which medical personnel depend on during the pandemic .
While 3D printing doesn ’ t represent a scalable solution to the problem , Loubani ’ s efforts to make face shields — along with other individuals and organizations using 3D printing to address shortages — underscores the desperate need .
The face shields he has made have been sold to a local hospital , and also online to customers in Canada and elsewhere , all for a nominal fee .
( His organization is licensed to produce the shields under Canadian regulatory standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtime , when he is not working long shifts at the hospital .
Loubani was working at a hospital in Gaza when he came up against a problem he ’ d never encountered before : Though the doctors he worked with were highly trained , they simply could not access basic medical equipment .
Hospitals would try to order even something as simple as a stethoscope , but found they would take months to arrive , or never show up at all .
“ The stethoscope is such a simple piece of equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you lose a few pieces and suddenly you have just doubled the cost.
” In Gaza , where UN authorities have said the health care system is close to collapse , it was unsustainable .
Loubani said hospital officials in Gaza tried offering bribes and even smuggling equipment , but this proved expensive and unreliable .
“ We just couldn ’ t get medical equipment in , ” he said .
“ I learned if you can ’ t make it , you can ’ t depend upon it.
” Loubani had bought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he first went to Gaza in 2011 to train doctors and practice medicine .
“ Open-source 3D printers had just hit the market and they were terrible , ” he recalled .
“ I remember when we started trying to print , it took a lot of time for the tech to catch up with the ideas.
” “ I found engineers who were really interested in the work , ” he said .
“ There were a few of us who were into this , and we started working on it.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were from Canada and Europe .
He wondered if 3D printing — back then a far less sophisticated technology — could help produce stethoscopes and other tools for hospitals in Gaza .
Together they founded the Glia Project , which publishes open-source plans for printing medical hardware .
Their goal is to expand access to these tools for everyone in need .
Loubani sees 3D-printing face shields as a way to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
3D printing isn ’ t a catchall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mechanical engineering at MIT , pointed out in a recent interview that masks and face shields would have to be made from materials that are compatible with sterilization techniques and the medical devices that hospitals use , meaning that the person making the items would need a degree of expertise or medical contacts .
“ The sheer volume of the need is another reason we are discouraging the use of 3D printing to produce PPE on MIT ’ s campus , ” said Culpepper .
“ Some hospitals need thousands of pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just can not keep up with that demand.
” But 3D printing has already saved lives in the fight against the coronavirus .
When a hospital in Italy ran out of respirator valves needed to connect patients to breathing machines , a company stepped in and printed 100 of them within 24 hours .
Loubani said 3D printing is too slow and energy-intensive to be good for mass manufacturing face shields .
But he said that it could fill in holes where big manufacturers have lagged .
“ People with 3D printers can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of supply until the big boys and girls can retool and start the supply .
”

LONDON — Tarek Loubani has spent years 3D-printing simple medical devices with a team of engineers to help patients in the Gaza Strip, one of the toughest places in the world to source medical equipment.
But now the coronavirus pandemic has left hospitals around the world short of the most basic medical supplies, and Loubani, an ER doctor, is printing face shields back home in Canada.
Loubani has so far printed 1,000 face shields in two weeks, working mostly by himself from the basement of his house in London, Ontario.
The 39-year-old describes himself as “one of your friends who was a geek in his basement in high school.”
“I always really enjoyed technology, and I always would look at it and try to imagine what I could do with it,” he said.
If you're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand, we’d like to hear from you. Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--Planned Parenthood Sued Texas For Banning Nearly All Abortions During The Coronavirus Outbreak

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Days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered a ban on nearly all abortions in the state during the coronavirus pandemic , Planned Parenthood filed a emergency lawsuit in federal court attempting to overturn the order .
The lawsuit , filed Wednesday night on behalf of eight reproductive health clinics in Texas , claims that Paxton ’ s order is unconstitutional and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demands an immediate temporary restraining order to keep the doors of Texas ’ s abortion clinics open .
“ It ’ s unconscionable that the Texas Attorney General is exploiting this pandemic to end abortion in the state , ” Nancy Northup , head of the Center for Reproductive Rights , a legal nonprofit joining the lawsuit , said in a call with press Wednesday evening .
“ Abortion care is time-sensitive and essential health care that has a profound impact on a person ’ s health and life , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right.
” Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott issued an executive order Sunday , demanding that any “ medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures ” be canceled during the coronavirus outbreak through April 21 in order to ensure that all the medical resources possible could be devoted to mitigating and treating patients with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Following Abbott ’ s order , his Attorney General ’ s Office issued a press release explicitly saying that the order applied to “ any type of abortion that is not medically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother , ” and that anyone found in violation of the order would “ be met with the full force of the law , ” including a $ 1,000 fine or up to 180 days in jail .
“ The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demands for hospital beds and has created a shortage of personal protective equipment [ PPE ] needed to protect health care professionals and stop transmission of the virus , ” Paxton ’ s statement read .
“ Postponing surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary will ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering from COVID-19 and that PPEs are available for health care professionals.
” Texas is currently the only state to explicitly attempt to ban the procedure during the coronavirus pandemic .
Last week , Ohio ’ s deputy attorney general , Jonathan Fulkerson , sent letters to several abortion clinics in the state accusing them of being in violation of the order , but the clinics ’ lawyers quickly responded assuring Fulkerson ’ s office that they were in compliance with the order and were taking all necessary precautions .
Abortion clinics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been canceled , and so far the clinics are not being penalized .
In the lawsuit , filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas , the reproductive rights organizations pointed out that Paxton ’ s phrasing implies that even medication abortion ( taking an abortion pill by mouth , which can be done at home by telemedicine ) , which is not surgery or a procedure , is banned under his order .
“ This appears to be the only oral medication targeted in this manner , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s interpretation of Abbott ’ s order was made with the explicit aim of limiting abortion access , even in cases where it would have no effect on medical resources available for treating COVID-19 cases .
If the interpretation were to go into effect , “ patients will not be able to obtain an abortion for weeks or even months , given that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to last far beyond the order ’ s stated expiration date , ” the lawsuit states .
“ Some will not be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to carry pregnancies to term.
” If many women in Texas were made to give birth against their will , the lawsuit argues , the order would not only infringe on their personal freedoms , but it would be economically damaging to the state , imposing “ far greater strains on an already-taxed healthcare system , as prenatal care and delivery involve much greater exhaustion of hospital health care services and PPE than abortions .
”

Days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered a ban on nearly all abortions in the state during the coronavirus pandemic, Planned Parenthood filed a emergency lawsuit in federal court attempting to overturn the order.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday night on behalf of eight reproductive health clinics in Texas, claims that Paxton’s order is unconstitutional and in violation of Roe v. Wade, and demands an immediate temporary restraining order to keep the doors of Texas’s abortion clinics open.
“It’s unconscionable that the Texas Attorney General is exploiting this pandemic to end abortion in the state,” Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights, a legal nonprofit joining the lawsuit, said in a call with press Wednesday evening. “Abortion care is time-sensitive and essential health care that has a profound impact on a person’s health and life, which is why it is protected as a constitutional right.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Sunday, demanding that any “medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures” be canceled during the coronavirus outbreak through April 21 in order to ensure that all the medical resources possible could be devoted to mitigating and treating patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Following Abbott’s order, his Attorney General’s Office issued a press release explicitly saying that the order applied to “any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life of the mother,” and that anyone found in violation of the order would “be met with the full force of the law,” including a $1,000 fine or up to 180 days in jail.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demands for hospital beds and has created a shortage of personal protective equipment [PPE] needed to protect health care professionals and stop transmission of the virus,” Paxton’s statement read. “Postponing surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary will ensure that hospital beds are available for those suffering from COVID-19 and that PPEs are available for health care professionals.”
Texas is currently the only state to explicitly attempt to ban the procedure during the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Ohio’s deputy attorney general, Jonathan Fulkerson, sent letters to several abortion clinics in the state accusing them of being in violation of the order, but the clinics’ lawyers quickly responded assuring Fulkerson’s office that they were in compliance with the order and were taking all necessary precautions. Abortion clinics in Ohio remain open, appointments have not been canceled, and so far the clinics are not being penalized.
In the lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas, the reproductive rights organizations pointed out that Paxton’s phrasing implies that even medication abortion (taking an abortion pill by mouth, which can be done at home by telemedicine), which is not surgery or a procedure, is banned under his order.
“This appears to be the only oral medication targeted in this manner,” the lawsuit reads, extrapolating that Paxton’s interpretation of Abbott’s order was made with the explicit aim of limiting abortion access, even in cases where it would have no effect on medical resources available for treating COVID-19 cases.
If the interpretation were to go into effect, “patients will not be able to obtain an abortion for weeks or even months, given that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to last far beyond the order’s stated expiration date,” the lawsuit states. “Some will not be able to access abortion at all and will be forced to carry pregnancies to term.”
If many women in Texas were made to give birth against their will, the lawsuit argues, the order would not only infringe on their personal freedoms, but it would be economically damaging to the state, imposing “far greater strains on an already-taxed healthcare system, as prenatal care and delivery involve much greater exhaustion of hospital health care services and PPE than abortions.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--How People’s Sex Lives Have Changed Because Of The Coronavirus

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 .
Hooking up with strangers is definitely not a good idea .
Some dating apps have outright been telling people to stay at home — like the gay hookup app Jack ’ d — which shows how much more seriously people are taking the virus since the beginning of March , when dating apps were urging people to wash their hands .
Generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were early adopters of the push for people to stay home .
The queer dating app Lex started telling people the importance of practicing social distancing via memes weeks ago .
“ If social distancing is one thing we can do to help stop the spread of COVID19 — we will do it immediately , ” said a Lex representative in an email .
“ We will create physical distance while keeping our community socially connected and sexy , even.
” Dan is certainly not alone in reporting some changes to his bedroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliever , and this is an incredibly stressful time .
But in the new era of social distancing , the usual ways of getting some ( at least for those who don ’ t live with a partner ) have had to take a backseat .
“ Honestly , my partner and I are trying to have a baby , so it ’ s been kind of great for our sex life , ” wrote Dan R , a 31-year-old man living in Pennsylvania , in an email .
He was responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus has impacted sex for him .
And , at least in that sense , the pandemic has had a silver lining .
“ Without as many high pressure demands ( particularly the traveling to and from work ) we have been more able to get in the mood to try to make that baby !
” It looks like some Americans are certainly taking his advice .
A couple of weeks ago , when the reality of self-isolating for the long haul started to become clearer , Searah Deysach , owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bed , said she noticed an uptick in requests for solo sex toys .
( Her store is only accepting online orders at the moment . )
“ It 's really important to embrace masturbation , ” said Michael DeMarco , 43 , a sex therapist based in New York City .
And , he added , there ’ s no need — when we ’ re all under plenty of pressure already — to achieve a certain result when you do .
“ The goal does n't have to be to ejaculate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be to have an orgasm at all , it could be edging , it could just be a meditative kind of situation in and of itself.
” A spokesperson for Tinder told me over the phone that time spent on the app spiked in mid-March , with daily messaging in the US up by 10 % to 15 % when compared to the week prior .
Additionally , they said , when a particular area becomes more affected by “ physically isolating measures , ” the conversations happening in that particular region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are searching for some kind of connection with others more than ever before .
People have also begun to change their bios , the spokesperson added , with more people including phrases like “ stay home , ” “ be safe , ” “ social distancing , ” “ how are you , ” and “ wash your hands.
” Recently , the New York City Health Department released a quite informative ( and , let ’ s admit it , pretty funny ) guide to practicing safe sex right now , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safest sex partner.
” “ I think that there 's going to be a surge of people who know a lot more about their bodies when this is all over.
” But don ’ t just take the experts ’ word for it .
We asked BuzzFeed readers how they ’ ve been getting off in the time of the coronavirus — what ’ s changed , what hasn ’ t , and what they might recommend .
Here ’ s a sampling of the hundreds of responses we received , lightly edited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can feel free to try ( almost ) all of this at home !
Lisa Finn , 28 , who lives in New York and works as a sex educator and brand manager for the sex shop Babeland , said their website experienced a spike in traffic last week when widespread social distancing measures were being announced .
“ A vibrator is a great thing to have in your artillery of things to do , especially when it comes to self-care and having something that can help take your mind off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside our doors , ” she said .
“ We 're fielding more questions about masturbation , about what toys are good for masturbation and stuff like that , ” said Deysach , who has been in business for more than 18 years .
“ I think that there 's going to be a surge of people who know a lot more about their bodies when this is all over.
” “ I light some candles , put some music on and I use my new Je Joue G-Spot Bullet Vibrator that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I highly recommend it.
” —Araceli , 31 , queer , California “ Vibrator .
But considering hooking up with the guy I ’ ve been seeing steadily for the past 4 months .
Is it worth it ?
Probably not .
Am I still thinking about it ?
Yes .
Will it happen ?
Probably not .
But human physical contact is important to me .
😬 ” —Isabelle , 27 , straight , North Carolina “ More alone time with my wife of 30 years .
We have always had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been going strong through all of this .
The sex during this time has been as good as ever .
We are like teenagers.
” —Dave , 53 , straight , Kentucky “ It ’ s so sad .
I am a ‘ Hotwife ’ with a cuckold husband .
I can ’ t go out and pick up bulls for our fun .
He will service me during this time , but I am missing the fun , especially now as the swinger ’ s clubs usually start opening their pools in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on some lesbian porn and masturbated while I allowed my husband to masturbate watching me .
It was okay , but I miss picking up a stranger and coming home and having great sex.
” —Joan , 44 , bi , Nevada “ I 'm not [ getting off ] .
Being stuck in a 800-square-foot house with my husband , 5-year-old , and senior dog is too much and we have very little privacy to share between all of us .
Orgasms might be touted as The Great Stress Reliever , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a crowded house , being intimately close with my husband adds to the stress .
I NEED some space , quiet , and alone time so I can mentally reset for that shit !
” —Sofia , 33 , straight , California “ For starters I deleted Grindr so stupid temptation wouldn ’ t even have the chance to get the better of me .
Once it was gone , I went old school .
I found a chatroom that isn ’ t completely horrible and when I ’ m in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the hunt for the perfect phone sex partner .
As someone who both is and enjoys a vocal/verbal partner , phone sex is an ideal way to get an intimate connection without the added dangers of meeting up .
In the end , it ’ s still just jerking off , but the road to get there is so much more involved and it ’ s fun when someone is taking the trip with you.
” —Murray , 42 , gay , Georgia “ Masturbation is my only option , as best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house .
I ’ m recently divorced , and dating has changed in the last weeks to something I fear instead of something to look forward to.
” —Heather , 46 , straight , Florida “ I 'm in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend who lives in Missouri .
While we were fortunate to see each other at the end of February , the date of our next visit is a huge question mark .
We met online , so our first intimate moments were via video chatting on Discord and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become hugely grateful for .
We call nearly every night and masturbate to each other .
Other than that , we also use the app for keeping in touch throughout the day .
I really do n't know what we 'd do without Discord.
” — Jena , 29 , straight North Carolina “ My partner and I use remote-controlled vibrators and have Skype sex as often as we can .
We are already in a long-distance relationship , so not much has changed .
However , we are also both poly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that intimacy with other people .
Using a weighted blanket and a remote-control bullet vibe has helped me the most.
” —Laura , 30 , queer , Oregon “ Married and fucking regularly .
On dating apps for other couples so we can start an online group sex video chat.
” —Erin , 33 , bisexual , Oregon “ Masturbation , almost exclusively .
My lover is quarantined with his kids , so we FaceTime regularly to talk , but an attempt at virtual sex this week caused us both to start laughing.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York “ I 'm not [ getting off ] .
I 'm asexual and only masturbate on rare occasions.
” —Amber , 31 , asexual , Iowa “ My husband and I are quarantined in our 600-squarefoot apartment together — so the good news is , we can technically have sex whenever we want .
The bad news is that we practice fertility awareness as our method of avoiding pregnancy ( and avoiding pregnancy seems even MORE important given the current pandemic ) .
For those who do n't know , fertility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman 's fertile window ( some people simply use barrier methods during that time frame , but we 're Catholic so that 's not an option for us ) .
As luck would have it , we 've been quarantined for 7 days and so far have had to abstain the WHOLE time because I 've been ovulating this week and very obviously fertile .
You try having your ‘ just got ta have you ’ hormones peak while stuck at home together 24/7 with nothing to do ... it 's been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot together and taken a lot of cold showers .
Fortunately , we 'll be safe to have sex again in a day or two — at which point I expect quarantine is going to get a LOT more fun !
” —Ashley , 27 , straight , California “ Introducing my new partner to sexting — he is a bit shy about this so using lots of metaphors .
Food ones are a favourite .
Potentially also isolating from everyone but him so that we can still meet up , which makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it out ... ( insert shrug emoji here ) .
” —Allison , 31 , straight-ish , Canada “ My boyfriend is currently stuck in quarantine in Norway .
As both Norway and Finland have closed their borders for the foreseeable future , there ’ s no way for us to be together during this time and we have no idea when we ’ ll be reunited again .
Needless to say , it sucks .
“ We ’ re definitely becoming experts on all types of phone sex , including calls with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to re-create some of our preferred sex scenarios , like shower sex with tripods and FaceTime , alternating who goes in the shower and who watches .
Trying to be sexy and keep the mood going on FaceTime does have its challenges , but we ’ re trying to be as open and adventurous as we can .
As everyone is hoarding toilet paper around the world , I ’ ve started hoarding batteries for my sex toys , as this seems to become a long and lonely spring for me without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight , Finland “ My boyfriend and I both work at grocery stores so we are too exhausted to have sex by the time we come home .
We ’ ve done it maybe once since all this stuff occurred .
I actually bought a Bellesa sex toy to deal with the sexual frustration and just masturbate in the morning if I have time before I have to get up .
I assume he ’ s probably doing the same.
” —Sarah , 25 , bi , Missouri “ It 's really all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all on my own .
I 'm not currently in a relationship , so my only option would be to hook up through an app .
Obviously that does n't feel safe or right to do at this time , which means for the foreseeable future I wo n't have physical intimacy with another person .
Normally , not having sex does n't really affect me , but that 's because I usually have a lot of things to do .
Without those things , having sex is definitely more at the forefront @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gay , Pennsylvania “ After my college shut down , I ’ m back in with my parents .
It ’ s felt like high school where the only time I can do anything is in the shower because everyone is ALWAYS HOME .
Luckily we have the internet , and Snapchat of course.
” —Joe , 20 , bi , Minnesota ●

“I light some candles, put some music on and I use my new Je Joue G-Spot Bullet Vibrator that I bought at Good Vibrations at Berkeley! I highly recommend it.” —Araceli, 31, queer, California
“Vibrator. But considering hooking up with the guy I’ve been seeing steadily for the past 4 months. Is it worth it? Probably not. Am I still thinking about it? Yes. Will it happen? Probably not. But human physical contact is important to me. 😬” —Isabelle, 27, straight, North Carolina
“More alone time with my wife of 30 years. We have always had a very active sex life and we have been going strong through all of this. The sex during this time has been as good as ever. We are like teenagers.” —Dave, 53, straight, Kentucky
“It’s so sad. I am a ‘Hotwife’ with a cuckold husband. I can’t go out and pick up bulls for our fun. He will service me during this time, but I am missing the fun, especially now as the swinger’s clubs usually start opening their pools in late March. Last night I put on some lesbian porn and masturbated while I allowed my husband to masturbate watching me. It was okay, but I miss picking up a stranger and coming home and having great sex.” —Joan, 44, bi, Nevada
“I'm not [getting off]. Being stuck in a 800-square-foot house with my husband, 5-year-old, and senior dog is too much and we have very little privacy to share between all of us. Orgasms might be touted as The Great Stress Reliever, but when I can't escape the stress of a crowded house, being intimately close with my husband adds to the stress. I NEED some space, quiet, and alone time so I can mentally reset for that shit!” —Sofia, 33, straight, California
“For starters I deleted Grindr so stupid temptation wouldn’t even have the chance to get the better of me. Once it was gone, I went old school. I found a chatroom that isn’t completely horrible and when I’m in the mood for some stress relief I go on the hunt for the perfect phone sex partner. As someone who both is and enjoys a vocal/verbal partner, phone sex is an ideal way to get an intimate connection without the added dangers of meeting up. In the end, it’s still just jerking off, but the road to get there is so much more involved and it’s fun when someone is taking the trip with you.” —Murray, 42, gay, Georgia
“Masturbation is my only option, as best I can with young kids in the house. I’m recently divorced, and dating has changed in the last weeks to something I fear instead of something to look forward to.” —Heather, 46, straight, Florida
“I'm in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend who lives in Missouri. While we were fortunate to see each other at the end of February, the date of our next visit is a huge question mark. We met online, so our first intimate moments were via video chatting on Discord and that's a platform that we've both become hugely grateful for. We call nearly every night and masturbate to each other. Other than that, we also use the app for keeping in touch throughout the day. I really don't know what we'd do without Discord.” — Jena, 29, straight North Carolina
“My partner and I use remote-controlled vibrators and have Skype sex as often as we can. We are already in a long-distance relationship, so not much has changed. However, we are also both poly, so it's hard to not have that intimacy with other people. Using a weighted blanket and a remote-control bullet vibe has helped me the most.” —Laura, 30, queer, Oregon
“Married and fucking regularly. On dating apps for other couples so we can start an online group sex video chat.” —Erin, 33, bisexual, Oregon
“Masturbation, almost exclusively. My lover is quarantined with his kids, so we FaceTime regularly to talk, but an attempt at virtual sex this week caused us both to start laughing.” —Sarah, 42, straight, New York
“I'm not [getting off]. I'm asexual and only masturbate on rare occasions.” —Amber, 31, asexual, Iowa
“My husband and I are quarantined in our 600-squarefoot apartment together — so the good news is, we can technically have sex whenever we want. The bad news is that we practice fertility awareness as our method of avoiding pregnancy (and avoiding pregnancy seems even MORE important given the current pandemic). For those who don't know, fertility awareness involves abstaining from sex during a woman's fertile window (some people simply use barrier methods during that time frame, but we're Catholic so that's not an option for us). As luck would have it, we've been quarantined for 7 days and so far have had to abstain the WHOLE time because I've been ovulating this week and very obviously fertile. You try having your ‘just gotta have you’ hormones peak while stuck at home together 24/7 with nothing to do...it's been a struggle! But we've laughed a lot together and taken a lot of cold showers. Fortunately, we'll be safe to have sex again in a day or two — at which point I expect quarantine is going to get a LOT more fun!” —Ashley, 27, straight, California
“Introducing my new partner to sexting — he is a bit shy about this so using lots of metaphors. Food ones are a favourite. Potentially also isolating from everyone but him so that we can still meet up, which makes me sound very sex-focused when I type it out...(insert shrug emoji here).”—Allison, 31, straight-ish, Canada
“My boyfriend is currently stuck in quarantine in Norway. As both Norway and Finland have closed their borders for the foreseeable future, there’s no way for us to be together during this time and we have no idea when we’ll be reunited again. Needless to say, it sucks.
“We’re definitely becoming experts on all types of phone sex, including calls with or without video. We’re trying to re-create some of our preferred sex scenarios, like shower sex with tripods and FaceTime, alternating who goes in the shower and who watches. Trying to be sexy and keep the mood going on FaceTime does have its challenges, but we’re trying to be as open and adventurous as we can. As everyone is hoarding toilet paper around the world, I’ve started hoarding batteries for my sex toys, as this seems to become a long and lonely spring for me without my partner.” —Ina, 30, straight, Finland
“Masturbating, sending and receiving nudes, watching cam shows online.” —Enrique, 24, gay, New York City
“My boyfriend and I both work at grocery stores so we are too exhausted to have sex by the time we come home. We’ve done it maybe once since all this stuff occurred. I actually bought a Bellesa sex toy to deal with the sexual frustration and just masturbate in the morning if I have time before I have to get up. I assume he’s probably doing the same.” —Sarah, 25, bi, Missouri
“It's really all just up to me to do it all on my own. I'm not currently in a relationship, so my only option would be to hook up through an app. Obviously that doesn't feel safe or right to do at this time, which means for the foreseeable future I won't have physical intimacy with another person. Normally, not having sex doesn't really affect me, but that's because I usually have a lot of things to do. Without those things, having sex is definitely more at the forefront of my mind.” —Matthew, 29, gay, Pennsylvania
“After my college shut down, I’m back in with my parents. It’s felt like high school where the only time I can do anything is in the shower because everyone is ALWAYS HOME. Luckily we have the internet, and Snapchat of course.” —Joe, 20, bi, Minnesota ●


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--The Senate Passed A Massive Coronavirus Aid Package That Would Give Most Americans A $1,200 Check

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 .
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a $ 2 trillion coronavirus aid bill late Wednesday evening , the largest relief package in the country ’ s history .
The recovery bill passed unanimously , 96–0 ( with four senators self-quarantining due to the coronavirus ) .
It still has to clear the House before taking effect , which could happen as early as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will immediately sign the bill into law .
The package floods the country with money in an attempt to blunt the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus outbreak .
It provides hundreds of billions of dollars to businesses , state governments , and the health care industry , as well as direct cash injections to most American residents .
The bill authorizes a direct payment of $ 1,200 to every US resident with a social security number who makes up to $ 75,000 per year , plus $ 500 per child .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will receive a smaller payment and the checks are phased out completely for people who make over $ 99,000 .
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is authorized to dole out $ 500 billion in loans to distressed businesses , including up to $ 29 billion earmarked for the airline industry .
Another $ 350 billion in loans will got to providing eight weeks of cash flow for small businesses .
The loans will be forgiven if the businesses maintain their payroll .
Congress has been in tense , around-the-clock negotiations for days and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released until around 10 p.m. , a half an hour before voting began .
The most contentious provision ended up being offering $ 600 per week , over four months , in federal unemployment assistance to laid-off employees .
A small group of Republican senators argued these payments are so generous they would create a disincentive to work , and they threatened to delay passage of the bill unless payments were capped .
This caused Sen. Bernie Sanders counter-threaten to hold up the bill unless more strict conditions were put on corporate aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group failed to get Trump to back their cause .
They put forward an amendment to cap unemployment payments , which needed 60 votes to pass but failed on a 48–48 vote .
The aid package now has to clear the House of Representatives .
The House is currently in recess , and it is not clear whether the bill will sail through quickly or if all 430 current members will need to be summoned from across the country for a full vote .
The House has the tools to pass the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member demands a full recorded vote on the House floor then the entire body will need to be recalled .
There are grumblings in both parties .
Progressives argue the bill is too friendly to big business and does not do enough for workers .
Some Republicans say the bill contains too many Democratic pet projects and enlarges the size of government .
Independent Rep. Justin Amash tweeted that the bill “ is a raw deal for the people ” that “ does far too little for those who need the most help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate welfare.
” But so far no member has committed to forcing a full vote .
With rent checks coming due at the end of the month , party leaders are urging passage without delay .
Once the bill is signed into law , Congress is scheduled to be out until April 20 .
Other key parts of the bill include : • None A tax credit of up to $ 10,000 for wages paid by businesses hit hard by the coronavirus , to incentivize keeping staff on the payroll .
• None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding for child care .
• None Funding for states to immediately begin paying out unemployment benefits when someone is laid off .
• None Allowing employers ( but not employees ) to defer paying their share of social security tax on wages .
That tax would have to be paid over the next two years .
• None $ 16 billion to acquire ventilators and other medical equipment .
• None $ 4 billion for homeless assistance ( though SNAP , the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a $2 trillion coronavirus aid bill late Wednesday evening, the largest relief package in the country’s history.
The recovery bill passed unanimously, 96–0 (with four senators self-quarantining due to the coronavirus). It still has to clear the House before taking effect, which could happen as early as Thursday. President Donald Trump has said he will immediately sign the bill into law.
The package floods the country with money in an attempt to blunt the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus outbreak. It provides hundreds of billions of dollars to businesses, state governments, and the health care industry, as well as direct cash injections to most American residents.
The bill authorizes a direct payment of $1,200 to every US resident with a social security number who makes up to $75,000 per year, plus $500 per child. People who earn more than $75,000 will receive a smaller payment and the checks are phased out completely for people who make over $99,000.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is authorized to dole out $500 billion in loans to distressed businesses, including up to $29 billion earmarked for the airline industry. Another $350 billion in loans will got to providing eight weeks of cash flow for small businesses. The loans will be forgiven if the businesses maintain their payroll.
Congress has been in tense, around-the-clock negotiations for days and the bill’s final text was not released until around 10 p.m., a half an hour before voting began.
The most contentious provision ended up being offering $600 per week, over four months, in federal unemployment assistance to laid-off employees. A small group of Republican senators argued these payments are so generous they would create a disincentive to work, and they threatened to delay passage of the bill unless payments were capped.
This caused Sen. Bernie Sanders counter-threaten to hold up the bill unless more strict conditions were put on corporate aid. In the end, the Republican group failed to get Trump to back their cause. They put forward an amendment to cap unemployment payments, which needed 60 votes to pass but failed on a 48–48 vote.
The aid package now has to clear the House of Representatives. The House is currently in recess, and it is not clear whether the bill will sail through quickly or if all 430 current members will need to be summoned from across the country for a full vote.
The House has the tools to pass the bill immediately, but if even a single member demands a full recorded vote on the House floor then the entire body will need to be recalled. There are grumblings in both parties. Progressives argue the bill is too friendly to big business and does not do enough for workers. Some Republicans say the bill contains too many Democratic pet projects and enlarges the size of government. Independent Rep. Justin Amash tweeted that the bill “is a raw deal for the people” that “does far too little for those who need the most help, while providing hundreds of billions in corporate welfare.”
But so far no member has committed to forcing a full vote. With rent checks coming due at the end of the month, party leaders are urging passage without delay.
Once the bill is signed into law, Congress is scheduled to be out until April 20.
Other key parts of the bill include:


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--Instead Of Hazard Pay, Spectrum Offered A $25 Gift Card To Technicians Who Enter Homes Amid The Coro

Instead Of Hazard Pay, Spectrum Offered A $25 Gift Card To Technicians Who Enter Homes Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic

`` You think a gift card is supposed to make us feel better ? ''
Spectrum technicians connecting cable and internet for customers during the coronavirus outbreak will receive a $ 25 gift card for a local restaurant as a `` token of our appreciation '' from management , after staff called for hazard pay and protective equipment .
“ These gift cards never expire , so if you choose a restaurant that is currently not open , the card will remain valid for future use , '' read the Monday night internal staff email from Tom Adams , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Please take some time out of your busy day to enjoy a meal and recharge . ''
Spectrum employees have been speaking out against the company 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic for several days now , begging to be allowed to work from home if their jobs allow it and calling for safety measures to be implemented for those in the field .
Field technicians told BuzzFeed News on Monday night they feared going into people 's homes during the pandemic to fix their internet and cable without gloves , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they got sick or carried the virus to other customers or loved ones .
On Monday night , the company announced it was offering a $ 25 weekly gift card as a thank you — an initiative that left many workers who spoke with BuzzFeed News unsatisfied .
“ Would you do it for $ 25 ?
” asked a field technician from Irwindale , California , who asked to remain anonymous , along with the other technicians quoted in this story , to protect his employment .
He called Spectrum management `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really insensitive , it shows they do n't care , '' said a Spectrum technician from New York City , who spoke to BuzzFeed News earlier this week .
`` You think a gift card is supposed to make us feel better ? ''
He said it was a `` slap in the face , '' and that management thought they could `` give a gift card , shut them up . ''
One technician from North Carolina described his reaction to reading the email announcing the gift card initiative as “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s quite literally the least they could do , ” the North Carolina tech said , pointing out that to even use a gift card from a local restaurant would likely involve having close contact with restaurant staff or drivers .
Four employees complained to BuzzFeed News that Spectrum had failed to address safety concerns raised over recent weeks as the coronavirus has spread around the country and placed huge demand on the company , with a working internet connection now crucial for those suddenly working from home or relying on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is owned by Charter Communications , is deemed an essential infrastructure service , meaning that its workers are not covered by state-mandated lockdowns to close businesses .
“ Your efforts are courageous and highly valued , ” wrote Adams in his Monday email to staff .
“ We greatly appreciate your dedication to serving our customers and your diligent focus in performing this work during a difficult time for our country.
” Adams said that self-installation by customers was increasing , and calls were being reviewed to clarify if a field visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the technicians to all our recent changes , along with the gift card gesture has been very positive , '' said Cameron Blanchard , a spokesperson for Charter , in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
Adams also noted Spectrum had secured access to hand sanitizer and gloves , which would be available for workers to use “ in the next few weeks.
” Blanchard said supplies had been delayed due to priority `` understandably '' given to healthcare providers and government agencies .
But more delays did not satisfy workers who feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` 'Weeks from now ' — it ’ s not too late , but it ’ s kind of too late , '' said the NYC technician .
( New York City is currently the US hotspot for the coronavirus outbreak , with local hospitals struggling to help the thousands of ill patients . )
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
Spectrum workers say they are relying on homemade masks and dwindling sanitizer purchased by family members .
`` First and foremost give us supplies to protect us , '' said the New York City technician .
`` If anything , give us a bonus or something for working through this . ''
Competitors such as AT & T are paying 20 % hazard pay to staff , and Spectrum staff wanted the same treatment .
`` If they ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment and pay us hazard pay , '' said the Irwindale technician .
`` That ’ s it . ''
The Irwindale technician said in recent days he 'd received a “ handful ” of gloves , and a half-filled 3-ounce bottle of soap from Spectrum .
“ We would have to find our own water to wash our hands , '' he said .
The North Carolina technician believed Spectrum should openly acknowledge the risk to workers and pay them fairly for it .
“ If we ’ re going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that might have a decent infection rate , '' said the technician , `` just saying , ' I 'm sorry we ’ re having to expose you to this , ' and some form of compensation that readily accepts that . ''
He called Spectrum ’ s response “ a lot more reactionary than preventative , '' and said despite Spectrum 's claims , lots of nonessential visits are still going ahead , such as techs doing a home visit for someone who can ’ t remember a password or because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on long-term infrastructure upgrades with no immediate benefit .
The company is offering three weeks of paid COVID-19 leave for staffers who are sick or need to be quarantined or care for a family member .
The NYC technician said he 's aware of multiple employees already just using it to avoid work and stay home in safety .
He believes that , as a billion-dollar company , Spectrum should be focused on protecting its staff , not its profits , right now .
“ You could at least give us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time , '' he said .
`` You have the money to do it , you have the means to do it and you want to give gift cards .
It ’ s not right . ''

Four employees complained to BuzzFeed News that Spectrum had failed to address safety concerns raised over recent weeks as the coronavirus has spread around the country and placed huge demand on the company, with a working internet connection now crucial for those suddenly working from home or relying on school classes via video.
Spectrum, which is owned by Charter Communications, is deemed an essential infrastructure service, meaning that its workers are not covered by state-mandated lockdowns to close businesses.
“Your efforts are courageous and highly valued,” wrote Adams in his Monday email to staff. “We greatly appreciate your dedication to serving our customers and your diligent focus in performing this work during a difficult time for our country.”
Adams said that self-installation by customers was increasing, and calls were being reviewed to clarify if a field visit was required.
"The response from the technicians to all our recent changes, along with the gift card gesture has been very positive," said Cameron Blanchard, a spokesperson for Charter, in a statement to BuzzFeed News.
Adams also noted Spectrum had secured access to hand sanitizer and gloves, which would be available for workers to use “in the next few weeks.”
Blanchard said supplies had been delayed due to priority "understandably" given to healthcare providers and government agencies.
But more delays did not satisfy workers who feel like there is no time to wait.
"'Weeks from now' — it’s not too late, but it’s kind of too late," said the NYC technician. (New York City is currently the US hotspot for the coronavirus outbreak, with local hospitals struggling to help the thousands of ill patients.)
Do you have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And if you're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand, we’d also love to hear from you (you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels).
Spectrum workers say they are relying on homemade masks and dwindling sanitizer purchased by family members.
"First and foremost give us supplies to protect us," said the New York City technician. "If anything, give us a bonus or something for working through this."
Competitors such as AT&T are paying 20% hazard pay to staff, and Spectrum staff wanted the same treatment.
"If they’re going to do anything, give us more protective equipment and pay us hazard pay," said the Irwindale technician. "That’s it."
The Irwindale technician said in recent days he'd received a “handful” of gloves, and a half-filled 3-ounce bottle of soap from Spectrum. “We would have to find our own water to wash our hands," he said.
The North Carolina technician believed Spectrum should openly acknowledge the risk to workers and pay them fairly for it.
“If we’re going to have to be exposed to people and places that might have a decent infection rate," said the technician, "just saying, 'I'm sorry we’re having to expose you to this,' and some form of compensation that readily accepts that."
He called Spectrum’s response “a lot more reactionary than preventative," and said despite Spectrum's claims, lots of nonessential visits are still going ahead, such as techs doing a home visit for someone who can’t remember a password or because of slow internet, or the area continuing to work on long-term infrastructure upgrades with no immediate benefit.
The company is offering three weeks of paid COVID-19 leave for staffers who are sick or need to be quarantined or care for a family member.
The NYC technician said he's aware of multiple employees already just using it to avoid work and stay home in safety.
He believes that, as a billion-dollar company, Spectrum should be focused on protecting its staff, not its profits, right now.
“You could at least give us time and a half for working through this time," he said. "You have the money to do it, you have the means to do it and you want to give gift cards. It’s not right."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--5 Ways To Protect Our Election During The Coronavirus Pandemic, According To A New Bipartisan Electi

5 Ways To Protect Our Election During The Coronavirus Pandemic, According To A New Bipartisan Election Emergency Task Force

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 .
Dozens of former Republican officials and progressive leaders have banded together to form a new task force on election emergencies , publishing a set of guidelines Thursday about how to protect the November election during the coronavirus pandemic — from expanding mail-in voting to sanitizing in-person voting locations .
Given the pressure to postpone presidential primaries , the National Task Force on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at public officials in charge of the general election , saying , “ There is significant reason to be concerned and an imperative to prepare for the worst.
” “ This virus has been a wake-up call , ” Michael Chertoff , the former secretary of Homeland Security under former president George W. Bush and a member of the task force , told BuzzFeed News , saying the task force had begun to form last year amid concerns of foreign interference , misinformation , and other disasters — including disease .
The election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law on Nov. 3 , the report recommends , saying maximum participation will bolster confidence in “ the legitimacy of the outcome of the election.
” ( BuzzFeed News reported on March 13 why changing the general election date would be difficult , and maybe logistically impossible . )
“ An event like the one we are going through now underscores the real importance of the public having faith in its institutions , ” Chertoff said , adding that the task force ’ s diverse membership lends credibility as it puts pressure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adopt its recommendations .
The task force ’ s members include prominent progressives , such as Kristen Clarke , executive director of Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law ; Sherrilyn Ifill , president and director-counsel , NAACP Legal Defense Fund ; and Vanita Gupta , president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
It also includes conservative leaders , including Trevor Potter , former chair of the Federal Election Commission , and Trey Grayson , Kentucky ’ s former secretary of state .
These are five of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials should contact voters proactively to ask if they want an absentee ballot .
Not all states allow everyone to use a mail-in ballot ( also called an absentee ballot or absentee voting ) unless they declare a specific excuse in advance , such as travel or an emergency .
As such , the task force said the chief election officials in each jurisdiction should immediately declare that “ coronavirus is deemed a legally sufficient ‘ excuse ’ to enable absentee voting by all eligible voters… If this requires enacting emergency legislation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so.
” Further , the task force said elections officials should post PDFs of the forms online for voters to request those absentee ballots .
The guide doesn ’ t recommend switching entirely to mail-in voting , but it says “ election officials should order sufficient quantities of paper ballots to conduct a 100 % mail-based election , if necessary . ''
2 .
Create more time to vote in person .
In addition to hiring more poll workers to manage these new systems , the guide encourages extending both voting hours and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including on weekends , in order to “ reduce the number of people in a polling place at any one time , thereby reducing the likelihood of coronavirus transmission .
“ Election officials should ensure that each polling place is well-stocked with hand sanitizer and antibacterial , antimicrobial cleaning supplies , which should be used , among other things , to disinfect voting machines and voting equipment ( including pens and touchpads ) between each and every use , ” the guide says .
“ Each poll worker should be provided with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if consistent with public health guidance at the time ) . ''
Officials should “ prohibit any person known to be infected with the coronavirus from entering a polling place ” when law allows , the guidance says , and provide those voters an absentee ballot .
Inside polling facilities , tape should be placed on the ground 6 feet apart “ to indicate where voters should stand ” when waiting in line .
Voters should also be able to vote curbside or have separate sites for people at high risk — such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If an area is known to have an exceptionally high concentration of the virus , or if a location presents an exceptional risk , such as a nursing home , officials should create a different polling site .
It also suggests simply creating additional polling locations , thereby “ reducing the likely size of any crowds or number of people standing in line.
” It also considers using bigger buildings — or “ supercenters ” — that allow more distance between each person .
“ Larger facilities may offer a good addition or @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Dozens of former Republican officials and progressive leaders have banded together to form a new task force on election emergencies, publishing a set of guidelines Thursday about how to protect the November election during the coronavirus pandemic — from expanding mail-in voting to sanitizing in-person voting locations.
Given the pressure to postpone presidential primaries, the National Task Force on Election Crises issued an 11-page guide aimed at public officials in charge of the general election, saying, “There is significant reason to be concerned and an imperative to prepare for the worst.”
“This virus has been a wake-up call,” Michael Chertoff, the former secretary of Homeland Security under former president George W. Bush and a member of the task force, told BuzzFeed News, saying the task force had begun to form last year amid concerns of foreign interference, misinformation, and other disasters — including disease.
The election should be held as required by federal law on Nov. 3, the report recommends, saying maximum participation will bolster confidence in “the legitimacy of the outcome of the election.” (BuzzFeed News reported on March 13 why changing the general election date would be difficult, and maybe logistically impossible.)
“An event like the one we are going through now underscores the real importance of the public having faith in its institutions,” Chertoff said, adding that the task force’s diverse membership lends credibility as it puts pressure on secretaries of state and county election directors to adopt its recommendations.
The task force’s members include prominent progressives, such as Kristen Clarke, executive director of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund; and Vanita Gupta, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. It also includes conservative leaders, including Trevor Potter, former chair of the Federal Election Commission, and Trey Grayson, Kentucky’s former secretary of state.
These are five of the task force’s recommendations:
1. Expand access to vote by mail.
Officials should contact voters proactively to ask if they want an absentee ballot. Not all states allow everyone to use a mail-in ballot (also called an absentee ballot or absentee voting) unless they declare a specific excuse in advance, such as travel or an emergency. As such, the task force said the chief election officials in each jurisdiction should immediately declare that “coronavirus is deemed a legally sufficient ‘excuse’ to enable absentee voting by all eligible voters… If this requires enacting emergency legislation in a jurisdiction, state legislatures should do so.” Further, the task force said elections officials should post PDFs of the forms online for voters to request those absentee ballots.
The guide doesn’t recommend switching entirely to mail-in voting, but it says “election officials should order sufficient quantities of paper ballots to conduct a 100% mail-based election, if necessary."
2. Create more time to vote in person.
In addition to hiring more poll workers to manage these new systems, the guide encourages extending both voting hours and the number of days for early voting, including on weekends, in order to “reduce the number of people in a polling place at any one time, thereby reducing the likelihood of coronavirus transmission.
3. Keep polling sites sanitized.
“Election officials should ensure that each polling place is well-stocked with hand sanitizer and antibacterial, antimicrobial cleaning supplies, which should be used, among other things, to disinfect voting machines and voting equipment (including pens and touchpads) between each and every use,” the guide says. “Each poll worker should be provided with surgical gloves and a surgical mask (if consistent with public health guidance at the time)."
4. Create distance inside polling sites.
Officials should “prohibit any person known to be infected with the coronavirus from entering a polling place” when law allows, the guidance says, and provide those voters an absentee ballot. Inside polling facilities, tape should be placed on the ground 6 feet apart “to indicate where voters should stand” when waiting in line. Voters should also be able to vote curbside or have separate sites for people at high risk — such as those with compromised immune systems.
5. Consider changing voting locations.
If an area is known to have an exceptionally high concentration of the virus, or if a location presents an exceptional risk, such as a nursing home, officials should create a different polling site. It also suggests simply creating additional polling locations, thereby “reducing the likely size of any crowds or number of people standing in line.” It also considers using bigger buildings — or “supercenters” — that allow more distance between each person. “Larger facilities may offer a good addition or alternative to smaller polling places.”