buzzfeednews--2020-06-14--This Texas Town Is America’s COVID-19 Future

“ We can not live in fear , because when we live in fear , we are being controlled , ” said Moore County Clerk Brenda McKanna .
“ Even if I get it a second time , I ’ m for our nation opening back up.
” Brenda McKanna would n't wish the coronavirus on anyone .
Right after the county clerk of Moore County , Texas , just north of Amarillo , got sick in mid-April , she said she developed a cough so deep she was throwing up blood clots and could barely move .
She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , and landed in the hospital with dehydration .
Thirteen people in her community died from the virus , including her good friend , the county 's beloved police chief Marvin Trejo .
Her granddaughter also got sick , along with a few thousand other meatpacking workers in the area .
For a while , Amarillo was considered the state 's coronavirus ground zero and it became one of the nation 's most talked-about hot spots .
Nevertheless , McKenna , a devout Christian who believes the virus is a “ darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm believer in Texas reopening , as it began to do in April .
And even as cases and hospitalizations spiked in the area in May , and hit an all-time high across the state in June , she remains a firm believer in it staying open .
“ We can not live in fear , because when we live in fear , we are being controlled , ” she said .
“ Even if I get it a second time , I ’ m for our nation opening back up.
” McKanna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s the same refrain as hundreds of reopen protests , Facebook posts , and presidential tweets that , over the month of May , grew louder with each passing week , suggesting it was time for life to return to normal .
And , in many ways , it has : — even as case numbers and hospitalizations surge in Arizona , Alaska , Alabama , and Utah , and hundreds of Americans die from the disease every day .
Despite these new spikes , leaders are grappling with how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic : when residents are exhausted and antsy and terrified about the crashing economy , when patience with scientific nuance and general caution has waned , and when millions are in the streets protesting the very inequalities the virus rendered impossible to ignore .
In the Texas panhandle , this second act started ahead of the rest of America , with restaurants reopening their dining rooms , beauty salons welcoming customers , and students gathering for high school graduations against the backdrop of rising case counts .
There ’ s a yearning for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those stricken with the virus — continue to insist that the only way forward is to learn to live with continued sickness and death .
That posture is possible , in part , because most of the cases in the panhandle have been among essential workers : in this case , clustered in the region ’ s meatpacking plants , whose workers are often marginalized , and who , for complex reasons , are just as desperate to downplay the virus ’ s effect .
As other parts of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — figuring out what level of risk , and continued transmission , will be deemed acceptable — places like Amarillo , Texas , have already shown us a version of America ’ s COVID-19 future .
“ Nobody in Amarillo lives here accidentally.
” That ’ s how Jason Boyett , host of the popular Hey Amarillo !
podcast , and a lifelong Amarillo resident , explains the area .
People think of Amarillo and might think of cattle , or maybe the George Strait song .
But they should also think of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s much , much more diverse than a lot of people understand , ” Boyett said .
The Panhandle is a rural area — and an agricultural hub — with Amarillo , a city of over 200,000 , at its heart .
It votes overwhelmingly for conservatives , but it also has one of the highest per capita refugee placements in the nation .
It ’ s a place where people pay the Boy Scouts to put out flags for them five times a year , and where dozens of languages and dialects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Amarillo is composed of two counties — one significantly more white ( and wealthy ) than the other — but it can ’ t be separated from the 24 other counties that make up the Panhandle , whose residents flow in and through and around the city every day .
It ’ s filled with the descendants of the immigrants who made a hardscrabble living on land with little water and harsh and unyielding wind , and the current wave of immigrants trying to do the 21st-century version of the same .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply American place , full of contradictions and contrasts , some stunning , some more subtle .
When thousands of refugees , largely from Myanmar and South and Central Africa , first arrived in America , they didn ’ t necessarily choose Amarillo .
But many have chosen , in one way or another , to stay , and refugees who were originally sent to other cities have moved to join them .
In 2018 , Texas resettled the most refugees in America , and Amarillo welcomed the most refugees per capita in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2017 alone .
One of the reasons refugees were placed in Amarillo was the steady demand for their labor — particularly in the meatpacking industry .
“ My mom ’ s generation , all of them had to work at Tyson , ” said Muy Aye , whose family arrived in Amarillo from Myanmar via Thailand when she was 14 years old .
“ They had no education , no English .
“ Her family is Karen , an ethnic minority that has been persecuted in Myanmar .
Aye estimates there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and between 80 % and 90 % of the adults — including many members of her family — work at Tyson ’ s meatpacking plant .
The reliance on refugee labor within the meatpacking industry is so strong that when Gov .
Greg Abbott announced that he would no longer accept refugees in the state , the Republican mayor of Amarillo and the CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association implored him to change his mind .
That reliance can be traced back to 2006 , when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 300 workers taken into custody .
In the aftermath , the plant struggled to find employees , even after raising wages by 25 % .
Unlike undocumented workers , legally-resettled refugees are eligible for the same employment as American citizens .
They are eager for steady work , even backbreaking work , if it provides a wage that allows them to provide for their families .
And many , especially those with little English fluency , don ’ t have a lot of other options .
Many refugees live with their extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small neighborhoods .
Some of those arrangements are the result of refugee service planning — it ’ s easier for an agency to place new arrivals , and then provide services , in one apartment complex .
But part of it is natural affinity : When you ’ ve moved from half a world away , oftentimes after years in a refugee camp , to somewhere as alien as Amarillo , Texas , you gravitate toward the place where people celebrate the same holidays as you , pray at the same times as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , and make and sell the food you want to eat .
In Amarillo , the greatest concentration of refugee communities is in the northeast quadrant of the city , specifically in the Eastridge neighborhood .
“ Refugees in our community are so segregated , ” Cassie Dodge , the ESL director for Catholic Charities , which oversees a significant portion of refugee placement in Amarillo , explained .
“ They don ’ t really go to the westside of town .
I once tried to have my students to an activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew where it was — it ’ s a 10- to 15-minute drive out of their neighborhood .
I ’ m shocked at the division between where our refugee community lives and where white middle-class people live — I ’ ve never experienced anything like that.
” In Atlanta , where she previously worked , it wasn ’ t anywhere near as divided .
Which helps explain how hundreds of people in the Amarillo area could get sick , test positive for COVID-19 , and spread the disease to their families — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the idea that it wouldn ’ t come for them .
Amarillo and the surrounding area never really shut down .
At least that ’ s how many residents describe it .
Sure , some establishments closed .
But it was nothing like the sweeping orders that brought cities areas across the country to a grinding halt .
Gov .
Abbott ordered schools and restaurants to shut their doors on March 19 .
But a few weeks later , he refused to call his announcement for people to avoid nonessential business a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected in places like Amarillo , where , on April 8 , officials announced it would let “ low-risk ” businesses stay open , so long as they could maintain social distancing and keep fewer than 10 people in a space at a time .
In practice , that meant everything from comic book stores to tanning salons opened their doors .
As hospitals were overflowing with COVID-19 patients in New York , the Amarillo area had only a handful of people testing positive for the coronavirus every day .
Zack Wilson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food Bank , recalled talking to other directors in Washington state and Oregon in March and April , thinking the chances of an outbreak in the area were incredibly low .
When McKanna , the county clerk , first started feeling sick on April 13 , she said she ’ d only been going to work , the grocery store , and back home .
“ It was a mystery , to say the least , ” she said .
But three days later , Moore County reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is officially just under 21,000 , at one of the highest per capita in the state .
Area leaders instituted a curfew , but they were reluctant to take further measures , or even acknowledge the area as a hot spot .
“ When the government becomes too heavy-handed and tries to force people to do things , then we start taking away those liberties , ” the mayor of Dumas explained .
“ We take away the pursuit of happiness , and to me , those are the most important things we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 , 114 workers at the JBS beef processing plant in Moore County tested positive for COVID-19 .
The plant is in Cactus , a wraith of a town almost entirely centered on the 125-acre Brazillian-owned plant .
Workers who live in town , mostly men , pack into dilapidated apartments and mobile homes .
Others take a JBS-chartered bus from Amarillo ( 45 minutes ) , carpool from Dumas ( 15 minutes ) , or make the drive from the Oklahoma panhandle ( 40 minutes ) .
As in other plants that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meatpacking industry , the pay , starting around $ 16 an hour , is steady .
There are benefits , including healthcare .
A good job can be worth a long drive .
But the structure of those “ good ” meatpacking jobs — the proximity of workers to each other en route and inside the plants — also puts the people who work them at high risk for a communicable disease like COVID-19 .
Even after JBS attempted to implement safety measures against the spread of the disease , those measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be ) maintained back home , on the bus , or in carpools .
Even as the local news reported on the lack of social distancing on those buses , people in the area were fatigued with the constrictions of even partial quarantine .
“ It ’ s a concern , ” said Amarillo funeral director and “ native son ” Chad Bunt of the virus .
But , he added , “ let me tell you something .
Everything in this town that is open is full .
People are over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to the bars.
” One Amarillo woman , who asked to be identified only as Lizzie because she works for a government agency , noted that her neighbors hosted parties in their front yards “ most days , and they ’ re definitely closer than 6 feet.
” At Lizzie ’ s job , which is adjacent to the healthcare industry , managers had dragged their feet to implement working from home policies until the very last minute .
Her boss ’ s refrain : “ I ’ ll be fine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just the refugees who live together in tight quarters who are going to be sick.
” Variations on that line of thinking became pervasive : I ’ ll be fine , I ’ m healthy and not over 65 .
I ’ ll be fine , I don ’ t live in New York .
I ’ ll be fine , I ’ m not an essential worker .
Or , in Amarillo , or Sioux Falls , South Dakota , or across the state of Nebraska : I ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugee , and I don ’ t work in the meatpacking plant .
It was easy to maintain the fiction that the pandemic was other people ’ s problem .
But during the last two weeks of April , that fiction began to slowly unravel .
The virus had come .
And cases were about to explode .
Roda Rayed is used to being tired .
Originally from Somalia , the 25-year-old spent most of her life in an Ethiopian refugee camp .
Five years ago , she and her family were granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex in the northern part of Amarillo .
With the help of one of the Somali community leaders , who connect and recruit refugees to jobs , she became a meat cutter at JBS , driving nearly an hour every day to the sprawling , stark-white plant with her brother and 67-year-old father .
It was nice working with her family , she told BuzzFeed News over video chat , but she really wanted to go back to school—she hopes to be a teacher .
She eventually got a job at Tyson working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now able to attend an English class run by Catholic Charities .
When she gets home at about 12:30 a.m. , she will either do some homework or message with some of her friends in Ethiopia before finally going to sleep .
She makes about $ 2,000 a month , she said proudly , and gets one week of vacation .
“ The work is hard , so hard , I do get tired , but it ’ s OK , ” she shrugged .
It ’ s temporary .
She plans on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tyson had distributed masks for workers and hung posters with reminders for hand-washing , Rayed says , with instructions written in a slew of different languages .
But handwashing can only do so much when you ’ re shoulder to shoulder , cutting and moving and processing meat .
On April 10 , after she got home from her shift , Rayed noticed that she was struggling to breathe .
The large knife she wields every day to pump through pounds of beef at the Tyson plant felt heavier than normal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stay awake after getting home from her normal 3 p.m. to midnight shift .
A few days later , she lost her sense of taste and smell .
She could barely wake up in the morning .
After a few days , she was so fatigued she had to call out of work .
After spending a few days reading about COVID-19 on social media , she realized she had it .
She sequestered herself in her room for two weeks , with her mom leaving food outside her door .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she would need to be tested for COVID-19 in order to approve her for leave , so she made her way to the hospital .
That day , the number of cases in Amarillo and Moore County leaped to 608 .
In a press conference that same day , Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson continued to discuss plans for the city ’ s gradual reopening , referring to the recent rise in cases as a “ surge ” — and declined , even when asked , to specify the location the hot spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease ’ s spread had become too much for Amarillo-area health officials to handle on their own .
On Facebook , Mayor Nelson announced that the CDC would be arriving to organize testing and mitigation efforts at both JBS , in Moore County , and at the Tyson meatpacking plant just outside of Amarillo .
But if you wait until a massive spike in cases to identify and attempt to mitigate an outbreak , public officials will tell you , you ’ re usually too late .
The disease is already everywhere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she probably had COVID-19 because of social media — and not from Tyson , or the health department — underscores the difficulty in protecting these workers from a highly contagious disease .
According to one of the plant ’ s chaplains , Tyson usually disseminates information to various groups with limited English proficiency by meeting with leaders in and outside of the factory , who then communicate the information to the rest of the group .
But something broke down in the process .
Multiple workers from various refugee groups said that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease in their native language in March and April .
The “ report card ” with case counts , issued by the health department , was initially only in English .
They eventually added Spanish , but no other languages .
Dodge , the director of ESL services , never received information to distribute to her students .
And the health department had no one translating in languages other than Spanish until mid-May , when the CDC hired nine additional translators from the refugee community .
One of those translators was Salad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan Pennington , the head of the Amarillo Refugee Language Project , invited Dualle over to his house for a socially distanced “ porch talk.
” Back in Somalia and Kenya , Dualle had trained to become a physician .
In Amarillo , where he ’ s lived since 2009 , he provides medical translation services and owns a small trucking company .
When Dualle showed up at Pennington ’ s porch , he was scared .
His community was already sick .
Many , like Rayed , had heard about COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the Somali community in Amarillo can read or write the Somali language .
Eighty percent of the community does not speak English with any sort of fluency .
Dualle had helped put together flyers to post in the halal grocery and the mosque before it shut down , but the problem wasn ’ t just alerting people to the disease .
It was getting them to admit that they might have it — and then isolate accordingly .
In mid-May , Dualle estimated that around 200 Somalis in the Amarillo area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But we can not have the real figure of COVID-positive numbers , ” he said , “ due to the stigma.
” One woman in the community , he said , had tested positive , but assured others she had tested negative .
Many Somali adults have sharp memories of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa — and assume that COVID , like HIV , will be with them for the rest of their lives .
“ When someone is HIV-positive in Africa , they are isolated .
They are not allowed near .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people .
They are considered morally low , ” Dualle said .
“ I try to explain to people who have tested positive that you are an ordinary person — that COVID-19 can be positive in rich people , in higher people , even for the prime minister of the UK !
Don ’ t make it like this !
” There ’ s also a fear , Pennington explained — among the Somali , but also among other refugees who ’ ve fled incredibly repressive and violent political regimes — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed .
And then there ’ s the general anxiety about losing their jobs .
When Dualle helps translate for Somali people who have tested positive for the coronavirus , many are frustrated that they can ’ t go back to work , whether because , like hundreds from the Tyson plant , they ’ re asymptomatic , or because they ’ re living with someone who had tested positive .
“ They say to me , the income from Tyson is the only income that ’ s paying the utility bill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if I isolate , who ’ s going to pay me ?
” Dualle tried to tell people to communicate with their employers to figure out how to get paid .
Tyson , for example , is arranging for workers to get paid through short-term disability if they have to stay home .
But the process is complicated , and requires fluency in English .
Sam Isra arrived in Amarillo from Laos in 1984 .
The next year , his wife got a job at Tyson , where she has worked ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 , but tested positive and has been home in isolation .
Isra said he ’ s had to get on the phone five times with various agencies , because Tyson ’ s insurance continued to file his wife ’ s absence as Family and Medical Leave Act — a labor law that would protect her job and health insurance — but without pay .
Some workers have their English-speaking children do that work for them .
But some have no one at all , and most people would rather just go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of her friends , a 26-year-old single mom from Somalia who ’ s raising two kids , simply hid her symptoms .
Fredy Pavez , 59 , is one of two chaplains at Tyson , where his job is to provide support and counsel for the plant ’ s nearly 5,000 workers who speak more than 40 languages and 100 dialects .
The pastors of various refugee churches have told Pavez that members of their community have been turned away at stores , simply because they were wearing their Tyson jackets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ against those who work in the plants , ” Pavez said .
“ They think we are ones who are bringing it .
But we are mandatory workers.
” Lately , Pavez has been going nonstop .
His role now is to help the hundreds of workers who have COVID-19 , making sure those who are quarantined have enough food and understand the precautions they need to take to avoid infecting their family .
It ’ s been tough , trying to calm crying , terrified Tyson employees standing in line at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nasal swabs .
“ Some of those people are 65 , 70 , 75 years old .
They are very scared .
They did not want to get tested .
They think they are going to have surgery , ” he said .
“ Some of them have no family around .
[ The chaplains ] don ’ t understand the language so I show them a thumbs-up.
” After work , he leaves the plant and drives 20 minutes home to the small , rugged town of Panhandle , where his neighbors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t really affect them .
“ No one wears masks in this town , ” he said , chuckling .
That sort of psychological distancing is also common among Amarillo residents , who think of places like Dallas , or Austin — which is eight hours away , and known as a liberal oasis — as almost another state .
“ So we get that it ’ s another neighborhood , it ’ s not my problem on the local level , ” Boyett explained , “ but also on the state level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On May 6 , as COVID-19 continued to spread at Tyson , workers ended their shifts , walked out of the building , and were handed T-shirts .
“ My Work Feeds the Nation , ” the shirts read , with a fork emblazoned with the Stars and Stripes beside it .
During the pandemic , the slogan has become pervasive — propagated in corporate messaging and trickling down to Facebook profile pic filters .
If you go on the interstate , you ’ ll likely pass a rig hauling live cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 minutes outside of Amarillo , in pretty much any direction , you ’ ll pass a feedlot .
You ’ ll smell the feedlot .
“ Everybody in Amarillo knows about the cattle industry and the importance that it plays , ” Boyett explained .
“ And when the wind is blowing a certain way , it blows the smell of the feedlot into town.
” When Tyson was handing out shirts in early May , they had yet to publicly confirm a single case at the plant , even though dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been out sick for weeks .
Two days later , Pwar Gay , a Karen woman who ’ d worked at Tyson for eights years , died of complications of COVID-19 .
Her husband and several of her adult children still work at the plant .
Gay ’ s family ’ s lawyer , Vuk Vujasinovic , says that despite Tyson ’ s messaging to the contrary , Gay wasn ’ t given personal protective equipment .
In a statement , Tyson officials said : “ We are saddened by the loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Ms.
Gay ’ s family at this difficult time .
At Tyson Foods , our top priority is the health and safety of our team members , and we have put in place a host of protective steps at our facilities that meet or exceed CDC and OSHA guidelines for preventing COVID-19.
” Gay ’ s daughter declined to speak about her mother ’ s death .
“ It hurts too bad , ” she said .
She had to get back to running her nail salon .
It was very busy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time to move on and get back to work .
●

Amarillo and the surrounding area never really shut down. At least that’s how many residents describe it. Sure, some establishments closed. But it was nothing like the sweeping orders that brought cities areas across the country to a grinding halt. Gov. Abbott ordered schools and restaurants to shut their doors on March 19. But a few weeks later, he refused to call his announcement for people to avoid nonessential business a “stay-at-home order.” His ambivalence was reflected in places like Amarillo, where, on April 8, officials announced it would let “low-risk” businesses stay open, so long as they could maintain social distancing and keep fewer than 10 people in a space at a time. In practice, that meant everything from comic book stores to tanning salons opened their doors.
As hospitals were overflowing with COVID-19 patients in New York, the Amarillo area had only a handful of people testing positive for the coronavirus every day. Zack Wilson, the executive director of the High Plains Food Bank, recalled talking to other directors in Washington state and Oregon in March and April, thinking the chances of an outbreak in the area were incredibly low.
When McKanna, the county clerk, first started feeling sick on April 13, she said she’d only been going to work, the grocery store, and back home. “It was a mystery, to say the least,” she said. But three days later, Moore County reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 — putting the area, whose population is officially just under 21,000, at one of the highest per capita in the state. Area leaders instituted a curfew, but they were reluctant to take further measures, or even acknowledge the area as a hot spot. “When the government becomes too heavy-handed and tries to force people to do things, then we start taking away those liberties,” the mayor of Dumas explained. “We take away the pursuit of happiness, and to me, those are the most important things we have and supersede everything.”
On April 23, 114 workers at the JBS beef processing plant in Moore County tested positive for COVID-19. The plant is in Cactus, a wraith of a town almost entirely centered on the 125-acre Brazillian-owned plant. Workers who live in town, mostly men, pack into dilapidated apartments and mobile homes. Others take a JBS-chartered bus from Amarillo (45 minutes), carpool from Dumas (15 minutes), or make the drive from the Oklahoma panhandle (40 minutes). As in other plants that have long made Texas a center of the meatpacking industry, the pay, starting around $16 an hour, is steady. There are benefits, including healthcare. A good job can be worth a long drive.
But the structure of those “good” meatpacking jobs — the proximity of workers to each other en route and inside the plants — also puts the people who work them at high risk for a communicable disease like COVID-19. Even after JBS attempted to implement safety measures against the spread of the disease, those measures weren’t (or couldn’t be) maintained back home, on the bus, or in carpools.
Even as the local news reported on the lack of social distancing on those buses, people in the area were fatigued with the constrictions of even partial quarantine. “It’s a concern,” said Amarillo funeral director and “native son” Chad Bunt of the virus. But, he added, “let me tell you something. Everything in this town that is open is full. People are over it. They are ready to get back to the bars.”
One Amarillo woman, who asked to be identified only as Lizzie because she works for a government agency, noted that her neighbors hosted parties in their front yards “most days, and they’re definitely closer than 6 feet.”
At Lizzie’s job, which is adjacent to the healthcare industry, managers had dragged their feet to implement working from home policies until the very last minute. Her boss’s refrain: “I’ll be fine, I’m unaffected. It’s just the refugees who live together in tight quarters who are going to be sick.” Variations on that line of thinking became pervasive: I’ll be fine, I’m healthy and not over 65. I’ll be fine, I don’t live in New York. I’ll be fine, I’m not an essential worker. Or, in Amarillo, or Sioux Falls, South Dakota, or across the state of Nebraska: I’ll be fine, I’m not a refugee, and I don’t work in the meatpacking plant.
It was easy to maintain the fiction that the pandemic was other people’s problem. But during the last two weeks of April, that fiction began to slowly unravel. The virus had come. And cases were about to explode.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-24--The 2020 Olympic Games In Tokyo Will Be Delayed By One Year Due To 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 .
The 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo will be postponed by one year due to the global coronavirus outbreak , officials announced Tuesday , amid fears that the large gathering of athletes , coaches , and spectators from around the world could further spread the deadly virus .
The games had been scheduled to begin on July 24 .
Speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee ( IOC ) Chair Thomas Bach , Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he had proposed the games be delayed and that Bach was in full agreement .
In a statement , IOC officials said the games would be `` rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021 , to safeguard the health of the athletes , everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community . ''
The leaders agreed that the games will still be called the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics .
The Olympic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will also remain in the country for the time being .
`` The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times , '' IOC officials said , `` and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present . ''
The historic decision marks the first time in the modern era that the timing of any Olympics has been impacted by anything other than war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to World War I , while all Olympic Games between 1940–44 were canceled due to World War II .
The Olympics are just the latest in a string of events and international gatherings to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic , which has so far canceled or postponed parades , marathons , conferences , concerts , and festivals as people seek to practice so-called social distancing and avoid mass gatherings of people .
In the United States , the national basketball , baseball , and soccer leagues have suspended games , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while in Europe the Serie A football league and the Premier League have also stopped play .
But the Olympic Games represent the biggest sporting event to be impacted so far .
The decision will have enormous repercussions on the international sporting calendar — as well as the economy of Japan , which is estimated to have spent more than $ 26 billion in preparation for the games .
Additionally , the international media market will be left reeling after selling billions of dollars in advertising tied to the games , while some @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo will be postponed by one year due to the global coronavirus outbreak, officials announced Tuesday, amid fears that the large gathering of athletes, coaches, and spectators from around the world could further spread the deadly virus.
The games had been scheduled to begin on July 24.
Speaking to reporters after a call with International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chair Thomas Bach, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he had proposed the games be delayed and that Bach was in full agreement.
In a statement, IOC officials said the games would be "rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community."
The leaders agreed that the games will still be called the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.
The Olympic flame, which recently arrived in Japan, will also remain in the country for the time being.
"The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times," IOC officials said, "and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present."
The historic decision marks the first time in the modern era that the timing of any Olympics has been impacted by anything other than war. The 1916 Summer Olympics were canceled due to World War I, while all Olympic Games between 1940–44 were canceled due to World War II.
The Olympics are just the latest in a string of events and international gatherings to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far canceled or postponed parades, marathons, conferences, concerts, and festivals as people seek to practice so-called social distancing and avoid mass gatherings of people.
In the United States, the national basketball, baseball, and soccer leagues have suspended games, as has the NCAA March Madness tournament, while in Europe the Serie A football league and the Premier League have also stopped play.
But the Olympic Games represent the biggest sporting event to be impacted so far.
The decision will have enormous repercussions on the international sporting calendar — as well as the economy of Japan, which is estimated to have spent more than $26 billion in preparation for the games. Additionally, the international media market will be left reeling after selling billions of dollars in advertising tied to the games, while some insurers may face impossibly large payouts.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-08--Here's How Two Teens Are Dealing With Being Trapped On A Quarantined Coronavirus Cruise Ship

`` If the kids want boundaries , they head up [ to ] their bunk bed and put on their headphones , '' the mom told BuzzFeed News .
Being trapped in a tiny windowless interior room of a cruise ship with your parents for two weeks may not be a dream holiday , but one family quarantined on the Diamond Princess due to a coronavirus outbreak is making the best of it .
`` All you need is a pair of headphones and music , and you are all set , '' Xander Soh , 19 , told BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kaitlyn , and their parents are among the approximately 3,700 people — including around 1,000 cruise ship staffers — stuck on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama in Japan .
So far , 61 people on the ship have tested positive for coronavirus , and they are being treated in hospitals on land .
`` We have lost all sense of time , but thankfully we have social media to chat with friends to keep us grounded and sane , '' said Kaitlyn .
Passengers must remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are leaving food and drink for them outside their doors .
Several other Diamond Princess passengers have tweeted photos of the quarantined meals .
On Friday afternoon , cruise ship staffers let passengers from interior rooms take turns visiting the deck for fresh air for an hour at a time .
For the Soh teens , it was the first time they 'd been out of their approximately 168-square-foot room since Tuesday .
Their mother , Aun Na Tan , 43 , told BuzzFeed News that the coronavirus quarantine had initially been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not be allowed to leave until Feb. 19 .
Luckily , none of the Soh family members have displayed any virus symptoms .
( Staffers provided passengers with thermometers to check their temperature . )
`` I had to spend a little time composing emails to the kids ’ schools [ and ] dance and music teachers , and it slowly calmed us down , '' she said .
The family was supposed to have already returned to their home in Melbourne , Australia — they 've had to cancel flights twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaitlyn will miss final callbacks for a dance role with the Victorian State Schools Spectacular , a big musical theater event for public schools .
The family will also miss out on a Queen and Adam Lambert concert `` that we were very much looking forward to ! ''
said Tan .
But right now , the family is just trying to make the best of it .
This is the third cruise the family has taken together — although it was the first time they chose an interior room , not one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's confident they will cruise again even after this experience .
`` We mesh along quite well and make jokes .
And if the kids want boundaries , they head up [ to ] their bunk bed and put on their headphones , '' said Tan .
Every day , the cruise 's kids club team members have dropped by to check on Kaitlyn and leave her care packages of games , activities , coloring books , and even a soft toy .
The teens love to dance , but the lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic stretches .
Instead , they entertain themselves by reading , watching videos , and playing on their phones .
Kaitlyn said she 's `` relieving my boredom by surfing BuzzFeed and K-pop news . ''
( We appreciate you , Kaitlyn ! )
Their dad , Jeff Soh , is working remotely for his job at a financial institution from the room 's small desk .
Tan worries what the end of the quarantine will mean for her family and if their return to Australia may result in further waiting .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
she asked .
`` That is our biggest worry at the moment .
We don ’ t know what our standing is and what we need to get through before we are finally home and back to everyday life .
`` But we bounced back to look at this time as an adventure , '' she told BuzzFeed News .
`` We are safe , we are together , we are in comfort , and we are being looked after by the crew .
We are a positive bunch , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Soh, his 16-year-old sister, Kaitlyn, and their parents are among the approximately 3,700 people — including around 1,000 cruise ship staffers — stuck on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama in Japan.
So far, 61 people on the ship have tested positive for coronavirus, and they are being treated in hospitals on land.
"We have lost all sense of time, but thankfully we have social media to chat with friends to keep us grounded and sane," said Kaitlyn.
Passengers must remain in the rooms at all times. Staffers are leaving food and drink for them outside their doors.
Several other Diamond Princess passengers have tweeted photos of the quarantined meals.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-23--My Dad Just Died Of The Coronavirus. Here Is What His Last Days Alive In The Hospital Were Like.

“ We 'd been on the line together for almost 36 hours .
What are the chances you would pass within an hour of our break ?
Maybe you didn ’ t want us to hear you go.
” Abby Adair Reinhard detailed the days and hours leading up to the death of her father , Donald Adair , as a result of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , in a Facebook post .
BuzzFeed News is publishing the post in its entirety with Abby ’ s permission .
My dad just died from COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last two days .
Stay safe .
Sending love .
The terror I ’ ve felt today is unlike anything I 've ever experienced , and I can only imagine how hard it has been for you , Dad .
I ’ m so sorry you are going through this nightmare .
You went to the hospital after falling , and you were supposed to be discharged soon .
But COVID spread , unsuspected , down the hall , before you had a chance .
On Saturday night I read that the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t describe the fear I felt in that moment , and I thought , “ This can not be happening to my family.
” Somehow I was able to regain a sense of calm and went to bed hopeful , because the signs of your health were encouraging .
This morning , I got the call and your dire prognosis .
“ Aspiration ... deterioration ... suffering ... not much time.
” Your lungs got ravaged so fast .
I couldn ’ t fully take in what the nurse was saying — it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard myself say , “ How are you going to make sure this doesn ’ t happen to other families ?
Why did you all wait so long to wear masks , and why wasn ’ t there more testing ?
This never should have happened !
” I caught myself and remembered that she was an innocent messenger working on the frontline of the pandemic , and I told her I was grateful for her .
What was done was done .
The weight of this reality hit hard , the dam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I couldn ’ t go to be by your side .
No visitors .
COVID wing .
Oh my God .
I felt a huge rush of fear and then anguish .
But I couldn ’ t stay stuck there .
I needed to talk to you , Dad , as soon as possible .
The nurse offered to call me from your hospital phone and nestle it by your ear , so I could hear you breathe , and you could hear me talk .
“ I love you ...
Thank you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgive you , ” I said , as I heard you struggle to breathe and eject the ooze from your lungs .
Hearing the retching sound of your cough , I knew you were suffering — and there I was , powerless , on the other end of the phone .
But I was so thankful for the nurses .
“ Yes , Don , get that out , ” they said .
“ You can do it , Don .
That ’ s good.
” You settled down in between coughs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say .
I hope you could hear me .
I talked about our precious times at the lake .
I remembered you playing your guitar around the campfire , and I clung to that image as if it were my saving grace .
I hope you could hear through my tears as I sang our old campfire songs .
Some of the lyrics seemed so fitting — “ Milk and honey on the other side ” and “ He ’ s got the whole world in his hands.
” I paced back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contain my crying , as I attempted to get the words out .
I worked hard to breathe — but not as hard as you .
After a half-hour or so , I realized I could join Tom , Carrie and Emily to the call .
Over the next many hours , our conversation with you is one I will treasure for the rest of my life .
Although we were each sitting in Dallas , Raleigh , Copenhagen or Rochester , we were together , unpacking memories we had stored away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cape , and our Europe trip .
Games , projects , and important conversations .
We also sang more campfire songs .
I pray that you could hear it all .
I had to break away from the call a few times to talk to doctors .
I needed opinions .
I needed data .
Until today I ’ d actually forgotten I was your health-care proxy , and I was unprepared for the decision I had to make .
An unthinkable decision .
The doctors shared information and context , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hard call I needed to make .
But I did not have that same clarity .
You always have been so strong , Dad , and I wanted to grasp on to any shred of hope .
I read your living will , over and over , meditating on each life-and-death phrase .
I tried to put myself in your shoes .
I also checked in with my intuition , which I 've learned over the years is almost always right .
The clear voice inside was leading me to the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that answer , but I knew it was right and that I couldn ’ t wait too long , because you were suffering .
So I made the horrifying but loving decision .
`` Comfort care . ''
The doctor sounded relieved .
Through all of this , I want you to know , Dad , that I haven ’ t had the feeling that it ’ s too much to bear .
I ’ ve known deep down , that as hard as this is , I could handle it .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sister Robin , who helped me sort out the right course of action .
It ’ s now early evening , and I ’ ve been sitting at my desk writing while connected to our call .
I ’ m glad to have documented what has happened up to this point .
Now I ’ m trying to absorb this precious moment of being together virtually , giving thanks for you , Dad .
It feels so good to laugh and cry .
To be connected on the phone with you and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of us from earlier years back to life .
It also feels good to hear you breathe .
That rhythmic , white noise is the background music to our call .
Although we ’ ve had a few excruciating periods of silence on your end — maybe a minute long each time .
When you don ’ t breathe , I hold my own breath , afraid it ’ s the end .
And we all chime in , “ Breathe , Dad — we need to hear you breathe.
” Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I let out a sigh of relief , grateful to know you 're still with us .
I have never loved and appreciated breath the way I love and appreciate breath right now .
Around midnight last night , I dozed off , with you still in my ear and all five phone lines connected .
I don ’ t know how much sleep I got .
Each nap was punctuated by our mantras , “ We love you so much ... We ’ re here for you… Your kids are all here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more sporadic and thick , like you ’ re straining to suck paste up a straw .
All I can do is listen on the other end of the phone , and write this down .
My own chest is feeling tight now , as I imagine your lungs filling , while the virus seeps in .
You just moaned softly , and I don ’ t know if you ’ re trying to say you love us , or if you ’ re in pain .
We ’ re listening to you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we could be with you in person , and I hate picturing you in that room alone .
But I keep coming back to my faith , which tells me you ’ re surrounded by love .
I pray you can see angels behind your closed eyes .
That you can feel their love — and ours .
That you can hear us on the other end of the phone .
That you can sense the stirrings of your soul even while your body is becoming numb .
It ’ s been ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dad .
I know there 's likely just an issue with the phone , but I 'm really scared .
But I keep thinking , if you were gone , surely by now the nurses would have come in , and we ’ d hear them through the phone .
Right ?
Please ... Dear God .
You ’ re back !
The phone had slipped .
Thank you , God .
Now we hear short , shallow breaths — each one a miracle .
You ’ re here .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're each telling you again how much we love you .
Baby Skylar is hiccuping on Carrie ’ s line .
This is life , and this is death .
The newborn baby on the phone with the grandfather she ’ ll never meet .
Then silence again .
This one is a dark , harrowing silence… Ok , here come faint , short flicks of white noise .
I hope that ’ s you .
Yes , it ’ s louder now .
It ’ s you !
Thank God .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in short bursts between my attempts at squelching my sobs so my kids can ’ t hear me .
I feel the pressure of the wailing behind my eyes , as I whimper like a dog , and wipe the tears away .
I feel it in my throat now too , the pressure .
Grief is a strange thing .
It comes in unpredictable waves .
At one point earlier , I felt slightly guilty because I actually felt ok. And now here I am , pushing back against a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I try to breathe through it .
...
I ’ m back and feeling much better .
While it was silent on the phone , I breathed in and out when you did for about 15 or 20 breaths — and it 's all I focused on .
A breathing duet and a meditation .
I felt so connected to you , and my mind calmed more than ever today .
Thank you .
... We ’ re all getting tired .
The cadence of our conversation continues to slow .
The pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a sob for so long and so hard , I felt my stomach muscles seize up .
These are quiet wails , with just the hiss of air escaping my wide-open mouth .
Now that I ’ m on the other side of that release , I ’ m feeling much more peaceful .
This is lasting much longer than the doctor predicted yesterday .
I start to question my decision until I speak with the new , kind doctor on the floor , who uses the phrase `` terminally ill. '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the week ” — in quarantine , I assume .
I also just read an article in the New York Times by an MD giving a gruesome account of intubation and the small chance of recovery it affords .
I feel more at peace again with what 's happening .
I ’ m grateful Tom stopped telling you to keep fighting , Dad .
But I grieve the loss of his hope — the hope I played a part in taking away , with the decision Tom is so reluctant to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The one running for office , who needed his dad to last at least through November .
His very proud father .
Tom just stepped away from the call , and Carrie and Emily say , “ I love you , Dad.
” Silence again .
I realize now that some of the silent patches on your end of the line are due to your faint breaths that aren ’ t loud enough to cue the phone line to pick you up .
So the line sounds almost dead , as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the in-and-out sound of your breaths , but the silence isn ’ t as scary now .
I even manage to eat a slice of pizza .
... You ’ re back !
We hear you , Dad .
The phone line picked you back up thanks to background noise in the COVID wing , as the nurses opened your door to reposition you .
They are superheroes , putting themselves at risk so you can be as comfortable as possible .
We hear one of the nurses with a kind , lilting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Before leaving , she said , “ Goodnight , Don .
I ’ ll see you tomorrow.
” I ca n't help but wonder if she ’ s right .
I feel the need to sing to you again , so here goes , with “ Our Love is Here to Stay.
” A bit more upbeat than yesterday ’ s “ Amazing Grace.
” And just now I played “ Country Road ” from YouTube , so you could hear one of your favorite John Denver songs .
... You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A gentle , guttural sigh .
Is this a new phase ?
Are you having a sweet dream ?
Are you seeing something ?
Now it ’ s gone silent again .
How fleeting peace can be .
I 'm glad I reveled in it while it lasted .
Now we wait , and listen , and pray again .
The flavor of tonight ’ s call is so different than last night ’ s .
Only a few stories .
Our tired grief is slowing our brains and wearing on our spirits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for several minutes now .
But no nurses have come .
Maybe the phone slipped again .
Eight-year-old Caroline just popped in to my room asking if Grandpa Don sounded better .
I told her honestly that you have been sounding much more calm .
“ Yes !
” she said , with a huge smile .
“ There have been a lot of recoveries , ” and , as her smile faded away , she added , “ ... and a lot of deaths.
” I wonder how the coronavirus will shape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think now about what shaped you and your fellow Boomers .
Vietnam ... .a war against communism in a distant land .
Today it ’ s the coronavirus ... a war waged against droplets in the air , all around us .
I hear you breathing again , Dad .
So grateful for that sound .
If I 'd stayed on the phone just one more hour , I could have been with you .
We 'd been on the line together for almost 36 hours .
What are the chances you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Maybe you didn ’ t want us to hear you go .
Or maybe you didn ’ t have the space to leave while we were hanging on your every breath .
If I ’ m honest , maybe part of me didn ’ t want to hear your last gasps of air .
When I looked down at my phone , still connected to your hospital line , I wanted so badly to talk to you again , even though I knew you weren ’ t really there .
I pictured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your spirit rising .
“ I love you , Dad , ” I said into the phone .
I paused for a few moments and pressed the red button to end the call .
Here comes the pain again , so heavy .
I can not believe this is happening .
Thank you for welcoming my dad .
I know we can still continue our conversation .
Thank you so much .
I love you forever .

The terror I’ve felt today is unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I can only imagine how hard it has been for you, Dad. I’m so sorry you are going through this nightmare.
You went to the hospital after falling, and you were supposed to be discharged soon. But COVID spread, unsuspected, down the hall, before you had a chance.
On Saturday night I read that the test came back positive. I can’t describe the fear I felt in that moment, and I thought, “This cannot be happening to my family.” Somehow I was able to regain a sense of calm and went to bed hopeful, because the signs of your health were encouraging.
This morning, I got the call and your dire prognosis. “Aspiration... deterioration... suffering... not much time.” Your lungs got ravaged so fast. I couldn’t fully take in what the nurse was saying — it didn't feel real. Then I heard myself say, “How are you going to make sure this doesn’t happen to other families? Why did you all wait so long to wear masks, and why wasn’t there more testing? This never should have happened!” I caught myself and remembered that she was an innocent messenger working on the frontline of the pandemic, and I told her I was grateful for her.
What was done was done. The weight of this reality hit hard, the dam broke, and I sobbed, realizing I couldn’t go to be by your side. No visitors. COVID wing. Oh my God. I felt a huge rush of fear and then anguish. But I couldn’t stay stuck there. I needed to talk to you, Dad, as soon as possible.
The nurse offered to call me from your hospital phone and nestle it by your ear, so I could hear you breathe, and you could hear me talk. “I love you... Thank you... I’m sorry... I forgive you,” I said, as I heard you struggle to breathe and eject the ooze from your lungs. Hearing the retching sound of your cough, I knew you were suffering — and there I was, powerless, on the other end of the phone. But I was so thankful for the nurses. “Yes, Don, get that out,” they said. “You can do it, Don. That’s good.”
You settled down in between coughs, and I searched my heart for what to say. I hope you could hear me. I talked about our precious times at the lake. I remembered you playing your guitar around the campfire, and I clung to that image as if it were my saving grace. I hope you could hear through my tears as I sang our old campfire songs. Some of the lyrics seemed so fitting — “Milk and honey on the other side” and “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” I paced back and forth in my bathroom, trying to contain my crying, as I attempted to get the words out.
I worked hard to breathe — but not as hard as you.
After a half-hour or so, I realized I could join Tom, Carrie and Emily to the call. Over the next many hours, our conversation with you is one I will treasure for the rest of my life. Although we were each sitting in Dallas, Raleigh, Copenhagen or Rochester, we were together, unpacking memories we had stored away long ago. The lake, the Cape, and our Europe trip. Games, projects, and important conversations. We also sang more campfire songs. I pray that you could hear it all.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--27 Pictures Of Religion During The Coronavirus Pandemic

On Monday , a Florida pastor was arrested and charged in Tampa Bay for disobeying local social distancing measures by @ @ @ @ @ warnings from authorities .
In a state where cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused @ @ @ @ @ surpassed 6,000 , the arrest marks an escalation in Florida 's handling of the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ facing many places of worship around the globe .
Religious groups across all creeds , @ @ @ @ @ in intimate quarters , are coming to terms with a new normal in which socially @ @ @ @ @ mean spiritually apart .
In places hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak , services are @ @ @ @ @ special precautions are being made to ensure the safety of religious ceremonies .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ in large numbers during the pandemic , choosing to place their lives in the hands @ @ @ @ @ warnings from public officials .
These pictures show how different faiths around the world are @ @ @ @ @

On Monday, a Florida pastor was arrested and charged in Tampa Bay for disobeying local social distancing measures by holding large church services despite warnings from authorities. In a state where cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, have surpassed 6,000, the arrest marks an escalation in Florida's handling of the outbreak and highlights the difficult reality facing many places of worship around the globe.
Religious groups across all creeds, many of which hold services in intimate quarters, are coming to terms with a new normal in which socially distant does not have to mean spiritually apart. In places hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, services are being held remotely, and special precautions are being made to ensure the safety of religious ceremonies. Still, some worshippers continue to gather in large numbers during the pandemic, choosing to place their lives in the hands of their deities over science-based warnings from public officials.
These pictures show how different faiths around the world are navigating the coronavirus pandemic.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--The White House Is Warning The US Could Expect At Least 100,000 Deaths From Coronavirus Despite Soci

The White House Is Warning The US Could Expect At Least 100,000 Deaths From Coronavirus Despite Social Distancing

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 US should expect between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the coronavirus , the White House said Tuesday .
That is “ what would happen if people stayed home , what would happen if people were careful every day to wash their hands and worry about touching their faces , ” Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House Coronavirus Task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daily coronavirus press conference .
“ What an extraordinary thing this could be if every American followed these.
” Birx added that she is hopeful that the numbers could be lower .
“ We really believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that , because that ’ s not assuming 100 % of every American , everything they are supposed to be doing .
But I think that 's possible , ” she said .
However , if people don ’ t follow the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , projections show that , on the high end , the US could see between 1.5 million and 2.2 million deaths .
While the White House task force showed charts with the top-line deaths at 240,000 , Birx repeatedly said during the press conference that 200,000 was the high end of what the US government is currently expecting .
When asked if and why those numbers had changed , Birx said , “ It just has to do with if you had more New Yorks and New Jerseys .
Chicago , Detroit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our major cities , modeled like New York , that 's what gets us in trouble .
But I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line , by looking at the LA Line , by looking at what California has been able to do , that that is not something that — I do n't believe that 's gon na happen .
That is the outside case of having 10 , 15 metro [ area ] s like New York and the New Jersey metro area .
”

WASHINGTON — The US should expect between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the coronavirus, the White House said Tuesday.
That is “what would happen if people stayed home, what would happen if people were careful every day to wash their hands and worry about touching their faces,” Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, said at President Donald Trump’s daily coronavirus press conference. “What an extraordinary thing this could be if every American followed these.”
Birx added that she is hopeful that the numbers could be lower. “We really believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that, because that’s not assuming 100% of every American, everything they are supposed to be doing. But I think that's possible,” she said.
However, if people don’t follow the government’s mitigation guidance, Birx warned, projections show that, on the high end, the US could see between 1.5 million and 2.2 million deaths.
While the White House task force showed charts with the top-line deaths at 240,000, Birx repeatedly said during the press conference that 200,000 was the high end of what the US government is currently expecting. When asked if and why those numbers had changed, Birx said, “It just has to do with if you had more New Yorks and New Jerseys. Chicago, Detroit, LA, Dallas, Houston — all of our major cities, modeled like New York, that's what gets us in trouble. But I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line, by looking at the LA Line, by looking at what California has been able to do, that that is not something that — I don't believe that's gonna happen. That is the outside case of having 10, 15 metro [area]s like New York and the New Jersey metro area.”


buzzfeednews--2020-02-10--These Pictures Show The Impact Of The 2003 SARS Outbreak

In February 2003 , the World Health Organization recognized a deadly new virus making its way across Asia .
Severe acute respiratory syndrome , or SARS , first appeared in China 's Guangdong Province , although it was not reported by the Chinese government to the WHO until the following year .
By this time , SARS has already infected thousands of people worldwide and had resulted in over 500 deaths .
In the months that followed , the SARS outbreak had spread across 37 countries , resulting in 8,098 cases and 774 deaths .
On July 5 , 2003 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely contained , and in 2017 , Chinese scientists pinpointed the genetic source of the virus as a colony of cave-dwelling horseshoe bats located in a remote region of China 's Yunnan province .
Following the 2003 SARS outbreak , the Chinese government faced international backlash for its suppression of information , widely viewed as harming efforts that could have contained the outbreak in its early stages .
The government 's aggressive quarantine measures to contain the new coronavirus appear to be in direct response to these criticisms .
Despite these efforts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the same family of viruses that caused both the SARS outbreak and 2012 MERS outbreak , has infected over 40,000 people and killed more than 900 , surpassing the death toll of the entire SARS epidemic .
These pictures show how those regions hit hardest by the SARS epidemic responded to this global outbreak .

In February 2003, the World Health Organization recognized a deadly new virus making its way across Asia. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, first appeared in China's Guangdong Province, although it was not reported by the Chinese government to the WHO until the following year. By this time, SARS has already infected thousands of people worldwide and had resulted in over 500 deaths. In the months that followed, the SARS outbreak had spread across 37 countries, resulting in 8,098 cases and 774 deaths. On July 5, 2003, the WHO announced that SARS was entirely contained, and in 2017, Chinese scientists pinpointed the genetic source of the virus as a colony of cave-dwelling horseshoe bats located in a remote region of China's Yunnan province.
Following the 2003 SARS outbreak, the Chinese government faced international backlash for its suppression of information, widely viewed as harming efforts that could have contained the outbreak in its early stages. The government's aggressive quarantine measures to contain the new coronavirus appear to be in direct response to these criticisms. Despite these efforts, the new coronavirus, which is derived from the same family of viruses that caused both the SARS outbreak and 2012 MERS outbreak, has infected over 40,000 people and killed more than 900, surpassing the death toll of the entire SARS epidemic.
These pictures show how those regions hit hardest by the SARS epidemic responded to this global outbreak.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-24--Trump Said He Wants People "Back To Work" By Easter. His Medical Advisers Pushed Back.

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 .
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he hoped to have the country “ back to work ” by Easter , setting the most concrete deadline yet as his attention turns from stopping the onslaught of the coronavirus and toward restarting the ailing US economy .
He received immediate pushback and hedging from some of his advisers — including Dr. Deborah Birx , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Task Force , Surgeon General Jerome Adams , and even Vice President Mike Pence — after making the statement during a Fox News town hall .
“ I ’ d love to have it open by Easter , ” Trump said .
“ I would love to have that .
It ’ s such an important day for other reasons , but I ’ ll make it an important day for this too .
I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.
” Easter falls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadline does not have any medical significance for slowing the spread of the coronavirus , and Trump did not immediately give any reason for the date .
It also conflicts with what New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo suggested just hours earlier could be the peak for the outbreak in his state , which Pence has called the “ epicenter ” for the virus outbreak in the United States .
In an interview on Fox News later Tuesday afternoon , Trump said , Easter `` is a very special day for me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great to have all of the churches full . ''
`` So , I think Easter Sunday , and you will have packed churches all over our country .
I think it would be a beautiful time and it 's just about the timeline that I think is right , '' he later added .
He said he is n't `` sure '' that would be the official deadline .
By his Tuesday night White House press briefing , Trump had begun to hedge the Easter deadline , saying his administration would `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it if it 's good and maybe we do sections of the country , we do large sections of the country , '' and that he 's talking with the medical advisers .
`` I just thought it was a beautiful time , '' he said when asked who suggested the date .
`` It 's a beautiful time , a beautiful timeline . ''
In public statements and tweets in the past few days , Trump has made clear he is growing more concerned about the economic fallout of the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus , as many Americans retreat to their homes and both small and large businesses fire workers en masse following a sharp drop in demand .
A growing discourse on the right has floated sacrificing the lives of those most at risk of the virus — the elderly and those with underlying conditions — in exchange for focusing on an economic revival .
It is unclear what Trump could actually do to “ open ” the country — shelter-in-place orders come from governors , not the federal government .
And how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers like New York City are still dealing with an unprecedented medical crisis is uncertain .
But his words send an important signal to people looking for guidance as they maneuver a fast-moving pandemic , and it ’ s advice that medical professionals are not remotely sanctioning .
Trump received almost immediate pushback to his Easter deadline from members of the White House ’ s Coronavirus Task Force , who took part in the Fox News town hall alongside him in the Rose Garden .
Adams , the surgeon general , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 14 days and we ’ ll figure out the most appropriate thing to do.
” He praised Trump for listening to his medical and scientific advisers .
“ Based on my experience , the president will make the appropriate decision based on all the data , ” he said .
Birx urged Americans to continue following the White House guidelines designed to slow the spread of the virus , which were released on March 16 and provided for 15 days of action .
“ Every American needs to continue the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days or seven days .
We have to have them following those guidelines , ” she said , as Adams nodded along .
Trump then broke in to say that his thinking had changed once it appeared that the mortality rate of COVID-19 was lower than the worst case estimates .
( There is no way to know the true mortality rate since testing has been so limited in the United States . )
“ Excuse me just one second , ” Trump said .
“ You can ’ t compare this to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died , ” he said , referring to the 1918 flu pandemic .
“ If you got it , you had a 50/50 chance , or very close , of dying .
I think we ’ re substantially under 1 % , because the people that get better are not reporting , ” he said .
“ When they came into my office , don ’ t forget — they said 3 % , 4 % , 5 % — there ’ s a very big difference .
No – we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After following the guidance of medical professionals for the first few weeks of the crisis , Trump has grown increasingly frustrated .
“ They came in , experts , and said we ’ re gon na have to close the country .
I said , 'Are you serious about this ? '
We are going to take this country that is fully employed , and you ’ re telling me we have to close it ?
And people are gon na go out of business and they ’ re gon na go bankrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have jobs ?
“ I gave it two weeks , ” he said .
Trump tried to allay concerns that he was turning sour on Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who has become a public face of reassurance during the crisis and was absent from both the town hall and Monday ’ s White House press briefing .
“ We get along very well , ” Trump said in response to a question from Fox News host Bill Hemmer , who then asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I think it ’ s been very good .
You would have heard about it if it wasn ’ t. ” He called both Fauci and Birx “ extraordinary.
” But Trump has never navigated a crisis of this length or depth in his three years as president .
And he is known to bore easily , while also turning on advisers who don ’ t tell him what he wants to hear , or who grab too much of the spotlight .
Fauci , and Birx , have tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also seemed to find it increasingly difficult to hide their momentary frustrations with the president during briefings , and Fauci recently gave a forthright interview in which he described working with Trump .
Fauci , who spoke at the Tuesday night White House briefing , said the Easter timeline is `` really very flexible , '' and that he had just talked with Trump about the timeline in the Oval Office prior to the briefing .
Birx and Adams made clear in Tuesday ’ s town hall that they were not ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nor was Pence , who said governors had brought down various orders to enforce social distancing .
“ We defer to that , we respect that , ” he said .
“ We want to open the country as soon as we can .
The more people that put into practice the president ’ s coronavirus guidelines , the sooner we ’ ll be able to open up.
” Trump stuck to his guns.
” I think it ’ s possible — why isn ’ t it ?
” he asked , referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on his theory that the number of people who would die by suicide in a recession or depression would outnumber those who could die of the virus .
“ We need to get our country back to work , ’ he said .
“ If we delay this thing out , you ’ re gon na lose more people than you ’ re losing with the situation as we know it.
” More than 50,000 people are known to have contracted the coronavirus in the United States , and more than 600 @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he hoped to have the country “back to work” by Easter, setting the most concrete deadline yet as his attention turns from stopping the onslaught of the coronavirus and toward restarting the ailing US economy.
He received immediate pushback and hedging from some of his advisers — including Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and even Vice President Mike Pence — after making the statement during a Fox News town hall.
“I’d love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said. “I would love to have that. It’s such an important day for other reasons, but I’ll make it an important day for this too. I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Easter falls on April 12 this year.
The deadline does not have any medical significance for slowing the spread of the coronavirus, and Trump did not immediately give any reason for the date. It also conflicts with what New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggested just hours earlier could be the peak for the outbreak in his state, which Pence has called the “epicenter” for the virus outbreak in the United States.
In an interview on Fox News later Tuesday afternoon, Trump said, Easter "is a very special day for me," and that it would be "great to have all of the churches full."
"So, I think Easter Sunday, and you will have packed churches all over our country. I think it would be a beautiful time and it's just about the timeline that I think is right," he later added. He said he isn't "sure" that would be the official deadline.
By his Tuesday night White House press briefing, Trump had begun to hedge the Easter deadline, saying his administration would "look at it, we'll only do it if it's good and maybe we do sections of the country, we do large sections of the country," and that he's talking with the medical advisers.
"I just thought it was a beautiful time," he said when asked who suggested the date. "It's a beautiful time, a beautiful timeline."
In public statements and tweets in the past few days, Trump has made clear he is growing more concerned about the economic fallout of the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, as many Americans retreat to their homes and both small and large businesses fire workers en masse following a sharp drop in demand. A growing discourse on the right has floated sacrificing the lives of those most at risk of the virus — the elderly and those with underlying conditions — in exchange for focusing on an economic revival.
It is unclear what Trump could actually do to “open” the country — shelter-in-place orders come from governors, not the federal government. And how the economy would even restart if financial centers like New York City are still dealing with an unprecedented medical crisis is uncertain. But his words send an important signal to people looking for guidance as they maneuver a fast-moving pandemic, and it’s advice that medical professionals are not remotely sanctioning.
Trump received almost immediate pushback to his Easter deadline from members of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force, who took part in the Fox News town hall alongside him in the Rose Garden. Adams, the surgeon general, said: “We will assess at the end of the 14 days and we’ll figure out the most appropriate thing to do.” He praised Trump for listening to his medical and scientific advisers. “Based on my experience, the president will make the appropriate decision based on all the data,” he said.
Birx urged Americans to continue following the White House guidelines designed to slow the spread of the virus, which were released on March 16 and provided for 15 days of action. “Every American needs to continue the president’s guidelines for these next six days or seven days. We have to have them following those guidelines,” she said, as Adams nodded along. Trump then broke in to say that his thinking had changed once it appeared that the mortality rate of COVID-19 was lower than the worst case estimates. (There is no way to know the true mortality rate since testing has been so limited in the United States.)
“Excuse me just one second,” Trump said. “You can’t compare this to 1918 where close to 100 million people died,” he said, referring to the 1918 flu pandemic. “If you got it, you had a 50/50 chance, or very close, of dying. I think we’re substantially under 1%, because the people that get better are not reporting,” he said. “When they came into my office, don’t forget — they said 3%, 4%, 5% — there’s a very big difference. No – we have to put our country back to work.”
After following the guidance of medical professionals for the first few weeks of the crisis, Trump has grown increasingly frustrated. “They came in, experts, and said we’re gonna have to close the country. I said, 'Are you serious about this?' We are going to take this country that is fully employed, and you’re telling me we have to close it? And people are gonna go out of business and they’re gonna go bankrupt and they’re not gonna have jobs?
“I gave it two weeks,” he said.
Trump tried to allay concerns that he was turning sour on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who has become a public face of reassurance during the crisis and was absent from both the town hall and Monday’s White House press briefing. “We get along very well,” Trump said in response to a question from Fox News host Bill Hemmer, who then asked, “Your relationship is good?” “I think it’s been very good. You would have heard about it if it wasn’t.” He called both Fauci and Birx “extraordinary.”
But Trump has never navigated a crisis of this length or depth in his three years as president. And he is known to bore easily, while also turning on advisers who don’t tell him what he wants to hear, or who grab too much of the spotlight. Fauci, and Birx, have tried to approach those issues diplomatically, but have also seemed to find it increasingly difficult to hide their momentary frustrations with the president during briefings, and Fauci recently gave a forthright interview in which he described working with Trump.
Fauci, who spoke at the Tuesday night White House briefing, said the Easter timeline is "really very flexible," and that he had just talked with Trump about the timeline in the Oval Office prior to the briefing.
Birx and Adams made clear in Tuesday’s town hall that they were not ready to endorse Trump’s Easter deadline. Nor was Pence, who said governors had brought down various orders to enforce social distancing. “We defer to that, we respect that,” he said. “We want to open the country as soon as we can. The more people that put into practice the president’s coronavirus guidelines, the sooner we’ll be able to open up.”
Trump stuck to his guns.”I think it’s possible — why isn’t it?” he asked, referring to the Easter deadline. He doubled down on his theory that the number of people who would die by suicide in a recession or depression would outnumber those who could die of the virus.
“We need to get our country back to work,’ he said. “If we delay this thing out, you’re gonna lose more people than you’re losing with the situation as we know it.”
More than 50,000 people are known to have contracted the coronavirus in the United States, and more than 600 are known to have died.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--Trump Suggested Businesses Might Open Again Soon, Defying Experts’ Warnings About The Coronavirus

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Monday that he may encourage businesses to reopen and encourage people to stop isolating “ very soon , ” contradicting public health experts who say businesses may need to stay closed and workers stay home for several months to help contain the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It ’ s bad , and obviously the numbers are going to increase with time and then they ’ re going to start to decrease , ” the president said at his daily coronavirus press conference , before quickly pivoting to say , “ We ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business because our country was meant to be open and working with others.
” When a reporter asked whether Trump will defy experts if , in a week , public health officials say businesses need to continue to stay closed and people to stay inside , Trump said , “ We can do two things at one time.
” The country , the president said , has learned a lot about social distancing and “ the hands , ” seemingly referring to the shift to greetings other than handshakes .
Trump said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by coronavirus and he hopes things can shift back to normal in those areas in the coming weeks .
However , testing for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , is still catching up with undetected cases .
And people who later test positive for COVID-19 can be asymptomatic as well ( including Trump ally Sen. Rand Paul , who spent six days going about his normal business in the Senate after taking a test before he was informed that it was positive ) .
Asked whether he was looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump phrased it , “ get our country open , ” the president said , `` I 'm not looking at months , I can tell you right now .
We 're going to be opening up our country , and we 're going to be watching certain areas… We 're going to be watching this very closely , but ca n't keep it closed for the next , you know , for years.
” Trump said the administration would continue to monitor hot spot areas , including New York and Washington state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he added , “ At the same time , at a certain point we have to get open and we have to get moving .
We do n't want to lose these companies .
We do n't want to lose these workers.
” According to estimates from The New York Times , however , many states could hit peak cases in May , and Vincent Racaniello , a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University , told BuzzFeed News Monday that there isn ’ t enough testing being done in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are infected , making any plan to keep infection hot spots locked down impossible .
“ If you just lock down who have clinical symptoms , it 's not going to do a damn thing , ” Racaniello said .
“ For god ’ s sake , do people really not have any patience in this country .
It was finite in China .
It will be finite here.
” One reporter asked Dr. Debbie Birx , the response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force , if she agreed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demurred .
“ What the president has asked us to do is give him our best medical recommendation based on all the data , ” Birx said .
“ That 's what he 's asked us to do … consistent with our mandate to really use every piece of information that we can in order to give the president our opinion that ’ s backed up by data , not our perception , but the opinion backed up by data .
… We are pulling all of the data pieces and now and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will never speculate on data .
I will have to see the data ” Birx also said she doesn ’ t believe that speculation about reopening businesses will undermine the current calls for social distancing and isolation .
“ Actually it reinforces it , ” Birx said .
“ Because if people know we are considering and trying to understand the impact of the good work they have done , I think it reinforces them to do good work for the next whatever it is days , weeks in the future .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do is to make those personal sacrifices for these next week [ sic ] and now so that we can evaluate the impact of that sacrifice .
So I think , if anything , it strengthens the willpower to say yes , I can do this.
” The idea of opening businesses in a matter of weeks is one that has also gained traction in right-wing media and among conservative personalities that the president follows .
Trump first floated the idea on Twitter over the weekend .
“ WE CAN NOT LET THE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he tweeted on Sunday .
“ AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD , WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO !
” “ This two-week period has been good .
And I 'm not saying it ends at that time .
We have another seven days or so .
I 'm not saying it ends at that time , ” he said Monday .
“ We 're going to be watching New York and we 're going to be watching California , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois is becoming a hotspot … There are other areas that just are n't affected or they 're affected very little .
And why would we close down 100 % of the country ?
”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Monday that he may encourage businesses to reopen and encourage people to stop isolating “very soon,” contradicting public health experts who say businesses may need to stay closed and workers stay home for several months to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s bad, and obviously the numbers are going to increase with time and then they’re going to start to decrease,” the president said at his daily coronavirus press conference, before quickly pivoting to say, “We’re going to be opening our country up for business because our country was meant to be open and working with others.”
When a reporter asked whether Trump will defy experts if, in a week, public health officials say businesses need to continue to stay closed and people to stay inside, Trump said, “We can do two things at one time.”
The country, the president said, has learned a lot about social distancing and “the hands,” seemingly referring to the shift to greetings other than handshakes. Trump said that some parts of the country are less affected by coronavirus and he hopes things can shift back to normal in those areas in the coming weeks.
However, testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is still catching up with undetected cases. And people who later test positive for COVID-19 can be asymptomatic as well (including Trump ally Sen. Rand Paul, who spent six days going about his normal business in the Senate after taking a test before he was informed that it was positive).
Asked whether he was looking at weeks or months to, as Trump phrased it, “get our country open,” the president said, "I'm not looking at months, I can tell you right now. We're going to be opening up our country, and we're going to be watching certain areas… We're going to be watching this very closely, but can't keep it closed for the next, you know, for years.”
Trump said the administration would continue to monitor hot spot areas, including New York and Washington state, as well as senior citizens, but he added, “At the same time, at a certain point we have to get open and we have to get moving. We don't want to lose these companies. We don't want to lose these workers.”
According to estimates from The New York Times, however, many states could hit peak cases in May, and Vincent Racaniello, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University, told BuzzFeed News Monday that there isn’t enough testing being done in the US to know who and how many people are infected, making any plan to keep infection hot spots locked down impossible.
“If you just lock down who have clinical symptoms, it's not going to do a damn thing,” Racaniello said. “For god’s sake, do people really not have any patience in this country. It was finite in China. It will be finite here.”
One reporter asked Dr. Debbie Birx, the response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, if she agreed with the president’s timeline; she demurred.
“What the president has asked us to do is give him our best medical recommendation based on all the data,” Birx said. “That's what he's asked us to do … consistent with our mandate to really use every piece of information that we can in order to give the president our opinion that’s backed up by data, not our perception, but the opinion backed up by data. … We are pulling all of the data pieces and now and that's really critical. I … will never speculate on data. I will have to see the data”
Birx also said she doesn’t believe that speculation about reopening businesses will undermine the current calls for social distancing and isolation.
“Actually it reinforces it,” Birx said. “Because if people know we are considering and trying to understand the impact of the good work they have done, I think it reinforces them to do good work for the next whatever it is days, weeks in the future. … What we are asking every American to do is to make those personal sacrifices for these next week [sic] and now so that we can evaluate the impact of that sacrifice. So I think, if anything, it strengthens the willpower to say yes, I can do this.”
The idea of opening businesses in a matter of weeks is one that has also gained traction in right-wing media and among conservative personalities that the president follows. Trump first floated the idea on Twitter over the weekend.
“WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF,” he tweeted on Sunday. “AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!”
The 15-day period Trump referred to started a week ago.
“This two-week period has been good. And I'm not saying it ends at that time. We have another seven days or so. I'm not saying it ends at that time,” he said Monday. “We're going to be watching New York and we're going to be watching California, the state of Washington and other places. Illinois is becoming a hotspot … There are other areas that just aren't affected or they're affected very little. And why would we close down 100% of the country?”