buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--A Zoom Meeting For Women Of Color Was Hijacked By Trolls Shouting The N-Word

Zoom meetings are being hijacked by people yelling racist slurs and flooding calls with graphic content .
When she founded WOC Space , Tiara Moore envisioned a virtual place where professional women of color could meet , socialize , and offer support in a safe setting .
Then when stay-at-home orders began to be issued across the country , Moore believed the group 's weekly meetings were more important than ever .
They offered moral support , tips , and relief to the isolation of working from home by being able to connect people via Zoom .
So on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app and continued working on her computer , waiting for the handful of members to join her .
`` I was n't even looking at my screen and I hear a girl and she 's like , ' I saw this on Twitter , '' Moore told BuzzFeed News .
`` I said , 'Oh , hey girl ! '
and she said , 'Yeah , but you should be careful because you can get hacked . '
'' The virtual room instantly filled with what seemed like 100 people , Moore said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time .
It was chaos — but the n-word , being repeatedly yelled in the middle of it , could be heard distinctly .
`` I immediately closed it down like , what just happened , '' she said .
With schools closed and people across the country working from home , the use of teleconferencing has exploded during the coronavirus pandemic .
Business executives , government officials , and kindergarten classes have flocked to apps like Zoom , which have become vital to day-to-day work and life during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also taken advantage of the app , sneaking their way into unsuspecting meetings and online gatherings , usually bombarding them with pornographic images or racist attacks .
`` I felt personally attacked , '' Moore said .
`` I was super emotional .
I cried and I was like , 'It 's 2020 , what the fuck ! '
'' The incident was so frustrating Moore decided to cancel the next Tuesday meeting .
`` It 's so heartbreaking and , for me to be promoting this virtual safe space and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
The incidents have become so prevalent that the FBI stepped in Monday , offering its own tips to keep online meetings secure and asking people to report incidents to its Internet Crime Complaint Center .
`` As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing ( VTC ) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis , reports of VTC hijacking ( also called `` Zoom-bombing '' ) are emerging nationwide , '' the agency said .
`` The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and threatening language . ''
The FBI 's Boston office is in particular looking at two incidents , including one where a Massachusetts school 's session was interrupted by someone who took off his shirt to display swastika tattoos .
Social media posts show that `` Zoombombing '' incidents have become widespread in recent days .
In particular , college classes and students have become targets , usually with attackers disrupting meetings with racist language .
Jessica Jackson , a second-year student at UCLA , was logging into her astronomy class on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ The professor ] gave them the space to ask their question and then was bombarded by someone repeatedly referring to him as the n-word , '' Jackson told BuzzFeed News .
`` Having to leave our universities abruptly because of the pandemic has been taxing enough as it is .
It 's wild to think that now we have to worry about virtual harassment when we 're all just trying to learn and get our degree . ''
Jackson grabbed her phone and was able to record some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter .
Ryan Stoldt , a teacher at the University of Iowa , told BuzzFeed News he was hosting online office hours Tuesday for students when someone jumped on the call and started to make sexual noises .
`` I launched [ the call ] , had three random people join my room , heard sexual moans start and closed the room before anyone that actually wanted help jumped on , '' he said .
At the University of Texas at Austin , an online meeting hosted by the Heman Sweatt Center for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students at the university , was hijacked by people who started to shout racist slurs .
The call was set up to help give students tools to stay focused during the coronavirus pandemic , but the director of the center told KXAN they had to end the call within 20 minutes because of the racist outbursts .
University president Greg Fenves said the school was investigating the incident .
Some of the disruptions to classes are suspected of being from fellow students , but experts suspect Zoombombing has also been adopted as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of which have historically targeted colleges and universities .
`` There is concern that extremists could exploit the increasing reliance on video conference technology to target certain groups or advance their hateful messages , '' the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement , where it also offered tips to avoid the trolling .
`` Across various social media platforms , extremists have already seized on the coronavirus pandemic as a vehicle to spread their hate and conspiracies . ''
Among its tips , the organization , which tracks anti-Semitic hate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chats , assigning two cohosts , muting all participants , and locking the meeting once all attendees are present .
Last week , Zoom released a video offering tips on how to prevent Zoombombing , including using its waiting room feature — which requires the host to approve people coming into the call — and limiting who can share content on the calls .
Zoom also recommends that people not share the link to their meetings on social media , where trolls could search for and target them .
It also recently updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in control of what content is being shared in a virtual classroom , the company said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
`` We are deeply upset to hear about the incidents involving this type of attack .
We take the security of Zoom meetings seriously and in order to prevent such incidents from occurring , we strongly encourage users to arrange their settings so that only hosts can share their screens , and utilize features such as 'Waiting Room ' and host muting controls , '' the company said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment and encouraged anyone with issues to report them to its support team .
Going forward , Moore said she plans to be more careful with her meetings and plans to use a password from now on .
She also wo n't be sharing the link widely on Twitter anymore .
It 's disappointing , she said , because she used to be happy to have newcomers unexpectedly join the calls .
She realizes now she ca n't do that anymore .
`` It 's a whole pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ y'all have to do better . ''

When she founded WOC Space, Tiara Moore envisioned a virtual place where professional women of color could meet, socialize, and offer support in a safe setting.
Then when stay-at-home orders began to be issued across the country, Moore believed the group's weekly meetings were more important than ever. They offered moral support, tips, and relief to the isolation of working from home by being able to connect people via Zoom.
So on Monday, she logged onto the video conferencing app and continued working on her computer, waiting for the handful of members to join her.
"I wasn't even looking at my screen and I hear a girl and she's like, 'I saw this on Twitter," Moore told BuzzFeed News. "I said, 'Oh, hey girl!' and she said, 'Yeah, but you should be careful because you can get hacked.'"
The virtual room instantly filled with what seemed like 100 people, Moore said, with multiple people yelling racist slurs at the same time. It was chaos — but the n-word, being repeatedly yelled in the middle of it, could be heard distinctly.
"I immediately closed it down like, what just happened," she said.
With schools closed and people across the country working from home, the use of teleconferencing has exploded during the coronavirus pandemic. Business executives, government officials, and kindergarten classes have flocked to apps like Zoom, which have become vital to day-to-day work and life during the pandemic.
Unfortunately, racists and trolls have also taken advantage of the app, sneaking their way into unsuspecting meetings and online gatherings, usually bombarding them with pornographic images or racist attacks.
"I felt personally attacked," Moore said. "I was super emotional. I cried and I was like, 'It's 2020, what the fuck!'"
The incident was so frustrating Moore decided to cancel the next Tuesday meeting.
"It's so heartbreaking and, for me to be promoting this virtual safe space and to be attacked, it's so devastating," she said.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--This Chart Shows A Historic Spike In Gun Sales After The Coronavirus Hit The US

This chart shows the spike in US gun sales that took place in March , as fear of COVID-19 took hold .
The massive spike blows past previous surges in sales set after mass shootings , most prominently after Sandy Hook .
BuzzFeed News estimated gun sales from the FBI ’ s monthly figures on background checks for gun buyers , using a method developed by Jurgen Brauer of the consultancy Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting .
Gun sales are highly seasonal , typically peaking in December , but we removed seasonal trends using a correction method from the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spikes that are not part of the seasonal pattern .
The spike for March 2020 is unprecedented .
The dotted line labeled COVID-19 marks Feb. 29 , when the first death from the disease in the US , a male health worker in his fifties from Washington state , was recorded .
In the first half of March , retailers told BuzzFeed News that they were experiencing a surge in gun sales , body armor , and other tactical gear driven by a desire by “ preppers ” to keep themselves safe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think with the way things have escalated quite quickly around the world and in the US in just the last couple of weeks , it 's very hard to tell what 's going to happen next , ” said Kevin Lim , owner of the tactical gear retailer Bulletproof Zone .
“ It ’ s essentially what we anticipated , ” Brauer told BuzzFeed News of the spike now revealed in the FBI data .
Over the years , the largest spikes in gun sales have come in the aftermath of high-profile mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new gun controls .
( Mass shootings , in which four or more people died , are shown as red circles on the chart , sized by the number of people killed .
This data was compiled by Mother Jones . )
Similar spikes have been seen in several states before new gun controls came into effect .
There was also a spike after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election , apparently because potential gun buyers realized the nation would soon have a president unlikely to veto any attempt by Congress to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fundraiser during the Democratic primaries , Obama had alienated gun owners by saying that small-town voters “ cling to guns or religion.
” ) After Donald Trump took office , backed by the gun lobby , massacres like those in Las Vegas in October 2017 and El Paso , Texas , in August 2019 didn ’ t have the same effect .
Even the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland , Florida , in February 2018 triggered only a small bump in sales .
The only precedent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently gripping the nation was the reaction to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 .
Those attacks were also followed by a surge in gun sales , but nothing like the spike seen in March 2020 .

This chart shows the spike in US gun sales that took place in March, as fear of COVID-19 took hold. The massive spike blows past previous surges in sales set after mass shootings, most prominently after Sandy Hook.
BuzzFeed News estimated gun sales from the FBI’s monthly figures on background checks for gun buyers, using a method developed by Jurgen Brauer of the consultancy Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting. Gun sales are highly seasonal, typically peaking in December, but we removed seasonal trends using a correction method from the US Census Bureau. This reveals any transient spikes that are not part of the seasonal pattern.
The spike for March 2020 is unprecedented. The dotted line labeled COVID-19 marks Feb. 29, when the first death from the disease in the US, a male health worker in his fifties from Washington state, was recorded.
In the first half of March, retailers told BuzzFeed News that they were experiencing a surge in gun sales, body armor, and other tactical gear driven by a desire by “preppers” to keep themselves safe in the face of uncertainty. “I think with the way things have escalated quite quickly around the world and in the US in just the last couple of weeks, it's very hard to tell what's going to happen next,” said Kevin Lim, owner of the tactical gear retailer Bulletproof Zone.
“It’s essentially what we anticipated,” Brauer told BuzzFeed News of the spike now revealed in the FBI data.
Over the years, the largest spikes in gun sales have come in the aftermath of high-profile mass shootings, when political debate turned to new gun controls. (Mass shootings, in which four or more people died, are shown as red circles on the chart, sized by the number of people killed. This data was compiled by Mother Jones.) Similar spikes have been seen in several states before new gun controls came into effect.
There was also a spike after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, apparently because potential gun buyers realized the nation would soon have a president unlikely to veto any attempt by Congress to enact new gun controls. (At a fundraiser during the Democratic primaries, Obama had alienated gun owners by saying that small-town voters “cling to guns or religion.”)
After Donald Trump took office, backed by the gun lobby, massacres like those in Las Vegas in October 2017 and El Paso, Texas, in August 2019 didn’t have the same effect. Even the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February 2018 triggered only a small bump in sales.
The only precedent in recent decades for the wave of fear currently gripping the nation was the reaction to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Those attacks were also followed by a surge in gun sales, but nothing like the spike seen in March 2020.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-14--Chiropractors Are Feeding Their Patients Fake Information About The Coronavirus

Some chiropractors across the country are using social media to spread dangerous misinformation about the cause of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
St. Louis–based chiropractor Eric Nepute went live on Facebook last Monday , April 6 , to urge his followers to drink quinine and eat zinc to combat COVID-19 .
Nepute ’ s video was captioned “ Seriously .
How much longer are we going to put up with all the BS.. ?
?
?
” and has been viewed 21 million times and shared over 185,000 times since last Monday .
“ Quinine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Nepote said in the livestream .
“ Quinine acts as a transport chain to allow nutrients to get into the cells .
So I 'm telling everybody right now , if you know someone who 's got flulike symptoms .
If they 've got symptoms of COVID-19 , the cold , the flu , whatever .
Go and get either some quinine and/or some Schweppes tonic water .
Let me tell you this again : quinine and/or Schweppes tonic water .
I need every one of you to be sharing this right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every person needs to share this because there 's a lot of bullshit going on right now that everybody needs to know about .
And I 'm going to throw some common sense at you because most people are n't looking at this .
Go get some quinine and get some zinc.
” BuzzFeed News has reached out to Nepute for comment .
As of Monday night , the video contains a warning from Facebook ’ s third-party fact-checkers that it could contain partly false information .
A spokesperson for the American Chiropractic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging its members not to spread misinformation amid the outbreak .
“ The [ ACA ] advises its members to follow guidance regarding the prevention of the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other credible sources and to share this information with their patients , ” the spokesperson said .
The spokesperson also said that the ACA Board of Governors released a statement to clarify that there is no substantial evidence to support that spinal adjustments , the core method that chiropractors use to treat patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even though the video has gone astoundingly viral in little under a week , Nepute ’ s advice is not only wrong , it could be dangerous .
Dr. Luis Ostrosky , a professor of infectious diseases at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , told BuzzFeed News that the treatments Nepute was advocating for in his video have no scientific basis .
“ I 'm guessing he 's going off of quinine as another antimalarial drug , ” Ostrosky said .
“ There 's really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19.
” He explained that quinine has some similarities to chloroquine , which President Donald Trump and his supporters have touted as a miracle drug for the coronavirus — despite the publishers of the journal that had published the study touting chloroquine later saying it `` did not meet expected standards ” among other criticisms of the study .
Ostrosky said that there has been some evidence that zinc lozenges could alleviate some symptoms of the common cold , which has led some people to falsely extrapolate that it could be a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warn people about zinc .
It causes severe gastrointestinal distress , ” he said .
“ If it sounds too easy and too obvious , it 's probably not true.
” Outside of Facebook , Nepute 's video lives on .
It has been viewed an additional 2.8 million times on YouTube , uploaded under titles like “ Frank Hahnel A real Doctor telling it like it is .
It 's all Fake.
” The YouTube version was shared heavily on Twitter by QAnon-affiliated accounts .
One of its biggest referrers on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Ventura County , California , in 2018 .
Dr. Ravina Kullar , an infectious diseases researcher , told BuzzFeed News she had seen Nepute ’ s video and cautioned chiropractors not to use social media to spread misinformation or miracle cures .
“ Being a medical expert or a medical professional , you 're given that responsibility that whatever comes out of your mouth , people are going to run with it , '' she said .
Kullar said that people need to be especially careful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and YouTube .
“ My fear is that hearing this claim people might overdose on zinc , overdose on [ the quinine in ] tonic water , ” she said .
“ You just see everyone trying to find something with the cure.
” The chiropractic community has roots in 19th-century pseudoscience , and despite an effort in the 21st century to move to more evidence-based treatments , Nepute is far from the only chiropractor spreading hoaxes about the coronavirus .
The Twitter account for a clinic in Virginia on Monday told its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ germs and start taking care of the host !
” A chiropractor from Colorado shared a tweet on Sunday that accused the NWO ( `` New World Order '' ) of forcing people to wear face masks .
A chiropractor in New Jersey shared a video from a QAnon-affiliated Twitter account claiming the coronavirus death toll was fake .
And on TikTok , California-based chiropractor Alicia Tsounis promoted colloidal silver spray , which is ineffective at killing the coronavirus .
Earlier this month , an Idaho chiropractor who had previously posted videos advocating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his products could prevent COVID-19 .
In one promoted video — “ How to PREVENT COVID-19 Virus from infecting you… ” — he advised people to use a “ silver spray ” instead of alcohol-based hand sanitizer .
Facebook disabled his ad account and removed his page .
Chiropractor Kim Gambino , the wife of former head of the California Chiropractic Association Dan Gambino , has been regularly using her public Facebook page to promote conspiracy theories about COVID-19 .
Gambino has shared content railing against social distancing and is also a proponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology is causing the coronavirus .
“ Do you think these microwaves could be causing the same symptoms as the coronavirus ?
” Gambino wrote last month .
Facebook ’ s Fact-Check widget even appears under one of Gambino ’ s posts , indicating a third-party fact-checker for the platform believed the post contained harmful content about COVID-19 .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Gambino for comment .
Andrew Williams , the president of the California Chiropractic Association , distanced himself from members of his profession spreading conspiracy theories .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News .
`` You 'll have your outliers.
” Williams said that he believes many chiropractors are following guidelines from regulatory bodies and doing their best to share positive information without panicking people .
But Gambino ’ s Facebook comments are full of other chiropractors agreeing with her posts about how the mainstream scientific information about the coronavirus is a lie .
She also shares posts from other outspoken chiropractors , like Gilles Lamarche , the vice president of university advancement at Life University , a Georgia-based school for chiropractic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 content , Lamarche ’ s public Facebook page has a small following of several thousand people .
Last week , Lamarche shared a video from Banned.video , the current host of far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ’ Infowars , which claimed Microsoft founder Bill Gates was using the coronavirus to depopulate the earth .
Lamarche also recently shared an article from the conservative Washington Times accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , of “ setting the stage ” to profit off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s page , Lamarche ’ s comment sections are full of other chiropractors agreeing with him .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Lamarche for comment .
The online misinformation is having physical ramifications .
Sylvia Salas , an employee at New Life Chiropractic and Wellness in Santa Clarita , California , told BuzzFeed News that she was worried about contracting the virus while at work .
Salas said her employer , chiropractor Jennifer Vaccaro , is extremely outspoken about how she doesn ’ t think COVID-19 is real .
Salas said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend due to chest pain and is awaiting test results .
“ She thinks this is just an attack on the president .
I constantly hear her tell her patients how ridiculous all this is , ” Salas said .
“ My daughter works for this clinic also and is experiencing the coronavirus symptoms.
” A representative for New Life Chiropractic and Wellness who identified themselves as Erica told BuzzFeed News that the clinic was designated an essential business and is allowed to remain open during the outbreak .
“ The [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tested , she had tested negative , so I 'm not sure what there is to write about , ” Erica said .

Even though the video has gone astoundingly viral in little under a week, Nepute’s advice is not only wrong, it could be dangerous. Dr. Luis Ostrosky, a professor of infectious diseases at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, told BuzzFeed News that the treatments Nepute was advocating for in his video have no scientific basis.
“I'm guessing he's going off of quinine as another antimalarial drug,” Ostrosky said. “There's really nothing in the literature about quinine and COVID-19.” He explained that quinine has some similarities to chloroquine, which President Donald Trump and his supporters have touted as a miracle drug for the coronavirus — despite the publishers of the journal that had published the study touting chloroquine later saying it "did not meet expected standards” among other criticisms of the study.
Ostrosky said that there has been some evidence that zinc lozenges could alleviate some symptoms of the common cold, which has led some people to falsely extrapolate that it could be a way to combat COVID-19. “We should warn people about zinc. It causes severe gastrointestinal distress,” he said. “If it sounds too easy and too obvious, it's probably not true.”
Outside of Facebook, Nepute's video lives on. It has been viewed an additional 2.8 million times on YouTube, uploaded under titles like “Frank Hahnel A real Doctor telling it like it is. It's all Fake.” The YouTube version was shared heavily on Twitter by QAnon-affiliated accounts. One of its biggest referrers on Facebook was from the actor Antonio Sabàto Jr., who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Ventura County, California, in 2018.
Dr. Ravina Kullar, an infectious diseases researcher, told BuzzFeed News she had seen Nepute’s video and cautioned chiropractors not to use social media to spread misinformation or miracle cures. “Being a medical expert or a medical professional, you're given that responsibility that whatever comes out of your mouth, people are going to run with it," she said.
Kullar said that people need to be especially careful about cures touted on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. “My fear is that hearing this claim people might overdose on zinc, overdose on [the quinine in] tonic water,” she said. “You just see everyone trying to find something with the cure.”
The chiropractic community has roots in 19th-century pseudoscience, and despite an effort in the 21st century to move to more evidence-based treatments, Nepute is far from the only chiropractor spreading hoaxes about the coronavirus.
The Twitter account for a clinic in Virginia on Monday told its followers to “stop worrying about the germs and start taking care of the host!” A chiropractor from Colorado shared a tweet on Sunday that accused the NWO ("New World Order") of forcing people to wear face masks. A chiropractor in New Jersey shared a video from a QAnon-affiliated Twitter account claiming the coronavirus death toll was fake. And on TikTok, California-based chiropractor Alicia Tsounis promoted colloidal silver spray, which is ineffective at killing the coronavirus.
Earlier this month, an Idaho chiropractor who had previously posted videos advocating against vaccines ran Facebook ads falsely claiming his products could prevent COVID-19. In one promoted video — “How to PREVENT COVID-19 Virus from infecting you…” — he advised people to use a “silver spray” instead of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Facebook disabled his ad account and removed his page.
Chiropractor Kim Gambino, the wife of former head of the California Chiropractic Association Dan Gambino, has been regularly using her public Facebook page to promote conspiracy theories about COVID-19. Gambino has shared content railing against social distancing and is also a proponent of the conspiracy theory that 5G cellular technology is causing the coronavirus. “Do you think these microwaves could be causing the same symptoms as the coronavirus?” Gambino wrote last month.
Facebook’s Fact-Check widget even appears under one of Gambino’s posts, indicating a third-party fact-checker for the platform believed the post contained harmful content about COVID-19.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Gambino for comment.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-13--She Spent Her Life Caring For Her Son With Down Syndrome. They Died From The Coronavirus 9 Days Apar

She Spent Her Life Caring For Her Son With Down Syndrome. They Died From The Coronavirus 9 Days Apart.

`` For months ahead of time he would constantly be reminding us about his birthday , '' Rudy Reitz , Martins ' stepdad , told BuzzFeed News .
`` And then all of a sudden this hit , so we were trying our best to reassure him that we would have some sort of a birthday celebration .
`` Even when I was with him in the hospital , he was asking about his birthday , and I told him , 'Do n't worry .
We 'll fix you up .
We 'll get out of here and you 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , on April 6 , the day he turned 30 .
It was just nine days after his mother , Carolyn Martins-Reitz , died from the same disease .
`` They were each other 's whole world , '' said Reitz .
`` Her entire life revolved around making sure that Thomas was healthy , loved , and stayed active . ''
Martins , who had Down syndrome , never left the hospital , but he did get one last birthday party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School , which serves students with special needs , since he was a child .
Up until he fell ill , he was a part of the school 's over-21 program .
In the wake of Martins-Reitz 's death , it was his school family who stepped in to give him one last birthday party .
School officials sent a birthday cake and a bunch of pizzas to the hospital .
They also set up a video chat for all his friends at school to sing him `` Happy Birthday . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room , and probably 20 people all sang 'Happy Birthday ' to him with a cake , '' said Reitz .
`` He passed away not long after that , so one of the last things his subconscious got to hear was people singing him 'Happy Birthday . '
'' Carolyn Martins-Reitz was an active member of her community in Kearny , New Jersey .
In addition to her work as an advocate for people with Down syndrome and raising two children , Thomas Martins and Sharon Reitz , she was an active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Roman Catholic Church in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark .
She was president of the Rosary Society , Thomas and Sharon were altar servers , and Rudy was an usher .
Carolyn also worked as a graphic designer for the Archdiocese of Newark .
She had a lot on her plate but always seemed to manage it all with a big smile , said Joni Forte-Lewin , a close friend since childhood .
Carolyn Martins-Reitz and Forte-Lewin grew up like sisters after Carolyn moved across the street when they were both in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ godson .
`` Everyone loved them , '' said Forte-Lewin , who has set up a GoFundMe to help the family cover the mounting expenses .
`` Thomas was a big , bright light , just like his mother .
They were just lovely , lovely people . ''
`` The hardest part is : I ca n't get in my car and drive down to their house and give them a big hug .
And that 's all I want to do .
So I 'm kind of bouncing off the walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to channel my energy , '' added Forte-Lewin .
`` More than anything , I want to see Rudy and Sharon get a clean slate so they can move forward without having to worry about anything .
That 's my main goal .
I do n't want to see them saddled with debt forever . ''
Rudy Reitz and his daughter , Sharon — who will be graduating from her mother 's alma mater , the School of Visual Arts in New York City , in a matter of weeks — have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both are recovering well .
`` For right now , I 'm basically just picking up my emotional pieces and being with my daughter and bonding , '' said Reitz .
`` The light at the end of this is we have a tremendous amount of people who care about us : family , friends , and our church community . ''

Thomas Martins loved to celebrate his birthday.
"For months ahead of time he would constantly be reminding us about his birthday," Rudy Reitz, Martins' stepdad, told BuzzFeed News. "And then all of a sudden this hit, so we were trying our best to reassure him that we would have some sort of a birthday celebration.
"Even when I was with him in the hospital, he was asking about his birthday, and I told him, 'Don't worry. We'll fix you up. We'll get out of here and you'll have your birthday.'"
Martins died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, on April 6, the day he turned 30.
It was just nine days after his mother, Carolyn Martins-Reitz, died from the same disease.
"They were each other's whole world," said Reitz. "Her entire life revolved around making sure that Thomas was healthy, loved, and stayed active."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-14--What To Expect When You're Expecting During A Plague

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 .
Compared to the agony of many expectant parents , our first trip into the Probability Zone was benign .
But this way of thinking , this sense that our health and happiness were down to a dice roll , stuck .
Over the winter , as the coronavirus set its own unsentimental course , I was tuned into a new frequency of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and consequence out of a Don DeLillo novel .
I came down with a bad respiratory illness at the end of January and spent feverish hours googling flu death statistics .
Was this any sillier than worrying about Zika virus or spina bifida ?
Jaywalking , wearing noise-canceling headphones on my commute , rushing down the subway steps — these all suddenly seemed less like New York City table stakes and more like deliberate and fraught bets .
I wasn ’ t afraid for my life , exactly .
I was afraid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from our “ genetic counselor ” — not a person who tells you what career you ’ re cut out for based on your DNA , it turns out — and the news was good .
I pictured my college statistics professor and felt a little rush of gratitude toward him , as if he embodied the unsentimental odds of the universe .
We told our families and went out to an expensive meal , at which I yet again broke my promise to stay sober in pregnancy solidarity .
My wife was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were both carriers , there was a 1 in 4 chance the baby would have two copies of the bad gene , a death sentence .
0.04 x 0.25 = 0.01 .
For the next 10 days we took turns freaking out about the one percent .
“ It ’ s one percent , ” one of us would offer , briefly composed .
“ It ’ s .
One .
Percent , ” the other would respond , slunk into the couch , staring straight ahead .
Tay-Sachs is a fatal genetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
In November , we found out that my ethnically Armenian wife is a carrier , a 0.3 percent chance .
Of course : Just our luck .
I knew my odds of being a carrier were about 1 in 25 .
I went to get my blood drawn .
Dazed , sitting in that weird Falun Gong coffee shop on Eighth Avenue , we told half-hearted jokes about my wife being an honorary Jew .
Then we did the morbid math .
We found out my wife was pregnant in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our honeymoon , right after we started trying : Too good to be true .
Too nervous to look at the stick , my wife asked me to read the results .
There were no symbols to decode , just a word : PREGNANT .
Hopping around the bathroom we felt giddy and sick , two people who by their natures expect the worst celebrating something suspiciously great .
I ’ ve been thinking in percentages for months now , so I ’ ve had a head start .
Congenital heart defect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent .
Down syndrome , for a baby born to a mother in her early thirties , between 0.1 and 0.2 percent .
Now it is April , and as the virus occupies my city , we are all spending more and more time in the Probability Zone .
We are all now making morbid calculations and a thousand decisions , small ones and big ones , based on them .
True , New Yorkers love “ there but for the grace of God ” chitchat about one-in-a-million subway nightmares and street grate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people we know live in a predictable version of the city , a safe version of the city , in which it is impossible to get a substandard cup of coffee and in which the chances of a catastrophe have never been lower .
Had never been lower .
Real material fear has come for those of us who usually just tweet about such things , even as we know we have less to fear than so many others .
For these New Yorkers , who can ’ t work from home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Probability Zone is far crueler .
COVID-19 death rate , 6 percent .
COVID-19 death rate among Americans under 18 , 0.11 percent .
In-utero transmission rate from COVID-19 positive mothers to infants , unknown .
Now everything outside our home feels uncertain .
Every time either one of us leaves and comes back , we bring the outside in — a bad feeling that could harden into a reflex with lasting consequences for the city .
Every time we come back , we have rolled the dice again .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the game .
The studies have small sample sizes .
The results have been contradictory .
Everyone walks around nursing a theory about why some people get sick and others don ’ t , some idiosyncratic solution of recency bias , media diet , and half-forgotten high school biology .
Everyone ’ s Probability Zone looks different , changes constantly .
We are told not to wear a mask , and I resent the mask wearers .
We are told to wear a mask , and I resent the maskless .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are fake , that wearing masks wrong can trap the virus against your mucus membranes , that you can stick a mask in the oven to purify it .
Outside , when there ’ s no one around , my wife sometimes removes her mask to steal a full breath .
She ’ s 8 months pregnant and she gets winded .
This annoys me — doesn ’ t she know that she ’ s adding to the number ?
Then I ’ m annoyed that I ’ m annoyed .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no idea how she feels .
Am I trying to protect her or am I trying to control her body ?
I have stopped policing her sips of wine .
How the fuck would I make it through this without wine ?
Yet somehow my wife exudes calm , in the kind of “ Que Sera , Sera ” way I associate with Buddhists and stoners — not exactly with the woman I married .
Her therapist says this is because of “ pregnancy hormones.
” Her hair is thicker and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She grabs my hand to her belly in delight when the baby kicks , but sometimes it ’ s too late and he ’ s stopped .
Her experience is physical .
Mine is abstract .
She seems to have left the Probability Zone .
I spend all my time there , reworking my algorithm based on studies about pregnant women in Wuhan , feeling grateful for the dependability of Amazon deliveries and the Capital One mobile banking app .
We retreat into telemedicine , teletherapy , telepregnancy .
We attend a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distracted by the bookmarks for Gothamist and Smitten Kitchen on the doula ’ s shared desktop screen .
I wonder if she ’ s baked the “ i want chocolate cake ” chocolate cake recently .
A couple in Alabama keeps cutting in and out .
Three hours pass .
When it comes to medical interventions , the doula concludes , “ Always remember BRAIN.
” It stands for BENEFITS , RISKS , ALTERNATIVES , INTUITION , NO , NEVER , NOT NOW .
We want to know which way the baby is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a midwife in California .
She tells me to press around my wife ’ s stomach to try to find something round and protuberant — it 's likely to be the head or the butt , and we can triangulate from there .
So I go about trying to seize my unborn son ’ s butt , with all the grace of a bowling alley arcade claw .
Incompetence leads to ticklishness , leads to laughter , leads to failure , leads to Netflix .
One day , we learn that our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room .
We are COVID-19 risks .
“ I had been doing so well until this , ” my wife says .
“ But I don ’ t know how I can make it through labor alone.
” We discuss fleeing to where we grew up , but worry about infecting our parents .
We hatch harebrained schemes to get me into the hospital .
One of them involves bribing the medical staff with baked goods .
Or maybe I could contract and recover from COVID-19 in time for the delivery ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole way on FaceTime .
Don ’ t worry about it .
A small part of me is glad for the ban .
Doctors are masters of the Probability Zone .
They deliver lots of babies — we only have one .
If the doctors at this hospital have consulted the Zone and concluded that I am not safe , then I will swallow my pain and update accordingly .
Maybe all the other hospitals have it wrong .
I read about critically sick women in labor , intubated , unconscious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsafe for these women to experience childbirth , they will have to update accordingly .
They will have photographs .
If our son spends the first months of his life in a NICU , we will have to update accordingly .
We will get Seamless delivery and see him as often as possible .
If he doesn ’ t meet his grandparents until he is 2 years old , if he never meets his grandparents , we will have to update accordingly .
We will Zoom — or we won ’ t .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring that the hospital let partners in , I cry , mostly but not entirely out of relief .
I had adjusted my fear hypothesis and now I have to adjust it back .
For now , that ’ s where we are .
We have enwombed ourselves , and we will stay here until my son has to leave .
Recently , when I ’ m lying in bed and I can ’ t sleep for running the odds , I picture him .
I don ’ t see him in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I see him , new and good , with a chance — whatever that number is — and I stop imagining what could go wrong .
The other day , I came across a neighbor on all fours at her front door , disinfecting plastic containers of Thai food with Clorox wipes .
She ’ s such a nice person , with two kids under 2 .
“ I know I look crazy , ” she said with a laugh .
I wanted to give her a big hug .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes that I was smiling underneath my surgical mask .
Then I rushed inside .
●

Now it is April, and as the virus occupies my city, we are all spending more and more time in the Probability Zone. We are all now making morbid calculations and a thousand decisions, small ones and big ones, based on them. True, New Yorkers love “there but for the grace of God” chitchat about one-in-a-million subway nightmares and street grate disasters. But my wife and the people we know live in a predictable version of the city, a safe version of the city, in which it is impossible to get a substandard cup of coffee and in which the chances of a catastrophe have never been lower. Had never been lower. Real material fear has come for those of us who usually just tweet about such things, even as we know we have less to fear than so many others. For these New Yorkers, who can’t work from home and can’t get good health care, the Probability Zone is far crueler.
COVID-19 death rate, 6 percent. COVID-19 death rate among Americans under 18, 0.11 percent. In-utero transmission rate from COVID-19 positive mothers to infants, unknown.
Now everything outside our home feels uncertain. Every time either one of us leaves and comes back, we bring the outside in — a bad feeling that could harden into a reflex with lasting consequences for the city. Every time we come back, we have rolled the dice again. Only, we don't know the rules of the game. The studies have small sample sizes. The results have been contradictory. Everyone walks around nursing a theory about why some people get sick and others don’t, some idiosyncratic solution of recency bias, media diet, and half-forgotten high school biology. Everyone’s Probability Zone looks different, changes constantly. We are told not to wear a mask, and I resent the mask wearers. We are told to wear a mask, and I resent the maskless. We are told that some of the masks are fake, that wearing masks wrong can trap the virus against your mucus membranes, that you can stick a mask in the oven to purify it. Outside, when there’s no one around, my wife sometimes removes her mask to steal a full breath. She’s 8 months pregnant and she gets winded. This annoys me — doesn’t she know that she’s adding to the number? Then I’m annoyed that I’m annoyed. I’m not the pregnant one. I have no idea how she feels. Am I trying to protect her or am I trying to control her body? I have stopped policing her sips of wine. How the fuck would I make it through this without wine?
Yet somehow my wife exudes calm, in the kind of “Que Sera, Sera” way I associate with Buddhists and stoners — not exactly with the woman I married. Her therapist says this is because of “pregnancy hormones.” Her hair is thicker and her skin is brighter. She has heartburn. She grabs my hand to her belly in delight when the baby kicks, but sometimes it’s too late and he’s stopped. Her experience is physical. Mine is abstract. She seems to have left the Probability Zone. I spend all my time there, reworking my algorithm based on studies about pregnant women in Wuhan, feeling grateful for the dependability of Amazon deliveries and the Capital One mobile banking app.
We retreat into telemedicine, teletherapy, telepregnancy. We attend a virtual birthing class. I’m distracted by the bookmarks for Gothamist and Smitten Kitchen on the doula’s shared desktop screen. I wonder if she’s baked the “i want chocolate cake” chocolate cake recently. A couple in Alabama keeps cutting in and out. Three hours pass. When it comes to medical interventions, the doula concludes, “Always remember BRAIN.” It stands for BENEFITS, RISKS, ALTERNATIVES, INTUITION, NO, NEVER, NOT NOW.
We want to know which way the baby is facing, so we video-chat a friend, a midwife in California. She tells me to press around my wife’s stomach to try to find something round and protuberant — it's likely to be the head or the butt, and we can triangulate from there. So I go about trying to seize my unborn son’s butt, with all the grace of a bowling alley arcade claw. Incompetence leads to ticklishness, leads to laughter, leads to failure, leads to Netflix.
One day, we learn that our hospital has banned partners from the delivery room. We are COVID-19 risks.
“I had been doing so well until this,” my wife says. “But I don’t know how I can make it through labor alone.” We discuss fleeing to where we grew up, but worry about infecting our parents. We hatch harebrained schemes to get me into the hospital. One of them involves bribing the medical staff with baked goods. Or maybe I could contract and recover from COVID-19 in time for the delivery?
I tell her I’ll be there the whole way on FaceTime. Don’t worry about it.
A small part of me is glad for the ban. Doctors are masters of the Probability Zone. They deliver lots of babies — we only have one. If the doctors at this hospital have consulted the Zone and concluded that I am not safe, then I will swallow my pain and update accordingly. Maybe all the other hospitals have it wrong. I read about critically sick women in labor, intubated, unconscious, cut, sewn. If it is unsafe for these women to experience childbirth, they will have to update accordingly. They will have photographs. If our son spends the first months of his life in a NICU, we will have to update accordingly. We will get Seamless delivery and see him as often as possible. If he doesn’t meet his grandparents until he is 2 years old, if he never meets his grandparents, we will have to update accordingly. We will Zoom — or we won’t.
When the governor announces an executive order requiring that the hospital let partners in, I cry, mostly but not entirely out of relief. I had adjusted my fear hypothesis and now I have to adjust it back.
For now, that’s where we are. We have enwombed ourselves, and we will stay here until my son has to leave. Recently, when I’m lying in bed and I can’t sleep for running the odds, I picture him. I don’t see him in my arms or my wife’s arms. But I see him, new and good, with a chance — whatever that number is — and I stop imagining what could go wrong.
The other day, I came across a neighbor on all fours at her front door, disinfecting plastic containers of Thai food with Clorox wipes. She’s such a nice person, with two kids under 2.
“I know I look crazy,” she said with a laugh. I wanted to give her a big hug. Instead I hoped she could see from my eyes that I was smiling underneath my surgical mask. Then I rushed inside. ●


buzzfeednews--2020-04-14--Barack Obama Endorsed Joe Biden For President And Praised Bernie Sanders' Campaign

Barack Obama endorsed his former vice president Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign in a nearly 12-minute address uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday morning , while acknowledging the movement that Sen. Bernie Sanders built over the course of his two presidential runs .
“ I ’ m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States , ” Obama said near the top of his address .
“ Choosing Joe to be my vice president was one of the best decisions I ever made and he became a close friend .
And I believe Joe has all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president right now.
” Obama recalled Biden ’ s work in his administration to come back from crises like the coronavirus pandemic facing America now , specifically highlighting Biden ’ s roles in creating and implementing programs to recover from the recession at the start of his term and his work in response to the H1N1 and Ebola outbreaks .
“ Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery , ” Obama said .
The Obama endorsement comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats seek the party ’ s presidential nomination and that was interspersed with events that have taken the spotlight off the election , including an impeachment trial and a global pandemic that has now left the general election campaign stuck in a livestreamed purgatory .
“ Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever .
Each of our candidates were talented and decent with the track record of accomplishment , smart ideas , and serious visions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That ’ s certainly true for the candidate that made it farther than any other — Bernie Sanders.
” “ Bernie is an American original , ” he added .
“ A man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people ’ s hopes , dreams , and frustrations.
” He said that they both know that “ nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change ” and that the ideas and energy he has inspired is “ critical ” to move the country forward .

Barack Obama endorsed his former vice president Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in a nearly 12-minute address uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday morning, while acknowledging the movement that Sen. Bernie Sanders built over the course of his two presidential runs.
“I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States,” Obama said near the top of his address. “Choosing Joe to be my vice president was one of the best decisions I ever made and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all of the qualities we need in a president right now.”
Obama recalled Biden’s work in his administration to come back from crises like the coronavirus pandemic facing America now, specifically highlighting Biden’s roles in creating and implementing programs to recover from the recession at the start of his term and his work in response to the H1N1 and Ebola outbreaks.
“Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery,” Obama said.
The Obama endorsement comes after a primary that saw nearly 30 Democrats seek the party’s presidential nomination and that was interspersed with events that have taken the spotlight off the election, including an impeachment trial and a global pandemic that has now left the general election campaign stuck in a livestreamed purgatory.
“Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent with the track record of accomplishment, smart ideas, and serious visions for the future,” Obama said. “That’s certainly true for the candidate that made it farther than any other — Bernie Sanders.”
“Bernie is an American original,” he added. “A man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations.” He said that they both know that “nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change” and that the ideas and energy he has inspired is “critical” to move the country forward.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Trump Got 3 Important Things Wrong In A 9.5-Minute National Address About The Coronavirus

Trump 's errors about travel , cargo , and coronavirus testing sent his own administration and experts scrambling to get the facts out .
President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night to announce how the government plans to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
He spoke for about 9.5 minutes during primetime television — and got three huge things wrong , spreading confusion and sending his aides and experts scrambling to get the right information out .
As of Thursday , more than 1,300 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wuhan , China .
So far , 38 people have died .
1 .
The 30-day European travel ban DOES NOT apply to US citizens or permanent residents .
Here 's what Trump said in his address : To keep new cases from entering our shores , we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days .
The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight .
These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground .
There will be exemptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The European countries in question are : Austria , Belgium , Czech Republic , Denmark , Estonia , Finland , France , Germany , Greece , Hungary , Iceland , Italy , Latvia , Liechtenstein , Lithuania , Luxembourg , Malta , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Portugal , Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain , Sweden , and Switzerland .
Minutes after Trump was done talking , the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement clarifying that exceptions will be made for a large number of groups — and did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these groups to undergo `` appropriate screenings '' before entering the country .
DHS acting Secretary Chad Wolf said the travel restrictions do not apply to `` legal permanent residents , ( generally ) immediate family members of U.S. citizens , and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation . ''
The presidential proclamation , released by the White House on Wednesday night , lists all of the exempted groups — and also does n't include anything about mandatory screening or testing .
2 .
The European travel restrictions actually DO NOT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said in his address : These prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo , but various other things as we get approval .
Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing .
These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom .
The presidential proclamation does n't mention anything about trade restrictions .
In the proclamation , Trump says , `` The free flow of commerce between the United States and the [ affected European countries ] remains an economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I remain committed to facilitating trade between our nations . ''
After finishing his speech , Trump walked back his comment on trade , saying that it would not be affected by the restrictions .
Here 's what Trump said in his address : Earlier this week , I met with the leaders of health insurance industry who have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments , extend insurance coverage to these treatments , and to prevent surprise medical billing .
We are cutting massive amounts of red tape to make antiviral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments will significantly reduce the impact and reach of the virus .
That 's not true .
Following Trump 's speech , America 's Health Insurance Plans ( AHIP ) , a major health insurance lobby , clarified that they would only be waiving costs for tests , not treatment , and referred Americans to their previous statements on their planned actions to combat the virus 's spread .
In a press release Mar .
6 , AHIP 's board of directors said that insurance providers `` will cover needed diagnostic testing when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to treatment , however , they said that providers will `` take action to ease network , referral , and prior authorization requirements and/or waive patient cost sharing . ''
In other words , they are not removing costs all together .

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night to announce how the government plans to combat the spread of the coronavirus. He spoke for about 9.5 minutes during primetime television — and got three huge things wrong, spreading confusion and sending his aides and experts scrambling to get the right information out.
As of Thursday, more than 1,300 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus first identified late last year in Wuhan, China. So far, 38 people have died.
1. The 30-day European travel ban DOES NOT apply to US citizens or permanent residents.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Coronavirus Is The Nightmare People Worried About When Trump Won

Nobody knows what to do .
Is it ethical to go for a walk ?
Maybe ?
To the movies ?
Probably not .
How about to dinner with a friend ?
Likely not a great idea , but also small restaurants , and the people who work there , are suffering .
What is the right thing to do ?
Every decision in the time of COVID-19 has taken on extraordinary weight .
It ’ s up to us to stop this thing , we feel in our guts .
We know the tests just aren ’ t being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the task .
We look to a country on total lockdown and another digging mass graves and ask : Is this our future ?
This is the nightmare situation some feared when Donald Trump first came to power .
His favorability ratings have been about what you ’ d think — high among Republicans , low among Democrats .
But look at how many people view him as “ honest and trustworthy ” and you get a better picture .
One hundred days after he took office , he was viewed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , “ the lowest number ever recorded this early in a presidency , ” as my colleague Dan Vergano reported at the time .
That number stayed about flat at 34 % by summer of last year .
How do you live when you don ’ t trust your leader to do the right thing ?
We ’ ve seen mistakes before and disagreed with policies enacted by previous leaders .
Gay men probably know better than anyone what it ’ s like to live with a government that refuses to adequately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can wipe out millions of people .
To live amid a crisis without the basic assumption that your government is competent enough to handle it is a recipe for total anxiety .
Night after night , the president ’ s favorite acolytes on Fox News trot out a series of platitudes , as well as bleary-eyed senators and experts , to try to calm people down .
Sean Hannity , an informal Trump adviser , repeatedly insists that only elderly and immunocompromised people will die — as if those people aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
“ We ’ re not all gon na die , ” Laura Ingraham said Wednesday night , as if this was meant to make people feel better .
Later , a guest on her show assured those watching that only a fraction of the infected would face “ mortality issues , ” which is a new way of talking about death .
Millions of people around the world live this way , and have for decades , and it is unsettling to see this blanket of horror descend upon the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2002 when a group of Chechen militants took a crowded theater hostage in the middle of a musical .
The siege went on for days , and in the end 129 people were dead ( though some continue to insist the number was even higher ) .
Nearly all of them were killed not by the hostage-takers , but by a gas the Russian government pumped in through the vents to incapacitate the militants so they could storm the theater .
The government told no one — not police , not doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no way to treat people when they were pulled out .
Many of those who died had been loaded onto buses , seated with their heads slung back , and choked on their own vomit .
I was two years out of college then , a freelancer trying to make her way in the world , and have an image of myself absolutely frozen at the thought of what had just happened .
I ’ m standing wide-eyed in my living room , my hands covering my mouth , trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of its people in a bid to look tough and decisive .
It could have been so different — why didn ’ t they do the bare minimum to ensure those people lived ?
Because they were fodder , a sacrifice for a bigger priority .
The Trump administration squandered weeks when they could have been preparing for COVID-19 by projecting denialism instead .
There they were , blaming China , hoping for warm weather , patting themselves on the back when they could have been getting tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health system under strain .
It seems like Trump only woke up to the crisis once the stock market began to crash , and spent the days after that focusing on the economic impact instead of informing an increasingly worried population .
Now he is calling for unity and trust .
Trump ’ s address to the nation — which contained numerous inaccuracies — was designed to project calm and resolve , according to aides .
Some of his supporters see the subsequent outcry as further evidence of a grand plan to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t see is that everyone is screaming into the void , begging for guidance , but how are they supposed to trust a man for whom they know they are not the top priority ?
“ Epidemics do not create abnormal situations but rather sharpen existing behavior which ‘ betray deeply rooted and continuing social imbalances , ’ ” Roderick McGrew wrote in the last century , in a paper studying a cholera epidemic in Russia .
This pandemic is bringing everything into sharp focus — from class structures to the chaos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing us to reckon with the US 's role in the world , and our own image of ourselves .
And it is revealing the president for who he truly is , what he is capable of , and where his priorities lie , more than ever before .
That McGrew quote was cited in another paper , on a bubonic plague outbreak in South Africa in the early years of the previous century .
It begins with a quote from Benjamin Disraeli , the 19th century–era UK prime minister , speaking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation on which repose the happiness of the people and the power of a country .
The care of the public health is the first duty of a statesman.
” No wonder everyone feels at a complete loss .

Nobody knows what to do. Is it ethical to go for a walk? Maybe? To the movies? Probably not. How about to dinner with a friend? Likely not a great idea, but also small restaurants, and the people who work there, are suffering. What is the right thing to do?
Every decision in the time of COVID-19 has taken on extraordinary weight. It’s up to us to stop this thing, we feel in our guts. We know the tests just aren’t being done, the health system not up to the task. We look to a country on total lockdown and another digging mass graves and ask: Is this our future?
This is the nightmare situation some feared when Donald Trump first came to power. His favorability ratings have been about what you’d think — high among Republicans, low among Democrats. But look at how many people view him as “honest and trustworthy” and you get a better picture. One hundred days after he took office, he was viewed as such by only 36% of the public, “the lowest number ever recorded this early in a presidency,” as my colleague Dan Vergano reported at the time. That number stayed about flat at 34% by summer of last year.
How do you live when you don’t trust your leader to do the right thing?
We’ve seen mistakes before and disagreed with policies enacted by previous leaders. Gay men probably know better than anyone what it’s like to live with a government that refuses to adequately confront a deadly epidemic, one that can wipe out millions of people.
To live amid a crisis without the basic assumption that your government is competent enough to handle it is a recipe for total anxiety. Night after night, the president’s favorite acolytes on Fox News trot out a series of platitudes, as well as bleary-eyed senators and experts, to try to calm people down. Sean Hannity, an informal Trump adviser, repeatedly insists that only elderly and immunocompromised people will die — as if those people aren’t sitting there, at home, watching him. “We’re not all gonna die,” Laura Ingraham said Wednesday night, as if this was meant to make people feel better. Later, a guest on her show assured those watching that only a fraction of the infected would face “mortality issues,” which is a new way of talking about death.
Millions of people around the world live this way, and have for decades, and it is unsettling to see this blanket of horror descend upon the United States.
I was living in Moscow in 2002 when a group of Chechen militants took a crowded theater hostage in the middle of a musical. The siege went on for days, and in the end 129 people were dead (though some continue to insist the number was even higher). Nearly all of them were killed not by the hostage-takers, but by a gas the Russian government pumped in through the vents to incapacitate the militants so they could storm the theater. The government told no one — not police, not doctors — what the gas was, so there was no way to treat people when they were pulled out. Many of those who died had been loaded onto buses, seated with their heads slung back, and choked on their own vomit.
I was two years out of college then, a freelancer trying to make her way in the world, and have an image of myself absolutely frozen at the thought of what had just happened. I’m standing wide-eyed in my living room, my hands covering my mouth, trying to understand what it means for a government to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of its people in a bid to look tough and decisive. It could have been so different — why didn’t they do the bare minimum to ensure those people lived? Because they were fodder, a sacrifice for a bigger priority.
The Trump administration squandered weeks when they could have been preparing for COVID-19 by projecting denialism instead. There they were, blaming China, hoping for warm weather, patting themselves on the back when they could have been getting tests out and laying the groundwork for a health system under strain. It seems like Trump only woke up to the crisis once the stock market began to crash, and spent the days after that focusing on the economic impact instead of informing an increasingly worried population.
Now he is calling for unity and trust. Trump’s address to the nation — which contained numerous inaccuracies — was designed to project calm and resolve, according to aides. Some of his supporters see the subsequent outcry as further evidence of a grand plan to bring the president down. What they don’t see is that everyone is screaming into the void, begging for guidance, but how are they supposed to trust a man for whom they know they are not the top priority?
“Epidemics do not create abnormal situations but rather sharpen existing behavior which ‘betray deeply rooted and continuing social imbalances,’” Roderick McGrew wrote in the last century, in a paper studying a cholera epidemic in Russia. This pandemic is bringing everything into sharp focus — from class structures to the chaos of US health care. It is forcing us to reckon with the US's role in the world, and our own image of ourselves. And it is revealing the president for who he truly is, what he is capable of, and where his priorities lie, more than ever before.
That McGrew quote was cited in another paper, on a bubonic plague outbreak in South Africa in the early years of the previous century. It begins with a quote from Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th century–era UK prime minister, speaking in 1875: “The public health is the foundation on which repose the happiness of the people and the power of a country. The care of the public health is the first duty of a statesman.” No wonder everyone feels at a complete loss.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Celebs Are Sending Love To Tom Hanks And Rita Wilson After Their Coronavirus Diagnosis

`` Get well soon brother , '' he added .
`` I love you tremendously .
Praying for you and wifey .
Always my nizzle . ''
`` DAMN YOU TOM !
!
!
`` actor Marlon Wayans wrote on Hanks ' Instagram .
`` You always got ta be first .
First Emmy winner , first Oscar winner , first Hollywood Coronavirus .
That one was mine damn it !
Curses 🤬 😂 '' But those in Hollywood are letting the sick stars know that they 're in their thoughts — and some are using a bit of humor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hanks and Rita Wilson were the first famous Americans to become infected with the coronavirus was just as shocking to their celebrity friends as it was to the rest of us .
Hanks and Wilson are currently on Australia 's Gold Coast in Queensland where he is shooting a movie with director Baz Luhrmann about the life of Elvis Presley .
( It is not clear whether they contracted the virus in Australia or before they left the US . )
Hanks announced on social media on Thursday local time that the couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt a bit tired , like we had colds , and some body aches , '' he wrote , adding that they were also experiencing some slight fevers — so they had taken themselves to get tested for the coronavirus , despite thinking it was probably just a cold .
Luckily for the pair , they were in Australia and not the US , because the Australian government has made the tests free and widely available .
Hanks said he and his wife will follow medical protocols and be tested , observed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required .
`` Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach , no ? ''
he wrote .
The head of the Queensland government has urged anyone who had contacted with the pair to self-quarantine .
Once the news reached the US that one of America 's most beloved actors had tested positive for the virus , many other entertainers wanted to send good vibes to the pair .

Hanks and Wilson are currently on Australia's Gold Coast in Queensland where he is shooting a movie with director Baz Luhrmann about the life of Elvis Presley. (It is not clear whether they contracted the virus in Australia or before they left the US.)
Hanks announced on social media on Thursday local time that the couple had been feeling unwell — "we felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches," he wrote, adding that they were also experiencing some slight fevers — so they had taken themselves to get tested for the coronavirus, despite thinking it was probably just a cold.
Luckily for the pair, they were in Australia and not the US, because the Australian government has made the tests free and widely available.
Hanks said he and his wife will follow medical protocols and be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as is required. "Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?" he wrote.
The head of the Queensland government has urged anyone who had contacted with the pair to self-quarantine.
Once the news reached the US that one of America's most beloved actors had tested positive for the virus, many other entertainers wanted to send good vibes to the pair.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Tom Hanks Is *Not* In Coronavirus Quarantine With Wilson, The Ball From "Cast Away"

In case you 've been living on a deserted island like in Cast Away , the movie 's star , @ @ @ @ @ wife , Rita Wilson , have become the first Hollywood stars to announce they 've @ @ @ @ @ .
Hanks revealed the news on social media from Australia 's Gold Coast in Queensland @ @ @ @ @ a movie .
The news sent everyone into a spin , including the pair 's @ @ @ @ @ now sending their love and prayers to the couple as they stay in medical isolation @ @ @ @ @ of Hanks in quarantine with a Cast Away `` costar '' has gone viral on @ @

In case you've been living on a deserted island like in Cast Away, the movie's star, Tom Hanks, and his wife, Rita Wilson, have become the first Hollywood stars to announce they've tested positive for the coronavirus.
Hanks revealed the news on social media from Australia's Gold Coast in Queensland, where he is filming a movie.
The news sent everyone into a spin, including the pair's famous friends, who are now sending their love and prayers to the couple as they stay in medical isolation.
But a fake photo of Hanks in quarantine with a Cast Away "costar" has gone viral on Thursday.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Tom Hanks And Rita Wilson Announced That They Have Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

`` Hello , folks .
Rita and I are down here in Australia .
We felt a bit tired , like we had colds , and some body aches .
Rita had some chills that came and went .
Slight fevers too .
To play things right , as is needed in the world right now , we were tested for the Coronavirus , and were found to be positive , '' Hanks wrote on Instagram .
`` Well , now .
What to do next ?
The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed .
We Hanks ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolated for as long as public health and safety requires .
Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach , no ?
We ’ ll keep the world posted and updated .
Take care of yourselves !
The Oscar-winning actor made the announcement on Instagram , saying the couple , who are in Australia , got the diagnosis after being tested for chills and `` slight fevers . ''
Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson announced Wednesday that they have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are both 63 , referred a request for comment to the actor 's Instagram post .
They are first major celebrities to publicly announce a COVID-19 diagnosis since the World Health Organization was notified on Dec. 31 by Chinese authorities of the new strain of coronavirus in Wuhan , China .
Their son , Chet , said in an Instagram video that he had spoken to his parents and they were `` not even that sick . ''
`` It ’ s true , my parents got coronavirus .
Crazy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the phone with them , they both are fine , they ’ re not even that sick .
They ’ re not worried about it , they ’ re not tripping , but they ’ re going through the necessary health precautions obviously .
But I don ’ t think it ’ s anything to be too worried about . ''
The outbreak has since spread around the globe , killing thousands and prompting the WHO to declare a pandemic .
As of Wednesday , more than 1,200 people in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died .
Meanwhile in Hollywood , premieres , screenings , and productions have been halted in the wake of the virus spreading across the United States .
Morning TV shows as well as late-night shows including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon , The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver are taping their broadcasts without audiences out of concern for the coronavirus outbreak .
`` The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority , '' NBC said in a statement .
Hulu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally scheduled for March 12 in Los Angeles , has also been canceled .
“ As you are all aware , the current state of affairs has altered the daily lives of many people , including our cast and crew , ” representatives said in an email .
“ After hearing from many of you , and out of an abundance of caution , we are canceling tomorrow ’ s Little Fires Everywhere premiere screening and celebration.
” The CW ’ s Riverdale has suspended production on their fourth season , which films @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an abundance of caution , ” according to a statement from Warner Bros. TV .
There were concerns that a person working on the show was recently exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus , and that team member is currently under medical evaluation .
“ We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member , ” a spokesperson for the studio said in a statement .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casts and crews is always our top priority .
We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world .
”

Hanks is in Australia filming Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic.
Publicists for Hanks and Wilson, who are both 63, referred a request for comment to the actor's Instagram post. They are first major celebrities to publicly announce a COVID-19 diagnosis since the World Health Organization was notified on Dec. 31 by Chinese authorities of the new strain of coronavirus in Wuhan, China.
Their son, Chet, said in an Instagram video that he had spoken to his parents and they were "not even that sick."
"It’s true, my parents got coronavirus. Crazy," he said. "I just got off the phone with them, they both are fine, they’re not even that sick. They’re not worried about it, they’re not tripping, but they’re going through the necessary health precautions obviously. But I don’t think it’s anything to be too worried about."
The outbreak has since spread around the globe, killing thousands and prompting the WHO to declare a pandemic. As of Wednesday, more than 1,200 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 and 36 have died.
Meanwhile in Hollywood, premieres, screenings, and productions have been halted in the wake of the virus spreading across the United States.
Morning TV shows as well as late-night shows including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver are taping their broadcasts without audiences out of concern for the coronavirus outbreak.
"The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority," NBC said in a statement.
Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere premiere, originally scheduled for March 12 in Los Angeles, has also been canceled.
“As you are all aware, the current state of affairs has altered the daily lives of many people, including our cast and crew,” representatives said in an email. “After hearing from many of you, and out of an abundance of caution, we are canceling tomorrow’s Little Fires Everywhere premiere screening and celebration.”
The CW’s Riverdale has suspended production on their fourth season, which films in Vancouver, Canada, “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a statement from Warner Bros. TV. There were concerns that a person working on the show was recently exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus, and that team member is currently under medical evaluation.
“We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member,” a spokesperson for the studio said in a statement. “The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--The Coronavirus May Stay On Some Surfaces For Up To Three Days, New Research Suggests

The coronavirus appears able to linger in the air for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for two to three days , according to laboratory tests run by a team of federal and academic scientists in the US .
It ’ s unclear whether the virus would behave the same way in the real world .
Since it began circulating in December , it has infected more than 124,000 people worldwide — making it officially a pandemic , according to the World Health Organization .
Person-to-person contact is believed to be the main way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the CDC , though transmission through contaminated objects and surfaces “ may be possible.
” The agency acknowledged that “ novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials.
” The new study , published Tuesday , was uploaded to MedRxiv , a repository of early-stage scientific papers that have not yet been peer reviewed .
The new tests found that the ability of the novel coronavirus , also known as SARS-CoV-2 , to stay in the air and on surfaces was highly similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also caused by a coronavirus , according to the paper , which was done by researchers from the National Institutes of Health , the CDC , UCLA , and Princeton University .
Are you a health care provider or patient who has had issues getting tested for the coronavirus ?
BuzzFeed News wants to hear from you .
Take our survey here .
“ This is not surprising — it ’ s excellent science , ” said David Weber , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at the University of North Carolina at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the new paper .
“ It adds to what we know about COVID [ -19 ] , ” the name of the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
Previous studies have detected the MERS virus , also a type of coronavirus , on steel and plastic surfaces for up to two days , and the SARS virus on plastic for up to five days .
Weber said that the paper is important because it sheds further light on how SARS-CoV-2 behaves .
But he noted that it doesn ’ t explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually contribute to someone ’ s likelihood of getting sick .
Suppose that an infected person rubs their nose and touches a plastic door handle , which is in turn touched by someone else who rubs their own nose .
“ Does that account for 0.01 % of transmissions or 15 % of transmissions ?
” Weber said .
“ We do n't know how frequent it is.
” The scientists ran a battery of tests with a strain of SARS-CoV-2 .
They sprayed it into a rotating drum and measured how long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours .
They also deposited small amounts on plastic and stainless steel ( up to two to three days ) , copper ( up to four hours ) , and on cardboard ( 24 hours ) .
The authors of the paper did not immediately return a request for comment .
Weber said that although the results of the aerosol study seemed legitimate , they weren ’ t clearly applicable to real-world conditions .
“ The question is , do you have enough virus in the air so that someone 15 feet away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measles ?
” he said .
“ This does n't really prove this to me one way or another.
” He also noted that in the open air , viruses tend to dry out from humidity or be killed off by ultraviolet light .
If proven true , the findings would further reinforce the need to adhere to the CDC ’ s existing coronavirus guidelines , Weber said .
The agency advises staying at least six feet away from people who are coughing and sneezing , and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to light switches to tables .

The coronavirus appears able to linger in the air for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for two to three days, according to laboratory tests run by a team of federal and academic scientists in the US.
It’s unclear whether the virus would behave the same way in the real world. Since it began circulating in December, it has infected more than 124,000 people worldwide — making it officially a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.
Person-to-person contact is believed to be the main way that the new virus is transmitted, according to the CDC, though transmission through contaminated objects and surfaces “may be possible.” The agency acknowledged that “novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials.”
The new study, published Tuesday, was uploaded to MedRxiv, a repository of early-stage scientific papers that have not yet been peer reviewed.
The new tests found that the ability of the novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, to stay in the air and on surfaces was highly similar to that of SARS, which is also caused by a coronavirus, according to the paper, which was done by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, UCLA, and Princeton University.
Are you a health care provider or patient who has had issues getting tested for the coronavirus? BuzzFeed News wants to hear from you. Take our survey here.
“This is not surprising — it’s excellent science,” said David Weber, an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was not involved with the new paper. “It adds to what we know about COVID[-19],” the name of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Previous studies have detected the MERS virus, also a type of coronavirus, on steel and plastic surfaces for up to two days, and the SARS virus on plastic for up to five days.
Weber said that the paper is important because it sheds further light on how SARS-CoV-2 behaves. But he noted that it doesn’t explain how much surface or air contact might actually contribute to someone’s likelihood of getting sick.
Suppose that an infected person rubs their nose and touches a plastic door handle, which is in turn touched by someone else who rubs their own nose. “Does that account for 0.01% of transmissions or 15% of transmissions?” Weber said. “We don't know how frequent it is.”
The scientists ran a battery of tests with a strain of SARS-CoV-2. They sprayed it into a rotating drum and measured how long it stayed in the air: three hours. They also deposited small amounts on plastic and stainless steel (up to two to three days), copper (up to four hours), and on cardboard (24 hours). The authors of the paper did not immediately return a request for comment.
Weber said that although the results of the aerosol study seemed legitimate, they weren’t clearly applicable to real-world conditions. “The question is, do you have enough virus in the air so that someone 15 feet away could get infected like they could with measles?” he said. “This doesn't really prove this to me one way or another.”
He also noted that in the open air, viruses tend to dry out from humidity or be killed off by ultraviolet light.
If proven true, the findings would further reinforce the need to adhere to the CDC’s existing coronavirus guidelines, Weber said.
The agency advises staying at least six feet away from people who are coughing and sneezing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces in household common areas, from sinks to light switches to tables.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--New York Is Shutting Down Broadway Shows And All Gatherings Over 500 People

The announcement comes days after a Broadway usher tested positive for the coronavirus .
Broadway is suspending all of its shows for a month after New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced a ban of all gatherings of more than 500 people .
The suspension on Broadway was to go into effect at 5 p.m. Thursday , 24 hours before Cuomo 's ban is enforced .
Cuomo acknowledged during a news conference that it only gave the Broadway industry several hours , `` but we 've already been talking to the Broadway theaters , and they 're aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so they have notice . ''
On Tuesday , an usher who worked two shows tested positive for the coronavirus .
The unidentified usher , who is now quarantined , most recently worked last week at performances of Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?
The week before that he worked two performances of Six , a musical about the wives of Henry VIII .
The Shubert Organization and the Nederlander Organization , which each own one of the theaters , announced the diagnosis in a statement Wednesday night .
`` Immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both organizations began taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of our audiences , performers , crew , and building staff , '' representatives said in the joint statement .
Both organizations said the theaters were deep-cleaned and that they were `` closely following all protocols related to containment and prevention , '' including informing all employees who may have been exposed and urging all high-risk audience members to `` monitor their health diligently . ''
But the shows still went on Wednesday night and the theaters did not rush to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommending `` social distancing , '' or avoiding large crowds , to stop the spread of the virus .
Ticket holders were , however , permitted to exchange their tickets for ones at a later date .
In fact , as late as Thursday , several shows — including Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?
— were offering $ 50 discount tickets to keep crowds coming as more people avoid large public gatherings .
To Kill a Mockingbird , West Side Story , The Lehman Trilogy , and The Book of Mormon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broadway producer Scott Rudin , were also offering the cheap seats .
“ As long as New York City is open for business , its beating heart remains the Broadway stage , '' Rudin told Deadline .
`` This is an unprecedented opportunity for everyone to see a show that they otherwise might not have had easy and affordable access to .
I can ’ t pretend that great theater is the panacea we ’ ve been waiting for , but in the meantime I think we could all use a few hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racaniello , a professor of microbiology at Columbia University , told BuzzFeed News it was crucial Broadway close in order to prevent people from catching the coronavirus .
`` There is no question that Broadway shows should be closed , '' Racaniello said .
`` Any large gatherings of people , especially here in NYC where we know the virus is circulating , need to stop . ''
The reason for drastic measures like fully shutting down shows is not because `` the virus is particularly lethal , '' he added .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infected people need hospitalization , then we will rapidly overwhelm the health care system here in the city , which has limited capacity , '' he said .
So , if an outbreak occurs at a Broadway theater , which has hundreds of seats , the results could be catastrophic when it comes to having enough resources and health care workers to care for the ill. `` This is what happened in Wuhan , Italy , and Iran , '' Racaniello said .
`` We are so unprepared for this outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denying its existence or severity . ''
A few miles north of Broadway , a containment zone has been established in the New York City suburb of New Rochelle — the first such designation in the US .
Broadway star Stephanie J .
Block , who won a Tony last year for her performance in The Cher Show , was among those urging the theaters to close .
But many people who work in the theaters — including ushers and actors — have few other sources of income .
Even while the theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place at many of them .
The Broadway League , the industry 's trade association , discouraged the common practice of actors greeting fans at the stage door for pictures and autographs .
`` As an added precaution , we are highly recommending that all stage door activities be eliminated for the time being , '' the league said in a statement .
Many shows announced a suspension of the stage door tradition on social media .
Every Broadway theater was equipped with hand sanitizer dispensers in the lobby , and cleaning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public areas and backstage , the trade association said .
`` Anyone who is experiencing cold or flu symptoms , or who is not feeling well , is encouraged to stay home and contact the point of purchase for more information about ticket exchanges and policies , '' it added .
Before the shows were canceled , it was unclear whether refunds would be made available to those who wished to sit performances out , as tickets are usually not refundable unless the event is canceled or rescheduled .
On Twitter , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silence '' and refusals of refunds from Ticketmaster and Telecharge .
One person on Reddit reported the ticketing sites offered full refunds upon hearing the person was self-quarantining .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Ticketmaster and Telecharge regarding their refund policies during the coronavirus outbreak .
On Thursday morning , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said `` new models '' are being looked into to see whether capacity could be reduced in theaters in order to make them safer .
`` I don ’ t want to see Broadway go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I want to see if we can strike some kind of balance , '' he said on CNN .
If a solution can not be determined , the theaters would indeed be directed to close , he said .
`` We ’ re going to have to think very differently , '' he said .
`` Our society is changing by the hour right now .
But that does not mean I think we should anticipate a society with no social activity , no work , no school . ''
Many New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would close due to the coronavirus threat .
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will close its doors and conduct a deep cleaning , and the two smaller branches of the museum — The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters — will close as well .
There are no confirmed cases of the disease stemming from the museums , and a date for reopening was not immediately announced .
The Metropolitan Opera , New York Philharmonic , and Carnegie Hall said they were canceling all performances until March 31 .
It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the fallout .
In Los Angeles , the Hollywood Pantages venue suspended its staging of Hamilton through March 31 `` in support of the well-being of the theatre-going public , as well as those who work on the production . ''
A system for refunds had already been put in place .
In San Francisco , a production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was canceled Thursday until at least the end of March .
The production , which was being held at the Curran Theater , had previously remained scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on large public gatherings was issued .
There was to be a 1,000-person cap on each performance , in a venue that has a 1,667-person capacity , according to the San Francisco Chronicle .
Ticket holders for performances over that capacity were to be contacted and asked to exchange for another night .
Prior to its announcement Thursday , it had not been allowing for ticket refunds , according to a number of complaints to the venue .
One ticket holder told BuzzFeed News she requested a refund on her tickets , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several people who are at high risk for the coronavirus .
The venue refused , only allowing her to exchange them for another night , she said .
Several people had made similar complaints on social media .

Broadway is suspending all of its shows for a month after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced a ban of all gatherings of more than 500 people.
The suspension on Broadway was to go into effect at 5 p.m. Thursday, 24 hours before Cuomo's ban is enforced.
Cuomo acknowledged during a news conference that it only gave the Broadway industry several hours, "but we've already been talking to the Broadway theaters, and they're aware we're going to be doing this, so they have notice."
On Tuesday, an usher who worked two shows tested positive for the coronavirus. The unidentified usher, who is now quarantined, most recently worked last week at performances of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The week before that he worked two performances of Six, a musical about the wives of Henry VIII.
The Shubert Organization and the Nederlander Organization, which each own one of the theaters, announced the diagnosis in a statement Wednesday night.
"Immediately upon learning of the positive test, both organizations began taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of our audiences, performers, crew, and building staff," representatives said in the joint statement.
Both organizations said the theaters were deep-cleaned and that they were "closely following all protocols related to containment and prevention," including informing all employees who may have been exposed and urging all high-risk audience members to "monitor their health diligently."
But the shows still went on Wednesday night and the theaters did not rush to close due to the virus — despite experts recommending "social distancing," or avoiding large crowds, to stop the spread of the virus.
Ticket holders were, however, permitted to exchange their tickets for ones at a later date.
In fact, as late as Thursday, several shows — including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — were offering $50 discount tickets to keep crowds coming as more people avoid large public gatherings.
To Kill a Mockingbird, West Side Story, The Lehman Trilogy, and The Book of Mormon, all of which are produced by Broadway producer Scott Rudin, were also offering the cheap seats.
“As long as New York City is open for business, its beating heart remains the Broadway stage," Rudin told Deadline. "This is an unprecedented opportunity for everyone to see a show that they otherwise might not have had easy and affordable access to. I can’t pretend that great theater is the panacea we’ve been waiting for, but in the meantime I think we could all use a few hours away from the evening news.”