buzzfeednews--2020-05-16--This UK Photographer Can't Travel To The Congo — So He's Lifting Up Local Voices Instead

`` This is a way to amplify their voices on work they ’ re already doing , taking it beyond the communities that would already be sharing this information , and give it the platform '' Finbarr O'Reilly is a photographer based in London whose work was recently recognized by the prestigious Carmignac Photojournalism Award .
O'Reilly had spent many years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and had intended to cover the potential the region has .
Usually , this award grants 50,000 euros to laureates to cover travel costs related to a project in the field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the novel coronavirus , O ’ Reilly found himself stuck in London , unable to pursue his project in Congo .
Along with the Carmignac board , he came up with an ingenious , and unprecedented , method to continue work in the Congo by sharing the award with eight local journalists in a project known as `` Congo in Conversation . ''
The journalists work in close coordination with O'Reilly and cover events in their neighborhoods , adhering to strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
We spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conversation has been edited for clarity here .
How did you choose to approach the award in this way ?
The nature of this grant , like many grants , is that it is given to an individual , and as in previous years , I was tasked with creating a body of work that would then be turned into a book and an exhibition .
Of course , with our pandemic situation , that ’ s on hold for the time being , and we ’ ve had to rethink how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
From the outset , I was trying to think of ways to collaborate with Congolese journalists that was somehow hopeful , in a country that is only starting to be emerging from generations of exploitation and conflict and misrule , dating all the way back to the Belgian colonial era , which has cast a really long shadow over the country .
Part of my thinking behind taking an approach like this was because Congo , like many other countries in Africa , are portrayed recurringly in western media that do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
At the end of last year , I took the commission from the Nobel Peace Prize to be their exhibition photographer around the Nobel Peace Prize winner , and I accepted the commission before we knew who the winner was going to be , and it turned out to be the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed .
I realized that this was one of those dynamics where you have a European , or Scandinavian , award being given to an African leader , and a European going to create an exhibition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew there was a really strong photographic community in Ethiopia , so I got in touch to talk about ways we could collaborate .
We ended up sharing the exhibition with several different photographers and myself , and our work was presented equally , which was nice .
Three of the seven photographers attended the opening in Oslo .
What this meant was that the opening exhibition at the peace center in Oslo was much richer and more interesting , and the job that I was tasked with doing was much better .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t always have a global platform , suddenly had this opportunity to be in this project as well , so everybody gained .
I was hoping to bring an approach like that to the Carmignac award , and in a curious kind of twist of fate , I was unable to travel due to borders being closed .
With travel being limited for the foreseeable future , we started to discuss how we could take a similar approach and create remotely a platform from which we could share the work of Congolese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collaborative way , curate their work , and have their ideas and voices put forward , and show how in this pandemic that connects all of us in one way or another around the world .
Having to deal with this kind of upheaval is strange to most people who aren ’ t used to disruptions to their lives , in the way that many Congolese might be .
It 's a country that ’ s had the deadliest conflict since WWII , misrule , exploitation , Ebola epidemics , measles outbreaks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of really disruptive and in many ways traumatic events that have meant that the people there are finding ways to work through these things , which is what we are now having to do .
There is a lot that can be learned from this experience .
In the sense that the Congolese have been dealing with the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history , they were very quick to adopt the measures suggested by the WHO such as hand washing , social distancing .
In some of the areas where the Ebola outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already in place .
In terms of closing down borders and measures that for us seem massively catastrophic and in many ways are , in Congo , these kinds of things are not so unusual , although this is a very extreme situation for everyone involved .
How did you select the journalists and story format ?
We ’ re at the very beginning of this project and figuring out how it will work .
I knew some of the journalists already , I 'd met them during travels or worked with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I relied on the Africa photojournalist database that was put together by World Press Photos .
They have experience and we have faith in the professionalism of their work , the integrity of their work , and their ability to take proper precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of others , to be careful about observing social distancing and sanitary measures around washing hands — those kinds of things .
We don ’ t want to put anyone at risk by reporting on this story .
A lot of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blogs , radio outlets , or their own projects .
This is a way to amplify their voices on work they ’ re already doing , taking it beyond the communities that would already be sharing this information , and give it the platform the Carmignac award can provide .
This is future-focused .
What are your hopes for Congo in particular ?
My original proposal that I submitted and was accepted by the jury was called “ Congo After the Deluge.
” The idea was really to look at to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country is now , and where it ’ s short term future could be .
There are many reasons to be skeptical or take a bleak view of Congo because of all these major problems in the past , but if you look at the way the youth movement is challenging those norms , it really is fascinating .
There is a youth organization called Lucha , which is a collection of artists and activists who are engaged and involved and trying to figure out social change .
Despite all the issues around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are happening that point to certain improvements .
A few of them involve hydroelectric power plants , which have been built , mostly around Virunga , which would allow for electricity to be delivered and would reduce on some of the deforestation related to charcoal , which is the main source of fuel for much of the community there .
The idea is that with the provision of electricity , especially from a renewable resource , it would relieve some of the pressure on wildlife and forests there and create employment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employ people , like unemployed young men who might otherwise be inclined to join a militia group , and this kind of thing .
You have also new laws surrounding the supply chains around minerals put into place to track the minerals that are used by companies like IBM , Apple , Tesla , for batteries for laptops and mobile phones , etc .
The government has created these new rules to button up this supply chain , so my plan is to look at how that ’ s happening and whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the way that it needs to be .
The other big issue in Congo is gender-based violence and rape .
You have the Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege in his hospital treating thousands of women over the years , but in addition to well-known organizations , you also have smaller groups , like female Congolese human rights organizations who are looking to change the status quo around what is acceptable within society .
They ’ ve been doing these educational campaigns to empower women and to offer access to medical , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working to bring the perpetrators not just of sexual violence but also domestic violence to trial .
So there are lots of challenges and there are lots of reasons to be pessimistic about Congo but the focus on this project was to look where things are being driven forward by individuals and small groups of people who are really pushing hard for positive change , mostly at the local level .
The idea behind the project , as it now stands , remains the same .
What the local journalists are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really going up amid the lockdown in place .
People can ’ t sell their goods they can ’ t make money to eat , and as much as that contributor wants to cover the degree of poverty , the focus is really on how people are coping and what inventive and ingenious ways are people managing to find a way forward despite all the challenges they are facing on a daily basis .
This is one of the paradoxes of Congo : It has so much potential , so much wealth in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this history of abuse and misuse and misrule , but you have a younger generation of activists and people who have had enough and are really pushing for changing , and my focus was on these people pushing for change in the face of these massive obstacles to progress .
Is your hope just visibility to the potential or other goals ?
I think that there are a couple of things that are happening in tandem really .
At the beginning , it 's this idea that stories on the continent have , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western media that is dominated by people who look like me : white , male , photojournalist .
That dynamic has been shifting as African photojournalists find a way to get their perspectives with an outside audience , and this is one way that ’ s adding to that .
It 's sharing that power of storytelling with Congolese journalists so that they can really shape the narrative about their country , and trade in a way that they feel is accurate and then yes , for that portrayal to reach a wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening in our world at the moment in this very bizarre time .
I 'm in touch with the photographers and the photojournalists almost daily at this point and just asking what ’ s going on , in their area and in their neighborhood because obviously people aren ’ t traveling long distances to report .
I ’ m really relying on them to tell me what ’ s happening , what ’ s important , and they will send over text and picture , and we will work on that together to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the photographs are at a high aesthetic level that we can possibly provide .
Some of the photographers that we ’ re working with are more experienced than others , and it will be a learning process for everyone as far as maintaining a standard that will be true to the Carmignac vision .
I think this is the first time in their 11-year history that the fund is doing something like this — not only funding a commission from a diverse team of local photojournalists , but also that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time — it 's not a news agency — but we will be sharing images that are a couple days , a couple weeks , maybe a couple of hours old , instead of waiting six months for the exhibition and the book .
So this is a new take on things for the project , and I am very excited that this is the first time that we ’ re doing it , even if the circumstances that are dictating that are very troubling for everyone .
In an industry that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people involved in this project are women , and that ’ s significant , particularly in a society that can still be paternalistic , and I ’ m hoping to add more women as we progress .
The nice thing about launching this over the past couple of days is that I 'm hearing from all kinds of people who are interested in participating , so I would expect this contributors list to grow .
I see this as a rolling project that we expect to last the next couple of months at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next few months how it 's going and then we ’ ll adapt as the situation evolves .
My project is still planned .
I still plan to return to Congo to do my six months of reporting at some point .

Finbarr O'Reilly is a photographer based in London whose work was recently recognized by the prestigious Carmignac Photojournalism Award. O'Reilly had spent many years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and had intended to cover the potential the region has.
Usually, this award grants 50,000 euros to laureates to cover travel costs related to a project in the field, but with borders closed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, O’Reilly found himself stuck in London, unable to pursue his project in Congo. Along with the Carmignac board, he came up with an ingenious, and unprecedented, method to continue work in the Congo by sharing the award with eight local journalists in a project known as "Congo in Conversation." The journalists work in close coordination with O'Reilly and cover events in their neighborhoods, adhering to strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We spoke with O'Reilly about his decision, and the conversation has been edited for clarity here.
How did you choose to approach the award in this way?
The nature of this grant, like many grants, is that it is given to an individual, and as in previous years, I was tasked with creating a body of work that would then be turned into a book and an exhibition. Of course, with our pandemic situation, that’s on hold for the time being, and we’ve had to rethink how we’re going to do it.
From the outset, I was trying to think of ways to collaborate with Congolese journalists that was somehow hopeful, in a country that is only starting to be emerging from generations of exploitation and conflict and misrule, dating all the way back to the Belgian colonial era, which has cast a really long shadow over the country.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-11--Instagram Placed A Disclaimer For People Searching The #Coronavirus Hashtag To Reduce Misinformation

When users click into the # coronavirus hashtag on Instagram , they will now see a notice encouraging them to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for credible information about the virus .
Instagram officially implemented the update on Sunday after parent company Facebook first announced plans to combat misinformation about the virus two weeks ago .
`` When people ... tap a related hashtag on Instagram , we will surface an educational pop-up with credible information , '' Facebook said .
A company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the CDC warning was part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of information that could put people in harm 's way . ''
Facebook has also said it would conduct `` proactive sweeps '' in order to remove or block hashtags spreading misinformation on Instagram .
It did not say what hashtags have been removed , if any .
The CDC warning follows initiatives taken by other giant social media platforms , like Pinterest , who also placed a disclaimer above pins and hashtags related to the coronavirus .
BuzzFeed News first encountered Instagram 's change when clicking across this Instagram post with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fitness influencer vacationing in Thailand .
@ Fitnessoskar shared a photo of him and his partner kissing in matching face masks , writing , in German , that while they 're not afraid of the virus , they 're still wearing masks for self-protection .
He said he 's been getting a lot of questions about whether or not he 's fearful about the virus while he 's in Phuket , Thailand .
He ends his long caption by asking his fans to share their thoughts and opinions on the virus in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few things , including # kiss and # coronavirus .

When users click into the #coronavirus hashtag on Instagram, they will now see a notice encouraging them to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for credible information about the virus.
Instagram officially implemented the update on Sunday after parent company Facebook first announced plans to combat misinformation about the virus two weeks ago.
"When people ... tap a related hashtag on Instagram, we will surface an educational pop-up with credible information," Facebook said.
A company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the CDC warning was part of an effort to "help reduce the spread of information that could put people in harm's way."
Facebook has also said it would conduct "proactive sweeps" in order to remove or block hashtags spreading misinformation on Instagram. It did not say what hashtags have been removed, if any.
The CDC warning follows initiatives taken by other giant social media platforms, like Pinterest, who also placed a disclaimer above pins and hashtags related to the coronavirus.
BuzzFeed News first encountered Instagram's change when clicking across this Instagram post with the #coronavirus hashtag from a German fitness influencer vacationing in Thailand.
@Fitnessoskar shared a photo of him and his partner kissing in matching face masks, writing, in German, that while they're not afraid of the virus, they're still wearing masks for self-protection. He said he's been getting a lot of questions about whether or not he's fearful about the virus while he's in Phuket, Thailand. He ends his long caption by asking his fans to share their thoughts and opinions on the virus in the comments.
The post is hashtagged with a few things, including #kiss and #coronavirus.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-11--YouTube Has Been Cracking Down On Coronavirus Hoaxes, But They Are Still Going Viral

The video platform is doing better than many other social networking sites but still faces an uphill battle .
If you search “ coronavirus '' or “ Wuhan '' on YouTube — even in incognito mode , which removes customization from the search results — you ’ ll see high-quality content from verified news providers .
But that doesn ’ t mean that hoaxes about the virus are n't being watched on the platform in huge numbers .
BuzzFeed News viewed a list on Monday of 500 of the most-watched YouTube videos featuring the keyword “ coronavirus , ” according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of the top videos are from news agencies like Britain 's Channel 4 News , the South China Morning Post , and BBC News .
But that list also contains dozens of popular videos that feature unconfirmed or false information about the virus .
In some cases , videos have earned millions of views with claims that the virus is an engineered bioweapon , that it originated from Chinese people eating “ bat soup , ” or that the death count is actually 10 times higher than reported .
As of Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of the virus , with 99 % in China , and 1,118 deaths .
YouTube has waged a well-documented battle over the last year against the conga line of conspiracy theories that dance below the surface of the platform .
Last February , the company demonetized anti-vax content .
Last March , it announced it would be showing “ information panels '' — text widgets that offer debunks from the site ’ s fact-checking partners — on searches for topics “ prone to misinformation.
” As of now , YouTube ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free of that misinformation — a search returns a CDC warning , a liveblog about the outbreak from a trusted news source , and hundreds of videos from verified channels .
But the coronavirus is now putting those measures to the test — and in suppressing the fringe , the site has pushed it into smaller , denser pockets of viewers .
“ We ’ re committed to providing timely and helpful information at this critical time , including raising authoritative content , reducing the spread of harmful misinformation and showing information panels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat misinformation , ” a spokesperson for YouTube told BuzzFeed News .
“ We also have clear policies that prohibit videos promoting medically unsubstantiated methods to prevent the coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment , and we quickly remove videos violating these policies when flagged to us.
” In a statement issued after publication , a Facebook spokesperson said it is `` working hard to stop the spread of coronavirus , including in groups . ''
The most-popular hoax on YouTube right now is that the coronavirus is a Chinese bioweapon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewed nearly 1.2 million times as of Tuesday .
It was posted by a channel called US Military Times , which uses text-to-speech software to write news videos about territorial disputes in the South China Sea from an anti-Beijing point of view .
US Military Times published two videos claiming the coronavirus was a bioweapon , the second of which was their most-watched video , receiving over 31,000 shares on Facebook .
Its largest source of traffic coming from pro-Tibet Facebook groups , according to social metrics dashboard Crowdtangle .
The bioweapon hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channels pushing the bioweapon hoax are Geopolitics & Empire , which published a video titled “ Francis Boyle : Wuhan Coronavirus Is an Offensive Biological Warfare Weapon '' ( 150,000 views ) , and verified user Upper Echelon Gamers , which published “ The CoronaVirus Conspiracy ( Theory ) ” ( 198,000 views ) .
Another hoax suggesting Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates was connected to the outbreak had been viewed around 150,000 times on YouTube and thousands of times on Facebook , largely in QAnon-affiliated Facebook Groups .
Videos using unconfirmed or debunked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video clip of a Chinese nurse claiming 100,000 people had been infected was translated to English and is now going viral in multiple YouTube videos .
According to WeChat users who spoke to BuzzFeed News last month , the clip has been so widely shared in China that the Chinese government sent out a message saying it was false .
The most popular video featuring the nurse , according to BuzzSumo , is “ CORONAVIRUS Update by Chinese Nurse in Wuhan , China.
” Posted to a channel called Ronald Daquipil , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Facebook , Daquipil ’ s video has been shared over 6,000 times .
A Russian translation of the video , uploaded by a different channel , has been viewed around 800,000 times .
Another hoax circulating on YouTube suggested the coronavirus outbreak was caused by “ bat soup.
” It ’ s typically found in a montage of three video clips featuring a well-known Chinese influencer , eating bat meat at a hotel in Palau , a viral clip from Douyin ( the Chinese version of TikTok ) , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of broth .
The most popular of these videos has been viewed 1.8 million times on YouTube .
Surpassing the bat soup hoax videos in popularity are the “ collapsing '' videos , in which alleged victims seem to collapse in public .
There are hundreds of these , with the most popular one being viewed 1.1 million times .
“ What 's Really Happening in Wuhan China | Coronavirus Outbreak | Symptoms and Tips '' was posted by a channel called Astig Magaling , which seems largely to focus on the Philippines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel ’ s coronavirus clip is its most-watched video and has received a significant boost in Facebook groups , where it has been shared more than 5,000 times and promoted by a Chemtrails group and a group for people who believe the widely disproven claim that 5G cellular networks cause harmful radiation .
As of Tuesday , the video , and one similar to it , had been viewed a combined 1.2 million times .
One user wrote in the Facebook Group Chemtrails Global Skywatch : “ What are news is n't showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was thinking bio weapon !
” “ 5G installed weeks ago ... before this outbreak ... ” a second user commented .
“ Maybe have something to do with it .
”

If you search “coronavirus" or “Wuhan" on YouTube — even in incognito mode, which removes customization from the search results — you’ll see high-quality content from verified news providers. But that doesn’t mean that hoaxes about the virus aren't being watched on the platform in huge numbers.
BuzzFeed News viewed a list on Monday of 500 of the most-watched YouTube videos featuring the keyword “coronavirus,” according to the social metrics dashboard BuzzSumo. Many of the top videos are from news agencies like Britain's Channel 4 News, the South China Morning Post, and BBC News. But that list also contains dozens of popular videos that feature unconfirmed or false information about the virus. In some cases, videos have earned millions of views with claims that the virus is an engineered bioweapon, that it originated from Chinese people eating “bat soup,” or that the death count is actually 10 times higher than reported. As of Wednesday, there were more than 45,210 reported cases of the virus, with 99% in China, and 1,118 deaths.
YouTube has waged a well-documented battle over the last year against the conga line of conspiracy theories that dance below the surface of the platform. Last February, the company demonetized anti-vax content. Last March, it announced it would be showing “information panels" — text widgets that offer debunks from the site’s fact-checking partners — on searches for topics “prone to misinformation.”
As of now, YouTube’s “coronavirus" search results are relatively free of that misinformation — a search returns a CDC warning, a liveblog about the outbreak from a trusted news source, and hundreds of videos from verified channels.
But the coronavirus is now putting those measures to the test — and in suppressing the fringe, the site has pushed it into smaller, denser pockets of viewers.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-04--23 Eerie Pictures Of Wuhan, China, After Nearly Two Weeks Under Lockdown

An aerial view of the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital on Feb. 2 .
The construction of 1,000-bed field hospital @ @ @ @ @ as being completed on Sunday and ready for the army for its medical department to @ @ @

23 Eerie Pictures Of Wuhan, China, After Nearly Two Weeks Under Lockdown
On Jan. 23, the Chinese government locked down the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus that has infected more than 20,000 people and killed over 420 had been first reported.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--Twitter Will Allow Employees To Work At Home Forever

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Some Twitter employees will never return to their office .
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees on Tuesday telling them that they ’ d be allowed to work from home permanently , even after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown passes .
Some jobs that require physical presence , such as maintaining servers , will still require employees to come in .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've approached this from the time we were one of the first companies to move to a work-from-home model , ” a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ We 'll continue to be , and we 'll continue to put the safety of our people and communities first.
” Twitter encouraged its employees to start working from home in early March as the coronavirus began to spread across the US .
Several other tech companies did the same , including Microsoft , Google , and Amazon .
That month , Twitter human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company would “ never probably be the same ” in the structure of its work .
“ People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive that way , ” Christie said .
“ Managers who didn ’ t think they could manage teams that were remote will have a different perspective .
I do think we won ’ t go back.
” Dorsey had announced the company 's intent to work in a “ distributed ” way before the virus , but the pandemic forced the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his email , Dorsey said it ’ s unlikely Twitter would open its offices before September , and that business travel would be canceled until then as well , with very few exceptions .
The company will also cancel all in-person events for the rest of the year , and reassess its plan for 2021 later this year .
Finally , Twitter upped its allowance for work from home supplies to $ 1,000 for all employees .

Some Twitter employees will never return to their office.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees on Tuesday telling them that they’d be allowed to work from home permanently, even after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown passes. Some jobs that require physical presence, such as maintaining servers, will still require employees to come in.
“We've been very thoughtful in how we've approached this from the time we were one of the first companies to move to a work-from-home model,” a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “We'll continue to be, and we'll continue to put the safety of our people and communities first.”
Twitter encouraged its employees to start working from home in early March as the coronavirus began to spread across the US. Several other tech companies did the same, including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
That month, Twitter human resources head Jennifer Christie told BuzzFeed News the company would “never probably be the same” in the structure of its work. “People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive that way,” Christie said. “Managers who didn’t think they could manage teams that were remote will have a different perspective. I do think we won’t go back.”
Dorsey had announced the company's intent to work in a “distributed” way before the virus, but the pandemic forced the company to move the timeline up.
In his email, Dorsey said it’s unlikely Twitter would open its offices before September, and that business travel would be canceled until then as well, with very few exceptions. The company will also cancel all in-person events for the rest of the year, and reassess its plan for 2021 later this year. Finally, Twitter upped its allowance for work from home supplies to $1,000 for all employees.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--India's Contact Tracing App Is All But Mandatory. So This Programmer Hacked It So That He Always App

India's Contact Tracing App Is All But Mandatory. So This Programmer Hacked It So That He Always Appears Safe.

A software engineer from Bangalore was worried about being forced to download Aarogya Setu .
So he ripped its guts out .
For days , Jay , a software engineer in Bangalore , watched with mounting alarm as people in India were forced to install the government ’ s coronavirus contact tracing app .
Then , he rolled up his sleeves and ripped its guts out .
“ I didn ’ t like the fact that installing this app is slowly becoming mandatory in India , ” said Jay , who requested a pseudonym to speak freely .
“ So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personally do to avoid putting it on my phone.
” Jay started work at 9 a.m. on a Saturday .
He chopped away at the app ’ s code to bypass the registration page that required people to sign up with their cellphone numbers .
More pruning let him bypass a page that requested personal information like name , age , gender , travel history , and COVID-19 symptoms .
Then , he carved away the permissions that he viewed as invasive : those requiring access to the phone ’ s Bluetooth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the app had become a harmless shell , collecting no data but still flashing a green badge declaring that the user was at low risk of infection .
“ That was my goal , ” said Jay .
“ I succeeded .
You can show the green badge to anyone if they ask to check your phone and they won ’ t be able to tell.
” India ’ s government released Aarogya Setu ( Hindi for “ a bridge to health ” ) in early April .
According to India ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been installed nearly 100 million times — on about a fifth of Indian smartphones .
But the app has drawn concerns from privacy experts around the world , who say that in the absence of a federal privacy law , it can be used as a tool for state surveillance after the pandemic subsides since it requires constant access to people ’ s Bluetooth and location data .
Even though installing the app was initially voluntary , many Indians found that they had no choice .
Last month , India ’ s leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ install the app .
Last week , police in Noida , a city on the outskirts of India ’ s capital New Delhi , mandated that residents install the app or face jail time .
That mandate followed federal ones that required government and private employees to install the app .
Indians may also need the app in order to board trains , flights , and public transport , to work for food delivery companies , or visit pharmacies .
Hackers like Jay have been trying to find ways around this .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jay shared it with a close circle of 15 friends .
It ’ s not a large number , but a leak from any one of them could undermine the government ’ s contact tracing efforts — so Jay is trying to keep it private .
But he 's unlikely to be the only one hacking the app .
Indians who are less tech-savvy than Jay are trying to find simpler workarounds , with some reporting that they have taken screenshots of the green badge to flash instead of putting the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be booked if I don ’ t have [ the ] Aarogya Setu [ app ] installed on my phone ?
” someone asked on Reddit earlier this week .
“ Make it your wallpaper lol , ” someone replied .
“ Worked for a friend in Delhi.
” “ I ’ m rebelling against the mandatory nature of this app , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t want to share my location 24/7 with the government.
” He said the Indian app fared poorly against what Google and Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not store personal information on centralized servers .
“ If I was coding this app , I would have chosen to keep data points to a minimum , ” he said .
“ If I have your location information for a month , I can gauge a lot of things about your life.
” Jay ’ s concerns are rooted in the Indian government 's record .
Ten years ago when the country rolled out Aadhaar , a biometric ID system that stored the fingerprints and iris scans of 1.3 billion Indians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was voluntary .
But soon , it was all but mandatory , required for everything from getting a cellphone connection to filing taxes “ My concern is that just like with Aadhaar , soon you won ’ t be able to go to a restaurant or a movie theater without the Aarogya Setu app installed , ” said Jay .
“ Even if the government doesn ’ t make it mandatory , cinema owners are going to impose it on you .
That ’ s the kind of culture we have.
” To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India ’ s government released a set of rules on Monday about how the app collects and uses data .
Among other things , the order says that the data collected through the app will be anonymized and only used for COVID-19-related purposes , but is scant on details .
Still , India is planning to add new features to the app in addition to contact tracing , such as telemedicine and e-passes that states can issue to let people move around once India lifts its national lockdown .
Jay said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m going to keep up with them , ” he said .
“ If they make significant changes or updates to the app , I ’ ll find other workarounds .
”

For days, Jay, a software engineer in Bangalore, watched with mounting alarm as people in India were forced to install the government’s coronavirus contact tracing app. Then, he rolled up his sleeves and ripped its guts out.
“I didn’t like the fact that installing this app is slowly becoming mandatory in India,” said Jay, who requested a pseudonym to speak freely. “So I kept thinking of what I could personally do to avoid putting it on my phone.”
Jay started work at 9 a.m. on a Saturday. He chopped away at the app’s code to bypass the registration page that required people to sign up with their cellphone numbers. More pruning let him bypass a page that requested personal information like name, age, gender, travel history, and COVID-19 symptoms. Then, he carved away the permissions that he viewed as invasive: those requiring access to the phone’s Bluetooth and GPS at all times
By 1 p.m., the app had become a harmless shell, collecting no data but still flashing a green badge declaring that the user was at low risk of infection.
“That was my goal,” said Jay. “I succeeded. You can show the green badge to anyone if they ask to check your phone and they won’t be able to tell.”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--Dr. Anthony Fauci Said Reopening The Country Early Could Lead To Avoidable "Suffering And Death"

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top US infectious disease official , warned senators on Tuesday that states ending stay-at-home orders to reopen business widely across the country threatened to restart outbreaks of the deadly novel coronavirus .
Fauci , head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and a prominent public health figure since the AIDS crisis of the 1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines for when it is safe to reopen their economies in a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions , entitled `` COVID-19 : Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School . ''
`` There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control , which , in fact , paradoxically will set you back , not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided , but could even set you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get economic recovery , '' Fauci said .
`` We will almost turn the clock back rather than going forward .
That is my major concern . ''
Fauci gave voice to the fear , widespread among health experts , that increased contact among a population immunologically naive to a deadly infectious disease is a disaster in the making for the US .
As of Tuesday , there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the US , causing more than 80,000 COVID-19 deaths .
Widespread stay-at-home orders were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit contact between people to blunt the spread of the infectious respiratory disease , but more than 30 states have since reopened businesses or started limited reopening .
On Monday , administration officials said about 300,000 tests for coronavirus were now performed daily in the US , a tally reached in the last week .
Public health experts have estimated that anywhere from 550,000 to 10 million tests would need to be performed daily to create effective monitoring of cases .
Adm. Brett Giroir , a senior HHS official , told lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 50 million coronavirus tests a month by September , about 1.3 million to 1.6 million tests a day .
Fauci added that assuring students hoping to reenter school in the fall that they will have a vaccine or treatment is `` a bridge too far . ''
A coronavirus vaccine development effort started in early January , days after the virus genome was released , is currently in Phase I trials .
He cautioned that time is needed for the testing required to show the vaccines actually work , and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be demonstrated that they do n't trigger worse illness .
Still , he described himself as `` cautiously optimistic '' that a vaccine would be available by late fall or early winter , because the federal government is already investing in manufacturing capabilities .
Testing multiple vaccine candidates provides `` multiple shots on goal , '' he said .
`` It is more likely than not '' that we will have a vaccine , Fauci said .
Sen. Patty Murray — who represents the state of Washington , where the first US case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January — condemned President Donald Trump ’ s calls for states to reopen despite his own administration 's guidelines .
`` President Trump is trying to ignore the facts , and ignore the experts who have been clear we are nowhere close to where we need to be to reopen safely , '' Murray said at the hearing .
Late in the hearing , Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told Fauci he was not the `` end-all '' in advising the country .
Lauding the Swedish model of few restrictions on businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its neighbors in coronavirus deaths , Paul criticized models that predicted the outbreaks we have seen and called for reopening schools in the fall .
Fauci responded that he only gave public health advice , not economic advice , and cautioned that doctors are seeing a deadly syndrome among children afflicted with the virus .
`` I think we need to be very careful with children , '' Fauci said .
At the end of the hearing , which largely turned to questions directed to the NIAID director , rather than the HHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of approving tests and offering official federal guidance , Fauci clarified that he was not calling for keeping schools closed indefinitely until there is a vaccine .
Rather , he suggested that in regions with adequate testing , few infections , and enough health workers to stop outbreaks from spreading , that opening schools might proceed .
`` Going back to school would be more in the realm of knowing the landscape of infection , '' said Fauci .

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, warned senators on Tuesday that states ending stay-at-home orders to reopen business widely across the country threatened to restart outbreaks of the deadly novel coronavirus.
Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and a prominent public health figure since the AIDS crisis of the 1990s, warned against states disregarding White House guidelines for when it is safe to reopen their economies in a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, entitled "COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School."
"There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, which, in fact, paradoxically will set you back, not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided, but could even set you back on the road to trying to get economic recovery," Fauci said. "We will almost turn the clock back rather than going forward. That is my major concern."
Fauci gave voice to the fear, widespread among health experts, that increased contact among a population immunologically naive to a deadly infectious disease is a disaster in the making for the US. As of Tuesday, there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the US, causing more than 80,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Widespread stay-at-home orders were issued by governors in March and April to limit contact between people to blunt the spread of the infectious respiratory disease, but more than 30 states have since reopened businesses or started limited reopening.
On Monday, administration officials said about 300,000 tests for coronavirus were now performed daily in the US, a tally reached in the last week. Public health experts have estimated that anywhere from 550,000 to 10 million tests would need to be performed daily to create effective monitoring of cases.
Adm. Brett Giroir, a senior HHS official, told lawmakers Tuesday that the US could perform 40 to 50 million coronavirus tests a month by September, about 1.3 million to 1.6 million tests a day.
Fauci added that assuring students hoping to reenter school in the fall that they will have a vaccine or treatment is "a bridge too far." A coronavirus vaccine development effort started in early January, days after the virus genome was released, is currently in Phase I trials.
He cautioned that time is needed for the testing required to show the vaccines actually work, and in the case of coronavirus, it needs to be demonstrated that they don't trigger worse illness. Still, he described himself as "cautiously optimistic" that a vaccine would be available by late fall or early winter, because the federal government is already investing in manufacturing capabilities. Testing multiple vaccine candidates provides "multiple shots on goal," he said. "It is more likely than not" that we will have a vaccine, Fauci said.
Sen. Patty Murray — who represents the state of Washington, where the first US case of the coronavirus was discovered in late January — condemned President Donald Trump’s calls for states to reopen despite his own administration's guidelines.
"President Trump is trying to ignore the facts, and ignore the experts who have been clear we are nowhere close to where we need to be to reopen safely," Murray said at the hearing.
Late in the hearing, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told Fauci he was not the "end-all" in advising the country. Lauding the Swedish model of few restrictions on businesses, despite the fact that Sweden now leads its neighbors in coronavirus deaths, Paul criticized models that predicted the outbreaks we have seen and called for reopening schools in the fall.
Fauci responded that he only gave public health advice, not economic advice, and cautioned that doctors are seeing a deadly syndrome among children afflicted with the virus. "I think we need to be very careful with children," Fauci said.
At the end of the hearing, which largely turned to questions directed to the NIAID director, rather than the HHS, CDC, and FDA witnesses in control of approving tests and offering official federal guidance, Fauci clarified that he was not calling for keeping schools closed indefinitely until there is a vaccine. Rather, he suggested that in regions with adequate testing, few infections, and enough health workers to stop outbreaks from spreading, that opening schools might proceed.
"Going back to school would be more in the realm of knowing the landscape of infection," said Fauci.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-27--Opinion: Coronavirus Makes Inequality Even Deadlier. New York City Won't Accept It.

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 .
How many times did we hear that in the early days of this crisis ?
The headline wrote itself , as heads of state , celebrities , famous athletes , and literal royalty tested positive for the virus .
No one was immune .
It was an easy story .
But it was woefully incomplete .
Look beyond the surface and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painful reality .
It ’ s a story as old as this nation — one that we should all recognize , if we ’ ve been paying attention .
It ’ s the story of haves and have-nots .
It ’ s the story of a broken economic and health care system that works for those at the top , and leaves others to die .
It ’ s the story of black and brown Americans continuing to pay the price .
Coronavirus has turned our nation ’ s inequalities into a body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we won ’ t accept that reality .
Just like other cities , we ’ ve seen this virus ravage our communities of color and immigrant communities .
It ’ s not hard to see why .
They work on our front lines — our nurses , our bus and taxi drivers , our supermarket and pharmacy workers .
They ’ re more likely to live in multi-generational homes — where “ social distancing ” is even harder .
And too many have spent a lifetime without access to the medical care they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against them since the beginning .
As the mayor and first lady of New York City , we got into politics to end inequalities , wherever we found them .
With New Yorkers ’ help , we ’ ve pulled at the arc of justice for six years : Bringing Pre-K to every student in our city ; giving every New Yorker access to health care ; and bringing mental health care to all through our groundbreaking ThriveNYC program .
But this is a new challenge .
And it demands a new response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a four-part plan cities all over the world can learn from .
These hospitals are the first line of defense for so many of our communities of color .
When we came in six years ago , they were left for dead — underfunded and understaffed , with threats of closures and layoffs of doctors , nurses , and staff .
We invested billions to save our hospitals , and bring world-class care to the communities of color who largely depended on them .
Right now , those hospitals are being stretched like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re getting them more help — whether it ’ s face shields to protect our heroes , nurses we ’ ve recruited from the US military , or sending our own ventilators , made right here in New York City .
We ’ re also using our public hospitals to bring testing right to our hard-hit communities .
So far , we ’ ve opened five testing sites directly in the neighborhoods that need them most .
We have five more on the way next week , and we ’ ll begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will remain laser-focused on helping people through our public hospitals , and all cities should .
There ’ s a pesky word in front of this virus : “ Novel.
” The best scientists in the world are still learning more by the hour .
It ’ s our job to get new information out to every community — no matter the language or communication barrier .
So we ’ ve invested more than $ 10 million in a targeted ad campaign to our hardest-hit communities .
We ’ ve translated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blanketed every digital and print channel we can to make sure we reach everyone .
Media alone won ’ t be enough .
We need to go into these communities and reach people .
How do you go into a community when everyone ’ s stuck inside ?
We ’ re starting with a texting campaign — real health care workers starting a dialogue .
But there ’ s no substitute for human-to-human interaction .
If we can get enough protective equipment , we ’ ll send health care workers into these communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with grassroots outreach , these communities deserve more .
They deserve a resource to turn to with any questions they might have , day or night .
“ How can I keep safe ?
” “ Should my kids be going outside ?
” We owe not only answers , but security .
That ’ s why we ’ re expanding our Phone-a-Clinician program .
Our communities of color and immigrant communities will have direct access to a clinician around-the-clock .
They can ask anything they want , for free , and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families safe .
Those four steps will make a big difference — and they ’ ll help our communities of color get through this crisis .
But “ getting through ” this isn ’ t enough .
Someday , this crisis will end — in New York City and across the world .
When it does , it ’ s on us to build something even better .
It ’ s on us to continue the mission we ’ ve devoted ourselves to for six years — to keep tearing down every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fairness to every single New Yorker .
That ’ s the only way forward .
And it ’ s exactly what we ’ ll do .

“Coronavirus is the Great Equalizer.”
How many times did we hear that in the early days of this crisis? The headline wrote itself, as heads of state, celebrities, famous athletes, and literal royalty tested positive for the virus. No one was immune.
It was an easy story. But it was woefully incomplete.
Look beyond the surface and you’ll see a deeper, more painful reality. It’s a story as old as this nation — one that we should all recognize, if we’ve been paying attention. It’s the story of haves and have-nots. It’s the story of a broken economic and health care system that works for those at the top, and leaves others to die. It’s the story of black and brown Americans continuing to pay the price.
Coronavirus has turned our nation’s inequalities into a body count.
In New York City, we won’t accept that reality. Just like other cities, we’ve seen this virus ravage our communities of color and immigrant communities. It’s not hard to see why. They work on our front lines — our nurses, our bus and taxi drivers, our supermarket and pharmacy workers. They’re more likely to live in multi-generational homes — where “social distancing” is even harder. And too many have spent a lifetime without access to the medical care they deserve.
The deck has been stacked against them since the beginning.
As the mayor and first lady of New York City, we got into politics to end inequalities, wherever we found them. With New Yorkers’ help, we’ve pulled at the arc of justice for six years: Bringing Pre-K to every student in our city; giving every New Yorker access to health care; and bringing mental health care to all through our groundbreaking ThriveNYC program.
But this is a new challenge. And it demands a new response to help our communities of color — a four-part plan cities all over the world can learn from.
Step 1: Keep protecting our public hospitals.
These hospitals are the first line of defense for so many of our communities of color. When we came in six years ago, they were left for dead — underfunded and understaffed, with threats of closures and layoffs of doctors, nurses, and staff.
We invested billions to save our hospitals, and bring world-class care to the communities of color who largely depended on them. Right now, those hospitals are being stretched like never before. Every day, we’re getting them more help — whether it’s face shields to protect our heroes, nurses we’ve recruited from the US military, or sending our own ventilators, made right here in New York City.
We’re also using our public hospitals to bring testing right to our hard-hit communities. So far, we’ve opened five testing sites directly in the neighborhoods that need them most. We have five more on the way next week, and we’ll begin testing more than 7,000 people per week. We will remain laser-focused on helping people through our public hospitals, and all cities should.
Step 2: Launch a massive public awareness campaign.
There’s a pesky word in front of this virus: “Novel.” The best scientists in the world are still learning more by the hour. It’s our job to get new information out to every community — no matter the language or communication barrier.
So we’ve invested more than $10 million in a targeted ad campaign to our hardest-hit communities. We’ve translated the messages across 14 languages, and blanketed every digital and print channel we can to make sure we reach everyone.
Step 3: Do deep grassroots outreach.
Media alone won’t be enough. We need to go into these communities and reach people. How do you go into a community when everyone’s stuck inside? We’re starting with a texting campaign — real health care workers starting a dialogue.
But there’s no substitute for human-to-human interaction. If we can get enough protective equipment, we’ll send health care workers into these communities and reach people in person.
Step 4: Expand our Phone-a-Clinician program.
Even with grassroots outreach, these communities deserve more. They deserve a resource to turn to with any questions they might have, day or night. “How can I keep safe?” “Should my kids be going outside?” We owe not only answers, but security.
That’s why we’re expanding our Phone-a-Clinician program. Our communities of color and immigrant communities will have direct access to a clinician around-the-clock. They can ask anything they want, for free, and get the right advice to keep themselves and their families safe.
Those four steps will make a big difference — and they’ll help our communities of color get through this crisis. But “getting through” this isn’t enough.
Someday, this crisis will end — in New York City and across the world. When it does, it’s on us to build something even better. It’s on us to continue the mission we’ve devoted ourselves to for six years — to keep tearing down every wall of inequality, and bringing opportunity and fairness to every single New Yorker. That’s the only way forward. And it’s exactly what we’ll do.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-27--Ask Us How To Live During The Coronavirus Pandemic

It 's tough to figure out how to live during a global pandemic like the COVID-19 outbreak .
When should you be wearing a mask ?
Are you allowed to let your kids go outside to play ?
Are handjobs okay ?
?
?
Here , let me help .
I 'm Scaachi Koul , a culture writer at BuzzFeed News .
I 'm not an actual expert in anything , especially a global pandemic , but I am incredibly bossy .
So of course I 'm the right person to advise you on How to Plague .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during COVID-19 .
The coronavirus pandemic is changing every day , and it can be hard to figure out how to live your life with any sense of normalcy , certainty , or safety .
So send us your questions !
You can do so using this Google Form or our text messaging service or by emailing me directly at scaachi.koul @ buzzfeed.com .
I 'll do my best to get you an answer .
( I promise to call some actual experts when my own bossiness does n't help . )
Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're too embarrassed to ask a friend about , to something you ca n't find online , to something you know has been addressed before but you still just do n't get it .
( Who could blame you ?
! )
No question is too weird or too obvious .
Do n't suffer alone ; How to Plague is here to help .

It's tough to figure out how to live during a global pandemic like the COVID-19 outbreak. When should you be wearing a mask? Are you allowed to let your kids go outside to play? Are handjobs okay??? Here, let me help.
I'm Scaachi Koul, a culture writer at BuzzFeed News. I'm not an actual expert in anything, especially a global pandemic, but I am incredibly bossy. So of course I'm the right person to advise you on How to Plague. This is BuzzFeed News' advice column for life during COVID-19. The coronavirus pandemic is changing every day, and it can be hard to figure out how to live your life with any sense of normalcy, certainty, or safety. So send us your questions!
You can do so using this Google Form or our text messaging service or by emailing me directly at scaachi.koul@buzzfeed.com. I'll do my best to get you an answer. (I promise to call some actual experts when my own bossiness doesn't help.)
Your question can be anything, from something you're too embarrassed to ask a friend about, to something you can't find online, to something you know has been addressed before but you still just don't get it. (Who could blame you?!) No question is too weird or too obvious. Don't suffer alone; How to Plague is here to help.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-26--The Coronavirus Didn’t Make Me Flee China While 8 Months Pregnant. My Fear Did.

With my baby due in two months , I wanted to wait out the outbreak in the comfort of my home in China .
But geopolitical decisions — and the growing fear abroad — changed my plans .
In the cold night , the man in the white hazmat suit shone a red laser on my forehead .
We were clear to go .
“ 辛苦你们了 , ” I said .
You guys are impressive .
“ 没事 , ” he responded .
Not at all .
“ 人民服务 , ” he added as our car pulled away into darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the novel coronavirus outbreak , 13 days after it was confirmed the virus could spread from person to person , we got a message from my husband ’ s employer .
If we wanted to leave China , they would help us , but we needed to decide in the next few hours .
There still were not many cases where we live , just outside a large city ( eight in a region of more than a million people , and not a single one in our district ) .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we , like our neighbors , had been sitting indoors for days , reading , working , and staying off social media as much as possible .
It was evident so far that the biggest danger we faced from this virus would be psychological .
Although I was more than 30 weeks pregnant , I pushed off an obstetrician visit — the long drive into the city in a cab seemed too fraught with strangers ’ exhalations .
We washed everything we ’ d bought from a nearby grocery store with soap on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchen .
Gloves and masks came off in a choreographed order , placed on a shelf by the front door to remind us : potentially contaminated .
As someone with a background in science , I kept track of the statistics of the outbreak from the beginning .
Despite many inflammatory headlines , this new virus does not appear to be terribly deadly in the grand scheme of epidemics .
Though numbers fluctuate , the overall mortality rate has been estimated to be about 2.1 % , compared to nearly 10 % with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for most readers of this story , even that number is inflated because it includes the quarantined Hubei province , where the rate is sadly far higher than it is outside — the mortality rate in the rest of China , which leads the world in cases , is less than 0.2 % .
Efforts to contain the virus were merited ; mass panic was not .
We ’ d felt from the start that the best thing to do was wait it out in solidarity with the brave and determined folks around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all our viruses to ourselves to break the chain of transmission .
That ’ s how I thought about the risks .
But , I realized belatedly , about a week or 10 days into our self-isolation , nobody cared what I thought .
Airlines had started to cancel flights .
The United States was making noise about closing the border .
Every morning in the days before we got that message , some new horror — not from the virus but from the panic of others — lit up our phone screens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have been spent peacefully waiting for this to pass were instead spent wondering what the hell was coming next .
It does n't need to be this way , I thought .
It 's not that kind of virus .
But we had been picked up by a stream of events bigger than ourselves , involving decisions made in airline headquarters and government suites around the world .
and the knowledge that they were fueled by a poor understanding of biology made no difference .
With about an hour left to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We decided , given all the new and all the future unknown restrictions , to go .
It was around 2:45 p.m. For me , rumors that it would become harder to move around had cast a long shadow .
On a normal day , it was a two-hour trip across a provincial border to see my English-speaking obstetrician ; it was like living in New Jersey and seeing a doctor in Brooklyn .
But as the outbreak ballooned , the OB ’ s office came to seem as distant as Fiji @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials and thermometers and battered by winds bearing sudden changes in policy .
Then , if either of us did get sick , even just from an ordinary virus , there loomed the specter of being shunted into the local fever clinics .
Already our doctors had announced that , if we had a fever from any source , they would be legally forbidden to see us .
In the background was the constant drumbeat of canceled flights , new restrictions , xenophobic fear abroad , and the knowledge that as I entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would be barred from planes altogether .
If there were planes left to board .
Moreover , something had come over me in those last few days .
As my father said when I spoke to him on the phone , the worst danger might come from catching not the coronavirus but a normal cold .
Your immune system would know the difference , he said , but your frontal lobe would not .
I thought more and more , floating through endless hours cooped up inside our apartment , of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture experiments .
You feed the cells in the safety of a fume hood in which everything has been doused in alcohol , and you are the one potential source of contamination .
Though it had been more than a decade since I had done research , it came back right away , the insistent paranoia that tracks how the glove touches the bottle that touched the table that touched the sleeve of your coat .
If that coat sleeve weren ’ t sterilized — if the package of food from the grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — then everything it touched would become unclean .
Similarly , one misstep entering our apartment , and our safe haven would slowly convert itself into a dangerous place .
In a sense it had already become that , not because of the distant virus , but because of what was going on in my mind .
I monitored exactly where my coat had been , exactly what my mask had touched , exactly which patches of the shelf by the door could no longer be trusted .
And so , despite feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an amorphous cloud of anxiety , we put a few things in our carry-ons .
I packed two shirts , the baby carrier we ’ d bought , a few boxes of heartburn medication .
We started a last load in the dishwasher .
Russia announced it was closing its land border with China .
We gave a neighbor our food .
We got a message with our flights , to Boston via Hong Kong , leaving a few hours after dawn .
The travel agent told us it was the last flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ever ?
This week ?
Tomorrow ?
I wanted to retort .
But the right to demand complete information had evaporated with the growing feeling that no one had it .
The option to leave was a privilege , but it came with no particular guarantees .
If I couldn ’ t come up with a medical certificate stating my pregnancy was shorter than 36 weeks , though , the airline would deny boarding .
It was 5:25 p.m. My OB 's office was closed .
I called the emergency line .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , ” said the doctor placidly .
“ I know , ” I said , “ but can you get me this ?
” She did not know .
She hung up .
I sat there .
The walls of my abdomen slid into a tense , locked posture , pushing the baby out front .
Eventually , after glacial minutes , she called back and said they could send me the certificate .
I waited until the electronic version arrived , hoping it would be enough .
I did n't really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours , our alarms went off , sending us into the blackness with our almost empty suitcases to the gate of the apartment complex .
No one was allowed to come inside anymore unless they lived there .
We got into the car , where the driver sat silently wearing a mask , like us .
We rode off to the airport .
At the empty toll gates , we were flagged down by the men in white suits , diligently checking documents and taking our temperatures with their signature infrared thermometer guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these careful workers , for the army of people who 've risen to the challenge in China .
At the airport , we checked in three hours early and waited to board .
As we showed our boarding passes , the staff suddenly muttered in Chinese , “ They 're here , they 're here.
” They told us our tickets had been canceled .
Minutes earlier , they said , the US had specified that flights from China to all but seven of its airports should be canceled , and Boston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A woman led us all the way out of the secure area , almost back to the sidewalk where we 'd been dropped off .
Her colleague said the only thing we could do was call a phone number , which she pushed across the desk on a scrap of paper .
It led to an infinite hold , the music repeating , repeating .
Maybe we would not be leaving China after all , we thought .
Our food in the apartment was gone .
Where would we go ?
I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phones was n't working well .
Could we buy new tickets to somewhere else ?
No one knew .
Finally , after perhaps 45 minutes on hold , someone picked up .
They could send us to Hong Kong and then on to JFK .
We would be on our own after that .
We went through the entire security cordon again .
We waited .
This time , they let us on .
The baby kicked and writhed like mad the whole flight to Hong Kong , perhaps from the roar of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out paperwork attesting that we had not been to Wuhan and that we had no symptoms .
We submitted to a temperature check and continued into the airport .
We ate some noodles .
We continued , like everyone else in sight , to wear our masks and wash our hands and keep our distance .
We boarded the next plane .
For 15 hours we were over the Pacific , sleeping and reading .
The masks , white and blue and gray , glowed faintly in the light from the movies unfurling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at JFK the following night .
At that point , there was not yet a medical check .
There was no taking of information .
They did n't even take our temperatures .
The customs officer had to be reminded what the name was of that city in China we were supposed to have not been to .
“ Wuhan , ” we told him .
In 30 minutes , we were on the cold sidewalk , in the same darkness we started in , but on the other side of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After our days of isolation and more than 40 hours of wearing masks and washing our hands and keeping close track of exactly what our phones had touched , to be waved through an airport like that felt like the height of surrealism .
I watched as people around me touched the door handles , touched their faces , sneezed , laughed , touched other people .
Amazing , their microbiological innocence , alongside the panic that drove us from our home .
Our family picked us up in New York .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our friends back in China , we stayed close to home .
To me , this piece of advice was worth clinging to : For 14 days after possible exposure , limit human contact to arrest spread .
Even if no one tells you to .
We sat inside all day , waiting for this phase to end .
Then it did .
And then there was nothing left to be done but put together the pieces .
It feels like we ’ ve lost something , an idea of the world sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Four weeks ago , I was at my doctor ’ s for a routine visit , and my husband and I walked to our favorite spot for ice cream .
Squadrons of the city ’ s waimai delivery drivers whipped by on their scooters .
The smooth lines of the high-rise apartments were clear and crisp .
I had ordered mint chip .
Now in the eerie sideways light of a New England winter , I am swimming in a bizarre fish tank .
All the choices I once had are gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stressful ones , involving hospitals toured and obstetricians met for the first time at the last minute , and the prospect of figuring out how to pay to give birth in the most expensive health care system in the world .
What I keep thinking as I make my rounds is that it was not really our knowledge of how dangerous the virus is that caused this change .
It was the fear of humanity at large , acting together to reach a tipping point where normal people like us decided it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a run on the bank or a stock market crash , ultimately the fear was the first thing to become real .
Fear is what causes people to lose faith and take their money out — and so the bank fails , the market crashes , and in the end , the outcome that was feared has come to pass .
The thing I was ultimately scared of was losing access to my health care at the time I needed it most .
And I did lose it , though it was of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the ice cream , we ’ d had a photographer take a few photos of us .
The pictures have a new quality to them now , a kind of fragile unreality .
Look , I will be able to say to our child , that ’ s Mom and Dad and you , four days before the largest quarantine in the history of the species .
Just before the world lost its mind .
●

In the cold night, the man in the white hazmat suit shone a red laser on my forehead. We were clear to go.
“辛苦你们了,” I said. You guys are impressive.
“没事,” he responded. Not at all. “人民服务,” he added as our car pulled away into darkness. Serve the people.
A month into the novel coronavirus outbreak, 13 days after it was confirmed the virus could spread from person to person, we got a message from my husband’s employer. If we wanted to leave China, they would help us, but we needed to decide in the next few hours.
There still were not many cases where we live, just outside a large city (eight in a region of more than a million people, and not a single one in our district). All the same, following official recommendations, we, like our neighbors, had been sitting indoors for days, reading, working, and staying off social media as much as possible.
It was evident so far that the biggest danger we faced from this virus would be psychological. Although I was more than 30 weeks pregnant, I pushed off an obstetrician visit — the long drive into the city in a cab seemed too fraught with strangers’ exhalations. We washed everything we’d bought from a nearby grocery store with soap on the porch before bringing it into the kitchen. Gloves and masks came off in a choreographed order, placed on a shelf by the front door to remind us: potentially contaminated.
As someone with a background in science, I kept track of the statistics of the outbreak from the beginning. Despite many inflammatory headlines, this new virus does not appear to be terribly deadly in the grand scheme of epidemics. Though numbers fluctuate, the overall mortality rate has been estimated to be about 2.1%, compared to nearly 10% with SARS. From a practical perspective, for most readers of this story, even that number is inflated because it includes the quarantined Hubei province, where the rate is sadly far higher than it is outside — the mortality rate in the rest of China, which leads the world in cases, is less than 0.2%. Efforts to contain the virus were merited; mass panic was not. We’d felt from the start that the best thing to do was wait it out in solidarity with the brave and determined folks around us, keeping the streets empty and all our viruses to ourselves to break the chain of transmission.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-20--These Historic Pictures Show What "New York Tough" Really Means

In recent weeks , New York City has become the epicenter of the worst US health crisis in a century as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 10,000 in the city .
With businesses shuddered and many residents sheltering in place , much of the culture and joy that makes the city so special has since gone eerily quite .
Despite these horrific circumstances , New York City has also revealed its tremendous resilience in the face of adversity .
From lending a helping hand to neighbors and community businesses to applauding first responders each night from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yorkers have once more proved that they 're as tough and resourceful as their reputation claims .
Since 1923 , the Museum of the City of New York has worked to preserve the history of the city and with that , keep an accurate historical record of true New York resilience .
While the museum itself is currently closed in compliance with the city 's social distancing measures , BuzzFeed News spoke with Sean Corcoran , curator of prints and photography , about the museum 's recent acquisitions that help tell the stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are these collections and how are they acquired ?
Sean Corcoran : The entire collection here at the museum is approximately 750,000 objects — and the photography collection is by far the largest at approximately 400,000 photographs .
We acquire new works by combination of donation and purchases .
We ’ re obviously the city museum , so we ’ re collecting imagery that depicts life in the five boroughs .
Particularly in recent years , we ’ ve been trying to collect contemporary works and work that specifically shows the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We really want to see the way people live in the city , in large public spaces , but within their homes as well .
Can you tell us a bit about some of these new acquisitions ?
We try to select images that give a sense of the range of lives and lifestyles lives in the city over the century and our new acquisitions give a scope of the history of the city — from a map of the property of Peter Stuyvesant to a photograph of Sid Vicious taken soon after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend Nancy Spungen at the Chelsea Hotel .
So the vast majority of them are of New Yorkers living their lives , so it could be photographs of children playing on the street .
In fact there are several of children playing on the street — from Walter Rosenblum ’ s photographs circa 1950 of a girl playing hopscotch right around the corner from the museum on 105th street to Martha Cooper ’ s photographs from about 1980 of children creatively playing in the ruins of the Lower Eastside .
There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well , [ from ] a portrait of the Marx brothers to DJ Kool Herc by Joe Conzo in the late 1970s .
Are there any commonalities you 've noticed between generations of New Yorkers ?
That ’ s a good question .
Certainly , there ’ s a certain resilience to living in this city .
That 's because it can be very challenging to live here .
One of the things we try to do is be very conscious of being inclusive by collecting the lives of all the various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well to give a sense of all the different people who live here and the various way that they make their way through life in the city .
Do you have a favorite work from the collections ?
For me , it ’ s really difficult to answer this because I shepherded the works into our collection .
I 've thought about all of them , why they were coming into the collection , and what the value for each of them was to our permanent collection .
So even though I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense they ’ re my babies .
I will say one picture that I think is quite fantastic is Sally Davies ' `` Rear View '' photograph .
It ’ s a picture that she made looking through the back yard of her apartment building , looking through to the back windows of the apartments on the next block .
In a certain sense it ’ s anonymous , just as we can be anonymous living in the city , but it ’ s also very personal because you see these quite personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sense , it represents a lot of what New York Means to me — the personal and private lives that we have , yet in reality it ’ s there for everyone to see should they want to look .
What do you want people to take away from these pictures ?
I hope people will get some insight into what life in the city here is like .
That ’ s our mission , to tell the story of New Yorkers and to tell the story of the changing city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the changing modes of life .
There ’ s often a certain glossy sheen to the city that is commonly projected out to the world , but we would like to give a more in-depth , closer look at what life is like here .

In recent weeks, New York City has become the epicenter of the worst US health crisis in a century as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 10,000 in the city. With businesses shuddered and many residents sheltering in place, much of the culture and joy that makes the city so special has since gone eerily quite.
Despite these horrific circumstances, New York City has also revealed its tremendous resilience in the face of adversity. From lending a helping hand to neighbors and community businesses to applauding first responders each night from fire escapes and high rises, New Yorkers have once more proved that they're as tough and resourceful as their reputation claims.
Since 1923, the Museum of the City of New York has worked to preserve the history of the city and with that, keep an accurate historical record of true New York resilience. While the museum itself is currently closed in compliance with the city's social distancing measures, BuzzFeed News spoke with Sean Corcoran, curator of prints and photography, about the museum's recent acquisitions that help tell the stories of the Big Apple.
How vast are these collections and how are they acquired?
Sean Corcoran: The entire collection here at the museum is approximately 750,000 objects — and the photography collection is by far the largest at approximately 400,000 photographs.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-20--The Victims Of Canada's Worst Mass Shooting Include A Veteran Mountie, A Family Of Three, And A Teac

The Victims Of Canada's Worst Mass Shooting Include A Veteran Mountie, A Family Of Three, And A Teacher

“ This happened in small towns , '' said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the shooting that killed 18 .
`` Places where people know their neighbors and look out for each other . ''
A veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , a family of three , and an elementary school teacher were among at least 18 people killed this weekend in the worst mass shooting in modern Canadian history .
The shooter 's 12-hour rampage began Saturday night in the quaint coastal village of Portapique in Nova Scotia and stretched almost 60 miles away to the suburbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being apprehended by police .
“ This happened in small towns , '' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a Monday address .
`` Places where people have deep roots .
Places where people know their neighbors and look out for each other . ''
The gunman was able to elude capture in part because he was traveling in a mock RCMP cruiser that “ looked identical '' to the real thing , RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said during a Monday press conference .
The shooter was also wearing clothes that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facsimiles ” of RCMP uniforms .
The gunman had been obsessed with policing since high school , and he had indulged in buying police memorabilia and old police cruisers , according to the Globe and Mail .
“ The fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act , ” said Leather .
As of Monday , police were investigating 16 crime scenes scattered across the maritime province .
In addition to shooting his victims , the gunman also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first victims to be identified was Constable Heidi Stevenson , a 23-year veteran of the RCMP and a mother of two young children .
`` I met with Heidi 's family , and there are no words to describe their pain , '' Lee Bergerman , commanding officer for the RCMP in Nova Scotia , said during a press conference on Sunday .
`` Two children have lost their mother and a husband , his wife .
Parents lost their daughter , and countless others lost an incredible friend and colleague .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the active shooter .
The RCMP has declined to release any further details so far .
“ She died protecting others , ” Trudeau said Monday .
“ She was answering the call of duty — something she had done every day she went to work for 23 years.
” Also among the dead were Emily Tuck , a 17-year-old aspiring musician , and her parents , Jolene Oliver and Aaron Tuck .
Though details surrounding their deaths remain scarce , according to Tammy Oliver-McCurdie , Oliver 's sister , their bodies were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will miss you so much , '' wrote Oliver-McCurdie on Facebook .
`` I do n't know who I will call to chat for hours , solve world problems , and laugh at crazy stuff . ''
On April 6 , Oliver posted a video of her and Tuck enjoying one of the few silver linings of the coronavirus lockdown : more time together .
`` Good evening , everybody .
We 're sitting at home like y'all should be , and we 're going to rock this shit , '' Tuck says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his face .
`` Have a good time with your family .
This is what it 's all about .
We 'll never get this chance again . ''
Earlier during the lockdown , Tuck shared a video of his daughter , Emily , playing the fiddle .
The death of Lisa McCully , a mother of two and an elementary school teacher , was confirmed by her sister , Jenny Kierstead .
`` This is so hard to write but many of you will want to know , '' Kierstead wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearts are broken today as we attempt to accept the loss of my sister , Lisa McCully , who was one of the victims of the mass shooting in Portapique last night . ''
Paul Wozney , the president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union , also remembered McCully in a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday : “ 9,300 NSTU hearts are broken along with those of her colleagues and students at Debert Elementary , as well as her family and friends who knew her not only as a passionate teacher but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” `` She was somebody who taught from the heart , '' Wozney told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation .
`` She taught her kids not just the curriculum but teaching about virtues and personal qualities . ''
On Monday afternoon , Trudeau offered his condolences to the families of those killed and vowed to support them .
`` Such a tragedy should never have occurred , '' said Trudeau .
`` We stand with you , and we grieve with you , and you can count on our government 's full support during @ @ @ @ @ @

A veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a family of three, and an elementary school teacher were among at least 18 people killed this weekend in the worst mass shooting in modern Canadian history.
The shooter's 12-hour rampage began Saturday night in the quaint coastal village of Portapique in Nova Scotia and stretched almost 60 miles away to the suburbs of Halifax, where he died after being apprehended by police.
“This happened in small towns," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a Monday address. "Places where people have deep roots. Places where people know their neighbors and look out for each other."
The gunman was able to elude capture in part because he was traveling in a mock RCMP cruiser that “looked identical" to the real thing, RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said during a Monday press conference. The shooter was also wearing clothes that “were either actual uniforms or very good facsimiles” of RCMP uniforms.
The gunman had been obsessed with policing since high school, and he had indulged in buying police memorabilia and old police cruisers, according to the Globe and Mail.
“The fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act,” said Leather.
As of Monday, police were investigating 16 crime scenes scattered across the maritime province. In addition to shooting his victims, the gunman also set fire to several homes.