buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Sex Workers Are Suffering During The Coronavirus Outbreak

Sex workers are losing money because of the coronavirus .
Advocates say that means they ’ re more likely to face exploitation .
Sex workers are facing dire financial and personal circumstances as fear of the coronavirus extends into every corner of life , with some under pressure to work in increasingly risky conditions .
Escorts , strippers , dominatrixes , and an intimacy coach told BuzzFeed News they had lost thousands of dollars due to canceled conferences , travel restrictions , and clients ’ fears of being in public spaces .
Porn performers have been advised to stockpile video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the industry shuts down , but the most vulnerable sex workers face the threat of exploitation and homelessness .
“ Anytime there ’ s this type of panic , ” said sex worker and activist Molly Simmons , “ clients understand that as a shift in power.
” As public health departments recommend `` social distancing , '' the sex workers whom BuzzFeed News spoke to explained how they ’ re planning to continue to support themselves while trying to protect their health in the midst of a global pandemic .
Some said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexting and video calls , putting wish lists of food and other goods on Amazon , asking questions about their clients ’ travel history , and relying on trusted clients to make ends meet .
But , like the millions of hotel and food service workers in the US with bills and no paid leave , some sex workers said they would simply have to keep working .
“ I have a house and a car .
I have a mouth to feed .
I don ’ t have time for a stupid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Carly , a stripper in Seattle who asked to be identified by her stage name for privacy reasons .
In Seattle , which has recorded the most cases of the coronavirus so far in the US and where schools have closed , sex workers said they ’ ve already seen a dramatic drop in business .
Lady A , a dominatrix in the city , said she ’ s been losing at least $ 500 a week since concerns about the virus hit , and that the three women she shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We would usually do , say , three clients per day in that space , ” Lady A , who asked to be identified by her professional pseudonym to maintain her privacy , told BuzzFeed News .
“ This last weekend we would usually have been booked , but it was open .
So that ’ s pretty bad , ” she said .
Malice Amarantine , who works as a stripper in Seattle , said she has had nights where she went home empty-handed , and that she barely made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two dollars I needed on the fifth of the month , ” she said , adding that that had never happened before .
Amarantine said that concerns about the virus had affected the service industry broadly in the city , but that she felt sex workers had been hit particularly hard .
This is partly due to the perception that strip clubs are dirty , Amarantine told BuzzFeed News .
“ In general , strip clubs are suffering a little bit more because even though it ’ s totally untrue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places .
So I think there ’ s just this perception of them being more high risk , ” she said .
Amarantine said that while some strip clubs might deserve the bad reputation , most clubs clean aggressively , and that strippers themselves are obsessed with Purell .
“ Strippers are some of the cleanest people because we have to smell good to make money , ” she explained .
“ We all carry hand sanitizer in our purses , and we always have.
” She said she had so much hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the midst of people panic-buying the disinfectant , she didn ’ t expect to run out anytime soon .
“ Our club actually has hand sanitizer there , and it ’ s still there .
I already have one in my purse , there ’ s one in my kitchen , I have one I keep in my car , so I ’ m not running out anytime soon , ” she said .
River , an escort based in Alaska , who spoke to BuzzFeed News on Twitter and only gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment to the financial crash in 2007 and the passage of FOSTA-SESTA , a 2018 federal law that restricted content related to selling sex online , and said that she didn ’ t expect to work until the crisis had subsided .
She said she had learned to save for tough times , but would still probably have to put her taxes on her credit card .
“ In sex work you have to save and be ready , because when you need money is when you start letting your safety practices slip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was traveling in Europe when she first spoke to BuzzFeed News , said she had changed her return flight after Trump announced travel restrictions , and that she would self-quarantine at home .
She said she had made a quarantine wish list on Amazon and said some clients have been sending her supplies .
“ These sweeties bought me like 12lbs of dried cherries , 2lbs of dried blueberries , and 25lbs of rice so far !
” she said .
In Austin , where the cancellation of SXSW has already caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , intimacy coach and sex educator Sasha Rose said she has been forced to cancel naked yoga , play parties — where partygoers can have sex or watch others in a safe space with sex-positive ground rules — and a big event with a panel discussion she was planning on the sidelines of SXSW for a friend ’ s book launch .
Rose said clients would normally complain about event cancellations , but that she hadn ’ t heard from anyone this time around .
She ’ s not so upset about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to kiss anybody , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
Jade , an escort in Austin who asked to be referred to by her porn persona to protect her identity , said she was continuing to see clients , but was nervous because she has a few clients who travel regularly to Houston and San Antonio , where there had been confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
She said she has gotten more serious about asking clients to wash before she sees them .
“ Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shower , but I don ’ t always ask them to go wash their hands right when they come in , ” said Jade .
But since the spread of the virus , she said she ’ s been stricter .
“ I ’ m like , ‘ stay at the sink for 30 seconds.
’ Some people turn the water on , and it ’ s often 5 seconds , and I ’ m like , 'you didn ’ t wash your hands , ' ” she said .
Rose , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers told BuzzFeed News that they ’ re relying on online sessions with clients to keep some money coming in while they wait for the spread of the virus to slow down and public fear to subside .
“ I work with people on intimacy and relating in trauma .
I teach somatic processing , ” said Rose , referring to an alternative therapy for people dealing with PTSI .
“ So I ’ m focusing on that area .
It makes me a lot less money , ” she said .
Madame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said she ’ s actually seeing some clients more regularly through online sessions , which include tasks and instructions built around what a client likes .
“ A couple of regulars ... have requested more video sessions than I would normally see them face to face , ” she said .
“ It ’ s interesting.
” Despite the video calls , she said the situation has declined rapidly and she ’ s still losing money overall .
“ I ’ ve definitely lost some money .
I wouldn ’ t say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but enough to feel the impact .
It ’ s made me feel that I need to boost my video and clips production so that I can continue to make money.
” Bella French , the CEO of cam site ManyVids , told BuzzFeed News that although she decided to cancel upcoming photoshoots and travel for her staff , the site was doing well .
“ Our sales are doing really really good .
I feel like it ’ s almost benefitting the adult industry , ” French said .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re a little more bored than usual , so maybe they consume a little bit more than they would.
” French also made a point to note that she thought headlines about porn videos tied to the fantasy of the coronavirus were “ fake news , ” and explained that it ’ s a common marketing strategy for porn sites to get more clicks .
“ I talked to my data science team , ” French said , “ We didn ’ t see any influence of that on ManyVids.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a porn industry trade association that oversees an STI screening program for porn performers , recommended that performers stockpile videos to release in the event that porn sets are shut down .
Mike Stabile , who is the communications director for the FSC , told BuzzFeed News that this was the first time in memory that the industry had discussed a shutdown for something that was not an STI .
The FSC administers a system called PASS , which records the results of biweekly tests that performers are required to get .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ green check , but if they skip the test or they fail , they get a red X .
In the event of a shutdown , everyone ’ s results show a red X , meaning no one is cleared for work .
Stabile said the FSC is not expecting a shutdown at this point , but in a statement put out Friday , the FSC advised performers and producers to begin actively planning for one , and said individual performers should make their own choices about whether or not to continue shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health , the FSC also suggested performers and studios make more videos now so they would have new content to release if the virus did eventually cause a widespread shutdown or performers get sick .
“ The last thing you want in a situation like this is a financial incentive for people to go on set when they ’ re not feeling well.
” For the most vulnerable , though , there are few alternatives , and the diminishing client base only puts sex workers at further risk , said Simmons , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with her co-chapter representatives at the Brooklyn chapter of the Sex Worker Outreach Project ( SWOP ) , established a GoFundMe campaign to provide crisis relief for sex workers dealing with increasing financial strain , and is putting together resource guides to help people access social services .
“ When work is really scarce and everybody is really worried about their money , there are some clients , ” said Simmons , “ who try to take advantage of that.
” “ They will push for lower prices , they will push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will push for unsafe work practices — whether that ’ s bareback or meeting someone you don ’ t know or meeting in an unsafe location or being forced to push your own personal boundaries of what you ’ re willing to do , ” she explained .
“ Because they know that workers are really desperate for money.
” A fund similar to the one SWOP Brooklyn has created has been established in Seattle , and No Justice No Pride , a mutual aid organization that supports the transgender community in DC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies to trans people and sex workers , saying , “ we are concerned about how the spread of COVID-19 may affect work environments for sex workers.
” The virus , which lives in the upper respiratory system , poses yet another risk for sex workers .
Dr. Peter Meacher , the chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City , said that although there ’ s still a lot we don ’ t know about the coronavirus , we do know that it primarily spreads through droplets transmitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meacher said kissing posed a particular risk .
“ You are at risk of exposure to COVID from each person you ’ re having that type of contact with .
And whilst we think people are most infectious when they have symptoms — the symptoms again , this is an important message to get out , specifically , cough and fever — we honestly don ’ t really know about the days before symptoms , ” said Meacher , speaking over the phone .
Sex workers face different degrees of risk depending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Chuck Cloniger , clinical director at the St. James Infirmary , which provides clinical and social services to sex workers in San Francisco .
“ People who are doing street-based sex work , may not be able to stop doing sex work to survive , ” said Cloniger .
For people who trade sex to survive and other sex workers who continue to see people in person , Cloniger recommends a discussion with clients ahead of time to ask the same questions about recent travel and other risk factors that doctors may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also emphasized that handwashing was an important step for everyone .
Madame Rose , the LA-based dominatrix , said she has already implemented this , adding some health-related questions to the prescreening she does with clients .
“ If somebody did show up for a session and they were wheezing and dripping and coughing I would definitely send them home , because that would be violation of my consent at that point , ” said Rose .
But Simmons , the sex worker and activist , said that for the most vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Without any adequate connection to government services to help people stay alive — literally stay alive — people don ’ t have any other option but to continue to do what they ’ ve always done , '' she said .
Ruth Morgan Thomas , who advocates for sex worker rights around the world , argued that the health crisis was also exacerbated by criminalization of sex work , which limits sex workers ’ ability to access health care and other social services .
“ For me , this just amplifies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminalization and the refusal of many governments to recognize sex workers as part of the labor force in the country , ” said Morgan Thomas , adding that it “ somehow makes people feel we have less rights to the social protection systems that others have.
” Amarantine , who works as a stripper in Seattle , said that she has health care coverage through the state due to an accident a few years ago .
She agreed with Morgan Thomas , adding that lack of rights and access to health care for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry puts the broader community at risk too .
“ It trickles up hill , I guess you could say .
I wish more people understood , ” she said .
Carly , who works with Amarantine , said she ’ s relying on her training as a certified nurse assistant to stay healthy during the pandemic because she doesn ’ t currently have health insurance .
“ I did last year because of my other job ... ” she said .
“ Knock on wood.
” ●

Rose, the sex educator, and other sex workers told BuzzFeed News that they’re relying on online sessions with clients to keep some money coming in while they wait for the spread of the virus to slow down and public fear to subside.
“I work with people on intimacy and relating in trauma. I teach somatic processing,” said Rose, referring to an alternative therapy for people dealing with PTSI. “So I’m focusing on that area. It makes me a lot less money,” she said.
Madame Rose, a dominatrix based in LA, said she’s actually seeing some clients more regularly through online sessions, which include tasks and instructions built around what a client likes. “A couple of regulars ... have requested more video sessions than I would normally see them face to face,” she said. “It’s interesting.”
Despite the video calls, she said the situation has declined rapidly and she’s still losing money overall. “I’ve definitely lost some money. I wouldn’t say it’s catastrophic numbers yet, but enough to feel the impact. It’s made me feel that I need to boost my video and clips production so that I can continue to make money.”
Bella French, the CEO of cam site ManyVids, told BuzzFeed News that although she decided to cancel upcoming photoshoots and travel for her staff, the site was doing well.
“Our sales are doing really really good. I feel like it’s almost benefitting the adult industry,” French said. “I think people stay home more, some maybe they’re a little more bored than usual, so maybe they consume a little bit more than they would.”
French also made a point to note that she thought headlines about porn videos tied to the fantasy of the coronavirus were “fake news,” and explained that it’s a common marketing strategy for porn sites to get more clicks. “I talked to my data science team,” French said, “We didn’t see any influence of that on ManyVids.”
The Free Speech Coalition (FSC), a porn industry trade association that oversees an STI screening program for porn performers, recommended that performers stockpile videos to release in the event that porn sets are shut down.
Mike Stabile, who is the communications director for the FSC, told BuzzFeed News that this was the first time in memory that the industry had discussed a shutdown for something that was not an STI. The FSC administers a system called PASS, which records the results of biweekly tests that performers are required to get. If someone passes, they get a green check, but if they skip the test or they fail, they get a red X. In the event of a shutdown, everyone’s results show a red X, meaning no one is cleared for work.
Stabile said the FSC is not expecting a shutdown at this point, but in a statement put out Friday, the FSC advised performers and producers to begin actively planning for one, and said individual performers should make their own choices about whether or not to continue shooting. In addition to standard protections for health, the FSC also suggested performers and studios make more videos now so they would have new content to release if the virus did eventually cause a widespread shutdown or performers get sick. “The last thing you want in a situation like this is a financial incentive for people to go on set when they’re not feeling well.”
For the most vulnerable, though, there are few alternatives, and the diminishing client base only puts sex workers at further risk, said Simmons, who is based in Brooklyn.
Simmons, along with her co-chapter representatives at the Brooklyn chapter of the Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP), established a GoFundMe campaign to provide crisis relief for sex workers dealing with increasing financial strain, and is putting together resource guides to help people access social services.
“When work is really scarce and everybody is really worried about their money, there are some clients,” said Simmons, “who try to take advantage of that.”
“They will push for lower prices, they will push for not having to screen, they will push for unsafe work practices — whether that’s bareback or meeting someone you don’t know or meeting in an unsafe location or being forced to push your own personal boundaries of what you’re willing to do,” she explained. “Because they know that workers are really desperate for money.”
A fund similar to the one SWOP Brooklyn has created has been established in Seattle, and No Justice No Pride, a mutual aid organization that supports the transgender community in DC, was also taking donations to provide supplies to trans people and sex workers, saying, “we are concerned about how the spread of COVID-19 may affect work environments for sex workers.”
The virus, which lives in the upper respiratory system, poses yet another risk for sex workers.
Dr. Peter Meacher, the chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City, said that although there’s still a lot we don’t know about the coronavirus, we do know that it primarily spreads through droplets transmitted into the air by coughing and sneezing.
Meacher said kissing posed a particular risk. “You are at risk of exposure to COVID from each person you’re having that type of contact with. And whilst we think people are most infectious when they have symptoms — the symptoms again, this is an important message to get out, specifically, cough and fever — we honestly don’t really know about the days before symptoms,” said Meacher, speaking over the phone.
Sex workers face different degrees of risk depending on what they’re doing, said Chuck Cloniger, clinical director at the St. James Infirmary, which provides clinical and social services to sex workers in San Francisco.
“People who are doing street-based sex work, may not be able to stop doing sex work to survive,” said Cloniger.
For people who trade sex to survive and other sex workers who continue to see people in person, Cloniger recommends a discussion with clients ahead of time to ask the same questions about recent travel and other risk factors that doctors may be asking. Meacher, at Callen-Lorde, also emphasized that handwashing was an important step for everyone.
Madame Rose, the LA-based dominatrix, said she has already implemented this, adding some health-related questions to the prescreening she does with clients.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--These Updating Charts Show How The US Coronavirus Outbreak Compares To Those In Other Countries

Since COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year , it has spread throughout the globe .
But which countries have been hit hardest , and how has the outbreak developed over time ?
The charts below compare timelines of the outbreaks in some of the worst-affected countries .
“ Day zero ” in each country is set as the date on which the count of confirmed cases , compiled by researchers at Johns Hopkins University , passed 100 .
They will update on a daily basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that all these case numbers are inevitably undercounted , because no country is able to test everyone who might have the virus .
And the extent of the undercount will vary from country to country , depending on how aggressively they have rolled out testing for people who have gotten sick .
There may also be delays in reporting and compiling the data .
And some governments have been reportedly covering up the true extent of their outbreaks .
The US health system was slow to start widespread testing for the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told Congress on March 12 that the US was “ failing ” on testing .
South Korea , by contrast , launched a massive testing campaign once its outbreak took hold , catching a much greater proportion of cases than countries like the US , which reacted more sluggishly .
Deaths are likely to be counted more accurately than cases , which rely on how many people have been tested .
This chart shows the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the same countries on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is likely to provide a more reliable comparison of the severity of the outbreaks in different countries .
As the charts below show , the number of new cases in China — which placed the cities at the epicenter of the outbreak under strict quarantine in late January — seems to have slowed down since day 40 .
Other nations are trying to repeat China ’ s success in “ flattening the curve ” of new infections , introducing measures including business closures and controls on travel .
Keep checking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @

It’s important to realize that all these case numbers are inevitably undercounted, because no country is able to test everyone who might have the virus. And the extent of the undercount will vary from country to country, depending on how aggressively they have rolled out testing for people who have gotten sick. There may also be delays in reporting and compiling the data. And some governments have been reportedly covering up the true extent of their outbreaks.
The US health system was slow to start widespread testing for the coronavirus. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress on March 12 that the US was “failing” on testing. South Korea, by contrast, launched a massive testing campaign once its outbreak took hold, catching a much greater proportion of cases than countries like the US, which reacted more sluggishly.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--As The Coronavirus Spreads, What Do We Really Owe One Another?

Over the past few years , and particularly the last few months , I ’ ve found it more and more difficult to enjoy the lovely little banalities of my middle-class life when members of my own family , along with approximately 37 million other Americans — about 1 in 8 households — struggle with food insecurity , in what ’ s supposedly the greatest nation on earth .
( The fact that so many of them are children was thrown into stark relief this week when school districts have had to decide whether to shut down amid COVID-19 fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on school lunches . )
I ’ ve found it more and more difficult not to lose my mind completely whenever even leaders of the Democratic Party bash Medicare for All ; I ’ m infuriated that my dad was bankrupted by medical debt more than a decade ago , from which he ’ s never really recovered , and I ’ m infuriated that 41 % of working-age Americans — some 71 million people — are still struggling to pay off the costs of their health care .
Perhaps most of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more difficult to keep agitating for much-needed change in this country when it seems as though , unless they know someone personally touched by structural injustice — and even then !
— so many better-off Americans just do not give a shit .
I called my dad , who always tries his best to calm my fears .
Don ’ t be silly ; he ’ s eating great !
He ’ s feeling great !
The money I sent him definitely wasn ’ t needed but appreciated nonetheless .
Never better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s got such a good sense of humor , cracking jokes about the ladies he meets when he salvages near-dead plants from the gardening store — for a buck or two a pop , he ’ ll lovingly nurse them back to life — that I can nearly convince myself everything ’ s okay .
Or at least close to it .
Remembering their conversation while I idly browsed an abundantly full kitchen in this temporary home managed to overwhelm me so entirely that I collapsed to my knees , doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if by something more physical than sorrow .
A few weeks ago I spent a long weekend in a glamorous upstate New York Airbnb with some friends .
I was grabbing another beer from the fridge when I thought about something my brother had told my grandma recently after she 'd asked about my dad ’ s eating habits ; he ’ s been looking scary thin lately .
My brother , who lives with our dad in a small one-bedroom apartment in Orlando , relayed that he typically only eats one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he only wants to eat once a day , or because he can ’ t afford to ?
“ Both , ” my brother said .
As the coronavirus has spread around the world , some Americans have self-soothed , and soothed each other , with reports that the virus likely won ’ t kill anyone besides the elderly and immunocompromised — as if they don ’ t know and love someone who ’ s elderly or immunocompromised .
As if , even if they don ’ t , strangers ’ lives are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it means getting to pretend their comfortable lives should continue on as normal .
Watching Republicans block an emergency paid sick leave bill and hold firm on CDC cuts and peddle xenophobia in lieu of real solutions , or hearing about a friend ’ s boomer dad whose fever and coughing spells haven ’ t compelled him to stay self-quarantined at home , I see the same dizzying ticker tape ablaze against the inside of my eyelids : I don ’ t know how to explain to you that you should care about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t succumb to despair .
So I donate to mutual aid funds .
I Venmo my dad .
I sign up for a volunteer shift .
( It ’ s not enough .
Nothing is ever enough . )
I scroll through Twitter in an increasingly delusional search for answers only to find escalating chaos .
Last night reached its peak when Trump addressed the nation with an error-riddled speech , Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they had tested positive for the virus , the NBA suspended its season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Masked Singer — all within a span of an hour .
Amid the news , I find tweets telling me it ’ s okay to take time for self-care , tweets telling me it ’ s crucial that the more privileged don ’ t coddle ourselves in times of crisis , tweets telling me to keep paying attention , tweets telling me to just log off already , tweets offering a desperately needed silver lining to some fresh horror , and tweets ( more and more and more of these now ) expressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( There ’ s also all the disinformation , leftist infighting , stupidity , pettiness , and hate speech .
And I keep coming back , baby ! )
I told a friend the other day that I think I ’ ve stopped knowing how to be a person — if I ever really knew , if it ’ s even possible to know .
Inside my Very Online bubble , it seems as though the sky is truly falling this time ; outside of it , people are still going about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ways I ’ m both jealous and resentful of .
I feel like Sarah Miller , who wrote this week in Longreads : “ I have no idea what I ’ m supposed to do with my depression and insecurities and personal petty fears now .
They used to be so tragic and important .
Now they are old plastic toys.
” I hate that , even though I think my own ambitions and achievements should matter less now than they ever have , there ’ s still a part of me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own sense of goodness .
I ’ m paralyzed with guilt and dread over my every move right now : Can I go to the grocery store ?
What about a friend ’ s house ?
In a couple weeks I ’ m supposed to fly to Florida to visit my dad and my grandmother , neither of whom are in good health ; what if I get them sick ?
( But if I don ’ t go , what are the chances I never see them again ? )
Would it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plane to reach my girlfriend in the United Kingdom before any more potential travel bans are put in place ?
How solipsistic , to turn all of the world ’ s tragedies , large and small , into a referendum on how appropriately I , personally , am responding to them .
But my own actions , however impure , are all I have .
What upsets me most of all is that I ’ m unable to see the line , if one exists , between where my own agency stalls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust social safety net can and should begin .
I am desperate to the point of feeling physically ill over it — that I can ’ t do more for those without the structural advantages I have , from members of my biological family to those in my local community to everyone ( please excuse the woo-woo bullshit , which is maybe not so bullshitty after all ) in the biggest community of all : my human family .
“ There is nothing to achieve right now , ” Miller wrote , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is caring for others , and not caring specially for family or friends , but in caring for every person as our family or friend.
” My colleague Anne Helen Petersen , in her extremely helpful guide for what we as individuals can do to stop the spread of the coronavirus , pointed out why that theoretical proposition will be such a difficult one for most Americans .
“ One of country ’ s most cherished ideologies is a belief in the power and centrality of the individual : that every person succeeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or grit , or stamina , and every person deserves whatever success or failure follows , ” she wrote .
But just taking care of one ’ s own — believing that if you are okay , then everything ’ s okay — “ is , quite simply , contagion fuel.
” Unless the collective is safe , none of us are .
Earlier this month , Isaac Chotiner at the New Yorker interviewed Frank M. Snowden , a professor emeritus of history and the history of medicine at Yale , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : From the Black Death to the Present .
To prepare for global health crises , Snowden said , “ we need as human beings to realize that we ’ re all in this together , that what affects one person anywhere affects everyone everywhere .
… We have to work together as a human species to be organized to care for one another , to realize that the health of the most vulnerable people among us is a determining factor for the health of all of us , and , if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ll never , ever be prepared to confront these devastating challenges to our humanity .
”

As the coronavirus has spread around the world, some Americans have self-soothed, and soothed each other, with reports that the virus likely won’t kill anyone besides the elderly and immunocompromised — as if they don’t know and love someone who’s elderly or immunocompromised. As if, even if they don’t, strangers’ lives are somehow more disposable and worth risking if it means getting to pretend their comfortable lives should continue on as normal. Watching Republicans block an emergency paid sick leave bill and hold firm on CDC cuts and peddle xenophobia in lieu of real solutions, or hearing about a friend’s boomer dad whose fever and coughing spells haven’t compelled him to stay self-quarantined at home, I see the same dizzying ticker tape ablaze against the inside of my eyelids: I don’t know how to explain to you that you should care about other people.
But I know I shouldn’t succumb to despair. So I donate to mutual aid funds. I Venmo my dad. I sign up for a volunteer shift. (It’s not enough. Nothing is ever enough.) I scroll through Twitter in an increasingly delusional search for answers only to find escalating chaos. Last night reached its peak when Trump addressed the nation with an error-riddled speech, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they had tested positive for the virus, the NBA suspended its season, and Sarah Palin was revealed on The Masked Singer — all within a span of an hour. Amid the news, I find tweets telling me it’s okay to take time for self-care, tweets telling me it’s crucial that the more privileged don’t coddle ourselves in times of crisis, tweets telling me to keep paying attention, tweets telling me to just log off already, tweets offering a desperately needed silver lining to some fresh horror, and tweets (more and more and more of these now) expressing helplessness and confusion and anguish and fright. (There’s also all the disinformation, leftist infighting, stupidity, pettiness, and hate speech. And I keep coming back, baby!)
I told a friend the other day that I think I’ve stopped knowing how to be a person — if I ever really knew, if it’s even possible to know. Inside my Very Online bubble, it seems as though the sky is truly falling this time; outside of it, people are still going about their merry way, happy and hopeful in ways I’m both jealous and resentful of. I feel like Sarah Miller, who wrote this week in Longreads: “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with my depression and insecurities and personal petty fears now. They used to be so tragic and important. Now they are old plastic toys.”
I hate that, even though I think my own ambitions and achievements should matter less now than they ever have, there’s still a part of me that’s endlessly preoccupied with my own sense of goodness. I’m paralyzed with guilt and dread over my every move right now: Can I go to the grocery store? What about a friend’s house? In a couple weeks I’m supposed to fly to Florida to visit my dad and my grandmother, neither of whom are in good health; what if I get them sick? (But if I don’t go, what are the chances I never see them again?) Would it be extraordinarily selfish if I get on a plane to reach my girlfriend in the United Kingdom before any more potential travel bans are put in place?
How solipsistic, to turn all of the world’s tragedies, large and small, into a referendum on how appropriately I, personally, am responding to them. But my own actions, however impure, are all I have.
What upsets me most of all is that I’m unable to see the line, if one exists, between where my own agency stalls out and where the role of a robust social safety net can and should begin. I am desperate to the point of feeling physically ill over it — that I can’t do more for those without the structural advantages I have, from members of my biological family to those in my local community to everyone (please excuse the woo-woo bullshit, which is maybe not so bullshitty after all) in the biggest community of all: my human family.
“There is nothing to achieve right now,” Miller wrote, “except to insist that the only achievement is caring for others, and not caring specially for family or friends, but in caring for every person as our family or friend.”
My colleague Anne Helen Petersen, in her extremely helpful guide for what we as individuals can do to stop the spread of the coronavirus, pointed out why that theoretical proposition will be such a difficult one for most Americans. “One of country’s most cherished ideologies is a belief in the power and centrality of the individual: that every person succeeds or fails because of their personal effort, or grit, or stamina, and every person deserves whatever success or failure follows,” she wrote. But just taking care of one’s own — believing that if you are okay, then everything’s okay — “is, quite simply, contagion fuel.” Unless the collective is safe, none of us are.
Earlier this month, Isaac Chotiner at the New Yorker interviewed Frank M. Snowden, a professor emeritus of history and the history of medicine at Yale, about his new book, Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present. To prepare for global health crises, Snowden said, “we need as human beings to realize that we’re all in this together, that what affects one person anywhere affects everyone everywhere. … We have to work together as a human species to be organized to care for one another, to realize that the health of the most vulnerable people among us is a determining factor for the health of all of us, and, if we aren’t prepared to do that, we’ll never, ever be prepared to confront these devastating challenges to our humanity.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Normal Was Already Over

Normal Was Already Over

Within the span of one hour on March 11 , President Donald Trump said in a live , televised address that all flights from Europe would be suspended for 30 days starting Friday , news broke that actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for the novel coronavirus , the NBA suspended its season after a player also tested positive , and ( spoiler ) former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was revealed as Bear Four on NBC ’ s The Masked Singer in a performance where she rapped a live rendition of Sir Mix-a-Lot 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neon-colored , furry , anthropomorphic bear suit .
This all happened just hours after the World Health Organization categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic , Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison , and the results of “ Super Tuesday 2.0 ” secured former vice president Joe Biden ’ s position as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary , ahead of Bernie Sanders .
What the fuck is going on ?
On Twitter , people called the evening of March 11 a glitch in the Matrix .
An exception .
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome as a nation and as a world . ''
But really , none of this is temporary .
Instead , the pandemic has exposed our long-standing national priorities and the resulting sense of powerlessness many of us feel .
Nearly 30 million Americans lack health insurance .
And so in Trump ’ s address to the nation , he said the health insurance industry had “ agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments , extend insurance coverage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical billing.
” But on Thursday , the industry ’ s lobby rushed to clarify that while copays for testing might be waived , treatment costs would not be .
As public health officials nationwide urge Americans to avoid public gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus , tens of thousands of immigrants are being held in crowded detention centers , many of whom have no access to urgent medical care .
And 2019 was the second-hottest year on record , and the universal scientific consensus is that we are facing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was considering giving federal aid to shale gas companies .
This disconnect between what needs to happen and what does happen is why our systems already feel deeply broken in unfixable ways — or at least ways that defy individual action .
And it is exacerbated by our fragmented , information-dense , choose-your-own-reality culture .
For those perpetually online , social media distorts perception of time , amplifies the loudest voices , and facilitates self-sorting into social bubbles .
Despite having access to ultrapowerful , handheld computers that can retrieve any information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear guidance on what we should do , what we should postpone or cancel .
We have access to an overwhelming amount of information about the world — everything cruel , absurd , or both — but little to no information that we can act on .
That ’ s not exceptional .
It ’ s just how things are now .
We live in a world that needs overwhelming change to save millions of people ’ s lives — be it from COVID-19 , climate change , expensive medical procedures , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no clear path to do it .
Top US health officials have now admitted our health system is `` failing '' at providing adequate testing for the coronavirus .
In lieu of adequate tests , the best guidance from experts is to participate , en masse , in “ social distancing , ” self-quarantine , working from home , avoiding public spaces , and frequent handwashing .
Millions of Americans are cooped up at home — some stocked up with food and hand sanitizer , some not .
People who aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling the effects — fatigue , stir-craziness , poor concentration .
People who don ’ t have the luxury of working from home are delivering groceries , packages , and takeout to their doors .
They ’ re teaching in schools that can ’ t shut down , in part because millions of American children would not eat if they did .
They are ringing up orders at pharmacies and taking our temperature in emergency rooms .
What we all have in common is wondering if things are better or worse than what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , in their group chat , in grocery store and pharmacy lines .
And for those who are shut in , aside from family or roommates , some people ’ s only form of human connection may come from the internet , where the worst parts of reality and unreality collide .
In the middle of all this , I ’ ve been thinking about the strange fetishization of young people online .
Young people today are typically described in one of two ways : woke , intelligent , and here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely and utterly overloaded with terrible information that ’ s rendered them indifferent , nihilistic , and helpless .
But I think most people , not just young people , flutter in between .
I ’ m writing this from my bedroom in Brooklyn , which I ’ ve left sparingly over the past few days .
My hands are possibly cleaner than they ’ ve ever been , as I ’ ve been diligent about washing them for 20 seconds , using the recommended technique , kneading and folding my fingers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Before I open a can of soup .
After I do it .
Before I empty the dishwasher .
After I do it .
My knuckles smell like a mixture of hand sanitizer and shea butter moisturizer .
They ’ re also dry , cracking , and bleeding .
I ’ m doing what I can to control things in my own little life .

Within the span of one hour on March 11, President Donald Trump said in a live, televised address that all flights from Europe would be suspended for 30 days starting Friday, news broke that actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the NBA suspended its season after a player also tested positive, and (spoiler) former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was revealed as Bear Four on NBC’s The Masked Singer in a performance where she rapped a live rendition of Sir Mix-a-Lot's “Baby Got Back” in a neon-colored, furry, anthropomorphic bear suit.
This all happened just hours after the World Health Organization categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison, and the results of “Super Tuesday 2.0” secured former vice president Joe Biden’s position as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, ahead of Bernie Sanders.
What the fuck is going on?
On Twitter, people called the evening of March 11 a glitch in the Matrix. An exception. In his address to the nation, Trump said, “This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome as a nation and as a world."
But really, none of this is temporary. Instead, the pandemic has exposed our long-standing national priorities and the resulting sense of powerlessness many of us feel. Nearly 30 million Americans lack health insurance. And so in Trump’s address to the nation, he said the health insurance industry had “agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing.” But on Thursday, the industry’s lobby rushed to clarify that while copays for testing might be waived, treatment costs would not be. As public health officials nationwide urge Americans to avoid public gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus, tens of thousands of immigrants are being held in crowded detention centers, many of whom have no access to urgent medical care. And 2019 was the second-hottest year on record, and the universal scientific consensus is that we are facing a climate crisis. Yet Trump announced that he was considering giving federal aid to shale gas companies.
This disconnect between what needs to happen and what does happen is why our systems already feel deeply broken in unfixable ways — or at least ways that defy individual action. And it is exacerbated by our fragmented, information-dense, choose-your-own-reality culture.
For those perpetually online, social media distorts perception of time, amplifies the loudest voices, and facilitates self-sorting into social bubbles. Despite having access to ultrapowerful, handheld computers that can retrieve any information at any time, we have no clear guidance on what we should do, what we should postpone or cancel.
We have access to an overwhelming amount of information about the world — everything cruel, absurd, or both — but little to no information that we can act on. That’s not exceptional. It’s just how things are now.
We live in a world that needs overwhelming change to save millions of people’s lives — be it from COVID-19, climate change, expensive medical procedures, or something else — and there’s no clear path to do it.
Top US health officials have now admitted our health system is "failing" at providing adequate testing for the coronavirus. In lieu of adequate tests, the best guidance from experts is to participate, en masse, in “social distancing,” self-quarantine, working from home, avoiding public spaces, and frequent handwashing. Millions of Americans are cooped up at home — some stocked up with food and hand sanitizer, some not. People who aren’t used to working from home are already feeling the effects — fatigue, stir-craziness, poor concentration. People who don’t have the luxury of working from home are delivering groceries, packages, and takeout to their doors. They’re teaching in schools that can’t shut down, in part because millions of American children would not eat if they did. They are ringing up orders at pharmacies and taking our temperature in emergency rooms.
What we all have in common is wondering if things are better or worse than what people are saying on cable news, on Twitter, in their group chat, in grocery store and pharmacy lines. And for those who are shut in, aside from family or roommates, some people’s only form of human connection may come from the internet, where the worst parts of reality and unreality collide.
In the middle of all this, I’ve been thinking about the strange fetishization of young people online. Young people today are typically described in one of two ways: woke, intelligent, and here to save all of us, or completely and utterly overloaded with terrible information that’s rendered them indifferent, nihilistic, and helpless.
But I think most people, not just young people, flutter in between.
I’m writing this from my bedroom in Brooklyn, which I’ve left sparingly over the past few days. My hands are possibly cleaner than they’ve ever been, as I’ve been diligent about washing them for 20 seconds, using the recommended technique, kneading and folding my fingers, much more frequently than I usually do. Before I open a can of soup. After I do it. Before I empty the dishwasher. After I do it. My knuckles smell like a mixture of hand sanitizer and shea butter moisturizer. They’re also dry, cracking, and bleeding. I’m doing what I can to control things in my own little life.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--The Painful Decision To Cancel Weddings, Funerals, And Major Life Events Because Of The Coronavirus

Around the world , restrictions on gatherings of large crowds have forced people to make agonizing decisions about major life events .
Sons who ca n't properly bury their fathers , couples calling off their weddings , and friends missing joyous events such as bachelorette weekends , bat mitzvahs , and 18th birthdays .
Around the world , the coronavirus has upended people 's lives in unfathomable ways , forcing them to make agonizing decisions to cancel meaningful and monumental life events .
“ It ’ s bullshit he can ’ t have a funeral , ” said Nils Van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I understand the severity of the virus , but at the same time I think it ’ s hypocritical to let people go on working , get sick there , but a gathering of a 100 friends family is not allowed ?
” On March 3 , Gerd Van den Bossche , 51 , died suddenly after collapsing in his office from a heart attack , according to his son .
For the past 10 days , the 24-year-old 's mother and sister have been in overdrive planning the funeral .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with about 200 people who wanted to come pay their respects .
But then coronavirus fears started “ lighting up ” in Belgium with more than 500 infections so far .
The Belgian government , like so many other countries , enacted swift , drastic precautionary measures to try to thwart the spread .
On Friday night , Nils ’ s family was dealt another painful blow : Less than 24 hours before the service was slated to start , they got the news that their memorial was officially canceled due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s painful and infuriating for Nils to not be able to honor his father the way he should be , with his friends , coworkers , and members of the community .
Gerd had worked at the same company fixing wires on streetlights for 18 years and also worked with a nearby soccer club helping injured players .
“ It ’ s quite miserable , ” his son said .
“ Especially when you know your father was loved by a lot of people.
” Now , due to new rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and family members can come pay their respects to Gerd 's life .
The Saturday ceremony will last about 15 minutes , then the procession will head to the graveyard to bury the body .
After that , the small group will disband and go home .
“ There ’ s nothing else to do , ” Nils said .
“ We aren ’ t even allowed to be together at this moment.
” Nils joked that it ’ s probably what his father would have wanted .
“ He ’ d say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so either we cut costs or cancel it entirely , ’ ” Nils chuckled .
“ I am just trying to stay as positive as possible as I have to call all these people and notify them they can ’ t come.
” One of the hardest parts of the tragedy is that the two had just started to become friends again .
Nils said he 'd had a rocky relationship with his father for about 10 years , since he became a teenager .
But , the last few months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow `` a lot closer and we started having an actual father–son relationship . ''
He wrote a letter to his father , which he had hoped to read at his funeral .
Now , he said , he will publish it online .
“ I want people who couldn ’ t attend to see one final time how much he meant to me , ” he said .
“ He was always so proud of his family , his children .
I want him to know I am proud of him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away in Opoczno , Poland , Maja Szot had just finished telling the 40 or so teens who had RSVP 'd to her 18th birthday party that the whole thing was off .
She 'd been planning this day for a year — buying decorations , finding the perfect venue , locking down a DJ , creating the playlist , and nailing down her `` really , really cool cake , which looks like Shrek . ''
`` In Poland , the18th birthday is , like , a huge thing , many teenagers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two before , '' the high schooler told BuzzFeed News .
`` To be honest , I was scared at first I did n't wanted to celebrate the fact I am going to be an adult , but my friends convinced me somehow and I really liked the idea . ''
Like scores of students across the globe , Szot 's school is on lockdown for at least two weeks , putting their academic and social lives on pause .
She 's been spending a lot of time watching Netflix and connecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it 's been lonely .
She and her friends were `` really excited '' to finally see each other on April 3 , the day of her birthday party .
But Friday night , her dad called and told her they had to call it off .
`` I got really sad and angry at the same time , '' she said .
`` It feels a little depressing , but I know it 's for the better , so it 's OK. '' Instead , to celebrate she said a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day she turns 18 , and watch a movie .
It 's not how she imagined ringing in the moment she `` became an adult , '' but she knows she 's not alone .
Other teens in her grade are also preparing to cancel their big days too .
There 's one thing , though , that 's she 's not canceling : the massive Shrek cake she ordered .
`` I will eat it all by myself , '' she said .
As the coronavirus continues to cause panic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , couples are being forced to make the painful decision to cancel or postpone weddings and bachelor and bachelorette parties .
Kristin Godsell was supposed to celebrate finishing the New York City Half Marathon and her upcoming May wedding with eight of her best friends in Boston next weekend for her bachelorette party .
Now the 29-year-old wo n't be doing either .
After officials shut down the race , she had a feeling she 'd be forced to do the same for her bachelorette weekend , which she 'd been planning since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting game for things to get canceled , '' she said .
`` It 's a fear if we do n't cancel that means I could be putting people 's health in jeopardy , and I did n't feel comfortable with that . ''
With the help and support of her friends , she switched gears , called off the trip , and invited anyone who felt comfortable to her home in Norwalk , Connecticut , for a more low-key , intimate gathering .
As `` upset , '' as she was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeper perspective of and appreciation for what it really means to get married .
`` You learn who your friends are quickly .
People who reached out to say , 'How can we help ? '
'' she said .
`` I talked to my fiancé a lot and we realized you lose hindsight about the goal of these weekends .
It 's about being together .
These times show you what you are capable of doing and remind you why you did this to begin with , and you roll with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other side . ''
In just a few hours on Thursday , bride-to-be Ashley Boyle went from buying a deep burgundy lipstick for her wedding this Saturday to canceling the whole event .
After 40 guests pulled out within 24 hours due to coronavirus concerns , she said she and her fiancé of six years , Steve Schiraldi , knew they didn ’ t have a choice , even if it was less than two days before their ceremony .
“ I got home around 1 p.m. and basically just dissolved , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , we knew we either have a wedding we didn ’ t want or we were postponing . ''
The 29-year-old had taken Thursday off from her job as a first-grade teacher in Washington , DC , to spend the day relaxing and running last-minute errands for the wedding , but her phone kept ringing .
Guest after guest — many of whom lived in New York City , DC , Seattle , and Los Angeles , all areas struggling with the virus outbreak — kept calling and canceling .
“ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger , ” she said .
`` And they were actually expressing that they didn ’ t want to risk that they were carrying it and passing it to our older family and relatives , which was hard to hear but commendable.
” Then , Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency and told people to avoid large gatherings .
Ten minutes later , Boyle ’ s mother called , informing her that very close family members from upstate New York had contacted her , letting her know they didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To get that one fell swoop of these seven people who are so dear to your heart can ’ t come , I dropped the phone , ” she said .
“ I can ’ t imagine turning to walk down that aisle and not having some of my closest relatives there to see it .
I just can ’ t do it.
” They reached out to their venue , John Marshall Ballrooms in downtown Richmond , which immediately offered to reschedule the wedding at no additional cost .
They booked Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only weekend available for the rest of the year .
“ It was incredible , ” said Boyle .
“ So far every single one of our vendors said , 'No problem , no fee , we will see you in September . '
” But Boyle said she knows that since she is one of the first weddings to cancel due to the pandemic , future brides may not be so lucky with rescheduling .
She also acknowledged that in recent days , she ’ d been playing down the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I was honestly trying to block it out and was in denial , ” said Boyle .
“ As soon as we made the choice , it was , This is obviously what we have to do.
” All the roughly 200 invited guests have been reinvited to the wedding , which will now be in September .
As for her wedding day this Saturday , Boyle still plans on walking down an aisle .
Since the couple had already gotten their marriage license , which needs to be used within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ married .
Their parents , siblings , and few close friends will be in attendance and Boyle will carry a bouquet , since the wedding flowers were ready and waiting .
And then in six months they hope they 'll do it again — just as she had always dreamed .
“ The great thing that has helped it to be tolerable for us , '' said Boyle , `` is we ’ ve just been inundated with messages with people saying , ‘ This is the worst thing in the world but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are going to have your day . '
''

Sons who can't properly bury their fathers, couples calling off their weddings, and friends missing joyous events such as bachelorette weekends, bat mitzvahs, and 18th birthdays. Around the world, the coronavirus has upended people's lives in unfathomable ways, forcing them to make agonizing decisions to cancel meaningful and monumental life events.
“It’s bullshit he can’t have a funeral,” said Nils Van den Bossche of his late father. “I understand the severity of the virus, but at the same time I think it’s hypocritical to let people go on working, get sick there, but a gathering of a 100 friends family is not allowed?”
On March 3, Gerd Van den Bossche, 51, died suddenly after collapsing in his office from a heart attack, according to his son. For the past 10 days, the 24-year-old's mother and sister have been in overdrive planning the funeral. It was going to be a large memorial, with about 200 people who wanted to come pay their respects.
But then coronavirus fears started “lighting up” in Belgium with more than 500 infections so far. The Belgian government, like so many other countries, enacted swift, drastic precautionary measures to try to thwart the spread.
On Friday night, Nils’s family was dealt another painful blow: Less than 24 hours before the service was slated to start, they got the news that their memorial was officially canceled due to the restrictions on social gatherings.
It’s painful and infuriating for Nils to not be able to honor his father the way he should be, with his friends, coworkers, and members of the community. Gerd had worked at the same company fixing wires on streetlights for 18 years and also worked with a nearby soccer club helping injured players.
“It’s quite miserable,” his son said. “Especially when you know your father was loved by a lot of people.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Chinese Diplomats Are Pushing Conspiracy Theories That The Coronavirus Didn't Originate In China

On Thursday , a prominent Chinese diplomat tweeted a false conspiracy theory that the novel coronavirus did not originate in Wuhan , China , but in the United States .
“ This article is very much important to each and every one of us .
Please read and retweet it .
COVID-19 : Further Evidence that the Virus Originated in the US , ” Lijian Zhao , the deputy director-general of the Information Department of China 's Foreign Ministry , tweeted .
In a follow-up tweet , the diplomat wrote , “ Just take a few minutes to read one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it changed many things I used to believe in .
Please retweet to let more people know about it.
” The tweet linked to a story on conspiracy theory site Global Research that falsely claimed the novel coronavirus originated in the US .
Experts at the World Health Organization have concluded the disease first appeared in the Chinese province of Hubei .
As of Friday , the disease has infected 137,860 people and killed 5,074 around the world .
The false claim was far from the only piece of propaganda that Zhao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Foreign Ministry on Twitter , has pushed about the coronavirus outbreak in the last week — a strategy that did n't convince anyone , but appears designed to polarize the US government and disrupt any bipartisan mitigation efforts .
Zhao and Hua Chunying , another spokesperson for China ’ s Foreign Ministry , have flooded Twitter with posts lauding the Chinese Communist Party 's response to COVID-19 and indulging in conspiracy theories about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Unlike other parts of China ’ s propaganda apparatus , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks like Weibo and WeChat , Zhao , Hua , and a small group of other diplomats have become more and more brazen about taking their information war to American platforms .
Following Zhao and Hua ’ s tweet , the State Department summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Friday .
The Chinese embassy did not respond to a request for comment .
President Donald Trump , in a coronavirus press conference Friday , was asked about Zhao 's propaganda efforts .
Trump waved them away , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They know where [ the virus ] came from , we all know where it came from , '' he said .
Del Harvey , Twitter 's vice president of trust and safety , said the platform is assessing things `` case by case '' and that government officials do n't have special rights to post harmful information , but the platform is also taking into account if the replies to tweets are providing `` corrective '' information .
Zhao , who currently has 284,000 followers on Twitter , first went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He did so again last November after he fired off an eight-part tweetstorm about American racism and mocked Trump .
“ This is a time for Chinese diplomats to tell the true picture , ” he told BuzzFeed News in December .

On Thursday, a prominent Chinese diplomat tweeted a false conspiracy theory that the novel coronavirus did not originate in Wuhan, China, but in the United States.
“This article is very much important to each and every one of us. Please read and retweet it. COVID-19: Further Evidence that the Virus Originated in the US,” Lijian Zhao, the deputy director-general of the Information Department of China's Foreign Ministry, tweeted. In a follow-up tweet, the diplomat wrote, “Just take a few minutes to read one more article. This is so astonishing that it changed many things I used to believe in. Please retweet to let more people know about it.”
The tweet linked to a story on conspiracy theory site Global Research that falsely claimed the novel coronavirus originated in the US. Experts at the World Health Organization have concluded the disease first appeared in the Chinese province of Hubei. As of Friday, the disease has infected 137,860 people and killed 5,074 around the world.
The false claim was far from the only piece of propaganda that Zhao, the most prominent member of China's Foreign Ministry on Twitter, has pushed about the coronavirus outbreak in the last week — a strategy that didn't convince anyone, but appears designed to polarize the US government and disrupt any bipartisan mitigation efforts.
Zhao and Hua Chunying, another spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, have flooded Twitter with posts lauding the Chinese Communist Party's response to COVID-19 and indulging in conspiracy theories about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Unlike other parts of China’s propaganda apparatus, which are typically concerned with manipulating homegrown social networks like Weibo and WeChat, Zhao, Hua, and a small group of other diplomats have become more and more brazen about taking their information war to American platforms.
Following Zhao and Hua’s tweet, the State Department summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Friday. The Chinese embassy did not respond to a request for comment. President Donald Trump, in a coronavirus press conference Friday, was asked about Zhao's propaganda efforts. Trump waved them away, saying they wouldn't impact trade with China.
"They know where [the virus] came from, we all know where it came from," he said.
Del Harvey, Twitter's vice president of trust and safety, said the platform is assessing things "case by case" and that government officials don't have special rights to post harmful information, but the platform is also taking into account if the replies to tweets are providing "corrective" information.
Zhao, who currently has 284,000 followers on Twitter, first went viral in the US last July. He did so again last November after he fired off an eight-part tweetstorm about American racism and mocked Trump.
“This is a time for Chinese diplomats to tell the true picture,” he told BuzzFeed News in December.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Pinterest Is Blocking Coronavirus Searches, And People Are Very Happy About It

People seeking an online escape from coronavirus news and misinformation have found it on Pinterest .
The social media site ’ s strict health misinformation policy means anyone searching for “ coronavirus ” or “ COVID-19 ” is sent to a sparse page with content from the World Health Organization .
“ Pins about this topic often violate our Community Guidelines , which prohibit harmful medical misinformation , ” reads a message at the top of the page .
“ Because of this , we 've limited search results to Pins from internationally-recognized health organizations.
” Pinterest 's community guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and detrimental effects on a pinner ’ s health or on public safety .
This includes promotion of false cures for terminal or chronic illnesses and anti-vaccination advice.
” A company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News it added a banner to coronavirus search results in January to warn about misinformation and rolled out the custom results page in February .
“ The goal is to connect Pinners with facts and myth-bust what 's not true with expert information from the WHO , ” the spokesperson said .
Pinterest ’ s approach to combating health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the coronavirus than on any other major social platform .
As a result , Pinterest has turned into a place to avoid the onslaught of news about the pandemic .

People seeking an online escape from coronavirus news and misinformation have found it on Pinterest.
The social media site’s strict health misinformation policy means anyone searching for “coronavirus” or “COVID-19” is sent to a sparse page with content from the World Health Organization.
“Pins about this topic often violate our Community Guidelines, which prohibit harmful medical misinformation,” reads a message at the top of the page. “Because of this, we've limited search results to Pins from internationally-recognized health organizations.”
Pinterest's community guidelines prohibit health advice that has “immediate and detrimental effects on a pinner’s health or on public safety. This includes promotion of false cures for terminal or chronic illnesses and anti-vaccination advice.”
A company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News it added a banner to coronavirus search results in January to warn about misinformation and rolled out the custom results page in February.
“The goal is to connect Pinners with facts and myth-bust what's not true with expert information from the WHO,” the spokesperson said.
Pinterest’s approach to combating health misinformation means its users encounter less content about the coronavirus than on any other major social platform.
As a result, Pinterest has turned into a place to avoid the onslaught of news about the pandemic.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-15--These Pictures Show How You Can Hold An Election During The Coronavirus Pandemic

A voter has her temperature taken before being permitted into a polling station to vote .
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 .
South Korea has held the biggest election since the coronavirus pandemic began , with voting taking place under strict rules to try to ensure people ’ s safety .
All voters had to wear masks and stand at least 1 meter apart at polling stations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their temperature taken , and were told to disinfect their hands and put on plastic gloves .
President Moon Jae-in ’ s Democratic Party of Korea , along with its satellite party , is forecast to win a majority of seats in the National Assembly , according to an exit poll from national public broadcaster KBS .
Voter turnout was the highest in 28 years .
There was also a record early turnout , with 11 million people casting their votes in advance , some by post but also in polling stations set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US President Donald Trump called mail-in votes `` horrible '' and `` corrupt , '' despite himself voting in the Florida primary via mail .
Special measures were introduced in South Korea to allow coronavirus patients or those under quarantine to vote .
People diagnosed with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , were given the option of mailing in their ballot , while anyone under quarantine was given a strict time frame to vote at designated polling stations , which they either had to walk or drive to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp contrast to the canceled primaries in the US , or the unsettling pictures in Wisconsin where voters waited for hours to cast their ballots .
South Korea has been praised for its response to the coronavirus outbreak , with an aggressive regime of testing and tracing anyone who had come into contact with patients helping reduce daily new cases down from a peak of 900 in February to 27 on Election Day itself .

South Korea has held the biggest election since the coronavirus pandemic began, with voting taking place under strict rules to try to ensure people’s safety.
All voters had to wear masks and stand at least 1 meter apart at polling stations. Before they could vote, people had their temperature taken, and were told to disinfect their hands and put on plastic gloves.
President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic Party of Korea, along with its satellite party, is forecast to win a majority of seats in the National Assembly, according to an exit poll from national public broadcaster KBS. Voter turnout was the highest in 28 years.
There was also a record early turnout, with 11 million people casting their votes in advance, some by post but also in polling stations set up last week. Last week, US President Donald Trump called mail-in votes "horrible" and "corrupt," despite himself voting in the Florida primary via mail.
Special measures were introduced in South Korea to allow coronavirus patients or those under quarantine to vote. People diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, were given the option of mailing in their ballot, while anyone under quarantine was given a strict time frame to vote at designated polling stations, which they either had to walk or drive to.
The elections in South Korea are in sharp contrast to the canceled primaries in the US, or the unsettling pictures in Wisconsin where voters waited for hours to cast their ballots.
South Korea has been praised for its response to the coronavirus outbreak, with an aggressive regime of testing and tracing anyone who had come into contact with patients helping reduce daily new cases down from a peak of 900 in February to 27 on Election Day itself.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--I’m Trapped In A Russian Airport And The US Embassy Told Me My Best Chance To Get Home Is To Flee To

I’m Trapped In A Russian Airport And The US Embassy Told Me My Best Chance To Get Home Is To Flee To Finland

Trenton Thurber told BuzzFeed News that he has asthma , his funds are dwindling , and he feels like “ there ’ s no way to get out ” of an airport in Moscow as the coronavirus crisis deepens .
As he watched his luggage being loaded onto a plane at Moscow ’ s Sheremetyevo International Airport on March 30 , Trenton Thurber felt relieved that he would soon be home in Arizona .
But then Russia locked down its borders in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic , halting all traffic to and from the country , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aeroflot plane to New York ’ s JFK International Airport .
From there he was due to connect to his home in Tucson .
Now the 26-year-old is one of the dozens of foreign citizens , including a handful of Americans , marooned inside Moscow ’ s largest , and today mostly empty , airport with few food and lodging options — and so far no support from the US government .
The advice given to Thurber by the US Embassy in Moscow has not exactly inspired confidence that they ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They said , ‘ If you can get to the land border with Finland , that might be OK , ’ ” Thurber told BuzzFeed News by phone on Tuesday .
Even if he were crazy enough to attempt that trip , there is no guarantee that the far-fetched idea could even work .
The Russia–Finland border is 700 miles away .
The journey would need to be done by car , or by a combination of train and car , or plane and then a car .
And Thurber would need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moreover , he could run into trouble due to Russia ’ s new lockdown measures in cities across the country , which may soon include a QR-code system where people will be assigned individual codes in order to be able to leave their homes .
And even if he managed to get to the border , he would have to deal with similarly stringent measures imposed by Finland .
“ There ’ s no way to get out , ” Thurber said .
The US government has been under pressure in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abroad who are trying to get home from as the coronavirus crisis deepens , borders close and air traffic shuts down .
On March 19 , the State Department issued a Level 4 travel advisory that remains in place today , warning all US citizens not to travel internationally .
Secretary of State Pompeo said last month in an interview with Fox News ’ Sean Hannity that the US would do everything it can “ to get every American home safely ” but warned , “ it ’ ll take us some amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor the US Embassy in Moscow responded to requests for comment about the current situation at Sheremetyevo airport .
That situation came as Russia on Wednesday sent a plane full of medical materials to the US to help hospitals in short supply .
The delivery , which critics view as a propaganda victory for the Kremlin as it tries to position itself as a leader on the world stage , came after presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Monday and agreed to cooperate in the fight against the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy but La Stampa newspaper , citing unnamed officials in Rome , reported that 80 % of that aid was “ useless.
” Making matters worse for Thurber , who suffers from asthma , he has a limited supply of the medication he needs to breathe comfortably .
Medical experts have said people with asthma are among those most at risk for contracting the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s one of the reasons I ’ m leaving Russia .
The climate is not suitable for my asthma , ” Thurber said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems since I moved [ to Russia ] but it definitely compounds my concerns .
Especially with COVID in mind.
” COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that attacks the lungs and has killed more than 40,000 people around the world , including more than 4,000 in the US .
Thurber ’ s mother , Renee , and twin sister , Madison , are also concerned about his health and have pleaded with friends on Facebook for any help .
“ Our family ’ s greatest desire is his speedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sake of his health , ” Madison told BuzzFeed News over WhatsApp .
Thurber first arrived in Russia in August 2018 as part of a study program and later began working in customer support for a Russian company that does business in the US .
Last May he married Tanya , a resident of St. Petersburg , who remains in the northwestern city with her family while awaiting documents allowing her to move to the US with her husband .
Separated from his family , Thurber described feeling alone , frustrated and worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hemorrhaging money.
” Aeroflot , Russia ’ s flagship carrier , had offered nothing in the way of assistance to him except for saying he was eligible for a voucher to be redeemed when Russia “ reopened ” its borders sometime in the future .
In a recording he shared with BuzzFeed News of him speaking with an Aeroflot ticket agent , a woman is heard saying in English that the airline has no flights “ from Moscow to anywhere ” and that he could possibly get a refund for his canceled flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach his account for “ two weeks.
” Thurber said he had spent Monday night trying to sleep on a chair near the airport ’ s check-in counters , where he thought he and his luggage would be safe , and dining on airport fast food .
“ It ’ s not terrifying , but it ’ s not comfortable , ” he said of the situation .
“ I don ’ t speak Russian perfectly .
I can order food but , you know , I ’ m a little bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , unsure of what to do with that luggage , feeling exhausted and realizing he may be stuck for an extended period of time , he decided to check into a small hotel located inside the airport , charging the room to his credit card .
Meanwhile , he also sought help from the US Embassy and State Department but found them unable to help or to provide useful updates .
Two emails from the State Department that were sent to Thurber and shared with BuzzFeed News show that the US mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility of chartered flights.
” The emails encouraged Thurber to sign up to an email list for updates .
But so far the US has been unable to arrange anything of the sort .
Thurber said that calls with staffers at the US Embassy have only added more stress to his situation .
“ It ’ s more confusing than helpful when you speak to the US embassy here , ” he said .
“ The lack of a hard ‘ don ’ t do this ’ or the fact that the information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all kind of been not true — or at least not fully true — it ’ s kind of compounding the situation.
” He conceded , however , that the US government is dealing with an unprecedented situation .
“ I feel like they ’ re probably doing the best that they can , ” he added .
In a video message sent to BuzzFeed News , a masked Thurber looks into the camera while strolling through the empty airport and describes his last exchange with US officials .
“ The last we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an international flight to any European capital .
That ’ s the embassy in Moscow .
They don ’ t understand the situation .
I don ’ t think , ” he says .
“ They do now , but at first they definitely didn ’ t. ” Thurber received some potentially good news on Wednesday afternoon .
He told BuzzFeed News that Aeroflot had listed a flight to JFK on Friday .
However , there is no guarantee that it will actually take off .
`` I 've got a ticket for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lay low until Friday , '' he said .

As he watched his luggage being loaded onto a plane at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on March 30, Trenton Thurber felt relieved that he would soon be home in Arizona.
But then Russia locked down its borders in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, halting all traffic to and from the country, including Thurber’s flight on a Russian Aeroflot plane to New York’s JFK International Airport. From there he was due to connect to his home in Tucson.
Now the 26-year-old is one of the dozens of foreign citizens, including a handful of Americans, marooned inside Moscow’s largest, and today mostly empty, airport with few food and lodging options — and so far no support from the US government.
The advice given to Thurber by the US Embassy in Moscow has not exactly inspired confidence that they’ve got a plan for getting him out.
“They said, ‘If you can get to the land border with Finland, that might be OK,’” Thurber told BuzzFeed News by phone on Tuesday.
Even if he were crazy enough to attempt that trip, there is no guarantee that the far-fetched idea could even work. The Russia–Finland border is 700 miles away. The journey would need to be done by car, or by a combination of train and car, or plane and then a car. And Thurber would need to cover all the costs himself. Moreover, he could run into trouble due to Russia’s new lockdown measures in cities across the country, which may soon include a QR-code system where people will be assigned individual codes in order to be able to leave their homes. And even if he managed to get to the border, he would have to deal with similarly stringent measures imposed by Finland.
“There’s no way to get out,” Thurber said.
The US government has been under pressure in recent weeks to assist the thousands of Americans stranded abroad who are trying to get home from as the coronavirus crisis deepens, borders close and air traffic shuts down. On March 19, the State Department issued a Level 4 travel advisory that remains in place today, warning all US citizens not to travel internationally. Secretary of State Pompeo said last month in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the US would do everything it can “to get every American home safely” but warned, “it’ll take us some amount of time.” Neither the State Department nor the US Embassy in Moscow responded to requests for comment about the current situation at Sheremetyevo airport.
That situation came as Russia on Wednesday sent a plane full of medical materials to the US to help hospitals in short supply. The delivery, which critics view as a propaganda victory for the Kremlin as it tries to position itself as a leader on the world stage, came after presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Monday and agreed to cooperate in the fight against the coronavirus. Russia previously sent medical supplies to Italy but La Stampa newspaper, citing unnamed officials in Rome, reported that 80% of that aid was “useless.”