buzzfeednews--2020-04-20--Shake Shack, Which Has Almost 200 US Stores, Is Returning Its Coronavirus Small Business Loan

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Executives at Shake Shack have announced they will return a $ 10 million loan they obtained from a now-empty federal crisis fund set up to keep small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Our people would benefit from a $ 10 million [ Paycheck Protection Program ] loan but we ’ re fortunate to now have access to capital that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meyer and CEO Randy Garutti said in a statement .
`` Until every restaurant that needs it has had the same opportunity to receive assistance , we ’ re returning ours . ''
Along with Potbelly and Ruth 's Chris Steakhouse , the burger chain was one of several large restaurant companies with thousands of workers that successfully applied under the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) .
The $ 350 billion government-backed loan program was created to help small businesses pay staff .
The federal law that established the program allowed restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had no more than 500 employees working at a single location .
But many actual small businesses struggled to apply for the loans and the fund ran out of money on Thursday , causing uproar .
[ Related : They Own More Than 1,000 Burger Kings .
They May Apply For A Coronavirus Small Business Loan . ]
Holly Wade , director of research with the National Federation of Independent Business ( NFIB ) lobby group , told BuzzFeed News last week the behavior of the large companies was `` going against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They have lines of credit and other available loans , and they can work with their bank , '' she said .
Indeed , Shake Shack was able to sell $ 150 million in equity last week .
On Monday , the company announced it was offering more than $ 136 million to underwriters .
The company , which has almost 8,000 employees and made $ 594.5 million in revenue in 2019 , said the PPP program `` came with no user manual and it was extremely confusing '' so it applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When we learned about this loan and we knew that we could take care of our team and keep as many people as possible off the unemployment line , you bet we took that opportunity , '' Garutti , the CEO , told CNBC .
`` I think what we watched play out in these last couple of weeks is what 's wrong with it and where it has n't gone right is that the very people who seem to need it are n't getting it . ''

Executives at Shake Shack have announced they will return a $10 million loan they obtained from a now-empty federal crisis fund set up to keep small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our people would benefit from a $10 million [Paycheck Protection Program] loan but we’re fortunate to now have access to capital that others do not," chair Danny Meyer and CEO Randy Garutti said in a statement. "Until every restaurant that needs it has had the same opportunity to receive assistance, we’re returning ours."
Along with Potbelly and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, the burger chain was one of several large restaurant companies with thousands of workers that successfully applied under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The $350 billion government-backed loan program was created to help small businesses pay staff. The federal law that established the program allowed restaurants and hotels to apply as long as they had no more than 500 employees working at a single location.
But many actual small businesses struggled to apply for the loans and the fund ran out of money on Thursday, causing uproar.
[Related: They Own More Than 1,000 Burger Kings. They May Apply For A Coronavirus Small Business Loan.]
Holly Wade, director of research with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) lobby group, told BuzzFeed News last week the behavior of the large companies was "going against the spirit of the law."
"They have lines of credit and other available loans, and they can work with their bank," she said.
Indeed, Shake Shack was able to sell $150 million in equity last week. On Monday, the company announced it was offering more than $136 million to underwriters.
The company, which has almost 8,000 employees and made $594.5 million in revenue in 2019, said the PPP program "came with no user manual and it was extremely confusing" so it applied for loans to help its staff.
"When we learned about this loan and we knew that we could take care of our team and keep as many people as possible off the unemployment line, you bet we took that opportunity," Garutti, the CEO, told CNBC. "I think what we watched play out in these last couple of weeks is what's wrong with it and where it hasn't gone right is that the very people who seem to need it aren't getting it."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-07--5G Conspiracy Theorists Are Using Fears About The Coronavirus To Make Money

For $ 350 , they ’ ll sell you a USB stick they claim protects you from harmful 5G radiation and prevents infection from the coronavirus .
( It does n't . )
A network of British conspiracy theorists are promoting — and profiting from — a hoax that 5G cellular technology is spreading COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
As 5G , the industry term for the fifth generation of wireless communications infrastructure , has spread across 40 countries worldwide — most notably South Korea and China , but also in dozens of US cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its health effects .
On Wednesday , actor Woody Harrelson posted about the conspiracy theory on his Instagram : “ a lot of my friends have been talking about the negative effects of 5G.
” It is n't just talk — in the United Kingdom , according to The Guardian , `` at least 20 '' phone towers `` across the UK are believed to have been torched or otherwise vandalized since [ last ] Thursday . ''
Harrelson , who could not be reached for comment , subsequently took down the post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purported dangers of 5G technology on Tuesday .
A representative for the actor declined to comment .
In Great Britain , conspiracy theorist Mark Steele is one of the most active anti-5G campaigners .
Though Steele 's following on social media is fairly small , the conspiracy theorist gave a speech about 5G at a 2018 conference for the Democrats and Veterans Party , an offshoot of the British far-right political party UKIP , that was featured prominently in a now-deleted viral video about the claim .
On his Facebook page , Steele @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cellphone towers , writing , `` SEEMS THE PEOPLE HAVE WORKED OUT WHAT THE LAW IS AND HOW CRIME IS TO BE DEALT WITH NOT LIKE THE FAKE POLICE WHO ARE NOT ACTING AGAINST THIS CRIME AGAINST THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES . ''
In addition to promoting thinly substantiated pseudoscience , however , Steele is part of a network of British network anti-5G conspiracy theorists using speeches , selling anti-5G thumb drives , and crowdfunding to profit from the fear around the next-generation cellular technology and the unfounded idea it could cause COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is caused by 5G radiation , ” Brandon Brown , an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of California , Riverside , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Rather than inventing new ways to get it , we should instead practice known prevention methods including physical distancing and hand hygiene .
Funny enough , this includes washing hands before and after touching your USB stick or 5G phone .
We should be wary of any promises of cure or therapy without scientific proof , as some people may try to make a profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , posted a screenshot of a BuzzFeed News article to his Facebook page , writing , “ THE DEEP STATE SCUM ARE IN A PANIC - ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE - WANTED FOR CRIMES AGAINST US.
” While Steele regularly identifies himself as a “ weapons expert , '' but according to his Facebook profile , he works at Reevu , a UK-based firm that designs motorcycle helmets .
An unnamed spokesperson for Reevu , when reached for comment , told BuzzFeed News , “ We do not engage with FAKE NEWS outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already identified your organisation as a Fake news outlet.
” `` 5G KILL GRID CRIME CONTINUES DURING LOCK DOWN , ” Steele wrote last week on Facebook .
“ THESE CRIMINALS MUST THINK WE ARE AS STUPID AS THE SHEEP.
” Although his focus on the coronavirus pandemic is new , Steele 's fixation on 5G is not .
His online presence is entirely focused on the purported dangers of cellphones , and since 2018 , he has been leading a harassment campaign against the Gateshead town council .
That year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council was forced to publish a Facebook post denying it used 5G technology , as well as dismissing other pseudoscientific hoaxes , like claims that its street lights caused cancer .
That same year , a British court convicted him for threatening two Gateshead councillors , and he is currently under an injunction to prevent him harassing or threatening the town 's councilors or staff .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Gateshead town council for comment .
Steele has raised nearly £8,000 on GoFundMe to appeal his conviction , receiving donations as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to spread the word across the world and get the truth out as soon as possible to reduce the accumulative damage caused from this noxious radiation emission from 5G LED illegal experimental technologies , ” his crowdfunding page reads .
Steele ’ s website has a donation page and a page to book him for speaking engagements .
“ We suggest charging a fee of between £3-5 per entry , so that all costs including Mark ’ s are covered , ” the site reads .
A spokesperson for Steele 's website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Thanks for lifting Marks profile , POTUS and Q have now seen it . ''
Along with the 2018 Democrats and Veterans Party conference , Steele also spoke at the 5G Apocalypse event in London in September 2019 , which brought together many of the UK ’ s 5G conspiracy theorists .
One of the other speakers at the event , pharmacist Jacques Bauer , sells a $ 350 USB stick he calls the “ 5GBioShield , ” which he falsely claims protects people from 5G radiation by converting it into beneficial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Bauer for comment .
The 5G Apocalypse event ’ s organizer , Bali-based New Age influencer Sacha Stone , is selling access to the full video of the event for $ 10 , which includes 10 % off Bauer ’ s USB stick .
Stone and Steele regularly appear in videos together and are currently promoting the International Tribunal for Natural Justice , a New Age organization , which asks for monthly donations to investigate conspiracy theories like the dangers of 5G .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Stone for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , John Kitson , also spoke about the supposed dangers of 5G at UKIP ’ s party conference in 2019 .
Kitson sells a different $ 350 USB stick , called the “ 5G Rezotone Shield , ” which he falsely claims protects people from the coronavirus and 5G radiation , and saves people 30 % on their vehicle fuel bills when carried in the car .
He also promotes silica water — produced by a company that has been accused of preying on the fears of families of autistic children to hawk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsely claim to block electromagnetic radiation .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Kitson for comment .
Following public outcry in the UK over the recent attacks on 5G cellphone towers , YouTube said it will reduce the spread of anti-5G content on its platform .
`` We have also begun reducing recommendations of borderline content such as conspiracy theories related to 5G and coronavirus that could misinform users in harmful ways , ” a YouTube spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ’ ll continue to evaluate the impact of these videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward to continuing our work with governments and health institutions to keep the public safe and informed during this difficult time.
” Up until the COVID-19 pandemic , anti-5G content had been allowed to flourish on Facebook .
One of the largest Facebook groups for the movement , Stop 5G U.K. , has over 50,000 members .
The most-shared video on Facebook about 5G was published in June 2019 and has 3.8 million views on YouTube and 270,000 shares on Facebook , according to social metrics site BuzzSumo .
There are countless more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now .
The increased scrutiny from mainstream social platforms and the British press has inspired members of the anti-5G community to start their own social network , Stop 5G .
A spokesperson for Facebook said it now considers any content linking 5G technology to the coronavirus as harmful .
“ We are taking aggressive steps to stop misinformation and harmful content from spreading on our platforms and connect people to accurate information about the coronavirus , ” the spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ Under our existing policies against harmful misinformation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which link COVID-19 to 5G technology and could lead to physical harm.
” Anti-5G influencers like Steele , however , still continue to use Facebook and YouTube .
“ WAKE UP OTHERS WHO YOU WANT TO SAVE FROM THE 5G LED VACCINE GENOCIDE , ” Steele titled one of his most recent videos .
“ SAVE YOUR LIFE AND DO N'T BE LIED TO , ” he wrote , sharing it on Facebook .
“ Blow them up brother , ” one of his followers commented .

Last week, posted a screenshot of a BuzzFeed News article to his Facebook page, writing, “THE DEEP STATE SCUM ARE IN A PANIC - ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE - WANTED FOR CRIMES AGAINST US.”
While Steele regularly identifies himself as a “weapons expert," but according to his Facebook profile, he works at Reevu, a UK-based firm that designs motorcycle helmets. An unnamed spokesperson for Reevu, when reached for comment, told BuzzFeed News, “We do not engage with FAKE NEWS outlets. The President of the United States has already identified your organisation as a Fake news outlet.”
"5G KILL GRID CRIME CONTINUES DURING LOCK DOWN,” Steele wrote last week on Facebook. “THESE CRIMINALS MUST THINK WE ARE AS STUPID AS THE SHEEP.”
Although his focus on the coronavirus pandemic is new, Steele's fixation on 5G is not. His online presence is entirely focused on the purported dangers of cellphones, and since 2018, he has been leading a harassment campaign against the Gateshead town council. That year, his harassment became so severe that the council was forced to publish a Facebook post denying it used 5G technology, as well as dismissing other pseudoscientific hoaxes, like claims that its street lights caused cancer. That same year, a British court convicted him for threatening two Gateshead councillors, and he is currently under an injunction to prevent him harassing or threatening the town's councilors or staff. BuzzFeed News has reached out to Gateshead town council for comment.
Steele has raised nearly £8,000 on GoFundMe to appeal his conviction, receiving donations as recently as last month. “We need to spread the word across the world and get the truth out as soon as possible to reduce the accumulative damage caused from this noxious radiation emission from 5G LED illegal experimental technologies,” his crowdfunding page reads.
Steele’s website has a donation page and a page to book him for speaking engagements. “We suggest charging a fee of between £3-5 per entry, so that all costs including Mark’s are covered,” the site reads.
A spokesperson for Steele's website told BuzzFeed News in an email, "Thanks for lifting Marks profile , POTUS and Q have now seen it."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-07--People In Wisconsin Waited In Line For Hours To Vote Despite Fears Over The Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
When Quinn Blackshere woke up on Tuesday morning in Wisconsin , she lay in bed thinking about her options on Election Day : `` Stay home and feel defeated , or go out , make my voice heard , and potentially contract a horrible virus . ''
With news of the coronavirus pandemic and a statewide safer-at-home order already heightening her anxiety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be in .
`` I was very frustrated , '' Blackshere , a 27-year-old freelance illustrator in Milwaukee , told BuzzFeed News .
She arrived at Riverside High School when polls opened at 7 a.m .
The line was already far longer than she expected .
During any other time , the sight of voters waiting for hours to cast their ballots might merely have been infuriating , rather than terrifying .
But as Wisconsin residents went out to vote in the primary with fears of the coronavirus outbreak hanging over them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clouded by a tinge of panic .
Wisconsin is the only state to hold in-person voting in April , a month that public health experts say is crucial to flattening the curve on COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Several states , including Wisconsin , are expecting to hit their peak in COVID-19 cases in April .
US surgeon general Jerome Adams urged Wisconsinites to vote `` as safely as possible '' in an interview on Today on Tuesday morning .
`` I say as a black man that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to vote .
This is very important to our entire country , and if people are going to go out there and vote , please do it as safely as possible , '' he said , advising voters to stay 6 feet apart and wear a face covering .
Voters like Blackshere wore masks and gloves , and tried to practice social distancing — or as much of that as possible in a moving line — while waiting to perform their civic duty .
But it was tough to keep a distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay at least 3 feet away from each other , and there was less even space between people where the lines turned .

When Quinn Blackshere woke up on Tuesday morning in Wisconsin, she lay in bed thinking about her options on Election Day: "Stay home and feel defeated, or go out, make my voice heard, and potentially contract a horrible virus."
With news of the coronavirus pandemic and a statewide safer-at-home order already heightening her anxiety, it was not an ideal situation to be in. "I was very frustrated," Blackshere, a 27-year-old freelance illustrator in Milwaukee, told BuzzFeed News.
She arrived at Riverside High School when polls opened at 7 a.m. The line was already far longer than she expected.
During any other time, the sight of voters waiting for hours to cast their ballots might merely have been infuriating, rather than terrifying. But as Wisconsin residents went out to vote in the primary with fears of the coronavirus outbreak hanging over them, the lines outside polling places were clouded by a tinge of panic.
Wisconsin is the only state to hold in-person voting in April, a month that public health experts say is crucial to flattening the curve on COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Several states, including Wisconsin, are expecting to hit their peak in COVID-19 cases in April.
US surgeon general Jerome Adams urged Wisconsinites to vote "as safely as possible" in an interview on Today on Tuesday morning.
"I say as a black man that I know that people have died for the right to vote. This is very important to our entire country, and if people are going to go out there and vote, please do it as safely as possible," he said, advising voters to stay 6 feet apart and wear a face covering.
Voters like Blackshere wore masks and gloves, and tried to practice social distancing — or as much of that as possible in a moving line — while waiting to perform their civic duty.
But it was tough to keep a distance, Blackshere said. They tried to stay at least 3 feet away from each other, and there was less even space between people where the lines turned.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--Texas’s Ban On Abortions During The Coronavirus Outbreak Can Go Back Into Effect Following An Appeal

Texas’s Ban On Abortions During The Coronavirus Outbreak Can Go Back Into Effect Following An Appeals Court Ruling

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Texas will be allowed to instate a temporary ban on abortion in nearly all cases during the coronavirus outbreak , the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday .
The court overturned a decision released just hours before , on Monday afternoon , when a federal judge put a hold on the ban , saying it would cause “ irreparable harm ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put the abortion ban in place last week as a part of the state ’ s plan to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and devote as many medical resources as possible to treating and preventing it .
On March 22 , Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott issued an executive order halting any “ medically unnecessary ” procedures in the state .
The following day , Attorney General Ken Paxton specified that the order applied to abortion except in cases of a threat to the life of the mother .
The order was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a medical worker providing abortion care before then could be fined $ 1,000 or face jail time of up to 180 days .
Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly sued the state over the order , asking the judge for an emergency stay .
On Monday , US District Court for the Western District of Texas Judge Lee Yeakel granted the reproductive rights groups a temporary restraining order that would prevent the ban from going into effect while the case was argued .
That order was set to expire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended .
Texas appealed the decision , and the appeals court reversed the order Tuesday afternoon .
The Fifth Circuit ordered a temporary stay , which will allow Texas to temporarily prohibit abortions while the case is argued .
The court gave plaintiffs until April 1 to file a response to their decision .
Judge James Dennis wrote a short dissent , noting that a federal judge had “ irreparable harm would flow ” from allowing Texas ’ s order to prohibit abortions and that he believed Yeakel ’ s decision should stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear that , per the Executive order , 'any procedure that , if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice , would not deplete the hospital capacity or the personal protective equipment needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster ’ is exempt , ” Dennis added in his dissent , suggesting that he believed some abortion procedures would fall under this exemption and therefore should not be banned , even if Texas ’ s order were allowed to go into effect .
`` While people everywhere are trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Abbott continue this perverse obsession with banning abortion , '' Planned Parenthood acting president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement Tuesday afternoon .
`` We will not cower before politicians who insist on exploiting a global pandemic to score political points.
” Planned Parenthood did not give details on their next move in court .
Nancy Northup , president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights , which joined the case , said the group would “ continue fighting this legal battle against Texas ’ s abuse of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northup said in a statement , will escalate “ the fear and confusion women seeking abortion in Texas are already experiencing , ” noting that Yeakel had already ruled that “ women will suffer irreparable harm if clinics are closed.
” Over the past couple of weeks , several other states with histories of passing anti-abortion legislation passed similar bans .
Planned Parenthood , along with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights , filed lawsuits challenging those orders in Ohio , Alabama , Iowa , and Oklahoma Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal judges granted the groups temporary restraining orders in Ohio and Alabama Monday .
As of Tuesday afternoon , the decisions in Ohio and Alabama stood , but the cases in Iowa and Oklahoma have not yet been ruled on .

Texas will be allowed to instate a temporary ban on abortion in nearly all cases during the coronavirus outbreak, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. The court overturned a decision released just hours before, on Monday afternoon, when a federal judge put a hold on the ban, saying it would cause “irreparable harm” to patients in the state.
Texas put the abortion ban in place last week as a part of the state’s plan to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and devote as many medical resources as possible to treating and preventing it.
On March 22, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order halting any “medically unnecessary” procedures in the state. The following day, Attorney General Ken Paxton specified that the order applied to abortion except in cases of a threat to the life of the mother. The order was set to expire April 21 and stated that a medical worker providing abortion care before then could be fined $1,000 or face jail time of up to 180 days.
Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly sued the state over the order, asking the judge for an emergency stay. On Monday, US District Court for the Western District of Texas Judge Lee Yeakel granted the reproductive rights groups a temporary restraining order that would prevent the ban from going into effect while the case was argued. That order was set to expire April 13, though it could be extended.
Texas appealed the decision, and the appeals court reversed the order Tuesday afternoon.
The Fifth Circuit ordered a temporary stay, which will allow Texas to temporarily prohibit abortions while the case is argued. The court gave plaintiffs until April 1 to file a response to their decision.
Judge James Dennis wrote a short dissent, noting that a federal judge had “irreparable harm would flow” from allowing Texas’s order to prohibit abortions and that he believed Yeakel’s decision should stand.
“I write separately to make clear that, per the Executive order, 'any procedure that, if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice, would not deplete the hospital capacity or the personal protective equipment needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster’ is exempt,” Dennis added in his dissent, suggesting that he believed some abortion procedures would fall under this exemption and therefore should not be banned, even if Texas’s order were allowed to go into effect.
"While people everywhere are trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, politicians like Gov. Abbott continue this perverse obsession with banning abortion," Planned Parenthood acting president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "We will not cower before politicians who insist on exploiting a global pandemic to score political points.”
Planned Parenthood did not give details on their next move in court.
Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which joined the case, said the group would “continue fighting this legal battle against Texas’s abuse of emergency powers.”
Tuesday’s decision, Northup said in a statement, will escalate “the fear and confusion women seeking abortion in Texas are already experiencing,” noting that Yeakel had already ruled that “women will suffer irreparable harm if clinics are closed.”
Over the past couple of weeks, several other states with histories of passing anti-abortion legislation passed similar bans. Planned Parenthood, along with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights, filed lawsuits challenging those orders in Ohio, Alabama, Iowa, and Oklahoma Monday.
In addition to Texas, two federal judges granted the groups temporary restraining orders in Ohio and Alabama Monday. As of Tuesday afternoon, the decisions in Ohio and Alabama stood, but the cases in Iowa and Oklahoma have not yet been ruled on.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-07--WhatsApp Is Imposing Stricter Limits On Forwarding Messages To Slow Down Coronavirus Misinformation

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NEW DELHI — WhatsApp is introducing new limits on forwarding messages to slow down the spread of misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic .
Starting today , any message or piece of content that has been forwarded more than five times can only be forwarded to a single person or a group at a time .
The change doesn ’ t stop people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individually , but Facebook-owned WhatsApp is hoping to slow down the spread of hoaxes and misinformation .
“ We ’ ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation , ” WhatsApp said in a blog post published Tuesday .
“ We believe it ’ s important to slow the spread of these messages to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.
” Misinformation , hoaxes , and rumors about the coronavirus outbreak have been rampant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is used by more than 2 billion users around the world .
A CNN report showed that the messaging platform was a hot spot of medical misinformation related to the coronavirus .
One of the forwards that went viral on WhatsApp , for instance , claimed that four people sick with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , got worse after taking anti-inflammatory drugs , a claim that was later debunked .
Last month , Leo Varadkar , the prime minister of Ireland , urged people to “ please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups .
“ These messages are scaring and confusing people and causing real damage , ” he tweeted .
In India , WhatsApp ’ s largest market with more than 200 million users , government agencies have been busting WhatsApp misinformation related to the coronavirus .
“ We must strive to be vigilant and should not believe forwards going around without cross checking authenticity , ” tweeted an official Indian government handle responsible for fact-checking misinformation about the Indian government .

NEW DELHI — WhatsApp is introducing new limits on forwarding messages to slow down the spread of misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Starting today, any message or piece of content that has been forwarded more than five times can only be forwarded to a single person or a group at a time.
The change doesn’t stop people from forwarding a message to multiple users individually, but Facebook-owned WhatsApp is hoping to slow down the spread of hoaxes and misinformation.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation,” WhatsApp said in a blog post published Tuesday. “We believe it’s important to slow the spread of these messages to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.”
Misinformation, hoaxes, and rumors about the coronavirus outbreak have been rampant online and on messaging apps like WhatsApp, which is used by more than 2 billion users around the world. A CNN report showed that the messaging platform was a hot spot of medical misinformation related to the coronavirus. One of the forwards that went viral on WhatsApp, for instance, claimed that four people sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, got worse after taking anti-inflammatory drugs, a claim that was later debunked.
Last month, Leo Varadkar, the prime minister of Ireland, urged people to “please stop sharing unverified info” on WhatsApp groups. “These messages are scaring and confusing people and causing real damage,” he tweeted.
In India, WhatsApp’s largest market with more than 200 million users, government agencies have been busting WhatsApp misinformation related to the coronavirus. “We must strive to be vigilant and should not believe forwards going around without cross checking authenticity,” tweeted an official Indian government handle responsible for fact-checking misinformation about the Indian government.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-24--Opinion: You Can Learn Something From The People Of Wuhan

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Years ago , I walked the bustling streets of Wuhan as a Chinese American doing fieldwork on technology use among vulnerable populations .
Back in January , when I started seeing footage of those streets silent and empty due to a city-wide quarantine to slow down the coronavirus outbreak , I went back into ethnographer mode .
I worked with two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reginald Zhu , in Wuhan , to conduct virtual fieldwork to understand how people on the ground were responding to this crisis .
Through a series of interviews over WeChat , I discovered a very different story about Wuhan than what I was reading in Western media .
While news reports here focused on the authoritarian , top-down measures the Chinese government used to slow the rate of infection — including the suppression of information and rapid construction of temporary hospitals — the story I found was one of totally invisible , yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It wasn ’ t just top-down measures that successfully slowed the infections in Wuhan , it was also bottom-up , dynamic organizing in emergent , hyperlocal groups .
Neighbors were using social media to find food and medicine , support the sick , and help each other survive .
And as coronavirus spreads across the United States and the world , we need to follow suit .
We need to connect with people who live near us , centralize communication , and pool resources so we can care for one another .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s response has felt uneven and at times misleading , we must learn from Wuhan and create our own hyperlocal support groups to come out stronger together .
When Wuhan residents recognized that quarantine would be lengthy and government resources would be stretched , they turned to each other for help .
They utilized an existing social construct , the xiao qu ( 小区 ) group , which literally translates to “ small district.
” A xiao qu is an official designation from the city grouping together all the homes in a given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captain ( a volunteer or someone appointed by the property management ) invites all residents into one WeChat group , which can range from 50 to 500 people in size .
Wuhan has at least 7,106 xiao qu groups among its 11.08 million residents , many of which existed before the coronavirus took hold .
Once quarantines started , people realized that they could use the xiao qu to communicate with their socially distanced neighbors .
And the hyperlocal network was born .
They shared information .
Whenever a news report circulated on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vet it together , pointing to better , verified sources .
When rumors about potential cures were shared , people would warn each other from trying them .
They shared uplifting quotes , memes , home exercise regimes , and recipes , but also asked their neighbors to go out and buy food or pick up medicine for them , a way of limiting group exposure .
When an elderly woman without a smartphone told her neighbor that she had run out of food , the neighbor posted to the xiao qu group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groceries .
When people fell ill , members fanned out into other WeChat groups to help find hospital beds and get information on caring for someone with the virus .

Years ago, I walked the bustling streets of Wuhan as a Chinese American doing fieldwork on technology use among vulnerable populations. Back in January, when I started seeing footage of those streets silent and empty due to a city-wide quarantine to slow down the coronavirus outbreak, I went back into ethnographer mode. I worked with two of my former researchers, Shayla Qiu and Reginald Zhu, in Wuhan, to conduct virtual fieldwork to understand how people on the ground were responding to this crisis.
Through a series of interviews over WeChat, I discovered a very different story about Wuhan than what I was reading in Western media. While news reports here focused on the authoritarian, top-down measures the Chinese government used to slow the rate of infection — including the suppression of information and rapid construction of temporary hospitals — the story I found was one of totally invisible, yet highly sophisticated networks of localized cooperation. It wasn’t just top-down measures that successfully slowed the infections in Wuhan, it was also bottom-up, dynamic organizing in emergent, hyperlocal groups.
Neighbors were using social media to find food and medicine, support the sick, and help each other survive.
And as coronavirus spreads across the United States and the world, we need to follow suit. We need to connect with people who live near us, centralize communication, and pool resources so we can care for one another. In a crisis where our own government’s response has felt uneven and at times misleading, we must learn from Wuhan and create our own hyperlocal support groups to come out stronger together.
When Wuhan residents recognized that quarantine would be lengthy and government resources would be stretched, they turned to each other for help. They utilized an existing social construct, the xiao qu (小区) group, which literally translates to “small district.” A xiao qu is an official designation from the city grouping together all the homes in a given area. Typically, a xiao qu captain (a volunteer or someone appointed by the property management) invites all residents into one WeChat group, which can range from 50 to 500 people in size. Wuhan has at least 7,106 xiao qu groups among its 11.08 million residents, many of which existed before the coronavirus took hold.
Once quarantines started, people realized that they could use the xiao qu to communicate with their socially distanced neighbors. And the hyperlocal network was born.
They shared information. Whenever a news report circulated on WeChat, the group would examine and vet it together, pointing to better, verified sources. When rumors about potential cures were shared, people would warn each other from trying them.
They shared uplifting quotes, memes, home exercise regimes, and recipes, but also asked their neighbors to go out and buy food or pick up medicine for them, a way of limiting group exposure. When an elderly woman without a smartphone told her neighbor that she had run out of food, the neighbor posted to the xiao qu group and her people donated portions of their groceries. When people fell ill, members fanned out into other WeChat groups to help find hospital beds and get information on caring for someone with the virus.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--Steve Irwin's Daughter, Bindi, Got Married At His Empty Zoo Just Hours Before A Coronavirus Lockdown

`` We ’ ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything , as we didn ’ t have guests at our wedding . ''
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 .
Bindi Irwin , daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin , was married Wednesday in a ceremony at the family 's zoo just hours before the Australian government banned large weddings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Local news journalists captured photos of Irwin and her new husband , Chandler Powell , hiding under white umbrellas to avoid paparazzi , as musicians set up at the end of the altar at the zoo in Queensland , which was empty of any patrons .
`` We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend , '' wrote Irwin , 21 , in an Instagram post .
`` There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now . ''
As Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country implemented a tough national lockdown , which dictates that all nonessential gatherings are to be banned for the next six months .
Bar , restaurants , cinemas , and gyms are closed .
Weddings are limited to just five guests , but funerals allow 10 .
It is unclear how many guests attended the Australia Zoo wedding , although Irwin explained in her caption that guests were limited .
`` We ’ ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything , as we didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she wrote .
`` This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe .
We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us , however it ’ s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos . ''
The Irwin family and their Australia Zoo are the subject of the Animal Planet series Crikey !
It 's the Irwins .
The young couple spoke about their wedding plans during an appearance on BuzzFeed News ' AM to DM last October .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the family zoo .
`` I think we 'd like to see some koalas maybe walking down the aisle with us , '' said Irwin .
`` We 'll get some snakes and crocodiles involved . ''
Unfortunately , the sole wedding photo released so far by Irwin only showed flowers and no fauna , so it 's unclear if the crocodiles were social distancing .
Perhaps conscious of being seen holding a wedding at a time when many are being canceled , Powell 's Twitter post noted they held a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home . ''
Irwin explained that her mother , Terri , helped her get ready , her little brother , Robert , walked her down the aisle , and together with her new husband she lit a candle in honor of her dad 's memory .
`` Thankfully , since we all live at Australia Zoo as a family , we could be there for each other .
To everyone reading this - stay safe , social distance and remember LOVE WINS ! ''
wrote Irwin .

"We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend," wrote Irwin, 21, in an Instagram post. "There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now."
As Wednesday gave way to Thursday in Australia, the country implemented a tough national lockdown, which dictates that all nonessential gatherings are to be banned for the next six months.
Bar, restaurants, cinemas, and gyms are closed. Weddings are limited to just five guests, but funerals allow 10.
It is unclear how many guests attended the Australia Zoo wedding, although Irwin explained in her caption that guests were limited.
"We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding," she wrote. "This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe. We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us, however it’s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--These People Had New Roommates Move In Right Before The Coronavirus Lockdown. They’re Regretting It

These People Had New Roommates Move In Right Before The Coronavirus Lockdown. They’re Regretting It Now.

It was the recycling bin that broke him .
It ’ s been less than two weeks since S. ’ s new roommate moved into the San Francisco apartment , where the 27-year-old has lived for four years , and he ’ s already wondering if he made a mistake .
“ Yesterday , she was taking out the garbage , and she was like , ‘ I don ’ t have to take out the recycling because it ’ s not full yet , ’ ” S. said of his new roommate .
“ And I just , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know what to tell you .
[ If I were you ] I would take it out because you ’ re going down there.
” “ In some ways she is very considerate , but I was like , What are you asking me ?
” he continued .
“ I was so confused , like , Do you want my permission to not do that ?
I don ’ t know why you ’ re even asking that.
” ( S. is only being identified by his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his roommate . )
Whether or not to take out a half-full recycling bin may not seem like the most serious of roommate squabbles , but things have been pretty tense lately for those living in cramped quarters .
Over the past few weeks , an ever-increasing number of cities and countries around the world have been directing citizens to quarantine in their homes and socialize with those only in the household in the hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
In many cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only leaving for the occasional essential activities , such as grocery shopping and laundry .
As people around the world hunker down with their partners , children , and friends , there are many who are facing the exceptional weirdness of getting a brand-new roommate right before the coronavirus pandemic hit , forcing them to quarantine with someone who ’ s practically a stranger .
“ I call it forced companionship , ” S. said .
“ It feels like we ’ re being forced into a situation like we ’ ve lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only been weeks.
” S. ’ s new roommate moved in March 14 .
Just two days later , the city ordered its residents to shelter in place , prompting their third roommate to immediately leave and quarantine with her boyfriend .
That has left S. and the new roommate to live , cook , clean , and work from home together indefinitely , just feet away from each other , with little opportunity for escape beyond their own bedrooms .
“ I feel myself becoming less and less nice , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when she asked if she should bring out the recycling…my brain just broke.
” The roommate is probably only driving him crazy because they ’ re two strangers stuck together , S. acknowledges , but he can ’ t help it .
He ’ s thinking of packing his things and going to stay in his brother ’ s San Francisco apartment , which is empty while he quarantines with his girlfriend .
“ It ’ s a stressful period for me right now , and I presume everyone , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have a lot of emotional energy to give to her.
” Even worse , some people have to contend with new roommates who aren ’ t taking quarantine seriously enough .
Alissa , a 26-year-old in Detroit , is worried she was exposed to the coronavirus after her brand-new roommate continued going out amid the spread of the virus .
“ As I start to work from home [ on March 13 ] , we have a casual discussion about how serious this is getting , ” Alissa told BuzzFeed News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — coffee shops , libraries , doing whatever it is that she does during the day.
” ( Alissa also asked to be identified by just her first name . )
Four days later , it was St. Patrick ’ s Day .
Alissa said her roommate left for the bars at noon , all dressed up in green , and didn ’ t come back till the next morning .
“ Shocker .
She gets sick .
Cough , fever , aches , the whole nine , ” Alissa said .
Alissa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly better , with just lingering coughs , and do not know for sure whether they had the coronavirus .
Still , Alissa said she ’ s grateful that Michigan ordered its residents to shelter in place on Monday , in the hopes it will stop her roommate from spreading the possible disease further .
“ I will forever include a pandemic clause in any sublease going forward , ” she said .
While quarantining with a new roommate has been tortuous for some , for others , it ’ s been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bond .
Blandine , a 27-year-old in Rennes , France , told BuzzFeed News she moved into a new apartment with four roommates on March 17 — the same day President Emmanuel Macron ordered citizens to begin quarantining .
“ I arrived on Tuesday morning with my massive backpack , ready to settle and isolate with a bunch of strangers that I knew would become my housemates for months , ” Blandine said .
“ The situation is very unusual — it almost felt like I [ was on ] a TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been getting along great , and have even had quite a bit of fun amid the stress of the situation .
“ Even though we spend lots of time in our respective rooms , obviously we meet in the kitchen , or the [ living ] room , [ and ] share the occasional meal , drink , cigarette , or the three of those things at the same time , ” she said .
Do you have an interesting story about your unusual coronavirus lockdown situation ?
Contact this reporter at julia.reinstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koda , 31 , just moved in with Hannah Freedman , 29 , on March 11 .
Koda moved from Ireland , and this is her first time living in New York .
The two have become fast friends , establishing all sorts of routines and ways to stay entertained .
They ’ ve done yoga together at lunchtime , drunk wine , and are watching Little Fires Everywhere .
“ It was truly , ‘ Hi , welcome to New York , I ’ m your only friend and the only person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her new roommate .
They ’ re also working on a puzzle together , Freedman said .
“ It ’ s a street scene with people on it , so it ’ s future New York — or past New York , ” Freedman said .
Blandine , the French woman , said she thinks the bizarre circumstances have helped her bond with her new roommates at an accelerated pace — “ kind of like a friendship that condensed the first steps in a very short amount of time , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a kind of unsaid solidarity that emanates from the whole situation , ” she said .
“ We ’ re in a context of major crisis , we are stressed and afraid , but we are together.
” “ From strangers to friends , partners in isolation , in no time , ” she added .

It was the recycling bin that broke him.
It’s been less than two weeks since S.’s new roommate moved into the San Francisco apartment, where the 27-year-old has lived for four years, and he’s already wondering if he made a mistake.
“Yesterday, she was taking out the garbage, and she was like, ‘I don’t have to take out the recycling because it’s not full yet,’” S. said of his new roommate. “And I just, like, stared at her, like, I don’t know what to tell you. [If I were you] I would take it out because you’re going down there.”
“In some ways she is very considerate, but I was like, What are you asking me?” he continued. “I was so confused, like, Do you want my permission to not do that? I don’t know why you’re even asking that.” (S. is only being identified by his first initial in order to freely talk shit about his roommate.)
Whether or not to take out a half-full recycling bin may not seem like the most serious of roommate squabbles, but things have been pretty tense lately for those living in cramped quarters. Over the past few weeks, an ever-increasing number of cities and countries around the world have been directing citizens to quarantine in their homes and socialize with those only in the household in the hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In many cases, people are remaining indoors indefinitely, only leaving for the occasional essential activities, such as grocery shopping and laundry.
As people around the world hunker down with their partners, children, and friends, there are many who are facing the exceptional weirdness of getting a brand-new roommate right before the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing them to quarantine with someone who’s practically a stranger.
“I call it forced companionship,” S. said. “It feels like we’re being forced into a situation like we’ve lived together for years, and it’s only been weeks.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--23 Inspiring Signs Of Hope During The Coronavirus Outbreak

People hold a sign for a resident of the Lambeth House Retirement Community in New Orleans , where a cluster @ @ @ @ @ discovered , as opera singers Irini Kyriakidou-Hymel and Bryan Hymel sing to the quarantined residents @ @ @ @

23 Inspiring Signs Of Hope During The Coronavirus Outbreak
As businesses shutter and residents continue to distance themselves from their neighbors, messages of hope and solidarity are springing up in unusual places.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--The Coronavirus Is Sending Lots Of Younger People To The Hospital

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 .
Despite health officials ’ pleas to stay home and avoid spreading the coronavirus , young people have been packing beaches and hiking trails , picnicking in parks and brunching in restaurants , and flying to far-flung destinations on the cheap .
“ At the end of the day , I 'm not going to let it stop me from partying , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This sense of invincibility has been at least partly rooted in the widespread belief , based on early data out of China , that COVID-19 causes the elderly to suffer the most and spares younger people with milder symptoms .
But as the pandemic ratchets up , with 417,000 cases and counting worldwide as of Tuesday , it ’ s increasingly clear that the coronavirus is severely harming substantial numbers of people under 50 .
In New York City , health officials said Friday that of 1,160 people hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 and 49 .
That squares with what appears to be happening nationwide : Across the United States , about 38 % of coronavirus patients sick enough to be hospitalized were ages 20 to 54 , the CDC reported last week .
Young people outside the US have also been severely affected .
In Spain , about 18 % of hospitalized patients are under 50 , according to the latest data .
And in South Korea , more than half of confirmed cases are under 50 , with the ages 20–29 being the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t break down how many of those cases required hospitalization . )
Anecdotal data out of the UK , where demographic data on patient ages has yet to be released by the government , also suggests that young people have needed intensive care in hospitals .
It ’ s still true that the older you are , the more likely you are to be hospitalized or die from the disease .
Children under age 10 are the smallest portion of coronavirus patients .
Young people who don ’ t suffer from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
At the same time , their growing case numbers indicate that they are themselves far from “ invincible , ” as the World Health Organization director said in a speech directed at them last week .
Even if they don ’ t die in the hospital , they can jeopardize others by taking up beds and ventilators in short supply .
“ Even if the deaths are concentrated at older ages , it still seems that serious cases and hospitalization and requiring ventilators is not entirely rare even at younger ages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor of demography and population health at the University of Oxford , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I would say nobody should just laugh it off as , ‘ I ’ ve got a good immune system and I ’ ll be fine.
’ Because as we get more and more cases , even a small risk of complications adds up to a lot of people.
” And some younger people are dying .
So far this week , the coronavirus ’ s many victims have reportedly included a 36-year-old Brooklyn school principal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition in the UK .
In an open letter on Monday , more than 75 health care workers in Miami pleaded for the community to take the virus seriously .
“ This is not just a problem for the elderly and chronically-ill , ” they wrote .

Despite health officials’ pleas to stay home and avoid spreading the coronavirus, young people have been packing beaches and hiking trails, picnicking in parks and brunching in restaurants, and flying to far-flung destinations on the cheap. “At the end of the day, I'm not going to let it stop me from partying,” one Miami spring-breaker infamously told CBS News.
This sense of invincibility has been at least partly rooted in the widespread belief, based on early data out of China, that COVID-19 causes the elderly to suffer the most and spares younger people with milder symptoms.
But as the pandemic ratchets up, with 417,000 cases and counting worldwide as of Tuesday, it’s increasingly clear that the coronavirus is severely harming substantial numbers of people under 50.
In New York City, health officials said Friday that of 1,160 people hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, one in four were between ages 18 and 49. That squares with what appears to be happening nationwide: Across the United States, about 38% of coronavirus patients sick enough to be hospitalized were ages 20 to 54, the CDC reported last week.
Young people outside the US have also been severely affected. In Spain, about 18% of hospitalized patients are under 50, according to the latest data. And in South Korea, more than half of confirmed cases are under 50, with the ages 20–29 being the largest age group. (The government doesn’t break down how many of those cases required hospitalization.) Anecdotal data out of the UK, where demographic data on patient ages has yet to be released by the government, also suggests that young people have needed intensive care in hospitals.
It’s still true that the older you are, the more likely you are to be hospitalized or die from the disease. Children under age 10 are the smallest portion of coronavirus patients.
Young people who don’t suffer from severe symptoms can still spread it to others. At the same time, their growing case numbers indicate that they are themselves far from “invincible,” as the World Health Organization director said in a speech directed at them last week. Even if they don’t die in the hospital, they can jeopardize others by taking up beds and ventilators in short supply.
“Even if the deaths are concentrated at older ages, it still seems that serious cases and hospitalization and requiring ventilators is not entirely rare even at younger ages,” Jennifer Dowd, an associate professor of demography and population health at the University of Oxford, told BuzzFeed News. “I would say nobody should just laugh it off as, ‘I’ve got a good immune system and I’ll be fine.’ Because as we get more and more cases, even a small risk of complications adds up to a lot of people.”
And some younger people are dying. So far this week, the coronavirus’s many victims have reportedly included a 36-year-old Brooklyn school principal and an 18-year-old with an underlying health condition in the UK.
In an open letter on Monday, more than 75 health care workers in Miami pleaded for the community to take the virus seriously. “This is not just a problem for the elderly and chronically-ill,” they wrote.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--A Doctor Was Assaulted On Her Way To The Hospital. She’s Not The Only Medic Being Attacked.

NEW DELHI — When H. received an urgent message from the hospital on Monday night asking her to come in to work , she knew it would be bad .
The world was in the grips of a pandemic , and her home state in south India had discovered 22 positive cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
For weeks , the hospital where she worked had been all hands on deck — even doctors not treating coronavirus patients were required to take throat and nose swabs , check symptoms , and decide who needed medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she — a doctor — would be stopped by police on her way to work , abused , assaulted , hauled into a police station , and then work a 12-hour-shift with bruises all over her body .
Just days ago , Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked citizens to come out on their balconies and literally applaud the courage and sacrifice of health care professionals , but across the country doctors , nurses and ambulance drivers are under attack .
H. is one among many examples of medics being assaulted or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professionals are being stigmatized as suspected carriers of the novel coronavirus , or accused of flouting a national lockdown .
BuzzFeed News has seen a copy of H. ’ s complaint to the police about the events of Monday night but has agreed not to publish her full name because she fears retaliation from the officers involved .
H. , who is in her thirties , lives and works in the state of Telangana , where on March 23 the state ’ s chief minister requested all citizens stay indoors for 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the state also placed into effect a colonial-era law from 1897 , known as the Epidemic Disease Act .
Introduced by the British in India to combat the bubonic plague , the law allows state governments to take extraordinary measures to curb the spread of disease , while giving full protection to authorities from any legal action .
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus , the law has been brought into effect in multiple Indian states , even as the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics has warned that it can be misused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At 8:45 p.m. on Monday , H. finally found a ride to work , there being no public transport that day .
She and a fellow doctor were making their way to the hospital on a scooter , both women exhilarated and unsettled by the empty streets .
That ’ s when they were stopped by the police .
“ The officer on duty asked me why I was out during curfew , so I showed him my ID and explained that I was a doctor on my way to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my ID , looked at it and said , ‘ But how do I know whether you ’ re a doctor or just going to meet some man at this time of the night ?
’ ” H. said she asked the officer to return her ID .
Simultaneously , she took out her phone and began trying to call the hospital for help .
At this point , she said , the officer snatched her phone , slapped her across the face , and called her a “ bloody bitch.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me that I hit him back , almost as a defensive reflex , ” she said .
“ At that point , he lost it .
He grabbed my hair and dragged me into the Jeep , his fellow officers began hitting me across the thighs and legs with their batons .
They groped me all over , including my private parts.
” H. and her colleague were then taken to a police station .
According to Indian law , a woman can only be stopped and interrogated by the police if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all police stations are required to have a woman police officer present on duty as well .
But the station the doctors were taken to was full of men .
“ When we tried to sit down , the police officer who had started the violence said , ‘ Why are these women on chairs ?
Make them kneel on the ground , ’ ” H. said .
“ I was terrified of what was going to happen.
” At this point , H. said , a senior police official at the station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors and stepped in to help .
“ He asked the officer who had brought us there to apologize and let us go , ” she said .
“ The officer looked at him and said , ‘ I ’ m sorry , sir . '
He never even looked at us , leave alone apologize to us.
” H. and her colleague asked the police to drop them at their hospital , where they proceeded to work 12-hour shifts .
At the end of her shift , H. finally called her sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , and told her what had happened .
“ I could not believe my ears , I couldn ’ t believe that this happened just a few hundred meters from where I was , ” her sister told BuzzFeed News .
“ We are four siblings , all doctors .
Our father is a policeman .
Duty is something we take very seriously .
I teared up in anger as she told me what happened to her.
” Together , both women informed the head of H. ’ s department about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station where H. had been taken the night before to file an official complaint .
H. ’ s sister asked the police to provide them with the CCTV footage from the intersection where the assault had taken place .
“ I have absolutely no doubt that the footage will never be made available to us , ” she said .
On their way home , the women learned the assault had been filmed by witnesses and posted on social media — cross-posted on the Instagram and Facebook pages of groups of medical students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Twitter .
But the ordeal did not end there .
The next day , when the sisters went to work , they were met by a contingent of police officers and a senior member of the hospital administration .
The men asked H. to retract her complaint and forgive the officer who had assaulted her , “ They told me , ‘ We are all fighting something much bigger together .
Let ’ s fight coronavirus , not each other , ’ ” she said .
H. , her sister said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conversation .
“ It wasn ’ t a fight — he assaulted my sister , ” she said .
“ But people told us , ‘ You will spend years in court .
Her life will be ruined.
’ ” The women agreed on the condition that the police officer would have to apologize to them in front of the press .
The officer refused , but the complaint was still dropped .
“ Finally , all we got was a ‘ sorry , madam.
’ My sister will carry this trauma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her life .
It sounds like a cliché , but the powerful can get away with anything.
” Confirmed COVID-19 cases have remained surprisingly low in India , although there are concerns that the real rates are much higher , thanks to the fact that India also has some of the lowest rates of testing in the world .
By Wednesday , India had recorded just over 600 positive cases and 10 deaths .
Still , the country ’ s government has taken aggressive measures to slow down the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ train and flight services nationwide , right before large swathes of the country were put under lockdown .
H. ’ s story is only one among a multitude of horrors Indian professionals on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak are facing .
Over the last few days , the country ’ s airline cabin crew , food delivery workers , and journalists have faced harassment from law enforcement and the general public for supposedly breaking curfews and being potential coronavirus carriers because of the public nature of their work .
But health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to their perceived proximity to people infected with the coronavirus .
Dozens of India ’ s doctors have taken to social media to complain about discrimination from landlords who have asked them to vacate their homes , several doing so anonymously because they feared professional retaliation .
“ One owner said that we were DIRTY , ” a house surgeon from Telangana , the state where H. lives , wrote in a viral Facebook post .
Earlier this week , doctors across the country sought government intervention .
“ We wanted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being harassed , ” said Adarsh Pratap Singh , president of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS ) Resident Doctors Association .
On Tuesday , Singh and the AIIMS wrote a letter to Amit Shah , India ’ s home minister and Modi ’ s righthand man .
“ Many doctors are now stranded on roads with all their luggage , nowhere to go , across the country , ” the letter said .
“ We condemn such attitude and [ request ] an order [ to stop this ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s health ministry released an order saying that the government would penalize homeowners who asked doctors and other health care professionals to vacate their houses .
“ Such behaviour amounts to obstructing public servant [ sic ] in discharging their duties , ” it said .
On Wednesday , Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said he was “ deeply anguished ” to see what was happening .
“ Any harsh steps will demoralise [ doctors ] .
” But for some doctors , the government ’ s action came too late .
Salma Khan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 16 after a two-week trip to Japan , where she was visiting her husband , when she heard a commotion below her building .
It was her neighbors , demanding she leave the building right away and find somewhere else to live .
Khan , who works as a pathologist at the AIIMS , India ’ s top hospital and medical school , had already been screened for symptoms at Indira Gandhi International Airport when she landed , where she was cleared by authorities to go home and self-quarantine .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They panicked and thought I could be a carrier , ” Khan told BuzzFeed News .
“ Everyone knew I was a doctor .
I was wearing a mask and about to quarantine myself .
I told them I wouldn ’ t come into contact with any of them .
But I still couldn ’ t convince anybody there.
” Khan called up her landlord , who said he could n't do anything about the situation .
Nearly three hours later , Khan realized that the seething crowd wasn ’ t going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered below the building , and more people were jumping into the fracas from their doorsteps without actually coming out of their apartments .
Khan felt she had no choice but to book a flight leaving that evening for Kerala in southwest India to stay with her parents .
“ I was lucky tickets were still available , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t have any relatives I could go to in Delhi.
” Khan said that fear of the coronavirus had gripped everyone .
“ We ’ re humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear strikes someone , they don ’ t care if you are a doctor.
” Referring to the 10 minutes when Indians across the country banged their pots and pans , rang bells , and applauded health care professionals from their balconies on Sunday , Khan laughed and said , “ It doesn ’ t make any difference .
There needs to be something practical .
We all know there ’ s a scarcity of personal protective equipment right now .
We should be diverting everything to that.
” ●

NEW DELHI — When H. received an urgent message from the hospital on Monday night asking her to come in to work, she knew it would be bad. The world was in the grips of a pandemic, and her home state in south India had discovered 22 positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. For weeks, the hospital where she worked had been all hands on deck — even doctors not treating coronavirus patients were required to take throat and nose swabs, check symptoms, and decide who needed medical assistance. What she never imagined was that she — a doctor — would be stopped by police on her way to work, abused, assaulted, hauled into a police station, and then work a 12-hour-shift with bruises all over her body.
Just days ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked citizens to come out on their balconies and literally applaud the courage and sacrifice of health care professionals, but across the country doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers are under attack. H. is one among many examples of medics being assaulted or driven out of their homes. Medical professionals are being stigmatized as suspected carriers of the novel coronavirus, or accused of flouting a national lockdown. BuzzFeed News has seen a copy of H.’s complaint to the police about the events of Monday night but has agreed not to publish her full name because she fears retaliation from the officers involved.
H., who is in her thirties, lives and works in the state of Telangana, where on March 23 the state’s chief minister requested all citizens stay indoors for 24 hours.
Health care professionals were exempt, but the state also placed into effect a colonial-era law from 1897, known as the Epidemic Disease Act. Introduced by the British in India to combat the bubonic plague, the law allows state governments to take extraordinary measures to curb the spread of disease, while giving full protection to authorities from any legal action. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the law has been brought into effect in multiple Indian states, even as the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics has warned that it can be misused to trample on the rights of citizens.
At 8:45 p.m. on Monday, H. finally found a ride to work, there being no public transport that day. She and a fellow doctor were making their way to the hospital on a scooter, both women exhilarated and unsettled by the empty streets. That’s when they were stopped by the police.
“The officer on duty asked me why I was out during curfew, so I showed him my ID and explained that I was a doctor on my way to work,” H. said. “He snatched my ID, looked at it and said, ‘But how do I know whether you’re a doctor or just going to meet some man at this time of the night?’”
H. said she asked the officer to return her ID. Simultaneously, she took out her phone and began trying to call the hospital for help. At this point, she said, the officer snatched her phone, slapped her across the face, and called her a “bloody bitch.”
“I was so shocked when he hit me that I hit him back, almost as a defensive reflex,” she said. “At that point, he lost it. He grabbed my hair and dragged me into the Jeep, his fellow officers began hitting me across the thighs and legs with their batons. They groped me all over, including my private parts.”
H. and her colleague were then taken to a police station. According to Indian law, a woman can only be stopped and interrogated by the police if a woman police officer is present, and all police stations are required to have a woman police officer present on duty as well. But the station the doctors were taken to was full of men.
“When we tried to sit down, the police officer who had started the violence said, ‘Why are these women on chairs? Make them kneel on the ground,’” H. said. “I was terrified of what was going to happen.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--Florida’s Tens Of Thousands Of Farmworkers Are Facing A Coronavirus “Time Bomb,” Advocates Say

With Florida 's peak growing season underway , thousands of foreign guest workers are descending on farm fields to join a labor force that has endured the hardships of crowded boarding houses , law enforcement raids , and indentured servitude for generations .
But now the workers who are critical to the nation 's food supply will face a nemesis they 've never encountered .
The explosive growth of the novel coronavirus prompted one of the nation 's oldest farm labor organizations on Monday to push for new safety standards for thousands of the workers and demand that growers provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it reaches the agricultural community , it will devastate them , ” said Baldemar Velasquez , founder of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee .
“ There wo n't be a safety net.
” The entry of the workers comes just days after the US State Department lifted restrictions on temporary work visas and allowed the laborers to enter during the busiest agriculture season in Florida , where the nation 's largest supply of oranges , winter sweet corn , and other crops are harvested .
Created decades ago , the guest worker program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can show that no Americans are available to work the fields .
If the virus spreads among the workers — many of whom sleep in dilapidated trailers and cramped barracks — it could impact the spread of the illness among the laborers and the grower 's ability to harvest the fields and stock American groceries .
Velasquez , who founded the advocacy group in 1967 , said he is requesting that workers abide by social distancing rules , request isolation quarters if they get sick , and ensure their employers take them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Velasquez , who has led farm labor strikes , said his group is prepared to file lawsuits .
“ These are among the most vulnerable workers in the country , ” he said .
“ It 's a national problem.
” The son of Mexican migrant workers , Velasquez , 73 , said he expects growers who signed contracts with farm labor groups will try to meet the demands .
So far , about a third of the growers in North Carolina with those contracts have provided safeguards , including places for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Florida , however , could be a “ ticking time bomb , ” said Greg Schell , a veteran attorney who has represented laborers there for decades .
The state has a dark history of abusing its agricultural workers , dating to the 1940s , when the region 's largest sugar grower was indicted for slavery — and later , when the town of Belle Glade was profiled in the Edward R. Murrow television documentary Harvest of Shame .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
The guest workers “ are in the middle of stinking nowhere , ” Schell said .
“ They work on top of one another and they live on top of one another.
” Schell , who sued in 2001 to stop crew leaders from forcing workers to pay them kickbacks , said about 10,000 workers will be coming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another 25,000 who have been in the state since January .
By next month , Florida could have more guest workers than any state .
He said his biggest concern is that most arrivals work for labor brokers — operators who work for the large farms and insulate the growers from any responsibilities .
Schell said he expects the laborers in the coming months to stay in the fields , `` unless they 're dropping dead . ''
One of the mainstays of farming in South Florida is the `` mule train , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field , with workers `` who are often on top of one another '' picking , shucking , and crating corn .
`` I ca n't imagine anyone is going to be talking about social distancing , '' said Schell .
Also , most of the workers are transported in buses to and from the fields and orange groves .
`` They are packed in there , ” Schell said .
“ No one is sitting one to a seat . ''
Some growers have provided better wages and work conditions over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said many of the smaller farmers are still under pressure to get their crops out of the fields and , in turn , are putting extreme demands on workers .
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association , which represents a broad swath of farmers , did not respond to questions provided by BuzzFeed News but referred all inquiries to the National Council of Agricultural Employers .
Michael Marsh , president of the growers council , said his organization is educating farmers through webinars and emails about their responsibilities to protect workers .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill enacted by Congress provides that guest workers receive emergency sick pay — but it 's up to the farmers to provide protections , including social distancing and any facilities they build for quarantine .
`` The risk would be for the farmer and if he has someone who is sick .
He runs a bigger risk '' by not protecting the other workers , Marsh said .
On a tip sheet offered by the organization to growers in California , employers are told to instruct workers who are sick to not report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contact a medical provider or physician by phone before going to the medical office , clinic , or emergency room .
Another option is to contact a teledoctor . ''
Schell said because there is no government plan for the farmers , he expects some of the larger growers to offer protections , and others to cut corners and `` hope nothing happens , '' he said .
`` They will be whistling by the graveyard . ''

With Florida's peak growing season underway, thousands of foreign guest workers are descending on farm fields to join a labor force that has endured the hardships of crowded boarding houses, law enforcement raids, and indentured servitude for generations.
But now the workers who are critical to the nation's food supply will face a nemesis they've never encountered.
The explosive growth of the novel coronavirus prompted one of the nation's oldest farm labor organizations on Monday to push for new safety standards for thousands of the workers and demand that growers provide medical care during outbreaks.
“If it reaches the agricultural community, it will devastate them,” said Baldemar Velasquez, founder of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee. “There won't be a safety net.”
The entry of the workers comes just days after the US State Department lifted restrictions on temporary work visas and allowed the laborers to enter during the busiest agriculture season in Florida, where the nation's largest supply of oranges, winter sweet corn, and other crops are harvested. Created decades ago, the guest worker program allows farmers to hire foreign laborers if they can show that no Americans are available to work the fields.
If the virus spreads among the workers — many of whom sleep in dilapidated trailers and cramped barracks — it could impact the spread of the illness among the laborers and the grower's ability to harvest the fields and stock American groceries.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-30--Mexico’s President Shook A 92-Year-Old Woman’s Hand. Not Just Any Woman — She's The Mother Of El Cha

Mexico’s President Shook A 92-Year-Old Woman’s Hand. Not Just Any Woman — She's The Mother Of El Chapo.

Surely everyone knows better than to shake the hand of the 92-year-old mother of the world 's most infamous drug lord ?
MEXICO CITY — There ’ s one thing we all know not to do during the coronavirus pandemic : shake hands .
And we definitely know not to shake hands with the elderly .
Mexico ’ s president , Andrés Manuel López Obrador , knows this too .
After all , this is the advice of his health authorities .
But on Sunday , López Obrador traveled to Sinaloa in northern Mexico , where he shook the hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t just any woman : She ’ s the mother of Mexico ’ s most infamous drug lord , Joaquín “ El Chapo ” Guzmán , who is currently serving life in prison in the US for drug , money laundering , and murder charges .
López Obrador said he was meeting with Guzmán ’ s mother at her request .
In a video , he can be seen telling María Consuelo Loera that he had received a note from her .
“ Yes , yes , I got your letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The gesture incensed Mexicans , already frustrated at the government ’ s sluggish response to the global pandemic .
Mexico is bracing for a spike in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks .
During a taped message released Friday , López Obrador asked people to stay home .
The following day , Mexico ’ s deputy health minister echoed the president ’ s statement .
But no formal quarantine has been put in place .
Ignoring his own advice , and that of medical experts , López Obrador has continued to crisscross the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveled to Culiacán , where , speaking from his hotel balcony , he said that “ coronavirus is not the plague.
” One of the first people to get COVID-19 in Mexico had been a guest at that hotel shortly before , and the building had since been cleaned , he added .
On Sunday , it was the turn of Badiraguato , the birthplace of El Chapo .
It was reportedly the birthday of Ovidio Guzmán López , one of the kingpin ’ s sons .
In October , he was captured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be released hours later , following a cartel siege of the city .
López Obrador said he went to the area to supervise the construction of a road , but nonetheless defended his decision to meet the mother of Mexico ’ s most notorious drug lord .
“ She ’ s a 92-year-old woman , ” he said during his morning conference on Monday , explaining why he greeted El Chapo ’ s mother .
“ She deserves all my respect , regardless of who her son is.
” After news of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trending on Twitter .
“ The doctors ?
The families ?
Social fears ?
Hospital shortages ?
Not the priorities… ” tweeted Kenia López Rabadán , head of the Senate ’ s Human Rights Commission .
Some people interpreted López Obrador ’ s meeting as a form of distraction from the government ’ s fight against the pandemic .
Others saw it as a way for the president , a populist who spent nearly two decades running for the top position before his electoral victory in 2018 , to wrestle attention back from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ López Obrador wants to take the spotlight back from the health officials who are giving daily briefings about the coronavirus , argues Ricardo Alvarado , who works at Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción , a watchdog group .
Drug trafficking and national security are areas in “ which these government specialists can not intervene , ” said Alvarado .
“ It ’ s about him being the protagonist.
” By Sunday , there were 993 confirmed cases of COVID-19 — including two state governors — and 20 deaths in Mexico , according to health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be an underestimation of the gravity of the situation .
Only a handful of Latin American leaders have ignored the World Health Organization 's recommendations in the midst of this crisis .
Brazil ’ s Jair Bolsonaro has criticized state lockdowns while calling for a return to normal life .
Together , Brazil and Mexico govern more than half of the region ’ s population , where many workers live hand to mouth , and can little afford to take time off work if they are forced to go into quarantine .

MEXICO CITY — There’s one thing we all know not to do during the coronavirus pandemic: shake hands.
And we definitely know not to shake hands with the elderly.
Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, knows this too. After all, this is the advice of his health authorities.
But on Sunday, López Obrador traveled to Sinaloa in northern Mexico, where he shook the hand of a 92-year-old woman. And she wasn’t just any woman: She’s the mother of Mexico’s most infamous drug lord, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who is currently serving life in prison in the US for drug, money laundering, and murder charges.
López Obrador said he was meeting with Guzmán’s mother at her request. In a video, he can be seen telling María Consuelo Loera that he had received a note from her. “Yes, yes, I got your letter,” López Obrador told her.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--A Man In New York Was Allegedly Hoarding And Selling Scarce Coronavirus Supplies At Extreme Prices

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 .
Federal authorities arrested a man in New York for allegedly claiming he had COVID-19 and coughing on FBI agents when they confronted him about stockpiling and selling vital medical supplies at inflated prices , the Justice Department said Monday .
Baruch Feldheim , 43 , had allegedly been hoarding medical gear and resources essential to fighting the coronavirus outbreak , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then selling them to doctors at exorbitantly high prices , according to federal prosecutors .
On March 25 , the federal government issued an executive order barring the excessive accumulation of health and medical resources needed to fight the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Doctors and nurses in New York , which has been hit hardest by the outbreak in the US , have been facing shortages of personal protective equipment , requiring them to reuse supplies or leaving them exposed .
When FBI agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday , he allegedly coughed in their direction and said he had the coronavirus , they said in court documents .
Officials say he also lied to agents about stockpiling the supplies .
He has been charged with assaulting a federal officer and making false statements to law enforcement .
If convicted on both counts , he would have to pay a $ 350,000 fine and could spend up to six years in prison .
According to court documents , Feldheim , through his company Solo Supplies , Inc. , had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have become scarce as doctors and nurses struggle to keep up with the influx of COVID-19 patients while protecting themselves .
In one case , Feldheim sold a doctor from New Jersey about 1,000 N95 masks , 2,000 sterile gowns , hundreds of hazmat gowns , and other materials for $ 12,000 — a 700 % markup from the typical price , officials said .
The doctor got into contact with Feldheim in a WhatsApp group for health care professionals .
When he went to a repair shop in Irvington , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on at least two occasions , the doctor said he saw `` pallets '' of critical supplies .
`` According to the doctor , the repair shop contained enough materials , including hand sanitizers , Clorox wipes , chemical cleaning supply agents , and surgical supplies , to outfit an entire hospital , '' prosecutors said .
On March 23 , Feldheim allegedly offered to sell a nurse surgical gowns and directed the health care practitioner to his home in Brooklyn .
Two days later , Customs and Border Patrol records show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of face masks to Solo Supplies .
On Friday , FBI agents said they photographed an empty box of N95 masks outside Feldheim 's house .
On Sunday , FBI agents documented several instances in which people arrived at his home and left with boxes or bags of what seemed to be medical supplies .
That same day , the agents approached and confronted Feldheim about his alleged operation .
When they told him they wanted to keep a safe distance because of the outbreak , he allegedly coughed at them and stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The agents continued to press Feldheim about his possession of protective gear and medical supplies .
While he acknowledged he had `` N95 masks , gowns , hand sanitizers , and other PPE , '' he contended that he did not have them in `` warehouse quantities , '' according to court documents .
Feldheim said he works for a company that buys and sells the materials on an `` as-needed basis , '' and they act as an `` intermediary '' for hospitals .

Federal authorities arrested a man in New York for allegedly claiming he had COVID-19 and coughing on FBI agents when they confronted him about stockpiling and selling vital medical supplies at inflated prices, the Justice Department said Monday.
Baruch Feldheim, 43, had allegedly been hoarding medical gear and resources essential to fighting the coronavirus outbreak, such as masks, disinfectants, and hazmat gowns, and then selling them to doctors at exorbitantly high prices, according to federal prosecutors.
On March 25, the federal government issued an executive order barring the excessive accumulation of health and medical resources needed to fight the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Doctors and nurses in New York, which has been hit hardest by the outbreak in the US, have been facing shortages of personal protective equipment, requiring them to reuse supplies or leaving them exposed.
When FBI agents confronted Feldheim at his home in Brooklyn on Sunday, he allegedly coughed in their direction and said he had the coronavirus, they said in court documents. Officials say he also lied to agents about stockpiling the supplies.
He has been charged with assaulting a federal officer and making false statements to law enforcement. If convicted on both counts, he would have to pay a $350,000 fine and could spend up to six years in prison.
According to court documents, Feldheim, through his company Solo Supplies, Inc., had been marking up N95 masks and other supplies that have become scarce as doctors and nurses struggle to keep up with the influx of COVID-19 patients while protecting themselves.
In one case, Feldheim sold a doctor from New Jersey about 1,000 N95 masks, 2,000 sterile gowns, hundreds of hazmat gowns, and other materials for $12,000 — a 700% markup from the typical price, officials said.
The doctor got into contact with Feldheim in a WhatsApp group for health care professionals. When he went to a repair shop in Irvington, New Jersey, to pick up his orders on at least two occasions, the doctor said he saw "pallets" of critical supplies.
"According to the doctor, the repair shop contained enough materials, including hand sanitizers, Clorox wipes, chemical cleaning supply agents, and surgical supplies, to outfit an entire hospital," prosecutors said.
On March 23, Feldheim allegedly offered to sell a nurse surgical gowns and directed the health care practitioner to his home in Brooklyn. Two days later, Customs and Border Patrol records show that a truck from Canada delivered eight pallets of face masks to Solo Supplies.
On Friday, FBI agents said they photographed an empty box of N95 masks outside Feldheim's house. On Sunday, FBI agents documented several instances in which people arrived at his home and left with boxes or bags of what seemed to be medical supplies.
That same day, the agents approached and confronted Feldheim about his alleged operation. When they told him they wanted to keep a safe distance because of the outbreak, he allegedly coughed at them and stated that he had the virus, authorities said.
The agents continued to press Feldheim about his possession of protective gear and medical supplies. While he acknowledged he had "N95 masks, gowns, hand
sanitizers, and other PPE," he contended that he did not have them in "warehouse quantities," according to court documents.
Feldheim said he works for a company that buys and sells the materials on an "as-needed basis," and they act as an "intermediary" for hospitals.