buzzfeednews--2020-06-23--New York Police Will Start Sting Operations Against Illegal Fireworks

On Tuesday morning , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would be forming an illegal fireworks task force , which will involve over 40 law enforcement officers conducting undercover buys and sting operations that target people selling fireworks in the city .
The task force will consist of “ 10 officers from NYPD Intelligence Bureau , 12 FDNY Fire Marshals and 20 members of the Sheriff ’ s Bureau of Criminal Investigation , ” according to a press release .
De Blasio said in the press conference that the task force would operate both in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ suppliers , distributors and possessors.
” “ This is not just a quality of life problem and a noise problem — and it 's certainly that , and in all five boroughs , we take that seriously— but it can also be dangerous , ” de Blasio said .
“ We ’ re going to start a huge sting operation to go and get these illegal fireworks at the base .
Meaning , everywhere they ’ re being sold around New York City , and even where they ’ re being sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flowing into New York.
” The press release also said that the FDNY would launch “ a public safety campaign ” to “ illustrate the dangers of illegal fireworks.
” “ We need to make sure that young people know , all people know — some of it ’ s adults too — that illegal fireworks are not only illegal , but they can be dangerous , ” de Blasio said .
“ We need to get that message across , and that ’ s what we intend to do.
” Although fireworks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there has been a spike in reports of fireworks throughout the city compared to previous years .
According to 311 data , there were 1,680 complaints about illegal fireworks in New York between June 8 and June 15 , compared to just 12 for the equivalent period last year .
De Blasio 's response comes amid widespread demonstrations against police brutality and calls by activists to defund the NYPD .
Police have rounded up , pushed , and shoved protesters , sometimes using batons , and arrested people en masse for violating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect for a week .
Earlier this month , the NYPD drove a police van into a crowd of protesters .
When asked about it , de Blasio said that the police had demonstrated “ tremendous restraint.
” There have already been reports of aggressive police responses to fireworks .
In Flatbush on June 14 , after a few hours of people setting off fireworks , dozens of officers arrived in riot gear , closed off a street , and took away at least one person in handcuffs .
De Blasio ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could continue , and perhaps escalate .
The mayor told the media that the task force would focus on the `` big fish '' that are selling the biggest amount of fireworks .
“ Within the city , we ’ re gon na start on the biggest operations , not focused on the kid on the corner , ” de Blasio said .
“ We ’ re focused on the people that are really profiting and really distributing a lot of fireworks.
” Have you witnessed police responding to fireworks in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this piece securely at caroline.haskins @ buzzfeed.com or on Signal at +1 ( 785 ) 813-1084 .
Joe VanOudenhove III — co-owner of Sky King Fireworks in Pennsylvania , whose fireworks have been used in Brooklyn — told BuzzFeed News that there ’ s no single explanation for the fireworks , although he thought that the coronavirus had forced people to be cooped up for a long time , and they ’ re eager to find ways to entertain themselves on a budget .
“ The biggest thing is that there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no nothing , nothing that involves large crowds , ” VanOudenhove said .
“ We ’ ve had people drive from New Jersey and New York to Erie , Pennsylvania , just to get out of the house for a few hours and spend $ 150 on fireworks.
” VanOudenhove also said that fireworks stores in Pennsylvania — the closest state to New York where it is legal to buy fireworks — were closed on Memorial Day weekend , typically a high-volume weekend , leaving them with larger inventories than normal when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also noted that public events that normally have professional-grade fireworks , like baseball games , have been canceled due to COVID-19 .
Selling professional-grade fireworks is a huge source of revenue , so stores like his have had to find ways to make up the losses .
As a result , these stores have been aggressively marketing consumer-grade fireworks , often with sales .
VanOudenhove said that he has been offering buy-one-get-two promotions rather than buy-one-get-one promotions .
He was expecting sales to be low , but in certain weeks , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 % and 200 % year-over-year .
“ No matter who you talked to , no one could have predicted this , the uptick in sales , ” VanOudenhove said .
“ We were just trying to figure it out .
”

On Tuesday morning, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would be forming an illegal fireworks task force, which will involve over 40 law enforcement officers conducting undercover buys and sting operations that target people selling fireworks in the city.
The task force will consist of “10 officers from NYPD Intelligence Bureau, 12 FDNY Fire Marshals and 20 members of the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation,” according to a press release. De Blasio said in the press conference that the task force would operate both in and outside of the city and target “suppliers, distributors and possessors.”
“This is not just a quality of life problem and a noise problem — and it's certainly that, and in all five boroughs, we take that seriously— but it can also be dangerous,” de Blasio said. “We’re going to start a huge sting operation to go and get these illegal fireworks at the base. Meaning, everywhere they’re being sold around New York City, and even where they’re being sold in surrounding states that we know of flowing into New York.”
The press release also said that the FDNY would launch “a public safety campaign” to “illustrate the dangers of illegal fireworks.”
“We need to make sure that young people know, all people know — some of it’s adults too — that illegal fireworks are not only illegal, but they can be dangerous,” de Blasio said. “We need to get that message across, and that’s what we intend to do.”
Although fireworks are a typical part of Brooklyn summers, there has been a spike in reports of fireworks throughout the city compared to previous years. According to 311 data, there were 1,680 complaints about illegal fireworks in New York between June 8 and June 15, compared to just 12 for the equivalent period last year.
De Blasio's response comes amid widespread demonstrations against police brutality and calls by activists to defund the NYPD. Police have rounded up, pushed, and shoved protesters, sometimes using batons, and arrested people en masse for violating an 8 p.m. curfew that was in effect for a week. Earlier this month, the NYPD drove a police van into a crowd of protesters. When asked about it, de Blasio said that the police had demonstrated “tremendous restraint.”
There have already been reports of aggressive police responses to fireworks. In Flatbush on June 14, after a few hours of people setting off fireworks, dozens of officers arrived in riot gear, closed off a street, and took away at least one person in handcuffs. De Blasio’s announcement indicated that policing tactics like these could continue, and perhaps escalate.
The mayor told the media that the task force would focus on the "big fish" that are selling the biggest amount of fireworks. “Within the city, we’re gonna start on the biggest operations, not focused on the kid on the corner,” de Blasio said. “We’re focused on the people that are really profiting and really distributing a lot of fireworks.”
Have you witnessed police responding to fireworks in New York City? You can contact the author of this piece securely at caroline.haskins@buzzfeed.com or on Signal at +1 (785) 813-1084.
Joe VanOudenhove III — co-owner of Sky King Fireworks in Pennsylvania, whose fireworks have been used in Brooklyn — told BuzzFeed News that there’s no single explanation for the fireworks, although he thought that the coronavirus had forced people to be cooped up for a long time, and they’re eager to find ways to entertain themselves on a budget.
“The biggest thing is that there’s no entertainment, no sporting events, no nothing, nothing that involves large crowds,” VanOudenhove said. “We’ve had people drive from New Jersey and New York to Erie, Pennsylvania, just to get out of the house for a few hours and spend $150 on fireworks.”
VanOudenhove also said that fireworks stores in Pennsylvania — the closest state to New York where it is legal to buy fireworks — were closed on Memorial Day weekend, typically a high-volume weekend, leaving them with larger inventories than normal when they opened on June 4. He also noted that public events that normally have professional-grade fireworks, like baseball games, have been canceled due to COVID-19. Selling professional-grade fireworks is a huge source of revenue, so stores like his have had to find ways to make up the losses.
As a result, these stores have been aggressively marketing consumer-grade fireworks, often with sales. VanOudenhove said that he has been offering buy-one-get-two promotions rather than buy-one-get-one promotions. He was expecting sales to be low, but in certain weeks, he said, sales have actually been up between 50% and 200% year-over-year.
“No matter who you talked to, no one could have predicted this, the uptick in sales,” VanOudenhove said. “We were just trying to figure it out.”


buzzfeednews--2020-02-29--Coronavirus Is 2020 Democrats’ New Case Against Trump

The remaining Democratic presidential candidates have united in the last week on a core message : The coronavirus outbreak proves how important it is to defeat President Donald Trump .
The global health crisis — which has rattled global markets and has now been reported in multiple western US states without known connections to the virus ’ spread in Asia — has been woven into virtually every Democratic candidates ’ messaging in the last week , with just days to go before the biggest primary day of the year .
Michael Bloomberg is airing an ad titled “ Pandemic ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out an early plan for preventing the spread of infectious diseases .
Amy Klobuchar has talked about containing the virus as a way of transcending partisan politics .
And Joe Biden , Bernie Sanders , Pete Buttigieg , and Tom Steyer are all talking about the virus as they campaign ahead of the South Carolina primary on Friday and in 16 Super Tuesday contests next week .
The common factor : Each candidate has turned the outbreak into a new , potent critique of Trump , hitching their individual campaign messaging to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans ’ attention away from the presidential election .
As the president has contradicted warnings from health officials and focused on controlling messaging around the outbreak by placing Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the response , Sanders , the frontrunner in the Democratic primary , has sent a series of statements from his campaign this week on Trump ’ s “ inadequate , misleading , and dangerous ” handling of the crisis .
“ It turns out that Donald Trump is in Charleston today , ” he said at a Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina , of the rally Trump had planned later that night .
In stops across the state Friday , the day before the South Carolina primary , Sanders repeatedly accused Trump of meddling in the Democratic nominating process by holding a rally there when he should be focusing on the ongoing health crisis .
“ Now , I want you to think — think about what it says about this guy , ” Sanders said in Saint George .
“ Everybody knows there is a coronavirus spreading all over the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You would think that you 'd have a president of the United States leading — working with scientists all over the world , bringing people together to figure out how we 're gon na deal with this crisis .
He is here in South Carolina .
He does n't even have any opposition in the Republican primary — why is he here ?
He 's here to try to disrupt the Democratic primary .
How pathetic and how petty can you be ?
” Elsewhere in the state , Buttigieg centered his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics on the virus .
“ This is not a kind of national security issue that we ’ re used to dealing with from the past , ” he said in Charleston on Friday .
“ This virus does not care what country it is in .
It ’ s not going to be stopped by a big wall .
These kinds of issues , whether it ’ s global health security , cyber security , election security , are going to require a focus on the future , just as right here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , Steyer told an audience that coronavirus would have a profound economic impact on the United States and other countries and slammed the Trump administration ’ s response .
“ This is Trump ’ s incompetence in a neon sign going like , ‘ I stink at my job .
Yeah , I am a dummy !
Ok ?
’ by Donald Trump , ” Steyer told the crowd .
“ This was announced on December 31st , he is so late on this that it ’ s crazy .
He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Steyer told the crowd that Trump ’ s response had been inadequate and that the spread of coronavirus was Trump ’ s “ Katrina.
” “ It ’ s his moment where he ’ s like , ‘ whoa !
I have a job to do ?
Who knew !
’ ”

The remaining Democratic presidential candidates have united in the last week on a core message: The coronavirus outbreak proves how important it is to defeat President Donald Trump.
The global health crisis — which has rattled global markets and has now been reported in multiple western US states without known connections to the virus’ spread in Asia — has been woven into virtually every Democratic candidates’ messaging in the last week, with just days to go before the biggest primary day of the year.
Michael Bloomberg is airing an ad titled “Pandemic” across TV nationwide. Elizabeth Warren put out an early plan for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Amy Klobuchar has talked about containing the virus as a way of transcending partisan politics. And Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, and Tom Steyer are all talking about the virus as they campaign ahead of the South Carolina primary on Friday and in 16 Super Tuesday contests next week.
The common factor: Each candidate has turned the outbreak into a new, potent critique of Trump, hitching their individual campaign messaging to a story that has otherwise begun to pull Americans’ attention away from the presidential election.
As the president has contradicted warnings from health officials and focused on controlling messaging around the outbreak by placing Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the response, Sanders, the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, has sent a series of statements from his campaign this week on Trump’s “inadequate, misleading, and dangerous” handling of the crisis.
“It turns out that Donald Trump is in Charleston today,” he said at a Friday morning campaign event in Saint George, South Carolina, of the rally Trump had planned later that night.
In stops across the state Friday, the day before the South Carolina primary, Sanders repeatedly accused Trump of meddling in the Democratic nominating process by holding a rally there when he should be focusing on the ongoing health crisis.
“Now, I want you to think — think about what it says about this guy,” Sanders said in Saint George. “Everybody knows there is a coronavirus spreading all over the world. Very frightening, stock market is tanking. You would think that you'd have a president of the United States leading — working with scientists all over the world, bringing people together to figure out how we're gonna deal with this crisis. He is here in South Carolina. He doesn't even have any opposition in the Republican primary — why is he here? He's here to try to disrupt the Democratic primary. How pathetic and how petty can you be?”
Elsewhere in the state, Buttigieg centered his more typical argument for generational change in politics on the virus. “This is not a kind of national security issue that we’re used to dealing with from the past,” he said in Charleston on Friday. “This virus does not care what country it is in. It’s not going to be stopped by a big wall. These kinds of issues, whether it’s global health security, cyber security, election security, are going to require a focus on the future, just as right here at home.”
In Summerville, South Carolina, Steyer told an audience that coronavirus would have a profound economic impact on the United States and other countries and slammed the Trump administration’s response.
“This is Trump’s incompetence in a neon sign going like, ‘I stink at my job. Yeah, I am a dummy! Ok?’ by Donald Trump,” Steyer told the crowd. “This was announced on December 31st, he is so late on this that it’s crazy. He’s two months late to do anything.”
Steyer told the crowd that Trump’s response had been inadequate and that the spread of coronavirus was Trump’s “Katrina.”
“It’s his moment where he’s like, ‘whoa! I have a job to do? Who knew!’”


buzzfeednews--2020-02-29--Officials Have Confirmed The First Death From Coronavirus In The US

A man in Washington state has died after contracting the coronavirus , a Washington State Department of Health official confirmed to BuzzFeed News .
It is the first confirmed death in the US from the novel coronavirus .
The patient , identified by the CDC and Washington state officials only as a man in his fifties with underlying medical issues , had been first identified as a potential coronavirus patient Friday , officials said .
In response , the Trump administration announced new travel restrictions involving Iran , as well as travel warnings to Italy and South Korea .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Trump said .
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence identified the patient as a woman , but Washington state health officials said in a press call with reporters Saturday the patient had in fact been a man .
Vice President Mike Pence , who was appointed by Trump to lead the response to the coronavirus , said Saturday that the US would be imposing travel restrictions because of the spread of the virus , including banning any foreign national who has visited Iran in the past 14 days .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the areas in Italy and the areas South Korea , '' he said .
Trump also said his administration would be `` looking at the southern border , '' as well , although he did not provide specifics as to what measures the administration was considering .
The announcement came as officials in Seattle and King County said they had confirmed another three cases of people infected with coronavirus — including the deceased patient — and were also monitoring a possible outbreak of the virus at a long-term care facility in Kirkland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a health care worker in their forties had been confirmed to be infected with the virus .
Officials said the deceased patient did not have any known connection to the long-term care facility .
`` It was somebody that had underlying risk factors for severe disease , '' Jeff Duchin , public health officer for Seattle and King County , told reporters .
`` It was one of the things that prompted us to test him because of that we felt that he was at a higher risk and had an unexplained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seventies is in serious condition , according to Washington health officials .
The care facility , which has more than 108 residents and 180 staff members , has reported 27 patients and 25 staff members who have exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus , Duchin said .
`` At this point we do not have widespread community-wide transmission locally , '' Duchin said .
`` We have transmission that is associated with an outbreak at this long-term care facility , so we 're going to be watching the situation very closely . ''
None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have traveled , and officials said they were identified only after they were admitted for respiratory disease at EvergreenHealth hospital in Kirkland .
The sudden spike in possible cases in Washington was likely due to the fact that the state now has increased capacity to test patients , Duchin said , and officials have a wider definition on who can be tested .
A total of six cases have been identified in Washington , including two residents in Snohomish County and four in King County .
Although the increased number of cases involving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered a national spread of the disease , CDC Director Nancy Messonnier said it has increased the level of concern in certain communities in the country .
`` We realize this is a difficult time , '' Messonnier said .
`` We are facing a historic public health challenge . ''
Local officials with Seattle and King counties are working with CDC officials to investigate the origin of the virus at the facility and to develop a plan to stop the spread if additional patients are confirmed .
`` We will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duchin said .
If additional patients are identified at the facility , it could add concern for officials who said those with underlying medical issues , and the elderly , are at highest risk to develop the most severe symptoms from the coronavirus .
`` Should we start to see more spread in Washington , we might consider measures such as canceling large public events , '' Kathy Lofy , health officer and chief science officer for Washington state said .
On a national level , CDC officials said local communities might need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` takes a hold '' in the US , although the response could vary depending on how each community is affected by the virus .
`` We are prepared for this virus to be more widespread in the United States , '' Messonnier said .
However , officials issued reminders that only those who might be `` medically fragile '' were at highest risk .
`` The vast majority of people who are infected with this virus will do well and will face a minor infection , '' Duchin said .

A man in Washington state has died after contracting the coronavirus, a Washington State Department of Health official confirmed to BuzzFeed News.
It is the first confirmed death in the US from the novel coronavirus.
The patient, identified by the CDC and Washington state officials only as a man in his fifties with underlying medical issues, had been first identified as a potential coronavirus patient Friday, officials said.
In response, the Trump administration announced new travel restrictions involving Iran, as well as travel warnings to Italy and South Korea.
"Unfortunately, one person passed away overnight," Trump said.
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence identified the patient as a woman, but Washington state health officials said in a press call with reporters Saturday the patient had in fact been a man.
Vice President Mike Pence, who was appointed by Trump to lead the response to the coronavirus, said Saturday that the US would be imposing travel restrictions because of the spread of the virus, including banning any foreign national who has visited Iran in the past 14 days.
"We are urging Americans to not travel to the areas in Italy and the areas South Korea," he said.
Trump also said his administration would be "looking at the southern border," as well, although he did not provide specifics as to what measures the administration was considering.
The announcement came as officials in Seattle and King County said they had confirmed another three cases of people infected with coronavirus — including the deceased patient — and were also monitoring a possible outbreak of the virus at a long-term care facility in Kirkland, where a patient in their seventies and a health care worker in their forties had been confirmed to be infected with the virus.
Officials said the deceased patient did not have any known connection to the long-term care facility.
"It was somebody that had underlying risk factors for severe disease," Jeff Duchin, public health officer for Seattle and King County, told reporters. "It was one of the things that prompted us to test him because of that we felt that he was at a higher risk and had an unexplained respiratory infection.”
The patient in their seventies is in serious condition, according to Washington health officials.
The care facility, which has more than 108 residents and 180 staff members, has reported 27 patients and 25 staff members who have exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus, Duchin said.
"At this point we do not have widespread community-wide transmission locally," Duchin said. "We have transmission that is associated with an outbreak at this long-term care facility, so we're going to be watching the situation very closely."
None of the patients in the suspected cases have traveled, and officials said they were identified only after they were admitted for respiratory disease at EvergreenHealth hospital in Kirkland.
The sudden spike in possible cases in Washington was likely due to the fact that the state now has increased capacity to test patients, Duchin said, and officials have a wider definition on who can be tested.
A total of six cases have been identified in Washington, including two residents in Snohomish County and four in King County.
Although the increased number of cases involving coronavirus in the US is still not considered a national spread of the disease, CDC Director Nancy Messonnier said it has increased the level of concern in certain communities in the country.
"We realize this is a difficult time," Messonnier said. "We are facing a historic public health challenge."
Local officials with Seattle and King counties are working with CDC officials to investigate the origin of the virus at the facility and to develop a plan to stop the spread if additional patients are confirmed.
"We will not be surprised to find additional cases," Duchin said.
If additional patients are identified at the facility, it could add concern for officials who said those with underlying medical issues, and the elderly, are at highest risk to develop the most severe symptoms from the coronavirus.
"Should we start to see more spread in Washington, we might consider measures such as canceling large public events," Kathy Lofy, health officer and chief science officer for Washington state said.
On a national level, CDC officials said local communities might need to take additional measures if the virus "takes a hold" in the US, although the response could vary depending on how each community is affected by the virus.
"We are prepared for this virus to be more widespread in the United States," Messonnier said.
However, officials issued reminders that only those who might be "medically fragile" were at highest risk.
"The vast majority of people who are infected with this virus will do well and will face a minor infection," Duchin said.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-29--These Updating Charts And Maps Show How The Coronavirus Is Spreading Across The World

COVID-19 , the disease caused by a novel coronavirus first identified late last year in Wuhan , China , has spread across the globe .
The charts and maps below will update automatically each day with the latest data compiled from WHO and other sources by researchers at Johns Hopkins University .
Toggle between the “ Total Cases , ” “ New Cases , ” and “ Deaths ” tabs to track the coronavirus outbreak .
The New Cases tab shows what experts call the “ epidemic curve , ” in which the number of cases diagnosed each day typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an epidemic comes under control or naturally burns out .
That is not yet happening with COVID-19 .
This table tracks deaths and confirmed cases by country , sorted in descending order by the total number of deaths .
Counts of confirmed cases will reflect , in large part , the number of COVID-19 tests run in each country .
So the death counts provide a clearer picture of how hard countries have been hit by the virus .
The maps below show the rates of confirmed cases and deaths in each country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Again , given differences in the proportion of people tested in each country , the death rate maps will provide a clearer view of the worst-affected countries .
Countries shown in white have yet to report cases or deaths .
On Mar .
19 , China reported no new domestic COVID-19 cases — a first since its outbreak began .
Some of the worst-affected countries are in Europe .
The maps below show a zoomed-in view of the continent .
Iceland stands out in the confirmed cases map because the island nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population , catching a large number of infected people without symptoms who are thought to be driving the disease ’ s spread .
You can use this COVID-19 tracker to follow the epidemic in the US .
In addition to regularly updating the data in the charts and maps , this post will be updated with other information as it becomes available .

This table tracks deaths and confirmed cases by country, sorted in descending order by the total number of deaths. Counts of confirmed cases will reflect, in large part, the number of COVID-19 tests run in each country. So the death counts provide a clearer picture of how hard countries have been hit by the virus.
The maps below show the rates of confirmed cases and deaths in each country relative to the size of their populations. Again, given differences in the proportion of people tested in each country, the death rate maps will provide a clearer view of the worst-affected countries. Countries shown in white have yet to report cases or deaths.
Confirmed cases by country


buzzfeednews--2020-02-28--Ride-Hail And Delivery Apps Like Lyft And DoorDash Aren’t Sharing Their Plans For What Happens When

Ride-Hail And Delivery Apps Like Lyft And DoorDash Aren’t Sharing Their Plans For What Happens When Coronavirus Hits The United States

Despite CDC warnings to prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States , multiple companies , including Amazon , Lyft , and DoorDash , declined to share specifics about their plans for an outbreak or their communication with workers , including whether they would pause services to slow down the disease 's spread , compensate sick employees , or provide workers with safety gear .
As the novel coronavirus spreads , delivery and ride-hail services could emerge as vectors of the disease — or of medical supplies and hope for isolated people .
But the companies that did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Delivery workers and ride-hail drivers are often contractors or freelancers whose livelihoods depend on interacting with hundreds of people throughout the course of the day .
There are already reports of some Uber drivers refusing to pick up passengers at the airport .
`` My significant other is reluctant to let me work .
It 's a common topic of discussion in my rides now , often jokingly , but with a hint of underlying nervousness from all parties , '' Nate , an Uber driver in Las Vegas told Business Insider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the car ... after I get anyone in the car coughing . ''
In China , as the government locked down cities , food delivery drivers became folk heroes , offering lifelines to people stuck inside their homes .
The food delivery app Meituan experienced so many orders that it had a shortage of workers and experimented in Beijing ’ s Shunyi district with delivering food via driverless vehicles .
On Friday , Amazon asked all its employees to defer nonessential travel , including in the US .
But it ’ s still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to popular delivery and ride-hail apps to find out what kinds of precautions are being put in place to mitigate the virus ’ s spread .
This post will be updated as we hear back .
A spokesperson for the delivery app told BuzzFeed News that at the moment it will be operating normally .
`` We have shared precautionary CDC guidance with our Postmates ; and will continue to encourage employees , merchants and consumers to follow preventative measures , ” the spokesperson said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will help provide the resources necessary to mitigate increased risks . ''
Uber is currently encouraging both drivers and riders to follow the guidance of local authorities to help prevent the spread of the virus .
A spokesperson said it is in close contact with local public health organizations and will continue to follow their recommendations .
“ We are always working to help ensure the safety of our employees and everyone on the Uber platform , and we continue to be concerned by the ongoing spread of coronavirus , '' a spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedicated global team of Uber operations , security and safety executives , guided by the advice of a consulting public health expert , to respond as needed in each market where we operate around the world.
” A Grubhub spokesperson described the coronavirus as a “ complex and fast-moving situation '' and said the company is waiting to see how things progress .
“ We are focused on prioritizing the health and safety of our drivers , diners , restaurant partners and employees during this challenging time , ” a spokesperson told BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor the situation closely , including assessing and analyzing the potential impact on our business.
” A Lyft spokesperson told BuzzFeed News , `` We are monitoring the coronavirus situation closely .
There is no indication of a unique risk to members of the Lyft community .
However , in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control ’ s guidance to prepare for further spread of the virus , we have established an internal task force to ensure we are prepared to take action if needed . ''
Did not respond as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of press time .
Did not respond as of press time .

Despite CDC warnings to prepare for an outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, multiple companies, including Amazon, Lyft, and DoorDash, declined to share specifics about their plans for an outbreak or their communication with workers, including whether they would pause services to slow down the disease's spread, compensate sick employees, or provide workers with safety gear.
As the novel coronavirus spreads, delivery and ride-hail services could emerge as vectors of the disease — or of medical supplies and hope for isolated people. But the companies that did share information remained vague about their plans.
Delivery workers and ride-hail drivers are often contractors or freelancers whose livelihoods depend on interacting with hundreds of people throughout the course of the day.
There are already reports of some Uber drivers refusing to pick up passengers at the airport.
"My significant other is reluctant to let me work. It's a common topic of discussion in my rides now, often jokingly, but with a hint of underlying nervousness from all parties," Nate, an Uber driver in Las Vegas told Business Insider this week. "I typically Lysol the car ... after I get anyone in the car coughing."
In China, as the government locked down cities, food delivery drivers became folk heroes, offering lifelines to people stuck inside their homes. The food delivery app Meituan experienced so many orders that it had a shortage of workers and experimented in Beijing’s Shunyi district with delivering food via driverless vehicles.
On Friday, Amazon asked all its employees to defer nonessential travel, including in the US. But it’s still unclear how that will affect delivery workers.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to popular delivery and ride-hail apps to find out what kinds of precautions are being put in place to mitigate the virus’s spread. This post will be updated as we hear back.
Postmates
A spokesperson for the delivery app told BuzzFeed News that at the moment it will be operating normally.
"We have shared precautionary CDC guidance with our Postmates; and will continue to encourage employees, merchants and consumers to follow preventative measures,” the spokesperson said. “We are tracking the situation closely and will help provide the resources necessary to mitigate increased risks."
Uber
Uber is currently encouraging both drivers and riders to follow the guidance of local authorities to help prevent the spread of the virus. A spokesperson said it is in close contact with local public health organizations and will continue to follow their recommendations.
“We are always working to help ensure the safety of our employees and everyone on the Uber platform, and we continue to be concerned by the ongoing spread of coronavirus," a spokesperson said. "We have formed a dedicated global team of Uber operations, security and safety executives, guided by the advice of a consulting public health expert, to respond as needed in each market where we operate around the world.”
Grubhub
A Grubhub spokesperson described the coronavirus as a “complex and fast-moving situation" and said the company is waiting to see how things progress.
“We are focused on prioritizing the health and safety of our drivers, diners, restaurant partners and employees during this challenging time,” a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely, including assessing and analyzing the potential impact on our business.”
Lyft
A Lyft spokesperson told BuzzFeed News, "We are monitoring the coronavirus situation closely. There is no indication of a unique risk to members of the Lyft community. However, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance to prepare for further spread of the virus, we have established an internal task force to ensure we are prepared to take action if needed."
Amazon
Did not respond as of press time.
TaskRabbit
Did not respond as of press time.
DoorDash
Did not respond as of press time.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-19--A Man Shared A Shocking Photo Of What COVID-19 Did To Him After Six Weeks In A Hospital

`` I wanted to show it can happen to anyone .
It does n't matter if you 're young or old , have preexisting conditions or not .
It can affect you . ''
As he sat in his bed in a Boston hospital 's coronavirus ward , Mike Schultz chatted with one of his favorite nurses about his treatment of being sedated and intubated .
`` I thought only a week had gone by , '' he told BuzzFeed News .
That 's when she let him know he had n't been in the ward for one week — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I was so weak .
This was one of the most frustrating parts , '' he recalled .
`` I couldn ’ t hold my cellphone ; it was so heavy .
I couldn ’ t type , because my hands shook so much . ''
The 43-year-old nurse from San Francisco had no underlying health conditions .
He normally worked out six or seven times a week .
He weighed about 190 pounds .
When he spoke with BuzzFeed News on Tuesday , weeks after he 'd been able to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 140 pounds .
His lung capacity is only now starting to slowly come back .
Last week , Schultz shared a photo of the toll COVID-19 had taken on his body to his 30,000 Instagram followers .
The picture on the left was taken about a month before he first got sick .
He took the photo on the right in a recovery ward .
It exhausted him to stand up from the bed for a few minutes to take the picture , he said .
`` I knew what I thought going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t think it was as serious as it was until after things started happening , '' he said .
`` I thought I was young enough for it not to affect me , and I know a lot of people think that .
`` I wanted to show it can happen to anyone .
It does n't matter if you 're young or old , have preexisting conditions or not .
It can affect you . ''
Schultz went to the hospital on March 16 .
Two days earlier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in San Francisco to see his boyfriend , 29-year-old DJ Josh Hebblethwaite .
He was a little under the weather but did not have a fever .
The week before , the pair had gone to Miami Beach for Winter Party Festival , a circuit party that Hebblethwaite was working at and which drew thousands of people to the area for a week of events .
Schultz posted pictures of himself smiling with friends and declared on Instagram he 'd had a great time .
But as they danced , the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also present .
`` We knew it was out there , '' said Schultz .
`` There were no real restrictions in place , though .
No lockdowns .
We just thought , Well , we got ta wash our hands more and be wary of touching our face . ''
At least 38 people who attended Winter Party subsequently became sick .
Three men died .
Within two days of Schultz arriving in Boston , he and Hebblethwaite began feeling seriously ill. Schultz 's fever spiked to 103 , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filling with liquid .
They raced to a hospital .
`` They took him right in and did n't let me stay to say goodbye , '' Hebblethwaite said .
On his first day there , Schultz was given oxygen through his nose , then via a full face mask , and then doctors started sedating him .
`` One of the doctors said early on I was probably going to be intubated , and it freaked me out , '' he said .
Within four days , he was taken to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become Schultz 's medical proxy just in case .
`` There was no one else around , and I would be the one to make decisions for him , '' Hebblethwaite said .
`` It was definitely scary . ''
Schultz ended up being intubated for four and a half weeks , and Hebblethwaite could not visit him due to hospital protocols designed to prevent infection .
Instead , he called every four hours or so for updates and to ask the nurses to let Schultz know he was loved .
`` About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice enough to FaceTime with him , '' he said .
`` It was pretty much like he was in a coma .
It was definitely scary .
But I was so happy to see him at that point . ''
As he continues his recovery , Schultz said both he and Hebblethwaite have received some backlash online for their attendance at the Winter Party .
Some even said Schultz deserved to get sick , but he is choosing to focus on the outpouring of support he 's received since posting his photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said , `` but it does n't bother me that much , because I ’ ve gotten so much positive feedback . ''
He has also been thinking about the food he ordered at McDonald 's when he was finally released from the hospital : two double cheeseburgers , small fries , and a strawberry shake .
`` It did taste different .
I think lost some of my taste , '' he said , `` but it was good . ''

As he sat in his bed in a Boston hospital's coronavirus ward, Mike Schultz chatted with one of his favorite nurses about his treatment of being sedated and intubated.
"I thought only a week had gone by," he told BuzzFeed News.
That's when she let him know he hadn't been in the ward for one week — he'd been there for six.
"I was so weak. This was one of the most frustrating parts," he recalled. "I couldn’t hold my cellphone; it was so heavy. I couldn’t type, because my hands shook so much."
The 43-year-old nurse from San Francisco had no underlying health conditions. He normally worked out six or seven times a week. He weighed about 190 pounds. When he spoke with BuzzFeed News on Tuesday, weeks after he'd been able to start eating foods again, he weighed just 140 pounds. His lung capacity is only now starting to slowly come back.
Last week, Schultz shared a photo of the toll COVID-19 had taken on his body to his 30,000 Instagram followers. The picture on the left was taken about a month before he first got sick. He took the photo on the right in a recovery ward. It exhausted him to stand up from the bed for a few minutes to take the picture, he said.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-19--A Doctor Described The Clandestine Deal He Made To Get Masks And Respirators During The Coronavirus

A Doctor Described The Clandestine Deal He Made To Get Masks And Respirators During The Coronavirus Pandemic

`` It felt a little bit like something out of a movie , but it is our reality and it would be funny if it were n't so serious . ''
The details were straight out of a Mission Impossible movie : a secret meeting at a warehouse interrupted by the FBI , disguised trucks with separate travel routes to avoid interception , a wire transfer , and a last-minute political plea to prevent the confiscation of valuable goods .
But according to one doctor , this is the reality his hospitals faced to get protective gear for health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
`` It felt a little bit like something out of a movie , but it is our reality and it would be funny if it were n't so serious , '' Dr. Andrew Artenstein , chief physician executive at Baystate Health in Massachusetts , told BuzzFeed News .
As hospitals across the country continue to deal with shortages of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and states compete for supplies , Artenstein described his team 's particularly desperate quest a couple weeks ago to obtain face masks and N95 respirators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New England Journal of Medicine .
After exploring countless leads for supplies , `` some bizarre and convoluted , and many involving large sums of money '' that fell through after they were `` outbid or outmuscled , '' in some cases , by the federal government , Artenstein said his team locked down a deal for a large shipment of three-ply face masks and KN95 respirators , a Chinese equivalent to the N95 masks that are recommended as the best protection for hospital workers in the US .
`` Having acquired the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount we would normally pay for a similar shipment , but still less than what was being requested by other brokers — we set the plan in motion , '' he wrote .
Three members of Baystate 's supply-chain team , a fit tester , and Artenstein then traveled from Springfield across state lines to meet the supplier at an industrial warehouse .
There , two semi-trucks marked as food-service vehicles waited to be loaded before heading back north on two different routes `` to minimize the chances that their contents would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The concern was that at some point somewhere some authority — whether it be the federal government , the state government , or some other authority — might take a closer look if there was clearly medical equipment going somewhere , even though it was n't contraband , '' Artenstein said in a phone interview .
`` Everyone needs it so badly , and , to be honest with you , we were desperate to make sure our people were protected .
We needed to get that stuff back to Baystate Health System @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened several boxes to examine the masks , fit-testing a few of them to ensure their quality .
But before they could send the payment for the supplies by wire transfer , two FBI agents showed up and started questioning Artenstein .
After showing the agents his credentials and reassuring them that the masks were going to hospitals and were n't meant for the black market , Artenstein said the officials allowed them to proceed and load the PPE into the trucks .
But then Artenstein said he learned that the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and directing the PPE elsewhere .
So his team called their representative in Congress , Rep. Richard Neal , who he said intervened to prevent the federal government from derailing in the deal .
“ After a series of calls with very cooperative representatives from DHS and HHS , who recognized the importance of the shipment and the urgency to get it to the hospital , the PPE was released , '' Neal said in a statement emailed to BuzzFeed News Tuesday .
`` During these uncertain times , the process was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together , and that critical medical supplies need to get into the hands of health care heroes who desperately need them.
” Representatives for DHS did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News ' requests for comment .
In a statement provided to BuzzFeed News , the FBI said that as a result of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump prohibiting the hoarding of medical supplies , the agency has been investigating the distribution of PPE to ensure it is not being illegally sold or hoarded .
`` While the FBI does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations , we want to assure the public the FBI remains committed to ensuring national security and pursuing violations of federal law , and vigilant in deterring , detecting , and investigating wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic , '' the statement said .
Artenstein said that while the number of COVID-19 cases in Baystate 's hospitals appears to have plateaued and as government officials talk about plans to begin reopening parts of the economy , obtaining adequate PPE is an ongoing problem .
`` It would be improper to think that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can tell you on a daily basis they still continue , and I do n't think we 're alone in that , '' he said .
`` If we were alone , we would be able to get these things ... [ and ] go through our usual channels . ''

The details were straight out of a Mission Impossible movie: a secret meeting at a warehouse interrupted by the FBI, disguised trucks with separate travel routes to avoid interception, a wire transfer, and a last-minute political plea to prevent the confiscation of valuable goods.
But according to one doctor, this is the reality his hospitals faced to get protective gear for health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It felt a little bit like something out of a movie, but it is our reality and it would be funny if it weren't so serious," Dr. Andrew Artenstein, chief physician executive at Baystate Health in Massachusetts, told BuzzFeed News.
As hospitals across the country continue to deal with shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and states compete for supplies, Artenstein described his team's particularly desperate quest a couple weeks ago to obtain face masks and N95 respirators in an article published Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
After exploring countless leads for supplies, "some bizarre and convoluted, and many involving large sums of money" that fell through after they were "outbid or outmuscled," in some cases, by the federal government, Artenstein said his team locked down a deal for a large shipment of three-ply face masks and KN95 respirators, a Chinese equivalent to the N95 masks that are recommended as the best protection for hospital workers in the US.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-19--Brazil’s President Still Thinks The Coronavirus Is Like A Little Cold. He’s Putting People In Favela

Brazil’s President Still Thinks The Coronavirus Is Like A Little Cold. He’s Putting People In Favelas In Mortal Danger.

Brazil 's president is putting lives at risk with his flippant attitude about the coronavirus .
In the country ’ s densely populated favelas , this could become a nightmare .
ROCINHA , Brazil — In many ways , Arthur Carvalho still lives in pre-coronavirus times .
One of more than 100,000 residents of Rocinha , Brazil ’ s biggest favela , Carvalho goes out nearly every day : to get food , look for gas , maybe score some detergent , or visit his mother .
Carvalho , a 22-year-old bricklayer , doesn ’ t really have a choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy all he needs for an extended lockdown in one shopping trip , which would at least allow him to shelter at home six days a week .
But then , if the president of Brazil , Jair Bolsonaro , is to be believed , maybe this doesn ’ t really matter .
Just last week Bolsonaro urged supporters not to “ run away from the virus like cowards ” and to go back to work .
Bolsonaro , a right-wing former army captain , has said the disease caused by the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a little cold.
” Health experts say Bolsonaro has set Brazil , with a population of almost 210 million , on a dangerous path .
Home to some of the largest and most densely populated neighborhoods in Latin America , these experts warn the coronavirus is likely to spread there with staggering speed .
Across the region , almost all countries shut down their borders early on and imposed travel bans .
Some implemented nighttime curfews and deployed the army .
Even Mexico , which was criticized for its sluggish response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay home through the end of May .
Bolsonaro cuts an increasingly isolated figure on the continent — not just ignoring the advice of experts but actively encouraging people to go out , putting their lives at risk .
He has continued touring markets and accused journalists of stoking fear to undermine his administration .
Those most at risk ?
People who live in favelas .
It is one of the many cruelties of the coronavirus pandemic in countries like Brazil : initially spread by the wealthiest people after returning home from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who must keep leaving their houses to earn a days ’ wage .
It is they who are the least likely to get proper medical care if complications arise .
And Brazil has the highest income inequality gap in Latin America .
For these Brazilians , life has been reduced to a Catch-22 : Many want to stay home and stop the spread of the coronavirus , but they live cramped together in tiny quarters , where one contagion can quickly multiply .
But mostly , they simply can not afford not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-March , as the number of deaths from the virus grew exponentially across the world , Rocinha — which at 18,520 people per square mile has nearly twice the population density of Manhattan — came to a grinding halt after criminal gangs decided to take matters into their own hands and impose a curfew , according to the Guardian .
Video of the favela during those days showed motorcycle taxis parked on the side of an empty , winding road that is generally bustling with activity around the clock .
It looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , however , people started streaming outdoors again .
Today , some bars and shops have reopened across the sprawling neighborhood , and movement there has resumed .
One of the problems is that many of those who live in favelas work for the upper classes who expect their staff to keep their houses clean , their buildings safe and their lawns manicured no matter what .
“ There ’ s the doorman , the cleaning lady , ” Severino Franco , of the Rocinha Association of Culture , Art , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If that person doesn ’ t go to work , they lose .
This moment shows the social disparity between the hills and the city.
” The coronavirus pandemic , after all , is not the great equalizer that some have claimed , as seen in the US where black and Latino communities are among the hardest hit .
Carvalho was recently fired from his job and has been unable to claim unemployment benefits because he made a mistake while filling out the paperwork and the office that deals with this is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , lost her job at a restaurant .
All she could think to do afterward was to sell her cellphone .
On March 17 , Cleonice Gonçalves , a housekeeper , became the first coronavirus-related fatality in Rio de Janeiro .
Gonçalves ’ s employers , who lived in the exclusive Leblon neighborhood , had recently returned from a trip to Italy .
When they realized Gonçalves had become ill , they put her in a taxi and sent her home .
Across the country , 37,437 people have tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across Rio de Janeiro ’ s favelas , at least 10 people have died so far .
In Rocinha , where Carvalho lives , there are at least 34 confirmed cases .
But the number is probably much higher , according to experts .
Margareth Dalcolmo , a pulmonologist who is part of the committee of scientists advising the Rio de Janeiro state government , estimates that for each confirmed case there are another 15 infected people not being reported .
“ This pandemic has shown that the emperor has no clothes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , the obscene concentration of income in Brazil , ” said Dalcolmo , who works at the Fiocruz health institute , which along with other public health institutions has been at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus in Brazil .
Poor , overcrowded , constantly battered by high crime rates and stigmatized by the middle and upper classes , Brazilian favelas were already difficult places to survive before the coronavirus set the world on edge .
Big families crowd into single rooms , where they sleep and cook , offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of distancing needed to prevent the spread of the virus .
They navigate steep roads and unpaved paths on motorcycle taxis and walk through snaking alleyways to get from home to the nearest main highway .
Some areas do not have running water .
Most overlook the wealthiest neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro , nestled between the foothills of the mountains and the white-sand beaches .
Access to health care in favelas is poor and disease there has been rampant for years .
Take tuberculosis , an infectious disease that attacks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 34 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in Brazil , in Rocinha it stands at 300 per 100,000 people .
Dalcolmo , who has worked on a project to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis in Rocinha for the last decade , said the government must step in to stop the spread of coronavirus in Rocinha and other favelas .
“ We believe there need to be big donations of basic goods packages so that people do not have to go out , ” said Dalcolmo .
The state needs to “ send large quantities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to residents ” and guarantee the supply of water even for those who miss payments , she added .
Nowadays , the sound of pots being banged and people whooping and cheering out of their windows has become a symbol of the coronavirus era .
But it means very different things depending on where you are .
In New York , residents do it to show their support for overworked health care workers .
In Brazil , people do it as a form of protest against Bolsonaro .
And it has grown more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for the health minister , Luiz Henrique Mandetta .
Clashes between the two became increasingly public and Mandetta emerged as a figure akin to Anthony Fauci , President Donald Trump ’ s top virus expert .
Meanwhile , the number of people infected continued to grow exponentially and has reached the upper levels of government .
On Tuesday , two governors , including Rio de Janeiro ’ s , said they had tested positive for COVID-19 .
So what did Bolsonaro do ?
On Thursday , he fired Mandetta .
In Rocinha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Community leaders are stepping in to support residents as the state 's efforts to help fall short .
Antonio Ferreira , director of the Rocinha Residents Association , said his organization is managing the distribution of donations .
“ We have identified the residents who need it most .
We have a list and have made appointments with them to pick up their packages at our headquarters , ” said Ferreira .
He said that despite this , it ’ s not always possible to avoid overcrowding .
Part of Ferreira ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay at home .
A bus driver for a college in the city , Ronaldo Deolindo , 61 , spends his days doing pushups and running and up and down the 30 steps that lead to his house .
Since he has a 4-year-old daughter , his wife goes out to buy milk and bread only when it ’ s necessary , and takes precautions .
Deolindo isn ’ t sure if he ’ ll ever go back to work .
For others , staying at home is simply too difficult .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies are needed — there ’ s also the tedium of being stuck inside with few distractions to help pass the time .
Carvalho , the 22-year-old bricklayer , said he has to go out almost every day .
“ Boredom ends up to be too consuming.
” This post was translated from Portuguese .

Across the region, almost all countries shut down their borders early on and imposed travel bans. Some implemented nighttime curfews and deployed the army. Even Mexico, which was criticized for its sluggish response to the coronavirus, has called for residents to stay home through the end of May.
Bolsonaro cuts an increasingly isolated figure on the continent — not just ignoring the advice of experts but actively encouraging people to go out, putting their lives at risk. He has continued touring markets and accused journalists of stoking fear to undermine his administration.
Those most at risk? People who live in favelas.
It is one of the many cruelties of the coronavirus pandemic in countries like Brazil: initially spread by the wealthiest people after returning home from trips abroad, it is the poorest people who must keep leaving their houses to earn a days’ wage. It is they who are the least likely to get proper medical care if complications arise. And Brazil has the highest income inequality gap in Latin America.
For these Brazilians, life has been reduced to a Catch-22: Many want to stay home and stop the spread of the coronavirus, but they live cramped together in tiny quarters, where one contagion can quickly multiply. But mostly, they simply cannot afford not to go out to work.
In mid-March, as the number of deaths from the virus grew exponentially across the world, Rocinha — which at 18,520 people per square mile has nearly twice the population density of Manhattan — came to a grinding halt after criminal gangs decided to take matters into their own hands and impose a curfew, according to the Guardian. Video of the favela during those days showed motorcycle taxis parked on the side of an empty, winding road that is generally bustling with activity around the clock. It looked like a ghost town.
After a few days, however, people started streaming outdoors again. Today, some bars and shops have reopened across the sprawling neighborhood, and movement there has resumed.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-10--Nico Santos From "Crazy Rich Asians" Opened Up About His Stepdad Who Died From The Coronavirus

`` It 's sort of a really surreal time to be going through the grieving process just because the world is so crazy right now , '' the actor told BuzzFeed News .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The coronavirus has struck at the heart of the family of Nico Santos , best known for playing Oliver in Crazy Rich Asians and starring in NBC 's Superstore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted an update on Instagram about the death of his stepdad , Sonny .
`` He was a kind , caring man , '' wrote Santos .
`` Friendly to a fault .
He always greeted strangers walking past him with a chipper ‘ Good Morning !
’ and a big smile .
He had a great laugh that filled the room with joy . ''
On Friday , Santos opened up about grieving his stepdad in an interview with BuzzFeed News ' Twitter show AM to DM .
`` It 's up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's sort of a really surreal time to be going through the grieving process just because the world is so crazy right now .
`` We are dealing with it as best we can as a family and just taking it — at this point , it 's not really day by day , it is hour by hour , to maintain your sanity . ''
Like so many people who have experienced loss during this pandemic , Santos 's family has had to grieve in isolation .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what has gutted me is that this pandemic has kept my family apart , '' he wrote on Instagram .
`` We were unable to be with him during his last days .
I can ’ t hold my mother as she mourns her husband .
I can ’ t hug my brother as he contemplates a world without his father .
I can ’ t wipe away the tears from my nephews ’ eyes . ''
Some of the celebrities who offered condolences to him on Instagram included This Is Us star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good Place , and his Crazy Rich Asians costar Ken Jeong .
`` Sending all our love , '' wrote Jeong .
In his interview with AM to DM , Santos spoke about the outpouring of love he has received since that post and how it has helped him get through this difficult time .
`` I just want to basically just thank everybody , '' said Santos .
`` I received so many messages of just love and support when my family was going through this tragedy and I just want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` As cheesy as it sounds , we 're all in this together , but we really are , you know , this is the time where we ca n't let our differences get to us , we have to stick together to get through this , '' added the actor .
In his Instagram post , Santos also mentioned that his mother was also fighting the disease , but he had some good news on that front .
`` Thankfully my mom has recovered from the virus , '' he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to celebrate any victory that we get these days . ''

Like so many people who have experienced loss during this pandemic, Santos's family has had to grieve in isolation.
"The loss of my stepfather is devastating but what has gutted me is that this pandemic has kept my family apart," he wrote on Instagram. "We were unable to be with him during his last days. I can’t hold my mother as she mourns her husband. I can’t hug my brother as he contemplates a world without his father. I can’t wipe away the tears from my nephews’ eyes."
Some of the celebrities who offered condolences to him on Instagram included This Is Us star Chrissy Metz, D'Arcy Carden from The Good Place, and his Crazy Rich Asians costar Ken Jeong. "Sending all our love," wrote Jeong.
In his interview with AM to DM, Santos spoke about the outpouring of love he has received since that post and how it has helped him get through this difficult time.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-11--A Woman Was Arrested For Allegedly Putting Easter Eggs Full Of Porn In People's Mailboxes

A Florida woman was arrested after allegedly placing Easter eggs containing pornographic images and nonthreatening references to churches in people 's mailboxes , authorities said .
Abril Cestoni , 42 , was arrested Wednesday after she admitted to distributing the eggs and claimed she was `` educating people , '' the Flagler County Sheriff 's Office said in a Facebook post .
A bag of pornographic material was found inside Cestoni 's car , and she told deputies that she had distributed more than 400 pamphlets throughout the county over the past few days , the sheriff 's office said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included nonthreatening references to county buildings and various other items .
The sheriff 's office asked for the public 's help in a Facebook post Monday after a caller reported finding an Easter egg in their mailbox containing `` a cracker in the shape of a fish , one sheet of toilet paper , a powdered drink mix , and a crumpled up piece of paper containing pornographic images . ''
“ Our team did a great job in tracking this deranged offender down and taking her into custody , ” Sheriff Rick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thankfully she did not appear to be sick with COVID-19 symptoms , but she certainly needs some help . ''
Cestoni was charged with 11 counts of distributing obscene material , as well as driving with a suspended license .
She was also charged with violating Florida 's stay-at-home order for travel not related to an essential activity .

A Florida woman was arrested after allegedly placing Easter eggs containing pornographic images and nonthreatening references to churches in people's mailboxes, authorities said.
Abril Cestoni, 42, was arrested Wednesday after she admitted to distributing the eggs and claimed she was "educating people," the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
A bag of pornographic material was found inside Cestoni's car, and she told deputies that she had distributed more than 400 pamphlets throughout the county over the past few days, the sheriff's office said. The plastic Easter eggs also allegedly included nonthreatening references to county buildings and various other items.
The sheriff's office asked for the public's help in a Facebook post Monday after a caller reported finding an Easter egg in their mailbox containing "a cracker in the shape of a fish, one sheet of toilet paper, a powdered drink mix, and a crumpled up piece of paper containing pornographic images."
“Our team did a great job in tracking this deranged offender down and taking her into custody,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in the statement. “Thankfully she did not appear to be sick with COVID-19 symptoms, but she certainly needs some help."
Cestoni was charged with 11 counts of distributing obscene material, as well as driving with a suspended license. She was also charged with violating Florida's stay-at-home order for travel not related to an essential activity.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-11--The Coronavirus Has Quieted New York City's Flower District

Two businesses — the kinds of wholesalers who provide flowers and plants to florists , event planners , and other outlets — on the financial impact of the pandemic on our complex , interconnected economy .
Like a lot of places , New York City is closed up and quiet , unsettlingly free of people and commerce .
That includes a block of Manhattan known as the flower district or flower market on West 28th Street .
On an overcast , routine Wednesday this week about when the morning market would begin closing up , the grates were already down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street empty , and the sidewalks free of the trees , plants , and flowers that would normally spill out of the 20 or so flower , plant , and specialty wholesalers and retailers located on this one block — a strange , romantic stretch of New York often written about .
“ Most people have been forced to close their business , ” owner Gary Page said in a recent interview .
He ’ s been in the business since 1984 , and come through Wall Street crises and 9/11 .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , take emailed and shipped orders for topiaries , or work in a limited capacity — but a lot of the business is done directly and in service of events or rooms that are now empty for public health .
When Page 's business , G.Page Flowers , closed on March 21 , they placed bouquets , wrapped in brown paper , on the sidewalk against the storefront 's green grate for passersby .
“ Everyone does understand the situation that we 're in , and that we have to defeat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 's the first step.
” More than 10,000 people have died in the United States during the coronavirus pandemic — a staggering number that includes Eddy Marquez , who worked at US Evergreen in the district for decades , and reportedly died from complications earlier this week .
As the shutdowns continue to meet public health guidance , the economic situation across the country has become increasingly difficult .
Untold numbers of small businesses are in bad circumstances ; 16 million people have filed jobless claims in just three weeks — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City .
The unprecedented freeze to half the world 's economy has externalized how interconnected and complicated local and global economies really are ; you can ’ t stop or pause one part of life without affecting a multitude of people ’ s livelihoods .
The pandemic 's physical limitations first affected restaurants widely , but the reverberation of empty venues , canceled occasions , and people not going to work and school is staggering — including for the wholesale flowers and plants that would otherwise be sold to florists , event planners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Holland , growers have destroyed millions of flowers — there 's just not many places for them to go .
“ Think about a bride 's wedding , right ? ''
said Monique Blanco , the Operations and Accounts Manager for Foliage Garden , which specializes in plants .
“ She had to postpone it — it was supposed to be March 20 , right ?
” The kinds of flowers or plants won ’ t be the same when the bride ’ s wedding takes place , if she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the expense of flowers .
Same with , for another example , the plants inside and outside the restaurants that nobody 's been inside for weeks .
“ We ’ re in all these little niches that nobody really thinks about , ” Blanco added .
“ But it ’ s thousands of people across the country that fulfill these jobs .
So that for us is ever-present in our minds.
” As Page explained , for flowers , the “ grower has to pack stuff in boxes — so you have supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this – then they transport them to auction or exporters , they 're then put onto airplanes.
” Depending on the season , growers might be packing those flowers in the Netherlands , Ecuador , Colombia , Vietnam , Thailand , Malaysia , Australia , or New Zealand — or somewhere in the United States .
“ Those planes are flown over to JFK or trucked up to New York from Miami or from local growers.
” “ Then they get to 28th Street.
” The market — which also now includes things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a much earlier era of the city .
A century ago , New York operated as one of the biggest merchant-manufacturing centers in the world , in one of the biggest natural harbors in the world , with well-known districts like the meatpacking or garment .
Among these , populated especially by Greek-immigrant businesses , was the flower district in the same neighborhood — but in the 20th century , it spanned multiple blocks and dozens of businesses that have diminished over time .
( “ Where the hotel is now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s is , all flowers .
The Bank of America , all flowers , ” as one florist put it to the Villager four years ago . )
The transformation of the district ’ s Chelsea neighborhood from a rough scene into the location of Google 's New York headquarters — as well as the zoning laws that have put a number of hotels in its midst— is often the story told about the flower district .
Still , Blanco noted , business was going well .
Foliage Garden operates greenhouses on Long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a niche industry : plant rentals .
Corporations like Chanel that put on events , small fashion houses , people working film sets and photo shoots , Instagram popups , or even for people just throwing weddings or birthday parties — they rent trees and greenery for the occasion , she said .
But an increasing amount of their cash flow came from people walking down the “ jungle utopia ” of West 28th Street , and wanting to buy a plant here or there — basically the effect of millennial fervor for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual ways .
“ People were coming to realize the value of plants again.
” Until they can resume business , Foliage Garden had to lay off their shop staff — there 's just no money coming in , Blanco said — while their greenhouse team continues working at a reduced schedule to keep the plants alive .
Page said he 's trying to avoid layoffs .
“ People have worked with me for so long , many people — I find that very difficult , I do n't want to do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” He ’ s hoping government relief efforts for small businesses come through .
Some of the current businesses are family operations ; there are also multi-generational growers and multi-generational florists on either side of the chain .
Blanco has known the owner of Foliage Garden , Maryann Finegan , since she was 13 ; when Blanco graduated from college into the great recession , Finegan told her to come work for her until she got settled .
“ So I did .
And I never left.
” This time of year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bulk of their business takes place — is usually fun , she said , but people don ’ t always appreciate the complicated logistics of a business like this .
“ Like everything , we are New Yorkers , and we are a demanding people , '' she joked .
“ So a plant is a plant , yes , but when you throw a New Yorker into anything , it 's going to get complicated.
” And it 's true that outside of the people who grow and sell them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like food or lodging or , eventually , a haircut .
It 's a luxury business , as Blanco allowed .
But if you 've experienced a quiet , sad day with the unexpected pop of color or greenery , it ’ s hard to forget .
And if you imagine all these events we 're not having and places we 're not going , without any ornamentation — even with the warm promise of reunion — they look a little dull and gray .
Page anticipates that there will be changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been after major shocks , like 9/11 and the great recession .
But people still want flowers in the end , he said ; that doesn ’ t change .
“ Flowers have tremendous power , ” Page said , “ especially if you give people flowers .
People remember that.
” The last thing that health care professionals needed at this precise moment was flowers .
But , he added , “ hopefully , when we get through this , we will be able to say to these people , thank you @ @ @ @

Like a lot of places, New York City is closed up and quiet, unsettlingly free of people and commerce.
That includes a block of Manhattan known as the flower district or flower market on West 28th Street.
On an overcast, routine Wednesday this week about when the morning market would begin closing up, the grates were already down, the windows mostly dark, the street empty, and the sidewalks free of the trees, plants, and flowers that would normally spill out of the 20 or so flower, plant, and specialty wholesalers and retailers located on this one block — a strange, romantic stretch of New York often written about.
“Most people have been forced to close their business,” owner Gary Page said in a recent interview. He’s been in the business since 1984, and come through Wall Street crises and 9/11.
Some on the block have launched online wholesale-to-trade business, take emailed and shipped orders for topiaries, or work in a limited capacity — but a lot of the business is done directly and in service of events or rooms that are now empty for public health.
When Page's business, G.Page Flowers, closed on March 21, they placed bouquets, wrapped in brown paper, on the sidewalk against the storefront's green grate for passersby.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-08--Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Weighed In On Why So Many Black Americans Are Dying Of COVID-19

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 .
In an interview with BuzzFeed News ' AM to DM on Wednesday , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer said the coronavirus is `` holding up a mirror to the United States of America '' and revealing structural inequalities that have long existed .
In Michigan , which now has the third-highest rate of deaths from COVID-19 , 40 % of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though black people only make up 14 % of the state population , state officials said .
The disparity may be due to a variety of factors rooted in inequality , ProPublica reported , including unequal access to medical care , higher rates of underlying health conditions , and a high likelihood of working `` essential '' jobs , such as grocery store and transit workers .
As the coronavirus spreads through the United States and kills thousands , data is emerging that shows the virus may be killing black Americans at disproportionate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shares the latest on the COVID-19 outbreak in Michigan and the disproportionate impact it ’ s had on black Americans .
She also weighs in on speculation that she could be @ JoeBiden ’ s running mate .
`` It ’ s not acceptable , it never has been , and it ’ s even more clear right now that we ’ ve got work to do as a country , '' Whitmer said .
`` Right now , in the middle of this crisis , we have to do everything we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect all people , and focus on communities of color , '' she said .
`` But beyond this , we ’ ve got a lot of work as a nation to do to address those inequities that have been contributing to this horrible situation that we ’ re all confronting . ''
In March , Whitmer endorsed Joe Biden for president , and many are speculating he may choose her as his vice president .
Whitmer would not say whether she would accept , if offered the job , saying `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is never something [ she ] was looking for . ''
`` When President Trump or Vice President Biden utters my name , it is something that I hear , I understand , '' she said .
`` But I ’ m really focused on the front line and making sure that [ there is ] PPE for the true superheroes of this moment , and that ’ s the people putting their own health on the line to take care of others . ''
Whitmer praised Biden , saying he is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our country at the moment . ''
`` I ’ m grateful for counsel and friendship from anybody who ’ s got some words of wisdom to share as we ’ re navigating these unprecedented times , '' she said .
Biden has said he would pick a woman as his vice president , and Whitmer said she thinks there are plenty who 'd be right for the job .
`` There are a lot of incredible female leaders in this country that I know that is on that same list , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an embarrassment of riches , to be honest , and so just to be included amongst those names is an honor , but it ’ s not something I ’ m able to focus any energy on at this juncture . ''
`` I ’ m strictly focused on trying to help the 10 million people in the state of Michigan who are worried , who are confronting COVID-19 , and who ’ ve made incredible sacrifices as we as a state are navigating this , '' she said .

"It’s not acceptable, it never has been, and it’s even more clear right now that we’ve got work to do as a country," Whitmer said.
"Right now, in the middle of this crisis, we have to do everything we can to educate, to support, and to protect all people, and focus on communities of color," she said. "But beyond this, we’ve got a lot of work as a nation to do to address those inequities that have been contributing to this horrible situation that we’re all confronting."
In March, Whitmer endorsed Joe Biden for president, and many are speculating he may choose her as his vice president.
Whitmer would not say whether she would accept, if offered the job, saying "being a part of a national conversation is never something [she] was looking for."
"When President Trump or Vice President Biden utters my name, it is something that I hear, I understand," she said. "But I’m really focused on the front line and making sure that [there is] PPE for the true superheroes of this moment, and that’s the people putting their own health on the line to take care of others."
Whitmer praised Biden, saying he is "one of the best strategic minds in our country at the moment."
"I’m grateful for counsel and friendship from anybody who’s got some words of wisdom to share as we’re navigating these unprecedented times," she said.
Biden has said he would pick a woman as his vice president, and Whitmer said she thinks there are plenty who'd be right for the job.
"There are a lot of incredible female leaders in this country that I know that is on that same list," she said. "So it's an embarrassment of riches, to be honest, and so just to be included amongst those names is an honor, but it’s not something I’m able to focus any energy on at this juncture."
"I’m strictly focused on trying to help the 10 million people in the state of Michigan who are worried, who are confronting COVID-19, and who’ve made incredible sacrifices as we as a state are navigating this," she said.