buzzfeednews--2020-04-14--Christians Were Fined $500 For Attending A Drive-In Church — The Trump Administration Is Supporting

Christians Were Fined $500 For Attending A Drive-In Church — The Trump Administration Is Supporting Them In Court

A sign outside the Temple Baptist Church urging parishioners to stay in their cars during a drive-in church service .
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The Justice Department jumped into a federal lawsuit in Mississippi on Tuesday to support parishioners who had been fined $ 500 for attending a drive-in church service , demonstrating the Trump administration ’ s willingness to challenge what it sees as onerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Baptist Temple Church in Greenville , Mississippi , had alleged in a complaint last week that local police overstepped their bounds by enforcing a ban on drive-in church services and trying to “ bust up ” the parking lot congregation .
Worshippers were inside vehicles with their windows rolled up while listening to a broadcast of the sermon inside when eight police officers began issuing tickets , including to the pastor .
The Trump administration filed what ’ s called a statement of interest in the case , showing the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principles at play , contending parishioners retain certain constitutional rights to assemble and exercise free speech despite the pandemic .
The administration contends the ban on drive-in church gatherings does not appear to be applied neutrally to secular and religious activities alike , and thus , the filing said , “ The facts alleged in the complaint strongly suggest that the city ’ s actions target religious conduct.
” “ The city has the burden to demonstrate that prohibiting the small church here from holding the drive-in services at issue here — services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their cars in the church parking lot at all times with their windows rolled up and spaced consistent with CDC guidelines — is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling interest , ” the government continued .
“ As of now , it seems unlikely that the city will be able to carry that burden , ” the statement said .
The filing follows a pattern of the Trump administration stepping into cases to support Christians who allege discrimination , even when the administration isn ’ t a party to the litigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District Court Judge Debra M. Brown , an appointee of former president Barack Obama , on Monday .
The same day , Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons said the churchgoers would not have to pay the fines , but he said the city ’ s policy banning drive-in church services would remain intact .
He did not respond to a question from BuzzFeed News about whether drive-in churchgoers would be fined if the services resume .
Responding to the mayor , Alliance Defending Freedom , a Christian legal group representing the church , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging the ban would proceed : “ The city ’ s order is baseless , and so we intend to continue aggressively pursuing our case against it in court.
” For weeks , Pastor Arthur Scott had been delivering sermons from inside the church — via an FM radio broadcast to worshippers in cars — when police arrived last Wednesday to issue $ 500 citations .
Gov .
Tate Reeves had specifically exempted religious gatherings from his stay-at-home orders during the pandemic , calling them essential services .
But the Greenville mayor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that prohibited “ drive in ” church gatherings , issuing an executive order on April 7 that said “ all church buildings will be closed for in person and drive in church services.
” The city had also said church gatherings were nonessential services and staff there couldn ’ t convene more than 10 people at a time .
In challenging the citations , the church ’ s complaint filed at a federal court in Greenville noted the church marquee had declared “ STAY IN CAR ” and that the production team inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The complaint alleges the city violated the church ’ s First Amendment right to assembly and free speech , and ran afoul of the 14th Amendment ’ s right to due process , because the ban was issued without warning or a description of the penalty for breaking the rules .
The lawsuit also argued the state policies that allow religious gatherings during the pandemic override the city ’ s more restrictive rules .
“ In sum , ” the complaint said , “ the Church 's ‘ drive-in ’ services are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parishioners to worship together and exercise their faith while avoiding in-person contact and ensuring the health and safety of attendees and the local community.
” Responding to the bust , Reeves said on Twitter , “ If you send police after worshippers trying to social distance , you are going to have Mississippians revolt .
I ’ ve asked all pastors not to hold these services — but we ordered churches safe from these outrageous actions .
Don ’ t trample the constitution.
” Alliance Defending Freedom noted that nonreligious fast-food drive-ins were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Sonic Drive-In a few blocks east of the church continues to operate , allowing drivers to pull up , roll down windows , and get burgers .
“ You call in , ” an employee at Sonic explained to BuzzFeed News in a phone call Monday .
“ When you come , you come pick up your order.
” The Justice Department had telegraphed it would take action in the Mississippi case — as it has by filing statements of interest in other cases to help Christians .
Alliance Defending Freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courtroom support to help a Christian Colorado baker who refused to serve a gay couple and cases to help Christians ’ First Amendment claims on college campuses .
Kerri Kupec — a spokesperson for Attorney General Bill Barr and a former spokesperson for Alliance Defending Freedom — tweeted on Saturday , “ While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency , they must be applied evenhandedly & not single out religious orgs .
Expect action from DOJ.
” Kupec then retweeted Kristen Waggoner — a top lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AG Barr will ensure constitutional rights are protected while also protecting public health.
” Barr added in a statement on Tuesday , `` The United States Department of Justice will continue to ensure that religious freedom remains protected if any state or local government , in their response to COVID-19 , singles out , targets , or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions . ''

The Justice Department jumped into a federal lawsuit in Mississippi on Tuesday to support parishioners who had been fined $500 for attending a drive-in church service, demonstrating the Trump administration’s willingness to challenge what it sees as onerous local lockdown rules during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Baptist Temple Church in Greenville, Mississippi, had alleged in a complaint last week that local police overstepped their bounds by enforcing a ban on drive-in church services and trying to “bust up” the parking lot congregation. Worshippers were inside vehicles with their windows rolled up while listening to a broadcast of the sermon inside when eight police officers began issuing tickets, including to the pastor.
The Trump administration filed what’s called a statement of interest in the case, showing the government’s views about the general legal principles at play, contending parishioners retain certain constitutional rights to assemble and exercise free speech despite the pandemic.
The administration contends the ban on drive-in church gatherings does not appear to be applied neutrally to secular and religious activities alike, and thus, the filing said, “The facts alleged in the complaint strongly suggest that the city’s actions target religious conduct.”
“The city has the burden to demonstrate that prohibiting the small church here from holding the drive-in services at issue here — services where attendees are required to remain in their cars in the church parking lot at all times with their windows rolled up and spaced consistent with CDC guidelines — is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling interest,” the government continued.
“As of now, it seems unlikely that the city will be able to carry that burden,” the statement said.
The filing follows a pattern of the Trump administration stepping into cases to support Christians who allege discrimination, even when the administration isn’t a party to the litigation.
The case was assigned to US District Court Judge Debra M. Brown, an appointee of former president Barack Obama, on Monday.
The same day, Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons said the churchgoers would not have to pay the fines, but he said the city’s policy banning drive-in church services would remain intact. He did not respond to a question from BuzzFeed News about whether drive-in churchgoers would be fined if the services resume.
Responding to the mayor, Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group representing the church, said in a statement that the lawsuit challenging the ban would proceed: “The city’s order is baseless, and so we intend to continue aggressively pursuing our case against it in court.”
For weeks, Pastor Arthur Scott had been delivering sermons from inside the church — via an FM radio broadcast to worshippers in cars — when police arrived last Wednesday to issue $500 citations.
Gov. Tate Reeves had specifically exempted religious gatherings from his stay-at-home orders during the pandemic, calling them essential services.
But the Greenville mayor and city council issued a more restrictive ban that prohibited “drive in” church gatherings, issuing an executive order on April 7 that said “all church buildings will be closed for in person and drive in church services.” The city had also said church gatherings were nonessential services and staff there couldn’t convene more than 10 people at a time.
In challenging the citations, the church’s complaint filed at a federal court in Greenville noted the church marquee had declared “STAY IN CAR” and that the production team inside the church never exceeded 10 people.
The complaint alleges the city violated the church’s First Amendment right to assembly and free speech, and ran afoul of the 14th Amendment’s right to due process, because the ban was issued without warning or a description of the penalty for breaking the rules.
The lawsuit also argued the state policies that allow religious gatherings during the pandemic override the city’s more restrictive rules.
“In sum,” the complaint said, “the Church's ‘drive-in’ services are a creative way for the Church and its parishioners to worship together and exercise their faith while avoiding in-person contact and ensuring the health and safety of attendees and the local community.”
Responding to the bust, Reeves said on Twitter, “If you send police after worshippers trying to social distance, you are going to have Mississippians revolt. I’ve asked all pastors not to hold these services — but we ordered churches safe from these outrageous actions. Don’t trample the constitution.”
Alliance Defending Freedom noted that nonreligious fast-food drive-ins were allowed even as congregants were being fined. A Sonic Drive-In a few blocks east of the church continues to operate, allowing drivers to pull up, roll down windows, and get burgers.
“You call in,” an employee at Sonic explained to BuzzFeed News in a phone call Monday. “When you come, you come pick up your order.”
The Justice Department had telegraphed it would take action in the Mississippi case — as it has by filing statements of interest in other cases to help Christians. Alliance Defending Freedom has also enjoyed the administration’s courtroom support to help a Christian Colorado baker who refused to serve a gay couple and cases to help Christians’ First Amendment claims on college campuses.
Kerri Kupec — a spokesperson for Attorney General Bill Barr and a former spokesperson for Alliance Defending Freedom — tweeted on Saturday, “While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly & not single out religious orgs. Expect action from DOJ.”
Kupec then retweeted Kristen Waggoner — a top lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom — who said her group “is grateful AG Barr will ensure constitutional rights are protected while also protecting public health.”
Barr added in a statement on Tuesday, "The United States Department of Justice will continue to ensure that religious freedom remains protected if any state or local government, in their response to COVID-19, singles out, targets, or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-16--The Pandemic Is Pushing People To Revisit Relationships That Fell Apart

“ There 's something about feeling like the world is going to end that makes you fearless to becoming vulnerable , ” said Stephanie , a 31-year-old woman in California .
She had been estranged from a once-close friend of nearly a decade for the past two years .
The two had grown apart because of life changes , Stephanie said , but as the coronavirus pandemic made its way around the world and “ things were starting to get scary , ” she decided to reach out — because she “ never stopped caring about him.
” And that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I guess this is how we should all live in the first place.
” The pandemic has sparked a perspective shift for many , and it ’ s easy to understand why .
Over 2 million people around the world have contracted COVID-19 , and more than 100,000 have died from it .
The virus and the isolation required to slow its spread have fundamentally changed our social lives , the way we celebrate , and how we ’ re able to mourn .
And those ways in which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to reflect on past relationships and find new compassion and empathy for people they were once close to — even if they were the ones who got hurt .
Dozens of BuzzFeed News readers responded to a request for stories of fractured relationships with friends , family , and former partners that they ’ ve recently revisited .
Some have found the pandemic to be clarifying as far as which relationships they feel are worthwhile — and which they can leave behind .
Darrian , 29 , a reader based in San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his former best friend of seven years in months when he received a text from the friend in early April , asking if he was okay .
As of right now , Darrian said , “ I have n't been able to bring myself to reply , and probably won't.
” Based on the friend ’ s message and the past five months apart , Darrian is “ pretty much convinced that I 'm better off without him.
” But he still has mixed feelings .
“ Sometimes I miss my best friend.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it all out on the table .
The uncertainty of the moment has emboldened people to lean into sincerity and confess their crushes .
And of course , people have reached out to their exes , possibly in an attempt to revert to something that once made them feel safe .
For some , completely rebuilding a relationship that long since ran its course isn ’ t necessarily the end goal .
When Stephanie reached out to her former friend , she wanted to make it clear there was no lingering bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke , Stephanie said she had expressed “ nothing but hate towards this person.
” Her friend had actually reached out to her last year to apologize for what went down between them , and she had brushed him off , but things were different this time .
“ This time around we were able to be honest and open.
” Stephanie ’ s decision to bury the hatchet didn ’ t stem from a desire to inject herself back into her friend ’ s life , but simply to show that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we both understand that we are n't meant to be in each other 's lives .
We care about each other from a ( long ) distance .
It 's kinda poetic.
” Some people may land somewhere in between .
Amani , a 26-year-old living in Minnesota , reached out to a friend and former roommate she ’ s known for nine years .
The two hadn ’ t spoken in two years when Amani texted .
“ This pandemic has given us so much time to take inventory of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish we had handled differently , ” she said , adding that the relationship soured after “ years of living together , we started to pick at each other .
It passed over from friendly banter to actual jabs.
” Amani said the conversation was productive and “ exactly what I hoped it would be .
We talked about our lives and she left it knowing that I still care for her well-being.
” “ Our relationship won ’ t be the same , but it doesn ’ t have to be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will survive.
” For some , picking up the pieces has been prompted by the overwhelming loneliness of being in self-isolation .
Gabriela , 19 , who lives in Ecuador , reached out to a friend she hadn ’ t spoken to in six months ; she chalked up the friction that ultimately led to the friendship ’ s demise to “ drama and misunderstandings in our friendship group.
” “ I was having a panic attack one night and I felt so lonely .
I missed him so much because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand me , ” Gabriela said .
She ended up throwing caution to the wind and messaging him on Instagram , and then immediately regretted it , which made her unsend the messages on the app .
Gabriela ’ s friend reached out to her the next day , after having seen the notifications for the now-phantom messages .
“ That ’ s when we started a real and proper conversation for the first time in months , ” she said .
The conversation between the two was productive , and Gabriela feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If you ’ d asked me before quarantine , I would ’ ve told you there was no hope , ” she said .
“ But now looking forward to the day we get to spend time together and go back to what we missed keeps me going every day through this nightmare.
” The process of reconciliation can be nerve-wracking when you ’ re waiting , and hoping , to see whether the person you hurt accepts your attempt to make peace .
December , 31 , who lives in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting game .
Her marriage to her husband of six years , whom she ’ d known for a total of 13 years , had ended after infidelity on her part , she said .
Since then , the only communication she ’ d had with her former partner was through texts sent back and forth because they share caretaking responsibilities for their dogs .
The forced isolation of the ongoing pandemic has given December time “ to think , process and reflect on life these last few months , ” which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a written letter in the mail .
December told me that her husband responded to the letter and thanked her for reaching out .
He said he still cared about her but thought they should face that they weren ’ t compatible , and hoped she would “ make good choices ” and be safe in the future .
“ It was a rocky road to this and even though he had a little burn in there I am happy with his response , ” December said .
Sometimes it takes a life-altering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they actually need and enjoy one another ’ s company .
Monica , a 30-year-old woman in California , said she had experienced a series of devastating blows to her relationship at the end of last year .
There was an “ unexpected abortion ” right after Thanksgiving , and after returning from a trip to New Jersey to visit her boyfriend ’ s family over Christmas , they broke up right before New Year ’ s Eve .
“ Things just got really sad very quickly , ” she said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two back into each other ’ s orbits .
“ We realized we were stronger together than separated during a time like this , ” Monica said .
The two live near one another , and since lockdown began , they ’ ve been staying together and have rekindled their relationship .
Monica told me that she and her partner came to the conclusion that “ the hiccups we endured were n't the issue , it was the way we were handling them.
” They ’ ve now replaced those habits with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognizing that they aren ’ t “ mind readers ” and that “ we need to verbalize our thoughts and needs , without making assumptions about how the other person is feeling.
” Once the coronavirus lockdown began , “ Suddenly we were making dinner every night , playing board games , painting canvases and complimenting each other on how well we were getting along versus when we were in an ‘ official ’ relationship , ” she said .
“ He ’ s originally from New Jersey and I wanted to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone out here and that no matter where we stand romantically , he ’ s my family and I am his.
” Monica said she and her ex are avoiding labels and are not completely , officially back together , but she ’ s hopeful for the future .
“ We are best friends before all else , ” she said .
“ If we can not continue growing together as a couple , we will respect each other enough to end it amicably and peacefully , fully aware that we gave it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people , the relationships that are the most fraught , and the hardest to completely divest from , are familial bonds .
“ I felt it was necessary to get back in touch since we truly have no idea what could happen tomorrow , ” said Danielle , a 30-year-old living in San Francisco , who picked up the phone and called her father , with whom she has always had a strained relationship .
“ Being quarantined gives you a lot of time to think and reconsider , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based in New York , had not spoken to her father in years , citing her stepmother as the person who drove a wedge between the two .
Recently , she found her dad ’ s address and wrote a letter .
“ I honestly don ’ t know if I ’ ll ever hear from him , which doesn ’ t feel great , ” she told me .
“ But honestly , I ’ m not ready to give up .
I ’ ll keep writing to him once a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all I can do at this point.
” Rebecca , 31 , who lives in Canada , said her relationship with her mother when she was growing up was often “ emotionally and physically abusive.
” Over the years , she said , there were several attempts made to reconnect with her mom , but “ things never changed on her part.
” And in 2014 , after Rebecca married her now-ex-husband , she decided it was “ best for everyone if we didn ’ t communicate any longer.
” Rebecca lost her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been dealing with the “ very sudden and unexpected ” end of her five-year-long marriage because of her husband ’ s adultery .
Rebecca said she was terrified she wouldn ’ t be able to support herself and that she would end up homeless .
The only person she had remained in contact with from her family was her older sister , who had often acted as a liaison between her and her mother .
So Rebecca reached out to her sister to talk about her recent troubles , and unexpectedly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in touch .
Two years ago , Rebecca ’ s mother had inherited a large sum of money from a relative .
Though her mother had offered some of the money to Rebecca at the time , she had refused to take it .
“ I knew from experience that anything my mother gave me came with an unlisted price , ” she said , “ one I was not interested in paying anymore.
” But recently Rebecca ’ s mother , after talking with her sister , reached out to Rebecca via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent and other expenses until she could get back on her feet .
Rebecca and her mom have now been consistently in communication over email while self-isolating .
Rebecca said she ’ s “ still guarded because of everything that ’ s happened between us , but it feels like things are getting better.
” While it ’ s impossible to know what the world will look like after being reshaped by the coronavirus , Rebecca said as far as she and her mother are concerned , “ I ’ m cautiously optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @

For some, completely rebuilding a relationship that long since ran its course isn’t necessarily the end goal. When Stephanie reached out to her former friend, she wanted to make it clear there was no lingering bad blood. The last time the two spoke, Stephanie said she had expressed “nothing but hate towards this person.” Her friend had actually reached out to her last year to apologize for what went down between them, and she had brushed him off, but things were different this time. “This time around we were able to be honest and open.” Stephanie’s decision to bury the hatchet didn’t stem from a desire to inject herself back into her friend’s life, but simply to show that she still cared for him. “I think we both understand that we aren't meant to be in each other's lives. We care about each other from a (long) distance. It's kinda poetic.”
Some people may land somewhere in between. Amani, a 26-year-old living in Minnesota, reached out to a friend and former roommate she’s known for nine years. The two hadn’t spoken in two years when Amani texted. “This pandemic has given us so much time to take inventory of what’s important and what situations we wish we had handled differently,” she said, adding that the relationship soured after “years of living together, we started to pick at each other. It passed over from friendly banter to actual jabs.” Amani said the conversation was productive and “exactly what I hoped it would be. We talked about our lives and she left it knowing that I still care for her well-being.”
“Our relationship won’t be the same, but it doesn’t have to be,” she said. “I think it will survive.”
For some, picking up the pieces has been prompted by the overwhelming loneliness of being in self-isolation. Gabriela, 19, who lives in Ecuador, reached out to a friend she hadn’t spoken to in six months; she chalked up the friction that ultimately led to the friendship’s demise to “drama and misunderstandings in our friendship group.”
“I was having a panic attack one night and I felt so lonely. I missed him so much because he was the only one that could ever understand me,” Gabriela said. She ended up throwing caution to the wind and messaging him on Instagram, and then immediately regretted it, which made her unsend the messages on the app. Gabriela’s friend reached out to her the next day, after having seen the notifications for the now-phantom messages. “That’s when we started a real and proper conversation for the first time in months,” she said. The conversation between the two was productive, and Gabriela feels hopeful the reconnection will thrive post-pandemic.
“If you’d asked me before quarantine, I would’ve told you there was no hope,” she said. “But now looking forward to the day we get to spend time together and go back to what we missed keeps me going every day through this nightmare.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-16--A Tweet Asking For Muslims And Journalists To Be Shot Stayed Up On Twitter For Almost A Day

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 .
NEW DELHI — A tweet calling for Muslims and journalists to be lined up and shot stayed on Twitter for nearly a day before the platform permanently suspended the account that tweeted it .
The tweet , which falsely blamed Muslims for spreading the coronavirus in India , was posted from the verified account of Rangoli Chandel , manager and sister of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday morning .
“ f***k the history they may call us nazis who cares , ” the tweet said .
The tweet was retweeted more than 2,000 times and received over 8,000 likes .
“ At Twitter no one is above our rules , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ The referenced account was permanently suspended for repeated violations of the Twitter Rules including Hateful Conduct Policy .
If we receive reports of potential rule violations , we will take action , as appropriate and pursuant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here.
” Chandel , who had nearly 100,000 followers on the platform before her account was taken down , is popular among the Indian far right for her controversial opinions that often target the country ’ s minorities .
Earlier this week , she suggested that India scrap its next general elections scheduled to take place in 2024 and let the country ’ s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue for another term in office unopposed .
Social media companies have been struggling to contain abuse and misinformation on their platforms ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet .
In countries like India , issues with content moderation have amplified a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment ever since a cluster of COVID-19 cases were traced back to a religious gathering of Muslims in New Delhi last month .
If you 're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand , we ’ d like to hear from you .
Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels .
Most social media companies use a combination of technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning along with human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies off their platforms .
But the pandemic has forced companies to increasingly rely on automation as opposed to humans to moderate their platforms .
People who report tweets and accounts , for instance , are now shown this message : In a blog post published last month , Twitter ’ s policy head Vijaya Gadde and customers lead Matt Derella detailed the company ’ s steps about moderating its platform during the pandemic and said it would take “ longer than normal ” for the company to get back to people about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We appreciate your patience as we continue to make adjustments , ” the post said .
Facebook , the world ’ s largest social network used by more than 2 billion people around the world , said in a blog post last month that its moderation capabilities would take a hit .
“ With fewer people available for human review we ’ ll continue to prioritize imminent harm and increase our reliance on proactive detection in other areas to remove violating content , ” the blog post said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people using our platform in any noticeable way .
That said , there may be some limitations to this approach and we may see some longer response times and make more mistakes as a result .
”

“At Twitter no one is above our rules,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “The referenced account was permanently suspended for repeated violations of the Twitter Rules including Hateful Conduct Policy. If we receive reports of potential rule violations, we will take action, as appropriate and pursuant with our enforcement approach, as detailed here.”
Chandel, who had nearly 100,000 followers on the platform before her account was taken down, is popular among the Indian far right for her controversial opinions that often target the country’s minorities. Earlier this week, she suggested that India scrap its next general elections scheduled to take place in 2024 and let the country’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue for another term in office unopposed.
Social media companies have been struggling to contain abuse and misinformation on their platforms ever since the coronavirus outbreak started sweeping the planet. In countries like India, issues with content moderation have amplified a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment ever since a cluster of COVID-19 cases were traced back to a religious gathering of Muslims in New Delhi last month.
If you're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand, we’d like to hear from you. Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.
Most social media companies use a combination of technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning along with human oversight to keep content that violates their policies off their platforms. But the pandemic has forced companies to increasingly rely on automation as opposed to humans to moderate their platforms.
People who report tweets and accounts, for instance, are now shown this message:


buzzfeednews--2020-04-15--A YouTube Video Accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci Of Being Part Of The Deep State Has Been Viewed Over 6 Mi

A YouTube Video Accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci Of Being Part Of The Deep State Has Been Viewed Over 6 Million Times In A Week

A YouTube video full of what experts have called misinformation about the coronavirus went viral this week , accumulating over 6 million views and close to half a million Facebook shares since it was published last Saturday .
The video features an interview with Shiva Ayyadurai , a candidate for the GOP nomination for Senate in Massachusetts , who questionably claimed to have invented email and who briefly dated actor Fran Drescher .
It was conducted by news anchor Christina Aguayo , who hosts America ’ s Daily Report on America ’ s Voice , a right-wing cable TV network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MIT PhD Crushes Dr. Fauci Exposes Birx , Clintons , Bill Gates , And The W.H.O ” is full of misinformation about COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has killed 132,000 around the world and sickened 2 million .
YouTube ’ s “ coronavirus '' search results remain relatively free of misinformation — a search typically returns a CDC warning , a liveblog about the outbreak from a trusted news source , and hundreds of videos from verified channels .
But the platform has had a tougher time — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go viral outside of its walls , including on Facebook and Twitter .
According to YouTube , the video was not recommended by its systems .
The majority of the traffic and views come from external sites .
“ You 're talking about a guy who is embedded in the deep state , ” Ayyadurai said of Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and top-ranking member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force , in the interview .
“ [ Fauci is ] highly embedded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ayyadurai defined COVID-19 as “ an overactive dysfunctional immune system that overreacts and that 's what causes damage to the body '' ( scientists are still trying to understand how the coronavirus interacts with the human immune system ) and claimed that vitamin C could be used to treat it ( USA Today has rated that claim `` false '' ) .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Ayyadurai for comment .
Ayyadurai has yet to back up what he has said with scientific data , but he continues to amass an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of many who in the last few months has built an online fanbase with hyperpartisan pandemic content , he publishes Periscopes about the outbreak almost every day , attacking anti-Trump media , speculating about the deep state , and railing against the medical establishment .
“ The # FakeNews colludes with # FakeScience to create # FakeProblems , # FakeSolutions and # FakeHistory to drive us into slavery and fascism , ” Ayyadurai tweeted Tuesday .
“ Each day I will be exposing a # FakeJournalist and/or # FakeScientist .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious bitter medicine.
” Dr. Ravina Kullar , an infectious diseases researcher , told BuzzFeed News there is no data to support Ayyadurai ’ s claims that the coronavirus causes an overactive immune system or that vitamin C could treat it .
“ I think that shows you that people are just trying to find some kind of reasoning for this coronavirus , ” she said .
Kullar also said she respects Fauci and feels very lucky that he ’ s leading the country ’ s coronavirus task force : “ He 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been through this many times . ''
Although Aguayo characterizes Ayyadurai as an “ MIT PhD '' and the inventor of email , Ayyadurai is not a medical doctor and in 2016 , a judge ruled that doubting his claim to have invented email , as many journalists have , was not libelous .
In 2018 , he garnered 3.4 % in the general election as an independent candidate for Senate in Massachusetts , placing far behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren , during a race in which he was supported by fake Facebook accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican nomination for the state 's other Senate seat , the primary for which will be held in September .
Having graduated MIT in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science , Ayyadurai developed a graphic software that was sold to Lotus Software .
After selling his company he returned to MIT , earning master 's degrees in animation and mechanical engineering and a PhD in computational systems biology .
Most recently , Ayyadurai has cultivated an online following among anti-vaxxers and other pseudoscience communities .
He is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci .
They are falsely claiming that Fauci is working with former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and the deep state to cause an economic collapse and discredit President Donald Trump .
On March 20 , Ayyadurai tweeted , “ Time to expose ‘ Deep State ’ Emperor Fauci & his ‘ illustrious ’ career of # FakeScience imposing ‘ one-size-fits-all ’ Medieval Mandated Medicine to profit his BIG PHARMA minions , [ at ] the expense of crashing our economy.
” Last month , Ayyadurai also tweeted an email Fauci sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several Periscope videos accusing Fauci of being a member of the deep state .
Ayyadurai ’ s video , titled `` How to Kill Coronavirus , '' was removed from YouTube for violating its community standards .
In a petition he hosts on his website , Ayyadurai accuses Fauci of forcing mandatory vaccines on Americans to support Big Pharma .
In his interview with Aguayo , Ayyadurai accused the deep state of orchestrating the coronavirus outbreak to stop Trump ’ s re-election .
`` You have a political motive of the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy like Donald Trump ever getting elected , ” he told Aguayo .
“ I think the deep state 's real effect was to hit [ Trump ] with this coronavirus.
” And in language extremely similar to what ’ s been posted in popular 4chan threads over the last month , Ayyadurai mentioned that Fauci knows singer Elton John .
Anonymous 4chan users have posted dozens of threads about Fauci , using a photo of the doctor and John to accuse Fauci of being part of a global child sexual abuse ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Fauci has described himself as once having been Roman Catholic , and now a humanist .
John was raised Anglican , but is famously opposed to organized religion . )
`` [ Fauci ] prides himself on connections with Hollywood and Elton John and all this , ” Ayyadurai said .
`` What you 're looking at is a strategic move to destroy the economy [ by ] using it as a vehicle to not only impose vaccine mandates [ ... ] but also as an opportunity to suppress dissent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site CrowdTangle , the biggest referrals for the YouTube video came from the Denver Now community Facebook Page , the QAnon-affiliated X22 Report [ Geopolitical ] Facebook Group , the Facebook Page for the Christian mommy blog Transformed Wife , and the Instagram account for Nashville-based chiropractor Chelsea Axe .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Facebook for comment .
Since it went viral , Aguayo has used her Twitter account to celebrate her interview with Ayyadurai — going so far as to tweet a graphic of her and Ayyadurai with the words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold .
Her interview is one of several she ’ s done in the last two weeks that are critical of Fauci , none of which have reached similarly large audiences .
Earlier this month , Twitter announced it would be changing its terms of service to prohibit tweets that deny global or local health authority recommendations , promote treatments or protective measures not immediately harmful but known to be ineffective , deny established scientific facts about transmission , or contain other content relating to the virus that poses a health risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not impacted Ayyadurai .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Twitter for comment .

A YouTube video full of what experts have called misinformation about the coronavirus went viral this week, accumulating over 6 million views and close to half a million Facebook shares since it was published last Saturday.
The video features an interview with Shiva Ayyadurai, a candidate for the GOP nomination for Senate in Massachusetts, who questionably claimed to have invented email and who briefly dated actor Fran Drescher. It was conducted by news anchor Christina Aguayo, who hosts America’s Daily Report on America’s Voice, a right-wing cable TV network.
“Dr. SHIVA Ayyadurai, MIT PhD Crushes Dr. Fauci Exposes Birx, Clintons, Bill Gates, And The W.H.O” is full of misinformation about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has killed 132,000 around the world and sickened 2 million.
YouTube’s “coronavirus" search results remain relatively free of misinformation — a search typically returns a CDC warning, a liveblog about the outbreak from a trusted news source, and hundreds of videos from verified channels. But the platform has had a tougher time — particularly in India — combatting videos that go viral outside of its walls, including on Facebook and Twitter.
According to YouTube, the video was not recommended by its systems. The majority of the traffic and views come from external sites.
“You're talking about a guy who is embedded in the deep state,” Ayyadurai said of Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and top-ranking member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, in the interview. “[Fauci is] highly embedded into the Big Pharma medical school education.”
Ayyadurai defined COVID-19 as “an overactive dysfunctional immune system that overreacts and that's what causes damage to the body" (scientists are still trying to understand how the coronavirus interacts with the human immune system) and claimed that vitamin C could be used to treat it (USA Today has rated that claim "false").
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Ayyadurai for comment.
Ayyadurai has yet to back up what he has said with scientific data, but he continues to amass an audience — and court votes. One of many who in the last few months has built an online fanbase with hyperpartisan pandemic content, he publishes Periscopes about the outbreak almost every day, attacking anti-Trump media, speculating about the deep state, and railing against the medical establishment.
“The #FakeNews colludes with #FakeScience to create #FakeProblems, #FakeSolutions and #FakeHistory to drive us into slavery and fascism,” Ayyadurai tweeted Tuesday. “Each day I will be exposing a #FakeJournalist and/or #FakeScientist. It’s time these scumbags and parasites got some serious bitter medicine.”


buzzfeednews--2020-06-21--Trump Defended His Ability To Walk Down A Ramp At His First Rally During The Pandemic

President Donald Trump spent more than 10 minutes bragging about his ability to walk down a ramp and drink water out of a glass during his Saturday campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , where COVID-19 infection rates are on the rise .
The rally billed by the president 's reelection campaign as a massive relaunch was instead marked by empty seats and familiar discursions .
Ramps , though , have become a new fixation .
`` Anyway , that 's a long story , '' Trump said after about 14 minutes of explaining what happened when he walked down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at West Point the week before .
`` But here 's the story .
More the ramp than the water , but I have lived with the ramp and the water since I left West Point . ''
During that speech in New York , Trump seemed to struggle to lift a glass of water to his mouth , and later labored as he slowly walked offstage and down a ramp , leading to wild speculation about his health .
That speculation , Trump said , reached his wife .
As he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melania Trump after his West Point speech , she informed him he was trending online .
He asked if it was because of the speech .
`` No , they do n't mention the speech , '' he said she told him .
`` They mention the fact that you may have Parkinson 's disease . ''
Trump insisted in Tulsa that the conditions at West Point — namely the sun , the fatigue of saluting 600 cadets , and his leather shoes — were to blame for the viral video clips .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president drank from a glass of water and was met with chants of `` four more years '' from a crowd far smaller than his campaign had advertised .

President Donald Trump spent more than 10 minutes bragging about his ability to walk down a ramp and drink water out of a glass during his Saturday campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where COVID-19 infection rates are on the rise.
The rally billed by the president's reelection campaign as a massive relaunch was instead marked by empty seats and familiar discursions.
Ramps, though, have become a new fixation.
"Anyway, that's a long story," Trump said after about 14 minutes of explaining what happened when he walked down a ramp after his speech to graduates at West Point the week before. "But here's the story. More the ramp than the water, but I have lived with the ramp and the water since I left West Point."
During that speech in New York, Trump seemed to struggle to lift a glass of water to his mouth, and later labored as he slowly walked offstage and down a ramp, leading to wild speculation about his health.
That speculation, Trump said, reached his wife. As he had it Saturday night, when he called Melania Trump after his West Point speech, she informed him he was trending online. He asked if it was because of the speech. "No, they don't mention the speech," he said she told him. "They mention the fact that you may have Parkinson's disease."
Trump insisted in Tulsa that the conditions at West Point — namely the sun, the fatigue of saluting 600 cadets, and his leather shoes — were to blame for the viral video clips.
About 13 minutes into his story, the president drank from a glass of water and was met with chants of "four more years" from a crowd far smaller than his campaign had advertised.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-30--People Are Still Using Cannabis During The Pandemic. How Are They Getting It?

What better way to deal with a global , economy-shattering , life-altering , seemingly endless pandemic than tucking in at home ( as the government has asked you to do for a few weeks now ) , watching something soothing ( may I recommend Tiger King ? )
, and rolling a joint , using some CBD drops , eating an edible , or whatever else is your preferred method of cannabis relaxation ?
But , of course , it ’ s not clear how much access to cannabis we ’ ll have as the shutdown goes on .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of people across the country and in Canada told us how they were getting their cannabis products , how supply has changed , how their dealers have changed the process of buying , and whether they ’ re worried about future supply as the quarantine goes on .
We also received a number of replies from dealers in different cities who either are ramping up sales due to high demand or have stopped selling entirely because they can ’ t do so safely .
( In fact , thanks to me tweeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealers who wanted to talk , my inbox now has a number of emails asking for leads on new dealers from people who lost theirs .
If any of you know someone “ mainly in the Sharon/Stoughton/Canton area ” of Massachusetts , I know a guy who needs a guy . )
For people in smaller towns , access to weed feels scarce , and there are a lot of worries that one day , it won ’ t be available at all .
For people in larger cities , they can still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with stringent rules .
In cities where weed is legal , only a certain number of customers can enter the dispensary at a time , meaning there are often long lines queued up outside .
In cities where it ’ s illegal , dealers are often refusing cash and only taking Venmo , and not allowing customers to touch any of the product except what they buy .
These rules are reasonable — and are likely going to become more and more customary — for the time we ’ re living in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually associate with inviting a stranger over to your home and rummaging through their backpack before choosing a treat for yourself .
What ’ s clear , at least , is that the shutdown has only made people want to buy even more weed during our collective endless , unwanted staycation .
No better time than now , when we have literally nothing to do but sit and wait , to ride out life with a blunt .
As one dealer said , “ Do you have any idea how many people would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” I would be remiss if I didn ’ t mention that smoking weed , especially right now , isn ’ t a great idea for your health .
Smoking has a lot of adverse health effects in general , but , in the time of COVID-19 , it ’ s even more ill-advised because it increases the risk of respiratory illness .
The complications that come with coronavirus — tightening in your chest , trouble breathing — could be made worse if you ’ re a regular smoker .
But coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products for their health during this time .
Whether it ’ s for pain management for cancer treatments , anxiety , depression , PTSD management , or just to while away the seemingly infinite hours that we ’ re all trapped in our own homes , the demand for weed has skyrocketed in the last few weeks .
One cannabis seller in Denver wrote saying that business is busier than ever .
“ We ’ re considered an ‘ essential service , ’ ” 30-year-old “ budtender ” Jane ( a pseudonym , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respondents identified by name in this story ) said , “ which is a mixed blessing because I have to pay for my divorce and rent but I ’ m immunocompromised so I ’ m just trying to stay as clean as possible and socially distance.
” Jane confirmed that sales have jumped .
“ We usually see around $ 25,000 to $ 30,000 a day in sales , but we ’ ve seen that jump by roughly $ 10,000 daily in the last week , ” she wrote , adding that tips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We used to see 350 people a day and now we see about 450.
” In Denver , there ’ s a strict curbside-service-only rule , so the place where she works now sees between 25 and 40 customers in their parking lot every day .
Many of them , however , aren ’ t locals .
“ We ’ re still seeing a flow of completely blase tourists .
They just want to see Colorado , they don ’ t care , ” she said .
“ Like the seniors who want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they ’ re stiff from sitting around and just bored enough to give cannabis a whirl.
” Another seller based in Dallas — where cannabis is not legal — also reported a big jump in their sales .
“ I normally make $ 300 per day during the week in profit , and about $ 2,000 each weekend , ” he said .
“ Well , this past weekend I made $ 4,000 and $ 800 each [ week ] day.
” When asked if he ’ s worried about his supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
I run with the wolves.
” What ’ s really affecting sales right now , however , is unemployment .
So far , thanks to the pandemic ’ s disruption of the economy ( and everything else , while we ’ re at it ) , more than 3 million unemployment claims have been filed nationally .
“ My customer base is very small , ” said another cannabis seller based in Greensboro , North Carolina , where weed isn ’ t legal .
“ Even losing one person can really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On the other hand , people who still have discretionary income are buying twice as much as they normally do , and some dealers are only selling entire ounces in order to avoid leaving their houses more frequently than they have to .
For frequent-ish users , there seems to be a minor panic about getting access to weed .
“ Some people are scared they ’ ll run out , just like with booze and toilet paper , ” Jane said .
“ Some people need more now for the stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some need their medicine desperately as at any other time , like my medical patients who are sequestered because they have compromised immune systems from chemo .
“ Some are just preppers .
Coloradans are stockpiling cannabis and guns like crazy .
Some people even think they ’ ll never see legal weed again , that if we eventually shut down , that it ’ ll be the end of all of this , ” Jane said .
“ They ’ re panic shopping , just like with everything else.
” For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical purposes , they are indeed panic shopping , but there ’ s a real fear behind their anxiety .
Karen is mostly worried about access for the sake of her 18-year-old son , who has autism .
She gives him edibles , which help him sleep along with calming his behavioral issues and his OCD , instead of the costly pharmaceuticals he used to be on , which also caused a host of unpleasant side effects .
“ He was on Risperdal and it caused him to grow breasts , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the emotional and mental maturity of maybe a four year old .
Here he was , 14 or 15 , and he was growing breasts , and that was really confusing for him .
We had to pull him off that medication but a lot of that dealt with a lot of OCD-type things and harmful behavior-type things.
” Medicating her son with weed has helped mitigate the symptoms of his autism , but has also allowed her to take him off pharmaceutical medication altogether .
Karen also smokes weed herself to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain , and PTSD .
As with her son , she also had a series of bad side effects with her pharmaceutical medications .
“ I used to take Xanax and have terrible , terrible side effects on that and go to scary places , ” she said .
“ I haven ’ t had to deal with any of that for years .
There ’ s a fear of going back to that.
” The results from our callout show a pretty anxious group of people from around the country and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about getting the cannabis they want or need .
“ I ’ m worried for my friends who get it locally to help their pain and anxiety , ” wrote one person from Kansas .
“ I ’ m afraid it will make their conditions worse and they won ’ t have anything to help.
” Many users are unable to work right now because they weren ’ t working for an essential service , and are no longer making any money .
“ If I don ’ t work , ” wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy.
” “ My dealer said he could barely find me any for a last sale and to watch what I use , ” wrote one person who said they were from the Midwest .
“ The price started at $ 300 for an ounce but he found some for $ 230 today , thank god.
” Many replies came from people who stocked up when state-by-state shutdowns first started being announced , mostly buying large quantities of buds to tide them over until , hopefully , we can all go back outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who offer pickup in their homes or delivery are risking their own health .
“ I worry about the health of my dealer , ” wrote one person .
“ They are a nice person.
” If you ’ re medicating with weed right now , losing access to it is a scary proposition .
The fallout ( and misinformation ) of this virus is making it harder for people to get their prescriptions filled , and pharmacies are now completely overrun .
For Jennifer , 39 , from Austin , Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seizures .
“ Smoking helps regulate my anxiety to where I have less seizures .
The more I ’ m anxious , the more seizures I have .
It also helps with the pain of seizures , because my body is so out of whack , I ’ m almost like a pretzel after them , ” she said .
“ It ’ s a little bit scary .
I ’ m trying to be as sparse as I can with it.
” Worse , maybe , is that Jennifer ’ s seizures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the added stress of worrying about the world ending .
“ You have these thoughts , can I pick up my UPS box sitting there on the front door ?
Can I go to my mailbox ?
Was the mailman sick ?
The more I think about it , the more I stir about it , the more it gets me going.
” For now , Jennifer ’ s dealer is still delivering , but she ’ s also worried her dealer will have to stop going outside .
“ I told her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lock down .
Come quarantine with me.
” For now , the risk for users isn ’ t necessarily whether there ’ s enough weed to go around , or whether that weed will be affordable — though , some people are reporting that their dealers are selling ounces for $ 300 and up , nonnegotiable .
The concern is that eventually , people who sell cannabis products ( namely ones in states where weed isn ’ t considered essential ) will just stop offering pickup and drop-off .
“ As soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have a whole set-up ready to start growing my own , ” Karen said .
“ I ’ m trying to get six plants growing [ if ] the stores shut down or the price of weed jump back up.
” Sarah uses weed to manage her symptoms from borderline personality disorder .
“ If I don ’ t have weed and we go on a LEGIT quarantine , I seriously might go crazy , ” she wrote , adding that she ’ s concerned about how she might self-harm if she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , insofar as coronavirus-based fears go , this is tempered by one undeniably true fact about drugs — legal or not — that Sarah knows for sure : “ Drugs keep going , no matter what ’ s happening.
” ●

What better way to deal with a global, economy-shattering, life-altering, seemingly endless pandemic than tucking in at home (as the government has asked you to do for a few weeks now), watching something soothing (may I recommend Tiger King?), and rolling a joint, using some CBD drops, eating an edible, or whatever else is your preferred method of cannabis relaxation? But, of course, it’s not clear how much access to cannabis we’ll have as the shutdown goes on.
In response to a BuzzFeed News callout, hundreds of people across the country and in Canada told us how they were getting their cannabis products, how supply has changed, how their dealers have changed the process of buying, and whether they’re worried about future supply as the quarantine goes on. We also received a number of replies from dealers in different cities who either are ramping up sales due to high demand or have stopped selling entirely because they can’t do so safely. (In fact, thanks to me tweeting repeatedly about this story and looking for dealers who wanted to talk, my inbox now has a number of emails asking for leads on new dealers from people who lost theirs. If any of you know someone “mainly in the Sharon/Stoughton/Canton area” of Massachusetts, I know a guy who needs a guy.)
For people in smaller towns, access to weed feels scarce, and there are a lot of worries that one day, it won’t be available at all. For people in larger cities, they can still access the products they need — just with stringent rules. In cities where weed is legal, only a certain number of customers can enter the dispensary at a time, meaning there are often long lines queued up outside. In cities where it’s illegal, dealers are often refusing cash and only taking Venmo, and not allowing customers to touch any of the product except what they buy. These rules are reasonable — and are likely going to become more and more customary — for the time we’re living in, but they’re not what you usually associate with inviting a stranger over to your home and rummaging through their backpack before choosing a treat for yourself.
What’s clear, at least, is that the shutdown has only made people want to buy even more weed during our collective endless, unwanted staycation. No better time than now, when we have literally nothing to do but sit and wait, to ride out life with a blunt. As one dealer said, “Do you have any idea how many people would hate me if I stopped right now?”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-30--Coronavirus Cases Have Surged, But The US Is Refusing To Take The World’s Most Available Masks

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 .
As hospitals around the country desperately seek N95 respirator masks to protect health care workers treating COVID-19 patients , the federal government has blocked imports of what might be the world ’ s most abundant alternative .
That mask is designed to filter out at least 95 % of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger in size — the same measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like the N95 , it fits closely around the nose and mouth , creating a seal that decreases the risk of infection .
And the Centers for Disease Control has said it ’ s as effective as N95 , which is certified under US testing standards .
But this second type of mask , called the KN95 , complies with slightly different norms and is made in factories that have not been certified by the US government .
By law , masks , along with most medical devices , can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the Food and Drug Administration ’ s say-so .
Last week , to ease the national shortfall of protective gear , the FDA issued an emergency authorization for non-N95 respirators that had been certified by five foreign countries as well as the European Union .
It conspicuously left the KN95 masks out of the emergency authorization .
The omission was all the more startling because in late February the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that KN95 masks were one of numerous “ suitable alternatives ” to N95 masks “ when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to multiple requests for comment .
A significant majority of all respirator masks , including both the N95 and KN95 , are manufactured in China .
During the height of that country ’ s outbreak , China restricted exports of virtually all respirator masks , keeping them for domestic use .
As that country ’ s infection numbers have slowed it has eased those restrictions , but now the US must compete with dozens of other countries desperate to acquire masks .
Allowing the importation and use of KN95 could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The KN95 masks are far more readily available , ” said Bob Tilton , who owns a New Jersey–based cosmetics packaging importer and earlier this month decided to use his familiarity with Chinese supply chains to bring in masks and other personal protective equipment to sell to hospitals .
“ The N95s are much harder to grab.
” Yet without the FDA ’ s seal of approval , importers are hesitant to order KN95 masks because they worry they ’ ll get held up at customs .
Many hospitals are refusing to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they fear legal liability should a health care worker get ill while using a nonpermitted device .
Under ordinary circumstances , N95 masks — which are certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health — are abundant , available at hardware stores and pharmacies for around $ 1 apiece and for as little as 35 cents apiece wholesale .
But in just two months , the coronavirus pandemic has depleted the world ’ s supply , creating a gray market that has driven prices for a single mask as high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in turn , has opened the door to unscrupulous actors running internet scams that take payment for N95 masks they never deliver , and to others selling counterfeit or mislabeled N95 masks , which could put health care workers at serious risk of infection .
Meanwhile , masks made under the newly permitted US standards — Australia , Brazil , Japan , Korea , Mexico , and the EU — are not made in as great quantities as the N95 or KN95 , according to industry experts .

As hospitals around the country desperately seek N95 respirator masks to protect health care workers treating COVID-19 patients, the federal government has blocked imports of what might be the world’s most abundant alternative.
That mask is designed to filter out at least 95% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger in size — the same measure used for the scarce N95 mask. Like the N95, it fits closely around the nose and mouth, creating a seal that decreases the risk of infection. And the Centers for Disease Control has said it’s as effective as N95, which is certified under US testing standards. But this second type of mask, called the KN95, complies with slightly different norms and is made in factories that have not been certified by the US government.
By law, masks, along with most medical devices, can’t be imported or sold in the United States without the Food and Drug Administration’s say-so. Last week, to ease the national shortfall of protective gear, the FDA issued an emergency authorization for non-N95 respirators that had been certified by five foreign countries as well as the European Union. It conspicuously left the KN95 masks out of the emergency authorization.
The omission was all the more startling because in late February the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that KN95 masks were one of numerous “suitable alternatives” to N95 masks “when supplies are short.”
The FDA did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
A significant majority of all respirator masks, including both the N95 and KN95, are manufactured in China. During the height of that country’s outbreak, China restricted exports of virtually all respirator masks, keeping them for domestic use. As that country’s infection numbers have slowed it has eased those restrictions, but now the US must compete with dozens of other countries desperate to acquire masks.
Allowing the importation and use of KN95 could help to greatly alleviate the scarcity.
“The KN95 masks are far more readily available,” said Bob Tilton, who owns a New Jersey–based cosmetics packaging importer and earlier this month decided to use his familiarity with Chinese supply chains to bring in masks and other personal protective equipment to sell to hospitals. “The N95s are much harder to grab.”
Yet without the FDA’s seal of approval, importers are hesitant to order KN95 masks because they worry they’ll get held up at customs. Many hospitals are refusing to accept them, even as free donations, because they fear legal liability should a health care worker get ill while using a nonpermitted device.
Under ordinary circumstances, N95 masks — which are certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health — are abundant, available at hardware stores and pharmacies for around $1 apiece and for as little as 35 cents apiece wholesale. But in just two months, the coronavirus pandemic has depleted the world’s supply, creating a gray market that has driven prices for a single mask as high as $12 or more. That, in turn, has opened the door to unscrupulous actors running internet scams that take payment for N95 masks they never deliver, and to others selling counterfeit or mislabeled N95 masks, which could put health care workers at serious risk of infection.
Meanwhile, masks made under the newly permitted US standards — Australia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the EU — are not made in as great quantities as the N95 or KN95, according to industry experts.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-30--This Indian State Wants People In Coronavirus Quarantine To Send Them Selfies Every Hour

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 .
People in India maintain the recommended distance while waiting to receive free grocery items distributed by police officials during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the coronavirus .
A state in southern India has come up with a controversial solution to make sure that people quarantined at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus stay at home : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the government every waking hour .
According to the minister of Medical Education of the state of Karnataka , quarantined people will be required to download an app on their phones , through which they must take and send a selfie every hour to government officials from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m .
The app will also send the person ’ s GPS coordinates , so that officials can verify the person ’ s location .
If a quarantined person doesn ’ t send a selfie , they might be transferred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine centers , which have become notorious for unsanitary conditions .
“ Every selfie sent by Home Quarantine [ sic ] person is seen by Government Photo Verification team , ” a press release from the ministry said .
“ So if wrong photos are sent then also defaulter will be shifted to Mass Quarantine.
” K. Sudhakar , Karnataka ’ s minister of Medical Education , did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News .
Three other officials at the Karnataka Health Department did not respond to requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order , saying that it violated their privacy .

A state in southern India has come up with a controversial solution to make sure that people quarantined at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus stay at home: It wants them to send a selfie to the government every waking hour.
According to the minister of Medical Education of the state of Karnataka, quarantined people will be required to download an app on their phones, through which they must take and send a selfie every hour to government officials from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The app will also send the person’s GPS coordinates, so that officials can verify the person’s location.
If a quarantined person doesn’t send a selfie, they might be transferred to one of the Indian government’s quarantine centers, which have become notorious for unsanitary conditions.
“Every selfie sent by Home Quarantine [sic] person is seen by Government Photo Verification team,” a press release from the ministry said. “So if wrong photos are sent then also defaulter will be shifted to Mass Quarantine.”
K. Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister of Medical Education, did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News. Three other officials at the Karnataka Health Department did not respond to requests for comment.
On Twitter, Indians slammed the order, saying that it violated their privacy.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-30--A Museum Closed Due To The Coronavirus. Then Someone Broke In And Stole A Van Gogh Painting.

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 .
A painting by Vincent van Gogh was stolen during an overnight break-in at a Dutch museum that is currently closed due to the coronavirus outbreak , police and museum officials said Monday .
The incident occurred at the Singer Laren Museum in Laren in the Netherlands at 3:15 a.m. local time , police said .
The large glass door of the building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that officers reported to the museum after the burglar alarm went off but did not find the perpetrator or perpetrators in the museum or in the vicinity .
Authorities are investigating the incident and asked residents in the area for potential footage of the person or people responsible at the time of the break-in .
`` I am shocked and unbelievably pissed off , '' museum director Jan Rudolph de Lorm , said during a press conference Monday morning .
`` This is a huge blow .
This is extremely difficult , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are angry , shocked , and sad , ” said Evert van Os , the museum 's general director .
The museum did not return a request for comment .

A painting by Vincent van Gogh was stolen during an overnight break-in at a Dutch museum that is currently closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, police and museum officials said Monday.
The incident occurred at the Singer Laren Museum in Laren in the Netherlands at 3:15 a.m. local time, police said. The large glass door of the building had been broken into.
Police said that officers reported to the museum after the burglar alarm went off but did not find the perpetrator or perpetrators in the museum or in the vicinity.
Authorities are investigating the incident and asked residents in the area for potential footage of the person or people responsible at the time of the break-in.
"I am shocked and unbelievably pissed off," museum director Jan Rudolph de Lorm, said during a press conference Monday morning. "This is a huge blow. This is extremely difficult, especially in these times."
“We are angry, shocked, and sad,” said Evert van Os, the museum's general director.
The museum did not return a request for comment.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-28--She Lost Her Job And Is Donating Blood To Get By. And Her State’s Unemployment Website Kept Crashing

She Lost Her Job And Is Donating Blood To Get By. And Her State’s Unemployment Website Kept Crashing.

As the coronavirus leaves millions upon millions of people unemployed , states are scrambling to keep up with demand for unemployment benefits .
Noelle Teska first knew she may lose her job as a bartender at a cinema in Syracuse when some of her colleagues circulated an article about New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s mandate to close bars , restaurants , and other large venues in an effort to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus .
Sure enough , the 31-year-old and her colleagues were told that the company could not keep them on and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That day was spent in a blur but when they sent me home that day I realized .
I don ’ t have a job , ” Teska said .
“ I just started panicking.
” As someone who lives paycheck to paycheck — like more than two-thirds of US Americans — Teska has little savings and is worried about paying her bills in the coming weeks .
She ’ s started being paid to donate plasma to make a little bit of income .
She has a preexisting condition that makes her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she lives with her sister and her prediabetic father .
She ’ s tried to pick up some other work , like delivering food , but is worried about infecting her father .
Teska immediately tried to apply for unemployment benefits both through the website of New York State ’ s Labor Department and through the Labor Department ’ s hotline — and was unsuccessful for 11 days straight .
[ Are you unemployed because of the coronavirus ?
Here ’ s a guide of websites and benefits by state .
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , please email reporter Lam Thuy Vo at lam.vo @ buzzfeed.com or reach out to us via one of our tip line channels . ]
Sometimes Teska would get through the first few pages of the websites , typing her information into forms , and then the website would crash .
Once , she was able to get all the way to the last screen and then , when she hit submit , the website returned an error page and logged her out of the system .
She tried calling , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a friend only got through after more than 100 tries .
Teska posted about her situation on Facebook , and some suggested she try on different weekdays .
The state has directed people to apply on the website based on the first letter of their last name in order to stagger people calling in or applying online , according to Deanna Cohen , a spokesperson for the New York State Labor Department .
Teska was finally able to complete the online part of her application on Friday at 6:30 p.m. , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment hotline to complete her claim .
“ I was getting stress migraines cause I couldn ’ t get through , ” Teska said .
“ I don ’ t fall asleep until 1 a.m. ” Labor department websites and hotlines around the country have been crashing as record numbers of people have applied for unemployment .
“ We have streamlined the process so that fewer individuals have to file by phone and more can file online to minimize the call volume .
However , sometimes certain claimants have to verify their claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a typical week , the phone line gets 50,000 calls .
“ So far this week ( Monday-Thursday ) it is at 6 million , ” Cohen said .
Similarly , the department ’ s website usually gets 350,000 hits per week , but Monday through Thursday of this week it got 2.4 million .
With an unprecedented influx of applicants , state labor departments have had to implement longer operating hours , hire more staffers to intake new applications , and more .
“ We have added 700+ staff to man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being hired and trained , ” Cohen said .
As the coronavirus spreads throughout the country and as stay-at-home policies leave many people without a paycheck , more state and local leaders have also expanded unemployment benefits .
In Michigan , for instance , Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer extended them to cover not just recently laid-off employees , but also people who can not go to work because they have to care for someone who was infected , workers who are sick , quarantined , or immunocompromised , and people who are first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
This led to a massive increase in applications , Jason Moon , communications director at the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity , told BuzzFeed News .
In the state , applications increased by roughly 2,250 % from one week in early March to the next — from 5,000 on average to 129,000 last week .
Kelsey Brianne , 29 , stopped working her job in a call center because she has chronic illnesses that compromise her immune system .
When she heard that Michigan ’ s governor had expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who were worried and anxious about working in confined places close to other people because of preexisting conditions , she got a note from her doctor and left her job right after .
She ’ s been trying to apply for unemployment since last Thursday , and tries to log into the “ website a couple of times a day.
” While the process has been frustrating , she told BuzzFeed News that there must be quite a few people who are dealing with the wait .
“ Some things are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that patience is really important , ” she said .
Dewey Weiss , 37 , is an electrician and union member in Saginaw , Michigan , lost a job assignment four days after landing it .
As an electrician who works on jobs that can last days or months , he ’ s used to short bouts without work .
Previously , he saw unemployment benefits as a last resort .
But the dangers of exposing himself to the virus in his line of work while being the sole breadwinner in a household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his two children — was enough for him to decide to apply for unemployment .
“ There ’ s very few jobs that are on and continuing right now , ” he said .
“ Staying safe and seeking other employment that ’ s not possible without putting myself in danger right now.
” Accessing the benefits website and simply changing his password took several days , Weiss said .
He still has not been able to successfully apply but has heard that others who set their alarms to wake up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. were able to get their applications through .
To deal with the influx , the Michigan Labor Department is implementing mitigation plans similar to those in New York .
Those include staggered application systems based on the first letter of a worker ’ s last name and expanding the window during which workers can apply for benefits “ from 14 to 28 days from the date of their work stoppage , ” according to a statement released Friday .
“ Our staff is working as hard as we can and we understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic repercussions of the coronavirus .
We ask them to be patient and we are using every resource we have to ensure they receive the benefits that they deserve , ” Moon said .
For some , the process has not been as stressful .
Madison Hill , a 23-year-old who moved into her parents ' house after graduating with a master ’ s degree in museum studies , was planning on working a retail job for a few months before moving into her own apartment .
But she was let go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I was hoping for a bit more [ time on the job ] , but I absolutely understand where it ’ s coming from .
But it ’ s still a punch in the gut , and especially right now , ” she said .
“ It ’ s not like you can jump to something else.
” She was able to file for unemployment benefits a week ago .
Her plans to strike out on her own , though , are now on indefinite hold .

As someone who lives paycheck to paycheck — like more than two-thirds of US Americans — Teska has little savings and is worried about paying her bills in the coming weeks. She’s started being paid to donate plasma to make a little bit of income. She has a preexisting condition that makes her more prone to respiratory illnesses, and she lives with her sister and her prediabetic father. She’s tried to pick up some other work, like delivering food, but is worried about infecting her father.
Teska immediately tried to apply for unemployment benefits both through the website of New York State’s Labor Department and through the Labor Department’s hotline — and was unsuccessful for 11 days straight.
[Are you unemployed because of the coronavirus? Here’s a guide of websites and benefits by state. And if you are willing to share your story, please email reporter Lam Thuy Vo at lam.vo@buzzfeed.com or reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.]
Sometimes Teska would get through the first few pages of the websites, typing her information into forms, and then the website would crash. Once, she was able to get all the way to the last screen and then, when she hit submit, the website returned an error page and logged her out of the system.
She tried calling, but that didn’t work. She heard that a friend only got through after more than 100 tries.
Teska posted about her situation on Facebook, and some suggested she try on different weekdays. The state has directed people to apply on the website based on the first letter of their last name in order to stagger people calling in or applying online, according to Deanna Cohen, a spokesperson for the New York State Labor Department. Teska was finally able to complete the online part of her application on Friday at 6:30 p.m., though she will still have to call the unemployment hotline to complete her claim.
“I was getting stress migraines cause I couldn’t get through,” Teska said. “I don’t fall asleep until 1 a.m.”
Labor department websites and hotlines around the country have been crashing as record numbers of people have applied for unemployment.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-20--Coronavirus Lockdowns Caused A Record Drop In Emissions, But The Climate Is Still Screwed

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
“ Putting 33 million Americans out of work and locking down 4 billion people around the world is not the way to solve the climate crisis , ” John Podesta , a top Democratic political strategist now advising a new initiative called Climate Power 2020 , told BuzzFeed News last week .
“ The reality is we have to transform the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fossil fuels to one powered by clean energy .
That is a massive undertaking.
” While this precipitous decline in emissions projected for 2020 won ’ t save the planet from catastrophic warming , climate experts say that investments embracing clean energy to help nations ’ economies recover from this disaster just might .
The world has slowed to a crawl under coronavirus lockdowns , with a stunning side effect : As driving , flying , and electricity generation all took a major hit , climate pollution saw an unprecedented drop .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a downturn , the year after or a couple of years after , emissions rebound very strongly , ” Laura Cozzi , IEA ’ s chief energy modeler , told BuzzFeed News .
But previous declines triggered by economic upheavals were quickly reversed .
Indeed , as shown on this chart , after the end of the recession that followed the 2007 global financial crisis , stimulus spending in 2010 powered the largest year-on-year increase in emissions to date .
This chart , based on an analysis of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puts the projected fall in emissions for 2020 in context .
In absolute terms , it is the largest year-on-year drop on record .
This animation shows a trajectory for future emissions that would meet the aggressive target set by the world ’ s nations in the 2015 Paris climate agreement , limiting the rise in global temperatures to about 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels .
The IEA has projected a 7.7 % drop in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions for 2020 , which closely matches the annual cuts that experts say are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1.5-degree target .
This path requires deeply slashing global emissions to the point where the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere equals what ’ s being pulled out of it by forests , oceans , and other “ sinks ” for carbon .
The emissions cuts caused by pandemic lockdowns will not get us anywhere near that .
And that also gives the clearest indication yet that steps taken by individuals to reduce their carbon footprint , such as flying less , were never going to fix the climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , but they are n't commensurate with the challenge , ” Gavin Schmidt , a climate scientist at NASA and adjunct researcher at the Earth Institute at Columbia University , told BuzzFeed News by email .
The IEA estimated that energy-related carbon emissions were down about 5 % in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the previous year , largely a result of decreased use of fossil fuels during the pandemic .
Coal use suffered the biggest decline worldwide , with emissions dropping 8 % ; meanwhile , oil emissions dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
COVID-19 lockdowns weren ’ t the only driving factor .
A mild Northern Hemisphere winter also reduced energy needs for heating , and there was a trend away from coal to electricity sources that are now cheaper , including renewables and natural gas .
“ So really the coal story is certainly a COVID story , but it ’ s beyond that , ” Cozzi said .
A second study published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Climate Change is broadly consistent with the IEA analysis .
Looking at outbreak-related policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , an international team of researchers estimated that at the peak of COVID-19 lockdowns in early April , daily carbon dioxide emissions were 17 % below the average for 2019 .
If these restrictions are lifted by mid-June , the annual drop could be as low as 4 % , but if some policies stay in place through the end of the year , there could be around a 7 % fall in total emissions in 2020 .
In the US , where more than 90,000 people have died from COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dip 11 % in 2020 compared to the previous year , according to a US Energy Information Administration projection .
That ’ s mainly due to a predicted 23 % decline in emissions from coal and 11 % from petroleum .
While the current fall in emissions isn ’ t the answer to the climate crisis , stimulus investment in green energy could be , climate scientists say .
“ What will make the difference is what the governments invest in , ” Corinne Le Quéré , a climatologist at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author of the Nature Climate Change study , told BuzzFeed News .
Right now , governments around the world are sending mixed signals on their commitment to using stimulus spending to build a more sustainable energy economy .
In the US , coronavirus-related recovery measures enacted by Congress have so far been focused on getting trillions of dollars into the hands of individuals and businesses as quickly as possible to help buffer the impacts of lost jobs .
Meanwhile , the Trump administration has publicly supported giving recovery money to struggling oil companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure stimulus money earmarked for small businesses .
But lobbyists are starting to make the push on Capitol Hill for future stimulus packages to specifically hasten the transition to a greener , clean energy economy .
Last week , representatives from more than 300 businesses had a call with Democrats and Republicans in Congress , advocating for resiliency and climate solutions to be included in recovery plans .
The federal government needs to invest in state-level climate and clean energy programs , according to Sam Ricketts , founder of a new climate policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group , along with Data for Progress , has outlined how to do this , from investing in low-income home energy and weatherization assistance programs to funding expansions in state and local public transit systems .
States have been leading the way on adopting pro-climate and renewable energy policies .
But they also have to tightly balance their budgets , unlike the federal government , and the economic toll of the pandemic is triggering budget cuts .
California , a leader in climate efforts , is now facing a $ 54 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom is now planning to cut spending , including a $ 1 billion loan fund intended to boost green businesses , such as electric vehicle charging stations .
Proposed spending on the state ’ s cap-and-trade program would be cut by more than $ 400 million .
Other countries have already started folding climate action into their recovery packages .
In Canada , companies that apply for stimulus funding have to commit to disclosing how their future operations support environmental sustainability and help meet the country ’ s climate goals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks , Spanish officials announced a proposal on Tuesday aiming to cut their climate emissions to net-zero by 2050 .
The coronavirus pandemic puts the US at a crucial crossroads for addressing the climate crisis .
The stimulus needed to restart the economy will either focus on green energy or a return to growing carbon emissions , locking in the nation ’ s response for decades to come .
Climate advocates argue this fate will likely be decided by the 2020 election .
“ If you think that one of the strategies of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be investing in more sustainable patterns of growth , cleaner energy , you ’ ve got to make that argument before the election , ” said Podesta .
“ It sets the table for action in 2021 .
”

This animation shows a trajectory for future emissions that would meet the aggressive target set by the world’s nations in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, limiting the rise in global temperatures to about 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
The IEA has projected a 7.7% drop in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions for 2020, which closely matches the annual cuts that experts say are needed over the coming decades to meet the 1.5-degree target. This path requires deeply slashing global emissions to the point where the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere equals what’s being pulled out of it by forests, oceans, and other “sinks” for carbon.
The emissions cuts caused by pandemic lockdowns will not get us anywhere near that. And that also gives the clearest indication yet that steps taken by individuals to reduce their carbon footprint, such as flying less, were never going to fix the climate crisis. “These are good things too, but they aren't commensurate with the challenge,” Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist at NASA and adjunct researcher at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, told BuzzFeed News by email.
The IEA estimated that energy-related carbon emissions were down about 5% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the previous year, largely a result of decreased use of fossil fuels during the pandemic. Coal use suffered the biggest decline worldwide, with emissions dropping 8%; meanwhile, oil emissions dropped 4.5% and natural gas declined 2.3%.
COVID-19 lockdowns weren’t the only driving factor. A mild Northern Hemisphere winter also reduced energy needs for heating, and there was a trend away from coal to electricity sources that are now cheaper, including renewables and natural gas. “So really the coal story is certainly a COVID story, but it’s beyond that,” Cozzi said.
A second study published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Climate Change is broadly consistent with the IEA analysis. Looking at outbreak-related policies and mobility in 69 countries including the US, an international team of researchers estimated that at the peak of COVID-19 lockdowns in early April, daily carbon dioxide emissions were 17% below the average for 2019. If these restrictions are lifted by mid-June, the annual drop could be as low as 4%, but if some policies stay in place through the end of the year, there could be around a 7% fall in total emissions in 2020.
In the US, where more than 90,000 people have died from COVID-19, carbon emissions from energy are projected to dip 11% in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to a US Energy Information Administration projection. That’s mainly due to a predicted 23% decline in emissions from coal and 11% from petroleum.
While the current fall in emissions isn’t the answer to the climate crisis, stimulus investment in green energy could be, climate scientists say. “What will make the difference is what the governments invest in,” Corinne Le Quéré, a climatologist at the University of East Anglia in the UK and lead author of the Nature Climate Change study, told BuzzFeed News.
Right now, governments around the world are sending mixed signals on their commitment to using stimulus spending to build a more sustainable energy economy.
In the US, coronavirus-related recovery measures enacted by Congress have so far been focused on getting trillions of dollars into the hands of individuals and businesses as quickly as possible to help buffer the impacts of lost jobs.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has publicly supported giving recovery money to struggling oil companies. Coal firms have also managed to secure stimulus money earmarked for small businesses.
But lobbyists are starting to make the push on Capitol Hill for future stimulus packages to specifically hasten the transition to a greener, clean energy economy. Last week, representatives from more than 300 businesses had a call with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, advocating for resiliency and climate solutions to be included in recovery plans.
The federal government needs to invest in state-level climate and clean energy programs, according to Sam Ricketts, founder of a new climate policy and advocacy group called Evergreen Action. The group, along with Data for Progress, has outlined how to do this, from investing in low-income home energy and weatherization assistance programs to funding expansions in state and local public transit systems. States have been leading the way on adopting pro-climate and renewable energy policies. But they also have to tightly balance their budgets, unlike the federal government, and the economic toll of the pandemic is triggering budget cuts.
California, a leader in climate efforts, is now facing a $54 billion budget deficit. In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom is now planning to cut spending, including a $1 billion loan fund intended to boost green businesses, such as electric vehicle charging stations. Proposed spending on the state’s cap-and-trade program would be cut by more than $400 million.
Other countries have already started folding climate action into their recovery packages. In Canada, companies that apply for stimulus funding have to commit to disclosing how their future operations support environmental sustainability and help meet the country’s climate goals. Despite facing one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks, Spanish officials announced a proposal on Tuesday aiming to cut their climate emissions to net-zero by 2050.
The coronavirus pandemic puts the US at a crucial crossroads for addressing the climate crisis. The stimulus needed to restart the economy will either focus on green energy or a return to growing carbon emissions, locking in the nation’s response for decades to come. Climate advocates argue this fate will likely be decided by the 2020 election.
“If you think that one of the strategies of putting people back to work is going to be investing in more sustainable patterns of growth, cleaner energy, you’ve got to make that argument before the election,” said Podesta. “It sets the table for action in 2021.”