buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--As More Amazon Employees Contract The Coronavirus, Workers Are Walking Off The Job

Amazon workers in Chicago followed colleagues in New York in walking off the job to protest what they say is the high risk of contracting COVID-19 .
Dozens of Amazon employees walked out of their overnight shift at a Chicago delivery station Monday night in protest of Amazon ’ s refusal to shut down their building for disinfection after a worker there tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
“ We want to work — this is not about Amazonians being lazy , ” said one of the Amazon employees during a picket line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to work !
We want to work in a clean facility !
We want to work where we 're going to be safe , our kids are going to be safe , our families are going to be safe .
How can we be essential workers , but our lives are not essential ?
” The Chicago employees said Amazon should temporarily close their facility , and want an explanation of what the company ’ s so-called enhanced cleaning actually entails — demands that are being echoed by employees at other Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and beyond .
The Chicago employees , members of a group called DCH1 Amazonians United , allege that Amazon management didn ’ t inform workers about the infected worker until multiple shifts had cycled through the building , which they said in a petition “ put many of us at risk of infection without our knowledge or consent.
” Ted Miin , a worker with the group , told BuzzFeed News that more than half of the night shift staff refused to work last night in protest .
In a statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations are simply unfounded.
” “ Of the over 600 employees at our Chicago delivery station , a small group participated in today ’ s demonstration , ” the spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
Amazon management made similar claims about an employee walkout at one of its New York facilities Monday .
While organizers who were there said more than 50 employees walked out in protest of unsafe working conditions in Staten Island , Amazon Senior Vice President Dave Clark claimed that only 15 employees participated in the demonstration , saying on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headlines are dramatically exaggerated.
” Video of the event shot by members of Amazonians United New York City showed dozens of people in the facility ’ s parking lot , although it was unclear how many of those pictured were participating in the walkout .
“ Of the more 5,000 employees at our Staten Island site , 15 people — less than half a percent of associates — participated in today ’ s demonstration , '' an Amazon spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ The truth is the vast majority of employees continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work of delivering for customers every day.
” Following the Staten Island walkout , Amazon fired an employee who participated named Chris Smalls .
The company said Smalls was repeatedly warned not to violate quarantine procedure by reporting to the warehouse , but did so anyway .
“ Despite that instruction to stay home with pay , he came onsite today , March 30 , further putting the teams at risk , ” the company said in a statement .
“ This is unacceptable and we have terminated his employment as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Amazon violated his rights by retaliating against him for his efforts to improve working conditions .
“ I stood with my co-workers because conditions at JFK8 are legitimately dangerous for workers and the public , ” he said in an emailed statement .
“ We won ’ t stop until Amazon provides real protections for our health and safety and clarity for everybody about what it is doing to keep people safe in the middle of the worst pandemic of our lifetimes.
” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights will investigate Smalls ' firing , and Smalls said he plans to file a charge with the National Labor Relations Board .
New York state Attorney General Letitia James is encouraging the agency to investigate .
“ It is disgraceful that Amazon would terminate an employee who bravely stood up to protect himself and his colleagues , ” James said in a statement .
“ In New York , the right to organize is codified into law , and any retaliatory action by management related thereto is strictly prohibited .
At a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling and are deeply concerned about their safety , this action was also immoral and inhumane.
” Amazon employees in Chicago and New York have been organizing around workplace issues for months , and the coronavirus pandemic has employees at other facilities watching their activity closely .
On March 18 , Amazon employees at a warehouse in Queens refused to work their shift after learning an employee had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Almost two weeks later , employees throughout Amazon ’ s massive logistics network are making similar complaints .
BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Amazon fulfillment center in Edison , New Jersey , on March 25 .
On Monday , an employee at that facility who requested anonymity to protect his job said he ’ d heard from supervisors that additional workers had tested positive , but that Amazon had not informed staff .
So far , he said that at least 16 employees in Edison had been asked by management to quarantine at home , but Amazon has not closed the facility for cleaning .
He also said the cleaning Amazon is doing seems inadequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workstations , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ We have elevators where employees send the totes and empty pallets … No one is cleaning the elevators or the buttons on the elevators.
” “ The responsible thing for them to do would be to close the plant for a couple days and sanitize the workstations , ” he continued .
A different anonymous worker from Robbinsville , New Jersey , who reached out to BuzzFeed News said his facility had at least two confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
Employees there also wondered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cleaning .
“ The facilities [ are ] not really as sanitized as they should be .
You ’ re still around a bunch of people you can catch the virus from , ” this employee told BuzzFeed News .
“ Me and other coworkers feel like they should at least shut down the building for a few days while they sanitize the place . ''
Greg Krisher , an employee at a facility near Detroit , said he first heard about infected employees at his warehouse from social media and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sweep it under the rug , '' Krisher told BuzzFeed News .
He said coworkers were considering organizing a walkout , but news of the firing in Staten Island stalled those plans .
They 've also circulated petitions about coronavirus protections , and filed a complaint with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration , he said .
“ They just set up fever stations last night , a few weeks late if you ask me , ” said Krisher .
“ They do not supply any [ personal protective equipment ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wipe of Lysol to clean your station .
Then to show how serious they are , they are doing [ write ] ups for violating social distancing .
[ If ] you have [ ever ] been in the back part of amazon , you will see that is not really [ an ] option.
” Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us via one of our tip line channels ) .
Amazon said it 's rolling out temperature checks at facilities starting in Seattle and New York .
Last Wednesday , the company said it is `` following guidelines from local officials and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site '' in Edison .
The company didn ’ t immediately respond to questions about the Robbinsville or Michigan facilities .
The concerns of workers in New Jersey and Michigan are echoed in complaints from workers in Chicago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s claims of “ enhanced cleaning ” were n't reflected in what they saw at work .
“ We have seen cleaners using nonapproved cleaning products , the same rags over and over , and only wiping down basic surfaces at the warehouse , ” the workers wrote .
“ Most areas in the warehouse are not disinfected , like in the cells , the belts , dock areas , and of course all of the packages.
” Many of Amazon ’ s buildings operate 24 hours a day , which employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No amount of ‘ enhanced cleaning ’ is effective while associates are still working throughout the warehouse transferring around possible contamination , ” the petition said , which is why they ’ re demanding Amazon “ shut down the warehouse immediately , with pay , for thorough disinfection of the entire facility.
” An Amazon spokesperson said it is `` auditing daily the processes we put into place to protect our teams and have deployed an additional 450,000+ canisters of disinfectant wipes ( 45 million additional wipes ) , 50K+ hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ containers to our sites in addition to other cleaning materials that were on-hand . ''
The spokesperson also said it now has three times the usual number of janitorial workers in its facilities .
Amazon employs more than 800,000 people worldwide .
Earlier this month , Sens .
Bernie Sanders , Cory Booker , and Sherrod Brown wrote a public letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking for details on how the company planned to protect and compensate the thousands of employees it has repeatedly referred to as heroes .
On March 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by saying that the company was keeping facilities open , but “ tripling down on deep cleaning , procuring safety supplies that are available , and changing policies and processes to ensure that those in our buildings are keeping safe distances.
” On Friday , Brown noted that Amazon ’ s letter didn ’ t address why some facilities where employees had tested positive have been closed — like the one in Kentucky — while others remain operational .
Brown told BuzzFeed news that the company “ needs to be willing to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of coronavirus in its facilities — including the options of temporarily closing them to sanitize them.
” As the number of Amazon employees with COVID-19 increases and fear spreads along with the disease , more employees are staying home from work , disrupting Amazon ’ s systems .
The company is no longer fulfilling shipments for sellers of nonessential items , and customers are seeing delivery dates months in the future for items that would normally ship within a week .
To keep packages moving , Amazon is scrambling to hire 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edison said his building typically moved 270,000 packages a day , but was now averaging closer to 125,000 .
On Saturday , when a single shift would normally have between 8 and 10 managers , he said just one manager was on duty .
And he said , because of staffing issues , management asked him to move between multiple workstations , which “ increases exposure.
” During a recent shift , he said he was moved to a new task and had already started working when workers nearby told him that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home sick .
After he confronted his supervisor about it , he was provided with wipes to clean the station .
“ Why couldn ’ t they just tell me , and let me clean the station ?
” he said .
“ Why would you shut up about something like that ?
” He said while he doesn ’ t want to hurt the company , he felt its approach to the pandemic has been “ deceptive.
” “ We have good morale in terms of wanting to help people , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our managers are n't next to us , and the company doesn ’ t appear to care about protecting us , ” he said .
“ Health care workers have protections in place for them , police have protections in place to protect them .
We have nothing .
”

Amazon employees in Chicago and New York have been organizing around workplace issues for months, and the coronavirus pandemic has employees at other facilities watching their activity closely. On March 18, Amazon employees at a warehouse in Queens refused to work their shift after learning an employee had tested positive for the coronavirus. Almost two weeks later, employees throughout Amazon’s massive logistics network are making similar complaints.
BuzzFeed News reported the first COVID-19 infection at an Amazon fulfillment center in Edison, New Jersey, on March 25. On Monday, an employee at that facility who requested anonymity to protect his job said he’d heard from supervisors that additional workers had tested positive, but that Amazon had not informed staff. So far, he said that at least 16 employees in Edison had been asked by management to quarantine at home, but Amazon has not closed the facility for cleaning. He also said the cleaning Amazon is doing seems inadequate.
“No one is cleaning the workstations,” he told BuzzFeed News. “We have elevators where employees send the totes and empty pallets … No one is cleaning the elevators or the buttons on the elevators.”
“The responsible thing for them to do would be to close the plant for a couple days and sanitize the workstations,” he continued.
A different anonymous worker from Robbinsville, New Jersey, who reached out to BuzzFeed News said his facility had at least two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Employees there also wondered why Amazon wouldn't close their workplace for cleaning.
“The facilities [are] not really as sanitized as they should be. You’re still around a bunch of people you can catch the virus from,” this employee told BuzzFeed News. “Me and other coworkers feel like they should at least shut down the building for a few days while they sanitize the place."
Greg Krisher, an employee at a facility near Detroit, said he first heard about infected employees at his warehouse from social media and the news. "I feel they tried to sweep it under the rug," Krisher told BuzzFeed News. He said coworkers were considering organizing a walkout, but news of the firing in Staten Island stalled those plans. They've also circulated petitions about coronavirus protections, and filed a complaint with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, he said.
“They just set up fever stations last night, a few weeks late if you ask me,” said Krisher. “They do not supply any [personal protective equipment], just some cloth gloves. One wipe of Lysol to clean your station. Then to show how serious they are, they are doing [write] ups for violating social distancing. [If] you have [ever] been in the back part of amazon, you will see that is not really [an] option.”
Do you have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And if you're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand, we’d also love to hear from you (you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels).
Amazon said it's rolling out temperature checks at facilities starting in Seattle and New York. Last Wednesday, the company said it is "following guidelines from local officials and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site" in Edison. The company didn’t immediately respond to questions about the Robbinsville or Michigan facilities.
The concerns of workers in New Jersey and Michigan are echoed in complaints from workers in Chicago, who said in their petition that Amazon’s claims of “enhanced cleaning” weren't reflected in what they saw at work.
“We have seen cleaners using nonapproved cleaning products, the same rags over and over, and only wiping down basic surfaces at the warehouse,” the workers wrote. “Most areas in the warehouse are not disinfected, like in the cells, the belts, dock areas, and of course all of the packages.”
Many of Amazon’s buildings operate 24 hours a day, which employees said make them impossible to fully disinfect.
“No amount of ‘enhanced cleaning’ is effective while associates are still working throughout the warehouse transferring around possible contamination,” the petition said, which is why they’re demanding Amazon “shut down the warehouse immediately, with pay, for thorough disinfection of the entire facility.”
An Amazon spokesperson said it is "auditing daily the processes we put into place to protect our teams and have deployed an additional 450,000+ canisters of disinfectant wipes (45 million additional wipes), 50K+ hand sanitizers and 20K+ wall mounted sanitizer refill containers to our sites in addition to other cleaning materials that were on-hand." The spokesperson also said it now has three times the usual number of janitorial workers in its facilities. Amazon employs more than 800,000 people worldwide.
Earlier this month, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, and Sherrod Brown wrote a public letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking for details on how the company planned to protect and compensate the thousands of employees it has repeatedly referred to as heroes. On March 22, Amazon Vice President Brian Huseman responded by saying that the company was keeping facilities open, but “tripling down on deep cleaning, procuring safety supplies that are available, and changing policies and processes to ensure that those in our buildings are keeping safe distances.”
On Friday, Brown noted that Amazon’s letter didn’t address why some facilities where employees had tested positive have been closed — like the one in Kentucky — while others remain operational. Brown told BuzzFeed news that the company “needs to be willing to take whatever measures are needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus in its facilities — including the options of temporarily closing them to sanitize them.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--The Company That Handles Free Samples At Costco Is Shutting Down Because Of The Coronavirus

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Costco , one of the world ’ s largest retailers , is cutting ties with the contracting company that handled its in-store samples because of decreased foot traffic due to the coronavirus outbreak , according to an internal memo obtained by BuzzFeed News .
On Monday , Costco notified its warehouse managers that it would no longer employ contractors with San Diego–based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and would shift those responsibilities to its own employees .
A few days later , CDS confirmed that it was ceasing operations , effective April 6 , resulting in thousands of people losing their jobs .
Earlier this month , Costco shifted some CDS contractors , who typically prepare and present single-serving food and drink samples , into roles cleaning facilities so that they could keep their jobs .
“ Over the past 4 weeks you have all partnered with our CDS teams to increase warehouse sanitation for our members and employees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief operating officer , wrote on March 30 .
“ As our traffic in the warehouses has slowed due to various state directives , we will assume these duties with Costco employees effective April 6th.
” Vachris assured managers that the company would resume in-store samples “ as soon as possible , ” describing the service as “ part of our DNA.
” Sources told BuzzFeed News that CDS was laying off all of its employees that work with Costco by Sunday .
CDS did not return a request for comment .
Costco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift is just the latest example in the changing labor environment as corporations attempt to deal with the economic realities presented by the novel coronavirus .
Even Costco , which initially experienced a surge in business as shoppers flocked to its stores to stock up and prepare , has shown it 's not immune .
Got a tip ?
Email one of the reporters of this story at Brianna.Sacks @ buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac @ buzzfeed.com , or contact us here .
`` Nobody knows when or if the company will ever come back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California told BuzzFeed News in an email Thursday night .
`` They are giving us pretty much no information except 'thanks for the help , bye ! '
We deserved more than that .
Also we deserved more of a job security than what they gave us , only a few days warning . ''
Costco shut down sample service last month , according to a previous internal memo obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The company continued to partner with CDS , which reportedly employed about 30,000 people at hundreds of Costco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Business Insider had also reported on the change in their roles .
Monday ’ s note gave no timeline as to when Costco would begin its relationship with CDS again .
Vachis noted that the contracting company would be working with its employees to ensure they obtained state and federal assistance .
“ CDS will offer all employees their current position and current pay status when we resume , ” he said .

Costco, one of the world’s largest retailers, is cutting ties with the contracting company that handled its in-store samples because of decreased foot traffic due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to an internal memo obtained by BuzzFeed News.
On Monday, Costco notified its warehouse managers that it would no longer employ contractors with San Diego–based Club Demonstration Services to clean its warehouses and would shift those responsibilities to its own employees.
A few days later, CDS confirmed that it was ceasing operations, effective April 6, resulting in thousands of people losing their jobs.
Earlier this month, Costco shifted some CDS contractors, who typically prepare and present single-serving food and drink samples, into roles cleaning facilities so that they could keep their jobs.
“Over the past 4 weeks you have all partnered with our CDS teams to increase warehouse sanitation for our members and employees,” Ron Vachris, Costco’s chief operating officer, wrote on March 30. “As our traffic in the warehouses has slowed due to various state directives, we will assume these duties with Costco employees effective April 6th.”
Vachris assured managers that the company would resume in-store samples “as soon as possible,” describing the service as “part of our DNA.”
Sources told BuzzFeed News that CDS was laying off all of its employees that work with Costco by Sunday. CDS did not return a request for comment. Costco declined to comment.
Costco’s shift is just the latest example in the changing labor environment as corporations attempt to deal with the economic realities presented by the novel coronavirus. Even Costco, which initially experienced a surge in business as shoppers flocked to its stores to stock up and prepare, has shown it's not immune.
Got a tip? Email one of the reporters of this story at Brianna.Sacks@buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac@buzzfeed.com, or contact us here.
"Nobody knows when or if the company will ever come back," a 19-year-old former CDS employee in California told BuzzFeed News in an email Thursday night. "They are giving us pretty much no information except 'thanks for the help, bye!' We deserved more than that. Also we deserved more of a job security than what they gave us, only a few days warning."
Costco shut down sample service last month, according to a previous internal memo obtained by BuzzFeed News. The company continued to partner with CDS, which reportedly employed about 30,000 people at hundreds of Costco warehouses, for cleaning and sanitation. Business Insider had also reported on the change in their roles.
Monday’s note gave no timeline as to when Costco would begin its relationship with CDS again. Vachis noted that the contracting company would be working with its employees to ensure they obtained state and federal assistance.
“CDS will offer all employees their current position and current pay status when we resume,” he said.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--Five Members Of A Utah Family Have The Coronavirus. A 24-Year-Old Woman Has Died.

“ No matter what , no matter what circumstance , no matter what challenge , she always had nothing but love and happiness and sunshine to give.
” Friends and family are mourning Silvia Deyanira Meléndez , an “ angel on earth , ” who they say died last week from complications of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
She was 24 years old .
“ She was a wonderful woman , ” her father , Marcos Meléndez , said in a recent phone call with BuzzFeed News .
“ The day she was born , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart surgery two years ago and had diabetes , putting her at high risk for the virus , despite her young age .
She lived in West Valley City , Utah , and as the pandemic spread in recent weeks , Meléndez ’ s sister-in-law Angelica Macias said Meléndez was often sending her articles and encouraging her to be safe .
“ At the end of the day she just wanted anybody to be safe , whether that 's her family or not , ” Macias said .
Macias said Meléndez started to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 11 or 12 — and within days she was very ill , suffering from migraines that lasted for several days and continually throwing up .
It is unclear if Melendez had been officially tested for the coronavirus .
She was hospitalized at the University of Utah Hospital earlier this month and died there last week .
And she wasn ’ t the only one who got sick — her family said five people in the household had contracted the coronavirus , including Meléndez ’ s father and siblings .
“ My daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then coughing constantly , ” her father said .
“ Three days later , my son , my oldest son , went to the hospital to have a test done for the coronavirus and he was positive.
” Marcos said his son was getting better , but the family is not able to hold a traditional funeral for Meléndez because of national restrictions on large gatherings .
A video service honoring Meléndez will be held Friday .
Meléndez ’ s family and friends said she loved swimming , the ocean , travel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lilo , a black Lab .
She was a helper , her father said , and her best friend said she had a silly side and loved to pull pranks on her friends .
She was giving and intuitive , her loved ones said , and known for her empathy and integrity .
“ I would describe Sylvia as honestly a true angel on earth , and there 's not many people — there 's actually no other person that I would say that about but Silvia , ” her best friend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No matter what , no matter what circumstance , no matter what challenge , she always had nothing but love and happiness and sunshine to give .
She was literally the most compassionate , selfless human being that I 've ever encountered.
” Probert said Meléndez had a strong sense of what was right and wrong “ until the end of this earth.
” She also said her friend wouldn ’ t want people to just go back to normal in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We should n't go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , we all need to embody more Silvia and be compassionate and empathetic and really respect and understand the fact that as human beings we have an intrinsic obligation to each other and to help take care of each other .
And that 's everything that Silvia stood for , ” Probert said .
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help cover Silvia ’ s funeral costs .
“ We understand it 's a hard time for many people , ” the organizer , Patricio Fernandez , Marco ’ s cousin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't able to donate , then do us a favor and please stay home .
It could save a life .
”

Friends and family are mourning Silvia Deyanira Meléndez, an “angel on earth,” who they say died last week from complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. She was 24 years old.
“She was a wonderful woman,” her father, Marcos Meléndez, said in a recent phone call with BuzzFeed News. “The day she was born, I was so happy.”
Meléndez had undergone heart surgery two years ago and had diabetes, putting her at high risk for the virus, despite her young age. She lived in West Valley City, Utah, and as the pandemic spread in recent weeks, Meléndez’s sister-in-law Angelica Macias said Meléndez was often sending her articles and encouraging her to be safe.
“At the end of the day she just wanted anybody to be safe, whether that's her family or not,” Macias said.
Macias said Meléndez started to feel sick in early March — around March 11 or 12 — and within days she was very ill, suffering from migraines that lasted for several days and continually throwing up. It is unclear if Melendez had been officially tested for the coronavirus. She was hospitalized at the University of Utah Hospital earlier this month and died there last week.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-01--How To Plague: Advice On Helping Friends With Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Send me your questions at katie @ buzzfeed.com , or sign up for our text messaging service below to send me questions that way .
Hi , I ’ m Katie Notopoulos , a tech reporter here at BuzzFeed News , and I have no actual expertise in epidemiology , but I sure do enjoy telling people how to live their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect person to tell you How to Plague .
This is BuzzFeed News ' advice column for these incredibly confusing times .
The coronavirus pandemic is changing rapidly , with new information coming out seemingly by the hour .
I ’ ll try to help with your queries about social distancing etiquette and ethical dilemmas large and small , and call up some actual experts to weigh in when needed .
My close friend has had sore throat , ongoing chest pain , and difficulty breathing for the past 3 days .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
She is extremely healthy , fit , and in her early 30s .
I 'm hopeful she will recover , but I do n't know how to help as they are n't allowing visitors .
Any thoughts on how to help ?
—Anonymous , Minnesota Let ’ s assume there are two scenarios : 1 ) Your friend is seriously ill and is admitted to the hospital or 2 ) your friend is discharged quickly to recuperate at home .
In scenario one , there ’ s not much you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in the hospital since you can ’ t visit her or bring things to the hospital for her .
But if she has a partner or kids at home , you can definitely support them .
There are two ways you can help support her family right now : Offer to act as the press secretary .
Ask her partner ( or close relatives if she lives alone ) if they ’ d like your help , obviously .
It can be very stressful for her family to deal with a flood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on her health .
Do a group text , email list , or even Facebook updates that will let her wider social circle know what ’ s going on or how they can help .
Offer to act as the conductor of a meal train .
Instead of having eight people drop off lasagnas all on the same day , have people sign up to take a day and meal to drop off food and supplies .
Leave instructions for how people can safely drop off food without bothering the family or exposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizing a meal train — you can include tasks like grocery shopping that they can ’ t do themselves right now .
In scenario two , she ’ ll get out quickly but will still need help around her home — and will be unable to go out shopping and probably pretty sick .
Find out what items she wants and needs , whether it ’ s medicine or food or toiletries .
Do the meal train with her friends so that she can rest and focus on recovery and not worry about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daycare is still open as they are hospital-owned .
However , on Friday , they told us that they were only going to allow families who work in healthcare , police , fire , or military .
They were doing this so that they could free up childcare for the hospital workers .
My husband is on mission with the National Guard right now , but I have been working from home and taking my son to daycare .
Our daycare director thinks we could still qualify for childcare because of my husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , but then I would n't be able to do my job and I am worried I would lose my job .
Do we give up our spot for a healthcare worker or keep it so that my family can stay in our home , feed ourselves , pay bills , etc .
( I am the primary breadwinner ) .
—Anonymous Per the daycare ’ s own rules , you qualify because your husband is in the military .
If the daycare director says that it ’ s OK , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep people safe , just like health care workers .
The National Guard is being deployed in certain states and areas to help specifically with coronavirus aid , so he ’ s involved in the effort .
I think you don ’ t need to feel guilty about keeping your kid ’ s spot in the daycare .
However , a question you might ask yourself is if you really want to have your kid in a daycare with health care workers ’ kids , since that may put him at higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see my family for Easter ?
None of us have symptoms , and we 'll have all been quarantined from the rest of society for 7 days by next weekend .
I have never not spent Easter with my family .
We do not plan to go to church , just a brunch at home .
—Kaitlin Unlike Jesus , your family members will not rise from their grave after three days if they catch COVID-19 from one of you and die .
This year , skip it .
Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come on Zoom .
Is it safe to pick up clothes from the dry cleaners ?
I left my bedroom comforter at a dry cleaner right before all this started , and just got it back today because I 'm pretty sure they could shut down at any time .
It came in a tied plastic bag , which I took off and disposed of before I entered the house .
Should I have somehow disinfected the fabric too , or is going through the dry cleaning process enough ?
—Anonymous Unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for how long you should wait before touching dry-cleaned clothes , because there ’ s been no testing on this .
Researchers have studied how long the coronavirus can live on metal and plastic ( two to three days ) and cardboard ( up to one day ) , but there haven ’ t been firm studies on fabric .
The CDC ’ s recommendation for doing laundry if someone in your home has COVID-19 is to do it on the warmest setting possible and wash your hands after .
In general , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person-to-person than person-to-comforter-to-person , so this probably isn ’ t going to be your biggest worry — going out to pick up the dry cleaning is potentially more risky than the laundry itself .
If you don ’ t need that comforter immediately ( which it sounds like you don ’ t , since you left it languishing at the cleaners for a few weeks anyway ) , and it 'll put your mind at ease , give it two to three days before using it .
A comforter should make you feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panicked .
●

My close friend has had sore throat, ongoing chest pain, and difficulty breathing for the past 3 days. She just went into the ER tonight for COVID-19. She is extremely healthy, fit, and in her early 30s. I'm hopeful she will recover, but I don't know how to help as they aren't allowing visitors. Any thoughts on how to help?
—Anonymous, Minnesota
Let’s assume there are two scenarios: 1) Your friend is seriously ill and is admitted to the hospital or 2) your friend is discharged quickly to recuperate at home.
In scenario one, there’s not much you can do for her directly while she’s in the hospital since you can’t visit her or bring things to the hospital for her. But if she has a partner or kids at home, you can definitely support them. There are two ways you can help support her family right now:
Offer to act as the press secretary. Ask her partner (or close relatives if she lives alone) if they’d like your help, obviously. It can be very stressful for her family to deal with a flood of texts and emails asking for updates on her health. Do a group text, email list, or even Facebook updates that will let her wider social circle know what’s going on or how they can help.
Offer to act as the conductor of a meal train. Instead of having eight people drop off lasagnas all on the same day, have people sign up to take a day and meal to drop off food and supplies. Leave instructions for how people can safely drop off food without bothering the family or exposing themselves. This website is helpful for organizing a meal train — you can include tasks like grocery shopping that they can’t do themselves right now.
In scenario two, she’ll get out quickly but will still need help around her home — and will be unable to go out shopping and probably pretty sick. Find out what items she wants and needs, whether it’s medicine or food or toiletries. Do the meal train with her friends so that she can rest and focus on recovery and not worry about cooking or shopping.
My son's daycare is still open as they are hospital-owned. However, on Friday, they told us that they were only going to allow families who work in healthcare, police, fire, or military. They were doing this so that they could free up childcare for the hospital workers. My husband is on mission with the National Guard right now, but I have been working from home and taking my son to daycare. Our daycare director thinks we could still qualify for childcare because of my husband. I technically could keep my son home, but then I wouldn't be able to do my job and I am worried I would lose my job. Do we give up our spot for a healthcare worker or keep it so that my family can stay in our home, feed ourselves, pay bills, etc. (I am the primary breadwinner).
—Anonymous
Per the daycare’s own rules, you qualify because your husband is in the military. If the daycare director says that it’s OK, it’s OK. He is serving to keep people safe, just like health care workers. The National Guard is being deployed in certain states and areas to help specifically with coronavirus aid, so he’s involved in the effort. I think you don’t need to feel guilty about keeping your kid’s spot in the daycare.
However, a question you might ask yourself is if you really want to have your kid in a daycare with health care workers’ kids, since that may put him at higher risk to exposure.
Should I plan to see my family for Easter? None of us have symptoms, and we'll have all been quarantined from the rest of society for 7 days by next weekend. I have never not spent Easter with my family. We do not plan to go to church, just a brunch at home.
—Kaitlin
Unlike Jesus, your family members will not rise from their grave after three days if they catch COVID-19 from one of you and die. This year, skip it. Don’t worry, the Easter Bunny will still come on Zoom.
Is it safe to pick up clothes from the dry cleaners? I left my bedroom comforter at a dry cleaner right before all this started, and just got it back today because I'm pretty sure they could shut down at any time. It came in a tied plastic bag, which I took off and disposed of before I entered the house. Should I have somehow disinfected the fabric too, or is going through the dry cleaning process enough?
—Anonymous
Unfortunately, there isn’t a scientific answer for how long you should wait before touching dry-cleaned clothes, because there’s been no testing on this. Researchers have studied how long the coronavirus can live on metal and plastic (two to three days) and cardboard (up to one day), but there haven’t been firm studies on fabric. The CDC’s recommendation for doing laundry if someone in your home has COVID-19 is to do it on the warmest setting possible and wash your hands after.
In general, transmission is far more likely to happen person-to-person than person-to-comforter-to-person, so this probably isn’t going to be your biggest worry — going out to pick up the dry cleaning is potentially more risky than the laundry itself.
If you don’t need that comforter immediately (which it sounds like you don’t, since you left it languishing at the cleaners for a few weeks anyway), and it'll put your mind at ease, give it two to three days before using it. A comforter should make you feel warm and reassured, not unsettled and panicked. ●


buzzfeednews--2020-04-02--Some Amazon Employees With Fevers Are Being Sent Home Without Pay

Amazon said employees who test positive for the coronavirus get two weeks paid leave , but those sent home with a fever should use paid time off if they have it or take unpaid leave if they don ’ t .
Atiya felt under the weather when she reported to work at Amazon ’ s JFK8 Staten Island facility on Wednesday .
But her condition worsened during her shift , she told BuzzFeed News , and when she asked management to take her temperature it was 101.1 degrees .
Management immediately gave Atiya , who asked to be identified only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing her job , a mask and escorted her out of the facility .
She said she was handed a piece of paper with information about COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , sent home , and told not to report back until she was fever-free for 72 hours .
Since then , Atiya , who started working at Amazon a little over two weeks ago , said she has n't heard from anyone at the company about whether she ’ ll continue to be paid while she stays home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fever was 102 degrees , and she said she ’ d spoken to a health care worker in Brooklyn who told her not to come for a coronavirus test but to stay home in quarantine for the next two weeks .
Atiya currently has $ 50 in her bank account and is expecting a paycheck from Amazon on Friday .
Because she ’ s only worked for the company for a couple of weeks , she ’ s only accrued a couple shifts ' worth of paid time off , most of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to care for her 4-year-old daughter .
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Responding to questions regarding temperature checks and paid leave for those sent home , a company spokesperson said Wednesday : “ All hourly employees are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options .
This includes unlimited unpaid time off through the end of April.
” Last month , Amazon announced that any employee who tested positive for the coronavirus or was ordered to quarantine by a medical professional would receive up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company has sent home with fevers , which may or may not have been caused by the coronavirus , said Amazon was n't giving them paid leave beyond any paid time off they had already accrued .
Amazon started checking employees ’ temperatures at work earlier this week .
According to a text message sent to Amazon employees in Southern California , “ If someone has a temperature of 100.4F or above , we ’ ll require them to go home until you have been fever free for 72 hours.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion in profit in the last quarter of 2019 , said employees sent home with fevers should use their accrued paid time off if they have it or go without pay if they don ’ t .
“ [ Amazon hasn ’ t ] reached out to me to find out my status or what ’ s going on , ” said Atiya.
” If I don ’ t get any type of funds , I ’ m not sure what to do , especially if I have to quarantine myself .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around here .
I ’ m not sure where I can get food ... for my family.
” Other workers told to self-quarantine are unsure whether they ’ ll be paid for the time they spend at home .
“ I ’ m still waiting on a case manager to give me a call , ” a Detroit-based Amazon employee who declined to be named told BuzzFeed News .
“ Our payday is this Friday .
I received my pay statement today and it says $ 0.
” This employee received written quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was supposed to hear from Amazon within three to five business days , but he ’ s still waiting .
“ Financially I ’ m wrecked at this point in time , ” he said .
Amazon employees around the country have said that , despite the company ’ s claims about enhanced cleaning and workplace safety , it ’ s not doing enough to protect them from the coronavirus pandemic .
Thousands of employees , including more than 500 white-collar tech workers , have signed petitions demanding that Amazon provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and temporarily close facilities where employees have tested positive for disinfection .
Dozens of employees in New York , Chicago , and Detroit have walked off the job and picketed outside Amazon facilities in protest of inadequate sanitation and unsafe working conditions .
Amazon is also under a spiraling PR crisis today after a leaked memo was published in Vice in which the company 's general counsel called Chris Smalls — a New York worker whom the company fired for failing to adhere to quarantine orders as he protested its handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Smalls ' termination has become a rallying cry for critics of the company , with Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday calling it `` absolutely immoral . ''
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
Amazon ’ s new temperature screenings are intended to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing sick people from infecting their coworkers , but employees say the process is confusing , inconsistent , and potentially causing more problems .
Amazon “ is forcing employees to test their coworkers for fever because no one would volunteer to do this , ” an employee in Edison , New Jersey , who requested anonymity , told BuzzFeed News .
“ All people who are tested are less than 6 feet between tester and the employee being tested.
” He said Amazon is providing “ no additional protections for testers.
” Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on its fever screening procedures .
Meanwhile , he said that despite the concerns he and others have voiced , Amazon still isn ’ t disinfecting individual work stations .
Federal health and safety guidelines recommend employers not require employees to present documentation of illness to receive financial aid during the pandemic , but companies like Instacart , Uber , and Amazon are still requiring workers to present positive tests .
This requirement is proving to be a problem for many workers in states that have test shortages .
“ Here in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at driving through testing centers , ” said the New Jersey–based Amazon employee .
“ [ It ] takes weeks to get the result .
Many centers run out of tests before the end of the day.
” More than a dozen lawmakers , including four US senators , have signed letters to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding answers on employee concerns about safety protections during the coronavirus pandemic .
Last Friday , Brian Huseman , Amazon 's vice president for public policy , wrote in a public response that the company would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they needed to stay home and seek medical help .
In response to the news that Amazon was n't guaranteeing paid leave to employees who failed its temperature screening , Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown said : “ Jeff Bezos is putting employees at risk of contracting the virus by forcing workers to go without pay and failing to implement critical health protections .
Mr. Bezos is the richest man in the world and Amazon workers deserve better .
”

Amazon started checking employees’ temperatures at work earlier this week. According to a text message sent to Amazon employees in Southern California, “If someone has a temperature of 100.4F or above, we’ll require them to go home until you have been fever free for 72 hours.”
But the company, which made $3.3 billion in profit in the last quarter of 2019, said employees sent home with fevers should use their accrued paid time off if they have it or go without pay if they don’t.
“[Amazon hasn’t] reached out to me to find out my status or what’s going on,” said Atiya.”If I don’t get any type of funds, I’m not sure what to do, especially if I have to quarantine myself. I don’t know too many pantries around here. I’m not sure where I can get food ... for my family.”
Other workers told to self-quarantine are unsure whether they’ll be paid for the time they spend at home. “I’m still waiting on a case manager to give me a call,” a Detroit-based Amazon employee who declined to be named told BuzzFeed News. “Our payday is this Friday. I received my pay statement today and it says $0.”
This employee received written quarantine instructions from his doctor last Thursday and said he was supposed to hear from Amazon within three to five business days, but he’s still waiting. “Financially I’m wrecked at this point in time,” he said.
Amazon employees around the country have said that, despite the company’s claims about enhanced cleaning and workplace safety, it’s not doing enough to protect them from the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of employees, including more than 500 white-collar tech workers, have signed petitions demanding that Amazon provide more hazard pay and paid sick leave and temporarily close facilities where employees have tested positive for disinfection. Dozens of employees in New York, Chicago, and Detroit have walked off the job and picketed outside Amazon facilities in protest of inadequate sanitation and unsafe working conditions.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-29--The First Infant Has Died In The US After Testing Positive For The Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
“ Today is a really hard day .
I ’ m reporting 465 new cases and 13 additional deaths , including the tragic death of an infant , ” Ezike said .
This marks the first recorded death in the US of an infant who contracted the virus .
A full investigation is underway to determine the baby ’ s cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike .
An infant in Illinois who tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , has died , the state ’ s governor said in a press conference on Saturday .
In another press conference on Sunday , Dr. Ezike said the investigation into the 9-month-old 's death is still ongoing .
“ The investigation is still very fresh .
We ’ re still trying to gather the data as we ’ re speaking , ” she said .
“ We know that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow the appropriate processes to take place so we can give the best information.
” Illinois Gov .
J .
B. Pritzker also said that the death is a rare occurrence , according to scientific papers .
“ I would remind parents out there that this is highly uncommon , '' he said .
`` That isn ’ t to say that every infant is safe ... but this is not something we should hear a lot more of because it doesn ’ t happen often at all.
” Among the dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Department of Human Resources .
This brings the total number of deaths in the country to 2,191 , including 47 in Illinois .
“ The age of cases ranges from younger than one to 99 years , ” a news release from IDPH said .
“ I know how difficult this news can be , especially about this very young child , ” Pritzker said on Saturday .
“ Upon hearing it , I admit I was immediately shaken , and it ’ s appropriate for any of us to grieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 21 .
Pritzker said the state has been working to procure essential medical equipment for front-line workers and amp up its testing capabilities .
“ We want everyone in Illinois to take COVID-19 seriously , ” Ezike said .
“ If you haven ’ t been paying attention , maybe this is your wake-up call.
” Although the virus is more likely to cause deaths in adults , children who tested positive for COVID-19 have also died .
Infant death has been an especially rare occurrence , but according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one 10-month-old infant in Wuhan died in a hospital after being diagnosed .
“ We should grieve , ” Pritzker said .
“ We should grieve with our family of the state employees .
With the many people already lost to this virus , young and old .
We should grieve for the loss of a sense of normalcy we left behind just a few weeks ago .
It ’ s OK today to grieve .
”

In another press conference on Sunday, Dr. Ezike said the investigation into the 9-month-old's death is still ongoing.
“The investigation is still very fresh. We’re still trying to gather the data as we’re speaking,” she said. “We know that this is very top-of-mind for people and we want to allow the appropriate processes to take place so we can give the best information.”
Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker also said that the death is a rare occurrence, according to scientific papers.
“I would remind parents out there that this is highly uncommon," he said. "That isn’t to say that every infant is safe ... but this is not something we should hear a lot more of because it doesn’t happen often at all.”
Among the dead reported on Saturday was a state employee from the Department of Human Resources. This brings the total number of deaths in the country to 2,191, including 47 in Illinois.
“The age of cases ranges from younger than one to 99 years,” a news release from IDPH said.
“I know how difficult this news can be, especially about this very young child,” Pritzker said on Saturday. “Upon hearing it, I admit I was immediately shaken, and it’s appropriate for any of us to grieve today.”
Illinois implemented a stay-at-home order on March 21. Pritzker said the state has been working to procure essential medical equipment for front-line workers and amp up its testing capabilities.
“We want everyone in Illinois to take COVID-19 seriously,” Ezike said. “If you haven’t been paying attention, maybe this is your wake-up call.”
Although the virus is more likely to cause deaths in adults, children who tested positive for COVID-19 have also died. Infant death has been an especially rare occurrence, but according to the New England Journal of Medicine at least one 10-month-old infant in Wuhan died in a hospital after being diagnosed.
“We should grieve,” Pritzker said. “We should grieve with our family of the state employees. With the many people already lost to this virus, young and old. We should grieve for the loss of a sense of normalcy we left behind just a few weeks ago. It’s OK today to grieve.”


buzzfeednews--2020-06-04--A Major Study That Raised Concerns About Hydroxychloroquine Has Been Retracted

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 .
Researchers have retracted a massive study that said that hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug hyped as a potential COVID-19 cure by President Donald Trump , could pose serious risks to coronavirus patients .
The study , published in May in the medical journal Lancet , concluded that the malaria drug was ineffective against the virus , a finding in line with several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also linked hydroxychloroquine to a higher risk of death .
Days after the publication of the study , which claimed to be based on 96,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients across six continents , the World Health Organization paused human tests on the drug .
But the study quickly drew concerns from outside scientists , more than 180 of whom signed a letter outlining perceived inconsistencies and demanding that the authors share their full dataset , which had come from a little-known health data analytics company called Surgisphere Corporation .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but claimed that their conclusions remained unchanged .
On Thursday , however , three of the four researchers reversed course and acknowledged they “ can no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources.
” In a notice in the Lancet , they wrote that they had sought to have outside experts independently audit the data , but that Surgisphere , which claimed to have an electronic database with patient outcomes from about 670 hospitals , would not hand over its full dataset due to “ client agreements and confidentiality agreements.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the study and the founder of Surgisphere , was not listed alongside the other authors who retracted the paper .
A second paper based on Surgisphere data was also retracted from the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday .
The study , published by several of the same researchers , was about cardiovascular disease in COVID-19 patients , not about hydroxychloroquine .
The retractions followed stories in the Guardian and the Scientist that raised serious questions about Desai ’ s background and Surgisphere ’ s history .
For instance , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to include a science fiction writer and an adult model , according to the Guardian .
The study also claimed to be based in part on data from Australia , but the Guardian reported that it could not confirm with several of that country ’ s health agencies that they had provided data to the study .
The Lancet study had an immediate impact .
Two major hydroxychloroquine clinical trials — one by the WHO , another in the United Kingdom — were put on pause .
And the governments of France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from being used as a coronavirus treatment .
But scientists questioned whether the study was robust enough to justify those decisions .
“ Many of us in the scientific community were just very angry at seeing a poorly written and executed study published in the Lancet , given loads of publicity , and then having a hugely negative impact on carefully planned clinical trials around the world , ” James Watson , a Thailand-based statistician with the University of Oxford ’ s Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health , told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the editors of the Lancet issued an “ expression of concern ” about the hydroxychloroquine study , the WHO announced it would restart its trial .
The Lancet study was not alone in finding that hydroxychloroquine is an ineffective treatment for COVID-19 , and in linking the drug to serious heart problems .
Several other studies have previously reached similar conclusions , and the FDA has acknowledged the cardiac risks of this and a related drug , chloroquine , warning that the drugs not be used outside of a hospital setting .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine was helpful in preventing COVID-19 .
As Eric Topol , a cardiologist at the Scripps Research Translational Institute , told BuzzFeed News last week , “ Everything points to a drug that has no efficacy .
There ’ s no sign that it helps anyone .
We know it has significant side effects that are worrisome.
” But the now-retracted Lancet study was also the first to link the drug to a higher rate of deaths , a link that is now unsubstantiated or at least highly in @ @

Researchers have retracted a massive study that said that hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug hyped as a potential COVID-19 cure by President Donald Trump, could pose serious risks to coronavirus patients.
The study, published in May in the medical journal Lancet, concluded that the malaria drug was ineffective against the virus, a finding in line with several other studies. For the first time, it also linked hydroxychloroquine to a higher risk of death. Days after the publication of the study, which claimed to be based on 96,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients across six continents, the World Health Organization paused human tests on the drug.
But the study quickly drew concerns from outside scientists, more than 180 of whom signed a letter outlining perceived inconsistencies and demanding that the authors share their full dataset, which had come from a little-known health data analytics company called Surgisphere Corporation. Last week, the authors corrected some of their data but claimed that their conclusions remained unchanged.
On Thursday, however, three of the four researchers reversed course and acknowledged they “can no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources.”
In a notice in the Lancet, they wrote that they had sought to have outside experts independently audit the data, but that Surgisphere, which claimed to have an electronic database with patient outcomes from about 670 hospitals, would not hand over its full dataset due to “client agreements and confidentiality agreements.”
Sapan Desai, the fourth co-author of the study and the founder of Surgisphere, was not listed alongside the other authors who retracted the paper.
A second paper based on Surgisphere data was also retracted from the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday. The study, published by several of the same researchers, was about cardiovascular disease in COVID-19 patients, not about hydroxychloroquine.
The retractions followed stories in the Guardian and the Scientist that raised serious questions about Desai’s background and Surgisphere’s history.
For instance, the company’s handful of employees appeared to include a science fiction writer and an adult model, according to the Guardian. The study also claimed to be based in part on data from Australia, but the Guardian reported that it could not confirm with several of that country’s health agencies that they had provided data to the study.
The Lancet study had an immediate impact. Two major hydroxychloroquine clinical trials — one by the WHO, another in the United Kingdom — were put on pause. And the governments of France, Belgium, and Italy banned the drug from being used as a coronavirus treatment.
But scientists questioned whether the study was robust enough to justify those decisions. “Many of us in the scientific community were just very angry at seeing a poorly written and executed study published in the Lancet, given loads of publicity, and then having a hugely negative impact on carefully planned clinical trials around the world,” James Watson, a Thailand-based statistician with the University of Oxford’s Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, told BuzzFeed News last week.
On Wednesday, after the editors of the Lancet issued an “expression of concern” about the hydroxychloroquine study, the WHO announced it would restart its trial.
The Lancet study was not alone in finding that hydroxychloroquine is an ineffective treatment for COVID-19, and in linking the drug to serious heart problems. Several other studies have previously reached similar conclusions, and the FDA has acknowledged the cardiac risks of this and a related drug, chloroquine, warning that the drugs not be used outside of a hospital setting.
The latest such study, published Wednesday, found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine was helpful in preventing COVID-19.
As Eric Topol, a cardiologist at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, told BuzzFeed News last week, “Everything points to a drug that has no efficacy. There’s no sign that it helps anyone. We know it has significant side effects that are worrisome.”
But the now-retracted Lancet study was also the first to link the drug to a higher rate of deaths, a link that is now unsubstantiated or at least highly in question.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-03--Three Alleged Boogaloo Extremists Have Been Accused Of Trying To Incite A Riot At A Peaceful Protest

Three alleged members of the `` boogaloo '' movement were planning to spark violence during protests in Las Vegas , officials said , including a plan to use Molotov cocktails to hijack peaceful gatherings .
Two of the men are former members of the military , a third is a current Army reservist , and all of them are identified with the boogaloo movement , whose followers believe a second Civil War is coming and advocate for it , according to the criminal complaint .
The men talked about wanting to `` violently overthrow the United States , '' had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Lake Mead National Recreation Area , and looked at a plan to `` incite chaos and possibly a riot . ''
`` Violent instigators have hijacked peaceful protests and demonstrations across the country , including Nevada , exploiting the real and legitimate outrage over Mr. Floyd 's death for their own radical agendas , '' US Attorney Nicholas Trutanich said in a statement .
Stephen T. Parshall , 35 , Andrew Lynam , the 23-year-old Army reservist , and William L. Loomis , 40 , were arrested Sunday after the alleged plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terrorism Task Force .
According to the criminal complaint , part of the plan began during an April `` Reopen Nevada '' rally in Las Vegas , where people were protesting stay-at-home orders issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
All members of the group were armed with AR-15 rifles during the rally ; when approached by a confidential informant , Lynam said the group `` was for people who wanted to violently overthrow the United States government , '' the complaint said .

Three alleged members of the "boogaloo" movement were planning to spark violence during protests in Las Vegas, officials said, including a plan to use Molotov cocktails to hijack peaceful gatherings.
Two of the men are former members of the military, a third is a current Army reservist, and all of them are identified with the boogaloo movement, whose followers believe a second Civil War is coming and advocate for it, according to the criminal complaint.
The men talked about wanting to "violently overthrow the United States," had discussed plans to firebomb a ranger station at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and looked at a plan to "incite chaos and possibly a riot."
"Violent instigators have hijacked peaceful protests and demonstrations across the country, including Nevada, exploiting the real and legitimate outrage over Mr. Floyd's death for their own radical agendas," US Attorney Nicholas Trutanich said in a statement.
Stephen T. Parshall, 35, Andrew Lynam, the 23-year-old Army reservist, and William L. Loomis, 40, were arrested Sunday after the alleged plan was thwarted by the Las Vegas Joint Terrorism Task Force.
According to the criminal complaint, part of the plan began during an April "Reopen Nevada" rally in Las Vegas, where people were protesting stay-at-home orders issued to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
All members of the group were armed with AR-15 rifles during the rally; when approached by a confidential informant, Lynam said the group "was for people who wanted to violently overthrow the United States government," the complaint said.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-03--John Boyega Attended A Black Lives Matter Protest In London And Gave A Passionate Speech

`` It 's about dismantling white supremacy from the ground all the way up , '' Boyega told BuzzFeed News after delivering an impassioned speech to the crowd .
Thousands of protesters gathered in London on Wednesday to show solidarity with the US following the death of George Floyd , who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis .
They were also protesting the lack of an arrest after the investigation into the death of Belly Mujinga , a rail worker from London who died of COVID-19 after being spat at .
The demonstrators marched around the capital city starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside Downing Street , before coming to an end near Parliament .
They chanted `` the UK is not innocent , '' `` justice for Floyd , '' `` justice for Belly , '' and more .
Among the protesters was actor John Boyega , who addressed the crowd .
`` Black lives have always mattered , '' Boyega said .
`` We have always been important .
We have always meant something .
We have always succeeded regardless .
And now is the time .
I ain ’ t waiting .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk to BuzzFeed News and said coming to the protest was about more than showing his face .
He said he has experienced racism in many different ways , be it outward or passive , and that this demonstration was a way to show solidarity .
`` We know what kind of tragedy that is .
This was a moment for us to be a physical representation of our shared mentality that black lives do matter , '' Boyega said .
The Star Wars actor said the protest is about black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What we want is equal opportunities .
We kill it anyway , naturally , so that 's what we 're here to physically represent , '' he said .
Boyega said that when he got the role of Finn in Star Wars , he expected the world to be happy for him .
Then he saw the response from people when the trailer came out .
`` I soon realized , being a black person , I was definitely the only cast member in that movie in which his race was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` So that normal fact , I realized , Okay , this is the reality of the world , and this is the reality of this mentality . ''
He said protests are a great way of seeing people with the same mentality , which makes these demonstrations so powerful , but he wants to focus his time on being part of something with longevity .
`` For me , I 'm just dedicating my life and creative time and everything into making sure that we are a part of something that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` Exists past us having moments of being excited and on fire to make change . ''
In the UK , protesters and activists have also been highlighting that the UK is n't innocent when it comes to police brutality for a while .
According to campaigners , there have been 1,500 deaths in police custody in England and Wales since 1990 .
George the Poet 's interview on BBC 's Newsnight went viral after he explained that the protests in the UK were solidarity with the US , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK .
When asked about the viral clip Boyega said : `` For me , you know broadcasters and all that kind of stuff , especially if you 're white , just shush your mouth .
`` We do n't want to hear from you .
Okay , you ca n't educate me about my experiences .
You are white — meaning that when you leave your house , you do n't get judged about the color of your skin.
`` `` It ai n't as intense for you .
Why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're scared .
Someone with that mentality , I believe 100 % you 're a racist .
`` And racism to me , it shows in various different ways , and the more and more I read deeper into man , the fear that they 're showing because they want their normal world .
`` They want things to go back to normal .
That ai n't happening . ''
He said people are protesting for the generations to come .
`` I 've got two little nephews .
They do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you know what I mean ?
I do n't want them to have the awareness of this tragedy and these barbaric acts that are going on in the states , '' he said .
`` So now 's the time .
I mean , they like to do this passive-aggressive nonsense .
They like to make it subtle , then it 'll show itself at work .
It 's about dismantling white supremacy from the ground all the way up .
We need to dismantle it . ''
Boyega said it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have therapy , and he has been sharing posts on his Instagram stories about black therapists who could help .
`` With something that is such a trauma for us , consistently seeing black bodies , '' he said .
`` You know , you see your uncle there .
You see your family member , and for us , it 's enough , is enough with that one . ''

Boyega stopped to talk to BuzzFeed News and said coming to the protest was about more than showing his face. He said he has experienced racism in many different ways, be it outward or passive, and that this demonstration was a way to show solidarity.
"We know what kind of tragedy that is. This was a moment for us to be a physical representation of our shared mentality that black lives do matter," Boyega said.
The Star Wars actor said the protest is about black people wanting equality all around the world.
"What we want is equal opportunities. We kill it anyway, naturally, so that's what we're here to physically represent," he said.
Boyega said that when he got the role of Finn in Star Wars, he expected the world to be happy for him. Then he saw the response from people when the trailer came out.
"I soon realized, being a black person, I was definitely the only cast member in that movie in which his race was a big deal," he said. "So that normal fact, I realized, Okay, this is the reality of the world, and this is the reality of this mentality."
He said protests are a great way of seeing people with the same mentality, which makes these demonstrations so powerful, but he wants to focus his time on being part of something with longevity.
"For me, I'm just dedicating my life and creative time and everything into making sure that we are a part of something that's going to exist past protests," he said. "Exists past us having moments of being excited and on fire to make change."
In the UK, protesters and activists have also been highlighting that the UK isn't innocent when it comes to police brutality for a while. According to campaigners, there have been 1,500 deaths in police custody in England and Wales since 1990.
George the Poet's interview on BBC's Newsnight went viral after he explained that the protests in the UK were solidarity with the US, but also in response to police brutality in the UK.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-04--Some Cities Are Shutting Down Coronavirus Testing During The Protests

“ Data is our eyes and ears in this pandemic .
Without having it , we are operating blindly , ” one public health expert said .
Cities , a county , and an entire state have shut down coronavirus testing sites or scaled back testing in response to protests against police brutality that are sweeping the nation , a move criticized by public health experts concerned about tracking the spread of COVID-19 .
In the greater Los Angeles region , where police have arrested more than 2,700 protesters , dozens of city- and county-run testing sites closed early or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois shut down nearly a dozen community testing sites across the state on Monday and Tuesday .
Philadelphia closed its Center City testing site early on Sunday and closed all city-run testing sites on Monday and Tuesday .
San Francisco closed a mobile testing site this week , and Jacksonville , Florida , closed at least two testing sites as well .
Public health experts have warned that any drop in testing access right now will thwart efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus , just as protests likely trigger new surges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes and ears in this pandemic .
Without having it , we are operating blindly , ” John Swartzberg , an infectious disease expert at the University of California , Berkeley , told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ’ ve seen the consequences of operating blindly early in this pandemic , ” he added , alluding to the fact that the initial failure of the CDC ’ s coronavirus test and subsequent testing shortfall likely contributed to the outsize impact of the coronavirus in the US .
Testing had been steadily ramping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifting stay-at-home orders .
As case numbers rose , public health experts questioned whether the rise was due to new surges or simply the result of additional testing .
Now the calculus has changed again .
“ If we ’ re doing a lot less testing , we need to be more cautious ” about any changes in reported infections , Swartzberg said .
Any reductions in testing now , combined with new cases emerging from these protests , are “ going to muddy the picture of the consequences of reopening , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ruth Etzioni , a biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center .
“ We find ourselves in a really precarious situation with the data.
” Local officials say the decisions to limit testing were largely made to protect the safety of both the people going to get tested and those working at these sites , as some protests turned violent and curfews were put in place .
But not all impacted testing sites have been in areas where the protests have occurred , leading some activists to call the shutdowns punitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early or shutter them completely also stands in stark contrast to places like Washington , DC , and Denver that opened new public testing sites this week despite ongoing protests .
And in Atlanta and many other locations , officials have opted instead to urge protesters , who face a greater risk of being exposed and spreading the coronavirus , to get tested .
The test site closures in Los Angeles began Saturday afternoon when Mayor Eric Garcetti closed down all of the city ’ s coronavirus testing sites , citing “ safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive protests taking place in the city .
The mayor also imposed curfews , but relegated those only to certain areas of the city , like downtown , where the protests had been taking place .
In a press conference Saturday announcing the new policies , a reporter asked Garcetti why he chose to close testing sites throughout the city , but only apply the curfew to some areas .
Garcetti gave a long response focused squarely on the property damage in the city , including the burning of police cars .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who destroy shop windows , ” Garcetti told the press , not directly answering why he chose to close down the testing sites citywide .
Some activists interpreted Garcetti ’ s answer to mean that he had closed the test sites as a punitive measure in reaction to the property damage , rather than an attempt to protect workers at the site or those getting tested .
LA ’ s testing sites are normally closed on Sunday .
On Monday , the city began reopening two of the testing sites , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity to test more than 6,000 people a day , and has continued to open up a few more sites since then .
A spokesperson for Mayor Garcetti on Wednesday night said that anyone who had appointments for testing at sites that were closed were rescheduled for tests at Dodger Stadium .
Some Los Angeles County-run testing sites also closed early over the weekend .
“ The Department of Health Services gave discretion to testing sites on whether to stay open or to close in the interest of staff and resident safety , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told BuzzFeed News in an email .
This week , some county-run sites have stayed open , while others closed early or completely .
The nearby city of Long Beach closed its four testing sites on Monday , citing safety concerns .
In northern California , a mobile testing site was closed in San Francisco ’ s Tenderloin neighborhood but may soon be redeployed to another part of the city .
“ While testing was scheduled to end Monday , June 1 , additional testing was under consideration for Wednesday , Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Veronica Vien , a city spokesperson , told BuzzFeed News in an email .
“ However , at this time the priority for the Tenderloin community and city partners must be to acknowledge the moment and focus on activism and justice for Black lives.
” In Illinois , the state closed all eleven of its coronavirus testing sites on Monday and Tuesday , as several protests took place in Chicago and the surrounding area .
In response to a request for comment , a spokesperson for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassignment.
” “ In order to reopen the state-managed Community Based Testing Sites , steps have to be taken to add security at each facility to replace personnel that was reassigned due to ongoing civil unrest throughout the state , ” the spokesperson said in an email .
By Wednesday all but one of the testing sites in Illinois had reopened .
Over the weekend , Florida officials made the decision to suspend service at Jacksonville ’ s Lot J drive-thru testing site and Legends Center walk-up testing site “ to ensure public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Philadelphia , where police shot tear gas at thousands of protesters , the Center City testing site closed early on Sunday because no one was scheduled to be testing and a curfew was put in place .
Due to civil unrest , the city closed on Monday and Tuesday , resulting in the shut down of only city-run testing sites ; more than 40 other testing sites across Philadelphia were unaffected .
The city and the testing sites it operates have since reopened and officials have been encouraging protesters to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven days after having been in a crowd ; those seeking testing do NOT need to identify that they were at a protest but instead should say they were near someone who may have had COVID-19 , ” city officials recommended .
In New York , where testing sites have remained open despite some violent clashes between police and protesters , state officials said they are relying on testing numbers to help them track whether the civil unrest leads to any case spikes .
When asked about whether he expected a spike based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s health commissioner , Howard Zucker , said at a Monday press conference : “ I 'm concerned about them .
And we are going to track those numbers because when you gather a lot of people together , as we 've always said , that is a concern .
So we 're looking at this and we ’ re going to keep a very close eye on every day .
”

Cities, a county, and an entire state have shut down coronavirus testing sites or scaled back testing in response to protests against police brutality that are sweeping the nation, a move criticized by public health experts concerned about tracking the spread of COVID-19.
In the greater Los Angeles region, where police have arrested more than 2,700 protesters, dozens of city- and county-run testing sites closed early or closed down completely in recent days. Illinois shut down nearly a dozen community testing sites across the state on Monday and Tuesday. Philadelphia closed its Center City testing site early on Sunday and closed all city-run testing sites on Monday and Tuesday. San Francisco closed a mobile testing site this week, and Jacksonville, Florida, closed at least two testing sites as well.
Public health experts have warned that any drop in testing access right now will thwart efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus, just as protests likely trigger new surges in infections.
“Data is our eyes and ears in this pandemic. Without having it, we are operating blindly,” John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, Berkeley, told BuzzFeed News. “We’ve seen the consequences of operating blindly early in this pandemic,” he added, alluding to the fact that the initial failure of the CDC’s coronavirus test and subsequent testing shortfall likely contributed to the outsize impact of the coronavirus in the US.
Testing had been steadily ramping up since April, as states began gradually lifting stay-at-home orders. As case numbers rose, public health experts questioned whether the rise was due to new surges or simply the result of additional testing. Now the calculus has changed again. “If we’re doing a lot less testing, we need to be more cautious” about any changes in reported infections, Swartzberg said.
Any reductions in testing now, combined with new cases emerging from these protests, are “going to muddy the picture of the consequences of reopening, and that’s really unfortunate,” said Ruth Etzioni, a biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. “We find ourselves in a really precarious situation with the data.”
Local officials say the decisions to limit testing were largely made to protect the safety of both the people going to get tested and those working at these sites, as some protests turned violent and curfews were put in place.
But not all impacted testing sites have been in areas where the protests have occurred, leading some activists to call the shutdowns punitive.
The decision to close certain sites early or shutter them completely also stands in stark contrast to places like Washington, DC, and Denver that opened new public testing sites this week despite ongoing protests. And in Atlanta and many other locations, officials have opted instead to urge protesters, who face a greater risk of being exposed and spreading the coronavirus, to get tested.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-04--J.Crew Files For Bankruptcy During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Before it became acceptable to wear no pants at work ( thank you , lockdown ) , before it became acceptable to wear yoga pants at work , before it became acceptable to wear skinny jeans to work , there were khakis .
And gingham dress shirts .
And blazers .
You could buy all that AND a pearl necklace at J.Crew , the once-iconic one-stop-shop ( and catalog ) for mainstream preppies .
For years , fashion trends and online shopping have been tough on J.Crew .
Now , the coronavirus has left the retailer gasping for air .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , meaning it will reorganize to pay off its debts .
J.Crew ’ s lenders have agreed to convert $ 1.65 billion of the company ’ s debt into stock .
The company also received $ 400 million in financing .
It will continue e-commerce sales and still plans to reopen stores as lockdown restrictions are lifted .
The struggling company originally had planned an IPO of its Madewell brand to help it pay down its debt , but canceled those plans after the coronavirus lockdowns shut down stores around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates 181 J.Crew stores , 140 Madewell stores , 170 factory stores , jcrew.com , jcrewfactory.com , and madewell.com .

Before it became acceptable to wear no pants at work (thank you, lockdown), before it became acceptable to wear yoga pants at work, before it became acceptable to wear skinny jeans to work, there were khakis. And gingham dress shirts. And blazers. You could buy all that AND a pearl necklace at J.Crew, the once-iconic one-stop-shop (and catalog) for mainstream preppies. For years, fashion trends and online shopping have been tough on J.Crew.
Now, the coronavirus has left the retailer gasping for air.
J.Crew filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, meaning it will reorganize to pay off its debts. J.Crew’s lenders have agreed to convert $1.65 billion of the company’s debt into stock. The company also received $400 million in financing. It will continue e-commerce sales and still plans to reopen stores as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
The struggling company originally had planned an IPO of its Madewell brand to help it pay down its debt, but canceled those plans after the coronavirus lockdowns shut down stores around the world. As of today, the company operates 181 J.Crew stores, 140 Madewell stores, 170 factory stores, jcrew.com, jcrewfactory.com, and madewell.com.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-04--Etsy Just Removed All Coronavirus-Themed Merchandise

On Wednesday afternoon , Etsy removed all items mentioning the coronavirus or COVID-19 after hundreds of merchants posted or tagged @ @ @ @ @ on the site .
Some of the removed items , like coronavirus-shaped crochet art , @ @ @ @ @ .
But there were also hundreds of T-shirts and mugs that used the coronavirus as @ @ @ @ @ like `` I Survived Coronavirus 2020 , '' “ Straight Outta Wuhan , ” and @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus I ’ m just drunk.
” “ In order to keep our marketplace safe @ @ @ @ @ taking down any listings that claim to protect against coronavirus , '' an Etsy spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ past few days alone , we have removed thousands of items that make such medical @ @ @ @ @ taken down hundreds of items that attempt to exploit the developing coronavirus situation .
Our @ @ @ @ @ manually review and remove items that violate our policies.
” As of Wednesday , over @ @ @ @ @ been reported worldwide , with 3,254 deaths .

On Wednesday afternoon, Etsy removed all items mentioning the coronavirus or COVID-19 after hundreds of merchants posted or tagged items related to the outbreak on the site.
Some of the removed items, like coronavirus-shaped crochet art, were designed for science education. But there were also hundreds of T-shirts and mugs that used the coronavirus as a punchline, displaying text like "I Survived Coronavirus 2020," “Straight Outta Wuhan,” and "I don't have coronavirus I’m just drunk.”
“In order to keep our marketplace safe, our team is prioritizing taking down any listings that claim to protect against coronavirus," an Etsy spokesperson said. "In the past few days alone, we have removed thousands of items that make such medical claims. We have also taken down hundreds of items that attempt to exploit the developing coronavirus situation. Our teams continue to automatically and manually review and remove items that violate our policies.”
As of Wednesday, over 95,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide, with 3,254 deaths.