buzzfeednews--2020-02-20--The Coronavirus Cruise Ship Quarantine Gave The Virus An Efficient Way To Spread

Bad ventilation and a botched quarantine on the Diamond Princess likely caused hundreds of illnesses and two deaths in the largest outbreak outside China .
The death of two elderly cruise ship passengers infected with a novel coronavirus , announced by the Japanese government on Thursday , has health experts pointing to the flulike potential spread of the COVID-19 illness worldwide , and the dangers of quarantines in closed environments like cruise ships .
The ships have emerged as the ill-fated petri dishes of the novel coronavirus outbreak .
The largest outbreak site outside of China is the Diamond Princess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 600 passengers diagnosed with COVID-19 .
Cambodia is threatened with an outbreak from passengers disembarked from a second cruise ship , the Westerdam , which turned out to have contained at least one infected passenger , an 83-year-old American woman .
The Diamond Princess carried 3,700 passengers and crew when it was quarantined two weeks ago .
Since then , more than 600 people confirmed with the illness have been taken off for medical care , more than 300 Americans have flown home to mandatory quarantine , and about 600 mostly elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ship on Thursday .
“ Several hundred ” more are expected to disembark on Friday , according to Princess Lines , which offered everyone aboard a full refund on Feb. 9 .
Canada is also arranging to fly its passengers home , and 11 Israelis will head into medical isolation at Sheba Medical Center .
“ Obviously there have been more transmissions than anticipated , ” said World Health Organization Health Emergencies Program executive director Mike Ryan , asked about the cruise ship outbreak on Tuesday .
” Sometimes there are environments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The massive outbreak in China ’ s Hubei province and medical reports looking at the spread of infections there point to COVID-19 spreading most like influenza , said University of Iowa ’ s Stanley Perlman .
The flu virus is readily distributed in airborne particles by sneezing , coughing people in the middle stages of their symptoms , in contrast to the 2003 SARS outbreak , where people were most infectious during the severe coughing that came in the late stages of infection .
Understanding the rapid spread of cases on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain how the virus has spread by air in the wider outbreak .
On Wednesday , WHO announced it was providing medical supplies and advice to Cambodia ’ s Ministry of Health following the discovery that an 83-year-old American woman who had disembarked from the Westerdam cruise ship in that country had tested positive for COVID-19 .
And the day before , the CDC announced that the 100 or more US passengers still aboard the Diamond Princess or in Japanese hospitals couldn ’ t enter the US until they had undergone 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or else undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine on US soil .
“ Because of their high-risk exposure , there may be additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the remaining passengers onboard the Diamond Princess , ” said the CDC announcement .
The same day , 79 new cases were announced onboard the ship .
As of Thursday morning , there are some 75,752 cases of confirmed coronavirus worldwide .
More than 99 % of the cases are in China , where authorities have again revised their case definition to exclude cases not confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily case numbers and drawing complaints from outside public health experts .
The cases now include 2,130 deaths , only 8 of them outside China — including the two patients in their eighties from the Diamond Princess .
“ It ’ s very easy in retrospect to question public health decisions , ” said WHO ’ s Ryan .
“ It will be very important to study this particular event and see what the issues have been that have led to the transmission to the people that have been on that ship.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , experts in respiratory disease transmission in confined settings say some lessons are apparent from the saga of the Diamond Princess and Westerdam .
Cruise ships can ’ t filter air well enough to stop the spread of viruses “ Get off that ship — there are a lot better places to isolate people , ” Purdue University 's Qingyan Chen , an expert on ventilation during virus outbreaks , told BuzzFeed News .
“ In ships , you can not filter the air well enough to stop viruses.
” Health experts have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks for years .
A ship ’ s ventilation system , which relies on recirculated air filtered by medium-strength air filters , is an efficient way of spreading virus particles from room to room aboard a ship , said Chen .
In a 2015 study , he and his colleagues looked at the spread of flu aboard cruise ships , finding that one infected person would typically lead to more than 40 cases a week later on a 2,000 passenger cruise , with transmission occurring through the ventilation system .
In contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a reproductive rate of two new cases per infected person , which would lead to three new cases in that time .
A 2018 CDC study of two Alaskan cruise ships that suffered flu outbreaks found that 83 % of 410 passengers on the two ships were infected with some respiratory illness within the second week of the cruises , with how soon passengers boarded the ship presenting the biggest determinant of their risk .
On the Diamond Princess , 10 passengers were diagnosed with coronavirus on Feb. 4 , two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ship .
Since flu viruses are about the same size as coronaviruses , roughly 120 to 125 nanometers wide , and the ship ’ s ventilation system air filters can only screen out particles 1,000 nanometers across , the disease could spread even if the infected passengers were isolated , Chen said .
The current infection rate aboard the Diamond Princess , where 621 out of 3,700 passengers and crew are diagnosed five weeks after the start of a trip , doesn ’ t look too surprising , he said , following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added , the entire ventilation system is likely filled with the virus , even if they were to switch to circulating only fresh air .
“ It ’ s really kind of too late for the Diamond Princess , right now , ” he said .
Some experts say the cruise ship quarantines were botched Leaving aside the spread of viruses through the air shafts , cruise ships are notorious for spreading illnesses .
The CDC has issued warnings related to cruise ships and norovirus , and both the Diamond Princess and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Close quarters , the coming and going of new passengers , and eating together in communal settings all make ships ripe for passing around illnesses .
“ A cruise ship is not an ideal place for a quarantine , ” epidemiologist Don Milton of the University of Maryland , who studies how coronaviruses spread among university dorm rooms , told BuzzFeed News .
Even so , the quarantine on the Diamond Princess was not rigorous , according to one infectious disease expert , Kentaro Iwata of Kobe University Hospital , who went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials on how to prevent the virus ’ s spread .
In isolation himself to protect his family from possible infection , he released a YouTube video saying that health ministry officials and crew members mingled and ate together on the Diamond Princess , with some in protective gear and some not , crossing between “ green ” infection-free zones on the ship and “ red ” suspect ones , creating ripe conditions for infections to walk off the ship .
“ The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of infection control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , posted on Tuesday .
Japanese health ministry officials defended their quarantine aboard the boat but acknowledged that three ministry personnel sent aboard the ship had become infected .
Communication about lab testing for the virus was also botched : Of 328 passengers flown to the US on Tuesday , 14 turned up infected in buses on the way to the airport and had to fly home in a separate section of a cargo aircraft , according to William Walters at the US Department of State ’ s Bureau of Medical Services .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we received information about a lab test that had been done two or three days earlier , ” Walters said at a news briefing .
And the Westerdam passenger who disembarked in Cambodia was only detected as sick when she was screened at an airport in Malaysia , meaning more sick people from the ships might be running loose , undetected .
Even dorm rooms and hospitals aren ’ t perfect places to stop an infection , said Milton .
“ It ’ s not easy to find a place to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , to feed and house them in isolation quickly.
” Hospital isolation wards equipped with high-quality filters that can catch 99 % of virus particles are no guarantee of stopping the spread of viruses indoors .
In a 2015 outbreak of the MERS coronavirus in South Korea that led to 39 deaths , doctors detected virus particles in the corridors outside hospital rooms equipped with “ negative pressure ” air conditioning designed to only pull in air from outside the room .
Those high-quality air filters that can screen out virus particles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making them impractical to use on a large scale because they require more energy than conventional air conditioning systems can generate .
“ The real problem is that indoor air just tends to accumulate viruses , ” said Milton .
“ Maybe what they should have done is have everyone sleep outside .
There ’ s plenty of fresh air there.
” One real unknown in how to best isolate people in the coronavirus outbreak is the open question of the infectiousness of people in the early stages of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the early stages of a case aren ’ t very infectious , then running a lot of air through cheaper air filters that are 80 % effective at catching viruses would be just as effective , said Milton , and actually feasible for hotel or dorm room medical isolation .
“ I really worry about taxis and personal cars , taking people from the airport , ” he added .
Infected taxi drivers have been reported in Thailand and in Japan , and a Taiwanese taxi driver with no known contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
In warm climates , the air conditioning is recirculating air all day .
“ The driver and passengers are really just breathing the same air all day , ” he said , and car air filters are not particularly effective at screening viruses .
Ventilation is slightly better on planes On the other hand , the State Department ’ s decision to send the just-diagnosed Diamond Princess passengers on an airplane was a reasonable one , said Chen , because of airflow aboard aircraft .
Airplanes rely on both high-quality air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within cabin sections .
Loading the infected people in a rear-closed section of the plane and giving them medical masks to wear would be “ very effective to minimize risks , ” said Chen .
( The CDC objected to the transfer of the 14 infected patients nevertheless , the Washington Post reported on Thursday . )
From the SARS experience , air carriers should use alcohol wipes to carefully wipe down surfaces on planes that might have held infected passengers , to prevent infecting passengers who get on the plane later .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and anywhere else people regularly put their hands need extra attention .
“ The toilets should be cleaned as often as possible , ” Chen added .
“ It ’ s really important to keep the lid closed when you flush.
” Even though airplane toilets are effectively a kind of vacuum , their action is so vigorous it can send virus particles upward to cover the hands and surfaces in the restroom cabin if the lid is open .
“ People don ’ t like to talk about it but it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A key message from past outbreaks is that people can do things to keep their risk lower , said Milton .
The CDC recommends washing your hands frequently and avoiding contact with sick people , just like in a normal flu season .
“ People have trouble with the fear factor — ‘ airborne ’ sounds scary , but flu is airborne , and we face it all the time , ” said Milton .
Medical isolation of infected patients with ventilation that doesn ’ t spread viruses to uninfected people will doubtless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he suggested .
“ We can all Monday-morning-quarterback what happened in Japan , but I don ’ t know what I would have done in their shoes , ” he added .
“ We don ’ t have the transmission data quite yet to have all the right answers .
”

As of Thursday morning, there are some 75,752 cases of confirmed coronavirus worldwide. More than 99% of the cases are in China, where authorities have again revised their case definition to exclude cases not confirmed by lab reports, leading to lower daily case numbers and drawing complaints from outside public health experts. The cases now include 2,130 deaths, only 8 of them outside China — including the two patients in their eighties from the Diamond Princess.
“It’s very easy in retrospect to question public health decisions,” said WHO’s Ryan. “It will be very important to study this particular event and see what the issues have been that have led to the transmission to the people that have been on that ship.”
But even with only a little hindsight, experts in respiratory disease transmission in confined settings say some lessons are apparent from the saga of the Diamond Princess and Westerdam.
Cruise ships can’t filter air well enough to stop the spread of viruses
“Get off that ship — there are a lot better places to isolate people,” Purdue University's Qingyan Chen, an expert on ventilation during virus outbreaks, told BuzzFeed News. “In ships, you cannot filter the air well enough to stop viruses.”
Health experts have warned about the potential for cruise ship outbreaks for years. A ship’s ventilation system, which relies on recirculated air filtered by medium-strength air filters, is an efficient way of spreading virus particles from room to room aboard a ship, said Chen. In a 2015 study, he and his colleagues looked at the spread of flu aboard cruise ships, finding that one infected person would typically lead to more than 40 cases a week later on a 2,000 passenger cruise, with transmission occurring through the ventilation system. In contrast, on land, the coronavirus seems to have a reproductive rate of two new cases per infected person, which would lead to three new cases in that time.
A 2018 CDC study of two Alaskan cruise ships that suffered flu outbreaks found that 83% of 410 passengers on the two ships were infected with some respiratory illness within the second week of the cruises, with how soon passengers boarded the ship presenting the biggest determinant of their risk.
On the Diamond Princess, 10 passengers were diagnosed with coronavirus on Feb. 4, two weeks after an infected passenger set foot on the ship. Since flu viruses are about the same size as coronaviruses, roughly 120 to 125 nanometers wide, and the ship’s ventilation system air filters can only screen out particles 1,000 nanometers across, the disease could spread even if the infected passengers were isolated, Chen said. The current infection rate aboard the Diamond Princess, where 621 out of 3,700 passengers and crew are diagnosed five weeks after the start of a trip, doesn’t look too surprising, he said, following that model.
At this point, he added, the entire ventilation system is likely filled with the virus, even if they were to switch to circulating only fresh air. “It’s really kind of too late for the Diamond Princess, right now,” he said.
Some experts say the cruise ship quarantines were botched
Leaving aside the spread of viruses through the air shafts, cruise ships are notorious for spreading illnesses. The CDC has issued warnings related to cruise ships and norovirus, and both the Diamond Princess and Westerdam cases appear mishandled to outside observers. Close quarters, the coming and going of new passengers, and eating together in communal settings all make ships ripe for passing around illnesses.
“A cruise ship is not an ideal place for a quarantine,” epidemiologist Don Milton of the University of Maryland, who studies how coronaviruses spread among university dorm rooms, told BuzzFeed News.
Even so, the quarantine on the Diamond Princess was not rigorous, according to one infectious disease expert, Kentaro Iwata of Kobe University Hospital, who went aboard on Tuesday to help advise health officials on how to prevent the virus’s spread. In isolation himself to protect his family from possible infection, he released a YouTube video saying that health ministry officials and crew members mingled and ate together on the Diamond Princess, with some in protective gear and some not, crossing between “green” infection-free zones on the ship and “red” suspect ones, creating ripe conditions for infections to walk off the ship.


buzzfeednews--2020-02-20--A Viral Email About Coronavirus Had People Smashing Buses And Blocking Hospitals

Ukraine ’ s security service said the fake email that was supposedly from the Ministry of Health had actually been sent from outside the country .
KYIV — A dangerous mix of fear and fake news about the coronavirus has sparked violent protests in Ukraine , despite there being no confirmed cases in the country .
Protests and clashes with riot police have broken out in several places after a mass email claiming to be from Ukraine ’ s health ministry spread false information that there were five cases of coronavirus in the country , on the same day a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protesters have smashed the windows of buses carrying evacuees and set fire to makeshift barricades .
But the email , sent to the Ministry of Health ’ s entire contact list , had actually originated from outside Ukraine , the Security Service of Ukraine ( SBU ) said in a statement .
Only two Ukrainians have been infected with the coronavirus and they are aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan , and they 've already recovered .
Disinformation surrounding the coronavirus has spread online globally and caused panic in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan , China , in December .
In Ukraine , where trust in the health care system and the government is low , anxiety about the outbreak spread as fast as the fake news claiming the first cases had arrived in the country was disseminated online .
It didn ’ t seem to matter that Ukraine ’ s Center for Public Health put out a message warning of the fake news or that President Volodymyr Zelensky said authorities had everything under control .
“ Attention !
The reports about five confirmed cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Center for Public Health said in a statement , referring to the official name of the disease caused by the coronavirus .
“ We urge the media not to disseminate this information and to inform the press service of the Health Ministry of Ukraine of the sender of this information upon receipt of the letter.
” Oleksiy Kucher , the governor of the Kharkiv region where the plane carrying Ukrainian evacuees from China ’ s Hubei province landed , told people , “ not to sow panic — everything is fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy.
” But the messages trying to reassure people were not the ones that went viral .
Tensions reached a fever pitch by midday in the village of Novi Sanzhary , in Ukraine ’ s central Poltava region , where residents protested the arrival of the evacuees over fears they could be infected with the coronavirus , including smashing the windows of buses transporting them .
The protesters fought with police while trying to block the road leading to a health facility where the evacuees — 45 Ukrainians and 27 foreign citizens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors — are to be held in quarantine for at least 14 days to make sure they aren ’ t carrying the virus .
Videos posted on social media showed hundreds of police in riot gear dragging protesters away and using armored vehicles to move tractors blocking the road .
As the skirmish dragged on , Ukraine ’ s National Guard had to counter what it said was more fake news , this time about the medical staff at Novi Sanzhary ’ s hospital fleeing the facility .
By evening , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Honcharuk , and the interior minister , Arsen Avakov , to the village to deal with the turmoil .
Meanwhile , in the western Lviv region , people used tires and cars to block the entrance to a hospital because they were afraid the evacuees could be brought there and their children would get infected .
And in nearby Ternopil , people gathered with a priest on a road to block access to a medical facility and pray that the Ukrainians returning from China would be kept away from it .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save us from all of this , ” said one of the attendees .
“ God forbid the virus spreads further , ” said another .
President Zelensky said Thursday the authorities were doing everything possible to make sure the virus wouldn ’ t spread to Ukraine .
In a statement posted to Facebook , he called for calm and reassured Ukrainians they weren ’ t in danger .
There is no risk of infection , Zelensky told the nation , only “ the danger of forgetting that we are all human and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the panic showed “ far from the best side of our character.
” On Facebook , some of the evacuees posted about the harassment they were receiving and said they were shocked by those protesting their return .
One of them , a woman named Svitlana , told BBC ’ s Ukrainian service that she had received death threats because of her choice to return to Ukraine .
Oleksandr Makhov , who was also aboard the flight , posted a selfie from the plane and praised the flight attendants , pilots , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shame , ” he said of the protesters .

In Ukraine, where trust in the health care system and the government is low, anxiety about the outbreak spread as fast as the fake news claiming the first cases had arrived in the country was disseminated online. It didn’t seem to matter that Ukraine’s Center for Public Health put out a message warning of the fake news or that President Volodymyr Zelensky said authorities had everything under control.
“Attention! The reports about five confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Ukraine are UNTRUE,” the Center for Public Health said in a statement, referring to the official name of the disease caused by the coronavirus.
“We urge the media not to disseminate this information and to inform the press service of the Health Ministry of Ukraine of the sender of this information upon receipt of the letter.”
Oleksiy Kucher, the governor of the Kharkiv region where the plane carrying Ukrainian evacuees from China’s Hubei province landed, told people, “not to sow panic — everything is fine. All who are on board are healthy.”
But the messages trying to reassure people were not the ones that went viral.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-21--The Coronavirus Took My Last College Term. Do I Get To Feel Sad?

On Tuesday , March 10 , it was pouring rain in Santa Barbara , California .
As I looked out the window of my tiny Isla Vista apartment , I made a deal with myself : If the rain let up , I would stop watching Westworld and go to my afternoon class .
When it didn ’ t cease pouring , I , like many UC Santa Barbara students do when it rains , decided to forgo my history of South Asian public culture lecture .
I didn ’ t know it at the time , but that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class in person .
Later that day , UCSB followed several other universities across the United States and the world in announcing it would be moving to remote instruction until the end of April .
All in-person classes would be suspended in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
My friends and I — all seniors — sat around my living room in complete shock at our chancellor ’ s email .
We couldn ’ t even begin to understand the full implications at the time .
We didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All we had were questions that nobody held the answers to .
Would we all get to stay in our college town ?
Would we have to leave and attend next quarter ’ s online classes from our childhood bedrooms in our parents ’ houses ?
In this moment of uncertainty , there was an underlying sense of optimism , although probably tinged with denial .
It was only until the end of April , right ?
We could come back in May after an extended spring break , and still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior spring we had dreamed of for the past four years , right ?
We would all get those treasured final moments together — lectures , study sessions , parties , brunches — before our lives all went their separate ways , right ?
In the midst of this , we still had our winter quarter final exams , projects , and theses to worry about .
So , we carried on believing this would all be temporary , that there ’ s no way social distancing could last until mid-June .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thesis , complete my internship , and have one more , albeit shorter , term as an undergraduate history major at UCSB , before I walked across the stage and accepted my diploma .
On Saturday , March 14 , I was preparing for an admittedly ill-advised early St. Patrick ’ s Day celebration .
We had no idea how serious this was about to get , for our school and for our country .
And for the best , that celebration never came to fruition .
Because that day , UCSB confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the rest of the term , until we — maybe — graduate in June .
I had crafted a vision in my head of my final spring here : one final Deltopia , a notorious party weekend in Isla Vista to start things off , an easy class schedule that was more of a formality , getting a perfect postgraduate job offer , wild nights spent downtown , weekend trips up and down the beautiful California coast , late-night crams at Davidson Library , and so many more treasured “ lasts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on with the rest of our lives .
I knew my last term wouldn ’ t be movie-perfect .
But I thought , surely , it would still exist .
It felt like our last quarter of college , our last time to all be together , to live in the same town , to be seniors in the spring , to simply be students , was being stolen from us .
We had no control over what was happening .
As the situation worsened , I was lucky enough to leave town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could work from home .
Now , I wait it out in my hometown of Clovis , California , four hours from my school , trying desperately to make sense of what is happening .
In this constantly evolving situation , it has been excruciating to see my college career coming to an end so suddenly — there ’ s barely any time to focus on classes being suspended , before we start wondering if our commencement will be canceled .
In this time I ’ ve toiled over these complicated feelings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of my friends , classmates , and professors .
But soon , I could feel myself growing tired of what I kept repeating , over and over , in every conversation .
“ I ’ m so grateful for my health , but… ” “ I know we ’ re the lucky ones in this situation , but… ” “ Of course , I understand that other people out there have it worse , but… ” Was I being ungrateful ?
Were my feelings selfish ?
Why was I so wrapped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superficial events — weekly Bachelor viewings and backyard birthday parties , the first week of classes and the last goodbyes to my favorite professors , sunsets shared with my roommate and commencement celebrations soon to be shared with my family—when there are people in this world shouldering hardships brought on by the coronavirus that are way worse ?
There are people in the service , entertainment and hospitality industries who have lost their jobs .
There are janitors and grocery store workers who have to choose between a paycheck and their health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of children who may unknowingly spread the virus .
I know friends who are set to be getting married this summer , who now have to postpone their pre-wedding activities to honor social distancing .
I know a friend who is immunocompromised , afraid to leave their house .
I know another friend who lost her university housing and had to move home immediately .
My father works at Costco , which is cleaned out by panicked shoppers daily , all of whom he ’ s exposed to .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have much more taken from them by the coronavirus than a college graduation ceremony .
And yet here I sit , moping around with my friends .
But it ’ s not simply because we might not get to do a bottomless-mimosas brunch one last time .
Suddenly the buffer between my college life and the “ real world ” is gone .
And the real world looks increasingly worse by the day as we face a global , unending crisis .
Students like me are flocking to Facebook groups to make jokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — there is undoubtedly a heightened sense of community as we watch our senior spring slip away .
The UCSB class of 2020 has weathered a lot of misfortune throughout the past four years ; President Trump was elected our freshman year , we had to evacuate sophomore year ( and reschedule our entire school year ) due to the 2017 Thomas fire .
Just last summer , a mountain lion terrorized our campus .
So truly , part of me thinks it would not really be our senior year if it wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
So I lean on my friends as I try to process my fear , that my parents , who didn ’ t graduate from college , won ’ t get to see me accept my diploma in June ; that I ’ m entering the job market in what is likely to be a major economic recession ; the fear of simply not knowing I did several things for the last time when I did them .
Spring quarter at UC Santa Barbara is a time when , after a rainy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The campus comes alive .
Students lie on the green lawns , cut class for beach days , and soak up as much time in the sun and with each other as we can before summer rolls around and we part .
But this year , spring quarter didn ’ t come .
A pandemic did .
As I drove through campus one final time before leaving for my parents ’ home indefinitely , I saw first-year students saying tearful goodbyes to their roommates .
Their parents packed up their cars to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one full day after our university had decided to transition to remote instruction .
And I thought , These kids have three full years ahead of them — what are they upset about ?
But just like me , they ’ re impacted by this in their own profound way .
These are not normal times .
When I log off of Twitter at night and talk to my roommate , who ’ s in her own hometown , I ’ m reminded that it ’ s okay to feel robbed of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s okay to feel anxious about what we ’ ll do after we graduate .
It ’ s okay to feel completely unsure of what a senior spring will look like for us .
It ’ s okay to feel all of these things , because we understand that everyone else is impacted by this crisis just as much , and in many cases undoubtedly more , than we are .
There ’ s no right way to get through the emotional impacts of a shut-down society .
Punishing ourselves for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it harder .
I ’ ll never get to attend that last South Asian public culture lecture that I skipped on a rainy day before everything changed .
And it ’ s quite possible I won ’ t get to walk to the processional with my friends in June as our families cheer us on .
So yes , I have my health .
But I still have my grief , my anger , and my sadness .
And that ’ s okay .
●

I had crafted a vision in my head of my final spring here: one final Deltopia, a notorious party weekend in Isla Vista to start things off, an easy class schedule that was more of a formality, getting a perfect postgraduate job offer, wild nights spent downtown, weekend trips up and down the beautiful California coast, late-night crams at Davidson Library, and so many more treasured “lasts,” as we got ready to move on with the rest of our lives.
I knew my last term wouldn’t be movie-perfect. But I thought, surely, it would still exist.
It felt like our last quarter of college, our last time to all be together, to live in the same town, to be seniors in the spring, to simply be students, was being stolen from us. We had no control over what was happening.
As the situation worsened, I was lucky enough to leave town when my internship supervisor told me I could work from home. Now, I wait it out in my hometown of Clovis, California, four hours from my school, trying desperately to make sense of what is happening. In this constantly evolving situation, it has been excruciating to see my college career coming to an end so suddenly — there’s barely any time to focus on classes being suspended, before we start wondering if our commencement will be canceled.
In this time I’ve toiled over these complicated feelings, this overwhelming sense of loss, with all of my friends, classmates, and professors. But soon, I could feel myself growing tired of what I kept repeating, over and over, in every conversation.
“I’m so grateful for my health, but…”
“I know we’re the lucky ones in this situation, but…”
“Of course, I understand that other people out there have it worse, but…”
Was I being ungrateful? Were my feelings selfish? Why was I so wrapped up in the thought of giving up some superficial events — weekly Bachelor viewings and backyard birthday parties, the first week of classes and the last goodbyes to my favorite professors, sunsets shared with my roommate and commencement celebrations soon to be shared with my family—when there are people in this world shouldering hardships brought on by the coronavirus that are way worse?
There are people in the service, entertainment and hospitality industries who have lost their jobs. There are janitors and grocery store workers who have to choose between a paycheck and their health. There are at-risk grandparents who have to take care of children who may unknowingly spread the virus.
I know friends who are set to be getting married this summer, who now have to postpone their pre-wedding activities to honor social distancing. I know a friend who is immunocompromised, afraid to leave their house. I know another friend who lost her university housing and had to move home immediately. My father works at Costco, which is cleaned out by panicked shoppers daily, all of whom he’s exposed to. And I worry about my grandparents, who could have much more taken from them by the coronavirus than a college graduation ceremony.
And yet here I sit, moping around with my friends. But it’s not simply because we might not get to do a bottomless-mimosas brunch one last time.
Suddenly the buffer between my college life and the “real world” is gone. And the real world looks increasingly worse by the day as we face a global, unending crisis.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-14--Trump's Doctor Says He Tested Negative For The Coronavirus

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus , his physician said in a memo released by the White House Saturday night .
`` Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing , he elected to proceed , '' the memo from Navy Cmdr .
Sean Conley reads .
`` This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative . ''
The memo says Trump does not have any symptoms of COVID-19 .
It does not say when Trump took the test , or if the results are from a preliminary test .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested for the coronavirus , directly contradicting a White House memo from Conley sent late Friday night stating that the president did not need to take the test .
Speaking to reporters Saturday afternoon , Trump said that he decided to get tested `` based on the press conference yesterday . ''
`` I took the test last night , '' he said .
`` People were asking : Did I take the test ? ''
Trump said he was tested Friday night , which is exactly when his own doctor sent an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be tested or self-quarantining .
Trump had previously come into contact with two Brazilian officials who tested positive for COVID-19 , one of them being Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 's press secretary , Fabio Wajngarten .
In the release just before midnight , Conley said that although Trump shook hands with one of the officials and `` spent more time in closer proximity to the second case , '' the interactions were `` low risk '' for transmission , per CDC guidelines .
`` Additionally , given the president himself remains without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently indicated , '' his doctor said .

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, his physician said in a memo released by the White House Saturday night.
"Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed," the memo from Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley reads. "This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative."
The memo says Trump does not have any symptoms of COVID-19. It does not say when Trump took the test, or if the results are from a preliminary test.
Trump said earlier Saturday that he had been tested for the coronavirus, directly contradicting a White House memo from Conley sent late Friday night stating that the president did not need to take the test.
Speaking to reporters Saturday afternoon, Trump said that he decided to get tested "based on the press conference yesterday."
"I took the test last night," he said. "People were asking: Did I take the test?"
Trump said he was tested Friday night, which is exactly when his own doctor sent an official memo explaining that the president would not be tested or self-quarantining. Trump had previously come into contact with two Brazilian officials who tested positive for COVID-19, one of them being Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten.
In the release just before midnight, Conley said that although Trump shook hands with one of the officials and "spent more time in closer proximity to the second case," the interactions were "low risk" for transmission, per CDC guidelines.
"Additionally, given the president himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated," his doctor said.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-22--Sen. Rand Paul Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

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`` He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events , '' the tweet said .
`` He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person . ''
According to a tweet from the Kentucky Republican 's account , Paul does not have symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he tested positive .
Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19 .
He is feeling fine and is in quarantine .
He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events .
He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person .
Paul is the first US senator to test positive for the disease , and two members of the House of Representatives — Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart , a Florida Republican , and Utah Democrat Ben McAdams — tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Capitol last week as the Senate has remained in session — in spite of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people avoid gathering in groups of 10 or larger .
His staff began working remotely 10 days ago , a tweet from Paul 's account said .
`` He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time , '' the Paul statement said .
As recently as Sunday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gym , leaving Senate colleagues concerned they may have been exposed , according to Politico and the Washington Post .
On Wednesday , Paul was one of eight senators who voted against a $ 100 billion stimulus package , which provided free coronavirus testing as well as expanding unemployment and some sick leave .
Paul argued the funding should be offset by cuts to other government spending .
Lawmakers are continuing to work on legislation that would provide aid to Americans as the outbreak has spiked unemployment claims and shuttered many small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have tested positive for the disease , more than two dozen others are self-quarantining because they 've come into contact with someone who has tested positive .
Some congressional staffers have told BuzzFeed News they 're concerned they could be exposed by coming to work .
“ Why are we here ?
Why are we risking our health ?
To protect the stock market ?
” one staffer said last week in the halls of the Capitol .

Paul is the first US senator to test positive for the disease, and two members of the House of Representatives — Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, and Utah Democrat Ben McAdams — tested positive last week.
Paul was present at the US Capitol last week as the Senate has remained in session — in spite of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people avoid gathering in groups of 10 or larger. His staff began working remotely 10 days ago, a tweet from Paul's account said.
"He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time," the Paul statement said.
As recently as Sunday morning, Paul was working out at the gym, leaving Senate colleagues concerned they may have been exposed, according to Politico and the Washington Post.
On Wednesday, Paul was one of eight senators who voted against a $100 billion stimulus package, which provided free coronavirus testing as well as expanding unemployment and some sick leave. Paul argued the funding should be offset by cuts to other government spending.
Lawmakers are continuing to work on legislation that would provide aid to Americans as the outbreak has spiked unemployment claims and shuttered many small businesses.
In addition to the lawmakers who have tested positive for the disease, more than two dozen others are self-quarantining because they've come into contact with someone who has tested positive. Some congressional staffers have told BuzzFeed News they're concerned they could be exposed by coming to work.
“Why are we here? Why are we risking our health? To protect the stock market?” one staffer said last week in the halls of the Capitol.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-22--German Chancellor Angela Merkel Has Been Quarantined After Her Doctor Tested Positive For The Corona

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Has Been Quarantined After Her Doctor Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been quarantined after a doctor who gave her a vaccine tested positive for the coronavirus , her spokesperson said Sunday .
Steffen Seibert , her spokesperson , said Merkel got a pneumococcal infection vaccine on Friday as a precautionary measure .
On Sunday , she was informed that the doctor had tested positive for COVID-19 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will now undergo regular testing herself .
On Monday , Merkel 's spokesperson said her first test had come back negative .
Not long before Sunday 's announcement , Merkel , 65 , held a news conference to detail new restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus in Germany , including limiting public gatherings to two people .
As of Sunday evening local time , the results of Merkel 's test had not come back , the spokesperson said .
She would continue her official duties from quarantine at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monaco announced that Prince Albert II tested positive for COVID-19 , making him the first head of state to publicly announce he has the disease .
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have also been tested , and their results were negative .

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been quarantined after a doctor who gave her a vaccine tested positive for the coronavirus, her spokesperson said Sunday.
Steffen Seibert, her spokesperson, said Merkel got a pneumococcal infection vaccine on Friday as a precautionary measure. On Sunday, she was informed that the doctor had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and she will now undergo regular testing herself.
On Monday, Merkel's spokesperson said her first test had come back negative.
Not long before Sunday's announcement, Merkel, 65, held a news conference to detail new restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus in Germany, including limiting public gatherings to two people.
As of Sunday evening local time, the results of Merkel's test had not come back, the spokesperson said. She would continue her official duties from quarantine at home, he added.
On Thursday, Monaco announced that Prince Albert II tested positive for COVID-19, making him the first head of state to publicly announce he has the disease.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have also been tested, and their results were negative.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-22--Nearly 19 Million People In Four States Are Under New Stay-At-Home Orders Because Of The Coronavirus

Governors and local leaders are pleading with people to comply as almost every US state continues to see dramatic upticks in COVID-19 cases .
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Ohio , Louisiana , Delaware , and Philadelphia — home to roughly 18.8 million people — were the latest states and cities to order residents to stay home to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
On Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's mayor announced stricter restrictions , described as `` stay at home '' and `` stay home '' orders , as they attempt to control a rapid spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
`` By doing the # StayHome health order , we can convey the seriousness of this , '' tweeted Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine .
The Ohio order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday and will last for at least two weeks , and Philadelphia 's begins 8 a.m. Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will last until at least April 12 , while Delaware 's will begin 8 a.m. Tuesday .
The parameters for the new orders are in line with standards already imposed in other states , including Illinois and California .
They also carry the force of law and violations could be charged as crimes .
The orders ban people from gathering in groups and also require businesses to close unless they 're deemed essential , such as grocery stores , hospitals , and pharmacies .
Restaurants may stay open only to fulfill takeout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closure of all businesses except those considered `` life-sustaining , '' and Philadelphia 's new order on Sunday clarified some of those categories while also ordering people to stay home except to get groceries , care for family members , obtain medical attention , or other essential personal activities .
Outdoor activities , like walking or running , are still allowed , as long as people do n't congregate in crowds .
Governors and local leaders across the US have been pleading with people to comply as cases in almost every state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnoses .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards retweeted a report that said that his state now has the third-highest number of cases across the US .
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney simplified and amplified the message in a single tweet :

The parameters for the new orders are in line with standards already imposed in other states, including Illinois and California. They also carry the force of law and violations could be charged as crimes.
The orders ban people from gathering in groups and also require businesses to close unless they're deemed essential, such as grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies. Restaurants may stay open only to fulfill takeout and delivery orders.
Pennsylvania previously ordered the closure of all businesses except those considered "life-sustaining," and Philadelphia's new order on Sunday clarified some of those categories while also ordering people to stay home except to get groceries, care for family members, obtain medical attention, or other essential personal activities.
Outdoor activities, like walking or running, are still allowed, as long as people don't congregate in crowds.
Governors and local leaders across the US have been pleading with people to comply as cases in almost every state continue to see dramatic upticks in COVID-19 diagnoses. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards retweeted a report that said that his state now has the third-highest number of cases across the US.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney simplified and amplified the message in a single tweet:


buzzfeednews--2020-03-22--The Tokyo Olympics Could Be Postponed Due To The Coronavirus Pandemic

Postponement is now one of a number of scenarios under consideration — but the IOC said it is not canceling the Tokyo Olympics .
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The International Olympic Committee acknowledged for the first time Sunday that it may need to postpone the summer games , scheduled to bring 15,000 athletes from around the world to Tokyo in July , due to the ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Executive Board announced Sunday that it `` will step up its scenario-planning for the Olympic Games '' in Tokyo this summer due to the rapidly escalating global crisis surrounding COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
As of Sunday , more than 300,000 cases were reported worldwide , more than 14,000 people had died , and a growing number of governments were grappling with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders .
In a press release , the IOC said it is asking for cooperation from Tokyo 's organizing committee , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of high-stakes contracts , brand sponsorships , and stakeholders to `` start detailed discussions ... including the scenario of postponement . ''
The committee , however , has completely taken canceling the global event entirely off the table .
`` A cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody , '' the release stated .
`` Therefore , cancellation is not on the agenda . ''
While the IOC detailed all of the complicated , unknown circumstances it 's working with , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` step up scenario-planning '' it will be taking .
When BuzzFeed News reached its media relations team to ask , a representative referred back to its press release .
Its announcement does lay out the different scenarios it 's currently working to address .
`` On the one hand , there are significant improvements in Japan where the people are warmly welcoming the Olympic flame , '' it read .
`` This could strengthen the IOC ’ s confidence in the Japanese hosts that the IOC could , with certain safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country whilst respecting its principle of safeguarding the health of everyone involved . ''
`` On the other hand , there is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents , '' it went on .
`` This led the EB to the conclusion that the IOC needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning . ''
The committee said it is confident it will come to a consensus in the next four weeks .
Sunday 's announcement comes as groups of athletes have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect health and safety — not just of competitors , but also coaches , staff , and volunteers .
`` Our world class swimmers are always willing to race anyone , anytime , and anywhere ; however pressing forward amidst the global health crisis this summer is not the answer , '' USA Swimming said in a letter to the US Olympic Committee .
A letter from USA Track & Field also pointed out the pandemic is affecting athletes ' abilities to train .
A number of US cities and states have ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to slow the spread of the virus .
`` As we have learned , our athletes are under tremendous pressure , stress and anxiety , and their mental health and wellness is among our highest priorities , '' the letter said .

The International Olympic Committee acknowledged for the first time Sunday that it may need to postpone the summer games, scheduled to bring 15,000 athletes from around the world to Tokyo in July, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee's Executive Board announced Sunday that it "will step up its scenario-planning for the Olympic Games" in Tokyo this summer due to the rapidly escalating global crisis surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As of Sunday, more than 300,000 cases were reported worldwide, more than 14,000 people had died, and a growing number of governments were grappling with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders.
In a press release, the IOC said it is asking for cooperation from Tokyo's organizing committee, the Japanese government, as well as a list of high-stakes contracts, brand sponsorships, and stakeholders to "start detailed discussions ... including the scenario of postponement."
The committee, however, has completely taken canceling the global event entirely off the table.
"A cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody," the release stated. "Therefore, cancellation is not on the agenda."


buzzfeednews--2020-05-08--Trump’s Health Secretary Says Workers’ Home Lives, Not Working Conditions, Are Responsible For Coron

Trump’s Health Secretary Says Workers’ Home Lives, Not Working Conditions, Are Responsible For Coronavirus Outbreaks In Meatpacking Plants

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 .
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar blamed a rash of COVID-19 cases in meatpacking plants on workers ’ personal living habits , suggesting they were contracting the disease in their communities and bringing the disease to the plant .
During a call with congressional lawmakers , the top health official expressed the need to keep plants open amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Politico .
The call was about rural hospitals but veered into the Trump administration ’ s oversight of workplaces deemed essential .
“ Azar attempted to make the case that meat processing plants should be kept open and that workers are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection in their ‘ home and social ’ environments rather than on the job , ” said Democratic Rep. Ann Kuster .
Kuster said the administration ’ s approach to handling COVID-19 outbreaks in essential workplaces “ deeply troubling.
” Azar ’ s comments align with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As meat processing plants have become coronavirus hot spots , the industry has assigned blame to the living conditions of workers , not failures in workplace safety .
When the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota became one of the largest known coronavirus clusters in the country , with over 700 people infected , the company blamed “ living circumstances in certain cultures are different than they are with your traditional American family.
” The company said many of the infected workers lived in the same building and apartment .
Conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inform or protect employees in the period immediately after the first case of infection was discovered .
Meatpacking industry workers are disproportionately people of color , immigrants , and people in low-income families .
More than 44 % of the industry is Hispanic and 25 % is black , according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research .
“ President Trump and his Administration are giving more value to a piece of meat than the lives of American workers and their children , ” Rep. Tony Cardenás , the chair of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News in a statement on Friday .
“ Once again President Trump is ignoring science and the truth .
He wants to give immunity to large food corporations and require hard-working people , some U.S. citizens , and some undocumented , to risk their lives .
This is wrong , this is criminal.
” The issue , given its intersection of rights for workers and for people of color in the middle of a public health crisis , will factor into this year ’ s presidential campaign .
Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the general election , focused on the meatpackers Monday during a forum with the League of United Latin American Citizens , or LULAC .
“ It ’ s always been dangerous , ” Biden said of the work .
“ It ’ s always been underpaid .
And now add that to the extreme threat of COVID-19 made all the worse by fear that workers are living with every single day .
They ’ re afraid to go to work , because what happens if they get ill , what happens if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afraid to stay home because of what it means for their livelihood .
… They ’ re afraid to come home after work , because of what they might be bringing back and spread to people they love and adore .
They ’ re afraid to seek proper medical care , because what if it meant that their immigration status is in jeopardy and be changed ?
” On Friday , a Biden campaign spokesperson characterized Azar ’ s comments to lawmakers as an extension of an inadequate Trump administration response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments are part and parcel of Trump and his administration 's refusal to take responsibility for their abject failure on the coronavirus — a failure that has left over 75,000 Americans dead , with over a million more infected , and 33 million workers newly jobless , ” the spokesperson , Mike Gwin , said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ Essential workers , like those in meat processing plants — along with health care workers and first responders — desperately need life-saving personal protective equipment , not more excuses from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them the supplies they need to battle this virus.
” Over 10,000 positive coronavirus tests have been linked to at least 170 meat processing plants across the country .
Azar ’ s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar blamed a rash of COVID-19 cases in meatpacking plants on workers’ personal living habits, suggesting they were contracting the disease in their communities and bringing the disease to the plant.
During a call with congressional lawmakers, the top health official expressed the need to keep plants open amid the coronavirus. His comments were first reported by Politico.
The call was about rural hospitals but veered into the Trump administration’s oversight of workplaces deemed essential. “Azar attempted to make the case that meat processing plants should be kept open and that workers are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection in their ‘home and social’ environments rather than on the job,” said Democratic Rep. Ann Kuster.
Kuster said the administration’s approach to handling COVID-19 outbreaks in essential workplaces “deeply troubling.”
Azar’s comments align with the stance of the meatpacking industry. As meat processing plants have become coronavirus hot spots, the industry has assigned blame to the living conditions of workers, not failures in workplace safety.
When the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota became one of the largest known coronavirus clusters in the country, with over 700 people infected, the company blamed “living circumstances in certain cultures are different than they are with your traditional American family.”
The company said many of the infected workers lived in the same building and apartment. Conversations with workers revealed Smithfield did little to inform or protect employees in the period immediately after the first case of infection was discovered.
Meatpacking industry workers are disproportionately people of color, immigrants, and people in low-income families. More than 44% of the industry is Hispanic and 25% is black, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
“President Trump and his Administration are giving more value to a piece of meat than the lives of American workers and their children,” Rep. Tony Cardenás, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' fundraising arm, told BuzzFeed News in a statement on Friday. “Once again President Trump is ignoring science and the truth. He wants to give immunity to large food corporations and require hard-working people, some U.S. citizens, and some undocumented, to risk their lives. This is wrong, this is criminal.”
The issue, given its intersection of rights for workers and for people of color in the middle of a public health crisis, will factor into this year’s presidential campaign. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee to face Trump in the general election, focused on the meatpackers Monday during a forum with the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC.
“It’s always been dangerous,” Biden said of the work. “It’s always been underpaid. And now add that to the extreme threat of COVID-19 made all the worse by fear that workers are living with every single day. They’re afraid to go to work, because what happens if they get ill, what happens if they get COVID-19? They’re afraid to stay home because of what it means for their livelihood. … They’re afraid to come home after work, because of what they might be bringing back and spread to people they love and adore. They’re afraid to seek proper medical care, because what if it meant that their immigration status is in jeopardy and be changed?”
On Friday, a Biden campaign spokesperson characterized Azar’s comments to lawmakers as an extension of an inadequate Trump administration response to the coronavirus crisis.
"Secretary Azar's comments are part and parcel of Trump and his administration's refusal to take responsibility for their abject failure on the coronavirus — a failure that has left over 75,000 Americans dead, with over a million more infected, and 33 million workers newly jobless,” the spokesperson, Mike Gwin, said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “Essential workers, like those in meat processing plants — along with health care workers and first responders — desperately need life-saving personal protective equipment, not more excuses from Trump about why he hasn't gotten them the supplies they need to battle this virus.”
Over 10,000 positive coronavirus tests have been linked to at least 170 meat processing plants across the country.
Azar’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-07--The "Plandemic" Video Has Exploded Online — And It Is Filled With Falsehoods

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 .
`` The Plandemic , '' a video made to look like a professional news interview but in reality peddling long-debunked falsehoods about the coronavirus has spread widely on social media since May 4 .
The video features a woman , Judy Mikovits , who claims to have worked with Dr. Anthony Fauci , the immunologist at the helm of the National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , as the fate of nations hang in the balance , Dr. Mikovits is naming names of those behind the plague of corruption that places all human life in danger , ” says the narrator of the 30-minute video , in which Mikovits falsely claims that masks can make wearers sick , that sand from the beach can build up coronavirus immunity , and that as-yet-uninvented vaccines for the virus that has killed at least 75,000 people in the US are dangerous .
Mikovits has long been a figure in anti-vaccination communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself into the COVID-19 pandemic narrative since late March , according to data from social media tracking tool BuzzSumo , with her breakout moment coming on May 6 , two days after the video was initially published to Vimeo and YouTube .
On Thursday , Facebook , YouTube , and Vimeo all said they are removing the video from their platforms .
But the video ’ s spread has been swift .
Aside from the video platforms , it could be found on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and even LinkedIn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The Plandemic '' deftly weaves together several strands of rumors that have circulated since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak , doing so with high production values and a sheen of unearned authority .
It 's not the first piece of viral content made by the man who produced it , Mikki Willis , who received media coverage in 2015 for buying his son an Ariel doll as a birthday present .
In March 2019 , Fox News covered his upcoming documentary about Nicholas Sandmann , the student at the center of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mikovits herself is no stranger to accusations of false claims .
In 2009 , she published a study in Science on chronic fatigue syndrome that had to be retracted because it could not be replicated .
She was fired from her job at the Whittemore Peterson Institute and brought up on criminal charges of theft of property and computer data , which were dropped in 2012 .
That appears to be when Mikovits began to make unsubstantiated claims about Dr. Fauci .
In 2014 , she wrote a book in which she claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NIH premises , which he categorically denied to fact-checking site Snopes .
“ I have no idea what she is talking about , ” Dr. Fauci told Snopes in 2018 .
Despite this past , Mikovits presents herself as a credible figure in the professionally filmed video .
Unlike other conspiracy theorists , who can shout or ramble , Mikovits is composed and speaks calmly .
Her air of reasonable cadence is bolstered by selective clips from news reports and an interviewer who appears curious and sympathetic .
And that effort has paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science is now a bestseller on Amazon .
Her profile has grown in recent days , despite efforts by platforms to stop the video from spreading .
“ We quickly remove flagged content that violates our Community Guidelines , including content that includes medically unsubstantiated diagnostic advice for COVID-19 , ” a YouTube spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ From the very beginning of the pandemic , we ’ ve had clear policies against COVID-19 misinformation and are committed to continue providing timely and helpful information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video platform that also hosted copies of the video , also removed it from its website on May 7 .
“ Vimeo stands firm in keeping our platform safe from content that spreads harmful and misleading health information .
The video in question has been removed by our Trust & Safety team for violating these very policies .
We are constantly monitoring and will continue to remove any similar videos uploaded , ” a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
But Facebook groups were and continue to be the main vector for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of the Plandemic video receiving nearly 4 million likes , shares , and comments , according to data from social media monitoring service BuzzSumo .
A Facebook spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the site was removing copies of the video .
`` Suggesting that wearing a mask can make you sick could lead to imminent harm , so we 're removing the video , '' the spokesperson said .
But as the video has been taken down , other copies have been uploaded to YouTube , Vimeo , and fringe video sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take hold , however false : that a whistleblower is being censored .
“ Once a video gets taken down , there ’ s a secondary appeal , ” Renee DiResta , research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory , told BuzzFeed News .
“ You see this a lot in crisis situations , where there ’ s a morbid curiosity audience and where they think they are fighting an anti-censorship battle.
” DiResta has been watching the false narrative bubble since April , witnessing it finally boil over in the last few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said its spread could be attributed to groups that deny vaccine science , falsely believe cellular technology can spread the virus , and support reopen protests across the country — and to one more ingredient : “ She ’ s going to be framed as a whistleblower , '' said DiResta , `` and that ’ s because the whistleblower narrative really works .
”

"The Plandemic," a video made to look like a professional news interview but in reality peddling long-debunked falsehoods about the coronavirus has spread widely on social media since May 4. The video features a woman, Judy Mikovits, who claims to have worked with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the immunologist at the helm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“Now, as the fate of nations hang in the balance, Dr. Mikovits is naming names of those behind the plague of corruption that places all human life in danger,” says the narrator of the 30-minute video, in which Mikovits falsely claims that masks can make wearers sick, that sand from the beach can build up coronavirus immunity, and that as-yet-uninvented vaccines for the virus that has killed at least 75,000 people in the US are dangerous.
Mikovits has long been a figure in anti-vaccination communities, and has been attempting to insert herself into the COVID-19 pandemic narrative since late March, according to data from social media tracking tool BuzzSumo, with her breakout moment coming on May 6, two days after the video was initially published to Vimeo and YouTube.
On Thursday, Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo all said they are removing the video from their platforms.
But the video’s spread has been swift. Aside from the video platforms, it could be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even LinkedIn.
Produced by a company called Elevate, "The Plandemic" deftly weaves together several strands of rumors that have circulated since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, doing so with high production values and a sheen of unearned authority. It's not the first piece of viral content made by the man who produced it, Mikki Willis, who received media coverage in 2015 for buying his son an Ariel doll as a birthday present. In March 2019, Fox News covered his upcoming documentary about Nicholas Sandmann, the student at the center of the Covington Catholic High School controversy.
Mikovits herself is no stranger to accusations of false claims. In 2009, she published a study in Science on chronic fatigue syndrome that had to be retracted because it could not be replicated. She was fired from her job at the Whittemore Peterson Institute and brought up on criminal charges of theft of property and computer data, which were dropped in 2012.
That appears to be when Mikovits began to make unsubstantiated claims about Dr. Fauci. In 2014, she wrote a book in which she claimed that he personally barred her from the NIH premises, which he categorically denied to fact-checking site Snopes.
“I have no idea what she is talking about,” Dr. Fauci told Snopes in 2018.
Despite this past, Mikovits presents herself as a credible figure in the professionally filmed video. Unlike other conspiracy theorists, who can shout or ramble, Mikovits is composed and speaks calmly. Her air of reasonable cadence is bolstered by selective clips from news reports and an interviewer who appears curious and sympathetic.
And that effort has paid off: Her book Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science is now a bestseller on Amazon. Her profile has grown in recent days, despite efforts by platforms to stop the video from spreading.
“We quickly remove flagged content that violates our Community Guidelines, including content that includes medically unsubstantiated diagnostic advice for COVID-19,” a YouTube spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “From the very beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had clear policies against COVID-19 misinformation and are committed to continue providing timely and helpful information at this critical time.”
Vimeo, a video platform that also hosted copies of the video, also removed it from its website on May 7. “Vimeo stands firm in keeping our platform safe from content that spreads harmful and misleading health information. The video in question has been removed by our Trust & Safety team for violating these very policies. We are constantly monitoring and will continue to remove any similar videos uploaded,” a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.
But Facebook groups were and continue to be the main vector for the inaccurate information to spread, with one version of the Plandemic video receiving nearly 4 million likes, shares, and comments, according to data from social media monitoring service BuzzSumo.
A Facebook spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the site was removing copies of the video. "Suggesting that wearing a mask can make you sick could lead to imminent harm, so we're removing the video," the spokesperson said.
But as the video has been taken down, other copies have been uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, and fringe video sites, allowing for a subsidiary narrative to take hold, however false: that a whistleblower is being censored.
“Once a video gets taken down, there’s a secondary appeal,” Renee DiResta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, told BuzzFeed News. “You see this a lot in crisis situations, where there’s a morbid curiosity audience and where they think they are fighting an anti-censorship battle.”
DiResta has been watching the false narrative bubble since April, witnessing it finally boil over in the last few days with the "Plandemic" video. She said its spread could be attributed to groups that deny vaccine science, falsely believe cellular technology can spread the virus, and support reopen protests across the country — and to one more ingredient:
“She’s going to be framed as a whistleblower," said DiResta, "and that’s because the whistleblower narrative really works.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-09--Many Inmates Fear Coronavirus Is The New Death Penalty

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 At least 95 inmates and 39 staff workers have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , at Stateville Correctional Center , 40 miles southwest of Chicago , where McDowell is serving a 103-year sentence .
Two have died .
The National Guard is building a field hospital on prison grounds as more inmates test positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates pounded on their bars as a prisoner lay dead in his cell for what McDowell said was at least four hours .
Back when he was convicted of a 1996 murder he said he didn ’ t commit , Antonio McDowell escaped the death penalty .
Now , 23 years into his sentence — as evidence of his innocence mounts but so does the toll of an autoimmune disease that has ravaged his lungs — he ’ s not so sure he can dodge it again .
McDowell has served 23 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did n't commit .
He 's now in a prison with a COVID-19 outbreak and suffers from a lung disease that doctors say could complicate his health if he were to contract the disease .
Nearly 1.3 million inmates in state prisons don ’ t have the ability to socially distance or easy access to handwashing and other sanitary measures known to slow the spread of the virus , according to health experts .
So prosecutors , defense attorneys , and judges nationwide are scrambling to review thousands of cases to screen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public risks , are nearing the end of their sentences , and are suffering from underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 .
The virus has shuttered courts across the country , bringing the appeals of McDowell and thousands of other inmates who insist on their innocence to a stop , adding yet another frustration .
McDowell has yet another concern : He was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called sarcoidosis , in which tiny clusters of inflammatory cells collect most commonly in the lungs and lymph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him that he has scar tissue that limits his ability to expand his lungs .
Dr. Peter Sporn , a professor at Northwestern Medicine , said those suffering from sarcoidosis are “ likely to be at greater risk of severe complications ” from COVID-19 .
“ The best practices that we 've traditionally used in jails and prisons and detention centers to control infectious disease outbreaks are not enough , ” said Dr. Scott Allen , cofounder and director of the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights .
“ The way this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close quarters are at very high risk to spread it through a population of people , very quickly.
” Unlike jails , where most detainees are still awaiting trial or sentencing , those in prison have already been convicted .
Defense attorneys and inmate advocates across the country have flooded the offices of prosecutors and the inboxes of governors , seeking early release for inmates as the virus spreads .
In some places the public health crisis has pushed an issue prison advocates have been pleading for years : decarceration , particularly for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear used his executive power to commute the sentences of 186 people convicted of felonies and announced plans to release 743 people who are within six months of completing their sentences .
In Illinois , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker Monday issued an order allowing medical furloughs for prisoners .
Meanwhile , in Chicago , a spokesperson for the city ’ s lead prosecutor , Kim Foxx , said her office “ is urgently and thoroughly reviewing matters on a case-by-case basis.
” One of the cases under review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s one of more than 50 people who claim that retired Chicago detective Reynaldo Guevara framed them for murder .
A 2017 BuzzFeed News investigation found witnesses who said he pressured them into identifying his chosen suspect in lineups and dozens of inmates who claim he beat them into giving false confessions .
Guevara arrested McDowell in July 1997 for the murder of a man seven months earlier .
McDowell didn ’ t fit the original descriptions of the killer , nor did police have any physical evidence .
McDowell said the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that he had been shot days earlier and police asked him to look at photo lineups .
When McDowell refused to identify Guevara ’ s chosen suspect , the detective placed him in a lineup for the cold case murder .
McDowell argues that Guevara retaliated against him for refusing to pick the suspect the detective wanted .
An alibi witness maintains that McDowell was with him shopping at a mall across town at the time of the murder .
McDowell ’ s attorneys say they see echoes of other cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ ve also found that not all evidence was turned over to the defense .
Withholding evidence that could be beneficial to the defendant is against the law .
For that reason alone , his attorneys argue , McDowell is at least entitled to a new trial .
The Illinois Appellate Court has called Guevara ’ s work “ alarming ” and a Cook County criminal court judge said the detective told “ bald-faced lies.
” Yet of the 58 people who told BuzzFeed News that Guevara framed them , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one , Alfredo Gonzalez , a 62-year-old inmate at Stateville prison , has tested positive for the coronavirus .
His co-defendant in the crime , Jose Maysonet , has been exonerated .
“ We are pleading with the State 's Attorney 's Office to please take urgent action for those Guevara victims , ” said Anand Swaminathan , one of McDowell ’ s attorneys .
“ Based on everything the State 's Attorney 's Office knows about detective Guevara , there are cases where the convictions could and should be thrown out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent action is taken , these wrongful convictions will become death sentences.
” Twenty men who have accused Guevara of misconduct have had their convictions tossed .
Foxx ’ s office has vacated 11 of those 20 and has established a task force to review the remaining cases .

Nearly 1.3 million inmates in state prisons don’t have the ability to socially distance or easy access to handwashing and other sanitary measures known to slow the spread of the virus, according to health experts. So prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges nationwide are scrambling to review thousands of cases to screen for inmates who aren’t deemed public risks, are nearing the end of their sentences, and are suffering from underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of dying from COVID-19. The virus has shuttered courts across the country, bringing the appeals of McDowell and thousands of other inmates who insist on their innocence to a stop, adding yet another frustration.
McDowell has yet another concern: He was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called sarcoidosis, in which tiny clusters of inflammatory cells collect most commonly in the lungs and lymph nodes. McDowell said doctors have told him that he has scar tissue that limits his ability to expand his lungs.
Dr. Peter Sporn, a professor at Northwestern Medicine, said those suffering from sarcoidosis are “likely to be at greater risk of severe complications” from COVID-19.
“The best practices that we've traditionally used in jails and prisons and detention centers to control infectious disease outbreaks are not enough,” said Dr. Scott Allen, cofounder and director of the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights. “The way this virus is spreading, people living in close quarters are at very high risk to spread it through a population of people, very quickly.”
Unlike jails, where most detainees are still awaiting trial or sentencing, those in prison have already been convicted.
Defense attorneys and inmate advocates across the country have flooded the offices of prosecutors and the inboxes of governors, seeking early release for inmates as the virus spreads.
In some places the public health crisis has pushed an issue prison advocates have been pleading for years: decarceration, particularly for sick, elderly, and nonviolent inmates. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear used his executive power to commute the sentences of 186 people convicted of felonies and announced plans to release 743 people who are within six months of completing their sentences. In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker Monday issued an order allowing medical furloughs for prisoners.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, a spokesperson for the city’s lead prosecutor, Kim Foxx, said her office “is urgently and thoroughly reviewing matters on a case-by-case basis.” One of the cases under review is McDowell’s.
He’s one of more than 50 people who claim that retired Chicago detective Reynaldo Guevara framed them for murder. A 2017 BuzzFeed News investigation found witnesses who said he pressured them into identifying his chosen suspect in lineups and dozens of inmates who claim he beat them into giving false confessions.
Guevara arrested McDowell in July 1997 for the murder of a man seven months earlier. McDowell didn’t fit the original descriptions of the killer, nor did police have any physical evidence. McDowell said the only reason he was in the police station was that he had been shot days earlier and police asked him to look at photo lineups. When McDowell refused to identify Guevara’s chosen suspect, the detective placed him in a lineup for the cold case murder. McDowell argues that Guevara retaliated against him for refusing to pick the suspect the detective wanted. An alibi witness maintains that McDowell was with him shopping at a mall across town at the time of the murder.
McDowell’s attorneys say they see echoes of other cases in which Guevara has been accused of misconduct. They’ve also found that not all evidence was turned over to the defense. Withholding evidence that could be beneficial to the defendant is against the law. For that reason alone, his attorneys argue, McDowell is at least entitled to a new trial.
The Illinois Appellate Court has called Guevara’s work “alarming” and a Cook County criminal court judge said the detective told “bald-faced lies.” Yet of the 58 people who told BuzzFeed News that Guevara framed them, at least 14 remain behind bars. At least one, Alfredo Gonzalez, a 62-year-old inmate at Stateville prison, has tested positive for the coronavirus. His co-defendant in the crime, Jose Maysonet, has been exonerated.
“We are pleading with the State's Attorney's Office to please take urgent action for those Guevara victims,” said Anand Swaminathan, one of McDowell’s attorneys. “Based on everything the State's Attorney's Office knows about detective Guevara, there are cases where the convictions could and should be thrown out immediately. We are afraid that unless urgent action is taken, these wrongful convictions will become death sentences.”
Twenty men who have accused Guevara of misconduct have had their convictions tossed. Foxx’s office has vacated 11 of those 20 and has established a task force to review the remaining cases.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--The Coronavirus Outbreak Is Now Officially A Pandemic, WHO Says

The pandemic pronouncement comes less than three months after the Dec. 31 notification of the organization by Chinese authorities of a new virus in Wuhan , China , affecting dozens of people and tied to a seafood market selling wild game .
`` 'Pandemic ' is not a word to be used lightly , '' said Tedros , at a briefing in Geneva , Switzerland .
`` All countries can still change the course of this pandemic . ''
Citing `` alarming inaction '' by some countries with growing coronavirus cases , World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic — meaning it is spreading outside containment measures in multiple countries worldwide .
Identified as a new coronavirus genetically related to 2003 ’ s SARS virus , but more easily transmitted and with a dangerous serious case fatality rate of 2 % to 4 % , it has now spread to more than 100 nations and more than 118,000 cases .
Experts project that 40 % to 70 % of humanity — that 's 3 billion to 5.5 billion people — might eventually become infected by the virus because of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunity to the novel pathogen .
In Italy and Iran , Tedros warned the situation was very serious , with patients filling intensive care wards , and shortages of ventilators , protective equipment , and medical staff .
He pointed to the successful bottling up of outbreaks in China , with more than 80,0000 cases , and South Korea , with more than 7,000 , as pointing to the possibility of constraining the epidemic in countries worldwide .
Italy 's Prime Minister announced on Monday that coronavirus lockdown measures were being extended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be restricted to reasons of work , health , and emergencies , until April 3. WHO had long resisted calling the coronavirus epidemic a pandemic , fearing that it would halt efforts at containing outbreaks in nations with weak public health services .
The designation doesn ’ t free up any funds or create any obligations on United Nations member states .
`` I think that it was a pandemic before now , '' coronavirus expert Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa told BuzzFeed News , in reaction to the declaration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2009 , 1968 , and 1957 , when new strains of flu circled the world in a few months .
`` This is a characterization of a situation , it is not a trigger for anything other than more aggressive and intense action , '' said WHO 's Mike Ryan , calling for countries with limited numbers of cases to strengthen containment of the outbreak .
`` It is a call to not give up . ''

Identified as a new coronavirus genetically related to 2003’s SARS virus, but more easily transmitted and with a dangerous serious case fatality rate of 2% to 4%, it has now spread to more than 100 nations and more than 118,000 cases. Experts project that 40% to 70% of humanity — that's 3 billion to 5.5 billion people — might eventually become infected by the virus because of a lack of both a vaccine or innate immunity to the novel pathogen.
In Italy and Iran, Tedros warned the situation was very serious, with patients filling intensive care wards, and shortages of ventilators, protective equipment, and medical staff. He pointed to the successful bottling up of outbreaks in China, with more than 80,0000 cases, and South Korea, with more than 7,000, as pointing to the possibility of constraining the epidemic in countries worldwide. Italy's Prime Minister announced on Monday that coronavirus lockdown measures were being extended to the entire country, with travel to be restricted to reasons of work, health, and emergencies, until April 3.
WHO had long resisted calling the coronavirus epidemic a pandemic, fearing that it would halt efforts at containing outbreaks in nations with weak public health services. The designation doesn’t free up any funds or create any obligations on United Nations member states.
"I think that it was a pandemic before now," coronavirus expert Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa told BuzzFeed News, in reaction to the declaration. Past pandemics for influenza had been declared in 2009, 1968, and 1957, when new strains of flu circled the world in a few months.
"This is a characterization of a situation, it is not a trigger for anything other than more aggressive and intense action," said WHO's Mike Ryan, calling for countries with limited numbers of cases to strengthen containment of the outbreak. "It is a call to not give up."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--These Pictures Show How Life Goes On Despite The Coronavirus Outbreak

S ign up for the BuzzFeed News newsletter JPG for behind-the-scenes exclusives from renowned photographers and our hard-hitting photo stories @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases around the world soars to over 120,000 , with more than 4,300 deaths @ @ @ @ @ affected countries are taking precautions to protect themselves from infection .
`` Social distancing '' @ @ @ @ @ washing hands frequently and thoroughly are helping to curb the spread of disease , while @ @ @ @ @ globe are shifting from in-person meetings to telecommunicating .
In regions hit hardest by the @ @ @ @ @ and Wuhan , China , strict lockdown measures have been enacted to help mitigate the @ @ @ @ @ Handshakes and hugs have been replaced by elbow bumps and `` Wuhan shakes , '' @ @ @ @ @ ubiquitous despite their noted lack of effectiveness in protecting against the coronavirus .
These pictures @ @ @ @ @ globe are carrying on with their day-to-day lives amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak .

As the number of COVID-19 cases around the world soars to over 120,000, with more than 4,300 deaths on record, communities in affected countries are taking precautions to protect themselves from infection.
"Social distancing" and hygienic measures such as washing hands frequently and thoroughly are helping to curb the spread of disease, while schools and businesses across the globe are shifting from in-person meetings to telecommunicating. In regions hit hardest by the coronavirus, such as Italy and Wuhan, China, strict lockdown measures have been enacted to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Handshakes and hugs have been replaced by elbow bumps and "Wuhan shakes," and face masks have become ubiquitous despite their noted lack of effectiveness in protecting against the coronavirus.
These pictures show how people around the globe are carrying on with their day-to-day lives amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.