buzzfeednews--2020-04-18--The NLRB Is Looking Into Claims That Amazon Violated Employees' Rights During The Coronavirus Pandem

The NLRB Is Looking Into Claims That Amazon Violated Employees' Rights During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Former injured Amazon employees join labor organizers and community activists to demonstrate and hold a press conference outside of an Amazon Go store in the loop to express concerns about what they claim is the company 's `` alarming injury rate '' among warehouse workers in Chicago , Dec. 19 , 2019 .
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Employees in Chicago allege that instead of responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their warehouse after two workers tested positive for the coronavirus , Amazon instead retaliated against them .
The company , they charged , is going after labor leaders on the pretext that they violated new social distancing rules .
Workers in other places , including New York and Minnesota , have accused the company of similar tactics in recent weeks .
The labor board ’ s inquiry , which experts say is unusual , comes as Amazon is under national scrutiny for firing at least four employees who engaged in walkouts and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Federal labor regulators have indicated they will be watching Amazon after workers in Chicago filed charges against the company alleging it retaliated against them for participating in protests about working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic , according to public documents filed this week .
“ They ’ re just trying to pressure us and intimidate us so that we don ’ t try to do this type of activity again . ''
“ They ’ re just trying to pressure us and intimidate us so that we don ’ t try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Samir Quasir , an Amazon employee in Chicago who filed a charge with labor regulators this week alleging that the company retaliated against him after he participated in two protests and one walkout earlier this month .
His bosses , he said , alleged that he had violated 6 feet of social distancing , a rule he said he may have inadvertently violated , but that Amazon selectively enforces .
“ There ’ s a pattern here , ” he said .
“ I do feel targeted.
” Regarding these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment on individual employees , but said it “ respect [ s ] the rights of employees to protest and recognize their legal right to do so ; however , these rights do not provide blanket immunity against bad actions , particularly those that endanger the health , well-being or safety of their colleagues.
” The workers ’ allegations are part of an effort on behalf of workers in Amazon facilities across the country to push the country ’ s largest online retailer to offer higher wages and better working conditions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge with the labor board , and dozens of other complaints have been withdrawn by workers or dismissed by the board in the last decade .
In Chicago , the effort is being led by a group called DCH1 Amazonians United , one of whose members , Ted Miin , filed a charge February alleging that his manager had singled him out for distributing pamphlets about workers rights .
Such distribution is protected under federal laws that protect employees ’ right to discuss working conditions .
On Thursday , the labor board ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a written response that an Amazon manager had unlawfully interrogated Miin about his workplace organizing , but declined to punish Amazon because the incident was “ isolated in nature ” and “ because there have not been any meritorious charges against the Employer within the past several years.
” However , the regional director also said that he would consider levying punishments “ If a meritorious charge involving other unfair labor practices is filed against ” Amazon within the next six months .
Workers in Chicago are flooding the board with similar complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago have filed additional allegations of retaliation against Amazon with the National Labor Relations Board .
Among them is one from Quasir , who said he was called into a meeting with HR after participating in walkouts demanding improved coronavirus protections .
Quasir said he was asked to sign a written statement about the walkouts , which Quasir said he feared could be used against him .
After he refused , Amazon gave him a “ final written warning ” for allegedly violating 6-foot social distancing rules meant to protect employees from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verbal warning , and then a couple written warnings , and then a final written warning , and then they can terminate you after that .
But I never got a verbal warning , ” Quasir told BuzzFeed News .
“ [ It was ] straight to a final written warning.
” A second employee who requested anonymity out of fear of further retaliation said she was written up for entering the Amazon delivery station where she works without a badge when she and other protesters were delivering a petition to Amazon management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third employee also filed a charge of retaliation this week .
The labor board is in the process of investigating those charges , and two additional employees are planning to file new charges soon , sources told BuzzFeed News .
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 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Labor Relations Board , said the decision in Chicago is an unusual one , and a sign that the regional director there is “ leaving the door open that if there ’ s more conduct that occurs , that he would add this one in to other events to allege as unlawful.
” “ To a certain extent , he ’ s invited them to file more charges , ” Liebman said .
The Amazon employee terminations could be taken into account in the eventuality of a hearing before a labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the board ultimately has little power to actually punish a company of Amazon ’ s size should its behavior be determined to be unlawful .
“ All they can do is get a slap on the hand , ” she said .
As people on lockdown across the country turn to Amazon for household supplies and food while avoiding brick-and-mortar stores , Amazon 's sales have skyrocketed .
But employees say the company hasn ’ t done enough to protect them from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon to take better care of its employees , the company has scrambled to implement safety procedures including temperature checks and the distribution of face masks , and is experimenting with disinfectant fogging and even creating its own COVID-19 test .
On Friday Amazon Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Jay Carney told CNN that he doesn ’ t know how many Amazon employees have tested positive for COVID-19 .
But the Athena Coalition , an alliance of organizations focused on Amazon , claims employees at more than 75 Amazon facilities so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has declined to shutter the vast majority of these facilities for disinfection , and employees in New York , Chicago , and Michigan organized protests and walkouts in opposition to that decision .
At the end of March , Amazon fired Chris Smalls , a New York–based employee who the company said terminated for entering an Amazon facility in violation of company orders to self-quarantine .
Last week , the company fired Maren Costa and Emily Cunningham , two Seattle-based corporate employees and organizers of the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice group who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers demanding better protections from Amazon .
And an Amazon employee and workplace organizer in Minnesota , Bashir Mohamed , told BuzzFeed News on Monday that he ’ d been fired by Amazon after collecting signatures on a petition related to the coronavirus .
Amazon said at the time that it respects workers ' rights to voice their concerns and that all three of those employees were fired for violating company policies .
Though no Amazon employees in Chicago have been fired , members of DCH1 Amazonians United say they see a connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the targeting and retaliation they ’ re experiencing following the four walkouts they held , one of which was captured on video and involved a caravan of community members whose cars temporarily shut down the delivery station and ultimately were dispersed by police .
“ Management has been harassing and targeting individual DCH1 workers who participated in the four protest actions , ” the group said in a petition published Friday evening .
“ They are violating our rights , and are trying to intimidate us and bully us into submission.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees ' records and reinstate fired workers in other states .
DCH1 Amazonians United credits its protests and petitions for what it says are somewhat improved safety conditions at Amazon : Workers said they ’ re now provided with masks , their temperatures are checked before they start work , and while the building still hasn ’ t been closed for cleaning , the housekeeping crew has increased their efforts .
But they also said it ’ s difficult to adhere to 6-foot social distancing rules while rushing to move packages as fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who participated in the walkouts say those rules are being enforced selectively to target them .

“They’re just trying to pressure us and intimidate us so that we don’t try to do this type of activity again,” said Samir Quasir, an Amazon employee in Chicago who filed a charge with labor regulators this week alleging that the company retaliated against him after he participated in two protests and one walkout earlier this month. His bosses, he said, alleged that he had violated 6 feet of social distancing, a rule he said he may have inadvertently violated, but that Amazon selectively enforces. “There’s a pattern here,” he said. “I do feel targeted.”
Regarding these claims, a spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment on individual employees, but said it “respect[s] the rights of employees to protest and recognize their legal right to do so; however, these rights do not provide blanket immunity against bad actions, particularly those that endanger the health, well-being or safety of their colleagues.”
The workers’ allegations are part of an effort on behalf of workers in Amazon facilities across the country to push the country’s largest online retailer to offer higher wages and better working conditions. Amazon has previously settled at least one charge with the labor board, and dozens of other complaints have been withdrawn by workers or dismissed by the board in the last decade.
In Chicago, the effort is being led by a group called DCH1 Amazonians United, one of whose members, Ted Miin, filed a charge February alleging that his manager had singled him out for distributing pamphlets about workers rights. Such distribution is protected under federal laws that protect employees’ right to discuss working conditions.
On Thursday, the labor board’s regional director in Chicago announced in a written response that an Amazon manager had unlawfully interrogated Miin about his workplace organizing, but declined to punish Amazon because the incident was “isolated in nature” and “because there have not been any meritorious charges against the Employer within the past several years.”
However, the regional director also said that he would consider levying punishments “If a meritorious charge involving other unfair labor practices is filed against” Amazon within the next six months.
Workers in Chicago are flooding the board with similar complaints. Already this week, three employees in Chicago have filed additional allegations of retaliation against Amazon with the National Labor Relations Board.
Among them is one from Quasir, who said he was called into a meeting with HR after participating in walkouts demanding improved coronavirus protections. Quasir said he was asked to sign a written statement about the walkouts, which Quasir said he feared could be used against him. After he refused, Amazon gave him a “final written warning” for allegedly violating 6-foot social distancing rules meant to protect employees from infection.
“Usually you get a verbal warning, and then a couple written warnings, and then a final written warning, and then they can terminate you after that. But I never got a verbal warning,” Quasir told BuzzFeed News. “[It was] straight to a final written warning.”
A second employee who requested anonymity out of fear of further retaliation said she was written up for entering the Amazon delivery station where she works without a badge when she and other protesters were delivering a petition to Amazon management during one of the walkouts.
A third employee also filed a charge of retaliation this week. The labor board is in the process of investigating those charges, and two additional employees are planning to file new charges soon, sources told BuzzFeed News.
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).
Wilma Liebman, former chair of the National Labor Relations Board, said the decision in Chicago is an unusual one, and a sign that the regional director there is “leaving the door open that if there’s more conduct that occurs, that he would add this one in to other events to allege as unlawful.”
“To a certain extent, he’s invited them to file more charges,” Liebman said.
The Amazon employee terminations could be taken into account in the eventuality of a hearing before a labor board judge, Liebman said, but the board ultimately has little power to actually punish a company of Amazon’s size should its behavior be determined to be unlawful. “All they can do is get a slap on the hand,” she said.
As people on lockdown across the country turn to Amazon for household supplies and food while avoiding brick-and-mortar stores, Amazon's sales have skyrocketed. But employees say the company hasn’t done enough to protect them from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As lawmakers and labor groups have called for Amazon to take better care of its employees, the company has scrambled to implement safety procedures including temperature checks and the distribution of face masks, and is experimenting with disinfectant fogging and even creating its own COVID-19 test.
On Friday Amazon Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Jay Carney told CNN that he doesn’t know how many Amazon employees have tested positive for COVID-19. But the Athena Coalition, an alliance of organizations focused on Amazon, claims employees at more than 75 Amazon facilities so far have tested positive for COVID-19. Amazon has declined to shutter the vast majority of these facilities for disinfection, and employees in New York, Chicago, and Michigan organized protests and walkouts in opposition to that decision.
At the end of March, Amazon fired Chris Smalls, a New York–based employee who the company said terminated for entering an Amazon facility in violation of company orders to self-quarantine. Last week, the company fired Maren Costa and Emily Cunningham, two Seattle-based corporate employees and organizers of the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice group who had spoken out in support of warehouse workers demanding better protections from Amazon. And an Amazon employee and workplace organizer in Minnesota, Bashir Mohamed, told BuzzFeed News on Monday that he’d been fired by Amazon after collecting signatures on a petition related to the coronavirus. Amazon said at the time that it respects workers' rights to voice their concerns and that all three of those employees were fired for violating company policies.
Though no Amazon employees in Chicago have been fired, members of DCH1 Amazonians United say they see a connection between the terminations at other facilities and the targeting and retaliation they’re experiencing following the four walkouts they held, one of which was captured on video and involved a caravan of community members whose cars temporarily shut down the delivery station and ultimately were dispersed by police.
“Management has been harassing and targeting individual DCH1 workers who participated in the four protest actions,” the group said in a petition published Friday evening. “They are violating our rights, and are trying to intimidate us and bully us into submission.” The group is demanding Amazon clear the involved employees' records and reinstate fired workers in other states.
DCH1 Amazonians United credits its protests and petitions for what it says are somewhat improved safety conditions at Amazon: Workers said they’re now provided with masks, their temperatures are checked before they start work, and while the building still hasn’t been closed for cleaning, the housekeeping crew has increased their efforts.
But they also said it’s difficult to adhere to 6-foot social distancing rules while rushing to move packages as fast as Amazon expects them to, and workers who participated in the walkouts say those rules are being enforced selectively to target them.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-23--Last Year She Had A Big Party For Her Sweet 16. This Year On Her Birthday Her Dad Died Of The Corona

Last Year She Had A Big Party For Her Sweet 16. This Year On Her Birthday Her Dad Died Of The Coronavirus.

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Last year , Kimberly Vega threw a big bash to celebrate her Sweet 16 birthday .
She hung out with her friends and danced with her dad .
At one point , she recalled , she and her father got emotional while on the dance floor , teared up , and then immediately proceeded to laugh and make fun of each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , she said , her father drove a bunch of her friends home .
This year on her April 14 birthday , Kimberly Vega said goodbye to her father who died as a result of the coronavirus .
He was 52 .
Jesus Vega had been in the hospital since March 28 suffering from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Jesus Vega moved to Queens , New York , from Colombia with his family when he was 4 years old .
He spent his life in Queens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus first got sick on March 21 .
He initially stayed at home , isolating himself in the family ’ s small apartment .
Kimberly told BuzzFeed News that she , her sister Emily , and her mother , Marly , slept in the bedroom while her father slept on the sofa .
He would cough all night , Kimberly said , recalling how the noise would wake her up at night .
After isolating for seven days , his family convinced him to go to an urgent care facility .
There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was too weak to walk there .
The family got into an Uber for the three blocks to the medical facility .
Kimberly said a doctor examined her father , took an X-ray of his chest , determined that he had pneumonia , and told him he must go to the emergency room .
Jesus was then admitted to Long Island Jewish Medical Center , where he tested positive for COVID-19 , his family told BuzzFeed News .
For the first few days in the hospital , Kimberly said she could speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but when he required intubation , he had to be sedated and could no longer communicate .
“ The last time I talked to him , we could n't hear each other very well , ” Kimberly said , adding that the last thing her father told her before hanging up was “ I love you , Kim .
Bye.
” Kimberly said she didn ’ t have time to say it back .

Last year, Kimberly Vega threw a big bash to celebrate her Sweet 16 birthday.
She hung out with her friends and danced with her dad. At one point, she recalled, she and her father got emotional while on the dance floor, teared up, and then immediately proceeded to laugh and make fun of each other for crying.
When the party was over, she said, her father drove a bunch of her friends home.
This year on her April 14 birthday, Kimberly Vega said goodbye to her father who died as a result of the coronavirus. He was 52.
Jesus Vega had been in the hospital since March 28 suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Jesus Vega moved to Queens, New York, from Colombia with his family when he was 4 years old. He spent his life in Queens, eventually raising his own family there.
Jesus first got sick on March 21. He initially stayed at home, isolating himself in the family’s small apartment. Kimberly told BuzzFeed News that she, her sister Emily, and her mother, Marly, slept in the bedroom while her father slept on the sofa.
He would cough all night, Kimberly said, recalling how the noise would wake her up at night.
After isolating for seven days, his family convinced him to go to an urgent care facility. There was one nearby, Kimberly said, but he was too weak to walk there. The family got into an Uber for the three blocks to the medical facility.
Kimberly said a doctor examined her father, took an X-ray of his chest, determined that he had pneumonia, and told him he must go to the emergency room. Jesus was then admitted to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, where he tested positive for COVID-19, his family told BuzzFeed News.
For the first few days in the hospital, Kimberly said she could speak with her father on the phone, but when he required intubation, he had to be sedated and could no longer communicate.
“The last time I talked to him, we couldn't hear each other very well,” Kimberly said, adding that the last thing her father told her before hanging up was “I love you, Kim. Bye.”
Kimberly said she didn’t have time to say it back.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-22--He Spent Months Recovering From A Traumatic Brain Injury. Then He Died From The Coronavirus.

The only attendee at the funeral of Edward Konciak was his wife of 41 years , Cathy .
`` They did n't even allow the driver of the hearse to come in , he had to wait at the gate , '' she told BuzzFeed News .
The funeral home banned embalming and only allowed one guest per burial , alongside the funeral director , to help stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Konciak died from complications of COVID-19 in a New Jersey hospital on April 5 .
He 'd turned 66 just three days earlier .
A kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care room so Cathy could wish him a happy birthday .
Konciak could n't speak , but gave a thumbs-up .
The following Tuesday , Cathy read `` Death Is Nothing At All , '' the famous poem by Henry Scott-Holland , at her husband 's funeral .
`` It just talks about just being in the next room waiting , I ’ m not really gone , just somewhere around the corner , '' said Cathy , her voice shaking .
`` Just kind of out of sight , but still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been waiting for Konciak to return home , after a major fall last year left him with a traumatic brain injury .
After months of hospital visits and rehab facilities , she thought after a temporary stay at the Family of Caring facility in Montclair , he might be strong enough to come home .
He moved into the facility March 12 , as nursing homes were banning visitors .
What Cathy did n't know when she arranged for her husband 's admission was that a visitor on March 7 had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far the facility has had 36 confirmed cases , and 14 people have died from the virus , including the home 's administrator .
After Konciak moved in , Cathy struggled to speak with him .
The phone would ring for 10–15 minutes with no answer , she said .
On the few times they did speak , his speech had deteriorated rapidly .
Once she heard a roommate coughing .

The only attendee at the funeral of Edward Konciak was his wife of 41 years, Cathy.
"They didn't even allow the driver of the hearse to come in, he had to wait at the gate," she told BuzzFeed News.
The funeral home banned embalming and only allowed one guest per burial, alongside the funeral director, to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Konciak died from complications of COVID-19 in a New Jersey hospital on April 5.
He'd turned 66 just three days earlier. A kind nurse had brought her phone into his intensive care room so Cathy could wish him a happy birthday. Konciak couldn't speak, but gave a thumbs-up.
The following Tuesday, Cathy read "Death Is Nothing At All," the famous poem by Henry Scott-Holland, at her husband's funeral.
"It just talks about just being in the next room waiting, I’m not really gone, just somewhere around the corner," said Cathy, her voice shaking. "Just kind of out of sight, but still here."
For months, Cathy had been waiting for Konciak to return home, after a major fall last year left him with a traumatic brain injury. After months of hospital visits and rehab facilities, she thought after a temporary stay at the Family of Caring facility in Montclair, he might be strong enough to come home.
He moved into the facility March 12, as nursing homes were banning visitors. What Cathy didn't know when she arranged for her husband's admission was that a visitor on March 7 had already brought COVID-19 into Family of Caring.
So far the facility has had 36 confirmed cases, and 14 people have died from the virus, including the home's administrator.
After Konciak moved in, Cathy struggled to speak with him. The phone would ring for 10–15 minutes with no answer, she said. On the few times they did speak, his speech had deteriorated rapidly. Once she heard a roommate coughing.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-23--A Florida Man Bought Anti-Quarantine Site Names To Try To Troll Conservatives. Now He’s Out $4,000 A

A Florida Man Bought Anti-Quarantine Site Names To Try To Troll Conservatives. Now He’s Out $4,000 And The Target Of A Harassment Campaign.

“ I bought a couple hundred names .
I bought everything I could get my hands on , ” Michael Murphy said .
“ Then everything went crazy.
” Michael Murphy was up late last Thursday night when he said a Facebook post gave him a “ harebrained ” idea : buy up more than 200 anti-quarantine domain names to “ hoodwink ” conservative groups spearheading protests across the US and make a little cash reselling them to help supplement his flailing small architectural salvage business .
A week and $ 4,000 later , he hasn ’ t resold any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of threats and trolling led by people accusing him of astroturfing a right-wing crusade to reopen states prematurely during the coronavirus pandemic .
And while a number of protest groups and sites have been created by conservative activists pushing agendas , Murphy said he actually hoped he could find progressive buyers for the URLs .
He ’ s now trying to find TV host John Oliver ’ s number to convince him to take over the entire thing .
“ I just get these bursts of adrenaline around 11 or 12 at night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , ” he said .
“ I get the most harebrained schemes at that time.
” BuzzFeed News first chatted with a distressed and befuddled Murphy Sunday afternoon , after a Reddit thread linking him to scores of “ reopen ” and “ liberate ” website URLs went viral .
He said he was shocked that his spontaneous scheme led to him fearing for his life .
It all started around 10 p.m. on April 16 , when Murphy , 68 , a former day trader from Jacksonville , Florida , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salvage business with his wife , was scrolling through Facebook .
He saw a post from a friend in North Carolina asking why a random guy from Sebastian , Florida , owned a “ reopenNC page.
” The site sells T-shirts , car decals , and yard signs with slogans like “ Facts Not Fear , ” “ Liberate2020 , ” and “ Know Your Rights.
” GoDaddy records show that the same person also registered reopenny.com and reopenmi.com , and Murphy 's friend learned about it from a local politician 's tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he got the idea to buy every other iteration of reopen ( insert state here ) .com he could think of to “ screw over ” people who were copying anti-quarantine movements and hoping to organize protests in their own states .
And Murphy figured he could make some extra cash at the same time .
“ I bought every two-letter abbreviation for states , all the old postal abbreviations , full state names , ” he told BuzzFeed News on Sunday .
“ I bought everything I could get my hands on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the ‘ liberate ’ ones.
” Over the past two weeks , anti-quarantine movements and protests have been popping up in states across the US , often born from large Facebook groups filled with Americans angry about how stay-at-home orders have sidelined their jobs and daily lives .
Fueled by the president , who on Twitter has been calling for states to rise up and liberate themselves , anti-quarantine rallies have been organized by a mix of right-wing , anti-vaccine , pro-gun , and militia groups , and some have been supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not in line with Murphy ’ s political beliefs , which he described to BuzzFeed News as fairly liberal .
But in a mad rush , for nearly 10 hours , he loaded URL names like reopenmaine.com , reopenky.com , liberatewyoming.com into his cart , sometimes 40 at a time .
When he would go to check out , he said a lot of the names would already be taken since “ everyone was snapping them up really quickly.
” At the end of his “ fast and furious ” marathon spree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had racked up more than $ 4,000 on his credit card .
Murphy sent BuzzFeed News screenshots of his GoDaddy account showing pages of the domain names he had purchased , as well as bank statements confirming the charges .
It ’ s an expense he says he can ’ t really afford right now , and it ’ s not the first time he ’ s recently tried to get creative to bring in money to keep his company running , pay his 17 employees , and cover his bills .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines , touting their ability to sterilize N95 masks , to hospitals and cities , but that venture fell flat .
With sales at his company , Eco Relics , down 60 % , he said he ’ s also tried to apply for a variety of small business loans , but none have come through .
“ It ’ s been a nightmare trying to get help , ” he said Sunday night .
“ That ’ s why I was buying domains at 1 a.m. when I should have been sleeping.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Murphy texted his friend , Nathan , telling him that he now controlled “ most of the reopen.com state websites in the country.
” The two started chatting about what to do with them all , brainstorming about trying to sell them to “ rich liberals ” and wealthy influential progressive groups “ to truly troll the crap out of them with primary SEO ratings , ” in an exchange seen by BuzzFeed News .
“ Some of these names people are asking 9,000 dollars , ” Murphy wrote .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one can get any more state names , I locked them all up.
” “ Genius move Now use them to do good !
Sell to progressive groups like moveon.org , ” Nathan replied Friday morning .
“ Let them make websites that redirect to the CDC .
Or any of the good left leaning organizations ... sell the lot of them to the DNC .
Sell the whole package !
” In a private Facebook post later Friday night , which BuzzFeed News reviewed as a screenshot , Nathan pitched it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thwart “ COVID-19 deniers '' from using websites `` to exploit ignorance and hurt people , ” but he underscored that his friend “ also wants to make a profit.
” “ He just needs to sell them before they are worthless in a month or so , ” Nathan wrote in the post .
“ I would love to see his insightful effort rewarded.
” Nathan , who asked to be identified only by his first name , said he also reached out to some groups and friends , telling them about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biting .
“ I don ’ t think he realized what he was getting into with this , ” Nathan told BuzzFeed News late Wednesday night .
“ He ’ s like a gambler .
He looks at the world in a very strange way .
He 's a nutty entrepreneur guy , and I think his intention was , ‘ Let ’ s go ahead and screw these guys and figure it out later.
’ ” A day later , Murphy ’ s URLs started getting attention — but not from potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started getting emails and calls accusing him of “ astroturfing ” anti-quarantine movements across the country .
“ No , we don ’ t sell astroturf here , ” he said he told one caller , perplexed .
Then , in a matter of hours , he was bombarded by a flood of harassing messages , death threats , and vitriolic Facebook comments .
He learned that a Reddit thread that had quickly gone viral linked Murphy to scores of domain names associated with the reopen movements .
The post claimed he owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reopenmn.com , which redirect to gun rights groups connected to the Dorr brothers , a prominent family of Second Amendment extremists .
Murphy said he doesn ’ t own reopenpa.com and reopenmn.com , and those URLs were not listed in the GoDaddy records he provided to BuzzFeed News .
The Pennsylvania Firearms Association and Minnesota Gun Rights — the sites the URLs redirect to — did not respond to questions from BuzzFeed News .
“ Everything went crazy so fast , ” Murphy said .
“ It ’ s like the Wild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stop ringing , he said , and his Eco Relics inbox began to overflow with emails .
“ Michael Murphy or Ann if you ’ re reading this .
Your political project has been discovered .
You have been judged and found wanting .
We are legion .
PS How do you like living at.. , ” listing his home address , according to emails forwarded to BuzzFeed News .
Strangers accused him of having a “ Nazi son ” who lives in Brazil ( Murphy doesn ’ t have a son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dad , a salesperson , died 20 years ago ) , and someone hacked Eco Relics ’ Facebook page , changing it to some type of “ unintelligible language , ” Murphy said .
They also threatened to show up at the company ’ s warehouse and protest , calling for boycotts and “ justice , ” one email said .
“ Not only do I have the coronavirus impacting my business , but my employees have to worry about this crazy stuff and they ’ re afraid for their lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a double burn on my employees , myself , my wife , who is losing her mind , everybody .
”

At the end of his “fast and furious” marathon spree, he owned 203 website names and had racked up more than $4,000 on his credit card. Murphy sent BuzzFeed News screenshots of his GoDaddy account showing pages of the domain names he had purchased, as well as bank statements confirming the charges.
It’s an expense he says he can’t really afford right now, and it’s not the first time he’s recently tried to get creative to bring in money to keep his company running, pay his 17 employees, and cover his bills. Last month, Murphy hustled to source wood-drying machines, touting their ability to sterilize N95 masks, to hospitals and cities, but that venture fell flat.
With sales at his company, Eco Relics, down 60%, he said he’s also tried to apply for a variety of small business loans, but none have come through.
“It’s been a nightmare trying to get help,” he said Sunday night. “That’s why I was buying domains at 1 a.m. when I should have been sleeping.”
After his first big domain purchase, Murphy texted his friend, Nathan, telling him that he now controlled “most of the reopen.com state websites in the country.” The two started chatting about what to do with them all, brainstorming about trying to sell them to “rich liberals” and wealthy influential progressive groups “to truly troll the crap out of them with primary SEO ratings,” in an exchange seen by BuzzFeed News.
“Some of these names people are asking 9,000 dollars,” Murphy wrote. “I have over 100 of them. No one can get any more state names, I locked them all up.”
“Genius move Now use them to do good! Sell to progressive groups like moveon.org,” Nathan replied Friday morning. “Let them make websites that redirect to the CDC. Or any of the good left leaning organizations...sell the lot of them to the DNC. Sell the whole package!”
In a private Facebook post later Friday night, which BuzzFeed News reviewed as a screenshot, Nathan pitched it to his network as a worthy investment to thwart “COVID-19 deniers" from using websites "to exploit ignorance and hurt people,” but he underscored that his friend “also wants to make a profit.”
“He just needs to sell them before they are worthless in a month or so,” Nathan wrote in the post. “I would love to see his insightful effort rewarded.”
Nathan, who asked to be identified only by his first name, said he also reached out to some groups and friends, telling them about the opportunity, but no one was biting.
“I don’t think he realized what he was getting into with this,” Nathan told BuzzFeed News late Wednesday night. “He’s like a gambler. He looks at the world in a very strange way. He's a nutty entrepreneur guy, and I think his intention was, ‘Let’s go ahead and screw these guys and figure it out later.’”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-04--Is It OK To Go To A Park Or Beach? We Asked Seven Experts.

Images of people in New York crowding a park and not wearing masks went viral this weekend .
Here ’ s what coronavirus experts say about parks and beach trips .
On a weekend in which more than 500 New Yorkers died of the coronavirus , according to the state ’ s governor , thousands more people headed to public parks to enjoy the city ’ s first warm weather in some time .
With most New Yorkers having been in lockdown for more than two months , families and friends could be seen enjoying the outdoors and picnicking as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several photos went viral over the weekend that showed throngs of people not wearing masks who had crowded into the Christopher Street Pier parks in Manhattan in apparent defiance of social distancing .
It ’ s important , of course , to remember that some photos of crowds can be deceptive .
Indeed , pictures taken by Gothamist appeared to show at least some distance between some of the people at Christopher Street Pier .
But the viral photos — as well as images of large groups of people enjoying some beaches in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fueled anger among people who are doing their best to stay home as much as possible .
Some experts told BuzzFeed News they were also alarmed by the apparent crowding on display by people not wearing masks .
“ The images of New Yorkers close to each other in parks , without face masks , is disturbing , ” said Vincent Racaniello , professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University .
“ They should either be maintaining social distance , or ideally , wearing face masks.
” “ I ’ m very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glatt , a doctor at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital and a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America ( IDSA ) .
“ If people aren ’ t going to keep appropriate social distancing and appropriate wearing of masks , we will unfortunately see a resurgence of this illness.
” BuzzFeed News asked seven doctors , scientists , and public health experts about whether they would visit an open park or a beach with their families — and what precautions they would take if doing so .
We also reached out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and New York for comment .
The offices of Gov .
Gavin Newsom of California and Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York responded , referring to comments they had made at press briefings .
( Some comments have been edited and condensed for clarity . )
CAN I VISIT A PARK OR BEACH AS LONG AS I AM STAYING SIX FEET AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE ?
Rosie Redfield , microbiologist at the University of British Columbia ’ s Department of Zoology : I ’ ve been thinking about this a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the open air , the only real concern is that you might inhale dried-up respiratory particles ( droplet nuclei ) carrying infectious virus .
These float in the air ( they don ’ t fall ) and are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes , but also when they shout or even talk loudly .
Separation by 6 feet gives large droplets that haven ’ t yet dried up time and space to fall to the ground , and provides a lot of air volume for the dried particles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security : For those that are in high-risk groups or are in contact with high-risk groups , then the decision-making may be different for somebody that ’ s not .
I don ’ t think there ’ s going to be a one-size-fits-all decision that people make .
Susan Kline , a professor of medicine with the University of Minnesota ’ s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine and another IDSA spokesperson : Well , I think that if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then there ’ s potential for the spread of coronavirus .
I think if people go out in public , there likely are safe ways to do it and unsafe ways to do it .
I think we have to keep in mind that somewhat arbitrary distance of 6 feet .
But I think 6 feet or farther is definitely safer than closer than 6 feet to people .
So I think distancing is one measure that can help .
I think the other measure that can help is limiting the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other people .
Gerardo Chowell , professor of epidemiology with Georgia State University ’ s School of Public Health : I think it ’ s completely OK to go to the park , but you need to plan for it and be careful .
We need our time to go to the park and have a walk , otherwise we ’ re going to start seeing mental health issues .
But we can do it in ways that are not hard .
It ’ s just about being conscious of this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that and keeping our guard up .
In this high-temperature weather , it ’ s a very low-risk environment .
Obviously , if you want to reduce the risk even further , bring a face mask .
Gov .
Newsom ( speaking at a Monday press briefing ) : There ’ s been some reporting ... that parks somehow are closed .
We have over 200 state parks that have been open that remain open .
… There are some that have partial closures — parking lots and the like — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of these parks , large and small , across the state and across our beaches .
But again with the modifications in place .
… More information on these modifications will come to light ... on Thursday .
( Newsom also referenced two Orange County beaches that had reopened to allow active recreation — e.g.
, swimming and running — but would not allow sunbathing or gatherings with coolers . )
WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR FAMILY TO A BEACH OR PARK ?
Robin Patel , president of the American Society of Microbiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my household to an uncrowded park , but would leave if we were not able to comfortably stay at least 6 feet away from others at all times .
I would also factor in how we would get to the park without risking an exposure .
Glatt : I would only go with my family to a place where I could appropriately keep social distancing .
A walk in the park , a walk on the street , is a beautiful way to spend time with your family , get fresh air , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ but ” there — it has to be done in a way that ’ s socially responsible .
I will not do it if I ’ m going to be in close proximity to a lot of people and I certainly won ’ t do it if I ’ m going to be in close proximity to people who aren ’ t wearing a mask .
I even try to stay further away than that , but certainly a minimum of 6 feet .
[ I try to stay ] as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m taking a walk with my wife and I see people I know across the street , we stay across the street and wave .
We don ’ t try to get close .
Adalja : As long as none of them had any kind of health problems that made them vulnerable or were going to be around people that had health problems , then yes .
As long as people are being careful and using common sense .
Chowell : I would take them , yes — with precautions .
If I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would make sure that we bring a face mask .
It would not be a lot of fun .
I would go to the park for a walk but I wouldn ’ t stay there for too long — a walk for 30 minutes and then return .
That ’ s probably the type of trip I would make to the park .
Gov .
Cuomo ( speaking at an April 16 press briefing ) : I 've been on Coney Island on that beach many times – hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't see that happening anytime soon .
So then , obviously , you could have a situation where people can go to the beach to walk along the beach , but not in large numbers anytime soon .
We still have to observe social distancing .
I know people are doing that now .
But the notion of having lifeguards and people coming to the beach like normal , we do n't have that in our sights yet .
I think it 's going to be tough to project .
Right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectations — just for everyone 's sanity , lower expectations .
HOW CROWDED WOULD IT NEED TO BE BEFORE YOU FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ?
Adalja : I ’ m an infectious disease clinical care physician , so I ’ m taking care of these patients and getting exposed at a higher degree than most other people .
So I have a very high risk tolerance .
I think I probably have antibodies to it because I ’ ve been around enough patients .
So I think that ’ s going to differ for each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk tolerance is different .
Redfield : Thinking rationally ( not “ feelings ” ) , the risk of infection in a park would be higher if a ) the park was packed with people , all exactly 6 feet apart ; b ) the air was still ( no wind to disperse the particles ) ; and c ) the incidence of active COVID-19 infections in my community was high .
If all of these were true , I ’ d stay home .
Kline : This weekend I did go out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis–Saint Paul , and there were quite a few people out walking or riding their bikes .
I did see some people on beaches down by the Mississippi River , but I think when you ’ re on a bike path you have to pass people closely .
Two things you can do is keep that passing time to the shortest time possible and the other would be to have a mask on when you have to pass .
I did notice that at some of the parks I went to there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably family groups or close friends , but for the most part they were a couple people or small groups , so I think that type of gathering is OK as long you ’ re 6–10 feet away from other small groups .
Chowell : You can put a piece of fabric or rope on the floor and mark your space .
… Marking your space is more important than ever and respecting other spaces is equally important .
Wearing a face mask is also a sign of respect for others .
Racaniello @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park or beach if I were not holed up in front of my computer seven days a week !
I would make sure that we all wear face masks .
With face masks , you can get closer to people ( which can happen accidentally ) without risking infection .
Otherwise , keep 6 feet away !
Chowell : If I fall into a higher risk group , then I should be wearing a mask .
I may run into someone .
What am I going to do ?
Start running ?
Obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the park , you must bring a face mask because you can not control your space all the time .
People may run into your 6-feet radius sphere .
If it ’ s crowded and you still want to go to the park , yes , bring your mask .
There ’ s no other way .
If it ’ s not crowded and you ’ re going to be walking on the outskirts , it ’ s probably fine [ not to wear a mask ] .
But if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet with people not in your household , then I must wear a face mask , particularly if you ’ re going to spend a substantial amount of time talking .
Adalja : A lot of these places have their own regulations and I think that depends on what the regulation is .
Obviously , if it ’ s private property and you ’ re at a private park or beach and that ’ s the requirement to enter , then I think you have to wear it .
But ideally , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of someone else , you shouldn ’ t necessarily have to wear a mask .
I would also say there ’ s not great data that shows that wearing masks actually decreases transmission , especially the homemade masks that people are wearing .
I ’ m less of a supporter of the mask policy .
However , I think that it is something that has been universally accepted by many people .
Gov .
Cuomo ( speaking at a press briefing on Monday ) : You don ’ t wear a mask for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect me .
I wear a mask to protect you .
We owe each other a certain amount of reasonableness and respect in society , and I owe you that level of respect .
Wear a mask if you may be in a situation where you can ’ t socially distance .
If you go for a walk in the woods , you don ’ t have to be wearing a mask .
If you come to a point where you ’ re going to be in a parking lot or there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear the mask .
Redfield : I hate masks ( maybe irrationally ) ; most don ’ t provide much protection from infection , and if they do ( well designed , tightly fitting ) they ’ re hot and stuffy .
If the risk of infection was high enough to warrant wearing masks I ’ d probably stay home .
I ’ m also not convinced that they provide much protection from spreading the virus if you yourself are infected ( a sneeze or cough will blow right by them ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a crowd in a space where you can ’ t keep a distance , wear a mask , and ideally everyone should wear one to minimize the spread .
WOULD YOU GO OR NOT GO TO A PARK OR BEACH ON CERTAIN DAYS OR CERTAIN TIMES ?
Adalja : If you ’ re trying to social distance and go to the beach , if you go at hours when it ’ s less crowded , then that ’ s always going to make it easier to social-distance .
Kline : I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safer — going out when there are less likely to be crowds that would force you to be in closer contact to other people .
Glatt : It certainly is appropriate whenever you ’ re going out to avoid other people as much as possible .
So I wouldn ’ t walk in an area where you knew it was very crowded .
It doesn ’ t make sense .
People are trying so hard to isolate , it would be a shame to ruin it .
Chowell : Try to go during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect to see the peak activity , definitely .
Maybe earlier or towards the end of the day .
Patel : I would avoid peak times when there are likely to be a lot of people around .
This can vary widely based on the location .
City parks become easily overwhelmed and may be best to avoid , especially on weekends or peak times such as during lunch hours , whereas [ the ] Minnesota state park where I hiked this weekend was virtually empty .
WOULD YOU MEET FRIENDS IN THE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DISTANCE ?
Adalja : I do think we 've gotten to a place now where people are calling each other out for failing to adhere to social distancing norms .
There ’ s a tendency for people to get into shaming-type behavior that might not be warranted .
I do think we ’ re going to go through this cycle where people are being shamed for not following social distancing and I think that ’ s going to be an unfortunate side effect .
The only thing we can do is explain to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going anywhere .
We still have to be smart , but now [ that ] we ’ re in a somewhat better place than we were two months ago , we ’ re going to see people ’ s risk perceptions change .
Chowell : I think that is definitely a reason to be annoyed after the amount of deaths that have been caused by a virus over just a few weeks and the fact that the epidemic is not over by any stretch of the imagination .
The virus is still around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s the reality .
It ’ s definitely annoying and disrespectful for all those folks who have stayed at home and done their homework and followed the protocols .
Seeing these pictures , it ’ s a sign of disrespect of society in a way and definitely disappointing — particularly to the most vulnerable , to those who are at high risk of death .
Due to this small fraction of people that for some reason are not yet educated about this virus , we could waste all of the progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kline : I ’ m not sure it ’ s helpful to be angry .
It ’ s valid to raise your concerns and I think if you ’ re putting other people at risk , then it ’ s probably a valid concern to raise publicly .
But I do think that being angry or berating people is probably not a helpful response , or shaming them .
I don ’ t think that ’ s likely to change behavior .
I think reinforcing what safe social distancing guidelines should be is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear standards and expectations .

Rosie Redfield, microbiologist at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Zoology: I’ve been thinking about this a lot. … At 6 feet apart, in the open air, the only real concern is that you might inhale dried-up respiratory particles (droplet nuclei) carrying infectious virus. These float in the air (they don’t fall) and are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, but also when they shout or even talk loudly. Separation by 6 feet gives large droplets that haven’t yet dried up time and space to fall to the ground, and provides a lot of air volume for the dried particles to disperse in.
Amesh Adalja, infectious diseases physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security: For those that are in high-risk groups or are in contact with high-risk groups, then the decision-making may be different for somebody that’s not. I don’t think there’s going to be a one-size-fits-all decision that people make.
Susan Kline, a professor of medicine with the University of Minnesota’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine and another IDSA spokesperson: Well, I think that if the people are very close to each other then there’s potential for the spread of coronavirus. I think if people go out in public, there likely are safe ways to do it and unsafe ways to do it.
I think we have to keep in mind that somewhat arbitrary distance of 6 feet. But I think 6 feet or farther is definitely safer than closer than 6 feet to people. So I think distancing is one measure that can help.
I think the other measure that can help is limiting the time that you’re closer than 6 feet with other people.
Gerardo Chowell, professor of epidemiology with Georgia State University’s School of Public Health: I think it’s completely OK to go to the park, but you need to plan for it and be careful.
We need our time to go to the park and have a walk, otherwise we’re going to start seeing mental health issues. But we can do it in ways that are not hard. It’s just about being conscious of this virus that generates asymptomatic conditions and being aware of that and keeping our guard up.
In this high-temperature weather, it’s a very low-risk environment. Obviously, if you want to reduce the risk even further, bring a face mask.
Gov. Newsom (speaking at a Monday press briefing): There’s been some reporting ... that parks somehow are closed. We have over 200 state parks that have been open that remain open. … There are some that have partial closures — parking lots and the like — but still [there are] activities in all of these parks, large and small, across the state and across our beaches. But again with the modifications in place. … More information on these modifications will come to light ... on Thursday. (Newsom also referenced two Orange County beaches that had reopened to allow active recreation — e.g., swimming and running — but would not allow sunbathing or gatherings with coolers.)
WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR FAMILY TO A BEACH OR PARK?


buzzfeednews--2020-04-28--Uganda Is Using Coronavirus Rules To Raid An LGBTQ Shelter And Jail Residents

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To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Uganda is using social distancing rules as a reason to detain 19 people for a month without access to lawyers , following a raid on an LGBTQ shelter .
The group was arrested on March 29 on the outskirts of Kampala , after local officials raided a shelter operated by an NGO called the Children of the Sun Foundation .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their attorney , Patricia Kimera of the NGO called the Human Rights Awareness and Protection Forum ( HRAPF ) .
But officials did not bring them to court , nor did the government ’ s attorneys show up to the hearing .
Uganda ’ s coronavirus restrictions have made it nearly impossible for people to travel on public roads , and courts and attorneys are not considered essential services under the order .
“ We can ’ t access our clients .
We don ’ t know how they are in prison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with BuzzFeed News .
She received such little notice of their first appearance before a court the day after their arrest that the courthouse was shuttered by the time she arrived .
“ We ’ ve tried all we can.
” They ’ ve been charged with violating social distancing orders and were formally accused of committing a “ negligent act likely to spread an infectious disease ” because they had so many people under one roof .
Thirteen of those arrested lived in the four-room shelter , but a few more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been visiting the shelter when the government restricted public transportation and they had no way to get home .
The shelter had tried to address coronavirus concerns by making a rule that anyone who went out would not be able to return .
It ’ s not uncommon for many people to live under one roof in Uganda , but there have not been widespread arrests of people in crowded houses .
Kimera said she believes local government officials are just using the coronavirus restrictions to punish LGBTQ people they could not otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a longstanding problem in Uganda , but they are almost never prosecuted for charges directly related to their sexual orientation .
A sweeping “ Anti-Homosexuality Act ” that caused an international uproar when it was adopted in 2014 was quickly struck down by the courts on a technicality .
There is a much older sodomy law on the books , but it requires so much evidence of a specific act of intercourse that it has never been successfully prosecuted in court .
The Children of the Sun Foundation shelter was actually raided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a sweeping lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus that limited gatherings to no more than 10 people .
But the country , which now has officially confirmed 79 coronavirus cases , began phasing in some restrictions in early March as the country shifted to a crisis mode .
This gave an opening to community leaders in the town of Wakiso to call in the police to shut down a facility that has operated in the area for nine months with permission of local police .
“ This gave them an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Charles , the Children of the Sun Foundation ’ s program director , who asked that his last name not be published out of concern for his safety .
Charles arrived at the shelter shortly after a local militia burst into the compound and rounded up the residents , and he was also immediately detained .
The local mayor , Hajj Abdul Kiyimba , soon arrived on the scene and called in a local news station , which filmed him interrogating the residents and beating them with a large stick .
Kiyimba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone numbers , Charles said , which the mayor then used to out the residents to their families .
( Kiyimba did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via Facebook . )
Charles said he and the others were forced to make a “ walk of shame ” down to the police station while bound together by rope .
He managed to win release by convincing the authorities that he did not actually work for the foundation .
A nurse working at the site was also released a short time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents who were released for health reasons and one more who appeared to be a minor .
But the group ’ s executive director and 18 others are still behind bars .
The coronavirus restrictions , which were put in place with little planning or notice , have caused a host of problems .
Around 1 million people in Uganda rely on antiretroviral therapy for HIV , but no provisions were made to allow them to travel to clinics or get a sufficient supply of drugs in some other way , said Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Gap , an American NGO that advocates for global access to HIV treatment .
There have also been several reports of women dying in childbirth because they could not reach a hospital .
This raid on Children of the Sun Foundation is just one example of how Uganda ’ s sweeping coronavirus lockdown is being used for political purposes said Nicholas Opiyo , a human rights lawyer who helped get the Anti-Homosexuality Act struck down in 2014 .
The pandemic arrived in Uganda when the country was already moving into campaign mode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians have been arrested for handing out food in their districts , Opiyo said , while members of the ruling party have made a show of distributing aid in their areas .
The lockdown , Opiyo said , “ was intended to create this atmosphere of fear and have a ... plausible excuse for arresting and locking people up.
” A spokesperson for Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Uganda is using social distancing rules as a reason to detain 19 people for a month without access to lawyers, following a raid on an LGBTQ shelter.
The group was arrested on March 29 on the outskirts of Kampala, after local officials raided a shelter operated by an NGO called the Children of the Sun Foundation. They were due in court on Tuesday, said their attorney, Patricia Kimera of the NGO called the Human Rights Awareness and Protection Forum (HRAPF). But officials did not bring them to court, nor did the government’s attorneys show up to the hearing. Uganda’s coronavirus restrictions have made it nearly impossible for people to travel on public roads, and courts and attorneys are not considered essential services under the order.
“We can’t access our clients. We don’t know how they are in prison,” Kimera said in a phone interview with BuzzFeed News. She received such little notice of their first appearance before a court the day after their arrest that the courthouse was shuttered by the time she arrived. “We’ve tried all we can.”
They’ve been charged with violating social distancing orders and were formally accused of committing a “negligent act likely to spread an infectious disease” because they had so many people under one roof. Thirteen of those arrested lived in the four-room shelter, but a few more people were staying temporarily because they’d been visiting the shelter when the government restricted public transportation and they had no way to get home. The shelter had tried to address coronavirus concerns by making a rule that anyone who went out would not be able to return.
It’s not uncommon for many people to live under one roof in Uganda, but there have not been widespread arrests of people in crowded houses. Kimera said she believes local government officials are just using the coronavirus restrictions to punish LGBTQ people they could not otherwise prosecute. Official harassment of LGBTQ people is a longstanding problem in Uganda, but they are almost never prosecuted for charges directly related to their sexual orientation. A sweeping “Anti-Homosexuality Act” that caused an international uproar when it was adopted in 2014 was quickly struck down by the courts on a technicality. There is a much older sodomy law on the books, but it requires so much evidence of a specific act of intercourse that it has never been successfully prosecuted in court.
The Children of the Sun Foundation shelter was actually raided two days before Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni issued a sweeping lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus that limited gatherings to no more than 10 people. But the country, which now has officially confirmed 79 coronavirus cases, began phasing in some restrictions in early March as the country shifted to a crisis mode. This gave an opening to community leaders in the town of Wakiso to call in the police to shut down a facility that has operated in the area for nine months with permission of local police.
“This gave them an opportunity to get rid of us,” said Charles, the Children of the Sun Foundation’s program director, who asked that his last name not be published out of concern for his safety.
Charles arrived at the shelter shortly after a local militia burst into the compound and rounded up the residents, and he was also immediately detained. The local mayor, Hajj Abdul Kiyimba, soon arrived on the scene and called in a local news station, which filmed him interrogating the residents and beating them with a large stick. Kiyimba demanded residents give him their parents’ phone numbers, Charles said, which the mayor then used to out the residents to their families. (Kiyimba did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via Facebook.)
Charles said he and the others were forced to make a “walk of shame” down to the police station while bound together by rope. He managed to win release by convincing the authorities that he did not actually work for the foundation. A nurse working at the site was also released a short time after the arrests, along with two residents who were released for health reasons and one more who appeared to be a minor. But the group’s executive director and 18 others are still behind bars.
The coronavirus restrictions, which were put in place with little planning or notice, have caused a host of problems. Around 1 million people in Uganda rely on antiretroviral therapy for HIV, but no provisions were made to allow them to travel to clinics or get a sufficient supply of drugs in some other way, said Asia Russell, the Kampala-based executive director of Health Gap, an American NGO that advocates for global access to HIV treatment. There have also been several reports of women dying in childbirth because they could not reach a hospital.
This raid on Children of the Sun Foundation is just one example of how Uganda’s sweeping coronavirus lockdown is being used for political purposes said Nicholas Opiyo, a human rights lawyer who helped get the Anti-Homosexuality Act struck down in 2014. The pandemic arrived in Uganda when the country was already moving into campaign mode ahead of elections next year. Opposition politicians have been arrested for handing out food in their districts, Opiyo said, while members of the ruling party have made a show of distributing aid in their areas.
The lockdown, Opiyo said, “was intended to create this atmosphere of fear and have a ... plausible excuse for arresting and locking people up.”
A spokesperson for Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-05--His Mother’s Body Has Gone Missing Since She Died Of The Coronavirus

Families are being forced to scour hospitals , morgues , and cemeteries in search of their loved ones ’ remains in Guayaquil , Ecuador .
MEXICO CITY — On April 1 , Víctor Hugo Orellana placed a wooden crucifix on his mother ’ s chest and wrapped her body in a thick blanket as a group of government officials waited outside to collect her .
Rumors of disappearing remains and mismatched corpse records were going around , and Orellana was worried .
“ If our mother ’ s body is lost , this might help us identify her , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explaining his thinking that afternoon .
Thirty-five days later , Orellana still doesn ’ t know where to find the remains of his mother , Célida Piedad Solórzano .
Guayaquil , a coastal city in Ecuador , was the first Latin American city to be brought to its knees by the coronavirus .
As public services struggled to keep up with the multiplying number of victims last month , body bags piled up inside local hospitals and cadavers were dumped on sidewalks .
People were forced to cohabitate for days with dead relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies .
Now , rather than accumulate , the bodies are getting lost , sending hundreds of families scouring around the city ’ s hospitals , morgues , and cemeteries and escalating political tensions with the central government .
On April 11 , the mayor of Guayaquil , Cynthia Viteri , tweeted at Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner , asking him to reveal where the missing bodies were .
Last week , the city got a partial answer when the bodies of 131 unidentified people were discovered in shipping containers outside a local hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosa Elena Alvarado , is in one of those containers .
When the 82-year-old Alvarado began to have trouble breathing at the end of March — her family thought it had to do with an uneasy stomach — Martillo took her to a clinic .
Staffers there said they had no oxygen available and turned them away .
With Alvarado ’ s breathing growing more labored , they went to the Guasmo Sur General Hospital .
While she waited to have her vitals recorded at the triage station , Alvarado died .
Martillo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bothering to register her .
Martillo , 21 , hurried to get Alvarado ’ s death certificate ( `` pneumonia by coronavirus , '' it reads ) , buy a coffin , and enlist the help of a funeral home to try to retrieve her grandmother ’ s body .
Once that was done , Martillo ’ s aunt went back to the hospital and started looking for Alvarado ’ s body in the morgue .
There , she found a chaotic scene : people kicking bodies as they ran over them trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A nauseating smell filled the room .
Police dispersed them , Martillo said her aunt told her .
After a few days , Martillo returned to the hospital in another attempt to recover Alvarado ’ s body .
To her surprise , staffers there told her that the corpse had been taken to a nearby cemetery — but when Martillo went there , the man in charge told her that Alvarado ’ s name was not on the list of bodies there .
Martillo went home and typed in Alvarado ’ s ID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list the locations of the recently deceased .
It came up blank .
Desperate , Martillo tweeted at Jorge Wated , who was until recently in charge of the task force to dispose of the dead .
He didn ’ t respond .
“ My grandmother is lost , ” Martillo said , `` and we have so many questions . ''
The coffin she bought is gathering dust at a neighbor ’ s house .
The family , meanwhile , is waiting for an anthropologist to perform fingerprint tests on the bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if one is a match to Alvarado ’ s .
It is unclear why Guayaquil has been hit so hard by the coronavirus .
Ecuador ’ s government closed its borders to foreign travelers on March 14 and a few days later declared a nationwide curfew .
Viteri has been even stricter , blocking the city ’ s airport runway and forcing several commercial flights from Europe , which were due to pick up stranded Spaniards , to turn around and land in Quito , the capital city .
Still , Ecuador has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths in Latin America .
There have been 31,881 confirmed cases and 1,569 deaths , according to the Public Health Ministry .
Given limited testing and the state ’ s inability to register the deceased properly , the number of dead is likely to be much higher : In Guayas , the province where Guayaquil is located , there were 8,288 more deaths in April than what is expected during “ normal times , ” revealed Wated .
Wated ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to a request for an interview .
Meanwhile , Guayaquil continues to set an example of how not to handle the health crisis .
Last month , a local hospital came under investigation after it had told relatives of Alba Maruri that the 74-year-old woman had died while in the intensive care unit and handed them her remains .
Days later , hospital staffers arrived at the family ’ s house and told them that there had been a mixup : Maruri was still alive .
Stricken families continue their searches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Countless times a day , Orellana refreshes the government website listing locations for the dead — nothing .
He ’ s been to the cemetery where he heard people who died at home have been taken — nothing .
His wife has been to the morgue and the hospital — nothing .
It ’ s as if his mother ’ s body has vanished into thin air .
“ Imagine what this is like , ” he said .
“ We are destroyed.
” Orellana won ’ t stop searching until he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have her exhumed , he said .
He needs to make sure the cross he placed on her chest is still there , so he knows it ’ s really her .

Guayaquil, a coastal city in Ecuador, was the first Latin American city to be brought to its knees by the coronavirus. As public services struggled to keep up with the multiplying number of victims last month, body bags piled up inside local hospitals and cadavers were dumped on sidewalks. People were forced to cohabitate for days with dead relatives before anyone came by to retrieve the bodies.
Now, rather than accumulate, the bodies are getting lost, sending hundreds of families scouring around the city’s hospitals, morgues, and cemeteries and escalating political tensions with the central government.
On April 11, the mayor of Guayaquil, Cynthia Viteri, tweeted at Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, asking him to reveal where the missing bodies were. Last week, the city got a partial answer when the bodies of 131 unidentified people were discovered in shipping containers outside a local hospital.
Kony Martillo believes her grandmother, Rosa Elena Alvarado, is in one of those containers.
When the 82-year-old Alvarado began to have trouble breathing at the end of March — her family thought it had to do with an uneasy stomach — Martillo took her to a clinic. Staffers there said they had no oxygen available and turned them away.
With Alvarado’s breathing growing more labored, they went to the Guasmo Sur General Hospital. While she waited to have her vitals recorded at the triage station, Alvarado died. Martillo says hospital staff took her body without bothering to register her.
Martillo, 21, hurried to get Alvarado’s death certificate ("pneumonia by coronavirus," it reads), buy a coffin, and enlist the help of a funeral home to try to retrieve her grandmother’s body. Once that was done, Martillo’s aunt went back to the hospital and started looking for Alvarado’s body in the morgue. There, she found a chaotic scene: people kicking bodies as they ran over them trying to identify their own dead relatives. A nauseating smell filled the room. Police dispersed them, Martillo said her aunt told her.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-11--The Trump Campaign Is Making People Sign A Coronavirus Waiver Before They Attend His Next Rally

The rally is Trump 's first in months because of the coronavirus pandemic , and the campaign is requiring a new disease waiver .
When registering for tickets through Trump 's website , would-be attendees are informed that by doing so , they are `` acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present '' and must `` voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold '' the campaign liable if infected .
People who want to attend President Trump 's rally in Oklahoma next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's campaign if they become infected with COVID-19 at the event .
If you 're looking to attend President Trump 's rally in Tulsa next Friday , you must first agree not to sue him if you get coronavirus The rally will be held at the BOK Center in Tulsa , where in 1921 a white mob attacked Black residents ' businesses along what was known as Black Wall Street in the worst incident of racial violence in US history .
Trump 's event is also scheduled for June 19 , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of slavery in the US .
It is Trump 's first such event in over three months and comes at a time of nationwide unrest over police brutality against Black people .
Meanwhile , coronavirus cases in Oklahoma continue to be on the rise , with an average of 96 new cases a day over the last week .
`` There is no better place than America 's Heartland to restart our Make America Great Again Rallies , '' Trump campaign official Michael Glassner said in a statement on Thursday .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comeback is here , and we are looking forward to the tremendous crowds and enthusiasm behind President Trump . ''
It 's unclear how many attendees will be permitted into Trump 's rally next week or whether any social distancing measures will be enforced in the arena , which has a capacity of about 19,000 people .
But over the last several months , Trump has said he wants to see crowds .
`` Hopefully in the not-too-distant future , we ’ ll have some massive rallies and people will be sitting next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an April 29 roundtable on reopening the economy .
`` I can ’ t imagine a rally where you have every fourth seat full .
Every — every six seats are empty for every one that you have full .
That wouldn ’ t look too good.
” While many other large gatherings , such as music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach , have been canceled altogether as the pandemic drags on , other businesses that typically draw large crowds are beginning to reopen with modifications .
On Wednesday , Disneyland and Disney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen next month , but that guests would need to make a reservation and that capacity would be reduced to allow for social distancing .
The company has said previously that when Disney World in Florida reopens in mid-July guests will have to wear face coverings and get their temperature checked before entering the park .

The rally will be held at the BOK Center in Tulsa, where in 1921 a white mob attacked Black residents' businesses along what was known as Black Wall Street in the worst incident of racial violence in US history. Trump's event is also scheduled for June 19, or Juneteenth: the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US.
It is Trump's first such event in over three months and comes at a time of nationwide unrest over police brutality against Black people. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases in Oklahoma continue to be on the rise, with an average of 96 new cases a day over the last week.
"There is no better place than America's Heartland to restart our Make America Great Again Rallies," Trump campaign official Michael Glassner said in a statement on Thursday. "There's no doubt that the Great American Comeback is here, and we are looking forward to the tremendous crowds and enthusiasm behind President Trump."
It's unclear how many attendees will be permitted into Trump's rally next week or whether any social distancing measures will be enforced in the arena, which has a capacity of about 19,000 people. But over the last several months, Trump has said he wants to see crowds.
"Hopefully in the not-too-distant future, we’ll have some massive rallies and people will be sitting next to each other," Trump said during an April 29 roundtable on reopening the economy. "I can’t imagine a rally where you have every fourth seat full. Every — every six seats are empty for every one that you have full. That wouldn’t look too good.”
While many other large gatherings, such as music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach, have been canceled altogether as the pandemic drags on, other businesses that typically draw large crowds are beginning to reopen with modifications.
On Wednesday, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure announced the California parks would reopen next month, but that guests would need to make a reservation and that capacity would be reduced to allow for social distancing. The company has said previously that when Disney World in Florida reopens in mid-July guests will have to wear face coverings and get their temperature checked before entering the park.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-12--The CDC Broke Its 3-Month Silence To Tell You To Keep Washing Your Hands

In the first news conference given by the US public health agency since March , CDC officials on Friday asked people to keep washing their hands , staying 6 feet apart , and wearing cloth masks .
`` I know that people are eager to return to normal activities and ways of life .
However , it 's important that we remember that the situation is unprecedented and the pandemic has not ended , '' said CDC Director Robert Redfield .
At the briefing , the CDC also unveiled new guidelines both for returning to daily life , and attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
In newly released `` Deciding to Go Out '' guidelines , the agency states , `` There is no way to ensure zero risk of infection . ''
`` In the coming weeks , we could see increases in cases as states reopen , '' the CDC 's Jay Butler said , reiterating calls for safety measures during the ongoing pandemic .
He noted he owned a mask depicting `` grizzly bears and salmon '' to honor his home state of Alaska .
`` The good news is nationally we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the number of new cases each day has been relatively plateaued over a prolonged period of time , '' Butler added .
A related online survey of adults nationwide in May found that more than 80 % of people surveyed approved of stay-at-home orders , wearing masks , and other safety measures .
Questioners on the briefing were told to keep their queries to the topic of safety measures .
The CDC has largely disappeared from public view since mid-March , giving its last press conference a day before the World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
In its place , the coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence moved to the forefront of the Trump administration pandemic response .
Asked on the call whether political rallies planned by the Trump administration , where President Donald Trump has refused to wear a mask , posed a safety risk under their guidelines , the CDC officials deflected the questions by saying the guidelines applied to all gatherings .
Most states have moved to reopening plans following March and April shutdowns of schools , businesses , and mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states such as Arizona , Florida , and South Carolina , concentrated so far in particular counties , have drawn concern , with health officials fearing overwhelmed hospitals if a hotspot erupts with patients .
Butler ascribed these US increases to more widespread testing , noting that this has also helped detect asymptomatic cases missed earlier in the pandemic , as well as continuing outbreaks in nursing homes and among vulnerable populations such as the homeless .
The White House task force , which has halted its own daily press briefings in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the rise in cases in reopened states .
More than 2 million COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in the US , and more than 113,000 Americans have died from the novel coronavirus since the last CDC briefing .
Worldwide , more than 7.5 million cases have been reported and upward of 400,000 people have died , with Brazil , Russia , and India following the US in deaths .

In the first news conference given by the US public health agency since March, CDC officials on Friday asked people to keep washing their hands, staying 6 feet apart, and wearing cloth masks.
"I know that people are eager to return to normal activities and ways of life. However, it's important that we remember that the situation is unprecedented and the pandemic has not ended," said CDC Director Robert Redfield.
At the briefing, the CDC also unveiled new guidelines both for returning to daily life, and attending or hosting events and gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. In newly released "Deciding to Go Out" guidelines, the agency states, "There is no way to ensure zero risk of infection."
"In the coming weeks, we could see increases in cases as states reopen," the CDC's Jay Butler said, reiterating calls for safety measures during the ongoing pandemic. He noted he owned a mask depicting "grizzly bears and salmon" to honor his home state of Alaska.
"The good news is nationally we have been successful in flattening the curve — the number of new cases each day has been relatively plateaued over a prolonged period of time," Butler added.
A related online survey of adults nationwide in May found that more than 80% of people surveyed approved of stay-at-home orders, wearing masks, and other safety measures.
Questioners on the briefing were told to keep their queries to the topic of safety measures. The CDC has largely disappeared from public view since mid-March, giving its last press conference a day before the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic. In its place, the coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence moved to the forefront of the Trump administration pandemic response.
Asked on the call whether political rallies planned by the Trump administration, where President Donald Trump has refused to wear a mask, posed a safety risk under their guidelines, the CDC officials deflected the questions by saying the guidelines applied to all gatherings.
Most states have moved to reopening plans following March and April shutdowns of schools, businesses, and mass events. Recent surges in cases in states such as Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, concentrated so far in particular counties, have drawn concern, with health officials fearing overwhelmed hospitals if a hotspot erupts with patients.
Butler ascribed these US increases to more widespread testing, noting that this has also helped detect asymptomatic cases missed earlier in the pandemic, as well as continuing outbreaks in nursing homes and among vulnerable populations such as the homeless.
The White House task force, which has halted its own daily press briefings in the last month, has largely failed to address the rise in cases in reopened states.
More than 2 million COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in the US, and more than 113,000 Americans have died from the novel coronavirus since the last CDC briefing. Worldwide, more than 7.5 million cases have been reported and upward of 400,000 people have died, with Brazil, Russia, and India following the US in deaths.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--Here's What St. Patrick's Day Looked Like In Ireland Amid 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 @ @ @ @ @ city that sees an average of 500,000 visitors each year on St. Patrick 's Day @ @ @ @ @ and pubs shuttered after the Republic of Ireland announced over the weekend a two-week lockdown @ @ @ @ @ On Saturday , pubs were crowded with revelers who blatantly ignored the government 's warning @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and bars closing on Monday .
Still , a handful of emerald-clad partygoers insisted @ @ @ @ @ St. Patrick 's Day and continued to socialize in close proximity with others .
These @ @ @ @ @ of Dublin looked like on St. Patrick 's Day during the coronavirus outbreak .

In Dublin, a city that sees an average of 500,000 visitors each year on St. Patrick's Day, festivities have been halted and pubs shuttered after the Republic of Ireland announced over the weekend a two-week lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak. On Saturday, pubs were crowded with revelers who blatantly ignored the government's warning, which resulted in all restaurants and bars closing on Monday. Still, a handful of emerald-clad partygoers insisted in disobeying the order on St. Patrick's Day and continued to socialize in close proximity with others.
These pictures show what the streets of Dublin looked like on St. Patrick's Day during the coronavirus outbreak.