buzzfeednews--2020-05-15--Even If You're Trying To Avoid Grubhub By Calling Your Favorite Restaurant Directly, Grubhub Could S

Even If You're Trying To Avoid Grubhub By Calling Your Favorite Restaurant Directly, Grubhub Could Still Be Charging It A Fee

Customers trying to avoid online delivery platforms like Grubhub by calling restaurants directly might be dialing phone numbers generated and advertised by those very platforms — for which restaurants are charged fees that can sometimes exceed the income the order generates .
Restaurant owners and the New York City Council say the practice is further squeezing businesses already stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns .
“ If a customer calls to place a coffee order , we ’ re paying a $ 6.42 fee — for a coffee , ” Rafaela Negrao , co-owner of Gourmet Kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Palmito , told BuzzFeed News , explaining that she pays a flat fee per phone order .
“ You are paying for someone to drink your coffee .
If you look at it that way , you see how much it hurts.
” Here ’ s how phone fees work : Grubhub ( which also owns Seamless , MenuPages , Tapingo , and LevelUp ) generates a unique phone number for each restaurant on its platform ; it appears on the restaurant ’ s Grubhub or Seamless page and redirects to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant can not list its own phone number on its Grubhub or Seamless page ) .
The redirect number can also appear higher in Google search results ( including the Google panel for that business ) than the restaurant ’ s own line .
This leads some customers to call it even if they don ’ t intend to use Grubhub .
Some restaurant owners have also raised this concern about Yelp , which lists Grubhub numbers , according to Vice .
This is a long-standing practice for Grubhub , which was founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone orders before online ordering took off .
When a Grubhub number is dialed , the caller hears an automated message that says “ Press 1 to place an order .
Press 2 for all other information.
” It does not mention Grubhub .
After the caller is connected , the platform can charge the restaurant a fee .
Each restaurant 's phone order fee is a flat dollar amount based on a percentage of its average sale .
Grubhub charges that fee using an algorithm ( which factors in a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call ) — even , in some cases , when it did not result in an order .
A restaurant owner can challenge a phone charge within a certain period of time , but the onus is on them to see which charges are erroneous .
“ Most people don ’ t even realize when they google the phone number for a restaurant , 9 times out of 10 , they ’ re pulling up Grubhub ’ s forwarding number for that restaurant , ” New York City Council Member Justin Brannan told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s devious .
In wartime , it ’ s just ugly greed.
” On Wednesday , the New York City Council passed a bill prohibiting platforms from charging for telephone calls in which a transaction did not take place during the state of emergency .
It also capped fees that platforms may charge restaurants for orders and deliveries during an emergency .
A Grubhub spokesperson told BuzzFeed News : “ We explain exactly how the process works to restaurant owners when they sign the contract .
We give owners a transcript @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then we give them four months to review the orders and raise questions.
” In an investor call last year , Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney defended the phone commissions , which are the subject of an ongoing class action lawsuit , saying , “ We still allow restaurants to review telephone orders via their manager portal so we are completely transparent .
We believe this is fair .
If Grubhub is sourcing and driving the order , we should collect a commission .
This has been our policy for years and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He also said that calls represented a “ single-digit percentage of our orders.
” But some restaurant owners have a different take .
“ Unless you go on and go through all your phone calls , you get charged .
I don ’ t have time for that , but you have to do it .
It ’ s nonsense , but it adds up , ” Jackie Juliano , owner of two Patsy ’ s Pizzeria restaurants in Brooklyn , told BuzzFeed News .
In a recording of a phone call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , a customer said , “ I don ’ t want to go through a third party.
” But the customer had used the phone number supplied by the platform — and Grubhub charged Juliano ’ s restaurant $ 7.45 for that call .
“ People don ’ t realize they are doing this , that by dialing a phone number they ’ re charging the restaurant [ almost ] $ 8 , ” said Juliano .

Customers trying to avoid online delivery platforms like Grubhub by calling restaurants directly might be dialing phone numbers generated and advertised by those very platforms — for which restaurants are charged fees that can sometimes exceed the income the order generates. Restaurant owners and the New York City Council say the practice is further squeezing businesses already stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns.
“If a customer calls to place a coffee order, we’re paying a $6.42 fee — for a coffee,” Rafaela Negrao, co-owner of Gourmet Kitchen in Brooklyn and the “ghost kitchen” Palmito, told BuzzFeed News, explaining that she pays a flat fee per phone order. “You are paying for someone to drink your coffee. If you look at it that way, you see how much it hurts.”
Here’s how phone fees work: Grubhub (which also owns Seamless, MenuPages, Tapingo, and LevelUp) generates a unique phone number for each restaurant on its platform; it appears on the restaurant’s Grubhub or Seamless page and redirects to the restaurant's own phone line (a restaurant cannot list its own phone number on its Grubhub or Seamless page). The redirect number can also appear higher in Google search results (including the Google panel for that business) than the restaurant’s own line. This leads some customers to call it even if they don’t intend to use Grubhub. Some restaurant owners have also raised this concern about Yelp, which lists Grubhub numbers, according to Vice.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-03--Protests Will Likely Spread The Coronavirus. These Doctors And Nurses Are Protesting Anyway.

Anna Maria Ruiz is all too aware of the human toll of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe .
As a critical care nurse who has treated patients in their darkest hours , she fears the possibility of being outnumbered by severe cases , running out of personal protective equipment , and getting sick herself .
But Ruiz , who is Afro-Latina , lives in fear of something else , too : racism , discrimination , and violence against black Americans .
The police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , both unarmed black people , have ignited protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size and number by the day .
Weeks of social distancing had finally led to a decline in cases for Ruiz to treat at her hospital in central Texas , but when a demonstration sprung up in downtown Austin last weekend , she felt compelled to be there — despite what she knew was the very real threat of the coronavirus spreading further as a result .
“ I just feel like it ’ s too important to not show up for , ” the 27-year-old told BuzzFeed News .
“ I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for my rights , my partner ’ s rights , my father ’ s rights , my brother ’ s rights , my friends ’ rights .
It ’ s everybody ’ s fight to me.
” Doctors , nurses , residents , medical students , and others in the medical field are just some of the thousands of protesters flooding town squares and downtowns .
To some , their participation may seem controversial or hypocritical .
In interviews with BuzzFeed News , a half-dozen health care providers who attended recent events all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , which has killed more than 100,000 Americans .
And they , like other health experts , believe that the crowds will likely spread the virus , especially when police use tear gas and conduct mass arrests .
A surge in coronavirus cases will likely be hitting their hospitals in the coming weeks .
But while the decision to attend was tough for some , they all said they were deeply distraught by the racial inequality that runs through seemingly every facet of American life — from the economy to education to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dying at higher rates .
They said they see themselves as advocates for patients , not just inside the hospital but outside of it as well .
Police brutality and systemic inequality are so oppressive , they said , as to leave them no choice but to publicly take a stand .
Those forces , they noted , are also a public health crisis .
As Dr. Jessica Edwards , a family medicine physician in New Braunfels , Texas , put it : “ I ’ m an African American first before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health care workers interviewed said that they wore masks , tried to keep a distance from other protesters , and felt that the vast majority of people around them were doing the same .
Several also came prepared to serve as medics in the event of police officers unleashing tear gas , tasers , flash grenades , pepper spray , and rubber bullets on crowds .
Earlier this spring , a smaller group of people gathered across the country to protest — in this case , against the stay-at-home-orders that have helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but have also paralyzed businesses and driven historic numbers of Americans out of work .
Groups of protesters flooded statehouses , some of them armed , and were criticized for potentially and needlessly spreading the virus as a result .
Should the same criticisms apply to the current protests ?
To the nurses and doctors interviewed for this article , the difference boiled down to a cause that is more widespread and fundamental , even existential .
“ I am incredibly sympathetic to the ways [ the shutdown ] impacts my fellow Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a first-year psychiatry resident in Southern California .
“ However , I will say that I do feel that I agree with the people who say , ‘ If it ’ s your job or your life , it should be your life that you pick.
’ And I think that ’ s what Black Lives Matter is doing — they ’ re picking life.
” Data shows that in the US , black people have shorter life expectancies than white people , she noted .
“ It ’ s not just inherently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our right to live , to just exist , to survive in this society.
” Below are the doctors and nurses in their own words .
Their comments have been edited for brevity and clarity .
On the killing of George Floyd : “ I don ’ t know what hits me so hard about this case , and everyone else too .
This just seems to be the final straw for a lot of people .
And I think it ’ s just something very different about watching a man slowly die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something that people see every day .
… It ’ s horrific to watch .
It ’ s something I feel like no human being should see .
And then you take it further : that could have been my dad or my uncle or my brother or me.
” On her protest sign ( pictured above ) : “ When I ’ m in a patient ’ s room , [ patients say ] I ’ m great , I ’ m the best nurse ever , whatever they want to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about me as a person if I wasn ’ t the one taking care of you , if your life wasn ’ t in my hands right now ?
If we were on the street , would you treat me with the same respect if I had on jeans and a T-shirt ?
That is a real question that I have to ask myself every time I ’ m in a patient ’ s room , sadly .
… If I am a great person in scrubs , I ’ m a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to live in two different worlds divided only by my uniform.
” On safety : “ I didn ’ t see one person out there without a mask — there are people out there handing out hand sanitizer and extra masks .
There are people out there really trying to preserve the health of other people , but they understood that this was , again , necessary .
It ’ s a really powerful thing to watch from a distance but also to be in the midst of it.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been working nonstop on a COVID patient unit in her hospital .
She had no hesitation about going to a peaceful protest this weekend , where she and a crowd of others in masks stood in silence for eight minutes , the amount of time that police officer Derek Chauvin pushed his knee on George Floyd ’ s neck .
Sarah , who declined to share her last name for security reasons , has Dominican heritage , but says her light skin makes her “ the whitest person in my family.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her aware of her privilege to freely go about life and stand up for those who can not .
On why she chose to protest : “ Being a registered nurse , I felt I had a duty to my community , not only to care for them in the hospital setting , but also to recognize health disparities and racism and microaggressions and this kind of stress of seeing your people die , seeing people that look like you being murdered by police , constantly , and see the brutality they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think of the likely possibility that COVID-19 cases will surge as a result of the protests ?
“ I ’ m out there , and I see the pain of what people are going through and I think that people need to express that and let it out because you can ’ t just cope with that , internalizing it .
“ Demanding justice is necessary and we ’ re able to protect our protesters as best as we can through the use of masks .
But of course , you can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become exposed .
It ’ s important not to gaslight the black experience and blame them for being exposed to COVID through expressing that pain and demanding justice .
It ’ s not my place to judge , it ’ s not my place especially as a nurse to judge , and I ’ m going to treat my patients the way I normally would with respect and empathy , regardless of where they come from , regardless of why they got sick .
“ The funny thing is that there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without masks , going to Publix , going to Target , going all over the place and intentionally pretending COVID is not happening and exposing themselves and then coming to our ERs .
And I ’ m going to treat them exactly the same .
People are making decisions for their own health .
And I think for a lot of people right now , there is no choice other than seeking justice for their communities .
Because they just can not stand for another murder and neither can I.
” Rawlins has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care since she was an undergraduate at Harvard in 2012 , when she first marched in protest of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin .
Historically , she notes , black communities have been wary of the medical establishment , and with good reason : They ’ ve been subjected to experimentation and unequal treatment .
“ That , in the middle of a pandemic , is just cause for trains colliding , in a sense , ” she said .
Over the last week , Rawlins , who is black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for physicians dedicated to racial justice .
On the differences between these protests and the recent protests to reopen the economy : “ I ’ d say the concept of protesting during this pandemic is inherently dangerous .
And when you weigh the pros versus cons of whether to protest , I would argue that if you feel that balance tips in favor of protesting , it depends on the cause you ’ re protesting for .
I think that the purpose of the protest is inherently linked to your decision , weighing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not you protest .
So the differences that I see between Black Lives Matter protests and the protests to reopen the economy are , again , purpose and intention .
“ It ’ s not that the idea of reopening the economy is problematic .
I think a lot of public health experts have said there are ways to reopen the economy safely but they must be done carefully and thoughtfully … From my understanding , from the signs I saw on the news , people wanted to open the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That doesn ’ t make sense to me .
On the flip side , the Black Lives Matter movement is arguing for black communities who were not only experiencing incredible trauma and inequality at baseline before all this started , but also during the pandemic.
” Last weekend , Kim and his partner showed up to a protest with first aid kits , masks , and other gear that showed they were street medics .
They turned out to need all of it .
Kim treated protesters who were shot in the torso @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And his partner was hit by a ricocheted rubber bullet , too , though not harmed .
The coronavirus is a real health threat , Kim said , but so is violence inflicted by law enforcement .
On protesting : “ I ’ m Korean American , I haven ’ t been subject to this kind of violence .
I ’ ve had the privilege of that .
But for my black brothers and sisters , for my partner , who ’ s Afro-Latina , this is every day , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I talk to can see they have a loved one who could have been George Floyd , could ’ ve been Trayvon Martin , could ’ ve been Tamir Rice .
It ’ s a reckoning and all of us need to step up.
” On the coronavirus ’ s health risks : “ First off , I ’ ll say protests are happening outdoors and people are wearing masks and people are wearing stuff on top of it .
That is decreasing the risk of transmission , just thinking about it at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But certainly people are going to be out , that ’ s going to increase the risk of transmission .
But I think everyone ’ s making personal decisions — how much they want to avoid the coronavirus , versus protest against this virus of white supremacy and racism that ’ s really deeply embedded in our criminal justice system.
” If the protests help spark a new wave of infections in a few weeks , would that change your view of their value ?
“ I think it wouldn ’ t change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualify it .
I would say that right now , I wouldn ’ t recommend if you had a chronic health condition , if you are of an older age , if you ’ re just more vulnerable to the damaging , inflammatory impacts of the coronavirus … don ’ t come out to the protests .
But I think everyone ’ s got ta make their own decisions about that .
The folks who are coming out , definitely need to be careful on what happens when they go home .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people are getting arrested and going into the jails where they ’ re not doing a good job of controlling the virus .
So maybe people aren ’ t going to get it from the protests , maybe people are going to get it from getting arrested and being detained .
I don ’ t think there ’ s a right answer here.
” Dr. Jessica Edwards Age : 32 Location : New Braunfels , Texas Job : Family medicine physician and president of the Committee of Interns and Residents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fellows Edwards runs her own private practice in her small town in Texas , where she says she ’ s one of just three or four black physicians .
The urgency of the moment has drawn her in recent days to her local town square , where a few dozen people have been gathering .
Her advice to health care providers considering whether to protest : “ It depends on what this means to you .
For me , I ’ m a mother to a black son .
I feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like his life matters more to me , and his ability to be an American without worrying or fearing for his life , dying at the hands of police , matters way more to me .
I would lay down my life for my child , right ?
For me , I feel like the stakes are much higher .
“ Look at your city , see if you have allies , make sure you ’ re not out there completely by yourself… It ’ s identifying that and then when it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you ’ re already around a bunch of sick people in hospitals , it may not be your fight to fight , but you can support in other ways if you can ’ t physically be out at the protests : Donating to action PACs , having uncomfortable conversations with friends and loved ones , speaking out against injustices and racial bigotry that you hear from friends and loved ones.
” Janeway often wears her white coat to protests on purpose : as a white doctor , she says , she can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Sometimes it gives them pause to maybe shooting us with rubber bullets , ” she said .
On the health risks of protesting : “ Obviously that is an increased risk , but I think we ’ re at a point in history where you have to decide how much risk you ’ re willing to take .
As a person who has quite a lot of privilege , and I ’ m young and healthy , I felt like this was kind of a no-brainer .
There are all these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are older than me , who don ’ t necessarily have health insurance — and they ’ re out there risking their own health in the name of trying to really call attention to this issue that is devastating an entire race and our country and other minority races as well .
It kind of feels like this just keeps happening again and again and again and there ’ s no justice .
At some point , there has to be some sort of a big protest and a big outpouring of support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be created .
“ There ’ s absolutely going to be cases of COVID that come from these events .
I have no doubt of that .
I do think there ’ s going to be a spike .
I think that ’ s really , really unfortunate .
It ’ s sad to me that an entire group of people have to go out in the street and continue to protest day after day after day to fight for something that should not be an issue in our country today .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets asking for basic justice .
People shouldn ’ t have to be on the streets asking to not get killed in daylight by a police officer for absolutely no reason .
That shouldn ’ t be something that we are still talking about today in 2020 .
But it is .
”

Anna Maria Ruiz is all too aware of the human toll of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. As a critical care nurse who has treated patients in their darkest hours, she fears the possibility of being outnumbered by severe cases, running out of personal protective equipment, and getting sick herself.
But Ruiz, who is Afro-Latina, lives in fear of something else, too: racism, discrimination, and violence against black Americans.
The police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both unarmed black people, have ignited protests across the nation that are exploding in size and number by the day. Weeks of social distancing had finally led to a decline in cases for Ruiz to treat at her hospital in central Texas, but when a demonstration sprung up in downtown Austin last weekend, she felt compelled to be there — despite what she knew was the very real threat of the coronavirus spreading further as a result.
“I just feel like it’s too important to not show up for,” the 27-year-old told BuzzFeed News. “I feel like it’s about me fighting for my rights, my partner’s rights, my father’s rights, my brother’s rights, my friends’ rights. It’s everybody’s fight to me.”
Doctors, nurses, residents, medical students, and others in the medical field are just some of the thousands of protesters flooding town squares and downtowns. To some, their participation may seem controversial or hypocritical. In interviews with BuzzFeed News, a half-dozen health care providers who attended recent events all said they were deeply concerned about the pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 Americans.
And they, like other health experts, believe that the crowds will likely spread the virus, especially when police use tear gas and conduct mass arrests. A surge in coronavirus cases will likely be hitting their hospitals in the coming weeks.
But while the decision to attend was tough for some, they all said they were deeply distraught by the racial inequality that runs through seemingly every facet of American life — from the economy to education to the pandemic itself, where black people are dying at higher rates. They said they see themselves as advocates for patients, not just inside the hospital but outside of it as well. Police brutality and systemic inequality are so oppressive, they said, as to leave them no choice but to publicly take a stand.
Those forces, they noted, are also a public health crisis.
As Dr. Jessica Edwards, a family medicine physician in New Braunfels, Texas, put it: “I’m an African American first before I’m a physician.”
All the health care workers interviewed said that they wore masks, tried to keep a distance from other protesters, and felt that the vast majority of people around them were doing the same. Several also came prepared to serve as medics in the event of police officers unleashing tear gas, tasers, flash grenades, pepper spray, and rubber bullets on crowds.
Earlier this spring, a smaller group of people gathered across the country to protest — in this case, against the stay-at-home-orders that have helped stem the transmission of the virus, but have also paralyzed businesses and driven historic numbers of Americans out of work. Groups of protesters flooded statehouses, some of them armed, and were criticized for potentially and needlessly spreading the virus as a result.
Should the same criticisms apply to the current protests? To the nurses and doctors interviewed for this article, the difference boiled down to a cause that is more widespread and fundamental, even existential.
“I am incredibly sympathetic to the ways [the shutdown] impacts my fellow Americans,” said Dr. Yasmin Rawlins, a first-year psychiatry resident in Southern California. “However, I will say that I do feel that I agree with the people who say, ‘If it’s your job or your life, it should be your life that you pick.’ And I think that’s what Black Lives Matter is doing — they’re picking life.”
Data shows that in the US, black people have shorter life expectancies than white people, she noted. “It’s not just inherently unjust. We’re fighting for our right to live, to just exist, to survive in this society.”
Below are the doctors and nurses in their own words. Their comments have been edited for brevity and clarity.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-09--Daniel Radcliffe Has Spoken Out Against J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Comments

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe responded to author J.K. Rowling ’ s anti-trans comments on Monday , saying he felt compelled to speak up and tell fans , “ Transgender women are women.
” “ Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I , ” Radcliffe said in a statement on the Trevor Project ’ s website .
A day earlier , Rowling tweeted an article from Devex.com titled “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People Who Menstruate ” and added her own commentary , saying , “ 'People who menstruate.
’ I ’ m sure there used to be a word for those people .
Someone help me out .
Wumben ?
Wimpund ?
Woomud ?
” Many fans of the popular book and movie series expressed disappointment in Rowling ’ s erasure of transgender women , saying her beliefs go against the core philosophies of a series that taught them about the importance of love , equality , and fighting against discrimination .
But Rowling doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t real , there ’ s no same-sex attraction .
If sex isn ’ t real , the lived reality of women globally is erased .
I know and love trans people , but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives .
It isn ’ t hate to speak the truth , ” the author tweeted .
She also claimed to be empathetic to trans people , even as she ignored the issues they raised with her statements .
“ The idea that women like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trans people for decades , feeling kinship because they ’ re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie , to male violence - ‘ hate ’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense.
” Radcliffe , who starred as Harry Potter in all eight movies spanning the years 2001 to 2011 , said his statement isn ’ t a product of “ in-fighting ” between him and Rowling .
“ That is really not what this is about , nor is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he explained .
“ While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken , as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade , and just as a human being , I feel compelled to say something at this moment.
” Radcliffe 's comments came after fellow Harry Potter actors Katie Leung , who played Cho Chang , and Noma Dumezweni , who played Hermione Granger in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides suicide-prevention services for LGBTQ youth , including a hotline .
Radcliffe also said he ’ s ” still learning how to be a better ally ” and encouraged people to look at the resources from the Trevor Project about how to be a better ally to transgender and nonbinary people .
He then addressed Harry Potter fans directly : “ To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished , I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you , ” he said .
“ If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe , capable of overcoming anything ; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity , and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups ; if you believe that a particular character is trans , nonbinary , or gender fluid , or that they are gay or bisexual ; if you found anything in these stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read , and it is sacred .
“ And in my opinion nobody can touch that , ” the actor continued , referring to Rowling ’ s comments .
“ It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much .
”

But Rowling doubled down: “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” the author tweeted.
She also claimed to be empathetic to trans people, even as she ignored the issues they raised with her statements.
“The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense.”
Radcliffe, who starred as Harry Potter in all eight movies spanning the years 2001 to 2011, said his statement isn’t a product of “in-fighting” between him and Rowling.
“That is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now,” he explained. “While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.”
Radcliffe's comments came after fellow Harry Potter actors Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang, and Noma Dumezweni, who played Hermione Granger in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, also spoke out.
The Trevor Project provides suicide-prevention services for LGBTQ youth, including a hotline.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--Amazon Workers Who Petitioned For Paid Time Off Have Claimed A Victory

Thousands of Amazon Logistics employees will start accruing paid time off for the first time today , according to photos of internal documents published by DCH1 Amazonians United , the Chicago-based group of Amazon employees .
“ We are excited to announce that Amazon will offer paid time off ( PTO ) benefits to all of our regular part-time and seasonal employees in the United States , ” the “ manager update ” dated March 20 reads .
Employees can use paid time off beginning today , Monday , March 23 , according to these documents .
The announcement comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded PTO after realizing they weren ’ t offered the same benefits Amazon describes in its employee handbook .
BuzzFeed News first reported in December on this campaign , which began with a California-based employee group called Amazonians United Sacramento .
Previously , Amazon said these employees didn ’ t accrue PTO because they were classified as part-time employees .
But after more than 4,300 people signed an online petition demanding PTO , the company has reversed its policy .
Amazon said its decision to extend PTO benefits to these employees was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee activist groups .
“ This victory is a testament to the power that Amazon workers have when we organize , ” said Amazonians United Sacramento in a blog post celebrating the victory .
Workers in Sacramento said they began demanding PTO for Amazon delivery station employees six months ago .
Meanwhile , Amazon is racing to meet the increase in orders from thousands of customers who are on lockdown in their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Last week , the company announced temporary pay raises and plans to hire 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive spike in demand .
“ Amazon has implemented a broad suite of new benefits changes for employees in our operations and logistics network throughout this unprecedented pandemic event including an additional $ 2 per hour , double time for overtime and paid time off ( PTO ) benefits for regular part-time and seasonal employees , ” a company spokesperson said .
While Amazon said it 's been planning the policy change on PTO for some months , employees feel the timing of the announcement is related to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of fellow Amazon workers and we celebrate our win !
But we celebrate knowing that Amazon did not grant us PTO out of the kindness of their hearts , ” the DCH1 Amazonians United blog post announcing the policy change reads .
“ Amazon gave us PTO because they want us to calm down a bit and keep the packages flowing .
Coronavirus has been a blessing for Bezos : now Amazon gets a 'Coronavirus Peak , ' a Prime Week AND a Peak 2020 !
” The Amazon employee groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago have been voicing concerns lately that the company isn ’ t going far enough to protect them from the coronavirus at work ; warehouse workers say they lack hand sanitizer , face masks , and the time to wash their hands .
At least five Amazon employees in Europe and one in New York have tested positive for the virus , and more than 1,500 workers have signed a petition demanding hazard pay , paid sick leave and childcare , and a commitment to close facilities where employees have been infected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to these demands .

Thousands of Amazon Logistics employees will start accruing paid time off for the first time today, according to photos of internal documents published by DCH1 Amazonians United, the Chicago-based group of Amazon employees.
“We are excited to announce that Amazon will offer paid time off (PTO) benefits to all of our regular part-time and seasonal employees in the United States,” the “manager update” dated March 20 reads. Employees can use paid time off beginning today, Monday, March 23, according to these documents.
The announcement comes after months of pressure from employees who demanded PTO after realizing they weren’t offered the same benefits Amazon describes in its employee handbook. BuzzFeed News first reported in December on this campaign, which began with a California-based employee group called Amazonians United Sacramento. Previously, Amazon said these employees didn’t accrue PTO because they were classified as part-time employees. But after more than 4,300 people signed an online petition demanding PTO, the company has reversed its policy.
Amazon said its decision to extend PTO benefits to these employees was not made in response to the actions of employee activist groups.
“This victory is a testament to the power that Amazon workers have when we organize,” said Amazonians United Sacramento in a blog post celebrating the victory. Workers in Sacramento said they began demanding PTO for Amazon delivery station employees six months ago.
Meanwhile, Amazon is racing to meet the increase in orders from thousands of customers who are on lockdown in their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, the company announced temporary pay raises and plans to hire 100,000 new employees in order to meet a massive spike in demand.
“Amazon has implemented a broad suite of new benefits changes for employees in our operations and logistics network throughout this unprecedented pandemic event including an additional $2 per hour, double time for overtime and paid time off (PTO) benefits for regular part-time and seasonal employees,” a company spokesperson said.
While Amazon said it's been planning the policy change on PTO for some months, employees feel the timing of the announcement is related to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have now won PTO for tens of thousands of fellow Amazon workers and we celebrate our win! But we celebrate knowing that Amazon did not grant us PTO out of the kindness of their hearts,” the DCH1 Amazonians United blog post announcing the policy change reads. “Amazon gave us PTO because they want us to calm down a bit and keep the packages flowing. Coronavirus has been a blessing for Bezos: now Amazon gets a 'Coronavirus Peak,' a Prime Week AND a Peak 2020!”
The Amazon employee groups in New York, Sacramento, and Chicago have been voicing concerns lately that the company isn’t going far enough to protect them from the coronavirus at work; warehouse workers say they lack hand sanitizer, face masks, and the time to wash their hands.
At least five Amazon employees in Europe and one in New York have tested positive for the virus, and more than 1,500 workers have signed a petition demanding hazard pay, paid sick leave and childcare, and a commitment to close facilities where employees have been infected.
So far, Amazon has declined to respond to these demands.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-23--36 Million People In Oregon, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Washington Have Been Orde

36 Million People In Oregon, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Washington Have Been Ordered To Stay Home To Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus

The governors of Massachusetts , Kentucky , New Mexico , Washington , and Maryland also ordered all nonessential businesses to shut in their states .
Oregon , Michigan , Indiana , Wisconsin , New Mexico , and Washington — home to approximately 36 million people — became the latest states to order residents to stay at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
The governors of Massachusetts , Kentucky , and Maryland ordered all nonessential businesses to close in their states , stopping short of issuing stay-at-home orders .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown issued an executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state to stay at home to `` the maximum extent possible . ''
The order will remain in effect until Brown decides to end it .
`` Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health and subject to a Class C misdemeanor , '' the governor 's office said .
The order closed additional retail businesses , including malls , gyms barbershops , nail salons , spas , theaters , amusement parks , and other recreational and entertainment venues .
It also prohibited all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of size '' if a distance of 6 feet could not be maintained between people .
`` Today , I am issuing a new executive order further requiring social distancing measures because we know this is the most effective way to flatten the curve and slow the spread of this virus , '' Brown said in a statement .
`` I hope everyone in Oregon abides by its core message : stay home unless absolutely necessary . ''
Indiana Gov .
Eric Holcomb said Monday that he had signed an executive order calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stay at home , unless you ’ re going out on an essential errand , or essential work or essential business and operations.
” The order takes effect on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m .
ET and ends on April 6 , but could be extended if the outbreak warrants it .
The order is `` mandatory '' and will be enforced by the Indiana State Police with local law enforcement .
“ Stay home , get groceries only when you really need them and buy only what you really need , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer also issued a “ Stay Home , Stay Safe ” executive order which goes into effect at midnight on Monday and lasts until April 13 .
The order directs all residents to stay inside their homes and allows them to leave only `` under very limited circumstances '' including engaging in outdoor activities or going to the grocery store or hospital .
A violation of the order would be a misdemeanor .
The order also suspends all nonessential businesses in the state .
Whitmer added , “ Let me be clear : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Your pharmacies will remain open .
Your banks and credit unions will still be functioning .
You can still fill your car with gas.
” Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers announced that he would issue a “ Safer at Home ” order on Tuesday , requiring all residents to stay at home and limit their travel to only essential needs like going to the doctor and getting groceries or medications .
In a series of tweets Monday , Evers chastised people in his state for not taking the issue seriously and continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” putting their communities at risk .
He urged people to limit their interactions to the same people and to shrink their circle of interactions to prevent the spread of the virus .
“ Unfortunately that means no sleepovers , no play dates , and no dinner parties with friends and neighbors , ” Evers said .
He said that residents could get out and walk their dogs but not to take any other unnecessary trips .
“ We ’ re all in this together , and each and every one of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can # FlattenTheCurve to ensure our doctors , nurses , and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work , ” Evers said .
New Mexico 's stay at home order , which takes effect Tuesday morning , closes all businesses and nonprofits , except essential businesses like grocery stores , pharmacies , laundromats , and banks , and prohibits gatherings of five or more people ( except in households where five or more people live together ) .
In announcing the new order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michelle Lujan Grisham emphasized that the restricting person to person contact was necessary to slow the spread of the disease in the state , where 83 people have been infected in 11 of the state 's 33 counties .
`` If we do n't limit it then who ’ s going to stock your grocery stores ?
Who ’ s going to be in the emergency room ?
Who ’ s going to provide childcare to first responders , '' Grisham said during a press conference Monday .
`` If we do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our everyday services then they ’ re not able to provide those essential services to you .
So I need you to heed this order and I need every New Mexican to do their part . ''
Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee announced a similar stay at home order Monday evening , calling on all `` non-essential '' businesses to close within 48 hours , unless employees can work remotely .
`` We want to get back to normal as soon as possible , '' Inslee said during a virtual public briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lingering intrusion in our lives and the fastest way to get back to normal is to hit this hard .
That 's what we ’ re doing . ''
The state has been one of the hardest hit by the disease so far , with more than 2,000 cases and 110 deaths , as of Monday afternoon .
An outbreak at the Life Care nursing home in Kirkland led to at least 35 deaths .
Several other states have already issued similar stay-at-home directives , including New York , California , Illinois , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Similar orders were also issued in Philadelphia as well as in two of Missouri ’ s largest cities , St. Louis and Kansas City .
Three other states , Kentucky , Maryland , and Massachusetts , ordered all nonessential businesses to be shut in their states , but did not issue mandatory stay-at-home orders even as they urged residents to do so .
Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker issued an emergency order Monday requiring all nonessential businesses to close their physical workspaces and facilities as of Tuesday at noon to April 7 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health to issue a stay at home advisory that outlines self-isolation and social distancing protocols .
`` Residents are advised to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary activities during this two-week time period , '' the governor 's office said .
Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear announced that all nonessential retail businesses will close effective Monday at 8 p.m .
He also mandated ending all elective medical procedures .
Grocery stores , pharmacies , banks , hardware stores , gas stations , and other businesses that provide staple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is the next step that we need to take to reduce the contacts among Kentuckians until we can defeat this virus , ” Beshear said .
He urged residents to do their part in stopping the spread by not gathering in public and following social distancing by staying 6 feet apart from others .
Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan enacted an executive order closing all nonessential businesses , organizations , and establishments in the state , starting Monday at 5 p.m .
He insisted that he was not issuing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or forcing people to stay home.
” “ We are telling you that unless you have an essential reason to leave your house , then you should stay in your homes , '' Hogan said .

Oregon, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Washington — home to approximately 36 million people — became the latest states to order residents to stay at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The governors of Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Maryland ordered all nonessential businesses to close in their states, stopping short of issuing stay-at-home orders.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order Monday, effective immediately, ordering everyone in the state to stay at home to "the maximum extent possible." The order will remain in effect until Brown decides to end it.
"Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health and subject to a Class C misdemeanor," the governor's office said.
The order closed additional retail businesses, including malls, gyms barbershops, nail salons, spas, theaters, amusement parks, and other recreational and entertainment venues. It also prohibited all nonessential "social and recreational gatherings regardless of size" if a distance of 6 feet could not be maintained between people.
"Today, I am issuing a new executive order further requiring social distancing measures because we know this is the most effective way to flatten the curve and slow the spread of this virus," Brown said in a statement. "I hope everyone in Oregon abides by its core message: stay home unless absolutely necessary."
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Monday that he had signed an executive order calling on “all Hoosiers to hunker down, stay at home, unless you’re going out on an essential errand, or essential work or essential business and operations.”
The order takes effect on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. ET and ends on April 6, but could be extended if the outbreak warrants it. The order is "mandatory" and will be enforced by the Indiana State Police with local law enforcement.
“Stay home, get groceries only when you really need them and buy only what you really need,” Holcomb said.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order which goes into effect at midnight on Monday and lasts until April 13.
The order directs all residents to stay inside their homes and allows them to leave only "under very limited circumstances" including engaging in outdoor activities or going to the grocery store or hospital. A violation of the order would be a misdemeanor.
The order also suspends all nonessential businesses in the state.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-29--In Their Final FaceTime She Told Her Son That Everything Would Be OK. But She Knew It Would Be The L

In Their Final FaceTime She Told Her Son That Everything Would Be OK. But She Knew It Would Be The Last Time They Spoke.

Esther Akinsanya died days after testing positive for the coronavirus , in the same hospital where just a week earlier she was treating patients on the front line .
It ’ s been two weeks since Samuel Akinsanya ’ s mother , Esther , died , aged 55 , and he ’ s still constantly replaying in his head the last conversation they had .
She FaceTimed him from her hospital bed to tell him that she was going to be sedated because her breathing had gotten worse and told Samuel to look after his 14-year-old sister , something she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was struggling to talk .
Her breathing was so bad , ” Samuel said .
She died two hours later , in the same London hospital where just a week before she had been working on the front line treating coronavirus patients .
Samuel ’ s 61-year-old aunt — Esther ’ s sister and a fellow nurse — is still in the ICU after coming out of a coma .
The two sisters who lived and worked together had both tested positive for the coronavirus .
Samuel , 27 , believes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentionally kept the full extent of her illness from him .
He has since found out that before she video-called him , Esther had called an uncle in Nigeria to tell him that her kidney had ruptured and asked him to look out for her kids .
“ I feel like she was trying to give me and my sister hope , that 's the bit that breaks me up all the time , ” Samuel told BuzzFeed News .
“ She knew she was going but in her last moment , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to my children , that I 'm still coming home , that I 'm going to be fine , I 'm in the best hands .
I just pray that in her last moments she was n't in too much pain , but I 'll never know.
” Born in Lagos , Nigeria , Esther made the decision to move to the UK in the early ‘ 90s after discovering she was pregnant with Samuel , her first child .
She made a home for herself in south London while laying the foundations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Idowu , join her shortly after .
“ Back home in Nigeria , it used to be my auntie who looked after my mum because she 's the older sister .
She was working early to make sure she could pay for my mum to go to school because their mum and dad were quite old , ” Samuel said .
“ If you came to my house , my mum would make sure that you were well fed , her hospitality was second to none .
She cared about people 's well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was loving , sometimes too loving , there were times when I felt like she was doing too much at the expense of herself , but that ’ s just the person she was.
” Esther and Mary began their working lives in a new country as cleaners in central London , accompanied by a young Samuel who would watch them work their way across office floors .
“ I remember times when I would wake up early in the morning around 3 , 4 a.m. before all the offices would open for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d take the bus , ” he said .
“ I just used to sit in there while they would go and get the cleaning supplies from the cupboard and clean the offices.
” “ They were ride-or-die , to-the-ends-of-the-Earth type of sisters .
When I was younger I used to question why my aunt lived with us , but my mum came from a background of poverty and when she came to this country , getting her sister in and being there for her was important , and they both worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaners , Esther and Mary pursued careers as health care professionals and eventually worked side by side at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich , southeast London .
“ My mum was very outgoing , while my aunt is more of the opposite , more introverted .
They both managed to work well together despite being complete opposites , ” said Samuel .
“ She had a ball every time she went to work , doing what she did , she enjoyed meeting people , seeing new people because she had a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy life to the fullest.
” Samuel , a photographer , described his mother as one of his muses .
“ She wanted me to take more pictures of her in general , anytime she was going to a party she would say , ‘ Sam , come on get your camera , take some pictures of me , I want to be like one of the models you take pictures of.
’ I 'm content with what I 've taken of her , but sometimes I wish I took more.
” Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat coronavirus patients , almost right up until they were eventually taken to hospital .
“ They are tough women ; they didn ’ t mention the dangers they just got on with their jobs .
At the time , I 'm assuming they 're wearing protective gear so I 'm assuming they 're fine , they would come home , say a few things about the seriousness of it all , but not at one point did they show any fear , any signs of slowing down or suggestion that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to be careful to not bring anything home.
” The day after what would be her final shift on Thursday , April 9 , Samuel noticed a considerable change in his mum ’ s energy , but put it down to her workload .
“ That Friday , she was in bed quite a bit , but I was just thinking she was tired from work , that it had taken its toll , but I did n't think in any way that she had COVID because she did n't really have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aunt , who had undergone heart valve surgery three years prior , was taken to hospital where she was sedated .
Just hours later a second ambulance came to their home , this time to take Esther to hospital .
They both tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
The two sisters would never speak again , Esther died five days after arriving at the hospital where she had worked .
In a video message announcing her death , Ben Travis , chief executive of Lewisham and Greenwich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a desperately sad time and all our thoughts are with her family , loved ones and colleagues.
” Samuel and his younger sister have received an outpouring of love and support since their mother died , and have raised almost £22,000 ( around $ 27,000 ) to pay for funeral costs .
“ I was n't expecting that at all and it 's not just immediate friends and family .
It 's literally people we do n't know and I feel like , it 's one less of a headache .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She did n't have that kind of security in place to deal with a situation like this.
” As of today , Samuel ’ s aunt has been brought out of sedation but remains in hospital and unaware of her sister 's death .
“ She is improving , we just keep praying .
She has a way to go but everything positive so far.
” He ’ s reeling from his mother 's death , but is slowly coming to terms with the reality of it .
“ I 'm doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first few days , I had no control over my emotions , my body .
Even when you want to tell your body that it will be fine , your heart is heavy because it knows.
” “ My mother lit up a room when she walked in , ” he said .
“ It was impossible not to like her .
”

It’s been two weeks since Samuel Akinsanya’s mother, Esther, died, aged 55, and he’s still constantly replaying in his head the last conversation they had.
She FaceTimed him from her hospital bed to tell him that she was going to be sedated because her breathing had gotten worse and told Samuel to look after his 14-year-old sister, something she often instructed him to do.
“She was struggling to talk. Her breathing was so bad,” Samuel said.
She died two hours later, in the same London hospital where just a week before she had been working on the front line treating coronavirus patients. Samuel’s 61-year-old aunt — Esther’s sister and a fellow nurse — is still in the ICU after coming out of a coma. The two sisters who lived and worked together had both tested positive for the coronavirus.
Samuel, 27, believes that in her final moments, his mother intentionally kept the full extent of her illness from him. He has since found out that before she video-called him, Esther had called an uncle in Nigeria to tell him that her kidney had ruptured and asked him to look out for her kids.
“I feel like she was trying to give me and my sister hope, that's the bit that breaks me up all the time,” Samuel told BuzzFeed News. “She knew she was going but in her last moment, she thought, Let me just give hope to my children, that I'm still coming home, that I'm going to be fine, I'm in the best hands. I just pray that in her last moments she wasn't in too much pain, but I'll never know.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-19--12 Teens On Being Stuck At Home Because Of The Coronavirus

The whole thing 's been a false utopia .
First day was really hype .
A nasty chem test swerved !
My Google calendar loaded with self-care and projects I 'd been putting off for months because of schoolwork .
I spent my waking hours with my cats .
My skin cleared up .
I literally said the words `` I am so happy ! ''
for the first time in years , just because I could n't contain such genuine emotion .
My siblings and parents started working from home that afternoon .
We did n't butt heads at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beloved cats had put us all at ease — but it was inevitable .
Technical difficulties with online school had the 9-year-old howling from downstairs .
I took my first day of online school pretty seriously , but by day two , my focus had waned .
I deleted TikTok and Snapchat to try to keep the ball rolling with my projects , but my enthusiasm is fading .
Most of my projects were for competitions that are probably gon na get canceled .
My friends feel far away .
But I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide a screenshot proving I went for a run — so that 's pretty cool .
The world kinda feels like it 's quietly on fire .
The coronavirus is history in the making .
Not just the disease , we ’ ve had plenty of those before , but us .
The human race , the kids being pulled out of school , the global efforts to socially distance ourselves from our friends , neighbors who are willing to shop for their elderly or immunocompromised friends .
It 's odd , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( which , as prequels sometimes are , is infinitely worse ) is going to be read about in textbooks when I 'm gone .
You always kind of know that your life is going to be history , but to be confronted with something which no one alive can recall anything similar to feels powerful .
Even when it is just your mother yelling at you to use hand sanitizer and not being able to see your friends .
I live in Seattle , which I ’ ve heard people call the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The difference the coronavirus has made has been clear for weeks in the reduced number of cars on the road , the empty shelves at grocery stores , and yes — the lack of toilet paper anywhere that sells it .
School has been out for a week and I ’ m already feeling the effects .
My sleep schedule is shot ( I do n't think I ’ ve gotten to bed before 1 a.m. since school let out ) and I ’ ve played 15 hours of the PS4 game my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days .
But I ’ ve been doing what Gen Z does .
I ’ ve adapted , I ’ ve overcome , and I 've been on my phone too much .
When I first went into self-isolation , I expected almost nothing to change .
After all , even when I had to physically go to school , I mostly kept to myself , ever the introvert .
Even at home , I would shut myself in my room and spend all my time on my computer , limiting my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But now , I find myself actually venturing out of my room and interacting with others more than ever during this isolation .
Maybe it 's the boredom already getting to me , but I 've started bonding with my parents more , my mom especially .
She 's started teaching me how to cook and bake , and she 's been encouraging me to find recipes that I 'd like to try out .
So far , she 's taught me how to bake banana bread , and she let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she 's not the best at cooking , but she wants to teach me all that she can while she still has time and I 'm still interested .
And honestly ?
I 'm thankful for it .
It 's nice cooking with another person ; it 's like you 're a team on a mission to make the most delicious treats and meals you can , and I 'm a little regretful that I did n't start cooking with my mom earlier in my life .
So if there 's anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's this : It 's never too late to bond with family and awaken new interests .
I can only hope that I 'll be able to cook and bake with my mom for years to come .
And to think , it all started because for once in my life , I decided to interact with other people during a time when I was supposed to self-quarantine .
I ’ m lucky with this quarantine in that I don ’ t rely on school for food and that my parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I ’ ve got something different : I have to work on a farm .
I don ’ t usually work and live on my parents ’ farm , but for the next month I will live , breathe , and sleep out in the middle of nowhere .
I help with the chores of feeding 34 horses and mucking 16 stalls and I help run a riding camp .
In the meantime I get to ride and horse vault ( look it up ; picture horse gymnastics ) amid schoolwork @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance , camp running from 10 to 4 , riding taking two hours , and mucking taking another one .
I ’ m trying to be a good student and a good friend , but geographic isolation and demanding work win out again .
It ’ ll be fun trying to manage all of it amidst a pandemic and the ever-present flooding north Georgia seems to hold .
Will I have to swim to catch horses tomorrow or will I just metaphorically drown in schoolwork ?
Who knows ?
Guess I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peers , I am navigating a pandemic to the best of my ability .
Which is to say , we 're all eating , playing video games , and watching Seinfeld until self-loathing dawns .
We seem to share , thankfully , some productive commonalities , like being creative .
We plan to paint our walls and film period pieces .
Open a new tab with that free Harvard coding course .
Everyone wants to learn embroidery from their mom .
Gen Z is no different than most living in this period — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of our ideas lie in wait at the conceptual stage .
We want to do everything — with many exclamation points — but we 're holding out for the prom or graduation that may never come .
We are mourning the memories we counted on .
Mourning complicates our call-to-action .
If social distancing was worthy of comparison , I could liken it to an endless `` mental health day . ''
Sitting on my bed and doing nothing for eight hours reminds me of last week , when I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive order .
l want to be happy , if I am privileged enough to be lazy .
A few days ago , I informed my boyfriend that I really ca n't exercise during `` quarantine . ''
He replied , `` What did you even do before ? ''
I 'm grateful to leave my apartment at all — impossibly more so to see him and his family , who I strictly social-distance for .
At home , I 'm trying to grapple with the future less .
Yet no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call to Huntsville , Alabama , my mother corrects herself when she sputters the word `` fear . ''
She knows that this era `` will be over soon , '' and hopefully her theater wo n't disappear with it — `` God 's got a plan , '' she says .
She is the hardest to miss , obviously .
The only boundary between us is some intangible risk which just outweighs cheap Delta airfare .
My friends ' families have long since retreated to their Bay Area , Ojai , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first Monday of my online curriculum , my friend and I hosted a group FaceTime during our `` lunch period . ''
Even our classes can not guarantee social interaction — some teachers do n't livestream at the risk of being screenshotted and memed .
Nevertheless , we added people to the call one by one , gleefully chain-laughing as we asked them , `` Wan na sit at our table ? ''
Today , quotes on Facebook and letters from their school administrators imbue teens with hope that they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daunts us : We must figure out how to .
Socializing , creating , or working alone leaves no blueprint for the generation still reconciling their identity .
Everyone speculates that we will emerge stronger .
That is , after we know ourselves intimately and each other from a distance .
I 'm not exactly a teen ; I 'm 12 , just so you know .
My experience with COVID-19 or the coronavirus is different than most .
You see , I live in Idaho — Lewiston , Idaho , to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no more than five confirmed cases of the coronavirus [ as of March 17 ] , this means that such drastic measures that are being taken in some states like Washington , for example , are not being taken in Idaho .
Some measures have been taken , though .
My school was closed for a week to decide what to do about the virus , and to clean the school .
Spring break is next week , so my mom , who runs a childcare center , was already preparing for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got them a week early .
This caused a chain reaction in the community , as already apprehensive parents were now in a panic .
My mom would not let us go to her childcare center because she said it was too crazy and stressful .
My brother and I then had to go to our grandparents ' house .
They live in Clarkston , Washington , a city right across the Snake River from Lewiston .
Also , due to the closing of restaurants and other places because of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then my mom got sick and I was not able to see her .
Due to my asthma I am in a higher risk group and have to social distance .
All of this plus not being able to see my friends made me feel very lonely , kind of scared , kind of worried for the health of my family , and overall just wanting the pandemic to be over .
Aloha , my name is Max and I am a 17-year-old from Maui .
I am a high school journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The whole coronavirus predicament has affected my life in ways I could have not imagined just a mere month ago .
A lot of things have changed .
People have seemed to change with some kind of spell cast on them , compelling them to hoard toilet paper and meat .
With both school going online and prom being canceled , I can say my junior year of high school is a bit unique .
I 'm on spring break right now , but we 'll eventually `` go back '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Being stuck on island , we have this existential threat of the ports being possibly closed , so that 's quite gloomy .
Resources and job security have been a challenge .
While in line at a local grocery store , I overheard this guy talking about laying off 75 % of workers in this tour company , due to nobody traveling or doing anything anymore , and it was quite sad .
The one silver lining to this situation is that at least the beaches wo n't be closed anytime soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation with my family [ as of March 17 ] .
My sister , my mom , my dad , and our Italian exchange student , Giacomo , all together in 1,620 square feet .
I hear from Giacomo firsthand about how his family and country is struggling , and it frightens me .
Watching what he has to go through certainly helps put things in perspective .
Today , I did a few hours of online school from my bed , FaceTimed my friends , and even resorted to painting my old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ okay .
You 're waiting for me to talk about my phone , are n't you ?
Yes , my screentime has skyrocketed the past few days .
Yes , my friends and I are sending back and forth coronavirus TikTok memes .
Yes , I have a handheld computer with infinite knowledge and communication , and way too much spare time to use it .
But I do n't enjoy sitting on my couch watching movies all day .
Sure , it sounds fun for an hour or two , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I miss going out for breakfast with my mom .
I miss watching pingpong tournaments at my school during breaks .
I miss going to Dunkin Donuts to get coffee with my friends on weekends .
I miss feeling like I have control over what is going on in my life .
Because right now , I do n't .
I do n't know if I will be able to work my restaurant job this summer .
I do n't know if I can book any upcoming travel plans .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our world will lose to the virus called COVID-19 .
I moved to Mexico three years ago after traveling the world for a year .
I was originally born in Santa Fe , New Mexico , and my mother is a journalist so we traveled frequently .
I had my 4th birthday in England , then lived in Cambodia for three months while my mother completed her graduate work .
We moved back to Santa Fe for four years before traveling in Central and South America for one year and finally settling down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed the development of COVID-19 from afar .
The truth is , lots of Mexicans don ’ t even know what COVID-19 is , so we started quarantining before it was required by the Mexican government .
I have been fine with staying inside all day because I am an introvert , but it has been annoying that I can ’ t hang out with my best friend .
To keep healthy , we have been running the dogs around a lot in the front yard and playing Just Dance on my Nintendo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday party was canceled because of the virus but my mother allowed me to get me a couple of games .
I spend my time watching YouTube videos about art and other things .
Since all schools in Mexico were canceled this week , my classes have moved online .
I 'm a senior , and I have been dreaming about the perfect second semester of my last year of high school for the entire time I 've attended Interlochen .
The weather gets warm , flowers bloom on campus .
Our academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to spend with friends .
We perform a senior showcase as well as the four productions we 've been rehearsing the entire semester .
I 'm playing Rosalind in As You Like It , which is my first lead in a mainstage production here at school .
When I 've had struggles in my personal life , I poured my soul into this role .
All my friends and I take our art very seriously , it gives meaning to our lives .
The one thing we 've been saying over and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish I could make art again . ''
The students at my school come from all over .
My best friend lives in Tennessee and I live in Michigan right now .
The actor who plays my love interest in As You Like It is from the Dominican Republic .
Even our teachers and faculty are citizens of places all around the world .
Other teens get to hang out in small groups with their friends , go on walks , pull up in drive-thrus .
We turn to FaceTime and group chats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of group chats .
People my age have had a lot of world-altering events happen in our very young lives and it 's hard to cope with it all .
Social media is both a blessing and a curse , and we 've grown up with it our entire lives .
It 's shaped our entire world and it 's almost impossible to escape .
But this is one of the hardest things that my generation has had to deal with .
None of us could have expected this .
●

l want to be happy, if I am privileged enough to be lazy. A few days ago, I informed my boyfriend that I really can't exercise during "quarantine." He replied, "What did you even do before?" I'm grateful to leave my apartment at all — impossibly more so to see him and his family, who I strictly social-distance for. At home, I'm trying to grapple with the future less. Yet no one knows how to.
On a phone call to Huntsville, Alabama, my mother corrects herself when she sputters the word "fear." She knows that this era "will be over soon," and hopefully her theater won't disappear with it — "God's got a plan," she says. She is the hardest to miss, obviously. The only boundary between us is some intangible risk which just outweighs cheap Delta airfare. My friends' families have long since retreated to their Bay Area, Ojai, or Malibu houses as cohesive units.
Yesterday, the first Monday of my online curriculum, my friend and I hosted a group FaceTime during our "lunch period." Even our classes cannot guarantee social interaction — some teachers don't livestream at the risk of being screenshotted and memed. Nevertheless, we added people to the call one by one, gleefully chain-laughing as we asked them, "Wanna sit at our table?"
Today, quotes on Facebook and letters from their school administrators imbue teens with hope that they can thrive in isolation. The truth somewhat daunts us: We must figure out how to. Socializing, creating, or working alone leaves no blueprint for the generation still reconciling their identity. Everyone speculates that we will emerge stronger. That is, after we know ourselves intimately and each other from a distance.
Tristan, 12 — Lewiston, Idaho
I'm not exactly a teen; I'm 12, just so you know. My experience with COVID-19 or the coronavirus is different than most. You see, I live in Idaho — Lewiston, Idaho, to be exact. One of four states with no more than five confirmed cases of the coronavirus [as of March 17], this means that such drastic measures that are being taken in some states like Washington, for example, are not being taken in Idaho. Some measures have been taken, though.
My school was closed for a week to decide what to do about the virus, and to clean the school. Spring break is next week, so my mom, who runs a childcare center, was already preparing for a huge amount of kids, but she got them a week early. This caused a chain reaction in the community, as already apprehensive parents were now in a panic. My mom would not let us go to her childcare center because she said it was too crazy and stressful.
My brother and I then had to go to our grandparents' house. They live in Clarkston, Washington, a city right across the Snake River from Lewiston. Also, due to the closing of restaurants and other places because of the virus, it is very hard to do anything. Then my mom got sick and I was not able to see her. Due to my asthma I am in a higher risk group and have to social distance. All of this plus not being able to see my friends made me feel very lonely, kind of scared, kind of worried for the health of my family, and overall just wanting the pandemic to be over.
Max Bielawski — 17, Kahului, Hawaii


buzzfeednews--2020-03-19--Italians Are Learning How To Love During The Coronavirus Lockdown. Americans Might Have To One Day S

Italians Are Learning How To Love During The Coronavirus Lockdown. Americans Might Have To One Day Soon Too.

“ I know this could ’ ve been even worse if social media didn ’ t exist .
But no way you can compare FaceTime to a real hug.
” CATANIA , Italy — When Rita Grosso went shopping for her boyfriend ’ s birthday gifts on the morning of March 9 , she didn ’ t know her plans to celebrate the day together as a couple would never happen .
Later that night , Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a nationwide lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak , lasting at least until the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours , Italians saw their freedom to leave their homes restricted to only work or health-related emergencies and to buy essential supplies .
Grosso hasn ’ t seen her boyfriend , Marco Bianco , since .
Today , Conte said he was considering extending the lockdown restrictions .
Similar measures have also been taken in other countries in Europe , including Spain , France , and Germany .
Almost two weeks into lockdown life , Grosso , 24 , said that social distancing has put her love life on hold .
“ Technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be the same thing .
I know this could ’ ve been even worse if social media didn ’ t exist .
But no way you can compare FaceTime to a real hug , ” she told BuzzFeed News via a WhatsApp call .
Grosso and Bianco , originally from the city of Treviso in Veneto , one of the first and hardest-hit regions , used to see each other every day , although since Feb. 21 , when the first case was reported in the nearby region of Lombardy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interactions with friends in crowded places .
Italy has been hit extremely hard by the coronavirus pandemic , of which the World Health Organization has announced the new epicenter is Europe .
It was the first country in Europe to go into lockdown , and as of March 19 had reported 41,035 cases of the virus and 3,405 deaths , overtaking even China in terms of deaths from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Grosso described herself as sentimental , never realizing how much physical contact was part of Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually over , she said she will never take for granted the privilege of spontaneously hugging or kissing her partner .
“ We don ’ t even live that far from each other , just 5km away .
And I think that ’ s what makes it even harder : realizing that normally I could just bike to his house .
If it was a longer distance I think I ’ d get over it more easily.
” On March 15 , Bianco turned 24 .
Grosso and Bianco spent it video-chatting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gifts — six shirts and some socks — but hadn ’ t been able to give them to him before they went into lockdown .
So she ended up unwrapping them herself while Bianco watched on his phone .
“ She didn ’ t know when she ’ d be able to show them to me in real life , so she couldn ’ t wait until then .
It was a bittersweet moment for me , ” he said .
Bianco said confinement has been a test for their relationship .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you understand if a person really loves you .
It ’ ll be our second anniversary in early April , and we still aren ’ t sure if we ’ ll be able to celebrate it together .
But I know she will do everything possible to make it special despite the distance , ” Bianco said .
Young Italians are no different than anyone else , social life with partners , relatives and friends is a main part of their daily routine .
The sudden forced isolation for many meant alienation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22-year-old dietician and master ’ s degree student at the University of Florence in Tuscany , being forcibly separated from her family in such a stressful time has meant anxiety and depression .
“ On day one , I couldn ’ t even get myself motivated enough to open the books and study .
Life has suddenly become so uncertain I couldn ’ t even see the point , since my final exams will likely be canceled , ” she said in a phone interview .
Diolosà had a flight booked for March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement , and would have been able to travel , as under the terms of the lockdown , Italians were allowed to return to their official residence .
She had planned and saved for months to return to Catania in Sicily , Italy ’ s southernmost region , to belatedly celebrate her birthday .
But after watching the Italian prime minister ’ s speech on TV , she decided to cancel in order to not put her whole family at risk .
Since the announcement of the lockdown , more than 20,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy ’ s south but living in the richer regions of northern Italy — registered their return to Sicily .
Local authorities have warned this could turn into a threat for people vulnerable to the coronavirus — the more than 1 million elderly people living there , as well as those with preexisting health conditions — and the underfunded health infrastructure in southern Italy .
Despite missing and worrying for her family , Diolosà is trying to stay positive for her own mental health .
“ At the beginning I was anxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning and think , Oh no , what am I going to do today ?
” she said , shocked by the sudden routine change .
Then came the acceptance : Diolosà said she initially felt pressure to be productive during the quarantine , and the fact that she didn ’ t have the energy to do anything made her feel guilty .
“ But now I ’ m trying to see this as an opportunity to cultivate the hobbies and friendships I hadn ’ t had time for because of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
She now spends her days practicing yoga , writing her thoughts in a journal , and keeping up with Netflix series with her flatmate , commenting on them from separate rooms for safety reasons , through texting or shouting .
“ I also video-call my parents .
But not too much , otherwise I get sad .
It ’ s a normal human instinct in hard times wanting to be next to your loved ones .
But we have to limit travel to limit the damage.
” While Diolosà remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in the opposite situation .
Originally from Milan , she moved to Catania , Sicily , with her husband a year ago .
Her parents were supposed to visit them in March to see their 8-month-old granddaughter .
Now Gornati , a 31-year-old human rights consultant , is unsure when they ’ ll be able to meet again .
“ [ My parents ] are already seeing my daughter growing up via Skype , a postponed trip to Sicily for them means a lost opportunity to keep up with her growth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My husband is more positive , but I highly doubt things will go back to normal at 12:59 a.m. on April 3 , ” she said .
“ Even if we ’ re lucky enough to have a garden , it ’ s not the same thing as taking a stroll to unwind your stress.
” Back in Treviso , Grosso patiently waits for the moment it ’ ll be safe to roam the streets of her hometown again , holding her boyfriend ’ s hand .
“ If we go outside now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , there ’ ll be no more life to enjoy .
So it ’ s better to wait inside .
And when we ’ ll be able to go out again , I think we ’ ll appreciate life ’ s little joys even more.
” ●

Young Italians are no different than anyone else, social life with partners, relatives and friends is a main part of their daily routine. The sudden forced isolation for many meant alienation and uncertainty.
For Laura Diolosà a 22-year-old dietician and master’s degree student at the University of Florence in Tuscany, being forcibly separated from her family in such a stressful time has meant anxiety and depression. “On day one, I couldn’t even get myself motivated enough to open the books and study. Life has suddenly become so uncertain I couldn’t even see the point, since my final exams will likely be canceled,” she said in a phone interview.
Diolosà had a flight booked for March 10, the day after the lockdown enforcement, and would have been able to travel, as under the terms of the lockdown, Italians were allowed to return to their official residence. She had planned and saved for months to return to Catania in Sicily, Italy’s southernmost region, to belatedly celebrate her birthday. But after watching the Italian prime minister’s speech on TV, she decided to cancel in order to not put her whole family at risk.
Since the announcement of the lockdown, more than 20,000 people — mostly students and workers with roots in Italy’s south but living in the richer regions of northern Italy — registered their return to Sicily. Local authorities have warned this could turn into a threat for people vulnerable to the coronavirus — the more than 1 million elderly people living there, as well as those with preexisting health conditions — and the underfunded health infrastructure in southern Italy.
Despite missing and worrying for her family, Diolosà is trying to stay positive for her own mental health. “At the beginning I was anxious. I’d wake up in the morning and think, Oh no, what am I going to do today?” she said, shocked by the sudden routine change.
Then came the acceptance: Diolosà said she initially felt pressure to be productive during the quarantine, and the fact that she didn’t have the energy to do anything made her feel guilty.
“But now I’m trying to see this as an opportunity to cultivate the hobbies and friendships I hadn’t had time for because of this crazy lifestyle we all follow,” she said.
She now spends her days practicing yoga, writing her thoughts in a journal, and keeping up with Netflix series with her flatmate, commenting on them from separate rooms for safety reasons, through texting or shouting. “I also video-call my parents. But not too much, otherwise I get sad. It’s a normal human instinct in hard times wanting to be next to your loved ones. But we have to limit travel to limit the damage.”
While Diolosà remains trapped in the north, Beatrice Gornati is in the opposite situation. Originally from Milan, she moved to Catania, Sicily, with her husband a year ago.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-19--The Trump Administration Changed Course On Food Stamps Amid The Coronavirus Outbreak After Courts An

The Trump Administration Changed Course On Food Stamps Amid The Coronavirus Outbreak After Courts And Congress Intervened

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 .
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has shelved its plan to level strict work requirements on people using food stamps , at least for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak .
As of April , 1 the White House ’ s new rules would have required people without a disability or children to work 20 hours per week to qualify for SNAP , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as food stamps ) .
As businesses are shutting down all across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , millions of people were projected to lose this support .
But over the weekend , US District Court Judge Beryl Howell blocked the rule changes , finding them to be “ arbitrary and capricious.
” Then , on Wednesday , Trump signed a coronavirus response bill into law that explicitly reverses the Trump rule change — but only during the coronavirus outbreak .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether it will continue to fight the court case .
On Wednesday , a department spokesperson told the Associated Press the department “ disagrees with the court ’ s reasoning and will appeal its decision.
” But on Thursday , the department changed course .
It refused to say one way or another whether it would appeal the ruling , and released a statement to BuzzFeed News saying , “ we are going to comply with the legislation which really pauses that during this public health emergency .
”

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has shelved its plan to level strict work requirements on people using food stamps, at least for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak.
As of April, 1 the White House’s new rules would have required people without a disability or children to work 20 hours per week to qualify for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (colloquially known as food stamps). As businesses are shutting down all across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, millions of people were projected to lose this support.
But over the weekend, US District Court Judge Beryl Howell blocked the rule changes, finding them to be “arbitrary and capricious.” Then, on Wednesday, Trump signed a coronavirus response bill into law that explicitly reverses the Trump rule change — but only during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Department of Agriculture won’t say whether it will continue to fight the court case.
On Wednesday, a department spokesperson told the Associated Press the department “disagrees with the court’s reasoning and will appeal its decision.” But on Thursday, the department changed course. It refused to say one way or another whether it would appeal the ruling, and released a statement to BuzzFeed News saying, “we are going to comply with the legislation which really pauses that during this public health emergency.”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-28--Lawmakers Are Outraged By A "Lazy, Incomplete" Report From The CDC On Racial Data For The Coronaviru

Lawmakers Are Outraged By A "Lazy, Incomplete" Report From The CDC On Racial Data For The Coronavirus

Local residents fill out paperwork at a mobile COVID-19 testing station in Compton , California , April 28 .
St. John 's Well Child and Family Center is providing testing sites in African American and Latino communities that have been neglected in terms of testing as compared to wealthier areas of Los Angeles County .
BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world 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 — As communities of color are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked the CDC to collect national data on the race and ethnicity of COVID-19 cases and deaths .
On the day of the deadline set in law by Congress , the CDC responded with a page of links that referred back to its public website .
The Department of Health and Human Services , which oversees the CDC , “ should be embarrassed by the lazy , incomplete , 2.5-page copy-and-paste job it calls a ‘ report ’ on the racial disparities of COVID-19 cases , ” Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the CDC , sent the report to Congress on March 15 .
The links that CDC forwarded include some racial and ethnic data on the coronavirus , but it is incomplete .
The report includes a link to the CDC ’ s updating data on cases and deaths across the US , but only includes race and ethnicity information for less than half of the 1.7 million people who have tested positive for COVID-19 .
The report also linked to the CDC ’ s data on hospitalizations broken down by race and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data from specific network hospitals in 14 states , totaling just about 10 % of the US population .
“ This wholly inadequate response tells us nothing except what we already knew : the Trump Administration would prefer to ignore the disproportionate impact this crisis is having on communities of color , ” Sen. Patty Murray , the lead Democrat on a Senate Health Committee , said in a statement .
The CDC did not respond to several questions on how it obtained its data or the timeframe in which it will update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Redfield wrote that the CDC data does suggest “ a disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups , ” adding that “ studies are underway to confirm these data.
” The CDC did not respond to BuzzFeed News ’ requests to specify what kind of studies are being conducted .
The report comes after Congress passed its most recent coronavirus stimulus package , which required the CDC to report COVID-19 race and ethnicity data to several congressional committees , as they investigate the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a group of bipartisan members of Congress urged the Trump administration to gather data on high-risk communities in order to better understand the racial disparity and aid those communities in response to the pandemic .
Health experts say complete reports are key to addressing COVID-19 disparities in communities of color .
“ Thus far , the fragmented data we are getting from HHS , state , and local sources paint a very fragmented , but troubling picture , ” Northeastern University health policy expert Leo Beletsky told BuzzFeed News in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand the full scope of the issue and to target resources where they are most needed .
Beletsky went further to suggest the administration ’ s slow-walk of the data is an effort to avoid criticism of its coronavirus response and conversations about longstanding health disparities among people of color .
“ Ultimately , these data will force some very difficult conversations about bungled responses so far , as well as about broader questions of race and racism in America .
This is why agencies are dragging their feet on making these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley , who also signed onto the initial letter to the CDC asking for race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 , told reporters on Wednesday that black people represent nearly 40 % of all COVID-19 cases in Boston ( 38 % according to city data ) , despite being 25 % of the population .
“ We will use every tool at our disposal to uncover why this administration waited so long to take any action and make clear the grave consequences of their inaction , ” Pressley told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while oversight is critical , we must also keep up the pressure on this administration to take action now before we are robbed , unnecessarily , of even more lives.
” Sen. Tim Scott , the lone black Republican senator and the only GOP member to call on the CDC to provide race and ethnicity data of COVID-19 victims , is instead urging states to report their own data .
“ In South Carolina , we regularly receive and can readily access disaggregated demographic data on both cases and fatalities , ” Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our model is effective and consistent , and I hope other states and stakeholders would follow suit in reporting these critical numbers that can only help us stop the spread in our most vulnerable communities.
” As of Wednesday , black people , who make up about 27 % of South Carolina ’ s population , accounted for 52 % of the coronavirus cases , according to state data .
The House-passed Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act ( HEROES ) also would require the CDC to provide race and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist states with their collection of data .
But that bill has not passed the Senate , where Republicans have said the legislation is dead on arrival .
In the meantime , the CDC is still required to provide another report within 30 days of the one just released .
“ We are not done pushing for answers and action here , not by a long shot , ” Murray said .

WASHINGTON — As communities of color are disproportionately dying from the coronavirus, Congress asked the CDC to collect national data on the race and ethnicity of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
On the day of the deadline set in law by Congress, the CDC responded with a page of links that referred back to its public website.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, “should be embarrassed by the lazy, incomplete, 2.5-page copy-and-paste job it calls a ‘report’ on the racial disparities of COVID-19 cases,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted last week.
Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC, sent the report to Congress on March 15. The links that CDC forwarded include some racial and ethnic data on the coronavirus, but it is incomplete. The report includes a link to the CDC’s updating data on cases and deaths across the US, but only includes race and ethnicity information for less than half of the 1.7 million people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The report also linked to the CDC’s data on hospitalizations broken down by race and ethnicity, but that page only includes data from specific network hospitals in 14 states, totaling just about 10% of the US population.
“This wholly inadequate response tells us nothing except what we already knew: the Trump Administration would prefer to ignore the disproportionate impact this crisis is having on communities of color,” Sen. Patty Murray, the lead Democrat on a Senate Health Committee, said in a statement.
The CDC did not respond to several questions on how it obtained its data or the timeframe in which it will update the information. And while incomplete, Redfield wrote that the CDC data does suggest “a disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups,” adding that “studies are underway to confirm these data.” The CDC did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ requests to specify what kind of studies are being conducted.
The report comes after Congress passed its most recent coronavirus stimulus package, which required the CDC to report COVID-19 race and ethnicity data to several congressional committees, as they investigate the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on black and Hispanic people.
Last month, a group of bipartisan members of Congress urged the Trump administration to gather data on high-risk communities in order to better understand the racial disparity and aid those communities in response to the pandemic.
Health experts say complete reports are key to addressing COVID-19 disparities in communities of color.
“Thus far, the fragmented data we are getting from HHS, state, and local sources paint a very fragmented, but troubling picture,” Northeastern University health policy expert Leo Beletsky told BuzzFeed News in an email. “Systematic national data are necessary to understand the full scope of the issue and to target resources where they are most needed.
Beletsky went further to suggest the administration’s slow-walk of the data is an effort to avoid criticism of its coronavirus response and conversations about longstanding health disparities among people of color.
“Ultimately, these data will force some very difficult conversations about bungled responses so far, as well as about broader questions of race and racism in America. This is why agencies are dragging their feet on making these analyses available to lawmakers and the public.”
Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who also signed onto the initial letter to the CDC asking for race and ethnicity data for COVID-19, told reporters on Wednesday that black people represent nearly 40% of all COVID-19 cases in Boston (38% according to city data), despite being 25% of the population.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to uncover why this administration waited so long to take any action and make clear the grave consequences of their inaction,” Pressley told reporters on a call. “And while oversight is critical, we must also keep up the pressure on this administration to take action now before we are robbed, unnecessarily, of even more lives.”
Sen. Tim Scott, the lone black Republican senator and the only GOP member to call on the CDC to provide race and ethnicity data of COVID-19 victims, is instead urging states to report their own data.
“In South Carolina, we regularly receive and can readily access disaggregated demographic data on both cases and fatalities,” Scott told BuzzFeed News in a statement. “Our model is effective and consistent, and I hope other states and stakeholders would follow suit in reporting these critical numbers that can only help us stop the spread in our most vulnerable communities.”
As of Wednesday, black people, who make up about 27% of South Carolina’s population, accounted for 52% of the coronavirus cases, according to state data.
The House-passed Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES) also would require the CDC to provide race and ethnicity data to Congress with money to assist states with their collection of data. But that bill has not passed the Senate, where Republicans have said the legislation is dead on arrival.
In the meantime, the CDC is still required to provide another report within 30 days of the one just released.
“We are not done pushing for answers and action here, not by a long shot,” Murray said.