buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--A Brazilian Official Who Met Trump At Mar-A-Lago Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

Fabio Wajngarten was pictured alongside Donald Trump and Mike Pence last Saturday .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is being monitored for the coronavirus .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 's press secretary has tested positive for the coronavirus , days after meeting President Donald Trump .
Fabio Wajngarten was part of a Brazilian delegation that recently visited the US , and last weekend posted a photo on Instagram of him standing next to Trump at the president 's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida .
A Brazilian government source told BuzzFeed News that they suspect Wajngarten contracted the virus while in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday of the Brazilian president having dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago .
According to Brazil 's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper , which first reported the news about Wajngarten , Wajngarten 's wife revealed her husband 's positive test on the WhatsApp group for parents at the school their children attend .
“ The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation ‘ s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19 ; confirmatory testing is pending .
Exposures from the case are being assessed , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time , '' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement .
“ As stated before , the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families , and all White House staff healthy .
“ To reiterate CDC guidelines , there is currently no indication to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine .
We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.
” Trump earlier responded to a journalist 's question in the Oval Office about Wajngarten testing positive for the novel coronavirus , saying , `` I did hear something about that .
We had dinner together in Florida , at Mar-a-Lago , with the entire delegation .
I don ’ t know if the press aide was there , if he was there he was there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We sat together for a period of time , had a great conversation .
[ Bolsonaro 's ] doing a terrific job in Brazil , and we ’ ll find out what happens — I guess they ’ re being tested right now . ''
Trump added , `` Let ’ s put it this way : I ’ m not concerned . ''
Also on Thursday , Florida Sen. Rick Scott said he was self-quarantining after potential contact with Wajngarten at a separate event in Miami on Tuesday .
Just days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ During the past year , obviously , we have had moments of crisis .
A lot of that is fantasy .
And coronavirus , which is not all the mainstream media makes it out to be , ” he said at the business event in Miami .

“The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending. Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.
“As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy.
“To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine. We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--The NBA Is Suspending Its Season Because A Player Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

`` The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight 's game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder and Chesapeake Energy Arena . ''
The NBA has suspended its season `` until further notice '' after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus , the league announced Wednesday night .
`` The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight 's game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder and Chesapeake Energy Arena .
At that time , tonight 's game was canceled .
The affected player was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stated .
`` The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight 's schedule of games until further notice .
The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic . ''
The decision was so sudden that even after it was made , an already-underway game between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets continued to be played .
Earlier Wednesday , a game between the Jazz and Thunder in Oklahoma City was suddenly postponed right before tip-off “ due to unforeseen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , prompting cries from the crowd .
“ You are all safe .
Take your time in leaving the arena , ” the Thunder 's PA continued .
ESPN reported that the game was moments away from starting when the Thunder 's head medical staffer ran onto the floor to talk to the referees .
Then , both teams were sent back to the locker rooms .
Reports soon circulated that one of the Jazz 's All-Star players , Rudy Gobert , had tested positive for the virus .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team said that `` Rudy & Emmanuel [ Mudiay ] have both been ruled out ( illness ) for tonight 's game . ''
Major sports leagues have been suspending or limiting games and events to stymie the spread of the virus .
Over the weekend , the NBA limited media access to players in locker rooms .
The National Collegiate Athletic Association also announced Wednesday that it was closing off its March Madness events to the public , limiting them only to essential staff and some family members .
Some players had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Gobert , who jokingly touched all the mics in front of him during a press conference after a shoot out on Monday .
In a statement after the NBA made its decision , the Utah Jazz said that one of its players earlier in the day tested negative for other illnesses , such as the flu , strep throat , and an upper respiratory infection .
`` The individual 's symptoms diminished over the course of today , however , in a precautionary measure , and in consultation and cooperation with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the decision was made to test for COVID-19 , '' the team said .
`` A preliminary positive result came back right before tip-off of the Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City game .
Subsequently , the decision was correctly made by the NBA to postpone the game . ''
The Jazz said that when it decided to test its player , it `` immediately informed the league office . ''
The team said the individual is currently `` in the care of health officials in Oklahoma City '' and that it is working closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to determine how best to move forward as we gather more information . ''
On Thursday morning , ESPN reported that the Jazz 's other All-Star , Donovan Mitchell , had also tested positive for the virus .
Before officials announced on Wednesday that the Thunder–Jazz game was officially off , stunned fans waited in their seats .
When they were told to leave , spectators told media that they had no idea what had happened or why they were kicked out of the stadium .
The sudden announcement sent shockwaves across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who owns the NBA 's Dallas Mavericks , nearly jumped out of his seat at his team 's game the moment he found out that the league had suspended the season .
In an interview with ESPN during the game broadcast , he said he was completely taken aback .
`` It ca n't be true , '' Cuban said .
`` I mean , it 's not within the realm of possibilities .
It just seemed more like out of a movie than reality . ''
Like many people , Cuban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the virus has had on nearly every industry .
`` It 's not about the team .
It 's about the country and life in general , '' he said .
The Mavericks game against the Nuggets ended up being the last game to finish before the suspension began : A scheduled Sacramento Kings home game against the New Orleans Pelicans was postponed just before tip-off at 10:30 p.m .
ET .
It 's still not known if anyone else on the Jazz , or anyone else in the NBA , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a multigame road trip that began last Monday , playing in Cleveland , New York , Boston , and Detroit , before playing the Toronto Raptors at home in Salt Lake City on Monday .
The NBA is reportedly expected to begin more player testing soon .
This is a developing story .
Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter .

The NBA has suspended its season "until further notice" after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced Wednesday night.
"The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight's game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder and Chesapeake Energy Arena. At that time, tonight's game was canceled. The affected player was not in the arena," the league stated. "The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight's schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic."
The decision was so sudden that even after it was made, an already-underway game between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets continued to be played.
Earlier Wednesday, a game between the Jazz and Thunder in Oklahoma City was suddenly postponed right before tip-off “due to unforeseen circumstances,” an announcer said at the time, prompting cries from the crowd.
“You are all safe. Take your time in leaving the arena,” the Thunder's PA continued.
ESPN reported that the game was moments away from starting when the Thunder's head medical staffer ran onto the floor to talk to the referees. Then, both teams were sent back to the locker rooms.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--College Students Are Scrambling To Make Last-Minute Arrangements As Coronavirus Fears Close Dorms

College students across the US are scrambling to move out of their dorms and find other places to live for the next few weeks as schools lock down campuses , cancel activities , and move learning to virtual classrooms in response to the coronavirus outbreak .
University of Dayton , a private school in Ohio , announced Tuesday that it was suspending all in-person classes , starting spring break three days early , and that housing would close to most of its 6,382 students living in university residences 24 hours later .
`` Honestly , none of it really feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-year student , told BuzzFeed News after she finished packing her room .
`` It happened so fast and has been very stressful . ''
The 18-year-old said her university sent her an email a little after 7 p.m. Tuesday warning that she needed to `` evacuate immediately . ''
By 7 p.m. the next evening , she said her key card to get into her residence hall had been shut off .
Over the summer , her parents moved to North Carolina and she had made plans to go home in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her school announced she had to leave campus , she had to scramble to book another flight .
The best and most affordable ticket she could find was taking off Friday morning , meaning she had to figure out a place to stay .
`` It was very chaotic trying to get a flight and realize that I had to put as much as I could in two bags and not knowing how long I am going to be off campus , '' Lankford said .
Luckily , her school put her up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight .
But she had to figure out her meals , since most of the dining halls shut down .
`` I am really lucky to know people that live off campus in the area because they have helped me get food , '' she said .
Lankford took out student loans for both semesters , which she used to help pay for her dining and housing plans .
She 's not sure if she will get reimbursed .
Some of her other classmates who were n't able to afford to go home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough are crashing with friends ' families or booking hotels .
On Facebook , concerned parents peppered University of Dayton officials with questions about how they were supposed to help their children with only 24 hours notice and if the school would help reimburse for the unexpected costs incurred , as well as the hundreds of dollars spent toward food plans and housing .
`` We live in Florida , '' one parent wrote .
`` Now we have to change her flight . ''
`` Will we be getting refunded for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be used now ? ''
another asked .
In its announcement , the university said international students would be permitted to stay on campus and that others with `` special circumstances '' could contact the housing department for more information .
When asked how many students were affected by the decision to swiftly close housing — and how many with special circumstances were permitted to stay — a spokesperson said officials `` are working individually with students on their needs , but this is an evolving situation . ''
At Harvard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their campus housing by the start of spring break Sunday .
University president Larry Bacow said in a statement that the decision to essentially shut down campus life was `` not made lightly . ''
`` The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms , dining halls , and residential buildings , '' he said , adding that the campus will remain open `` with appropriate measures to protect the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bulk of the elite , private university 's students come from the top 1 % , many are on scholarships or living off student loans and depend heavily on their school for food , jobs , and general well-being .
According to the advocacy group Primus , 20 % of Harvard students are on full financial aid and 15 % of undergrads are the first in their family to go to college .
The organization represents 1,200 people who fall into both categories , known as `` first-generation , low-income '' ( FGLI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students can handle unexpected costs , this sudden change in housing highlights the large disparity within our student population concerning students ’ access to disposable wealth and the resources necessary to evacuate and move off-campus , '' Primus said in a statement .
`` Students are expected to continue courses through online platforms and to pay the remaining tuition costs as courses will continue in this virtual format .
This poses additional constraints on students who may be lacking access to high-speed internet and other necessary academic resources . ''
Nicholas Wyville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crimson that making such a monumental decision so swiftly discounts the needs of people like him , who come from rural areas with spotty internet services and difficult living situations .
“ I think that they forget that those are the same students who often come from home situations that are uncomfortable , '' he told the paper .
“ The only equalizer at Harvard is the fact that we all live together and have the same accommodation .
We live together , we eat the same food , we have the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students and alumni have started crowdsourcing initiatives to help students who are low-income with housing or storing their belongings .
Graduates from other schools , like MIT , are undertaking similar efforts .

College students across the US are scrambling to move out of their dorms and find other places to live for the next few weeks as schools lock down campuses, cancel activities, and move learning to virtual classrooms in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
University of Dayton, a private school in Ohio, announced Tuesday that it was suspending all in-person classes, starting spring break three days early, and that housing would close to most of its 6,382 students living in university residences 24 hours later.
"Honestly, none of it really feels real," Brenna Lankford, a first-year student, told BuzzFeed News after she finished packing her room. "It happened so fast and has been very stressful."
The 18-year-old said her university sent her an email a little after 7 p.m. Tuesday warning that she needed to "evacuate immediately." By 7 p.m. the next evening, she said her key card to get into her residence hall had been shut off.
Over the summer, her parents moved to North Carolina and she had made plans to go home in a few days. But as soon as her school announced she had to leave campus, she had to scramble to book another flight.
The best and most affordable ticket she could find was taking off Friday morning, meaning she had to figure out a place to stay.
"It was very chaotic trying to get a flight and realize that I had to put as much as I could in two bags and not knowing how long I am going to be off campus," Lankford said.
Luckily, her school put her up in another first-year dorm complex until her flight. But she had to figure out her meals, since most of the dining halls shut down.
"I am really lucky to know people that live off campus in the area because they have helped me get food," she said.
Lankford took out student loans for both semesters, which she used to help pay for her dining and housing plans. She's not sure if she will get reimbursed.
Some of her other classmates who weren't able to afford to go home days early or make other arrangements quick enough are crashing with friends' families or booking hotels.
On Facebook, concerned parents peppered University of Dayton officials with questions about how they were supposed to help their children with only 24 hours notice and if the school would help reimburse for the unexpected costs incurred, as well as the hundreds of dollars spent toward food plans and housing.
"We live in Florida," one parent wrote. "Now we have to change her flight."
"Will we be getting refunded for the university housing /meal plans that can’t be used now?" another asked.
In its announcement, the university said international students would be permitted to stay on campus and that others with "special circumstances" could contact the housing department for more information.
When asked how many students were affected by the decision to swiftly close housing — and how many with special circumstances were permitted to stay — a spokesperson said officials "are working individually with students on their needs, but this is an evolving situation."
At Harvard, students were given five days to vacate their campus housing by the start of spring break Sunday. University president Larry Bacow said in a statement that the decision to essentially shut down campus life was "not made lightly."
"The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups and spend prolonged time in close proximity with each other in spaces such as classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings," he said, adding that the campus will remain open "with appropriate measures to protect the health of the community."
Although a bulk of the elite, private university's students come from the top 1%, many are on scholarships or living off student loans and depend heavily on their school for food, jobs, and general well-being.
According to the advocacy group Primus, 20% of Harvard students are on full financial aid and 15% of undergrads are the first in their family to go to college. The organization represents 1,200 people who fall into both categories, known as "first-generation, low-income" (FGLI), students.
"While many students can handle unexpected costs, this sudden change in housing highlights the large disparity within our student population concerning students’ access to disposable wealth and the resources necessary to evacuate and move off-campus," Primus said in a statement. "Students are expected to continue courses through online platforms and to pay the remaining tuition costs as courses will continue in this virtual format. This poses additional constraints on students who may be lacking access to high-speed internet and other necessary academic resources."
Nicholas Wyville, an FGLI student, told the Harvard Crimson that making such a monumental decision so swiftly discounts the needs of people like him, who come from rural areas with spotty internet services and difficult living situations.
“I think that they forget that those are the same students who often come from home situations that are uncomfortable," he told the paper. “The only equalizer at Harvard is the fact that we all live together and have the same accommodation. We live together, we eat the same food, we have the same faculty resources."
In response, students and alumni have started crowdsourcing initiatives to help students who are low-income with housing or storing their belongings. Graduates from other schools, like MIT, are undertaking similar efforts.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--New York City Officials Say There Is No Shut Down Planned This Weekend Because Of The Coronavirus

Lots of new information flying around at a rapid race .
It ’ s important we all do the best @ @ @ @ @ flow of inaccurate info .
For anyone who has received this message , it is @ @ @ @ @ of text messages attributed to sources in high places are being forwarded across group chats @ @ @ @ @ Yorkers facing the coronavirus pandemic .
The text messages falsely claim that New York City @ @ @ @ @ down over the weekend because of the coronavirus .
Some attributed this to former mayor @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , and others still are claiming they heard it from the @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Lots of new information flying around at a rapid race .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ the best we can to limit the flow of inaccurate info .
For anyone who @ @ @ @ @ it is NOT true , '' tweeted Freddi Goldstein , the press secretary for Mayor @ @ @ @ @ mayor himself weighed in with a tweet later Thursday .

A series of text messages attributed to sources in high places are being forwarded across group chats and causing panic for New Yorkers facing the coronavirus pandemic.
The text messages falsely claim that New York City is going to be shut down over the weekend because of the coronavirus. Some attributed this to former mayor Michael Bloomberg, others to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and others still are claiming they heard it from the NYPD. All are false.
"Lots of new information flying around at a rapid race. It’s important we all do the best we can to limit the flow of inaccurate info. For anyone who has received this message, it is NOT true," tweeted Freddi Goldstein, the press secretary for Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The mayor himself weighed in with a tweet later Thursday.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--A Woman Says She Got Kicked Out Of A Mom Facebook Group For Speaking Out Against Women Sharing "Baby

A Woman Says She Got Kicked Out Of A Mom Facebook Group For Speaking Out Against Women Sharing "Baby's First Pandemic” Photo Shoots

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
A woman said she was booted out of a moms Facebook group after challenging those who shared photo shoots of their newborns and children with signs that read `` My First Pandemic . ''
Things then got heated .
Exclusive Pumping Mamas is a group created for women `` to discuss feeding pumped/expressed breastmilk through bottles , '' its page description reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30,000 members .
Holiday Bartelt , a 31-year-old mother who lives in Elgin , Illinois , told BuzzFeed News she believes she was blocked from the group `` for disagreeing [ with using ] a global crisis as a photo op with babies . ''
`` An infant in Chicago has died by COVID-19 now ... Is it still cute ? ''
she asked .
She was referring to the death of a 9-month-old child in Cook County , the first reported infant death in the US connected to the virus .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that pain . ''
Bartelt said she started noticing more and more of these kinds of photo shoots being shared by mothers on social media over the past week , and was baffled .
`` I honestly did n't understand why people were making these pictures , '' she said .
`` I 've never seen anything like this before . ''
`` My neighbor recently alerted me that she is suspected of having COVID-19 .
She has three young children that she ca n't see , a husband she ca n't hug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even pet .
All because she was instructed to self-quarantine herself , '' said Bartelt .
`` That hit too close to home . ''
So , she felt the need to say something .
At first , she simply commented that she found the photos of cute kids propped next to toilet paper , Lysol bottles , and Clorox wipes to be `` inappropriate . ''
However , things quickly escalated .
At one point , according to Bartelt , she challenged a woman who posted her child 's photo shoot with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first pandemic , survived H1N1 2009 . ''
She then facetiously `` asked her if [ her child ] had n't survived if she would have posted a picture of him in a coffin . ''
`` She said 'yes , ' and that she was worthless for this argument because I would not change her mind , '' Bartelt said of the woman she was in the spat with .
`` I agreed she was worthless . ''
Bartelt said that at some point after , she no longer had access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the admin and founder of the group , Amanda Glenn , confirmed that Bartelt was in fact kicked out — however , not for sharing her thoughts , but for `` being rude . ''
`` The default response when someone is rude to one of us is usually to kick them out and block them because we strive to keep the group positive , '' Glenn told BuzzFeed News .
Glenn added that she agrees the photos are `` not in the best taste , '' and that she and other admins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with pandemic pics as of this past weekend . ''

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, become a member and sign up for our newsletter, Outbreak Today.
A woman said she was booted out of a moms Facebook group after challenging those who shared photo shoots of their newborns and children with signs that read "My First Pandemic." Things then got heated.
Exclusive Pumping Mamas is a group created for women "to discuss feeding pumped/expressed breastmilk through bottles," its page description reads. The closed group currently has over 30,000 members.
Holiday Bartelt, a 31-year-old mother who lives in Elgin, Illinois, told BuzzFeed News she believes she was blocked from the group "for disagreeing [with using] a global crisis as a photo op with babies."
"An infant in Chicago has died by COVID-19 now ... Is it still cute?" she asked. She was referring to the death of a 9-month-old child in Cook County, the first reported infant death in the US connected to the virus. "I pray these women don't feel that pain."
Bartelt said she started noticing more and more of these kinds of photo shoots being shared by mothers on social media over the past week, and was baffled.
"I honestly didn't understand why people were making these pictures," she said. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"My neighbor recently alerted me that she is suspected of having COVID-19. She has three young children that she can't see, a husband she can't hug, two little pups she can't even pet. All because she was instructed to self-quarantine herself," said Bartelt. "That hit too close to home."
So, she felt the need to say something.
At first, she simply commented that she found the photos of cute kids propped next to toilet paper, Lysol bottles, and Clorox wipes to be "inappropriate." However, things quickly escalated.
At one point, according to Bartelt, she challenged a woman who posted her child's photo shoot with a sign that read "Not my first pandemic, survived H1N1 2009." She then facetiously "asked her if [her child] hadn't survived if she would have posted a picture of him in a coffin."
"She said 'yes,' and that she was worthless for this argument because I would not change her mind," Bartelt said of the woman she was in the spat with. "I agreed she was worthless."
Bartelt said that at some point after, she no longer had access to the Facebook group.
When reached, the admin and founder of the group, Amanda Glenn, confirmed that Bartelt was in fact kicked out — however, not for sharing her thoughts, but for "being rude."
"The default response when someone is rude to one of us is usually to kick them out and block them because we strive to keep the group positive," Glenn told BuzzFeed News.
Glenn added that she agrees the photos are "not in the best taste," and that she and other admins and moderators have started "declining posts with pandemic pics as of this past weekend."


buzzfeednews--2020-05-08--Donald Trump Talked About How Much He Loved His Mom On Fox As News Broke Of Historic Job Losses

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To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Trump was in his element .
“ I love to watch it — step by step , day by day , thousands and thousands of pages , ” he said .
“ Sleepy Joe was involved in this also , very much , ” he said , referring to Joe Biden , his likely challenger in the November election .
He flung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dumb as a rock ” and a “ sick guy , ” Jeff Sessions , the former attorney general , “ very weak and very sad.
” He talked about “ dirty politicians and dirty cops , ” railed against Rep. Adam Schiff and former FBI director James Comey , said those who had carried out the “ total hoax ” that was the Russia investigation would hopefully “ pay a big price in the not too distant future.
” The interview came one day after the Justice Department dropped its criminal case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adviser Michael Flynn even though he had admitted lying to the FBI and one day after the release of dozens of transcripts from the Russia investigation .
That allowed Trump to plunge back into the world in which he feels most comfortable — surrounded by perceived personal enemies , rather than a pandemic and economic crisis he is unable to get under control .
Coaxed on by friendly hosts , he fell into an old routine .
It was as if the coronavirus pandemic wasn ’ t raging , as if more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well over a million more infected , tens of millions of more stripped of their jobs and livelihood .
When the hosts of Fox and Friends pivoted to the coronavirus , after 20 minutes of this , the president sighed and his voice fell flat .
He sounded bored .
“ Our country is getting back to work .
We ’ re opening up , ” he said , and then swerved back to where he really wanted to be , playing victim of a huge plot carried out by a team of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to destroy .
“ It ’ s a much smarter enemy than the enemy we just discussed , ” he said .
“ This is a very brilliant enemy and it happens to be invisible.
” Trump is trapped , and trying to create a reality where he is all-powerful and in control .
When the Labor Department released its report at 8:30 showing that unemployment had skyrocketed to 14.7 % in April with 20.5 million jobs lost , Trump tried to shrug it off like it was no big deal .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ There ’ s no surprise.
” No words of comfort , no acknowledgment of what is really going on .
“ Those jobs will be back and they ’ ll be back very soon , ” Trump said , although there is no evidence that either statement is true .
Trump is keenly aware of the potential effects of an economic disaster on his reelection prospects and made sure to throw bones to his base .
He voiced support for Shelley Luther , a Texas stylist who was briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to reopen her salon and is now being built up as a hero for those pushing for a quicker lifting of those orders , appearing on Sean Hannity Thursday night .
“ She ’ s an incredible representative for a lot of people who want to do the same thing , ” Trump told Fox and Friends .
“ They want to get back to work.
” He also dabbled in conspiracy , saying he “ can see some of that ” when people say some are supporting the lockdowns because “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the longer it takes to open up.
” Although there has been widespread evidence that organized groups , including some with links to the Trump administration , have been behind many of the anti-lockdown protests around the country , Trump turned it around to make it appear as though he was listening to voters .
“ The people are going to force it , ” he said .
The interview veered further and further away from the pandemic and the economy and the unemployment report — into Venezuela , where two Americans were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plot ( “ nothing to do with it , ” Trump said ) , former New Jersey governor Chris Christie , two former allies of whom saw their “ Bridgegate ” convictions overturned by the Supreme Court on Thursday .
Anywhere but the stark human tragedy currently unfolding in the country .
Toward the end , the Fox hosts threw Trump a softball softer than all the other softballs they had lobbed at him during the nearly hourlong interview .
Sunday is Mother ’ s Day , and did he have a message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marking the day with Melania , his wife , mother to his youngest child ?
“ We ’ ll be together , ” he said .
“ I ’ m going to Camp David — meeting , a big meeting , with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
” He went off on how he had rebuilt the military .
The hosts tried again : Did he have a message for moms ?
“ Well , all I can say is , 'Happy Mother ’ s Day , ' ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved my mom , and she loved me which , I must tell you , probably not easy to do but she was so good to me .
She was so good .
I couldn ’ t do any wrong , which was a big problem , maybe that ’ s why I ended up the way I ended up , I don ’ t know , I couldn ’ t do any wrong in her eyes.
” “ I miss my parents , ” he said .
And no one quite knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so do I — miss my parents , ” host Steve Doocy chimed in .
And then it was time to go .

When the hosts of Fox and Friends pivoted to the coronavirus, after 20 minutes of this, the president sighed and his voice fell flat. He sounded bored. “Our country is getting back to work. We’re opening up,” he said, and then swerved back to where he really wanted to be, playing victim of a huge plot carried out by a team of losers that only he was nimble enough to destroy. “It’s a much smarter enemy than the enemy we just discussed,” he said. “This is a very brilliant enemy and it happens to be invisible.”
Trump is trapped, and trying to create a reality where he is all-powerful and in control. When the Labor Department released its report at 8:30 showing that unemployment had skyrocketed to 14.7% in April with 20.5 million jobs lost, Trump tried to shrug it off like it was no big deal. “It’s totally expected,” he said. “There’s no surprise.” No words of comfort, no acknowledgment of what is really going on. “Those jobs will be back and they’ll be back very soon,” Trump said, although there is no evidence that either statement is true.
Trump is keenly aware of the potential effects of an economic disaster on his reelection prospects and made sure to throw bones to his base. He voiced support for Shelley Luther, a Texas stylist who was briefly jailed for violating a stay at home order to reopen her salon and is now being built up as a hero for those pushing for a quicker lifting of those orders, appearing on Sean Hannity Thursday night. “She’s an incredible representative for a lot of people who want to do the same thing,” Trump told Fox and Friends. “They want to get back to work.” He also dabbled in conspiracy, saying he “can see some of that” when people say some are supporting the lockdowns because “it will hurt me in the election the longer it takes to open up.”
Although there has been widespread evidence that organized groups, including some with links to the Trump administration, have been behind many of the anti-lockdown protests around the country, Trump turned it around to make it appear as though he was listening to voters. “The people are going to force it,” he said.
The interview veered further and further away from the pandemic and the economy and the unemployment report — into Venezuela, where two Americans were arrested for alleged involvement in a coup plot (“nothing to do with it,” Trump said), former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, two former allies of whom saw their “Bridgegate” convictions overturned by the Supreme Court on Thursday. Anywhere but the stark human tragedy currently unfolding in the country.
Toward the end, the Fox hosts threw Trump a softball softer than all the other softballs they had lobbed at him during the nearly hourlong interview. Sunday is Mother’s Day, and did he have a message for moms? How would he be marking the day with Melania, his wife, mother to his youngest child?
“We’ll be together,” he said. “I’m going to Camp David — meeting, a big meeting, with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.” He went off on how he had rebuilt the military. The hosts tried again: Did he have a message for moms?
“Well, all I can say is, 'Happy Mother’s Day,'” he said. “I had a great mom, I loved my mom, and she loved me which, I must tell you, probably not easy to do but she was so good to me. She was so good. I couldn’t do any wrong, which was a big problem, maybe that’s why I ended up the way I ended up, I don’t know, I couldn’t do any wrong in her eyes.”
“I miss my parents,” he said. And no one quite knew what to say. “Yeah, so do I — miss my parents,” host Steve Doocy chimed in. And then it was time to go.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-08--A Brooklyn Man Described As "Mr. Hooper From Sesame Street" Died From The Coronavirus

The crowd wound down the street and around the block for a socially-distanced candlelight procession for Lloyd Cornelius Porter , an actor and entrepreneur dubbed the “ Mr .
Hooper ” of his beloved Sesame Street-like neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant , Brooklyn .
That evening , dozens of locals gathered , in masks and many in Porter 's trademark bowtie and hat , to parade past the home he lived in with his wife Hillary and daughter MacLemore , a fifth-grader .
One mourner held a handwritten sign that read “ Bread Love , it ’ s the Brooklyn way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the neighborhood bakery Porter ran with Hillary , named in honor of another beloved Brooklyn son .
Another wore a Bread-Stuy T-shirt , from when the Porters ran a local cafe in the brownstone-filled historically black neighborhood for nearly a decade .
A neighbor , and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brother , led a gospel tune .
Someone started playing songs by his brother , Grammy award-winning jazz singer Gregory Porter from their car .
`` You don ’ t get that kind of processional he got if you have n't impacted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keith Arthur Bolden told BuzzFeed News .
`` He would hold court .
People just look to him to lead , to be the pulse . ''
Most people who grew up with him in California knew him as Corn or Neil .
Hillary called him Corny .
In Brooklyn , his home of nearly 20 years , he was Lloyd .
His mother actually named him `` Sir Lloyd '' on his birth certificate , Bolden said .
Bolden and Porter first met in college at Fresno State University 29 years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brothers , groomsmen for each other , fellow actors , and later , neighbors for a time in Bed-Stuy .
`` Low-key , I ’ ve always wanted to be like him , '' said Bolden , who once dressed up as Porter in a flour-covered Bread-Stuy T-shirt for Halloween .
`` He was the most courageous person I know . ''
Porter opened several businesses over the years , nurturing them to be community spaces .
Hillary was the baker , he was the one cracking jokes and charming customers .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get work elsewhere .
He encouraged people to write books and doctorates sitting at the tables and allowed film students to turn the cafe into a set .
`` Lloyd took care of me when I got to BK .
He let me sit in his shop all day and write , '' Jason Reynolds , the National Ambassador of Young People ’ s Literature , posted on Twitter .
“ What made him special was he just saw possibility in things and people , ” said Crystal Bobb Semple , a long-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owner .
`` He would feed their bodies and also their souls , talk them through their ideas . ''
She first met the Porters nearly 20 years ago , when they walked into her former bookstore shortly after moving to the city .
Shortly afterwards , they opened Bread-Stuy next door .
Porter helped organize a farmers market and CSA pickups ( he had first studied agriculture business in college ) , chess tournaments , and music nights at his cafe , street fairs and local fundraisers .
Every year in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up as Santa Claus , with Hillary as Mrs. Claus .
“ He ’ d always ask me 'what ’ s next ? '
, '' Semple said .
`` He wasn ’ t one of those people fishing for an answer , what he was trying to do was keep me and keeping us all thinking about our own potential.
” Porter grew up in Bakersfield , California , and fell in love with theater at college .
He continued to find work as a commercial actor , starring in multiple Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ C. Patterson , an assistant director , knew of Porter because of Bread-Stuy but first met him when they worked on a FedEx commercial together in 2012 .
He said top advertising directors hired Porter again and again because he could handle any comic line and was great at ad-libbing , and the quick wit seen on screen was exactly who he was off set .
`` He ’ s that person that no matter how much of a rush you ’ re in , you get sucked into the conversation , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware you ’ re late , but you do n't mind being late . ''
Porter started feeling sick in March .
In early April , he took a turn for the worst .
A test at the hospital confirmed it was COVID-19 , Bolden said .
He texted his friend , asking what he needed .
`` His simple funny response was 'oxygen , ' '' Bolden said .
Porter spent nearly a month on a ventilator , before improving and being able to come off it and FaceTime his family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over .
But within three days , Porter died from COVID-19 complications .
The Porters were supposed to move back to California next month , to be closer to family .
Already they had found a bakery to buy .
Porter was due to turn 50 this summer and had wanted to go see his brother perform somewhere in Europe .
Instead , an outpouring of love has filled Facebook neighborhood groups as people shared stories of the man who made everyone laugh and encouraged them to fulfill their dreams .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts that my relationships with him was n't unique , '' Bolden said .
`` Everybody had that feeling . ''
In just over a day , over $ 50,000 was raised on GoFundMe for his daughter .
Mourners waved to Hillary and held posters with hand-drawn love hearts as she stood on the steps during the candlelight procession on Wednesday night , a small chance for the huge community Porter built to come together .
`` He ’ s healing us , still , '' Semple said .
`` He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

The crowd wound down the street and around the block for a socially-distanced candlelight procession for Lloyd Cornelius Porter, an actor and entrepreneur dubbed the “Mr. Hooper” of his beloved Sesame Street-like neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Porter, 49, died from complications related to COVID-19 early Wednesday.
That evening, dozens of locals gathered, in masks and many in Porter's trademark bowtie and hat, to parade past the home he lived in with his wife Hillary and daughter MacLemore, a fifth-grader.
One mourner held a handwritten sign that read “Bread Love, it’s the Brooklyn way,” a tribute to Bread Love, the neighborhood bakery Porter ran with Hillary, named in honor of another beloved Brooklyn son.
Another wore a Bread-Stuy T-shirt, from when the Porters ran a local cafe in the brownstone-filled historically black neighborhood for nearly a decade.
A neighbor, and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brother, led a gospel tune. Someone started playing songs by his brother, Grammy award-winning jazz singer Gregory Porter from their car.
"You don’t get that kind of processional he got if you haven't impacted the lives around you," close friend Keith Arthur Bolden told BuzzFeed News. "He would hold court. People just look to him to lead, to be the pulse."
Most people who grew up with him in California knew him as Corn or Neil. Hillary called him Corny. In Brooklyn, his home of nearly 20 years, he was Lloyd. His mother actually named him "Sir Lloyd" on his birth certificate, Bolden said.
Bolden and Porter first met in college at Fresno State University 29 years ago, and went on to become fraternity brothers, groomsmen for each other, fellow actors, and later, neighbors for a time in Bed-Stuy.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-08--29 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of The Week

Members of the Radiological , Chemical , and Biological Defence troops from Belarus 's Defense Ministry disinfect themselves after cleaning @ @ @ @ @ Scientific and Practical Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics as part of measures to prevent the @ @ @ @ @

29 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of The Week
Graduations and anniversaries are taking place around the world as society finds a way forward despite the pandemic.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-08--He Had A Plan In Place Before He Died Of COVID-19: Don't Spend Much On A Funeral. Feed People Who Ar

He Had A Plan In Place Before He Died Of COVID-19: Don't Spend Much On A Funeral. Feed People Who Are Homeless Instead.

“ One thing about my dad is he was always someone who , in the positive sense of the word , was a hustler .
If he ever had a goal in mind , he would do whatever it took to achieve that goal.
” Sushil Kumar was a proud immigrant who settled in Queens and later on Long Island after leaving India more than 30 years ago .
He was also a fun-loving uncle , the kind who never missed a graduation party or ballet recital .
He was an accountant who offered clients life advice beyond their personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself .
He took grand vacations with his wife , Prabha , and their two sons .
Years ago , he left detailed instructions for how to handle his death , asking that his family not spend too much on arrangements and instead use the money to help feed people experiencing homelessness .
The family needed that plan last month , much sooner than expected .
Sushil died April 14 of complications from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
He was 63 .
But with a pandemic forcing social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sushil ’ s life was impossible .
Prabha and their sons , Arjun and Arvind , had to adapt their Hindu customs for video streaming .
A priest led them in prayer via Skype .
Friends and relatives — more than 100 of them scattered all around the world — dialed in to Zoom for memorial services during the 13-day mourning period .
They honored Sushil ’ s wishes the best they could — a donation program has been established with the Coalition for the Homeless in New York .
“ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always someone who , in the positive sense of the word , was a hustler , ” Arvind , the youngest son , said in a telephone interview with BuzzFeed News .
“ If he ever had a goal in mind , he would do whatever it took to achieve that goal.
” Perhaps no goal motivated Sushil more than emigrating to America .
“ Growing up , ” Arvind said , “ his dream was , hell or high water , to come to the United States.
” Sushil studied chemistry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mumbai in the 1980s .
He went on to earn an MBA at the Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines .
In 1987 , he set off on his own for New York , leaving behind his parents and brothers .
“ It ’ s the story you always hear , ” Arvind said .
“ He actually came to the US with one suitcase and a little bit of loose cash and one address of a contact person to go to when he got there.
” That one contact connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Krishnan , an older banker whose wife and daughter hadn ’ t yet joined him in New York .
They became roommates , sharing a bachelor apartment and the occasional trip to the blackjack tables in Atlantic City .
Soon they were in-laws : Sushil married Krishnan ’ s daughter , Prabha , in 1989 .
Today their sons joke about their parents ’ finding each other under circumstances worthy of a romantic comedy .
In those early days , Sushil bounced around jobs in the financial services industry before launching his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solutions .
After his death , family members answered calls from clients who didn ’ t know Sushil had died and , once they broke the news , would hear stories of how generous he was with his advice .
“ As much as he strived to achieve his goals , he always put the well-being and success of those around him ahead of his own , ” the family recalled in an email to BuzzFeed News .
“ Even from a young age , he went out of his way to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken care of , dressed neatly , and enjoyed their childhood ( through traveling , toys , and extracurriculars ) , even if he may have worked multiple jobs for long hours to make it all happen.
” “ He always made sure that we could experience the things he was unable to growing up .
Our trips to the museum or zoo or aquarium were so much fun that we didn ’ t even realize his motives of providing us with his love of education .
His own mother used to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids in such nice clothes when they ’ ll grow out of them and you won ’ t do the same for yourself ?
’ He never let those around him feel the weight of any burden and took on all of those responsibilities for himself.
” By telephone , Prabha ran down a list of their vacations : England , Germany , Eastern Europe , China , Hong Kong , Japan , Dubai .
“ We traveled all over , ” she said .
“ He always wanted to make sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he could.
” Sushil began feeling ill in late March — first a sore throat , then a fever .
He was admitted to North Shore University Hospital , where he tested positive for COVID-19 .
A week later he was put on a ventilator .
A week after that , after some signs of improvement that raised the family ’ s hopes he might soon breathe on his own , Sushil went into septic shock and died , Prabha said .
Arjun , a first-year resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his father since February .
And the family had little contact with Sushil after he was admitted to the hospital .
There were some “ incomplete texts ” to a group chat , Arjun said , but Sushil was often too weak to communicate more than a few words .
The family was grateful for advice from relatives and friends who work in the medical field and for the care Sushil received from doctors and nurses at North Shore .
After Sushil ’ s death , observing Hindu traditions brought a new set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick up the necessary ceremonial items from the temple the morning of the funeral services , ” Arjun wrote in an email to BuzzFeed News .
“ After setting up the items properly , we Skyped the priest and he led the prayer service and dictated specific mantras ( prayers ) for us to repeat , and instructed us on the specific ‘ procedures ’ to follow .
This Skype format was also followed throughout the sequential 13 days as per the Hindu customs.
” Even small family gatherings at home were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-year medical student at Mount Sinai in New York , had been “ in environments that were very high risk , ” Arjun noted .
“ At most , we ’ d have people drop off things to us at home , but conversation would be from the street , ” he added .
“ We knew firsthand how bad this could get.
” Support often came through a screen .
“ Sushil was very affectionate and fiercely loved his family and friends , ” the family wrote in an email .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return this love to him tenfold .
Before his passing , upon informing the family that his health was in critical condition , the extended family immediately put together a Zoom to pray for his health and hundreds of participants across the world joined within minutes in synchronous chanting .
… At every step , we received so much support from our family and , including hundreds Zooming in for his funeral service and even more Zooming in for his 13th day memorial celebration to share stories and over 600 pictures .
”

Sushil Kumar was a proud immigrant who settled in Queens and later on Long Island after leaving India more than 30 years ago.
He was also a fun-loving uncle, the kind who never missed a graduation party or ballet recital. He was an accountant who offered clients life advice beyond their personal finances. And he was a planner himself. He took grand vacations with his wife, Prabha, and their two sons.
Years ago, he left detailed instructions for how to handle his death, asking that his family not spend too much on arrangements and instead use the money to help feed people experiencing homelessness.
The family needed that plan last month, much sooner than expected. Sushil died April 14 of complications from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. He was 63.
But with a pandemic forcing social distancing, even a modestly proper celebration of Sushil’s life was impossible. Prabha and their sons, Arjun and Arvind, had to adapt their Hindu customs for video streaming. A priest led them in prayer via Skype. Friends and relatives — more than 100 of them scattered all around the world — dialed in to Zoom for memorial services during the 13-day mourning period.
They honored Sushil’s wishes the best they could — a donation program has been established with the Coalition for the Homeless in New York.
“One thing about my dad is he was always someone who, in the positive sense of the word, was a hustler,” Arvind, the youngest son, said in a telephone interview with BuzzFeed News. “If he ever had a goal in mind, he would do whatever it took to achieve that goal.”
Perhaps no goal motivated Sushil more than emigrating to America. “Growing up,” Arvind said, “his dream was, hell or high water, to come to the United States.”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-04--She Came To A New Country And Raised Her Daughter By Herself. Then She Died Of The Coronavirus.

Rutendo Mukotsanjera and her daughter , Chiedza , were “ inseparable.
” Now Chiedza has no close family members in the country .
People around the world are remembering family and friends who have died during the coronavirus pandemic .
BuzzFeed News is proud to bring you some of their stories .
To support our coverage , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
As her mother lay dying of the coronavirus , 12-year-old Chiedza spoke to her on the phone one last time .
Rutendo Mukotsanjera , known to many as Ru , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Hospital in Burton-on-Trent , England , at age 45 .
She was only able to see her daughter through a glass window for the last two weeks of her life .
Chiedza and Mukotsanjera , a single mother , were “ inseparable , ” according to their church 's pastor .
With no other close family in the country , Chiedza , known as Chichi , is now living with a member of the church while conversations continue between UK authorities and her wider family in Zimbabwe about her future .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has so far raised over £37,000 ( about $ 45,000 ) to pay for Mukotsanjera ’ s funeral and help provide for Chiedza ’ s future .
One of five children , Mukotsanjera moved to the UK from Harare , Zimbabwe , around 18 years ago .
She gained undergraduate and master ’ s degrees in human resource management and worked in various care facilities as a mental health support officer .
She often took on extra shifts to support her daughter and send money back to her family in Zimbabwe , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shungu .
Pastor Matthew Murray told BuzzFeed News that Mukotsanjera was a much-loved and committed member of the church , not only attending every Sunday but going to home group meetings during the week .
She cleaned the church as a volunteer every Saturday morning and was part of the church ’ s care home outreach team , comforting and listening to elderly people in the community .
“ I will remember her smile the most , ” Murray said .
“ She had an amazing smile that you wouldn ’ t forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and everyone would be drawn to her .
She just oozed love and kindness and care .
She was a beautiful person , and her faith really inspired me .
She really lived her faith , and it just wasn ’ t a hobby or ritual — it was something which really meant a lot to her.
” Murray said it was clear to everyone how close she was to her daughter .
“ There were no other close family here , so those two were a team — and sadly one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ But Rutendo ’ s legacy lives on in Chichi .
And when she smiles , you can see her mum ’ s smile .
It ’ s really beautiful.
” Mukotsanjera and Chiedza lived together in the village of Rocester in East Staffordshire .
“ Considering the circumstances , Chichi is doing very well , ” Murray said .
“ She is a very brave and strong young woman whose faith in God is carrying her through right now .
I can see her future panning out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us wanted this to happen , but our goal is to rejoice in the 45 years we got with Rutendo and do all we can to support Chiedza.
” Chiedza was one of just 10 people present in the church for the funeral , due to UK government restrictions , but the event was broadcast to hundreds of people in Zimbabwe .
At the funeral , Chiedza stood up to recite a poem she had written .
“ Like birds of a feather , we were always together , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thank you for being brave , and thank you for teaching me all your kind ways .
”

As her mother lay dying of the coronavirus, 12-year-old Chiedza spoke to her on the phone one last time.
“I love you,” Chiedza said, “to Mercury, Mars, Venus, and back.”
Rutendo Mukotsanjera, known to many as Ru, died on April 10 in Queen’s Hospital in Burton-on-Trent, England, at age 45. She was only able to see her daughter through a glass window for the last two weeks of her life.
Chiedza and Mukotsanjera, a single mother, were “inseparable,” according to their church's pastor. With no other close family in the country, Chiedza, known as Chichi, is now living with a member of the church while conversations continue between UK authorities and her wider family in Zimbabwe about her future.
The Renew Church in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, has so far raised over £37,000 (about $45,000) to pay for Mukotsanjera’s funeral and help provide for Chiedza’s future.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-04--The Mental Health Crisis For Frontline Workers Has Already Begun

The economic ramifications of the coronavirus are bleak enough , but the mental health crisis that frontline workers are about to face may be even worse .
Dr. Shaili Jain , a psychiatrist and author of The Unspeakable Mind : Stories of Trauma and Healing from the Frontlines of PTSD Science , forecasts three particular mental health crises that will need to be addressed once we begin to reckon with the aftermath of the pandemic .
The first and most immediate , of course , is coping with the deaths caused by the coronavirus .
“ The second issue is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow , ” she told me .
“ We know from studies we ’ ve already done in prior decades that massive unemployment and financial distress leads to increases of PTSD.
” Jain referenced a 2016 study that showed links between economic hardship between 2001 and 2010 , and higher levels of abusive behavior in families , specifically that increased unemployment rates could have increased men ’ s controlling behavior toward their partners .
“ The trauma literally trickles down , ” she said .
( And already , there have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic . )
The third crisis , of course , is what will happen to frontline health care workers who have to power through and keep working with insufficient resources while the president suggests things like injecting light or disinfectants to cure the virus .
“ They ’ re at high rates to develop PTSD in the weeks and months that follow , ” Jain said .
“ Health care workers , we are trained to carry on and defer .
You do what needs to be done and the grieving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychological toll , we deal with that afterwards.
” Health care workers , like everyone else , will be affected by an economic recession .
Frontline workers are facing massive pay cuts , even as they work long hours in the face of the coronavirus .
The cancellation of elective medical procedures means hospitals are making less money , so health care workers are getting furloughed and having their benefits , like 401 ( k ) matching and bonuses , cut .
Some have had to quit because they feel — like workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working conditions are unsafe because of insufficient PPE .
The mental health ramifications will be their next uphill battle , and their burnout will affect all of us if we don ’ t have enough health care professionals able to work during the next waves of coronavirus cases , which are basically inevitable .
The mental health effects of coronavirus haven ’ t yet been fully documented , since we ’ re still in the thick of it , but what we know so far is bleak .
A study conducted in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care workers reporting depression , anxiety , and insomnia , particularly among women , nurses , and those on the front lines who were directly engaged in diagnosing and treating COVID-19 .
Past crises can also provide a sense of how this one might play out .
“ We have studies [ from ] after 9/11 or after Hurricane Katrina , ” Jain said .
“ We can predict what the trajectories are going to be.
” But there are no clear answers yet to the question of how all these people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re done triaging the most urgent damage caused by the virus .
Dr. Aaron Reeves , an associate professor at Oxford University , studies how social policy affects health , well-being , and equality .
He also does research on suicide rates during economic recessions .
During the last financial crisis , suicide rates spiked , as did measurements of domestic violence and marital discord .
“ The recession has already arrived , though it may not have formally shown up in some data sources , ” Reeves told me .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in creating that sense of hopelessness about the future.
” As we still struggle with how and when this pandemic will end , there ’ s a degree of uncertainty and hopelessness about the future .
And , Dr. Reeves added , the way we typically counter that is with support from loved ones .
But the social distancing rules necessary to fight the spread of the virus have broken down typical support networks , as we ’ ve been physically cut off from friends and family .
There ’ s also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treatment , along with underlying mental health conditions , like anxiety and depression , that were already present well before the pandemic .
And finally , there ’ s the issue of people grappling with their sense of identity as they lose their social network , their jobs , and their daily routines .
“ People ’ s identity is bound up with the work that they do , ” Dr. Reeves said .
“ In this kind of moment , your crisis in your sense of identity can be very , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicide , though tragic , lines up with what we know about clinicians and mental health .
Physician suicide rates are already alarmingly high , more than double what they are for the rest of the population .
Doctors rank high in burnout and depression , and that was before a pandemic forced them to work long , harrowing shifts with insufficient supplies .
Health care workers also have to deal with “ moral injury , ” a term that comes from military parlance , which happens when someone has to do something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In medicine , ” Jillian Mock writes for Scientific American , “ it can occur when the business side of health care hinders a physician ’ s ability to care for patients ; for instance , if there are not enough ventilators for the number of COVID-19 patients who need them.
” This pandemic is forcing health care workers to make decisions for the greater good , now often at their own expense or the expense of others , which can lead to even more anxiety and PTSD .
Instead of staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privilege to do , they have to go to work , thereby putting themselves and their families at risk of getting sick .
They also have to make seemingly impossible choices , like who will get a ventilator when there are so many people who need one and so few available .
“ The optimist in me wants to think about post-traumatic growth , where people survive horrendous things like war , Holocaust , a pandemic , and they emerge almost enhanced , like a super-version of themselves , ” Jain said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ very aware that there was an epidemic of burnout in doctors and nurses before COVID hit , anyway.
” Jason Hill , an ER doctor working in Manhattan , wrote a three-week diary for BuzzFeed News cataloging the incredible burden the coronavirus has put on him and the people he works with .
“ I admitted four of my colleagues today , ” he wrote on April 3 .
“ Together we ’ ve saved lives and lost lives and everything in between .
But now they are on the other side of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the front line today.
” Hill bakes his purportedly single-use N95 mask in the oven to disinfect it , since he ’ s been wearing it for days in a row .
Some days at work , he hands out juice and blankets ; other days , he has to work as a palliative care doctor for patients who are beyond the point of being saved by any treatment .
Another New York City doctor spoke to BuzzFeed News in late March about his day-to-day in the hospital .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hallway , ” he said .
“ The morale among ER people is extremely low .
People are anxious , making morbid jokes about dying .
Talking about what would happen if I quit , I didn ’ t sign up for this… An attending will come in and say , ‘ I ’ m flashing back to Vietnam.
’ ” Dr. Lia Okun , a psychologist and the associate director of house staff and medical student mental health services for NYU , told me : “ Our frontline workers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things for us .
The other side is they ’ re sacrificing a lot for us.
” At NYU , dozens of students volunteered to graduate early and began working in university-affiliated hospitals .
But others have been shut out of completing their clinical work , feel paralyzed about how to help now , and are simply waiting to be thrown into a public health emergency .
“ Physician burnout is something we ’ re quite concerned about , ” Okun said , because it can be a “ gateway ” into more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it means is they start feeling kind of numb , kind of hopeless .
Hopeless about their own efficacy to help , down on themselves and lacking empathy for themselves .
That ’ s what our brain and body does when we ’ re emotionally overwhelmed.
” Medical schools like NYU often offer their students mental health support , in order to prepare them for the inevitable hardships of being a working doctor .
Now that these students will be graduating into a world reshaped by COVID-19 , that support is even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapy .
We always offered group psychotherapy for the students , ” Dr. Okun said .
“ One of the things that ’ s so different about the environment of PTSD is that we don ’ t really know how to predict how dangerous or not dangerous the situation is .
With the students , we talked a lot about what are the worst-case scenarios .
Yeah , maybe you could get sick .
Maybe you could get your family sick .
If it ’ s all true , would you still want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when health care workers have access to psychological support and treatment , that doesn ’ t necessarily mean they ’ ll be able to take advantage of it .
“ Part of what ’ s so complicated is the environment is so demanding that the interventions we want to help with on the mental side of this , they ’ re hard for people to access , ” Okun said .
“ They ’ re too busy.
” The idea of frontline health care workers as essentially civilian war heroes has been constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular , television ads hail them as heroes — so do governments and even toy companies .
( Though it should be mentioned that many doctors are being targeted simply for doing their jobs . )
This is a fine sentiment to feel — and accurate , considering how many of us are lucky enough to simply stay home and wait out the pandemic , emerging every evening for a round of appreciative applause .
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the outbreak the biggest challenge for the world since WWII , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vietnam War .
But the problem with the hero narrative is that not only does it suggest a kind of superhuman ability to overcome traumatic experiences and serious , dangerous shortages of PPE — heroes don ’ t need N95 masks , after all — it also suggests that the coronavirus was a sudden and unpredictable disaster .
When in fact , there are a number of ways this pandemic has been exacerbated by government failures .
“ There ’ s a lot of comparison to 9/11 and the frontline workers being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Okun said .
“ It ’ s hard to say because I think in some ways , the medical community understood much sooner and much earlier that this was going to be very bad in a way that maybe us in regular positions were not as able to understand.
” The burden of caring for the sick isn ’ t true just for emergency room doctors , but rather , everyone who works in or even adjacent to the health care system right now , including therapists .
Many are now overrun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine and the fear of living daily life in the face of so many risks and unknown factors .
“ This can really tap into existential issues , especially when your normal healthy ways of coping are cut out , ” Jain said .
“ We ’ re seeing it already , calls to mental health crisis lines are up .
I was on a call with a colleague this morning who says patients she hasn ’ t heard from for several months or a year , she ’ s hearing from them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trauma isn ’ t just going to come from their own lives , but from trying to help other people with their struggles .
“ We have this term called vicarious traumatization .
Just by listening and supporting people that live with trauma and PTSD , you ’ re absorbing some of their trauma and pain .
It ’ s almost like , hey , part of the job , ” Jain said .
“ Fundamentally , the only way you can combat that is being vigorous about your own self-care.
” That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough to maintain in a world where you ’ re discouraged from going outside , or seeing other people , or getting any kind of physical affection from anyone you ’ re not living with .
Any way you look at it , a significant part of the population is bound to deal with some form of PTSD after the immediate threats posed by COVID-19 have passed , whatever our new normal may be .
Frontline workers will have an even greater hurdle , considering the chaos and crushing loss they have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still measures that can be implemented to make this less of a burden for the people keeping us alive right now .
“ I admire this program implemented in London after the 2008 London terrorism bombings , ” Jain said .
The program used a “ screen and treat ” approach , identifying people who were traumatized by the bombing , as well as advertising resources to health workers in national and London media .
People who called into a dedicated helpline for the crisis were sometimes referred to the screening team if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapists did a nice job doing active outreach to identify people in need versus passively waiting for folks to show up — which many won ’ t , ” she added .
Jain said that while health care workers are good at taking care of each other , they ’ re not “ necessarily that good at taking care of their own health.
” But , of course , the other solution requires a total overhaul of what we think the American health care system should be .
“ I ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps sparking a fundamental change in American health care , which has become very top heavy and business-focused , ” Jain said .
“ This has contributed to burnout and moral injury in doctors , and workplace attrition .
It would be great to see frontline clinicians have a seat at the table.
” Regardless if they ’ re a frontline worker or if they ’ re at home waiting for this miserable period in their life to pass , most people will leave this period with some kind of PTSD .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can eventually recover .
“ We do think a lot of people will heal naturally , ” Jain said .
“ This will be an awful time they ’ ll never forget .
But people will heal.
” ●

“In medicine,” Jillian Mock writes for Scientific American, “it can occur when the business side of health care hinders a physician’s ability to care for patients; for instance, if there are not enough ventilators for the number of COVID-19 patients who need them.” This pandemic is forcing health care workers to make decisions for the greater good, now often at their own expense or the expense of others, which can lead to even more anxiety and PTSD. Instead of staying home like many of us have the privilege to do, they have to go to work, thereby putting themselves and their families at risk of getting sick. They also have to make seemingly impossible choices, like who will get a ventilator when there are so many people who need one and so few available.
“The optimist in me wants to think about post-traumatic growth, where people survive horrendous things like war, Holocaust, a pandemic, and they emerge almost enhanced, like a super-version of themselves,” Jain said. “The realist in me is also very aware that there was an epidemic of burnout in doctors and nurses before COVID hit, anyway.”
Jason Hill, an ER doctor working in Manhattan, wrote a three-week diary for BuzzFeed News cataloging the incredible burden the coronavirus has put on him and the people he works with. “I admitted four of my colleagues today,” he wrote on April 3. “Together we’ve saved lives and lost lives and everything in between. But now they are on the other side of the curtain… The front line really feels like the front line today.” Hill bakes his purportedly single-use N95 mask in the oven to disinfect it, since he’s been wearing it for days in a row. Some days at work, he hands out juice and blankets; other days, he has to work as a palliative care doctor for patients who are beyond the point of being saved by any treatment.
Another New York City doctor spoke to BuzzFeed News in late March about his day-to-day in the hospital. “It’s pretty common to see someone crying in the hallway,” he said. “The morale among ER people is extremely low. People are anxious, making morbid jokes about dying. Talking about what would happen if I quit, I didn’t sign up for this… An attending will come in and say, ‘I’m flashing back to Vietnam.’”


buzzfeednews--2020-05-04--Black Americans Don’t Trust Medicine Because Of Racism. That’s Bad In A Pandemic.

A legacy of racism has left a dangerous divide between the medical establishment and black Americans , who are now dying at high rates in the coronavirus pandemic .
WASHINGTON — Outside the grocery store in Congress Heights , people are playing dominoes in the parking lot , close together without wearing masks .
An auto service truck driver , who ’ s come to repair a flat tire , is n't wearing a mask either ; he says he 's had pneumonia and survived getting shot already , so what is the coronavirus to him ?
In Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % black , close to 80 % of coronavirus deaths so far are among black people .
And black people are dying at higher rates than virtually anyone else across the US .
The coronavirus has been especially deadly in black neighborhoods in cities like Chicago , Milwaukee , and New York .
With US case numbers now surpassing 1.1 million people , the stark racial disparity was most recently on display in Richmond , Virginia , where 62 % of COVID-19 cases were among black people in a 52 % white city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disease in the city were black .
Last week , Sen. Kamala Harris of California introduced legislation to create a federal task force to investigate racial disparities in coronavirus deaths .
`` Early reports overwhelmingly show that COVID-19 is disproportionately infecting and killing minorities across the nation , ” Harris said .
Black people in the US already have worse health outcomes , even predating the pandemic .
Black men have a life expectancy of 71.5 years , below the national life expectancy of 78.7 years .
Black people have higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other stress-related illnesses — all among the “ comorbidities ” that raise the risk of dying of COVID-19 — and have reduced access to healthcare to help prevent and treat them .
They are also disproportionately performing the low-paying “ essential ” jobs that increase risks of exposure to the novel coronavirus .
The disparities have led some commentators to argue that black people need to take better charge of their health to stem the tide of deaths .
But decades of mistreatment — whether it ’ s being denied care at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or being denied pain medications by racist doctors today — have created a structural wall of suspicion of the medical system , as well as a deep stigma underlying the notion of being sick .
“ You can ’ t just parachute in now to tell people you are going to help them with a pandemic when they have been neglected so long , ” Martin Pernick , a medical historian at the University of Michigan , told BuzzFeed News .
“ They ’ ll ask , ‘ Where were you when my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else ?
’ and even with good intentions , you can ’ t blame them.
” This distrust of healthcare is born out of medical racism going back to the slavery era , Pernick said .
Physicians were employed to ready slaves for auctions and performed cruel surgical experiments on them without raising the question of consent — memories that are buried but still running deep , an undercurrent of skepticism toward medicine in long-neglected communities .
Much of the suspicion around abuse in human experimentation is rooted in the infamous Tuskegee experiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communications professor at the University of Southern California , who has looked at why black people volunteer less often for clinical trials .
The 40-year experiment , which ended in 1972 , involved government researchers leaving 600 black sharecroppers deliberately untreated for syphilis even after the discovery in 1947 that penicillin could cure the disease .
Twenty-eight of the men died of syphilis and another 100 died of related complications .
“ Every time I work with this population , if they are over 20 , they are well aware of Tuskegee and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Murphy .
“ Unfortunately , this means that some drugs might reach the market without being tested specifically on African Americans who may have unique side effects.
” Over 1,100 coronavirus clinical trials are currently underway in the US , and the FDA has approved emergency use of the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19 after preliminary results from small trials for the experimental drug suggested it could shorten hospital stays .
Large vaccine trials are expected to start in the fall .
Medical racism still persists today .
Doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slavery-era belief that black people feel less pain than white people do , and a 2007 University of Pennsylvania survey across 20 major US cities found that black people distrusted doctors more than white people did in all but three cities — Las Vegas , San Antonio , and Riverside , California .
“ Because we know that often , African Americans — their pain is not recognized or seen as bad .
That can lead to issues in terms of whether or not they ’ re seen as having a severity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lillie D. Williamson of the University of Wisconsin , Madison , whose work looks at the relationship between medical mistrust and experiences of discrimination , told BuzzFeed News .
BuzzFeed News has reported several cases of black people in the US who have been denied COVID-19 tests despite showing symptoms , having underlying conditions , and asking for tests .
Williamson suggested medical mistrust increases as more people hear those stories .
As more news comes out about black Americans seeking medical attention and being turned away , Williamson said , we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals as they consume that , and what that means for people ’ s willingness to seek help .
“ People feel like , 'What ’ s the point ?
I already know I can ’ t trust physicians , look at all these examples , ’ ” added Williamson , noting that this view doesn ’ t represent all black Americans .
Due to years of mistrust , communities of color may lack familiarity with the healthcare options that are available , physician Janet Seabrook of Community HealthNet Health Centers in Gary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The misinformation , disinformation , and wishful thinking run rampant , ” she said pointing to a dangerous rumor in early March that black people can not contract COVID-19 .
In her own family , she had to convince an older relative to seek treatment for prostate cancer ; as a boy in the Deep South , that relative saw that almost as soon as someone learned they had cancer , they died .
`` Imagine trying to get my family member in a clinical trial if I were not in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imagine what would have happened to this family member without a resident doctor in the family . ''
There ’ s also a stigma associated with the virus , which some are comparing to the wave of deaths from the AIDS epidemic .
One New York resident , W.C. , who asked to be identified only by initials to discuss her medical status , said she fears being judged .
When W.C. announced that her grandmother died on Facebook , she did not mention it was from complications related to COVID-19 , nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother had also tested positive .
“ The only reason people are not talking is because they are taking it like it ’ s AIDS , and it ’ s really not like that , ” W.C. said .
“ That ’ s why I tell people , ‘ You sitting here scared to talk about it , and you could be somebody that got it and don ’ t even know it.
’ ” Robert Cornegy , a New York City Council member who represents a large black population in Brooklyn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constituents take social distancing any less seriously because of a distrust in medicine .
At the same time , he chose to keep his own COVID-19 diagnosis private .
“ I think that people were very confused about the disease , very confused in conflicting stories around who it would impact negatively .
So I didn ’ t want to play into that , ” Cornegy told BuzzFeed News .
“ I know what the fears are of people , and they have a reasonable expectation that their leadership will keep themselves healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community along.
” That community is being hit hard .
As is the Bronx , the borough that in early April was projected to lead the city in COVID-19 deaths ; some lawmakers have attributed the spike to insufficient testing in the borough 's most vulnerable communities .
On Wednesday , a JAMA Network report looked at COVID-19 hospitalizations across every borough of New York City , where about 17 % of all US cases had occurred by late April .
The Bronx , which has the highest share of racial and ethnic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty , and the lowest levels of education of all New York City boroughs , had the highest rates of hospitalization and death related to the novel coronavirus .
“ People who are prepared to help will have to meet black communities halfway by asking them questions about what help they need — not just what they want to give them now and then walking away , ” said Pernick , the medical historian .
“ They will have to overcome an understandable legacy of suspicion .
”

This distrust of healthcare is born out of medical racism going back to the slavery era, Pernick said. Physicians were employed to ready slaves for auctions and performed cruel surgical experiments on them without raising the question of consent — memories that are buried but still running deep, an undercurrent of skepticism toward medicine in long-neglected communities.
Much of the suspicion around abuse in human experimentation is rooted in the infamous Tuskegee experiment, said Sheila Murphy, a health communications professor at the University of Southern California, who has looked at why black people volunteer less often for clinical trials. The 40-year experiment, which ended in 1972, involved government researchers leaving 600 black sharecroppers deliberately untreated for syphilis even after the discovery in 1947 that penicillin could cure the disease. Twenty-eight of the men died of syphilis and another 100 died of related complications.
“Every time I work with this population, if they are over 20, they are well aware of Tuskegee and very leery of participating in clinical trials,” said Murphy. “Unfortunately, this means that some drugs might reach the market without being tested specifically on African Americans who may have unique side effects.”
Over 1,100 coronavirus clinical trials are currently underway in the US, and the FDA has approved emergency use of the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19 after preliminary results from small trials for the experimental drug suggested it could shorten hospital stays. Large vaccine trials are expected to start in the fall.
Medical racism still persists today. Doctors in one 2016 survey still subscribed to the slavery-era belief that black people feel less pain than white people do, and a 2007 University of Pennsylvania survey across 20 major US cities found that black people distrusted doctors more than white people did in all but three cities — Las Vegas, San Antonio, and Riverside, California.
“Because we know that often, African Americans — their pain is not recognized or seen as bad. That can lead to issues in terms of whether or not they’re seen as having a severity that warrants certain next steps,” Lillie D. Williamson of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, whose work looks at the relationship between medical mistrust and experiences of discrimination, told BuzzFeed News.
BuzzFeed News has reported several cases of black people in the US who have been denied COVID-19 tests despite showing symptoms, having underlying conditions, and asking for tests.
Williamson suggested medical mistrust increases as more people hear those stories. As more news comes out about black Americans seeking medical attention and being turned away, Williamson said, we need to consider “what that does for individuals as they consume that, and what that means for people’s willingness to seek help.
“People feel like, 'What’s the point? I already know I can’t trust physicians, look at all these examples,’” added Williamson, noting that this view doesn’t represent all black Americans.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--Trump Declared A National State Of Emergency Over The Coronavirus Outbreak

Several states had been pleading with Trump to declare a state of emergency to help them fight the outbreak .
President Trump declared a national state of emergency on Friday over the coronavirus outbreak , unleashing billions of dollars in federal funding and ordering all states to set up emergency operations centers to combat the pandemic .
`` To unleash the full power of the federal government , I 'm officially declaring a national emergency , '' Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden .
`` Two very big words . ''
A number of cities and states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing them to access federal aid to address the health crisis , but Trump said the national emergency would unleash a further $ 50 billion nationally .
The president also ordered hospitals to activate emergency preparedness plans .
`` We 'll remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that they 're entitled to , '' he said .
`` No resource will be spared .
Nothing whatsoever . ''
Trump said Google is setting up an online quiz that people can take to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Those who need the test will then be directed to a drive-thru testing area ; the CEOs of Walmart , Target , CVS , and Walgreens said they will open their parking lots across the country for testing .
But Google said Friday evening that Trump was incorrect , according to the Verge .
The website is being developed not by Google , but another division of its parent company Alphabet , and it will only direct people to testing sites in the Bay Area , at least initially .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public-private partnership to increase testing for COVID-19 , saying that the FDA had approved a new test within hours after receiving an application to do so .
`` We therefore expect up to half a million additional tests will be available early next week , '' he said .
`` We 'll be announcing locations probably on Sunday night . ''
The administration is also directing nursing homes to temporarily restrict visitors and nonessential personnel with a few exceptions , such as end-of-life situations , said Seema Verma , administrator for the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the press conference .
“ We fully appreciate that this measure represents a severe trial for residents of nursing homes and those who love them .
But we are doing what we must to protect our vulnerable elderly , ” said Verma .
Elderly people are at a much higher risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection .
Studies show the mortality rate for people aged 80 and older could be over 20 % , while the mortality rates for people under the age of 50 are significantly below 1 % .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders to waive interest on student loans held by federal government agencies until further notice .
`` That 's a big thing for a lot of students that are left in the middle right now , '' he said .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter Outbreak Today will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
Trump also said the United Kingdom may be added to the list of countries that are banned from air travel to the United States .
The UK was initially excluded from the ban of 26 European countries that make up the Schengen Area .
When asked why the UK was excluded when it has more cases of confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump said , “ We may have to include them in the list.
” Trump also said that due to plummeting oil prices , he has directed Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to purchase large quantities of oil for strategic reserves .
Trump was also asked Friday about his contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago property .
A Bolsonaro staffer who was there tested positive for COVID-19 , while the Brazilian president himself has said he tested negative .
`` We have no symptoms whatsoever , '' Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He later added , `` As you know , he tested negative , meaning nothing wrong this morning , and we got that word too — because we did have dinner with him , uh , we were sitting next to each other for a long period of time . ''
Asked why he was n't self-isolating , as other politicians who have interacted with those who have tested positive for the disease have done , Trump reiterated : `` I do n't have any of the symptoms .
We have a White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House doctors .
I asked them that same question , and they said , 'you do n't have any symptoms whatsoever . '
'' The national emergency comes amid widespread criticism over his administration 's slow response to the outbreak so far as well as the federal government 's missteps in testing for the disease .
States such as Washington and California had been pleading with Trump to declare a state of emergency so they can mobilize their Medicaid systems to fight the coronavirus outbreak .
As first reported by Talking Points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicaid rules to both provide more care and offer more options for people to receive health services .
Essentially , they want to make the system more flexible to prevent it from being overwhelmed .
However , they ’ ve been hamstrung by the Trump administration because making these changes requires specific waivers — known as 1135 waivers — that can only be used when the president has declared an emergency .
But for weeks now , Trump has refused such a declaration and downplayed the danger posed by the COVID-19 pandemic .

President Trump declared a national state of emergency on Friday over the coronavirus outbreak, unleashing billions of dollars in federal funding and ordering all states to set up emergency operations centers to combat the pandemic.
"To unleash the full power of the federal government, I'm officially declaring a national emergency," Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden. "Two very big words."
A number of cities and states have already declared states of emergency, allowing them to access federal aid to address the health crisis, but Trump said the national emergency would unleash a further $50 billion nationally.
The president also ordered hospitals to activate emergency preparedness plans.
"We'll remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that they're entitled to," he said. "No resource will be spared. Nothing whatsoever."
Trump said Google is setting up an online quiz that people can take to determine whether they need to be tested for the coronavirus. Those who need the test will then be directed to a drive-thru testing area; the CEOs of Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens said they will open their parking lots across the country for testing.
But Google said Friday evening that Trump was incorrect, according to the Verge. The website is being developed not by Google, but another division of its parent company Alphabet, and it will only direct people to testing sites in the Bay Area, at least initially.
Additionally on Friday, Trump announced a public-private partnership to increase testing for COVID-19, saying that the FDA had approved a new test within hours after receiving an application to do so.
"We therefore expect up to half a million additional tests will be available early next week," he said. "We'll be announcing locations probably on Sunday night."
The administration is also directing nursing homes to temporarily restrict visitors and nonessential personnel with a few exceptions, such as end-of-life situations, said Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, at the press conference. “We fully appreciate that this measure represents a severe trial for residents of nursing homes and those who love them. But we are doing what we must to protect our vulnerable elderly,” said Verma.
Elderly people are at a much higher risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection. Studies show the mortality rate for people aged 80 and older could be over 20%, while the mortality rates for people under the age of 50 are significantly below 1%.
The president also said he had signed executive orders to waive interest on student loans held by federal government agencies until further notice.
"That's a big thing for a lot of students that are left in the middle right now," he said.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--NBA Star Rudy Gobert Apologized To Fans And Teammates After His Coronavirus Diagnosis

NBA star Rudy Gobert , who became the first professional athlete in the US to test positive for the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ in an emotional post on Instagram for joking about the pandemic beforehand and exposing teammates @ @ @ @ @ .
Professional sports leagues , including the NBA , had already started instituting restrictions over @ @ @ @ @ , such as limiting access to locker rooms , but on Monday , the Utah @ @ @ @ @ of the situation by intentionally touching microphones used by all of his teammates as he @ @ @ @ @ By Wednesday , Gobert 's diagnosis prompted the NBA to suspend the rest of its @ @ @ @ @ A day later , Gobert 's teammate , Donovan Mitchell , also tested positive for @ @ @

NBA star Rudy Gobert, who became the first professional athlete in the US to test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, has apologized in an emotional post on Instagram for joking about the pandemic beforehand and exposing teammates and others to possible infection.
Professional sports leagues, including the NBA, had already started instituting restrictions over concerns of the novel coronavirus, such as limiting access to locker rooms, but on Monday, the Utah Jazz's Gobert made light of the situation by intentionally touching microphones used by all of his teammates as he ended a news conference.
By Wednesday, Gobert's diagnosis prompted the NBA to suspend the rest of its season until further notice. A day later, Gobert's teammate, Donovan Mitchell, also tested positive for the virus.