buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--Waiting On The Coronavirus

Waiting On The Coronavirus

This past weekend , the line of cars at the Serramonte Target in Colma , California , snaked out of the parking lot and ran down the street in a long , frustrated , honking queue .
It looked like something you might expect to see in a coastal city just before a hurricane hits .
We ’ re not expecting any hurricanes in California , but we ’ re certainly feeling on edge .
And while the Bay Area is a coronavirus hot spot , this sentiment is universal .
The great collective feeling of the day is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anywhere wants to know is how bad it ’ s going to get .
As the number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases and deaths go up by the day and the economic markets slide downward , the entire world is living in a moment of dreadful uncertainty , waiting on a shoe to drop that we don ’ t yet know the size , or scope , or impact of .
There ’ s a deluge of news coming in nonstop from all quarters of the world .
Our phones bing and buzz with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a community on lockdown there — ratcheting up the tension and stress .
Everyone just wants to know what the fuck is coming .
Everyone just wants to know what the fuck to do about it .
These next two weeks will be the ones where we start to have a real sense of what this thing entails here in the US .
We ’ re going to start seeing how many people are getting sick , how bad those illnesses are , how many people will need to be quarantined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the hospital , how many or how few hospital beds we have , and what kinds of travel restrictions there will be .
We ’ re going to start to get a sense of how many people are going to die .
We ’ re going to start to know how many of those will be people we love .
But right now , and maybe for just a few more days , all of these things are still up in the air .
We ’ re all just waiting around , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and text messages from far-flung friends and family lighting up our phones , waiting for something to happen .
That ’ s largely because we don ’ t know how much this thing is circulating undetected .
There is a cottage industry of COVID-19 sleuths working backward from the number of known cases and deaths in the US to try to calculate how many actual infections exist out there , or how bad things are at this moment in time , by comparing numbers out of China and South Korea and Italy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ones we all see , are almost universally dire .
Yet even aside from the most dire projections , almost all experts agree we ’ re only seeing the tip of this thing floating above a vast sea full of undetected cases in the US .
As one doctor in San Francisco said to me this week , regarding their inability to test people who come in with symptoms , “ we are sending people back out with it.
” Whatever the true case count is , as tests become much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the known number is certain to explode .
We know that .
That ’ s certain .
The big looming question is simply : Will we hit that horrible projection of 40 % to 70 % infected ?
And if we do , what then ?
What ’ s especially disorienting is that , despite living in the kind of hyperconnected society that makes a fast-moving global pandemic possible , it doesn ’ t really seem like we have a real grasp on what ’ s happening in other countries .
Looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit offers clues , both encouraging and not , but we don ’ t have answers for what that means for the US .
Events unfolding in Italy — where the entire nation just went on lockdown this week and reports indicate hospital beds are in short supply — are completely horrifying .
Iran lost a grip on its outbreak almost immediately , and as bad as things appear to be there , they are almost certainly worse .
South Korea at least is able to test people in large numbers , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China is now seeing a daily decline in new cases , evidence that this thing can be brought under control .
Singapore appears to have stopped the virus dead in its tracks .
And yet the ways China or Singapore achieved that control are maybe untenable here in the US ( or it may be too late already ) .
Americans tend to be so much more focused on the individual .
Our cultural myths are about self-reliance .
( A friend told me last week that her family bought bear spray because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ) Getting us to give up travel , or even to stop stockpiling N95 masks , will be tough .
The official response from the US government has not been , exactly , encouraging .
China ’ s government did not intentionally make its economy scream because of a bad flu .
And however much better things there seem to be getting , there is no avoiding that this only came after everything became really fucking bleak .
For the past week , I ’ ve been running a service called Subtext @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forth with BuzzFeed News editors about the coronavirus outbreak .
We can send updates or ask questions , and they can do the same .
People have been sending photos of what ’ s happening in their communities and sharing brief windows into their lives , and I ’ ve tried to do the same .
When I asked what people are doing to prepare , and how their lives have changed so far , the answer was not much .
But when I just asked what questions and fears people had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were thinking about , in came a deluge .
“ It feels ... weird and uncertain , ” a 29-year-old woman in Los Angeles texted me .
“ It 's less that I 'm scared about getting sick , and more [ about ] paralysis in making decisions .
Should I go to yoga class ?
Should I cancel the drinks I had scheduled this week ?
But there 's no clear answer for how to make decisions .
I understand it 's all personal risk tolerance , but I find myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , ‘ if X happens , then yes , I 'll cancel coffee .
I 'm not going to go to a concert , but dinner should be OK , right ?
’ That kind of thing .
We 're all looking to leadership - experts , our bosses , the government - for those answers and it 's just not there.
” Another person , who lives near the containment zone in New York , texted : “ I live in Larchmont and have four school aged kids .
Two in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two in private ( which has closed ) .
I ’ m keeping all the kids home .
I 'm not worried about our health but very worried about broader community .
Teachers should not be risking their lives to teach my kindergartener to read .
It feels like the DoH or whoever makes policy is really pushing their luck .
Too many known unknowns.
” And in that vacuum we ’ re coming up with answers on our own .
Sometimes this just means figuring out what we can do to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our own families .
Sometimes it means making the kinds of preparations we normally put off — like making sure our emergency kit is up to date and all our prescriptions are filled .
I didn ’ t end up going to Target .
It was too crowded and looked entirely too much like a measles party for my comfort .
Instead I went home and made out my will .
It ’ s something I ’ ve been meaning to do for a long time .

But right now, and maybe for just a few more days, all of these things are still up in the air. We’re all just waiting around, staring at the cascades of push alerts and text messages from far-flung friends and family lighting up our phones, waiting for something to happen.
That’s largely because we don’t know how much this thing is circulating undetected. There is a cottage industry of COVID-19 sleuths working backward from the number of known cases and deaths in the US to try to calculate how many actual infections exist out there, or how bad things are at this moment in time, by comparing numbers out of China and South Korea and Italy. And the ones that go wide, the ones we all see, are almost universally dire. Yet even aside from the most dire projections, almost all experts agree we’re only seeing the tip of this thing floating above a vast sea full of undetected cases in the US. As one doctor in San Francisco said to me this week, regarding their inability to test people who come in with symptoms, “we are sending people back out with it.”
Whatever the true case count is, as tests become much more widely available this week and next, the known number is certain to explode. We know that. That’s certain. The big looming question is simply: Will we hit that horrible projection of 40% to 70% infected? And if we do, what then?
What’s especially disorienting is that, despite living in the kind of hyperconnected society that makes a fast-moving global pandemic possible, it doesn’t really seem like we have a real grasp on what’s happening in other countries. Looking at the places where the virus has already hit offers clues, both encouraging and not, but we don’t have answers for what that means for the US.
Events unfolding in Italy — where the entire nation just went on lockdown this week and reports indicate hospital beds are in short supply — are completely horrifying. Iran lost a grip on its outbreak almost immediately, and as bad as things appear to be there, they are almost certainly worse. South Korea at least is able to test people in large numbers, and infection rates seem to be slowing. China is now seeing a daily decline in new cases, evidence that this thing can be brought under control. Singapore appears to have stopped the virus dead in its tracks.
And yet the ways China or Singapore achieved that control are maybe untenable here in the US (or it may be too late already). Americans tend to be so much more focused on the individual. Our cultural myths are about self-reliance. (A friend told me last week that her family bought bear spray because “we’re not gun people.”) Getting us to give up travel, or even to stop stockpiling N95 masks, will be tough.
The official response from the US government has not been, exactly, encouraging.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-11--Uber Said It Will Consider Suspending Drivers And Riders Exposed To The Coronavirus

Uber may temporarily suspend the accounts of drivers and riders who have tested positive for the coronavirus or have been exposed to it .
`` We have a team available 24/7 to support public health authorities in their response to the epidemic , ” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an email to users and drivers sent Tuesday night .
“ Working with them , we may temporarily suspend the accounts of riders or drivers confirmed to have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19 .
We ’ re also consulting with an epidemiologist to make sure our efforts as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' CNN first reported Uber 's email .
Uber will provide drivers with disinfectants , and let Uber Eats users leave a note on their order to have the delivery person leave it at the door , Khosrowshahi wrote .
He said that the company would compensate drivers and delivery workers diagnosed with COVID-19 — the disease caused by the novel coronavirus — or asked to self-isolate by a public health authority for up to 14 days while their accounts are suspended , something that Uber first revealed in a mail to employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still unclear .
There are 1,037 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US so far , and 28 deaths .

Uber may temporarily suspend the accounts of drivers and riders who have tested positive for the coronavirus or have been exposed to it.
"We have a team available 24/7 to support public health authorities in their response to the epidemic,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an email to users and drivers sent Tuesday night.
“Working with them, we may temporarily suspend the accounts of riders or drivers confirmed to have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. We’re also consulting with an epidemiologist to make sure our efforts as a company are grounded in medical advice." CNN first reported Uber's email.
Uber will provide drivers with disinfectants, and let Uber Eats users leave a note on their order to have the delivery person leave it at the door, Khosrowshahi wrote.
He said that the company would compensate drivers and delivery workers diagnosed with COVID-19 — the disease caused by the novel coronavirus — or asked to self-isolate by a public health authority for up to 14 days while their accounts are suspended, something that Uber first revealed in a mail to employees last week. Details of the compensation are still unclear.
There are 1,037 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US so far, and 28 deaths.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--I Probably Have COVID-19. I Wish I Could Know For Sure.

There ’ s so much we can ’ t know about the future .
But getting tested for COVID-19 , at least , would tell me that my own worst-case scenario is the one I ’ m in right now .
On Tuesday , my housemate Laura heard she ’ d tested positive for COVID-19 .
I was sitting with her girlfriend , Caroline , at the dining room table when Laura , over on the couch , got the call .
We didn ’ t try to hide our eavesdropping .
Afterward , we all stared at each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call and message everyone we know with what for us still feels like relatively remarkable news : We now had firsthand experience with a confirmed case of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Laura started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 nearly three weeks ago : coughing and an on-again , off-again low-grade fever .
My Brooklyn household of twentysomethings ( Laura , Caroline , our friend Jackie , and me ) started conducting ourselves as if we ’ d already been infected , going out only for walks or the occasional grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contagious , so by the time Laura got her first fever , we assumed that it was already too late for the rest of us to quarantine ourselves in different parts of the apartment ; her doctor didn ’ t even suggest it .
( Mind you , this was the week of March 10 — a lifetime ago — when practicing even light social distancing measures still seemed like paranoia to a lot of people , and we were all getting mixed messages from our doctors and from the government .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptomatic , we 've followed CDC guidelines for more stringent self-isolation . )
As soon as she started exhibiting symptoms , Laura called both the city and state departments of health , who advised her to consult with her primary care physician .
Since she ( like many New Yorkers ) doesn ’ t have one , she called the urgent care clinic CityMD .
A representative told her that the clinic didn ’ t have access to COVID-19 tests at the time , because the tests were being reserved for hospitalized patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed to a confirmed cluster , but she could come in to get tested for flu and strep .
She did — and tested negative for both .
Nine days later , when Laura was having bad chest pains and her shortness of breath had gotten worse , she went back to CityMD at Caroline ’ s urging ( though she says she ’ s not sure she ’ d have felt comfortable returning if the urgent care weren ’ t within walking distance ) .
As always , she wore a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the onset of her symptoms every time she walked the dog , though by day 10 she no longer stuck out quite so much .
More mask-wearers have shown up on our block every day .
At her second appointment , Laura received an EKG and a lung X-ray , which thankfully didn ’ t reveal anything troubling .
But this time , her doctor also offered her a COVID-19 test , if she wanted it .
Laura had to make an uncomfortable choice .
She knew that tests were in short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been sick for nearly two weeks , both she and the doctor thought she merited one .
And five days after that , we knew .
It ’ s not like any of us were surprised , exactly , by Laura ’ s results .
In addition to the coughing and fever , her whole body ached ; she struggled for air whenever she walked up and down the stairs , or stood for too long doing dishes .
Soon enough Caroline was coughing too , and had to pull out the asthma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Just a couple days before Laura got her results back , Jackie — who ’ d had some milder symptoms but seemingly rounded a bend last week — took a sudden turn for the worse , struggling to breathe .
She said she felt like she ’ d eaten a pack of cigarettes .
Her doctor prescribed her an inhaler and tested her for COVID-19 ; we ’ ll get her results in another few days .
For Jackie , who ’ s been working from home , a positive test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s sick , and afford her the sick days and lesser workload she needs right now .
But it would also give her the peace of mind that should she develop long-term health issues down the road , like potential permanent damage to her lungs , she could point to a concrete diagnosis to receive resources and care .
“ I want to be counted , ” she said .
So where did all this leave me ?
I thought that if I hadn ’ t managed to avoid infection , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many asymptomatic cases .
But sure enough , a few days ago I started coughing ; my body feels like it ’ s been dropped down a garbage chute ; my chest is tight as a drum .
I ’ ve struggled to differentiate these symptoms from the psychosomatic effects of anxiety , since I ’ m also a world-class worrier .
When I reached out to my doctor , though , he told me that if one of my roommates had tested positive , the symptoms Jackie and I are both experiencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also relayed what I ’ d already learned : According to the New York City Health Department , Brooklyn residents experiencing mild symptoms right now should not go see their health care providers in person and shouldn ’ t expect to get tested for anything short of hospitalization .
If I become short of breath or start to have trouble breathing , like Laura and Jackie did , I could follow up — but for now , all I need to do is sit tight and wait it out .
I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even before Laura got her results back , we all assumed we had COVID-19 anyway .
My own symptoms are mild , though my chest tightness does worry me ( and my worrying , of course , only makes it worse ) .
And I ’ m lucky enough to be able to work from home and that my boss doesn ’ t need me to prove how sick I am for me to take sick days — and paid ones , at that , which are unfortunately still a luxury in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still find myself wishing I could get tested ?
Through my employer I have free ( “ free ” ) access to One Medical , a boutique membership-based primary care franchise , which Molly Osberg at Jezebel recently diagnosed as less of a clinic than evidence of US health care ’ s caste system .
Though many US providers , including One Medical , have set up designated testing centers for COVID-19 specimen collection , the capacity to process the tests is still dependent on the CDC and private laboratories .
More tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the last week than had been previously , but the numbers still aren ’ t great ; exposed doctors aren ’ t even able to get tested here .
If I didn ’ t care l about potentially infecting others and putting unnecessary strain on the city ’ s medical resources right now , though , I suspect I could pretty easily use my unearned privilege to elbow my way into a sense of certainty .
Because that ’ s what Laura ’ s results offered us , in this mind-meltingly surreal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biting clarity .
Even though it ’ s hard to escape the realities of this pandemic — we ’ re quarantined in our home and doom-scrolling through the news of job loss , death , and despair every day — it feels so gigantic , so overwhelmingly complex , that its specificity can still astound .
Individual people we know and love can and will get sick ; some of them already are .
Many of them , even .
But recognizing on an intellectual level that 40 % to 70 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that expressing telltale symptoms likely means you yourself are infected — remains incredibly difficult to wrap one ’ s mind around .
A test is the only sure thing .
As soon as Laura started sharing her news , she was shocked at how shocked everybody else was — the sudden onslaught of questions and comments on social media , the spike in concern from family and friends .
She ’ d already been telling everyone she surely had it for weeks !
But without that concrete confirmation , even the reality of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abstractions .
Laura hasn ’ t had a fever in a few days now , and though she ’ s still experiencing some symptoms , she no longer feels like a “ total sick blob.
” Caroline was even well enough to go on a run today .
As the first ( basically ) recovered member of our household , she ’ s reached out to Mount Sinai hospital and Rockefeller University about donating her blood to be tested for antibodies .
( Earlier this week , the FDA approved the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe cases , and New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced that the state would be the first in the nation to test serum derived from the recovered . )
We ’ re tentatively hopeful that our house might become an immunity cell relatively early on in the pandemic and that we would be able to help support our neighbors and the city ’ s health care providers as the crisis worsens .
But it ’ s still unclear whether those with mild symptoms will generate a strong enough response to remain immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available , which can only be revealed by further tests — and early antibody testing is still far from being applied on a mass scale .
At the very least , though , scientists expect that anyone who becomes reinfected would likely experience a much milder bout of COVID-19 than their first .
A test , then , would let me know that my worst-case scenario is the one right before me .
It ’ s an understandably human impulse to assume that the great big bad stuff going on in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the reasons many different communities in the US were slow to adopt social distancing — besides criminally mixed messages from the federal government — is that same impulse : to just keep living , to refuse to give in to fear , to take certain risks and hope for the best .
We all need to accept a certain level of cognitive dissonance if we ’ re going to get out of bed every morning .
Neither the agoraphobe nor the clueless spring breaker offer us the best path forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks , it quickly became clear that we all need to adopt the mentality that we ’ re all already contagious , in order to protect other people — especially in New York City , which is on track to become the global epicenter of this virus .
But it ’ s a big ask to expect everyone to trust in an abstract truth , in lieu of the certainty offered by widespread testing .
Not even symptoms — real , scary , painful symptoms — can offer us that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trusting my body .
There ’ s my anxiety disorder , for one thing , which screws with my breathing and makes my muscles go haywire .
And even when I do trust myself enough to think a symptom might not be attributable to anxiety alone , I ’ m used to doctors brushing me off or chalking up my concerns to paranoia ( something that ’ s common for women patients , whose concerns are frequently downplayed by health care professionals ; it ’ s even more common for black women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an environment where sickness was perceived as a kind of weakness .
We didn ’ t always have the money for copays , and it was easier , I think , for my family to treat people who took sick days from school or work as privileged , attention-seeking whiners rather than consider the reality that sometimes our bodies would fail us , too .
My dad lived in pain for years because he couldn ’ t afford to get the surgeries that eventually saved his life .
Because the truth of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bear , he ’ d tried convincing himself that he wasn ’ t really that sick after all .
Downplaying potential vulnerabilities is also , of course , a particularly American phenomenon .
We ’ re proud workaholics who value our seemingly endless ability to push through the pain , to sacrifice our time , energy , health , and sanity at the altar of capital .
It ’ s easier to imagine we ’ re really the masters of our own destiny than consider the fact that our well-being might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic makes devastatingly clear that our output has always had limits .
In Ed Yong ’ s excellent and sweeping report for the Atlantic about how this pandemic will end , he writes that “ perhaps the nation will learn that preparedness isn ’ t just about masks , vaccines , and tests , but also about fair labor policies and a stable and equal health-care system .
Perhaps it will appreciate that health-care workers and public-health specialists compose America ’ s social immune system , and that this system has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a little easier for us to trust our own bodies — and trust that our health is inextricably connected with society ’ s health — without needing the confirmation of a test to tell us that yes , this is all really happening .
We really are this fragile .
We really do rely on one another .
But for now , especially before the death toll in the US starts to skyrocket in earnest , positive results are incredibly powerful .
Even as testing ramps up throughout the country , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases in the US than those currently confirmed by the CDC ; doctors and nurses told BuzzFeed News that COVID-19 deaths have been “ grossly underreported , ” too .
While we wait for different spots in the US hit their various peaks in hospitalizations , which , according to projections , are still weeks away , most of us who aren ’ t frontline workers are still suspended in a horrible sort of Before zone , when knowing someone personally who ’ s tested positive is still a novelty .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will become so much more gruesome .
Today , I can still shock the other attendees of a Zoom happy hour with the news of my roommate ’ s diagnosis .
But someday soon , a diagnosis will become almost meaningless , because more and more of us will know people who have actually died .
And I don ’ t think any number of test results could possibly prepare us for that .
●

On Tuesday, my housemate Laura heard she’d tested positive for COVID-19. I was sitting with her girlfriend, Caroline, at the dining room table when Laura, over on the couch, got the call. We didn’t try to hide our eavesdropping. Afterward, we all stared at each other for a moment, then proceeded to call and message everyone we know with what for us still feels like relatively remarkable news: We now had firsthand experience with a confirmed case of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Laura started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 nearly three weeks ago: coughing and an on-again, off-again low-grade fever. My Brooklyn household of twentysomethings (Laura, Caroline, our friend Jackie, and me) started conducting ourselves as if we’d already been infected, going out only for walks or the occasional grocery store run. The disease is highly contagious, so by the time Laura got her first fever, we assumed that it was already too late for the rest of us to quarantine ourselves in different parts of the apartment; her doctor didn’t even suggest it. (Mind you, this was the week of March 10 — a lifetime ago — when practicing even light social distancing measures still seemed like paranoia to a lot of people, and we were all getting mixed messages from our doctors and from the government. Since then, and since we've become symptomatic, we've followed CDC guidelines for more stringent self-isolation.)
As soon as she started exhibiting symptoms, Laura called both the city and state departments of health, who advised her to consult with her primary care physician. Since she (like many New Yorkers) doesn’t have one, she called the urgent care clinic CityMD. A representative told her that the clinic didn’t have access to COVID-19 tests at the time, because the tests were being reserved for hospitalized patients, or anyone who’d been exposed to a confirmed cluster, but she could come in to get tested for flu and strep. She did — and tested negative for both.
Nine days later, when Laura was having bad chest pains and her shortness of breath had gotten worse, she went back to CityMD at Caroline’s urging (though she says she’s not sure she’d have felt comfortable returning if the urgent care weren’t within walking distance). As always, she wore a mask, which she’d been doing since the onset of her symptoms every time she walked the dog, though by day 10 she no longer stuck out quite so much. More mask-wearers have shown up on our block every day.
At her second appointment, Laura received an EKG and a lung X-ray, which thankfully didn’t reveal anything troubling. But this time, her doctor also offered her a COVID-19 test, if she wanted it.
Laura had to make an uncomfortable choice. She knew that tests were in short supply. But since she’d been sick for nearly two weeks, both she and the doctor thought she merited one. And five days after that, we knew.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--Rikers Island Detainees Say They Fear Dying From The Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
On one of their numerous phone calls this week , R.W .
listened to her husband , who is incarcerated at Rikers and sick with COVID-19 , pound against the walls of the isolation cell begging unsuccessfully for medical attention .
“ I don ’ t feel well , ” he moaned .
“ I feel lightheaded.
” He tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; since then , no one has taken his temperature .
He ’ s only received water and tea bags , he told his wife .
His sentence is less than a year , she said , but “ he ’ s scared he ’ s not going to make it out of there.
” On Friday , 103 people held in the city ’ s jails and 80 staffers had tested positive , according to the New York City Department of Correction .
The majority of the city ’ s detainees are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the New York City Board of Correction recommended releasing people over 50 , people serving low-level offenses with sentences of under a year , people held for technical reasons like a parole violation , and those with underlying health issues .
At Rikers , that would mean about 2,000 people .
But so far , little has happened .
Meanwhile , inside Rikers Island , information on the pandemic is scarce and fear is rising , according to interviews with people currently incarcerated at the jail as well as their family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had received only a one-page pamphlet on how to protect yourself .
It recommended staying 6 feet away from others , which is impossible in the setting , and frequent handwashing , which is a challenge .
The facility provides a bar of soap for bathroom sinks , and more is available for purchase at the commissary once a week .
There ’ s no hand sanitizer .
Prisoners and their advocates said that a backlog of people with symptoms like coughing and sneezing haven ’ t been able to get seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctional officers wear gloves or a mask , others have nothing .
“ I ’ m living in constant fear , ” said Daniel , who is currently incarcerated on Rikers Island .
The 46-year old said he fears he may have the virus ; he ’ s been feeling weak and feverish but hasn ’ t been able to get seen by medical staff at all .
( His publicly appointed lawyer asked that his last name not be published since he is awaiting a hearing . )
“ They pretty much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to the clinic , there ’ s a bunch of people who are there with the virus and you ’ re walking right into it , ' ” he said , referring to the correctional officers .
“ Conditions are really deteriorating here , ” added Semaj , another detainee who is also being held on a parole violation .
( His publicly appointed lawyer requested that just his first name be used since he is awaiting a hearing as well . )
The 41-year-old was arrested in February by his parole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a violation of his release conditions .
In his housing unit , he and others have tried to make everyone wash their hands before entering the sleeping quarters where they sleep just a couple of feet apart .
Semaj also said prison officials cut articles about the coronavirus out of the newspapers before detainees get to see them .
He said he tries to glean what information he can from TV .
This week , he learned his mother , who has heart disease and diabetes , has been hospitalized with COVID-19 .

On one of their numerous phone calls this week, R.W. listened to her husband, who is incarcerated at Rikers and sick with COVID-19, pound against the walls of the isolation cell begging unsuccessfully for medical attention. “I don’t feel well,” he moaned. “I feel lightheaded.” He tested positive for the coronavirus last week, she said; since then, no one has taken his temperature. He’s only received water and tea bags, he told his wife.
His sentence is less than a year, she said, but “he’s scared he’s not going to make it out of there.”
On Friday, 103 people held in the city’s jails and 80 staffers had tested positive, according to the New York City Department of Correction. The majority of the city’s detainees are held at Rikers Island.
Last Saturday, the New York City Board of Correction recommended releasing people over 50, people serving low-level offenses with sentences of under a year, people held for technical reasons like a parole violation, and those with underlying health issues. At Rikers, that would mean about 2,000 people. But so far, little has happened.
Meanwhile, inside Rikers Island, information on the pandemic is scarce and fear is rising, according to interviews with people currently incarcerated at the jail as well as their family members. One man told BuzzFeed News that he had received only a one-page pamphlet on how to protect yourself. It recommended staying 6 feet away from others, which is impossible in the setting, and frequent handwashing, which is a challenge. The facility provides a bar of soap for bathroom sinks, and more is available for purchase at the commissary once a week. There’s no hand sanitizer.
Prisoners and their advocates said that a backlog of people with symptoms like coughing and sneezing haven’t been able to get seen, let alone tested. While some correctional officers wear gloves or a mask, others have nothing.
“I’m living in constant fear,” said Daniel, who is currently incarcerated on Rikers Island. The 46-year old said he fears he may have the virus; he’s been feeling weak and feverish but hasn’t been able to get seen by medical staff at all. (His publicly appointed lawyer asked that his last name not be published since he is awaiting a hearing.)
“They pretty much said, 'Don’t even go down to the clinic, there’s a bunch of people who are there with the virus and you’re walking right into it,'” he said, referring to the correctional officers.
“Conditions are really deteriorating here,” added Semaj, another detainee who is also being held on a parole violation. (His publicly appointed lawyer requested that just his first name be used since he is awaiting a hearing as well.) The 41-year-old was arrested in February by his parole officer for allegedly driving a car — a violation of his release conditions. In his housing unit, he and others have tried to make everyone wash their hands before entering the sleeping quarters where they sleep just a couple of feet apart.
Semaj also said prison officials cut articles about the coronavirus out of the newspapers before detainees get to see them. He said he tries to glean what information he can from TV.
This week, he learned his mother, who has heart disease and diabetes, has been hospitalized with COVID-19.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--Most Houses Of Worship Are Closed Because Of The Coronavirus, But A New Poll Shows Some Are Still At

Most Houses Of Worship Are Closed Because Of The Coronavirus, But A New Poll Shows Some Are Still Attending Services

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As of Friday , nearly half of the states in the US were subject to stay-at-home orders of varying degrees in attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic , and the federal government has advised against holding any gatherings of more than 10 people .
Yet while many churches , temples , and other houses of worship have switched to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their congregations are still gathering .
According to a poll conducted this week by three political scientists and provided to BuzzFeed News , 22 % of respondents said that they had been “ encouraged ” to attend in-person worship “ because of the virus , ” and 17 % said they were still attending worship services in person .
The survey polled 1,038 people from all over the country , who said they attend a house of worship “ more often than never.
” The poll-takers were from both rural and urban areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national population .
The survey , conducted over three days ( Monday through Wednesday ) by Paul Djupe ( Denison University ) , Ryan Burge ( Eastern Illinois University ) , and Andrew Lewis ( University of Cincinnati ) , included responses about Sunday service attendance .
The survey results had about a 3 % margin of error .
The vast majority of the people who responded to the poll — 88 % — said that either their religious services had been canceled or their house of worship had been closed due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they had still been encouraged to attend worship in person .
Djupe speculated that some of these respondents , and some of the 17 % who said they were still attending in-person services , may have been referring to smaller worship groups outside of their churches or temples , though this was not a question that had been asked in the survey .
The results of this poll come days after news broke that nearly three dozen people who attended a recent church event at First Assemblies of God Church in Greers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported Monday .
The event was held in early March , and 31 of the 34 people who tested positive are either on the church staff or are members of the church .
And on Friday , a church in the Chicago suburbs told ABC ’ s local affiliate that following a service on March 15 , 43 people had reported symptoms related to COVID-19 , and 10 people had tested positive for the disease so far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to houses of worship , at least six states have included some sort of exemption .
New York , Pennsylvania , Michigan , California , Louisiana , and Ohio have all issued stay-at-home orders at the beginning of this week or last , but each has a specific stipulation pertaining to houses of worship , either designating them as “ essential , ” saying that they are not ordered to be closed , or exempting them from penalties .
For example , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on Monday banned all gatherings outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a place of religious worship , when used for religious worship , is not subject to penalty '' for violating the order .
In several cases , churches and religious leaders have taken advantage of these exemptions , only to be reprimanded by the state ’ s leaders and law enforcement .
Louisiana ’ s stay-at-home order includes exemptions for travel `` to and from an individual 's place of worship , ” but when a Baton Rouge pastor hosted a service of more than 300 people Tuesday night , local news channel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church to break up the gathering .
The pastor , Tony Spell , told CNN that he believes coronavirus to be “ politically motivated ” and claimed that more than 1,000 people attended his Sunday service .
Ohio evangelical megachurch Solid Rock , which has hosted several events in support of President Donald Trump , held two services Sunday , and publicly stated on their Facebook page Friday that they plan to keep their doors open unless the “ laws of our nation should ever change with respect to our first amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever was a time in the history of our world when we all need God ’ s help , it is now , ” the post continued .
“ For that reason , we believe that the doors of Solid Rock Church should remain open.
” Religious gatherings were explicitly exempted by Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ’ s Sunday order against gatherings of more than 10 people .
However , DeWine also tweeted a plea to religious leaders Sunday .
“ We did not order religious organizations to close , but my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious , ” DeWine wrote .
“ When you are coming together , whether in a church or wherever - this is dangerous .
”

As of Friday, nearly half of the states in the US were subject to stay-at-home orders of varying degrees in attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and the federal government has advised against holding any gatherings of more than 10 people. Yet while many churches, temples, and other houses of worship have switched to virtual religious services, some Americans say their congregations are still gathering.
According to a poll conducted this week by three political scientists and provided to BuzzFeed News, 22% of respondents said that they had been “encouraged” to attend in-person worship “because of the virus,” and 17% said they were still attending worship services in person.
The survey polled 1,038 people from all over the country, who said they attend a house of worship “more often than never.” The poll-takers were from both rural and urban areas, and spanned demographics that reflect the national population. The survey, conducted over three days (Monday through Wednesday) by Paul Djupe (Denison University), Ryan Burge (Eastern Illinois University), and Andrew Lewis (University of Cincinnati), included responses about Sunday service attendance. The survey results had about a 3% margin of error.
The vast majority of the people who responded to the poll — 88% — said that either their religious services had been canceled or their house of worship had been closed due to the coronavirus.
However, 22% said they had still been encouraged to attend worship in person. Djupe speculated that some of these respondents, and some of the 17% who said they were still attending in-person services, may have been referring to smaller worship groups outside of their churches or temples, though this was not a question that had been asked in the survey.
The results of this poll come days after news broke that nearly three dozen people who attended a recent church event at First Assemblies of God Church in Greers Ferry, Arkansas, had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported Monday. The event was held in early March, and 31 of the 34 people who tested positive are either on the church staff or are members of the church. And on Friday, a church in the Chicago suburbs told ABC’s local affiliate that following a service on March 15, 43 people had reported symptoms related to COVID-19, and 10 people had tested positive for the disease so far.
While many states’ stay-at-home orders apply to houses of worship, at least six states have included some sort of exemption. New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, Louisiana, and Ohio have all issued stay-at-home orders at the beginning of this week or last, but each has a specific stipulation pertaining to houses of worship, either designating them as “essential,” saying that they are not ordered to be closed, or exempting them from penalties. For example, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday banned all gatherings outside the home, but added that “a place of religious worship, when used for religious worship, is not subject to penalty" for violating the order.
In several cases, churches and religious leaders have taken advantage of these exemptions, only to be reprimanded by the state’s leaders and law enforcement. Louisiana’s stay-at-home order includes exemptions for travel "to and from an individual's place of worship,” but when a Baton Rouge pastor hosted a service of more than 300 people Tuesday night, local news channel WTVY reported, police showed up at the church to break up the gathering. The pastor, Tony Spell, told CNN that he believes coronavirus to be “politically motivated” and claimed that more than 1,000 people attended his Sunday service.
Ohio evangelical megachurch Solid Rock, which has hosted several events in support of President Donald Trump, held two services Sunday, and publicly stated on their Facebook page Friday that they plan to keep their doors open unless the “laws of our nation should ever change with respect to our first amendment right to assemble.”
“If there ever was a time in the history of our world when we all need God’s help, it is now,” the post continued. “For that reason, we believe that the doors of Solid Rock Church should remain open.”
Religious gatherings were explicitly exempted by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s Sunday order against gatherings of more than 10 people. However, DeWine also tweeted a plea to religious leaders Sunday.
“We did not order religious organizations to close, but my message to EVERYONE is that this is serious,” DeWine wrote. “When you are coming together, whether in a church or wherever - this is dangerous.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--Survivors Of COVID-19 May Hold The Key For Everyone Else — In Their Blood

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 .
In the absence of a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus , a group of scientists is searching for a fast solution in an unconventional place : the veins of people who have recovered .
Starting in New York City hospitals this week , and soon in dozens of medical centers across the United States , researchers will start drawing blood from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies made to fight the disease .
They 'll then isolate their plasma , the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies .
And in a process called “ convalescent plasma therapy , ” their antibodies will be transferred to others , either to protect them against getting infected or to boost the immune systems of those who are already sick .
This highly experimental therapy hasn ’ t been proven to work against the coronavirus , but preliminary research out of China suggests that it has helped a small group of patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some success in past infectious disease outbreaks , including in fighting the coronavirus that caused the SARS outbreak .
Acknowledging the “ public health emergency ” wreaked by the new coronavirus , the FDA on Tuesday opened up access for doctors to use the therapy on a case-by-case basis to treat patients in severe or life-threatening condition .
As of Friday , the coronavirus has infected more than half a million people worldwide , including 92,000 and counting in the US .
A vaccine is in the works but won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least a year and a half , and drugs are in clinical trials that might take 8 to 10 months to produce convincing results .
Convalescent plasma therapy , if it works , could be a more immediate treatment with a relatively abundant supply source : to date , thousands of people have recovered .
“ This is your by far fastest shot-on-goal , ” Michael Joyner , a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist who is helping lead what ’ s being called the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project , told BuzzFeed News .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people headed to the ICU out of the ICU , we ’ ll be beneficial to the whole ecosystem.
” The effort is being spearheaded by Arturo Casadevall , chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , who first floated the idea to “ protect the vulnerable with the antibodies in the blood of those fortunate enough to have recovered ” in a Feb. 27 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal .
Thirty to forty academic medical centers have since jumped on board , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington University at St. Louis , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , and Mount Sinai , according to Joyner .
In the world of clinical research , where trials are usually planned out months to years in advance , the grassroots collaboration has sprung up unusually quickly as scientists have seen the enormous need for solutions .
“ Our conference calls are getting toward the limit , ” said Joyner , whose lab has made a total switch from studying exercise physiology to focusing on the coronavirus .
He said conference calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 300 researchers .
A few institutions are planning to treat patients immediately , and researchers are working to get approval for formal , rigorous clinical trials that will collect data about the therapy , beginning with whether it is safe .
Mount Sinai , which along with other New York hospitals has been besieged by COVID-19 cases , started the treatment this week and is soliciting blood donations from recovered patients .
Albert Einstein College of Medicine expects to begin trials within three to four weeks .
Adult patients will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide enough plasma for one or two patients , depending on their size , and they can also donate their blood multiple times , Joyner said .
Their blood must also be screened to ensure that it doesn ’ t contain the virus and other toxins .
Joyner said the plasma would be transfused to recipients just like it is in regular surgery .
But plasma-derived therapy is restricted by the number of able and willing donors .
A spokesperson for Mount Sinai did not respond to questions about how many volunteers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for now is to help stem the tide of hospitalizations threatening to overwhelm the health care system .
“ Historical evidence suggests if you can give it to people relatively early in the course of the hospitalization , before they ’ re in the ICU , that might be the sweet spot for administration , ” Joyner said .
The treatment could also be preventative .
Later , the researchers hope to investigate whether the therapy could immunize health care workers against the disease .
Doctors and nurses without adequate protective gear are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick themselves and sometimes dying .
But there are concerns about whether the treatment will work .
One basic question hinges on the immunity of anyone who recovers : While to date , scientists haven ’ t seen definitive evidence of a person who ’ s gotten infected twice , they also don ’ t know how long people stay immune to the new coronavirus .
There are also risks that the transfusions could inadvertently trigger the recipient ’ s immune system or sicken them more .

In the absence of a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus, a group of scientists is searching for a fast solution in an unconventional place: the veins of people who have recovered.
Starting in New York City hospitals this week, and soon in dozens of medical centers across the United States, researchers will start drawing blood from COVID-19 survivors, who have antibodies their bodies made to fight the disease. They'll then isolate their plasma, the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies. And in a process called “convalescent plasma therapy,” their antibodies will be transferred to others, either to protect them against getting infected or to boost the immune systems of those who are already sick.
This highly experimental therapy hasn’t been proven to work against the coronavirus, but preliminary research out of China suggests that it has helped a small group of patients recover. It’s also seen some success in past infectious disease outbreaks, including in fighting the coronavirus that caused the SARS outbreak.
Acknowledging the “public health emergency” wreaked by the new coronavirus, the FDA on Tuesday opened up access for doctors to use the therapy on a case-by-case basis to treat patients in severe or life-threatening condition.
As of Friday, the coronavirus has infected more than half a million people worldwide, including 92,000 and counting in the US. A vaccine is in the works but won’t be ready for the general population for at least a year and a half, and drugs are in clinical trials that might take 8 to 10 months to produce convincing results. Convalescent plasma therapy, if it works, could be a more immediate treatment with a relatively abundant supply source: to date, thousands of people have recovered.
“This is your by far fastest shot-on-goal,” Michael Joyner, a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist who is helping lead what’s being called the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project, told BuzzFeed News. “If we can just keep a small fraction of people headed to the ICU out of the ICU, we’ll be beneficial to the whole ecosystem.”
The effort is being spearheaded by Arturo Casadevall, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who first floated the idea to “protect the vulnerable with the antibodies in the blood of those fortunate enough to have recovered” in a Feb. 27 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Thirty to forty academic medical centers have since jumped on board, including Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, Washington University at St. Louis, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Mount Sinai, according to Joyner.
In the world of clinical research, where trials are usually planned out months to years in advance, the grassroots collaboration has sprung up unusually quickly as scientists have seen the enormous need for solutions. “Our conference calls are getting toward the limit,” said Joyner, whose lab has made a total switch from studying exercise physiology to focusing on the coronavirus. He said conference calls to discuss the treatment often include up to 300 researchers.
A few institutions are planning to treat patients immediately, and researchers are working to get approval for formal, rigorous clinical trials that will collect data about the therapy, beginning with whether it is safe. Mount Sinai, which along with other New York hospitals has been besieged by COVID-19 cases, started the treatment this week and is soliciting blood donations from recovered patients. Albert Einstein College of Medicine expects to begin trials within three to four weeks.
Adult patients will be the first group treated. One recoveree can provide enough plasma for one or two patients, depending on their size, and they can also donate their blood multiple times, Joyner said. Their blood must also be screened to ensure that it doesn’t contain the virus and other toxins. Joyner said the plasma would be transfused to recipients just like it is in regular surgery.
But plasma-derived therapy is restricted by the number of able and willing donors. A spokesperson for Mount Sinai did not respond to questions about how many volunteers have signed up so far.
The goal for now is to help stem the tide of hospitalizations threatening to overwhelm the health care system.
“Historical evidence suggests if you can give it to people relatively early in the course of the hospitalization, before they’re in the ICU, that might be the sweet spot for administration,” Joyner said.
The treatment could also be preventative. Later, the researchers hope to investigate whether the therapy could immunize health care workers against the disease. Doctors and nurses without adequate protective gear are treating infected patients, in turn getting sick themselves and sometimes dying.
But there are concerns about whether the treatment will work. One basic question hinges on the immunity of anyone who recovers: While to date, scientists haven’t seen definitive evidence of a person who’s gotten infected twice, they also don’t know how long people stay immune to the new coronavirus. There are also risks that the transfusions could inadvertently trigger the recipient’s immune system or sicken them more.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--Doctors Without Borders Sent A Team To The Navajo Nation To Help With The Coronavirus Crisis

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Doctors Without Borders — an international organization that provides medical aid to people in areas stricken by war , famine , or natural disasters — has dispatched a team to the Navajo Nation in the US to help with the coronavirus crisis unfolding on the Native American reservation .
A team of nine medical professionals arrived in New Mexico to help Pueblo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the month they started working with the Navajo Nation too , communications officer Nico D ’ Auterive told BuzzFeed News .
Consisting of doctors , nurses , logisticians , and water and sanitation experts , the team is primarily there to provide guidance and support to healthcare facilities , not direct medical help , D'Auterive said .
They will be there through June , and may extend their stay depending on how the situation develops in those areas .
Bleu Adams , a Navajo business owner and co-founder of Protect Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to indigenous communities , has been distributing personal protective equipment around the reservation in her own time .
Adams told BuzzFeed News , `` It ’ s good that Doctors Without Borders is coming in , '' if only to raise awareness about the challenges the Navajo Nation is facing .
`` People need to know why we ’ re in this situation .
I really want them to understand the systemic issues that are creating this [ health crisis ] , '' Adams said .
`` Our relationship with the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not a surprise to us that we have to look for outside help . ''
With one of the highest rates of coronavirus cases per capita in the country , the Navajo Nation is grappling with a dire public health crisis .
Among 350,000 people on the reservation , there are 3,204 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 102 known deaths to date , according to the Navajo Department of Health .
D ’ Auterive said the decision to send a team to the Navajo Nation and pueblos in New Mexico was due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] infection , and also just the fact that these communities are under-resourced at all times , and we 're especially seeing that now with the pandemic . ''
The CARES Act , which President Trump signed into law on March 27 , allocated $ 8 billion in relief funding to tribes across the country , $ 600 million of which went to the Navajo Nation .
But the infrastructure in place is so weak that volunteers like Adams have had to step in to distribute much-needed supplies .
Unpaved dirt roads across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hard for even someone like Adams , who has a home on the reservation , to move around .
Many people live in small multigenerational homes that lack running water and electricity .
Internet access , which would help speed up the dissemination of new information and guidance about the coronavirus , is also extremely limited .
Native Americans are also disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 due to common underlying health conditions like diabetes and asthma .
On Navajo Nation , there are longstanding issues that contribute to poor health , like water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Indian Health Service , already perpetually underfunded , has struggled to keep up as cases among Native Americans rise .
In the Navajo area , where there are only 12 IHS facilities for a reservation bigger than the state of West Virginia , patients with severe coronavirus symptoms have been airlifted to hospitals outside the reservation .
That indigenous communities must work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs , a federal agency , also weighs down any progress with a mountain of bureaucracy .
Because of that , Adams said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Though there are systemic issues that have exacerbated the Navajo Nation 's coronavirus crisis , Adams said they are doing what they can .
`` We 're very strong , innovative people , '' she said .
`` We just need those allies and advocacy to change things at the federal level so we can become independent and self-sufficient . ''

Doctors Without Borders — an international organization that provides medical aid to people in areas stricken by war, famine, or natural disasters — has dispatched a team to the Navajo Nation in the US to help with the coronavirus crisis unfolding on the Native American reservation.
A team of nine medical professionals arrived in New Mexico to help Pueblo communities in mid-April, and towards the end of the month they started working with the Navajo Nation too, communications officer Nico D’Auterive told BuzzFeed News.
Consisting of doctors, nurses, logisticians, and water and sanitation experts, the team is primarily there to provide guidance and support to healthcare facilities, not direct medical help, D'Auterive said. They will be there through June, and may extend their stay depending on how the situation develops in those areas.
Bleu Adams, a Navajo business owner and co-founder of Protect Native Elders, a group providing coronavirus relief to indigenous communities, has been distributing personal protective equipment around the reservation in her own time. Adams told BuzzFeed News, "It’s good that Doctors Without Borders is coming in," if only to raise awareness about the challenges the Navajo Nation is facing.
"People need to know why we’re in this situation. I really want them to understand the systemic issues that are creating this [health crisis]," Adams said. "Our relationship with the federal government has never been great, so it's not a surprise to us that we have to look for outside help."
With one of the highest rates of coronavirus cases per capita in the country, the Navajo Nation is grappling with a dire public health crisis. Among 350,000 people on the reservation, there are 3,204 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 102 known deaths to date, according to the Navajo Department of Health.
D’Auterive said the decision to send a team to the Navajo Nation and pueblos in New Mexico was due to "the high rates of [coronavirus] infection, and also just the fact that these communities are under-resourced at all times, and we're especially seeing that now with the pandemic."
The CARES Act, which President Trump signed into law on March 27, allocated $8 billion in relief funding to tribes across the country, $600 million of which went to the Navajo Nation. But the infrastructure in place is so weak that volunteers like Adams have had to step in to distribute much-needed supplies.
Unpaved dirt roads across the reservation's 27,000 square miles make it hard for even someone like Adams, who has a home on the reservation, to move around. Many people live in small multigenerational homes that lack running water and electricity. Internet access, which would help speed up the dissemination of new information and guidance about the coronavirus, is also extremely limited.
Native Americans are also disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 due to common underlying health conditions like diabetes and asthma. On Navajo Nation, there are longstanding issues that contribute to poor health, like water sources contaminated by abandoned uranium mines.
The Indian Health Service, already perpetually underfunded, has struggled to keep up as cases among Native Americans rise. In the Navajo area, where there are only 12 IHS facilities for a reservation bigger than the state of West Virginia, patients with severe coronavirus symptoms have been airlifted to hospitals outside the reservation.
That indigenous communities must work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal agency, also weighs down any progress with a mountain of bureaucracy. Because of that, Adams said, "everything moves at a snail's pace."
Though there are systemic issues that have exacerbated the Navajo Nation's coronavirus crisis, Adams said they are doing what they can.
"We're very strong, innovative people," she said. "We just need those allies and advocacy to change things at the federal level so we can become independent and self-sufficient."


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--Anthony Fauci And Rand Paul Had A Tense Exchange During A Coronavirus Hearing

Fauci also warned Paul not be `` cavalier '' in thinking children are `` completely immune '' from the harmful effects of the coronavirus .
In a tense exchange during a Senate hearing on the coronavirus on Tuesday , Republican Sen. Rand Paul told Anthony Fauci , the top US infectious disease official , that he was not the `` end all '' on whether to reopen the country amid the pandemic .
`` As much as I respect you , Dr. Fauci , I don ’ t think you ’ re the end-all , '' Paul told Fauci during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School . ''
`` I don ’ t think you ’ re the one person that gets to make a decision , '' he said .
Paul , who claimed he had immunity and refused to wear a mask in Senate after recovering from COVID-19 , pushed for reopening schools in the fall and criticized public health experts for exercising caution in reopening businesses .
`` We ought to have a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what ’ s best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci .
In a sharp retort , Fauci , who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 , responded : `` I have never made myself out to be the 'end-all ' and only voice in this .
I ’ m a scientist , a physician , and a public health official .
I give advice according to the best scientific evidence .
...
I don ’ t give advice about economic things .
I don ’ t give advice about anything other than public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearing via video from his home , where he had been self-isolating after coming into contact with an infected White House staffer — also warned Paul not be `` cavalier '' in thinking children were `` completely immune '' from the harmful effects of the virus .
Officials have said at least three children died in New York from an inflammatory illness suspected of being linked to the virus .
During the hearing , Fauci did not definitively say that schools should n't reopen in the fall .
He did say it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assure students hoping to go back to school in the fall that they will have a vaccine or treatment by then .
Paul dismissed the warnings of public health professionals and scientists that there could be a surge as more states in the US are reopening businesses .
`` We 're opening up a lot of economies around the US , and I hope that people who are predicting doom and gloom , and saying , 'Oh , we ca n't do this .
There 's going to be a surge , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is n't a surge , ” Paul said .
“ Because I think that ’ s what ’ s going to happen.
” He said that outside of New England , `` We 've had a relatively benign course of this virus nationwide . ''
Paul told Fauci , `` We can listen to your advice , but there are people on the other side saying there ’ s not going to be a surge and that we can safely open the economy and the facts will bear this out . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to the Senate gym while he was awaiting a COVID-19 test result that turned out to be positive .
Last week , Paul defended his decision not to wear a mask while returning to Capitol Hill , claiming that he had `` immunity '' from the coronavirus .
During Tuesday 's hearing , Fauci , echoing other health experts , said that while it is `` very likely '' that people have immunity after getting COVID-19 , there has been no way to `` formally '' prove it .
Paul argued for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a low mortality rate for children in New York .
He said the `` one-size-fits-all strategy '' of no one in the country being allowed to go to school was `` really ridiculous . ''
`` Power needs to be dispersed because people make wrong predictions , '' Paul said .
`` And really the history of this , when we look back , will be of wrong prediction , after wrong prediction , after wrong prediction . ''
He said `` poor and underprivileged children '' who do n't have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be able to learn for a full year if kids are kept out of school .
`` I think it ’ s a huge mistake if we don ’ t open the schools in the fall , '' Paul said .
Referring to Paul 's jab at having humility , Fauci responded , `` You used the word — we should be 'humble ' about what we do n't know .
We don ’ t know everything about this virus .
And we really better be very careful , particularly when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more and more we learn , we ’ re seeing things about what this virus can do that we didn ’ t see from the studies in China or Europe . ''
Fauci then referred to the cases of children presenting with COVID-19 , suffering from the “ strange ” inflammatory disease .
`` I think we ’ d better be careful , if we ’ re not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects , '' Fauci said .
`` I am very careful and hopefully humble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this disease and that 's why I 'm very reserved in making broad predictions . ''

In a tense exchange during a Senate hearing on the coronavirus on Tuesday, Republican Sen. Rand Paul told Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, that he was not the "end all" on whether to reopen the country amid the pandemic.
"As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don’t think you’re the end-all," Paul told Fauci during the hearing, entitled "COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School."
"I don’t think you’re the one person that gets to make a decision," he said.
Paul, who claimed he had immunity and refused to wear a mask in Senate after recovering from COVID-19, pushed for reopening schools in the fall and criticized public health experts for exercising caution in reopening businesses.
"We ought to have a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what’s best for the economy," he told Fauci.
In a sharp retort, Fauci, who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, responded: "I have never made myself out to be the 'end-all' and only voice in this. I’m a scientist, a physician, and a public health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence. ... I don’t give advice about economic things. I don’t give advice about anything other than public health."
Fauci — who was appearing via video from his home, where he had been self-isolating after coming into contact with an infected White House staffer — also warned Paul not be "cavalier" in thinking children were "completely immune" from the harmful effects of the virus.
Officials have said at least three children died in New York from an inflammatory illness suspected of being linked to the virus.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-12--Democrats Are Pleading With The Trump Administration To Update Voting Safety Guidelines During The C

Democrats Are Pleading With The Trump Administration To Update Voting Safety Guidelines During The Coronavirus Pandemic

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To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
More than two dozen Democratic senators are urging the CDC to update safety guidelines for upcoming elections , saying the primaries this spring were a cautionary tale about the dangers of in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
Wisconsin , in particular , which held its primary in April despite the pandemic , leaving voters in hourslong lines , highlighted the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington .
“ We have seen the consequences that the lack of preparation and clear safety guidelines can have in Wisconsin , where voters stood in lines that wrapped around blocks wearing home-made masks and garbage bags as personal protective equipment , ” the 27 lawmakers wrote to CDC Director Robert Redfield this week .
“ Reports indicate that health officials have now linked over 50 cases to voters who showed up to the polls on election day as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter continued , citing a recent article by the Associated Press , arguing the “ CDC should provide comprehensive and up-to-date public health guidance for voting by mail and in-person voting.
” The most recent CDC guidance — which was issued March 27 , about a week before the Wisconsin primary — already lays out many practices the Democrats want : encouraging election administrators to support early voting , promote mail-in voting where it ’ s allowed , require physical distancing , and sanitize polling sites .
Still , Democrats contended , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to adhere to the CDC ’ s physical distancing guidelines in polling locations and election offices , allowing voters and workers to safely handle voting equipment and machines , and the processing of election mail , including absentee ballots , ” said the letter .
“ Additionally , the CDC has warned that a second and even more severe outbreak of COVID-19 [ the disease caused by the novel coronavirus ] could emerge this fall in conjunction with the flu season , potentially affecting the general election in November .
Updated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help voters safely exercise their right to participate in the democratic process.
” A 2006 CDC report titled the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza : Implementation Plan sets out various contingencies for a viral outbreak — but not for elections or voting .
The missive aligns with a broader goal of Democrats : highlighting the risk of in-person voting amid the pandemic and advocating for more mail-in ballots .
That clashes with some leading Republicans , particularly President Donald Trump , who has urged his party to “ fight very hard ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there must be alternatives to mail-in voting too .
“ In-person voting is essential for voters with disabilities who need assistive devices in polling locations , voters who need language assistance , and voters who do not have access to mail , ” they told the CDC .
“ Therefore , additional steps should be taken to ensure in-person voting is safe for both voters and election workers .
”

More than two dozen Democratic senators are urging the CDC to update safety guidelines for upcoming elections, saying the primaries this spring were a cautionary tale about the dangers of in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
Wisconsin, in particular, which held its primary in April despite the pandemic, leaving voters in hourslong lines, highlighted the risks of voters contracting the virus, said the letter led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington.
“We have seen the consequences that the lack of preparation and clear safety guidelines can have in Wisconsin, where voters stood in lines that wrapped around blocks wearing home-made masks and garbage bags as personal protective equipment,” the 27 lawmakers wrote to CDC Director Robert Redfield this week.
“Reports indicate that health officials have now linked over 50 cases to voters who showed up to the polls on election day as well as poll workers,” their letter continued, citing a recent article by the Associated Press, arguing the “CDC should provide comprehensive and up-to-date public health guidance for voting by mail and in-person voting.”
The most recent CDC guidance — which was issued March 27, about a week before the Wisconsin primary — already lays out many practices the Democrats want: encouraging election administrators to support early voting, promote mail-in voting where it’s allowed, require physical distancing, and sanitize polling sites.
Still, Democrats contended, more is necessary. “Concerns include the ability to adhere to the CDC’s physical distancing guidelines in polling locations and election offices, allowing voters and workers to safely handle voting equipment and machines, and the processing of election mail, including absentee ballots,” said the letter. “Additionally, the CDC has warned that a second and even more severe outbreak of COVID-19 [the disease caused by the novel coronavirus] could emerge this fall in conjunction with the flu season, potentially affecting the general election in November. Updated and more thorough guidance from the CDC will help voters safely exercise their right to participate in the democratic process.”
A 2006 CDC report titled the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan sets out various contingencies for a viral outbreak — but not for elections or voting.
The missive aligns with a broader goal of Democrats: highlighting the risk of in-person voting amid the pandemic and advocating for more mail-in ballots. That clashes with some leading Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump, who has urged his party to “fight very hard” to stop mail-in elections.
But Democrats note that there must be alternatives to mail-in voting too. “In-person voting is essential for voters with disabilities who need assistive devices in polling locations, voters who need language assistance, and voters who do not have access to mail,” they told the CDC. “Therefore, additional steps should be taken to ensure in-person voting is safe for both voters and election workers.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-17--Ukraine’s Massive Cargo Planes — The Biggest In The World — Are Bringing Crucial Medical Supplies To

Ukraine’s Massive Cargo Planes — The Biggest In The World — Are Bringing Crucial Medical Supplies To The US

Over the course of the next month , planes owned by the state-run Antonov Airlines will carry medical masks and other supplies on 11 trips from Asian countries to the US .
In May 2019 , President Donald Trump described Ukraine as being full of “ terrible people ” who “ tried to take me down.
” Two months later , he was on the phone with his newly elected counterpart , Volodymyr Zelensky , asking him to “ do us a favor.
” The favor Trump wanted — opening investigations into his political rival , Joe Biden , now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never came , and Trump withheld important military aid to the war-torn country for months .
The rest , as they say , is history .
But months later , as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the US , Ukraine is doing Trump a huge favor : The country is using its cargo planes — the biggest in the world — to ferry crucial personal protective equipment ( PPE ) from Asia to medical professionals on the front line of the health crisis in the US .
Over the course of the next month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its giant An-225 Mriya and An-124 Ruslan planes on at least 11 trips from Asian countries to the continental US , Vitaliy Shost , Antonov ’ s deputy director , told BuzzFeed News from the company ’ s headquarters in Kyiv .
“ Our first flight to the US is planned for next week — with a flight from Shanghai to Columbus , Ohio , ” Shost said .
The cargo consists mostly of medical masks , protective clothing , and disinfectant agents , he said .
Aivaras Abromavicius , CEO of Ukroboronprom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversees Antonov , told BuzzFeed News from Kyiv that some flights could include ventilators .
The deliveries come as the coronavirus crisis in the US drags on and hospitals across the country continue to report shortages of basic medical supplies .
Shost declined to disclose commercially sensitive information such as how the flights to the US were paid for and how much they cost .
He said the company operates “ through brokers ” and has “ no direct contact or very limited connection with the cargo owners.
” Use of the Mriya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and may run as high as $ 1 million in total , depending on the type of cargo carried and the distance needed to travel .
If you 're someone who is seeing the impact of the coronavirus firsthand , we ’ d like to hear from you .
Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels .
At 275 feet in length and weighing 310 tons completely empty , the Mriya — Ukrainian for “ dream ” — is the world ’ s largest and heaviest cargo aircraft .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wings , it ’ s capable of carrying another 275 tons — strapped to its top , as it did with the Soviet Union ’ s Buran space shuttle , or in its cargo hold .
To get a sense of just how big that space is , consider this BBC description : The length of its cargo hold is longer than the Wright brothers ’ first flight , from takeoff to landing .
It ’ s also the only Mriya ever produced ; a second one remains unfinished in a hangar in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything but small ; at 226 feet and weighing 200 tons , it is the largest military cargo plane in the world .
And Antonov owns five of them , including one model that can carry 120 tons of cargo and a second that is reinforced and able to lift 165 tons .
Often the planes are used to transport oversize cargo , such as military tanks , plane engines , and even smaller aircraft fuselages .
They are loaded on board through an opening in the nose of the planes .
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current health risks , Abromavicius said “ the utmost care is needed in planning these flights , loading the cargo , following the flight instructions and quarantine instructions.
” He said everything has to run with the “ precision of a Swiss watch.
” All models of the Antonov planes will be used in the US deliveries between mid-April and mid-May , Shost said .
He said there is the possibility that more flights to the US could be made later as well .
The planes are in high demand elsewhere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have chartered either the Mriya or the Ruslans to shuttle supplies to their coronavirus-stricken nations .
They include Canada , Austria , the Czech Republic , Denmark , France , Germany , Greece , Ireland , Kuwait , Poland , Portugal , Qatar , Slovakia , Spain , and Switzerland .
A video published on Tuesday shows the Mriya landing in Warsaw , where it delivered tons of medical supplies purchased from China by the Polish government .
The livestream shared by Chopin Airport was watched by more than 80,000 people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which Shost boasted as being “ part of our Ukrainian heritage , ” are seen by aviation enthusiasts as big events .
Heads of government and even royalty turn out to see the behemoth in action , Shost said .
The Mriya ’ s next medical supply delivery is in Paris on Saturday .
The global demand for the planes has translated to a 40 % jump in orders for Antonov Airlines .
That means all of its planes are booked through much of May .
“ Thіs April , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of the flight time , ” Shost said .
For instance , the Ruslan planes alone clocked 1,001 hours halfway through the month .
“ This is fantastic , but it ’ s not done magically , ” Shost said .
“ Our relatively small team works really hard to arrange all the flights and requests .
”

In May 2019, President Donald Trump described Ukraine as being full of “terrible people” who “tried to take me down.” Two months later, he was on the phone with his newly elected counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him to “do us a favor.”
The favor Trump wanted — opening investigations into his political rival, Joe Biden, now the presumptive Democratic nominee for president — never came, and Trump withheld important military aid to the war-torn country for months. The rest, as they say, is history.
But months later, as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the US, Ukraine is doing Trump a huge favor: The country is using its cargo planes — the biggest in the world — to ferry crucial personal protective equipment (PPE) from Asia to medical professionals on the front line of the health crisis in the US.
Over the course of the next month, Ukrainian state-run Antonov Airlines will send its giant An-225 Mriya and An-124 Ruslan planes on at least 11 trips from Asian countries to the continental US, Vitaliy Shost, Antonov’s deputy director, told BuzzFeed News from the company’s headquarters in Kyiv.
“Our first flight to the US is planned for next week — with a flight from Shanghai to Columbus, Ohio,” Shost said. The cargo consists mostly of medical masks, protective clothing, and disinfectant agents, he said.
Aivaras Abromavicius, CEO of Ukroboronprom, the Ukrainian state defense conglomerate that oversees Antonov, told BuzzFeed News from Kyiv that some flights could include ventilators.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-06--An Immigrant Who Tested Positive For The Coronavirus Has Died In ICE Custody

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A 57-year-old man from El Salvador who had tested positive for COVID-19 died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement Custody in Southern California on Wednesday , according to an internal government report obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The man , Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia , had been in ICE custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center near the California border with Mexico since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease caused by the coronavirus , on April 24 .
The San Diego County medical examiner 's office said he died of acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia resulting from COVID-19 .
The man is the first to die in ICE custody after testing positive for COVID-19 .
He had been taken to a hospital ’ s intensive care unit due to complications from the disease in late April .
Mejia , who had hypertension and self-reported diabetes , had been denied a bond to be released from custody on April 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report .
On April 24 , he was taken to the Paradise Valley Hospital in National City due to symptoms related to COVID-19 .
He tested positive for the disease that same day .
Three days later , on April 27 , he was taken to the hospital ’ s ICU and placed on a ventilator , according to the report .
ICE officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the death of Mejia , who became the 11th immigrant to die in government custody this fiscal year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tested positive for the virus , 132 of whom were located at the Otay Mesa Detention Center .
The agency has tested 1,460 detainees .
The Otay Mesa facility has become a hotspot for COVID-19 , though the coronavirus has spread at other ICE detention centers and jails throughout the US .
As the number of positive cases started to increase , immigrants at Otay Mesa facility complained about a lack of masks , cleaning supplies , and gloves to guard against the coronavirus .
Immigrants told BuzzFeed News they were confined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves from other detainees or guards who moved throughout the jail .
At one point a group of women at the immigration jail demanding masks were threatened with pepper spray .
In April , the ACLU — which announced the death on Wednesday — filed a lawsuit against ICE and CoreCivic , the private company that operates the facility , aiming to reduce the population at the facility .
Medical experts and immigrant advocates have warned that the highly contagious disease puts detainees at risk .
Last week , a federal judge ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were vulnerable to the disease for potential release .
“ We extend our sincere condolences to the family of the person who passed away in ICE custody at Otay Mesa this morning , ” Monika Y. Langarica , immigrants ’ rights staff attorney at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties , said in a statement .
“ We filed a lawsuit demanding the immediate release of medically vulnerable people from Otay Mesa weeks ago , urging that release under these circumstances is a matter of life and death.Today one of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release him when he still had a chance to survive this deadly virus.
” In March , ICE officials began assessing their inmate population to locate “ vulnerable ” detainees , including those who are over 60 or pregnant .
So far , they have released more than 900 detainees , and detention numbers are the lowest they have been in several years .
Isabel , a 21-year-old Guatemalan detainee , who declined to use their full name fearing retaliation , said immigrants at the Otay Mesa Detention Center were told Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 died at a nearby hospital .
`` They would n't even let us ask questions , '' Isabel told BuzzFeed News .
`` We 're all anxious and depressed here . ''
Isabel , who tested positive for COVID-19 , said immigrants are now being given one mask every two weeks , but they often fall apart before receiving new ones .

A 57-year-old man from El Salvador who had tested positive for COVID-19 died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement Custody in Southern California on Wednesday, according to an internal government report obtained by BuzzFeed News.
The man, Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia, had been in ICE custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center near the California border with Mexico since January and tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on April 24.
The San Diego County medical examiner's office said he died of acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia resulting from COVID-19. The man is the first to die in ICE custody after testing positive for COVID-19. He had been taken to a hospital’s intensive care unit due to complications from the disease in late April.
Mejia, who had hypertension and self-reported diabetes, had been denied a bond to be released from custody on April 15 by an immigration judge, according to the report. On April 24, he was taken to the Paradise Valley Hospital in National City due to symptoms related to COVID-19. He tested positive for the disease that same day. Three days later, on April 27, he was taken to the hospital’s ICU and placed on a ventilator, according to the report.
ICE officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the death of Mejia, who became the 11th immigrant to die in government custody this fiscal year. As of Wednesday, 705 detainees had tested positive for the virus, 132 of whom were located at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. The agency has tested 1,460 detainees.
The Otay Mesa facility has become a hotspot for COVID-19, though the coronavirus has spread at other ICE detention centers and jails throughout the US.
As the number of positive cases started to increase, immigrants at Otay Mesa facility complained about a lack of masks, cleaning supplies, and gloves to guard against the coronavirus. Immigrants told BuzzFeed News they were confined to close quarters and unable to distance themselves from other detainees or guards who moved throughout the jail. At one point a group of women at the immigration jail demanding masks were threatened with pepper spray.
In April, the ACLU — which announced the death on Wednesday — filed a lawsuit against ICE and CoreCivic, the private company that operates the facility, aiming to reduce the population at the facility. Medical experts and immigrant advocates have warned that the highly contagious disease puts detainees at risk. Last week, a federal judge ordered the agency to begin assessing people who were vulnerable to the disease for potential release.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family of the person who passed away in ICE custody at Otay Mesa this morning,” Monika Y. Langarica, immigrants’ rights staff attorney at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, said in a statement. “We filed a lawsuit demanding the immediate release of medically vulnerable people from Otay Mesa weeks ago, urging that release under these circumstances is a matter of life and death.Today one of those people has died because ICE refused to release him when he still had a chance to survive this deadly virus.”
In March, ICE officials began assessing their inmate population to locate “vulnerable” detainees, including those who are over 60 or pregnant. So far, they have released more than 900 detainees, and detention numbers are the lowest they have been in several years.
Isabel, a 21-year-old Guatemalan detainee, who declined to use their full name fearing retaliation, said immigrants at the Otay Mesa Detention Center were told Wednesday that an immigrant from the facility who tested positive for COVID-19 died at a nearby hospital.
"They wouldn't even let us ask questions," Isabel told BuzzFeed News. "We're all anxious and depressed here."
Isabel, who tested positive for COVID-19, said immigrants are now being given one mask every two weeks, but they often fall apart before receiving new ones.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-02--No, The CDC Did Not Revise Down The Number Of COVID-19 Deaths

A body is moved from a refrigeration truck serving as a temporary morgue to a vehicle at the Brooklyn Hospital Center , April 8 .
BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Young linked to a provisional count of COVID-19 deaths from the National Vital Statistics System , an intergovernmental system that tracks births and deaths in the US and which on Friday night put the figure close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC says more than 64,000 people have died in the US , but the false tweets accused them of quietly cutting that figure in half .
Several tweets went viral on Saturday that falsely accused the CDC of drastically revising down the number of COVID-19 deaths in the US , inflaming conspiracy theories that the coronavirus is not as serious as officials claim .
HOLY SHIT : Did I read this wrong or did the CDC just revised the national COVID-19 deaths to 37,308 ?
!
?
!
https : //t.co/FkhFUzPHaH Many responses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a conspiracy in ignoring the `` true '' death toll count .
But the table Young links to clearly states that data only covers the period from Feb. 1 to April 25 .
Moreover , the National Vital Statistics System website makes clear that it has a significant lag in counting deaths because it relies on tabulating official death certificates it receives .
`` It is important to note that it can take several weeks for death records to be submitted to National Center for Health Statistics ( NCHS ) , processed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reads a prominent disclaimer above the data .
`` Therefore , the data shown on this page may be incomplete , and will likely not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period , especially for the more recent time periods . ''
`` Data during this period are incomplete because of the lag in time between when the death occurred and when the death certificate is completed , submitted to NCHS and processed for reporting purposes , '' reads another footnote .
In comparison , the CDC ’ s actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a separate site and shows more than 64,000 people have died in the US .
As the CDC states , that tally is updated daily based on data received from state health bodies : `` Case notifications were received by CDC from U.S. public health jurisdictions and the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System ( NNDSS ) . ''
Neither that CDC figure , nor the National Vital Statistics System page , have been revised down .
In its count , the CDC also includes cases where COVID-19 was the probable cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death .
As the CDC states , `` A probable case or death is defined by one of the following : Meeting clinical criteria AND epidemiologic evidence with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19 ; Meeting presumptive laboratory evidence AND either clinical criteria OR epidemiologic evidence ; Meeting vital records criteria with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19 . ''
Since the onset of the pandemic , coronavirus `` truthers '' have been pushing false narratives that claim the virus is concocted , largely overblown , or that health organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really sick .
Last month , a former Fox News commentator shared a video aiming to show that hospitals are n't as overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients as the media has portrayed .
In another tweet that started to spread on Saturday , Martin Cowen , a libertarian running to represent Georgia in the House of Representatives , also linked to the lagging National Vital Statistics System counter and questioned why it was far lower than another tracker .

Many responses to Young's tweet accused the media of a conspiracy in ignoring the "true" death toll count.
But the table Young links to clearly states that data only covers the period from Feb. 1 to April 25.
Moreover, the National Vital Statistics System website makes clear that it has a significant lag in counting deaths because it relies on tabulating official death certificates it receives.
"It is important to note that it can take several weeks for death records to be submitted to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), processed, coded, and tabulated," reads a prominent disclaimer above the data. "Therefore, the data shown on this page may be incomplete, and will likely not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period, especially for the more recent time periods."
"Data during this period are incomplete because of the lag in time between when the death occurred and when the death certificate is completed, submitted to NCHS and processed for reporting purposes," reads another footnote.
In comparison, the CDC’s actual most up-to-date count of COVID-19 deaths is on a separate site and shows more than 64,000 people have died in the US.
As the CDC states, that tally is updated daily based on data received from state health bodies: "Case notifications were received by CDC from U.S. public health jurisdictions and the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)."
Neither that CDC figure, nor the National Vital Statistics System page, have been revised down.
In its count, the CDC also includes cases where COVID-19 was the probable cause of death, not simply the confirmed cause of death. As the CDC states, "A probable case or death is defined by one of the following: Meeting clinical criteria AND epidemiologic evidence with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19; Meeting presumptive laboratory evidence AND either clinical criteria OR epidemiologic evidence; Meeting vital records criteria with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19."
Since the onset of the pandemic, coronavirus "truthers" have been pushing false narratives that claim the virus is concocted, largely overblown, or that health organizations are lying about how many people are really sick. Last month, a former Fox News commentator shared a video aiming to show that hospitals aren't as overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients as the media has portrayed.
In another tweet that started to spread on Saturday, Martin Cowen, a libertarian running to represent Georgia in the House of Representatives, also linked to the lagging National Vital Statistics System counter and questioned why it was far lower than another tracker.