npr--2020-07-14--Conspiracy Theories Aside, Here's What Contact Tracers Really Do

Conspiracy Theories Aside , Here 's What Contact Tracers Really Do In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic , contact tracing is downright buzzy , and not always in a good way .
Contact tracing is the public health practice of informing people when they 've been exposed to a contagious disease .
As it has become more widely employed across the U.S. , it has also become mired in modern political polarization and conspiracy theories .
Misinformation abounds , from tales that people who talk to contact tracers will be sent to nonexistent `` FEMA camps '' — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington state had to put out a statement in May debunking it — to elaborate theories that the efforts are somehow part of a plot by global elites , such as the Clinton Foundation , Bill Gates or George Soros .
At the very least , such misinformation could hinder efforts to contain the coronavirus , and at worst it has sparked threats against tracers , say some observers , including the Institute for Strategic Dialogue , a London-based organization that studies polarization .
The dynamic , ISD notes in a June report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual social media users and by key influencers in conspiratorial communities '' and plays on fears that Big Brother is watching us .
According to that report , social media posts , mainly videos , have been associated with `` widespread sharing of petitions and other efforts to galvanise political action against contact tracing . ''
The videos , steeped in disinformation and conspiracy think — whether alleging that tracers have ties to the deep state or casting them as part of a Democratic effort to interfere in the 2020 election — `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube and are being shared tens of thousands of times across public Facebook pages and groups . ''
Of course , the real story behind tracing is nothing like these colorful conspiracy theories .
Contact tracing is an age-old infection-control strategy , and it 's a bit tedious , actually .
`` We 've been doing it in public health for decades , '' said Marcus Plescia , chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials .
Part old-fashioned shoe-leather detective work , part social work , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the illness by reaching out to people who test positive — and the people they have been in close contact with — and provide needed support for them to isolate .
It has to be done quickly , and it takes a lot of people .
Recent case count surges in some parts of the country are making the task more difficult .
So let 's take a look at what it is and is n't .
When a person tests positive for a communicable disease , health care providers must report the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments .
Contact tracers then try to reach out quickly , generally by phone .
The tracer will ask for the patient 's address .
Some social media sites have decried this as nefarious , but it 's not .
The tracer does not want to provide private medical information — `` Mr. Smith , I see you tested positive for COVID-19 '' — to the wrong person .
Answering contact tracers ' questions is always optional , and those contacted should also feel free to confirm it really is the public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there have been reports of fraudulent calls .
During the initial call , the tracer makes sure the patient is OK and understands the disease and what to expect .
Ideally , the contract tracer builds a relationship with the patient .
Some can link the patient with local resources or services , such as food delivery or needed medical supplies , that can make it easier to stay isolated until the patient has recovered from the virus .
Contact tracers ask where the infected person traveled and with whom they came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more — from about two days before they started showing symptoms until they isolated themselves .
That does not include such things as simply passing people on the street or opening the door to pick up a package dropped off by a FedEx driver .
Providing the information is voluntary , but it is the only way the programs will work .
Most patients happily comply , but a few are reluctant , said Plescia .
`` That was a little surprising , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might cause another person to become ill , you would have an interest in that person being notified .
But some worry they are snitching on other people . ''
Tracers do not disclose the name of the infected person to the contacts .
Contacts simply `` receive a call saying , 'You have had a significant exposure , ' `` said Crystal Watson , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the co-author of a report on contact tracing .
To assist with tracing , some restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are keeping daily logs of customers .
Some voices on social media have raised concerns about those logs , saying they are intrusive and suggest that Big Brother is watching .
Their purpose , though , is to make it easier for health officials to notify other employees and patrons in the event that someone tests positive .
Close contacts are urged to quarantine for 14 days , check their temperature regularly and avoid contact with other household members , if possible .
For each infected patient , tracers need to contact an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watson — noting , however , that the number could be far higher .
`` If contact tracing is done in a place where there 's a big epidemic and no one is under social distancing restrictions , you 'll have to contact more , '' she said .
Speed is of the essence in finding close contacts .
Infected people start showing symptoms within two to seven days of exposure — although it can take up to 14 — and they may be contagious before symptoms appear .
Who is asking these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. , tracing was limited because testing for the virus was also limited .
The two really go together .
That meant the nation used the other tool at its disposal , the blunt instrument of stay-at-home orders .
Now , with testing more available and with many states in the fits and starts of reopening , the more targeted effort of contact tracing becomes important .
Used effectively , it can sharply slow outbreaks , as seen in countries that have employed comprehensive tracing programs , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far , though , the U.S. has had a more limited effort , and it varies state by state .
An estimated 37,000 contact tracers are now employed by public health departments nationwide , triple the number just a few weeks ago , according to an NPR state survey and tracking effort .
Still , those numbers are far below estimates of what many say is necessary .
Indeed , Watson and other Hopkins researchers say the U.S. needs to add a minimum of 100,000 contract tracers .
Can they force me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have authority to isolate people who pose a danger to others , that power is almost never used .
`` Mandatory quarantine has n't really been used since the days of smallpox in this country , although the president used it in the beginning of the pandemic for some people repatriating back to the county , '' said Watson .
Public health officials avoid such aggressive tactics because they do n't want to discourage people from getting tested .
As for hauling people away from their homes by force , that also does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some authoritarian countries .
Instead , a number of cities and regions have set up special hotels or other facilities where infected or exposed people who live in homes where they ca n't isolate themselves from other family members can voluntarily spend their convalescence .
It has certainly worked in other countries , said Howard Koh , professor at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health and former assistant secretary for health in the Obama administration .
`` Italy , Spain , China , Taiwan , Hong Kong and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the curve , '' said Koh .
`` When they have outbreaks , they are relatively small , and they jump on them right away . ''
One difference , he said , is those places have a national strategy .
`` In our country , we have a 50-state strategy , a patchwork response including contact tracing , with some states having embraced it and some have barely started . ''
Massachusetts and New York have reported success with tracing , said Watson .
But there are many areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where cases are spiking , complicating efforts to control the virus .
With more demand for testing , the turnaround time for results grows .
And large numbers of new cases mean contact tracers have far more people to track down , making it challenging to do so in the short time frame needed to be effective .
`` I 'm discouraged that a lot of the states where we are seeing a big surge right now have not put a lot of effort into developing their contact tracing workforce , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a national plan .
`` We need an initiative by the federal government focused on contract tracing . ''
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues .
It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Conspiracy Theories Aside, Here's What Contact Tracers Really Do
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hannah Norman/KHN Hannah Norman/KHN
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing is downright buzzy, and not always in a good way.
Contact tracing is the public health practice of informing people when they've been exposed to a contagious disease. As it has become more widely employed across the U.S., it has also become mired in modern political polarization and conspiracy theories.
Misinformation abounds, from tales that people who talk to contact tracers will be sent to nonexistent "FEMA camps" — a rumor so prevalent that health officials in Washington state had to put out a statement in May debunking it — to elaborate theories that the efforts are somehow part of a plot by global elites, such as the Clinton Foundation, Bill Gates or George Soros.
At the very least, such misinformation could hinder efforts to contain the coronavirus, and at worst it has sparked threats against tracers, say some observers, including the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based organization that studies polarization.
The dynamic, ISD notes in a June report, "is being generated both by individual social media users and by key influencers in conspiratorial communities" and plays on fears that Big Brother is watching us.
According to that report, social media posts, mainly videos, have been associated with "widespread sharing of petitions and other efforts to galvanise political action against contact tracing." The videos, steeped in disinformation and conspiracy think — whether alleging that tracers have ties to the deep state or casting them as part of a Democratic effort to interfere in the 2020 election — "are receiving more than 300,000 views each on YouTube and are being shared tens of thousands of times across public Facebook pages and groups."
Of course, the real story behind tracing is nothing like these colorful conspiracy theories. Contact tracing is an age-old infection-control strategy, and it's a bit tedious, actually.
"We've been doing it in public health for decades," said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
Part old-fashioned shoe-leather detective work, part social work, the goal is to interrupt the spread of the illness by reaching out to people who test positive — and the people they have been in close contact with — and provide needed support for them to isolate. It has to be done quickly, and it takes a lot of people. Recent case count surges in some parts of the country are making the task more difficult.
So let's take a look at what it is and isn't.
What's the process?
When a person tests positive for certain communicable diseases, health care providers must report the person's contact information to public health departments. Contact tracers then try to reach out quickly, generally by phone.
The tracer will ask for the patient's address. Some social media sites have decried this as nefarious, but it's not. The tracer does not want to provide private medical information — "Mr. Smith, I see you tested positive for COVID-19" — to the wrong person. Answering contact tracers' questions is always optional, and those contacted should also feel free to confirm it really is the public health department calling, experts note, as there have been reports of fraudulent calls.
During the initial call, the tracer makes sure the patient is OK and understands the disease and what to expect. Ideally, the contact tracer builds a relationship with the patient. Some can link the patient with local resources or services, such as food delivery or needed medical supplies, that can make it easier to stay isolated until the patient has recovered from the virus.
What's a close contact?
Contact tracers ask where the infected person traveled and with whom they came in close contact — generally defined as being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more — from about two days before they started showing symptoms until they isolated themselves.
That does not include such things as simply passing people on the street or opening the door to pick up a package dropped off by a FedEx driver.
Providing the information is voluntary, but it is the only way the programs will work. Most patients happily comply, but a few are reluctant, said Plescia.
"That was a little surprising," he said. "You would think if you might cause another person to become ill, you would have an interest in that person being notified. But some worry they are snitching on other people."
Tracers do not disclose the name of the infected person to the contacts. Contacts simply "receive a call saying, 'You have had a significant exposure,' " said Crystal Watson, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the co-author of a report on contact tracing.
To assist with tracing, some restaurants, stores, salons and other businesses are keeping daily logs of customers. Some voices on social media have raised concerns about those logs, saying they are intrusive and suggest that Big Brother is watching. Their purpose, though, is to make it easier for health officials to notify other employees and patrons in the event that someone tests positive.
Close contacts are urged to quarantine for 14 days, check their temperature regularly and avoid contact with other household members, if possible.
For each infected patient, tracers need to contact an average of 10 other people, said Watson — noting, however, that the number could be far higher. "If contact tracing is done in a place where there's a big epidemic and no one is under social distancing restrictions, you'll have to contact more," she said.
Speed is of the essence in finding close contacts. Infected people start showing symptoms within two to seven days of exposure — although it can take up to 14 — and they may be contagious before symptoms appear.
Who is asking these questions?
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., tracing was limited because testing for the virus was also limited. The two really go together. That meant the nation used the other tool at its disposal, the blunt instrument of stay-at-home orders. Now, with testing more available and with many states in the fits and starts of reopening, the more targeted effort of contact tracing becomes important.
Used effectively, it can sharply slow outbreaks, as seen in countries that have employed comprehensive tracing programs, such Japan, New Zealand and China.
So far, though, the U.S. has had a more limited effort, and it varies state by state.
An estimated 37,000 contact tracers are now employed by public health departments nationwide, triple the number just a few weeks ago, according to an NPR state survey and tracking effort. Still, those numbers are far below estimates of what many say is necessary. Indeed, Watson and other Hopkins researchers say the U.S. needs to add a minimum of 100,000 contact tracers.
Can they force me into quarantine?
Although health officials do have authority to isolate people who pose a danger to others, that power is almost never used.
"Mandatory quarantine hasn't really been used since the days of smallpox in this country, although the president used it in the beginning of the pandemic for some people repatriating back to the county," said Watson.
Public health officials avoid such aggressive tactics because they don't want to discourage people from getting tested. As for hauling people away from their homes by force, that also doesn't happen here, although it does in some authoritarian countries. Instead, a number of cities and regions have set up special hotels or other facilities where infected or exposed people who live in homes where they can't isolate themselves from other family members can voluntarily spend their convalescence.
Is contact tracing working?
It has certainly worked in other countries, said Howard Koh, professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and former assistant secretary for health in the Obama administration.
"Italy, Spain, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and New Zealand have all gotten to the other side of the curve," said Koh. "When they have outbreaks, they are relatively small, and they jump on them right away."
One difference, he said, is those places have a national strategy.
"In our country, we have a 50-state strategy, a patchwork response including contact tracing, with some states having embraced it and some have barely started."
Massachusetts and New York have reported success with tracing, said Watson.
But there are many areas of the country, especially the Sun Belt, where cases are spiking, complicating efforts to control the virus. With more demand for testing, the turnaround time for results grows. And large numbers of new cases mean contact tracers have far more people to track down, making it challenging to do so in the short time frame needed to be effective.
"I'm discouraged that a lot of the states where we are seeing a big surge right now have not put a lot of effort into developing their contact tracing workforce," Watson said, echoing Koh's call for a national plan. "We need an initiative by the federal government focused on contact tracing."
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


npr--2020-07-14--French Health Care Workers Given A Raise, Honored On Bastille Day

France has agreed to give its health care workers a pay raise in thanks for their efforts to contain COVID-19 .
After seven weeks of negotiations between the French government and unions , Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the agreement to provide $ 8.5 billion ( 7.5 billion euros ) in raises , averaging about $ 208 ( 183 euros ) a month for nurses and healthcare workers .
`` No one can deny that this is a historic moment for our health system , '' Castex said after a signing ceremony .
`` This is first of all recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front line in the fight against this epidemic . ''
The move comes as France is using Bastille Day to honor nurses , ambulance drivers , supermarket cashiers and others whose services have been vital during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The celebrations .
while closed to the public for fear of spreading the virus , are being broadcast on television .
President Emmanuel Macron wants to show off France 's successes in combating the disease , which has been described as the country 's worst crisis since World War II .
France has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic .
However , the number of daily cases is down significantly since a peak in mid-April .

French Health Care Workers Given A Raise, Honored On Bastille Day
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
France has agreed to give its health care workers a pay raise in thanks for their efforts to contain COVID-19.
After seven weeks of negotiations between the French government and unions, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the agreement to provide $8.5 billion (7.5 billion euros) in raises, averaging about $208 (183 euros) a month for nurses and health care workers.
"No one can deny that this is a historic moment for our health system," Castex said after a signing ceremony. "This is first of all recognition of those who have been on the front line in the fight against this epidemic."
The move comes as France is using Bastille Day to honor nurses, ambulance drivers, supermarket cashiers and others whose services have been vital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The celebrations. while closed to the public for fear of spreading the virus, are being broadcast on television.
President Emmanuel Macron wants to show off France's successes in combating the disease, which has been described as the country's worst crisis since World War II.
France has had nearly 210,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. However, the number of daily cases is down significantly since a peak in mid-April.


npr--2020-07-14--Hong Kong Disneyland Closes Due To Coronavirus

Hong Kong Disneyland will temporarily close its doors on Wednesday due to a spike in coronavirus cases within the city .
The amusement park 's announcement came on Monday , the same day that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced several measures to stop the spread of the virus .
According to a report from Bloomberg , the new measures include closure of gyms , amusement parks , and other types of venues for a week .
The park had been open for less than a month , reopening in June after being initially closed in January .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities in line with prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong , Hong Kong Disneyland park will temporarily close from July 15 , '' a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement provided to Bloomberg .
A city health official called the virus ' spread in Hong Kong `` a bit out of control '' according to a report from Asia Times .
As of Monday , Hong Kong has seen 1,469 cases of coronavirus and reported just seven deaths according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
Disney reopened two of its theme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Animal Kingdom — on Saturday after a prolonged shutdown .
The two others are slated to reopen Wednesday , even as coronavirus cases have spiked in Florida .
The state has reported more than 282,000 cases and 4,277 deaths .

Hong Kong Disneyland Closes Again Because Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Hong Kong Disneyland will temporarily close its doors on Wednesday because of a spike in coronavirus cases within the city.
The amusement park's announcement came on Monday, the same day that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced several measures to stop the spread of the virus. According to a report from Bloomberg, the new measures include closure of gyms, amusement parks and other types of venues for a week.
The park had been open for less than a month, reopening in June after being initially closed in January.
"As required by the government and health authorities in line with prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland park will temporarily close from July 15," a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement provided to Bloomberg.
A city health official called the virus's spread in Hong Kong "a bit out of control," according to a report from Asia Times. As of Monday, Hong Kong has seen 1,469 cases of the coronavirus and reported just seven deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Disney reopened two of its theme parks in Florida — the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom — on Saturday after a prolonged shutdown. The two others are slated to reopen Wednesday, even as coronavirus cases have spiked in Florida. The state has reported more than 282,000 cases and 4,277 deaths.


npr--2020-07-14--The Customer Is Always Right. Except When They Won't Wear A Mask

The Customer Is Always Right .
Except When They Wo n't Wear A Mask They fume and rage and demand their rights .
Sometimes they even get violent .
In the age of COVID-19 , most people practice social-distancing guidelines when they go into stores and restaurants , putting on masks and standing 6 feet behind other customers .
Still , there are the nightmare customers — those who refuse to comply .
`` I 've had a lot of conflict .
I 've had a lot of pushback from people , '' says Brenda Leek , owner of Curbside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman entered Leek 's restaurant without a mask , pulling her T-shirt over her face .
Leek told her to mask up or leave .
`` So then she 's like , 'This is ridiculous !
You 're discriminating against me ! '
Told me I would be hearing from her attorney .
And I said , 'That 's fine , ' `` Leek says .
Incidents like that are anything but unusual .
The Internet is filled with videotaped confrontations involving customers who flout social-distancing rules .
Sometimes they insist on entering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer stands too close to another and a fight breaks out .
The conflicts can get especially nasty when alcohol is involved , says Kelly DuFord Williams , founder and managing partner of Slate Law Group .
`` I 've had clients who have had to call the police multiple times in order to have a customer escorted off the premises or at times arrested , '' Williams says .
The conflicts represent a legal minefield for small businesses , she adds .
While social-distancing guidelines are imposed by state and local governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and stores to enforce them , and if they do n't they can face lawsuits .
For example , if stores are less than diligent about enforcing the rules and a fight breaks out between customers , business owners can be sued , she notes .
They can also face suits for creating an unsafe working environment if an employee comes down with COVID-19 , she says .
It 's often employees who are on the front lines in altercations with difficult customers .
Since COVID-19 came along , Anthony Hernandez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffee shop in suburban Chicago , has had to deal with more than his share of unruly coffee drinkers .
`` Sometimes they 'll say , 'You 're being very disrespectful .
You 're telling me I have to wear my mask , that I have to do this and this . '
And they 'll escalate to that point and you 're just standing there with the baristas , going , 'What do I do ?
What do I do ? '
`` Hernandez says .
He tries hard to speak politely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conflicts get downright ugly .
He and the other Latinx workers frequently face racial and ethnic slurs from angry patrons , he says .
When that happens too often , he absents himself temporarily , by telling co-workers he needs to take a `` smoke break . ''
`` Which is basically code for saying , ' I need to get out of the store for a little bit so I can go relax and cool myself down before I explode . '
You know , because it gets really stressful at @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Customer Is Always Right. Except When They Won't Wear A Mask
Enlarge this image toggle caption David McNew/Getty Images David McNew/Getty Images
They fume and rage and demand their rights. Sometimes they even get violent.
In the age of COVID-19, most people practice social distancing guidelines when they go into stores and restaurants, putting on masks and standing 6 feet behind other customers.
Still, there are the nightmare customers — those who refuse to comply.
"I've had a lot of conflict. I've had a lot of pushback from people," says Brenda Leek, owner of Curbside Eatery in La Mesa, Calif.
One woman entered Leek's restaurant without a mask, pulling her T-shirt over her face. Leek told her to mask up or leave.
"So then she's like, 'This is ridiculous! You're discriminating against me!' Told me I would be hearing from her attorney. And I said, 'That's fine,' " Leek says.
Encounters like that are anything but unusual. The Internet is filled with videotaped confrontations involving customers who flout social distancing rules. Sometimes they insist on entering without face coverings. Other times one customer stands too close to another and a fight breaks out.
The conflicts can get especially nasty when alcohol is involved, says Kelly DuFord Williams, founder and managing partner of Slate Law Group.
"I've had clients who have had to call the police multiple times in order to have a customer escorted off the premises or at times arrested," Williams says.
The conflicts represent a legal minefield for small businesses, she adds. While social distancing guidelines are imposed by state and local governments, it's often left up to restaurants and stores to enforce them, and if they don't they can face lawsuits.
For example, if stores are less than diligent about enforcing the rules and a fight breaks out between customers, business owners can be sued, she notes. They can also face lawsuits for creating an unsafe working environment if an employee comes down with COVID-19, she says.
It's often employees who are on the front lines in altercations with difficult customers.
Since COVID-19 came along, Anthony Hernandez, who works as a barista at a coffee shop in suburban Chicago, has had to deal with more than his share of unruly coffee drinkers.
"Sometimes they'll say, 'You're being very disrespectful. You're telling me I have to wear my mask, that I have to do this and this.' And they'll escalate to that point and you're just standing there with the baristas, going, 'What do I do? What do I do?' " Hernandez says.
He tries hard to speak politely and calmly to customers, but sometimes the conflicts get downright ugly. He and the other Latinx workers frequently face racial and ethnic slurs from angry patrons, he says.
When that happens too often, he absents himself temporarily by telling co-workers he needs to take a "smoke break."
"Which is basically code for saying, 'I need to get out of the store for a little bit so I can go relax and cool myself down before I explode.' You know, because it gets really stressful at those moments," Hernandez says.


npr--2020-07-14--Australia Grapples With New Surge In COVID-19 Cases

Australia Grapples With New Surge In COVID-19 Cases Australia is seeing a new surge in coronavirus cases .
The chief health officer for Victoria state , where the city of Melbourne is located , announced 270 new cases on Tuesday , following an increase of 177 on Monday .
Brett Sutton said 28 of the new cases had been linked to a known outbreak , but that the rest were still being investigated .
Last week , Melbourne reimposed strict public health emergency measures , establishing a `` hard boundary '' around the city and the closing of its borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the spread of the disease .
`` We have over 1,800 active cases in Victoria , '' Sutton said .
`` That 's a really significant number of people with coronavirus , and it does mean that in the next fortnight we 're going to see a number of people who will require hospital . ''
He said the state 's surge in cases will result in at least 200 people requiring hospital care within the next two weeks .
`` There 's often 10 % to 20 % of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's a couple of hundred individuals at least , '' Sutton said , according to The Age newspaper .
Sutton said Melbourne and its northern suburb of Mitchell Shire could be brought to stage 4 restrictions – higher than for the rest of Victoria , if the numbers did n't come down .
`` I hope to see that this week , but there are no guarantees , '' he said .
Meanwhile , the state of South Australia has decided to delay lifting border restrictions imposed on the capital , Canberra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in COVID-19 cases in Sydney has caused concern .
Australia 's cases peaked in late March , but had fallen dramatically in the weeks thereafter .
However , they have started to rise again since late last month .
More than 10,000 Australians have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic , with 108 deaths .

Australia Grapples With New Surge In Coronavirus Cases
Enlarge this image toggle caption Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Australia is seeing a new surge in coronavirus cases.
The chief health officer for Victoria state, where the city of Melbourne is located, announced 270 new cases on Tuesday, following an increase of 177 on Monday.
Brett Sutton said 28 of the new cases had been linked to a known outbreak but that the rest were still being investigated.
Last week, Melbourne reimposed strict public health emergency measures, establishing a "hard boundary" around the city and the closing of its borders with New South Wales in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.
"We have over 1,800 active cases in Victoria," Sutton said. "That's a really significant number of people with coronavirus, and it does mean that in the next fortnight we're going to see a number of people who will require hospital."
He said the state's surge in cases will result in at least 200 people requiring hospital care within the next two weeks.
"There's often 10% to 20% of all coronavirus infections who require hospitalization, so that's a couple of hundred individuals at least," Sutton said, according to The Age newspaper.
Sutton said Melbourne and its northern suburb of Mitchell Shire could be brought to stage 4 restrictions — higher than for the rest of Victoria, if the numbers didn't come down.
"I hope to see that this week, but there are no guarantees," he said.
Meanwhile, the state of South Australia has decided to delay lifting border restrictions imposed on the capital, Canberra and New South Wales, where a rise in coronavirus cases in Sydney has caused concern.
Australia's cases peaked in late March, but had fallen dramatically in the weeks thereafter. However, they have started to rise again since late last month. More than 10,000 Australians have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, with 108 deaths.


npr--2020-07-13--Oregon And West Virginia Will Shrink Social Gatherings To Combat COVID-19

Oregon And West Virginia Will Shrink Social Gatherings To Combat COVID-19 As coronavirus cases continue to climb in the U.S. , two governors on opposite sides of the country took a similar step on Monday : reducing the number of people allowed at social gatherings , among other restrictions .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown announced that indoor social get-togethers of more than 10 people will be prohibited starting Wednesday .
Gatherings of up to 25 people were allowed in Phase One of the state 's reopening plan , and indoor limits increased to 50 for counties that reached Phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face covering requirement , which took effect earlier this month , to outdoor public spaces where six feet of distance can not be maintained .
Oregon recorded 332 new cases on Sunday , bringing its cumulative total to 12,170 .
Brown said on Monday the state reported more cases in the past week than the entire month of May .
`` Today we are sounding the alarm because we are at risk of letting the virus spiral out of control , '' she said .
`` The question now is whether Oregon will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next Texas . ''
In West Virginia , Gov .
Jim Justice imposed several new statewide restrictions , including reducing the social gathering limit from 100 to 25 people , effective Tuesday .
The same executive order also closes all fairs , festivals and similar events , and prohibits both indoor and outdoor concerts .
Justice also ordered all bars closed for ten days in Monongalia County , which has seen a significant uptick in infections and had 340 active cases as of Monday .
`` We want everyone to know this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers at a daily briefing .
`` We now , in West Virginia , have 1,338 active cases .
We have grown 206 active cases since I saw you the last time on Friday . ''
Governors in both states stressed that the new limits apply only to social gatherings .
Justice said the new order does not cover any activity , business or entity designated as essential , such as religious services or group conferences .
Attendees of such events must practice social distancing based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Oregon 's new rule would not change the operation of businesses or churches `` at this time . ''
She added failure to comply will lead to more outbreaks , as well as more restrictive closures .
`` We need to do absolutely everything we can to reduce transmission in ways that do not require us to close down businesses again , '' Brown said .
`` The proof here will be in the numbers .
Either people will adhere to this requirement and be a positive force for stopping COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more restrictive measures . ''
Governors across the country are reimposing certain restrictions to combat the spread of the virus , though few have officially rolled back limits on social gatherings .
Many of the latest measures have been aimed at bars and other indoor establishments .
On Monday , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced the statewide closure of all bars and indoor operations of several types of businesses .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott closed bars and tightened business restrictions in June , and Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis also previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Henry McMaster imposed an 11 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants last week .

Oregon And West Virginia Will Shrink Social Gatherings To Combat COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gillian Flaccus/AP Gillian Flaccus/AP
As coronavirus cases continue to climb in the U.S., two governors on opposite sides of the country took a similar step on Monday: reducing the number of people allowed at social gatherings, among other restrictions.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced that indoor social get-togethers of more than 10 people will be prohibited starting Wednesday.
Gatherings of up to 25 people were allowed in Phase One of the state's reopening plan, and indoor limits increased to 50 for counties that reached Phase Two.
Brown also extended the statewide face covering requirement, which took effect earlier this month, to outdoor public spaces where six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
Oregon recorded 332 new cases on Sunday, bringing its cumulative total to 12,170. Brown said on Monday the state reported more cases in the past week than the entire month of May.
"Today we are sounding the alarm because we are at risk of letting the virus spiral out of control," she said. "The question now is whether Oregon will be the next New York or the next Texas."
In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice imposed several new statewide restrictions, including reducing the social gathering limit from 100 to 25 people, effective Tuesday. The same executive order also closes all fairs, festivals and similar events, and prohibits both indoor and outdoor concerts.
Justice also ordered all bars closed for ten days in Monongalia County, which has seen a significant uptick in infections and had 340 active cases as of Monday.
"We want everyone to know this is not playtime stuff," Justice told viewers at a daily briefing. "We now, in West Virginia, have 1,338 active cases. We have grown 206 active cases since I saw you the last time on Friday."
Governors in both states stressed that the new limits apply only to social gatherings.
Justice said the new order does not cover any activity, business or entity designated as essential, such as religious services or group conferences. Attendees of such events must practice social distancing based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, he said.
And Brown said Oregon's new rule would not change the operation of businesses or churches "at this time." She added failure to comply will lead to more outbreaks, as well as more restrictive closures.
"We need to do absolutely everything we can to reduce transmission in ways that do not require us to close down businesses again," Brown said. "The proof here will be in the numbers. Either people will adhere to this requirement and be a positive force for stopping COVID-19, or I will be forced to take more restrictive measures."
Governors across the country are reimposing certain restrictions to combat the spread of the virus, though few have officially rolled back limits on social gatherings.
Many of the latest measures have been aimed at bars and other indoor establishments.
On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the statewide closure of all bars and indoor operations of several types of businesses. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott closed bars and tightened business restrictions in June, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also previously ordered bars to close. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster imposed an 11 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants last week.


npr--2020-07-13--At U.K. Care Home, Residents Brilliantly Re-Create Iconic Album Covers On Twitter

Residents at the Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgeware , England , have been in lockdown for four months .
As activities manager at the home , Robert Speker wanted to keep spirits up while visitors and outside entertainment are n't permitted .
Thus , a brilliant project was born : re-creating classic album covers with residents cast as the rock stars .
Speker tweeted side-by-side photos of the original covers and the Sydmar Lodge residents ' new takes , and the tweets quickly took off .
Riffing on Springsteen 's famous Born In The U.S.A. , there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English flag .
Could anyone improve upon David Bowie 's iconic lightning-bolt painted face ?
Roma Cohen appears to be an icon herself with the lightning bolt highlighted by her white hair .
There 's Toba David as Michael Jackson , tough in a leather jacket .
And Sheila Solomon as a Sydmar Lodge punk , reinventing The Clash 's guitar-smashing with a walking cane ready to come crashing down .
Staffers got in on the project , too , with four carers lit from below looking every bit as moody as Queen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which albums and which resident best suited the look , or had a vague similarity to the artist , '' Speker explained on Twitter .
`` Then I proposed the idea to each resident .
Gladly all of them were enthused and perhaps a bit bemused by the idea , but happy to participate . ''
He says he did the residents ' makeup , drew their tattoos , and did the photography and editing .
A care home manager helped with hair and makeup touch-ups .
Speker , who began working at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accolades for his inventiveness before .
`` Robert continues to astound us with his creative , and somewhat 'out of the box ' ideas , '' Sydmar Lodge Manager Julie Davey testifies on the home 's website .
Noting that Speker had won an activities coordinator award , Sydmar Lodge notes that he `` performs his activities with creativeness , ingenuity , individuality and originality '' and recently took a resident swimming for the first time in 20 years .
These have been bleak times at some care homes in the U.K .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Wales from Dec. 28 , 2019 , to June 12 , 2020 , there were nearly 30,000 more deaths than during the same period last year .
`` As this situation is on-going it could be months before the situation changes for them and the need to keep them happy entertained and full of spirit has never been more crucial , '' Speker wrote on a GoFundMe page he created to support the care home .
`` Elderly people will remain in lockdown for a long time , '' he wrote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time as happy and full of enjoyment and interest as possible . ''

At U.K. Care Home, Residents Brilliantly Re-Create Iconic Album Covers On Twitter
Residents at the Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgeware, England, have been in lockdown for four months.
As activities manager at the home, Robert Speker wanted to keep spirits up while visitors and outside entertainment aren't permitted.
Thus, a brilliant project was born: re-creating classic album covers with residents cast as the rock stars.
Speker tweeted side-by-side photos of the original covers and the Sydmar Lodge residents' new takes, and the tweets quickly took off.
Instead of British singer Adele, meet 93-year-old Vera.
Riffing on Springsteen's famous Born In The U.S.A., there's a blue-jeaned Martin Steinberg in front of the English flag.
Could anyone improve upon David Bowie's iconic lightning-bolt painted face? Roma Cohen appears to be an icon herself with the lightning bolt highlighted by her white hair.
There's Toba David as Michael Jackson, tough in a leather jacket.
And Sheila Solomon as a Sydmar Lodge punk, reinventing The Clash's guitar-smashing with a walking cane ready to come crashing down.
Staffers got in on the project, too, with four carers lit from below looking every bit as moody as Queen.
"I made the suggestions of which albums and which resident best suited the look, or had a vague similarity to the artist," Speker explained on Twitter. "Then I proposed the idea to each resident. Gladly all of them were enthused and perhaps a bit bemused by the idea, but happy to participate."
He says he did the residents' makeup, drew their tattoos, and did the photography and editing. A care home manager helped with hair and makeup touch-ups.
Speker, who began working at Sydmar Lodge in 2015, has won accolades for his inventiveness before. "Robert continues to astound us with his creative, and somewhat 'out of the box' ideas," Sydmar Lodge Manager Julie Davey testifies on the home's website.
Noting that Speker had won an activities coordinator award, Sydmar Lodge notes that he "performs his activities with creativeness, ingenuity, individuality and originality" and recently took a resident swimming for the first time in 20 years.
These have been bleak times at some care homes in the U.K. Among residents at nursing homes in England and Wales from Dec. 28, 2019, to June 12, 2020, there were nearly 30,000 more deaths than during the same period last year.
"As this situation is on-going it could be months before the situation changes for them and the need to keep them happy entertained and full of spirit has never been more crucial," Speker wrote on a GoFundMe page he created to support the care home.
"Elderly people will remain in lockdown for a long time," he wrote, "and I want to make their time as happy and full of enjoyment and interest as possible."


npr--2020-07-14--Jeff Sessions Is Projected To Lose Comeback Bid For Alabama Senate Seat

Jeff Sessions Is Projected To Lose Comeback Bid For Alabama Senate Seat Jeff Sessions will not regain his old Alabama U.S. Senate seat this year .
The former U.S. attorney general has lost to Tommy Tuberville , a first-time political candidate and former college football coach , in the state 's Republican runoff election for the seat , The Associated Press projects .
Tuberville — who was endorsed by President Trump in the GOP matchup — edged ahead of Sessions in Alabama 's state primary in March but failed to secure a majority of the vote , setting up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University football coach will now face Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in November .
Sessions was an early endorser of Trump 's presidential bid and then served as the president 's attorney general until he was ousted in the fall of 2018 .
Sessions faced prolonged criticism from the president for choosing to recuse himself from special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation into Russian election interference .
Sessions said he was bound by law to recuse himself .
Trump has continued to mock Sessions , calling him a `` disaster '' and loudly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know that he has his strong feelings about this race , '' said Sessions , who previously held the Alabama Senate seat for 20 years .
`` I know he 's upset about the long , prolonged investigation that really disrupted his life and , in many ways , made it hard for him to govern effectively . ''
In a recent advertisement , Tuberville highlighted Sessions ' tenure in the Trump administration , saying Sessions `` was n't man enough to stand with President Trump when things got tough . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tuberville outraised Sessions by more than $ 1 million .
Tuberville faced attacks from the Sessions campaign over his lack of political experience .
As NPR 's Debbie Elliott reported , the former coach `` faced scrutiny for his role in a hedge fund that defrauded investors , and Sessions has criticized him for living in Florida before coming back to Alabama to run for Senate . ''
Looking ahead to the general election , Jones ' seat in the Senate is likely to be the hardest for Democrats to hold onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2017 special election amid Moore being accused of sexual assault and having controversial engagements with underage women .
Jones was the first Alabama Democrat to be elected to the U.S. Senate since 1997 .
The race is expected to lean Republican , according to the Cook Political Report .

Jeff Sessions Loses Comeback Bid For Alabama Senate Seat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Vasha Hunt/AP Vasha Hunt/AP
Updated at 4:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday
Jeff Sessions has lost a bid to regain his old Alabama U.S. Senate after falling from grace as President Trump's attorney general.
Sessions had been hoping for redemption after enduring months of relentless ridicule from Trump that eventually led to his resignation as the country's top lawyer.
But it was not to be. Sessions conceded defeat to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, a political neophyte, who handily beat him in the state's runoff election for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
"I leave elected office with my integrity intact," Sessions told reporters. "I hold my head high."
Tuberville, 65, who was endorsed by the president in the GOP matchup, edged ahead of Sessions in Alabama's state primary in March but failed to secure a majority of the vote, setting up Tuesday's runoff. Tuberville will now face Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in November.
As the race was called late Tuesday, Trump was quick to tweet about the stinging defeat.
Wow, just called! @TTuberville - Tommy Tuberville WON big against Jeff Sessions. Will be a GREAT Senator for the incredible people of Alabama. @DougJones is a terrible Senator who is just a Super Liberal puppet for Schumer & Pelosi. Represents Alabama poorly. On to November 3rd. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2020
"Tommy Tuberville WON big against Jeff Sessions. Will be a GREAT Senator for the incredible people of Alabama," Trump wrote.
toggle caption Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Sessions was an early endorser of Trump's presidential bid and then served as the president's attorney general until he was ousted in the fall of 2018. Sessions faced prolonged criticism from the president for choosing to recuse himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference. Sessions said he was bound by law to recuse himself.
Trump has continued to mock Sessions, calling him a "disaster" and loudly endorsing Tuberville for the seat.
"I know that he has his strong feelings about this race," said Sessions, who previously held the Alabama Senate seat for 20 years. "I know he's upset about the long, prolonged investigation that really disrupted his life and, in many ways, made it hard for him to govern effectively."
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In a recent advertisement, Tuberville highlighted Sessions' tenure in the Trump administration, saying Sessions "wasn't man enough to stand with President Trump when things got tough."
In addition to securing Trump's endorsement, Tuberville outraised Sessions by more than $1 million.
Tuberville faced attacks from the Sessions campaign over his lack of political experience. As NPR's Debbie Elliott reported, the former coach "faced scrutiny for his role in a hedge fund that defrauded investors, and Sessions has criticized him for living in Florida before coming back to Alabama to run for Senate."
Looking ahead to the general election, Jones' seat in the Senate is likely to be the hardest for Democrats to hold onto. Jones narrowly defeated Roy Moore in a 2017 special election amid Moore being accused of sexual assault and having controversial engagements with underage girls.
Jones was the first Alabama Democrat to be elected to the U.S. Senate since 1992. The race is expected to lean Republican, according to the Cook Political Report.


npr--2020-07-14--Police Investigate Incident Where Officer Appeared To Use Knee To Restrain Suspect

Police Investigate Incident Where Officer Appeared To Use Knee To Restrain Suspect Officials in Allentown , Pa. , have released a roughly ten-minute surveillance video showing officers subduing and arresting a man in front of a local hospital on Monday evening .
The man ends up face-down on the ground , and as two officers pin the man 's arm behind his back , a third officer kneels on his neck .
The release of the footage by Allentown police came days after activists tweeted a shorter , 26-second video , which has been viewed hundreds of thousand of times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the hospital and , after treatment , was released .
His name and medical details were not disclosed .
Police also did n't release the names of the officers .
Reaction to the video has sparked comparisons to what happened to George Floyd , the Black man who was killed by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day .
Derek Chauvin , the white officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes , has since been fired and faces a second-degree murder charge .
Three other officers were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abetting murder .
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said on Twitter that Allentown police `` held this man 's face to the pavement and then one of its officers placed their knee on his neck !
! ''
He pointed out that the maneuver the officer used was `` exactly what led to # GeorgeFloyd 's death .
We need this officer 's name and badge # NOW . ''
The Allentown incident took place on the evening of July 11 , just before 7 p.m. , police said .
The video Allentown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded from a building across the street from the entrance of the St. Luke 's Sacred Heart Campus , a medical facility .
`` During the first 4 minutes of the video an individual is observed to enter the frame who appears to be suffering from a medical , mental health or drug and alcohol crisis , '' Allentown Police Department officials said in a statement .
`` The individual appears to vomit multiple times , he is also observed to drop his cell phone and he appears to have trouble walking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audio on the footage released by law enforcement , the officers are seen communicating with the man , before attempting to subdue him .
Prior to officers struggling to put handcuffs on him , he kneels , appearing to plead with the officers .
Approximately 5:13 in the footage released by police , a white sedan , driving slowly , briefly stops in the street in front of the hospital .
It is likely the vehicle driven by the onlooker who recorded the viral video .
`` Approximately 23 seconds of the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what has been observed on social media , '' police said in the statement .
The latter portion of the surveillance footage shows police and hospital staff escorting the man into the facility .
There is an ongoing investigation , including interviewing witnesses , police said , and the Lehigh County District Attorney is also looking into the matter .
What happened in the 26 second video Unlike the longer video , the one from a cellphone has audio .
At approximately the 14 seconds mark , one of the officers appears puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the the man 's head , as the other officers pin his arms behind his back .
`` Mira !
Mira !
Mira ! ''
the man is heard yelling , which is Spanish for `` look . ''
`` Look , we do n't matter , bro , '' a person from inside the vehicle can be heard saying .
At approximately 20 seconds , that same officer switches position to place his right knee on the man 's neck .
The video stops a few seconds later .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy posted to its website , certain `` weaponless control techniques '' are prohibited under its section outlining `` Restraint and Control . ''
`` Use of neck restraints or similar weaponless control techniques ( choke holds ) is prohibited .
Preventing imminent death or serious bodily injury to a member or citizen is the only possible exception to the prohibition , '' the policy states .
In response to the police statement on Monday , the Twitter account by Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley said `` Allentown : Throw up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STILL get a knee to the neck .
Wow ! ''
A Facebook page with the same name said a resolution would be brought before the Allentown City Council to address demands made by protesters , which include making officer body camera usage mandatory as well as prohibiting chokeholds and neck restraints .

Police Investigate Incident Where Officer Appeared To Use Knee To Restrain Suspect
Enlarge this image toggle caption Screenshot by NPR Screenshot by NPR
Officials in Allentown, Pa., have released a roughly ten-minute surveillance video showing officers subduing and arresting a man in front of a local hospital on Monday evening.
The man ends up face-down on the ground, and as two officers pin the man's arm behind his back, a third officer kneels on his neck.
The release of the footage by Allentown police came days after activists tweeted a shorter, 26-second video, which has been viewed hundreds of thousand of times.
Police say the man was taken into the hospital and, after treatment, was released. His name and medical details were not disclosed. Police also didn't release the names of the officers.
Reaction to the video has sparked comparisons to what happened to George Floyd, the Black man who was killed by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day.
Derek Chauvin, the white officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, has since been fired and faces a second-degree murder charge. Three other officers were also fired and face charges of aiding and abetting murder.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said on Twitter that Allentown police "held this man's face to the pavement and then one of its officers placed their knee on his neck!!" He pointed out that the maneuver the officer used was "exactly what led to #GeorgeFloyd's death. We need this officer's name and badge # NOW."
The Allentown incident took place on the evening of July 11, just before 7 p.m., police said.
The video Allentown Police Department made public appears to be recorded from a building across the street from the entrance of the St. Luke's Sacred Heart Campus, a medical facility.
"During the first 4 minutes of the video an individual is observed to enter the frame who appears to be suffering from a medical, mental health or drug and alcohol crisis," Allentown Police Department officials said in a statement.
"The individual appears to vomit multiple times, he is also observed to drop his cell phone and he appears to have trouble walking and standing."
While there is no audio on the footage released by law enforcement, the officers are seen communicating with the man, before attempting to subdue him. Prior to officers struggling to put handcuffs on him, he kneels, appearing to plead with the officers.
Approximately 5:13 in the footage released by police, a white sedan, driving slowly, briefly stops in the street in front of the hospital. It is likely the vehicle driven by the onlooker who recorded the viral video.
"Approximately 23 seconds of the middle portion of the video is reflected in what has been observed on social media," police said in the statement.
The latter portion of the surveillance footage shows police and hospital staff escorting the man into the facility.
There is an ongoing investigation, including interviewing witnesses, police said, and the Lehigh County District Attorney is also looking into the matter.
What happened in the 26 second video
Unlike the longer video, the one from a cellphone has audio.
At approximately the 14 seconds mark, one of the officers appears puts his right forearm to the back of the the man's head, as the other officers pin his arms behind his back.
"Mira! Mira! Mira!" the man is heard yelling, which is Spanish for "look."
"Look, we don't matter, bro," a person from inside the vehicle can be heard saying.
At approximately 20 seconds, that same officer switches position to place his right knee on the man's neck.
The video stops a few seconds later.
According to the Allentown Police Department's use of force policy posted to its website, certain "weaponless control techniques" are prohibited under its section outlining "Restraint and Control."
"Use of neck restraints or similar weaponless control techniques (choke holds) is prohibited. Preventing imminent death or serious bodily injury to a member or citizen is the only possible exception to the prohibition," the policy states.
In response to the police statement on Monday, the Twitter account by Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley said "Allentown: Throw up, kneel & beg for space, and STILL get a knee to the neck. Wow!"
A Facebook page with the same name said a resolution would be brought before the Allentown City Council to address demands made by protesters, which include making officer body camera usage mandatory as well as prohibiting chokeholds and neck restraints.


npr--2020-07-14--Coronavirus Costs Delta Air Lines Nearly $6 Billion In 2nd Quarter

Over the last three months , Delta Air Lines lost nearly $ 6 billion as the company 's CEO said a slow , brief recovery in air travel has now stalled amid a big resurgence in coronavirus infections .
Delta is the first U.S. airline to report second-quarter financial results ; it is the first full quarter since the pandemic began , and the results are worse than anticipated .
Delta flew 93 % percent fewer passengers in April , May and June than it did in the second quarter last year .
Revenue fell 91 % compared with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline said it was losing close to $ 100 million a day at the start of the pandemic .
Atlanta-based Delta said it is still burning about $ 27 million a day .
Delta CEO Ed Bastian called the losses `` staggering , '' adding that `` it could be two years or more before we see a sustainable recovery . ''
Bastian noted that in June and early July , there was `` a small but welcome uptick in passenger volume , driven almost entirely by domestic leisure travelers and those flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that uptick was short-lived .
`` We 've seen demand growth flatten recently with a rise in COVID-19 cases , '' he said .
As a result , Delta is scaling back its plan to add flights in August , cutting the number from 1,000 additional daily departures down to 500 .
`` The recovery will be choppy waves , '' Bastian said in a conference call with analysts and reporters Tuesday .
He noted that business travel , which typically provides the airline with half of its revenue , `` has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
And Bastian added that there is n't a clear timeline for when international borders will open for U.S. travelers .
To succeed amid all the uncertainty , Bastian said the airline will focus on `` building resilience throughout the company and creating a new , stronger Delta , albeit one that will need to be smaller for the next several years . ''
Business travel in particular is not expected to recover for at least 12 to 18 months .
Bastian suggested many companies may wait until there is a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and when they do , he acknowledged video chats and Zoom meetings may replace some face-to-face interactions .
`` The number of trips that the average road warrior takes I 'm sure is going to come down in certain cases , '' Bastian said .
While some of Delta 's competitors are warning of mass job cuts after federal payroll funding runs out September 30 , including United Airlines , Bastian said he is hoping to avoid layoffs and involuntary furloughs .
Delta said 17,000 of its 91,000 employees have taken early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline , while another 35,000 are taking short-term unpaid leaves .
Some competitors , including United , American Airlines and Spirit Airlines , are fully booking planes and filling every seat if there is enough demand , but Bastian said that `` is not what Delta is going to do . ''
He said his airline will continue to block out middle seats and limit the number of people on each flight to 60 % of the plane 's capacity at least through the end of September and likely beyond .
`` Customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Bastian said .
`` And I 'd rather add more flights back and more seats into the market in a safe way than trying to maximize the number of people you can put on an individual airplane . ''
He added , `` When we survey customers today about reasons you 're purchasing a ticket on Delta , the space on board the plane ( and ) the blocked middle seats has gone to the No .
1 reason why customers are choosing Delta . ''
`` In the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board really matters , '' Bastian said .
Delta 's net loss for the second quarter was $ 5.7 billion .
That includes $ 2 billion in write-downs from the company 's investments in Latam Airlines , the biggest carrier in Latin America , as well as Aeromexico and Virgin Atlantic .
All three have faced financial difficulties .
In the second quarter last year , Delta made a profit of nearly $ 1.5 billion .
Most other U.S. airlines will report their second-quarter financial results next week .

Coronavirus Costs Delta Air Lines Nearly $6 Billion In 2nd Quarter
Enlarge this image toggle caption Russell Lewis/NPR Russell Lewis/NPR
Over the last three months, Delta Air Lines lost nearly $6 billion as the company's CEO said a slow, brief recovery in air travel has now stalled amid a big resurgence in coronavirus infections.
Delta is the first U.S. airline to report second-quarter financial results; it is the first full quarter since the pandemic began, and the results are worse than anticipated.
Delta flew 93% percent fewer passengers in April, May and June than it did in the second quarter last year. Revenue fell 91% compared with the same three-month period last year as the airline said it was losing close to $100 million a day at the start of the pandemic. Atlanta-based Delta said it is still burning about $27 million a day.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian called the losses "staggering," adding that "it could be two years or more before we see a sustainable recovery."
Bastian noted that in June and early July, there was "a small but welcome uptick in passenger volume, driven almost entirely by domestic leisure travelers and those flying for essential reasons."
But he said that uptick was short-lived.
"We've seen demand growth flatten recently with a rise in COVID-19 cases," he said.
As a result, Delta is scaling back its plan to add flights in August, cutting the number from 1,000 additional daily departures down to 500.
"The recovery will be choppy waves," Bastian said in a conference call with analysts and reporters Tuesday. He noted that business travel, which typically provides the airline with half of its revenue, "has not yet returned in any meaningful way."
And Bastian added that there isn't a clear timeline for when international borders will open for U.S. travelers.
To succeed amid all the uncertainty, Bastian said the airline will focus on "building resilience throughout the company and creating a new, stronger Delta, albeit one that will need to be smaller for the next several years."
Business travel in particular is not expected to recover for at least 12 to 18 months. Bastian suggested many companies may wait until there is a COVID-19 vaccine before allowing employees to travel again, and when they do, he acknowledged video chats and Zoom meetings may replace some face-to-face interactions.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Russell Lewis/NPR Russell Lewis/NPR
"The number of trips that the average road warrior takes I'm sure is going to come down in certain cases," Bastian said.
While some of Delta's competitors are warning of mass job cuts after federal payroll funding runs out September 30, including United Airlines, Bastian said he is hoping to avoid layoffs and involuntary furloughs. Delta said 17,000 of its 91,000 employees have taken early retirement or other incentives to leave the airline, while another 35,000 are taking short-term unpaid leaves.
Some competitors, including United, American Airlines and Spirit Airlines, are fully booking planes and filling every seat if there is enough demand, but Bastian said that "is not what Delta is going to do."
He said his airline will continue to block out middle seats and limit the number of people on each flight to 60% of the plane's capacity at least through the end of September and likely beyond.
"Customers aren't pushing us to do it," Bastian said. "And I'd rather add more flights back and more seats into the market in a safe way than trying to maximize the number of people you can put on an individual airplane."
He added, "When we survey customers today about reasons you're purchasing a ticket on Delta, the space on board the plane (and) the blocked middle seats has gone to the No. 1 reason why customers are choosing Delta."
"In the face of a health crisis, that space on board really matters," Bastian said.
Delta's net loss for the second quarter was $5.7 billion. That includes $2 billion in write-downs from the company's investments in Latam Airlines, the biggest carrier in Latin America, as well as Aeromexico and Virgin Atlantic. All three have faced financial difficulties.
In the second quarter last year, Delta made a profit of nearly $1.5 billion.
Most other U.S. airlines will report their second-quarter financial results next week.


npr--2020-07-14--South Dakota Is Sharing Driver's License Info To Help Find Out Who's A Citizen

South Dakota Is Sharing Driver 's License Info To Help Find Out Who 's A Citizen To help figure out the U.S. citizenship status of every adult living in the country , the Trump administration has been accumulating driver 's license information from states including South Dakota , NPR has learned .
South Dakota Public Safety Secretary Craig Price — who was appointed to President Trump 's commission on law enforcement this year — signed an agreement in April to share information from driver 's licenses and state ID cards with the U.S. Census Bureau , according to a copy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Department of Public Safety provided to NPR .
In the past year since the Trump administration failed in its attempt to add the now-blocked citizenship question to 2020 census forms , the Census Bureau has been gathering state and federal records under directives from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , who oversees the bureau , and an executive order Trump issued in July 2019 .
In addition to allowing states to redistrict using the number of citizens old enough to vote , Trump 's executive order noted that the citizenship data could assist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliable count of the unauthorized alien population in the country . ''
Last year , Nebraska became the first state to agree to transfer data from driver 's license and state ID records to the bureau .
Some states have publicly refused to hand over data .
Asked why the South Dakota Department of Public Safety decided to enter into this data-sharing agreement with the bureau , spokesperson Tony Mangan replied by email : `` South Dakota 's Driver Licensing program is authorized to share information for use by any government agency in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided at the request of the U.S. Census Bureau to carry out its function . ''
The Census Bureau 's public information office did not immediately respond to NPR 's questions about its agreements with states .
`` All data that the state program agency agrees to provide the Census Bureau remains confidential , '' South Dakota 's agreement says , later specifying that the bureau can only use the information for `` statistical purposes and not for program or administrative enforcement . ''
South Dakota has agreed to deliver monthly data about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going back to 2018 and through the end of 2021 .
The arrangements with South Dakota and Nebraska are not expected to involve information about unauthorized immigrants .
Both states require applicants for driver 's licenses and state ID cards to provide proof that they are legally residing in the country .
Unlike in the agreement signed with the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles , the bureau does not ask South Dakota 's driver licensing program for data about race .
But it does request names , addresses , dates of birth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's researchers are relying on those details to help them match different government records about the same individual and come up with the most up-to-date citizenship status of every adult in the country .
The Trump administration is counting on these efforts to produce anonymized citizenship data that are detailed down to the level of a census block .
Using that kind of information to exclude U.S. citizens under 18 and noncitizens — both those lawfully and unlawfully in the country — when redrawing districts would be `` advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concluded .
It is an open question whether redrawing voting maps based on the number of citizens old enough to vote instead of all residents , including children , is legal .
That issue may be tested in the courts as early as next year , when the Census Bureau plans to release block-level citizenship data to the states by July 31 , 2021 , James Whitehorne , the head of the Census Bureau 's redistricting and voting rights data office , confirmed in April .
Many voting rights advocates , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would be generated from historical records that often contain out-of-date information , especially about whether a person is currently a U.S. citizen .
Attorneys with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC are representing Latinx community groups in Arizona and Texas in an ongoing federal lawsuit to try to stop the administration from releasing this kind of citizenship data .
They 're arguing the administration is trying to prevent Latinos , noncitizens and other immigrants from receiving their fair share in political representation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate have introduced numerous bills to try to stop the Trump administration from producing the citizenship data .
Last week , the House Appropriations Committee released a funding bill for the Census Bureau that would prevent those efforts from receiving new federal funds .

Four States Are Sharing Driver's License Info To Help Find Out Who's A Citizen
toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP
Updated Wednesday at 3:21 p.m. ET
To help figure out the U.S. citizenship status of every adult living in the country, the Trump administration has made agreements to accumulate driver's license and state identification card information from states including Iowa, Nebraska, South Carolina and South Dakota, NPR has learned.
In the past year since the administration failed in its attempt to add the now-blocked citizenship question to 2020 census forms, the Census Bureau has been gathering state and federal records to produce anonymized citizenship data under directives from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the bureau, and an executive order Trump issued in July 2019.
In November, Nebraska became the first state to voluntarily agree to transfer data from its state driver's license and state ID records to the U.S. Census Bureau, as NPR reported last year.
The bureau entered into a data-sharing arrangement with the Iowa Department of Transportation in March, both government agencies confirmed to NPR in statements on Wednesday. Iowa is not sharing citizenship information, but it has agreed to share the names, addresses and dates of birth of driver's license and state ID cardholders from 2019 through 2024, according to a copy of the agreement NPR obtained from the department.
In April, South Dakota Public Safety Secretary Craig Price — who was appointed to President Trump's commission on law enforcement this year — signed an agreement to share information from driver's licenses and state ID cards with the bureau, according to a copy of the memorandum of understanding the state's Department of Public Safety provided to NPR.
A copy of an agreement provided to NPR by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles shows the DMV formally agreed this month to transfer data about state driver's license and state ID cardholders from 2018 through March 2020.
The Census Bureau's public information office has not responded to NPR's question about whether it is currently in discussions with any other states about data-sharing agreements.
NPR previously reported that the Department of Homeland Security quietly announced last year in a regulatory document that it had agreed, despite internal concerns, to share certain records — including some from Immigration and Customs Enforcement — for the administration's efforts to determine the number of citizens, unauthorized immigrants and other noncitizens in the country.
In addition to allowing states to redistrict using the number of citizens old enough to vote, Trump's executive order noted that the citizenship data could assist the government in generating a "more reliable count of the unauthorized alien population in the country."
The arrangements with South Carolina, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska are not expected to involve information about unauthorized immigrants. All four states require applicants for driver's licenses and state ID cards to provide proof that they are legally residing in the country.
Some states have publicly refused to hand over data.
New Hampshire and Pennsylvania were among the states that received requests from the bureau. But the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation sent a letter to the bureau in October denying the request because it felt that doing so was in "the best interest of the citizens of the commonwealth," Alexis Campbell, a spokesperson for the department, tells NPR. New Hampshire Department of Safety spokesperson Paul Raymond Jr. says in an email that state law "prohibits the DMV from fulfilling the request."
Andrea Henry, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Transportation, tells NPR in a statement that federal and state laws allow the department to release the information to the federal government when it is used to "carry out its official government purposes."
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson Julie Roy says in an email that state and federal laws allow driver's license records that the state's DMV maintains to "be disclosed in certain conditions," including for carrying out "legitimate government agency functions."
Asked why the South Dakota Department of Public Safety decided to enter into its data-sharing agreement with the bureau, spokesperson Tony Mangan replied by email: "South Dakota's Driver Licensing program is authorized to share information for use by any government agency in carrying out its functions. Information was provided at the request of the U.S. Census Bureau to carry out its function."
"All data that the state program agency agrees to provide the Census Bureau remains confidential," South Dakota's agreement says, later specifying that the bureau can only use the information for "statistical purposes and not for program or administrative enforcement."
South Dakota has agreed to deliver monthly data about license and ID cardholders' citizenship status going back to 2018 and through the end of 2021.
Unlike in the agreement signed with the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, the bureau does not ask South Dakota's driver licensing program for data about race. But it does request names, addresses, dates of birth, sex and eye color.
The bureau's researchers are relying on those details to help them match different government records about the same individual and try to come up with the most up-to-date citizenship status of every adult in the country. The Trump administration is counting on these efforts to produce anonymized citizenship data that are detailed down to the level of a census block.
Using that kind of information to exclude U.S. citizens under 18 and noncitizens — both those lawfully and unlawfully in the country — when redrawing districts would be "advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites," a GOP redistricting strategist concluded.
It is an open question whether redrawing voting maps based on the number of citizens old enough to vote instead of all residents, including children, is legal. That issue may be tested in the courts as early as next year, when the Census Bureau plans to release block-level citizenship data to the states by July 31, 2021, James Whitehorne, the head of the Census Bureau's redistricting and voting rights data office, confirmed in April.
Many voting rights advocates, however, are skeptical about the accuracy of data that would be generated from historical records that often contain out-of-date information, especially about whether a person is currently a U.S. citizen.
Attorneys with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC are representing Latinx community groups in Arizona and Texas in an ongoing federal lawsuit to try to stop the administration from releasing this kind of citizenship data. They're arguing the administration is trying to prevent Latinos, noncitizens and other immigrants from receiving their fair share in political representation.
Democrats in both the U.S. House and Senate have introduced numerous bills to try to stop the Trump administration from producing the citizenship data.
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee released a funding bill for the Census Bureau that would prevent those efforts from receiving new federal funds.


npr--2020-07-14--Coronavirus Surge For U.S. Military On Okinawa Adds To Soured Relations There

Coronavirus Surge For U.S. Military On Okinawa Adds To Soured Relations There Relations between the more than 25,000 U.S. military forces on Okinawa and that Japanese island 's 1.5 million residents have long been strained over pollution , crime and overcrowding associated with the 31 U.S. military bases there .
Now a new outbreak of COVID-19 cases among American service members stationed on Japan 's southernmost territory is fraying things further .
As of Tuesday , 100 new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the past week at five U.S. bases on Okinawa , according to Japan 's independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where only three cases had earlier been confirmed , Okinawa has had a relatively low impact from the disease , reporting 148 infections and seven deaths .
At a weekend news conference , Okinawa Gov .
Denny Tamaki called the surge of coronavirus cases among U.S. military personnel `` extremely regrettable , '' according to the Reuters news agency .
`` I ca n't help but have strong doubts about the U.S. military 's measures to prevent infections , '' Reuters quotes Tamaki telling reporters , while citing reports of American service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach parties and nightlife district visits around July 4 .
`` It is extremely regrettable that there have been a large number of infections among those connected with the U.S. military over a short period of time , '' The Asahi Shimbun quotes the governor as saying Saturday , `` when the Okinawa prefectural government and the public were working together to prevent further infections . ''
On Tuesday - one day before a slated meeting with the Okinawa governor to discuss the new coronavirus outbreak — Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all U.S. military bases in Japan , not just those on Okinawa .
`` We have discovered a number of problems , '' the Associated Press quotes Kono as saying , while noting that those unspecified problems were found after Japanese officials asked for information from the U.S. military .
`` We need to more strictly scrutinize the situation with the U.S. military in Japan . ''
Because a status of forces agreement excludes U.S. military personnel and their families from Japanese jurisdiction , American service members are not subject to a travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 129 other countries and territories during the pandemic .
On Sunday , in what the Japanese defense minister described as `` an extremely grave incident , '' an American couple and their young daughter who landed at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda were tested for COVID-19 upon arriving en route to a U.S. Marines air base in Iwakuni .
Kono said the family had falsely declared they would be traveling to the base by private car , when in fact they took a commercial flight there and were subsequently found to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen. Kevin B. Schneider , who commands all U.S. forces in Japan , on Saturday extended through Aug. 13 a COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration for all U.S. military bases in Japan .
That means all clubs , bars , pachinko parlors , as well as flea markets , concerts , restaurant dining , the use of mass transit and gyms off base will continue to be prohibited for American military personnel in Japan .
Two U.S. Marine Corps bases on Okinawa have been placed on lockdown since the latest outbreak .
Together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Camp Hansen account for at least 62 of the known cases .
The Futenma air base , which is located in a densely populated urban area , has been at the center of ongoing controversy over the U.S. military 's plans to relocate it to another part of the island .
In a referendum last year , 70 % of Okinawa voters rejected keeping the air base on the island .
Local officials complain that the U.S. military has not been sufficiently forthcoming about the details of who has been infected and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in coronavirus cases .
`` We have no way of knowing whether the large number of infections has made it difficult for the U.S. military to accurately grasp the details or if they have the details but are not disclosing them , '' an unnamed prefectural government official told The Asahi Shimbun .
`` We are also worried about whether the U.S. military hospital will be capable of dealing with a situation in which many patients develop serious symptoms . ''
American forces seized Okinawa 75 years ago in the last major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. administered the island until 1972 , when its control reverted to Japan .
The island accounts for less than 1 % of Japan 's total land area , but 70 % of the land occupied by the U.S. military in Japan is in Okinawa .

Coronavirus Surge For U.S. Military On Okinawa Adds To Soured Relations There
Enlarge this image toggle caption Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images
Relations between the more than 25,000 U.S. military forces on Okinawa and that Japanese island's 1.5 million residents have long been strained over pollution, crime and overcrowding associated with the 31 U.S. military bases there. Now a new outbreak of COVID-19 cases among American service members stationed on Japan's southernmost territory is fraying things further.
As of Tuesday, 100 new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the past week at five U.S. bases on Okinawa, according to Japan's independent Kyodo News agency. Beyond those bases, where only three cases had earlier been confirmed, Okinawa has had a relatively low impact from the disease, reporting 148 infections and seven deaths.
At a weekend news conference, Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki called the surge of coronavirus cases among U.S. military personnel "extremely regrettable," according to the Reuters news agency.
"I can't help but have strong doubts about the U.S. military's measures to prevent infections," Reuters quotes Tamaki telling reporters, while citing reports of American service members going off base for Independence Day beach parties and nightlife district visits around July 4.
"It is extremely regrettable that there have been a large number of infections among those connected with the U.S. military over a short period of time," The Asahi Shimbun quotes the governor as saying Saturday, "when the Okinawa prefectural government and the public were working together to prevent further infections."
On Tuesday - one day before a slated meeting with the Okinawa governor to discuss the new coronavirus outbreak — Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters that problems with COVID-19 extend to all U.S. military bases in Japan, not just those on Okinawa.
"We have discovered a number of problems," the Associated Press quotes Kono as saying, while noting that those unspecified problems were found after Japanese officials asked for information from the U.S. military. "We need to more strictly scrutinize the situation with the U.S. military in Japan."
Because a status of forces agreement excludes U.S. military personnel and their families from Japanese jurisdiction, American service members are not subject to a travel ban Japan has imposed on the U.S. and 129 other countries and territories during the pandemic.
On Sunday, in what the Japanese defense minister described as "an extremely grave incident," an American couple and their young daughter who landed at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda were tested for COVID-19 upon arriving en route to a U.S. Marines air base in Iwakuni. Kono said the family had falsely declared they would be traveling to the base by private car, when in fact they took a commercial flight there and were subsequently found to have tested positive for the virus.
Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, who commands all U.S. forces in Japan, on Saturday extended through Aug. 13 a COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration for all U.S. military bases in Japan. That means all clubs, bars, pachinko parlors, as well as flea markets, concerts, restaurant dining, the use of mass transit and gyms off base will continue to be prohibited for American military personnel in Japan.
Two U.S. Marine Corps bases on Okinawa have been placed on lockdown since the latest outbreak. Together, U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Camp Hansen account for at least 62 of the known cases.
The Futenma air base, which is located in a densely populated urban area, has been at the center of ongoing controversy over the U.S. military's plans to relocate it to another part of the island. In a referendum last year, 70% of Okinawa voters rejected keeping the air base on the island.
Local officials complain that the U.S. military has not been sufficiently forthcoming about the details of who has been infected and where they have been during the recent surge in coronavirus cases.
"We have no way of knowing whether the large number of infections has made it difficult for the U.S. military to accurately grasp the details or if they have the details but are not disclosing them," an unnamed prefectural government official told The Asahi Shimbun. "We are also worried about whether the U.S. military hospital will be capable of dealing with a situation in which many patients develop serious symptoms."
American forces seized Okinawa 75 years ago in the last major battle of World War Two. The U.S. administered the island until 1972, when its control reverted to Japan. The island accounts for less than 1% of Japan's total land area, but 70% of the land occupied by the U.S. military in Japan is in Okinawa.


npr--2020-07-14--A Teacher Who Contracted COVID-19 Cautions Against In-Person Schooling

As school districts consider how to approach learning this fall with no sign of the coronavirus slowing , the virus has already had devastating consequences in one rural Arizona school district .
Jena Martinez-Inzunza was one of three elementary school teachers at the Hayden Winkelman Unified School District who all tested positive for COVID-19 after teaching virtual summer school lessons together from the same classroom .
Martinez 's colleague and friend , Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd , who taught in the district for nearly four decades , died .
`` She was very dear to me .
She 's one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Morning Edition .
`` She was a very loving , very faithful person and she was very kind .
She always loved watching kids find their way , find their strong points and be able to get them to understand that everyone is different .
We all have strengths and weaknesses .
And that 's OK. And that was the message and the love that she brought to our lives . ''
When teaching summer school classes together from June 8-11 , the three teachers : Martinez , Byrd and Angela Skillings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines , Martinez says .
They kept their distance , wore masks and constantly used hand sanitizer .
Byrd started feeling sick and went to the hospital on June 13 .
She had underlying conditions , including asthma , and often had sinus infections , according to CNN .
She died on June 26 .
Byrd 's death not only leaves a community mourning , it illustrates the risk of in-person schooling .
No students were physically present when the three teachers taught their online classes .
But the alternative , online-only instruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and students .
Martinez had already been doing online instruction since schools closed in March .
It 's `` made for very long days , '' she says , because of the constant and different types of communication between teachers , parents and students : FaceTime , text , email , phone calls and sending physical learning packets .
Not all the students have access to the Internet .
As of now , the Hayden Winkelman district will be going online-only when classes resume in August .
The school has been working to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPads to students , Martinez says .
It will still be a challenge , but Martinez says `` it 's not the right time '' for students to be back in the school building , with Arizona being a coronavirus hot spot .
`` It 's just going to be worse when we repopulate schools '' this fall , she says , if Arizonans do n't become more diligent in stopping the virus 's spread .
NPR 's Krista Kapralos and Taylor Haney produced and edited the audio version of this story .

A Teacher Who Contracted COVID-19 Cautions Against In-Person Schooling
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jena Martinez-Inzunza Jena Martinez-Inzunza
As school districts consider how to approach learning this fall with no sign of the coronavirus slowing, the virus has already had devastating consequences in one rural Arizona school district.
Jena Martinez-Inzunza was one of three elementary school teachers at the Hayden Winkelman Unified School District who all tested positive for COVID-19 after teaching virtual summer school lessons together from the same classroom.
Martinez's colleague and friend, Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd, who taught in the district for nearly four decades, died.
"She was very dear to me. She's one of my closest friends," Martinez told Morning Edition.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luke Byrd Luke Byrd
"She was a very loving, very faithful person and she was very kind. She always loved watching kids find their way, find their strong points and be able to get them to understand that everyone is different. We all have strengths and weaknesses. And that's OK. And that was the message and the love that she brought to our lives."
When teaching summer school classes together from June 8-11, the three teachers: Martinez, Byrd and Angela Skillings, all took precautions and followed CDC guidelines, Martinez says. They kept their distance, wore masks and constantly used hand sanitizer.
Byrd started feeling sick and went to the hospital on June 13. She had underlying conditions, including asthma, and often had sinus infections, according to CNN. She died on June 26.
Byrd's death not only leaves a community mourning, it illustrates the risk of in-person schooling. No students were physically present when the three teachers taught their online classes.
But the alternative, online-only instruction, has its own challenges for teachers and students.
Martinez had already been doing online instruction since schools closed in March. It's "made for very long days," she says, because of the constant and different types of communication between teachers, parents and students: FaceTime, text, email, phone calls and sending physical learning packets. Not all the students have access to the Internet.
As of now, the Hayden Winkelman district will be going online-only when classes resume in August. The school has been working to help unconnected families get online and provide iPads to students, Martinez says.
It will still be a challenge, but Martinez says "it's not the right time" for students to be back in the school building, with Arizona being a coronavirus hot spot.
"It's just going to be worse when we repopulate schools" this fall, she says, if Arizonans don't become more diligent in stopping the virus's spread.
NPR's Krista Kapralos and Taylor Haney produced and edited the audio version of this story.