npr--2020-03-30--Pregnant Women Worry About Pandemic's Impact On Labor, Delivery And Babies

Pregnant Women Worry About Pandemic 's Impact On Labor , Delivery And Babies Among the people whose lives are being turned upside down by the coronavirus are many pregnant women .
As they prepare for one of the most intense and emotional experiences of their lives , they face the possibility of delivering babies in hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients — and plans they 've made for where to give birth and who will be there with them are often now in question .
That 's the situation confronting Lauren and Daniel Herriges of Sarasota , Fla. , whose first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 3 .
For assistance during childbirth , they hired a doula , a support person who helps laboring women .
The Herrigeses had planned to have their doula with them in the delivery room at Sarasota Memorial Hospital , but they recently got crushing news : To reduce the risk of coronavirus infection , the hospital is limiting delivery room visitors to just one person .
`` That 's a bit gut-wrenching , '' Lauren Herriges says , `` because I like my doula and would n't have gotten one if I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helpful . ''
Then came an even more startling update from the hospital : `` That I should be prepared to not be permitted to have any support person at all — so no husband , which has really kind of rocked my world , '' Herriges says .
The prospect of going through childbirth without her husband by her side has Herriges considering an option her doctor recommends against : being induced early .
That 's left Herriges with a dilemma : Should she go to a different hospital with an unfamiliar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it up and stick with the same practitioner I 've been with for years ... but then maybe not have my husband ? ''
Herriges says .
`` That 's one we 're still trying to figure out .
And we 're running out of time . ''
As hospitals cope with the widening coronavirus pandemic , many pregnant women are having similar debates , worrying about how the disease could affect their babies , and wondering if maternity wards may experience a shortage of beds , staff or supplies as the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our phones are ringing off the hook from folks that have questions about coronavirus and pregnancy , and other effects of coronavirus on their health , '' says Dr. Jeffrey Ecker , Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston .
Because COVID-19 is so new , definitive answers are hard to get .
So far , there does n't seem to be evidence that women are more likely to contract the virus when they 're pregnant , and limited research suggests that the coronavirus can not be transmitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preliminary studies are sometimes conflicting .
`` The reality is we do n't have a lot of data related to outcomes in pregnancy in women who have COVID-19 or their risk of contracting COVID-19 , '' says Maureen Phipps , chief executive officer of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , `` and that does put us at a disadvantage . ''
Pregnant women are considered an `` at-risk population for COVID-19 '' because they 're generally at higher risk from respiratory infections , so numerous hospitals nationwide are minimizing childbirth visitors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online , as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .
The organization is not advising early deliveries solely because of the coronavirus .
But the M Health Fairview system in Minnesota is offering that option to some women at least 39 weeks pregnant ( a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks ) .
Through `` elective ripening of the cervix , '' the hospital can prepare those women to be induced before their due dates .
The purpose of that , according to Dr. Laura France , an OB/GYN at Fairview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women come in and be delivered and go home again before we really start to see a surge of COVID-positive women in our maternity units . ''
Other hospitals , including Mass General , are not offering early inductions to women concerned about COVID-19 unless they have a medical reason that justifies it .
Several physicians interviewed by NPR cautioned that early inductions can fail , forcing pregnant women to have cesarean sections .
Inductions can also pose health risks to babies and cause mothers to spend more time in the hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've had , patients have asked if it might be better to have their baby quickly now , regardless of their gestational age , before there is a rush of sick patients in the hospital , '' says Dr. Maya Zapata , an OB/GYN at UCLA Health in Los Angeles .
`` My advice has been that that 's probably not necessary . ''
According to multiple hospitals and health systems contacted by NPR , if a pregnant woman were COVID-positive or suspected of having the virus , she would be put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lower the risk of infection spreading , and women who have the virus may have to be separated from their newborns for 14 days .
They also said they have plans in place to try to ensure that all needed beds , staff and supplies will be available .
Some pregnant women are wondering if they should avoid hospitals entirely and instead opt to give birth at home or in a birthing center .
But France , of Fairview , advised against that , noting that with nonhospital births , `` we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and require a hospital trip anyway .
She considers hospitals a safer option , even if delivery room visitors will be limited .
`` This is really a time to let technology be your friend , '' she says .
`` One of the patients up on the maternity unit today is Skyping with her doula , and that 's been a big push with a lot of the doulas .
So use that Skype and FaceTime technology to try to stay in contact . ''
Like Fairview and Sarasota Memorial , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limiting delivery room visitors to one person .
`` If a woman wants her whole family in the room with them , we typically are OK with that if that 's what the patient wants , '' Zapata says .
`` But in the setting of coronavirus , we are trying to limit the risk for the patient , her baby , her support person , her family , our staff and the public in general . ''
Ecker noted that MGH has no plans to require women to give birth alone `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would just seem so different and in some ways unkind to not have one 's partner or support person there during labor and delivery . ''
Added Ecker : `` I have two children and ca n't imagine not being there for the birth of my two children , but we recognize that these are unimaginable times . ''
Research also suggests that support during childbirth can improve health outcomes for women and infants .
Sarah Laskow recently gave birth to her first child — a 7-pound , 7-ounce daughter named Miriam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Manhattan — and is grateful that her husband , Ben Furnas , was with her in the delivery room .
`` While I was having contractions , '' Laskow recalled , `` we were seeing all these emails from other frantic parents-to-be who all of a sudden had to deal with the fact that they probably were going to have to deliver the baby alone or go to another state entirely in order to have their partner with them . ''
That 's because earlier this month some New York hospitals told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support person during childbirth .
Within a week the state health department had prohibited that policy .
As she and her husband now shelter in place in Brooklyn , Laskow says they do n't mind being confined to their home because `` we keep talking about how we would have been in our apartment not leaving anyway because we have a newborn baby . ''
Now , she says , `` Everyone else is stuck in their apartment not doing anything , so we 're not really missing out . ''
As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` We 're kind of convinced that she 's maybe a little bit psychic because she came right on time . ''
Noting that their daughter was actually born two weeks early , Laskow added : `` Well , she came right on time for the circumstances that she was born into ! ''

Pregnant Women Worry About Pandemic's Impact On Labor, Delivery And Babies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jasper Jacobs/AFP via Getty Images Jasper Jacobs/AFP via Getty Images
Among the people whose lives are being turned upside down by the coronavirus are many pregnant women.
As they prepare for one of the most intense and emotional experiences of their lives, they face the possibility of delivering babies in hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients — and plans they've made for where to give birth and who will be there with them are often now in question.
That's the situation confronting Lauren and Daniel Herriges of Sarasota, Fla., whose first child, a daughter, is due April 3. For assistance during childbirth, they hired a doula, a support person who helps laboring women. The Herrigeses had planned to have their doula with them in the delivery room at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, but they recently got crushing news: To reduce the risk of coronavirus infection, the hospital is limiting delivery room visitors to just one person.
"That's a bit gut-wrenching," Lauren Herriges says, "because I like my doula and wouldn't have gotten one if I didn't think it would be very helpful."
Then came an even more startling update from the hospital: "That I should be prepared to not be permitted to have any support person at all — so no husband, which has really kind of rocked my world," Herriges says.
The prospect of going through childbirth without her husband by her side has Herriges considering an option her doctor recommends against: being induced early. That's left Herriges with a dilemma: Should she go to a different hospital with an unfamiliar doctor?
"Or do we suck it up and stick with the same practitioner I've been with for years ... but then maybe not have my husband?" Herriges says. "That's one we're still trying to figure out. And we're running out of time."
As hospitals cope with the widening coronavirus pandemic, many pregnant women are having similar debates, worrying about how the disease could affect their babies, and wondering if maternity wards may experience a shortage of beds, staff or supplies as the coronavirus spreads.
"As you can imagine, our phones are ringing off the hook from folks that have questions about coronavirus and pregnancy, and other effects of coronavirus on their health," says Dr. Jeffrey Ecker, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Because COVID-19 is so new, definitive answers are hard to get. So far, there doesn't seem to be evidence that women are more likely to contract the virus when they're pregnant, and limited research suggests that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted during childbirth or breastfeeding, although the preliminary studies are sometimes conflicting.
"The reality is we don't have a lot of data related to outcomes in pregnancy in women who have COVID-19 or their risk of contracting COVID-19," says Maureen Phipps, chief executive officer of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "and that does put us at a disadvantage."
Pregnant women are considered an "at-risk population for COVID-19" because they're generally at higher risk from respiratory infections, so numerous hospitals nationwide are minimizing childbirth visitors and doing more prenatal visits by phone or online, as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The organization is not advising early deliveries solely because of the coronavirus. But the M Health Fairview system in Minnesota is offering that option to some women at least 39 weeks pregnant (a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks). Through "elective ripening of the cervix," the hospital can prepare those women to be induced before their due dates.
The purpose of that, according to Dr. Laura France, an OB/GYN at Fairview, is "to try to have women come in and be delivered and go home again before we really start to see a surge of COVID-positive women in our maternity units."
Other hospitals, including Mass General, are not offering early inductions to women concerned about COVID-19 unless they have a medical reason that justifies it. Several physicians interviewed by NPR cautioned that early inductions can fail, forcing pregnant women to have cesarean sections. Inductions can also pose health risks to babies and cause mothers to spend more time in the hospital.
"In many of the conversations I've had, patients have asked if it might be better to have their baby quickly now, regardless of their gestational age, before there is a rush of sick patients in the hospital," says Dr. Mya Zapata, an OB/GYN at UCLA Health in Los Angeles. "My advice has been that that's probably not necessary."
According to multiple hospitals and health systems contacted by NPR, if a pregnant woman were COVID-positive or suspected of having the virus, she would be put in a separate part of the maternity ward to lower the risk of infection spreading, and women who have the virus may have to be separated from their newborns for 14 days. They also said they have plans in place to try to ensure that all needed beds, staff and supplies will be available.
Some pregnant women are wondering if they should avoid hospitals entirely and instead opt to give birth at home or in a birthing center. But France, of Fairview, advised against that, noting that with nonhospital births, "we never know when something might go wrong" and require a hospital trip anyway. She considers hospitals a safer option, even if delivery room visitors will be limited.
"This is really a time to let technology be your friend," she says. "One of the patients up on the maternity unit today is Skyping with her doula, and that's been a big push with a lot of the doulas. So use that Skype and FaceTime technology to try to stay in contact."
Like Fairview and Sarasota Memorial, Mass General and UCLA Health are also limiting delivery room visitors to one person.
"If a woman wants her whole family in the room with them, we typically are OK with that if that's what the patient wants," Zapata says. "But in the setting of coronavirus, we are trying to limit the risk for the patient, her baby, her support person, her family, our staff and the public in general."
Ecker noted that MGH has no plans to require women to give birth alone "because we recognize that, boy, it would just seem so different and in some ways unkind to not have one's partner or support person there during labor and delivery."
Added Ecker: "I have two children and can't imagine not being there for the birth of my two children, but we recognize that these are unimaginable times."
Research also suggests that support during childbirth can improve health outcomes for women and infants.
Sarah Laskow recently gave birth to her first child — a 7-pound, 7-ounce daughter named Miriam Louise born March 22 at NYU Langone in Manhattan — and is grateful that her husband, Ben Furnas, was with her in the delivery room.
"While I was having contractions," Laskow recalled, "we were seeing all these emails from other frantic parents-to-be who all of a sudden had to deal with the fact that they probably were going to have to deliver the baby alone or go to another state entirely in order to have their partner with them."
That's because earlier this month some New York hospitals told pregnant women they couldn't have any support person during childbirth. Within a week the state health department had prohibited that policy.
As she and her husband now shelter in place in Brooklyn, Laskow says they don't mind being confined to their home because "we keep talking about how we would have been in our apartment not leaving anyway because we have a newborn baby."
Now, she says, "Everyone else is stuck in their apartment not doing anything, so we're not really missing out."
As for their baby's arrival, she joked, "We're kind of convinced that she's maybe a little bit psychic because she came right on time."
Noting that their daughter was actually born two weeks early, Laskow added: "Well, she came right on time for the circumstances that she was born into!"


npr--2020-03-30--Macy's Furloughs Most Of Its 130,000 Workers

Macy 's Furloughs Most Of Its 130,000 Workers Citing the coronavirus pandemic 's `` heavy toll '' on its business , Macy 's said it 's furloughing the majority of its nearly 130,000 employees .
Workers will continue to receive health benefits through May .
`` Across Macy 's , Bloomingdale 's , and Bluemercury [ beauty ] brands , we will be moving to the absolute minimum workforce needed to maintain basic operations , '' the retailer said Monday .
All of Macy 's stores , closed since March 18 , will remain closed `` until we have clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to reopen . ''
Its online business remains open , but the company said it has lost the majority of its sales because of the store closures .
The company noted that it has taken several steps to `` maintain financial flexibility , '' including suspending its dividend , using its credit line and freezing hiring and spending .
Macy 's said it 's `` evaluating all other financing options . ''
Along with other major retailers , Macy 's had been struggling even before the coronavirus shut down much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's announced plans to close about 125 stores over the next three years — about a fifth of the company 's retail locations — and that it was cutting 2,000 jobs .
Unemployment is soaring around the country .
Nearly 3.3 million people filed for jobless benefits in the week that ended March 21 — a number that shattered records going back to 1967 .

Macy's Furloughs Most Of Its 130,000 Workers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Bello/Getty Images Al Bello/Getty Images
Citing the coronavirus pandemic's "heavy toll" on its business, Macy's said it's furloughing the majority of its nearly 130,000 employees. Workers will continue to receive health benefits through May.
"Across Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Bluemercury [beauty] brands, we will be moving to the absolute minimum workforce needed to maintain basic operations," the retailer said Monday.
All of Macy's stores, closed since March 18, will remain closed "until we have clear line of sight on when it is safe to reopen." Its online business remains open, but the company said it has lost the majority of its sales because of the store closures.
The company noted that it has taken several steps to "maintain financial flexibility," including suspending its dividend, using its credit line and freezing hiring and spending. Macy's said it's "evaluating all other financing options."
Along with other major retailers, Macy's had been struggling even before the coronavirus shut down much of the U.S. economy. In February, Macy's announced plans to close about 125 stores over the next three years — about a fifth of the company's retail locations — and that it was cutting 2,000 jobs.
Unemployment is soaring around the country. Nearly 3.3 million people filed for jobless benefits in the week that ended March 21 — a number that shattered records going back to 1967.


npr--2020-03-30--Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives In New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure

Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives In New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure The USNS Comfort , one of the Navy 's hospital ships that has often been called on to deliver humanitarian aid , has arrived in New York City to help ease the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The ship entered New York Harbor on Monday morning , passing the Statue of Liberty on its way to Pier 88 in Manhattan .
The ship will be used to treat patients who do not have the disease caused by the coronavirus but who urgently need other care .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's health infrastructure struggles to cope with an outbreak that has killed more than 775 people and infected more than 60,000 in New York state .
The hospital ship had previously been deployed to New York in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks .
Similar to the Comfort 's mission on the East Coast , the USNS Mercy arrived in Los Angeles on Friday .
The ship accepted its first patients on Sunday , receiving referrals from local hospitals , the Pentagon says .
USNS Comfort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating rooms , enabling it to take pressure off of New York 's health care system .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo says it will act as a `` relief valve for hospitals that are struggling now , that are over capacity all over this city . ''
The hospital ship 's mission ranges from supporting military operations to performing humanitarian missions and aiding Americans during national emergencies such as the one currently gripping the U.S. '' The last time that this great hospital ship was here was in the wake of 9-11 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our first responders working around the clock , '' said Rear Adm. John Mustin , vice commander , U.S. Fleet Forces Command .
As the ship arrived , Mustin said , `` Our message to New Yorkers – now your Navy has returned , and we are with you , committed in this fight . ''
The Comfort departed Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday , after a send-off attended by President Trump — who called it `` a 70,000-ton message of hope and solidarity to the people of New York . ''

Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Arrives In New York To Ease Coronavirus Pressure
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bebeto Matthews/AP Bebeto Matthews/AP
The USNS Comfort, one of the Navy's hospital ships that has often been called on to deliver humanitarian aid, has arrived in New York City to help ease the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ship entered New York Harbor on Monday morning, passing the Statue of Liberty on its way to Pier 88 in Manhattan.
The ship will be used to treat patients who do not have the disease caused by the coronavirus but who urgently need other care. Those patients could otherwise face long delays as the city's health infrastructure struggles to cope with an outbreak that has killed more than 775 people and infected more than 60,000 in New York state.
The hospital ship had previously been deployed to New York in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Similar to the Comfort's mission on the East Coast, the USNS Mercy arrived in Los Angeles on Friday. The ship accepted its first patients on Sunday, receiving referrals from local hospitals, the Pentagon says.
USNS Comfort has about 1,000 beds and a dozen operating rooms, enabling it to take pressure off of New York's health care system. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it will act as a "relief valve for hospitals that are struggling now, that are over capacity all over this city."
The hospital ship's mission ranges from supporting military operations to performing humanitarian missions and aiding Americans during national emergencies such as the one currently gripping the U.S.
"The last time that this great hospital ship was here was in the wake of 9-11, where she served as respite and comfort for our first responders working around the clock," said Rear Adm. John Mustin, vice commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
As the ship arrived, Mustin said, "Our message to New Yorkers – now your Navy has returned, and we are with you, committed in this fight."
The Comfort departed Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday, after a send-off attended by President Trump — who called it "a 70,000-ton message of hope and solidarity to the people of New York."


npr--2020-03-30--Technology To Clean And Reuse PPE Is Being Deployed To Hotspot Hospitals

Technology To Clean And Reuse PPE Is Being Deployed To Hotspot Hospitals Several large metal shipping containers are lined up in a warehouse under a large American flag .
Their doors are ajar and workers stream in and out , power tools buzzing .
These are no ordinary shipping containers : They represent a huge scientific breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 .
`` We 're looking at the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System that we 've developed to be able to decontaminate PPE for health care workers on the front-line , '' says Will Richter , a researcher at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country are starting to run low on personal protective equipment such as masks , gloves and goggles .
The looming shortage puts health care workers in danger as they treat the influx of COVID-19 patients .
The Critical Care Decontamination System is the first of its kind , capable of cleaning up to 80,000 pieces of PPE ( personal protective equipment ) at a time .
Battelle 's system was designed to be modular so it can be easily shipped and scaled up — the more units in one area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to clean mass amounts of PPE and return them to where they 're needed .
Sunday night , the Food and Drug Administration gave Battelle full approval to ramp up their systems to full capacity and send devices to the parts of the country hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak .
One system is in route to New York City .
Others are destined for Seattle , Chicago and Washington , D.C. , to start .
The approval comes after urging from both Gov .
Mike DeWine and President Trump .
Even before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio , the state 's top leaders were advocating for the system , both behind the scenes and to the public .
DeWine spoke glowingly about Battelle 's system at his regular coronavirus press conference this weekend , calling it a `` major breakthrough . ''
Lt. Gov .
Jon Husted said the state had been working with the FDA for the past week to get approval .
But the FDA 's decision was not what Ohio 's leaders were hoping for .
Around 8 a.m. on Sunday , DeWine received news : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sterilize just 10,000 surgical masks per day — far short of their capacity — and only at the company 's Columbus headquarters .
`` The FDA 's decision to severely limit the use of this lifesaving technology is nothing short of reckless , '' DeWine wrote in a statement .
`` I am not only disappointed by this development , but I 'm also stunned that the FDA would decline to do all it can to protect this country 's front-line workers in this serious time of need . ''
DeWine then brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later Sunday morning , the governor announced on Twitter that he had a `` good conversation '' with Trump , who told DeWine he would do `` everything he can to get this approved today . ''
`` FDA must move quickly ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Hours later , Battelle announced it had received full approval .
`` This is an example of everyone working quickly to help find a solution , '' said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn in a statement .
`` After receiving Battelle 's request today , we turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and issued a new authorization allowing them to ramp up their capability to decontaminate more respirators . ''
Battelle thanked the FDA for authorization in a statement Sunday night .
`` Everybody who has worked on this project shares the same goal of protecting first responders and health care workers who are at the front-lines of the pandemic , '' said Lou Von Thaer , president and CEO of Battelle .
In a statement , DeWine thanked the FDA and the president for approving the technology .
At Battelle 's headquarters in Columbus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the technology works .
Hospitals will gather used PPE and send it to the closest decontamination machine .
A team of four Battelle scientists will put on protective gear and step inside the containers .
The outer chamber is an air lock , and the inner chamber sucks contaminated air from the container through multiple HEPA filters , then out through a vent in the back .
Used N95 masks will be laid on metal racks lining the walls .
Other forms of PPE , such as goggles , can be hung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is full , the scientists will exit the main chamber into the air lock .
They will spray themselves with ethanol to ensure they are n't contaminated , before exiting the entire container and sealing it tightly .
Scientists then begin the decontamination process , which uses vapor phase hydrogen peroxide .
`` We inject the vapor at the rear of the chamber , and then the fans ensure homogeneous distribution , '' Richter says , pointing at fans mounted in the upper corner of the unit .
`` We then have plumbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to travel through the entire length of the chamber before it returns and recycles back to the generator . ''
Loading the unit , running the decontamination process , letting it aerate , then reloading the cleaned PPE into boxes to be sent back to the hospitals takes about 12 hours .
A forklift drives into the warehouse , lifts the shipping container and loads it onto a truck headed for New York City .
Richter watches as his scientific accomplishment is prepped for deployment .
`` It 's been a crazy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the clock , '' he says .
`` We just want the health care workers to have what they need .
I do n't want to have any health care worker without PPE , facing that choice , having to go into that room .
So yeah , it feels good . ''

Technology To Clean And Reuse PPE Is Being Deployed To Hotspot Hospitals
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paige Pfleger/WOSU Paige Pfleger/WOSU
Several large metal shipping containers are lined up in a warehouse under a large American flag. Their doors are ajar and workers stream in and out, power tools buzzing.
These are no ordinary shipping containers: They represent a huge scientific breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19.
"We're looking at the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System that we've developed to be able to decontaminate PPE for health care workers on the front-line," says Will Richter, a researcher at the Columbus, Ohio-based company.
Hospitals around the country are starting to run low on personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and goggles. The looming shortage puts health care workers in danger as they treat the influx of COVID-19 patients.
The Critical Care Decontamination System is the first of its kind, capable of cleaning up to 80,000 pieces of PPE (personal protective equipment) at a time.
Battelle's system was designed to be modular so it can be easily shipped and scaled up — the more units in one area, the more rapidly they will be able to clean mass amounts of PPE and return them to where they're needed.
Sunday night, the Food and Drug Administration gave Battelle full approval to ramp up their systems to full capacity and send devices to the parts of the country hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
One system is in route to New York City. Others are destined for Seattle, Chicago and Washington, D.C., to start.
The approval comes after urging from both Gov. Mike DeWine and President Trump.
Temporary obstacles
Even before Battelle's devices had shipped out of Ohio, the state's top leaders were advocating for the system, both behind the scenes and to the public.
DeWine spoke glowingly about Battelle's system at his regular coronavirus press conference this weekend, calling it a "major breakthrough." Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said the state had been working with the FDA for the past week to get approval.
But the FDA's decision was not what Ohio's leaders were hoping for.
Around 8 a.m. on Sunday, DeWine received news: The FDA authorized Battelle's machines to sterilize just 10,000 surgical masks per day — far short of their capacity — and only at the company's Columbus headquarters.
"The FDA's decision to severely limit the use of this lifesaving technology is nothing short of reckless," DeWine wrote in a statement. "I am not only disappointed by this development, but I'm also stunned that the FDA would decline to do all it can to protect this country's front-line workers in this serious time of need."
DeWine then brought the issue to the White House. Later Sunday morning, the governor announced on Twitter that he had a "good conversation" with Trump, who told DeWine he would do "everything he can to get this approved today."
"FDA must move quickly!" Trump tweeted. Hours later, Battelle announced it had received full approval.
"This is an example of everyone working quickly to help find a solution," said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn in a statement. "After receiving Battelle's request today, we turned it around in a matter of hours and issued a new authorization allowing them to ramp up their capability to decontaminate more respirators."
Battelle thanked the FDA for authorization in a statement Sunday night.
"Everybody who has worked on this project shares the same goal of protecting first responders and health care workers who are at the front-lines of the pandemic," said Lou Von Thaer, president and CEO of Battelle.
In a statement, DeWine thanked the FDA and the president for approving the technology.
Inside Battelle's decontamination system
At Battelle's headquarters in Columbus, WOSU took an exclusive look at how the technology works.
Hospitals will gather used PPE and send it to the closest decontamination machine. A team of four Battelle scientists will put on protective gear and step inside the containers. The outer chamber is an air lock, and the inner chamber sucks contaminated air from the container through multiple HEPA filters, then out through a vent in the back.
Used N95 masks will be laid on metal racks lining the walls. Other forms of PPE, such as goggles, can be hung on metal rods. Once the unit is full, the scientists will exit the main chamber into the air lock.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paige Pfleger/WOSU Paige Pfleger/WOSU
They will spray themselves with ethanol to ensure they aren't contaminated, before exiting the entire container and sealing it tightly.
Scientists then begin the decontamination process, which uses vapor phase hydrogen peroxide.
"We inject the vapor at the rear of the chamber, and then the fans ensure homogeneous distribution," Richter says, pointing at fans mounted in the upper corner of the unit. "We then have plumbing running to the front, so it has to travel through the entire length of the chamber before it returns and recycles back to the generator."
Loading the unit, running the decontamination process, letting it aerate, then reloading the cleaned PPE into boxes to be sent back to the hospitals takes about 12 hours.
A forklift drives into the warehouse, lifts the shipping container and loads it onto a truck headed for New York City.
Richter watches as his scientific accomplishment is prepped for deployment.
"It's been a crazy two weeks, we've been working around the clock," he says. "We just want the health care workers to have what they need. I don't want to have any health care worker without PPE, facing that choice, having to go into that room. So yeah, it feels good."


npr--2020-03-30--As The Coronavirus Spreads In Pakistan, Volunteers Rush Out To Help

As The Coronavirus Spreads In Pakistan , Volunteers Rush Out To Help Until last week , Ahsan Pirzada ran a law firm in the Pakistani capital .
But on March 22 , when businesses shut down across Islamabad and thousands of low-wage Pakistanis lost their jobs , he decided to act .
He raised thousands of dollars through his friends and Facebook acquaintances to buy food .
He converted his office into a storehouse and made ration packs with flour , rice , sugar , lentils , milk and cooking oil .
`` This is enough for a family of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days , '' says Pirzada .
He gestures to 35 food packs piled in a friend 's pickup truck that he is going to deliver to a nearby slum .
Pakistanis pride themselves on their volunteer culture , and days into countrywide shutdowns to halt the spread of the new coronavirus , citizens have sprung into action .
Pakistan has registered 18 deaths from COVID-19 and has identified 1,650 cases of infection , according to government figures , but officials say the number of people with the coronavirus could be as high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mumtaz , set up a quarantine ward for a public hospital , run by volunteers .
An entrepreneur , Umer Hussain , makes free protective suits for medics .
Individuals like Pirzada distribute food .
So do leftist groups like Corona Solidarity Campaign and the Robin Hood Army .
A Pakistani nonprofit , The Citizens Foundation , does the same but on scale , using its network of 1,600 low-cost schools to aid 700 villages and slums .
But this pandemic poses unprecedented challenges : Pirzada only has a flimsy mask because there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And in previous distributions , people crowded around him .
`` They 're in desperate straits , '' he says .
`` They will come close and they will try to grab onto you .
You can ask them to stay at a distance , but it does n't work . ''
This time , Pirzada tries something new : He and other volunteers will put the rations in a church inside the slum .
Then they 'll call each designated family to pick up their share .
Pirzada parks near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People immediately crowd around and keep entering the church , despite efforts to keep them out .
One woman tugs at Pirzada 's sleeve , demanding food .
`` Please wait five minutes , mother ! ''
Pirzada says .
`` I 've been waiting 10 ! ''
she snaps .
Another woman lingers outside , hoping for food , but she 's not on Pirzada 's distribution list of 35 families .
Shabana — she only has one name — says her brothers are out-of-work taxi drivers and they need food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribution soon .
As for his personal safety , another volunteer group will donate protective gear to him .

As The Coronavirus Spreads In Pakistan, Volunteers Rush Out To Help
Enlarge this image toggle caption Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images
Until last week, Ahsan Pirzada ran a law firm in the Pakistani capital. But on March 22, when businesses shut down across Islamabad and thousands of low-wage Pakistanis lost their jobs, he decided to act.
He raised thousands of dollars through his friends and Facebook acquaintances to buy food. He converted his office into a storehouse and made ration packs with flour, rice, sugar, lentils, milk and cooking oil.
"This is enough for a family of four to five people to survive for 14 days," says Pirzada. He gestures to 35 food packs piled in a friend's pickup truck that he is going to deliver to a nearby slum.
Pakistanis pride themselves on their volunteer culture, and days into countrywide shutdowns to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, citizens have sprung into action.
Pakistan has registered 18 deaths from COVID-19 and has identified 1,650 cases of infection, according to government figures, but officials say the number of people with the coronavirus could be as high as 12,000.
One woman, Irum Mumtaz, set up a quarantine ward for a public hospital, run by volunteers. An entrepreneur, Umer Hussain, makes free protective suits for medics. Individuals like Pirzada distribute food. So do leftist groups like Corona Solidarity Campaign and the Robin Hood Army. A Pakistani nonprofit, The Citizens Foundation, does the same but on scale, using its network of 1,600 low-cost schools to aid 700 villages and slums.
But this pandemic poses unprecedented challenges: Pirzada only has a flimsy mask because there's a global shortage of protective gear. And in previous distributions, people crowded around him. "They're in desperate straits," he says. "They will come close and they will try to grab onto you. You can ask them to stay at a distance, but it doesn't work."
This time, Pirzada tries something new: He and other volunteers will put the rations in a church inside the slum. Then they'll call each designated family to pick up their share.
Pirzada parks near the church and volunteers start unloading the rations. People immediately crowd around and keep entering the church, despite efforts to keep them out. One woman tugs at Pirzada's sleeve, demanding food. "Please wait five minutes, mother!" Pirzada says. "I've been waiting 10!" she snaps.
Another woman lingers outside, hoping for food, but she's not on Pirzada's distribution list of 35 families. Shabana — she only has one name — says her brothers are out-of-work taxi drivers and they need food.
Pirzada says he'll make another distribution soon. As for his personal safety, another volunteer group will donate protective gear to him.


npr--2020-03-30--New Law Gives Sweeping Powers To Hungary's Orban, Alarming Rights Advocates

New Law Gives Sweeping Powers To Hungary 's Orban , Alarming Rights Advocates The nationalist government in Hungary passed a law Monday granting sweeping emergency powers that Prime Minister Viktor Orban says are necessary to fight the coronavirus pandemic .
Those powers include sidelining parliament and giving Orban the power to rule by decree indefinitely .
The law would punish those who spread false information about the pandemic with up to five years in prison .
`` Changing our lives is now unavoidable , '' Orban told lawmakers last week .
`` Everyone has to leave their comfort zone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and means to defend Hungary . ''
During Monday 's vote , he said : `` When this emergency ends , we will give back all powers , without exception . ''
But critics insist that Orban is using the pandemic to grab power .
`` An indefinite and uncontrolled state of emergency can not guarantee that the basic principles of democracy will be observed , '' Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric wrote to Orban on March 24 .
Orban rose to prominence in the European Union in 2015 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asylum-seekers .
As Hungary 's prime minister for the past decade , he has upset EU leaders by weakening his country 's judicial and parliamentary systems to stifle opposition .
Kim Lane Scheppele , a Hungary expert at Princeton University , says Orban has stretched the law like no one else .
`` Bolsanaro in Brazil , Kaczynski in Poland ... Trump in the United States , all of them have thought about using emergency powers .
But no one has yet gone as far as Orban to really shut down democracy as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
Orban is popular with Hungarians , but even supporters of his Fidesz party are concerned about the country 's health care system , says Gabor Gyori , a political analyst with Policy Solutions , a left-leaning think tank in Budapest .
`` The irony is that the government is giving itself extreme powers , '' he says , but `` it is not taking any extreme measures '' when it comes to combating the coronavirus .
Zsofia Kollanyi , a health policy expert at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as toilet paper and soap , as well as severe staff shortages .
`` It 's not just that there are not enough nurses and doctors but also that we are spending ... less and less on health care , '' she says .
`` That 's something that 's got to change , especially now . ''
Hungary has confirmed more than 440 cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths , far fewer than most other European countries , though not much of Hungary 's population has been tested .
The health system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacks epidemiologists , who left after repeated restructuring in the past 15 years bled it dry , according to a report by the investigative reporting outlet Direkt 36 .
`` And suddenly this giant arrow comes out of the sky and hits him right in the Achilles ' heel , '' she says .
`` That 's what this pandemic is . ''

New Law Gives Sweeping Powers To Hungary's Orban, Alarming Rights Advocates
Enlarge this image toggle caption Zoltan Balogh/AP Zoltan Balogh/AP
The nationalist government in Hungary passed a law Monday granting sweeping emergency powers that Prime Minister Viktor Orban says are necessary to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Those powers include sidelining parliament and giving Orban the power to rule by decree indefinitely. The law would punish those who spread false information about the pandemic with up to five years in prison.
"Changing our lives is now unavoidable," Orban told lawmakers last week. "Everyone has to leave their comfort zone. This law gives the government the power and means to defend Hungary."
During Monday's vote, he said: "When this emergency ends, we will give back all powers, without exception."
But critics insist that Orban is using the pandemic to grab power. "An indefinite and uncontrolled state of emergency cannot guarantee that the basic principles of democracy will be observed," Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric wrote to Orban on March 24.
Orban rose to prominence in the European Union in 2015 by slamming the EU's open-door response to asylum-seekers. As Hungary's prime minister for the past decade, he has upset EU leaders by weakening his country's judicial and parliamentary systems to stifle opposition.
Kim Lane Scheppele, a Hungary expert at Princeton University, says Orban has stretched the law like no one else.
"Bolsanaro in Brazil, Kaczynski in Poland ... Trump in the United States, all of them have thought about using emergency powers. But no one has yet gone as far as Orban to really shut down democracy as anybody knew it in Hungary before," she says.
Orban is popular with Hungarians, but even supporters of his Fidesz party are concerned about the country's health care system, says Gabor Gyori, a political analyst with Policy Solutions, a left-leaning think tank in Budapest.
"The irony is that the government is giving itself extreme powers,"
he says, but "it is not taking any extreme measures" when it comes to combating the coronavirus.
Zsofia Kollanyi, a health policy expert at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, describes hospitals without basic sanitation such as toilet paper and soap, as well as severe staff shortages.
"It's not just that there are not enough nurses and doctors but also that we are spending ... less and less on health care," she says. "That's something that's got to change, especially now."
Hungary has confirmed more than 440 cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths, far fewer than most other European countries, though not much of Hungary's population has been tested. The health system is ill-prepared to handle testing because it lacks epidemiologists, who left after repeated restructuring in the past 15 years bled it dry, according to a report by the investigative reporting outlet Direkt 36.
Scheppele calls the health care system Orban's "Achilles' heel."
"And suddenly this giant arrow comes out of the sky and hits him right in the Achilles' heel," she says. "That's what this pandemic is."
Mate Halmos contributed reporting from Budapest.


npr--2020-03-30--Some Insurers Waive Patients' Share Of Costs For COVID-19 Treatment

Some Insurers Waive Patients ' Share Of Costs For COVID-19 Treatment Three major health insurance providers have now pledged to shield patients from high medical bills if they need treatment for COVID-19 .
Insurers Cigna and Humana announced Monday that they would waive consumer costs associated with COVID-19 treatment .
Last week , CVS Health announced a more limited change — that Aetna would waive costs to patients for hospital admissions related to the coronavirus .
These announcements are a `` big deal '' says Sabrina Corlette , co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 's deductibles for health policies in the U.S. run between $ 1,800 and $ 6,500 .
`` That 's — for most families — a lot more cash than they have sitting in their bank account , '' she says .
`` So that 's really scary . ''
All three insurers have now pledged to waive the patient 's portion of a medical bill — what 's called a patient 's `` cost sharing . ''
That means , if your plan qualifies , you wo n't have to pay your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or have to pay the usual fixed amount for a medical service or treatment ( the copayment ) , or a percentage of the total bill ( coinsurance ) .
These insurers have also pledged to waive costs to patients for coronavirus testing and telemedicine visits related to COVID-19 and its symptoms .
So far , Aetna and Cigna are pledging to waive COVID-19 treatment costs through qualified medical bills that are incurred until June 1 , 2020 .
Humana 's policy does not yet have an end date .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive vice president for health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation , this move wo n't cost insurers much , since patient co-pays and deductibles usually account for only a fraction of expensive hospital stays .
`` I think there 's also a political element here , '' he says .
`` Insurers are likely going to be asking Congress for some kind of bailout , and they want to look like good community players when they make that ask . ''
Still , not every patient will be spared high medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
You have to have insurance — 28 million people in the U.S. do not — and , for now , your insurance provider needs to be one of these three companies , though others may follow their lead .
Levitt also notes that many people who are covered by an insurance company that has made a commitment like this might not be eligible to have their costs waived .
`` Most of the people who get insurance through employers are in what are called self-funded plans , '' he explains .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcements do n't apply , since `` it 's the employers who are going to be deciding whether patients get cost relief here or not . ''
Levitt also warns that patients who ca n't get a test for the coronavirus , or whose test comes back as a false negative might still be on the hook for out-of-pocket costs .
Until testing becomes more widely and readily available , he says , that hitch could be a substantial problem for patients hoping to have their medical bills covered .
There 's also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you do n't have to pay your health insurer , you could still be billed directly by the hospitals or doctors who provide your care if they are out of your insurance network .
Nearly 1 in 5 inpatient admissions for pneumonia results in a surprise bill , according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis .
Loren Adler , associate director of USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy , says he 's hopeful that Congress will act to protect patients from surprise bills in these situations , or that providers will refrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crisis .
`` There is a very strong incentive on basically all actors not to let surprise bills happen here — much stronger than in normal cases , '' Adler says .
`` I am hopeful folks will negotiate this without involving the patient , but the possibility is still there . ''
Overall , the insurer announcements on waiving patient cost sharing are good news , but there are caveats , and those caveats mean many people may still have to worry about their medical bills in the midst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On any normal day , the expense of a hospitalization for a patient — even someone with insurance — can be overwhelming , '' he says .
`` But now we 're looking at these health care expenses coming on top of uncertainty about the economic future , people losing their jobs or getting their hours reduced — it 's a perfect storm . ''

Some Insurers Waive Patients' Share Of Costs For COVID-19 Treatment
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Three major health insurance providers have now pledged to shield patients from high medical bills if they need treatment for COVID-19. Insurers Cigna and Humana announced Monday that they would waive consumer costs associated with COVID-19 treatment. Last week, CVS Health announced a more limited change — that Aetna would waive costs to patients for hospital admissions related to the coronavirus.
These announcements are a "big deal" says Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. She notes that, on average, people's deductibles for health policies in the U.S. run between $1,800 and $6,500. "That's — for most families — a lot more cash than they have sitting in their bank account," she says. "So that's really scary."
All three insurers have now pledged to waive the patient's portion of a medical bill — what's called a patient's "cost sharing." That means, if your plan qualifies, you won't have to pay your full deductible before insurance will take over, or have to pay the usual fixed amount for a medical service or treatment (the copayment), or a percentage of the total bill (coinsurance).
These insurers have also pledged to waive costs to patients for coronavirus testing and telemedicine visits related to COVID-19 and its symptoms.
So far, Aetna and Cigna are pledging to waive COVID-19 treatment costs through qualified medical bills that are incurred until June 1, 2020. Humana's policy does not yet have an end date.
In the scheme of things, says Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, this move won't cost insurers much, since patient co-pays and deductibles usually account for only a fraction of expensive hospital stays.
"I think there's also a political element here," he says. "Insurers are likely going to be asking Congress for some kind of bailout, and they want to look like good community players when they make that ask."
Still, not every patient will be spared high medical bills if they get seriously ill with COVID-19. You have to have insurance — 28 million people in the U.S. do not — and, for now, your insurance provider needs to be one of these three companies, though others may follow their lead.
Levitt also notes that many people who are covered by an insurance company that has made a commitment like this might not be eligible to have their costs waived. "Most of the people who get insurance through employers are in what are called self-funded plans," he explains. For people in those plans, these announcements don't apply, since "it's the employers who are going to be deciding whether patients get cost relief here or not."
Levitt also warns that patients who can't get a test for the coronavirus, or whose test comes back as a false negative might still be on the hook for out-of-pocket costs. Until testing becomes more widely and readily available, he says, that hitch could be a substantial problem for patients hoping to have their medical bills covered.
There's also the issue of surprise bills. Even if you don't have to pay your health insurer, you could still be billed directly by the hospitals or doctors who provide your care if they are out of your insurance network. Nearly 1 in 5 inpatient admissions for pneumonia results in a surprise bill, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.
Loren Adler, associate director of USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy, says he's hopeful that Congress will act to protect patients from surprise bills in these situations, or that providers will refrain from balance billing, given the nature of the crisis.
"There is a very strong incentive on basically all actors not to let surprise bills happen here — much stronger than in normal cases," Adler says. "I am hopeful folks will negotiate this without involving the patient, but the possibility is still there."
Overall, the insurer announcements on waiving patient cost sharing are good news, but there are caveats, and those caveats mean many people may still have to worry about their medical bills in the midst of this epidemic, says Levitt.
"On any normal day, the expense of a hospitalization for a patient — even someone with insurance — can be overwhelming," he says. "But now we're looking at these health care expenses coming on top of uncertainty about the economic future, people losing their jobs or getting their hours reduced — it's a perfect storm."


npr--2020-03-30--If Most Of Your Coronavirus Tests Come Back Positive, You're Not Testing Enough

If Most Of Your Coronavirus Tests Come Back Positive , You 're Not Testing Enough In communities where most coronavirus tests are coming back positive , it 's a sign there are many more cases there that have n't been found , say World Health Organization officials in a press conference on Monday .
`` If 80-90 % of the people test positive , you are probably missing a lot of cases , '' says Michael Ryan , executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program .
That 's because more positives means the tests are being used mainly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result health authorities are not getting a clear picture on the scope of the epidemic in their area .
In places where every close contact and suspected case has been tested , the percent of negative cases is high .
Ryan says in countries that have extensive testing , fewer than 12 % of their tests are positive .
`` We would certainly like to see countries testing at the level of ten negative tests to one positive , as a general benchmark of a system that 's doing enough testing to pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that testing is important for both the care of an individual , and for public health officials who are trying to slow the spread of the virus .
`` Without knowing , without testing , it 's like moving blindfolded , '' he says , pointing to how South Korean health officials identified religious gatherings and hospital settings as hotspots for disease spread — and were able to take corrective actions as a result .
Coronavirus testing is inadequate in many places because the tests themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to ration them based on need .
Maria Van Kerkhove , technical lead of the WHO Health Emergencies Program , says the WHO is working with countries to increase the number of coronavirus testing labs , and to train more people to run the tests .
They 're also working to help increase the production and availability of tests and testing materials .

If Most Of Your Coronavirus Tests Come Back Positive, You're Not Testing Enough
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
In communities where most coronavirus tests are coming back positive, it's a sign there are many more cases there that haven't been found, say World Health Organization officials in a press conference on Monday.
"If 80-90% of the people test positive, you are probably missing a lot of cases," says Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program.
That's because more positives means the tests are being used mainly to confirm obvious cases, and as a result health authorities are not getting a clear picture on the scope of the epidemic in their area.
In places where every close contact and suspected case has been tested, the percent of negative cases is high. Ryan says in countries that have extensive testing, fewer than 12% of their tests are positive.
"We would certainly like to see countries testing at the level of ten negative tests to one positive, as a general benchmark of a system that's doing enough testing to pick up all cases," Ryan says.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that testing is important for both the care of an individual, and for public health officials who are trying to slow the spread of the virus.
"Without knowing, without testing, it's like moving blindfolded," he says, pointing to how South Korean health officials identified religious gatherings and hospital settings as hotspots for disease spread — and were able to take corrective actions as a result.
Coronavirus testing is inadequate in many places because the tests themselves are in short supply. Communities have had to ration them based on need.
Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, says the WHO is working with countries to increase the number of coronavirus testing labs, and to train more people to run the tests. They're also working to help increase the production and availability of tests and testing materials.


npr--2020-03-30--Mexico's President Greets El Chapo's Mom And Lawyer, Ignoring Coronavirus Rules

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told his countrymen this weekend , in video announcements , `` Do n't go out into the streets unless it 's for something absolutely necessary . ''
But the president , who 's been slow to acknowledge the new coronavirus threat , drew sharp criticism for failing to model good social distancing .
As recently as eight days ago , López Obrador urged Mexicans to go out to eat in restaurants , out of concern over an economic fallout from the virus .
On Saturday , however , Mexican health officials warned time was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in coronavirus cases .
Mexico has reported nearly 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and at least 20 deaths .
`` This is the last chance we have , we ca n't lose it , '' said Hugo López-Gatell , undersecretary of health , urging Mexicans to stay inside .
But López Obrador was not by his health official 's side .
He was out in the countryside inspecting construction projects , which he deems `` essential '' work exempt from stay-at-home orders .
Although the president asked supporters to keep their distance , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video shared on social media , the president is seen in Sinaloa state approaching a white SUV to shake the hand of its passenger — the 92-year-old mother of convicted drug trafficker Joaquín `` El Chapo '' Guzmán .
The president assures Guzmán 's mother that he received her letter and then the trafficker 's lawyer , also on the scene , puts his arm around the president and accompanies him back to the official convoy .
At his Monday morning press conference , López Obrador shrugged off criticism of his pressing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who , he said , wanted to derail his anti-corruption campaign .
`` As I 've said before the fatal plague here is corruption , not an elderly woman that deserves my respect , regardless of who her son is , '' said López Obrador .
The hardest thing for him in the time of the coronavirus , he said , is not being able to give hugs and shake hands .
`` So how am I not going to give my hand to a woman ?
How am I to leave her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
López Obrador said Guzmán 's mother had come to his event to ask for help securing a U.S. visa to visit her son , who is serving a life sentence in a federal maximum security prison in Colorado .
The president said he is willing to intervene on her behalf .
And Monday , he made her letter public .

Mexico's President Greets El Chapo's Mom And Lawyer, Ignoring Coronavirus Rules
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marco Ugarte/AP Marco Ugarte/AP
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told his countrymen this weekend, in video announcements, "Don't go out into the streets unless it's for something absolutely necessary." But the president, who's been slow to acknowledge the new coronavirus threat, drew sharp criticism for failing to model good social distancing.
As recently as eight days ago, López Obrador urged Mexicans to go out to eat in restaurants, out of concern over an economic fallout from the virus.
On Saturday, however, Mexican health officials warned time was running short to stave off a spike in coronavirus cases. Mexico has reported nearly 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and at least 20 deaths. "This is the last chance we have, we can't lose it," said Hugo López-Gatell, undersecretary of health, urging Mexicans to stay inside.
But López Obrador was not by his health official's side. He was out in the countryside inspecting construction projects, which he deems "essential" work exempt from stay-at-home orders.
Although the president asked supporters to keep their distance, he ignored his own advice. In a video shared on social media, the president is seen in Sinaloa state approaching a white SUV to shake the hand of its passenger — the 92-year-old mother of convicted drug trafficker Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
The president assures Guzmán's mother that he received her letter and then the trafficker's lawyer, also on the scene, puts his arm around the president and accompanies him back to the official convoy.
At his Monday morning press conference, López Obrador shrugged off criticism of his pressing the flesh. He lashed out at opponents who, he said, wanted to derail his anti-corruption campaign.
"As I've said before the fatal plague here is corruption, not an elderly woman that deserves my respect, regardless of who her son is," said López Obrador.
The hardest thing for him in the time of the coronavirus, he said, is not being able to give hugs and shake hands. "So how am I not going to give my hand to a woman? How am I to leave her outstretched hand hanging?" he asked.
López Obrador said Guzmán's mother had come to his event to ask for help securing a U.S. visa to visit her son, who is serving a life sentence in a federal maximum security prison in Colorado. The president said he is willing to intervene on her behalf. And Monday, he made her letter public.


npr--2020-03-30--House Looks At 4th Coronavirus Aid Package; Pelosi Says She Won't Get Test

House Looks At 4th Coronavirus Aid Package ; Pelosi Says She Wo n't Get Test House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , said House members are in the information-gathering stage of a fourth coronavirus response bill , but it could be several weeks before the lower chamber takes up the legislation .
Pelosi also said she would not be tested for the virus , even after a member who attended events with her on Friday is presumed to have a coronavirus infection .
Pelosi 's comments about the next wave of spending come after the House on Friday approved a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was signed into law by President Trump .
Earlier this month , two smaller bills addressing testing and sick leave were passed .
`` I would not suspect we would have any bipartisan legislation before we return after Easter and Passover ... but we are getting ready , '' Pelosi told reporters during a call on Monday .
The House also extended its recess until April 20 .
Pelosi said the fourth measure should address family medical leave , worker protections and pensions , health care industry support and additional aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , Pelosi said Washington , D.C. , needs additional funding , and health care workers are still seeing severe equipment shortages .
`` We must do more to help our helpers in this moment of national crisis , '' Pelosi said .
She suggested a new wave of direct payments to Americans — mirroring the $ 300 billion effort in the bill approved Friday — still needs bipartisan support to move forward in the next bill .
Pelosi also shot down interests in allowing remote voting , which has seen increasing support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
`` Let 's not waste too much time with something that is not going to happen , '' she said .
Members had urged the move as a coronavirus outbreak continues to impact lawmakers directly .
So far , five members have tested positive for the illness .
On Monday , Rep. Nydia Velazquez , D-N.Y. , said she became ill Sunday and was diagnosed as `` presumed coronavirus infection . ''
She was advised not to take a coronavirus test , she said in a statement .
The House Small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixth member if she tested positive .
On Friday , Velazquez spoke on the House floor ahead of the voice vote approving the coronavirus bill .
She also attended a subsequent bill enrollment ceremony with Pelosi and other members .
On Monday , a spokesman said Pelosi wo n't be taking a test for the coronavirus illness .
`` Following the announcement by Chairwoman Velazquez , the Speaker today consulted with the Attending Physician who found her contact to be of low risk and recommended the Speaker take no particular action , '' @ @ @ @

House Looks At 4th Coronavirus Aid Package; Pelosi Says She Won't Get Test
Enlarge this image toggle caption Win McNamee/Getty Images Win McNamee/Getty Images
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said House members are in the information-gathering stage of a fourth coronavirus response bill, but it could be several weeks before the lower chamber takes up the legislation.
Pelosi also said she would not be tested for the virus, even after a member who attended events with her on Friday is presumed to have a coronavirus infection.
Pelosi's comments about the next wave of spending come after the House on Friday approved a historic $2 trillion coronavirus response bill, which was signed into law by President Trump. Earlier this month, two smaller bills addressing testing and sick leave were passed.
"I would not suspect we would have any bipartisan legislation before we return after Easter and Passover ... but we are getting ready," Pelosi told reporters during a call on Monday.
The House also extended its recess until April 20.
Pelosi said the fourth measure should address family medical leave, worker protections and pensions, health care industry support and additional aid for state and local governments.
For example, Pelosi said Washington, D.C., needs additional funding, and health care workers are still seeing severe equipment shortages.
"We must do more to help our helpers in this moment of national crisis," Pelosi said.
She suggested a new wave of direct payments to Americans — mirroring the $300 billion effort in the bill approved Friday — still needs bipartisan support to move forward in the next bill.
Pelosi also shot down interests in allowing remote voting, which has seen increasing support among rank and file members in recent weeks.
"Let's not waste too much time with something that is not going to happen," she said.
Members had urged the move as a coronavirus outbreak continues to impact lawmakers directly.
So far, five members have tested positive for the illness. On Monday, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said she became ill Sunday and was diagnosed as "presumed coronavirus infection." She was advised not to take a coronavirus test, she said in a statement. The House Small Business Committee chair would be considered the sixth member if she tested positive.
On Friday, Velazquez spoke on the House floor ahead of the voice vote approving the coronavirus bill. She also attended a subsequent bill enrollment ceremony with Pelosi and other members.
On Monday, a spokesman said Pelosi won't be taking a test for the coronavirus illness.
"Following the announcement by Chairwoman Velazquez, the Speaker today consulted with the Attending Physician who found her contact to be of low risk and recommended the Speaker take no particular action," the statement said.


npr--2020-03-30--Florida Megachurch Pastor Arrested After Defying Order Not To Hold Gatherings

Florida Megachurch Pastor Arrested After Defying Order Not To Hold Gatherings A Florida pastor learned Monday that his defiance of a county ban on gatherings of more than ten people was not something the local sheriff was willing to tolerate .
Rodney Howard-Browne , co-founder and pastor of the River at Tampa Bay Church , held worship as usual on Sunday , even encouraging his members to attend .
By the next morning , a warrant had been issued for his arrest , and a few hours later he was taken into custody .
`` Our goal is not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and well-being of our community must always come first , '' said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister , explaining his decision to issue an arrest warrant for Howard-Browne .
`` His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger , '' Chronister said .
Howard-Browne subsequently turned himself and was put in jail .
About 40 minutes later , he was released on bail .
The pastor had repeatedly questioned the seriousness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no intention of suspending services at his church , which is said to have 4000 members .
Even after the sheriff 's office warned him that religious worship did not qualify as an `` essential '' service , and that holding services could subject him to arrest , Howard-Browne encouraged members to attend and offered to provide bus transportation .
`` I know that they 're trying to beat me up , '' Howard-Browne told the several hundred worshipers who attended his church on Sunday , `` but we are not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worship services violated `` not only the right of free speech but the right to peaceful assembly and to practice what we believe , '' Howard-Browne claimed .
State Attorney Andrew Warren said it was `` unfortunate '' that Howard-Browne was claiming a First Amendment right to proceed with the worship service .
`` I 'd remind the good pastor of Mark 12:31 , which said there 's no more important commandment than to love they neighbor as thyself , '' Warren said .
`` Loving your neighbors is protecting them , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this deadly virus . ''

Florida Megachurch Pastor Arrested After Defying Order Not To Hold Gatherings
A Florida pastor learned Monday that his defiance of a county ban on gatherings of more than 10 people was not something the local sheriff was willing to tolerate.
Rodney Howard-Browne, co-founder and pastor of the River at Tampa Bay Church, held worship as usual on Sunday, even encouraging his members to attend. By the next morning, a warrant had been issued for his arrest, and a few hours later he was taken into custody.
"Our goal is not to stop anyone from worshiping, but the safety and well-being of our community must always come first," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, explaining his decision to issue an arrest warrant for Howard-Browne.
"His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger," Chronister said.
Howard-Browne subsequently turned himself and was put in jail. About 40 minutes later, he was released on bail.
The pastor had repeatedly questioned the seriousness of the coronavirus threat and made clear he had no intention of suspending services at his church, which is said to have 4000 members.
Even after the sheriff's office warned him that religious worship did not qualify as an "essential" service, and that holding services could subject him to arrest, Howard-Browne encouraged members to attend and offered to provide bus transportation.
"I know that they're trying to beat me up," Howard-Browne told the several hundred worshipers who attended his church on Sunday, "but we are not a non-essential service."
The order against worship services violated "not only the right of free speech but the right to peaceful assembly and to practice what we believe," Howard-Browne claimed.
State Attorney Andrew Warren said it was "unfortunate" that Howard-Browne was claiming a First Amendment right to proceed with the worship service.
"I'd remind the good pastor of Mark 12:31, which said there's no more important commandment than to love they neighbor as thyself," Warren said. "Loving your neighbors is protecting them, not jeopardizing their health as exposing them to this deadly virus."


npr--2020-03-30--Ford To Build 50,000 Ventilators At Michigan Auto Parts Plant

Ford Motor Co. plans to build simple medical ventilators at a components plant in Michigan and says it hopes to produce 50,000 of the devices over the next three months .
Ventilators have been in short supply as the coronavirus pandemic grows in New York City and other hot spots around the country .
Production will start in late April at Ford 's Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti , the automaker said Monday .
Output will ramp up over time , with the bulk of the 50,000 devices being built in June .
Ford , working in collaboration with GE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design from a small medical technology company called Airon .
Ford is also , separately , working with GE Health to ramp up production of a more complex , fully featured ventilator .
A union representing GE employees has pushed for the company to use existing staff — who are facing layoffs — to build ventilators , rather than using auto workers .
On a call with reporters , a GE Health executive said the decision to partner with Ford was made in order to deliver ventilators as quickly as possible .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help manufacture ventilators , essential medical equipment that can save the lives of patients with severe COVID-19 cases .
However , Ford says the government has not finalized agreements to purchase those ventilators .
General Motors is preparing to build ventilators at an Indiana components plant , for a company called Ventec Life Systems .

Ford To Build 50,000 Ventilators At Michigan Auto Parts Plant
Ford Motor Co. plans to build simple medical ventilators at a components plant in Michigan and says it hopes to produce 50,000 of the devices over the next three months. Ventilators have been in short supply as the coronavirus pandemic grows in New York City and other hot spots around the country.
Production will start in late April at Ford's Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, the automaker said Monday. Output will ramp up over time, with the bulk of the 50,000 devices being built in June.
Ford, working in collaboration with GE Health, will be using an existing design from a small medical technology company called Airon. Ford is also, separately, working with GE Health to ramp up production of a more complex, fully featured ventilator.
A union representing GE employees has pushed for the company to use existing staff — who are facing layoffs — to build ventilators, rather than using auto workers. On a call with reporters, a GE Health executive said the decision to partner with Ford was made in order to deliver ventilators as quickly as possible.
The federal government has been pushing automakers to help manufacture ventilators, essential medical equipment that can save the lives of patients with severe COVID-19 cases.
However, Ford says the government has not finalized agreements to purchase those ventilators.
General Motors is preparing to build ventilators at an Indiana components plant, for a company called Ventec Life Systems.


npr--2020-03-30--Coronavirus: U.S. Still Seeing Thousands Of Flights, Despite A Drop In Air Travel

Coronavirus : U.S .
Still Seeing Thousands Of Flights , Despite A Drop In Air Travel Millions of Americans are currently under stay-at-home orders , part of a wider effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 , causing international air travel to plummet .
But within the U.S. , thousands of domestic passenger flights are still taking off each day .
A look at U.S. air traffic finds thousands of planes in the air – a sight that could be jarring to anyone practicing social distancing , or living under stay-at-home orders that have now been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It would be accurate to say that transatlantic traffic has fallen sharply , '' says Ian Petchenik , of the tracking site Flightradar24.com .
`` U.S. domestic traffic has also fallen significantly , about 40 % . ''
It has been two weeks since President Trump recommended Americans stay at home and urged people not to congregate in groups – guidance that has now been extended through the end of April .
But the nation 's aviation system is under no such restrictions .
And despite customers ' falling demand and airlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show the U.S. is still covered with thousands of airplane-shaped icons .
`` The U.S. domestic market is so large that even a substantial decrease leaves a lot of traffic in the sky , '' Petchenik says .
`` For instance , at 10 a.m .
ET [ Monday ] , we 're tracking 2,800 flights over the U.S. as compared to 7,800 at the beginning of March . ''
Flightradar24 illustrates the point in a pair of before-and-after images , showing a distinct drop in U.S. domestic traffic from Sunday , March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were 4,000 fewer planes in the air on the later date — but that still meant some 2,800 flights were airborne .
Petchenik also notes that the site 's tracking maps do n't differentiate between cargo and passenger flights – an important point at a time when many Americans are turning online to stock up on products they might otherwise buy in person .
In a blog post , Petchenik wrote that worldwide , the rate of flight cancellations is higher than in the U.S. '' Commercial flights decreased 55 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2019 , '' he wrote .
`` We expect this trend to continue as airlines remove additional flights from their schedules . ''
U.S. flights are still common despite the Federal Aviation Administration 's move on March 11 to waive `` slot use '' requirements that might have forced airlines to fly some routes for the sole purpose of meeting minimum-use rules at some of the nation 's most congested airports .
As of now , no U.S. states have issued orders that forbid air travel .
One of the most aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rico , which is requiring commercial flights from outside the island to land at airports where passengers can undergo health screenings .
Other U.S. officials are considering similar moves .
Late last week , the FAA issued a guidance letter for agencies at the state or local level that might be considering their own travel restrictions .
Air travel restrictions are often controversial , and in the context of fighting a pandemic , the practice can spur fierce debates .
The World Health Organization , for instance , says international travel bans generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent guidance , the WHO says it `` continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks . ''
`` In general , evidence shows that restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions , '' the WHO said in late February .
`` Furthermore , restrictions may interrupt needed aid and technical support , may disrupt businesses , and may have negative social and economic effects on the affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helpful on a temporary basis , the organization said , in situations such as `` in settings with few international connections and limited response capacities . ''
The WHO guidance did not mention travel limitations within a single country .

Coronavirus: U.S. Still Seeing Thousands Of Flights, Despite A Drop In Air Travel
Millions of Americans are currently under stay-at-home orders, part of a wider effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, causing international air travel to plummet. But within the U.S., thousands of domestic passenger flights are still taking off each day.
A look at U.S. air traffic finds thousands of planes in the air – a sight that could be jarring to anyone practicing social distancing, or living under stay-at-home orders that have now been issued in more than 10 states.
"It would be accurate to say that transatlantic traffic has fallen sharply," says Ian Petchenik, of the tracking site Flightradar24.com. "U.S. domestic traffic has also fallen significantly, about 40%."
It has been two weeks since President Trump recommended Americans stay at home and urged people not to congregate in groups – guidance that has now been extended through the end of April. But the nation's aviation system is under no such restrictions. And despite customers' falling demand and airlines canceling thousands of flights, aviation-tracking websites show the U.S. is still covered with thousands of airplane-shaped icons.
"The U.S. domestic market is so large that even a substantial decrease leaves a lot of traffic in the sky," Petchenik says. "For instance, at 10 a.m. ET, we're tracking 2,800 flights over the U.S. as compared to 7,800 at the beginning of March."
Flightradar24 illustrates the point in a pair of before-and-after images, showing a distinct drop in U.S. domestic traffic from Sunday, March 1 to Sunday, March 29. There were 4,000 fewer planes in the air on the later date — but that still meant some 2,800 flights were airborne.
Petchenik also notes that the site's tracking maps don't differentiate between cargo and passenger flights – an important point at a time when many Americans are turning online to stock up on products they might otherwise buy in person.
In a blog post, Petchenik wrote that worldwide, the rate of flight cancellations is higher than in the U.S.
"Commercial flights decreased 55% in the final week of March 2020 compared to 2019," he wrote. "We expect this trend to continue as airlines remove additional flights from their schedules."
U.S. flights are still common despite the Federal Aviation Administration's move on March 11 to waive "slot use" requirements that might have forced airlines to fly some routes for the sole purpose of meeting minimum-use rules at some of the nation's most congested airports.
As of now, no U.S. states have issued orders that forbid air travel. One of the most aggressive policies within the U.S. is in Puerto Rico, which is requiring commercial flights from outside the island to land at airports where passengers can undergo health screenings.
Other U.S. officials are considering similar moves. Late last week, the FAA issued a guidance letter for agencies at the state or local level that might be considering their own travel restrictions.
Air travel restrictions are often controversial, and in the context of fighting a pandemic, the practice can spur fierce debates. The World Health Organization, for instance, says international travel bans generally don't work well. In its most recent guidance, the WHO says it "continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks."
"In general, evidence shows that restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions," the WHO said in late February. "Furthermore, restrictions may interrupt needed aid and technical support, may disrupt businesses, and may have negative social and economic effects on the affected countries."
Such limits can be helpful on a temporary basis, the organization said, in situations such as "in settings with few international connections and limited response capacities." The WHO guidance did not mention travel limitations within a single country.


npr--2020-03-30--Marines Halt Recruits Going To Basic Training At Parris Island, S.C.

Marines Halt Recruits Going To Basic Training At Parris Island , S.C .
The U.S. Marine Corps says it is temporarily suspending the shipment of recruits to its 105-year-old depot at Parris Island , S.C. , where all newly enlisted Marines east of the Mississippi River are sent for basic training , after several people at the facility tested positive for novel coronavirus .
`` The preservation of our Marines , recruits and their families is the highest priority for Marine Corps Recruiting during this national emergency , '' reads a tweet from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've paused this week 's shipping of new recruits to Parris Island and will revise our overall shipping plan to ensure we are able to meet the nation 's needs while protecting its next generation of Marines . ''
The decision to stop sending new recruits comes four days after Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly confirmed that two recruits at the Parris Island installation had tested positive for COVID-19 , as did two Marines working in areas apart from the training spaces .
Berger last week defended continuing training operations at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's true - the Marine Corps is unique .
We are mandated by law to be the nation 's most ready force , and that 's what I think you expect us to be , '' the commandant told reporters at the Pentagon .
`` Some of that [ training ] is absolutely necessary — everything from where they live to martial arts training , some of that is pretty close and up personal , '' he added .
`` But we 're very confident that both the leadership that supervises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to respond to it are all in place . ''
In a message on Monday to recruit depot personnel , its commanding general , Brig .
Gen. James Glynn , describes the pause in receiving new recruits as necessary for bolstering facilities there .
`` We were granted this opportunity to further expand the facilities available to screen arriving recruits and personnel , as well as care for those going through quarantine and isolation , '' Glynn writes .
`` The manner in which we recruit and train has been examined , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to be made as the situation requires . ''
The Washington Post reported on March 16 that the U.S. Navy recommended freezing training for 30 days but was overruled by the Pentagon .
Marine recruiters have been told to limit their contacts with potential recruits to telephone and online exchanges .
But they are still expected to accompany those they have recruited to their points of departure for boot camp , a practice which some recruiters now consider risky .
`` I do n't know what they 're doing and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and yet I have to drive them to the hotel for shipping , '' Military.com quotes one unnamed recruiter as saying .
`` I am being exposed to this virus on a regular basis and , in turn , I am exposing my family . ''
Training for those recruits already at Parris Island and the Marines ' West Coast recruit depot in San Diego continues , according to the Marine Corps .
Continuing as well are hair grooming standards that require frequent contact with barbers who do not live at those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their heads shaved as long as the barbers come to work , but there will come that time that if it gets worse and worse and worse , where barbers wo n't come to work , '' Berger said on March 26 .
`` In that case , we 'll have to make a decision - do marines cut marines ' hair , do we make adjustments ? ''

Marines Halt Recruits Going To Basic Training At Parris Island, S.C.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sgt. Dana Beesley/AP Sgt. Dana Beesley/AP
The U.S. Marine Corps says it is temporarily suspending the shipment of recruits to its 105-year-old depot at Parris Island, S.C., where all newly enlisted Marines east of the Mississippi River are sent for basic training, after several people at the facility tested positive for novel coronavirus.
"The preservation of our Marines, recruits and their families is the highest priority for Marine Corps Recruiting during this national emergency," reads a tweet from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger. "With that in mind, we've paused this week's shipping of new recruits to Parris Island and will revise our overall shipping plan to ensure we are able to meet the nation's needs while protecting its next generation of Marines."
The decision to stop sending new recruits comes four days after Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly confirmed that two recruits at the Parris Island installation had tested positive for COVID-19, as did two Marines working in areas apart from the training spaces.
Berger last week defended continuing training operations at Parris Island despite the coronavirus pandemic. "It's true - the Marine Corps is unique. We are mandated by law to be the nation's most ready force, and that's what I think you expect us to be," the commandant told reporters at the Pentagon.
"Some of that [training] is absolutely necessary — everything from where they live to martial arts training, some of that is pretty close and up personal," he added. "But we're very confident that both the leadership that supervises that training and the medical capabilities needed to respond to it are all in place."
In a message on Monday to recruit depot personnel, its commanding general, Brig. Gen. James Glynn, describes the pause in receiving new recruits as necessary for bolstering facilities there.
"We were granted this opportunity to further expand the facilities available to screen arriving recruits and personnel, as well as care for those going through quarantine and isolation," Glynn writes. "The manner in which we recruit and train has been examined, with many modifications already made, and they will continue to be made as the situation requires."
The Washington Post reported on March 16 that the U.S. Navy recommended freezing training for 30 days but was overruled by the Pentagon.
Marine recruiters have been told to limit their contacts with potential recruits to telephone and online exchanges. But they are still expected to accompany those they have recruited to their points of departure for boot camp, a practice which some recruiters now consider risky.
"I don't know what they're doing and if they've been exposed to the virus, and yet I have to drive them to the hotel for shipping," Military.com quotes one unnamed recruiter as saying. "I am being exposed to this virus on a regular basis and, in turn, I am exposing my family."
Training for those recruits already at Parris Island and the Marines' West Coast recruit depot in San Diego continues, according to the Marine Corps.
Continuing as well are hair grooming standards that require frequent contact with barbers who do not live at those installations.
"Everybody's still getting their heads shaved as long as the barbers come to work, but there will come that time that if it gets worse and worse and worse, where barbers won't come to work," Berger said on March 26. "In that case, we'll have to make a decision - do marines cut marines' hair, do we make adjustments?"