npr--2020-08-28--Everything Is Unprecedented. Welcome To Your Hotter Earth

Everything Is Unprecedented .
Welcome To Your Hotter Earth The upshot of climate change is that everyone alive is destined to experience unprecedented disasters .
The most powerful hurricanes , the most intense wildfires , the most prolonged heat waves and the most frequent outbreaks of new diseases are all in our future .
Records will be broken , again and again .
But the predicted destruction is still shocking when it unfolds all at the same time .
This week , Americans are living through concurrent disasters .
In California , more than 200,000 people were under evacuation orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing smoky air .
On the Gulf Coast , people weathered a tropical storm at the beginning of the week .
Two days later , about half a million were ordered to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura .
We 're six months into a global pandemic , and the Earth is on track to have one of its hottest years on record .
Climate scientist Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii says if our collective future were a movie , this week would be the trailer .
`` There is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
`` There 's not going to be a happy ending to this movie . ''
Mora was an author of a study examining all the effects of climate change .
The researchers concluded that concurrent disasters will get more and more common as the Earth gets hotter .
That means we will live through more weeks like this one — when fires , floods , heat waves and disease outbreaks layer on top of each other .
`` Keep in mind that all these things are related , '' Mora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature .
As a result , the temperature is accelerating the evaporation of water .
The evaporation of water leads to drought that in turn leads to heat waves and wildfires .
In places that are humid , that evaporation — the same evaporation — leads to massive precipitation that is then commonly followed by floods . ''
Disease outbreaks are also more likely .
The most recent U.S. National Climate Assessment warns that changing weather patterns make it more likely that insect-borne illnesses will affect the U.S .
Climate change is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come in contact with each other in new and dangerous ways .
If humans dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately , scientists say it will help avoid the most catastrophic global warming scenarios .
Worldwide emissions are still rising , and the United States is the planet 's second-largest emitter .
Mora says helping people connect the dots between the current disasters and greenhouse gas emissions should be every scientist 's priority .
`` That 's the million dollar question , '' he says .
`` How do we speak to people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate the significance of these problems ? ''
Climate change is making the air and water hotter , and that means more power for hurricanes .
`` Whenever you get ocean temperatures that are much above average , you 're asking for trouble , '' meteorologist Jeff Masters explains .
`` And we 've seen some of the warmest ocean temperatures on record for the Atlantic basin this year . ''
Hot water is like a battery charger for hurricanes .
As a storm moves over hot water , like Hurricane Laura did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy very quickly .
In recent years , scientists have seen evidence that global warming is already making storms more likely to grow large and powerful and more likely to intensify quickly .
That 's an alarming trend .
`` We 're not very good at forecasting rapid intensification , '' Masters says .
`` That 's critical because that gives you less time to prepare if there 's a storm rapidly intensifying right before landfall . ''
Scientists have also found that hurricanes are dropping more rain , which means more flooding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and damaging effect of a hurricane .
Studies show many people underestimate the flood risks from hurricanes .
Just a few inches of moving water can make it impossible to stay on your feet or control your car .
Add all that to the current pandemic , and you get a dangerous situation , especially for people living in the path of the storm .
As NPR has reported , safe options for people who evacuate this year could be limited , because group shelters might accept fewer people in order to maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country as more people struggle to keep their homes during the economic crash .
Andreanica Morris , the executive director of the non-profit HousingNOLA , says this week 's hurricanes are especially risky to the many people in Louisiana who do n't have secure places to live because they were evicted .
`` People are becoming more vulnerable as this Covid crisis goes on , '' Morris says , as more people get laid off or run out of savings .
`` We have frankly been failing to serve the most vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made vulnerable by these cascading catastrophes . ''
The fingerprints of climate change are all over the Western wildfires , too .
There are nearly 100 large uncontained fires burning across the U.S. More than a million acres have burned in California alone - almost all in the last few weeks .
The smoke has blanketed cities and cast a haze from coast to coast .
Wildfires , like hurricanes , are a natural occurrence .
They existed long before humans started rapidly changing the climate and are a necessary process for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scientific evidence shows that a warming climate has changed the status quo .
Fires are burning more frequently and intensely in places where they 've always occurred , and they 're creeping into places where they were previously rare .
Wildfires thrive on high heat , low humidity , strong winds and dry vegetation , all of which are more likely to occur in a warming climate , says Noah Diffenbaugh , a professor of earth system sciences at Stanford University .
Diffenbaugh was a co-author of a recent study that found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days when conditions would support extreme fire in California .
`` And it 's particularly increased the odds that those conditions occur broadly , simultaneously , '' Diffenbaugh says .
Take the fires currently burning across the West .
Two of the fire clusters in California are among the five largest wildfires in state history .
The Pine Gulch Fire , chewing across the Western slope of the Colorado Rockies , is now largest fire in that state 's history .
All occurred during a heat wave that broke temperature records from Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit - a temperature , if verified , that would rank as one of the hottest ever reliably recorded on the planet .
At the same time , scientists are warning that Colorado and much of the Western U.S. may be in the early stages of a climate-fueled megadrought , the likes of which have n't been seen in the last 1,200 years .
`` When you have warmer temperatures and you 're lengthening the warm season , you 're also lengthening the time when wildfires have a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Becky Bolinger , Colorado 's assistant state climatologist .
The fire season is growing at a time when more people are in harm 's way .
Millions of houses in the Western U.S. have been built in fire-prone areas , many before building codes required fire-resistant roofs and siding .
Many landscapes are also primed to burn due to overgrown brush and trees .
For much of the last century , the U.S. Forest Service and other fire agencies extinguished wildfires , allowing vegetation to build up .
Experts say that living with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more planning and preparation .
Communities will have to strengthen existing homes and infrastructure , as well as improve evacuation and emergency plans .
Some neighborhoods could prove too unsafe for residents at all .
How bad it eventually gets depends on how quickly the world can reduce carbon emissions .
But the past weeks should make clear : `` Climate change and its impacts are not the future , '' says Crystal Kolden , a fire scientist at the University of California , Merced .
`` They are now . ''

Everything Is Unprecedented. Welcome To Your Hotter Earth
Enlarge this image toggle caption Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
The upshot of climate change is that everyone alive is destined to experience unprecedented disasters. The most powerful hurricanes, the most intense wildfires, the most prolonged heat waves and the most frequent outbreaks of new diseases are all in our future. Records will be broken, again and again.
But the predicted destruction is still shocking when it unfolds at the same time.
This week, Americans are living through concurrent disasters. In California, more than 200,000 people were under evacuation orders because of wildfires, and millions are breathing smoky air. On the Gulf Coast, people weathered a tropical storm at the beginning of the week. Two days later, about half a million were ordered to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura. We're six months into a global pandemic, and the Earth is on track to have one of its hottest years on record.
Climate scientist Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii says if our collective future were a movie, this week would be the trailer.
"There is not a single ending that is good," he says. "There's not going to be a happy ending to this movie."
Mora was an author of a study examining all the effects of climate change. The researchers concluded that concurrent disasters will get more and more common as the Earth gets hotter. That means we will live through more weeks like this one — when fires, floods, heat waves and disease outbreaks layer on top of one another.
"Keep in mind that all these things are related," Mora explains. "CO2 is increasing the temperature. As a result, the temperature is accelerating the evaporation of water. The evaporation of water leads to drought that in turn leads to heat waves and wildfires. In places that are humid, that evaporation — the same evaporation — leads to massive precipitation that is then commonly followed by floods."
Disease outbreaks are also more likely. The most recent U.S. National Climate Assessment warns that changing weather patterns make it more likely that insect-borne illnesses will affect the U.S. Climate change is also causing people and animals to move and come in contact with one another in new and dangerous ways.
If humans dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately, scientists say it will help avoid the most catastrophic global warming scenarios. Worldwide emissions are still rising, and the United States is the planet's second-largest emitter.
Mora says helping people connect the dots between the current disasters and greenhouse gas emissions should be every scientist's priority. "That's the million-dollar question," he says. "How do we speak to people in a way that we get them to appreciate the significance of these problems?"
Enlarge this image toggle caption NOAA via AP NOAA via AP
Hurricanes and climate change
Climate change is making the air and water hotter, and that means more power for hurricanes.
"Whenever you get ocean temperatures that are much above average, you're asking for trouble," meteorologist Jeff Masters explains. "And we've seen some of the warmest ocean temperatures on record for the Atlantic basin this year."
Hot water is like a battery charger for hurricanes. As a storm moves over hot water, like Hurricane Laura did this week, it captures moisture and energy very quickly. In recent years, scientists have seen evidence that global warming is already making storms more likely to grow large and powerful and more likely to intensify quickly.
That's an alarming trend. "We're not very good at forecasting rapid intensification," Masters says. "That's critical because that gives you less time to prepare if there's a storm rapidly intensifying right before landfall."
Scientists have also found that hurricanes are dropping more rain, which means more flooding. Flooding is consistently the most deadly and damaging effect of a hurricane. Studies show many people underestimate the flood risks from hurricanes. Just a few inches of moving water can make it impossible to stay on your feet or control your car.
Add all that to the current pandemic, and you get a dangerous situation, especially for people living in the path of the storm. As NPR has reported, safe options for people who evacuate this year could be limited because group shelters might accept fewer people in order to maintain social distancing.
Concurrent disasters are hitting the country as more people struggle to keep their homes during the economic crash. Andreanecia Morris, the executive director of the nonprofit HousingNOLA, says this week's hurricanes are especially risky to the many people in Louisiana who don't have secure places to live because they were evicted.
"People are becoming more vulnerable as this COVID crisis goes on," Morris says, as more people get laid off or run out of savings. "We have frankly been failing to serve the most vulnerable, and the people who have been made vulnerable by these cascading catastrophes."
Wildfires and Climate Change
The fingerprints of climate change are all over the Western wildfires, too.
There are nearly 100 large uncontained fires burning across the U.S. More than a million acres have burned in California alone — almost all in the last few weeks. The smoke has blanketed cities and cast a haze from coast to coast.
Wildfires, like hurricanes, are a natural occurrence. They existed long before humans started rapidly changing the climate and are a necessary process for many Western landscapes. But a growing body of scientific evidence shows that a warming climate has changed the status quo.
Fires are burning more frequently and intensely in places where they've always occurred, and they're creeping into places where they were previously rare.
Wildfires thrive on high heat, low humidity, strong winds and dry vegetation, all of which are more likely to occur in a warming climate, says Noah Diffenbaugh, a professor of earth system sciences at Stanford University.
Diffenbaugh was a co-author of a recent study that found climate change has doubled the number of days when conditions would support extreme fire in California. "And it's particularly increased the odds that those conditions occur broadly, simultaneously," Diffenbaugh says.
Take the fires currently burning across the West.
Two of the fire clusters in California are among the five largest wildfires in state history. The Pine Gulch Fire, chewing across the Western slope of the Colorado Rockies, is now the largest fire in that state's history.
All occurred during a heat wave that broke temperature records from Texas to Washington state. Death Valley, Calif., reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature, if verified, that would rank as one of the hottest ever reliably recorded on the planet. At the same time, scientists are warning that Colorado and much of the Western U.S. may be in the early stages of a climate-fueled megadrought, the likes of which haven't been seen in the last 1,200 years.
"When you have warmer temperatures and you're lengthening the warm season, you're also lengthening the time when wildfires have a chance to start and grow," says Becky Bolinger, Colorado's assistant state climatologist.
The fire season is growing at a time when more people are in harm's way. Millions of houses in the Western U.S. have been built in fire-prone areas, many before building codes required fire-resistant roofs and siding. Many landscapes are also primed to burn because of overgrown brush and trees. For much of the last century, the U.S. Forest Service and other fire agencies extinguished wildfires, allowing vegetation to build up.
Experts say that living with both destructive wildfires and hurricanes will take more planning and preparation. Communities will have to strengthen existing homes and infrastructure, as well as improve evacuation and emergency plans. Some neighborhoods could prove too unsafe for residents at all.
How bad it eventually gets depends on how quickly the world can reduce carbon emissions. But the past weeks should make clear: "Climate change and its impacts are not the future," says Crystal Kolden, a fire scientist at the University of California, Merced. "They are now."


npr--2020-08-28--More Space, Please: Home Sales Booming Despite Pandemic, Recession

More Space , Please : Home Sales Booming Despite Pandemic , Recession For months after the pandemic hit , Caroline Wells and her husband were working remotely from their home in San Antonio , while trying to ride herd on their two young kids .
She says the house has basically no yard and it 's on a busy street .
So sending the kids outside to play was not happening .
`` Probably the worst moment was when I was actually on a focus group that my company put on to hear the needs of parents , '' Wells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because everyone in the house was using the Wi-Fi at the same time— including her 6-year-old son , who was hiding out in a fort made of blankets and chairs in the living room .
`` I had to crawl into the fort to get him off the Internet , had to end up finishing the Zoom call on my cellphone in the closet with the door locked on the floor , '' Wells says .
`` I was like , I ca n't even get through a focus group about how hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's so hard to work from home ! ''
That was the moment she decided : `` I ca n't do this . ''
That 's a big part of what 's driving home sales right now — people want more space .
Despite the steepest plunge into a recession on record , historically high unemployment and an uncertain outlook for the economy , the housing market is on a tear .
`` The home sales are quite remarkable , given that we are still in the midst of the global pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief economist for the National Association of Realtors .
He says after falling off a cliff in the spring , home sales have now more than recovered .
In June , sales of existing homes jumped more than 20 % , a record .
Then they broke that record in July with a nearly 25 % gain .
Yun says the pace of home sales is now up about 9 % from a year ago and the median price for homes and condos has hit a new record of $ 304,100 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the Realtors group said pending home sales remain on the rise .
Yun says low mortgage rates are certainly a driving force — those have also been breaking records .
But he says people working remotely and wanting more space is a big factor too .
In her case , Wells and her family started looking at houses in the suburbs outside San Antonio .
They offered more than the asking price and still got outbid on the first house they liked .
But they found another , put in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 376,900 .
It 's a four-bedroom single-family home on almost two acres on a quiet cul-de-sac with a big yard for the kids .
Wells says she 's looking forward to turning the kids loose in the yard since , up until now , `` we 're just putting on movie after movie to keep them entertained so we could work . ''
The housing boom is a sign of what a strange recession this is .
Millions of Americans are out of work and in desperate financial shape .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just about as high as it 's ever been since the Great Depression .
Twenty-seven million people are collecting unemployment at last count .
But many other people are working remotely and saving a lot of money because they 're not spending it on restaurants or plane tickets for vacation .
Homeownership rates for African Americans and Latinos , which lag those of whites , fell sharply after the housing crash a decade ago , but Yun says before the pandemic they were starting to recover .
Cesar Escobar is a housing counselor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center , a nonprofit that classes to many minority home buyers .
`` There 's a lot of bungalows , homes , '' Escobar says .
`` Once you have a family this is a good neighborhood to live in . ''
And Escobar says the Zoom call homebuying classes are full and the desire to stop paying rent to a landlord and become a homeowner is alive and well .
`` If I 'm paying this much in rent , I might as well just buy a house , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to build their equity , they want to have something in their name or for their kids . ''
Because so many people are trying to refinance or buy a house , the mortgage system can get overloaded right now .
That caused a snag for Caroline Wells and her family in San Antonio .
She and her husband did n't want to close on the new house until they sold the old one .
And she says the people buying her old home had their loan unexpectedly get stuck in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family had moved out , put just about all their belongings in storage and ended up staying with family .
And this week they were stranded in a hotel waiting for that loan approval .
`` Every day is like another sad text or call from our Realtor , 'No news guys , like so sorry ' , '' she said earlier this week .
She says it 's been `` lots of sleepless nights , lots of wondering if it 's all worth it but trying to be hopeful . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the sale just went through and they can move into their new house .
So the kids can build a new fort , this time in the backyard .

More Space, Please: Home Sales Booming Despite Pandemic, Recession
Enlarge this image toggle caption Trisha Kosub Trisha Kosub
For months after the pandemic hit, Caroline Wells and her husband were working remotely from their home in San Antonio while trying to ride herd on their two young children. She says the house has basically no yard, and it's on a busy street. So sending the kids outside to play was not happening.
"Probably the worst moment was when I was actually on a focus group that my company put on to hear the needs of parents," Wells says. The Zoom call kept freezing because everyone in the house was using the Wi-Fi at the same time— including her 6-year-old son, who was hiding out in a fort made of blankets and chairs in the living room.
"I had to crawl into the fort to get him off the Internet, had to end up finishing the Zoom call on my cellphone in the closet with the door locked on the floor," Wells says. "I was like, I can't even get through a focus group about how hard it is to work from home because it's so hard to work from home!"
That was the moment she decided: "I can't do this."
That's a big part of what's driving home sales right now — people want more space.
Despite the steepest plunge into a recession on record, historically high unemployment and an uncertain outlook for the economy, the housing market is on a tear.
"The home sales are quite remarkable, given that we are still in the midst of the global pandemic," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. He says after falling off a cliff in the spring, home sales have now more than recovered.
toggle caption National Association of Realtors
In June, sales of existing homes jumped more than 20%, a record. Then they broke that record in July with a nearly 25% gain. Yun says the pace of home sales is now up about 9% from a year ago, and the median price for homes and condos has hit a new record of $304,100.
The boom looks likely to continue. This week, the Realtors group said pending home sales remain on the rise.
Yun says low mortgage rates are certainly a driving force — those have also been breaking records. But he says people working remotely and wanting more space is a big factor, too.
In Wells' case, she and her family started looking at houses in the suburbs outside San Antonio. They offered more than the asking price and still got outbid on the first house they liked. But they found another, put in an offer, and they're buying it for $376,900. It's a four-bedroom, single-family home on almost 2 acres on a quiet cul-de-sac with a big yard for the kids.
toggle caption National Association of Realtors
Wells says she's looking forward to turning the kids loose in the yard since, up until now, "we're just putting on movie after movie to keep them entertained so we could work."
The housing boom is a sign of what a strange recession this is. Millions of Americans are out of work and in desperate financial shape. The unemployment rate at 10.2% is still just about as high as it's ever been since the Great Depression. Twenty-seven million people are collecting unemployment at last count. But many other people are working remotely and saving a lot of money because they're not spending it on restaurants or plane tickets for vacation.
toggle caption Freddie Mac
Homeownership rates for African Americans and Latinos, which lag those of whites, fell sharply after the housing crash a decade ago, but Yun says before the pandemic they were starting to recover.
Cesar Escobar is a housing counselor in Chicago at the Northwest Side Housing Center, a nonprofit that offers classes to many minority homebuyers. "There's a lot of bungalows, homes," Escobar says. "Once you have a family, this is a good neighborhood to live in."
And Escobar says the Zoom call homebuying classes are full and the desire to stop paying rent to a landlord and become a homeowner is alive and well. "If I'm paying this much in rent, I might as well just buy a house," he says many clients tell him. "They want to build their equity; they want to have something in their name or for their kids."
Because so many people are trying to refinance or buy a house, the mortgage system can get overloaded right now. That caused a snag for Wells and her family in San Antonio.
She and her husband didn't want to close on the new house until they sold the old one. And she says the people buying her old home had their loan unexpectedly get stuck in a backlog for weeks.
Wells and her family had moved out, put just about all their belongings in storage and ended up staying with family. And this week they were stranded in a hotel waiting for that loan approval.
"Every day is like another sad text or call from our Realtor, 'No news guys, like so sorry,' " she said earlier this week. She says it's been "lots of sleepless nights, lots of wondering if it's all worth it but trying to be hopeful."
But the hope paid off. Wells now says the sale just went through and they can move into their new house. So the kids can build a new fort, this time in the backyard.
Ashish Valentine contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-28--Poor Neighborhoods Feel Brunt Of Rising Heat. Cities Are Mapping Them To Bring Relief

Poor Neighborhoods Feel Brunt Of Rising Heat .
Cities Are Mapping Them To Bring Relief This summer volunteers are fanning out in 13 cities across the U.S. to — quite literally — take the temperature of their neighborhoods .
It 's part of a project to help protect people as the world warms , and in many places it 's highlighting how the poorest areas suffer most from rising urban heat .
Take the Dove Springs neighborhood of Austin .
Like much of the city , Dove Springs was built for the car .
Just off the highway , four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocks lead commuters to winding blocks of 70s era single family homes .
It 's a Hispanic and working-class part of town , known locally for the damaging floods that tore through in 2013 and 2015 .
( A study published last year found that , nationwide , poor Americans are also more likely to live in flood-prone areas . )
Frances Acuña , a longtime resident and community organizer focused on public health , says she 's noticed Dove Springs is getting hotter .
Records back that up .
In the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digit days have become common , and nights are n't cooling down like they used to .
`` I was noticing yesterday as soon as I got out , it was like the heat was penetrating into my skin , '' Acuña said on a recent August morning .
A big contributor is climate change .
But in cities , asphalt and concrete are making it worse .
They absorb heat , then radiate it back into the air , in what 's called the urban heat island effect .
Even within cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fifteen degrees in a matter of blocks .
It is often lower income parts of town , like Dove Springs , that are the hottest .
In fact , a national study this year linked hotter temperatures to areas subjected to discriminatory , race-based housing practices nearly a century ago .
These are also the places where people have fewer resources to combat heat-related illness .
So , for Acuña , it 's an environmental justice issue .
`` We have more asthma cases , we have more respiratory infections , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this has to do with the heat . ''
That 's why she 's one of twelve Austin volunteers who agreed to attach a specialized sensor to the side of her car , and drive through a neighborhood to create highly detailed heat maps .
The sensors `` stick out like ... snorkels , '' says Marc Coudert of Austin 's Office of Sustainability .
He 's helping organize the project , which is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .
Cities normally use satellite data to create heat maps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so places like mall parking lots and airports show up hottest .
`` We do n't want to use that as a mechanism to invest in Austin to reduce heat , '' says Coudert .
`` Because there are very few people who live at the airport , there are very few people to none who live in malls . ''
Instead , volunteers mount sensors on their car or bicycle and head out on specially designed routes , morning , noon and evening on a single day .
They capture both temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to calculate the heat index that people actually experience where they live , work and play .
`` The routes are very specific and very confusing , '' Coudert says .
He shows off a map marked with squiggly lines .
Frances Acuña attaches her sensor to the driver 's side door and sets out with a friend along to navigate .
The temperature is hitting triple digits and she sees things that make that worse .
`` There 's a bus stop right here with no shade structure , '' she points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbors waiting there , and `` sometimes I give them a ride because I feel for them . ''
Passing by her son 's school she mentions how he comes home on hot days dehydrated and `` red , completely red . ''
In an area buzzing with new construction she talks about how her brother works as a roofer and struggles in summer sun .
`` I think the more you live in this heat ... the more resilient people become , '' she says .
`` But at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have years cut from your life . ''
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 600 people in the U.S. die every year from extreme heat .
But a recent study suggests the number may be far higher , upwards of 5,000 annually , with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths .
Marc Coudert says along with the actual maps , observations like Acuña 's will help officials understand the `` true impact '' of heat in Austin neighborhoods .
After the data is gathered and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help Austin and other cities find ways to cool the hottest areas .
Such projects could be simple , such as planting more trees , building shade structures , or creating more crosswalks so people can quickly get out of the sun .
They could also be more complicated .
`` Maybe it is n't structure , maybe it 's actually policies , '' says Coudert .
`` Maybe it 's how we set up times that places are open .
Maybe it 's understanding how people get to a grocery store from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buses instead of one .
Maybe it 's something we have n't thought about . ''
The highly localized maps could also advance science on a global scale .
`` We do n't really understand fully everything there is to know about urban heat islands yet , '' says Hunter Jones , with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .
Jones says researchers will use the maps to learn how urban heat interacts with climate change , and what strategies work best to combat it .
`` It would be interesting to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later to see how things have changed , both intentionally and unintentionally , to see how things have developed , '' he says .
In Austin , Frances Acuña says there 's no time to lose for her community .
`` If we do n't do something about the heat now , it 's gon na get a lot worse . ''

Poor Neighborhoods Feel Brunt Of Rising Heat. Cities Are Mapping Them To Bring Relief
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT News Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT News
This summer volunteers are fanning out in 13 cities across the U.S. to — quite literally — take the temperature of their neighborhoods. It's part of a project to help protect people as the world warms, and in many places it's highlighting how the poorest areas suffer most from rising urban heat.
Take the Dove Springs neighborhood of Austin.
Like much of the city, Dove Springs was built for the car. Just off the highway, four lane roads with strip malls and apartment blocks lead commuters to winding blocks of 70s era single family homes.
It's a Hispanic and working-class part of town, known locally for the damaging floods that tore through in 2013 and 2015. (A study published last year found that, nationwide, poor Americans are also more likely to live in flood-prone areas.)
Frances Acuña, a longtime resident and community organizer focused on public health, says she's noticed Dove Springs is getting hotter. Records back that up. In the last couple of decades long stretches of triple digit days have become common, and nights aren't cooling down like they used to.
"I was noticing yesterday as soon as I got out, it was like the heat was penetrating into my skin," Acuña said on a recent August morning.
A big contributor is climate change. But in cities, asphalt and concrete are making it worse. They absorb heat, then radiate it back into the air, in what's called the urban heat island effect. Even within cities it can change the temperature by ten to fifteen degrees in a matter of blocks.
It is often lower income parts of town, like Dove Springs, that are the hottest. In fact, a national study this year linked hotter temperatures to areas subjected to discriminatory, race-based housing practices nearly a century ago.
These are also the places where people have fewer resources to combat heat-related illness. So, for Acuña, it's an environmental justice issue.
"We have more asthma cases, we have more respiratory infections," she says. "I believe all this has to do with the heat."
That's why she's one of twelve Austin volunteers who agreed to attach a specialized sensor to the side of her car, and drive through a neighborhood to create highly detailed heat maps.
Measuring the "true impact" of heat
The sensors "stick out like... snorkels," says Marc Coudert of Austin's Office of Sustainability. He's helping organize the project, which is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Cities normally use satellite data to create heat maps. But that measures only surface temperature, so places like mall parking lots and airports show up hottest.
"We don't want to use that as a mechanism to invest in Austin to reduce heat," says Coudert. "Because there are very few people who live at the airport, there are very few people to none who live in malls."
Instead, volunteers mount sensors on their car or bicycle and head out on specially designed routes, morning, noon and evening on a single day. They capture both temperature and humidity, which are then used to calculate the heat index that people actually experience where they live, work and play.
"The routes are very specific and very confusing," Coudert says. He shows off a map marked with squiggly lines.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Minasi/KUT News Michael Minasi/KUT News
Frances Acuña attaches her sensor to the driver's side door and sets out with a friend along to navigate. The temperature is hitting triple digits and she sees things that make that worse.
"There's a bus stop right here with no shade structure," she points out. She says she often sees neighbors waiting there, and "sometimes I give them a ride because I feel for them."
Passing by her son's school she mentions how he comes home on hot days dehydrated and "red, completely red." In an area buzzing with new construction she talks about how her brother works as a roofer and struggles in summer sun.
"I think the more you live in this heat... the more resilient people become," she says. "But at the end of the day, that's where you have years cut from your life."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 600 people in the U.S. die every year from extreme heat. But a recent study suggests the number may be far higher, upwards of 5,000 annually, with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths.
Marc Coudert says along with the actual maps, observations like Acuña's will help officials understand the "true impact" of heat in Austin neighborhoods.
Finding ways to cool down
After the data is gathered and calculated, the new heat maps will help Austin and other cities find ways to cool the hottest areas.
Such projects could be simple, such as planting more trees, building shade structures, or creating more crosswalks so people can quickly get out of the sun.
They could also be more complicated.
"Maybe it isn't structure, maybe it's actually policies," says Coudert. "Maybe it's how we set up times that places are open. Maybe it's understanding how people get to a grocery store from home, and have to take two buses instead of one. Maybe it's something we haven't thought about."
The highly localized maps could also advance science on a global scale.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Map produced by Vivek Shandas and Jeremy Hoffman/NOAA Climate.gov Map produced by Vivek Shandas and Jeremy Hoffman/NOAA Climate.gov
"We don't really understand fully everything there is to know about urban heat islands yet," says Hunter Jones, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Jones says researchers will use the maps to learn how urban heat interacts with climate change, and what strategies work best to combat it.
"It would be interesting to go back and look at some a few years later to see how things have changed, both intentionally and unintentionally, to see how things have developed," he says.
In Austin, Frances Acuña says there's no time to lose for her community. "If we don't do something about the heat now, it's gonna get a lot worse."


npr--2020-08-28--7 Takeaways From The Republican National Convention

Well , the 2020 national political conventions are over .
The Republicans wrapped up Thursday night , and there was a lot to digest , not least a clearer sense of what the post-Labor Day sprint is going to look and sound like .
Here are seven takeaways from the RNC : 1 .
Trump tried to make the election a little less about him As much as the Republican National Convention was all about Trump , the president and his campaign needed to try to make the election a little less about him .
Trump 's approval rating has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
It 's had the smallest range of any president since Jimmy Carter and has not been net-positive since two weeks after his inauguration .
A majority of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing on the coronavirus and think he 's fanning the flames of racial division .
So running solely on his record would put Trump at a disadvantage in this election .
Trump struggled to defend his handling of the pandemic during his acceptance speech .
So he attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for saying he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded it .
Trump called that `` a surrender to the virus . ''
`` [ Americans ] have to get back to work , they have to get back to school , '' he said .
Trump then claimed , `` We will have a safe and effective vaccine this year .
And together we will crush the virus . ''
But taunting COVID-19 wo n't make it go away any faster than saying it will miraculously `` disappear . ''
The polling in this race between Biden and Trump has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above 50 % and , like his approval rating , Trump has been stuck in the low 40s .
So we 'll see in a couple of weeks whether Republicans ' attempted reframing worked , and what rhetoric sank in with voters .
2 .
This convention tried to sell a version of Trump a lot of Americans do n't recognize Convention speakers said Trump is a `` kind and decent '' man ; that he promotes and listens to women ; that he values Black men , new immigrants and the disabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good job handling the pandemic .
But Trump is known for his public belittling of those who disagree with him ; he has a history of demeaning women , and almost two dozen have accused him of sexual misconduct ; he 's been unable to say `` Black Lives Matter '' or Jacob Blake 's name ; he 's taken a harder line on immigration than any modern president ; mocked a disabled reporter ; worked to have a close relationship with China 's President Xi Jinping ( his daughter even had trademarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus ; and he acted late on the pandemic , dismissing it as something that would `` disappear , '' maybe even by Easter or during the warmth of summer .
One thing is clear about the GOP convention : Trump 's campaign recognizes his serious vulnerabilities .
He 's not widely seen as caring and empathetic , has frequently made racist statements and is not getting good marks on the coronavirus .
So Republicans brought out person after person to present a portrait of Trump you just might not see in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the culture wars White `` economic anxiety '' as an explanation for Trump 's victory in 2016 was always a myth .
Nativism and white grievance were more the core of Trump 's candidacy .
And Trump 's continued support from his base even amid his handling of the pandemic and an economic collapse shows that 's even more true in 2020 .
Both Democrats and Republicans are saying this is a battle for the soul of the nation .
And they 're both right .
It just depends on what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The country is at a crossroads .
And both conventions laid out the very different paths it could take .
Trump and multiple speakers said that under a Biden presidency a liberal dystopia would take hold and the country would n't be safe .
A Biden presidency , Trump said , will `` give free reign to violent anarchists , agitators and criminals who threaten our citizens '' and `` destroy '' the American way of life .
Meantime , Biden on Thursday said of violent protests : `` This happens to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the country will be far safer once Trump is out of office .
Biden also called out Trump 's resistance to condemn right-wing extremism and white nationalism .
Biden has frequently said he was prompted to run for president by Trump 's remarks following racist and anti-Semitic violence in Charlottesville , Va. , when he said there were `` good people on both sides . ''
But Republicans think they 've found something with their push on crime .
Biden on Thursday said Trump is rooting for violence .
A report from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that approval of Black Lives Matter had declined from June until August ( before the shooting of Jacob Blake ) : But FiveThirtyEight 's Perry Bacon pointed out that the decline and Biden 's electoral prospects `` are not closely linked — at least not so far '' : 4 .
The message against Biden is still somewhat boilerplate and incongruous Is Biden a Trojan horse for Black Lives Matter , or is he a racist who does n't understand African Americans ?
Is he too tough on crime because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to defund the police ?
You 'd be forgiven if you were n't sure which it was after watching this convention .
Trump went hard after Biden , digging in on his record on foreign and domestic policy .
Talking about jobs sent overseas , for example , Trump said , `` [ laid-off workers ] did n't want Joe Biden 's hollow words of empathy ; they wanted their jobs back . ''
The Trump campaign has been struggling with a specific message against Biden .
Saying he 's really beholden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledgment that that 's just not how Biden is seen by most Americans .
After all , Biden has been in the public eye for almost half a century , something Trump tried to weaponize against him .
They have just over two months to succeed and rebrand the former vice president .
The speaker who took the best aim at Biden was probably South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott .
It would n't be surprising to see more of Scott on the campaign trail as a surrogate for Trump .
5 .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` line '' of acceptable behavior was nowhere to be found From health care ( claiming to protect coverage of preexisting conditions ) to the economy ( Larry Kudlow falsely saying the president inherited a stagnant economy ) to foreign affairs ( Pam Bondi 's distortions about Ukraine or overstating the significance of the Israel-UAE deal ) to speaker after speaker saying Biden wants to defund the police , the Republican National Convention was chock full of false and misleading statements .
And that was before Trump spoke .
His speech was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can read the dozens of annotations in our live fact check .
Here 's a rundown of some others .
In addition to the untruths , the convention crossed many other lines , including potential violations of the Hatch Act by staging partisan events and speeches on the White House grounds , the fireworks spelling out `` Trump 2020 '' in front of the Washington Monument and the over-the-top opera from the White House balcony .
( `` Nessun Dorma '' and `` Ave Maria . ''
) This was n't just quaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan guard rails around the presidency .
6 .
The convention offered a poor example during the coronavirus When first lady Melania Trump delivered a speech from the Rose Garden , few masks were worn .
There was an attempt to space seats out , but not far enough to make public health experts comfortable .
Vice President Pence spoke before a larger crowd in Baltimore with lots of close mingling — and few masks .
But all pretense of setting an example of adhering to public health measures was thrown out with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , closely seated next to each other with few masks in evidence .
( Did we mention the live opera ? )
But Trump is never going to conform .
Referring to what he called Biden 's `` failed political class , '' Trump said , `` The fact is , I 'm here , and they 're not . ''
For as all-consuming as Trump is , at some point he wo n't be president , whether that 's 145 days from now or 1,606 .
And this convention showcased a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Pence , Scott , former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , even the Trump children , who may want the top job in the post-Donald era .
Call it the beginning of the fight for the soul of the Republican Party .
But they all know one thing : They ca n't get anywhere without Trump 's base .

7 Takeaways From The Republican National Convention
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
Well, the 2020 national political conventions are over.
The Republicans wrapped up Thursday night, and there was a lot to digest, not least a clearer sense of what the post-Labor Day sprint is going to look and sound like.
NPR YouTube
Here are seven takeaways from the RNC:
1. Trump tried to make the election a little less about him
As much as the Republican National Convention was all about Trump, the president and his campaign needed to try to make the election a little less about him.
Trump's approval rating has barely budged since he's been in office. It's had the smallest range of any president since Jimmy Carter and has not been net-positive since two weeks after his inauguration. A majority of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing on the coronavirus and think he's fanning the flames of racial division. So running solely on his record would put Trump at a disadvantage in this election.
Trump struggled to defend his handling of the pandemic during his acceptance speech. So he attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for saying he would shut down the country if the science demanded it. Trump called that "a surrender to the virus."
"[Americans] have to get back to work, they have to get back to school," he said.
Trump then claimed, "We will have a safe and effective vaccine this year. And together we will crush the virus."
But taunting COVID-19 won't make it go away any faster than saying it will miraculously "disappear."
The polling in this race between Biden and Trump has been remarkably consistent. Biden is at or above 50% and, like his approval rating, Trump has been stuck in the low 40s. So we'll see in a couple of weeks whether Republicans' attempted reframing worked, and what rhetoric sank in with voters.
2. This convention tried to sell a version of Trump a lot of Americans don't recognize
Convention speakers said Trump is a "kind and decent" man; that he promotes and listens to women; that he values Black men, new immigrants and the disabled; has been anti-China and done a good job handling the pandemic.
But Trump is known for his public belittling of those who disagree with him; he has a history of demeaning women, and almost two dozen have accused him of sexual misconduct; he's been unable to say "Black Lives Matter" or Jacob Blake's name; he's taken a harder line on immigration than any modern president; mocked a disabled reporter; worked to have a close relationship with China's President Xi Jinping (his daughter even had trademarks fast-tracked by the Chinese) before the coronavirus; and he acted late on the pandemic, dismissing it as something that would "disappear," maybe even by Easter or during the warmth of summer.
One thing is clear about the GOP convention: Trump's campaign recognizes his serious vulnerabilities. He's not widely seen as caring and empathetic, has frequently made racist statements and is not getting good marks on the coronavirus. So Republicans brought out person after person to present a portrait of Trump you just might not see in public.
3. This election is all about the culture wars
White "economic anxiety" as an explanation for Trump's victory in 2016 was always a myth. Nativism and white grievance were more the core of Trump's candidacy. And Trump's continued support from his base even amid his handling of the pandemic and an economic collapse shows that's even more true in 2020.
Both Democrats and Republicans are saying this is a battle for the soul of the nation. And they're both right. It just depends on what you want that soul to look like.
The country is at a crossroads. And both conventions laid out the very different paths it could take. Trump and multiple speakers said that under a Biden presidency a liberal dystopia would take hold and the country wouldn't be safe.
A Biden presidency, Trump said, will "give free reign to violent anarchists, agitators and criminals who threaten our citizens" and "destroy" the American way of life.
Meantime, Biden on Thursday said of violent protests: "This happens to be Donald Trump's America," and that the country will be far safer once Trump is out of office.
Biden also called out Trump's resistance to condemn right-wing extremism and white nationalism. Biden has frequently said he was prompted to run for president by Trump's remarks following racist and anti-Semitic violence in Charlottesville, Va., when he said there were "good people on both sides."
But Republicans think they've found something with their push on crime. Biden on Thursday said Trump is rooting for violence. A report from a reputable pollster in Wisconsin out Thursday noted that approval of Black Lives Matter had declined from June until August (before the shooting of Jacob Blake):
"In June approval of protests was widespread, with 61 percent approving of the protests and 36 percent disapproving. Approval declined in August with 48 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving. "Approval remained strong among Black or Hispanic respondents and in the City of Milwaukee, but declined among white respondents and in the four media-market regions of the state outside the city of Milwaukee."
But FiveThirtyEight's Perry Bacon pointed out that the decline and Biden's electoral prospects "are not closely linked — at least not so far":
"That drop in popularity has largely been driven by increased opposition among white Republicans (80 percent of whom oppose the movement, higher than before Floyd's death) and white independents (who now support BLM at similar levels as before Floyd's death)."
4. The message against Biden is still somewhat boilerplate and incongruous
Is Biden a Trojan horse for Black Lives Matter, or is he a racist who doesn't understand African Americans? Is he too tough on crime because of the 1994 crime bill, or is he going to defund the police?
You'd be forgiven if you weren't sure which it was after watching this convention.
Trump went hard after Biden, digging in on his record on foreign and domestic policy. Talking about jobs sent overseas, for example, Trump said, "[laid-off workers] didn't want Joe Biden's hollow words of empathy; they wanted their jobs back."
The Trump campaign has been struggling with a specific message against Biden. Saying he's really beholden to "radical liberals" is an acknowledgment that that's just not how Biden is seen by most Americans. After all, Biden has been in the public eye for almost half a century, something Trump tried to weaponize against him. They have just over two months to succeed and rebrand the former vice president.
The speaker who took the best aim at Biden was probably South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. It wouldn't be surprising to see more of Scott on the campaign trail as a surrogate for Trump.
5. There were numerous falsehoods and misstatements, while the "line" of acceptable behavior was nowhere to be found
From health care (claiming to protect coverage of preexisting conditions) to the economy (Larry Kudlow falsely saying the president inherited a stagnant economy) to foreign affairs (Pam Bondi's distortions about Ukraine or overstating the significance of the Israel-UAE deal) to speaker after speaker saying Biden wants to defund the police, the Republican National Convention was chock full of false and misleading statements.
And that was before Trump spoke. His speech was full of fear and falsehoods. You can read the dozens of annotations in our live fact check. Here's a rundown of some others.
In addition to the untruths, the convention crossed many other lines, including potential violations of the Hatch Act by staging partisan events and speeches on the White House grounds, the fireworks spelling out "Trump 2020" in front of the Washington Monument and the over-the-top opera from the White House balcony ("Nessun Dorma" and "Ave Maria").
This wasn't just quaint norm-busting, but completely blowing up any partisan guard rails around the presidency.
6. The convention offered a poor example during the coronavirus
When first lady Melania Trump delivered a speech from the Rose Garden, few masks were worn. There was an attempt to space seats out, but not far enough to make public health experts comfortable.
Vice President Pence spoke before a larger crowd in Baltimore with lots of close mingling — and few masks.
But all pretense of setting an example of adhering to public health measures was thrown out with Trump's speech in front of 1,500 people, closely seated next to each other with few masks in evidence. (Did we mention the live opera?)
But Trump is never going to conform.
Referring to what he called Biden's "failed political class," Trump said, "The fact is, I'm here, and they're not."
7. The 2024 Republican primary officially kicked off
For as all-consuming as Trump is, at some point he won't be president, whether that's 145 days from now or 1,606.
And this convention showcased a slate of potential 2024 Republican presidential contenders, including Pence, Scott, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, even the Trump children, who may want the top job in the post-Donald era.
Call it the beginning of the fight for the soul of the Republican Party. But they all know one thing: They can't get anywhere without Trump's base.


npr--2020-08-28--What A Nasal Spray Vaccine Against COVID-19 Might Do Even Better Than A Shot

What A Nasal Spray Vaccine Against COVID-19 Might Do Even Better Than A Shot The primary goal of a COVID-19 vaccine is to keep people from getting very sick and dying .
But there 's another goal — to prevent the spread of the disease — and it 's not clear most vaccine candidates currently under development can do that .
Some scientists think they can solve that problem by delivering a vaccine as a nasal spray .
`` The majority of vaccines — in fact all of the ones that are currently in clinical trials — are delivered via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an immunologist and vaccine developer at the University of Alabama , Birmingham .
That muscle is typically the deltoid in the upper arm .
An injection into muscle tends to give the strongest immune response .
That 's why most vaccine developers start there .
`` You will get a systemic response , but you will not get a local response with that , '' she says .
By systemic response , Lund is talking about generating antibodies that circulate systemically — through the blood to all parts of our bodies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , the infection typically starts in the nose or throat , and an infection can take hold there before the systemic immunity kicks in .
The injected vaccine might protect folks from getting sick terribly sick , but people still might have virus in their nose that could spread to others .
Putting a vaccine directly into the nose offers another kind of immunity that occurs primarily in the cells that line the nose and throat .
`` You still get systemic immunity if you deliver it via the intranasal route , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you add a level of immunity that you do n't get with an intramuscular vaccine , '' she says , `` and that immunity is local . ''
The systemic immunity will keep one from getting sick and the local immunity means it will be harder for the virus to start an infection inside your nasal passages — a pocket of infection that could easily spread to others via a breath or a sneeze .
Lund is working with a company called Altimmune to make such a vaccine .
There would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shedding virus and infecting others if a new vaccine were totally effective and everybody got vaccinated .
But that 's an extremely unlikely scenario , for several reasons .
`` Even if we had adequate supplies of vaccines , there are two problems , '' says Michael Diamond , a vaccine developer at Washington University .
`` One , some people are not going to take a vaccine .
And then there 's a fragment of the population that just wo n't mount good responses to a vaccine , '' meaning the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
And vaccine that prevents virus spread is desirable , but not always technically feasible .
Diamond is also working on vaccine administered via the nose , which he describes this month in the journal Cell .
Although nasal spray vaccines are n't common , Diamond says , some do exist against certain other illnesses .
`` There 's already a flu vaccine called Flumist , which is used now , '' he says .
`` So we expect that technology that 's used for existing nasal sprays could be applied to @ @ @ @

What A Nasal Spray Vaccine Against COVID-19 Might Do Even Better Than A Shot
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tim Sloan /AFP via Getty Images Tim Sloan /AFP via Getty Images
The primary goal of a COVID-19 vaccine is to keep people from getting very sick and dying. But there's another goal — to prevent the spread of the disease — and it's not clear most vaccine candidates currently under development can do that.
Some scientists think they can solve that problem by delivering a vaccine as a nasal spray.
"The majority of vaccines — in fact, all of the ones that are currently in clinical trials — are delivered via the muscle," says Frances Lund, an immunologist and vaccine developer at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. That muscle is typically the deltoid in the upper arm. An injection into muscle tends to give the strongest immune response. That's why most vaccine developers start there.
"You will get a systemic response, but you will not get a local response with that," she says. By systemic response, Lund is talking about generating antibodies that circulate systemically — through the blood to all parts of our bodies.
But for a respiratory virus like a coronavirus, the infection typically starts in the nose or throat, and an infection can take hold there before the systemic immunity kicks in.
The injected vaccine might protect people from getting terribly sick, but people still might have virus in their nose that could spread to others.
Putting a vaccine directly into the nose offers another kind of immunity that occurs primarily in the cells that line the nose and throat.
"You still get systemic immunity if you deliver it via the intranasal route, so that doesn't go away, and you add a level of immunity that you don't get with an intramuscular vaccine," she says. "And that immunity is local."
The systemic immunity will keep one from getting sick and the local immunity means it will be harder for the virus to start an infection inside your nasal passages — a pocket of infection that could easily spread to others via a breath or a sneeze. Lund is working with a company called Altimmune to make such a vaccine.
There would be no need to worry about vaccinated people shedding virus and infecting others if a new vaccine were totally effective and everybody got vaccinated. But that's an extremely unlikely scenario for several reasons.
"Even if we had adequate supplies of vaccines, there are two problems," says Michael Diamond, a vaccine developer at Washington University. "One, some people are not going to take a vaccine. And then there's a fragment of the population that just won't mount good responses to a vaccine," meaning the body may not make antibodies that will protect them.
A vaccine that prevents virus spread is desirable, but not always technically feasible.
Diamond is also working on vaccine administered via the nose, which he describes this month in the journal Cell.
Although nasal spray vaccines aren't common, Diamond says, some do exist against certain other illnesses.
"There's already a flu vaccine called Flumist, which is used now," he says. "So we expect that technology that's used for existing nasal sprays could be applied to this one."
You can contact NPR science correspondent Joe Palca at jpalca@npr.org.


npr--2020-08-28--Japan's Shinzo Abe Is Stepping Down As Prime Minister

Japan 's Shinzo Abe Is Stepping Down As Prime Minister Japan 's longest-serving prime minister , Shinzo Abe , announced in a press conference Thursday that he is stepping down because of poor health .
Abe , 65 , has been in office since 2012 .
He also served as prime minister for one year beginning in 2006 , also citing health as the reason for his resignation .
Abe 's longevity is noteworthy in a country that sees frequent turnover in its leadership .
The prime minister has suffered bouts of ulcerative colitis , a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital visits in the past week leading to speculation he would step down .
Abe said his health began to decline last month and he was concerned his illness would affect his judgement .
Abe is considered a comparatively successful manager of relations with the U.S. , and in particular with President Trump .
Abe put his personal relationship with Trump on display during a presidential visit to Tokyo last year , feting him with steak , burgers , golf and a sumo wrestling match .
He was able to keep trade frictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he put together a trade deal which largely gave Washington the treatment it would have received under the Trans-Pacific Partnership , an Obama-era trade agreement which Trump rejected .
Abe failed to achieve his most cherished political goal , and that of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party : to revise Japan 's pacifist , post-WWII constitution .
His proposed revisions would strengthen the government 's emergency powers , while downplaying the role of human rights .
Abe felt the political values imposed by the U.S.-imposed constitution were alien to some of Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Emperor .
Abe was , however , successful in passing legislation in 2015 that allows Japan 's military to expand its operations overseas in support of allies , including the U.S .
Most Japanese have been dissatisfied with Abe 's handling of the coronavirus , feeling he moved too slowly , waiting until April to impose a state of emergency mostly out of concerns about the economy .
These sentiments lowered his approval rating to just under 30 % .

Japan's Shinzo Abe Is Stepping Down As Prime Minister
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eugene Hoshiko/AP Eugene Hoshiko/AP
Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, announced in a press conference Thursday that he is stepping down because of poor health.
Abe, 65, has been in office since 2012. He also served as prime minister for one year beginning in 2006, also citing health as the reason for his resignation. Abe's longevity is noteworthy in a country that sees frequent turnover in its leadership.
The prime minister has suffered bouts of ulcerative colitis, a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease, for years. Abe made two hospital visits in the past week leading to speculation he would step down.
Abe said his health began to decline last month and he was concerned his illness would affect his judgment.
Abe is considered a comparatively successful manager of relations with the U.S., and in particular with President Trump. Abe put his personal relationship with Trump on display during a presidential visit to Tokyo last year, feting him with steak, burgers, golf and a sumo wrestling match.
He was able to keep trade frictions with the U.S. from blowing up, as he put together a trade deal that largely gave Washington the treatment it would have received under the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Obama-era trade agreement that Trump rejected.
Abe failed to achieve his most cherished political goal, and that of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party: to revise Japan's pacifist, post-World War II constitution. His proposed revisions would strengthen the government's emergency powers, while downplaying the role of human rights. Abe felt the political values imposed by the U.S.-imposed constitution were alien to some of Japan's traditions, such as reverence for the emperor.
Abe was, however, successful in passing legislation in 2015 that allows Japan's military to expand its operations overseas in support of allies, including the U.S.
Most Japanese have been dissatisfied with Abe's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, feeling he moved too slowly by waiting until April to impose a state of emergency mostly out of concerns about the economy. These sentiments lowered his approval rating to just under 30%.


npr--2020-08-27--Wielding Chainsaws, A Town Comes Together To Clean Up After Hurricane Laura

Wielding Chainsaws , A Town Comes Together To Clean Up After Hurricane Laura In the small town of Bell City , La.
, trees were down everywhere on Thursday morning .
And just about wherever there was a felled tree , there was someone with a chainsaw getting it out of the way .
Dylan Guidry , who lives in the small town of Lake Arthur about 20 miles east , and his brother , were among those cutting down trees .
They were moving them `` out of the way so people had a path to get through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to help family and residents , '' says Guidry .
The volunteers are cleaning up in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura , which hit the coast of Louisiana early Thursday .
Packing winds of 150 mph , the Category 4 storm is one of the most powerful storms in decades to hit the area .
`` I 've been living here for a long time , '' Guidry said .
`` I 've never , ever in my life witnessed anything like that before . ''
Guidry described the night spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed up all night , watched the news , sat on the porch , watched out for tornadoes , '' he says .
As the hurricane made landfall , things took a turn .
`` The wind was whipping , glass breaking , roofs ripping apart all around us .
It was bad , '' he adds .
Dana Lavergne spent the night at her son 's house in Bell City .
She says it was sturdier than the trailer she 'd been living in with another son in Hayes .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 've never experienced anything so powerful . ''
She and her family also joined the cleanup effort , cutting up trees and clearing them off the road .
All of her son 's oak trees were damaged .
`` We 're just lucky that the house stayed , '' she said .
`` We consider ourselves lucky . ''

Wielding Chainsaws, A Town Comes Together To Clean Up After Hurricane Laura
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
In the small town of Bell City, La., trees were down everywhere on Thursday morning.
And just about wherever there was a felled tree, there was someone with a chainsaw getting it out of the way.
Dylan Guidry, who lives in the small town of Lake Arthur about 20 miles east, and his brother, were among those cutting down trees.
They were moving them "out of the way so people had a path to get through the roads, get to where they needed to go to help family and residents," says Guidry.
The volunteers are cleaning up in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, which hit the coast of Louisiana early Thursday. Packing winds of 150 mph, the Category 4 storm is one of the most powerful storms in decades to hit the area.
"I've been living here for a long time," Guidry said. "I've never, ever in my life witnessed anything like that before."
Guidry described the night spent waiting out the storm. "We stayed up all night, watched the news, sat on the porch, watched out for tornadoes," he says.
As the hurricane made landfall, things took a turn. "The wind was whipping, glass breaking, roofs ripping apart all around us. It was bad," he adds.
Dana Lavergne spent the night at her son's house in Bell City. She says it was sturdier than the trailer she'd been living in with another son in Hayes.
"The wind was crazy," she says. "I've never experienced anything so powerful."
She and her family also joined the cleanup effort, cutting up trees and clearing them off the road. All of her son's oak trees were damaged.
"We're just lucky that the house stayed," she said. "We consider ourselves lucky."


npr--2020-08-27--Kenosha Shooting Suspect Charged With Six Criminal Counts, Including Homicide

Kyle Rittenhouse , the Illinois teenager accused of shooting and killing protesters in Kenosha , Wis. , was charged on Thursday with six criminal counts including felony charges of first-degree reckless homicide , first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide .
Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley filed the charges against Rittenhouse on Thursday , according to court documents .
Rittenhouse is also being charged with two counts of recklessly endangering safety and possession of a dangerous weapon while under 18 , which is a misdemeanor .
The most serious charge , first-degree intentional homicide , is punishable by life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday in connection with the previous night 's shooting , which left two protesters dead and another injured .
The incident happened during the third consecutive night of protests in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake , who is Black , seven times at close range .
Blake 's attorney said earlier this week that he is paralyzed from the waist down .
In a video recorded before the shootings , a figure who appears to be Rittenhouse describes himself as part of a local militia whose job was to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mihalopoulos has reported that Rittenhouse , a former youth police cadet , is a supporter of law enforcement and the `` Blue Lives Matter '' movement .
A series of viral videos from Tuesday night captured dramatic scenes allegedly involving Rittenhouse , who is white .
The following day , Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and taken into custody by police in Antioch , Ill. , about 15 miles southwest of Kenosha .
Antioch police said in a statement on Wednesday that Rittenhouse was in custody of the Lake County Judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transfer to Wisconsin .
A criminal complaint filed Thursday details prosecutors ' version of events and identifies the shooting victims as Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber .
A third man , Gaige Grosskreutz , was transferred to the hospital with what Kenosha police described as `` serious but non-life threatening injuries . ''
A friend of Huber 's told the Chicago-Sun Times that the 26-year-old was a fearless skateboarder and great father to his girlfriend 's daughter .
Rosenbaum , who was 36 , is remembered by his sister as a jokester and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter .

Kenosha Shooting Suspect Faces Homicide Charges In Protesters' Deaths
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teenager accused of shooting and killing protesters in Kenosha, Wis., has been charged with six criminal counts including felony charges of first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley filed the charges against Rittenhouse on Thursday, according to court documents. Rittenhouse is also being charged with two counts of recklessly endangering safety and possession of a dangerous weapon while under 18, which is a misdemeanor.
The most serious charge, first-degree intentional homicide, is punishable by life imprisonment.
Seventeen-year-old Rittenhouse was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the previous night's shooting, which left two protesters dead and another injured. The incident happened during the third consecutive night of protests in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake, who is Black, seven times at close range.
Blake's attorney said earlier this week that he is paralyzed from the waist down.
In a video recorded before the shootings, a person who appears to be Rittenhouse describes himself as part of a local militia whose job was to protect businesses in Kenosha.
WBEZ's Dan Mihalopoulos has reported that Rittenhouse, a former youth police cadet, is a supporter of law enforcement and the "Blue Lives Matter" movement.
A series of viral videos from Tuesday night captured dramatic scenes allegedly involving Rittenhouse, who is white.
The following day, Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and taken into custody by police in Antioch, Ill., about 15 miles southwest of Kenosha.
Antioch police said in a statement on Wednesday that Rittenhouse was in custody of the Lake County Judicial System and pending an extradition hearing to transfer to Wisconsin.
A criminal complaint filed Thursday identifies the shooting victims as Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. A third man, Gaige Grosskreutz, was transferred to the hospital with what Kenosha police described as "serious but non-life threatening injuries."
A friend of Huber's told the Chicago-Sun Times that the 26-year-old was a fearless skateboarder and great father to his girlfriend's daughter. Rosenbaum, who was 36, is remembered by his sister as a jokester and compassionate father who leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter.


npr--2020-08-28--Police Union In Kenosha, Wis., Provides Account Of Jacob Blake Shooting

Police Union In Kenosha , Wis. , Provides Account Of Jacob Blake Shooting The union representing police officers in Kenosha , Wis. , on Friday provided what they say is a detailed account of the moments leading up to the police shooting of Jacob Blake , who was shot multiple times at close range and severely wounded by a police officer Sunday .
That account says Blake was armed with a knife and fought with the officers who tried to arrest him , putting one of them in a headlock .
The statement from the Kenosha Professional Police Association also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the tasers failed to subdue him .
The police union statement calls other narratives of what led to the shooting — particularly coming from Blake 's lawyers — `` wholly inaccurate '' and `` false and misleading . ''
And the union calls the few details released by the Division of Criminal Investigation in the Wisconsin Department of Justice , which is leading the investigation into the police shooting , `` riddled with incomplete information . ''
In an interview on CNN , lawyers for Jacob Blake dispute the police union 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` overblown . ''
They says it was the police officers who were the aggressors in the incident and immediately became physical with Blake , and that `` at a time when he posed no imminent threat – that was when they shot him seven times . ''
Meanwhile , Blake is no longer handcuffed to his hospital bed in Milwaukee .
Kenosha 's police chief Daniel Miskinis told reporters Blake was `` being guarded because he 's under arrest .
It was for an outstanding warrant for third degree sexual assault .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's lawyers , says a $ 500 bail was posted Friday , which allowed officers to take off the handcuffs and no longer guard the 29-year-old .
Two officers had been guarding Blake since he was hospitalized after the shooting .

Police Union In Kenosha, Wis., Provides Account Of Jacob Blake Shooting
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Updated at 10:19 p.m. ET
The union representing police officers in Kenosha, Wis., have provided to NPR what they say is a detailed account of the moments leading up to the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was severely wounded by a police officer Sunday.
That account says Blake was armed with a knife and "forcefully fought" with the officers who tried to arrest him, putting one of them in a headlock. The statement from the Kenosha Professional Police Association also says officers twice shot Tasers at Blake but these failed to subdue him.
A 20-second video of Blake's shooting, filmed by a bystander, has been viewed millions of times on social media. But its short duration fails to show the preceding interactions between police and Blake. Benjamin Crump, a lawyer representing Blake, has said that his client had been trying to break up a domestic dispute. Authorities in Wisconsin have released few details about that incident.
The police union statement, emailed Friday to NPR, says "most" narratives about the shooting "are wholly inaccurate" and "purely fictional," including information from Blake's attorneys. The union also says a statement released by the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation, the agency leading the investigation into the police shooting, is "riddled with incomplete information."
In a Friday interview on CNN, one of the attorneys for Blake disputed the police union's account, calling its version of events "overblown." The lawyer said police officers who responded to the call were the aggressors and immediately became physical with Blake upon arriving at the scene.
Meanwhile, Blake is no longer handcuffed to his hospital bed in Milwaukee. Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis told reporters Friday that Blake was "being guarded because he's under arrest" on an outstanding warrant for third-degree sexual assault.
Patrick Cafferty, a lawyer representing Blake, said a $500 bail was posted Friday, allowing officers to remove the handcuffs and no longer guard the 29-year-old. Two officers had been guarding Blake since he was hospitalized after the shooting.


npr--2020-08-28--Kenosha Police Chief: Jacob Blake 'Being Guarded' In Hospital

The police chief in Kenosha , Wis. , and the state 's attorney general declined on Friday to dispute claims by the family of Jacob Blake — the man shot multiple times by a police officer last weekend — that he was being handcuffed to his hospital bed .
Speaking to NPR 's All Things Considered , Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said he could not confirm Blake 's condition , nor whether he had been paralyzed by his injuries .
`` What I can tell you is that he is not in custody in connection with the investigation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaul , whose office is participating in an FBI-led investigation of the shooting , adding : `` I do n't have authority over whether he is handcuffed .
But my view is that he should not be handcuffed . ''
On Thursday , Blake 's uncle told CNN that Blake 's father had visited his son in the hospital and said he was `` heartbroken '' that his son had been handcuffed .
`` This is an insult to injury , '' the uncle , Justin Blake , told CNN .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have him cuffed to the bed .
Why ? ''
By Friday afternoon , CNN , quoting Blake 's attorney , was reporting that the restraints had been removed .
At a Friday afternoon news conference , Kenosha Police chief Daniel Miskinis was asked whether Blake had been shackled to his bed .
`` He is and has been under the guard of an outside agency , '' he said .
`` He 's being guarded because he 's under arrest and it was for an outstanding warrant for third-degree sexual assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same day that the Wisconsin Department of Justice , whose Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation , issued a statement offering some details of Sunday 's shooting .
In it , the department said police had responded to a call from `` a female caller [ who ] reported that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises . ''
`` After the initial attempt to arrest Mr. Blake , Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey deployed a taser , '' it said .
`` When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vincent Arenas also deployed his taser , however that taser was also not successful in stopping Mr .
Blake . ''
`` Mr. Blake walked around his vehicle , opened the driver 's side door , and leaned forward , '' the statement said .
`` While holding onto Mr. Blake 's shirt , Officer Rusten Sheskey fired his service weapon 7 times .
Officer Sheskey fired the weapon into Mr. Blake 's back . ''
The statement also said that Blake `` admitted to investigators that he had a knife in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsequently from `` the driver 's side floorboard of Mr. Blake 's vehicle . ''
Speaking to NPR , Kaul was asked whether the statement 's mention of the knife could be viewed as an effort to justify the actions of police .
`` Absolutely not .
We are providing information about the basic facts of the case , '' he said .
`` Our effort in this case is to provide a full , thorough and vigorous investigation , and to get to the truth of the relevant facts to the extent @ @ @

Kenosha Police Chief: Jacob Blake 'Being Guarded' In Hospital
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jacquelyn Martin/AP Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The police chief in Kenosha, Wis., and the state's attorney general declined on Friday to dispute claims by the family of Jacob Blake — the man shot multiple times by a police officer last weekend — that he was being handcuffed to his hospital bed.
Speaking to NPR's All Things Considered, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said he could not confirm Blake's condition, nor whether he had been paralyzed by his injuries.
"What I can tell you is that he is not in custody in connection with the investigation that my office is conducting," said Kaul, whose office is participating in an FBI-led investigation of the shooting, adding: "I don't have authority over whether he is handcuffed. But my view is that he should not be handcuffed."
On Thursday, Blake's uncle told CNN that Blake's father had visited his son in the hospital and said he was "heartbroken" that his son had been handcuffed.
"This is an insult to injury," the uncle, Justin Blake, told CNN. "He is paralyzed and can't walk and they have him cuffed to the bed. Why?"
By Friday afternoon, CNN, quoting Blake's attorney, was reporting that the restraints had been removed.
At a Friday afternoon news conference, Kenosha Police chief Daniel Miskinis was asked whether Blake had been shackled to his bed.
"He is and has been under the guard of an outside agency," he said. "He's being guarded because he's under arrest and it was for an outstanding warrant for third-degree sexual assault."
The news conference comes on the same day that the Wisconsin Department of Justice, whose Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, issued a statement offering some details of Sunday's shooting.
In it, the department said police had responded to a call from "a female caller [who] reported that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises."
"After the initial attempt to arrest Mr. Blake, Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey deployed a taser," it said. "When that attempt failed, Kenosha Police Officer Vincent Arenas also deployed his taser, however that taser was also not successful in stopping Mr. Blake."
"Mr. Blake walked around his vehicle, opened the driver's side door, and leaned forward," the statement said. "While holding onto Mr. Blake's shirt, Officer Rusten Sheskey fired his service weapon 7 times. Officer Sheskey fired the weapon into Mr. Blake's back."
The statement also said that Blake "admitted to investigators that he had a knife in his possession" and that the knife was subsequently from "the driver's side floorboard of Mr. Blake's vehicle."
Speaking to NPR, Kaul was asked whether the statement's mention of the knife could be viewed as an effort to justify the actions of police.
"Absolutely not. We are providing information about the basic facts of the case," he said. "Our effort in this case is to provide a full, thorough and vigorous investigation, and to get to the truth of the relevant facts to the extent possible."


npr--2020-08-28--FDA Removes Top Spokesperson After Blood Plasma Blunder

The Food and Drug Administration has removed a top communications official at the agency in the wake of misleading claims the agency made about a treatment for COVID-19 .
Emily Miller was central in defending the FDA commissioner , Dr. Stephen Hahn , this week after he falsely said that blood plasma could lower the death rate from COVID-19 by more than a third .
Hahn later apologized on Twitter .
He remains on the job .
A statement from the FDA late Friday said only that Miller `` remains an appointee at the FDA . ''
The ouster was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier Friday .
Miller had been in the position only 11 days .
Her appointment was viewed in public health circles as further politicization of the agency at a crucial time in the COVID-19 pandemic .
Miller 's past writings and experience at several conservative media organizations were seen as putting the agency 's credibility on the line as public skepticism about vaccines and treatments is growing .
The FDA will ultimately approve one or more vaccines for the disease , as well as new treatments .
The blood plasma treatment was authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday , and announced with fanfare by President Trump at a White House briefing that day with Hahn and other health officials present .
On Monday , Hahn then retracted his claim that 35 out of 100 people were saved through the treatment .
The study on which that was based , which has not undergone independent scientific scrutiny , found a survival benefit more in the range of 3 to 5 % .
In addition to Hahn 's overplaying the survival benefits of plasma , the agency 's press release was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Another Achievement in Administration 's Fight Against Pandemic . ''
Such releases are normally nonpartisan and technical in nature .
Miller was not the only departure from the FDA this week .
The agency also severed ties with a communications consultant , Wayne Pines , a former FDA official .
He had reportedly recommended Hahn reverse his misleading claim on blood plasma .
HHS denied there was any connection between cancelling Pines ' contract and this week 's communications blunders .
`` This cancellation was routine and done by the Department at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursuant to HHS policies , '' HHS chief of staff Brian Harrison said in a statement Friday .
`` The timing was 100 % coincidence . ''
The FDA has come under fire since the early days of the pandemic for controversial authorizations of tests and treatments for COVID-19 , including hydroxychloroquine .
That authorization was later withdrawn when scientific evidence showed no benefit , and possible harm from the treatment .
Also this week , the CDC has been on the defensive after it quietly changed guidelines on coronavirus testing .
CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarification '' to media outlets Thursday saying that anybody who 's been exposed to a person who has COVID-19 `` may be considered '' for testing .
Earlier in the week , the CDC issued guidance that was widely interpreted as downplaying the need for testing after a close contact with COVID-19 : `` You do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one . ''
After a flood of criticism , Redfield issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC 's website remained unchanged as of this writing .
He stressed that the new guidance would help target testing where it is most needed .
`` Testing is meant to drive actions and achieve specific public health objectives , '' Redfield said in a statement .
`` Everyone who needs a COVID-19 test , can get a test . ''
But he added that `` everyone who wants a test does not necessarily need a test ; the key is to engage the needed public health community in the decision with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the CDC 's emphasis is on testing individuals with symptomatic illness , individuals with a significant exposure , vulnerable populations including nursing homes or long term care facilities , critical infrastructure workers , healthcare workers and first responders , or those individuals who may be asymptomatic when prioritized by medical and public health officials .
But his clarification did not mollify a growing chorus of critics .
On Friday , groups representing nearly every public health department in the country sent a letter to Redfield urging him to reverse the testing guideline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health community is that even though Redfield has updated his guidance to the media , people will hear or read the original message that they do n't necessarily need testing and then wo n't get it , perpetuating the epidemic and costing more lives .
`` Not testing all possible close contacts impacts the ability of local health departments to engage in effective case investigation and contact tracing , the primary tools we have right now to slow the spread of this disease , '' the groups wrote to Redfield .
Separately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined the call for a reversal : `` The inexplicable decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to advise against testing individuals who have been exposed to the virus but who are asymptomatic is a dangerous step backward in our efforts to control this deadly virus . ''

FDA Removes Top Spokesperson After Blood Plasma Blunder
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 8:30 p.m. ET
The Food and Drug Administration has removed a top communications official at the agency in the wake of misleading claims the agency made about a treatment for COVID-19.
Emily Miller was central in defending the FDA commissioner, Dr. Stephen Hahn, this week after he falsely said that blood plasma could lower the death rate from COVID-19 by more than a third. Hahn later apologized on Twitter. He remains on the job.
A statement from the FDA late Friday said only that Miller "remains an appointee at the FDA." The ouster was first reported by The New York Times earlier Friday.
Miller had been in the position only 11 days. Her appointment was viewed in public health circles as further politicization of the agency at a crucial time in the COVID-19 pandemic. Miller's past writings and experience at several conservative media organizations were seen as putting the agency's credibility on the line as public skepticism about vaccines and treatments is growing.
The FDA will ultimately approve one or more vaccines for the disease, as well as new treatments.
The blood plasma treatment was authorized for wider emergency use by the FDA on Sunday, and announced with fanfare by President Trump at a White House briefing that day with Hahn and other health officials present.
On Monday, Hahn then retracted his claim that 35 out of 100 people were saved through the treatment. The study on which that was based, which has not undergone independent scientific scrutiny, found a survival benefit more in the range of 3 to 5%.
In addition to Hahn's overplaying the survival benefits of plasma, the agency's press release was overtly political, including the phrase, "Another Achievement in Administration's Fight Against Pandemic." Such releases are normally nonpartisan and technical in nature.
Miller was not the only departure from the FDA this week. The agency also severed ties with a communications consultant, Wayne Pines, a former FDA official. He had reportedly recommended Hahn reverse his misleading claim on blood plasma. HHS denied there was any connection between cancelling Pines' contract and this week's communications blunders.
"This cancellation was routine and done by the Department at the advice of the General Counsel, pursuant to HHS policies," HHS chief of staff Brian Harrison said in a statement Friday. "The timing was 100% coincidence."
The FDA has come under fire since the early days of the pandemic for controversial authorizations of tests and treatments for COVID-19, including hydroxychloroquine. That authorization was later withdrawn when scientific evidence showed no benefit, and possible harm from the treatment.
CDC under fire, too
Also this week, the CDC has been on the defensive after it quietly changed guidelines on coronavirus testing. CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield issued a "clarification" to media outlets Thursday saying that anybody who's been exposed to a person who has COVID-19 "may be considered" for testing.
Earlier in the week, the CDC issued guidance that was widely interpreted as downplaying the need for testing after a close contact with COVID-19: "You do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one."
After a flood of criticism, Redfield issued his modification, but the language on the CDC's website remained unchanged as of this writing. He stressed that the new guidance would help target testing where it is most needed.
"Testing is meant to drive actions and achieve specific public health objectives," Redfield said in a statement. "Everyone who needs a COVID-19 test, can get a test."
But he added that "everyone who wants a test does not necessarily need a test; the key is to engage the needed public health community in the decision with the appropriate follow-up action."
Redfield said the CDC's emphasis is on testing individuals with symptomatic illness, individuals with a significant exposure, vulnerable populations including nursing homes or long term care facilities, critical infrastructure workers, healthcare workers and first responders, or those individuals who may be asymptomatic when prioritized by medical and public health officials.
But his clarification did not mollify a growing chorus of critics. On Friday, groups representing nearly every public health department in the country sent a letter to Redfield urging him to reverse the testing guideline changes.
The fear in the public health community is that even though Redfield has updated his guidance to the media, people will hear or read the original message that they don't necessarily need testing and then won't get it, perpetuating the epidemic and costing more lives.
"Not testing all possible close contacts impacts the ability of local health departments to engage in effective case investigation and contact tracing, the primary tools we have right now to slow the spread of this disease," the groups wrote to Redfield.
Separately, the American Academy of Pediatrics on Friday joined the call for a reversal: "The inexplicable decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to advise against testing individuals who have been exposed to the virus but who are asymptomatic is a dangerous step backward in our efforts to control this deadly virus."