npr--2020-07-30--Air Quality Disparities Persist Despite Overall Gains

The places with the most severe air pollution nearly 40 years ago remain among the most polluted places today , according to a new study that uses historical air pollution data to track disparities in air quality over time .
Decades of research and the lived experiences of millions of Americans have established that people in the United States do not have equal access to clean air , and that poor people and people of color are more likely to breathe polluted air than their fellow citizens who are white or rich .
But until last year , researchers did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study how those disparities change over time .
In 2019 , a team in Canada and the U.S. published data that track soot pollution in North America between 1981 and 2016 .
The latest study uses that information to look at how air pollution has changed in different parts of the U.S. in the decades after the Clean Air Act was passed .
They found that , although overall soot pollution has fallen over the decades , the most polluted parts of the U.S. in 1981 remained the most polluted in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ southeast Texas that are notorious for their polluted air , as well as swaths of the eastern U.S. where coal-burning and manufacturing have declined in recent decades but air pollution disparities remain .
`` The persistence of these relative disparities were striking , '' says Jonathan Colmer , an economist at the University of Virginia and one the authors of the study , which was published in the journal Science .
`` Federal and state guidelines aim for all people and places to enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental hazards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling short in terms of addressing relative disparities . ''
That has life-or-death implications for millions of people in the U.S .
Breathing polluted air causes or exacerbates a wide range of health problems , including some cancers , diabetes and respiratory illnesses such as asthma .
Many of those conditions make it more likely that a person infected with the coronavirus will suffer from severe COVID-19 , or die of the disease .
The new research is a first step toward figuring out why air quality disparities persist in the U.S. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminate those inequities .
Previous research has established some of the reasons behind disparities .
Chief among them are state-sanctioned housing discrimination and inequitable zoning that concentrate people of color and poor people near factories , utilities , highways and other sources of pollution .
The earlier research does n't address why air pollution regulations that are meant to prioritize the most polluted places have failed to eliminate the disparities .
`` Only when we figure out what the causes of the disparities are can we then think about , 'Okay , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mitigate these disparities ? '
`` says Lala Ma , an environmental economist at the University of Kentucky who was not part of the study .
Ma says she would like to see future research about air quality disparities focus on the experiences of individuals , to study the cumulative effects of air pollution , water pollution and other environmental hazards on people 's well-being .
For example , she says , when the air in a place gets cleaner , it 's not obvious who benefits .
`` For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location , it could potentially drive up cost of living there , and this could potentially make someone economically worse off , '' she explains .
Understanding those dynamics is important for policymakers , if they hope to write regulations that eliminate , rather than exacerbate , inequities .

Air Quality Disparities Persist Despite Overall Gains
Enlarge this image toggle caption David McNew/Getty Images David McNew/Getty Images
The places with the most severe air pollution nearly 40 years ago remain among the most polluted places today, according to a new study that uses historical air pollution data to track disparities in air quality over time.
Decades of research and the lived experiences of millions of Americans have established that people in the United States do not have equal access to clean air, and that poor people and people of color are more likely to breathe polluted air than their fellow citizens who are white or rich.
But until last year, researchers did not have the data they needed to study how those disparities change over time. In 2019, a team in Canada and the U.S. published data that track soot pollution in North America between 1981 and 2016.
The latest study uses that information to look at how air pollution has changed in different parts of the U.S. in the decades after the Clean Air Act was passed. They found that, although overall soot pollution has fallen over the decades, the most polluted parts of the U.S. in 1981 remained the most polluted in 2016.
That includes sections of Southern California and southeast Texas that are notorious for their polluted air, as well as swaths of the eastern U.S. where coal-burning and manufacturing have declined in recent decades but air pollution disparities remain.
"The persistence of these relative disparities were striking," says Jonathan Colmer, an economist at the University of Virginia and one the authors of the study, which was published in the journal Science. "Federal and state guidelines aim for all people and places to enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental hazards," he says. "We're falling short in terms of addressing relative disparities."
That has life-or-death implications for millions of people in the U.S. Breathing polluted air causes or exacerbates a wide range of health problems, including some cancers, diabetes and respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Many of those conditions make it more likely that a person infected with the coronavirus will suffer from severe COVID-19, or die of the disease.
The new research is a first step toward figuring out why air quality disparities persist in the U.S., and how changes to pollution regulations could eliminate those inequities. Previous research has established some of the reasons behind disparities. Chief among them are state-sanctioned housing discrimination and inequitable zoning that concentrate people of color and poor people near factories, utilities, highways and other sources of pollution. The earlier research doesn't address why air pollution regulations that are meant to prioritize the most polluted places have failed to eliminate the disparities.
"Only when we figure out what the causes of the disparities are can we then think about, 'Okay, what are the appropriate policies we can use to mitigate these disparities?' " says Lala Ma, an environmental economist at the University of Kentucky who was not part of the study.
Ma says she would like to see future research about air quality disparities focus on the experiences of individuals, to study the cumulative effects of air pollution, water pollution and other environmental hazards on people's well-being. For example, she says, when the air in a place gets cleaner, it's not obvious who benefits.
"For example, when you improve environmental quality in a location, it could potentially drive up cost of living there, and this could potentially make someone economically worse off," she explains.
Understanding those dynamics is important for policymakers, if they hope to write regulations that eliminate, rather than exacerbate, inequities.


npr--2020-07-30--Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil's First Lady, Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday , according to the office of President Jair Bolsonaro , days after her husband said he had recovered from the disease .
`` She is in a state of good health and will follow all established protocols , '' the Planalto Palace , the president 's official residence , said in a brief notice to the media .
The first lady is being looked after by a presidential medical team , the Planalto Palace added .
Just 24 hours ago , Michelle Bolsonaro attended a public event in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask as she delivered remarks about a rights initiative for women in rural and indigenous communities .
Brazil is now reporting more than 2.5 million coronavirus cases — second only to the U.S. , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
COVID-19 has killed more than 90,000 people in Brazil .
`` The daily [ death ] count rose above 1,500 Wednesday — a spike officials blamed on delayed data , '' NPR 's Philip Reeves reports from Rio de Janeiro .
`` There were also 69,000 new infections , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Bolsonaro government announced it is lifting its international air travel ban on foreign tourists , which had stood for four months .
Visitors can stay for up to 90 days and they must have `` medical insurance coverage for the duration of their stay , '' according to a bulletin posted Thursday by the International Air Transport Association .
Brazil 's president has been one of the world 's loudest skeptics about the coronavirus , saying the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is `` exaggerated . ''
He also sharply criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions .
Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus early this month after weeks of consistently downplaying the threat .
As he spoke with reporters about his diagnosis , he backed away from them and removed his face mask — an act that prompted a journalists group to file a lawsuit against him .
Days before he tested positive , Bolsonaro signed a national face mask mandate into law , requiring protective masks in both public and private spaces due to the pandemic .

Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil's First Lady, Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, according to the office of President Jair Bolsonaro, days after her husband said he had recovered from the disease.
"She is in a state of good health and will follow all established protocols," the Planalto Palace, the president's official residence, said in a brief notice to the media.
The first lady is being looked after by a presidential medical team, the Planalto Palace added.
Just 24 hours ago, Michelle Bolsonaro attended a public event in Brasilia with her husband, wearing a mask as she delivered remarks about a rights initiative for women in rural and indigenous communities.
Brazil is now reporting more than 2.5 million coronavirus cases — second only to the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. COVID-19 has killed more than 90,000 people in Brazil.
"The daily [death] count rose above 1,500 Wednesday — a spike officials blamed on delayed data," NPR's Philip Reeves reports from Rio de Janeiro. "There were also 69,000 new infections, a record."
Despite those sobering numbers, the Bolsonaro government announced it is lifting its international air travel ban on foreign tourists, which had stood for four months. Visitors can stay for up to 90 days and they must have "medical insurance coverage for the duration of their stay," according to a bulletin posted Thursday by the International Air Transport Association.
Brazil's president has been one of the world's loudest skeptics about the coronavirus, saying the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is "exaggerated." He also sharply criticized any local or state officials who imposed restrictions.
Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus early this month after weeks of consistently downplaying the threat. As he spoke with reporters about his diagnosis, he backed away from them and removed his face mask — an act that prompted a journalists group to file a lawsuit against him.
Days before he tested positive, Bolsonaro signed a national face mask mandate into law, requiring protective masks in both public and private spaces due to the pandemic.


npr--2020-07-30--American Christianity Must Reckon With Legacy Of White Supremacy, Author Says

American Christianity Must Reckon With Legacy Of White Supremacy , Author Says Growing up in Texas and Mississippi , author Robert P. Jones was a very active member of his Southern Baptist Convention church .
Between youth group , Bible studies and prayer services , he spent about 6-7 hours each week at church or doing church related things .
But in all that time , he never really heard about the church 's history — including the fact that Southern Baptists split from the North around 1844 because the Northern Baptists opposed slavery .
`` I was 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that history ... and even had the possibility of beginning to think about what the implications of that were , '' Jones says .
In his new book , White Too Long , Jones examines the legacy of white supremacy among Southern Baptists and other Christian denominations .
Jones says the Southern Baptist Convention tends to focus on each individual 's interior relationship with God — and `` essentially screens out questions of social justice . ''
`` I can not remember a single sermon calling attention to racial inequality , racial injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights , '' he says .
As the U.S. begins to grapple more seriously with issues of racism and white supremacy , Jones says the time has come for churches to be more in vocal about social justice .
`` There 's so much work still to be done , '' he says .
`` White Christians have been largely silent ... and have hardly begun these conversations . ''
On how the Southern Baptist Convention split from the North around 1844 because of slavery The precipitating event was really whether someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread the gospel could simultaneously be a slave owner and still be a church member in good standing .
And the members of the churches in the South actually put this issue forward very intentionally , to test what their Northern brethren would say about this .
And the North responded very clearly , and Northern Baptists said , `` No , you know , under no circumstances will we be behind this . ''
And that really was the precipitating split .
And just a few short months later , the Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word `` Southern '' and the front of it to indicate its allegiance really to this slave-owning society .
On how the Southern Baptist Convention used the Bible to justify slavery The slave owning argument really had more of the Bible on its side , at least read literally .
You know , there 's plenty of things to point to in the Bible where there 's slavery mentioned [ and ] it 's not condemned .
The whole book of Philemon in the New Testament ... talks about slaves obeying their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a slave who 's escaped is commended to return to slavery .
And so the more straightforward arguments out of the Bible were simply there .
And then read into that , I think , also was this idea of white supremacy , ... that God 's design for human society was that whites of European descent would really be the vanguard of society , and at the top of society .
And their goal was to `` civilize '' everyone else from their place at the top of the political and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baptist Church maintained its stance after the Confederacy lost The term that historians use is ... `` lost cause religion , '' and that sounds like an admission of loss , but what that term really means , it was not at all a concession .
It was really about keeping these embers burning , and this idea that ... from the ashes of defeat there would still be a rise of the South and a rise of victorious Southern religion .
And you can see this in the Confederate monuments , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , political defeat , military defeat , but not really admitting a kind of religious and cultural defeat .
... Again , it was about this idea that God was still behind this vision of society .
On how some Northern churches imposed segregation even after the Civil War It was n't just in Southern evangelical churches or Baptist churches .
...
Even when [ the Methodists ] admitted African American churches into the larger Methodist denomination , they segregated them into one jurisdiction .
It was essentially a version of religious gerrymandering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of possibly competing for power in other jurisdictions ; they were all locked into one jurisdiction , so their voice inside the denomination will be smaller .
And even among white Catholics , the Catholic Church had long had a practice of African Americans sitting in the back .
[ They ] could n't come and take part of the Eucharist until all the white members had done so .
New York , for example , did the same thing , and actually segregated the African American Catholics into a single parish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to African Americans and made it a segregated school .
And these practices continued in the middle of the 20th century , even even among Catholics in the North .
On the contradictions within white churches that supported the civil rights movement The United Methodist building here in Washington , D.C. , was the staging ground and playing a lot of supporting roles for the March on Washington in 1963 .
The Christian Century , the kind of flagship magazine of the mainline Protestant world , was the place where Martin Luther @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally published .
He was on the editorial board of essentially this white mainline Protestant magazine .
So there 's certainly very prominent figures , places that showed up and helped in organizing , but [ also ] this huge gap between the official statements , leaders who showed up in those things , and the vast majority of folks on the ground .
At the same time The Christian Century is publishing A letter from Birmingham Jail , Martin Luther King and his wife apply for their son , Martin Luther King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school in Atlanta .
And he 's turned down on the basis of race .
At the same time there 's a very mainline denomination helping support the march on Washington ... another wing is denying his [ son 's ] admission to a school on the basis of race .
It 's a very mixed bag .
...
The symbolic things that were done and even courageous leaders that were out in the front of the civil rights movement never quite fully brought the great bulk of people in the pews with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced and edited this interview for broadcast .
Bridget Bentz , Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the Web .

American Christianity Must Reckon With Legacy Of White Supremacy, Author Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster
Growing up in Texas and Mississippi, author Robert P. Jones was a very active member of his Southern Baptist Convention church. Between youth group, Bible studies and prayer services, he spent about 6-7 hours each week at church or doing church related things.
But in all that time, he never really heard about the church's history — including the fact that Southern Baptists split from the North around 1844 because the Northern Baptists opposed slavery.
"I was 20 years old before I got a hint of that history ... and even had the possibility of beginning to think about what the implications of that were," Jones says.
In his new book, White Too Long, Jones examines the legacy of white supremacy among Southern Baptists and other Christian denominations.
Jones says the Southern Baptist Convention tends to focus on each individual's interior relationship with God — and "essentially screens out questions of social justice."
"I cannot remember a single sermon calling attention to racial inequality, racial injustice [or] the struggle for civil rights," he says.
As the U.S. begins to grapple more seriously with issues of racism and white supremacy, Jones says the time has come for churches to be more in vocal about social justice.
"There's so much work still to be done," he says. "White Christians have been largely silent ... and have hardly begun these conversations."
Interview highlights
Enlarge this image toggle caption Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster
On how the Southern Baptist Convention split from the North around 1844 because of slavery
The precipitating event was really whether someone who was being called as a missionary to spread the gospel could simultaneously be a slave owner and still be a church member in good standing. And the members of the churches in the South actually put this issue forward very intentionally, to test what their Northern brethren would say about this. And the North responded very clearly, and Northern Baptists said, "No, you know, under no circumstances will we be behind this." And that really was the precipitating split. And just a few short months later, the Southern Baptist Convention was formed very intentionally with the word "Southern" and the front of it to indicate its allegiance really to this slave-owning society.
On how the Southern Baptist Convention used the Bible to justify slavery
The slave owning argument really had more of the Bible on its side, at least read literally. You know, there's plenty of things to point to in the Bible where there's slavery mentioned [and] it's not condemned. The whole book of Philemon in the New Testament ... talks about slaves obeying their masters and even returning to their masters, a slave who's escaped is commended to return to slavery. And so the more straightforward arguments out of the Bible were simply there. And then read into that, I think, also was this idea of white supremacy, ... that God's design for human society was that whites of European descent would really be the vanguard of society, and at the top of society. And their goal was to "civilize" everyone else from their place at the top of the political and cultural hierarchy.
On how the Southern Baptist Church maintained its stance after the Confederacy lost
The term that historians use is ... "lost cause religion," and that sounds like an admission of loss, but what that term really means, it was not at all a concession. It was really about keeping these embers burning, and this idea that ... from the ashes of defeat there would still be a rise of the South and a rise of victorious Southern religion. And you can see this in the Confederate monuments, for example, that sense of: Yes, political defeat, military defeat, but not really admitting a kind of religious and cultural defeat. ... Again, it was about this idea that God was still behind this vision of society.
On how some Northern churches imposed segregation even after the Civil War
the Catholic Church had long had a practice of African Americans sitting in the back. [They] couldn't come and take part of the Eucharist until all the white members had done so.
It wasn't just in Southern evangelical churches or Baptist churches. ... Even when [the Methodists] admitted African American churches into the larger Methodist denomination, they segregated them into one jurisdiction. It was essentially a version of religious gerrymandering so that they would get one bishop instead of possibly competing for power in other jurisdictions; they were all locked into one jurisdiction, so their voice inside the denomination will be smaller.
And even among white Catholics, the Catholic Church had long had a practice of African Americans sitting in the back. [They] couldn't come and take part of the Eucharist until all the white members had done so. New York, for example, did the same thing, and actually segregated the African American Catholics into a single parish and also made only one Catholic school available to African Americans and made it a segregated school. And these practices continued in the middle of the 20th century, even even among Catholics in the North.
On the contradictions within white churches that supported the civil rights movement
The United Methodist building here in Washington, D.C., was the staging ground and playing a lot of supporting roles for the March on Washington in 1963. The Christian Century, the kind of flagship magazine of the mainline Protestant world, was the place where Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail was originally published. He was on the editorial board of essentially this white mainline Protestant magazine. So there's certainly very prominent figures, places that showed up and helped in organizing, but [also] this huge gap between the official statements, leaders who showed up in those things, and the vast majority of folks on the ground.
At the same time The Christian Century is publishing A letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King and his wife apply for their son, Martin Luther King III, to attend a private Episcopalian school in Atlanta. And he's turned down on the basis of race. At the same time there's a very mainline denomination helping support the march on Washington ... another wing is denying his [son's] admission to a school on the basis of race. It's a very mixed bag. ... The symbolic things that were done and even courageous leaders that were out in the front of the civil rights movement never quite fully brought the great bulk of people in the pews with them.
Sam Briger and Joel Wolfram produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-07-30--Herman Cain, Former GOP Presidential Candidate, Dies From COVID-19

Former Republican presidential candidate and pizza magnate Herman Cain has died from the coronavirus .
Cain , 74 , had been hospitalized since early July after he began having trouble breathing .
`` Herman Cain – our boss , our friend , like a father to so many of us – has passed away , '' aides announced on Cain 's website Thursday .
Employees of Cain said they do not know where he contracted the coronavirus .
He attended President Trump 's indoor rally in Tulsa , Okla. , in late June and was photographed in the arena without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose to national prominence as the former CEO of Godfather 's Pizza .
He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2012 , famously touting a `` 9-9-9 '' tax plan .
He dropped out after facing sexual harassment allegations .
Cain was a prominent Trump supporter .
He was the co-chair of the Trump campaign 's outreach initiative for Black voters .
Trump supported Cain to serve on the Federal Reserve Board last year , but Cain withdrew from consideration a few weeks later .
On Twitter , Trump said he `` adored '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good . ''

Herman Cain, Former GOP Presidential Candidate, Dies From COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Updated at 4:44 p.m. ET
Former Republican presidential candidate and pizza magnate Herman Cain has died from the coronavirus.
Cain, 74, had been hospitalized since early July after he began having trouble breathing.
"Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away," aides announced on Cain's website Thursday.
Employees of Cain said they do not know where he contracted the coronavirus. He attended President Trump's indoor rally in Tulsa, Okla., in late June and was photographed in the arena without a mask.
Pizza baron
The African American businessman rose to national prominence as the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2012, famously touting a "9-9-9" tax plan.
He dropped out after facing sexual harassment allegations.
Cain was a prominent Trump supporter. He was the co-chair of the Trump campaign's outreach initiative for Black voters.
Trump supported Cain to serve on the Federal Reserve Board last year, but Cain withdrew from consideration a few weeks later.
On Twitter, Trump said he "adored" Cain, whom he called "a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good."


npr--2020-07-30--When Does Census Counting End? Bureau Sends 'Alarming' Mixed Signals

The Census Bureau is sending mixed signals about when it plans to finish efforts to count every person living in the U.S. for the 2020 census amid growing concerns among Democrats in Congress that the White House is pressuring the bureau to stop counting soon for political gain .
About 4 out of 10 households nationwide have not been counted yet , and census self-response rates are even lower in many communities .
Cutting short the final weeks of counting increases the risk of leaving out many people of color , immigrants and other members of historically undercounted groups from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to determine each state 's share of congressional seats , Electoral College votes and an estimated $ 1.5 trillion a year in federal tax dollars for Medicare , Medicaid and other public services .
In April , the bureau and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , a Trump appointee who oversees the bureau , asked Congress to extend the legal deadlines for reporting census results because the bureau said it needed extra time to complete the constitutionally mandated head count during the coronavirus pandemic .
Only Democrats have introduced legislation that would grant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , it is `` working to complete data collection as soon as possible , as it strives to comply with the law and statutory deadlines . ''
That update was quietly posted on the bureau 's website Wednesday , when a key reference to Oct. 31 — the new end date the bureau had been working under for conducting in-person interviews with households that have not filled out a census form — was removed .
Arturo Vargas — CEO of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — called the update to the bureau 's website `` alarming . ''
`` We are concerned over what seems to be an abandonment of the request for the additional time that both the White House and Census Bureau have already acknowledged is required for a full and accurate census , '' Vargas said in a statement .
`` It is too late now for the Bureau to change course , and the next COVID-19 relief legislation should reflect that reality . ''
The White House , according to the bureau 's updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 billion to fund `` accelerated efforts '' for completing counting `` as quickly , and safely as possible . ''
In their proposal for relief aid released on Monday , Republicans in Congress offered less than half of that amount with no deadline extensions .
During a hearing Wednesday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee , Steven Dillingham — the bureau 's director and a Trump appointee — gave lawmakers little insight into why the timing change was made .
Rep. Jimmy Gomez , D-Calif. , repeatedly asked Dillingham whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend the census deadlines .
But Dillingham did not answer the questions .
Asked by Rep. John Sarbanes , D-Md.
, if he was aware that the Trump administration reportedly wants to quickly wrap up counting so that the president can receive the census apportionment numbers by the end of the year , Dillingham replied : `` I 'm not aware of all the many reasons except to say that the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible . ''
But top career officials at the bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director for field operations — have publicly warned since May that the agency can no longer meet the current deadlines .
Pressed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib , D-Mich. , Dillingham said he `` ca n't agree '' with Olson 's assessment , noting the bureau has `` many more assessments ahead of us here . ''
`` President Trump and Mitch McConnell are demanding the American people finance their political manipulation of our democracy , '' Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , chair of the House oversight committee , said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ census to completion means that census workers will not have enough time to follow up on the non-responses , an essential operation designed to find and count the hardest to reach communities . ''
The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and the White House press office have not responded to NPR 's requests for comment .
Abandoning Oct. 31 as the end date for counting would throw the census , already upended by months of delays , deeper into turmoil as hundreds of thousands of the bureau 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct in-person interviews as many states grapple with growing coronavirus outbreaks in the middle of hurricane season .
`` That date does n't mean anything to me after today , '' a Census Bureau official told NPR on Wednesday , speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation from superiors for speaking out .
`` It 's embarrassing because we have been discussing this in presentations and conversations with staff , '' the official added .
`` I 'm hurt that they 'suddenly ' changed their minds . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New York , New Jersey and Puerto Rico are still scheduled to continue door-knocking through the end of October , according to Jeff Behler , director for the bureau 's New York regional office .
`` Are we doing anything to accelerate ? ''
Behler said Thursday during a press briefing organized by the Association for a Better New York .
`` I would say , not really . ''
On Wednesday , during a hearing full of nonanswers and roundabout responses to lawmakers ' questions , Dillingham did appear certain about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Census Bureau testified that he first learned about Trump 's plans to attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the census numbers used to reapportion seats in Congress not from any internal discussions , but from a news report `` late on a Friday '' that said `` such a directive may be coming down . ''
`` I will swear to it all day long under oath , '' Dillingham said after Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz , D-Fla. , looking incredulous in a remote video feed , reminded him that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another House member who joined the hearing remotely to question Dillingham , left the bureau 's director with a stern warning before stepping away from the camera .
`` It seems like there 's an obvious pattern that you 're not in control of the Census Bureau , '' Gomez said .
`` Your name will go down in history if this is the worst census ever conducted by the United States government .
You 're not going to run away and say that this was only because of the Trump administration later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Census Door Knocking Cut A Month Short Amid Pressure To Finish Count
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
Updated at 2:32 a.m. ET Friday
The Census Bureau is cutting short critical door-knocking efforts for the 2020 census amid growing concerns among Democrats in Congress that the White House is pressuring the bureau to wrap up counting soon for political gain, NPR has learned.
Attempts by the bureau's workers to conduct in-person interviews for the census will end on Sept. 30 — not Oct. 31, the end date it indicated in April would be necessary to count every person living in the U.S. given major setbacks from the coronavirus pandemic. Three Census Bureau employees, who were informed of the plans during separate internal meetings Thursday, confirmed the new end date with NPR. All of the employees spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of losing their jobs.
"It's going to be impossible to complete the count in time," said one of the bureau employees, an area manager who oversees local census offices. "I'm very fearful we're going to have a massive undercount."
Asked why and when the decision was made to move up the end of door knocking, the Census Bureau replied in a written statement Friday: "We are currently evaluating our operations to enable the Census Bureau to provide this data in the most expeditious manner and when those plans have been finalized we will make an announcement."
I'm very fearful we're going to have a massive undercount.
About 4 out of 10 households nationwide have still not participated in the constitutionally mandated count of every person living in the U.S., and self-response rates are even lower in many communities.
This month, the bureau began deploying door knockers to visit unresponsive homes in certain parts of the country. Door-knocking efforts are expected to roll out nationwide Aug. 11.
It's unclear how much longer households can submit census responses on their own by going online, over the phone and by mail. The bureau's website — which as recently as Thursday still listed Oct. 31 as the end of the "self-response phase" that began in March — now reads that phase will last until the end of field data collection.
The condensed door-knocking time frame increases the risk of leaving out many people of color, immigrants and other members of historically undercounted groups from numbers that are collected once a decade to determine each state's share of congressional seats, Electoral College votes and an estimated $1.5 trillion a year in federal tax dollars for Medicare, Medicaid and other public services.
Former Census Bureau Director John Thompson warns that with less time, the bureau would likely have to reduce the number of attempts door knockers would make to try to gather information in person. The agency may also have to rely more heavily on statistical methods to impute the data about people living in households they can't reach.
"The end result would be [overrepresentation] for the White non-Hispanic population and greater undercounts for all other populations including the traditionally hard-to-count," Thompson wrote in written testimony for a Wednesday hearing on the census before the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
This last-minute scheduling change to the largest and most expensive field operation for the 2020 census comes as the bureau has been publicly sending mixed signals about its plans for finishing the count.
In April, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, a Trump appointee who oversees the bureau, asked Congress to extend the legal deadlines for reporting census results because the bureau said it needed extra time to complete the national head count during the coronavirus pandemic.
Later that same day, President Trump suggested that Congress did not have a choice in approving the deadline extensions in light of the pandemic.
"This is called an act of God," Trump said. "This is called a situation that has to be. They have to give it."
So far, only Democrats have introduced legislation that would grant the bureau's request.
On Wednesday, the bureau quietly updated its website and removed a key reference to Oct. 31, the previously announced end date for conducting follow-up visits. The bureau's website now says it is "working to complete data collection as soon as possible, as it strives to comply with the law and statutory deadlines."
Arturo Vargas — CEO of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, which is helping to promote census participation — called the update "alarming."
"We are concerned over what seems to be an abandonment of the request for the additional time that both the White House and Census Bureau have already acknowledged is required for a full and accurate census," Vargas said in a statement. "It is too late now for the Bureau to change course, and the next COVID-19 relief legislation should reflect that reality."
The White House, according to the bureau's updated webpage, did ask for an additional $1 billion to fund "accelerated efforts" for completing counting "as quickly, and safely as possible." In their proposal for relief aid released on Monday, Republicans in Congress offered less than half of that amount with no deadline extensions.
That date doesn't mean anything to me after today.
During a hearing Wednesday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Steven Dillingham — the bureau's director and a Trump appointee — gave lawmakers little insight into why the timing change was made.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., repeatedly asked Dillingham whether he supports the bureau's request to extend the census deadlines.
But Dillingham did not answer the questions.
Asked by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., if he was aware that the Trump administration reportedly wants to wrap up counting quickly so that the president can receive the census apportionment numbers by the end of the year, Dillingham replied: "I'm not aware of all the many reasons except to say that the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible."
But top career officials at the bureau — including Tim Olson, the associate director for field operations — have publicly warned since May that the agency can no longer meet the current deadlines.
Pressed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Dillingham said he "can't agree" with Olson's assessment, noting the bureau has "many more assessments ahead of us here."
"President Trump and Mitch McConnell are demanding the American people finance their political manipulation of our democracy," Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the Oversight and Reform Committee, said in a statement after the hearing. "Rushing the census to completion means that census workers will not have enough time to follow up on the non-responses, an essential operation designed to find and count the hardest to reach communities."
The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the White House press office have not responded to NPR's requests for comment.
The pandemic has forced the bureau to scramble to find alternative locations for onboarding newly hired census workers, and the bureau is expecting public health concerns to increase the number of people who don't show up to be trained or to work.
Moving up the end date from Oct. 31 for door knocking is likely to throw the census, already upended by months of delays, deeper into turmoil as hundreds of thousands of the bureau's door knockers try to figure out how to conduct in-person interviews as many states grapple with growing coronavirus outbreaks in the middle of hurricane season.
"That date doesn't mean anything to me after today," a Census Bureau official told NPR on Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation from superiors for speaking out.
"It's embarrassing because we have been discussing this in presentations and conversations with staff," the official added. "I'm hurt that they 'suddenly' changed their minds."
News about the Sept. 30 end date for door knocking apparently had not reached all of the bureau's staff by Thursday morning when Jeff Behler, director for the bureau's New York regional office, said during a press briefing that local census offices in New England, New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico were still scheduled to continue visiting unresponsive households through the end of October.
Your name will go down in history if this is the worst census ever conducted by the United States government.
"Are we doing anything to accelerate?" Behler said during the briefing organized by the Association for a Better New York. "I would say, not really."
On Wednesday, during a hearing full of nonanswers and roundabout responses to lawmakers' questions, Dillingham did appear certain about at least one topic.
The director of the Census Bureau testified that he first learned about Trump's plans to attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the census numbers used to reapportion seats in Congress not from any internal discussions, but from a news report "late on a Friday" that said "such a directive may be coming down."
"I will swear to it all day long under oath," Dillingham said after Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., looking incredulous in a remote video feed, reminded him that he was testifying under oath.
Gomez, another House member who joined the hearing remotely to question Dillingham, left the bureau's director with a stern warning before stepping away from the camera.
"It seems like there's an obvious pattern that you're not in control of the Census Bureau," Gomez said. "Your name will go down in history if this is the worst census ever conducted by the United States government. You're not going to run away and say that this was only because of the Trump administration later on. You will be responsible."


npr--2020-07-30--Germany's Economy Suffers Biggest Quarterly Drop On Record

Economic output in Germany — the powerhouse of Europe — shrank during this year 's second quarter by 10.1 % compared with the same period last year .
That double-digit downturn is the steepest since that country 's Federal Statistical Office began tracking quarterly economic data a half-century ago .
`` It 's an astounding figure — minus 10.1 % , '' writes Henrik Böhme , an economic analyst for German state broadcaster DW .
`` Never before in Germany 's postwar history has the country 's economy slumped as sharply as in the second quarter of 2020 . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 % contraction forecast by economists polled by Reuters , occurred during a pandemic in which more than 200,000 Germans — a little over 0.2 % of the nation 's 84 million inhabitants — have been confirmed infected by the coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University 's pandemic tracking website .
`` The [ 10.1 % ] figure is n't surprising , '' Böhme adds , `` particularly at a time when the factories stopped producing , container ships stopped loading , services could n't be provided , trade fairs no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed . ''
The decline in Germany 's output last quarter , if calculated on an annual basis , would amount to 34.7 % .
That 's a steeper drop than the annualized 32.9 % plunge in the U.S. economy during the second quarter of 2020 , the sharpest downturn ever recorded for American output .
With more than 4.4 million known cases , the U.S. coronavirus infection rate of about 1.3 % is more than six times what Germany 's is .
Despite the economic contraction , Germany has not suffered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June stood at 4.5 % , according the Federal Statistical Office , while the number of people employed fell by 1.4 % compared with this year 's first quarter .
German firms surveyed this month by the Ifo Institute in Munich showed increasing optimism about economic recovery .
That was reflected in a rise in the Ifo Business Climate Index from 86.3 points in June to 90.5 points in July .
Still , Germany 's prospects remain closely tied to the pandemic 's impact elsewhere .
`` The extremely export-oriented German economy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' analyst Böhme notes , `` as important markets like the United States , as well as countries like Brazil and India , are not really getting the pandemic under control . ''

Germany's Economy Suffers Biggest Quarterly Drop On Record
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Probst/AP Michael Probst/AP
Economic output in Germany — the powerhouse of Europe — shrank during this year's second quarter by 10.1% compared with the same period last year. That double-digit downturn is the steepest since that country's Federal Statistical Office began tracking quarterly economic data a half-century ago.
"It's an astounding figure — minus 10.1%," writes Henrik Böhme, an economic analyst for German state broadcaster DW. "Never before in Germany's postwar history has the country's economy slumped as sharply as in the second quarter of 2020."
The historic slump, which surpasses a 9% contraction forecast by economists polled by Reuters, occurred during a pandemic in which more than 200,000 Germans — a little over 0.2% of the nation's 84 million inhabitants — have been confirmed infected by the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University's pandemic tracking website.
"The [10.1%] figure isn't surprising," Böhme adds, "particularly at a time when the factories stopped producing, container ships stopped loading, services couldn't be provided, trade fairs no longer took place and restaurants had to stay closed."
The decline in Germany's output last quarter, if calculated on an annual basis, would amount to 34.7%. That's a steeper drop than the annualized 32.9% plunge in the U.S. economy during the second quarter of 2020, the sharpest downturn ever recorded for American output. With more than 4.4 million known cases, the U.S. coronavirus infection rate of about 1.3% is more than six times what Germany's is.
Despite the economic contraction, Germany has not suffered a large loss of jobs. Unemployment for June stood at 4.5%, according the Federal Statistical Office, while the number of people employed fell by 1.4% compared with this year's first quarter.
German firms surveyed this month by the Ifo Institute in Munich showed increasing optimism about economic recovery. That was reflected in a rise in the Ifo Business Climate Index from 86.3 points in June to 90.5 points in July.
Still, Germany's prospects remain closely tied to the pandemic's impact elsewhere.
"The extremely export-oriented German economy is likely to suffer all the more," analyst Böhme notes, "as important markets like the United States, as well as countries like Brazil and India, are not really getting the pandemic under control."


npr--2020-07-31--Overwhelmed, Stressed, Scared: School Nurses Brace for the Fall Semester

In any ordinary school year , school nurses are busy .
This year , that 's an understatement .
`` Our role has expanded tenfold , '' says Eileen Gavin , who co-leads a team of nurses for Middletown Township Public Schools in New Jersey .
She and school nurses across the country face an unenviable and unprecedented task : caring for students and staff during a global pandemic .
`` We were at the front line of COVID-19 before the stay at home orders were put into place , '' says Gloria Barrera , the president-elect of the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be at the front line again , she says , as the school year begins .
Many nurses , including Gavin and Barrera , have been working with their school districts over the summer to prepare plans for every scenario imaginable .
But they say that 's not the case for everyone .
`` I know a lot of nurses have asked to be at the table and they 're not being invited or disregarded , '' Gavin says .
`` And honestly , would you want your child to return to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the plan ? ''
Colleen , who leads a team of school nurses in Texas , wishes she had more of a voice in her district 's decisions for the coming year .
`` Overwhelmingly , the response has been , well , let us get some decisions made , '' she says .
`` And then once the big decisions are made , you and your nurses can implement plans around that . ''
That means she was n't at the table to relay the most recent research about social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drafting a re–opening plan .
( We 're using Colleen 's middle name so she can speak freely about her employer . )
Back in April , when many schools closed their doors , the National Association of School Nurses ( NASN ) polled members around the country about their roles in pandemic plans .
`` While about 60 percent of those school nurses were part of the conversation with their school teams ... around COVID , about 40 percent of school nurses were n't involved in the conversation , '' says Donna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In many places , nurses are n't part of the conversation because they simply do n't exist .
According to data from NASN , only about half of all schools employ a full time nurse .
And , says Mazyck , `` Twenty–five percent of schools do not have a school nurse at all . ''
In Gavin 's New Jersey district , they 're recruiting for more school nurses and substitute nurses .
`` And unfortunately , that seems to be a problem because of the pay , '' she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can often make more money at hospitals , which desperately need them too .
Even in districts starting the year with mostly virtual learning , nurses plan to hold telehealth visits and check in on students with chronic illness .
Gavin , whose school district is finalizing plans for a hybrid model with in-person and virtual options , says she and her nursing team are trained COVID-19 contact tracers .
They 'll also be checking on students traumatized by the pandemic .
There 's `` uncertainty , grief and fear that 's come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ Students ] will have family members who passed away .
They will have acquaintances who no longer have grandparents in their home , '' she says .
They will need support from trusted adults at school — often , support they seek from their school nurses .
For schools intending on a return to in-person classes this fall , nurses must consider seemingly-endless numbers of safety measures : creating social distancing and masking protocols .
Asking students to bring water bottles instead of using water fountains .
Designating one-way hallways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a separate `` sick '' area for students and staff who have symptoms .
Staffing that area .
Establishing protocol for contact tracing .
Planning for new outbreaks .
`` I feel as though it 's a rabbit hole .
Once I go down the hole , I think I solved something ?
There 's another issue with that .
So we go down that hole .
It seems endless , '' Gavin says .
She says she 's thinking about every possibility — like replacing her school 's stock of nasal Narcan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the injectable version in order to decrease risk of spreading the virus .
In a district outside Columbia , South Carolina , health services coordinator Dawn MacAdams is thinking about kids with asthma .
`` We are going to ask that our parents work with their physicians to only bring in an inhaler , not a nebulizer , '' she says .
That 's because nebulizers generate aerosol , and there 's a chance that tiny virus particles in that aerosol could spread COVID-19 .
But no amount of planning can answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know about COVID-19 .
The rate that kids transmit the coronavirus remains unclear .
`` We do n't know what the impact is going to be , putting those children with faculty and staff , '' says MacAdams .
`` We do n't know what disease spread is really going to look like when we put everyone back into the petri dish of a school setting . ''
That 's one reason why MacAdams , who just wrapped her term as president of the South Carolina Association of School Nurses , co-wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Henry McMaster after he pushed for schools to include in-person options at the start of the school year .
`` The reality is that most South Carolina schools are not currently prepared to reopen during this pandemic , '' they wrote , pushing for state leaders to allow districts to follow health guidelines in the re-opening process .
MacAdams feels lucky to have a voice in her district 's reopening plans , and she and others who do are advocating for nurses across the country to have a say in what happens where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more funding , which school nurses overwhelmingly say their districts need to re–open safely .
`` I mean , the amount of masks , cloth masks , regular face masks , face shields , gowns , gloves ... hand sanitizer , hand soap , cleaning supplies — it 's very overwhelming when you think of the cost , '' says MacAdams .
In New Jersey , Eileen Gavin says she 's spent sleepless nights worrying about what the new school year might bring .
`` I do feel the weight of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we return to school , that we 're doing everything right ... that there was nothing else that we could have done , '' she says .
`` We care about every one of those kids and every staff member . ''
But she still feels lucky to be a part of those big plans in her district .
`` It is an enormous role that school nurses have right now '' she says .
`` It 's a lot of responsibility , but it 's even worse if you do n't @ @ @ @ @

Overwhelmed, Stressed, Scared: School Nurses Brace for the Fall Semester
Enlarge this image /Janice Chang for NPR /Janice Chang for NPR
In any ordinary school year, school nurses are busy. This year, that's an understatement.
"Our role has expanded tenfold," says Eileen Gavin, who co-leads a team of nurses for Middletown Township Public Schools in New Jersey.
She and school nurses across the country face an unenviable and unprecedented task: caring for students and staff during a global pandemic. "We were at the front line of COVID-19 before the stay at home orders were put into place," says Gloria Barrera, the president-elect of the Illinois Association of School Nurses. They'll be at the front line again, she says, as the school year begins.
Many nurses, including Gavin and Barrera, have been working with their school districts over the summer to prepare plans for every scenario imaginable. But they say that's not the case for everyone.
"I know a lot of nurses have asked to be at the table and they're not being invited or disregarded," Gavin says. "And honestly, would you want your child to return to a school where a school nurse was not part of the plan?"
Colleen, who leads a team of school nurses in Texas, wishes she had more of a voice in her district's decisions for the coming year.
"Overwhelmingly, the response has been, well, let us get some decisions made," she says. "And then once the big decisions are made, you and your nurses can implement plans around that." That means she wasn't at the table to relay the most recent research about social distancing or disease spread to district leaders drafting a re–opening plan. (We're using Colleen's middle name so she can speak freely about her employer.)
Back in April, when many schools closed their doors, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) polled members around the country about their roles in pandemic plans. "While about 60 percent of those school nurses were part of the conversation with their school teams...around COVID, about 40 percent of school nurses weren't involved in the conversation," says Donna Mazyck, executive director of NASN.
In many places, nurses aren't part of the conversation because they simply don't exist. According to data from NASN, only about half of all schools employ a full time nurse. And, says Mazyck, "Twenty–five percent of schools do not have a school nurse at all."
In Gavin's New Jersey district, they're recruiting for more school nurses and substitute nurses. "And unfortunately, that seems to be a problem because of the pay," she says. School nurses with experience and advanced degrees can often make more money at hospitals, which desperately need them too.
Even in districts starting the year with mostly virtual learning, nurses plan to hold telehealth visits and check in on students with chronic illness. Gavin, whose school district is finalizing plans for a hybrid model with in-person and virtual options, says she and her nursing team are trained COVID-19 contact tracers.
They'll also be checking on students traumatized by the pandemic. There's "uncertainty, grief and fear that's come because of COVID-19," says Mazyck. "[Students] will have family members who passed away. They will have acquaintances who no longer have grandparents in their home," she says. They will need support from trusted adults at school — often, support they seek from their school nurses.
For schools intending on a return to in-person classes this fall, nurses must consider seemingly-endless numbers of safety measures: creating social distancing and masking protocols. Asking students to bring water bottles instead of using water fountains. Designating one-way hallways to decrease traffic between classes. Creating a separate "sick" area for students and staff who have symptoms. Staffing that area. Establishing protocol for contact tracing. Planning for new outbreaks.
"I feel as though it's a rabbit hole. Once I go down the hole, I think I solved something? There's another issue with that. So we go down that hole. It seems endless," Gavin says.
She says she's thinking about every possibility — like replacing her school's stock of nasal Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdoses, with the injectable version in order to decrease risk of spreading the virus. In a district outside Columbia, South Carolina, health services coordinator Dawn MacAdams is thinking about kids with asthma. "We are going to ask that our parents work with their physicians to only bring in an inhaler, not a nebulizer," she says. That's because nebulizers generate aerosol, and there's a chance that tiny virus particles in that aerosol could spread COVID-19.
But no amount of planning can answer the questions even infectious disease experts don't know about COVID-19.
The rate that kids transmit the coronavirus remains unclear. "We don't know what the impact is going to be, putting those children with faculty and staff," says MacAdams. "We don't know what disease spread is really going to look like when we put everyone back into the petri dish of a school setting."
That's one reason why MacAdams, who just wrapped her term as president of the South Carolina Association of School Nurses, co-wrote a letter to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster after he pushed for schools to include in-person options at the start of the school year. "The reality is that most South Carolina schools are not currently prepared to reopen during this pandemic," they wrote, pushing for state leaders to allow districts to follow health guidelines in the re-opening process.
MacAdams feels lucky to have a voice in her district's reopening plans, and she and others who do are advocating for nurses across the country to have a say in what happens where they live.
They're also pressing for more funding, which school nurses overwhelmingly say their districts need to re–open safely. "I mean, the amount of masks, cloth masks, regular face masks, face shields, gowns, gloves...hand sanitizer, hand soap, cleaning supplies — it's very overwhelming when you think of the cost," says MacAdams.
In New Jersey, Eileen Gavin says she's spent sleepless nights worrying about what the new school year might bring.
"I do feel the weight of the world and the weight of my community as we return to school, that we're doing everything right...that there was nothing else that we could have done," she says. "We care about every one of those kids and every staff member."
But she still feels lucky to be a part of those big plans in her district. "It is an enormous role that school nurses have right now" she says. "It's a lot of responsibility, but it's even worse if you don't have a voice."


npr--2020-07-31--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December , the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and beyond .
The first confirmed coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South Korea .
On Jan. 21 , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On Jan. 24 , the first two European cases were confirmed in France .
By Feb. 1 , eight European nations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later that count had risen to 24 countries with at least 2,200 cases , most of them in Italy .
On March 11 , Italy eclipsed 10,000 cases and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first since H1N1 in 2009 .
That 's also when China , the original epicenter , began seeing drops in daily counts of new cases .
March also saw exponential spread of the virus throughout the U.S. , with all 50 states reporting cases by March 17 .
This particular virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-07-31--Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?

Tracking The Pandemic : Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State ?
More than 4 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 150,000 have died .
Though growth in new cases slowed in late spring , by mid-June new cases began to trend upward nationally .
In the graphics below , explore the trend in new cases in your state to see whether cases are rising , falling or staying level .
You can view the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , a curve chart and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case trends over the last three weeks .
Or to see states ' total cases and deaths on a map , click here .
The following chart displays states ' trends in new daily case counts , total cases , and per capita totals .
To compare state outbreaks , the trend lines for average new daily cases are graphed against each state 's total case count to date .
This highlights a state 's daily growth relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As cases slow , the curve levels or bends down .
In New York , site of the country 's largest outbreak , the state 's curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in mid July .
Conversely , Florida peaked around 1,200 new cases per day on average in April , only to surge again to nearly 12,000 per day in mid-July Coronavirus case totals are much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the spring , a large share of U.S. cases were centered around New York City .
As of mid July , other large , populous states such as California , Florida and Texas have reached high totals as well .
Some other states such as Arizona and Louisiana show a heavy burden of infection relative to their population size .
Explore the map below to see totals and per capita figures around the country for both cases and deaths .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week .
States marked in shades of red are showing growth , those in shades of green , are showing declines .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JHU team was able to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-07-31--The Nations With The Most To Lose From COVID-19

The Nations With The Most To Lose From COVID-19 As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage around the world , some of the largest outbreaks are in countries that fall into one particular economic category .
They 're not rich .
They 're not poor .
They 're middle-income .
In fact , of the countries reporting the most cases globally , 6 of 7 are middle-income nations .
And they 're not just any middle-income countries .
They 're some of the most influential players in the Global South .
Brazil , India , Mexico , Peru , Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerging market economics , they 're regional political powers .
Middle-income countries are defined by the World Bank as having annual per capita income between $ 1,000 and $ 12,000 .
The U.S. , by comparison ( the one high-income country in the top 7 ) has an average annual income of $ 66,000 .
In mid-July South Africa president Cyril Ramaphosa called the pandemic the `` gravest crisis in the history of our democracy '' as he re-imposed strict lockdown measures .
South Africa has now reported nearly a half a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases to continue to rise at least into September .
And the impact of the pandemic goes far beyond the number of sick or dead .
South Africa 's borders remain closed .
Non-essential workplaces remain shut .
The country 's official unemployment rate which had been in the mid-20 % range , was pushed above 30 % by the pandemic .
Indeed , the strain on countries in the middle-income category is tremendous .
And the number of people affected is huge .
According to the World Bank , 75 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
Collectively over the last decade , these countries have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty .
Amanda Glassman , the executive vice president of the Center for Global Development , says these countries have a lot to lose in this pandemic .
`` Most of their populations in this group would fall back into poverty given a shock like this one , '' she says .
For instance , Brazil 's economy is expected to shrink by as much as 6 ½ % this year due to the coronavirus crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases after the U.S. Nearly 100,000 people have died .
The president and several of his top ministers have been infected .
And as the pandemic continues to spread more and more Brazilians are losing work .
`` Even a country like Brazil that was so wealthy , 90 percent of the country earned less than ten dollars a day , '' Glassman says .
`` I 'm worried that we 're setting back the process of economic and social development that has gone so quickly over the past decade , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take us many years to catch back up . ''
The entrepreneurial spirit that made countries like India , Brazil and South Africa dynamic , emerging markets also put them at greater risk of having large outbreaks .
These are places with a lot of `` hustle , '' as Glassman puts it .
Their economies were global .
Business travelers and tourists jetted in and out .
They have decent domestic transportation networks offering the coronavirus or other pathogens easy avenues to spread .
They have health systems capable of detecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , there doing a lot of testing , '' says Jonathon Keymer , an intelligence analyst at the global risk management firm WorldAware .
`` In Russia , they 're doing a lot of testing .
The more people you test , the more confirmed cases you 're going to have . ''
Keymer specializes in Russia and the former Soviet bloc countries for WorldAware and has also been modeling the impact of COVID-19 in these nations .
He says some middle-income countries globally look worse than others in this pandemic simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their case numbers are being reported .
But that 's not true everywhere .
He points out that both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan , two middle-income former Soviet states , have re-introduced nationwide lockdowns in the past couple of weeks despite reported case numbers remaining relatively low .
`` And then in Turkmenistan , which is a much more difficult place to get information about , they 've closed the borders and I do n't think they 've officially got a single case of COVID , '' Keymer says .
`` But you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got COVID . ''
The World Health Organization has raised alarms about Turkmenistan despite its continued insistence that it has no cases .
But on paper at least Turkmenistan looks like it has far less of a COVID-19 problem than Peru , which has tested aggressively and openly reported results .
Peru has a testing rate of roughly 70,000 tests per 1 million people — a rate more than 5 times the global average .
Tanzania is another middle-income country reporting remarkably few infections .
The east African nation actually has n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April when the president declared that the virus had been driven out of his country by prayer .
Even with the marked differences in middle income countries – everything from governance to public sentiment to economic structure – there are certain commonalities .
It is clear that middle-income countries face similar risks as wealthier nations for coronavirus outbreaks but have far fewer resources to deal with them .
Interestingly , the relative wealth of a middle-income country appears to have little to do with how many infections it has .
Deborah Barros Leal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New South Wales , says the experience of middle-income countries shows that nation 's economic status does n't determine its success in battling this pandemic .
`` If you take the U.S. , the U.K. and Sweden , they are also having horrible numbers , '' Farias says .
`` And then you can take a country like Vietnam or Thailand and they 're having phenomenal numbers . ''
She says the real issue in keeping case counts down – even more than resources — appears to be leadership .
Of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including the U.S. and three middle-income nations Brazil , India and Russia — all have right-wing leaders who espouse populist or anti-science views .
In Brazil President Jair Bolsanaro downplayed the seriousness of the disease as tens of thousands of Brazilians died from COVID .
Even when he tested positive for it himself , Bolsonaro continued to tout the anti-malarial drug hydrochloroquine as a cure despite studies showing it was n't effective against the virus .
Ester Sabino , a virologist at the University of Sao Paulo , says Brazil never had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the outbreak and she says Bolsanaro has been a distraction .
`` In April and May , the main discussion [ in Brazil ] was whether we should or should not use chloroquine instead of saying how do we stop this , '' Sabino says .
`` There was not a good plan .
That 's my opinion .
A lot of time was spent on things that were not the key things for the control of the disease . ''
Research by Sabino and her colleagues shows there were more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil in the early days of the pandemic , mostly from travelers who 'd been in Europe .
Then the virus spread to every corner of the vast country .
Lockdowns managed to slow the initial explosive spread but Sabino says there needs to be more focus to contain the ongoing outbreak .
`` There is no magic .
There is no free lunch .
If you want to control epidemic , it 's hard , '' she says .
`` And you have to work a lot .
We ca n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold true regardless of whether a country is rich , poor or somewhere in the middle .

What 6 Of The 7 Countries With The Most COVID-19 Cases Have In Common
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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage around the world, some of the largest outbreaks are in countries that fall into one particular economic category. They're not rich. They're not poor. They're middle income.
In fact, of the countries reporting the most cases globally, 6 of 7 are middle-income nations.
And they're not just any middle-income countries. They're some of the most influential players in the global south. Brazil, India, Mexico, Peru, Russia and South Africa are not only major emerging market economies, they're regional political powers.
Middle-income countries are defined by the World Bank as having annual per capita income between $1,000 and $12,000. The U.S., by comparison (the one high-income country in the top 7), has an average annual income of $66,000.
In mid-July, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called the pandemic the "gravest crisis in the history of our democracy" as he reimposed strict lockdown measures.
South Africa has now reported nearly a half-million cases of the coronavirus. Health officials project cases to continue to rise at least into September. And the impact of the pandemic goes far beyond the number of sick or dead. South Africa's borders remain closed. Nonessential workplaces remain shut. The country's official unemployment rate, which had been in the mid-20% range, was pushed above 30% by the pandemic.
Indeed, the strain on countries in the middle-income category is tremendous. And the number of people affected is huge. According to the World Bank, 75% of the world's population live in middle-income countries.
Collectively over the past decade, these countries have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty.
Amanda Glassman, the executive vice president of the Center for Global Development, says these countries have a lot to lose in this pandemic.
"Most of their populations in this group would fall back into poverty given a shock like this one," she says.
For instance, Brazil's economy is expected to shrink by as much as 6.5% this year because of the coronavirus crisis. Brazil has the second-highest number of cases after the U.S. Nearly 100,000 people have died. The president and several of his top ministers have been infected. And as the pandemic continues to spread, more and more Brazilians are losing work.
"Even a country like Brazil that was so wealthy, 90% of the country earned less than $10 a day," Glassman says.
"I'm worried that we're setting back the process of economic and social development that has gone so quickly over the past decade," she says. "And it will take us many years to catch back up."
The entrepreneurial spirit that made countries like India, Brazil and South Africa dynamic emerging markets also put them at greater risk of having large outbreaks. These are places with a lot of "hustle," as Glassman puts it. Their economies were global. Business travelers and tourists jetted in and out. They have decent domestic transportation networks offering the coronavirus or other pathogens easy avenues to spread. They have health systems capable of detecting the disease.
"In India, for example, they're doing a lot of testing," says Jonathon Keymer, an intelligence analyst at the global risk management firm WorldAware. "In Russia, they're doing a lot of testing. The more people you test, the more confirmed cases you're going to have."
Keymer specializes in Russia and the former Soviet bloc countries for WorldAware and has also been modeling the impact of COVID-19 in these nations.
He says some middle-income countries globally look worse than others in this pandemic simply because they are open, dynamic societies and their case numbers are being reported. But that's not true everywhere.
He points out that both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two middle-income former Soviet states, have reintroduced nationwide lockdowns in the past couple of weeks despite reported case numbers remaining relatively low.
"And then in Turkmenistan, which is a much more difficult place to get information about, they've closed the borders and I don't think they've officially got a single case of COVID," Keymer says. "But you can bet your bottom dollar that they've got COVID."
The World Health Organization has raised alarms about Turkmenistan despite its continued insistence that it has no cases.
But on paper at least Turkmenistan looks like it has far less of a COVID-19 problem than Peru, which has tested aggressively and openly reported results. Peru has a testing rate of roughly 70,000 tests per 1 million people — a rate more than five times the global average.
Tanzania is another middle-income country reporting remarkably few infections. The east African nation actually hasn't officially reported any cases to WHO since April, when the president declared that the virus had been driven out of his country by prayer.
Even with the marked differences in middle income countries — everything from governance to public sentiment to economic structure — there are certain commonalities. It is clear that middle-income countries face similar risks as wealthier nations for coronavirus outbreaks but have far fewer resources to deal with them.
Interestingly, the relative wealth of a middle-income country appears to have little to do with how many infections it has.
Deborah Barros Leal Farias, a lecturer at the University of New South Wales, says the experience of middle-income countries shows that a nation's economic status doesn't determine its success in battling this pandemic. "If you take the U.S., the U.K. and Sweden, they are also having horrible numbers," Farias says. "And then you can take a country like Vietnam or Thailand and they're having phenomenal numbers."
She says the real issue in keeping case counts down — even more than resources — appears to be leadership.
Of the four countries with the most cases globally — the U.S. and three middle-income nations: Brazil, India and Russia — all have conservative or right-wing leaders who espouse populist or anti-science views.
In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro downplayed the seriousness of the disease as tens of thousands of Brazilians died from COVID. Even when he tested positive for it himself, Bolsonaro continued to tout the anti-malarial drug hydrochloroquine as a cure despite studies showing it wasn't effective against the virus.
Ester Sabino, a virologist at the University of Sao Paulo, says Brazil never had a cohesive national plan for how to address the outbreak and she says Bolsonaro has been a distraction.
"In April and May, the main discussion [in Brazil] was whether we should or should not use chloroquine instead of saying how do we stop this," Sabino says. "There was not a good plan. That's my opinion. A lot of time was spent on things that were not the key things for the control of the disease."
Research by Sabino and her colleagues shows there were more than 100 different introductions of the virus into Brazil in the early days of the pandemic, mostly from travelers who had been in Europe. Then the virus spread to every corner of the vast country.
Lockdowns managed to slow the initial explosive spread, but Sabino says there needs to be more focus to contain the ongoing outbreak.
"There is no magic. There is no free lunch. If you want to control epidemic, it's hard," she says. "And you have to work a lot. We can't think about politics."
And that appears to hold true regardless of whether a country is rich, poor or somewhere in the middle.