npr--2020-05-22--Indonesians Prepare For Eid Holiday Amid Concerns Over Spread Of COVID-19

Indonesians Prepare For Eid Holiday Amid Concerns Over Spread Of COVID-19 In Indonesia , the world 's largest Muslim country , this weekend 's Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan will involve mass travel , raising concerns about the effect it may have on the country 's COVID-19 infection rates .
President Joko Widodo has said he will not yet ease large-scale social restrictions , insisting his government aims to keep citizens safe .
But his administration has loosened some constraints by allowing public transportation to resume , including airlines , at 50 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media showing Jakarta 's main airport packed with passengers ignoring physical-distancing rules .
In the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that saw nearly 1,000 new cases in a single day this week , the human `` hurricane '' this year will carry an estimated 20 million people , says Aaron Connelly , a research fellow with the Singapore-based International Institute for Strategic Studies .
Eid is to Indonesia what Christmas is the U.S. , says Elina Ciptadi , a co-founder of Kawal COVID-19 , which is monitoring the pandemic 's effects in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
`` Religious gatherings .
Open houses .
People share meals . ''
And now , she worries , `` People go back to their hometowns , bringing the previously 'big cities ' disease into small towns and villages across Indonesia . ''
Indonesia , with a population of 260 million , has confirmed more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 1,320 deaths , but many suspect the numbers are not a true reflection of the disease 's reach .
Some gravediggers have reported working 15 hours a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispose of bodies .
`` The ambulances never stop bringing us bodies , '' one digger told Agence France-Presse .
The heavy workload of gravediggers in Jakarta is highlighting a significant undercounting of deaths related to COVID-19 , Connelly tells NPR .
He says in March , `` There were a lot more burials going on in Jakarta than there had been in any month in 2018 and 2019 . ''
Reuters reported that the March burial figure for Jakarta was the highest since such data began being collected a decade ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that period .
`` I 'm struggling to find another reason than unreported COVID-19 deaths , '' City Governor Anies Baswedan told Reuters .
Death statistics from the provinces include the number of `` patients under surveillance '' or those with COVID-19 symptoms who have not been confirmed as being infected .
Connelly says the central government has not included these patients in its tally and counts only deaths where COVID-19 has been confirmed through testing , which is in short supply .
Connelly says the number of deaths related to COVID-19 nationally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of the official figure , `` As of a week ago , there were at least an additional 3,833 who had died , '' he says , based on the provinces ' statistics .
When asked why suspected COVID-19 cases were not included in the national death total , the Health Ministry 's disease control and prevention director general , Achmad Yurianto , told the Jakarta Post , `` We have the data , but we are not going to announce it to the public willy-nilly .
Regional task forces also have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , ask the regions . ''
Widodo has acknowledged that his administration has not disclosed some data out of concern that it would `` cause panic . ''
Connelly says the generals on the president 's COVID-19 task force have repeatedly advised him to withhold information because it might hurt the economy .
Widodo `` is extraordinarily sensitive to the prospect of any economic damage , '' Connelly says , and fears that `` an economic collapse might lead to the collapse of his presidency . ''
But Ciptadi argues that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is critical `` for Indonesians to understand the severity of the outbreak .
That this is n't just flu . ''

Indonesians Prepare For Eid Holiday Amid Concerns Over Spread Of COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Achmad Ibrahim/AP Achmad Ibrahim/AP
In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, this weekend's Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan will involve mass travel, raising concerns about the effect it may have on the country's COVID-19 infection rates.
President Joko Widodo has said he will not yet ease large-scale social restrictions, insisting his government aims to keep citizens safe. But his administration has loosened some constraints by allowing public transportation to resume, including airlines, at 50% of capacity. Images have circulated on social media showing Jakarta's main airport packed with passengers ignoring physical-distancing rules.
In the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that saw nearly 1,000 new cases in a single day this week, the human "hurricane" this year will carry an estimated 20 million people, says Aaron Connelly, a research fellow with the Singapore-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Eid is to Indonesia what Christmas is the U.S., says Elina Ciptadi, a co-founder of Kawal COVID-19, which is monitoring the pandemic's effects in Indonesia. "Large family gatherings," she says. "Religious gatherings. Open houses. People share meals."
And now, she worries, "People go back to their hometowns, bringing the previously 'big cities' disease into small towns and villages across Indonesia."
Indonesia, with a population of 260 million, has confirmed more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 1,320 deaths, but many suspect the numbers are not a true reflection of the disease's reach.
Some gravediggers have reported working 15 hours a day, seven days a week, to dispose of bodies.
"The ambulances never stop bringing us bodies," one digger told Agence France-Presse.
The heavy workload of gravediggers in Jakarta is highlighting a significant undercounting of deaths related to COVID-19, Connelly tells NPR. He says in March, "There were a lot more burials going on in Jakarta than there had been in any month in 2018 and 2019."
Reuters reported that the March burial figure for Jakarta was the highest since such data began being collected a decade ago, nearly one-third higher than any month in that period. "I'm struggling to find another reason than unreported COVID-19 deaths," City Governor Anies Baswedan told Reuters.
Death statistics from the provinces include the number of "patients under surveillance" or those with COVID-19 symptoms who have not been confirmed as being infected. Connelly says the central government has not included these patients in its tally and counts only deaths where COVID-19 has been confirmed through testing, which is in short supply.
Connelly says the number of deaths related to COVID-19 nationally appears to be over 5,000. On top of the official figure, "As of a week ago, there were at least an additional 3,833 who had died," he says, based on the provinces' statistics.
When asked why suspected COVID-19 cases were not included in the national death total, the Health Ministry's disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, told the Jakarta Post, "We have the data, but we are not going to announce it to the public willy-nilly. Regional task forces also have the data. If you want complete data, ask the regions."
Widodo has acknowledged that his administration has not disclosed some data out of concern that it would "cause panic." Connelly says the generals on the president's COVID-19 task force have repeatedly advised him to withhold information because it might hurt the economy.
Widodo "is extraordinarily sensitive to the prospect of any economic damage," Connelly says, and fears that "an economic collapse might lead to the collapse of his presidency."
But Ciptadi argues that the availability of reliable data on suspected deaths is critical "for Indonesians to understand the severity of the outbreak. That this isn't just flu."


npr--2020-05-22--77 Nobel Laureates Denounce Trump Officials For Pulling Coronavirus Research Grant

In an open letter to a top Trump Administration official , 77 Nobel prize-winning American scientists say they are `` gravely concerned '' about the recent abrupt cancellation of a federal grant to a U.S. non-profit that was researching coronaviruses in China .
The laureates say that the move , announced on April 24 , `` sets a dangerous precedent by interfering in the conduct of science '' and `` deprives the nation and the world of highly regarded science that could help control one of the greatest health crises in modern history and those that may arise in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question , EcoHealth Alliance , specializes in hunting viruses worldwide .
For years their scientists have been trapping bats in China in order to check their blood and saliva for new coronaviruses that could spark the next pandemic in humans .
Last year the National Institutes of Health renewed funding for that project – granting EcoHealth Alliance $ 4 million to cover the next five years of research .
Then , last month , various U.S. officials began working to raise suspicions that a local Chinese lab that EcoHealth Alliance had partnered with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released the virus causing COVID-19 .
( The Institute is located in the Chinese city where the current pandemic began . )
Multiple virologists who are familiar with lab accidents as well as the way that coronavirus research is conducted have discounted the accident theory as nearly impossible .
Yet a few days after a White House press conference at which President Trump promised action on the issue – and erroneously implied that the entirety of the grant had gone to the Wuhan Institute — NIH terminated the funding .
EcoHealth Alliance 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result , his group has n't just lost the ability to look for new viruses in China .
They — and the many international researchers with whom they share their data – have also lost access to the vast collection of distinct coronavirus samples already collected .
These include around 50 from a category that caused the 2002 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome , or SARS , and , now , the COVID-19 pandemic .
In an email informing EcoHealth of the grant termination , an NIH official said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ align with NIH goals and priorities .
In their letter Friday , the 77 Nobel laureates dismiss this as `` preposterous . ''
The writers – who are from the fields of medicine , chemistry and physics and represent honorees from nearly every year since 1975 — note that EcoHealth 's grant application had received `` a very high priority score '' during peer review .
And they add , `` now is precisely the time when we need to support this kind of research if we aim to control the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is addressed to not only the head of the NIH but to the Trump-appointed cabinet member who oversees the agency — Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar .
The laureates conclude with a call for a `` thorough review of the actions that led to the decision to terminate the grant '' and `` appropriate steps to rectify the injustices that may have been committed in revoking it . ''

77 Nobel Laureates Denounce Trump Officials For Pulling Coronavirus Research Grant
In an open letter to a top Trump Administration official, 77 Nobel prize-winning American scientists say they are "gravely concerned" about the recent abrupt cancellation of a federal grant to a U.S. non-profit that was researching coronaviruses in China. The laureates say that the move, announced on April 24, "sets a dangerous precedent by interfering in the conduct of science" and "deprives the nation and the world of highly regarded science that could help control one of the greatest health crises in modern history and those that may arise in the future."
The research group in question, EcoHealth Alliance, specializes in hunting viruses worldwide. For years their scientists have been trapping bats in China in order to check their blood and saliva for new coronaviruses that could spark the next pandemic in humans. Last year the National Institutes of Health renewed funding for that project – granting EcoHealth Alliance $4 million to cover the next five years of research.
Then, last month, various U.S. officials began working to raise suspicions that a local Chinese lab that EcoHealth Alliance had partnered with – the Wuhan Institute of Virology—had accidentally released the virus causing COVID-19. (The Institute is located in the Chinese city where the current pandemic began.)
Multiple virologists who are familiar with lab accidents as well as the way that coronavirus research is conducted have discounted the accident theory as nearly impossible. Yet a few days after a White House press conference at which President Trump promised action on the issue – and erroneously implied that the entirety of the grant had gone to the Wuhan Institute — NIH terminated the funding.
EcoHealth Alliance's president Peter Daszak has told NPR that as a result, his group hasn't just lost the ability to look for new viruses in China. They — and the many international researchers with whom they share their data – have also lost access to the vast collection of distinct coronavirus samples already collected. These include around 50 from a category that caused the 2002 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and, now, the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an email informing EcoHealth of the grant termination, an NIH official said the reason was that the project did not align with NIH goals and priorities. In their letter Friday, the 77 Nobel laureates dismiss this as "preposterous." The writers – who are from the fields of medicine, chemistry and physics and represent honorees from nearly every year since 1975 — note that EcoHealth's grant application had received "a very high priority score" during peer review. And they add, "now is precisely the time when we need to support this kind of research if we aim to control the pandemic and prevent subsequent ones."
The letter is addressed to not only the head of the NIH but to the Trump-appointed cabinet member who oversees the agency — Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. The laureates conclude with a call for a "thorough review of the actions that led to the decision to terminate the grant" and "appropriate steps to rectify the injustices that may have been committed in revoking it."


npr--2020-05-22--Sons of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Forgive His Killers, Paving Way for Pardons

Sons of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Forgive His Killers , Paving Way for Pardons The sons of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi say they have forgiven their father 's killers , paving the way for a legal reprieve for five men sentenced to death for the murder .
`` If a person forgives and makes reconciliation , his reward is due from Allah , '' the writer 's eldest son , Saleh , tweeted Thursday .
`` Therefore , we the sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi , announce that we pardon those who killed our father . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible grounds for clemency in a death sentence .
It is unclear under what circumstances the pardon was extended .
Many of Khashoggi 's family , including Saleh , currently live or work in Saudi Arabia , which is known for cracking down on dissidents .
Khashoggi 's fiancee , Hatice Cengiz , who lives in Turkey , offered her own less forgiving statement that the journalists 's `` heinous murder '' did not have a statute of limitations and that she `` and others will not stop until we get # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Saudi with premeditation to lure , ambush & kill him .
Nobody has the right to pardon the killers , '' Cengiz wrote .
`` We will not pardon the killers nor those who ordered the killing . ''
Khashoggi 's 2017 murder in Saudi Arabia 's consulate in Istanbul caused a global backlash against the kingdom and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman .
Many governments and international organizations have concluded that the slaying of Khashoggi — a critic of the Saudi royal family — was planned with responsibility leading back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nations report last year went so far as to say there was `` credible evidence '' linking the prince to the killing , concluding that the death of the journalist required `` government coordination , resources and finances . ''
`` Saudi high-level officials planned , oversaw and/or endorsed the mission , '' the report found .
Saudi Arabia has long denied that assertion saying the death resulted from a brawl .
The crown prince has also consistently denied any prior knowledge of the crime .
In handing out five death sentences and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Saudi court affirmed that position in December , ruling the death was not premeditated .
Human Rights Watch notes the crown prince continued , and even broadened , the kingdom 's crackdown on dissidents as he touted reforms .
The group 's November report notes a series of arrests targeting clerics , intellectuals , academics and activists as well as detentions at `` unofficial '' sites where allegations of mistreatment and torture have been rampant .
`` What has made the post-2017 arrest waves notable and different , however , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a short period of time as well as the introduction of new repressive practices not seen under previous Saudi leadership , '' Human Rights Watch notes .

Sons of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Forgive His Killers, Paving Way for Pardons
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ydasin Akgul/AFP via Getty Images Ydasin Akgul/AFP via Getty Images
The sons of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi say they have forgiven their father's killers, paving the way for a legal reprieve for five men sentenced to death for the murder.
"If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah," the writer's eldest son, Saleh, tweeted Thursday. "Therefore, we the sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi, announce that we pardon those who killed our father."
Saudi law considers a victim's forgiveness as possible grounds for clemency in a death sentence. It is unclear under what circumstances the pardon was extended. Many of Khashoggi's family, including Saleh, currently live or work in Saudi Arabia, which is known for cracking down on dissidents.
Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who lives in Turkey, offered her own less forgiving statement that the journalists's " heinous murder" did not have a statute of limitations and that she "and others will not stop until we get #JusticeForJamal."
"The killers came from Saudi with premeditation to lure, ambush & kill him. Nobody has the right to pardon the killers," Cengiz wrote. "We will not pardon the killers nor those who ordered the killing."
Khashoggi's 2017 murder in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul caused a global backlash against the kingdom and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Many governments and international organizations have concluded that the slaying of Khashoggi — a critic of the Saudi royal family — was planned with responsibility leading back to the crown prince.
A United Nations report last year went so far as to say there was "credible evidence" linking the prince to the killing, concluding that the death of the journalist required "government coordination, resources and finances."
"Saudi high-level officials planned, oversaw and/or endorsed the mission," the report found.
Saudi Arabia has long denied that assertion saying the death resulted from a brawl. The crown prince has also consistently denied any prior knowledge of the crime.
In handing out five death sentences and three prison terms for the killing, a Saudi court affirmed that position in December, ruling the death was not premeditated.
Human Rights Watch notes the crown prince continued, and even broadened, the kingdom's crackdown on dissidents as he touted reforms.
The group's November report notes a series of arrests targeting clerics, intellectuals, academics and activists as well as detentions at "unofficial" sites where allegations of mistreatment and torture have been rampant.
"What has made the post-2017 arrest waves notable and different, however, is the sheer number and range of individuals targeted over a short period of time as well as the introduction of new repressive practices not seen under previous Saudi leadership," Human Rights Watch notes.


npr--2020-05-22--Army Scales Back In-Person Recruiting, Deploys Virus Testing Before Basic Training

The Inglewood Army recruiting station is tucked into a strip mall in a gritty part of Los Angeles .
Its neighbors are a liquor store , fast food outlets and palm trees .
Inside are the familiar posters : smiling soldiers with the slogans `` Army Strong '' and `` Army Team . ''
Sergeant First Class Nathan Anslow runs this station .
He points to something new just inside the door .
A stack of questionnaires — coronavirus screening forms .
It 's the first stop for potential recruits .
`` I go over the screening questions , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of the symptoms ?
Have they felt any of this ?
Have they travelled ?
Are they currently sick or been around someone who 's sick ? ''
On the table are Clorox wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer .
Another table holds boxes of protective gear .
`` So if they come to the office and do n't have masks and gloves , I have some to provide for them , '' he said .
Every recruiter here already is wearing a mask .
Anslow sports a white one .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodgers mask .
And , of course , a few camouflage masks to match their uniforms .
This store front office normally would hold 11 recruiters .
But in the age of distancing , Anslow has chopped down that number .
Now just three recruiters at a time are in the office , and only three recruits — who come in just to sign the final paperwork .
`` So if the parents want to sit down and go over things , I set up a separate appointment , '' Anslow said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of people in here at the same time because it puts everybody at risk . ''
Recruiters are somewhat stuck during this pandemic .
They ca n't go out like they used to , trawling for recruits at schools and malls , or visiting their homes .
And few people can come in to the recruiting station .
That 's why recruiters are going online .
They 're on Facebook and Twitter , Instagram and chat rooms .
The Army was already moving in that direction .
The age of the TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You Can Be '' ?
— is fading as most young people are staring at hand-held screens .
`` A lot of my future soldiers come from social media ... seeing my story and then reaching out to me , '' said Staff Sergeant Daniel Coello , one of the recruiters here .
He 's 27 and a Cuban immigrant who enlisted and then served in Iraq .
The virus is on the minds of both recruits and parents , he said .
Some recruits want to sign up because COVID-19 is all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recruiters have often said over the years the best thing for recruiting is a recession .
And the parents ?
There is still the common concern about their child becoming a casualty on a far-off battlefield .
Add to that the fear of being infected with the virus .
`` Mainly it 's the parents and the family members that are concerned for them .
Because they do n't want them to leave home , so that they 're not exposed , '' he said .
Still , Sergeant Coello has been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal for the year is 36 recruits .
He 's already signed up 32 .
The annual goal for the office is 100 .
But it 's a small slice of an Army hoping to attract some 69,000 new soldiers by the fall .
The Army is intent on making sure those future soldiers stay healthy .
Before shipping out to basic training , recruits must quarantine for two weeks , wear masks and socially distance .
Even with those defensive measures , the coronavirus ambushed a local recruit recently , just as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` That 's when they tested and found out this individual was positive , '' said Command Sergeant Major Jason Provens .
`` Could that have been picked up in transport ?
Yes .
Could that have been picked up at the airport ?
Yes .
Could that have been at the station ?
That 's why we have to back up all the contact and assume the worst . ''
As a result of that positive test , a recruiting station in nearby Long Beach had to close and sanitize .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
Army officials are quick to point out the recruit was tested and isolated before he could infect others at basic training .
`` You know the really good news is once we get to basic training we have a test , '' said Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston , who 's visiting this recruiting station with the top Army officer , General Jim McConville .
All recruits must be tested and quarantined for two weeks — even if the test is negative .
Then the soldier is tested a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're going to know right off the bat and no matter where you are , we have our hospitals and every training location has its own tests , '' he said .
For his part , Gen. McConnville hopes all this will prevent another cluster of cases .
That happened back in March when the South Carolina training base Fort Jackson was hit with COVID-19 and some 50 recruits fell ill. '' We 're pretty comfortable with the procedures we have in place , '' the general said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't want to get over confident and think we have it all figured out .
We do n't . ''
So the virus-free recruits will wear masks while they train and will also social distance .
McConville points out the Army has always promoted that kind of distancing , or what it calls `` tactical dispersal , '' because you do n't want to bunch up and provide an enemy force with an easy target .
And those recruits will also have a new piece of gear : a pocket-sized bottle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They gave me that at Fort Jackson , '' he said .
`` It 's Army-issued Purell .
It 's right there in the green bottle . ''
The plastic bottle comes complete with indentations for an easy grip .
`` Only the Army , '' he said , `` could figure out , you know , how to have , like , a hand hold . ''
He stuffs his tactical Purell into his cargo pants and heads out through the masked recruiters .

Army Scales Back In-Person Recruiting, Deploys Virus Testing Before Basic Training
toggle caption Tom Bowman/NPR
The Inglewood Army recruiting station is tucked into a strip mall in a gritty part of Los Angeles. Its neighbors are a liquor store, fast food outlets and palm trees. Inside are the familiar posters: smiling soldiers with the slogans "Army Strong" and "Army Team."
Sergeant First Class Nathan Anslow runs this station. He points to something new just inside the door. A stack of questionnaires — coronavirus screening forms. It's the first stop for potential recruits.
"I go over the screening questions," he said. "Do they have any of the symptoms? Have they felt any of this? Have they travelled? Are they currently sick or been around someone who's sick?"
On the table are Clorox wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer. Another table holds boxes of protective gear.
"So if they come to the office and don't have masks and gloves, I have some to provide for them," he said.
Every recruiter here already is wearing a mask. Anslow sports a white one. Others have black masks, an LA Dodgers mask. And, of course, a few camouflage masks to match their uniforms.
This store front office normally would hold 11 recruiters. But in the age of distancing, Anslow has chopped down that number. Now just three recruiters at a time are in the office, and only three recruits — who come in just to sign the final paperwork.
And the all-important parents?
"So if the parents want to sit down and go over things, I set up a separate appointment," Anslow said. "Because we don't want a bunch of people in here at the same time because it puts everybody at risk."
Recruiters are somewhat stuck during this pandemic. They can't go out like they used to, trawling for recruits at schools and malls, or visiting their homes. And few people can come in to the recruiting station.
That's why recruiters are going online. They're on Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and chat rooms. The Army was already moving in that direction. The age of the TV ad — remember "Be All That You Can Be"? — is fading as most young people are staring at hand-held screens.
"A lot of my future soldiers come from social media ... seeing my story and then reaching out to me," said Staff Sergeant Daniel Coello, one of the recruiters here. He's 27 and a Cuban immigrant who enlisted and then served in Iraq.
toggle caption Tom Bowman/NPR
The virus is on the minds of both recruits and parents, he said. Some recruits want to sign up because COVID-19 is all but ending any job prospects. Military recruiters have often said over the years the best thing for recruiting is a recession.
And the parents? There is still the common concern about their child becoming a casualty on a far-off battlefield. Add to that the fear of being infected with the virus.
"Mainly it's the parents and the family members that are concerned for them. Because they don't want them to leave home, so that they're not exposed," he said.
Still, Sergeant Coello has been able to allay parents' concerns. His goal for the year is 36 recruits. He's already signed up 32. The annual goal for the office is 100. But it's a small slice of an Army hoping to attract some 69,000 new soldiers by the fall.
The Army is intent on making sure those future soldiers stay healthy. Before shipping out to basic training, recruits must quarantine for two weeks, wear masks and socially distance.
Even with those defensive measures, the coronavirus ambushed a local recruit recently, just as he arrived at the training base.
"That's when they tested and found out this individual was positive," said Command Sergeant Major Jason Provens. "Could that have been picked up in transport? Yes. Could that have been picked up at the airport? Yes. Could that have been at the station? That's why we have to back up all the contact and assume the worst."
As a result of that positive test, a recruiting station in nearby Long Beach had to close and sanitize. And a recruiter is now quarantined for two weeks.
Army officials are quick to point out the recruit was tested and isolated before he could infect others at basic training.
"You know the really good news is once we get to basic training we have a test," said Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, who's visiting this recruiting station with the top Army officer, General Jim McConville.
All recruits must be tested and quarantined for two weeks — even if the test is negative. Then the soldier is tested a second time before being allowed to train.
"We're going to know right off the bat and no matter where you are, we have our hospitals and every training location has its own tests," he said.
For his part, Gen. McConnville hopes all this will prevent another cluster of cases. That happened back in March when the South Carolina training base Fort Jackson was hit with COVID-19 and some 50 recruits fell ill.
"We're pretty comfortable with the procedures we have in place," the general said. "But we respect the virus. We don't want to get over confident and think we have it all figured out. We don't."
So the virus-free recruits will wear masks while they train and will also social distance. McConville points out the Army has always promoted that kind of distancing, or what it calls "tactical dispersal," because you don't want to bunch up and provide an enemy force with an easy target.
And those recruits will also have a new piece of gear: a pocket-sized bottle of hand sanitizer. McConville holds one up.
"They gave me that at Fort Jackson," he said. "It's Army-issued Purell. It's right there in the green bottle."
The plastic bottle comes complete with indentations for an easy grip.
"Only the Army," he said, "could figure out, you know, how to have, like, a hand hold."
He stuffs his tactical Purell into his cargo pants and heads out through the masked recruiters.


npr--2020-05-22--'He's Incredibly Confused': Parenting A Child With Autism During The Pandemic

'He 's Incredibly Confused ' : Parenting A Child With Autism During The Pandemic Living with the pandemic has been difficult for everyone : the isolation , the need to wear protective gear like masks and gloves , the adjustment to working or learning from home .
For those living with or caring for someone with severe autism , those challenges can be exponentially more difficult .
`` Wearing gloves or masks , you know , things like that ?
That 's just not going to happen here , '' says Feda Almaliti .
Almaliti is the mother of 15-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She is also vice president of the National Council on Severe Autism .
In an emotional interview with NPR , she describes the toll the current crisis is taking on her family and others like hers .
`` Muhammed is an energetic , loving boy who does n't understand what 's going on right now .
He does n't understand why he ca n't go to school .
And school is one of his favorite places to go .
He does n't understand why he ca n't go take a walk in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things to do .
He does n't know why he ca n't go to the park , why he ca n't go down to the grocery store , '' Almaliti says .
`` So he 's incredibly confused , in this time when we 're all confused , but he really does n't understand it . ''
Here are excerpts from the interview .
How does distance learning work for your son , who has limited language and other difficulties ?
It does not work for him .
And I do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like him .
Our kids need highly structured , one-to-one , specialized teachers and staff to teach them .
We ca n't do that over the Internet .
You wrote an essay and quoted a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison that found that mothers of children with autism experience stress levels comparable to those of combat soldiers .
And that is before you layer a deadly pandemic on top of things .
It 's the unknowing .
... We do n't know when it 's going to end .
We do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with autism at home makes it even harder .
The only support that I get to get through it is through fellow autism parents .
We have Zoom calls , and we try to find humor in this thing .
... We 're just trying to lean on each other to get through .
Because I ca n't do it alone .
Nobody can .
What about the rest of your family ?
How are they coping ?
They 're doing the best they can every day .
...
But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's really hard .
...
It 's really hard because I almost feel like nobody hears us .
Because my son does n't really talk .
He does n't talk .
And I 'm supposed to be his voice .
And no one 's listening to what 's going on for our families .
You know , no one gets that we are just as vulnerable as coronavirus people .
The coronavirus is going to come and go .
Autism is here to stay .
... We desperately need extra help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firmly believe that autism support workers , aides , their teachers and caregivers are as essential as nurses and doctors and should be given the same accommodations .
People do n't understand that for our families , caregivers are our first responders .
Special needs schools are our hospitals .
Our teachers are our ventilators .
And we ca n't do this without them .
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above .

'He's Incredibly Confused': Parenting A Child With Autism During The Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Feda Almaliti Feda Almaliti
Living with the pandemic has been difficult for everyone: the isolation, the need to wear protective gear like masks and gloves, the adjustment to working or learning from home.
For those living with or caring for someone with severe autism, those challenges can be exponentially more difficult.
"Wearing gloves or masks, you know, things like that? That's just not going to happen here," says Feda Almaliti.
Almaliti is the mother of 15-year-old Muhammed, who has severe autism. She is also vice president of the National Council on Severe Autism.
Health How To Talk About COVID-19 With People Who Have Autism How To Talk About COVID-19 With People Who Have Autism Listen · 4:57 4:57
In an emotional interview with NPR, she describes the toll the current crisis is taking on her family and others like hers.
"Muhammed is an energetic, loving boy who doesn't understand what's going on right now. He doesn't understand why he can't go to school. And school is one of his favorite places to go. He doesn't understand why he can't go take a walk in the mall when that was one his favorite things to do. He doesn't know why he can't go to the park, why he can't go down to the grocery store," Almaliti says. "So he's incredibly confused, in this time when we're all confused, but he really doesn't understand it."
Here are excerpts from the interview.
How does distance learning work for your son, who has limited language and other difficulties?
It does not work for him. And I don't think it works for a lot of kids like him. Our kids need highly structured, one-to-one, specialized teachers and staff to teach them. We can't do that over the Internet.
You wrote an essay and quoted a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison that found that mothers of children with autism experience stress levels comparable to those of combat soldiers. And that is before you layer a deadly pandemic on top of things.
It's the unknowing. ... We don't know when it's going to end. We don't know what's going on, and to deal with autism at home makes it even harder. The only support that I get to get through it is through fellow autism parents. We have Zoom calls, and we try to find humor in this thing. ... We're just trying to lean on each other to get through. Because I can't do it alone. Nobody can.
What about the rest of your family? How are they coping?
They're doing the best they can every day. ... But I don't know how to accurately convey, it's really hard. ... It's really hard because I almost feel like nobody hears us. Because my son doesn't really talk. He doesn't talk. And I'm supposed to be his voice. And no one's listening to what's going on for our families. You know, no one gets that we are just as vulnerable as coronavirus people. The coronavirus is going to come and go. Autism is here to stay. ...
We desperately need extra help to get through this. And I firmly believe that autism support workers, aides, their teachers and caregivers are as essential as nurses and doctors and should be given the same accommodations. People don't understand that for our families, caregivers are our first responders. Special needs schools are our hospitals. Our teachers are our ventilators. And we can't do this without them.
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above.


npr--2020-05-22--Grocery Workers Union Estimates 3,257 Members Infected With Coronavirus

New data released by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union shows that among the grocery store workers it represents , 10,000 have been infected by or are known to have been exposed to coronavirus and 68 have died from it .
At least 3,257 have been infected with the virus , the union estimated on Friday .
UFCW represents workers in large grocery store chains like Kroger , Albertson 's , and Supervalu .
Union President Marc Perrone said in a news conference on Wednesday that the cases have increased by 200 % in five weeks .
This comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kroger ended the extra 'hero pay ' it had been giving its workers .
`` The so-called 'hero , ' and hazard pay should continue until this threat has actually passed , '' Perrone said .
`` If companies truly believe that this threat has passed , they should be willing to say that publicly on the record . ''
The UFCW had numerous employees from Kroger , which is the largest grocery store chain in America , attend the press conference .
Kroger recently announced a plan to give its employees `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for qualified full-time workers and $ 200 for part-time employees .
The special pay adds up $ 130 million company-wide .
Kris Holtham , who works as a meat manager for Kroger in Lansing , Mich. , and has been employed by the company for 35 years , says that getting customers to wear masks has become difficult .
`` Masks have become a political war , '' Holtham said .
`` The employees are downright scared and afraid to ask someone to put on a mask .
...
I see hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are sitting ducks for the virus . ''
Holtham recounted a story where she asked a customer to put on a mask for the sake of the workers and the customer responded with , `` I do n't give a damn about your health . ''
Raquel Salorio has worked for the Southern California grocery chain Ralph 's for 36 years and has a total of five people in her household working there .
She decried the store 's marketing of its employees being `` heroes '' as disingenuous .
Salorio recounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its workers to dress up as superheroes .
`` We 're not heroes , '' Salorio said .
`` People are suffering , people are dying , and they want us to dress up as superheroes .
Our jobs matter , but our health matters more . ''
NPR contacted representatives from Albertson 's , Supervalu , and Kroger to comment on the figures presented by the UFCW .
A spokesperson from Albertson 's said that the company would not release employee coronavirus numbers but that the company `` appreciate [ s ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its membership to help everyone stay safe during this difficult time . ''
Kroger and Supervalu have not responded .

Grocery Workers Union Estimates 3,257 Members Infected With Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg via Getty Images
New data released by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union shows that among the grocery store workers it represents, 10,000 have been infected by or are known to have been exposed to coronavirus and 68 have died from it. At least 3,257 have been infected with the virus, the union estimated on Friday.
UFCW represents workers in large grocery store chains like Kroger, Albertson's, and Supervalu. Union President Marc Perrone said in a news conference on Wednesday that the cases have increased by 200% in five weeks. This comes at a time when companies such as Kroger ended the extra 'hero pay' it had been giving its workers.
"The so-called 'hero,' and hazard pay should continue until this threat has actually passed," Perrone said. "If companies truly believe that this threat has passed, they should be willing to say that publicly on the record."
The UFCW had numerous employees from Kroger, which is the largest grocery store chain in America, attend the press conference.
Kroger recently announced a plan to give its employees "Thank You Pay" of $400 for qualified full-time workers and $200 for part-time employees. The special pay adds up $130 million company-wide.
Kris Holtham, who works as a meat manager for Kroger in Lansing, Mich., and has been employed by the company for 35 years, says that getting customers to wear masks has become difficult.
"Masks have become a political war," Holtham said. "The employees are downright scared and afraid to ask someone to put on a mask. ... I see hundreds of people a day without a mask. We are sitting ducks for the virus."
Holtham recounted a story where she asked a customer to put on a mask for the sake of the workers and the customer responded with, "I don't give a damn about your health."
Raquel Salorio has worked for the Southern California grocery chain Ralph's for 36 years and has a total of five people in her household working there. She decried the store's marketing of its employees being "heroes" as disingenuous.
Salorio recounted a particular day where the company asked its workers to dress up as superheroes.
"We're not heroes," Salorio said. "People are suffering, people are dying, and they want us to dress up as superheroes. Our jobs matter, but our health matters more."
NPR contacted representatives from Albertson's, Supervalu, and Kroger to comment on the figures presented by the UFCW. A spokesperson from Albertson's said that the company would not release employee coronavirus numbers but that the company "appreciate[s] the UFCW's work on behalf of its membership to help everyone stay safe during this difficult time."
Kroger and Supervalu have not responded.


npr--2020-05-22--CDC Advice On Surface Spread Of COVID-19 'Has Not Changed,' Agency Says

CDC Advice On Surface Spread Of COVID-19 'Has Not Changed , ' Agency Says The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is clarifying its guidance to prevent the coronavirus from spreading , hoping to clear up confusion over whether a person can contract the disease by touching surfaces that have the virus on them .
The agency said `` usability improvements , '' including a headline change on its webpage about preventing viral infection , seemed to trigger news stories saying its guidelines have changed .
`` Our transmission language has not changed , '' CDC spokesman Benjamin Haynes told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus 's spread , the agency said , is through respiratory droplets from an infected person who coughs , sneezes or talks in close proximity to someone else .
`` COVID-19 spreads mainly through close contact from person to person , '' Haynes said .
`` While it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth , nose or possibly their eyes , this is not thought to be the main way the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets , including The Washington Post , noted this week that the CDC had reorganized information on its page titled `` How COVID-19 Spreads . ''
Last month , the page listed `` Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces and objects '' under its own subheading , just below a similar subhead on `` Person-to-person spread . ''
The page now lists surfaces and objects in a new subsection titled `` The virus does not spread easily in other ways . ''
On both the current version of the page and the older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission , `` This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads , but we are still learning more about this virus . ''
The CDC said people should continue to clean and disinfect dirty surfaces that could be harboring the virus .
`` Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented , '' the agency says on its page about disinfecting surfaces .
But it adds , `` Current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

CDC Advice On Surface Spread Of COVID-19 'Has Not Changed,' Agency Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Kelly/Reuters Andrew Kelly/Reuters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is clarifying its guidance to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, hoping to clear up confusion over whether a person can contract the disease by touching surfaces that have the virus on them. The agency said "usability improvements," including a headline change on its webpage about preventing viral infection, seemed to trigger news stories saying its guidelines have changed.
"Our transmission language has not changed," CDC spokesman Benjamin Haynes told NPR.
The main source of the coronavirus's spread, the agency said, is through respiratory droplets from an infected person who coughs, sneezes or talks in close proximity to someone else.
"COVID-19 spreads mainly through close contact from person to person," Haynes said. "While it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads."
A number of news outlets, including The Washington Post, noted this week that the CDC had reorganized information on its page titled "How COVID-19 Spreads."
Last month, the page listed "Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces and objects" under its own subheading, just below a similar subhead on "Person-to-person spread."
The page now lists surfaces and objects in a new subsection titled "The virus does not spread easily in other ways."
On both the current version of the page and the older one, the CDC says of surface transmission, "This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus."
The CDC said people should continue to clean and disinfect dirty surfaces that could be harboring the virus.
"Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented," the agency says on its page about disinfecting surfaces. But it adds, "Current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials."


npr--2020-05-22--Trump Calls On States To Reopen Places Of Worship Immediately

Trump Calls On States To Reopen Places Of Worship Immediately President Trump said Friday that state governors should allow churches , synagogues , mosques and other houses of worship to reopen immediately .
In brief comments at the White House , Trump said houses of worship are `` essential places that provide essential services . ''
Churches have faced restrictions for gatherings and ceremonies as public health officials worked to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Some have chafed at the restrictions .
Trump said governors should allow the houses of worship to reopen `` right now for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they do n't , `` I will override the governors , '' he said , adding , `` In America , we need more prayer , not less . ''
`` These are places that hold our society together , '' he said .
It 's not clear what authority Trump has to override states who wish to keep houses of worship closed .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did n't elaborate on what action Trump would take if governors did n't direct churches and other places of worship to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can all hope that this Sunday , people are allowed to pray to their gods across this country , '' she said .
Trump said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had released guidance to help churches reopen but did not provide details .
White evangelicals have been among Trump 's strongest supporters .
Dr. Deborah Birx , White House coronavirus task force coordinator , said faith leaders considering reopening should be in touch with their local health departments to advise their congregants properly .
She also said people with risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high number of cases may consider staying away for now .
`` I know those houses of worship want to protect them .
... Maybe they ca n't go this week , '' she said .
`` But there is way to social distance ... in places of worship . ''
Birx also encouraged people to enjoy the outdoors during the Memorial Day weekend , including going to beaches , golfing or playing tennis , as long as they maintain 6 feet of social distancing .

Trump Calls On States To Reopen Places Of Worship Immediately
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Updated at 3 p.m. ET
President Trump said Friday that state governors should allow churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship to reopen immediately.
In brief comments at the White House, Trump said houses of worship are "essential places that provide essential services." Churches have faced restrictions for gatherings and ceremonies as public health officials worked to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Some have chafed at the restrictions.
Trump said governors should allow the houses of worship to reopen "right now for this weekend." The president threatened that if they don't, "I will override the governors," he said, adding, "In America, we need more prayer, not less."
"These are places that hold our society together," he said.
It's not clear what authority Trump has to override states who wish to keep houses of worship closed. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany didn't elaborate on what action Trump would take if governors didn't direct churches and other places of worship to open, calling those situations hypothetical.
"We can all hope that this Sunday, people are allowed to pray to their gods across this country," she said.
Trump said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had released guidance to help churches reopen but did not provide details. White evangelicals have been among Trump's strongest supporters.
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus task force coordinator, said faith leaders considering reopening should be in touch with their local health departments to advise their congregants properly. She also said people with risk factors or comorbidities in communities with a high number of cases may consider staying away for now.
"I know those houses of worship want to protect them. ... Maybe they can't go this week," she said.
"But there is way to social distance ... in places of worship."
Birx also encouraged people to enjoy the outdoors during the Memorial Day weekend, including going to beaches, golfing or playing tennis, as long as they maintain 6 feet of social distancing.
NPR's Roberta Rampton contributed to this story.


npr--2020-05-22--Alabama Opening Theaters, Zoos And Water Parks Despite Recent Rise In Cases

Alabama Opening Theaters , Zoos And Water Parks Despite Recent Rise In Cases Alabama is allowing movie theaters , bowling alleys and summer camps to reopen Friday afternoon as Gov .
Kay Ivey expands her `` Safer at Home '' order .
The rules , which still require social distancing and sanitation measures , also apply to casinos and bingo halls , along with tourist attractions such as museums , zoos and amusement parks .
The governor is relaxing restrictions on aspects of normal life such as schools and water parks even as Alabama faces a rise in COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage of hospital beds for coronavirus patients .
`` In Alabama , a third of the state 's total overall cases have occurred just in the last two weeks , '' Janae Pierre of NPR member station WBHM reported .
Despite the rise , Pierre said , two of Alabama 's biggest high schools were holding graduation ceremonies at a baseball stadium this week .
Overall , Alabama 's Department of Public Health said , 13,414 of 174,074 coronavirus tests have been positive – a rate of 7.7 % .
The rate is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when 4,336 tests were positive out of 70,693 – a rate of 6.13 % .
But the number of new coronavirus cases in the current week is markedly higher than in the previous one , with more than 1,000 cases in the last three days alone .
Ivey conceded that `` our numbers are not as good as we would hope , '' but she said it 's time for Alabama to take another step in reopening its economy while adjusting to the `` new normal '' of coronavirus precautions .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between acknowledging the deadly threat of COVID-19 and helping people pursue their livelihoods .
Ivey announced the newly eased rules Thursday , the same day Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed sounded an alarm by saying hospital patients in central Alabama who need to be in intensive care might not be able to find an ICU bed .
`` Our health care system has been maxed out , '' Reed said , adding that patients in his community were being sent to Birmingham .
He urged residents not to take `` needless risks '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further .
The amended order will be in effect from 5 p.m. local time Friday through July 3 .
It increases the number of businesses Alabama allowed to resume operations on May 1 , when retail stores received the OK to open at 50 % of their occupancy capacity .
Restaurants , bars and breweries were also allowed to reopen then , with limited seating and at least 6 feet between tables .
Hundreds of thousands of Alabamians have suffered job losses from the pandemic 's effects : Alabama 's unemployment rate hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Labor said .
The jobless rate is even worse in some of its most populous counties , such as Mobile and Montgomery , both at 15.1 % , and Tuscaloosa at 16.8 % .
At least three other counties reported unemployment rates of 20 % or more .
`` This pandemic has negatively impacted Alabama 's economy and in two months ' time has managed to undo years of positive progress , '' Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said as he released the figures Friday .
`` But the impact to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is even greater .
So many had life-altering changes that impacted their families almost overnight .
Alabama 's leisure and hospitality businesses have been hammered by shutdowns and physical distancing rules due to the coronavirus , losing roughly 80,000 jobs in April .
The April results show 283,787 people lost their jobs that month .
Since early March , Alabama has received more than 501,000 jobless claims .

Alabama Opening Theaters, Zoos And Water Parks Despite Recent Rise In Cases
Enlarge this image toggle caption Maranie Staab/Bloomberg via Getty Images Maranie Staab/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Alabama is allowing movie theaters, bowling alleys and summer camps to reopen Friday afternoon as Gov. Kay Ivey expands her "Safer at Home" order. The rules, which still require social distancing and sanitation measures, also apply to casinos and bingo halls, along with tourist attractions such as museums, zoos and amusement parks.
The governor is relaxing restrictions on aspects of normal life such as schools and water parks even as Alabama faces a rise in COVID-19 cases — and in some areas, a shortage of hospital beds for coronavirus patients.
"In Alabama, a third of the state's total overall cases have occurred just in the last two weeks," Janae Pierre of NPR member station WBHM reported. Despite the rise, Pierre said, two of Alabama's biggest high schools were holding graduation ceremonies at a baseball stadium this week.
Overall, Alabama's Department of Public Health said, 13,414 of 174,074 coronavirus tests have been positive – a rate of 7.7%. The rate is even lower over the past 14 days when 4,336 tests were positive out of 70,693 – a rate of 6.13%.
But the number of new coronavirus cases in the current week is markedly higher than in the previous one, with more than 1,000 cases in the last three days alone.
Ivey conceded that "our numbers are not as good as we would hope," but she said it's time for Alabama to take another step in reopening its economy while adjusting to the "new normal" of coronavirus precautions. The state must find a balance, she said, between acknowledging the deadly threat of COVID-19 and helping people pursue their livelihoods.
Ivey announced the newly eased rules Thursday, the same day Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed sounded an alarm by saying hospital patients in central Alabama who need to be in intensive care might not be able to find an ICU bed.
"Our health care system has been maxed out," Reed said, adding that patients in his community were being sent to Birmingham. He urged residents not to take "needless risks" and to keep the virus from spreading further.
The amended order will be in effect from 5 p.m. local time Friday through July 3. It increases the number of businesses Alabama allowed to resume operations on May 1, when retail stores received the OK to open at 50% of their occupancy capacity. Restaurants, bars and breweries were also allowed to reopen then, with limited seating and at least 6 feet between tables.
Hundreds of thousands of Alabamians have suffered job losses from the pandemic's effects: Alabama's unemployment rate hit 12.9% in April, the state Department of Labor said.
The jobless rate is even worse in some of its most populous counties, such as Mobile and Montgomery, both at 15.1%, and Tuscaloosa at 16.8%. At least three other counties reported unemployment rates of 20% or more.
"This pandemic has negatively impacted Alabama's economy and in two months' time has managed to undo years of positive progress," Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said as he released the figures Friday. "But the impact to our employers and workers who carry the economy is even greater. So many had life-altering changes that impacted their families almost overnight.
Alabama's leisure and hospitality businesses have been hammered by shutdowns and physical distancing rules due to the coronavirus, losing roughly 80,000 jobs in April.
The April results show 283,787 people lost their jobs that month. Since early March, Alabama has received more than 501,000 jobless claims.


npr--2020-05-22--Scientists Say New, Lower CDC Estimates For Severity Of COVID-19 Are Optimistic

Scientists Say New , Lower CDC Estimates For Severity Of COVID-19 Are Optimistic The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week revised downward its estimates for future infections and deaths from the coronavirus , painting a picture of the pandemic that some scientists say is overly optimistic — and that plays into fears the agency could be responding to political pressure .
The nation 's top public health authority this week posted scientific parameters that show its earlier view of the pandemic — considered too optimistic by some experts — has improved even more , although it still predicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as social distancing and the wearing of masks to prevent the virus 's spread are abandoned .
The CDC expects hospitals to see millions fewer COVID-19 patients than the agency expected in mid-April , according to a comparison between a new modeling document and earlier , internal versions obtained by the Center for Public Integrity in April .
The agency , part of the Department of Health and Human Services , also expects roughly 100,000 fewer deaths over the course of the pandemic .
The CDC 's current `` best guess '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any further social distancing or other efforts to control the spread of the virus — roughly 4 million patients would be hospitalized in the U.S. with COVID-19 and 500,000 would die over the course of the pandemic .
That 's according to the agency 's new parameters that the Center for Public Integrity plugged into a simple epidemiological model .
`` The planning scenarios are being used by mathematical modelers throughout the federal government , '' the CDC document said .
They `` may also be useful to hospital administrators in assessing resource @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died in the U.S. from COVID-19 as of Friday , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The CDC and White House did not respond to requests for comment .
Glass half full The new CDC guide for modeling deaths and hospitalizations underscores how politicians , government officials and medical experts still disagree on how deadly the coronavirus is and how much caution to take when reopening the nation 's economy .
Four out of seven experts consulted earlier by the Center for Public Integrity found the CDC 's death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The revised figures remain too optimistic , Harvard epidemiologist William Hanage said .
`` If you 're taking these numbers to be your guide , they 're obviously lowball estimates , '' he said .
The fatality rates in the document `` are certainly at the very low end '' of those that scientists think possible , agreed Joseph Lewnard , an epidemiologist at the University of California , Berkeley .
`` Greater clarity on the scientific basis for these estimates is urgently needed . ''
The CDC document outlines five possible scenarios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one `` best guess '' and two better-case and two worse-case versions .
All of them are `` unmitigated , '' meaning they do not account for future social distancing , widespread mask usage or other efforts to contain the coronavirus .
Social distancing practices among U.S. states vary wildly : Dozens of states have now lifted their stay-at-home orders ; seven never issued them , and 15 still mandate that residents stay home when possible , according to the nonpartisan political reference site Ballotpedia .
State and local officials can use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weigh different responses .
`` Modeling is done in order to explore the consequences of things you 'd rather not find out the hard way , '' Hanage said .
`` All the models are only going to be as good as their assumptions . ''
Another expert , University of Washington biologist Carl Bergstrom , said that even the CDC 's worst-case scenario is realistically a best-case scenario .
The agency 's worst-case fatality rate , he noted , is more optimistic than recent , high-quality coronavirus data about the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC ] numbers are so far outside of the scientific consensus that this strikes me as a devious and cynical effort to manipulate not only federal modeling but the broader scientific discourse , '' Bergstrom wrote on Twitter .
The CDC 's latest fatality rates are in line with one set of estimates : those that John Ioannidis , a Stanford University professor of medicine , published in a not-yet-peer-reviewed analysis of antibody studies worldwide .
Ioannidis has championed a less cautious response to the coronavirus , earning kudos from those who favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anchor Laura Ingraham , and criticism from many public health experts .
He did not respond to a request for comment .
What would fewer hospitalizations mean ?
The CDC 's new , lower estimates would still suggest far more hospitalizations and deaths than seasonal flu 's annual tolls .
But they are lower than figures used by other influential models .
The fatality rate , for instance , falls below a wide range of possible rates used by Imperial College London in its model for all 50 states .
The nation 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC-predicted 4 million hospital stays over the months-long course of an unmitigated pandemic , said Irwin Redlener , director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University .
But he doubts Americans would want to see the corresponding 500,000 estimated deaths from such an approach — essentially aiming for herd immunity .
That would far exceed the number of American soldiers who died in World War II , by comparison .
`` That is not a planning scenario that is appropriate , I think , for a developed democracy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to do better than that . ''
The coronavirus will not spread evenly across the country .
Like all fast-moving infectious diseases , it may rage in some areas while leaving others relatively untouched .
Experts said people must not only look at the overall picture of the pandemic 's danger , but about the chances for sudden , local surges that overwhelm hospitals .
`` Think of New York , '' Hanage said .
`` Think of those places that have been really badly hit . ''
An earlier model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , before many states issued stay-at-home orders , used a far higher hospitalization rate than the CDC 's current number and predicted that many communities would run out of hospital beds without social distancing .
The United States has more than 900,000 hospital beds , according to the American Hospital Association , though at any given moment , many of them are already used by patients with typical ailments unrelated to COVID-19 .
The CDC doubled its fatality-rate estimates for the coronavirus from early April to mid-April , with the resulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600,000 over the course of the pandemic , before adjusting them downward in the current document .
The hospitalization rate also went up in mid-April but now sits below either of the April figures .
It is unclear whether the CDC 's new parameters , which the agency said come from data it received before April 29 , are based on test data that improperly mixed both antibody and viral results , as The Atlantic reported Thursday .
That mistake has raised suspicions among health experts that political considerations are marring the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tests made the nation 's viral testing capacity look better than it is and confused the scientific picture of the virus .
`` It 's incomprehensible that the CDC 's scientists would make such a rookie mistake that muddies their own data — unless politics is interfering with their ability to do their job , '' the Harvard Global Health Institute said in a newsletter Thursday .
Parameter revisions are normal when modeling epidemics .
Scientists expect to revise the numbers they use to describe the power and reach of a virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CDC document reflects this : `` The parameter values will change as more data become available , '' it said .
Several news outlets have reported that White House officials have privately questioned whether the official death count for the coronavirus is inflated , while experts said data on excess deaths showed the COVID-19 fatality count was likely incomplete .
The new CDC document weighs in on that question .
The pandemic is likely worse than official numbers show , the agency suggested .
`` Many cases and deaths are never confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Scientists Say New, Lower CDC Estimates For Severity Of COVID-19 Are Optimistic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week revised downward its estimates for future infections and deaths from the coronavirus, painting a picture of the pandemic that some scientists say is overly optimistic — and that plays into fears the agency could be responding to political pressure.
The nation's top public health authority this week posted scientific parameters that show its earlier view of the pandemic — considered too optimistic by some experts — has improved even more, although it still predicts hundreds of thousands of deaths if measures such as social distancing and the wearing of masks to prevent the virus's spread are abandoned.
The CDC expects hospitals to see millions fewer COVID-19 patients than the agency expected in mid-April, according to a comparison between a new modeling document and earlier, internal versions obtained by the Center for Public Integrity in April. The agency, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, also expects roughly 100,000 fewer deaths over the course of the pandemic.
The CDC's current "best guess" is that — in a scenario without any further social distancing or other efforts to control the spread of the virus — roughly 4 million patients would be hospitalized in the U.S. with COVID-19 and 500,000 would die over the course of the pandemic. That's according to the agency's new parameters that the Center for Public Integrity plugged into a simple epidemiological model.
"The planning scenarios are being used by mathematical modelers throughout the federal government," the CDC document said. They "may also be useful to hospital administrators in assessing resource needs."
More than 95,000 people have died in the U.S. from COVID-19 as of Friday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The CDC and White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Glass half full
The new CDC guide for modeling deaths and hospitalizations underscores how politicians, government officials and medical experts still disagree on how deadly the coronavirus is and how much caution to take when reopening the nation's economy.
Four out of seven experts consulted earlier by the Center for Public Integrity found the CDC's death rate estimates from April too low. The revised figures remain too optimistic, Harvard epidemiologist William Hanage said.
"If you're taking these numbers to be your guide, they're obviously lowball estimates," he said.
The fatality rates in the document "are certainly at the very low end" of those that scientists think possible, agreed Joseph Lewnard, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. "Greater clarity on the scientific basis for these estimates is urgently needed."
The CDC document outlines five possible scenarios for the future of the pandemic, one "best guess" and two better-case and two worse-case versions. All of them are "unmitigated," meaning they do not account for future social distancing, widespread mask usage or other efforts to contain the coronavirus.
Social distancing practices among U.S. states vary wildly: Dozens of states have now lifted their stay-at-home orders; seven never issued them, and 15 still mandate that residents stay home when possible, according to the nonpartisan political reference site Ballotpedia.
State and local officials can use the scenarios as a baseline model against which to weigh different responses.
"Modeling is done in order to explore the consequences of things you'd rather not find out the hard way," Hanage said. "All the models are only going to be as good as their assumptions."
Another expert, University of Washington biologist Carl Bergstrom, said that even the CDC's worst-case scenario is realistically a best-case scenario. The agency's worst-case fatality rate, he noted, is more optimistic than recent, high-quality coronavirus data about the death rate in Spain.
"These [CDC] numbers are so far outside of the scientific consensus that this strikes me as a devious and cynical effort to manipulate not only federal modeling but the broader scientific discourse," Bergstrom wrote on Twitter.
The CDC's latest fatality rates are in line with one set of estimates: those that John Ioannidis, a Stanford University professor of medicine, published in a not-yet-peer-reviewed analysis of antibody studies worldwide.
Ioannidis has championed a less cautious response to the coronavirus, earning kudos from those who favor swift reopenings, such as Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, and criticism from many public health experts. He did not respond to a request for comment.
What would fewer hospitalizations mean?
The CDC's new, lower estimates would still suggest far more hospitalizations and deaths than seasonal flu's annual tolls. But they are lower than figures used by other influential models.
The fatality rate, for instance, falls below a wide range of possible rates used by Imperial College London in its model for all 50 states.
The nation's health care system could perhaps handle the CDC-predicted 4 million hospital stays over the months-long course of an unmitigated pandemic, said Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.
But he doubts Americans would want to see the corresponding 500,000 estimated deaths from such an approach — essentially aiming for herd immunity. That would far exceed the number of American soldiers who died in World War II, by comparison.
"That is not a planning scenario that is appropriate, I think, for a developed democracy," Redlener said. "We need to be able to do better than that."
The coronavirus will not spread evenly across the country. Like all fast-moving infectious diseases, it may rage in some areas while leaving others relatively untouched. Experts said people must not only look at the overall picture of the pandemic's danger, but about the chances for sudden, local surges that overwhelm hospitals.
"Think of New York," Hanage said. "Think of those places that have been really badly hit."
An earlier model produced by the Harvard Global Health Institute in March, before many states issued stay-at-home orders, used a far higher hospitalization rate than the CDC's current number and predicted that many communities would run out of hospital beds without social distancing.
The United States has more than 900,000 hospital beds, according to the American Hospital Association, though at any given moment, many of them are already used by patients with typical ailments unrelated to COVID-19.
The CDC doubled its fatality-rate estimates for the coronavirus from early April to mid-April, with the resulting death estimates jumping from roughly 300,000 to 600,000 over the course of the pandemic, before adjusting them downward in the current document. The hospitalization rate also went up in mid-April but now sits below either of the April figures.
It is unclear whether the CDC's new parameters, which the agency said come from data it received before April 29, are based on test data that improperly mixed both antibody and viral results, as The Atlantic reported Thursday.
That mistake has raised suspicions among health experts that political considerations are marring the CDC's data since mixing the two types of tests made the nation's viral testing capacity look better than it is and confused the scientific picture of the virus.
"It's incomprehensible that the CDC's scientists would make such a rookie mistake that muddies their own data — unless politics is interfering with their ability to do their job," the Harvard Global Health Institute said in a newsletter Thursday.
Parameter revisions are normal when modeling epidemics. Scientists expect to revise the numbers they use to describe the power and reach of a virus as they learn more about it. The CDC document reflects this: "The parameter values will change as more data become available," it said.
Several news outlets have reported that White House officials have privately questioned whether the official death count for the coronavirus is inflated, while experts said data on excess deaths showed the COVID-19 fatality count was likely incomplete.
The new CDC document weighs in on that question. The pandemic is likely worse than official numbers show, the agency suggested.
"Many cases and deaths are never confirmed to be COVID-19," the document said.


npr--2020-05-22--Georgia Investigators 'Confident' In Arrests Made In Ahmaud Arbery Case

The director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has downplayed claims made by the third man charged in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case that he was nothing more than a witness .
`` I can tell you that if we believed he was a witness we would n't have arrested him , '' GBI Director Vic Reynolds said in a Friday news briefing .
The comments come a day after GBI brought felony charges against William `` Roddie '' Bryan , the man who recorded a video of the Feb. 23 shooting and killing of 25-year-old Arbery , a black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by two white men .
Bryan , 50 , who is also white , is now facing felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment charges .
He was arrested Thursday evening and booked into the Glynn County Jail .
`` At this point , we feel confident that individuals who needed to be charged have been charged , '' Reynolds said .
Reynolds added that he does not foresee any more arrests , but the investigation is ongoing .
Two other men , Gregory and Travis McMichael , a father and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged with murder and aggravated assault on May 7 .
GBI released two warrants for Bryan .
The false imprisonment warrant accuses Bryan of `` utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions ... with the intention of confining and detaining Arbery . ''
It adds that Bryan lacked the legal authority to do so .
Because of those actions , the second warrant states , `` the accused did cause the death of another , Ahmaud Arbery , during the commission of a felony . ''
Reynolds said during the press conference he understood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the fact that Bryan is charged with murder , even though he is not accused of shooting Arbery nearly three months ago .
`` As the warrants indicated , he 's charged with an underlying felony , `` Reynolds said .
`` He 's also charged with felony murder .
So we believe the evidence would indicate that his underlying felony helped cause the death of Ahmaud Arbery . ''
At a Friday afternoon press conference at the Glynn County Courthouse , Bryan 's attorney , Kevin Gough , told reporters there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges brought against his client .
`` These charges , if sustained , constitute a substantial expansion of criminal liability in Georgia that many , in the fullness of time , will likely find troubling , '' Gough said .
He added that Bryan turned himself in at the request of the GBI .
The Arbery family was `` relieved '' by Bryan 's arrest Thursday , according to a statement from attorneys S. Lee Merritt , Benjamin Crump and L. Chris Stewart , who represent Arbery 's parents .
`` His involvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious to us , to many around the country and after their thorough investigation , it was clear to the GBI as well , '' the statement said .
Arbery 's family has framed the death as a modern-day lynching .
They say he was simply jogging through a Brunswick , Ga.-area neighborhood when he was confronted by the McMichaels and shot to death .
The case has drawn national attention , particularly after the release of the video .
Ten weeks passed between Arbery 's death and the first arrests in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after GBI took over the investigation from local authorities .
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has asked the GBI to investigate `` possible prosecutorial misconduct '' by Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill of the Waycross Judicial Circuit .
Reynolds said Friday that the GBI investigation into that matter is almost complete .
Carr also asked the FBI to conduct a similar probe into the first two prosecutors ' handling of the case .
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said last week that federal authorities are `` assessing all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate crimes charges are appropriate . ''

Georgia Investigators 'Confident' In Arrests Made In Ahmaud Arbery Case
Enlarge this image toggle caption Glynn County Sheriff's Office/AP Glynn County Sheriff's Office/AP
Updated at 2:35 p.m. ET
The director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has downplayed claims made by the third man charged in the Ahmaud Arbery murder case that he was nothing more than a witness.
"I can tell you that if we believed he was a witness we wouldn't have arrested him," GBI Director Vic Reynolds said in a Friday news briefing.
The comments come a day after GBI brought felony charges against William "Roddie" Bryan, the man who recorded a video of the Feb. 23 shooting and killing of 25-year-old Arbery, a black man in Glynn County, Ga., by two white men.
Bryan, 50, who is also white, is now facing felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment charges. He was arrested Thursday evening and booked into the Glynn County Jail.
"At this point, we feel confident that individuals who needed to be charged have been charged," Reynolds said.
Reynolds added that he does not foresee any more arrests, but the investigation is ongoing.
Two other men, Gregory and Travis McMichael, a father and son who are also white, were charged with murder and aggravated assault on May 7.
GBI released two warrants for Bryan. The false imprisonment warrant accuses Bryan of "utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions ... with the intention of confining and detaining Arbery." It adds that Bryan lacked the legal authority to do so.
Because of those actions, the second warrant states, "the accused did cause the death of another, Ahmaud Arbery, during the commission of a felony."
Reynolds said during the press conference he understood "people's concern or curiosity" about the fact that Bryan is charged with murder, even though he is not accused of shooting Arbery nearly three months ago.
"As the warrants indicated, he's charged with an underlying felony, " Reynolds said. "He's also charged with felony murder. So we believe the evidence would indicate that his underlying felony helped cause the death of Ahmaud Arbery."
At a Friday afternoon press conference at the Glynn County Courthouse, Bryan's attorney, Kevin Gough, told reporters there was "no precedent" for the charges brought against his client.
"These charges, if sustained, constitute a substantial expansion of criminal liability in Georgia that many, in the fullness of time, will likely find troubling," Gough said.
He added that Bryan turned himself in at the request of the GBI.
The Arbery family was "relieved" by Bryan's arrest Thursday, according to a statement from attorneys S. Lee Merritt, Benjamin Crump and L. Chris Stewart, who represent Arbery's parents.
"His involvement in the murder of Mr. Arbery was obvious to us, to many around the country and after their thorough investigation, it was clear to the GBI as well," the statement said.
Arbery's family has framed the death as a modern-day lynching. They say he was simply jogging through a Brunswick, Ga.-area neighborhood when he was confronted by the McMichaels and shot to death.
The case has drawn national attention, particularly after the release of the video.
Ten weeks passed between Arbery's death and the first arrests in the case. Those arrests happened two days after GBI took over the investigation from local authorities.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has asked the GBI to investigate "possible prosecutorial misconduct" by Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill of the Waycross Judicial Circuit.
Reynolds said Friday that the GBI investigation into that matter is almost complete.
Carr also asked the FBI to conduct a similar probe into the first two prosecutors' handling of the case.
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said last week that federal authorities are "assessing all of the evidence to determine whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate."
Georgia Public Broadcasting's Emily Jones contributed to this report.


npr--2020-05-22--Which States Are Reopening? A State-By-State Guide

Every U.S. state implemented restrictions designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 .
Businesses reduced or ceased operations , people transitioned into working and learning remotely , and nonessential activities were paused .
At least temporarily , much of the country was under strict orders to stay home .
But as of May 20 , all 50 states have begun the process of easing restrictions on businesses , though public health experts say that some are doing so too quickly .
At a May 12 Senate hearing , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. 's top infectious disease expert , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skipping federal guidelines to open prematurely .
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
State officials are charting paths to a new normal , seeking a balance between reopening economies and protecting public health .
Governors are outlining new frameworks and timelines for their states as they ramp up testing and contact tracing efforts .
Some have also formed regional partnerships to coordinate economic recovery .
Most are releasing general and sector-specific reopening guidelines for industries and individuals .
Each day brings changes .
NPR is tracking developments in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District of Columbia so you can see what 's changed and how states compare .
Here 's what each state has done so far , by region : Northeast : Connecticut , Maine , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , Vermont While stay-at-home orders have expired throughout much of the country , modified versions remain in effect in parts or all of certain states .
Most states still encourage at-risk populations to continue avoiding nonessential outings .
Governors in states such as New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Maine have enacted plans that allow regions that meet certain criteria to progress through reopening phases at a faster pace than the rest of the state .
Other states , such as Virginia , New Mexico and Utah , have delayed reopening timelines for particular counties based on public health metrics .
And within many states , local governments may be authorized to implement tighter or looser restrictions in their own jurisdictions .
Once they reopen , most establishments must follow specific protocols , including limiting building occupancy and requiring employees to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barber shops and other personal care services that are allowed to reopen must often comply with new safety protocols , such as only taking customers by appointment and spacing out work stations .
Restaurants are increasingly allowed to open for limited in-house dining , in addition to offering delivery , takeout and curbside pickup .
Many states limit dining to outdoor areas before later permitting restaurants to open indoor seating .
The first version of this page was originally published on March 12 .
This is a developing story .
We will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
NPR 's Brakkton Booker , Merrit Kennedy , Vanessa Romo , Colin Dwyer , Laurel Wamsley , Aubri Juhasz and Bobby Allyn contributed to this report .

How Is Each State Responding To COVID-19?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Robert F. Bukaty/AP Robert F. Bukaty/AP
When the coronavirus first struck the U.S. in March, every state implemented restrictions aimed at limiting its spread. Businesses closed, schools and offices went remote and much of the country was under strict orders to stay home — at least temporarily.
By mid-May, all 50 states had begun the process of easing restrictions, seeking a balance between reopening economies and protecting public health. Some took statewide approaches, some used regional frameworks and some reopened faster than others.
Health experts warned that many states and localities were moving too quickly to open safely. Coronavirus cases soon began to skyrocket in much of the country, particularly in the South and West. By early August the pandemic had entered what health officials called a "new phase," with cases widespread in rural as well as metro areas. In the fall, Midwest states have seen some of the most severe case counts and deaths.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have continued to surge nationwide, crossing worrying new milestones at an increasingly fast pace. When the U.S. surpassed 12 million confirmed cases in mid-November, it had recorded one million new cases every six days for three weeks. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists estimate that the total number of infections may be eight times higher than reported.) By the start of December, the country had broken its previous records for the number of people hospitalized with the virus as well as its single-day death toll.
With transmission rates rising and hospital capacity dwindling, many states are slowing or altering their reopening plans, reintroducing restrictions and tightening mitigation measures. In the absence of a federal mask mandate, most states have issued their own. Many are reimposing limits on gatherings, businesses and other activities, sometimes statewide and sometimes on a county-by-county basis. State leaders are also announcing ever-evolving testing criteria, relief programs, school guidance and travel restrictions.
Each day brings changes. NPR is tracking developments in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia so you can read up on your state's COVID-19 response and how it compares to others. This rundown focuses on statewide measures — local jurisdictions may vary.
Here's what each state has done so far, by region:
Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
The first version of this page was originally published on March 12. This is a developing story. We will continue to update as new information becomes available.