npr--2020-04-18--Clubbing In The Time Of COVID-19: Berlin Clubs Are Closed, So DJs Are Livestreaming

Clubbing In The Time Of COVID-19 : Berlin Clubs Are Closed , So DJs Are Livestreaming Wearing a black baseball cap , black shirt and black pants , DJ Tommy Four Seven bobs his head to the beat as his hands move over the turntables like a nimble chef juggling four scorching frying pans at once .
He looks lost in his own musical world .
And that 's probably a good thing , because nobody in sight is dancing .
Tommy Four Seven 's audio gear is set up in a white-tiled room facing a window overlooking an empty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a global pandemic .
Tommy Four Seven does n't seem bothered by this .
That 's because he 's being streamed to thousands of homes where Berlin 's clubbers are doing something they likely never imagined they 'd resort to : dancing alone at home .
This is clubbing in the time of COVID-19 .
`` If you 're a DJ like me , I kind of react from the crowd and I like to read the crowd and look into their eyes and kind of bounce and vibe off them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefers to use his professional name .
`` It 's very strange just to be isolated , deejaying to a camera . ''
But for how odd it seems , DJs , promoters and club owners in Berlin are adjusting to the times .
Each night at 7:00 , they offer the free clubbing service `` United We Stream , '' billing it as the world 's largest virtual club .
They might be right : After just two weeks , the site attracted 5 million viewers from across the world and nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donations .
The Berlin Club Commission , a trade group , created the site to try and revive the city 's club industry , whose revenue has been gutted by COVID-19-related closures .
The club scene in Berlin brings in around $ 1.6 billion a year for the city , and now dozens of clubs face bankruptcy .
Lutz Leichsenring , co-founder of the Berlin Club Commission , says 30 % of travelers to Berlin come for the nightlife , and COVID-19 put a stop to it all .
`` I think this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II , to be honest , '' says Leichsenring .
`` Everything is shut down .
There are 9,000 people who are directly employed in clubs and without work right now . ''
Leichsenring says he 's worried about saving clubs that will be soon be forced to shut down permanently due to a lack of revenue .
`` The very critical question is : can we keep all the spaces ? ''
he asks .
`` Can we save the spaces we have in this city for this culture ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they 're gone forever . ''
DJs like Tommy Four Seven are also worried .
`` The first week when the news came out and I just had two months of gigs cancelled , it was a huge shock , '' he says .
`` I just laid on the sofa .
I could n't really focus on anything creative . ''
But now , he and other DJs are back in their booths .
Promoters and artists elsewhere in the world have been trying to relieve the devastation to their bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City , and Resident Advisor 's `` Save Our Scene '' global campaign .
Berlin clubber Lars Schott , 45 , watches United We Stream a few times a week .
He says ever since Germany restricted public gatherings , he 's been pretty lonely .
`` And in Germany , there 's a law that says you 're only allowed to go out with your family , '' says Schott .
`` Here in Berlin , the problem is 50 % of all people have no family . ''
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other single friends in other cities over the video messaging platform Zoom .
`` And I share my experience with other friends , '' says Schott .
`` For example , in Frankfurt or in Hamburg , and they have the same music on .
We drink a beer together and chat via Zoom . ''
And sometimes they dance alone in their respective empty rooms .
`` But the dancing is only working if you 're drunken , '' admits Schott .
`` We are here in Germany , and to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dance in front of Zoom , but if after two or three hours , maybe . ''
And if he 's had even more drinks — then Schott will close his eyes , focus on the music and manage to put the quarantine and the loneliness out of his mind .
He 'll pretend he 's back at his favorite crowded Berlin club with all his friends , and he will dance as if this virus never existed .
Esme Nicholson contributed reporting to this story in Berlin .

Clubbing In The Time Of COVID-19: Berlin Clubs Are Closed, So DJs Are Livestreaming
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sandra Garanca/Tommy Four Seven Sandra Garanca/Tommy Four Seven
Wearing a black baseball cap, black shirt and black pants, DJ Tommy Four Seven bobs his head to the beat as his hands move over the turntables like a nimble chef juggling four scorching frying pans at once. He looks lost in his own musical world. And that's probably a good thing, because nobody in sight is dancing.
Tommy Four Seven's audio gear is set up in a white-tiled room facing a window overlooking an empty Berlin street at midnight in the middle of a global pandemic. Tommy Four Seven doesn't seem bothered by this. That's because he's being streamed to thousands of homes where Berlin's clubbers are doing something they likely never imagined they'd resort to: dancing alone at home.
This is clubbing in the time of COVID-19.
"If you're a DJ like me, I kind of react from the crowd and I like to read the crowd and look into their eyes and kind of bounce and vibe off them," says Tommy Four Seven, who prefers to use his professional name. "It's very strange just to be isolated, deejaying to a camera."
But for how odd it seems, DJs, promoters and club owners in Berlin are adjusting to the times. Each night at 7:00, they offer the free clubbing service "United We Stream," billing it as the world's largest virtual club. They might be right: After just two weeks, the site attracted 5 million viewers from across the world and nearly half a million dollars' worth of donations.
Music News DJ D-Nice Throws A Virtual Quarantine Party, With Real VIPs DJ D-Nice Throws A Virtual Quarantine Party, With Real VIPs Listen · 1:30 1:30
The Berlin Club Commission, a trade group, created the site to try and revive the city's club industry, whose revenue has been gutted by COVID-19-related closures. The club scene in Berlin brings in around $1.6 billion a year for the city, and now dozens of clubs face bankruptcy.
Lutz Leichsenring, co-founder of the Berlin Club Commission, says 30% of travelers to Berlin come for the nightlife, and COVID-19 put a stop to it all.
"I think this is probably the most difficult time since World War II, to be honest," says Leichsenring. "Everything is shut down. There are 9,000 people who are directly employed in clubs and without work right now."
Leichsenring says he's worried about saving clubs that will be soon be forced to shut down permanently due to a lack of revenue. "The very critical question is: can we keep all the spaces?" he asks. "Can we save the spaces we have in this city for this culture? Because I think once they're gone, they're gone forever."
Enlarge this image toggle caption John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images
DJs like Tommy Four Seven are also worried. "The first week when the news came out and I just had two months of gigs cancelled, it was a huge shock," he says. "I just laid on the sofa. I couldn't really focus on anything creative."
But now, he and other DJs are back in their booths.
Promoters and artists elsewhere in the world have been trying to relieve the devastation to their bottom lines too — such as Discwoman in New York City, and Resident Advisor's "Save Our Scene" global campaign.
Berlin clubber Lars Schott, 45, watches United We Stream a few times a week. He says ever since Germany restricted public gatherings, he's been pretty lonely. "And in Germany, there's a law that says you're only allowed to go out with your family," says Schott. "Here in Berlin, the problem is 50% of all people have no family."
So Schott watches United We Stream with his other single friends in other cities over the video messaging platform Zoom. "And I share my experience with other friends," says Schott. "For example, in Frankfurt or in Hamburg, and they have the same music on. We drink a beer together and chat via Zoom."
And sometimes they dance alone in their respective empty rooms. "But the dancing is only working if you're drunken," admits Schott. "We are here in Germany, and to be honest, it's not our culture to dance in front of Zoom, but if after two or three hours, maybe."
And if he's had even more drinks — then Schott will close his eyes, focus on the music and manage to put the quarantine and the loneliness out of his mind. He'll pretend he's back at his favorite crowded Berlin club with all his friends, and he will dance as if this virus never existed.
Esme Nicholson contributed reporting to this story in Berlin.


npr--2020-04-18--Grieving From A Distance: Remembering A Dad Lost To COVID-19

They buried my dad this week .
Normally , I 'd say `` we '' buried him .
But this is nothing like normal .
I was 1,300 miles away , working remotely , at my dining room table .
My sister , her husband , their son ?
They stood in a church cemetery in Maryland , socially distanced from the pastor , and the grave itself .
My brother and his wife were in the grass on the other side .
So were another nephew , and a niece .
And my other brother and his wife ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , drove separate cars .
At the cemetery , he could n't do more than crack open his car window .
Quarantined .
Ten people .
One funeral .
A pandemic-sized hole in our hearts .
See , Dad had COVID-19 .
They tested him Thursday , April 9 , the day his liver gave out , the day half my family made a final visit .
He died April 10 .
The results came back a day later .
Positive .
I 'm a journalist .
I 'd read plenty of stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the horrors of a loved one dying alone , of the daughter waving through a window at a parent , of the brother left to grieve long distance .
Then it happened to me .
I 'm Richard Jr. , the oldest of four .
He was Richard Holter Sr. Dick , to his friends .
A dairy farmer who turned 92 last month , the day before St. Patrick 's .
Time of death last Friday : 3:45 in the morning .
Milking time .
In our family , he was always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trudged out to round up the cows before dawn for three-quarters of a century on the farm he continued to run until his 70s .
The one who spent more than a decade wheeling the love of his life , and later his dear friends , around the retirement center .
The one who was fiercely loyal to the Maryland Terrapins — and whom I accompanied to ACC basketball tournaments for 30 straight years .
The one who loved nothing more than sitting back with a grin while his kids , his grandkids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday dinner .
A man of deep faith and a clear tenor voice , whose quiet strength wo n't be forgotten .
The last few weeks , day after day , it 's been so easy to get lost in those numbers – the confirmed cases , the ventilator count , the deaths .
My dad would have appreciated the close attention we 're paying to the numbers .
He loved sports , loved to check the box scores in the paper every morning , loved to repeat 'em on the phone later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read the same box score online the night before .
The thing is , today ... these numbers ?
Every one is one .
Every one is a Dick Holter .
Way back , we 're Norwegian Germans .
A little stoic , not exactly emotional .
Not a lot of tears .
On Sunday , I asked Alexa to play some background music .
She obliged .
As she always does .
Then came this song .
`` Seasons of Love '' from Rent .
A musical about AIDS , based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) arriving in the middle of a pandemic that killed my dad .
I grabbed my wife in a vicious hug .
And I broke .
For my dad , it would 've been about 49 million 400 minutes .
And not one of them wasted .
Rick Holter is vice president of news at member station KERA and a former supervising senior editor at NPR .

Grieving From A Distance: Remembering A Dad Lost To COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption The Holter Family The Holter Family
They buried my dad this week.
Normally, I'd say "we" buried him. But this is nothing like normal.
I was 1,300 miles away, working remotely, at my dining room table.
My sister, her husband, their son? They stood in a church cemetery in Maryland, socially distanced from the pastor, and the grave itself.
My brother and his wife were in the grass on the other side. So were another nephew, and a niece.
And my other brother and his wife? They left separate ends of their house, drove separate cars. At the cemetery, he couldn't do more than crack open his car window. Quarantined.
Ten people. One funeral. A pandemic-sized hole in our hearts.
See, Dad had COVID-19. They tested him Thursday, April 9, the day his liver gave out, the day half my family made a final visit. He died April 10. The results came back a day later. Positive.
I'm a journalist. I'd read plenty of stories about nightmares in nursing homes. About the horrors of a loved one dying alone, of the daughter waving through a window at a parent, of the brother left to grieve long distance.
Then it happened to me.
I'm Richard Jr., the oldest of four. He was Richard Holter Sr. Dick, to his friends. A dairy farmer who turned 92 last month, the day before St. Patrick's.
Time of death last Friday: 3:45 in the morning. Milking time.
toggle caption The Holter Family
In our family, he was always the quiet one.
The one who trudged out to round up the cows before dawn for three-quarters of a century on the farm he continued to run until his 70s. The one who spent more than a decade wheeling the love of his life, and later his dear friends, around the retirement center. The one who was fiercely loyal to the Maryland Terrapins — and whom I accompanied to ACC basketball tournaments for 30 straight years. The one who loved nothing more than sitting back with a grin while his kids, his grandkids and then his great-grandkids chattered away at Sunday dinner.
A man of deep faith and a clear tenor voice, whose quiet strength won't be forgotten.
toggle caption The Holter Family
The last few weeks, day after day, it's been so easy to get lost in those numbers – the confirmed cases, the ventilator count, the deaths.
My dad would have appreciated the close attention we're paying to the numbers. He loved sports, loved to check the box scores in the paper every morning, loved to repeat 'em on the phone later that day, even if you'd read the same box score online the night before.
The thing is, today ... these numbers? Every one is one. Every one is a Dick Holter.
toggle caption The Holter Family
Way back, we're Norwegian Germans. A little stoic, not exactly emotional. Not a lot of tears.
On Sunday, I asked Alexa to play some background music. She obliged. As she always does. Then came this song.
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?
"Seasons of Love" from Rent. A musical about AIDS, based on an opera about tuberculosis (La Boheme) arriving in the middle of a pandemic that killed my dad.
I grabbed my wife in a vicious hug. And I broke.
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife In 525,600 minutes How do you measure a year in the life?
For my dad, it would've been about 49 million 400 minutes. And not one of them wasted.
Rick Holter is vice president of news at member station KERA and a former supervising senior editor at NPR.


npr--2020-04-18--COMIC: Looking For A 'Helper' In The Age Of Coronavirus

COMIC : Looking For A 'Helper ' In The Age Of Coronavirus Special thanks to Dr. Paul Spiegel of Johns @ @ @ @ @ to HelpAge .
Malaka Gharib is an NPR editor and the author and illustrator of @ @ @ @ @ : A Graphic Memoir , about being first-generation Filipino Egyptian American .

COMIC: Looking For A 'Helper' In The Age Of Coronavirus
Mister Rogers said "look for the helpers" in times of crisis. Here's the story of Shah Dedar, an aid worker with the group HelpAge in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. He's 32, he's a Tom Hanks fan — and he works to protect the most vulnerable in the largest set of refugee camps in the world.
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Enlarge this image Malaka Gharib/ NPR Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Enlarge this image Malaka Gharib/ NPR Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Special thanks to Dr. Paul Spiegel of Johns Hopkins University for connecting NPR to HelpAge.
Malaka Gharib is an NPR editor and the author and illustrator of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir, about being first-generation Filipino Egyptian American.


npr--2020-04-18--Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill Dies At 84

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill , whose success as the CEO of aluminum maker Alcoa propelled him to what became a tumultuous tenure as Treasury secretary to President George W. Bush , died Saturday at age 84 .
His son Paul O'Neill Jr. confirmed that O'Neill died at home in Pittsburgh after battling lung cancer .
His death was not related to the coronavirus .
O'Neill came to lead the Treasury after more than a decade at Alcoa .
He oversaw higher profits and improved worker safety during his tenure .
He was used to calling his own shots and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to say what I think , especially on subjects I 've spent a few decades thinking through , '' O'Neill told Bush at an early meeting about taking the Treasury post .
`` In Washington , these days , that might make me a dangerous man . ''
The conversation was relayed in The Price of Loyalty : George W. Bush , the White House , and the Education of Paul O'Neill , a 2004 book that author Ron Suskind described as `` an experiment in transparency . ''
O'Neill was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suskind with 19,000 documents from his time in the administration .
It made waves for O'Neill asserting that Bush had intentions to invade Iraq as soon as he took office , months before the Sept. 11 attacks .
`` I was , frankly , surprised that Iraq was suddenly what I considered to be , from my own engagement , the highest priority , because there were a lot of other things going on in the world , including the continuing 50-year struggle in the Middle East , '' O'Neill told NPR 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence he saw about the presence of weapons of mass destruction `` did n't meet my standard of concrete evidence . ''
O'Neill was fired from the administration in December 2002 after he opposed a new round of tax cuts in the summer and fall of that year .
He said the economy was growing sufficiently and he worried about the cost of the likely war in Iraq and a possible second large terrorist attack .
He also wanted `` fiscal flexibility '' for reforming Social Security .
`` After the [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was clear that my arguments were n't winning arguments anymore , '' he said in 2004 .
`` I have a hunger for explicitness in formulating policy , and I did n't find that , '' he added .
Born in St. Louis in 1935 , O'Neill had a long career bouncing between the private sector and government .
He first worked for the government as a computer systems analyst at the Veterans Administration from 1961 to 1966 , before joining what is now the Office of Management and Budget in 1967 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1974 to 1977 .
With the end of the Ford administration in 1977 , O'Neill left government and joined the International Paper Company as a vice president .
He served as the company 's president from 1985 until 1987 .
O'Neill made his biggest mark in the corporate world at Alcoa , where he was chairman and CEO from 1987 to 1999 .
He started his tenure at the company with a focus on worker safety .
Accidents happen in a workplace with hot metal and industrial machinery , but O'Neill believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone ever gets hurt at work , '' his son said .
For 1998 , the company reported an 85 % reduction in its rate of lost workdays caused by injuries from when O'Neill started in 1987 .
After leaving the Bush administration , O'Neill returned to Pittsburgh and worked with the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative , which he helped form in 1997 .
The group of area medical and business leaders studies ways to improve health outcomes for patients .
He founded the health care consulting firm Value Capture in 2005 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve patient safety and lower costs .
O'Neill 's approach to leadership involved `` leading with values , leading from facts , '' his son said , adding that O'Neill `` used this values-based approach to everything he did . ''
And he listened to people with different ideas .
`` I believe in inclusiveness in policy issues , '' O'Neill told Fresh Air in 2004 .
`` I like ... the idea of including the smartest people on every issue , no matter what their polarity is , because it 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so I 'm an includer . ''
He is survived by his wife Nancy , four children , 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren .

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill Dies At 84
Enlarge this image toggle caption George F. Lee/AFP via Getty Images George F. Lee/AFP via Getty Images
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, whose success as the CEO of aluminum maker Alcoa propelled him to what became a tumultuous tenure as Treasury secretary to President George W. Bush, died Saturday at age 84.
His son Paul O'Neill Jr. confirmed that O'Neill died at home in Pittsburgh after battling lung cancer. His death was not related to the coronavirus.
O'Neill came to lead the Treasury after more than a decade at Alcoa. He oversaw higher profits and improved worker safety during his tenure. He was used to calling his own shots and preferred pragmatism to ideology.
"I like to say what I think, especially on subjects I've spent a few decades thinking through," O'Neill told Bush at an early meeting about taking the Treasury post. "In Washington, these days, that might make me a dangerous man."
The conversation was relayed in The Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O'Neill, a 2004 book that author Ron Suskind described as "an experiment in transparency." O'Neill was the chief source of the book and provided Suskind with 19,000 documents from his time in the administration.
It made waves for O'Neill asserting that Bush had intentions to invade Iraq as soon as he took office, months before the Sept. 11 attacks.
"I was, frankly, surprised that Iraq was suddenly what I considered to be, from my own engagement, the highest priority, because there were a lot of other things going on in the world, including the continuing 50-year struggle in the Middle East," O'Neill told NPR's Fresh Air in 2004.
O'Neill said the evidence he saw about the presence of weapons of mass destruction "didn't meet my standard of concrete evidence."
O'Neill was fired from the administration in December 2002 after he opposed a new round of tax cuts in the summer and fall of that year. He said the economy was growing sufficiently and he worried about the cost of the likely war in Iraq and a possible second large terrorist attack. He also wanted "fiscal flexibility" for reforming Social Security.
"After the [midterm] elections in 2002, it was clear that my arguments weren't winning arguments anymore," he said in 2004. "I have a hunger for explicitness in formulating policy, and I didn't find that," he added.
Born in St. Louis in 1935, O'Neill had a long career bouncing between the private sector and government. He first worked for the government as a computer systems analyst at the Veterans Administration from 1961 to 1966, before joining what is now the Office of Management and Budget in 1967. He became the OMB's deputy director from 1974 to 1977.
With the end of the Ford administration in 1977, O'Neill left government and joined the International Paper Company as a vice president. He served as the company's president from 1985 until 1987.
O'Neill made his biggest mark in the corporate world at Alcoa, where he was chairman and CEO from 1987 to 1999.
He started his tenure at the company with a focus on worker safety. Accidents happen in a workplace with hot metal and industrial machinery, but O'Neill believed that "it's not OK if anyone ever gets hurt at work," his son said.
For 1998, the company reported an 85% reduction in its rate of lost workdays caused by injuries from when O'Neill started in 1987.
After leaving the Bush administration, O'Neill returned to Pittsburgh and worked with the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, which he helped form in 1997. The group of area medical and business leaders studies ways to improve health outcomes for patients.
He founded the health care consulting firm Value Capture in 2005, which works with health care providers to improve patient safety and lower costs.
O'Neill's approach to leadership involved "leading with values, leading from facts," his son said, adding that O'Neill "used this values-based approach to everything he did."
And he listened to people with different ideas.
"I believe in inclusiveness in policy issues," O'Neill told Fresh Air in 2004.
"I like ... the idea of including the smartest people on every issue, no matter what their polarity is, because it's a way of sharpening your own thinking. And so I'm an includer."
He is survived by his wife Nancy, four children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.


npr--2020-04-18--'We'll Get Through This,' Pence Tells Air Force Academy Graduates

'We 'll Get Through This , ' Pence Tells Air Force Academy Graduates They still threw their caps into the air as F-16s flew overhead .
They still responded with a resounding `` hua ! ''
whenever anyone mentioned the class of 2020 .
But this year 's graduation of the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs was different from any other in the institution 's history .
Instead of assembling in Falcon Stadium , the nearly 1,000 cadets assembled in an outdoor field on campus .
They kept eight feet between them as they marched to their socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouragement from the stands , friends and family could only sound off in the YouTube comments section .
`` Congratulations Geraud , '' wrote Anthony and Dina Blackmon , among the more than 30,000 people watching the livestream .
`` The Blackmons are watching !
Great job ! ''
In his commencement address , Vice President Pence acknowledged the adversity facing the nation .
`` We gather at a time of national crisis as the coronavirus epidemic impacts our nation and the wider world , '' Pence said .
`` For the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory in our land are under disaster declarations . ''
`` America is being tested , '' Pence said later in his address .
`` And while there are signs that we are making progress in slowing the spread , as we stand here today more than 700,000 Americans have contracted the coronavirus , and , tragically , more than 37,000 of our countrymen have lost their lives .
`` But as each of you has shown in your time here , and as the American people always show in challenging times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Pence continued .
He cited medical workers on the front lines , farmers and grocers keeping America fed , and autoworkers who are making medical equipment to save lives .
`` With the courage , strength and compassion of the American people , we 'll get through this , '' Pence said .
`` We 'll protect the most vulnerable and we will heal our land . ''
The 62nd graduating class was unusual for another reason : It 's the first that will send cadets into the newly created Space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. armed forces .
Eighty-six cadets will join the Space Force .
`` You are our future and I need you to be bold , '' Gen. John Raymond , chief of space operations , told the class .
`` You will build this service from the ground up . ''
Unlike in years past , cadets did n't march to accept their diplomas .
And when the class of 2020 was dismissed , the newly commissioned officers did n't embrace their fellow classmates .
They quietly put their face masks on before @ @ @ @ @

'We'll Get Through This,' Pence Tells Air Force Academy Graduates
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP
They still threw their caps into the air as F-16s flew overhead.
They still responded with a resounding "hua!" whenever anyone mentioned the class of 2020.
But this year's graduation of the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs was different from any other in the institution's history. Instead of assembling in Falcon Stadium, the nearly 1,000 cadets assembled in an outdoor field on campus. They kept eight feet between them as they marched to their socially distant seats. And instead of shouting encouragement from the stands, friends and family could only sound off in the YouTube comments section.
"Congratulations Geraud," wrote Anthony and Dina Blackmon, among the more than 30,000 people watching the livestream. "The Blackmons are watching! Great job!"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christian Murdock/Colorado Springs Gazette/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Christian Murdock/Colorado Springs Gazette/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
In his commencement address, Vice President Pence acknowledged the adversity facing the nation.
"We gather at a time of national crisis as the coronavirus epidemic impacts our nation and the wider world," Pence said. "For the first time in our history every state and territory in our land are under disaster declarations.
"America is being tested," Pence said later in his address. "And while there are signs that we are making progress in slowing the spread, as we stand here today more than 700,000 Americans have contracted the coronavirus, and, tragically, more than 37,000 of our countrymen have lost their lives.
"But as each of you has shown in your time here, and as the American people always show in challenging times, when hardship comes, Americans come together," Pence continued.
He cited medical workers on the front lines, farmers and grocers keeping America fed, and autoworkers who are making medical equipment to save lives.
"With the courage, strength and compassion of the American people, we'll get through this," Pence said. "We'll protect the most vulnerable and we will heal our land."
The 62nd graduating class was unusual for another reason: It's the first that will send cadets into the newly created Space Force, the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Eighty-six cadets will join the Space Force. "You are our future and I need you to be bold," Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations, told the class. "You will build this service from the ground up."
Unlike in years past, cadets didn't march to accept their diplomas. And when the class of 2020 was dismissed, the newly commissioned officers didn't embrace their fellow classmates. They quietly put their face masks on before walking off the field.


npr--2020-04-18--Nicaragua Not Backing Down Despite Criticism Over Lax Measures During Pandemic

Nicaragua Not Backing Down Despite Criticism Over Lax Measures During Pandemic To the dismay of some of its citizens and neighbors , Nicaragua is still holding soccer matches , food festivals and beauty pageants .
Officially , the government of socialist president Daniel Ortega says there are only three active cases and one death attributed to COVID-19 .
The Johns Hopkins University tracker cites nine cases and two deaths .
Across the border in Costa Rica , authorities have confirmed more than 600 cases .
`` No one believes the government , '' said Dora Maria Tellez , a staunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health minister .
Now Tellez has joined health workers , scientists and activists to form the Citizens Observatory for COVID-19 , to gather and publish data about the outbreak .
`` There is no transparency of information controlled by the state , '' Tellez said .
`` The Health Ministry 's webpage is n't updated , it does n't have the number of tests run , how many are positive , how many negative . ''
Using informants in health clinics around the country , the Citizens Observatory estimates there are as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not only has the government failed to issue stay-at-home or social distancing orders , the 74-year old Ortega dropped out of public view for more than a month .
He finally reappeared Wednesday to give a live speech broadcast to the nation .
Surrounded by top officials , Ortega decried the pandemic as a sign from God and said the U.S. should spend less on atomic bombs and more on hospitals .
Ortega insisted Nicaragua 's doctors are ready to treat COVID-19 and rejected shutting down the economy , saying if Nicaraguans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier this month , Dr. Carissa Etienne , director of the Pan American Health Organization , expressed concern about Nicaragua 's response to COVID-19 .
She cited the lack of social distancing and the convening of mass gatherings .
`` We have concerns about testing , contact tracing and reporting of cases , '' she said .
Nicaragua 's borders remain open , which worries Costa Rica .
Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr said her country launched operations to secure its borders and isolate citizens .
Speaking on CNN , Campbell Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6,000 Nicaraguans in the past month .
She said she did not foresee any coordinated effort between the two countries to limit the virus 's spread .
`` We can not depend absolutely on anyone else ... we are still taking these extreme measures to continue safeguarding the lives of those in our country , '' she said .
Requests for comment from Ortega 's wife , who is the government 's spokeswoman and vice president , were not returned .

Nicaragua Not Backing Down Despite Criticism Over Lax Measures During Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images
To the dismay of some of its citizens and neighbors, Nicaragua is still holding soccer matches, food festivals and beauty pageants.
Officially, the government of socialist president Daniel Ortega says there are only three active cases and one death attributed to COVID-19. The Johns Hopkins University tracker cites nine cases and two deaths. Across the border in Costa Rica, authorities have confirmed more than 600 cases.
"No one believes the government," said Dora Maria Tellez, a staunch Ortega opponent who once served as his health minister. Now Tellez has joined health workers, scientists and activists to form the Citizens Observatory for COVID-19, to gather and publish data about the outbreak.
"There is no transparency of information controlled by the state," Tellez said. "The Health Ministry's webpage isn't updated, it doesn't have the number of tests run, how many are positive, how many negative."
Using informants in health clinics around the country, the Citizens Observatory estimates there are as many as 200 cases of COVID-19 in Nicaragua.
Not only has the government failed to issue stay-at-home or social distancing orders, the 74-year old Ortega dropped out of public view for more than a month. He finally reappeared Wednesday to give a live speech broadcast to the nation. Surrounded by top officials, Ortega decried the pandemic as a sign from God and said the U.S. should spend less on atomic bombs and more on hospitals.
Ortega insisted Nicaragua's doctors are ready to treat COVID-19 and rejected shutting down the economy, saying if Nicaraguans don't work, they will die.
Earlier this month, Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization, expressed concern about Nicaragua's response to COVID-19. She cited the lack of social distancing and the convening of mass gatherings. "We have concerns about testing, contact tracing and reporting of cases," she said.
Nicaragua's borders remain open, which worries Costa Rica. Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr said her country launched operations to secure its borders and isolate citizens. Speaking on CNN, Campbell Barr said Costa Rica has turned back some 6,000 Nicaraguans in the past month. She said she did not foresee any coordinated effort between the two countries to limit the virus's spread.
"We absolutely cannot depend on anyone else. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to safeguard the lives of our people," she said.
Requests for comment from Ortega's wife, who is the government's spokeswoman and vice president, were not returned.


npr--2020-04-18--'You Just Get Written Off': One Inmate On Life On Rikers During The Pandemic

'You Just Get Written Off ' : One Inmate On Life On Rikers During The Pandemic As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread , prisons and jails remain some of the most vulnerable places for its transmission .
New York City jails are dealing with an outbreak of their own : The Department of Corrections told NPR it 's dealing with 364 confirmed cases among inmates and already has two deaths as of April 16 .
Rikers Island Jail is the city 's most infamous facility .
Prisoner Daryl Campbell is currently under quarantine after another inmate came down with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already the forgotten culture , the people that are in jail .
It 's like you just get written off , '' he says .
Campbell , also known as Taxstone , hosted the popular hip-hop podcast Tax Season before he was arrested in 2017 in connection with a shooting .
He 's still on Rikers awaiting trial on murder charges and he says inmates are not being given basic protective gear .
`` The governor actually says 'Yo , we 're going to be making a hand sanitizer and stuff like that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I said , 'That 's cool . '
You know , the prison is making hand sanitizers and helping keep everything clean and saving people .
But I said , 'Wait up , when are we going to get hand sanitizer ?
When are we going to get extra sanitation things to clean things ?
When are we going to get protective gear ? '
We did n't receive this and that 's when I realized that we really did n't exist in this world . ''
The New York Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hand soap and water and they are distributing masks to all inmates and staff .
The city also said that it has reduced the jail population by more than 1,000 people .
But Campbell disputes the amount of help inmates are receiving .
`` We got one face mask and after that , we never got one again , '' he says .
`` We asked [ Governor Andrew Cuomo ] , 'Hey , what 's up with the face mask ? '
We 're watching the news : They say these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's like a lost cause .
Right now I 'm just walking around with a towel around my face . ''
While healthy inmates have limited access to protective gear , Campbell also says that those who get sick are not receiving the medical attention they need .
`` I watched cancer patients with level four cancer catch it , and they [ did ] not release them from jail , talking about the charge that they might have — 'Oh , he has a robbery , ' `` he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty .
But even if these people are guilty , who are you to say that it 's alright for them to die , to not get proper treatment ?
Who are you to tell them to just sit in the cell and just figure it out ?
Who are you to just say it 's alright for us to die ?
We have families . ''
`` Being in jail is like literally being dead and watching everyone else live their life from a grave , '' he finishes .
Campbell was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that has n't changed : A few weeks ago he posted on Twitter about some of the conditions on Rikers .
`` I 'm not afraid of any consequences that might happen for me doing this interview or from any letters that I 've written , '' he says .
`` I do n't care .
There 's nothing you could do with me at this point .
When they sit here and act like we 're not human or we do n't exist though , we do n't have families or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does n't count — that 's when I get angry and I have to make these cries from the grave and let people know like , 'Yo , we 're still alive .
We do n't have tombstones yet . '
`` Campbell says that he feels compelled to use that platform he has through his podcast to speak up about the conditions he sees .
`` I 'm from East New York , Brooklyn ; we never got a chance out there , '' he says .
`` And for me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to even speak to people that ca n't speak for themselves , I 'll have to use my voice till they take it from me . ''

'You Just Get Written Off': One Inmate On Life On Rikers During The Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, prisons and jails remain some of the most vulnerable places for its transmission.
New York City jails are dealing with an outbreak of their own: The Department of Corrections told NPR it's dealing with 364 confirmed cases among inmates and already has two deaths as of April 16.
Rikers Island Jail is the city's most infamous facility. Prisoner Daryl Campbell is currently under quarantine after another inmate came down with a high fever.
"We're already the forgotten culture, the people that are in jail. It's like you just get written off," he says.
Campbell, also known as Taxstone, hosted the popular hip-hop podcast Tax Season before he was arrested in 2017 in connection with a shooting. He's still on Rikers awaiting trial on murder charges and he says inmates are not being given basic protective gear.
"The governor actually says 'Yo, we're going to be making a hand sanitizer and stuff like that,' " Campbell says. "And I said, 'That's cool.' You know, the prison is making hand sanitizers and helping keep everything clean and saving people. But I said, 'Wait up, when are we going to get hand sanitizer? When are we going to get extra sanitation things to clean things? When are we going to get protective gear?' We didn't receive this and that's when I realized that we really didn't exist in this world."
The New York Department of Corrections told NPR that inmates have access to hand soap and water and they are distributing masks to all inmates and staff. The city also said that it has reduced the jail population by more than 1,000 people.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the artist Courtesy of the artist
But Campbell disputes the amount of help inmates are receiving.
"We got one face mask and after that, we never got one again," he says. "We asked [Governor Andrew Cuomo], 'Hey, what's up with the face mask?' We're watching the news: They say these face masks only last four hours. It's like a lost cause. Right now I'm just walking around with a towel around my face."
While healthy inmates have limited access to protective gear, Campbell also says that those who get sick are not receiving the medical attention they need.
"I watched cancer patients with level four cancer catch it, and they [did] not release them from jail, talking about the charge that they might have — 'Oh, he has a robbery,' " he says. "Everybody's deemed innocent until proven guilty. But even if these people are guilty, who are you to say that it's alright for them to die, to not get proper treatment? Who are you to tell them to just sit in the cell and just figure it out? Who are you to just say it's alright for us to die? We have families."
"Being in jail is like literally being dead and watching everyone else live their life from a grave," he finishes.
Campbell was brash and outspoken on his podcast, and that hasn't changed: A few weeks ago he posted on Twitter about some of the conditions on Rikers.
See y’all on my IG live around 5pm est pic.twitter.com/o6EPb0Rsc7 — DADITO CALDERONE (@TAXSTONE) April 2, 2020
"I'm not afraid of any consequences that might happen for me doing this interview or from any letters that I've written," he says. "I don't care. There's nothing you could do with me at this point. When they sit here and act like we're not human or we don't exist though, we don't have families or people that love us or our opinion doesn't count — that's when I get angry and I have to make these cries from the grave and let people know like, 'Yo, we're still alive. We don't have tombstones yet.' "
Campbell says that he feels compelled to use that platform he has through his podcast to speak up about the conditions he sees.
"I'm from East New York, Brooklyn; we never got a chance out there," he says. "And for me to be able to have a voice, to even speak to people that can't speak for themselves, I'll have to use my voice till they take it from me."


npr--2020-04-18--Trump Warns Of 'Consequences' If China Was 'Knowingly Responsible' For Outbreak

Trump Warns Of 'Consequences ' If China Was 'Knowingly Responsible ' For Outbreak If China was responsible for the coronavirus outbreak , the country should face consequences , President Trump said at Saturday 's White House briefing .
`` If it was a mistake , a mistake is a mistake , '' Trump said in response to a reporter 's question .
`` But if they were knowingly responsible , yeah , I mean , then sure there should be consequences . ''
Trump has offered no evidence that the Chinese were responsible for the pandemic , but did say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ongoing .
Trump also voiced doubts on the death rate being reported by Chinese officials .
At one point , when Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus response coordinator , was presenting charts comparing the U.S. mortality rate to that of other countries , Trump interrupted .
`` Does anybody really believe this number ? ''
Trump said , referring to China 's reported mortality rate of 0.33 per 100,000 people .
Birx responded that she had included China on the chart to show how `` unrealistic '' those numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11.24 per 100,000 , which Birx said is half to a third of other countries .
Belgium led the world with 45.2 fatalities per 100,000 , followed by Spain with 42.81 , and then Italy with 37.64 .
As Birx moved to the next slide , Trump asked her to go back to the mortality chart , where he then expressed incredulity about Iran 's reported mortality of 6.06 out of 100,000 .
`` The United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country , with the possible exception of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the briefing .
Trump also defended a Friday tweet urging the people of Virginia to `` LIBERATE '' and protect their Second Amendment rights .
Trump said that Democratic Gov .
Ralph Northam , who last week signed into law a slate of gun control bills , was trying to chip away at the right to bear arms .
`` Where does it all stop ? ''
Trump said .
The briefing came as activists were holding protests over social-distancing restrictions in states across the country with stay-at-home orders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Protests were held in cities , including Salt Lake City , and Annapolis , Md .
Trump on Friday seemed to openly encourage these types of protests in a series of tweets mentioning Michigan and Minnesota , two states led by Democratic governors who have imposed social-distancing restrictions .
Asked on NPR about the stay-at-home protests , Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , a Republican , said : `` People have every right to demonstrate , this is what I 've said to people who were protesting against me ...
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were very early in taking some very dramatic steps to protect Ohioans , and I 'm going to continue to do that , '' he said .
`` But at the same time , I understand the demonstrators , they want to get the economy moving again . ''
On Thursday , Trump issued a set of guidelines for reopening the country , a plan that includes three phases for states to reopen , with progressively relaxed levels of social distancing .
It remains unclear how long it could take to put those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines though , are broad , and leave specific plans up to governors .
Ahead of Saturday 's briefing , Trump was on Twitter , weighing in on a variety of topics , including the November election .
Vice President Mike Pence , who is leading the administration 's task force in charge of responding to the coronavirus , traveled to Colorado on Saturday to deliver an in-person speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy 's commencement ceremony .
It was a rare outing for Pence .
Both he and Trump have skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as health experts recommend that Americans avoid travel and gatherings to stem the virus ' spread .
Trump said Friday he planned to deliver a commencement speech to the graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , saying that he assumed there would be social distancing .
In Canada , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday that the border with the United States would remain closed for nonessential travel for another 30 days .
`` This is an important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , Trump spoke by phone with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and , according to a White House statement , `` discussed the need to maintain restrictions on travelers crossing their land borders for non-essential purposes , while ensuring cross-border activities that are critical to commerce , health security , supply security , and other essential industries remain unimpeded .

Trump Warns Of 'Consequences' If China Was 'Knowingly Responsible' For Outbreak
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Updated at 7:54 p.m. ET
If China was responsible for the coronavirus outbreak, the country should face consequences, President Trump said at Saturday's White House briefing.
"If it was a mistake, a mistake is a mistake," Trump said in response to a reporter's question. "But if they were knowingly responsible, yeah, I mean, then sure there should be consequences."
Trump has offered no evidence that the Chinese were responsible for the pandemic, but did say that a U.S. investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.
Trump also voiced doubts on the death rate being reported by Chinese officials. At one point, when Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, was presenting charts comparing the U.S. mortality rate to that of other countries, Trump interrupted.
"Does anybody really believe this number?" Trump said, referring to China's reported mortality rate of 0.33 per 100,000 people. Birx responded that she had included China on the chart to show how "unrealistic" those numbers were. The U.S. mortality rate is 11.24 per 100,000, which Birx said is half to a third of other countries. Belgium led the world with 45.2 fatalities per 100,000, followed by Spain with 42.81, and then Italy with 37.64.
As Birx moved to the next slide, Trump asked her to go back to the mortality chart, where he then expressed incredulity about Iran's reported mortality of 6.06 out of 100,000.
"The United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country, with the possible exception of Germany," Trump had said at the start of the briefing.
Trump also defended a Friday tweet urging the people of Virginia to "LIBERATE" and protect their Second Amendment rights. Trump said that Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, who last week signed into law a slate of gun control bills, was trying to chip away at the right to bear arms.
"Where does it all stop?" Trump said.
The briefing came as activists were holding protests over social-distancing restrictions in states across the country with stay-at-home orders, calling for a reopening of the economy. Protests were held in cities, including Salt Lake City, and Annapolis, Md.
Trump on Friday seemed to openly encourage these types of protests in a series of tweets mentioning Michigan and Minnesota, two states led by Democratic governors who have imposed social-distancing restrictions.
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Asked on NPR about the stay-at-home protests, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said: "People have every right to demonstrate, this is what I've said to people who were protesting against me. ... It is what it is."
"We were very early in taking some very dramatic steps to protect Ohioans, and I'm going to continue to do that," he said. "But at the same time, I understand the demonstrators, they want to get the economy moving again."
On Thursday, Trump issued a set of guidelines for reopening the country, a plan that includes three phases for states to reopen, with progressively relaxed levels of social distancing. It remains unclear how long it could take to put those measures in place across the U.S. Those guidelines though, are broad, and leave specific plans up to governors.
Ahead of Saturday's briefing, Trump was on Twitter, weighing in on a variety of topics, including the November election.
Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration's task force in charge of responding to the coronavirus, traveled to Colorado on Saturday to deliver an in-person speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy's commencement ceremony.
It was a rare outing for Pence. Both he and Trump have skipped most travel, including campaign events, as health experts recommend that Americans avoid travel and gatherings to stem the virus' spread.
Trump said Friday he planned to deliver a commencement speech to the graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, saying that he assumed there would be social distancing.
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday that the border with the United States would remain closed for nonessential travel for another 30 days.
"This is an important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of the border safe," Trudeau said.
The restrictions took effect March 21.
On Friday, Trump spoke by phone with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and, according to a White House statement, "discussed the need to maintain restrictions on travelers crossing their land borders for non-essential purposes, while ensuring cross-border activities that are critical to commerce, health security, supply security, and other essential industries remain unimpeded."


npr--2020-04-18--Canadian Border Restrictions Have Been Extended For Another 30 Days

Canadian Border Restrictions Have Been Extended For Another 30 Days The United States and Canada have agreed to keep their shared border closed for nonessential travel for another 30 days to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the extension during a briefing Saturday in Ottawa .
The restrictions on the world 's longest frontier took effect on March 21 , while allowing trade and other travel deemed essential to continue .
The partial ban was to expire soon , but the neighboring countries have decided it is not safe to allow traffic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of the border safe , '' Trudeau told a news conference outside the residence where he has been living and working in recent weeks .
Canada , with a population of under 38 million , has had more than 32,000 cases of infection and 1,340 deaths from COVID-19 , as of Saturday .
The U.S. has identified almost 720,000 cases and over 37,000 deaths , as of late Saturday afternoon .
Several of America 's hardest-hit areas including New York state share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have testing shortages .
Border crossings have fallen dramatically , even despite the essential travel exemptions .
At the Peace Bridge between Buffalo , N.Y. , and Fort Erie , Ontario , `` passenger traffic [ is ] down 95 % , bus traffic down ... 99.6 % , so essentially , it 's shut down , '' Kathryn Friedman , a global fellow at the Wilson Center 's Canada Institute , said in a conference Tuesday .
`` Commercial traffic is down a little over 28 % . ''
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ron Rienas , who runs the authority that manages the Peace Bridge , told The Buffalo News .
Since April 1 , tunnel traffic between the heavily integrated Detroit and Windsor , Ontario regions is down 88 % over the same period last year , according to Friedman .
Concerns have risen in Canada about daily trips by around 1,600 health care workers from Ontario to hard-hit Detroit .
Some nurses who work in facilities in both the U.S. and Canada have had to choose one .
The extension of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the governments gave mixed signals about the next step .
President Trump said on Wednesday that the Canadian border `` will be one of the early borders to be released .
Canada is doing well .
We 're doing well . ''
But the next day , Prime Minister Trudeau told reporters , `` There is a significant amount of time , still , before we can talk about loosening such restrictions . ''

Canadian Border Restrictions Have Been Extended For Another 30 Days
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lars Hagberg/AFP via Getty Images Lars Hagberg/AFP via Getty Images
The United States and Canada have agreed to keep their shared border closed for nonessential travel for another 30 days to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the extension during a briefing Saturday in Ottawa.
The restrictions on the world's longest frontier took effect on March 21, while allowing trade and other travel deemed essential to continue. The partial ban was to expire soon, but the neighboring countries have decided it is not safe to allow traffic to fully resume.
"This is an important decision and one that will keep people on both sides of the border safe," Trudeau told a news conference outside the residence where he has been living and working in recent weeks.
Canada, with a population of under 38 million, has had more than 32,000 cases of infection and 1,340 deaths from COVID-19, as of Saturday. The U.S. has identified almost 720,000 cases and over 37,000 deaths, as of late Saturday afternoon. Several of America's hardest-hit areas including New York state share a border with Canadian provinces. Both countries have testing shortages.
Border crossings have fallen dramatically, even despite the essential travel exemptions.
At the Peace Bridge between Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ontario, "passenger traffic [is] down 95%, bus traffic down ... 99.6%, so essentially, it's shut down," Kathryn Friedman, a global fellow at the Wilson Center's Canada Institute, said in a conference Tuesday. "Commercial traffic is down a little over 28%."
"It is surreal to see such little traffic," Ron Rienas, who runs the authority that manages the Peace Bridge, told The Buffalo News.
Since April 1, tunnel traffic between the heavily integrated Detroit and Windsor, Ontario regions is down 88% over the same period last year, according to Friedman.
Concerns have risen in Canada about daily trips by around 1,600 health care workers from Ontario to hard-hit Detroit. Some nurses who work in facilities in both the U.S. and Canada have had to choose one.
The extension of the border restrictions came after a week in which the governments gave mixed signals about the next step.
President Trump said on Wednesday that the Canadian border "will be one of the early borders to be released. Canada is doing well. We're doing well."
But the next day, Prime Minister Trudeau told reporters, "There is a significant amount of time, still, before we can talk about loosening such restrictions."


npr--2020-04-18--In COVID Briefings, Trump Again Relies On Both Shock And Strategic Retreat

In COVID Briefings , Trump Again Relies On Both Shock And Strategic Retreat President Trump 's nightly briefings on COVID-19 this week have featured stunning pronouncements and reversals .
Take the widespread response to the president 's assertion on Monday that he could reopen local businesses by fiat — even against the wishes of governors : `` When somebody is the president of the United States , the authority is total . ''
That sentence looks like a true-false question on a test in constitutional law class .
( Answer : False . )
The next night , the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suggest a more cooperative posture .
And by Thursday night , the message to governors was : `` You 're going to call your own shots . ''
Instead of orders to reopen , the White House laid out criteria for states to meet before their businesses and public spaces return to normal .
There were `` gates '' to go through and `` hurdles '' to clear , with data-based criteria to determine the health risks involved .
But some experts said there was no new help for states in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who serves on the coronavirus task force , said Friday the U.S. had enough tests to move into Phase 1 of the reopening plan , which calls to limit social gatherings to 10 people or fewer and for vulnerable populations to continue to shelter in place .
Still , the states maintain they were left with no further assistance in meeting the various criteria for reopening .
When questioned about more testing , Trump has repeatedly said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The week was a crash course in the Trump style , issuing bold pronouncements , then dialing them back to seek another path .
To some degree , Trump is empowered by the sheer force of the federal government and its central role in any national crisis .
On the night he declared his `` total authority '' over the states , Trump also said he would not need to use such powers .
`` It 's not going to be necessary because the governors need us one way or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` because they 're going to need us , ultimately it comes with the federal government . ''
And indeed , the states do need the federal government .
They need it the same way they needed it to fight World War II or the Great Depression .
They need its unique ability to organize and coordinate programs across state lines .
But even more important is the unique authority of the federal government to spend money it does not have .
The states can not print currency , and they must generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has always printed money and has been willing to operate in deficit for decades .
It was on its way to a $ 1 trillion deficit in this budget year alone , and that was before it added $ 2 trillion in one COVID-19 relief bill last month .
The states — and the residents and businesses that are their constituents — desperately need that cash and those lines of credit .
So they will work with the federal government , and to a large degree , that means working with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president 's announcement he was suspending the U.S. contribution to the World Health Organization , which gets roughly 20 % of its budget from the U.S. and the American taxpayer .
Trump accused the WHO being `` China-centric '' and said the administration would review the organization 's handling of the pandemic over the next 60 to 90 days .
Trump 's action provoked outcries from around the world , as this arm of the United Nations is the primary international actor in what is a plainly global war and the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How could you cut off the WHO in the moment it is most needed ?
The very idea appears calculated to shock .
Funding from the U.S. to the WHO falls into two buckets — assessed dues and voluntary contributions .
It is unclear how those contributions would change after the temporary freeze .
But here again , in that all-important short run in which he has his way , Trump can use the WHO to create a new front in his own war on the pandemic and strike another blow for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House needs a win .
The Pew Research Center released a poll Thursday showing 65 % of Americans think the administration moved too slowly against the virus in the first months of 2020 .
That is a statistic the president can not let go unchallenged .
On Wednesday night , we got yet another demonstration of the president 's modus operandi when he lashed out at Congress at another coronavirus task force briefing .
The offense in question in this case was the House and Senate 's habit of remaining officially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on recess .
This is done to prevent the president from making `` recess appointments '' of officials who could then serve without Senate confirmation .
Congress has in recent years blocked such appointments with pro forma sessions .
In the Senate , this usually involves three senators , one to preside and one to represent each of the two parties .
The threesome gavel themselves into session and almost immediately gavel back out again .
It looks silly , but it keeps Congress ' confirmation powers intact .
It also means any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted for Senate confirmation remain in `` acting '' status and do not have the full authority of their offices .
Until now , Trump has been seemingly fine with this .
He has even praised the `` acting '' status because it gives him more `` flexibility . ''
It also avoids the difficulties and distractions of a Senate confirmation process , with its vetting , and hearings and voting .
This week , however , the president said that he needs to have those he has nominated fully empowered and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional power of recess appointment to make it happen .
If Congress wo n't officially adjourn , he said , he has `` the power to adjourn Congress . ''
There is constitutional language allowing the president to call Congress into session or adjourn it .
But the adjournment half of this has never been used , and it would seem to apply only in certain arcane circumstances .
Moreover , if it came to that , the whole mess would likely go to court , months would pass and no appointments would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is neither a practical tool nor an effective weapon .
But explaining it all makes Congress look bad , rule-bound and feckless , while the president may look decisive by contrast .
And in the immediate moment of this week , `` adjourn the Congress '' gets headlines .
Sure enough , after Trump spoke of adjourning Congress , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , released a statement saying he was working with the president and would do everything he could to get nominees critical to fighting coronavirus confirmed but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' it will take consent from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer .
All these machinations will strike many Americans as the kind of games that make people hate `` Washington . ''
And if so , that can work in the president 's favor as well .
In the long run , the president will not need to issue orders to the governors beyond his authority , the WHO will probably continue its work ( and probably get its U.S. funding ) and Congress will adjourn only when it is ready .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for any of these ultimately empty threats .
He has paid no such price thus far .
And in the meantime , these fights will continue on ground largely chosen by the president and in terms he sets .

In COVID Briefings, Trump Again Relies On Both Shock And Strategic Retreat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump's nightly briefings on COVID-19 this week have featured stunning pronouncements and reversals.
Take the widespread response to the president's assertion on Monday that he could reopen local businesses by fiat — even against the wishes of governors: "When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total."
That sentence looks like a true-false question on a test in constitutional law class. (Answer: False.)
The next night, the president was walking back that widely repudiated statement to suggest a more cooperative posture. And by Thursday night, the message to governors was: "You're going to call your own shots."
Instead of orders to reopen, the White House laid out criteria for states to meet before their businesses and public spaces return to normal. There were "gates" to go through and "hurdles" to clear, with data-based criteria to determine the health risks involved.
But some experts said there was no new help for states in terms of testing or treatment. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who serves on the coronavirus task force, said Friday the U.S. had enough tests to move into Phase 1 of the reopening plan, which calls to limit social gatherings to 10 people or fewer and for vulnerable populations to continue to shelter in place.
Still, the states maintain they were left with no further assistance in meeting the various criteria for reopening. When questioned about more testing, Trump has repeatedly said that it was "up to the states."
The week was a crash course in the Trump style, issuing bold pronouncements, then dialing them back to seek another path.
The federal powers
To some degree, Trump is empowered by the sheer force of the federal government and its central role in any national crisis.
On the night he declared his "total authority" over the states, Trump also said he would not need to use such powers. "It's not going to be necessary because the governors need us one way or the other," the president said, "because they're going to need us, ultimately it comes with the federal government."
And indeed, the states do need the federal government. They need it the same way they needed it to fight World War II or the Great Depression. They need its unique ability to organize and coordinate programs across state lines. But even more important is the unique authority of the federal government to spend money it does not have.
The states cannot print currency, and they must generally balance their budgets. The federal government has always printed money and has been willing to operate in deficit for decades. It was on its way to a $1 trillion deficit in this budget year alone, and that was before it added $2 trillion in one COVID-19 relief bill last month.
The states — and the residents and businesses that are their constituents — desperately need that cash and those lines of credit. So they will work with the federal government, and to a large degree, that means working with the president.
Thrust and parry
Something similar is at work in the president's announcement he was suspending the U.S. contribution to the World Health Organization, which gets roughly 20% of its budget from the U.S. and the American taxpayer.
Trump accused the WHO of being "China-centric" and said the administration would review the organization's handling of the pandemic over the next 60 to 90 days.
Trump's action provoked outcries from around the world, as this arm of the United Nations is the primary international actor in what is a plainly global war and the U.S. is the organization's largest contributor.
How could you cut off the WHO in the moment it is most needed? The very idea appears calculated to shock.
Funding from the U.S. to the WHO falls into two buckets — assessed dues and voluntary contributions. It is unclear how those contributions would change after the temporary freeze.
But here again, in that all-important short run in which he has his way, Trump can use the WHO to create a new front in his own war on the pandemic and strike another blow for his version of the pandemic narrative.
And the White House needs a win. The Pew Research Center released a poll Thursday showing 65% of Americans think the administration moved too slowly against the virus in the first months of 2020. That is a statistic the president cannot let go unchallenged.
Adjourning Congress
On Wednesday night, we got yet another demonstration of the president's modus operandi when he lashed out at Congress at another coronavirus task force briefing.
The offense in question in this case was the House and Senate's habit of remaining officially in session even when out of town on recess. This is done to prevent the president from making "recess appointments" of officials who could then serve without Senate confirmation.
Congress has in recent years blocked such appointments with pro forma sessions. In the Senate, this usually involves three senators, one to preside and one to represent each of the two parties. The threesome gavel themselves into session and almost immediately gavel back out again.
It looks silly, but it keeps Congress' confirmation powers intact. It also means any executive officers who have not been officially submitted for Senate confirmation remain in "acting" status and do not have the full authority of their offices.
Until now, Trump has been seemingly fine with this. He has even praised the "acting" status because it gives him more "flexibility." It also avoids the difficulties and distractions of a Senate confirmation process, with its vetting, and hearings and voting.
This week, however, the president said that he needs to have those he has nominated fully empowered and that he should be able to use his constitutional power of recess appointment to make it happen. If Congress won't officially adjourn, he said, he has "the power to adjourn Congress."
There is constitutional language allowing the president to call Congress into session or adjourn it. But the adjournment half of this has never been used, and it would seem to apply only in certain arcane circumstances.
Moreover, if it came to that, the whole mess would likely go to court, months would pass and no appointments would be official in the meantime.
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So this is neither a practical tool nor an effective weapon. But explaining it all makes Congress look bad, rule-bound and feckless, while the president may look decisive by contrast.
And in the immediate moment of this week, "adjourn the Congress" gets headlines.
Sure enough, after Trump spoke of adjourning Congress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released a statement saying he was working with the president and would do everything he could to get nominees critical to fighting coronavirus confirmed but added that "under Senate rules," it will take consent from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
All these machinations will strike many Americans as the kind of games that make people hate "Washington." And if so, that can work in the president's favor as well.
In the long run, the president will not need to issue orders to the governors beyond his authority, the WHO will probably continue its work (and probably get its U.S. funding), and Congress will adjourn only when it is ready.
It is not clear Trump will pay a price for any of these ultimately empty threats. He has paid no such price thus far. And in the meantime, these fights will continue on ground largely chosen by the president and in terms he sets.


npr--2020-04-18--Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: Reopening State Demands A 'Nuanced Balance'

Urged by President Trump , states across the country are beginning to eye the next phase of their response to the coronavirus : the cautious process of lifting their widespread restrictions , piece by piece , and returning to a semblance of daily life before the pandemic settled in .
But how should that happen — and when ?
Three broad coalitions of states — one on the West Coast , one in the Northeast and one in the Midwest — have taken shape to collaborate on their response to the crisis .
Among them is Ohio 's Republican governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with at least six neighboring governors in the bipartisan Midwestern partnership .
`` It 's something that just naturally occurs , '' DeWine told NPR 's Weekend Edition on Saturday , `` and during this coronavirus , it 's something that , you know , is even more urgent that we we do — that share these ideas . ''
Part of that urgency is coming from the president , whose administration has released guidelines for states considering reopening and who has targeted Democratic governors with tweets calling for them to `` LIBERATE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states includes Virginia , which Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine represents .
Kaine , in an interview with All Things Considered on Saturday , said he considers the tweets an attempt to `` foment division in our country in the midst of a global pandemic , '' noting that the president is `` urging them to protest the social distancing guidelines that his own administration is urging us to follow . ''
DeWine downplayed the president 's tweets , saying he does n't think Trump is calling for insurrection with the all-caps command to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state from administrations led by his rival party : `` You know , '' DeWine said , `` to fixate on two or three tweets by the president of the United States does n't make any does n't make any sense to me . ''
Part of the urgency DeWine and his fellow governors feel is also coming from protesters , many of whom dressed in Trump campaign gear , who have flouted state social distancing recommendations and gathered at rallies not only in Ohio but in a number of other states across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against that pressure are the recommendations of health officials , who have warned that easing social distancing restrictions and allowing nonessential businesses to reopen too quickly — without extensive testing and sufficient medical resources — will merely lead to another deadly surge in coronavirus infections .
The U.S. has suffered by far the biggest outbreak in the world , with more than 700,000 confirmed cases and a death toll surpassing 37,000 , as of Saturday afternoon .
In Ohio , which has reported more than 9,000 of those confirmed cases , state officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state economy '' beginning May 1 .
DeWine said that the protesters `` have every right to demonstrate '' — but that does n't necessarily mean they 'll be getting their way .
`` I understand the demonstrators .
They want to get the economy moving again .
No one is more anxious to do that than I am , so I understand where they 're coming from , '' he explained .
`` But we also have to do it in a rational way .
We have to do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life and protects our medical institutions for being totally overrun .
So this is a nuanced balance of things that we 're trying to do here . ''

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: Reopening State Demands A 'Nuanced Balance'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tony Dejak/AP Tony Dejak/AP
Updated at 2:30 p.m. ET
Urged by President Trump, states across the country are beginning to eye the next phase of their response to the coronavirus: the cautious process of lifting their widespread restrictions, piece by piece, and returning to a semblance of daily life before the pandemic settled in. But how should that happen — and when?
Three broad coalitions of states — one on the West Coast, one in the Northeast and one in the Midwest — have taken shape to collaborate on their response to the crisis. Among them is Ohio's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who is working with at least six neighboring governors in the bipartisan Midwestern partnership.
"It's something that just naturally occurs," DeWine told NPR's Weekend Edition on Saturday, "and during this coronavirus, it's something that, you know, is even more urgent that we we do — that share these ideas."
Part of that urgency is coming from the president, whose administration has released guidelines for states considering reopening and who has targeted Democratic governors with tweets calling for them to "LIBERATE" their states. That handful of states includes Virginia, which Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine represents.
Kaine, in an interview with All Things Considered on Saturday, said he considers the tweets an attempt to "foment division in our country in the midst of a global pandemic," noting that the president is "urging them to protest the social distancing guidelines that his own administration is urging us to follow."
DeWine downplayed the president's tweets, saying he doesn't think Trump is calling for insurrection with the all-caps command to his followers to "liberate" their state from administrations led by his rival party: "You know," DeWine said, "to fixate on two or three tweets by the president of the United States doesn't make any doesn't make any sense to me."
Part of the urgency DeWine and his fellow governors feel is also coming from protesters, many of whom dressed in Trump campaign gear, who have flouted state social distancing recommendations and gathered at rallies not only in Ohio but in a number of other states across the country, as well.
Balanced against that pressure are the recommendations of health officials, who have warned that easing social distancing restrictions and allowing nonessential businesses to reopen too quickly — without extensive testing and sufficient medical resources — will merely lead to another deadly surge in coronavirus infections. The U.S. has suffered by far the biggest outbreak in the world, with more than 700,000 confirmed cases and a death toll surpassing 37,000, as of Saturday afternoon.
In Ohio, which has reported more than 9,000 of those confirmed cases, state officials are aiming for a "phased-in reopening of the state economy" beginning May 1.
DeWine said that the protesters "have every right to demonstrate" — but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be getting their way.
"I understand the demonstrators. They want to get the economy moving again. No one is more anxious to do that than I am, so I understand where they're coming from," he explained.
"But we also have to do it in a rational way. We have to do it in a phased way that protects human life and protects our medical institutions for being totally overrun. So this is a nuanced balance of things that we're trying to do here."


npr--2020-04-18--Who's Hit Hardest By COVID-19? Why Obesity, Stress And Race All Matter

Who 's Hit Hardest By COVID-19 ?
Why Obesity , Stress And Race All Matter As data emerges on the spectrum of symptoms caused by COVID-19 , it 's clear that people with chronic health conditions are being hit harder .
While many people experience mild illness , 89 % of people with COVID-19 who were sick enough to be hospitalized had at least one chronic condition .
About half had high blood pressure and obesity , according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
And about a third had diabetes and a third had cardiovascular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
`` Obesity is a marker for a number of other problems , '' explains Dr. Aaron Carroll , a public health researcher at the Indiana University School of Medicine .
It 's increasingly common for those who develop obesity to develop diabetes and other conditions , as well .
So , one reason COVID-19 is taking its toll on people who have obesity is that their overall health is often compromised .
But does obesity specifically affect the immune system ?
Perhaps .
Prior research has shown that people with obesity are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They tend to get sicker from the respiratory disease even if they 've been immunized .
In fact , researchers have found that as people gain excess weight , their metabolism changes and this shift can make the immune system less effective at fighting off viruses .
`` What we see with obesity is that these [ immune ] cells do n't function as well , ' says Melinda Beck , a health researcher at University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill .
Basically , she explains , obesity throws off the fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The [ immune cells ] are not using the right kinds of fuels , '' Beck says .
And , as a result , the condition of obesity seems to `` impair that critical immune response [ needed ] to deal with either the virus infection or [ the ability ] to make a robust response to a vaccine . ''
So this is one explanation as to why people with obesity seem more vulnerable to serious infection .
But , there are many more questions about why some people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a factor .
The CDC found that 33 % of people who 've been hospitalized with COVID-19 are African American , yet only 13 % of the U.S. population is African American .
Some local communities have found a similar pattern in their data .
Among the many ( 26 ) states reporting racial data on COVID-19 , blacks account for 34 % of COVID deaths , according to research from Johns Hopkins University .
This disproportionate toll can be partially explained by the fact that there 's a higher prevalence of obesity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans compared with whites .
And as Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said last week at a White House coronavirus task force briefing , this crisis `` is shining a bright light on how unacceptable that is , because yet again , when you have a situation like the coronavirus , [ African Americans ] are suffering disproportionately . ''
There are several factors , including some genetic ones , that may make African Americans more vulnerable to COVID-19 .
`` There have been a few studies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetic risk factors that make them more salt-sensitive , '' says Renã Robinson , a professor of chemistry who researches chronic disease at Vanderbilt University .
This may increase the likelihood of high blood pressure , which , in turn , is linked to more serious forms of COVID-19 .
`` It could be a contributing factor , '' she says , but there are likely multiple causes at play .
Another issue to consider , she says , may be high stress levels .
She says when a person experiences racial discrimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She points to several studies that link discrimination and stress to higher levels of inflammation among black adults .
`` And chronic stress can make one more vulnerable to infection because it can lower your body 's ability to fight off an infection , '' she says .
Chronic stress is linked to poverty — so this could be a risk factor for low-income communities .
In fact , research has shown that people who report higher levels of stress are more likely to catch a cold , when exposed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stressed .
According to a new survey from Pew Research Center , health concerns about COVID-19 are much higher among Hispanics and blacks in the U.S .
While 18 % of white adults say they 're `` very concerned '' that they will get COVID-19 and require hospitalization , 43 % of Hispanic respondents and 31 % of black adults say they 're `` very concerned '' about that happening .
And other aspects of structural racism could contribute to the elevated risk for black Americans .
`` Every major crisis or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardest , '' say Marc Morial , president and CEO of the National Urban League .
And he points to several factors that help to explain the racial divide .
`` Black workers are more likely to hold the kinds of jobs that can not be done from home , '' Morial says .
So , they may be more likely to be exposed to the virus , if they are working in places where it 's difficult to maintain social distancing .
In addition , he points to longstanding inequities in access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is bias among health care workers , institutions and systems that results in black patients ... receiving fewer medical procedures and poorer-quality medical care than white individuals , '' he says .
He says an expansion of Medicaid into those states that still have n't expanded would be one effective policy to address these inequities .
The characteristics of the communities where people live could affect risk , too especially for those who live in low-income neighborhoods .
The roots of chronic illness stem from the way people live and the choices that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
People who develop the chronic illnesses that put them at higher risk of COVID-19 often lack access to affordable and healthy foods or live in neighborhoods where it 's not safe to play or exercise outside .
`` Let 's take a patient with diabetes for example .
They are already at high risk for COVID-19 by having a chronic condition , '' says Joseph Valenti , a physician in Denton , Texas , who promotes awareness of the social determinants of health through his work with the Physicians Foundation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ food desert , they have to put themselves in greater risk if they want access to healthy food .
They may need to take a bus , with people that have COVID-19 but are n't showing symptoms , to get access to nutritious food or even their insulin prescription , '' he says .
Poor nutrition , and the obesity linked to it , is a leading cause of premature death around the globe .
And , this pandemic brings into focus the vulnerability of the millions of people living with lifestyle-related , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the convergence of chronic disease with an infection , '' says UNC 's Beck .
And the data suggest that the combination of these two can lead to more serious illness .
`` We 're seeing that obesity can have a great influence on infection , '' she says .
So , will this shine a spotlight on the need to address these issues ?
`` Hopefully , '' Beck says .
`` I think paying attention to these chronic diseases like obesity is in everybody 's best interest . ''

Who's Hit Hardest By COVID-19? Why Obesity, Stress And Race All Matter
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg via Getty Images
As data emerges on the spectrum of symptoms caused by COVID-19, it's clear that people with chronic health conditions are being hit harder.
While many people experience mild illness, 89% of people with COVID-19 who were sick enough to be hospitalized had at least one chronic condition. About half had high blood pressure and obesity, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And about a third had diabetes and a third had cardiovascular disease. So, what explains this?
"Obesity is a marker for a number of other problems," explains Dr. Aaron Carroll, a public health researcher at the Indiana University School of Medicine. It's increasingly common for those who develop obesity to develop diabetes and other conditions, as well. So, one reason COVID-19 is taking its toll on people who have obesity is that their overall health is often compromised.
But does obesity specifically affect the immune system? Perhaps.
Prior research has shown that people with obesity are less protected by the flu vaccine. They tend to get sicker from the respiratory disease even if they've been immunized. In fact, researchers have found that as people gain excess weight, their metabolism changes and this shift can make the immune system less effective at fighting off viruses.
"What we see with obesity is that these [immune] cells don't function as well,' says Melinda Beck, a health researcher at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Basically, she explains, obesity throws off the fuel sources that immune cells need to function. "The [immune cells] are not using the right kinds of fuels," Beck says. And, as a result, the condition of obesity seems to "impair that critical immune response [needed] to deal with either the virus infection or [the ability] to make a robust response to a vaccine."
So this is one explanation as to why people with obesity seem more vulnerable to serious infection. But, there are many more questions about why some people are hit harder, including whether race is a factor.
The CDC found that 33% of people who've been hospitalized with COVID-19 are African American, yet only 13% of the U.S. population is African American. Some local communities have found a similar pattern in their data. Among the many (26) states reporting racial data on COVID-19, blacks account for 34% of COVID deaths, according to research from Johns Hopkins University.
This disproportionate toll can be partially explained by the fact that there's a higher prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes among African Americans compared with whites.
And as Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said last week at a White House coronavirus task force briefing, this crisis "is shining a bright light on how unacceptable that is, because yet again, when you have a situation like the coronavirus, [African Americans] are suffering disproportionately."
There are several factors, including some genetic ones, that may make African Americans more vulnerable to COVID-19. "There have been a few studies that have pointed to African Americans potentially having genetic risk factors that make them more salt-sensitive," says Renã Robinson, a professor of chemistry who researches chronic disease at Vanderbilt University. This may increase the likelihood of high blood pressure, which, in turn, is linked to more serious forms of COVID-19. "It could be a contributing factor," she says, but there are likely multiple causes at play.
Another issue to consider, she says, may be high stress levels. She says when a person experiences racial discrimination, it can contribute to chronic stress. She points to several studies that link discrimination and stress to higher levels of inflammation among black adults. "And chronic stress can make one more vulnerable to infection because it can lower your body's ability to fight off an infection," she says.
Chronic stress is linked to poverty — so this could be a risk factor for low-income communities. In fact, research has shown that people who report higher levels of stress are more likely to catch a cold, when exposed to a virus, compared with people who are not stressed.
According to a new survey from Pew Research Center, health concerns about COVID-19 are much higher among Hispanics and blacks in the U.S. While 18% of white adults say they're "very concerned" that they will get COVID-19 and require hospitalization, 43% of Hispanic respondents and 31% of black adults say they're "very concerned" about that happening.
And other aspects of structural racism could contribute to the elevated risk for black Americans.
"Every major crisis or catastrophe hits the most vulnerable communities the hardest," say Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. And he points to several factors that help to explain the racial divide.
"Black workers are more likely to hold the kinds of jobs that cannot be done from home," Morial says. So, they may be more likely to be exposed to the virus, if they are working in places where it's difficult to maintain social distancing. In addition, he points to longstanding inequities in access to quality care.
"There also is bias among health care workers, institutions and systems that results in black patients ... receiving fewer medical procedures and poorer-quality medical care than white individuals," he says. He says an expansion of Medicaid into those states that still haven't expanded would be one effective policy to address these inequities.
The characteristics of the communities where people live could affect risk, too especially for those who live in low-income neighborhoods. The roots of chronic illness stem from the way people live and the choices that may or may not be available to them. People who develop the chronic illnesses that put them at higher risk of COVID-19 often lack access to affordable and healthy foods or live in neighborhoods where it's not safe to play or exercise outside.
"Let's take a patient with diabetes for example. They are already at high risk for COVID-19 by having a chronic condition," says Joseph Valenti, a physician in Denton, Texas, who promotes awareness of the social determinants of health through his work with the Physicians Foundation.
"If they also live in a food desert, they have to put themselves in greater risk if they want access to healthy food. They may need to take a bus, with people that have COVID-19 but aren't showing symptoms, to get access to nutritious food or even their insulin prescription," he says.
Poor nutrition, and the obesity linked to it, is a leading cause of premature death around the globe. And, this pandemic brings into focus the vulnerability of the millions of people living with lifestyle-related, chronic disease.
"We're seeing the convergence of chronic disease with an infection," says UNC's Beck. And the data suggest that the combination of these two can lead to more serious illness. "We're seeing that obesity can have a great influence on infection," she says.
So, will this shine a spotlight on the need to address these issues? "Hopefully," Beck says. "I think paying attention to these chronic diseases like obesity is in everybody's best interest."