npr--2020-10-20--Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19?

Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19 ?
Early in the coronavirus pandemic , air travel looked like a risky endeavor .
Some scientists even worried that airplanes could be sites of superspreading events .
For example , in March a Vietnamese businesswoman with a sore throat and a cough boarded a flight in London .
Ten hours later , she landed in Hanoi , Vietnam ; she infected 15 people on the flight , including more than half of the passengers sitting with her in business class .
Then in April , airlines shifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear masks on planes — and some airlines even enforced the policy .
Just on Monday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it now `` strongly recommends '' all passengers and crew members wear masks .
So the big question is this : How well do the masks work ?
Do they make it safe to fly across the country for a family visit ?
Scientists are just beginning to answer that question .
And their findings offer a glimmer of hope as well as fresh ideas about what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plane .
The new evidence comes largely from Hong Kong , where health officials have been meticulously testing — and tracking — all passengers who land in the city .
`` They test everybody by PCR on arrival , quarantine them in single rooms for 14 days and then test the passengers again , '' says infectious disease doctor David O. Freedman at the University of Alabama at Birmingham .
So health officials there know which passengers boarded the plane while already infected with the virus and whether they could have infected anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleague have been analyzing these data , with a specific focus on one airline : Emirates .
`` Since April , Emirates has had a very rigid masking policy , '' Freedman says .
Not only does the airline require passengers and crew members to wear masks , but flight attendants also make sure everyone keeps on their masks , as much as possible , throughout the entire flight .
Freedman looked at all Emirates flights from Dubai to Hong Kong between June 16 and July 5 .
What he found is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Emirates had five flights with seven or more infected passengers on each flight , for a total of 58 coronavirus-positive passengers flying on eight-hour trips .
And yet , nobody else on the planes — none of the other 1,500 to 2,000 passengers — picked up the virus , Freedman and his colleague report in the Journal of Travel Medicine .
`` Those were flights with higher risk , and yet there was no transmission , '' Freedman says .
On another Emirates flight , a whopping 27 coronavirus-positive people boarded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other passengers were infected on the eight-hour flight ?
`` There appear to have been two in-flight transmissions , '' Freedman says .
Without the masks , he would have expected many more cases .
Freedman and his colleague found several other high-risk flights with no transmission , including an executive jet that flew from Tokyo to Tel Aviv , Israel , with two of the 11 passengers infected with the coronavirus .
`` They were all sitting in a very small environment because it was an executive jet , '' Freedman says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no transmission because passengers were meticulously masked .
The crew supervised the masking . ''
In fact , since airlines have started to require masks , Freedman says , scientists have not documented one superspreading event on airlines .
`` Flights that had significant transmission documented were flights early on in the pandemic . ''
All together , these data suggest masks are working — and working well .
`` There 's encouraging evidence from a number of flights that masking does help greatly , but it would be nice to study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The circumstantial evidence is , your risk is low on a plane , if there is rigid masking . ''
And that last part is key .
To keep the risk low on planes , everyone needs to keep their mask on while riding the plane .
Why ?
Planes have excellent air ventilation and filtration systems , which remove coronavirus particles from the air about every six minutes , the U.S. Transportation Command reported Thursday .
`` So the only opportunity to breathe the virus in comes from the air that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ventilation system , '' says engineer Linsey Marr at Virginia Tech .
`` And so that 's only going to happen if you 're sitting close to the person who 's sick . ''
In other words , because of a plane 's filtration systems , your risk of catching the coronavirus on a flight comes almost entirely from the people sitting around you .
And that risk is lower when those fellow passengers wear masks .
The mask will block some of the virus particles a person releases into the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much virus you breathe in .
And it will prevent big drops of spit and saliva from hitting your nose and mouth , Marr says .
For these reasons , Marr says , when she flies , she carefully chooses which mask to wear .
`` I save my best mask for the plane .
It has a couple layers of HEPA filters that remove more than 99 % of particles , '' she says .
`` It 's not my everyday mask .
I ca n't just hang it around my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . ''
You ca n't really buy N95 masks right now , but if you happen to have one , Marr recommends using it — or even a P100 respirator , which includes a plastic facepiece and particulate filters or cartridges that remove 99.97 % of virus particles .
`` On the plane , you want the best there is , '' she reiterates .
`` But just make sure it fits well , and keep in mind , the mask does n't protect your eyes .
So you might want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or some other kind of eye protection . ''
Also remember to disinfect surfaces around your seat , such as the armrests , tray tables and seat backs .
You can use hand sanitizer or bleach wipes , and try to do it regularly throughout the flight .
Avoid touching your face as much as possible , Marr says .
And keep chatter to a minimum .
When you talk , you can emit 10 times the droplets and aerosols that you do when you 're quiet .
Finally , Freedman says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and socially distance throughout the travel process — while traveling to and from the airport , while waiting in the airport and while boarding and exiting the plane .
`` To me , one of the scariest parts [ of flying ] is the disembarkation process , '' Freedman says .
`` Airlines can control people getting onto a plane , but getting off can be chaos because everybody rushes off the plane . ''
For this reason , Freedman says , he and his wife are n't flying this year for Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19?
Enlarge this image toggle caption James D. Morgan/Getty Images James D. Morgan/Getty Images
Early in the coronavirus pandemic, air travel looked like a risky endeavor. Some scientists even worried that airplanes could be sites of superspreading events. For example, in March a Vietnamese businesswoman with a sore throat and a cough boarded a flight in London. Ten hours later, she landed in Hanoi, Vietnam; she infected 15 people on the flight, including more than half of the passengers sitting with her in business class.
Then in April, airlines shifted course. Many started requiring passengers to wear masks on planes — and some airlines even enforced the policy. Just on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it now "strongly recommends" all passengers and crew members wear masks.
So the big question is this: How well do the masks work? Do they make it safe to fly across the country for a family visit?
Scientists are just beginning to answer that question. And their findings offer a glimmer of hope as well as fresh ideas about what's most important for protecting yourself on a plane.
The new evidence comes largely from Hong Kong, where health officials have been meticulously testing — and tracking — all passengers who land in the city. "They test everybody by PCR on arrival, quarantine them in single rooms for 14 days and then test the passengers again," says infectious disease doctor David O. Freedman at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. So health officials there know which passengers boarded the plane while already infected with the virus and whether they could have infected anyone else on the plane.
Freedman and his colleague have been analyzing these data, with a specific focus on one airline: Emirates.
"Since April, Emirates has had a very rigid masking policy," Freedman says. Not only does the airline require passengers and crew members to wear masks, but flight attendants also make sure everyone keeps on their masks, as much as possible, throughout the entire flight.
Freedman looked at all Emirates flights from Dubai to Hong Kong between June 16 and July 5. What he found is quite telling. During those three weeks, Emirates had five flights with seven or more infected passengers on each flight, for a total of 58 coronavirus-positive passengers flying on eight-hour trips. And yet, nobody else on the planes — none of the other 1,500 to 2,000 passengers — picked up the virus, Freedman and his colleague report in the Journal of Travel Medicine.
"Those were flights with higher risk, and yet there was no transmission," Freedman says.
On another Emirates flight, a whopping 27 coronavirus-positive people boarded the plane in Dubai. Guess how many other passengers were infected on the eight-hour flight?
"There appear to have been two in-flight transmissions," Freedman says.
Without the masks, he would have expected many more cases. Freedman and his colleague found several other high-risk flights with no transmission, including an executive jet that flew from Tokyo to Tel Aviv, Israel, with two of the 11 passengers infected with the coronavirus.
"They were all sitting in a very small environment because it was an executive jet," Freedman says. "And yet again, there was no transmission because passengers were meticulously masked. The crew supervised the masking."
In fact, since airlines have started to require masks, Freedman says, scientists have not documented one superspreading event on airlines. "Flights that had significant transmission documented were flights early on in the pandemic."
All together, these data suggest masks are working — and working well. "There's encouraging evidence from a number of flights that masking does help greatly, but it would be nice to study it better," he says. "The circumstantial evidence is, your risk is low on a plane, if there is rigid masking."
And that last part is key. To keep the risk low on planes, everyone needs to keep their mask on while riding the plane.
Why? Planes have excellent air ventilation and filtration systems, which remove coronavirus particles from the air about every six minutes, the U.S. Transportation Command reported Thursday.
"So the only opportunity to breathe the virus in comes from the air that passes by you before it goes through that ventilation system," says engineer Linsey Marr at Virginia Tech. "And so that's only going to happen if you're sitting close to the person who's sick."
In other words, because of a plane's filtration systems, your risk of catching the coronavirus on a flight comes almost entirely from the people sitting around you. And that risk is lower when those fellow passengers wear masks.
The mask will block some of the virus particles a person releases into the air around them. It will also reduce how much virus you breathe in. And it will prevent big drops of spit and saliva from hitting your nose and mouth, Marr says.
For these reasons, Marr says, when she flies, she carefully chooses which mask to wear.
"I save my best mask for the plane. It has a couple layers of HEPA filters that remove more than 99% of particles," she says. "It's not my everyday mask. I can't just hang it around my neck. It's more troublesome than that."
You can't really buy N95 masks right now, but if you happen to have one, Marr recommends using it — or even a P100 respirator, which includes a plastic facepiece and particulate filters or cartridges that remove 99.97% of virus particles. "On the plane, you want the best there is," she reiterates. "But just make sure it fits well, and keep in mind, the mask doesn't protect your eyes. So you might want to consider wearing a face shield or goggles or some other kind of eye protection."
Also remember to disinfect surfaces around your seat, such as the armrests, tray tables and seat backs. You can use hand sanitizer or bleach wipes, and try to do it regularly throughout the flight. Avoid touching your face as much as possible, Marr says. And keep chatter to a minimum. When you talk, you can emit 10 times the droplets and aerosols that you do when you're quiet.
Finally, Freedman says, don't forget to wear a mask and socially distance throughout the travel process — while traveling to and from the airport, while waiting in the airport and while boarding and exiting the plane.
"To me, one of the scariest parts [of flying] is the disembarkation process," Freedman says. "Airlines can control people getting onto a plane, but getting off can be chaos because everybody rushes off the plane."
For this reason, Freedman says, he and his wife aren't flying this year for Thanksgiving. They're taking Amtrak instead.


npr--2020-10-20--Facing Economic Devastation, Hawaii Attempts To Revive Tourism

Hawaii has some the highest levels of unemployment in the country .
Joblessness rose to Great Depression-levels in the spring following shutdown orders that local authorities issued in March .
In addition to the business closures and restrictions on large gatherings common across the country , Hawaii was also the first state to require out-of-state travelers to quarantine upon arrival .
That , combined with public concerns over the safety of flying , tanked Hawaii 's tourism-centric economy .
For seven months , Honolulu 's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has been largely empty .
The concourses have been marked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcements directing people to quarantine .
The scene represents a stark reversal from the time before COVID-19 .
Roughly 30,000 people arrived in Hawaii every day during 2019 , although the number approached 40,000 during the summer travel season .
That number has declined dramatically since the onset of the pandemic .
During the initial lockdowns in the spring , the number of daily arrivals dropped below 500 .
The drop coincided with Gov .
David Ige 's order in March that all travelers arriving from out of state undergo a 14-day self-quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially successful in preventing the spread of the virus , it came at a steep cost .
The drop in visitors sent a shockwave through the state 's $ 18 billion tourism industry , which represents the foundation of Hawaii 's economy .
Unemployment surged , reaching almost 24 % in April and May .
Although the situation has improved somewhat since then , 1 in 6 workers are still out of a job .
They are people like Christina Hilfiker , who was a restaurant server in the popular tourist destination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hilfiker lost her job in March and said she is struggling to get by .
`` I 'm sort of hanging on by a thread , relying on friends and family .
You can get a lot of miles out of a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter , '' she said in an interview .
Hilfiker is one of thousands of Hawaii residents who have experienced lengthy delays in getting approved for jobless benefits .
Like many states , Hawaii 's unemployment system has been overwhelmed , saddling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of no income for weeks and even months .
Hawaii 's local businesses are also struggling .
They have endured not just one , but two full lockdowns — one in the spring and a second later in the summer when the state experienced a surge of new infections .
Many businesses were being sustained by federal benefits from the CARES Act , but those have long since run out .
`` It 's just really crushing not to get the help , '' said Melissa Bow , owner of Via Gelato , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood of Kaimuki .
She said in an interview that during the second lockdown , many small-business owners were at the end of their rope , struggling to make rent with being able to generate revenue .
`` They 're just so , so tired , '' Bow said of her fellow entrepreneurs .
`` Not sleeping at night , zero income for a long time .
No help on the horizon .
They 're thinking about shuttering their business . ''
However , help may be on the way .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing incoming passengers who test negative for the coronavirus to skip the quarantine .
That is significant because tourism represents nearly a quarter of Hawaii 's economy , according to Sumner La Croix , an economist with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and author of Hawai ' i : Eight Hundred Years of Political and Economic Change .
`` That 's a huge chunk and if that 23 % is n't operating , it will look something like depression here , '' La Croix said .
On the first day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number arriving airline passengers more than tripled compared with recent weeks but still represented a fraction of the pre-pandemic level .
Major players in Hawaii 's visitor industry hope the relaxed quarantine will help relaunch tourism but are preparing for a slow recovery .
Hawaiian Airlines recently announced layoffs for 30 % of its staff .
Ahead of the changes , Avi Mannis , the airline 's senior vice president of marketing , predicted that the relaxed rules will entice some travelers to fly but many are expected to stay grounded well into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put people back to work is going to depend on the success of public health interventions , and testing , and screening that the state is putting in place , '' Mannis said .
The importance of public health measures has been reiterated by local hoteliers , for whom the lucrative end-of-year holiday season is normally a critical period .
Currently , only around half of the hotels have reopened , according to the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association .
The group 's president , Mufi Hannemann , said it is not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel .
`` I think October , and how we handle October into November , will be critical in determining what kind of holiday season we have here , '' he said , adding that a new spike in cases would likely depress travel again .
A winter surge of COVID-19 would be devastating — not just for hotels and other businesses but for the 80,000 Hawaii workers currently out of a job .

Facing Economic Devastation, Hawaii Attempts To Revive Tourism
toggle caption Ryan Finnerty/Hawaii Public Radio
Hawaii has some the highest levels of unemployment in the country. Joblessness rose to Great Depression-levels in the spring following shutdown orders that local authorities issued in March.
In addition to the business closures and restrictions on large gatherings common across the country, Hawaii was also the first state to require out-of-state travelers to quarantine upon arrival.
That, combined with public concerns over the safety of flying, tanked Hawaii's tourism-centric economy.
For seven months, Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has been largely empty. The concourses have been marked by shuttered concessions shops and public address announcements directing people to quarantine.
The scene represents a stark reversal from the time before COVID-19. Roughly 30,000 people arrived in Hawaii every day during 2019, although the number approached 40,000 during the summer travel season.
That number has declined dramatically since the onset of the pandemic. During the initial lockdowns in the spring, the number of daily arrivals dropped below 500.
The drop coincided with Gov. David Ige's order in March that all travelers arriving from out of state undergo a 14-day self-quarantine upon arrival.
While the measure was initially successful in preventing the spread of the virus, it came at a steep cost. The drop in visitors sent a shockwave through the state's $18 billion tourism industry, which represents the foundation of Hawaii's economy.
Unemployment surged, reaching almost 24% in April and May.
Although the situation has improved somewhat since then, 1 in 6 workers are still out of a job. They are people like Christina Hilfiker, who was a restaurant server in the popular tourist destination of Haleiwa on Oahu's iconic North Shore.
Hilfiker lost her job in March and said she is struggling to get by.
"I'm sort of hanging on by a thread, relying on friends and family. You can get a lot of miles out of a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter," she said in an interview.
Hilfiker is one of thousands of Hawaii residents who have experienced lengthy delays in getting approved for jobless benefits.
Like many states, Hawaii's unemployment system has been overwhelmed, saddling applicants with the financial and emotional stress of no income for weeks and even months.
Hawaii's local businesses are also struggling. They have endured not just one, but two full lockdowns — one in the spring and a second later in the summer when the state experienced a surge of new infections.
Many businesses were being sustained by federal benefits from the CARES Act, but those have long since run out.
"It's just really crushing not to get the help," said Melissa Bow, owner of Via Gelato, an ice cream shop in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kaimuki.
She said in an interview that during the second lockdown, many small-business owners were at the end of their rope, struggling to make rent with being able to generate revenue.
"They're just so, so tired," Bow said of her fellow entrepreneurs. "Not sleeping at night, zero income for a long time. No help on the horizon. They're thinking about shuttering their business."
However, help may be on the way. The state of Hawaii recently adjusted its travel rules, allowing incoming passengers who test negative for the coronavirus to skip the quarantine.
That is significant because tourism represents nearly a quarter of Hawaii's economy, according to Sumner La Croix, an economist with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and author of Hawai'i: Eight Hundred Years of Political and Economic Change.
"That's a huge chunk and if that 23% isn't operating, it will look something like depression here," La Croix said.
On the first day of the relaxed travel rules, the number arriving airline passengers more than tripled compared with recent weeks but still represented a fraction of the pre-pandemic level.
Major players in Hawaii's visitor industry hope the relaxed quarantine will help relaunch tourism but are preparing for a slow recovery.
Hawaiian Airlines recently announced layoffs for 30% of its staff. Ahead of the changes, Avi Mannis, the airline's senior vice president of marketing, predicted that the relaxed rules will entice some travelers to fly but many are expected to stay grounded well into 2021.
"How quickly we can put people back to work is going to depend on the success of public health interventions, and testing, and screening that the state is putting in place," Mannis said.
The importance of public health measures has been reiterated by local hoteliers, for whom the lucrative end-of-year holiday season is normally a critical period.
Currently, only around half of the hotels have reopened, according to the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association. The group's president, Mufi Hannemann, said it is not yet clear if people will be willing to travel.
"I think October, and how we handle October into November, will be critical in determining what kind of holiday season we have here," he said, adding that a new spike in cases would likely depress travel again.
A winter surge of COVID-19 would be devastating — not just for hotels and other businesses but for the 80,000 Hawaii workers currently out of a job.


npr--2020-10-20--Game On! The World Series Begins Between The L.A. Dodgers And Tampa Bay Rays

Game On !
The World Series Begins Between The L.A. Dodgers And Tampa Bay Rays Tonight , it 's a familiar moment in an otherwise strange baseball season .
Game One of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays .
First pitch is at 8:09 p.m .
ET .
Major League Baseball shortened its regular season from the usual 162-games to just 60 because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The typical baseball marathon turned into a sprint .
Games were played in teams ' home stadiums with no fans ( except for those cardboard cut-outs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballparks meant every utterance ( expletives or otherwise ) could be heard clearly on television broadcasts .
Some teams even experimented with piping in fake fan noise .
Like 2020 in general , it was a season like no other .
Early COVID outbreaks almost scuttled MLB 's plans altogether when a slew of positive cases hit the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals .
The cases rolled through the teams and the teams they played causing postponements and delays .
But then , week after week , baseball conducted thousands of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Altogether , there were only 91 positive test results of players and staff members among the 30 teams .
The tenuous season found a way to move ahead .
Speaking before the World Series , L.A. Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner credited players .
`` For being responsible and making good choices and doing everything that we had to do to ensure that the season was able to go on . ''
It should be a treat of a World Series .
The teams could n't be more different in terms of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sizes .
Despite all of that , the squads are very evenly matched .
They both won their respective league championship series in the seventh and deciding games .
The Dodgers are baseball 's offensive juggernaut and they 've made their third World Series in four years .
Of course , the Dodgers have n't won the title since 1988 .
Yes , that 's 32 long years for L.A.s long-suffering fans .
For Tampa Bay , this is just its second trip to the World Series .
The Rays lost to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were the best team in baseball this season ( 43-17 ) .
They also had the second highest payroll at $ 108 million .
Tampa Bay is at the other end of the spectrum .
The Rays annual payroll was about $ 28 million ( ranking them 28th ) .
Despite the pay inequities , both teams have a deep bench of quality pitchers and hitters , and play stellar defense .
This is the first time this season the Tampa Bay Rays have played in front of fans .
( Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Championship Series ) .
Rays shortstop Will Adames has embraced the mantra of pandemic baseball : be flexible .
`` Whatever is the situation you have to adjust and y'know continue to do what you have to do to stay here and y'know now that we 're going to play in front [ of ] fans , it 's going to be exciting again . ''
The stadium will seat about a quarter of its typical capacity .
Fans will sit in pods — four seats together — with at least six-feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats will be zip tied closed ) .
Masks are required at all times except when eating or drinking .
Another first — for the first time since 1944 , the games will happen at a single site , to reduce the coronavirus risk by eliminating travel and keep teams in a protective bubble .
The neutral ballpark is Globe Life Field in Arlington , Texas .
A quarter-filled stadium is better , and more lucrative , than nothing .
And a chance to end an abnormal season , a bit more normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox .

Game On! The World Series Begins Between The L.A. Dodgers And Tampa Bay Rays
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
Tonight, it's a familiar moment in an otherwise strange baseball season. Game One of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch is at 8:09 p.m. ET.
Major League Baseball shortened its regular season from the usual 162-games to just 60 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The typical baseball marathon turned into a sprint. Games were played in teams' home stadiums with no fans (except for those cardboard cut-outs). The stillness of the empty ballparks meant every utterance (expletives or otherwise) could be heard clearly on television broadcasts. Some teams even experimented with piping in fake fan noise.
Like 2020 in general, it was a season like no other. Early COVID outbreaks almost scuttled MLB's plans altogether when a slew of positive cases hit the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. The cases rolled through the teams and the teams they played causing postponements and delays.
But then, week after week, baseball conducted thousands of coronavirus tests of players and team staff. Altogether, there were only 91 positive test results of players and staff members among the 30 teams. The tenuous season found a way to move ahead. Speaking before the World Series, L.A. Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner credited players. "For being responsible and making good choices and doing everything that we had to do to ensure that the season was able to go on."
It should be a treat of a World Series. The teams couldn't be more different in terms of their payroll, TV markets and fan base sizes. Despite all of that, the squads are very evenly matched. They both won their respective league championship series in the seventh and deciding games. The Dodgers are baseball's offensive juggernaut and they've made their third World Series in four years. Of course, the Dodgers haven't won the title since 1988. Yes, that's 32 long years for L.A.s long-suffering fans. For Tampa Bay, this is just its second trip to the World Series. The Rays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
The Dodgers were the best team in baseball this season (43-17). They also had the second highest payroll at $108 million. Tampa Bay is at the other end of the spectrum. The Rays annual payroll was about $28 million (ranking them 28th). Despite the pay inequities, both teams have a deep bench of quality pitchers and hitters, and play stellar defense.
This is the first time this season the Tampa Bay Rays have played in front of fans. (Los Angeles played before fans in the National League Championship Series). Rays shortstop Will Adames has embraced the mantra of pandemic baseball: be flexible. "Whatever is the situation you have to adjust and y'know continue to do what you have to do to stay here and y'know now that we're going to play in front [of] fans, it's going to be exciting again."
The stadium will seat about a quarter of its typical capacity. Fans will sit in pods — four seats together — with at least six-feet of social distance between each pod (empty seats will be zip tied closed). Masks are required at all times except when eating or drinking.
Another first — for the first time since 1944, the games will happen at a single site, to reduce the coronavirus risk by eliminating travel and keep teams in a protective bubble. The neutral ballpark is Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. A quarter-filled stadium is better, and more lucrative, than nothing. And a chance to end an abnormal season, a bit more normally.
All games will be televised on Fox.


npr--2020-10-20--Ebola Never Went Away. But Now There's A Drug To Treat It

Ebola Never Went Away .
But Now There 's A Drug To Treat It While scientists work to develop effective treatments for COVID-19 , there is good news on another disease front .
This month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted formal approval to an antibody cocktail from the pharmaceutical company Regeneron that 's been shown to reduce an Ebola patient 's chances of dying dramatically .
The treatment , which has been known as REGN-EB3 , is now being marketed under the brand name Inmazeb .
( Regeneron is also making another antibody cocktail to treat COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it was given to President Trump .
These antibody cocktails attack the Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 viruses in similar ways – using multiple antibodies to block the replication of the virus — but are completely different medications . )
Julien Potet of Doctors Without Borders ' Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines says approval of the first drug to treat Ebola is a significant milestone .
`` It 's very good news for Ebola patients , '' he says .
`` And approval by a stringent regulatory authority like the U.S. FDA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduction of that treatment in other countries . ''
The announcement comes as the world 's second-largest Ebola outbreak , which began in Congo in 2018 , was finally contained this summer .
The World Health Organization reported that nearly 3,500 people were infected in that outbreak and at least 2,287 died .
A subsequent outbreak , which erupted in Congo 's Equateur province in June , has resulted in 128 cases and at least 53 deaths , underscoring the ongoing need for an effective treatment .
The high death toll in Congo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and is a reminder of challenges faced during the West Africa outbreak .
Indeed , the high mortality rate from Ebola adds to the complexity of addressing the disease .
Once it starts to spread , fear spreads with it .
In the early days of the West Africa outbreak in 2014 , health care workers had trouble convincing patients to isolate themselves in `` treatment '' centers .
It was widely known that a patient 's chances of survival after checking into an Ebola treatment unit were minimal , so people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families .
`` In Liberia , people were talking about mortality rates of 80 % , '' says Dr. Scott Lillibridge , the chief epidemiologist with the International Medical Corps , who has worked in Africa during Ebola outbreaks since the 1990s .
He says the infection was terrifying in part because it was viewed as a death sentence .
`` Now there 's hope , '' he says .
In a clinical trial in the east of Congo in 2018 and 2019 , REGN-EB3 was shown to cut the death rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to 33.5 % .
Lillibridge says that combined with a new effective vaccine for Ebola , which won FDA approval in December , the world now has a 1-2 punch against the disease .
`` I think it really will help standardize treatment and move us to the next level , '' he says .
Before REGN-EB3 , health workers had no approved drug to counter Ebola .
They could only give patients supportive care — plenty of fluids , antibiotics to fight co-infections , acetaminophen to try to bring down their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the patients getting the new antibody cocktail from Regeneron still died during the trial in the eastern Congo but notes : `` Compared to 80 % , that 's very low , and it 's moving in the right direction .
I would suspect that over the next 10 years we will reduce that even further . ''
In addition to being used in trials and under compassionate use authorizations during the 2018-2019 outbreak in the eastern Congo , REGN-EB3 was also deployed to treat patients this year in the outbreak in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed REGN-EB3 with support from BARDA , the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
BARDA bought up all of Regeneron 's production – a decision that reflects humanitarian concerns but also is aimed at creating a domestic stockpile — and now is making it available to the Congolese government for free .
A spokeswoman for Regeneron , Hala Mirza , says there are sufficient supplies available for the current outbreak and `` we continue to manufacture more . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ world needs to come up with a sustainable way to ensure REGN-EB3 is available quickly wherever the next Ebola outbreak flares up .
`` What we would like to see is an international stockpile for needs in Africa , '' he says .
`` One that may not rely necessarily on the goodwill of the U.S. government to send doses but that rather could be more directly used by countries themselves . ''
Regeneron 's Mirza says the company is in discussions with WHO about making that happen .
Meanwhile , the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , praised the researchers around the world who helped get REGN-EB3 from the lab to field trials in Congo and finally through regulatory approval at the FDA .
And Ryan said it should be a blueprint for the current coronavirus pandemic .
`` I think that should give us hope of what we can achieve together in COVID , '' Ryan says .
`` We have a living example [ with REGN-EB3 ] of what can be achieved when science , industry , compassion and humanity come together . ''

Ebola Never Went Away. But Now There's A Drug To Treat It
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images
While scientists work to develop effective treatments for COVID-19, there is good news on another disease front.
This month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted formal approval to an antibody cocktail from the pharmaceutical company Regeneron that's been shown to reduce an Ebola patient's chances of dying dramatically.
The treatment, which has been known as REGN-EB3, is now being marketed under the brand name Inmazeb. (Regeneron is also making another antibody cocktail to treat COVID-19. That medicine got a lot of attention when it was given to President Trump. These antibody cocktails attack the Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 viruses in similar ways – using multiple antibodies to block the replication of the virus — but are completely different medications.)
Julien Potet of Doctors Without Borders' Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines says approval of the first drug to treat Ebola is a significant milestone.
"It's very good news for Ebola patients," he says. "And approval by a stringent regulatory authority like the U.S. FDA is very helpful in order to support the introduction of that treatment in other countries."
The announcement comes as the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak, which began in Congo in 2018, was finally contained this summer. The World Health Organization reported that nearly 3,500 people were infected in that outbreak and at least 2,287 died.
A subsequent outbreak, which erupted in Congo's Equateur province in June, has resulted in 128 cases and at least 53 deaths, underscoring the ongoing need for an effective treatment.
The high death toll in Congo reflects the deadly nature of the disease – and is a reminder of challenges faced during the West Africa outbreak.
Indeed, the high mortality rate from Ebola adds to the complexity of addressing the disease. Once it starts to spread, fear spreads with it. In the early days of the West Africa outbreak in 2014, health care workers had trouble convincing patients to isolate themselves in "treatment" centers. It was widely known that a patient's chances of survival after checking into an Ebola treatment unit were minimal, so people who were infected preferred to stay with their families.
"In Liberia, people were talking about mortality rates of 80%," says Dr. Scott Lillibridge, the chief epidemiologist with the International Medical Corps, who has worked in Africa during Ebola outbreaks since the 1990s. He says the infection was terrifying in part because it was viewed as a death sentence. "Now there's hope," he says.
In a clinical trial in the east of Congo in 2018 and 2019, REGN-EB3 was shown to cut the death rate among patients from well above 50% down to 33.5%.
Lillibridge says that combined with a new effective vaccine for Ebola, which won FDA approval in December, the world now has a 1-2 punch against the disease.
"I think it really will help standardize treatment and move us to the next level," he says. Before REGN-EB3, health workers had no approved drug to counter Ebola. They could only give patients supportive care — plenty of fluids, antibiotics to fight co-infections, acetaminophen to try to bring down their fever. Lillibridge acknowledges that a third of the patients getting the new antibody cocktail from Regeneron still died during the trial in the eastern Congo but notes: "Compared to 80%, that's very low, and it's moving in the right direction. I would suspect that over the next 10 years we will reduce that even further."
In addition to being used in trials and under compassionate use authorizations during the 2018-2019 outbreak in the eastern Congo, REGN-EB3 was also deployed to treat patients this year in the outbreak in the country's Equateur province. Regeneron developed REGN-EB3 with support from BARDA, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
BARDA bought up all of Regeneron's production – a decision that reflects humanitarian concerns but also is aimed at creating a domestic stockpile — and now is making it available to the Congolese government for free. A spokeswoman for Regeneron, Hala Mirza, says there are sufficient supplies available for the current outbreak and "we continue to manufacture more."
Doctors Without Borders' Potet says the world needs to come up with a sustainable way to ensure REGN-EB3 is available quickly wherever the next Ebola outbreak flares up.
"What we would like to see is an international stockpile for needs in Africa," he says. "One that may not rely necessarily on the goodwill of the U.S. government to send doses but that rather could be more directly used by countries themselves."
Regeneron's Mirza says the company is in discussions with WHO about making that happen. Meanwhile, the head of emergencies at WHO, Mike Ryan, praised the researchers around the world who helped get REGN-EB3 from the lab to field trials in Congo and finally through regulatory approval at the FDA. And Ryan said it should be a blueprint for the current coronavirus pandemic.
"I think that should give us hope of what we can achieve together in COVID," Ryan says. "We have a living example [with REGN-EB3] of what can be achieved when science, industry, compassion and humanity come together."


npr--2020-10-20--The Town Of Asbestos, Quebec, Chooses A New, Less Hazardous Name

The Town Of Asbestos , Quebec , Chooses A New , Less Hazardous Name The residents of Asbestos , Quebec , have selected a new name .
Going forward , the town will be known as Val-des-Sources — valley of the springs — rather than the name of the carcinogenic mineral mined in the town until 2011 .
The town , about 80 miles east of Montreal , has watched as its namesake transformed from being an asset in the late 1800s to a liability in recent decades .
The area was home to Jeffrey Mine , once the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CBC reports — and the town grew up around it .
According to historian Jessica Van Horssen , the town got its name when the Royal Mail simply started calling it after the mineral .
Asbestos is naturally occurring and was once widely used for insulation .
But the fibers can be toxic if inhaled , increasing the risk of lung disease .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has banned certain uses of asbestos since 1973 .
A ban on asbestos-containing products went into effect in Canada in 2018 .
`` Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very proud of that name , but now it 's very difficult because asbestos means a fiber that people are afraid of , '' Louise Moisan-Coulombe , the town 's former mayor , told the CBC .
`` Every time you say , especially in the United States , that you are coming from Asbestos , or they read Asbestos on a package , they are always afraid that it will be poison . ''
The winning name was a late entry : After a shortlist of finalists came under criticism , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forth .
So in a drive-in vote held in recent days in a local parking lot , the town selected a new future .
Residents age 14 and older could participate , and nearly 2,800 townspeople cast a vote — almost half of those who were eligible .
It was thus decided : Absestos will become Val-des-Sources , which captured 51.5 % of the vote .
The name is slated to change officially in December .
`` This is truly a historic moment we are living .
I thank the people for voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grimard said in a statement .
`` The council and I are proud to see that the process was able to rally the citizens .
We can thus affirm that the name Val-des-Sources is one to which citizens adhere . ''

The Town Of Asbestos, Quebec, Chooses A New, Less Hazardous Name
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Thomas/AFP via Getty Images Eric Thomas/AFP via Getty Images
The residents of Asbestos, Quebec, have selected a new name. Going forward, the town will be known as Val-des-Sources — valley of the springs — rather than the name of the carcinogenic mineral mined in the town until 2011.
The town, about 80 miles east of Montreal, has watched as its namesake transformed from being an asset in the late 1800s to a liability in recent decades.
The area was home to Jeffrey Mine, once the largest chrysotile asbestos mine in the world, the CBC reports — and the town grew up around it. According to historian Jessica Van Horssen, the town got its name when the Royal Mail simply started calling it after the mineral.
Asbestos is naturally occurring and was once widely used for insulation. But the fibers can be toxic if inhaled, increasing the risk of lung disease. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has banned certain uses of asbestos since 1973. A ban on asbestos-containing products went into effect in Canada in 2018.
"Once upon a time, we have been very proud of that name, but now it's very difficult because asbestos means a fiber that people are afraid of," Louise Moisan-Coulombe, the town's former mayor, told the CBC.
"Every time you say, especially in the United States, that you are coming from Asbestos, or they read Asbestos on a package, they are always afraid that it will be poison."
The winning name was a late entry: After a shortlist of finalists came under criticism, a new list of six options was put forth.
So in a drive-in vote held in recent days in a local parking lot, the town selected a new future. Residents age 14 and older could participate, and nearly 2,800 townspeople cast a vote — almost half of those who were eligible.
It was thus decided: Absestos will become Val-des-Sources, which captured 51.5% of the vote.
The name is slated to change officially in December.
"This is truly a historic moment we are living. I thank the people for voting in large numbers," Mayor Hugues Grimard said in a statement. "The council and I are proud to see that the process was able to rally the citizens. We can thus affirm that the name Val-des-Sources is one to which citizens adhere."


npr--2020-10-20--Ireland To Impose 6-Week National Lockdown, Estimates 150,000 Job Losses

Ireland will be the first European country to return to a nationwide shutdown as COVID-19 cases rise , Prime Minister Micheal Martin said Monday .
Nonessential retail businesses are ordered to close .
Residents are expected to stay within about 3 miles of their homes , except for work and other essential activities .
The country is entering its highest level of coronavirus restrictions for six weeks , beginning Thursday .
The country expects 150,000 people to lose their jobs over the next `` couple of days , '' Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said .
`` We 're making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting before it 's too late , '' Varadkar said during a news conference Monday .
`` Our objective is to change the structure of the virus to flatten the curve again to get it under control . ''
The government told residents to stay home and exercise only within 5 kilometers ( about 3 miles ) of their homes .
Police will continue to use road checkpoints to deter longer and nonessential journeys .
Varadkar said there will be a penalty for travel beyond that distance , but he added that details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exemptions for work and essential purposes .
Ireland has seen some 51,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,850 deaths , according to the nation 's Department of Health .
The total number of cases in the country has risen by 75 % since the beginning of September , and the 14-day infection rate is 261 cases for every 100,000 people .
The country has a population of nearly 5 million .
Bars and restaurants will be allowed to offer only takeout services , but schools and essential stores will remain open .
Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone and parents who share custody of a child , could `` link up '' with another household to avoid social isolation .
The government estimates the costs for unemployment benefits and grants to support the economy to be about 200 million euros ( $ 237 million ) per week , Varadkar said .
Over six weeks , the estimate is about 1.5 billion euros ( $ 1.77 billion ) , he said .
That 's not taking into account the potential drop in tax revenue from business closures .
`` To business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their shops , gyms , restaurants and pubs tomorrow , I want you to know that you 've done nothing wrong , '' Varadkar said .
`` We 're going to help you through this by ensuring that there 's a weekly grant for every week that you 're closed , based on your turnover in 2019 . ''
Ireland is upping its pandemic unemployment checks and is asking for commercial landlords to give their tenants a break , he said .
Varadkar also asked that business owners hold off on laying off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would provide assistance .
Just over two weeks ago , Ireland 's government rejected the recommendation by public health experts to impose this level of a national lockdown , according to the BBC .
Instead , the country implemented a limited number of restrictions on gatherings and recommended people work remotely .
Varadkar stressed that the government tried to avoid a national shutdown and said the objective is to flatten the virus 's curve .
`` Lockdowns save lives , but they also come with huge costs : human , social , economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We can make sure the second wave is only a ripple , but that depends on all of us . ''
Reese Oxner is an intern on NPR 's News Desk .

Ireland To Impose 6-Week National Lockdown, Estimates 150,000 Job Losses
Enlarge this image toggle caption Niall Carson/AP Niall Carson/AP
Ireland will be the first European country to return to a nationwide shutdown as COVID-19 cases rise, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said Monday.
Nonessential retail businesses are ordered to close. Residents are expected to stay within about 3 miles of their homes, except for work and other essential activities.
The country is entering its highest level of coronavirus restrictions for six weeks, beginning Thursday. The country expects 150,000 people to lose their jobs over the next "couple of days," Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.
"We're making a preemptive strike against the virus, acting before it's too late," Varadkar said during a news conference Monday. "Our objective is to change the structure of the virus to flatten the curve again to get it under control."
The government told residents to stay home and exercise only within 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) of their homes. Police will continue to use road checkpoints to deter longer and nonessential journeys.
Varadkar said there will be a penalty for travel beyond that distance, but he added that details are being finalized. There will be exemptions for work and essential purposes.
Ireland has seen some 51,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,850 deaths, according to the nation's Department of Health. The total number of cases in the country has risen by 75% since the beginning of September, and the 14-day infection rate is 261 cases for every 100,000 people.
The country has a population of nearly 5 million.
Bars and restaurants will be allowed to offer only takeout services, but schools and essential stores will remain open.
Martin said some people, including adults living alone and parents who share custody of a child, could "link up" with another household to avoid social isolation.
The government estimates the costs for unemployment benefits and grants to support the economy to be about 200 million euros ($237 million) per week, Varadkar said.
Over six weeks, the estimate is about 1.5 billion euros ($1.77 billion), he said. That's not taking into account the potential drop in tax revenue from business closures.
"To business people, who will have to close their shops, gyms, restaurants and pubs tomorrow, I want you to know that you've done nothing wrong," Varadkar said. "We're going to help you through this by ensuring that there's a weekly grant for every week that you're closed, based on your turnover in 2019."
Ireland is upping its pandemic unemployment checks and is asking for commercial landlords to give their tenants a break, he said. Varadkar also asked that business owners hold off on laying off their staff, adding that the government would provide assistance.
Just over two weeks ago, Ireland's government rejected the recommendation by public health experts to impose this level of a national lockdown, according to the BBC. Instead, the country implemented a limited number of restrictions on gatherings and recommended people work remotely.
Varadkar stressed that the government tried to avoid a national shutdown and said the objective is to flatten the virus's curve.
"Lockdowns save lives, but they also come with huge costs: human, social, economic and psychological," Varadkar said. "We can make sure the second wave is only a ripple, but that depends on all of us."
Reese Oxner is an intern on NPR's News Desk.