npr--2020-03-24--Concerns In Philippines After Duterte Given Emergency Powers To Fight COVID-19 Spread

Concerns In Philippines After Duterte Given Emergency Powers To Fight COVID-19 Spread In the Philippines , Congress granted President Rodrigo Duterte special temporary powers on Tuesday to manage the COVID-19 crisis that continues to surge in the country of 110 million people .
To date , there are 552 confirmed cases , and 35 deaths .
The measure granting Duterte the new powers was the first to be approved by Philippine lawmakers using Zoom , the remote teleconferencing service , and puts the country under a `` state of national emergency . ''
However , Duterte failed to win approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authority he had sought .
The president has been locked in battle with private concessionaires who supply water to Metro Manila , accusing them of over-charging and under-performing , and repeatedly threatening to put water under government control .
Duterte 's new powers extend to the narrower sectors of hospitals and public transportation .
He can direct private hospitals and medical facilities to house health care workers and serve as quarantine centers , and take over public transport operations to ferry front-line workers .
But even these measures have drawn criticism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing powers are already being abused , '' University of the Philippines law professor Jay Batongbacal said in a Facebook post , the South China Morning Post reported .
Duterte has jailed critics , harassed journalists and waged a controversial drug war , exposing him to charges of autocratic rule .
Rights advocates fear the new powers will make it dangerous for local governments to express dissent over how best to combat the virus .
Fifty million Filipinos meanwhile remain under lockdown since Duterte ordered half the population to stay home last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a web of checkpoints to ensure people stay put .
The new law also gives Duterte the authority to reallocate items in the 2020 national budget for projects that would fight the spread of COVID-19 .
Under a $ 5 billion emergency fund , some 18 million low-income households would receive assistance .
The package also helps equip hospitals and bolster testing .
Any accurate measurement of the coronavirus in the Philippines has been severely constrained by a chronic shortage of test kits .
As of Tuesday , only 1,793 individuals have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philippine Health Department said it has only 2,000 kits left .
The Chinese Embassy in Manila said it will donate 100,000 test kits .
Singapore contributed diagnostic kits on Tuesday that can perform 3,000 tests .
One bone of contention : who should be tested .
Reports that VIPs — including senators , other officials and their relatives — were tested ahead of ordinary citizens have generated predictable scorn .

Concerns In Philippines After Duterte Given Emergency Powers To Fight COVID-19 Spread
Enlarge this image toggle caption STR/AFP via Getty Images STR/AFP via Getty Images
In the Philippines, Congress granted President Rodrigo Duterte special temporary powers on Tuesday to manage the COVID-19 crisis that continues to surge in the country of 110 million people.
To date, there are 552 confirmed cases, and 35 deaths.
The measure granting Duterte the new powers was the first to be approved by Philippine lawmakers using Zoom, the remote teleconferencing service, and puts the country under a "state of national emergency."
However, Duterte failed to win approval to take over private companies and utilities, authority he had sought.
The president has been locked in battle with private concessionaires who supply water to Metro Manila, accusing them of over-charging and under-performing, and repeatedly threatening to put water under government control.
Duterte's new powers extend to the narrower sectors of hospitals and public transportation. He can direct private hospitals and medical facilities to house health care workers and serve as quarantine centers, and take over public transport operations to ferry front-line workers.
But even these measures have drawn criticism.
"No to emergency powers. The existing powers are already being abused," University of the Philippines law professor Jay Batongbacal said in a Facebook post, the South China Morning Post reported.
Duterte has jailed critics, harassed journalists and waged a controversial drug war, exposing him to charges of autocratic rule. Rights advocates fear the new powers will make it dangerous for local governments to express dissent over how best to combat the virus.
Fifty million Filipinos meanwhile remain under lockdown since Duterte ordered half the population to stay home last week. The main island of Luzon is a web of checkpoints to ensure people stay put.
The new law also gives Duterte the authority to reallocate items in the 2020 national budget for projects that would fight the spread of COVID-19. Under a $5 billion emergency fund, some 18 million low-income households would receive assistance.
The package also helps equip hospitals and bolster testing.
Any accurate measurement of the coronavirus in the Philippines has been severely constrained by a chronic shortage of test kits. As of Tuesday, only 1,793 individuals have been tested nationwide.
Last week, the Philippine Health Department said it has only 2,000 kits left. The Chinese Embassy in Manila said it will donate 100,000 test kits. Singapore contributed diagnostic kits on Tuesday that can perform 3,000 tests.
One bone of contention: who should be tested. Reports that VIPs — including senators, other officials and their relatives — were tested ahead of ordinary citizens have generated predictable scorn.


npr--2020-03-24--FDA Expedites Treatment Of Seriously Ill COVID-19 Patients With Experimental Plasma

FDA Expedites Treatment Of Seriously Ill COVID-19 Patients With Experimental Plasma In an unusual move , the Food and Drug Administration today announced that is making it easier for doctors to try an experimental treatment for COVID-19 patients that uses plasma from people who had the disease and recovered .
There is scant evidence it works in people infected with the coronavirus , but the approach has been tried for other illnesses .
The idea is that this so-called convalescent plasma will contain antibodies to the virus that allowed the donor to recover to disease , and therefore should help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used in the past to treat outbreaks polio , measles , and mumps before a vaccine was available .
More recently it 's has been used with some effectiveness to treat patients with SARS and Ebola .
In guidance to doctors , the FDA stated , `` Given the public health emergency that the expanding COVID-19 outbreak presents , while clinical trials are being conducted , FDA is facilitating access to COVID-19 convalescent plasma for use in patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections . ''
Doctors will still have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the treatment , but if doctors need an answer in less than four hours , they can call the FDA Office of Emergency Operations for a verbal authorization .
The idea for using convalescent serum to treat COVID-19 has been championed by Arturo Cassadeval of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Liise-anne Pirofski from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine .
Cassadeval has been interested in the use of convalescent serum to treat outbreaks of viral diseases throughout his career .
In February , he wrote an op-ed piece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used in the current outbreak .
He followed that up with a scientific paper and then started hearing from doctors all over the country asking if they could participate in a clinical trial of the approach .
Cassadevall was hoping to hear from the FDA that it would give him approval to start a trial .
The broader usage granted by FDA was a surprise .
`` The FDA just opened the floodgates , '' wrote Jeffrey Henderson , associate Professor of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR .
`` Our institution is scrambling to be ready to use this , as are many others , I 'm sure . ''
As with any unproven therapy , there are risks with the approach .
The worst is that it could actually make patients sicker , a response known as antibody-dependent enhancement where the virus is actually helped to proliferate by a patient 's own immune system .
`` I think we need to be cautious about using convalescent serum , '' says Martin Zand , professor in the department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Translational Science Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center .

FDA Expedites Treatment Of Seriously Ill COVID-19 Patients With Experimental Plasma
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jacquelyn Martin/AP Jacquelyn Martin/AP
In an unusual move, the Food and Drug Administration today announced that is making it easier for doctors to try an experimental treatment for COVID-19 patients that uses plasma from people who had the disease and recovered.
There is scant evidence it works in people infected with the coronavirus, but the approach has been tried for other illnesses.
The idea is that this so-called convalescent plasma will contain antibodies to the virus that allowed the donor to recover to disease, and therefore should help patients who are sick.
Convalescent plasma been used in the past to treat outbreaks polio, measles, and mumps before a vaccine was available. More recently it's has been used with some effectiveness to treat patients with SARS and Ebola.
In guidance to doctors, the FDA stated, "Given the public health emergency that the expanding COVID-19 outbreak presents, while clinical trials are being conducted, FDA is facilitating access to COVID-19 convalescent plasma for use in patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections."
Doctors will still have to get FDA approval for individual patients to use the treatment, but if doctors need an answer in less than four hours, they can call the FDA Office of Emergency Operations for a verbal authorization.
The idea for using convalescent serum to treat COVID-19 has been championed by Arturo Casadevall of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Liise-anne Pirofski from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Casadevall has been interested in the use of convalescent serum to treat outbreaks of viral diseases throughout his career. In February, he wrote an op-ed piece for The Wall Street Journal suggesting it be used in the current outbreak. He followed that up with a scientific paper and then started hearing from doctors all over the country asking if they could participate in a clinical trial of the approach.
Casadevall was hoping to hear from the FDA that it would give him approval to start a trial. The broader usage granted by FDA was a surprise.
"The FDA just opened the floodgates," wrote Jeffrey Henderson, associate Professor of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in an email to NPR. "Our institution is scrambling to be ready to use this, as are many others, I'm sure."
As with any unproven therapy, there are risks with the approach. The worst is that it could actually make patients sicker, a response known as antibody-dependent enhancement where the virus is actually helped to proliferate by a patient's own immune system.
"I think we need to be cautious about using convalescent serum," says Martin Zand, professor in the department of medicine and co-director of the Clinical & Translational Science Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center.


npr--2020-03-24--As Coronavirus Cases Jump, Chile Faces Pressure To Lock Down The Country

As Coronavirus Cases Jump , Chile Faces Pressure To Lock Down The Country Pressure is growing on Chile 's government to take far stronger measures to tackle the coronavirus , after officials announced on Tuesday the number of cases has risen to 922 — an increase of more than 170 in just one day .
President Sebastian Piñera last week announced a `` state of catastrophe , '' allowing him to deploy the military to safeguard Chile 's critical infrastructure and supply lines .
Borders are closed to nonresident foreigners , and a nighttime curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces calls to place the country of 19 million under full quarantine after the curfew caused large crowds of workers to flood the metro system in Santiago , as they rushed to get home before the capital 's transport links shut down .
Pictures of commuters crammed together on platforms went viral , prompting accusations that Piñera is recklessly endangering Chileans in order to protect the economy , already severely battered by months of anti-government protests .
Mayors , regional officials and medical professionals are among those who want Piñera to declare a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , which has already claimed two lives .
Fifty-six mayors throughout Chile have sent a letter to Piñera expressing `` the urgent need to move to a national mandatory quarantine as soon as possible . ''
One of these , Germán Codina , mayor of Puente Alto , told a radio interviewer Tuesday the crowded public transportation is like `` condemning people to get a contagion . ''
The council for the region where the majority of cases have arisen — Región Metropolitana — has issued a statement demanding `` a decree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view of our high population rate and the alarming speed with which this pandemic spreads . ''
Quarantine would mean following the example of neighboring Argentina , which — with over 44 million people — has more than twice the population of Chile and less than a third of the number of reported cases : 301 , according to the latest government figures .
Argentina 's security forces have been enforcing quarantine by threatening violators with criminal prosecution .
More than 10,000 people have been arrested for breaching the coronavirus quarantine since Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Argentine Security Ministry .
In Chile , the virus outbreak coincides with profound social division that erupted in October with a wave of huge anti-government protests over social inequality .
The demonstrations continued sporadically , and at times violently , until the middle of this month .
Part of the driving force behind that unrest was the dismal state of Chile 's public health service , which is now being tested by the onset of the coronavirus and could soon be overwhelmed , particularly if it spreads into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

As Coronavirus Cases Jump, Chile Faces Pressure To Lock Down The Country
Enlarge this image toggle caption Esteban Felix/AP Esteban Felix/AP
Pressure is growing on Chile's government to take far stronger measures to tackle the coronavirus, after officials announced on Tuesday the number of cases has risen to 922 — an increase of more than 170 in just one day.
President Sebastian Piñera last week announced a "state of catastrophe," allowing him to deploy the military to safeguard Chile's critical infrastructure and supply lines. Borders are closed to nonresident foreigners, and a nighttime curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. began on Sunday.
Piñera now faces calls to place the country of 19 million under full quarantine after the curfew caused large crowds of workers to flood the metro system in Santiago, as they rushed to get home before the capital's transport links shut down.
Pictures of commuters crammed together on platforms went viral, prompting accusations that Piñera is recklessly endangering Chileans in order to protect the economy, already severely battered by months of anti-government protests.
Mayors, regional officials and medical professionals are among those who want Piñera to declare a lockdown to slow the process of the virus, which has already claimed two lives.
Fifty-six mayors throughout Chile have sent a letter to Piñera expressing "the urgent need to move to a national mandatory quarantine as soon as possible."
One of these, Germán Codina, mayor of Puente Alto, told a radio interviewer Tuesday the crowded public transportation is like "condemning people to get a contagion."
The council for the region where the majority of cases have arisen — Región Metropolitana — has issued a statement demanding "a decree to completely quarantine the region, in view of our high population rate and the alarming speed with which this pandemic spreads."
Quarantine would mean following the example of neighboring Argentina, which — with over 44 million people — has more than twice the population of Chile and less than a third of the number of reported cases: 301, according to the latest government figures.
Argentina's security forces have been enforcing quarantine by threatening violators with criminal prosecution. More than 10,000 people have been arrested for breaching the coronavirus quarantine since Friday, most of whom were later released, according to the Argentine Security Ministry.
In Chile, the virus outbreak coincides with profound social division that erupted in October with a wave of huge anti-government protests over social inequality. The demonstrations continued sporadically, and at times violently, until the middle of this month.
Part of the driving force behind that unrest was the dismal state of Chile's public health service, which is now being tested by the onset of the coronavirus and could soon be overwhelmed, particularly if it spreads into the country's most vulnerable low-income neighborhoods.


npr--2020-03-24--Coronavirus: New York Infection Rate Is 'Doubling About Every 3 Days,' Cuomo Says

Coronavirus : New York Infection Rate Is 'Doubling About Every 3 Days , ' Cuomo Says The rate of new coronavirus cases in New York is `` doubling about every three days '' and is speeding up even more , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday .
`` That is a dramatic increase in the rate of infection . ''
The new estimates are `` troubling and astronomical numbers , '' the governor said .
He added that the apex of the curve of rising coronavirus cases in New York is still 14-21 days away , according to the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York is in urgent need of ventilators and other vital resources .
`` We need the federal help and we need the federal help now , '' Cuomo said .
As of around midday Tuesday , New York had 25,665 coronavirus cases – roughly half of the U.S. total .
The state says at least 210 people have died from COVID-19 .
So far , the governor said , New York has not flattened the curve – the metric many officials are following as they attempt to keep the contagious respiratory virus from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have n't flattened the curve , '' Cuomo said , `` and the curve is actually increasing . ''
The COVID-19 pandemic has already put New York residents under strict limits in their daily lives , with businesses ordered to shut down and people told to isolate themselves .
Citing those restrictions and New York 's success in becoming a leader in testing people for the coronavirus , Cuomo said , `` In many ways , we have exhausted every option available to us . ''
New York performed nearly 13,000 coronavirus tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 91,000 .
Along the way , the state 's health experts have sought answers to vital questions such about how quickly the coronavirus spreads , and whether it can be slowed down .
So far , the results are not encouraging .
`` We 're not slowing it , and it is accelerating on its own , '' Cuomo said .
`` We were looking at a freight train coming across the country – we 're now looking at a bullet train , '' the governor said , repeating a comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his state 's health forecasters .
The latest rise in cases has forced a dramatic revision of the state 's projections for how hard COVID-19 will hit people and hospitals in the state .
In recent days , Cuomo has said New York would need around 110,000 hospital beds to deal with the crisis – more than double the 53,000 it currently has .
`` The new projection suggests that the number of hospital beds needed could be as high as 140,000 , '' Cuomo said .
Cuomo issued an executive order on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to boost their capacity by 50 % to meet the expected need .
If the latest projections prove accurate , the state will have to find even more hospital beds now .
It will also need many more intensive care unit spots : New York currently has around 3,000 , but the new projections say that at the height of COVID-19 's outbreak in New York , the state could need space for 40,000 people to be in intensive care at the same time .
The state also desperately needs ventilators , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been compromised by COVID-19 .
New York has now procured about 7,000 of them ; its estimates call for an additional 30,000 .
`` You can not buy them , you can not find them , '' Cuomo said .
`` Every state is trying to get them ; other countries are trying to get them . ''
To try to stretch the life-saving resource as much as possible , the governor said , the state is experimenting with ways to split one ventilator between two patients , who would be in side-by-side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perform , it 's experimental , '' Cuomo said .
`` But at this point , we have no alternative . ''
The governor reiterated his call for the federal government to help ease the critical shortage , saying the Trump administration could use the Defense Production Act to compel companies to produce equipment .
Another option , he said , would be for the government to use its stockpile of roughly 20,000 ventilators .
Cuomo said he has asked Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to let New York use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminded Azar that his agency 's first priority is the health of Americans .
`` You have 20,000 ventilators in the stockpile , '' Cuomo said .
`` Release the ventilators to New York .
How can we be in a situation where you can have New Yorkers possibly dying because they ca n't get a ventilator , but a federal agency saying , ' I 'm going to leave the ventilators in the stockpile .
I mean , have we really come to that point ? ''
The ventilators should be deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cuomo said .
And he stressed that with the huge number of confirmed cases in New York , the state is now dealing with a much larger problem than other states .
The governor also referred to his state as a test case for the rest of the country , warning that other communities will soon find themselves in similar predicaments .
`` New York is the canary in the coal mine , '' Cuomo said .
`` New York is going first .
We have the highest and the fastest rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his state will not be the only one with a dire need for ventilators and other key resources .
`` What happens to New York is going to wind up happening to California and Washington state and Illinois — it 's just a matter of time , '' he said .
`` We 're just getting there first . ''
After the coronavirus apex passes in New York , the governor said , the ventilators could be moved to other states where they 're also needed .
`` I will take personal responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country that they want , '' Cuomo said .

Coronavirus: New York Infection Rate Is 'Doubling About Every 3 Days,' Cuomo Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
The rate of new coronavirus cases in New York is "doubling about every three days" and is speeding up even more, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. "That is a dramatic increase in the rate of infection."
The new estimates are "troubling and astronomical numbers," the governor said. He added that the apex of the curve of rising coronavirus cases in New York is still 14 to 21 days away, according to the latest projections. The governor also said New York is in urgent need of ventilators and other vital resources.
"We need the federal help, and we need the federal help now," Cuomo said.
As of around midday Tuesday, New York had 25,665 coronavirus cases — roughly half of the U.S. total. The state says at least 210 people there have died from COVID-19.
So far, the governor said, New York has not flattened the curve — the metric many officials are following as they attempt to keep the contagious respiratory virus from overwhelming public health systems.
"We haven't flattened the curve," Cuomo said, "and the curve is actually increasing."
YouTube
The COVID-19 pandemic has already put New York residents under strict limits in their daily lives, with businesses ordered to shut down and people told to isolate themselves. Citing those restrictions and New York's success in becoming a leader in testing people for the coronavirus, Cuomo said, "In many ways, we have exhausted every option available to us."
New York performed nearly 13,000 coronavirus tests on Monday, bringing its total to more than 91,000.
Along the way, the state's health experts have sought answers to vital questions such as how quickly the coronavirus spreads and whether it can be slowed down. So far, the results are not encouraging.
"We're not slowing it, and it is accelerating on its own," Cuomo said.
"We were looking at a freight train coming across the country — we're now looking at a bullet train," the governor said, repeating a comment that he said originally came from one of his state's health forecasters.
The latest rise in cases has forced a dramatic revision of the state's projections for how hard COVID-19 will hit people and hospitals in the state. In recent days, Cuomo has said New York would need around 110,000 hospital beds to deal with the crisis — more than double the 53,000 it currently has.
"The new projection suggests that the number of hospital beds needed could be as high as 140,000," Cuomo said.
Cuomo issued an executive order on Monday requiring all hospitals in the state to boost their capacity by 50% to meet the expected need. If the latest projections prove accurate, the state will have to find even more hospital beds now. It will also need many more intensive care unit spots: New York currently has around 3,000, but the new projections say that at the height of COVID-19's outbreak in New York, the state could need space for 40,000 people to be in intensive care at the same time.
The state also desperately needs ventilators to help people breathe after their lungs have been compromised by COVID-19. New York has now procured about 7,000 of them; its estimates call for an additional 30,000.
"You cannot buy them. You cannot find them," Cuomo said. "Every state is trying to get them. Other countries are trying to get them."
To try to stretch the lifesaving resource as much as possible, the governor said, the state is experimenting with ways to split one ventilator between two patients, who would be in side-by-side beds.
"It's difficult to perform. It's experimental," Cuomo said. "But at this point, we have no alternative."
The governor reiterated his call for the federal government to help ease the critical shortage, saying the Trump administration could use the Defense Production Act to compel companies to produce equipment. Another option, he said, would be for the government to use its stockpile of roughly 20,000 ventilators.
Cuomo said he has asked Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to let New York use the ventilators — and he said he also reminded Azar that his agency's first priority is the health of Americans.
"You have 20,000 ventilators in the stockpile," Cuomo said. "Release the ventilators to New York. How can we be in a situation where you can have New Yorkers possibly dying because they can't get a ventilator, but a federal agency saying, 'I'm going to leave the ventilators in the stockpile.' I mean, have we really come to that point?"
The ventilators should be deployed around the country as they are needed, Cuomo said. And he stressed that with the huge number of confirmed cases in New York, the state is now dealing with a much larger problem than other states. The governor also referred to his state as a test case for the rest of the country, warning that other communities will soon find themselves in similar predicaments.
"New York is the canary in the coal mine," Cuomo said. "New York is going first. We have the highest and the fastest rate of infection."
The governor said his state will not be the only one with a dire need for ventilators and other key resources.
"What happens to New York is going to wind up happening to California and Washington state and Illinois — it's just a matter of time," he said. "We're just getting there first."
After the coronavirus apex passes in New York, the governor said, the ventilators could be moved to other states where they're also needed.
"I will take personal responsibility for transporting the 20,000 ventilators anywhere in this country that they want," Cuomo said.


npr--2020-03-24--FACT CHECK: Trump Compares Coronavirus To The Flu, But It Could Be 10 Times Deadlier

FACT CHECK : Trump Compares Coronavirus To The Flu , But It Could Be 10 Times Deadlier In arguing for returning the country to some kind of normal sooner rather than later , President Trump noted that 36,000 people , on average , die from the flu each year .
`` But we 've never closed down the country for the flu , '' the president said during an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday .
`` So you say to yourself , 'What is this all about ? '
`` But the two really ca n't be compared .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of dangers .
Here 's how they are different , per a story done four days ago by Pien Huang , a reporter on NPR 's Science Desk who covers global health and development : 1 .
COVID-19 is novel , or new .
That means there 's no vaccine , and it 's unclear how it will manifest ; 2 .
This strain of coronavirus appears to infect two to 2.5 people versus 1.3 with the flu , so coronavirus seems to be about twice as contagious as the flu ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients are in serious enough condition to go to the hospital , 10 times the number who wind up in the hospital because of the flu ; 4 .
Hospital stays for the coronavirus are twice as as long as for the flu ; 5 .
About 8 % of people get the flu every year .
Some estimates are 25 % to 50 % , possibly up to 80 % , could get the coronavirus without drastic actions being taken by individuals , states and municipalities and the federal government ; 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadlier than the flu — about 0.1 % who get flu die .
It 's estimated that about 1 % of those who have gotten coronavirus have died from it ; 7 .
There are treatments for the flu .
There are no approved treatments for the coronavirus , despite the president 's optimism for certain drugs , which are untested for coronavirus to this point ; and 8 .
The flu tends to wane in warm weather , but it 's too soon to count on that for coronavirus , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the people advising the president has already argued that this is not a good comparison to make .
`` I mean people always say , 'Well , the flu does this , the flu does that , ' `` Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said two weeks ago during a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee .
He added , `` The flu has a mortality rate of 0.1 % .
This has a mortality rate of 10 times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to emphasize we have to stay ahead of the game in preventing this . ''
In that same hearing , by the way , Fauci also noted that H1N1 flu , which was a pandemic in 2009 , was far less lethal than even the seasonal flu .
Trump has criticized the Obama administration for its response to H1N1 when he os criticized for his response to the coronavirus .

FACT CHECK: Trump Compares Coronavirus To The Flu, But It Could Be 10 Times Deadlier
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
In arguing for returning the country to some kind of normal sooner rather than later, President Trump noted that 36,000 people, on average, die from the flu each year.
"But we've never closed down the country for the flu," the president said during an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday. "So you say to yourself, 'What is this all about?' "
But the two really can't be compared. They are very different and present different kinds of dangers. Here's how they are different, per a story done four days ago by Pien Huang, a reporter on NPR's Science Desk who covers global health and development:
1. COVID-19 is novel, or new. That means there's no vaccine, and it's unclear how it will manifest;
2. This strain of coronavirus appears to infect two to 2.5 people versus 1.3 with the flu, so coronavirus seems to be about twice as contagious as the flu;
3. Some 20% of coronavirus patients are in serious enough condition to go to the hospital, 10 times the number who wind up in the hospital because of the flu;
4. Hospital stays for the coronavirus are twice as as long as for the flu;
5. About 8% of people get the flu every year. Some estimates are 25% to 50%, possibly up to 80%, could get the coronavirus without drastic actions being taken by individuals, states and municipalities and the federal government;
6. The coronavirus could be 10 times deadlier than the flu — about 0.1% who get flu die. It's estimated that about 1% of those who have gotten coronavirus have died from it;
7. There are treatments for the flu. There are no approved treatments for the coronavirus, despite the president's optimism for certain drugs, which are untested for coronavirus to this point; and
8. The flu tends to wane in warm weather, but it's too soon to count on that for coronavirus, which is thriving in warm, tropical places.
One of the people advising the president has already argued that this is not a good comparison to make.
"I mean people always say, 'Well, the flu does this, the flu does that,' " Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said two weeks ago during a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. He added, "The flu has a mortality rate of 0.1%. This has a mortality rate of 10 times that. That's the reason I want to emphasize we have to stay ahead of the game in preventing this."
In that same hearing, by the way, Fauci also noted that H1N1 flu, which was a pandemic in 2009, was far less lethal than even the seasonal flu. Trump has criticized the Obama administration for its response to H1N1 when he is criticized for his response to the coronavirus.


npr--2020-03-24--Health Checks Await Travelers Entering China, As It Tries To Block COVID-19 Rebound

Health Checks Await Travelers Entering China , As It Tries To Block COVID-19 Rebound Now that China appears to have snuffed out local transmission of the coronavirus , it is trying hard to keep the disease from rebounding back in from abroad .
China has reported just a handful of new domestic COVID-19 cases in recent days , but has seen a spike in cases coming in from elsewhere .
As thousands of travelers have begun entering China in anticipation of the eventual return to normalcy , the government has put in place a strict regime of health checks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can catch any new inbound cases before infections can spread .
For travelers like Annie Wright , who returned to Shanghai from the English town of Derby last week , the journey was a `` once-in-a-century experience . ''
Wright , a British national who teaches at an international school in Shanghai , began the trip with her husband and three young sons last week with a pre-dawn drive to London 's Heathrow Airport and ended almost 48 hours later at their apartment door in Shanghai .
The long-haul leg — about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shanghai with a stopover in Moscow — turned out to be the short part .
`` We landed at 9:30 Shanghai time Thursday morning , and we got home about 10:30 Friday morning , '' she said by phone from her apartment in Shanghai .
In between was a gauntlet of temperature checks , queues , throat swabs , nose swabs — all administered by police , volunteers and medical workers in hazmat suits .
And then came hours of waiting .
Upon arrival in Shanghai , all passengers have their temperature checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her family , it took an hour and a half to deplane as health workers called passengers off in small groups .
Their wait turned out to be relatively short ; others have reported being stuck on planes for six hours or more .
Travelers are then split into three groups and given color-coded stickers to put on their passports — red for those with symptoms of COVID-19 or traveling from the hardest hit areas ; yellow for passengers from other affected areas ( including the United States ) ; and green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the district where Shanghai 's Pudong International Airport is located said that from March 3-22 , around 8,100 people entering the country from abroad were sent to centralized isolation and observation centers from the airport .
This included 934 foreigners , according to The Paper , a Shanghai-based news outlet .
Of the total , 815 were from a growing list of countries of concern , including the U.K. , United States , South Korea and Iran .
Wright and her family handed over their health declaration forms and got yellow stickers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew we were were n't going home straight away , '' she said .
They were allowed to proceed through immigration and collect their bags .
Then , airport staff in white hazmat suits guided them to a hall where they registered with representatives of their local district , one of 16 in Shanghai .
Then they waited .
Eventually , Wright and her family boarded a bus and , with windows open and a police escort , were driven to a district coronavirus testing center at a hotel a couple of hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers swabbed them ( top of the mouth and deep inside both nostrils ) .
They were given two rooms and told to wait for the results .
`` We were lucky that testing center had hotel rooms , '' she said .
Travelers swapping details and tips on the Chinese social messaging app WeChat have reported waiting for hours in gyms , equipped with lounge chairs and blankets spaced apart .
Facing the threat of more cases entering China from abroad , the city of Beijing is intensifying its checks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas to centralized quarantine and testing for the coronavirus , the Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday , according to Reuters .
Wright and her kids were deep asleep with jet lag the next day when there was a knock on the hotel room door .
They had tested negative .
`` We must have seen 300 people in haz-suits the whole day and every single one of them was calm , patient , not flustered , '' she said .
The family boarded a minibus for the final leg of their trip home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mandatory 14-day quarantine period , monitored by local authorities .
There 's a strip of paper affixed across their front door that will break if it is opened .
The government is taking the measures seriously .
China ordered the expulsion of an Australian woman who violated her quarantine in Beijing to go for a run , state media reported .
And the Shanghai Sharks pro basketball team cut business ties with a presenter from Britain who , on social media , likened quarantine after entering the country to prison , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At the moment , we 're happy to be home , '' said Wright .
`` We are clearing the balcony to make space to sit in the sun .
The boys yesterday were playing indoor hockey with light sabers , Lego was everywhere .
So , yeah , we 're in a positive mindset at the moment . ''

Health Checks Await Travelers Entering China, As It Tries To Block COVID-19 Rebound
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
Now that China appears to have snuffed out local transmission of the coronavirus, it is trying hard to keep the disease from rebounding back in from abroad. China has reported just a handful of new domestic COVID-19 cases in recent days, but has seen a spike in cases coming in from elsewhere.
As thousands of travelers have begun entering China in anticipation of the eventual return to normalcy, the government has put in place a strict regime of health checks, monitoring and quarantine in the hope that it can catch any new inbound cases before infections can spread.
For travelers like Annie Wright, who returned to Shanghai from the English town of Derby last week, the journey was a "once-in-a-century experience."
Wright, a British national who teaches at an international school in Shanghai, began the trip with her husband and three young sons last week with a pre-dawn drive to London's Heathrow Airport and ended almost 48 hours later at their apartment door in Shanghai.
The long-haul leg — about 17 hours of flying from London to Shanghai with a stopover in Moscow — turned out to be the short part.
"We landed at 9:30 Shanghai time Thursday morning, and we got home about 10:30 Friday morning," she said by phone from her apartment in Shanghai.
In between was a gauntlet of temperature checks, queues, throat swabs, nose swabs — all administered by police, volunteers and medical workers in hazmat suits. And then came hours of waiting.
Upon arrival in Shanghai, all passengers have their temperature checked and travel history vetted. For Wright and her family, it took an hour and a half to deplane as health workers called passengers off in small groups. Their wait turned out to be relatively short; others have reported being stuck on planes for six hours or more.
Travelers are then split into three groups and given color-coded stickers to put on their passports — red for those with symptoms of COVID-19 or traveling from the hardest hit areas; yellow for passengers from other affected areas (including the United States); and green for the rest.
The local government of the district where Shanghai's Pudong International Airport is located said that from March 3-22, around 8,100 people entering the country from abroad were sent to centralized isolation and observation centers from the airport. This included 934 foreigners, according to The Paper, a Shanghai-based news outlet. Of the total, 815 were from a growing list of countries of concern, including the U.K., United States, South Korea and Iran.
Wright and her family handed over their health declaration forms and got yellow stickers. "At that point, we knew we were weren't going home straight away," she said.
They were allowed to proceed through immigration and collect their bags. Then, airport staff in white hazmat suits guided them to a hall where they registered with representatives of their local district, one of 16 in Shanghai. Then they waited.
Eventually, Wright and her family boarded a bus and, with windows open and a police escort, were driven to a district coronavirus testing center at a hotel a couple of hours away. In a tent, medical workers swabbed them (top of the mouth and deep inside both nostrils). They were given two rooms and told to wait for the results.
"We were lucky that testing center had hotel rooms," she said. Travelers swapping details and tips on the Chinese social messaging app WeChat have reported waiting for hours in gyms, equipped with lounge chairs and blankets spaced apart.
Facing the threat of more cases entering China from abroad, the city of Beijing is intensifying its checks. The capital will subject all people entering from overseas to centralized quarantine and testing for the coronavirus, the Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
Wright and her kids were deep asleep with jet lag the next day when there was a knock on the hotel room door. They had tested negative.
"We must have seen 300 people in haz-suits the whole day and every single one of them was calm, patient, not flustered," she said.
The family boarded a minibus for the final leg of their trip home.
Now they are settling in to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, monitored by local authorities. There's a strip of paper affixed across their front door that will break if it is opened.
The government is taking the measures seriously. China ordered the expulsion of an Australian woman who violated her quarantine in Beijing to go for a run, state media reported. And the Shanghai Sharks pro basketball team cut business ties with a presenter from Britain who, on social media, likened quarantine after entering the country to prison, the Sharks said in a statement last week.
"At the moment, we're happy to be home," said Wright. "We are clearing the balcony to make space to sit in the sun. The boys yesterday were playing indoor hockey with light sabers, Lego was everywhere. So, yeah, we're in a positive mindset at the moment."


npr--2020-03-24--Trump Sets Easter Goal For Reopening American Economy

In his Tuesday afternoon briefing with the coronavirus task force , President Trump couched earlier comments about the need to reopen the U.S. economy within weeks , emphasizing that the decision would ultimately be data driven and made in consultation with public health experts .
The president said he still wants Americans working again by Easter Sunday , something he first said during a virtual town hall with Fox News earlier in the day .
But he was much more circumspect over whether that would be possible from a medical standpoint .
His previous comments about reopening the economy prompted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , who said it 's far too early .
Trump seemed to much more carefully toe the line during his briefing as he talked about `` carefully and responsibly reopening the country . ''
`` I want to assure Americans that we have a team of public health experts ... also economists and other professionals , working to develop a sophisticated plan to reopen the economy as soon as the time is right , one based on the best science , the best modeling and the best medical research there is anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump stressed that this is a `` medical crisis — this is n't a financial crisis . ''
In the Fox News TV special earlier Tuesday , Trump said he `` would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter . ''
That 's April 12 , within the timeline of `` weeks '' that Trump said he hopes is appropriate for curtailing the social distancing , isolation and other measures that officials have outlined to slow the spread of the coronavirus — but that have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials also recommended that people who have recently left the New York City metro area should self-quarantine for the next 14 days to ensure the virus does n't spread .
The rate of infections inside the U.S. has not stopped climbing — by Tuesday afternoon , there were more than 50,000 confirmed cases nationwide , according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University — and Trump 's April 12 target date is far sooner than other milestones set by officials across the country .
The District of Columbia has closed its schools through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Virginia wo n't reconvene at all for the rest of this academic year .
Trump and Vice President Pence have talked up what they call the need for the U.S. to reset in stride , as military commanders might say — to continue some mitigation measures to constrain the pandemic but also permit some businesses to reopen .
`` You can destroy a country this way by closing it down , '' Trump said in the Fox special on Tuesday .
The president and vice president framed one focus for the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly older people with preexisting medical conditions .
Under this construction , life might shift away from keeping everyone apart to permitting more people to leave their homes and return to work .
For the time being , Trump said Americans might still be discouraged from shaking hands and other such activity .
`` We can socially distance ourselves and go to work , '' he said .
At the same time , as Pence described it , the national response would shift from one based on dispersing everyone to defending the elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials agree or what new steps that might require .
The United States is nine days into a 15-day period of White House guidelines to `` slow the spread '' of the virus .
When that ends , the administration will begin to assess whether to recommend more isolation and mitigation — or to permit some people to work or travel , as Trump has suggested .
It is n't clear what metrics the White House might use when making that assessment , and the challenge of moving out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affliction of the coronavirus across the country .
Washington state , California and New York state have been hit particularly hard but are n't moving through their rates of infection at the same rate .
Dr. Deborah Birx , leader of the White House 's coronavirus response task force , says Washington state is about two weeks ahead of New York , for example .
The White House has acknowledged that many of the important upcoming decisions about the pandemic belong to governors or local officials .
Trump and Pence have come under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give broad expectations about when life can start to get back to normal .
In recent days , the president has taken on board the idea that too much isolation and too much mitigation could be too ruinous for the economy , saying the `` cure '' ca n't be worse than the disease .
`` We have a pent-up energy that 's going to be unbelievable , '' Trump said .
The president said he wants to be mindful about the need to balance public health interests with the desire to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that public health officials might be too conservative .
`` I 'm sure we have doctors who say , 'Let 's keep it closed for two years , ' `` Trump said .
`` No , we 've got to get it open — our people want it open , and that 's the way this country was built . ''
Trump appeared in a separate interview on Fox on Tuesday and described a scene he had imagined in which millions of worshippers were able to attend Easter services next month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have all of the churches full ? ''
Trump said , noting that churches have been forced to move online because of social distancing guidelines .
`` Online is never going to be like being there , '' he said .
`` You 're going to have packed churches all over our country .
I think it would be a beautiful time . ''
Trump and Pence called for Congress to complete work on the relief and stimulus legislation that has been under negotiation for the past several days , but they also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the bill .
`` All of a sudden they started to throw the Green New Deal stuff in — 'we want green energy , ' `` Trump said .
The president dislikes wind turbines after a dispute over the prospect that they might be installed near a golf course he owns in Scotland , and Trump suggested on Tuesday that Democratic support for wind energy might have caused him to reject some of the proposals in the bill .
`` They had things in there that were terrible — windmills all over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birds and ruin the real estate , right ? ''
Trump said .
Washington must focus on `` the workers , '' the president said .
`` Workers first . ''
Trump said in his second interview on Fox that he was n't concerned about the costs associated with what could be a $ 2 trillion stimulus package , because he considered that to be an investment .
`` It 's not really spending , because a lot of it is helping companies '' through loans , he said .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , specifically mentioning Boeing .
`` They 're going to pay that back , '' he said , noting that some may pay by giving the government some equity and also by repaying with interest .
`` We 're going to get stock for the taxpayers of our country , '' Trump said .

Trump Sets Easter Goal For Reopening American Economy
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Updated at 7:35 p.m. ET
In his Tuesday afternoon briefing with the coronavirus task force, President Trump couched earlier comments about the need to reopen the U.S. economy within weeks, emphasizing that the decision would ultimately be data driven and made in consultation with public health experts.
The president said he still wants Americans working again by Easter Sunday, something he first said during a virtual town hall with Fox News earlier in the day. But he was much more circumspect over whether that would be possible from a medical standpoint.
His previous comments about reopening the economy prompted alarm among public health experts across the country, who said it's far too early. Trump seemed to much more carefully toe the line during his briefing as he talked about "carefully and responsibly reopening the country."
"I want to assure Americans that we have a team of public health experts ... also economists and other professionals, working to develop a sophisticated plan to reopen the economy as soon as the time is right, one based on the best science, the best modeling and the best medical research there is anywhere on earth," he said.
Trump stressed that this is a "medical crisis — this isn't a financial crisis."
In the Fox News TV special earlier Tuesday, Trump said he "would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter."
That's April 12, within the timeline of "weeks" that Trump said he hopes is appropriate for curtailing the social distancing, isolation and other measures that officials have outlined to slow the spread of the coronavirus — but that have also paralyzed the economy.
During the briefing, officials also recommended that people who have recently left the New York City metro area should self-quarantine for the next 14 days to ensure the virus doesn't spread.
The rate of infections inside the U.S. has not stopped climbing — by Tuesday afternoon, there were more than 50,000 confirmed cases nationwide, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University — and Trump's April 12 target date is far sooner than other milestones set by officials across the country.
The District of Columbia has closed its schools through April 24, for example; schools in Virginia won't reconvene at all for the rest of this academic year.
Trump and Vice President Pence have talked up what they call the need for the U.S. to reset in stride, as military commanders might say — to continue some mitigation measures to constrain the pandemic but also permit some businesses to reopen.
"You can destroy a country this way by closing it down," Trump said in the Fox special on Tuesday.
The president and vice president framed one focus for the upcoming months on the most vulnerable populations, particularly older people with preexisting medical conditions.
Under this construction, life might shift away from keeping everyone apart to permitting more people to leave their homes and return to work. For the time being, Trump said Americans might still be discouraged from shaking hands and other such activity. "We can socially distance ourselves and go to work," he said.
At the same time, as Pence described it, the national response would shift from one based on dispersing everyone to defending the elderly, although it isn't clear whether public health officials agree or what new steps that might require.
Supply update
During the task force briefing, Pence also spoke about FEMA's effort to identify personal protective equipment and ventilators.
As of Tuesday, FEMA is distributing 7.6 million N95 respirator masks, more than 14 million surgical masks and has already shipped 73 pallets of personal protective equipment to New York, Pence said.
Pence also reflected on what he called an "inspiring" response of businesses around the country who are mobilizing on the production of critical supplies.
"We see industry stepping up," Pence said.
"We heard the McDonald's is now offering curbside delivery to truckers who are unable to use the Drive-Thru to pick up a Big Mac."
Pence also said he's been in talks with Tim Cook of Apple, whose company is donating 9 million N-95 masks to health care facilities across the country and to the national stockpile.
Partway through isolation
The United States is nine days into a 15-day period of White House guidelines to "slow the spread" of the virus. When that ends, the administration will begin to assess whether to recommend more isolation and mitigation — or to permit some people to work or travel, as Trump has suggested.
It isn't clear what metrics the White House might use when making that assessment, and the challenge of moving out of this isolation phase is compounded by the unequal affliction of the coronavirus across the country.
Washington state, California and New York state have been hit particularly hard but aren't moving through their rates of infection at the same rate.
Dr. Deborah Birx, leader of the White House's coronavirus response task force, says Washington state is about two weeks ahead of New York, for example.
The White House has acknowledged that many of the important upcoming decisions about the pandemic belong to governors or local officials. Trump and Pence have come under pressure, however, to at least give broad expectations about when life can start to get back to normal.
In recent days, the president has taken on board the idea that too much isolation and too much mitigation could be too ruinous for the economy, saying the "cure" can't be worse than the disease.
"We have a pent-up energy that's going to be unbelievable," Trump said.
The president said he wants to be mindful about the need to balance public health interests with the desire to reopen America for business, but he also suggested that public health officials might be too conservative.
"I'm sure we have doctors who say, 'Let's keep it closed for two years,' " Trump said. "No, we've got to get it open — our people want it open, and that's the way this country was built."
Trump appeared in a separate interview on Fox on Tuesday and described a scene he had imagined in which millions of worshippers were able to attend Easter services next month.
"Wouldn't it be great to have all of the churches full?" Trump said, noting that churches have been forced to move online because of social distancing guidelines.
"Online is never going to be like being there," he said. "You're going to have packed churches all over our country. I think it would be a beautiful time."
Call for consensus on legislation
Trump and Pence called for Congress to complete work on the relief and stimulus legislation that has been under negotiation for the past several days, but they also faulted Democrats for what they called opportunism about the bill.
"All of a sudden they started to throw the Green New Deal stuff in — 'we want green energy,' " Trump said.
The president dislikes wind turbines after a dispute over the prospect that they might be installed near a golf course he owns in Scotland, and Trump suggested on Tuesday that Democratic support for wind energy might have caused him to reject some of the proposals in the bill.
"They had things in there that were terrible — windmills all over the place ... windmills that kill the birds and ruin the real estate, right?" Trump said.
Washington must focus on "the workers," the president said. "Workers first."
Trump said in his second interview on Fox that he wasn't concerned about the costs associated with what could be a $2 trillion stimulus package, because he considered that to be an investment.
"It's not really spending, because a lot of it is helping companies" through loans, he said. "It's loaded to save corporations," he said, specifically mentioning Boeing.
"They're going to pay that back," he said, noting that some may pay by giving the government some equity and also by repaying with interest.
"We're going to get stock for the taxpayers of our country," Trump said.


npr--2020-03-24--Anti-Abortion Rights Groups Ask HHS To Urge End To Abortion During Pandemic

Anti-Abortion Rights Groups Ask HHS To Urge End To Abortion During Pandemic A coalition of anti-abortion rights groups is asking federal health officials to urge abortion providers to shut down during the coronavirus outbreak .
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , dozens of national conservative groups opposed to abortion rights call on federal health officials to urge abortion providers to `` cease operations '' and donate medical equipment like masks and hospital gowns to the coronavirus response .
Signers include the Susan B. Anthony List , the American Center for Law and Justice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty Commission .
The letter also asks officials to make sure that access to medication abortion is not expanded via telemedicine or other methods as a result of the pandemic , and that emergency response funds are not given to abortion providers .
It follows actions by Republican governors and attorneys general in Texas and Ohio , who 've ordered clinics in their states to stop performing most abortions as part of a larger effort to preserve personal protective equipment , or PPE , for medical professionals caring for COVID-19 patients .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey , officials have explicitly clarified that abortion is not subject to orders postponing non-essential and elective procedures during the pandemic .
Reproductive health groups , including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , say abortion is an essential procedure , and that delaying it can be harmful to pregnant patients .

Anti-Abortion Rights Groups Ask HHS To Urge End To Abortion During Pandemic
A coalition of anti-abortion rights groups is asking federal health officials to urge abortion providers to shut down during the coronavirus outbreak.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, dozens of national conservative groups opposed to abortion rights call on federal health officials to urge abortion providers to "cease operations" and donate medical equipment like masks and hospital gowns to the coronavirus response. Signers include the Susan B. Anthony List, the American Center for Law and Justice, and the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
The letter also asks officials to make sure that access to medication abortion is not expanded via telemedicine or other methods as a result of the pandemic, and that emergency response funds are not given to abortion providers.
It follows actions by Republican governors and attorneys general in Texas and Ohio, who've ordered clinics in their states to stop performing most abortions as part of a larger effort to preserve personal protective equipment, or PPE, for medical professionals caring for COVID-19 patients.
In other states, such as Massachusetts and New Jersey, officials have explicitly clarified that abortion is not subject to orders postponing non-essential and elective procedures during the pandemic.
Reproductive health groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, say abortion is an essential procedure, and that delaying it can be harmful to pregnant patients.


npr--2020-03-24--Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Coronavirus In The U.S.

What is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 ?
The name comes from the crownlike spikes the virus has on its surface — `` corona '' is Latin for `` crown . ''
Common human coronaviruses cause mild to moderate upper respiratory symptoms , including the common cold , while more severe types can cause pneumonia and death .
This particular virus , officially known as SARS-CoV-2 , is only the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
What are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 are fever , cough and shortness of breath .
Some people also experience fatigue , headaches and , less frequently , diarrhea .
Cases can range from mild to moderate to severe .
About 80 % of cases so far seem to be mild , according to the World Health Organization .
To prevent the coronavirus from spreading , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer if soap and water are n't available .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only if they 're sick or caring for someone who is .
What should I do if I think I 'm sick ?
If you think you 've been exposed to the coronavirus and develop symptoms , call your doctor .
Many state and local health departments have set up hotlines to answer questions , so that 's another good place to start .
It 's important that you do n't expose others .
Call your doctor before you go to the doctor 's office so your doctor can take necessary precautions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wash your hands as soon as you walk through the door .
Avoid sharing personal items such as dishes , cups and utensils .
Clean and disinfect `` high-touch '' surfaces like door handles and cellphones every day .
How does the coronavirus spread ?
The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close proximity to one another : within about 6 feet .
It spreads primarily through respiratory droplets that are dispersed when an infected person coughs or sneezes .
Those droplets can land in the mouth or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that person .
Does the coronavirus spread through contact with surfaces ?
According to the CDC , it may be possible for people to become infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth , nose or possibly eyes .
But experts believe the virus spreads mostly through contact with other people .
How do I self-quarantine ?
And what does it mean ?
The CDC has a guide for caring for yourself at home if you have a suspected or confirmed case @ @ @

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


npr--2020-03-24--Postal Workers Say They Lack Supplies, Training To Protect Themselves From Virus

Postal Workers Say They Lack Supplies , Training To Protect Themselves From Virus With just about 500,000 employers , the United States Postal Service is one of the country 's largest employers , but many workers say they 're not receiving the training or supplies they need to deal safely with the coronavirus .
They fear becoming carriers of another kind — catching and unwittingly spreading the virus .
`` The management is n't giving us gloves .
They 're not providing hand sanitizer , and there 's no place on the street for us to wash our hands every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter carrier in the Midwest , who has a lot of big apartment buildings on her route .
( Beth is n't her real name .
She fears that if she complains , she 'll be disciplined and could even lose her job . )
Beth says the instructions she and her co-workers are getting — wash your hands and if you 're sick , do n't come to work — are n't good enough .
`` In the Postal Service , basically if you call in like more than three days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter of warning , '' Beth says .
She fears that unofficial policy could encourage sick workers to come in and spread the virus .
In an email to NPR , a Postal Service representative said that the number of days an employee is absent has no direct correlation to discipline and that employee safety is its highest priority .
The USPS says that it 's sharing the latest information with workers — they get flyers , videos , e-mails and talks about the virus — and that gloves and surgical masks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
But in texts , calls and emails , carriers from across the country say they are not getting what they need .
One frustrated USPS worker wrote that while they did have a quickly diminishing supply of gloves , they had no hand sanitizer and no masks .
`` The 6-foot social distancing practice is a joke , '' the worker wrote .
`` We have no room in the office to practice it .
...
I spent most of last night crying before coming in because there are no precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office seems to care . ''
There are also scores of threads with hundreds of similar comments in postal worker groups on Facebook and reddit .
One user posted : `` Anybody else 's station not providing gloves ?
?
We tell our management we need gloves ordered they laugh . ''
Another responded : `` We ca n't even get rubber bands . ''
Many workers have basic questions , for example : How long does coronavirus live on paper ?
Dr. Christopher Gill , who teaches Global Health at Boston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the answer to `` Can you get the coronavirus from paper ? ''
is : `` Probably , but , I guess we would have to say we do not know . ''
There 's still a lot to learn about how long the virus can stay active on different surfaces , Gill explains .
The latest evidence suggests it can remain viable on cardboard for up to 24 hours .
But that information comes from a lab study – and `` real world '' conditions might be different .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a post office is probably pretty low to start with , right ? ''
he adds .
`` Because we 're not , like , slobbering and licking all over our packages . ''
The USPS says that according to the Surgeon General , the CDC and the World Health Organization , there 's no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail .
Still , Gill says , just to be safe , do n't lick your envelopes .
`` You should use some other method for doing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Robert Meloni has been a letter carrier for 31 years .
He loves his job , and he 's proud of it .
He says he feels safe at work — and he says his community depends on workers like him to deliver medicine and supplies .
But he 's torn .
`` Yes , I want to have that pride , '' he says .
`` I want to go out and show the public , we 're going to get through this .
But are we doing a disservice by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
Meloni says that his wife is cancer survivor and that he does n't want to bring the virus home to her .
For now , the postmaster general is allowing more executives to work from home .
But as for other workers — the mail must go out .

Postal Workers Say They Lack Supplies, Training To Protect Themselves From Virus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
With just about 500,000 employees, the United States Postal Service is one of the country's largest employers, but many workers say they're not receiving the training or supplies they need to deal safely with the coronavirus. They fear becoming carriers of another kind — catching and unwittingly spreading the virus.
"The management isn't giving us gloves. They're not providing hand sanitizer, and there's no place on the street for us to wash our hands every so often," says Beth, a letter carrier in the Midwest, who has a lot of big apartment buildings on her route. (Beth isn't her real name. She fears that if she complains, she'll be disciplined and could even lose her job.)
Beth says the instructions she and her co-workers are getting — wash your hands and if you're sick, don't come to work — aren't good enough.
"In the Postal Service, basically if you call in like more than three days in a row, you get a letter of warning," Beth says. She fears that unofficial policy could encourage sick workers to come in and spread the virus.
In an email to NPR, a Postal Service representative said that the number of days an employee is absent has no direct correlation to discipline and that employee safety is its highest priority. The USPS says that it's sharing the latest information with workers — they get flyers, videos, e-mails and talks about the virus — and that gloves and surgical masks are made available to all employees who request them.
But in texts, calls and emails, carriers from across the country say they are not getting what they need. One frustrated USPS worker wrote that while they did have a quickly diminishing supply of gloves, they had no hand sanitizer and no masks. "The 6-foot social distancing practice is a joke," the worker wrote. "We have no room in the office to practice it. ... I spent most of last night crying before coming in because there are no precautions that can be taken and no one in office seems to care."
There are also scores of threads with hundreds of similar comments in postal worker groups on Facebook and reddit. One user posted: "Anybody else's station not providing gloves?? We tell our management we need gloves ordered they laugh." Another responded: "We can't even get rubber bands."
Many workers have basic questions, for example: How long does coronavirus live on paper?
Dr. Christopher Gill, who teaches Global Health at Boston University's School of Public Health, says the answer to "Can you get the coronavirus from paper?" is: "Probably, but, I guess we would have to say we do not know."
There's still a lot to learn about how long the virus can stay active on different surfaces, Gill explains. The latest evidence suggests it can remain viable on cardboard for up to 24 hours. But that information comes from a lab study – and "real world" conditions might be different.
"The starting concentration of virus on a parcel, in a post office is probably pretty low to start with, right?" he adds. "Because we're not, like, slobbering and licking all over our packages."
I want to have that pride. I want to go out and show the public, we're going to get through this. But are we doing a disservice by carrying this virus around to more people?
The USPS says that according to the Surgeon General, the CDC and the World Health Organization, there's no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail. Still, Gill says, just to be safe, don't lick your envelopes. "You should use some other method for doing that to avoid contaminating with your saliva."
Robert Meloni has been a letter carrier for 31 years. He loves his job, and he's proud of it. He says he feels safe at work — and he says his community depends on workers like him to deliver medicine and supplies. But he's torn.
"Yes, I want to have that pride," he says. "I want to go out and show the public, we're going to get through this. But are we doing a disservice by carrying this virus around to more people?"
Meloni says that his wife is a cancer survivor and that he doesn't want to bring the virus home to her. For now, the postmaster general is allowing more executives to work from home. But as for other workers — the mail must go out.


npr--2020-03-25--Can The U.S. Crowdsource Its Way Out Of A Mask Shortage? No, But It Still Helps

Can The U.S. Crowdsource Its Way Out Of A Mask Shortage ?
No , But It Still Helps Across much of the nation , health care workers report ongoing , dire shortages of personal protective gear ( PPE ) including hospital gowns , face shields and especially respiratory N95 face masks .
President Trump says key help is on the way from the strategic reserve and from private industry ramping up production , including big shipments from 3M .
`` Through FEMA , the federal government is distributing more than 8 million N95 respirators , 14 million surgical masks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and they 'll be arriving soon , '' Trump said Tuesday at a White House coronavirus briefing .
Given the overall crisis , scores of citizen-led donation groups are popping up across the country , including GetusPPE.org , DonatePPE.org , Mask Match and one to move gear from labs to hospitals called PPE Link .
Then there 's also a group of volunteers called Mask Crusaders who 've set up ad hoc chapters in New York , Chicago , L.A. , Seattle and elsewhere .
The hastag # GetMePPE continues to trend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contractors , nail salon owners , museums — anyone — to search their closets and storage bins for disposable nitrile gloves as well as masks .
Brooklyn-based sculptor Tom Beale wanted to donate 50 surgical masks and some N95s in New York City where hospitals are close to being overwhelmed .
He contacted Mask Crusaders .
Soon , a nurse at a local hospital got in touch .
She told him her unit was down to their last mask .
`` I brought them to Woodhull Hospital and a midwife came down .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Beale says .
The next day an artist friend gave Beale four N95s .
Just four .
He went back to the Mask Crusaders site and a New York nurse quickly claimed them for her hospital .
`` I mean , it was palpable .
You know , she drove to me to pick up four masks .
So that tells you something about what they 're dealing with , '' he says .
Shabd Simon-Alexander , a community organizer , helped launch Mask Crusaders .
She says the volunteer response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it — is heartening .
But she says it also underscores fundamental failures of federal and state government policy , planning and priorities .
`` I 'm super inspired by the way that people are stepping up to help each other .
And I love to see , like the beauty in humanity , but in reality , it should n't fall on us , '' Simon-Alexander says .
`` We ca n't mutual aid our way out of systemic failure .
And it 's not sustainable .
It 's just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storage to the workers in need can be challenge .
Beale , for example , called the New York State COVID-19 hotline for citizen donations .
Nothing happened .
He sent off an email to the address given .
Still nothing .
`` Did n't get a response , actually , still to date .
That was surprising to me because I did n't want to just show up at a hospital because , you know , I just know they 're just dealing with so much at this moment , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very unlikely to fill the need .
The scale of supplies that may be needed in coming months is daunting , especially in the hardest hit states .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom says his state is radically ramping up procurement of safety gear from across the country and the globe .
`` One billion gloves to procure , 500 million N95 masks , some 200 million shields — you get the picture , '' Newsom told reporters this week .
Newsom says now is the time for governors to coordinate closely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other for the same limited medical supplies .
That could hurt smaller states with smaller budgets .
Newsom says the nation must `` begin the process of centralizing the procurement , it is incumbent upon us to address this issue in a much more systemic way . ''
Many people are sewing homemade masks for personal and hospital use .
They 're sharing tips , tutorials and videos across social media .
But the CDC warns that those should be used only as a last resort and `` and are not considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ healthcare practitioners ] is unknown . ''
Simon-Alexander , who helped launch Mask Crusaders , hopes that as these ad-hoc efforts grow , maybe the definition of those who need masks also grows .
`` There are tons of people doing the work of keeping our city and our society afloat right now so that we can be safe , '' she says .
`` That includes janitors , garbage pickup and all of the grocery store clerks . ''
In the meantime , the promised help ca n't come fast enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louviaux , a clinical nurse at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange County , Calif. , says she and her colleagues are being told to severely limit the use of masks to conserve , and if they 're not soiled or damaged — to reuse them .
`` It makes us feel very unsafe , '' Louviaux says .
`` Our health is being put in jeopardy , the health of our patients is being put in jeopardy , our families ' health is being put in jeopardy . ''
It 's gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supervisors are questioning nurses : 'Why are you wearing that mask ? '
`` A spokesman for UCI Health , John Murray , says conserving PPE is prudent planning in case things get worse .
`` Given uncertainty about future availability of these supplies , UCI Health and medical centers across the University of California Health System have adopted safe conservation protocols consistent with CDC and OSHA guidance for appropriate PPE use , '' Murray wrote in an email .
The FDA is also encouraging hospitals to conserve masks and gowns .
U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on CBS earlier this week that Americans should brace for the possibility of shortages of personal protective equipment for weeks to come .
He called on Americans to postpone all elective surgeries .
`` We need to make sure the supplies are getting to New York , to California , to Washington , '' Adams says , adding , `` we know that there are going to be shortages in some areas . ''

Can The U.S. Crowdsource Its Way Out Of A Mask Shortage? No, But It Still Helps
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Across much of the nation, health care workers report ongoing, dire shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) including hospital gowns, face shields and especially respiratory N95 face masks.
President Trump says key help is on the way from the strategic reserve and from private industry ramping up production, including big shipments from 3M.
"Through FEMA, the federal government is distributing more than 8 million N95 respirators, 14 million surgical masks and many, many millions more under order — and they'll be arriving soon," Trump said Tuesday at a White House coronavirus briefing.
Given the overall crisis, scores of citizen-led donation groups are popping up across the country, including GetusPPE.org, DonatePPE.org, Mask Match and one to move gear from labs to hospitals called PPE Link. Then there's also a group of volunteers called Mask Crusaders who've set up ad hoc chapters in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and elsewhere. The hashtag #GetMePPE continues to trend across social media.
They're asking contractors, nail salon owners, museums — anyone — to search their closets and storage bins for disposable nitrile gloves as well as masks.
Brooklyn-based sculptor Tom Beale wanted to donate 50 surgical masks and some N95s in New York City, where hospitals are close to being overwhelmed. He contacted Mask Crusaders. Soon, a nurse at a local hospital got in touch. She told him her unit was down to its last mask.
"I brought them to Woodhull Hospital and a midwife came down. She was thrilled to receive them," Beale says.
The next day, an artist friend gave Beale four N95s. Just four. He went back to the Mask Crusaders site and a New York nurse quickly claimed them for her hospital.
"I mean, it was palpable. You know, she drove to me to pick up four masks. So that tells you something about what they're dealing with," he says.
Shabd Simon-Alexander, a community organizer, helped launch Mask Crusaders. She says the volunteer response to this makeshift effort — and many others like it — is heartening. But she says it also underscores fundamental failures of federal and state government policy, planning and priorities.
I'm super inspired by the way that people are stepping up to help each other. ... But in reality, it shouldn't fall on us. We can't mutual aid our way out of systemic failure.
"I'm super inspired by the way that people are stepping up to help each other. And I love to see, like the beauty in humanity, but in reality, it shouldn't fall on us," Simon-Alexander says. "We can't mutual aid our way out of systemic failure. And it's not sustainable. It's just a stopgap."
Getting the masks from storage to the workers in need can be a challenge. Beale, for example, called the New York State COVID-19 hotline for citizen donations. Nothing happened. He sent an email to the address given. Still nothing.
"Didn't get a response, actually, still to date. That was surprising to me because I didn't want to just show up at a hospital because, you know, I just know they're just dealing with so much at this moment," he says.
And the volunteer effort is very unlikely to fill the need. The scale of supplies that may be needed in coming months is daunting, especially in the hardest hit states.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says his state is radically ramping up procurement of safety gear from across the country and the globe.
"One billion gloves to procure, 500 million N95 masks, some 200 million shields — you get the picture," Newsom told reporters this week.
Newsom says now is the time for governors to coordinate closely, noting that states are now competing with each other for the same limited medical supplies. That could hurt smaller states with smaller budgets. Newsom says the nation must "begin the process of centralizing the procurement. It is incumbent upon us to address this issue in a much more systemic way."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
Many people are sewing homemade masks for personal and hospital use. They're sharing tips, tutorials and videos across social media. But the CDC warns that those should be used only as a last resort and "and are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect [health care practitioners] is unknown."
Simon-Alexander, who helped launch Mask Crusaders, hopes that as these ad hoc efforts grow, maybe the definition of those who need masks also grows.
"There are tons of people doing the work of keeping our city and our society afloat right now so that we can be safe," she says. "That includes janitors, garbage pickup and all of the grocery store clerks."
In the meantime, the promised help can't come fast enough for many nurses and doctors.
Our health is being put in jeopardy, the health of our patients is being put in jeopardy, our families' health is being put in jeopardy.
Maria Louviaux, a clinical nurse at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange County, Calif., says she and her colleagues are being told to severely limit the use of masks to conserve, and if they're not soiled or damaged — to reuse them.
"It makes us feel very unsafe," Louviaux says. "Our health is being put in jeopardy, the health of our patients is being put in jeopardy, our families' health is being put in jeopardy." It's gotten so bad, she says, "supervisors are questioning nurses: 'Why are you wearing that mask?' "
A spokesman for UCI Health, John Murray, says conserving personal protective equipment is prudent planning in case things get worse. "Given uncertainty about future availability of these supplies, UCI Health and medical centers across the University of California Health System have adopted safe conservation protocols consistent with CDC and OSHA guidance for appropriate PPE use," Murray wrote in an email. The FDA is also encouraging hospitals to conserve masks and gowns.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams warned on CBS earlier this week that Americans should brace for the possibility of shortages of personal protective equipment for weeks to come. He called on Americans to postpone all elective surgeries.
"We need to make sure the supplies are getting to New York, to California, to Washington," Adams said, adding, "we know that there are going to be shortages in some areas."