npr--2020-04-15--A 'War' For Medical Supplies: States Say FEMA Wins By Poaching Orders

A 'War ' For Medical Supplies : States Say FEMA Wins By Poaching Orders As the number of coronavirus cases surged in Massachusetts , nurses at a hospital in Milford were desperate .
They held up cardboard signs outside the hospital asking for donations of protective gear to wear while treating infected patients .
William Touhey Jr. thought he could help .
Touhey is the fire chief and emergency management director in this small town outside of Boston .
He did some legwork , and placed an order for 30,000 protective gowns from overseas .
`` We were hearing good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Touhey said .
Then he got a phone call from the distributor last week .
`` The order had been redirected , as they put it , from us to FEMA , '' Touhey said .
`` It 's just the way times are right now , where everybody 's fighting for a very limited supply of material . ''
State and local officials are caught up in a fierce global competition for masks , gowns , ventilators and other medical supplies .
The White House has told them not to rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` backup , '' and to find their own gear .
At the same time , the Federal Emergency Management Agency is keeping a tight grip on critical medical supplies leaving the country – and coming in from overseas .
This new system is disrupting an emergency supply chain that 's been in place for decades .
And now governors , hospitals and local officials say the federal government is big-footing them by poaching the supplies they ordered .
`` We had a good lead with a manufacturer on vents , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we 're not getting them , '' Colorado Governor Jared Polis , a Democrat , in an interview with CNN this month .
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker , a Republican , says his state placed an order for millions of N-95 respirator masks — but never got them .
`` We had our 3 million masks that we had ordered ... confiscated in the port in New York , '' Baker said at a press conference this month .
After federal officials took those masks , Baker says Massachusetts scrambled to arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time , state officials used a private plane that belongs to the New England Patriots .
So where did that first order of masks end up ?
`` I do n't have any specific information on that , '' said Captain W. Russell Webster , who is in charge of FEMA 's coronavirus response in New England , in an interview with member station WBUR .
While he ca n't explain what happened to those masks , Webster said that FEMA is distributing critical medical supplies from the national stockpile based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of distribution based on health care workers and other first-line people involved in the COVID-19 response , '' Webster said .
But state and local officials say they 're baffled .
They do n't understand how distribution decisions are made .
And they do n't understand why FEMA is taking some of the supplies they 'd already ordered .
We asked FEMA headquarters in Washington about that .
In a written statement , a spokesman said FEMA does not seize or commandeer supplies that are already inside the United States .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` cancel on a state contract in favor of [ a ] federal one . ''
`` FEMA rightfully can say we did n't grab it from them .
We just simply outbid them , '' said Juliette Kayyem , who teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School .
`` And that 's clearly what 's happening . ''
During the Obama administration , Kayyem was an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security , where it was her job to coordinate the federal and local response to disasters .
She 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus response .
`` This White House thinks everyone before them was stupid , '' Kayyem said .
Until now , Kayyem says , the playbook has been that federal , state and local officials should all be pulling in the same direction .
But not anymore .
`` For decades , we have worked disasters the same way .
The locals execute , the states coordinate and the feds support , '' Kayyem said .
`` The federal government under Donald Trump has decided it is going to essentially go to war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it 's winning .
That 's the problem . ''
The federal government is winning the chaotic competition for scarce protective equipment , Kayyem says , and in the process it 's driving up the price of those supplies for everybody .
And leaving states and hospitals even more desperate to find what they need .

A 'War' For Medical Supplies: States Say FEMA Wins By Poaching Orders
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
As the number of coronavirus cases surged in Massachusetts, nurses at a hospital in Milford were desperate. They held up cardboard signs outside the hospital asking for donations of protective gear to wear while treating infected patients.
William Touhey Jr. thought he could help. Touhey is the fire chief and emergency management director in this small town outside of Boston. He did some legwork, and placed an order for 30,000 protective gowns from overseas.
"We were hearing good things that it was coming," Touhey said.
Then he got a phone call from the distributor last week.
"The order had been redirected, as they put it, from us to FEMA," Touhey said. "It's just the way times are right now, where everybody's fighting for a very limited supply of material."
State and local officials are caught up in a fierce global competition for masks, gowns, ventilators and other medical supplies. The White House has told them not to rely on the federal government because it's just a "backup," and to find their own gear.
At the same time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is keeping a tight grip on critical medical supplies leaving the country – and coming in from overseas. This new system is disrupting an emergency supply chain that's been in place for decades.
And now governors, hospitals and local officials say the federal government is big-footing them by poaching the supplies they ordered.
"We had a good lead with a manufacturer on vents, and they got swept up by FEMA, so we're not getting them," Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, in an interview with CNN this month.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, says his state placed an order for millions of N-95 respirator masks — but never got them. "We had our 3 million masks that we had ordered ... confiscated in the port in New York," Baker said at a press conference this month.
After federal officials took those masks, Baker says Massachusetts scrambled to arrange a new shipment from China. But this time, state officials used a private plane that belongs to the New England Patriots.
So where did that first order of masks end up?
"I don't have any specific information on that," said Captain W. Russell Webster, who is in charge of FEMA's coronavirus response in New England, in an interview with member station WBUR.
While he can't explain what happened to those masks, Webster said that FEMA is distributing critical medical supplies from the national stockpile based on need.
"There is a priority of distribution based on health care workers and other first-line people involved in the COVID-19 response," Webster said.
But state and local officials say they're baffled. They don't understand how distribution decisions are made. And they don't understand why FEMA is taking some of the supplies they'd already ordered.
We asked FEMA headquarters in Washington about that. In a written statement, a spokesman said FEMA does not seize or commandeer supplies that are already inside the United States. But the spokesman said that a supplier might decide to "cancel on a state contract in favor of [a] federal one."
"FEMA rightfully can say we didn't grab it from them. We just simply outbid them," said Juliette Kayyem, who teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School. "And that's clearly what's happening."
During the Obama administration, Kayyem was an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, where it was her job to coordinate the federal and local response to disasters. She's also baffled by the Trump administration's coronavirus response.
"This White House thinks everyone before them was stupid," Kayyem said.
Until now, Kayyem says, the playbook has been that federal, state and local officials should all be pulling in the same direction. But not anymore.
"For decades, we have worked disasters the same way. The locals execute, the states coordinate and the feds support," Kayyem said. "The federal government under Donald Trump has decided it is going to essentially go to war, create a parallel response apparatus, and it's winning. That's the problem."
The federal government is winning the chaotic competition for scarce protective equipment, Kayyem says, and in the process it's driving up the price of those supplies for everybody. And leaving states and hospitals even more desperate to find what they need.


npr--2020-04-15--On Fire Anniversary, Notre Dame Bell Rings But Pandemic Has Stopped Restoration Work

On Fire Anniversary , Notre Dame Bell Rings But Pandemic Has Stopped Restoration Work On Wednesday , the first anniversary of the devastating fire that ripped through Notre Dame , the famous 17th century bell in the cathedral 's south tower , known as `` le bourdon , '' rang out at 8 p.m. Brice de Malherbe , a priest at Notre Dame , came out on the warm , sunny evening to listen to the bell toll for the first time since the fire .
`` My feeling today is mainly hope because the cathedral is still there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have the blazing flames we had a year ago .
Of course , the cathedral is hurt , but it seems nearly serene . ''
Notre Dame is still in danger , but the work to restore it has come to a stop because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The construction site surrounding the cathedral stands silent .
The engineers , architects , archaeologists and stonemasons are gone .
`` The workers were protected from lead , but not COVID-19 , '' Rémi Fromont , the chief architect of historic monuments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To impose a 3-meter [ 9-ft. ] distance between people was impossible .
And the humidity would make it hard to properly disinfect . ''
Fromont warns Notre Dame 's vaulted ceiling is still in danger of collapse .
It is weighed down by 300 tons of charred timbers and mangled scaffolding soldered together by the fire .
Originally in place to repair the roof , the scaffolding 's twisted metal now threatens to destabilize Notre-Dame 's structure , if it falls on any of the weakened walls .
The months-long task of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down bit by bit was to have begun in March , when the virus outbreak struck and France went into confinement .
Scores of motion detectors have been installed amid the rubble to detect even the slightest movement .
Jean-Louis Georgelin , the French army general appointed by President Emmanuel Macron to oversee Notre Dame 's restoration , told French media the work would begin again as soon as possible , but that coronavirus protection measures would have to be assessed carefully to protect employees and experts from across France who are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown began on March 17 , around 100 workers were present at the site .
Now only a security team guards the entrance and officials visit once a week to make sure things are in order .
On Monday , Macron extended France 's strict confinement measures until May 11 .
On Wednesday , the French president posted a hopeful video message on his Twitter account , saying the cathedral would be rebuilt in five years , as promised .
`` The restoration of Notre Dame is a symbol of the resilience of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great trials , '' he said .
In a five-minute message , Macron thanked those who worked to save Notre Dame from the fire , those who are rebuilding the cathedral and those from around the world who donated money to save this Paris monument .
`` You pave the way for better days , '' he said , `` when we will find the joy of being together again and the spire of Notre Dame once again reaches to the sky . ''

On Fire Anniversary, Notre Dame Bell Rings But Pandemic Has Stopped Restoration Work
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chesnot/Getty Images Chesnot/Getty Images
On Wednesday, the first anniversary of the devastating fire that ripped through Notre Dame, the famous 17th century bell in the cathedral's south tower, known as "le bourdon," rang out at 8 p.m.
Brice de Malherbe, a priest at Notre Dame, came out on the warm, sunny evening to listen to the bell toll for the first time since the fire.
"My feeling today is mainly hope because the cathedral is still there," he said. "We don't have the blazing flames we had a year ago. Of course, the cathedral is hurt, but it seems nearly serene."
Notre Dame is still in danger, but the work to restore it has come to a stop because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The construction site surrounding the cathedral stands silent. The engineers, architects, archaeologists and stonemasons are gone.
"The workers were protected from lead, but not COVID-19," Rémi Fromont, the chief architect of historic monuments, told French television on Monday. "To impose a 3-meter [9-ft.] distance between people was impossible. And the humidity would make it hard to properly disinfect."
Fromont warns Notre Dame's vaulted ceiling is still in danger of collapse. It is weighed down by 300 tons of charred timbers and mangled scaffolding soldered together by the fire. Originally in place to repair the roof, the scaffolding's twisted metal now threatens to destabilize Notre-Dame's structure, if it falls on any of the weakened walls.
The months-long task of cutting the debris apart and bringing it down bit by bit was to have begun in March, when the virus outbreak struck and France went into confinement.
Scores of motion detectors have been installed amid the rubble to detect even the slightest movement.
Jean-Louis Georgelin, the French army general appointed by President Emmanuel Macron to oversee Notre Dame's restoration, told French media the work would begin again as soon as possible, but that coronavirus protection measures would have to be assessed carefully to protect employees and experts from across France who are working on the reconstruction.
Before France's lockdown began on March 17, around 100 workers were present at the site. Now only a security team guards the entrance and officials visit once a week to make sure things are in order. On Monday, Macron extended France's strict confinement measures until May 11.
On Wednesday, the French president posted a hopeful video message on his Twitter account, saying the cathedral would be rebuilt in five years, as promised.
"The restoration of Notre Dame is a symbol of the resilience of our people and our capacity to overcome great trials," he said.
In a five-minute message, Macron thanked those who worked to save Notre Dame from the fire, those who are rebuilding the cathedral and those from around the world who donated money to save this Paris monument.
"You pave the way for better days," he said, "when we will find the joy of being together again and the spire of Notre Dame once again reaches to the sky."


npr--2020-04-15--'We Alerted The World' To Coronavirus On Jan. 5, WHO Says In Response To U.S.

'We Alerted The World ' To Coronavirus On Jan. 5 , WHO Says In Response To U.S. '' We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization , '' WHO Direct0r-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday in response to President Trump 's plan to stop U.S. money from going to the agency .
The U.S. is the top contributor to the WHO , which is leading the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic .
On Tuesday , Trump accused the WHO of `` severely mismanaging and covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He also said the organization is overly influenced by China and was too trusting of that country , particularly in the early phase of the outbreak .
Through the middle of January , the president said , the WHO `` parroted and publicly endorsed the idea that there was not human-to-human transmission happening despite reports and clear evidence to the contrary . ''
The president also said the health agency had delayed raising the alarm on the threat posed by the new coronavirus , which is now confirmed to have infected more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday to a question about the U.S. accusations , Dr. Mike Ryan , executive director of the WHO 's Health Emergencies Programme , said , `` In the first weeks of January , the WHO was very , very clear . ''
`` We alerted the world on January the 5th , '' Ryan said .
`` Systems around the world , including the U.S. , began to activate their incident management systems on January the 6th .
And through the next number of weeks , we 've produced multiple updates to countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists around the world , on the developing situation — and that is what it was , a developing situation . ''
Trump said the WHO had `` deprived the scientific community of essential data , '' accusing it of failing to obtain virus samples .
To that charge , Ryan replied , `` The virus was identified on January the 7th .
The [ genetic ] sequence was shared on the 12th with the world . ''
As for the guidance about human-to-human spread of the new virus , Ryan noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention of human-to-human transmission .
But he also said , `` There is always a risk with respiratory pathogen that it can move from person to person . ''
`` When WHO issued its first guidance to countries , it was extremely clear that respiratory precautions should be taken in dealing with patients with this disease , '' Ryan said , `` that labs needed to be careful in terms of their precautions and taking samples , because there was a risk that the disease could spread from person to person in those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the looming outbreak , Ryan said , the main question was still whether the virus would be able to efficiently spread in community environments — an ability it has since proved to have , to tragic effect .
In early January , the disease was known only through a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases — pneumonia with an unknown origin .
`` There are literally millions and millions of cases of atypical pneumonia around the world every year , '' Ryan said , adding that in the middle of an influenza season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cluster of 41 confirmed cases was singled out in Wuhan , China .
Questions about advice from the WHO during the early days of the outbreak recently prompted Maria Van Kerkhove , an emerging-disease expert who is the agency 's technical lead on COVID-19 , to review her first news conference about it , on Jan. 14 .
In that session , she discussed the questions that researchers were trying to answer about the virus , from the modes of transmission to the extent of infection in patients .
`` All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did that press conference was about limiting exposure to people and to prevent transmission , particularly in health care settings , '' Van Kerkhove said .
`` We wanted to ensure that front-line workers were protected , '' she added , `` so our guidance that was put out was about respiratory droplets and contact protection . ''
`` All of that was out on the 10th and the 11th of January , '' she said .
Tedros did not dwell on Trump 's accusations .
Instead , he referred to the WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Nations ' existence and its mission of protecting public health .
And while he called the U.S. `` a long-standing and generous friend , '' Tedros also said the WHO is committed to working with all nations , `` without fear or favor . ''
`` COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich nations and poor , large nations and small .
It does not discriminate between nationalities , ethnicities or ideologies , '' Tedros said .
`` Neither do we .
This is a time for all of us to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common threat — a dangerous enemy . ''
After the pandemic has finally been corralled , Tedros said , there will be time to review the WHO 's performance — a process he said is routine after any disease outbreak .
`` No doubt , areas for improvement will be identified , and there will be lessons for all of us to learn , '' he said .
`` But for now , our focus — my focus — is on stopping this virus and saving lives . ''
Critics are saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to deflect blame away from his own administration 's problems in containing COVID-19 .
The U.S. has more than 610,000 confirmed coronavirus cases — far more than any other country , according to Johns Hopkins University 's COVID-19 dashboard .
As the U.S death toll from COVID-19 soared past 26,000 on Wednesday , the White House issued a statement reiterating Trump 's complaints about the WHO .
When Tedros was asked what kind of financial impact the U.S. stance could have , he declined to give specifics , saying the WHO is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by a withdrawal of U.S. funding .
He added , `` We 'll work with our partners to fill any financial gaps we face and to ensure our work continues uninterrupted . ''
A look at the WHO 's most recent financial update suggests that lack of U.S. money would have a profound impact .
In that report , the WHO lists some $ 5.6 billion in total contributions from members and foundations .
The U.S. is responsible for nearly 15 % of the WHO 's funding in `` specified voluntary contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest funding category , supporting specific disease programs and regional initiatives .
The U.S. also accounts for 22 % of the $ 1 billion that the WHO brings in through `` assessed contributions '' from member nations .

'We Alerted The World' To Coronavirus On Jan. 5, WHO Says In Response To U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
"We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization," WHO Direct0r-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday in response to President Trump's plan to stop U.S. money from going to the agency.
The U.S. is the top contributor to the WHO, which is leading the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic.
On Tuesday, Trump accused the WHO of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus." He also said the organization is overly influenced by China and was too trusting of that country, particularly in the early phase of the outbreak.
Through the middle of January, the president said, the WHO "parroted and publicly endorsed the idea that there was not human-to-human transmission happening despite reports and clear evidence to the contrary."
The president also said the health agency had delayed raising the alarm on the threat posed by the new coronavirus, which is now confirmed to have infected more than 2 million people.
Responding on Wednesday to a question about the U.S. accusations, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said, "In the first weeks of January, the WHO was very, very clear."
"We alerted the world on January the 5th," Ryan said. "Systems around the world, including the U.S., began to activate their incident management systems on January the 6th. And through the next number of weeks, we've produced multiple updates to countries, including briefing multiple governments, multiple scientists around the world, on the developing situation — and that is what it was, a developing situation."
YouTube
Trump said the WHO had "deprived the scientific community of essential data," accusing it of failing to obtain virus samples.
To that charge, Ryan replied, "The virus was identified on January the 7th. The [genetic] sequence was shared on the 12th with the world."
As for the guidance about human-to-human spread of the new virus, Ryan noted that in initial reports, there was no mention of human-to-human transmission. But he also said, "There is always a risk with respiratory pathogen that it can move from person to person."
"When WHO issued its first guidance to countries, it was extremely clear that respiratory precautions should be taken in dealing with patients with this disease," Ryan said, "that labs needed to be careful in terms of their precautions and taking samples, because there was a risk that the disease could spread from person to person in those environments."
At that point in the looming outbreak, Ryan said, the main question was still whether the virus would be able to efficiently spread in community environments — an ability it has since proved to have, to tragic effect.
In early January, the disease was known only through a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases — pneumonia with an unknown origin.
"There are literally millions and millions of cases of atypical pneumonia around the world every year," Ryan said, adding that in the middle of an influenza season, it was "quite remarkable" that a cluster of 41 confirmed cases was singled out in Wuhan, China.
Questions about advice from the WHO during the early days of the outbreak recently prompted Maria Van Kerkhove, an emerging-disease expert who is the agency's technical lead on COVID-19, to review her first news conference about it, on Jan. 14. In that session, she discussed the questions that researchers were trying to answer about the virus, from the modes of transmission to the extent of infection in patients.
"All of our guidance that was out before we did that press conference was about limiting exposure to people and to prevent transmission, particularly in health care settings," Van Kerkhove said.
"We wanted to ensure that front-line workers were protected," she added, "so our guidance that was put out was about respiratory droplets and contact protection."
"All of that was out on the 10th and the 11th of January," she said.
Tedros did not dwell on Trump's accusations. Instead, he referred to the WHO's origins in the first years of the United Nations' existence and its mission of protecting public health. And while he called the U.S. "a long-standing and generous friend," Tedros also said the WHO is committed to working with all nations, "without fear or favor."
"COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich nations and poor, large nations and small. It does not discriminate between nationalities, ethnicities or ideologies," Tedros said. "Neither do we. This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat — a dangerous enemy."
After the pandemic has finally been corralled, Tedros said, there will be time to review the WHO's performance — a process he said is routine after any disease outbreak.
"No doubt, areas for improvement will be identified, and there will be lessons for all of us to learn," he said. "But for now, our focus — my focus — is on stopping this virus and saving lives."
Critics are saying that by attacking the WHO, Trump is seeking to deflect blame away from his own administration's problems in containing COVID-19. The U.S. has more than 610,000 confirmed coronavirus cases — far more than any other country, according to Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 dashboard.
As the U.S death toll from COVID-19 soared past 26,000 on Wednesday, the White House issued a statement reiterating Trump's complaints about the WHO.
When Tedros was asked what kind of financial impact the U.S. stance could have, he declined to give specifics, saying the WHO is now reviewing how its work might be affected by a withdrawal of U.S. funding.
He added, "We'll work with our partners to fill any financial gaps we face and to ensure our work continues uninterrupted."
A look at the WHO's most recent financial update suggests that lack of U.S. money would have a profound impact. In that report, the WHO lists some $5.6 billion in total contributions from members and foundations.
The U.S. is responsible for nearly 15% of the WHO's funding in "specified voluntary contributions," which is by far the largest funding category, supporting specific disease programs and regional initiatives. The U.S. also accounts for 22% of the $1 billion that the WHO brings in through "assessed contributions" from member nations.


npr--2020-04-16--In South Korea, Success Fighting The Virus Brings Success At The Ballot Box

In South Korea , Success Fighting The Virus Brings Success At The Ballot Box In an early demonstration of how a government 's response to an epidemic can alter the political landscape , South Korea 's ruling , center-left Democratic Party scored a landslide victory in legislative elections Wednesday , largely on the strength of its success in tackling COVID-19 .
Elections for South Korea 's National Assembly typically feature low voter turnout , but this year the numbers jumped , with roughly two-thirds of eligible voters participating , the highest level in nearly three decades .
`` We believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold a nationwide election in the middle of this pandemic , '' Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told reporters Thursday , adding : `` It was n't an easy task to strike a balance between guaranteeing voting rights and ensuring safety . ''
All voters were required to have their temperatures taken at polling stations , use hand sanitizer and wear face masks and plastic gloves .
Voters with fevers were given their own voting booths , which were sanitized after each use .
Roughly a quarter of the some 60,000 South Koreans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote after polls had closed .
Some were escorted by local officials .
They were instructed to stand 6.5 feet from each other , double the distance of other voters .
Stalled nuclear talks with North Korea and lackluster economic growth at home had depressed President Moon Jae-in 's approval ratings last year .
His early handling of the coronavirus epidemic came under fire , with face masks in short supply and travelers entering South Korea unimpeded from parts of China except Hubei province .
But South Korea has made notable progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak of more than 900 new cases a day in late February , new coronavirus infections have declined to below 30 per day this week .
Mortality from COVID-19 in South Korea is around 2 % , compared to a global average of more than 6 % .
The South Korean president 's party captured a three-fifths majority in the 300-member , unicameral legislature , giving Moon a stronger mandate for the remaining two years of his five-year term .
He should be able to enact legislation with little or no help from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a moment that sets a fresh agenda , completely different from what President Moon started with , '' says Lee Eun-young , director of the Seoul-based Korea Public Opinion Lab .
`` The previous issues will no longer look important . ''
And if South Korea 's situation remains challenging , it certainly looks better in comparison to other countries , whose health systems have buckled under the influx of patients .
World leaders ( and a rock star ) have sought Moon 's advice and assistance .
President Trump called Moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kits .
( South Korea was due to send an initial batch of 600,000 this week . )
The following day , Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called and lauded South Korea 's `` steadfast and diligent '' efforts .
U2 singer Bono wrote to ask Moon for protective gear for Irish health care workers .
Meanwhile , Moon 's political persona , which projects competence , not charisma , seems to have served him well .
`` Moon has shown steady leadership , trying to remain above the fray of partisanship and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the pandemic , '' Ewha Womans University in Seoul Prof. Leif-Eric Easley comments .
`` He has also represented South Korea on the international stage as a positive example of policy planning , implementation and cooperation . ''
Moon has ceded much of the public limelight to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Jung Eun-kyeong , an infectious diseases expert who , speaking to reporters in a yellow jumpsuit , has become the public face of South Korea 's battle against COVID-19 .
On the economic front , Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lab notes that Moon moved quickly last month to announce `` disaster relief payments '' to households , well before the pandemic 's full economic impact was felt .
This week , the cabinet approved payments of about $ 820 to all but the richest 30 % of the population .
Not all voters embraced Moon and his party , though .
Outside her local voting station in Seoul , one 83-year-old homemaker , who gave only her family name , Choi , questioned whether the promised money would materialize .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any help from the government , '' she sniffed .
`` The world is praising South Korea 's response , but I think it 's the people here who have done a great job . ''

In South Korea, Success Fighting The Virus Brings Success At The Ballot Box
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ahn Young-joon/AP Ahn Young-joon/AP
In an early demonstration of how a government's response to an epidemic can alter the political landscape, South Korea's ruling, center-left Democratic Party scored a landslide victory in legislative elections Wednesday, largely on the strength of its success in tackling COVID-19.
Elections for South Korean National Assembly typically feature low voter turnout, but this year, the numbers jumped, with roughly two-thirds of eligible voters participating, the highest level in nearly three decades.
"We believe South Korea was the first country to hold a nationwide election in the middle of this pandemic," vice health minister Kim Ganglip told reporters Thursday, adding: "It wasn't an easy task to strike a balance between guaranteeing voting rights and ensuring safety."
All voters were required to have their temperatures taken at polling stations, use hand sanitizer, and wear face masks and plastic gloves. Voters with fevers were given their own voting booths, which were sanitized after each use.
Roughly a quarter of the some 60,000 South Koreans under self-quarantine were allowed out of isolation to vote after polls had closed. Some were escorted by local officials. They were instructed to stand 6.5 feet from one another, double the distance of other voters.
A change to President Moon's political fortunes
Stalled nuclear talks with North Korea and lackluster economic growth at home had depressed President Moon Jae-in's approval ratings last year. His early handling of the coronavirus epidemic came under fire, with face masks in short supply and travelers entering South Korea unimpeded from parts of China except Hubei province, the epicenter of the disease.
But South Korea has made notable progress in containing the virus. After a peak of more than 900 new cases a day in late February, new coronavirus infections have declined to below 30 per day this week. Mortality from COVID-19 in South Korea is around 2%, compared with a global average of more than 6%.
The South Korean president's party captured a three-fifths majority in the 300-member, unicameral legislature, giving Moon a stronger mandate for the remaining two years of his five-year term. He should be able to enact legislation with little or no help from other parties.
Moon's approval ratings now stand at a 17-month high.
"This election will be a moment that sets a fresh agenda, completely different from what President Moon started with," says Lee Eun-young, director of the Seoul-based Korea Public Opinion Lab. "The previous issues will no longer look important."
And if South Korea's situation remains challenging, it certainly looks better in comparison with other countries where health systems have buckled under the influx of patients. World leaders (and a rock star) have sought Moon's advice and assistance.
President Trump called Moon last month, urgently requesting COVID-19 test kits. (South Korea is due to send an initial batch of 600,000 this week.) The following day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called and lauded South Korea's "steadfast and diligent" efforts. U2 singer Bono wrote to ask Moon for protective gear for Irish health care workers.
Meanwhile, Moon's political persona, which projects competence, not charisma, seems to have served him well.
"Moon has shown steady leadership, trying to remain above the fray of partisanship and scandal while emphasizing a science-based, collective response to the pandemic," Ewha Womans University in Seoul professor Leif-Eric Easley comments. "He has also represented South Korea on the international stage as a positive example of policy planning, implementation and cooperation."
Moon has ceded much of the public limelight to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Jung Eun-kyeong, an infectious diseases expert who, speaking to reporters in a yellow jumpsuit, has become the public face of South Korea's battle against COVID-19.
On the economic front, Lee Eun-young of the Korea Public Opinion Lab, notes that Moon moved quickly last month to announce "disaster relief payments" to households, well before the pandemic's full economic impact was felt. This week, the cabinet approved payments of about $820 to all but the richest 30% of the population.
Not all voters embraced Moon and his party, though. Outside her local voting station in Seoul, one 83-year-old homemaker, who gave only her family name, Choi, questioned whether the promised money would materialize.
"I don't feel like I've received any help from the government," she sniffed. "The world is praising South Korea's response, but I think it's the people here who have done a great job."


npr--2020-04-16--Nearly 400 Rohingya Rescued From Boat Near Bangladesh After 2 Months Adrift

Nearly 400 Rohingya Rescued From Boat Near Bangladesh After 2 Months Adrift Bangladesh 's coast guard said Thursday that it rescued hundreds of starving Rohingya refugees from a fishing trawler that had been drifting at sea , but a survivor said at least 28 others died during a failed , two-month effort to reach Malaysia .
The refugees , mostly women and children , were intercepted late Wednesday after the boat attempted to make landfall on Bangladesh 's southeast coast near Cox 's Bazar , Bangladesh Coast Guard Lt .
Commander Sohel Rana said .
An official was quoted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were aboard , but Reuters reports that the number was later revised upward to 396 .
A coast guard spokesman , Lt. Shah Zia Rahman , said a tip-off had led to a three-day search for the vessel , which he described as a `` big overcrowded fishing trawler . ''
`` They were starving , '' he added .
`` They were floating for 58 days .
And over the last seven days [ the trawler ] was moving in our territorial waters , '' the spokesman said .
Earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had detained a boat carrying some 200 suspected Rohingya refugees to prevent it from making landfall at the island of Langkawi .
It is unclear whether the trawler rescued off Bangladesh is the same one .
One of the survivors , identified by The Dhaka Times newspaper as Md Jobair , said the refugees had set to sea two months previous and had approached the Malaysian coast .
However , Jobair said coronavirus restrictions in Malaysia had prevented them from making landfall and the vessel was forced to turn back .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sea and without food or water some 28 people had died on the boat , '' he said .
A local official put the number of dead at 32 .
A Bangladeshi intelligence official told the AP he had spoken with at least 10 of the refugees .
He said they had told him that before they set to sea , they had been living in Bangladeshi camps housing Rohingya Muslims who have fled neighboring Myanmar .
Human smugglers have become notorious for promising refugees safe passage to destinations in Southeast Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Rohingya refugees remained stranded at sea for weeks as various governments in the region refused to grant permission for them to come ashore .
Eventually , Malaysia and Indonesia relented .
International observers say Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long persecuted ethnic Rohingya , who are mostly Muslim .
Myanmar denies the allegation , despite acknowledging a 2017 military crackdown on the group , which prompted the exodus of more than a million Rohingya .
Most of those refugees are still housed in refugee camps near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border .
Chris Lewa , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates on behalf of Rohingya people , tells Reuters that she believes there are more refugees stranded at sea .
`` Rohingya may encounter closed borders supported by a xenophobic public narrative , '' she said in a message to the news agency .
`` COVID-19 can not be used to deny access to territory to desperate refugees in distress . ''

Nearly 400 Rohingya Rescued From Boat Near Bangladesh After 2 Months Adrift
Enlarge this image toggle caption Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency/AP Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency/AP
Bangladesh's coast guard said Thursday that it rescued hundreds of starving Rohingya refugees from a fishing trawler that had been drifting at sea. A survivor said at least 28 others died during a failed, two-month effort to reach Malaysia.
The refugees, mostly women and children, were intercepted late Wednesday after the boat attempted to make landfall on Bangladesh's southeast coast near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh coast guard Lt. Cmdr. Sohel Rana said.
An official was quoted by The Associated Press as saying 382 survivors were aboard, but Reuters reports that the number was later revised upward to 396.
A coast guard spokesman, Lt. Shah Zia Rahman, said a tip led to a three-day search for the vessel, which he described as a "big overcrowded fishing trawler."
"They were starving," he added.
"They were floating for 58 days. And over the last seven days [the trawler] was moving in our territorial waters," the spokesman said.
Earlier this month, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency officials said they detained a boat carrying some 200 people, believed to be Rohingya refugees, to prevent it from making landfall at the island of Langkawi. It is unclear whether the trawler rescued off Bangladesh is the same one.
One of the survivors, identified by The Dhaka Times newspaper as Md Jobair, said the refugees had set out to sea two months previously and approached the Malaysian coast. However, Jobair said coronavirus restrictions in Malaysia prevented them from making landfall and the vessel was forced to turn back.
"Since then, we were adrift on the sea and without food or water some 28 people had died on the boat," he said. A local official put the number of dead at 32.
A Bangladeshi intelligence official told the AP he had spoken with at least 10 of the refugees. He said they told him that before they set out to sea, they were living in Bangladeshi camps housing Rohingya Muslims who have fled neighboring Myanmar.
Human smugglers have become notorious for promising refugees safe passage to destinations in Southeast Asia. In 2015, a boat filled with Rohingya refugees remained stranded at sea for weeks as various governments in the region refused to grant permission for them to come ashore. Eventually, Malaysia and Indonesia relented.
International observers say Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long persecuted ethnic Rohingya, who are mostly Muslim. Myanmar denies the allegation, despite acknowledging a 2017 military crackdown on the group, which prompted the exodus of more than a million Rohingya. Most of those refugees are still housed in refugee camps near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.
Chris Lewa, the director of the Arakan Project, which advocates on behalf of Rohingya people, tells Reuters that she believes there are more refugees stranded at sea.
"Rohingya may encounter closed borders supported by a xenophobic public narrative," she said in a message to the news agency. "COVID-19 cannot be used to deny access to territory to desperate refugees in distress."


npr--2020-04-16--Lessons From Congress' Last Experience Helping Rescue An Economy In Free Fall

Lessons From Congress ' Last Experience Helping Rescue An Economy In Free Fall When Congress voted last month to approve the largest legislative package in modern history most lawmakers were already saying that the $ 2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill would n't be enough to save the economy .
Now , less than three weeks later , talks are stalled over a White House request to refill the nearly empty coffers of the small business loan program .
Democrats and Republicans are sparring over when and how to pass the money they all agree must be spent .
This kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those on Capitol Hill who legislated through the last financial meltdown in 2008 and 2009 .
While the two crises are vastly different in their scope and origin , Congress will have to repeat the familiar struggle to balance conflicting advice and ideas for how to save the economy while also avoiding a swift political fallout .
For former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor , R-Va. , the memory of the moment he tried to understand the scope of the 2008 financial crisis is crystal clear .
He vividly remembers the day the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol Hill and told lawmakers the banking system could collapse .
`` And we were sort of asking the question , like what do you mean that the banking system would collapse , would n't work ? ''
Cantor recalled in an interview .
`` And one of the responses was , 'well , your constituents can wake up tomorrow morning and go to the A.T.M .
and there 'll be no cash . '
'' The sudden onset and depth of the crisis in the fall of 2008 mirrored the fears in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly remote problem — big banks having trouble with mortgages or , in this case , a flu catching on in China — could quickly spiral and Congress would need to imagine the ways to prevent unimaginable consequences .
Cantor said that during the last recession Congress was trying to keep the financial systems moving so that the structures that support the economy did n't disappear .
But he noted the politics of propping up large banks as the ripple effects hit Main Street ca n't compare to the political calculations that come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outside force like a virus .
`` [ Coronavirus ] was n't anyone 's fault , '' Cantor said .
`` And then the government just said , everyone stay home , which shuts down the economy .
So I think in a way , the urgency was that much more magnified . ''
And the response so far has been much faster and larger .
In September 2008 Congress approved then then-record breaking $ 700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program , or TARP , with a bipartisan vote .
Like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by voice vote last month , that first attempt in 2008 was n't enough to fix the economy .
Democrats took control of Congress just over three months later and immediately got to work on a massive stimulus with newly elected President Obama .
A sea of new Democrats took office in 2009 like former Rep. Tom Perriello , D-Va. , started their Congressional careers by debating the largest fiscal stimulus on record while also learning the limits of the federal government .
`` The scale of the problem and the urgency required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things at once , '' Perriello said in an interview .
`` The federal government actually has a limited number of ways to get out resources to people quickly . ''
At the time , Democrats wanted to rethink the entire economy — create jobs and opportunity for people who had been left behind .
And they wanted to use this stimulus bill to help get that started .
But they were also in a hurry .
Phil Schiliro , President Obama 's director of legislative affairs at the time , said economists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the precipice of a depression .
So Congress rushed .
Lawmakers were sworn in on January 3 , 2009 and the $ 787 billion stimulus was signed into law on February 17 of that same year .
`` The normal legislative process , the normal process of holding hearings just was n't possible , '' Schiliro said in an interview .
`` Something very similar has happened in the bills over the last month . ''
By the time the massive stimulus was done , they had to pass it without a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get TARP signed into law just months earlier had crumbled as political winds shifted .
Cantor said lawmakers should n't be surprised if the unity on the Coronavirus response shifts too — even before the election .
`` This is gon na get political , '' Cantor said .
`` I mean , for sure you can already see the attacks that are coming . ''
There are consequences to quick action as well .
In the rush to pass the 2009 stimulus bill some members voted without even reading it , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to come .
And even legislation that moves quickly by congressional standards can be slow to take effect for most people .
`` One of the fundamental problems was the economy did n't recover in time , '' Schiliro said .
`` There were deep seated problems .
It was going to take a while . ''
Democrats had approved massive changes to the economy and billions in spending .
And then they shifted just months later to rewriting the nation 's health care system .
Democrats say all of those changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schiliro said , and the recovery lasted basically until last month .
But politics moved faster .
Perriello lost his seat after one term in a massive wave election in 2010 .
Democrats lost 63 seats and control of the house .
Cantor 's bank bailout vote , which he defends today , was used against him when he lost a primary challenge in 2014 .
There 's no way to know when the damage from the virus will fade .
But Congress will learn if their actions went far enough when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said lawmakers ca n't be thinking about that when they 're voting on aid .
`` The most important thing is to know whatever happens in the next election that you did what was right , '' Periello said .
`` That you stepped up and used the power that you had in Congress to try to help people . ''

Lessons From Congress' Last Experience Helping Rescue An Economy In Free Fall
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mary Altaffer/AP Mary Altaffer/AP
When Congress voted last month to approve the largest legislative package in modern history, most lawmakers were already saying that the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill wouldn't be enough to save the economy.
Now, less than three weeks later, talks are stalled over a White House request to refill the nearly empty coffers of the small business loan program. Democrats and Republicans are sparring over when and how to pass the money they all agree must be spent.
This kind of fight is all too familiar to those on Capitol Hill who legislated through the last financial meltdown in 2008 and 2009. While the two crises are vastly different in their scope and origin, Congress will have to repeat the familiar struggle to balance conflicting advice and ideas for how to save the economy while also avoiding a swift political fallout.
For former Rep. Eric Cantor, a Virginia Republican who later became House majority leader, the memory of the moment he tried to understand the scope of the 2008 financial crisis is crystal clear. He vividly remembers the day the chairman of the Federal Reserve came to Capitol Hill and told lawmakers the banking system could collapse.
"And we were sort of asking the question, like, 'What do you mean that the banking system would collapse, wouldn't work?' " Cantor recalled in an interview earlier this month. "And one of the responses was, 'Well, your constituents can wake up tomorrow morning and go to the ATM and there'll be no cash.' "
The sudden onset and depth of the crisis in the fall of 2008 mirrored the fears in Congress today. What started as a seemingly remote problem — big banks having trouble with mortgages or, in this case, a flu catching on in China — could quickly spiral and Congress would need to imagine the ways to prevent unimaginable consequences. Cantor said that during the last recession, Congress was trying to keep the financial systems moving so that the structures that support the economy didn't disappear. But he noted the politics of propping up large banks as the ripple effects hit Main Street can't compare to the political calculations that come with trying to save the economy from an outside force like a virus.
"[Coronavirus] wasn't anyone's fault," Cantor said. "And then the government just said, 'Everyone stay home,' which shuts down the economy. So I think in a way, the urgency was that much more magnified."
And the response so far has been much faster and larger. In September 2008, Congress approved the then-record-breaking $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, with a bipartisan vote.
Recession response showed multiple actions were needed
Like the $2.2 trillion relief package Congress passed by voice vote last month, that first attempt in 2008 wasn't enough to fix the economy.
Democrats retained control of Congress that Novemeber and immediately got to work on a massive stimulus with newly elected President Obama. A sea of new Democrats took office in 2009, like Tom Perriello of Virginia, and started their congressional careers by debating the largest fiscal stimulus on record while also learning the limits of the federal government.
"The scale of the problem and the urgency required us to do a lot of different things at once," Perriello said in an interview last week. "The federal government actually has a limited number of ways to get out resources to people quickly."
At the time, Democrats wanted to rethink the entire economy — create jobs and opportunity for people who had been left behind. And they wanted to use this stimulus bill to help get that started.
But they were also in a hurry. Phil Schiliro, Obama's director of legislative affairs at the time, said economists warned them that the country was on the precipice of a depression.
So Congress rushed. Lawmakers were sworn in on Jan. 3, 2009, and the $787 billion stimulus was signed into law on Feb. 17.
"The normal legislative process, the normal process of holding hearings just wasn't possible," Schiliro said in an interview. "Something very similar has happened in the bills over the last month."
By the time the massive stimulus was done, Democrats had to pass it without a single Republican vote in the House. The bipartisanship that helped get TARP signed into law just months earlier had crumbled as political winds shifted.
Cantor said lawmakers shouldn't be surprised if the unity on the coronavirus response shifts, too — even before the election.
"This is gonna get political," Cantor said. "I mean, for sure, you can already see the attacks that are coming."
There are consequences to quick action as well. In the rush to pass the 2009 stimulus bill, some members voted without even reading it, a factor that would carry political consequences for years to come.
And even legislation that moves quickly by congressional standards can be slow to take effect for most people.
"One of the fundamental problems was the economy didn't recover in time," Schiliro said. "There were deep-seated problems. It was going to take awhile."
Democrats had approved massive changes to the economy and billions in spending. And then they shifted just months later to rewriting the nation's health care system.
Political fallout from big congressional votes
Democrats say all of those changes worked. Jobs did come back, Schiliro said, and the recovery lasted basically until last month. But politics moved faster.
Perriello lost his seat after one term in a massive wave election in 2010. Democrats lost 63 seats and control of the House.
Cantor's bank bailout vote, which he still defends, was used against him when he lost a primary challenge in 2014.
There's no way to know when the damage from the virus will fade. But Congress will learn whether their actions went far enough when the country votes in November.
But Perriello said lawmakers can't be thinking about that when they're voting on aid.
"The most important thing is to know whatever happens in the next election that you did what was right," Perriello said. "That you stepped up and used the power that you had in Congress to try to help people."


npr--2020-04-16--Coronavirus Daily: Trump Promises New Guidelines For Reopening The Country

Coronavirus Daily : Trump Promises New Guidelines For Reopening The Country SOURCE : Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center , as of 11:35 p.m .
ET President Trump is promising to deliver on Thursday guidelines to `` reopening '' America .
He said some states even would open before May 1 .
That 's two weeks away .
Without citing evidence , he claimed at the White House coronavirus task force briefing Wednesday that the U.S. is past its peak on new coronavirus cases .
That 's likely premature .
While the total number of cases may be slowing , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
And because there are so many cases in New York , the beginning of a decline there is skewing the curve .
What 's more , the total number of cases continues to rise .
The danger is if the country moves to shedding social distancing and stay-at-home orders too quickly , there likely would be another spike .
What 's more , testing is still not widespread enough to have a whole picture of who has the virus and who does n't .
Here 's what you missed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily briefing : • Antibody tests : Trump said tests be available in coming in weeks .
He noted one test is being developed by Abbott Labs .
`` It 's a great test , '' Trump said , adding that it could be available to screen up to 20 million people in a matter of weeks .
• Ventilators : General Motors will be rolling the first ventilators off the line from a plant in Kokomo , Ind.
, Trump said , adding that it will ship 600 this month .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played a video from GM showing the process of building the ventilators .
It was essentially an ad created by and for GM .
After the video , the president decided to jab at the press .
`` I know you got a little bit nervous when you saw there was a clip about to be played , '' Trump said .
That was a reference to a campaign-style video attacking the media that the president played in the briefing room Monday .
• WHO 's right ?
The point Trump keeps coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and coronavirus is , `` They did n't want us to close our borders to China , to Wuhan . ''
It 's true that WHO discouraged border closures , but that 's not the whole story .
There is plenty of legitimate criticism of the WHO going around , but an NPR timeline of what Trump and WHO representatives were saying over the last few months finds that in late January and early February , the WHO began ringing alarm bells about the coronavirus , while Trump was downplaying it .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was upset because he wants more judges confirmed ( even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has gotten through a record number of federal judges ) and because he wants more of his nominees to head agencies confirmed ( even though the Republican-controlled Senate is responsible for confirming nominees ) .
Trump threatened to adjourn Congress and make recess appointments if they would n't agree .
`` If the House will not agree to that adjournment , I will exercise my constitutional authority to adjourn both chambers of Congress .
And perhaps it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is even sure if it has , but we 're going to do it . ''
So can he actually do it ?
Article 2 , Section 3 of the Constitution gives the president the ability to convene and adjourn Congress , but adjournment appears to be only `` in Case of Disagreement between '' the two chambers on when to do so .
• `` Developing '' story : `` We are a developing nation , '' Trump said of the United States .
That 's not true .
It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In an attempt to say the U.S. should n't have to pay aid to less-wealthy countries , he said during a rally in 2018 : `` They are considered nations that are n't mature , so we pay them .
You know , they call them developing nations .
Well , we are a developing nation , too . ''
Countries ' economies are organized into three categories — developed , transitioning and developing .
The U.S. is the wealthiest country on Earth and is firmly in the developed category .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USAID , lists developing countries .
The U.S. is not on it .
Quote of the briefing : '' I 'm sure people will be very happy to get a big , fat , beautiful check and my name is on it . ''
— Trump said after claiming he has no idea why his name is on stimulus checks that are going out .
Antibody Tests For Coronavirus Can Miss The Mark : The state of antibody testing comes under examination as Americans wait for easier access and accurate results .
'We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 5 , WHO Says In Response To U.S. : The World Health Organization defends its role in sounding the alarm about COVID-19 , following President Trump 's decision to halt its federal funding .
Where Did This Coronavirus Originate ?
Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues In Bats : Catch up on the latest episode of NPR 's science podcast Short Wave for a deep dive into how COVID-19 may have first begun .
• Trump unveils his guidelines to re-open the country .
5 p.m .
ET .
• Trump speaks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ET .
• Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden appears on a CNN Global town hall at 8 p.m .
ET , a day after criticizing Trump for not wearing a mask in public .
President Trump said the United States has passed its peak in new COVID-19 cases .
He also cited declines in large cities significantly affected by the virus .
`` The battle continues , but the data suggests that nationwide , we have passed the peak on new cases , '' Trump claimed .
`` Hopefully that will continue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The data , though , is mixed .
While the number of daily cases overall nationally appear to have started to decrease , the total cases continue to rise .
The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center shows a drop in new cases nationally starting April 10 , followed by an uptick , though not back up to the high of April 10 .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not firmly indicated a decline longer than one day on April 3 .
That said , both trackers indicate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United States is projected to have already peaked in daily death rates and hospital supplies when looking at models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington .
Specifically , the highest number of deaths occurred on April 13 , the team predicts , and hospital resources ( beds and ventilators ) were most heavily utilized on April 10 .
President Trump cited the decline in new cases in the New York City metropolitan area — one of the hardest-hit places in the country .
The area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of total cases since April 6 , according to the New York City Department of Health .
Though , like the CDC , the city 's department of health warns that recent data is incomplete due to reporting delays .
Looking at the IHME model for the state , April 10 may have been the peak for deaths per day for New York .
Looking at STAT 's info , the number of new cases rose in the state on April 15 .

Trump Promises New Guidelines For Reopening The Country
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/AP
Worldwide total confirmed cases: 2,063,161
Total deaths: 136,938
U.S. total confirmed cases: 638,111
Confirmed U.S. deaths: 30,844
SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, as of 11:35 p.m. ET Wednesday
President Trump is promising to deliver on Thursday guidelines to "reopen" America. He said some states would open even before May 1. That's two weeks away.
Without citing evidence, he claimed at the White House coronavirus task force briefing Wednesday that the U.S. is past its peak on new coronavirus cases. That's likely premature. While the total number of cases may be slowing, it's not true for all parts of the country. And because there are so many cases in New York, the beginning of a decline there is skewing the curve. What's more, the total number of cases continues to rise.
The danger is if the country moves to shedding social distancing and stay-at-home orders too quickly, there likely would be another spike. What's more, testing is still not widespread enough to have a whole picture of who has the virus and who doesn't.
Wednesday briefing in brief
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
In case you missed it, here are highlights from the White House coronavirus task force's daily briefing.
Antibody tests: Trump said tests will be available in coming weeks. He noted that one test is being developed by Abbott Labs. "It's a great test," Trump said, adding that it could be available to screen up to 20 million people in a matter of weeks. Ventilators: General Motors will be rolling the first ventilators off the line from a plant in Kokomo, Ind., Trump said, adding that it will ship 600 this month. Then the president played a video from GM showing the process of building the ventilators. It was essentially an ad created by and for GM. After the video, the president decided to jab at the press. "I know you got a little bit nervous when you saw there was a clip about to be played," Trump said. That was a reference to a campaign-style video attacking the media that the president played in the briefing room Monday. WHO's right? The point Trump keeps coming back to about the World Health Organization and coronavirus is, "They didn't want us to close our borders to China, to Wuhan." It's true that WHO discouraged border closures, but that's not the whole story. There is plenty of legitimate criticism of the WHO going around, but an NPR timeline of what Trump and WHO representatives were saying over the past few months finds that in late January and early February, the WHO began ringing alarm bells about the coronavirus, while Trump was downplaying it. Can the president adjourn Congress? Trump was upset because he wants more judges confirmed (even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has gotten through a record number of federal judges) and because he wants more of his nominees to head agencies confirmed (even though the Republican-controlled Senate is responsible for confirming nominees). Trump threatened to adjourn Congress and make recess appointments if they wouldn't agree. "If the House will not agree to that adjournment, I will exercise my constitutional authority to adjourn both chambers of Congress. And perhaps it's never been done before, nobody is even sure if it has, but we're going to do it." So can he actually do it? Article 2, Section 3 of the Constitution gives the president the ability to convene and adjourn Congress, but adjournment appears to be only "in Case of Disagreement between" the two chambers on when to do so. "Developing" story: "We are a developing nation," Trump said of the United States. That's not true. It's not the first time Trump has said this. In an attempt to say the U.S. shouldn't have to pay aid to less-wealthy countries, he said during a rally in 2018: "They are considered nations that aren't mature, so we pay them. You know, they call them developing nations. Well, we are a developing nation, too."
Countries' economies are organized into three categories — developed, transitioning and developing. The U.S. is the wealthiest country on Earth and is firmly in the developed category. The U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, lists developing countries. The U.S. is not on it.
Quote of the briefing
"I'm sure people will be very happy to get a big, fat, beautiful check and my name is on it."
— Trump, after claiming he has no idea why his name is on stimulus checks that are going out
Other key coronavirus stories
Antibody Tests For Coronavirus Can Miss The Mark: The state of antibody testing comes under examination as Americans wait for easier access and accurate results.
'We Alerted The World' To Coronavirus On Jan. 5, WHO Says In Response To U.S.: The World Health Organization defends its role in sounding the alarm about COVID-19, following President Trump's decision to halt its federal funding.
Where Did This Coronavirus Originate? Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues In Bats: Catch up on the latest episode of NPR's science podcast Short Wave for a deep dive into how COVID-19 may have first begun.
What to watch today
Trump unveils his guidelines to reopen the country. 5 p.m. ET.
Trump speaks to governors about the coronavirus. 3 p.m. ET.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden appears on a CNN Global town hall at 8 p.m. ET, a day after criticizing Trump for not wearing a mask in public.
Go deeper: past the peak?
Trump said the United States has passed its peak in new COVID-19 cases. He also cited declines in large cities significantly affected by the virus. "The battle continues, but the data suggests that nationwide, we have passed the peak on new cases," Trump claimed. "Hopefully that will continue and we will continue to make great progress."
The data, though, is mixed. While the number of daily cases overall nationally appears to have started to decrease, the total cases continue to rise.
The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center shows a drop in new cases nationally starting April 10, followed by an uptick, though not back up to the high of April 10. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not firmly indicated a decline longer than one day on April 3. That said, both trackers indicate that national cumulative totals continue to rise.
The United States is projected to have already peaked in daily death rates and hospital supplies when looking at models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. Specifically, the highest number of deaths occurred on April 13, the team predicts, and hospital resources (beds and ventilators) were most heavily utilized on April 10.
Trump cited the decline in new cases in the New York City metropolitan area — one of the hardest-hit places in the country. The area has seen a drop in its number of total cases since April 6, according to the New York City Department of Health. Though, like the CDC, the city's department of health warns that recent data is incomplete because of reporting delays. Looking at the IHME model for the state, April 10 may have been the peak for deaths per day for New York. Looking at STAT's info, the number of new cases rose in the state on April 15.


npr--2020-04-16--What's It Going To Take To End The Shutdown? 5 Keys To Containing Coronavirus

What 's It Going To Take To End The Shutdown ?
5 Keys To Containing Coronavirus First things first : it 's not yet time to end social distancing and go back to work and church and concerts and handshakes .
Public health experts say social distancing appears to be working , and letting up these measures too soon could be disastrous .
Until there is a sustained reduction in new cases — and the coronavirus ' spread is clearly slowing — we need to stay the course .
Still , society ca n't stay shut down forever .
Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about how and when to relax social distancing guidelines , and President Trump is expected to soon announce finalized guidelines to help states make those decisions .
Even then , it 's clear that life wo n't go back to normal all at once .
The decisions will be staggered , and a lot of it will come down to local and regional circumstances .
`` We have to do it strategically and safely , '' said Dr. Monica Bharel , commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at a briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials Wednesday .
`` The worst possible outcome of reopening public life would be a second wave of this pandemic . ''
Public health leaders agree that in order to safely lift social distancing restrictions we must create and sustain systems that can rapidly stamp out any new coronavirus flare ups so they do n't spiral out of control .
Here are five key things health experts say must be addressed as we begin to start businesses and community life up again .
Among public health leaders , the mantra for stopping coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and isolate . ''
Widespread testing with fast results is the first step — if we do n't have enough tests , we do n't know where the virus is spreading .
This has been a major sticking point in the U.S. response to the coronavirus , though progress has been made .
A test that provides results in less than 15 minutes is now available in some hospitals and doctor 's offices .
The company that produces it , Abbott , says it is able to provide about 50,000 tests per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doctors use to do a quick , in-office strep or flu test .
Dr. Rachel Levine , Pennsylvania 's secretary of health , said these types of quick tests will be `` really critical , '' to broaden access to testing but so far her state has had trouble getting them .
`` We have to make sure that [ there is ] access in vulnerable communities , '' particularly for members of Hispanic and African American communities , she said .
Nationally , there are more than 120,000 COVID-19 tests being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to continue to ramp this up .
`` You want to be doing [ tests ] at mass scale , '' says Dr. Scott Gottlieb , former head of the Food and Drug Administration , who has developed a road map to reopening at the American Enterprise Institute .
He says that could mean doing several million tests every week .
One big challenge labs have had in scaling up testing has been shortages of supplies , such as swabs to collect the samples , special fluids needed to safely transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and analyze the genetic material from the virus .
Labs around the U.S. and around the world are competing for these same supplies as demand surges globally .
Reliable serological tests — also known as antibody tests — are also key to get a handle on how much of a community 's population has already been exposed to the virus .
Once someone has been exposed to the virus , their blood contains antibodies made by their immune system to fend off the infection .
Serological blood tests , which can be performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detect these .
Several of these tests have been developed , but it 's not yet clear how reliable they are and it 's a big effort to scale up availability .
`` This is really a late summer , early fall kind of endeavor — these tools probably are n't going to all be fully deployed in time to help us get out of the current epidemic , '' Gottlieb says .
The next step in `` test , trace , isolate '' is `` trace '' — a shorthand for contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case who are themselves at risk for infection , health workers can dramatically slow the chain of transmission .
It 's a labor-intensive process and the U.S. currently lacks the workforce to do this nationally .
The head of the CDC told NPR last week that the agency is working on a big plan to scale up the workforce , though the details have yet to be released .
An analysis by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security found the country may need 100,000 contact tracers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.6 billion .
Tom Frieden , a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , estimates the country may need even more , on the order of 300,000 .
States are scrambling to ramp up contact tracing now .
`` We will need to beef up our workforce , '' said Levine , the Pennsylvania health secretary .
She said her state will hire more people and may use volunteers , too .
Health officials from other states agreed about the urgent need to expand contact investigations .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says John Wiesman , the secretary of health for Washington state .
`` We need to redouble and triple efforts here around the pieces of case and contact investigation . ''
The push to expand contract tracing quickly may go high-tech .
Google and Apple are collaborating on a new system to develop apps for contact tracing , similar to those used in places like Singapore .
There are privacy concerns with using smartphones to track people 's movements and contacts , and these apps are still in development , so even this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
Create systems to isolate the sick and protect the vulnerable Once the contacts of COVID-19 patients are traced , many will need to separate themselves from society for two weeks to be sure they are not infectious .
There needs to be a support structure in place to make that possible , says Dr. Harvey Fineberg , a health policy researcher at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
`` Part of a complete strategy for quarantine is that you provide places apart from the home and community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — in a comfortable setting — spend the time of their quarantine where they are not going to infect others , '' he says .
This approach has been used in countries like China and South Korea where the coronavirus appears to be largely under control .
Fineberg says it could be important for those who do n't have the space or resources to separate themselves safely from their household .
`` We have empty hotels all over America , '' he adds .
Hotels have started to be offered as housing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family members but , Fineberg says , there is not currently a national plan to roll out quarantine centers more broadly .
Tom Frieden , the former CDC director agrees that places like hotels and dorm rooms may need to be part of America 's effort to get a handle on the coronavirus .
`` We need to think of this as an all of society response , '' he says .
`` The countries that have had the best results , they 've tested huge numbers of patients , and they 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , but in special facilities for people who do n't need hospitalization but do n't want to spread it to their family members . ''
This kind of approach could be especially important for anyone who lives in close quarters with a lot of people — for instance , those in long-term care facilities , prisons , or nursing homes .
`` Ground zero for COVID-19 in this country is nursing homes , '' says Frieden .
`` When COVID gets into a nursing home , it can really cause devastation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop spread in congregate facilities like nursing homes . ''
Homeless shelters are a concern as well .
Officials in Washington State , California , and New York City have already started to use hotels and motels to house homeless residents who live in coronavirus hotspots .
4 .
Build up hospital capacity and the PPE supply chain Hospitals have been scrambling to be able to handle more and more COVID-19 patients , but there 's still work to be done to make sure they 're ready for possible new waves of infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases will increase when you relax social distancing , '' says Dr. Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
`` It 's just : Will it be at a slow enough clip that hospital capacity will not be compromised ? ''
Hospitals are still struggling to source many essential supplies to allow them to serve a surge of patients .
There 's regional variation , but the AEI road map suggests that , on average , hospitals need to double their intensive care unit and ventilator capacity to care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the supply of personal protective equipment should be stable so health care workers can protect themselves from infection .
Adalja is encouraged by efforts for hospitals and communities to share resources with each other , so that limited equipment can be targeted to the right place .
He said that progress has already been made in `` being able to rapidly move ventilators from one part of a country to another part of the country as the need arises . ''
A public-private partnership called the `` Dynamic Ventilator Reserve '' announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of coordination between hospitals across the country .
5 .
Zero in on effective treatments At the moment there 's no clear evidence on an effective therapy for COVID-19 .
Right now , it 's a waiting game as data on various treatments starts to roll in .
The Milken Institute is tracking dozens of different clinical trials underway to test treatments .
Researchers are testing everything from antibody-based therapies , to antiviral medicines , as well as existing drugs including hydroxychloroquine that could be repurposed to help treat COVID-19 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the antiviral remdesivir , are effective , but the company behind this drug says it will have some preliminary results from a study at the end of April .
`` Maybe in weeks or months , we may start to get some data from some of the experimental drugs to see how well they work , '' says Adalja .
`` But truly , unequivocally effective antiviral treatment may take some time to develop . ''
A simple pill to treat coronavirus outside of a hospital , like Tamiflu for influenza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Gottlieb says the combination of effective treatments as well as expanded testing and surveillance would put us in a situation where we can live with the virus , instead of being paralyzed by it .
`` I think that [ would be ] a robust enough set of tools that this could become a liveable threat , that we can get back to a fairly normal way of life and be able to mitigate the risk from coronavirus even before we have a vaccine in place , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfectly the same until we have a vaccine that can fully vanquish it . ''
There are dozens of compounds being evaluated for the development of a vaccine , but that 's at least a year off .

What's It Going To Take To End The Shutdown? 5 Keys To Containing Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
First things first: It's not yet time to end social distancing and go back to work and church and concerts and handshakes.
Public health experts say social distancing appears to be working, and letting up these measures too soon could be disastrous. Until there is a sustained reduction in new cases — and the coronavirus' spread is clearly slowing — we need to stay the course.
Still, society can't stay shut down forever. Public health and state leaders are starting to talk about how and when to relax social distancing guidelines, and President Trump is expected to soon announce finalized guidelines to help states make those decisions. Even then, it's clear that life won't go back to normal all at once. The decisions will be staggered, and a lot of it will come down to local and regional circumstances.
"We have to do it strategically and safely," said Dr. Monica Bharel, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, at a briefing by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Wednesday. "The worst possible outcome of reopening public life would be a second wave of this pandemic."
Public health leaders agree that in order to safely lift social distancing restrictions we must create and sustain systems that can rapidly stamp out any new coronavirus flare-ups so they don't spiral out of control. Here are five key things health experts say must be addressed as we begin to start businesses and community life up again.
1. Improve rapid testing
toggle caption Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
Among public health leaders, the mantra for stopping coronavirus from surging is "test, trace and isolate." Widespread testing with fast results is the first step — if we don't have enough tests, we don't know where the virus is spreading. This has been a major sticking point in the U.S. response to the coronavirus, though progress has been made.
A test that provides results in less than 15 minutes is now available in some hospitals and doctor's offices. The company that produces it, Abbott, says it is able to provide about 50,000 tests per day. It runs on the same platform that doctors use to do quick, in-office strep or flu tests.
Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania's secretary of health, said these types of quick tests will be "really critical" to broaden access to testing, but so far her state has had trouble getting them. "We have to make sure that [there is] access in vulnerable communities," particularly for members of Hispanic and African American communities, she said.
Nationally, there are more than 120,000 COVID-19 tests being done every day, but experts say we need to continue to ramp this up. "You want to be doing [tests] at mass scale," says Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the Food and Drug Administration, who has developed a road map to reopening at the American Enterprise Institute. He says that could mean doing several million tests every week.
One big challenge labs have had in scaling up testing has been shortages of supplies, such as swabs to collect the samples, special fluids needed to safely transport them, and reagent chemicals to extract and analyze the genetic material from the virus. Labs around the U.S. and around the world are competing for these same supplies as demand surges globally.
Reliable serological tests — also known as antibody tests — are also key to getting a handle on how much of a community's population has already been exposed to the virus. Once someone has been exposed to the virus, their blood contains antibodies made by their immune system to fend off the infection. Serological blood tests, which can be performed quickly with a prick blood-draw, can detect these.
Several of these tests have been developed, but it's not yet clear how reliable they are and it's a big effort to scale up availability. "This is really a late summer, early fall kind of endeavor — these tools probably aren't going to all be fully deployed in time to help us get out of the current epidemic," Gottlieb says.
2. Massively upgrade contact tracing capacity
The next step in "test, trace, isolate" is "trace" — a shorthand for contact tracing. By tracking and communicating with the contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case who are themselves at risk for infection, health workers can dramatically slow the chain of transmission.
It's a labor-intensive process and the U.S. currently lacks the workforce to do this nationally. The head of the CDC told NPR last week that the agency is working on a big plan to scale up the workforce, though the details have yet to be released. An analysis by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security found the country may need 100,000 contact tracers, which would cost an estimated $3.6 billion. Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimates the country may need even more, on the order of 300,000.
States are scrambling to ramp up contact tracing now. "We will need to beef up our workforce," said Levine, the Pennsylvania health secretary. She said her state will hire more people and may use volunteers, too.
Health officials from other states agreed about the urgent need to expand contact investigations. "The capacity has been essentially overwhelmed," says John Wiesman, the secretary of health for Washington state. "We need to redouble and triple efforts here around the pieces of case and contact investigation."
The push to expand contact tracing quickly may go high-tech. Google and Apple are collaborating on a new system to develop apps for contact tracing, similar to those used in places like Singapore. There are privacy concerns with using smartphones to track people's movements and contacts, and these apps are still in development, so even this shortcut will still take some time.
3. Create systems to isolate the sick and protect the vulnerable
Once the contacts of COVID-19 patients are traced, many will need to separate themselves from society for two weeks to be sure they are not infectious. There needs to be a support structure in place to make that possible, says Dr. Harvey Fineberg, a health policy researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
"Part of a complete strategy for quarantine is that you provide places apart from the home and community where those who've been exposed can — in a comfortable setting — spend the time of their quarantine where they are not going to infect others," he says.
This approach has been used in countries like China and South Korea where the coronavirus appears to be largely under control. Fineberg says it could be important for those who don't have the space or resources to separate themselves safely from their household. "We have empty hotels all over America," he adds.
Hotels have started to be offered as housing for health care workers concerned about infecting their family members but, Fineberg says, there is not currently a national plan to roll out quarantine centers more broadly.
Frieden, the former CDC director, agrees that places like hotels and dorm rooms may need to be part of America's effort to get a handle on the coronavirus. "We need to think of this as an all of society response," he says. "The countries that have had the best results, they've tested huge numbers of patients, and they've isolated patients not just in their own home, but in special facilities for people who don't need hospitalization but don't want to spread it to their family members."
This kind of approach could be especially important for anyone who lives in close quarters with a lot of people — for instance, those in long-term care facilities, prisons or nursing homes.
"Ground zero for COVID-19 in this country is nursing homes," says Frieden. "When COVID gets into a nursing home, it can really cause devastation. We need to do everything possible to stop spread in congregate facilities like nursing homes."
Homeless shelters are a concern as well. Officials in Washington state, California and New York City have already started to use hotels and motels to house homeless residents who live in coronavirus hot spots.
4. Build up hospital capacity and the PPE supply chain
toggle caption Ross D. Franklin/AP
Hospitals have been scrambling to be able to handle more and more COVID-19 patients, but there's still work to be done to make sure they're ready for possible new waves of infections.
"It's a certainty that cases will increase when you relax social distancing," says Dr. Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "It's just: Will it be at a slow enough clip that hospital capacity will not be compromised?"
Hospitals are still struggling to source many essential supplies to allow them to serve a surge of patients. There's regional variation, but the AEI road map suggests that, on average, hospitals need to double their intensive care unit and ventilator capacity to care for critically ill COVID-19 patients, and that the supply of personal protective equipment should be stable so health care workers can protect themselves from infection.
Adalja is encouraged by efforts by hospitals and communities to share resources with each other, so that limited equipment can be targeted to the right places. He said that progress has already been made in "being able to rapidly move ventilators from one part of a country to another part of the country as the need arises." A public-private partnership called the "Dynamic Ventilator Reserve," announced on Tuesday, aims to facilitate this kind of coordination between hospitals across the country.
5. Zero in on effective treatments
At the moment there's no clear evidence on an effective therapy for COVID-19. Right now, it's a waiting game as data on various treatments start to roll in.
The Milken Institute is tracking dozens of different clinical trials underway to test treatments. Researchers are testing everything from antibody-based therapies to antiviral medicines, as well as existing drugs including hydroxychloroquine that could be repurposed to help treat COVID-19. It's too soon to say if drugs such as the antiviral remdesivir, are effective, but the company behind this drug says it will have some preliminary results from a study at the end of April.
toggle caption Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images
"Maybe in weeks or months, we may start to get some data from some of the experimental drugs to see how well they work," says Adalja. "But truly, unequivocally effective antiviral treatment may take some time to develop." A simple pill to treat coronavirus outside of a hospital, like Tamiflu for influenza, is even further out, he says.
Gottlieb says the combination of effective treatments as well as expanded testing and surveillance would put us in a situation where we can live with the virus, instead of being paralyzed by it.
"I think that [would be] a robust enough set of tools that this could become a livable threat, that we can get back to a fairly normal way of life and be able to mitigate the risk from coronavirus even before we have a vaccine in place," he says. "Now, life will never be perfectly the same until we have a vaccine that can fully vanquish it."
There are dozens of compounds being evaluated for the development of a vaccine, but that's at least a year off.
Rob Stein and Nurith Aizenman contributed reporting