npr--2020-03-23--Her Incredible Sense Of Smell Is Helping Scientists Find New Ways To Diagnose Disease

Her Incredible Sense Of Smell Is Helping Scientists Find New Ways To Diagnose Disease For most of her life , Joy Milne had a superpower that she was totally oblivious to .
She simply had no idea she possessed an utterly amazing , slightly terrifying biological gift that scientists would itch to study .
In fact , Joy probably would have stayed oblivious if it had n't been for her husband Les Milne .
The two met in high school .
Les was a 17-year-old swimmer and Joy was 16 , a new transfer .
She remembers dancing with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wonderful smell .
`` He had a lovely male musk smell .
He really did , '' she recalls .
Everything about Les appealed to Joy .
He was very thoughtful and generally quiet , but had a wicked sense of humor .
After college they got married and set off on happily-ever-after .
Les became a doctor , Joy became a nurse , and they had three boys .
Joy says that as a couple they were so easy together — they rarely fought : `` We disagreed about things now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight , fight . ''
Life with `` her Les , '' as she calls him , was everything Joy had hoped But then one day , about 10 years into the marriage when Les was 31 , he came home and strangely , Joy says , he smelled different .
`` His lovely male musk smell had got this overpowering sort of nasty yeast smell , '' she says .
At first Joy thought it must be something from the hospital where he worked and told him to shower , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks and months that followed the smell just seemed to grow stronger .
So Joy started nagging : `` [ I ] kept saying to him ... look you know , you 're not washing enough . ''
But the smell would n't yield , and eventually Les got mad whenever Joy told him to shower .
He could n't smell it , he grumbled , and neither could anyone else .
`` He just would stomp off in a huff and say , 'Oh stop going on about that ! ''
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put up with it , '' she recalls .
Unfortunately as the years peeled on , Joy began to feel that it was n't just her husband 's smell that was changing .
`` It was his personality , his character .
He began to change .
He was more moody .
He was n't as tolerant , '' she says .
They fought more and more .
So many of the qualities Joy valued in her husband — his thoughtfulness , his patience , his quiet dignity , began to bleed away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's , she began to see Les as a totally different person .
And then one night Joy woke up to her husband attacking her .
`` He was sort of screaming and shaking me and you know , but he was totally oblivious of it , '' she says .
Les was clearly having a nightmare , but after the attack Joy put her foot down .
She was worried Les had a brain tumor — they needed to seek medical attention .
She remembers sitting next to Les in a sterile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The discovery : an unusual sense of smell Joy says over the next 20 years she and Les tried to make the best of things but it was difficult : the loss of movement , the loss of work , the slow narrowing of their world .
Still , they struggled through .
Then about seven years ago , they decided to attend a support group for people suffering from Parkinson 's .
`` We were late ... a lot of people were there .
And I walked into the room and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people in the room had the same greasy , musty smell Les had .
The smell Joy had first noticed when Les was just 31 .
`` And then I realized , for some people it smelled stronger and for other people it did n't smell so strong , '' she says .
Could it be , Joy wondered , that Parkinson 's had a smell ?
As they drove home from the meeting Joy kept puzzling it over in her head , and by the time they arrived she 'd decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says once she made her discovery clear his eyes widened : `` He 's a doctor , we both understood the significance .
Immediately . ''
To begin , this was a new scientific discovery , but also , Joy had smelled the disease on Les more than a decade before his symptoms got severe enough for them to seek medical help .
If Joy could predict Parkinson 's before its well-known symptoms , like shaking and sleep disruption , even started to appear , maybe she could work with researchers .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Les knew instantly they had to get this information to the right scientist .
So they went to see a Parkinson 's researcher at the University of Edinburgh named Tilo Kunath .
But initially , he says , he was n't interested .
`` I just dismissed it , I have to say .
It just did n't seem possible , '' he says .
`` Why should Parkinson 's have an odor ?
You would n't normally think neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson 's , or Alzheimer 's would have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later Kunath heard about research that showed dogs could smell cancer .
Which of course , made him think back to Joy .
So he tracked her down and asked her to come to his lab for a special test he devised himself .
Kunath asked one group of people who had Parkinson 's and another group of people who did n't have Parkinson 's to take home white T-shirts , wear them overnight , then return them .
Then Kunath gave the t-shirt to Joy to smell .
`` They were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box and then she was asked to take each one out and give it a score , '' he says .
Was the person who wore this shirt at an early stage of Parkinson 's ?
In a late stage of Parkinson 's ?
Something in between ?
Or maybe they did n't have the disease at all .
`` And she was incredibly accurate , '' Kunath says .
In fact out of all the samples , Joy made only one mistake .
She identified a man in the control group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having the disease .
But many months later , Kunath says , that man actually approached him at an event and said , `` Tilo you 're going to have to put me in the Parkinson 's pile because I 've just been diagnosed . ''
It was incontrovertible : Joy could not only smell Parkinson 's , but could smell it even in the absence of its typical medical presentation .
Kunath and fellow scientists published their work in ACS Central Science in March of 2019 , listing Joy as a co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may contribute to the smell that Joy noticed on her husband and other Parkinson 's patients .
Joy and her super smelling abilities have opened up a whole new realm of research , Kunath says .
Researchers , including Perdita Barran at the University of Manchester , led a second , larger study and have recently found 10 compounds linked to Parkinson 's by using mass spectrometry and other techniques to analyze samples from 274 people .
They 're hoping to find a way to diagnose Parkinson 's from skin-based biomarkers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon to come , she adds .
That 's the ultimate goal , Kunath says : to develop a new tool to detect Parkinson 's early .
`` We really want to know what is behind this and what are the molecules ?
And then can the molecules be used as some sort of diagnostic test ? ''
Parkinson 's begins slowly , taking years or maybe even decades before symptoms like tremors appear , Kunath says .
`` Imagine a society where you could detect such a devastating condition before it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems from even occurring , '' he adds .
Combined with potential therapies to prevent or mitigate Parkinson 's , a molecular test that identifies Parksinon 's would be a powerful tool .
There 's some evidence — and history — around the idea of scent signaling the presence of a disease , says Richard Doty , the director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania 's Perelman School of Medicine .
`` It used to be that physicians did use breath odor and other odors , to signify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really invoked presently , because we have so much better ways of [ diagnosing ] things . ''
He also says , smell is an imperfect biomarker because confounding factors could influence people 's odors , like diet and age .
`` This idea of an olfactory biomarker [ for a disease ] is fascinating , '' said Dr. Thomas Hummel , of the Technical University of Dresden 's Smell & Taste Clinic , via e-mail .
But there remain `` numerous open questions . ''
Joy 's smell test for Parkinson 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Doty adds .
More studies would lend it more certainty but he says , `` I think it 's still up in the air . ''
But Joy 's superpower is so unusual , researchers all over the world have started working with her and have discovered that she can identify several kinds of illnesses — tuberculosis , Alzheimers , cancer , and diabetes .
As for her life with Les .
Joy says , once it became clear that she might hold in her nose a tool that could move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a eureka moment : They had more knowledge to offer science .
Joy had smelled his Parkinson 's more than a decade before diagnosis , so maybe , he told Joy , if they thought very carefully about their life together before the official diagnosis , they 'd be able to pinpoint early symptoms that had n't yet been identified by science .
`` We had to write down everything that had happened , so that medicine would understand what was happening to people with Parkinson 's , '' Joy says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his life Joy and Les sat for daily writing sessions .
`` They would only last 35-40 minutes at a time , but the last six weeks were completely different , '' she recalls .
`` We spent time each day discussing what happened to us over the last twenty odd years . ''
Joy says Les had always shied away from talking about his Parkinson 's .
It seemed like it was so existentially threatening to him — this terrible dread DISEASE — that he just had to shove it away and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was freed by their discussions .
In fact Joy says the research she 's doing with her nose , was the last thing they ever spoke about .
`` He said , 'You wo n't let this go — you will do it wo n't you ?
You promise ? '
'' she recalls .
Just a few hours later , he died .
But Joy has stayed true .
`` I 've done it .
I 've kept my promise .
So it should make an awful lot of difference . ''

Her Incredible Sense Of Smell Is Helping Scientists Find New Ways To Diagnose Disease
For most of her life, Joy Milne had a superpower that she was totally oblivious to. She simply had no idea she possessed an utterly amazing, slightly terrifying biological gift that scientists would itch to study.
In fact, Joy probably would have stayed oblivious if it hadn't been for her husband, Les Milne.
Listen to the full story on Invisibilia This story comes from an episode of Invisibilia's Season 6. Listen here for the full story.
The two met in high school. Les was a 17-year-old swimmer and Joy was 16, a new transfer. She remembers dancing with him at a party and being struck by his wonderful smell. "He had a lovely male musk smell. He really did," she recalls.
Everything about Les appealed to Joy. He was very thoughtful and generally quiet but had a wicked sense of humor.
After college, they got married and set off on happily-ever-after. Les became a doctor, Joy became a nurse, and they had three boys. Joy says that as a couple they were so easy together — they rarely fought: "We disagreed about things now and again, but we didn't fight, fight."
Life with "her Les," as she calls him, was everything Joy had hoped
But then one day, about 10 years into the marriage, when Les was 31, he came home, and strangely, Joy says, he smelled different. "His lovely male musk smell had got this overpowering sort of nasty yeast smell," she says.
At first Joy thought it must be something from the hospital where he worked and told him to shower, but that didn't help, and over the weeks and months that followed the smell just seemed to grow stronger.
So Joy started nagging: "[I] kept saying to him ... 'Look, you know, you're not washing enough.' "
But the smell wouldn't yield, and eventually Les got mad whenever Joy told him to shower. He couldn't smell it, he grumbled, and neither could anyone else. "He just would stomp off in a huff and say, 'Oh, stop going on about that!' I had to just let it go and put up with it," she recalls.
Unfortunately, as the years peeled on, Joy began to feel that it wasn't just her husband's smell that was changing.
"It was his personality, his character. He began to change. He was more moody. He wasn't as tolerant," she says.
They fought more and more. So many of the qualities Joy valued in her husband — his thoughtfulness, his patience, his quiet dignity — began to bleed away until eventually, by his early 40s, she began to see Les as a totally different person.
And then one night Joy woke up to her husband attacking her.
"He was sort of screaming and shaking me and you know, but he was totally oblivious of it," she says.
Les was clearly having a nightmare, but after the attack Joy put her foot down. She was worried Les had a brain tumor — they needed to seek medical attention. She remembers sitting next to Les in a sterile office as the doctor delivered his diagnosis: Her 45-year-old husband had Parkinson's disease.
The discovery: an unusual sense of smell
Joy says that over the next 20 years she and Les tried to make the best of things, but it was difficult: the loss of movement, the loss of work, the slow narrowing of their world. Still, they struggled through. Then about seven years ago, they decided to attend a support group for people suffering from Parkinson's.
"We were late. ... A lot of people were there. And I walked into the room and I thought, 'SMELL!' " she says.
Joy realized that the other people in the room had the same greasy, musty smell that Les had — the smell that Joy had first noticed when Les was just 31. "And then I realized for some people it smelled stronger and for other people it didn't smell so strong," she says.
Could it be, Joy wondered, that Parkinson's has a smell?
As they drove home from the meeting, Joy kept puzzling it over in her head, and by the time they arrived, she'd decided she would tell her husband.
She says once she made her discovery clear, his eyes widened: "He's a doctor — we both understood the significance. Immediately."
To begin, this was a new scientific discovery, but also, Joy had smelled the disease on Les more than a decade before his symptoms got severe enough for them to seek medical help. If Joy could predict Parkinson's before its well-known symptoms, such as shaking and sleep disruption, even started to appear, maybe she could work with researchers. It might lead to a breakthrough.
Joy and Les knew instantly they had to get this information to the right scientist. So they went to see a Parkinson's researcher at the University of Edinburgh named Tilo Kunath. But initially, he says, he wasn't interested.
"I just dismissed it, I have to say. It just didn't seem possible," he says. "Why should Parkinson's have an odor? You wouldn't normally think neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's, would have an odor."
But then several months later, Kunath heard about research that showed dogs could smell cancer — which of course made him think back to Joy. So he tracked her down and asked her to come to his lab for a special test he devised himself.
The experiment
Kunath asked one group of people who had Parkinson's and another group of people who didn't have Parkinson's to take home white T-shirts, wear them overnight and then return them.
Then Kunath gave the T-shirts to Joy to smell. "They were all given randomized numbers and put in a box, and then she was asked to take each one out and give it a score," he says.
Was the person who wore this shirt at an early stage of Parkinson's? In a late stage of Parkinson's? Something in between? Or maybe the person didn't have the disease at all.
"And she was incredibly accurate," Kunath says.
In fact, out of all the samples, Joy made only one mistake. She identified a man in the control group, the group without Parkinson's, as having the disease. But many months later, Kunath says, that man actually approached him at an event and said, "Tilo, you're going to have to put me in the Parkinson's pile because I've just been diagnosed."
It was incontrovertible: Joy not only could smell Parkinson's but could smell it even in the absence of its typical medical presentation.
Kunath and fellow scientists published their work in ACS Central Science in March 2019, listing Joy as a co-author. Their research identified certain specific compounds that may contribute to the smell that Joy noticed on her husband and other Parkinson's patients.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Watt Chris Watt
Working toward a diagnostic
Joy and her super smelling abilities have opened up a whole new realm of research, Kunath says. Researchers, including Perdita Barran at the University of Manchester, led a second, larger study and have recently found 10 compounds linked to Parkinson's by using mass spectrometry and other techniques to analyze samples from 274 people. They're hoping to find a way to diagnose Parkinson's from skin-based biomarkers, according to Barran. More work is soon to come, she adds.
That's the ultimate goal, Kunath says: to develop a new tool to detect Parkinson's early. "We really want to know what is behind this and what are the molecules. And then can the molecules be used as some sort of diagnostic test?"
Parkinson's begins slowly, taking years or maybe even decades before symptoms such as tremors appear, Kunath says. "Imagine a society where you could detect such a devastating condition before it's causing problems and then prevent the problems from even occurring," he adds. Combined with potential therapies to prevent or mitigate Parkinson's, a molecular test that identified Parkinson's would be a powerful tool.
There's some evidence — and history — around the idea of scent signaling the presence of a disease, says Richard Doty, the director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. "It used to be that physicians did use breath odor and other odors to signify certain disorders. But that's not really invoked presently, because we have so much better ways of [diagnosing] things." He also says that smell is an imperfect biomarker because confounding factors could influence people's odors, such as diet and age.
"This idea of an olfactory biomarker [for a disease] is fascinating," said Dr. Thomas Hummel of the Technical University of Dresden's Smell & Taste Clinic, via email. But there remain "numerous open questions."
Joy's smell test for Parkinson's is "interesting but not definitive," Doty adds. More studies would lend it more certainty, and he says, "I think it's still up in the air."
But Joy's superpower is so unusual that researchers all over the world have started working with her and have discovered that she can identify several kinds of illnesses — tuberculosis, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and diabetes.
Sharing their story — for science
As for her life with Les, Joy says, once it became clear that she might hold in her nose a tool that could move research on Parkinson's forward, Les had a eureka moment: They had more knowledge to offer science. Joy had smelled his Parkinson's more than a decade before diagnosis, so maybe, Les told Joy, if they thought very carefully about their life together before the official diagnosis, they'd be able to pinpoint early symptoms that hadn't yet been identified by science.
"We had to write down everything that had happened, so that medicine would understand what was happening to people with Parkinson's," Joy says.
So for the last six weeks of his life, Les and Joy sat for daily writing sessions. "They would only last 35 to 40 minutes at a time, but the last six weeks were completely different," she recalls. "We spent time each day discussing what happened to us over the last 20-odd years."
Joy says Les had always shied away from talking about his Parkinson's. It seemed like it was so existentially threatening to him — this terrible dread DISEASE — that he just had to shove it away and couldn't acknowledge it. But he was freed by their discussions.
In fact, Joy says the research she's doing with her nose was the last thing they ever spoke about. "He said, 'You won't let this go — you will do it, won't you? You promise?' " she recalls. Just a few hours later, he died. But Joy has stayed true. "I've done it. I've kept my promise. So it should make an awful lot of difference."


npr--2020-03-23--Former Staffers Sue Bloomberg Campaign, Alleging They Were Promised Pay Through Nov.

Former Staffers Sue Bloomberg Campaign , Alleging They Were Promised Pay Through Nov. Former campaign workers for Mike Bloomberg 's presidential campaign have filed two separate proposed class-action lawsuits , alleging that the thousands of staffers laid off this month had been promised to be paid through the general election in November .
One lawsuit , filed by Donna Wood , a former field organizer for Bloomberg 's campaign in Florida , alleges that the campaign misled employees , recruiting them to work for Bloomberg under false pretenses and had failed to pay the necessary overtime .
The lawsuit was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City .
Laying off the employees months before the November election , the lawsuit states , `` deprived them of promised income and health care benefits , leaving them and their families potentially uninsured in the face of a global pandemic . ''
A second lawsuit alleges that thousands of field organizers were fraudulently encouraged to accept jobs with Bloomberg 's campaign with the promise of guaranteed salaries through November .
That lawsuit , from three former Bloomberg staffers , Alexis Sklair , Nathaniel Brown and Sterling Rettke , was also filed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The Bloomberg campaign 's hiring managers understood that potential applicants for field staff positions like the plaintiffs would be motivated to work for Mike Bloomberg 2020 because of their interest in working on the general election to defeat Donald Trump , '' the lawsuit states .
`` Accordingly , the Mike Bloomberg 2020 hiring managers expressly promised field staff applicants for Mike Bloomberg 2020 that they would be employed by Mike Bloomberg 2020 to perform work on the primary campaign to elect Michael Bloomberg as the Democratic nominee and election , regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stated that the Bloomberg campaign would keep open and financially support its field offices through the general election campaign . ''
Asked for comment on the pending lawsuits , a campaign spokesperson for Bloomberg said that a fund was being created `` to ensure that all staff receive healthcare through April . ''
The spokesperson says staff worked 39 days on average , and were given several weeks of severance and health care through March .
The Bloomberg campaign spokesperson also said that many of the campaign 's former field staffers `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNC in battleground states . ''
Bloomberg 's presidential campaign had promised that it would fund a field program through the November election .
When the former New York City mayor withdrew from the presidential race earlier this month and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden , aides said that he would continue to employ some of his campaign 's field staffers through an independent entity .
Ultimately though , Bloomberg transferred $ 18 million from his campaign account to the Democratic National Committee , an investment that is expected to help the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations for the general election in 12 key states .
The memo from Bloomberg 's campaign announcing the transfer noted that the DNC staffing increase would draw `` in part from our own incredibly experienced and talented organizing staff . ''

Former Staffers Sue Bloomberg Campaign, Alleging They Were Promised Pay Through Nov.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/AP
Former campaign workers for Mike Bloomberg's presidential campaign have filed two separate proposed class-action lawsuits, alleging that the thousands of staffers laid off this month had been promised to be paid through the general election in November.
One lawsuit, filed by Donna Wood, a former field organizer for Bloomberg's campaign in Florida, alleges that the campaign misled employees, recruiting them to work for Bloomberg under false pretenses and had failed to pay the necessary overtime. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York City.
Laying off the employees months before the November election, the lawsuit states, "deprived them of promised income and health care benefits, leaving them and their families potentially uninsured in the face of a global pandemic."
A second lawsuit alleges that thousands of field organizers were fraudulently encouraged to accept jobs with Bloomberg's campaign with the promise of guaranteed salaries through November. That lawsuit, from three former Bloomberg staffers, Alexis Sklair, Nathaniel Brown and Sterling Rettke, was also filed in federal court in New York City.
"The Bloomberg campaign's hiring managers understood that potential applicants for field staff positions like the plaintiffs would be motivated to work for Mike Bloomberg 2020 because of their interest in working on the general election to defeat Donald Trump," the lawsuit states.
"Accordingly, the Mike Bloomberg 2020 hiring managers expressly promised field staff applicants for Mike Bloomberg 2020 that they would be employed by Mike Bloomberg 2020 to perform work on the primary campaign to elect Michael Bloomberg as the Democratic nominee and election, regardless of whether Bloomberg won the nomination, and stated that the Bloomberg campaign would keep open and financially support its field offices through the general election campaign."
Asked for comment on the pending lawsuits, a campaign spokesperson for Bloomberg said that a fund was being created "to ensure that all staff receive healthcare through April." The spokesperson says staff worked 39 days on average, and were given several weeks of severance and health care through March.
The Bloomberg campaign spokesperson also said that many of the campaign's former field staffers "will go on to work for the DNC in battleground states."
Bloomberg's presidential campaign had promised that it would fund a field program through the November election. When the former New York City mayor withdrew from the presidential race earlier this month and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden, aides said that he would continue to employ some of his campaign's field staffers through an independent entity.
Ultimately though, Bloomberg transferred $18 million from his campaign account to the Democratic National Committee, an investment that is expected to help the DNC build up its data and field operations for the general election in 12 key states.
The memo from Bloomberg's campaign announcing the transfer noted that the DNC staffing increase would draw "in part from our own incredibly experienced and talented organizing staff."


npr--2020-03-23--Why Hoarding Of Hydroxychloroquine Needs To Stop

Why Hoarding Of Hydroxychloroquine Needs To Stop A family of old antimalarial drugs — including one that some patients rely on to treat their lupus or rheumatoid arthritis — is becoming harder to get in the United States , pharmacists say , partly because of remarks President Trump made last week , highlighting the drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19 .
`` I feel good about it .
That 's all it is , just a feeling , '' Trump said during a White House briefing Thursday about chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine .
`` You 're going to see soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to warn that enthusiasm for such a treatment is premature .
Big clinical studies of the drugs ' use against COVID-19 have only just begun , the head of the Food and Drug Administration said .
There are some reasons to think cell studies that look promising in the lab wo n't pan out in real patients , others say .
Nonetheless , with all the buzz , American pharmacists are concerned about hoarding of the drug by people who do n't have an immediate need .
Dentists and doctors writing prescriptions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more demand for this medication and possibly some people trying to hoard the medication , '' says Todd Brown , executive director of the Massachusetts Independent Pharmacists Association .
According to Brown , it appears the hoarders include doctors and dentists who are writing prescriptions for themselves or family members .
`` Pharmacists are seeing an increase in requests and prescriptions for them in instances where it 's not clear why the patient needs it at this time , '' he says .
Brown is suggesting that pharmacists restrict prescription quantities and fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for hydroxychloroquine .
In a statement , CVS Health said the company is `` monitoring the global pharmaceutical manufacturing environment and working with our suppliers to ensure we can continue filling prescriptions for our pharmacy patients and plan members . ''
CVS says it has an adequate supply of hydroxychloroquine and is taking steps to make sure the supply remains stable .
Some data show hospitals stocking up on the drug as well .
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy says six states , so far , have taken steps to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies for patients who take the medicine as approved .
Those states are Texas , Louisiana , Ohio , North Carolina , Nevada and Idaho .
`` Based on reports we see from the states , pharmacists have a fairly good idea that what they 're seeing is prescribers prescribing for themselves and their families and stockpiling these medications rather than prescribing for patients , '' says Carmen Catizone , the executive director of the NABP .
If doctors are hoarding , some colleagues say that 's unethical .
Michael Barnett , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , says that even if the drug turns out , from the clinical studies now in progress , to be effective against COVID-19 , it must be saved for those most in need .
`` There are front-line physicians where , if this medication is actually effective or can be used to prevent coronavirus , they certainly could merit treatment with that , '' Barnett says .
And , he notes , `` we are very far from knowing whether it 's effective in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can see why a doctor or nurse might say , `` Hey , I ca n't get the masks or goggles or gowns I need to protect myself .
Why not try this medication ? ''
Barnett is sympathetic , but he points out that this powerful medicine has serious side effects , so it should not be taken unless there 's a known benefit .
`` Having sort of a free-for-all in terms of prescribing for oneself and just deciding that ' I 'm going to grab some while I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can really undermine our efforts to actually have a concerted public health campaign against this disease , '' Barnett says .
More immediately , there are the patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis who take hydroxychloroquine daily to reduce swelling and rashes .
Dr. Jeff Sparks says his patients at Brigham and Women 's Hospital were already fretting about having enough medicine on hand if stores close or it 's hard for them to go out .
And then the president began calling the drug a game-changer .
`` The entire last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of anxiety about what to do about medications and , in particular , patients asking for refills for hydroxychloroquine , '' Sparks says .
Some patients are already being told they ca n't get the medication or can get only a limited supply .
The Lupus Foundation has asked congressional leaders to ensure supplies for lupus patients .
Sparks says hydroxychloroquine is what keeps many of his patients stable .
`` So even if patients are doing well , stopping the medication could cause them to flare , which means that they then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even get admitted and potentially get exposed [ to the coronavirus ] in the clinical setting , '' Sparks says .
He added that hydroxychloroquine , like ventilators and masks , is a medical resource the country needs to learn to manage more carefully .
This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WBUR , NPR and Kaiser Health News .

Why Hoarding Of Hydroxychloroquine Needs To Stop
Updated at 8:19 p.m. ET
A family of old antimalarial drugs — including one that some patients rely on to treat their lupus or rheumatoid arthritis — is becoming harder to get in the United States, pharmacists say, partly because of remarks President Trump has made, highlighting the drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
"I feel good about it. That's all it is, just a feeling," Trump said during a White House briefing Thursday about hydroxychloroquine. "You're going to see soon enough." He again trumpeted his interest in the approach at a press conference Monday.
But health officials have been quick to warn that enthusiasm for such a treatment is premature. Big clinical studies of the drugs against COVID-19 are only just beginning, the head of the Food and Drug Administration has said; another study will begin in New York Tuesday. And there are some good reasons to think cell studies that look promising in the lab won't pan out in real patients, other infectious disease experts say.
Nonetheless, with all the buzz, American pharmacists are concerned about hoarding of the drug by people who don't have an immediate need.
Dentists and doctors writing prescriptions for themselves
"Our members are definitely seeing more demand for this medication and possibly some people trying to hoard the medication," says Todd Brown, executive director of the Massachusetts Independent Pharmacists Association.
According to Brown, it appears the hoarders include doctors and dentists who are writing prescriptions for themselves or family members.
"Pharmacists are seeing an increase in requests and prescriptions for them in instances where it's not clear why the patient needs it at this time," he says.
Brown is suggesting that pharmacists restrict prescription quantities and fill prescriptions only for patients with an active need for hydroxychloroquine.
In a statement, CVS Health said the company is "monitoring the global pharmaceutical manufacturing environment and working with our suppliers to ensure we can continue filling prescriptions for our pharmacy patients and plan members."
CVS says it has an adequate supply of hydroxychloroquine and is taking steps to make sure the supply remains stable. Some data show hospitals stocking up on the drug as well.
State pharmacy boards put the brakes on prescriptions
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy says six states, so far, have taken steps to limit inappropriate prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine and preserve supplies for patients who take the medicine as approved. Those states are Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Nevada and Idaho.
"Based on reports we see from the states, pharmacists have a fairly good idea that what they're seeing is prescribers prescribing for themselves and their families and stockpiling these medications rather than prescribing for patients," says Carmen Catizone, the executive director of the NABP.
If doctors are hoarding, some colleagues say that's unethical. Michael Barnett, a primary care physician and assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says that even if the drug turns out, from the clinical studies now in progress, to be effective against COVID-19, it must be saved for those most in need.
"There are front-line physicians where, if this medication is actually effective or can be used to prevent coronavirus, they certainly could merit treatment with that," Barnett says. And, he notes, "we are very far from knowing whether it's effective in that manner. "
Still, Barnett says he can see why a doctor or nurse might say, "Hey, I can't get the masks or goggles or gowns I need to protect myself. Why not try this medication?"
Need a stable supply for non-COVID-19 patients
Barnett is sympathetic, but he points out that this powerful medicine has serious side effects, so it should not be taken unless there's a known benefit.
"Having sort of a free-for-all in terms of prescribing for oneself and just deciding that 'I'm going to grab some while I can' is the kind of mentality that can really undermine our efforts to actually have a concerted public health campaign against this disease," Barnett says.
More immediately, there are the patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis who take hydroxychloroquine daily to reduce swelling and rashes. Dr. Jeff Sparks says his patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital were already fretting about having enough medicine on hand if stores close or it's hard for them to go out. And then the president began calling the drug a game-changer.
"The entire last week seemed to be filled with a lot of anxiety about what to do about medications and, in particular, patients asking for refills for hydroxychloroquine," Sparks says.
Some patients are already being told they can't get the medication or can get only a limited supply. The Lupus Foundation has asked congressional leaders to ensure supplies for lupus patients.
Sparks says hydroxychloroquine is what keeps many of his patients stable.
"So even if patients are doing well, stopping the medication could cause them to flare, which means that they then need to go on other immunosuppressants ... or even get admitted and potentially get exposed [to the coronavirus] in the clinical setting," Sparks says.
He added that hydroxychloroquine, like ventilators and masks, is a medical resource the country needs to learn to manage more carefully.
This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WBUR, NPR and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-03-23--State Department Urges Americans To Return Home Or Stay Away For 'Undetermined Time'

State Department Urges Americans To Return Home Or Stay Away For 'Undetermined Time' The State Department is urging Americans to return home now unless they are ready to ride out the coronavirus pandemic for `` an undetermined period of time . ''
Commercial travel is becoming more difficult , though , and thousands are stranded .
State Department officials , who briefed reporters in a conference call Monday and asked not to be named , said they have heard from 13,500 Americans in need of help around the world .
Some are in remote areas and the department says there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them home .
The State Department has so far helped send about 5,700 people back to the U.S. , the officials said — including approximately 1,200 from Morocco last week .
An official said the most vulnerable travelers are prioritized : `` If we have somebody who is 70 years old with an underlying condition such as diabetes or heart disease , that person is going to get a higher priority on one of those flights than the hale and hearty 20-year-old . ''
U.S. military aircraft have been used to evacuate Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to negotiate with countries to obtain permission for privately chartered flights .
That has been a challenge in Peru , where one official says Peru 's capacity for handling the flights is `` very limited . ''
Peru has closed its airport in Lima , leaving only a smaller military ramp open .
The State Department has opened an emergency call center and is encouraging Americans to sign up for the `` Smart Traveler '' program , which sends text messages from the local U.S. embassies , including information about flights that might @ @ @ @

State Department Urges Americans To Return Home Or Stay Away For 'Undetermined Time'
The State Department is urging Americans to return home now unless they are ready to ride out the coronavirus pandemic for "an undetermined period of time." Commercial travel is becoming more difficult, though, and thousands are stranded.
State Department officials, who briefed reporters in a conference call Monday and asked not to be named, said they have heard from 13,500 Americans in need of help around the world. Some are in remote areas and the department says there is no guarantee the U.S. can bring them home.
The State Department has so far helped send about 5,700 people back to the U.S., the officials said — including approximately 1,200 from Morocco last week.
An official said the most vulnerable travelers are prioritized: "If we have somebody who is 70 years old with an underlying condition such as diabetes or heart disease, that person is going to get a higher priority on one of those flights than the hale and hearty 20-year-old."
U.S. military aircraft have been used to evacuate Americans from Honduras. The State Department has to negotiate with countries to obtain permission for privately chartered flights. That has been a challenge in Peru, where one official says Peru's capacity for handling the flights is "very limited."
Peru has closed its airport in Lima, leaving only a smaller military ramp open.
The State Department has opened an emergency call center and is encouraging Americans to sign up for the "Smart Traveler" program, which sends text messages from the local U.S. embassies, including information about flights that might have extra seats.


npr--2020-03-23--GM Considers Building Ventilators At Indiana Plant

General Motors says it 's `` exploring the feasibility '' of building ventilators for the medical supply company Ventec Life @ @ @ @ @ in Kokomo , Ind .
Health officials have warned of a dire ventilator shortage as @ @ @ @ @ number of COVID-19 cases soars .
GM had previously announced it would support Ventec 's @ @ @ @ @ but had not indicated plans to use its own production lines to manufacture the essential @ @ @ @ @ home to a GM Components Holdings facility where electronics and machines are built .
Ford @ @ @ @ @ it can boost the manufacturing of ventilators , which are essential for saving lives in @ @ @ @ @ The White House has the power to require companies to start manufacturing essential medical supplies @ @ @ @ @ used that authority .

GM Considers Building Ventilators At Indiana Plant
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images
General Motors says it's "exploring the feasibility" of building ventilators for the medical supply company Ventec Life Systems at a GM facility in Kokomo, Ind.
Health officials have warned of a dire ventilator shortage as the coronavirus spreads and the number of COVID-19 cases soars.
GM had previously announced it would support Ventec's efforts to boost production, but had not indicated plans to use its own production lines to manufacture the essential medical devices.
Kokomo is home to a GM Components Holdings facility where electronics and machines are built.
Ford has also been assessing how it can boost the manufacturing of ventilators, which are essential for saving lives in severe cases of COVID-19.
The White House has the power to require companies to start manufacturing essential medical supplies, but has not yet used that authority.


npr--2020-03-23--As Economy Struggles, Nonprofits Ask Congress For Help

As Economy Struggles , Nonprofits Ask Congress For Help As members of Congress continue to struggle to agree on terms for an emergency aid package aimed at addressing the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic , a coalition of national nonprofit groups is asking lawmakers to do more to help the nation 's charities .
Nonprofit groups say the nation 's charitable sector is especially hard-hit at this time .
Several national groups – among them the United Way , the YMCA and YWCA , and the American Cancer Society – are asking Congress for $ 60 billion in emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also are requesting additional tax breaks and other incentives meant to encourage charitable contributions , and access to federal small business loans for nonprofits .
`` Funding for charitable organizations is going to fall precipitously but the needs in our communities will not , '' Gary Reedy , CEO of the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network , said in a joint statement released by the coalition .
A spokesperson for the United Way said in an email to NPR that the organization is receiving an influx of calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic .
Officials with the YWCA said they 're concerned about growing demand for space at domestic violence shelters , which is complicated by the need to respect social distancing guidelines designed to reduce the spread of the virus .
The YWCA surveyed more than 200 member organizations .
Of those that responded , more than one third reported an increase in demand for domestic violence services of all kinds , including counseling , and more than half reported an increase in requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson .

As Economy Struggles, Nonprofits Ask Congress For Help
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP
As members of Congress continue to struggle to agree on terms for an emergency aid package aimed at addressing the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, a coalition of national nonprofit groups is asking lawmakers to do more to help the nation's charities.
Nonprofit groups say the nation's charitable sector is especially hard-hit at this time. Several national groups – among them the United Way, the YMCA and YWCA, and the American Cancer Society – are asking Congress for $60 billion in emergency funding to nonprofit organizations nationwide. They also are requesting additional tax breaks and other incentives meant to encourage charitable contributions, and access to federal small business loans for nonprofits.
"Funding for charitable organizations is going to fall precipitously but the needs in our communities will not," Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said in a joint statement released by the coalition.
A spokesperson for the United Way said in an email to NPR that the organization is receiving an influx of calls for help as Americans cope with layoffs and other economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials with the YWCA said they're concerned about growing demand for space at domestic violence shelters, which is complicated by the need to respect social distancing guidelines designed to reduce the spread of the virus.
The YWCA surveyed more than 200 member organizations. Of those that responded, more than one third reported an increase in demand for domestic violence services of all kinds, including counseling, and more than half reported an increase in requests for housing and shelter, according to a spokesperson.


npr--2020-03-24--The Debate Over Money For Everybody

The Debate Over Money For Everybody

The Debate Over Money For Everybody Editor 's note : This is an excerpt of Planet Money 's newsletter .
You can sign up here .
One morning in early March , Jason Furman started thinking about the economic fallout from the coronavirus before driving his 4-year-old son to school .
This was back in the pre-pandemic world when kids still went to school .
But Furman saw an economic crisis coming , and he spent about an hour sketching out a plan for the government to act .
His kid was a little late to school , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor at Harvard University and a former economic adviser to President Barack Obama , serving both during and after the Great Recession .
`` I find what we 're going through right now much scarier , '' he says .
Scarier not just because of the virus , he says , but also because of the pace and potential depth of the economic meltdown it 's causing .
A few weeks ago , this was all much less clear .
But Furman was still worried .
Before dropping off his kid at school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hoped would prevent the public health crisis from spiraling into an economic crisis .
The op-ed , which was published March 5 in the Wall Street Journal , called for a comprehensive $ 350 billion stimulus package .
But the part that caught people 's attention was his idea to send a $ 1,000 check to most Americans , plus $ 500 for each of their kids .
Washington , for the most part , did n't take his proposal seriously at first .
`` I think a lot of people 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the economic problem that coronavirus was going to pose , '' Furman says .
`` The president 's economic adviser , Larry Kudlow , got asked on television what he thought of my idea .
He said something like , 'Jason Furman is my friend , but ... ' and then said something much more limited needed to happen . ''
On March 11 , Furman also reportedly met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats , and they rejected his idea too .
( Furman would not comment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But in the week that followed , schools closed ; restaurants , bars , and places such as Disney World shut down ; and the president declared a national emergency .
On March 16 , Republican Sen. Mitt Romney got behind Furman 's idea — even the specific number : $ 1,000 for every American adult .
And soon President Trump , who had previously put his weight behind a payroll tax cut , said he was now behind the idea of sending checks to everyone as a way to provide relief more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a victory .
`` A payroll tax cut clearly does n't work in an economy where lots and lots of people are n't being paid , '' he says .
Furman 's original plan was criticized on numerous grounds .
Some did n't like the idea of sending everyone checks , and lawmakers are now discussing putting an income limit on who gets them .
Furman explains that he originally pitched his idea as a universal program to limit bureaucratic inefficiencies and get checks out the door faster .
But now he thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets checks would n't slow down the process much , and he says , `` That would be completely fine to do . ''
Others argue that $ 1,000 checks are n't going to fix crumbling supply chains in China or revive our face-to-face service industry in the era of social distancing .
Nathaniel Hendren , another economist at Harvard , argues that this money would be better spent directly fighting the virus .
`` Universal $ 1,000 checks wo n't get people back to the restaurants , '' Hendren says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restaurants . ''
As for the millions of workers laid off or furloughed , Hendren believes a big expansion of unemployment insurance would be a more direct and less wasteful way to help them .
Furman also supports massive investments in fighting the virus , unemployment insurance and other parts of a comprehensive approach to help Americans during the crisis .
But he believes sending checks is an efficient and quick way to help people pay their bills and stimulate the economy .
True , he says , it wo n't revive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but even if it 's simply relief for struggling families , he says , `` that would be enough for me . ''
As the economy sputters , Furman is now thinking about his one-time check idea as potentially a many-times check idea .
Likewise , in a news conference on Friday , Trump said he now wanted stimulus checks to be `` much more '' than $ 1,000 and for the government to keep sending checks as needed .
Pelosi and House Democrats are now calling for $ 1,500 checks for Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the political divide are talking seriously about giving away so much money is a sign of how severely the disease is hurting the economy .
The story of Furman 's plan to save the economy shows how crazy things are right now .
On March 5 , Furman proposed a $ 350 billion package .
Almost three weeks later , Congress is seriously considering a $ 2 trillion stimulus package .
Let 's hope it 's enough .
Did you enjoy this newsletter ?
Well , it looks even better in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Debate Over Money For Everybody
Editor's note: This is an excerpt of Planet Money's newsletter. You can sign up here.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images
One morning in early March, Jason Furman started thinking about the economic fallout from the coronavirus before driving his 4-year-old son to school. This was back in the pre-pandemic world when kids still went to school. But Furman saw an economic crisis coming, and he spent about an hour sketching out a plan for the government to act. His kid was a little late to school, but it was worth it.
Furman is a professor at Harvard University and a former economic adviser to President Barack Obama, serving both during and after the Great Recession. "I find what we're going through right now much scarier," he says. Scarier not just because of the virus, he says, but also because of the pace and potential depth of the economic meltdown it's causing.
A few weeks ago, this was all much less clear. But Furman was still worried. Before dropping off his kid at school, he typed up an op-ed that he hoped would prevent the public health crisis from spiraling into an economic crisis. The op-ed, which was published March 5 in the Wall Street Journal, called for a comprehensive $350 billion stimulus package. But the part that caught people's attention was his idea to send a $1,000 check to most Americans, plus $500 for each of their kids.
Washington, for the most part, didn't take his proposal seriously at first. "I think a lot of people's heads were not yet in the magnitude of the economic problem that coronavirus was going to pose," Furman says. "The president's economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, got asked on television what he thought of my idea. He said something like, 'Jason Furman is my friend, but ...' and then said something much more limited needed to happen." On March 11, Furman also reportedly met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats, and they rejected his idea too. (Furman would not comment on the details of the meeting.)
But in the week that followed, schools closed; restaurants, bars, and places such as Disney World shut down; and the president declared a national emergency. On March 16, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney got behind Furman's idea — even the specific number: $1,000 for every American adult. And soon President Trump, who had previously put his weight behind a payroll tax cut, said he was now behind the idea of sending checks to everyone as a way to provide relief more quickly. For Furman, this was a victory. "A payroll tax cut clearly doesn't work in an economy where lots and lots of people aren't being paid," he says.
Furman's original plan was criticized on numerous grounds. Some didn't like the idea of sending everyone checks, and lawmakers are now discussing putting an income limit on who gets them. Furman explains that he originally pitched his idea as a universal program to limit bureaucratic inefficiencies and get checks out the door faster. But now he thinks that putting an income limit on who gets checks wouldn't slow down the process much, and he says, "That would be completely fine to do."
Others argue that $1,000 checks aren't going to fix crumbling supply chains in China or revive our face-to-face service industry in the era of social distancing. Nathaniel Hendren, another economist at Harvard, argues that this money would be better spent directly fighting the virus. "Universal $1,000 checks won't get people back to the restaurants," Hendren says. "Universal testing will get us back to the restaurants." As for the millions of workers laid off or furloughed, Hendren believes a big expansion of unemployment insurance would be a more direct and less wasteful way to help them.
Furman also supports massive investments in fighting the virus, unemployment insurance and other parts of a comprehensive approach to help Americans during the crisis. But he believes sending checks is an efficient and quick way to help people pay their bills and stimulate the economy. True, he says, it won't revive supply chains or restaurants and bars, but even if it's simply relief for struggling families, he says, "that would be enough for me."
As the economy sputters, Furman is now thinking about his one-time check idea as potentially a many-times check idea. Likewise, in a news conference on Friday, Trump said he now wanted stimulus checks to be "much more" than $1,000 and for the government to keep sending checks as needed. Pelosi and House Democrats are now calling for $1,500 checks for Americans. That so many on both sides of the political divide are talking seriously about giving away so much money is a sign of how severely the disease is hurting the economy.
The story of Furman's plan to save the economy shows how crazy things are right now. On March 5, Furman proposed a $350 billion package. Almost three weeks later, Congress is seriously considering a $2 trillion stimulus package. Let's hope it's enough.
Did you enjoy this newsletter? Well, it looks even better in your inbox! You can sign up here.


npr--2020-03-24--Salt Lake City Airport Tightens Rules For Greeting Missionaries Returning From Abroad

Salt Lake City officials have announced tougher restrictions on families and friends meeting Mormon missionaries returning from abroad after many well wishers flouted official guidelines , thronging an airport parking lot over the weekend with welcome-home signs and balloons .
Hundreds of people gathered for tearful reunions for some 1,600 missionaries flying back in chartered planes from the Philippines , which ordered foreigners to leave amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The Southeast Asian country has recorded some 500 cases of infection and more than 30 deaths from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
Earlier , airport officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should greet each missionary , and that they should remain in their cars — measures aimed at maintaining the `` social distancing '' that health officials have deemed necessary to limit the spread of the pathogen .
But photos and video of the scene at the airport on Sunday showed that many people defied the guidelines .
The Salt Lake City Tribune described the scene : `` Missionaries , who had been ordered by the church to isolate themselves from their families for 14 days upon return , were swept into hugs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their well-wishers as children and seniors alike mingled in the scrum . ''
City and state officials and even Republican Sen. Mitt Romney , who represents Utah and is himself a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , expressed criticism .
Romney , who only the day before went into self-isolation due to contact with fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky , who has tested positive for the virus , called the gathering `` irresponsible . ''
`` We need to work together to keep our communities safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
Romney 's words echoed those of Utah Gov .
Gary Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall .
`` We know how important it is to reunite with a family member during this time but we have to adhere to mass gathering standards , which are in place to protect us , '' Mendenhall said .
`` Lives are on the line and every precaution must be taken to help stop the quick spread of this dangerous illness . ''
Utah officials said Monday that officials had confirmed 257 coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with one COVID-19 death .
`` What occurred Sunday afternoon at the Salt Lake airport causes us deep concern with missionaries and their families disregarding important instructions regarding self-isolation and congregating at airports , '' a letter from the airport said .
Under new rules , airport officials now say only one car per returning missionary will be allowed , with designated parking spots and airport security present to ensure compliance , according to The Salt Lake City Tribune .

Salt Lake City Airport Tightens Rules For Greeting Missionaries Returning From Abroad
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
Salt Lake City officials have announced tougher restrictions on families and friends meeting Mormon missionaries returning from abroad after many well wishers flouted official guidelines, thronging an airport parking lot over the weekend with welcome-home signs and balloons.
Hundreds of people gathered for tearful reunions for some 1,600 missionaries flying back in chartered planes from the Philippines, which ordered foreigners to leave amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Southeast Asian country has recorded some 500 cases of infection and more than 30 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Earlier, airport officials had issued instructions that only two people should greet each missionary, and that they should remain in their cars — measures aimed at maintaining the "social distancing" that health officials have deemed necessary to limit the spread of the pathogen.
But photos and video of the scene at the airport on Sunday showed that many people defied the guidelines.
Hundreds of missionaries from the Philippines are coming back to Salt Lake City today. Social distancing is out the window as people welcome back their family members with posters, balloons, and hugs. @KUTV2News pic.twitter.com/CeyRDtRv9x — Kelly Vaughen (@KellyVaughen) March 22, 2020
The Salt Lake City Tribune described the scene: "Missionaries, who had been ordered by the church to isolate themselves from their families for 14 days upon return, were swept into hugs. Some pulled off their masks to greet their well-wishers as children and seniors alike mingled in the scrum."
City and state officials and even Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, who represents Utah and is himself a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed criticism.
Romney, who only the day before went into self-isolation due to contact with fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has tested positive for the virus, called the gathering "irresponsible."
"We need to work together to keep our communities safe," he said in a Facebook post.
Romney's words echoed those of Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
"We know how important it is to reunite with a family member during this time but we have to adhere to mass gathering standards, which are in place to protect us," Mendenhall said. "Lives are on the line and every precaution must be taken to help stop the quick spread of this dangerous illness."
I’ve seen photos of large groups of people gathered at the @slcairport yesterday. Our community’s health relies on individuals using good judgment. Just because you aren’t forcibly barred from doing something doesn’t mean it’s OK. We’re working to ensure it won’t happen again pic.twitter.com/VeNPYsqTZk — SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) March 23, 2020
Utah officials said Monday that officials had confirmed 257 coronavirus cases in the state as of Monday, with one COVID-19 death.
"What occurred Sunday afternoon at the Salt Lake airport causes us deep concern with missionaries and their families disregarding important instructions regarding self-isolation and congregating at airports," a letter from the airport said.
.@slcairport worked with the Church to limit the number coming to the airport yesterday to two per missionary. All were told to wait in their cars until their missionary arrived. Moving forward, it is critical for the health and safety of all, that everyone follows our request. — SaltLakeCityAirport (@slcairport) March 23, 2020
Under new rules, airport officials now say only one car per returning missionary will be allowed, with designated parking spots and airport security present to ensure compliance, according to The Salt Lake City Tribune.


npr--2020-03-24--In Blackbeard Pirate Ship Case, Supreme Court Scuttles Copyright Claims

Ruling unanimously in favor of states ' rights on Monday , the U.S. Supreme Court said that a videographer who spent two decades documenting the salvaging of Blackbeard 's ship can not sue the state of North Carolina in federal court for using his videos without his permission .
Although the decision had more to do with mundane copyright law than the law of the high seas , it was a victory for states claiming immunity from copyright infringement lawsuits .
The case before the court began with the 1996 discovery of the sunken remains of a French slave ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1717 , and renamed by him The Queen Anne 's Revenge .
The vessel became the pirate 's flagship .
With 40 cannons and 300 men , it sailed around the Caribbean and up the U.S. coast .
But in 1718 , just a year later , it ran aground just a mile off Beaufort , N.C. , and sank .
There she lay undisturbed for some 300 years until 1996 when the shipwreck was discovered by a marine salvage company named Intersal , Inc .
There was no dispute that under federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state .
So North Carolina commissioned the salvage company to take charge of the recovery operation , and the company , in turn , hired Frederick Allen , a local videographer , to document the operation .
Which he did , `` at considerable risk , '' for the next two decades — all the while copyrighting his work so that it could not be used without his permission .
The state of North Carolina , however , began posting some of Allen 's photos online , without permission or paying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allen $ 15,000 for one such infringement , but its violations persisted .
Ultimately Allen sued in federal court for copyright infringement .
The state claimed it was immune to such suits because over the last quarter century the Supreme Court has ruled that in general individuals can not sue sovereign states without their permission in federal court .
Allen countered that the copyright provisions of the Constitution trump that general rule when combined with other rights-enforcement provisions in the Constitution .
But on Monday , the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against Allen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such federal lawsuits .
Writing for the Court , Justice Elena Kagan pointed to several precedents over the past 26 years in which the justices have barred such lawsuits .
True , she said , Congress had explicitly and clearly enacted legislation allowing such federal lawsuits .
But that legislation was enacted before the Supreme Court had begun reading the 11th Amendment to bar such suits .
Mainly , though , the court 's opinion was couched in terms of deference to precedent -- namely in this case , the precedents of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision , we demand a special justification over and above the belief that the precedent was wrongly decided , '' Kagan wrote .
`` And Allen offers us nothing special at all . ''
Although the decision was unanimous , there were two concurring opinions .
Justice Clarence Thomas refused to join those sections dealing with deference to precedent .
And Justice Stephen Breyer , joined by Ruth Bader Ginburg , joined `` in the judgment . ''
More on that shortly .
Writing for himself and Ginsburg , Breyer noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barring individual lawsuits against state governments .
`` One might think that Walt Disney Pictures could sue a state ( or anyone else ) for hosting an unlicensed screening of the studio 's blockbuster film , Pirates of the Caribbean ( or any of its many sequels . )
Yet the court holds otherwise , '' he wrote .
Breyer had a little fun at Kagan 's expense , declaring that in his view , under the Constitution Congress may , as it did in this case , require states that `` have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they have plundered.
`` Referring to Kagan 's suggestion that a `` more tailored '' congressional effort to legislate in this area might pass constitutional muster , Breyer observed that is `` anyone 's guess . ''
Nonetheless , he said , `` recognizing that my longstanding view has not carried the day , and that the court 's prior decision '' in a similar case `` controls this case , I concur in the judgment . ''

In Blackbeard Pirate Ship Case, Supreme Court Scuttles Copyright Claims
Enlarge this image Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
Ruling unanimously in favor of states' rights on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court said that a videographer who spent two decades documenting the salvaging of Blackbeard's ship cannot sue the state of North Carolina in federal court for using his videos without his permission.
Although the decision had more to do with mundane copyright law than the law of the high seas, it was a victory for states claiming immunity from copyright infringement lawsuits.
The case before the court began with the 1996 discovery of the sunken remains of a French slave ship captured by the infamous pirate Blackbeard in 1717, and renamed by him The Queen Anne's Revenge. The vessel became the pirate's flagship. With 40 cannons and 300 men, it sailed around the Caribbean and up the U.S. coast. But in 1718, just a year later, it ran aground just a mile off Beaufort, N.C., and sank.
There she lay undisturbed for some 300 years until 1996 when the shipwreck was discovered by a marine salvage company named Intersal, Inc. There was no dispute that under federal and state law, the remains belonged to the state. So North Carolina commissioned the salvage company to take charge of the recovery operation, and the company, in turn, hired Frederick Allen, a local videographer, to document the operation. Which he did, "at considerable risk," for the next two decades — all the while copyrighting his work so that it could not be used without his permission.
The state of North Carolina, however, began posting some of Allen's photos online, without permission or paying royalties. In 2013 the state paid Allen $15,000 for one such infringement, but its violations persisted. Ultimately Allen sued in federal court for copyright infringement.
The state claimed it was immune to such suits because over the last quarter century the Supreme Court has ruled that in general individuals cannot sue sovereign states without their permission in federal court. Allen countered that the copyright provisions of the Constitution trump that general rule when combined with other rights-enforcement provisions in the Constitution.
But on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against Allen and for the state's immunity from such federal lawsuits.
Writing for the Court, Justice Elena Kagan pointed to several precedents over the past 26 years in which the justices have barred such lawsuits. True, she said, Congress had explicitly and clearly enacted legislation allowing such federal lawsuits. But that legislation was enacted before the Supreme Court had begun reading the 11th Amendment to bar such suits.
Mainly, though, the court's opinion was couched in terms of deference to precedent--namely in this case, the precedents of the last 26 years. "To reverse a decision, we demand a special justification over and above the belief that the precedent was wrongly decided," Kagan wrote. "And Allen offers us nothing special at all."
Although the decision was unanimous, there were two concurring opinions. Justice Clarence Thomas refused to join those sections dealing with deference to precedent. And Justice Stephen Breyer, joined by Ruth Bader Ginburg, joined "in the judgment." More on that shortly.
Writing for himself and Ginsburg, Breyer noted that he had long disagreed with the decisions barring individual lawsuits against state governments. "One might think that Walt Disney Pictures could sue a state (or anyone else) for hosting an unlicensed screening of the studio's blockbuster film, Pirates of the Caribbean (or any of its many sequels.) Yet the court holds otherwise," he wrote.
Breyer had a little fun at Kagan's expense, declaring that in his view, under the Constitution Congress may, as it did in this case, require states that "have pirated intellectual property...to pay for what they have plundered. "
Referring to Kagan's suggestion that a "more tailored" congressional effort to legislate in this area might pass constitutional muster, Breyer observed that is "anyone's guess."
Nonetheless, he said, "recognizing that my longstanding view has not carried the day, and that the court's prior decision" in a similar case "controls this case, I concur in the judgment."


npr--2020-03-24--FEMA's Fight Against Disinformation, From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling

FEMA 's Fight Against Disinformation , From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling The Federal Emergency Management Agency is trying to knock down a series of rumors and falsehoods that have been spreading along with the coronavirus pandemic .
It launched a page on its website called Coronavirus Rumor Control to fight the misinformation , as officials work to assure the public there is , in fact , no `` national quarantine , '' nor has FEMA has deployed `` military assets . ''
`` No , FEMA does not have military assets , '' the site notes .
Acting DHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday that `` we have no plans for a national lockdown or a national quarantine , '' calling that disinformation .
Wolf also tweeted : `` Do not believe the disinformation campaigns .
Please do not pass it along .
Use trusted local and federal government sources . ''
According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center , `` About half the public ( 48 % ) say they 've been exposed to at least some made-up news and information related to the virus . ''
In a sense , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a crisis , says Gary Webb , chair of the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science at the University of North Texas .
`` People are just seeking out information , where we 're kind of searching for answers and trying to kind of muddle our way through all of this ambiguity and and uncertainty , '' Webb tells NPR .
`` And I think in any time we face a situation like that , there 's there 's going to be kind of an explosion in information .
And not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credible and an accurate information . ''
Part of the blame for the ease with which rumors and bad information spreads is due to social media , Webb says .
`` So many people rely on it to communicate with friends and family members .
And it 's for many people a primary source of information , '' he says .
`` But at the same time , we know that that social media can also be bombarded with inaccurate information . ''
Some of the misinformation that spreads in times of crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rumors claiming sharks were swimming in the streets during Hurricane Florence — perhaps the inspiration for recent false claims that dolphins were spotted frolicking in the canals of Venice because the water was now clean due to a coronavirus-related lack of boat traffic .
It 's not clear where much of this material originates , although Trump administration officials have blamed foreign governments .
`` What we know — whether it 's Russia , or whether it 's other cyber actors ... [ is ] they like to sow discord on any controversial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox show .
`` So , it does n't just have to be elections .
It can be any issue .
And we 're seeing that now with the coronavirus . ''
Trump himself was angered that a spokesman for China 's foreign ministry falsely alleged that the U.S. Army had introduced the coronavirus to Wuhan , its original epicenter in China .
Webb is n't convinced much of misinformation that spreads in crises has sinister origins , saying much of it `` stems from some inconsistent messaging that 's coming about coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that inconsistency is is really happening at at all levels . ''
FEMA , he says , is `` trying to reduce some of those inconsistencies and also reduce some of the confusion and ambiguity '' with it 's website .
A related problem : in a crisis there are always those who try to illegally cash in .
Another myth that FEMA is rebuking holds that that the government is currently mailing out $ 1,000 checks to Americans .
Although members of Congress are debating relief legislation , the particulars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The U.S. government is not mailing checks in response to COVID-19 at this time .
Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer . ''
Attorney General William Barr vowed at the White House on Monday that the Justice Department would crack down on coronavirus scammers .
That followed action by the department to shut down a website that was offering what it called a vaccine kit — a fraud .
Although early clinical tests are underway , today there is no vaccine .
The Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website were running a wire fraud scheme to profit off of the fear around the COVID-19 pandemic .
A federal judge in Texas has granted the department 's request for the website to be temporarily blocked as the case proceeds .

FEMA's Fight Against Disinformation, From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling
Enlarge this image toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is trying to knock down a series of rumors and falsehoods that have been spreading along with the coronavirus pandemic.
It launched a page on its website called Coronavirus Rumor Control to fight the misinformation as officials work to assure the public there is, in fact, no "national quarantine," nor has FEMA deployed "military assets."
"No, FEMA does not have military assets," the site notes.
Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told Fox News on Saturday that "we have no plans for a national lockdown or a national quarantine," calling that disinformation.
Wolf also tweeted: "Do not believe the disinformation campaigns. Please do not pass it along. Use trusted local and federal government sources."
According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, "About half the public (48%) say they've been exposed to at least some made-up news and information related to the virus."
First casualty of war
In a sense, it's not surprising that bad information spreads during a crisis, says Gary Webb, chair of the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science at the University of North Texas.
"People are just seeking out information, where we're kind of searching for answers and trying to kind of muddle our way through all of this ambiguity and and uncertainty," Webb tells NPR. "And I think in any time we face a situation like that, there's going to be kind of an explosion in information. And not all of that is going to be credible and accurate information."
Part of the blame for the ease with which rumors and bad information spreads is due to social media, Webb says.
"So many people rely on it to communicate with friends and family members. And it's for many people a primary source of information," he says. "But at the same time, we know that social media can also be bombarded with inaccurate information."
Swimming with the sharks
Some of the misinformation that spreads in times of crisis is less than harmful.
There were rumors claiming sharks were swimming in the streets during Hurricane Florence — perhaps the inspiration for recent false claims that dolphins were spotted frolicking in the canals of Venice because the water was now clean due to a coronavirus-related lack of boat traffic.
It's not clear where much of this material originates, although Trump administration officials have blamed foreign governments.
"What we know — whether it's Russia, or whether it's other cyber actors... [is] they like to sow discord on any controversial issue," Wolf said on another Fox show. "So, it doesn't just have to be elections. It can be any issue. And we're seeing that now with the coronavirus."
Trump himself was angered that a spokesman for China's foreign ministry falsely alleged that the U.S. Army had introduced the coronavirus to Wuhan, its original epicenter in China.
Webb isn't convinced much of misinformation that spreads in crises has sinister origins, saying much of it "stems from some inconsistent messaging that's coming out about the virus. And I think that inconsistency is really happening at all levels."
FEMA, he says, is "trying to reduce some of those inconsistencies and also reduce some of the confusion and ambiguity" with its website.
Hucksters and flimflam
A related problem: In a crisis there are always those who try to illegally cash in.
Another myth that FEMA is rebuking holds that the government is currently mailing out $1,000 checks to Americans. Although members of Congress are debating relief legislation, the particulars aren't yet final.
FEMA says: "The U.S. government is not mailing checks in response to COVID-19 at this time. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer."
Attorney General William Barr vowed at the White House on Monday that the Justice Department would crack down on coronavirus scammers.
That followed action by the department to shut down a website that was offering what it called a vaccine kit — a fraud. Although early clinical tests are underway, today there is no vaccine.
The Justice Department alleged that the operators of the website were running a wire fraud scheme to profit off of the fear around the COVID-19 pandemic. A federal judge in Texas has granted the department's request for the website to be temporarily blocked as the case proceeds.
NPR's Ryan Lucas contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-24--New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Takes The Spotlight In Coronavirus Response

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo Takes The Spotlight In Coronavirus Response New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is at the center of attention as the state and New York City have become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. And longtime observers say Cuomo 's natural strengths : decisiveness , taking charge , listening to the experts and sticking to the facts — are playing well in a public health crisis .
`` He 's known as a hard-charging , take-no-prisoners kind of guy , '' says USA Today network reporter Jon Campbell , who 's covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He likes being in charge .
He has no qualms about telling people what to do and saying what he thinks needs to be done . ''
Followers of New York politics say Cuomo 's reputation for micromanaging and being controling and `` rough around the edges '' has often been seen as a negative in the past — but in a moment of crisis , he 's gained accolades even from some critics for taking bold action .
Born in 1957 , Cuomo is the second of five children of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York from 1983 to 1994 .
`` He 's very much his father 's son .
He got his start in politics running a lot of the campaigns for his father , '' says Bob Liff , a former reporter in New York who is now a Democratic political consultant .
In the mid-1980s , after law school in Albany , Cuomo worked as a lawyer before founding a nonprofit organization to help build housing for the homeless .
In 1991 , he became head of the New York City Commission on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , where in 1993 he began working at the Department of Housing and Urban Development as an assistant secretary .
He rose to national prominence when he became the secretary of HUD in the Clinton administration in 1997 , where he worked until 2001 .
But Cuomo still had his eye on New York .
He ran for governor in 2002 but failed to win the Democratic nomination after remarking that the governor at the time , George Pataki , `` held the leader 's coat '' — that leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cuomo became a `` pariah , '' as the New York Daily News described it .
Not long after that he went through a separation from his wife that became fodder for tabloids in 2003 .
Cuomo 's path back to power came in 2006 , when he won his first statewide election , becoming the attorney general of New York state .
Four years later he won election as governor , and was reelected in 2014 and 2018 .
During his time in office , he has trumpeted the passage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour .
He faced scandal in 2018 , when longtime aide Joseph Percoco was found guilty and sentenced to prison on federal corruption charges .
Cuomo was not personally accused of wrongdoing , and Campbell says the scandal `` never really stuck to the governor . ''
For Cuomo , the coronavirus pandemic now presents a whole new type of challenge .
`` This is the biggest challenge since 1918 , '' Liff says .
Two of New York 's greatest disasters , Sept. 11 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We knew we would come out the other side . ''
With this , he says , no one knows `` when it 'll be or what it 'll look like . ''
Cuomo has been giving daily press briefings as coronavirus cases in the state and especially New York City rapidly rise .
He announced a stay-at-home order on Friday .
On Saturday he said the state was sending 1 million N95 masks to New York City .
On Sunday he said he approved four sites for the Army Corps of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday he ordered hospitals to increase their capacity by at least 50 % — even as he announced the state 's coronavirus cases had topped 20,000 .
The briefings and his performance are `` getting rave reviews , '' according to Campbell .
`` Both from people within his party , [ and ] even Republicans . ''
`` I 've been pretty impressed with how he 's dealt with trying to convey accurate information to not just the people of New York state but specifically the people in New York City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor of political science at Fordham University .
It 's a contrast to President Trump , who has given messages that have differed from those of health officials and made false claims during the White House 's daily press briefings .
`` That 's the thing that has made so many of [ Cuomo 's ] critics quite impressed , '' Greer says .
`` He 's been accused of being a bully ; he 's been accused of being controlling ; he 's been accused of being self-serving .
But it seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character traits are on the backburner right now .
Because it seems his number-1 priority is to make sure that New Yorkers are safe . ''

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Takes The Spotlight In Coronavirus Response
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bennett Raglin/Getty Images Bennett Raglin/Getty Images
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is at the center of attention as the state and New York City have become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.
And longtime observers say Cuomo's natural strengths: decisiveness, taking charge, listening to the experts and sticking to the facts — are playing well in a public health crisis.
"He's known as a hard-charging, take-no-prisoners kind of guy," says USA Today network reporter Jon Campbell, who has covered politics in Albany for nearly a decade.
"He likes being in charge. He has no qualms about telling people what to do and saying what he thinks needs to be done."
Followers of New York politics say Cuomo's reputation for micromanaging and being controlling and "rough around the edges" has often been seen as a negative in the past — but in a moment of crisis, he has gained accolades even from some critics for taking bold action.
Born in 1957, Cuomo is the second of five children of Mario Cuomo, the three-term governor of New York from 1983 to 1994.
"He's very much his father's son. He got his start in politics running a lot of the campaigns for his father," says Bob Liff, a former reporter in New York who is now a Democratic political consultant.
In the mid-1980s, after law school in Albany, Cuomo worked as a lawyer before founding a nonprofit organization to help build housing for the homeless. In 1991, he became head of the New York City Commission on the Homeless.
That led him to Washington, D.C., where in 1993 he began working at the Department of Housing and Urban Development as an assistant secretary.
He rose to national prominence when he became the secretary of HUD in the Clinton administration in 1997, where he worked until 2001.
But Cuomo still had his eye on New York. He ran for governor in 2002 but failed to win the Democratic nomination after remarking that the governor at the time, George Pataki, "held the leader's coat" — that leader being New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Cuomo became a "pariah," as the New York Daily News described it. Not long after that he went through a separation from his wife that became fodder for tabloids in 2003.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Rogate/Getty Images Joe Rogate/Getty Images
Cuomo's path back to power came in 2006, when he won his first statewide election, becoming the attorney general of New York state.
Four years later he won election as governor and was reelected in 2014 and 2018. During his time in office, he has trumpeted the passage of measures to legalize same-sex marriage and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
He faced scandal in 2018, when longtime aide Joseph Percoco was found guilty and sentenced to prison on federal corruption charges. Cuomo was not personally accused of wrongdoing, and Campbell says the scandal "never really stuck to the governor."
For Cuomo, the coronavirus pandemic now presents a whole new type of challenge.
"This is the biggest challenge since 1918," Liff says. Two of New York's greatest disasters, Sept. 11 and Superstorm Sandy, "were discrete events. We knew we would come out the other side." With this, he says, no one knows "when it'll be or what it'll look like."
Cuomo has been giving daily press briefings as coronavirus cases in the state and especially New York City rapidly rise. He announced a stay-at-home order on Friday. On Saturday, he said the state was sending 1 million N95 masks to New York City. On Sunday he said he approved four sites for the Army Corps of Engineers to build temporary hospitals.
On Monday, he ordered hospitals to increase their capacity by at least 50% — even as he announced the state's coronavirus cases had topped 20,000.
The briefings and his performance are "getting rave reviews," according to Campbell. "Both from people within his party, [and] even Republicans."
"I've been pretty impressed with how he's dealt with trying to convey accurate information to not just the people of New York state but specifically the people in New York City," says Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University.
It's a contrast to President Trump, who has given messages that have differed from those of health officials and made false claims during the White House's daily press briefings.
"That's the thing that has made so many of [Cuomo's] critics quite impressed," Greer says.
"He's been accused of being a bully. He's been accused of being controlling. He's been accused of being self-serving. But it seems as though all of those personality and character traits are on the back burner right now. Because it seems his No. 1 priority is to make sure that New Yorkers are safe."