npr--2020-05-19--Cruise Shutdown Leaves Southeast Alaska Without Its Economic Lifeblood

It 's quiet on the docks in Ketchikan .
In this Southeast Alaska town that depends on cruise ships to make ends meet , that 's worrisome .
Patti Mackey is the head of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau .
Any other May , she said , these docks would be abuzz .
`` There would be several thousand people in Ketchikan at the same time getting ready to see the town — and spend their money , '' Mackey said .
It was supposed to be a record year .
More than 1.2 million cruise passengers were projected to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million into Ketchikan 's economy .
Those tourists would have supported numerous businesses throughout the region — from souvenir shops to jewelry stores to tour operators .
Across Southeast Alaska , tourists were forecasted to spend nearly $ 800 million this summer , supporting 8,000 jobs in a region with 70,000 full-time residents .
Tour companies were taking reservations .
Seasonal retailers had ordered their summer stocks , Mackey said .
And then the world changed .
Cruise lines suspended operations as the coronavirus spread quickly aboard ships .
Voluntary suspensions turned mandatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` no-sail order . ''
It 's set to expire July 24 .
But it 's unclear whether any of the big ships will visit Ketchikan this year — Carnival and subsidiaries Holland America and Princess Cruises have canceled Alaska sailings through the end of the year .
All told , nearly 80 % of Southeast Alaska 's sailings are gone .
That means a lean season lies ahead for businesses like Southeast Exposure , which offers kayak and zipline tours on the north side of Ketchikan .
`` I 'd say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the cruise ships , '' Southeast Exposure manager Jared Gross said .
`` We 're trying to figure out where we can get new business — hopefully some local business this summer . ''
But it wo n't come close to replacing revenue from tourists .
Gross is offering a season-long kayak rental for $ 200 .
Tours for cruise ship visitors cost closer to $ 100 per day .
Fortunately , he said , his 34-year-old family business has low overhead .
He 's confident Southeast Exposure will survive the shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be so lucky .
The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau asked 75 local businesses how long they could hang on without tourists in town .
Only about a quarter said they could endure until next summer .
Cruise ship tourism is n't just the cornerstone of Ketchikan 's economy — it also underpins its municipal finances .
Sales taxes collected on floatplane trips and souvenir T-shirts help pay for its police and fire departments .
Port fees go towards paying off hundreds of millions of dollars ' worth of upgrades to the city-owned downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few decades , Ketchikan has moved from timber to tourism – and nowhere is that more evident than at Ketchikan 's old wood pulp mill .
`` This really was the economic heart of not only Ketchikan , but really of Southeast [ Alaska ] , '' said John Binkley , standing at the end of a partially-completed cruise ship dock in Ketchikan 's Ward Cove .
He 's part of a group of investors partnering with Norwegian Cruise Line to turn the shuttered mill into a $ 50 million cruise ship terminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Alaska cruise industry 's representative-in-chief .
His family has been in the tourism business for 70 years , and he 's seen the business ebb and flow .
He said he 's confident visitors will return .
`` I think there 's ... something within us as humans that we want to travel .
We want to go out and experience new things and different things , '' Binkley said .
`` I think that will always be there . ''
For now , however , there are a lot of questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towns will make ends meet .

Cruise Shutdown Leaves Southeast Alaska Without Its Economic Lifeblood
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Stone/KRBD Eric Stone/KRBD
It's quiet on the docks in Ketchikan. In this Southeast Alaska town that depends on cruise ships to make ends meet, that's worrisome.
Patti Mackey is the head of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau. Any other May, she said, these docks would be abuzz.
"There would be several thousand people in Ketchikan at the same time getting ready to see the town — and spend their money," Mackey said.
It was supposed to be a record year. More than 1.2 million cruise passengers were projected to visit. They would have pumped $190 million into Ketchikan's economy.
Those tourists would have supported numerous businesses throughout the region — from souvenir shops to jewelry stores to tour operators. Across Southeast Alaska, tourists were forecast to spend nearly $800 million this summer, supporting 8,000 jobs in a region with 70,000 full-time residents.
Tour companies were taking reservations. Seasonal retailers had ordered their summer stocks, Mackey said.
Then the world changed.
Cruise lines suspended operations as the coronavirus spread quickly aboard ships. Voluntary suspensions turned mandatory when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a "no-sail order." It's set to expire July 24.
But it's unclear whether any of the big ships will visit Ketchikan this year — Carnival and subsidiaries Holland America and Princess Cruises have canceled Alaska sailings through the end of the year. All told, nearly 80% of Southeast Alaska's sailings are gone.
That means a lean season lies ahead for businesses like Southeast Exposure, which offers kayak and zipline tours on the north side of Ketchikan.
"I'd say almost 100% of our business is from the cruise ships," Southeast Exposure manager Jared Gross said. "We're trying to figure out where we can get new business — hopefully some local business this summer."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Stone/KRBD Eric Stone/KRBD
It won't come close to replacing revenue from tourists. Gross is offering a seasonlong kayak rental for $200. Tours for cruise ship visitors cost closer to $100 per day.
Fortunately, he said, his 34-year-old family business has low overhead. He's confident Southeast Exposure will survive the shutdown to see 2021.
Many others won't. The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau asked 75 local businesses how long they could hang on without tourists in town. Only about a quarter said they could endure until next summer.
Cruise ship tourism isn't just the cornerstone of Ketchikan's economy — it also underpins its municipal finances. Sales taxes collected on whale watching trips, some floatplane excursions and souvenir T-shirts help pay for its police and fire departments. Port fees go toward paying off hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of upgrades to the city-owned downtown cruise ship docks.
National How The Coronavirus Pandemic Might Affect States With Big Tourism Economies How The Coronavirus Pandemic Might Affect States With Big Tourism Economies Listen · 7:58 7:58
Over the past few decades, Ketchikan has moved from timber to tourism. Nowhere is that more evident than at Ketchikan's old wood pulp mill.
"This really was the economic heart of not only Ketchikan, but really of Southeast [Alaska]," said John Binkley, standing at the end of a partially completed cruise ship dock in Ketchikan's Ward Cove. He's part of a group of investors partnering with Norwegian Cruise Line to turn the shuttered mill into a $50 million cruise ship terminal.
Until last year, Binkley was the Alaska cruise industry's representative-in-chief. His family has been in the tourism business for 70 years, and he's seen the business ebb and flow. He said he's confident visitors will return.
"I think there's ... something within us as humans that we want to travel. We want to go out and experience new things and different things," Binkley said. "I think that will always be there."
For now, however, there are a lot of questions as to how Southeast Alaska businesses and towns will make ends meet.


npr--2020-05-19--Mnuchin And Fed's Powell Set To Brief Senators On $2 Trillion Coronavirus Act

Mnuchin And Fed 's Powell Set To Brief Senators On $ 2 Trillion Coronavirus Act The Senate Banking Committee is taking its first look at spending under the massive CARES Act , which Congress approved in March to provide assistance to individuals , businesses and local governments affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to be pressed by senators about their stewardship of specific aspects of the approximately $ 2 trillion relief package at Tuesday 's remote hearing .
The Senate hearing is set to begin at 10 a.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Powell has said that Congress could and should provide more economic assistance to help businesses and individuals cope with the economic fallout from the pandemic .
`` We have the ability to borrow at low rates , '' Powell told 60 Minutes Sunday .
`` This is the time when we can use that strength to our longer-run benefit . ''
Mnuchin , however , has been less open to new spending , saying federal lawmakers should wait to assess the effects of the four measures already approved by Congress before appropriating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day after a four-member panel appointed by Congress reported that none of the $ 46 billion allocated in the CARES Act for loans and loan guarantees for the airline industry has been spent , and that relatively little of a $ 454 billion program for loans to businesses and state and local governments has to date been disbursed by the Federal Reserve Board .
In his prepared testimony , Mnuchin appears to dispute the oversight panel 's findings .
He says Treasury has `` committed up to $ 195 billion in credit support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the remaining $ 259 billion to create or expand programs as needed , as we continue to monitor a variety of economic sectors closely . ''
He also says $ 25 billion in payroll support has been provided to the airline industry .
Democrats on the panel sent Powell and Mnuchin a letter Monday asking that they `` further expand loan eligibility requirements , including quickly adopting a viable option for non-profits who are facing acute challenges as a result of the virus , '' and provide greater flexibility on the loan terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote that `` [ a ] ll taxpayers will be better off to the extent more businesses can access affordable financing , keeping doors open , workers on payroll , and avoiding costly bankruptcies , through the remainder of the public health shutdown . ''
Powell , according to his prepared testimony , will tell the panel that the Fed has made changes , including reducing the minimum amount and raising the maximum amount of loans that business can ask for , changes he says that `` should help the program meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may need bridge financing to support their operations and the economic recovery .
We will continue to adjust facilities as we learn more , '' he says .

Treasury's Mnuchin, Fed's Powell Defend Coronavirus Relief Measures
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 12:37 p.m. ET
The Senate Banking Committee took its first look at spending under the massive CARES Act, which Congress approved in March to provide assistance to individuals, businesses and local governments affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were pressed by senators about their stewardship of specific aspects of the approximately $2 trillion relief package at Tuesday's remote hearing.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., criticized both the treasury secretary and the Fed for not including stronger requirements that businesses borrowing from the central bank keep workers on the payroll.
"We're in a situation where 35 million Americans have filed for unemployment," Warren said. "You're in charge of half a trillion dollars. You're boosting your Wall Street buddies, and you are leaving Americans behind."
Mnuchin disputed Warren's characterization and said the conditions attached to the Fed programs had been negotiated with Congress.
Powell reiterated his view that Congress may have to authorize additional spending to prevent long-term damage to the economy. "What Congress has done to date has been remarkably timely and forceful," Powell said.
"I do think we need to take a step back and ask, over time, 'Is it enough?' And we need to be prepared to act further. And I would say we are if the need is there," Powell added.
Mnuchin, however, has been less open to new spending, saying federal lawmakers should wait to assess the effects of the four measures already approved by Congress before appropriating more funds.
The hearing came a day after a four-member panel appointed by Congress reported that none of the $46 billion allocated in the CARES Act for loans and loan guarantees for the airline industry has been spent and that relatively little of the $454 billion in program for loans to businesses and state and local governments has been disbursed by the Federal Reserve Board.
In his prepared testimony, Mnuchin appeared to dispute the oversight panel's findings. He says Treasury has "committed up to $195 billion in credit support under the CARES Act. We have the remaining $259 billion to create or expand programs as needed, as we continue to monitor a variety of economic sectors closely." He also says $25 billion in payroll support has been provided to the airline industry.
Powell said the Fed's Main Street lending facility for midsize businesses, municipal lending and other programs should be up and running by the end of May.
Democrats on the panel sent Powell and Mnuchin a letter Monday asking that they "further expand loan eligibility requirements, including quickly adopting a viable option for non-profits who are facing acute challenges as a result of the virus," and provide greater flexibility on the loan terms.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., wrote that "all taxpayers will be better off to the extent more businesses can access affordable financing, keeping doors open, workers on payroll, and avoiding costly bankruptcies, through the remainder of the public health shutdown."
In his prepared testimony, Powell told the panel that the Fed has made changes, including reducing the minimum amount and raising the maximum amount of loans that business can ask for, changes that he says "should help the program meet the needs of a wider range of employers that may need bridge financing to support their operations and the economic recovery. We will continue to adjust facilities as we learn more," he said.
Mnuchin responded to criticism that the Treasury Department has been too timid. "We are fully prepared to take losses," he said of the seed capital that the department is providing to support lending by the Fed.


npr--2020-05-19--Scared To Return To Work, Or Can't With Kids At Home? Here's What You Need To Know

Scared To Return To Work , Or Ca n't With Kids At Home ?
Here 's What You Need To Know As businesses reopen , many Americans being called back to work say they do n't feel safe — especially those who work in restaurants , hair salons or other high-contact jobs .
`` With people eating food , not having masks on , with servers having to touch their plates and their silverware , there 's just absolutely no way to keep the servers safe , '' says Lindsey , a waitress in Iowa .
She has been out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , the pub-style restaurant she works at is reopening .
`` I do n't feel comfortable going back yet .
I do n't feel comfortable at all , '' she says .
Lindsey wants only her first name used because she 's worried about losing her job .
She says her restaurant is setting up rules for increased hand-washing and disinfecting and is spacing tables 6 feet apart .
But even with that , she thinks it 's too soon to be reopening .
`` I believe that restaurants are one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lindsey says .
`` If we can do delivery and takeout , that 's totally fine . ''
But she says serving people dinner is n't an essential task right now and it feels too risky .
Still , if your employer offers you your job back and you refuse it , generally speaking , you 're not supposed to be able to keep collecting unemployment benefits .
But there are strategies and special protections that workers should know about — in particular people with health conditions and parents whose children 's school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down .
Andrew Stettner , a worker-protection expert at the Century Foundation , a progressive think tank , says people in Lindsey 's situation should start by talking to their employer .
`` And say , 'You know what , I do n't feel comfortable coming back right now .
But maybe in two weeks I might feel comfortable , ' `` Stettner says.
`` 'Can I wait ? '
`` He says you might say you want to wait , talk to co-workers and hear how the safety measures are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says your employer might not be able to hire everybody back right away anyway and so might agree not to call you back to work yet .
`` And as long as they say that 's OK , '' Stettner says , `` your unemployment benefits wo n't stop . ''
That 's something any worker can try .
2 .
There are special rules if you have an underlying health condition .
`` My big concern is that most workers do n't understand their rights , '' says Michele Evermore of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says if you have , say , diabetes , heart disease or an immune deficiency and your doctor advises against going to work during the pandemic , Congress voted to let people in that situation collect unemployment .
`` If you have an underlying condition , '' Evermore says , `` first contact your employer and explain why you ca n't return to work . ''
She says to then explain the situation to your state 's unemployment office .
And , she says , `` you should be eligible to remain on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision is made by the state unemployment office .
A letter from a doctor should help , she says .
3 .
If you ca n't get child care , you should be able to stay on unemployment .
Many parents are stuck right now if they have a job that ca n't be done remotely from home .
They ca n't return to their place of work because , with schools , day cares and summer camps closed , they have no one to watch their kids .
Congress approved help for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , lawyer who advises businesses as they reopen , tells many employers to consider letting parents in this situation not return to work .
`` If someone is unable to work because of child care needs , because a school , a place of care has closed , '' Feldblum says , `` then that person is eligible for unemployment . ''
Feldblum says that in addition to unemployment benefits , some parents may be eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave mandated by Congress , though that will depend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business .
Businesses that must provide this leave can then hold on to tax money they would otherwise have sent to the IRS and use it to cover the cost of paid leave for parents , she says .
4 .
But just being afraid is not enough to stay on unemployment .
Getting back to the safety issue , Feldblum says just feeling unsafe is not enough to stay on unemployment .
`` No .
If you 're just scared about going to work , you have to go to work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
5 .
What if your workplace seems particularly unsafe ?
Stettner and Evermore say if your workplace is not taking basic safety precautions that similar businesses in the area are and you can document that , you might qualify to refuse to go back to that job and stay on unemployment .
The argument you 'd be making is that the workplace is not meeting the prevailing conditions of work in the area .
For example , Stettner says , if there are `` five grocery stores in town and four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves and are sanitizing properly , but you work for the fifth and they 're just not doing that , you can say , 'No , look , this is not meeting the prevailing conditions of work . '
`` But , Stettner says , that does put the worker in a difficult position : having to point a finger at the employer and argue this issue with the state unemployment office .
Meanwhile , Evermore , of the National Employment Law Project , would like to see clear and enforceable mandatory safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration .
But so far under the Trump administration , she says that 's not happening .
`` That 's the whole problem , '' Evermore says .
Without those kinds of bright mandatory lines being drawn at the federal level , `` it 's going to be the states that are opening up too quickly that are also going to be deciding what suitable work is . ''
She says hundreds of groups , including hers , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety .

Scared To Return To Work Or Can't With Kids At Home? Here's What You Need To Know
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
As businesses reopen, many Americans being called back to work say they don't feel safe — especially those who work in restaurants, hair salons or other high-contact jobs.
"With people eating food, not having masks on, with servers having to touch their plates and their silverware, there's just absolutely no way to keep the servers safe," says Lindsey, a waitress in Iowa.
She has been out of work for two months. But this week, the pub-style restaurant she works at is reopening.
"I don't feel comfortable going back yet. I don't feel comfortable at all," she says. Lindsey wants only her first name used because she's worried about losing her job.
She says her restaurant is setting up rules for increased hand-washing and disinfecting and is spacing tables 6 feet apart. But even with that, she thinks it's too soon to reopen.
"I believe that restaurants are one of the most unsafe places," Lindsey says. "If we can do delivery and takeout, that's totally fine." But she says serving people dinner isn't an essential task right now and it feels too risky.
Still, if your employer offers you your job back and you refuse it, generally speaking, you're not supposed to be able to keep collecting unemployment benefits.
But there are strategies and special protections that workers should know about — in particular people with health conditions and parents whose children's school, day care or summer camp is shut down.
1. Talk to your employer.
Andrew Stettner, a worker-protection expert at the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, says people in Lindsey's situation should start by talking to their employer.
"And say, 'You know what, I don't feel comfortable coming back right now. But maybe in two weeks I might feel comfortable,' " Stettner says. " 'Can I wait?' "
He says you might say you want to wait, talk to co-workers and hear how the safety measures are going as things get rolling again. He says your employer might not be able to hire everybody back right away anyway and so might agree not to call you back to work yet. "And as long as they say that's OK," Stettner says, "your unemployment benefits won't stop."
That's something any worker can try.
2. There are special rules if you have an underlying health condition.
"My big concern is that most workers don't understand their rights," says Michele Evermore of the nonprofit National Employment Law Project.
She says if you have, say, diabetes, heart disease or an immune deficiency and your doctor advises against going to work during the pandemic, Congress voted to let people in that situation collect unemployment.
"If you have an underlying condition," Evermore says, "first contact your employer and explain why you can't return to work." She says to then explain the situation to your state's unemployment office. And, she says, "you should be eligible to remain on unemployment assistance."
Evermore says the decision is made by the state unemployment office. A letter from a doctor should help, she says.
3. If you can't get child care, you should be able to stay on unemployment.
Many parents are stuck right now if they have a job that can't be done remotely from home. They can't return to their place of work because with schools, day cares and summer camps closed, they have no one to watch their kids. Congress approved help for them, too.
Chai Feldblum, a Washington, D.C., lawyer who advises businesses as they reopen, tells many employers to consider letting parents in this situation not return to work.
"If someone is unable to work because of child care needs, because a school, a place of care has closed," Feldblum says, "then that person is eligible for unemployment."
Feldblum says that in addition to unemployment benefits, some parents may be eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave mandated by Congress, though that will depend in part on the size of the business. Businesses that must provide this leave can then hold on to tax money they would otherwise have sent to the IRS and use it to cover the cost of paid leave for parents, she says.
4. But just being afraid is not enough to stay on unemployment.
Getting back to the safety issue, Feldblum says just feeling unsafe is not enough to stay on unemployment. "No. If you're just scared about going to work, you have to go to work in order to get paid," she says.
5. What if your workplace seems particularly unsafe?
Stettner and Evermore say if your workplace is not taking basic safety precautions that similar businesses in the area are and you can document that, you might qualify to refuse to go back to that job and stay on unemployment. The argument you'd be making is that the workplace is not meeting the prevailing conditions of work in the area.
For example, Stettner says, if there are "five grocery stores in town and four are providing their employees with masks and gloves and are sanitizing properly, but you work for the fifth and they're just not doing that, you can say, 'No, look, this is not meeting the prevailing conditions of work.' "
But, Stettner says, that puts the worker in a difficult position: having to point a finger at the employer and argue this issue with the state unemployment office.
Meanwhile, Evermore, of the National Employment Law Project, would like to see clear and enforceable mandatory safety rules coming from the federal government — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. But so far under the Trump administration, she says that's not happening.
"That's the whole problem," Evermore says. Without those kinds of bright mandatory lines being drawn at the federal level, "it's going to be the states that are opening up too quickly that are also going to be deciding what suitable work is." She says hundreds of groups, including hers, are asking for better federal guidance on worker safety.


npr--2020-05-19--Traffic Is Way Down, Due To Lockdowns, But Air Pollution? Not So Much

Traffic Is Way Down , Due To Lockdowns , But Air Pollution ?
Not So Much Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
With traffic dramatically down in recent months , the United States is in the middle of an accidental experiment showing what happens to air pollution when millions of people stop driving .
The air is clearer .
But the pollution declines are n't nearly as large as early indications suggested , according to an NPR analysis of six years of Environmental Protection Agency data .
In some cities , the amount of one pollutant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to levels over the last five years , despite traffic reductions of more than 40 percent .
Ground-level ozone , or smog , occurs when the chemicals emitted by cars , trucks , factories and other sources react with sunlight and heat .
NPR analyzed more than half a million air pollution measurements reported to the EPA from more than 900 air monitoring sites around the country .
We compared the median ozone levels detected this spring with levels found during the comparable period over the past five years .
Our analysis revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places , ozone pollution decreased by 15 % or less , a clear indication that improving air quality will take much more than cleaning up tailpipes of passenger cars .
In cities like Los Angeles , stubbornly poor air quality during the lockdown underscored how vast fleets of trucks are a dominant source of pollution .
In industrial cities like Houston , refineries and petrochemical plants spew considerable air pollution .
And in Pittsburgh and across a swath of the eastern U.S. , much of the air pollution still comes from burning coal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air pollution often exceeds federal health standards , will likely have to change the way they generate power , manufacture goods and move those goods around , if they hope to have healthy air .
`` I think it 's a really important [ question ] to think about : What can we learn from decreases in traffic pollution ? ''
says Jenna Krall , a statistician and air pollution expert at George Mason University .
`` It will give us more information about what these pollution mixtures could look like [ with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the virtual nationwide lockdown appeared to have dramatically positive results .
In early April , NASA published satellite images of pollution disappearing over New York City .
After California issued a stay-at-home order in mid-March , greater Los Angeles saw the longest stretch of clean air that had been documented in decades .
In Los Angeles , the skies seemed to clear , just as rarely seen images of nearly empty freeways began to make headlines .
It was welcome news for an area with some of the highest levels of ozone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health standards .
Breathing polluted air for long periods of time can damage the lungs and make it more difficult to fight respiratory disease .
Ozone pollution is especially detrimental to children and elderly people and those with asthma , emphysema and other respiratory illnesses .
The COVID-19 pandemic adds another respiratory disease to that list .
But the cleaner air was n't just about reduced traffic .
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
A series of rainstorms swept through Southern California in March , which helped remove pollutants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather warmed up in late April and early May , the air quality worsened , even hitting the `` very unhealthy '' warning category from the EPA .
`` There was a lot of pressure on us to come up with the answer that everyone wanted to hear , which is that the COVID-19 measures have cleaned the air in Southern California , '' says Philip Fine , deputy executive officer at the South Coast Air Quality Management District , which regulates air quality in greater L.A .
Overall , ozone levels were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and April compared to the same period over the previous five years , according to NPR 's analysis .
The modest drop points to a fact air regulators have long-emphasized : cars are not the biggest air pollution problem in Los Angeles .
`` I 've read a lot of newspaper articles over the past couple weeks that have said : if only we can have people telecommute one day a week across the entire basin , our air quality problems will be solved , '' says Fine .
`` And unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As passenger cars have gotten cleaner , they 've become a relatively smaller source of pollution .
Heavy-duty transportation , like trucks and buses , now account for the largest source of nitrogen oxides in the area , which form ozone .
Major ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach handle more than 30 % of the nation 's shipping container traffic , requiring a vast network of ships , trucks and trains coming in and out of the region .
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
Emissions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stagnant weather , cause air pollution to hit dangerous levels in the summer months , which puts the region out of compliance with federal air standards .
Low-income communities are hit the hardest .
While activity at the region 's ports has slowed with the pandemic , trucks have largely stayed on the roads to ensure goods are arriving in stores .
At the end of April , truck activity was only down around 8 % across California , according to the American Transportation Research Institute .
In a strange wrinkle , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ozone slightly worse .
Cars and trucks produce nitrogen oxides , also known as NOx .
While that pollutant helps form ozone , under some conditions it can temporarily break down ozone molecules .
So with less NOx being emitted recently , ozone has n't been suppressed as much .
`` Small reductions in NOx actually increase ozone , '' says Cesunica Ivey , assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of California-Riverside .
`` So we 're just going to have to be more aggressive with our sustainable transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1950s and 60s prompted California to ultimately pass some of the most aggressive air quality regulations in the country .
The state still sets its own tailpipe emissions standards for cars , apart from the federal government .
The Trump Administration is now seeking to revoke California 's legal authority to do so .
California also has an ambitious target for putting 5 million electric cars on the road by 2030 .
That could help lower emissions because instead of burning gasoline , those cars would run on electricity , largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
Now , California is crafting a similar policy for trucks .
State regulators are expected to vote on rules in June that would require truck manufacturers to sell all-electric or fuel-cell trucks in the state — from delivery trucks all the way to tractor-trailers .
The policy would begin in 2024 , requiring that 5 % to 9 % of sales be electric , depending on the type of truck .
By 2035 , it would be up to 40 % to 75 % of sales .
Some truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying the market for selling electric trucks has n't developed yet .
Supporters say higher sticker prices would be offset by fuel savings over time , and when paired with California 's other efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , could potentially save thousands of lives by improving the air .
`` We do n't need a pandemic to breathe cleaner air , '' Yifang Zhu , professor at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California-Los Angeles .
`` There is a sustainable way for a society to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to do more than we 're doing right now . ''
Less car traffic makes pollution from coal more obvious in the broad swath of midwestern and eastern states where the majority of coal-fired power plants are still operating .
Compared to passenger cars , burning coal releases large amounts of air pollution , including nitrogen oxides and small particulate matter , or soot .
Nowhere is the role of coal in air pollution more evident than in Allegheny County , Pa. , where Pittsburgh is located .
The county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which uses coal to make the fuel for the blast furnaces in steel factories , as well as a coal-fired power plant .
Both continued to operate during the lockdown along with other steel facilities clustered in and around the county .
Between March 15 and the end of April , NPR 's analysis found ozone levels in the Pittsburgh area dropped about 9 % , compared to 14 % in Los Angeles .
Across the coal-intensive Ohio River Valley , the analysis concluded that in major cities , ozone dropped only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scientists say that 's not surprising because coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels .
`` Unlike a lot of the eastern part of the United States , there 's not much , if any , coal-fired power plant production in California , '' says Emily Elliott , a geochemist at the University of Pittsburgh , who studies nitrogen oxides .
Pollution from burning coal also affects a larger area than vehicle emissions , which means modest air pollution reductions in East Coast states may be partly due to their location downwind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a power plant that has a tall smokestack , those emissions are going high aloft in the air and they 're going to travel long , long distances compared to a vehicle tailpipe that 's close to the ground , '' Elliott says .
Coal is not the only industry culprit for poor air .
NPR 's investigation found that residents of Houston did not breathe significantly cleaner air during the lockdown , despite a 40 % reduction in local traffic .
Houston experienced an 11 % decrease in ozone .
Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to trigger an air quality warning in the city in mid-April .
The Houston metro area is home to the largest concentration of petrochemical facilities in the country .
Refineries and chemical plants are major emitters of not only nitrogen oxide , but sulfur dioxide , which also contributes to smog and haze .
NPR 's analysis also found only modest decreases in Houston 's soot pollution during the lockdown .
The median amount of soot in the air decreased by just 13 % in Houston compared to previous five years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data between March 15 and the end of April .
Air monitoring sites that reported comparable data in greater Los Angeles showed a 30 % decrease .
There was not adequate data to compare soot levels in Pittsburgh .
Chronic exposure to soot is associated with shorter life expectancies , lung cancer , diabetes and low birth weight , and can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses .
Regulatory rollbacks could make industrial pollution more severe in the future .
The Trump Administration announced this spring that it will not strengthen limits on soot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year by EPA scientists which found that a stronger standard would save lives .
Scientists around the country say reduced car traffic offers them an unexpected opportunity to study how cars , trucks , factories and power plants contribute to air pollution , and to test the assumptions that go into pollution models .
One such study is already underway at Texas A & M University , where atmospheric scientist Gunnar Schade examined preliminary air data for the city of Houston and found that levels of particulate matter increased slightly in at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That was a somewhat surprising result , that particulate matter is not going down at all , '' he says .
`` We assume that car traffic does contribute to [ small particulate pollution ] .
It has in the past . ''
Schade 's analysis , which has not been peer-reviewed and is still being updated as more data becomes available , also suggests that particulate pollution decreased more in residential parts of Houston than it did in industrial areas .
Schade says it 's too soon to be sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the industrial sites — he needs more data .
Despite decades of research and a relatively robust set of satellites and ground-based air monitors , there are still sizable holes in our understanding of how different sources of air pollution contribute to overall air quality , according to Elena Craft , the director of climate and health at the Environmental Defense Fund in Texas .
The pandemic could help make scientific models of what are called emissions inventories more accurate .
`` If you take all the cars off the road and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emissions inventory , then probably cars are not making up a lot of a lot of that inventory , '' explains Craft .
`` But if , on the other hand , you take all the cars off the road and air quality is great , then you may tweak the models . ''

Traffic Is Way Down Because Of Lockdown, But Air Pollution? Not So Much
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With traffic dramatically down in recent months, the United States is in the middle of an accidental experiment showing what happens to air pollution when millions of people stop driving.
The air is clearer. But the pollution declines aren't nearly as large as early indications suggested, according to an NPR analysis of six years of Environmental Protection Agency data.
In some cities, the amount of one pollutant, ozone, has barely decreased compared with levels over the past five years, despite traffic reductions of more than 40%. Ground-level ozone, or smog, occurs when the chemicals emitted by cars, trucks, factories and other sources react with sunlight and heat.
NPR analyzed more than half a million air pollution measurements reported to the EPA from more than 900 air monitoring sites around the country. We compared the median ozone levels detected this spring with levels found during the comparable period over the past five years.
Our analysis revealed that, in the vast majority of places, ozone pollution decreased by 15% or less, a clear indication that improving air quality will take much more than cleaning up tailpipes of passenger cars.
In cities such as Los Angeles, stubbornly poor air quality during the coronavirus lockdown underscored how vast fleets of trucks are a dominant source of pollution. In industrial cities like Houston, refineries and petrochemical plants spew considerable air pollution. And in Pittsburgh and across a swath of the eastern U.S., much of the air pollution still comes from burning coal.
Scientists say those cities, where air pollution often exceeds federal health standards, will likely have to change the way they generate power, manufacture goods and move those goods around if they hope to have healthy air.
"I think it's a really important [question] to think about: What can we learn from decreases in traffic pollution?" says Jenna Krall, a statistician and air pollution expert at George Mason University. "It will give us more information about what these pollution mixtures could look like [with] fewer people driving."
toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images
Los Angeles — trucks overtake cars
Initially, the virtually nationwide lockdown appeared to have dramatically positive results. In early April, NASA published satellite images of pollution disappearing over New York City.
After California issued a stay-at-home order in mid-March, greater Los Angeles saw the longest stretch of clean air that had been documented in decades. In Los Angeles, the skies seemed to clear just as rarely seen images of nearly empty freeways began to make headlines. It was welcome news for an area with some of the highest levels of ozone in the country, often exceeding federal health standards.
Breathing polluted air for long periods of time can damage the lungs and make it more difficult to fight respiratory disease. Ozone pollution is especially detrimental to children and elderly people and those with asthma, emphysema and other respiratory illnesses. The COVID-19 pandemic adds another respiratory disease to that list.
But the cleaner air wasn't just about reduced traffic.
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A series of rainstorms swept through Southern California in March, which helped remove pollutants from the air. But as the weather warmed up in late April and early May, the air quality worsened, even hitting the "very unhealthy" warning category from the EPA.
"There was a lot of pressure on us to come up with the answer that everyone wanted to hear, which is that the COVID-19 measures have cleaned the air in Southern California," says Philip Fine, deputy executive officer at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which regulates air quality in greater LA.
Overall, ozone levels were down only 14% in late March and April compared with the same period over the previous five years, according to NPR's analysis. The modest drop points to a fact air regulators have long emphasized: Cars are not the biggest air pollution problem in Los Angeles.
"I've read a lot of newspaper articles over the past couple weeks that have said if only we can have people telecommute one day a week across the entire basin, our air quality problems will be solved," says Fine. "And unfortunately, it's not that simple."
As passenger cars have gotten cleaner, they've become a relatively smaller source of pollution. Heavy-duty transportation, such as trucks and buses, now accounts for the largest source of nitrogen oxides, which form ozone, in the area. Major ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach handle more than 30% of the nation's shipping container traffic, requiring a vast network of ships, trucks and trains coming in and out of the region.
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Emissions from those sources, combined with hot and stagnant weather, cause air pollution to hit dangerous levels during the summer, which puts the region out of compliance with federal air standards. Low-income communities are hit the hardest.
While activity at the region's ports has slowed with the pandemic, trucks have largely stayed on the roads to ensure that goods are arriving in stores. At the end of April, truck activity was down only about 8% across California, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
In a strange wrinkle, the reduction of one pollutant can also make ozone slightly worse. Cars and trucks produce nitrogen oxides, also known as NOx. While that pollutant helps form ozone, under some conditions it can temporarily break down ozone molecules. So with less NOx being emitted recently, ozone hasn't been suppressed as much.
"Small reductions in NOx actually increase ozone," says Cesunica Ivey, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of California, Riverside. "So we're just going to have to be more aggressive with our sustainable transportation solutions."
Severe Los Angeles smog in the 1950s and '60s prompted California to ultimately pass some of the most aggressive air quality regulations in the country. The state still sets its own tailpipe emissions standards for cars, apart from the federal government. The Trump administration is now seeking to revoke California's legal authority to do so.
California also has an ambitious target for putting 5 million electric cars on the road by 2030. That could help lower emissions because instead of burning gasoline, those cars would run on electricity, largely generated by solar, wind and hydropower in the state.
Now California is crafting a similar policy for trucks. State regulators are expected to vote on rules in June that would require truck manufacturers to sell all-electric or fuel-cell trucks in the state — from delivery trucks all the way to tractor-trailers. The policy would begin in 2024, requiring that 5% to 9% of sales be electric, depending on the type of truck. By 2035, it would be up to 40% to 75% of sales.
Some truck manufacturers have pushed back against the proposal, saying the market for selling electric trucks hasn't developed yet. Supporters say higher sticker prices would be offset by fuel savings over time, and when paired with California's other efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, could potentially save thousands of lives by improving the air.
"We don't need a pandemic to breathe cleaner air," says Yifang Zhu, professor at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. "There is a sustainable way for a society to achieve a cleaner world in the future. We need to do more than we're doing right now."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Pittsburgh — coal on display
Less car traffic makes pollution from coal more obvious in the broad swath of Midwestern and Eastern states where the majority of coal-fired power plants are still operating. Compared to passenger cars, burning coal releases large amounts of air pollution, including nitrogen oxides and small particulate matter, or soot.
Nowhere is the role of coal in air pollution more evident than in Allegheny County, Pa., where Pittsburgh is located. The county is home to a major coking plant that uses coal to make the fuel for the blast furnaces in steel factories, as well as a coal-fired power plant. Both continued to operate during the lockdown along with other steel facilities clustered in and around the county.
Between March 15 and the end of April, NPR's analysis found ozone levels in the Pittsburgh area dropped about 9%, compared with 14% in Los Angeles. Across the coal-intensive Ohio River Valley, the analysis concluded that in major cities, ozone dropped only between 3% and 8%.
Scientists say that's not surprising because coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels. "Unlike a lot of the eastern part of the United States, there's not much, if any, coal-fired power plant production in California," says Emily Elliott, a geochemist at the University of Pittsburgh who studies nitrogen oxides.
Pollution from burning coal also affects a larger area than vehicle emissions, which means modest air pollution reductions in East Coast states may partly be because of their location downwind of coal-fired facilities. "If you think about a power plant that has a tall smokestack, those emissions are going high aloft in the air and they're going to travel long, long distances compared to a vehicle tailpipe that's close to the ground," Elliott says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images
Houston — the petrochemical industry's role
Coal is not the only industry culprit for poor air. NPR's investigation found that residents of Houston did not breathe significantly cleaner air during the lockdown, despite a 40% reduction in local traffic.
Houston experienced an 11% decrease in ozone. Daily ozone levels in Houston were still high enough to trigger an air quality warning in the city in mid-April.
The Houston metro area is home to the largest concentration of petrochemical facilities in the country. Refineries and chemical plants are major emitters of not only nitrogen oxide, but sulfur dioxide, which also contributes to smog and haze.
NPR's analysis also found only modest decreases in Houston's soot pollution during the lockdown. The median amount of soot in the air decreased by just 13% in Houston compared with the previous five years, according to air monitoring sites that reported data between March 15 and the end of April. Air monitoring sites that reported comparable data in greater Los Angeles showed a 30% decrease. There was not adequate data to compare soot levels in Pittsburgh.
Chronic exposure to soot is associated with shorter life expectancies, lung cancer, diabetes and low birth weight and can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
Regulatory rollbacks could make industrial pollution more severe in the future. The Trump administration announced this spring that it will not strengthen limits on soot, despite an assessment published earlier this year by EPA scientists that found that a stronger standard would save lives.
An accidental experiment
Scientists around the country say reduced car traffic offers them an unexpected opportunity to study how cars, trucks, factories and power plants contribute to air pollution and to test the assumptions that go into pollution models.
One such study is already underway at Texas A&M University, where atmospheric scientist Gunnar Schade examined preliminary air data for the city of Houston and found that levels of particulate matter increased slightly in at least one location in Houston during the lockdown.
"That was a somewhat surprising result, that particulate matter is not going down at all," he says. "We assume that car traffic does contribute to [small particulate pollution]. It has in the past."
Schade's analysis, which has not been peer reviewed and is still being updated as more data becomes available, also suggests that particulate pollution decreased more in residential parts of Houston than it did in industrial areas.
Schade says it's too soon to be sure whether that means the pollution came from the industrial sites — he needs more data.
Despite decades of research and a relatively robust set of satellites and ground-based air monitors, there are still sizable holes in our understanding of how different sources of air pollution contribute to overall air quality, according to Elena Craft, the director of climate and health at the Environmental Defense Fund in Texas.
The pandemic could help make scientific models of what are called emissions inventories more accurate. "If you take all the cars off the road and it doesn't put a dent in your emissions inventory, then probably cars are not making up a lot of that inventory," explains Craft. "But if, on the other hand, you take all the cars off the road and air quality is great, then you may tweak the models."


npr--2020-05-19--Apple Store Shoppers To Have Temperatures Taken, Must Wear Face Coverings

Apple Store Shoppers To Have Temperatures Taken , Must Wear Face Coverings Apple Stores are beginning to reopen after the company in mid-March closed hundreds of its locations in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Nearly 100 Apple Stores , or about a fifth of the tech giant 's worldwide storefronts , are now open , including locations in Alabama , Florida , California and Washington state .
About 25 additional stores in the U.S. in seven states are set to open their doors this week , according to Apple .
For shoppers , the experience will be markedly different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their temperature checked before entering .
All employees and customers will be required to wear face coverings , and if necessary one will be provided .
A limited number of shoppers will be allowed in at one time and must observe social distancing .
And Apple says during the day it will be conducting `` enhanced deep cleanings '' of surfaces and device displays .
Apple analyst Mike Frazier said with the economy sluggish and millions of Americans out of work , customers may not be eager to rush to Apple to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't the first place people are wanting to go right now , '' Frazier said in an interview .
`` I think it 's going to be a lot of window shopping . ''
He said those planning to visit Apple Stores are going to have to have some expectation adjustments .
`` My experience in Apple Stores is it 's nearly impossible to socially distance , '' Frazier said .
`` All you want to do is to see and touch and feel things , and that 's the last thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment . ''
In a public note to shoppers , Apple Senior Vice President for Retail + People Deirdre O'Brien , said decisions on store openings will be based in part on local conditions .
`` We look at every available piece of data — including local cases , near and long‑term trends , and guidance from national and local health officials .
These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we wo n't take the preventative step of closing it again should local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple spokesman Nick Leahy said all open stores will offer customers the option of ordering online and picking up items from the store .
Some locations will offer only curbside pickup .
For storefronts allowing customers inside , Leahy said shoppers should anticipate lines , which has become common at places like grocery stores and pharmacies that have remained open amid lockdowns in many states .
`` Our social distance protocol means a limited number of visitors in the store at one time so there may be a delay for walk-in customers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Apple 's 510 stores are in the U.S. '' Other companies are watching how Apple does these openings , '' Apple analyst Tim Bajarin said .
`` Their approach is often considered a best practice and other companies will go to school on how Apple gradually and safely opens their stores around the world , '' Bajarin said .
Apple in late April reported that iPhone sales had dropped 17 % as the virus spread around the world and disrupted its supply chain .
But Apple 's manufacturing freeze was short-lived , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now up and running nearly at full production , according to the company .

Apple Store Shoppers To Have Temperatures Taken, Must Wear Face Coverings
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Chris O'Meara/AP
Apple Stores are beginning to reopen after the company in mid-March closed hundreds of its locations in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nearly 100 stores, or about a fifth of the tech giant's worldwide storefronts, are now open, including locations in Alabama, Florida, California and Washington state.
About 25 additional stores in the U.S. in seven states are set to open their doors this week, according to Apple.
For shoppers, the experience will be markedly different from pre-pandemic times: Customers will have their temperature checked before entering. All employees and customers will be required to wear face coverings, and if necessary one will be provided. A limited number of shoppers will be allowed in at one time, and they must observe social distancing. And Apple says during the day it will be conducting "enhanced deep cleanings" of surfaces and device displays.
Apple analyst Mike Frazier said with the economy sluggish and millions of Americans out of work, customers may not be eager to rush to Apple to buy expensive electronics.
"I imagine Apple isn't the first place people are wanting to go right now," Frazier said in an interview. "I think it's going to be a lot of window shopping."
He said those planning to visit Apple's stores are going to have to have some expectation adjustments.
"My experience in Apple Stores is it's nearly impossible to socially distance," Frazier said. "All you want to do is to see and touch and feel things, and that's the last thing you're supposed to do in this environment."
In a public note to shoppers, Apple Senior Vice President for Retail and People Deirdre O'Brien said decisions on store openings will be based in part on local conditions.
"We look at every available piece of data — including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials. These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we won't take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant," O'Brien said.
Apple spokesman Nick Leahy said all open stores will offer customers the option of ordering online and picking up items from the store. Some locations will offer only curbside pickup.
For storefronts allowing customers inside, Leahy said shoppers should anticipate lines, which has become common at places like grocery stores and pharmacies that have remained open amid lockdowns in many states.
"Our social distance protocol means a limited number of visitors in the store at one time, so there may be a delay for walk-in customers," Leahy said.
More than half of Apple's 510 stores are in the U.S.
"Other companies are watching how Apple does these openings," Apple analyst Tim Bajarin said.
"Their approach is often considered a best practice, and other companies will go to school on how Apple gradually and safely opens their stores around the world," Bajarin said.
Apple in late April reported that iPhone sales had dropped 17% as the virus spread around the world and disrupted its supply chain. But Apple's manufacturing freeze was short-lived, with factories that manufacture iPhone in China now up and running nearly at full production, according to the company.


npr--2020-05-18--Germany, France Propose $543 Billion EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund

Germany and France have proposed the creation of a fund of 500 billion euros ( more than $ 540 billion ) to support the recovery of the European Union 's coronavirus-stricken economies .
The fund would add to the more than half-trillion dollars in emergency relief measures the bloc 's 27 leaders signed off on last month .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled their plan during a joint video news conference on Monday .
The 500 billion euros would be raised through EU-backed bonds to help industries and regions hardest hit by the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis ever to hit the EU , and she said that bold proposals were needed .
Because of the pandemic 's varying impacts across the continent , Merkel called for cohesiveness and solidarity among all EU countries .
She said the current economic challenge `` requires this unusual , one-off effort that Germany and France are now prepared to take . ''
The money from the recovery fund would be disbursed in the form of grants rather than loans , and repayments would be made from the EU budget over a roughly 20-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support Europe 's struggling economies through grants or loans has unearthed an underlying rift between the bloc 's northern and southern countries .
Germany initially objected to the idea of collective borrowing but , recognizing the `` unusual nature '' of the crisis , chose to take an `` unusual path , '' Merkel said .
Macron acknowledged that a deal between Germany and France does n't represent an `` agreement between all 27 member states , '' but he said that there wo n't be an EU agreement if Germany and France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first . ''
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the proposal .
She said in a statement that the plan `` acknowledges the scope and the size of the economic challenge '' that Europe faces .
But despite the initiative of Europe 's two largest economies , the issue of burden sharing remains controversial among several EU member states .
`` Our position remains unchanged .
We are ready to help most affected countries with loans .
We expect the updated # MFF to reflect the new priorities rather than raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kurz tweeted .
Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte described the Franco-German proposal as `` an important first step in the right direction along the lines intended by Italy . ''
EU leaders last month directed the European Commission to draw up plans for the bloc 's new long-term budget that would also include an economic recovery program through a combination of grants and loans .
EU Council President Charles Michel urged the member states to `` work in a spirit of compromise '' as soon as the commission presents its budget and recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week demanded that a recovery package to tackle the pandemic 's economic fallout must be worth at least 2 trillion euros ( about $ 2.2 trillion ) .
`` The goal is for Europe to emerge from the crisis stronger , '' Merkel said in a statement .

Germany, France Propose $543 Billion EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andreas Gora/Pool/Getty Images Andreas Gora/Pool/Getty Images
Germany and France have proposed the creation of a fund of 500 billion euros (more than $540 billion) to support the recovery of the European Union's coronavirus-stricken economies. The fund would add to the more than half-trillion dollars in emergency relief measures the bloc's 27 leaders signed off on last month.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled their plan during a joint video news conference on Monday. The 500 billion euros would be raised through EU-backed bonds to help industries and regions hardest hit by the pandemic.
Merkel called the coronavirus outbreak the gravest crisis ever to hit the EU, and she said that bold proposals were needed. Because of the pandemic's varying impacts across the continent, Merkel called for cohesiveness and solidarity among all EU countries. She said the current economic challenge "requires this unusual, one-off effort that Germany and France are now prepared to take."
The money from the recovery fund would be disbursed in the form of grants rather than loans, and repayments would be made from the EU budget over a roughly 20-year period. The question of whether to support Europe's struggling economies through grants or loans has unearthed an underlying rift between the bloc's northern and southern countries.
Germany initially objected to the idea of collective borrowing but, recognizing the "unusual nature" of the crisis, chose to take an "unusual path," Merkel said.
Macron acknowledged that a deal between Germany and France doesn't represent an "agreement between all 27 member states," but he said that there won't be an EU agreement if Germany and France "don't agree on a deal first."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the proposal. She said in a statement that the plan "acknowledges the scope and the size of the economic challenge" that Europe faces.
But despite the initiative of Europe's two largest economies, the issue of burden sharing remains controversial among several EU member states.
"Our position remains unchanged. We are ready to help most affected countries with loans. We expect the updated #MFF to reflect the new priorities rather than raising the ceiling," Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz tweeted.
Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte described the Franco-German proposal as "an important first step in the right direction along the lines intended by Italy."
EU leaders last month directed the European Commission to draw up plans for the bloc's new long-term budget that would also include an economic recovery program through a combination of grants and loans.
EU Council President Charles Michel urged the member states to "work in a spirit of compromise" as soon as the commission presents its budget and recovery proposal.
Members of the European Parliament last week demanded that a recovery package to tackle the pandemic's economic fallout must be worth at least 2 trillion euros (about $2.2 trillion).
"The goal is for Europe to emerge from the crisis stronger," Merkel said in a statement.


npr--2020-05-19--WH Coronavirus Coordinator Encouraged By Decline In New Cases In Most Of U.S.

WH Coronavirus Coordinator Encouraged By Decline In New Cases In Most Of U.S. White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said on Tuesday that she is encouraged by the latest data showing declines in new cases of the virus , hospitalizations and deaths across all but a few areas of the United States .
Birx told a group of reporters at the White House that clinical , laboratory data and surveillance data from across the country shows that new hospitalizations have dropped by 50 % in the last 30 days , and deaths continue to decrease week over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under 20 % test positive , and New York has gone from over 45 % test positive just 30 days ago , to under 10 % test positive , '' Birx said .
`` These types of declines are being seen across the board except in a few areas . ''
Three exceptions , where indicators have plateaued rather than declined : the Washington D.C. , metro area , Chicago , and Los Angeles .
`` We 're dissecting each one of these plateaus and providing daily updates to the task force on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak in terms of new cases .
We study these three metros that are closed and have been closed to understand where precisely the new cases are coming from and how to prevent new infections , '' Birx said .
Otherwise , Birx said major metropolitan areas are starting to improve significantly .
Testing has expanded , including among populations most vulnerable to the virus , to find asymptomatic cases early and expand contact tracing and isolating new cases , she said .
Outbreaks at nursing homes , meat packing plants and prisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ongoing basis '' she said .
`` A lot of states have been doing exactly what we asked them to : find , test , contract trace , and contain .
They are finding the first case , finding the other 50 cases — or finding the other 100 cases that are often asymptomatic by testing everyone in the plant , or nursing home , or prison — and stopping community spread .
And that 's been very reassuring to me , '' Birx said .
She added that the task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts in a community before it spreads .
Birx said she has been talking to the military about how they 've created teams and sub-teams , and wants to work with manufacturers and other groups to adopt such measures in the workplace .
`` When you can align work shifts and physically who you regularly interact with in the factory , teams of people always working together , it 's an easier way to test these specific groups and stop outbreaks , '' she said .
The U.S. has had more than 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 90,000 deaths according to Johns Hopkins — by far the highest counts in the world .

WH Coronavirus Coordinator Encouraged By Decline In New Cases In Most Of U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said on Tuesday that she is encouraged by the latest data showing declines in new cases of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths across all but a few areas of the United States.
Birx told a group of reporters at the White House that clinical, laboratory data and surveillance data from across the country shows that new hospitalizations have dropped by 50% in the last 30 days, and deaths continue to decrease week over week. "All states have dropped under 20% test positive, and New York has gone from over 45% test positive just 30 days ago, to under 10% test positive," Birx said. "These types of declines are being seen across the board except in a few areas."
Three exceptions, where indicators have plateaued rather than declined: the Washington D.C., metro area, Chicago, and Los Angeles. "We're dissecting each one of these plateaus and providing daily updates to the task force on what's community spread and what's outbreak in terms of new cases. We study these three metros that are closed and have been closed to understand where precisely the new cases are coming from and how to prevent new infections," Birx said.
Otherwise, Birx said major metropolitan areas are starting to improve significantly. Testing has expanded, including among populations most vulnerable to the virus, to find asymptomatic cases early and expand contact tracing and isolating new cases, she said. Outbreaks at nursing homes, meat packing plants and prisons are being stopped "on a regular and ongoing basis" she said.
"A lot of states have been doing exactly what we asked them to: find, test, contact trace, and contain. They are finding the first case, finding the other 50 cases — or finding the other 100 cases that are often asymptomatic by testing everyone in the plant, or nursing home, or prison — and stopping community spread. And that's been very reassuring to me," Birx said. She added that the task force is focused on finding where the virus starts in a community before it spreads.
Birx said she has been talking to the military about how they've created teams and sub-teams, and wants to work with manufacturers and other groups to adopt such measures in the workplace. "When you can align work shifts and physically who you regularly interact with in the factory, teams of people always working together, it's an easier way to test these specific groups and stop outbreaks," she said.
The U.S. has had more than 1.5 million confirmed cases so far and more than 90,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins — by far the highest counts in the world.


npr--2020-05-19--Florida Ousts Top COVID-19 Data Scientist

A scientist who created a dashboard for monitoring Florida 's rising number of COVID-19 cases said she 's been fired for refusing to manipulate the data .
Rebekah Jones was the manager of the Geographic Information System team at Florida 's Department of Health .
She helped created a data portal that for months has provided easily accessible and detailed information on COVID-19 cases broken down by ZIP code .
The Florida COVID-19 dashboard has been praised by researchers in the state and by Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus response coordinator .
Last week , Jones notified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 'd been removed from the project .
`` As a word of caution , '' she wrote , `` I would not expect the new team to continue the same level of accessibility and transparency that I made central to the process during the first two months .
After all , my commitment to both is largely ( arguably entirely ) the reason I am no longer managing it . ''
Jones now says she 's been fired from the state Department of Health .
In a statement to CBS12 News in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said her dismissal came after she refused to `` manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen . ''
All of Florida entered the first phase of recovery this week when the two largest counties joined the rest of the state in opening restaurants , retail stores and barber shops .
At a news conference in Tallahassee , Gov .
Ron DeSantis called Jones ' departure from the Health Department a `` nonissue . ''
He said he 'd seen an email she sent her supervisor saying she never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dashboard might be less reliable going forward .
DeSantis said he believes from the email that `` she was tired and needed a break . ''
In a statement later to The Miami Herald , DeSantis ' communications director , Helen Aguirre Ferré , said , `` Rebekah Jones exhibited a repeated course of insubordination during her time with the department , including her unilateral decisions to modify the Department 's COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors .
`` The blatant disrespect for the professionals who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the important information for the COVID-19 website was harmful to the team .
Accuracy and transparency are always indispensable , especially during an unprecedented public health emergency such as COVID-19 .
Having someone disruptive can not be tolerated during this public pandemic , which led the department to determine that it was best to terminate her employment . ''
Jones ' removal from the project and her subsequent dismissal raise questions about the impartiality and transparency of Florida 's COVID-19 dashboard .
Ben Sawyer , director of LabX at the University of Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health systems are coping with COVID-19 cases , said her ouster is `` quite disturbing to me as a scientist and as a citizen . ''
`` Regardless of what you think about reopening Florida , you would like to know what 's going on , '' Sawyer said .
`` This data is our ability to see what 's happening .
I think there are enormous questions that arise when you do n't know if what you see [ is ] fair or accurate . ''
Jones ' dismissal also drew immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Kathy Castor , who represents the Tampa area .
Castor is asking the governor to provide immediate answers as to why Jones was fired .
`` Amidst pressure to 'reopen ' the state regardless of data and science , '' Castor wrote , `` transparency is vital to keeping our neighbors safe and ensuring that they have confidence that our government is reporting honestly . ''

Florida Ousts Top COVID-19 Data Scientist
Enlarge this image toggle caption Florida GIS/Screenshot by NPR Florida GIS/Screenshot by NPR
Update at 8:51 p.m. ET
A scientist who created a dashboard for monitoring Florida's rising number of COVID-19 cases said she's been fired for refusing to manipulate the data.
Rebekah Jones was the manager of the Geographic Information System team at Florida's Department of Health. She helped create a data portal that for months has provided easily accessible and detailed information on COVID-19 cases broken down by ZIP code. The Florida COVID-19 dashboard has been praised by researchers in the state and by Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator.
Last week, Jones notified public health researchers in an email that she'd been removed from the project. "As a word of caution," she wrote, "I would not expect the new team to continue the same level of accessibility and transparency that I made central to the process during the first two months. After all, my commitment to both is largely (arguably entirely) the reason I am no longer managing it."
Jones now says she's been fired from the state Department of Health. In a statement to CBS12 News in West Palm Beach, Fla., Jones said her dismissal came after she refused to "manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen."
All of Florida entered the first phase of recovery this week when the two largest counties joined the rest of the state in opening restaurants, retail stores and barber shops.
At a news conference in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis called Jones' departure from the Health Department a "nonissue." He said he'd seen an email she sent her supervisor saying she never intended to suggest the information on the dashboard might be less reliable going forward. DeSantis said he believes from the email that "she was tired and needed a break."
In a statement later to The Miami Herald, DeSantis' communications director, Helen Aguirre Ferré, said, "Rebekah Jones exhibited a repeated course of insubordination during her time with the department, including her unilateral decisions to modify the Department's COVID-19 dashboard without input or approval from the epidemiological team or her supervisors.
"The blatant disrespect for the professionals who were working around the clock to provide the important information for the COVID-19 website was harmful to the team. Accuracy and transparency are always indispensable, especially during an unprecedented public health emergency such as COVID-19. Having someone disruptive cannot be tolerated during this public pandemic, which led the department to determine that it was best to terminate her employment."
Jones' removal from the project and her subsequent dismissal have raised questions about the impartiality and transparency of Florida's COVID-19 dashboard.
Ben Sawyer, director of LabX at the University of Central Florida, which is investigating how local health systems are coping with COVID-19 cases, said her ouster is "quite disturbing to me as a scientist and as a citizen."
"Regardless of what you think about reopening Florida, you would like to know what's going on," Sawyer said. "This data is our ability to see what's happening. I think there are enormous questions that arise when you don't know if what you see [is] fair or accurate."
Jones' dismissal also drew immediate criticism from Democratic members of Congress, including Kathy Castor, who represents the Tampa area. Castor is asking the governor to provide immediate answers as to why Jones was fired.
"Amidst pressure to 'reopen' the state regardless of data and science," Castor wrote, "transparency is vital to keeping our neighbors safe and ensuring that they have confidence that our government is reporting honestly."


npr--2020-05-19--California Gov. Newsom: Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover

California Gov .
Newsom : Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover California led the nation in issuing a statewide stay-at-home order .
But there 's been an economic cost for going first — in the form of a $ 54 billion budget shortfall and unemployment projected to be as high as 25 % this quarter .
`` Those are Depression-era numbers and they 're numbers that you 'll see across this country , '' Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom tells All Things Considered .
`` By some estimates ... this has been the biggest shock we 've seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this shock to the system has also resulted in 4.8 million people filing for unemployment insurance since March 12 .
Going forward , the state will need to seek a balance between the economy and public health .
`` We are going to do everything in our power to protect the most vulnerable , and do our best to protect public health , the public safety , and significantly do our best to address public education , '' Newsom says .
`` But we ca n't do that alone without the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but as social responsibility to help meet the needs of millions and millions of Americans . ''
On Monday , the governor loosened the benchmarks that counties need to meet in order to reopen .
Here are excerpts from the interview : These new benchmarks mean almost every county in the state — with a few exceptions , Los Angeles being a big one — can now move to the next phase of reopening .
Why now , when confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your state are still going up by thousands a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We never experienced the peaks that many other parts of the country experienced .
And we 're seeing not only stability , but we 're seeing a decline over a two-week extended period of hospitalizations and number of patients in ICUs .
And while you 're correct , we 're seeing total number of positive cases rise , we 're also seeing exponential increase in testing .
A month ago , we were doing about 2,000 tests a day .
We 've been averaging north of 40,000 tests per day and our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been stable for many , many weeks .
...
Deep progress has been made not only in the testing , but also in the tracing .
We have now over 3,000 trained professional tracers throughout the state of California .
Your task force asked the federal government for $ 1 trillion in direct relief for state and local governments .
Have you gotten an answer ?
Well , overwhelmingly so .
Not only was there an answer , there was action by Speaker Nancy Pelosi , the Democrats in the House .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ They moved a package forward well north of that .
...
Which the Senate does not appear in a rush to take up .
Correct .
And so the reality is we have to continue put up the pressure .
And I think what 's significant is the pressure is not just coming from states and from local elected or statewide elected [ officials ] , but from some of the most well-known icons in the business community , Bob Iger of Disney , Marc Benioff [ of ] Salesforce.com .
If that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painful cuts in the future for your state .
I do n't think there 's a state that will be spared .
Now , many states are in a position like California where we have historic reserves .
But you 're correct , there will have to be cuts .
We 're trying to do our best to spare , again , those cuts against the most vulnerable .
And that 's why it 's so foundational , fundamental that we get support from the federal government .
Listen to the full interview @ @ @ @ @ @

California Gov. Newsom: Federal Government Has Responsibility To Help States Recover
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP Rich Pedroncelli/AP
California led the nation in issuing a statewide stay-at-home order. But there's been an economic cost for going first — in the form of a $54 billion budget shortfall and unemployment projected to be as high as 25% this quarter.
"Those are Depression-era numbers and they're numbers that you'll see across this country," Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom tells All Things Considered. "By some estimates ... this has been the biggest shock we've seen in living memory."
In California, this shock to the system has also resulted in 4.8 million people filing for unemployment insurance since March 12.
Going forward, the state will need to seek a balance between the economy and public health.
"We are going to do everything in our power to protect the most vulnerable, and do our best to protect public health, the public safety, and significantly do our best to address public education," Newsom says. "But we can't do that alone without the federal government's support, not as charity but as social responsibility to help meet the needs of millions and millions of Americans."
On Monday, the governor loosened the benchmarks that counties need to meet in order to reopen.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
These new benchmarks mean almost every county in the state — with a few exceptions, Los Angeles being a big one — can now move to the next phase of reopening. Why now, when confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your state are still going up by thousands a day?
Because we've seen stability. We never experienced the peaks that many other parts of the country experienced. And we're seeing not only stability, but we're seeing a decline over a two-week extended period of hospitalizations and number of patients in ICUs. And while you're correct, we're seeing total number of positive cases rise, we're also seeing exponential increase in testing. A month ago, we were doing about 2,000 tests a day. We've been averaging north of 40,000 tests per day and our ratio of positives to total tests has also been stable for many, many weeks. ... Deep progress has been made not only in the testing, but also in the tracing. We have now over 3,000 trained professional tracers throughout the state of California.
Your task force asked the federal government for $1 trillion in direct relief for state and local governments. Have you gotten an answer?
Well, overwhelmingly so. Not only was there an answer, there was action by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats in the House. Look, I'm not naive. They moved a package forward well north of that. ...
Which the Senate does not appear in a rush to take up.
Correct. And so the reality is we have to continue put up the pressure. And I think what's significant is the pressure is not just coming from states and from local elected or statewide elected [officials], but from some of the most well-known icons in the business community, Bob Iger of Disney, Marc Benioff [of] Salesforce.com.
If that money is not forthcoming, there are painful cuts in the future for your state.
I don't think there's a state that will be spared. Now, many states are in a position like California where we have historic reserves. But you're correct, there will have to be cuts. We're trying to do our best to spare, again, those cuts against the most vulnerable. And that's why it's so foundational, fundamental that we get support from the federal government.
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above.


npr--2020-05-19--Sen. Graham Seeks Names Of Obama Officials Who 'Unmasked' Trump Campaign Team

Sen. Graham Seeks Names Of Obama Officials Who 'Unmasked ' Trump Campaign Team South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday requested the identities of any Obama administration officials who may have sought intelligence information on members of President Trump 's 2016 and 2017 campaign and transition teams .
The senator 's request comes days after the acting director of national intelligence , Richard Grenell , released a list of names of Obama-era officials who potentially received intelligence reporting connected to Michael Flynn , Trump 's first national security adviser , in the months following the 2016 election .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unmasking of General Flynn 's name during this short time period , it raises the question of whether these or other officials sought the unmasking of the identities of other individuals associated with the Trump campaign or transition team , '' Graham wrote in a letter to Grenell and U.S. Attorney General William Barr .
However , it is not possible for officials to have known what names had been redacted , or masked , in security agencies ' reports .
As NPR reported last week : '' Reporting about those communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , analysts and policymakers .
But for the sake of security and , to some extent , privacy , the reports undergo 'minimization ' before they 're circulated widely .
`` So a report might not say : 'Foreign Minister So-And-So talked about the election this week with John Smith . '
It would say he talked with ' U.S .
Person 1 . '
`` Certain officials of sufficient stature can ask for Person 1 's identity to be 'unmasked ' to more fully understand what 's taking place in the reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate Judiciary Committee , requested information from Grenell and Barr regarding inquiries between Nov. 8 , 2016 , and Jan. 31 , 2017 , into Trump campaign affiliates , including Trump himself , Donald Trump Jr. , Ivanka Trump , Jared Kushner , Corey Lewandowski , Paul Manafort , Steve Bannon , Kellyanne Conway , Sam Clovis , Chris Christie , Carter Page and George Papadopoulos .
Graham also seeks an `` explanation as to why the list released on May 13th by [ Grenell 's office ] did not contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's identity for his phone call with [ then-Russian Ambassador Sergey ] Kislyak . ''
The topic of unmasking has sparked attention in recent weeks in light of Barr 's Justice Department seeking to drop charges against Flynn that stem from the federal investigation into Russia 's interference in the 2016 election — this despite Flynn 's admission of lying to the FBI about his communications with Russian officials .
On Thursday , Graham 's Judiciary Committee will vote on whether to give him the authority to subpoena documents and communication related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Trump associates and Russian officials .

Sen. Graham Seeks Names Of Obama Officials Who 'Unmasked' Trump Campaign Team
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday requested the identities of any Obama administration officials who may have sought intelligence information on members of President Trump's 2016 and 2017 campaign and transition teams.
The senator's request comes days after the acting director of national intelligence, Richard Grenell, released a list of names of Obama-era officials who potentially received intelligence reporting connected to Michael Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, in the months following the 2016 election.
"Given the extensive number of requests for the unmasking of General Flynn's name during this short time period, it raises the question of whether these or other officials sought the unmasking of the identities of other individuals associated with the Trump campaign or transition team," Graham wrote in a letter to Grenell and U.S. Attorney General William Barr.
However, it is not possible for officials to have known what names had been redacted, or masked, in security agencies' reports. As NPR reported last week:
"Reporting about those communications is used in myriad ways by investigators, analysts and policymakers. But for the sake of security and, to some extent, privacy, the reports undergo 'minimization' before they're circulated widely. "So a report might not say: 'Foreign Minister So-And-So talked about the election this week with John Smith.' It would say he talked with 'U.S. Person 1.' "Certain officials of sufficient stature can ask for Person 1's identity to be 'unmasked' to more fully understand what's taking place in the reporting."
Still, Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested information from Grenell and Barr regarding inquiries between Nov. 8, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2017, into Trump campaign affiliates, including Trump himself, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Corey Lewandowski, Paul Manafort, Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, Sam Clovis, Chris Christie, Carter Page and George Papadopoulos.
Graham also seeks an "explanation as to why the list released on May 13th by [Grenell's office] did not contain a record showing who unmasked General Flynn's identity for his phone call with [then-Russian Ambassador Sergey] Kislyak."
The topic of unmasking has sparked attention in recent weeks in light of Barr's Justice Department seeking to drop charges against Flynn that stem from the federal investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election — this despite Flynn's admission of lying to the FBI about his communications with Russian officials.
On Thursday, Graham's Judiciary Committee will vote on whether to give him the authority to subpoena documents and communication related to the FBI's investigation into any links between Trump associates and Russian officials.


npr--2020-05-19--Pennsylvania Health Secretary Defends 'Universal' Nursing Home Testing Plan

Of the 4,624 people who have already died of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania , at least two-thirds of them were associated with nursing homes or other long-term care facilities .
Last week Pennsylvania 's health department said it 's `` executing a robust universal testing strategy '' for the more than 80,000 residents and 10,000 staffers at 1,900-plus facilities .
But in the week since the announcement , some long-term care facilities have been left confused and saying they have n't been given enough guidance .
SpotlightPA reported on some weaknesses in the current guidance : that it calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at facilities with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases ; and excludes long-term care facilities that are n't nursing homes .
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine responded to criticism of the plan , telling NPR 's Morning Edition : `` The plan is an evolution , and we 're going to be working with each facility to make sure that the testing gets accomplished . ''
Here are selected excerpts from the interview : When do you think you 'll be able to say , `` All right , we have at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term care facility and every employee in a long-term care facility . ''
How far out are we looking ?
It 'll probably take at least several weeks or a month to test everyone in those facilities , and we are rolling that out as we speak .
Because a viral test is not conclusive , for if you 're negative on one day , you could be positive several days later , all of the facilities will need to have a regular schedule in terms of their testing .
But that schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you 've pointed out , this is quite a project .
And so we 're working all of that out now and we 'll make sure that it gets accomplished .
Does the state of Pennsylvania right now assume that if every long-term care facility , every nursing home resident and employee was to ask for a test today , could you get everyone a test today ?
No , not in one day .
First of all , that would challenge our testing capacity .
And it would be logistically almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been really challenging to get the testing capacity available .
There have been challenges in terms of getting the reagents and the chemicals and even the swabs and the viral media to be able to do that .
But in collaboration with the federal government , after a number of different phone calls and a lot of work , our state laboratory has much more capacity .
But also hospital laboratories have more capacity and the commercial laboratories have more capacity .
Listen to the full interview here .

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Defends 'Universal' Nursing Home Testing Plan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gene J. Puskar/AP Gene J. Puskar/AP
Of the 4,624 people who have already died of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, at least two-thirds of them were associated with nursing homes or other long-term care facilities.
Last week Pennsylvania's health department said it's "executing a robust universal testing strategy" for the more than 80,000 residents and 10,000 staffers at 1,900-plus facilities.
But in the week since the announcement, some long-term care facilities have been left confused and saying they haven't been given enough guidance. SpotlightPA reported on some weaknesses in the current guidance: that it calls for voluntary compliance; recommends full testing only at facilities with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases; and excludes long-term care facilities that aren't nursing homes.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine responded to criticism of the plan, telling NPR's Morning Edition: "The plan is an evolution, and we're going to be working with each facility to make sure that the testing gets accomplished."
Here are selected excerpts from the interview:
When do you think you'll be able to say, "All right, we have at least once tested every person in a long-term care facility and every employee in a long-term care facility." How far out are we looking?
It'll probably take at least several weeks or a month to test everyone in those facilities, and we are rolling that out as we speak. Because a viral test is not conclusive, for if you're negative on one day, you could be positive several days later, all of the facilities will need to have a regular schedule in terms of their testing. But that schedule will need to be individualized. But as you've pointed out, this is quite a project. And so we're working all of that out now and we'll make sure that it gets accomplished.
Does the state of Pennsylvania right now assume that if every long-term care facility, every nursing home resident and employee was to ask for a test today, could you get everyone a test today?
No, not in one day. First of all, that would challenge our testing capacity. And it would be logistically almost impossible to accomplish. But it has been really challenging to get the testing capacity available. There have been challenges in terms of getting the reagents and the chemicals and even the swabs and the viral media to be able to do that. But in collaboration with the federal government, after a number of different phone calls and a lot of work, our state laboratory has much more capacity. But also hospital laboratories have more capacity and the commercial laboratories have more capacity.
Listen to the full interview here.