npr--2020-08-03--Federal Judge Esther Salas Speaks Out About Deadly Attack On Her Family

Federal Judge Esther Salas Speaks Out About Deadly Attack On Her Family Federal Judge Esther Salas says more must be done to keep judges and their families safe after an attack on her home in New Jersey last month left her son dead and her husband wounded .
`` My son 's death can not be in vain , '' Salas said in an emotional nine-minute video released Monday .
`` Which is why I 'm begging those in power to do something to help my brothers and sisters on the bench . ''
On July 19 , a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Den Hollander went to Salas ' home , apparently angered over her handling of a court case .
`` This monster who had a FedEx package in his hand opened fire .
Daniel , being Daniel , protected his father , '' Salas said .
Daniel Anderl , 20 , died from a gunshot wound to the chest .
Salas ' husband , Mark Anderl , was seriously wounded .
Such attacks are rare .
But a report released this year by the U.S .
Marshals Service showed `` threats and inappropriate comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2015 .
`` Now more than ever , we need to identify a solution that keeps the lives of federal judges private , '' Salas said .
`` This is a matter of life and death . ''
Law enforcement later found Den Hollander , a self-described `` anti-feminist , '' was apparently also targeting other female judges .
The Marshals Service has declined to say how many judges are being protected by security details .
The agency sent a statement to NPR in the days following the attack on Salas ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting court officials .
In her video , Salas thanked first responders , law enforcement and medical workers who helped her family .
`` The outpouring of love has been overwhelming , '' she said .
`` And I can tell you it has lifted us during our darkest hours . ''

Federal Judge Esther Salas Speaks Out About Deadly Attack On Her Family
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Lennihan/AP Mark Lennihan/AP
Federal Judge Esther Salas says more must be done to keep judges and their families safe after an attack on her home in New Jersey last month left her son dead and her husband wounded.
"My son's death cannot be in vain," Salas said in an emotional nine-minute video released Monday. "Which is why I'm begging those in power to do something to help my brothers and sisters on the bench."
On July 19, a man later identified by the FBI as Roy Den Hollander went to Salas' home, apparently angered over her handling of a court case.
"This monster who had a FedEx package in his hand opened fire. Daniel, being Daniel, protected his father," Salas said.
Daniel Anderl, 20, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Salas' husband, Mark Anderl, was seriously wounded.
Such attacks are rare. But a report released this year by the U.S. Marshals Service showed "threats and inappropriate comments" against federal court workers increased fourfold since 2015.
"Now more than ever, we need to identify a solution that keeps the lives of federal judges private," Salas said. "This is a matter of life and death."
Law enforcement later found Den Hollander, a self-described "anti-feminist," was apparently also targeting other female judges.
The Marshals Service has declined to say how many judges are being protected by security details.
The agency sent a statement to NPR in the days following the attack on Salas' home saying it continuously reviews strategies for protecting court officials.
In her video, Salas thanked first responders, law enforcement and medical workers who helped her family.
"The outpouring of love has been overwhelming," she said. "And I can tell you it has lifted us during our darkest hours."


npr--2020-08-04--In Pandemic, Green Doesn't Mean "Go." How Did Public Health Guidance Get So Muddled?

In Pandemic , Green Does n't Mean `` Go . ''
How Did Public Health Guidance Get So Muddled ?
When Marquita Burnett heard Philadelphia was moving to the `` green '' phase of reopening , she was confused .
First of all , she was pretty sure the city had already earned the green label from Pennsylvania 's governor ( it had ) .
The next thing she knew , the city was scaling back on plans it had made to allow some businesses to reopen ( namely , indoor dining and gyms ) .
But it was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` I feel like it 's been back and forth – the mayor says one thing , the governor says another .
So who do you really listen to ? ''
asks Burnett , a 32-year-old teacher 's assistant .
Looking for something to do with her 6-year-old son at the end of June , Burnett saw a mayoral announcement that libraries could open in the new , modified '' green '' phase .
But people who worked at the library were posting on Twitter that they were not open .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Burnett .
`` Are we completely in the green , or not ? ''
When the coronavirus shutdown was ordered in March , the message was straightforward and simple : Stay at home , and do n't leave the house except to perform essential work , or shop at essential businesses .
However hard those restrictions were to stomach , they were clear .
Skip ahead four months .
As businesses started to reopen , mixed messages started raining down from every level of government , making what 's permissible and safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Absent any overarching or consistent national messaging , elected officials are left to come up with localized rules .
These rules often contradict one another , presenting a false choice between personal freedoms and protecting one 's health .
The upshot is that individuals are constantly forced to assess risk on their own , and make decisions about actions that have serious safety and moral implications .
Pennsylvania 's reopening plan is structured like a stoplight , with `` red , '' `` yellow '' and `` green '' phases .
The guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount of virus circulating in the community , and also the degree to which the economy is open .
`` In the beginning , we had a plan where there was pretty tight linkage between level of viral transmission and reopening activities , '' says Susan Coffin , a pediatric infectious disease specialist who has helped create the pandemic response plan for Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia .
But over time , she says , the reopening system began to falter .
The color-coded phases remained a good indicator for which businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflecting the ongoing viral risk , even as the number of new cases ebbed and flowed .
That divergence has resulted in confusion , she says .
By late July , Philadelphia found itself – at least officially – in a phase called `` modified , restricted green . ''
Gyms were allowed to reopen .
Indoor dining remained off limits .
`` Now , we are seeing what might sound like a contradictory message , '' Coffin says , `` Yes , we are reopening , but , no , we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though there is virus in our community . ''
In neighboring New Jersey , by contrast , the phased reopening takes a more fine-grained , incremental approach .
There is no overall color scheme .
Instead , each phase offers a broad overview of what will change , but also industry-by-industry specifics of which restrictions will be lifted , and when .
For his part , Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley says he wished people could have ignored Pennsylvania 's color coding altogether .
`` The governor came up with this high-level plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly Philadelphia is unique , '' Farley told reporters at a June 30th press conference , during which he announced the city would pause before entering the full green phase .
`` So we 're calling it green , but I would rather have people focus less on the color and more on what activities are allowed and not allowed . ''
Part of the issue is that as the science continued to evolve , so did the recommendations .
Masks , for example , were explicitly discouraged for the general public , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies were limited , but also because scientists did n't think the SARS-CoV-2 virus could be easily transmitted via `` airborne '' aerosolized particles , at least outside hospital settings .
But once masks became more available , and more research emerged supporting their use , masks were back in full force .
Though health departments do their best to keep up with the research as it emerges — and to explain why their recommendations change , when they do — it can be hard to keep track .
And it does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the science-backed recommendations .
`` We ca n't be out there , [ with ] the secretary of health telling you to wear a mask and your local elected official is telling you , 'Do n't wear a mask .
You 'll be fine , ' '' says April Hutcheson , communications director for Pennsylvania Department of Health .
`` It makes the job more challenging . ''
But there is some messaging health departments can control .
Pennsylvania had laid out what many interpreted to be specific metrics for assessing how well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked at testing capacity , contact tracing resources , and infection rates in nursing home .
To move on to a less-restrictive phase , each county would have to reach a specific benchmark , by a certain date , on the number of new confirmed in that county .
In May , many counties in the southeastern part of the state did n't meet those benchmarks , but transitioned to the next phase , anyway .
Gov .
Tom Wolf later said the metrics were not hard targets , but would be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by health officials , to determine each county 's overall risk .
Then all counties in Pennsylvania moved from red to yellow in early June .
Weeks later , case counts began to creep up again .
Proving the transition was rushed and therefore caused the spike may never be possible .
But setting that aside , the experience probably contributed to more distrust in government , says Ellen Peters , who runs the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon .
`` It gives people inconsistent information , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that did n't happen , but we 're going to go ahead and do it anyway , ' '' says Peters , whose own county in Oregon also failed to meet its benchmarks , but moved into a new phase anyway .
`` And so people are left with 'Well , the guidelines do n't matter , then .
If they do n't matter , what else can I not trust , that this city or state entity is telling me ? '
'' Research has shown that when people are stuck at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to just opt for doing what they want to do in the first place .
Health departments in local cities and at the state level have come to rely heavily on regular news briefings , where they advise resident not just which activities are safe , but also how to do them safely .
But asking people to constantly evaluate what they consider safe is a tall order .
`` What does it mean to be careful right now ?
I do n't think that 's actually a meaningful instruction , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania .
`` The level of care we are asking of individuals is really high — we would never ask this in normal life . ''
At the start of the pandemic , what it meant to be safe was easier to grasp , says Wilkinson-Ryan .
Concepts like `` flattening the curve '' gave people new language they needed to understand the broader reasoning behind shutting down the economy .
They felt like they were doing something by doing nothing — it created a behavioral norm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or `` paused '' reopenings , the norm has disappeared — leaving many people unsure how to keep themselves and others safe .
Wilkinson-Ryan faced her own safety dilemma about six weeks into a period of strict stay-at-home orders in Philadelphia .
Her husband Caleb Furnas went out to walk the dog , but the leash got tangled around his ankle , and he fell back and hit his head .
Furnas told her what had happened , and she asked him , half jokingly , who the president was .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' '' she recalls .
`` And he was n't joking . ''
Wilkinson-Ryan spent the next few hours frantically trying to determine how severe her husband 's concussion might be , and trying to decide whether she should take him to an emergency room that might be overwhelmed with contagious coronavirus patients , and pose its own health risks .
Luckily , she was able to reach a friend who is a pediatrician .
The friend advised her to take Furnas to the hospital .
During triage , he was sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's home now and doing fine .
While grateful that she had a friend with expertise to call upon , Wilkinson-Ryan knows not everyone has that kind of resource .
And she still longed for more clear-cut rules , to serve as a guide in moments of crisis like that one .
Without those clear rules , Wilkinson-Ryan , Marquita Burnett and countless others have been left on their own to make critical decisions .
They might combine various inputs to reach a decision , such as the emerging science around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ) , the advice of people they know and trust , and their own values and priorities .
Burnett , for instance , has decided that during the pandemic she can take her son to get his hair cut outside , on the barber 's front porch .
The barber always wore a mask and took the virus seriously , so when the barbershop reopened , she felt comfortable taking her son there .
But she 's not comfortable with many of their other typical summer activities , like going to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants .
If she ca n't predict how a crowd of strangers will act , she 's not taking the risk .
But that 's how Burnett figured it out .
It 's easy to imagine someone else , confronted with the same choices , coming to the opposite decisions : skipping the close contact of the haircut , but hitting the zoo because it 's outside .
`` It 's sort of like asking everyone to decide their own speed limit based on , like , the make and model of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling them to `` 'think about who you 're gon na drive with , think about the importance of your destination .
Good luck ! '
'' Because one person 's idea of `` careful '' in a pandemic is different from another 's , she says , the most helpful instructions are those that are clear and specific : designating maximum capacities in public spaces ; using marks on the ground to denote six feet of distance ; issuing specific instructions for people on how often they should go grocery shopping .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to different conclusions based on the same information , which in turn , leads to public shaming .
And that has its own risks .
`` When someone gets angry , they shut down to new information .
They react and simply do what they want to do , '' says Ellen Peters of the University of Oregon .
`` I could see where you could get much worse health behaviors from shaming other people . ''
Peters pointed to photographs of people on beaches , which then were circulated online and used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The perspective of some of the photos , though , may have made beaches look more crowded than they were .
`` Maybe in reality , people are pretty far apart , '' she says , `` and they 're outdoors . ''
Wilkinson-Ryan explain that shaming can occur naturally , when there 's a lack of cultural norms in a new and changing environment .
When people are overburdened with decisions , shaming also provides a cognitive shortcut .
`` It 's easy and salient to think about what people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Wilkinson-Ryan .
`` They 're sitting at the park , they 're playing , they 're touching each other .
That 's an availability bias : it comes easily to mind because it 's part of my everyday life .
You tend to place blame on the causes that come to mind quickly and easily . ''
But when people spend a lot of energy blaming or shaming their neighbors , it distracts from another goal : holding state legislatures , Congress , and the president accountable for managing the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some degree because they had coordinated federal responses .
National messaging meant there was no need to deputize hundreds of local health officials to distribute hyperlocal and often conflicting messages .
`` It really is kind of ridiculous , that idea of asking all of these people to come up with their own experts and their own way of guiding behavior in the states or cities , rather than having the experts in the country come together and decide what is the best guidance for all of us and having the politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To streamline her own decision-making , Peters says , she adopted a approach that she calls the `` What Would Anthony Fauci Do ? ''
approach .
But that 's just her .
When everyone chooses their own way to navigate — whether that 's by map , pole star , dowsing stick or gut instinct — people are bound to crash into each other .
This story comes from NPR 's reporting partnership with WHYY and Kaiser Health News .

In Pandemic, Green Doesn't Mean 'Go.' How Did Public Health Guidance Get So Muddled?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cory Clark/ NurPhoto via Getty Images Cory Clark/ NurPhoto via Getty Images
When Marquita Burnett heard Philadelphia was moving to the "green" phase of reopening, she was confused. First of all, she was pretty sure the city had already earned the green label from Pennsylvania's governor (it had). The next thing she knew, the city was scaling back on plans it had made to allow some businesses to reopen (namely, indoor dining and gyms). But it was still calling that phase "restricted green."
"I feel like it's been back and forth – the mayor says one thing, the governor says another. So who do you really listen to?" asks Burnett, a 32-year-old teacher's assistant.
Looking for something to do with her 6-year-old son at the end of June, Burnett saw a mayoral announcement that libraries could open in the new, modified "green" phase. But people who worked at the library were posting on Twitter that they were not open.
"The lines are very blurred," says Burnett. "Are we completely in the green, or not?"
When the coronavirus shutdown was ordered in March, the message was straightforward and simple: Stay at home and don't leave the house except to perform essential work or shop at essential businesses. However hard those restrictions were to stomach, they were clear.
Skip ahead four months. As businesses started to reopen, mixed messages started raining down from every level of government, making what's permissible and safe feel like a matter of interpretation.
Absent any overarching or consistent national messaging, elected officials are left to come up with localized rules. These rules often contradict one another, presenting a false choice between personal freedoms and protecting one's health. The upshot is that individuals are constantly forced to assess risk on their own and make decisions about actions that have serious safety and moral implications.
Drowning in color-coded confusion
Pennsylvania's reopening plan is structured like a stoplight, with "red," "yellow" and "green" phases. The guidance is built around two main factors: the amount of virus circulating in the community and the degree to which the economy is open.
"In the beginning, we had a plan where there was pretty tight linkage between level of viral transmission and reopening activities," says Susan Coffin, a pediatric infectious disease specialist who has helped create the pandemic response plan for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
But over time, she says, the reopening system began to falter. The color-coded phases remained a good indicator for which businesses were opening up, but it stopped reflecting the ongoing viral risk, as the number of new cases ebbed and flowed. That divergence has resulted in confusion, she says.
By late July, Philadelphia found itself – at least officially – in a phase called "modified, restricted green." Gyms were allowed to reopen. Indoor dining remained off-limits.
"Now, we are seeing what might sound like a contradictory message," Coffin says, "Yes, we are reopening, but, no, we don't want you to stop behaving as though there is virus in our community."
In neighboring New Jersey, by contrast, the phased reopening takes a more fine-grained, incremental approach. There is no overall color scheme. Instead, each phase offers not only a broad overview of what will change, but also industry-by-industry specifics of which restrictions will be lifted and when.
For his part, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley says he wished people could have ignored Pennsylvania's color coding altogether.
"The governor came up with this high-level plan with these three different colors, but clearly Philadelphia is unique," Farley told reporters at a June 30 press conference, during which he announced the city would pause before entering the full green phase.
"So we're calling it 'green,' but I would rather have people focus less on the color and more on what activities are allowed and not allowed."
Part of the issue is that as the science continued to evolve, so did the recommendations. Masks, for example, were explicitly discouraged for the general public, at first. This was partly because supplies were limited, but also because scientists didn't think the SARS-CoV-2 virus could be easily transmitted via "airborne" aerosolized particles, at least outside hospital settings. But once masks became more available, and more research emerged supporting their use, masks were back in full force.
Though health departments do their best to keep up with the research — and to explain why the recommendations change and when they do — it can be hard to keep track. And it doesn't help when politicians explicitly and vociferously contradict the science-backed recommendations.
"We can't be out there, [with] the secretary of health telling you to wear a mask and your local elected official is telling you, 'Don't wear a mask. You'll be fine,'" says April Hutcheson, communications director for Pennsylvania Department of Health. "It makes the job more challenging."
But there is some messaging health departments can control. Pennsylvania had laid out what many interpreted to be specific metrics for assessing how well a community was doing. The measures looked at testing capacity, contact tracing resources and infection rates in nursing home. To move on to a less-restrictive phase, each county would have to reach a specific benchmark, by a certain date, on the number of new confirmed in that county.
In May, many counties in the southeastern part of the state didn't meet those benchmarks, but transitioned to the next phase, anyway. Gov. Tom Wolf later said the metrics were not hard targets but would be considered with other "subjective information" provided by health officials to determine each county's overall risk.
Then all counties in Pennsylvania moved from red to yellow in early June. Weeks later, case counts began to creep up again.
Proving the transition was rushed and therefore caused the spike may never be possible. But setting that aside, the experience probably contributed to more distrust in government, says Ellen Peters, who runs the Media Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon.
"It gives people inconsistent information, so you're being told, 'Eh, that didn't happen, but we're going to go ahead and do it anyway,' " says Peters, whose own county in Oregon failed to meet its benchmarks, but moved into a new phase anyway. "And so people are left with 'Well, the guidelines don't matter, then. If they don't matter, what else can I not trust that this city or state entity is telling me?' "
Research has shown that when people are stuck at an impasse, they are more likely to just opt for doing what they want to.
How safe is safe?
Health departments in cities and at the state level have come to rely heavily on regular news briefings, where they advise residents which activities are safe and how to do them safely. But asking people to constantly evaluate what they consider safe is a tall order.
"What does it mean to be careful right now? I don't think that's actually a meaningful instruction," says Tess Wilkinson-Ryan, a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
"The level of care we are asking of individuals is really high — we would never ask this in normal life."
At the start of the pandemic, what it meant to be safe was easier to grasp, says Wilkinson-Ryan. Concepts like "flattening the curve" gave people new language they needed to understand the broader reasoning behind shutting down the economy. They felt like they were doing something by doing nothing — it created a behavioral norm. In this new era of partial or "paused" reopenings, the norm has disappeared — leaving many people unsure how to keep themselves and others safe.
Wilkinson-Ryan faced her own safety dilemma about six weeks into a period of strict stay-at-home orders in Philadelphia. Her husband, Caleb Furnas, went out to walk the dog; the leash got tangled around his ankle and he fell back and hit his head. Furnas told her what had happened, and she asked him, half-jokingly, who the president was. "He said, deadpan, 'George Bush,' " she recalls. "And he wasn't joking."
Wilkinson-Ryan spent the next few hours frantically trying to determine how severe her husband's concussion might be and trying to decide whether she should take him to an emergency room that might be overwhelmed with contagious coronavirus patients, and pose its own health risks.
Luckily, she was able to reach a friend who is a pediatrician. The friend advised her to take Furnas to the hospital. During triage, he was sent to a wing designated for non-COVID patients. He's home now and doing fine.
While grateful that she had a friend with expertise to call upon, Wilkinson-Ryan knows not everyone has that kind of resource. And she still longed for more clear-cut rules to serve as a guide in moments of crisis like that one.
Making their own decisions
Without those clear rules, Wilkinson-Ryan, Marquita Burnett and countless others have been left on their own to make critical decisions. They might combine various inputs to reach a decision, such as the emerging science around the virus (if they're aware of it), the advice of people they know and trust, and their own values and priorities.
toggle caption Tess Wilkinson-Ryan
Burnett, for instance, has decided that during the pandemic she can take her son to get his hair cut outside, on the barber's front porch. The barber always wore a mask and took the virus seriously, so when the barbershop reopened, she felt comfortable taking her son there.
But she's not comfortable with many of their other typical summer activities, like going to the zoo, amusement parks or outdoor restaurants. If she can't predict how a crowd of strangers will act, she's not taking the risk.
But that's how Burnett figured it out. It's easy to imagine someone else, confronted with the same choices, coming to the opposite decisions: skipping the close contact of the haircut, but hitting the zoo because it's outside.
"It's sort of like asking everyone to decide their own speed limit based on, like, the make and model of their car," says Wilkinson-Ryan, or telling them: "Think about who you're gonna drive with, think about the importance of your destination. Good luck!"
Because one person's idea of "careful" in a pandemic is different from another's, she says, the most helpful instructions are those that are clear and specific: designating maximum capacities in public spaces; using marks on the ground to denote 6 feet of distance; issuing specific instructions for people on how often they should go grocery shopping.
Otherwise, people are likely to come to different conclusions based on the same information, which in turn, leads to public shaming. And that has its own risks.
"When someone gets angry, they shut down to new information. They react and simply do what they want to do," says Ellen Peters of the University of Oregon. "I could see where you could get much worse health behaviors from shaming other people."
Peters pointed to photographs of people on beaches, which then were circulated online and used to publicly shame the beachgoers. The perspective of some of the photos, though, may have made beaches look more crowded than they were. "Maybe in reality, people are pretty far apart," she says, "and they're outdoors."
Wilkinson-Ryan explain that shaming can occur naturally, when there's a lack of cultural norms in a new and changing environment.
When people are overburdened with decisions, shaming also provides a cognitive shortcut.
"It's easy and salient to think about what people in my neighborhood are doing wrong," says Wilkinson-Ryan. "They're sitting at the park, they're playing, they're touching each other. That's an availability bias: It comes easily to mind because it's part of my everyday life. You tend to place blame on the causes that come to mind quickly and easily."
But when people spend a lot of energy blaming or shaming their neighbors, it distracts from another goal: holding state legislatures, Congress and the president accountable for managing the pandemic.
Other countries managed to avoid these issues to some degree because they had coordinated federal responses. National messaging meant there was no need to deputize hundreds of local health officials to distribute hyperlocal and often conflicting messages.
"It really is kind of ridiculous, that idea of asking all of these people to come up with their own experts and their own way of guiding behavior in the states or cities, rather than having the experts in the country come together and decide what is the best guidance for all of us and having the politicians stick with that," says Peters.
To streamline her own decision-making, Peters says, she adopted a approach that she calls the "What Would Anthony Fauci Do?" approach. Fauci is the government's infectious disease expert.
But that's just her. When everyone chooses their own way to navigate — whether that's by map, polestar, dowsing stick or gut instinct — people are bound to crash into one another.
This story comes from NPR's reporting partnership with WHYY and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-08-04--Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia On Losing His Mother To COVID-19

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia On Losing His Mother To COVID-19 For most public officials , battling the coronavirus and keeping their constituents safe is an incredible professional challenge .
For Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia , it 's also personal : His mother died of COVID-19 complications last month at age 61 .
His mother , Gaby O'Donnell , was a medical assistant for more than 25 years in Southern California .
She immigrated from her native Peru with 5-year-old Garcia and other family members in 1982 .
`` My mom was not just an amazing woman , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a great and joyous life , '' Garcia tells NPR 's Noel King .
`` And to lose her is very difficult .
But I also know that her work as a health care worker was so important to her , especially in this moment .
So we 'll do everything we can to honor her and to continue to keep people safe . ''
The number of coronavirus cases in Long Beach is slightly lower per capita than in Los Angeles County as a whole .
The latest data show more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; 178 people have died as of Monday .
Long Beach is a city of about 460,000 .
Discussions with his mother about her experience in health care influenced Garcia 's approach to mitigating the coronavirus in Long Beach , he says .
`` She understood , early on , that this was a very serious virus and she would talk about that to me , '' Garcia says .
`` And that also informed our policy .
...
In Long Beach , we had the slowest reopening plan of any city in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two behind everyone else .
And we were very cautious .
And I think a lot of that was because the seriousness of how my mom took it . ''
Garcia 's stepfather also has COVID-19 and remains on a ventilator , he says .
Garcia does n't know how they contracted the virus , but he says his mother was very cautious : full protective gear at work , always wore a mask , rarely left the house outside of work .
`` She understood the dangers of COVID-19 , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like my mom can get it , anyone can . ''
While his mother was in a hospital on a ventilator , Garcia spent time talking with doctors and nurses .
It underscored the gravity of the situation .
`` They need our help , '' he says .
`` They need to keep hospital beds empty . ''
Hospitalizations in Los Angeles County were down by about 12 % over the weekend from the weekend before .
Still , Garcia says he 's been `` incredibly frustrated '' that a significant number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of coronavirus seriously .
It 's `` completely irresponsible and quite frankly , shows no compassion or kindness to helping the people that are the most vulnerable . ''
But Garcia notes that his mother came to the U.S. in pursuit of the American dream — and `` found it . ''
She had a `` lot of hope and appreciation for the country . ''
As the U.S. confronts both a pandemic and a reckoning over racial injustice , Garcia says that optimism from his mother remains .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're learning that a lot of our institutions or values are not as strong as we thought they were or imagined them to be , '' he says .
But `` I am still optimistic and very proud of our country .
I think that we are going to look at this moment and learn and get better . ''
NPR 's Taylor Haney and Simone Popperl produced and edited the audio version of this story .

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia On Losing His Mother To COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carlos Delgado/AP Images for Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau Carlos Delgado/AP Images for Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau
For most public officials, battling the coronavirus and keeping their constituents safe is an incredible professional challenge.
For Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, it's also personal: His mother died of COVID-19 complications last month at age 61.
His mother, Gaby O'Donnell, was a medical assistant for more than 25 years in Southern California. She immigrated from her native Peru with 5-year-old Garcia and other family members in 1982.
"My mom was not just an amazing woman, but she was my best friend and lived such a great and joyous life," Garcia tells NPR's Noel King. "And to lose her is very difficult. But I also know that her work as a health care worker was so important to her, especially in this moment. So we'll do everything we can to honor her and to continue to keep people safe."
The number of coronavirus cases in Long Beach is slightly lower per capita than in Los Angeles County as a whole. The latest data show more than 8,300 total cases in Long Beach; 178 people have died as of Monday. Long Beach is a city of about 460,000.
Discussions with his mother about her experience in health care influenced Garcia's approach to mitigating the coronavirus in Long Beach, he says.
"She understood, early on, that this was a very serious virus and she would talk about that to me," Garcia says. "And that also informed our policy. ... In Long Beach, we had the slowest reopening plan of any city in Southern California. We were a week or two behind everyone else. And we were very cautious. And I think a lot of that was because the seriousness of how my mom took it."
Garcia's stepfather also has COVID-19 and remains on a ventilator, he says. Garcia doesn't know how they contracted the virus, but he says his mother was very cautious: full protective gear at work, always wore a mask, rarely left the house outside of work.
"She understood the dangers of COVID-19," he says. "And if someone like my mom can get it, anyone can."
While his mother was in a hospital on a ventilator, Garcia spent time talking with doctors and nurses. It underscored the gravity of the situation. "They need our help," he says. "They need to keep hospital beds empty."
Hospitalizations in Los Angeles County were down by about 12% over the weekend from the weekend before.
Still, Garcia says he's been "incredibly frustrated" that a significant number of people seem to not take the threat of coronavirus seriously.
It's "completely irresponsible and quite frankly, shows no compassion or kindness to helping the people that are the most vulnerable."
But Garcia notes that his mother came to the U.S. in pursuit of the American dream — and "found it." She had a "lot of hope and appreciation for the country."
As the U.S. confronts both a pandemic and a reckoning over racial injustice, Garcia says that optimism from his mother remains.
"I think that we're in a moment that we're learning that a lot of our institutions or values are not as strong as we thought they were or imagined them to be," he says. But "I am still optimistic and very proud of our country. I think that we are going to look at this moment and learn and get better."
NPR's Taylor Haney and Simone Popperl produced and edited the audio version of this story.


npr--2020-08-04--Senate Republican Primary In Kansas Highlights 5 Races To Watch Tuesday

Voters head to the polls in a handful of states Tuesday , in the latest tests of voting systems stressed by the ongoing pandemic .
Primaries are set for Arizona , Kansas , Michigan , Missouri and Washington state .
( Tennessee holds its contests Thursday . )
Here are five primaries to watch Tuesday : 1 .
Kansas U.S. Senate — Republican : This one has the attention of party leaders .
Longtime GOP Sen. Pat Roberts is retiring , and a slew of Republicans are seeking to replace him , with Rep. Roger Marshall , former Kansas Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton considered the leading contenders .
Kobach is a polarizing conservative who holds hard-line stances on immigration and alleged voter fraud .
He lost the governor 's race to Democrat Laura Kelly in 2018 , and many Republicans think his nomination would similarly cost the party a Senate seat .
And with the GOP majority in the Senate looking more and more tenuous , many Republicans think they ca n't afford to put a seat in jeopardy in deep red Kansas .
`` If [ Kobach ] wins the primary , that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one veteran GOP strategist engaged in 2020 congressional races told NPR .
Some Democrats are so eager to face Kobach that they 're behind a campaign ad touting Kobach as a true conservative and denigrating Marshall .
Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier , a retired physician and former Republican who 's raised millions of dollars for her campaign , is likely to be awaiting the winner of Tuesday 's GOP race .
Kansas has n't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932 .
2 .
Michigan 's 13th Congressional District — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday feature Democratic incumbents challenged in very liberal districts .
First-term progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib has one such challenge , and it 's a rematch .
Detroit City Councilor Brenda Jones topped Tlaib in a special election to serve in Congress briefly , and then Tlaib eked out a win over Jones in 2018 for a full term .
Since then , however , Tlaib , one of the first Muslim women in Congress , has significantly raised her national profile , along with three other noteworthy first-term progressive women who 've referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Shortly after being sworn in , Tlaib invoked expletives to declare she wanted to impeach President Trump , giving Republicans evidence that Democrats were determined to do so from the get go .
Jones told Quinn Klinefelter of member station WDET that she 's running because voters want a different tone in Congress .
The district is one of the poorest in the nation , Klinefelter says , and now hit hard by job losses and the coronavirus .
3 .
Missouri 's 1st Congressional District — Democratic : The other intra-party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes in St. Louis .
Rep. William Lacy Clay , who 's been in office nearly 20 years , faces a second challenge from nurse and activist Cori Bush .
Clay topped Bush by 20 percentage points in 2018 , but Bush 's profile has risen since then , partly because of a documentary that also profiled New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
The Democratic primary is another example of a progressive challenging a well-known incumbent .
Bush has been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ; Justice Democrats , a group closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who dispatched with longtime New York Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel earlier this summer .
Clay 's backers , including fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus , maintain he 's `` no moderate Democrat , '' citing , for instance , his support of `` Medicare for All . ''
4 .
Arizona 's 6th Congressional District — Democratic : This is a district held by a GOP incumbent , with a clear Republican lean , that 's suddenly gotten more competitive after ethics violations .
Just on Friday , the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reprimand incumbent Rep. David Schweikert for breaking congressional and campaign finance rules .
Schweikert admitted to the violations and agreed to pay a $ 50,000 fine .
Schweikert won his last election by 10 points , and there are four Democrats vying for a general election matchup this year , including Anita Malik , whom Schweickert defeated in 2018 .
As Steve Goldstein of member station KJZZ has reported , protests against racial injustice are motivating many voters in the Scottsdale-centered suburban district , as well .
5 .
Michigan 's 3rd Congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being left vacant by the retirement of Rep. Justin Amash , an independent who left the GOP in 2019 and voted to impeach President Trump .
Amash also briefly considered running to be the Libertarian Party 's presidential nominee before opting against it .
The district , which includes Grand Rapids , has a Republican lean , according to the Cook Political Report .
One of its counties , Kent County , has long been reliably Republican — Grand Rapids was the boyhood home of President Gerald Ford — but it 's also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win in November .
Former Department of Justice attorney Hillary Scholten is unopposed on the Democratic ballot , but there are a handful of candidates on the GOP side , including state Rep. Lynn Afendoulis .

Senate Republican Primary In Kansas Highlights 5 Races To Watch Tuesday
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/AP
Voters head to the polls in a handful of states Tuesday, in the latest tests of voting systems stressed by the ongoing pandemic.
Primaries are set for Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington state. (Tennessee holds its contests Thursday.) Here are five primaries to watch Tuesday:
1. Kansas U.S. Senate — Republican: This one has the attention of party leaders.
Longtime GOP Sen. Pat Roberts is retiring, and a slew of Republicans are seeking to replace him, with Rep. Roger Marshall, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and businessman Bob Hamilton considered the leading contenders.
Kobach is a polarizing conservative who holds hard-line stances on immigration and alleged voter fraud. He lost the governor's race to Democrat Laura Kelly in 2018, and many Republicans think his nomination would similarly cost the party a Senate seat.
And with the GOP majority in the Senate looking more and more tenuous, many Republicans think they can't afford to put a seat in jeopardy in deep red Kansas.
"If [Kobach] wins the primary, that's probably curtains for the majority," one veteran GOP strategist engaged in 2020 congressional races told NPR.
Some Democrats are so eager to face Kobach that they're behind a campaign ad touting Kobach as a true conservative and denigrating Marshall.
Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a retired physician and former Republican who's raised millions of dollars for her campaign, is likely to be awaiting the winner of Tuesday's GOP race. Kansas hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932.
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toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
2. Michigan's 13th Congressional District — Democratic: Two primaries of note on Tuesday feature Democratic incumbents challenged in very liberal districts.
First-term progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib has one such challenge, and it's a rematch. Detroit City Councilor Brenda Jones topped Tlaib in a special election to serve in Congress briefly, and then Tlaib eked out a win over Jones in 2018 for a full term.
Since then, though, Tlaib, one of the first Muslim women in Congress, has significantly raised her national profile, along with three other noteworthy first-term progressive women who've referred to themselves as "the squad." Shortly after being sworn in, Tlaib invoked expletives to declare she wanted to impeach President Trump, giving Republicans evidence that Democrats were determined to do so from the get-go.
Jones told Quinn Klinefelter of member station WDET that she's running because voters want a different tone in Congress. The district is one of the poorest in the nation, Klinefelter says, and now hit hard by job losses and the coronavirus.
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3. Missouri's 1st Congressional District — Democratic: The other intra-party tussle of note in a left-leaning district comes in St. Louis.
Rep. William Lacy Clay, who's been in office nearly 20 years, faces a second challenge from nurse and activist Cori Bush. Clay topped Bush by 20 percentage points in 2018, but Bush's profile has risen since then, partly because of a documentary that also profiled New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The Democratic primary is another example of a progressive challenging a well-known incumbent. Bush has been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; Justice Democrats, a group closely aligned with Ocasio-Cortez; and Jamaal Bowman, who dispatched with longtime New York Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel earlier this summer.
Clay's backers, including fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus, maintain he's "no moderate Democrat," citing, for instance, his support of "Medicare for All."
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4. Arizona's 6th Congressional District — Democratic: This is a district held by a GOP incumbent, with a clear Republican lean, that's suddenly gotten more competitive after ethics violations.
Just on Friday, the House unanimously passed a rare ethics resolution to reprimand incumbent Rep. David Schweikert for breaking congressional and campaign finance rules. Schweikert admitted to the violations and agreed to pay a $50,000 fine.
Schweikert won his last election by 10 points, and there are four Democrats vying for a general election matchup this year, including Anita Malik, whom Schweikert defeated in 2018.
As Steve Goldstein of member station KJZZ has reported, protests against racial injustice are motivating many voters in the Scottsdale-centered suburban district, as well.
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5. Michigan's 3rd Congressional District — Republican: This seat is being left vacant by the retirement of Rep. Justin Amash, an independent who left the GOP in 2019 and voted to impeach President Trump. Amash also briefly considered running to be the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee before opting against it.
The district, which includes Grand Rapids, has a Republican lean, according to the Cook Political Report. One of its counties, Kent County, has long been reliably Republican — Grand Rapids was the boyhood home of President Gerald Ford — but it's also a suburban area that Democrats aim to win in November.
Former Department of Justice attorney Hillary Scholten is unopposed on the Democratic ballot, but there are a handful of candidates on the GOP side, including state Rep. Lynn Afendoulis.
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NPR congressional correspondent Susan Davis contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-04--'It's A Disaster': German Expats Love U.S. But Not Its Handling Of Coronavirus

'It 's A Disaster ' : German Expats Love U.S .
But Not Its Handling Of Coronavirus Kathleen de Leon is frustrated with the U.S. handling of the coronavirus .
`` Well just look at the news , '' she says .
`` It 's a disaster . ''
De Leon is German , and she and her husband , an American , and have been living in the United States for more than a decade .
She says their daughter Zoe is happy here and so the family was n't planning a move to Germany .
But now they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointed by the inconsistent messaging and misinformation about the pandemic , and mystified by the politicization of it .
She says in the U.S. talk of politics goes from zero to 100 quickly .
So friends in her circle here avoid discussing politics altogether .
Even in a mom 's group she belongs to on Facebook .
`` I mean , politics — like there is a way to discuss politics with different opinions without getting nasty . ''
Germany is among the handful of countries considered to have coped the best with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cases , it 's pretty much flattened its curve .
And while the country is seeing an economic slump , its unemployment rate has barely budged .
Compare that to the U.S. where millions have lost their jobs , COVID-19 is rampant , and daily life here may not seem that alluring to German expats in the U.S .
Many Americans share the view .
An NPR Ipsos poll released today found that two-thirds people in this country think it is handling the pandemic worse than other countries .
Lars Hierath is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White Plains , New York , and has no plans to move back to Germany .
But he agrees with de Leon , that the conversation has been more reasonable in Germany compared to the United States .
`` There seems to be in this country more of an , emotional of a political , political discussion .
Whereas at home , there 's more agreement on what needs to be done and how things should be tackled . ''
Hierath says he admires how quickly businesses here have adapted .
He sees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the school — like for new remote work apps which could make life easier as workers are forced to social distance .
But even in the face of a global pandemic , Hierath sees optimism around him and he really treasures that .
`` I find this is a very American attitude , you know , there 's a problem .
Let 's tackle it .
Let 's do something . ''
Felix Zeltner , 38 , runs a company that organizes conferences about the future of work .
He did go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and family , and for the first time he says , he feels a bit disconnected from his country of birth .
`` I have friends who do n't know anyone who had the virus , right ?
In New York , I know dozens of people .
Some of them had very complicated cases in their families - people died . ''
He said that for many Germans he knows , the pandemic is `` basically over . ''
`` They do n't even think about it anymore .
Which I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I 'm traumatized , like I think about it all the time .
But , I also kind of understand because they had such a different experience . ''
He says it 's tough to compare the massive U.S. with Germany - a country you can cross by car in just one day .
And though he and his wife have made it a point to visit each of the fifty states , Zeltner says the longer he spends in the U.S. the less he understands it .
But he loves his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe there .
And , optimistic .
So , he 'll be back .
`` Oh for sure – yes , '' he says .

'It's A Disaster': German Expats Love U.S. But Not Its Handling Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matthias Schrader/AP Matthias Schrader/AP
Kathleen de Leon is frustrated with the U.S. handling of the coronavirus.
"Well just look at the news," she says. "It's a disaster."
De Leon is German, and she and her husband, an American, and have been living in the United States for more than a decade. She says their daughter Zoe is happy here, and the family wasn't planning a move to Germany. But now they're talking about it.
She's disappointed by the inconsistent messaging and misinformation about the pandemic and is mystified by the politicization of it. She says that in the U.S., talk of politics goes from zero to 100 quickly. So friends in her circle here avoid discussing politics altogether. This is true even in a mom's group she belongs to on Facebook.
"I mean, politics — like there is a way to discuss politics with different opinions without getting nasty."
Germany is among the handful of countries considered to have coped the best with the coronavirus. Despite a recent spike in cases, it has pretty much flattened its curve. And while the country is seeing an economic slump, its unemployment rate has barely budged.
Compare that to the U.S., where millions have lost their jobs, COVID-19 is rampant, and daily life here may not seem that alluring to German expats.
That view is true of many Americans. An NPR Ipsos poll released Tuesday found that two-thirds people in this country think it is handling the pandemic worse than other countries.
Lars Hierath is head of the German International School in White Plains, N.Y., and has no plans to move back to Germany. But he agrees with de Leon that the conversation has been more reasonable in Germany than in the United States.
"There seems to be in this country more of an emotional of a political, political discussion. Whereas at home, there's more agreement on what needs to be done and how things should be tackled."
Hierath does say he admires how quickly businesses here have adapted. He sees this in all the offers he gets at the school — like for new remote work apps that could make life easier as workers are forced to do their jobs from home. Even in the face of a global pandemic, Hierath sees optimism around him and he really treasures that.
"I find this is a very American attitude, you know, 'There's a problem. Let's tackle it. Let's do something.' "
Felix Zeltner, 38, runs a company that organizes conferences about the future of work. He did go back to Germany this summer to visit friends and family, and for the first time, he says, he feels a bit disconnected from his country of birth.
"I have friends who don't know anyone who had the virus, right? In New York, I know dozens of people. Some of them had very complicated cases in their families — people died."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Roderick Aichinger Roderick Aichinger
He said that for many Germans he knows, the pandemic is "basically over."
"They don't even think about it anymore. Which I find it crazy to not think about. I'm traumatized, like I think about it all the time. But, I also kind of understand because they had such a different experience."
He says it's tough to compare the massive U.S. with Germany — a country that can be crossed by car in just one day. And though he and his wife have made it a point to visit each of the 50 states, Zeltner says the longer he spends in the U.S., the less he understands it.
But he loves his home in New York and he feels safe there. And, optimistic.
So, he'll be back. "Oh for sure — yes," he says.
Right after vacation.


npr--2020-08-04--Despite Mask Wars, Americans Support Aggressive Measures To Stop COVID-19, Poll Finds

With the national death toll from COVID-19 passing the grim 150,000 mark , an NPR/Ipsos poll finds broad support for a single , national strategy to address the pandemic and more aggressive measures to contain it .
Two-thirds of respondents said they believe the U.S. is handling the pandemic worse than other countries , and most want the federal government to take extensive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus , favoring a top-down approach to reopening schools and businesses .
`` We 've come to a pretty dire place when it comes to both the death toll and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Mallory Newall , a pollster with Ipsos .
`` Americans , as they grapple with the reality of just how grave the situation is , they 're looking for sweeping , really broad , powerful action here . ''
While debates over masks and whether to reopen have dominated headlines , more than three-quarters of respondents support enacting state laws to require mask wearing in public at all times .
And nearly 60 % said they would support a nationwide order making it mandatory to shelter at home for two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials warn of a new phase in the pandemic , with widespread infections across the country , and as the president openly feuds with those advisers .
The poll was conducted July 30-31 and surveyed 1,115 adults from the continental U.S. , Alaska and Hawaii .
`` We 're doing absolutely worse '' compared with other countries , said Laura Braslow , a Republican in Quakertown , Pa. , who took part in the survey .
`` We have a leader , and I use the term loosely , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , '' added Braslow , who did n't vote for Trump in 2016 and does n't plan to back him in November .
`` I mean if I have to suck it up and wear a mask , he should be sucking it up and wearing a mask .
He should be showing the American public that this is the right thing to do . ''
Even some conservatives who plan to vote for Trump say the federal government should do more .
`` I think a national approach would be better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican voter in Irving , Texas .
`` I think it would be effective , and it may be at the point here before too long that we have to do that . ''
Other measures that enjoy broad backing include government funding to expand testing for the coronavirus and make it free of charge , making any future vaccine available to all Americans , and a push to produce more personal protective equipment .
Trump has resisted many of those proposals and tweeted Monday that America has done `` MUCH better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of the coronavirus .
`` I think we 're doing worse , '' said Sophie McClellan , a Democrat from Jacksonville , Fla. '' I do n't think we have adequate testing because it can take up to two weeks to get results , '' McClellan told NPR .
She also said it was time for all states to impose public health mandates requiring masks in public places .
Trump has declined to wear a mask in public , but Monday he sent a message to supporters saying people should try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to socially distance from others .
The NPR/Ipsos survey found that for most Americans — Democrats and Republicans — mask wearing is not controversial .
Two-thirds of those surveyed favor a single , national strategy for combating the virus 's spread , and about 60 % support a single , national strategy for when businesses and schools can reopen .
On the question of schools , 66 % of Americans say they prefer remote , distance learning for children in their area in the fall , a view shared overwhelmingly by Democrats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 % agreeing with Trump that schools should reopen and kids should return to classrooms .
When given a choice on returning to work , 69 % said that , whenever possible , people should be allowed to work from home until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available .
Thirty-one percent chose the option of people returning to offices and workplaces now , with safety precautions in place for employees .
Americans lean toward more relief , more aggressive measures As Washington is deadlocked on aspects of a federal relief package , most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government should take on more debt to pass a bill that provides a payment for all Americans .
A similar number want federal unemployment benefits extended .
`` They 're saying right now pass another stimulus bill , pass more unemployment benefits , do your part to get the economy going , '' said Ipsos ' Newall , who noted a majority of Republicans also back another round of federal spending .
• 59 % say workers should receive a stipend that would allow them to stay at home for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• 55 % support temporary travel bans between states as part of the effort to slow the virus 's spread .
`` It 's clear from this poll Americans want to do everything in their power to limit the spread of the virus , '' Newall said .
`` That means sweeping federal government action . ''
With the presidential election three months away , the coronavirus looms large as 46 % of respondents said the pandemic is a top concern .
And when thinking about choosing a candidate , two-thirds said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a very important factor , followed by their plans for the coronavirus and for uniting the country .

Despite Mask Wars, Americans Support Aggressive Measures To Stop COVID-19, Poll Finds
With the national death toll from COVID-19 passing the grim 150,000 mark, an NPR/Ipsos poll finds broad support for a single, national strategy to address the pandemic and more aggressive measures to contain it.
Two-thirds of respondents said they believe the U.S. is handling the pandemic worse than other countries, and most want the federal government to take extensive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus, favoring a top-down approach to reopening schools and businesses.
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"We've come to a pretty dire place when it comes to both the death toll and the spread of coronavirus across the country," said Mallory Newall, a pollster with Ipsos. "Americans, as they grapple with the reality of just how grave the situation is, they're looking for sweeping, really broad, powerful action here."
While debates over masks and whether to reopen have dominated headlines, more than three-quarters of respondents support enacting state laws to require mask wearing in public at all times. And nearly 60% said they would support a nationwide order making it mandatory to shelter at home for two weeks.
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The findings come as federal public health officials warn of a new phase in the pandemic, with widespread infections across the country, and as the president openly feuds with those advisers. The poll was conducted July 30-31 and surveyed 1,115 adults from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii.
"We're doing absolutely worse" compared with other countries, said Laura Braslow, a Republican in Quakertown, Pa., who took part in the survey.
"We have a leader, and I use the term loosely, who is not providing leadership to this country at all," added Braslow, who didn't vote for Trump in 2016 and doesn't plan to back him in November.
"I mean if I have to suck it up and wear a mask, he should be sucking it up and wearing a mask. He should be showing the American public that this is the right thing to do."
Even some conservatives who plan to vote for Trump say the federal government should do more.
"I think a national approach would be better," said Kevin Reno, a Republican voter in Irving, Texas. "I think it would be effective, and it may be at the point here before too long that we have to do that."
Other measures that enjoy broad backing include government funding to expand testing for the coronavirus and make it free of charge, making any future vaccine available to all Americans, and a push to produce more personal protective equipment.
Mask mandates gain broad backing
Trump has resisted many of those proposals and tweeted Monday that America has done "MUCH better than most other Countries" in easing the impact of the coronavirus.
But most people surveyed disagree.
"I think we're doing worse," said Sophie McClellan, a Democrat from Jacksonville, Fla.
"I don't think we have adequate testing because it can take up to two weeks to get results," McClellan told NPR. She also said it was time for all states to impose public health mandates requiring masks in public places.
Trump has declined to wear a mask in public, but Monday he sent a message to supporters saying people should try to wear masks when they are not able to socially distance from others. The NPR/Ipsos survey found that for most Americans — Democrats and Republicans — mask wearing is not controversial.
Two-thirds of those surveyed favor a single, national strategy for combating the virus's spread, and about 60% support a single, national strategy for when businesses and schools can reopen.
On the question of schools, 66% of Americans say they prefer remote, distance learning for children in their area in the fall, a view shared overwhelmingly by Democrats. Republicans are more divided, with nearly 60% agreeing with Trump that schools should reopen and kids should return to classrooms.
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When given a choice on returning to work, 69% said that, whenever possible, people should be allowed to work from home until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available. Thirty-one percent chose the option of people returning to offices and workplaces now, with safety precautions in place for employees.
Americans lean toward more relief, more aggressive measures
As Washington is deadlocked on aspects of a federal relief package, most people polled — roughly two-thirds — say the federal government should take on more debt to pass a bill that provides a payment for all Americans. A similar number want federal unemployment benefits extended.
"They're saying right now pass another stimulus bill, pass more unemployment benefits, do your part to get the economy going," said Ipsos' Newall, who noted a majority of Republicans also back another round of federal spending.
The poll also found:
59% say workers should receive a stipend that would allow them to stay at home for two weeks as part of a national quarantine effort.
55% support temporary travel bans between states as part of the effort to slow the virus's spread.
"It's clear from this poll Americans want to do everything in their power to limit the spread of the virus," Newall said. "That means sweeping federal government action."
With the presidential election three months away, the coronavirus looms large as 46% of respondents said the pandemic is a top concern. And when thinking about choosing a candidate, two-thirds said each candidate's plan for economic recovery is a very important factor, followed by their plans for the coronavirus and for uniting the country.
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NPR Producer Elizabeth Baker contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-03--Census Cuts All Counting Efforts Short By A Month

The U.S. Census Bureau is ending all counting efforts for the 2020 census on Sept. 30 , a month sooner than previously announced , the bureau 's director confirmed Monday in a statement .
That includes critical door-knocking efforts and collecting responses online , over the phone and by mail .
The latest updates to the bureau 's plans are part of efforts to `` accelerate the completion of data collection and apportionment counts by our statutory deadline of December 31 , 2020 , as required by law and directed by the Secretary of Commerce '' who oversees the bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written statement posted on the bureau 's website .
These last-minute changes to the constitutionally mandated count of every person living in the U.S. threaten the accuracy of population numbers used to determine the distribution of political representation and federal funding for the next decade .
With roughly 4 out of 10 households nationwide yet to be counted , and already delayed by the coronavirus pandemic , the bureau now has less than two months left to try to reach people of color , immigrants , renters , rural residents and other members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to fill out a census form on their own .
The bureau 's announcement comes after NPR first reported that the agency had decided to cut short door-knocking efforts for the 2020 census .
Those in-person interviews with unresponsive households started last month in some parts of the country and are set to expand nationwide on Aug. 11 .
For days , the bureau has been sending mixed signals about its plans by quietly removing references to Oct. 31 — the previously announced end date for all counting efforts — from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counting for the 2020 census was originally supposed to be finished by the end of July .
But in April , with public support from President Trump , the bureau announced that it needed to extend its timeline , including pushing back the end of counting to Oct. 31 .
But during a hearing last week before the House Oversight and Reform Committee , Dillingham signaled a shift in plans by telling members of Congress that `` the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ back by four months the legal deadline of Dec. 31 for reporting the latest state population counts to the president .
Delaying that deadline would allow the bureau to keep counting through Oct. 31 to `` ensure the completeness and accuracy of the 2020 Census , '' Dillingham and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement released in April .
Democrats in Congress and many census advocates have become increasingly concerned that the White House is pressuring the bureau to stop counting soon in order to benefit Republicans when House seats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As early as May , top career officials at the bureau said the bureau had already `` passed the point '' of meeting the current census deadlines .
As negotiations over the latest coronavirus relief package continue , there is a window for lawmakers to include a provision that would give the bureau more time .
So far , however , only Democrats have introduced legislation that would extend deadlines , and Republicans have released no similar proposals .

Census Cuts All Counting Efforts Short By A Month
Enlarge this image toggle caption LM Otero/AP LM Otero/AP
Updated at 5:58 p.m. ET Thursday
The U.S. Census Bureau is ending all counting efforts for the 2020 census on Sept. 30, a month sooner than previously announced, the bureau's director confirmed Monday in a statement. That includes critical door-knocking efforts and collecting responses online, over the phone and by mail.
The latest updates to the bureau's plans are part of efforts to "accelerate the completion of data collection and apportionment counts by our statutory deadline of December 31, 2020, as required by law and directed by the Secretary of Commerce" who oversees the bureau, Director Steven Dillingham said in the written statement posted on the bureau's website.
These last-minute changes to the constitutionally mandated count of every person living in the U.S. threaten the accuracy of population numbers used to determine the distribution of political representation and federal funding for the next decade.
With roughly 4 out of 10 households nationwide yet to be counted, and already delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, the bureau now has less than two months left to try to reach people of color, immigrants, renters, rural residents and other members of historically undercounted groups who are not likely to fill out a census form on their own.
The bureau's announcement comes after NPR first reported that the agency had decided to cut short door-knocking efforts, which make up the largest and most expensive operation for a head count that is estimated to cost around $16 billion. Those in-person interviews with unresponsive households started last month in some parts of the country and are set to expand nationwide on Aug. 11.
In a statement released Tuesday, four former Census Bureau directors warn that not extending census reporting deadlines "will result in seriously incomplete enumerations in many areas across our country."
They're calling for Congress to appoint an independent institution to determine ways to assess the quality of the 2020 census results and for the bureau to issue daily reports on its progress in the final months to "assure stakeholders that a fair and accurate enumeration is underway."
"We need the extra time to be able to ensure that the hardest-to-count communities are including in the count. That is what the Constitution requires," says Vanita Gupta, a former Obama administration official who now heads The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "There is no other reason for the Trump administration to be rushing the census if they didn't have a partisan or illegitimate motive."
Keeping with the Dec. 31 legal deadline for producing the latest state population counts would guarantee that President Trump receives those numbers while still in office, even if he is not reelected.
With little authority, Trump is seeking to change those numbers by attempting to exclude unauthorized immigrants despite the Constitution's requirement to include the "whole number of persons in each state." The president's recent memo calling for that change has sparked multiple federal lawsuits from challengers who are asking courts to block the administration from carrying it out and declare it unconstitutional.
In order to have the first batch of census results ready by the end of this year, Dillingham said in his statement the bureau is planning to "streamline" the processing of responses it collects from households.
"To me, that means perhaps rush or use methods that may have not been proven to come up with the most accurate data," says Ditas Katague, a former chair of the Census Bureau's National Advisory Committee who now directs California Complete Count, the state's census outreach campaign. "That really causes some concern."
For days, the bureau has been sending mixed signals about its plans by quietly removing references to Oct. 31 — the previously announced end date for all counting efforts — from its website.
Before the pandemic hit, counting for the 2020 census was originally supposed to be finished by the end of July. But in April, with public support from President Trump, the bureau announced that it needed to extend its timeline, including pushing back the end of counting to Oct. 31.
But during a hearing last week before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Dillingham signaled a shift in plans by telling members of Congress that "the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible."
The bureau also asked Congress to push back by four months the legal deadline of Dec. 31 for reporting the new state population counts to the president. Delaying that deadline would allow the bureau to keep counting through Oct. 31 to "ensure the completeness and accuracy of the 2020 Census," Dillingham and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement released in April.
Democrats in Congress and many census advocates have become increasingly concerned that the White House is pressuring the bureau to stop counting soon in order to benefit Republicans when House seats are reapportioned and voting districts are redrawn.
As early as May, top career officials at the bureau said the bureau had already "passed the point" of meeting the current census deadlines.
As negotiations over the latest coronavirus relief package continue, there is a window for lawmakers to include a provision that would give the bureau more time.
So far, however, only Democrats have introduced legislation that would extend deadlines, and Republicans have released no similar proposals.
Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, however, did write this week to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in support of extending the census timeline.
"Given the rural nature of Montana, and the additional challenges brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reverting the deadline back to September 30, 2020 will leave tens of thousands of Montanans uncounted and underrepresented at the federal level," Daines wrote in the letter.
Hundreds of philanthropic groups, nonprofit organizations, professional associations and civic groups have written to Senate leaders, Ross and Dillingham to try to get the bureau more time for the census.
"There is no scientific rationale to curtail the data-collection period for this constitutionally mandated activity," the American Statistical Association's president-elect, Robert Santos, wrote in a letter to Senate leaders.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire — the top Democrat on the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds the bureau — has written to Dillingham expressing concern that the bureau is not "free of political meddling" and asked for the bureau to clarify whether it's still requesting Congress to extend census deadlines.
The top House appropriator for the bureau, Rep. José Serrano, D-N.Y., disclosed in a letter to Ross this week that the bureau recently stopped conducting weekly briefing calls about the 2020 census for House Appropriations Committee staff after the arrival of the Trump administration's two new political appointees — Deputy Director for Policy Nathaniel Cogley and Cogley's senior adviser, Adam Korzeniewski.
The Census Bureau's public information office has not responded to NPR's question about why the bureau stopped its weekly calls with the committee staff.
The chair of the House oversight committee — Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. — has requested that both Cogley and Korzeniewski, as well as top career officials at the bureau, appear virtually for transcribed interviews this month.


npr--2020-08-03--Isaias Makes Landfall In North Carolina

Isaias Makes Landfall In North Carolina

Updated at 5:10 a.m .
ET Tuesday The National Hurricane Center says Isaias came ashore near Ocean Isle Beach , N.C. , Monday night just after 11 p.m .
ET , with sustained winds of 85 mph , but lost some of its steam within hours , weakening into a tropical storm .
The system is expected to linger in North Carolina , traveling inland through the night before swirling up the Mid-Atlantic coast and into the northeastern United States on Tuesday night .
As of 5:00 a.m .
ET Tuesday , the storm was located about 15 miles southeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 85 miles west-southwest of Norfolk , Va. , with sustained winds of 70 mph .
`` Heavy rainfall along the East Coast , near the path of Isaias , will result in flash and urban flooding , some of which may be significant in the eastern Carolinas , Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Wednesday .
Widespread minor to moderate river flooding is possible across portions of the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic .
Quick-responding rivers in Northeast will also be susceptible to minor river flooding , '' the National Hurricane Center said .
The center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coastal Carolinas through Tuesday evening and through eastern Virginia and New England on Tuesday as well .
The storm had already affected parts of Florida , having grazed the east coast of the state as a tropical storm on Sunday , dumping some 2 to 4 inches of rain and knocking out power for a few hundred customers , according to the Miami Herald .
Officials are warning of a potentially more severe outcome in some parts of North and South Carolina , particularly in the stretch from the South Santee River @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N.C. , a region that 's under a hurricane warning .
Areas spanning from the coastal waters of Georgia up to the Virginia coast could see several feet of storm surge as the storm progresses .
Further complicating matters is the coronavirus pandemic .
In crowded storm shelters , it may be difficult to maintain social distancing to prevent the virus 's spread .
In a Sunday tweet , North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper acknowledged the complications of managing both a pandemic and a hurricane at the same time .
`` Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share of storms , '' he said .
`` We know how to plan , prepare & respond when it 's over .
Nothing about that has changed .
But this time , we 're gon na do it with a mask on .
Helping your neighbors & loved ones is even more important as this storm approaches . ''

Isaias Makes Landfall In North Carolina
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Rayford/Getty Images Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Updated at 5:10 a.m. ET Tuesday
The National Hurricane Center says Isaias came ashore near Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., on Monday just after 11 p.m. ET with sustained winds of 85 mph, but it lost some of its steam within hours, weakening into a tropical storm.
The system was expected to swirl up the Mid-Atlantic coast and into the northeastern United States on Tuesday night.
As of 5 a.m. ET Tuesday, the storm was located about 15 miles southeast of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., and 85 miles west-southwest of Norfolk, Va., with sustained winds of 70 mph.
"Heavy rainfall along the East Coast, near the path of Isaias, will result in flash and urban flooding, some of which may be significant in the eastern Carolinas, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Wednesday. Widespread minor to moderate river flooding is possible across portions of the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic. Quick-responding rivers in Northeast will also be susceptible to minor river flooding," the National Hurricane Center said.
The center warned that tornadoes are also possible over the coastal Carolinas through Tuesday evening and through eastern Virginia and New England on Tuesday as well.
The storm had already affected parts of Florida, having grazed the east coast of the state as a tropical storm on Sunday, dumping some 2 to 4 inches of rain and knocking out power for a few hundred customers, according to the Miami Herald.
Officials warned of a potentially more severe outcome in some parts of North and South Carolina, particularly in the stretch from the South Santee River in South Carolina to Surf City, N.C., a region that's under a hurricane warning.
Areas spanning from the coastal waters of Georgia up to the Virginia coast could see several feet of storm surge as the storm progresses.
Further complicating matters is the coronavirus pandemic. In crowded storm shelters, it may be difficult to maintain social distancing to prevent the virus's spread.
In a Sunday tweet, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper acknowledged the complications of managing both a pandemic and a hurricane at the same time.
"Our state has weathered more than our fair share of storms," he said. "We know how to plan, prepare & respond when it's over. Nothing about that has changed. But this time, we're gonna do it with a mask on. Helping your neighbors & loved ones is even more important as this storm approaches."


npr--2020-08-04--As Cases Rise Fast, Mississippi Governor Mandates Masks And Delays Start Of School

As Cases Rise Fast , Mississippi Governor Mandates Masks And Delays Start Of School With Mississippi on track to become the number-one state for new coronavirus infections per capita , Gov .
Tate Reeves is implementing a temporary mask mandate and delaying the reopening of schools in certain counties .
Reeves announced the new measures at a press conference on Tuesday .
`` We know that with this virus , times change every single day , '' he said .
`` The data changes , the situation changes , and we 've got to be prepared to change as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring people over the age of 6 , with some exceptions , to wear face coverings in indoor public places and outdoors in situations where social distancing can not be maintained .
The order takes effect on Wednesday morning and will last for two weeks .
Mask mandates were already in effect in 37 of the state 's 82 counties , thanks to a series of executive orders requiring stricter measures in harder-hit communities .
Acknowledging that some counties are struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus more than others , Reeves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening of grades 7 through 12 in eight school districts until August 17 .
The order also requires all Mississippians to wear a mask when inside a school building or classroom , or outdoors on a school campus where social distancing is not possible .
Reeves said the targeted counties — Bolivar , Coahoma , Forrest , George , Hinds , Panola , Sunflower , and Washington — are considered hot spots both because of their absolute number of cases and the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 residents in the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brakes in hardest-hit areas , '' he said .
Reeves has long been opposed to prolonging school closures , saying keeping students at home poses risks to their development and learning , especially if they have two working parents .
State guidance gave school districts the option to offer traditional or virtual learning , or a mix of both , and required them to submit reopening plans by July 31 .
Reeves said on Monday that he had spent the weekend poring over 598 pages of those plans , and would issue an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of education . ''
`` We have to balance the very real risk of more community spread and the devastating life impact of extended school closures , '' he explained .
The Mississippi Association of Educators , the state 's largest teachers organization , responded to Reeves ' announcement in a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday evening .
They said the plan puts students and educators and their families at risk , calling it `` reckless and irresponsible . ''
The educators are asking for a month-long hiatus on in-person instruction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September to determine next steps .
`` No one is proposing an indefinite hold on going back into buildings , '' they wrote .
`` We are simply requesting a few weeks to lower the number of new COVID cases and develop a plan that ensures every school in every district has the resources they need to get back into buildings safely . ''
According to reopening plans , Reeves said , 51 districts plan to start this week , 49 plan to start next week , 14 were slated to start the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were scheduled to start after that .
One of the first to reopen , Corinth School District , reported that one individual at its high school had tested positive during the first week of school .
By Tuesday , that number was up to five .
According to researchers at Harvard , Mississippi is ranked second only behind Florida when it comes to the number of daily new cases per 100,000 people .
Dr. Ashish Jha , director of Harvard Global Health Institute , wrote in a tweet on Saturday that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mississippi is `` going up . ''
He said the state already has the highest test positivity rate in the nation , at 22 % .
On Tuesday , Mississippi reported 1,074 new cases and 42 new deaths .
Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said at the press briefing that the state had 314 intensive care unit patients , its highest number to date .
Dr. LouAnn Woodward , the top executive at the University of Mississippi Medical Center , told NPR on Monday that hospitals are feeling the strain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if you look at the data , what we have been doing has not changed the trajectory of our number of hospitalizations , the number of new cases , etc.
, '' she said .
`` We need to do something different . ''
The state is currently under a `` Safer at Home '' order that allows all businesses , including restaurants and bars , to open in line with safety guidelines like capacity restrictions .
A number of counties are under additional orders with stricter social distancing requirements .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officer issued a statewide order requiring anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 to self-isolate at home for 14 days .

As Cases Rise Fast, Mississippi Governor Mandates Masks And Delays Start Of School
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
With Mississippi on track to become the number-one state for new coronavirus infections per capita, Gov. Tate Reeves is implementing a temporary mask mandate and delaying the reopening of schools in certain counties.
Reeves announced the new measures at a press conference on Tuesday.
"We know that with this virus, times change every single day," he said. "The data changes, the situation changes, and we've got to be prepared to change as well."
Reeves issued a statewide mandate requiring people over the age of 6, with some exceptions, to wear face coverings in indoor public places and outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained. The order takes effect on Wednesday morning and will last for two weeks.
Mask mandates were already in effect in 37 of the state's 82 counties, thanks to a series of executive orders requiring stricter measures in harder-hit communities.
Acknowledging that some counties are struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus more than others, Reeves also announced an executive order delaying the reopening of grades 7 through 12 in eight school districts until August 17.
The order also requires all Mississippians to wear a mask when inside a school building or classroom, or outdoors on a school campus where social distancing is not possible.
Reeves said the targeted counties — Bolivar, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Hinds, Panola, Sunflower, and Washington — are considered hot spots both because of their absolute number of cases and the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
"We must pump the brakes in hardest-hit areas," he said.
Reeves has long been opposed to prolonging school closures, saying keeping students at home poses risks to their development and learning, especially if they have two working parents.
State guidance gave school districts the option to offer traditional or virtual learning, or a mix of both, and required them to submit reopening plans by July 31.
Reeves said on Monday that he had spent the weekend poring over 598 pages of those plans, and would issue an executive order to "mitigate the risk of education."
"We have to balance the very real risk of more community spread and the devastating life impact of extended school closures," he explained.
The Mississippi Association of Educators, the state's largest teachers organization, responded to Reeves' announcement in a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday evening.
They said the plan puts students and educators and their families at risk, calling it "reckless and irresponsible."
The educators are asking for a month-long hiatus on in-person instruction, with an assessment at the beginning of September to determine next steps.
"No one is proposing an indefinite hold on going back into buildings," they wrote. "We are simply requesting a few weeks to lower the number of new COVID cases and develop a plan that ensures every school in every district has the resources they need to get back into buildings safely."
According to reopening plans, Reeves said, 51 districts plan to start this week, 49 plan to start next week, 14 were slated to start the week of August 17 and approximately 23 others were scheduled to start after that.
One of the first to reopen, Corinth School District, reported that one individual at its high school had tested positive during the first week of school. By Tuesday, that number was up to five.
According to researchers at Harvard, Mississippi is ranked second only behind Florida when it comes to the number of daily new cases per 100,000 people.
Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard Global Health Institute, wrote in a tweet on Saturday that while Florida is "slowly inching down," Mississippi is "going up." He said the state already has the highest test positivity rate in the nation, at 22%.
On Tuesday, Mississippi reported 1,074 new cases and 42 new deaths. Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said at the press briefing that the state had 314 intensive care unit patients, its highest number to date.
Dr. LouAnn Woodward, the top executive at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, told NPR on Monday that hospitals are feeling the strain.
"Speaking from a medical standpoint, if you look at the data, what we have been doing has not changed the trajectory of our number of hospitalizations, the number of new cases, etc.," she said. "We need to do something different."
The state is currently under a "Safer at Home" order that allows all businesses, including restaurants and bars, to open in line with safety guidelines like capacity restrictions. A number of counties are under additional orders with stricter social distancing requirements.
Also on Tuesday, the Mississippi State Health Officer issued a statewide order requiring anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 to self-isolate at home for 14 days.


npr--2020-08-04--After 'Severe' Delays, 6 States Band Together To Buy Coronavirus Tests

After 'Severe ' Delays , 6 States Band Together To Buy Coronavirus Tests Six states led by a bipartisan group of governors are joining together in an effort to speed up coronavirus testing .
As the nation 's death count continues to rise above 150,000 , the states said they will jointly purchase 3 million rapid antigen tests that can quickly detect the virus .
Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan , the outgoing chair of the National Governors Association , said in a statement the multistate compact will address `` severe testing shortages and delays '' that have hamstrung the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition to Maryland , the group includes Virginia , Louisiana , Michigan , Ohio and Massachusetts .
Hogan , a Republican , has been critical of President Trump 's response to the pandemic .
In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post , Hogan described watching in frustration as the president `` bungled '' the national response to the spread of the virus .
`` Eventually , it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation 's response was hopeless ; if we delayed any longer , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suffering and death , '' Hogan wrote .
`` So every governor went their own way , which is how the United States ended up with such a patchwork response . ''
Under an agreement signed by the state 's governors – three Republicans and three Democrats – each state will receive 500,000 tests that can detect the virus in 15 to 20 minutes .
While new antigen tests work quickly , as NPR 's Rob Stein has reported , there are questions about their accuracy in comparison with the more complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The governors ' memorandum said the group intends to `` benefit as many interested states as possible . ''
Other state and local governments may also join the effort to buy rapid tests in the coming weeks .
According to a statement from Hogan 's office , the program is intended to demonstrate to private manufacturers that there is `` significant demand '' to scale up production of rapid tests .
The states are working with two manufacturers of tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration .

After 'Severe' Delays, 6 States Band Together To Buy Coronavirus Tests
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
Six states led by a bipartisan group of governors are joining together in an effort to speed up coronavirus testing. As the nation's death count continues to rise above 150,000, the states said they will jointly purchase 3 million rapid antigen tests that can quickly detect the virus.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, the outgoing chair of the National Governors Association, said in a statement the multistate compact will address "severe testing shortages and delays" that have hamstrung the nation's response to the virus. In addition to Maryland, the group includes Virginia, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio and Massachusetts.
Hogan, a Republican, has been critical of President Trump's response to the pandemic. In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, Hogan described watching in frustration as the president "bungled" the national response to the spread of the virus.
"Eventually, it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation's response was hopeless; if we delayed any longer, we'd be condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death," Hogan wrote. "So every governor went their own way, which is how the United States ended up with such a patchwork response."
Under an agreement signed by the state's governors – three Republicans and three Democrats – each state will receive 500,000 tests that can detect the virus in 15 to 20 minutes.
While new antigen tests work quickly, as NPR's Rob Stein has reported, there are questions about their accuracy in comparison with the more complicated genetic tests that many patients are receiving.
The governors' memorandum said the group intends to "benefit as many interested states as possible." Other state and local governments may also join the effort to buy rapid tests in the coming weeks.
According to a statement from Hogan's office, the program is intended to demonstrate to private manufacturers that there is "significant demand" to scale up production of rapid tests. The states are working with two manufacturers of tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.


npr--2020-08-04--Photos: Explosion Leaves Beirut In Shatters

An enormous explosion shook Beirut , Lebanon , on Tuesday .
At least 70 people are dead and at least @ @ @ @ @ according to Minister of Health Hamad Hassan .
The death toll is expected to rise @ @ @ @ @ who have been reported missing .
Buildings collapsed and glass shattered as helicopters and firefighters @ @ @ @ @ city 's port .
Hospitals were overwhelmed , and ambulances lined up to work on @ @ @ @ @ latest on the explosion in Beirut here .

Photos: Explosion Leaves Beirut In Shatters As Cleanup Begins
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hassan Ammar/AP Hassan Ammar/AP
Updated at 9:50 a.m. ET
An enormous explosion shook Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday. At least 100 people are dead and thousands more people were hurt, according to officials. The death toll is expected to rise as searches are underway for people who have been reported missing.
Buildings collapsed and glass shattered as helicopters and firefighters doused the flames in the city's port. On Wednesday, residents are assessing the damage and beginning to clean up the debris in the Lebanese capital.
Read the latest on the explosion in Beirut here.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hussein Malla/AP Hussein Malla/AP
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