npr--2020-03-09--Dueling Simultaneous Afghan Presidential Inaugurations Bode Ill For Peace Talks

Political chaos reigned in Afghanistan Monday as dueling presidential swearing-in ceremonies took place in Kabul .
Incumbent Afghan President Ashraf Ghani took the oath of office for a second term while Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah , citing fraud , proclaimed himself Afghanistan 's president at a rival inauguration event .
Although Ghani and Abdullah both claimed to have won September 's presidential elections , Ghani last month was officially proclaimed the victor .
Unlike U.S. and NATO forces commander Gen. Scott Miller , who attended Ghani 's swearing-in along with U.S .
Charge d'Affaires Ross Wilson and U.S. special envoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize that outcome .
Several loud explosions outside the presidential palace compound briefly disrupted Ghani 's inaugural address .
`` Everyone is safe , no one hurt , including President Ghani , '' tweeted presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi , adding , `` He had no bulletproof vest today , mortars landed during his speech , but he did n't move an inch , he stood solid . ''
The unofficial Twitter feed of Israel 's Mossad intelligence agency identified the attack 's perpetrator as ISIS and posted photos of a rocket launcher in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Afghan security forces .
The competing presidential inaugurations come the day before Afghanistan 's elected leaders are due to sit down for intra-Afghan talks with Taliban insurgents , under the terms of a Feb. 29 peace agreement signed in Doha by U.S. special envoy Khalizad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar , deputy leader of the Taliban .
`` Afghanistan has quite the new political mess on its hands , '' tweeted Michael Kugelman , the Wilson Center 's senior associate for South Asia .
`` Amb .
Khalilzad has his work cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kabul in the coming days , '' Kugelman added .
`` That deal with the Taliban he so painstakingly worked out ?
It 's at risk of being all for naught , thanks to the latest-and very serious-political crisis .
And it has nothing to do with the Taliban . ''
The intra-Afghan talks are seen as crucial for implementing the permanent cease-fire called for in the Doha accord .
They would mark the first formal meeting for a political settlement between the Taliban and Afghan rulers who were installed — but never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic fundamentalist group was toppled by invading U.S. forces in 2001 .
The Taliban had agreed to and largely upheld a `` reduction in violence '' during the week preceding the signing of the peace accord .
But its fighters have since been ordered to resume attacks on Afghan security forces while refraining , as had been agreed on in Doha , from targeting U.S. and NATO forces .
U.S. warplanes last week launched what were called defensive strikes against Taliban fighters attacking the Afghan military .
On Sunday , Afghan authorities signaled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer from resuming offensive operations against the Taliban .
`` Afghan forces will remain in defense mode until the end of this week under the guidance of President Ashraf Ghani because of the peace agreement , '' the Reuters news agency quoted Afghan Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid as saying in a statement .
`` But if the Taliban do not stop their attacks by the end of the week , our troops will target the enemy everywhere . ''
The Doha accord calls for drawing down the approximately 13,000-strong U.S. force in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with all of the remaining troops to leave by May 2021 .
No formal conditions were set forth in the agreement for the troop withdrawal , which would include coalition forces and departure from all military bases in Afghanistan .
On Monday , as the dual presidential oath-taking turmoil was unfolding in Kabul , an unidentified U.S. military official told the Associated Press the U.S. troop withdrawal has now begun .
That comes a week after Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he had given the go-ahead to Gen. Miller to begin the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even whether intra-Afghan peace talks will get underway has been Ghani 's refusal to comply with a provision in the Doha agreement — which the Taliban did not permit the Afghan government to take part in — calling for the release of up to 5,000 imprisoned Taliban fighters and up to 1,000 Afghan security forces before March 10 , the date set for starting those talks .
On Monday , Reuters reported that Ghani plans to issue a decree this week authorizing the release of at least 1,000 `` old , aging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as an attempt to get the Taliban , which controls roughly 40 % of Afghan territory , to sit down with other Afghans and map out a political settlement to end decades of war .

Dueling Simultaneous Afghan Presidential Inaugurations Bode Ill For Peace Talks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rahmat Gul/AP Rahmat Gul/AP
Political chaos reigned in Afghanistan Monday as dueling presidential swearing-in ceremonies took place in Kabul.
Incumbent Afghan President Ashraf Ghani took the oath of office for a second term while Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, citing fraud, proclaimed himself Afghanistan's president at a rival inauguration event.
Although Ghani and Abdullah both claimed to have won September's presidential elections, Ghani last month was officially proclaimed the victor. Unlike U.S. and NATO forces commander Gen. Scott Miller, who attended Ghani's swearing-in along with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Ross Wilson and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, Abdullah has refused to recognize that outcome.
Several loud explosions outside the presidential palace compound briefly disrupted Ghani's inaugural address.
"Everyone is safe, no one hurt, including President Ghani," tweeted presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, adding, "He had no bulletproof vest today, mortars landed during his speech, but he didn't move an inch, he stood solid."
The unofficial Twitter feed of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency identified the attack's perpetrator as ISIS and posted photos of a rocket launcher in a van it said was subsequently destroyed by Afghan security forces.
The competing presidential inaugurations come the day before Afghanistan's elected leaders are due to sit down for intra-Afghan talks with Taliban insurgents, under the terms of a Feb. 29 peace agreement signed in Doha by U.S. special envoy Khalizad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy leader of the Taliban.
"Afghanistan has quite the new political mess on its hands," tweeted Michael Kugelman, the Wilson Center's senior associate for South Asia. "Amb. Khalilzad has his work cut out for him, again, in Kabul in the coming days," Kugelman added. "That deal with the Taliban he so painstakingly worked out? It's at risk of being all for naught, thanks to the latest-and very serious-political crisis. And it has nothing to do with the Taliban."
The intra-Afghan talks are seen as crucial for implementing the permanent cease-fire called for in the Doha accord. They would mark the first formal meeting for a political settlement between the Taliban and Afghan rulers who were installed — but never recognized by the Taliban — after the Islamic fundamentalist group was toppled by invading U.S. forces in 2001.
The Taliban had agreed to and largely upheld a "reduction in violence" during the week preceding the signing of the peace accord. But its fighters have since been ordered to resume attacks on Afghan security forces while refraining, as had been agreed on in Doha, from targeting U.S. and NATO forces.
U.S. warplanes last week launched what were called defensive strikes against Taliban fighters attacking the Afghan military. On Sunday, Afghan authorities signaled they were unwilling to hold back much longer from resuming offensive operations against the Taliban.
"Afghan forces will remain in defense mode until the end of this week under the guidance of President Ashraf Ghani because of the peace agreement," the Reuters news agency quoted Afghan Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid as saying in a statement. "But if the Taliban do not stop their attacks by the end of the week, our troops will target the enemy everywhere."
The Doha accord calls for drawing down the approximately 13,000-strong U.S. force in Afghanistan to 8,600 over the next 135 days, with all of the remaining troops to leave by May 2021. No formal conditions were set forth in the agreement for the troop withdrawal, which would include coalition forces and departure from all military bases in Afghanistan.
On Monday, as the dual presidential oath-taking turmoil was unfolding in Kabul, an unidentified U.S. military official told the Associated Press the U.S. troop withdrawal has now begun. That comes a week after Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he had given the go-ahead to Gen. Miller to begin the drawdown.
Adding to uncertainty about when and even whether intra-Afghan peace talks will get underway has been Ghani's refusal to comply with a provision in the Doha agreement — which the Taliban did not permit the Afghan government to take part in — calling for the release of up to 5,000 imprisoned Taliban fighters and up to 1,000 Afghan security forces before March 10, the date set for starting those talks.
On Monday, Reuters reported that Ghani plans to issue a decree this week authorizing the release of at least 1,000 "old, aging" Taliban prisoners.
The move is seen as an attempt to get the Taliban, which controls roughly 40% of Afghan territory, to sit down with other Afghans and map out a political settlement to end decades of war.


npr--2020-03-09--More Than 20 Colleges Cancel In-Person Classes In Response To Coronavirus

More Than 20 Colleges Cancel In-Person Classes In Response To Coronavirus More than 20 U.S. colleges have canceled in-person classes due to coronavirus , as of Monday morning .
The colleges enroll a total of more than 200,000 students , and include Columbia University , Princeton University , Rice University , Stanford University , Hofstra University and the University of Southern California , plus the University of Washington and a clutch of community colleges in Washington state .
Education technology specialist Bryan Alexander of Georgetown University , has been leading an effort to track coronavirus-related higher education closures .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days and weeks .
`` Higher education has a very strong herd mentality , so I think once University of [ Washington ] made a shift to teaching online , I think that really got everyone excited . ''
Many of the colleges announced that they were pausing in-person classes after students or staff members tested positive for the virus .
Others like Midland University in Nebraska announced only that they were canceling `` out of an abundance of caution . ''
Events for prospective students , like Stanford 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But many campuses are following CDC guidance and staying open when possible to offer housing and meals to students .
Research labs , including those investigating the coronavirus itself , will in most cases remain open .
University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta told NPR : `` The campus is not closed , therefore any researchers who need to come to campus are able to do so . ''
In addition , some of the colleges that have canceled classes are continuing to hold athletics events , like Rice and the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges that have canceled in-person classes have taken steps to offer some instruction online in the interim , and those that are still holding classes are preparing to do the same if necessary .
Stanford spokesperson E.J .
Miranda told NPR , `` We are not canceling classes .
We are implementing online instruction for the remaining two weeks of the quarter . ''
Daniel Stanford , an education and multimedia professor at DePaul University , has been collecting resources put out by universities to help faculty shift to online teaching ; his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , videoconferencing programs like Zoom or Shindig , lecture capture tools like Kaltura , and free online course platforms like Coursera .
On Thursday , the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance allowing colleges to pivot quickly to distance instruction without needing to go through normal channels for approval of an online program .
As for students , whose enrollment or academic standing may be disrupted , the department instructed financial aid administrators to `` use professional judgement to make adjustments on a case-by-case basis '' as far as financial aid amounts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention advises that higher education institutions that have not yet identified the virus in their community take several steps now , including updating emergency operations plans , promoting basic hygiene and stepping up cleaning and disinfection protocols .
Once higher education leaders identify a case in their community , the CDC advises they `` determine if , when , and for how long '' to suspend in-person events and class meetings .
The CDC recommends that campuses try to maintain basic services including housing and meals .
For example , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests alternatives like `` grab-and-go '' lunches .
The CDC also recommends that school leaders `` help counter stigma and promote resilience on campus . ''
It advises that colleges work to `` counter the spread of misinformation and mitigate fear , '' and that leaders `` speak out against negative behaviors , including negative statements on social media about groups of people . ''
On social media , students have been speaking out about the cancellations .
`` @ Princeton just cancelled in-person classes for three weeks because of Coronavirus but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our dorm that 's been empty for a week , '' wrote a user who identifies as a member of the class of 2021 .
On Sunday , a Twitter user who identifies as a student at Fordham University wrote , `` Columbia cancelled class cause 1 person was exposed to coronavirus meanwhile fordham is staying open with like 5 people exposed . ''
The next day , Fordham cancelled classes .

A Growing Number Of U.S. Colleges Cancel Classes Amid Coronavirus Fears
Enlarge this image toggle caption Karen Ducey/Getty Images Karen Ducey/Getty Images
Updated at 11:44 a.m. ET Tuesday
A growing number of U.S. colleges have canceled in-person classes because of the coronavirus. The closures began in Washington state, and now include Harvard University, Columbia University, Princeton University, Rice University, Stanford University, Hofstra University, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington, among others. As of midday Tuesday, more than half a million students are affected by the cancellations.
Education technology specialist Bryan Alexander of Georgetown University has been leading an effort to track coronavirus-related higher education closures. He expects to see many more in the coming days and weeks. "Higher education has a very strong herd mentality," he says, "so I think once University of [Washington] made a shift to teaching online, I think that really got everyone excited."
Many of the colleges announced that they were pausing in-person classes after students or staff members tested positive for the virus. Others, such as Midland University in Nebraska, announced only that they were canceling "out of an abundance of caution."
In some cases, events for prospective students are also being canceled. But many campuses are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are staying open when possible to offer housing and meals to students.
Research labs, including those investigating the coronavirus itself, will in most cases remain open. University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta told NPR: "The campus is not closed; therefore any researchers who need to come to campus are able to do so."
In addition, some of the colleges that have canceled classes, such as Rice and the University of Washington, are continuing to hold athletic events.
In most cases, colleges that have canceled in-person classes have taken steps to offer some instruction online in the interim, and those that are still holding classes are preparing to do the same if necessary.
Stanford spokesperson E.J. Miranda told NPR, "We are not canceling classes. We are implementing online instruction for the remaining two weeks of the quarter."
Daniel Stanford, an education and multimedia professor at DePaul University, has been collecting resources put out by universities to help faculty shift to online teaching. His list includes learning management systems like Blackboard, videoconferencing programs such as Zoom and Shindig, lecture capture tools like Kaltura and free online course platforms like Coursera.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance allowing colleges to pivot quickly to distance instruction without needing to go through normal channels for approval of an online program. As for students, whose enrollment or academic standing may be disrupted, the department instructed financial aid administrators to "use professional judgement to make adjustments on a case-by-case basis" as far as financial aid amounts and eligibility.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that higher education institutions that have not yet identified the virus in their community take several steps now, including updating emergency operations plans, promoting basic hygiene and stepping up cleaning and disinfection protocols.
Once higher education leaders identify a case in their community, the CDC advises that they "determine if, when, and for how long" to suspend in-person events and class meetings. The CDC recommends that campuses try to maintain basic services, including housing and meals. For example, rather than serve meals in dining halls, the agency suggests alternatives like "grab-and-go" lunches.
The CDC also recommends that school leaders "help counter stigma and promote resilience on campus." It advises that colleges work to "counter the spread of misinformation and mitigate fear" and that leaders "speak out against negative behaviors, including negative statements on social media about groups of people."
On social media, students have been speaking out about the cancellations.
"@Princeton just cancelled in person classes for three weeks because of Coronavirus but they can't replace the hand soap in our dorm that's been empty for a week," wrote a user who identifies as a member of the class of 2021.
On Sunday, a Twitter user who identifies as a student at Fordham University wrote, "Columbia cancelled class cause 1 person was exposed to coronavirus meanwhile fordham is staying open with like 5 people exposed." The next day, Fordham canceled classes.


npr--2020-03-09--How To Boost Your Emergency Supply Of Prescription Medicines

How To Boost Your Emergency Supply Of Prescription Medicines As COVID-19 begins to spread and sicken more people in the United States , federal health officials are recommending people acquire a several-week supply of the prescription drugs they routinely take for chronic conditions .
You do n't want to be stuck without them if you get sick .
`` I think it 's excellent advice , although I would suggest that people have a greater supply than a few weeks '' says Dr. Peter Jacobson with the University of Michigan School of Public Health .
`` People should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , diabetic medications or any potentially lifesaving medication that they need on a routine — daily or weekly or monthly — basis . ''
He suggests aiming to have a three-month supply on hand .
But boosting your emergency supply of medicine is often challenging , even as insurers begin to ease their usually tight restrictions in light of COVID-19 .
Most insurance companies have rigid schedules for authorizing refills .
Typically , that means if you have say , a one-month supply you ca n't refill it until the 24th day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ca n't refill it until the 85th or even 88th day .
And Jacobson says working it out with insurance companies can be difficult .
`` Have you ever tried to deal with your insurer over the phone ? ''
he says .
`` Can you even get through ?
How long do you have to wait online ? ''
Callers are often told to phone later , or are sent to another department , in what can feel like a never-ending loop .
Here 's an alternative , Jacobson says : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervene .
`` They do it all the time , '' Jacobson says .
`` They 're constantly talking to the primary care physician or any specialist on the nature of a prescription — the length of time , '' he says .
Your primary care provider may also be able to help intervene with the insurance company .
Most insurers will relax their refill policies in cases of natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes .
And that 's just beginning to happen with the spread of the coronavirus .
For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now recommending its members talk with their doctor about whether they need to increase their regular one-month supply of medication to three months .
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Regence BlueShield of Washington say they are `` easing access to regular prescription drugs . ''
This past weekend , Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies announced they , too , will increase access to prescription medications , by waiving early medication refill limits on 30-day prescription maintenance medications , and/or by encouraging members to use their 90-day mail-order benefit .
But even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine could be difficult , especially for people who lack insurance or who ca n't afford the co-pay of a larger than usual quantity of the medicines they need .
`` If they 're not insured , the costs could be quite prohibitive , '' says Frederick Isasi , of the consumer advocacy group Families USA .
`` So it will definitely impact the low-income and working families much more than other folks . ''
And even for patients who are insured , Isasi says , the cumulative co-pays could end up being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are already expensive .
`` We know that folks are routinely getting hit with very expensive co-pays for insulin , '' he says .
`` In those instances , even insured families who are low-income will really have a hard time being able to afford to pay for that stockpile of insulin . ''
It 's not clear exactly how much extra medication people should have on hand .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls for an `` emergency supply . ''
The Department of Homeland Security says `` a continuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that means one month or three months .

How To Boost Your Emergency Supply Of Prescription Medicines
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeffrey Hamilton/Getty Images Jeffrey Hamilton/Getty Images
As COVID-19 begins to spread and sicken more people in the United States, federal health officials are recommending people acquire a several-week supply of the prescription drugs they routinely take for chronic conditions. You don't want to be stuck without them if you get sick.
"I think it's excellent advice, although I would suggest that people have a greater supply than a few weeks" says Dr. Peter Jacobson with the University of Michigan School of Public Health. "People should not be caught short of having enough heart medications, diabetic medications or any potentially lifesaving medication that they need on a routine — daily or weekly or monthly — basis." He suggests aiming to have a three-month supply on hand.
But boosting your emergency supply of medicine is often challenging, even as insurers begin to ease their usually tight restrictions in light of COVID-19.
Most insurance companies have rigid schedules for authorizing refills. Typically, that means if you have say, a one-month supply you can't refill it until the 24th day, or if you have a 90-day supply you can't refill it until the 85th or even 88th day.
And Jacobson says working it out with insurance companies can be difficult. "Have you ever tried to deal with your insurer over the phone?" he says. "Can you even get through? How long do you have to wait online?" Callers are often told to phone later, or are sent to another department, in what can feel like a never-ending loop.
Most insurers will relax their refill policies in cases of natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. And, fortunately, that's just beginning to happen with the spread of the coronavirus.
For example, the health insurance plan provider Anthem is now recommending its members talk with their doctor about whether they need to increase their regular one-month supply of medication to three months. Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Regence BlueShield of Washington say they are "easing access to regular prescription drugs."
This past weekend, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies announced they, too, will increase access to prescription medications, by waiving early medication refill limits on 30-day prescription maintenance medications, and/or by encouraging members to use their 90-day mail-order benefit.
But even with relaxed policies, stocking up on medicine could be difficult, especially for people who lack insurance or who can't afford the co-pay of a larger than usual quantity of the medicines they need.
"If they're not insured, the costs could be quite prohibitive," says Frederick Isasi, of the consumer advocacy group Families USA. "So it will definitely impact the low-income and working families much more than other folks."
And even for patients who are insured, Isasi says, the cumulative co-pays could end up being too high, especially for drugs that are already expensive.
"We know that folks are routinely getting hit with very expensive co-pays for insulin," he says. "In those instances, even insured families who are low-income will really have a hard time being able to afford to pay for that stockpile of insulin."
It's not clear exactly how much extra medication people should have on hand. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls for an "emergency supply." The Department of Homeland Security says "a continuous supply." But neither specifies whether that means one month or three months.


npr--2020-03-09--Coronavirus: Israel Will Require Quarantine For Everyone Entering The Country

Coronavirus : Israel Will Require Quarantine For Everyone Entering The Country Israel is taking the extraordinary step of requiring a 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday .
Israel has reported nearly 40 cases of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
In a brief video announcing the new policy , Netanyahu said the decision was a difficult one to make .
He added that the policy will force people flying into Israel to enter a two-week home quarantine period and that it will be in effect for two weeks .
The requirement for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
The blanket policy is believed to be the first in the world in response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now killed more than 3,800 people around the globe .
`` Foreign nationals who can not self-quarantine will be refused entry , '' NPR 's Daniel Estrin reports from Jerusalem .
He adds , `` All Israelis returning from abroad must self-quarantine . ''
Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman had predicted the move earlier Monday , calling it a `` necessary step . ''
He also dismissed reports in Israeli media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the United States , making the quarantine universal so as not to appear to single out a staunch ally of Israel .
That allegation was `` fake news , '' Litzman said , according to The Times of Israel .
One day before announcing the policy , Netanyahu spoke by phone with Vice President Pence , who is leading the Trump administration 's U.S. coronavirus effort .
On Monday , the vice president 's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Israeli policy .
There are more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a dashboard created by Johns Hopkins University 's Whiting School of Engineering .
Local transmission of the coronavirus that causes the disease has now been reported in at least 56 countries , the World Health Organization says .

Coronavirus: Israel Will Require Quarantine For Everyone Entering The Country
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amir Cohen/Reuters Amir Cohen/Reuters
Israel is taking the extraordinary step of requiring a 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday. Israel has reported nearly 40 cases of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
In a brief video announcing the new policy, Netanyahu said the decision was a difficult one to make. He added that the policy will force people flying into Israel to enter a two-week home quarantine period and that it will be in effect for two weeks.
The requirement for visitors to Israel will be implemented on Thursday. The blanket policy is believed to be the first in the world in response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now killed more than 3,800 people around the globe.
"Foreign nationals who cannot self-quarantine will be refused entry," NPR's Daniel Estrin reports from Jerusalem. He adds, "All Israelis returning from abroad must self-quarantine."
Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman had predicted the move earlier Monday, calling it a "necessary step." He also dismissed reports in Israeli media that portrayed the declaration as a concession to the United States, making the quarantine universal so as not to appear to single out a staunch ally of Israel.
That allegation was "fake news," Litzman said, according to The Times of Israel.
One day before announcing the policy, Netanyahu spoke by phone with Vice President Pence, who is leading the Trump administration's U.S. coronavirus effort. On Monday, the vice president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Israeli policy.
There are more than 110,000 COVID-19 cases worldwide, according to a dashboard created by Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering. Local transmission of the coronavirus that causes the disease has now been reported in at least 56 countries, the World Health Organization says.


npr--2020-03-09--How Stock Market Circuit Breakers Work

How Stock Market Circuit Breakers Work

Six minutes after trading began on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday , it was suddenly halted .
That 's when the S & P 500 index had plummeted 7 % and marketwide circuit breakers kicked in .
Trading resumed about 15 minutes later .
The marketwide halt was the first since the stock market crash of Oct. 27 , 1997 , when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 554 points , or 7.2 % .
Under market rules , circuit breakers kick in at three thresholds : • Level 1 : A drop of 7 % from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ S & P 500 triggers a 15-minute trading halt .
Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m .
ET .
• Level 2 : A drop of 13 % triggers a 15-minute halt .
Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m .
ET .
• Level 3 : A drop of 20 % triggers a halt for the rest of the trading day , and trading resumes the following day .
These automatic trading halts are aimed at preventing the market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday 's halt did its job , with the major indexes coming off their lows once trading resumed .
However , the indexes fell again later in the day , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 2,000 points , or nearly 8 % .
The circuit breakers `` are designed to slow trading down for a few minutes , to give investors the ability to understand what 's happening in the market , consume the information and make decisions based on market conditions , '' New York Stock Exchange President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's really a precautionary measure that we put in place so that the market can slow down for a minute , '' she said .
The circuit breakers were adopted in the wake of the Black Monday crash of Oct. 19 , 1987 , when the Dow plunged 508 points , or 22 % .
`` There was this idea that if you stopped trading and gave a pause , then people would calm down and it might stabilize the markets , '' said Mason Gerety , professor emeritus at Northern Arizona University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Securities and Exchange Commission .
His research in the early 1990s found a trade-off to the temporary halt .
Traders might sell off more quickly if they anticipate a circuit breaker kicking in .
`` The fact that there 's a circuit breaker might actually be more likely to get you to the circuit breaker .
It 's kind of almost like a gravitational pull , '' Gerety said .
`` People who do this for a living — I 've never met one who felt like they needed to catch their breath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have good lungs .
They are used to stress . ''

How Stock Market Circuit Breakers Work
Enlarge this image toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Six minutes after trading began on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, it was suddenly halted. That's when the S&P 500 index had plummeted 7% and marketwide circuit breakers kicked in. Trading resumed about 15 minutes later.
The marketwide halt was the first since the stock market crash of Oct. 27, 1997, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 554 points, or 7.2%.
Under market rules, circuit breakers kick in at three thresholds:
Level 1: A drop of 7% from the prior day's closing price of the S&P 500 triggers a 15-minute trading halt. Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET.
A drop of 7% from the prior day's closing price of the S&P 500 triggers a 15-minute trading halt. Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET. Level 2: A drop of 13% triggers a 15-minute halt. Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET.
A drop of 13% triggers a 15-minute halt. Trading is not halted if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET. Level 3: A drop of 20% triggers a halt for the rest of the trading day, and trading resumes the following day.
These automatic trading halts are aimed at preventing the market from entering a free fall, and Monday's halt did its job, with the major indexes coming off their lows once trading resumed. However, the indexes fell again later in the day, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 2,000 points, or nearly 8%.
The circuit breakers "are designed to slow trading down for a few minutes, to give investors the ability to understand what's happening in the market, consume the information and make decisions based on market conditions," New York Stock Exchange President Stacey Cunningham told CNBC.
"It's really a precautionary measure that we put in place so that the market can slow down for a minute," she said.
The circuit breakers were adopted in the wake of the Black Monday crash of Oct. 19, 1987, when the Dow plunged 508 points, or 22%.
"There was this idea that if you stopped trading and gave a pause, then people would calm down and it might stabilize the markets," said Mason Gerety, professor emeritus at Northern Arizona University and a former research economist at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
His research in the early 1990s found a trade-off to the temporary halt. Traders might sell off more quickly if they anticipate a circuit breaker kicking in.
"The fact that there's a circuit breaker might actually be more likely to get you to the circuit breaker. It's kind of almost like a gravitational pull," Gerety said.
"People who do this for a living — I've never met one who felt like they needed to catch their breath," he said. "They have good lungs. They are used to stress."


npr--2020-03-09--'Who's Going To Help Them?': Caregivers Brace For The Spread Of Coronavirus

'Who 's Going To Help Them ? '
: Caregivers Brace For The Spread Of Coronavirus Shelly Hughes says three things are required to do her job : a strong back , a strong stomach and a big heart .
She 's a certified nurse 's aide at a nursing home in Washington state , which also means another requirement : To get her work done , she has to physically be there .
`` You 're helping residents that may not be able to dress themselves , feed themselves , toilet themselves , '' Hughes says .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know wonderful people .
I have so many grandmas and grandpas now , let me tell you . ''
For many companies , the first call to slow the spread of the coronavirus is telling employees to hunker down and work remotely .
But that 's simply not an option for workers like Hughes — home or health aides , who look after some of the most vulnerable , sometimes themselves without health insurance and earning very little .
`` We do n't have the luxury of telecommuting , '' says Vanessa Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct support professional who helps people with disabilities navigate everyday life , like paying bills , doing laundry and going to doctor 's appointments .
The region has a severe shortage of workers like Jackson , says Danielle Darby , chief operating officer at Jackson 's company , RCM of Washington .
If many start to quarantine at home , `` this could potentially be catastrophic , '' Darby says .
Shortages of professional caregivers are common across the country .
Jobs for home , hospice and nurse 's aides are growing fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage or just above .
`` I 'm lucky because I actually have health insurance , '' Hughes says .
`` Most of the other nurse 's aides in my facility — they do n't have health insurance . ''
She says her company offers a high-deductible plan , but many ca n't afford it .
And she says her state has a shortage of certified nurse 's aides — managers at her facility have been stepping in to fill the holes in the schedule .
Hughes works the night shift alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If one of us has a fever and is sent home , '' she says , `` it 's gon na be pretty hard to find somebody to come and work an eight-hour shift in the middle of the night . ''
All caregivers who spoke with NPR walk a narrow line : They assure it 's not time to panic and know they 're trained for flu and other epidemics .
But they 're also preparing for a potential all-hands-on-deck situation .
Hughes works in Washington state , less than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too different from hers — that 's an epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak .
The illness is considered more dangerous to the elderly and has killed several residents .
One of Hughes ' best friends actually works there .
Hughes has already used up her sick leave on a recent bout of flu .
She has some personal time off and vacation time , she says , `` but it 's not a lot . ''
Caregivers ' access to sick time varies .
Some states mandate that companies must pay their workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't .
Some agencies are flexible with paying for days off , others less so .
Either way , missing a lot of work could spell trouble for workers .
`` It 's pretty expensive to live in the Bay Area — and it would be a huge blow to my income , '' says California caregiver Sandra Mercado .
She says she gets a few sick days , but wonders if they would be enough .
Her local agency Home Helpers has sent her lots of information about the coronavirus and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 're being much more vigilant , I think , about telling employees , 'Do n't work if you 're sick or you think you 're sick , '' says Home Helpers Home Care CEO Emma Dickison , who 's also board president at the Home Care Association of America .
Mercado knows it 's the necessary call , but still worries about her clients that require help walking or even getting out of bed , who do n't have family nearby — or at all .
`` If there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mercado says .
`` If we have to stay indoors for 14 days , who 's going to help them ? ''
Izella Hayes , a nursing assistant at a nursing home in a suburb of Detroit , points out other , less tangible ways the caregivers look after their clients and patients .
`` When they come in here they see our face , we become their family .
And sometimes when they take their last breath , they see our face again , '' she says .
`` I 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ai n't for the money .
I like to make people feel good .
I sing to them .
...
I just enjoy making people happy . ''
And that 's another thing you ca n't really do remotely .

'Who's Going To Help Them?': Caregivers Brace For The Spread Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marie Bertrand/Getty Images Marie Bertrand/Getty Images
Shelly Hughes says three things are required to do her job: a strong back, a strong stomach and a big heart.
She's a certified nurse's aide at a nursing home in Washington state, which also means another requirement: To get her work done, she has to physically be there.
"You're helping residents that may not be able to dress themselves, feed themselves, toilet themselves," Hughes says. "The great stuff is that you get to know wonderful people. I have so many grandmas and grandpas now, let me tell you."
For many companies, the first call to slow the spread of the coronavirus is telling employees to hunker down and work remotely. But that's simply not an option for workers like Hughes — home or health aides, who look after some of the most vulnerable, sometimes themselves without health insurance and earning very little.
"We don't have the luxury of telecommuting," says Vanessa Jackson from Washington, D.C. She's a direct support professional who helps people with disabilities navigate everyday life, like paying bills, doing laundry and going to doctor's appointments.
The region has a severe shortage of workers like Jackson, says Danielle Darby, chief operating officer at Jackson's company, RCM of Washington. If many start to quarantine at home, "this could potentially be catastrophic," Darby says.
Shortages of professional caregivers are common across the country. Jobs for home, hospice and nurse's aides are growing fast and employ millions, but often pay minimum wage or just above.
"I'm lucky because I actually have health insurance," Hughes says. "Most of the other nurse's aides in my facility — they don't have health insurance."
She says her company offers a high-deductible plan, but many can't afford it. And she says her state has a shortage of certified nurse's aides — managers at her facility have been stepping in to fill the holes in the schedule. Hughes works the night shift alongside a nurse and a second aide.
"If one of us has a fever and is sent home," she says, "it's gonna be pretty hard to find somebody to come and work an eight-hour shift in the middle of the night."
All caregivers who spoke with NPR walk a narrow line: They assure it's not time to panic and know they're trained for flu and other epidemics. But they're also preparing for a potential all-hands-on-deck situation.
Hughes works in Washington state, less than 100 miles from the nursing home — not too different from hers — that's an epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak. The illness is considered more dangerous to the elderly and has killed several residents. One of Hughes' best friends actually works there.
Hughes has already used up her sick leave on a recent bout of flu. She has some personal time off and vacation time, she says, "but it's not a lot."
Caregivers' access to sick time varies. Some states mandate that companies must pay their workers for time off, but most don't. Some agencies are flexible with paying for days off, others less so. Either way, missing a lot of work could spell trouble for workers.
"It's pretty expensive to live in the Bay Area — and it would be a huge blow to my income," says California caregiver Sandra Mercado.
She says she gets a few sick days, but wonders if they would be enough. Her local agency Home Helpers has sent her lots of information about the coronavirus and has reassured her of a contingency plan.
"We're being much more vigilant, I think, about telling employees, 'Don't work if you're sick or you think you're sick," says Home Helpers Home Care CEO Emma Dickison, who's also board president at the Home Care Association of America.
Mercado knows it's the necessary call, but still worries about her clients that require help walking or even getting out of bed, who don't have family nearby — or at all.
"If there's a quarantine, how do they survive?" Mercado says. "If we have to stay indoors for 14 days, who's going to help them?"
Izella Hayes, a nursing assistant at a nursing home in a suburb of Detroit, points out other, less tangible ways the caregivers look after their clients and patients.
"When they come in here they see our face, we become their family. And sometimes when they take their last breath, they see our face again," she says. "I've been here 25 years, it sure ain't for the money. I like to make people feel good. I sing to them. ... I just enjoy making people happy."
And that's another thing you can't really do remotely.


npr--2020-03-09--U.S. Flu Season Beginning To Ease, Modelers Say

U.S .
Flu Season Beginning To Ease , Modelers Say While health officials in the United States wait to see just how bad a public health challenge COVID-19 will pose , they still have to deal with an all-too-familiar challenge : flu .
It 's been a bad flu season .
Not the worst ever , but bad .
`` It started very early this year , '' says Emily Martin , associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health .
She works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collecting statistics about flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picking up steam around Thanksgiving .
The CDC does n't test everyone who has flu symptoms to be certain they really have flu , rather than some other viral infection .
Still , the CDC estimates are reckoned to be pretty accurate , and they are updated regularly .
`` So far this season we 've had between 30 and 40 million illnesses in the United States , '' Martin says .
Of that number , about half were ill enough to seek medical care , and between 300,000 to 500,000 people required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been 20,000 to 40,000 deaths in the United States so far this year .
Just for comparison , that 's a thousand times more deaths in the United States than have been blamed on the coronavirus so far .
Martin says one thing that 's kept this year 's flu season from being worse is the flu vaccine .
Health officials have to make predictions well before the season starts about which flu strains the vaccine should protect against , so manufacturers have enough time to actually make the vaccine .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's been reducing infections by 45 to 50 percent , '' says Martin .
`` This is better news than what we had last year , when the vaccine was totally mismatched and was having trouble preventing infections . ''
Flu is clearly a seasonal illness , with cases picking up in the fall and tapering off in the spring .
Many teams around the country create computer models to predict the severity of a given season .
Each year , the CDC invites computer scientists to run enter a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave the best prediction .
Last year Dave Osthus , a statistician at Los Alamos National Laboratory won for a model he called Dante , which bases its predictions almost exclusively on historical patterns of disease .
He says his model , and others models he 's aware of , all say the worst of this year 's season is behind us .
`` That said , levels currently are still quite high , '' Osthus says .
`` So we have good news — sort of — on the horizon , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
With rare exceptions , everyone over 6-months-old is eligible for a flu shot and can benefit from it .
If you still have n't gotten a flu shot yet , now 's the time , the CDC says .
If the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. do go up dramatically , it could , at least for a while , overwhelm a health care system that 's been pushed pretty hard by flu .

U.S. Flu Season Beginning To Ease, Modelers Say
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images
While health officials in the United States wait to see just how bad a public health challenge COVID-19 will pose, they still have to deal with an all-too-familiar challenge: flu.
It's been a bad flu season. Not the worst ever, but bad.
"It started very early this year," says Emily Martin, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collecting statistics about flu.
This year's flu season started picking up steam around Thanksgiving.
The CDC doesn't test everyone who has flu symptoms to be certain they really have flu, rather than some other viral infection. Still, the CDC estimates are reckoned to be pretty accurate, and they are updated regularly.
"So far this season we've had between 30 and 40 million illnesses in the United States," Martin says.
Of that number, about half were ill enough to seek medical care, and between 300,000 to 500,000 people required hospitalization.
The CDC estimates that there have been 20,000 to 40,000 deaths in the United States so far this year.
Just for comparison, that's a thousand times more deaths in the United States than have been blamed on the coronavirus so far.
Martin says one thing that's kept this year's flu season from being worse is the flu vaccine. Health officials have to make predictions well before the season starts about which flu strains the vaccine should protect against, so manufacturers have enough time to actually make the vaccine. This year's vaccine is working relatively well.
"It's been reducing infections by 45 to 50 percent," says Martin. "This is better news than what we had last year, when the vaccine was totally mismatched and was having trouble preventing infections."
Flu is clearly a seasonal illness, with cases picking up in the fall and tapering off in the spring. Many teams around the country create computer models to predict the severity of a given season.
Each year, the CDC invites computer scientists to run enter a competition called FluSight to see which model gave the best prediction. Last year Dave Osthus, a statistician at Los Alamos National Laboratory won for a model he called Dante, which bases its predictions almost exclusively on historical patterns of disease.
He says his model, and others models he's aware of, all say the worst of this year's season is behind us.
"That said, levels currently are still quite high," Osthus says. "So we have good news — sort of — on the horizon, but we're still in an elevated situation."
With rare exceptions, everyone over 6-months-old is eligible for a flu shot and can benefit from it. If you still haven't gotten a flu shot yet, now's the time, the CDC says.
If the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. do go up dramatically, it could, at least for a while, overwhelm a health care system that's been pushed pretty hard by flu.


npr--2020-03-09--A Migrant Father Sends His Son To The U.S.: 'I Know That He's Safe'

A Migrant Father Sends His Son To The U.S. : ' I Know That He 's Safe' After a 10-month odyssey from a Honduran slum to a North Texas suburb , 17-year-old Marvin Joel Zelaya takes a sip from his first vanilla Frappuccino and marvels at his new surroundings .
`` There 's order , there 's security , '' he says .
`` There 's not so much poverty and delinquency . ''
Zelaya is living with a relative in the antiseptic suburbs that extend from Dallas to Fort Worth .
He is going to high school and waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is the Promised Land compared to the destitute , gang-infested colonia that he and his father fled in the hills of Tegucigalpa , Honduras , last spring .
The catch is Marvin Jr. is here without his father .
They separated at the Texas-Mexico border in November , so that the young man could gain entry to the United States .
His father , Marvin Sr. , languishes in a makeshift refugee camp in Mexico .
According to federal policy , only underage asylum-seekers who are unaccompanied are immediately allowed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mexico for their court dates .
In the past six months , hundreds of parents have repeated this anguished farewell , some sending children as young as five-years-old with an older sibling to cross the international bridge in hopes of a better , safer life in America .
The youngsters surrender to U.S. immigration agents at the midpoint of the bridge , not knowing if they 'll ever see their parents again .
They are often part of an exodus of people fleeing Central America 's epidemic of crime .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S .
Presently , only about one in five applicants receives asylum .
Immigration judges typically want to see proof of persecution .
Yet many migrants , like the Zelaya family , never report gang threats to the police , believing the cops are in cahoots with the thugs .
`` He certainly has a very frightening story which is entirely credible , '' says Dr. Amy Cohen , a child psychiatrist who specializes in immigrant trauma and is familiar with Marvin Jr. 's case .
`` Nonetheless , he does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report to back up his story . ''
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch , an immigration attorney in Austin with experience in Central American asylum cases , adds : `` These sort of generalized gang violence cases are tricky .
They 're hard to win . ''
When agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection took Marvin Jr. into custody , he says they mocked him .
`` They asked me lots of questions and laughed at me .
They said I had the same story as everybody else and it was pure lies , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next three months in a government-run shelter for unaccompanied migrant children , where he says they treated him well .
In February , he was released into the care of his uncle in North Texas , to await his fate in U.S. immigration court .
They are living in an austere house with a group of Asian immigrants , all of whom work at a nearby sushi restaurant .
All this has produced a whirlpool of emotions for Marvin Jr. , a tall , gangly and handsome teen with a bowl haircut and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm happy because I left the child shelter .
I 'm sad because I ca n't see my family , '' he says .
`` And I 'm anxious because I do n't know what the judge is going to say the day I go to court . ''
Marvin Jr. 's asylum case is based on his claim that a gang of toughs , who control his neighborhood and secondary school back in Honduras , approached him one day last April and gave him three choices .
`` They said I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of there , or they would kill me , '' he says .
`` If I worked for them I would be a look-out to tell them when the police were coming , or sell drugs in my school , or kill people for them .
`` So my father and I decided to leave . ''
They made their way to the Texas border where , to their surprise , the rules had changed .
No longer was CBP releasing parent-and-child asylum seekers into the United States to wait for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to end `` catch and release , '' they would have to remain in Mexico while their cases are pending .
Marvin Zelaya Sr. and Marvin Jr. ended up in a primitive displaced persons camp in Matamoros , just across from Brownsville , Texas .
`` It was bad , '' the son says .
`` There were times when we did n't have a tent and it rained .
We would sleep on the ground and when it started raining , we 'd stand up until it stopped . ''
Marvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When cold fronts blew in they shivered in their thin , donated sweaters .
The camp was dangerous , too .
Marvin Jr. says hoodlums menaced him anytime he left to go to the store .
Worse , extortion gangs were sweeping up migrants all over town and holding them for ransom .
`` It 's hard to be a teenager here , '' his father said in an interview in November .
`` All around here gangsters are recruiting youngsters .
We fled Honduras for the same reason , to escape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening here . ''
Once again , father and son had a difficult choice to make — stay or go .
So Marvin Sr. hugged his son , told him to trust in God , and sent him across the Gateway International Bridge .
His father , a husky 43-year-old former security guard , may not .
He sat despondently in the Matamoros camp one afternoon in early February , as a compatriot fried eggs on a homemade grill .
That morning , Marvin Sr. put on his best set of donated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gray hoodie — and filed into a portable courtroom set up on the Texas side of the bridge to plead for asylum .
`` The judge denied me everything , '' he says flatly .
`` He said my proof was not overwhelming . ''
`` He said it 's my son who is in danger , not me . ''
Marvin Sr. continues to live in a camping tent in the makeshift refugee camp , surrounded by clothes lines , cooking fires and desperation .
He has no good choices left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he 's not optimistic about a different outcome .
He can try to sneak across the Rio Grande and enter the U.S. illegally , but the Border Patrol is everywhere .
Or he can go back to Tegucigalpa where his wife , Maritza , works in a factory making clothes for $ 40 a week , and cares for their daughter , 10-year-old Judith .
But he borrowed $ 2,500 to pay for the trip north , and he says if he does n't pay it back he 'll have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I have lots of debts in Honduras , '' he says .
`` I need to go to the U.S. to make some money . ''
The one bright spot is Marvin Jr. '' I miss not having him close .
We 've never been apart before , '' the father says , blinking back tears , `` but I know that he 's safe . ''
To date , some 60,000 asylum seekers like Marvin Zelaya Sr. are waiting in dangerous Mexican border cities while their cases play out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ court in California blocked the administration policy known as Remain in Mexico , but later stayed that order .
The case is expected to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court .

A Migrant Father Sends His Son To The U.S.: 'I Know That He's Safe'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR
After a 10-month odyssey from a Honduran slum to a North Texas suburb, 17-year-old Marvin Joel Zelaya takes a sip from his first vanilla Frappuccino and marvels at his new surroundings.
"There's order, there's security," he says. "There's not so much poverty and delinquency."
Zelaya is living with a relative in the antiseptic suburbs that extend from Dallas to Fort Worth. He is going to high school and waiting for his first asylum hearing in June.
This is the Promised Land compared to the destitute, gang-infested colonia that he and his father fled in the hills of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, last spring. The catch is Marvin Jr. is here without his father. They separated at the Texas-Mexico border in November, so that the young man could gain entry to the United States. His father, Marvin Sr., languishes in a makeshift refugee camp in Mexico.
According to federal policy, only underage asylum-seekers who are unaccompanied are immediately allowed in. Adults and families must often wait in Mexico for their court dates.
In the past six months, hundreds of parents have repeated this anguished farewell, some sending children as young as five-years-old with an older sibling to cross the international bridge in hopes of a better, safer life in America.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Allison V. Smith for NPR Allison V. Smith for NPR
The youngsters surrender to U.S. immigration agents at the midpoint of the bridge, not knowing if they'll ever see their parents again. They are often part of an exodus of people fleeing Central America's epidemic of crime. But the odds are long on gaining protection in the U.S. Presently, only about one in five applicants receives asylum.
Immigration judges typically want to see proof of persecution. Yet many migrants, like the Zelaya family, never report gang threats to the police, believing the cops are in cahoots with the thugs.
"He certainly has a very frightening story which is entirely credible," says Dr. Amy Cohen, a child psychiatrist who specializes in immigrant trauma and is familiar with Marvin Jr.'s case. "Nonetheless, he doesn't have scars or wounds or a police report to back up his story."
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, an immigration attorney in Austin with experience in Central American asylum cases, adds: "These sort of generalized gang violence cases are tricky. They're hard to win."
When agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection took Marvin Jr. into custody, he says they mocked him.
"They asked me lots of questions and laughed at me. They said I had the same story as everybody else and it was pure lies," he says.
Marvin Jr. spent the next three months in a government-run shelter for unaccompanied migrant children, where he says they treated him well.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Allison V. Smith for NPR Allison V. Smith for NPR
Law Federal Court Blocks 'Remain In Mexico' Program For Central American Asylum-Seekers Federal Court Blocks 'Remain In Mexico' Program For Central American Asylum Seekers Listen · 3:56 3:56
In February, he was released into the care of his uncle in North Texas, to await his fate in U.S. immigration court. They are living in an austere house with a group of Asian immigrants, all of whom work at a nearby sushi restaurant.
All this has produced a whirlpool of emotions for Marvin Jr., a tall, gangly and handsome teen with a bowl haircut and a crucifix around his neck.
"I'm happy because I left the child shelter. I'm sad because I can't see my family," he says. "And I'm anxious because I don't know what the judge is going to say the day I go to court."
Marvin Jr.'s asylum case is based on his claim that a gang of toughs, who control his neighborhood and secondary school back in Honduras, approached him one day last April and gave him three choices.
"They said I could work for them, or get out of there, or they would kill me," he says. "If I worked for them I would be a look-out to tell them when the police were coming, or sell drugs in my school, or kill people for them.
"So my father and I decided to leave."
They made their way to the Texas border where, to their surprise, the rules had changed. No longer was CBP releasing parent-and-child asylum seekers into the United States to wait for their hearings. Under the Trump administration policy intended to end "catch and release," they would have to remain in Mexico while their cases are pending.
Marvin Zelaya Sr. and Marvin Jr. ended up in a primitive displaced persons camp in Matamoros, just across from Brownsville, Texas.
"It was bad," the son says. "There were times when we didn't have a tent and it rained. We would sleep on the ground and when it started raining, we'd stand up until it stopped."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR
Marvin Jr. got sick. They stayed filthy. When cold fronts blew in they shivered in their thin, donated sweaters.
The camp was dangerous, too.
Marvin Jr. says hoodlums menaced him anytime he left to go to the store. Worse, extortion gangs were sweeping up migrants all over town and holding them for ransom.
"It's hard to be a teenager here," his father said in an interview in November. "All around here gangsters are recruiting youngsters. We fled Honduras for the same reason, to escape the gangs. And the same thing is happening here."
Once again, father and son had a difficult choice to make — stay or go. So Marvin Sr. hugged his son, told him to trust in God, and sent him across the Gateway International Bridge.
Now Marvin Jr. has a chance.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR
His father, a husky 43-year-old former security guard, may not. He sat despondently in the Matamoros camp one afternoon in early February, as a compatriot fried eggs on a homemade grill.
That morning, Marvin Sr. put on his best set of donated clothes — white sneakers, jeans and a gray hoodie — and filed into a portable courtroom set up on the Texas side of the bridge to plead for asylum.
"The judge denied me everything," he says flatly. "He said my proof was not overwhelming."
"He said it's my son who is in danger, not me."
Marvin Sr. continues to live in a camping tent in the makeshift refugee camp, surrounded by clothes lines, cooking fires and desperation. He has no good choices left.
He can appeal his asylum denial, but he's not optimistic about a different outcome.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR Verónica G. Cárdenas for NPR
He can try to sneak across the Rio Grande and enter the U.S. illegally, but the Border Patrol is everywhere.
Or he can go back to Tegucigalpa where his wife, Maritza, works in a factory making clothes for $40 a week, and cares for their daughter, 10-year-old Judith. But he borrowed $2,500 to pay for the trip north, and he says if he doesn't pay it back he'll have to give up his collateral — their house.
"I have lots of debts in Honduras," he says. "I need to go to the U.S. to make some money."
The one bright spot is Marvin Jr.
"I miss not having him close. We've never been apart before," the father says, blinking back tears, "but I know that he's safe."
To date, some 60,000 asylum seekers like Marvin Zelaya Sr. are waiting in dangerous Mexican border cities while their cases play out. On Feb. 28, a federal appeals court in California blocked the administration policy known as Remain in Mexico, but later stayed that order. The case is expected to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.


npr--2020-03-09--Wells Fargo Officials Resign Days Before They Were Set To Testify Before Congress

Wells Fargo Officials Resign Days Before They Were Set To Testify Before Congress Two Wells Fargo board members have resigned , including chairwoman Elizabeth Duke , the bank announced Monday .
The departures come days after a House committee report found the bank has been too slow to reform itself in the wake of a series of scandals — including widespread fraud in the consumer banking business tied to overly aggressive sales goals .
Duke , who is known to many as Betsy , was elected chair of the bank 's board effective January 2018 .
She had previously served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2017 .
Wells Fargo said her resignation and that of another board member , James Quigley , were effective Sunday .
Wells Fargo has endured a cascade of scandals in recent years .
The bank last month agreed to pay $ 3 billion to settle charges of collection fees for bank accounts , credit cards and other products worth millions from customers who did n't need or request the services .
In 2016 , the bank was order to pay $ 185 million in fines and penalties after investigators found Wells Fargo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unauthorized accounts without customer authorization .
The following year Wells Fargo announced that an outside review uncovered an additional 1.4 million potentially bogus accounts , bringing the total to 3.5 million .
Both Quigley and Duke were scheduled to appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday .
It was n't immediately clear if they are still expected to testify .
Last week , Democrats on that committee released an investigative report called `` The Real Wells Fargo : Board & Management Failures , Consumer Abuses and Ineffective Regulatory Oversight . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Wells Fargo was slow to `` correct serious deficiencies in its infrastructure for managing risks to consumers . ''
It continues : `` As a result , Wells Fargo 's customers have been exposed to countless abuses , including racial discrimination , wrongful foreclosure , illegal vehicle repossession , and fraudulently opened accounts . ''
The report also highlighted a 2017 remark from Duke in which she appeared to raise questions about why she was being included on messages from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requesting that Wells Fargo take certain actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you sending it to me , the board , rather than the department manager ? ''
asked Duke , who was then vice chair of the bank 's board , according to the House report .
In a joint statement , Duke and Quigley said they were stepping down from their posts to `` avoid distraction '' and allow Charles Scharf , who was named CEO and president of Wells Fargo in September , the `` ability to turn the page . ''
`` Out of continued loyalty to Wells Fargo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees , we recommended to our colleagues on the Board that we step down from our leadership roles and they have accepted our resignation from the Board .
We believe that our decision will facilitate the bank 's and the new CEO 's ability to turn the page and avoid distraction that could impede the bank 's future progress , '' Duke and Quigley said in the statement .
Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee issued their own report on Wells Fargo last week .
While the committee 's minority found the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk management framework , '' it also placed some blame on federal regulators , who it says were `` slow to take action that could have prevented further consumer abuses by Wells Fargo . ''
The report added that Scharf 's stated emphasis on complying with regulators `` above all else gives the bank its best chance to move beyond the sales practices scandal and other consumer abuses that have plagued the bank for nearly 20 years . ''
House Financial Services Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters , D-Calif. , had previously called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding they had `` failed in their responsibilities , '' The Hill reported last week .
It 's unclear if the Wednesday hearing , titled `` Holding Wells Fargo Accountable , '' will continue as previously planned now that both Duke and Quigley no longer hold their positions .
Scharf , the CEO , is expected to testify before the committee on Tuesday .
Editors note : Wells Fargo has been a corporate sponsor of NPR .

Wells Fargo Officials Resign Days Before They Were Set To Testify Before Congress
Enlarge this image toggle caption Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Two Wells Fargo board members have resigned, including chairwoman Elizabeth Duke, the bank announced Monday. The departures come days after a House committee report found the bank has been too slow to reform itself in the wake of a series of scandals — including widespread fraud in the consumer banking business tied to overly aggressive sales goals.
Duke, who is known to many as Betsy, was elected chair of the bank's board effective January 2018. She had previously served as vice chair between October 2016 and December 2017. Wells Fargo said her resignation and that of another board member, James Quigley, were effective Sunday.
Wells Fargo has endured a cascade of scandals in recent years. The bank last month agreed to pay $3 billion to settle charges of collection fees for bank accounts, credit cards and other products worth millions from customers who didn't need or request the services.
In 2016, the bank was order to pay $185 million in fines and penalties after investigators found Wells Fargo employees opened as many as 2 million unauthorized accounts without customer authorization. The following year Wells Fargo announced that an outside review uncovered an additional 1.4 million potentially bogus accounts, bringing the total to 3.5 million.
Both Quigley and Duke were scheduled to appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear if they are still expected to testify. Last week, Democrats on that committee released an investigative report called "The Real Wells Fargo: Board & Management Failures, Consumer Abuses and Ineffective Regulatory Oversight."
According to the report's executive summary, Wells Fargo was slow to "correct serious deficiencies in its infrastructure for managing risks to consumers."
It continues: "As a result, Wells Fargo's customers have been exposed to countless abuses, including racial discrimination, wrongful foreclosure, illegal vehicle repossession, and fraudulently opened accounts."
The report also highlighted a 2017 remark from Duke in which she appeared to raise questions about why she was being included on messages from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requesting that Wells Fargo take certain actions to improve bank operations.
"Why are you sending it to me, the board, rather than the department manager?" asked Duke, who was then vice chair of the bank's board, according to the House report.
In a joint statement, Duke and Quigley said they were stepping down from their posts to "avoid distraction" and allow Charles Scharf, who was named CEO and president of Wells Fargo in September, the "ability to turn the page."
"Out of continued loyalty to Wells Fargo and ongoing commitment to serve our customers and employees, we recommended to our colleagues on the Board that we step down from our leadership roles and they have accepted our resignation from the Board. We believe that our decision will facilitate the bank's and the new CEO's ability to turn the page and avoid distraction that could impede the bank's future progress," Duke and Quigley said in the statement.
Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee issued their own report on Wells Fargo last week. While the committee's minority found the bank failed to "implement an enterprise-wide risk management framework," it also placed some blame on federal regulators, who it says were "slow to take action that could have prevented further consumer abuses by Wells Fargo."
The report added that Scharf's stated emphasis on complying with regulators "above all else gives the bank its best chance to move beyond the sales practices scandal and other consumer abuses that have plagued the bank for nearly 20 years."
House Financial Services Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., had previously called for both Quigley and Duke to resign, adding they had "failed in their responsibilities," The Hill reported last week.
It's unclear if the Wednesday hearing, titled "Holding Wells Fargo Accountable," will continue as previously planned now that both Duke and Quigley no longer hold their positions.
Scharf, the CEO, is expected to testify before the committee on Tuesday.
Editors note: Wells Fargo has been a corporate sponsor of NPR.


npr--2020-03-09--Scarcity Of Health Workers A New Concern As Self-Quarantining Spreads With Virus

Scarcity Of Health Workers A New Concern As Self-Quarantining Spreads With Virus As the U.S. battles to limit the spread of the contagious new coronavirus , the number of health care workers ordered to self-quarantine because of potential exposure to an infected patient is rising at a rapid pace .
In Vacaville , Calif. , alone , one case — the first documented instance of community transmission in the U.S. — left more than 200 hospital workers under quarantine and unable to work for weeks .
Across California , dozens more health care workers have been ordered home because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 confirmed cases as of Sunday morning .
In Kirkland , Wash. , more than a quarter of the city 's fire department was quarantined after exposure to a handful of infected patients at the Life Care Center nursing home .
With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases growing by the day , a continued quarantine response of this magnitude would quickly leave the health care system short-staffed and overwhelmed .
The situation has prompted debate in the health care community about just what standards medical facilities should use before ordering workers quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become commonplace in clinics and emergency rooms .
Jennifer Nuzzo , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , is among those arguing hospitals need to change course .
`` It 's just not sustainable to think that every time a health care worker is exposed they have to be quarantined for 14 days .
We 'd run out of health care workers , '' Nuzzo says .
Anyone showing signs of infection should stay home , she adds , but providers who may have been exposed but are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from work .
The correct response , she and others say , comes down to a careful balance of the evolving science with the need to maintain a functioning health care system .
While hospitals are supposed to be prepared for just such a situation , Nuzzo says , their plans often fall short .
`` Absent any imminent public health crisis , it may not be one of their priorities , '' she says .
From 2003 to 2019 , federal funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program in the U.S. was cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , potential exposure to the new coronavirus was exacerbated because hospitals were caught unaware by the community spread of the virus and hampered by federal protocols that initially limited diagnostic testing to patients with a history of travel to a country where the virus was known to be circulating or contact with a person with a known infection .
`` At the very beginning [ of an outbreak ] this will happen because you do n't know patients are infected and you only realize later that people were exposed , '' says Grzegorz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health at Ohio State University who models the spread of infectious diseases .
Now that the disease has started to spread through the community , any patient with respiratory symptoms potentially could be infected , though health officials note the likelihood remains low .
As providers start routinely wearing protective gear and employing strict safety protocols , accidental exposure should decline .
The Vacaville case offers stark insight into the fallout from the narrow testing protocols initially established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
When a woman was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms on Feb. 15 , dozens of hospital workers walked in and out of her room performing daily tasks .
Days later , as her condition worsened , she was sent to the University of California , Davis Medical Center , where dozens more employees were potentially exposed .
Because the woman did not meet the testing criteria in place at the time , it took days for UC Davis to get approval to have her assessed for the coronavirus .
After the test came back positive , about 100 NorthBay workers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At UC Davis , an additional 36 nurses and 88 other employees were quarantined , according to the unions representing those workers .
( A spokesman for UC Davis says the figures were not accurate but declined to give an estimate . )
`` We 're not used to being concerned , before we even do the triage assessment , [ about ] whether the patient is infectious and could infect hospital workers , '' says Dr. Kristi Koenig , the EMS medical director of San Diego County .
But that thinking started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2014 Ebola outbreak .
Hospitals should routinely mask patients who come in with respiratory symptoms , she says , given any such patient could have an infectious disease such as tuberculosis .
Yet providers do n't often think in those terms .
`` In many ways we 're spoiled because we 've gone from a society 50 or 100 years ago where the major killers were infectious disease , '' says Dr. Michael Wilkes , a professor at UC Davis School of Medicine .
`` Now we 've become complacent because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Faced with this new infection risk , many hospitals are scrambling to retrain workers in safety precautions , such as how to correctly don and doff personal protective equipment .
Sutter Health , which has 24 hospitals in Northern California , started ramping up its emergency management system five weeks ago in preparation for COVID-19 .
Before coming to the emergency room , Sutter patients are asked to call a hotline where they are assessed by a nurse or an automated system designed to screen for symptoms of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a telemedicine appointment unless they need to be admitted to a hospital .
Anyone arriving at a Sutter emergency room with signs of a respiratory infection is given a mask and sequestered .
`` A runny nose and a cough does n't tell you much .
It could be a cold , it could be a flu , and in this weather it could be allergies , '' says Dr. Bill Isenberg , Sutter 's chief quality and safety officer .
A doctor or nurse in protective equipment — including N95 mask , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assess the patient 's symptoms .
If COVID-19 is suspected , the patient is moved into a private room .
Sutter has treated several coronavirus patients who arrived from Travis Air Force Base , which housed evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan after an outbreak was detected onboard .
The Sutter patients were placed in negative pressure rooms so that contaminated air did not circulate to the rest of the hospital , and staff used an anteroom to take off gowns and masks .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of people who have to enter [ the room ] , '' Isenberg says .
Still , he says , some workers have been quarantined ; Sutter would not disclose the total .
Not all hospitals are adapting so quickly .
National Nurses United , a union representing more than 150,000 nurses , recently held a news conference to call on hospitals to better protect their workers .
Of the 6,500 nurses who participated in a survey the union circulated , fewer than half said they had gotten instruction in how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
Just 30 % said their employer has sufficient protective equipment on hand to protect staff if there were a surge in infected patients .
As the virus continues to spread , hospitals should be stockpiling such equipment , figuring out how to add beds and planning for staffing shortages , says Dr. Richard Waldhorn , a professor of medicine at Georgetown University and contributing scholar at Johns Hopkins who recently co-authored recommendations for hospitals on how to prepare for a COVID-19 pandemic .
Hospitals should already be training providers to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If a hospital becomes overwhelmed , the Medical Reserve Corps can be mobilized , as can networks of providers who have volunteered to aid in emergency situations .
Once workers have been infected and recover , it might make sense to have them treat other coronavirus patients since they likely will have immunity .
Eventually , as a disease becomes widespread , quarantine simply stops being a priority , says Nina Fefferman , a mathematician and epidemiologist at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville .
`` There 's a point where we stop trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OK , we 're going to have more deaths from the fire department not being able to fight fire than from everyone getting the disease . ''
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit , editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation .
KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Scarcity Of Health Workers A New Concern As Self-Quarantining Spreads With Virus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
As the U.S. battles to limit the spread of the contagious new coronavirus, the number of health care workers ordered to self-quarantine because of potential exposure to an infected patient is rising at a rapid pace. In Vacaville, Calif., alone, one case — the first documented instance of community transmission in the U.S. — left more than 200 hospital workers under quarantine and unable to work for weeks.
Across California, dozens more health care workers have been ordered home because of possible contagion in response to more than 80 confirmed cases as of Sunday morning. In Kirkland, Wash., more than a quarter of the city's fire department was quarantined after exposure to a handful of infected patients at the Life Care Center nursing home.
With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases growing by the day, a continued quarantine response of this magnitude would quickly leave the health care system short-staffed and overwhelmed. The situation has prompted debate in the health care community about just what standards medical facilities should use before ordering workers quarantined — and what safety protocols need to become commonplace in clinics and emergency rooms.
Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, is among those arguing hospitals need to change course.
"It's just not sustainable to think that every time a health care worker is exposed they have to be quarantined for 14 days. We'd run out of health care workers," Nuzzo says. Anyone showing signs of infection should stay home, she adds, but providers who may have been exposed but are not symptomatic should not necessarily be excluded from work.
The correct response, she and others say, comes down to a careful balance of the evolving science with the need to maintain a functioning health care system.
While hospitals are supposed to be prepared for just such a situation, Nuzzo says, their plans often fall short. "Absent any imminent public health crisis, it may not be one of their priorities," she says. From 2003 to 2019, federal funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program in the U.S. was cut almost in half.
In Northern California, potential exposure to the new coronavirus was exacerbated because hospitals were caught unaware by the community spread of the virus and hampered by federal protocols that initially limited diagnostic testing to patients with a history of travel to a country where the virus was known to be circulating or contact with a person with a known infection.
"At the very beginning [of an outbreak] this will happen because you don't know patients are infected and you only realize later that people were exposed," says Grzegorz Rempala, a mathematician at the College of Public Health at Ohio State University who models the spread of infectious diseases.
Now that the disease has started to spread through the community, any patient with respiratory symptoms potentially could be infected, though health officials note the likelihood remains low. As providers start routinely wearing protective gear and employing strict safety protocols, accidental exposure should decline.
The Vacaville case offers stark insight into the fallout from the narrow testing protocols initially established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When a woman was admitted to NorthBay VacaValley Hospital with respiratory symptoms on Feb. 15, dozens of hospital workers walked in and out of her room performing daily tasks. Days later, as her condition worsened, she was sent to the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where dozens more employees were potentially exposed.
Because the woman did not meet the testing criteria in place at the time, it took days for UC Davis to get approval to have her assessed for the coronavirus. After the test came back positive, about 100 NorthBay workers were sent into self-quarantine for 14 days. At UC Davis, an additional 36 nurses and 88 other employees were quarantined, according to the unions representing those workers. (A spokesman for UC Davis says the figures were not accurate but declined to give an estimate.)
"We're not used to being concerned, before we even do the triage assessment, [about] whether the patient is infectious and could infect hospital workers," says Dr. Kristi Koenig, the EMS medical director of San Diego County. But that thinking started to change, she says, during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Hospitals should routinely mask patients who come in with respiratory symptoms, she says, given any such patient could have an infectious disease such as tuberculosis.
Yet providers don't often think in those terms. "In many ways we're spoiled because we've gone from a society 50 or 100 years ago where the major killers were infectious disease," says Dr. Michael Wilkes, a professor at UC Davis School of Medicine. "Now we've become complacent because the major killers are heart disease and diabetes."
Faced with this new infection risk, many hospitals are scrambling to retrain workers in safety precautions, such as how to correctly don and doff personal protective equipment.
Sutter Health, which has 24 hospitals in Northern California, started ramping up its emergency management system five weeks ago in preparation for COVID-19. Before coming to the emergency room, Sutter patients are asked to call a hotline where they are assessed by a nurse or an automated system designed to screen for symptoms of the virus. Those with likely symptoms are guided to a telemedicine appointment unless they need to be admitted to a hospital.
Anyone arriving at a Sutter emergency room with signs of a respiratory infection is given a mask and sequestered. "A runny nose and a cough doesn't tell you much. It could be a cold, it could be a flu, and in this weather it could be allergies," says Dr. Bill Isenberg, Sutter's chief quality and safety officer. A doctor or nurse in protective equipment — including N95 mask, gown and goggles — is deployed to assess the patient's symptoms. If COVID-19 is suspected, the patient is moved into a private room.
Sutter has treated several coronavirus patients who arrived from Travis Air Force Base, which housed evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan after an outbreak was detected onboard. The Sutter patients were placed in negative pressure rooms so that contaminated air did not circulate to the rest of the hospital, and staff used an anteroom to take off gowns and masks.
"We do everything humanly possible to minimize the number of people who have to enter [the room]," Isenberg says. Still, he says, some workers have been quarantined; Sutter would not disclose the total.
Not all hospitals are adapting so quickly. National Nurses United, a union representing more than 150,000 nurses, recently held a news conference to call on hospitals to better protect their workers. Of the 6,500 nurses who participated in a survey the union circulated, fewer than half said they had gotten instruction in how to recognize and respond to possible cases of COVID-19. Just 30% said their employer has sufficient protective equipment on hand to protect staff if there were a surge in infected patients.
As the virus continues to spread, hospitals should be stockpiling such equipment, figuring out how to add beds and planning for staffing shortages, says Dr. Richard Waldhorn, a professor of medicine at Georgetown University and contributing scholar at Johns Hopkins who recently co-authored recommendations for hospitals on how to prepare for a COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospitals should already be training providers to take on expanded duties, Waldhorn says. If a hospital becomes overwhelmed, the Medical Reserve Corps can be mobilized, as can networks of providers who have volunteered to aid in emergency situations. Once workers have been infected and recover, it might make sense to have them treat other coronavirus patients since they likely will have immunity.
Eventually, as a disease becomes widespread, quarantine simply stops being a priority, says Nina Fefferman, a mathematician and epidemiologist at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
"There's a point where we stop trying to quarantine anyone and we just say, OK, we're going to have more deaths from the fire department not being able to fight fire than from everyone getting the disease."
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit, editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.