npr--2020-04-23--Opposition To Trump Likely To Motivate Young Voters, Poll Shows

Opposition To Trump Likely To Motivate Young Voters , Poll Shows More than a quarter of the country 's 18- to 29-year-olds say that their lives are worse because of President Trump , according to a new poll , the latest to show the motivating impact the president could have on the youngest subset of voters this election year .
The poll , by Harvard 's Institute of Politics , found that 29 % of that cohort say their lives are worse under President Trump 's leadership , 39 % say their lives are no different and 15 % say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote when it 's personal , when they can see a difference in their lives , '' said John Della Volpe , polling director at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics .
`` I looked at dozens of subgroups , and when I look at the number of people who say 'better ' and the number of people who say 'worse , ' in every single case — other than among Republicans — people say that he 's made their life worse , and that 's a big deal . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mobilized in part by strong disapproval of President Trump , are slightly more likely to vote in November 's general election than they were ahead of the 2016 general election .
According to the survey , 54 % of voters under 30 said they will definitely vote this year : 69 % of Democrats , 64 % of Republicans and 31 % of independents .
It also found former Vice President Joe Biden with a wide lead over Trump among 18- to 29-year-olds most likely to vote : 60 % to 30 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in past elections , and did not turn out in droves in the 2020 Democratic primary after a s significant showing in the 2018 midterm elections .
But some say that with Trump on the ballot in November , that may well change .
`` This election is going to be a referendum on Donald Trump , '' Della Volpe said .
`` Whether you love him or whether you hate him , you can clearly see the difference that Donald Trump is bringing into our politics , into our country today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we 're finding is motivating young people . ''
According to the survey , 61 % of young people and 75 % of likely young voters say that the outcome of the 2020 general election will make a difference in their lives .
The survey also found that Trump 's presidency has spurred young Americans to become politically active , particularly on the left : 43 % of young Democrats say they are more politically active as a result of President Trump , compared with 35 % of Republicans under 30 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expand the Democratic Party 's base among young people as any Democrat in America , '' Della Volpe said .
There are also signs of stark racial divisions within this generation .
A full 58 % of young Americans say they agree with the statement , `` America was built for people like me . ''
But just 47 % of young black Americans and 51 % of young Hispanics agreed , compared with 64 % of their white counterparts .
Similarly , when asked whether they agreed with the statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ values , '' just 34 % of blacks and 49 % of Hispanics agreed , compared with 60 % of whites .
Della Volpe saw a connection between that finding and voting behavior .
`` If you do n't believe America 's built for you , if you do n't think the founders then or the institutions today represent you , why would you vote , '' he said .
`` If you do n't see yourself reflected in the values and the ideals and the government that is representing you , why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote unless you can see a tangible outcome coming from that participation . ''
The survey also measured the degree of trust that Americans have in some public institutions .
It found that young white Americans were more likely than their black peers to trust the president , the military , local government and police to do the right thing all or most of the time .
The gap was particularly sharp in the case of police , with 59 % of whites signaling trust , compared to 28 % of blacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveyed 2,546 Americans ages 18 to 29 , between March 11 and March 23 .
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.78 percentage points .

Opposition To Trump Likely To Motivate Young Voters, Poll Shows
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
More than a quarter of the country's 18- to 29-year-olds say that their lives are worse because of President Trump, according to a new poll, the latest to show the motivating impact the president could have on the youngest subset of voters this election year.
The poll, by Harvard's Institute of Politics, found that 29% of that cohort say their lives are worse under President Trump's leadership, 39% say their lives are no different, and 15% say their lives are better.
"People vote when it's personal, when they can see a difference in their lives," said John Della Volpe, polling director at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. "I looked at dozens of subgroups, and when I look at the number of people who say 'better' and the number of people who say 'worse,' in every single case — other than among Republicans — people say that he's made their life worse, and that's a big deal."
The poll also found that young Americans, mobilized in part by strong disapproval of Trump, are slightly more likely to vote in November's general election than they were ahead of the 2016 general election. According to the survey, 54% of voters under 30 said they will definitely vote this year: 69% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans and 31% of independents.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Youth Poll Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Youth Poll
It also found former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with a wide lead over Trump among 18- to 29-year-olds most likely to vote: 60% to 30%.
Voters under 30 have been unreliable in past elections and did not turn out in droves in the 2020 Democratic primary after a significant showing in the 2018 midterm elections. But some say that with Trump on the ballot in November, that may well change.
"This election is going to be a referendum on Donald Trump," Della Volpe said. "Whether you love him or whether you hate him, you can clearly see the difference that Donald Trump is bringing into our politics, into our country today. That, more than anything, is what we're finding is motivating young people."
According to the survey, 61% of young people and 75% of likely young voters say that the outcome of the 2020 general election will make a difference in their lives.
The survey also found that Trump's presidency has spurred young Americans to become politically active, particularly on the left: 43% of young Democrats say they are more politically active as a result of President Trump, compared with 35% of Republicans under 30.
"Donald Trump is doing as much to expand the Democratic Party's base among young people as any Democrat in America," Della Volpe said.
There are also signs of stark racial divisions within this generation.
A full 58% of young Americans say they agree with the statement, "America was built for people like me." But just 47% of young black Americans and 51% of young Hispanics agreed, compared with 64% of their white counterparts.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Institute of Politics Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Institute of Politics
Similarly, when asked whether they agreed with the statement that the "founders of America shared my values," just 34% of blacks and 49% of Hispanics agreed, compared with 60% of whites.
Della Volpe saw a connection between that finding and voting behavior.
"If you don't believe America's built for you, if you don't think the founders then or the institutions today represent you, why would you vote?" he said. "If you don't see yourself reflected in the values and the ideals and the government that is representing you, why would you vote? It's difficult to vote unless you can see a tangible outcome coming from that participation."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Youth Poll Arnie Seipel/NPR/Harvard Youth Poll
The survey also measured the degree of trust that Americans have in some public institutions. It found that young white Americans were more likely than their black peers to trust the president, the military, local government and police to do the right thing all or most of the time.
The gap was particularly sharp in the case of police, with 59% of whites signaling trust, compared with 28% of blacks, a 31-point gap.
The poll surveyed 2,546 Americans ages 18 to 29, between March 11 and March 23. The poll has a margin of error of 2.78 percentage points.


npr--2020-04-23--U.S. Pressures China To Close Wet Markets Thought To Be Source Of COVID-19

U.S .
Pressures China To Close Wet Markets Thought To Be Source Of COVID-19 The U.S. is calling on China to permanently shut down the country 's wet markets , where the deadly coronavirus is thought to have first emerged late last year , as Australia urged an international scientific investigation of the health risks associated with them .
In a statement following a virtual meeting of the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited a connection between pathogens that jump from animals to humans and the traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tightly packed stalls sell vegetables , live fish and meat .
Although some of the markets sell wild animals , the vast majority of them do not .
Such markets are common not only in China , but throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East .
`` Given the strong link between illegal wildlife sold in wet markets and zoonotic diseases , the United States has called on the People 's Republic of China to permanently close its wildlife wet markets and all markets that sell illegal wildlife .
I call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same , '' Pompeo said in the statement .
Although Beijing officially banned the country 's wildlife trade in February , it has resisted closing the wet markets , which are vital to meeting the day-to-day needs of most Chinese .
The government 's state-controlled media have even run stories recently touting the markets ' cleanliness .
Following Pompeo 's statement , China 's foreign ministry emphasized again that it has closed down all live animal markets in the country .
The call from the U.S. came as Australia 's Federal Agriculture Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the health risks associated with the wet markets .
`` It only makes sense that we go and investigate these wildlife wet markets , to understand the risks that they pose to human health and also to biosecurity , '' Littleproud told reporters in Toowomba , a town about 50 miles west of Brisbane , on Thursday , according to The Canberra Times .
`` It is the responsibility of all global nations to undertake this work in a scientific manner , in a calm and methodical way , to understand the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
In January , China closed the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan where the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to have emerged .
But this month , the stalls at the market began reopening , though as Reuters notes , `` their future looks uncertain with few customers as the virus stigma persists . ''
Last week , the World Health Organization 's Secretary General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave qualified support to the reopening of the wet markets .
`` WHO 's position is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it should only be on the condition that they conform to stringent food safety and hygiene standards , '' Tedros said last Friday .
`` Governments must rigorously enforce bans on the sale and trade of wildlife for food . ''
Australia 's Prime Minister Scott Morrison criticized the WHO for its position .
`` I 'm totally puzzled by this decision , '' he told Australia 's 9News last week .
`` We need to protect the world against potential sources of outbreaks of these types of viruses . ''
The 2003 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current pandemic , is also thought to have come from a wet market in southern China similar to the one in Wuhan .
Speaking earlier this month on Fox & Friends , Dr. Anthony Fauci , a key figure of the White House coronavirus task force , said of China 's wet markets : `` It boggles my mind how , when we have so many diseases that emanate out of that unusual human-animal interface , that we just do n't shut it down . ''
`` I do n't know what else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate that , '' he said .
Later , some 70 House and Senate lawmakers sent a letter to the World Health Organization urging it to support the closure of the markets .
NPR 's Emily Feng in Beijing contributed to this report .

U.S. Pressures China To Close Wet Markets Thought To Be Source Of COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. is calling on China to permanently shut down the country's wet markets, where the deadly coronavirus is thought to have first emerged late last year, as Australia urged an international scientific investigation of the health risks associated with them.
In a statement following a virtual meeting of the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited a connection between pathogens that jump from animals to humans and the traditional Chinese markets, where vendors in small, tightly packed stalls sell vegetables, live fish and meat.
Although some of the markets sell wild animals, the vast majority of them do not. Such markets are common not only in China, but throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East.
"Given the strong link between illegal wildlife sold in wet markets and zoonotic diseases, the United States has called on the People's Republic of China to permanently close its wildlife wet markets and all markets that sell illegal wildlife. I call on all ASEAN governments to do the same," Pompeo said in the statement.
Although Beijing officially banned the country's wildlife trade in February, it has resisted closing the wet markets, which are vital to meeting the day-to-day needs of most Chinese. The government's state-controlled media have even run stories recently touting the markets' cleanliness. Following Pompeo's statement, China's foreign ministry emphasized again that it has closed down all live-animal markets.
The call from the U.S. came as Australia's Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud urged an international scientific investigation into the health risks associated with the wet markets.
"It only makes sense that we go and investigate these wildlife wet markets, to understand the risks that they pose to human health and also to biosecurity," Littleproud told reporters in Toowoomba, a town about 50 miles west of Brisbane, on Thursday, according to The Canberra Times.
"It is the responsibility of all global nations to undertake this work in a scientific manner, in a calm and methodical way, to understand the risks and whether they can be mitigated," he said.
In January, China closed the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan where the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to have emerged. But this month, the stalls at the market began reopening, though as Reuters notes, "their future looks uncertain with few customers as the virus stigma persists."
Last week, the World Health Organization's Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave qualified support to the reopening of the wet markets.
"I would like to clarify WHO’s position on “wet markets”.
Wet markets are an important source of affordable food and livelihood for millions of people all over the world.
But in many places, they have been poorly regulated and poorly maintained"-@DrTedros #COVID19 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 17, 2020
"WHO's position is that when these markets are allowed to reopen it should only be on the condition that they conform to stringent food safety and hygiene standards," Tedros said last Friday. "Governments must rigorously enforce bans on the sale and trade of wildlife for food."
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison criticized the WHO for its position.
"I'm totally puzzled by this decision," he told Australia's 9News last week. "We need to protect the world against potential sources of outbreaks of these types of viruses."
The 2003 SARS virus, a predecessor to the current pandemic, is also thought to have come from a wet market in southern China similar to the one in Wuhan.
Speaking earlier this month on Fox & Friends, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key figure on the White House coronavirus task force, said of China's wet markets: "It boggles my mind how, when we have so many diseases that emanate out of that unusual human-animal interface, that we just don't shut it down."
"I don't know what else has to happen to get us to appreciate that," he said.
Later, some 70 House and Senate lawmakers sent a letter to the World Health Organization urging it to support the closure of the markets.
NPR's Emily Feng in Beijing contributed to this report.


npr--2020-04-23--Europe's Economy Was Hit Hard Too, But Jobs Didn't Disappear Like In The U.S.

Europe 's Economy Was Hit Hard Too , But Jobs Did n't Disappear Like In The U.S .
When the British economy ground to a halt a few weeks ago , Reda Maher suddenly found himself among the ranks of the unemployed , alongside untold millions of other people around the world .
But unlike many people around the world , Maher can rest easy , knowing that money will keep flowing into his bank account until he 's called back to work .
`` I woke up a couple of hours later than I normally would .
I wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon earlier this month .
`` I took a nice long masked and gloved walk .
I 've got a remote personal training like fitness session in about 20 minutes . ''
The United Kingdom recently began paying 80 % of the salaries of workers laid off because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The government caps the pay at about $ 3,000 a month , but many employers , including the London-based video streaming service where Maher works , add to what the government hands out .
Maher also does n't need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage , thanks to Britain 's National Health Service .
Across Europe and Canada , many governments are easing the plight of workers idled because of the coronavirus pandemic by essentially paying part of their salaries , says Gabriel Zucman , a professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley .
`` What it means is that people remain on the books .
...
They keep receiving their salaries , '' Zucman says .
`` And when social distancing ends , they will just return to work , as if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave . ''
It 's much more humane than in the United States , where some 22 million workers have lost their jobs over the past four weeks , Zucman says .
Under the American system , workers are typically fired .
They file for unemployment benefits and have to look for new work , he says .
Many risk losing their health insurance benefits altogether .
Even if they are eventually rehired — and there 's no guarantee of that — the experience is brutal and anxiety-ridden , Zucman and fellow Berkeley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ op-ed in The New York Times .
The European systems are also less disruptive for businesses , who know that when the current crisis ends , they can simply call their employees back to work right away , picking up where they left off .
`` It basically means we will survive and we will be able to keep the workforce on board .
So that 's a pretty powerful tool actually for us , '' says Alexander Kranki , who runs a software development company near Düsseldorf that employs 130 people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government pays much of the salaries to laid-off workers for up to 12 months during economic crises .
That means Kranki does n't have to worry that employees he 's recruited and trained over the years will defect to other companies .
In the United States , Congress has approved a version of the German program called the Paycheck Protection Program , which provides small businesses with loans that are forgiven if they retain or rehire furloughed workers .
The $ 349 billion U.S. program quickly ran out of money after subsidizing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to help , and Congress had to negotiate an extension .
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who want to broaden the program significantly , to take in more companies .
Such a move would be expensive , but the government is already putting out piles of money through unemployment insurance , Hawley said in a recent interview on KMOX-AM in St. Louis .
`` Would n't it be better to keep people 's jobs , keep them employed , give them that security and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open this economy back up ? ''
Hawley said .
Among the skeptics is Jason Furman , former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama .
Programs like PPP end up funneling money to companies that do n't really need it and probably would survive the pandemic without help , Furman says .
If the economic downturn is brief , Furman is in favor of propping up some companies like the European countries are doing .
But if there 's a deep recession , a lot of companies are inevitably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich countries like Germany can save them , Furman says .
`` If a couple months from now the business ca n't come back , it does n't have enough demand , it does n't have people coming in , as soon as the subsidies end they 're going to fire those workers , '' he says .
Doling out money only puts off the inevitable day of reckoning .

Europe's Economy Was Hit Hard Too, But Jobs Didn't Disappear Like In The U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images
When the British economy ground to a halt a few weeks ago, Reda Maher suddenly found himself among the ranks of the unemployed, alongside untold millions of other people around the world.
But unlike many others, Maher can rest easy, knowing that money will keep flowing into his bank account until he's called back to work.
"I woke up a couple of hours later than I normally would. I won't lie," Maher said one afternoon earlier this month. "I took a nice long masked and gloved walk. I've got a remote personal training like fitness session in about 20 minutes."
The United Kingdom recently began paying 80% of the salaries of workers laid off because of the coronavirus pandemic. The government caps the pay at about $3,000 a month, but many employers, including the London-based video streaming service where Maher works, add to what the government hands out.
Maher also doesn't need to worry about being left without health care coverage, thanks to Britain's National Health Service.
Across Europe and in Canada, governments are easing the plight of workers idled because of the coronavirus pandemic by essentially paying part of their salaries, says Gabriel Zucman, a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley.
"What it means is that people remain on the books. ... They keep receiving their salaries," Zucman says. "And when social distancing ends, they will just return to work, as if they had been on a long, government-paid leave."
It's much more humane than in the United States, where some 26 million workers have lost their jobs over the past five weeks, Zucman says. Under the American system, workers are typically fired. They file for unemployment benefits and have to look for new work, he says. Many risk losing their health insurance benefits altogether.
Even if they are eventually rehired — and there's no guarantee of that — the experience is brutal and anxiety-ridden, Zucman and fellow Berkeley economist Emmanuel Saez wrote in a recent op-ed in The New York Times.
The European systems are also less disruptive for businesses, who know that when the current crisis ends, they can simply call their employees back to work right away, picking up where they left off.
"It basically means we will survive and we will be able to keep the workforce on board. So that's a pretty powerful tool actually for us," says Alexander Kranki, who runs a software development company near Düsseldorf that employs 130 people.
Under Germany's Kurzarbeit system, the government pays much of the salaries to laid-off workers for up to 12 months during economic crises. That means Kranki doesn't have to worry that employees he's recruited and trained over the years will defect to other companies.
In the United States, Congress has approved a version of the German program called the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides small businesses with loans that are forgiven if they retain or rehire furloughed workers.
The $349 billion U.S. program quickly ran out of money after subsidizing a small portion of the businesses it's designed to help, and Congress had to negotiate an extension.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who want to broaden the program significantly, to take in more companies.
Such a move would be expensive, but the government is already putting out piles of money through unemployment insurance, Hawley said in a recent interview on KMOX-AM in St. Louis.
"Wouldn't it be better to keep people's jobs, keep them employed, give them that security and get ready to work again when we open this economy back up?" Hawley said.
Among the skeptics is Jason Furman, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama.
Programs like PPP end up funneling money to companies that don't really need it and probably would survive the pandemic without help, Furman says.
If the economic downturn is brief, Furman is in favor of propping up some companies like the European countries are doing. But if there's a deep recession, a lot of companies are inevitably going to fail, and not even rich countries like Germany can save them, Furman says.
"If a couple months from now the business can't come back, it doesn't have enough demand, it doesn't have people coming in, as soon as the subsidies end they're going to fire those workers," he says. Doling out money only puts off the inevitable day of reckoning.


npr--2020-04-23--'I Hear The Agony': Coronavirus Crisis Takes Toll On NYC's First Responders

' I Hear The Agony ' : Coronavirus Crisis Takes Toll On NYC 's First Responders For weeks , first responders have been racing across New York City to try to save lives in the national epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic .
The stress from the high numbers of 911 calls and deaths from COVID-19 is taking a toll on them .
Elizabeth Bonilla , a paramedic for the New York City Fire Department , said every itch or scratch in her throat , minor headache or sneeze has her worried .
Bonilla said she ca n't help but wonder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The question gnaws at her especially when she 's at home in her apartment in the Bronx , trying to sleep between working what are often 16-hour shifts .
She 's started leaving the light on in her bedroom .
`` It 's hard for me to fall asleep in the dark because I get the image of that lady or that man who either passed away or who 's suffering , '' Bonilla said .
`` I hear the cries .
I hear the agony of people suffocating , trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bonilla said , feels like coming face to face with a monster that 's overtaken a patient 's body .
`` It 's almost like the virus is talking to you .
As soon as you see a patient , it 's like , 'Oh , yeah , this person has the virus , ' `` she added .
`` They 're pale in the face .
Some of them are blue in the lips , blue in the fingers , blue in their toes .
They 're panting like a dog .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into cardiac arrest , it 's easy to feel helpless , Bonilla said .
`` You have just your little tools in your little bag , '' she said .
`` Most of our medications — I want to say all of our medications — do n't even work on the patient . ''
At the height of the crisis in March , the daily number of 911 calls in New York City skyrocketed , increasing by as much as 50 % above the usual call volume , according to city fire department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of emergency calls has fallen , but Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city 's emergency medical service still needs the extra support from all of the ambulances , as well as out-of-state paramedics and EMTs , that FEMA has sent — and will need them through the end of May .
`` There 's no question that we are not out of the woods yet , '' de Blasio said during a press conference on Monday .
Vincent Variale , president of the Uniformed EMS Officers Union , Local 3621 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's emergency medical services workers , compares the worst days of the pandemic to some of New York 's darkest moments .
`` This is like 9/11 happening every day , '' Variale said .
On Monday , the mayor announced around 18 % of the fire department 's EMS workforce was out sick , including those diagnosed with COVID-19 .
`` We were already understaffed to begin with , but now we have more people out sick and we have an increase in the call volume , '' Variale said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Don Goepfert , an EMT who recently taught at the city 's fire academy , tried to plan ahead with his family before the outbreak hit New York .
In March , his wife and three children left their home in Brooklyn to stay with relatives in Pennsylvania , which , Goepfert said , was `` not the easiest choice , but the best choice . ''
`` Some people are sleeping in their cars and not even going home or sleeping in the basement where they live , '' Goepfert said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trying to avoid infecting their families with the coronavirus .
Living alone , though , made Goepfert extra nervous after he came home from a shift and started feeling body aches and his temperature rising .
That night , Goepfert said , he made sure to leave the front door unlocked in case EMTs had to get in .
`` I had that anxiety in me , '' he said .
`` What if I do n't make it through the next day ?
So I was trying to prepare for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was admitted to a hospital after he was diagnosed recently with COVID-19 .
`` I 'm kind of upset that I 'm sick because I want to be out there , '' Goepfert said .
`` It 's our time to shine and prove to the city that our services are much needed . ''
For Bonilla , the paramedic , there is some comfort these days at 7 p.m. in the evening , when shut-in New Yorkers open their doors and windows before the sun sets for the city 's nightly salute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other essential workers .
Hearing her neighbors show their appreciation by cheering , honking their car horns , banging on pots and shooting off a few fireworks was `` very warming '' on a recent night off , Bonilla said .
`` It 's like a battery to your back , '' she said .
`` It makes you want to keep going . ''
That night , her two sons watched the show of appreciation with her from a window in their apartment .
It 's because of them she 's spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her bedroom , alone and worried about exposing them to the virus that she and some 4,400 EMS workers with New York City 's fire department are dealing with each day .
`` We can only wish to spend unlimited time with our family , to have dinner at the table with our family and be able to share movie time and stuff like that with our children , '' she said .
`` But we do n't have that option .
We take it as we can . ''
When Bonilla has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gospel songs and yoga music .
And in her bedroom , for now , she 's still keeping the light on .
NPR science reporter Rebecca Hersher and North Country Public Radio reporter Brian Mann contributed to this report .

'I Hear The Agony': Coronavirus Crisis Takes Toll On NYC's First Responders
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
For weeks, first responders have been racing across New York City to try to save lives in the national epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
The stress from the high numbers of 911 calls and deaths from COVID-19 is taking a toll on them.
Elizabeth Bonilla, a paramedic for the New York City Fire Department, said every itch or scratch in her throat, minor headache or sneeze has her worried. Bonilla said she can't help but wonder, "Could I be next?"
The question gnaws at her, especially when she's at home in her apartment in the Bronx, trying to sleep between what are often 16-hour shifts. She's started leaving the light on in her bedroom.
"It's hard for me to fall asleep in the dark because I get the image of that lady or that man who either passed away or who's suffering," Bonilla said. "I hear the cries. I hear the agony of people suffocating, trying to breathe."
Responding to calls, Bonilla said, feels like coming face to face with a monster that's overtaken a patient's body.
"It's almost like the virus is talking to you. As soon as you see a patient, it's like, 'Oh, yeah, this person has the virus,' " she added. "They're pale in the face. Some of them are blue in the lips, blue in the fingers, blue in their toes. They're panting like a dog."
Seeing one patient after another go into cardiac arrest, it's easy to feel helpless, Bonilla said.
"You have just your little tools in your little bag," she said. "Most of our medications — I want to say all of our medications — don't even work on the patient."
This is like 9/11 happening every day.
At the height of the crisis in March, the daily number of 911 calls in New York City skyrocketed, increasing by as much as 50% above the usual call volume, according to city fire department spokesperson Frank Dwyer.
This month, the number of emergency calls has fallen, but Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city's emergency medical service still needs the extra support from all of the ambulances, as well as out-of-state paramedics and EMTs, that FEMA has sent — and will need them through the end of May.
"There's no question that we are not out of the woods yet," de Blasio said during a press conference on Monday.
Vincent Variale, president of the Uniformed EMS Officers Union, Local 3621, which represents some of the city's emergency medical services workers, compares the worst days of the pandemic to some of New York's darkest moments.
"This is like 9/11 happening every day," Variale said.
On Monday, the mayor announced around 18% of the fire department's EMS workforce was out sick, including those diagnosed with COVID-19.
"We were already understaffed to begin with, but now we have more people out sick and we have an increase in the call volume," Variale said. "This is a recipe for disaster."
Don Goepfert, an EMT who recently taught at the city's fire academy, tried to plan ahead with his family before the outbreak hit New York. In March, his wife and three children left their home in Brooklyn to stay with relatives in Pennsylvania, which, Goepfert said, was "not the easiest choice, but the best choice."
"Some people are sleeping in their cars and not even going home or sleeping in the basement where they live," Goepfert said about EMS colleagues who are trying to avoid infecting their families with the coronavirus.
Living alone, though, made Goepfert extra nervous after he came home from a shift and started feeling body aches and his temperature rising. That night, Goepfert said, he made sure to leave the front door unlocked in case EMTs had to get in.
"I had that anxiety in me," he said. "What if I don't make it through the next day? So I was trying to prepare for the worst."
Last week, Goepfert was admitted to a hospital after he was diagnosed recently with COVID-19.
"I'm kind of upset that I'm sick because I want to be out there," Goepfert said. "It's our time to shine and prove to the city that our services are much needed."
For Bonilla, the paramedic, there is some comfort these days at 7 p.m. in the evening, when shut-in New Yorkers open their doors and windows before the sun sets for the city's nightly salute to first responders, hospital staff and other essential workers.
I'm kind of upset that I'm sick because I want to be out there.
Hearing her neighbors show their appreciation by cheering, honking their car horns, banging on pots and shooting off a few fireworks was "very warming" on a recent night off, Bonilla said.
"It's like a battery to your back," she said. "It makes you want to keep going."
That night, her two sons watched the show of appreciation with her from a window in their apartment. It's because of them she's spending most of her time at home inside her bedroom, alone and worried about exposing them to the virus that she and some 4,400 EMS workers with New York City's fire department are dealing with each day.
"We can only wish to spend unlimited time with our family, to have dinner at the table with our family and be able to share movie time and stuff like that with our children," she said. "But we don't have that option. We take it as we can."
When Bonilla has trouble falling asleep, she turns to gospel songs and yoga music.
And in her bedroom, for now, she's still keeping the light on.
NPR science reporter Rebecca Hersher and North Country Public Radio reporter Brian Mann contributed to this report.


npr--2020-04-23--Trump Didn't See It Coming: Coronavirus Deaths Increased Tenfold This Month

Trump Did n't See It Coming : Coronavirus Deaths Increased Tenfold This Month A month ago , President Trump went on Fox and downplayed the potential lethality of the novel coronavirus and compared it to the seasonal flu .
`` We 've had horrible flus , '' Trump said March 24 .
`` I mean , think of it : we average 36,000 people .
Death .
Death .
I 'm not talking about cases , I 'm talking about death — 36,000 deaths a year .
People die — 36 [ thousand ] — from the flu .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the flu .
So you say to yourself , 'What is this all about ? '
'' Trump 's numbers on the flu have come into question , but even by his own cited numbers , there have now been far more deaths from COVID-19 — in less than two months .
As the chart below shows , the curve nationally is hardly flattening by that measure .
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
The United States saw its first documented death from the novel coronavirus Feb. 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump claimed it was Democrats who were `` politicizing '' the coronavirus and said it was `` their new hoax '' to criticize his administration 's response to it .
A week later , the president was touting poll numbers ( that have since receded ) and saying , `` Anybody that wants a test can get a test . ''
( That still is n't close to true . )
A week after that , despite world health officials ' warnings — and a day before it was declared a pandemic — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and urged people to `` stay calm .
It will go away . ''
By Trump 's Fox town hall near the end of March , just 706 Americans had died from the virus and there were just under 54,000 cases .
Since then , the number of Americans who have died from it has gone up 65 times .
In April alone , the number of deaths has gone up almost tenfold , from 4,780 to more than 46,000 , as of Wednesday night .
Trump is now focused on reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and even says he 's encouraged and that `` it 's a beautiful thing . ''
But the reality is that deaths from the coronavirus continue to spike , Trump did n't see it coming , and without the kind of careful reopening advised by health officials , there could be the kind of `` rebound '' that Dr. Anthony Fauci warned about in Wednesday 's briefing .
`` Although I know one has the need to leapfrog over things , do n't do that , '' Fauci , head of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said .
`` Do it in a measured way .
This is a successful formula .
The problem is if we do n't do that , there is a likelihood that we will have a rebound .
The one way not to reopen the economy is to have a rebound that we ca n't take care of . ''
The briefing in brief Here are highlights from Wednesday 's White House coronavirus task force daily briefing : • There 's no such thing as `` coronavirus embers '' : President Trump expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus this fall .
He claimed new cases may appear on a smaller scale .
`` We may have some embers , '' he said , `` and we 're going to put them out . ''
That contradicts Fauci .
`` We will have coronavirus in the fall , I am convinced of that , '' Fauci said , adding , `` Whether or not it 's going to be big or small is going to depend on our response . ''
The fact is : there is no lessened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine or a proven treatment , another outbreak is likely without strict social distancing measures .
• Redfield forced to play cleanup : Robert Redfield , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , addressed comments he made to The Washington Post on Tuesday .
He said that the United States could see an `` even more difficult '' second wave of the coronavirus in the fall when paired with combating the flu .
`` I did n't say that this was going to be worse , '' Redfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` difficult '' versus `` worse . ''
Take in these two quotes : Trump said of Redfield , `` He was misquoted , totally misquoted . ''
( Trump said Redfield was misquoted four times in the briefing . )
Redfield , when asked if he was quoted accurately , responded : `` I 'm accurately quoted in The Washington Post . ''
• Trump says he disagrees with Georgia 's Republican governor : The president voiced his opposition to Gov .
Brian Kemp 's executive order allowing certain businesses to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgians to adhere to his guidance over Kemp 's , praised the governor and touted his own role campaigning for Kemp in 2018 .
Fauci also disagreed with Kemp 's executive order saying , `` If I were advising the governor , I would tell him that he should be careful . ''
Fauci added that he was against Kemp `` going ahead and leapfrogging into phases '' the state was not yet ready for .
Kemp responded later , saying he was going forward .
• Trump repeats false claim on testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4.2 million people .
The rest of the world combined has tested a total of about 18.5 million .
Yet Trump repeated the false claim that the U.S. has tested more than all other countries put together .
`` The testing problem , '' Trump said Wednesday , `` we 've done more than any other nation in the world .
Go a step further .
If you added up the testing of every nation in the world , put 'em together , we 've done substantially more than that .
You people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's true that the U.S. has tested more than any other country , but certainly not all of them combined .
What 's more , the numbers are beside the point .
First , the U.S. was late to testing , allowing the virus to spread farther than it otherwise might have , despite Trump 's boast Wednesday that `` We were so fast . ''
No , the U.S. was n't .
Secondly , 4.2 million is just 1.3 % of the country , hardly enough to feel good about knowing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Carson to lead council focused on supporting black and Hispanic communities : Trump announced that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson will focus his White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council on `` restoring '' black and Hispanic communities hurt by the coronavirus `` to full economic health . ''
Trump added that he plans on asking South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott to assist the council with its efforts .
• Trump denies knowing scientist who says he was removed from key post : Trump denied knowing Rick Bright , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency helping to develop a coronavirus vaccine and claims to have been moved out of his job after he expressed opposition to unproven treatments favored by Trump .
`` If a guy says he was pushed out of a job , maybe he was maybe he was n't , '' Trump said , adding , `` I do n't know who he is . ''
Bright , through his attorneys , said he will request an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services ' inspector general .
Quote of the briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We want to win , we always — we win .
Sometimes we do n't want to win , so we just go to a standstill .
But that 's always , that 's not the way this country works . ''
— Trump , on the country largely being shut down Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks , Study Finds : A new study from Northeastern University finds that placing nylon stocking material over a cloth mask may significantly increase its ability to keep people safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all of the masks , and it brought several of them up and over the baseline mask we were using , which was a 3M surgical-type mask , '' said Loretta Fernandez , a professor at Northeastern .
Reminder : Are We Flattening The Curve ?
States Keep Watch On Coronavirus 'Doubling Times ' : Officials are tracking `` doubling times '' as an indication of when a state 's curve may be beginning to flatten .
The doubling rate refers to the number of days it takes for a state to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths or hospitalizations .
With this measurement , doubling times for New York City COVID-19 cases have gotten longer , reaching eight days , as of April 10 .
READ : Trump Signs Proclamation Temporarily Suspending Immigration : President Trump officially suspended immigration to the United States on Wednesday evening for 60 days , saying it will lessen further economic strain on the country .
`` This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens , '' the president said .

Trump Didn't See It Coming: Coronavirus Deaths Increased Tenfold This Month
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
A month ago, President Trump went on Fox and downplayed the potential lethality of the novel coronavirus and compared it to the seasonal flu.
"We've had horrible flus," Trump said March 24. "I mean, think of it: we average 36,000 people. Death. Death. I'm not talking about cases, I'm talking about death — 36,000 deaths a year. People die — 36 [thousand] — from the flu. But we've never closed down the country for the flu. So you say to yourself, 'What is this all about?'"
Trump's numbers on the flu have come into question, but even by his own cited numbers, there have now been far more deaths from COVID-19 — in less than two months. As the chart below shows, the curve nationally is hardly flattening by that measure.
Loading...
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
The United States saw its first documented death from the novel coronavirus Feb. 29, though new data suggest that the first death may have been weeks earlier. The day before that Feb. 29 death, Trump claimed it was Democrats who were "politicizing" the coronavirus and said it was "their new hoax" to criticize his administration's response to it.
A week later, the president was touting poll numbers (that have since receded) and saying, "Anybody that wants a test can get a test." (That still isn't close to true.)
A week after that, despite world health officials' warnings — and a day before it was declared a pandemic — Trump was calling the outbreak "unexpected" and urged people to "stay calm. It will go away."
By Trump's Fox town hall near the end of March, just 706 Americans had died from the virus and there were just under 54,000 cases. Since then, the number of Americans who have died from it has gone up 65 times.
In April alone, the number of deaths has gone up almost tenfold, from 4,780 to more than 46,000, as of Wednesday night.
Trump is now focused on reopening — without implementing a national testing plan — and even says he's encouraged and that "it's a beautiful thing."
But the reality is that deaths from the coronavirus continue to spike, Trump didn't see it coming, and without the kind of careful reopening advised by health officials, there could be the kind of "rebound" that Dr. Anthony Fauci warned about in Wednesday's briefing.
"Although I know one has the need to leapfrog over things, don't do that," Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said. "Do it in a measured way. This is a successful formula. The problem is if we don't do that, there is a likelihood that we will have a rebound. The one way not to reopen the economy is to have a rebound that we can't take care of."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
The briefing in brief
Here are highlights from Wednesday's White House coronavirus task force daily briefing:
There's no such thing as "coronavirus embers": President Trump expressed doubt about a potential serious second wave of the coronavirus this fall. He claimed new cases may appear on a smaller scale. "We may have some embers," he said, "and we're going to put them out." That contradicts Fauci. "We will have coronavirus in the fall, I am convinced of that," Fauci said, adding, "Whether or not it's going to be big or small is going to depend on our response." The fact is: there is no lessened version of this virus. And without a vaccine or a proven treatment, another outbreak is likely without strict social distancing measures.
Redfield forced to play cleanup: Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressed comments he made to The Washington Post on Tuesday. He said that the United States could see an "even more difficult" second wave of the coronavirus in the fall when paired with combating the flu. "I didn't say that this was going to be worse," Redfield said on Wednesday. You can parse "difficult" versus "worse." Take in these two quotes: Trump said of Redfield, "He was misquoted, totally misquoted." (Trump said Redfield was misquoted four times in the briefing.) Redfield, when asked if he was quoted accurately, responded: "I'm accurately quoted in The Washington Post."
Trump says he disagrees with Georgia's Republican governor: The president voiced his opposition to Gov. Brian Kemp's executive order allowing certain businesses to reopen Friday. Trump later refrained from advising Georgians to adhere to his guidance over Kemp's, praised the governor and touted his own role campaigning for Kemp in 2018. Fauci also disagreed with Kemp's executive order saying, "If I were advising the governor, I would tell him that he should be careful." Fauci added that he was against Kemp "going ahead and leapfrogging into phases" the state was not yet ready for. Kemp responded later, saying he was going forward.
Trump repeats false claim on testing: The United States has tested about 4.2 million people. The rest of the world combined has tested a total of about 18.5 million. Yet Trump repeated the false claim that the U.S. has tested more than all other countries put together. "The testing problem," Trump said Wednesday, "we've done more than any other nation in the world. Go a step further. If you added up the testing of every nation in the world, put 'em together, we've done substantially more than that. You people aren't satisfied."
It's true that the U.S. has tested more than any other country, but certainly not all of them combined. What's more, the numbers are beside the point. First, the U.S. was late to testing, allowing the virus to spread farther than it otherwise might have, despite Trump's boast Wednesday that "We were so fast." No, the U.S. wasn't. Secondly, 4.2 million is just 1.3% of the country, hardly enough to feel good about knowing the breadth of the spread of the virus.
Carson to lead council focused on supporting black and Hispanic communities: Trump announced that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson will focus his White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council on "restoring" black and Hispanic communities hurt by the coronavirus "to full economic health." Trump added that he plans on asking South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott to assist the council with its efforts.
Trump denies knowing scientist who says he was removed from key post: Trump denied knowing Rick Bright, who was previously in charge of a key agency helping to develop a coronavirus vaccine and claims to have been moved out of his job after he expressed opposition to unproven treatments favored by Trump. "If a guy says he was pushed out of a job, maybe he was maybe he wasn't," Trump said, adding, "I don't know who he is." Bright, through his attorneys, said he will request an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general.
Quote of the briefing
"We win, and we win. We want to win, we always — we win. Sometimes we don't want to win, so we just go to a standstill. But that's always, that's not the way this country works."
— Trump, on the country largely being shut down
Other key coronavirus stories from NPR
Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds: A new study from Northeastern University finds that placing nylon stocking material over a cloth mask may significantly increase its ability to keep people safe. "It really improved the performance of all of the masks, and it brought several of them up and over the baseline mask we were using, which was a 3M surgical-type mask," said Loretta Fernandez, a professor at Northeastern.
Reminder: Are We Flattening The Curve? States Keep Watch On Coronavirus 'Doubling Times': Officials are tracking "doubling times'' as an indication of when a state's curve may be beginning to flatten. The doubling rate refers to the number of days it takes for a state to match its amount of coronavirus cases, deaths or hospitalizations. With this measurement, doubling times for New York City COVID-19 cases have gotten longer, reaching eight days, as of April 10.
READ: Trump Signs Proclamation Temporarily Suspending Immigration: President Trump officially suspended immigration to the United States on Wednesday evening for 60 days, saying it will lessen further economic strain on the country. "This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," the president said.


npr--2020-04-23--Ramadan, A Month About Community For Many Muslims, Goes Virtual

Ramadan , A Month About Community For Many Muslims , Goes Virtual In their tiny apartment just outside Minneapolis , Sarah Alfaham directs her husband Mohamed Ahmed to hold up the gold curtains she picked up at Walmart .
`` I like it , '' she says .
With thumbtacks , string and dowels , Alfaham fashions a canopy in the corner of their living room with a homemade navy blue and gold `` Ramadan Mubarak '' sign underneath .
On the floor is a prayer rug .
`` It 's just really creating a mosque feel inside your house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how else to do it , '' she says with a laugh .
In the midst of this pandemic , congregational prayer at mosques is canceled as Ramadan begins Thursday night .
Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for the month .
While Ramadan for Muslims is about sacrifice , connecting to God and charity , so much of the month is also about gathering — to pray , to eat and to give to those in need .
So now people like Alfaham are adapting their traditions to figure out how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of a community potluck with friends , they 're doing a card exchange in the mail .
And she and her husband will do their prayers individually at home and watch lectures from a mosque they like online .
Alfaham says it has n't really sunk in that Ramadan will be different , especially without the late-night prayers she 'd usually do at the mosque on the weekends .
`` You stay up all night with your friends and then you read Quran and then you hang out and you go and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
`` I think the biggest change right now will be not feeling that community feel at night .
That 's going to be a change for us for sure . ''
Alfaham does n't like the idea of virtual iftars or the `` break of a fast . ''
`` I feel like it 's awkward to eat and be hungry in front of a camera , '' she says .
So instead she 's trying to bring that festive Ramadan feel to her household of two .
An Afghan friend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the secret recipe for her family 's Qabuli Palau , a rice dish with meat broth that Alfaham loves .
`` I 've heard it takes people four hours to make .
So I 'm planning to buy a lamb this weekend and I want to make that and share photos .
That 's going to be my special feeling that it 's Ramadan , '' Alfaham says .
`` Mohamed is Somali and I 'm Syrian , so he knows it 's Ramadan when it 's time to make Sambusas . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're making the fried meat dumplings together .
She 's also planning to make the damascene milk soup with orange blossom water , something she learned from her mother , who learned how to make it from her mother .
All the extra effort is to make up for the grief she feels about that loss of normalcy .
A grief that will feel more acute during Ramadan .
Gone are things like the occasional predawn meal at a 24-hour breakfast spot like IHOP .
That 's become tradition for a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families and individuals are making the same calculations .
Mosques and other Muslim organizations are taking their programming online , many are having drive-through iftars for people who depend on the mosque for the daily meal .
For the vulnerable in some communities , volunteers are delivering food boxes to homes .
Annual fundraisers are also moving online as well as other Ramadan events — from classes about empowered women in Islam to Black Iftar , which started in 2018 to uplift black Muslims and their friends .
The website , which reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ format , same intention , '' references the current year in the Islamic calendar .
In Minneapolis , the mayor is even granting a noise permit so that in one neighborhood residents will hear the call to prayer or adhan broadcast from a loudspeaker .
While praying apart people can feel together .
But online and tele-programming for Muslims in the U.S. is a pretty long tradition , especially in communities that feel marginalized within mainstream Muslim spaces or are far away from other Muslims .
That 's because they are minority communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ethnicities with varying practices , says Su'ad Abdul Khabeer , an associate professor of American Culture and Arab and Muslim American Studies at the University of Michigan .
`` There are certain things and ways that people have been communicating that have n't been in-person that have already existed , '' Abdul Khabeer says .
Like dedicated phone lines for prayer in black Muslim communities or people listening to lectures on the radio , tapes , then CDs and now by web streaming .
`` Yes , things are different and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that now , '' Abdul Khabeer says .
`` But for many groups , particularly groups that are marginalized socially , politically , culturally there has always been a need to have ways to be in relation with each other when you ca n't actually be in the same place . ''
The website she founded , Sapelo Square , will continue the online Ramadan Reflections series that amplifies the black Muslim experience .
Abdul Khabeer and her team had plans to hold a big fundraiser in May to commemorate Malcolm X 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Square .
Instead she 's going to make it a Zoom call filled with hip hop artists , poets , singers , jazz and and maybe even a DJ .
She 'll take precautions to try not to get `` Zoombombed . ''
Already a few online Muslim events have been disrupted with racial slurs , hate speech and porn .
The same has happened with Jewish community events , including funerals .
Organizations such as Muslim Advocates held a seminar and put out a fact sheet on how to keep virtual events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commemoration next month will bring joy at a time of difficulty and grief for so many .
In New York City , at least 60 people from Imam Khalid Latif 's community at the Islamic Center at NYU have died or lost loved ones because of COVID-19 .
Others are sick and so many have lost their means of income .
So the focus during Ramadan will be to help with a fundraising campaign .
`` As a community , we 're coming together on what our religion asks us to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latif says .
`` I think of ethics and social equity and to just simply do what we can to help others in their time of need . ''
And what he 's most worried about is loneliness .
Already , he says , New York is a city of solitude .
So not only is programming going online , he and his colleagues are reaching out to people individually to check on them .
They 're encouraging others to do the same to help people keep that spiritual connection and stave of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says his 4-year-old son looked up and told his parents , `` I wish I could just go outside and touch someone . ''
`` My heart was full and my heart broke at the same time , because I could feel this somberness in him .
And he 's with us , '' Latif says .
`` There are so many people right now who are stuck in places where they 're alone .
Or they might have been in the solitude for the last few weeks with somebody who 's abusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the entire premise of our community is that we seek to build it in a way where nobody has to feel as if they 're by themselves or they have to go through anything on their own . ''

Ramadan, A Month About Community For Many Muslims, Goes Virtual
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Sarah Alfaham Courtesy of Sarah Alfaham
In their tiny apartment just outside Minneapolis, Sarah Alfaham directs her husband Mohamed Ahmed to hold up the gold curtains she picked up at Walmart.
She takes a look.
"I like it," she says.
With thumbtacks, string and dowels, Alfaham fashions a canopy in the corner of their living room with a homemade navy blue and gold "Ramadan Mubarak" sign underneath. On the floor is a prayer rug.
"It's just really creating a mosque feel inside your house in a sense. I don't know how else to do it," she says with a laugh.
In the midst of this pandemic, congregational prayer at mosques is canceled as Ramadan begins Thursday night. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for the month.
While Ramadan for Muslims is about sacrifice, connecting to God and charity, so much of the month is also about gathering — to pray, to eat and to give to those in need. So now people like Alfaham are adapting their traditions to figure out how to feel together while staying apart. Instead of a community potluck with friends, they're doing a card exchange in the mail. And she and her husband will do their prayers individually at home and watch lectures from a mosque they like online.
Alfaham says it hasn't really sunk in that Ramadan will be different, especially without the late-night prayers she'd usually do at the mosque on the weekends.
"You stay up all night with your friends and then you read Quran and then you hang out and you go and do some more prayers," she says. "I think the biggest change right now will be not feeling that community feel at night. That's going to be a change for us for sure."
Alfaham doesn't like the idea of virtual iftars or the "break of a fast."
"I feel like it's awkward to eat and be hungry in front of a camera," she says.
So instead she's trying to bring that festive Ramadan feel to her household of two. An Afghan friend is doing a food blog and shared the secret recipe for her family's Qabuli Palau, a rice dish with meat broth that Alfaham loves.
"I've heard it takes people four hours to make. So I'm planning to buy a lamb this weekend and I want to make that and share photos. That's going to be my special feeling that it's Ramadan," Alfaham says. "Mohamed is Somali and I'm Syrian, so he knows it's Ramadan when it's time to make Sambusas."
Alfaham bought an air fryer and they're making the fried meat dumplings together. She's also planning to make the damascene milk soup with orange blossom water, something she learned from her mother, who learned how to make it from her mother.
All the extra effort is to make up for the grief she feels about that loss of normalcy. A grief that will feel more acute during Ramadan.
Gone are things like the occasional predawn meal at a 24-hour breakfast spot like IHOP. That's become tradition for a lot of Muslims in the U.S.
Across the country families and individuals are making the same calculations. Mosques and other Muslim organizations are taking their programming online, many are having drive-through iftars for people who depend on the mosque for the daily meal. For the vulnerable in some communities, volunteers are delivering food boxes to homes. Annual fundraisers are also moving online as well as other Ramadan events — from classes about empowered women in Islam to Black Iftar, which started in 2018 to uplift black Muslims and their friends. The website, which reads "ramadan 1441. new year, new format, same intention," references the current year in the Islamic calendar.
In Minneapolis, the mayor is even granting a noise permit so that in one neighborhood residents will hear the call to prayer or adhan broadcast from a loudspeaker. While praying apart people can feel together.
But online and tele-programming for Muslims in the U.S. is a pretty long tradition, especially in communities that feel marginalized within mainstream Muslim spaces or are far away from other Muslims. That's because they are minority communities made up of so many different races and ethnicities with varying practices, says Su'ad Abdul Khabeer, an associate professor of American Culture and Arab and Muslim American Studies at the University of Michigan.
"There are certain things and ways that people have been communicating that haven't been in-person that have already existed," Abdul Khabeer says.
Like dedicated phone lines for prayer in black Muslim communities or people listening to lectures on the radio, tapes, then CDs and now by web streaming.
"Yes, things are different and I think a lot more people are doing that now," Abdul Khabeer says. "But for many groups, particularly groups that are marginalized socially, politically, culturally there has always been a need to have ways to be in relation with each other when you can't actually be in the same place."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Alfaham/Sarah Alfaham Sarah Alfaham/Sarah Alfaham
The website she founded, Sapelo Square, will continue the online Ramadan Reflections series that amplifies the black Muslim experience. Abdul Khabeer and her team had plans to hold a big fundraiser in May to commemorate Malcolm X's birthday and the fifth anniversary of Sapelo Square. Instead she's going to make it a Zoom call filled with hip hop artists, poets, singers, jazz and and maybe even a DJ.
She'll take precautions to try not to get "Zoombombed." Already a few online Muslim events have been disrupted with racial slurs, hate speech and porn. The same has happened with Jewish community events, including funerals. Organizations such as Muslim Advocates held a seminar and put out a fact sheet on how to keep virtual events safe during Ramadan.
Abdul Khabeer hopes the commemoration next month will bring joy at a time of difficulty and grief for so many.
In New York City, at least 60 people from Imam Khalid Latif's community at the Islamic Center at NYU have died or lost loved ones because of COVID-19. Others are sick and so many have lost their means of income. So the focus during Ramadan will be to help with a fundraising campaign.
"As a community, we're coming together on what our religion asks us to [do]. Real principles," Latif says. "I think of ethics and social equity and to just simply do what we can to help others in their time of need."
And what he's most worried about is loneliness. Already, he says, New York is a city of solitude. So not only is programming going online, he and his colleagues are reaching out to people individually to check on them. They're encouraging others to do the same to help people keep that spiritual connection and stave of the loneliness.
At dinner recently Latif says his 4-year-old son looked up and told his parents, "I wish I could just go outside and touch someone."
"My heart was full and my heart broke at the same time, because I could feel this somberness in him. And he's with us," Latif says. "There are so many people right now who are stuck in places where they're alone. Or they might have been in the solitude for the last few weeks with somebody who's abusive...That to me becomes a concern because the entire premise of our community is that we seek to build it in a way where nobody has to feel as if they're by themselves or they have to go through anything on their own."


npr--2020-04-23--How Will Chief Justice And Supreme Court Conservative Majority Affect 2020 Election?

How Will Chief Justice And Supreme Court Conservative Majority Affect 2020 Election ?
The U.S. Supreme Court is no stranger to controversy , but it still gets higher marks in public opinion polls than the other branches of government .
Now though , for the first time in memory , the court is not just split along ideological lines , but along political lines as well : All the conservatives are Republican appointees , all the liberals Democratic appointees .
That division could put the court in the crosshairs of public opinion if it is forced to make decisions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Roberts has worked hard to persuade the public that the justices are fair-minded legal umpires -- not politicians in robes .
That image got pretty scuffed up earlier this month when the conservative court majority shot down accommodations for the coronavirus that would have allowed six more days for absentee ballots to be received in Wisconsin 's election for 500 school board seats , over 100 judicial seats , and thousands of other state and local positions .
In the weeks leading up to the election , the COVID-19 pandemic had become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local officials , about a million more voters than usual requested absentee ballots , and local officials were unable to keep up with the surge .
To mitigate that problem , the lower courts allowed an extra six days for election officials to receive completed absentee ballots .
But the day before the election , the Supreme Court overturned the lower court ruling by a 5-to-4 vote .
The result was that tens of thousands of people who had not yet even received their absentee ballots were forced to , as the dissenters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their right to vote .
The TV footage of people wearing masks waiting for hours to vote at the very few precincts that were open amid the pandemic was , to say the least , not a good look .
Health officials in Milwaukee have since identified six voters and one poll worker who appear to have contracted the virus during the election .
The majority opinion was unsigned , so no one knows who the principal author was .
But we do know some things .
First , the emergency appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assigned to that region of the country , Brett Kavanaugh .
Typically , when a justice refers a case to the full court , he or she writes a memo about the issues , likely with a recommendation .
Kavanaugh almost certainly did that .
But other justices would then chime in .
And in a voting case , Chief Justice Roberts assuredly would have played a pivotal role .
`` John Roberts ' fingerprints are on this as chief justice and as someone who has owned this area of the law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court biographer and CNN legal analyst who is the author of a critically acclaimed biography about Roberts .
Indeed , Roberts was invested in voting-rights law as far back as 1982 when he was a staffer in the Reagan administration .
Back then , he led the effort to narrow the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act .
When that failed , President Reagan signed the broad extension of the law , rejecting advice to veto it .
But years later , on the Supreme Court , Roberts wrote the decision in Shelby County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that law .
So , it was no surprise when the conservative majority refused to make even a modest accommodation to the pandemic .
What was surprising was the tone of the opinion .
Critics of the opinion , including some Roberts defenders , called the language `` callous , '' `` cynical , '' and `` unfortunate . ''
In fact , the word `` pandemic '' appears not once in the court 's unsigned opinion .
Rather , the majority sought to portray the issue before the court as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The majority said the lower court had overstepped the Supreme Court 's established rule that courts should `` ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election . ''
The dissenters replied that the court 's treatment of the current situation as ordinary `` boggles the mind . ''
Writing for the dissenters , Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg opined that `` a voter can not deliver ... a ballot she has not yet received .
Yet tens of thousands of voters who timely requested absentee ballots '' are being asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do think there 's something to this idea that we need to stick with the rules even in the context of an emergency , '' says law professor Rick Hasen , an election expert at the University of California , Irvine .
He and others see the legal question before the court as a close call , but say the decision was , at the very least , tone deaf in light of the reality of a pandemic .
Hasen says that the court could have recognized `` the inhumanity of making people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that instead the tone of the opinion was `` really dismissive of the entire threat facing these voters . ''
Chief Justice Roberts has , on some occasions tried to bridge the two wings of the court , in a couple of big cases siding with the court 's liberals , or sometimes trying to fashion a compromise .
But as Hasen observes , `` there really is not any case I can think of involving elections where Roberts has forged a larger consensus . ''
Roberts must have anticipated at least some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is , after all , an astute political observer .
But as any student of the court knows , Roberts is a reliable , and often leading member of the conservative majority when it comes to a whole host of issues involving campaigns , voting and elections .
That includes decisions he has written striking down laws aimed at limiting the role of big money in campaigns and decisions upholding partisan gerrymanders .
Moreover voting rights in particular `` is an area of the law where John Roberts has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Biskupic , his biographer .
For the chief , says Biskupic , `` It 's not just voting rights .
It 's a broader overlay of representation '' in his decisions , a pattern that `` often will favor Republicans , but more fundamentally , it seems to favor entrenched powers , the status quo in many states , against ordinary citizens .
And we certainly saw that in Wisconsin . ''
Uncertainties around COVID-19 remain , with states facing decisions about when to reopen and what size of public gatherings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those decisions could affect the 2020 election .
Who gets to vote , when , and how , are unanswered questions and states are surely exploring different plans to keep voters safe .
But Roberts ' Supreme Court may be the ultimate arbiter of what changes and accommodations to voting are allowed .
The majority opinion `` tried to tell the public that this was a very small decision , '' says Biskupic .
`` But as the dissent pointed out , it laid down a very serious marker about how voters will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus crisis . ''

How Will Chief Justice And Supreme Court Conservative Majority Affect 2020 Election?
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The U.S. Supreme Court is no stranger to controversy, but it still gets higher marks in public opinion polls than the other branches of government. Now though, for the first time in memory, the court is not just split along ideological lines, but along political lines as well: All the conservatives are Republican appointees, all the liberals Democratic appointees. That division could put the court in the crosshairs of public opinion if it is forced to make decisions that affect the 2020 election.
Chief Justice John Roberts has worked hard to persuade the public that the justices are fair-minded legal umpires — not politicians in robes. That image got pretty scuffed up earlier this month when the conservative court majority shot down accommodations for the coronavirus that would have allowed six more days for absentee ballots to be received in Wisconsin's election for 500 school board seats, over 100 judicial seats and thousands of other state and local positions.
In the weeks leading up to the election, the COVID-19 pandemic had become a public health crisis. Encouraged by local officials, about a million more voters than usual requested absentee ballots, and local officials were unable to keep up with the surge. To mitigate that problem, the lower courts allowed an extra six days for election officials to receive completed absentee ballots.
But the day before the election, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court ruling by a 5-to-4 vote. The result was that tens of thousands of people who had not yet even received their absentee ballots were forced to, as the dissenters put it, choose between their health and their right to vote.
The TV footage of people wearing masks waiting for hours to vote at the very few precincts that were open amid the pandemic was, to say the least, not a good look. Health officials in Milwaukee have since identified six voters and one poll worker who appear to have contracted the virus during the election.
The majority opinion was unsigned, so no one knows who the principal author was. But we do know some things.
First, the emergency appeal in the case came through the justice assigned to that region of the country, Brett Kavanaugh. Typically, when a justice refers a case to the full court, he or she writes a memo about the issues, likely with a recommendation. Kavanaugh almost certainly did that. But other justices would then chime in. And in a voting case, Chief Justice Roberts assuredly would have played a pivotal role.
"John Roberts' fingerprints are on this as chief justice and as someone who has owned this area of the law," says Joan Biskupic, a Supreme Court biographer and CNN legal analyst who is the author of a critically acclaimed biography about Roberts.
Indeed, Roberts was invested in voting-rights law as far back as 1982 when he was a staffer in the Reagan administration. Back then, he led the effort to narrow the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. When that failed, President Reagan signed the broad extension of the law, rejecting advice to veto it. But years later, on the Supreme Court, Roberts wrote the decision in Shelby County v. Holder, gutting a key provision of that law.
So, it was no surprise when the conservative majority refused to make even a modest accommodation to the pandemic. What was surprising was the tone of the opinion. Critics of the opinion, including some Roberts defenders, called the language "callous," "cynical" and "unfortunate."
In fact, the word "pandemic" appears not once in the court's unsigned opinion. Rather, the majority sought to portray the issue before the court as a "narrow, technical question." The majority said the lower court had overstepped the Supreme Court's established rule that courts should "ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election."
The dissenters replied that the court's treatment of the current situation as ordinary "boggles the mind." Writing for the dissenters, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg opined that "a voter cannot deliver...a ballot she has not yet received. Yet tens of thousands of voters who timely requested absentee ballots" are being asked to do just that.
"I do think there's something to this idea that we need to stick with the rules even in the context of an emergency," says law professor Rick Hasen, an election expert at the University of California, Irvine.
He and others see the legal question before the court as a close call, but say the decision was, at the very least, tone deaf in light of the reality of a pandemic.
Hasen says that the court could have recognized "the inhumanity of making people vote in this way," but that instead the tone of the opinion was "really dismissive of the entire threat facing these voters."
Chief Justice Roberts has, on some occasions tried to bridge the two wings of the court, in a couple of big cases siding with the court's liberals, or sometimes trying to fashion a compromise. But as Hasen observes, "there really is not any case I can think of involving elections where Roberts has forged a larger consensus."
Roberts must have anticipated at least some of the outcry over the Wisconsin decision. He is, after all, an astute political observer.
But as any student of the court knows, Roberts is a reliable, and often leading member of the conservative majority when it comes to a whole host of issues involving campaigns, voting and elections. That includes decisions he has written striking down laws aimed at limiting the role of big money in campaigns and decisions upholding partisan gerrymanders. Moreover, voting rights in particular "is an area of the law where John Roberts has not been deterred by anticipated public criticism," says Biskupic, his biographer.
For the chief, says Biskupic, "It's not just voting rights. It's a broader overlay of representation" in his decisions, a pattern that "often will favor Republicans, but more fundamentally, it seems to favor entrenched powers, the status quo in many states, against ordinary citizens. And we certainly saw that in Wisconsin."
Uncertainties around COVID-19 remain, with states facing decisions about when to reopen and what size of public gatherings are safe. As November inches closer, those decisions could affect the 2020 election. Who gets to vote, when, and how, are unanswered questions and states are surely exploring different plans to keep voters safe. But Roberts' Supreme Court may be the ultimate arbiter of what changes and accommodations to voting are allowed.
The majority opinion "tried to tell the public that this was a very small decision," says Biskupic. "But as the dissent pointed out, it laid down a very serious marker about how voters will be accommodated in the middle of the coronavirus crisis."


npr--2020-04-23--Several Dead, Dozens Injured, As Tornadoes Hit Oklahoma, Texas

Updated at 2:30 a.m .
ET At least four people have been killed and as many as 30 injured in tornadoes that swept through Oklahoma and Texas early Wednesday evening .
At about 5:30 p.m. local time ( 6:30 p.m .
ET ) , a tornado touched down near the town of Onalaska , in southeast Texas , about 75 miles north of Houston , and moved through neighboring Seven Oaks , cutting a path of destruction that included downed trees and damaged homes .
Polk County Emergency Management reports that search and rescue crews had recovered three bodies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the storm .
About a half-hour before the storm in Texas , another tornado hit the town of Madill , in south-central Oklahoma .
One person was killed there , Marshall County Emergency Management Director Robert Chaney was quoted by The Associated Press as saying .
He said the body was found about a quarter-mile from a J & I Manufacturing trailer plant , which was also damaged in the storm .
Local media , however , reported two deaths in Madill .
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,300 customers in the town were left without electricity .
The tornadoes were among a series of west-to-east moving storms that hit Oklahoma and Texas Wednesday afternoon and evening , according to Channel 9 News in Oklahoma City .

Several Dead, Dozens Injured In Tornadoes That Swept Through South Central U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thomas Marcum/AP Thomas Marcum/AP
Updated at 10:46 a.m. ET
Tornadoes swept through parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana early Wednesday evening, leaving at least six people dead and injuring more than two dozen others in their paths of destruction. The tornadoes were among a series of severe storms that bulldozed a route west to east across the South on Wednesday.
The havoc turned deadly around 5 p.m. local time in the town of Madill, in southern Oklahoma, where extreme storms loosed a tornado that tossed vehicles and damaged dozens of buildings throughout the area. Robert Chaney, director of Marshall County's emergency management, also told reporters that two people died in the town.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said that, as of 7 p.m. local time, more than 7,100 customers across the state had been left without electricity.
Just about an hour after the tornado in Madill touched down, the same storm system also deposited a deadly tornado near the town of Onalaska in southeast Texas, about 75 miles north of Houston.
Polk County Emergency Management officials said overnight that the tornado cut a swath through more than a dozen neighborhoods in and around Onalaska on Wednesday evening, leaving at least three people dead and up to 30 injured.
"It did significant damage," Charles Roeseler of the National Weather Service told Houston Public Media's Davis Land. "It did of course knock down trees, power lines; dozens of mobile homes were overturned."
Roeseler also noted that emergency officials are dealing with a "brand-new world" wrought by the response to the coronavirus — which means keeping a safe distance, even as they try to sort out the damage from the storms.
"Normally we would meet with emergency management and tour the sites together," he explained. "Now we'll be asking where the sites are, going up and trying to find our way and following them, and keeping our distance that way."
TORNADO DAMAGE in Onalaska. Polk County OEM says at least 10 people injured. #abc13 pic.twitter.com/RHZ6JZPqMB — Jessica Willey (@ImJessicaWilley) April 23, 2020
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement released Wednesday night that officials with at least half a dozen different groups are involved in the state's response.
"Our hearts are with our fellow Texans tonight," he said, "and the state will continue to do everything it can to support those affected by this severe weather."
Central Louisiana also felt the deadly effects of Wednesday's storms. The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office told local news station KALB that at least one woman died in the severe weather over the town of Woodworth, about 80 miles north of Lafayette.
Louisiana State University of Alexandria, which neighbors Woodworth, also suffered some structural damage and power loss in the storms — though the school announced overnight that all student residents appeared to be safe.


npr--2020-04-22--Montana Governor Announces Phased Reopening Plan

Saying his state has flattened the curve of coronavirus spread , Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock on Wednesday released a plan outlining how churches , businesses and schools can open their doors again over the next three weeks .
But significantly for this tourism-dependent state , a 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors remains , with an exemption for those visiting for work .
With fewer than 450 lab-confirmed cases among its 1.09 million residents Montana has one of the lowest case rates in the country .
`` While there is reason for optimism this is no time to celebrate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to continue to ask Montanans to continue to go to great lengths to protect one another . ''
Montana is one of a few states where the rate of new cases appears to be flat or declining in the last two past weeks , a key benchmark in guidelines laid out by the White House last Thursday for states to begin to reopen .
More than half of Montana 's COVID-19 patients have recovered , and the county with the state 's highest number of infections had only three active cases Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to test anyone showing COVID-19 symptoms and trace contacts of known cases , and the capacity to treat all people seeking health care .
`` Now that the data show effective and sustained containment and control of the virus '' hospitals will resume elective procedures , said Montana Hospital Association CEO Rich Rasmussen .
But he said hospitals and health departments still find it challenging to secure supplies like testing materials and personal protective equipment .
Phase one of Montana 's plan starts Sunday with people being allowed to gather in groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being required to keep six feet apart and minimize nonessential travel .
Churches will be allowed to reopen Sunday as long as they have the capacity to maintain six feet of distance between family groups , who will be allowed to sit together .
On Monday retail business can reopen if employers conduct worker health assessments at the start of shifts and have plans to reduce contact between customers and staff .
Other businesses are encouraged to continue telework and stagger shifts .
Dine-in restaurants and bars wo n't reopen until May 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at half capacity , close by 11:30 p.m. and design plans to spread patrons apart .
Local school boards can also allow students to return to classrooms May 7 if they wish , or continue remote learning .
There 's no timeline for the state to move beyond phase one .
Montana 's next two phases continue to gradually increase allowable group sizes and reopen businesses like gyms and child care centers with social distancing requirements .
The last phase calls for senior care facilities to allow visitors .
Bullock said an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerge from their homes but he shied away from saying what it would take for him to reimpose a statewide stay-at-home order .
The governor is a two-term Democrat running to unseat Montana 's Republican Sen. Steve Daines .
Bullock has been accused by state GOP leaders of not taking economic disruption caused by his March 26 stay at home order seriously enough .

Montana Governor Announces Phased Reopening Plan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP Jose Luis Magana/AP
Saying his state has flattened the curve of coronavirus spread, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Wednesday released a plan outlining how churches, businesses and schools can open their doors again over the next three weeks.
But significantly for this tourism-dependent state, a 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors remains, with an exemption for those visiting for work.
With fewer than 450 lab-confirmed cases among its 1.09 million residents Montana has one of the lowest case rates in the country.
"While there is reason for optimism this is no time to celebrate," Bullock said. "I'm going to continue to ask Montanans to continue to go to great lengths to protect one another."
Montana is one of a few states where the rate of new cases appears to be flat or declining in the last two past weeks, a key benchmark in guidelines laid out by the White House last Thursday for states to begin to reopen.
More than half of Montana's COVID-19 patients have recovered, and the county with the state's highest number of infections had only three active cases Wednesday.
Bullock says Montana now has the ability to test anyone showing COVID-19 symptoms and trace contacts of known cases, and the capacity to treat all people seeking health care.
"Now that the data show effective and sustained containment and control of the virus" hospitals will resume elective procedures, said Montana Hospital Association CEO Rich Rasmussen. But he said hospitals and health departments still find it challenging to secure supplies like testing materials and personal protective equipment.
Phase one of Montana's plan starts Sunday with people being allowed to gather in groups of 10 or fewer, but otherwise being required to keep six feet apart and minimize nonessential travel. Churches will be allowed to reopen Sunday as long as they have the capacity to maintain six feet of distance between family groups, who will be allowed to sit together.
On Monday retail business can reopen if employers conduct worker health assessments at the start of shifts and have plans to reduce contact between customers and staff. Other businesses are encouraged to continue telework and stagger shifts.
Dine-in restaurants and bars won't reopen until May 4. They'll be required to operate at half capacity, close by 11:30 p.m. and design plans to spread patrons apart.
Local school boards can also allow students to return to classrooms May 7 if they wish, or continue remote learning.
There's no timeline for the state to move beyond phase one. Montana's next two phases continue to gradually increase allowable group sizes and reopen businesses like gyms and child care centers with social distancing requirements. The last phase calls for senior care facilities to allow visitors.
Bullock said an increase in new cases is expected as people emerge from their homes but he shied away from saying what it would take for him to reimpose a statewide stay-at-home order.
The governor is a two-term Democrat running to unseat Montana's Republican Sen. Steve Daines. Bullock has been accused by state GOP leaders of not taking economic disruption caused by his March 26 stay at home order seriously enough.