npr--2020-07-27--Brazil's Bolsonaro Is Accused Of Crime Against Humanity Over Coronavirus 'Neglect'

Brazil 's Bolsonaro Is Accused Of Crime Against Humanity Over Coronavirus 'Neglect' Front-line health workers and senior clerics in Brazil are adding their voices to the chorus of alarm about President Jair Bolsonaro 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
With more than 87,000 deaths and 2.4 million registered infections so far , Brazil has suffered more cases than any other country except the United States .
An umbrella group of unions and social organizations representing more than 1 million Brazilian medical professionals have filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court in The Hague , Netherlands , accusing Bolsonaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reacting to the outbreak with `` contempt , neglect and denial . ''
Meanwhile , 152 Catholic bishops in Brazil have signed an open letter stating that the Bolsonaro administration is incapable of handling the `` perfect storm '' created by the combination of an `` unprecedented health crisis , overwhelming economic collapse '' and `` tensions '' between key institutions of state .
The bishops ' letter warns that Brazil is facing looming `` socioeconomic chaos '' and criticizes the government for the `` systematic '' use of `` unscientific arguments ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing thousands , and to treat this as if it was an accident or divine punishment . ''
The outbreak in Brazil has recently stabilized in some areas — including the most populous state , São Paulo , where the largest number of deaths has occurred .
Yet cases are rising in 10 of the country 's 26 states and , for almost nine weeks , the nationwide average daily death toll has remained above 1,000 .
Despite those developments , governors and mayors are gradually loosening isolation restrictions in many towns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic damage .
The complaint to the ICC , by Brazil 's UNISaúde network , accuses Bolsonaro of intensifying the pandemic by repeatedly opposing social isolation measures .
His conduct is increasingly mirrored by the Brazilian public , who — mostly without masks — crowded the beaches of Rio de Janeiro this weekend .
The complaint also cites Bolsonaro 's `` adamant insistence '' on the use of the anti-malarial medicines , chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine .
Multiple scientific studies show these are ineffective against COVID-19 .
NPR contacted the president 's media office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was referred to the attorney general 's department , which said that it would respond only after hearing from the ICC .
Mounting international condemnation has done little to persuade Bolsonaro to change his views about what he once dismissed as a `` little flu . ''
He argues that almost every Brazilian will eventually contract COVID-19 , that the great majority will suffer mild symptoms , and that shutting down Brazil 's economy does more harm than the virus itself .
The 65-year-old Bolsonaro can now claim firsthand experience of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he announced live on Brazilian TV that he had contracted the virus .
He withdrew to the presidential palace to work remotely , emerging for afternoon tours around the grounds .
On Saturday , he posted a message on Twitter saying that he had tested negative — without specifying when the test was conducted — and set off on a motorcycle ride through the capital , Brasilia .
The same tweet included a photograph of a smiling Bolsonaro brandishing a box of hydroxychloroquine .
Bolsonaro 's penchant for advertising this controversial medicine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil 's front line .
A survey of nearly 2,000 health professionals by the São Paulo Medical Association found nearly half of them have come under pressure from COVID-19 patients , or their relatives , to prescribe it .
The head of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases reportedly received an online death threat this month after his organization publicly opposed the use of chloroquine .
`` People do n't want to know about scientific research , '' a front-line hospital doctor , Bruna Lordão , told Estadão newspaper .
She quit her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' by a patient 's angry family because she refused to prescribe the drug .

Brazil's Bolsonaro Is Accused Of Crime Against Humanity Over Coronavirus 'Neglect'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images
Front-line health workers and senior clerics in Brazil are adding their voices to the chorus of alarm about President Jair Bolsonaro's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
With more than 87,000 deaths and 2.4 million registered infections so far, Brazil has suffered more cases than any other country except the United States.
An umbrella group of unions and social organizations representing more than 1 million Brazilian medical professionals have filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, accusing Bolsonaro of committing a crime against humanity by reacting to the outbreak with "contempt, neglect and denial."
Meanwhile, 152 Catholic bishops in Brazil have signed an open letter stating that the Bolsonaro administration is incapable of handling the "perfect storm" created by the combination of an "unprecedented health crisis, overwhelming economic collapse" and "tensions" between key institutions of state.
The bishops' letter warns that Brazil is facing looming "socioeconomic chaos" and criticizes the government for the "systematic" use of "unscientific arguments ... to normalize a COVID-19 plague that is killing thousands, and to treat this as if it was an accident or divine punishment."
The outbreak in Brazil has recently stabilized in some areas — including the most populous state, São Paulo, where the largest number of deaths has occurred. Yet cases are rising in 10 of the country's 26 states and, for almost nine weeks, the nationwide average daily death toll has remained above 1,000.
Despite those developments, governors and mayors are gradually loosening isolation restrictions in many towns and cities in an effort to avert further economic damage.
The complaint to the ICC, by Brazil's UNISaúde network, accuses Bolsonaro of intensifying the pandemic by repeatedly opposing social isolation measures. His conduct is increasingly mirrored by the Brazilian public, who — mostly without masks — crowded the beaches of Rio de Janeiro this weekend.
The complaint also cites Bolsonaro's "adamant insistence" on the use of the anti-malarial medicines, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Multiple scientific studies show these are ineffective against COVID-19.
NPR contacted the president's media office Monday for a comment about the complaint and was referred to the attorney general's department, which said that it would respond only after hearing from the ICC.
Mounting international condemnation has done little to persuade Bolsonaro to change his views about what he once dismissed as a "little flu."
He argues that almost every Brazilian will eventually contract COVID-19, that the great majority will suffer mild symptoms, and that shutting down Brazil's economy does more harm than the virus itself.
The 65-year-old Bolsonaro can now claim firsthand experience of the disease. About three weeks ago, he announced live on Brazilian TV that he had contracted the virus. He withdrew to the presidential palace to work remotely, emerging for afternoon tours around the grounds.
On Saturday, he posted a message on Twitter saying that he had tested negative — without specifying when the test was conducted — and set off on a motorcycle ride through the capital, Brasilia. The same tweet included a photograph of a smiling Bolsonaro brandishing a box of hydroxychloroquine.
Bolsonaro's penchant for advertising this controversial medicine is causing problems for doctors and nurses on Brazil's front line. A survey of nearly 2,000 health professionals by the São Paulo Medical Association found nearly half of them have come under pressure from COVID-19 patients, or their relatives, to prescribe it.
The head of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases reportedly received an online death threat this month after his organization publicly opposed the use of chloroquine.
"People don't want to know about scientific research," a front-line hospital doctor, Bruna Lordão, told Estadão newspaper.
She quit her job after being branded a "murderer" by a patient's angry family because she refused to prescribe the drug.


npr--2020-07-27--Volkswagen, Porsche Paid Out $9.5 Billion To Defrauded Dieselgate Drivers

One chapter of the Dieselgate saga has come to a close : Volkswagen and Porsche have finished paying out $ 9.5 billion in compensation to defrauded U.S. car owners .
The Federal Trade Commission filed its final report on the settlement Monday , declaring the process `` materially complete . ''
For years , Volkswagen marketed `` clean diesel '' vehicles that actually spewed out illegal levels of pollutants — and were specifically programmed to cheat on emissions tests to hide the problem .
The deceptive engines were used in Volkswagens , Audis and Porsches .
The truth came out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached the following year .
As the FTC noted , `` [ F ] or many people , that was the end of the road .
But ... the parties involved in the litigation had many more miles to travel . ''
Compensating the owners or lessees of more than 550,000 vehicles in the U.S. took some time .
The vast majority of owners — 86 % — opted to sell their vehicles back to the manufacturer , rather than choose a modification to the vehicle .
It was the largest false advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the agency has now declared it `` one of the most successful consumer redress programs in history . ''
Volkswagen faces a number of other lawsuits around the globe .
And in addition to compensating consumers , it has paid out billions to compensate for the environmental damage caused by the scandal .
Among other things , the carmaker is spending a decade investing $ 2 billion in building electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the United States .
VW , like many automakers , is also vowing to produce electric vehicles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Volkswagen, Porsche Paid Out $9.5 Billion To Defrauded Dieselgate Drivers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images
One chapter of the Dieselgate saga has come to a close: Volkswagen and Porsche have finished paying out $9.5 billion in compensation to defrauded U.S. car owners.
The Federal Trade Commission filed its final report on the settlement Monday, declaring the process "materially complete."
For years, Volkswagen marketed "clean diesel" vehicles that actually spewed out illegal levels of pollutants — and were specifically programmed to cheat on emissions tests to hide the problem. The deceptive engines were used in Volkswagens, Audis and Porsches.
The truth came out in 2015, with a high-profile settlement reached the following year. As the FTC noted, "[F]or many people, that was the end of the road. But ... the parties involved in the litigation had many more miles to travel."
Compensating the owners or lessees of more than 550,000 vehicles in the U.S. took some time. The vast majority of owners — 86% — opted to sell their vehicles back to the manufacturer, rather than choose a modification to the vehicle.
It was the largest false advertising action ever taken by the FTC, and the agency has now declared it "one of the most successful consumer redress programs in history."
Volkswagen faces a number of other lawsuits around the globe. And in addition to compensating consumers, it has paid out billions to compensate for the environmental damage caused by the scandal.
Among other things, the carmaker is spending a decade investing $2 billion in building electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the United States.
VW, like many automakers, is also vowing to produce electric vehicles in large numbers in the years ahead.


npr--2020-07-27--Surge Of Federal Agents In Kansas City Sparks Controversy, Leaves Divide In Community

Surge Of Federal Agents In Kansas City Sparks Controversy , Leaves Divide In Community The Trump administration has sent some 200 federal agents to Kansas City , Mo.
, as part of an initiative to quell violent crime .
The rollout of the operation has been marred by misinformation , and some local activists say it 's wrong-headed at best , but others applaud the added help from Washington , D.C. , to fight a desperate homicide problem .
With Trump dispatching heavily armed men in camo and body armor to Portland , Ore. , and other cities , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been characterized as a surge of federal agents to Kansas City .
The operation here is fraught politically , but those involved say it 's important to clarify what Operation LeGend is – and what it is not .
`` This is not Portland , '' says Tim Garrison , the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri .
`` This has nothing to do with anybody 's exercise of their rights to protest .
We are simply here to address the unprecedented level of violence that is exemplified by the senseless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Evidence supports Garrison 's claim .
No heavily armed , unidentifiable federal operatives have clashed with demonstrators during recent protests in Kansas City .
Four-year-old LeGend Taliferro was killed by a bullet fired from outside while he slept in his bedroom early on the morning of June 29 .
Police believe the apartment was targeted , although no arrests have been made in the case .
On July 8 , the White House announced Operation LeGend , the influx of some 200 federal law enforcement agents from the FBI , U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ City .
The announcement came as a surprise to Garrison – the top federal law enforcement official here .
Days before the announcement , Garrison 's office had contacted the mayor 's office , the Kansas City Police Department and Missouri Gov .
Mike Parson to outline the operation and secure their approval .
Garrison says support was critical to launching the initiative in Kansas City .
But the announcement itself came before anyone here was expecting it .
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas maintained that he was blindsided by the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news organizations , including NPR , led their coverage of the operation with Lucas ' statement to that effect .
But Lucas later was forced to walk back his statement after the Kansas City Star dug up a July 7 letter from his office to Garrison pledging support for the operation .
Kansas City has logged 107 homicides so far this year .
That 's more than many entire previous years , and on pace to break the city 's homicide record of 151 in 2017 .
About three-quarters of the homicide victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference touting Operation LeGend and its expansion to Chicago and Albuquerque , Trump last week tied crime in those cities to protests urging defunding of police departments in the wake of social justice demonstrations prompted by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
He pinned the blame for the sharp uptick in homicides on Democratic lawmakers .
Lucas , however , says that the murder rate in Kansas City had begun to climb long before the protests .
`` To suggest otherwise is to try to not just dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about racial politics , '' Lucas said on the steps of City Hall last week .
`` It 's to try to divide our community and our country .
It 's totally unnecessary and it does n't help us solve a single violent crime incident . ''
U.S. Attorney General William Barr last week falsely claimed agents assigned to Operation LeGend had already made 200 arrests in Kansas City .
Garrison , who was in the room with Barr , says it triggered a hurried confab between himself , FBI , and administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents had actually made exactly one publicly known arrest related to the operation .
Last December there was a similarly focused initiative called Operation Relentless Pursuit , which involved similar objectives and similar agencies .
But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Operation Relentless Pursuit to wind down early , according to Garrison .
Garrison says Operation LeGend is something of a reboot , which has since resulted in more than a dozen arrests .
Activist Sara Shaw says one of those arrests , the apprehension of Jonta Johnson last Thursday , demonstrates how enhanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black community .
`` Cassidy Jordan – she 's 27 and has a 7-year- old daughter – is an example of a collateral consequence , '' Shaw says .
`` Her child 's father was arrested , not for murder , but for gun and drug charges .
And her daughter had federal agents pointing a gun at her and her mother . ''
Shaw compares Operation LeGend to a military occupation .
She says it 's doomed to failure because only better schools and job opportunities will halt the cycle of violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcome the additional federal presence .
Da-Nearle Clarke , an apprentice funeral director at Serenity Funeral Home at Bannister and Troost , knows the families of many of the murder victims memorialized here .
`` I support Operation LeGend 100 % , '' Clarke says .
`` There 's a whole lot of homicides happening now , and it needs to stop . ''
Clarke says this as he stands in an enormous room filled with hundreds of meticulously-spaced purple chairs and an open casket up front .
It 's the room where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a whole lot of hurt in this room that day , '' Clarke says .
`` I myself felt it .
A lot of our community , people in the community felt it .
They feel it still . ''

Surge Of Federal Agents In Kansas City Sparks Controversy, Leaves Divide In Community
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Morris/KCUR Frank Morris/KCUR
National Residents Split On Presence Of Federal Agents In Kansas City, Mo. Residents Split On Presence Of Federal Agents In Kansas City, Mo. Listen · 3:53 3:53
The Trump administration has sent some 200 federal agents to Kansas City, Mo., as part of an initiative to quell violent crime. The rollout of the operation has been marred by misinformation, and some local activists say it's wrong-headed at best, but others applaud the added help from Washington, D.C., to fight a desperate homicide problem.
With Trump dispatching heavily armed men in camo and body armor to Portland, Ore., and other cities, there has been keen interest in what's been characterized as a surge of federal agents to Kansas City. The operation here is fraught politically, but those involved say it's important to clarify what Operation LeGend is – and what it is not.
"This is not Portland," says Tim Garrison, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "This has nothing to do with anybody's exercise of their rights to protest. We are simply here to address the unprecedented level of violence that is exemplified by the senseless and tragic killing of LeGend Taliferro."
Evidence supports Garrison's claim. No heavily armed, unidentifiable federal operatives have clashed with demonstrators during recent protests in Kansas City.
Four-year-old LeGend Taliferro was killed by a bullet fired from outside while he slept in his bedroom early on the morning of June 29. Police believe the apartment was targeted, although no arrests have been made in the case.
On July 8,the White House announced Operation LeGend, the influx of some 200 federal law enforcement agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies into Kansas City. The announcement came as a surprise to Garrison – the top federal law enforcement official here.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Morris/KCUR Frank Morris/KCUR
Days before the announcement, Garrison's office had contacted the mayor's office, the Kansas City Police Department and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to outline the operation and secure their approval. Garrison says support was critical to launching the initiative in Kansas City. But the announcement itself came before anyone here was expecting it.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas maintained that he was blindsided by the White House announcement of Operation LeGend, and several news organizations, including NPR, led their coverage of the operation with Lucas' statement to that effect. But Lucas later was forced to walk back his statement after the Kansas City Star dug up a July 7 letter from his office to Garrison pledging support for the operation.
Kansas City has logged 107 homicides so far this year. That's more than many entire previous years, and on pace to break the city's homicide record of 151 in 2017. About three-quarters of the homicide victims this year have been Black.
In a news conference touting Operation LeGend and its expansion to Chicago and Albuquerque, Trump last week tied crime in those cities to protests urging defunding of police departments in the wake of social justice demonstrations prompted by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He pinned the blame for the sharp uptick in homicides on Democratic lawmakers.
Lucas, however, says that the murder rate in Kansas City had begun to climb long before the protests.
"To suggest otherwise is to try to not just dog whistle but, frankly, dog bark about racial politics," Lucas said on the steps of City Hall last week. "It's to try to divide our community and our country. It's totally unnecessary and it doesn't help us solve a single violent crime incident."
U.S. Attorney General William Barr last week falsely claimed agents assigned to Operation LeGend had already made 200 arrests in Kansas City. Garrison, who was in the room with Barr, says it triggered a hurried confab between himself, FBI, and administration officials. At the time, federal agents had actually made exactly one publicly known arrest related to the operation.
Last December there was a similarly focused initiative called Operation Relentless Pursuit, which involved similar objectives and similar agencies. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Operation Relentless Pursuit to wind down early, according to Garrison.
Garrison says Operation LeGend is something of a reboot, which has since resulted in more than a dozen arrests.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Morris/KCUR Frank Morris/KCUR
Activist Sara Shaw says one of those arrests, the apprehension of Jonta Johnson last Thursday, demonstrates how enhanced law enforcement can traumatize people in the Black community.
"Cassidy Jordan – she's 27 and has a 7-year- old daughter – is an example of a collateral consequence," Shaw says. "Her child's father was arrested, not for murder, but for gun and drug charges. And her daughter had federal agents pointing a gun at her and her mother."
Shaw compares Operation LeGend to a military occupation. She says it's doomed to failure because only better schools and job opportunities will halt the cycle of violence.
Other community members, though, welcome the additional federal presence.
Da-Nearle Clarke, an apprentice funeral director at Serenity Funeral Home at Bannister and Troost, knows the families of many of the murder victims memorialized here.
"I support Operation LeGend 100%," Clarke says. "There's a whole lot of homicides happening now, and it needs to stop."
Clarke says this as he stands in an enormous room filled with hundreds of meticulously-spaced purple chairs and an open casket up front. It's the room where LeGend Taliferro was memorialized.
"It was a whole lot of hurt in this room that day,"Clarke says. "I myself felt it. A lot of our community, people in the community felt it. They feel it still."


npr--2020-07-27--On Amazon, Dubious 'Antiviral' Supplements Proliferate Amid Pandemic

The federal government has repeatedly warned Americans about scammers trying to sell dietary supplements as a remedy for COVID-19 when medical experts say supplements are neither safe nor effective for treating the disease .
But if consumers type `` coronavirus supplement '' or `` COVID supplement '' into the search bar at Amazon.com , not only does the online retailer auto-complete the search , it serves up pages and pages of supplements without any warning about the scientific evidence .
And though the supplements may not directly claim to treat COVID-19 , NPR has found more than 100 supplements listed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and potentially illegal claims that they can fight viruses .
They include products sold by a company recently sued by the Department of Justice over fraud allegations related to COVID-19 .
The products were sold by third parties , rather than Amazon , though the company receives a cut of the sales .
Amazon also designated several of the products `` Amazon 's Choice , '' which `` recommends highly rated , well-priced products , '' according to the company .
Federal law , as well as Amazon 's own internal policies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent or treat any virus or specific disease .
Amazon says that safety is a `` top priority '' and that its `` dedicated global team of compliance specialists '' use sophisticated technology to block unsafe and illegal products from being sold on its marketplace .
When those systems fail to catch offending products , Amazon says it takes swift action as soon as it hears from concerned consumer groups or unhappy customers .
`` When we receive these reports , we move quickly to protect customers , remove unsafe products from our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insists .
Yet when Amazon was alerted to the products making unsubstantiated claims — first by a public health watchdog group and later by NPR — the company waited several weeks before removing them from its site .
Though the products on Amazon do not specifically claim to treat COVID-19 , public health experts have raised concerns that Amazon 's failure to police the site for illegal claims may put Americans at greater risk during the pandemic .
`` Besides being a waste of money , '' said Dr. Peter Lurie , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drug Administration and the president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest , or CSPI , the public health watchdog that first alerted Amazon to the problem , `` these products may harm consumers if they decide to opt for a supplement in favor of the things we know that actually help , like hand washing , maintaining social distance , wearing personal protective equipment or seeking real medical treatment when sick . ''
In June , CSPI found 46 products sold on Amazon that claimed they could fight viruses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming to have `` antiviral properties , '' a `` tincture '' with echinacea and garlic labeled `` virus care , '' and a colloidal silver liquid that purported to be `` effective against '' viruses .
( The companies that sold those supplements did not respond to messages from NPR . )
On June 4 , CSPI sent its findings to Amazon , along with the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission , and asked Amazon to stop selling the products and recommended that the company `` create a system that better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplements . ''
But the product listings remained up on Amazon 's website until June 24 , only coming down after NPR made three separate inquiries of the company over several days .
`` We 've reviewed the products in question , removed those that violate our policies , and are taking action against the bad actors who listed them , '' an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement .
The spokesperson said the company had implemented tools to scan for inaccurate and misleading statements on the site related to the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 6.5 million products . ''
But subsequently , NPR found more than 100 other products making similar claims and sent those listings to Amazon .
As of this publication , most of those products remain available on Amazon 's marketplace .
On its site , Amazon has also hosted video advertising and colloidal silver products from the company My Doctor Suggests LLC .
Federal prosecutors sued that company over alleged fraud related to COVID-19 in April and obtained a court order blocking the company from claiming its products could prevent or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company 's products were available on Amazon and still marketed as `` destroying bacteria , viruses and yeast . ''
After inquiries from NPR , the advertising and language about viruses were removed .
`` We are working with My Doctor Suggests LLC to ensure compliance with the court order , and we anticipate their prompt cooperation , '' U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said in a statement .
Attorneys for My Doctor Suggests said the company was cooperating with the government and blamed the offending marketing language on a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving notice of this issue , '' attorney Eric Benson said , `` the company immediately ceased its operations to ensure all content is removed in compliance with the court 's order . ''
Given the stakes of the global pandemic , misinformation about purported treatments for viruses is `` very serious and should be taken extremely seriously by the executives at Amazon , '' said Dr. Pieter Cohen , an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an expert on dietary supplements .
`` I have personally seen people unable to breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has spent the last several months treating patients for the virus that causes the disease .
Cohen and other experts blame the loose regulations of dietary supplements for the proliferation of false and illegal claims .
`` The underlying problem is how under-regulated these products are in the first place , '' said Lurie of CSPI .
Dietary supplements do not need approval from the FDA before hitting the market .
In fact , they do not even need to register with the government at all .
In general , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have to provide FDA with the evidence it relies on to substantiate safety or effectiveness before or after it markets its products . ''
As a result , Lurie said , the supplement market is like the `` Wild West , '' and `` the small dietary supplement office at FDA ca n't possibly keep up . ''
Rachel Johnson Greer , a former Amazon employee who now consults for third-party sellers , said the company is less proactive about policing its marketplace if the federal government is n't aggressively enforcing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have enough people to evaluate a product , no one 's looking at it , '' she said .
`` And consumers should know that . ''
Johnson Greer said customers need to know that the majority of the products currently sold on Amazon are not sold by Amazon , but by sellers that can range from major companies to tiny operations run out of someone 's garage .
`` It 's half Walmart , half eBay , and you ca n't tell which is which , '' Johnson Greer said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but ultimately that technology is only as effective as the people programming it .
And , in her experience , Amazon employees often lack expertise in complicated consumer safety regulations .
A Wall Street Journal investigation last year found thousands of products on Amazon that were declared unsafe by federal agencies .
In 2018 , Amazon reached a $ 1.2 million settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over sales of illegal pesticides .
NPR also contacted the FTC and the FDA for this story .
The FTC did not respond .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA said the agency was reviewing reports of illegal marketing claims on Amazon and `` continues to actively monitor the marketplace and take action to protect consumers from fraudulent products being peddled by bad actors . ''
In response to NPR 's reporting , U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn. , said in a statement , `` Amazon is inexcusably turning a blind eye to scammers peddling fake antiviral products on its platform . ''
Blumenthal , who has advocated tougher federal scrutiny of dietary supplements , went on , `` Amazon has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of negligence and malaise in the face of rampant and illegal conduct by its sellers – conduct that poses profound dangers to consumers . ''
Blumenthal said his office would continue to pressure those agencies , saying they `` must urgently step in with their full authority to protect the public . ''
If you have any information about possible COVID-19 scams , you can contact NPR 's Tom Dreisbach at tdreisbach @ npr.org

On Amazon, Dubious 'Antiviral' Supplements Proliferate Amid Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Becker/AFP via Getty Images David Becker/AFP via Getty Images
The federal government has repeatedly warned Americans about scammers trying to sell dietary supplements as a remedy for COVID-19 when medical experts say supplements are neither safe nor effective for treating the disease.
But if consumers type "coronavirus supplement" or "COVID supplement" into the search bar at Amazon.com, not only does the online retailer auto-complete the search, it serves up pages and pages of supplements without any warning about the scientific evidence.
And though the supplements may not directly claim to treat COVID-19, NPR has found more than 100 supplements listed for sale on Amazon that make unsubstantiated and potentially illegal claims that they can fight viruses. They include products sold by a company recently sued by the Department of Justice over fraud allegations related to COVID-19.
The products were sold by third parties, rather than Amazon, though the company receives a cut of the sales. Amazon also designated several of the products "Amazon's Choice," which "recommends highly rated, well-priced products," according to the company.
Federal law, as well as Amazon's own internal policies, generally prohibit supplements from claiming they can prevent or treat any virus or specific disease.
Amazon says that safety is a "top priority" and that its "dedicated global team of compliance specialists" use sophisticated technology to block unsafe and illegal products from being sold on its marketplace. When those systems fail to catch offending products, Amazon says it takes swift action as soon as it hears from concerned consumer groups or unhappy customers. "When we receive these reports, we move quickly to protect customers, remove unsafe products from our store, and investigate," Amazon insists.
Yet when Amazon was alerted to the products making unsubstantiated claims — first by a public health watchdog group and later by NPR — the company waited several weeks before removing them from its site.
Though the products on Amazon do not specifically claim to treat COVID-19, public health experts have raised concerns that Amazon's failure to police the site for illegal claims may put Americans at greater risk during the pandemic.
"Besides being a waste of money," said Dr. Peter Lurie, a former associate commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration and the president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI, the public health watchdog that first alerted Amazon to the problem, "these products may harm consumers if they decide to opt for a supplement in favor of the things we know that actually help, like hand washing, maintaining social distance, wearing personal protective equipment or seeking real medical treatment when sick."
A slow response despite pledges to move quickly
In June, CSPI found 46 products sold on Amazon that claimed they could fight viruses.
Among those products: an elderberry supplement claiming to have "antiviral properties," a "tincture" with echinacea and garlic labeled "virus care," and a colloidal silver liquid that purported to be "effective against" viruses. (The companies that sold those supplements did not respond to messages from NPR.)
On June 4, CSPI sent its findings to Amazon, along with the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission, and asked Amazon to stop selling the products and recommended that the company "create a system that better identifies and removes future misbranded and unsafe supplements."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images
But the product listings remained up on Amazon's website until June 24, only coming down after NPR made three separate inquiries of the company over several days.
"We've reviewed the products in question, removed those that violate our policies, and are taking action against the bad actors who listed them," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson said the company had implemented tools to scan for inaccurate and misleading statements on the site related to the pandemic, and said those efforts had "blocked more than 6.5 million products."
But subsequently, NPR found more than 100 other products making similar claims and sent those listings to Amazon. As of this publication, most of those products remain available on Amazon's marketplace.
On its site, Amazon has also hosted video advertising and colloidal silver products from the company My Doctor Suggests LLC. Federal prosecutors sued that company over alleged fraud related to COVID-19 in April and obtained a court order blocking the company from claiming its products could prevent or treat any disease.
In late June, the company's products were available on Amazon and still marketed as "destroying bacteria, viruses and yeast."
After inquiries from NPR, the advertising and language about viruses were removed.
"We are working with My Doctor Suggests LLC to ensure compliance with the court order, and we anticipate their prompt cooperation," U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said in a statement.
Attorneys for My Doctor Suggests said the company was cooperating with the government and blamed the offending marketing language on a "breakdown in communication."
toggle caption Screenshot of Amazon.com
"After receiving notice of this issue," attorney Eric Benson said, "the company immediately ceased its operations to ensure all content is removed in compliance with the court's order."
Given the stakes of the global pandemic, misinformation about purported treatments for viruses is "very serious and should be taken extremely seriously by the executives at Amazon," said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an expert on dietary supplements.
"I have personally seen people unable to breathe because of COVID-19," said Cohen, who has spent the last several months treating patients for the virus that causes the disease.
''Half Walmart, half eBay''
Cohen and other experts blame the loose regulations of dietary supplements for the proliferation of false and illegal claims.
"The underlying problem is how under-regulated these products are in the first place," said Lurie of CSPI.
Dietary supplements do not need approval from the FDA before hitting the market. In fact, they do not even need to register with the government at all.
In general, the FDA says, a manufacturer "does not have to provide FDA with the evidence it relies on to substantiate safety or effectiveness before or after it markets its products."
As a result, Lurie said, the supplement market is like the "Wild West," and "the small dietary supplement office at FDA can't possibly keep up."
Rachel Johnson Greer, a former Amazon employee who now consults for third-party sellers, said the company is less proactive about policing its marketplace if the federal government isn't aggressively enforcing the law.
"If the agencies don't have enough people to evaluate a product, no one's looking at it," she said. "And consumers should know that."
Johnson Greer said customers need to know that the majority of the products currently sold on Amazon are not sold by Amazon, but by sellers that can range from major companies to tiny operations run out of someone's garage.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Universal Images Group via Getty Universal Images Group via Getty
"It's half Walmart, half eBay, and you can't tell which is which," Johnson Greer said.
Johnson Greer said Amazon uses sophisticated technology, but ultimately that technology is only as effective as the people programming it. And, in her experience, Amazon employees often lack expertise in complicated consumer safety regulations.
A Wall Street Journal investigation last year found thousands of products on Amazon that were declared unsafe by federal agencies. In 2018, Amazon reached a $1.2 million settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over sales of illegal pesticides.
NPR also contacted the FTC and the FDA for this story. The FTC did not respond. In a statement, a spokesperson for the FDA said the agency was reviewing reports of illegal marketing claims on Amazon and "continues to actively monitor the marketplace and take action to protect consumers from fraudulent products being peddled by bad actors."
In response to NPR's reporting, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement, "Amazon is inexcusably turning a blind eye to scammers peddling fake antiviral products on its platform."
Blumenthal, who has advocated tougher federal scrutiny of dietary supplements, went on, "Amazon has shown during this crisis a willful pattern of negligence and malaise in the face of rampant and illegal conduct by its sellers – conduct that poses profound dangers to consumers."
Blumenthal said his office would continue to pressure those agencies, saying they "must urgently step in with their full authority to protect the public."
If you have any information about possible COVID-19 scams, you can contact NPR's Tom Dreisbach at tdreisbach@npr.org


npr--2020-07-27--Democrats Meet Virtually To Approve Platform That Builds Off Biden-Sanders Effort

Democrats Meet Virtually To Approve Platform That Builds Off Biden-Sanders Effort Democrats met remotely Monday afternoon to approve a lengthy policy platform that seeks to balance the interests of the Democratic Party 's more moderate and liberal factions .
The virtual meeting came three weeks ahead of what will be one of the strangest party conventions in U.S. history : No delegates and few Democratic dignitaries will travel to Milwaukee to nominate former Vice President Joe Biden to be the party 's standard-bearer .
Instead , the convention will be held mostly remotely , with only Biden and a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft platform , released last week , draws heavily from a report issued this month by joint task forces organized by Biden and his onetime campaign rival , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
It tries to bridge the gap between Sanders ' progressive politics and Biden 's more moderate approach to governing .
Dozens of Democratic members considered amendments to the plan Monday .
They approved amended language opposing President Trump 's deployment of federal agents to quell protests in Portland and other cities , as well as planks affirming support for unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By Monday evening , the Democratic National Committee had not shared the exact language of the amendments .
The draft party document released last week endorses universal health care and makes it clear that low- or no-cost coverage for every American is the party 's eventual goal .
Rather than backing a single mandatory government-run health insurance program , however , it calls for adding a public option to the existing Affordable Care Act .
The platform does nod to `` Medicare for All , '' the policy backed by Sanders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach . ''
The platform also sets aggressive goals for combating climate change , including making all American power plants carbon neutral by 2035 and adding 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines to the country 's electricity grid within the next five years .
It also calls for a $ 15 minimum wage , mandatory paid family leave , more federal gun control , broad changes to federal sentencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other changes that most Democratic candidates for Congress and the White House have supported for years .
Platform committee co-chair Denis McDonough , who served as former President Barack Obama 's chief of staff , called it the `` boldest Democratic platform in American history . ''
Still , anticipating virtual floor fights and frustration from progressive activists who want the party to set an even more aggressive policy course , Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said at the top of the committee meeting that `` we should never confuse unity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with division . ''
Indeed , as the platform committee meeting went on , several proposed amendments were rejected , including an attempt to shift platform language to fully support Medicare for all , and another to more forcefully condemn Israel 's treatment of Palestinians .
Like most Zoom meetings in 2020 , the Democrats ' committee session had its buffering blips , unintentional mute moments and cross-talk .
But the Democrats ' attempt to vote virtually was still more than Republicans tried : Trump and Republican Party leaders have decided to adopt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their convention next month , rather than craft new language .

Democrats Meet Virtually To Approve Platform That Builds Off Biden-Sanders Effort
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Updated at 7:25 p.m. ET
Democrats met remotely Monday afternoon to approve a lengthy policy platform that seeks to balance the interests of the Democratic Party's more moderate and liberal factions.
The virtual meeting came three weeks ahead of what will be one of the strangest party conventions in U.S. history: No delegates and few Democratic dignitaries will travel to Milwaukee to nominate former Vice President Joe Biden to be the party's standard-bearer. Instead, the convention will be held mostly remotely, with only Biden and a few other speakers appearing from Milwaukee.
The draft platform, released last week, draws heavily from a report issued this month by joint task forces organized by Biden and his onetime campaign rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. It tries to bridge the gap between Sanders' progressive politics and Biden's more moderate approach to governing.
Dozens of Democratic members considered amendments to the plan Monday.
They approved amended language opposing President Trump's deployment of federal agents to quell protests in Portland and other cities, as well as planks affirming support for unions, and for expanding paid sick leave. By Monday evening, the Democratic National Committee had not shared the exact language of the amendments.
The draft party document released last week endorses universal health care and makes it clear that low- or no-cost coverage for every American is the party's eventual goal. Rather than backing a single mandatory government-run health insurance program, however, it calls for adding a public option to the existing Affordable Care Act.
The platform does nod to "Medicare for All," the policy backed by Sanders, saying: "We are proud our party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach."
The platform also sets aggressive goals for combating climate change, including making all American power plants carbon neutral by 2035 and adding 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines to the country's electricity grid within the next five years.
It also calls for a $15 minimum wage, mandatory paid family leave, more federal gun control, broad changes to federal sentencing guidelines and drug laws, and many other changes that most Democratic candidates for Congress and the White House have supported for years.
Platform committee co-chair Denis McDonough, who served as former President Barack Obama's chief of staff, called it the "boldest Democratic platform in American history."
Still, anticipating virtual floor fights and frustration from progressive activists who want the party to set an even more aggressive policy course, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said at the top of the committee meeting that "we should never confuse unity with unanimity, nor should we confuse debate with division."
Indeed, as the platform committee meeting went on, several proposed amendments were rejected, including an attempt to shift platform language to fully support Medicare for all, and another to more forcefully condemn Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
Like most Zoom meetings in 2020, the Democrats' committee session had its buffering blips, unintentional mute moments and cross-talk.
But the Democrats' attempt to vote virtually was still more than Republicans tried: Trump and Republican Party leaders have decided to adopt the party's 2016 platform in full at their convention next month, rather than craft new language.


npr--2020-07-27--Tear Gas Fired On Protesters Again During Overnight Protests In Portland

Tear Gas Fired On Protesters Again During Overnight Protests In Portland Confrontations continued overnight Sunday between protesters and federal law enforcement in Portland , Ore. , as hundreds gathered in the city 's downtown for the 60th consecutive day of demonstrations following the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd .
Tensions have continued to ratchet up due to the Trump administration 's deployment of federal agents in the city .
Portland police said a bag containing Molotov cocktails and loaded rifle magazines was discovered near Lownsdale Square Park , across the street from a federal courthouse , where some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement have taken place .
Police said the crowd on Sunday spent hours chanting near the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse and banging on the metal fence that was erected to protect the building .
Things took a violent turn around 11:45 p.m. '' People began launching mortar-style fireworks over the fence , '' police said in a statement early Monday .
`` A short time later people climbed over the fence , entering the portico .
At about that time a group lit a large fire in Lownsdale Square Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the fence .
Some gathered with shields and umbrellas to cover a person trying to cut through it . ''
Police added that a fire was also started near the fence , but was quickly extinguished .
After that , people started throwing objects over the fence .
`` The crowd was dispersed over the course of the next few hours , '' the statement said , concluding , `` Portland Police did not participate in dispersing these crowds , did not make any arrests and did not deploy CS gas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ midnight , the exterior lights of the federal building were shut off and police ordered the crowd to disperse .
`` Within minutes , federal officers emerged from the building , firing crowd-control weapons and deploying gas , '' the newspaper reported .
`` The thing is that protesters now expect federal agents to blast them with flash grenades and tear gas , so [ protesters ] bring leaf blowers out to blow canisters and the smoke back towards the building , '' NPR 's Vanessa Romo told NPR 's Morning Edition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests following the clashes .
The confrontation continued into the early hours of Monday morning , according to the Oregonian , as U.S. agents `` forced protesters away from the courthouse using batons and what appeared to be pepper balls and pepper spray . ''
`` We want the feds out and we want the police to take accountability and start stepping back from their role of , like , murdering people , basically , '' one Portland protester told Romo .
Protests in other cities , including Seattle and Austin , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
The Seattle Police Department said 59 officers were recovering from injuries sustained Saturday when they were hit with `` explosives , rocks , bottles , and wood , '' according to the police-run SPD Blotter website .
Their injuries range from bruising , abrasions , burns and a torn meniscus , with one officer hospitalized , police said .
In Austin , Garrett Foster , a 28-year-old white man who brought his AK-47 rifle to protests , was shot and killed on Saturday around 10 p.m. local time .
As he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making their way down the street , a motorist turned toward the crowd .
According to police , Foster approached the vehicle .
The driver opened fire , hitting Foster , who had been attending the protests with his fiancée for some time .
By early Mondayafternoon , a GoFundMe page for Foster had raised nearly $ 108,000 .
Portland police are still investigating a shooting that took place earlier on Sunday , in which one person was injured in Lownsdale Square Park and was treated for non-life threatening injuries .
Police released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody .
They did not indicate if the shooting was linked to the protest .

Tear Gas Fired On Protesters Again During Overnight Protests In Portland
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Confrontations continued overnight Sunday between protesters and federal law enforcement in Portland, Ore., as hundreds gathered in the city's downtown for the 60th consecutive day of demonstrations following the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd. Tensions have continued to ratchet up due to the Trump administration's deployment of federal agents in the city.
Portland police said a bag containing Molotov cocktails and loaded rifle magazines was discovered near Lownsdale Square Park, across the street from a federal courthouse, where some of the most recent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement have taken place.
Police said the crowd on Sunday spent hours chanting near the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse and banging on the metal fence that was erected to protect the building. Things took a violent turn around 11:45 p.m.
"People began launching mortar-style fireworks over the fence," police said in a statement early Monday. "A short time later people climbed over the fence, entering the portico. At about that time a group lit a large fire in Lownsdale Square Park. People in the crowd continually picked at the fence. Some gathered with shields and umbrellas to cover a person trying to cut through it."
Police added that a fire was also started near the fence, but was quickly extinguished. After that, people started throwing objects over the fence.
"The crowd was dispersed over the course of the next few hours," the statement said, concluding, "Portland Police did not participate in dispersing these crowds, did not make any arrests and did not deploy CS gas."
The Oregonian reported that shortly after midnight, the exterior lights of the federal building were shut off and police ordered the crowd to disperse. "Within minutes, federal officers emerged from the building, firing crowd-control weapons and deploying gas," the newspaper reported.
"The thing is that protesters now expect federal agents to blast them with flash grenades and tear gas, so [protesters] bring leaf blowers out to blow canisters and the smoke back towards the building," NPR's Vanessa Romo told NPR's Morning Edition. She said the federal agents again made arrests following the clashes.
The confrontation continued into the early hours of Monday morning, according to the Oregonian, as U.S. agents "forced protesters away from the courthouse using batons and what appeared to be pepper balls and pepper spray."
"We want the feds out and we want the police to take accountability and start stepping back from their role of, like, murdering people, basically," one Portland protester told Romo.
Protests in other cities, including Seattle and Austin, Texas, began Saturday evening and continued into Sunday.
The Seattle Police Department said 59 officers were recovering from injuries sustained Saturday when they were hit with "explosives, rocks, bottles, and wood," according to the police-run SPD Blotter website. Their injuries range from bruising, abrasions, burns and a torn meniscus, with one officer hospitalized, police said.
In Austin, Garrett Foster, a 28-year-old white man who brought his AK-47 rifle to protests, was shot and killed on Saturday around 10 p.m. local time. As he and other Black Lives Matter protesters were making their way down the street, a motorist turned toward the crowd. According to police, Foster approached the vehicle.
The driver opened fire, hitting Foster, who had been attending the protests with his fiancée for some time. By early Mondayafternoon, a GoFundMe page for Foster had raised nearly $108,000.
Portland police are still investigating a shooting that took place earlier on Sunday, in which one person was injured in Lownsdale Square Park and was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Police released two people who'd been taken into custody. They did not indicate if the shooting was linked to the protest.


npr--2020-07-28--'Tidal Wave' Of Power Shut-Offs Looms As Nation Grapples With Heat

'Tidal Wave ' Of Power Shut-Offs Looms As Nation Grapples With Heat Wykeisha Howe is trying to be thrifty .
When her kids are uncomfortable in the sweltering Atlanta heat , she gives them freeze pops .
Instead of cranking up the air conditioner , she uses a fan .
Lunch and dinner are cooked at the same time , so the electric stove does n't have to be turned on twice .
`` I try my best to manage and ration out things as best as possible , '' she says .
Still , Howe , who has five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month and a half behind on her electric bill .
For the last four months , the bill did n't need to be a priority .
When the coronavirus pandemic hit , her electricity provider , Georgia Power , voluntarily suspended disconnections for nonpayment .
Dozens of states and utilities around the U.S. took similar actions , ensuring that even as businesses closed and millions of Americans lost their jobs , people would still be able to keep their lights on regardless of their ability to pay .
Now , many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Georgia Power 's , which ended on July 15 .
And this comes as Americans who are still struggling face the end of another lifeline : supplemental unemployment benefits that are set to lapse .
The combination has utility analysts and advocates for low-income communities worried about a potential `` tidal wave '' of power shut-offs at a time when temperatures and COVID-19 cases are soaring across much of the country and as health officials are urging people to stay home in response to both emergencies .
Utility groups , energy watchdogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for a national moratorium on power shut-offs and are pressing Congress for relief .
But the White House and both parties are at odds over what another round of relief money would look like and how much it would be .
`` We 're looking at this unprecedented wave of need that is coming our way , '' says Katrina Metzler , executive director of the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition .
`` It 's a crisis in the middle of a crisis . ''
Making matters worse , advocates warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing power are Blacks , Latinos and Native Americans , who are also most at risk of serious harm from COVID-19 .
It 's unclear how many people face shut-offs , because most states do n't require utilities to release information on disconnections or arrearages .
The Edison Electric Institute , the trade association for investor-owned utilities , says it 's working to get a sense of the scale of the issue , but it 's clear that for millions of electric customers , bills are piling up .
Nearly 100,000 Georgia Power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their bills , according to the utility 's most recent data .
The company , like many utilities , says it wants to work with customers to avoid disconnections .
It 's offering payment plans to help people with accrued debt and is connecting customers with assistance programs .
`` We know this is still a critical time with the pandemic still going on .
We want to be flexible with our customers , '' says Georgia Power spokeswoman Allison Gregoire .
An analysis by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , estimates that by the end of next year , its members will have $ 2.6 billion in unpaid accounts .
Without federal intervention , ratepayers may end up picking up that tab , it says .
Energy insecurity did not start with the pandemic .
Roughly 1 in 3 U.S. households had a hard time paying energy bills in 2015 , according to the Energy Information Administration .
Hispanics and racial minorities were disproportionately affected .
That trend has continued during the pandemic and economic crash .
A nationwide survey in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environmental Affairs at Indiana University found that 22 % of respondents had to reduce or forgo other basic needs , like food or medicine , to pay their energy bill in April .
Seventeen percent of those surveyed were n't able to pay their energy bill at all .
The rates were much higher for households of color , says Sanya Carley , an associate professor of public and environmental affairs at the O'Neill School .
`` This is n't just an issue of not being able to afford energy , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrapped up into bigger institutional discrimination and biases and other problems , such as housing stock and housing problems . ''
People of color and immigrants have also been hit harder economically by the pandemic .
In early March , Erlila Accius , a resident of Broward County , Fla. , who 's originally from Haiti , was told not to come into the doctor 's office where she worked .
Patients were canceling appointments .
A month later , the doctor called and said he could not afford to have her on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying constantly .
Every day I 'm on the Internet looking for jobs , '' she says .
`` And so far , nothing yet . ''
Accius says she has been able to keep up with her bills to this point .
Her sister has helped out , and the extra $ 600 in unemployment benefits every week has gone a long way .
But those benefits are slated to stop by the end of July , and Accius , a mother of two , says unless something changes , she 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make ends meet .
Florida Power & Light , her electricity provider , is scheduled to resume shut-offs at the end of the month .
`` I do n't know what 's going to happen in August , '' she says .
Both of her daughters are stuck at home and may be taking classes virtually , meaning higher electric bills in the fall .
Then there 's the extra money she 's spending to keep the air conditioner running .
Accius has sickle cell anemia , so turning off the air conditioner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When it 's hot , you need air conditioning , '' she says .
`` If you do n't have electricity , if you do n't have access to it , how are you going to survive ? ''
In central Florida , a few utilities have resumed disconnections for nonpayment .
The Orlando Utilities Commission is one of them .
Tim Trudell , a spokesman for the municipally owned public utility , says it recently disconnected about 1,400 customers .
Almost all of those households , he says , were reconnected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , Trudell says .
The utility is working with customers to do everything it can to prevent shut-offs .
`` But at the same time , you got to run a utility and keep it from going out of business , '' he says .
`` It 's a tough economy for everybody , our business included . ''
Heat is a silent and often overlooked killer , responsible for more deaths than any other weather-related disaster .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 600 people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat .
A recent study by researchers at Boston University and the University of British Columbia suggests the number may actually be far higher , though — possibly as high as 5,600 annually — with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths .
Human-caused climate change is amplifying the risk .
Days with extreme heat index conditions , when combined the temperature and humidity reach dangerous levels , could double in the U.S. by midcentury , according to a recent study by researchers with the Union of Concerned Scientists .
Temperatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in much of the country .
Meteorologists say that 2020 is on track to be one of , if not the , hottest years on record .
And federal forecasters are predicting above-average temperatures for most of the U.S. in the coming months .
`` We 're looking at a really , really awful dynamic where people will be without essential utilities , arguably in the worst time of year for that to happen in the South , '' says Alfred Ripley , an attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are behind on their utility bills .
Nearly every state in the country has protections against power shut-offs during the winter months to prevent people from freezing when temperatures dip below a certain point .
Far fewer have protections against shut-offs in the summer when it 's scorching outside .
`` High-temperature protections are much less all embracing , because they 're not calendar driven .
They 're much more episodic , '' says Charlie Harak , senior attorney for energy and utility issues at the National Consumer Law Center .
Harak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-standing protections — and the expiration of newer pandemic-related protections — mean it 's a matter of time before people start falling through the cracks .
`` We are just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg of what the demand is out there and the unmet need as far as utility assistance is concerned , '' says Michael J. Bradford , director of the Project SHARE program at the Georgia division of the Salvation Army .
Congress provided $ 900 million in utility-related funding for low-income households in one of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates and utilities are asking for more , and some of them say Washington needs to act fast .
West Atlanta resident Harriet Feggins has a 13-year-old daughter who relies on a machine to help with her asthma .
Feggins has been out of work since March because of the pandemic .
She has managed to pay her electric bill by dipping into her 401 ( k ) and scraping together odd jobs — watching the kids of essential workers and cleaning homes .
She has shut off the power in parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to keep the house cool and her electric bill low .
A community group is trying to set her up with a federal program that provides utility bill assistance .
But she 's not sure if it will come through , or when .
Until then , she says , `` every little change and money I get I 'll put towards my Georgia Power bill , because we ca n't be in the dark . ''

'Tidal Wave' Of Power Shut-Offs Looms As Nation Grapples With Heat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Wykeisha Howe is trying to be thrifty. When her kids are uncomfortable in the sweltering Atlanta heat, she gives them freeze pops. Instead of cranking up the air conditioner, she uses a fan. Lunch and dinner are cooked at the same time, so the electric stove doesn't have to be turned on twice.
"I try my best to manage and ration out things as best as possible," she says.
Still, Howe, who has five kids living at home, is about a month and a half behind on her electric bill. For the last four months, the bill didn't need to be a priority. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, her electricity provider, Georgia Power, voluntarily suspended disconnections for nonpayment.
Dozens of states and utilities around the U.S. took similar actions, ensuring that even as businesses closed and millions of Americans lost their jobs, people would still be able to keep their lights on regardless of their ability to pay.
Now, many of those power shut-off moratoriums are expiring, including Georgia Power's, which ended on July 15. And this comes as Americans who are still struggling face the end of another lifeline: supplemental unemployment benefits that are set to lapse.
The combination has utility analysts and advocates for low-income communities worried about a potential "tidal wave" of power shut-offs at a time when temperatures and COVID-19 cases are soaring across much of the country and as health officials are urging people to stay home in response to both emergencies.
Utility groups, energy watchdogs and advocates for those in need are calling for a national moratorium on power shut-offs and are pressing Congress for relief. But the White House and both parties are at odds over what another round of relief money would look like and how much it would be.
"We're looking at this unprecedented wave of need that is coming our way," says Katrina Metzler, executive director of the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition. "It's a crisis in the middle of a crisis."
Making matters worse, advocates warn, the people most at risk of losing power are Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans, who are also most at risk of serious harm from COVID-19.
It's unclear how many people face shut-offs, because most states don't require utilities to release information on disconnections or arrearages. The Edison Electric Institute, the trade association for investor-owned utilities, says it's working to get a sense of the scale of the issue, but it's clear that for millions of electric customers, bills are piling up.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR
Nearly 100,000 Georgia Power customers were two or more months behind on their bills, according to the utility's most recent data. The company, like many utilities, says it wants to work with customers to avoid disconnections. It's offering payment plans to help people with accrued debt and is connecting customers with assistance programs.
"We know this is still a critical time with the pandemic still going on. We want to be flexible with our customers," says Georgia Power spokeswoman Allison Gregoire.
An analysis by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which represents smaller utilities around the country, estimates that by the end of next year, its members will have $2.6 billion in unpaid accounts. Without federal intervention, ratepayers may end up picking up that tab, it says.
The inequality of energy insecurity
Energy insecurity did not start with the pandemic. Roughly 1 in 3 U.S. households had a hard time paying energy bills in 2015, according to the Energy Information Administration. Hispanics and racial minorities were disproportionately affected.
That trend has continued during the pandemic and economic crash.
A nationwide survey in May by the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University found that 22% of respondents had to reduce or forgo other basic needs, like food or medicine, to pay their energy bill in April. Seventeen percent of those surveyed weren't able to pay their energy bill at all. The rates were much higher for households of color, says Sanya Carley, a professor of public and environmental affairs at the O'Neill School.
"This isn't just an issue of not being able to afford energy," she says. "These issues are so wrapped up into bigger institutional discrimination and biases and other problems, such as housing stock and housing problems."
People of color and immigrants have also been hit harder economically by the pandemic. In early March, Erlila Accius, a resident of Broward County, Fla., who's originally from Haiti, was told not to come into the doctor's office where she worked. Patients were canceling appointments. A month later, the doctor called and said he could not afford to have her on staff anymore.
"I've been applying constantly. Every day I'm on the Internet looking for jobs," she says. "And so far, nothing yet."
Accius says she has been able to keep up with her bills to this point. Her sister has helped out, and the extra $600 in unemployment benefits every week has gone a long way. But those benefits are slated to stop by the end of July, and Accius, a mother of two, says unless something changes, she's not sure how she's going to make ends meet. Florida Power & Light, her electricity provider, says it has not made a final decision on when it's going to resume disconnections for nonpayment and continues to waive late fees and offer payment extensions.
We're looking at this unprecedented wave of need that is coming our way. It's a crisis in the middle of a crisis.
But Accius is still concerned. "I don't know what's going to happen," she says.
Both of her daughters are stuck at home and may be taking classes virtually, meaning higher electric bills in the fall. Then there's the extra money she's spending to keep the air conditioner running. Accius has sickle cell anemia, so turning off the air conditioner would be dangerous to her health.
"When it's hot, you need air conditioning," she says. "If you don't have electricity, if you don't have access to it, how are you going to survive?"
In central Florida, a few utilities have resumed disconnections for nonpayment. The Orlando Utilities Commission is one of them.
Tim Trudell, a spokesman for the municipally owned public utility, says it recently disconnected about 1,400 customers. Almost all of those households, he says, were reconnected soon after.
It was a tough decision, Trudell says. The utility is working with customers to do everything it can to prevent shut-offs. "But at the same time, you've got to run a utility and keep it from going out of business," he says. "It's a tough economy for everybody, our business included."
Heat is a silent killer
Heat is a silent and often overlooked killer, responsible for more deaths than any other weather-related disaster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 600 people in the U.S. die every year from extreme heat.
A recent study by researchers at Boston University and the University of British Columbia suggests the number may actually be far higher, though — possibly as high as 5,600 annually — with even moderate heat waves increasing the number of deaths.
Human-caused climate change is amplifying the risk. Days with extreme heat index conditions, when combined the temperature and humidity reach dangerous levels, could double in the U.S. by midcentury, according to a recent study by researchers with the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Temperatures have already been unusually hot this summer in much of the country. Meteorologists say that 2020 is on track to be one of, if not the, hottest years on record. And federal forecasters are predicting above-average temperatures for most of the U.S. in the coming months.
"We're looking at a really, really awful dynamic where people will be without essential utilities, arguably in the worst time of year for that to happen in the South," says Alfred Ripley, an attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center, a state where as many as 1 million people are behind on their utility bills.
Nearly every state in the country has protections against power shut-offs during the winter months to prevent people from freezing when temperatures dip below a certain point. Far fewer have protections against shut-offs in the summer when it's scorching outside.
"High-temperature protections are much less all embracing, because they're not calendar driven. They're much more episodic," says Charlie Harak, senior attorney for energy and utility issues at the National Consumer Law Center.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR
Falling through the cracks
Harak and others warn that those holes in long-standing protections — and the expiration of newer pandemic-related protections — mean it's a matter of time before people start falling through the cracks.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR
"We are just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg of what the demand is out there and the unmet need as far as utility assistance is concerned," says Michael J. Bradford, director of the Project SHARE program at the Georgia division of the Salvation Army.
Congress provided $900 million in utility-related funding for low-income households in one of its relief packages. Energy watchdogs, consumer advocates and utilities are asking for more, and some of them say Washington needs to act fast.
West Atlanta resident Harriet Feggins has a 13-year-old daughter who relies on a machine to help with her asthma. Feggins has been out of work since March because of the pandemic. She has managed to pay her electric bill by dipping into her 401(k) and scraping together odd jobs — watching the kids of essential workers and cleaning homes. She has shut off the power in parts of her home and has hung blackout curtains to try to keep the house cool and her electric bill low.
A community group is trying to set her up with a federal program that provides utility bill assistance. But she's not sure if it will come through, or when.
Until then, she says, "every little change and money I get I'll put towards my Georgia Power bill, because we can't be in the dark."
Elizabeth Baker contributed to this story.


npr--2020-07-28--Pandemic Is Overwhelming U.S. Public Health Capacity In Many States. What Now?

Pandemic Is Overwhelming U.S. Public Health Capacity In Many States .
What Now ?
When the coronavirus pandemic began , public health experts had high hopes for the United States .
After all , the U.S. literally invented the tactics that have been used for decades to quash outbreaks around the world : Quickly identify everyone who gets infected .
Track down everyone exposed to the virus .
Test everyone .
Isolate the sick and quarantine the exposed to stop the virus from spreading .
The hope was that a wealthy country like the United States would deploy those tried-and-true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like quickly dousing every ember from a campfire to keep it from erupting into a forest fire .
Today , that hope has been extinguished — not the fire .
A return to more restrictive shutdowns of businesses and public gatherings is likely necessary in many places , public health leaders say , to bring the number of cases low enough that `` test , trace and isolate '' can be used to douse epidemic embers .
`` Right now we are experiencing a national forest fire of COVID that is readily consuming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burn , '' says Michael Osterholm , director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota .
Testing , contact tracing and isolation are the tactics being used successfully to crush outbreaks in countries such as South Korea and Germany .
But those places never had the level of case surges that many U.S. states are now experiencing .
`` When you have something like this happening , there 's no way that traditional testing and tracing is going to have any meaningful impact , '' Osterholm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to plant your petunias in the middle of a Category 5 hurricane . ''
Others agree .
At this point , there are just too many new infections occurring too quickly for underfunded , understaffed public health departments to effectively use testing and contract tracing , according to Dr. Jeffrey Engel , the senior adviser for the COVID-19 response for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists .
`` It 's just this massive effort , '' he says .
`` It 's just not feasible . ''
That has become especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting the results of coronavirus tests , which can now take days or even weeks because of the surge in demand for testing .
By that time , anyone who 's infected could have already spread the virus to other people .
`` I think it 's the right response when you have a nearly controlled epidemic and you 're trying to mop up the spills .
But we 're not there in most places , '' says Marc Lipsitch , a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we 're engaging in collective wishful thinking . ''
Another problem is that test results in the U.S. often do n't include basic information needed to find people who test positive , such as phone numbers and addresses .
And even if public health workers can find infected people in time , it 's often difficult to persuade their contacts to quarantine , Engel says .
`` It 's voluntary .
And they have other things to do , '' Engel says .
`` They may be essential workers .
They may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes over . ''
So if testing , contact tracing , isolation and quarantine wo n't work , what will ?
`` Given our basic failure to fix the gaps in testing and the bottlenecks , that really puts us on a path where there is no viable alternative beyond shutdowns , '' says Jennifer Nuzzo , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
Now , Nuzzo does n't think all hope is lost .
If enough people finally start wearing masks , and get vigilant about staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , especially indoors , there may still be hope in at least some places of avoiding new shutdowns , she says .
`` I do really worry about forcing an entire state or country to retreat to our homes for extended periods .
These are harmful measures in themselves , '' Nuzzo says .
And there may still be some places where the virus may not have yet spread widely , or has been suppressed low enough , for testing and contact tracing to be effective , some say .
`` Hawaii @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , in an email to NPR .
`` They have the advantage of being an island , though . ''
Massachusetts has also built an effective public health workforce , she notes .
And in places that ca n't avoid new shutdowns , some hope they wo n't have to be as draconian as the first time .
Outdoor spaces — such as parks , playgrounds and beaches — could remain open , for example , as long as people wear masks and maintain 6 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household .
`` We know more about the virus and how it spreads now then we did in the spring , '' says Rivers .
`` So , I think , for jurisdictions that take steps backward toward closing — I do n't think it will have to look like it did in the spring . ''
Other scientists have proposed that lockdowns could be avoided if 95 % of the U.S. population would start to wear masks consistently in public .
But currently mask usage is much lower than that .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be enough .
`` The degree to which masking will drop transmission has been unfortunately overstated substantially by a number of people , '' Osterholm argues .
He points to Hong Kong , which has a big surge despite widespread masking .
`` Use masks .
They 're a complementary part of our response .
But they 're not going to get us to the level where we can control this virus , '' Osterholm says .
Now , none of this means testing and contact tracing is useless , experts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say they want to see it continued and expanded .
It can be used strategically to determine how to target shutdowns more selectively in situations and locations where the virus is spreading the most .
For example , specific bars where people frequently infect each other can be identified and closed .
Osterholm hopes more measured lockdowns may work in some places too .
But he 's skeptical , especially about the hottest of the hot spots .
`` If we want to be like other countries in the world that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have got to take the medicine now , '' Osterholm says .
`` We will not get there unless we bring this virus level down again .
And there 's just no other way to do it literally but a kind of second lockdown , '' he says .
`` And this time let 's get it right . ''
That could knock the virus back enough to let schools safely reopen , get some people back to work , and give the nation time to hopefully , finally get enough tests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the U.S. get off the current roller-coaster of case surges and regain as least some version of normalcy .
`` Those countries that were on fire last spring and then did a lockdown are now the ones that have been successfully reopening , '' Osterholm says .
`` Their economies are back , they 're enjoying life — and they 're still maintaining control over the virus . ''

Pandemic Is Overwhelming U.S. Public Health Capacity In Many States. What Now?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/AP
When the coronavirus pandemic began, public health experts had high hopes for the United States. After all, the U.S. literally invented the tactics that have been used for decades to quash outbreaks around the world: Quickly identify everyone who gets infected. Track down everyone exposed to the virus. Test everyone. Isolate the sick and quarantine the exposed to stop the virus from spreading.
The hope was that a wealthy country like the United States would deploy those tried-and-true measures to rapidly contain the virus — like quickly dousing every ember from a campfire to keep it from erupting into a forest fire.
Today, that hope has been extinguished — not the fire. A return to more restrictive shutdowns of businesses and public gatherings is likely necessary in many places, public health leaders say, to bring the number of cases low enough that "test, trace and isolate" can be used to douse epidemic embers.
"Right now we are experiencing a national forest fire of COVID that is readily consuming any human wood that's available to burn," says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
Testing, contact tracing and isolation are the tactics being used successfully to crush outbreaks in countries such as South Korea and Germany. But those places never had the level of case surges that many U.S. states are now experiencing.
"When you have something like this happening, there's no way that traditional testing and tracing is going to have any meaningful impact," Osterholm says. "I liken it to trying to plant your petunias in the middle of a Category 5 hurricane."
Others agree. At this point, there are just too many new infections occurring too quickly for underfunded, understaffed public health departments to effectively use testing and contact tracing, according to Dr. Jeffrey Engel, the senior adviser for the COVID-19 response for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.
"It's just this massive effort," he says. "It's just not feasible."
That has become especially true because of the long delays in getting the results of coronavirus tests, which can now take days or even weeks because of the surge in demand for testing. By that time, anyone who's infected could have already spread the virus to other people.
"I think it's the right response when you have a nearly controlled epidemic and you're trying to mop up the spills. But we're not there in most places," says Marc Lipsitch, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "In many places, I think, we're engaging in collective wishful thinking."
Another problem is that test results in the U.S. often don't include basic information needed to find people who test positive, such as phone numbers and addresses. And even if public health workers can find infected people in time, it's often difficult to persuade their contacts to quarantine, Engel says.
"It's voluntary. And they have other things to do," Engel says. "They may be essential workers. They may need to get to work. Life takes over."
So if testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine won't work, what will?
"Given our basic failure to fix the gaps in testing and the bottlenecks, that really puts us on a path where there is no viable alternative beyond shutdowns," says Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Now, Nuzzo doesn't think all hope is lost. If enough people finally start wearing masks, and get vigilant about staying at least 6 feet away from other people, especially indoors, there may still be hope in at least some places of avoiding new shutdowns, she says.
"I do really worry about forcing an entire state or country to retreat to our homes for extended periods. These are harmful measures in themselves," Nuzzo says.
And there may still be some places where the virus may not have yet spread widely, or has been suppressed low enough, for testing and contact tracing to be effective, some say.
"Hawaii!" wrote Caitlin Rivers of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in an email to NPR. "They have the advantage of being an island, though."
Massachusetts has also built an effective public health workforce, she notes.
And in places that can't avoid new shutdowns, some hope they won't have to be as draconian as the first time. Outdoor spaces — such as parks, playgrounds and beaches — could remain open, for example, as long as people wear masks and maintain 6 feet of physical distance from anyone outside their household.
"We know more about the virus and how it spreads now then we did in the spring," says Rivers. "So, I think, for jurisdictions that take steps backward toward closing — I don't think it will have to look like it did in the spring."
Other scientists have proposed that lockdowns could be avoided if 95% of the U.S. population would start to wear masks consistently in public. But currently mask usage is much lower than that. And some public health experts doubt masks alone could be enough.
"The degree to which masking will drop transmission has been unfortunately overstated substantially by a number of people," Osterholm argues. He points to Hong Kong, which has a big surge despite widespread masking.
"Use masks. They're a complementary part of our response. But they're not going to get us to the level where we can control this virus," Osterholm says.
Now, none of this means testing and contact tracing is useless, experts say. Far from it. Indeed, experts say they want to see it continued and expanded. It can be used strategically to determine how to target shutdowns more selectively in situations and locations where the virus is spreading the most. For example, specific bars where people frequently infect each other can be identified and closed.
Osterholm hopes more measured lockdowns may work in some places too. But he's skeptical, especially about the hottest of the hot spots.
"If we want to be like other countries in the world that have successfully contained the virus, then we have got to take the medicine now," Osterholm says.
"We will not get there unless we bring this virus level down again. And there's just no other way to do it literally but a kind of second lockdown," he says. "And this time let's get it right."
That could knock the virus back enough to let schools safely reopen, get some people back to work, and give the nation time to hopefully, finally get enough tests and hire enough contact tracers. It could help the U.S. get off the current roller-coaster of case surges and regain as least some version of normalcy.
"Those countries that were on fire last spring and then did a lockdown are now the ones that have been successfully reopening," Osterholm says. "Their economies are back, they're enjoying life — and they're still maintaining control over the virus."