npr--2020-03-17--China Pulls Credentials From Journalists At 3 Major U.S. Publications

China Pulls Credentials From Journalists At 3 Major U.S. Publications Two weeks after the U.S. told a handful of Chinese state media entities to slash their U.S.-based staff , Beijing has retaliated with an order of its own : Certain U.S. nationals working with The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have been banned from working in China .
The Chinese foreign ministry announced the order early Wednesday local time , saying that any U.S. citizens who are working for the trio of publications inside China and whose credentials are set to expire by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their credentials within 10 days and halt their reporting within its borders — as well as within the semi-autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macao .
The ministry also demanded that the three newspapers — as well as Voice of America and Time magazine — submit written details about their China-based staff and operations to Chinese authorities , in what a ministry spokesperson described as `` entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures . ''
`` Foreign media organizations and journalists who cover stories in accordance with laws and regulations are always welcome in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our side , '' the spokesperson said in a statement .
`` What we reject is ideological bias against China , fake news made in the name of press freedom , and breaches of ethics in journalism , '' the spokesperson added .
`` We call on foreign media outlets and journalists to play a positive role in advancing the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world . ''
Voice of America Director Amanda Bennett issued a statement noting that the U.S. government is legally prohibited from interfering with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain committed to continuing to serve as a consistently reliable , trusted and authoritative source of news to our Chinese-speaking audiences , '' she said .
`` More than 40 million Chinese citizens a week turn to VOA for unbiased news .
Our work has become even more vital since the outbreak of coronavirus in China in late 2019 , which lifted our site traffic 33 % . ''
It is not clear yet how many journalists the order will affect .
Other U.S.-based media outlets that operate bureaus in China — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — are not specifically named in the order , but it also suggested there would be further `` reciprocal measures against American journalists . ''
The order comes just over a fortnight after the U.S. State Department announced a `` personnel cap '' on the Chinese state media outlets that it recently designated as `` foreign missions '' of the Chinese Communist Party .
Earlier this month , five entities were ordered to limit U.S.-based staff to no more than 100 Chinese nationals each : China 's Xinhua News Agency , China Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China Global Television Network , and the U.S. distributor of People 's Daily , Hai Tian Development USA .
But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the idea that the Chinese announcement deserved an `` apples-to-apples '' comparison with his department 's order earlier this month .
`` The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely .
They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets .
We 've identified these as foreign missions under American law , '' Pompeo told a news conference , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` I regret China 's decision today to further foreclose the world 's ability to conduct the free press operations that , frankly , would be really good for the Chinese people , '' he added , `` really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times , where more information , more transparency are what will save lives . ''
The Chinese government is notoriously restrictive of media operations — not only for Chinese nationals but also for foreign journalists working within its borders .
In a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Correspondents ' Club of China found that more than 80 % of reporters there had experienced some form of interference , harassment or outright violence while on the job last year .
And since the start of Chinese President Xi Jinping 's tenure in office , the FCCC says reporters have faced a `` worsening reality that should be cause for global concern . ''
`` As China reaches new heights of economic influence , '' the report said , `` it has shown a growing willingness to use its considerable state power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit with the global image it seeks to present . ''
PEN America , an organization dedicated to freedom of expression for writers worldwide , admonished both countries carrying on with the dispute when readers need reliable information on the spread of the coronavirus .
`` At a time when facts and information are a matter of life and death for billions of people worldwide , the cycle of tit-for-tat retaliation between Beijing and Washington over the role of journalists is stunningly misguided and a grave risk to public safety , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Both countries should lift any applicable restrictions and allow professional media outlets to play their role of reporting the news and calling it like they see it . ''

China Pulls Credentials From Journalists At 3 Major U.S. Publications
Enlarge this image toggle caption Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 7:38 p.m. ET
Two weeks after the U.S. told a handful of Chinese state media entities to slash their U.S.-based staff, Beijing has retaliated with an order of its own: Certain U.S. nationals working with The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have been banned from working in China.
The Chinese foreign ministry announced the order early Wednesday local time, saying that any U.S. citizens who are working for the trio of publications inside China and whose credentials are set to expire by the end of the year must relinquish their credentials within 10 days and halt their reporting within its borders — as well as within the semi-autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macao.
The ministry also demanded that the three newspapers — as well as Voice of America and Time magazine — submit written details about their China-based staff and operations to Chinese authorities, in what a ministry spokesperson described as "entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures."
"Foreign media organizations and journalists who cover stories in accordance with laws and regulations are always welcome in China, and will get continued assistance from our side," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"What we reject is ideological bias against China, fake news made in the name of press freedom, and breaches of ethics in journalism," the spokesperson added. "We call on foreign media outlets and journalists to play a positive role in advancing the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world."
Voice of America Director Amanda Bennett issued a statement noting that the U.S. government is legally prohibited from interfering with the organization's news stories.
"We remain committed to continuing to serve as a consistently reliable, trusted and authoritative source of news to our Chinese-speaking audiences," she said. "More than 40 million Chinese citizens a week turn to VOA for unbiased news. Our work has become even more vital since the outbreak of coronavirus in China in late 2019, which lifted our site traffic 33%."
New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet also cited the need for journalists to stay at work in China: "It is critical that the governments of the United States and China move quickly to resolve this dispute and allow journalists to do the important work of informing the public. The health and safety of people around the world depend on impartial reporting about its two largest economies, both of them now battling a common epidemic."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected any equivalence between the Chinese nationals expelled by the U.S. and the journalists targeted by Beijing.
"The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely," Pompeo said. "They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. We'd identified these as foreign missions under American law."
"This is unfortunate. ... I hope they'll reconsider."
It is not clear yet how many journalists the order will affect.
Other U.S.-based media outlets that operate bureaus in China — including NPR, The Associated Press and CNN — are not specifically named in the order, but it also suggested there would be further "reciprocal measures against American journalists."
The order comes just over a fortnight after the U.S. State Department announced a "personnel cap" on the Chinese state media outlets that it recently designated as "foreign missions" of the Chinese Communist Party.
Earlier this month, five entities were ordered to limit U.S.-based staff to no more than 100 Chinese nationals each: China's Xinhua News Agency, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corporation, China Global Television Network, and the U.S. distributor of People's Daily, Hai Tian Development USA.
But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the idea that the Chinese announcement deserved an "apples-to-apples" comparison with his department's order earlier this month.
"The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely. They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. We've identified these as foreign missions under American law," Pompeo told a news conference, saying he hoped Beijing "would reconsider."
"I regret China's decision today to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct the free press operations that, frankly, would be really good for the Chinese people," he added, "really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives."
The Chinese government is notoriously restrictive of media operations — not only for Chinese nationals but also for foreign journalists working within its borders.
2/5 Some telling stats from our 2019 report: 82% of reporters experienced interference or harassment or violence while reporting last year. 43% said digital/physical surveillance affected reporting. And 70% reported interviews cancelled due to actions taken by Chinese authorities — Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (@fccchina) March 2, 2020
In a report published earlier this month, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China found that more than 80% of reporters there had experienced some form of interference, harassment or outright violence while on the job last year. And since the start of Chinese President Xi Jinping's tenure in office, the FCCC says reporters have faced a "worsening reality that should be cause for global concern."
"As China reaches new heights of economic influence," the report said, "it has shown a growing willingness to use its considerable state power to suppress factual reporting that does not fit with the global image it seeks to present."
PEN America, an organization dedicated to freedom of expression for writers worldwide, admonished both countries carrying on with the dispute when readers need reliable information on the spread of the coronavirus.
"At a time when facts and information are a matter of life and death for billions of people worldwide, the cycle of tit-for-tat retaliation between Beijing and Washington over the role of journalists is stunningly misguided and a grave risk to public safety," said the group's CEO, Suzanne Nossel. "Both countries should lift any applicable restrictions and allow professional media outlets to play their role of reporting the news and calling it like they see it."
NPR's Emily Feng contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-17--The Classist History Behind Bad Bunny's 'Bichiyal'

When Bad Bunny released his sophomore album YHLQMDLG ( an acronym for Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana , or I Do Whatever I Want ) on February 29 , he also introduced a new word into the world : bichiyal .
It 's the title of one of the album 's songs—a nostalgic love letter to the old school perreo of the '90s and early 2000s—featuring the veteran reggaetonero Yaviah .
`` What does 'bichiyal ' mean ? ''
a Colombian co-worker asked a few days after the album dropped .
As a Puerto Rican , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minted term , because it 's a mashup of two popular slang words in Puerto Rico : `` bicha '' and `` yal . ''
In the context of the song , a `` bichiyal '' is a woman who exists between two worlds : the privileged life of Puerto Rico 's upper-middle class and the violent , vulnerable experience of the island 's poorest neighborhoods .
It 's unclear to which class she belongs—or to which she wants to belong—but the mere introduction of the term opened the floodgates for a debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rico 's long history of reggaeton production .
`` Reggaeton is this open book that gives the best reading of contemporary Puerto Rican society , '' said Bryan Negrón , the writer behind the urbano music blog Puesto Pa ' l Perreo .
`` And 'bichiyal ' really is something new . ''
Let 's start with the term `` bicha , '' an anglicism of the word `` b*tch . ''
It 's often used to describe a snobby woman , or one from an upper-class background .
But men also use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from gender roles—like `` esa tipa es una bicha , '' ( that girl is a bicha ) , if a woman talks back to a man .
While it 's most often used as an insult , women in Puerto Rico also use the word to refer to each other as a term of endearment—or even empowerment .
`` In my teenage years , my friends and I used this word all the time and we did n't limit it to the female sex , '' writes Rima Brusi , author of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then , there 's the term `` yal , '' which derives from the Jamaican patois word `` gyal , '' or girl .
Puerto Ricans got an introduction to the word in the 1990s , when dancehall music and other Caribbean genres made their way onto the island .
By the mid-'90s , rappers began using the term widely to refer to women—notably , in the songs `` Todas Las Yales '' by Daddy Yankee and `` Yal '' by Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam .
By the early 2000s , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vernacular , as evidenced in songs like `` Gata Salvaje '' by Hector y Tito .
But it made its mainstream debut with the 2004 album Motivando a la yal by Zion y Lennox .
This album was one of the first releases that marked the reggaeton 's induction into the mainstream worldwide .
It peaked in 2005 with the worldwide hit of Daddy Yankee 's Barrio Fino , which became the first reggaeton album to reach No .
1 on the Billboard Hot Latin charts , and its hit single `` Gasolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producer of reggaeton for years , even as the genre endured two waves of criminalization and persecution in the late 90s and early 2000s , according to Verónica Dávila , a PhD candidate at Northwestern University .
The first came under the administration of Governor Pedro Rosselló in 1993 and continued in the early 2000s with Senator Velda González .
Both waves waged war on Puerto Rico 's poorest communities , as writer Marisol Lebrón described in the Boston Review , and pushed the narrative that reggaeton was intrinsically linked to criminal activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reggaetoneros fought back through their lyrics , with songs such as Ivy Queen 's `` Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes '' ( or `` We Are Rappers Not Felons '' ) and Eddie Dee 's `` Censurarme '' ( or `` Censor Me '' ) .
As a result , reggaeton 's lyrics became cleaner , romantic and pop-influenced .
Eventually , `` yal '' fell out of vogue as slang in local artists ' lyrics as they distanced from the genre 's roots .
`` Bicha , '' on the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the island 's youth scene , eventually becoming a widely known slang word .
By the early 2010s , though , Puerto Rico came face-to-face with an economic crisis that eventually led to a Congress-imposed fiscal oversight board in 2016 .
And along with the financial slump came the return of the `` yal . ''
But this time , the term jumped out of reggaeton lyrics and into the colloquial vernacular of Puerto Ricans , who used it to describe a trite stereotype of the island 's poorest women .
A 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yal as a woman who 's `` always wearing a dubi '' and `` 15-inch hoop earrings , '' and who carries the latest iPhone model , despite `` living off government aid . ''
Comedian Natalia Lugo also became highly popular for her caricaturesque portrayal of a yal named Francheska , who complained that WIC benefits were not enough to sustain her seven children and spent her days watching telenovelas instead of looking for a job .
The term became a way to judge women and the way they managed their finances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps a very classist country blame someone else for its problems , '' she explained .
`` It 's not on us , and certainly not on the United States – it 's on them , the yales . ''
Around the same time as the economic crisis , reggaeton exploded globally again .
Artists also started to turn on the `` yal . ''
There are songs like Farruko and De la Ghetto 's `` No Es Una Gial , '' which describes a woman who dresses fashionably and likes expensive things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Reggaetoneros have moved away from wanting the woman from el barrio , which we associate with the yal , '' Dávila said .
`` Now , they want the university girl , the white girl , the overprotected girl '' —in other words , the bicha .
In `` Bichiyal , '' Bad Bunny tries to introduce a new type of woman , one that exists in the in-between of the bicha and the yal .
She races banshees on the weekends , while she also spends hours doing her makeup before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this one , Dávila said , is an attempt to go back to the roots of reggaeton by celebrating women from the barrio .
But the mission fails ; instead of saluting these women , Bad Bunny romanticizes the lives of one of the most vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico , she said .
It 's making the term `` bichiyal '' cool for women who live in privileged positions or have never experienced the discrimination that comes with fitting the profile of a yal .
`` These are women who are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Hurricane Maria , by the earthquake , by the femicide crisis , '' Dávila explained .
And other women online agree .
`` The women using the term 'bichiyal ' now would not hesitate to think less of 'yales ' in real life , '' tweeted Patricia Velázquez , co-founder of the Hasta 'Bajo Project , a transmedia archive of Puerto Rico 's reggaeton .
`` I think women want the title now without knowing what real-life 'yales ' go through , they want to appropriate from a privileged position , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter post , I wrote that bichiyal is a term that takes a lot of experience—and historical context from the island— to understand .
Other Latinos and Latin Americans were receptive to the explainer , but the often-angry response from fellow Boricuas was unexpected .
`` Why do we have to analyze something so banal like reggaeton , '' one person replied , while another argued that `` people were analyzing reggaeton to seem intellectual . ''
The song and album 's popularity has elevated the conversation to a whole new platform .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart , making it the highest ranking all-Spanish album ever .
Bad Bunny also debuted the music video for `` Bichiyal '' – set in Yokohama , Japan – featuring the new term in Japanese characters and an all-Asian cast .
While the mainstream adoption of reggaeton is certainly a call for celebration , Dávila and Negrón said it 's important to continue having conversations about introducing Puerto Rican slang to a global audience without the proper context .
`` In Puerto Rico , we refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race , '' said Dávila .
`` But , when a genre this popular comes from one of the most marginalized communities , we have to talk about it . ''

The Classist History Behind Bad Bunny's 'Bichiyal'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Winter/Getty Images Kevin Winter/Getty Images
When Bad Bunny released his sophomore album YHLQMDLG (an acronym for Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana, or I Do Whatever I Want) on February 29, he also introduced a new word into the world: bichiyal. It's the title of one of the album's songs—a nostalgic love letter to the old school perreo of the '90s and early 2000s—featuring the veteran reggaetonero Yaviah.
"What does 'bichiyal' mean?" a Colombian co-worker asked a few days after the album dropped. As a Puerto Rican, I hadn't thought twice about the newly minted term, because it's a mashup of two popular slang words in Puerto Rico: "bicha" and "yal."
In the context of the song, a "bichiyal" is a woman who exists between two worlds: the privileged life of Puerto Rico's upper-middle class and the violent, vulnerable experience of the island's poorest neighborhoods. It's unclear to which class she belongs—or to which she wants to belong—but the mere introduction of the term opened the floodgates for a debate about class, womanhood, and Puerto Rico's long history of reggaeton production.
"Reggaeton is this open book that gives the best reading of contemporary Puerto Rican society," said Bryan Negrón, the writer behind the urbano music blog Puesto Pa'l Perreo. "And 'bichiyal' really is something new."
Let's start with the term "bicha," an anglicism of the word "b*tch." It's often used to describe a snobby woman, or one from an upper-class background. But men also use it to describe women when they stray from gender roles—like "esa tipa es una bicha," (that girl is a bicha), if a woman talks back to a man.
While it's most often used as an insult, women in Puerto Rico also use the word to refer to each other as a term of endearment—or even empowerment. "In my teenage years, my friends and I used this word all the time and we didn't limit it to the female sex," writes Rima Brusi, author of Entre la Bicha y la Pared.
Then, there's the term "yal," which derives from the Jamaican patois word "gyal," or girl. Puerto Ricans got an introduction to the word in the 1990s, when dancehall music and other Caribbean genres made their way onto the island. By the mid-'90s, rappers began using the term widely to refer to women—notably, in the songs "Todas Las Yales" by Daddy Yankee and "Yal" by Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam.
By the early 2000s, "yal" was embedded in reggaeton's vernacular, as evidenced in songs like "Gata Salvaje" by Hector y Tito. But it made its mainstream debut with the 2004 album Motivando a la yal by Zion y Lennox. This album was one of the first releases that marked the reggaeton's induction into the mainstream worldwide. It peaked in 2005 with the worldwide hit of Daddy Yankee's Barrio Fino, which became the first reggaeton album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin charts,and its hit single "Gasolina."
Puerto Rico remained the main producer of reggaeton for years, even as the genre endured two waves of criminalization and persecution in the late 90s and early 2000s, according to Verónica Dávila, a PhD candidate at Northwestern University. The first came under the administration of Governor Pedro Rosselló in 1993 and continued in the early 2000s with Senator Velda González. Both waves waged war on Puerto Rico's poorest communities, as writer Marisol Lebrón described in the Boston Review, and pushed the narrative that reggaeton was intrinsically linked to criminal activity in housing projects and low-income communities. Reggaetoneros fought back through their lyrics, with songs such as Ivy Queen's "Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes" (or "We Are Rappers Not Felons") and Eddie Dee's "Censurarme" (or "Censor Me").
As a result, reggaeton's lyrics became cleaner, romantic and pop-influenced. Eventually, "yal" fell out of vogue as slang in local artists' lyrics as they distanced from the genre's roots. "Bicha," on the other hand, flourished as a colloquial term in the island's youth scene, eventually becoming a widely known slang word.
By the early 2010s, though, Puerto Rico came face-to-face with an economic crisis that eventually led to a Congress-imposed fiscal oversight board in 2016. And along with the financial slump came the return of the "yal." But this time, the term jumped out of reggaeton lyrics and into the colloquial vernacular of Puerto Ricans, who used it to describe a trite stereotype of the island's poorest women. A 2014 video by comedian Alex Díaz mocks a yal as a woman who's "always wearing a dubi" and "15-inch hoop earrings," and who carries the latest iPhone model, despite "living off government aid." Comedian Natalia Lugo also became highly popular for her caricaturesque portrayal of a yal named Francheska, who complained that WIC benefits were not enough to sustain her seven children and spent her days watching telenovelas instead of looking for a job.
YouTube
The term became a way to judge women and the way they managed their finances, Dávila said. "This stereotype helps a very classist country blame someone else for its problems," she explained. "It's not on us, and certainly not on the United States – it's on them, the yales."
Around the same time as the economic crisis, reggaeton exploded globally again. Artists also started to turn on the "yal." There are songs like Farruko and De la Ghetto's "No Es Una Gial," which describes a woman who dresses fashionably and likes expensive things, unlike women from the barrio. "Reggaetoneros have moved away from wanting the woman from el barrio, which we associate with the yal," Dávila said. "Now, they want the university girl, the white girl, the overprotected girl"—in other words, the bicha.
In "Bichiyal," Bad Bunny tries to introduce a new type of woman, one that exists in the in-between of the bicha and the yal. She races banshees on the weekends, while she also spends hours doing her makeup before going out. Introducing a term like this one, Dávila said, is an attempt to go back to the roots of reggaeton by celebrating women from the barrio.
But the mission fails; instead of saluting these women, Bad Bunny romanticizes the lives of one of the most vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico, she said. It's making the term "bichiyal" cool for women who live in privileged positions or have never experienced the discrimination that comes with fitting the profile of a yal. "These are women who are the most impacted by the economic crisis, by Hurricane Maria, by the earthquake, by the femicide crisis," Dávila explained.
And other women online agree. "The women using the term 'bichiyal' now would not hesitate to think less of 'yales' in real life," tweeted Patricia Velázquez, co-founder of the Hasta 'Bajo Project, a transmedia archive of Puerto Rico's reggaeton."I think women want the title now without knowing what real-life 'yales' go through, they want to appropriate from a privileged position," replied one follower.
In my own Twitter post, I wrote that bichiyal is a term that takes a lot of experience—and historical context from the island— to understand. Other Latinos and Latin Americans were receptive to the explainer, but the often-angry response from fellow Boricuas was unexpected. "Why do we have to analyze something so banal like reggaeton," one person replied, while another argued that "people were analyzing reggaeton to seem intellectual."
YouTube
The song and album's popularity has elevated the conversation to a whole new platform. This week, YHLQMDLG debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, making it the highest ranking all-Spanish album ever. Bad Bunny also debuted the music video for "Bichiyal" – set in Yokohama, Japan – featuring the new term in Japanese characters and an all-Asian cast. While the mainstream adoption of reggaeton is certainly a call for celebration, Dávila and Negrón said it's important to continue having conversations about introducing Puerto Rican slang to a global audience without the proper context.
"In Puerto Rico, we refuse to engage in discussions about class and race," said Dávila. "But, when a genre this popular comes from one of the most marginalized communities, we have to talk about it."


npr--2020-03-17--It's Time To Get Serious About Social Distancing. Here's How

It 's Time To Get Serious About Social Distancing .
Here 's How By now , you 've heard the advice that to slow the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. , we need to practice social distancing .
But if you 're confused as to what that looks like in practice , we 've got some answers .
On Monday , the White House announced new guidelines for the next two weeks , urging Americans to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people , to avoid discretionary travel , shopping trips , or social visits , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars .
This guidance is based on new modeling on how the virus might spread , according to Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House coronavirus task force .
`` What had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing , small groups , not going in public in large groups , '' Birx said at a White House press conference Monday .
Also critically important , said Birx , is a 14-day quarantine of any household where one person is infected with coronavirus .
`` That stopped 100 percent of transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ models , she said .
The federal government is urging older people and those with serious underlying health conditions — like lung or heart conditions or a weakened immune system — to `` stay home and away from other people , '' because data shows that these groups are most vulnerable to developing a severe form of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
`` Every single generation has a role to play , '' Birx said Tuesday at a White House press conference .
`` We 're asking our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We 're asking the younger generations to stop going out in public places , to bars and restaurants , and spreading asymptomatic virus onto countertops and knobs . ''
So what is and is n't OK in our new world of social distancing ?
Can I have people over or go visit grandma ?
Here 's what the new CDC guidelines and other health experts have to say .
Can I go to a restaurant , food court or bar ?
According to Monday 's new guidelines , no — at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says people should use drive-through , pick-up or delivery options instead .
When you get home with your food , you could take it out of the containers , throw those out , and then wash your hands thoroughly before eating , says Drew Harris , a population health researcher at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia .
`` We do n't want to get too crazy about this , but taking reasonable precautions should be sufficient , '' he says .
Luckily , the food itself `` is probably not a major risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infectious disease expert at Brigham and Women 's Hospital , told NPR .
That 's because most infections from the new coronavirus appear to start with the respiratory system , not the digestive tract .
On a grassroots level , people are also urging folks to support their favorite local restaurants and retailers by buying gift certificates that they can use later .
What about visiting grandma and grandpa ?
The federal government is asking visitors to stay away from nursing homes , retirement or long-term care facilities unless they 're going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tough , because social isolation is already a problem for many of the elderly .
But as Birx noted Monday , `` we know there is a large group [ of infected people ] – we do n't know the exact percent yet – that actually is asymptomatic or has such mild cases , they continue to spread the virus . ''
That includes children .
A new study in the journal Pediatrics finds that 13 % of children with confirmed cases of COVID-19 did n't show symptoms .
Given all that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults avoid contact with children , '' says Sean Morrison , a geriatrician with Mount Sinai Health System in New York .
`` We want to minimize the risk of that child passing on disease to their grandparents , who are at increased risk . ''
Of course , that can be tough for all involved , but now is the time to think about virtual visits with grandma — whether it 's Facetime calls or streaming movies that you all watch together , virtually , Morrison says .
That does n't mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do keep younger kids away .
Drew Harris suggests now may be the time for care packages for elderly relatives , rather than in-person visits .
But I 'm a healthy grownup , not a kid .
Is it OK to visit my elderly relatives ?
`` Do n't visit older relatives unless it 's absolutely necessary — as in they need food , they need help at home , they need supplies or they need their medications , '' says Morrison .
He says every older adult needs to be staying at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and medication supplies on hand .
And adult children should have back-up plans to care for older parents in case they get sick , since they 're the ones at highest risk from the coronavirus .
But do try to stay in touch regularly so that older relatives do n't feel too isolated .
Now would be a good time to teach your mom and dad how to use video calling if they do n't know already .
I still need to go to work .
Is it OK to drop my kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a lead adviser on the federal government 's COVID-19 response , said the new CDC guidelines had n't yet tackled that question .
But a commentary in the journal Pediatrics does raise concerns about the spread of the virus in day cares .
Pediatrician Andrea Tania Cruz of Baylor College , who co-wrote the commentary , acknowledges that some parents , especially low-income ones , wo n't have the option of keeping their kids at home with them .
In that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find a daycare setting with a small number of kids , do n't send them to daycare if they 're sick , and make sure kids have gotten their flu shot ( it wo n't protect them against coronavirus but it is still flu season ) .
And she says daycare providers should wipe down toys , especially plastic ones , often with disinfecting cleaners like Clorox wipes or a bleach solution .
That 's because evidence suggests the coronavirus can live on surfaces like plastic for up to 72 hours .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz says there 's evidence that infected people can shed the virus in their stool for several weeks after diagnosis .
The most common test for coronavirus ca n't distinguish whether the virus being shed is alive or dead , Cruz notes .
But she says the finding does raise concerns that caretakers changing diapers for kids who are n't yet potty trained could potentially be exposed to the virus .
`` I think daycare , if it 's older kids who are all potty trained , it 's less of a risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American parents are now trying to figure out how to work from home — while also tending to kids whose schools are closed to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
Play dates seem like an obvious solution to help little ones burn off energy while you get some work done .
But while the CDC did n't offer any official guidance here , several experts say play dates may defeat the purpose of everyone hunkering down .
`` I 'm personally taking a really strict line , '' says pediatrician Lindsay Thompson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would say that play dates inherently have a risk — I do n't know how big or small .
But if we can put them off for a few weeks and replace it with family time , it would be better . ''
She notes that elementary school-age kids get about five viral infections a season on average .
`` If they 're playing with three or four friends , each one would be about to have , had or is getting over a viral illness that they could then , unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And at this moment , she says , it 's not just the coronavirus that 's a concern , but any virus that might lead a child to need medical attention .
That 's because you want to avoid doctor 's visits if you can , both to avoid possibly getting infected with coronavirus and to avoid overloading the health care system .
What 's more , symptoms of COVID-19 on average take five days to show up from the time of infection — but a person can still pass it on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while it might be tempting to have one or two kids over , do n't do it , says Dr. Asaf Bitton , a primary care physician and public health researcher affiliated with Brigham and Women 's Hospital and Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
`` Someone who comes over looking well can transmit the virus , '' Bitton wrote in a widely shared essay posted on Medium .
But `` even if you choose only one friend to have over , you are creating new links and possibilities for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our school/work/public event closures are trying to prevent , '' he wrote .
Dr. Jenny Radesky , a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan , says the goal is for parents to limit exposure , period .
`` My guidance right now to families is , as much as possible , do not have your kids in other people 's houses .
Do not have other people 's kids in your house .
There are times where for child care arrangements or for absolute necessity , you need to have one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But if at all possible , really just keep kids at home . ''
What about playing outside with other kids or going to the park ?
If you do let your kids outside to play with others , make sure the children keep at least 6 feet of distance from other children ( which can be very hard for younger children to abide by ) .
That 's because the virus can be transmitted via coughs or droplets within a 6-foot radius of an infected person .
`` We 're avoiding playgrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Radesky says .
And for adults , what about having close friends over to visit ?
The new CDC guidance is to avoid social visits for now .
Once again , think virtual — maybe have a Facetime dinner party with friends .
Morrison says the answer depends in part on where you live .
If there 's widespread transmission of coronavirus in your community , his advice is to skip the visitors altogether .
But `` if you 're in areas where there is less community spread , then limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my opinion , is probably a reasonable approach . ''
He advises limiting interactions to one friend at a time .
Can I travel ?
I 'm seeing really cheap airfares now .
The CDC is telling people to avoid discretionary travel .
Think about it : It can be hard to stay at least 6 feet away from other people on an airplane .
And even if you 're planning to drive to your destination , the whole goal of this 15-day hunkering down period is to keep your germs to yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus — a concept known as flattening the curve .
That means minimizing contact with others outside your immediate household .
I had a doctor 's visit scheduled months ago .
Should I still go ?
If it 's a nonessential visit to a doctor or dentist , reschedule it , Birx said Tuesday during a White House press conference .
`` Things that do n't need to be done over the next two weeks , do n't get it done .
If you 're a person with an elective surgery , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital right now . ''
She urged people to `` be responsible '' to free up hospital beds and space .
I need to go to the grocery store .
How do I do that in a way that 's safest for me and others ?
This counts as an essential trip , of course .
But try going to the grocery store during off-peak hours , when it 's less likely to be crowded , says Dr. Sean O ' Leary , an assistant professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris says he wipes down the handles on the shopping cart or basket when he shops .
The stores he visits offer wipes , but hand sanitizer should also work .
Both Harris and Morrison advise being careful not to touch your face with your hands while you 're at the store , and washing your hands before and after going .
And of course , try to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others .
`` Social distancing ... .
does n't mean no one ever sets foot out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It means being careful . ''
After you unpack the food at home , wash your hands again , Harris says .
And if you 're in a high-risk group like the elderly or immunosuppressed , he advises asking someone else to shop for you or having groceries delivered instead .

It's Time To Get Serious About Social Distancing. Here's How
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
By now, you've heard the advice that to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., we need to practice social distancing. But if you're confused as to what that looks like in practice, we've got some answers.
On Monday, the White House announced new guidelines for the next two weeks, urging Americans to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people; to avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, or social visits; and not to go out to restaurants or bars.
This guidance is based on new modeling on how the virus might spread, according to Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House coronavirus task force.
"What had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing, small groups, not going in public in large groups," Birx said at a White House press conference Monday.
Also critically important, said Birx, is a 14-day quarantine of any household where one person is infected with the coronavirus. In models, "that stopped 100% of transmission outside of the household," she said.
The federal government is urging older people and those with serious underlying health conditions — like lung or heart conditions or a weakened immune system — to "stay home and away from other people" because data shows that these groups are most vulnerable to developing a severe form of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
"Every single generation has a role to play," Birx said Tuesday at a White House press conference. "We're asking our older generation to stay in their homes. We're asking the younger generations to stop going out in public places, to bars and restaurants, and spreading asymptomatic virus onto countertops and knobs."
So what is and isn't OK in our new world of social distancing? Can I have people over or go visit Grandma? Here's what the new CDC guidelines and other health experts have to say.
Can I go to a restaurant, food court or bar?
According to Monday's new guidelines, no — at least not for dining in. The CDC says people should use drive-through, pickup or delivery options instead.
When you get home with your food, you could take it out of the containers, throw those out, and then wash your hands thoroughly before eating, says Drew Harris, a population health researcher at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. "We don't want to get too crazy about this, but taking reasonable precautions should be sufficient," he says.
Luckily, the food itself "is probably not a major risk factor here," Daniel Kuritzkes, an infectious disease expert at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told NPR. That's because most infections from the new coronavirus appear to start with the respiratory system, not the digestive tract.
On a grassroots level, people are also urging folks to support their favorite local restaurants and retailers by buying gift certificates that they can use later.
What about visiting Grandma and Grandpa?
The federal government is asking visitors to stay away from nursing homes and retirement or long-term care facilities unless they're going to provide critical assistance.
This one is tough, because social isolation is already a problem for many of the elderly. But as Birx noted Monday, "We know there is a large group [of infected people] — we don't know the exact percent yet — that actually is asymptomatic or has such mild cases, they continue to spread the virus."
That includes children. A new study in the journal Pediatrics finds that 13% of children with confirmed cases of COVID-19 didn't show symptoms.
Given all that, "we're recommending that older adults avoid contact with children," says Sean Morrison, a geriatrician with Mount Sinai Health System in New York. "We want to minimize the risk of that child passing on disease to their grandparents, who are at increased risk."
Of course, that can be tough for all involved, but now is the time to think about virtual visits with Grandma — whether it's Facetime calls or streaming movies that you all watch together, virtually, Morrison says. That doesn't mean no visits to the grandparents — but do keep younger kids away.
Drew Harris suggests now may be the time for care packages for elderly relatives, rather than in-person visits.
But I'm a healthy grownup, not a kid. Is it OK to visit my elderly relatives?
"Don't visit older relatives unless it's absolutely necessary — as in, they need food, they need help at home, they need supplies or they need their medications," says Morrison. He says every older adult needs to be staying at home right now with plenty of food and medication supplies on hand. And adult children should have back-up plans to care for older parents in case they get sick, since they're the ones at highest risk from the coronavirus.
But do try to stay in touch regularly so that older relatives don't feel too isolated. Now would be a good time to teach your mom and dad how to use video calling if they don't know already.
I still need to go to work. Is it OK to drop my kid off at day care?
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a lead adviser on the federal government's COVID-19 response, said the new CDC guidelines hadn't yet tackled that question. But a commentary in the journal Pediatrics does raise concerns about the spread of the virus in day cares. Pediatrician Andrea Tania Cruz of Baylor College of Medicine, who co-wrote the commentary, acknowledges that some parents, especially low-income ones, won't have the option of keeping their kids at home with them.
In that case, Cruz says, try to find a day care setting with a small number of kids, don't send them to day care if they're sick, and make sure kids have gotten their flu shot (it won't protect them against coronavirus but it is still flu season). And she says day care providers should wipe down toys, especially plastic ones, often with disinfecting cleaners such as Clorox wipes or a bleach solution. That's because evidence suggests that the coronavirus can live on surfaces like plastic for up to 72 hours.
So why the concern over day cares? Cruz says there's evidence that infected people can shed the virus in their stool for several weeks after diagnosis. The most common test for coronavirus can't distinguish whether the virus being shed is alive or dead, Cruz notes. But she says the finding does raise concerns that caretakers changing diapers for kids who aren't yet potty trained could potentially be exposed to the virus. "I think day care, if it's older kids who are all potty trained, it's less of a risk," Cruz says.
Are kids' play dates OK?
Millions of American parents are now trying to figure out how to work from home — while also tending to kids whose schools are closed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Play dates seem like an obvious solution to help little ones burn off energy while you get some work done. But while the CDC didn't offer any official guidance here, several experts say play dates may defeat the purpose of everyone hunkering down.
"I'm personally taking a really strict line," says pediatrician Lindsay Thompson of the University of Florida. "I would say that play dates inherently have a risk — I don't know how big or small. But if we can put them off for a few weeks and replace it with family time, it would be better."
She notes that elementary school-age kids get about five viral infections a season on average. "If they're playing with three or four friends, each one would be about to have, had or is getting over a viral illness that they could then, unfortunately, share," she says. And at this moment, she says, it's not just the coronavirus that's a concern, but any virus that might lead a child to need medical attention. That's because you want to avoid doctor's visits if you can, both to avoid possibly getting infected with the coronavirus and to avoid overloading the health care system.
What's more, symptoms of COVID-19 on average take five days to show up from the time of infection — but a person can still pass it on to other people during that time. So while it might be tempting to have one or two kids over, don't do it, says Dr. Asaf Bitton, a primary care physician and public health researcher affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
"Someone who comes over looking well can transmit the virus," Bitton wrote in a widely shared essay posted on Medium. But "even if you choose only one friend to have over, you are creating new links and possibilities for the type of transmission that all of our school/work/public event closures are trying to prevent," he wrote.
Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan, says the goal is for parents to limit exposure, period. "My guidance right now to families is, as much as possible, do not have your kids in other people's houses. Do not have other people's kids in your house. There are times where for child care arrangements or for absolute necessity, you need to have one or two or more kids together. But if at all possible, really just keep kids at home."
What about playing outside with other kids or going to the park?
If you do let your kids outside to play with others, make sure the children keep at least 6 feet of distance from other children (which can be very hard for younger children to abide by). That's because the virus can be transmitted between people who are in close contact with each other -- about a 6-foot radius. "We're avoiding playgrounds and other places that germs can accumulate," Radesky says.
And for adults, what about having close friends over to visit?
The new CDC guidance is to avoid social visits for now. Once again, think virtual — maybe have a Facetime dinner party with friends.
Morrison says the answer depends in part on where you live. If there's widespread transmission of the coronavirus in your community, his advice is to skip the visitors altogether. But "if you're in areas where there is less community spread, then limiting visitors rather than eliminating them, in my opinion, is probably a reasonable approach." He advises limiting interactions to one friend at a time.
Can I travel? I'm seeing really cheap airfares now.
The CDC is telling people to avoid discretionary travel. Think about it: It can be hard to stay at least 6 feet away from other people on an airplane. And even if you're planning to drive to your destination, the whole goal of this 15-day hunkering down period is to keep your germs to yourself so we slow the spread of the virus — a concept known as flattening the curve. That means minimizing contact with others outside your immediate household.
I had a doctor's visit scheduled months ago. Should I still go?
If it's a nonessential visit to a doctor or dentist, reschedule it, Birx said Tuesday during a White House press conference. "Things that don't need to be done over the next two weeks, don't get it done. If you're a person with an elective surgery, you don't want to go into a hospital right now." She urged people to "be responsible" to free up hospital beds and space.
I need to go to the grocery store. How do I do that in a way that's safest for me and others?
This counts as an essential trip, of course. But try going to the grocery store during off-peak hours, when it's less likely to be crowded, says Dr. Sean O'Leary, an assistant professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Harris says he wipes down the handles on the shopping cart or basket when he shops. The stores he visits offer wipes, but hand sanitizer should also work.
Both Harris and Morrison advise being careful not to touch your face with your hands while you're at the store, and washing your hands before and after going. And try to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others. "Social distancing .... doesn't mean no one ever sets foot out the front door," Morrison says. "It means being careful."
After you unpack the food at home, wash your hands again, Harris says. And if you're in a high-risk group like the elderly or immunosuppressed, he advises asking someone else to shop for you or having groceries delivered instead.


npr--2020-03-17--Uber, Lyft Halt Shared Carpool Service In U.S. And Canada

Uber , Lyft Halt Shared Carpool Service In U.S. And Canada Uber is pausing its pool service , and Lyft is suspending its shared rides feature in the United States and Canada in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Those services let passengers headed in the same direction carpool in exchange for cheaper fares .
But as cities tell people to avoid nonessential travel and stay at least 6 feet away from one another , Uber and Lyft say they are supporting public health guidance .
`` Our goal is to help flatten the curve of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Andrew Macdonald , an Uber executive .
`` We remain in close contact with local leaders and will continue to work with them to discourage nonessential travel . ''
A Lyft spokeswoman said : `` The health and safety of the Lyft community is our top priority , and we 're dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and base our actions on official guidance . ''
Both companies are still operating their regular ride services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery .
Uber is also sending messages to passengers in its app encouraging them to travel only when necessary .
Uber and Lyft are both headquartered in San Francisco , which has put into place some of the strictest restrictions on movement and business in the country .

Uber, Lyft Halt Shared Carpool Service In U.S. And Canada
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP
Uber is pausing its pool service, and Lyft is suspending its shared rides feature in the United States and Canada in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Those services let passengers headed in the same direction carpool in exchange for cheaper fares.
But as cities tell people to avoid nonessential travel and stay at least 6 feet away from one another, Uber and Lyft say they are supporting public health guidance.
"Our goal is to help flatten the curve of community spread in the cities we serve," said Andrew Macdonald, an Uber executive. "We remain in close contact with local leaders and will continue to work with them to discourage nonessential travel."
A Lyft spokeswoman said: "The health and safety of the Lyft community is our top priority, and we're dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and base our actions on official guidance."
Both companies are still operating their regular ride services, and UberEats is still offering food delivery.
Uber is also sending messages to passengers in its app encouraging them to travel only when necessary.
Uber and Lyft are both headquartered in San Francisco, which has put into place some of the strictest restrictions on movement and business in the country.


npr--2020-03-17--Citing Security, Feds Drop Case Against Russians Linked To Election Interference

The Justice Department has dropped its prosecution of two Russian firms linked to interference in the 2016 election after accusing them of gaming the U.S. legal system .
The companies , Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering , were indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the investigation into Moscow 's campaign of active measures .
They were accused of waging information warfare and trying to defraud the United States — but in a court filing late Monday , the Justice Department accused them of taking advantage of the protections granted in the American legal system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Concord has been eager and aggressive in using the judicial system to gather information about how the United States detects and prevents foreign election interference , '' the department said in its filing .
`` The United States will not permit Concord to continue to garner the benefits of its appearance while evading other consequences thereof . ''
The judge presiding over the case , Dabney Friedrich , granted the government 's motion to dismiss .
The firms , along with one other Russian entity and 13 Russian nationals , were indicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other company , the Internet Research Agency , is the Russian troll farm that the U.S. says spearheaded the Kremlin 's disinformation campaign to influence the 2016 American election .
The Concord defendants , according to the indictment , were the primary source of funding for those operations .
All three entities are controlled by Yevgeniy Prigozhin , a Russian oligarch known as `` Putin 's chef . ''
He , too , was charged in the indictment .
The decision to dismiss the case against Concord Management and Consulting comes a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trial .
The Justice Department provided a range of reasons for its decision .
It said Concord provided misleading documents to the court ; it failed to comply with trial subpoenas ; and a recent `` classification determination '' affected the balance of proof in the government 's case .
The government must `` weigh the potential risks to the national security that are necessarily associated with a trial of this nature , '' the head of the department 's national security division , John Demers , and the U.S. Attorney for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in the filing .
`` A trial of this case risks publicizing sensitive law enforcement information regarding measures used to investigate and protect against foreign influence over the political system , '' they say .
But they also defended bringing the case in the first place .
`` There is substantial federal interest in defending American democratic institutions , exposing those who endeavor to criminally interfere with them , and holding them accountable , which is why this prosecution was properly commenced in the first place , '' they say .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its lack of a presence in the U.S. and the risk of exposing law enforcement tools and techniques , `` it is no longer in the best interests of justice or the country 's national security to continue this prosecution . ''

Citing Security, Feds Drop Case Against Russians Linked To Election Interference
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
The Justice Department has dropped its prosecution of two Russian firms linked to interference in the 2016 election after accusing them of gaming the U.S. legal system.
The companies, Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering, were indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the investigation into Moscow's campaign of active measures.
They were accused of waging information warfare and trying to defraud the United States — but in a court filing late Monday, the Justice Department accused them of taking advantage of the protections granted in the American legal system but refusing to honor its obligations.
"Concord has been eager and aggressive in using the judicial system to gather information about how the United States detects and prevents foreign election interference," the department said in its filing.
"The United States will not permit Concord to continue to garner the benefits of its appearance while evading other consequences thereof."
The judge presiding over the case, Dabney Friedrich, granted the government's motion to dismiss.
The firms, along with one other Russian entity and 13 Russian nationals, were indicted by Mueller in early 2018.
The other company, the Internet Research Agency, is the Russian troll farm that the U.S. says spearheaded the Kremlin's disinformation campaign to influence the 2016 American election.
The Concord defendants, according to the indictment, were the primary source of funding for those operations.
All three entities are controlled by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a Russian oligarch known as "Putin's chef." He, too, was charged in the indictment.
The decision to dismiss the case against Concord Management and Consulting comes a few weeks before it was set to go to trial.
Feds cite risk to secrets
The Justice Department provided a range of reasons for its decision.
It said Concord provided misleading documents to the court; it failed to comply with trial subpoenas; and a recent "classification determination" affected the balance of proof in the government's case.
The government must "weigh the potential risks to the national security that are necessarily associated with a trial of this nature," the head of the department's national security division, John Demers, and the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Timothy Shea, wrote in the filing.
"A trial of this case risks publicizing sensitive law enforcement information regarding measures used to investigate and protect against foreign influence over the political system," they say.
But they also defended bringing the case in the first place.
"There is substantial federal interest in defending American democratic institutions, exposing those who endeavor to criminally interfere with them, and holding them accountable, which is why this prosecution was properly commenced in the first place," they say.
But in light of the defendants' conduct, its lack of a presence in the U.S. and the risk of exposing law enforcement tools and techniques, "it is no longer in the best interests of justice or the country's national security to continue this prosecution."


npr--2020-03-17--Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?

Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?

Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. is in full-on preparation mode .
On a recent visit the staff had already marked out the parking lot — painting green rectangles to mark the places where tents are starting to be set up to screen arriving patients for COVID-19 .
In a medical building on the hospital grounds , the director for emergency management , Craig DeAtley , opens the door to a room crammed with supplies .
It 's called the `` ready room '' he explains .
It 's where they keep equipment to handle all kinds of crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a mass casualty situation .
Right now , the crisis is coronavirus , and so some storage carts have been moved out , to create one more location where arriving patients can be assessed .
`` Instead of everybody going into the emergency department , we would try and siphon off some of those patients , '' DeAtley says .
Washington Hospital center 's efforts highlight the question medical facilities across the U.S. now confront : Are they ready for what 's coming ?
The stakes could not be higher — when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill patients than it can handle , more patients die .
Other places in the world — where the coronavirus spread seems to be just ahead of the U.S. — like Italy — have seen their hospitals overwhelmed .
And even in the U.S. , some hospitals and and other health facilities already are facing short supplies .
On Sunday , Washington state 's Congressional delegation sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about that hard-hit state 's need for more personal protective equipment from the strategic national stockpile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , fire departments , and other sectors through the state have either depleted their supply of [ personal protective equipment ] or will run out in a matter of days , '' lawmakers wrote .
Meanwhile , spots that have n't faced many — or even any — cases yet are trying to prepare .
One rural hospital , Syringa Hospital in Grangeville , Idaho , is planning to ask patients who show symptoms of COVID-19 to stay in their cars outside the ER , where they can be evaluated and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospital Center is rushing to get testing up and running at its in-house laboratory .
It 's also coming up with ways to quickly remodel rooms to better serve critically ill COVID-19 patients .
`` We are working on ways to increase the negative pressure room capability within our ICU , '' DeAtley says , which would prevent coronavirus from spreading from room to room .
ICU capacity could be the real chokepoint for many hospitals in America , says Eric Toner , of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
`` For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need twice the normal intensive care capacity than we normally have , '' says Toner .
A recent paper posted online by Toner and collaborators at Harvard University and Nanjing Medical University in China looked at what happened to intensive care units in Wuhan , China — the first place this outbreak hit .
ICUs in the city saw tens of thousands of patients .
Toner estimates that if the U.S. sees the same rate of spread , every hospital in the nation would have to take drastic steps to meet the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to function as normal , '' says Toner .
`` It 's a question of whether they can adequately adjust the way they do things in order to handle the tsunami of patients that are coming their way . ''
There are many potential strategies for increasing ICU capacity , Toner says .
For instance , `` normally , we would put a pneumonia patient in a medical ICU , '' he explains , but hospitals might have to commandeer any free beds in the ICUs of all sorts of specialized departments — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that do n't have a lot of free space are looking to create ICUs in larger spaces like auditoriums .
But that last measure brings an additional challenge says Toner .
`` You could have more beds — that 's easy .
But people in an ICU need all sorts of specialized equipment .
They need IV pumps , they need monitors of various kinds , and — most importantly for COVID-19 — most of them need mechanical ventilation . ''
There are a finite number of ventilators across the U.S. , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to have several thousand ventilators available to hospitals if needed .
`` We also have to increase staffing , '' Toner warns .
`` We have to have reasonably trained people to operate the kind of equipment and care that these people need . ''
Keeping health care workers safe amid the whirlwind of this pandemic is top of mind for Nahid Bhadelia , medical director of Boston University School of Medicine 's special pathogens unit .
`` Our health care workers are the most precious resource in this response , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't protect themselves , more and more of them will start to fall sick .
`` So you 're going through your cadres of health care workers until you get to the point where you can not provide the kind of care you want to to the patients . ''
To avoid that situation it will be crucial to provide health workers with personal protective equipment such as masks , goggles and gowns .
At present , Bhadelia thinks her hospital has enough protective gear .
But she says , `` if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know what the scenario might look like .
Nobody knows how many months this might go on for . ''
Toner at Johns Hopkins estimates that if U.S. hospitals are able to scale up their capacity using all the creative measures he and others advocate , they will just about meet the various needs required to care for all COVID-19 patients .
But that 's on the macro level .
Hospital capacities vary a lot from region to region , notes Toner , and the number of simultaneous cases may vary widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So in practice , `` in some communities they will be OK .
In other communities they will be just making it .
And then , in other places — they will be totally overwhelmed . ''
Even at a big , sophisticated , well-resourced place like Medstar Washington Hospital Center in D.C. , those in charge feel they must prepare for the worst .
DeAtley — the emergency preparedness director — says his hospital has an ethics plan for how to ration care , and the heart-wrenching decisions that would entail : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who gets a bag valve mask , versus who does n't get either one of the two . ''
Doctors are already making those choices in Italy , based on factors such as each patient 's age and likelihood of survival .
`` Clearly , we all hope that we do n't see that extreme here in this country , '' says DeAtley .
`` But we have a plan if it came to that .
Other hospitals I know have a plan as well . ''
As grim as that sounds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be hopeful .
He and his collaborators did n't just analyze what happened in Wuhan .
They also looked at the experience of hospitals in the Chinese city of Guangzhou — where authorities were much quicker to impose social distancing .
They put many of the measures in place just a week after the virus started circulating .
The result was that hospitals had to deal with far fewer patients .
To the extent that the U.S. follows Guangzhou 's pattern of spread , `` I mean it wo n't be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Toner .
`` But I think it would be manageable . ''
In other words , what people out in the community — all of us — do in the coming days and weeks to slow down the virus could yet change the picture for hospitals .
All the social distancing Americans are trying to do now — shutting down bars and restaurants , hunkering down at home — might seem like an overreaction at a time when the number of confirmed cases is still low .
But those measures could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see us through this crisis and save many more lives .

Are U.S. Hospitals Ready?
toggle caption Ryan Kellman/NPR
Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. is in full-on preparation mode.
On a recent visit the staff had already marked out the parking lot — painting green rectangles to mark the places where tents are starting to be set up to screen arriving patients for COVID-19.
In a medical building on the hospital grounds, the director for emergency management, Craig DeAtley, opens the door to a room crammed with supplies. It's called the "ready room" he explains. It's where they keep equipment to handle all kinds of crises — from Ebola to a HAZMAT incident to a mass casualty situation.
Right now, the crisis is coronavirus, and so some storage carts have been moved out, to create one more location where arriving patients can be assessed.
"Instead of everybody going into the emergency department, we would try and siphon off some of those patients," DeAtley says.
Washington Hospital center's efforts highlight the question medical facilities across the U.S. now confront: Are they ready for what's coming?
The stakes could not be higher — when a hospital is flooded with more critically ill patients than it can handle, more patients die.
toggle caption Ryan Kellman/NPR
Other places in the world — where the coronavirus spread seems to be just ahead of the U.S. — like Italy — have seen their hospitals overwhelmed.
And even in the U.S., some hospitals and and other health facilities already are facing short supplies. On Sunday, Washington state's Congressional delegation sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about that hard-hit state's need for more personal protective equipment from the strategic national stockpile. "Many health centers, nursing facilities, fire departments, and other sectors through the state have either depleted their supply of [personal protective equipment] or will run out in a matter of days," lawmakers wrote.
Meanwhile, spots that haven't faced many — or even any — cases yet are trying to prepare. One rural hospital, Syringa Hospital in Grangeville, Idaho, is planning to ask patients who show symptoms of COVID-19 to stay in their cars outside the ER, where they can be evaluated and get masks.
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And in D.C., Washington Hospital Center is rushing to get testing up and running at its in-house laboratory. It's also coming up with ways to quickly remodel rooms to better serve critically ill COVID-19 patients.
"We are working on ways to increase the negative pressure room capability within our ICU," DeAtley says, which would prevent coronavirus from spreading from room to room.
The biggest chokepoint
ICU capacity could be the real chokepoint for many hospitals in America, says Eric Toner, of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
"For the average American city we would probably need twice the normal intensive care capacity than we normally have," says Toner.
A recent paper posted online by Toner and collaborators at Harvard University and Nanjing Medical University in China looked at what happened to intensive care units in Wuhan, China — the first place this outbreak hit. ICUs in the city saw tens of thousands of patients.
Toner estimates that if the U.S. sees the same rate of spread, every hospital in the nation would have to take drastic steps to meet the need.
"No hospital will be able to function as normal," says Toner. "It's a question of whether they can adequately adjust the way they do things in order to handle the tsunami of patients that are coming their way."
There are many potential strategies for increasing ICU capacity, Toner says. For instance, "normally, we would put a pneumonia patient in a medical ICU," he explains, but hospitals might have to commandeer any free beds in the ICUs of all sorts of specialized departments — such as neurology or pediatrics. Hospitals that don't have a lot of free space are looking to create ICUs in larger spaces like auditoriums.
toggle caption Ryan Kellman/NPR
But that last measure brings an additional challenge says Toner. "You could have more beds — that's easy. But people in an ICU need all sorts of specialized equipment. They need IV pumps, they need monitors of various kinds, and — most importantly for COVID-19 — most of them need mechanical ventilation."
There are a finite number of ventilators across the U.S., including in a strategic national stockpile that is thought to have several thousand ventilators available to hospitals if needed.
"We also have to increase staffing," Toner warns. "We have to have reasonably trained people to operate the kind of equipment and care that these people need."
'The most precious resource'
Keeping health care workers safe amid the whirlwind of this pandemic is top of mind for Nahid Bhadelia, medical director of Boston University School of Medicine's special pathogens unit.
"Our health care workers are the most precious resource in this response," she says. If health workers can't protect themselves, more and more of them will start to fall sick. "So you're going through your cadres of health care workers until you get to the point where you cannot provide the kind of care you want to to the patients."
To avoid that situation it will be crucial to provide health workers with personal protective equipment such as masks, goggles and gowns.
At present, Bhadelia thinks her hospital has enough protective gear. But she says, "if you ask me in six months I don't know what the scenario might look like. Nobody knows how many months this might go on for."
Toner at Johns Hopkins estimates that if U.S. hospitals are able to scale up their capacity using all the creative measures he and others advocate, they will just about meet the various needs required to care for all COVID-19 patients.
But that's on the macro level. Hospital capacities vary a lot from region to region, notes Toner, and the number of simultaneous cases may vary widely from place to place, too. So in practice, "in some communities they will be OK. In other communities they will be just making it. And then, in other places — they will be totally overwhelmed."
toggle caption Ryan Kellman/NPR
Even at a big, sophisticated, well-resourced place like Medstar Washington Hospital Center in D.C., those in charge feel they must prepare for the worst.
DeAtley — the emergency preparedness director — says his hospital has an ethics plan for how to ration care, and the heart-wrenching decisions that would entail: "Who gets a ventilator, versus who gets a bag valve mask, versus who doesn't get either one of the two."
Doctors are already making those choices in Italy, based on factors such as each patient's age and likelihood of survival.
"Clearly, we all hope that we don't see that extreme here in this country," says DeAtley. "But we have a plan if it came to that. Other hospitals I know have a plan as well."
Still hope?
As grim as that sounds, Toner says there's also some reason to be hopeful.
He and his collaborators didn't just analyze what happened in Wuhan. They also looked at the experience of hospitals in the Chinese city of Guangzhou — where authorities were much quicker to impose social distancing. They put many of the measures in place just a week after the virus started circulating. The result was that hospitals had to deal with far fewer patients.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Karen Ducey/Getty Images Karen Ducey/Getty Images
To the extent that the U.S. follows Guangzhou's pattern of spread, "I mean it won't be a walk in the park for hospitals," says Toner. "But I think it would be manageable."
In other words, what people out in the community — all of us — do in the coming days and weeks to slow down the virus could yet change the picture for hospitals.
All the social distancing Americans are trying to do now — shutting down bars and restaurants, hunkering down at home — might seem like an overreaction at a time when the number of confirmed cases is still low. But those measures could be what makes it possible for hospitals to see us through this crisis and save many more lives.


npr--2020-03-17--As Coronavirus Shuts Down Theaters, Universal Shifts Some Films To On-Demand

As Coronavirus Shuts Down Theaters , Universal Shifts Some Films To On-Demand With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to affect nearly every facet of life , including some governors moving to temporarily shutter movie theaters , Comcast NBCUniversal announced a potentially industry-altering change : It will allow customers to view new films at home through video on demand the same day as their theatrical release .
Trolls World Tour , slated to open in the U.S. on April 10 , will be the first to kick off the new initiative .
The company also announced that some movies currently in theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home beginning Friday .
The Invisible Man and Emma — along with The Hunt , which debuted last week — will be available for a two-day digital rental for $ 19.99 in the U.S. and the equivalent price in overseas markets .
`` Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape , we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable , '' Jeff Shell , the CEO of NBCUniversal , said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be viewed as a major setback for multiplexes , which have long relied on studios ' months-long waiting periods after a theatrical release to make films available on at-home streaming .
The coronavirus is forcing widespread changes across the entertainment industry as many governors across the country move to close theaters to curb the spread of the disease .
Regal Cinemas said `` as a precaution amid the current circumstances '' all of its theaters will remain closed until further notice , beginning Tuesday .
AMC Theatres said Tuesday that its cinemas will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks . ''
The decision by Comcast Universal follows a similar decision by Disney , which pushed its blockbuster film Frozen II to its Disney+ streaming platform on Sunday , three months ahead of schedule .
Disney said it was `` surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period . ''
As people around the world are encouraged to stay home , other types of performances are also happening remotely .
Music stars are also moving to provide fans with at-home viewing options .
R & B crooner John Legend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaches on NBC 's singing competition The Voice , announced he is performing a concert at home on Tuesday .
This follows a similar at-home `` mini '' concert streamed by Chris Martin , frontman of the British rock band Coldplay on Monday .

As Coronavirus Shuts Down Theaters, Universal Shifts Some Films To On-Demand
Enlarge this image toggle caption DreamWorks Animation/AP DreamWorks Animation/AP
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to affect nearly every facet of life, including some governors moving to temporarily shutter movie theaters, Comcast NBCUniversal announced a potentially industry-altering change: It will allow customers to view new films at home through video on demand the same day as their theatrical release.
Trolls World Tour, slated to open in the U.S. on April 10, will be the first to kick off the new initiative.
The company also announced that some movies currently in theaters will be available to be streamed at home beginning Friday. The Invisible Man and Emma — along with The Hunt, which debuted last week — will be available for a two-day digital rental for $19.99 in the U.S. and the equivalent price in overseas markets.
"Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable," Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal, said in a statement.
The move by Comcast NBCUniversal will likely be viewed as a major setback for multiplexes, which have long relied on studios' months-long waiting periods after a theatrical release to make films available on at-home streaming.
The coronavirus is forcing widespread changes across the entertainment industry as many governors across the country move to close theaters to curb the spread of the disease.
The nation's largest theater chains also announced closures.
Regal Cinemas said "as a precaution amid the current circumstances" all of its theaters will remain closed until further notice, beginning Tuesday. AMC Theatres said Tuesday that its cinemas will be closed "for at least 6-12 weeks."
The decision by Comcast Universal follows a similar decision by Disney, which pushed its blockbuster film Frozen II to its Disney+ streaming platform on Sunday, three months ahead of schedule. Disney said it was "surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period."
As people around the world are encouraged to stay home, other types of performances are also happening remotely. Music stars are also moving to provide fans with at-home viewing options.
R&B crooner John Legend, who is one of the celebrity coaches on NBC's singing competition The Voice, announced he is performing a concert at home on Tuesday.
This follows a similar at-home "mini" concert streamed by Chris Martin, frontman of the British rock band Coldplay on Monday.


npr--2020-03-18--Biden, Sanders Remarks Show How The Coronavirus Has Upended The Campaign

Biden , Sanders Remarks Show How The Coronavirus Has Upended The Campaign For the third straight primary Tuesday , Joe Biden emerged as the winner .
But the country is in a vastly different state than it was just a few weeks ago , and as a result , the former vice president 's victory address on Tuesday night was hardly celebratory .
`` Tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war , '' the Democratic front-runner said in prepared remarks from his home in Wilmington , Del .
There were no supporters grouped behind him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone in front of a camera , speaking of common cause in the face of the coronavirus .
Biden won all three states that held primaries Tuesday , extending his already-substantial delegate lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination .
But Biden 's remarks , along with Sanders ' two hours earlier , underscored the extent to which the outbreak has upended and overtaken the race for the Democratic presidential nomination .
Sanders , who spoke before any polls had closed Tuesday , also delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling on Americans to stand together .
`` I do n't have to tell anyone viewing this program that our country and , in fact , the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises , '' he said .
Sanders did not mention his increasingly challenging path to the nomination .
Instead , he released a detailed proposal to respond to the coronavirus and asked viewers to submit feedback .
His plan calls for at least $ 2 trillion in funding to , as his campaign put it , `` prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruin . ''
Biden 's address was not completely devoid of politics .
He talked about the `` broad coalition '' backing him , and said that while he and Sanders `` may disagree on tactics , [ we ] share a common vision . ''
And Biden made a direct appeal to his opponent 's supporters , `` especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders : I hear you .
I know what is at stake .
And I know what we have to do . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and how they 'd respond as president .
And their respective remarks were just the latest example in the last week or so of the presidential primary being eclipsed by the outbreak .
Here are five more : • Four states were supposed to vote Tuesday , but at the 11th hour Ohio postponed its in-person voting until June 2 , after officials declared a health emergency .
• The three states that did vote experienced confusion over shifted polling locations and staffing issues at the locations that were open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ primaries , so currently there 's no more presidential nomination voting on the calendar until April .
And other states may delay voting as well , despite what the chair of the Democratic National Committee suggests .
• Biden and Sanders canceled rallies on March 10 .
They have n't held one since , opting instead for virtual events .
They 've ditched in-person get-out-the-vote efforts , and their staffs are largely teleworking .
• Their one-on-one debate on Sunday night was moved to a TV studio without an audience .
Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bumped elbows , rather than shake hands .
( And the coronavirus dominated the debate as a topic of discussion . )
The outbreak , of course , is also deeply affecting Democratic voters and how they think about the campaign and the candidates .
Clear majorities of primary voters in Florida and Illinois said they are `` somewhat '' or `` very '' concerned about themselves or a family member contracting the virus , according to AP VoteCast surveys .
The coronavirus — a pandemic , a national emergency — is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment .
It 's no surprise it 's doing the same to the presidential race .

Biden, Sanders Remarks Show How The Coronavirus Has Upended The Campaign
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
For the third straight primary Tuesday, Joe Biden emerged as the winner.
But the country is in a vastly different state than it was just a few weeks ago, and as a result, the former vice president's victory address on Tuesday night was hardly celebratory.
"Tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war," the Democratic front-runner said in prepared remarks from his home in Wilmington, Del.
There were no supporters grouped behind him waving signs. Instead there was Biden alone in front of a camera, speaking of common cause in the face of the coronavirus.
Biden won all three states that held primaries Tuesday, extending his already-substantial delegate lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination.
But Biden's remarks, along with Sanders' two hours earlier, underscored the extent to which the outbreak has upended and overtaken the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
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Sanders, who spoke before any polls had closed Tuesday, also delivered somber, straightforward remarks on the virus, calling on Americans to stand together.
"I don't have to tell anyone viewing this program that our country and, in fact, the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises," he said.
Sanders did not mention his increasingly challenging path to the nomination. Instead, he released a detailed proposal to respond to the coronavirus and asked viewers to submit feedback. His plan calls for at least $2 trillion in funding to, as his campaign put it, "prevent deaths, job losses, and economic ruin."
Biden's address was not completely devoid of politics. He talked about the "broad coalition" backing him, and said that while he and Sanders "may disagree on tactics, [we] share a common vision." And Biden made a direct appeal to his opponent's supporters, "especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders: I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do."
But mostly Biden and Sanders focused on the virus and how they'd respond as president. And their respective remarks were just the latest example in the last week or so of the presidential primary being eclipsed by the outbreak.
Here are five more:
Four states were supposed to vote Tuesday, but at the 11th hour Ohio postponed its in-person voting until June 2, after officials declared a health emergency. The three states that did vote experienced confusion over shifted polling locations and staffing issues at the locations that were open. Several other states have delayed their primaries, so currently there's no more presidential nomination voting on the calendar until April. And other states may delay voting as well, despite what the chair of the Democratic National Committee suggests. Biden and Sanders canceled rallies on March 10. They haven't held one since, opting instead for virtual events. They've ditched in-person get-out-the-vote efforts, and their staffs are largely teleworking. Their one-on-one debate on Sunday night was moved to a TV studio without an audience. Biden and Sanders stood a CDC-recommended 6 feet apart and bumped elbows, rather than shake hands. (And the coronavirus dominated the debate as a topic of discussion.)
The outbreak, of course, is also deeply affecting Democratic voters and how they think about the campaign and the candidates. Clear majorities of primary voters in Florida and Illinois said they are "somewhat" or "very" concerned about themselves or a family member contracting the virus, according to AP VoteCast surveys.
The coronavirus — a pandemic, a national emergency — is scrambling so much of our lives at the moment. It's no surprise it's doing the same to the presidential race.


npr--2020-03-18--Coronavirus Epidemic Brings Special Challenges For Immigrants In Urban Areas

Immigrants in urban areas face particular challenges during the coronavirus epidemic .
They are more likely to live in crowded housing and use public transportation .
Both factors can make them more susceptible to infection .
They also tend to have lower incomes than native-born workers and studies have shown low socioeconomic status can lead to adverse health outcomes .
In New York City , immigrant nonprofit organizations are conducting outreach as the threat of the virus grows .
On a recent weekday morning in March , about dozen immigrants and translators gathered at the headquarters of the African Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of legal services , welcomed them .
He advised them on how best to contact immigration courts about rescheduling their appearances if they felt ill. '' If you work , and are able to work from home , we recommend you do that , '' he told them .
If that was n't possible , and they felt unwell , he told them they could wear a mask , and inform other people they were feeling sick .
One of the attendees — who asked to be identified as M. because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asylum application she 's filing — said her work had come to a standstill .
She freelances in the textiles industry and all of her clients had canceled appointments .
`` Financially I 'm worried , immigration wise I 'm worried , '' she said .
`` There are so many things to be worried about , plus this thing comes along . ''
Kim Nichols , the co-executive director of African Services Committee , says many of their clients work in restaurants or as home health care aides .
They live paycheck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any recourse to backup finance in the event they 're sick , '' she says .
`` We are very concerned people are working when they should n't be . ''
Nichols says her organization hopes to provide testing for the virus in the weeks ahead .
That 's in part because many immigrants — particularly those who are undocumented — may not feel comfortable going to hospitals .
A few blocks from African Services , a Honduran immigrant stood in a McDonalds with her son , who is in second grade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by her first name , Ivette , because she 's undocumented .
She said most of the information she 's received about the virus has come from Facebook and from her son 's school , which closed on Monday .
If her son becomes sick , she said she would take him to the doctor .
`` I 'd take him immediately , '' she says .
`` I would n't wait a second . ''
But if she gets sick , she 's not sure .
There would be the question of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't heard that New York Mayor Bill deBlasio has said that residents would be directed to city facilities that would treat them , irrespective of their immigration status or whether they have insurance .
Nadia Islam , an associate professor at NYU medical school , says that in order to counter the coronavirus , policymakers need to think beyond providing health care .
`` Unless we create a health care system that 's supportive , by doing things like providing paid sick time , making insurance very accessible , '' she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater and it just contributes to the potential spread . ''
These are not new issues , Islam adds .
But the way existing policies impact immigrant and the broader community are becoming more evident in the era of the coronavirus pandemic .

Coronavirus Epidemic Brings Special Challenges For Immigrants In Urban Areas
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images
Immigrants in urban areas face particular challenges during the coronavirus epidemic. They are more likely to live in crowded housing and use public transportation. Both factors can make them more susceptible to infection. They also tend to have lower incomes than native-born workers and studies have shown low socioeconomic status can lead to adverse health outcomes.
In New York City, immigrant nonprofit organizations are conducting outreach as the threat of the virus grows. On a recent weekday morning in March, about dozen immigrants and translators gathered at the headquarters of the African Services Committee in Harlem. Franco Torres, the head of legal services, welcomed them. He advised them on how best to contact immigration courts about rescheduling their appearances if they felt ill.
Then, Prashant Puttaguta, a health outreach worker, spoke.
"If you work, and are able to work from home, we recommend you do that," he told them. If that wasn't possible, and they felt unwell, he told them they could wear a mask, and inform other people they were feeling sick.
One of the attendees — who asked to be identified as M. because she doesn't want to jeopardize the asylum application she's filing — said her work had come to a standstill. She freelances in the textiles industry and all of her clients had canceled appointments.
National Advocates Worry Detained Immigrants Are At Risk For Coronavirus Advocates Worry Detained Immigrants Are At Risk For Coronavirus Listen · 3:05 3:05
"Financially I'm worried, immigration wise I'm worried," she said. "There are so many things to be worried about, plus this thing comes along."
Kim Nichols, the co-executive director of African Services Committee, says many of their clients work in restaurants or as home health care aides. They live paycheck to paycheck.
"They don't have any recourse to backup finance in the event they're sick," she says. "We are very concerned people are working when they shouldn't be."
Nichols says her organization hopes to provide testing for the virus in the weeks ahead. That's in part because many immigrants — particularly those who are undocumented — may not feel comfortable going to hospitals.
A few blocks from African Services, a Honduran immigrant stood in a McDonalds with her son, who is in second grade. She asked to be referred to by her first name, Ivette, because she's undocumented. She said most of the information she's received about the virus has come from Facebook and from her son's school, which closed on Monday. If her son becomes sick, she said she would take him to the doctor.
"I'd take him immediately," she says. "I wouldn't wait a second."
But if she gets sick, she's not sure. There would be the question of how she could pay. She hadn't heard that New York Mayor Bill deBlasio has said that residents would be directed to city facilities that would treat them, irrespective of their immigration status or whether they have insurance.
Nadia Islam, an associate professor at NYU medical school, says that in order to counter the coronavirus, policymakers need to think beyond providing health care.
"Unless we create a health care system that's supportive, by doing things like providing paid sick time, making insurance very accessible," she says, "the risk to the public is greater and it just contributes to the potential spread."
These are not new issues, Islam adds. But the way existing policies impact immigrant and the broader community are becoming more evident in the era of the coronavirus pandemic.