npr--2020-08-08--In 2020, A Female Running Mate Won't Be A 'Hail Mary'

Decades before Sarah Palin or Geraldine Ferraro were put on presidential tickets , India Edwards was in contention for the vice presidency .
At their 1952 convention , Democrats put forth Edwards , then vice chair of the party , as a potential running mate for Adlai Stevenson .
`` First of all , I had no aspiration to be vice president of the United States , '' she told NPR in 1984 .
She added with a chuckle , `` I also did n't think the Democratic Party was ready for a woman vice president . ''
She did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news report from the convention called her nomination ( and that of another woman , Texas state district Judge Sarah Hughes ) `` complimentary . ''
Three decades later , Democrats would choose Ferraro as the first woman major-party vice presidential nominee .
Edwards was opposed to that pick as well .
`` I think we have plenty of women who are qualified , but I just do n't think this is a year to gamble .
We want to get Reagan out of the White House .
That is the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thirty-six years later , Democrats are still fretting about women and electability — not to mention ambition .
`` I remember when Geraldine Ferraro was nominated , and it was exciting , '' said Karen Finney , spokesperson for Hillary Clinton 's 2016 presidential campaign .
`` But our country is in a different place , even though some of those same sexist and racist tropes remain . ''
It 's true that a lot has changed .
For starters , Joe Biden announced months ahead of time that he 'd pick a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bench of women for him to pick from .
In addition , several women of color are contenders for that spot .
But there 's also a less-obvious contrast with Ferraro and Palin , the 2008 Republican nominee for vice president .
`` I think in both of those cases , putting a woman on felt a bit like a 'Hail Mary , ' which I do n't get the sense that it has that same feel this time around , '' said Debbie Walsh , director of the Center for American Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women to jolt the campaign to life In 1984 , Democratic nominee Walter Mondale was down by double digits against President Reagan in some national polling in the weeks before he picked Ferraro as his running mate .
`` Let 's face it : Walter Mondale was a fantastic candidate , [ but ] probably not the most lively candidate , '' said Scott Widmeyer , who was Ferraro 's press secretary .
`` So we were looking to bring excitement to the ticket .
And when you look at Geraldine Ferraro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used that spark at times to swipe back at sexism .
In her vice presidential debate against George H.W .
Bush , Ferraro chided Bush for talking down to her : `` I almost resent , Vice President Bush , your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy . ''
John McCain likewise was substantially behind Barack Obama for much of summer 2008 before picking Palin .
Similarly , there was a sense then that Palin could liven up McCain 's campaign .
And she briefly did provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely well-received convention speech .
But this time is different , Walsh said , not only because Biden is leading in polls , but because he defeated several well-qualified women to get the nomination. '' There is , I think , a consensus out there that the path that led the Democratic Party to this nomination was this concept of electability that really hurt women and candidates of color in the primary process , '' she said .
A sign of the future of the Democratic Party It 's true that some saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a woman as tokenism .
But Walsh said that choosing a woman , and potentially a woman of color , would also be a gesture that Biden understands where the party is headed — and has been for quite some time .
`` This feels like in some ways a nod to the future of the Democratic Party , an acknowledgement that Joe Biden may be kind of the last of a certain breed that is a presidential nominee , '' she said .
In recent years , the Democratic Party has more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and especially Black women , play in electing Democrats .
Black women voters were instrumental in helping the party win a Senate seat in deep-red Alabama in 2017 , then in helping the party retake the House of Representatives in 2018 ( electing a record-setting number of women in the process ) .
Finney said that voters have absorbed this message and are excited about a woman of color as a running mate .
`` I think we see the idea of a new generation and an acknowledgment that the country is changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed to polling showing that young voters in particular are excited about the idea of a Black woman as a running mate .
It 's true that vice presidential candidates tend to only affect presidential elections at the margins — voters are still casting a ballot for the top of the ticket .
But Finney , nevertheless , said she hopes Biden 's running mate could energize some voters .
`` I think you ca n't underestimate the importance for women and how heartbroken so many women were in 2016 with Hillary 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means it might be some consolation to those women if this year , a woman finally gets to the second highest office in the land .

In 2020, A Female Running Mate Won't Be A 'Hail Mary'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images
Decades before Sarah Palin or Geraldine Ferraro were put on presidential tickets, India Edwards was in contention for the vice presidency. At their 1952 convention, Democrats put forth Edwards, then vice chair of the party, as a potential running mate for Adlai Stevenson.
Edwards didn't want the job.
"First of all, I had no aspiration to be vice president of the United States," she told NPR in 1984. She added with a chuckle, "I also didn't think the Democratic Party was ready for a woman vice president."
She didn't get much support anyway — one news report from the convention called her nomination (and that of another woman, Texas state district Judge Sarah Hughes) "complimentary."
Three decades later, Democrats would choose Ferraro as the first woman major-party vice presidential nominee. Edwards was opposed to that pick as well.
"I think we have plenty of women who are qualified, but I just don't think this is a year to gamble. We want to get Reagan out of the White House. That is the height of my ambition," she said.
Thirty-six years later, Democrats are still fretting about women and electability — not to mention ambition.
"I remember when Geraldine Ferraro was nominated, and it was exciting," said Karen Finney, spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. "But our country is in a different place, even though some of those same sexist and racist tropes remain."
It's true that a lot has changed.
For starters, Joe Biden announced months ahead of time that he'd pick a woman, and there's a deeper bench of women for him to pick from. In addition, several women of color are contenders for that spot.
But there's also a less-obvious contrast with Ferraro and Palin, the 2008 Republican nominee for vice president.
"I think in both of those cases, putting a woman on felt a bit like a 'Hail Mary,' which I don't get the sense that it has that same feel this time around," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
Picking women to jolt the campaign to life
In 1984, Democratic nominee Walter Mondale was down by double digits against President Reagan in some national polling in the weeks before he picked Ferraro as his running mate.
"Let's face it: Walter Mondale was a fantastic candidate, [but] probably not the most lively candidate," said Scott Widmeyer, who was Ferraro's press secretary. "So we were looking to bring excitement to the ticket. And when you look at Geraldine Ferraro, she brought that spark."
Ferraro used that spark at times to swipe back at sexism. In her vice presidential debate against George H.W. Bush, Ferraro chided Bush for talking down to her: "I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy."
John McCain likewise was substantially behind Barack Obama for much of summer 2008 before picking Palin.
Similarly, there was a sense then that Palin could liven up McCain's campaign. And she briefly did provide a jolt to the ticket, giving a widely well-received convention speech.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
But this time is different, Walsh said, not only because Biden is leading in polls, but because he defeated several well-qualified women to get the nomination.
"There is, I think, a consensus out there that the path that led the Democratic Party to this nomination was this concept of electability that really hurt women and candidates of color in the primary process," she said.
A sign of the future of the Democratic Party
It's true that some saw Biden's announcement that he'd pick a woman as tokenism. But Walsh said that choosing a woman, and potentially a woman of color, would also be a gesture that Biden understands where the party is headed — and has been for quite some time.
"This feels like in some ways a nod to the future of the Democratic Party, an acknowledgement that Joe Biden may be kind of the last of a certain breed that is a presidential nominee," she said.
In recent years, the Democratic Party has more greatly acknowledged the role that women, and especially Black women, play in electing Democrats. Black women voters were instrumental in helping the party win a Senate seat in deep-red Alabama in 2017, then in helping the party retake the House of Representatives in 2018 (electing a record-setting number of women in the process).
Finney said that voters have absorbed this message and are excited about a woman of color as a running mate.
"I think we see the idea of a new generation and an acknowledgment that the country is changing," she said. She also pointed to polling showing that young voters in particular are excited about the idea of a Black woman as a running mate.
It's true that vice presidential candidates tend to only affect presidential elections at the margins — voters are still casting a ballot for the top of the ticket. But Finney, nevertheless, said she hopes Biden's running mate could energize some voters.
"I think you can't underestimate the importance for women and how heartbroken so many women were in 2016 with Hillary's loss," she said.
That means it might be some consolation to those women if this year, a woman finally gets to the second highest office in the land.


npr--2020-08-08--Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection To Harvest Crops

It 's a busy time for the tomato-producing farms in eastern Tennessee .
Farms have staffed up with hundreds of workers , most of whom are Latino .
Some live locally .
Others are migrant workers who travel from farm to farm , chasing the summer growing seasons .
Still others come from Mexico or Central America on temporary agricultural visas to work at certain farms .
But , this year , the season is taking place under a cloud of coronavirus worries that , for these agricultural workers , hit close to home .
`` Almost every part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered in light of COVID-19 , '' says Ken Silver , an associate professor of environmental health at East Tennessee State University , who studies migrant worker health on Tennessee tomato farms .
After all , the workers live in close quarters , sleeping in bunk beds , and sharing bathrooms and kitchens .
They ride crowded buses to fields and often work in groups .
And even though farm employees are deemed essential workers , they often do n't have health insurance or paid sick leave .
Farms have already reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that include California , Washington , Florida and Michigan .
And yet , the federal government has not established any enforceable rules either to protect farmworkers from the coronavirus or to instruct employers what to do when their workers get sick .
While migrant worker advocacy groups say this allows farms to take advantage of their workers and increase their risk of exposure to the coronavirus , farms say they 're doing what they can to protect workers with the limited resources they have , while also getting their crops harvested .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexis Guild , director of health policy and programs at the advocacy group , Farmworker Justice .
`` I do think some employers are putting in necessary protections , '' Guild says .
But she has heard of workers who , after testing positive for COVID-19 , were still required to work or were sent back to their countries — an economic threat that creates a strong incentive for workers not to report mild symptoms .
`` I think it 's hard to generalize .
It really varies employer by employer . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , 10 temporary workers out of about 80 at the Jones & Church Farms in Unicoi County , Tenn. , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Another farm in that county had 38 workers test positive around the same time .
`` This was the scariest thing that could happen , '' says Renea Jones Rogers , the farm 's food safety director .
Nationally , there have been at least 3,600 cases of farmworkers testing positive for COVID-19 , according to media reports gathered by the National Center for Farmworker Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and workers alike acknowledge that even the most basic interventions to stop transmission — social distancing and mask-wearing — often are n't feasible , especially in the hot temperatures .
Saul , 52 , is a temporary farmworker who has traveled from Mexico to Virginia every year since 1996 to harvest tobacco .
In a WhatsApp message interview , he said masks are uncomfortable on the job because he is working outdoors , writing in Spanish , `` En el trabajo es incómodo porque trabajamos al intemperie . ''
( Kaiser Health News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that he wo n't be identified by his employer . )
Saul said he does worry about the coronavirus , but because he lives at his job on the farm , he feels safe .
When he arrived in the U.S. in April , the farm provided him with information about the pandemic , masks and hand sanitizer , he said .
Nobody takes his temperature , but he works in a crew of eight , lives with only three other workers and nobody on the farm has yet been diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Church Farms put its own worker safety protocols in place at the beginning of the season .
These included increasing sanitation , taking daily temperature readings and keeping workers in groups so they live and work with the same people .
After the 10 workers tested positive for COVID-19 , the farm kept them all in the same housing unit and away from the other workers — but those who were asymptomatic also kept working in the fields , though they were able to stay away from others on the job , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Labor has not offered enforceable federal safety standards for COVID-19 , it did collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publish a set of voluntary , agriculture-specific guidelines .
Those were released in June , just days after Jones & Church became aware of the farm 's outbreak .
Much of what had already been done at Jones & Church , though , tracked closely with those recommendations , which also suggested that workers be screened every day for COVID-19 symptoms and that those who become sick be given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
Other suggestions in the CDC and Labor Department directive , geared more toward indoor food-processing factories such as tomato-packing plants , included installing plastic shields if 6 feet of distance is n't possible between workers , putting in hand-washing stations and providing personal protective equipment or cloth face coverings .
Advocates say these guidelines are sound , in theory .
Their glaring flaw is that they are voluntary .
`` We do n't believe that the health and safety of workers should be left to the good will of employers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinator for Centro de Los Derechos del Migrante , an advocacy group with offices in both Mexico and the U.S. A Department of Labor spokesperson offered a different take .
`` Employers are and will continue to be responsible for providing a workplace free of known health and safety hazards , '' the spokesperson says , adding that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 's preexisting general-safety standards and CDC guidelines are used to determine workplace safety violations .
OSHA is an agency within the Labor Department .
Farm industry groups are apprehensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't think OSHA would be able to have some sort of mandatory regulation that would n't disadvantage some farmers , '' says Allison Crittenden , director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation .
Farms have already put many COVID-19 protections in place , she says , `` and if these actions are taking place in a voluntary way , we do n't see that we need to have a mandatory requirement . ''
Migrant farmworkers , despite occupying an essential link in the country 's food supply chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits like health insurance or paid sick leave .
Saul , the Virginia tobacco farmworker , says he did n't believe he has any health insurance .
If he gets sick , he would need to tell his farm employer , who would then have to drive him to the doctor .
The closest city to the farm is 15 miles away .
Who is responsible for these costs — the worker or the farm — depends on individual circumstances .
Many farms employ mostly Latino workers , and CDC data illustrates that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Latino people to be infected , hospitalized or die from COVID complications than white people .
Experts also warn that because the COVID pandemic is disproportionately affecting people of color , it could widen preexisting health disparities .
Also , seeking a doctor 's care can feel risky for migrant farmworkers .
Workers who are undocumented may worry about being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement , while workers who have green cards may be concerned about the Trump administration 's `` public charge rule . ''
This controversial rule weighs immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care , against their applications for citizenship .
However , the federal government has said seeking treatment for COVID-19 would n't fall under the rule .
And while contact tracing is important to stop the spread of COVID-19 among farmworkers , many health departments do n't have translators on staff who can speak Spanish or Indigenous Central American languages , nor has there been a systematic nationwide tracking of farmworker outbreaks thus far , as has been done with long-term care facilities outbreaks .
So `` it 's really hard to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are testing positive , '' says Guild with Farmworker Justice .
That could be an issue for tracing outbreaks , especially as the harvesting season ramps up for certain crops and farms bolster their workforces .
At the end of July , almost 90 additional temporary workers arrived at Jones & Church Farms to help harvest tomatoes through October , says Jones Rogers .
Though the 10 workers who had COVID-19 have recovered , she says she 's scared that if more get the disease , there wo n't be enough housing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough healthy workers to harvest the crops .
`` Tomatoes do n't wait until everyone is feeling good to be harvested , '' says Jones Rogers .
Reporter Carmen Heredia Rodriguez and Katie Saviano provided Spanish translation assistance for this story .
KHN ( Kaiser Health News ) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues .
It is an editorially independent program of KFF ( Kaiser Family Foundation ) that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection To Harvest Crops
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brent Stirton/Getty Images Brent Stirton/Getty Images
It's a busy time for the tomato-producing farms in eastern Tennessee. Farms have staffed up with hundreds of workers, most of whom are Latino. Some live locally. Others are migrant workers who travel from farm to farm, chasing the summer growing seasons. Still others come from Mexico or Central America on temporary agricultural visas to work at certain farms.
But, this year, the season is taking place under a cloud of coronavirus worries that, for these agricultural workers, hit close to home.
"Almost every part of the process for picking tomatoes needs to be considered in light of COVID-19," says Ken Silver, an associate professor of environmental health at East Tennessee State University, who studies migrant worker health on Tennessee tomato farms.
After all, the workers live in close quarters, sleeping in bunk beds, and sharing bathrooms and kitchens. They ride crowded buses to fields and often work in groups. And even though farm employees are deemed essential workers, they often don't have health insurance or paid sick leave.
Farms have already reported outbreaks among hundreds of workers in states that include California, Washington, Florida and Michigan. And yet, the federal government has not established any enforceable rules either to protect farmworkers from the coronavirus or to instruct employers what to do when their workers get sick. While migrant worker advocacy groups say this allows farms to take advantage of their workers and increase their risk of exposure to the coronavirus, farms say they're doing what they can to protect workers with the limited resources they have, while also getting their crops harvested.
The situation certainly isn't clear-cut, says Alexis Guild, director of health policy and programs at the advocacy group, Farmworker Justice.
"I do think some employers are putting in necessary protections," Guild says. But she has heard of workers who, after testing positive for COVID-19, were still required to work or were sent back to their countries — an economic threat that creates a strong incentive for workers not to report mild symptoms. "I think it's hard to generalize. It really varies employer by employer."
Leaving it up to the farms
In June, 10 temporary workers out of about 80 at the Jones & Church Farms in Unicoi County, Tenn., tested positive for the coronavirus. Another farm in that county had 38 workers test positive around the same time.
"This was the scariest thing that could happen," says Renea Jones Rogers, the farm's food safety director.
Nationally, there have been at least 3,600 cases of farmworkers testing positive for COVID-19, according to media reports gathered by the National Center for Farmworker Health.
Add to this that farm employers and workers alike acknowledge that even the most basic interventions to stop transmission — social distancing and mask-wearing — often aren't feasible, especially in the hot temperatures.
toggle caption Brent Stirton/Getty Images
Saul, 52, is a temporary farmworker who has traveled from Mexico to Virginia every year since 1996 to harvest tobacco. In a WhatsApp message interview, he said masks are uncomfortable on the job because he is working outdoors, writing in Spanish, "En el trabajo es incómodo porque trabajamos al intemperie." (Kaiser Health News is not publishing Saul's last name so that he won't be identified by his employer.)
Saul said he does worry about the coronavirus, but because he lives at his job on the farm, he feels safe.
When he arrived in the U.S. in April, the farm provided him with information about the pandemic, masks and hand sanitizer, he said. Nobody takes his temperature, but he works in a crew of eight, lives with only three other workers and nobody on the farm has yet been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In Tennessee, the Jones & Church Farms put its own worker safety protocols in place at the beginning of the season. These included increasing sanitation, taking daily temperature readings and keeping workers in groups so they live and work with the same people.
After the 10 workers tested positive for COVID-19, the farm kept them all in the same housing unit and away from the other workers — but those who were asymptomatic also kept working in the fields, though they were able to stay away from others on the job, says Jones Rogers.
toggle caption Victoria Knight/ KHN
While the Department of Labor has not offered enforceable federal safety standards for COVID-19, it did collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publish a set of voluntary, agriculture-specific guidelines. Those were released in June, just days after Jones & Church became aware of the farm's outbreak.
Much of what had already been done at Jones & Church, though, tracked closely with those recommendations, which also suggested that workers be screened every day for COVID-19 symptoms and that those who become sick be given their own space to recover apart from others.
Other suggestions in the CDC and Labor Department directive, geared more toward indoor food-processing factories such as tomato-packing plants, included installing plastic shields if 6 feet of distance isn't possible between workers, putting in hand-washing stations and providing personal protective equipment or cloth face coverings.
Advocates say these guidelines are sound, in theory. Their glaring flaw is that they are voluntary.
"We don't believe that the health and safety of workers should be left to the good will of employers," says María Perales Sanchez, communications coordinator for Centro de Los Derechos del Migrante, an advocacy group with offices in both Mexico and the U.S.
A Department of Labor spokesperson offered a different take. "Employers are and will continue to be responsible for providing a workplace free of known health and safety hazards," the spokesperson says, adding that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's preexisting general-safety standards and CDC guidelines are used to determine workplace safety violations. OSHA is an agency within the Labor Department.
Farm industry groups are apprehensive of any increased federal regulation.
"I don't think OSHA would be able to have some sort of mandatory regulation that wouldn't disadvantage some farmers," says Allison Crittenden, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Farms have already put many COVID-19 protections in place, she says, "and if these actions are taking place in a voluntary way, we don't see that we need to have a mandatory requirement."
Difficulties in accessing health care
Migrant farmworkers, despite occupying an essential link in the country's food supply chain, often aren't provided with workplace benefits like health insurance or paid sick leave.
Saul, the Virginia tobacco farmworker, says he didn't believe he has any health insurance. If he gets sick, he would need to tell his farm employer, who would then have to drive him to the doctor. The closest city to the farm is 15 miles away. Who is responsible for these costs — the worker or the farm — depends on individual circumstances.
Many farms employ mostly Latino workers, and CDC data illustrates that it's much more likely for Hispanic or Latino people to be infected, hospitalized or die from COVID complications than white people. Experts also warn that because the COVID pandemic is disproportionately affecting people of color, it could widen preexisting health disparities.
toggle caption Brent Stirton/Getty Images
Also, seeking a doctor's care can feel risky for migrant farmworkers. Workers who are undocumented may worry about being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while workers who have green cards may be concerned about the Trump administration's "public charge rule." This controversial rule weighs immigrants' use of public programs, including health care, against their applications for citizenship. However, the federal government has said seeking treatment for COVID-19 wouldn't fall under the rule.
And while contact tracing is important to stop the spread of COVID-19 among farmworkers, many health departments don't have translators on staff who can speak Spanish or Indigenous Central American languages, nor has there been a systematic nationwide tracking of farmworker outbreaks thus far, as has been done with long-term care facilities outbreaks.
So "it's really hard to get a grasp on how many farmworkers specifically are testing positive," says Guild with Farmworker Justice.
That could be an issue for tracing outbreaks, especially as the harvesting season ramps up for certain crops and farms bolster their workforces.
At the end of July, almost 90 additional temporary workers arrived at Jones & Church Farms to help harvest tomatoes through October, says Jones Rogers. Though the 10 workers who had COVID-19 have recovered, she says she's scared that if more get the disease, there won't be enough housing to keep sick workers separate from others or enough healthy workers to harvest the crops.
"Tomatoes don't wait until everyone is feeling good to be harvested," says Jones Rogers.
Reporter Carmen Heredia Rodriguez and Katie Saviano provided Spanish translation assistance for this story.
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


npr--2020-08-08--2 Out Of 3 Churchgoers: It's Safe To Resume In-Person Worship

2 Out Of 3 Churchgoers : It 's Safe To Resume In-Person Worship Five months after the coronavirus forced houses of worship across the country to close their doors , a new survey finds that two-thirds of regular churchgoers feel it 's now safe to resume in-person worship .
The Pew Research Survey nonetheless found that an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults also believe that houses of worship should be subject to the same restrictions on public gatherings that apply to other organizations or businesses in their local area .
Although Republicans are somewhat more likely than Democrats to favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they still oppose such exemptions by a 2-to-1 margin .
Among the respondents to the Pew survey who said they previously attended worship services at least once a month , 6 % said their congregations were operating just as they had before the coronavirus outbreak .
About half the respondents said they have personally engaged in worship only online or via television .
About 8 in 10 of all U.S. adults surveyed by Pew do n't expect their church attendance or nonattendance habits to change as a result of the pandemic .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some said they will be more inclined to attend church when life returns to normal , with a smaller margin saying they will be less likely to go back to worship .
The strong support for reopening houses of worship suggests that Americans are eager to resume their routines , though important distinctions remain , especially along racial lines .
`` White Christians are much more confident that it is safe to go to religious services right now than Black and Hispanic worshippers , '' says Claire Gecewicz , the primary researcher on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go back to church among people of color is not surprising , given that they have been hit much harder by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be essential workers , so they have faced more exposure to the coronavirus on the job .
In addition , many people of color live in extended family households .
A return to in-person worship would expose them to even greater risk of infection .
With respect to religious groups , the Pew survey found that Catholics and evangelical Protestants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to regular worship .
Catholics are obligated under church teachings to attend Mass weekly .
Evangelical Protestants may be generally less deferential to governmental authority .

2 Out Of 3 Churchgoers: It's Safe To Resume In-Person Worship
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
Five months after the coronavirus forced houses of worship across the country to close their doors, a new survey finds that two-thirds of regular churchgoers feel it's now safe to resume in-person worship.
The Pew Research Survey nonetheless found that an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults also believe that houses of worship should be subject to the same restrictions on public gatherings that apply to other organizations or businesses in their local area. Although Republicans are somewhat more likely than Democrats to favor special treatment for houses of worship, they still oppose such exemptions by a 2-to-1 margin.
Among the respondents to the Pew survey who said they previously attended worship services at least once a month, 6% said their congregations were operating just as they had before the coronavirus outbreak. About half the respondents said they have personally engaged in worship only online or via television.
About 8 in 10 of all U.S. adults surveyed by Pew don't expect their church attendance or nonattendance habits to change as a result of the pandemic. Of those who do anticipate a change, some said they will be more inclined to attend church when life returns to normal, with a smaller margin saying they will be less likely to go back to worship.
The strong support for reopening houses of worship suggests that Americans are eager to resume their routines, though important distinctions remain, especially along racial lines.
"White Christians are much more confident that it is safe to go to religious services right now than Black and Hispanic worshippers," says Claire Gecewicz, the primary researcher on the Pew survey.
The greater reluctance to go back to church among people of color is not surprising, given that they have been hit much harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be essential workers, so they have faced more exposure to the coronavirus on the job. In addition, many people of color live in extended family households. A return to in-person worship would expose them to even greater risk of infection.
With respect to religious groups, the Pew survey found that Catholics and evangelical Protestants are more ready than other Christians to return to regular worship. Catholics are obligated under church teachings to attend Mass weekly. Evangelical Protestants may be generally less deferential to governmental authority.


npr--2020-08-08--Extended Families Living Together Raise Risks For COVID-19 Transmission

Maria Hernandez shares a four-bedroom house in Los Angeles with her husband , Michael Josephy , three of her daughters and her 85-year-old mother .
Her 3-year-old granddaughter often stays there , too .
To Hernandez , family is everything .
Family members are close .
So when the pandemic hit , she was worried about her family contracting the coronavirus .
`` It was a challenge mostly to think about my mother , '' she said .
Hernandez , 50 , works night shifts at Ralphs , a grocery store chain in California .
She 'd been careful while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of her clothes every time she got home and sanitizing her house constantly .
But one day in late May , she felt a wave of exhaustion hit her .
The next day , it got worse .
`` My husband took me to the emergency room because my fever was up to 102 .
I had trouble breathing .
I felt dizzy .
I felt nauseous , '' she said .
Hernandez tested positive for the coronavirus .
The next several weeks were a bit of a daze , she recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bedroom upstairs , while her family left food outside the door .
In total , she stayed inside the bedroom for about seven weeks .
`` It was an experience that I do n't wish upon anybody .
Because this thing instead of getting you guys closer to your family , it 's getting us far apart , '' she said .
`` It 's very hard . ''
Her family members , including her mom , thankfully did n't get COVID-19 .
But Hernandez said she still worries about bringing the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gone back to work .
She said many of her day-to-day interactions with her mother have changed since the start of the pandemic .
`` I had to stop doing what I did , giving her a hug .
We Latinos are used to that , giving them a hug , a kiss on the cheek .
You know , letting them know we are back , we 're secure , we 're home , '' she said .
According to an analysis by the Pew Research Center , Asian , Hispanic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in multigenerational households than white residents in the United States .
But the trend has been growing across racial groups over the past decade , due to economic factors , including the cost of housing .
In California , Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic .
While making up 39 % of the state 's population , Latino Californians account for 59 % of the cases and 47 % of deaths from COVID-19 .
One reason is that many workers do n't have the luxury to work from home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California , San Francisco .
`` We have , throughout the pandemic , just seen in the hospitals how devastating this is for our Latinx community , '' she said .
Workers then can bring the virus back home to their families .
That 's a challenge in multigenerational households when a younger person is living with an older person who 's at risk for serious complications from COVID-19 , Bibbins-Domingo said .
`` When we start to see families together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this late into the pandemic , that we 're really not doing everything we could to keep our families safe , '' she said .
Bibbins-Domingo , 54 , lives in a multigenerational household herself , with her husband , 84-year-old mother and her adult son .
She said there are benefits to these living arrangements for both economic and social reasons .
`` Our seniors are often isolated .
Multigenerational households offer that built-in way of making sure that people are still living in community , '' she said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our younger people are out working . ''
Bibbins-Domingo said it 's especially hard for multigenerational families who live in households where it 's hard to isolate in a separate bedroom .
`` I think where we 're seeing high patterns of transmission is when it 's further compounded by more dense living situations , '' she said .
Dr. Don Garcia , medical director of Clínica Romero , which runs two clinics in Los Angeles serving a predominantly immigrant and Latino population , said in tough housing markets such as Southern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tight quarters .
`` They 're put in a housing situation or living space situation that causes the transmission infection to progress forward , '' he said .
He told the story of one patient early on in the pandemic .
A woman in her 20s shared a one-bedroom apartment with three generations when she got exposed .
`` So now she was bringing an infection to her sister , of course , to her parents and her young infant and young child , '' Garcia said .
For Hernandez , she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from other family members , including her mother , when she needed to do so .
But she said life is much different now with the pandemic .
She no longer does things with her mother like she used to do , such as having breakfast and lunch together .
`` Everything was together , '' she said .
`` It has changed our lives completely . ''
Despite the stress of keeping her mother and daughters safe , she said she would n't have it any other way .
She 's able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the time of the pandemic .
`` It 's better for them , '' Hernandez said .
`` They do n't feel like they 're alone . ''

Extended Families Living Together Raise Risks For COVID-19 Transmission
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Maria Hernandez Courtesy of Maria Hernandez
Maria Hernandez shares a four-bedroom house in Los Angeles with her husband, Michael Josephy, three of her daughters and her 85-year-old mother. Her 3-year-old granddaughter often stays there, too.
To Hernandez, family is everything. Family members are close. So when the pandemic hit, she was worried about her family contracting the coronavirus.
"It was a challenge mostly to think about my mother," she said.
Hernandez, 50, works night shifts at Ralphs, a grocery store chain in California. She'd been careful while at work and at home, changing out of her clothes every time she got home and sanitizing her house constantly.
But one day in late May, she felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. The next day, it got worse.
"My husband took me to the emergency room because my fever was up to 102. I had trouble breathing. I felt dizzy. I felt nauseous," she said.
Hernandez tested positive for the coronavirus. The next several weeks were a bit of a daze, she recalled. She isolated herself in the master bedroom upstairs, while her family left food outside the door.
In total, she stayed inside the bedroom for about seven weeks.
"It was an experience that I don't wish upon anybody. Because this thing instead of getting you guys closer to your family, it's getting us far apart," she said. "It's very hard."
Her family members, including her mom, thankfully didn't get COVID-19. But Hernandez said she still worries about bringing the virus back home now that she's recovered and gone back to work. She said many of her day-to-day interactions with her mother have changed since the start of the pandemic.
"I had to stop doing what I did, giving her a hug. We Latinos are used to that, giving them a hug, a kiss on the cheek. You know, letting them know we are back, we're secure, we're home," she said.
According to an analysis by the Pew Research Center, Asian, Hispanic and Black people are more likely to live in multigenerational households than white residents in the United States. But the trend has been growing across racial groups over the past decade, due to economic factors, including the cost of housing.
In California, Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. While making up 39% of the state's population, Latino Californians account for 59% of the cases and 47% of deaths from COVID-19.
One reason is that many workers don't have the luxury to work from home, said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco.
"We have, throughout the pandemic, just seen in the hospitals how devastating this is for our Latinx community," she said.
Workers then can bring the virus back home to their families. That's a challenge in multigenerational households when a younger person is living with an older person who's at risk for serious complications from COVID-19, Bibbins-Domingo said.
"When we start to see families together in the hospital, we know that this late into the pandemic, that we're really not doing everything we could to keep our families safe," she said.
Health Why COVID-19 Disproportionately Affects Latino Communities Why COVID-19 Disproportionately Impacts Latino Communities Listen · 6:53 6:53
Bibbins-Domingo, 54, lives in a multigenerational household herself, with her husband, 84-year-old mother and her adult son. She said there are benefits to these living arrangements for both economic and social reasons.
"Our seniors are often isolated. Multigenerational households offer that built-in way of making sure that people are still living in community," she said. "But it does pose an additional challenge as our younger people are out working."
A housing and health crisis
Bibbins-Domingo said it's especially hard for multigenerational families who live in households where it's hard to isolate in a separate bedroom.
"I think where we're seeing high patterns of transmission is when it's further compounded by more dense living situations," she said.
Dr. Don Garcia, medical director of Clínica Romero, which runs two clinics in Los Angeles serving a predominantly immigrant and Latino population, said in tough housing markets such as Southern California, many of his patients live in tight quarters.
"They're put in a housing situation or living space situation that causes the transmission infection to progress forward," he said.
He told the story of one patient early on in the pandemic. A woman in her 20s shared a one-bedroom apartment with three generations when she got exposed.
"So now she was bringing an infection to her sister, of course, to her parents and her young infant and young child," Garcia said.
For Hernandez, she had space in her house to isolate herself from other family members, including her mother, when she needed to do so. But she said life is much different now with the pandemic. She no longer does things with her mother like she used to do, such as having breakfast and lunch together.
"Everything was together," she said. "It has changed our lives completely."
Despite the stress of keeping her mother and daughters safe, she said she wouldn't have it any other way. She's able to watch over her mother, especially in the time of the pandemic.
"It's better for them," Hernandez said. "They don't feel like they're alone."


npr--2020-08-08--PHOTOS: South Africa's Zip Zap Circus Brings A Big Heart To The Big Top

Editor 's note : This story was reported and photographed from February 2019 to March 2020 .
The text has been updated to reflect the activities of the circus during the pandemic .
Phelelani Ndakrokra prefers not to talk about his past .
But what the 23-year-old acrobat will say is that if he had n't joined the circus ten years ago , he 'd probably either be dead or in prison by now .
`` Where I came from it 's hard to know what would have happened to me on the streets '' says Ndakrokra , who grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where gang violence is rife .
`` The circus gave me a platform to feel free and do something I enjoy .
It gave me a place to belong . ''
Now , as he walks out on stage to thunderous applause from the audience , spotlights following his every move , that past seems a long way away .
It 's late 2019 and Ndakrokra is about perform an intricately rehearsed aerial dance routine in what will turn out to be one of the last major pre-COVID performances of the Zip Zap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been wowing audiences since 1992 .
It 's what 's known as a `` social circus . ''
That 's to say , one that aims not only to entertain but also , through the teaching of valuable life skills and the creation of a nurturing environment , to foster personal development and achieve positive social change .
As such , it aims to give youngsters from some of Cape Town 's roughest neighborhoods a path to a different future .
Few have benefited quite as much as Ndakrokra , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point where he 's not only a star performer but also a trainer , mentoring and inspiring the next generation .
He says joining the circus has given him `` the best family I 've ever had '' and has transformed his sense of self-esteem .
`` It 's hard to explain but it feels like it 's not me performing '' he says , describing the euphoria he experiences on stage .
`` It 's my soul , my energy .
Once I hold the straps and the music starts everything just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything .
The audience is my power .
I feed from their energy , and I become unstoppable .
It feels like there 's nothing I ca n't do in the world . ''
Social circuses have been booming in recent years .
When Zip Zap first began , it was one of only a handful world-wide , but since the 1990s they have been springing up everywhere from Conakry to Kabul .
According to a 2015 study conducted by the Cirque du Soleil , the number of social circuses in operation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more than 500 today .
`` It 's exploded in the last 25 years ! ''
says Brent Van Rensburg , co-founder of Zip Zap .
A former trapeze artist , Van Rensburg took jobs as a stuntman to help fund the project in its early days .
`` People are using circuses for drug rehab , violence , poverty .
It just works ! ''
At the outset , one of his main goals was addressing racial injustice in his homeland .
`` We wanted to bridge the divide between black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That was the beginning of our work .
We wanted to be a part of the rainbow nation , a part of the new South Africa and to be a lifeline for kids who were struggling . ''
Back then , South Africa was only just beginning to emerge from the horrors of apartheid and the country remained deeply divided along racial lines .
Nelson Mandela had only recently been released from prison , and it would be another two years before the end of white minority rule .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africans performing together on stage was a powerful symbol , says Van Rensburg .
In its early years Zip Zap operated on a shoestring budget , with Van Rensburg and his wife and co-founder , Laurence , fixing trapezes to trees in schoolyards and teaching kids the basics in an abandoned warehouse made available to them by a local company .
Since then the circus has grown enormously .
Today , Zip Zap receives funding from various donors , but receives around 40 % of its revenue from ticket sales at its shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a blow , but a portion of the shortfall has been covered by ticket sales for online screenings of past shows . )
The circus has won a slew of cultural , artistic and public service awards , both in South Africa and overseas .
It has toured the world many times and entertained everyone from Mandela to Roger Federer .
In 2016 they even performed for Barack Obama at the White House .
Some of its performers have even gone on to world-famous circuses like the Cirque du Soleil .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ circus so well-suited as a tool for personal development , Zip Zap 's performers cite everything from the way it fosters trust in colleagues to the way it teaches discipline , patience and perseverance .
They point out that succeeding in the circus requires teamwork , physical fitness and self-confidence .
Above all , they say , it offers a supportive community and a space to grow .
`` Respect — that 's what I 've learnt from Zip Zap '' , says 23-year-old Aviwe Mfundisi , a trapeze artist who lives with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At Zip Zap you trust people even though you 've never met them .
It 's the circus way .
When you 're in the air , you have to just know that the other guys will catch you .
It 's not like that in the townships . ''
Like many of the performers , Mfundisi credits the circus with completely altering the direction of his life .
In the neighborhood of Langa , where he grew up , many of his contemporaries got caught up in a cycle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast , thanks largely to the circus , he says , Mfundisi has become a respected professional , acquired new skills , traveled the world , become part of a community and earned enough money to start expanding his mother 's home .
He even got a tattoo of a circus tent on his forearm to serve as a reminder .
It 's that kind of passion that Lizo James hopes to pass on when he turns up at a hospital in Khayelitsha every Wednesday to introduce kids living with chronic illnesses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a collaboration with the medical charity Doctors without Borders and aim to make hospital visits less intimidating .
`` Within a couple of minutes you see them start smiling , and you see the interest .
They become more relaxed , '' says Lizo , who joined Zip Zap at the age of 11 and says it opened his mind to a whole other world .
`` I love what I 'm doing , it always feels good . ''
Since the lockdown put an end to their regular schedule of training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been doing tricks on video in their front yards to entertain fans on social media , staging virtual training sessions for some of their outreach programs and screening online reruns of past performances ( which brings in some revenue to offset the loss of ticket sales for their shows ) .
And they 've helped distribute food to some of the underserved communities they work in .
`` It has definitely been and will continue to be a challenge '' says Van Rensburg , who compares trying to navigate a safe path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tightrope .
`` It requires meticulous preparation , focus and balance .
But , as always , the show must go on . ''
Tommy Trenchard and Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville are photojournalists based in Cape Town , South Africa .
Their last joint contribution to NPR explored the funeral practices of Indonesia 's Toraja people .

PHOTOS: South Africa's Zip Zap Circus Brings A Big Heart To The Big Top
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Editor's note: This story was reported and photographed from February 2019 to March 2020. The text has been updated to reflect the activities of the circus during the pandemic.
Phelelani Ndakrokra prefers not to talk about his past. But what the 23-year-old acrobat will say is that if he hadn't joined the circus ten years ago, he'd probably either be dead or in prison by now.
"Where I came from it's hard to know what would have happened to me on the streets" says Ndakrokra, who grew up in a part of Cape Town where gang violence is rife. "The circus gave me a platform to feel free and do something I enjoy. It gave me a place to belong."
Enlarge this image toggle caption AurÃ©lie Marrier d'Unienville/ Tommy Trenchard for NPR AurÃ©lie Marrier d'Unienville/ Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Now, as he walks out on stage to thunderous applause from the audience, spotlights following his every move, that past seems a long way away. It's late 2019 and Ndakrokra is about perform an intricately rehearsed aerial dance routine in what will turn out to be one of the last major pre-COVID performances of the Zip Zap circus, a Cape Town institution that's been wowing audiences since 1992.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
It's what's known as a "social circus." That's to say, one that aims not only to entertain but also, through the teaching of valuable life skills and the creation of a nurturing environment, to foster personal development and achieve positive social change. As such, it aims to give youngsters from some of Cape Town's roughest neighborhoods a path to a different future.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Few have benefited quite as much as Ndakrokra, who has risen up through the organization to the point where he's not only a star performer but also a trainer, mentoring and inspiring the next generation. He says joining the circus has given him "the best family I've ever had" and has transformed his sense of self-esteem.
"It's hard to explain but it feels like it's not me performing" he says, describing the euphoria he experiences on stage. "It's my soul, my energy. Once I hold the straps and the music starts everything just flows like a waterfall. I lose everything. The audience is my power. I feed from their energy, and I become unstoppable. It feels like there's nothing I can't do in the world."
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Social circuses have been booming in recent years. When Zip Zap first began, it was one of only a handful world-wide, but since the 1990s they have been springing up everywhere from Conakry to Kabul. According to a 2015 study conducted by the Cirque du Soleil, the number of social circuses in operation has shot up from just eight in 1979 to more than 500 today.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
"It's exploded in the last 25 years!" says Brent Van Rensburg, co-founder of Zip Zap. A former trapeze artist, Van Rensburg took jobs as a stuntman to help fund the project in its early days.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
"People are using circuses for drug rehab, violence, poverty. It just works!"
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
At the outset, one of his main goals was addressing racial injustice in his homeland.
"We wanted to bridge the divide between black and white," says Van Rensburg. "That was the beginning of our work. We wanted to be a part of the rainbow nation, a part of the new South Africa and to be a lifeline for kids who were struggling."
Back then, South Africa was only just beginning to emerge from the horrors of apartheid and the country remained deeply divided along racial lines. Nelson Mandela had only recently been released from prison, and it would be another two years before the end of white minority rule. At the time, seeing black and white South Africans performing together on stage was a powerful symbol, says Van Rensburg.
In its early years Zip Zap operated on a shoestring budget, with Van Rensburg and his wife and co-founder, Laurence, fixing trapezes to trees in schoolyards and teaching kids the basics in an abandoned warehouse made available to them by a local company.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Since then the circus has grown enormously.
Today, Zip Zap receives funding from various donors, but receives around 40% of its revenue from ticket sales at its shows. (The loss of ticket revenue has been a blow, but a portion of the shortfall has been covered by ticket sales for online screenings of past shows.)
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
The circus has won a slew of cultural, artistic and public service awards, both in South Africa and overseas. It has toured the world many times and entertained everyone from Mandela to Roger Federer. In 2016 they even performed for Barack Obama at the White House. Some of its performers have even gone on to world-famous circuses like the Cirque du Soleil.
Asked what it is that makes the circus so well-suited as a tool for personal development, Zip Zap's performers cite everything from the way it fosters trust in colleagues to the way it teaches discipline, patience and perseverance. They point out that succeeding in the circus requires teamwork, physical fitness and self-confidence. Above all, they say, it offers a supportive community and a space to grow.
"Respect — that's what I've learnt from Zip Zap", says 23-year-old Aviwe Mfundisi, a trapeze artist who lives with his family in the township of Khayelitsha. "At Zip Zap you trust people even though you've never met them. It's the circus way. When you're in the air, you have to just know that the other guys will catch you. It's not like that in the townships."
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville/ Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Like many of the performers, Mfundisi credits the circus with completely altering the direction of his life. In the neighborhood of Langa, where he grew up, many of his contemporaries got caught up in a cycle of unemployment, drugs and crime. By contrast, thanks largely to the circus, he says, Mfundisi has become a respected professional, acquired new skills, traveled the world, become part of a community and earned enough money to start expanding his mother's home. He even got a tattoo of a circus tent on his forearm to serve as a reminder.
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
It's that kind of passion that Lizo James hopes to pass on when he turns up at a hospital in Khayelitsha every Wednesday to introduce kids living with chronic illnesses to the circus. The sessions are part of a collaboration with the medical charity Doctors without Borders and aim to make hospital visits less intimidating.
"Within a couple of minutes you see them start smiling, and you see the interest. They become more relaxed," says Lizo, who joined Zip Zap at the age of 11 and says it opened his mind to a whole other world. "I love what I'm doing, it always feels good."
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Since the lockdown put an end to their regular schedule of training and performances, the Zip Zap team has been doing tricks on video in their front yards to entertain fans on social media, staging virtual training sessions for some of their outreach programs and screening online reruns of past performances (which brings in some revenue to offset the loss of ticket sales for their shows).
And they've helped distribute food to some of the underserved communities they work in.
"It has definitely been and will continue to be a challenge" says Van Rensburg, who compares trying to navigate a safe path forward during the coronavirus pandemic to walking a tightrope. "It requires meticulous preparation, focus and balance. But, as always, the show must go on."
toggle caption Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR
Tommy Trenchard and Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville are photojournalists based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their last joint contribution to NPR explored the funeral practices of Indonesia's Toraja people.


npr--2020-08-09--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December , the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and beyond .
The first confirmed coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South Korea .
On Jan. 21 , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On Jan. 24 , the first two European cases were confirmed in France .
By Feb. 1 , eight European nations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later that count had risen to 24 countries with at least 2,200 cases , most of them in Italy .
On March 11 , Italy eclipsed 10,000 cases and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first since H1N1 in 2009 .
That 's also when China , the original epicenter , began seeing drops in daily counts of new cases .
March also saw exponential spread of the virus throughout the U.S. , with all 50 states reporting cases by March 17 .
This particular virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-08-09--Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?

Tracking The Pandemic : Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State ?
More than 4 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 150,000 have died .
Though growth in new cases slowed in late spring , by mid-June new cases began to trend upward nationally .
In the graphics below , explore the trend in new cases in your state to see whether cases are rising , falling or staying level .
You can view the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , a curve chart and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case trends over the last three weeks .
Or to see states ' total cases and deaths on a map , click here .
The following chart displays states ' trends in new daily case counts , total cases , and per capita totals .
To compare state outbreaks , the trend lines for average new daily cases are graphed against each state 's total case count to date .
This highlights a state 's daily growth relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As cases slow , the curve levels or bends down .
In New York , site of the country 's largest outbreak , the state 's curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in mid July .
Conversely , Florida peaked around 1,200 new cases per day on average in April , only to surge again to nearly 12,000 per day in mid-July Coronavirus case totals are much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the spring , a large share of U.S. cases were centered around New York City .
As of mid July , other large , populous states such as California , Florida and Texas have reached high totals as well .
Some other states such as Arizona and Louisiana show a heavy burden of infection relative to their population size .
Explore the map below to see totals and per capita figures around the country for both cases and deaths .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week .
States marked in shades of red are showing growth , those in shades of green , are showing declines .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JHU team was able to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-08-09--Roads Become Rivers: Nearly 4 Million Chinese Evacuated Or Displaced From Flooding

Roads Become Rivers : Nearly 4 Million Chinese Evacuated Or Displaced From Flooding First China was hit by the novel coronavirus .
Now it is dealing with the worst flooding in more than 20 years across vast swaths , from its southwestern interior to its east coast .
Zeng Hailin is one of an estimated 3.7 million people displaced or evacuated because of floods in China largely since June .
He lost his job in a uniform factory in Zhejiang province because of the coronavirus pandemic , so he returned to his hometown a few hours away , in Anhui @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
In July , weeks of torrential rain led the small river near his house to overflow .
One night , he woke up in a panic .
`` The water was suddenly up to my chest , '' he remembers .
`` I could not lift my mother out of bed .
I could barely walk because the ground turned to slippery mud . ''
Zeng eventually put his bedridden 81-year-old mother in a large plastic wash basin to float her to a rescue boat .
He now lives in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting for new housing .
His mother is staying with other relatives .
The Ministry of Emergency Management estimates that nearly 55 million people from 27 provinces have suffered from record-setting floods .
More than 40,000 houses collapsed ; at least 158 people are dead or missing .
The country 's Water Resources Ministry says at the worst point in mid-July , 433 rivers rose to dangerous levels .
Some broke through dams or overflowed their banks , flooding nearby villages like Hekou in Anhui province .
`` The road in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were stuck in our house for days with only some bread , water and instant noodles , '' said Tang Anfeng , a resident of Hekou village just outside the city of Hefei .
Like almost all the others in her village , Tang 's home is now surrounded by submerged fields and damp furniture , a layer of scummy water covering her lost vegetable harvests .
She points to a dark swath of mildew growing on her wall that nearly reaches the ceiling — a reminder of how high the water rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tang , in her 60s , says this part of Anhui has seasonal flooding every year , but only in the last decade has the water risen above her ankles .
`` Whenever it rains too much , they release the water from the dams .
But the water floods our village and we suffer , '' she says .
In 1958 , authorities began building the first of nine dams and diversion barriers near Hekou to regulate seasonal flooding by collecting runoff into reservoirs .
Today , the dams provide hydropower and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But during extreme rains , authorities are forced to suddenly release the water .
`` There 's a decision of basically not how much the rivers will flood , but where the rivers will flood , '' says Brian Eyler , who studies China 's river management at the Stimson Center , a think tank .
China as well as other countries with significant waterways , including the United States , will face greater flood risks and engineers will increasingly have to make a calculus about where to release water or risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predictions all around suggest that storms are going to be more intense into the coming years , '' says Eyler .
`` We are living in places where the rivers have been engineered to allow us to live there .
But the engineering is not able to cope with nature , and so nature is getting the best of us . ''
Heavier seasonal rain is also causing a rethink of water management policies in China 's water-adjacent cities , some of which also flooded this summer because of record rainfall .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ architect and professor at Peking University , say an overreliance on `` gray infrastructure , '' or nonabsorbent materials like concrete and man-made systems like sewage pipes , to rapidly urbanize fails to be resilient when confronted with floods .
In 2014 , the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development released national guidance for cities to maximize natural drainage techniques , including constructing rooftop gardens and using permeable building materials — a project nicknamed building `` sponge cities . ''
The country wants to bring 20 % of land in 658 cities up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the end of this year , at an estimated annual cost of 400 billion yuan ( $ 57.5 billion ) .
`` The whole idea of 'sponge city ' is to retain water , clean water , and recharge the aquifers .
It 's about using nature to regulate water and treat stormwater as resources instead of dumping it into the ocean , '' Yu said .
`` It 's not just a way to deal with floods , but a holistic idea of how to create an ecological infrastructure so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The initiative is still in its early stages .
Nineteen of the 30 pilot sponge cities still reported overwhelmed sewers and canals in 2017 .
`` People who do n't work in urban planning or hydrology may have the wrong perception of the sponge city project .
They may think sponge cities are a Superman [ solution ] that could deal with everything , '' says Faith Chan , an urban planning expert .
Still , Yu remains an optimist .
`` It will take time , but 'sponge city ' is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government [ in China ] should try as an alternative to the gray infrastructure . ''
Heavier rainfall means a precarious existence for the 450 million Chinese residents who live along the mighty Yangtze River or its many tributaries .
Those living downstream in Anhui , mostly in sparse , rural communities , know this hard truth : `` If the dams do n't release water and flood us , even more people will be doomed , '' explains Li Huanian , a resident of Hekou village .
Farmer Ma Youxi recounts the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in Hekou village as he takes his water buffaloes out for a swim .
`` We only know when the dams release water when the water enters our homes .
There is no heads up , '' he complains .
Ma barely rescued his sheep .
He points to his herd of water buffalo — luckily , they float naturally .

Roads Become Rivers: Nearly 4 Million Chinese Evacuated Or Displaced From Flooding
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tang Yang/Xinhua via AP Tang Yang/Xinhua via AP
First China was hit by the novel coronavirus. Now it is dealing with the worst flooding in more than 20 years across vast swaths, from its southwestern interior to its east coast.
Zeng Hailin is one of an estimated 3.7 million people displaced or evacuated because of floods in China largely since June.
He lost his job in a uniform factory in Zhejiang province because of the coronavirus pandemic, so he returned to his hometown a few hours away, in Anhui province. His troubles didn't end there. In July, weeks of torrential rain led the small river near his house to overflow.
One night, he woke up in a panic.
"The water was suddenly up to my chest," he remembers. "I could not lift my mother out of bed. I could barely walk because the ground turned to slippery mud."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Emily Feng/NPR Emily Feng/NPR
Zeng eventually put his bedridden 81-year-old mother in a large plastic wash basin to float her to a rescue boat.
He now lives in a classroom in the local public school while waiting for new housing. His mother is staying with other relatives.
The Ministry of Emergency Management estimates that nearly 55 million people from 27 provinces have suffered from record-setting floods. More than 40,000 houses collapsed; at least 158 people are dead or missing.
The country's Water Resources Ministry says at the worst point in mid-July, 433 rivers rose to dangerous levels. Some broke through dams or overflowed their banks, flooding nearby villages like Hekou in Anhui province.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Cheng/NPR Amy Cheng/NPR
"The road in front of our house became a river. We were stuck in our house for days with only some bread, water and instant noodles," said Tang Anfeng, a resident of Hekou village just outside the city of Hefei.
Like almost all the others in her village, Tang's home is now surrounded by submerged fields and damp furniture, a layer of scummy water covering her lost vegetable harvests.
She points to a dark swath of mildew growing on her wall that nearly reaches the ceiling — a reminder of how high the water rose on three separate occasions in July.
Tang, in her 60s, says this part of Anhui has seasonal flooding every year, but only in the last decade has the water risen above her ankles. "Whenever it rains too much, they release the water from the dams. But the water floods our village and we suffer," she says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Cheng/NPR Amy Cheng/NPR
In 1958, authorities began building the first of nine dams and diversion barriers near Hekou to regulate seasonal flooding by collecting runoff into reservoirs. Today, the dams provide hydropower and drinking water to nearby cities as well. But during extreme rains, authorities are forced to suddenly release the water.
"There's a decision of basically not how much the rivers will flood, but where the rivers will flood," says Brian Eyler, who studies China's river management at the Stimson Center, a think tank.
China as well as other countries with significant waterways, including the United States, will face greater flood risks and engineers will increasingly have to make a calculus about where to release water or risk a dam collapse.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Cheng/NPR Amy Cheng/NPR
"Climate change predictions all around suggest that storms are going to be more intense into the coming years," says Eyler. "We are living in places where the rivers have been engineered to allow us to live there. But the engineering is not able to cope with nature, and so nature is getting the best of us."
Heavier seasonal rain is also causing a rethink of water management policies in China's water-adjacent cities, some of which also flooded this summer because of record rainfall. Experts like Yu Kongjian, a prominent landscape architect and professor at Peking University, say an overreliance on "gray infrastructure," or nonabsorbent materials like concrete and man-made systems like sewage pipes, to rapidly urbanize fails to be resilient when confronted with floods.
In 2014, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development released national guidance for cities to maximize natural drainage techniques, including constructing rooftop gardens and using permeable building materials — a project nicknamed building "sponge cities." The country wants to bring 20% of land in 658 cities up to "sponge city" drainage standards by the end of this year, at an estimated annual cost of 400 billion yuan ($57.5 billion).
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Cheng/NPR Amy Cheng/NPR
"The whole idea of 'sponge city' is to retain water, clean water, and recharge the aquifers. It's about using nature to regulate water and treat stormwater as resources instead of dumping it into the ocean," Yu said. "It's not just a way to deal with floods, but a holistic idea of how to create an ecological infrastructure so that water will be the main factor."
The initiative is still in its early stages. Nineteen of the 30 pilot sponge cities still reported overwhelmed sewers and canals in 2017. "People who don't work in urban planning or hydrology may have the wrong perception of the sponge city project. They may think sponge cities are a Superman [solution] that could deal with everything," says Faith Chan, an urban planning expert.
Still, Yu remains an optimist. "It will take time, but 'sponge city' is the main way that any levels of government [in China] should try as an alternative to the gray infrastructure."
Heavier rainfall means a precarious existence for the 450 million Chinese residents who live along the mighty Yangtze River or its many tributaries.
Those living downstream in Anhui, mostly in sparse, rural communities, know this hard truth: "If the dams don't release water and flood us, even more people will be doomed," explains Li Huanian, a resident of Hekou village.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Emily Feng/NPR Emily Feng/NPR
Farmer Ma Youxi recounts the sudden flood in July that enveloped his home in Hekou village as he takes his water buffaloes out for a swim. "We only know when the dams release water when the water enters our homes. There is no heads up," he complains.
Ma barely rescued his sheep. He points to his herd of water buffalo — luckily, they float naturally.
Amy Cheng contributed research from Anhui.


npr--2020-08-09--An Atomic Bomb Survivor On Her Journey From Revenge To Peace

An Atomic Bomb Survivor On Her Journey From Revenge To Peace Koko Kondo was eight months old and with her mother when the first atomic bomb hit her home city of Hiroshima on August 6 , 1945 .
Her father , Methodist minister Rev .
Kiyoshi Tanimoto , had left earlier that morning .
`` Suddenly , the whole house crashed , '' Kondo remembers .
She was trapped beneath the rubble with her mother .
`` She moved little by little and she made a little hole , '' Kondo told NPR 's Weekend Edition of her mother 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she put me out .
Then she got out .
She said when she was out from the house , the environment was completely different .
Fires all over the place .
So , we barely made it . ''
Three days after dropping a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima , 75 years ago today , the United States dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki .
`` With this bomb we have now added a new and revolutionary increase in destruction to supplement the growing power of our armed forces , '' President Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the first attack on Hiroshima .
Shortly after the bombs were dropped , Japan 's Emperor Hirohito surrendered , ending World War II .
In total , hundreds of thousands of people were killed and more were injured upon impact .
In the days and weeks following , many more became sick from radiation poisoning .
Once Kondo realized the lasting effects that had been wrought by the American attack , she vowed revenge .
`` As a child , I thought if they never dropped the bomb , many children did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
`` So I said , someday when I 'm grown up , I am going to [ get ] revenge . ''
A decade later , her father was invited onto an American talk show , This Is Your Life , to talk about the day the bomb dropped .
He brought his Kondo with him .
`` I saw the whole city on fire and many people running away from the city in silence , their skin peeling off , hanging from face , from arms .
But strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a procession of ghosts , '' Tanimoto , her father , told the show .
Kondo , then just ten years old , was on the stage when they brought on Captain Robert Lewis .
Lewis was a co-pilot on the Enola Gay , the plane that dropped the bomb over Hiroshima .
He told the story of the day he dropped the bomb and said he entered into his log , `` My God , what have we done . ''
`` I was so shocked because I wanted to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can [ get ] revenge , '' Kondo told NPR .
`` So I was staring at his eyes [ thinking ] , 'you 're the bad one , I 'm the good one . '
'' But then she saw Lewis crying and thought , `` He 's the same human being as me .
If I hate , I should not hate this guy .
I should hate the war itself , which we human beings caused . ''
She came up close to him and held his hand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand because I thought , that 's my way of showing I 'm sorry I hated you , but it 's not you who I should hate .
And he felt [ my ] hand touch his hand .
He held my hand very tight , '' she said .
That meeting changed the course of Kondo 's life .
She decided she wanted to fight for peace and the end of nuclear weapons .
Lewis died in 1983 , but Kondo says every year when she goes to a park that honors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man who dropped the bomb on her city .
And she vows to herself : `` Captain Lewis , please rest in peace .
We shall never repeat our mistake . ''
Denise Guerra and Hadeel Al-Shalchi produced and edited the audio version of this story .

An Atomic Bomb Survivor On Her Journey From Revenge To Peace
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eugene Hoshiko/AP Eugene Hoshiko/AP
Koko Kondo was 8 months old and with her mother when the first atomic bomb hit her home city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Her father, Methodist minister the Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, had left earlier that morning.
"Suddenly, the whole house crashed," Kondo recounts. She was trapped beneath the rubble with her mother.
"She moved little by little and she made a little hole," Kondo told NPR's Weekend Edition of her mother's attempts to escape. "First, she put me out. Then she got out. She said when she was out from the house, the environment was completely different. Fires all over the place. So, we barely made it."
Three days after dropping a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, on Aug. 9, 1945, the United States dropped a bomb on Nagasaki.
"With this bomb we have now added a new and revolutionary increase in destruction to supplement the growing power of our armed forces," President Harry Truman said as he addressed the nation after the first attack on Hiroshima.
Shortly after the bombs were dropped, Japan's Emperor Hirohito surrendered, ending World War II. In total, hundreds of thousands of people were killed and more were injured upon impact. In the days and weeks following, many more became sick from radiation poisoning. Once Kondo realized the lasting effects that had been wrought by the American attack, she vowed revenge.
"As a child, I thought if they never dropped the bomb, many children didn't have to become orphans," she said. "So I said, someday when I'm grown up, I am going to [get] revenge."
A decade later, her father was invited onto an American talk show, This Is Your Life, to talk about the day the bomb dropped. He brought his Kondo with him.
"I saw the whole city on fire and many people running away from the city in silence, their skin peeling off, hanging from face, from arms. But strength to stay in silence. It looked like a procession of ghosts," Tanimoto, her father, told the show.
Kondo, then just 10 years old, was on the stage when they brought on Capt. Robert Lewis. Lewis was a co-pilot on the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the bomb over Hiroshima. He told the story of the day he dropped the bomb and said he entered into his log, "My God, what have we done."
"I was so shocked because I wanted to meet those people who own the airplane so I can [get] revenge," Kondo told NPR. "So I was staring at his eyes [thinking], 'you're the bad one, I'm the good one.' "
But then she saw Lewis crying and thought, "He's the same human being as me. If I hate, I should not hate this guy. I should hate the war itself, which we human beings caused."
She came up close to him and held his hand.
"I just wanted to touch his hand because I thought, that's my way of showing I'm sorry I hated you, but it's not you who I should hate. And he felt [my] hand touch his hand. He held my hand very tight," she said.
That meeting changed the course of Kondo's life. She decided she wanted to fight for peace and the end of nuclear weapons.
Lewis died in 1983, but Kondo says every year when she goes to a park that honors the dead of Hiroshima she always remembers the man who dropped the bomb on her city. And she vows to herself: "Capt. Lewis, please rest in peace. We shall never repeat our mistake."
The audio version of this story was produced by Denise Guerra and edited by Sarah Oliver.


npr--2020-08-09--COVID-19 May Never Go Away — With Or Without A Vaccine

COVID-19 May Never Go Away — With Or Without A Vaccine Humans have never been particularly good at eradicating entire viruses , and COVID-19 might not be any different .
More than 19 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 globally , and at least 722,000 have died .
In the U.S. , nearly 5 million people have tested positive and more than 160,000 have died .
While scientists are racing to find a cure for the virus , there 's a chance COVID-19 will never fully go away — with or without a vaccine .
But that does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr. Vineet Menachery , a coronavirus researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch , told NPR 's Weekend Edition that one of the more likely scenarios is that the spread of COVID-19 will eventually be slowed as a result of herd immunity .
He said he 'd be surprised `` if we 're still wearing masks and six feet distancing in two or three years , '' and that in time , the virus could become no more serious than the common cold .
On why it is so hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember is that we have n't been successful at eradicating many viruses at all .
Really the lone exception is smallpox , but many of these viruses exist not only in the human population , but in animal populations .
So , coronaviruses may be removed from the human population , like SARS coronavirus in 2002 , but we know that those viruses or viruses that are similar to it still exist in nature and at any time they may gain the tools to reemerge in humans again .
On the outlook for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus So it 's still up in the air .
COVID-19 is really unique in a couple of different ways .
One , like the common cold coronaviruses , it spreads very easily , but unlike those , this causes this severe disease .
What we know about the common cold coronaviruses is that the immunity to those do n't actually stay that long .
So what is not clear is if immunity will wane over time and that in two or three years you could be exposed and get this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could get the common cold coronavirus every few years .
On the other end of that , viruses like SARS and MERS , if you get those infections and you overcome them and you recover , generally your immune response lasts a long time .
So what we do n't know with COVID-19 is which of these two poles it may end up at .
On what he predicts for the future for COVID-19 I 'd be surprised if we 're still wearing masks and six feet distancing in two or three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that we 'll eventually get to herd immunity .
The best way to get to herd immunity is through a vaccine and some certain populations who have already been exposed , or will be exposed .
And then the expectation I have is that this virus will actually become the next common cold coronavirus .
What we do n't know with these common cold coronaviruses is if they went through a similar transition period .
So , say something like OC43 , which is a common cold coronavirus that was originally from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there was an outbreak associated with the transition of this virus from cows to humans that was very severe disease , and then after a few years , the virus became just the common cold .
So in three to five years it may be that you 're still getting COVID-19 in certain populations of people or every few years , but the expectation is hopefully that it 'll just be a common cold and it 's something that we can just each deal with and it wo n't lead to hospitalization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sophia Boyd and Martha Ann Overland produced and edited the audio version of this story .

COVID-19 May Never Go Away — With Or Without A Vaccine
Enlarge this image toggle caption Silvio Avila/AFP via Getty Images Silvio Avila/AFP via Getty Images
Humans have never been particularly good at eradicating entire viruses, and COVID-19 might not be any different.
More than 19 million people have tested positive for the coronavirus globally, and at least 722,000 have died. In the U.S., nearly 5 million people have tested positive and more than 160,000 have died. While scientists are racing to find a cure for the virus, there's a chance COVID-19 will never fully go away — with or without a vaccine.
But that doesn't mean everyone will have to self-isolate forever.
Vineet Menachery, a coronavirus researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told NPR's Weekend Edition that one of the more likely scenarios is that the spread of COVID-19 will eventually be slowed as a result of herd immunity. He said that he'd be surprised "if we're still wearing masks and 6-feet distancing in two or three years" and that in time, the virus could become no more serious than the common cold.
Interview Highlights
On why it is so hard to eradicate this virus
The first thing to remember is that we haven't been successful at eradicating many viruses at all. Really the lone exception is smallpox, but many of these viruses exist not only in the human population but in animal populations. So coronaviruses may be removed from the human population, like SARS coronavirus in 2002, but we know that those viruses or viruses that are similar to it still exist in nature and at any time they may gain the tools to reemerge in humans again.
On the outlook for COVID-19 immunity as more people are exposed to the virus
So it's still up in the air. COVID-19 is really unique in a couple of different ways. One, like the common cold coronaviruses, it spreads very easily, but unlike those, this causes this severe disease. What we know about the common cold coronaviruses is that the immunity to those don't actually stay that long. So what is not clear is if immunity will wane over time and that in two or three years you could be exposed and get this virus again. Similar to how you could get the common cold coronavirus every few years.
On the other end of that, viruses like SARS and MERS, if you get those infections and you overcome them and you recover, generally your immune response lasts a long time. So what we don't know with COVID-19 is which of these two poles it may end up at.
On what he predicts for the future for COVID-19
I'd be surprised if we're still wearing masks and 6-feet distancing in two or three years. I think the most likely outcome is that we'll eventually get to herd immunity. The best way to get to herd immunity is through a vaccine and some certain populations who have already been exposed or will be exposed.
And then the expectation I have is that this virus will actually become the next common cold coronavirus. What we don't know with these common cold coronaviruses is if they went through a similar transition period.
So, say something like OC43, which is a common cold coronavirus that was originally from cows. It's been historically reported that there was an outbreak associated with the transition of this virus from cows to humans that was very severe disease, and then after a few years, the virus became just the common cold. So in three to five years it may be that you're still getting COVID-19 in certain populations of people or every few years, but the expectation is hopefully that it'll just be a common cold and it's something that we can just each deal with and it won't lead to hospitalization and the shutting down of society.
Sophia Boyd and Martha Ann Overland produced and edited the audio version of this story.