npr--2020-05-29--CDC Director Says New Analysis Exonerates Agency On Testing Delay

CDC Director Says New Analysis Exonerates Agency On Testing Delay The head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that a new analysis shows the agency 's delayed rollout of coronavirus testing did not hinder the nation 's response to the pandemic .
The coronavirus did n't start spreading in the U.S. until late January or early February , the CDC analysis found , and it circulated at low levels for quite some time .
As a result , the availability of earlier widespread testing for the virus would not have been able to spot it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It really would be like looking for a needle in a haystack , '' Redfield told reporters in a briefing about the analysis .
The study was published in the agency 's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report .
The CDC has come under intense criticism for botching the rollout of testing for the new virus .
The agency 's first test was flawed , delaying the availability of wide-scale testing .
Many public health experts said that delay squandered a crucial window of opportunity to keep the virus from spreading in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans have died from COVID-19 , more than in any other country .
But other experts disputed Redfield 's assertion about the testing delay .
`` No one is arguing that the U.S. should have done widespread testing in January , '' Jennifer Nuzzo , an epidemiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , wrote in an email to NPR .
`` We should have done targeted surveillance testing , however . ''
She added : `` We still do n't know precisely when COVID-19 was first introduced or how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way we would have been able to know this is if we had been testing more broadly . ''
The new CDC analysis was based on four lines of evidence , including an analysis of genetic sequences of the coronavirus , testing of specimens collected as part of routine monitoring for the flu , emergency room records and the cases of two people in California later discovered to have died from COVID-19 in early and mid-February .
Other researchers said the new analysis adds little to the body of research on the origins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States '' Not a huge amount of new science there , '' Michael Worobey , an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona , said in an interview with NPR .
Redfield also said the analysis supports the effectiveness of the agency 's system for spotting infectious disease outbreaks early .
`` We had pretty good eyes on it , '' Redfield said .
`` And the availability of having a diagnostic did n't change our ability to do the surveillance . ''
But Michael Mina , an infectious disease expert at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health , expressed skepticism .
`` On the contrary , I think it demonstrates the need for large scale-ups and improvements to public health infectious disease surveillance , '' Mina told NPR via email .

CDC Director Says New Analysis Exonerates Agency On Testing Delay
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that a new analysis shows the agency's delayed rollout of coronavirus testing did not hinder the nation's response to the pandemic.
The coronavirus didn't start spreading in the U.S. until late January or early February, the CDC analysis found, and it circulated at low levels for quite some time.
As a result, the availability of earlier widespread testing for the virus would not have been able to spot it, according to CDC Director Robert Redfield.
"It really would be like looking for a needle in a haystack," Redfield told reporters in a briefing about the analysis. The study was published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The CDC has come under intense criticism for botching the rollout of testing for the new virus. The agency's first test was flawed, delaying the availability of wide-scale testing. Many public health experts said that delay squandered a crucial window of opportunity to keep the virus from spreading in the United States.
More than 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, more than in any other country.
But other experts disputed Redfield's assertion about the testing delay.
"No one is arguing that the U.S. should have done widespread testing in January," Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, wrote in an email to NPR. "We should have done targeted surveillance testing, however."
She added: "We still don't know precisely when COVID-19 was first introduced or how many people were infected. The only way we would have been able to know this is if we had been testing more broadly."
The new CDC analysis was based on four lines of evidence, including an analysis of genetic sequences of the coronavirus, testing of specimens collected as part of routine monitoring for the flu, emergency room records and the cases of two people in California later discovered to have died from COVID-19 in early and mid-February.
Other researchers said the new analysis adds little to the body of research on the origins of the coronavirus epidemic in the United States
"Not a huge amount of new science there," Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, said in an interview with NPR.
Redfield also said the analysis supports the effectiveness of the agency's system for spotting infectious disease outbreaks early.
"We had pretty good eyes on it," Redfield said. "And the availability of having a diagnostic didn't change our ability to do the surveillance."
But Michael Mina, an infectious disease expert at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, expressed skepticism.
"On the contrary, I think it demonstrates the need for large scale-ups and improvements to public health infectious disease surveillance," Mina told NPR via email.


npr--2020-05-29--France Eases Some Pandemic Restrictions And Will Reopen Restaurants, Bars And Parks

France Eases Some Pandemic Restrictions And Will Reopen Restaurants , Bars And Parks The French are heading into a long holiday weekend with sunny , blue skies and the promise of some newfound freedoms .
Starting June 2 , for the first time since the country was put under lockdown in mid-March , people will be able to travel more than 60 miles from their homes , parks will open and restaurants , cafes and bars will be allowed to serve food and drinks again to customers onsite .
`` It will be so nice to be able to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have a picnic or to sit at a sidewalk cafe again , '' says Suzanne Helous , sitting on the cobblestones near the Seine River with friends .
The banks of the Seine have become Paris ' new happy hour spot most evenings .
In a speech on Thursday , Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said the country is entering phase two of lifting its lockdown , and the government will be removing more and more confinement measures because the situation is evolving positively since the lockdown ended on May 11 .
France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 28,600 deaths .
Since the lockdown 's end , there has been a significant and steady decline in hospitalizations .
Philippe said the government and France 's scientific council looked at three factors in making their decision to begin lifting pandemic restrictions : the circulation of the coronavirus , the number of available intensive care unit beds and whether testing capacity could keep up with new clusters of infection .
`` We are at an even better place than we thought we would be at the end of May , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and ordinary citizens .
`` It does n't mean the virus is gone .
It 's present to varying degrees across France .
But its propagation rate is under control now .
This is very good news . ''
When restaurants , cafes and bars reopen Tuesday , there will be restrictions .
Tables must be spaced at least three feet apart and employees and diners ( when leaving their tables ) will have to wear face masks .
In Paris — where the risk of virus spreading remains higher than elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to outdoor seating until June 22 .
After that , there will be another assessment — and if all goes as planned , France will move into phase three of reopening , with swimming pools , gyms and movie theaters back in business .
There 's still plenty to worry about .
The prime minister warned in his remarks of the economic crisis that will follow the health crisis .
`` It will be brutal , '' he said .
`` And this is only the beginning . ''
But as this weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sigh of relief and relishing the prospect of their new freedom .

France Eases Some Pandemic Restrictions And Will Reopen Restaurants, Bars And Parks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michel Euler/AP Michel Euler/AP
The French are heading into a long holiday weekend with sunny, blue skies and the promise of some newfound freedoms. Starting June 2, for the first time since the country was put under lockdown in mid-March, people will be able to travel more than 60 miles from their homes, parks will open and restaurants, cafes and bars will be allowed to serve food and drinks again to customers onsite.
"It will be so nice to be able to go lie on the grass in a park and have a picnic or to sit at a sidewalk cafe again," says Suzanne Helous, sitting on the cobblestones near the Seine River with friends. The banks of the Seine have become Paris' new happy hour spot most evenings.
In a speech on Thursday, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said the country is entering phase two of lifting its lockdown, and the government will be removing more and more confinement measures because the situation is evolving positively since the lockdown ended on May 11.
France has confirmed 183,275 COVID-19 cases and more than 28,600 deaths. Since the lockdown's end, there has been a significant and steady decline in hospitalizations.
Philippe said the government and France's scientific council looked at three factors in making their decision to begin lifting pandemic restrictions: the circulation of the coronavirus, the number of available intensive care unit beds and whether testing capacity could keep up with new clusters of infection.
"We are at an even better place than we thought we would be at the end of May," he said, acknowledging the efforts of health workers and ordinary citizens. "It doesn't mean the virus is gone. It's present to varying degrees across France. But its propagation rate is under control now. This is very good news."
When restaurants, cafes and bars reopen Tuesday, there will be restrictions. Tables must be spaced at least three feet apart and employees and diners (when leaving their tables) will have to wear face masks.
In Paris — where the risk of virus spreading remains higher than elsewhere in France — restaurants will limit service to outdoor seating until June 22.
After that, there will be another assessment — and if all goes as planned, France will move into phase three of reopening, with swimming pools, gyms and movie theaters back in business.
There's still plenty to worry about. The prime minister warned in his remarks of the economic crisis that will follow the health crisis.
"It will be brutal," he said. "And this is only the beginning."
But as this weekend starts, the French are breathing a sigh of relief and relishing the prospect of their new freedom.


npr--2020-05-29--Moscow Doubles Last Month's Coronavirus Death Toll Amid Suspicions Of Undercounting

The city of Moscow has suddenly doubled its coronavirus death toll from last month .
Media reports and analysts have questioned the accuracy of Russia 's mortality figures for the virus .
Under its initial methodology , Moscow 's Health Department had attributed 636 deaths to COVID-19 .
But on Thursday , the department announced that 1,561 deaths in April could be linked to COVID-19 .
It attributed the revision to an alternative counting method that takes into account `` debatable cases . ''
The department said the newly counted deaths include 756 coronavirus patients who tested positive but who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who tested negative but were still suspected to have the virus .
Even with the revision , Moscow 's death rate from the coronavirus is well below other major cities , including New York and London .
Nationwide , Russia has attributed less than 5,000 deaths to COVID-19 , even as its infection rate continues to rise to more than 380,000 cases , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The apparent discrepancy has raised questions among journalists and analysts over the legitimacy of those numbers .
An independent analysis of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % increase in overall deaths for April compared with the previous 10 years .
One of the researchers involved told NPR that it was likely that many of those deaths could be attributed to the coronavirus .
`` I think it 's safe to say that if you multiply official death count by a factor of three , you will get a more or less true picture , '' Aleksei Raksha told NPR 's Charles Maynes earlier this month .
Media outlets such as The New York Times and Financial Times have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disputed those suggestions , attributing the country 's low mortality rate from COVID-19 to government efforts and a Russian medical practice of certifying a patient 's cause of death based on the particular organ that failed .
Moscow 's Health Department initially said 60 % of deaths among coronavirus patients were due to other causes , apparently using that methodology .
Moscow 's revision to its death toll – and methods for tallying COVID-19 deaths – also only count for the city .
Other parts of Russia have seen dramatic increases in deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 .
The Muslim-majority republic of Dagestan , home to some 3 million people , is among them .
In an interview this month , the republic 's health minister , Dzhamaludin Gadzhiibragimov , said 29 people died from COVID-19 in spite of 13,000 infections in the region .
He also attributed 657 deaths to `` community-acquired pneumonia . ''

Moscow Doubles Last Month's Coronavirus Death Toll Amid Suspicions Of Undercounting
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
The city of Moscow has suddenly doubled its coronavirus death toll from last month.
Media reports and analysts have questioned the accuracy of Russia's mortality figures for the virus.
Under its initial methodology, Moscow's Health Department had attributed 636 deaths to COVID-19. But on Thursday, the department announced that 1,561 deaths in April could be linked to COVID-19.
It attributed the revision to an alternative counting method that takes into account "debatable cases."
The department said the newly counted deaths include 756 coronavirus patients who tested positive but who died of other causes and 169 people who tested negative but were still suspected to have the virus.
Even with the revision, Moscow's death rate from the coronavirus is well below other major cities, including New York and London.
Nationwide, Russia has attributed less than 5,000 deaths to COVID-19, even as its infection rate continues to rise to more than 380,000 cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The apparent discrepancy has raised questions among journalists and analysts over the legitimacy of those numbers.
An independent analysis of Moscow's mortality rate showed a nearly 20% increase in overall deaths for April compared with the previous 10 years. One of the researchers involved told NPR that it was likely that many of those deaths could be attributed to the coronavirus.
"I think it's safe to say that if you multiply official death count by a factor of three, you will get a more or less true picture," Aleksei Raksha told NPR's Charles Maynes earlier this month.
Media outlets such as The New York Times and Financial Times have published similar claims.
Russian officials have disputed those suggestions, attributing the country's low mortality rate from COVID-19 to government efforts and a Russian medical practice of certifying a patient's cause of death based on the particular organ that failed.
Moscow's Health Department initially said 60% of deaths among coronavirus patients were due to other causes, apparently using that methodology.
Moscow's revision to its death toll – and methods for tallying COVID-19 deaths – also only count for the city. Other parts of Russia have seen dramatic increases in deaths but still attribute a relatively small number to COVID-19.
The Muslim-majority republic of Dagestan, home to some 3 million people, is among them.
In an interview this month, the republic's health minister, Dzhamaludin Gadzhiibragimov, said 29 people died from COVID-19 in spite of 13,000 infections in the region. He also attributed 657 deaths to "community-acquired pneumonia."


npr--2020-05-29--Biden Calls George Floyd Killing 'An Act of Brutality'

Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , described the killing of George Floyd , a black man who died after police pinned his neck to the ground for several minutes , as an `` act of brutality . ''
`` Once again — the words ' I ca n't breathe . '
An act of brutality so elemental , it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and his human rights .
It denied his very humanity .
It denied him of his life , '' Biden said Friday .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he has been during the coronavirus pandemic , said the incident should be a moment of reckoning for the nation .
Biden said he had spoken with the Floyd family , describing them as a `` close , decent , honorable family . ''
`` The pain is too immense for one community to bear alone .
I believe it 's the duty of every American to grapple with it and grapple with it now , '' Biden said via livestream .
`` With our complacency , our silence , we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable , but if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more without treating the underlying injury , we 'll never truly heal .
The very soul of America is at stake . ''
Biden 's tone contrasts that of his rival for the 2020 White House , President Trump , who criticized Floyd 's killing but , in an ultimately censored tweet , on Friday appeared to threaten violence against those protesting the incident .
`` These THUGS are dishonoring the memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't let that happen .
Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way .
Any difficulty and we will assume control but , when the looting starts , the shooting starts .
Thank you , '' Trump wrote , echoing a racist phrase said by a white Miami police chief in the 1960s .
Trump later tweeted that his `` expression '' meant shootings amid the protests , not by authorities .
Biden , without directly naming Trump , criticized the president 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` This is no time for incendiary tweets .
It 's no time to incite violence .
This is a national crisis , and we need real leadership right now . ''
The former vice president had earlier tweeted `` Enough , '' seemingly in response to the events unfolding in Minneapolis .
`` I will not lift the President 's tweet .
I will not give him that amplification .
But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many .
I 'm furious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he wrote in a separate tweet .
In a statement on Friday afternoon , the Trump campaign accused the media of `` twisting '' the president 's word .
`` The media , Joe Biden , and the Democrats pounced , purposefully misrepresenting what the President had said , and showing once again that they are incapable of resisting their base impulse of dividing Americans , solely for the purpose of political gain , ratings , and cable news profit , '' Trump 's campaign manager Brad Parscale said .
Floyd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manslaughter on Friday .

Biden Calls George Floyd Killing 'An Act Of Brutality'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 4:15 p.m. ET
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, described the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after police pinned his neck to the ground for several minutes, as an "act of brutality."
"Once again — the words 'I can't breathe.' An act of brutality so elemental, it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and his human rights. It denied his very humanity. It denied him of his life," Biden said Friday.
Biden, speaking from his home in Delaware where he has been during the coronavirus pandemic, said the incident should be a moment of reckoning for the nation. Biden said he had spoken with the Floyd family, describing them as a "close, decent, honorable family."
Joe Biden remarks on the killing of George Floyd. YouTube
"The pain is too immense for one community to bear alone. I believe it's the duty of every American to grapple with it and grapple with it now," Biden said via livestream.
"With our complacency, our silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence. Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable, but if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more without treating the underlying injury, we'll never truly heal. The very soul of America is at stake."
Biden's tone contrasts that of his rival for the 2020 White House, President Trump, who criticized Floyd's killing but, in an ultimately censored tweet, on Friday appeared to threaten violence against those protesting the incident.
"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you," Trump wrote, echoing a racist phrase said by a white Miami police chief in the 1960s. Trump later tweeted that his "expression" meant shootings amid the protests, not by authorities.
Biden, without directly naming Trump, criticized the president's tact, saying in his Friday remarks: "This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to incite violence. This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now."
The former vice president had earlier tweeted "Enough," seemingly in response to the events unfolding in Minneapolis.
"I will not lift the President's tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. I'm furious, and you should be too," he wrote in a separate tweet.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, the Trump campaign accused the media of "twisting" the president's word.
"The media, Joe Biden, and the Democrats pounced, purposefully misrepresenting what the President had said, and showing once again that they are incapable of resisting their base impulse of dividing Americans, solely for the purpose of political gain, ratings, and cable news profit," Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said.
Floyd's arresting officer was charged with murder and manslaughter on Friday.


npr--2020-05-29--CDC Quickly Changed Its Guidance On Limiting Choirs At Religious Services

CDC Quickly Changed Its Guidance On Limiting Choirs At Religious Services The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed guidance on its website that houses of worship should limit choir activities — advice that was based on evidence that group singing can spread the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
The warning was part of new guidance for leaders of faith-based organizations that the CDC had posted last Friday .
It stated that they should : But that wording disappeared over the weekend , apparently because the White House had not approved it .
The passage was deleted because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a federal official , who did n't want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about the changes .
`` CDC posted the wrong version of the guidance , '' the official told NPR , adding , `` The version that is currently up on the website is the version cleared by the White House . ''
The revised guidance on singing now states only that faith-based organizations should : `` Promote social distancing at services and other gatherings , ensuring that clergy , staff , choir , volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , as circumstances and faith traditions allow , to lessen their risk . ''
The change was first reported by The Washington Post .
The CDC 's initial advice to religious leaders was posted on the same day President Trump called for all 50 states to allow houses of worship to reopen , after weeks of forced closures due to the coronavirus .
The president 's comments came after some faith leaders said they planned to defy shutdown orders .
That earlier language is now visible only in a web archive of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has previously highlighted the risk of singing in choirs .
Just two weeks ago , it published a report on a choir practice in Skagit County , Wash. , that was deemed to be `` a superspreading event . ''
Only one person out of the 61 people who attended the March 10 practice was known to be symptomatic , researchers said .
But 53 cases of coronavirus infection were later identified .
The lead author of that report , communicable disease expert Lea Hamner of Skagit County Public Health , says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As a Public Health official , I would strongly encourage that religious services continue to happen remotely or in cars , '' Hamner told NPR via email , `` and large group gatherings not take place unless strict safety measures are put in place such as physical distancing , wearing face coverings or masks , providing tools for excellent hand hygiene , and not attending while ill. '' The CDC 's guidance on choirs had been part of a section titled `` Promote social distancing '' – a section that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five .
In another change , the first entry in that section now includes a reference to the First Amendment , which guarantees the freedom of religion and speech .
Here 's how the sentence now reads , with the newly added phrase in bold : '' Take steps to limit the size of gatherings in accordance with the guidance and directives of state and local authorities and subject to the protections of the First Amendment and any other applicable federal law . ''
The CDC has also come under scrutiny in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The agency changed the prominence of its guidance about surface spread of the coronavirus , saying that the main means of transmission is person-to-person .
As NPR reported , the CDC said `` usability improvements , '' such as a new headline on its page about preventing viral infection , caused confusion about whether its guidelines have changed about how the coronavirus spreads .
In clarifying the agency 's guidance , a CDC spokesman said the agency 's language about transmission had not changed .

CDC Quickly Changed Its Guidance On Limiting Choirs At Religious Services
Enlarge this image toggle caption Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
Updated at 6 p.m. ET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed guidance on its website that houses of worship should limit choir activities — advice that was based on evidence that group singing can spread the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The warning was part of new guidance for leaders of faith-based organizations that the CDC had posted last Friday. It stated that they should:
"Consider suspending or at least decreasing use of a choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing, chanting, or reciting during services or other programming, if appropriate within the faith tradition. The act of singing may contribute to transmission of COVID-19, possibly through emission of aerosols."
But that wording disappeared over the weekend, apparently because the White House had not approved it. The passage was deleted because it had been published by mistake, according to a federal official, who didn't want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about the changes.
"CDC posted the wrong version of the guidance," the official told NPR, adding, "The version that is currently up on the website is the version cleared by the White House."
The revised guidance on singing now states only that faith-based organizations should: "Promote social distancing at services and other gatherings, ensuring that clergy, staff, choir, volunteers and attendees at the services follow social distancing, as circumstances and faith traditions allow, to lessen their risk."
The change was first reported by The Washington Post.
The CDC's initial advice to religious leaders was posted on the same day President Trump called for all 50 states to allow houses of worship to reopen, after weeks of forced closures due to the coronavirus. The president's comments came after some faith leaders said they planned to defy shutdown orders.
That earlier language is now visible only in a web archive of the agency's site.
The CDC has previously highlighted the risk of singing in choirs. Just two weeks ago, it published a report on a choir practice in Skagit County, Wash., that was deemed to be "a superspreading event." Only one person out of the 61 people who attended the March 10 practice was known to be symptomatic, researchers said. But 53 cases of coronavirus infection were later identified.
That report concluded that:
"Choir practice attendees had multiple opportunities for droplet transmission from close contact or fomite transmission, and the act of singing itself might have contributed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Aerosol emission during speech has been correlated with loudness of vocalization, and certain persons, who release an order of magnitude more particles than their peers, have been referred to as superemitters and have been hypothesized to contribute to superspeading events. Members had an intense and prolonged exposure, singing while sitting 6–10 inches from one another, possibly emitting aerosols."
The lead author of that report, communicable disease expert Lea Hamner of Skagit County Public Health, says she is concerned by the CDC's revisions.
"As a Public Health official, I would strongly encourage that religious services continue to happen remotely or in cars," Hamner told NPR via email, "and large group gatherings not take place unless strict safety measures are put in place such as physical distancing, wearing face coverings or masks, providing tools for excellent hand hygiene, and not attending while ill."
The CDC's guidance on choirs had been part of a section titled "Promote social distancing" – a section that has now been cut from eight entries to five.
Enlarge this image toggle caption CDC / Screenshot by NPR CDC / Screenshot by NPR
In another change, the first entry in that section now includes a reference to the First Amendment, which guarantees the freedom of religion and speech. Here's how the sentence now reads, with the newly added phrase in bold:
"Take steps to limit the size of gatherings in accordance with the guidance and directives of state and local authorities and subject to the protections of the First Amendment and any other applicable federal law."
The CDC has also come under scrutiny in recent days for other revisions to its website.
The agency changed the prominence of its guidance about surface spread of the coronavirus, saying that the main means of transmission is person-to-person. As NPR reported, the CDC said "usability improvements," such as a new headline on its page about preventing viral infection, caused confusion about whether its guidelines have changed about how the coronavirus spreads.
In clarifying the agency's guidance, a CDC spokesman said the agency's language about transmission had not changed.
NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin contributed to this report.


npr--2020-05-29--An ER Doctor Lost His Job After Criticizing His Hospital On COVID-19. Now He's Suing

An ER Doctor Lost His Job After Criticizing His Hospital On COVID-19 .
Now He 's Suing An emergency medicine physician from Washington state has filed a lawsuit to get his job back at a hospital .
He was fired in late March after criticizing his hospital 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` This is about people on the front line being given the opportunity to speak out without being terminated and being reprimanded , '' says Dr. Ming Lin .
Since 2003 , Dr. Lin had worked in the ER at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PeaceHealth .
As the coronavirus swept through Seattle , Lin started publicly outlining concerns about his hospital 's handling of the pandemic .
`` I was calling other doctors '' to find out what their hospitals were doing , Lin says , adding that he came to the conclusion that `` our hospital was n't doing adequate protection for the staff . ''
On March 15 , Lin shared on Facebook the text of a letter he had sent to the hospital 's chief medical officer , pointing out the infection risks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , and suggesting changes he thought the hospital should make , including checking the temperature of staff at the beginning of shifts and triaging patients outside the emergency room , in the parking lot .
`` For us to be so close to the epicenter and not do it is ridiculous , '' he wrote .
He also described as `` ludicrous '' the ER protocol of first testing patients with respiratory symptoms for influenza , and waiting for a negative result on that test , before then giving the patient a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] not just exposing the staff member twice but exposing all patients by having the patient wait in the ER for the result . ''
At the top of the Facebook post he wrote : `` Hopefully I still have a job afterwards . ''
Not long after , Lin was told that PeaceHealth was `` super pissed '' about the post .
In the coming days , he continued to criticize the hospital on social media and in the press .
At the end of March , Lin learned he had lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that while his comments were `` intended to be constructive and a catalyst for change , unfortunately it is not possible for you to return , '' according to the lawsuit .
'Many of us have to speak out anonymously because we are afraid' News of Lin 's firing erupted on social media and in the press , especially among health care workers .
Lin says the case is n't just about his situation .
`` It 's about health care workers .
We are repressed .
We 're not given opportunities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Many of us have to speak out anonymously because we are afraid . ''
Lin works for TeamHealth , a company that contracts with hospitals to provide emergency room staffing .
TeamHealth did offer to find Lin a new position for him in Oregon , or part-time work as a floating ER physician at other Washington hospitals , but for lower pay .
Because of that , the lawsuit claims Lin was `` effectively terminated from his job . ''
In an online interview with media personality Dr. Zubin `` ZDoggMD '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Richard DeCarlo , addressed the controversy .
DeCarlo alleged that Lin `` posted misinformation , which was resulting in people being afraid and being scared to come to the hospital . ''
`` It was n't true what he was posting , '' DeCarlo said .
Lin cut off communication with his management team and created a `` toxic environment , '' he added .
`` It appeared to us that he was unable to perform in that role . ''
PeaceHeath did not agree to an interview with NPR , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose to not use designated safety reporting channels , and his actions were disruptive , compromised collaboration in the midst of a crisis and contributed to the creation of fear and anxiety . ''
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is representing Lin in his lawsuit against both PeaceHealth and the physician staffing firm TeamHealth .
`` Rather than stifling speech and removing individuals that point out deficiencies in their practices , [ hospitals ] instead should listen , eliminate the problems that threaten people 's health , and encourage the experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions , '' Antoinette Davis , a senior staff attorney for ACLU-WA , said in a statement .
The lawsuit claims wrongful termination in violation of public policy , breach of contract and defamation , among other things .
`` There are no questions at all about his competency as an emergency room physician , '' says Jamal Whitehead , an attorney who is helping the ACLU with Lin 's case .
`` It was only when he reported concerns about the hospital 's COVID-19 readiness that he was removed . ''
Whitehead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing his duty and `` speaking out to prevent harm from befalling himself , his colleagues and the public . ''
`` He 's taken an oath , first and foremost , to do no harm , '' says Whitehead .
Lin 's firing came in the throes of the first wave of the pandemic and resonated with health care workers around the country who posted messages of support on his behalf .
Nurses and doctors are often reluctant to speak publicly about safety concerns so as not to jeopardize their job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been punished when they push for better protection .
After Lin 's firing , the American Academy of Emergency Medicine condemned the hospital administration 's actions and called for an investigation , saying `` it is an essential duty of a physician to advocate for the health of others . ''
Harris Mufson , a partner with the law firm Proskauer , says the type of lawsuit filed in the Washington case can be difficult to win because it relies on common law .
`` Generally speaking those are more challenging to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim , '' says Mufson .
He says when a health care worker pursues a whistle-blower claim , the legal strategy can depend on where the person works .
Some states have laws that offer specific whistle-blower protections for health care workers , but others do not , and there are variations regarding whether those apply to public and private workers .
`` I do think this Washington case is emblematic of what employers are going to be facing around the country , both in the health care space and outside that space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Along with using state laws , health care workers can pursue cases of workplace retaliation in federal court , and by filing complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) , says Steven Pearlman , a partner with Proskauer .
`` We 're going to see an avalanche of these types of claims , '' Pearlman says .
OSHA has faced criticism during the pandemic for not being more responsive to worker concerns .
That may drive health care workers to take other legal routes when facing retaliation , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directs the State and Local Enforcement Project at Harvard Law School 's Labor and Worklife Program .
Gerstein is also a senior fellow at the Economic Policy Institute .
`` It 's so important that employers understand that when people raise these kinds of safety concerns , it 's not an adversarial thing , '' she says .
`` They are trying to make their workplace safer and stem the spread of this horrible disease . ''
But Gerstein does n't necessarily expect a flood of lawsuits , in part because many workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Lin 's lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages and for PeaceHealth to reinstate him at the hospital in Bellingham .
`` I 'm just thinking about where to go from here ... am I black listed with other hospitals ? ''
Lin says .
`` I do n't know . ''

An ER Doctor Lost His Job After Criticizing His Hospital On COVID-19. Now He's Suing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Yoshimi Lin Yoshimi Lin
An emergency medicine physician from Washington state has filed a lawsuit to get his job back at a hospital. He was fired in late March after criticizing his hospital's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
"This is about people on the front line being given the opportunity to speak out without being terminated and being reprimanded," says Dr. Ming Lin.
Since 2003, Dr. Lin had worked in the ER at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash., owned by health system PeaceHealth.
As the coronavirus swept through Seattle, Lin started publicly outlining concerns about his hospital's handling of the pandemic.
"I was calling other doctors" to find out what their hospitals were doing, Lin says, adding that he came to the conclusion that "our hospital wasn't doing adequate protection for the staff."
On March 15, Lin shared on Facebook the text of a letter he had sent to the hospital's chief medical officer, pointing out the infection risks of how the hospital was testing for the coronavirus, and suggesting changes he thought the hospital should make, including checking the temperature of staff at the beginning of shifts and triaging patients outside the emergency room, in the parking lot.
"For us to be so close to the epicenter and not do it is ridiculous," he wrote.
He also described as "ludicrous" the ER protocol of first testing patients with respiratory symptoms for influenza, and waiting for a negative result on that test, before then giving the patient a coronavirus test: "[You are] not just exposing the staff member twice but exposing all patients by having the patient wait in the ER for the result."
At the top of the Facebook post he wrote: "Hopefully I still have a job afterwards."
Not long after, Lin was told that PeaceHealth was "super pissed" about the post. In the coming days, he continued to criticize the hospital on social media and in the press.
At the end of March, Lin learned he had lost his shifts.
His supervisor told him that while his comments were "intended to be constructive and a catalyst for change, unfortunately it is not possible for you to return," according to the lawsuit.
'Many of us have to speak out anonymously because we are afraid'
News of Lin's firing erupted on social media and in the press, especially among health care workers.
Lin says the case isn't just about his situation.
"It's about health care workers. We are repressed. We're not given opportunities to speak out," says Lin. "Many of us have to speak out anonymously because we are afraid."
Lin works for TeamHealth, a company that contracts with hospitals to provide emergency room staffing. TeamHealth did offer to find Lin a new position for him in Oregon, or part-time work as a floating ER physician at other Washington hospitals, but for lower pay.
Because of that, the lawsuit claims Lin was "effectively terminated from his job."
In an online interview with media personality Dr. Zubin "ZDoggMD" Damania, PeaceHealth's Chief Operating Officer, Richard DeCarlo, addressed the controversy. DeCarlo alleged that Lin "posted misinformation, which was resulting in people being afraid and being scared to come to the hospital."
"It wasn't true what he was posting," DeCarlo said.
Lin cut off communication with his management team and created a "toxic environment," he added. "It appeared to us that he was unable to perform in that role."
PeaceHeath did not agree to an interview with NPR, but released a statement that said Lin "chose to not use designated safety reporting channels, and his actions were disruptive, compromised collaboration in the midst of a crisis and contributed to the creation of fear and anxiety."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dr. Ming Lin/AP Dr. Ming Lin/AP
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is representing Lin in his lawsuit against both PeaceHealth and the physician staffing firm TeamHealth.
"Rather than stifling speech and removing individuals that point out deficiencies in their practices, [hospitals] instead should listen, eliminate the problems that threaten people's health, and encourage the experts on their staff to come forward with solutions," Antoinette Davis, a senior staff attorney for ACLU-WA, said in a statement.
The lawsuit claims wrongful termination in violation of public policy, breach of contract and defamation, among other things.
"There are no questions at all about his competency as an emergency room physician," says Jamal Whitehead, an attorney who is helping the ACLU with Lin's case. "It was only when he reported concerns about the hospital's COVID-19 readiness that he was removed."
Whitehead says the hospital retaliated against Lin for doing his duty and "speaking out to prevent harm from befalling himself, his colleagues and the public."
"He's taken an oath, first and foremost, to do no harm," says Whitehead.
Lin's firing came in the throes of the first wave of the pandemic and resonated with health care workers around the country who posted messages of support on his behalf.
Nurses and doctors are often reluctant to speak publicly about safety concerns so as not to jeopardize their job. During the pandemic, some say they have been punished when they push for better protection.
After Lin's firing, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine condemned the hospital administration's actions and called for an investigation, saying "it is an essential duty of a physician to advocate for the health of others."
Legal protections vary widely for whistle blowers in health care
Harris Mufson, a partner with the law firm Proskauer, says the type of lawsuit filed in the Washington case can be difficult to win because it relies on common law.
"Generally speaking those are more challenging to prevail on, particularly a public policy claim," says Mufson.
He says when a health care worker pursues a whistle-blower claim, the legal strategy can depend on where the person works. Some states have laws that offer specific whistle-blower protections for health care workers, but others do not, and there are variations regarding whether those apply to public and private workers.
"I do think this Washington case is emblematic of what employers are going to be facing around the country, both in the health care space and outside that space as well," says Mufson.
Along with using state laws, health care workers can pursue cases of workplace retaliation in federal court, and by filing complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), says Steven Pearlman, a partner with Proskauer.
"We're going to see an avalanche of these types of claims," Pearlman says.
OSHA has faced criticism during the pandemic for not being more responsive to worker concerns. That may drive health care workers to take other legal routes when facing retaliation, says Terri Gerstein, a labor attorney who directs the State and Local Enforcement Project at Harvard Law School's Labor and Worklife Program. Gerstein is also a senior fellow at the Economic Policy Institute.
"It's so important that employers understand that when people raise these kinds of safety concerns, it's not an adversarial thing," she says. "They are trying to make their workplace safer and stem the spread of this horrible disease."
But Gerstein doesn't necessarily expect a flood of lawsuits, in part because many workers nationwide are subject to forced arbitration.
Dr. Lin's lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages and for PeaceHealth to reinstate him at the hospital in Bellingham.
"I'm just thinking about where to go from here... am I black listed with other hospitals?" Lin says. "I don't know."


npr--2020-05-29--McConnell Says Next Coronavirus Aid Bill Will Be The Last

McConnell Says Next Coronavirus Aid Bill Will Be The Last Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects Senate Republicans will begin considering proposals for a `` fourth and final '' coronavirus response bill to address the needs of the country `` in about a month . ''
McConnell said the bill will be narrowly crafted and will focus in particular on jobs and schools .
He said there could be funding for small businesses and health care , but he will not support extending the additional $ 600 per week in federal unemployment benefits that run out at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is extremely important , but it is not designed to encourage you to stay home ; it is designed to get you through a trough until you can get back to work , '' McConnell said .
`` I think you can certainly assume we will not be paying people a bonus for staying home in another bill . ''
Speaking at an event in his home state of Kentucky , McConnell said Congress needs more time to assess the needs of the country before voting on another costly aid package .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here and think through the next step and do it very carefully , '' McConnell said .
`` We do have the potential long-term health of the country with this level of massive debt . ''
Democrats have criticized GOP leaders for refusing to open negotiations on the next round of relief .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , is calling on McConnell to cancel upcoming committee hearings related to the 2016 election and focus instead on the coronavirus response .
`` Watching our Republican colleagues over the last few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation is in the midst of crisis , '' Schumer said in a letter to Senate Democrats .
`` As unemployment claims reach their highest levels since the Great Depression , Senate Republicans have decided to 'hit the pause button . '
`` McConnell has generally ignored calls for further negotiations on coronavirus aid until this week .
In his Friday remarks , McConnell did not rule out the possibility of including some money for state and local governments but pointed out that Congress had already approved significant funds for them .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to include liability protections for businesses , individuals , nonprofits and schools .
Republicans have insisted they need to protect people from the threat of litigation who are doing their best to comply with regulations related to COVID-19 .
He detailed that the provision would cover the time period between December and go through 2024 – `` a narrowly crafted liability protection for this disease . ''

McConnell Says Next Coronavirus Aid Bill Will Be The Last
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects Senate Republicans will begin considering proposals for a "fourth and final" coronavirus response bill to address the needs of the country "in about a month."
McConnell said the bill will be narrowly crafted and will focus in particular on jobs and schools. He said there could be funding for small businesses and health care, but he will not support extending the additional $600 per week in federal unemployment benefits that run out at the end of July.
"Unemployment insurance is extremely important, but it is not designed to encourage you to stay home; it is designed to get you through a trough until you can get back to work," McConnell said. "I think you can certainly assume we will not be paying people a bonus for staying home in another bill."
Speaking at an event in his home state of Kentucky, McConnell said Congress needs more time to assess the needs of the country before voting on another costly aid package.
"We need to push the pause button here and think through the next step and do it very carefully," McConnell said. "We do have the potential long-term health of the country with this level of massive debt."
Democrats have criticized GOP leaders for refusing to open negotiations on the next round of relief. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling on McConnell to cancel upcoming committee hearings related to the 2016 election and focus instead on the coronavirus response.
"Watching our Republican colleagues over the last few weeks, you'd never know that the nation is in the midst of crisis," Schumer said in a letter to Senate Democrats. "As unemployment claims reach their highest levels since the Great Depression, Senate Republicans have decided to 'hit the pause button.' "
McConnell has generally ignored calls for further negotiations on coronavirus aid until this week. In his Friday remarks, McConnell did not rule out the possibility of including some money for state and local governments but pointed out that Congress had already approved significant funds for them.
The only proposal McConnell explicitly endorsed was a plan to include liability protections for businesses, individuals, nonprofits and schools. Republicans have insisted they need to protect people from the threat of litigation who are doing their best to comply with regulations related to COVID-19. He detailed that the provision would cover the time period between December and go through 2024 – "a narrowly crafted liability protection for this disease."


npr--2020-05-29--Remembering Pioneering AIDS Activist Larry Kramer

Kramer , who died May 27 , was an early advocate for aggressive research into the HIV virus .
He co-founded both the Gay Men 's Health Crisis and the protest group ACT UP .
Originally broadcast in 1992 .
This is FRESH AIR .
Larry Kramer , the influential writer and AIDS activist who co-founded both the Gay Men 's Health Crisis and the protest group ACT UP , died of pneumonia Wednesday .
He was 84 years old .
As an activist , Kramer was on the frontlines early , fighting for the government to more aggressively research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote passionate articles about the rising death tolls as well as stage dramas about the AIDS epidemic .
One of those was the autobiographical play `` The Normal Heart , '' which was filmed as an HBO movie in 2014 .
Another was `` The Destiny Of Me , '' which was running off-Broadway when Terry Gross interviewed Larry Kramer in 1992 .
One of the characters in that play was based on Dr. Anthony Fauci , who was the government 's head researcher when AIDS first surfaced .
He and Kramer clashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect each other .
In Kramer 's New York Times obituary yesterday , Dr. Fauci said , quote , `` once you got past the rhetoric , you found that Larry Kramer made a lot of sense and that he had a heart of gold , '' unquote .
During their 1992 interview , Larry Kramer told Terry that he began to empathize with Fauci after the doctor invited him and other activists to participate in the process of developing medications and policies to fight AIDS .
LARRY KRAMER : He invited us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know a person , that makes hate harder .
He 's a genuinely likable person , and I think we grew genuinely fond of each other .
So it 's kind of hard to call a man that you feel that way about a murderer .
I will say , I 've learned a lesson .
And I do n't know that I ever want to go inside again , that I feel much more useful as a as a gadfly , as someone from - yelling from the outside .
I wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I wish I did not know Dr. Gallo so well or the cast of characters that I 've come to know and respect .
TERRY GROSS : Well , I wonder if knowing some of the doctors and researchers better than you used to and having them become more human , more likable to you , if that 's given you any second thoughts about some of the tactics of ACT UP , the group that you co-founded .
KRAMER : I have to say no .
I do n't think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ACT UP , and very strenuously .
I think that without those tactics , we would n't have been invited inside in the first place .
He would never have - we would never have had the opportunity to be listened to or to be taken seriously .
We would not have been able to - oh , the best instances that there 's a drug out now called - from Bristol-Myers - called DDI , and they 're about to release another one called D4T .
And these are both valuable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And those two good drugs from Bristol-Myers are out there because of us , literally .
We asked to meet with Bristol-Myers .
I wrote a letter to the president , Richard Gelb , the CEO , and I sent him our usual packet saying all are good things and also about our protests .
And he was nervous .
But he opened the door , and we sat down with the scientists .
And - but again , we could n't have gotten in the door if Gelb had n't been frightened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been diagnosed with HIV .
Well , you were first diagnosed with that in 1988 .
Have you had any symptoms , or is it just testing positive ?
KRAMER : Well , I 've not had any opportunistic infections .
There have been , you know , certain things that have - that people with this condition habitually experience , but nothing of any earth-shattering import .
I 've been very lucky thus far .
And I believe I have been infected since easily the late '70s .
So I 'm what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort or another .
And I do n't know why I 'm not dead .
And , of course , this is one of the things we 've been most anxious to force - to force - to ask the government to study .
GROSS : How has having HIV affected your sense of priorities as an activist and your sense of what you as an individual should be devoting your time to ?
KRAMER : Well , I would rather answer that by saying it 's made me very - life very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I want to finish my life 's work and - which is to write certain things about it .
But it has taught me an enormous amount about life and humanity and human beings .
And most of what I have learned has not been terribly pleasant .
I just have seen humanity at its worst .
I have seen bureaucracy at its worst .
I 've seen bigotry at its worst .
And I 've seen precious little countervailing charitable acts of love to balance any of that to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , of course , there are wonderful people who have been working on the frontlines .
But for 12 years , two wretched presidents refused in any way to help save lives and allowed other people to intentionally become sick so that they , too , might die .
And that 's a very strong indictment .
And it 's just - I did not start out to be an activist .
I did not start out to be indeed political .
I was a businessman .
I was in the film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents of both Colombian United Artists .
I went to Yale .
I was on my way to making a great deal of money .
I was not a gay man first by any manner of means until I became involved in fighting AIDS and - because someone close to me died .
And suddenly , I was none of these things .
I was no longer the - you know , the white man from Yale .
I was a f***** without a name .
GROSS : Larry , do you remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first signs of it that you saw or read about ?
KRAMER : Oh , yes .
There were , I guess , several incidents .
The first official real quaking in my stomach was in July of 1981 when the first article appeared in the back pages of The New York Times announcing the discovery in gay men of a rare cancer .
And it was announced by a doctor whom I knew at NYU .
And it - I said - and I rushed up to see him .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I just knew then that , boy , this was going to get - this was just going to be awful .
And then as he told me about it and what was happening , my mind went back to incidences over the preceding couple of years where I had had friends who were mysteriously ill - lovers carrying their lovers around literally in their arms from doctor to doctor , from hospital to hospital begging for - have you heard of anything this could remotely resemble ?
And it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after death after death .
One does become inured to it in a strange sort of way .
I do n't feel near the appalling horrors on a basis as I did in those early days .
GROSS : You feel like you 've adjusted to death , and that 's probably not a good thing to adjust to .
KRAMER : It certainly is n't .
It certainly is n't .
GROSS : Have you counted the number of friends that you 've lost , or did you just stop counting ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to keep a little book .
And I forgot even what year it was when it reached 500 .
And I just stopped at 500 .
But you have to remember that having co-founded GMHC and having founded ACT UP and just being so well known in the community , I probably - you know , I knew more people than your average gay person .
But I think by now there is n't anyone in New York who has not certainly had many dozens of people lost .
GROSS : Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next ?
Is there a project you 're working on now ?
KRAMER : I have so many projects that I do n't know that I have time for them all .
But I 've been working for - I guess for about 10 years on a very , very , very long novel called `` The American People , '' which I will write till the day I die .
And when I - it 's , like , sort of Proustian .
You know , when he finished it , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what 's going to happen at this point .
KRAMER : I feel it 's almost my responsibility to write about AIDS stuff and about what it 's been like to be gay in this time in history .
And fortunately I 'm still healthy , and I feel like I 've been given this opportunity to write this story because I was , for whatever reason , put him on the frontlines of the battlefield when it 's - when the war started in 1981 .
And there are not many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are still alive .
And I know where all the bodies are buried , both symbolically and literally , and that I have to somehow - and it 's an enormous challenge and an enormous task .
I must somehow find a way to make art out of all of this and to the best damn , biggest , greatest novel I have it in me to write .
And I 'm enjoying that challenge .
GROSS : Larry , I wish you good luck with your writing , and I wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with your new play .
KRAMER : Thank you very much , Terry .
BIANCULLI : Larry Kramer speaking to Terry Gross in 1992 .
The writer and longtime activist died Wednesday at age 84 .
And he ended up finishing that novel .
The second volume of `` The American People '' came out earlier this year .
BIANCULLI : On Monday 's show , Terry speaks with actress Christine Baranski , who stars in `` The Good Fight , '' playing a brilliant commanding partner in a progressive law firm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good Wife . ''
Baranski also is known for her comedic roles and for work in stage and screen musicals , including `` Into The Woods , '' `` Chicago '' and `` Mame . ''
I hope you can join us .
FRESH AIR 's executive producer is Danny Miller .
Our engineer today is Charlie Kyer ( ph ) .
Our technical director is Audrey Bentham , with additional engineering support by Joyce Lieberman and Julian Herzfeld .
Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit , Phyllis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Heidi Saman , Therese Madden , Thea Challoner and Seth Kelley .
Our associate producer of digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper .
Roberta Shorrock directs the show .
For Terry Gross , I 'm David Bianculli .

Remembering Pioneering AIDS Activist Larry Kramer
Kramer, who died May 27, was an early advocate for aggressive research into the HIV virus. He co-founded both the Gay Men's Health Crisis and the protest group ACT UP. Originally broadcast in 1992.
DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. Larry Kramer, the influential writer and AIDS activist who co-founded both the Gay Men's Health Crisis and the protest group ACT UP, died of pneumonia Wednesday. He was 84 years old. As an activist, Kramer was on the frontlines early, fighting for the government to more aggressively research and combat the HIV virus. He wrote passionate articles about the rising death tolls as well as stage dramas about the AIDS epidemic. One of those was the autobiographical play "The Normal Heart," which was filmed as an HBO movie in 2014. Another was "The Destiny Of Me," which was running off-Broadway when Terry Gross interviewed Larry Kramer in 1992. One of the characters in that play was based on Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was the government's head researcher when AIDS first surfaced. He and Kramer clashed often at first but eventually came to respect each other. In Kramer's New York Times obituary yesterday, Dr. Fauci said, quote, "once you got past the rhetoric, you found that Larry Kramer made a lot of sense and that he had a heart of gold," unquote.
During their 1992 interview, Larry Kramer told Terry that he began to empathize with Fauci after the doctor invited him and other activists to participate in the process of developing medications and policies to fight AIDS.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
LARRY KRAMER: He invited us inside. And when you get to know a person, that makes hate harder. He's a genuinely likable person, and I think we grew genuinely fond of each other. So it's kind of hard to call a man that you feel that way about a murderer. I will say, I've learned a lesson. And I don't know that I ever want to go inside again, that I feel much more useful as a as a gadfly, as someone from - yelling from the outside. I wish I did not know Tony so well. I wish I did not know Dr. Gallo so well or the cast of characters that I've come to know and respect.
TERRY GROSS: Well, I wonder if knowing some of the doctors and researchers better than you used to and having them become more human, more likable to you, if that's given you any second thoughts about some of the tactics of ACT UP, the group that you co-founded.
KRAMER: I have to say no. I don't think that I - I will defend the tactics of ACT UP, and very strenuously. I think that without those tactics, we wouldn't have been invited inside in the first place. He would never have - we would never have had the opportunity to be listened to or to be taken seriously.
We would not have been able to - oh, the best instances that there's a drug out now called - from Bristol-Myers - called DDI, and they're about to release another one called D4T. And these are both valuable alternatives to AZT from Burroughs Wellcome. And those two good drugs from Bristol-Myers are out there because of us, literally. We asked to meet with Bristol-Myers. I wrote a letter to the president, Richard Gelb, the CEO, and I sent him our usual packet saying all are good things and also about our protests. And he was nervous. But he opened the door, and we sat down with the scientists. And - but again, we couldn't have gotten in the door if Gelb hadn't been frightened of us.
GROSS: You've been diagnosed with HIV. Well, you were first diagnosed with that in 1988. Have you had any symptoms, or is it just testing positive?
KRAMER: Well, I've not had any opportunistic infections. There have been, you know, certain things that have - that people with this condition habitually experience, but nothing of any earth-shattering import. I've been very lucky thus far. And I believe I have been infected since easily the late '70s. So I'm what's called a long-term survivor of one sort or another. And I don't know why I'm not dead. And, of course, this is one of the things we've been most anxious to force - to force - to ask the government to study.
GROSS: How has having HIV affected your sense of priorities as an activist and your sense of what you as an individual should be devoting your time to?
KRAMER: Well, I would rather answer that by saying it's made me very - life very precious, et cetera, et cetera. And I want to finish my life's work and - which is to write certain things about it. But it has taught me an enormous amount about life and humanity and human beings. And most of what I have learned has not been terribly pleasant. I just have seen humanity at its worst. I have seen bureaucracy at its worst. I've seen bigotry at its worst. And I've seen precious little countervailing charitable acts of love to balance any of that to the extent the awfulness has been allowed.
Yes, of course, there are wonderful people who have been working on the frontlines. But for 12 years, two wretched presidents refused in any way to help save lives and allowed other people to intentionally become sick so that they, too, might die. And that's a very strong indictment. And it's just - I did not start out to be an activist. I did not start out to be indeed political. I was a businessman. I was in the film industry. I was assistant to the presidents of both Colombian United Artists. I went to Yale. I was on my way to making a great deal of money. I was not a gay man first by any manner of means until I became involved in fighting AIDS and - because someone close to me died. And suddenly, I was none of these things. I was no longer the - you know, the white man from Yale. I was a f***** without a name.
GROSS: Larry, do you remember how you first heard about AIDS, the first signs of it that you saw or read about?
KRAMER: Oh, yes. There were, I guess, several incidents. The first official real quaking in my stomach was in July of 1981 when the first article appeared in the back pages of The New York Times announcing the discovery in gay men of a rare cancer. And it was announced by a doctor whom I knew at NYU. And it - I said - and I rushed up to see him. And he told me what was going on. And I just knew then that, boy, this was going to get - this was just going to be awful.
And then as he told me about it and what was happening, my mind went back to incidences over the preceding couple of years where I had had friends who were mysteriously ill - lovers carrying their lovers around literally in their arms from doctor to doctor, from hospital to hospital begging for - have you heard of anything this could remotely resemble? And it has been 12 years of horror - death after death after death. One does become inured to it in a strange sort of way. I don't feel near the appalling horrors on a basis as I did in those early days.
GROSS: You feel like you've adjusted to death, and that's probably not a good thing to adjust to.
KRAMER: It certainly isn't. It certainly isn't.
GROSS: Have you counted the number of friends that you've lost, or did you just stop counting?
KRAMER: I stopped counting. I used to keep a little book. And I forgot even what year it was when it reached 500. And I just stopped at 500. But you have to remember that having co-founded GMHC and having founded ACT UP and just being so well known in the community, I probably - you know, I knew more people than your average gay person. But I think by now there isn't anyone in New York who has not certainly had many dozens of people lost.
GROSS: Do you know what you'll be writing next? Is there a project you're working on now?
KRAMER: I have so many projects that I don't know that I have time for them all. But I've been working for - I guess for about 10 years on a very, very, very long novel called "The American People," which I will write till the day I die. And when I - it's, like, sort of Proustian. You know, when he finished it, he died. That's, I think, what's going to happen at this point.
GROSS: (Laughter).
KRAMER: I feel it's almost my responsibility to write about AIDS stuff and about what it's been like to be gay in this time in history. And fortunately I'm still healthy, and I feel like I've been given this opportunity to write this story because I was, for whatever reason, put him on the frontlines of the battlefield when it's - when the war started in 1981. And there are not many writers of us who are still - who are still alive. And I know where all the bodies are buried, both symbolically and literally, and that I have to somehow - and it's an enormous challenge and an enormous task. I must somehow find a way to make art out of all of this and to the best damn, biggest, greatest novel I have it in me to write. And I'm enjoying that challenge.
GROSS: Larry, I wish you good luck with your writing, and I wish you good health. And good luck with your new play.
KRAMER: Thank you very much, Terry.
BIANCULLI: Larry Kramer speaking to Terry Gross in 1992. The writer and longtime activist died Wednesday at age 84. And he ended up finishing that novel. The second volume of "The American People" came out earlier this year.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
BIANCULLI: On Monday's show, Terry speaks with actress Christine Baranski, who stars in "The Good Fight," playing a brilliant commanding partner in a progressive law firm. It's a spinoff of "The Good Wife." Baranski also is known for her comedic roles and for work in stage and screen musicals, including "Into The Woods," "Chicago" and "Mame." I hope you can join us.
FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. Our engineer today is Charlie Kyer (ph). Our technical director is Audrey Bentham, with additional engineering support by Joyce Lieberman and Julian Herzfeld. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Heidi Saman, Therese Madden, Thea Challoner and Seth Kelley. Our associate producer of digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Roberta Shorrock directs the show. For Terry Gross, I'm David Bianculli.
(SOUNDBITE OF STEFON HARRIS AND BLACKOUT FEAT. JEAN BAYLOR'S "NOW")
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npr--2020-05-29--Trump, Retaliating Against Beijing, Revokes Privileges For Hong Kong

The United States is rescinding a number of special considerations for Hong Kong in retaliation for what Washington calls a naked power grab by China 's central government .
President Trump announced a suite of changes Friday in what had been billed as a press conference but which turned out to be an on-camera statement , after which he took no questions .
Trump did not address other big national stories , including police violence in Minneapolis or his ongoing feud with Twitter .
He focused instead on his intent to revoke Hong Kong 's special customs status , impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Hong Kong governments , and take other steps .
The precise details or their implications were n't immediately clear .
For example , Trump said he was directing a study of the `` differing practices '' involved with Chinese and American companies in financial markets , arguing that U.S. investors deserved what he called `` fair '' treatment .
It could have implications for Chinese companies or banks and Hong Kong 's status as a major Asian financial center , although there was no detail about when Trump might get the `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sino-American relations have been on a low ebb for years but may have hit a recent nadir with Trump 's remarks Friday .
Trump blamed China 's communist government for the global coronavirus pandemic , which has taken 100,000 American lives and more broadly sent shock waves around the world .
`` The death and destruction caused by this is incalculable , '' he said .
The White House argues that China 's repression and mendacity meant the world was unprepared for the lethality and contagiousness of the virus , which originated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president has gone back and forth about how strongly he blames Beijing .
Earlier in the pandemic , he alluded to the coronavirus as `` the Chinese virus '' before softening his language and then resuming direct condemnation of Chinese authorities .
Trump put the pandemic into the context of years of what he called bad practices and mistreatment by China , including its theft of hundreds of billions of dollars ' worth of American intellectual property .
He took credit for standing up for the United States .
Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the pandemic , and the president followed earlier condemnations and threats Friday by saying that the U.S. would sever its ties with the agency .
Washington will divert roughly $ 500 million per year it has paid to WHO to other global health organizations , Trump said .
Those details were n't clear either , including which groups or how quickly .
The United States has been the single biggest funder of WHO , and the breach announced by Trump raises questions about how it may be able to move forward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faulted the Chinese government after it asserted more control over Hong Kong 's governance despite earlier commitments to maintain `` two systems '' — one for the mainland and one for Hong Kong .
Hong Kong was a British colony until the late 1990s when London agreed to turn over control to Beijing with the proviso that it enjoy more autonomy and more freedoms , which residents had come to expect under British rule .
Beijing agreed , but critics in Hong Kong and elsewhere have said the central government has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last year , protesters shut down Hong Kong for weeks with demonstrations against a proposed law that would have permitted citizens there to have been sent to the mainland for trial .
Activists said they feared the mainland 's weak protections in law would open up everyone in Hong Kong to arbitrary Chinese punishment and further weaken the special status Hong Kong was supposed to enjoy .
Trump was mostly quiet then , but his tune has changed sharply since the coronavirus pandemic — which the president blames on the Chinese government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress that the United States can no longer consider Hong Kong independent from China , raising the prospect of changes in its diplomatic relationship with Washington .
One of the big unresolved questions in the contretemps between Washington and Beijing is over Taiwan , the independent Republic of China considered a breakaway province by the central government on the mainland .
The United States has maintained close ties with Taiwan and has some legal obligations to defend it if attacked by China .
But that relationship has n't been tested by a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mainland government has n't been as assertive about some of its key claims as it has been with Hong Kong .
Trump condemned China 's territorial claims broadly Friday , but he did not specify what his position would be on a major dispute over Taiwan .

Trump, Retaliating Against Beijing, Revokes Privileges For Hong Kong
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 3:43 p.m. ET
The United States is rescinding a number of special considerations for Hong Kong in retaliation for what Washington calls a naked power grab by China's central government.
President Trump announced a suite of changes Friday in what had been billed as a press conference but which turned out to be an on-camera statement, after which he took no questions.
Trump did not address other big national stories, including police violence in Minneapolis or his ongoing feud with Twitter.
He focused instead on his intent to revoke Hong Kong's special customs status, impose some sanctions on officials in the mainland and Hong Kong governments, and take other steps.
The precise details or their implications weren't immediately clear. For example, Trump said he was directing a study of the "differing practices" involved with Chinese and American companies in financial markets, arguing that U.S. investors deserved what he called "fair" treatment.
It could have implications for Chinese companies or banks and Hong Kong's status as a major Asian financial center, although there was no detail about when Trump might get the "study" or what it could contemplate.
President excoriates Beijing
Sino-American relations have been on a low ebb for years but may have hit a recent nadir with Trump's remarks Friday.
Trump blamed China's communist government for the global coronavirus pandemic, which has taken 100,000 American lives and more broadly sent shock waves around the world.
"The death and destruction caused by this is incalculable," he said.
The White House argues that China's repression and mendacity meant the world was unprepared for the lethality and contagiousness of the virus, which originated in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.
The president has gone back and forth about how strongly he blames Beijing. Earlier in the pandemic, he alluded to the coronavirus as "the Chinese virus" before softening his language and then resuming direct condemnation of Chinese authorities.
Trump put the pandemic into the context of years of what he called bad practices and mistreatment by China, including its theft of hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of American intellectual property. He took credit for standing up for the United States.
Trump and aides also blame the World Health Organization for the pandemic, and the president followed earlier condemnations and threats Friday by saying that the U.S. would sever its ties with the agency.
Washington will divert roughly $500 million per year it has paid to WHO to other global health organizations, Trump said. Those details weren't clear either, including which groups or how quickly.
The United States has been the single biggest funder of WHO, and the breach announced by Trump raises questions about how it may be able to move forward.
Anger over Hong Kong
Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have faulted the Chinese government after it asserted more control over Hong Kong's governance despite earlier commitments to maintain "two systems" — one for the mainland and one for Hong Kong.
Hong Kong was a British colony until the late 1990s when London agreed to turn over control to Beijing with the proviso that it enjoy more autonomy and more freedoms, which residents had come to expect under British rule.
Beijing agreed, but critics in Hong Kong and elsewhere have said the central government has been steadily eroding the city's liberties.
Last year, protesters shut down Hong Kong for weeks with demonstrations against a proposed law that would have permitted citizens there to have been sent to the mainland for trial.
Activists said they feared the mainland's weak protections in law would open up everyone in Hong Kong to arbitrary Chinese punishment and further weaken the special status Hong Kong was supposed to enjoy.
Trump was mostly quiet then, but his tune has changed sharply since the coronavirus pandemic — which the president blames on the Chinese government.
Pompeo has made a formal proclamation to Congress that the United States can no longer consider Hong Kong independent from China, raising the prospect of changes in its diplomatic relationship with Washington.
One of the big unresolved questions in the contretemps between Washington and Beijing is over Taiwan, the independent Republic of China considered a breakaway province by the central government on the mainland.
The United States has maintained close ties with Taiwan and has some legal obligations to defend it if attacked by China. But that relationship hasn't been tested by a major military crisis, and until now, the mainland government hasn't been as assertive about some of its key claims as it has been with Hong Kong.
Trump condemned China's territorial claims broadly Friday, but he did not specify what his position would be on a major dispute over Taiwan.


npr--2020-05-30--As 'Hero' Pay Ends, Essential Workers Wonder What They Are Worth

As 'Hero ' Pay Ends , Essential Workers Wonder What They Are Worth These were the many names for temporary pay bumps that some stores , warehouses and factories gave to workers who risked their health to continue to show up on the job during the pandemic .
It 's hard to say that an extra $ 3 an hour made a dramatic difference in Sammy Сonde 's budget .
Maybe a few more groceries — soup is a dinner favorite — or an occasional treat of a takeout meal after a particularly tiring workday .
Conde is a Starbucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping locals caffeinated via drive-through windows and curbside pickup .
Like many corporations that asked employees to work in a health crisis , Starbucks added new safety measures and perks — like new health and leave options , and a big one : a temporary pay bump of $ 3 an hour .
That bumped Conde 's hourly wage to $ 13 .
But the raise goes away this weekend .
`` It feels like Starbucks could 've been paying me this the whole time , and they 're just choosing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it 's not really paying what I need , '' says Conde , who 's part of a worker advocacy group Fight for $ 15 , which argues , alongside other labor activists , that temporary pandemic raises should be permanent .
This weekend , such temporary pay bumps are ending at companies including Amazon and Molson Coors .
They already ended at Rite Aid and Kroger .
Some companies , like Walmart and CVS , paid one-time bonuses instead .
Some had no hazard pay altogether .
Target and Kraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary extra pay a bit longer .
Meanwhile , particularly at stores , new hazards arise , as workers who signed up to stock shelves and run registers take on new roles as enforcers of social distancing and mask wearing .
For many , their pay — for being essential , with hazard pay — is lower than what the federal government is paying in unemployment relief .
`` Last week I think there were three days I just woke up crying because I just ca n't do this anymore , I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cashier and union shop steward at a Ralphs supermarket in California , part of Kroger .
`` And people are ... yelling at us , cussing at us — because we wo n't do returns , because we 're asking them to wear a mask , because we 're telling them they ca n't use their reusable bags . ''
Altercations with shoppers are cropping up across the country , captured in a new genre of viral videos .
Some incidents have turned violent and even deadly .
McDonald 's workers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dollar security guard was killed in Michigan .
In a normal world , high hazard pay might be the only way to stop employees from quitting en masse .
But with tens of millions unemployed , workers quickly lost a lot of leverage .
In statements , companies employing non-medical frontline workers underscore how much they value their staff , saying the workers ' health and safety come first and foremost .
Most of the companies have invested heavily in more cleanings , protective gear including masks , temperature screenings and other safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Molson Coors have pointed out extended leave options past May , while Amazon also highlighted its starting pay minimum of $ 15 .
Kroger says it will award another one-time bonus to all workers in coming days .
Kraft Heinz will keep `` evaluating '' its special stipend of $ 100 a week for manufacturing workers .
Target has extended its $ 2 hazard pay until July 4 .
`` As we navigate the way forward , you have my word that we will continue to do what 's right for you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every step of the way , '' Starbucks executive Rossann Williams wrote in a letter to staff on April 16 .
Extra pay and benefits are expensive , costing large employers hundreds of millions of dollars during the pandemic .
But a purely economic analysis of coronavirus risks that frontline workers face suggests that hazard pay bumps should be 10 times bigger than a few dollars an hour , closer to $ 10 or $ 20 more an hour , according to calculations by Columbia University economist Suresh Naidu .
One impact companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-paying essential jobs .
This week , hiring platform Indeed reported rapidly dropping interest in such jobs in May from a big spike in February .
An economist for the site wrote that pay is part of it : The median hourly wage has risen almost 2 % during the crisis , but gains mostly went to higher-income workers .
Katharine Thomas has been getting $ 2 more an hour for working the cash register at a small food co-op in Wisconsin .
But she expects that to end as shoppers ' demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her company 's income .
`` I want to stress how grateful I am because my company did not have to do that , but I do n't think $ 2 an hour is — hero pay ? ''
she says and sighs , pondering out loud about what kind of heroic work could ever be worth $ 2 extra .
Thomas remembers seeing people around her losing jobs and getting not just unemployment but extra federal relief of $ 600 a week .
`` I felt very angry , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
And I make less money , being essential .
Six hundred dollars a week — that 's almost the whole paycheck for me .
Even with hazard pay , I still do n't make that much money . ''
This month , the House of Representatives included $ 200 billion in pandemic hazard pay for essential workers in a latest coronavirus relief bill .
But it passed largely along party lines with a Democrat majority , and Republicans in the Senate are taking on their version of the relief package .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains uncertain .
`` My hope is that the federal government , they 're doing so much for unemployed people ... maybe help us , people who are still working , will you ? ''
Thomas says .
`` I 'm a working person .
I work full time .
I make not enough money to live on .
I think anyone who 's working full-time should be able to afford a decent life . ''
Editor 's note : Amazon , Starbucks , Target and Walmart are among NPR 's financial supporters @

As 'Hero' Pay Ends, Essential Workers Wonder What They Are Worth
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ada Yokota/Getty Images Ada Yokota/Getty Images
Hero pay. Thank You pay. Service pay. Hazard pay.
These were the many names for temporary pay bumps that some stores, warehouses and factories gave to workers who risked their health to continue to show up on the job during the pandemic.
It's hard to say that an extra $3 an hour made a dramatic difference in Sammy Сonde's budget. Maybe a few more groceries — soup is a dinner favorite — or an occasional treat of a takeout meal after a particularly tiring workday.
Conde is a Starbucks barista in Orlando, an essential worker keeping locals caffeinated via drive-through windows and curbside pickup. Like many corporations that asked employees to work in a health crisis, Starbucks added new safety measures and perks — like new health and leave options, and a big one: a temporary pay bump of $3 an hour.
That bumped Conde's hourly wage to $13. But the raise goes away this weekend.
"It feels like Starbucks could've been paying me this the whole time, and they're just choosing to do it now to help me feel better, but it's not really paying what I need," says Conde, who's part of a worker advocacy group Fight for $15, which argues, alongside other labor activists, that temporary pandemic raises should be permanent.
This weekend, such temporary pay bumps are ending at companies including Amazon and Molson Coors. They already ended at Rite Aid and Kroger. Some companies, like Walmart and CVS, paid one-time bonuses instead. Some had no hazard pay altogether. Target and Kraft Heinz told NPR they're extending their temporary extra pay a bit longer.
Meanwhile, particularly at stores, new hazards arise, as workers who signed up to stock shelves and run registers take on new roles as enforcers of social distancing and mask wearing. For many, their pay — for being essential, with hazard pay — is lower than what the federal government is paying in unemployment relief.
"Last week I think there were three days I just woke up crying because I just can't do this anymore, I'm exhausted," says Christine Smith, a cashier and union shop steward at a Ralphs supermarket in California, part of Kroger. "And people are ... yelling at us, cussing at us — because we won't do returns, because we're asking them to wear a mask, because we're telling them they can't use their reusable bags."
Altercations with shoppers are cropping up across the country, captured in a new genre of viral videos. Some incidents have turned violent and even deadly. McDonald's workers were shot at in Oklahoma. A Family Dollar security guard was killed in Michigan.
In a normal world, high hazard pay might be the only way to stop employees from quitting en masse. But with tens of millions unemployed, workers quickly lost a lot of leverage.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christine Smith Christine Smith
In statements, companies employing non-medical frontline workers underscore how much they value their staff, saying the workers' health and safety come first and foremost. Most of the companies have invested heavily in more cleanings, protective gear including masks, temperature screenings and other safety measures.
Beyond that, Starbucks and Molson Coors have pointed out extended leave options past May, while Amazon also highlighted its starting pay minimum of $15. Kroger says it will award another one-time bonus to all workers in coming days. Kraft Heinz will keep "evaluating" its special stipend of $100 a week for manufacturing workers. Target has extended its $2 hazard pay until July 4.
"As we navigate the way forward, you have my word that we will continue to do what's right for you and your families, so you feel supported every step of the way," Starbucks executive Rossann Williams wrote in a letter to staff on April 16.
Extra pay and benefits are expensive, costing large employers hundreds of millions of dollars during the pandemic.
But a purely economic analysis of coronavirus risks that frontline workers face suggests that hazard pay bumps should be 10 times bigger than a few dollars an hour, closer to $10 or $20 more an hour, according to calculations by Columbia University economist Suresh Naidu.
One impact companies might see long-term is fewer takers for low-paying essential jobs. This week, hiring platform Indeed reported rapidly dropping interest in such jobs in May from a big spike in February. An economist for the site wrote that pay is part of it: The median hourly wage has risen almost 2% during the crisis, but gains mostly went to higher-income workers.
Katharine Thomas has been getting $2 more an hour for working the cash register at a small food co-op in Wisconsin. But she expects that to end as shoppers' demand slows down to normal and so does her company's income.
"I want to stress how grateful I am because my company did not have to do that, but I don't think $2 an hour is — hero pay?" she says and sighs, pondering out loud about what kind of heroic work could ever be worth $2 extra.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Katharine Thomas Katharine Thomas
Thomas remembers seeing people around her losing jobs and getting not just unemployment but extra federal relief of $600 a week.
"I felt very angry," she says. "I have to go to work. And I make less money, being essential. Six hundred dollars a week — that's almost the whole paycheck for me. Even with hazard pay, I still don't make that much money."
This month, the House of Representatives included $200 billion in pandemic hazard pay for essential workers in a latest coronavirus relief bill. But it passed largely along party lines with a Democrat majority, and Republicans in the Senate are taking on their version of the relief package. And so the fate of the legislation remains uncertain.
"My hope is that the federal government, they're doing so much for unemployed people ... maybe help us, people who are still working, will you?" Thomas says. "I'm a working person. I work full time. I make not enough money to live on. I think anyone who's working full-time should be able to afford a decent life."
Editor's note: Amazon, Starbucks, Target and Walmart are among NPR's financial supporters.