npr--2020-10-13--College Says Students May Have Sought COVID-19 Infection To Boost Plasma Donor Payout

College Says Students May Have Sought COVID-19 Infection To Boost Plasma Donor Payout Administrators at Brigham Young University 's campus in southeastern Idaho say they are `` deeply troubled '' by reports that students may have intentionally tried to contract COVID-19 , lured by blood donation centers that are paying a premium for plasma with COVID-19 antibodies .
`` Students who are determined to have intentionally exposed themselves or others to the virus will be immediately suspended from the university and may be permanently dismissed , '' the university said in a statement issued Monday .
The school condemned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking evidence of any such conduct among our student body . ''
Possible donation sites for BYU-Idaho students include the Grifols Biomat USA Rexburg location , whose website touts its close proximity to the BYU-Idaho campus in downtown Rexburg .
The company 's site has a page devoted to survivors of COVID-19 as part of its effort to collect convalescent plasma .
`` As a special thanks , those who give convalescent plasma will earn $ 100 per visit , '' the company says .
It also says that for people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your body produces more to maintain your immunity , you can potentially donate multiple times . ''
In recent months , the company has been offering $ 50 to new plasma donors , with progressively higher amounts for people making multiple donations within a month .
Another donation center , BioLife Plasma Services in nearby Ammon , pays convalescent plasma donors $ 200 for each of their first two visits , according to East Idaho News .
In late August , the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of convalescent plasma from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with COVID-19 .
The agency says that antibody-containing plasma `` may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks . ''
According to an online screening service , potential COVID-19 plasma donors must be symptom free for at least 14 days , among other health requirements .
Urging students not to contract the viral disease on purpose , BYU-Idaho says any students who are in a desperate situation should seek financial and mental health resources at its Student Well-Being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to resort to behavior that endangers health or safety in order to make ends meet , '' the school said .
The college , which has some 34,000 students on campus , along with 15,000 online students , recently warned of a potential campus closure , citing a rise in COVID-19 cases on campus and in the surrounding region .
The school currently reports 109 active cases among students and 22 among employees .

College Says Students May Have Sought COVID-19 Infection To Boost Plasma Donor Payout
Administrators at Brigham Young University's campus in southeastern Idaho say they are "deeply troubled" by reports that students may have intentionally tried to contract COVID-19, lured by blood donation centers that are paying a premium for plasma with COVID-19 antibodies.
"Students who are determined to have intentionally exposed themselves or others to the virus will be immediately suspended from the university and may be permanently dismissed," the university said in a statement issued Monday.
The school condemned the behavior, saying it is "actively seeking evidence of any such conduct among our student body."
Possible donation sites for BYU-Idaho students include the Grifols Biomat USA Rexburg location, whose website touts its close proximity to the BYU-Idaho campus in downtown Rexburg. The company's site has a page devoted to survivors of COVID-19 as part of its effort to collect convalescent plasma.
"As a special thanks, those who give convalescent plasma will earn $100 per visit," the company says. It also says that for people who have recovered from the disease, "As your body produces more to maintain your immunity, you can potentially donate multiple times."
In recent months, the company has been offering $50 to new plasma donors, with progressively higher amounts for people making multiple donations within a month.
Another donation center, BioLife Plasma Services in nearby Ammon, pays convalescent plasma donors $200 for each of their first two visits, according to East Idaho News.
In late August, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of convalescent plasma from coronavirus survivors as an emergency therapy for people with COVID-19. The agency says that antibody-containing plasma "may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks."
According to an online screening service, potential COVID-19 plasma donors must be symptom free for at least 14 days, among other health requirements.
Urging students not to contract the viral disease on purpose, BYU-Idaho says any students who are in a desperate situation should seek financial and mental health resources at its Student Well-Being office.
"There is never a need to resort to behavior that endangers health or safety in order to make ends meet," the school said.
The college, which has some 34,000 students on campus, along with 15,000 online students, recently warned of a potential campus closure, citing a rise in COVID-19 cases on campus and in the surrounding region. The school currently reports 109 active cases among students and 22 among employees.


npr--2020-10-13--Virginia Voter Registration Site Experiences Outage On Final Day To Register

A severed fiber optic line cable forced Virginia 's online voter registration system to shut down for much of Tuesday , the last day for residents of the commonwealth to register for next month 's general election .
The Virginia Department of Elections announced the issue on social media shortly before 10 a.m. local time .
At about 3:30 p.m. , it said the problem was resolved , nearly six hours after it began .
`` This morning we were alerted by [ Virginia Information Technologies Agency ] that a fiber cut near the Commonwealth Enterprise Solutions Center was impacting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies .
This has affected the citizen portal along w/ registrar 's offices , '' Virginia 's Department of Elections said in a tweet .
In a separate tweet , VITA said the fiber was cut near Route 10 in the Chester area , south of the Richmond .
Visitors to the state 's Citizen Portal portion of its election website were greeted with a message saying the `` Citizen Portal is temporarily unavailable . ''
As news of the debacle spread , some called for election officials to extend Virginia 's voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for Virginia 's Registration Deadline to be extended beyond today due to the service outages impacting voters ' ability to register statewide , '' Lt. Gov .
Justin Fairfax said in a tweet .
`` It is imperative that we extend the deadline to ensure all Virginians have a chance to exercise their right to vote , '' McEachin tweeted .
Virginia Democratic Reps. Don Beyer , Gerry Connolly and Jennifer Wexton also urged for an extension , adding that all Virginians `` must be given every opportunity '' to take part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdown of Virginia 's online voter registration threatens to prevent many Virginians from casting their ballots in the 2020 election , '' they said in a statement .
`` Three weeks before the election , nearly one million Virginians have already voted , which speaks to the importance voters across the Commonwealth attach to participating in this election . ''
Former Gov .
Terry McAuliffe , the ACLU of Virginia and the state conference of the NAACP also called for an extension to Virginia 's registration deadline , Virginia Public Media reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to go through the courts .
The severed cable also caused problems for people who showed up for in-person absentee voting in some areas , according to NPR member station WAMU in Washington , D.C. '' The statewide registration database is currently down , but we are able to process voters for in-person voting routinely , '' Craig Fifer , a spokesman for the City of Alexandria , told WAMU .
`` Some jurisdictions that are checking voters directly into the statewide registration system are having them cast provisional ballots , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The Washington Post reports that in Loudoun County , Va. , the outage prevented election officials from processing applications for voter registration and from printing the necessary labels needed to mail those ballots .
`` It 's terrible because we 're sitting here and we have no idea what 's happening , '' Judy Brown , the general registrar in Loudoun County , told the Post .

Virginia Voter Registration Site Experiences Outage On Final Day To Register
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
A severed fiber optic line cable forced Virginia's online voter registration system to shut down for much of Tuesday, the last day for residents of the commonwealth to register for next month's general election.
The Virginia Department of Elections announced the issue on social media shortly before 10 a.m. local time. At about 3:30 p.m., it said the problem was resolved, nearly six hours after it began.
"This morning we were alerted by [Virginia Information Technologies Agency] that a fiber cut near the Commonwealth Enterprise Solutions Center was impacting data circuits and VPN connectivity for multiple agencies. This has affected the citizen portal along w/ registrar's offices," Virginia's Department of Elections said in a tweet.
In a separate tweet, VITA said the fiber was cut near Route 10 in the Chester area, south of the Richmond. Visitors to the state's Citizen Portal portion of its election website were greeted with a message saying the "Citizen Portal is temporarily unavailable."
As news of the debacle spread, some called for election officials to extend Virginia's voting registration deadline.
"I am officially calling for Virginia's Registration Deadline to be extended beyond today due to the service outages impacting voters' ability to register statewide," Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said in a tweet.
Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin, who represents Virginia's 4th Congressional District, agreed with Fairfax.
"It is imperative that we extend the deadline to ensure all Virginians have a chance to exercise their right to vote," McEachin tweeted.
Virginia Democratic Reps. Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly and Jennifer Wexton also urged for an extension, adding that all Virginians "must be given every opportunity" to take part in the election process.
"The shutdown of Virginia's online voter registration threatens to prevent many Virginians from casting their ballots in the 2020 election," they said in a statement. "Three weeks before the election, nearly one million Virginians have already voted, which speaks to the importance voters across the Commonwealth attach to participating in this election."
Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the ACLU of Virginia and the state conference of the NAACP also called for an extension to Virginia's registration deadline, Virginia Public Media reports. A decision on the matter will likely have to go through the courts.
The severed cable also caused problems for people who showed up for in-person absentee voting in some areas, according to NPR member station WAMU in Washington, D.C.
"The statewide registration database is currently down, but we are able to process voters for in-person voting routinely," Craig Fifer, a spokesman for the City of Alexandria, told WAMU. "Some jurisdictions that are checking voters directly into the statewide registration system are having them cast provisional ballots, but that's not the case in Alexandria."
The Washington Post reports that in Loudoun County, Va., the outage prevented election officials from processing applications for voter registration and from printing the necessary labels needed to mail those ballots.
"It's terrible because we're sitting here and we have no idea what's happening," Judy Brown, the general registrar in Loudoun County, told the Post.


npr--2020-10-13--Courageous Conversations Across a Growing Divide: One Small Step

With the election fast approaching , the country is at an inflection point .
`` And the question is where do we turn , '' says civil rights attorney and professor John A. Powell .
`` Do we turn on each other or do we turn towards each other ? ''
Bitter political divisions were already plainly on display even before the added stresses of 2020 – the pandemic , nationwide protests against racial injustice , the contentious election campaign and rising threats of political violence .
Could it help if more people took the time to talk with someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program , One Small Step : Courageous Conversations Across A Growing Divide , explores the idea that intentional conversations between partisans could be a catalyst for national healing .
StoryCorps and NPR Member stations , such as WBHM in Birmingham , have been putting that idea to the test in a project called One Small Step , pairing people of opposite political views to have a conversation .
Participants talk , listen , and get to know each other for 40 minutes , not to change each other 's minds , but to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 're sliding in the wrong direction in this country , '' says StoryCorps founder Dave Isay .
`` We 're going to try to convince the country that it 's our patriotic duty to see the humanity in people that we disagree with . ''
The effort is based in a theory of psychology known as the contact hypothesis , which suggests that contact between people of different backgrounds , under certain conditions , can melt away conflict .
In a February week when the nation 's political tensions were on full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took to the stage for a live event featuring One Small Step conversations from Member station WBHM in Birmingham , AL .
They were joined by political thinkers such as LaTosha Brown of the Black Voters Matter Fund and conservative talk show host Erick Erickson , to explore the idea of a less divided America .
Hu also talked with Joseph Weidnecht and Amina Amdeen , who met when they took opposite sides in a political protest in 2016 .
Weidnecht and Amdeen told of a `` life-changing '' moment when that protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn violent .
Amdeen , who wears a hijab , retrieved Weidnecht 's Make America Great Again hat , which had been snatched from his head by Amdeen 's fellow anti-Trump protestors .
A fight was avoided and the two formed an unusual bond .
Both became proponents of conversation to bridge differences .
To be sure , talking is not a panacea .
Americans ' disagreements are quantifiably intense and getting more so .
On issues from race and gender , to policing , to the coronavirus pandemic , partisans often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a starting point for dialogue .
And while both Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly reject violence as a tactic , a small but growing number ( one in five , according to one survey ) now say it 's justified , especially if the opposing party wins the election .
It is this `` culture of contempt , '' along with the threat of political violence , that convinces Isay , Powell and others that there is no alternative to dialogue .
Says Powell : `` If we do n't learn to share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't survive . ''
This audio program weaves new studio interviews together with stage conversations and the music by Jimmy Hall with Southern Culture Revival , recorded live at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham .
Click the LISTEN button at the top of the page to hear this NPR Special .

Courageous Conversations Across a Growing Divide: One Small Step
With the election fast approaching, the country is at an inflection point.
"And the question is where do we turn," says civil rights attorney and professor John A. Powell. "Do we turn on each other or do we turn towards each other?"
Bitter political divisions were already plainly on display even before the added stresses of 2020 – the pandemic, nationwide protests against racial injustice, the contentious election campaign and rising threats of political violence.
Could it help if more people took the time to talk with someone on the other side?
NPR
This special program, One Small Step: Courageous Conversations Across A Growing Divide, explores the idea that intentional conversations between partisans could be a catalyst for national healing.
StoryCorps and NPR Member stations, such as WBHM in Birmingham, have been putting that idea to the test in a project called One Small Step, pairing people of opposite political views to have a conversation. Participants talk, listen, and get to know each other for 40 minutes, not to change each other's minds, but to respect each other as people.
"We're sliding in the wrong direction in this country," says StoryCorps founder Dave Isay. "We're going to try to convince the country that it's our patriotic duty to see the humanity in people that we disagree with."
The effort is based in a theory of psychology known as the contact hypothesis, which suggests that contact between people of different backgrounds, under certain conditions, can melt away conflict.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media, Inc. Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media, Inc.
In a February week when the nation's political tensions were on full display, host Elise Hu and Isay took to the stage for a live event featuring One Small Step conversations from Member station WBHM in Birmingham, AL. They were joined by political thinkers such as LaTosha Brown of the Black Voters Matter Fund and conservative talk show host Erick Erickson, to explore the idea of a less divided America.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media Inc. Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media Inc.
Hu also talked with Joseph Weidnecht and Amina Amdeen, who met when they took opposite sides in a political protest in 2016. Weidnecht and Amdeen told of a "life-changing" moment when that protest in Austin, Texas, was threatening to turn violent. Amdeen, who wears a hijab, retrieved Weidnecht's Make America Great Again hat, which had been snatched from his head by Amdeen's fellow anti-Trump protestors. A fight was avoided and the two formed an unusual bond. Both became proponents of conversation to bridge differences.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media, Inc. Beau Gustafson/Big Swede Media, Inc.
To be sure, talking is not a panacea. Americans' disagreements are quantifiably intense and getting more so. On issues from race and gender, to policing, to the coronavirus pandemic, partisans often have trouble finding agreement on basic facts as a starting point for dialogue.
And while both Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly reject violence as a tactic, a small but growing number (one in five, according to one survey) now say it's justified, especially if the opposing party wins the election.
It is this "culture of contempt," along with the threat of political violence, that convinces Isay, Powell and others that there is no alternative to dialogue.
Says Powell: "If we don't learn to share the planet with each other... we don't survive."
This audio program weaves new studio interviews together with stage conversations and music by Jimmy Hall with Southern Culture Revival, recorded live at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham.
Click the LISTEN button at the top of the page to hear this NPR Special.


npr--2020-10-13--Facebook Bans Ads Discouraging Vaccines, In Latest Misinformation Crackdown

Facebook said on Tuesday it will ban anti-vaccination ads , following widespread pressure on the social network to curb harmful content .
Under the new global policy , the company will no longer accept ads discouraging people from getting vaccines ; ads that portray vaccines as unsafe or ineffective ; or ads claiming the diseases vaccines prevent are harmless .
`` We do n't want these ads on our platform , '' Facebook officials Kang-Xing Jin and Rob Leathern wrote in a blog post .
`` Our goal is to help messages about the safety and efficacy of vaccines reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibiting ads with misinformation that could harm public health efforts . ''
The new policy also applies to Instagram .
Facebook said it will start enforcing it in the next few days .
The move is a reversal of Facebook 's longstanding reluctance to police what people are allowed to say , saying it wants to encourage free speech .
Public health groups and other critics have urged it to stamp out widespread misinformation on its platforms , which have more than 3 billion monthly active users .
This year the company has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
It had already banned vaccine misinformation and hoaxes identified by global health organizations like the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The new policy is not a total ban on opposition to vaccines .
The company will still accept ads that advocate against government vaccination policies .
But those ads can not explicitly discourage vaccination or make false claims , Facebook spokesperson Devon Kearns told NPR .
The ban also only applies to paid ads , not to the much larger volume of regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followings and posts in private groups where vaccine misinformation has flourished .
That means it may have limited effect on the spread of false claims about vaccines among people and groups that are already skeptical , Renée DiResta , who studies misinformation at the Stanford Internet Observatory , told NPR .
`` This is important in preventing people from using ads to target new audiences that have not been pulled into the rabbit hole , '' she said .
`` But we should n't expect this to disrupt people who are already in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban is the latest in a series of steps Facebook has taken to limit harmful content , in some cases after years of pressure from critics .
In recent weeks it has banned posts that promote Holocaust denial , the baseless Qanon conspiracy theory and armed militia groups .
It also announced a temporary ban on political advertising after polls close on election day .
DiResta said the coronavirus pandemic appears to have changed the way Facebook thinks about health misinformation in particular .
`` For a long time researchers and activists were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only linked to imminent calls to violence , '' she said .
`` COVID is a global issue .
We 're operating in a time in which outbreaks are not locally confined .
And they 've had to take a much broader view of how to define what an authoritative , reputable health source is . ''
Facebook said the new stance toward anti-vaccination ads was part of its routine evaluation of its policies .
`` We regularly refine our approach around ads that are about social issues to capture debates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Vaccines are no different .
While we may narrow enforcement in some areas , we may expand it in others , '' Jin and Leathern wrote in Tuesday 's post .
Facebook also said on Tuesday it would direct people to information about the flu vaccine and where users in the U.S. can get it .
And it said it was working with the WHO and UNICEF on messaging campaigns to increase immunization rates .
Editor 's note : Facebook is among NPR 's financial supporters .

Facebook Bans Ads Discouraging Vaccines, In Latest Misinformation Crackdown
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Eisen/Getty Images Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Updated at 7:05 p.m. ET
Facebook said on Tuesday it will ban anti-vaccination ads, following widespread pressure on the social network to curb harmful content.
Under the new global policy, the company will no longer accept ads discouraging people from getting vaccines; ads that portray vaccines as unsafe or ineffective; or ads claiming the diseases vaccines prevent are harmless.
"We don't want these ads on our platform," Facebook officials Kang-Xing Jin and Rob Leathern wrote in a blog post. "Our goal is to help messages about the safety and efficacy of vaccines reach a broad group of people, while prohibiting ads with misinformation that could harm public health efforts."
The new policy also applies to Instagram. Facebook said it will start enforcing it in the next few days.
The move is a reversal of Facebook's longstanding reluctance to police what people are allowed to say, saying it wants to encourage free speech. Public health groups and other critics have urged it to stamp out widespread misinformation on its platforms, which have more than 3 billion monthly active users.
This year the company has cracked down on hoaxes and falsehoods about the coronavirus. It had already banned vaccine misinformation and hoaxes identified by global health organizations like the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new policy is not a total ban on opposition to vaccines. The company will still accept ads that advocate against government vaccination policies. But those ads cannot explicitly discourage vaccination or make false claims, Facebook spokesperson Devon Kearns told NPR.
The ban also only applies to paid ads, not to the much larger volume of regular posts, including by users with large followings and posts in private groups where vaccine misinformation has flourished.
That means it may have limited effect on the spread of false claims about vaccines among people and groups that are already skeptical, Renée DiResta, who studies misinformation at the Stanford Internet Observatory, told NPR.
"This is important in preventing people from using ads to target new audiences that have not been pulled into the rabbit hole," she said. "But we shouldn't expect this to disrupt people who are already in that rabbit hole."
The ad ban is the latest in a series of steps Facebook has taken to limit harmful content, in some cases after years of pressure from critics. In recent weeks it has banned posts that promote Holocaust denial, the baseless Qanon conspiracy theory and armed militia groups. It also announced a temporary ban on political advertising after polls close on election day.
DiResta said the coronavirus pandemic appears to have changed the way Facebook thinks about health misinformation in particular.
"For a long time researchers and activists were trying to point out that harm was not only linked to imminent calls to violence," she said. "COVID is a global issue. We're operating in a time in which outbreaks are not locally confined. And they've had to take a much broader view of how to define what an authoritative, reputable health source is."
Facebook said the new stance toward anti-vaccination ads was part of its routine evaluation of its policies.
"We regularly refine our approach around ads that are about social issues to capture debates and discussions around sensitive topics happening on Facebook. Vaccines are no different. While we may narrow enforcement in some areas, we may expand it in others," Jin and Leathern wrote in Tuesday's post.
Facebook also said on Tuesday it would direct people to information about the flu vaccine and where users in the U.S. can get it. And it said it was working with the WHO and UNICEF on messaging campaigns to increase immunization rates.
Editor's note: Facebook is among NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-10-13--Europe Reports Record-High 700,000 COVID-19 Cases Last Week, WHO Says

Europe Reports Record-High 700,000 COVID-19 Cases Last Week , WHO Says Europe is seeing record numbers of new coronavirus cases .
The continent reported over 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week — its highest weekly total yet , according to the World Health Organization .
This surge represents a 36 % increase from the week prior , in which Europe reported fewer than 520,000 cases .
Europe 's population is about 740 million .
Across Europe , many countries have the same goal now : to slow the spread of the virus but avoid the economically costly decision of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases quadruple in the last three weeks and has more patients hospitalized now than before its lockdown in March , according to The Washington Post .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament on Monday that he was trying to avoid `` shuttering our lives and our society . ''
But , he said , it is necessary to take action .
`` We do n't want to go back to another national lockdown , '' he said , but `` we ca n't let the virus rip . ''
Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early in the pandemic , approved additional restrictions Monday night after a surge in coronavirus infections .
It reported over 26,700 cases last week .
As part of new restrictions , it limited gatherings , prohibited nonprofessional contact sports and told restaurants to close earlier in the day , according to The Local .
Last week , the country also imposed a national masking order , requiring masks in both indoor and outdoor public places .
The Netherlands , which has a population of over 17 million , saw more than 36,000 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO .
Critics say there is confused messaging from Dutch public health authorities about how to manage the pandemic post-summer , according to the Financial Times .
The government has been criticized for refusing to fully endorse mask-wearing in public .
Last week , the Spanish government declared a state of emergency in the Madrid region because of the pandemic .
The country overruled the local government to prevent travel in and out of Madrid .
The Madrid region has reported more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases over the past week , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki went into quarantine after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus .
Morawiecki has shown no symptoms , has not tested positive and will continue to work , according to a statement from government spokesperson Piotr Müller .
The prime minister came into contact with the infected person on Friday .
Morawiecki learned of the person 's positive test on Tuesday .
Poland has recently seen a spike in cases , with about 23,500 new cases reported last week , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous weekly high .
These new restrictions come after the head of the World Health Organization in Europe , Dr. Hans Kluge , warned last month about surging cases .
He said the early September case numbers `` should serve as a wake-up call for all of us . ''
`` We do have a very serious situation unfolding before us , '' Kluge said .
`` Weekly cases have exceeded those reported when the pandemic first peaked in Europe in March . ''

Europe Reports Record-High 700,000 COVID-19 Cases Last Week, WHO Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Laurent Cipriani/AP Laurent Cipriani/AP
Europe is seeing record numbers of new coronavirus cases.
The continent reported over 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week — its highest weekly total yet, according to the World Health Organization.
This surge represents a 36% increase from the week prior, in which Europe reported fewer than 520,000 cases. Europe's population is about 740 million.
Across Europe, many countries have the same goal now: to slow the spread of the virus but avoid the economically costly decision of a national lockdown.
England has seen new coronavirus cases quadruple in the last three weeks and has more patients hospitalized now than before its lockdown in March, according to The Washington Post.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament on Monday that he was trying to avoid "shuttering our lives and our society."
But, he said, it is necessary to take action.
"We don't want to go back to another national lockdown," he said, but "we can't let the virus rip."
Italy, which was one of the worst-hit countries early in the pandemic, approved additional restrictions Monday night after a surge in coronavirus infections. It reported over 26,700 cases last week.
As part of new restrictions, it limited gatherings, prohibited nonprofessional contact sports and told restaurants to close earlier in the day, according to The Local. Last week, the country also imposed a national masking order, requiring masks in both indoor and outdoor public places.
The Netherlands, which has a population of over 17 million, saw more than 36,000 new cases last week, according to the WHO.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced new restrictions Tuesday, including limits on social gatherings, Reuters reported.
Critics say there is confused messaging from Dutch public health authorities about how to manage the pandemic post-summer, according to the Financial Times. The government has been criticized for refusing to fully endorse mask-wearing in public.
Last week, the Spanish government declared a state of emergency in the Madrid region because of the pandemic. The country overruled the local government to prevent travel in and out of Madrid.
The Madrid region has reported more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases over the past week, according to The Washington Post.
On Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki went into quarantine after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.
Morawiecki has shown no symptoms, has not tested positive and will continue to work, according to a statement from government spokesperson Piotr Müller. The prime minister came into contact with the infected person on Friday. Morawiecki learned of the person's positive test on Tuesday.
Poland has recently seen a spike in cases, with about 23,500 new cases reported last week, according to the WHO. That number is almost twice the previous weekly high.
These new restrictions come after the head of the World Health Organization in Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, warned last month about surging cases. He said the early September case numbers "should serve as a wake-up call for all of us."
"We do have a very serious situation unfolding before us," Kluge said. "Weekly cases have exceeded those reported when the pandemic first peaked in Europe in March."


npr--2020-10-13--Will Kids Get A COVID-19 Vaccine? Pfizer To Expand Trial To Ages 12 And Up

Will Kids Get A COVID-19 Vaccine ?
Pfizer To Expand Trial To Ages 12 And Up Pfizer announced this week that it has received FDA approval to enroll children as young as 12 years old in its COVID-19 vaccine trial .
The expansion is aimed at understanding whether the vaccine would be safe and effective for adolescents .
Until now , children under 16 have not been included in any of the COVID-19 vaccine trials in the U.S. , and the average age of participants has skewed much older. ''
I think this is a really big deal , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer of the Immunization Action Coalition .
`` Without clinical trials actually done in children , the only way to actually extend the use of the COVID-19 vaccine into children would be to rely on the adult data , '' Tan says , which is not ideal .
Earlier this month , the American Academy of Pediatricians wrote to top federal health officials urging them to take this step .
`` Children must be included in vaccine trials to best understand any potential unique immune responses and/or unique safety concerns , '' wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was sent to Alex Azar , Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , and Stephen Hahn , Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
In recent months , it 's become increasingly clear that children can be infected with the virus , and while they often have only mild disease or are asymptomatic , they can also infect others .
Goza wrote that more than half a million children have been infected with COVID-19 this year .
`` More than two-thirds of the children who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Goza wrote .
Given that children have been greatly affected by the pandemic it is unethical , `` to allow children to take on great burdens during this pandemic but not have the opportunity to benefit from a vaccine , or to delay that benefit for an extended period of time , because they have not been included in vaccine trials , '' Goza wrote .
In an updated statement on its website , Pfizer outlined the change to include children .
Last month , the company said it would expand its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , the company says it has received permission from the FDA to enroll children aged 12 and older .
`` By doing so , we will be able to better understand the potential safety and efficacy of the vaccine in individuals from more ages and backgrounds , '' the statement says .
Pediatricians and infectious disease experts say it made sense to start the vaccine trials with older participants who have a higher risk of more serious illness from COVID-19 .
`` Children have not been the main focus at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these trials going in adults , '' says infectious disease expert Yvonne Maldonado , a professor of pediatrics , epidemiology and population health at Stanford University , who chairs the AAP committee on infectious diseases .
She is among the pediatricians who wrote to the FDA in favor of including children in trials .
`` For almost any other vaccine trial , you 're almost always going to start in adults anyway to find if there 's a safety signal in the adult population before you move into the pediatric population , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine development is moving so quickly , pediatricians ' hope has been that children would n't be left behind .
`` With all of the proper precautions in place and sufficient safety data from adult studies , progressing to trials in older children would be important , '' she says .
L.J .
Tan says he hopes other pharmaceutical companies that have COVID-19 vaccine trials underway will follow suit .
`` I would hope that the other vaccine manufacturers with covid-19 vaccines , would follow Pfizer 's example and go down to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Will Kids Get A COVID-19 Vaccine? Pfizer To Expand Trial To Ages 12 And Up
Enlarge this image toggle caption SDI Productions/Getty Images SDI Productions/Getty Images
Pfizer announced this week that it has received FDA approval to enroll children as young as 12 years old in its COVID-19 vaccine trial. The expansion is aimed at understanding whether the vaccine would be safe and effective for adolescents.
Until now, children under 16 have not been included in any of the COVID-19 vaccine trials in the U.S., and the average age of participants has skewed much older.
" I think this is a really big deal," says L.J. Tan, chief strategy officer of the Immunization Action Coalition. "Without clinical trials actually done in children, the only way to actually extend the use of the COVID-19 vaccine into children would be to rely on the adult data," Tan says, which is not ideal.
Earlier this month, the American Academy of Pediatricians wrote to top federal health officials urging them to take this step. "Children must be included in vaccine trials to best understand any potential unique immune responses and/or unique safety concerns," wrote AAP president Sara Goza in a letter, which was sent to Alex Azar, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Stephen Hahn, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In recent months, it's become increasingly clear that children can be infected with the virus, and while they often have only mild disease or are asymptomatic, they can also infect others.
Goza wrote that more than half a million children have been infected with COVID-19 this year. "More than two-thirds of the children who died were Black and Latinx children," Goza wrote.
Given that children have been greatly affected by the pandemic it is unethical, "to allow children to take on great burdens during this pandemic but not have the opportunity to benefit from a vaccine, or to delay that benefit for an extended period of time, because they have not been included in vaccine trials," Goza wrote.
In an updated statement on its website, Pfizer outlined the change to include children. Last month, the company said it would expand its trial to include teenagers 16 and older. Now, the company says it has received permission from the FDA to enroll children aged 12 and older. "By doing so, we will be able to better understand the potential safety and efficacy of the vaccine in individuals from more ages and backgrounds," the statement says.
Pediatricians and infectious disease experts say it made sense to start the vaccine trials with older participants who have a higher risk of more serious illness from COVID-19.
"Children have not been the main focus at this point because of the rush to get these trials going in adults," says infectious disease expert Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University, who chairs the AAP committee on infectious diseases.
She is among the pediatricians who wrote to the FDA in favor of including children in trials. "For almost any other vaccine trial, you're almost always going to start in adults anyway to find if there's a safety signal in the adult population before you move into the pediatric population," Maldonado explains. And, since COVID-19 vaccine development is moving so quickly, pediatricians' hope has been that children wouldn't be left behind. "With all of the proper precautions in place and sufficient safety data from adult studies, progressing to trials in older children would be important," she says.
L.J. Tan says he hopes other pharmaceutical companies that have COVID-19 vaccine trials underway will follow suit. "I would hope that the other vaccine manufacturers with covid-19 vaccines, would follow Pfizer's example and go down to [age] 12," Tan says.


npr--2020-10-13--Tens Of Thousands Flee Latest Taliban Offensive, And Afghan Civilian Casualties Rise

As the Taliban launched an offensive over the weekend to take areas of Afghanistan 's southern Helmand province , there were hundreds of casualties amid some of the most intense urban fighting since Afghan peace talks began last month .
Among the victims was a pregnant woman struck by a stray bullet .
She survived but her fetus died in utero , apparently the result of the bullet 's impact , Doctors Without Borders says .
The woman was among the Afghan civilians who appeared to have been caught in crossfire while fleeing villages near the provincial capital Lashkar Gah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs officer for Doctors Without Borders .
The Taliban launched coordinated attacks in different parts of Helmand , says Omer Zwak , the provincial governor 's spokesperson .
Local authorities estimate that some 35,000 people have been displaced in the fighting , which intensified around Lashkar Gah on Sunday .
There were so many casualties that the local 100-bed hospital was quickly overwhelmed , Noko says .
A facility run by Doctors Without Borders absorbed some 20 more people needing treatment and care , including the woman hit by the stray bullet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still under our care and received surgery — we are waiting to see how the situation goes for her , '' Noko says .
The woman 's personal tragedy resonated with Afghans on social media .
Heartbroken and angry , some shared an unconfirmed image appearing to show an X-ray of a fetal skeleton with a projectile lodged near the spine .
A Taliban spokesman told Afghanistan 's TOLO news channel that the group was recapturing areas taken by government forces a few months ago .
`` The Taliban need to immediately stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce their violence around the country .
It is not consistent with the US-Taliban agreement and undermines the ongoing Afghan Peace Talks , '' U.S. Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet on Monday , quoting Gen. Scott Miller , the U.S. forces commander .
The U.S. military conducted `` several targeted strikes '' in Helmand to defend Afghan security forces under Taliban attack , Leggett tweeted , noting this was `` consistent with '' the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in February .
The insurgents had earlier curbed their attacks on urban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their move to take Lashkar Gah and surrounding villages appears to have gone further as a brazen attempt to capture a government-held city .
Taliban fighters appeared to meet little initial resistance , TOLO reported .
As they advanced , some Afghan police forces abandoned their checkpoints on the city 's outskirts , which the Helmand police chief described as a `` tactical retreat . ''
Local media reported that Taliban fighters also cut off the highway leading to the nearby city of Kandahar .
Zwak says Afghan security forces are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured .
Senior Afghan government negotiator Nader Nadery tells NPR the Afghan government remains committed to peace talks and describes a cease-fire as a `` key demand . ''
But the Taliban have argued that a cease-fire or further reductions in violence should come as talks conclude — not as they start .
`` The increasing level of violence is certainly disheartening , and it increases the level of public pressure on us , '' Nadery says .
`` They say : 'How is it working ?
What does this mean when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that increases its violence and killing of Afghans ? '
`` Attacks like the one on Lashkar Gah are putting the government in an increasingly untenable position , Nadery says .
`` It ca n't continue like this for long , '' he warns , `` because if the violence continues to this level or increases , the public pressure will make [ peace talks ] almost impossible to pursue . ''
Khwaga Ghani contributed to this report from Kabul .

Tens Of Thousands Flee Latest Taliban Offensive, And Afghan Civilian Casualties Rise
Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images
As the Taliban launched an offensive over the weekend to take areas of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, there were hundreds of casualties amid some of the most intense urban fighting since Afghan peace talks began last month.
Among the victims was a pregnant woman struck by a stray bullet. She survived but her fetus died in utero, apparently the result of the bullet's impact, Doctors Without Borders says.
The woman was among the Afghan civilians who appeared to have been caught in crossfire while fleeing villages near the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, says Karsten Noko, the humanitarian affairs officer for Doctors Without Borders.
The Taliban launched coordinated attacks in different parts of Helmand, says Omer Zwak, the provincial governor's spokesperson. Local authorities estimate that some 35,000 people have been displaced in the fighting, which intensified around Lashkar Gah on Sunday.
There were so many casualties that the local 100-bed hospital was quickly overwhelmed, Noko says. A facility run by Doctors Without Borders absorbed some 20 more people needing treatment and care, including the woman hit by the stray bullet, who remains unconscious.
"She is still under our care and received surgery — we are waiting to see how the situation goes for her," Noko says.
The woman's personal tragedy resonated with Afghans on social media. Heartbroken and angry, some shared an unconfirmed image appearing to show an X-ray of a fetal skeleton with a projectile lodged near the spine.
A Taliban spokesman told Afghanistan's TOLO news channel that the group was recapturing areas taken by government forces a few months ago.
"The Taliban need to immediately stop their offensive actions in Helmand Province and reduce their violence around the country. It is not consistent with the US-Taliban agreement and undermines the ongoing Afghan Peace Talks," U.S. Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet on Monday, quoting Gen. Scott Miller, the U.S. forces commander.
The U.S. military conducted "several targeted strikes" in Helmand to defend Afghan security forces under Taliban attack, Leggett tweeted, noting this was "consistent with" the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in February.
The insurgents had earlier curbed their attacks on urban centers, as part of that agreement. Their move to take Lashkar Gah and surrounding villages appears to have gone further as a brazen attempt to capture a government-held city.
Taliban fighters appeared to meet little initial resistance, TOLO reported. As they advanced, some Afghan police forces abandoned their checkpoints on the city's outskirts, which the Helmand police chief described as a "tactical retreat."
Local media reported that Taliban fighters also cut off the highway leading to the nearby city of Kandahar. Zwak says Afghan security forces are trying to take back areas the Taliban had captured.
Senior Afghan government negotiator Nader Nadery tells NPR the Afghan government remains committed to peace talks and describes a cease-fire as a "key demand." But the Taliban have argued that a cease-fire or further reductions in violence should come as talks conclude — not as they start.
"The increasing level of violence is certainly disheartening, and it increases the level of public pressure on us," Nadery says. "They say: 'How is it working? What does this mean when you are sitting and talking with a group that increases its violence and killing of Afghans?' "
Attacks like the one on Lashkar Gah are putting the government in an increasingly untenable position, Nadery says.
"It can't continue like this for long," he warns, "because if the violence continues to this level or increases, the public pressure will make [peace talks] almost impossible to pursue."
Khwaga Ghani contributed to this report from Kabul.


npr--2020-10-13--In Pandemic Downturn, Canada's Drive For Guaranteed Basic Income Picks Up Speed

In Pandemic Downturn , Canada 's Drive For Guaranteed Basic Income Picks Up Speed Among the enormous burdens of fending off the coronavirus pandemic , many countries closed whole sectors of the economy while boosting emergency spending to keep citizens afloat .
Now in Canada , momentum is building for another extraordinary measure : a basic income guarantee .
Simply put , it 's when residents receive cash from the government , without conditions , to ensure they meet their basic needs .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's government has delivered pandemic emergency benefits to millions of unemployed workers since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together totaled more than $ 60 billion .
Kayte Barkshire , 28 , is a beneficiary .
When she moved back to Vancouver , British Columbia , from Scotland earlier this year , the pandemic hit before she could find a job in her fields of caregiving and hospitality .
She was soon able to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to receive 2,000 Canadian dollars ( $ 1,523 ) per month .
`` I 've always felt a bit of anxiety when it comes to money , and it was nice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rely on , '' says Barkshire , who used it to pay for rent and food while hunting for jobs .
A separate fund for students , the Canada Emergency Student Benefit , doled out CA $ 1,250 per month ( $ 952 ) .
As those emergency programs ended this month , the government has introduced more federal benefits and other spending to help workers and the economy cope during the pandemic .
Millions are out of work .
Canada 's unemployment rate is 9 % , down from a record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the highest of the Group of Seven leading economies .
Now , as pressure mounts for a longer lifeline , some Canadian lawmakers and advocates are pushing to make basic income a priority policy .
`` We have a unique opportunity to rethink the Canada of tomorrow , '' tweeted Rachel Bendayan , a member of Parliament from Montreal with Trudeau 's Liberal Party .
She sponsored a resolution to vote on the issue at the Liberal National Convention in November , designating it as the party 's top policy priority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Basic Income resolution to move directly to a Convention floor vote . ''
That followed a motion from a parliamentarian with the opposition New Democratic Party pressing the government to introduce guaranteed basic income legislation .
Parts of Canada have a history of experimenting with basic income .
In one experiment called Mincome , in the 1970s , the poorest residents of the prairie town of Dauphin , Manitoba , received an annual income for five years .
The results were substantial : Hospitalization rates fell , mental health improved and more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pilot income project helped working-class people in three cities in Ontario .
These programs might sound familiar in the United States , where several states have also tried various types of the stipends going back to the 1970s .
Alaskans receive a form of universal basic income — the oil-revenue-based Alaska Permanent Fund — to this day .
The U.S. federal government has also issued pandemic emergency relief .
Many Americans received a one-time $ 1,200 stimulus check and could apply for benefits such as $ 600 per week of unemployment compensation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Elsewhere , Spain has launched a program for low-income families , considered to be one of the biggest experiments in basic income yet .
Just how feasible would a large-scale basic income program in Canada be ?
It would not be cheap .
The parliamentary budget office provided estimates this summer for different scenarios of guaranteed basic income .
The broadest scenario reached more than 20 million recipients — over half the population of Canada .
In six months , from October 2020 to March 2021 , the cost could run up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 74.72 billion ) .
Repealing tax credits and combining other existing benefits could offset some of the cost — CA $ 15 billion ( $ 11.42 billion ) , the report said .
Critics have leveled various arguments against the policy from across the country and political spectrum .
Lindsay Tedds , an economics professor at the University of Calgary , says the first step before anything would be to rehaul the tax system , which could be complicated .
`` The entire tax , transfer , reporting , and income support system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even consider the merits of a basic income , '' she wrote .
A group of economists from Quebec in a 2012 research paper warned that the policy could pose a disincentive to work and could actually increase poverty rates .
Additionally , Mike Moffatt , a professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario , is one of a number of critics voicing that basic income could lead to cuts that make people worse off .
`` In short , it would make the lives of many of the most marginalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have a disability or a medical condition such as diabetes , '' Moffatt wrote , basing his comments on his analysis of the Ontario pilot project .
Despite these potential issues , the idea is gaining popularity among everyday Canadians , though with caveats .
An Angus Reid Institute opinion poll in June found 59 % of respondents supported a basic annual income of up to CA $ 30,000 ( $ 22,849 ) .
A majority said that the rich should foot the bill , but most of the higher earners polled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund it .
Meanwhile , an online petition in September by the Canadian Initiative for Basic Income garnered nearly 22,000 signatures .
Strong proponents argue that some benefits are worth sacrificing to guarantee a basic wage for all .
`` What a basic income will do is to replace some of the rather inefficient monetary transfers that we have in place , '' says Evelyn Forget , a health economist at the University of Manitoba and author of the book Basic Income for Canadians .
She says `` costly '' and `` bureaucratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but health care and public education spending would remain intact .
Some groups advocate for a universal basic income — that is , the same sum for everybody , no matter their earnings .
But Forget says the debate has largely focused on guaranteed annual income of different levels .
`` If you have no money from any other source , you get the full benefit and then the benefit gradually declines as your income increases , '' she says .
As for the criticism , the potential negative effects on labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Bank .
The bank 's 2020 report on the issue states that any changes can be rather positive when `` recipients use them to invest in family livelihoods or in their children 's human capital . ''
Trudeau , who had been pressured to mention basic income in his Sept. 23 speech laying out the government 's agenda , instead said other changes would be coming .
François Delorme , an economics professor at the University of Sherbrooke , told The New York Times that it was unsurprising that Trudeau did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Delorme , the plan would involve the elimination of 38 current programs , a move that would require support from provinces across the country , a complex feat .
Advocates and recipients of the temporary emergency stipends are still hopeful for something longer term .
`` What 's happened now is that millions of people effectively received something like a basic income for the first time in their lives and they saw that , 'Hey , this has saved me from going into poverty , ' `` says Floyd Marinescu , co-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Works .
Sarah Younus , 36 , an emergency benefit recipient in Edmonton , Alberta , supports the idea of a broader basic income plan .
When the pandemic stay-at-home measures were imposed , her research job cut back her schedule to 6½ hours per week .
So , she applied for an emergency benefit .
`` Millennials ... do n't have the same kind of job security [ that previous generations had ] , '' she says .
`` We have multiple degrees , and it 's still hard to find a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , is n't going away .
Parts of Canada saw new spikes in daily confirmed cases in recent weeks , prompting another round of restrictions in some provinces .
Whatever the government chooses to do for workers beyond the pandemic , health economist Forget says that the lesson of the emergency benefit is that `` getting money into people 's hands '' has been shown to be possible .

In Pandemic Downturn, Canada's Drive For Guaranteed Basic Income Picks Up Speed
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christinne Muschi/Reuters Christinne Muschi/Reuters
Among the enormous burdens of fending off the coronavirus pandemic, many countries closed whole sectors of the economy while boosting emergency spending to keep citizens afloat. Now in Canada, momentum is building for another extraordinary measure: a basic income guarantee.
Simply put, it's when residents receive cash from the government, without conditions, to ensure they meet their basic needs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has delivered pandemic emergency benefits to millions of unemployed workers since late March and students since May that together totaled more than $60 billion.
Kayte Barkshire, 28, is a beneficiary. When she moved back to Vancouver, British Columbia, from Scotland earlier this year, the pandemic hit before she could find a job in her fields of caregiving and hospitality.
She was soon able to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to receive 2,000 Canadian dollars ($1,523) per month.
World Amid Jump In Coronavirus Infections, Canada Issues New Restrictions Amid Jump In Coronavirus Infections, Canada Issues New Restrictions Listen · 3:38 3:38
"I've always felt a bit of anxiety when it comes to money, and it was nice to just have some sort of basis to rely on," says Barkshire, who used it to pay for rent and food while hunting for jobs.
A separate fund for students, the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, doled out CA$1,250 per month ($952).
As those emergency programs ended this month, the government has introduced more federal benefits and other spending to help workers and the economy cope during the pandemic. Millions are out of work. Canada's unemployment rate is 9%, down from a record 13.7% in May but still one of the highest of the Group of Seven leading economies. Now, as pressure mounts for a longer lifeline, some Canadian lawmakers and advocates are pushing to make basic income a priority policy.
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"We have a unique opportunity to rethink the Canada of tomorrow," tweeted Rachel Bendayan, a member of Parliament from Montreal with Trudeau's Liberal Party. She sponsored a resolution to vote on the issue at the Liberal National Convention in November, designating it as the party's top policy priority. "We received enough support for our Basic Income resolution to move directly to a Convention floor vote."
That followed a motion from a parliamentarian with the opposition New Democratic Party pressing the government to introduce guaranteed basic income legislation.
The Manitoba project
Parts of Canada have a history of experimenting with basic income.
In one experiment called Mincome, in the 1970s, the poorest residents of the prairie town of Dauphin, Manitoba, received an annual income for five years.
The results were substantial: Hospitalization rates fell, mental health improved and more people completed high school.
In 2017, a pilot income project helped working-class people in three cities in Ontario.
These programs might sound familiar in the United States, where several states have also tried various types of the stipends going back to the 1970s. Alaskans receive a form of universal basic income — the oil-revenue-based Alaska Permanent Fund — to this day.
The U.S. federal government has also issued pandemic emergency relief. Many Americans received a one-time $1,200 stimulus check and could apply for benefits such as $600 per week of unemployment compensation, but Congress has not renewed these.
Elsewhere, Spain has launched a program for low-income families, considered to be one of the biggest experiments in basic income yet.
Footing the bill
Just how feasible would a large-scale basic income program in Canada be?
It would not be cheap.
The parliamentary budget office provided estimates this summer for different scenarios of guaranteed basic income. The broadest scenario reached more than 20 million recipients — over half the population of Canada. In six months, from October 2020 to March 2021, the cost could run up to CA$98.1 billion ($74.72 billion).
Repealing tax credits and combining other existing benefits could offset some of the cost — CA$15 billion ($11.42 billion), the report said.
Critics have leveled various arguments against the policy from across the country and political spectrum.
Lindsay Tedds, an economics professor at the University of Calgary, says the first step before anything would be to rehaul the tax system, which could be complicated. "The entire tax, transfer, reporting, and income support system needs to be fundamentally changed before we even consider the merits of a basic income," she wrote.
A group of economists from Quebec in a 2012 research paper warned that the policy could pose a disincentive to work and could actually increase poverty rates.
Additionally, Mike Moffatt, a professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario, is one of a number of critics voicing that basic income could lead to cuts that make people worse off. "In short, it would make the lives of many of the most marginalized and vulnerable citizens worse, particularly if they have a disability or a medical condition such as diabetes," Moffatt wrote, basing his comments on his analysis of the Ontario pilot project.
Despite these potential issues, the idea is gaining popularity among everyday Canadians, though with caveats. An Angus Reid Institute opinion poll in June found 59% of respondents supported a basic annual income of up to CA$30,000 ($22,849). A majority said that the rich should foot the bill, but most of the higher earners polled were unwilling to pay more taxes to fund it.
Meanwhile, an online petition in September by the Canadian Initiative for Basic Income garnered nearly 22,000 signatures.
Replacing other programs
Strong proponents argue that some benefits are worth sacrificing to guarantee a basic wage for all.
"What a basic income will do is to replace some of the rather inefficient monetary transfers that we have in place," says Evelyn Forget, a health economist at the University of Manitoba and author of the book Basic Income for Canadians. She says "costly" and "bureaucratic" welfare programs may have to go, but health care and public education spending would remain intact.
Some groups advocate for a universal basic income — that is, the same sum for everybody, no matter their earnings. But Forget says the debate has largely focused on guaranteed annual income of different levels. "If you have no money from any other source, you get the full benefit and then the benefit gradually declines as your income increases," she says.
As for the criticism, the potential negative effects on labor are often overstated, according to the World Bank. The bank's 2020 report on the issue states that any changes can be rather positive when "recipients use them to invest in family livelihoods or in their children's human capital."
Trudeau, who had been pressured to mention basic income in his Sept. 23 speech laying out the government's agenda, instead said other changes would be coming.
François Delorme, an economics professor at the University of Sherbrooke, told The New York Times that it was unsurprising that Trudeau did not introduce the policy that day. According to Delorme, the plan would involve the elimination of 38 current programs, a move that would require support from provinces across the country, a complex feat.
Saved from poverty
Advocates and recipients of the temporary emergency stipends are still hopeful for something longer term.
"What's happened now is that millions of people effectively received something like a basic income for the first time in their lives and they saw that, 'Hey, this has saved me from going into poverty,' " says Floyd Marinescu, co-founder of the basic income lobbying group UBI Works.
Sarah Younus, 36, an emergency benefit recipient in Edmonton, Alberta, supports the idea of a broader basic income plan.
When the pandemic stay-at-home measures were imposed, her research job cut back her schedule to 6½ hours per week. So, she applied for an emergency benefit.
"Millennials ... don't have the same kind of job security [that previous generations had]," she says. "We have multiple degrees, and it's still hard to find a good job."
The coronavirus, meanwhile, isn't going away. Parts of Canada saw new spikes in daily confirmed cases in recent weeks, prompting another round of restrictions in some provinces.
Whatever the government chooses to do for workers beyond the pandemic, health economist Forget says that the lesson of the emergency benefit is that "getting money into people's hands" has been shown to be possible.
Journalist Urooba Jamal reported from Vancouver.


npr--2020-10-14--In Swing States, Officials Struggle To Process Ballots Early

Even before the coronavirus pandemic , Tina Barton knew counting mail ballots would become a problem .
Barton is the city clerk of Rochester Hills , Mich. , and after a 2018 state constitutional amendment meant that all voters in Michigan could vote absentee without an excuse , she began sounding the alarm : Election officials were going to start getting a lot more mail , but they were n't being given any more time to deal with it .
A local election that she administered last year , after the new law went into effect , saw more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot .
`` Knowing that people were taking advantage of this new opportunity , we started projecting — where would this place us in 2020 ? ''
Barton says .
`` At this point , we still have no idea there 's a pandemic about ready to hit us . ''
The pandemic has only accelerated the nation 's move toward more mail voting , with as many as half of all votes coming through the mail nationwide .
And now the pressure is on local election officials to count those votes — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tougher in a number of swing states where laws have n't adjusted as quickly as voting behavior : most notably Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin , all states that will be key to President Trump 's reelection hopes and all states with thin-enough margins that a small number of outstanding ballots could decide a race .
Mail ballots take more time and resources to process than in-person votes .
Election officials need to verify signatures , open envelopes , separate ballots from secrecy sleeves and sort them — all before they 're fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is overwhelming until they are scaled exponentially , says Kathleen Hale , the director of Auburn University 's Election Administration Initiative .
She says to think of it like the holiday season , and receiving gifts and writing thank-you notes .
`` Maybe you would normally receive 10 gifts and write thank-you notes for each of the gifts .
Only now you 're going to receive a thousand of them , '' Hale said .
`` The technical steps are n't terribly complicated — there is simply a long sequence that has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of states , officials can start that work in the weeks leading up to Election Day — they just ca n't release any results .
But until recently , under Michigan law , Barton was n't allowed to start that work until Election Day .
`` What we would do then is start at 7 a.m. , and basically you had to work until the job was done , '' she says , `` whether that was 11 o'clock at night or 4 o'clock the next morning . ''
Many election workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would sometimes feel uncomfortable about sending them to drive home after finishing up a 20-hour day — not to mention , wondering whether these constraints were affecting their performance .
`` They 're sequestered in a room .
They have to go to the restroom in groups of two .
They ca n't have any connection to the outside world , '' she says .
`` And to think that the quality of the work may not be diminished , I think , is irresponsible . ''
She , other local clerks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more time , and they got it .
At least a little .
A new law passed this month means they can now open the envelopes and sort the ballots a day earlier .
`` I wish we could do more , but I 'll be honest with you : It took us a year to get to this point .
So I 'm going to take this as a victory , '' she said .
`` That is one process that I can do 30,000 times on Monday that I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' But some other swing states have n't been so lucky .
Republican legislatures in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have not changed their election laws despite expecting a huge surge in mail ballots .
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar talked with NPR in June about the problem .
`` You could do so much of the process weeks before .
And that 's what a lot of other states do , '' she said .
`` So we 're hoping to work with the legislature to make that change before November . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Clerks in both states will have to wait until Election Day to do most of the processing work .
And if margins are close in either state , that could potentially mean it takes longer to know who has won the presidency .
Trump has tried to portray that possibility as a national catastrophe or a sign of `` fraud like you 've never seen , '' as he said in last month 's debate .
`` We wo n't know [ who won ] , '' Trump said .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these ballots are going to be all over . ''
That sort of talk is putting more pressure on local election officials , says Rachel Rodriguez , an election official in Dane County , Wis. , even if the claims are n't true .
`` If we do n't have results at 9 or 10 p.m. on election night , that does n't mean there 's anything nefarious going on .
It does n't mean that there 's any sort of conspiracy , '' Rodriguez said .
`` It does n't even mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just means that clerks are still trying to count ballots and they are trying to make sure that everybody 's votes are counted . ''
Voting experts , as well as national security officials , agree that a wait for results is n't a problem .
The results people see on their TVs on election night are media projections , not official results , anyway .
And it always takes election administrators time after Election Day to finish their tabulations .
But problems emerge when people try to sow doubt in the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculated .
`` Foreign actors and cybercriminals could exploit the time required to certify and announce elections ' results by disseminating disinformation that includes reports of voter suppression , cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure , voter or ballot fraud , and other problems intended to convince the public of the elections ' illegitimacy , '' wrote the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security 's cybersecurity branch in a bulletin last month .
Some counties , like Lehigh County in Pennsylvania , have purchased new equipment to process ballots faster .
The county purchased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on Election Day , Chief Clerk Timothy Benyo told NPR , after the motor on one of its old machines died as the county was counting ballots during the primary , causing workers to open thousands of envelopes by hand .
Other jurisdictions have beefed up staffing .
In Detroit , the mayor is closing much of the city 's services for two days so city staff can help with absentee-ballot processing .
But there will still almost certainly be some logjams created by the rules .
States have rapidly expanded voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Auburn University 's Hale , but their legislatures have n't kept up in these cases .
`` Every state 's laws about all of the different pieces of the [ elections ] process , they all hang together , '' Hale said .
`` And so changing one piece usually means that changes need to be made to other pieces , to have the system work the way it was intended . ''

In Swing States, Officials Struggle To Process Ballots Early Due To Strict Local Laws
Enlarge this image toggle caption Laurence Kesterson/AP Laurence Kesterson/AP
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Tina Barton knew counting mail ballots would become a problem.
Barton is the city clerk of Rochester Hills, Mich., and after a 2018 state constitutional amendment meant that all voters in Michigan could vote absentee without an excuse, she began sounding the alarm: Election officials were going to start getting a lot more mail, but they weren't being given any more time to deal with it.
A local election that she administered last year, after the new law went into effect, saw more than 80% of voters cast an absentee ballot.
"Knowing that people were taking advantage of this new opportunity, we started projecting — where would this place us in 2020?" Barton says. "At this point, we still have no idea there's a pandemic about ready to hit us."
The pandemic has only accelerated the nation's move toward more mail voting, with as many as half of all votes coming through the mail nationwide.
And now the pressure is on local election officials to count those votes — quickly and accurately.
That task is tougher in a number of swing states where laws haven't adjusted as quickly as voting behavior: most notably Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all states that will be key to President Trump's reelection hopes and all states with thin-enough margins that a small number of outstanding ballots could decide a race.
Mail ballots take more time and resources to process than in-person votes. Election officials need to verify signatures, open envelopes, separate ballots from secrecy sleeves and sort them — all before they're fed through tabulators.
None of those steps is overwhelming until they are scaled exponentially, says Kathleen Hale, the director of Auburn University's Election Administration Initiative. She says to think of it like the holiday season, and receiving gifts and writing thank-you notes.
"Maybe you would normally receive 10 gifts and write thank-you notes for each of the gifts. Only now you're going to receive a thousand of them," Hale said. "The technical steps aren't terribly complicated — there is simply a long sequence that has to take place."
In more than two-thirds of states, officials can start that work in the weeks leading up to Election Day — they just can't release any results. But until recently, under Michigan law, Barton wasn't allowed to start that work until Election Day.
"What we would do then is start at 7 a.m., and basically you had to work until the job was done," she says, "whether that was 11 o'clock at night or 4 o'clock the next morning."
Many election workers are in their 70s, and Barton would sometimes feel uncomfortable about sending them to drive home after finishing up a 20-hour day — not to mention, wondering whether these constraints were affecting their performance.
"They're sequestered in a room. They have to go to the restroom in groups of two. They can't have any connection to the outside world," she says. "And to think that the quality of the work may not be diminished, I think, is irresponsible."
She, other local clerks and state election officials lobbied the Michigan legislature for more time, and they got it. At least a little. A new law passed this month means they can now open the envelopes and sort the ballots a day earlier.
"I wish we could do more, but I'll be honest with you: It took us a year to get to this point. So I'm going to take this as a victory," she said. "That is one process that I can do 30,000 times on Monday that I don't have to do on Tuesday."
But some other swing states haven't been so lucky.
No movement
Republican legislatures in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have not changed their election laws despite expecting a huge surge in mail ballots.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar talked with NPR in June about the problem.
"You could do so much of the process weeks before. And that's what a lot of other states do," she said. "So we're hoping to work with the legislature to make that change before November."
So far there has been no movement.
Clerks in both states will have to wait until Election Day to do most of the processing work. And if margins are close in either state, that could potentially mean it takes longer to know who has won the presidency.
Trump has tried to portray that possibility as a national catastrophe or a sign of "fraud like you've never seen," as he said in last month's debate.
"We won't know [who won]," Trump said. "We might not know for months, because these ballots are going to be all over."
That sort of talk is putting more pressure on local election officials, says Rachel Rodriguez, an election official in Dane County, Wis., even if the claims aren't true.
"If we don't have results at 9 or 10 p.m. on election night, that doesn't mean there's anything nefarious going on. It doesn't mean that there's any sort of conspiracy," Rodriguez said. "It doesn't even mean that there's a problem. It just means that clerks are still trying to count ballots and they are trying to make sure that everybody's votes are counted."
Voting experts, as well as national security officials, agree that a wait for results isn't a problem. The results people see on their TVs on election night are media projections, not official results, anyway. And it always takes election administrators time after Election Day to finish their tabulations.
But problems emerge when people try to sow doubt in the results because they are taking time to be calculated.
"Foreign actors and cybercriminals could exploit the time required to certify and announce elections' results by disseminating disinformation that includes reports of voter suppression, cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure, voter or ballot fraud, and other problems intended to convince the public of the elections' illegitimacy," wrote the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity branch in a bulletin last month.
Some counties, like Lehigh County in Pennsylvania, have purchased new equipment to process ballots faster.
The county purchased two high-speed envelope openers to speed things up on Election Day, Chief Clerk Timothy Benyo told NPR, after the motor on one of its old machines died as the county was counting ballots during the primary, causing workers to open thousands of envelopes by hand.
Other jurisdictions have beefed up staffing. In Detroit, the mayor is closing much of the city's services for two days so city staff can help with absentee-ballot processing.
But there will still almost certainly be some logjams created by the rules. States have rapidly expanded voting options to respond to the pandemic, says Auburn University's Hale, but their legislatures haven't kept up in these cases.
"Every state's laws about all of the different pieces of the [elections] process, they all hang together," Hale said. "And so changing one piece usually means that changes need to be made to other pieces, to have the system work the way it was intended."
NPR correspondent Pam Fessler contributed reporting to this story.