npr--2020-04-01--Fountains Of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger Dies At 52 After Contracting COVID-19

Fountains Of Wayne 's Adam Schlesinger Dies At 52 After Contracting COVID-19 Adam Schlesinger , one of the most prolific and decorated songwriters of his generation , died Wednesday from complications caused by COVID-19 .
He was 52 .
His death was confirmed to NPR by his lawyer , Josh Grier .
With former songwriting partner Chris Collingwood , Schlesinger enjoyed his greatest commercial success as a musician with Fountains of Wayne , which released five studio albums between 1996 and 2011 .
In 2003 , `` Stacy 's Mom '' was a hit for the band ; that song @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair of Grammy nominations .
But Schlesinger also kept busy outside of Fountains of Wayne , even during its commercial peak : He played in Ivy ( whose six albums came out more or less concurrently with Fountains ' output ) , Tinted Windows ( a short-lived power-pop project with Taylor Hanson of Hanson , Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick and James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins ) and the synth-pop group Fever High .
He also produced albums for many other artists .
Schlesinger 's career extended well beyond his work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many of the songs that populated the critically beloved TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend , and he won three Emmys — one for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and two , both with David Javerbaum , for co-writing songs performed in Tony Awards telecasts .
With Javerbaum , Schlesinger was nominated for two Tonys ( both for 2008 's Cry-Baby ) and won a Grammy for A Colbert Christmas : The Greatest Gift of All !
A versatile songwriter with a gift for straddling genres and musical eras , Schlesinger wrote frequently for film , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ romantic comedy Music and Lyrics to the Oscar-nominated title track to Tom Hanks ' 1996 film That Thing You Do !
Tributes began appearing on Twitter as news of Schlesinger 's death circulated .
Javerbaum described Schlesinger as `` a brilliant songwriter , musician , collaborator and friend , '' adding , `` You enriched millions of lives with your boundless creativity , none more than mine . ''

Fountains Of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger Dies At 52 After Contracting COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jason Merritt/TERM/FilmMagic for Superfly Presents Jason Merritt/TERM/FilmMagic for Superfly Presents
Adam Schlesinger, one of the most prolific and decorated songwriters of his generation, died Wednesday from complications caused by COVID-19. He was 52.
His death was confirmed to NPR by his lawyer, Josh Grier.
With former songwriting partner Chris Collingwood, Schlesinger enjoyed his greatest commercial success as a musician with Fountains of Wayne, which released five studio albums between 1996 and 2011. In 2003, "Stacy's Mom" was a hit for the band; that song later helped Fountains of Wayne land a pair of Grammy nominations. But Schlesinger also kept busy outside Fountains of Wayne, even during its commercial peak: He played in Ivy (whose six albums came out more or less concurrently with Fountains' output), Tinted Windows (a short-lived power-pop project with Taylor Hanson of Hanson, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick and James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins) and the synth-pop group Fever High. He also produced albums for many other artists.
Schlesinger's career extended well beyond his work in bands. He had a hand in many of the songs that populated the critically beloved TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and he won three Emmys — one for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and two, both with David Javerbaum, for co-writing songs performed in Tony Awards telecasts. With Javerbaum, Schlesinger was nominated for two Tonys (both for 2008's Cry-Baby) and won a Grammy for A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!.
A versatile songwriter with a gift for straddling genres and musical eras, Schlesinger wrote frequently for film, with credits ranging from three songs in the romantic comedy Music and Lyrics to the Oscar-nominated title track to Tom Hanks' 1996 film That Thing You Do!.
Tributes began appearing on Twitter as news of Schlesinger's death circulated. Javerbaum described Schlesinger as "a brilliant songwriter, musician, collaborator and friend," adding, "You enriched millions of lives with your boundless creativity, none more than mine."


npr--2020-04-01--T-Mobile Completes Takeover of Rival Company Sprint

Mobile carrier T-Mobile announced today that it 's officially completed a merger with Sprint .
The deal , which was announced in 2018 , means that the previously third and fourth largest wireless companies in the United States have now become the third — rivaling AT & T and Verizon .
The new company , just called T-Mobile , is hoping to use its new pool of resources to expand its 5G capabilities , aiming to provide faster internet speeds to 99 % of the population within the next six years .
The deal had to clear multiple legal hurdles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a number of states as well as consumer advocates worried that the consolidation of the industry would lead to higher prices .
Last summer , the Department of Justice gave its go-ahead , as did the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in the fall .
In February , after attorneys general of multiple states brought a case to district court , Judge Victor Marrero concluded that Sprint was n't likely to survive as a major competitor , anyway .
There 's also a change in leadership at T-Mobile .
CEO John Legere has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking over .
Asked by CNBC whether the coronavirus pandemic would slow down the company 's aggressive 5G plans , Sievert said they 've been classified as essential , and can continue operating `` We 've determined from a network standpoint we can do that safely , '' Sievert said .
As a part of T-Mobile 's merger , the company agreed to help establish satellite TV company Dish Network as a fourth major wireless company .
While most Sprint customers are moving to T-Mobile plans , Sprint 's prepaid customers will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deal , T-Mobile also reiterated a previous promise it made to the FCC to offer `` the same or better rate plans '' for three years — the amount of time it will take to build its 5G network .
Critics have called that promise `` unenforceable . ''
And , as FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel noted in a dissenting opinion , there 's nothing to stop the company from raising prices after the three years are up .

T-Mobile Completes Takeover of Rival Company Sprint
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images
Mobile carrier T-Mobile announced today that it's officially completed a merger with Sprint. The deal, which was announced in 2018, means that the previously third and fourth largest wireless companies in the United States have now become the third — rivaling AT&T and Verizon. The new company, just called T-Mobile, is hoping to use its new pool of resources to expand its 5G capabilities, aiming to provide faster internet speeds to 99% of the population within the next six years.
The deal had to clear multiple legal hurdles to prove it wouldn't stifle competition — a number of states as well as consumer advocates worried that the consolidation of the industry would lead to higher prices. Last summer, the Department of Justice gave its go-ahead, as did the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in the fall. In February, after attorneys general of multiple states brought a case to district court, Judge Victor Marrero concluded that Sprint wasn't likely to survive as a major competitor, anyway.
There's also a change in leadership at T-Mobile. CEO John Legere has stepped down, with COO Mike Sievert taking over. Asked by CNBC whether the coronavirus pandemic would slow down the company's aggressive 5G plans, Sievert said they've been classified as essential, and can continue operating "We've determined from a network standpoint we can do that safely," Sievert said.
"Individual crews of one person, sometimes it's three, four, five people that arrive in separate cars and work at a safe difference from each other. Other than some issues around permitting, we don't see a slowdown in our ability to bring this network to scale."
As a part of T-Mobile's merger, the company agreed to help establish satellite TV company Dish Network as a fourth major wireless company. While most Sprint customers are moving to T-Mobile plans, Sprint's prepaid customers will be shifted over to Dish.
In announcing the deal, T-Mobile also reiterated a previous promise it made to the FCC to offer "the same or better rate plans" for three years — the amount of time it will take to build its 5G network. Critics have called that promise "unenforceable." And, as FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel noted in a dissenting opinion, there's nothing to stop the company from raising prices after the three years are up.


npr--2020-04-01--Schumer Calls For Hazard Pay For Frontline Workers In Coronavirus Fight

Schumer Calls For Hazard Pay For Frontline Workers In Coronavirus Fight Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says he told President Trump on Wednesday that the United States should grant hazard pay — additional pay for hazardous duty — to frontline federal employees responding to the coronavirus pandemic .
Speaking to NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly , the New York Democrat also said there will be another coronavirus relief package , and that legislation should require hazard pay for all frontline workers like nurses , doctors and first responders .
`` These nurses , these doctors , health care workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` I 'm sure when they walk to work or take the subway to work , they 're wondering , will I catch this virus ?
But they 're like the firefighters and police officers and construction workers were heroes of 9/11 ; these are our heroes today .
And they should get hazard pay . ''
Schumer is currently practicing social distancing from his home in Brooklyn .
He said he 's been spending most of the time working the phone , except for a couple hours a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his young grandson .
The Senate minority leader also said he 's been pushing Trump to appoint a distribution czar , ideally a general with logistics experience , to manage the deployment of medical supplies like ventilators and masks to states .
A week after the Senate passed a historic $ 2 trillion rescue package — the third bill responding to the pandemic — he said Congress `` will do '' a fourth coronavirus relief package , though his vision for what that bill will prioritize seems to differ some from Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have to look at election reform , '' Schumer said .
`` How are people going to vote ?
... And we may have to look at how Congress is going to vote .
I think we have to do things with paid leave , paid sick leave , paid family leave . ''
Schumer said infrastructure investment is a key tool for stimulating the economy , but it might come further down the road .
`` I think that the first job is to beat this health care crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate problems , '' he said .
`` I would not at all be adverse to an infrastructure package .
...
It 's a longer range view of getting the economy back , but job No .
1 is get those materials to our hospitals and health care workers , get those unemployment checks out . ''

Schumer Calls For Hazard Pay For Frontline Workers In Coronavirus Fight
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says he told President Trump on Wednesday that the United States should grant hazard pay — additional pay for hazardous duty — to frontline federal employees responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, the New York Democrat also said there will be another coronavirus relief package, and that legislation should require hazard pay for all frontline workers like nurses, doctors and first responders.
"These nurses, these doctors, health care workers, they're risking their lives," he said. "I'm sure when they walk to work or take the subway to work, they're wondering, will I catch this virus? But they're like the firefighters and police officers and construction workers were heroes of 9/11; these are our heroes today. And they should get hazard pay."
Schumer is currently practicing social distancing from his home in Brooklyn. He said he's been spending most of the time working the phone, except for a couple hours a day when he's responsible for childcare for his young grandson.
The Senate minority leader also said he's been pushing Trump to appoint a distribution czar, ideally a general with logistics experience, to manage the deployment of medical supplies like ventilators and masks to states.
A week after the Senate passed a historic $2 trillion rescue package — the third bill responding to the pandemic — he said Congress "will do" a fourth coronavirus relief package, though his vision for what that bill will prioritize seems to differ some from Trump's suggestion Tuesday of a massive infrastructure bill.
"We have to look at election reform," Schumer said. "How are people going to vote? ... And we may have to look at how Congress is going to vote. I think we have to do things with paid leave, paid sick leave, paid family leave."
Schumer said infrastructure investment is a key tool for stimulating the economy, but it might come further down the road.
"I think that the first job is to beat this health care crisis and deal with people who have their immediate problems," he said. "I would not at all be adverse to an infrastructure package. ... It's a longer range view of getting the economy back, but job No. 1 is get those materials to our hospitals and health care workers, get those unemployment checks out."


npr--2020-04-01--FDA Says Zantac Should Be Pulled From Market, Citing Cancer Risk

FDA Says Zantac Should Be Pulled From Market , Citing Cancer Risk About six months after several major pharmacies pulled Zantac and its generic equivalents off their shelves , citing a potentially harmful contaminant in the heartburn medication , federal regulators are throwing their weight behind the drug 's removal from the market .
The Food and Drug Administration requested Wednesday that manufacturers immediately pull all prescription and over-the-counter versions of the drug .
The trouble with ranitidine , the active ingredient in Zantac and its equivalents , rests with a contaminant known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine , or NDMA .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a probable cancer-causing substance that 's also found in various foods , including cured meats — shows up as an impurity in ranitidine in concentrations that exceed federal standards .
The FDA issued a warning last September about the drugs , prompting pharmacies , including CVS , Walgreens and Walmart , to halt sales of Zantac and its equivalents .
Now , amid an ongoing investigation , the FDA says it has confirmed that the issue is linked with the way ranitidine naturally breaks down over time in normal storage conditions — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We did n't observe unacceptable levels of NDMA in many of the samples that we tested , '' Janet Woodcock , director of the FDA 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research , explained in a statement Wednesday .
`` However , since we do n't know how or for how long the product might have been stored , we decided that it should not be available to consumers and patients unless its quality can be assured . ''
The problem first surfaced last summer , when Valisure , a company that does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contaminant in alarming levels .
`` Our tests in lab conditions seem to pretty clearly show that the drug is able to degrade into NDMA by itself , either in the tablet or actually in the human body , '' Valisure founder and CEO David Light recalled in a conversation with NPR last fall .
The FDA said Wednesday that it is sending letters to all ranitidine manufacturers recommending that they pull their products from the market .
That includes Sanofi , the manufacturer behind Zantac , which says it already conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and Canada as the FDA 's investigation unfolded .
Federal regulators are also recommending that patients with over-the-counter versions of the drug stop taking them , and that those with prescriptions consult their doctors about switching .
The FDA says that , to date , it has not found NDMA in the active ingredients in a host of similar medications , such as Pepcid , Prevacid and Prilosec .

FDA Says Zantac Should Be Pulled From Market, Citing Cancer Risk
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP
About six months after several major pharmacies pulled Zantac and its generic equivalents off their shelves, citing a potentially harmful contaminant in the heartburn medication, federal regulators are throwing their weight behind the drug's removal from the market. The Food and Drug Administration requested Wednesday that manufacturers immediately pull all prescription and over-the-counter versions of the drug.
The trouble with ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac and its equivalents, rests with a contaminant known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA. The agency says that over time, NDMA — a probable cancer-causing substance that's also found in various foods, including cured meats — shows up as an impurity in ranitidine in concentrations that exceed federal standards.
The FDA issued a warning last September about the drugs, prompting pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, to halt sales of Zantac and its equivalents. Now, amid an ongoing investigation, the FDA says it has confirmed that the issue is linked with the way ranitidine naturally breaks down over time in normal storage conditions — not how it is manufactured.
Health Pharmacies Pull Zantac Over Concern That Contaminant Poses Cancer Risk Pharmacies Pull Zantac Over Concern That Contaminant Poses Cancer Risk Listen · 2:31 2:31
"We didn't observe unacceptable levels of NDMA in many of the samples that we tested," Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, explained in a statement Wednesday. "However, since we don't know how or for how long the product might have been stored, we decided that it should not be available to consumers and patients unless its quality can be assured."
The problem first surfaced last summer, when Valisure, a company that does safety testing on popular drugs, discovered the contaminant in alarming levels.
"Our tests in lab conditions seem to pretty clearly show that the drug is able to degrade into NDMA by itself, either in the tablet or actually in the human body," Valisure founder and CEO David Light recalled in a conversation with NPR last fall.
The FDA said Wednesday that it is sending letters to all ranitidine manufacturers recommending that they pull their products from the market. That includes Sanofi, the manufacturer behind Zantac, which says it already conducted a voluntary recall of the product in the U.S. and Canada as the FDA's investigation unfolded.
Federal regulators are also recommending that patients with over-the-counter versions of the drug stop taking them, and that those with prescriptions consult their doctors about switching. The FDA says that, to date, it has not found NDMA in the active ingredients in a host of similar medications, such as Pepcid, Prevacid and Prilosec.


npr--2020-04-01--Coronavirus Sent Peace Corps Volunteers Home. It Could Also Give Them A New Mission

Coronavirus Sent Peace Corps Volunteers Home .
It Could Also Give Them A New Mission Imagine this : One minute you 're a volunteer doing work that you find incredibly meaningful in a faraway place .
Then you get a notice – evacuate immediately .
Suddenly you 're back home , probably feeling down and definitely jobless .
That 's the situation that over 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers found themselves in after an unprecedented evacuation order in mid-March .
The reason : fear of coronavirus .
The Peace Corps explains that it did n't want its volunteers stranded abroad if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stranded in a way now that they are back , ineligible for unemployment benefits because of their volunteer status and having to job hunt in a crippled economy .
But the same virus that ended their service could offer them a way forward .
The sudden end to their service has been hard for volunteers to accept , says Glenn Blumhorst , president and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association , a network which serves the Peace Corps community .
`` There 's an emotional shock here , '' he adds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteer with the Peace Corps again , but there 's no guarantee they 'll be accepted or that they can return to the same place they were working .
And it 's not clear when volunteer activities can resume .
`` As soon as we can safely return volunteers , our goal is to totally normalize Peace Corps again in all of the countries in which we serve , '' says Jody Olsen , director of the Peace Corps .
Some of these evacuated volunteers face an uncertain future .
Edretta Coker-Hughes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States except her 16-year-old son , who lives with a friend of hers .
She does n't have a permanent place to stay or a car .
She has a master 's degree in public health , and hoped volunteering with the Peace Corps would give her experience .
Before she was called back , she was working on public health projects in Uganda , like distributing mosquito nets and coordinating HIV testing .
Since she originally came to the United States as a refugee — she grew up in Sierra Leone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugee camp in Ghana— Coker-Hughes feels as if she is starting over again .
`` It 's like I 'm having a flashback to just being displaced , '' she says .
Aris Hines , a volunteer who was evacuated from the Philippines , says he felt as if he 'd been fired when he first found out his project was over .
Hines was originally told he would be on administrative hold — a temporary pause on his volunteer work , after which it might or might not continue .
But then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to the Philippines anytime soon .
It is n't clear if he 'll ever get to continue his work teaching subjects like English and theater to young adults who had committed a crime and had an ongoing case with the local government .
`` It really stung , '' he says .
`` It felt like kicking you when you 're down . ''
But his perspective shifted over the next few days as he realized it did n't make sense for the Peace Corps to keep thousands of volunteers on indefinite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of resources for the volunteers .
If they needed a place to stay for two weeks of self-quarantine upon return , they would be reimbursed for the cost and get a $ 38 per diem .
The Peace Corps is also giving evacuation allowances based on how long an individual has been volunteering and time remaining on their project .
Health care for evacuees extends for two months , and they can purchase an additional month .
Adam Greenberg , who is staying near his parents in San Diego after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project in Zambia , is adjusting to life back in the United States .
`` It 's strange how normal our life in Zambia came to feel , living without running water , having no electrical grid , cooking over a fire for two years , '' he says .
`` And it 's equally strange how normal life here now is beginning to feel , living in an Airbnb that has a stove and drywall . ''
To provide additional support , former Peace Corps volunteers have stepped in .
Sarah Heyborne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 after her two-and-a-half year stint in the Dominican Republic , helped organize a Facebook group of over 8,000 people to provide evacuees with money and other resources , like supplies , transportation and housing .
`` It 's an incredibly harsh reality , but so is this current pandemic , '' Heyborne says .
Being stuck inside is different from being stuck inside without money for groceries , she adds .
The group has set up hundreds of money transfers totaling over $ 30,000 so far , Heyborne says , with help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are giving out of their own pockets .
Former volunteers brought Coker-Hughes food and gift cards after she got back to Indiana .
An evacuee in Massachusetts asked for a winter coat and groceries , and Heyborne was able to link her up with a former volunteer who could provide them right away .
Blumhorst has been advocating for more benefits for the evacuees , like extending their health care coverage and sending more money to get them through this time .
`` We are exploring with some members of Congress the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensate for their unemployment status , '' he says .
There 's an additional plan afoot to help the volunteers after their abrupt return – and help the country as well .
The National Peace Corps Association is hoping to create and fund a group that draws on the evacuated volunteers and their skills to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in the United States .
Workers would take on work like tracing the contacts of diagnosed individuals , monitoring the health of those in quarantine and staffing call centers .
An agency such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or AmeriCorps could potentially manage the group , says Blumhorst , who has been advocating for the project .
Salaries could come from funding that 's already been allotted to the COVID-19 response but has n't yet been spent .
The NPCA has discussed the idea with the offices of several members of Congress that are receptive and supportive , Blumhorst says , and they 're planning to speak with more congresspeople and federal agencies and also hope to draw public attention to this potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been working on her resume and looking forward to seeing her son as she gets out of self-quarantine this week .
`` I really do n't know what 's next , '' she says .

Coronavirus Sent Peace Corps Volunteers Home. It Could Also Give Them A New Mission
Enlarge this image toggle caption Adam Greenberg Adam Greenberg
Imagine this: One minute you're a volunteer doing work that you find incredibly meaningful in a faraway place.
Then you get a notice – evacuate immediately. Suddenly you're back home, probably feeling down and definitely jobless.
That's the situation that over 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers found themselves in after an unprecedented evacuation order in mid-March. The reason: fear of coronavirus. The Peace Corps explains that it didn't want its volunteers stranded abroad if travel became impossible.
Yet they're stranded in a way now that they are back, ineligible for unemployment benefits because of their volunteer status and having to job hunt in a crippled economy.
But the same virus that ended their service could offer them a way forward.
The volunteer perspective
The sudden end to their service has been hard for volunteers to accept, says Glenn Blumhorst, president and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association, a network which serves the Peace Corps community. "There's an emotional shock here," he adds. Evacuees will be able to apply to volunteer with the Peace Corps again, but there's no guarantee they'll be accepted or that they can return to the same place they were working.
And it's not clear when volunteer activities can resume. "As soon as we can safely return volunteers, our goal is to totally normalize Peace Corps again in all of the countries in which we serve," says Jody Olsen, director of the Peace Corps.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aris Hines Aris Hines
Some of these evacuated volunteers face an uncertain future. Edretta Coker-Hughes, 41, has no family in the United States except her 16-year-old son, who lives with a friend of hers. She doesn't have a permanent place to stay or a car. She has a master's degree in public health, and hoped volunteering with the Peace Corps would give her experience. Before she was called back, she was working on public health projects in Uganda, like distributing mosquito nets and coordinating HIV testing.
Since she originally came to the United States as a refugee — she grew up in Sierra Leone before spending a few years in a refugee camp in Ghana— Coker-Hughes feels as if she is starting over again. "It's like I'm having a flashback to just being displaced," she says.
Aris Hines, a volunteer who was evacuated from the Philippines, says he felt as if he'd been fired when he first found out his project was over. Hines was originally told he would be on administrative hold — a temporary pause on his volunteer work, after which it might or might not continue. But then word came that he wouldn't be returning to the Philippines anytime soon. It isn't clear if he'll ever get to continue his work teaching subjects like English and theater to young adults who had committed a crime and had an ongoing case with the local government. "It really stung," he says. "It felt like kicking you when you're down."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aris Hines Aris Hines
But his perspective shifted over the next few days as he realized it didn't make sense for the Peace Corps to keep thousands of volunteers on indefinite hold.
The Peace Corps has established a number of resources for the volunteers. If they needed a place to stay for two weeks of self-quarantine upon return, they would be reimbursed for the cost and get a $38 per diem. The Peace Corps is also giving evacuation allowances based on how long an individual has been volunteering and time remaining on their project. Health care for evacuees extends for two months, and they can purchase an additional month.
Adam Greenberg, who is staying near his parents in San Diego after he was pulled away from his fish farming project in Zambia, is adjusting to life back in the United States. "It's strange how normal our life in Zambia came to feel, living without running water, having no electrical grid, cooking over a fire for two years," he says. "And it's equally strange how normal life here now is beginning to feel, living in an Airbnb that has a stove and drywall."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Adam Greenberg Adam Greenberg
Help from veteran volunteers
To provide additional support, former Peace Corps volunteers have stepped in. Sarah Heyborne, who returned to the U.S. in 2019 after her two-and-a-half year stint in the Dominican Republic, helped organize a Facebook group of over 8,000 people to provide evacuees with money and other resources, like supplies, transportation and housing.
"It's an incredibly harsh reality, but so is this current pandemic," Heyborne says. Being stuck inside is different from being stuck inside without money for groceries, she adds.
The group has set up hundreds of money transfers totaling over $30,000 so far, Heyborne says, with help mostly coming from past Peace Corps volunteers who are giving out of their own pockets. Former volunteers brought Coker-Hughes food and gift cards after she got back to Indiana. An evacuee in Massachusetts asked for a winter coat and groceries, and Heyborne was able to link her up with a former volunteer who could provide them right away.
Blumhorst has been advocating for more benefits for the evacuees, like extending their health care coverage and sending more money to get them through this time. "We are exploring with some members of Congress the possibility of a special allowance to help compensate for their unemployment status," he says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Adam Greenberg Adam Greenberg
A possible new mission
There's an additional plan afoot to help the volunteers after their abrupt return – and help the country as well.
The National Peace Corps Association is hoping to create and fund a group that draws on the evacuated volunteers and their skills to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in the United States.
Workers would take on work like tracing the contacts of diagnosed individuals, monitoring the health of those in quarantine and staffing call centers. An agency such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or AmeriCorps could potentially manage the group, says Blumhorst, who has been advocating for the project. Salaries could come from funding that's already been allotted to the COVID-19 response but hasn't yet been spent.
The NPCA has discussed the idea with the offices of several members of Congress that are receptive and supportive, Blumhorst says, and they're planning to speak with more congresspeople and federal agencies and also hope to draw public attention to this potential project.
In the meantime, Coker-Hughes has been working on her resume and looking forward to seeing her son as she gets out of self-quarantine this week. "I really don't know what's next," she says.


npr--2020-04-01--Italy, Seen By White House As A U.S. Analogue, Extends Nationwide Lockdown

Italy , Seen By White House As A U.S. Analogue , Extends Nationwide Lockdown Italy is extending its coronavirus lockdown to April 13 , as the country 's death toll from COVID-19 now tops 13,000 people .
The death toll rose by the smallest amount in days , but officials say it 's too soon to declare the epidemic over .
The number of new cases , which had been declining , was higher than the previous day .
News of the continued lockdown in Italy comes after members of the White House 's coronavirus task force referred to Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could play out in the U.S. '' We think Italy may be the most comparable area to the United States at this point , '' Vice President Pence said during an interview with CNN Wednesday .
Hours later , Italy 's health ministry said the country 's death toll had risen to 13,155 , with a total of more than 110,000 cases .
More than 28,000 people are hospitalized .
By contrast , the U.S. now has more than 200,000 confirmed cases .
Italy 's population is equal to about 19 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , compared to some 332 million in the U.S. , according to the most recent CIA World Factbook data .
On Wednesday , Italy 's leaders said the coronavirus crisis is far from over , despite reaching a plateau in new cases .
`` Addressing the nation , Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Italians , we realize we 're asking for more sacrifices but we 're facing an acute emergency and we can not lift the lockdown now , '' NPR 's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome for our Newscast unit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they violate lockdown restrictions .
In his remarks , Conte also compared the COVID-19 pandemic to `` an epochal tsunami '' that requires new thinking in order to cope with it .
In the U.S. , Dr. Deborah Birx said Italy is starting to see progress in its fight against the coronavirus , saying at a White House briefing Tuesday , `` you can see that they 're beginning to turn the corner in new cases . ''
`` This is what gives us a lot of hope , '' Birx said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curve of new cases finally starting to descend from its height .
People in Italy , Birx added , are `` entering their fourth week of full mitigation and showing what is possible when we work together as a community , as a country , to change the course of this pandemic together . ''
The U.S. is not under a national lockdown order , although many states have suspended school and business operations and ordered residents to stay at home for all but essential activities .
President Trump has asked Americans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid forming groups of 10 or more people , through the end of April .
Administration officials say the mitigation efforts are working : without them , they say , about 2.2 million Americans could die during the COVID-19 pandemic .
But they also warn that even if Americans closely follow federal advice , current projection models still predict between 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S .
In Tuesday 's briefing , Birx was asked to discuss which groups of Americans are most vulnerable to dying from COVID-19 .
She replied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing in New York exactly what we saw in Italy : very low mortality .
Not to say that young people under 30 or young people under 40 are n't getting ill .
They are , but most of them are recovering .
So the profile looks identical to Italy , with increasing mortality , with age and preexisting medical conditions . ''
Dr. Anthony Fauci said that overall , the picture should encourage Americans to observe strict mitigation measures , including social distancing .
As Birx did , he used Italy as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awaits the U.S. , even if Americans heed federal guidance to wash hands and avoid public contact .
`` The deaths and the intensive care and the hospitalization always lag behind that early indication that there are less new cases per day , '' Fauci said , `` the way we saw in Italy and the way we 're likely seeing — I do n't want to jump the gun on it — we 're seeing little inklings of this right now in New York . ''
`` We 're going to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci warned .
`` We can not be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work . ''

Italy, Seen By White House As A U.S. Analogue, Extends Nationwide Lockdown
Enlarge this image toggle caption Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images
Italy is extending its coronavirus lockdown to April 13, as the country's death toll from COVID-19 now tops 13,000 people. The death toll rose by the smallest amount in days, but officials say it's too soon to declare the epidemic over. The number of new cases, which had been declining, was higher than the previous day.
News of the continued lockdown in Italy comes after members of the White House's coronavirus task force referred to Italy as an example of how the coronavirus could play out in the U.S.
"We think Italy may be the most comparable area to the United States at this point," Vice President Pence said during an interview with CNN Wednesday.
Hours later, Italy's health ministry said the country's death toll had risen to 13,155, with a total of more than 110,000 cases. More than 28,000 people are hospitalized. By contrast, the U.S. now has more than 200,000 confirmed cases.
Italy's population is equal to about 19% of the U.S. total: around 62 million people, compared to some 332 million in the U.S., according to the most recent CIA World Factbook data.
On Wednesday, Italy's leaders said the coronavirus crisis is far from over, despite reaching a plateau in new cases.
"Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Italians, we realize we're asking for more sacrifices but we're facing an acute emergency and we cannot lift the lockdown now," NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome for our Newscast unit.
Italians face fines of around $230 if they violate lockdown restrictions. In his remarks, Conte also compared the COVID-19 pandemic to "an epochal tsunami" that requires new thinking in order to cope with it.
In the U.S., Dr. Deborah Birx said Italy is starting to see progress in its fight against the coronavirus, saying at a White House briefing Tuesday, "you can see that they're beginning to turn the corner in new cases."
"This is what gives us a lot of hope," Birx said, showing a graphic depicting Italy's curve of new cases finally starting to descend from its height.
People in Italy, Birx added, are "entering their fourth week of full mitigation and showing what is possible when we work together as a community, as a country, to change the course of this pandemic together."
The U.S. is not under a national lockdown order, although many states have suspended school and business operations and ordered residents to stay at home for all but essential activities. President Trump has asked Americans to stay home when they can, and to avoid forming groups of 10 or more people, through the end of April.
Administration officials say the mitigation efforts are working: without them, they say, about 2.2 million Americans could die during the COVID-19 pandemic. But they also warn that even if Americans closely follow federal advice, current projection models still predict between 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S.
In Tuesday's briefing, Birx was asked to discuss which groups of Americans are most vulnerable to dying from COVID-19.
She replied, in part, "We're seeing in New York exactly what we saw in Italy: very low mortality. Not to say that young people under 30 or young people under 40 aren't getting ill. They are, but most of them are recovering. So the profile looks identical to Italy, with increasing mortality, with age and preexisting medical conditions."
Dr. Anthony Fauci said that overall, the picture should encourage Americans to observe strict mitigation measures, including social distancing. As Birx did, he used Italy as an example of the horrible toll that awaits the U.S., even if Americans heed federal guidance to wash hands and avoid public contact.
"The deaths and the intensive care and the hospitalization always lag behind that early indication that there are less new cases per day," Fauci said, "the way we saw in Italy and the way we're likely seeing — I don't want to jump the gun on it — we're seeing little inklings of this right now in New York."
"We're going to continue to see things go up," Fauci warned. "We cannot be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work."


npr--2020-04-01--Israel Faces Challenges In Fighting Coronavirus In Ultra-Orthodox Communities

Some devout Orthodox Jewish communities have been slow to follow lockdown orders in Israel , helping drive a surge in coronavirus cases that officials are struggling to contain .
Known in Israel as Haredim , or God-fearers , ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 12 % of Israel 's population — but they account for as much as 60 % of Israel 's COVID-19 cases , hospitals estimate .
More than 6,000 Israelis have been infected and at least 25 have died .
This week marked a turning point for the community 's leadership , after a senior rabbi finally urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many in the ultra-Orthodox community only follow the orders of rabbis , not health officials , and for weeks , many ignored government bans against large weddings and prayer services .
Some do not own smartphones or TVs , leading authorities and volunteers to employ alternate methods to get the word out about infection prevention .
`` Do not hold a prayer gathering !
Do not gather for study in synagogues and seminaries !
Anyone who defies doctors ' and health officials orders to protect against coronavirus is considered as if plotting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to authorities ! ''
was the recorded announcement by the ZAKA emergency response organization , whose volunteers drove through ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods this week , broadcasting the warning from car loudspeakers .
`` Now I see a mother and a child crossing the street going into a shop , '' ZAKA 's David Rose , himself ultra-Orthodox , told NPR by telephone from the car .
`` Some people are not aware of how severe this plague is going around . ''
`` Murderers , '' screams a poster plastered in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close synagogues and schools .
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum , a deputy mayor of Jerusalem , helped organize the posters in a private capacity .
At a recent meeting at city hall , she says , `` One of the elderly ultra-Orthodox members of the city council said , 'You 're asking us to do everything against what our sages tell us to do . '
It 's been very , very difficult with the ultra-Orthodox community because it 's just asking them to go against everything they know and everything they are .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jewish law for guidance on life 's challenges — but when it comes to the coronavirus , the rabbinic literature has come up short .
The plagues and calamities of the past were never tackled in isolation .
And social distancing is anathema to the Orthodox Jewish communal way of life .
Many in the community are impoverished and families can include as many as seven or eight children , all living in two- or three-bedroom apartments .
To prevent the virus from spreading easily at home , authorities are preparing hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 .
The virus is also hitting ultra-Orthodox communities in the U.S. , but in Israel , the crisis highlights a long-running friction between the government and the community 's leaders , some of whom initially dismissed the government 's coronavirus lockdown orders .
`` Israel is a Jewish state on the one hand , but it does n't espouse the version of Judaism that Haredi society would like to see going on , '' said ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer , a lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem .
`` Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen to be inhibited or restrictive of the Haredi way of life . ''
As the virus hit the country last month , Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman — raised in Brooklyn , New York , and himself ultra-Orthodox — tried to convince rabbis not to allow Jews in quarantine to attend public synagogue gatherings for the Purim holiday .
But up until this week , he also permitted prayer gatherings to continue — even though about a quarter of Israeli cases of infection were contracted in synagogues , according to his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Haredi newspapers in Israel ran photos of community members who died in New York , London , Paris and Israel , and the community turned a corner .
This week , a leading Haredi rabbi , Chaim Kanievsky , changed his mind and said his followers should self-isolate and those who ignore the government lockdown should be considered as plotting murder .
The mayor of the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak , near Tel Aviv , begged residents last weekend to stop prayer gatherings .
Some ultra-Orthodox Israelis are still skeptical .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Mea Shearim neighborhood , an ultra-Orthodox bastion , said he is keeping his family inside more but does n't trust the government 's infection statistics .
`` Whoever is a bit sick or elderly must be careful and should not leave the home , and no one should visit them , '' Krois said , `` but forbidding young people from buying something on the street or pray , that 's already going too far . ''
Some ultra-Orthodox Jews shouted `` Nazis ! ''
as police marched through a Jerusalem neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — some over $ 1,000 — to those ignoring the lockdown .
To impose the lockdown , police set up checkpoints at entrances to some ultra-Orthodox areas and used drones to enforce the rules , even deploying stun grenades to disperse a crowd .
`` If they would have been closed three weeks ago , the way that we asked them to , we would be seeing much , much fewer numbers today , '' Hassan-Nahoum , Jerusalem 's deputy mayor , told NPR .
`` They came too late into this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Jerusalem .

Israel Faces Challenges In Fighting Coronavirus In Ultra-Orthodox Communities
Enlarge this image toggle caption Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
Some devout Orthodox Jewish communities have been slow to follow lockdown orders in Israel, helping drive a surge in coronavirus cases that officials are struggling to contain.
Known in Israel as Haredim, or those who tremble in awe before God, ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 12% of Israel's population — but they account for as much as 60% of Israel's COVID-19 cases in major hospitals, according to estimates. More than 6,000 Israelis have been infected and at least 31 have died.
This week marked a turning point for the community's leadership, after a senior rabbi finally urged his followers to obey government stay-at-home orders. Many in the ultra-Orthodox community only follow the orders of rabbis, not health officials, and for weeks, many ignored government bans against large weddings and prayer services. Many do not own smartphones or TVs, leading authorities and volunteers to employ alternate methods to get the word out about infection prevention.
"Do not hold a prayer gathering! Do not gather for study in synagogues and seminaries! Anyone who defies doctors' and health officials' orders to protect against coronavirus is considered as if plotting murder and you must turn him in to authorities!" was the recorded announcement by the ZAKA emergency response organization, whose volunteers drove through ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods this week, broadcasting the warning from loudspeakers.
"Now I see a mother and a child crossing the street going into a shop," ZAKA's David Rose, himself ultra-Orthodox, told NPR by telephone from the car. "Some people are not aware of how severe this plague is going around."
"Murderers," screams a poster plastered in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, addressed to those who defy government orders to close synagogues and schools.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, a deputy mayor of Jerusalem, helped organize the posters in a private capacity.
At a recent meeting at City Hall, she says, "One of the elderly ultra-Orthodox members of the city council said, 'You're asking us to do everything against what our sages tell us to do.' It's been very, very difficult with the ultra-Orthodox community because it's just asking them to go against everything they know and everything they are."
The community turns to rabbinic texts on Jewish law for guidance on life's challenges — but the plagues and calamities of the past were never tackled through isolation. And social distancing is anathema to the Orthodox Jewish communal way of life.
Many in the community are impoverished and families can include as many as seven or eight children, all living in two- or three-bedroom apartments. To prevent the virus from spreading easily at home, authorities are preparing hotels to quarantine healthy relatives of those infected with COVID-19 in the community.
The virus is also hitting ultra-Orthodox communities in the U.S., but in Israel, the crisis highlights a long-running friction between the government and the community's leaders, some of whom initially dismissed the government's coronavirus lockdown orders.
"Israel is a Jewish state on the one hand, but it doesn't espouse the version of Judaism that Haredi society would like to see going on," said ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer of the Tikvah Fund, an educational foundation. "Some of the Israeli regulations and laws are seen to be inhibited or restrictive of the Haredi way of life."
As the virus hit the country last month, Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman — raised in Brooklyn, New York, and himself ultra-Orthodox — tried to convince rabbis not to allow Jews in quarantine to attend public synagogue gatherings for the Purim holiday. But up until this week, he also permitted prayer gatherings to continue — even though about a quarter of Israeli cases of infection were contracted in synagogues, according to his own health ministry. Now he himself has contracted the virus.
With virus cases rising, Haredi newspapers in Israel ran photos of community members who died in New York, London, Paris and Israel, and the community's attitude shifted.
This week, a leading Haredi rabbi, Chaim Kanievsky, changed his mind and said his followers should self-isolate and those who ignore the government lockdown should be considered as plotting murder. The mayor of the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, begged residents last weekend to stop prayer gatherings. His wife got the virus.
Some ultra-Orthodox Israelis are still skeptical. Yoel Krois, who lives in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood, an ultra-Orthodox enclave, said he is keeping his family inside more but doesn't trust the government's infection statistics.
"Whoever is a bit sick or elderly must be careful and should not leave the home, and no one should visit them," Krois said, "but forbidding young people from buying something on the street or praying, that's already going too far."
Some ultra-Orthodox Jews shouted "Nazis!" as police marched through a Jerusalem neighborhood this week, handing out large fines — some over $1,000 — to those ignoring the stay-at-home orders. To impose the restrictions, police set up checkpoints at entrances to some ultra-Orthodox areas and used drones to enforce the rules, even deploying stun grenades to disperse a crowd.
"If they would have been closed three weeks ago, the way that we asked them to, we would be seeing much, much fewer numbers today," Hassan-Nahoum, Jerusalem's deputy mayor, told NPR. "They came too late into this."
Sami Sockol contributed to this report from Jerusalem.


npr--2020-04-01--Alabama's Largest City Tightens Restrictions To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus

After working for weeks to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic , Dr. Mustafa Ahmed is now fighting his own case of COVID-19 .
`` For me it was just like being hit by a train , '' he says .
Ahmed is an interventional cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham , a major medical hub for the state .
Now , Alabama 's largest city is under a shelter-in-place order , as city leaders here have taken a more aggressive approach than the state officials have in order to curtail the spread of the disease .
Ahmed 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fever , muscle aches , and fatigue .
`` It 's a scary thing when you get this because you 're seeing colleagues and health care workers around the world really struck down with this , '' Ahmed says .
He 's 38 and had been in good health .
Now he 's in single room isolation at home , using technology to connect remotely with family around the world , and his colleagues at UAB .
Because of a lack of widespread testing , he says there 's no way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is it from just walking around ? ''
he asks .
`` Is it on the way into work ?
Is it people you passed the week before that do n't want to social distance ? ''
Universal questions , Ahmed says , that could only be answered with universal testing , something that 's not possible right now .
`` This is a weekly moving target , '' he says .
He says testing at UAB has expanded from weeks ago when tests were scarce and results took days to process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there 's promise of a more rapid test .
`` Where we are right now , this minute is a long , long — what 's the best way to say this ?
— is a hell of a lot better than where we were this time last week , '' Ahmed says .
Regardless of the testing capacity , there 's no question that there 's community spread happening in Birmingham right now .
UAB and other local hospitals started getting their first wave of severe cases last week .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to get much , much worse , says Ahmed .
The prospect has city leaders trying to get the word out .
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has been holding tele-town halls to relay a sense of urgency to various communities including neighborhood and church leaders , students , and Spanish speakers .
Woodfin says when 12 days of voluntary social distancing did n't work , the city adopted a shelter-in-place ordinance .
`` To lock this city down , '' Woodfin says .
`` To stop [ nonessential ] movement because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community spread . ''
The action is at odds with state policy .
`` I do not think our economy needs a full shelter-in-place order , '' Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey said at a press briefing .
`` My word of caution to those who want to take a more direct action is this – government can choke businesses , '' she said .
Mayor Woodfin disputes that it 's an either/or proposition .
`` If government does n't take action , it can also cost people their lives , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and says nowhere in the world are health officials saying they did too much .
`` No one , '' he says .
`` Every single place seems to have wished that they did more and acted earlier . ''

Alabama's Largest City Tightens Restrictions To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus
After working for weeks to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Mustafa Ahmed is now fighting his own case of COVID-19.
"For me it was just like being hit by a train," he says.
Ahmed is an interventional cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a major medical hub for the state. Now, Alabama's largest city is under a shelter-in-place order, as city leaders here have taken a more aggressive approach than the state officials have in order to curtail the spread of the disease.
Ahmed's symptoms came on fast — intense headache, fever, muscle aches, and fatigue.
"It's a scary thing when you get this because you're seeing colleagues and health care workers around the world really struck down with this," Ahmed says.
He's 38 and had been in good health. Now he's in single room isolation at home, using technology to connect remotely with family around the world, and his colleagues at UAB.
Because of a lack of widespread testing, he says there's no way to pinpoint how he became infected.
"Is it from just walking around?" he asks. "Is it on the way into work? Is it people you passed the week before that don't want to social distance?"
Universal questions, Ahmed says, that could only be answered with universal testing, something that's not possible right now.
"This is a weekly moving target," he says.
He says testing at UAB has expanded from weeks ago when tests were scarce and results took days to process. Now results are back in hours, and there's promise of a more rapid test.
"Where we are right now, this minute is a long, long — what's the best way to say this? — is a hell of a lot better than where we were this time last week," Ahmed says.
Regardless of the testing capacity, there's no question that there's community spread happening in Birmingham right now. UAB and other local hospitals started getting their first wave of severe cases last week.
"We're just starting and it's going to get much, much worse, says Ahmed.
The prospect has city leaders trying to get the word out.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has been holding tele-town halls to relay a sense of urgency to various communities including neighborhood and church leaders, students, and Spanish speakers.
Woodfin says when 12 days of voluntary social distancing didn't work, the city adopted a shelter-in-place ordinance.
"To lock this city down," Woodfin says. "To stop [nonessential] movement because we needed to take every measure to prevent community spread."
The action is at odds with state policy.
"I do not think our economy needs a full shelter-in-place order," Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said at a press briefing.
"My word of caution to those who want to take a more direct action is this – government can choke businesses," she said.
Mayor Woodfin disputes that it's an either/or proposition.
"If government doesn't take action, it can also cost people their lives," he says.
Dr. Ahmed at UAB agrees, and says nowhere in the world are health officials saying they did too much.
"No one," he says. "Every single place seems to have wished that they did more and acted earlier."


npr--2020-04-01--Moscow To Launch New Surveillance App To Track Residents In Coronavirus Lockdown

Moscow To Launch New Surveillance App To Track Residents In Coronavirus Lockdown City authorities in Moscow are rolling out new digital `` social monitoring '' tools targeting the public , after what officials say were constant violations of the city 's quarantine imposed this week to fight the spread of the new coronavirus .
Under restrictions in place since Monday , most of the city 's 12 million residents must remain indoors , barring a few exceptions — like trips to the supermarket or pharmacy , taking out the trash or briefly walking the dog .
But starting Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mandatory app required on their smartphones .
Do n't have one ?
The city says it will lend out devices .
`` The main goal is , together with the patient , encourage that he does not go outside , '' said Eduard Lysenko , the head of the city 's Department for Information and Technology , in an interview with Echo of Moscow radio .
In addition , Moscow residents will be obligated to register for a government-issued QR code — a small square matrix bar code containing personal data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't yet clear .
But Russians must present it on their smartphones or carry a printout of their QR profiles to present to police , when requested .
( City officials say they 're also preparing to educate the public — and elder Russians , in particular — on what a QR code actually is . )
The new tools will merge with existing street cameras and face recognition software to quickly identify residents who stray from their homes and/or quarantines , say authorities .
Adding incentive to follow the rules , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introducing criminal penalties — including fines and up to seven years in prison — for skipping quarantine and infecting others .
The Russian leader also signed legislation granting the government additional powers to declare an immediate national state of emergency , without the parliament 's approval .
Yet members of Russia 's opposition — no strangers to state surveillance or prisons — are expressing particular unease about a growing digital arsenal the government says will help it fight COVID-19 .
A state task force on Wednesday reported more than 2,700 cases of infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the majority of cases in Moscow .
`` One thing is clear , '' wrote Leonid Volkov , a chief strategist of opposition leader Alexei Navalny , on his Telegram channel .
`` The coronavirus will eventually leave but this digital concentration camp will remain . ''

Moscow To Launch New Surveillance App To Track Residents In Coronavirus Lockdown
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pavel Golovkin/AP Pavel Golovkin/AP
City authorities in Moscow are rolling out new digital "social monitoring" tools targeting the public, after what officials say were constant violations of the city's quarantine imposed this week to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.
Under restrictions in place since Monday, most of the city's 12 million residents must remain indoors, barring a few exceptions — like trips to the supermarket or pharmacy, taking out the trash or briefly walking the dog.
But starting Thursday, Muscovites will have their movements tracked through a mandatory app required on their smartphones. Don't have one? The city says it will lend out devices.
"The main goal is, together with the patient, encourage that he does not go outside," said Eduard Lysenko, the head of the city's Department for Information and Technology, in an interview with Echo of Moscow radio.
In addition, Moscow residents will be obligated to register for a government-issued QR code — a small square matrix bar code containing personal data. What information the codes will hold isn't yet clear. But Russians must present it on their smartphones or carry a printout of their QR profiles to present to police, when requested. (City officials say they're also preparing to educate the public — and elder Russians, in particular — on what a QR code actually is.)
The new tools will merge with existing street cameras and face recognition software to quickly identify residents who stray from their homes and/or quarantines, say authorities.
Adding incentive to follow the rules, President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a law introducing criminal penalties — including fines and up to seven years in prison — for skipping quarantine and infecting others. The Russian leader also signed legislation granting the government additional powers to declare an immediate national state of emergency, without the parliament's approval.
Yet members of Russia's opposition — no strangers to state surveillance or prisons — are expressing particular unease about a growing digital arsenal the government says will help it fight COVID-19. A state task force on Wednesday reported more than 2,700 cases of infection and 24 deaths from the disease, with the majority of cases in Moscow.
"One thing is clear," wrote Leonid Volkov, a chief strategist of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, on his Telegram channel. "The coronavirus will eventually leave but this digital concentration camp will remain."


npr--2020-04-01--Opinion: The Way The U.S. Beat TB Could Be A Boon In Battling Coronavirus

Opinion : The Way The U.S .
Beat TB Could Be A Boon In Battling Coronavirus As the world battles the deadly coronavirus , there is a lot we can learn from one of the great pandemics of recent centuries : tuberculosis .
Like the bug that has caused the newest global outbreak , TB is spread through the air .
Every exhaled breath by a person with the disease can spread the tuberculosis bacteria to new individuals .
TB is thought to have killed 1 billion people between 1800 and 2000 .
It attacks the human body more slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but exacts a great toll .
Untreated TB is a death sentence for 80 percent of those who fall ill .
Although TB still kills 4,000 people every day in poor countries , it largely disappeared in wealthy countries after the 1950s through a set of tried and tested strategies — which suggests important lessons for how to stop the newest plague .
Current efforts to battle COVID-19 focus largely on reducing transmission by quarantine and physical distancing and by providing hospital care for the severely ill .
But as scientists discovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put the everyday life of the community on indefinite hold , but rather to make it progressively safer .
The focus of stopping transmission and delivering care should not only be on hospitals , but also in the communities where people live and work : their homes , schools and workplaces .
Using this approach , wealthy countries turned the airborne scourge of TB from the leading cause of death at the end of the 19th century to a tiny fraction of all infections only 60 years later .
How did public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it ?
Aided by a flurry of diagnostic and treatment innovations in the early to mid-20th century , they stopped TB using a community-based strategy called `` search , treat and prevent . ''
First they searched for contacts of known patients .
In communities where TB was rampant , they went house-by-house looking for people who had the disease and were transmitting it to others .
`` Searching '' meant giving thousands of people skin tests and chest X-rays , in many cases with mobile vans .
Then they treated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and basic nursing care , and later with medicines .
This was done in combination with social and financial support for those who were ill with TB .
This freed people from the need to keep working to support themselves and their families , spreading the illness in the process .
Finally , starting in the early 1960s , they stopped further spread of the microbe by giving preventive therapy to exposed individuals before they became sick .
In the U.S. , all this was made possible through an infusion of resources from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by voluntary contributions from organizations like the National Tuberculosis Association , as well as employers and labor unions .
The results were stunning : `` Search , treat and prevent '' helped the U.S. and other wealthy countries stop TB in its tracks .
A disease which had been a plague on mankind since the beginning of the modern era was brought to heel in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s — fewer than 20 years .
The lesson for coronavirus ?
Community-focused mobilization using the `` search , treat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although physical distancing may indeed be necessary in the short term , its economic cost is devastating , particularly for those who can not work from home or who work in industries that depend on social interaction .
The dislocation caused by quarantines — the destruction of social bonds and livelihoods — may in the end be as harmful to health and well-being as the pandemic itself .
Moreover , countries relaxing quarantines have seen transmission begin anew from carriers who are not showing symptoms .
So there is much reason to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stop the epidemic .
The announcement last Friday of a point-of-care test that can accurately diagnose the coronavirus in as little as five minutes is a game-changer .
With such technology we can identify hot spots whose residents need to practice physical distancing , provide community-based care to those not sick enough to be in hospitals , and — when preventive medicines , new treatments and vaccines become available — deliver these tools to those who could benefit most .
After a few weeks of physical distancing , this approach would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire communities that could resume their regular economic and social life .
Re-entry would require access to masks and other protective equipment for community members — as these items become more available — and more widespread application of tools like indirect UVC lamps in stores and closed work spaces .
UVC light has been shown to kill tuberculosis , influenza , coronaviruses and other pathogens that linger in the air and on exposed surfaces in public spaces .
To implement this strategy we would need to give people access to free testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sustain themselves through any physical distancing .
It would be carried out by neighborhood-based teams of professional and lay health workers trained to safely conduct screening , provide basic treatment at home , and give social and economic support to those in isolation .
This is exactly what happened after 1963 , when a wave of federal funding for the `` approach to zero for TB '' helped establish community-based health teams in every U.S. state and territory .
The organization and funding of these teams would vary in different national and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1960s and '70s , community-based TB interventions were overseen by municipal public health authorities with funding from federal , state and private sources .
Community-wide coronavirus teams would also , as health expert Dr. Joia Mukherjee has pointed out , employ thousands of people , helping to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic .
A community-wide coronavirus strategy would require large-scale investment in manufacturing a variety of tests , personal protection equipment and UVC lighting , as well as rapid training and mobilization of community health teams .
But given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in limbo by the epidemic , the cost will be modest .
We have entered a state of emergency that upends the logic of austerity that led to decades of public health cutbacks .
The federal coronavirus relief bill just signed by President Trump provides $ 500 million for patient tracking and data collection alone .
States have also begun to open their coffers and are likely to make millions available to stop this epidemic .
We have to ensure that these resources are spent on approaches that can help restore our daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , treat and prevent '' strategy that stopped TB in wealthy countries was never expanded to poor countries because of fear that it would be too difficult to do there .
It would be a mistake to make this same decision with the coronavirus .
This global pandemic has exposed the same truth as climate change : On an ecologically interconnected planet , piecemeal approaches are doomed .
As soon as we have working models of this approach in the U.S. , we should ensure that they are expanded to at-risk settings all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ array of technological and programmatic tools at our disposal can help us bring the pandemic to a close with a minimum loss of life , while avoiding an economic crash that would throw millions of people around the world into poverty , with an equally devastating public health impact .
We need to lay a foundation that will ensure that when we leave our homes in weeks or months , we are better prepared and safer than when the outbreak began .
The community-wide approach can ensure that we find the sick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the right resources , it can begin today .
Salmaan Keshavjee is professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery .
He is a physician at Boston 's Brigham and Women 's Hospital and senior TB specialist at the Boston-based nonprofit Partners In Health .
He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations .
His twitter handle is @ s_keshavjee .
Aaron Shakow is director of the Initiative on Healing and Humanity at the Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a research associate in the department of global health and social medicine .
A historian by training , he focuses his research on the social and political history of epidemics and quarantine .
Tom Nicholson is executive director of Advance Access and Delivery , a North Carolina-based nonprofit committed to improving access to high-quality health care .
He is also a research associate at Duke University 's Sanford School of Public Policy in the Duke Center for International Development .
He is a member of the board of directors of the Global @ @ @

Opinion: The Way The U.S. Beat TB Could Be A Boon In Battling Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty
As the world battles the deadly coronavirus, there is a lot we can learn from one of the great pandemics of recent centuries: tuberculosis.
Like the bug that has caused the newest global outbreak, TB is spread through the air. Every exhaled breath by a person with the disease can spread the tuberculosis bacteria to new individuals. TB is thought to have killed 1 billion people between 1800 and 2000. It attacks the human body more slowly than viral diseases like flu or COVID-19, but exacts a great toll. Untreated TB is a death sentence for 80 percent of those who fall ill.
Although TB still kills 4,000 people every day in poor countries, it largely disappeared in wealthy countries after the 1950s through a set of tried and tested strategies — which suggests important lessons for how to stop the newest plague.
Current efforts to battle COVID-19 focus largely on reducing transmission by quarantine and physical distancing and by providing hospital care for the severely ill. But as scientists discovered with TB, the secret is not to put the everyday life of the community on indefinite hold, but rather to make it progressively safer. The focus of stopping transmission and delivering care should not only be on hospitals, but also in the communities where people live and work: their homes, schools and workplaces. Using this approach, wealthy countries turned the airborne scourge of TB from the leading cause of death at the end of the 19th century to a tiny fraction of all infections only 60 years later.
How did public health agencies, municipalities and private partners do it? Aided by a flurry of diagnostic and treatment innovations in the early to mid-20th century, they stopped TB using a community-based strategy called "search, treat and prevent."
First they searched for contacts of known patients. In communities where TB was rampant, they went house-by-house looking for people who had the disease and were transmitting it to others. "Searching" meant giving thousands of people skin tests and chest X-rays, in many cases with mobile vans.
Then they treated the sick — first with food, rest and basic nursing care, and later with medicines. This was done in combination with social and financial support for those who were ill with TB. This freed people from the need to keep working to support themselves and their families, spreading the illness in the process. Finally, starting in the early 1960s, they stopped further spread of the microbe by giving preventive therapy to exposed individuals before they became sick.
In the U.S., all this was made possible through an infusion of resources from national, state and local governments and by voluntary contributions from organizations like the National Tuberculosis Association, as well as employers and labor unions.
The results were stunning: "Search, treat and prevent" helped the U.S. and other wealthy countries stop TB in its tracks. A disease which had been a plague on mankind since the beginning of the modern era was brought to heel in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s — fewer than 20 years.
The lesson for coronavirus? Community-focused mobilization using the "search, treat and prevent" approach could be transformative. Although physical distancing may indeed be necessary in the short term, its economic cost is devastating, particularly for those who cannot work from home or who work in industries that depend on social interaction. The dislocation caused by quarantines — the destruction of social bonds and livelihoods — may in the end be as harmful to health and well-being as the pandemic itself. Moreover, countries relaxing quarantines have seen transmission begin anew from carriers who are not showing symptoms.
So there is much reason to believe that physical distancing and quarantine alone will not stop the epidemic.
The announcement last Friday of a point-of-care test that can accurately diagnose the coronavirus in as little as five minutes is a game-changer. With such technology we can identify hot spots whose residents need to practice physical distancing, provide community-based care to those not sick enough to be in hospitals, and — when preventive medicines, new treatments and vaccines become available — deliver these tools to those who could benefit most.
After a few weeks of physical distancing, this approach would help to identify groups of individuals and even entire communities that could resume their regular economic and social life. Re-entry would require access to masks and other protective equipment for community members — as these items become more available — and more widespread application of tools like indirect UVC lamps in stores and closed work spaces. UVC light has been shown to kill tuberculosis, influenza, coronaviruses and other pathogens that linger in the air and on exposed surfaces in public spaces.
To implement this strategy we would need to give people access to free testing, treatment, medicines and the necessary resources to sustain themselves through any physical distancing. It would be carried out by neighborhood-based teams of professional and lay health workers trained to safely conduct screening, provide basic treatment at home, and give social and economic support to those in isolation. This is exactly what happened after 1963, when a wave of federal funding for the "approach to zero for TB" helped establish community-based health teams in every U.S. state and territory.
The organization and funding of these teams would vary in different national and local settings. In the U.S. during the 1960s and '70s, community-based TB interventions were overseen by municipal public health authorities with funding from federal, state and private sources.
Community-wide coronavirus teams would also, as health expert Dr. Joia Mukherjee has pointed out, employ thousands of people, helping to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.
A community-wide coronavirus strategy would require large-scale investment in manufacturing a variety of tests, personal protection equipment and UVC lighting, as well as rapid training and mobilization of community health teams. But given the potential contribution to restarting local economies put in limbo by the epidemic, the cost will be modest. We have entered a state of emergency that upends the logic of austerity that led to decades of public health cutbacks.
The federal coronavirus relief bill just signed by President Trump provides $500 million for patient tracking and data collection alone. States have also begun to open their coffers and are likely to make millions available to stop this epidemic. We have to ensure that these resources are spent on approaches that can help restore our daily lives and livelihoods.
The "search, treat and prevent" strategy that stopped TB in wealthy countries was never expanded to poor countries because of fear that it would be too difficult to do there. It would be a mistake to make this same decision with the coronavirus. This global pandemic has exposed the same truth as climate change: On an ecologically interconnected planet, piecemeal approaches are doomed. As soon as we have working models of this approach in the U.S., we should ensure that they are expanded to at-risk settings all over the world.
Using the full array of technological and programmatic tools at our disposal can help us bring the pandemic to a close with a minimum loss of life, while avoiding an economic crash that would throw millions of people around the world into poverty, with an equally devastating public health impact.
We need to lay a foundation that will ensure that when we leave our homes in weeks or months, we are better prepared and safer than when the outbreak began. The community-wide approach can ensure that we find the sick and begin the process of healing. And with the right resources, it can begin today.
Salmaan Keshavjee is a professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery. He is a physician at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and senior TB specialist at the Boston-based nonprofit Partners In Health. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His twitter handle is @s_keshavjee.
Aaron Shakow is director of the Initiative on Healing and Humanity at the Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery and a research associate in the department of global health and social medicine. A historian by training, he focuses his research on the social and political history of epidemics and quarantine.
Tom Nicholson is executive director of Advance Access and Delivery, a North Carolina-based nonprofit committed to improving access to high-quality health care. He is also a research associate at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy in the Duke Center for International Development. He is a member of the board of directors of the Global Health Council.