npr--2020-04-22--Small Business Rescue Earned Banks $10 Billion In Fees

Banks handling the government 's $ 349 billion loan program for small businesses made more than $ 10 billion in fees — even as tens of thousands of small businesses were shut out of the program , according to an analysis of financial records by NPR .
The banks took in the fees while processing loans that required less vetting than regular bank loans and had little risk for the banks , the records show .
Taxpayers provided the money for the loans which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration .
According to a Department of Treasury fact sheet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unions could process the loans , which ranged in amount from tens of thousands to $ 10 million .
The banks acted essentially as middlemen sending client 's loan applications to the SBA , which approved them .
For every transaction made , banks took in 1 % to 5 % in fees , depending on the amount of the loan , according to government figures .
Loans worth less than $ 350,000 brought in 5 % in fees while loans worth anywhere from $ 2 million to $ 10 million brought in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on April 7 , RCSH Operations , LLC.
, the parent company of Ruth 's Chris Steak House , received a loan of $ 10 million .
JPMorgan Chase Bank , acting as the lender , took a $ 100,000 fee on the one-time transaction for which it assumed no risk and could pass through with fewer requirements than for a regular loan .
In total , those transaction fees amounted to more than $ 10 billion for banks , according to transaction data provided by the SBA and the Treasury Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest banks involved in collecting the fees , including JPMorgan , PNC Bank and Bank of America .
Many did not respond to specific questions , but said they were working to help as many small business clients as they could .
In a statement Bank of America said the bank had more than 8,000 employees working for clients and preparing to get them in on the next round of the program should it be passed by Congress .
The program has `` significant vetting requirements '' the bank said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examining , and storing data '' that is required for each application .
Still , Treasury Department guidelines make clear the requirements are less rigorous for the banks compared to processing regular customer loans where banks must verify clients ' asset claims .
`` Lenders are permitted to rely on borrower certifications and representations , '' the department told lenders .
To be sure , banks do collect fees when processing any SBA loan , but rarely , if ever , have banks processed this volume of loans this quickly with fees ranging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period .
The SBA did not respond to detailed questions about the program .
Congress is now poised to add $ 320 billion more into the program , called the Paycheck Protection Program , as it looks to pass a $ 484 billion additional stimulus package this week .
President Trump said on Twitter that he supports the bill .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , a republican from Kentucky , said on the Senate floor that the program was `` saving millions of small-business jobs and helping Americans get paychecks instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Gary Peters , a Democrat from Michigan called on the Government Accountability Office to look into the program after tens of thousands of small businesses were left out and larger companies got millions .
One law firm , the Stalwart Law Group , filed five class action lawsuits this week — four in California and one in New York — alleging that banks processed clients with larger loans first because they stood to generate more money in fees .
By the time the banks tried to process loans from their smaller clients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had run dry .
`` Rather than processing Paycheck Protection Program applications on a first-come , first-served basis as required by the rules governing that program , '' the lawsuit says , `` ( the banks ) prioritized loan applications seeking higher loan amounts because processing those applications first generated larger loan origination fees for the banks . ''
Banks dispute these allegations .
JPMorgan Chase said it handled the applications fairly .
`` We funded more than twice as many loans for smaller businesses than the rest of the firm 's clients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement to clients .
`` Each business worked separately on loans for its customers .
Business Banking , Chase 's bank for our smaller business customers , processed loan applications generally sequentially , understanding that a given loan may take more or less time to process .
Our intent was to serve as many clients as possible , not to prioritize any clients over others . ''

Small Business Rescue Earned Banks $10 Billion In Fees
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg via Getty Images Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Banks handling the government's $349 billion loan program for small businesses made more than $10 billion in fees — even as tens of thousands of small businesses were shut out of the program, according to an analysis of financial records by NPR.
The banks took in the fees while processing loans that required less vetting than regular bank loans and had little risk for the banks, the records show. Taxpayers provided the money for the loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.
According to a Department of Treasury fact sheet, all federally insured banks and credit unions could process the loans, which ranged in amount from tens of thousands to $10 million. The banks acted essentially as middlemen, sending clients' loan applications to the SBA, which approved them.
For every transaction made, banks took in 1% to 5% in fees, depending on the amount of the loan, according to government figures. Loans worth less than $350,000 brought in 5% in fees while loans worth anywhere from $2 million to $10 million brought in 1% in fees.
For example, on April 7, RCSH Operations LLC, the parent company of Ruth's Chris Steak House, received a loan of $10 million. JPMorgan Chase & Co., acting as the lender, took a $100,000 fee on the one-time transaction for which it assumed no risk and could pass through with fewer requirements than for a regular loan.
In total, those transaction fees amounted to more than $10 billion for banks, according to transaction data provided by the SBA and the Treasury Department.
NPR reached out to several of the largest banks involved in collecting the fees, including JPMorgan, PNC Bank and Bank of America. Many did not respond to specific questions, but said they were working to help as many small business clients as they could.
In a statement, Bank of America said the bank had more than 8,000 employees working for clients and preparing to get them in on the next round of the program should it be passed by Congress. The program has "significant vetting requirements," the bank said in an email, including "collecting, personally examining, and storing data" that is required for each application.
Still, Treasury Department guidelines make clear the requirements are less rigorous for the banks compared to processing regular customer loans where banks must verify clients' asset claims.
"Lenders are permitted to rely on borrower certifications and representations," the department told lenders.
To be sure, banks do collect fees when processing any SBA loan, but rarely, if ever, have banks processed this volume of loans this quickly with fees ranging past $10 billion in a two-week period. The SBA did not respond to detailed questions about the program.
Congress is now poised to add $320 billion more into the program, called the Paycheck Protection Program, as it looks to pass a $484 billion additional stimulus package this week. President Trump said on Twitter that he supports the bill.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, said on the Senate floor that the program was "saving millions of small-business jobs and helping Americans get paychecks instead of pink slips."
Even so, Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, called on the Government Accountability Office to look into the program after tens of thousands of small businesses were left out and larger companies got millions.
One law firm, the Stalwart Law Group, filed five class action lawsuits this week — four in California and one in New York — alleging that banks processed clients with larger loans first because they stood to generate more money in fees. By the time the banks tried to process loans from their smaller clients, the lawsuit alleges, the program had run dry.
"Rather than processing Paycheck Protection Program applications on a first-come, first-served basis as required by the rules governing that program," the lawsuit says, "[the banks] prioritized loan applications seeking higher loan amounts because processing those applications first generated larger loan origination fees for the banks."
Banks dispute these allegations. JPMorgan said it handled the applications fairly.
"We funded more than twice as many loans for smaller businesses than the rest of the firm's clients combined," the bank said in a statement to clients. "Each business worked separately on loans for its customers. Business Banking, Chase's bank for our smaller business customers, processed loan applications generally sequentially, understanding that a given loan may take more or less time to process. Our intent was to serve as many clients as possible, not to prioritize any clients over others."


npr--2020-04-22--How Do You Do Contact Tracing? Poor Countries Have Plenty Of Advice

How Do You Do Contact Tracing ?
Poor Countries Have Plenty Of Advice The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Robert Redfield , says contact tracing will be vital in the next phase of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States .
Contact tracing is used all over the world , including in the U.S .
The idea is to track down anyone in recent contact with a newly diagnosed patient , then monitor the health of these contacts .
In the developing world , it 's been a valuable tool in fighting infectious diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers there have lots of experience .
So as the U.S. hires potentially hundreds of thousands of contact tracers to contain the coronavirus , health departments could be looking to models from such regions as Africa , South Asia and Latin America on how these teams will do their work .
Partners in Health , which is known for its work in Haiti , Rwanda and Peru , is helping to set up a coronavirus contact tracing program in Massachusetts .
In West Africa contact tracing was crucial in bringing the 2014-2015 Ebola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's organization Last Mile Health helped set up contact tracing teams in Liberia during that crisis .
`` We could n't break the chain of transmission and drive the epidemic down to zero cases in Liberia without contact tracing , '' says Panjabi , a physician at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women 's Hospital .
In the remote part of Liberia where Panjabi 's group was working , contact tracers were hired to investigate each Ebola case and track down all the `` contacts '' of those diagnosed cases .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical contact with the infected person or their bodily fluids so the overall number of at-risk contacts was far lower than with COVID-19 .
Panjabi said it was about 10 people for each Ebola patient .
`` The contact tracers got hired and chosen from within the community , '' says Panjabi — and that kind of community knowledge offers a tremendous advantage .
`` They 'd locate the listed contact because they know the community .
They have trust with the community , '' he says .
`` And they 'd identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of exposure that were missed in the initial investigation . ''
Panjabi says having social connections and being good with people is more important in this job than a medical degree .
Most of the people doing this work for Last Mile Health were not medical professionals , but the teams reported to nurses and public health officials who were .
Each contact tracer visited their list of contacts twice a day .
`` Morning and afternoon throughout the 21 days post-exposure period , '' he says .
Ebola has a 21-day incubation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus .
The contact tracers would take the person 's temperature and check if they had any other symptoms of Ebola .
If they did have symptoms , the contact tracer quickly arranged to move the patient to a treatment center .
This had two primary benefits .
First , Ebola patients are far more likely to survive if they 're treated early .
And second , transferring them to a treatment center got that infected person out of the community , isolated them and made it far less likely they 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quality of the contact tracing is crucial .
The health workers need to find every contact who may have been exposed and monitor them closely .
`` And if you do that right , that strategy will eventually extinguish all transmission lines and an epidemic , '' he says .
`` In Liberia , that was exactly the practice that led to the last [ Ebola ] case being identified .
And then the epidemic halted . ''
India serves as another instructive example .
With 2.7 million cases of TB last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and butter of TB control .
Shelly Batra is cofounder of a group called Operation Asha that before COVID-19 had been sending contact tracers door-to-door to track down people with TB , counsel patients and monitor them as they take their medications .
`` Now all these activities have come to a halt because the government is talking of social distancing , 'stay at home ' .
No movement in the field at all , '' she says .
India is under a strict nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor tuberculosis patients via cellphone .
`` Phones are ubiquitous .
In India people say there are more phones than toilets , '' she says .
`` That 's what is really working for us . ''
Her contact tracers now cajole TB patients into taking their daily medicines over the phone .
`` So here 's what our health workers are doing , '' she says .
`` Suppose they give medicines for a week on Sunday .
Monday morning they 'll call up after breakfast , 'Hey , guy , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your meds or not ? '
If he says no , 'Why not ? '
`` Now Operation Asha has also started to screen patients for COVID-19 over the phone .
The health workers have a questionnaire on a tablet and can ask a potential contact a series of questions to determine if that person should be referred to a clinic for testing .
Batra says at a time when people are out of work , this new work on the coronavirus is providing jobs that can be done from home .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degree at all if you are able to read or write a little bit , '' she says .
`` There are so many people who want jobs right now .
So many people would be willing to come forward .
They are doing something good .
They 're serving the community .
And they will get a little payment for it . ''
As the U.S. looks to contain the coronavirus so that the economy can start to reopen , Raj Panjabi says contact tracing could be a win-win .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieving viral suppression in the United States and maintaining viral suppression so that we can reopen the economy , where are the hundreds of thousands of American [ contact tracers ] going to come from ? ''
Panjabi asks .
`` One possible way is to actually hire Americans who 've been unemployed by this pandemic and put them to work . ''

How Do You Do Contact Tracing? Poor Countries Have Plenty Of Advice
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kelly McEvers/NPR Kelly McEvers/NPR
The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, says contact tracing will be vital in the next phase of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.
Poor countries have advice to offer.
Contact tracing is used all over the world, including in the U.S. The idea is to track down anyone in recent contact with a newly diagnosed patient, then monitor the health of these contacts. In the developing world, it's been a valuable tool in fighting infectious diseases like Ebola and tuberculosis. Public health workers there have lots of experience.
So as the U.S. hires potentially hundreds of thousands of contact tracers to contain the coronavirus, health departments could be looking to models from such regions as Africa, South Asia and Latin America on how these teams will do their work.
Partners in Health, which is known for its work in Haiti, Rwanda and Peru, is helping to set up a coronavirus contact tracing program in Massachusetts.
In West Africa contact tracing was crucial in bringing the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak to a close.
Raj Panjabi's organization Last Mile Health helped set up contact tracing teams in Liberia during that crisis.
"We couldn't break the chain of transmission and drive the epidemic down to zero cases in Liberia without contact tracing," says Panjabi, a physician at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
In the remote part of Liberia where Panjabi's group was working, contact tracers were hired to investigate each Ebola case and track down all the "contacts" of those diagnosed cases.
To get Ebola you have to have close physical contact with the infected person or their bodily fluids so the overall number of at-risk contacts was far lower than with COVID-19. Panjabi said it was about 10 people for each Ebola patient.
"The contact tracers got hired and chosen from within the community," says Panjabi — and that kind of community knowledge offers a tremendous advantage. "They'd locate the listed contact because they know the community. They have trust with the community," he says. "And they'd identify any additional contacts who meet that definition of exposure that were missed in the initial investigation."
Panjabi says having social connections and being good with people is more important in this job than a medical degree. Most of the people doing this work for Last Mile Health were not medical professionals, but the teams reported to nurses and public health officials who were. Each contact tracer visited their list of contacts twice a day.
"Morning and afternoon throughout the 21 days post-exposure period," he says. Ebola has a 21-day incubation period compared to 14 days for the new coronavirus. The contact tracers would take the person's temperature and check if they had any other symptoms of Ebola.
If they did have symptoms, the contact tracer quickly arranged to move the patient to a treatment center. This had two primary benefits. First, Ebola patients are far more likely to survive if they're treated early. And second, transferring them to a treatment center got that infected person out of the community, isolated them and made it far less likely they'd spread the virus further.
Panjabi says the quality of the contact tracing is crucial. The health workers need to find every contact who may have been exposed and monitor them closely.
"And if you do that right, that strategy will eventually extinguish all transmission lines and an epidemic," he says. "In Liberia, that was exactly the practice that led to the last [Ebola] case being identified. And then the epidemic halted."
India serves as another instructive example. With 2.7 million cases of TB last year, contact tracing is the bread and butter of TB control.
Shelly Batra is cofounder of a group called Operation Asha that before COVID-19 had been sending contact tracers door-to-door to track down people with TB, counsel patients and monitor them as they take their medications.
"Now all these activities have come to a halt because the government is talking of social distancing, 'stay at home'. No movement in the field at all," she says. India is under a strict nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, forcing Batra's health workers to monitor tuberculosis patients via cellphone.
"Phones are ubiquitous. In India people say there are more phones than toilets," she says."That's what is really working for us."
Her contact tracers now cajole TB patients into taking their daily medicines over the phone.
"So here's what our health workers are doing," she says. "Suppose they give medicines for a week on Sunday. Monday morning they'll call up after breakfast, 'Hey, guy, you had your breakfast. Have you had your meds or not?' If he says no, 'Why not?' "
Now Operation Asha has also started to screen patients for COVID-19 over the phone. The health workers have a questionnaire on a tablet and can ask a potential contact a series of questions to determine if that person should be referred to a clinic for testing.
Batra says at a time when people are out of work, this new work on the coronavirus is providing jobs that can be done from home.
"And there is no requirement for any degree at all if you are able to read or write a little bit," she says. "There are so many people who want jobs right now. So many people would be willing to come forward. They are doing something good. They're serving the community. And they will get a little payment for it."
As the U.S. looks to contain the coronavirus so that the economy can start to reopen, Raj Panjabi says contact tracing could be a win-win.
"If we're going to be successful in achieving viral suppression in the United States and maintaining viral suppression so that we can reopen the economy, where are the hundreds of thousands of American [contact tracers] going to come from?" Panjabi asks. "One possible way is to actually hire Americans who've been unemployed by this pandemic and put them to work."


npr--2020-04-22--America Weighs Health Versus Economy, As Divide Grows On When To Reopen

America Weighs Health Versus Economy , As Divide Grows On When To Reopen The tension in America between the national government and states ' rights is as old as the republic itself .
That tension is about to play out in a starkly political way and on a grand scale over the next several weeks , as states consider how to reopen their states in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic .
President Trump seems to be itching for states to reopen — frankly , faster than his own administration 's guidelines recommend .
Trump touted at Tuesday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 states are making plans to reopen .
`` They 're going to be doing it safely , '' he said .
`` They 're going to be doing it with tremendous passion . ''
Trump has been excusing protesters , who are n't abiding by social distancing guidelines , and his own attorney general is saying he might support going after states with rules that , in his view , go `` too far . ''
`` We have to give businesses more freedom to operate in a way that 's reasonably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hugh Hewitt 's radio show .
`` To the extent that governors do n't and impinge on either civil rights or on the national commerce — our common market that we have here — then we 'll have to address that . ''
Already , a red state-blue state divide is emerging .
Democratic-led states , like New York , California and Michigan , are taking a slow approach to reopening , putting emphasis on health and citing data on testing , hospitalizations and deaths as guideposts .
Republican-led ones are stressing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason .
A Pew Research poll that found 43 % of Americans say they have lost jobs or wages because of coronavirus shutdowns .
But the question is how fast is too fast ?
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp is facing criticism for announcing that by the end of the week `` gyms , fitness centers , bowling alleys , body art studios , barbers , cosmetologists , hair designers , nail care artists , estheticians , their respective schools & massage therapists '' can reopen .
Various mayors around the state questioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and `` irresponsible . ''
Atlanta 's mayor said she was `` at a loss . ''
President Trump said Tuesday he would be speaking with Kemp , calling him `` very capable , '' and said he would ask him whether people who would be frequenting some of these businesses would get tested first .
But there is no plan for widespread testing in Georgia .
Everyone wants the country back open .
But Georgia and other states that are reopening are about to become experiments in uncharted water .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill the void at least temporarily likely set to pass another — expensive — relief package Thursday .
The briefing in brief : Here are highlights from Tuesday 's White House coronavirus task force briefing : • Georgia reopening : Kemp 's announced plans to end his state 's shutdown do n't meet the administration 's recommended benchmark of a two-week decline in new cases , as suggested in Trump 's `` Opening Up America Again '' guidelines .
When pressed by reporters on how the state could responsibly allow services like hair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close proximity to one another , to open , coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx sidestepped the question .
`` If there is a way that people can social distance and do those things , then they can do those things , '' she said .
`` I do n't know how , but people are very creative . ''
• 60-day immigration moratorium : Trump said Tuesday an executive order to shut down U.S. immigration is coming Wednesday .
Trump said it would be a 60-day suspension that `` will put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as America reopens . ''
He added that the move is about jobs and health care resources .
The order will have exemptions , he said , including for farmers .
The move plays to Trump 's anti-immigration instincts .
He 's showed a willingness to build walls and tighten who can come into the country in good economic times — and bad .
• Trump misleads about protests : Trump misled on a couple points related to the anti-coronavirus-restrictions protests in various states : First , many of the protesters are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's kind of the point of the protests .
And yet , Trump said Tuesday , `` They 're doing social distancing if you can believe it .
...
The groups I have seen have been very much spread out . ''
Who knows what the president has seen , or says he 's seen , but this is just not true , writ large .
• Second , polls have shown that most Americans are more concerned that the country would reopen too soon ( rather than too slowly ) : Pew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — 60 % , NBC/WSJ -- 58 % .
And yet Trump claimed a false equivalence during Tuesday 's briefing : `` People want to make a living ; they want to get back to work ; they do n't want to do this .
You have a lot of people anxious about getting back to work .
...
There are two groups – they 're big groups , both of them . ''
They 're hardly equal .
What 's more , less than a quarter in the YouGov poll said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing warning : Dr. Stephen Hahn , commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , said that four antibody tests have been FDA approved , but he warned that 140 others are pursuing approval .
He 's concerned with tests that are not approved claiming they are — and potentially giving people a false sense of security if that test shows them to have antibodies .
That said , it has n't been proven yet that people who get it are immune from getting it again .
• Itching for Ivy money back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its acceptance of $ 9 million in aid from the coronavirus relief fund .
Tying the university 's aid to a recent small business loan accepted and ultimately returned by burger giant Shake Shack , Trump said he was going to ask the school to repay the money .
Harvard clarified after the briefing that the funds it received did not come from the small business fund and that it plans to allocate the entirety of the federal funds it received to student financial assistance following a backlash .
Harvard 's endowment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• North Korea : Trump responded to reports that North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un was in failing health , saying he did not know more about the dictator 's status .
`` We do n't know , '' he said .
`` We do n't know .
I 've had a very good relationship with him .
I can only say this , I wish him well . ''
Over the years , Trump has oscillated between praise and harsh condemnation of Kim , publicly describing him both as `` heedless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as recently as December .
It was odd and revealing that Trump seemed to be relying on public news reports — rather than the best information of what might be known from the intelligence community .
Quote of the briefing : '' I look forward to comparing my numbers to my children 's numbers .
I think I 'll do better . ''
-- President Trump commenting on furloughs of workers at the Trump Organization operationally run by his children , Don Jr. and Eric .
But Trump did n't stay out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses is in Florida , and he noted that with no revenue coming in , it 's hard to keep people employed , and he added , `` Florida , you ca n't use golf courses .
That one , I 'm not sure I agree with . ''
NIH Panel Recommends Against Drug Combination Trump Has Promoted For COVID-19 Without any proof of whether they work , President Trump has repeatedly advocated use of a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat COVID-19 patients .
`` What do you have to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a panel convened by the agency run by Dr. Anthony Fauci , is recommending doctors not prescribe the combination of drugs because they increase the risk of sudden cardiac death .
After The ICU , Many COVID-19 Survivors Face A Long Recovery For many survivors of the disease caused by the coronavirus , full recovery may never come , with long-term impacts ranging from organ damage to PTSD .
What Happens If U.S. Reopens Too Fast ?
Documents Show Federal Coronavirus Projections Some 300,000 Americans could die — more than triple current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures are abandoned , federal health experts estimated in early April .
Timeline : What Trump Has Said And Done About The Coronavirus Trump 's message has been like pinball when it comes to coronavirus .
Follow the bouncing ball on what he 's said and done with this useful timeline .

America Weighs Health Versus Economy, As Divide Grows On When To Reopen
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Bazemore/AP John Bazemore/AP
Loading...
The tension in America between the national government and states' rights is as old as the republic itself. That tension is about to play out in a starkly political way and on a grand scale over the next several weeks, as states consider how to reopen in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
President Trump seems to be itching for states to reopen — frankly, faster than his own administration's guidelines recommend.
Trump touted at Tuesday's White House coronavirus task force briefing that 20 states are making plans to reopen. "They're going to be doing it safely," he said. "They're going to be doing it with tremendous passion."
Trump has been excusing protesters, who aren't abiding by social distancing guidelines, and his own attorney general is saying he might support going after states with rules that, in his view, go "too far."
"We have to give businesses more freedom to operate in a way that's reasonably safe," Attorney General William Barr said on conservative Hugh Hewitt's radio show. "To the extent that governors don't and impinge on either civil rights or on the national commerce — our common market that we have here — then we'll have to address that."
Already, a red state-blue state divide is emerging. Democratic-led states, like New York, California and Michigan, are taking a slow approach to reopening, putting emphasis on health and citing data on testing, hospitalizations and deaths as guideposts.
Republican-led states are stressing the massive economic toll — and with good reason. A Pew Research poll found that 43% of Americans say they have lost jobs or wages because of coronavirus shutdowns.
But the question is, how fast is too fast?
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is facing criticism for announcing that by the end of the week "gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, estheticians, their respective schools & massage therapists" can reopen.
Various mayors around the state questioned the decision, calling it "reckless" and "irresponsible." Atlanta's mayor said she was "at a loss."
Trump said Tuesday he would be speaking with Kemp, calling him "very capable," and said he would ask him whether people who would be frequenting some of these businesses would get tested first. But there is no plan for widespread testing in Georgia.
Everyone wants the country back open. But Georgia and other states that are reopening are about to become experiments in uncharted water.
In the meantime, Congress, trying to fill the void at least temporarily, is likely set to pass another — expensive — relief package Thursday.
The briefing in brief:
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Here are highlights from Tuesday's White House coronavirus task force briefing:
Georgia reopening: Kemp's announced plans to end his state's shutdown don't meet the administration's recommended benchmark of a two-week decline in new cases, as suggested in Trump's "Opening Up America Again" guidelines. When pressed by reporters on how the state could responsibly allow services like hair salons, which necessitate people being in close proximity to one another, to reopen, coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx sidestepped the question. "If there is a way that people can social distance and do those things, then they can do those things," she said. "I don't know how, but people are very creative."
60-day immigration moratorium: Trump said Tuesday an executive order to shut down U.S. immigration is coming Wednesday. Trump said it would be a 60-day suspension that "will put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens." He added that the move is about jobs and health care resources. The order will have exemptions, he said, including for farmers. The move plays to Trump's anti-immigration instincts. He's showed a willingness to build walls and tighten who can come into the country in good economic times — and bad.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Roberson/AP Jeff Roberson/AP
Trump misleads about protests: Trump misled on a couple points related to the anti-coronavirus-restrictions protests in various states. First, many of the protesters are not social distancing; in fact, that's kind of the point of the protests. And yet, Trump said Tuesday, "They're doing social distancing if you can believe it. ... The groups I have seen have been very much spread out." Who knows what the president has seen, or says he's seen, but this is just not true, writ large.
Second, polls have shown that most Americans are more concerned that the country would reopen too soon (rather than too slowly): Pew Research Center — 66%, Yahoo/YouGov — 60%, NBC/WSJ — 58%. And yet Trump claimed a false equivalence during Tuesday's briefing: "People want to make a living; they want to get back to work; they don't want to do this. You have a lot of people anxious about getting back to work. ... There are two groups — they're big groups, both of them." They're hardly equal. What's more, less than a quarter in the YouGov poll said they supported the protesters.
An antibody testing warning: Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said that four antibody tests have been FDA-approved, but he warned that 140 others are pursuing approval. He's concerned with tests that are not approved claiming they are — and potentially giving people a false sense of security if that test shows them to have antibodies. That said, it hasn't been proven yet that people who get COVID-19 are immune from getting it again.
Itching for Ivy money back: President Trump went after Harvard University for its acceptance of $9 million in aid from the coronavirus relief fund. Tying the university's aid to a recent small business loan accepted and ultimately returned by burger giant Shake Shack, Trump said he was going to ask the school to repay the money. Harvard clarified after the briefing that the funds it received did not come from the small business fund and that it plans to allocate the entirety of the federal funds it received to student financial assistance following a backlash. Harvard's endowment is valued at nearly $41 billion.
North Korea: Trump responded to reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was in failing health, saying he did not know more about the dictator's status. "We don't know," he said. "We don't know. I've had a very good relationship with him. I can only say this, I wish him well." Over the years, Trump has oscillated between praise and harsh condemnation of Kim, publicly describing him both as "heedless and erratic" and "smart" as recently as December. It was odd and revealing that Trump seemed to be relying on public news reports — rather than the best information of what might be known from the intelligence community.
Quote of the briefing:
"I look forward to comparing my numbers to my children's numbers. I think I'll do better."
— President Trump commenting on furloughs of workers at the Trump Organization, operationally run by sons Don Jr. and Eric. But Trump didn't stay out of it completely. One of his golf courses is in Florida, and he noted that with no revenue coming in, it's hard to keep people employed. He added, "Florida, you can't use golf courses. That one, I'm not sure I agree with."
Other key coronavirus stories from NPR:
NIH Panel Recommends Against Drug Combination Trump Has Promoted For COVID-19
Without any proof of whether it works, President Trump has repeatedly advocated use of a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat COVID-19 patients. "What do you have to lose?" Trump has asked. Well, a panel convened by the agency run by Dr. Anthony Fauci is recommending doctors not prescribe the combination of drugs because it increases the risk of sudden cardiac death.
After The ICU, Many COVID-19 Survivors Face A Long Recovery
For many survivors of the disease caused by the coronavirus, full recovery may never come, with long-term impacts ranging from organ damage to PTSD.
What Happens If U.S. Reopens Too Fast? Documents Show Federal Coronavirus Projections
Some 300,000 Americans could die — more than triple current estimates — from COVID-19 if social distancing measures are abandoned, federal health experts estimated in early April.
Timeline: What Trump Has Said And Done About The Coronavirus
Trump's message has been like pinball when it comes to the coronavirus. Follow the bouncing ball on what he's said and done with this useful timeline.


npr--2020-04-22--Biden And Trump Battle Over Who Is 'Weak On China'

Biden And Trump Battle Over Who Is 'Weak On China' '' Nobody has been tougher on China than me , '' President Trump proclaimed at Tuesday 's coronavirus briefing .
When the Trump administration has been criticized for how it has handled the coronavirus outbreak , the president has been inclined at times to blame the Chinese , and then accuse his Democratic opponent Joe Biden of being `` weak on China . ''
Biden 's campaign has been trying to turn that argument back on Trump , seeing lots of material to work with as the president has touted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A side effect of the coronavirus outbreak is that China has become a powerful election year issue .
Who 's `` tough on China '' has taken on a broader political meaning , with a fight not just about long-standing trade and labor concerns , but also a global health pandemic originating in that country and whether the U.S. response was adequate .
A recent ad from a super PAC supporting Donald Trump plays menacing music as a narrator warns the audience that `` for 40 years Joe Biden has been wrong about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his son Hunter flashes across the screen , and the ad ends with an image of the Chinese flag billowing over Biden 's face .
The Trump campaign has often pointed to Hunter Biden 's past business dealings in China as evidence of corruption ; and the focus on China allows them to dive back into broader criticism of the younger Biden 's foreign business dealings .
After that ad aired , the Biden campaign responded with one of its own saying , `` Trump rolled over for the Chinese . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January and February as the coronavirus spread across the world , '' the narrator says as images of Trump flash across the screen .
That followed an ad from the Democratic super PAC American Bridge criticizing Trump for `` giving China his trust . ''
But this `` who 's tougher on China '' ad war began in earnest with an inflammatory video the Trump campaign released in early April that implied that Gary Locke , the former governor of Washington and U.S. ambassador to Beijing , was Chinese , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad showed an image of Biden clinking wine glasses with China 's leader Xi Jinping as it warned viewers that `` Biden protected China 's feelings . ''
The tit-for-tat is indicative of how China has become a central campaign issue .
But perhaps more importantly , it shows how there seems to be bipartisan agreement that being a strongman image against China has political benefit .
A recent report from the Pew Research Center finds that more Americans have a negative attitude toward China now than at any point since they began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling shows that two-thirds of Americans now have a negative view of China ; that compares to just 47 % in 2017 .
`` The future is going to involve a lot of second guessing about the relationship between the U.S. and China .
That 's clear , '' said GOP pollster Frank Luntz .
`` Who people finally decide they trust more , I think that 's up for grabs .
He predicts China will be the second most important issue in the presidential campaign , behind only the handling of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , understand that political uncertainty .
`` Both of them are going for the jugular , '' he added .
`` Both of them are trying to show that the other side is weak on China or misinterprets the intentions of China or would handle China badly in the future . ''
Some Trump supporters have begun calling the presumptive Democratic nominee `` Beijing Biden . ''
Many Democrats have praised Biden 's most recent ad as a brilliant show of force that rips apart the president 's attempt to prove that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I am delighted he pushed back , '' said Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg .
`` I think it 's right to define the issue and say we 're not going to take punches on this question . ''
Greenberg said Biden needed to respond to Trump 's attempt to `` rewrite history '' on China , specifically at the outset of the pandemic .
`` It 's going to make it difficult for [ Trump ] to keep engaging this issue when he 's not been very transparent , and been so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
`` So I think that was an important battle to win early . ''
But he does n't believe that who 's tougher on China is actually the framework in which the general election will be waged .
The escalation of these ads worries Christine Chen , executive director of APIAVote , a political engagement group focused on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans .
`` The last six weeks we 've seen an increase of hate crimes , hate incidences , blaming of anyone that looks of Asian or Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned that both Biden and Trump 's ads have exacerbated the environment .
`` I understand the natural instinct is for a campaign to respond to another campaign or another ad , '' she said , referring to Biden 's recent China ad .
But Chen think the tone was a mistake .
`` I do n't think Biden was intending to be xenophobic , '' she added .
`` But , at the same time , I think it was a misstep . ''
A couple of other Democratic activists NPR spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Biden , they say , had stooped to Trump 's level .
They felt that Trump consistently used xenophobic language , but Biden 's ad troubled them because , intentional or not , it seemed to engage in similar language .
They pointed to a specific line in the ad about Trump 's travel ban where the narrator says : `` Trump let in 40,000 travelers from China into America after he signed it .
Not exactly airtight . ''
`` It 's not a race to see who can be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Alton Wang , a Los Angeles-based community activist .
`` I think it 's a race to see who could be a more competent president . ''
In a statement , the Biden campaign pointed out that it has `` held Donald Trump 's feet to the fire over his use of xenophobic labels . ''
The statement also said , in part , `` Our ad levels substantive and deserved criticisms at Donald Trump for believing discredited Chinese government propaganda about containment of the virus something Joe Biden publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Biden And Trump Battle Over Who Is 'Weak On China'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Rourke, Patrick Semansky/AP Matt Rourke, Patrick Semansky/AP
"Nobody has been tougher on China than me," President Trump proclaimed at Tuesday's coronavirus briefing.
When the Trump administration has been criticized for how it has handled the coronavirus outbreak, the president has been inclined at times to blame the Chinese and then accuse his Democratic opponent Joe Biden of being "weak on China."
Biden's campaign has been trying to turn that argument back on Trump, seeing lots of material to work with as the president has touted an improved trading relationship with China.
A side effect of the coronavirus outbreak is that China has become a powerful election year issue. Who's "tough on China" has taken on a broader political meaning, with a fight not just about longstanding trade and labor concerns, but also a global health pandemic originating in that country and whether the U.S. response was adequate.
A recent ad from a super PAC supporting Trump plays menacing music as a narrator warns the audience that "for 40 years Joe Biden has been wrong about China."
America First Action Super PAC YouTube
An image of Biden with his son Hunter flashes across the screen, and the ad ends with an image of the Chinese flag billowing over Biden's face. The Trump campaign has often pointed to Hunter Biden's past business dealings in China as evidence of corruption, and the focus on China allows it to dive back into broader criticism of the younger Biden's foreign business dealings.
After that ad aired, the Biden campaign responded with one of its own, saying: "Trump rolled over for the Chinese."
"Trump praised the Chinese 15 times in January and February as the coronavirus spread across the world," the narrator says as images of Trump flash across the screen.
That followed an ad from the Democratic super PAC American Bridge criticizing Trump for "giving China his trust."
But this "who's tougher on China" ad war began in earnest with an inflammatory video the Trump campaign released in early April that implied that Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington and U.S. ambassador to Beijing, was Chinese, even though he was born in Seattle.
That ad showed an image of Biden clinking wine glasses with China's leader Xi Jinping as it warned viewers that "Biden protected China's feelings."
The tit for tat is indicative of how China has become a central campaign issue. But perhaps more importantly, it shows how there seems to be bipartisan agreement that projecting a strongman image against China has political benefit.
A recent report from the Pew Research Center finds that more Americans have a negative attitude toward China now than at any other point since they began tracking this question in 2006. The polling shows that two-thirds of Americans now have a negative view of China; that compares to just 47% in 2017.
"The future is going to involve a lot of second-guessing about the relationship between the U.S. and China. That's clear," said GOP pollster Frank Luntz. "Who people finally decide they trust more, I think that's up for grabs."
He predicts that China will be the second-most important issue in the presidential campaign, behind only the handling of COVID-19.
And both campaigns, Luntz says, understand that political uncertainty.
"Both of them are going for the jugular," he added. "Both of them are trying to show that the other side is weak on China or misinterprets the intentions of China or would handle China badly in the future."
Some Trump supporters have begun calling the presumptive Democratic nominee "Beijing Biden."
Many Democrats have praised Biden's most recent ad as a brilliant show of force that rips apart the president's attempt to prove that he held China accountable for the virus.
"I am delighted he pushed back," said Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. "I think it's right to define the issue and say we're not going to take punches on this question."
Greenberg said Biden needed to respond to Trump's attempt to "rewrite history" on China, specifically at the outset of the pandemic.
"It's going to make it difficult for [Trump] to keep engaging this issue when he's not been very transparent, and been so weak in dealing with China," he added. "So I think that was an important battle to win early."
But he doesn't believe that who's tougher on China is actually the framework in which the general election will be waged.
The escalation of these ads worries Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, a political engagement group focused on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.
"The last six weeks we've seen an increase of hate crimes, hate incidences, blaming of anyone that looks of Asian or Chinese," she said. Chen is concerned that both Biden and Trump's ads have exacerbated the environment.
"I understand the natural instinct is for a campaign to respond to another campaign or another ad," she said, referring to Biden's recent China ad.
But Chen thinks the tone was a mistake. "I don't think Biden was intending to be xenophobic," she added. "But at the same time, I think it was a misstep."
A couple of other Democratic activists NPR spoke with were far more critical, wondering why Biden, they say, had stooped to Trump's level. They felt that Trump consistently used xenophobic language, but Biden's ad troubled them because, intentional or not, it seemed to engage in similar language.
They pointed to a specific line in the ad about Trump's travel ban where the narrator says: "Trump let in 40,000 travelers from China into America after he signed it. Not exactly airtight."
"It's not a race to see who can be more tough on China or the Chinese people," said Alton Wang, a Los Angeles-based community activist. "I think it's a race to see who could be a more competent president."
In a statement, the Biden campaign pointed out that it has "held Donald Trump's feet to the fire over his use of xenophobic labels."
The statement also said, in part, "Our ad levels substantive and deserved criticisms at Donald Trump for believing discredited Chinese government propaganda about containment of the virus, something Joe Biden publicly warned him not to fall for."


npr--2020-04-22--Earth Day At 50: Climate Activists Go Digital Amid Pandemic Shutdown

Updated at 6:51 a.m .
ET Former President Richard Nixon celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970 by planting a tree on the White House South Lawn .
An enormous turnout of some 20 million people across the country attended Earth Day festivities , putting the fight against pollution on the political agenda .
That year Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency , and went on to sign the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act with broad bipartisan support .
50 years later , the biggest environmental challenge is climate change , something most had never heard about back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not possible amid the global coronavirus pandemic , so Earth Day has moved online .
Millions of people around the world are expected to take part in the anniversary of what organizers call `` the largest secular observance in the world . ''
President Trump and the First Lady also take part in a tree planting ceremony at the White House today .
Last year Trump 's Earth Day message did not mention climate change , and at times he 's even denounced the issue as a hoax .
In fact , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump directed his administration to work on a financial aid plan for the oil and gas industry , which has been hit hard by global shutdowns to address the pandemic .
`` The oil and gas industry spent millions to elect Trump in 2016 , and they 're getting exactly what they paid for , '' responded Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner Jack Shapiro .
He thinks that `` not a cent of taxpayer money should go to the corporations that created and profited from the climate crisis . ''
It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration plans to give oil companies .
`` We originally envisioned [ this ] Earth Day as a really critical turning point for the movement , '' says Naina Agrawal-Hardin , a 17-year-old high school junior from Ann Arbor , Michigan .
She is one of the young climate change activists the world has heard a lot from over the last year-and-a-half as they organized a series of school climate strikes .
They 've been galvanized by a series of scientific reports warning that the world must dramatically reduce carbon emissions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid the most catastrophic climate impacts .
`` Obviously now our plans have had to pivot .
We can not have millions of people in the streets , '' says Agrawal-Hardin .
She 's working with a coalition of 500 organizations that organized three days of online events , including teach-ins , virtual protests and a campaign to encourage young people to vote in November .
A group called Earth Day Network plans `` 24 hours of action '' that invites digital activists to participate in hourly campaigns `` to demand action and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic the group had much bigger plans .
`` For two years , the Earth Day Network patiently laid the groundwork for gigantic crowds in 180 nations , '' wrote Denis Hayes in the Seattle Times .
He organized the first Earth Day and founded the Earth Day Network .
`` The goal was to build an irresistible worldwide force to demand a global Green New Deal and , ultimately , solve the climate crisis , '' wrote Hayes .
Instead he 's encouraging people to stay home this year , participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earth '' in November .
Conservative climate change activists also have moved their plans online .
Kiera O'Brien was scheduled to speak about attracting young conservatives to the climate movement at the EarthX conference in Dallas .
`` I 'm still speaking at EarthX , but the speeches will now be spread out across the summer , '' says O'Brien , who founded and is president of Young Conservatives for Carbon Dividends .
She plans to spend Earth Day watching the conference live-stream from her home in Alaska .
O'Brien says she 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day than many were expecting , the U.S. economy will recover and — with growing bipartisan support — the country will take action to address climate change .

Earth Day At 50: Climate Activists Go Digital Amid Pandemic Shutdown
Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET
Former President Richard Nixon celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970 by planting a tree on the White House South Lawn. An enormous turnout of some 20 million people across the country attended Earth Day festivities, putting the fight against pollution on the political agenda.
That year Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and went on to sign the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act with broad bipartisan support.
And 50 years later, the biggest environmental challenge is climate change, something most had never heard about back in 1970.
But large gatherings are not possible amid the global coronavirus pandemic, so Earth Day has moved online. Millions of people around the world are expected to take part in the anniversary of what organizers call "the largest secular observance in the world."
President Trump and the first lady also took part in a tree-planting ceremony at the White House. In his Earth Day message, Trump did not mention climate change, though he did tout the U.S. as a world leader in reducing "energy-related carbon dioxide emissions." At times in the past, Trump has denounced climate change as a hoax.
On the eve of this year's anniversary, Trump directed his administration to work on a financial aid plan for the oil and gas industry, which has been hit hard by global shutdowns to address the pandemic.
"The oil and gas industry spent millions to elect Trump in 2016, and they're getting exactly what they paid for," responded Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner Jack Shapiro. He thinks that "not a cent of taxpayer money should go to the corporations that created and profited from the climate crisis."
It's not yet clear exactly what financial help the Trump administration plans to give oil companies.
"Critical turning point"
"We originally envisioned [this] Earth Day as a really critical turning point for the movement," says Naina Agrawal-Hardin, a 17-year-old high school junior from Ann Arbor, Mich.
She is one of the young climate change activists the world has heard a lot from over the past year and a half as they organized a series of school climate strikes.
They've been galvanized by a series of scientific reports warning that the world must dramatically reduce carbon emissions, and soon, if it hopes to avoid the most catastrophic climate impacts.
"Obviously now our plans have had to pivot. We cannot have millions of people in the streets," says Agrawal-Hardin. She's working with a coalition of 500 organizations that organized three days of online events, including teach-ins, virtual protests and a campaign to encourage young people to vote in November.
A group called Earth Day Network plans "24 hours of action" that invites digital activists to participate in hourly campaigns "to demand action and drive change."
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the group had much bigger plans.
"For two years, the Earth Day Network patiently laid the groundwork for gigantic crowds in 180 nations," wrote Denis Hayes in The Seattle Times. He organized the first Earth Day and founded the Earth Day Network.
"The goal was to build an irresistible worldwide force to demand a global Green New Deal and, ultimately, solve the climate crisis," Hayes wrote. Instead he's encouraging people to stay home this year, participate in virtual activities and "vote for the earth" in November.
Conservative climate change activists also have moved their plans online. Kiera O'Brien was scheduled to speak about attracting young conservatives to the climate movement at the EarthX conference in Dallas.
"I'm still speaking at EarthX, but the speeches will now be spread out across the summer," says O'Brien, who founded and is president of Young Conservatives for Carbon Dividends.
She plans to spend Earth Day watching the conference livestream from her home in Alaska.
O'Brien says she's optimistic that despite a much different Earth Day than many were expecting, the U.S. economy will recover and — with growing bipartisan support — the country will take action to address climate change.


npr--2020-04-22--Is The U.S. Testing Enough For COVID-19? As Debate Rages On, Here's How To Know

Is The U.S .
Testing Enough For COVID-19 ?
As Debate Rages On , Here 's How To Know When it comes to testing for COVID-19 , there are two competing narratives .
The Trump administration claims the U.S. has been doing well and has enough testing capacity .
`` By our best estimates , we have enough testing capacity today for every state in America to go to Phase 1 , '' Vice President Pence said Monday night at a White House press briefing , referring to the administration 's guidelines for gradually reopening the nation .
But many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state leaders disagree .
Earlier this week , Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan said during a CNN interview that a lack of testing is a problem and `` has been since the beginning of the crisis . ''
His administration bought 500,000 tests from South Korea to ramp up his state 's testing capacity .
But how much testing is enough ?
How would state or community leaders know they 're doing enough testing to safely start to lift shelter-in-place restrictions and reopen businesses ?
Widespread testing is key to helping communities quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolate their contacts .
This strategy can help prevent more waves of illness .
While it 's true that 2.3 million tests have been conducted in the U.S. since the beginning of March , according to the CDC , public health experts say we need much more testing .
There 's no exact number to aim for , but here 's a guiding principle : `` You want a [ low ] percent of your tests to be coming back positive , '' says William Hanage , an epidemiologist at Harvard .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % or perhaps even lower , based on recommendations from the World Health Organization .
Why ?
If a high percentage of tests come back positive , it 's clear there 's not enough testing to capture all of the infected people in the community .
`` The lower the percentage of tests you 're doing that come back positive , the better , '' Hanage says .
Some countries that have done extensive testing , have positive rates near this 10 % benchmark , or lower .
South Korea is `` testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are positive , '' said Rochelle Walensky , an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital , during a livestream hosted by the medical journal , JAMA .
But , so far the U.S. appears to fall short of this benchmark .
Nationally , according to CDC data about 18 % of tests have been positive to date , and 21 % were positive in the week ending April 11 .
In fact the percent of positives grew that week , in tests from all types of labs — clinical labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Among commercial labs which account for the bulk of the tests , it rose by from about 21 % to about 23 % .
Among states , the picture is mixed .
Some are higher than average , such as Massachusetts which has ranged from a 24 % to 31 % positive rate in recent days , according to a spokesperson for the health department .
`` That means we have an extraordinary high pre-test probability of having disease , '' Walensky said of Massachusetts .
`` And that 's really just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test more . ''
The picture is similar in New York .
Over the seven days , data from New York state shows about 1 in 3 tests have been positive .
In Georgia , the state has reported more than 88,000 tests with a 23 % positive rate .
Gov .
Brian Kemp announced at a news conference Monday that he 's taking steps to reopen Georgia 's economy , starting this Friday .
He cited `` favorable data , enhanced testing and approval of our health care professionals . ''
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Ohio , out of around 91,000 total Covid-19 tests , the state has confirmed nearly 14 % to be positive .
In South Carolina , a state where the governor issued executive orders on Monday allowing beaches and some retail stores to reopen , the state has documented that about 11 % of tests are positive out of more than 41,000 tests .
And the proportion of those testing positive for COVID-19 in Florida is 10 % of more than 277,000 tests .
Of course , even if a state currently shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could still surge in places where testing has been inadequate .
The criteria to move to Phase 1 of reopening include a sustained , 14-day decline in new cases COVID-19 and a decline in hospitalizations .
Nationally , testing has increased in recent weeks .
According to the CDC , nearly 700,000 tests were completed last week .
But the U.S. is not yet near the 10 % positive benchmark .
Admiral Brett Giroir , a member of President Trump 's coronavirus task force acknowledged the importance of this benchmark .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get about one positive for every 10 tests , '' he said during the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing Monday night .
But he also pointed to the need for expanded testing in communities that may have vulnerable populations .
Early on in this epidemic , the priority was to test hospitalized patients and health care workers .
Now , there 's a growing recognition that it 's also important to test in higher risk communities , where there may be people infected who may not be symptomatic .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under-served populations , particularly in inner cities and urban areas , '' Giroir said .
He points to multiple factors , including more people doing the kinds of jobs that do not allow them to work from home , crowded conditions and a higher prevalence of underlying health conditions , that may put these communities at higher risk .
He also pointed to nursing homes and Native American communities .
Meanwhile , hospital administrators continue to report shortages of the supplies needed to complete COVID-19 tests .
`` We 're only able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day because of limitations in supplies like swabs ... chemical reagents that actually do the test '' said Bruce Meyer of Jefferson Health , which operates 14 hospitals in and around Philadelphia in an interview with NPR Tuesday .
`` So our capacity to test is really limited . ''

Which States Are Doing Enough Testing? This Benchmark Helps Settle The Debate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images
Updated 11:35 a.m. ET
When it comes to testing for COVID-19, there are two competing narratives. The Trump administration claims the U.S. has been doing well and has enough testing capacity, for states to begin to enter the first phase of the White House plan for reopening.
But many public health officials, hospital administrators and state leaders disagree.
Earlier this week, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said during a CNN interview that a lack of testing is a problem and "has been since the beginning of the crisis."
Widespread testing is key to helping communities quickly identify infected people, and trace and isolate their contacts. This strategy can help prevent more waves of illness.
But how much testing is enough?
There's no exact number to aim for, but here's a guiding principle: You want a low percentage of your tests to come back positive, around 10% or even lower, says William Hanage, an epidemiologist at Harvard.
That 10% benchmark is based on recommendations from the World Health Organization. Why should positives be low? If a high percentage of tests come back positive, it's clear there's not enough testing to capture all of the infected people in the community. "The lower the percentage of tests you're doing that come back positive, the better," Hanage says.
Some countries that have done extensive testing have positive rates near this 10% benchmark, or lower. South Korea is "testing so many people that only 3% of them are positive," said Rochelle Walensky, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, during a livestream hosted by the medical journal JAMA.
But, so far the U.S. appears to fall short of this benchmark. Nationally, according to CDC data, about 18% of tests have been positive to date, and 21% were positive in the week ending April 11.
The U.S. has one of the highest percentages of confirmed cases versus tests conducted globally, according to Our World In Data, an online platform published by Oxford University.
In fact, the percent of positives increased the week that ended April 11, in tests from all types of labs — clinical labs, public health labs and commercial labs. Among commercial labs, which account for the bulk of the tests, it rose by from about 21% to about 23%.
Among states, the picture is mixed. Some are higher than average, such as Massachusetts, which has ranged from a 24% to 31% positive rate in recent days, according to a spokesperson for the health department.
"That means we have an extraordinary high pre-test probability of having disease," Walensky said of Massachusetts. "And that's really just because we don't have capacity to test more."
The picture is similar in New York. Over the seven days, data from New York state shows about 1 in 3 tests have been positive.
In Georgia, the state has reported more than 88,000 tests with a 23% positive rate. Gov. Brian Kemp announced at a news conference Monday that he's taking steps to reopen Georgia's economy, starting Friday. He cited "favorable data, enhanced testing and approval of our health care professionals."
Other states are reporting lower positive rates. In Ohio, out of around 91,000 total COVID-19 tests, the state has confirmed nearly 14% to be positive. In South Carolina, a state where the governor issued executive orders on Monday allowing beaches and some retail stores to reopen, the state has documented that about 11% of tests are positive out of more than 41,000 tests. And the proportion of those testing positive for COVID-19 in Florida is 10% of more than 277,000 tests.
Of course, even if a state currently shows a low percentage of positives, infections could still surge in places where testing has been inadequate. And this benchmark is not the only factor that states need to consider. The criteria to move to Phase 1 of reopening include a sustained, 14-day decline in new cases of COVID-19 and a decline in hospitalizations. And many public health leaders say states need to have enough resources to ramp up contact tracing before opening up, which many don't yet have.
Nationally, testing has increased in recent weeks. According to the CDC, nearly 700,000 tests were completed last week. But the U.S. is not yet near the 10% positive benchmark.
Admiral Brett Giroir, a member of President Trump's coronavirus task force, acknowledged the importance of this benchmark. "This is a good metric that you want to get about one positive for every 10 tests," he said during the White House coronavirus task force briefing Monday night.
But he also pointed to the need for expanded testing in communities that may have vulnerable populations.
Early on in this epidemic, the priority was to test hospitalized patients and health care workers. Now, there's a growing recognition that it's also important to test in higher-risk communities, where there may be people infected who may not be symptomatic.
"We are going to focus ... on the underserved populations, particularly in inner cities and urban areas," Giroir said.
He points to multiple factors, including more people doing the kinds of jobs that do not allow them to work from home, crowded conditions and a higher prevalence of underlying health conditions, that may put these communities at higher risk. He also pointed to nursing homes and Native American communities.
Meanwhile, hospital administrators continue to report shortages of the supplies needed to complete COVID-19 tests.
"We're only able to do approximately 1,000 to 1,200 tests a day because of limitations in supplies like swabs ... chemical reagents that actually do the test," said Dr. Bruce Meyer of Jefferson Health, which operates 14 hospitals in and around Philadelphia, in an interview with NPR Tuesday. "So our capacity to test is really limited."
Carmel Wroth and Pien Huang contributed to this report.


npr--2020-04-22--Coronavirus Response Shows How A National Crisis Can Again Transform Politics

Coronavirus Response Shows How A National Crisis Can Again Transform Politics Just like the coronavirus pandemic could permanently change daily life in America , from hand washing habits to telework , it also has the potential to transform the country 's politics in profound ways .
`` This crisis is a time machine to the future , '' says Anne-Marie Slaughter , CEO of New America and a former director of policy planning at the State Department during the Obama administration .
`` I think we 'll look back and see that this was like the Great Depression or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make big policy change that seemed just too hard even two months ago . ''
After every big national crisis in America , the federal government has emerged with a new , greater role .
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel , who as President Obama 's chief of staff during the Great Recession famously said `` never allow a good crisis go to waste , '' points out that after the Civil War came land grant colleges and the national railway system ; after the Great Depression came rural electrification and Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cold War President Eisenhower proposed a national highway system — all big federal investments that changed the fabric of life across the country .
The current pandemic and expected recession could result in a new , expanded role for the federal government again .
Big policy changes could also rearrange traditional political divisions , now that Republicans in the Senate have voted unanimously for policies they 've opposed in the past , like paid sick leave , a guaranteed minimum income , student debt relief protections for renters and support for gig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive package of federal help for ordinary people is only temporary , but Democrats are hoping that not all of it is .
`` Suddenly , in a crisis like this , people realize across the political spectrum that unless we can provide a floor , the whole economy can crash , '' said Slaughter , noting the potential for permanent changes to the political debate .
`` That paid sick leave is not about coddling workers .
It 's about making sure that sick workers do n't come to work and infect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if workers have no money to spend , the economy ca n't function . ''
Democrats have advocated many of these policies for decades .
But now that Congress has approved the largest federal intervention in the economy since the creation of Medicare , they see a new opportunity to push for big investments in modern digital infrastructure like 5G , a better public health system , universal health insurance that does n't disappear when you lose your job , and a stronger social safety net .
Former Clinton White House aide Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this way : `` The COVID-19 pandemic has been a brutal x-ray of the weaknesses of our social safety net in dealing with national emergencies .
We should n't be caught flat-footed by the next emergency any more than we should be caught flat-footed with a nearly empty national health emergency reserve , which was never restocked when it should have been . ''
But Democrats are n't the only ones who see a political opportunity in the pandemic .
The nationalist , populist wing of the Republican Party that 's been warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have gotten a boost .
`` One of the core arguments of the Trump 2016 campaign is that in our supply chains and our manufacturing economy , we 'd become too dependent on a globalized world , especially China , '' said conservative J.D .
Vance , the author of Hillbilly Elegy .
`` It turns out that if you want to have an economy that can weather a crisis , you actually have to be able to make some core things yourself , whether it 's wireless technology , whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and hospital masks . ''
And that 's exactly the argument that you 're hearing from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro , President Trump 's pandemic equipment czar .
`` If there 's any vindication of the president 's 'Buy American , secure borders and a strong manufacturing base ' philosophy , strategy and belief , it is this crisis , '' Navarro said a White House press briefing earlier this month .
On trade , the pandemic gives a clear advantage to the anti-globalists in the GOP led by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role of the federal government , while Democrats know what they want , Republicans are n't so sure , according to Henry Olsen , a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington .
`` I think the debate within the Republican Party over what it stands for has been heating up , and the pandemic is going to kick it into overdrive , '' Olsen said .
`` You 've got the people who are holding onto the neo-libertarian version of the past .
But you 've seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is moving more in the direction of engaging the Democrats on their core issue , which is how do we help people rather than saying the government ca n't help people . ''
He added , `` I think you 'll see that debate ramp up once we return to more normal politics after the lockdowns are over .
Then , I think the battle in the Republican Party is going to be fierce . ''
There are already lots of splits .
Freshman Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety net , advocating a European-style unemployment backstop , where the federal government would pay companies 80 % of wages to prevent layoffs during the crisis .
Other Republicans , however , support nothing more than the current temporary emergency measures .
And in addition to Tea Party-style protests against the stay-at-home orders , there 's also conservative pushback to the exponential increases in federal spending — even the temporary ones .
Republicans should n't expect to get any guidance from the president on resolving these internal disputes , according to Olsen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually does , he will gyrate between positions that each side can support , '' he said .
`` And if the party does what it usually does , in the short term it will be locked in stasis , trying to figure out which iceberg Trump is going to land on and try to be there . ''
But in the meantime , until Republicans agree on what they stand for , it may be hard for the president and his party to continue to argue that popular programs , like Obamacare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and barrel .
`` I think the appetite for small-government , everyone-is-on-their-own approach to the welfare state , frankly , was always pretty small and it 's gon na be even smaller , I think , over the next couple of years , '' said J.D .
Vance , particularly given the massive numbers of people applying for unemployment benefits , which hit 22 million last week , canceling out nearly all of the job gains since the Great Recession .
How this debate resolves itself depends on how long the pandemic recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs turn out to be .
As Henry Olsen points out , `` If the giant government rescue plan works , it will legitimize government intervention in the economy in a way we have n't seen in decades . ''
Until then , the pandemic has given both parties an opportunity to appeal to the vast number of Americans who will need help from the federal government for some time to come .

Coronavirus Response Shows How A National Crisis Can Again Transform Politics
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Sancya/AP Paul Sancya/AP
Just like the coronavirus pandemic could permanently change daily life in America, from hand washing habits to telework, it also has the potential to transform the country's politics in profound ways.
"This crisis is a time machine to the future," says Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of the think tank New America and a former director of policy planning at the State Department during the Obama administration. "I think we'll look back and see that this was like the Great Depression or a war, and that created political space to make big policy change that seemed just too hard even two months ago."
After every big national crisis in America, the federal government has emerged with a new, greater role.
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who as President Obama's chief of staff during the Great Recession famously said "never allow a good crisis go to waste," points out that after the Civil War came land grant colleges and the national railway system; after the Great Depression came rural electrification and Social Security; and at the height of the Cold War President Eisenhower proposed a national highway system — all big federal investments that changed the fabric of life across the country.
The current pandemic and expected recession could result in a new, expanded role for the federal government again.
Big policy changes could also rearrange traditional political divisions, now that Republicans in the Senate have voted unanimously for policies they've opposed in the past, like paid sick leave, a guaranteed minimum income, student debt relief protections for renters and support for gig economy workers. Of course, this massive package of federal help for ordinary people is only temporary, but Democrats are hoping that not all of it is.
"Suddenly, in a crisis like this, people realize across the political spectrum that unless we can provide a floor, the whole economy can crash," said Slaughter, noting the potential for permanent changes to the political debate. "That paid sick leave is not about coddling workers. It's about making sure that sick workers don't come to work and infect others. People are equally realizing, if workers have no money to spend, the economy can't function."
Democrats have advocated many of these policies for decades. But now that Congress has approved the largest federal intervention in the economy since the creation of Medicare, they see a new opportunity to push for big investments in modern digital infrastructure like 5G, a better public health system, universal health insurance that doesn't disappear when you lose your job, and a stronger social safety net.
Former Clinton White House aide Bill Galston summed up the Democrats' argument this way: "The COVID-19 pandemic has been a brutal x-ray of the weaknesses of our social safety net in dealing with national emergencies. We shouldn't be caught flat-footed by the next emergency any more than we should be caught flat-footed with a nearly empty national health emergency reserve, which was never restocked when it should have been."
But Democrats aren't the only ones who see a political opportunity in the pandemic. The nationalist, populist wing of the Republican Party that's been warning about the dangers of globalization also appears to have gotten a boost.
"One of the core arguments of the Trump 2016 campaign is that in our supply chains and our manufacturing economy, we'd become too dependent on a globalized world, especially China," said conservative J.D. Vance, the author of Hillbilly Elegy. "It turns out that if you want to have an economy that can weather a crisis, you actually have to be able to make some core things yourself, whether it's wireless technology, whether it's pharmaceutical products, whether it's ventilators and hospital masks."
And that's exactly the argument that you're hearing from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, President Trump's pandemic equipment czar.
"If there's any vindication of the president's 'Buy American, secure borders and a strong manufacturing base' philosophy, strategy and belief, it is this crisis," Navarro said during a White House press briefing earlier this month.
On trade, the pandemic gives a clear advantage to the anti-globalists in the GOP led by Trump, but on domestic policies and the role of the federal government, while Democrats know what they want, Republicans aren't so sure, according to Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington.
"I think the debate within the Republican Party over what it stands for has been heating up, and the pandemic is going to kick it into overdrive," Olsen said. "You've got the people who are holding onto the neo-libertarian version of the past. But you've seen more and more calls for reform, which is moving more in the direction of engaging the Democrats on their core issue, which is, how do we help people rather than saying the government can't help people?"
He added, "I think you'll see that debate ramp up once we return to more normal politics after the lockdowns are over. Then, I think the battle in the Republican Party is going to be fierce."
There are already lots of splits.
Freshman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., for instance, wants to beef up the social safety net, advocating a European-style unemployment backstop, where the federal government would pay companies 80% of wages to prevent layoffs during the crisis.
Other Republicans, however, support nothing more than the current temporary emergency measures. And in addition to Tea Party-style protests against the stay-at-home orders, there's also conservative pushback to the exponential increases in federal spending — even the temporary ones.
Republicans shouldn't expect to get any guidance from the president on resolving these internal disputes, according to Olsen. "If Donald Trump does what he usually does, he will gyrate between positions that each side can support," he said. "And if the party does what it usually does, in the short term it will be locked in stasis, trying to figure out which iceberg Trump is going to land on and try to be there."
But in the meantime, until Republicans agree on what they stand for, it may be hard for the president and his party to continue to argue that popular programs, like Obamacare, should be eliminated lock, stock and barrel.
"I think the appetite for small-government, everyone-is-on-their-own approach to the welfare state, frankly, was always pretty small and it's gonna be even smaller, I think, over the next couple of years," said Vance, particularly given the massive numbers of people applying for unemployment benefits, which hit 22 million last week, canceling out nearly all of the job gains since the Great Recession.
How this debate resolves itself depends on how long the pandemic recession lasts and how popular the government rescue programs turn out to be. As Olsen points out, "If the giant government rescue plan works, it will legitimize government intervention in the economy in a way we haven't seen in decades."
Until then, the pandemic has given both parties an opportunity to appeal to the vast number of Americans who will need help from the federal government for some time to come.


npr--2020-04-22--Navajo Families Without Internet Struggle To Homeschool During COVID-19 Pandemic

Navajo Families Without Internet Struggle To Homeschool During COVID-19 Pandemic Monument Valley , Utah , is the desert backdrop for many famous old western movies .
And even today , kids in the valley are doing their homework like they did in the 1950s : offline .
`` There 's a lot of kids that do n't have even electricity at home , '' said Spencer Singer , principal at Monument Valley High School .
`` You know , for all intents and purposes we operate in a third world-type situation . ''
Singer said his teachers have tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a computer since schools in San Juan County , Utah , closed on March 16 .
But as the COVID-19 infection rate on the Navajo Nation climbs — surpassing that of all but two U.S. states — schools in the district have stopped taking back paper assignments , pushing more teachers to assign work online .
That 's been a struggle for families such as Celia Black 's .
She 's raising six grandchildren , including two girls who are juniors at Monument Valley High , and Black says they used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their service because it was too expensive .
`` The oldest one is more into her grades , but she 's having such a hard time because the wifi [ is ] not here , '' she said .
The schools recently sent Chromebooks to all of Black 's grandchildren , so they 've been driving to the high school parking lot to get online .
Each day , they pile into a red minivan and drive seven miles to the high school , where they work for up to four hours — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bathroom .
But Black says she worries about them getting kidnapped or injured when they 're gone .
`` You keep calling them and they get agitated , and then they say 'Grandma , I was in the middle of the work and you just called me , ' '' she said .
Like the Blacks , most families have to travel to access the internet .
Only 40 % of homes on the Navajo Nation are online , according to Walter Haase , general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the reservation , which is roughly the size of West Virginia , but less than half of the population is online because of the high poverty rate .
`` The per capita income of our folks is about $ 10,700 .
So , even though our internet ranges from $ 30 a month to $ 80 a month , it 's still difficult for folks to afford , '' Haase said .
To solve that issue , schools in Utah recently ordered wireless internet hotspots for about 200 homes — enough for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Navajo Nation in the state .
Aaron Brewer , technical director for the San Juan School District , said they 're being sent out on buses , and the hardware and service are being provided for free .
`` If I could get it done by the end of April , that would be wonderful , '' he said .
`` My hope is we can do it sooner than that . ''
The hotspots connect to cell towers , and since some students live in dead zones , Brewer said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they should work at Celia Black 's house , and she said her six grandkids ca n't wait to do their work at home .
`` They 're gon na work on it day and night , day and night , because they do n't have nothing to do .
They 're just like ready to tackle it , '' she said .
In the meantime , Black says she 's running low on gas money , so the girls will have to space out their trips to the high school .

Navajo Families Without Internet Struggle To Home-School During COVID-19 Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kate Groetzinger/KUER Kate Groetzinger/KUER
Monument Valley, Utah, is the desert backdrop for many famous old Western movies. And even today, kids in the valley are doing their homework the way they did in the 1950s: offline.
"There's a lot of kids that don't have even electricity at home," said Spencer Singer, principal at Monument Valley High School. "You know, for all intents and purposes we operate in a third world-type situation."
Singer said his teachers have tried to provide work that doesn't require Internet or a computer since schools in San Juan County, Utah, closed on March 16. But as the COVID-19 infection rate on the Navajo Nation climbs — surpassing that of all but two U.S. states — schools in the district have stopped taking back paper assignments, pushing more teachers to assign work online.
Health Indian Health Service Doctor Details Heavy COVID-19 Impact On Navajo Nation Indian Health Service Doctor Details Heavy COVID-19 Impact On Navajo Nation Listen · 4:25 4:25
That has been a struggle for families such as Celia Black's. She's raising six grandchildren, including two girls who are juniors at Monument Valley High. Black said they used to have Internet at home but ended their service because it was too expensive.
"The oldest one is more into her grades, but she's having such a hard time because the Wi-Fi [is] not here," she said.
The schools recently sent Chromebooks to all of Black's grandchildren, so they've been driving to the high school parking lot to get online. Each day they pile into a red minivan and drive 7 miles to the high school, where they work for up to four hours — or until somebody needs to go to the bathroom.
But Black said she worries about them getting kidnapped or injured when they're gone.
"You keep calling them and they get agitated, and then they say 'Grandma, I was in the middle of the work and you just called me,' " she said.
Like the Blacks, most families have to travel to access the Internet. Only 40% of homes on the Navajo Nation are online, according to Walter Haase, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. The utility's network covers two-thirds of the reservation, which is roughly the size of West Virginia, but less than half of the population is online because of the high poverty rate.
"The per capita income of our folks is about $10,700. So even though our Internet ranges from $30 a month to $80 a month, it's still difficult for folks to afford," Haase said.
To solve that issue, schools in Utah recently ordered wireless Internet hot spots for about 200 homes — enough for most high school students who live on the Navajo Nation in the state. Aaron Brewer, technical director for the San Juan School District, said they're being sent out on buses, and the hardware and service are being provided for free.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kate Groetzinger /KUER Kate Groetzinger /KUER
"If I could get it done by the end of April, that would be wonderful," he said. "My hope is we can do it sooner than that."
The hot spots connect to cell towers, and since some students live in dead zones, Brewer said they won't work in every home. But they should work at Celia Black's house, and she said her six grandkids can't wait to do their work at home.
"They're gonna work on it day and night, day and night, because they don't have nothing to do. They're just, like, ready to tackle it," she said.
In the meantime, Black said she's running low on gas money, so the girls will have to space out their trips to the high school.