npr--2020-03-22--Governors Order Residents To Stay Home As Confirmed U.S. Cases Of COVID-19 Rise

Governors Order Residents To Stay Home As Confirmed U.S. Cases Of COVID-19 Rise Confirmed total cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , surpassed 300,000 worldwide over the weekend , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
As testing capabilities expanded over the past week , the number of confirmed cases in the United States continued to climb .
The U.S. now has the third-largest number of confirmed cases , behind China and Italy , respectively .
As of Sunday afternoon , there were more than 31,000 confirmed cases in the United States ; 390 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Johns Hopkins .
Across the country , more and more Americans have been ordered to stay home .
In the last few days , governors in Illinois , California and New York issued stay-at-home orders .
Connecticut Gov .
Ned Lamont announced a `` Stay Home , Stay Safe '' order for that state on Saturday .
On Sunday , the Ohio Department of Health and Gov .
Mike DeWine signed a statewide stay-home order for Ohioans .
The state has reported 351 confirmed cases and three deaths .
Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his own state , with stay at home measures effective Monday at 5 p.m. Louisiana has reported 837 cases and 20 deaths .
`` Bottom line is we 're in a race against time when it comes to this coronavirus and its rapid spread in Louisiana , '' Edwards said at a press conference Sunday .
New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy announced an executive order directing nearly all residents to stay home .
There are more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey and 16 people have died , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video , the governor said all gatherings should be canceled , including weddings , funerals and birthday parties .
`` I do n't take this action lightly , but my goal is to make sure you can gather safely with family and friends later , '' Murphy said .
Murphy ordered all nonessential retail businesses to indefinitely close their physical stores to the public at 9 p.m. Saturday .
Essential businesses , including grocery stores , pharmacies , restaurants offering takeout and delivery , banks , gas stations and other limited exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` You can still take a walk outside , go buy groceries or get takeout from the local restaurant you want to support .
But if you do , continue to practice social distancing , '' Murphy said .
`` But otherwise we need you to stay at home .
This is no time for business as usual . ''
In a tweet , Murphy urged residents not to go to their Jersey Shore beach homes and instead stay at their primary residences .
`` The local infrastructure , especially the health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influx of part-time residents , '' Murphy said .
In Hawaii , Gov .
David Ige ordered a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in Hawaii , including tourists and returning residents .
The mandate goes into effect Thursday .
With the number of cases in the U.S. continuing to climb , Italy has reached a grim milestone with its death toll — now exceeding 4,800 deaths , which is larger than the death count reported in China , where the disease was first diagnosed .
In response to the record-setting numbers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except those essential to maintaining the nation 's supply chain .
In the northern Lombardy region , one of the worst-affected areas in Italy , officials took more extreme steps on Sunday , ordering all guests out of hotels , which will now be used only for emergency purposes , and banning all outdoor sports and exercise activities .

Ohio, Louisiana, Delaware Order Residents To Stay Home As Cases Of COVID-19 Rise
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wayne Parry/AP Wayne Parry/AP
Updated at 8:52 p.m. ET
Ohio, Louisiana and Delaware became the latest states on Sunday to announce statewide stay-at-home orders as the toll from the coronavirus outbreak grew to more than 31,000 cases and 390 deaths.
With the announcements, more than 101 million Americans are either currently under — or will soon be under — state orders to remain at home in an effort to slow the outbreak. That is equal to roughly 31% of the nation's population.
In addition to Delaware, Louisiana and Ohio, similar policies are either in place or will soon take effect in California, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey and New York.
The United States now has the third-largest number of confirmed cases, behind China and Italy, respectively. As testing capabilities expanded over the past week, the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. continued to climb.
Facing a surge in cases, the Ohio Department of Health and Gov. Mike DeWine signed a statewide stay-home order for the state's 11.7 million residents. The order requires residents to remain in their homes until at least April 6, but allows exceptions for activities like buying groceries or to seek out medical care. The state has reported 351 confirmed cases and three deaths.
"We are now at a new stage," DeWine said on Twitter.
In Louisiana, home to a population of 4.6 million, Gov. John Bel Edwards followed suit, with stay-at-home measures effective Monday at 5 p.m.
Louisiana has reported 837 cases and 20 deaths.
"Bottom line is we're in a race against time when it comes to this coronavirus and its rapid spread in Louisiana," Edwards said at a press conference Sunday.
In Delaware, Gov. John Carney ordered residents to stay at home and closed all non-essential businesses starting Tuesday.
"This was not an easy decision, but it's the right decision to protect the safety of Delawareans and Delaware families," Carney said.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order for that state on Saturday.
So too did New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. There are more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey and 16 people have died, according to the state's website.
In a video, the governor said all gatherings should be canceled, including weddings, funerals and birthday parties.
"I don't take this action lightly, but my goal is to make sure you can gather safely with family and friends later," Murphy said.
Murphy ordered all nonessential retail businesses to indefinitely close their physical stores to the public at 9 p.m. Saturday. Essential businesses, including grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants offering takeout and delivery, banks, gas stations and other limited exceptions, are allowed to stay open.
"You can still take a walk outside, go buy groceries or get takeout from the local restaurant you want to support. But if you do, continue to practice social distancing," Murphy said. "But otherwise we need you to stay at home. This is no time for business as usual."
In a tweet, Murphy urged residents not to go to their Jersey Shore beach homes and instead stay at their primary residences.
"The local infrastructure, especially the health care infrastructure, is not prepared for the influx of part-time residents," Murphy said.
In Hawaii, Gov. David Ige ordered a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in Hawaii, including tourists and returning residents. The mandate goes into effect Thursday.
Italy's grim milestone
Worldwide, confirmed total cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, surpassed 300,000 worldwide over the weekend, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Italy has reached a grim milestone with its death toll — now exceeding 4,800 deaths, which is larger than the death count reported in China, where the disease was first diagnosed.
In response to the record-setting numbers, Italy is shutting down all production facilities except those essential to maintaining the nation's supply chain.
In the northern Lombardy region, one of the worst-affected areas in Italy, officials took more extreme steps on Sunday, ordering all guests out of hotels, which will now be used only for emergency purposes, and banning all outdoor sports and exercise activities.


npr--2020-03-22--Trump Tries On The Mantle Of 'Wartime President'

Trump Tries On The Mantle Of 'Wartime President' On March 18 , in the midst of a presidential news conference on the coronavirus , Donald Trump compared himself to a `` wartime president . ''
This president has never been shy about casting himself in heroic roles .
But his attempt to adopt the military mien raised more than a few eyebrows under the circumstances .
When a reporter referred to the battle against the virus as a war , Trump picked up on it immediately .
`` It is the invisible enemy , '' he said .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a wartime president . ''
Some of the commentary that followed dwelt on how Trump sat out Vietnam , the war of his own draft-age youth , with deferments for college and then for bone spurs in his foot ( a diagnosis The New York Times has reported came from a doctor who was a tenant of Trump 's wealthy father ) .
Others recalled candidate Trump saying in 2015 : `` I know more about ISIS than the generals do . ''
Since then , he has been equally flattering about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think I would have been a good general . ''
But the several generals who served in Trump 's inner circle in his first two years in office — including chief of staff John Kelly , Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Adviser and H.R .
McMaster — are all conspicuous by their absence now .
There is , of course , nothing new about using war as a metaphor for a national mission .
President Ronald Reagan declared a War on Drugs in the 1980s ; President Lyndon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1960s .
In between , Jimmy Carter called the need to conserve energy in the 1970s `` the moral equivalent of war . ''
But if Americans are accustomed to such language , they also expect it to be matched by governmental mobilization and performance on a broad scale .
So the deeper skepticism that greeted Trump 's use of the phrase `` wartime president '' may be related to his record as commander in chief battling the `` enemy '' to date .
Yuval Levin , a scholar at the American Enterprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a more intense focus by the president on the problems we face . ''
But he immediately worried that the president `` has not been willing to speak to the public about the nature of the threat to the capacity of our health system . ''
In other words , duck and cover is not a good look for a wartime leader .
First informed of the virus and its threat in January , Trump was loath to acknowledge it as a problem .
He barred travelers from China on Jan. 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a daily basis , as he vilifies `` the Chinese virus '' ) , yet he also continued to dismiss the seriousness of the virus itself .
And he maintained that denial for the next four weeks , a potentially crucial period during which the coronavirus was spreading throughout the U.S .
Throughout these early weeks of the year , there were elements of the government 's disease-fighting establishment that were scrambling to deal with mounting cases in the U.S. ( amid reports of rampant infection in parts of Europe ) .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was not entirely on board .
He continually downplayed the virus , saying it probably would n't amount to much in the U.S. and would soon be gone .
Go about your business , he seemed to be saying , nothing to see here .
And all the while , the virus was spreading and the chances of slowing and containing it were diminishing .
Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith summed up the president 's attitude this way in an interview with The Chicago Tribune editorial writer Steve Chapman : `` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepting responsibility for Pearl Harbor . ''
On March 13 , Trump gave in and declared a national emergency under the Stafford Act to free up various resources that could have been deployed weeks earlier .
But in his news conference that day , he also promised a national Google project to link prospective patients to testing and treatment later that weekend .
The company had to announce that , while one of its affiliated companies was working on a prototype of such a program , it would only be available in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past week , Trump continued to talk about a vaccine coming `` very soon '' and anti-malaria drugs that could be available `` almost immediately '' with a lot of promise for use against the coronavirus .
It was left to Anthony Fauci , the government 's leading expert on infectious disease control since the 1980s , to ratchet back these claims — albeit gently and without criticizing the president , who continued to make the claims over the weekend .
The holding out of such hopes , and the continual references to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is possible , mix the messages emanating from the commander in chief .
In one moment he says stay at home and save lives , in the next he offers an entirely alternative outlook .
When Americans think of wartime leadership , they are most likely to recall Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln , the presidents in office for World War II and the Civil War , respectively .
In her prize-winning volume Team of Rivals , historian Doris Kearns Goodwin recounts how Lincoln was able to assemble a Cabinet of men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detractors .
One , the Ohio lawyer Edwin Stanton , had referred to Lincoln in the 1850s as `` that long-armed Ape . ''
Writes Goodwin : `` Unimaginable as it might seem , after Stanton 's bearish behavior , at their next encounter six years later , Lincoln would offer Stanton 'the most powerful civilian post within his gift ' – the post of secretary of war . ''
Indeed , Stanton went on to organize the war effort that preserved the Union .
In similar fashion , eight decades later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall — later praised as `` the organizer of victory '' by Churchill himself .
Together , Marshall and Roosevelt would orchestrate the talents and egos of an exceptional cast of American commanders in Europe and the Pacific .
The former included Eisenhower , whom Marshall plucked from a desk job in the Office of War Plans , promoted , and watched become the 34th president of the U.S .
Various biographers of FDR ( such as Joseph E. Persico in Roosevelt 's Centurions ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential to winning the world 's most destructive and consequential war to date .
Neither Lincoln nor FDR lived to see the end of their monumental wartime works .
But they showed unmistakable qualities in common as they performed in office and then positioned others to finish the job .
Both were masterful managers of other people , giving their subordinates power and freedom to bring their own genius to bear and playing them off against each other with interpersonal savvy and a measure of humor .
Eisenhower was the last general to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course , George Washington , followed by Andrew Jackson , William Henry Harrison , Zachary Taylor , Franklin Pierce , Andrew Johnson , Ulysses S. Grant , Rutherford B. Hayes , James Garfield , Chester A. Arthur and Benjamin Harrison ( the latter five all being Civil War generals ) .
Others with significant military backgrounds included William McKinley , a brevet major in the Civil War , Theodore Roosevelt , who led a combat unit ( the Rough Riders ) in the Spanish American War as a colonel , and Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War I .
Both John F. Kennedy and George H.W .
Bush saw combat as Navy lieutenants in World War II ( Lyndon Johnson , Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan served in that conflict in non-combat roles ) .
Somewhat surprisingly , only one of these war-veteran presidents ever asked Congress for a declaration of war ( McKinley , somewhat reluctantly , against Spain in 1898 ) .
The other presidents who sought such declarations were James Madison ( War of 1812 ) , James K. Polk ( Mexican War ) , Woodrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Franklin D. Roosevelt ( World War II ) .
None had much of a personal military history , although FDR had been assistant secretary of the navy .
In the past 75 years , the notion of formal declarations of war has gone out of fashion .
Truman and Johnson sought and received the support of Congress for major U.S. troop commitments in Korea ( 1950 ) and Vietnam ( 1964 ) that became protracted and costly wars — even though undeclared .
The onus of these conflicts contributed to both men deciding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1952 and Johnson in 1968 .
The first President Bush got Congress to approve his military effort to remove Iraqi troops from Kuwait in what became the Persian Gulf War of 1991 .
That brief tour de force sent his approval skyward , peaking at 89 % in the Gallup Poll .
But the public soured somewhat on Bush when a recession began later in that same year , and he was defeated in a three-way presidential contest in 1992 .
His son , George W. Bush , who served in the Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but did not go to Vietnam , also sought congressional buy-in for major troop deployments after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 .
His first authorization for the use of military force ( AUMF ) was approved overwhelmingly in the fall of 2001 and is still used to justify various actions taken against what are deemed terrorist targets .
A separate AUMF was approved late in 2002 for use against Iraq , and this time the U.S. forces took Baghdad and drove Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein from power .
What became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support from the public but became unpopular as the occupation of that country went on .
Bush narrowly won a second term and his party lost control of both chambers of Congress in the elections of 2006 .
In sum , the experiences of `` wartime presidents '' since FDR should be enough to give a successor pause before invoking that phrase .

Trump Tries On The Mantle Of 'Wartime President'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
On March 18, in the midst of a presidential news conference on the coronavirus, Donald Trump compared himself to a "wartime president."
This president has never been shy about casting himself in heroic roles. But his attempt to adopt the military mien raised more than a few eyebrows under the circumstances.
When a reporter referred to the battle against the virus as a war, Trump picked up on it immediately. "It is the invisible enemy," he said. "I view it as, in a sense, a wartime president."
Some of the commentary that followed dwelt on how Trump sat out Vietnam, the war of his own draft-age youth, with deferments for college and then for bone spurs in his foot (a diagnosis The New York Times has reported came from a doctor who was a tenant of Trump's wealthy father).
Others recalled candidate Trump saying in 2015: "I know more about ISIS than the generals do." Since then, he has been equally flattering about his own strategic vision, saying: "I think I would have been a good general." But the several generals who served in Trump's inner circle in his first two years in office — including chief of staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Adviser and H.R. McMaster — are all conspicuous by their absence now.
There is, of course, nothing new about using war as a metaphor for a national mission. President Ronald Reagan declared a War on Drugs in the 1980s; President Lyndon Johnson a War on Poverty in the 1960s. In between, Jimmy Carter called the need to conserve energy in the 1970s "the moral equivalent of war."
But if Americans are accustomed to such language, they also expect it to be matched by governmental mobilization and performance on a broad scale. So the deeper skepticism that greeted Trump's use of the phrase "wartime president" may be related to his record as commander in chief battling the "enemy" to date.
Yuval Levin, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, this week praised "a more intense focus by the president on the problems we face." But he immediately worried that the president "has not been willing to speak to the public about the nature of the threat to the capacity of our health system."
In other words, duck and cover is not a good look for a wartime leader.
Mixed messages
First informed of the virus and its threat in January, Trump was loath to acknowledge it as a problem. He barred travelers from China on Jan. 31 (a decision he now touts on a daily basis, as he vilifies "the Chinese virus"), yet he also continued to dismiss the seriousness of the virus itself. And he maintained that denial for the next four weeks, a potentially crucial period during which the coronavirus was spreading throughout the U.S.
Throughout these early weeks of the year, there were elements of the government's disease-fighting establishment that were scrambling to deal with mounting cases in the U.S. (amid reports of rampant infection in parts of Europe).
But even as March began, the public Trump was not entirely on board. He continually downplayed the virus, saying it probably wouldn't amount to much in the U.S. and would soon be gone. Go about your business, he seemed to be saying, nothing to see here. And all the while, the virus was spreading and the chances of slowing and containing it were diminishing.
Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith summed up the president's attitude this way in an interview with The Chicago Tribune editorial writer Steve Chapman: "He wants to take credit for D-Day without accepting responsibility for Pearl Harbor."
On March 13, Trump gave in and declared a national emergency under the Stafford Act to free up various resources that could have been deployed weeks earlier. But in his news conference that day, he also promised a national Google project to link prospective patients to testing and treatment later that weekend. The company had to announce that, while one of its affiliated companies was working on a prototype of such a program, it would only be available in a few California counties.
Even in the past week, Trump continued to talk about a vaccine coming "very soon" and anti-malaria drugs that could be available "almost immediately" with a lot of promise for use against the coronavirus. It was left to Anthony Fauci, the government's leading expert on infectious disease control since the 1980s, to ratchet back these claims — albeit gently and without criticizing the president, who continued to make the claims over the weekend.
The holding out of such hopes, and the continual references to defeating the virus sooner than experts say is possible, mix the messages emanating from the commander in chief. In one moment he says stay at home and save lives, in the next he offers an entirely alternative outlook.
Wartime presidents
When Americans think of wartime leadership, they are most likely to recall Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, the presidents in office for World War II and the Civil War, respectively.
In her prize-winning volume Team of Rivals, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin recounts how Lincoln was able to assemble a Cabinet of men who had been his political enemies and detractors. One, the Ohio lawyer Edwin Stanton, had referred to Lincoln in the 1850s as "that long-armed Ape."
Writes Goodwin: "Unimaginable as it might seem, after Stanton's bearish behavior, at their next encounter six years later, Lincoln would offer Stanton 'the most powerful civilian post within his gift' – the post of secretary of war."
Indeed, Stanton went on to organize the war effort that preserved the Union. In similar fashion, eight decades later, Roosevelt entrusted much of America's war effort to Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall — later praised as "the organizer of victory" by Churchill himself.
Together, Marshall and Roosevelt would orchestrate the talents and egos of an exceptional cast of American commanders in Europe and the Pacific. The former included Eisenhower, whom Marshall plucked from a desk job in the Office of War Plans, promoted, and watched become the 34th president of the U.S. Various biographers of FDR (such as Joseph E. Persico in Roosevelt's Centurions) have seen his style of management as essential to winning the world's most destructive and consequential war to date.
Neither Lincoln nor FDR lived to see the end of their monumental wartime works. But they showed unmistakable qualities in common as they performed in office and then positioned others to finish the job. Both were masterful managers of other people, giving their subordinates power and freedom to bring their own genius to bear and playing them off against each other with interpersonal savvy and a measure of humor.
Eisenhower was the last general to become president. The first was, of course, George Washington, followed by Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur and Benjamin Harrison (the latter five all being Civil War generals).
Others with significant military backgrounds included William McKinley, a brevet major in the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt, who led a combat unit (the Rough Riders) in the Spanish American War as a colonel, and Harry Truman, an artillery officer in World War I. Both John F. Kennedy and George H.W. Bush saw combat as Navy lieutenants in World War II (Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan served in that conflict in non-combat roles).
Somewhat surprisingly, only one of these war-veteran presidents ever asked Congress for a declaration of war (McKinley, somewhat reluctantly, against Spain in 1898).
The other presidents who sought such declarations were James Madison (War of 1812), James K. Polk (Mexican War), Woodrow Wilson (World War I) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (World War II). None had much of a personal military history, although FDR had been assistant secretary of the navy.
Declarations of war
In the past 75 years, the notion of formal declarations of war has gone out of fashion. Truman and Johnson sought and received the support of Congress for major U.S. troop commitments in Korea (1950) and Vietnam (1964) that became protracted and costly wars — even though undeclared. The onus of these conflicts contributed to both men deciding not to seek re-election, Truman in 1952 and Johnson in 1968.
The first President Bush got Congress to approve his military effort to remove Iraqi troops from Kuwait in what became the Persian Gulf War of 1991. That brief tour de force sent his approval skyward, peaking at 89% in the Gallup Poll. But the public soured somewhat on Bush when a recession began later in that same year, and he was defeated in a three-way presidential contest in 1992.
His son, George W. Bush, who served in the Texas Air National Guard in 1972 and 1973 but did not go to Vietnam, also sought congressional buy-in for major troop deployments after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His first authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) was approved overwhelmingly in the fall of 2001 and is still used to justify various actions taken against what are deemed terrorist targets.
A separate AUMF was approved late in 2002 for use against Iraq, and this time the U.S. forces took Baghdad and drove Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein from power. What became known as the Iraq War enjoyed initial support from the public but became unpopular as the occupation of that country went on. Bush narrowly won a second term and his party lost control of both chambers of Congress in the elections of 2006.
In sum, the experiences of "wartime presidents" since FDR should be enough to give a successor pause before invoking that phrase.


npr--2020-03-22--Southeast Asian Nations Tighten Restrictions To Help Contain Spread Of Coronavirus

Southeast Asian Nations Tighten Restrictions To Help Contain Spread Of Coronavirus Southeast Asian nations are tightening restrictions on their own citizens and banning foreigners outright after many countries this past week reported a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases .
Vietnam 's government says it will stop all inbound flights and bar entry to foreigners beginning Sunday .
Vietnam now has recorded nearly 100 cases , according to the Ministry of Health .
Singapore plans on banning visitors beginning Monday .
The number of infections in Singapore has more than doubled in the past week to 432 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the new cases have come from abroad .
Singapore 's health ministry said the new measure was necessary `` in view of the heightened risk of importation of Covid-19 cases into Singapore . ''
Returning citizens or residents of the city state will undergo a 14-day home quarantine .
Neighboring Malaysia — which has also banned foreign arrivals —is the Southeast Asian nation hardest hit by the coronavirus .
On Saturday , the health ministry reported 153 new infections and warned it expects many more linked to people who attended a religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kuala Lumpur late last month .
Malaysia now has more than 1,180 confirmed cases — the most in Southeast Asia .
And the military has been deployed to enforce a two-week-long government imposed lockdown in an effort to contain the virus .
Tourism dependent Thailand has also essentially banned foreign visitors by requiring them , on arrival , to produce a doctor 's certificate that declares them virus free .
The land of smiles has been spooked by a sharp increase in the number of confirmed cases , more than 300 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest increase to date —188 new cases that brings the total number to nearly 600 .
Health officials are linking many of the new cases to a kickboxing match attended by thousands in the capital , Bangkok , on March 6 .
Some of the other new cases were sourced to the previously mentioned religious gathering — or `` tabligh '' — in neighboring Malaysia .
Bangkok 's governor has ordered the city 's malls , entertainment venues and restaurants closed as of Sunday , though supermarkets and takeaway restaurants remain open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has urged people to stay at home and has not ruled out a nationwide lockdown if the numbers continue to climb .
Many health professionals have been pleading with the government to do just that before Thailand 's health care system is overwhelmed .
At least 60 million people in the Philippines , including the capital , Manila are under lockdown after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a public health emergency earlier this month .
The Philippines has also banned foreign arrivals in an effort to contain the spread of the virus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , bringing its total to 380 , with six deaths .
Indonesia has the highest number of virus-related deaths in Southeast Asia .
Thirty-eight people have died while health officials confirmed 81 new cases on Saturday , bringing the country 's total to 450 .
The announcement came just a day after the governor of the capital , Jakarta , declared a two-week-long state of emergency .
Cambodia has reported more than 50 cases to date , while both Laos and Myanmar — which share a long border with China , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no cases .
Few believe them .

Southeast Asian Nations Tighten Restrictions To Help Contain Spread Of Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Vincent Thian/AP Vincent Thian/AP
Southeast Asian nations are tightening restrictions on their citizens and banning foreigners outright after many countries this past week reported a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
Vietnam's government says it will stop all inbound flights and bar entry to foreigners beginning Sunday. Vietnam now has recorded nearly 100 cases, according to the Ministry of Health.
Singapore plans on banning visitors beginning Monday. The number of infections in Singapore has more than doubled in the past week to 432. In the past three days 80% of the new cases have come from abroad. Singapore's health ministry said the new measure was necessary "in view of the heightened risk of importation of COVID-19 cases into Singapore." Returning citizens or residents of the city-state will undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
Neighboring Malaysia — which has also banned foreign arrivals — is the Southeast Asian nation hardest hit by the coronavirus. On Saturday, the health ministry reported 153 new infections and warned it expects many more linked to people who attended a religious gathering at a mosque outside the capital, Kuala Lumpur, late last month. Malaysia now has more than 1,180 confirmed cases — the most in Southeast Asia. And the military has been deployed to enforce a two-week, government-imposed lockdown in an effort to contain the virus.
Tourism-dependent Thailand has also essentially banned foreign visitors by requiring them, on arrival, to produce a doctor's certificate that declares them virus-free. The land of smiles has been spooked by a sharp increase in the number of confirmed cases, more than 300 in the past three days. Sunday saw the biggest increase to date — 188 new cases, bringing the total number to nearly 600. Health officials are linking many of the new cases to a kickboxing match attended by thousands in the capital, Bangkok, on March 6.
Some of the other new cases were sourced to the previously mentioned religious gathering — or "tabligh" — in neighboring Malaysia. Bangkok's governor has ordered the city's malls, entertainment venues and restaurants closed as of Sunday, though supermarkets and takeaway restaurants remain open for now. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged people to stay at home and has not ruled out a nationwide lockdown if the numbers continue to climb. Many health professionals have been pleading with the government to do just that before Thailand's health care system is overwhelmed.
At least 60 million people in the Philippines, including the capital, Manila, are under lockdown after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a public health emergency earlier this month. The Philippines has also banned foreign arrivals in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. The health ministry on Sunday reported 73 new cases, bringing its total to 380, with six deaths.
Indonesia has the highest number of virus-related deaths in Southeast Asia. Thirty-eight people have died while health officials confirmed 81 new cases on Saturday, bringing the country's total to 450. The announcement came just a day after the governor of the capital, Jakarta, declared a two-week state of emergency. Cambodia has reported more than 50 cases to date, while both Laos and Myanmar — which share a long border with China, where the virus originated — insist they have no cases. Few believe them.


npr--2020-03-22--Closed All At Once: Restaurant Industry Faces Collapse

Closed All At Once : Restaurant Industry Faces Collapse These are anxious times for people like Melvin Rodrigue , who lived through Hurricane Katrina .
It destroyed his home and shut down his famed Galatoire 's restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans .
This is far worse , he says .
`` I think Katrina is going to prove to be a cakewalk compared to this , '' Rodrigue says .
Insurance paid for his losses then .
This time , it wo n't .
Rapid shutdowns in cities and states to stem the coronavirus have thrown restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disarray .
Revenue dried up abruptly , workers faced mass layoffs and restaurant executives tried to manage the resulting chaos .
Just about every restaurant nationwide has been hit hard at once , making this disaster unique .
`` The coronavirus epidemic , it 's unchartered territory for us , '' says Sean Kennedy , a spokesman for the National Restaurant Association .
Restaurants of all types are in varying states of collapse .
The industry is the country 's second-largest private employer with 15.6 million workers .
Now , many of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shaky job market .
`` It does n't matter if you 're a big chain or a small corner diner , you 're seeing the impact immediately , '' Kennedy says .
And it 's far from clear when it will end .
For Rodrigue , it all crashed down with breathtaking speed .
Last Sunday , Louisiana officials first raised the idea of a shutdown .
Then things accelerated .
By Monday , the mandated closure had moved up twice .
`` For a restaurant , you have to have certainty in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three changes in one day — one 24-hour period , '' Rodrigue says .
Just like that , the economy seized up .
Rodrigue is trying to adapt by converting his 115-year-old white-table restaurant into a take-out joint and using up fresh seafood that was supposed to go into iconic Creole specialties like shrimp remoulade and trout amandine .
But mostly , he 's watching his dwindling supply of cash .
There 's rent to pay and utilities .
And he must conserve some money in order to reopen again — whenever that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligation to carry on , for the sake of his 160 workers , most of whom he had to lay off .
In between all this , he 's counseling waiters and sous-chefs about how to stretch their budgets : `` If you have the choice between buying a box of Hamburger Helper and going to the drive-through somewhere , you need to be as frugal as you possibly can for your own sake and your family 's sake . ''
And so you can see how the cycle keeps repeating onto itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to help their staff .
Some are trying to sell gift cards and giving proceeds to employees .
A new federal law , the Families First Coronavirus Response Act , passed last week , granting workers at smaller businesses up to two weeks paid leave .
But the Restaurant Association 's Kennedy says that would require restaurants to fund the leave up front at a time when most are already too cash-strapped .
Reimbursement from the federal government — as well as any potential bailouts — might arrive too late .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple days , or maybe a couple weeks .
`` They simply are n't going to have the financial wherewithal to fund that paid sick leave mandate , Kennedy says .
The collapse has a massive impact on workers and their families , including Carolyn Stromberg Leasure , who is set to give birth soon in Charlottesville , Va .
Her chef husband lost his job this past week , which means they have no health insurance .
It 's a terrifying prospect .
`` I have a lot of trouble sleeping , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety , she says .
Leasure says she 's overwhelmed with the chaos , calling around to try to find insurance coverage while also managing her 3-year-old son .
On top of that , she has health concerns about the birth itself .
She decided to induce labor earlier , hoping avoid overcrowded hospitals .
`` As a worker , losing your job a week before you 're having a baby , [ and ] you find out that you do n't have insurance is a really big deal , '' she says @

Closed All At Once: Restaurant Industry Faces Collapse
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt York/AP Matt York/AP
These are anxious times for people like Melvin Rodrigue, who lived through Hurricane Katrina. It destroyed his home and shut down his famed Galatoire's restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
This is far worse, he says.
"I think Katrina is going to prove to be a cakewalk compared to this," Rodrigue says. Insurance paid for his losses then. This time, it won't.
Rapid shutdowns in cities and states to stem the coronavirus have thrown restaurants across the country into sudden and complete disarray. Revenue dried up abruptly, workers faced mass layoffs and restaurant executives tried to manage the resulting chaos.
Just about every restaurant nationwide has been hit hard at once, making this disaster unique.
"The coronavirus epidemic, it's unchartered territory for us," says Sean Kennedy, a spokesman for the National Restaurant Association.
Restaurants of all types are in varying states of collapse. The industry is the country's second-largest private employer with 15.6 million workers. Now, many of them are without work and face a suddenly shaky job market.
"It doesn't matter if you're a big chain or a small corner diner, you're seeing the impact immediately," Kennedy says. And it's far from clear when it will end.
For Rodrigue, it all crashed down with breathtaking speed. Last Sunday, Louisiana officials first raised the idea of a shutdown. Then things accelerated. By Monday, the mandated closure had moved up twice.
"For a restaurant, you have to have certainty in order to operate, and those are three changes in one day — one 24-hour period," Rodrigue says.
Just like that, the economy seized up. Rodrigue is trying to adapt by converting his 115-year-old white-table restaurant into a take-out joint and using up fresh seafood that was supposed to go into iconic Creole specialties like shrimp remoulade and trout amandine.
But mostly, he's watching his dwindling supply of cash. There's rent to pay and utilities. And he must conserve some money in order to reopen again — whenever that might be. Rodrigue feels an urgent obligation to carry on, for the sake of his 160 workers, most of whom he had to lay off.
In between all this, he's counseling waiters and sous-chefs about how to stretch their budgets: "If you have the choice between buying a box of Hamburger Helper and going to the drive-through somewhere, you need to be as frugal as you possibly can for your own sake and your family's sake."
And so you can see how the cycle keeps repeating onto itself.
Many restaurant owners are searching for ways to help their staff. Some are trying to sell gift cards and giving proceeds to employees. A new federal law, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed last week, granting workers at smaller businesses up to two weeks paid leave.
But the Restaurant Association's Kennedy says that would require restaurants to fund the leave up front at a time when most are already too cash-strapped. Reimbursement from the federal government — as well as any potential bailouts — might arrive too late. Most restaurants have enough cash to last a couple days, or maybe a couple weeks.
"They simply aren't going to have the financial wherewithal to fund that paid sick leave mandate, Kennedy says.
The collapse has a massive impact on workers and their families, including Carolyn Stromberg Leasure, who is set to give birth soon in Charlottesville, Va.
Her chef husband lost his job this past week, which means they have no health insurance. It's a terrifying prospect.
"I have a lot of trouble sleeping," in large part because of heightened anxiety, she says. Leasure says she's overwhelmed with the chaos, calling around to try to find insurance coverage while also managing her 3-year-old son. On top of that, she has health concerns about the birth itself. She decided to induce labor earlier, hoping avoid overcrowded hospitals.
"As a worker, losing your job a week before you're having a baby, [and] you find out that you don't have insurance is a really big deal," she says.


npr--2020-03-22--Graduation, Financial Aid, Admissions — For This Year's College-Bound, The Future Is In Turmoil

Graduation , Financial Aid , Admissions — For This Year 's College-Bound , The Future Is In Turmoil This spring was supposed to be an exciting time for Xander Christou .
He 's a senior in high school in Austin , Texas , and was looking forward to all the fun : prom , senior skip day and of course , graduation .
But all that 's now out the window .
`` There 's a sense that it 's incomplete , '' says Christou .
The school district has closed until April 3rd and Christou says he has this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life — senior year — is slipping away .
`` They 're just parts that we may never get to experience . ''
One big disruption : any attempt at making plans for next year .
`` We 're in the midst of college decisions , '' he says , and the coronavirus has `` really thrown a wrench into a number of things . ''
Christou spent most of last fall like many high school seniors : researching and applying to schools .
He planned to spend the spring visiting some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Online , the colleges are just names and logos and programs , '' he says , `` nothing will compare to actually being on campus and speaking face-to-face with current students . ''
But with so many colleges shutting down , all of those visits have been cancelled — including one `` candidate weekend '' on NYU 's Abu Dhabi campus that was all-expense paid .
`` I was very excited for that , '' he says , `` all I had to do was pack and go to the airport .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
The return flight , without him on it , got cancelled too .
Of course it 's more than just the visits — he 's waiting on his financial aid offers , too .
Money , and how his family is going to pay for college , has become even more important .
College admissions officials around the country are feeling much of the same sense of turmoil as students like Christou .
`` There 's never a good time for a pandemic , but from an admission standpoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , '' explains Jon Boeckenstedt , who oversees admissions and financial aid at Oregon State University .
For many schools , March and April are when they send out the bulk of acceptances or denials .
Financial aid packages are sent out , too — setting up the options for how to pay .
Traditionally , May 1 is `` decision day , '' the deadline for students to submit a deposit to hold their spot at a school for the following fall semester .
But there 's a growing movement this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , to June 1 , to give students and families more time .
`` Every parent and student is going through a difficult time just managing to deal with the uncertainty , '' says Boeckenstedt .
`` It 's really unfair to say , well , we have our deadlines , and come hell or high water , you had better decide by May first . ''
Oregon State , where Boeckenstedt works , made this change and , as of Wednesday , about 200 other schools had committed to the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-profit that is tracking the change .
`` I ca n't fathom any family in six weeks from now saying , ' I know where my student is going to go to college and I know I can afford it , ' `` explains Marie Bigham , who runs ACCEPT and advocates for social and racial justice in the admissions process .
`` There are too many unknowns and storms up in the air .
Asking someone to make a really expensive decision in the midst of this is really unfair .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools move to online classes — some for the remainder of the school year — and in some places , letter grades transition to a simple pass or fail , many students are worried about the impact that will have on their high school transcripts .
In some places , even getting a final transcript and sending it off to colleges may be difficult , with buildings closed down and office staff working remotely .
Guidance counselors are also worried that it may even be hard to confirm that students have actually graduated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades and testing to confirm that status .
Admissions tests have also been jumbled : Advanced Placement ( AP ) tests will be given online , without multiple choice questions .
The ACT has rescheduled the April 4 test to be given in June because of COVID-19 , and the College Board has cancelled the SAT test scheduled for May .
For now , the SAT scheduled for June is still on the books .
Because of this , a number of schools , including Oregon State and Case Western Reserve University in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test-optional for the class of 2021 .
Experts wonder whether this might be the beginning of many more schools going test-optional .
Case Western had been weighing test-optional policies , thinking that maybe in a year or so they 'd make a decision .
`` Up until a week ago , I would not have predicted where we would ultimately come out on this , '' says Rick Bischoff , who oversees enrollment there .
`` But understanding how much turmoil this is injecting into the process , it 's just so clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing to do . ''
Colleges are also bracing for an influx of adjustments to financial aid packages .
For many families , their financial situations are changing .
Estimates predict that millions of Americans are filing for unemployment this week .
And the amount families thought they 'd be able to pay come fall might be different now .
`` This is not unusual for financial aid offices , '' explains Bischoff , but , `` the volume will be unusual . ''
In addition to going test-optional , colleges are bulking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled in-person events .
Bischoff acknowledges that , for many students , a personal visit to campus can help in the decision process .
Applicants can sit in on a lecture , or meet with current students to get a good feel for how a particular school might `` fit . ''
But with these spring events cancelled , schools are moving online — with virtual tours , video chats with professors and online classes .
`` Admissions offices are working hard to make sure [ that ] even if students ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of a place , '' explains Bigham , who 's been on the phone with admissions officers across the country .
She notes that campus visits have long been a source of highlighting inequity , as wealthy students are often able to take more advantage of these offerings than students who are unable to travel due to finances .
Amid COVID-19 social distancing , virtual visits may be `` flattening that privilege a little bit . ''
But , she adds , `` that does ignore the real inequity of broadband technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some communities , and that families ca n't afford it . ''
Innovations in digital ways to see the campus are exciting — unless you rely on your school or public library to give you access .
Those students may still be shut out .
Shut out in another way , too : With high schools closed , it may be harder to stop by a counselor 's office or get advice from a teacher regarding college .
Even though many colleges are shutting their campuses , admissions and financial aid staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask questions by phone , email or on recently-deployed chat tools on the college 's website .

Graduation, Financial Aid, Admissions — For This Year's College-Bound, The Future Is In Turmoil
Enlarge this image Dani Pendergast for NPR Dani Pendergast for NPR
This spring was supposed to be an exciting time for Xander Christou. He's a senior in high school in Austin, Texas, and was looking forward to all the fun: prom, senior skip day and of course, graduation.
But all that's now out the window. "There's a sense that it's incomplete," says Christou. The school district has closed until April 3rd and Christou says he has this feeling that a unique chapter in his life — senior year — is slipping away. "They're just parts that we may never get to experience." One big disruption: any attempt at making plans for next year. "We're in the midst of college decisions," he says, and the coronavirus has "really thrown a wrench into a number of things."
Christou spent most of last fall like many high school seniors: researching and applying to schools. He planned to spend the spring visiting some of the campuses he was accepted to. "Online, the colleges are just names and logos and programs," he says, "nothing will compare to actually being on campus and speaking face-to-face with current students."
But with so many colleges shutting down, all of those visits have been cancelled — including one "candidate weekend" on NYU's Abu Dhabi campus that was all-expense paid. "I was very excited for that," he says, "all I had to do was pack and go to the airport." He would have gotten back home last week. The return flight, without him on it, got cancelled too.
Of course it's more than just the visits — he's waiting on his financial aid offers, too. Money, and how his family is going to pay for college, has become even more important.
The admissions calendar, upended.
College admissions officials around the country are feeling much of the same sense of turmoil as students like Christou. "There's never a good time for a pandemic, but from an admission standpoint, there really couldn't be a worse time," explains Jon Boeckenstedt, who oversees admissions and financial aid at Oregon State University.
For many schools, March and April are when they send out the bulk of acceptances or denials. Financial aid packages are sent out, too — setting up the options for how to pay. Traditionally, May 1 is "decision day," the deadline for students to submit a deposit to hold their spot at a school for the following fall semester. But there's a growing movement this year to shift the deadline back a month, to June 1, to give students and families more time.
"Every parent and student is going through a difficult time just managing to deal with the uncertainty," says Boeckenstedt. "It's really unfair to say, well, we have our deadlines, and come hell or high water, you had better decide by May first."
Oregon State, where Boeckenstedt works, made this change and, as of Wednesday, about 200 other schools had committed to the new deadline, according to ACCEPT, a non-profit that is tracking the change.
"I can't fathom any family in six weeks from now saying, 'I know where my student is going to go to college and I know I can afford it,' " explains Marie Bigham, who runs ACCEPT and advocates for social and racial justice in the admissions process. "There are too many unknowns and storms up in the air. Asking someone to make a really expensive decision in the midst of this is really unfair. It just feels wrong."
Other disruptions complicate admissions
As high schools move to online classes — some for the remainder of the school year — and in some places, letter grades transition to a simple pass or fail, many students are worried about the impact that will have on their high school transcripts. In some places, even getting a final transcript and sending it off to colleges may be difficult, with buildings closed down and office staff working remotely. Guidance counselors are also worried that it may even be hard to confirm that students have actually graduated — since many states rely on end-of-year grades and testing to confirm that status.
Admissions tests have also been jumbled: Advanced Placement (AP) tests will be given online, without multiple choice questions. The ACT has rescheduled the April 4 test to be given in June because of COVID-19, and the College Board has cancelled the SAT test scheduled for May. For now, the SAT scheduled for June is still on the books.
Because of this, a number of schools, including Oregon State and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, have announced they will be test-optional for the class of 2021. Experts wonder whether this might be the beginning of many more schools going test-optional.
Case Western had been weighing test-optional policies, thinking that maybe in a year or so they'd make a decision. "Up until a week ago, I would not have predicted where we would ultimately come out on this," says Rick Bischoff, who oversees enrollment there. "But understanding how much turmoil this is injecting into the process, it's just so clearly, in our view, the right thing to do."
Colleges are also bracing for an influx of adjustments to financial aid packages. For many families, their financial situations are changing. Estimates predict that millions of Americans are filing for unemployment this week. And the amount families thought they'd be able to pay come fall might be different now. "This is not unusual for financial aid offices," explains Bischoff, but, "the volume will be unusual."
Virtual tours and video chats
In addition to going test-optional, colleges are bulking up their virtual offerings in lieu of cancelled in-person events. Bischoff acknowledges that, for many students, a personal visit to campus can help in the decision process. Applicants can sit in on a lecture, or meet with current students to get a good feel for how a particular school might "fit." But with these spring events cancelled, schools are moving online — with virtual tours, video chats with professors and online classes.
"Admissions offices are working hard to make sure [that] even if students can't visit, they can still get a sense of a place," explains Bigham, who's been on the phone with admissions officers across the country.
She notes that campus visits have long been a source of highlighting inequity, as wealthy students are often able to take more advantage of these offerings than students who are unable to travel due to finances. Amid COVID-19 social distancing, virtual visits may be "flattening that privilege a little bit."
But, she adds, "that does ignore the real inequity of broadband technology; that it is difficult to find in some communities, and that families can't afford it." Innovations in digital ways to see the campus are exciting — unless you rely on your school or public library to give you access. Those students may still be shut out.
Shut out in another way, too: With high schools closed, it may be harder to stop by a counselor's office or get advice from a teacher regarding college. Even though many colleges are shutting their campuses, admissions and financial aid staff are still working and urge students to ask questions by phone, email or on recently-deployed chat tools on the college's website.


npr--2020-03-23--Prisons And Jails Change Policies To Address Coronavirus Threat Behind Bars

Prisons And Jails Change Policies To Address Coronavirus Threat Behind Bars As the Coronavirus spreads across the nation , it has exposed potentially dire health care conditions in some prisons and jails .
That 's forced many to change the way they operate .
Arizona and Minnesota prison officials waived copays charged to inmates for medical visits and waived fees for personal hygiene supplies .
Some are changing visitation policies .
At county jails , there are calls to release inmates early so they can reduce overcrowding .
Health and prison officials have been sounding the alarm about the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people bunched together in the small spaces , jails and prisons are considered perfect incubators for the coronavirus to potentially take hold .
`` There are over 42,000 people incarcerated in Arizona and the environment of prisons are fertile for an outbreak – closed quarters , lack of resources , and a significant population who have a higher risk of contraction , '' said Becca Fealk , from the American Friends Service Committee of Arizona .
The group advocates for prison reform .
County jails are also taking steps to minimize the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250 inmates from its county jail after sentencing modifications , according to the county 's sheriff 's office .
Additionally , 67 people were released by courts on their own recognizance .
In Los Angeles , the county has also begun releasing inmates early and is encouraging fewer arrests , using citations when possible .
At least one U.S. senator is advocating for a nationwide plan to release inmates early who meet certain criteria .
Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , tweeted that she is pushing the Bureau of Prisons to release `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in pretrial detention because they ca n't afford to make bail . ''
She noted that people `` in detention are especially vulnerable to the spread of coronavirus . ''
State prisons share that vulnerability , but some administrators have been slow to respond to the threat .
Arizona prisons , like many others around the country , limit access to some hygiene products out of safety concerns .
Prison officials say hand sanitizer , for example , could be misused because of its high alcohol content .
There also is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women to pay for their own personal hygiene supplies like soap and toothpaste .
If they need medical attention , such as being seen by a nurse , it 's a $ 4 copay .
But some people ca n't always afford to pay , leaving them vulnerable .
Attorneys from the Prison Law Office and the ACLU asked a federal judge to intervene , alleging unsafe conditions given the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic .
An Arizona federal judge pressured the Arizona Department of Corrections to change state prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced it is now waiving copays for inmates with cold and flu symptoms , and making soap available for free .
`` The health and safety of our staff and inmates at the Arizona Department of Corrections , Rehabilitation and Reentry is our paramount concern , '' David Shinn , director of ADCRR , said in a statement .
`` In managing this situation , our two top priorities are safety and public health as we work to mitigate the potential spread of COVID‐19 within our prisons . ''
Prison Law Office attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 state prison systems in the U.S. that charges incarcerated people a copay every time they seek health care .
`` The state 's decision to temporarily suspend the $ 4 copay — the equivalent of a week 's worth of work at the prisoner minimum wage of 10 cents an hour — for people reporting cold and flu-like symptoms is a step in the right direction , '' Kendrick said , `` but it exposes how counterproductive it is to have such a barrier to seeking care . ''
Kendrick and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state prison in Florence , Ariz. , and she says many expressed concern over lack of basic necessities .
`` Unfortunately , prior to the COVID-19 crisis , we regularly heard from incarcerated people that there were shortages of hygiene supplies such as toilet paper and menstrual products , '' Kendrick said .
She said most Arizona prison bathrooms are not equipped with soap or hand sanitizer .
According to a 2019 department policy , even the poorest inmates have to pay for personal hygiene products : `` All indigent inmates shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall remain as a debt on the inmates ' ( sic ) account until the balance is paid in full or partially paid .
After one calendar year , the debt balance will be retired . ''
Nishi Kumar , a staff attorney for The Promise of Justice Initiative , said a similar system for indigent inmates is in place at the Louisiana State Penitentiary .
`` There is a 'prison soap ' that people can get if they are indigent , '' Kumar said .
`` If you have debt on your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any future money that you get goes to paying off your debt . ''
So far , the prison has not waived the fee .
The burden of paying for hygiene products often falls on the families of incarcerated families .
One woman , whose daughter is incarcerated at the Perryville women 's prison in Arizona , estimated she spends about $ 500 each month on commissary items just to keep her daughter fed and healthy .
The woman , who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution , said her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the women 's prison , noting that many inmates were displaying symptoms .
`` She was up all night listening to the entire bay cough , '' the woman said .
As of Wednesday , Arizona prison officials say there are no confirmed cases .
Carmen Hreniuc , whose son is incarcerated at the state prison in Eyman , Ariz. , said the costs of supporting her son are steep .
`` We learned that we are all being sentenced as the financial impact on the family is outrageous , '' Hreiuc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food , hygiene , and personal items cost around $ 350 monthly . ''
Hreniuc said while they may get relief with the recent temporary fee waiver , she is worried about the families that are not able to afford this additional expense .
`` It 's a weekly struggle to manage the food and other expenses , '' she said .
`` What 's going to happen now with everyone 's work schedule being cut or nonexistent ?
Indirectly , this will create more hardship on the inmates , resulting in less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal hygiene items . ''
The Vera Institute of Justice has issued guidance for better hygiene in prisons and jails , recommending facilities `` provide free hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap to all people in custody and replenish several times a week . ''
Becca Fealk , program coordinator with the American Friends Service Committee of Arizona , said it is unfortunate that it took a viral pandemic to force the Department of Corrections to provide basic hygiene and medical care .
`` Here in Arizona and across the U.S. we have built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this is only increased with the coronavirus , '' Fealk said .
`` ADC must do more than just provide soap to reduce the chance of an outbreak .
They need to release people , including older/aging adults who can be cared for by their loved ones . ''
Fealk said her group is recommending the Department of Corrections stop admissions `` until this situation is under control . ''
While temporary fee waivers and other changes are a positive step , `` it 's really just rearranging deck chairs on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the ACLU National Prison Project .
Prisons are extremely high risk environments , he says , because there are large numbers of older and medically fragile people living in close quarters .
`` The only effective response is to reduce the population density by releasing people , '' Fathi says , `` starting with those who are most at risk of severe injury or death if they were to contract the virus . ''

Prisons And Jails Change Policies To Address Coronavirus Threat Behind Bars
toggle caption PACER
As the Coronavirus spreads across the nation, it has exposed potentially dire health care conditions in some prisons and jails. That's forced many to change the way they operate.
Arizona and Minnesota prison officials waived copays charged to inmates for medical visits and waived fees for personal hygiene supplies. Some are changing visitation policies. At county jails, there are calls to release inmates early so they can reduce overcrowding.
Health and prison officials have been sounding the alarm about the risks posed behind bars. With so many people bunched together in the small spaces, jails and prisons are considered perfect incubators for the coronavirus to potentially take hold.
"There are over 42,000 people incarcerated in Arizona and the environment of prisons are fertile for an outbreak – closed quarters, lack of resources, and a significant population who have a higher risk of contraction," said Becca Fealk, from the American Friends Service Committee of Arizona. The group advocates for prison reform.
County jails are also taking steps to minimize the risk. Alameda County plans to release nearly 250 inmates from its county jail after sentencing modifications, according to the county's sheriff's office. Additionally, 67 people were released by courts on their own recognizance. In Los Angeles, the county has also begun releasing inmates early and is encouraging fewer arrests, using citations when possible.
At least one U.S. senator is advocating for a nationwide plan to release inmates early who meet certain criteria.
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted that she is pushing the Bureau of Prisons to release "all low-risk inmates, including those who are in pretrial detention because they can't afford to make bail." She noted that people "in detention are especially vulnerable to the spread of coronavirus."
State prisons share that vulnerability, but some administrators have been slow to respond to the threat.
Arizona prisons, like many others around the country, limit access to some hygiene products out of safety concerns. Prison officials say hand sanitizer, for example, could be misused because of its high alcohol content.
There also is the question of fees. Arizona prisons force men and women to pay for their own personal hygiene supplies like soap and toothpaste. If they need medical attention, such as being seen by a nurse, it's a $4 copay.
But some people can't always afford to pay, leaving them vulnerable. Attorneys from the Prison Law Office and the ACLU asked a federal judge to intervene, alleging unsafe conditions given the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
An Arizona federal judge pressured the Arizona Department of Corrections to change state prison health and hygiene policies. The department announced it is now waiving copays for inmates with cold and flu symptoms, and making soap available for free.
"The health and safety of our staff and inmates at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry is our paramount concern," David Shinn, director of ADCRR, said in a statement. "In managing this situation, our two top priorities are safety and public health as we work to mitigate the potential spread of COVID‐19 within our prisons."
Copays and soap
Prison Law Office attorney Corene Kendrick said Arizona is one of 40 state prison systems in the U.S. that charges incarcerated people a copay every time they seek health care.
"The state's decision to temporarily suspend the $4 copay — the equivalent of a week's worth of work at the prisoner minimum wage of 10 cents an hour — for people reporting cold and flu-like symptoms is a step in the right direction," Kendrick said, "but it exposes how counterproductive it is to have such a barrier to seeking care."
Kendrick and her team interviewed more than 500 inmates at the state prison in Florence, Ariz., and she says many expressed concern over lack of basic necessities.
"Unfortunately, prior to the COVID-19 crisis, we regularly heard from incarcerated people that there were shortages of hygiene supplies such as toilet paper and menstrual products," Kendrick said.
She said most Arizona prison bathrooms are not equipped with soap or hand sanitizer.
1A Coronavirus: The Prison Population Coronavirus: The Prison Population Listen · 36:58 36:58
According to a 2019 department policy, even the poorest inmates have to pay for personal hygiene products: "All indigent inmates shall be charged for indigent supplies. Charges shall remain as a debt on the inmates' (sic) account until the balance is paid in full or partially paid. After one calendar year, the debt balance will be retired."
Nishi Kumar, a staff attorney for The Promise of Justice Initiative, said a similar system for indigent inmates is in place at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.
"There is a 'prison soap' that people can get if they are indigent," Kumar said. "If you have debt on your books from being indigent, half of any future money that you get goes to paying off your debt."
So far, the prison has not waived the fee.
Burden falls on families
The burden of paying for hygiene products often falls on the families of incarcerated families. One woman, whose daughter is incarcerated at the Perryville women's prison in Arizona, estimated she spends about $500 each month on commissary items just to keep her daughter fed and healthy.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said her daughter was worried that the virus was already in the women's prison, noting that many inmates were displaying symptoms. "She was up all night listening to the entire bay cough," the woman said.
As of Wednesday, Arizona prison officials say there are no confirmed cases.
Carmen Hreniuc, whose son is incarcerated at the state prison in Eyman, Ariz., said the costs of supporting her son are steep.
Law What Happens To People's Legal Cases As Coronavirus Shuts Down Courts? What Happens To People's Legal Cases As Coronavirus Shuts Down Courts? Listen · 3:58 3:58
"We learned that we are all being sentenced as the financial impact on the family is outrageous," Hreiuc said. "Weekly purchase of additional food, hygiene, and personal items cost around $350 monthly."
Hreniuc said while they may get relief with the recent temporary fee waiver, she is worried about the families that are not able to afford this additional expense.
"It's a weekly struggle to manage the food and other expenses," she said. "What's going to happen now with everyone's work schedule being cut or nonexistent? Indirectly, this will create more hardship on the inmates, resulting in less food, less communication, and less personal hygiene items."
Calls for more action
The Vera Institute of Justice has issued guidance for better hygiene in prisons and jails, recommending facilities "provide free hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap to all people in custody and replenish several times a week."
Becca Fealk, program coordinator with the American Friends Service Committee of Arizona, said it is unfortunate that it took a viral pandemic to force the Department of Corrections to provide basic hygiene and medical care.
"Here in Arizona and across the U.S. we have built a system of punishment that is traumatic, and this is only increased with the coronavirus," Fealk said. "ADC must do more than just provide soap to reduce the chance of an outbreak. They need to release people, including older/aging adults who can be cared for by their loved ones."
Fealk said her group is recommending the Department of Corrections stop admissions "until this situation is under control."
While temporary fee waivers and other changes are a positive step, "it's really just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" says David Fathi, director of the ACLU National Prison Project.
Prisons are extremely high risk environments, he says, because there are large numbers of older and medically fragile people living in close quarters.
"The only effective response is to reduce the population density by releasing people," Fathi says, "starting with those who are most at risk of severe injury or death if they were to contract the virus."


npr--2020-03-23--Tests At Nursing Home In Washington State Confirm 30 Coronavirus Cases

Some two dozen residents and six staff members have tested positive for novel coronavirus at a nursing home north of @ @ @ @ @ reports .
Testing at the Shuksan Healthcare Center in Bellingham , near the border with @ @ @ @ @ residents and six of the facility 's staff had become infected , The Seattle Times @ @ @ @ @ in Whatcom County , where Bellingham is located , said on Saturday that at least @ @ @ @ @ , including a man in his 80s , were associated with the Shuksan outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ Raaka , Whatcom County Health Department 's emergency preparedness specialist , says the department `` @ @ @ @ @ of this situation '' and is working with the nursing home .
Last month , @ @ @ @ @ the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Kirkland , Wash. As of Wednesday , 35 @ @ @ @ @

Tests At Nursing Home In Washington State Confirm 30 Coronavirus Cases
Some two dozen residents and six staff members have tested positive for novel coronavirus at a nursing home north of Seattle, according to local reports.
Testing at the Shuksan Healthcare Center in Bellingham, near the border with Canada, revealed that 24 residents and six staff members had become infected, The Seattle Times reports.
The health department in Whatcom County, where Bellingham is located, said on Saturday that at least two deaths in the county, including a man in his 80s, were associated with the Shuksan outbreak, the newspaper says.
Mark Raaka, Whatcom County Health Department's emergency preparedness specialist, says the department "recognizes the significance and impact of this situation" and is working with the nursing home.
Last month, a coronavirus outbreak swept through the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Kirkland, Wash. As of Wednesday, 35 residents there had died.


npr--2020-03-23--3 GOP Senators In Self-Quarantine Will Be Unable To Vote On Coronavirus Relief

3 GOP Senators In Self-Quarantine Will Be Unable To Vote On Coronavirus Relief As Senate Republicans try to push through a $ 1.8 trillion coronavirus relief bill this week , they are doing so without a handful of votes in the closely divided chamber : Sens .
Rand Paul , Mitt Romney and Mike Lee .
That 's after Kentucky 's Sen. Paul , 57 , revealed on Sunday that he had tested positive for the virus and Sens .
Mitt Romney and Mike Lee , both of Utah , said they had recent contact with Paul , but showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in self-isolation .
A statement from Romney 's office said : `` He has no symptoms but will be tested . ''
In a separate statement , Lee said he also showed no symptoms or other risk factors and that he had been advised that a test for the virus `` was not warranted . ''
Lee , 48 and Romney , 73 , are both expected to self-quarantine for 14 days .
Other Senators , including Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , Ted Cruz , R-Texas , Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolated as a precautionary measure .
Because the Senate has no provision for remote voting , the absence of the three puts additional strain on Senate Republicans to garner the votes necessary to pass the relief bill — legislation aimed at a injection cash into the economy — including direct payments of $ 1,200 to most Americans $ 350 billion in loans to small businesses in an effort to save jobs .
Even so , Rand and Lee were among eight Republicans who voted against the package in an earlier vote .
Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on the stimulus bill late Thursday , saying it did not go far enough .
Last week , The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Paul was present at an event on March 7 where two individuals who attended later tested positive for coronavirus .
The newspaper said several of the attendees had subsequently self-quarantined .
Paul 's father , the former senator and presidential candidate Ron Paul , who like his son is also a physician , wrote recently suggesting that the epidemic could be `` a big hoax , with the actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who seek to profit –– financially or politically –– from the ensuing panic . ''

3 GOP Senators In Self-Quarantine Will Be Unable To Vote On Coronavirus Relief
Enlarge this image toggle caption Senate Television via AP Senate Television via AP
As Senate Republicans try to push through a $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief bill this week, they are doing so without a handful of votes in the closely divided chamber: Sens. Rand Paul, Mitt Romney and Mike Lee.
Thank you Mr. President! https://t.co/GIsaQTbgQU — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 23, 2020
That's after Kentucky's Sen. Paul, 57, revealed on Sunday that he had tested positive for the virus and Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, both of Utah, said they had recent contact with Paul, but showed no symptoms. All three are now in self-quarantine.
A statement from Romney's office said: "He has no symptoms but will be tested."
Senator Romney’s office issued the following statement: pic.twitter.com/tBSx03ZlTr — Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) March 22, 2020
In a separate statement, Lee said he also showed no symptoms or other risk factors and that he had been advised that a test for the virus "was not warranted."
Lee, 48 and Romney, 73, are both expected to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Other senators, including Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have previously self-quarantined as a precautionary measure.
Because the Senate has no provision for remote voting, the absence of the three puts additional strain on Senate Republicans to garner the votes necessary to pass the relief bill — legislation aimed at an injection of cash into the economy — including direct payments of $1,200 to most Americans and $350 billion in loans to small businesses in an effort to save jobs. Even so, Rand and Lee were among eight Republicans who voted against the package in an earlier vote.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blocked a vote on the stimulus bill late Thursday, saying it did not go far enough.
Last week, The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Paul was present at an event on March 7 where two individuals who attended later tested positive for the coronavirus. The newspaper said several of the attendees had subsequently self-quarantined.
Paul's father, the former member of Congress and presidential candidate Ron Paul, who like his son is also a physician, wrote recently suggesting that the epidemic could be "a big hoax, with the actual danger of the disease massively exaggerated by those who seek to profit — financially or politically — from the ensuing panic."


npr--2020-03-22--Mexico To Begin 'Healthy Distancing' Amid Criticism It Has Done Too Little Too Late

Mexico To Begin 'Healthy Distancing ' Amid Criticism It Has Done Too Little Too Late Mexico 's health officials say it 's time to keep your distance .
Beginning Monday , people will be urged to maintain safe distances from one another and , if possible , work from home .
Public schools , which were open through Friday , will remain closed until at least April 20 .
As of Saturday night , Mexico 's Secretary of Health reported 251 confirmed cases and two deaths from the coronavirus disease COVID-19 .
Some state and cities have already imposed stricter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's mayor announced that bars , theaters and museums would be closed , also beginning Monday .
Local officials , political opponents and newspaper columnists have criticized President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for not taking tougher measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Multiple Central American countries have closed their borders and stopped air traffic from overseas .
But Mexico is still allowing flights from the United States and Europe .
On Friday , the U.S. and Mexico agreed to allow only `` essential traffic '' across their shared land border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be able to get to their jobs .
The government released a cartoon character Saturday named `` Susana Distancia . ''
The costumed superhero stretches out her arms to show the distance one should keep from others .
But until now , `` social distancing '' guidelines have been merely suggestions and President López Obrador has continued to hug , shake hands and take selfies with supporters at government events .
At a press conference last week , he seemed to make light of the coronavirus threat , digging religious amulets out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective shields . ''
But in a nod to the growing criticism of his relaxed approach , the events López Obrador held this weekend in the southern state of Oaxaca were smaller .
His tone , however , was criticized for failing to convey urgency .
`` We have to continue working in spite of the threat of coronavirus , '' he said as he oversaw progress of construction of a new highway in Oaxaca on Saturday .
`` I believe we would be wrong to panic , if we just stopped and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sunday , López Obrador barely mentioned the health crisis as he spoke at another highway construction project .
As he has in the past , the president emphasized the heavy burden mass closures would place on Mexico 's poor .
But he assured the crowd Mexico could weather the crisis , pointing to its $ 10 billion cash reserve .
Although the Mexican peso has fallen sharply in recent days , now trading at 24 to the U.S. dollar , López Obrador urged his country 's central bank not to use its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ López Obrador struck an optimistic note : `` If we continue working with honesty , austerity and efficiency , we will be able to confront the crisis and move ahead , '' he said .

Mexico To Begin 'Healthy Distancing' Amid Criticism It Has Done Too Little Too Late
Mexico's health officials say it's time to keep your distance. Beginning Monday, people will be urged to maintain safe distances from one another and, if possible, work from home. Public schools, which were open through Friday, will remain closed until at least April 20.
As of Saturday night, Mexico's Secretary of Health reported 251 confirmed cases and two deaths from the coronavirus disease COVID-19. Some state and cities have already imposed stricter measures. On Sunday, Mexico City's mayor announced that bars, theaters and museums would be closed, also beginning Monday.
Local officials, political opponents and newspaper columnists have criticized President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for not taking tougher measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Multiple Central American countries have closed their borders and stopped air traffic from overseas. But Mexico is still allowing flights from the United States and Europe. On Friday, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to allow only "essential traffic" across their shared land border. Cross-border commerce will continue and workers will be able to get to their jobs.
The government released a cartoon character Saturday named "Susana Distancia." The costumed superhero stretches out her arms to show the distance one should keep from others. But until now, "social distancing" guidelines have been merely suggestions and President López Obrador has continued to hug, shake hands and take selfies with supporters at government events. At a press conference last week, he seemed to make light of the coronavirus threat, digging religious amulets out of his pocket that he called "protective shields."
But in a nod to the growing criticism of his relaxed approach, the events López Obrador held this weekend in the southern state of Oaxaca were smaller.
His tone, however, was criticized for failing to convey urgency. "We have to continue working in spite of the threat of coronavirus," he said as he oversaw progress of construction of a new highway in Oaxaca on Saturday. "I believe we would be wrong to panic, if we just stopped and we did nothing," he said.
Sunday, López Obrador barely mentioned the health crisis as he spoke at another highway construction project. As he has in the past, the president emphasized the heavy burden mass closures would place on Mexico's poor. But he assured the crowd Mexico could weather the crisis, pointing to its $10 billion cash reserve. Although the Mexican peso has fallen sharply in recent days, now trading at 24 to the U.S. dollar, López Obrador urged his country's central bank not to use its reserves to shore up the currency.
López Obrador struck an optimistic note: "If we continue working with honesty, austerity and efficiency, we will be able to confront the crisis and move ahead," he said.


npr--2020-03-22--India Observes 14 Hours Of Self-Quarantine

Can a single day of `` encouraged '' social distancing save a country of 1.3 billion people from the coronavirus ?
That 's at least what Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees as the first step in combating the virus in India .
On Sunday , millions across India self-quarantined themselves in their homes after Modi appealed to citizens to observe March 22 as `` Janta curfew , '' or a voluntary `` public curfew '' day , to demonstrate support both for social distancing and the nation 's medical community .
`` To not follow these guidelines would be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Modi said last week .
`` Leave your house only if it is essential . ''
While public health experts caution that such a narrow window of observance will do little to slow down the spread of the coronavirus , some residents voiced hope that a designated day for social distancing will drive home the seriousness of the situation in cities and in rural areas , where close to 70 % of the population lives .
Social media was flooded with posts of Indians coming on to their balconies on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and operators of essential services .
`` He ( Modi ) did that to get the local people at the lowest level to understand that this is an emergency , '' said Tanisha Fagwani , a Mumbai resident .
Prior to Modi 's announcement , Fagwani said that many of her friends and coworkers did not fully grasp the concept of social distancing .
Of the more than 375 confirmed cases in India , at least 74 are in the state of Maharashtra .
In its capital Mumbai , one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more cases were confirmed on Sunday .
The city is home to an estimated 12 million people and the largest slum in Asia .
However , in villages 120 miles northwest of the capital New Delhi , the virus is viewed by many as a disease of the elite , said Mohit Sharma .
He said that things around his village seemed `` business as usual . ''
`` Unless there is strict enforcement by official forces , appeals wo n't work in villages , '' said Sharma , who works in Hisar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If it enters the village , it will become a very tough situation . ''
Sharma is among those who have been critical of Modi 's response to the pandemic , describing Sunday 's call for social distancing as `` a show . ''
`` The government has totally failed , '' said Sharma .
`` ... For common man and people below the poverty people , he did not announce any economic relief or food assistance programs . ''
At least 80 cities in India have decided to impose some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These cities have agreed to suspend public transportation like trains , metros and bus services .
Most states have shut down malls , movie halls and non-essential establishments .
Only essential services like gas stations , pharmacies , police stations will be allowed to operate during the lockdown .

India Observes 14 Hours Of Self-Quarantine
Can a single day of "encouraged" social distancing save a country of 1.3 billion people from the coronavirus?
That's at least what Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees as the first step in combating the virus in India.
On Sunday, millions across India self-quarantined themselves in their homes after Modi appealed to citizens to observe March 22 as "Janta curfew," or a voluntary "public curfew" day, to demonstrate support both for social distancing and the nation's medical community.
"To not follow these guidelines would be an injustice to your family and loved ones," Modi said last week. "Leave your house only if it is essential."
While public health experts caution that such a narrow window of observance will do little to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, some residents voiced hope that a designated day for social distancing will drive home the seriousness of the situation in cities and in rural areas, where close to 70% of the population lives.
Social media was flooded with posts of Indians coming on to their balconies on Sunday to express gratitude for doctors, nurses and operators of essential services.
"He (Modi) did that to get the local people at the lowest level to understand that this is an emergency," said Tanisha Fagwani, a Mumbai resident. Prior to Modi's announcement, Fagwani said that many of her friends and coworkers did not fully grasp the concept of social distancing.
Of the more than 375 confirmed cases in India, at least 74 are in the state of Maharashtra. In its capital Mumbai, one of the most densely populated cities in India, six more cases were confirmed on Sunday. The city is home to an estimated 12 million people and the largest slum in Asia.
However, in villages 120 miles northwest of the capital New Delhi, the virus is viewed by many as a disease of the elite, said Mohit Sharma. He said that things around his village seemed "business as usual."
"Unless there is strict enforcement by official forces, appeals won't work in villages," said Sharma, who works in Hisar for the opposition party Indian National Congress. "If it enters the village, it will become a very tough situation."
Sharma is among those who have been critical of Modi's response to the pandemic, describing Sunday's call for social distancing as "a show."
"The government has totally failed," Sharma said. "... For common man and people below the poverty line, he did not announce any economic relief or food assistance programs."
At least 80 cities in India have decided to impose some form of lockdown until March 31st. These cities have agreed to suspend public transportation like trains, metros and bus services. Most states have shut down malls, movie halls and non-essential establishments. Only essential services like gas stations, pharmacies, police stations will be allowed to operate during the lockdown.


npr--2020-03-22--New York Gov. Cuomo Calls For Army Corps To Help Build Temporary Hospitals

New York Gov .
Cuomo Calls For Army Corps To Help Build Temporary Hospitals Facing a rapid increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo says New York state is ready for the Army Corps of Engineers to start building temporary hospitals in the state immediately .
Cuomo said he had toured and formally approved four sites in the state , including the Javits Center in Manhattan and others in Westchester County and Long Island .
`` Time matters , minutes count , '' Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany on Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ start tomorrow . ''
Cuomo also urged the federal government to nationalize the effort to acquire protective medical supplies — including masks , gowns and gloves — that are in short supply .
He says masks that used to cost 85 cents are now priced at $ 7 as states are forced to bid against each other for limited supplies .
`` I think the federal government should order factories to manufacture masks , gowns , ventilators , '' said Cuomo .
`` The essential medical equipment , that 's going to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The coronavirus is blamed for more than 100 deaths in New York , while the number of confirmed cases has climbed to more than 15,000 .
That 's by far the most of any state , though Cuomo said that 's partly because New York is testing more aggressively than other states .
If the infection rate continues its current trajectory , Cuomo says the state will need 110,000 hospital beds at its peak – more than twice as many as it has currently .
Cuomo announced that a clinical trial of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hydroxychloroquine , would begin on Tuesday in New York .
He also vented his frustration that New York City residents continued to congregate in the city 's parks over the weekend , despite an order to avoid nonessential gatherings to slow the spread of the virus .
`` It 's insensitive , it 's arrogant , it 's self-destructive , it 's disrespectful and it has to stop now , '' Cuomo said .
`` This is not a joke , and I am not kidding . ''

New York Gov. Cuomo Calls For Army Corps To Help Build Temporary Hospitals
Facing a rapid increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York state is ready for the Army Corps of Engineers to start building temporary hospitals in the state immediately.
Cuomo said he had toured and formally approved four sites in the state, including the Javits Center in Manhattan and others in Westchester County and Long Island.
"Time matters, minutes count," Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany on Sunday. "From my perspective, construction can start tomorrow."
Cuomo also urged the federal government to nationalize the effort to acquire protective medical supplies — including masks, gowns and gloves — that are in short supply. He says masks that used to cost 85 cents are now priced at $7 as states are forced to bid against each other for limited supplies.
"I think the federal government should order factories to manufacture masks, gowns, ventilators," said Cuomo. "The essential medical equipment, that's going to make a difference between life and death."
The coronavirus is blamed for more than 100 deaths in New York, while the number of confirmed cases has climbed to more than 15,000. That's by far the most of any state, though Cuomo said that's partly because New York is testing more aggressively than other states. If the infection rate continues its current trajectory, Cuomo says the state will need 110,000 hospital beds at its peak – more than twice as many as it has currently.
Cuomo announced that a clinical trial of new drugs to treat COVID-19, including Hydroxychloroquine, would begin on Tuesday in New York.
He also vented his frustration that New York City residents continued to congregate in the city's parks over the weekend, despite an order to avoid nonessential gatherings to slow the spread of the virus.
"It's insensitive, it's arrogant, it's self-destructive, it's disrespectful and it has to stop now," Cuomo said. "This is not a joke, and I am not kidding."