npr--2020-04-16--How To Stay Healthy When Your Child, Spouse Or Roommate Has COVID-19

How To Stay Healthy When Your Child , Spouse Or Roommate Has COVID-19 By now , you 've likely heard the advice : If you suspect that you 're sick with COVID-19 , or live with someone who is showing symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus , be prepared to ride it out at home .
That 's because the vast majority of cases are mild or moderate , and while these cases can feel as rough as a very bad flu and even include some cases of pneumonia , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recover without medical assistance .
( If you 're having trouble breathing or other emergency warning signs , seek medical help immediately . )
But this general advice means anyone living in the same household with the sick person could get infected — a real concern , since research so far suggests household transmission is one of the main ways the coronavirus spreads .
So how do you minimize your risk when moving out is n't an option ?
Here 's what infectious disease and public health experts have to say : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you live in a place with more than one room , identify a room or area – like a bedroom – where the sick person can be isolated from the rest of the household , including pets .
( The CDC says that while there 's no evidence that pets can transmit the virus to humans , there have been reports of pets becoming infected after close contact with people who have COVID-19 . )
Ideally , the `` sick room '' will have a door that can be kept shut when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should really be most of the time .
`` It would make sense for the person to just to be in their [ contained ] area in which we presume that things have virus exposure , '' says Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio , an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America .
That way , she says , everyone else can move about the home more freely .
A door would also make it easier to keep kids out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you all live in tighter quarters , like a one-bedroom or studio apartment , or have shared bedrooms .
Everyone should still try to sleep in separate quarters from the sick person if at all possible — `` whether it 's one person on a couch , another person on a bed , '' Bender Ignacio says .
That said , when multiple people share a small living space like that , `` it may be very near impossible to avoid exposure , '' says Dr. Amesh Adalja , a senior scholar at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security .
`` If you are somebody that has other medical conditions or you 're an advanced age and you 're at risk for having a more severe course [ of COVID-19 ] , I do think you should take that into consideration and , if it 's feasible , move out . ''
Limit your physical interactions — but not your emotional ones Even as you try to limit your face-to-face interactions with the sick person , remember , we all need human contact .
Try visiting via text or video options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work too .
Whenever you are in the same room together , the CDC recommends that the sick person wear a cloth face covering , even in their own home .
In practice , however , Adalja notes that `` it can be uncomfortable for someone who 's sick to wear a mask all the time in their own house '' — hence , another reason to limit those interactions .
Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after every visit with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too Bender Ignacio says if one person in the household is sick , everyone else in the household should consider themselves as possibly having asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infection , even if they feel fine .
That means you should quarantine yourselves at home , too , she says , and ask a friend or neighbor to help with essential errands like grocery shopping — so you do n't run the risk of exposing other people in the store .
`` The important consideration is that the entire house should be considered potentially infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are ill stop having symptoms , '' Bender Ignacio says .
It 's important to understand `` that anybody leaving that house also has the possibility of bringing the virus out . ''
If others in the household do get sick , one after the other , that two-week quarantine should restart with each illness , she says – which means you all could end up quarantined together for a long time .
If you have to share a bathroom ...
The CDC says anyone sick with symptoms of COVID-19 should use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but for many of us , that 's not an option .
If you do share a bathroom , the CDC advises that the caregiver or healthy housemates not go into the bathroom too soon after it 's used by a person who has the virus .
`` The hope is that with more time , if the patient was coughing in the room , fewer infectious droplets would remain suspended in the air , '' explains Dr. Alex Isakov , a professor of emergency medicine at Emory University and one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for checking for COVID-19 symptoms at home .
`` It would help if you could ventilate the bathroom by opening a window , or running the exhaust fan , if so equipped . ''
If feeling well enough , experts say , the person who tested positive for the virus should disinfect the bathroom before exiting , paying close attention to surfaces like door knobs , faucet handles , toilet , countertops , light switches and any other surfaces they touched .
If they ca n't do that , then the healthy housemate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entering to disinfect , then wash their hands thoroughly afterward .
And — this is key — each person in the household should use only their own frequently laundered towel .
Bender Ignacio says it would n't be a bad idea to try to remove all the bottles and lotions people tend to keep in the bathroom , so you can minimize the number of surfaces you have to disinfect in there .
One idea : Everyone in the home might carry the items they 'll need to use in the bathroom with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them when they exit .
The whole goal of isolating a sick person is to minimize the areas they might be contaminating , so having them cook their own food in a shared kitchen should be considered a no-no , Adalja and Bender Ignacio agree .
`` You just want to limit that person 's interaction with other people and around common-touch surfaces '' like the kitchen , says Adalja .
Instead , someone else in the house should prepare food for the sick person and take it to their isolation spot .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wash their dirty dishes and utensils in hot , soapy water or in the dishwasher .
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the used items .
Of course , Facetime chats are n't likely to cut it if you 're the parent of a young child who is sick .
`` I think that it 's probably unfeasible to mask a sick child in their own home , '' says Bender Ignacio , adding , `` If the child is the one who 's sick , they need physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keeping small children away can also be difficult if it is the parent who is sick .
`` If you have a child and you have a partner and that child is satisfied with the partner 's hugs , then that 's great , '' she says .
But `` if the sick person is the only caregiver , then there has to be physical interaction , '' she says .
`` And I think we should be reassured to some extent that even though children are as likely as adults to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much less likely to get severe disease . ''
As with most things when it comes to parenting , `` you just do the best you can , '' she says .
`` The good thing about the coronavirus is that it is easily killed by soap and water , '' says Bender Ignacio .
The CDC advises washing clothes and other fabric items using the warmest water setting appropriate .
The agency says it 's fine to wash a sick person 's clothes with everyone else 's — and make sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when handling the sick person 's laundry , but do n't shake it out first , the CDC says .
When you 're done , remove the gloves and wash your hands right away .
And do n't let the sick person 's clothes linger on the floor , says Bender Ignacio .
`` Make sure that laundry takes the shortest line between the hamper and the washing machine . ''
Consider putting soiled clothes directly in the washer .
If you use a hamper , it 's a good idea to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside of it , says Bender Ignacio .
Otherwise , she advises wiping down the hamper with soapy water afterward .
Commonly touched , shared surfaces in the house — such as tables , chairs , door knobs , countertops , light switches , phones , keyboards , faucets and sink handles — should be disinfected daily with a household disinfectant registered with the Environmental Protection Agency , according to the CDC .
( It does n't have to be spray bleach , or a fancy product — Comet disinfecting bathroom cleaner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily found products are on that list . )
The agency advises wearing disposable gloves when disinfecting surfaces for COVID-19 .
However , unless you have to change soiled linens or clean up a dirty surface , try not to go into the sick person 's room to clean , the CDC says , so you can minimize your contact .
Give them their own trash can , lined with a paper or plastic bag that they can then remove and dispose of themselves if possible .
Use gloves when taking out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you remove the gloves , the CDC says .
Recovering from COVID-19 at home poses particular challenges if someone else in the home is at higher risk of developing a severe case of the disease .
That 's of particular concern in multigenerational households .
It would probably be safest for that at-risk household member — say , a grandparent , or person with cancer or an autoimmune disease — to move someplace else temporarily , until everyone else in the family is symptom-free , says Adalja .
However , moving out is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there 's also the chance that the at-risk person might already be infected , in which case they could potentially transmit the virus to anyone else they moved in with , notes Bender Ignacio .
`` The best option is to essentially find the safest room or rooms in the house for the most vulnerable people and then exclude everyone else from those rooms , '' she says .
`` Visit those people with meals in their room if there is a high concern . ''

How To Stay Healthy When Your Child, Spouse Or Roommate Has COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption sorbetto/Getty Images sorbetto/Getty Images
By now, you've likely heard the advice: If you suspect that you're sick with COVID-19, or live with someone who is showing symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus, be prepared to ride it out at home.
That's because the vast majority of cases are mild or moderate, and while these cases can feel as rough as a very bad flu and even include some cases of pneumonia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most of these patients will be able to recover without medical assistance. (If you're having trouble breathing or other emergency warning signs, seek medical help immediately.)
But this general advice means anyone living in the same household with the sick person could get infected — a real concern, since research so far suggests household transmission is one of the main ways the coronavirus spreads. So how do you minimize your risk when moving out isn't an option? Here's what infectious disease and public health experts have to say:
Physically isolate the person who is sick
If you live in a place with more than one room, identify a room or area – like a bedroom – where the sick person can be isolated from the rest of the household, including pets. (The CDC says that while there's no evidence that pets can transmit the virus to humans, there have been reports of pets becoming infected after close contact with people who have COVID-19.)
Ideally, the "sick room" will have a door that can be kept shut when the sick person is inside — which should really be most of the time.
"It would make sense for the person to just to be in their [contained] area in which we presume that things have virus exposure," says Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. That way, she says, everyone else can move about the home more freely. A door would also make it easier to keep kids out of the isolation room.
Things get trickier if you all live in tighter quarters, like a one-bedroom or studio apartment, or have shared bedrooms. Everyone should still try to sleep in separate quarters from the sick person if at all possible — "whether it's one person on a couch, another person on a bed," Bender Ignacio says.
That said, when multiple people share a small living space like that, "it may be very near impossible to avoid exposure," says Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. "If you are somebody that has other medical conditions or you're an advanced age and you're at risk for having a more severe course [of COVID-19], I do think you should take that into consideration and, if it's feasible, move out."
Limit your physical interactions — but not your emotional ones
Even as you try to limit your face-to-face interactions with the sick person, remember, we all need human contact. Try visiting via text or video options like Facetime instead. Old-fashioned phone calls work too.
Whenever you are in the same room together, the CDC recommends that the sick person wear a cloth face covering, even in their own home. In practice, however, Adalja notes that "it can be uncomfortable for someone who's sick to wear a mask all the time in their own house" — hence, another reason to limit those interactions.
Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after every visit with the ill person.
Consider yourself quarantined, too
Bender Ignacio says if one person in the household is sick, everyone else in the household should consider themselves as possibly having asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infection, even if they feel fine.
That means you should quarantine yourselves at home, too, she says, and ask a friend or neighbor to help with essential errands like grocery shopping — so you don't run the risk of exposing other people in the store.
"The important consideration is that the entire house should be considered potentially infected for up to two weeks after people who are ill stop having symptoms," Bender Ignacio says. It's important to understand "that anybody leaving that house also has the possibility of bringing the virus out."
If others in the household do get sick, one after the other, that two-week quarantine should restart with each illness, she says – which means you all could end up quarantined together for a long time.
If you have to share a bathroom ...
The CDC says anyone sick with symptoms of COVID-19 should use a separate bathroom if at all possible, but for many of us, that's not an option. If you do share a bathroom, the CDC advises that the caregiver or healthy housemates not go into the bathroom too soon after it's used by a person who has the virus.
"The hope is that with more time, if the patient was coughing in the room, fewer infectious droplets would remain suspended in the air," explains Dr. Alex Isakov, a professor of emergency medicine at Emory University and one of the creators of Emory's online tool for checking for COVID-19 symptoms at home. "It would help if you could ventilate the bathroom by opening a window, or running the exhaust fan, if so equipped."
If feeling well enough, experts say, the person who tested positive for the virus should disinfect the bathroom before exiting, paying close attention to surfaces like door knobs, faucet handles, toilet, countertops, light switches and any other surfaces they touched. If they can't do that, then the healthy housemate should wait as long as feasible before entering to disinfect, then wash their hands thoroughly afterward. And — this is key — each person in the household should use only their own frequently laundered towel.
Bender Ignacio says it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to remove all the bottles and lotions people tend to keep in the bathroom, so you can minimize the number of surfaces you have to disinfect in there. One idea: Everyone in the home might carry the items they'll need to use in the bathroom with them in a caddy, and remove them when they exit.
Handling food and dirty dishes
The whole goal of isolating a sick person is to minimize the areas they might be contaminating, so having them cook their own food in a shared kitchen should be considered a no-no, Adalja and Bender Ignacio agree.
"You just want to limit that person's interaction with other people and around common-touch surfaces" like the kitchen, says Adalja.
Instead, someone else in the house should prepare food for the sick person and take it to their isolation spot. The CDC recommends using gloves to handle and wash their dirty dishes and utensils in hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the used items.
Parenting challenges
Of course, Facetime chats aren't likely to cut it if you're the parent of a young child who is sick. "I think that it's probably unfeasible to mask a sick child in their own home," says Bender Ignacio, adding, "If the child is the one who's sick, they need physical contact. That's important."
Keeping small children away can also be difficult if it is the parent who is sick. "If you have a child and you have a partner and that child is satisfied with the partner's hugs, then that's great," she says.
But "if the sick person is the only caregiver, then there has to be physical interaction," she says. "And I think we should be reassured to some extent that even though children are as likely as adults to get sick, we know now they're much less likely to get severe disease."
As with most things when it comes to parenting, "you just do the best you can," she says.
Laundry
"The good thing about the coronavirus is that it is easily killed by soap and water," says Bender Ignacio.
The CDC advises washing clothes and other fabric items using the warmest water setting appropriate. The agency says it's fine to wash a sick person's clothes with everyone else's — and make sure to dry items completely. Wear disposable gloves when handling the sick person's laundry, but don't shake it out first, the CDC says. When you're done, remove the gloves and wash your hands right away.
And don't let the sick person's clothes linger on the floor, says Bender Ignacio. "Make sure that laundry takes the shortest line between the hamper and the washing machine." Consider putting soiled clothes directly in the washer. If you use a hamper, it's a good idea to use a washable liner or a trash bag inside of it, says Bender Ignacio. Otherwise, she advises wiping down the hamper with soapy water afterward.
Disinfecting
Commonly touched, shared surfaces in the house — such as tables, chairs, door knobs, countertops, light switches, phones, keyboards, faucets and sink handles — should be disinfected daily with a household disinfectant registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the CDC. (It doesn't have to be spray bleach, or a fancy product — Comet disinfecting bathroom cleaner, Windex disinfectant cleaner, and many other easily found products are on that list.) The agency advises wearing disposable gloves when disinfecting surfaces for COVID-19.
However, unless you have to change soiled linens or clean up a dirty surface, try not to go into the sick person's room to clean, the CDC says, so you can minimize your contact. Give them their own trash can, lined with a paper or plastic bag that they can then remove and dispose of themselves if possible. Use gloves when taking out the trash and wash your hands right after you remove the gloves, the CDC says.
Protecting vulnerable people in the home
Recovering from COVID-19 at home poses particular challenges if someone else in the home is at higher risk of developing a severe case of the disease. That's of particular concern in multigenerational households. It would probably be safest for that at-risk household member — say, a grandparent, or person with cancer or an autoimmune disease — to move someplace else temporarily, until everyone else in the family is symptom-free, says Adalja.
However, moving out isn't an option for lots of people, and there's also the chance that the at-risk person might already be infected, in which case they could potentially transmit the virus to anyone else they moved in with, notes Bender Ignacio.
"The best option is to essentially find the safest room or rooms in the house for the most vulnerable people and then exclude everyone else from those rooms," she says. "Visit those people with meals in their room if there is a high concern."


npr--2020-04-16--How Immigrant Medical Professionals Are Helping To Fight The Coronavirus

How Immigrant Medical Professionals Are Helping To Fight The Coronavirus The battle against the coronavirus has been strained by shortages of ventilators , gloves and N95 masks , but hospitals are also scrambling to keep enough medical staff in place to deal with the surges of patients .
Experts say immigrants are helping to fill this need and could play a bigger role if some of the obstacles they face are removed — from long and costly licensing processes to acceptance and even respect .
For the past three years , 33-year-old Jossania Dutra has been working as a nurse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center in Boston .
She trained as a registered nurse in her native Brazil and came to the United States five years ago to reunite with her mother .
She said her ward was originally a vascular treatment unit , but several weeks ago it became a COVID-19 unit .
`` My whole floor is an ICU , '' she said .
The hospital is providing its staff with personal protective equipment , but like elsewhere in the country , there is a shortage , so Dutra is reusing the gear .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirty gear after a shift , '' she said .
But Dutra is committed to nursing , adding , `` I love my job , even though it 's a big risk right now . ''
All her patients are intubated , but Dutra ca n't allow negative thoughts into her head before heading to work .
`` All I think of is to do my best for the day and the next day I repeat the thought , '' she said .
Then there is the issue of `` otherness . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a different skin color or an accent , some feel they have a license to question or judge whether I can do a good job , '' she said .
`` I 'm making huge contributions right now , taking care of COVID-19 patients .
We immigrants are the ones putting our lives in the frontlines .
It should n't be about race , it should be about the work we do . ''
For the last three years , Dutra has been working with the Welcome Back Initiative to become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group helps foreign-trained health care workers , like Dutra , with the licensing process .
She 's spent several thousand dollars in fees and other related expenses such as English classes and testing .
Becoming a registered nurse will mean more responsibility and higher pay , `` and hopefully more professional respect , '' said Dutra .
`` I hope we have a collective epiphany , '' said José Ramón Fernández-Peña , director of the Welcome Back Initiative .
`` This is the time for the country to see what a treasure it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group started 19 years ago in San Francisco and now operates 10 centers around the country .
It has worked with about 18,000 professionals from 167 countries .
`` Often the basic assumption is you were trained poorly because you were not trained here , '' said Fernández-Peña , who practiced as a family physician in Mexico and does career counseling with pre-med students at Northwestern University .
An anesthesiologist trained in India or Cuba may choose not to go through the lengthy and costly licensing process to obtain a license to practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that person could become a respiratory therapist who can intubate patients and work with respirators , he added , which is what hospitals need most right now .
Making up for an aging workforce Some governors are taking notice of the pool of medical professionals in immigrant communities and the bigger role they could play in battling the coronavirus .
On April 1 , Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak issued an emergency order authorizing the state 's chief medical officer `` to approve the waiver and exemption of professional licensing requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has received training in another country but is not currently licensed in the United States , subject to verification of their credentials . ''
Also this month , N.J. Gov .
Phil Murphy signed an executive order allowing foreign-trained health care providers , including any medical doctor who is licensed and in good standing in another country , to practice in the state during the pandemic .
In California , Gov .
Gavin Newsom gave his state 's health and consumer affairs departments authority to relax some of the licensing requirements .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates that 263,000 immigrants and refugees have an education in health-related fields , but are either unemployed or underemployed in low-paying jobs because they were trained in their country of origin .
`` There is a shortage of health care workers at all scale levels , '' from doctors to nurses to intake officers and technicians , said Andrew Lim , director of quantitative research with New American Economy , a nonprofit research and advocacy organization focusing on immigration policy .
`` Immigrants are making up for an aging workforce , '' Lim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry .
The immigrant population tends to be younger than U.S.-born Americans .
New data from the NAE show immigrants already make up 16.5 % of all health care workers in the country .
One in four doctors and one in eight registered nurses are immigrants .
`` I just want to keep my family healthy '' Karen Garcia is a nurse at Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix , Ariz. , and cares for COVID-19 patients .
`` All of my patients are Spanish speaking , and being their nurse definitely gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcia said .
`` Each nurse cares for one or two patients at a time , but I worry about the coronavirus peak in late April because we could get many more patients per nurse . ''
The virus is n't the only threat to Garcia 's future .
She 's a DREAMer , one of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children .
She was 4 years old when her parents crossed the border illegally from Mexico .
Garcia and thousands of other DREAMers could lose their work permits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration in its legal challenge to eliminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , or DACA .
The program started during the Obama administration to protect this group from deportation .
Attorneys representing DACA recipients estimate there are 27,000 health care workers in the program fighting the pandemic , according to a letter drafted by pro-bono lawyers .
The Supreme Court is expected to take up the DACA case this fall .
`` I do n't want to think about what will happen with the DACA program now , '' said Garcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I just want to keep my family healthy . ''
Garcia said she feels a responsibility to stay at work , especially now when coronavirus cases are surging .
`` Being Hispanic , my parents always taught me to go to work , '' she said .
`` I 'm not going to stay away . ''
Garcia said she knew she wanted to be a nurse when she was 7 years old , after helping her mother communicate with staff at an emergency room .
She realized then that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language .
It 's important `` especially now that patients ca n't have family members with them '' in the hospital , she added .
`` When patients are alone , it 's a relief for them to see a Spanish-speaking nurse .
It 's been pretty emotional for me and my patients . ''

How Immigrant Medical Professionals Are Helping To Fight The Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wuttisak Promchoo /Getty Images Wuttisak Promchoo /Getty Images
The battle against the coronavirus has been strained by shortages of ventilators, gloves and N95 masks, but hospitals are also scrambling to keep enough medical staff in place to deal with the surges of patients. Experts say immigrants are helping to fill this need and could play a bigger role if some of the obstacles they face are removed — from long and costly licensing processes to acceptance and even respect.
For the past three years, 33-year-old Jossania Dutra has been working as a nurse assistant at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She trained as a registered nurse in her native Brazil and came to the United States five years ago to reunite with her mother.
She said her ward was originally a vascular treatment unit, but several weeks ago it became a COVID-19 unit.
"My whole floor is an ICU," she said.
The hospital is providing its staff with personal protective equipment, but like elsewhere in the country, there is a shortage, so Dutra is reusing the gear.
"I fear getting contaminated when handling the dirty gear after a shift," she said. But Dutra is committed to nursing, adding, "I love my job, even though it's a big risk right now."
All her patients are intubated, but Dutra can't allow negative thoughts into her head before heading to work.
"All I think of is to do my best for the day and the next day I repeat the thought," she said.
Then there is the issue of "otherness."
"If you're an immigrant or have a different skin color or an accent, some feel they have a license to question or judge whether I can do a good job," she said. "I'm making huge contributions right now, taking care of COVID-19 patients. We immigrants are the ones putting our lives in the frontlines. It shouldn't be about race, it should be about the work we do."
A collective epiphany
For the last three years, Dutra has been working with the Welcome Back Initiative to become a registered nurse in the U.S. The group helps foreign-trained health care workers, like Dutra, with the licensing process. She's spent several thousand dollars in fees and other related expenses such as English classes and testing. Becoming a registered nurse will mean more responsibility and higher pay, "and hopefully more professional respect," said Dutra.
"I hope we have a collective epiphany," said José Ramón Fernández-Peña, director of the Welcome Back Initiative. "This is the time for the country to see what a treasure it has in immigrant communities."
The group started 19 years ago in San Francisco and now operates 10 centers around the country. It has worked with about 18,000 professionals from 167 countries.
"Often the basic assumption is you were trained poorly because you were not trained here," said Fernández-Peña, who practiced as a family physician in Mexico and does career counseling with pre-med students at Northwestern University.
An anesthesiologist trained in India or Cuba may choose not to go through the lengthy and costly licensing process to obtain a license to practice medicine in the U.S., Fernández-Peña said. But that person could become a respiratory therapist who can intubate patients and work with respirators, he added, which is what hospitals need most right now.
Making up for an aging workforce
Some governors are taking notice of the pool of medical professionals in immigrant communities and the bigger role they could play in battling the coronavirus.
On April 1, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak issued an emergency order authorizing the state's chief medical officer "to approve the waiver and exemption of professional licensing requirements for any provider of medical services who has received training in another country but is not currently licensed in the United States, subject to verification of their credentials."
Also this month, N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order allowing foreign-trained health care providers, including any medical doctor who is licensed and in good standing in another country, to practice in the state during the pandemic.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom gave his state's health and consumer affairs departments authority to relax some of the licensing requirements.
A recent study from the Migration Policy Institute estimates that 263,000 immigrants and refugees have an education in health-related fields, but are either unemployed or underemployed in low-paying jobs because they were trained in their country of origin.
"There is a shortage of health care workers at all scale levels," from doctors to nurses to intake officers and technicians, said Andrew Lim, director of quantitative research with New American Economy, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization focusing on immigration policy.
"Immigrants are making up for an aging workforce," Lim said, including in the health care industry. The immigrant population tends to be younger than U.S.-born Americans.
New data from the NAE show immigrants already make up 16.5% of all health care workers in the country. One in four doctors and one in eight registered nurses are immigrants.
"I just want to keep my family healthy"
Karen Garcia is a nurse at Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., and cares for COVID-19 patients.
"All of my patients are Spanish speaking, and being their nurse definitely gives them a sense of relief," Garcia said. "Each nurse cares for one or two patients at a time, but I worry about the coronavirus peak in late April because we could get many more patients per nurse."
The virus isn't the only threat to Garcia's future. She's a DREAMer, one of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. She was 4 years old when her parents crossed the border illegally from Mexico.
Garcia and thousands of other DREAMers could lose their work permits if the U.S. Supreme Court sides with the Trump administration in its legal challenge to eliminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The program started during the Obama administration to protect this group from deportation. Attorneys representing DACA recipients estimate there are 27,000 health care workers in the program fighting the pandemic, according to a letter drafted by pro-bono lawyers. The Supreme Court is expected to take up the DACA case this fall.
"I don't want to think about what will happen with the DACA program now," said Garcia, the mother of two young children. "I just want to keep my family healthy."
Garcia said she feels a responsibility to stay at work, especially now when coronavirus cases are surging.
"Being Hispanic, my parents always taught me to go to work," she said. "I'm not going to stay away."
Garcia said she knew she wanted to be a nurse when she was 7 years old, after helping her mother communicate with staff at an emergency room. She realized then that people need nurses and doctors who speak their language.
It's important "especially now that patients can't have family members with them" in the hospital, she added. "When patients are alone, it's a relief for them to see a Spanish-speaking nurse. It's been pretty emotional for me and my patients."


npr--2020-04-16--Iranian Speedboats Conduct 'Dangerous And Provocative' Maneuvers Near U.S. Warships

Iranian Speedboats Conduct 'Dangerous And Provocative ' Maneuvers Near U.S .
Warships Nearly a dozen small craft operated by the naval wing of Iran 's Revolutionary Guard carried out harassing maneuvers dangerously close to U.S. warships conducting exercises in the Persian Gulf , Navy officials said Wednesday .
`` The [ Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ] vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the U.S. vessels at extremely close range and high speeds , including multiple crossings of the [ USS Lewis B . ]
Puller with a 50 yard closest point of approach ( CPA ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast Guard Cutter ] Maui 's bow , '' the U.S. Navy 's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said in a statement .
The Puller , an expeditionary mobile base vessel , and the Maui are part of a larger U.S. flotilla conducting joint integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf — also known as the Persian Gulf — according to the Navy .
`` The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio , five short blasts from the ships ' horns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but received no response from the IRGCN , '' the Navy said .
`` After approximately one hour , the IRGCN vessels responded to the bridge-to-bridge radio queries , then maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened distance between them . ''
The Navy said the actions of the Iranian vessels were `` dangerous and provocative '' and `` increased the risk of miscalculation and collision . ''
Iranian officials did not immediately comment , but the country 's semiofficial Fars news agency acknowledged the incident , according to The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as armed Iranian speedboats boarded and then briefly detained the Hong Kong-flagged chemical tanker SC Taipei in the Gulf of Oman , directing it to Iranian waters before allowing it to proceed .
`` The vessel was approached 48nm ( nautical miles ) offshore Fujairah and hailed by four skiffs carrying armed Iranian coastguard personnel , '' British maritime security company Ambrey Intelligence said .
`` The vessel 's crew were ordered to lower the ladder and were then boarded .
The vessel was later directed to Kooh Mobarak , Iran , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed safe . ''
In a series of incidents last year , the U.S. accused Iran of attacking tankers in the Persian Gulf and Iran seized the British-flagged tanker Stena Bulk and held it for several weeks .
The British Royal Marines later seized an Iranian tanker , the Grace 1 , in waters near Gibraltar .

Iranian Speedboats Conduct 'Dangerous And Provocative' Maneuvers Near U.S. Warships
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Navy/AP U.S. Navy/AP
Nearly a dozen small craft operated by the naval wing of Iran's Revolutionary Guard carried out harassing maneuvers dangerously close to U.S. warships conducting exercises in the Persian Gulf, Navy officials said Wednesday.
Video of #IRGCN vessels conducting dangerous & harassing approaches on U.S. naval vessels in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf. pic.twitter.com/zL9VKQ0eiQ — U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) April 15, 2020
"The [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy] vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the U.S. vessels at extremely close range and high speeds, including multiple crossings of the [USS Lewis B.] Puller with a 50 yard closest point of approach (CPA) and within 10 yards of [the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter] Maui's bow," the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said in a statement.
The Puller, an expeditionary mobile base vessel, and the Maui are part of a larger U.S. flotilla conducting joint integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf — also known as the Persian Gulf — according to the Navy.
"The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio, five short blasts from the ships' horns and long range acoustic noisemaker devices, but received no response from the IRGCN," the Navy said. "After approximately one hour, the IRGCN vessels responded to the bridge-to-bridge radio queries, then maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened distance between them."
The Navy said the actions of the Iranian vessels were "dangerous and provocative" and "increased the risk of miscalculation and collision."
Iranian officials did not immediately comment, but the country's semiofficial Fars news agency acknowledged the incident, according to The Associated Press.
The close approach at sea came as armed Iranian speedboats boarded and then briefly detained the Hong Kong-flagged chemical tanker SC Taipei in the Gulf of Oman, directing it to Iranian waters before allowing it to proceed.
"The vessel was approached 48nm (nautical miles) offshore Fujairah and hailed by four skiffs carrying armed Iranian coastguard personnel," British maritime security company Ambrey Intelligence said. "The vessel's crew were ordered to lower the ladder and were then boarded. The vessel was later directed to Kooh Mobarak, Iran, but quickly released with crew and vessel now confirmed safe."
In a series of incidents last year, the U.S. accused Iran of attacking tankers in the Persian Gulf and Iran seized the British-flagged tanker Stena Bulk and held it for several weeks. The British Royal Marines later seized an Iranian tanker, the Grace 1, in waters near Gibraltar.


npr--2020-04-15--Official Alleges The U.S. Has Deported Many COVID-19-Positive Migrants To Guatemala

Official Alleges The U.S. Has Deported Many COVID-19-Positive Migrants To Guatemala Guatemala 's Health Minister Hugo Monroy says migrants deported back to Guatemala from the United States now account for a large number of COVID-19 cases in the country .
Monroy made the statement on Tuesday as deportation flights resumed after a one-week suspension in the wake of the discovery of three cases of returned migrants infected with the virus .
The health minister told a congressional hearing in Guatemala City that at least half of the country 's now almost 200 COVID-19 cases could be traced back to migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referred to as `` the Wuhan of the Americas . ''
Monroy claimed there was one flight in which `` 75 % of the returned migrants tested positive for the virus . ''
According to the Associated Press , the health minister 's remarks contradict statements made earlier by President Alejandro Giammattei , who has previously identified only four confirmed cases of returned migrants testing positive for COVID-19 .
Giammattei made no mention of the health minister 's bombshell statement in his daily report to the nation on Tuesday night .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that more than half of CONVID-19 infections could be traced to deported migrants but repeated that three-quarters of returned migrants on one flight in March had tested positive for the coronavirus .
As the COVID-19 crisis spread to Central America in the last month , the governments of Guatemala and other Central American countries had requested temporary suspension of the deportation flights .
On Tuesday , Guatemala 's Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo confirmed flights of returned migrants would continue , saying , `` We have begun ... negotiations with the Embassy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions of those being returned from the United States ... to be able to guarantee diminished risk they [ will ] arrive infected by COVID-19 . ''
Guatemalan news reports indicated the pressure of sanctions was being placed on Central American governments to resume the return flights of deportees .
Meanwhile , church and refugee groups like Refugees International called for migrants to be tested before being deported back to their home countries .
The Guatemalan Episcopal Conference , an umbrella organization of religious groups , on Wednesday strongly criticized both the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants back during the current public health crisis .
Part of the CEG 's statement read : `` We raise our voice and ask the governments of the U.S. and Mexico in the name of a suffering people to stop the deportations . ''
A spokesperson for ICE , U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the health and safety of migrants under ICE care `` is one of our highest priorities , '' and `` Every ICE detainee must pass a health screening by a flight medical provider or they will be denied @ @ @

Official Alleges The U.S. Has Deported Many COVID-19-Positive Migrants To Guatemala
Enlarge this image toggle caption Moises Castillo/AP Moises Castillo/AP
Guatemala's Health Minister Hugo Monroy says migrants deported back to Guatemala from the United States now account for a large number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Monroy made the statement on Tuesday as deportation flights resumed after a one-week suspension in the wake of the discovery of three cases of returned migrants infected with the virus.
The health minister told a congressional hearing in Guatemala City that at least half of the country's now almost 200 COVID-19 cases could be traced back to migrants returned from the U.S, which he referred to as "the Wuhan of the Americas."
Monroy claimed there was one flight in which "75% of the returned migrants tested positive for the virus."
According to the Associated Press, the health minister's remarks contradict statements made earlier by President Alejandro Giammattei, who has previously identified only four confirmed cases of returned migrants testing positive for COVID-19. Giammattei made no mention of the health minister's bombshell statement in his daily report to the nation on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, Monroy retracted the claim he made Tuesday that more than half of CONVID-19 infections could be traced to deported migrants but repeated that three-quarters of returned migrants on one flight in March had tested positive for the coronavirus.
As the COVID-19 crisis spread to Central America in the last month, the governments of Guatemala and other Central American countries had requested temporary suspension of the deportation flights. On Tuesday, Guatemala's Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo confirmed flights of returned migrants would continue, saying, "We have begun ... negotiations with the Embassy and government of the United States to improve conditions of those being returned from the United States ... to be able to guarantee diminished risk they [will] arrive infected by COVID-19."
Guatemalan news reports indicated the pressure of sanctions was being placed on Central American governments to resume the return flights of deportees.
Meanwhile, church and refugee groups like Refugees International called for migrants to be tested before being deported back to their home countries. The Guatemalan Episcopal Conference, an umbrella organization of religious groups, on Wednesday strongly criticized both the United States and Mexico for continuing to send migrants back during the current public health crisis. Part of the CEG's statement read: "We raise our voice and ask the governments of the U.S. and Mexico in the name of a suffering people to stop the deportations."
A spokesperson for ICE, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the health and safety of migrants under ICE care "is one of our highest priorities," and "Every ICE detainee must pass a health screening by a flight medical provider or they will be denied boarding."


npr--2020-04-15--Lee Konitz, Prolific And Influential Jazz Saxophonist, Dies At 92

Lee Konitz , the prolific jazz saxophonist who maintained a singular style and devotion to improvisation throughout a career that stretched more than 70 years , died on Wednesday at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York at the age of 92 .
His son , Josh Konitz , confirmed to NPR that the cause was pneumonia related to COVID-19 .
Lee Konitz was part of one of the most celebrate recordings in jazz history .
In 1949 and 1950 , he played with the Miles Davis Nonet a trio of sessions that would that would become Davis ' 1957 album @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last surviving musician who played in those sessions .
But 60 years after those historic recordings were made , Konitz sat in his Upper West Side living room and dismissed Birth of the Cool as merely written music , with incidental solos , having little to do with what he saw as the heart of jazz : improvisation .
`` 'Improvisary ' means 'unforheard ' — unforeseen — I do n't know what the Latin word for 'heard ' is , but it 's something like that , '' Konitz said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ask the so-called improvisers : How much of what you 're improvising is really pre-planned ?
The idea that the music is full of surprises . ''
Konitz dedicated a lifetime to making surprising music .
As he told NPR in 1980 , Konitz got his deep respect for improvisation as a teenager , when he spent three years studying and playing with the blind pianist Lennie Tristano .
`` It was very inspiring , '' Konitz said .
`` I really started to take music more seriously .
I was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility .
And he indicated to me the direction the music was really in . ''
Konitz was born in Chicago on Oct. 13 , 1927 .
In a career that spanned seven decades , he improvised on scores of records , in every conceivable setting , from big bands to duets .
When the alto saxophonist was in his 80s , he released a record with pianist Dan Tepfer of duets improvised on the fly , with no predetermined melodies or rhythms .
`` He was a lifelong searcher , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former New York Times jazz critic who is now director of editorial content for the Newark-based jazz radio station WBGO .
`` He was really remarkable in the way that he always sought out the spontaneous urge . ''
`` I think Lee Konitz will be understood as one of the great improvisers in the music , '' Chinen said , `` as someone who managed to navigate the art of improvisation in ways that were always rigorous , and always marked by a kind of personal integrity , and really deaf to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Konitz never made a lot of money .
He did n't have a publicist , an agent or even an email account .
But he made a living playing jazz , and he never had to compromise .
When he was 82 , he said that was enough of a career for him .
`` Well , it 's as modest as it could be , '' Konitz mused .
`` I never got into the big money , or the big record sales area .
So I can move around as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have that kind of respect and opportunity to play .
It 's great . ''

Lee Konitz, Prolific And Influential Jazz Saxophonist, Dies At 92
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Rogers/For NPR John Rogers/For NPR
Lee Konitz, the prolific jazz saxophonist who maintained a singular style and devotion to improvisation throughout a career that stretched more than 70 years, died on Wednesday at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York at the age of 92. His son, Josh Konitz, confirmed to NPR that the cause was pneumonia related to COVID-19.
Lee Konitz was part of one of the most celebrate recordings in jazz history. In 1949 and 1950, he played with the Miles Davis Nonet a trio of sessions that would that would become Davis' 1957 album Birth of the Cool. Konitz was the last surviving musician who played in those sessions.
YouTube
But 60 years after those historic recordings were made, Konitz sat in his Upper West Side living room and dismissed Birth of the Cool as merely written music, with incidental solos, having little to do with what he saw as the heart of jazz: improvisation.
"'Improvisary' means 'unforheard' — unforeseen — I don't know what the Latin word for 'heard' is, but it's something like that," Konitz said. "And that's a question that I ask the so-called improvisers: How much of what you're improvising is really pre-planned? The idea that the music is full of surprises."
YouTube
Konitz dedicated a lifetime to making surprising music. As he told NPR in 1980, Konitz got his deep respect for improvisation as a teenager, when he spent three years studying and playing with the blind pianist Lennie Tristano.
"It was very inspiring," Konitz said. "I really started to take music more seriously. I was just a kid with some kind of natural facility. And he indicated to me the direction the music was really in."
Konitz was born in Chicago on Oct. 13, 1927. In a career that spanned seven decades, he improvised on scores of records, in every conceivable setting, from big bands to duets. When the alto saxophonist was in his 80s, he released a record with pianist Dan Tepfer of duets improvised on the fly, with no predetermined melodies or rhythms.
Dan Tepfer YouTube
"He was a lifelong searcher," said Nate Chinen, an NPR contributor and former New York Times jazz critic who is now director of editorial content for the Newark-based jazz radio station WBGO. "He was really remarkable in the way that he always sought out the spontaneous urge."
"I think Lee Konitz will be understood as one of the great improvisers in the music," Chinen said, "as someone who managed to navigate the art of improvisation in ways that were always rigorous, and always marked by a kind of personal integrity, and really deaf to any kind of commercial concern."
Konitz never made a lot of money. He didn't have a publicist, an agent or even an email account. But he made a living playing jazz, and he never had to compromise. When he was 82, he said that was enough of a career for him.
"Well, it's as modest as it could be," Konitz mused. "I never got into the big money, or the big record sales area. So I can move around as an old-timer, so to speak. And have that kind of respect and opportunity to play. It's great."


npr--2020-04-15--N.Y. Gov. Cuomo Orders Public Mask Use To Curb COVID-19 Spread

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has joined other states and ordered people in New York to wear face coverings in public when they ca n't remain 6 feet apart , in order to protect the gains his state has made against the coronavirus .
Despite fatalities still reaching more than 700 daily , Cuomo said the outbreak has stabilized and the danger of overwhelming the health system seems to have passed .
Cuomo said he would never forget all the help New York received , and he announced he 'd be sending 100 ventilators to Michigan and 50 to Maryland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blasio announced that grocery stores could now require all customers to wear masks , the governor went further , ordering everyone in the state to wear something to cover their nose and mouth any time they ca n't stay 6 feet apart .
Cuomo said for now , the rule would be enforced without fines .
`` People will enforce it .
They 'll say to you , if they 're standing next to you on a street corner , 'Where 's your mask , buddy ? '
in a nice New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo said he hopes to begin a phased reopening of the state 's economy , allowing businesses to open based on how essential they are , measured against how risky the nature of the business is for transmission of the virus .
But Cuomo warned life wo n't get back to even a `` new normal '' until a vaccine or medical treatment proves effective — as long as 18 months from now .
Both Cuomo and de Blasio said the federal bailout so far was inadequate for New York , which de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion in revenue .
Cuomo said the national recovery ca n't happen without New York .

N.Y. Gov. Cuomo Orders Public Mask Use To Curb COVID-19 Spread
Enlarge this image toggle caption Seth Wenig/AP Seth Wenig/AP
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has joined other states and ordered people in New York to wear face coverings in public when they can't remain 6 feet apart, in order to protect the gains his state has made against the coronavirus.
Despite fatalities still reaching more than 700 daily, Cuomo said the outbreak has stabilized and the danger of overwhelming the health system seems to have passed. Cuomo said he would never forget all the help New York received, and he announced he'd be sending 100 ventilators to Michigan and 50 to Maryland.
After New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that grocery stores could now require all customers to wear masks, the governor went further, ordering everyone in the state to wear something to cover their nose and mouth any time they can't stay 6 feet apart. Cuomo said for now, the rule would be enforced without fines.
"People will enforce it. They'll say to you, if they're standing next to you on a street corner, 'Where's your mask, buddy?' in a nice New York kinda way," he said.
Cuomo said he hopes to begin a phased reopening of the state's economy, allowing businesses to open based on how essential they are, measured against how risky the nature of the business is for transmission of the virus. But Cuomo warned life won't get back to even a "new normal" until a vaccine or medical treatment proves effective — as long as 18 months from now.
Both Cuomo and de Blasio said the federal bailout so far was inadequate for New York, which de Blasio said may have lost $10 billion in revenue. Cuomo said the national recovery can't happen without New York.


npr--2020-04-15--Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: COVID-19 Treatment, Survivors And Travel

On this broadcast of The National Conversation , an emergency physician talks about treating patients in New York and answers @ @ @ @ @ .
We 'll also hear from some listeners who have beat COVID-19 and share some @ @ @ @ @ about travel in the future .

Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: COVID-19 Treatment, Survivors And Travel
Enlarge this image toggle caption Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images
On this broadcast of The National Conversation, an emergency physician talks about treating patients in New York and answers your questions about treatment options. We'll also hear from some listeners who have beat COVID-19 and share some things to consider when thinking about travel in the future.


npr--2020-04-15--Tracking The Pandemic: How Quickly Is The Coronavirus Spreading State By State?

Tracking The Pandemic : How Quickly Is The Coronavirus Spreading State By State ?
Since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States on January 21st , over a half million people in the U.S. have confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
In the last week , the U.S. became the nation with the most deaths globally , but there are early signs that the U.S. case and death rate may be leveling off , as the growth of new cases and deaths plateaus .
The pattern is n't consistent across the country , as new hotspots emerge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your state 's case count is growing , click here .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
In response to mounting cases , state and federal authorities have emphasized a social distancing strategy , widely seen as the best available means to slow the spread of the virus .
Most states have put in place measures such as closing schools and nonessential businesses and ordering citizens to stay home as much as possible .
It 's not clear how long such measures need to be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Wuhan , the city in China where the virus originated , a strictly enforced lockdown and widespread testing has slowed the outbreak dramatically , enough to bring an end to the 76-day lockdown .
A large portion of U.S. cases are centered around New York City .
Since March 20 , New York State , Connecticut , and New Jersey have accounted for around 50 % of all U.S. cases .
As of April 9 , nearly 60 % of all deaths from COVID-19 have been in these three states .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plateau , as seen below , it notched between 8,000 and 10,000 new cases each day between March 31 and April 12 .
To understand how one state 's outbreak compares to another , it 's helpful to look at not just the daily counts , but the rate of change day over day .
In the following chart , we display cases on a logarithmic scale , meaning that every axis line is ten times greater than the previous .
This type of scale emphasizes the rate of change .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state 's curve tends sharply upward , as New York 's does over the first 15 days past 100 cases .
Generally , this is evidence of unbridled community transmission of the disease .
As new cases slow , the curve bends towards horizontal , showing that the state 's outbreak may be leveling off .
This does n't mean cases have stopped growing , but the growth has slowed , which could signify that social distancing measures are having an effect .
In some areas , there are signs of hope .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like California and Washington — also seem to be having success at suppressing it .
The outlook in Washington has improved to the point that the state has returned unused Army hospital beds it had received in preparation for a peak in cases .
Elsewhere , limited access to testing may make the number of cases look smaller than they really are .
As testing becomes more readily available , we are likely to see the number of confirmed cases continue to grow , even if not at the pace previously seen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from the CDC , WHO , national , state and local government health departments , and local media reports .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Stephanie Adeline , Alyson Hurt , Connie Hanzhang Jin , Ruth Talbot and Thomas Wilburn contributed to this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-01-07--Economics Still Has A Diversity Problem

Economics Still Has A Diversity Problem

Editor 's note : This is an excerpt of Planet Money 's newsletter .
You can sign up here .
It 's early January again , which means thousands of the nation 's economists invade a city for their annual meeting .
This year 's was in San Diego .
Walking around the sprawling conference , you could see a sea of nerds and wonks all sporting red lanyards .
Nobel Prize winners brushed shoulders with former chairs of the Federal Reserve in a sea of anxious grad students hoping to land jobs .
Planet Money was there too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long lines for coffee .
No WiFi .
Econ jargon echoing through the halls .
And , in recent years , a profession grappling with the fact that it 's disproportionately white and male .
Last year , the Planet Money newsletter covered a panel session called `` How Can Economics Solve Its Gender Problem ? ''
It featured an all-star cast of female economists who reckoned with a field they described as rife with sexism , misogyny , and bullying .
The awkward irony of that panel was its participants were virtually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , which laid the groundwork for this year 's follow-up panel : `` How Can Economics Solve Its Race Problem ? ''
Janet Yellen , the former chairwoman of the Federal Reserve and the incoming president of the American Economic Association ( AEA ) , kicked off the discussion by citing abysmal statistics on diversity in the field and declaring that the organization `` places very high priority on finding ways to address the problem of minority underrepresentation . ''
Last year , the AEA conducted a climate survey of over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply unhappy with the state of the profession .
`` Along all dimensions of discrimination examined in the survey , Asians , African Americans , and Latinx economists report having substantially worse experiences than their white counterparts , '' Yellen said .
`` Practices and patterns of behavior that are widespread in the profession are harming the progress of minorities . ''
The panelists , who were all minorities , shared stories of discrimination , harassment , and belittlement they have faced over their careers .
Trevon Logan , a black economist at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the first time he came to the annual meeting .
He was finishing grad school and was there to interview for faculty jobs .
`` And someone , who later became an editor of articles I published , called me 'boy . '
'' The crowd gasped .
Cecilia Conrad , an executive at the MacArthur Foundation and a former professor and dean at Pomona College , recalled `` my first year teaching , when three white male students complained about being taught by an 'obvious Affirmative Action hire . '
'' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues and students who nonetheless exhibited unconscious biases that made their lives tougher .
Despite knowledge of minority underrepresentation in economics for many decades , the field has failed to see much improvement .
For over fifty years , the AEA 's Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession ( CSMGEP ) has monitored racial progress in the field .
CSMGEP co-chair Ebonya Washington , an economist at Yale University who moderated the panel , told us about their latest annual report .
`` If you go back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been no progress since then , '' Washington said .
`` In fact , for blacks , they 're now a smaller percentage of economics PhDs than there was in 2000 . ''
The panelists offered many culprits for the race problem in economics , including poor leadership , institutional dysfunctions , discouragement from specializing in the study of race , and a toxic professional culture .
A few weeks ago , we interviewed Esther Duflo , who just became the first female economist to win the Nobel Prize .
She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture for the problem of underrepresentation .
But she also pointed her finger to what she believes is a widespread misunderstanding on what economics actually is .
People , she said , `` have a misconception that economics only deals with interest rates and growth rates and finance and stuff like that . ''
We asked the panelists whether they believed that general misperceptions of economics discouraged minorities from studying it and whether reforming Econ 101 might be part of the solution .
All agreed .
`` People kinda equate economics with business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study economics you 're trying to game the system or make it in the system , '' said Edward Miguel , an economist at UC Berkeley .
`` But I think we see economics as a tool to change the system . ''
Miguel said he did n't believe that many Econ 101 courses , which are often taught by teachers with a `` strong free-market ideology , '' give students this view of the discipline .
That , he suggested , might disproportionately dissuade underrepresented groups from pursuing economics further .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small , but important part of solving the pipeline problem . ''
Amanda Bayer , an economist at Swarthmore college , recently conducted a field experiment with 2,710 students across nine colleges to see what happens when economics is communicated differently .
They randomly sent two different types of emails to incoming female and minority freshman .
One email was just a standard welcome message .
The other included information `` showcasing the diversity of research and researchers within economics . ''
They then tested the impact of these messages by comparing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not receive them .
Bayer and her colleagues found that female and minority students who received the email advertising economics ' diversity saw a 20 percent increase in their course completion rate .
It 's a pretty big improvement from such a small intervention .
On the second day of the conference , Bayer , who is leading an AEA task force aimed at making economics more inclusive and diverse , chaired a panel that provided an overview of such research to improve the profession .
The task force recently published a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of best practices .
Former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke , the outgoing president of the AEA , commissioned this task force and spoke on the panel about his efforts over the last year to implement reforms .
In addition to protecting existing members , Bernanke stressed the need to attract talented young scholars from all backgrounds .
`` Having a broader , more diverse profession gives a better profession in terms of what we study , how we study , and how smart we are , '' Bernanke said .
Did you enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even better in your inbox !
You can sign up here .

Economics Still Has A Diversity Problem
Enlarge this image Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Jessica McGowan/Getty Images
Editor's note: This is an excerpt of Planet Money's newsletter. You can sign up here.
It's early January again, which means thousands of the nation's economists invade a city for their annual meeting. This year's was in San Diego. Walking around the sprawling conference, you could see a sea of nerds and wonks all sporting red lanyards. Nobel Prize winners brushed shoulders with former chairs of the Federal Reserve in a sea of anxious grad students hoping to land jobs. Planet Money was there too.
The conference has become a ritual. Long lines for coffee. No WiFi. Econ jargon echoing through the halls. And, in recent years, a profession grappling with the fact that it's disproportionately white and male. Last year, the Planet Money newsletter covered a panel session called "How Can Economics Solve Its Gender Problem?" It featured an all-star cast of female economists who reckoned with a field they described as rife with sexism, misogyny, and bullying.
The awkward irony of that panel was its participants were virtually all white. That led to complaints on Twitter, which laid the groundwork for this year's follow-up panel: "How Can Economics Solve Its Race Problem?"
Janet Yellen, the former chairwoman of the Federal Reserve and the incoming president of the American Economic Association (AEA), kicked off the discussion by citing abysmal statistics on diversity in the field and declaring that the organization "places very high priority on finding ways to address the problem of minority underrepresentation."
Last year, the AEA conducted a climate survey of over 10,000 members, finding minority economists are deeply unhappy with the state of the profession. "Along all dimensions of discrimination examined in the survey, Asians, African Americans, and Latinx economists report having substantially worse experiences than their white counterparts," Yellen said. "Practices and patterns of behavior that are widespread in the profession are harming the progress of minorities."
The panelists, who were all minorities, shared stories of discrimination, harassment, and belittlement they have faced over their careers. Trevon Logan, a black economist at Ohio State University, shared a story about the first time he came to the annual meeting. He was finishing grad school and was there to interview for faculty jobs. "And someone, who later became an editor of articles I published, called me 'boy.'" The crowd gasped. Cecilia Conrad, an executive at the MacArthur Foundation and a former professor and dean at Pomona College, recalled "my first year teaching, when three white male students complained about being taught by an 'obvious Affirmative Action hire.'" The panelists also shared stories of well-meaning colleagues and students who nonetheless exhibited unconscious biases that made their lives tougher.
Despite knowledge of minority underrepresentation in economics for many decades, the field has failed to see much improvement. For over fifty years, the AEA's Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP) has monitored racial progress in the field. CSMGEP co-chair Ebonya Washington, an economist at Yale University who moderated the panel, told us about their latest annual report.
"If you go back to the beginning of the millennium, there's been no progress since then," Washington said. "In fact, for blacks, they're now a smaller percentage of economics PhDs than there was in 2000."
Solving The Problem
The panelists offered many culprits for the race problem in economics, including poor leadership, institutional dysfunctions, discouragement from specializing in the study of race, and a toxic professional culture.
A few weeks ago, we interviewed Esther Duflo, who just became the first female economist to win the Nobel Prize. (The only other woman to win it, Elinor Ostrom, was a political scientist.) She also blamed an "aggressive and macho" culture for the problem of underrepresentation. But she also pointed her finger to what she believes is a widespread misunderstanding on what economics actually is. People, she said, "have a misconception that economics only deals with interest rates and growth rates and finance and stuff like that."
We asked the panelists whether they believed that general misperceptions of economics discouraged minorities from studying it and whether reforming Econ 101 might be part of the solution. All agreed.
"People kinda equate economics with business, so they kinda think if you study economics you're trying to game the system or make it in the system," said Edward Miguel, an economist at UC Berkeley. "But I think we see economics as a tool to change the system." Miguel said he didn't believe that many Econ 101 courses, which are often taught by teachers with a "strong free-market ideology," give students this view of the discipline. That, he suggested, might disproportionately dissuade underrepresented groups from pursuing economics further. "So reforming Econ 101 could be a small, but important part of solving the pipeline problem."
Amanda Bayer, an economist at Swarthmore college, recently conducted a field experiment with 2,710 students across nine colleges to see what happens when economics is communicated differently. They randomly sent two different types of emails to incoming female and minority freshman. One email was just a standard welcome message. The other included information "showcasing the diversity of research and researchers within economics." They then tested the impact of these messages by comparing them to a statistically identical group that did not receive them.
Bayer and her colleagues found that female and minority students who received the email advertising economics' diversity saw a 20 percent increase in their course completion rate. It's a pretty big improvement from such a small intervention.
On the second day of the conference, Bayer, who is leading an AEA task force aimed at making economics more inclusive and diverse, chaired a panel that provided an overview of such research to improve the profession. The task force recently published a report that provides economic departments with a list of best practices.
Former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke, the outgoing president of the AEA, commissioned this task force and spoke on the panel about his efforts over the last year to implement reforms. In addition to protecting existing members, Bernanke stressed the need to attract talented young scholars from all backgrounds. "Having a broader, more diverse profession gives a better profession in terms of what we study, how we study, and how smart we are," Bernanke said.
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npr--2020-01-07--Facebook Issues New Rules On Deepfake Videos, Targeting Misinformation

Facebook says it 's banning many types of misleading videos from its site , in a push against `` deepfake '' content and online misinformation campaigns .
Facebook 's new ban targets videos that are manipulated to make it appear someone said words they did n't actually say .
The company wo n't allow videos on its site if they 've been either edited or computer-generated in ways that the average person could n't detect .
But Facebook is n't banning all deepfake videos .
It will allow the technique to be used in parodies or satire , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to cut out or change the order of words .
Those exceptions could open up a gray area in which fact-checkers must decide which content is allowed and which is taken down .
Deepfake videos can be created in several ways , from basic video-editing software to sophisticated artificial intelligence tools .
`` While these videos are still rare on the internet , they present a significant challenge for our industry and society as their use increases , '' Facebook 's vice president of global policy management , Monika Bickert , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy Monday night .
Facebook is pushing back on deepfake videos as the 2020 presidential campaign ramps up – and the company clearly hopes to avoid a repeat of the fallout from the 2016 election , when it was accused of allowing voter manipulation from fake accounts and thousands of Russian-backed political ads .
In its announcement , Facebook laid out two main criteria for banning deepfake videos : In two high-profile cases from last summer , deepfake videos featured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Facebook 's own CEO , Mark Zuckerberg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's case , the video and audio were altered to make it seem as if she was slurring .
The Zuckerberg deepfake was more satirical , showing the billionaire gloating about using data to control the future .
Facebook says it will work with governments , academia and tech companies to go after manipulated media and the people who produce it .
It also says it 's working with experts to improve its ability to detect manipulated media .

Facebook Issues New Rules On Deepfake Videos, Targeting Misinformation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Richard Drew/AP Richard Drew/AP
Updated at 11:40 a.m. ET
Facebook says it's banning many types of misleading videos from its site, in a push against deepfake content and online misinformation campaigns.
Facebook's new ban targets videos that are manipulated to make it appear someone said words they didn't actually say. The company won't allow videos on its site if they've been either edited or computer-generated in ways that the average person couldn't detect.
But Facebook isn't banning all deepfake videos. It will allow the technique to be used in parodies or satire, and it will also allow clips that were edited only to cut out or change the order of words. Those exceptions could open up a gray area in which fact-checkers must decide what content is allowed and what is taken down.
Deepfake videos can be created in several ways, from video editing software to sophisticated artificial intelligence tools.
"While these videos are still rare on the internet, they present a significant challenge for our industry and society as their use increases," Facebook's vice president of global policy management, Monika Bickert, said in a blog post about the new policy Monday night.
Facebook is pushing back on deepfake videos as the 2020 presidential campaign ramps up — and the company clearly hopes to avoid a repeat of the fallout from the 2016 election, when it was accused of allowing voter manipulation from fake accounts and thousands of Russian-backed political ads.
In its announcement, Facebook laid out two main criteria for banning deepfake videos:
"It has been edited or synthesized — beyond adjustments for clarity or quality — in ways that aren't apparent to an average person and would likely mislead someone into thinking that a subject of the video said words that they did not actually say. And: "It is the product of artificial intelligence or machine learning that merges, replaces or superimposes content onto a video, making it appear to be authentic."
In two high-profile cases from last summer, misleading videos featured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Facebook's own CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, in highly manipulated footage. In Pelosi's case, the video's audio was altered to make it seem as if she was slurring. The Zuckerberg deepfake was both more sophisticated and satirical, showing the billionaire gloating about using data to control the future.
Facebook says it will work with governments, academia and tech companies to go after manipulated media and the people who produce it. It also says it's working with experts to improve its ability to detect manipulated media.


npr--2020-01-07--Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism And War

Iran 's Foreign Minister : U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism And War Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tells NPR that the U.S. `` will pay '' for a drone strike that killed the commander of the country 's elite Quds Force , which he described as an act of `` both terrorism and war . ''
Speaking with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly in Tehran , Zarif said last week 's assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was `` a cowardly armed attack '' that `` amounts to war . ''
`` [ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timing and choice , '' he said .
Pressed on specifics of an Iranian response to the drone strike that killed Soleimani in neighboring Iraq , Zarif said , `` We will decide . ''
`` [ In ] exercising our right to self-defense , we are bound by international law , unlike the United States , which is not bound by international law , '' he told NPR .
Soleimani , who led the Quds Force , an elite unit of Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps , which the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as a national hero .
His funeral this week has drawn hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of mourners across the country .
Referring to the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq , Zarif said the reaction to Soleimani 's death would `` make it almost impossible for the U.S. to continue to stay in this region . ''
In what he said was another consequence of the assassination of Soleimani , Zarif said there would be no further discussions of prisoner exchanges with the United States .
A number of American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zarif said , `` We had proposed a universal exchange of all prisoners .
`` I do n't think at this time we can discuss those issues .
We have to deal with the present issue at hand , unfortunately . ''
The Iranian foreign minister also said that the U.S. had failed to issue him a visa to attend the U.N. Security Council in New York on Thursday , where he was scheduled to deliver an address .
Zarif said he had requested the visa 25 days ago , but said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` did n't have enough time to issue a visa . ''
Regarding the deal between Iran and six other nations , including the U.S. , to limit its nuclear program , Zarif said `` all limits '' on centrifuges used to enrich uranium `` are now suspended , '' insisting that Tehran was still complying with other aspects of the agreement , known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA .
Zarif told NPR that the decision to lift the limits on the number of centrifuges was primarily due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the deal .
`` But we made it very clear that we are ready to go back to full compliance the minute they start complying with their own , '' he said .
President Trump , who has been a harsh critic of the deal despite international agreement that Iran was complying with its terms , announced in 2018 that the U.S. would unilaterally withdraw from the pact , accusing Iran of violating the deal by actively pursuing nuclear weapons .
`` If we wanted to build a nuclear bomb , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time ago , '' Zarif told NPR .
`` Iran does not want a nuclear bomb , does not believe that nuclear bombs create security for anybody .
And we believe it 's time for everybody to disarm rather than to arm . ''

Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism And War
Enlarge this image toggle caption Vahid Salemi/AP Vahid Salemi/AP
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tells NPR that the U.S. "will pay" for a drone strike that killed the commander of the country's elite Quds Force, which he described as an act of "both terrorism and war."
Speaking with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly in Tehran, Zarif said last week's assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was "a cowardly armed attack" that "amounts to war."
"[We] will respond according to our own timing and choice," he said.
Pressed on specifics of an Iranian response to the drone strike that killed Soleimani in neighboring Iraq, Zarif said, "We will decide."
"[In] exercising our right to self-defense, we are bound by international law, unlike the United States, which is not bound by international law," he told NPR.
Soleimani, who led the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the Trump administration has labeled a terrorist organization, was seen as a national hero. His funeral this week has drawn hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of mourners across the country.
Referring to the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq, Zarif said the reaction to Soleimani's death would "make it almost impossible for the U.S. to continue to stay in this region."
In what he said was another consequence of the assassination of Soleimani, Zarif said there would be no further discussions of prisoner exchanges with the United States.
A number of American citizens are detained in Iran, and Zarif said, "We had proposed a universal exchange of all prisoners.
"I don't think at this time we can discuss those issues. We have to deal with the present issue at hand, unfortunately."
The Iranian foreign minister also said that the U.S. had failed to issue him a visa to attend the U.N. Security Council in New York on Thursday, where he was scheduled to deliver an address. Zarif said he had requested the visa 25 days ago, but said the State Department informed the U.N. that it "didn't have enough time to issue a visa."
Regarding the deal between Iran and six other nations, including the U.S., to limit its nuclear program, Zarif said "all limits" on centrifuges used to enrich uranium "are now suspended," insisting that Tehran was still complying with other aspects of the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.
Zarif told NPR that the decision to lift the limits on the number of centrifuges was primarily due to Europe's noncompliance with the terms of the deal.
"But we made it very clear that we are ready to go back to full compliance the minute they start complying with their own," he said.
President Trump, who has been a harsh critic of the deal despite international agreement that Iran was complying with its terms, announced in 2018 that the U.S. would unilaterally withdraw from the pact, accusing Iran of violating the deal by actively pursuing nuclear weapons.
"If we wanted to build a nuclear bomb, we would ... have done it a long time ago," Zarif told NPR. "Iran does not want a nuclear bomb, does not believe that nuclear bombs create security for anybody. And we believe it's time for everybody to disarm rather than to arm."