npr--2020-04-29--Ohio County Prosecutor: Pandemic Puts More Stress On Families Dealing With Addiction

Ohio County Prosecutor : Pandemic Puts More Stress On Families Dealing With Addiction Vinton County , Ohio , has been on the front lines of the opioid crisis in the U.S. for several years .
The drugs may have changed over the years — from opioids to meth — but the devastating effects on families have not .
And even though the county has n't had high infection rates of the coronavirus , the necessary social restrictions have made it harder to keep people addicted to drugs and their children safe .
Vinton is Ohio 's least-populated county .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , it mirrors what 's happening across the nation .
Vinton County schools are not in session , most churches remain closed and restaurants are either closed or open only for take-out orders .
`` So even here with our normal level of isolation it 's a lot different for even us , '' says Trecia Kimes-Brown , Vinton County 's prosecutor .
In 2018 , NPR went to Vinton County to report on its struggle with opioids and meth and the effect of having an addicted parent on children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ households where people were making meth , kids were `` living in these environments where they 're not being fed .
They 're not being clothed properly .
They 're not being sent to school .
They 're being mistreated . ''
Now , with social distancing measures in place in Vinton County and schools and churches closed , teachers and clergy — those who are the likeliest to come in contact with abused children — are n't , so they ca n't report cases of abuse .
Kimes-Brown says that she suspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse reports nationwide .
`` We 've lost all those connections with our kids , '' she says .
Teachers in Vinton County are trying to connect with families by phone , she says .
She hopes that others , such as neighbors or mail carriers — those who might be in more contact with children during the pandemic — report suspected child abuse cases .
`` I do n't think people realize how much information one report can provide , '' she says .
`` There are so many cases that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because an eyewitness came across the tiniest bit of information and reported it . ''
Kimes-Brown says the county is still struggling with what she calls a `` horrible '' meth problem and is also seeing more abuse of fentanyl and carfentanil .
`` The fentanyl use is deadly , '' she says .
And with the introduction of COVID-19 , she says , there 's more stress on households already dealing with addiction .
`` And I think we 're just seeing the beginning of it – with job loss , unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't go to school , they ca n't go to AA , they ca n't go to NA because those meetings are canceled .
They ca n't go to their normal support groups . ''

Ohio County Prosecutor: Pandemic Puts More Stress On Families Dealing With Addiction
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Spear/The Washington Post via Getty Images Andrew Spear/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Vinton County, Ohio, has been on the front lines of the opioid crisis in the U.S. for several years. The drugs may have changed over the years — from opioids to meth — but the devastating effects on families have not. And even though the county hasn't had high infection rates of the coronavirus, the necessary social restrictions have made it harder to keep people addicted to drugs and their children safe.
Vinton is Ohio's least-populated county. When it comes to its response to the coronavirus pandemic, it mirrors what's happening across the nation. Vinton County schools are not in session, most churches remain closed and restaurants are either closed or open only for take-out orders.
"So even here with our normal level of isolation it's a lot different for even us," says Trecia Kimes-Brown, Vinton County's prosecutor.
In 2018, NPR went to Vinton County to report on its struggle with opioids and meth and the effect of having an addicted parent on children. Then, Kimes-Brown told NPR that for households where people were making meth, kids were "living in these environments where they're not being fed. They're not being clothed properly. They're not being sent to school. They're being mistreated."
Now, with social distancing measures in place in Vinton County and schools and churches closed, teachers and clergy — those who are the likeliest to come in contact with abused children — aren't, so they can't report cases of abuse. Kimes-Brown says that she suspects that's behind recent reductions in child abuse reports nationwide. "We've lost all those connections with our kids," she says.
Teachers in Vinton County are trying to connect with families by phone, she says. She hopes that others, such as neighbors or mail carriers — those who might be in more contact with children during the pandemic — report suspected child abuse cases.
"I don't think people realize how much information one report can provide," she says. "There are so many cases that I could say have been decided or made because an eyewitness came across the tiniest bit of information and reported it."
Kimes-Brown says the county is still struggling with what she calls a "horrible" meth problem and is also seeing more abuse of fentanyl and carfentanil. "The fentanyl use is deadly," she says.
And with the introduction of COVID-19, she says, there's more stress on households already dealing with addiction. "And I think we're just seeing the beginning of it – with job loss, unemployment, people are depressed, their kids can't go to school, they can't go to AA, they can't go to NA because those meetings are canceled. They can't go to their normal support groups."


npr--2020-04-29--Exiting USAID Chief On The Pandemic, Foreign Aid, Trump's Policies

For nearly three years , Mark Green led the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) in delivering foreign aid to countries in need during times of crisis , including the coronavirus pandemic .
In mid-March , Green announced that he was stepping down and taking on a new position as executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership .
President Trump has asked Senator John Barrasso , R.-Wyo.
, to take over as the USAID acting administrator .
NPR 's Rachel Martin spoke with Green , a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin and U.S. ambassador to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign assistance , his outlook on how developing countries will face the pandemic and what the future may hold for USAID .
This interview has been edited for length and clarity .
Were you reticent at all to leave your job in the middle of this pandemic ?
I know it had been in the works , but even so , did you pause ?
Over the course of a number of weeks when we first saw the epidemic , we began to take steps at USAID to craft the framework that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We stood up a crisis action team [ for coronavirus ] , and then we moved to create an internal task force led by Ken Staley , who in his day job leads the President 's Malaria Initiative .
So I feel like we 've got the right people at the right time at USAID to lead in that portion of the response to the pandemic .
But the other piece of this is that as we get through to the other side [ of the crisis ] — hopefully sooner than later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself to help build the kind of leadership that we need around the world to prepare against future shocks and crises .
And that 's the reason why I joined the McCain Institute , is to try to foster that kind of leadership .
So what does that look like ?
I mean , what is American leadership ?
What does it appear to be to you right now and what should it be ?
I think the great lesson that we 've seen from the coronavirus outbreak in some ways is strikingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hard way not so long after 9/11 .
We have to care about what takes place in the far reaches of the world .
I was elected to Congress in '98 , and I remember not so long after 9/11 thinking to myself that if you would have told me that we would , in a remote corner of Afghanistan , really see a set of actions that resulted in 3,000 people being killed in New York — I 'd have said , `` You 're crazy . ''
That same thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care about what takes place in Asia , in Africa , because if we do n't — if we 're not engaged , if we 're not building capacity in these countries — sadly , the challenges will come to us .
You have said that the spread of COVID-19 underscores the importance of investing in foreign aid and global health programs .
Yet the White House is looking to cut funding to the World Health Organization .
Does that concern you ?
There is no doubt that the World Health Organization made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization has said that .
But the advantage of the World Health Organization for the U.S. government and for the American people is that they 're able to work in places that are often difficult for us — insecure settings , places where we do n't want to post Americans for a range of reasons .
So an effective World Health Organization is important for our interests as much as the interests of other countries and other peoples .
President Trump has made clear for a very long time , even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faith in international organizations and that , frankly , the U.S. should rethink its role in the world .
As someone who believes that we should be paying attention and concern ourselves with all the corners of the world , how do you make sense of that ?
There 's no doubt that President Trump , that the White House [ are ] skeptics of foreign assistance and skeptics of multilateral organizations and there 's nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism .
When I was first asked about coming into the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump , and he was asking me about the value of foreign assistance .
And I said , `` You know , look , Mr. President-elect .
I believe that if we do this right , if our foreign assistance is spent wisely , effectively and efficiently , we can take on the challenges that you see that were an important part of American leadership and American foreign policy . ''
That 's what we try to do at USAID , what I tried to do in my tenure there and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always thinking in those terms .
I think Americans are traditionally skeptical of foreign assistance and in working with international organizations .
But I think as we look carefully at these investments , we 'll see that they 're wise , that in the long run , they 're good for our security .
They actually are good for our economy .
They save us money in the long run , and I think they 're important part of who we are as a people .
President Trump proposed slashing foreign aid by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Did that make your job harder ?
At USAID and at other parts of the foreign assistance apparatus , our job is always to spend money as effectively and efficiently as we can .
When we receive less funding , we can do less of that .
Our job is to make the money go as far as it can .
But make no mistake , when we face deep cuts , that means we have to make hard choices and things necessarily get set aside .
And from my point of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program that was reportedly cut was a USAID program called Predict .
This was an initiative aimed at identifying and preventing animal viruses that might someday infect humans .
Given what we know about the origins of COVID-19 at this point , was it a mistake to end funding for that kind of early warning program ?
Well , I 'm a little bit dated now , having been out of USAID for a couple of weeks .
It 's important to know that it was n't cut , that it did come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been extended a number of times .
And I do know that USAID is working with partners to actually recalibrate and build the successor to it .
I 'm very proud of the investments that USAID has made , particularly looking at zoonotic diseases — those that move potentially from animals to humans .
I 'm also proud of the work that we 've done against wildlife trafficking , which is oftentimes a driver of these risks .
So the investments that we 've made have made a huge difference and built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exist .
We believe very much in a science- and technology-based approach , and I 'm confident that we 'll continue to build programs in that regard .
Do you think that America 's alliances have frayed over the last few years ?
I think they 've been tested .
I think we 've had tough conversations .
Again , nothing wrong with that .
But , you know , I 'm one of those who believes in our alliances .
I believe that we 're much stronger when we work closely together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mutual concern .
To the president 's credit , he 's asking tough questions about the model of foreign assistance that China , Russia , Iran and Turkey offer — more authoritarian models .
But at the end of the day , I believe that our foreign assistance is well invested , well-spent and transparently , effectively outcome-oriented .
I 'm confident of how it lifts lives and helps make the American people stronger and safer .
What are your concerns as as we watch the pandemic start to unfold in developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries lack some of the basic tools of an effective response , and I know that we — being the global community , from the United States to our allies — are trying to help with that .
But to contain an outbreak , a pandemic , you need effective communications with your people so there 's clarity around the steps that can be taken to prevent further spread of the disease and to make sure the treatment , when available , is applied effectively .
That 's often difficult in many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build the kind of citizen-centered , citizen-responsive governance that gives people confidence that their leaders , that their governments are well-equipped to take on the challenge .
Those are two key elements that we need to work on with our partners in many parts of the world to make sure not only that we 're able to help contain and defeat the current outbreak , but to stop the reemergence of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the future .
What is the most important thing that USAID should do in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one thing — it 's a lot of things .
So first off , the United States government and USAID are the largest sources of humanitarian assistance in the world .
During these times , we continue that leadership role with emergency medical supplies , emergency food assistance .
We need to move effectively and efficiently to parts of the world where people are hurting .
Secondly , we need to make sure that the supply lines that enable us to get medical assistance during these challenging times are clear and effective .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all of the transportation challenges that emerged during a pandemic like this .
I think finally , it 's listening carefully to our partner country leaders on the ways that we can respond to the needs that they identify .
So that 's a crucial part of what USAID does .
We 're not transactional .
We build relationships .
We strengthen leadership and we respond to those with identified needs .
So that 's the approach and the role that USAID plays during these important times .

Exiting USAID Chief On The Pandemic, Foreign Aid, Trump's Policies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
For nearly three years, Mark Green led the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in delivering foreign aid to countries in need during times of crisis, including the coronavirus pandemic.
In mid-March, Green announced that he was stepping down and taking on a new position as executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership. President Trump has asked John Barsa, part of the USAID leadership team, to take over as acting administrator.
NPR's Rachel Martin spoke with Green, a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin and U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, about the value of U.S. foreign assistance, his outlook on how developing countries will face the pandemic and what the future may hold for USAID.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Were you reticent at all to leave your job in the middle of this pandemic? I know it had been in the works, but even so, did you pause?
Over the course of a number of weeks when we first saw the epidemic, we began to take steps at USAID to craft the framework that we're now implementing in our work.
We stood up a crisis action team [for coronavirus], and then we moved to create an internal task force led by Ken Staley, who in his day job leads the President's Malaria Initiative. So I feel like we've got the right people at the right time at USAID to lead in that portion of the response to the pandemic.
But the other piece of this is that as we get through to the other side [of the crisis] — hopefully sooner than later — I'm really trying to dedicate myself to help build the kind of leadership that we need around the world to prepare against future shocks and crises. And that's the reason why I joined the McCain Institute, is to try to foster that kind of leadership.
So what does that look like? I mean, what is American leadership? What does it appear to be to you right now and what should it be?
I think the great lesson that we've seen from the coronavirus outbreak in some ways is strikingly similar to the lesson that we learned the hard way not so long after 9/11. We have to care about what takes place in the far reaches of the world.
I was elected to Congress in '98, and I remember not so long after 9/11 thinking to myself that if you would have told me that we would, in a remote corner of Afghanistan, really see a set of actions that resulted in 3,000 people being killed in New York — I'd have said, "You're crazy."
That same thing is true here. We have to care about what takes place in Asia, in Africa, because if we don't — if we're not engaged, if we're not building capacity in these countries — sadly, the challenges will come to us.
You have said that the spread of COVID-19 underscores the importance of investing in foreign aid and global health programs. Yet the White House is looking to cut funding to the World Health Organization. Does that concern you?
There is no doubt that the World Health Organization made some missteps early on. The World Health Organization has said that.
But the advantage of the World Health Organization for the U.S. government and for the American people is that they're able to work in places that are often difficult for us — insecure settings, places where we don't want to post Americans for a range of reasons. So an effective World Health Organization is important for our interests as much as the interests of other countries and other peoples.
President Trump has made clear for a very long time, even as a candidate, that he didn't have faith in international organizations and that, frankly, the U.S. should rethink its role in the world. As someone who believes that we should be paying attention and concern ourselves with all the corners of the world, how do you make sense of that?
There's no doubt that President Trump, that the White House [are] skeptics of foreign assistance and skeptics of multilateral organizations and there's nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism. When I was first asked about coming into the Trump administration, I remember meeting with president-elect Donald Trump, and he was asking me about the value of foreign assistance. And I said, "You know, look, Mr. President-elect. I believe that if we do this right, if our foreign assistance is spent wisely, effectively and efficiently, we can take on the challenges that you see that were an important part of American leadership and American foreign policy."
That's what we try to do at USAID, what I tried to do in my tenure there and I think it's important that we're always thinking in those terms. I think Americans are traditionally skeptical of foreign assistance and in working with international organizations. But I think as we look carefully at these investments, we'll see that they're wise, that in the long run, they're good for our security. They actually are good for our economy. They save us money in the long run, and I think they're important part of who we are as a people.
President Trump proposed slashing foreign aid by 21% in February of this year. Did that make your job harder?
At USAID and at other parts of the foreign assistance apparatus, our job is always to spend money as effectively and efficiently as we can. When we receive less funding, we can do less of that. Our job is to make the money go as far as it can. But make no mistake, when we face deep cuts, that means we have to make hard choices and things necessarily get set aside. And from my point of view, that's unfortunate.
One program that was reportedly cut was a USAID program called Predict. This was an initiative aimed at identifying and preventing animal viruses that might someday infect humans. Given what we know about the origins of COVID-19 at this point, was it a mistake to end funding for that kind of early warning program?
Well, I'm a little bit dated now, having been out of USAID for a couple of weeks. It's important to know that it wasn't cut, that it did come to the end of a contract that had been extended a number of times. And I do know that USAID is working with partners to actually recalibrate and build the successor to it.
I'm very proud of the investments that USAID has made, particularly looking at zoonotic diseases — those that move potentially from animals to humans. I'm also proud of the work that we've done against wildlife trafficking, which is oftentimes a driver of these risks. So the investments that we've made have made a huge difference and built capacity in places where it did not exist. We believe very much in a science- and technology-based approach, and I'm confident that we'll continue to build programs in that regard.
Do you think that America's alliances have frayed over the last few years?
I think they've been tested. I think we've had tough conversations. Again, nothing wrong with that. But, you know, I'm one of those who believes in our alliances. I believe that we're much stronger when we work closely together with our friends and allies on matters of mutual concern.
To the president's credit, he's asking tough questions about the model of foreign assistance that China, Russia, Iran and Turkey offer — more authoritarian models. But at the end of the day, I believe that our foreign assistance is well invested, well-spent and transparently, effectively outcome-oriented. I'm confident of how it lifts lives and helps make the American people stronger and safer.
What are your concerns as as we watch the pandemic start to unfold in developing countries?
In many cases, these countries lack some of the basic tools of an effective response, and I know that we — being the global community, from the United States to our allies — are trying to help with that. But to contain an outbreak, a pandemic, you need effective communications with your people so there's clarity around the steps that can be taken to prevent further spread of the disease and to make sure the treatment, when available, is applied effectively. That's often difficult in many of these countries.
It's also important to build the kind of citizen-centered, citizen-responsive governance that gives people confidence that their leaders, that their governments are well-equipped to take on the challenge.
Those are two key elements that we need to work on with our partners in many parts of the world to make sure not only that we're able to help contain and defeat the current outbreak, but to stop the reemergence of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the future.
What is the most important thing that USAID should do in this crisis right now?
It's no one thing — it's a lot of things. So first off, the United States government and USAID are the largest sources of humanitarian assistance in the world. During these times, we continue that leadership role with emergency medical supplies, emergency food assistance. We need to move effectively and efficiently to parts of the world where people are hurting.
Secondly, we need to make sure that the supply lines that enable us to get medical assistance during these challenging times are clear and effective. That's obviously challenging in the face of all of the transportation challenges that emerged during a pandemic like this.
I think finally, it's listening carefully to our partner country leaders on the ways that we can respond to the needs that they identify. So that's a crucial part of what USAID does. We're not transactional. We build relationships. We strengthen leadership and we respond to those with identified needs. So that's the approach and the role that USAID plays during these important times.


npr--2020-04-29--Poll: Half Of Americans Financially Affected By Coronavirus

Half the country has been personally economically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic , and overwhelming numbers of Americans do not think schools , restaurants or sporting events with large crowds should reopen until there is further testing , according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll .
President Trump does not fare very well as far as his handling of the pandemic goes .
Most Americans , except Republicans , disapprove of the job he 's doing on it , and there are massive divides by gender and educational attainment .
What 's more , with the presidential election less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country prefers that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden handle the pandemic — and even the economy , what Trump has been hanging his hat on for reelection .
Fifty percent of Americans said they or someone in their household has either lost hours or a job because of coronavirus , up from 18 % a month ago .
And the pandemic is having a harsher economic effect on people of color , those without a college degree , younger people and those who make less money .
Of non-whites , 60 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has lost hours or a job , compared to 43 % of whites ; 55 % percent of those without a degree , those under 45 and those making less than $ 50,000 a year also said so .
`` There are few households in the country that have n't been affected by this crisis , through health , through school , through jobs , from all walks of life , from all backgrounds , '' said Barbara Carvalho , director of the Marist Poll , which conducted the survey .
`` No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we certainly see from the data as well that a lack of a strong safety net , especially for many middle-class or working-class Americans , it has some really , really big holes in it .
She added , `` These numbers show the struggle , the impact the crisis has had on Americans . ''
Eighty percent or more of people who responded do not want schools , restaurants or large sporting events to start taking place as normal again until there is further testing .
And two-thirds do n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without that widespread testing , but a majority of Republicans do .
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
Overall , 44 % of Americans approve of the job President Trump is doing in handling coronavirus .
That roughly reflects his overall approval rating in past polls , but his disapproval rating jumped six points in the past month , from 49 % to 55 % .
Solid majorities of Democrats and independents disapprove of the job Trump is doing handling the pandemic , but almost nine-in-10 Republicans approve .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the economy with 50 % approving of the job he 's doing related to it .
The difference is with independents .
A majority of them disapproved of his handling of coronavirus by a wide 58 % -to-40 % margin , but a majority of them narrowly approved of the job he 's doing on the economy ( 51 % to 46 % ) .
More Americans , though , think their governor is doing a better job than the president in handling both the pandemic and the economy .
On coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 % ) is doing a better job than Trump ( 32 % ) .
On the economy , 54 % said their governor is doing a better job than Trump ( 39 % ) .
There are huge splits between men and women and if someone has a college degree , in terms of how Trump is viewed .
-58 % of men approve of Trump 's handling of the economy ; 56 % of women disapprove ; -52 % of men approve of Trump 's handling of coronavirus ; 63 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college graduates disapprove of the job Trump 's doing on the economy ; 55 % of those without one approve ; -64 % of those with a college degree disapprove of Trump 's handling of coronavirus ; 50 % of those without one approve .
Coronavirus could wind up being the major issue in the 2020 presidential election , according to strategists who are already gearing up for that likelihood .
According to this poll , a third of people said coronavirus will either be a major ( 14 % ) or minor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about two-thirds ( 64 % ) said they 've already made up their minds .
So that group that could be swayed and is judging the president based on his handling of the pandemic could well be determinative .
Also , majorities said they prefer Biden over Trump when it comes to handling both coronavirus ( 55 % to 40 % ) and even the economy ( 51 % to 44 % ) — what could be a difficult sign for Trump .
The survey of 1,008 adults was conducted by calling mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through April 26 by The Marist Poll , in both English and Spanish with data collection provided by SSRS .
The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points .
The survey was sponsored in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour .

Poll: Half Of Americans Financially Affected By Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Locher/AP John Locher/AP
Half the country has been personally economically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and overwhelming numbers of Americans do not think schools, restaurants or sporting events with large crowds should reopen until there is further testing, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
President Trump does not fare very well as far as his handling of the pandemic goes. Most Americans, except Republicans, disapprove of the job he's doing, and there are massive divides by gender and educational level.
What's more, with the presidential election less than seven months away, more than half the country prefers that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden handle the pandemic — and even the economy. The latter being what Trump has been hanging his hat on for reelection.
Fifty percent of Americans said they or someone in their household has either lost hours or a job because of the coronavirus, up from 18% a month ago. And the pandemic is having a harsher economic effect on people of color, those without a college degree, younger people and those who make less money.
Of nonwhites, 60% said they or someone in their household has lost hours or a job, compared with 43% of whites. In addition, 55% percent of those without a degree, those under 45 and those making less than $50,000 a year said so.
"There are few households in the country that haven't been affected by this crisis, through health, through school, through jobs, from all walks of life, from all backgrounds," said Barbara Carvalho, director of the Marist Poll, which conducted the survey. "No one has really gone untouched. However, we certainly see from the data as well that a lack of a strong safety net, especially for many middle-class or working-class Americans, it has some really, really big holes in it.
She added, "These numbers show the struggle, the impact the crisis has had on Americans."
Eighty percent or more of people who responded do not want schools, restaurants or large sporting events to start taking place as normal again until there is further testing. And two-thirds don't want Americans to physically go back to work without that widespread testing, but a majority of Republicans do.
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Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
Views of Trump
Overall, 44% of Americans approve of the job President Trump is doing in handling the coronavirus. That roughly reflects his overall approval rating in past polls, but his disapproval rating jumped 6 points in the past month, from 49% to 55%.
Solid majorities of Democrats and independents disapprove of the job Trump is doing handling the pandemic, but almost 9-in-10 Republicans approve.
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Trump gets higher marks for his handling of the economy with 50% approving of the job he's doing related to it. The difference is with independents. A majority of them disapproved of his handling of the coronavirus by a wide margin (58% to 40%), but a majority of them narrowly approved of the job he's doing on the economy (51% to 46%).
More Americans, though, think their governor is doing a better job than the president is in handling both the pandemic and the economy. On the coronavirus, almost two-thirds said their governor (64%) is doing a better job than Trump (32%). On the economy, 54% said their governor is doing a better job than Trump (39%).
Massive gender and educational divides
There are huge splits between men and women and those with or without college degrees, in terms of how Trump is viewed.
Men versus women:
-58% of men approve of Trump's handling of the economy; 56% of women disapprove;
-52% of men approve of Trump's handling of the coronavirus; 63% of women disapprove.
College degree or not:
-54% of college graduates disapprove of the job Trump's doing on the economy; 55% of those without one approve;
-64% of those with a college degree disapprove of Trump's handling of the coronavirus; 50% of those without one approve.
The looming presidential election
The coronavirus could wind up being the major issue in the 2020 presidential election, according to strategists who are already gearing up for that likelihood.
According to this poll, a third of people said the coronavirus will either be a major (14%) or minor one (20%). But about two-thirds (64%) said they've already made up their minds. So the group that could be swayed and is judging the president based on his handling of the pandemic could well be determinative.
Also, majorities said they prefer Biden over Trump when it comes to handling both the coronavirus (55% to 40%) and the economy (51% to 44%) — what could be a difficult sign for Trump.
The survey of 1,008 adults was conducted by calling mobile phones and landlines, from April 21 through April 26 by The Marist Poll, in both English and Spanish with data collection provided by SSRS. The poll has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. The survey was sponsored in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour.


npr--2020-04-29--The U.S. Hits 1 Million Coronavirus Cases, One-Third Of All The World's Cases

The U.S .
Hits 1 Million Coronavirus Cases , One-Third Of All The World 's Cases More Americans have now died from coronavirus in less than two months than in the entire nine years of the Vietnam war — more than 58,000 .
But the U.S. crossed another threshold Tuesday — one million known coronavirus cases .
That is nearly one-third of all the world 's known coronavirus cases .
To put the enormity of that into context — the U.S. 's 328 million people is just over 4 % of the world 's population .
Asked Tuesday why he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to zero , Trump said : `` The experts got it wrong . ''
He added : `` I think we 've done a great job in the sense that we were early ... by banning China ... we probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives . ''
Trump has also attributed the high number of cases in the U.S. to heightened testing and less transparency in reporting cases in countries like China .
`` We 're going to show more cases , because we 're doing much , much more testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. is still not adequate or widespread enough to know who has coronavirus .
As of Monday , 5.1 million American had been tested .
Experts say that 's not nearly enough .
One Harvard study estimates that the U.S. needs to start testing 5 million people per day .
Asked about the study Tuesday , Trump claimed without evidence , `` We will increase it ; we will increase it by much more than that in the future . ''
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN that the coronavirus task force is hoping that `` everyone who needs a test '' might be able to get one by the end of May or early June .
`` It is n't perfect yet by any means , '' Fauci said , adding , `` It is n't perfect , and we 're not there yet — and we 're not — but we 're going to get there ; we 're going to get there soon . ''
The coronavirus task force did n't hold a briefing Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event at the White House .
Here 's some of what came from that and other moving parts as it relates to coronavirus news : • Increased death toll estimate : The model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington model is now predicting more than 74,000 COVID-19 deaths by the beginning of August , up from 67,000 a week ago and 60,000 a week before that .
`` At least part of this increase , '' IHME said , `` is due to many states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Further , updated data indicate that daily COVID-19 deaths are not falling very quickly after the peak , leading to longer tails for many states ' epidemic curves . ''
Fauci noted , `` If we are unsuccessful or prematurely try to open up and we have additional outbreaks that are out of control , it could be much more than that . ''
• Pence goes maskless at Mayo Clinic : The vice president did not wear a mask while visiting the Mayo Clinic Tuesday , defying the medical center 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was videoed meeting with staff and even a recovered patient without wearing any sort of face covering , as is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Pence said he went without the mask because he is tested regularly as is everyone around him , and that he wanted to be able to look health care workers `` in the eye . ''
( Of course , you can look people in the eye while wearing a mask . )
• FLASHBACK : `` Well , I just do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a recommendation ; they recommend it .
I 'm feeling good .
I just do n't want to be doing — I do n't know , somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk — the great Resolute Desk — I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents , prime ministers , dictators , kings , queens , I do n't know .
Somehow , I do n't see it for myself .
I just — I just do n't .
Maybe I 'll change my mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 'll pass very quickly . ''
— President Trump , during a coronavirus task force briefing April 2 .
• Testing is a total uncertainty : The only way to tell if and when society can fully reopen , experts say , is if widespread COVID-19 and antibody testing happens .
But there is evidence there are problems with antibody testing ( with only four tests having been approved by the FDA and hundreds of more out there ) , and only a small fraction of the U.S. population has been tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test can get one , as the president previously claimed .
And yet when Trump met with Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , who has faced criticism for his response to the pandemic , in the White House Tuesday , DeSantis claimed , `` Our ability to test exceeds current demand . ''
• Encouraging schools , colleges to open back up : Trump cited Purdue University in Indiana , which has said it is thinking about bringing students back .
`` I think that 's correct , '' Trump said and noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about letting children back in schools — even though there would be just a couple months or less left in the school year .
`` Young people do very well with this horrible scourge , '' the president said .
• Gamble on Vegas reopening : Trump on Tuesday zeroed in on Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak during a teleconference call with state leaders , asking the Democrat if he had made a determination on reopening the Vegas Strip , where Trump owns a hotel .
CNN reported that Trump said a Vegas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' during the call where he also urged governors to consider reopening schools .
• Order on meat processing plants : Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order expected to force meat processing plants to stay open , despite hundreds of coronavirus cases already connected to the industry .
• Trump : The U.S. House should come back : Trump mocked Democratic House leaders for their decision not to bring lawmakers back next week , which is the recommendation from the Congress ' attending physician .
Trump surmised that Democrats were `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to return to work .
The Senate is expected to convene on Monday , under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , who has called for the legislative session against Senate Democrats ' concerns .
Quote of the day : '' Mayo Clinic had informed @ VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival . ''
-- The Mayo Clinic in a tweet that was later deleted .
What To Do When People Do n't Practice Social Distancing : Intervening when you see someone not following social distancing guidelines has its risks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their heels in more .
So what are the best practices when it comes to being around people who are not following mitigation strategies ?
San Francisco Enlists A Key Latino Neighborhood In Coronavirus Testing : Researchers in San Francisco have launched `` Unidos en Salud – United in Health , '' a wide-sweeping effort to test every person older than four years old in a densely populated , hardstruck section of the Mission District .
Pence Trips Show Challenges Of Returning To Political Normal : The vice president is playing guinea pig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of barometer to see how political travel can restart from the coronavirus pandemic .

The U.S. Hits 1 Million Coronavirus Cases, One-Third Of All The World's Cases
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
More Americans have now died from the coronavirus in less than two months than in the entire nine years of the Vietnam war — more than 58,000. But the United States crossed another threshold Tuesday — 1 million known coronavirus cases.
That is nearly one-third of all the world's known coronavirus cases. To put the enormity of that into context, the U.S.'s 328 million people is just over 4% of the world's population.
Asked Tuesday why he had previously claimed that coronavirus cases would go to zero, Trump said: "The experts got it wrong." He added: "I think we've done a great job in the sense that we were early ... by banning China ... we probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives."
Trump has also attributed the high number of cases in the U.S. to heightened testing and less transparency in reporting cases in countries like China. "We're going to show more cases, because we're doing much, much more testing," he said.
But testing in the U.S. is still not adequate or widespread enough to know who has the coronavirus. As of Monday, 5.1 million American had been tested. Experts say that's not nearly enough. One Harvard study estimates that the U.S. needs to start testing 5 million people per day.
Asked about the study Tuesday, Trump claimed without evidence, "We will increase it; we will increase it by much more than that in the future."
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN that the coronavirus task force is hoping that "everyone who needs a test" might be able to get one by the end of May or early June.
"It isn't perfect yet by any means," Fauci said, adding, "It isn't perfect, and we're not there yet — and we're not — but we're going to get there; we're going to get there soon."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Coronavirus latest goings on:
The coronavirus task force didn't hold a briefing Tuesday, but President Trump took questions at an event at the White House. Here's some of what came from that and other moving parts as it relates to coronavirus news:
Increased death toll estimate: The model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington model is now predicting more than 74,000 COVID-19 deaths by the beginning of August, up from 67,000 a week ago and 60,000 a week before that. "At least part of this increase," IHME said, "is due to many states experiencing flatter and thus longer epidemic peaks. Further, updated data indicate that daily COVID-19 deaths are not falling very quickly after the peak, leading to longer tails for many states' epidemic curves." Fauci noted, "If we are unsuccessful or prematurely try to open up and we have additional outbreaks that are out of control, it could be much more than that."
Pence goes maskless at Mayo Clinic: The vice president did not wear a mask while visiting the Mayo Clinic Tuesday, defying the medical center's safety protocol for its campus. Pence was videoed meeting with staff and even a recovered patient without wearing any sort of face covering, as is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pence said he went without the mask because he is tested regularly as is everyone around him, and that he wanted to be able to look health care workers "in the eye." (Of course, you can look people in the eye while wearing a mask.)
FLASHBACK: "Well, I just don't want to wear one myself. It's a recommendation; they recommend it. I'm feeling good. I just don't want to be doing — I don't know, somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk — the great Resolute Desk — I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know. Somehow, I don't see it for myself. I just — I just don't. Maybe I'll change my mind, but this will pass and hopefully it'll pass very quickly." — President Trump, during a coronavirus task force briefing April 2.
Testing is a total uncertainty: The only way to tell if and when society can fully reopen, experts say, is if widespread COVID-19 and antibody testing happens. But there is evidence there are problems with antibody testing (with only four tests having been approved by the FDA and hundreds of more out there), and only a small fraction of the U.S. population has been tested. Certainly not anyone who wants a test can get one, as the president previously claimed. And yet when Trump met with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has faced criticism for his response to the pandemic, in the White House Tuesday, DeSantis claimed, "Our ability to test exceeds current demand."
Encouraging schools, colleges to open back up: Trump cited Purdue University in Indiana, which has said it is thinking about bringing students back. "I think that's correct," Trump said and noted that K-12 school districts could start thinking about letting children back in schools — even though there would be just a couple months or less left in the school year. "Young people do very well with this horrible scourge," the president said.
Gamble on Vegas reopening: Trump on Tuesday zeroed in on Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak during a teleconference call with state leaders, asking the Democrat if he had made a determination on reopening the Vegas Strip, where Trump owns a hotel. CNN reported that Trump said a Vegas relaunch "will be a big thing," during the call where he also urged governors to consider reopening schools.
Order on meat processing plants: Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order expected to force meat processing plants to stay open, despite hundreds of coronavirus cases already connected to the industry.
Trump: The U.S. House should come back: Trump mocked Democratic House leaders for their decision not to bring lawmakers back next week, which is the recommendation from the Congress' attending physician. Trump surmised that Democrats were "enjoying their vacation" and did not want to return to work. The Senate is expected to convene on Monday, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has called for the legislative session against Senate Democrats' concerns.
Quote of the day:
"Mayo Clinic had informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival."
-- The Mayo Clinic in a tweet that was later deleted.
Latest confirmed U.S. case and death totals
Loading...
Other key coronavirus stories from NPR:
What To Do When People Don't Practice Social Distancing: Intervening when you see someone not following social distancing guidelines has its risks, and online shaming often makes people dig their heels in more. So what are the best practices when it comes to being around people who are not following mitigation strategies?
San Francisco Enlists A Key Latino Neighborhood In Coronavirus Testing: Researchers in San Francisco have launched "Unidos en Salud – United in Health," a wide-sweeping effort to test every person older than four years old in a densely populated, hardstruck section of the Mission District.
Pence Trips Show Challenges Of Returning To Political Normal: The vice president is playing guinea pig on two trips this week as a sort of barometer to see how political travel can restart from the coronavirus pandemic.


npr--2020-04-29--NTSB: Missouri Duck Boat Sinking That Killed 17 Could Have Been Avoided

NTSB : Missouri Duck Boat Sinking That Killed 17 Could Have Been Avoided The 2018 sinking of a duck boat on Missouri 's Table Rock Lake that killed 17 people would likely not have occurred if the U.S. Coast Guard had acted on recommendations made after a similar tragedy more than two decades ago , NTSB investigators said Tuesday .
During a teleconferenced meeting of the National Transportation Safety Board ahead of the release of the agency 's final report on the accident , investigator Brian Young also said the accident could have been avoided if the operator of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heeded weather warnings of an impending derecho .
`` On the day of the accident , the National Weather Service accurately forecasted and issued timely notifications of a severe thunderstorm that would impact the accident location , '' an abstract of the yet-unpublished final report concluded .
`` Ride the Ducks did not effectively use all available weather information to monitor the approaching severe weather and assess the risk it posed to its waterborne operations . ''
About 35 minutes after leaving the dock near the resort town of Branson on July 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a modified World War II-era landing craft known as a DUKW , was seen struggling to make headway through steep waves as it took on water .
Of the 31 people aboard , 16 passengers — including nine from the same family — and one of the two crew members aboard drowned in the accident .
The National Weather Service has said that winds reached 65 mph on the lake at the time of the accident .
The boat 's captain , Kenneth Scott McKee , survived the accident .
He was indicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misconduct , negligence and inattention to duty by a ship 's officer .
More charges were added to McKee 's indictment in June of last year , when two other employees of Ride the Ducks of Branson , its general manager at the time of the accident , Curtis P. Lanham , and operations supervisor , Charles V. Baltzell , were also charged with negligence .
At the NTSB teleconference , investigators reiterated that failing to implement all 22 recommendations the agency made after a previous duck boat sank in Arkansas in 1999 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2018 accident .
All but nine of them were ignored , including a key recommendation to add `` reserve buoyancy '' to the boats , allowing them to stay afloat after taking on water .
Among other problems with the design of the vessels , the NTSB said they had insufficient `` freeboard '' — clearance between the deck and the waterline .
`` NTSB investigators found that the accident vessel was originally constructed with a low freeboard , an open hull , and no subdivision or flotation , resulting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the NTSB cited previous inaction to address emergency egress on amphibious passenger vessels with fixed canopies which impeded passenger escape from the Stretch Duck 7 , '' investigators concluded .
The NTSB released an April 15 letter it received from Daniel Abel , vice admiral of the Coast Guard , in which the service agreed that canopies and side curtains should be removed from the boats .
NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said duck boats should not be allowed to operate until the agency 's recommendations are implemented .
As of last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tours were operating across the U.S. from California to Maine .
Sumwalt said he was `` very optimistic '' the Coast Guard was committed to improving small passenger boat safety .
Ripley Entertainment , which operated the now defunct Ride the Ducks of Branson , has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died , according to The Associated Press .
`` We remain dedicated to working with the community of Branson , and continuing our support of all those who were impacted by the accident , '' company @ @ @ @ @

NTSB: Missouri Duck Boat Sinking That Killed 17 Could Have Been Avoided
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/AP
The 2018 sinking of a duck boat on Missouri's Table Rock Lake that killed 17 people would likely not have occurred if the U.S. Coast Guard had acted on recommendations made after a similar tragedy more than two decades ago, NTSB investigators said Tuesday.
During a teleconferenced meeting of the National Transportation Safety Board ahead of the release of the agency's final report on the accident, investigator Brian Young also said the accident could have been avoided if the operator of the Ride the Ducks attraction had heeded weather warnings of an impending derecho.
"On the day of the accident, the National Weather Service accurately forecasted and issued timely notifications of a severe thunderstorm that would impact the accident location," an abstract of the yet-unpublished final report concluded. "Ride the Ducks did not effectively use all available weather information to monitor the approaching severe weather and assess the risk it posed to its waterborne operations."
About 35 minutes after leaving the dock near the resort town of Branson on July 19, 2018, Stretch Duck 7, a modified World War II-era landing craft known as a DUKW, was seen struggling to make headway through steep waves as it took on water. Of the 31 people aboard, 16 passengers — including nine from the same family — and one of the two crew members aboard drowned.
The National Weather Service has said that winds reached 65 mph on the lake at the time of the accident.
The boat's captain, Kenneth Scott McKee, survived the accident. He was indicted in November 2018 on 17 counts of misconduct, negligence and inattention to duty by a ship's officer. More charges were added to McKee's indictment in June of last year, when two other employees of Ride the Ducks of Branson — its general manager at the time of the accident, Curtis P. Lanham, and operations supervisor, Charles V. Baltzell — were also charged with negligence.
At the NTSB teleconference, investigators reiterated that failing to implement all 22 recommendations the agency made after a previous duck boat sank in Arkansas in 1999, killing 13 people, contributed to the 2018 accident. All but nine of them were ignored, including a key recommendation to add "reserve buoyancy" to the boats, allowing them to stay afloat after taking on water. Among other problems with the design of the vessels, the NTSB said they had insufficient "freeboard" — clearance between the deck and the waterline.
"NTSB investigators found that the accident vessel was originally constructed with a low freeboard, an open hull, and no subdivision or flotation, resulting in a design without adequate reserve buoyancy. Additionally, the NTSB cited previous inaction to address emergency egress on amphibious passenger vessels with fixed canopies which impeded passenger escape from the Stretch Duck 7," investigators concluded.
The NTSB released an April 15 letter it received from Daniel Abel, vice admiral of the Coast Guard, in which the service agreed that canopies and side curtains should be removed from the boats.
NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said duck boats should not be allowed to operate until the agency's recommendations are implemented. As of last year, more than a dozen duck boat tours were operating across the U.S. from California to Maine.
Sumwalt said he was "very optimistic" the Coast Guard was committed to improving small passenger boat safety.
Ripley Entertainment, which operated the now defunct Ride the Ducks of Branson, has settled 31 lawsuits filed by survivors or relatives of those who died, according to The Associated Press.
"We remain dedicated to working with the community of Branson, and continuing our support of all those who were impacted by the accident," company spokeswoman Suzanne Smagala-Potts said.


npr--2020-04-29--As Governors Urge Businesses To Reopen, Workers May Be Pushed Off Unemployment

As Governors Urge Businesses To Reopen , Workers May Be Pushed Off Unemployment There 's a call Laura Jean Truman is dreading and she 's convinced it 's just a matter of time before it comes .
Truman , who 's a server at Manuel 's Tavern in Atlanta , Ga. , says the source of her angst is the fear that sometime in the next few weeks her boss is going to call and say it 's time to go back to work , putting her in the position of having to make a choice between her own safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that continue to arrive despite the coronavirus .
`` Right now , everyone who is not working at restaurants is able to be on unemployment , '' she told NPR .
`` But once restaurants decide to open , and if we decide that we do n't feel safe going back into those restaurants , we then are no longer eligible for unemployment because then we have a job opportunity that we 're turning down , '' Truman explained .
`` It 's a tremendously scary thing to have to think about , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in which millions of people receiving state unemployment benefits along with federal dollars from the CARES Act — in and outside of the restaurant industry — will soon find themselves , as more states follow Georgia 's lead in restarting nonessential sectors of the economy .
Meanwhile , others living in states where lawmakers choose to heed warnings from top health officials that it 's too soon to reopen will remain eligible for financial relief .
As Georgia reopens , tough choices for employers and employees Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses to invite customers back — nearly all in the service industry .
As of this week , Kemp is allowing restaurants to open for dine-in service .
Theaters have also been green-lighted for operation , and on Wednesday , Simon Property Group , one of the largest shopping mall operators in the country , announced they 'll be throwing open their doors on May 1 .
Meanwhile , gyms , tattoo shops , bowling alleys and hair salons were allowed to start serving customers on a `` limited basis '' last Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been spared from having to decide between `` not getting the coronavirus '' and `` being able to pay rent and buy food . ''
Her $ 365 weekly check from unemployment and the additional $ 600 boost from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program — minus taxes — are safe .
That 's because the owner of Manuel 's Tavern has decided not to reopen just yet .
`` He does n't want to open a restaurant for dining until the science shows that it 's safe , '' Truman recounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Georgia Department of Labor said it does n't have any jurisdiction in deciding which businesses open or close .
For now , Cartwright said the department `` is encouraging employees to work with their employers on a safe return-to-work plan . ''
Unlike many other states that require individuals to file claims for themselves , Georgia implemented a system that allows business owners to file on behalf of employees to facilitate the enrollment process .
That means they are the ones that are reporting directly to the Department of Labor .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work around with their employer , then they may be able to continue to receive benefits , Cartwright said .
That differs from what the U.S. Department of Labor says on its website , which outlines specific conditions a person has to meet to refuse to return to work .
The list includes a COVID-19 diagnosis , restrictions due to childcare availability , caring for an ill family member or health `` complications that render the individual objectively unable to perform his or her essential job functions , with or without a reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered from COVID-19 .
`` However , voluntarily deciding to quit your job out of a general concern about exposure to COVID-19 does not make you eligible for [ Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ] , '' according to the site .
Cartwright 's advice for Georgians who are unable to reach an agreement with their employer and are taken off the unemployment rolls is to file an individual claim with the state .
`` We would look at the reasons for separation from the employee and the employer and then we would make that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
Flexibility on who qualifies may be less than it appears That can be a long and onerous process during which applicants cease to receive all benefits , according to labor law experts .
Michele Evermore , a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project , said the most likely scenario is that individuals will be required to file a `` quit claim '' saying the workplace is unsafe .
`` First , they have to raise that with their manager and then they have to have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nobody has addressed their concern , '' Evermore said .
Only then can they apply for benefits , at which point the employer has 10 days to dispute the claim .
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus the state has processed nearly 1.1 million jobless claims .
That 's more than all of the claims in the past three years combined , superseding records set during the Great Recession , according to the Labor Department .
And it is unclear how much of the $ 2.6 billion unemployment trust fund remains at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new claims will likely add several weeks to the process , meaning people would be left without any financial relief for up to a month or more .
Even more discouraging , she said , is Georgia 's record of rarely siding with applicants in such cases .
`` Georgia is one of the worst states to get benefits in ... they 're quite stingy , '' Evermore said .
As of 2019 , just 14 % of those who applied in Georgia received unemployment benefits .
Most states have a recipiency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's research shows .
She sees the moves by governors across the country to reopen the economy against the advice of health experts as `` penny wise and pound foolish . ''
And one that is more than likely to affect low-income people over any other group because they work in the types of service-sector jobs that are being asked to resume work first .
`` People will go out in public , mass infections will occur and more and more people will qualify for more and more unemployment benefits .
So trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually slow the opening of the economy , '' she said .
As of Tuesday , Georgia reported 24,868 confirmed coronavirus cases — a jump from 6,895 at the beginning of the month .
The state 's Department of Health has confirmed 1,036 deaths .

As Governors Urge Businesses To Reopen, Workers May Be Pushed Off Unemployment
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Goldman/AP David Goldman/AP
There's a call Laura Jean Truman is dreading, and she's convinced it's just a matter of time before it comes.
Truman, who's a server at Manuel's Tavern in Atlanta, says the source of her angst is the fear that sometime in the next few weeks her boss is going to call and say it's time to go back to work, putting her in the position of having to make a choice between her safety and being able to pay the bills that continue to arrive despite the coronavirus.
"Right now, everyone who is not working at restaurants is able to be on unemployment," she told NPR.
"But once restaurants decide to open, and if we decide that we don't feel safe going back into those restaurants, we then are no longer eligible for unemployment because then we have a job opportunity that we're turning down," Truman explained.
"It's a tremendously scary thing to have to think about," she said.
The predicament is one in which millions of people receiving state unemployment benefits along with federal dollars from the CARES Act — in and outside of the restaurant industry — will soon find themselves, as more states follow Georgia's lead in restarting some sectors of the economy.
Meanwhile, others living in states where lawmakers choose to heed warnings from top health officials that it's too soon to reopen will remain eligible for financial relief.
As Georgia reopens, tough choices for employers and employees
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was the first to urge a range of businesses to invite customers back — nearly all in the service industry.
As of this week, Kemp is allowing restaurants to open for dine-in service. Theaters have also been green-lighted for operation, and on Wednesday, Simon Property Group, one of the largest shopping mall operators in the country, announced they'll be throwing open their doors on May 1.
Meanwhile, gyms, tattoo shops, bowling alleys and hair salons were allowed to start serving customers on a "limited basis" last Friday.
For now, Truman says she's been spared from having to decide between "not getting the coronavirus" and "being able to pay rent and buy food."
Her $365 weekly check from unemployment and the additional $600 boost from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program — minus taxes — are safe. That's because the owner of Manuel's Tavern has decided not to reopen just yet. "He doesn't want to open a restaurant for dining until the science shows that it's safe," Truman recounted.
Kersha Cartwright, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Labor, said it doesn't have any jurisdiction in deciding which businesses open or close. For now, Cartwright said the department "is encouraging employees to work with their employers on a safe return-to-work plan."
Unlike many other states that require individuals to file claims for themselves, Georgia implemented a system that allows business owners to file on behalf of employees to facilitate the enrollment process. That means they are the ones who are reporting directly to the Department of Labor. So, if a person can find a workaround with their employer, then they may be able to continue to receive benefits, Cartwright said.
That differs from what the U.S. Department of Labor says on its website, which outlines specific conditions a person has to meet to refuse to return to work. The list includes a COVID-19 diagnosis, restrictions due to childcare availability, caring for an ill family member or health "complications that render the individual objectively unable to perform his or her essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation" as a result of having recovered from COVID-19.
"However, voluntarily deciding to quit your job out of a general concern about exposure to COVID-19 does not make you eligible for [Pandemic Unemployment Assistance]," according to the site.
Cartwright's advice for Georgians who are unable to reach an agreement with their employer and are taken off the unemployment rolls is to file an individual claim with the state.
"We would look at the reasons for separation from the employee and the employer and then we would make that eligibility decision based upon those facts," she said.
Flexibility on who qualifies may be less than it appears
That can be a long and onerous process during which applicants cease to receive all benefits, according to labor law experts.
Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, said the most likely scenario is that individuals will be required to file a "quit claim" saying the workplace is unsafe.
"First, they have to raise that with their manager and then they have to have the documents to show the workplace is unsafe and nobody has addressed their concern," Evermore said.
Only then can they apply for benefits, at which point the employer has 10 days to dispute the claim.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the state has processed nearly 1.1 million jobless claims. That's more than all of the claims in the past three years combined, superseding records set during the Great Recession, according to the Labor Department. And it is unclear how much of the $2.6 billion unemployment trust fund remains at this point.
Evermore noted the avalanche of new claims will likely add several weeks to the process, meaning people would be left without any financial relief for up to a month or more.
Even more discouraging, she said, is Georgia's record of rarely siding with applicants in such cases. "Georgia is one of the worst states to get benefits in ... they're quite stingy," Evermore said.
As of 2019, just 14% of those who applied in Georgia received unemployment benefits. Most states have a recipiency rate of about 50%, Evermore's research shows.
She sees the moves by governors across the country to reopen the economy against the advice of health experts as "penny wise and pound foolish." And one that is more than likely to affect low-income people over any other group because they work in the types of service-sector jobs that are being asked to resume work first.
"People will go out in public, mass infections will occur and more and more people will qualify for more and more unemployment benefits. So trying to open up the economy now will actually slow the opening of the economy," she said.
As of Tuesday, Georgia reported 24,868 confirmed coronavirus cases — a jump from 6,895 at the beginning of the month. The state's Department of Health has confirmed 1,036 deaths.


npr--2020-04-28--Illinois Lawmaker Files Lawsuit; Wants Stay-At-Home Rules Lifted

The fight over COVID-19 has become a legal battle in Illinois , pitting a Republican state lawmaker from a rural county against the Democratic governor .
Darren Bailey argued the state 's latest stay-at-home order was taking an unfair economic toll on his constituents in Clay County .
So he sued last week .
And won .
Sort of .
A Clay County circuit court judge issued a temporary restraining order against the state 's extension of its stay-at-home policy .
That ruling only applies to one person , though — Bailey .
Everyone else living in Clay County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still must abide by the 30-day extension set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker .
`` Enough is enough , '' Bailey said in a statement .
`` I filed this lawsuit on behalf of myself and my constituents who are ready to go back to work and resume a normal life . ''
At his daily press conference Tuesday , the governor called the lawsuit a `` cheap political stunt '' and the court decision `` dangerous . ''
He said it invites others to try for exemptions to an order that relies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I know the virus is causing devastating consequences , just as it has caused tens of thousands to become ill and thousands to die , '' Pritzker said , `` and responsible people understand the consequences of opening too early . ''
Clay County 's population is nearly 14,000 , according to the 2010 Census .
So far , it has only two confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
Bailey lives in Xenia , Ill. , about 200 miles south of Chicago .
He argues the stay-at-home order is causing an economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease and that Pritzker did not have the authority to extend the order .
The original deadline was April 30 ; it 's now May 31 .
Across the country , decisions about stay-at-home orders and reopening economies by governors , regardless of party , have increasingly turned into political fights .
An attorney for Rep. Bailey says he has received heavy interest from others who want to take similar action against the governor .
Illinois has reported more than 48,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 2,000 deaths .
Pritzker says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and credits the stay-at-home order with flattening the curve and drastically slowing the number of cases in Illinois .
Pritzker says he confident the ruling against him will be overturned .

Illinois Lawmaker Files Lawsuit; Wants Stay-At-Home Rules Lifted
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
The fight over COVID-19 has become a legal battle in Illinois, pitting a Republican state lawmaker from a rural county against the Democratic governor.
Darren Bailey argued the state's latest stay-at-home order was taking an unfair economic toll on his constituents in Clay County. So he sued last week. And won. Sort of.
A Clay County circuit court judge issued a temporary restraining order against the state's extension of its stay-at-home policy.
That ruling only applies to one person, though — Bailey.
Everyone else living in Clay County, and the rest of the state, still must abide by the 30-day extension set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
"Enough is enough," Bailey said in a statement. "I filed this lawsuit on behalf of myself and my constituents who are ready to go back to work and resume a normal life."
Pritzker is appealing the judge's order.
At his daily press conference Tuesday, the governor called the lawsuit a "cheap political stunt" and the court decision "dangerous." He said it invites others to try for exemptions to an order that relies on collective action to keep people safe.
"I know the virus is causing devastating consequences, just as it has caused tens of thousands to become ill and thousands to die," Pritzker said, "and responsible people understand the consequences of opening too early."
Clay County's population is nearly 14,000, according to the 2010 Census. So far, it has only two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Bailey lives in Xenia, Ill., about 200 miles south of Chicago.
He argues the stay-at-home order is causing an economic pandemic in an area not hard-hit by the disease and that Pritzker did not have the authority to extend the order. The original deadline was April 30; it's now May 31.
Across the country, decisions about stay-at-home orders and reopening economies by governors, regardless of party, have increasingly turned into political fights. An attorney for Rep. Bailey says he has received heavy interest from others who want to take similar action against the governor.
Illinois has reported more than 48,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 2,000 deaths. Pritzker says the danger has not passed yet, and credits the stay-at-home order with flattening the curve and drastically slowing the number of cases in Illinois.
Pritzker says he's confident the ruling against him will be overturned.


npr--2020-04-29--Tesla's Elon Musk Rants Again; Calls Lockdowns Forcible Imprisonment And 'Fascist'

Tesla 's billionaire CEO Elon Musk is at it again .
This time , he called the coronavirus lockdowns unconstitutional , outrageous and fascist .
`` I would call it forcibly imprisoning people in their homes against all their constitutional rights — that 's my opinion , '' Musk said in a call with investors on Wednesday .
The famously mercurial CEO said the shelter-in-place orders from authorities — designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus — are `` breaking people 's freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why people came to America or built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a phrase featuring an expletive .
Musk 's unscripted remarks came during a call to discuss strong financial results , with Tesla reporting its third consecutive quarterly profit despite major disruption caused by the coronavirus .
Tesla 's auto plant in Fremont , Calif. , is currently shut down , along with all the other major U.S. auto assembly plants .
Tesla halted production after initially defying Alameda County 's shelter-in-place order , which called for all non-essential businesses to suspend operations .
Musk downplayed the virus last month , tweeting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time , there would `` probably '' be `` close to zero new cases '' in the United States `` by end of April , '' which has n't been the case .
More recently , he has cheered Texas for lifting some limits on businesses , and tweeted , `` FREE AMERICA NOW . ''
Musk 's inability to control his impulses has occasionally landed him in trouble .
A couple of years ago , he paid a $ 20 million fine for tweeting that he had secured the funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called short sellers `` jerks who want [ Tesla ] to die , '' and he 's tussled with prominent short sellers on Twitter .
And on Wednesday , Musk called it fascist and `` not democratic '' to order people to stay in their homes .

Tesla's Elon Musk Rants Again, Calls Lockdowns Forcible Imprisonment And 'Fascist'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images
Tesla's billionaire CEO Elon Musk is at it again. This time, he called the coronavirus lockdowns unconstitutional, outrageous and fascist.
"I would call it forcibly imprisoning people in their homes against all their constitutional rights — that's my opinion," Musk said in a call with investors on Wednesday.
The famously mercurial CEO said the shelter-in-place orders from authorities — designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus — are "breaking people's freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why people came to America or built this country." He followed that with a phrase featuring an expletive.
Musk's unscripted remarks came during a call to discuss strong financial results, with Tesla reporting its third consecutive quarterly profit despite major disruption caused by the coronavirus.
Tesla's auto plant in Fremont, Calif., is currently shut down, along with all the other major U.S. auto assembly plants. Tesla halted production after initially defying Alameda County's shelter-in-place order, which called for all nonessential businesses to suspend operations.
Musk downplayed the virus last month, tweeting on March 19 that based on the trends at the time, there would "probably" be "close to zero new cases" in the United States "by end of April," which hasn't been the case.
More recently, he has cheered Texas for lifting some limits on businesses, and tweeted, "FREE AMERICA NOW."
Musk's inability to control his impulses has occasionally landed him in trouble. A couple of years ago, he paid a $20 million fine for tweeting that he had secured the funding to take Tesla private. He once called short sellers "jerks who want [Tesla] to die," and he's tussled with prominent short sellers on Twitter.
And on Wednesday, Musk called it fascist and "not democratic" to order people to stay in their homes.


npr--2020-04-29--Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: Contact Tracing, Virus Properties And Gardening

On this broadcast of The National Conversation , we answer your questions about contact tracing and new virus properties .
@ @ @ @ @ tips on gardening during this time .

Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: Contact Tracing, Virus Properties And Gardening On this broadcast of The National Conversation, we answer your questions about contact tracing and new virus properties. We'll also hear some tips on gardening during this time.


npr--2020-04-29--Workers Scared As Trump Orders Meat Plants To Open During Coronavirus Crisis

Workers Scared As Trump Orders Meat Plants To Open During Coronavirus Crisis President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to keep meatpacking plants in the U.S. open during the coronavirus pandemic .
Tuesday 's move comes after more than a dozen beef , pork and poultry plants across the country shut down either temporarily or indefinitely in the past few weeks .
The president 's executive order to keep the plants open notes that some of the plant closures `` may be inconsistent with '' worker safety guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` unnecessary '' plant closures can have a big impact on the meat supply chain .
What constitutes a `` necessary '' closure is n't universally agreed upon .
The worker safety guidelines the president pointed to were only issued on Sunday , well after a lot of plants announced temporary or indefinite closures in response to coronavirus outbreaks among workers .
Meatpacking workers in several states have protested plants staying open .
Prior to releasing the order , Trump said that using it to invoke the Defense Production Act would `` solve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have .
The full legal ramifications are n't clear , but his order overrules any state or local directives shutting down meatpacking facilities .
It clearly gives authority to the Department of Agriculture to enforce the new worker safety guidelines , and to determine national priorities for keeping the meat supply chain going and to help companies do that .
In Nebraska on Tuesday , some of the 2,000 workers at a Smithfield Foods pork plant outside Lincoln briefly walked off the job to protest plans to keep open the facility , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christina Stella at NET Nebraska spoke to a worker at the plant in Crete , who asked for anonymity for fear of losing her job .
`` 'It 's almost like [ the plant 's owners ] do n't care about us , '' the worker said .
`` Just keep production going , keep the money coming in , whatever they can do to just keep going , that 's how I feel .
... And I know I 'm not the only one who 's actually scared . ''
A statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` applauds ( the ) Trump Administration for taking decisive action to invoke emergency powers , '' and that , `` across all its facilities , the company is providing team members with abundant personal protective equipment , including masks and face shields , ( and ) has implemented mass thermal scanning and installed physical barriers on its production floors and in break areas . ''
Smithfield said it guaranteed pay to employees impacted by COVID-19 and would dedicate $ 120 million to bonuses for workers `` despite closing multiple facilities and numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the plants make them susceptible to outbreaks .
A tour of the big beef plant in Greeley , Colo. , prior to the coronavirus ' arrival in the U.S. , showed what looked like an assembly line , except all the workers were disassembling cattle .
Huge conveyor belts hung with carcasses snaked through the facility , and to churn out lots of meat , workers stood in close quarters , cutting meat with far less than six feet between them .
There were thousands of workers in these plants at one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms , cafeterias and locker rooms .
The United Food and Commercial Workers union said they shared these broader concerns about America 's food supply , and asked for daily coronavirus testing at some meatpacking facilities and better access to personal protective equipment like masks and gloves .

Workers Scared As Trump Orders Meat Plants To Open During Coronavirus Crisis
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP
President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to keep meatpacking plants in the U.S. open during the coronavirus pandemic. Tuesday's move comes after more than a dozen beef, pork and poultry plants across the country shut down either temporarily or indefinitely in the past few weeks.
The president's executive order to keep the plants open notes that some of the plant closures "may be inconsistent with" worker safety guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and that "unnecessary" plant closures can have a big impact on the meat supply chain.
What constitutes a "necessary" closure isn't universally agreed upon. The worker safety guidelines the president pointed to were only issued on Sunday, well after a lot of plants announced temporary or indefinite closures in response to coronavirus outbreaks among workers.
Meatpacking workers in several states have protested plants staying open.
Prior to releasing the order, Trump said that using it to invoke the Defense Production Act would "solve any liability problems" meatpacking companies might have. The full legal ramifications aren't clear, but his order overrules any state or local directives shutting down meatpacking facilities.
It clearly gives authority to the Department of Agriculture to enforce the new worker safety guidelines, and to determine national priorities for keeping the meat supply chain going and to help companies do that.
In Nebraska on Tuesday, some of the 2,000 workers at a Smithfield Foods pork plant outside Lincoln briefly walked off the job to protest plans to keep open the facility, which has reported 48 COVID-19 cases.
Reporter Christina Stella at NET Nebraska spoke to a worker at the plant in Crete, who asked for anonymity for fear of losing her job.
"'It's almost like [the plant's owners] don't care about us," the worker said. "Just keep production going, keep the money coming in, whatever they can do to just keep going, that's how I feel. ... And I know I'm not the only one who's actually scared."
A statement from Smithfield Foods on Wednesday said it "applauds (the) Trump Administration for taking decisive action to invoke emergency powers," and that, "across all its facilities, the company is providing team members with abundant personal protective equipment, including masks and face shields, (and) has implemented mass thermal scanning and installed physical barriers on its production floors and in break areas." Smithfield said it guaranteed pay to employees impacted by COVID-19 and would dedicate $120 million to bonuses for workers "despite closing multiple facilities and numerous lines falling dormant."
Working conditions in the plants make them susceptible to outbreaks. A tour of the big beef plant in Greeley, Colo., prior to the coronavirus' arrival in the U.S., showed what looked like an assembly line, except all the workers were disassembling cattle. Huge conveyor belts hung with carcasses snaked through the facility, and to churn out lots of meat, workers stood in close quarters, cutting meat with far less than six feet between them. There were thousands of workers in these plants at one time, and they also shared break rooms, cafeterias and locker rooms.
The United Food and Commercial Workers union said they shared these broader concerns about America's food supply, and asked for daily coronavirus testing at some meatpacking facilities and better access to personal protective equipment like masks and gloves.


npr--2020-04-29--Florida Takes a 'Baby Step' To Reopening Its Economy, Shut Down To Stem Coronavirus

Florida Takes a 'Baby Step ' To Reopening Its Economy , Shut Down To Stem Coronavirus Florida will begin reopening its economy on Monday .
Gov .
Ron DeSantis says all of the state except for three counties in Southeast Florida meet the Phase 1 guidelines identified by the White House Coronavirus Task Force .
A statewide shelter-in-place order expires Thursday , but DeSantis says people should continue to practice social distancing and not socialize in groups larger than 10 .
He 's also asked those who are medically vulnerable and the elderly to remain at home as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state Capitol in Tallahassee , the governor said he was signing an executive order that allows restaurants and retail stores to reopen Monday , May 4 .
Restaurants will be able to use outdoor seating .
Inside , they 'll be able in the first phase of the state 's plan to use just 25 % of their seating capacity .
Schools will remain closed and students will continue distance learning .
Large venues , including movie theaters also remain closed for now , as do personal service establishments like barber shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgeries can resume statewide .
The action in Florida takes a middle approach , less aggressive than states such as Georgia , but beginning to reopen an economy that 's been largely dormant for well over a month .
DeSantis said , `` I deliberately erred on the side of taking measured steps , kind of even a baby step to ... start us on a road to a brighter day . ''
The order excludes Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach counties where the majority of Florida 's coronavirus cases have occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place in those three counties .
COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are also declining there .
This week , in Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach counties , many parks and boat ramps were reopened with strict enforcement of social distancing guidelines .
Beaches in the three southeast Florida counties remain closed for now .
DeSantis says he 'll watch what other states are doing and will consider allowing more openings if coronavirus cases continue to decline .
Asked about when he thinks the state may be ready to move to the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commit to a timeline .
But he said , `` We 're thinking about weeks .
We 're not thinking about months . ''

Florida Takes A 'Baby Step' To Reopening Its Economy, Shut Down To Stem Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Florida will begin reopening its economy on Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis says all of the state except for three counties in Southeast Florida meet the Phase 1 guidelines identified by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
A statewide shelter-in-place order expires Thursday, but DeSantis says people should continue to practice social distancing and not socialize in groups larger than 10. He's also asked those who are medically vulnerable and the elderly to remain at home as much as possible.
In a news conference at the state Capitol in Tallahassee, the governor said he was signing an executive order that allows restaurants and retail stores to reopen Monday, May 4. Restaurants will be able to use outdoor seating. Inside, they'll be able in the first phase of the state's plan to use just 25% of their seating capacity.
Schools will remain closed and students will continue distance learning. Large venues, including movie theaters also remain closed for now, as do personal service establishments like barber shops and beauty salons. DeSantis says elective surgeries can resume statewide.
The action in Florida takes a middle approach, less aggressive than states such as Georgia, but beginning to reopen an economy that's been largely dormant for well over a month. DeSantis said, "I deliberately erred on the side of taking measured steps, kind of even a baby step to ... start us on a road to a brighter day."
The order excludes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties where the majority of Florida's coronavirus cases have occurred. Shelter-in-place orders and business closures remain in place in those three counties. COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are also declining there. This week, in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, many parks and boat ramps were reopened with strict enforcement of social distancing guidelines. Beaches in the three southeast Florida counties remain closed for now.
DeSantis says he'll watch what other states are doing and will consider allowing more openings if coronavirus cases continue to decline. Asked about when he thinks the state may be ready to move to the next phase of openings, DeSantis wouldn't commit to a timeline. But he said, "We're thinking about weeks. We're not thinking about months."


npr--2020-04-29--State Examining Southern California Nursing Home Where Staff Were No-Shows

In California , Riverside County 's leading public health official , Dr. Cameron Kaiser , has filed a formal complaint with the state about a nursing home where 82 residents were evacuated earlier this month .
California 's Department of Public Health has confirmed to NPR that it is addressing the complaint .
It would not elaborate .
NPR obtained a copy of Dr. Kaiser 's complaint .
In it , he paints a picture of the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in a state of gradual collapse , beginning with staff members coming to work sick and culminating with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift failing to show up for two days straight , resulting in the evacuation .
According to the complaint , Riverside county officials received a resource request on April 6 from the data entry nurse requesting 25 staff members to fill in for the absent workers .
The message concluded with : `` Please help us with staffing .
Our routinely scheduled staff is not showing up to work no call no show [ sic ] .
We have no staff to cover our patients .
We are getting weak every day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Nursing Center did not return NPR 's call for comment about the concerns in the complaint .
Five staffers at the Southern California nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus , but it is unknown if that had anything to do with the dozen nursing assistants who did n't report for their shifts .
Dr. Kaiser had no comment for NPR on the complaint .
But he was quoted in earlier news reports saying he was concerned that the nursing assistants ' failure to come to work `` could rise to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their reasoning might be . ''
Medicare rates nursing homes on a 5-star scale , measuring everything from staffing levels to kitchen hygiene .
The Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center had a 2-star overall rating and received just 1 star for health inspections .
Its 32 health citations in 2019 were about four-times the national average .
Over the past 3 years , those deficiencies have included failure to protect residents from abuse , neglect and exploitation , improper use of psychotropic drugs , and failure to have a plan to control infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Riverside Department of Public Health , many of the evacuated residents were refused entry to other area nursing homes because they 'd either tested positive for COVID-19 or were awaiting test results .
They were admitted to a nearby hospital instead .
The complaint asks the state 's Licensing and Certification Program board to examine the overall operations of the nursing center and to address staff absenteeism to determine whether they acted in an ethical and professional manner when they failed to report to work .

State Examining Southern California Nursing Home Where Staff Were No-Shows
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Carlson/AP Chris Carlson/AP
In California, Riverside County's leading public health official, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, has filed a formal complaint with the state about a nursing home where 82 residents were evacuated earlier this month.
California's Department of Public Health has confirmed to NPR that it is addressing the complaint. It would not elaborate.
NPR obtained a copy of Dr. Kaiser's complaint. In it, he paints a picture of the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in a state of gradual collapse, beginning with staff members coming to work sick and culminating with 12 of 13 nursing assistants on one shift failing to show up for two days straight, resulting in the evacuation.
According to the complaint, Riverside county officials received a resource request on April 6 from the data entry nurse requesting 25 staff members to fill in for the absent workers. The message concluded with: "Please help us with staffing. Our routinely scheduled staff is not showing up to work no call no show [sic]. We have no staff to cover our patients. We are getting weak every day."
The operators of the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center did not return NPR's call for comment about the concerns in the complaint.
Five staffers at the Southern California nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus, but it is unknown if that had anything to do with the dozen nursing assistants who didn't report for their shifts.
Kaiser had no comment for NPR on the complaint. But he was quoted in earlier news reports saying he was concerned that the nursing assistants' failure to come to work "could rise to the level of abandonment no matter how justified their reasoning might be."
Medicare rates nursing homes on a five-star scale, measuring everything from staffing levels to kitchen hygiene. The Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center had a two-star overall rating and received just one star for health inspections. Its 32 health citations in 2019 were about four times the national average. Over the past three years, those deficiencies have included failure to protect residents from abuse, neglect and exploitation; improper use of psychotropic drugs; and failure to have a plan to control infections.
According to a spokesman for the Riverside Department of Public Health, many of the evacuated residents were refused entry to other area nursing homes because they'd either tested positive for COVID-19 or were awaiting test results. They were admitted to a nearby hospital instead.
The complaint asks the state's Licensing and Certification Program board to examine the overall operations of the nursing center and to address staff absenteeism to determine whether they acted in an ethical and professional manner when they failed to report to work.
Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center remains closed.