npr--2020-12-27--Why The World Is Seeing Some Of Its Most Extreme Pandemic Lockdowns

Why The World Is Seeing Some Of Its Most Extreme Pandemic Lockdowns The last Sunday of 2020 was ushered in with both promise and apprehension on the global pandemic front .
The European Union began immunizing residents with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine .
`` We are starting to turn the page on a difficult year , '' said the president of the European Commission , Ursula von der Leyen , in a video posted on Twitter .
The E.U .
she added has `` secured enough doses for our whole population of 450 million people . ''
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe lockdowns and travel restrictions are being implemented around the world , prompted by concerns that new variants of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 , could lead to more rapid spread .
The U.K. variant , which is now the dominant strain in Britain , `` may be more transmissible than previously circulating variants , with an estimated potential to increase the transmissibility of the virus by up to 70 % , '' according to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
There are similar concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may be circulating in other countries as well .
On the domestic front , travelers arriving in the U.S. from the U.K. are now required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test under new rules issued by CDC on Christmas day .
More than 40 other nations have gone even farther , blocking travelers from Britain entirely .
Despite such measures , the new strain has already been detected in mainland Europe , Israel , Canada and Japan , among other places .
In response Japan is banning nearly all foreigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries as personae non gratae at least until February ) and is imposing new restrictions on Japanese citizens returning from any country that 's reported cases of the U.K. variant .
The new Japanese rules also apply to places where the South African strain is circulating .
A surge in cases and concerns over the more highly transmissible forms of the virus prompted Israel to go into its third lockdown on Sunday .
For at least the next two weeks , Israelis are prohibited from visiting someone else 's home or traveling more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – a little more than half a mile .
All non-essential businesses are shut .
Restaurants can only offer take out .
Gatherings such as weddings and funerals in Israel will be limited to 10 people indoors and 20 outside .
This is generous compared to Hong Kong , which has put in place a `` prohibition of group gatherings of more than two persons . ''
On Sundays in Hong Kong foreign domestic workers traditionally have the day off .
Groups of women from the Philippines and Indonesia gather in small groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city .
They often share soft drinks and snacks .
Municipal officials are now calling for them to stay home at their employer 's apartments .
Hong Kong is also increasing quarantine requirements for incoming travelers .
While some other places are shortening COVID quarantines from 14 days down to 10 or 7 , Hong Kong is now requiring a mandatory 21 days .
The quarantine is at the travelers own expense in a government-sanctioned hotel .
Thailand , which had kept its daily tally of reported COVID-19 cases in the single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is grappling with its worst surge to date .
Since mid-December , the country has seen a sharp rise in cases linked originally to a seafood market , including 121 new infections on Sunday .
The spike in cases in Thailand has not been tied to the U.K. variant .
But it illustrates that even countries that appear to have the disease under control ca n't let their guard down .
South Korea , which successfully contained two earlier waves of COVID-19 , is facing record numbers of new cases and a spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which already has the largest number of cases globally and regular reports of more than 200,000 new infections a day , is also bracing for grim numbers ahead .
Over the weekend top health officials warned that travel and family gatherings during this holiday season are likely to lead to a further spike in cases .
`` As we get into the next few weeks , it might actually get worse , '' Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert told CNN on Sunday .
Even though the U.K. variant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , many top immunologists believe it may already be circulating here .
`` I think it 's prudent and a good idea to do some form of testing , and not let somebody on the plane from the U.K. unless they have a documented negative COVID-19 test , '' Fauci said .
Given the high levels of transmission already occurring in the U.S. , a more transmissible form of the virus could mean more even more dire numbers just as massive vaccine campaigns are starting .

Why The World Is Seeing Some Of Its Most Extreme Pandemic Lockdowns
Enlarge this image toggle caption Romeo Gacad/AFP via Getty Images Romeo Gacad/AFP via Getty Images
The last Sunday of 2020 was ushered in with both promise and apprehension on the global pandemic front.
The European Union began immunizing residents with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. "We are starting to turn the page on a difficult year," said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a video posted on Twitter. The E.U. she added has "secured enough doses for our whole population of 450 million people."
At the same time, some of the year's most severe lockdowns and travel restrictions are being implemented around the world, prompted by concerns that new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could lead to more rapid spread.
The U.K. variant, which is now the dominant strain in Britain, "may be more transmissible than previously circulating variants, with an estimated potential to increase the transmissibility of the virus by up to 70%," according to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are similar concerns about a new strain from South Africa that may be circulating in other countries as well.
On the domestic front, travelers arriving in the U.S. from the U.K. are now required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test under new rules issued by CDC on Christmas day.
More than 40 other nations have gone even farther, blocking travelers from Britain entirely. Despite such measures, the new strain has already been detected in mainland Europe, Israel, Canada and Japan, among other places.
In response Japan is banning nearly all foreigners (the declaration lists nationals from 152 countries as personae non gratae at least until February) and is imposing new restrictions on Japanese citizens returning from any country that's reported cases of the U.K. variant. The new Japanese rules also apply to places where the South African strain is circulating.
A surge in cases and concerns over the more highly transmissible forms of the virus prompted Israel to go into its third lockdown on Sunday. For at least the next two weeks, Israelis are prohibited from visiting someone else's home or traveling more than 1,000 meters from their own home – a little more than half a mile. All non-essential businesses are shut. Restaurants can only offer take out.
Gatherings such as weddings and funerals in Israel will be limited to 10 people indoors and 20 outside. This is generous compared to Hong Kong, which has put in place a "prohibition of group gatherings of more than two persons." On Sundays in Hong Kong foreign domestic workers traditionally have the day off. Groups of women from the Philippines and Indonesia gather in small groups in parks and on sidewalks all across the city. They often share soft drinks and snacks. Municipal officials are now calling for them to stay home at their employer's apartments.
Hong Kong is also increasing quarantine requirements for incoming travelers. While some other places are shortening COVID quarantines from 14 days down to 10 or 7, Hong Kong is now requiring a mandatory 21 days. The quarantine is at the travelers own expense in a government-sanctioned hotel.
Thailand, which had kept its daily tally of reported COVID-19 cases in the single digits for much of the pandemic, is grappling with its worst surge to date. Since mid-December, the country has seen a sharp rise in cases linked originally to a seafood market, including 121 new infections on Sunday. The spike in cases in Thailand has not been tied to the U.K. variant. But it illustrates that even countries that appear to have the disease under control can't let their guard down.
South Korea, which successfully contained two earlier waves of COVID-19, is facing record numbers of new cases and a spike in fatalities.
The United States, which already has the largest number of cases globally and regular reports of more than 200,000 new infections a day, is also bracing for grim numbers ahead. Over the weekend top health officials warned that travel and family gatherings during this holiday season are likely to lead to a further spike in cases.
"As we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse," Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert told CNN on Sunday.
Even though the U.K. variant hasn't yet been detected in the U.S., many top immunologists believe it may already be circulating here.
"I think it's prudent and a good idea to do some form of testing, and not let somebody on the plane from the U.K. unless they have a documented negative COVID-19 test," Fauci said. Given the high levels of transmission already occurring in the U.S., a more transmissible form of the virus could mean more even more dire numbers just as massive vaccine campaigns are starting.


npr--2020-12-27--Hall Of Famer Phil Niekro, Known For His Knuckleball, Dies At 81

Hall Of Famer Phil Niekro , Known For His Knuckleball , Dies At 81 National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro — a longtime pitcher for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves who was known for his blistering knuckleball — died in his sleep after a long battle with cancer , the team announced Sunday .
He was 81 .
Niekro , who spent the majority of his 24 years in MLB playing for the Braves , pitched in 740 games — the most of any pitcher in the franchise , the team said in a statement .
From full-season debut in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Niekro pitched 5,404 innings — the most by any pitcher in the modern era .
Niekro won a Gold Glove Award five times .
Nicknamed `` Knucksie , '' he also won the most games of any knuckleball pitcher .
( A knuckleball is a rare and difficult pitch , delivered with virtually no spin , leading to an erratic motion through the air . )
When he retired at age 48 , Niekro was the oldest player in major league history to play regularly .
`` We are heartbroken on the passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Braves said .
`` Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric , first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta .
Phil baffled batters on the field and later was always the first to join in our community activities . ''
As a child , Niekro learned his unique pitching style from his father — and then he decided to throw that pitch exclusively while in the minor leagues , according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame , to which Niekro was inducted in 1997 .
In 2013 , the Baltimore Orioles hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to throw the knuckleball .
As NPR 's Mark Memmott explained at the time , the relatively slow speed of the knuckleball places less stress on a pitcher 's arm — and therefore can help prolong a pitcher 's career .
`` Phil Niekro was one of the most distinctive and memorable pitchers of his generation , '' MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. , said in a statement .
`` But even more than his signature pitch and trademark durability , Phil will be remembered as one of our game 's most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport extraordinarily well , and he will be deeply missed . ''

Hall Of Famer Phil Niekro, Known For His Knuckleball, Dies At 81
Enlarge this image toggle caption Associated Press Associated Press
National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro — a longtime pitcher for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves who was known for his blistering knuckleball — died in his sleep after a long battle with cancer, the team announced Sunday. He was 81.
Niekro, who spent the majority of his 24 years in MLB playing for the Braves, pitched in 740 games — the most of any pitcher in the franchise, the team said in a statement. From full-season debut in 1967 until his retirement in 1987, Niekro pitched 5,404 innings — the most by any pitcher in the modern era. Niekro won a Gold Glove Award five times.
Nicknamed "Knucksie," he also won the most games of any knuckleball pitcher. (A knuckleball is a rare and difficult pitch, delivered with virtually no spin, leading to an erratic motion through the air.)
When he retired at age 48, Niekro was the oldest player in major league history to play regularly.
"We are heartbroken on the passing of our treasured friend," the Braves said. "Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. Phil baffled batters on the field and later was always the first to join in our community activities."
As a child, Niekro learned his unique pitching style from his father — and then he decided to throw that pitch exclusively while in the minor leagues, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, to which Niekro was inducted in 1997.
In 2013, the Baltimore Orioles hired Niekro to teach its minor league pitchers how to throw the knuckleball. As NPR's Mark Memmott explained at the time, the relatively slow speed of the knuckleball places less stress on a pitcher's arm — and therefore can help prolong a pitcher's career.
"Phil Niekro was one of the most distinctive and memorable pitchers of his generation," MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr., said in a statement. "But even more than his signature pitch and trademark durability, Phil will be remembered as one of our game's most genial people. He always represented his sport extraordinarily well, and he will be deeply missed."


npr--2020-12-27--Nashville Blast Suspect Died In Explosion, Officials Say

The violent explosion that rocked downtown Nashville , Tenn. , on Christmas morning is believed to be a suicide bombing by Anthony Q. Warner , 63 , U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said Sunday .
Authorities continue to ask those who knew or encountered the suspect to contact the FBI .
The agency is still investigating , but there is no indication that anyone else was involved , Cochran said .
Officials said DNA testing of human remains on the scene matched to Warner .
They said no other threats were known against the city but would n't comment on possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR member station WPLN , Warner had owned a home in the suburban Nashville community of Antioch that was searched on Saturday by federal officials .
The investigation into the bombing has brought hundreds of law enforcement personnel — including agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives — into the Tennessee capital to comb through the wreckage and investigate more than 500 leads .
The Friday morning blast came from an RV parked outside an AT & T building .
No fatalities were reported , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injuries and dozens of buildings were damaged .
The effects of the blast were still being felt more than 48 hours later .
Some police and hospital communications systems are still out in some areas of Tennessee , as well as in neighboring states .
City officials on Sunday credited the city 's police officers for their quick work to evacuate the area , averting potential tragedy .
`` Their actions saved lives , '' Mayor John Cooper said .
`` They may consider what they did was just a regular part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know it was extraordinary . ''
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning , police described the scene they encountered upon responding to a 911 call shortly before the bomb went off that reported shots fired in the area .
Soon after officers arrived , a recorded female voice started sounding from the RV , warning it was going to explode .
A countdown began .
`` At that moment , it felt real , '' said Officer James Wells , who has been with the force for less than two years .
Wells said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It felt like whoever was behind it was watching , '' he recalled .
Wells said he looked around to make sure no one was secretly watching them .
Mentally , he started preparing for a possible shootout .
`` All of the cop lingo that you hear about — the spider senses , about the hair standing up on the back of your neck — all that went through my body , '' said Wells .
At one point , the RV started playing a recording of the song `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it switched back to the countdown , then back to the music .
Some of the officers returned to their cars , blocking roads to set up a perimeter .
A police sergeant ordered an evacuation , and officers started knocking on doors to get people out .
After knocking on doors , Wells said he went back to his car and pulled it back farther to get out of blast radius .
He then got out of his car and started walking toward the RV .
Suddenly , Wells said , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn around and check on Officer Amanda Topping , who was by herself on Broadway Street .
`` It felt like I only took three steps , '' Wells said .
`` I just see orange , '' Wells recalled .
`` And then I hear a loud boom .
And as I 'm stumbling — 'cuz it rocked me that hard — I start stumbling , I just tell myself to stay on your feet , stay alive . ''
Topping was walking toward Wells when the explosion pierced the calm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flames I 've ever seen , '' Topping recalled .
`` I 'll never forget the windows shattering after the blast all around me . ''
`` I felt a push , '' said Officer Michael Sipos .
`` I was thrown into the trunk , a little bit .
I turned around to see a very orange sky and a lot of smoke . ''
Officer Brenna Hosey said she was knocked to the ground .
Topping felt a wave of heat , she said , motioning to her face .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the blast .
She took off in a sprint , eventually finding Wells , who told her to take out her gun .
The two of them grabbed each other and ducked into a doorway to prepare for whatever might happen next .
`` It just felt like something out of a movie , '' Wells recalled .
Another officer was yelling at him , asking him to do something — but he had temporary hearing loss from the blast .
An ambulance wanted to take him to the hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were injured , he told the paramedics to check on the civilians first .
Wells , who said he 's a spiritual person , credited his survival to the voice in his head that told him to walk in the opposite direction .
`` That 's what saved my life , '' Wells said .
`` That 's what got me to see my kids and my wife on Christmas .
'Good to see you ' has a completely different meaning to me now . ''
Wells said the experience will tie him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their lives .
After the news conference was over , Wells and Hosey embraced .
For several seconds , they stood in silence , simply holding each other .
NPR 's John Burnett and Reese Oxner contributed to this report .

Nashville Blast Suspect Died In Explosion, Officials Say
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Humphrey/AP Mark Humphrey/AP
Updated at 2:25 a.m. ET on Monday
The violent explosion that rocked downtown Nashville, Tenn., on Christmas morning is believed to be a suicide bombing by Anthony Q. Warner, 63, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said Sunday.
Authorities continue to ask those who knew or encountered the suspect to contact the FBI. The agency is still investigating, but there is no indication that anyone else was involved, Cochran said.
Officials said DNA testing of human remains on the scene matched to Warner. They said no other threats were known against the city but wouldn't comment on possible motives for the bombing.
According to NPR member station WPLN, Warner had owned a home in the suburban Nashville community of Antioch that was searched on Saturday by federal officials.
The investigation into the bombing has brought hundreds of law enforcement personnel — including agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — into the Tennessee capital to comb through the wreckage and investigate more than 500 leads.
The Friday morning blast came from an RV parked outside an AT&T building. No fatalities were reported, but three people were hospitalized for their injuries and dozens of buildings were damaged.
The effects of the blast were still being felt more than 48 hours later. Police and hospital communications systems were still out in some areas of Tennessee, as well as in neighboring states.
"As of now, 96% of our wireless network is restored, 60% of our business services are restored, and 86% of our consumer broadband and entertainment services are restored. It is our goal to restore all service late today," AT&T Communications Chief Executive Jeff McElfresh said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
City officials on Sunday credited the city's police officers for their quick work to evacuate the area, averting potential tragedy.
"Their actions saved lives," Mayor John Cooper said. "They may consider what they did was just a regular part of their duties. But we in Nashville know it was extraordinary."
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, police described the scene they encountered upon responding to a 911 call shortly before the bomb went off that reported shots fired in the area. Soon after officers arrived, a recorded female voice started sounding from the RV, warning it was going to explode. A countdown began.
"At that moment, it felt real," said Officer James Wells, who has been with the force for less than two years. Wells said he noticed cameras attached to the RV.
"It felt like whoever was behind it was watching," he recalled. Wells said he looked around to make sure no one was secretly watching them. Mentally, he started preparing for a possible shootout.
"All of the cop lingo that you hear about — the spider senses, about the hair standing up on the back of your neck — all that went through my body," said Wells.
At one point, the RV started playing a recording of the song "Downtown" by Petula Clark. Then it switched back to the countdown, then back to the music. Some of the officers returned to their cars, blocking roads to set up a perimeter. A police sergeant ordered an evacuation, and officers started knocking on doors to get people out.
After knocking on doors, Wells said he went back to his car and pulled it back farther to get out of blast radius. He then got out of his car and started walking toward the RV. Suddenly, Wells said, he heard the voice of God telling him to turn around and check on Officer Amanda Topping, who was by herself on Broadway Street.
"It felt like I only took three steps," Wells said.
Suddenly, the music stopped.
"I just see orange," Wells recalled. "And then I hear a loud boom. And as I'm stumbling — 'cuz it rocked me that hard — I start stumbling, I just tell myself to stay on your feet, stay alive."
Topping was walking toward Wells when the explosion pierced the calm.
"I just saw the biggest flames I've ever seen," Topping recalled. "I'll never forget the windows shattering after the blast all around me."
"I felt a push," said Officer Michael Sipos. "I was thrown into the trunk, a little bit. I turned around to see a very orange sky and a lot of smoke." Officer Brenna Hosey said she was knocked to the ground.
Topping felt a wave of heat, she said, motioning to her face. She couldn't see Wells, who was close to the blast. She took off in a sprint, eventually finding Wells, who told her to take out her gun. The two of them grabbed each other and ducked into a doorway to prepare for whatever might happen next.
"It just felt like something out of a movie," Wells recalled. Another officer was yelling at him, asking him to do something — but he had temporary hearing loss from the blast. An ambulance wanted to take him to the hospital, but when Wells learned that three people were injured, he told the paramedics to check on the civilians first.
Wells, who said he's a spiritual person, credited his survival to the voice in his head that told him to walk in the opposite direction.
"That's what saved my life," Wells said. "That's what got me to see my kids and my wife on Christmas. 'Good to see you' has a completely different meaning to me now."
Wells said the experience will tie him to his fellow officers for the rest of their lives. After the news conference was over, Wells and Hosey embraced. For several seconds, they stood in silence, simply holding each other.
NPR's John Burnett and Reese Oxner contributed to this report.


npr--2020-12-27--COVID Love Story: Can A Malawian Bachelor And A Dutch Bachelorette Make It?

COVID Love Story : Can A Malawian Bachelor And A Dutch Bachelorette Make It ?
On March 15 , Patrick Phiri was ready to take his global romance to the next level .
Patrick , 32 , lives in Malawi .
His girlfriend , Fiona ten Have , is Dutch .
And he was on his way to see her after nearly three months apart .
He was relieved as he waited for his plane to take off from Lilongwe Airport .
It 'd taken months to prepare his visa application .
And he was nervous about meeting her parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
`` I really wanted my parents to like him , '' she remembers , `` to spend some time together so they could get to know him . ''
That they did .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , Patrick ended up staying for seven and a half months , with no job and no routine – a test of any relationship .
Fiona and Patrick met on July 1 , 2019 , while working for Heifer International , a nonprofit group that supports agricultural projects in some 21 countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project coordinator , supervising officers in two districts .
Fiona had just arrived in Lilongwe , the country 's capital , for an internship as an animal health specialist .
Malawi is known as the `` Warm Heart of Africa , '' and to Fiona this rang true .
People were friendly to her , always ready to help .
She also found that her preconceptions about a country like Malawi were not entirely accurate .
`` The level of poverty was a real shock to me .
To walk past an elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That really broke my heart , '' she says .
`` But there were lots of things that were the same as in the Netherlands .
Roads , shops , technology .
That surprised me , too . ''
`` After about a week , he asked if we wanted to have lunch .
Then he asked for my number .
He said he wanted to learn Dutch , '' Fiona laughs .
`` I liked him straight away . ''
`` From the first moment I saw her , I felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she smiled and talked , '' Patrick remembers .
But he was n't yet sure Fiona felt the same way .
So Patrick took her around the city .
He told her about his 3-year-old daughter , Zara , who lives with Patrick 's ex-girlfriend in Blantyre , a six-hour drive south .
He and Fiona grew closer .
Their walks become longer and longer .
`` He was making silly jokes all the time .
I really liked that . ''
However , Fiona did n't know if he had a girlfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once I knew he was single things went pretty quickly , '' she says .
`` It just felt right .
I knew he was 'the one . '
'' That November , a month before Fiona 's internship would be over , the two even talked of marriage .
Six months after Fiona met Patrick , she returned to the Netherlands on December 31 .
She moved back in with her parents while looking for work .
But Fiona was keen to go back to Malawi as soon as she could .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite being thousands of miles apart , she and Patrick began making plans : for him to visit , to build a house in Lilongwe , to get married .
Fast forward to March 16 and Patrick 's arrival at Schiphol Airport .
He and Fiona traveled to the village of Middelstum ( pop .
2,419 ) where she lived with her parents , Aaldert and Rita ten Have .
Even though the couple had discussed marriage – there was no proposal .
And Patrick had a strategy : He was going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission to marry their daughter and then pop the question .
He thought they 'd say no because he was a stranger .
But Rita and Aaldert gave their permission .
`` They were touched by the gesture of me asking them first , '' Patrick recalls .
They were surprised — but supportive .
`` They deserve all the happiness in the world , so why not ? ''
explains Rita .
On a windswept March 23 , while walking on a nearby dike , Patrick got on one knee , took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marry him .
She said `` yes . ''
`` It was one of the best moments of my life , '' Patrick says .
The couple made the most of the three weeks they had planned as a couple .
Since Fiona still had n't landed a job , they were together constantly : meeting friends and family , spending time with her folks , riding bikes , admiring tulips . '
And visiting farms .
Patrick grew up on maize and tobacco farms his father managed so in some ways he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was struck by the stark visual differences between Malawi and the Netherlands .
`` In Malawi , although people are very religious , there are not that many churches .
Every village has a church in the Netherlands , it seems . ''
he says .
`` Also , when I arrived in March , there were no leaves on the trees .
I thought the trees were all dead . ''
In the background , COVID-19 was lurking .
It was declared a pandemic early on March 11 .
Countries began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was due to return home April 3 .
Two days prior , Malawi announced a moratorium on arriving international flights .
`` In the beginning it was great !
I thought 'Yes !
He gets to stay another week , ' `` Fiona says .
Then she found a job with the local health authority , `` calling people to tell them they tested positive for COVID-19 . ''
Patrick spent more and more time alone .
As the weeks went by , he became despondent .
`` It was hard because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Patrick recalls .
He found it difficult to deal with the stress , and he missed his daughter .
Fiona did what she could .
`` Whenever he had a bad day I would try to be there .
A hug or a kiss , whatever we needed , to let each other know that we still love each other . ''
Fiona was promoted , responsible for a team of health workers .
She was working 50 to 60 hours a week .
And Patrick eventually found ways to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at her parents ' house to visiting farms to learn about their animals .
He also re-rediscovered his love for painting .
`` I used to paint animals when I was a child .
But when I grew older I no longer had the time . ''
Fiona found him an easel , and Patrick began painting scenes that reminded him of home .
He even sold a few pieces , including a depiction of Malawi 's `` Big Five '' wild animals on a door that a villager commissioned .
One unexpected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the village community : `` Everyone knew my story .
People would come up to me and ask , 'How are you ? '
'' But it took him a while to get used to the famous directness of the Dutch .
`` Here people will talk about things very openly , like illness or other private experiences .
In Malawi we do n't open up this much about our lives . ''
On September 1 , Malawi re-opened its airports for a limited number of international flights .
But obstacles still loomed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of funds for a new ticket .
But on November 3 , the stars aligned .
Patrick flew home .
`` It has not really hit me yet that he 's gone .
I really miss him when I wake up , '' says Fiona .
Patrick , too , is struggling with the separation : `` I feel so lonely . ''
The bride- and groom-to-be are excited about 2021 .
`` I am looking forward to starting a life with my beautiful Fiona , '' says Patrick .
Fiona , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , looks back on their seven months together as a blessing in disguise .
Her parents got to know Patrick better than they could have ever hoped for .
`` Our cultures are so different , that initially caused some friction , but as we got to know Patrick , we saw what a great guy he was , '' says Aaldert .
Rita will miss her daughter when she moves to Malawi .
`` But if she is happy there , then we are too . ''
Patrick feels his time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and him .
`` We faced this challenge as a couple .
Sure , we had our fair share of fights , but we resolved them . ''
Fiona believes living together so intensely for 7 months made them stronger .
`` Patrick has learnt to share his emotions with me .
We 've survived and are more in love than ever . ''
And for Patrick and Fiona , that 's a romantic silver lining to the global pandemic .
Nick Schonfeld is an award-winning advertising writer .
In 2015 , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time between writing children 's books and working on stories about affordable health care , gender equality , education and social justice .

COVID Love Story: Can A Malawian Bachelor And A Dutch Bachelorette Make It?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
On March 15, Patrick Phiri was ready to take his global romance to the next level.
Patrick, 32, lives in Malawi. His girlfriend, Fiona ten Have, is Dutch. And he was on his way to see her after nearly three months apart.
He was relieved as he waited for his plane to take off from the airport in Lilongwe, Malawi's capital. It'd taken months to prepare his visa application.
And he was nervous about meeting her parents. Fiona, 27, was nervous too.
"I really wanted my parents to like him," she remembers, "to spend some time together so they could get to know him."
That they did. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick ended up staying for seven and a half months, with no job and no routine — a test of any relationship.
First date
Fiona and Patrick met on July 1, 2019, while working for Heifer International, a nonprofit group that supports agricultural projects in some 21 countries, including Malawi. Patrick was a project coordinator, supervising officers in two districts. Fiona had just arrived in Lilongwe for an internship as an animal health specialist.
Malawi is known as the "Warm Heart of Africa," and to Fiona this rang true. People were friendly to her, always ready to help.
She also found that her preconceptions about a country like Malawi were not entirely accurate. "The level of poverty was a real shock to me. To walk past an elderly woman or child sleeping on the street. That really broke my heart," she says. "But there were lots of things that were the same as in the Netherlands. Roads, shops, technology. That surprised me too."
"After about a week, he asked if we wanted to have lunch. Then he asked for my number. He said he wanted to learn Dutch," Fiona laughs. "I liked him straight away."
"From the first moment I saw her, I felt different. And I loved the way she smiled and talked," Patrick remembers. But he wasn't yet sure Fiona felt the same way.
So Patrick took her around the city. He told her about his 3-year-old daughter, Zara, who lives with Patrick's ex-girlfriend in Blantyre, a six-hour drive south.
He and Fiona grew closer. Their walks become longer and longer. "He was making silly jokes all the time. I really liked that." However, Fiona didn't know if he had a girlfriend, so she remained cautious. "But once I knew he was single, things went pretty quickly," she says. "It just felt right. I knew he was 'the one.' "
That November, a month before Fiona's internship would be over, the two even talked of marriage.
Six months after Fiona met Patrick, she returned to the Netherlands on Dec. 31. She moved back in with her parents while looking for work. But Fiona was keen to go back to Malawi as soon as she could. She wanted to be with Patrick.
Despite being thousands of miles apart, she and Patrick began making plans: for him to visit, to build a house in Lilongwe, to get married.
Fast-forward to March 16 and Patrick's arrival at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. He and Fiona traveled to the village of Middelstum (population 2,419), where she lived with her parents, Aaldert and Rita ten Have.
Even though the couple had discussed marriage, there was no proposal. And Patrick had a strategy: He was going to ask Fiona's father and mother for permission to marry their daughter and then pop the question.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR Julia Gunther for NPR
He thought they'd say no because he was a stranger. But Rita and Aaldert gave their permission. "They were touched by the gesture of me asking them first," Patrick recalls. They were surprised — but supportive. "They deserve all the happiness in the world, so why not?" explains Rita.
On a windswept March 23, while walking on a nearby dike, Patrick got on one knee, took out a ring and asked Fiona to marry him. She said, "Yes."
"It was one of the best moments of my life," Patrick says.
The couple made the most of the three weeks they had planned as a couple. Since Fiona still hadn't landed a job, they were together constantly: meeting friends and family, spending time with her folks, riding bikes, admiring tulips.
And visiting farms. Patrick grew up on maize and tobacco farms his father managed, so in some ways he felt at home in Middelstum.
But he was struck by the stark visual differences between Malawi and the Netherlands. "In Malawi, although people are very religious, there are not that many churches. Every village has a church in the Netherlands, it seems," he says. "Also, when I arrived in March, there were no leaves on the trees. I thought the trees were all dead."
Locked-down love
In the background, COVID-19 was lurking. It was declared a pandemic early on March 11. Countries began closing borders and locking down. Patrick was due to return home April 3. Two days prior, Malawi announced a moratorium on arriving international flights.
"In the beginning, it was great! I thought, 'Yes! He gets to stay another week,' " Fiona says. Then she found a job with the local health authority, "calling people to tell them they tested positive for COVID-19."
Patrick spent more and more time alone. As the weeks went by, he became despondent. "It was hard because I was stuck. I could do nothing," Patrick recalls. He found it difficult to deal with the stress, and he missed his daughter.
Fiona did what she could. "Whenever he had a bad day, I would try to be there. A hug or a kiss, whatever we needed, to let each other know that we still love each other."
Fiona was promoted, responsible for a team of health workers. She was working 50 to 60 hours a week.
And Patrick eventually found ways to keep himself busy, from doing odd jobs at her parents' house to visiting farms to learn about their animals. He also rediscovered his love for painting. "I used to paint animals when I was a child. But when I grew older, I no longer had the time." Fiona found him an easel, and Patrick began painting scenes that reminded him of home. He even sold a few pieces, including a depiction of Malawi's "Big Five" wild animals that a villager commissioned for a door.
toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR
One unexpected outcome for Patrick was the embrace of the village community: "Everyone knew my story. People would come up to me and ask, 'How are you?' "
But it took him a while to get used to the famous directness of the Dutch. "Here people will talk about things very openly, like illness or other private experiences. In Malawi, we don't open up this much about our lives."
toggle caption Julia Gunther for NPR
On Sept. 1, Malawi reopened its airports for a limited number of international flights. But obstacles still loomed, from flight cancellations to a lack of funds for a new ticket.
But on Nov. 3, the stars aligned. Patrick flew home.
"It has not really hit me yet that he's gone. I really miss him when I wake up," says Fiona.
Patrick, too, is struggling with the separation: "I feel so lonely."
The bride- and groom-to-be are excited about 2021. "I am looking forward to starting a life with my beautiful Fiona," says Patrick. Fiona, who hopes to move to Malawi in May, looks back on their seven months together as a blessing in disguise. Her parents got to know Patrick better than they could have ever hoped for.
"Our cultures are so different — that initially caused some friction, but as we got to know Patrick, we saw what a great guy he was," says Aaldert. Rita will miss her daughter when she moves to Malawi. "But if she is happy there, then we are too."
Patrick feels his time in Middelstum was a transformative experience for Fiona and him. "We faced this challenge as a couple. Sure, we had our fair share of fights, but we resolved them."
Fiona believes living together so intensely for seven months made them stronger. "Patrick has learned to share his emotions with me. We've survived and are more in love than ever."
And for Patrick and Fiona, that's a romantic silver lining to the pandemic.
Nick Schonfeld is an award-winning advertising writer. In 2015, he quit his job and now divides his time between writing children's books and working on stories about affordable health care, gender equality, education and social justice.


npr--2020-12-27--EU Begins Its Vaccine Rollout With Goal Of Inoculating 450 Million Against COVID-19

EU Begins Its Vaccine Rollout With Goal Of Inoculating 450 Million Against COVID-19 The European Union began a mass vaccination campaign on Sunday to eventually inoculate some 450 million people in 27 member-states against COVID-19 .
EU leaders have negotiated contracts for more than 2 billion vaccine doses from various suppliers .
The first 200 million doses are of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech , which was co-developed by a husband-and-wife team in Mainz , Germany .
In Greece , the first recipient was Efstathia Kampisiouli , an ICU nurse in Athens .
Greek television stations broadcast the vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a mask , gave a thumbs-up as a masked colleague sank a needle into her arm .
Everyone clapped .
`` Science has given us the best gift this Christmas , '' she told reporters .
Similar scenes were playing out across the EU , where more than 350,000 people have died of COVID-19 .
The hardest-hit country has been Italy , which has recorded more than 70,000 coronavirus deaths .
Three healthcare workers were the first to receive the vaccine there .
Italy 's foreign minister , Luigi Di Maio , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The covid vaccine is the only weapon we have to stop the virus , '' Di Maio wrote on Facebook .
`` Slowly our freedom will return . ''
The European Medicines Agency , based in the Netherlands , green-lit the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 21 .
The first batch of shots were delivered on Saturday .
Though the vaccine was developed in Germany , which currently holds the EU 's rotating presidency , the United States , the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia all received it before the EU .
The German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dragging its feet and haggling over prices .
EMA director Emer Cooke told Euronews that the agency was doing its due diligence to shield taxpayers from liability and `` to make sure we have not missed anything . ''
EU leaders wanted all 27 member-states to start vaccinations on Sunday as a way to show unity .
In a tweet on Saturday , EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the synchronized rollout `` a European success story . ''
But some countries could n't wait .
On Saturday , nursing home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 101-year-old Gertrude Haase .
Hungary and Slovakia also started a day early .
In the Netherlands , logistical and bureaucratic issues have delayed the start of vaccinations until January 8 .
The EU hopes to vaccinate residents of all 27 member-states by the end of next year .
Brussels has also secured doses of the vaccine for non-EU countries — including Iceland and Norway .
EU contributions to the international COVAX vaccine initiative will also mean that Kosovo — one of the poorest countries in Europe — will receive at least 300,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU 's vaccine rollout comes at a time when a more infectious COVID-19 variant has been spreading across the U.K. , which officially leaves the EU at midnight on December 31 .
That strain has also been detected in several EU countries , including Ireland , France and Sweden .
Vaccine developers , including BioNTech 's CEO Ugur Sahin , say they expect their shots to work against coronavirus mutations .

EU Begins Its Vaccine Rollout With Goal Of Inoculating 450 Million Against COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The European Union began a mass vaccination campaign on Sunday to eventually inoculate some 450 million people in 27 member-states against COVID-19.
EU leaders have negotiated contracts for more than 2 billion vaccine doses from various suppliers. The first 200 million doses are of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, which was co-developed by a husband-and-wife team in Mainz, Germany.
In Greece, the first recipient was Efstathia Kampisiouli, an ICU nurse in Athens. Greek television stations broadcast the vaccination. Kampisiouli, clad in blue scrubs and a mask, gave a thumbs-up as a masked colleague sank a needle into her arm. Everyone clapped.
A nursing home resident followed, then Greek politicians, including Greek president Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
"Science has given us the best gift this Christmas," she told reporters.
Similar scenes were playing out across the EU, where more than 350,000 people have died of COVID-19. The hardest-hit country has been Italy, which has recorded more than 70,000 coronavirus deaths. Three healthcare workers were the first to receive the vaccine there. Italy's foreign minister, Luigi Di Maio, urged Italians to get vaccinated.
"The covid vaccine is the only weapon we have to stop the virus," Di Maio wrote on Facebook. "Slowly our freedom will return."
The European Medicines Agency, based in the Netherlands, green-lit the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 21. The first batch of shots were delivered on Saturday.
Though the vaccine was developed in Germany, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, the United States, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia all received it before the EU.
The German magazine Der Spiegel accused the EU of dragging its feet and haggling over prices. EMA director Emer Cooke told Euronews that the agency was doing its due diligence to shield taxpayers from liability and "to make sure we have not missed anything."
EU leaders wanted all 27 member-states to start vaccinations on Sunday as a way to show unity. In a tweet on Saturday, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the synchronized rollout "a European success story."
But some countries couldn't wait. On Saturday, nursing home residents in northeast Germany were immunized — including 101-year-old Gertrude Haase. Hungary and Slovakia also started a day early.
In the Netherlands, logistical and bureaucratic issues have delayed the start of vaccinations until January 8.
The EU hopes to vaccinate residents of all 27 member-states by the end of next year. Brussels has also secured doses of the vaccine for non-EU countries — including Iceland and Norway. EU contributions to the international COVAX vaccine initiative will also mean that Kosovo — one of the poorest countries in Europe — will receive at least 300,000 COVID vaccine doses.
The start of the EU's vaccine rollout comes at a time when a more infectious COVID-19 variant has been spreading across the U.K., which officially leaves the EU at midnight on December 31. That strain has also been detected in several EU countries, including Ireland, France and Sweden. Vaccine developers, including BioNTech's CEO Ugur Sahin, say they expect their shots to work against coronavirus mutations.


npr--2020-12-27--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , including Spain and France .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swiftly since June .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-12-27--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Is Surging : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 18 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 330,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita .
The consortium of researchers and public health experts who developed these risk levels advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
They advise orange states to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and all states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals to date .
This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
New cases fell from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 900 a day most of the summer , before starting to rise in the fall .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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


npr--2020-12-26--Military Member Charged In Shooting At Illinois Bowling Alley That Left 3 Dead

Military Member Charged In Shooting At Illinois Bowling Alley That Left 3 Dead An active member of the military was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder on Sunday following a shooting on the day after Christmas at a bowling alley in Rockford , Ill .
The suspect was identified as 37-year-old Duke Webb of Florida .
`` We believe this is a completely random act , '' said Rockford Police Chief Dan O'Shea at a Sunday morning news conference .
O'Shea said police do not believe the victims and suspect had any type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss motive at this time .
Three men — ages 65 , 69 and 73 — were killed in the shooting .
Their identities have not been released by the coroner 's office .
Three others were wounded in the shooting .
Two of the victims were teenagers — a 14-year-old boy who was shot in the face and a 16-year-old girl who was shot in the shoulder .
Authorities said the boy is in stable condition after being airlifted to the hospital and the girl was treated and released .
A 62-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgery overnight .
Police said he was still in critical condition as of Sunday morning .
The gunman is believed to have shot from both outside and inside the venue , which had up to 25 people inside , O'Shea said .
Police received multiple 911 calls about the incident and arrived about a minute later , he said .
Police apprehended the suspect without using their weapons .
The police chief said the suspect tried to hide his weapons — two handguns — before officers were able to apprehend him .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil coward took innocent life tonight .
The entire bowling community mourns the senseless loss of life and prays for the families , '' Don Carter Lanes , the venue where the shooting occurred , said in a statement .
`` God please be with their friends and families . ''
The venue said it will host a candlelight vigil for the victims on Tuesday .
The business was open and in compliance with the city 's coronavirus guidelines , O'Shea said , responding to concerns that it should have been closed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ west of Chicago and with a population of nearly 150,000 , has recorded 35 homicides this year , making it the deadliest year on record , according to WREX , the local NBC affiliate .
In October , authorities called gun violence a second `` pandemic '' plaguing the city .
`` This type of violence in the city of Rockford needs to stop , '' Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said during the media briefing .
`` This type of violence throughout our country needs to stop . ''

Military Member Charged In Shooting At Illinois Bowling Alley That Left 3 Dead
Enlarge this image toggle caption Winnebago County Sheriff's Office via AP Winnebago County Sheriff's Office via AP
Updated at 1:09 p.m. ET Sunday
An active member of the military was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder on Sunday following a shooting on the day after Christmas at a bowling alley in Rockford, Ill.
The suspect was identified as 37-year-old Duke Webb of Florida.
"We believe this is a completely random act," said Rockford Police Chief Dan O'Shea at a Sunday morning news conference. O'Shea said police do not believe the victims and suspect had any type of relationship. He said police cannot discuss motive at this time.
Three men — ages 65, 69 and 73 — were killed in the shooting. Their identities have not been released by the coroner's office.
Three others were wounded in the shooting. Two of the victims were teenagers — a 14-year-old boy who was shot in the face and a 16-year-old girl who was shot in the shoulder. Authorities said the boy is in stable condition after being airlifted to the hospital and the girl was treated and released.
A 62-year-old man was shot multiple times and underwent surgery overnight. Police said he was still in critical condition as of Sunday morning.
The gunman is believed to have shot from both outside and inside the venue, which had up to 25 people inside, O'Shea said.
Police received multiple 911 calls about the incident and arrived about a minute later, he said. Police apprehended the suspect without using their weapons.
The police chief said the suspect tried to hide his weapons — two handguns — before officers were able to apprehend him.
"A heinous act of violence by an evil coward took innocent life tonight. The entire bowling community mourns the senseless loss of life and prays for the families," Don Carter Lanes, the venue where the shooting occurred, said in a statement. "God please be with their friends and families."
The venue said it will host a candlelight vigil for the victims on Tuesday.
The business was open and in compliance with the city's coronavirus guidelines, O'Shea said, responding to concerns that it should have been closed.
Rockford, a city about 85 miles west of Chicago and with a population of nearly 150,000, has recorded 35 homicides this year, making it the deadliest year on record, according to WREX, the local NBC affiliate.
In October, authorities called gun violence a second "pandemic" plaguing the city.
"This type of violence in the city of Rockford needs to stop," Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said during the media briefing. "This type of violence throughout our country needs to stop."


npr--2020-12-28--China's Regulators Tell Ant Group To Overhaul Business

Chinese regulators have ordered Ant Group , the mobile payments company run by billionaire Jack Ma , to overhaul major aspects of its business — a move that follows a scuttled IPO and comes just days after regulators announced an investigation of affiliate Alibaba .
Regulators announced Sunday that it had found major problems in Ant Group 's business practices in China .
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission , the China Securities Regulatory Commission , the State Administration of Foreign Exchange , and the People 's Bank of China met Saturday to discuss perceived problems at Ant Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the nation 's central bank , said Ant Group is involved in anti-competitive activities and flouts regulatory standards .
Similar charges were leveled at e-commerce giant Alibaba last week .
Pan Gongsheng , the bank 's deputy governor , also accused Ant Group of `` having little legal knowledge and turning a blind eye to compliance requirements , '' according to Financial Time .
The sudden scrutiny of Ma , one of China 's richest entrepreneurs , comes after he spoke at a finance conference in Shanghai in October , where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' for handing out unnecessary loans .
Ma 's Ant Group runs the largest mobile payments system , Alipay , in China .
Over the years , it has expanded to offer investment and savings accounts and credit score information .
Those investment and other wealth management services are illegal , regulators said Sunday .
Alipay was ordered to return to its original business as a payment services provider , to make changes to those illegal finance management services , improve corporate governance , and overhaul its credit rating services .
Despite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group to the government 's standards , officials stopped short of calling for a dissolution of the company .
Regulators for the Shanghai Stock Exchange scuttled plans for an initial public stock offering for Ant Group , citing `` major issues . ''
The Chinese financial company was set to mark the world 's largest initial public offering , which was expected to raise an estimated $ 37 billion and boost Ant 's market value to more than $ 300 billion .

China's Regulators Tell Ant Group To Overhaul Business
Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images
Chinese regulators have ordered Ant Group, the mobile payments company run by billionaire Jack Ma, to overhaul major aspects of its business — a move that follows a scuttled IPO and comes just days after regulators announced an investigation of affiliate Alibaba.
Regulators announced Sunday that it had found major problems in Ant Group's business practices in China.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and the People's Bank of China met Saturday to discuss perceived problems at Ant Group.
The People's Bank of China, the nation's central bank, said Ant Group is involved in anti-competitive activities and flouts regulatory standards. Similar charges were leveled at e-commerce giant Alibaba last week.
Pan Gongsheng, the bank's deputy governor, also accused Ant Group of "having little legal knowledge and turning a blind eye to compliance requirements," according to Financial Times.
The sudden scrutiny of Ma, one of China's richest entrepreneurs, comes after he spoke at a finance conference in Shanghai in October, where he publicly criticized Chinese banks as "pawnshops" for handing out unnecessary loans.
Ma's Ant Group runs the largest mobile payments system, Alipay, in China. Over the years, it has expanded to offer investment and savings accounts and credit score information. Those investment and other wealth management services are illegal, regulators said Sunday.
Alipay was ordered to return to its original business as a payment services provider, to make changes to those illegal finance management services, improve corporate governance and overhaul its credit rating services.
Despite a long list of demands to improve Ant Group to the government's standards, officials stopped short of calling for a dissolution of the company.
Regulators for the Shanghai Stock Exchange scuttled plans for an initial public stock offering for Ant Group, citing "major issues." The Chinese financial company was set to mark the world's largest initial public offering, which was expected to raise an estimated $37 billion and boost Ant's market value to more than $300 billion.


npr--2020-12-28--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak


npr--2020-12-28--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?


npr--2020-12-28--Longtime Anti-Nuclear Activists Face Prison, Again, After Breaking Into Naval Base

Longtime Anti-Nuclear Activists Face Prison , Again , After Breaking Into Naval Base Dressed in black , the seven intruders cut through a fence and stole along the perimeter of the naval base , trying to avoid detection from the guard towers , as a loudspeaker overhead blared : `` Deadly force is authorized ! ''
Patrick O'Neill , who had a Go-Pro strapped to his head , tried to reassure himself by remembering a scene in the Bible where Jesus escapes unscathed from a wrathful mob that wants to throw him off a cliff .
When O'Neill and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own blood on the shield of the Kings Bay naval base in Georgia and attached a poster of Martin Luther King Jr. to a mock-up of a Trident II D5 ballistic missile at the welcome area .
The anti-nuclear activists , Roman Catholics who call themselves Plowshares , from the Biblical passage about `` beating swords into plowshares , '' followed the metaphor quite literally and took a hammer to the replica of the warhead .
`` When you think of idolatry that 's exactly what I think of : statues of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I mean , my God , you 're gon na build a statue for something that if it 's used would blow up a whole city full of people .
This is your idea of welcoming people ?
I mean , it 's it 's sick . ''
The break-in on the night of April 4 , 2018 , ended with the arrest and conviction on charges of trespassing and destruction of property for the seven activists aged 58 to 81 .
And in the midst of a pandemic that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older people , six of them have been sentenced to up to 33 months in prison .
The seventh is scheduled to be sentenced in February .
The Plowshares activists were seeking to revive the anti-nuclear movement by committing acts of civil disobedience .
They are part of a larger faith-based movement that has been around since the 1980s , when anti-nuclear protests used to draw millions into the streets .
Those days are long gone , but the threat of nuclear warfare is n't .
According to some atomic scientists , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the activists are frustrated that in their view hardly anyone is paying attention .
Which is one reason why they have broken into military bases and sometimes succeeded in doing damage to actual nuclear armaments .
In a higly publicized protest in 1980 , Plowshares activists hammered two missile nose cones at a General Electric complex in King of Prussia , Pa. , causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage .
In 2012 , another group that included an 82-year-old Catholic nun , defaced a bunker holding weapons-grade uranium at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ridge , Tenn. '' People are always astounded that a bunch of old people or unarmed people or whatever people can gain access to these weapons at all , '' said O'Neill , 64 .
Martha Hennessey , 65 , had already been to prison three times before beginning her sentence at a federal prison in Danbury , Conn. on December 14 .
She is the granddaughter of the journalist-turned-activist Dorothy Day , who founded the pacifist Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s .
Rather than dwell on her own sentence , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have committed minor offenses .
`` I mean , there are people being thrown into prison for years for , you know , things that are not even crimes , '' she said in an interview before reporting to prison .
Members of the Plowshares group prefer not to talk about the risks they might face in prison , but their families are worried .
`` I 'm afraid that my dad might die in prison , '' said Maura O'Neill , 26 , one of O'Neill 's eight children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID and get really sick , and it feels like a real possibility . ''

Longtime Anti-Nuke Activists Face Prison, Again, After Breaking Into Naval Base
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kings Bay Plowshares Kings Bay Plowshares
Dressed in black, the seven intruders cut through a fence and stole along the perimeter of the naval base, trying to avoid detection from the guard towers, as a loudspeaker overhead blared: "Deadly force is authorized!"
Patrick O'Neill, who had a GoPro strapped to his head, tried to reassure himself by remembering a scene in the Bible where Jesus escapes unscathed from a wrathful mob that wants to throw him off a cliff.
When O'Neill and the others reached their target, they poured their own blood on the shield of the Kings Bay naval base in Georgia and attached a poster of Martin Luther King Jr. to a mock-up of a Trident II D5 ballistic missile at the welcome area.
The anti-nuclear activists — Roman Catholics who call themselves Plowshares, from the Biblical passage about "beating swords into plowshares" — followed the metaphor quite literally and took a hammer to the replica of the warhead.
"When you think of idolatry, that's exactly what I think of: statues of nuclear weapons," O'Neill said later. "I mean, my God, you're gonna build a statue for something that if it's used would blow up a whole city full of people. This is your idea of welcoming people? I mean, it's sick."
The break-in on the night of April 4, 2018, ended with the arrest and conviction on charges of trespassing and destruction of property for the seven activists aged 58 to 81.
And in the midst of a pandemic that's wreaking havoc on prisons and disproportionately affecting older people, six of them have been sentenced to up to 33 months in prison. The seventh is scheduled to be sentenced in February.
The Plowshares activists were seeking to revive the anti-nuclear movement by committing acts of civil disobedience.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kings Bay Plowshares Kings Bay Plowshares
They are part of a larger faith-based movement that has been around since the 1980s, when anti-nuclear protests used to draw millions into the streets.
Those days are long gone, but the threat of nuclear warfare isn't. According to some atomic scientists, the threat may be even greater now, and the activists are frustrated that in their view hardly anyone is paying attention.
Which is one reason why they have broken into military bases and sometimes succeeded in doing damage to actual nuclear armaments. In a highly publicized protest in 1980, Plowshares activists hammered two missile nose cones at a General Electric complex in King of Prussia, Pa., causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. In 2012, another group that included an 82-year-old Catholic nun defaced a bunker holding weapons-grade uranium at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
"People are always astounded that a bunch of old people or unarmed people or whatever people can gain access to these weapons at all," said O'Neill, 64.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Emma Peaslee/NPR Emma Peaslee/NPR
Martha Hennessey, 65, had already been to prison three times before beginning her sentence at a federal prison in Danbury, Conn., on Dec. 14. She is the granddaughter of the journalist-turned-activist Dorothy Day, who founded the pacifist Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s.
Rather than dwell on her own sentence, she drew attention to the mass incarceration of people who have committed minor offenses.
"I mean, there are people being thrown into prison for years for, you know, things that are not even crimes," she said in an interview before reporting to prison.
Members of the Plowshares group prefer not to talk about the risks they might face in prison, but their families are worried.
"I'm afraid that my dad might die in prison," said Maura O'Neill, 26, one of O'Neill's eight children. "I worry that he might contract COVID and get really sick, and it feels like a real possibility."


npr--2020-12-28--With Much Work To Do, Federal Watchdogs Seek Greater Protections

With Much Work To Do , Federal Watchdogs Seek Greater Protections Federal watchdogs who guard against fraud foresee plenty of work to keep them busy next year : from more than 100 investigations related to the coronavirus pandemic to new probes over misuse of some of the nearly $ 2.5 trillion in stimulus money .
The federal government 's 75 inspectors general , as they 're known , are reeling from chaos in the Trump era , including firings and pressure campaigns from the White House and its allies .
In response , the Council of the Inspectors General on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater job protections in the year ahead .
`` Our job , we know , has never been more important , more significant or more challenging than it is right now , '' said Michael Horowitz , the inspector general at the Justice Department , who also leads a government-wide group related to pandemic oversight .
In 2020 , the administration fired two of their brethren .
Michael Atkinson , the IG for the intelligence community , lost his job after he forwarded a whistleblower complaint to Congress that figured in Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IG for the State Department , was dismissed after he identified retaliation against career public servants .
A third , Glenn Fine , had served as acting inspector general at the Defense Department for four years .
Fine , known for hard-hitting investigations during his years in government , quit weeks after he was demoted and effectively removed from leading the pandemic oversight effort by Trump .
At the Transportation Department , authorities moved to replace a longtime career official with a political appointee from another agency .
Democrats in Congress asked whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing probe into whether Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao , who is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , directed money to Kentucky to help her husband .
Good government groups said the politically motivated firings and demotions threaten the independence of the inspectors general and the critical work that their staff members do .
Yet those moves are allowed under current law .
Danielle Brian , executive director of the nonpartisan Project on Government Oversight , said President-elect Joe Biden needs to make inspectors general a priority after the community was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's essential that President Biden prioritize restoring independence to these watchdogs , '' Brian said .
`` It will be a delicate balance ensuring only qualified people remain as agency watchdogs while restoring confidence that if an IG does their job with integrity and independence , they have no reason to fear being removed . ''
Allison Lerner , the inspector general at the National Science Foundation , will lead the council of inspectors general starting next month .
She and other watchdogs are asking Congress to update the law and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to explain , in more detail , the reasons for firing an inspector general .
Sen. Maggie Hassan , D-N.H. , is co-sponsoring that bill .
Hassan said there 's bipartisan agreement that IGs `` must be protected from political pressure . ''
`` Inspectors General conduct valuable oversight of federal agencies to help root out waste , fraud , and abuse .
They also importantly safeguard critical government functions from political interference and help protect whistleblowers , '' Hassan said .
`` But the only way they can perform this critical work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear of retribution for the problems that they expose . ''
`` With trillions of taxpayer dollars being distributed to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and an ever-increasing national debt , Portman believes IGs should be encouraged and supported in their role to root out waste and inefficiency , '' said Emily Benavides , his communications director .
To start , in January , there are at least 12 vacancies in the watchdog ranks .
Posts at the Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency have n't been filled with Senate-confirmed watchdogs since the Obama @ @

Reeling From Trump-Era Chaos, Watchdogs Seek Greater Protections
Enlarge this image toggle caption Samuel Corum/Getty Images Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Updated at 4 p.m. ET
Federal watchdogs who guard against fraud foresee plenty of work to keep them busy next year: from more than 100 investigations related to the coronavirus pandemic to new probes over misuse of some of the nearly $3.5 trillion in stimulus money.
The federal government's 75 inspectors general, as they're known, are reeling from chaos in the Trump era, including firings and pressure campaigns from the White House and its allies. In response, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is asking lawmakers for greater job protections in the year ahead.
"Our job, we know, has never been more important, more significant or more challenging than it is right now," said Michael Horowitz, the inspector general at the Justice Department, who also leads a government-wide group related to pandemic oversight.
In 2020, the administration fired two of their brethren. Michael Atkinson, the IG for the intelligence community, lost his job after he forwarded a whistleblower complaint to Congress that figured in Trump's impeachment. And Steve Linick, the IG for the State Department, was dismissed after he identified retaliation against career public servants.
A third, Glenn Fine, had served as acting inspector general at the Defense Department for four years. Fine, known for hard-hitting investigations during his years in government, quit weeks after he was demoted and effectively removed from leading the pandemic oversight effort by Trump.
At the Transportation Department, authorities moved to replace a longtime career official with a political appointee from another agency. Democrats in Congress asked whether that move was intended to thwart an ongoing probe into whether Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, directed money to Kentucky to help her husband.
A Transportation Department spokesman told NPR: "The Department of Transportation's Deputy Inspector General, Mitch Behm, was not removed or fired. He continues to serve in his long-time role as Deputy IG. ... Behm was the most senior career staffer in the office only after a medical vacancy by the previous IG."
Good government groups said the politically motivated firings and demotions threaten the independence of the inspectors general and the critical work that their staff members do. Yet those moves are allowed under current law.
Danielle Brian, executive director of the nonpartisan Project on Government Oversight, said President-elect Joe Biden needs to make inspectors general a priority after the community was "ravaged" in the Trump years.
"It's essential that President Biden prioritize restoring independence to these watchdogs," Brian said. "It will be a delicate balance ensuring only qualified people remain as agency watchdogs while restoring confidence that if an IG does their job with integrity and independence, they have no reason to fear being removed."
Allison Lerner, the inspector general at the National Science Foundation, will lead the council of inspectors general starting next month. She and other watchdogs are asking Congress to update the law and require the president or an agency head to explain, in more detail, the reasons for firing an inspector general.
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., is co-sponsoring that bill. Hassan said there's bipartisan agreement that IGs "must be protected from political pressure."
"Inspectors General conduct valuable oversight of federal agencies to help root out waste, fraud, and abuse. They also importantly safeguard critical government functions from political interference and help protect whistleblowers," Hassan said. "But the only way they can perform this critical work is if they operate independently and without fear of retribution for the problems that they expose."
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also supports a legislative fix.
"With trillions of taxpayer dollars being distributed to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and an ever-increasing national debt, Portman believes IGs should be encouraged and supported in their role to root out waste and inefficiency," said Emily Benavides, his communications director.
To start, in January, there are at least 12 vacancies in the watchdog ranks. Posts at the Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency haven't been filled with Senate-confirmed watchdogs since the Obama administration.


npr--2020-12-28--Still Disinfecting Surfaces? It Might Not Be Worth It

Still Disinfecting Surfaces ?
It Might Not Be Worth It At the start of the pandemic , stores quickly sold out of disinfectant sprays and wipes .
People were advised to wipe down their packages and the cans they bought at the grocery store .
But scientists have learned a lot this year about the coronavirus and how it 's transmitted , and it turns out all that scrubbing and disinfecting might not be necessary .
If a person infected with the coronavirus sneezes , coughs or talks loudly , droplets containing particles of the virus can travel through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the risk of getting infected from touching a surface contaminated by the virus is low , says Emanuel Goldman , a microbiologist at Rutgers University .
`` In hospitals , surfaces have been tested near COVID-19 patients , and no infectious virus can be identified , '' Goldman says .
What 's found is viral RNA , which is like `` the corpse of the virus , '' he says .
That 's what 's left over after the virus dies .
`` They do n't find infectious virus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragile in the environment — it decays very quickly , '' Goldman says .
Back in January and February , scientists and public health officials thought surface contamination was a problem .
In fact , early studies suggested the virus could live on surfaces for days .
It was assumed transmission occurred when an infected person sneezed or coughed on a nearby surface and `` you would get the disease by touching those surfaces and then transferring the virus into your eyes , nose or mouth , '' says Linsey Marr , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airborne transmission of infectious disease .
So people were advised to clean common areas with disinfectant , wipe down cans and boxes from the grocery store and even wear gloves .
In retrospect , Marr says that was `` overkill . ''
Today , she says , `` all the evidence points toward breathing in the virus from the air as being the most important route of transmission . ''
Scientists now know that the early surface studies were done in pristine lab conditions using much larger amounts of virus than would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , many of us continue to attack door handles , packages and groceries with disinfectant wipes , and workers across the U.S. spend hours disinfecting surfaces in public areas like airports , buildings and subways .
There 's no scientific data to justify this , says Dr. Kevin Fennelly , a respiratory infection specialist with the National Institutes of Health .
`` When you see people doing spray disinfection of streets and sidewalks and walls and subways , I just do n't know of any data that supports the fact that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumping up from the sidewalk . ''
Marr says focusing on cleaning surfaces is not the best way to slow infection .
`` Instead of paying so much attention to cleaning surfaces , we might be better off paying attention to cleaning the air , given the finite amount of time and resources , '' Marr says .
Fennelly agrees , noting that airborne transmission is more likely in indoor public places like restaurants .
`` Why are n't we doing more to figure out ways to ventilate those areas ? ''
he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use ultraviolet germicide and radiation , which we know can kill these viruses in the air . ''
Figuring out how to prevent coronavirus transmission in office buildings , schools , bars and restaurants is definitely a challenge , he says , but `` we have a lot of really smart engineers and architects and industrial hygienists who know how to handle airborne infection . ''
Spraying disinfectant is not only unproductive , but it 's potentially dangerous , according to Delphine Farmer , an atmospheric chemist at Colorado State University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hydrogen peroxide , can `` produce toxic molecules that then we breathe , '' she warns .
And breathing in toxic particles can affect our health , Farmer says .
The molecules can react directly with the cells in lung tissue and cause oxidative stress .
And certain molecules are known to be toxic .
`` It 's like breathing in poison , '' she says .
Early on in the pandemic , Farmer says , many people were making cleaning mistakes : `` There were a lot of cases of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is a recipe to create some very nasty chlorine gas , and people were getting quite ill from those side effects . ''
Bottom line : Health experts emphasize that the most important way to avoid infection is to stay away from crowds and wear a mask whenever you leave the house .
Limit the time you spend in any indoor space with people outside of your own household — and wear a mask when you 're in those spaces .
When you 're out in public , be aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands often .
It 's much more effective to wash your hands thoroughly than try to clean everything you touch .
And if you do decide to keep wiping down canned goods or packages that arrive at your house , there 's no need for fancy cleaning products ; `` old-fashioned soap and water '' will do just fine , Farmer says .

Still Disinfecting Surfaces? It Might Not Be Worth It
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
At the start of the pandemic, stores quickly sold out of disinfectant sprays and wipes. People were advised to wipe down their packages and the cans they bought at the grocery store.
But scientists have learned a lot this year about the coronavirus and how it's transmitted, and it turns out all that scrubbing and disinfecting might not be necessary.
If a person infected with the coronavirus sneezes, coughs or talks loudly, droplets containing particles of the virus can travel through the air and eventually land on nearby surfaces. But the risk of getting infected from touching a surface contaminated by the virus is low, says Emanuel Goldman, a microbiologist at Rutgers University.
"In hospitals, surfaces have been tested near COVID-19 patients, and no infectious virus can be identified," Goldman says.
What's found is viral RNA, which is like "the corpse of the virus," he says. That's what's left over after the virus dies.
"They don't find infectious virus, and that's because the virus is very fragile in the environment — it decays very quickly," Goldman says.
Back in January and February, scientists and public health officials thought surface contamination was a problem. In fact, early studies suggested the virus could live on surfaces for days.
It was assumed transmission occurred when an infected person sneezed or coughed on a nearby surface and "you would get the disease by touching those surfaces and then transferring the virus into your eyes, nose or mouth," says Linsey Marr, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech who studies airborne transmission of infectious disease.
So people were advised to clean common areas with disinfectant, wipe down cans and boxes from the grocery store and even wear gloves.
In retrospect, Marr says that was "overkill." Today, she says, "all the evidence points toward breathing in the virus from the air as being the most important route of transmission."
Scientists now know that the early surface studies were done in pristine lab conditions using much larger amounts of virus than would be found in a real-life scenario.
Even so, many of us continue to attack door handles, packages and groceries with disinfectant wipes, and workers across the U.S. spend hours disinfecting surfaces in public areas like airports, buildings and subways.
There's no scientific data to justify this, says Dr. Kevin Fennelly, a respiratory infection specialist with the National Institutes of Health.
"When you see people doing spray disinfection of streets and sidewalks and walls and subways, I just don't know of any data that supports the fact that we're getting infected from viruses that are jumping up from the sidewalk."
Marr says focusing on cleaning surfaces is not the best way to slow infection.
"Instead of paying so much attention to cleaning surfaces, we might be better off paying attention to cleaning the air, given the finite amount of time and resources," Marr says.
Fennelly agrees, noting that airborne transmission is more likely in indoor public places like restaurants.
"Why aren't we doing more to figure out ways to ventilate those areas?" he asks. "It would be better to use ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, which we know can kill these viruses in the air."
Figuring out how to prevent coronavirus transmission in office buildings, schools, bars and restaurants is definitely a challenge, he says, but "we have a lot of really smart engineers and architects and industrial hygienists who know how to handle airborne infection."
Spraying disinfectant is not only unproductive, but it's potentially dangerous, according to Delphine Farmer, an atmospheric chemist at Colorado State University.
Heavy use of disinfectants, like bleach and hydrogen peroxide, can "produce toxic molecules that then we breathe," she warns.
And breathing in toxic particles can affect our health, Farmer says. The molecules can react directly with the cells in lung tissue and cause oxidative stress. And certain molecules are known to be toxic. "It's like breathing in poison," she says.
Early on in the pandemic, Farmer says, many people were making cleaning mistakes: "There were a lot of cases of people cleaning their groceries with bleach and vinegar, which is a recipe to create some very nasty chlorine gas, and people were getting quite ill from those side effects."
Bottom line: Health experts emphasize that the most important way to avoid infection is to stay away from crowds and wear a mask whenever you leave the house. Limit the time you spend in any indoor space with people outside of your own household — and wear a mask when you're in those spaces.
When you're out in public, be aware of surfaces you touch, and wash your hands often. It's much more effective to wash your hands thoroughly than try to clean everything you touch.
And if you do decide to keep wiping down canned goods or packages that arrive at your house, there's no need for fancy cleaning products; "old-fashioned soap and water" will do just fine, Farmer says.


npr--2020-12-28--Chinese Video Game Tycoon, Netflix Producer, Dead After Alleged Poisoning

The Chinese billionaire CEO of video game developer Yoozoo Group died on Christmas Day following a suspected colleague 's alleged poisoning plot .
Lin Qi died at the age of 39 , according to Shanghai police .
Lin 's company , Yoozoo , is best known for its Game of Thrones : Winter Is Coming game .
Before his death , Lin was attached to an upcoming , high-profile Netflix project .
Lin ' z Yoozoo Group had purchased the rights to the Chinese sci-fi trilogy The Three Body Problem in 2015 .
Netflix announced in September it would adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series with Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B .
Weiss .
Television writer Alexander Woo was also set to write and produce the series , according to Variety .
Lin was also involved as executive producer on the project .
Lin became sick last week and was hospitalized on Dec. 16 , reportedly barely able to walk and with symptoms of `` acute illness . ''
He was immediately brought to the ICU for treatment , where he had to be resuscitated after his heart stopped , according to local reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shanghai police said a man was detained for the alleged poisoning of Lin .
Police referred to both men by their surnames , but media reports said the detained suspect was Lin 's colleague , Xu Yao .
The next day , Lin was dead .
Xu was a senior executive for Yoozoo 's film and television division .
Alleged infighting at the company may be the motive behind the attack on Lin , according to reports .
Those reports suggested that Lin may have been poisoned by a tainted cup of pu'er @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchased the film rights to develop The Three Body Problem series in 2015 , plans to develop the movie under its own production team were fraught with problems .
That included senior personnel changes throughout the production and difficulties on set , according to The Hollywood Reporter .
Eventually , the company gave up on the endeavor and sold the rights for the film to Netflix as well as the video game production for the trilogy to a Chinese company .

Chinese Video Game Tycoon, Netflix Producer Dead After Alleged Poisoning
Enlarge this image toggle caption VCG via Getty Images VCG via Getty Images
The Chinese billionaire CEO of video game developer Yoozoo Group died on Christmas Day following a suspected colleague's alleged poisoning plot.
Lin Qi died at the age of 39, according to Shanghai police. Lin's company, Yoozoo, is best known for its Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming game.
Before his death, Lin was attached to an upcoming, high-profile Netflix project. Lin'z Yoozoo Group had purchased the rights to the Chinese sci-fi trilogy The Three Body Problem in 2015. Netflix announced in September it would adapt the internationally bestselling books into an English series with Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Television writer Alexander Woo was also set to write and produce the series, according to Variety. Lin was also involved as executive producer on the project.
Lin became sick last week and was hospitalized on Dec. 16, reportedly barely able to walk and with symptoms of "acute illness." He was immediately brought to the ICU for treatment, where he had to be resuscitated after his heart stopped, according to local reports.
By Dec. 24, Shanghai police said a man was detained for the alleged poisoning of Lin. Police referred to both men by their surnames, but media reports said the detained suspect was Lin's colleague, Xu Yao.
The next day, Lin was dead.
Xu was a senior executive for Yoozoo's film and television division. Alleged infighting at the company may be the motive behind the attack on Lin, according to reports. Those reports suggested that Lin may have been poisoned by a tainted cup of pu'er, a fermented tea.
When Yoozoo purchased the film rights to develop The Three Body Problem series in 2015, plans to develop the movie under its own production team were fraught with problems. That included senior personnel changes throughout the production and difficulties on set, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Eventually the company gave up on the endeavor and sold the rights for the film to Netflix, as well as the video game production for the trilogy to a Chinese company.