npr--2020-09-17--Child Positive For Coronavirus Was Sent To School Anyway. Others Quarantining Now

Child Positive For Coronavirus Was Sent To School Anyway .
Others Quarantining Now Nearly 30 Massachusetts high school students have been told to quarantine after parents sent their child to school despite knowing that the teen was positive for the coronavirus .
The students , who attend Attleboro High School , will be required to quarantine for two weeks .
Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux told NPR that the student should have been self-isolating since Sept. 9 — the day the student was tested for the coronavirus .
However , the parents of the student continued to send the teen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday .
Authorities have not released the identity of the student or family .
Chatter about the positive case began on social media , and eventually a contact-tracing team notified the school .
That 's when the parents were contacted and admitted to knowing that their child was positive for the virus , Heroux said .
Attleboro has six active cases of COVID-19 within the school district , which serves about 6,000 students , Heroux said .
However , this is the only case he 's aware of where a student was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was positive for the coronavirus .
The district notified everyone as soon as possible and did everything possible , he said , so the responsibility here falls on the parents of the student .
`` If your child has tested positive , keep your child home .
You can not send your child to school , '' he said .
`` If they are awaiting results , please keep your child home . ''
Superintendent David Sawyer wrote to the families of the high school 's students to inform them of the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school 's protocols .
Sawyer 's office declined to comment but shared the letter with NPR .
`` I understand that this inevitable moment is stressful for many .
However , it should n't change anything .
The guidance from the state can not ensure a virus-free environment , especially considering we know that some carriers are asymptomatic , '' Sawyer wrote in the letter , saying that contact tracing and daily pre-screening help to reduce the threat but do n't eliminate it .
`` We will have to wait for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were successful , but there is no reason at this moment to assume differently , '' he added .
Outside Attleboro , at least five Massachusetts high schools have moved classes online in response to COVID-19 concerns or outbreaks from students attending parties , according to NBC Boston .

Child Positive For Coronavirus Was Sent To School Anyway. Others Quarantining Now
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charles Krupa/AP Charles Krupa/AP
Nearly 30 Massachusetts high school students have been told to quarantine after parents sent their child to school despite knowing that the teen was positive for the coronavirus.
The students, who attend Attleboro High School, will be required to quarantine for two weeks. Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux told NPR that the student should have been self-isolating since Sept. 9 — the day the student was tested for the coronavirus. However, the parents of the student continued to send the teen to school even after receiving the positive results on Friday.
Authorities have not released the identity of the student or family.
Chatter about the positive case began on social media, and eventually a contact-tracing team notified the school. That's when the parents were contacted and admitted to knowing that their child was positive for the virus, Heroux said.
Attleboro has six active cases of COVID-19 within the school district, which serves about 6,000 students, Heroux said. However, this is the only case he's aware of where a student was sent to school knowingly when the student was positive for the coronavirus.
The district notified everyone as soon as possible and did everything possible, he said, so the responsibility here falls on the parents of the student.
"If your child has tested positive, keep your child home. You cannot send your child to school," he said. "If they are awaiting results, please keep your child home."
Superintendent David Sawyer wrote to the families of the high school's students to inform them of the situation and urged them to keep confidence in the school's protocols. Sawyer's office declined to comment but shared the letter with NPR.
"I understand that this inevitable moment is stressful for many. However, it shouldn't change anything. The guidance from the state cannot ensure a virus-free environment, especially considering we know that some carriers are asymptomatic," Sawyer wrote in the letter, saying that contact tracing and daily pre-screening help to reduce the threat but don't eliminate it.
"We will have to wait for the end of the quarantines to be certain we were successful, but there is no reason at this moment to assume differently," he added.
Outside Attleboro, at least five Massachusetts high schools have moved classes online in response to COVID-19 concerns or outbreaks from students attending parties, according to NBC Boston.


npr--2020-09-17--Students Accused Of Breaking College COVID-19 Rules Fight Their Punishments

As colleges around the U.S. are facing COVID-19 outbreaks and crackdowns on students engaged in coronavirus-risky behavior , campuses are also facing a new threat : legal challenges from the students they 're punishing .
Some are brazenly breaking rules , like the hundreds of Syracuse University students who risked everyone 's safety — and everyone 's semester — by partying like it 's not 2020 in late August .
Twenty-three students at that party got interim suspensions and were kicked off campus for what Syracuse officials described as `` incredibly reckless behavior . ''
The same thing is happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chill '' gatherings .
At Northeastern University , 11 students were caught hanging out together in one room , in violation of bans on having guests in campus housing and on participating in crowded gatherings .
`` I was just , like , come on — that 's really irresponsible and selfish , '' junior Avery Collard said about the students who were all kicked off campus and out of their program for the semester .
Collard said they had it coming .
`` There 's very specific rules that say you ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` [ They 're ] adults .
I know it 's hard , but act like it ! ''
But for all the scorn directed at students who flout the rules , the colleges meting out the discipline are taking heat as well .
Rhyia Bibby , a junior at Northeastern , is one of many on campus who think the university went too far by also refusing to refund the students ' tuition , which amounts to $ 36,500 per person .
`` I think there are other ways to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from incoming students , '' Bibby said .
`` I also think it 's important that in freshman year , a bit of grace can be given . ''
Attorney Brett Joshpe , who appealed the suspension for two of the students , agrees .
`` This is just a spiteful , gratuitous , grossly disproportionate penalty , '' he said , for students who were `` just watching a basketball game with friends , with masks on . ''
Northeastern refused to budge on the suspensions but on Thursday notified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost could be applied to future tuition , if the students choose to return .
University officials declined to comment on the case beyond their initial written statement saying that the students were repeatedly warned of the rules and the consequences .
Joshpe called the university 's response `` totally unacceptable '' and said his clients will be `` evaluating all options . ''
Northeastern is hardly the only school whose tough disciplinary actions are under scrutiny .
Attorneys say their phones have n't stopped ringing , and they 've been hired to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Syracuse University to New York University , Boston College , Penn State and many more .
`` This has gone from a few cases here and there to a near epidemic , '' said attorney Andrew Miltenberg .
He has long represented students accused of sexual assault , making the case that those alleged sexual predators were victims of a rush to judgment .
Now , he says , schools are doing the same thing to alleged superspreaders .
`` They 're not allowing any discussion or any mitigating circumstances .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no due process , '' Miltenberg said .
`` Schools are taking a suspend first , expel first , and ask questions later stance , '' said Will Creeley , senior vice president of legal and public advocacy with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education , a civil rights advocacy group .
Creeley said he 's also getting multiple calls a day .
`` We wonder if in a desire to continue collecting full tuition here , the students are set up to be the fall people here and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
For their part , schools insist that students do get due process — it just sometimes comes after the fact .
`` These are different times , and we 've got to make some emergency decisions based upon the facts available so that we can make sure other students are not at risk , '' said Kenneth Elmore , associate provost and dean of students at Boston University .
Two groups of students recently got `` deferred suspensions '' for gatherings in dorm rooms , which is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one more bad act away '' from being automatically kicked out , Elmore said .
Those cases are still under review , but Elmore said , `` That 's pretty serious from our standpoint . ''
`` For us , having six to eight people in less than 200 square feet is highly problematic , '' Elmore said .
`` And especially if those folks are n't face-covering .
Sometimes people are going to make bad judgments , and we 're going to have to , in those cases , be unforgiving .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact are often too late .
In many cases , Miltenberg said , the damage is already done to students and their reputations , especially those students suspended for more questionable violations .
For example , Miltenberg said , he is representing one student who was suspended after he walked into his dorm 's bathroom , not realizing that he was the seventh guy there and that he was putting the bathroom space one man over capacity .
It was an accident , Miltenberg said ; should students be expected to peek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Students are truly bewildered .
Can you take a shower ?
Can you use the toilet ?
It 's all very vague , '' he said .
Boston University 's Elmore concedes that making the call in certain cases can be difficult and that colleges are still figuring things out , just as students are .
By nature , Elmore said , he 's more the `` moral suasion '' type than a `` drop the hammer '' kind of guy .
But , these are not normal times .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me , '' he said .
`` And I know it sounds weird coming from the person who is the apparent executioner , but we 've got to do it .
It 's a way to say : No , we are serious about this . ''
But Elmore agrees that as schools become COVID-19 cops , they need to be extra-careful .
With complaints already piling up about unduly harsh punishments , there are also concerns about uneven enforcement .
Darnell Cole , associate professor of higher education , administration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , is recommending that schools closely monitor demographic data on their COVID-19 discipline cases .
`` Those biases that exist external to the institution also exist within the institution , whether intended or not , '' said Cole .
`` I think we just know that , and we have to make sure we have equitable treatment that is n't racially discriminatory or biased or sexist . ''

Students Accused Of Breaking College COVID-19 Rules Fight Their Punishments
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR Tovia Smith/NPR
As colleges around the U.S. are facing COVID-19 outbreaks and crackdowns on students engaged in coronavirus-risky behavior, campuses are also facing a new threat: legal challenges from the students they're punishing.
Some are brazenly breaking rules, like the hundreds of Syracuse University students who risked everyone's safety — and everyone's semester — by partying like it's not 2020 in late August. Twenty-three students at that party got interim suspensions and were kicked off campus for what Syracuse officials described as "incredibly reckless behavior."
The same thing is happening to students at smaller, more "chill" gatherings. At Northeastern University, 11 students were caught hanging out together in one room, in violation of bans on having guests in campus housing and on participating in crowded gatherings.
"I was just, like, come on — that's really irresponsible and selfish," junior Avery Collard said about the students who were all kicked off campus and out of their program for the semester. Collard said they had it coming.
"There's very specific rules that say you can't do that," she said. "[They're] adults. I know it's hard, but act like it!"
But for all the scorn directed at students who flout the rules, the colleges meting out the discipline are taking heat as well. Rhyia Bibby, a junior at Northeastern, is one of many on campus who think the university went too far by also refusing to refund the students' tuition, which amounts to $36,500 per person.
"I think there are other ways to send a message than to take $36,000 away from incoming students," Bibby said. "I also think it's important that in freshman year, a bit of grace can be given."
Attorney Brett Joshpe, who appealed the suspension for two of the students, agrees.
"This is just a spiteful, gratuitous, grossly disproportionate penalty," he said, for students who were "just watching a basketball game with friends, with masks on."
Northeastern refused to budge on the suspensions but on Thursday notified the students that part of the money they lost could be applied to future tuition, if the students choose to return. University officials declined to comment on the case beyond their initial written statement saying that the students were repeatedly warned of the rules and the consequences. Joshpe called the university's response "totally unacceptable" and said his clients will be "evaluating all options."
Northeastern is hardly the only school whose tough disciplinary actions are under scrutiny. Attorneys say their phones haven't stopped ringing, and they've been hired to help students fight sanctions at other schools, from Syracuse University to New York University, Boston College, Penn State and many more.
"This has gone from a few cases here and there to a near epidemic," said attorney Andrew Miltenberg. He has long represented students accused of sexual assault, making the case that those alleged sexual predators were victims of a rush to judgment. Now, he says, schools are doing the same thing to alleged superspreaders.
"They're not allowing any discussion or any mitigating circumstances. People are being summarily suspended, and there is no due process," Miltenberg said.
"Schools are taking a suspend first, expel first, and ask questions later stance," said Will Creeley, senior vice president of legal and public advocacy with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a civil rights advocacy group. Creeley said he's also getting multiple calls a day.
"We wonder if in a desire to continue collecting full tuition here, the students are set up to be the fall people here and they're being held to an impossible standard," he said.
For their part, schools insist that students do get due process — it just sometimes comes after the fact.
"These are different times, and we've got to make some emergency decisions based upon the facts available so that we can make sure other students are not at risk," said Kenneth Elmore, associate provost and dean of students at Boston University. Two groups of students recently got "deferred suspensions" for gatherings in dorm rooms, which is a kind of probation that puts them "one more bad act away" from being automatically kicked out, Elmore said. Those cases are still under review, but Elmore said, "That's pretty serious from our standpoint."
"For us, having six to eight people in less than 200 square feet is highly problematic," Elmore said. "And especially if those folks aren't face-covering. Sometimes people are going to make bad judgments, and we're going to have to, in those cases, be unforgiving."
But defense attorneys say investigations after the fact are often too late. In many cases, Miltenberg said, the damage is already done to students and their reputations, especially those students suspended for more questionable violations.
For example, Miltenberg said, he is representing one student who was suspended after he walked into his dorm's bathroom, not realizing that he was the seventh guy there and that he was putting the bathroom space one man over capacity. It was an accident, Miltenberg said; should students be expected to peek under the stalls and count feet?
"Students are truly bewildered. Can you take a shower? Can you use the toilet? It's all very vague," he said.
Boston University's Elmore concedes that making the call in certain cases can be difficult and that colleges are still figuring things out, just as students are. By nature, Elmore said, he's more the "moral suasion" type than a "drop the hammer" kind of guy. But, these are not normal times.
"I mean, personally this is really difficult for me," he said. "And I know it sounds weird coming from the person who is the apparent executioner, but we've got to do it. It's a way to say: No, we are serious about this."
But Elmore agrees that as schools become COVID-19 cops, they need to be extra-careful. With complaints already piling up about unduly harsh punishments, there are also concerns about uneven enforcement.
Darnell Cole, associate professor of higher education, administration and educational psychology at the University of Southern California, is recommending that schools closely monitor demographic data on their COVID-19 discipline cases.
"Those biases that exist external to the institution also exist within the institution, whether intended or not," said Cole. "I think we just know that, and we have to make sure we have equitable treatment that isn't racially discriminatory or biased or sexist."


npr--2020-09-17--Court Order Keeps Census In Limbo As Counting End Date Looms

Court Order Keeps Census In Limbo As Counting End Date Looms The winding down of the 2020 census must remain on hold nationwide through Sept. 24 at the latest , a federal judge in California has ordered .
The move by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh throws the national head count further into uncertainty as a coalition led by the National Urban League continues a legal fight to provide the U.S. Census Bureau with more time to tally the country 's population and review results , which are used to determine the distribution of federal funding and political representation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for an extended census schedule that the Trump administration first proposed because of disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic .
Career officials at the bureau have warned that they need more time to avoid risking serious errors in the count that can not be fixed under a curtailed timeline .
In April , President Trump publicly supported the administration 's request for Congress to pass four-month extensions to the legal deadlines for reporting census results .
But the administration made a last-minute decision in July to speed up counting to end by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of numbers to Trump , as required by current federal law , by the end of this year .
This month , the administration was put under a temporary restraining order issued by Koh , who has directed the bureau to pause its plans to wrap up census operations for now .
That order was set to expire Thursday when a hearing on the challengers ' request to force counting to continue through Oct. 31 was scheduled to take place .
But that hearing was canceled after Justice Department attorneys missed a deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce Department documents for the lawsuit .
The attorneys also told Koh the administration would likely not be able to finish filing other required documents this week .
`` Defendants ' failure to comply with the Court 's Order is unacceptable , '' Koh wrote in a court order issued late Tuesday in the Northern District of California .
The judge has now ordered the administration to file documents by Friday ahead of a rescheduled hearing that 's expected to be held on Sept. 22 .
`` I understand the urgency of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , '' Koh emphasized Tuesday during a court conference , adding that she will do her `` utmost to get a ruling out as soon as possible '' after the hearing .
Meanwhile , a similar federal lawsuit based in Maryland is gaining steam as plaintiffs ' attorneys with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC prepare for a Monday hearing on their request to extend the census schedule .
Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also working to try to adjust the census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of counting .
This week , a bipartisan group of senators introduced last-minute legislation with deadline extensions that they hope can be passed by the end of this month .

Court Order Keeps Census In Limbo As Counting End Date Looms
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images
The winding down of the 2020 census must remain on hold nationwide through Sept. 24 at the latest, a federal judge in California has ordered.
The move by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh throws the national head count further into uncertainty as a coalition led by the National Urban League continues a legal fight to provide the U.S. Census Bureau with more time to tally the country's population and review results, which are used to determine the distribution of federal funding and political representation for the next decade.
The challengers are pushing for an extended census schedule that the Trump administration first proposed because of disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Career officials at the bureau have warned that they need more time to avoid risking serious errors in the count that cannot be fixed under a curtailed timeline.
In April, President Trump publicly supported the administration's request for Congress to pass four-month extensions to the legal deadlines for reporting census results.
But the administration made a last-minute decision in July to speed up counting to end by Sept. 30 and deliver the first set of numbers to Trump, as required by current federal law, by the end of this year.
This month, the administration was put under a temporary restraining order issued by Koh, who has directed the bureau to pause its plans to wrap up census operations for now. That order was set to expire Thursday when a hearing on the challengers' request to force counting to continue through Oct. 31 was scheduled to take place.
But that hearing was canceled after Justice Department attorneys missed a deadline for producing a complete record of internal Commerce Department documents for the lawsuit. The attorneys also told Koh the administration would likely not be able to finish filing other required documents this week.
"Defendants' failure to comply with the Court's Order is unacceptable," Koh wrote in a court order issued late Tuesday in the Northern District of California.
The judge has now ordered the administration to file documents by Friday ahead of a rescheduled hearing that's expected to be held on Sept. 22.
"I understand the urgency of the ruling and the gravity of the situation here," Koh emphasized Tuesday during a court conference, adding that she will do her "utmost to get a ruling out as soon as possible" after the hearing.
Meanwhile, a similar federal lawsuit based in Maryland is gaining steam as plaintiffs' attorneys with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC prepare for a Monday hearing on their request to extend the census schedule.
Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also working to try to adjust the census schedule in what could be the final days of counting. This week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced last-minute legislation with deadline extensions that they hope can be passed by the end of this month.


npr--2020-09-17--'I Have To Work': Agricultural Workers In The West Harvest Crops Through Fire Smoke

' I Have To Work ' : Agricultural Workers In The West Harvest Crops Through Fire Smoke Wildfires are ravaging large swaths of the West in the middle of the wine grape harvest , sending hazardous smoke through picturesque vineyards .
It 's forcing many agricultural workers to make a stark choice : Should they prioritize their health or earn badly needed money ?
`` The truth is that I have to work , '' said Maricela , 48 , a team leader at a vineyard near Medford in southern Oregon .
There are multiple fires blazing close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work now , '' she said .
`` The smoke is so dense .
...
I feel dizzy , my throat hurts and my head feels like it 's going to explode . ''
Air quality is ranked as `` very unhealthy '' in this part of southern Oregon , according to the U.S. government air quality monitoring website Airnow.gov .
Many of the agricultural areas in the West have seen plummeting air quality in recent weeks .
Maricela , who has already been forced to evacuate twice as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her the option to stay home without risking her job .
But she said she has no choice .
She has n't been able to pay her electricity bill in three months , partly because she lost work hours due to the pandemic .
She asked NPR not to use her last name , because like many agricultural workers , she does n't have work documents .
Her employer told her it will pay her an extra dollar per hour because of the fires .
She said she ca n't think about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I pray I stay healthy . ''
Maricela said she does n't have any preexisting health conditions ; she does n't have health insurance , either .
`` All I have are my hands to work , '' she said .
More than 40 large wildfires are ravaging Oregon , Washington state and California , according to the National Interagency Fire Center , and have burned almost 4 million acres .
Agricultural workers are among the most vulnerable as the disaster unfolds , said Reyna Lopez Osuna , 33 .
She 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unidos del Noroeste , which works to improve labor conditions for farmworkers in Oregon .
As the fires ramped up last week , `` there were rumors and a lot of confusion of what was happening next , '' Lopez Osuna said .
She said her phone was ringing constantly as workers frantically tried to figure out if they were required to come into work , even as evacuation zones shifted quickly .
One factor adding to the confusion is the lack of information in Spanish and Indigenous languages from Mexico and Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Counties were putting out emergency information on social media , she said , `` but a lot of the farmworkers do n't have Facebook or access to the best Wi-Fi . ''
More broadly , Lopez Osuna is alarmed about the impact of climate change on wildfires .
It 's causing them to burn more frequently and intensely .
After this fire season settles , she said , `` The industry needs to work on guidelines and protections for agricultural workers . ''
Lopez Osuna , the daughter of farmworkers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understands that the wildfires also force employers to make difficult choices .
`` There is a short timeline to pick these fruits and vegetables , '' she said .
`` It means that people and employers are having to make really tough choices . ''
Janis Pate , owner of Arlyn Vineyard southwest of Portland , said she has n't allowed her crew to work since Saturday .
`` I could n't expose them , I just could n't in good conscience , '' Pate said , adding the smoke was too dense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them home on Saturday with pay .
The former corporate risk management executive-turned-farmer said there are still about 30 tons of grapes on the vines `` that may or may not ever get harvested . ''
That 's about half of her annual crop .
`` It may be just a loss , '' she said .
Smoke can harm grape vines .
Pate said she 's testing her grapes for smoke taint .
It 's possible that she could lose up to $ 3,500 per ton of fruit .
Members of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after their work at her vineyard stopped .
`` I felt defeated , I thought I was protecting them , '' she said , but added that she understands the calculations workers have to make .
Some workers are forced to stay home As some agricultural workers pick crops through a blanket of smoke , others are waiting at home for a chance to work again .
`` It 's frustrating , '' said Elia , 38 , who lives in Woodburn , Ore. , and asked that NPR use only her first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents .
She usually picks blueberries and grapes , but her employer has canceled her work due to the fires .
The single mother of four has n't been able to work in a week .
It 's particularly difficult timing because she lost seven weeks of work in March and April due to the pandemic .
Because of her immigration status , Elia does n't qualify for federal aid .
She 's relied on help from organizations such as Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste , which has provided her with about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through this period .
`` I would be in the fields now if it were up to me , I 'd be working , breathing this thick smoke because I have no choice , I have financial needs , '' Elia said .
She was coughing as she spoke to NPR , saying the smoke burns her throat .
`` I 'm behind in rent and other bills will have to wait , '' Elia said .
`` You work for survival , you work for every penny . ''

'I Have To Work': Agricultural Workers In The West Harvest Crops Through Fire Smoke
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brett Curtis/Arlyn Vineyard Brett Curtis/Arlyn Vineyard
Wildfires are ravaging large swaths of the West in the middle of the wine grape harvest, sending hazardous smoke through picturesque vineyards.
It's forcing many agricultural workers to make a stark choice: Should they prioritize their health or earn badly needed money?
"The truth is that I have to work," said Maricela, 48, a team leader at a vineyard near Medford in southern Oregon. There are multiple fires blazing close to the town.
"It's not easy to work now," she said. "The smoke is so dense. ... I feel dizzy, my throat hurts and my head feels like it's going to explode."
Air quality is ranked as "very unhealthy" in this part of southern Oregon, according to the U.S. government air quality monitoring website Airnow.gov. Many of the agricultural areas in the West have seen plummeting air quality in recent weeks.
Maricela, who has already been forced to evacuate twice as a result of the fires, said her employer gave her the option to stay home without risking her job. But she said she has no choice. She hasn't been able to pay her electricity bill in three months, partly because she lost work hours due to the pandemic. She asked NPR not to use her last name, because like many agricultural workers, she doesn't have work documents.
Her employer told her it will pay her an extra dollar per hour because of the fires.
She said she can't think about the long-term health effects of the smoke. "I pray I stay healthy." Maricela said she doesn't have any preexisting health conditions; she doesn't have health insurance, either. "All I have are my hands to work," she said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Maricela/Screenshot by NPR Maricela/Screenshot by NPR
Agricultural workers vulnerable, lack information
More than 40 large wildfires are ravaging Oregon, Washington state and California, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, and have burned almost 4 million acres.
Agricultural workers are among the most vulnerable as the disaster unfolds, said Reyna Lopez Osuna, 33. She's the executive director of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, which works to improve labor conditions for farmworkers in Oregon.
As the fires ramped up last week, "there were rumors and a lot of confusion of what was happening next," Lopez Osuna said. She said her phone was ringing constantly as workers frantically tried to figure out if they were required to come into work, even as evacuation zones shifted quickly.
One factor adding to the confusion is the lack of information in Spanish and Indigenous languages from Mexico and Central America such as Mam, Lopez Osuna said.
Counties were putting out emergency information on social media, she said, "but a lot of the farmworkers don't have Facebook or access to the best Wi-Fi."
More broadly, Lopez Osuna is alarmed about the impact of climate change on wildfires. It's causing them to burn more frequently and intensely. After this fire season settles, she said, "The industry needs to work on guidelines and protections for agricultural workers."
Lopez Osuna, the daughter of farmworkers who migrated from Mexico in the 1980s, understands that the wildfires also force employers to make difficult choices.
"There is a short timeline to pick these fruits and vegetables," she said. "It means that people and employers are having to make really tough choices."
"I couldn't expose them"
Janis Pate, owner of Arlyn Vineyard southwest of Portland, said she hasn't allowed her crew to work since Saturday.
"I couldn't expose them, I just couldn't in good conscience," Pate said, adding the smoke was too dense on her 40-acre vineyard. She sent them home on Saturday with pay.
The former corporate risk management executive-turned-farmer said there are still about 30 tons of grapes on the vines "that may or may not ever get harvested." That's about half of her annual crop.
"It may be just a loss," she said.
Smoke can harm grape vines. Pate said she's testing her grapes for smoke taint. It's possible that she could lose up to $3,500 per ton of fruit.
Members of her crew has gone on to another job after their work at her vineyard stopped. "I felt defeated, I thought I was protecting them," she said, but added that she understands the calculations workers have to make.
Some workers are forced to stay home
As some agricultural workers pick crops through a blanket of smoke, others are waiting at home for a chance to work again.
"It's frustrating," said Elia, 38, who lives in Woodburn, Ore., and asked that NPR use only her first name because she doesn't have work documents. She usually picks blueberries and grapes, but her employer has canceled her work due to the fires.
The single mother of four hasn't been able to work in a week. It's particularly difficult timing because she lost seven weeks of work in March and April due to the pandemic.
Because of her immigration status, Elia doesn't qualify for federal aid. She's relied on help from organizations such as Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, which has provided her with about $1,200 and groceries to help her through this period.
"I would be in the fields now if it were up to me, I'd be working, breathing this thick smoke because I have no choice, I have financial needs," Elia said. She was coughing as she spoke to NPR, saying the smoke burns her throat.
"I'm behind in rent and other bills will have to wait," Elia said. "You work for survival, you work for every penny."


npr--2020-09-17--Utah Officer Faces Felony Charge For Ordering Police Dog To Bite Black Man

A Salt Lake City police officer is facing a felony charge stemming from an April encounter in which he ordered a police dog to attack a Black man who was on his knees with his hands raised , seemingly complying with officer commands .
Salt Lake City District Attorney Sim Gill announced the aggravated assault charge on Wednesday .
He alleges that officer Nickolas Pearce did `` attempt , with unlawful force or violence , to do bodily injury to another '' during the April 24 encounter with Jeffery Ryans .
Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune that Ryans `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered the police dog to engage the man .
`` He certainly was n't posing an imminent threat of violence or harm to anyone and he certainly was n't concealed .
He was fenced in an area and was being compliant , '' Gill said .
Officers were responding to a report of domestic violence when the incident took place , according to Salt Lake City member station KUER , which added that Ryans ' injuries were so severe he required surgery .
According to the probable cause document released by Gill 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Tuco confronted Ryans through a fence .
Pearce told Ryans to get on the ground .
Two other officers were on the scene .
They asked Ryans how to access the backyard , according to the document .
Ryans complied and gave them instructions on how to do so .
`` Ryans did not express any intentions or engage in actions reflecting he was going to resist the officers , '' the report states .
`` Approximately three seconds after confronting Ryans , PEARCE kicked him in the leg .
Ryans dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised .
While Ryans was on his knees with his hands in the air , PEARCE ordered K9 Tuco to engage Ryans . ''
The Salt Lake City Police Department announced last month that Pearce had been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigations .
It also said the department `` has suspended this K9 function until we review policies , procedures , training , and actual application in the field . ''
That announcement came after police video of the encounter became public this summer , sparking outrage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground !
Get on the ground or you 're going to get bit , '' officer Pearce yells at Ryans , according to officer-worn body camera footage published by the Tribune in August .
[ Editor 's note : The video contains graphic content and profanity ] .
`` I 'm on the ground , '' Ryans can be heard saying repeatedly in the video as he yells in anguish .
`` Why are you biting me ? ''
`` What the f*** did I do ? ''
Ryans asks Pearce .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryans lays face down in the grass , the police dog repeatedly bites his lower leg .
The Salt Lake City Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that the district attorney 's office charged Pearce .
The department also said it had received a report conducted by the city 's Civilian Review Board on the matter .
`` The Department takes the District Attorney 's decision and the Civilian Review Board 's findings very seriously .
Both will be evaluated and taken into account as the Department is finalizing its Internal Affairs investigation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` If Internal Affairs finds that Officer Pearce committed a policy violation , the Chiefs Office will follow the disciplinary process required under state and federal law , '' the statement continued .
`` This can take some time , but we will carry this out as expediently as possible to bring prompt conclusion to this matter . ''
Daniel Garner , an attorney for Ryans , welcomed the district attorney 's decision .
`` We believe the criminal charges filed are an important step in Jeffery 's pursuit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement to NPR .
The charge against the Salt Lake City police officer is part of a string of incidents involving law enforcement officials accused of using excessive force during encounters with people of color .
Earlier this week , the mayor of Louisville announced a $ 12 million settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Breonna Taylor , who was shot and killed by police during a botched narcotics raid in March .
As part of the settlement announced Tuesday , Louisville unveiled a series of police reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrants and establishing a housing incentive program to encourage officers to live in low-income neighborhoods within the city .
On Monday , Rochester , N.Y. , Mayor Lovely Warren fired Police Chief La'Ron Singletary in connection with the March asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude after an investigation found what she called `` a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department . ''
Read the probable cause document below :

Utah Officer Faces Felony Charge For Ordering Police Dog To Bite Black Man
Enlarge this image toggle caption Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP
A Salt Lake City police officer is facing a felony charge stemming from an April encounter in which he ordered a police dog to attack a Black man who was on his knees with his hands raised, seemingly complying with officer commands.
Salt Lake City District Attorney Sim Gill announced the aggravated assault charge on Wednesday. He alleges that officer Nickolas Pearce did "attempt, with unlawful force or violence, to do bodily injury to another" during the April 24 encounter with Jeffery Ryans.
Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune that Ryans "wasn't resisting arrest" when Pearce ordered the police dog to engage the man.
"He certainly wasn't posing an imminent threat of violence or harm to anyone and he certainly wasn't concealed. He was fenced in an area and was being compliant," Gill said.
Officers were responding to a report of domestic violence when the incident took place, according to Salt Lake City member station KUER, which added that Ryans' injuries were so severe he required surgery.
The probable cause document
According to the probable cause document released by Gill's office, Pearce and the police dog named Tuco confronted Ryans through a fence. Pearce told Ryans to get on the ground.
Two other officers were on the scene. They asked Ryans how to access the backyard, according to the document. Ryans complied and gave them instructions on how to do so.
"Ryans did not express any intentions or engage in actions reflecting he was going to resist the officers," the report states.
"Approximately three seconds after confronting Ryans, PEARCE kicked him in the leg. Ryans dropped to his knees and kept his hands raised. While Ryans was on his knees with his hands in the air, PEARCE ordered K9 Tuco to engage Ryans."
The Salt Lake City Police Department announced last month that Pearce had been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigations. It also said the department "has suspended this K9 function until we review policies, procedures, training, and actual application in the field."
That announcement came after police video of the encounter became public this summer, sparking outrage in the city.
Video of encounter sparks outrage
"Get on the ground! Get on the ground or you're going to get bit," officer Pearce yells at Ryans, according to officer-worn body camera footage published by the Tribune in August. [Editor's note: The video contains graphic content and profanity].
YouTube
"I'm on the ground," Ryans can be heard saying repeatedly in the video as he yells in anguish. "Why are you biting me?"
"What the f*** did I do?" Ryans asks Pearce. Another officer puts handcuffs on him.
As Ryans lays face down in the grass, the police dog repeatedly bites his lower leg.
"Good boy! Good boy!" Pearce said praising the dog's actions.
Police Confirm Charge Against Officer
The Salt Lake City Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that the district attorney's office charged Pearce. The department also said it had received a report conducted by the city's Civilian Review Board on the matter.
"The Department takes the District Attorney's decision and the Civilian Review Board's findings very seriously. Both will be evaluated and taken into account as the Department is finalizing its Internal Affairs investigation," Police Chief Mike Brown said in a statement.
"If Internal Affairs finds that Officer Pearce committed a policy violation, the Chiefs Office will follow the disciplinary process required under state and federal law," the statement continued. "This can take some time, but we will carry this out as expediently as possible to bring prompt conclusion to this matter."
Daniel Garner, an attorney for Ryans, welcomed the district attorney's decision.
"We believe the criminal charges filed are an important step in Jeffery's pursuit of justice," Garner said in a statement to NPR.
The charge against the Salt Lake City police officer is part of a string of incidents involving law enforcement officials accused of using excessive force during encounters with people of color.
Earlier this week, the mayor of Louisville announced a $12 million settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police during a botched narcotics raid in March.
As part of the settlement announced Tuesday, Louisville unveiled a series of police reforms. They include greater oversight for search warrants and establishing a housing incentive program to encourage officers to live in low-income neighborhoods within the city.
On Monday, Rochester, N.Y., Mayor Lovely Warren fired Police Chief La'Ron Singletary in connection with the March asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude after an investigation found what she called "a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department."
Read the probable cause document below:


npr--2020-09-17--About 1 In 5 Households In U.S. Cities Miss Needed Medical Care During Pandemic

About 1 In 5 Households In U.S. Cities Miss Needed Medical Care During Pandemic When 28-year-old Katie Kinsey moved from Washington , D.C. , to Los Angeles in early March , she did n't expect the pandemic would affect her directly , at least not right away .
But that 's exactly what happened .
She was still settling in and did n't have a primary care doctor when she got sick with symptoms of what she feared was COVID-19 .
`` I had a sore throat and a debilitating cough , '' she says , `` and when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't talk without coughing . ''
She could n't lie down at night without coughing .
She just was n't getting enough air into her lungs , she says .
Kinsey , who works as a federal consultant in nuclear defense technology , found herself coughing through phone meetings .
And then things got worse .
Her energy took a dive , and she felt achy all over , `` so I was taking naps during the day . ''
She never got a fever but worried about the coronavirus and accelerated her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called nearly a dozen doctors listed on her insurance card , but all were booked .
`` Some said they were flooded with patients and could n't take new patients .
Others gave no explanation , and just said they were sorry and could put me on a waiting list . ''
All the waiting lists were two to three months ' long .
Eventually Kinsey went to an urgent care clinic , got an X-ray and a diagnosis of severe bronchitis — not COVID-19 .
Antibiotics helped her get better .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of illness and lost days of work '' had she been able to see a doctor sooner .
She was sick for three months .
Kinsey 's experience is just one way the pandemic has delayed medical care for Americans in the last several months .
A poll of households in the four largest U.S. cities by NPR , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard 's T.H .
Chan School of Public Health finds roughly one in every five have had at least one member who was unable to get medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care for a serious medical problem during the pandemic ( ranging from 19 % of households in New York City to 27 % in Houston ) .
There were multiple reasons given .
Many people reported , like Kinsey , that they could not find a doctor to see them as hospitals around the U.S. delayed or canceled certain medical procedures to focus resources on treating COVID-19 .
Other patients avoided critically important medical care because of fears they would catch the coronavirus while in a hospital or medical office .
`` One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that we were going to drop 60 % of our volume , '' says Ryan Stanton , an emergency physician in Lexington , Ky. , and member of the board of directors of the American College of Emergency Physicians .
`` We had people come in with heart attacks after having chest pain for three or four days , '' Stanton says , `` or stroke patients who had significant loss of function for several days , if not a week .
And I 'd ask them why they had n't come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universally they were afraid of COVID . ''
Stanton found that to be particularly frustrating , because his hospital had made a big effort to communicate with the community to `` absolutely come to the hospital for true emergencies . ''
He describes one patient who had suffered at home for weeks with what ended up being appendicitis .
When the patient finally came to the emergency room , Stanton says , a procedure that normally would have been done on an outpatient basis `` ended up being a very much more involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that delay . ''
The poll finds a majority of households in leading U.S. cities who delayed medical care for serious problems say they had negative health consequences as a result ( ranging from 55 % in Chicago to 75 % in Houston and 63 % in Los Angeles ) .
Dr. Anish Mahajan , chief medical officer of the large public hospital Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles , says the number of emergencies showing up in his hospital have been down during the pandemic , too , because patients have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One case that sticks in his mind was a middle aged woman with diabetes who fainted at home .
`` Her blood sugar was really high , and she did n't feel well — she was sweating , '' the doctor recalls .
`` The family called the ambulance , and the ambulance came , and she said , 'No , no , I do n't want to go to the hospital .
I 'll be fine . '
`` By the next day the woman was even sicker .
Her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was rushed to the catheterization lab .
There doctors discovered and dissolved a clot in her heart .
This was ultimately a successful ending for the patient , Mahajan says , `` but you can see how this is very dangerous — to avoid going to the hospital if you have significant symptoms . ''
He says worrisome reports from the Los Angeles County coroner 's office show the number of people who have died at home in the last few months is much higher than the average number of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That 's yet another signal that something is going on where patients are not coming in for care , '' Mahajan says .
`` And those folks who died at home may have died from COVID , but they may also have died from other conditions that they did not come in to get cared for . ''
Like most hospitals nationwide , Harbor-UCLA canceled elective surgeries to make room for coronavirus patients — at least during the earliest months of the pandemic , and when cases surged .
In NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of households in Chicago and Los Angeles and more than half in Houston and New York with a household member who could n't get surgeries or elective procedures said it resulted in negative health consequences for that person .
`` Back in March and April the estimates were 80 [ % ] to 90 % of normal [ in terms of screenings for cancer ] '' at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York , says Dr. Jeffrey Drebin , who heads surgical oncology there .
`` Things like mammograms , colonoscopies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he says .
At the height of the pandemic 's spring surge in New York City , Drebin says , he was seeing many more patients than usual who had advanced disease .
`` Patients were n't being found at routine colonoscopy , '' he says .
`` They were coming in because they had a bleeding tumor or an obstructing tumor and needed to have something done right away . ''
In June , during patients ' information sessions with the hospital , Drebin says patients typically asked if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cancer screening test .
`` In some cases you can , but there are certainly types of cancer that can not have surgery delayed for a number of months , '' he explains .
With pancreatic or bladder cancer , for example , delaying even a month can dramatically reduce the opportunity for the best treatment or even a cure .
Reductions in cancer screening , Drebin says , are likely to translate to more illness and death down the road .
`` The estimate , '' he says , `` is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mammography and colonoscopy [ procedures ] will create 10,000 additional deaths over the next few years . ''
And even delays in treatment that are n't a matter of life and death can make a big difference in the quality of a life .
For 12-year-old Nicolas Noblitt , who lives in Northridge , Calif. , with his parents and two siblings , delays in treatment this year have dramatically reduced his mobility .
Nicolas has cerebral palsy and has relied on a wheelchair most of his life .
The muscles in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his feet and toes get extremely tight , and that `` makes it hard for him to walk even a short distance with a walker , '' says his mother , Natalie Noblitt .
`` So , keeping the spasticity under control has been a major project his whole life to keep him comfortable and try to help him gain the most mobility he can have . ''
Before the pandemic , Nicolas was helped by regular Botox injections , which relaxed his tight muscles and enabled him to wear shoes .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these really cool shoes that have a zipper ... and they really help me — because , one , they 're really easy to get on , and two , they 're cool shoes . ''
Best of all , he says they stabilize him enough so he can walk with a walker .
`` I love those shoes and I think they sort of love me , too , when you think about it , '' he tells NPR .
Nicolas was due to get a round of Botox injections in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an elective procedure and canceled the appointment .
That left him to go months without a treatment .
His muscles got so tight that his feet would uncontrollably curl .
`` And when it happens and I 'm trying to walk ... it just makes everything worse , '' Nicolas says , `` from trying to get on the shoes to trying to walk in the walker . ''
Today he is finally back on his Botox regimen and feeling more comfortable — happy to walk with a walker .
Even so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment caused setbacks .
Nicolas has to work harder now , both in day-to-day activities and in physical therapy .

About 1 In 5 Households In U.S. Cities Miss Needed Medical Care During Pandemic
Enlarge this image Kaz Fantone/NPR Kaz Fantone/NPR
When 28-year-old Katie Kinsey moved from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles in early March, she didn't expect the pandemic would affect her directly, at least not right away. But that's exactly what happened.
She was still settling in and didn't have a primary care doctor when she got sick with symptoms of what she feared was COVID-19.
"I had a sore throat and a debilitating cough," she says, "and when I say debilitating, I mean I couldn't talk without coughing." She couldn't lie down at night without coughing. She just wasn't getting enough air into her lungs, she says.
Kinsey, who works as a federal consultant in nuclear defense technology, found herself coughing through phone meetings. And then things got worse. Her energy took a dive, and she felt achy all over, "so I was taking naps during the day." She never got a fever but worried about the coronavirus and accelerated her effort to find a doctor.
No luck.
She called nearly a dozen doctors listed on her insurance card, but all were booked. "Some said they were flooded with patients and couldn't take new patients. Others gave no explanation, and just said they were sorry and could put me on a waiting list." All the waiting lists were two to three months' long.
Eventually Kinsey went to an urgent care clinic, got an X-ray and a diagnosis of severe bronchitis — not COVID-19. Antibiotics helped her get better. But she says she might have avoided "months of illness and lost days of work" had she been able to see a doctor sooner. She was sick for three months.
Kinsey's experience is just one way the pandemic has delayed medical care for Americans in the last several months. A poll of households in the four largest U.S. cities by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds roughly one in every five have had at least one member who was unable to get medical care or who has had to delay care for a serious medical problem during the pandemic (ranging from 19% of households in New York City to 27% in Houston).
We had people come in with heart attacks after having chest pain for three or four days, or stroke patients who had significant loss of function for several days, if not a week.
There were multiple reasons given. Many people reported, like Kinsey, that they could not find a doctor to see them as hospitals around the U.S. delayed or canceled certain medical procedures to focus resources on treating COVID-19.
Other patients avoided critically important medical care because of fears they would catch the coronavirus while in a hospital or medical office.
"One thing we didn't expect from COVID was that we were going to drop 60% of our volume," says Ryan Stanton, an emergency physician in Lexington, Ky., and member of the board of directors of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
"We had people come in with heart attacks after having chest pain for three or four days," Stanton says, "or stroke patients who had significant loss of function for several days, if not a week. And I'd ask them why they hadn't come in, and they would say almost universally they were afraid of COVID."
Stanton found that to be particularly frustrating, because his hospital had made a big effort to communicate with the community to "absolutely come to the hospital for true emergencies."
He describes one patient who had suffered at home for weeks with what ended up being appendicitis. When the patient finally came to the emergency room, Stanton says, a procedure that normally would have been done on an outpatient basis "ended up being a very much more involved surgery with increased risk of complications because of that delay."
The poll finds a majority of households in leading U.S. cities who delayed medical care for serious problems say they had negative health consequences as a result (ranging from 55% in Chicago to 75% in Houston and 63% in Los Angeles).
Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer of the large public hospital Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, says the number of emergencies showing up in his hospital have been down during the pandemic, too, because patients have been fearful of catching the coronavirus there. One case that sticks in his mind was a middle aged woman with diabetes who fainted at home.
"Her blood sugar was really high, and she didn't feel well — she was sweating," the doctor recalls. "The family called the ambulance, and the ambulance came, and she said, 'No, no, I don't want to go to the hospital. I'll be fine.' "
By the next day the woman was even sicker. Her family took her to the hospital, where she was rushed to the catheterization lab. There doctors discovered and dissolved a clot in her heart. This was ultimately a successful ending for the patient, Mahajan says, "but you can see how this is very dangerous — to avoid going to the hospital if you have significant symptoms."
He says worrisome reports from the Los Angeles County coroner's office show the number of people who have died at home in the last few months is much higher than the average number of people who died in their homes before the pandemic.
"That's yet another signal that something is going on where patients are not coming in for care," Mahajan says. "And those folks who died at home may have died from COVID, but they may also have died from other conditions that they did not come in to get cared for."
Like most hospitals nationwide, Harbor-UCLA canceled elective surgeries to make room for coronavirus patients — at least during the earliest months of the pandemic, and when cases surged.
In NPR's survey of cities, about one-third of households in Chicago and Los Angeles and more than half in Houston and New York with a household member who couldn't get surgeries or elective procedures said it resulted in negative health consequences for that person.
"Back in March and April the estimates were 80[%] to 90% of normal [in terms of screenings for cancer]" at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, says Dr. Jeffrey Drebin, who heads surgical oncology there.
"Things like mammograms, colonoscopies, PSA tests were not being done," he says. At the height of the pandemic's spring surge in New York City, Drebin says, he was seeing many more patients than usual who had advanced disease.
"Patients weren't being found at routine colonoscopy," he says. "They were coming in because they had a bleeding tumor or an obstructing tumor and needed to have something done right away."
In June, during patients' information sessions with the hospital, Drebin says patients typically asked if they could wait a few months before getting a cancer screening test.
"In some cases you can, but there are certainly types of cancer that cannot have surgery delayed for a number of months," he explains. With pancreatic or bladder cancer, for example, delaying even a month can dramatically reduce the opportunity for the best treatment or even a cure.
Reductions in cancer screening, Drebin says, are likely to translate to more illness and death down the road. "The estimate," he says, "is that simply the reduction this year in mammography and colonoscopy [procedures] will create 10,000 additional deaths over the next few years."
And even delays in treatment that aren't a matter of life and death can make a big difference in the quality of a life.
For 12-year-old Nicolas Noblitt, who lives in Northridge, Calif., with his parents and two siblings, delays in treatment this year have dramatically reduced his mobility.
Nicolas has cerebral palsy and has relied on a wheelchair most of his life. The muscles in his thighs, hips, calves and even his feet and toes get extremely tight, and that "makes it hard for him to walk even a short distance with a walker," says his mother, Natalie Noblitt. "So, keeping the spasticity under control has been a major project his whole life to keep him comfortable and try to help him gain the most mobility he can have."
Before the pandemic, Nicolas was helped by regular Botox injections, which relaxed his tight muscles and enabled him to wear shoes.
As Nicolas says, "I do have these really cool shoes that have a zipper ... and they really help me — because, one, they're really easy to get on, and two, they're cool shoes." Best of all, he says they stabilize him enough so he can walk with a walker.
"I love those shoes and I think they sort of love me, too, when you think about it," he tells NPR.
Nicolas was due to get a round of Botox injections in early March. But the doctors deemed it an elective procedure and canceled the appointment. That left him to go months without a treatment.
His muscles got so tight that his feet would uncontrollably curl.
"And when it happens and I'm trying to walk ... it just makes everything worse," Nicolas says, "from trying to get on the shoes to trying to walk in the walker."
Today he is finally back on his Botox regimen and feeling more comfortable — happy to walk with a walker. Even so, says his mom, the lapse in treatment caused setbacks. Nicolas has to work harder now, both in day-to-day activities and in physical therapy.


npr--2020-09-17--Biggest Worry On Election Security Is Americans' Loss Of Confidence, Wray Says

Biggest Worry On Election Security Is Americans ' Loss Of Confidence , Wray Says The greatest peril posed to American elections is that the cloud of fear and uncertainty about them will cause citizens to stop believing they matter , FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress on Thursday .
Wray was asked in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing about his No .
1 concern as the FBI and other agencies work to quash the manifold foreign threats posed to this and future elections .
He said the worst danger is n't something within the power of a foreign government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and amplification of small instructions , I worry , contribute over time to a lack of confidence in American voters and citizens in the validity of their vote , '' Wray said .
`` That would be a perception , not a reality ... but I worry that people will take on a perception of futility because of all the noise and obfuscation that 's generated . ''
The FBI director did n't mention one of the biggest critics of the validity of U.S. elections — his own boss , President Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Attorney General William Barr , have sought to cast doubt on the integrity of an election expected to involve the most-ever voting by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Doubts raised about the election followed years of unfounded allegations by Trump about fraud , including claims that a panel appointed by the president could not verify .
The FBI director said several times Thursday that he does n't want to step into political controversies in a way he considers inappropriate , which is likely why he phrased his answer to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The dilemma for Wray and U.S. officials , however , is how effective they can be in defeating what he called a stream of malign influence when so much doubt about the integrity of U.S. democracy is being raised from within .
Follow updates on the hearing here .

Biggest Worry On Election Security Is Americans' Loss Of Confidence, Wray Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/AP Chip Somodevilla/AP
The greatest peril posed to American elections is that the cloud of fear and uncertainty about them will cause citizens to stop believing they matter, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress on Thursday.
Wray was asked in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing about his No. 1 concern as the FBI and other agencies work to quash the manifold foreign threats posed to this and future elections. He said the worst danger isn't something within the power of a foreign government.
"The steady drumbeat of misinformation and amplification of small instructions, I worry, contribute over time to a lack of confidence in American voters and citizens in the validity of their vote," Wray said. "That would be a perception, not a reality ... but I worry that people will take on a perception of futility because of all the noise and obfuscation that's generated."
The FBI director didn't mention one of the biggest critics of the validity of U.S. elections — his own boss, President Trump.
Trump and another of Wray's supervisors, Attorney General William Barr, have sought to cast doubt on the integrity of an election expected to involve the most-ever voting by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. Doubts raised about the election followed years of unfounded allegations by Trump about fraud, including claims that a panel appointed by the president could not verify.
The FBI director said several times Thursday that he doesn't want to step into political controversies in a way he considers inappropriate, which is likely why he phrased his answer to the House committee as broadly as he did.
The dilemma for Wray and U.S. officials, however, is how effective they can be in defeating what he called a stream of malign influence when so much doubt about the integrity of U.S. democracy is being raised from within.
Follow updates on the hearing here.


npr--2020-09-17--Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State

Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State

In response to the coronavirus pandemic , dozens of states have modified their rules for absentee voting in November 's elections .
Some of those changes are more substantial than others .
California , Nevada , New Jersey and Vermont , along with Washington , D.C. , are sending mail-in ballots to all voters , joining the handful of states that conduct all-mail elections .
In Montana , individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots .
And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications .
There 's also been a big expansion in who can vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire and New York , have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot , or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse .
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot .
In Virginia , for instance , an absentee ballot wo n't need a witness signature .
The map above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state .
We 'll update the map with any further changes , but be sure to check with your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting information .
Changes to the map since its publish : -- Sept. 16 : South Carolina 's new law allows all voters to vote absentee .
This map was originally published on Sept. 14 .

Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State — And The Deadlines You Need
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting in November's elections.
Some of those changes are more substantial than others.
California, Nevada, New Jersey and Vermont, along with Washington, D.C., are sending mail-in ballots to all voters, joining the handful of states that conduct all-mail elections. In Montana, individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots. And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications.
There's also been a big expansion in who can vote absentee. Many states, including New Hampshire and New York, have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse.
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot. Some states — often as the result of litigation — have said mail-in ballots only need to be postmarked by Election Day, rather than received by then. And in Virginia, for instance, an absentee ballot won't need a witness signature.
The graphic above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state and some basic deadlines voters should know.
Here are a few caveats as you look up your state's information:
Many states have options for voter registration, perhaps at specific locations, even after the statewide deadline.
In states that have early voting, the dates often vary by county, or can be on weekdays and not weekends.
If your state has no true early voting period, you can likely still drop-off an absentee ballot early.
In short, the voting rules and procedures vary widely, so be sure to check with your state for the most detailed and up-to-date information.
With (lots of) research help by Washington Desk editorial assistant Elena Moore. This map was originally published on Sept. 14.


npr--2020-09-17--As Pandemic Stretches On, Revealing Possible Exposure Can Be Costly To Workers

As Pandemic Stretches On , Revealing Possible Exposure Can Be Costly To Workers Marcie was at work at a Ford plant when she got a text warning her she might have been exposed to the coronavirus .
It was n't a sure thing — she was a few steps removed from the confirmed positive case .
But it was worrying .
`` So am I supposed to leave work ?
Technically I could be positive and not know it , '' said Marcie , who did n't want her last name used because she 's worried about retribution for talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , a lot of people just ca n't do that .
Ca n't just get up and go .
We depend on the forty hours . ''
Marcie is not alone in wondering about how to handle possible exposure to the virus .
It 's one of the key conundrums for U.S. workers as sectors such as the auto industry ramp up production after the pandemic lockdowns .
Employees who ca n't work remotely have to consider not just the risk that they 'll catch the virus at work , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it in their communities and unwittingly spread it to their colleagues .
Fully disclosing potential exposures raises another major risk — that they may be sent home without pay .
Marcie says Ford 's rules on masks and social distancing are followed pretty well , so she generally feels safe at work .
But , like so many other parents , she had to find a solution for child care during this pandemic .
She wound up making a deal with another mom to swap child care duties .
It meant she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created more ways she might be exposed to the virus .
And sure enough , it was because of that expanded bubble that Marcie found herself at work , staring at a text from the other mother suggesting her to go get tested because of a potential indirect exposure .
Adding to her dilemma , she says , was uncertainty about what would happen if she reported the risk or even tested positive .
She said Ford 's policies on quarantines are `` a big mystery . ''
Unionized auto workers have more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but even at union plants , policies on paid quarantines vary .
Fiat Chrysler says they pay workers referred for testing by the automakers ' medical department and `` also may pay '' certain other employees asked to stay home .
Ford says they pay employees who were exposed to the virus , but `` the duration depends on the circumstances , '' while GM says `` each person 's case is different . ''
Workers and local union officials say the policies are often unclear or inconsistent , both in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and whether , or how much , they 're paid while they 're not working .
One worker at a GM plant in Michigan , who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution , told NPR she was sent home after describing a possible exposure that happened outside work .
She waited nearly a week for her negative test result , without pay .
She said she 's worried these unpaid quarantines create an incentive for workers not to disclose their possible exposure , if they know they might end up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GM spokesman said one factor the company considers when deciding whether to pay quarantined workers is if their exposure happened at work .
Meagan Garland is a labor and employment attorney at Duane Morris who advises employers .
She says exposure at work is a special case because it could be a worker 's compensation issue .
But in some other situations , she 'd advise against paying an employee to stay home .
`` [ Employers ] want to be very careful to not do something for one employee that they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it came to it , '' she said , noting that a lot of businesses are struggling right now and ca n't afford to pay for all the employees who could eventually need to quarantine .
She also said companies do n't want to create an incentive for people to exaggerate their risks in order to get paid to stay home .
Still , she said , if companies can afford to pay for all quarantines , they should .
`` Absolutely , '' she said .
`` This is the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you care , and ... that you 're willing to put your money where your where your mouth is . ''
Garland notes that like so many things about the virus , these unpaid quarantines reveal a huge divide .
For people who can work from home , quarantining while waiting for a test result is almost a non-issue .
But if going to work means showing up at a plant , quarantines factor in to an anxious calculation — balancing the risk of spreading the disease against the risk of losing a @ @

As Pandemic Stretches On, Revealing Possible Exposure Can Be Costly To Workers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cindy Ord/Getty Images Cindy Ord/Getty Images
Marcie was at work at a Ford plant when she got a text warning her she might have been exposed to the coronavirus. It wasn't a sure thing — she was a few steps removed from the confirmed positive case. But it was worrying.
"So am I supposed to leave work? Technically I could be positive and not know it," said Marcie, who didn't want her last name used because she's worried about retribution for talking about the plant. "But, you know, a lot of people just can't do that. Can't just get up and go. We depend on the forty hours."
Marcie is not alone in wondering about how to handle possible exposure to the virus.
It's one of the key conundrums for U.S. workers as sectors such as the auto industry ramp up production after the pandemic lockdowns.
Employees who can't work remotely have to consider not just the risk that they'll catch the virus at work, but the possibility that they'll be exposed to it in their communities and unwittingly spread it to their colleagues.
Fully disclosing potential exposures raises another major risk — that they may be sent home without pay.
Marcie says Ford's rules on masks and social distancing are followed pretty well, so she generally feels safe at work.
But, like so many other parents, she had to find a solution for child care during this pandemic. She wound up making a deal with another mom to swap child care duties. It meant she could keep working — but it also created more ways she might be exposed to the virus.
And sure enough, it was because of that expanded bubble that Marcie found herself at work, staring at a text from the other mother suggesting her to go get tested because of a potential indirect exposure.
Adding to her dilemma, she says, was uncertainty about what would happen if she reported the risk or even tested positive. She said Ford's policies on quarantines are "a big mystery."
Unionized auto workers have more job protections than many American workers, but even at union plants, policies on paid quarantines vary.
Fiat Chrysler says they pay workers referred for testing by the automakers' medical department and "also may pay" certain other employees asked to stay home. Ford says they pay employees who were exposed to the virus, but "the duration depends on the circumstances," while GM says "each person's case is different."
Workers and local union officials say the policies are often unclear or inconsistent, both in terms of who gets sent home to quarantine, and whether, or how much, they're paid while they're not working.
One worker at a GM plant in Michigan, who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution, told NPR she was sent home after describing a possible exposure that happened outside work. She waited nearly a week for her negative test result, without pay.
She said she's worried these unpaid quarantines create an incentive for workers not to disclose their possible exposure, if they know they might end up losing pay as a result.
A GM spokesman said one factor the company considers when deciding whether to pay quarantined workers is if their exposure happened at work.
Meagan Garland is a labor and employment attorney at Duane Morris who advises employers. She says exposure at work is a special case because it could be a worker's compensation issue. But in some other situations, she'd advise against paying an employee to stay home.
"[Employers] want to be very careful to not do something for one employee that they cannot then do for the entire workforce if it came to it," she said, noting that a lot of businesses are struggling right now and can't afford to pay for all the employees who could eventually need to quarantine.
She also said companies don't want to create an incentive for people to exaggerate their risks in order to get paid to stay home.
Still, she said, if companies can afford to pay for all quarantines, they should.
"Absolutely," she said. "This is the time to show [employees] how much you care, and ... that you're willing to put your money where your where your mouth is."
Garland notes that like so many things about the virus, these unpaid quarantines reveal a huge divide. For people who can work from home, quarantining while waiting for a test result is almost a non-issue.
But if going to work means showing up at a plant, quarantines factor in to an anxious calculation — balancing the risk of spreading the disease against the risk of losing a paycheck.


npr--2020-09-17--India On Track To Surpass U.S. As Country Worst Affected By COVID-19

India On Track To Surpass U.S. As Country Worst Affected By COVID-19 With nearly 98,000 new coronavirus cases confirmed Thursday , India again broke the record for the highest daily tally of infections for any country since the pandemic began .
It is on track , within weeks , to become the worst-affected country in the world .
On Wednesday , India 's total caseload surpassed 5 million — a number only the United States had so far exceeded .
The U.S. still has more cases overall , some 6.6 million .
But India is where the virus is spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new infections in the past 11 days alone .
Cases had plateaued in Mumbai and New Delhi , India 's two biggest cities , in recent weeks .
But they are climbing again , and spreading fast as well in smaller towns and rural areas , where health care is already scant .
The Health Ministry said Thursday that 1,132 people had died in the previous 24 hours after testing positive for the coronavirus .
According to government figures , 83,198 people have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began .
But a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medically certified , so the real tally may be higher .
India ranks third , behind the U.S. and Brazil , in total confirmed COVID-19 deaths .
India has ramped up its testing to more than 1 million samples per day .
But that 's still low , per capita , for a country of nearly 1.4 billion people , and scientists believe the extent of India 's outbreak may still be underestimated .
Serological studies have shown as many as 1 in 4 Indians already have coronavirus antibodies , suggesting that real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be much higher than confirmed cases indicate .
Back in March , with cases of COVID-19 still low in India , the government imposed the world 's biggest coronavirus lockdown .
The restrictions left hundreds of millions of impoverished laborers stranded in urban centers and industrial zones , with little to eat .
Many starved to death as they tried to walk back to their home villages , sometimes hundreds of miles away .
Their exodus helped spread the virus all over the country .
In late May , the Indian government began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic damage .
Most offices , restaurants and malls have reopened nationwide .
Public transit is running again in many cities , but schools remain shut .
India 's parliament also reopened Monday for the first time in nearly six months .
But at least 25 lawmakers were barred from the chamber after testing positive for the coronavirus .
Despite the reopenings , India 's economy shrank by nearly 24 % last quarter .
On Wednesday , an Indian pharmaceutical company and Russia 's sovereign wealth fund announced a partnership to distribute 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against COVID-19 .
The company , Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy 's Laboratories , said it was conducting phase three trials of the vaccine in India , assessing safety and effectiveness in the general population , to meet the Indian government 's regulatory requirements .
The vaccine had already been approved last month in Russia , drawing international skepticism because Russia had not completed phase three trials .

India On Track To Surpass U.S. As Country Worst Affected By COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images
With nearly 98,000 new coronavirus cases confirmed Thursday, India again broke the record for the highest daily tally of infections for any country since the pandemic began. It is on track, within weeks, to become the worst-affected country in the world.
On Wednesday, India's total caseload surpassed 5 million — a number only the United States had so far exceeded. The U.S. still has more cases overall, some 6.6 million. But India is where the virus is spreading fastest. The country confirmed 1 million new infections in the past 11 days alone.
Cases had plateaued in Mumbai and New Delhi, India's two biggest cities, in recent weeks. But they are climbing again, and spreading fast as well in smaller towns and rural areas, where health care is already scant.
The Health Ministry said Thursday that 1,132 people had died in the previous 24 hours after testing positive for the coronavirus. According to government figures, 83,198 people have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. But a majority of India's deaths are not medically certified, so the real tally may be higher. India ranks third, behind the U.S. and Brazil, in total confirmed COVID-19 deaths.
India has ramped up its testing to more than 1 million samples per day. But that's still low, per capita, for a country of nearly 1.4 billion people, and scientists believe the extent of India's outbreak may still be underestimated.
Serological studies have shown as many as 1 in 4 Indians already have coronavirus antibodies, suggesting that real rates of exposure to the virus may be much higher than confirmed cases indicate.
Back in March, with cases of COVID-19 still low in India, the government imposed the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown. The restrictions left hundreds of millions of impoverished laborers stranded in urban centers and industrial zones, with little to eat. Many starved to death as they tried to walk back to their home villages, sometimes hundreds of miles away. Their exodus helped spread the virus all over the country.
In late May, the Indian government began easing lockdown restrictions to try to alleviate economic damage. Most offices, restaurants and malls have reopened nationwide. Public transit is running again in many cities, but schools remain shut.
India's parliament also reopened Monday for the first time in nearly six months. But at least 25 lawmakers were barred from the chamber after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Despite the reopenings, India's economy shrank by nearly 24% last quarter.
On Wednesday, an Indian pharmaceutical company and Russia's sovereign wealth fund announced a partnership to distribute 100 million doses of an experimental Russian vaccine against COVID-19. The company, Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, said it was conducting phase three trials of the vaccine in India, assessing safety and effectiveness in the general population, to meet the Indian government's regulatory requirements.
The vaccine had already been approved last month in Russia, drawing international skepticism because Russia had not completed phase three trials.


npr--2020-09-18--The Surprising Business Model Behind Guinness World Records

The people behind the Guinness World Records used to make money by , well , selling books .
But with @ @ @ @ @ came a decline in book sales , and so they had to create a new @ @ @ @ @ .
This is the story of how Guinness ( yeah , like the brewery ) @ @ @ @ @ record-breaking , and how one Planet Money intern broke a world record involving the president @ @ @ @ @ Soviet republic .
Listen to the original Planet Money podcast episode here !
And while @ @ @ @ @ follow us on TikTok , and subscribe to our video series and podcast .

The Surprising Business Model Behind Guinness World Records
YouTube
The people behind the Guinness World Records used to make money by, well, selling books. But with the rise of the Internet came a decline in book sales, and so they had to create a new business model — selling publicity.
This is the story of how Guinness (yeah, like the brewery) got into the business of record-breaking, and how one Planet Money intern broke a world record involving the president of Georgia, the former Soviet republic.
Listen to the original Planet Money podcast episode here! And while you're at it, follow us on TikTok, and subscribe to our video series and podcast.