npr--2020-04-01--Coronavirus Forces Ballot Measure Campaigns To Shut Down Amid Health Fears

The sounds of signature gatherers walking door-to-door in many states would normally be just on the horizon as spring comes into bloom .
As the coronavirus began spreading in Washington State in late February , Linda Larson , a volunteer organizer across the border in Idaho for one effort to get on the ballot decided to take precautions to protect her group and the public .
`` All of our volunteers would have an apron with hand sanitizer in the apron and some alcoholic wipes and we were cleaning the pens before we would give them to someone to sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reclaim Idaho , said .
The initiative she and her fellow volunteers were gathering signatures for would have expanded state education funding by raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations .
It needed about 55,000 signatures to get on the November ballot .
Larson even took precautions herself , since she had to notarize each and every one of these petitions .
`` I put all of the petitions in a basket and I would wait 48-hours before I would handle those . ''
But just two days after President Trump 's March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of aggressive social-distancing practices to slow the spread the of the virus , the effort Larson was working on pulled the plug .
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted elections and political campaigns all over the country .
But elections can be rescheduled and conducted by mail .
Campaigns have tried going virtual .
Ballot measures almost completely rely on canvassers to gather thousands of signatures in person in order for an initiative to make it on the ballot .
And the current public health concerns about social interaction have forced ballot measure organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events and door-to-door canvassing become impossible .
`` Everyone was kind of grieving , I guess , over the work that had been put in that , now we are struggling to see a path forward with this election cycle at least , '' said Rebecca Schroeder , the executive director of Reclaim Idaho .
The group was also the driving force behind a ballot measure that expanded Medicaid in Idaho in 2018 .
Once it became clear that it was unsafe for volunteers to pass around petitions in public , Schroeder decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would rather , I think , just go out kicking and screaming and just lose the right way .
You know ?
It is not how anyone wanted it to happen , '' she said .
It 's not a good time to be a ballot initiative organizer in any of the 24 states or Washington , D.C. , where they 're allowed , according to Josh Altic , who tracks ballot measures for the website Ballotpedia .
`` A lot of the states have essentially either shut down signature gathering through stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events are the bread and butter of petition drives , '' Altic said .
Deadlines are fast approaching to turn in petitions , and the tens of thousands of signatures necessary , to put an initiative in front of voters .
Altic says 40 % of states that allow ballot initiatives set their deadlines from now through August .
At least one state is giving these campaigns some reprieve .
Oklahoma has paused the clock on a signature-gathering deadline .
But other states are n't doing much to help out these campaigns so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one which would 've legalized gaming machines and another that would 've established a citizen 's redistricting commission — folded signature gathering efforts in mid-March .
Since then , other campaigns have suspended operations in Arizona , California , Michigan , Nebraska and Oregon .
Reclaim Idaho asked Gov .
Brad Little , a Republican , and state lawmakers to allow voters to sign petitions online — something no state currently allows .
The request was never taken up .
That does n't surprise Altic , who says there 's often friction between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , voters are directly overruling the legislative process .
`` I suspect that there 's not going to be a whole lot of sympathy or a lot of treating this as sort of a political emergency . ''
After Reclaim Idaho suspended its campaign , organizer Linda Larson said she and her fellow volunteers are `` discouraged '' and `` demoralized '' after putting in months of work to try to boost education funding .
`` If our legislators are n't willing to solve it , then OK , fine , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tools to be able to do this , '' she said .
`` That 's all we 're asking . ''
If it were safe to collect signatures , she 'd be back on the streets immediately .
For now , Reclaim Idaho is going back to one of its original missions : trying to help people sign up for Medicaid as the country 's economic outlook gets worse .

Coronavirus Forces Ballot Measure Campaigns To Shut Down Amid Health Fears
Enlarge this image toggle caption James Dawson/Boise State Public Radio James Dawson/Boise State Public Radio
Updated April 6 at 12:49 p.m. ET
The sounds of signature gatherers walking door-to-door in many states would normally be just on the horizon as spring comes into bloom.
As the coronavirus began spreading in Washington state in late February, Linda Larson, a volunteer organizer across the border in Idaho for one effort to get on the ballot, decided to take precautions to protect her group and the public.
"All of our volunteers would have an apron with hand sanitizer in the apron and some alcoholic wipes and we were cleaning the pens before we would give them to someone to sign," Larson, of the group Reclaim Idaho, said.
The initiative she and her fellow volunteers were gathering signatures for would have expanded state education funding by raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations. It needed about 55,000 signatures to get on the November ballot.
Larson even took precautions herself, since she had to notarize each and every one of these petitions. "I put all of the petitions in a basket and I would wait 48 hours before I would handle those," she said.
But just two days after President Trump's March 16 announcement of national guidelines in favor of aggressive social-distancing practices to slow the spread the of the virus, the effort Larson was working on pulled the plug.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted elections and political campaigns all over the country. But elections can be rescheduled and conducted by mail. Campaigns have tried going virtual.
Ballot measures almost completely rely on canvassers to gather thousands of signatures in person in order for an initiative to make it on the ballot. And the current public health concerns about social interaction have forced ballot measure organizers to shut down their efforts as large events and door-to-door canvassing become impossible.
"Everyone was kind of grieving, I guess, over the work that had been put in that, now we are struggling to see a path forward with this election cycle at least," said Rebecca Schroeder, the executive director of Reclaim Idaho. The group was also the driving force behind a ballot measure that expanded Medicaid in Idaho in 2018.
Once it became clear that it was unsafe for volunteers to pass around petitions in public, Schroeder decided to end the campaign.
"I would rather, I think, just go out kicking and screaming and just lose the right way. You know? It is not how anyone wanted it to happen," she said.
It's not a good time to be a ballot initiative organizer in any of the 24 states or Washington, D.C., where they're allowed, according to Josh Altic, who tracks ballot measures for the website Ballotpedia.
"A lot of the states have essentially either shut down signature gathering through stay-at-home orders or there's no events and events are the bread and butter of petition drives," Altic said.
Deadlines are fast approaching to turn in petitions, and the tens of thousands of signatures necessary, to put an initiative in front of voters. Altic says 40% of states that allow ballot initiatives set their deadlines from now through August.
Enlarge this image toggle caption James Dawson/Boise State Public Radio James Dawson/Boise State Public Radio
Some states are giving these campaigns some reprieve.
Oklahoma has paused the clock on a signature-gathering deadline. Colorado granted one campaign a 15-day extension to gather the signatures it needs to qualify for the ballot.
But other states aren't doing much to help out these campaigns so far.
Two groups in Arkansas — one which would've legalized gaming machines and another that would've established a citizen's redistricting commission — folded signature gathering efforts in mid-March.
Since then, other campaigns have suspended operations in Arizona, California, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and Oregon.
Reclaim Idaho asked Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, and state lawmakers to allow voters to sign petitions online — something no state currently allows. The request was never taken up.
Four campaigns in Arizona have filed a petition with the state supreme court to allow them to collect signatures online using the same system political candidates already use to collect signatures.
The lack of interest from state legislatures doesn't surprise Altic, who says there's often friction between organizers and state lawmakers. In some cases, voters are directly overruling the legislative process.
"I suspect that there's not going to be a whole lot of sympathy or a lot of treating this as sort of a political emergency," he said.
After Reclaim Idaho suspended its campaign, organizer Larson said she and her fellow volunteers are "discouraged" and "demoralized" after putting in months of work to try to boost education funding.
"If our legislators aren't willing to solve it, then OK, fine, we'll do this. But give us the tools to be able to do this," she said. "That's all we're asking."
If it were safe to collect signatures, she'd be back on the streets immediately.
For now, Reclaim Idaho is going back to one of its original missions: trying to help people sign up for Medicaid as the country's economic outlook gets worse.


npr--2020-04-01--Underlying Health Disparities Could Mean Coronavirus Hits Some Communities Harder

Underlying Health Disparities Could Mean Coronavirus Hits Some Communities Harder As the coronavirus spreads across the country , millions of Americans already struggling with health and finances — especially those in minority communities — could bear the brunt of it .
New data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that COVID-19 patients with underlying health issues in the United States are more likely to need treatment in a hospital — or even in an intensive care unit .
They are also at higher risk of dying , according to earlier epidemiological data from both China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. are so often linked , the coronavirus could hit low-income populations here much harder , experts say .
The elderly are the hardest hit by the disease , accounting for about 80 % of fatal cases in China and the U.S. , according to CDC data .
But studies have also shown that underlying health issues such as asthma , diabetes and heart disease can also make COVID-19 more dangerous , as the disease taxes already-burdened organs .
More than a third of American adults — or 105 million people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness if they get infected with the coronavirus , according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of CDC data .
For most of them , their age puts them in danger : More than 76 million Americans are 60 or older .
The remaining 29 million people are younger but have underlying health issues .
Age and underlying health issues go hand in hand : COVID-19 has so far been most menacing to older people with underlying illnesses .
But the disease has already killed younger Americans — for example , a 34-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44-year-old Louisiana woman who had unspecified underlying illnesses .
More than three-quarters of the COVID-19 patients who required ICU treatment in the U.S. had underlying health issues , including heart disease , diabetes and chronic lung conditions , according to the new CDC data on 6,600 cases for which underlying conditions and hospitalization status were reported .
Certain underlying conditions were more likely to lead to intensive care in the hospital — for instance , of the COVID-19 patients who had underlying heart disease in that same CDC analysis , 21.5 % landed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the graphic above ?
Click here .
Chinese scientists have also reported that heart disease , nearly as much as age , was a reliable indicator of whether a COVID-19 patient would require advanced medical treatment .
And COVID-19 patients with underlying conditions in China were also more likely to die .
About 10 % of Chinese patients with cardiovascular problems died .
For diabetes patients , the results were similar : More than 7 % died .
That 's compared to 0.9 % of patients with no underlying illness .
Do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Doctors around the world have also reported that some patients with severe COVID-19 were having heart attacks and other heart complications while hospitalized for the coronavirus , though those reports are still anecdotal .
Other viruses that attack the lungs , such as the flu , also affect the heart , says Dr. R. Scott Stephens , who runs an intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore .
So it makes sense that underlying heart disease would make the coronavirus more dangerous .
`` We 're thinking about plans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ?
What are interventions that we can use ? '
'' Stephens says .
`` It 's kind of like you 're on the beach waiting for the wave to hit .
You just do n't know when it 's going to hit and how big it 's going to be . ''
In the U.S. , African Americans are far more likely to have fatal heart conditions than other groups , says Donna Spiegelman , a biostatician and epidemiologist at the Yale School of Medicine .
Researchers worry that this means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disparities in who dies from the coronavirus .
In 2017 , the latest year for which data is available , African Americans died from heart disease at a rate of 208 per 100,000 , while whites died at a rate of 169 per 100,000 .
Other racial and ethnic groups rates were even lower .
`` I would expect there would be racial and ethnic disparities simply based on the disease burden that is already present , '' says Leonard Friedman , a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Click here .
The coronavirus could also exacerbate regional disparities , as heart disease takes a greater toll on some areas of the country than others .
The map above shows that Appalachia , rural northwest Mississippi and eastern Michigan , including Detroit , are among areas with high percentages of Medicare recipients hospitalized for heart disease .
In the U.S. , people who struggle financially often struggle to stay healthy .
The coronavirus could attack their lives at all angles , experts say : They are more likely to have underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of serious complications and death .
They are more likely to have jobs that do not allow them to work from home , increasing their likelihood of being exposed to the virus .
And they are more likely to be underinsured , potentially keeping them from seeking treatment until it 's too late .
`` You start with those underlying conditions , and then each layer of this is just going to magnify that further , '' says Jon Zelner , a University of Michigan epidemiologist .
`` You may see disparities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic , people who lived in Chicago neighborhoods with low literacy rates were more likely to die than people living in neighborhoods with high literacy rates , according to a 2016 study published by the National Academy of Sciences .
`` Whenever there is a disaster , '' says Pinar Keskinocak , a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology who specializes in infectious disease modeling , `` I think unfortunately people with low income and in low-income groups always tend to be the most impacted . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel farther to reach a doctor or a hospital with a ventilator if they find themselves short of breath with the coronavirus , but they are n't the only ones with barriers to accessing health care .
Studies have shown that low-income people in urban areas also struggle to get to their doctor .
`` Low-income populations are going to be hit regardless of where they live , rural or urban , '' says Julie Swann , an industrial engineering professor at North Carolina State University who has helped build models predicting how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not able to get in early enough to get appropriate care , then their situation could escalate , and they could end up in the hospital . ''
Do n't see the graphic above ?
Click here .
But rural areas often do have weaker defenses against public health crises .
The map above shows places the CDC says are more vulnerable to `` stresses on human health '' because of a combination of factors — including poverty , education levels , housing quality and other issues like lack of access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , wide swaths of the South and sparsely populated areas in Alaska stand out as just a few of the places with few tools to fight the coronavirus .
Many rural hospitals have shuttered after years of financial hardship , and the ones that remain open often have small staffs — without the layers of specialized doctors and critical care nurses found at urban hospitals .
`` We can only imagine , but you can think about bringing your mother or grandmother to the emergency room and it being literally filled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours before you 're even seen by somebody , '' says Spiegelman , the Yale epidemiologist .
`` And maybe even some people would even die while they 're waiting . ''

Underlying Health Disparities Could Mean Coronavirus Hits Some Communities Harder
As the coronavirus spreads across the country, millions of Americans already struggling with health and finances — especially those in minority communities — could bear the brunt of it.
New data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-19 patients with underlying health issues in the United States are more likely to need treatment in a hospital — or even in an intensive care unit. They are also at higher risk of dying, according to earlier epidemiological data from both China and the U.S.
Because health and wealth in the U.S. are so often linked, the coronavirus could hit low-income populations here much harder, experts say.
The elderly are the hardest hit by the disease, accounting for about 80% of fatal cases in China and the U.S., according to CDC data.
But studies have also shown that underlying health issues such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease can also make COVID-19 more dangerous, as the disease taxes already-burdened organs.
Whenever there is a disaster, people in low-income groups always tend to be the most impacted.
More than a third of American adults — 105 million people — are at higher risk of serious illness if they get infected with the coronavirus, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of CDC data. For most of them, their age puts them in danger: More than 76 million Americans are 60 or older. The remaining 29 million people are younger but have underlying health issues.
Age and underlying health issues go hand in hand: COVID-19 has so far been most menacing to older people with underlying illnesses. But the disease has already killed younger Americans — for example, a 34-year-old California man who had asthma and a 44-year-old Louisiana woman who had unspecified underlying illnesses.
Weakened already
More than three-quarters of the COVID-19 patients who required ICU treatment in the U.S. had underlying health issues, including heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung conditions, according to the new CDC data on 6,600 cases for which underlying conditions and hospitalization status were reported. Certain underlying conditions were more likely to lead to intensive care in the hospital — for instance, of the COVID-19 patients who had underlying heart disease in that same CDC analysis, 21.5% landed in the ICU.
Loading...
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
Chinese scientists have also reported that heart disease, nearly as much as age, was a reliable indicator of whether a COVID-19 patient would require advanced medical treatment. And COVID-19 patients with underlying conditions in China were also more likely to die. About 10% of Chinese patients with cardiovascular problems died. For diabetes patients, the results were similar: More than 7% died. That's compared with 0.9% of patients with no underlying illness.
Loading...
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
Doctors around the world have also reported that some patients with severe COVID-19 were having heart attacks and other heart complications while hospitalized for the coronavirus, though those reports are still anecdotal.
Other viruses that attack the lungs, such as the flu, also affect the heart, says Dr. R. Scott Stephens, who runs an intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. So it makes sense that underlying heart disease would make the coronavirus more dangerous.
"We're thinking about plans for 'How do we screen patients for this? What are interventions that we can use?'" Stephens says. "It's kind of like you're on the beach waiting for the wave to hit. You just don't know when it's going to hit and how big it's going to be."
In the U.S., African Americans are far more likely to have fatal heart conditions than other groups, says Donna Spiegelman, a biostatistician and epidemiologist at the Yale School of Medicine. Researchers worry that this means the U.S. could end up with noticeable disparities in who dies from the coronavirus.
In 2017, the latest year for which data are available, African Americans died from heart disease at a rate of 208 per 100,000, while whites died at a rate of 169 per 100,000. Other racial and ethnic groups' rates were even lower.
"I would expect there would be racial and ethnic disparities simply based on the disease burden that is already present," says Leonard Friedman, a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University.
Loading...
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
The coronavirus could also exacerbate regional disparities, as heart disease takes a greater toll on some areas of the country than others. The map above shows that Appalachia, rural northwest Mississippi and eastern Michigan, including Detroit, are among areas with high percentages of Medicare recipients hospitalized for heart disease.
Low-income health struggles
In the U.S., people who struggle financially often struggle to stay healthy. The coronavirus could attack their lives at all angles, experts say: They are more likely to have underlying health issues, putting them at higher risk of serious complications and death. They are more likely to have jobs that do not allow them to work from home, increasing their likelihood of being exposed to the virus. And they are more likely to be underinsured, potentially keeping them from seeking treatment until it's too late.
"You start with those underlying conditions, and then each layer of this is just going to magnify that further," says Jon Zelner, a University of Michigan epidemiologist. "You may see disparities in who dies and who becomes ill."
During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, people who lived in Chicago neighborhoods with low literacy rates were more likely to die than people living in neighborhoods with high literacy rates, according to a 2016 study published by the National Academy of Sciences.
"Whenever there is a disaster," says Pinar Keskinocak, a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology who specializes in infectious disease modeling, "I think unfortunately people with low income and in low-income groups always tend to be the most impacted."
People in rural areas may have to travel farther to reach a doctor or a hospital with a ventilator if they find themselves short of breath with the coronavirus, but they aren't the only ones with barriers to accessing health care. Studies have shown that low-income people in urban areas also struggle to get to their doctor.
"Low-income populations are going to be hit regardless of where they live, rural or urban," says Julie Swann, an industrial engineering professor at North Carolina State University who has helped build models predicting how pandemics could spread. "If someone is not able to get in early enough to get appropriate care, then their situation could escalate, and they could end up in the hospital."
Loading...
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
But rural areas often do have weaker defenses against public health crises. The map above shows places the CDC says are more vulnerable to "stresses on human health" because of a combination of factors — including poverty, education levels, housing quality and other issues like lack of access to transportation.
Counties along the border with Mexico, wide swaths of the South and sparsely populated areas in Alaska stand out as just a few of the places with few tools to fight the coronavirus.
Many rural hospitals have shuttered after years of financial hardship, and the ones that remain open often have small staffs — without the layers of specialized doctors and critical care nurses found at urban hospitals.
"We can only imagine, but you can think about bringing your mother or grandmother to the emergency room and it being literally filled with people and having to wait outside for hours before you're even seen by somebody," says Spiegelman, the Yale epidemiologist. "And maybe even some people would even die while they're waiting."


npr--2020-04-01--Some Snowbirds Headed North Told To Stay In Their Southern Nests

Some Snowbirds Headed North Told To Stay In Their Southern Nests Mike Herrick and his wife Jane have been heading from their home on Lake Superior in Herbster , Wis. , to Tuscon , Ariz. , for the last 11 winters .
They were hoping to come home at the end of April .
Then , Herrick discovered local officials had asked some homeowners not to return .
If they could n't leave , he wondered if his landlord would charge them rent to stay longer .
`` It 's expensive to live here on a rental basis , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things took a turn for the worse , where you are advised not to travel at all ?
I do n't think we 'd have an option then , we 're going to have to stay here . ''
As coronavirus cases surge , some snowbird residents who exchange the warmth of the south for the isolation of their homes up north want to come home .
But , officials in their states are telling seasonal and second-home owners now might not be the time to return .
Wisconsin residents such as Herrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are urged to stay away .
State officials say anyone who returns should isolate themselves for two weeks .
Steve McHugh and his wife Mary have been under self-quarantine at their house on Wisconsin 's Madeline Island after driving 26 hours north from their rental home in Venice , Fla. '' And , we 're basically locked down outside of doing the daily walk , '' he said .
McHugh is taking it in stride .
He 's even sharing scenes of the island on social media for others stuck indoors .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , officials in North Haven , Maine , recently barred travel for seasonal and second-home owners .
They make up 85 % of the town 's tax base , according to Jon Demmons , chairperson of the North Haven Select Board .
`` It 's a tough position , you know , to be like , 'Well , we really do n't want you to come in , but we really want you to come , ' '' he said .
The board changed its order to a request after complaints from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only has one small clinic and an influx of thousands of seasonal residents worries him .
Maine 's Gov .
Janet Mills has said if people think they can escape the virus by fleeing north , think again .
`` They can not escape it because it is here , '' Mills said .
`` It is everywhere . ''
Governors in Wisconsin and Minnesota have banned unnecessary travel , ordering people to stay home .
Dennis Rysdahl , CEO of Bluefin Bay Family Resorts on Minnesota 's North Shore , said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said some seasonal homeowners are still planning to return .
`` A lot of people feel it 's safer here because it 's so uncrowded , '' Rysdahl said .
Marlys Graff and her husband Dick usually head to their seasonal home in northern Wisconsin from Titusville , Fla. , by early May .
Now , their plans are on hold .
She hopes not to spend the summer in Florida .
`` We really do n't want to be here .
But we 're not worrying about that yet , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing is day to day .
Everything changes day to day . ''

Some Snowbirds Headed North Are Being Told To Stay In Their Southern Nests
Enlarge this image Vicki Jauron/Babylon and Beyond via Getty Images Vicki Jauron/Babylon and Beyond via Getty Images
Mike Herrick and his wife, Jane, have been heading from their home on Lake Superior in Herbster, Wis., to Tucson, Ariz., for the past 11 winters. They were hoping to return home at the end of April. Then Herrick discovered that local officials had asked some homeowners not to return.
If they couldn't leave, he wondered if his landlord would charge them rent to stay longer.
"It's expensive to live here on a rental basis," said Herrick. "But if things took a turn for the worse, where you are advised not to travel at all? I don't think we'd have an option then; we're going to have to stay here."
Massachusetts Asks All Travelers Into State To Self-Quarantine, As Case Load Nears 5,000 Massachusetts Asks All Travelers Into State To Self-Quarantine, As Case Load Nears 5,000 Listen · 2:39 2:39
As coronavirus cases surge, some snowbird residents who exchange the warmth of the South for the isolation of their homes up North want to go home. But officials in their states are telling seasonal and second-home owners that now might not be the time to return.
Wisconsin residents such as Herrick can head home, but part-time residents are urged to stay away. State officials say anyone who returns should isolate themselves for two weeks.
Steve McHugh and his wife, Mary, have been under self-quarantine at their house on Wisconsin's Madeline Island after driving 26 hours north from their rental home in Venice, Fla.
"And we're basically locked down outside of doing the daily walk," he said.
McHugh is taking it in stride. He's even sharing scenes of the island on social media for others stuck indoors.
On another island more than 1,000 miles away, officials in North Haven, Maine, recently barred travel for seasonal and second-home owners. They make up 85% of the town's tax base, according to Jon Demmons, chairperson of the North Haven Select Board.
"It's a tough position, you know, to be like, 'Well, we really don't want you to come in, but we really want you to come,' " he said.
National A Resort Town Becomes A COVID-19 Hot Spot, And Says: Stay Away A Resort Town Becomes A COVID-19 Hot Spot, And Says: Stay Away Listen · 4:05 4:05
The board changed its order to a request after complaints from outside residents. But the island has only one small clinic, and an influx of thousands of seasonal residents worries him.
Maine's Gov. Janet Mills has said that if people think they can escape the virus by fleeing North, think again.
"They cannot escape it because it is here," Mills said. "It is everywhere."
Governors in Wisconsin and Minnesota have banned unnecessary travel, ordering people to stay home.
Dennis Rysdahl, CEO of Bluefin Bay Family Resorts on Minnesota's North Shore, said his company manages about 100 homes. He said some seasonal homeowners are still planning to return.
"A lot of people feel it's safer here because it's so uncrowded," Rysdahl said.
Marlys Graff and her husband, Dick, usually head to their seasonal home in northern Wisconsin from Titusville, Fla., by early May. Now their plans are on hold. She hopes not to spend the summer in Florida.
"We really don't want to be here. But we're not worrying about that yet," she said. "Really, this whole thing is day to day. Everything changes day to day."


npr--2020-04-01--Tips From Someone With 50 Years Of Social Distancing Experience

Tips From Someone With 50 Years Of Social Distancing Experience '' The snow 's going sideways , it 's swirling , '' said Billy Barr , from the abandoned silver mine he lives in at nearly 10,000 feet in altitude in the Rocky Mountains .
We 're all social distancing these days , and it 's unclear when exactly that will end .
But Barr has been doing this for almost 50 years .
He 's the only full-time resident of Gothic , Colo. '' I 'm the mayor and chief of police , '' he said .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't tell anybody when they are , so it works out really well . ''
Barr has tips on social distancing , but he 's the first to say they may well be entirely useless .
`` When I first got here , it was a relief for me to be on my own , but that 's not necessarily what a healthy person does — isolate themself , '' he said .
`` I mean , I 'm good at it and I do it because I like it , but what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It quite conceivably would n't work for anybody else . ''
While Barr 's been called a hermit , he does n't consider himself one .
He occasionally interacts with skiers who pass through , he talks to his sister on the phone , and he works for the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory nearby , which gets flooded with scientists in the summer .
But the man has been living alone in a cabin in the mountains for many years and in the winter months he can go many days without seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 outbreak ?
`` Yeah , I mean this is no change for me , '' he said .
`` I come into winter with almost all my food already in . ''
So , without further ado , here are five recommendations for the Billy Barr method of social distancing .
1 .
Keep track of something .
Each day , Barr tracks the weather for a number of groups including the Colorado Avalanche Information Center .
He started measuring snow levels in the 1970s , mostly because he was bored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Barr , who has skied through snow `` going sideways '' and `` swirling '' to talk on the phone from the laboratory .
`` It controlled what I did and so I would write it all down . ''
He 'd also write down when he saw an animal .
`` With the birds , especially the ones that arrive in the spring , it was exciting , '' he said .
`` It was like , 'Oh my goodness , it 's sunrise and I can hear robins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that were important to his daily life had real value .
As The Atlantic has written and the documentary The Snow Guardian has shown , his records have informed dozens of studies on climate change .
In the era of COVID-19 , he suggests tracking what you can — or ca n't — find at the grocery store .
Or , better yet , participating in some citizen science , like a project called CoCoRaHS that tracks rainfall across the country .
`` I would definitely recommend people doing that , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little rain gauge , put it outside and you 're part of a network where there 's thousands of other people doing the same thing as you , the same time of the day as you 're doing it .
It 's very interesting . ''
Barr starts early .
He wakes up around 3:30 a.m. or 4 a.m. , and stays in bed until about 5 a.m. '' Up until a week or two ago , I would listen to the news every morning so that I could start every day either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always a good way to start the day , '' he said .
`` Now with the whole COVID and with politics and stuff , '' he said he just ca n't anymore .
So , he listens to old-time radio instead .
Then it 's time to clear the snow off his solar panels and file weather reports to a bunch of different agencies .
The rest of the day involves work and chores interspersed with skiing .
`` I kind of follow a set time schedule , '' said Barr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , but I know what time it is . ''
Most importantly , he said , is leaving a reward for the end of the day .
He 'll read , knit something , watch a movie , and then watch a game of cricket .
`` It 's pretty much the same day after day .
Most of it I enjoy , '' he said .
Notably absent from his daily routine : keeping a personal journal .
He said he used to , for about a decade or so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
`` And it was so boring .
It 's like , 'OK enough already .
Let me go watch some paint dry . '
'' 3 .
Celebrate the stuff that matters , rather than the stuff you 're supposed to celebrate .
Barr has mostly ditched holidays and birthdays , but he does celebrate Jan. 17 , when sunrise goes back to what it was on the solstice .
`` To me that 's a big deal because I get up so early in the morning that the lighter it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot easier , '' he said .
He also celebrates when he gets back from skiing eight miles each way into the town of Crested Butte for supplies .
`` Town can be kind of stressful , '' he said .
`` So I save my favorite movies and I save my favorite meals and I save things to do so when I ski back from town and I 'm home , it 's like , 'Woohoo ! '
Big party time . ''
Sometimes , Barr said , it 's kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I do get sick and tired of snow but I like kidding about it .
I live in an area where people live for snow , but I 'm not that carried away with it , so I like being grumpy about it , '' Barr said .
`` You get older and you start saying 'OK , I 'm not going to necessarily be pleasant when I do n't feel pleasant . '
'' These days , Barr is feeling especially unpleasant .
`` Ironically I have been in contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
That was eight days ago , '' he said .
And then the guy got sick .
`` I do n't know what he has , but for the last week , I 've been sitting around wondering If I 'm going to get it , '' Barr said .
( Another week has passed since this interview . )
Which brings us to his final tip ... '' If I 'm really stressed I might watch an animated movie , something cute and funny that takes my mind off it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can reverse that , '' he said .
`` My tastes are reasonably fluff-oriented , '' he said .
Movies like Pandemic or The Shining ?
Hard pass .
`` The Princess Bride is my pretty much favorite movie .
I like Hugh Grant stuff , like Love Actually , Notting Hill . ''
He also recommends Bollywood movies like Om Shanti Om , Bride and Prejudice and English Vinglish .
`` They 're colorful .
They 're pretty , there 's good music and stuff , '' he said .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll only watch under certain circumstances .
I save them for that . ''
Here are the 357 movies at the top of his list .
About 20 years ago , Barr added a movie room onto his cabin .
It has a projector , carpeted walls , and three chairs .
`` I have a nice chair for me and I have two other chairs with the idea that I 'd invite people up , '' he said .
`` And I never do . ''
This story was produced by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Wyoming Public Media , Boise State Public Radio in Idaho , KUER in Salt Lake City , KUNR in Nevada , the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana , and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado .
Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting .

Tips From Someone With Nearly 50 Years Of Social Distancing Experience
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Billy Barr Courtesy of Billy Barr
We're all social distancing these days, and it's unclear when exactly that will end. But Billy Barr has been doing this for almost 50 years. He's the only full-time resident of Gothic, Colo.
"I'm the mayor and chief of police," he said. "I hold elections every year, but I don't tell anybody when they are, so it works out really well."
He lives in an abandoned silver mine at nearly 10,000 feet in altitude in the Rocky Mountains. "The snow's going sideways, it's swirling," Billy Barr said of the local weather.
Barr has tips on social distancing, but he's the first to say they may well be entirely useless.
"When I first got here, it was a relief for me to be on my own, but that's not necessarily what a healthy person does — isolate themself," he said. "I mean, I'm good at it and I do it because I like it, but what works for me, it works for me. It quite conceivably wouldn't work for anybody else."
While Barr has been called a hermit, he doesn't consider himself one. He occasionally interacts with skiers who pass through, he talks to his sister on the phone, and he works for the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory nearby, which gets flooded with scientists in the summer.
But the man has been living alone in a cabin in the mountains for many years, and in the winter months, he can go many days without seeing a soul. So staying home during the COVID-19 outbreak?
Your Health The Choices Listeners Are Making During The Time Of Social Distancing The Choices Listeners Are Making During The Time Of Social Distancing 8:07
"Yeah, I mean this is no change for me," he said. "I come into winter with almost all my food already in."
So, without further ado, here are five recommendations for the Billy Barr method of social distancing.
1. Keep track of something.
Each day, Barr tracks the weather for a number of groups including the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. He started measuring snow levels in the 1970s, mostly because he was bored.
"Everything depends on the weather," said Barr, who has skied through that "sideways" and "swirling" snow to talk on the phone from the laboratory. "It controlled what I did and so I would write it all down."
He would also write down when he saw an animal.
"With the birds, especially the ones that arrive in the spring, it was exciting," he said. "It was like, 'Oh my goodness, it's sunrise and I can hear robins.' "
Turns out, monitoring things that were important to his daily life had real value. As The Atlantic has written and the documentary The Snow Guardian has shown, his records have informed dozens of studies on climate change.
Day's Edge Productions YouTube
In the era of COVID-19, he suggests tracking what you can — or can't — find at the grocery store. Or, better yet, participating in some citizen science, like a project called CoCoRaHS that tracks rainfall across the country.
"I would definitely recommend people doing that," he said. "You get a little rain gauge, put it outside and you're part of a network where there's thousands of other people doing the same thing as you, the same time of the day as you're doing it. It's very interesting."
2. Keep a routine.
Barr starts early. He wakes up around 3:30 a.m. or 4 a.m., and stays in bed until about 5 a.m.
"Up until a week or two ago, I would listen to the news every morning so that I could start every day either totally depressed or furious. That's always a good way to start the day," he said.
"Now with the whole COVID and with politics and stuff," he said he just can't anymore. So, he listens to old-time radio instead.
Then it's time to clear the snow off his solar panels and file weather reports to a bunch of different agencies. The rest of the day involves work and chores interspersed with skiing.
"I kind of follow a set time schedule," said Barr. "Sometimes I forget what day it is, but I know what time it is."
Most importantly, he said, is leaving a reward for the end of the day. He'll read, knit something, watch a movie and then watch a game of cricket.
"It's pretty much the same day after day. Most of it I enjoy," he said.
Notably absent from his daily routine: keeping a personal journal. He said he used to, for about a decade or so, but then he went back and read it. "And it was so boring. It's like, 'OK enough already. Let me go watch some paint dry.' "
3. Celebrate the stuff that matters, rather than the stuff you're supposed to celebrate.
Barr has mostly ditched holidays and birthdays, but he does celebrate Jan. 17, when sunrise goes back to what it was on the solstice.
"To me, that's a big deal because I get up so early in the morning that the lighter it gets, earlier, makes my day a lot easier," he said.
He also celebrates when he gets back from skiing 8 miles each way into the town of Crested Butte for supplies.
"Town can be kind of stressful," he said. "So I save my favorite movies and I save my favorite meals and I save things to do so when I ski back from town and I'm home, it's like, 'Woohoo!' Big party time."
4. Embrace the grumpiness.
Sometimes, Barr said, it's kind of satisfying to be grumpy about something.
"I do get sick and tired of snow, but I like kidding about it. I live in an area where people live for snow, but I'm not that carried away with it, so I like being grumpy about it," Barr said. "You get older and you start saying 'OK, I'm not going to necessarily be pleasant when I don't feel pleasant.' "
These days, Barr is feeling especially unpleasant.
"Ironically, I have been in contact with one person in the last nine days. That was eight days ago," he said.
And then the guy got sick.
"I don't know what he has, but for the last week, I've been sitting around wondering If I'm going to get it," Barr said. (Another week has passed since this interview.)
Which brings us to his final tip...
5. Use movies as a mood adjuster.
"If I'm really stressed I might watch an animated movie, something cute and funny that takes my mind off it. If I'm depressed, I can reverse that," he said.
"My tastes are reasonably fluff-oriented," he said. Movies like Pandemic or The Shining? Hard pass. "The Princess Bride is my pretty much favorite movie. I like Hugh Grant stuff, like Love Actually, Notting Hill."
He also recommends Bollywood movies like Om Shanti Om, Bride and Prejudice and English Vinglish.
"They're colorful. They're pretty, there's good music and stuff," he said. "I have a list of favorites that I'll only watch under certain circumstances. I save them for that."
Here are the 357 movies at the top of his list.
About 20 years ago, Barr added a movie room onto his cabin. It has a projector, carpeted walls, and three chairs.
"I have a nice chair for me and I have two other chairs with the idea that I'd invite people up," he said. "And I never do."
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.


npr--2020-03-31--Feds Warn Merchants Against Coronavirus Treatment Claims

Health scams are popping up as the coronavirus health crisis grows around the country , according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission .
The agencies warn about the proliferation of fraudulent products that claim to test for coronavirus and prevent or cure COVID-19 .
The FDA has sent warning letters to seven manufacturers of therapy products including essential oils , nasal sprays and herbal concoctions .
The claims for these products not only violate federal law , but are a threat to public health .
Immigrant populations seem to be a target , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scammers know that ethnic groups who may not speak or read English well , or who hold certain cultural beliefs , can be easy targets .
For example , Native Americans , Latinos , Asians and Africans may have a long tradition of turning to more herbal or so-called 'natural ' remedies , '' says Kahn .
Leah Braun is a family physician at La Clínica del Pueblo which caters to Latinos in the Maryland and Washington , D.C. , area .
She says the current crisis is worrisome , because `` in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use home remedies or nonprescription medications for the treatment of common illnesses . ''
She says she advises patients `` to use caution any time they receive advertising about nonprescribed medications and to always contact their primary care doctor before taking any treatment . ''
The list of manufacturers who have received FDA warning letters include : Vital Silver , Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd. , Xephyr , LLC doing business as N-Ergetics , GuruNanda , LLC , Vivify Holistic Clinic , Herbal Amy LLC and The Jim Bakker Show .
In a letter sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` The FDA has determined that your website offers `` Coronavirus Protocol '' products ( Coronavirus Boneset Tea , Coronavirus Cell Protection , Coronavirus Core tincture , Coronavirus Immune System , and Elderberry Tincture ) for sale in the United States and that these products are intended to mitigate , prevent , treat , diagnose , or cure COVID-191 in people . ''
At least one of these businesses , Vivify Holistic Clinic , has shut down its online shop .
Commissioner Stephen Hahn warns , `` We have an aggressive surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health fraud products , especially during a significant public health issue such as this one . ''
There is growing anxiety about coronavirus that creates demand , but the FDA has not approved a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 – and there are limited test kits available .

Feds Warn Merchants Against Coronavirus Treatment Claims
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Health scams are popping up as the coronavirus crisis grows around the country, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.
The agencies warn about the proliferation of fraudulent products that claim to test for the coronavirus and prevent or cure COVID-19. The FDA has sent warning letters to seven manufacturers of therapy products including essential oils, nasal sprays and herbal concoctions.
The claims made by these products not only violate federal law, but are a threat to public health. Immigrant populations seem to be a target, says FDA spokesperson Jeremy Kahn.
"These scammers know that ethnic groups who may not speak or read English well, or who hold certain cultural beliefs, can be easy targets. For example, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians and Africans may have a long tradition of turning to more herbal or so-called 'natural' remedies," says Kahn.
Dr. Leah Braun is a family physician at La Clínica del Pueblo, which caters to Latinos in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., area. She says the current crisis is worrisome, because "in our community it is very common to use home remedies or nonprescription medications for the treatment of common illnesses." She says she advises patients "to use caution any time they receive advertising about nonprescribed medications and to always contact their primary care doctor before taking any treatment."
The list of manufacturers who have received FDA warning letters include: Vital Silver; Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd.; Xephyr LLC doing business as N-Ergetics; GuruNanda LLC; Vivify Holistic Clinic; Herbal Amy Inc.; and The Jim Bakker Show.
In a letter sent to Herbal Amy Inc., the agency writes, "The FDA has determined that your website offers "Coronavirus Protocol" products (Coronavirus Boneset Tea, Coronavirus Cell Protection, Coronavirus Core tincture, Coronavirus Immune System, and Elderberry Tincture) for sale in the United States and that these products are intended to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-191 in people."
At least one of these businesses, Vivify Holistic Clinic, has shut down its online shop.
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn warns, "We have an aggressive surveillance program that routinely monitors online sources for health fraud products, especially during a significant public health issue such as this one."
There is growing anxiety about the coronavirus that creates demand, but the FDA has not approved a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 — and there are limited test kits available.


npr--2020-03-31--Cruise Ship Struggling With COVID-19 Headed To Florida

A cruise ship with four dead and nearly 200 people who have been sick with suspected COVID-19 may be allowed to dock in Fort Lauderdale , Fla .
The Holland America ship Zaandam has been denied permission to disembark passengers by several countries .
Executives with the cruise line 's parent company , Carnival , are working with the Coast Guard , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and local officials in Florida 's Broward County on a plan that would allow healthy passengers to disembark .
Holland America says a combined 1,243 passengers and 1,247 crew are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Rotterdam .
Holland America sent the Rotterdam to bring medical personnel and supplies to the Zaandam last week after dozens became sick and four elderly passengers died .
A number of elderly , but healthy passengers considered at risk were moved to the Rotterdam .
Both ships went through the Panama Canal earlier this week .
Under the plan Carnival is discussing with Broward County officials , the company would charter planes and buses to take healthy passengers directly from the port in Fort Lauderdale to their destinations .
Among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carnival says there were 250 Canadians , 120 Australians , plus passengers from Ireland , the United Kingdom and other European countries .
Although nearly 120 crew members and 76 guests have been sick with flu-like symptoms , Carnival vice-president Bill Burke says at least 60 have totally recovered .
Seven people are sick enough that they 're being treated in the ship 's medical center .
Two are so sick , the company has asked Mexico for permission to take them there for treatment .
Burke said Mexico has refused .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , `` We are coming to the place of last resort .
Now , I hope that those two people we would like to medivac today to Mexico will survive the couple day transit . ''
The commission deferred action until a plan is finalized that gives the county assurances sick passengers and crewmembers from the Zaandam wo n't be a burden on area hospitals .
Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich says once the plan is finalized , the ship should be allowed to dock .
She said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many countries , one after the other .
We are their last hope .
What are we going to do ?
Let the ship go back out to sea and just float around and let people die ?
I do n't think so . ''
The Zaandam is expected to arrive Thursday .
Carnival says another of its cruise ships , the Coral Princess , is due to arrive in Fort Lauderdale Saturday .
It also has sick people on board .

Cruise Ship Struggling With COVID-19 Headed To Florida
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images
A cruise ship with four dead and nearly 200 people who have been sick with suspected COVID-19 may be allowed to dock in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Holland America ship Zaandam has been denied permission to disembark passengers by several countries.
Executives with the cruise line's parent company, Carnival, are working with the Coast Guard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and local officials in Florida's Broward County on a plan that would allow healthy passengers to disembark.
Holland America says a combined 1,243 passengers and 1,247 crew are aboard the Zaandam and a sister ship, the Rotterdam. Holland America sent the Rotterdam to bring medical personnel and supplies to the Zaandam last week after dozens became sick and four elderly passengers died. A number of elderly, but healthy passengers considered at risk were moved to the Rotterdam. Both ships went through the Panama Canal earlier this week.
Under the plan Carnival is discussing with Broward County officials, the company would charter planes and buses to take healthy passengers directly from the port in Fort Lauderdale to their destinations. Among the many foreign passengers on the cruise, Carnival says there were 250 Canadians, 120 Australians, plus passengers from Ireland, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
Although nearly 120 crew members and 76 guests have been sick with flu-like symptoms, Carnival vice president Bill Burke says at least 60 have totally recovered. Seven people are sick enough that they're being treated in the ship's medical center. Two are so sick, the company has asked Mexico for permission to take them there for treatment. Burke said Mexico has refused. Speaking in person at the County Commission meeting, he said, "We are coming to the place of last resort. Now, I hope that those two people we would like to medevac today to Mexico will survive the couple-day transit."
The commission deferred action until a plan is finalized that gives the county assurances sick passengers and crew members from the Zaandam won't be a burden on area hospitals. Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich says once the plan is finalized, the ship should be allowed to dock. She said, "These people have been turned away from so many countries, one after the other. We are their last hope. What are we going to do? Let the ship go back out to sea and just float around and let people die? I don't think so."
The Zaandam is expected to arrive Thursday. Carnival says another of its cruise ships, the Coral Princess, is due to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. It also has sick people on board.


npr--2020-03-31--Justice Department Looking Into Senator's Stock Sell-Off

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr sold off a large amount of stocks before the coronavirus market crash , and now the Justice Department is looking into his statements around this time period , NPR can report .
Media outlets including CNN , The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press have also reported that the FBI has reached out to Burr to assess whether he made stock sales based on nonpublic information .
NPR first broke news of a secret recording in which Burr , R-N.C. , privately warned well-connected constituents in February about how bad the coronavirus crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator dumped up to $ 1.7 million in stocks , while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand a pandemic .
An insider trading investigation hinges on whether a person made stock transactions based on relevant private information .
As chairman of the Intelligence Committee and a member of the Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee , Burr may have received private information about the coming pandemic .
`` Was [ that information ] something that you and I , if we were shareholders of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be considered significant at the time ? ''
said Doug Davison , a former Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement lawyer , laying out a key question that investigators would have .
`` The investigation needs to be surgical in the sense that you need to really focus like a laser on what information was provided to the Congress folks .
Was it material ?
Was it nonpublic ? ''
Burr 's stock transactions — 33 on a single day : Feb. 13 — present a unique challenge for investigators because he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as chair of the Intelligence Committee , the senator may have been privy to classified information , which complicates an investigation .
Second , as a senator , Burr may be able to cite the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution , which gives lawmakers protections related to their official duties .
`` It 's a provision in the Constitution that is designed to give members of Congress freedom to debate , deliberate , to speak without fear of intimidation or threats from the executive branch , '' said Katie Goldstein , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ securities fraud in the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the Southern District of New York .
`` There could potentially be litigation over ... briefing materials that may have been provided to senators or congressmen .
If it was provided for the purpose of their committee work or introducing legislation , you could see litigation being raised as a shield [ from ] having to produce those kinds of materials . ''
Third , insider trading investigations typically center on a single company and specific information .
The information Burr received may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sell-off involved a broad unloading of stocks across numerous economic sectors .
`` It 's not prohibitive in terms of making a case , but it certainly is harder when it is generalized information like that , '' said Joon Kim , the former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York .
But Kim added that these types of challenges are generally not the main focus of investigators .
`` The DOJ and SEC do n't go into investigations saying , 'Oh , this is ... going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , ' `` Kim told NPR .
`` You go in saying , 'Is there something here that deserves investigation ? '
...
It seems like they have concluded that it does deserve investigation . ''
And Goldstein explained that there are ways investigators could handle issues like classified information or the Speech or Debate Clause : by finding information that showed a subject 's state of mind when that person made stock transactions , such as `` an email that someone sends to someone else or a text message or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third party like their broker or a friend .
... With a court order or by finding the right person to interview , the government can get their hands on [ that information ] . ''
Burr has previously said he made all of his trading decisions based on public information he learned from watching CNBC .
`` The law is clear that any American — including a Senator — may participate in the stock market based on public information , as Senator Burr did , '' Burr 's lawyer , Alice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Senator Burr welcomes a thorough review of the facts in this matter , which will establish that his actions were appropriate . ''
Burr has also asked for the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate his conduct .
That secretive committee did not respond to an NPR inquiry .
Both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department declined to comment .

Justice Department Looking Into Senator's Stock Sell-Off
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr sold off a large amount of stocks before the coronavirus market crash, and now the Justice Department is looking into his statements around this time period, NPR can report.
Media outlets including CNN, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press have also reported that the FBI has reached out to Burr to assess whether he made stock sales based on nonpublic information.
NPR first broke news of a secret recording in which Burr, R-N.C., privately warned well-connected constituents in February about how bad the coronavirus crisis would become.
ProPublica then reported that the senator dumped up to $1.7 million in stocks, while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand a pandemic.
An insider trading investigation hinges on whether a person made stock transactions based on relevant private information.
As chairman of the Intelligence Committee and a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Burr may have received private information about the coming pandemic.
"Was [that information] something that you and I, if we were shareholders of that company, would have reasonably expected it to be considered significant at the time?" said Doug Davison, a former Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement lawyer, laying out a key question that investigators would have. "The investigation needs to be surgical in the sense that you need to really focus like a laser on what information was provided to the Congress folks. Was it material? Was it nonpublic?"
Burr's stock transactions — 33 on a single day: Feb. 13 — present a unique challenge for investigators because he is a member of Congress.
First, as chair of the Intelligence Committee, the senator may have been privy to classified information, which complicates an investigation.
Second, as a senator, Burr may be able to cite the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution, which gives lawmakers protections related to their official duties.
"It's a provision in the Constitution that is designed to give members of Congress freedom to debate, deliberate, to speak without fear of intimidation or threats from the executive branch," said Katie Goldstein, who formerly headed up the investigations into securities fraud in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. "There could potentially be litigation over ... briefing materials that may have been provided to senators or congressmen. If it was provided for the purpose of their committee work or introducing legislation, you could see litigation being raised as a shield [from] having to produce those kinds of materials."
Third, insider trading investigations typically center on a single company and specific information. The information Burr received may have been about general economic concerns, and his sell-off involved a broad unloading of stocks across numerous economic sectors.
"It's not prohibitive in terms of making a case, but it certainly is harder when it is generalized information like that," said Joon Kim, the former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
But Kim added that these types of challenges are generally not the main focus of investigators.
"The DOJ and SEC don't go into investigations saying, 'Oh, this is ... going to be challenging, so let's not do it,' " Kim told NPR. "You go in saying, 'Is there something here that deserves investigation?' ... It seems like they have concluded that it does deserve investigation."
And Goldstein explained that there are ways investigators could handle issues like classified information or the Speech or Debate Clause: by finding information that showed a subject's state of mind when that person made stock transactions, such as "an email that someone sends to someone else or a text message or a phone call that ... someone has with a third party like their broker or a friend. ... With a court order or by finding the right person to interview, the government can get their hands on [that information]."
Burr has previously said he made all of his trading decisions based on public information he learned from watching CNBC.
"The law is clear that any American — including a Senator — may participate in the stock market based on public information, as Senator Burr did," Burr's lawyer, Alice Fisher, emphasized in a statement. "Senator Burr welcomes a thorough review of the facts in this matter, which will establish that his actions were appropriate."
Burr has also asked for the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate his conduct. That secretive committee did not respond to an NPR inquiry.
Both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department declined to comment.


npr--2020-03-31--FACT CHECK: Trump Praises Florida Governor Despite Criticism Of Coronavirus Response

During Tuesday 's White House press briefing , President Trump said Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis is `` a great governor , '' who `` knows exactly what he 's doing '' in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Vice President Mike Pence added to the DeSantis accolades , saying the Republican governor has `` been taking decisive steps from early on . ''
But according to public health experts , thousands of heath care workers and a pending lawsuit , DeSantis ' leadership has been woefully inadequate .
Florida is in the grip of an intensifying coronavirus outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 more confirmed cases , bringing the Sunshine State 's total infections to more than 6,700 .
Officials say 85 Floridians have died of COVID-19 .
Florida is one of the few states with a large number of infections that still has not ordered residents statewide to remain indoors .
DeSantis has issued a `` safer at home '' order covering four South Florida counties that is in effect until April 15 .
But that measure falls well short of the White House task force 's own guidance that is now urging all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shut down and travel be greatly restricted for the next 30 days at least .
The first coronavirus cases were detected in Florida on March 1 , yet public health experts say DeSantis ' actions were anything but `` decisive steps '' taken `` early on . ''
As thousands of spring breakers flocked to Florida , DeSantis generated criticism not refusing to close beaches around the state .
Governors in other parts of the country were locking down cities and counties , but DeSantis adopted a hands-off approach for weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsettled .
Nearly 2,000 Florida healthcare professionals signed an open letter to Desantis pleading with him to take more aggressive actions to hinder the spread of the virus , including enacting a statewide shelter-in-place order .
José Szapocznik , an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , had this to say to the Tampa Bay Times of Florida 's response to the pandmeic : `` Quite honestly , if we do n't do anything , we 'll be like New York , '' referring to the United States ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A lawsuit filed by a Santa Rosa Beach lawyer argues DeSantis is constitutionally required to protect state residents from the virus and is asking for a state lockdown , including the closure of all beaches .
Despite mounting pressure to embrace more stringent measures , DeSantis indicated at a Tuesday press conference that he plans on staying the course .
`` I think no matter what you do , you 're going to have a class of folks who just do whatever the hell they want to , '' said DeSantis , noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' avoid crowds and stay indoors , but he would not be mandating those practices with a statewide order .
`` People should just chill out and stay around the house as much as they can , '' DeSantis said .
`` In terms of being social right now , this is just not the time to have big social gatherings . ''
Desantis said if the White House task force specifically asked him to adopt greater containment policies , he would consider it , but he noted that federal officials have not @ @ @

FACT CHECK: Trump Praises Florida Governor Despite Criticism Of Coronavirus Response
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP
During Tuesday's White House press briefing, President Trump said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is "a great governor" who "knows exactly what he's doing" in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Vice President Mike Pence added to the DeSantis accolades, saying the Republican governor has "been taking decisive steps from early on."
But according to public health experts, thousands of heath care workers and a pending lawsuit, DeSantis' leadership has been woefully inadequate.
Florida is in the grip of an intensifying coronavirus outbreak, with state health officials on Tuesday reporting 600 more confirmed cases, bringing the Sunshine State's total infections to more than 6,700. Officials say 85 Floridians have died of COVID-19.
Florida is one of the few states with a large number of infections that still have not ordered residents statewide to remain indoors. DeSantis has issued a "safer at home" order covering four South Florida counties that is in effect until April 15.
But that measure falls well short of the White House task force's own guidance that is now urging all Americans to avoid contact, nonessential businesses to shut down and travel be greatly restricted for the next 30 days at least.
The first coronavirus cases were detected in Florida on March 1, yet public health experts say DeSantis' actions were anything but "decisive steps" taken "early on."
As thousands of spring breakers flocked to Florida, DeSantis generated criticism for refusing to close beaches around the state. Governors in other parts of the country were locking down cities and counties, but DeSantis adopted a hands-off approach for weeks.
The tactic has left front-line medical workers unsettled. Nearly 2,000 Florida healthcare professionals signed an open letter to DeSantis pleading with him to take more aggressive actions to hinder the spread of the virus, including enacting a statewide shelter-in-place order.
José Szapocznik, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, had this to say to the Tampa Bay Times of Florida's response to the pandemic: "Quite honestly, if we don't do anything, we'll be like New York," referring to the United States' epicenter of the global coronavirus outbreak.
A lawsuit filed by a Santa Rosa Beach lawyer argues DeSantis is constitutionally required to protect state residents from the virus and is asking for a state lockdown, including the closure of all beaches.
Despite mounting pressure to embrace more stringent measures, DeSantis indicated at a Tuesday press conference that he plans on staying the course.
"I think no matter what you do, you're going to have a class of folks who just do whatever the hell they want to," said DeSantis, noting that Floridians should be "responsible," avoid crowds and stay indoors, but he would not be mandating those practices with a statewide order.
"People should just chill out and stay around the house as much as they can," DeSantis said. "In terms of being social right now, this is just not the time to have big social gatherings."
DeSantis said if the White House task force specifically asked him to adopt greater containment policies, he would consider it, but he noted that federal officials have not done so.


npr--2020-03-31--Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: Death Toll, Treating COVID-19 And Testing Scams

On this broadcast of The National Conversation , we answer your questions about the government 's response to the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and potential testing scams .

Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: Death Toll, Treating COVID-19 And Testing Scams On this broadcast of The National Conversation, we answer your questions about the government's response to the pandemic, the death toll in the U.S. and potential testing scams.


npr--2020-03-31--Models Of Epidemic Predict Huge U.S. Death Toll; Scientists Hope For Better Outcome

Models Of Epidemic Predict Huge U.S. Death Toll ; Scientists Hope For Better Outcome At a White House briefing on Tuesday , Dr. Deborah Birx , the coronavirus response coordinator , laid out a grim vision of the future .
The best computer models , she said , predict that between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 during the coming months , even if the country continues the strict social distancing measures that most states have adopted .
Relaxing those restrictions would send the toll much higher .
It would be a shocking escalation in the epidemic 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic has claimed fewer than 4,000 lives in the United States , and roughly 40,000 worldwide .
Yet when Birx was pressed about whether this dark future is inevitable , or can still be avoided , she equivocated .
`` We really believe and hope every day that we can do a lot better than that , '' she said .
The models – in particular , a model developed by Chris Murray , at the University of Washington – assume that the future of the epidemic will play out much like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ask Chris Murray , he would say he 's using the information coming out of New York and New Jersey and applying that to potentially other states having the same outcomes . ''
Birx is hoping that New York and New Jersey turn out to be unusual .
Some states , like Washington and California , have managed to avoid the spikes in coronavirus infections that overwhelmed New York City .
If other states manage to duplicate that experience , it would change the model 's assumptions about the epidemic 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , also says he 's hoping for fewer deaths – but people should prepare for what the models now predict .
`` Is it going to be that much ?
I hope not .
But being realistic , we need to prepare ourselves , that that is a possibility , '' he said .

Models Of Epidemic Predict Huge U.S. Death Toll; Scientists Hope For Better Outcome
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
At a White House briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator, laid out a grim vision of the future.
The best computer models, she said, predict that between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 during the coming months, even if the country continues the strict social distancing measures that most states have adopted. Relaxing those restrictions would send the toll much higher.
It would be a shocking escalation in the epidemic's death toll. So far, the epidemic has claimed fewer than 4,000 lives in the United States, and roughly 40,000 worldwide.
Yet when Birx was pressed about whether this dark future is inevitable, or can still be avoided, she equivocated. "We really believe and hope every day that we can do a lot better than that," she said.
The models – in particular, a model developed by Chris Murray, at the University of Washington – assume that the future of the epidemic will play out much like the recent past, Birx said. "If you ask Chris Murray, he would say he's using the information coming out of New York and New Jersey and applying that to potentially other states having the same outcomes."
Birx is hoping that New York and New Jersey turn out to be unusual. Some states, like Washington and California, have managed to avoid the spikes in coronavirus infections that overwhelmed New York City. If other states manage to duplicate that experience, it would change the model's assumptions about the epidemic's trajectory.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also says he's hoping for fewer deaths – but people should prepare for what the models now predict. "Is it going to be that much? I hope not. But being realistic, we need to prepare ourselves, that that is a possibility," he said.


npr--2020-03-31--FACT CHECK: Should People Cover Their Faces With Scarves Like Trump Said?

FACT CHECK : Should People Cover Their Faces With Scarves Like Trump Said ?
During his Tuesday evening briefing with the coronavirus task force , President Trump answered a question about shortages of masks by suggesting that it 's possible to use scarves instead .
`` A lot of people have scarves , and you can use a scarf , '' Trump said .
`` And my feeling is if people want to do it , there 's certainly no harm to it . ''
Trump went on to say that he wants to see masks go to hospitals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , one of the things that Dr. Fauci told me today is we do n't want them competing , we do n't want everybody competing with the hospitals .
We really need them , '' Trump stressed .
`` So you can use scarves .
You can use something else over your face . ''
The CDC currently directs people who are infected with the coronavirus , along with those who are caring for people who are sick and ca n't wear masks themselves , to wear face masks .
`` Face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they should be saved for caregivers , '' the website reads .
Later in the briefing , Dr. Deborah Birx said the task force is just now considering whether that recommendation should change in any way , saying whether the public at large should wear masks is `` still under discussion . ''
The CDC website does say that face masks may be reserved for health care workers and that people who fall in the category of needing a mask at home may need to improvise by using a scarf or bandana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , CDC Director Robert Redfield also said the agency is taking another look as to whether the general public should be encouraged to wear some type of face mask .
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has argued that the public should cover their faces during social distancing as an `` additional layer of protection for those who have to go out . ''
`` [ Wearing masks ] protects other people from getting sick from you , '' Gottlieb said .
This is where the scarves suggestion has come into play , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are available should be given to hospitals and other health care providers .
Other protective types of face coverings , like scarves or small towels , could also help provide some degree , if minimal , of protection against breathing in respiratory droplets from those who are infected .
Since you can transmit the virus before becoming symptomatic , wearing a facial covering will help protect those around you from a possible spread .

FACT CHECK: Should People Cover Their Faces With Scarves Like Trump Said?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
During his Tuesday evening briefing with the coronavirus task force, President Trump answered a question about shortages of masks by suggesting that it's possible to use scarves instead.
"A lot of people have scarves, and you can use a scarf," Trump said. "And my feeling is if people want to do it, there's certainly no harm to it."
Trump went on to say that he wants to see masks go to hospitals, not the general public.
"I mean, one of the things that Dr. [Anthony] Fauci told me today is we don't want them competing, we don't want everybody competing with the hospitals. We really need them," Trump stressed. "So you can use scarves. You can use something else over your face."
The CDC currently directs people who are infected with the coronavirus, along with those who are caring for people who are sick and can't wear masks themselves, to wear face masks.
"Face masks may be in short supply, and they should be saved for caregivers," the website reads.
Later in the briefing, Dr. Deborah Birx said the task force is just now considering whether that recommendation should change in any way, saying whether the public at large should wear masks is "still under discussion."
The CDC website does say that face masks may be reserved for health care workers and that people who fall in the category of needing a mask at home may need to improvise by using a scarf or bandana.
In an interview with NPR on Monday, CDC Director Robert Redfield also said the agency is taking another look as to whether the general public should be encouraged to wear some type of face mask.
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has argued that the public should cover their faces during social distancing as an "additional layer of protection for those who have to go out."
"[Wearing masks] protects other people from getting sick from you," Gottlieb said.
This is where the scarves suggestion has come into play, since there's consensus that the masks that are available should be given to hospitals and other health care providers.
Other protective types of face coverings, like scarves or small towels, could also help provide some degree, if minimal, of protection against breathing in respiratory droplets from those who are infected. Since you can transmit the virus before becoming symptomatic, wearing a facial covering will help protect those around you from a possible spread.


npr--2020-03-31--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South @ @ @ @ @ , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On March @ @ @ @ @ Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first time since H1N1 in 2009 .
@ @ @ @ @ known as SARS-CoV-2 , is only the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause @ @ @ @ @ The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
@ @ @ @ @ see that country 's case count and number of deaths .
Click here to see @ @ @ @ @ 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--2020-03-31--Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Coronavirus In The U.S.

Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Coronavirus In The U.S .
Updated on March 30 at 8:30 p.m .
ET Since the first U.S. case of the coronavirus was identified in Washington state on Jan. 21 , health officials have identified more than 160,000 cases across the United States and more than 3,000 deaths .
By March 17 , the virus had expanded its presence from several isolated clusters in Washington , New York and California to all 50 states and the District of Columbia .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ best available means to `` flatten the curve of the pandemic , '' a phrase that epidemiologists use to describe slowing down the spread of infection .
This approach can save lives by keeping local health care systems from being overwhelmed .
In response to mounting cases , states are closing schools , banning large gatherings and urging people to stay home when possible .
On March 16 , President Trump announced new guidelines urging Americans to avoid discretionary travel , going out to eat and gathering in groups of more than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends basic precautions such as hand-washing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces every day .
Globally , the respiratory disease has spread to dozens of countries and has killed several thousand people since it was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December .
Warnings issued by the CDC recommend avoiding nonessential travel to dozens of countries with outbreaks of COVID-19 , including China , Iran , South Korea and many European nations .
The U.S. government has banned travel from Europe , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .

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--2020-04-01--Top Navy Brass Defend Response To Virus-Stricken Carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt

Top U.S. Navy officials on Wednesday defended their response to a coronavirus outbreak aboard the U.S.S .
Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier , a day after a scathing letter from the warship 's commander that became public , sharply questioned how the health emergency was being handled .
`` I recognize that there 've been a lot of questions about the Teddy Roosevelt , particularly over the last 24 hours , '' Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said at a Pentagon news conference .
`` We have accelerated testing and are deep cleaning all the spaces on the ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he has requested and we are doing our best to accelerate the pace wherever we can . ''
In his letter , commanding officer Capt .
Brett Crozier had asked that all but 10 % of his crew of 4,865 sailors be removed from the aircraft carrier to be quarantined in Guam , where the Roosevelt is now at port .
Modly said he did not believe leaving only 10 % of the crew aboard could work .
`` Our plan has always been to remove as much of the crew as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's safety , '' he said .
`` This ship has weapons on it , it has munitions on it , it has expensive aircraft , and it has a nuclear power plant .
It requires a certain number of people on that ship to maintain the safety and security of the ship . ''
The navy secretary added that nearly 1,000 crew members have already disembarked in Guam and said that number will rise to 2,700 by Friday .
About half the results from the 1,273 crew members who have been tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 93 of them are positive — with seven of that group showing no symptoms — while 593 are negative .
`` The long pole in the tent , of course , is getting those testing results back as we get those samples to a DOD facility for processing , '' the chief of naval operations , Navy Adm. Michael Gilday , told reporters .
`` We have people ashore that are isolated and have tested positive , we have others [ ashore ] that are quarantined or isolated , because they 're considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so over that 14-day restricted movement period , as they become clean , they have n't shown any symptoms , they get tested and then they 're brought back on the ship . ''
Gilday said the Navy is working with government officials in Guam to locate additional housing — in particular , hotel rooms — for sailors coming off the aircraft carrier .
Asked whether the letter from the ship 's commander , first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle , had spurred the Navy to take action , Gilday said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breakdown in communications with Capt .
Crozier .
`` Kind of the eye-opener for us was the fact that he wanted to move at a greater speed to get people off the ship , right ? ''
Gilday said .
`` The misunderstanding , perhaps , was the requirement at speed to get people off the ship .
We had been identifying spaces and getting people off the ship .
We are now moving people at speed to get them off the ship . ''
Crozier charged in his letter that keeping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unnecessary risk and breaks faith with those Sailors entrusted to our care . ''
Asked about whether the Navy was failing to take care of its sailors , Modly rejected the commander 's allegation .
`` It 's disappointing to have him say that — however , at the same time , I know that it 's not true .
We 've been working very , very hard with the ship , with the command structure to make sure that 's exactly what we 're doing , '' said the Navy 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority , we need those sailors to be safe , we need them to be healthy and we need that ship to be operational . ''
Modly said of the 94 U.S. Navy ships currently deployed , the Roosevelt is the only one with active cases on board .
He added that some Navy ships in port do have coronavirus cases that number in the single digits .
Modly also said Crozier , as the aircraft carrier 's commander , had acted correctly by writing a letter to express his concerns to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know who leaked the letter to the media , '' he added .
`` That would be something that would violate the principles of good order and discipline if he were responsible for that , but I do n't know that . ''

Top Navy Brass Defend Response To Virus-Stricken Carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bullit Marquez/AP Bullit Marquez/AP
Top U.S. Navy officials on Wednesday defended their response to a coronavirus outbreak aboard the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, a day after a scathing letter from the warship's commander that became public, sharply questioned how the health emergency was being handled.
"I recognize that there've been a lot of questions about the Teddy Roosevelt, particularly over the last 24 hours," Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said at a Pentagon news conference. "We have accelerated testing and are deep cleaning all the spaces on the ship. We are providing the commanding officer what he has requested and we are doing our best to accelerate the pace wherever we can."
In his letter, commanding officer Capt. Brett Crozier had asked that all but 10% of his crew of 4,865 sailors be removed from the aircraft carrier to be quarantined in Guam, where the Roosevelt is now at port.
Modly said he did not believe leaving only 10% of the crew aboard could work. "Our plan has always been to remove as much of the crew as we can while maintaining for the ship's safety," he said. "This ship has weapons on it, it has munitions on it, it has expensive aircraft, and it has a nuclear power plant. It requires a certain number of people on that ship to maintain the safety and security of the ship."
Health How The COVID-19 Oubreak Is Impacting U.S Military Life How The COVID-19 Oubreak Is Impacting U.S Military Life Listen · 3:40 3:40
The navy secretary added that nearly 1,000 crew members have already disembarked in Guam and said that number will rise to 2,700 by Friday. About half the results from the 1,273 crew members who have been tested are back, he said, and 93 of them are positive — with seven of that group showing no symptoms — while 593 are negative.
"The long pole in the tent, of course, is getting those testing results back as we get those samples to a DOD facility for processing," the chief of naval operations, Navy Adm. Michael Gilday, told reporters. "We have people ashore that are isolated and have tested positive, we have others [ashore] that are quarantined or isolated, because they're considered to have been in close contact. And so over that 14-day restricted movement period, as they become clean, they haven't shown any symptoms, they get tested and then they're brought back on the ship."
Gilday said the Navy is working with government officials in Guam to locate additional housing — in particular, hotel rooms — for sailors coming off the aircraft carrier.
Asked whether the letter from the ship's commander, first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle, had spurred the Navy to take action, Gilday said there had "potentially" been a breakdown in communications with Capt. Crozier.
"Kind of the eye-opener for us was the fact that he wanted to move at a greater speed to get people off the ship, right?" Gilday said. "The misunderstanding, perhaps, was the requirement at speed to get people off the ship. We had been identifying spaces and getting people off the ship. We are now moving people at speed to get them off the ship."
Crozier charged in his letter that keeping the crew aboard the aircraft carrier was "an unnecessary risk and breaks faith with those Sailors entrusted to our care."
Asked about whether the Navy was failing to take care of its sailors, Modly rejected the commander's allegation.
"It's disappointing to have him say that — however, at the same time, I know that it's not true. We've been working very, very hard with the ship, with the command structure to make sure that's exactly what we're doing," said the Navy's top civilian. "It's our priority, we need those sailors to be safe, we need them to be healthy and we need that ship to be operational."
Modly said of the 94 U.S. Navy ships currently deployed, the Roosevelt is the only one with active cases on board. He added that some Navy ships in port do have coronavirus cases that number in the single digits.
Modly also said Crozier, as the aircraft carrier's commander, had acted correctly by writing a letter to express his concerns to his chain of command.
"I don't know who leaked the letter to the media," he added. "That would be something that would violate the principles of good order and discipline if he were responsible for that, but I don't know that."