csmonitor--2020-03-30--Democracy during lockdowns: US state lawmakers adapt

Members of the Arkansas House met in a college basketball arena , spaced out among 5,600 seats , as they voted on ways to cover a budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus punch to the economy .
When South Dakota lawmakers convene Monday to consider 10 emergency bills , it wo n't be inside their familiar chambers .
Instead , they will be speaking and voting via a video call system .
This is not government as usual .
In state capitols across the United States , lawmakers have ditched decorum and sidestepped traditional public meeting requirements in a rush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and aiding residents affected by the widespread shutdown of commerce .
`` Social distancing '' mandates intended to slow the spread of the virus have upended life for millions of Americans and also have led lawmakers to scrap centuries-old rules about the way they conduct work .
`` It is an enormous shift , probably the biggest change to Vermont 's democracy since we were founded as a state , '' Democratic House Speaker Mitzi Johnson told reporters as the chamber adopted new rules for remote voting .
Vermont lawmakers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from assigned seats in a closely packed chamber .
That changed this past week , when they adopted an emergency rule allowing members to spread out through the visitors ' galleries to keep a germ-safe distance from each other .
The next time they are in full session , Vermont lawmakers will be spread out through the entire state , testing a still-to-be-designed remote voting system .
The state experiments are meant to slow the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease so hospitals wo n't become overwhelmed with a sudden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several members of Congress and lawmakers in numerous states .
At least six state lawmakers have tested positive in Georgia , one of nearly two dozen states that have halted or ended their sessions because of coronavirus concerns .
As of Sunday , the virus has infected more than 700,000 people and killed at least 33,000 worldwide , according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University .
The U.S. has about 136,000 cases , more than any other country .
As legislatures have adapted their rules to the new public health precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left out .
Legislative members , staff , and media had to pass a body temperature test and an oral quiz about whether they had any COVID-19 symptoms to enter the House session held at the basketball arena of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock .
But the general public was n't allowed inside , instead settling for an online broadcast .
The Senate , meeting in the Capitol , followed similar procedures .
Minnesota 's legislative proceedings are typically both open to the public and live-streamed .
But House members used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of public committee hearings , to develop a $ 330 million coronavirus response bill that was swiftly approved Thursday .
Legislative leaders said the unusual procedures were intended to safeguard public health .
Such actions can damage the public 's trust in government , said Jane Kirtley , a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota 's School of Journalism and Mass Communication .
`` If you do things in secret , there 's a perception that something nefarious is going on , and this is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creating that possibility in people 's minds , '' Ms. Kirtley said .
Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she gets `` a little crispy around the edges '' at suggestions that Minnesota 's process was n't open .
Even though there were no public hearings , she said people deluged lawmakers with messages that were `` incredibly helpful '' in shaping the legislation .
The U.S. House of Representatives looked into the possibility of remote voting so representatives would n't have to fly to Washington on Friday to pass a $ 2.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rules Committee staff report concluded there were too many concerns about its legality , practicality , and security from cyber attacks .
The House instead passed the legislation by voice vote , avoiding an in-person roll call .
In Pennsylvania this week , most House members took advantage of new rules to stay away from the chamber as they passed legislation delaying the state 's primary elections because of coronavirus concerns .
Remote lawmakers messaged or emailed their intended votes to designated colleagues at the Capitol , who told them to a clerk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's voting system .
Ohio lawmakers altered both their attire and location this past week as they approved emergency coronavrius legislation extending absentee voting and tax deadlines , allowing distance learning for schools and letting recent nursing graduates immediately start working .
House members were assigned to eight separate rooms during deliberations to comply with social distancing , then walked briefly onto the House floor to cast a voice vote .
Many of the senators who came to the Capitol dressed informally after Republican Senate President Larry Obhof discouraged business attire , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clothing . ''
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak , the South Dakota Legislature already had rules allowing lawmakers to dial into meetings by phone , but those were designed for committees that meet outside the regular legislative session .
The full House and Senate will meet Monday by video conference , live-streamed for the public , with only a few members gathered in two Capitol rooms to try to comply with the rules .
The state constitution is n't clear if that 's allowed , but `` we 're just out of options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kris Langer .
Some legislatures have decided it 's better to remain shut down than to try to sidestep state constitutional requirements to vote in person amid coronavirus concerns .
Missouri Gov .
Mike Parson had suggested lawmakers could meet `` on a football field '' or `` out here on the parking lot '' of the Capitol , if necessary , to abide by social distancing while passing a bill authorizing coronavirus spending .
But Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden , a Republican , said legislators will convene in April and vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delaying Monday 's scheduled return to session and have ruled out remote meetings as an impractical move that would deny the public a chance to testify in committee hearings '' The important work being done at the Capitol depends on both legislators and the public , '' said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg .
`` We feel that it is in the best interest of all Coloradans to recess the session until citizens can safely participate in their democracy , '' This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen Groves , Steve Karnowski , Wilson Ring , Mark Scolforo , and Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Members of the Arkansas House met in a college basketball arena, spaced out among 5,600 seats, as they voted on ways to cover a budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus punch to the economy.
When South Dakota lawmakers convene Monday to consider 10 emergency bills, it won't be inside their familiar chambers. Instead, they will be speaking and voting via a video call system.
This is not government as usual.
In state capitols across the United States, lawmakers have ditched decorum and sidestepped traditional public meeting requirements in a rush to pass legislation funding the fight against the coronavirus and aiding residents affected by the widespread shutdown of commerce.
"Social distancing" mandates intended to slow the spread of the virus have upended life for millions of Americans and also have led lawmakers to scrap centuries-old rules about the way they conduct work.
"It is an enormous shift, probably the biggest change to Vermont's democracy since we were founded as a state," Democratic House Speaker Mitzi Johnson told reporters as the chamber adopted new rules for remote voting.
Vermont lawmakers have voted with a verbal yes or no from assigned seats in a closely packed chamber. That changed this past week, when they adopted an emergency rule allowing members to spread out through the visitors' galleries to keep a germ-safe distance from each other.
The next time they are in full session, Vermont lawmakers will be spread out through the entire state, testing a still-to-be-designed remote voting system.
The state experiments are meant to slow the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease so hospitals won't become overwhelmed with a sudden surge of patients. The ill include several members of Congress and lawmakers in numerous states. At least six state lawmakers have tested positive in Georgia, one of nearly two dozen states that have halted or ended their sessions because of coronavirus concerns.
As of Sunday, the virus has infected more than 700,000 people and killed at least 33,000 worldwide, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has about 136,000 cases, more than any other country.
As legislatures have adapted their rules to the new public health precautions, the public has at times been left out.
Legislative members, staff, and media had to pass a body temperature test and an oral quiz about whether they had any COVID-19 symptoms to enter the House session held at the basketball arena of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. But the general public wasn't allowed inside, instead settling for an online broadcast. The Senate, meeting in the Capitol, followed similar procedures.
Minnesota's legislative proceedings are typically both open to the public and live-streamed. But House members used a series of private conference calls, instead of public committee hearings, to develop a $330 million coronavirus response bill that was swiftly approved Thursday. Legislative leaders said the unusual procedures were intended to safeguard public health.
Such actions can damage the public's trust in government, said Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
"If you do things in secret, there's a perception that something nefarious is going on, and this is not a time when our governments need to be creating that possibility in people's minds," Ms. Kirtley said.
Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she gets "a little crispy around the edges" at suggestions that Minnesota's process wasn't open. Even though there were no public hearings, she said people deluged lawmakers with messages that were "incredibly helpful" in shaping the legislation.
The U.S. House of Representatives looked into the possibility of remote voting so representatives wouldn't have to fly to Washington on Friday to pass a $2.2 trillion stimulus package. But a House Rules Committee staff report concluded there were too many concerns about its legality, practicality, and security from cyber attacks. The House instead passed the legislation by voice vote, avoiding an in-person roll call.
In Pennsylvania this week, most House members took advantage of new rules to stay away from the chamber as they passed legislation delaying the state's primary elections because of coronavirus concerns. Remote lawmakers messaged or emailed their intended votes to designated colleagues at the Capitol, who told them to a clerk, who entered them into the chamber's voting system.
Ohio lawmakers altered both their attire and location this past week as they approved emergency coronavrius legislation extending absentee voting and tax deadlines, allowing distance learning for schools and letting recent nursing graduates immediately start working.
House members were assigned to eight separate rooms during deliberations to comply with social distancing, then walked briefly onto the House floor to cast a voice vote. Many of the senators who came to the Capitol dressed informally after Republican Senate President Larry Obhof discouraged business attire, "which is cleaned less frequently than casual clothing."
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the South Dakota Legislature already had rules allowing lawmakers to dial into meetings by phone, but those were designed for committees that meet outside the regular legislative session.
The full House and Senate will meet Monday by video conference, live-streamed for the public, with only a few members gathered in two Capitol rooms to try to comply with the rules. The state constitution isn't clear if that's allowed, but "we're just out of options," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Kris Langer.
Some legislatures have decided it's better to remain shut down than to try to sidestep state constitutional requirements to vote in person amid coronavirus concerns.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson had suggested lawmakers could meet "on a football field" or "out here on the parking lot" of the Capitol, if necessary, to abide by social distancing while passing a bill authorizing coronavirus spending. But Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, a Republican, said legislators will convene in April and vote in their chambers.
Colorado lawmakers are delaying Monday's scheduled return to session and have ruled out remote meetings as an impractical move that would deny the public a chance to testify in committee hearings
"The important work being done at the Capitol depends on both legislators and the public," said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg. "We feel that it is in the best interest of all Coloradans to recess the session until citizens can safely participate in their democracy,"
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Associated Press reporters James Anderson, Andrew DeMillo, Stephen Groves, Steve Karnowski, Wilson Ring, Mark Scolforo, and Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--When is it safe to reopen the economy? Three questions

“ [ The people ] are telling us , ‘ We want to go back to work , ’ ” says Ali Mokdad , an epidemiologist at the University of Washington .
“ They ’ re telling us , ‘ Give us a way out of it .
... We ’ ll work with you in order to overcome this.
’ ” Experts have drawn up various proposals for how to restart the economy – not necessarily all of it , but enough to snap a vertiginous slide into a deep recession .
But they are built on assumptions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tamp down future outbreaks .
None of that is simple and it varies by region and locality .
But public pressure for an easing of lockdowns is building .
President Donald Trump says that it ’ s the biggest decision he ’ ll ever make : When and how to lift the COVID-19-related restrictions on social and economic life that have upended how Americans live for the past month .
In reality , the decisions will mostly be taken at a state and municipal level , and there will likely be phases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach .
With the economy in near free-fall and Americans hunkering in their homes , many are asking how they can get back to business as usual .
A normalcy where parents go to work , kids go to school , and consumers can shop and eat out freely .
Because the current economic plunge is rooted in a public-health emergency , experts say the path toward a reopened economy is tightly bound to containing the COVID-19 pandemic .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the unemployment rate possibly headed to levels not seen in living memory , policymakers are increasingly anxious to end the disruption , with looming elections adding to the pressure .
President Donald Trump on Monday claimed he alone had the power to declare a “ reopening , ” and is appointing a special task force of political and business figures to weigh the issue .
State governors , who instigated key virus-related restrictions and insist they will decide when and how to lift them , are laying their own plans – with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide .
And even public-health experts , while focused squarely on quashing the pandemic , acknowledge the importance of reopening and recovery as soon as feasible .
“ [ The people ] are telling us , ‘ We want to go back to work , ’ ” says Ali Mokdad , chief strategy officer at the Population Health Initiative at the University of Washington .
“ They ’ re telling us , ‘ Give us a way out of it .
... We ’ ll work with you in order to overcome this.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the battle over restarting the economy .
What does “ reopen ” actually mean ?
From politicians and economists to health experts like Professor Mokdad , a broad consensus is that halted activities will come back to life in phases , not all at once .
“ It ’ s not going to be we flip a switch and everybody comes out of their house and gets in their car and waves and hugs each other , ” Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York said this week .
Three Pacific Coast states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening , with Gov .
Gavin Newsom of California pledging an “ incremental release of the stay-at-home orders.
” “ We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening , ” the joint statement with Govs .
Kate Brown of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington said .
Experts , ranging from Democratic-leaning think tanks to President Trump ’ s former Food and Drug Administration chief Scott Gottlieb , say stay-at-home orders can be lifted when localities are ready to use widespread testing for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ contact tracing ” so that those at risk of spreading the virus can be quickly quarantined .
Many details are unsettled .
Governor Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , for instance , have bickered recently over the Mayor ’ s decision that the city ’ s public schools will remain closed through September .
Mass public events could be among the last activities to revive .
A plan from the liberal Center for American Progress proposes that , even once conditions for “ reopening ” are met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more than 50 people .
Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , on Monday outlined a plan with “ sites like offices and stores reopening before arenas and theaters.
” Many plans also involve special safeguards for the most vulnerable segments of the population , such as people who live in nursing homes or who work in essential jobs that involve proximity to many people .
When can it happen ?
President Trump last month voiced hope that a reopening of the economy could happen by Easter , but now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 1 looks premature .
The Center for American Progress plan calls for “ national and state stay-at-home policies [ to ] remain in place for a minimum of 45 days starting April 5.
” The plan put forth recently by Mr. Gottlieb and other health experts calls for states not to relax restrictions until confirmed new cases fall consistently for at least 14 days , local hospitals are ready to treat all coronavirus patients , and testing is available to anyone with symptoms .
Some states may already be seeing their peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for large-scale testing or contact tracing is not yet in place .
How can success be judged ?
If a reopening goes well , the nation will see both a steady revival of economic activity and a steady decline in virus cases – and avoid subsequent new outbreaks .
But expectations based on a prior “ normal ” may need to be tempered .
Even in this scenario , many economic forecasters expect a degree of “ social distancing ” to persist , and that some jobs and businesses will never come back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peterson Institute for International Economics , envisions a “ checkmark ” -shaped rebound rather than a V-shaped pickup that is as fast and strong as the downturn was .
A full return to 2019 levels of activity could take several years , even with the massive , $ 2 trillion and rising , federal efforts to rescue workers and businesses .
And health experts say a successful recovery will hinge partly on medical unknowns : Will immunity to the disease prove fleeting ?
When will treatments or a vaccine arrive ?
Mr. Posen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild card .
But he voiced a cautious hope in an online briefing last week .
“ I think we are meaningfully going to recover faster than many people are now expecting , ” because so many workers and small businesses have a resilience honed by prior hardships , he said .
Dr. Mokdad at the University of Washington says the balancing act ahead is a very personal one for himself and other Americans .
His own 20-year-old daughter is now stuck taking her college classes from home .
“ I want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my country to go back to normal , ” he says .
“ But at the same time , I don ’ t want people to die .
I don ’ t want to take chances.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

Calls to reopen the economy are understandable, given the social and economic hardships imposed by state and city lockdowns. But it may be a long and winding road to a new normal.
“[The people] are telling us, ‘We want to go back to work,’” says Ali Mokdad, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington. “They’re telling us, ‘Give us a way out of it. ... We’ll work with you in order to overcome this.’”
Experts have drawn up various proposals for how to restart the economy – not necessarily all of it, but enough to snap a vertiginous slide into a deep recession. But they are built on assumptions about the pandemic itself and the public-health capacity to tamp down future outbreaks. None of that is simple and it varies by region and locality. But public pressure for an easing of lockdowns is building.
President Donald Trump says that it’s the biggest decision he’ll ever make: When and how to lift the COVID-19-related restrictions on social and economic life that have upended how Americans live for the past month. In reality, the decisions will mostly be taken at a state and municipal level, and there will likely be phases of reopening, not a big bang approach.
With the economy in near free-fall and Americans hunkering in their homes, many are asking how they can get back to business as usual. A normalcy where parents go to work, kids go to school, and consumers can shop and eat out freely.
It’s a question without easy answers.
Because the current economic plunge is rooted in a public-health emergency, experts say the path toward a reopened economy is tightly bound to containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why We Wrote This Calls to reopen the economy are understandable, given the social and economic hardships imposed by state and city lockdowns. But it may be a long and winding road to a new normal.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
But with the unemployment rate possibly headed to levels not seen in living memory, policymakers are increasingly anxious to end the disruption, with looming elections adding to the pressure.
President Donald Trump on Monday claimed he alone had the power to declare a “reopening,” and is appointing a special task force of political and business figures to weigh the issue. State governors, who instigated key virus-related restrictions and insist they will decide when and how to lift them, are laying their own plans – with constitutional scholars widely backing their authority to decide.
And even public-health experts, while focused squarely on quashing the pandemic, acknowledge the importance of reopening and recovery as soon as feasible.
“[The people] are telling us, ‘We want to go back to work,’” says Ali Mokdad, chief strategy officer at the Population Health Initiative at the University of Washington. “They’re telling us, ‘Give us a way out of it. ... We’ll work with you in order to overcome this.’”
Here are three questions about the battle over restarting the economy.
What does “reopen” actually mean?
From politicians and economists to health experts like Professor Mokdad, a broad consensus is that halted activities will come back to life in phases, not all at once.
“It’s not going to be we flip a switch and everybody comes out of their house and gets in their car and waves and hugs each other,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said this week.
Three Pacific Coast states this week sketched a joint framework for reopening, with Gov. Gavin Newsom of California pledging an “incremental release of the stay-at-home orders.”
“We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening,” the joint statement with Govs. Kate Brown of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington said.
Experts, ranging from Democratic-leaning think tanks to President Trump’s former Food and Drug Administration chief Scott Gottlieb, say stay-at-home orders can be lifted when localities are ready to use widespread testing for the virus, in concert with some measure of “contact tracing” so that those at risk of spreading the virus can be quickly quarantined.
Many details are unsettled. Governor Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, for instance, have bickered recently over the Mayor’s decision that the city’s public schools will remain closed through September.
Mass public events could be among the last activities to revive. A plan from the liberal Center for American Progress proposes that, even once conditions for “reopening” are met, precautions should include bans on gatherings of more than 50 people.
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, on Monday outlined a plan with “sites like offices and stores reopening before arenas and theaters.”
Many plans also involve special safeguards for the most vulnerable segments of the population, such as people who live in nursing homes or who work in essential jobs that involve proximity to many people.
When can it happen?
President Trump last month voiced hope that a reopening of the economy could happen by Easter, but now even a revised White House aspiration of May 1 looks premature.
The Center for American Progress plan calls for “national and state stay-at-home policies [to] remain in place for a minimum of 45 days starting April 5.”
The plan put forth recently by Mr. Gottlieb and other health experts calls for states not to relax restrictions until confirmed new cases fall consistently for at least 14 days, local hospitals are ready to treat all coronavirus patients, and testing is available to anyone with symptoms. Some states may already be seeing their peak in coronavirus cases, but the capacity for large-scale testing or contact tracing is not yet in place.
How can success be judged?
If a reopening goes well, the nation will see both a steady revival of economic activity and a steady decline in virus cases – and avoid subsequent new outbreaks. But expectations based on a prior “normal” may need to be tempered.
Even in this scenario, many economic forecasters expect a degree of “social distancing” to persist, and that some jobs and businesses will never come back.
Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, envisions a “checkmark”-shaped rebound rather than a V-shaped pickup that is as fast and strong as the downturn was.
A full return to 2019 levels of activity could take several years, even with the massive, $2 trillion and rising, federal efforts to rescue workers and businesses. And health experts say a successful recovery will hinge partly on medical unknowns: Will immunity to the disease prove fleeting? When will treatments or a vaccine arrive?
Mr. Posen agrees that the public-health battle is a wild card. But he voiced a cautious hope in an online briefing last week. “I think we are meaningfully going to recover faster than many people are now expecting,” because so many workers and small businesses have a resilience honed by prior hardships, he said.
Dr. Mokdad at the University of Washington says the balancing act ahead is a very personal one for himself and other Americans. His own 20-year-old daughter is now stuck taking her college classes from home.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“I want the best for our kids. I want my country to go back to normal,” he says. “But at the same time, I don’t want people to die. I don’t want to take chances.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--Once the epicenter of the virus, China strives to keep it out

China is facing a new coronavirus flare-up along its remote northern border with Russia , far from the epicenter of Wuhan , where it has all but declared victory in the battle against the pandemic .
The frontier has been sealed and emergency medical units rushed to the area to prevent travelers from bringing the virus back from overseas .
The virus originated in China , which is now striving to keep it out while the United States and other countries struggle to bring their own epidemics under control .
The long , porous border of sprawling Heilongjiang province and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than major cities like Beijing and Shanghai .
But it is a popular alternative route into the country .
Many Chinese live and work in Russia , where China has major investments encouraged by warm ties between Beijing and Moscow .
By Monday night , a field hospital was operating in the city of Suifenhe along the Russian border , equipped with a negative pressure lab to diagnose new cases .
Staffed by 22 experts from the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests and other forms of research to aid in virus control and prevention , allowing the city to test up to 1,000 cases per day , according to the CDC .
Suifenhe , a city of just under 70,000 that is frozen-in for much of the year , has at least 243 imported COVID-19 cases out of nearly 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases .
More than 100 people in the area have tested positive for the virus but showed no symptoms .
Recent arrivals from Russia account for nearly half of China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a truly grave situation in the northeast as represented by Suifenhe , '' National Health Commission expert Wang Bin said Monday at a news conference .
`` Up to now our medical resources in the area have just not been sufficient . ''
The CDC said the field hospital has been supplied with negative pressure tents , nucleic acid extractors , virus detection kits , throat swab sampling tubes , and thermal cyclers used to enhance segments of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction .
Roughly 800 miles northeast of Beijing , Suifenhe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and daily items usually do a thriving business with Russian visitors starved for choice on their side of the border .
That trade has gone quiet in recent weeks , dimming prospects for a sparsely populated region whose residents have been migrating to major cities seeking jobs and better living standards .
Russia requires 14-day quarantines for all travelers arriving in Primorsky Krai and its regional capital Pogranichny , across the border .
It has closed hotels to visitors and is requiring travelers to have a pass showing they are not carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border to travelers from China in January .
On the Chinese side , quarantines have been extended to a full month for people arriving by air in Suifenhe and in Heilongjiang 's capital , Harbin .
All land border crossings were halted last week .
`` The Chinese consulate again strongly reminds Chinese citizens not to summarily make trips to the border region , '' the Chinese consulate in the nearby Russian city of Vladivostok said in a notice posted Monday .
As Wuhan and other regions get back to business , Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second wave of infections , particularly from those arriving from outside the country .
New cases of local infection in China have fallen to near zero after more than two months of strict travel bans and social distancing measures .
Of 89 cases reported on Tuesday , all but three were detected in people arriving from abroad .
It was n't immediately clear if any came from Russia .
No new deaths were reported in the country on Tuesday , suggesting the outbreak is running its course .
Last week , authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the virus was first detected late last year , an indication that the worst may have passed .
China had recorded 82,249 cases and 3,341 deaths as of Tuesday , while 1,077 people suspected of having the virus or testing positive without showing symptoms were under isolation and monitoring .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

China is facing a new coronavirus flare-up along its remote northern border with Russia, far from the epicenter of Wuhan, where it has all but declared victory in the battle against the pandemic.
The frontier has been sealed and emergency medical units rushed to the area to prevent travelers from bringing the virus back from overseas. The virus originated in China, which is now striving to keep it out while the United States and other countries struggle to bring their own epidemics under control.
The long, porous border of sprawling Heilongjiang province and neighboring Inner Mongolia has much less travel than major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. But it is a popular alternative route into the country. Many Chinese live and work in Russia, where China has major investments encouraged by warm ties between Beijing and Moscow.
By Monday night, a field hospital was operating in the city of Suifenhe along the Russian border, equipped with a negative pressure lab to diagnose new cases. Staffed by 22 experts from the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it will conduct nucleic acid tests and other forms of research to aid in virus control and prevention, allowing the city to test up to 1,000 cases per day, according to the CDC.
Suifenhe, a city of just under 70,000 that is frozen-in for much of the year, has at least 243 imported COVID-19 cases out of nearly 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases. More than 100 people in the area have tested positive for the virus but showed no symptoms. Recent arrivals from Russia account for nearly half of China's imported cases.
"We are facing a truly grave situation in the northeast as represented by Suifenhe," National Health Commission expert Wang Bin said Monday at a news conference. "Up to now our medical resources in the area have just not been sufficient."
The CDC said the field hospital has been supplied with negative pressure tents, nucleic acid extractors, virus detection kits, throat swab sampling tubes, and thermal cyclers used to enhance segments of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction.
Roughly 800 miles northeast of Beijing, Suifenhe's markets selling warm clothing, cellphones, and daily items usually do a thriving business with Russian visitors starved for choice on their side of the border. That trade has gone quiet in recent weeks, dimming prospects for a sparsely populated region whose residents have been migrating to major cities seeking jobs and better living standards.
Russia requires 14-day quarantines for all travelers arriving in Primorsky Krai and its regional capital Pogranichny, across the border. It has closed hotels to visitors and is requiring travelers to have a pass showing they are not carrying the virus. Russia closed its land border to travelers from China in January.
On the Chinese side, quarantines have been extended to a full month for people arriving by air in Suifenhe and in Heilongjiang's capital, Harbin. All land border crossings were halted last week.
"The Chinese consulate again strongly reminds Chinese citizens not to summarily make trips to the border region," the Chinese consulate in the nearby Russian city of Vladivostok said in a notice posted Monday.
As Wuhan and other regions get back to business, Chinese authorities say they will remain vigilant against a second wave of infections, particularly from those arriving from outside the country.
New cases of local infection in China have fallen to near zero after more than two months of strict travel bans and social distancing measures. Of 89 cases reported on Tuesday, all but three were detected in people arriving from abroad. It wasn't immediately clear if any came from Russia.
No new deaths were reported in the country on Tuesday, suggesting the outbreak is running its course. Last week, authorities lifted a 76-day quarantine in Wuhan, where the virus was first detected late last year, an indication that the worst may have passed.
China had recorded 82,249 cases and 3,341 deaths as of Tuesday, while 1,077 people suspected of having the virus or testing positive without showing symptoms were under isolation and monitoring.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--How state and global governments are cooperating to beat virus

Governments battling a virus that has crossed borders with breathtaking speed pinned their hopes Tuesday on tests , technology , and a coordinated approach to ease the tight restrictions on movement that have slowed the outbreak but strangled the global economy .
While the European Union looked into creating a COVID-19 smartphone app that could function across the bloc , governors on both United States ' coasts pledged to work together as they planned an easing of the confinement of millions .
The main concern is to avoid a resurgence by the virus .
As governments grapple with when and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the International Monetary Fund projected that the world economy will suffer its worst year since the Great Depression in the 1930s .
The grim forecast Tuesday underscored the dilemma facing world leaders as they strive to balance public health against economic stability .
Around the world , India extended the world 's largest lockdown on 1.3 billion people until May 3 .
In Britain , new data showed hundreds more people died of the virus than have been recorded in the government 's daily tally from hospitals .
The dead include a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China faced a new flare-up along its remote northern border with Russia .
The border has been sealed and medical units have rushed to the area to prevent travelers from returning with the virus .
New infections appear to have leveled off in much of Asia and Europe , including Italy , France , Spain , and Germany , said Dr. Sebastian Johnston , a professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College London .
Even in New York – where reported coronavirus deaths passed 10,000 on Monday – Gov .
Andrew Cuomo declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can continue to be smart . ''
More than 23,000 people have died of the virus in the United States overall , with close to 600,000 confirmed infections , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Tensions between the White House and the nation 's governors increased when President Donald Trump claimed that he has `` total '' authority to decide how and when to reopen the economy .
The Constitution largely delegates such authority to states .
`` We do n't have a king , '' Mr. Cuomo , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Today . ''
We have a president .
That was a big decision .
We ran away from having a king , and George Washington was president , not King Washington .
So the president does n't have total authority . ''
With social distancing and lockdowns in place across much of the world , projections that the virus would spread with equal ferocity to other corners have yet to materialize .
But without a vaccine or widespread antibody tests to determine how many people are immune to the virus , governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister , Heiko Maas , called for a single smartphone app across the European Union .
`` It 's important we do n't end up with a patchwork of 27 corona apps and 27 data protection regimes but coordinate as best as possible , '' he told Germany 's Funke media group .
Mr. Maas said a contract-tracing app already being jointly developed by several countries showed that the EU `` does n't have to copy the Big Brother methods of authoritarian states '' but can instead safeguard both personal privacy and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Robert Koch Institute , Germany 's disease control center , said constantly exchanging information among countries and institutions about best practices , vaccine studies , and protecting vulnerable people is key .
The virus has also forced rival companies to work together .
Two of the world 's biggest drug companies – Sanofi Pasteur and GSK – announced they will combine forces to work on a vaccine .
And last week , Apple and Google announced a joint effort to help public health agencies worldwide use Bluetooth wireless technology to trace the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where new reported cases have dwindled , life is ruled by a green bar-code symbol on a smartphone screen that says a user is symptom-free and can board a subway , check into a hotel , or just enter Wuhan , the city of 11 million where the outbreak began in December .
South Korea and Israel have both aggressively used smartphone data to track the movements of carriers .
But epidemiologists say contact tracing must be combined with widely available testing , which has been lacking in places like the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials pointed to positive signs as they started to reopen their economies .
In Italy , where the day-to-day count of infections has been trending downward , bookstores , stationery stores , and shops selling baby supplies were allowed to open nationwide .
Forestry workers , needed to clear dead trees ahead of the summer fire season , also returned to work .
In Spain , where the official death toll rose to over 18,000 , the country 's main epidemiology institute found an additional 1,500 `` unexpected deaths '' since mid-March after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned Monday to some factory and construction jobs .
Stores and services were still closed , and the government required office workers to keep working from home .
In Austria , hardware and gardening stores reopened Tuesday .
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government is monitoring new infections closely , and `` if the figures develop in the wrong direction , we will , of course , pull the emergency brake . ''
In Britain , which started its lockdown later than the rest of Europe , new infections and deaths were still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 11,300 deaths of COVID-19 patients in hospitals .
But the head of one of the country 's biggest nursing home operators said Tuesday that the number of infections and deaths among the elderly is much higher than official reports .
In the United States , governors in the Northeast and along the West Coast announced separate state groups to coordinate reopenings .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said he would announce a detailed plan Tuesday for lifting virus restrictions , using `` science to guide our decision-making and not political pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fire , '' New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy said .
`` We still have to put the fire out '' but also `` make sure this does n't reignite . ''
New Jersey is in a coalition with Connecticut , Delaware , Massachusetts , New York , Pennsylvania , and Rhode Island to figure out how to reopen their economies while still fighting the virus .
The governors of California , Oregon , and Washington announced a similar plan .
More than 1.9 million infections have been reported and over 120,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University .
The figures understate the true size of the pandemic , because of limited testing , uneven counting of the dead , and concealment by some governments .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Governments battling a virus that has crossed borders with breathtaking speed pinned their hopes Tuesday on tests, technology, and a coordinated approach to ease the tight restrictions on movement that have slowed the outbreak but strangled the global economy.
While the European Union looked into creating a COVID-19 smartphone app that could function across the bloc, governors on both United States' coasts pledged to work together as they planned an easing of the confinement of millions. The main concern is to avoid a resurgence by the virus.
As governments grapple with when and how to reopen their countries for business, the International Monetary Fund projected that the world economy will suffer its worst year since the Great Depression in the 1930s. The grim forecast Tuesday underscored the dilemma facing world leaders as they strive to balance public health against economic stability.
Around the world, India extended the world's largest lockdown on 1.3 billion people until May 3. In Britain, new data showed hundreds more people died of the virus than have been recorded in the government's daily tally from hospitals. The dead include a wave of victims in nursing homes.
China faced a new flare-up along its remote northern border with Russia. The border has been sealed and medical units have rushed to the area to prevent travelers from returning with the virus.
New infections appear to have leveled off in much of Asia and Europe, including Italy, France, Spain, and Germany, said Dr. Sebastian Johnston, a professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College London.
Even in New York – where reported coronavirus deaths passed 10,000 on Monday – Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared the "worst is over if we can continue to be smart." More than 23,000 people have died of the virus in the United States overall, with close to 600,000 confirmed infections, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Tensions between the White House and the nation's governors increased when President Donald Trump claimed that he has "total" authority to decide how and when to reopen the economy. The Constitution largely delegates such authority to states.
"We don't have a king," Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, said Tuesday on NBC's "Today." We have a president. That was a big decision. We ran away from having a king, and George Washington was president, not King Washington. So the president doesn't have total authority."
With social distancing and lockdowns in place across much of the world, projections that the virus would spread with equal ferocity to other corners have yet to materialize. But without a vaccine or widespread antibody tests to determine how many people are immune to the virus, governments fear new outbreaks.
Germany's foreign minister, Heiko Maas, called for a single smartphone app across the European Union.
"It's important we don't end up with a patchwork of 27 corona apps and 27 data protection regimes but coordinate as best as possible," he told Germany's Funke media group.
Mr. Maas said a contract-tracing app already being jointly developed by several countries showed that the EU "doesn't have to copy the Big Brother methods of authoritarian states" but can instead safeguard both personal privacy and public health.
Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany's disease control center, said constantly exchanging information among countries and institutions about best practices, vaccine studies, and protecting vulnerable people is key.
The virus has also forced rival companies to work together. Two of the world's biggest drug companies – Sanofi Pasteur and GSK – announced they will combine forces to work on a vaccine. And last week, Apple and Google announced a joint effort to help public health agencies worldwide use Bluetooth wireless technology to trace the contacts of infected people.
In China, where new reported cases have dwindled, life is ruled by a green bar-code symbol on a smartphone screen that says a user is symptom-free and can board a subway, check into a hotel, or just enter Wuhan, the city of 11 million where the outbreak began in December.
South Korea and Israel have both aggressively used smartphone data to track the movements of carriers. But epidemiologists say contact tracing must be combined with widely available testing, which has been lacking in places like the United States and Britain.
In Europe, officials pointed to positive signs as they started to reopen their economies.
In Italy, where the day-to-day count of infections has been trending downward, bookstores, stationery stores, and shops selling baby supplies were allowed to open nationwide. Forestry workers, needed to clear dead trees ahead of the summer fire season, also returned to work.
In Spain, where the official death toll rose to over 18,000, the country's main epidemiology institute found an additional 1,500 "unexpected deaths" since mid-March after it studied mortality rates.
Spanish workers returned Monday to some factory and construction jobs. Stores and services were still closed, and the government required office workers to keep working from home.
In Austria, hardware and gardening stores reopened Tuesday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government is monitoring new infections closely, and "if the figures develop in the wrong direction, we will, of course, pull the emergency brake."
In Britain, which started its lockdown later than the rest of Europe, new infections and deaths were still rising. Britain as of Monday reported more than 11,300 deaths of COVID-19 patients in hospitals. But the head of one of the country's biggest nursing home operators said Tuesday that the number of infections and deaths among the elderly is much higher than official reports.
In the United States, governors in the Northeast and along the West Coast announced separate state groups to coordinate reopenings.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would announce a detailed plan Tuesday for lifting virus restrictions, using "science to guide our decision-making and not political pressure."
"The house is still on fire," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said. "We still have to put the fire out" but also "make sure this doesn't reignite."
New Jersey is in a coalition with Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island to figure out how to reopen their economies while still fighting the virus. The governors of California, Oregon, and Washington announced a similar plan.
More than 1.9 million infections have been reported and over 120,000 people have died worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The figures understate the true size of the pandemic, because of limited testing, uneven counting of the dead, and concealment by some governments.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-27--With science and shared values, Sweden charts own pandemic course

“ Historically in Sweden we have been a success story , ” says Goran Rosenberg , a journalist and historian .
That “ has manifested into an uncritical trust in the authorities and a shaming of critics.
” Swedish collectivism may be preventing public debate over whether those figures are low enough .
When 22 Swedish experts in infectious diseases and epidemiology demanded that the government change course , they were met with a ferocious backlash .
So far Sweden has about 19,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases – roughly the same per capita as neighboring Denmark , which has about half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stricter approach to quarantining .
But Denmark has registered just under 450 deaths compared with Sweden ’ s nearly 2,300 .
Decisions made by Swedish authorities have been science-based rather than political .
Sweden has allowed businesses to stay open if they follow safety protocols such as placing tables far apart .
At-risk populations have been requested to self-quarantine .
Sweden ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic has focused on citizens taking personal responsibility – a source of pride for many in this Nordic society with a history of both collectivist values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is working is an open question – one that may not be in sufficient debate .
Sylvia Milchert spends most of her time tending to her blooming garden in a sleepy suburb of Stockholm since the coronavirus hit Sweden .
The semi-retired psychologist takes precautions such as having food delivered to her home , but continues to see her grandchildren , albeit only outside , keeping a distance and skipping hugs .
It ’ s not quite business as usual in the suburb of Vallingby .
But people still frequent cafes and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gym .
Like most Swedes , Ms. Milchert believes health authorities here have taken the right approach by not responding to the crisis with the strict lockdowns favored in the rest of Europe and trusting the population to do the right thing .
“ It ’ s good to trust people to think for themselves , ” she says , although her trust wavers when examining the toll this strategy has taken on older members of the Swedish community .
“ It ’ s impossible to accept that so many elderly people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
As the novel coronavirus tears through the continent , Sweden has been an outlier in its response .
It limits gatherings to 50 people but shops , cafes , and other businesses are open on condition that they follow safety protocols such as placing tables far apart .
The elderly and at-risk populations have been requested to self-quarantine .
But whether that approach is working has been the subject of some debate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported infections in Sweden remains on a par with countries that have taken more extreme measures to protect their public , the death toll in Sweden is significantly higher .
And some say that the societal norms that Sweden is relying on to ensure the public adheres to the government ’ s COVID-19 strategy may also be freezing out the kind of debate needed to examine whether the strategy is the right one .
The emphasis of Sweden ’ s response to the pandemic has been on citizens taking personal responsibility – a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nordic society with a history of endorsing both collectivist values and individual freedom .
Sweden promotes itself as being a model society based on values of social justice and human rationality , with a high level of trust between people and trustworthy authorities .
This has its origins from the Social Democrat-introduced concept of “ Folkhemmet , ” or people ’ s home , where a welfare state cares for all with the proviso that everyone complies with a communal order .
“ When societies are under stress , national specificities come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Lars Tragardh , a Swedish social historian and co-author of the book “ Are Swedes Human ?
” “ In our case , it is to listen to experts and voluntarily comply with their recommendations.
” Dr. Tragardh says decisions made by Swedish authorities have been science-based rather than political , unlike other countries .
Sweden has a unique administrative structure when it comes to certain aspects of governance , one of them being health .
It is written into the national constitution that Sweden ’ s public agencies are independent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that decisions are made based on knowledge and that civil servants are not corrupted by politicking .
The Swedish response to the COVID-19 pandemic stands in sharp contrast with Nordic neighbors Finland and Denmark .
Governments there were given similar advice from their health agencies , but they decided to shut down public life anyway .
So far Sweden has about 19,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases – roughly the same per capita as Denmark , which has about half the population size and took a much stricter approach to quarantining .
But Denmark has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sweden ’ s nearly 2,300 .
And Finland , which also has half Sweden ’ s population , has fared even better : less than 5,000 cases and fewer than 200 deaths .
Most of the fatalities have been in Stockholm , with nearly a third occurring in elder-care homes .
In a press conference last week , Anders Tegnell , the state epidemiologist who is the mind behind Sweden ’ s policy , acknowledged “ this our big problem area , ” especially in light of past statements indicating that the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elderly .
Sylvia Melfeldt , who used to work in elder-care homes as a psychologist in the 1970s , believes that this is the result of the vast neo-liberalization of Sweden in the 1990s , which opened them up to competition between private firms .
“ Now if you can afford it , you can get a better quality of private care .
But if you can ’ t , you must make do with what your municipality provides , ” says Ms. Melfeldt .
“ Carers are poorly paid , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are paid by the hour , receive no training , and now have dwindling resources.
” The coronavirus pandemic has hit immigrant majority communities particularly hard .
Earlier this month , the country ’ s public health agency reported that people in Sweden with foreign backgrounds are disproportionately represented among those who need hospitalization .
That squares with the experience of Terez Kino , a resident of the city of Södertälje and member of its large population of Assyrian-Syriacs , an ethnic minority scattered across Turkey , Syria , and Iraq .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of immigrant background as well , who would come to her home and tend to her needs .
Four are now sick at home with virus symptoms .
Her elderly sister has also contracted the virus from her carers , and her brother recently died of the virus .
Her son is now taking care of her .
“ We always did our best here in Sweden , ever since we came in 1974 , ” says Ms. Kino , “ but now we have been left behind.
” Dr. Carina King , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who opposes the government policy , says the pandemic has impacted socioeconomic groups differently .
“ A lot of the strategy is based on cultural norms , the narrative that Swedes will follow the recommendations and trust the authorities.
” But she says that does not take into account just how much the make-up of Sweden has changed .
It is not completely clear how Swedish society is taking the rising death toll .
According to YouGov polls , trust in the public health authorities is now evenly split in Sweden .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aftonbladet newspaper indicates there has been an uptick in confidence in the authorities despite the rising fatalities , with 70 % of those polled indicating that they continue to trust the government .
Nonetheless , there have been some vocal critics .
Twenty-two Swedish experts in infectious diseases and epidemiology published a commentary in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter demanding that the government to take a different course of action .
Dr. Anders Vahine , one of the experts , a virology professor at the prestigious Karolinska institute , told the Monitor that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human lives and health of the Swedish strategy .
“ If you just accept people dying , then it ’ s a ‘ que sera sera ’ situation , it ’ s a very fatalistic view that you can not interfere.
” But after ferocious public backlash , several of the experts have decided to step out of the debate despite their ongoing concern .
“ In Sweden , there is this idea of ‘ Jante Law ’ : If you go outside a social norm or criticize it , you will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Umut Özkırımlı , a political scientist who studies nationalism and is based in Spain and Sweden .
“ Sweden is about conformity and moderation.
” Goran Rosenberg , a journalist and historian , is alarmed at the waning national cohesion in the country .
“ I think historically in Sweden we have been a success story .
And that has turned into a sort of nationalism – not like traditional nationalism , but a belief that since we have been good at welfare and so on , we must be right .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust in the authorities and a shaming of critics , calling them traitors.
” Mr. Rosenberg believes that if possible failures of the Swedish system are being exposed by the pandemic , that could result in questions being raised .
“ If the Swedish way of doing things is disproven and ... seen as broken in a way , it might result in a radical change in society.
” Editor ’ s note : This story was updated to correct the spelling of Dr. Tragardh 's name .

“Historically in Sweden we have been a success story,” says Goran Rosenberg, a journalist and historian. That “has manifested into an uncritical trust in the authorities and a shaming of critics.”
Swedish collectivism may be preventing public debate over whether those figures are low enough. When 22 Swedish experts in infectious diseases and epidemiology demanded that the government change course, they were met with a ferocious backlash.
So far Sweden has about 19,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases – roughly the same per capita as neighboring Denmark, which has about half the population size and took a much stricter approach to quarantining. But Denmark has registered just under 450 deaths compared with Sweden’s nearly 2,300.
In discussions over how restrictive the fight against COVID-19 must be, Sweden’s approach to the pandemic comes up frequently. Is Sweden’s communal approach working? And is the public debating that question?
Decisions made by Swedish authorities have been science-based rather than political. Sweden has allowed businesses to stay open if they follow safety protocols such as placing tables far apart. At-risk populations have been requested to self-quarantine.
Sweden’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has focused on citizens taking personal responsibility – a source of pride for many in this Nordic society with a history of both collectivist values and individual freedom. But whether it is working is an open question – one that may not be in sufficient debate.
Sylvia Milchert spends most of her time tending to her blooming garden in a sleepy suburb of Stockholm since the coronavirus hit Sweden. The semi-retired psychologist takes precautions such as having food delivered to her home, but continues to see her grandchildren, albeit only outside, keeping a distance and skipping hugs.
It’s not quite business as usual in the suburb of Vallingby. But people still frequent cafes and the odd person can be seen at the gym. Like most Swedes, Ms. Milchert believes health authorities here have taken the right approach by not responding to the crisis with the strict lockdowns favored in the rest of Europe and trusting the population to do the right thing.
“It’s good to trust people to think for themselves,” she says, although her trust wavers when examining the toll this strategy has taken on older members of the Swedish community. “It’s impossible to accept that so many elderly people have died in such a rich country.”
Why We Wrote This In discussions over how restrictive the fight against COVID-19 must be, Sweden’s approach to the pandemic comes up frequently. Is Sweden’s communal approach working? And is the public debating that question?
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
As the novel coronavirus tears through the continent, Sweden has been an outlier in its response. It limits gatherings to 50 people but shops, cafes, and other businesses are open on condition that they follow safety protocols such as placing tables far apart. The elderly and at-risk populations have been requested to self-quarantine.
But whether that approach is working has been the subject of some debate in Swedish society. While the rate of reported infections in Sweden remains on a par with countries that have taken more extreme measures to protect their public, the death toll in Sweden is significantly higher. And some say that the societal norms that Sweden is relying on to ensure the public adheres to the government’s COVID-19 strategy may also be freezing out the kind of debate needed to examine whether the strategy is the right one.
Science over politics
The emphasis of Sweden’s response to the pandemic has been on citizens taking personal responsibility – a source of pride for many in this Nordic society with a history of endorsing both collectivist values and individual freedom.
Sweden promotes itself as being a model society based on values of social justice and human rationality, with a high level of trust between people and trustworthy authorities. This has its origins from the Social Democrat-introduced concept of “Folkhemmet,” or people’s home, where a welfare state cares for all with the proviso that everyone complies with a communal order.
Janerik Henriksson/TT News Agency/Reuters View caption Hide caption People enjoy the sun at an outdoor restaurant, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in Stockholm on March 26, 2020.
“When societies are under stress, national specificities come to the surface and influence decisionmaking,” says Lars Tragardh, a Swedish social historian and co-author of the book “Are Swedes Human?” “In our case, it is to listen to experts and voluntarily comply with their recommendations.”
Dr. Tragardh says decisions made by Swedish authorities have been science-based rather than political, unlike other countries. Sweden has a unique administrative structure when it comes to certain aspects of governance, one of them being health. It is written into the national constitution that Sweden’s public agencies are independent of the government. This is to ensure that decisions are made based on knowledge and that civil servants are not corrupted by politicking.
The Swedish response to the COVID-19 pandemic stands in sharp contrast with Nordic neighbors Finland and Denmark. Governments there were given similar advice from their health agencies, but they decided to shut down public life anyway.
So far Sweden has about 19,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases – roughly the same per capita as Denmark, which has about half the population size and took a much stricter approach to quarantining. But Denmark has registered just under 450 deaths compared with Sweden’s nearly 2,300. And Finland, which also has half Sweden’s population, has fared even better: less than 5,000 cases and fewer than 200 deaths.
Most of the fatalities have been in Stockholm, with nearly a third occurring in elder-care homes. In a press conference last week, Anders Tegnell, the state epidemiologist who is the mind behind Sweden’s policy, acknowledged “this our big problem area,” especially in light of past statements indicating that the main focus of the strategy was to protect the elderly.
Sylvia Melfeldt, who used to work in elder-care homes as a psychologist in the 1970s, believes that this is the result of the vast neo-liberalization of Sweden in the 1990s, which opened them up to competition between private firms.
“Now if you can afford it, you can get a better quality of private care. But if you can’t, you must make do with what your municipality provides,” says Ms. Melfeldt. “Carers are poorly paid, they have to see multiple people because they are paid by the hour, receive no training, and now have dwindling resources.”
Henrik Montgomery/TT News Agency/Reuters View caption Hide caption Youth hang out at a skateboard park in Nacka, Sweden, on April 25, 2020.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit immigrant majority communities particularly hard. Earlier this month, the country’s public health agency reported that people in Sweden with foreign backgrounds are disproportionately represented among those who need hospitalization.
That squares with the experience of Terez Kino, a resident of the city of Södertälje and member of its large population of Assyrian-Syriacs, an ethnic minority scattered across Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. She used to have five carers, all of immigrant background as well, who would come to her home and tend to her needs. Four are now sick at home with virus symptoms. Her elderly sister has also contracted the virus from her carers, and her brother recently died of the virus. Her son is now taking care of her.
“We always did our best here in Sweden, ever since we came in 1974,” says Ms. Kino, “but now we have been left behind.”
Dr. Carina King, an epidemiologist working in the Karolinska Institute who opposes the government policy, says the pandemic has impacted socioeconomic groups differently. “A lot of the strategy is based on cultural norms, the narrative that Swedes will follow the recommendations and trust the authorities.” But she says that does not take into account just how much the make-up of Sweden has changed.
“It’s a very fatalistic view”
It is not completely clear how Swedish society is taking the rising death toll. According to YouGov polls, trust in the public health authorities is now evenly split in Sweden. But other surveys like that of the center-left Aftonbladet newspaper indicates there has been an uptick in confidence in the authorities despite the rising fatalities, with 70% of those polled indicating that they continue to trust the government.
Nonetheless, there have been some vocal critics. Twenty-two Swedish experts in infectious diseases and epidemiology published a commentary in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter demanding that the government to take a different course of action.
Dr. Anders Vahine, one of the experts, a virology professor at the prestigious Karolinska institute, told the Monitor that their biggest concern is the cost in human lives and health of the Swedish strategy. “If you just accept people dying, then it’s a ‘que sera sera’ situation, it’s a very fatalistic view that you cannot interfere.”
But after ferocious public backlash, several of the experts have decided to step out of the debate despite their ongoing concern.
“In Sweden, there is this idea of ‘Jante Law’: If you go outside a social norm or criticize it, you will be castigated and frozen out,” explains Umut Özkırımlı, a political scientist who studies nationalism and is based in Spain and Sweden. “Sweden is about conformity and moderation.”
Goran Rosenberg, a journalist and historian, is alarmed at the waning national cohesion in the country. “I think historically in Sweden we have been a success story. And that has turned into a sort of nationalism – not like traditional nationalism, but a belief that since we have been good at welfare and so on, we must be right. And this nationalism has manifested into an uncritical trust in the authorities and a shaming of critics, calling them traitors.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Mr. Rosenberg believes that if possible failures of the Swedish system are being exposed by the pandemic, that could result in questions being raised. “If the Swedish way of doing things is disproven and ... seen as broken in a way, it might result in a radical change in society.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the spelling of Dr. Tragardh's name.


csmonitor--2020-05-11--Trump officials forecast economic rebound as lockdowns lift

Trump administration officials spoke optimistically about a relatively quick rebound from the coronavirus Sunday as life within the White House reflected the stark challenges still posed by the pandemic , with Vice President Mike Pence “ self-isolating ” after one of his aides tested positive .
A balancing act was playing out the world over , with leaders starting to loosen lockdowns that have left millions unemployed while also warning of the threat of a second wave of infections .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin predicted the American economy would rebound in the second half of this year from unemployment rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.2 million U.S. workers applied for jobless benefits last week , bringing the total over the last seven weeks to 33.5 million .
“ I think you ’ re going to see a bounce-back from a low standpoint , ” said Mr. Mnuchin , speaking on “ Fox News Sunday.
” But the director of the University of Washington institute that created a White House-endorsed coronavirus model said the moves by states to re-open businesses “ will translate into more cases and deaths in 10 days from now.
” Dr. Christopher Murray of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said states where cases and deaths are going up more than expected include Illinois , Arizona , Florida , and California .
Mr. Pence 's move to self-isolate came after three members of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force placed themselves in quarantine after coming into contact with the aide .
An administration official said Mr. Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people and has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure .
He plans to be at the White House Monday .
New York Gov .
Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after an Associated Press report in which residents ’ relatives , watchdog groups , and politicians from both parties alleged he was not doing enough to counter the surge of deaths in nursing homes , where about 5,300 residents have died .
Nursing home staff in New York will now have to undergo COVID-19 tests twice a week and facilities will no longer be required to take in hospital patients who were infected .
The U.S. has seen 1.3 million infections and nearly 80,000 deaths , the most in the world by far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins University .
Worldwide , 4 million people have been reported infected and more than 280,000 have died , according to Johns Hopkins .
In the U.K. , Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday a modest easing of the country ’ s coronavirus lockdown but urged citizens not to surrender the progress already made .
Those in the U.K. construction or manufacturing industries or other jobs that can ’ t be done at home “ should be actively encouraged to go to work ” this week , he said .
Mr. Johnson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling ill himself with what he called “ this devilish illness , ” set a goal of June 1 to begin re-opening schools and shops if the U.K. can control new infections and the transmission rate of each infected person .
“ We will be driven not by mere hope or economic necessity , ” he said .
“ We ’ re going to be driven by the science , the data , and public health.
” Germany , which managed to push new infections below 1,000 daily before deciding to loosen restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to slaughterhouses and nursing homes .
France is letting some younger students go back to school Monday after almost two months out .
Attendance won ’ t be compulsory right away .
Only preschools and elementary schools are set to start up at first , and classes will be capped at 10 students at preschools and 15 elsewhere .
Administrators were told to prioritize instruction for children ages 5 , 6 , and 10 .
Mathilde Manaud and her partner are raising their 3-year-old and 7-year-old in Le Pre Saint-Gervais , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They agreed to send the children kids back to school if there are spaces .
“ Truth is , we don ’ t know whether we are right to do so or no , we don ’ t know if it ’ s a mistake .
We ask ourselves this question every day , and we change our mind every day , ” Ms. Manaud said .
“ We are trying to convince ourselves that if they are reopening , they assume they can handle the situation.
” French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of France ’ s 50,500 preschools and elementary schools will open this week .
Junior high schools in regions with fewer virus cases are expected to reopen on May 18 .
A target date hasn ’ t been scheduled yet for for high schools .
Residents of some Spanish regions will be able to enjoy limited seating at bars , restaurants , and other public places Monday , but Madrid and Barcelona , the country ’ s largest cities , will remain shut down .
China , where the virus was first detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first double-digit rise in 10 days .
Eleven of 12 domestic infections were in the northeastern province of Jilin , prompting authorities to raise the threat level in one of its counties , Shulan , to high risk , just days after downgrading all regions to low risk .
All passengers traveling through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be required to wear cloth face coverings beginning May 18 .
The requirement also applies to airport workers , including Port of Seattle employees , and visitors who aren ’ t flying , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Port of Seattle on Saturday night exempts people who can ’ t tolerate facial coverings for medical reasons , as well as very young children .
It ’ s not yet clear how the Port of Seattle will enforce the requirement , but port spokesman Peter McGraw said the policy will be refined in the coming week .
Several major airlines and some airports also are requiring passengers to wear masks .
Philadelphia International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport will require all passengers and visitors to wear masks starting Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers to wear face coverings this past week .
Some carriers , including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines , require passengers to wear face coverings when they are on the plane .
The Transportation Security Administration now requires workers at screening checkpoints to wear masks .
South Korea reported 34 more cases as new infections linked to nightclubs threaten its hard-won gains against the virus .
It was the first time that South Korea ’ s daily infections were above 30 in about a month .
The mayor of Seoul ordered all the capital ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Trump administration officials spoke optimistically about a relatively quick rebound from the coronavirus Sunday as life within the White House reflected the stark challenges still posed by the pandemic, with Vice President Mike Pence “self-isolating” after one of his aides tested positive.
A balancing act was playing out the world over, with leaders starting to loosen lockdowns that have left millions unemployed while also warning of the threat of a second wave of infections.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin predicted the American economy would rebound in the second half of this year from unemployment rates that rival the Great Depression. Another 3.2 million U.S. workers applied for jobless benefits last week, bringing the total over the last seven weeks to 33.5 million.
“I think you’re going to see a bounce-back from a low standpoint,” said Mr. Mnuchin, speaking on “Fox News Sunday.”
But the director of the University of Washington institute that created a White House-endorsed coronavirus model said the moves by states to re-open businesses “will translate into more cases and deaths in 10 days from now.” Dr. Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said states where cases and deaths are going up more than expected include Illinois, Arizona, Florida, and California.
Mr. Pence's move to self-isolate came after three members of the White House’s coronavirus task force placed themselves in quarantine after coming into contact with the aide. An administration official said Mr. Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people and has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure. He plans to be at the White House Monday.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced two policy reversals a day after an Associated Press report in which residents’ relatives, watchdog groups, and politicians from both parties alleged he was not doing enough to counter the surge of deaths in nursing homes, where about 5,300 residents have died. Nursing home staff in New York will now have to undergo COVID-19 tests twice a week and facilities will no longer be required to take in hospital patients who were infected.
The U.S. has seen 1.3 million infections and nearly 80,000 deaths, the most in the world by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, 4 million people have been reported infected and more than 280,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins.
In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday a modest easing of the country’s coronavirus lockdown but urged citizens not to surrender the progress already made.
Those in the U.K. construction or manufacturing industries or other jobs that can’t be done at home “should be actively encouraged to go to work” this week, he said. Mr. Johnson, who has taken a tougher line after falling ill himself with what he called “this devilish illness,” set a goal of June 1 to begin re-opening schools and shops if the U.K. can control new infections and the transmission rate of each infected person.
“We will be driven not by mere hope or economic necessity,” he said. “We’re going to be driven by the science, the data, and public health.”
Germany, which managed to push new infections below 1,000 daily before deciding to loosen restrictions, has seen regional spikes in cases linked to slaughterhouses and nursing homes.
France is letting some younger students go back to school Monday after almost two months out. Attendance won’t be compulsory right away. Only preschools and elementary schools are set to start up at first, and classes will be capped at 10 students at preschools and 15 elsewhere. Administrators were told to prioritize instruction for children ages 5, 6, and 10.
Mathilde Manaud and her partner are raising their 3-year-old and 7-year-old in Le Pre Saint-Gervais, in the French capital's eastern suburbs. They agreed to send the children kids back to school if there are spaces. “Truth is, we don’t know whether we are right to do so or no, we don’t know if it’s a mistake. We ask ourselves this question every day, and we change our mind every day,” Ms. Manaud said. “We are trying to convince ourselves that if they are reopening, they assume they can handle the situation.”
French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer estimated that 80% to 85% of France’s 50,500 preschools and elementary schools will open this week. Junior high schools in regions with fewer virus cases are expected to reopen on May 18. A target date hasn’t been scheduled yet for for high schools.
Residents of some Spanish regions will be able to enjoy limited seating at bars, restaurants, and other public places Monday, but Madrid and Barcelona, the country’s largest cities, will remain shut down.
China, where the virus was first detected, reported 14 new cases Sunday, its first double-digit rise in 10 days. Eleven of 12 domestic infections were in the northeastern province of Jilin, prompting authorities to raise the threat level in one of its counties, Shulan, to high risk, just days after downgrading all regions to low risk.
All passengers traveling through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be required to wear cloth face coverings beginning May 18.
The requirement also applies to airport workers, including Port of Seattle employees, and visitors who aren’t flying, according to The Seattle Times. The move announced by the Port of Seattle on Saturday night exempts people who can’t tolerate facial coverings for medical reasons, as well as very young children. It’s not yet clear how the Port of Seattle will enforce the requirement, but port spokesman Peter McGraw said the policy will be refined in the coming week.
Several major airlines and some airports also are requiring passengers to wear masks. Philadelphia International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport will require all passengers and visitors to wear masks starting Monday. Denver International Airport started requiring all passengers to wear face coverings this past week.
Some carriers, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, require passengers to wear face coverings when they are on the plane. The Transportation Security Administration now requires workers at screening checkpoints to wear masks.
South Korea reported 34 more cases as new infections linked to nightclubs threaten its hard-won gains against the virus. It was the first time that South Korea’s daily infections were above 30 in about a month. The mayor of Seoul ordered all the capital’s bars and nightclubs shut down indefinitely.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-11--Monday Sunrise Briefing: A cautious, global economic reawakening

Around the world , nations continued the struggle to balance public and economic health .
In the U.S. , 45 states eased stay-at-home restrictions even as 15 of those states saw a rise in COVID-19 cases .
In France and the Netherlands , primary schools are reopening this week .
In China , the Shanghai Disneyland theme park reopened Monday .
Some countries that have seen success in battling coronavirus - South Korea , China , and Germany - are now seeing small regional upticks in cases .
Seoul re-closed all bars and nightclubs .
In Britain , the prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its lockdown .
In Washington , three members of the Trump administration 's coronavirus task force are now in self-quarantine , while on TV news shows Sunday , some of the president 's economic advisers emphasized the importance of getting more businesses opened .
2 .
A blueprint for the return of sports ?
On Saturday , the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) , a mixed martial arts promotion company , held the first live , televised sporting event in the U.S. in two months .
The event in Jacksonville , Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and safety protocols , including no fans , social distancing , and testing of athletes and trainers .
Some , including President Trump , hailed it as a model for other pro sports .
Others say it failed to practice the safety measures it publicized .
“ If this was your system working as designed , your system is bogus , ” tweeted Zachary Binney , an adjunct instructor of epidemiology at Emory University .
NASCAR plans to return to the track ( without spectators ) next Sunday at Darlington Raceway in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will tell team owners on Monday about a plan that starts a shortened season in July , reports The Wall Street Journal .
3 .
A creative Mother ’ s Day .
On Sunday , sons and daughters around the world embraced the challenge of celebrating mom at a distance .
They leaned on technology , neighbors , and inspiration .
In Mexico , the mariachi serenades were delivered to mom by video - or a drive by .
In New Canaan , Connecticut , Anna Francese Gass , her husband , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her mom ’ s nearby home .
Mom supervised from the window while they planted them in her flower bed .
Willie Greer lives in Memphis so he enlisted his mom ’ s neighbor in Dallas to bake a pecan pie ( her favorite ) and deliver it .
Then , he and his siblings planned to make a video of them singing “ A Mother ’ s Love ” by Gena Hill .
“ I ’ m pretty sure this is the part where my mom cries her eyes out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live audio .
The U.S. Supreme Court continues to hold hearings this week via conference call .
Today , the justices are scheduled to hear a case about exemptions for religious employers in discrimination lawsuits .
On Tuesday , a case about accessing President Trump ’ s financial records is expected .
On Wednesday , the court hears arguments about casting Electoral College ballots .
An in-person primary .
Nebraska votes today , the first in-person statewide presidential primary since the controversial April 7 vote in Wisconsin .
A record number of mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November ?
The political fight to fill a vacant House seat in California is getting national attention because Republican Mike Garcia is leading his rival , Democrat Christy Smith , in the polls .
For two decades , the seat has gone to a Democrat .
A new-old government .
Cleared last week by Israel ’ s Supreme Court to form a new government , despite facing charges for fraud and bribery , Benjamin Netanyahu embarks on a fourth consecutive term as prime minister .
His corruption trial is scheduled for May 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memorial Day pays tribute to law enforcement officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty .
On Wednesday , the names 307 police officers were set to be engraved on National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington , D.C.. Graduation celebration .
To honor the 2020 grads who wo n't get to don caps and gowns due to the pandemic , Facebook is hosting an event with Oprah Winfrey , Miley Cyrus , and Lil Nas X to celebrate students Friday at 2 p.m. E.T .
on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama plan to give an address as part of a two-hour virtual commencement ceremony for HBCU ( Historically Black Colleges and Universities ) graduates who have had their traditional ceremonies canceled .
Gratitude for patriotic service .
The U.S. Armed Forces Day ( established in 1950 ) honors all active members of the five military branches ( Army , Navy , Marines , Air Force , and Coast Guard ) .
It ’ s distinct from Memorial Day ( honoring deceased military service members ) or Veteran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deceased military service members ) .
What would you do if you found a bag full of $ 135,000 in cash ?
Nineteen-year-old José Nuñez Romaniz may have been tempted to take the money left next to a Wells Fargo ATM machine in Albuquerque , New Mexico .
But , then , he thought about his mom .
“ What she would do if I came home with the money and what she would do with her chancla , ” he told KRQE-TV in Albuquerque with a laugh .
In other words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipflop to the side of his head .
She 'd taught him right from wrong .
José called the bank and the police .
It turns out a bank contractor had failed to fill the ATM and left the cash behind .
And integrity has its own rewards .
For making the right choice , José was given a $ 500 check by PNM ( New Mexico 's public utility company ) , a local restaurant chain , El Patron , also gave him $ 500 and a gift card , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his family University of New Mexico football season tickets , and a signed Brian Urlacher football .
“ It isn ’ t what we say or think that defines us , but what we do , ” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller .
José is studying criminal justice at Central New Mexico Community College and wants to pursue a career in law enforcement .
He 's off to a good start .
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers : Another effect of the coronavirus crisis : Forgiveness In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our story about grandmothers taking on Poland 's right-wing government .
Finally , check out the Monitor ’ s selected stories from Friday 's subscription-only Daily Edition : • A modern posse shot Ahmaud Arbery .
Has stand your ground gone too far ?
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
This is a beta test - an experiment with an early Monday news update .
Please give us your feedback via the link below and let us know @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Around the world, nations continued the struggle to balance public and economic health. In the U.S., 45 states eased stay-at-home restrictions even as 15 of those states saw a rise in COVID-19 cases. In France and the Netherlands, primary schools are reopening this week. In China, the Shanghai Disneyland theme park reopened Monday. Some countries that have seen success in battling coronavirus - South Korea, China, and Germany - are now seeing small regional upticks in cases. Seoul re-closed all bars and nightclubs. In Britain, the prime minister announced Sunday a modest easing of its lockdown. In Washington, three members of the Trump administration's coronavirus task force are now in self-quarantine, while on TV news shows Sunday, some of the president's economic advisers emphasized the importance of getting more businesses opened.
2. A blueprint for the return of sports? On Saturday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion company, held the first live, televised sporting event in the U.S. in two months. The event in Jacksonville, Florida, was conducted with a list of health and safety protocols, including no fans, social distancing, and testing of athletes and trainers. Some, including President Trump, hailed it as a model for other pro sports. Others say it failed to practice the safety measures it publicized. “If this was your system working as designed, your system is bogus,” tweeted Zachary Binney, an adjunct instructor of epidemiology at Emory University. NASCAR plans to return to the track (without spectators) next Sunday at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. And Major League Baseball will tell team owners on Monday about a plan that starts a shortened season in July, reports The Wall Street Journal.
3. A creative Mother’s Day. On Sunday, sons and daughters around the world embraced the challenge of celebrating mom at a distance. They leaned on technology, neighbors, and inspiration. In Mexico, the mariachi serenades were delivered to mom by video - or a drive by. In New Canaan, Connecticut, Anna Francese Gass, her husband, and three children brought daffodil and tulip bulbs to her mom’s nearby home. Mom supervised from the window while they planted them in her flower bed. Willie Greer lives in Memphis so he enlisted his mom’s neighbor in Dallas to bake a pecan pie (her favorite) and deliver it. Then, he and his siblings planned to make a video of them singing “A Mother’s Love” by Gena Hill. “I’m pretty sure this is the part where my mom cries her eyes out,” said Mr. Greer.
Maksim Bogodvid / Sputnik via AP View caption Hide caption WWII veteran Rustam Khabibulin and his wife Zulfa watch a parade organized in his honor Saturday outside his house on the 75th anniversary of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in WWII, in Kazan, Russia.
Why We Wrote This Good morning! Welcome to your Monday, May 11, 2020, sunrise briefing. Here are three news events from this past weekend (while you may have been spelunking, mulching, and enjoying an offline life). Also, what to look for in the news this week.
Look Ahead
Monday, May 11
Justice via live audio. The U.S. Supreme Court continues to hold hearings this week via conference call. Today, the justices are scheduled to hear a case about exemptions for religious employers in discrimination lawsuits. On Tuesday, a case about accessing President Trump’s financial records is expected. On Wednesday, the court hears arguments about casting Electoral College ballots.
Tuesday, May 12
An in-person primary. Nebraska votes today, the first in-person statewide presidential primary since the controversial April 7 vote in Wisconsin. A record number of mail-in ballots have been requested.
Window on November? The political fight to fill a vacant House seat in California is getting national attention because Republican Mike Garcia is leading his rival, Democrat Christy Smith, in the polls. For two decades, the seat has gone to a Democrat.
Wednesday, May 13
A new-old government. Cleared last week by Israel’s Supreme Court to form a new government, despite facing charges for fraud and bribery, Benjamin Netanyahu embarks on a fourth consecutive term as prime minister. His corruption trial is scheduled for May 24.
Friday, May 15
Gratitude. The annual Peace Officers Memorial Day pays tribute to law enforcement officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. On Wednesday, the names 307 police officers were set to be engraved on National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C..
Graduation celebration. To honor the 2020 grads who won't get to don caps and gowns due to the pandemic, Facebook is hosting an event with Oprah Winfrey, Miley Cyrus, and Lil Nas X to celebrate students Friday at 2 p.m. E.T. on Facebook Watch.
Saturday, May 16
More graduation celebration. Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama plan to give an address as part of a two-hour virtual commencement ceremony for HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) graduates who have had their traditional ceremonies canceled.
Gratitude for patriotic service. The U.S. Armed Forces Day (established in 1950) honors all active members of the five military branches (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard). It’s distinct from Memorial Day (honoring deceased military service members) or Veteran’s Day, (honoring living or deceased military service members).
Integrity Watch
Albuquerque Police Department View caption Hide caption Recognition for a right decision: José Nuñez Romaniz (center) was presented with a $500 check, among other things, by Albuquerque Police Chief Mike Geier and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
What would you do if you found a bag full of $135,000 in cash?
Nineteen-year-old José Nuñez Romaniz may have been tempted to take the money left next to a Wells Fargo ATM machine in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But, then, he thought about his mom.
“What she would do if I came home with the money and what she would do with her chancla,” he told KRQE-TV in Albuquerque with a laugh. In other words, she'd have greeted him with a flipflop to the side of his head. She'd taught him right from wrong.
José called the bank and the police. It turns out a bank contractor had failed to fill the ATM and left the cash behind.
And integrity has its own rewards. For making the right choice, José was given a $500 check by PNM (New Mexico's public utility company), a local restaurant chain, El Patron, also gave him $500 and a gift card, and the local ESPN radio station gave Jose and his family University of New Mexico football season tickets, and a signed Brian Urlacher football.
“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. José is studying criminal justice at Central New Mexico Community College and wants to pursue a career in law enforcement. He's off to a good start.
Hidden gem
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers:
Another effect of the coronavirus crisis: Forgiveness
Sneak preview
In tonight’s Daily Edition, watch for our story about grandmothers taking on Poland's right-wing government.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Finally, check out the Monitor’s selected stories from Friday's subscription-only Daily Edition:
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
This is a beta test - an experiment with an early Monday news update. Please give us your feedback via the link below and let us know what you think. Thank you!