csmonitor--2020-07-08--As US cases soar, 'coronavirus detectives' face new strain

“ Contact tracing for COVID is primarily going to work well before you get into a huge spike of cases .
Right now , with the daily case count [ in Florida ] it ’ s unlikely that any health department is going to keep up , ” says Marissa Levine , a former state health commissioner in Virginia .
In Florida , the state health department has about 1,600 contact tracers , and has contracted a company to provide 600 more .
But by one estimation , the state ought to have 33,000 contact tracers .
Texas has around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal of 4,000 that the state ’ s governor set in April as a metric for reopening .
Contact tracing is a tried-and-tested method for quashing outbreaks , but , as cases surge across the South and West , the capacity is buckling , sending a stark warning to other states that were bracing for a fall wave of infections .
Since the novel coronavirus began to spread in the United States in February , health departments across the country have recruited and trained armies of contact tracers , workers who locate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus .
When a novel coronavirus first began to spread in February , U.S. public health officials reached for a tried-and-tested method : contact tracing .
By isolating potential spreaders and finding out who else they may have infected , “ coronavirus detectives ” try to tamp down outbreaks .
In hard-hit cities like New York and Boston , contact tracers were quickly overwhelmed by the growth in cases , and politicians turned instead to lockdowns to slow transmission and lessen the pressure on hospitals .
Since then , health departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing capacity , training a corps of workers , including students and volunteers , in how to contact people who have been exposed to the virus , and to monitor and support those who isolate themselves .
But as cases surge across the South and West , this capacity is buckling , sending a stark warning to other states that were bracing for a fall wave of COVID-19 infections .
Far from quashing outbreaks , tracers in states like Texas and Arizona are playing catch-up , stymied by social norms , political discord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections .
Even California , which has trained thousands of new contact tracers since May , has been caught flat-footed .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Perhaps nowhere is this tension more acute than in Florida , where a surge in positive cases is blamed on young revelers flocking to bars and beaches and partying with friends and strangers .
“ Contact tracing for COVID is primarily going to work well before you get into a huge spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily case count [ in Florida ] it ’ s unlikely that any health department is going to keep up , ” says Marissa Levine , a former state health commissioner in Virginia .
Florida ’ s state health department has about 1,600 people working on contact tracing and has contracted a company to provide 600 more .
In a state of 21 million people , that ’ s roughly two-thirds of a recommended baseline of 15 tracers per 100,000 people .
But when adjusted for Florida ’ s COVID-19 case count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 , or more than 33,000 tracers , according to an online contact tracing workforce estimator at George Washington University .
Texas has around 2,800 contract tracers , compared with a goal of 4,000 that Gov .
Greg Abbott set in April as a metric for reopening .
That workforce has declined in recent weeks as state workers were deployed to other COVID-19 response jobs , The Texas Tribune reported .
Ideally , contact tracers will both locate people exposed to an infectious disease and plot the chain of infection back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directs the Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice at the University of South Florida .
“ The whole idea is to identify places where people have been congregating and it has been spreading.
” Nationally , the U.S. now has between 27,000 and 28,000 contact tracers , Robert Redfield , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said last month .
Some experts have concluded that at least 100,000 tracers are required , and pointed to the success of countries like South Korea and Germany in deploying rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In April , Congress allocated $ 631 million for contact tracing , testing , and surveillance efforts at local health departments , which some have used to train staff or volunteers who can then be called up when cases spike .
Others have tapped state workers idled during lockdowns .
But secondments aren ’ t a substitute for a standing army , says Mike Reid , an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California , San Francisco who has trained more than 4,000 tracers for California ’ s health departments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact tracers are librarians and city attorneys and environmental scientists .
Some of them are feeling the pressure to go back to their day jobs , ” he says .
For now , San Francisco has told city workers to keep working on contact tracing amid a surge in positive cases in Los Angeles following the lifting of a statewide lockdown in May .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that young adults who believed themselves “ invincible ” were catching and spreading the virus .
The Bay Area ’ s caseload has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaching most of those who test positive , but Dr. Reid is watching other hot spots warily .
“ If the numbers continue to grow we ’ re going to have to continue to train more people [ to contact trace ] , and that will require greater investment , ” he says .
Nearly half of the tracers hired for the Bay Area are Spanish speakers , a reflection of its demographics and of the disease ’ s unequal toll on minorities .
Contact tracers must navigate cultural and linguistic barriers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equate tracing with immigration enforcement and for whom self-isolation could be a crushing burden .
One way to do that , says Joia Mukherjee , the chief medical officer at Partners in Health , a global health nonprofit in Boston , is to ensure you can properly support those whom you ask to isolate , such as finding temporary housing or supplying baby formula .
“ Contact tracing is about care .
It ’ s not about surveillance , ” she says .
In Massachusetts , Partners in Health has worked with Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million to build a central COVID-19 tracing force to supplement local health departments .
After hitting a peak of 1,900 people , this force has fallen to 400 as the state ’ s caseload has declined to fewer than 200 a day , but it can scale up again quickly when needed , says Dr. Mukherjee .
Partners in Health is supporting contact tracing at health departments in several other states , including in at-risk communities of color , including agricultural workers in Immokalee , Florida .
Dr. Mukherjee , who has worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , says social trust is always a challenge .
What is “ uniquely American ” in tackling the pandemic “ is the erosion of a belief in science and an erosion of trust in government.
” In Palm Beach , contact tracers are only reaching 72 % of people who tested positive .
( Massachusetts has averaged 90 % . )
Of their close contacts whose details were shared , tracers were able to contact about half , the county health director said last month , adding that many of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracers where they worked .
As the virus surges in Sun Belt cities , others are only now starting to ramp up contact tracing .
In Illinois , Cook County last week unveiled a $ 41 million initiative for Chicago ’ s suburbs that would expand its tracing team from 25 to 400 staff , working with universities and community-based organizations .
The first cohort is expected to start work in early August , said a spokeswoman for the county department of public health .
That timeline may seem leisurely , as states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South and West .
Epidemiologists say building tracing capacity and getting the message out to at-risk communities is simpler and more effective during lockdowns than after , when social interactions multiply .
Still , Dr. Mukherjee says it ’ s never too late to start .
Pandemics are marathons not sprints , and when tracers and health systems are put in place , “ we can jump on outbreaks much more rapidly , ” she says .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is @ @ @ @ @

“Contact tracing for COVID is primarily going to work well before you get into a huge spike of cases. Right now, with the daily case count [in Florida] it’s unlikely that any health department is going to keep up,” says Marissa Levine, a former state health commissioner in Virginia.
In Florida, the state health department has about 1,600 contact tracers, and has contracted a company to provide 600 more. But by one estimation, the state ought to have 33,000 contact tracers. Texas has around 2,800 contract tracers, well below the goal of 4,000 that the state’s governor set in April as a metric for reopening.
Curbing a pandemic requires an army of public health workers who can find, contact, and support those thought to have been exposed to the disease. Some states aren’t prepared.
Contact tracing is a tried-and-tested method for quashing outbreaks, but, as cases surge across the South and West, the capacity is buckling, sending a stark warning to other states that were bracing for a fall wave of infections.
Since the novel coronavirus began to spread in the United States in February, health departments across the country have recruited and trained armies of contact tracers, workers who locate and speak with people who have been exposed to the virus.
When a novel coronavirus first began to spread in February, U.S. public health officials reached for a tried-and-tested method: contact tracing. By isolating potential spreaders and finding out who else they may have infected, “coronavirus detectives” try to tamp down outbreaks.
In hard-hit cities like New York and Boston, contact tracers were quickly overwhelmed by the growth in cases, and politicians turned instead to lockdowns to slow transmission and lessen the pressure on hospitals.
Since then, health departments across the country have built up their tracing capacity, training a corps of workers, including students and volunteers, in how to contact people who have been exposed to the virus, and to monitor and support those who isolate themselves.
Why We Wrote This Curbing a pandemic requires an army of public health workers who can find, contact, and support those thought to have been exposed to the disease. Some states aren’t prepared.
But as cases surge across the South and West, this capacity is buckling, sending a stark warning to other states that were bracing for a fall wave of COVID-19 infections. Far from quashing outbreaks, tracers in states like Texas and Arizona are playing catch-up, stymied by social norms, political discord, and the dizzying rate of post-lockdown infections. Even California, which has trained thousands of new contact tracers since May, has been caught flat-footed.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Perhaps nowhere is this tension more acute than in Florida, where a surge in positive cases is blamed on young revelers flocking to bars and beaches and partying with friends and strangers.
“Contact tracing for COVID is primarily going to work well before you get into a huge spike of cases. Right now, with the daily case count [in Florida] it’s unlikely that any health department is going to keep up,” says Marissa Levine, a former state health commissioner in Virginia.
Florida’s state health department has about 1,600 people working on contact tracing and has contracted a company to provide 600 more. In a state of 21 million people, that’s roughly two-thirds of a recommended baseline of 15 tracers per 100,000 people. But when adjusted for Florida’s COVID-19 case count, that ratio rises to 156 per 100,000, or more than 33,000 tracers, according to an online contact tracing workforce estimator at George Washington University.
Texas has around 2,800 contract tracers, compared with a goal of 4,000 that Gov. Greg Abbott set in April as a metric for reopening. That workforce has declined in recent weeks as state workers were deployed to other COVID-19 response jobs, The Texas Tribune reported.
“Not about surveillance”
Ideally, contact tracers will both locate people exposed to an infectious disease and plot the chain of infection back to the source, says Dr. Levine, who directs the Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice at the University of South Florida. “The whole idea is to identify places where people have been congregating and it has been spreading.”
Nationally, the U.S. now has between 27,000 and 28,000 contact tracers, Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said last month. Some experts have concluded that at least 100,000 tracers are required, and pointed to the success of countries like South Korea and Germany in deploying rapid testing and tracing to contain COVID-19.
In April, Congress allocated $631 million for contact tracing, testing, and surveillance efforts at local health departments, which some have used to train staff or volunteers who can then be called up when cases spike. Others have tapped state workers idled during lockdowns.
But secondments aren’t a substitute for a standing army, says Mike Reid, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco who has trained more than 4,000 tracers for California’s health departments. In San Francisco “many of our contact tracers are librarians and city attorneys and environmental scientists. Some of them are feeling the pressure to go back to their day jobs,” he says.
For now, San Francisco has told city workers to keep working on contact tracing amid a surge in positive cases in Los Angeles following the lifting of a statewide lockdown in May. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that young adults who believed themselves “invincible” were catching and spreading the virus.
The Bay Area’s caseload has risen more slowly, and tracers are reaching most of those who test positive, but Dr. Reid is watching other hot spots warily. “If the numbers continue to grow we’re going to have to continue to train more people [to contact trace], and that will require greater investment,” he says.
Nearly half of the tracers hired for the Bay Area are Spanish speakers, a reflection of its demographics and of the disease’s unequal toll on minorities. Contact tracers must navigate cultural and linguistic barriers, and build a rapport with people who equate tracing with immigration enforcement and for whom self-isolation could be a crushing burden.
One way to do that, says Joia Mukherjee, the chief medical officer at Partners in Health, a global health nonprofit in Boston, is to ensure you can properly support those whom you ask to isolate, such as finding temporary housing or supplying baby formula. “Contact tracing is about care. It’s not about surveillance,” she says.
A marathon, not a sprint
In Massachusetts, Partners in Health has worked with Gov. Charlie Baker who committed $44 million to build a central COVID-19 tracing force to supplement local health departments. After hitting a peak of 1,900 people, this force has fallen to 400 as the state’s caseload has declined to fewer than 200 a day, but it can scale up again quickly when needed, says Dr. Mukherjee.
Partners in Health is supporting contact tracing at health departments in several other states, including in at-risk communities of color, including agricultural workers in Immokalee, Florida.
Dr. Mukherjee, who has worked for decades on infectious diseases in developing countries, says social trust is always a challenge. What is “uniquely American” in tackling the pandemic “is the erosion of a belief in science and an erosion of trust in government.”
In Palm Beach, contact tracers are only reaching 72% of people who tested positive. (Massachusetts has averaged 90%.) Of their close contacts whose details were shared, tracers were able to contact about half, the county health director said last month, adding that many of the people who were infected had refused to tell tracers where they worked.
As the virus surges in Sun Belt cities, others are only now starting to ramp up contact tracing. In Illinois, Cook County last week unveiled a $41 million initiative for Chicago’s suburbs that would expand its tracing team from 25 to 400 staff, working with universities and community-based organizations. The first cohort is expected to start work in early August, said a spokeswoman for the county department of public health.
That timeline may seem leisurely, as states reopen and COVID-19 hot spots flare across the South and West. Epidemiologists say building tracing capacity and getting the message out to at-risk communities is simpler and more effective during lockdowns than after, when social interactions multiply.
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Still, Dr. Mukherjee says it’s never too late to start. Pandemics are marathons not sprints, and when tracers and health systems are put in place, “we can jump on outbreaks much more rapidly,” she says.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-07-08--Schools refusing to open in fall are being political, says Trump

President Donald Trump launched an all-out effort pressing state and local officials to reopen schools this fall , arguing that some are keeping schools closed not because of the risks from the coronavirus pandemic but for political reasons .
“ They think it ’ s going to be good for them politically , so they keep the schools closed , ” Mr. Trump said Tuesday at a White House discussion on school plans for the fall .
“ No way .
We ’ re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and education leaders from across the nation who said schools and colleges are ready to open this fall and can do so safely .
They argued that the risks of keeping students at home outweigh any risks tied to the coronavirus , saying students need access to meal programs and mental and behavioral health services .
“ We want to reopen the schools , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ Everybody wants it .
The moms want it , the dads want it , the kids want it .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bright outlook was met with skepticism by some beyond the White House .
The president of the nation ’ s largest education union said Mr. Trump is more interested in scoring points for the November election than in keeping students safe .
“ Trump has proven to be incapable of grasping that people are dying – that more than 130,000 Americans have already died , ” said Lily Eskelsen García , president of the National Education Association .
“ Educators want nothing more than to be back in classrooms and on college campuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it in a way that keeps students , educators , and communities safe.
” At the White House event , Mr. Trump repeated his claim that Democrats want to keep schools closed for political reasons and not health reasons .
The Republican president made the same claim on Twitter a day before , saying : “ They think it will help them in November .
Wrong , the people get it !
” Mr. Trump offered no evidence for the allegation , which has been criticized by health experts who say politicizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work toward reopening schools .
Jennifer Nuzzo , of Johns Hopkins University ’ s COVID-19 Testing Insights Initiative , said she was “ deeply troubled ” by the claim .
“ When you make it about politics and just people trying to score points and get elected , I mean , I really think it ’ s a disservice to how incredibly important this issue is , ” Ms. Nuzzo said in an interview .
“ And it really distracts from what I think we need , which is real solutions and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Whether schools and colleges should open this fall and how has been a topic of growing debate as the coronavirus continues to surge in parts of the United States .
Mr. Trump applauded Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis for his state ’ s recent order to open public schools this fall .
And Mr. Trump attacked Harvard University for its decision to hold instruction online for the fall term .
“ I think it ’ s ridiculous , I think it ’ s an easy way out , and I think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you want to know the truth , ” Mr. Trump said Tuesday .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent mixed signals on the issue , saying students should return to the classroom but also noting that virtual classes present the lowest risk of COVID-19 spread .
Speaking at Mr. Trump ’ s event , however , the agency ’ s director said unequivocally that it ’ s better for students to be in school than at home .
Dr. Robert Redfield noted that COVID-19 cases tend to be mild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest risk is transmission from children to more vulnerable populations .
He said the CDC encourages all schools to reopen with customized plans to minimize the spread of the coronavirus while giving students access to school services .
“ It ’ s clear that the greater risk to our society is to have these schools close , ” Dr. Redfield said .
“ Nothing would cause me greater sadness than to see any school district or school use our guidance as a reason not to reopen.
” The CDC ’ s guidance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks “ as feasible , ” spread out desks , stagger schedules , eat meals in classrooms instead of the cafeteria , and add physical barriers between bathroom sinks .
Some schools have announced plans to bring students back for only a few days a week , an option that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday said was unacceptable .
“ It ’ s clear that our nations schools must fully reopen and fully operate this school year .
Anything short of that robs students , not to mention taxpayers , of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During a call with governors , Ms. DeVos slammed plans by Virginia ’ s Fairfax County Public Schools to have families decide between fully remote instruction or two days a week at school .
“ A choice of two days per week in the classroom is not a choice at all , ” Ms. DeVos said , according to audio of the call obtained by The Associated Press .
Ms. DeVos also criticized many schools ’ attempts at distance education after the pandemic prompted them to move classes online last spring .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ didn ’ t figure out how to serve students or who just gave up and didn ’ t try.
” The same thing can ’ t happen again this fall , she said , urging governors to play a role in getting schools to reopen .
Among those joining Mr. Trump on Tuesday was the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics , which recently issued guidelines suggesting that schools aim to start the academic year “ physically present in school.
” Keeping students at home can lead to social isolation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from identifying learning deficits , abuse , depression , and other issues .
Students ’ mental and emotional health – along with their parents ’ – was repeatedly raised in the argument to reopen schools .
“ Children ’ s mental health and social development must be as much of a priority as physical health , ” first lady Melania Trump said at the round-table .
“ The same is true for parents .
Many will be forced to make stressful choices between caring for their children and going back to work.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Arne Duncan , who served as education secretary under former President Barack Obama , has said the focus should be on making sure students can return safely .
“ We all want children to go back to school , ” Mr. Duncan said on Twitter .
“ The question is whether we care enough about our children to ALLOW them to go to school safely .
Our behavior , our commitment to shared sacrifice – or our selfishness – will determine what happens this fall for kids.
” This story was reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alan Suderman in Richmond , Virginia , and Carla Johnson in Washington state 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 .

President Donald Trump launched an all-out effort pressing state and local officials to reopen schools this fall, arguing that some are keeping schools closed not because of the risks from the coronavirus pandemic but for political reasons.
“They think it’s going to be good for them politically, so they keep the schools closed,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday at a White House discussion on school plans for the fall. “No way. We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.”
The White House’s roundtable gathered health and education leaders from across the nation who said schools and colleges are ready to open this fall and can do so safely. They argued that the risks of keeping students at home outweigh any risks tied to the coronavirus, saying students need access to meal programs and mental and behavioral health services.
“We want to reopen the schools,” Mr. Trump said. “Everybody wants it. The moms want it, the dads want it, the kids want it. It’s time to do it.”
But that bright outlook was met with skepticism by some beyond the White House. The president of the nation’s largest education union said Mr. Trump is more interested in scoring points for the November election than in keeping students safe.
“Trump has proven to be incapable of grasping that people are dying – that more than 130,000 Americans have already died,” said Lily Eskelsen García, president of the National Education Association. “Educators want nothing more than to be back in classrooms and on college campuses with our students, but we must do it in a way that keeps students, educators, and communities safe.”
At the White House event, Mr. Trump repeated his claim that Democrats want to keep schools closed for political reasons and not health reasons. The Republican president made the same claim on Twitter a day before, saying: “They think it will help them in November. Wrong, the people get it!”
Mr. Trump offered no evidence for the allegation, which has been criticized by health experts who say politicizing the issue will make it harder to work toward reopening schools. Jennifer Nuzzo, of Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 Testing Insights Initiative, said she was “deeply troubled” by the claim.
“When you make it about politics and just people trying to score points and get elected, I mean, I really think it’s a disservice to how incredibly important this issue is,” Ms. Nuzzo said in an interview. “And it really distracts from what I think we need, which is real solutions and a plan in order to make this happen.”
Whether schools and colleges should open this fall and how has been a topic of growing debate as the coronavirus continues to surge in parts of the United States. Mr. Trump applauded Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his state’s recent order to open public schools this fall. And Mr. Trump attacked Harvard University for its decision to hold instruction online for the fall term.
“I think it’s ridiculous, I think it’s an easy way out, and I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves, if you want to know the truth,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent mixed signals on the issue, saying students should return to the classroom but also noting that virtual classes present the lowest risk of COVID-19 spread. Speaking at Mr. Trump’s event, however, the agency’s director said unequivocally that it’s better for students to be in school than at home.
Dr. Robert Redfield noted that COVID-19 cases tend to be mild in young people, adding that the greatest risk is transmission from children to more vulnerable populations. He said the CDC encourages all schools to reopen with customized plans to minimize the spread of the coronavirus while giving students access to school services.
“It’s clear that the greater risk to our society is to have these schools close,” Dr. Redfield said. “Nothing would cause me greater sadness than to see any school district or school use our guidance as a reason not to reopen.”
The CDC’s guidance for schools recommends that students and teachers wear masks “as feasible,” spread out desks, stagger schedules, eat meals in classrooms instead of the cafeteria, and add physical barriers between bathroom sinks.
Some schools have announced plans to bring students back for only a few days a week, an option that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday said was unacceptable.
“It’s clear that our nations schools must fully reopen and fully operate this school year. Anything short of that robs students, not to mention taxpayers, of their future,” Ms. DeVos said.
During a call with governors, Ms. DeVos slammed plans by Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools to have families decide between fully remote instruction or two days a week at school. “A choice of two days per week in the classroom is not a choice at all,” Ms. DeVos said, according to audio of the call obtained by The Associated Press.
Ms. DeVos also criticized many schools’ attempts at distance education after the pandemic prompted them to move classes online last spring. She said she was disappointed in schools that “didn’t figure out how to serve students or who just gave up and didn’t try.”
The same thing can’t happen again this fall, she said, urging governors to play a role in getting schools to reopen.
Among those joining Mr. Trump on Tuesday was the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recently issued guidelines suggesting that schools aim to start the academic year “physically present in school.” Keeping students at home can lead to social isolation, the organization said, and prevent schools from identifying learning deficits, abuse, depression, and other issues.
Students’ mental and emotional health – along with their parents’ – was repeatedly raised in the argument to reopen schools.
“Children’s mental health and social development must be as much of a priority as physical health,” first lady Melania Trump said at the round-table. “The same is true for parents. Many will be forced to make stressful choices between caring for their children and going back to work.”
But some are calling for greater caution. Arne Duncan, who served as education secretary under former President Barack Obama, has said the focus should be on making sure students can return safely.
“We all want children to go back to school,” Mr. Duncan said on Twitter. “The question is whether we care enough about our children to ALLOW them to go to school safely. Our behavior, our commitment to shared sacrifice – or our selfishness – will determine what happens this fall for kids.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Alan Suderman in Richmond, Virginia, and Carla Johnson in Washington state 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--2020-07-08--Dems, GOP struggle to agree on new coronavirus aid package

An eviction moratorium is lifting .
Extra unemployment benefits are ending .
Parents are being called to work , but schools are struggling to reopen for fall as the COVID-19 crisis shows no signs of easing .
With Congress bracing for the next coronavirus aid package , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is outlining Republican priorities as earlier programs designed to ease Americans through the pandemic and economic fallout begin to expire .
He is eyeing $ 1 trillion in new aid .
`` This is not over , '' Mr. McConnell said during a visit to a food pantry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP leader 's next virus aid package is centered on liability protections , a top priority for Republicans seeking to shield doctors , schools , businesses , and others from coronavirus-related lawsuits brought by patrons claiming injuries during reopenings .
Mr. McConnell is also considering a fresh round of direct payments , noting they are especially helpful for those earning $ 40,000 a year or less .
He wants the liability shield to run for five years , retroactive to December 2019 .
`` Liability reform , kids in school , jobs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That 's where the focus , it seems to me , ought to be . ''
Democrats have proposed a far more ambitious aid approach in the $ 3 trillion House-passed coronavirus rescue package , setting the outlines of a robust debate over how best to help Americans as COVID-19 cases surge in hot spots nationwide , threatening public health and economic livelihoods .
Congress is away for a two-week recess , but the contours of the debate are taking shape before lawmakers resume session July 20 .
Deadlines for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Mr. McConnell 's earlier decision to hit `` pause '' on new relief has infuriated Democrats , especially as state and local governments clamor for aid to prevent worker layoffs .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement Tuesday that Mr. McConnell `` has created needless uncertainty and pain for millions of families who are still reeling from the public health and economic crises . ''
Mr. Schumer said , `` Senator McConnell ought to be working across the aisle to prevent mass evictions , a new hunger crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and local government employees – all things that will happen if Republicans continue to delay action or act stingily . ''
The earlier rounds of aid , including the sweeping $ 2 trillion coronavirus aid package approved in March , were the biggest in United States history .
And while aid was approved almost unanimously , it is now dividing the parties .
Many Republicans view the outlay as excessive , and they want to avoid another round of big-ticket spending .
Democrats argue that more aid is needed , and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protocols to ensure a safe reopening .
While the two sides share many common goals in boosting public health research toward treatments and a vaccine , the difference in the economic aid to Americans is stark .
For example , Republicans mostly oppose the $ 600 weekly boost to unemployment benefits , arguing it 's a disincentive to work because some employees earn more by staying home than they would on the job .
Democrats say it 's a lifeline for struggling Americans trying to make ends meet .
Democrats also provide more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : $ 100 billion in rental assistance and $ 75 billion for homeowners paying mortgages .
The $ 2 trillion coronavirus aid package 's 120-day federal eviction moratorium on certain rentals expires at the end of July .
The Democrats ' bill would extend it through March 2021 .
Democrats are wary of the liability protections being proposed by Republicans .
Instead , their bill includes other priorities , such as funding to shore up the struggling U.S .
Postal Service , which they see as another lifeline for Americans , and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services for households with laid-off or furloughed workers to stay connected online .
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon , the top Democrat on the Finance Committee , said Mr. McConnell 's idea for another round of direct $ 1,200 payments is no substitute for extending the enhanced unemployment benefits .
`` The next coronavirus relief package must extend supercharged unemployment benefits , '' Mr. Wyden said in a statement .
He said the jobless aid has `` kept the economy afloat and allowed millions of families to pay the rent and buy groceries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has emerged in recent weeks is that both parties believe in the importance of wearing masks in public to help limit the virus spread as more shops and businesses reopen and Americans leave their homes .
Rep. Bennie Thompson , D-Miss.
, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee , and other Democrats have pushed the Transportation Security Administration to require masks for all people going through airport security checkpoints .
Mr. McConnell told people in Kentucky that wearing masks is the single-most important thing they can do when around others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. McConnell said Monday at a hospital in Bradford .
`` Put on a mask . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Becky Yonker in Kentucky 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 .

An eviction moratorium is lifting. Extra unemployment benefits are ending. Parents are being called to work, but schools are struggling to reopen for fall as the COVID-19 crisis shows no signs of easing.
With Congress bracing for the next coronavirus aid package, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is outlining Republican priorities as earlier programs designed to ease Americans through the pandemic and economic fallout begin to expire. He is eyeing $1 trillion in new aid.
"This is not over," Mr. McConnell said during a visit to a food pantry Monday in Louisville, Kentucky.
The GOP leader's next virus aid package is centered on liability protections, a top priority for Republicans seeking to shield doctors, schools, businesses, and others from coronavirus-related lawsuits brought by patrons claiming injuries during reopenings.
Mr. McConnell is also considering a fresh round of direct payments, noting they are especially helpful for those earning $40,000 a year or less. He wants the liability shield to run for five years, retroactive to December 2019.
"Liability reform, kids in school, jobs, and health care," he said. "That's where the focus, it seems to me, ought to be."
Democrats have proposed a far more ambitious aid approach in the $3 trillion House-passed coronavirus rescue package, setting the outlines of a robust debate over how best to help Americans as COVID-19 cases surge in hot spots nationwide, threatening public health and economic livelihoods.
Congress is away for a two-week recess, but the contours of the debate are taking shape before lawmakers resume session July 20.
Deadlines for many programs expire by the end of the month.
Mr. McConnell's earlier decision to hit "pause" on new relief has infuriated Democrats, especially as state and local governments clamor for aid to prevent worker layoffs.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement Tuesday that Mr. McConnell "has created needless uncertainty and pain for millions of families who are still reeling from the public health and economic crises."
Mr. Schumer said, "Senator McConnell ought to be working across the aisle to prevent mass evictions, a new hunger crisis, and the layoff of more essential state and local government employees – all things that will happen if Republicans continue to delay action or act stingily."
The earlier rounds of aid, including the sweeping $2 trillion coronavirus aid package approved in March, were the biggest in United States history. And while aid was approved almost unanimously, it is now dividing the parties. Many Republicans view the outlay as excessive, and they want to avoid another round of big-ticket spending. Democrats argue that more aid is needed, and their bill includes new worker health and safety protocols to ensure a safe reopening.
While the two sides share many common goals in boosting public health research toward treatments and a vaccine, the difference in the economic aid to Americans is stark.
For example, Republicans mostly oppose the $600 weekly boost to unemployment benefits, arguing it's a disincentive to work because some employees earn more by staying home than they would on the job. Democrats say it's a lifeline for struggling Americans trying to make ends meet.
Democrats also provide more money in their bill to prevent evictions: $100 billion in rental assistance and $75 billion for homeowners paying mortgages. The $2 trillion coronavirus aid package's 120-day federal eviction moratorium on certain rentals expires at the end of July. The Democrats' bill would extend it through March 2021.
Democrats are wary of the liability protections being proposed by Republicans. Instead, their bill includes other priorities, such as funding to shore up the struggling U.S. Postal Service, which they see as another lifeline for Americans, and to provide $50 monthly stipends toward broadband services for households with laid-off or furloughed workers to stay connected online.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Finance Committee, said Mr. McConnell's idea for another round of direct $1,200 payments is no substitute for extending the enhanced unemployment benefits.
"The next coronavirus relief package must extend supercharged unemployment benefits," Mr. Wyden said in a statement.
He said the jobless aid has "kept the economy afloat and allowed millions of families to pay the rent and buy groceries."
One area of common ground that has emerged in recent weeks is that both parties believe in the importance of wearing masks in public to help limit the virus spread as more shops and businesses reopen and Americans leave their homes.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and other Democrats have pushed the Transportation Security Administration to require masks for all people going through airport security checkpoints.
Mr. McConnell told people in Kentucky that wearing masks is the single-most important thing they can do when around others.
"It ain't confusing," Mr. McConnell said Monday at a hospital in Bradford. "Put on a mask."
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Becky Yonker in Kentucky 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--2020-07-09--‘I can’t keep this up much longer’: Parents struggle with pandemic strain

Says Ms. Ring , “ I am so dedicated to continuing on and making it work somehow.
” Katie Ring , a commercial photographer from Marblehead , Massachusetts , and her husband recently found child care for their 5- and 6-year-olds .
They hired a babysitter whom they share with a family friend , and the children ’ s grandmother is also helping , after bowing out for several months due to the pandemic .
“ [ P ] arents are tapping into their own ingenuity , resourcefulness , and risk tolerance to create a more sustainable setup for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parents Magazine in an email .
These mothers and fathers are looking for arrangements that ease burdens , keep everybody safe , and restore some sense of normalcy .
They ’ re turning to informal networks that include grandparents , friends , and neighbors , and some are looking into professional in-home child care .
Many are also asking their workplaces for continued flexible policies .
They ’ ve served as teachers , activity planners , housecleaners , and disciplinarians , all while trying to bring in income and without regular support systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all on their own , a number of parents are waving a white flag and asking for help .
Overwhelmed by the demands of working from home while caring for three young children , Melody Paine recently asked an online community of mothers running their own businesses for help .
Did anyone have creative solutions to share ?
Ms. Paine , from Brimfield , Massachusetts , says she struggles with getting interrupted “ so many times it takes 1,000 times longer to do anything .
...
I can ’ t keep this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the online group , she received a burst of support and ideas .
She quickly followed advice to contact a local teenager about mother ’ s helper work and hopes to start an arrangement soon .
“ Work is spilling into everything in my life , ” says Ms. Paine .
“ My kids can ’ t take it , my husband can ’ t take it , and I ’ m not taking care of myself.
” Like Ms. Paine , a number of parents are waving a white flag and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it all on their own .
They ’ ve spent weeks serving as full-time teachers , activity planners , housecleaners , and disciplinarians , all while trying to bring in family income and without regular support systems like school , play dates , and playgrounds .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Now , as states gradually reopen , parents are grappling with how to keep their families and communities safe , while giving themselves and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps that are helping them through a still-uncertain time , they say , range from spending more time outdoors to forming backyard summer camps and parent co-ops .
Increasingly , parents with the means to do so are expanding their care bubbles , turning to in-home child care , and asking their workplaces for continued flexible policies .
“ The pandemic has physically and emotionally exhausted parents of young children , especially working parents , ” writes Julia Edelstein , editor-in-chief of Parents Magazine , in an email .
“ As we enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sight – parents are tapping into their own ingenuity , resourcefulness , and risk tolerance to create a more sustainable setup for their family.
” Part of the pinch that parents feel comes from the number of families with both parents in the workforce .
Last year , 72.3 % of U.S. mothers with children under age 18 participated in the labor force , as did 93.4 % of fathers with children who were minors , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
For mothers with children under 6 years of age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Parents with minor children make up almost one-third of the country ’ s workforce , according to a recent report on working parents and COVID-19 recovery by the Brookings Institution .
Such statistics mean that in most households during the pandemic , there hasn ’ t been one parent available for full-time child care .
Parents laid off or furloughed may be looking for work , or recently rehired .
With many restrictions in place on day care centers , summer camps , and schools , parents are turning to informal networks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbors .
“ People that already lived close to family and friends are sometimes able to cobble together child care arrangements , ” such as having a friend or relative move in or come over regularly , says Jennifer Glass , a sociology professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies work and families .
“ They are enlarging their circle , making it a little less of a quarantine , but it ’ s the only way they can function and still provide income for their household.
” Rafaela Gonzalez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Lawrence , Massachusetts , both work full time as essential workers , so they rely on family to care for their three children .
Keeping the kids inside for so long this spring was stressful , the couple says , and they ’ ve found recent relief by taking weekend trips to relax outside .
Just before the long weekend for the Fourth of July , the family drove to Weirs Beach in Laconia , New Hampshire , where they enjoyed barbecuing and swimming in Lake Winnipesaukee .
Professional in-home child care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent national survey of parents by Care.com , which matches families and caregivers , 63 % of those who use day care are somewhat or very uncomfortable returning their children to day care as states reopen , and more than 35 % are considering in-home care instead .
Care.com is seeing a “ triple-digit percentage uptick ” in families seeking in-home child care this summer , according to Chief Marketing Officer Carrie Cronkey .
In addition , “ a lot more grandparents are deciding to burst their bubble , ” to see or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harrington Meyer , a sociology professor at Syracuse University in New York and expert on intensive grandparenting .
Katie Ring , a self-employed commercial photographer from Marblehead , Massachusetts , and her husband found child care recently for their 5- and 6-year-olds .
They hired a babysitter whom they share with a trusted family friend , and the children ’ s grandmother recently started providing care again one day a week , after stopping for several months due to the pandemic .
“ It ’ s like business was closed and now I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ring , who notes that the families involved and the babysitter all try to keep their social circles small to support each other ’ s health .
With autumn not far off , President Donald Trump is pressing schools to reopen ; Florida has already issued such an order .
But many uncertainties remain about schools , only adding to uncertainties regarding child care .
Given the state of flux , Ms. Ring has urged her friends to send letters to their legislators supporting two bills introduced in Congress recently : the Child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is Infrastructure Act , which have proposed providing $ 50 billion and $ 10 billion , respectively , to child care providers for reopening safely .
Initial reports estimate almost 4.5 million child care spots may be lost from permanent child care closures due to the pandemic .
As parents search for options , there ’ s some evidence that workplaces will maintain or expand flexible solutions to help employees with caregiving responsibilities .
A May survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 86 % of organizations were implementing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs , and 71 % of organizations were implementing or considering allowing full-time remote work for parents with child care needs .
The survey found that employers in knowledge-based industries , such as finance and legal , are more likely to offer flexible work than are those in service- and physical-type industries .
Black , Latino , and Indigenous parents are more likely to work in occupations without options for remote work and to lack access to licensed child care , according to the Center for American Progress .
Caroline Walsh , vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice at the research firm Gartner , says the company projects that up to 48 % of the U.S. workforce will work remotely at least some of the time post-pandemic , up from 30 % pre-pandemic .
“ The switch to flexibility may be more acute for parents , but it ’ s something that organizations are going to need to solve for the workforce as a whole , ” since other workers need flexibility for different reasons , such as caring for an ill family member , says Ms. Walsh .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdowns has been trusted online groups .
For example the Black Moms Connection , both a Facebook group and nonprofit , is focusing on how it can serve Black mothers during this time , says Tanya Hayles , BMC ’ s founder , who is based in Toronto .
After receiving an influx of donations during last month ’ s social justice protests , the group gave small grants to mothers to buy formula or treat themselves to dinner .
Ms. Hayles plans to launch a more robust grant program as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The BMC Facebook group has more than 15,000 members .
“ I ’ m grateful it exists as a space for Black moms to say , ‘ I get it , I know how tired you are , I get it down to my bones how tired you are , ’ ” says Ms. Hayles .
“ Everyone is going through things from COVID , but the Black community has all these extra burdens and weights to carry and manage.
” The intensity of managing work and family during the pandemic has caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents , especially mothers .
Writing in Intellectual Takeout , a conservative commentary website , Annie Holmquist asks : “ Might all those working mothers discover great beauty in becoming – gasp – a stay-at-home mom ?
” “ Perhaps families will recognize that the extra income a second job brings is not worth the extra stress it causes mothers , ” Ms. Holmquist adds .
Not all parents have the economic option to stay home , says Professor Glass .
“ We ’ ve been blithely thinking every mom has someone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic slack , but they don ’ t , ” she says .
“ We think moms are going to quit , but they can ’ t afford to.
” Ms. Ring , the photographer , says she ’ s devoted to maintaining her career while parenting , even during the pandemic , since both are fulfilling to her and are part of her identity .
“ I ’ m an artist .
I ’ m a creative .
...
Working in my job as a creative , it ’ s almost self-care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t turn off , ” she says .
“ There has to be a compromise with caring for my kids and having my career .
I am so dedicated to continuing on and making it work somehow .
”

Says Ms. Ring, “I am so dedicated to continuing on and making it work somehow.”
Katie Ring, a commercial photographer from Marblehead, Massachusetts, and her husband recently found child care for their 5- and 6-year-olds. They hired a babysitter whom they share with a family friend, and the children’s grandmother is also helping, after bowing out for several months due to the pandemic.
“[P]arents are tapping into their own ingenuity, resourcefulness, and risk tolerance to create a more sustainable setup for their family,” writes Julia Edelstein of Parents Magazine in an email.
As the pandemic wears on, how can working parents keep juggling everything? Many are taking a problem-solving approach – carefully thinking through options, tapping into networks, and asking for flexibility at work.
These mothers and fathers are looking for arrangements that ease burdens, keep everybody safe, and restore some sense of normalcy. They’re turning to informal networks that include grandparents, friends, and neighbors, and some are looking into professional in-home child care. Many are also asking their workplaces for continued flexible policies.
They’ve served as teachers, activity planners, housecleaners, and disciplinarians, all while trying to bring in income and without regular support systems. After months of trying to do it all on their own, a number of parents are waving a white flag and asking for help.
Overwhelmed by the demands of working from home while caring for three young children, Melody Paine recently asked an online community of mothers running their own businesses for help. Did anyone have creative solutions to share?
Ms. Paine, from Brimfield, Massachusetts, says she struggles with getting interrupted “so many times it takes 1,000 times longer to do anything. ... I can’t keep this up much longer.” After reaching out to the online group, she received a burst of support and ideas. She quickly followed advice to contact a local teenager about mother’s helper work and hopes to start an arrangement soon.
“Work is spilling into everything in my life,” says Ms. Paine. “My kids can’t take it, my husband can’t take it, and I’m not taking care of myself.”
Why We Wrote This As the pandemic wears on, how can working parents keep juggling everything? Many are taking a problem-solving approach – carefully thinking through options, tapping into networks, and asking for flexibility at work.
Like Ms. Paine, a number of parents are waving a white flag and asking for help after months of trying to do it all on their own. They’ve spent weeks serving as full-time teachers, activity planners, housecleaners, and disciplinarians, all while trying to bring in family income and without regular support systems like school, play dates, and playgrounds.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Now, as states gradually reopen, parents are grappling with how to keep their families and communities safe, while giving themselves and their children some sense of normalcy. The steps that are helping them through a still-uncertain time, they say, range from spending more time outdoors to forming backyard summer camps and parent co-ops. Increasingly, parents with the means to do so are expanding their care bubbles, turning to in-home child care, and asking their workplaces for continued flexible policies.
“The pandemic has physically and emotionally exhausted parents of young children, especially working parents,” writes Julia Edelstein, editor-in-chief of Parents Magazine, in an email. “As we enter month five – with no end in sight – parents are tapping into their own ingenuity, resourcefulness, and risk tolerance to create a more sustainable setup for their family.”
Both parents working
Part of the pinch that parents feel comes from the number of families with both parents in the workforce. Last year, 72.3% of U.S. mothers with children under age 18 participated in the labor force, as did 93.4% of fathers with children who were minors, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For mothers with children under 6 years of age, labor participation stood at 66.4%.
Parents with minor children make up almost one-third of the country’s workforce, according to a recent report on working parents and COVID-19 recovery by the Brookings Institution.
Such statistics mean that in most households during the pandemic, there hasn’t been one parent available for full-time child care. Parents laid off or furloughed may be looking for work, or recently rehired. With many restrictions in place on day care centers, summer camps, and schools, parents are turning to informal networks that include grandparents, friends, and neighbors.
“People that already lived close to family and friends are sometimes able to cobble together child care arrangements,” such as having a friend or relative move in or come over regularly, says Jennifer Glass, a sociology professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies work and families. “They are enlarging their circle, making it a little less of a quarantine, but it’s the only way they can function and still provide income for their household.”
Rafaela Gonzalez and her husband, Anyel Gonzalez, from Lawrence, Massachusetts, both work full time as essential workers, so they rely on family to care for their three children. Keeping the kids inside for so long this spring was stressful, the couple says, and they’ve found recent relief by taking weekend trips to relax outside. Just before the long weekend for the Fourth of July, the family drove to Weirs Beach in Laconia, New Hampshire, where they enjoyed barbecuing and swimming in Lake Winnipesaukee.
Care at home
Professional in-home child care is also increasingly popular. In a recent national survey of parents by Care.com, which matches families and caregivers, 63% of those who use day care are somewhat or very uncomfortable returning their children to day care as states reopen, and more than 35% are considering in-home care instead. Care.com is seeing a “triple-digit percentage uptick” in families seeking in-home child care this summer, according to Chief Marketing Officer Carrie Cronkey.
In addition, “a lot more grandparents are deciding to burst their bubble,” to see or care for their grandchildren, says Madonna Harrington Meyer, a sociology professor at Syracuse University in New York and expert on intensive grandparenting.
Katie Ring, a self-employed commercial photographer from Marblehead, Massachusetts, and her husband found child care recently for their 5- and 6-year-olds. They hired a babysitter whom they share with a trusted family friend, and the children’s grandmother recently started providing care again one day a week, after stopping for several months due to the pandemic.
“It’s like business was closed and now I’ve reopened,” says Ms. Ring, who notes that the families involved and the babysitter all try to keep their social circles small to support each other’s health.
With autumn not far off, President Donald Trump is pressing schools to reopen; Florida has already issued such an order. But many uncertainties remain about schools, only adding to uncertainties regarding child care. Given the state of flux, Ms. Ring has urged her friends to send letters to their legislators supporting two bills introduced in Congress recently: the Child Care Is Essential Act and Child Care Is Infrastructure Act, which have proposed providing $50 billion and $10 billion, respectively, to child care providers for reopening safely. Initial reports estimate almost 4.5 million child care spots may be lost from permanent child care closures due to the pandemic.
Jessica Hill/AP View caption Hide caption Parent Titilaya Thompson and her son Nehemiah talk with a school principal and another official seeking to support students in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 5, 2020. Some experts say Black parents carry extra burdens, compared with white parents, during the pandemic.
Workplace flexibility
As parents search for options, there’s some evidence that workplaces will maintain or expand flexible solutions to help employees with caregiving responsibilities.
A May survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 86% of organizations were implementing or considering allowing flexible hours for child care needs, and 71% of organizations were implementing or considering allowing full-time remote work for parents with child care needs.
The survey found that employers in knowledge-based industries, such as finance and legal, are more likely to offer flexible work than are those in service- and physical-type industries. Black, Latino, and Indigenous parents are more likely to work in occupations without options for remote work and to lack access to licensed child care, according to the Center for American Progress.
Caroline Walsh, vice president of research in the human resources practice at the research firm Gartner, says the company projects that up to 48% of the U.S. workforce will work remotely at least some of the time post-pandemic, up from 30% pre-pandemic.
“The switch to flexibility may be more acute for parents, but it’s something that organizations are going to need to solve for the workforce as a whole,” since other workers need flexibility for different reasons, such as caring for an ill family member, says Ms. Walsh.
Support online
Another source of support for parents during the lockdowns has been trusted online groups. For example the Black Moms Connection, both a Facebook group and nonprofit, is focusing on how it can serve Black mothers during this time, says Tanya Hayles, BMC’s founder, who is based in Toronto. After receiving an influx of donations during last month’s social justice protests, the group gave small grants to mothers to buy formula or treat themselves to dinner. Ms. Hayles plans to launch a more robust grant program as well as a rental assistance program next month.
The BMC Facebook group has more than 15,000 members. “I’m grateful it exists as a space for Black moms to say, ‘I get it, I know how tired you are, I get it down to my bones how tired you are,’” says Ms. Hayles. “Everyone is going through things from COVID, but the Black community has all these extra burdens and weights to carry and manage.”
The intensity of managing work and family during the pandemic has caused some commentators to advocate for more stay-at-home parents, especially mothers. Writing in Intellectual Takeout, a conservative commentary website, Annie Holmquist asks: “Might all those working mothers discover great beauty in becoming – gasp – a stay-at-home mom?”
“Perhaps families will recognize that the extra income a second job brings is not worth the extra stress it causes mothers,” Ms. Holmquist adds.
Not all parents have the economic option to stay home, says Professor Glass. “We’ve been blithely thinking every mom has someone in the background who can pick up the economic slack, but they don’t,” she says. “We think moms are going to quit, but they can’t afford to.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Ms. Ring, the photographer, says she’s devoted to maintaining her career while parenting, even during the pandemic, since both are fulfilling to her and are part of her identity.
“I’m an artist. I’m a creative. ... Working in my job as a creative, it’s almost self-care; it’s something you can’t turn off,” she says. “There has to be a compromise with caring for my kids and having my career. I am so dedicated to continuing on and making it work somehow.”


csmonitor--2020-07-09--A police chief’s message to community: Help us ‘do a better job’

“ Very clearly there are people who still feel a lack of trust , ” she says .
“ It ’ s not enough to check the boxes.
” Chief Best , while an advocate for her police “ family , ” has kept an open mind .
She joined a silent Black Lives Matter march on June 12 , which proved transformative to her own thinking .
The community must not just advise , but lead , in efforts to create a new model of public safety , she believes .
Chief Best , a 28-year veteran of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of Black women leading U.S. police forces today .
She soon found herself managing a crisis , as huge protests led to escalating clashes with police , and a six-block occupation .
Thousands of complaints were filed over officers ’ use of force , and some protesters demanded her resignation .
Many have called for Seattle to “ defund ” the police , shifting money to community services .
But she did not predict their intensity – or their dramatic , far-reaching impact on her own department and personal views about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best saw video footage of George Floyd ’ s death , she was devastated .
And she knew that the “ blatant , grave disregard for human life , ” as she puts it , would lead to protests .
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best was watching the television news in her bedroom in late May when she first saw video footage of George Floyd being suffocated under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer .
“ Honestly , I was mortified , ” Chief Best recalls .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching it , but you can ’ t believe what you are seeing , ” she says .
Then “ you realize you just witnessed a man ’ s last few minutes on earth .
It was incredibly devastating.
” A 28-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department ( SPD ) and its first Black leader , appointed in 2018 , Chief Best knew instantly that protests would erupt following the “ blatant , grave disregard for human life.
” But Chief Best doubts she or anyone could have anticipated the intensity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed – or their dramatic , far-reaching impact on her own police department and personal views about how policing in America must change .
Within two weeks , Chief Best was managing a crisis that she described to fellow officers as “ one of the toughest times ever in the history of the Seattle Police Department.
” Huge Black Lives Matter protests led to escalating clashes with police and the chaotic , headline-grabbing occupation of a six-block section of Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill neighborhood , including the SPD ’ s East Precinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of barricades , police removed weapons and other sensitive items , and were effectively shut out of the “ no cop ” protest zone , dubbed the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ( CHAZ ) and later the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) .
Activists and supporters flocked to the area , which many saw as an experiment for new relationships between law enforcement and their communities .
But in the following weeks , gun violence escalated , and by the end of June , two young Black men had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Two African American men are dead , at a place where they claim to be working for Black Lives Matter .
But they ’ re gone , they ’ re dead now , ” Chief Best told a press conference , her frustration mounting .
“ Enough is enough.
” Today , the future of the Seattle Police Department is no less complex than the messy situation Chief Best and her officers face on the ground .
Since 2011 , when the U.S. Justice Department found a pattern of unconstitutional use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has undergone exhaustive , court-guided reforms .
Seattle became a leader in crisis response training , mandated by a 2012 federal consent decree , with Chief Best playing an integral role in ensuring compliance .
But “ these policies seem like ancient history now , ” she wrote in a June 22 letter to the Seattle community .
The city has been gripped by street protests against police brutality , with activists calling for “ defunding ” the police – slashing its $ 409 million budget by as much as 50 % – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Calls to 911 , for example , might be moved outside the Police Department , since most do not involve violent crime .
The City Council began debating defunding proposals on Wednesday , with four of nine members backing the 50 % budget cut idea .
In June , the council banned police use of chokeholds and crowd control munitions such as tear gas .
The SPD ’ s use of force during protests that were largely peaceful sparked thousands of complaints and calls by activists for Chief Best to resign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resisting the historic push for change , Chief Best – one of only a handful of women of color to lead a big-city police department in the United States – has kept an open mind .
She joined a silent Black Lives Matter march of between 66,000 and 85,000 people through southern Seattle on June 12 , an outpouring that proved transformative to her own thinking .
As the marchers crossed Rainier Avenue South , Chief Best stepped aside for a minute to watch the crowd flow quietly by .
“ The vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the signs were specifically about the Seattle Police Department , defunding SPD , stopping police brutality , looking at qualified immunity , all these really important issues , ” she says .
Gazing at the faces , she had an epiphany , realizing where all the years of SPD reforms had fallen short .
“ Even with all that work ... very clearly there are people who still feel a lack of trust , ” she says .
“ It ’ s not enough to check the boxes and follow all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much deeper and more ... real-time way ” with the community .
The U.S. is in the midst of nothing less than “ a social justice reckoning four-hundred years in the making , ” Chief Best wrote in her letter to the Seattle community 10 days later .
What is needed , she says , is “ a complete re-envisioning of community safety and the police department ’ s role in it.
” The community must not just advise , but lead , in this effort to create a new model of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major part of a reimagined police force could involve shifting some duties to civilian community organizations , she says .
For example , crisis intervention could be handled by mental health professionals , while homeless outreach and advocacy could be diverted to other agencies .
Yet while Chief Best embraces change , she remains an advocate for what she calls her SPD “ family.
” Raised in Tacoma , Washington , the oldest of four children in a military household , Chief Best enlisted in the Army during college , then joined SPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranks was not always easy .
“ I had my detractors , folks who weren ’ t as comfortable with my presence , but I also had a lot of people who supported me , ” she says .
Still , she has been drawn to tightknit teams ever since .
She makes it clear that she opposes budget cuts that would reduce the ranks of newly recruited officers , nearly 40 % of whom are ethnic minorities – some of the SPD ’ s most diverse hiring .
She also pushes back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While acknowledging that police use of tear gas , pepper spray , and “ blast balls ” – similar to flash-bang grenades – repelled many peaceful protesters in addition to the much smaller contingents of “ real bad actors ” in the crowds , she still believes they are important tools .
“ In hindsight , clearly we could have had different tactics , ” she says .
“ But I don ’ t believe we should throw the baby out with the bathwater .
It is much safer to use those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave officers with only riot batons and guns like in the ’ 60s.
” Her plan ?
“ Let ’ s have the community engage with this , and they can determine what is peaceful and what is not , what ’ s acceptable , what ’ s not , so we do a better job.
” During the CHOP standoff last month and calls for her resignation , Chief Best did turn to the community .
Some Black activists and clergy helped defuse the conflict , urging CHOP protesters to leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We stand with you , ” the Rev .
Harriett Walden of Mothers for Police Accountability told Chief Best at a prayer gathering with Black clergy at Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church on June 14 .
“ We know that Black women in leadership have a hard time , and sometimes people like to crush them , ” she said .
“ I would never let anybody ... crush a Black woman in front of me.
” Police moved into the CHOP zone early on July 1 , retaking the East Precinct building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
The precinct is now up and running again .
At heart , Chief Best says , she ’ s stayed with the force for nearly three decades because she believes “ there is a role for the police service to really be helpful.
” “ When I came out of the womb , ” she told the prayer gathering , “ I was a Black woman .
When I leave this earth , I will be a Black woman.
” Serving as police chief is “ just a moment in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to use it for good .
”

“Very clearly there are people who still feel a lack of trust,” she says. “It’s not enough to check the boxes.”
Chief Best, while an advocate for her police “family,” has kept an open mind. She joined a silent Black Lives Matter march on June 12, which proved transformative to her own thinking. The community must not just advise, but lead, in efforts to create a new model of public safety, she believes.
Chief Best, a 28-year veteran of the department, is one of only a handful of Black women leading U.S. police forces today. She soon found herself managing a crisis, as huge protests led to escalating clashes with police, and a six-block occupation. Thousands of complaints were filed over officers’ use of force, and some protesters demanded her resignation. Many have called for Seattle to “defund” the police, shifting money to community services.
Few people are forced to grapple with the complexity of this summer’s protests and calls for racial justice as are Black police officers. One week after Seattle cleared demonstrators’ occupation, its police chief – one of just a few women of color leading U.S. departments today – takes stock.
But she did not predict their intensity – or their dramatic, far-reaching impact on her own department and personal views about how policing in America must change.
When Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best saw video footage of George Floyd’s death, she was devastated. And she knew that the “blatant, grave disregard for human life,” as she puts it, would lead to protests.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best was watching the television news in her bedroom in late May when she first saw video footage of George Floyd being suffocated under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.
“Honestly, I was mortified,” Chief Best recalls. “It’s almost like you are watching it, but you can’t believe what you are seeing,” she says. Then “you realize you just witnessed a man’s last few minutes on earth. It was incredibly devastating.”
A 28-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and its first Black leader, appointed in 2018, Chief Best knew instantly that protests would erupt following the “blatant, grave disregard for human life.”
Why We Wrote This Few people are forced to grapple with the complexity of this summer’s protests and calls for racial justice as are Black police officers. One week after Seattle cleared demonstrators’ occupation, its police chief – one of just a few women of color leading U.S. departments today – takes stock.
But Chief Best doubts she or anyone could have anticipated the intensity of the nationwide demonstrations against police brutality that followed – or their dramatic, far-reaching impact on her own police department and personal views about how policing in America must change.
CHOP challenge
Within two weeks, Chief Best was managing a crisis that she described to fellow officers as “one of the toughest times ever in the history of the Seattle Police Department.” Huge Black Lives Matter protests led to escalating clashes with police and the chaotic, headline-grabbing occupation of a six-block section of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, including the SPD’s East Precinct building.
After the city ordered the removal of barricades, police removed weapons and other sensitive items, and were effectively shut out of the “no cop” protest zone, dubbed the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) and later the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP). Activists and supporters flocked to the area, which many saw as an experiment for new relationships between law enforcement and their communities. But in the following weeks, gun violence escalated, and by the end of June, two young Black men had been shot and killed in the vicinity.
“Two African American men are dead, at a place where they claim to be working for Black Lives Matter. But they’re gone, they’re dead now,” Chief Best told a press conference, her frustration mounting. “Enough is enough.”
Today, the future of the Seattle Police Department is no less complex than the messy situation Chief Best and her officers face on the ground. Since 2011, when the U.S. Justice Department found a pattern of unconstitutional use of force within the SPD, the department has undergone exhaustive, court-guided reforms. Seattle became a leader in crisis response training, mandated by a 2012 federal consent decree, with Chief Best playing an integral role in ensuring compliance. But “these policies seem like ancient history now,” she wrote in a June 22 letter to the Seattle community.
The city has been gripped by street protests against police brutality, with activists calling for “defunding” the police – slashing its $409 million budget by as much as 50% – and shifting the money to community services. Calls to 911, for example, might be moved outside the Police Department, since most do not involve violent crime. The City Council began debating defunding proposals on Wednesday, with four of nine members backing the 50% budget cut idea. In June, the council banned police use of chokeholds and crowd control munitions such as tear gas. The SPD’s use of force during protests that were largely peaceful sparked thousands of complaints and calls by activists for Chief Best to resign.
“We have to engage”
But rather than defending her record and resisting the historic push for change, Chief Best – one of only a handful of women of color to lead a big-city police department in the United States – has kept an open mind. She joined a silent Black Lives Matter march of between 66,000 and 85,000 people through southern Seattle on June 12, an outpouring that proved transformative to her own thinking.
Elaine Thompson/AP View caption Hide caption Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best (center) bumps elbows in greeting an officer as the chief walks the perimeter of an area police cleared hours earlier on July 1, 2020, in Seattle. For weeks, streets had been blocked off in an area occupied by demonstrators after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
As the marchers crossed Rainier Avenue South, Chief Best stepped aside for a minute to watch the crowd flow quietly by. “The vast majority were carrying signs, and many of the signs were specifically about the Seattle Police Department, defunding SPD, stopping police brutality, looking at qualified immunity, all these really important issues,” she says.
Gazing at the faces, she had an epiphany, realizing where all the years of SPD reforms had fallen short. “Even with all that work ... very clearly there are people who still feel a lack of trust,” she says. “It’s not enough to check the boxes and follow all those rules. We have to engage in a much deeper and more ... real-time way” with the community.
The U.S. is in the midst of nothing less than “a social justice reckoning four-hundred years in the making,” Chief Best wrote in her letter to the Seattle community 10 days later. What is needed, she says, is “a complete re-envisioning of community safety and the police department’s role in it.” The community must not just advise, but lead, in this effort to create a new model of public safety, she believes.
A major part of a reimagined police force could involve shifting some duties to civilian community organizations, she says. For example, crisis intervention could be handled by mental health professionals, while homeless outreach and advocacy could be diverted to other agencies.
Working together
Yet while Chief Best embraces change, she remains an advocate for what she calls her SPD “family.” Raised in Tacoma, Washington, the oldest of four children in a military household, Chief Best enlisted in the Army during college, then joined SPD in 1992. Her rise through the ranks was not always easy. “I had my detractors, folks who weren’t as comfortable with my presence, but I also had a lot of people who supported me,” she says.
Still, she has been drawn to tightknit teams ever since. She makes it clear that she opposes budget cuts that would reduce the ranks of newly recruited officers, nearly 40% of whom are ethnic minorities – some of the SPD’s most diverse hiring.
She also pushes back against the ban on crowd control munitions. While acknowledging that police use of tear gas, pepper spray, and “blast balls” – similar to flash-bang grenades – repelled many peaceful protesters in addition to the much smaller contingents of “real bad actors” in the crowds, she still believes they are important tools.
“In hindsight, clearly we could have had different tactics,” she says. “But I don’t believe we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. It is much safer to use those types of munitions than it is to leave officers with only riot batons and guns like in the ’60s.”
Her plan? “Let’s have the community engage with this, and they can determine what is peaceful and what is not, what’s acceptable, what’s not, so we do a better job.”
During the CHOP standoff last month and calls for her resignation, Chief Best did turn to the community. Some Black activists and clergy helped defuse the conflict, urging CHOP protesters to leave the area, despite others’ objections.
“We stand with you,” the Rev. Harriett Walden of Mothers for Police Accountability told Chief Best at a prayer gathering with Black clergy at Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church on June 14. “We know that Black women in leadership have a hard time, and sometimes people like to crush them,” she said. “I would never let anybody ... crush a Black woman in front of me.”
Police moved into the CHOP zone early on July 1, retaking the East Precinct building without any significant injuries to officers or protesters. The precinct is now up and running again.
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At heart, Chief Best says, she’s stayed with the force for nearly three decades because she believes “there is a role for the police service to really be helpful.”
“When I came out of the womb,” she told the prayer gathering, “I was a Black woman. When I leave this earth, I will be a Black woman.” Serving as police chief is “just a moment in time,” she said, “and I want to use it for good.”