csmonitor--2020-04-21--Too soon to go back to work? Some states and companies try it.

Boeing and at least one other U.S. heavy-equipment manufacturer resumed production and some states rolled out aggressive reopening plans Monday , despite nationwide concerns there is not enough testing yet to keep the coronavirus from rebounding .
In one of the most forceful moves yet , Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp announced plans to restart the state 's economy before the end of the week .
Mr. Kemp said gyms , hair salons , bowling alleys , and tattoo parlors could reopen Friday , as long as owners followed strict social distancing and hygiene requirements .
Boeing said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week building passenger jets at its Seattle-area plants , with virus-slowing precautions in place , including face masks and staggered shifts .
Doosan Bobcat , a farm equipment maker and North Dakota 's largest manufacturer , announced the return of about 2,200 workers at three factories around the state .
The reopenings came amid economic gloom , as oil futures plunged below zero on Monday and stocks and Treasury yields also dropped on Wall Street .
The cost to have a barrel of U.S. crude delivered in May plummeted to negative $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 at the start of the year .
Elsewhere around the world , step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe , where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy , Spain , and Germany .
Parts of the continent are perhaps weeks ahead of the United States on the infection curve of the virus , which has killed more than 170,300 people worldwide , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
Businesses that start operating again in the U.S. are likely to engender good will with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is doling out billions in relief to companies .
But the reopenings being announced are a drop in the bucket compared with the more than 22 million Americans thrown out of work by the crisis .
In a dispute that has turned nakedly political , President Donald Trump has been agitating to restart the economy , singling out Democratic-led states and egging on protesters who feel governors are moving too slowly .
In several states – most of them Republican-led – governors said they had seen signs that the coronavirus curve was flattening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and public spaces .
Mr. Kemp , a Republican , said a decline in emergency room visits by people with flu-like symptoms indicated that infections were going down .
But he also acknowledged that Georgia had lagged in COVID-19 testing and announced new initiatives to ramp it up .
Texas on Monday began a week of slow reopenings , starting off with state parks , while officials said that later in the week , stores would be allowed to offer curbside service .
Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee announced Monday that businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening as early as next week , although the order did not cover counties with the largest cities , including Nashville , Memphis , Knoxville , and Chattanooga .
Both states are led by Republicans .
Republican West Virginia Gov .
Jim Justice said Monday that he would allow hospitals to begin performing elective procedures if the facilities met an unspecified set of criteria , while Democratic Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said Monday that he would let his statewide stay-at-home order expire next week as long as strict social distancing and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from many other states said they lacked the testing supplies they need and warned they could get hit by a second wave of infections , given how people with no symptoms can still spread the disease .
`` Who in this great state actually believes that they care more about jet skiing than saving the lives of the elderly or the vulnerable ? ''
Democratic Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer remarked , referring to restrictions in place in her state .
`` This action is n't about our individual right to gather .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live . ''
Mr. Trump took to Twitter to complain that the `` radical left '' and `` Do Nothing Democrats '' are `` playing a very dangerous political game '' by complaining about a testing shortage .
At the same time , Vice President Mike Pence told governors that Washington is working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing .
The death toll in the U.S. stood at 42,300 – the highest in the world – with nearly 787,000 confirmed infections , by Johns Hopkins ' count .
The true figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part because of limited testing and difficulties in counting the dead .
• Republican Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan announced his state will be able to test 500,000 more people for COVID-19 thanks to a shipment of tests from South Korea .
His wife , Yumi Hogan , who is Korean-American , negotiated the shipment with Korean officials .
Mr. Trump said at an afternoon briefing that governors like Mr. Hogan and Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker of Illinois do n't understand they already have the testing capacity they need to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Massachusetts has emerged as an alarming hot spot of contagion , with over 1,800 dead and officials hoping to bend the curve through aggressive contract tracing .
• New York , with the worst outbreak in the nation , reported that hospitalizations in the state have leveled off and the day 's death toll , at 478 , was the lowest in three weeks , down from a peak of nearly 800 .
Still , the city canceled three of its biggest June events : the Puerto Rican Day parade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride march .
• A meatpacking plant in Minnesota was shut down after an outbreak there .
But Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds refused to order the closing of any slaughterhouses in her state that are seeing alarming increases in COVID-19 , saying : `` Without them , people 's lives and our food supply will be impacted . ''
Mobilized by the far right , many Americans have taken to the streets in places such as Michigan , Ohio , and Virginia , complaining that the shutdowns are destroying their livelihoods and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , the government 's top infectious-disease expert , warned on ABC : `` Unless we get the virus under control , the real recovery economically is not going to happen . ''
Boeing 's shutdown went into effect March 25 after workers tested positive for the virus and an inspector for the company died .
Washington was the first state to see a spike in COVID-19 cases and enacted strict shutdown orders that helped tamp the virus down .
The crisis has exacerbated problems at Boeing , which is in dire financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crashes of its 737 MAX jetliner that killed 346 people .
Union representatives spent the day walking through factories to see what safeguards had been put in place .
At Doosan Bobcat , spokeswoman Stacey Breuer said the reopening came after two weeks spent putting in safety measures .
`` There is definitely still some concern and do we feel 100 % safe ?
Obviously not , '' said William Wilkinson , a Bobcat welder and president of a United Steelworkers union local .
He said workers there were wearing face masks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even with the outbreak easing in places , the head of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , cautioned , `` The worst is yet ahead of us . ''
He did not specify why he believed so .
But there were signs the virus was swelling in Africa , where the health care system is in poor condition .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Long reported from Washington .
Corder reported from The Hague , Netherlands .
AP writers worldwide contributed to this report .
Editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Colleen Long, Gene Johnson, and Mike Corder

Boeing and at least one other U.S. heavy-equipment manufacturer resumed production and some states rolled out aggressive reopening plans Monday, despite nationwide concerns there is not enough testing yet to keep the coronavirus from rebounding.
In one of the most forceful moves yet, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced plans to restart the state's economy before the end of the week. Mr. Kemp said gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo parlors could reopen Friday, as long as owners followed strict social distancing and hygiene requirements.
Boeing said it was putting about 27,000 people back to work this week building passenger jets at its Seattle-area plants, with virus-slowing precautions in place, including face masks and staggered shifts. Doosan Bobcat, a farm equipment maker and North Dakota's largest manufacturer, announced the return of about 2,200 workers at three factories around the state.
The reopenings came amid economic gloom, as oil futures plunged below zero on Monday and stocks and Treasury yields also dropped on Wall Street. The cost to have a barrel of U.S. crude delivered in May plummeted to negative $37.63. It was at roughly $60 at the start of the year.
Elsewhere around the world, step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe, where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy, Spain, and Germany. Parts of the continent are perhaps weeks ahead of the United States on the infection curve of the virus, which has killed more than 170,300 people worldwide, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Businesses that start operating again in the U.S. are likely to engender good will with the Trump administration at a time when it is doling out billions in relief to companies. But the reopenings being announced are a drop in the bucket compared with the more than 22 million Americans thrown out of work by the crisis.
In a dispute that has turned nakedly political, President Donald Trump has been agitating to restart the economy, singling out Democratic-led states and egging on protesters who feel governors are moving too slowly.
In several states – most of them Republican-led – governors said they had seen signs that the coronavirus curve was flattening, making it possible to start reopening businesses and public spaces.
Mr. Kemp, a Republican, said a decline in emergency room visits by people with flu-like symptoms indicated that infections were going down. But he also acknowledged that Georgia had lagged in COVID-19 testing and announced new initiatives to ramp it up.
Texas on Monday began a week of slow reopenings, starting off with state parks, while officials said that later in the week, stores would be allowed to offer curbside service. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday that businesses across most of the state would begin reopening as early as next week, although the order did not cover counties with the largest cities, including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Both states are led by Republicans.
Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Monday that he would allow hospitals to begin performing elective procedures if the facilities met an unspecified set of criteria, while Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that he would let his statewide stay-at-home order expire next week as long as strict social distancing and other individual protective measures continued.
But governors from many other states said they lacked the testing supplies they need and warned they could get hit by a second wave of infections, given how people with no symptoms can still spread the disease.
"Who in this great state actually believes that they care more about jet skiing than saving the lives of the elderly or the vulnerable?" Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer remarked, referring to restrictions in place in her state. "This action isn't about our individual right to gather. It's about our parents' right to live."
Mr. Trump took to Twitter to complain that the "radical left" and "Do Nothing Democrats" are "playing a very dangerous political game" by complaining about a testing shortage. At the same time, Vice President Mike Pence told governors that Washington is working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing.
The death toll in the U.S. stood at 42,300 – the highest in the world – with nearly 787,000 confirmed infections, by Johns Hopkins' count. The true figures are believed to be much higher, in part because of limited testing and difficulties in counting the dead.
In other developments:
Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced his state will be able to test 500,000 more people for COVID-19 thanks to a shipment of tests from South Korea. His wife, Yumi Hogan, who is Korean-American, negotiated the shipment with Korean officials. Mr. Trump said at an afternoon briefing that governors like Mr. Hogan and Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois don't understand they already have the testing capacity they need to begin the first phase of reopening their states.
Massachusetts has emerged as an alarming hot spot of contagion, with over 1,800 dead and officials hoping to bend the curve through aggressive contract tracing.
New York, with the worst outbreak in the nation, reported that hospitalizations in the state have leveled off and the day's death toll, at 478, was the lowest in three weeks, down from a peak of nearly 800. Still, the city canceled three of its biggest June events: the Puerto Rican Day parade, the Israel parade, and the gay pride march.
A meatpacking plant in Minnesota was shut down after an outbreak there. But Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds refused to order the closing of any slaughterhouses in her state that are seeing alarming increases in COVID-19, saying: "Without them, people's lives and our food supply will be impacted."
Mobilized by the far right, many Americans have taken to the streets in places such as Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia, complaining that the shutdowns are destroying their livelihoods and trampling their rights.
But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious-disease expert, warned on ABC: "Unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery economically is not going to happen."
Boeing's shutdown went into effect March 25 after workers tested positive for the virus and an inspector for the company died. Washington was the first state to see a spike in COVID-19 cases and enacted strict shutdown orders that helped tamp the virus down.
The crisis has exacerbated problems at Boeing, which is in dire financial trouble and under federal investigation over two crashes of its 737 MAX jetliner that killed 346 people.
Union representatives spent the day walking through factories to see what safeguards had been put in place.
At Doosan Bobcat, spokeswoman Stacey Breuer said the reopening came after two weeks spent putting in safety measures.
"There is definitely still some concern and do we feel 100% safe? Obviously not," said William Wilkinson, a Bobcat welder and president of a United Steelworkers union local. He said workers there were wearing face masks and keeping their distance from one another.
Even with the outbreak easing in places, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cautioned, "The worst is yet ahead of us." He did not specify why he believed so. But there were signs the virus was swelling in Africa, where the health care system is in poor condition.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Long reported from Washington. Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. AP writers worldwide 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--2020-04-21--Want to end state lockdowns? Send in the coronavirus detectives.

At a time when the federal government is largely leaving states to chart their own course , Massachusetts can be a model , says Robert Bollinger at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine .
“ If strategies are shown to be effective in certain states , other states are going to adopt that.
” So that ’ s what Massachusetts is doing – recruiting hundreds of people to help sleuth the pathways that the coronavirus is taking through communities .
Without such contact tracing – as well as better testing – states can ’ t reopen , health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it with technology – tracking everyone a person diagnosed with COVID-19 might have come into contact with .
But Dr. Brown wants an army of virus detectives .
“ The personal touch still is what we believe to be the most effective way , ” she says .
Catherine Brown is not waiting for Google and Apple to solve her problem .
As a Massachusetts health official , Dr. Brown is tasked with helping to create the conditions that could help ease the state ’ s coronavirus lockdowns .
And she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool .
As American states mull the easing of COVID-19 social restrictions , many are turning to a trusted tool for controlling infectious diseases : contact tracing .
Known as “ disease detectives , ” contact tracers are people who work to halt the spread of a virus .
They reach out to individuals who are confirmed cases and then trace others the person came into contact with , from family members to subway riders .
It ’ s a hands-on containment strategy that requires speed , manpower , and public trust .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Zealand are held up as examples of effective contact tracing .
But their use of digital surveillance may prove hard to adopt here .
Efforts to apply smartphone technology are underway – most notably a joint project by Google and Apple – but states nationwide are also scrambling to stand up armies of human COVID-19 tracers .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Massachusetts has been among the more aggressive states , and it is not starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had a relatively robust contact tracing program .
Now , with health experts saying scaled-up contact tracing must be a cornerstone of the United States pandemic response , Massachusetts offers a window into how that response is taking shape .
“ This needs to be in place before the lockdown ends , ” says George Rutherford , an epidemiologist at the University of California San Francisco .
“ Our mitigation strategy now is to keep everyone in their houses .
That mitigation has to be replaced with something else.
” Health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some states doubling down on virus detection and others holding back – will mar a national restart .
Most U.S. states are still dogged by a lack of rapid and accessible COVID-19 testing , which tracers rely on to find and map clusters .
Massachusetts has begun building a surge force of tracers with a $ 44 million initiative .
In recent weeks , more than 300 people have been trained for a virtual call center to track residents who may be infected .
The operation is run by Partners In Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which plans to hire up to 1,000 people for paid and volunteer positions .
Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that he was in talks with Partners In Health to stand up a similar force .
Before COVID-19 , Massachusetts ’ tracing program involved around 400 state epidemiologists and local public health nurses , who tracked cases of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS .
But when coronavirus cases started to surge in February , “ we knew it was going to outstrip our ability to manage it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences .
Tracing has continued in Massachusetts , prioritizing health care workers and residents at care homes , jails , and prisons .
Other states hit hard early on , like Washington , set similar priorities .
As the pandemic intensified , Dr. Brown joined the all-out effort to trace potential spreaders .
She recalls making a call to a woman diagnosed with the coronavirus .
The woman lived with two people at high risk of a severe form of COVID-19 , so Dr. Brown talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolate herself from others .
“ In that small household we didn ’ t stop an outbreak , but we protected vulnerable individuals .
Every single case has a human side , ” she says .
Today , Massachusetts has the third largest number of confirmed cases .
Still , Dr. Brown says the early work of tracers – at least 21,345 people were contacted in February and March – likely helped slow the rate of infections so that hospital admissions haven ’ t overwhelmed capacity .
Many states spend far less on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10 contact tracers for its nearly 5 million residents , and now has around 50 working on COVID-19 , the state ’ s health director told the Washington Post .
“ There ’ s a massive gulf between where we are and where we need to be in many parts of the country , ” says Joshua Michaud , associate director for global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation .
Nationally , the number of full-time disease investigators is 2,200 , according to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decade of double-digit cuts in public health spending following the 2008-09 global recession .
A recent report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , together with ASTHO , called for the hiring of an additional 100,000 contact tracers to contain COVID-19 epidemics , at a cost of $ 3.6 billion in emergency federal funding .
Others have called for higher numbers .
“ What we ’ re doing right now is simply buying time , ” says Robert Bollinger , a professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country have a strong enough public health system to do contact tracing in the community.
” Behind these estimates is a stubborn reality : Chasing down leads in a pandemic , as detectives do after an unsolved crime , is labor-intensive and expensive .
Each confirmed case yields several new contacts to trace , contact , and isolate , which averages 4 hours of work per tracer .
And time is against them , since symptoms can show up days after infection .
“ It has to be a rapidfire process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difference with coronavirus , ” says Mr. Michaud .
One silver lining is that millions of Americans suddenly have time on their hands .
States and cities are tapping medical students , school nurses , and librarians to support COVID-19 contact tracing .
In San Francisco , which had 10 tracers before the pandemic , volunteers are lining up to help , says Dr. Rutherford , who is helping the city add 150 more .
Massachusetts and six other Northeastern states are working together to ease social restrictions and reopen businesses ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the same .
Testing and contract tracing are likely to inform when and how these reopenings happen .
“ I think it ’ s going to be critical for every state that wants to get open and back to something like a new normal to put some kind of mechanism like this in place , ” Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker told CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation ” Sunday , referring to contact tracing .
Other U.S. states like Texas are already starting to ease controls .
This piecemeal approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states with robust coronavirus surveillance are traced to states that aren ’ t doing the same .
Experts point out that South Korea and Taiwan mobilized national health systems to trace and contain their pandemics – a key element of their success .
That level of federal involvement has been absent in the U.S .
But states that invest in COVID-19 testing and tracing could lead others .
“ If strategies are shown to be effective in certain states , other states are going to adopt that , ” says Dr. Bollinger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ phase and start opening up their schools and businesses.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

At a time when the federal government is largely leaving states to chart their own course, Massachusetts can be a model, says Robert Bollinger at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “If strategies are shown to be effective in certain states, other states are going to adopt that.”
So that’s what Massachusetts is doing – recruiting hundreds of people to help sleuth the pathways that the coronavirus is taking through communities. Without such contact tracing – as well as better testing – states can’t reopen, health experts say.
To end coronavirus lockdowns, states will need a robust network of human contact tracers. Massachusetts shows how that process can start.
Google and Apple are trying to do it with technology – tracking everyone a person diagnosed with COVID-19 might have come into contact with. But Dr. Brown wants an army of virus detectives. “The personal touch still is what we believe to be the most effective way,” she says.
Catherine Brown is not waiting for Google and Apple to solve her problem. As a Massachusetts health official, Dr. Brown is tasked with helping to create the conditions that could help ease the state’s coronavirus lockdowns. And she knows contact tracing will be an essential tool.
As American states mull the easing of COVID-19 social restrictions, many are turning to a trusted tool for controlling infectious diseases: contact tracing.
Known as “disease detectives,” contact tracers are people who work to halt the spread of a virus. They reach out to individuals who are confirmed cases and then trace others the person came into contact with, from family members to subway riders. It’s a hands-on containment strategy that requires speed, manpower, and public trust.
South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and New Zealand are held up as examples of effective contact tracing. But their use of digital surveillance may prove hard to adopt here. Efforts to apply smartphone technology are underway – most notably a joint project by Google and Apple – but states nationwide are also scrambling to stand up armies of human COVID-19 tracers.
Why We Wrote This To end coronavirus lockdowns, states will need a robust network of human contact tracers. Massachusetts shows how that process can start.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Massachusetts has been among the more aggressive states, and it is not starting from scratch. Even before COVID-19, it had a relatively robust contact tracing program. Now, with health experts saying scaled-up contact tracing must be a cornerstone of the United States pandemic response, Massachusetts offers a window into how that response is taking shape.
“This needs to be in place before the lockdown ends,” says George Rutherford, an epidemiologist at the University of California San Francisco. “Our mitigation strategy now is to keep everyone in their houses. That mitigation has to be replaced with something else.”
Building an army
Health experts worry that a piecemeal U.S. approach – some states doubling down on virus detection and others holding back – will mar a national restart. Most U.S. states are still dogged by a lack of rapid and accessible COVID-19 testing, which tracers rely on to find and map clusters.
Massachusetts has begun building a surge force of tracers with a $44 million initiative. In recent weeks, more than 300 people have been trained for a virtual call center to track residents who may be infected. The operation is run by Partners In Health, a global health nonprofit based in Boston, which plans to hire up to 1,000 people for paid and volunteer positions.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that he was in talks with Partners In Health to stand up a similar force.
Before COVID-19, Massachusetts’ tracing program involved around 400 state epidemiologists and local public health nurses, who tracked cases of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. But when coronavirus cases started to surge in February, “we knew it was going to outstrip our ability to manage it,” says Catherine Brown, state epidemiologist in the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences.
Tracing has continued in Massachusetts, prioritizing health care workers and residents at care homes, jails, and prisons. Other states hit hard early on, like Washington, set similar priorities. As the pandemic intensified, Dr. Brown joined the all-out effort to trace potential spreaders.
She recalls making a call to a woman diagnosed with the coronavirus. The woman lived with two people at high risk of a severe form of COVID-19, so Dr. Brown talked her through the risks and how to isolate herself from others.
“In that small household we didn’t stop an outbreak, but we protected vulnerable individuals. Every single case has a human side,” she says.
Today, Massachusetts has the third largest number of confirmed cases. Still, Dr. Brown says the early work of tracers – at least 21,345 people were contacted in February and March – likely helped slow the rate of infections so that hospital admissions haven’t overwhelmed capacity.
John Hanna/AP View caption Hide caption Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman discusses the state's coronavirus pandemic at a news conference at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas, April 15, 2020. The department is enlisting 400 volunteers to help with contact tracing – a critical step toward safely easing stay-at-home restrictions.
Many states spend far less on public health. Alabama previously had fewer than 10 contact tracers for its nearly 5 million residents, and now has around 50 working on COVID-19, the state’s health director told the Washington Post.
“There’s a massive gulf between where we are and where we need to be in many parts of the country,” says Joshua Michaud, associate director for global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Nationally, the number of full-time disease investigators is 2,200, according to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). That comes after a decade of double-digit cuts in public health spending following the 2008-09 global recession.
A recent report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, together with ASTHO, called for the hiring of an additional 100,000 contact tracers to contain COVID-19 epidemics, at a cost of $3.6 billion in emergency federal funding. Others have called for higher numbers.
“What we’re doing right now is simply buying time,” says Robert Bollinger, a professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “We don’t as a country have a strong enough public health system to do contact tracing in the community.”
Coronavirus sleuthing
Behind these estimates is a stubborn reality: Chasing down leads in a pandemic, as detectives do after an unsolved crime, is labor-intensive and expensive. Each confirmed case yields several new contacts to trace, contact, and isolate, which averages 4 hours of work per tracer. And time is against them, since symptoms can show up days after infection.
“It has to be a rapidfire process. We know that hours and days make the difference with coronavirus,” says Mr. Michaud.
One silver lining is that millions of Americans suddenly have time on their hands. States and cities are tapping medical students, school nurses, and librarians to support COVID-19 contact tracing. In San Francisco, which had 10 tracers before the pandemic, volunteers are lining up to help, says Dr. Rutherford, who is helping the city add 150 more.
Massachusetts and six other Northeastern states are working together to ease social restrictions and reopen businesses; California, Oregon, and Washington are doing the same. Testing and contract tracing are likely to inform when and how these reopenings happen.
“I think it’s going to be critical for every state that wants to get open and back to something like a new normal to put some kind of mechanism like this in place,” Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker told CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday, referring to contact tracing.
Other U.S. states like Texas are already starting to ease controls. This piecemeal approach could raise tensions if future outbreaks in states with robust coronavirus surveillance are traced to states that aren’t doing the same. Experts point out that South Korea and Taiwan mobilized national health systems to trace and contain their pandemics – a key element of their success. That level of federal involvement has been absent in the U.S.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
But states that invest in COVID-19 testing and tracing could lead others. “If strategies are shown to be effective in certain states, other states are going to adopt that,” says Dr. Bollinger. “They want to get past this phase and start opening up their schools and businesses.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-22--What 2020 election-watchers may learn from Wisconsin

Ready or not , the November elections are heading our way .
And anyone who tells you they know what will happen is fooling themselves .
That said , we ’ re seeing movement afoot that may be significant come Election Day .
Take the stunning Wisconsin election earlier this month , in which an incumbent conservative state Supreme Court justice lost to the liberal challenger by 11 percentage points .
Turnout was surprisingly high , given the pandemic and the kerfuffle over the governor ’ s last-minute effort to postpone the vote .
A robust absentee-ballot effort leading up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Absentees going over a million was unprecedented , ” Charles Franklin , the state ’ s premier nonpartisan pollster , told me last week .
“ So the public adapted , even in the confusion.
” Both parties see Wisconsin as crucial in the 2020 presidential race , as it was in 2016 .
Now , with the real possibility of widespread vote-by-mail coming into play in November , the evidence that Wisconsin Democrats were more organized and proactive in making the shift has given Republicans pause .
Past studies had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting ( as five states have already done ) produced no partisan advantage , and it may be that the Wisconsin disparity was a one-off .
But in the short term , the Wisconsin outcome is likely to make President Donald Trump even more skeptical of nationwide vote-by-mail .
More broadly , the surprise Wisconsin result may also show that Democrats were just plain more motivated to vote .
The presidential primary was also on the ballot , and proved to be the last opportunity for Democrats to vote for Vermont Sen. Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As expected , former Vice President Joe Biden won the primary easily , and Senator Sanders dropped out the next day .
Come November , though , President Trump will be on the ballot – and a huge turnout driver .
As Monitor reporter Story Hinckley writes , the COVID-19 crisis has made Trump supporters all the more ardent .
Beyond Wisconsin , look to an expanding map of battleground states , as Politico reported today .
From Arizona and Georgia to Nevada and New Hampshire , the pandemic and economic crisis appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and Mr. Trump .
If you love politics , as I do , that makes our strange 2020 campaign all the more compelling .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
Ready or not, the November elections are heading our way. And anyone who tells you they know what will happen is fooling themselves. That said, we’re seeing movement afoot that may be significant come Election Day.
Take the stunning Wisconsin election earlier this month, in which an incumbent conservative state Supreme Court justice lost to the liberal challenger by 11 percentage points. Turnout was surprisingly high, given the pandemic and the kerfuffle over the governor’s last-minute effort to postpone the vote. A robust absentee-ballot effort leading up to the April 7 vote proved crucial.
“Absentees going over a million was unprecedented,” Charles Franklin, the state’s premier nonpartisan pollster, told me last week. “So the public adapted, even in the confusion.”
Both parties see Wisconsin as crucial in the 2020 presidential race, as it was in 2016. Now, with the real possibility of widespread vote-by-mail coming into play in November, the evidence that Wisconsin Democrats were more organized and proactive in making the shift has given Republicans pause.
Past studies had shown that shifting from in-person to mail voting (as five states have already done) produced no partisan advantage, and it may be that the Wisconsin disparity was a one-off. But in the short term, the Wisconsin outcome is likely to make President Donald Trump even more skeptical of nationwide vote-by-mail.
More broadly, the surprise Wisconsin result may also show that Democrats were just plain more motivated to vote. The presidential primary was also on the ballot, and proved to be the last opportunity for Democrats to vote for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders before he quit the race. As expected, former Vice President Joe Biden won the primary easily, and Senator Sanders dropped out the next day.
Come November, though, President Trump will be on the ballot – and a huge turnout driver. As Monitor reporter Story Hinckley writes, the COVID-19 crisis has made Trump supporters all the more ardent.
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Beyond Wisconsin, look to an expanding map of battleground states, as Politico reported today. From Arizona and Georgia to Nevada and New Hampshire, the pandemic and economic crisis appear to have created opportunities for both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump. If you love politics, as I do, that makes our strange 2020 campaign all the more compelling.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.


csmonitor--2020-04-22--Behind coronavirus lockdown protests, questions of whom to trust

Yet for some caught in the middle , the question is not political , but how states could be trusting citizens more .
Says one scholar : “ There is a sense that an awful lot of what modern life is doing is not liberating us , but restricting us , and so then you get a pandemic and you get restrictions on steroids.
” The number of people agitating for states to reopen their economies is small .
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests more than two-thirds of Americans are more worried about states ending lockdowns too soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation is calibrating whether to continue strict state lockdowns .
Michigan ’ s governor recently doubled down , restricting even some solitary activities .
The backlash has begun to show how far states can go before inciting the libertarian streak that spawned the tea party .
Pamela Huberty doesn ’ t know how she ’ ll do social distancing in her 1,100-square-foot gift boutique in rural Crystal , Michigan .
But she ’ s so confident she ’ ll figure it out , she ’ s reopening May 1 .
Ms. Huberty joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has sympathy for those protesting lockdowns .
“ I call it the COVID-19 monster.
” As the owner of Ken ’ s Greenhouses in Kalamazoo , Michigan , Mark Smit has a roomful of plants he worries will go unsold .
His anxiety isn ’ t really about the national all-hands-on-deck response to the coronavirus .
It ’ s about why , in Michigan , those restrictions have veered into what appear to him to be solitary and responsible activities .
On April 9 , Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer banned travel between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close areas dedicated to flooring , furniture , plant nurseries , or paint .
Fishing in a motorized boat is off limits , too .
Lawsuits have been filed , and Mr. Smit says the governor ’ s measures are “ a little overkill.
” But his frustration is nuanced .
“ I say that understanding why it was done .
I ’ m not happy with things the way they are , but I want to be cautious about not standing on a street corner and yelling , ‘ They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going under because of it !
’ We ’ re not to that extent yet , but I hope it doesn ’ t come to that.
” That line has already been crossed for many protesters who have gathered in recent days from Lansing , Michigan , to Canton , Georgia .
The events are part tea party patriotism , accented by yellow “ Don ’ t Tread On Me ” flags , and part MAGA rally , with blue Trump 2020 banners .
Editor ’ s note : As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is free .
No paywall .
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests the number of people aggressively agitating for states to reopen their economies is small .
A Pew Research Center survey finds only 32 % of Americans are more worried about lockdowns not ending quickly enough , rather than too quickly .
But encouraged by President Donald Trump , who exhorted Michiganders to “ liberate ” their state , their voice can be loud .
Mr. Smit was not at the rally , and his opinions are not nearly so decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is wrestling with the question of whom to trust most in the time of a pandemic .
For some , the threat of COVID-19 means the government must step in to enforce safe behaviors .
But Ms. Whitmer ’ s orders have prompted Mr. Smit , like some others , to wonder if there is a different way .
Can states have more trust in Americans themselves to do the right thing ?
The answer to that question has led to different paths .
On the fly , an already divided nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the economy , and the role of government .
Even as Ms. Whitmer doubles down on restrictions in Michigan , a trio of Southern governors – in Georgia , South Carolina , and Tennessee – is scaling back restrictions this week , citing evidence that the pandemic has peaked .
Movie theaters , restaurants , bowling alleys , and tattoo shops will all soon be open in Georgia , though some mayors are pushing back .
“ There is a sense that an awful lot of what modern life is doing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and so then you get a pandemic and you get restrictions on steroids , ” says Michael Wolff , the former chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court .
“ And of course , a big enough match can light a pretty good fire.
” So far , protests have been small .
But Mr. Trump has offered support for the cause , saying some governors were taking restrictions too far .
In Canton , Georgia , combat veteran Shane Hazel organized a small protest where people held signs that said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendees wore face coverings and carried rifles .
In an interview , Mr. Hazel , a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate , says it is up to Americans to “ not walk beyond the firing line ” and risk catching the virus .
“ We can either do their one-size-fits-all , or we can unleash the American passion , the American genius , and their will to survive and overcome and triumph – to the tune of 350 million brains working on the same problem , in their best interest , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some states are already relaxing restrictions .
Floridians began swarming back to the water last week after Gov .
Rick DeSantis said municipalities could open up parks and beaches if done in a “ safe way.
” In Manatee County , just south of St. Petersburg , a county commissioner led efforts to reopen boat ramps .
“ You keep it up and they ’ re going to rebel ... [ and ] we ’ ll be at the jail for safekeeping , ” Vanessa Baugh told a meeting last week before becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State officers are policing distancing rules between boats .
“ It is a tough question , ” says Ms. Baugh in an interview a few days after the meeting .
“ Do you step on the Constitution ?
And , then , do you really have to step on the Constitution to do what you need to do ?
I don ’ t think we need to , not at this point.
” The protests elicit sympathy from Pamela Huberty , who owns a gift boutique in rural Crystal , Michigan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Against Excessive Quarantine that has amassed over 366,000 members in two weeks .
She closed her shop in compliance with the executive orders but is planning to reopen May 1 while determining how to achieve social distancing in a 1,100-square foot area .
“ I call it the COVID-19 monster , ” says Ms. Huberty .
“ The fear of this virus is going to kill us before the virus does .
I see people turning on each other , and that ’ s the big issue right now .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust is multifaceted , with states still maintaining strict lockdowns and worried that their sacrifices could be undone by states now reopening .
Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s chief epidemiologist , has warned that failure to contain the disease could mean more deaths and economic havoc down the line .
The balancing act is putting governors in a difficult situation – particularly in “ purple ” states like Michigan , which have strong dashes of red and blue .
Governors want to do everything in their power to save lives but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anger .
“ If it looks as if the government is moving too far too fast , then you ’ ve got sort of a tea party possibility welling up again in opposition to the heavy hand of government – and [ governors ] don ’ t want to trigger that , ” says Cal Jillson , author of “ American Government.
” Retiree Alan Marble from Benzie County , Michigan , has confidence in the governor .
She “ has the best information , the best science , and the best input @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human behavior , ” he says .
In the end , the issue is not as black and white as it is often portrayed .
“ It ’ s much too simple to say that someone who is willing to trade freedom for security deserves neither , ” says Mr. Wolff , now a professor at St. Louis University Law School .
“ There is another way to look at it : ‘ I can give you some of my privacy and my autonomy – temporarily – if you ’ ll keep me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some flexibility in the system for the government to break the law in order to protect the public health , ” Mr. Wolff adds .
In fact , a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court found that the government could set aside constitutional rights in a public health emergency .
That ruling mandated smallpox vaccines .
The question is how broadly and bluntly the precedent can be applied during the current pandemic .
For her part , Jennifer Stell of Mattawan , Michigan , is more than willing to curtail her activities .
Her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ann Arbor in late March .
So she and her husband are delivering food and money to her by driving across the state , knocking on the door , offering a quick wave and hello before reluctantly departing back to Mattawan .
She ’ s “ 100 % ” in support of Ms. Whitmer .
“ I don ’ t feel that I have lost any civil liberties , ” she says .
“ If I can ’ t go up north right now and hang out in a cottage to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have no problem doing that.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

Yet for some caught in the middle, the question is not political, but how states could be trusting citizens more. Says one scholar: “There is a sense that an awful lot of what modern life is doing is not liberating us, but restricting us, and so then you get a pandemic and you get restrictions on steroids.”
The number of people agitating for states to reopen their economies is small. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests more than two-thirds of Americans are more worried about states ending lockdowns too soon.
Should states put more faith in their citizens to do the right thing, even amid a pandemic? It’s a question with enormous consequences. But many Americans say “yes.”
On the fly, a divided nation is calibrating whether to continue strict state lockdowns. Michigan’s governor recently doubled down, restricting even some solitary activities. The backlash has begun to show how far states can go before inciting the libertarian streak that spawned the tea party.
Pamela Huberty doesn’t know how she’ll do social distancing in her 1,100-square-foot gift boutique in rural Crystal, Michigan. But she’s so confident she’ll figure it out, she’s reopening May 1. Ms. Huberty joined the Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine Facebook group and has sympathy for those protesting lockdowns. “I call it the COVID-19 monster.”
As the owner of Ken’s Greenhouses in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Mark Smit has a roomful of plants he worries will go unsold.
His anxiety isn’t really about the national all-hands-on-deck response to the coronavirus. It’s about why, in Michigan, those restrictions have veered into what appear to him to be solitary and responsible activities.
On April 9, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned travel between private residences and mandated that large stores close areas dedicated to flooring, furniture, plant nurseries, or paint. Fishing in a motorized boat is off limits, too.
Why We Wrote This Should states put more faith in their citizens to do the right thing, even amid a pandemic? It’s a question with enormous consequences. But many Americans say “yes.”
Lawsuits have been filed, and Mr. Smit says the governor’s measures are “a little overkill.” But his frustration is nuanced. “I say that understanding why it was done. I’m not happy with things the way they are, but I want to be cautious about not standing on a street corner and yelling, ‘They’re making a big mistake, and I’m going under because of it!’ We’re not to that extent yet, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
That line has already been crossed for many protesters who have gathered in recent days from Lansing, Michigan, to Canton, Georgia. The events are part tea party patriotism, accented by yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” flags, and part MAGA rally, with blue Trump 2020 banners.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests the number of people aggressively agitating for states to reopen their economies is small. A Pew Research Center survey finds only 32% of Americans are more worried about lockdowns not ending quickly enough, rather than too quickly. But encouraged by President Donald Trump, who exhorted Michiganders to “liberate” their state, their voice can be loud.
Mr. Smit was not at the rally, and his opinions are not nearly so decided. Rather, like many Americans, he is wrestling with the question of whom to trust most in the time of a pandemic.
For some, the threat of COVID-19 means the government must step in to enforce safe behaviors. But Ms. Whitmer’s orders have prompted Mr. Smit, like some others, to wonder if there is a different way. Can states have more trust in Americans themselves to do the right thing?
The answer to that question has led to different paths. On the fly, an already divided nation is calibrating the balance between public health, the economy, and the role of government.
Even as Ms. Whitmer doubles down on restrictions in Michigan, a trio of Southern governors – in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee – is scaling back restrictions this week, citing evidence that the pandemic has peaked. Movie theaters, restaurants, bowling alleys, and tattoo shops will all soon be open in Georgia, though some mayors are pushing back.
“There is a sense that an awful lot of what modern life is doing is not liberating us, but restricting us, and so then you get a pandemic and you get restrictions on steroids,” says Michael Wolff, the former chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court. “And of course, a big enough match can light a pretty good fire.”
Michigan Office of the Governor/AP View caption Hide caption Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, on April 13.
Inside the protests
So far, protests have been small. But Mr. Trump has offered support for the cause, saying some governors were taking restrictions too far.
In Canton, Georgia, combat veteran Shane Hazel organized a small protest where people held signs that said, “We will not comply.” Some attendees wore face coverings and carried rifles.
In an interview, Mr. Hazel, a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, says it is up to Americans to “not walk beyond the firing line” and risk catching the virus.
“We can either do their one-size-fits-all, or we can unleash the American passion, the American genius, and their will to survive and overcome and triumph – to the tune of 350 million brains working on the same problem, in their best interest,” says Mr. Hazel.
The protests come as some states are already relaxing restrictions. Floridians began swarming back to the water last week after Gov. Rick DeSantis said municipalities could open up parks and beaches if done in a “safe way.”
In Manatee County, just south of St. Petersburg, a county commissioner led efforts to reopen boat ramps. “You keep it up and they’re going to rebel ... [and] we’ll be at the jail for safekeeping,” Vanessa Baugh told a meeting last week before becoming the deciding vote to reopen the ramps. State officers are policing distancing rules between boats.
“It is a tough question,” says Ms. Baugh in an interview a few days after the meeting. “Do you step on the Constitution? And, then, do you really have to step on the Constitution to do what you need to do? I don’t think we need to, not at this point.”
The protests elicit sympathy from Pamela Huberty, who owns a gift boutique in rural Crystal, Michigan. She joined a Facebook group called Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine that has amassed over 366,000 members in two weeks.
She closed her shop in compliance with the executive orders but is planning to reopen May 1 while determining how to achieve social distancing in a 1,100-square foot area.
“I call it the COVID-19 monster,” says Ms. Huberty. “The fear of this virus is going to kill us before the virus does. I see people turning on each other, and that’s the big issue right now. We’re not trusting each other.”
Whose trust?
But that trust is multifaceted, with states still maintaining strict lockdowns and worried that their sacrifices could be undone by states now reopening. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s chief epidemiologist, has warned that failure to contain the disease could mean more deaths and economic havoc down the line.
The balancing act is putting governors in a difficult situation – particularly in “purple” states like Michigan, which have strong dashes of red and blue. Governors want to do everything in their power to save lives but also don’t want to stoke anger.
“If it looks as if the government is moving too far too fast, then you’ve got sort of a tea party possibility welling up again in opposition to the heavy hand of government – and [governors] don’t want to trigger that,” says Cal Jillson, author of “American Government.”
Retiree Alan Marble from Benzie County, Michigan, has confidence in the governor. She “has the best information, the best science, and the best input from social scientists and others who know human behavior,” he says.
In the end, the issue is not as black and white as it is often portrayed. “It’s much too simple to say that someone who is willing to trade freedom for security deserves neither,” says Mr. Wolff, now a professor at St. Louis University Law School. “There is another way to look at it: ‘I can give you some of my privacy and my autonomy – temporarily – if you’ll keep me from dying.’”
“There is some flexibility in the system for the government to break the law in order to protect the public health,” Mr. Wolff adds.
In fact, a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court found that the government could set aside constitutional rights in a public health emergency. That ruling mandated smallpox vaccines. The question is how broadly and bluntly the precedent can be applied during the current pandemic.
For her part, Jennifer Stell of Mattawan, Michigan, is more than willing to curtail her activities. Her daughter lost her job as a waitress in Ann Arbor in late March. So she and her husband are delivering food and money to her by driving across the state, knocking on the door, offering a quick wave and hello before reluctantly departing back to Mattawan.
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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.
She’s “100%” in support of Ms. Whitmer. “I don’t feel that I have lost any civil liberties,” she says. “If I can’t go up north right now and hang out in a cottage to ensure that other people are going to stay healthier, I have no problem doing that.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-22--Will Michelle Obama take Biden's campaign to the next level?

Seeking to unite Democrats , Joe Biden has raced to line up supporters ranging from progressive icon Bernie Sanders to former President Barack Obama , whose administration sometimes irked liberals .
But the person with the most influence may be Michelle Obama .
The former first lady is a unique figure in a deeply polarizing political environment , exceedingly popular with the party faithful while also having some appeal with Republicans and independents .
She left the White House with a 68 % approval rating , according to Gallup polling .
She also was named `` the most admired woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year in a row in a Gallup poll from December .
And her memoir , `` Becoming , '' has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide since its November 2018 release , making it one of the bestselling political memoirs in history .
Her book tour filled arenas with thousands of cheering fans .
That type of energy could be critical for Mr. Biden , who is trying to build momentum for his campaign at a time when the coronavirus is dominating headlines .
Michelle Obama could help Mr. Biden present a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuild the multiracial , multigenerational coalition that twice put Barack Obama in the White House .
`` She brings to the table not just her own experience of being an active and well-respected first lady but , at a time when the country is looking for leadership and looking for role models , she fills so many gaps , '' said Democratic strategist Donna Brazile .
`` I can only imagine what her endorsement would mean to the former vice president . ''
Like most Americans , Michelle Obama is staying at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malia and Sasha , who are back from college .
She has not yet weighed in on the 2020 campaign , though a person close to her said there 's little doubt she supports Mr. Biden .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Michelle Obama 's thinking .
An endorsement does not appear imminent .
Biden campaign aides who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss possible scenarios said they want to ensure that any announcement lands with the biggest impact possible .
Mr. Biden 's team sees Michelle Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right , with an appeal distinct from Barack Obama that would justify her own spotlight when , and if , she chooses to announce an endorsement , according to a Democrat with knowledge of the dynamics but not authorized to speak publicly .
That 's partly why Barack Obama 's endorsement stood alone last week amid similar announcements from Mr. Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , two of Mr. Biden 's former top rivals .
The Obama and Biden families grew close during their White House years , and Mr. Biden 's advisers say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credibly about Mr. Biden 's personal traits , further connect him to the Obama legacy , and highlight differences with Mr. Trump .
Even so , Michelle Obama does not see herself as a political figure and has repeatedly said she has no desire to run for office .
She has campaigned for candidates , including 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton , but only during the final weeks before an election .
She has never announced an endorsement of her own .
In 2018 , she and the ex-president jointly endorsed nearly 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The general election really has n't even gotten going yet , '' said Valerie Jarrett , a longtime friend and adviser to Mrs. Obama , suggesting that it 's too early for talk about her possible endorsement .
Ms. Jarrett said her friend 's focus right now is on When We All Vote , a nonprofit , nonpartisan organization she co-founded with actor Tom Hanks and other celebrities in 2018 to help increase voter turnout .
After Wisconsin voters had to choose between staying at home or risking their health to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When We All Vote publicly backed expanding vote by mail , early in-person voting , and online voter registration to make voting easier and safer .
`` Putting people in that position is unacceptable , especially when leaders like us do n't have to do that , '' Michelle Obama told more than 21,000 supporters who joined a virtual When We All Vote event Monday night .
She and Barack Obama have voted by mail in every election in the past decade , she said .
Over the weekend , she appeared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concert organized to support health care workers and the World Health Organization .
And this week , she launched `` Mondays with Michelle Obama , '' a four-week series in which she reads popular children 's books aloud online .
Michelle Obama continues to work on her education initiatives for girls in developing countries and for U.S. high school seniors .
Karen Finney , who advised Mrs. Clinton 's 2016 campaign , said Michelle Obama 's voice `` could be very powerful and carry tremendous weight '' as Mr. Biden considers a running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting a woman on the ticket , and some want him to choose a black woman , considering that South Carolina 's largely black electorate helped revive Mr. Biden 's campaign in late February .
`` There 's no question that her endorsement would carry a lot of weight with voters , '' said Ms. Finney .
Mr. Biden took the speculation a step further during an interview with KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh .
Asked if he 'd ask Mrs. Obama to be his running mate if she signaled interest in joining the ticket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd take her in a `` heartbeat . ''
`` She 's brilliant .
She knows the way around .
She is a really fine woman , '' Mr. Biden said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta , Hannah Fingerhut in Washington , and Hillel Italie in New York 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 .

Seeking to unite Democrats, Joe Biden has raced to line up supporters ranging from progressive icon Bernie Sanders to former President Barack Obama, whose administration sometimes irked liberals. But the person with the most influence may be Michelle Obama.
The former first lady is a unique figure in a deeply polarizing political environment, exceedingly popular with the party faithful while also having some appeal with Republicans and independents.
She left the White House with a 68% approval rating, according to Gallup polling. She also was named "the most admired woman" in the world for the second year in a row in a Gallup poll from December.
And her memoir, "Becoming," has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide since its November 2018 release, making it one of the bestselling political memoirs in history. Her book tour filled arenas with thousands of cheering fans.
That type of energy could be critical for Mr. Biden, who is trying to build momentum for his campaign at a time when the coronavirus is dominating headlines. Michelle Obama could help Mr. Biden present a clear contrast with President Donald Trump and rebuild the multiracial, multigenerational coalition that twice put Barack Obama in the White House.
"She brings to the table not just her own experience of being an active and well-respected first lady but, at a time when the country is looking for leadership and looking for role models, she fills so many gaps," said Democratic strategist Donna Brazile. "I can only imagine what her endorsement would mean to the former vice president."
Like most Americans, Michelle Obama is staying at home, along with her husband and daughters Malia and Sasha, who are back from college. She has not yet weighed in on the 2020 campaign, though a person close to her said there's little doubt she supports Mr. Biden. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Michelle Obama's thinking.
An endorsement does not appear imminent. Biden campaign aides who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss possible scenarios said they want to ensure that any announcement lands with the biggest impact possible.
Mr. Biden's team sees Michelle Obama as a major endorser in her own right, with an appeal distinct from Barack Obama that would justify her own spotlight when, and if, she chooses to announce an endorsement, according to a Democrat with knowledge of the dynamics but not authorized to speak publicly.
That's partly why Barack Obama's endorsement stood alone last week amid similar announcements from Mr. Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, two of Mr. Biden's former top rivals.
The Obama and Biden families grew close during their White House years, and Mr. Biden's advisers say Michelle Obama is someone who can speak credibly about Mr. Biden's personal traits, further connect him to the Obama legacy, and highlight differences with Mr. Trump.
Even so, Michelle Obama does not see herself as a political figure and has repeatedly said she has no desire to run for office. She has campaigned for candidates, including 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but only during the final weeks before an election.
She has never announced an endorsement of her own. In 2018, she and the ex-president jointly endorsed nearly 100 Democratic candidates in federal and state races.
"The general election really hasn't even gotten going yet," said Valerie Jarrett, a longtime friend and adviser to Mrs. Obama, suggesting that it's too early for talk about her possible endorsement.
Ms. Jarrett said her friend's focus right now is on When We All Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization she co-founded with actor Tom Hanks and other celebrities in 2018 to help increase voter turnout.
After Wisconsin voters had to choose between staying at home or risking their health to vote in this month's primary, When We All Vote publicly backed expanding vote by mail, early in-person voting, and online voter registration to make voting easier and safer.
"Putting people in that position is unacceptable, especially when leaders like us don't have to do that," Michelle Obama told more than 21,000 supporters who joined a virtual When We All Vote event Monday night. She and Barack Obama have voted by mail in every election in the past decade, she said.
Over the weekend, she appeared with former first lady Laura Bush during a concert organized to support health care workers and the World Health Organization. And this week, she launched "Mondays with Michelle Obama," a four-week series in which she reads popular children's books aloud online.
Michelle Obama continues to work on her education initiatives for girls in developing countries and for U.S. high school seniors.
Karen Finney, who advised Mrs. Clinton's 2016 campaign, said Michelle Obama's voice "could be very powerful and carry tremendous weight" as Mr. Biden considers a running mate.
Mr. Biden has committed to putting a woman on the ticket, and some want him to choose a black woman, considering that South Carolina's largely black electorate helped revive Mr. Biden's campaign in late February.
"There's no question that her endorsement would carry a lot of weight with voters," said Ms. Finney.
Mr. Biden took the speculation a step further during an interview with KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.
Asked if he'd ask Mrs. Obama to be his running mate if she signaled interest in joining the ticket, Mr. Biden said Monday that he'd take her in a "heartbeat."
"She's brilliant. She knows the way around. She is a really fine woman," Mr. Biden said.
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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.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Hannah Fingerhut in Washington, and Hillel Italie in New York 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--2020-04-22--Is Trump actually 'prohibiting immigration'? Not entirely.

President Donald Trump announced what he described as a “ temporary suspension of immigration into the United States . ''
But an executive order he is expected to sign Wednesday to implement the change would bar only those seeking permanent residency , not temporary workers .
“ I will be signing my Executive Order prohibiting immigration into our Country today , ” Mr. Trump tweeted Wednesday .
The president said Tuesday he would put a 60-day pause on the issuance of green cards in an effort to limit competition for jobs in a U.S. economy wrecked by the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said , but he declined to outline them , noting the order was still being crafted .
“ By pausing immigration we ’ ll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens , so important , '' Mr. Trump said at the White House .
`` It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad.
” An administration official familiar with the plans , however , said the order will apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatives of green card holders who are not citizens .
Americans wishing to bring immediate family will still be able to do so , according to the official , who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the plan was announced .
About 1 million green cards were granted in the 2019 fiscal year , about half to spouses , children , and parents of U.S. citizens .
By limiting his immigration measure to green cards , Mr. Trump was leaving untouched hundreds of thousands of foreign workers granted non-immigrant visas each year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , and software programmers .
The Migration Policy Institute , a nonpartisan think tank , estimated that some 110,000 green cards could be delayed during a two-month pause .
Mr. Trump said he would consider extending the restrictions , depending on economic conditions at the time .
Mr. Trump has long advocated restrictions on both legal and illegal immigration and has raised concerns for years about foreigners competing with American citizens for jobs .
But he denied he was using the virus to make good on a longstanding campaign promise as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm not doing that all , '' he said .
The president has also used the crisis to push other stalled priorities , from tax reform to dramatic border restrictions .
Mr. Trump has often pivoted to his signature issue of immigration when he ’ s under pressure .
It ’ s one he believes helped him win the 2016 election and one that continues to animate his loyal base of supporters heading into what is expected to be a brutal reelection fight .
Much of the immigration system has already ground to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Almost all visa processing by the State Department has been suspended for weeks .
Travel to the U.S. has been restricted from much of the globe .
And Mr. Trump has used the virus to effectively end asylum at U.S. borders , including turning away children who arrive by themselves and putting a hold on refugee resettlement – something Congress , the courts , and international law had n't previously allowed .
Criticism of Mr. Trump 's announcement was swift , especially his timing during the pandemic .
Ali Noorani , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that thousands of foreign-born health care workers are currently treating people with COVID-19 and working in critical sectors of the economy .
Andrea Flores of the American Civil Liberties Union said Mr. Trump seemed `` more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives.
” But Jessica Vaughan , director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies , which favors lower rates of immigration , said before the announcement that eliminating millions of work permits and visas would “ instantaneously create ” new jobs for Americans and other legal workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of social distancing dictates and stay-at-home orders .
Carl Shusterman , who has practiced immigration law since the 1970s , said a 60-day pause would have little impact because the government effectively stopped processing green cards in March .
“ The embassies are not open anyway , so this is like nothing new , ” said Mr. Shusterman .
“ This announcement doesn ’ t really change anything unless the embassies were to open up next week or in the next 60 days.
” Mr. Trump first announced his intentions in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , those who could be impacted waited in suspense through the day .
Chicago immigration attorney Fiona McEntee said she had been inundated with calls , emails , and social media messages , including from company executives hoping to expand their business in the U.S. , a person applying for a fiance visa and wondering about their wedding plans , artists seeking “ extraordinary ability ” visas , and foreign students .
“ It has created absolute panic , ” said Ms. McEntee .
“ These are people ’ s lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out something like that without any consideration.
” As is often the case , Mr. Trump ’ s tweet also caught many across the administration off-guard .
Mr. Trump has already used the crisis to take dramatic steps to limit immigration .
Last month , the administration effectively ended asylum , relying on a rarely used 1944 law aimed at preventing the spread of communicable disease .
U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada have also been closed to tourism and recreational travel .
Commercial traffic and a wide range of “ essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freely .
The U.S. is now reporting more COVID-19 cases than any other country in the world , with more than 825,000 infected , according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
More than 45,000 have died .
Mr. Trump had been expected to use his authority to slash the number of foreign workers allowed to take seasonal jobs in the U.S. Before the outbreak , the administration had planned to increase the number of H-2B visas , angering people who favor more restrictive immigration policies , including some supporters of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept lower wages as unfair competition to American labor .
The Department of Homeland Security later put that plan on hold .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr. Spagat reported from San Diego .
AP writers Colleen Long , Zeke Miller , and Darlene Superville in Washington ; Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City , and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
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President Donald Trump announced what he described as a “temporary suspension of immigration into the United States." But an executive order he is expected to sign Wednesday to implement the change would bar only those seeking permanent residency, not temporary workers.
“I will be signing my Executive Order prohibiting immigration into our Country today,” Mr. Trump tweeted Wednesday.
The president said Tuesday he would put a 60-day pause on the issuance of green cards in an effort to limit competition for jobs in a U.S. economy wrecked by the coronavirus. The order would include “certain exemptions," he said, but he declined to outline them, noting the order was still being crafted.
“By pausing immigration we’ll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens, so important," Mr. Trump said at the White House. "It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad.”
An administration official familiar with the plans, however, said the order will apply to foreigners seeking employment-based green cards and relatives of green card holders who are not citizens. Americans wishing to bring immediate family will still be able to do so, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the plan was announced. About 1 million green cards were granted in the 2019 fiscal year, about half to spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens.
By limiting his immigration measure to green cards, Mr. Trump was leaving untouched hundreds of thousands of foreign workers granted non-immigrant visas each year, including farm workers, health care workers, and software programmers. The Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, estimated that some 110,000 green cards could be delayed during a two-month pause. Mr. Trump said he would consider extending the restrictions, depending on economic conditions at the time.
Mr. Trump has long advocated restrictions on both legal and illegal immigration and has raised concerns for years about foreigners competing with American citizens for jobs.
But he denied he was using the virus to make good on a longstanding campaign promise as he seeks reelection. “No, I'm not doing that all," he said. The president has also used the crisis to push other stalled priorities, from tax reform to dramatic border restrictions.
Mr. Trump has often pivoted to his signature issue of immigration when he’s under pressure. It’s one he believes helped him win the 2016 election and one that continues to animate his loyal base of supporters heading into what is expected to be a brutal reelection fight.
Much of the immigration system has already ground to a halt because of the coronavirus pandemic. Almost all visa processing by the State Department has been suspended for weeks. Travel to the U.S. has been restricted from much of the globe. And Mr. Trump has used the virus to effectively end asylum at U.S. borders, including turning away children who arrive by themselves and putting a hold on refugee resettlement – something Congress, the courts, and international law hadn't previously allowed.
Criticism of Mr. Trump's announcement was swift, especially his timing during the pandemic. Ali Noorani, president of the National Immigration Forum, noted that thousands of foreign-born health care workers are currently treating people with COVID-19 and working in critical sectors of the economy.
Andrea Flores of the American Civil Liberties Union said Mr. Trump seemed "more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives.”
But Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors lower rates of immigration, said before the announcement that eliminating millions of work permits and visas would “instantaneously create” new jobs for Americans and other legal workers – even though most businesses are shuttered because of social distancing dictates and stay-at-home orders.
Carl Shusterman, who has practiced immigration law since the 1970s, said a 60-day pause would have little impact because the government effectively stopped processing green cards in March.
“The embassies are not open anyway, so this is like nothing new,” said Mr. Shusterman. “This announcement doesn’t really change anything unless the embassies were to open up next week or in the next 60 days.”
Mr. Trump first announced his intentions in a vague tweet Monday night. Across the country, those who could be impacted waited in suspense through the day. Chicago immigration attorney Fiona McEntee said she had been inundated with calls, emails, and social media messages, including from company executives hoping to expand their business in the U.S., a person applying for a fiance visa and wondering about their wedding plans, artists seeking “extraordinary ability” visas, and foreign students.
“It has created absolute panic,” said Ms. McEntee. “These are people’s lives. ... It is irresponsible and cruel to put out something like that without any consideration.”
As is often the case, Mr. Trump’s tweet also caught many across the administration off-guard.
Mr. Trump has already used the crisis to take dramatic steps to limit immigration. Last month, the administration effectively ended asylum, relying on a rarely used 1944 law aimed at preventing the spread of communicable disease. U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada have also been closed to tourism and recreational travel. Commercial traffic and a wide range of “essential” workers are still allowed to travel freely.
The U.S. is now reporting more COVID-19 cases than any other country in the world, with more than 825,000 infected, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 45,000 have died.
Mr. Trump had been expected to use his authority to slash the number of foreign workers allowed to take seasonal jobs in the U.S. Before the outbreak, the administration had planned to increase the number of H-2B visas, angering people who favor more restrictive immigration policies, including some supporters of the president who view foreign workers willing to accept lower wages as unfair competition to American labor. The Department of Homeland Security later put that plan on hold.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Mr. Spagat reported from San Diego. AP writers Colleen Long, Zeke Miller, and Darlene Superville in Washington; Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago 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.