truthout--2020-05-21--1.1 Million Children Could Die as COVID Interrupts Food and Medicine, Study Says

A new report finds 1.1 million children under 5 could die the next six months from secondary impacts of the pandemic , like disruptions to health services and access to food .
Mothers are also imperiled .
We speak with Tim Roberton , lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , and with infectious diseases pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann .
This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are all alone together .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
As more than three-quarters of the world ’ s children live under stay-at-home orders amidst the pandemic , a shocking new report finds the child mortality rate could increase for the first time in more than 60 years .
More than a million children under 5 could die over the next six months , according to researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , who studied the secondary impacts of the coronavirus outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to food .
More than 60,000 mothers could also die .
The report was published in The Lancet Global Health and looked at 118 low- and middle-income countries .
For more , we ’ re joined by the lead author , Tim Roberton , assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore .
Also with us , infectious disease pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann , who is director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gambia .
We welcome you both to Democracy Now !
Tim Roberton , let ’ s begin with you .
Talk about the findings of this study .
To say the least , deeply alarming .
DR. TIM ROBERTON : So , we know from past experience and research that in outbreak situations , people have health issues because of the virus , but also more people have health issues and complications because of the secondary effects of the outbreak .
So , in the current pandemic , people are dying because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the response to the pandemic lead to the disruption of health services , then more people are going to die from other causes , as well .
So , in our study , we looked at the potential for additional deaths among pregnant women and young children .
And we modeled three different scenarios , looking forward , of different severity .
So , in our least severe scenario , over a period of just six months , we could see around 12,000 maternal deaths — so women dying in childbirth — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are children under the age of 5 .
That would represent a 39 % increase in child mortality above what is currently occurring .
But in our worst-case scenario , we saw that up to 60,000 maternal deaths and up to about 1 million , 1.1 million children could also die .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : So , Tim Roberton , could you explain what essential services , health services , you think — you suggest ought to be retained to diminish the possible mortality rates among women and infants ?
What are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the medicines , that should not be diverted to deal with coronavirus , or at least there should be sufficient amounts available for routine care of mothers and infants ?
DR. TIM ROBERTON : So , in our study , in our modeling efforts , we look at what we call the continuum of care , so looking from antenatal care among pregnant women through to care around childbirth for moms , postnatal care , and then looking at care for newborns , for early children , so , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for children if they have pneumonia or malaria or diarrhea .
So , in general , I think we see two ways in which the secondary effects of the pandemic could impact children .
So , the first way is , as I said , around health service disruption .
So , ordinarily , if a family has a young child that ’ s sick , they may go and seek care from a health facility and get care — so , if they have malaria , might get antimalarials , or antibiotic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the pandemic , perhaps people are not able to travel to a health facility , or they might be disinclined to go .
Perhaps they ’ re afraid of going to health services .
And also , even if they were to get to a health facility , perhaps at the facility there ’ s now maybe fewer health workers because some health workers have been diverted to work on the COVID response , or maybe health workers themselves are sick , or perhaps at the facility there ’ s not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of issues to do with the supply chain , you know , health facilities just now not having the drugs that they need .
So that ’ s the first general way in which we see this happening .
And another big general way that we see , particularly for child mortality , is an issue that was touched upon in your previous segment , which is the potential for increased undernutrition , malnutrition , because of broader macroeconomic effects — so , for example , households now not having the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food services , people not being able to access markets and get the necessary food for their children .
And what comes from that is that we ’ re going to see more families living in food insecurity and potentially more children being wasted , so being undernourished .
And while wasting itself doesn ’ t necessarily kill many kids , what it does do is it increases the likelihood that a child will die from other diseases , other infectious diseases .
And in our model , that second pathway , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing undernutrition , is also a big potential way in which more children are going to die because of the pandemic .
AMY GOODMAN : I wanted to bring Dr. Beate Kampmann into the conversation , who ’ s speaking to us from London .
If you can talk about the poorest countries in the world right now ?
I mean , even in the United States , the wealthiest country , it ’ s the lowest vaccination level , as parents are afraid to bring their kids in to the doctor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world , the stopping of their immunization programs ?
What ’ s happening ?
And what are the places ?
One of your specialties is the Gambia , but talk about everywhere , from Mexico to Africa ’ s most populous country , Nigeria .
DR. BEATE KAMPMANN : Yeah , yeah .
Thank you very much , Amy , and thank you for having me on the program .
This is really an important topic , and Tim has already spoken about a whole range of services for mother and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try and focus a bit on the risk of — the prevention of potentially deadly infectious diseases for which we know we have vaccines .
So , I was quite alarmed when I saw the WHO announcing at the end of March that mass campaigns should be suspended , because we know that this will potentially leave over 100 million children at risk of measles , which is a potentially lethal infection , especially in the context of malnutrition , which is also something Tim has just alluded to .
So , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question of what is being traded off against what , when we are looking at COVID infection prevention and spread of the pandemic versus essential services for women and children .
So , I work primarily in West Africa .
And our own group has , for example , mapped out the consequences of vaccination services not being delivered , even without the presence of a pandemic .
And we already showed that there ’ s a plateau of about 80 % of vaccination , and that is not enough for herd immunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measles , that need to have a cover of up to 95 % in the community to prevent outbreaks .
And just to give a recent example , during the Ebola outbreak in the DRC , about three times as many people died from measles as did end up dying from Ebola .
So the consequences of not vaccinating and providing the essential services in the immunization programs are really , really rather devastating .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : And , Dr. Kampmann , if you could also talk about the fact that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diminishing or entirely preventing people from getting vaccinations — that the effects will only be known in a year or two , not immediately , and what you think needs to be done or can be done to ensure that vaccinations continue despite this pandemic ?
DR. BEATE KAMPMANN : Yeah .
So , it depends slightly on the level of vaccine coverage that the individual countries have .
And it also depends on the diseases that we ’ re trying to prevent .
So , measles is a highly infectious disease that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be immune to protect the individual but also to stop transmission in the community .
There ’ s meningitis .
There ’ s pneumonia .
There ’ s diarrhea .
All of those are vaccine-preventable and are amongst the most common causes for childhood morbidity and mortality , especially in children under the age of 5 .
So , the solutions to consider in a situation where healthcare workers might feel exposed if they run vaccination campaigns , or parents might feel reluctant to go to immunization clinics — and we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well — we need to really , first and foremost , have a commitment that the delivery of vaccines to populations remains a high priority for health services .
Then we can possibly break down the interventions that could be done into — some of them being purely logistical .
For example , flights are suspended all across the globe , and flights bring vaccine supplies to countries .
Maybe extra flights need to be chartered to bring vaccines to countries .
And , for example , in the Gambia , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for one reason or another , and that ’ s already shown a bottleneck .
When it comes to healthcare workers and the public , obviously , the personal protective equipment needs to be available to healthcare workers .
People need to respect good hand hygiene .
And we need to probably run the clinics in a slightly different way — stagger appointments so not everybody turns up at the same time , and maybe more frequent clinics in different smaller places .
The third intervention , I think it ’ s crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will allow us to capture what is going on in the immunization system , who has received vaccines and who hasn ’ t , because it ’ s not just now that the children and anyone in the community will suffer from preventable infectious diseases , it ’ s in a little while , when the herd immunity or the community immunity has either dropped or there are new birth cohorts of children who then , because of suspension of immunization programs , would have never seen a vaccine .
And the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that to be feasible , and the data collection systems really need to be fit for purpose .
And we really probably need to think about new models of delivering vaccines and to have more platforms , and maybe not just restricting them to the usual EPI clinics .
For example , antenatal services play a big role in maternal immunization .
AMY GOODMAN : And , Dr. Tim Roberton , the response of governments to your report ?
I mean , it is a deeply alarming report , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six months around the world , not to mention mothers .
DR. TIM ROBERTON : Since we published the report , we ’ ve had a lot of countries reaching out to us , country offices of NGOs working in different countries around the world , and even ministries of health themselves , contacting us and saying , “ You know , we really appreciate this study , because we are actually starting to see this play out in our country , and we ’ re worried about it.
” And over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do more of our own kind of modeling and analysis , working with countries themselves , to use their own assumptions around what they think is happening in their country , based on available data , as Dr. Kampmann said , and also then model different potential scenarios that they could put in place , different policy options that they can , so that they can mitigate the spread and transmission of COVID — AMY GOODMAN : Dr. Roberton , let me ask you a quick question .
DR. TIM ROBERTON : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yeah .
AMY GOODMAN : The significance of President Trump saying that the U.S. is going to pull out of the World Health Organization , and the overall stopping of funding to it ?
The role the WHO plays in children and maternal mortality and health ?
DR. TIM ROBERTON : Absolutely .
I mean , the WHO plays a crucial role for maternal and child health around the world .
It ’ s a vital mechanism for coordinating work in the global health space .
Also , I think what people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance that WHO provides to different governments and ministries of health around the world .
And right now countries are looking for guidance about how they can — how they can do this , what sort of policy options they should be considering , what sort of action they can take .
And WHO has been putting out guidance now , operational guidance , on how countries can maintain these maternal and child health services while also addressing COVID .
So , I think to undermine WHO now or to defund it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : And , Tim , could you also , very quickly , before we conclude , talk about some of the concerns you have raised about disruptions both in food supplies as well as the disruptions to pharmaceuticals and medicine supplies in the areas in which you ’ re most concerned ?
AMY GOODMAN : And we have 20 seconds .
DR. TIM ROBERTON : Yeah .
So , this is , I think , perhaps often overlooked , but is an absolutely kind of vital thing to be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex , and so we ’ re not really sure how these secondary effects play out .
But I think governments can make sure that they have social safety nets for people who are suffering food insecurity , and kind of bolster and perhaps may need to expand some of these social protection programs to make sure that children aren ’ t at risk .
AMY GOODMAN : We want to thank you both so much for joining us , Drs .
Tim Roberton of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and Dr. Beate Kampmann , infectious disease pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Centre at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine .
That does it for our show .
Very Happy Birthday to Tey-Marie Astudillo .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
Thanks for joining us .

A new report finds 1.1 million children under 5 could die the next six months from secondary impacts of the pandemic, like disruptions to health services and access to food. Mothers are also imperiled. We speak with Tim Roberton, lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and with infectious diseases pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann.
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report, as we are all alone together. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh.
As more than three-quarters of the world’s children live under stay-at-home orders amidst the pandemic, a shocking new report finds the child mortality rate could increase for the first time in more than 60 years. More than a million children under 5 could die over the next six months, according to researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who studied the secondary impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, the disruptions to health services and access to food. More than 60,000 mothers could also die. The report was published in The Lancet Global Health and looked at 118 low- and middle-income countries.
For more, we’re joined by the lead author, Tim Roberton, assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Also with us, infectious disease pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann, who is director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, lead vaccinology researcher at the MRC Unit The Gambia.
We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Tim Roberton, let’s begin with you. Talk about the findings of this study. To say the least, deeply alarming.
DR. TIM ROBERTON: So, we know from past experience and research that in outbreak situations, people have health issues because of the virus, but also more people have health issues and complications because of the secondary effects of the outbreak. So, in the current pandemic, people are dying because of coronavirus itself. But if the pandemic and the response to the pandemic lead to the disruption of health services, then more people are going to die from other causes, as well.
So, in our study, we looked at the potential for additional deaths among pregnant women and young children. And we modeled three different scenarios, looking forward, of different severity. So, in our least severe scenario, over a period of just six months, we could see around 12,000 maternal deaths — so women dying in childbirth — and around 250,000 child deaths. These are children under the age of 5. That would represent a 39% increase in child mortality above what is currently occurring. But in our worst-case scenario, we saw that up to 60,000 maternal deaths and up to about 1 million, 1.1 million children could also die.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: So, Tim Roberton, could you explain what essential services, health services, you think — you suggest ought to be retained to diminish the possible mortality rates among women and infants? What are the procedures? What are the health services, the medicines, that should not be diverted to deal with coronavirus, or at least there should be sufficient amounts available for routine care of mothers and infants?
DR. TIM ROBERTON: So, in our study, in our modeling efforts, we look at what we call the continuum of care, so looking from antenatal care among pregnant women through to care around childbirth for moms, postnatal care, and then looking at care for newborns, for early children, so, for example, vaccinations, preventative care or curative service for children if they have pneumonia or malaria or diarrhea.
So, in general, I think we see two ways in which the secondary effects of the pandemic could impact children. So, the first way is, as I said, around health service disruption. So, ordinarily, if a family has a young child that’s sick, they may go and seek care from a health facility and get care — so, if they have malaria, might get antimalarials, or antibiotic for a cough or pneumonia. But under the pandemic, perhaps people are not able to travel to a health facility, or they might be disinclined to go. Perhaps they’re afraid of going to health services. And also, even if they were to get to a health facility, perhaps at the facility there’s now maybe fewer health workers because some health workers have been diverted to work on the COVID response, or maybe health workers themselves are sick, or perhaps at the facility there’s not the necessary treatment, drugs, medicine, because of issues to do with the supply chain, you know, health facilities just now not having the drugs that they need. So that’s the first general way in which we see this happening.
And another big general way that we see, particularly for child mortality, is an issue that was touched upon in your previous segment, which is the potential for increased undernutrition, malnutrition, because of broader macroeconomic effects — so, for example, households now not having the same income that they had, disruptions to food services, people not being able to access markets and get the necessary food for their children. And what comes from that is that we’re going to see more families living in food insecurity and potentially more children being wasted, so being undernourished. And while wasting itself doesn’t necessarily kill many kids, what it does do is it increases the likelihood that a child will die from other diseases, other infectious diseases. And in our model, that second pathway, these broader effects, increasing food insecurity, increasing undernutrition, is also a big potential way in which more children are going to die because of the pandemic.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to bring Dr. Beate Kampmann into the conversation, who’s speaking to us from London. If you can talk about the poorest countries in the world right now? I mean, even in the United States, the wealthiest country, it’s the lowest vaccination level, as parents are afraid to bring their kids in to the doctor. But if you can talk about countries around the world, the stopping of their immunization programs? What’s happening? And what are the places? One of your specialties is the Gambia, but talk about everywhere, from Mexico to Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria.
DR. BEATE KAMPMANN: Yeah, yeah. Thank you very much, Amy, and thank you for having me on the program. This is really an important topic, and Tim has already spoken about a whole range of services for mother and child health, so I’ll try and focus a bit on the risk of — the prevention of potentially deadly infectious diseases for which we know we have vaccines.
So, I was quite alarmed when I saw the WHO announcing at the end of March that mass campaigns should be suspended, because we know that this will potentially leave over 100 million children at risk of measles, which is a potentially lethal infection, especially in the context of malnutrition, which is also something Tim has just alluded to. So, to me, it’s really a question of what is being traded off against what, when we are looking at COVID infection prevention and spread of the pandemic versus essential services for women and children.
So, I work primarily in West Africa. And our own group has, for example, mapped out the consequences of vaccination services not being delivered, even without the presence of a pandemic. And we already showed that there’s a plateau of about 80% of vaccination, and that is not enough for herd immunity for diseases, for example, like measles, that need to have a cover of up to 95% in the community to prevent outbreaks. And just to give a recent example, during the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, about three times as many people died from measles as did end up dying from Ebola. So the consequences of not vaccinating and providing the essential services in the immunization programs are really, really rather devastating.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Dr. Kampmann, if you could also talk about the fact that you’ve said that the effects of diminishing or entirely preventing people from getting vaccinations — that the effects will only be known in a year or two, not immediately, and what you think needs to be done or can be done to ensure that vaccinations continue despite this pandemic?
DR. BEATE KAMPMANN: Yeah. So, it depends slightly on the level of vaccine coverage that the individual countries have. And it also depends on the diseases that we’re trying to prevent. So, measles is a highly infectious disease that needs 95% of the community to be immune to protect the individual but also to stop transmission in the community. There’s meningitis. There’s pneumonia. There’s diarrhea. All of those are vaccine-preventable and are amongst the most common causes for childhood morbidity and mortality, especially in children under the age of 5.
So, the solutions to consider in a situation where healthcare workers might feel exposed if they run vaccination campaigns, or parents might feel reluctant to go to immunization clinics — and we’re seeing this in the U.K., as well — we need to really, first and foremost, have a commitment that the delivery of vaccines to populations remains a high priority for health services. Then we can possibly break down the interventions that could be done into — some of them being purely logistical. For example, flights are suspended all across the globe, and flights bring vaccine supplies to countries. Maybe extra flights need to be chartered to bring vaccines to countries. And, for example, in the Gambia, we have already run out of oral polio vaccine for one reason or another, and that’s already shown a bottleneck.
When it comes to healthcare workers and the public, obviously, the personal protective equipment needs to be available to healthcare workers. People need to respect good hand hygiene. And we need to probably run the clinics in a slightly different way — stagger appointments so not everybody turns up at the same time, and maybe more frequent clinics in different smaller places.
The third intervention, I think it’s crucial that we have data collection tools that will allow us to capture what is going on in the immunization system, who has received vaccines and who hasn’t, because it’s not just now that the children and anyone in the community will suffer from preventable infectious diseases, it’s in a little while, when the herd immunity or the community immunity has either dropped or there are new birth cohorts of children who then, because of suspension of immunization programs, would have never seen a vaccine. And the health systems need to put in place records for that to be feasible, and the data collection systems really need to be fit for purpose.
And we really probably need to think about new models of delivering vaccines and to have more platforms, and maybe not just restricting them to the usual EPI clinics. For example, antenatal services play a big role in maternal immunization.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Dr. Tim Roberton, the response of governments to your report? I mean, it is a deeply alarming report, the number of children who will die in the next six months around the world, not to mention mothers.
DR. TIM ROBERTON: Since we published the report, we’ve had a lot of countries reaching out to us, country offices of NGOs working in different countries around the world, and even ministries of health themselves, contacting us and saying, “You know, we really appreciate this study, because we are actually starting to see this play out in our country, and we’re worried about it.”
And over the next few months, our goal is to do more of our own kind of modeling and analysis, working with countries themselves, to use their own assumptions around what they think is happening in their country, based on available data, as Dr. Kampmann said, and also then model different potential scenarios that they could put in place, different policy options that they can, so that they can mitigate the spread and transmission of COVID —
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Roberton, let me ask you a quick question.
DR. TIM ROBERTON: — and also continue to maintain care. Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: The significance of President Trump saying that the U.S. is going to pull out of the World Health Organization, and the overall stopping of funding to it? The role the WHO plays in children and maternal mortality and health?
DR. TIM ROBERTON: Absolutely. I mean, the WHO plays a crucial role for maternal and child health around the world. It’s a vital mechanism for coordinating work in the global health space. Also, I think what people don’t realize is the technical assistance that WHO provides to different governments and ministries of health around the world.
And right now countries are looking for guidance about how they can — how they can do this, what sort of policy options they should be considering, what sort of action they can take. And WHO has been putting out guidance now, operational guidance, on how countries can maintain these maternal and child health services while also addressing COVID. So, I think to undermine WHO now or to defund it, I think, would be highly counterproductive.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Tim, could you also, very quickly, before we conclude, talk about some of the concerns you have raised about disruptions both in food supplies as well as the disruptions to pharmaceuticals and medicine supplies in the areas in which you’re most concerned?
AMY GOODMAN: And we have 20 seconds.
DR. TIM ROBERTON: Yeah. So, this is, I think, perhaps often overlooked, but is an absolutely kind of vital thing to be considered. I mean, health systems are complex, and so we’re not really sure how these secondary effects play out. But I think governments can make sure that they have social safety nets for people who are suffering food insecurity, and kind of bolster and perhaps may need to expand some of these social protection programs to make sure that children aren’t at risk.
AMY GOODMAN: We want to thank you both so much for joining us, Drs. Tim Roberton of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — we’ll link your report — and Dr. Beate Kampmann, infectious disease pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Centre at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
That does it for our show. Very Happy Birthday to Tey-Marie Astudillo. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. Thanks for joining us.


truthout--2020-05-21--Refugees Worldwide Face Hunger and Deprivation as COVID-19 Spreads

We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe , where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited .
We ’ re joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt , executive director of Lancet Migration .
This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh , as we look now to the spread of the coronavirus across the globe and how it ’ s threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of refugees , from Bangladesh to Syria to Greece to the U.S.-Mexico border .
After weeks of warnings , COVID-19 cases are emerging in refugee camps , where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare extremely limited .
Last month in Lebanon , a woman at a Palestinian refugee camp tested positive for the virus .
In Greece , hundreds of asylum seekers , many from Africa , have contracted COVID-19 .
For the estimated 5.6 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon , Jordan and Turkey , the threat of coronavirus also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the U.N. estimating 70 % of refugees can not afford food .
This is a Syrian refugee , Abu Abdallah , speaking along with his wife , Umm Abdallah , from a camp in Lebanon ’ s Beqaa Valley .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , for more , we ’ re going to Oxford , England , where we ’ re joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt , senior research fellow in global public health and forced migration at the Institute for Global Health , University College London , and executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democracy Now !
Can you start off by just giving us the scope and scale of the refugee crisis in the world ?
A tall order .
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT : Thank you .
Yes .
Well , we know that currently the levels of forcibly displaced populations — that includes refugees , internally displaced and others — is at the highest levels ever recorded by the U.N .
So , 70.8 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced .
And actually , the highest number of those are internally displaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to flee their homes from conflict , from violence or from persecution , who may be displaced multiple times within their own country even before they flee across international borders .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : And , Dr. Orcutt , as we mentioned in the introduction to the segment , 70 % of Syrians — of course , Syrians constitute the largest number of refugees in the world — 70 % of Syrian refugees in Lebanon report that they can ’ t afford food .
If you could talk about that and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian refugees are not only in Lebanon , but also in Turkey , which has seen a large outbreak , a significant outbreak , of COVID-19 , even though now cases are reportedly declining ?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT : Yes .
For the Syrian displaced population in all the countries surrounding Syria , the context of COVID-19 has been a huge challenge and burden .
Not only do many of them still live in informal settlements — so , a lot of them , even after seven or eight years , are living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have access often to livelihood opportunities , so they can ’ t provide income for their families .
And so they ’ re often dependent already , even pre-COVID , on humanitarian aid and food provision , and even running water provision , from outside .
They ’ re not able to be self-sufficient .
So you can imagine , in both Lebanon and in Turkey , that people who are living in tents beside each other in very crowded and cramped conditions , who often share one toilet or one running water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real challenge to prevent the spread of COVID , but also just to maintain their basic standard of living during this public health crisis .
And one of the things that we ’ ve seen , which is across the world but definitely within the countries surrounding Syria , is individuals who were already facing poverty now not being able to afford food , as you mentioned in your previous report , and not being able to provide for their children .
AMY GOODMAN : Let ’ s go to a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refugee locked down in the Malakasa camp outside Athens , Greece .
He investigated conditions in the camp for the BBC .
AMY GOODMAN : That report from the BBC .
In one building in the camp , 23 families live together , and seven people in the group tested positive for COVID-19 .
Adib spoke to Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi about the findings .
AMY GOODMAN : Dr. Orcutt , if you can talk about what ’ s happening there in the refugee camps of Greece , and where people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is doing ?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT : Well , the interesting thing with the response to COVID-19 in Greece has been that they have had quite a early lockdown for the whole of the country .
However , although they have low cases among the general population , for the refugees and asylum seekers , who are both in camps on the mainland as well as on the Greek islands , the conditions within which they are quarantined , and have been quarantined actually for a longer period of time than the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , on the islands , for example , in Moria camp on Lesbos island , in just this one camp , there are individuals — over a thousand unaccompanied minors .
There are vulnerable people , such as the elderly and those with underlying comorbidities , who aren ’ t able to shelter or self-isolate themselves in order to prevent COVID-19 .
And they ’ re also — if they did become unwell , the real concern is that they wouldn ’ t be able to access healthcare facilities .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted , and there are limited capacity anyways for hospital beds and for intensive care beds .
Many of these individuals who have fled to Greece might have fled conflict situations from Afghanistan .
There are also individuals who have fled from African countries .
And what we are concerned about is that , ultimately , if there are even a few cases within the camps , which are already very overcrowded , that there could really be quite a rapid and devastating spread , which could potentially go unnoticed and unknown at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t a big enough testing strategy going on underway in the camps in Greece .
And what we need to see at this stage would be a massive scale-up in testing for all of the populations within the camps , even when there are just one or two cases , because we know that COVID spreads even among those who are asymptomatic .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Dr. Orcutt , along those lines , I would like to ask about one of the most critical factors that determine the extent and speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is , of course , population density .
We know very well ; we are broadcasting from New York City , which was and has been the epicenter of the outbreak .
But in these refugee camps — and New York City has a population density of about 10,000 people per square kilometer .
But by comparison , according to the International Rescue Committee , Cox ’ s Bazar , in TakaBangladesh , which we were speaking about in our earlier segment — in Cox ’ s Bazar , the density is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometer .
And in the Greek islands , which you were talking about earlier , in some camps in the Greek islands , population density is even higher , up to 200,000 people per square kilometer .
So , could you talk about that specifically , and what camps present the most risk for the spread of the virus ?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT : Of course , as you mention , population density is a real concern .
And in Greece , one of the camps which is of most concern is Moria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp in Europe , where there are 20,000 people in a space which would only have a maximum capacity for 2,700 .
And why that is a concern , particularly for the camps where people might be living in tents , is that if multiple families are living within one tent and they ’ re sharing the same toilets between hundreds of people , then they ’ re not able — even if there is one person who becomes infected with COVID , they ’ re not able to self-isolate effectively .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also they ’ re not able to protect others , including their family and the broader community .
And similarly with the very high densities and the informal tents that individuals are living in , in Bangladesh , in Cox ’ s Bazar , really the concern is that a lot of these protective measures which we take in countries where we have the privilege to be able to isolate and protect ourselves , they just will not be able to take .
And beyond that , there are also more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , the elderly , those who might have underlying conditions , or children — who really would need to , at this stage , be protected even more and have a way of being shielded so that they don ’ t experience the more severe complications , which we know do occur in those populations .
So , the real concern is that already the conditions are predisposing to a greater impact and a more rapid spread of COVID .
But also , I do think that there are , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are many poor populations who also face challenges , and there is a argument for improving the healthcare system and the numbers of hospital beds and the intensive care capacity for all of the population during COVID , which will ultimately improve and help the overall public health response for all of the populations , as well .
AMY GOODMAN : Very quickly , as we begin to wrap up , Dr. Miriam Orcutt , if you can also talk about deportations from the United States to places like Haiti and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being deported who are COVID-19-positive .
Some are calling the United States “ the Wuhan of the Americas.
” If you can talk about what this means for the Americas and also jailed migrants ?
What about the conditions of jailed migrants ?
Now we have migrants around the country who are on hunger strike .
We have the former ICE director , as well as so many human rights groups , calling for ICE to release the detainees .
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT : Yes .
I mean , there are calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been for a number of months , around immediate release from detention due to — on public health grounds , due to the fact that a lot of the conditions within detention or reception facilities , likewise within jails , are very overcrowded and often unhygienic .
And there really is a great risk that individuals who are deported during a public health crisis and the current pandemic are being deported to countries which have much weaker health systems and may not have an effective response in place .
So , again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to suspend deportations .
There shouldn ’ t be deportations to other countries .
And also , the detention facilities , if they are being used , they should be either — at least the basic overall conditions should be improved , but we are very much calling for release on public health grounds .
And there are other community mechanisms that have been proposed by the U.N. that governments can use .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , we want to thank you so much , Dr. Miriam Orcutt , senior research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migration at the Institute for Global Health , University College London , UCL , and executive director of Lancet Migration .
When we come back , a new report ’ s out , finding 1 million children under 5 could die in the next six months from the secondary impacts of the pandemic — also , mothers imperiled .
We ’ ll speak with the scientist who led the report and an infectious disease pediatrician .
Stay with us .
AMY GOODMAN : “ Country Road ” by Paula Fuga and Jack Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 in Hawaii , live from home .

We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited. We’re joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, executive director of Lancet Migration.
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh, as we look now to the spread of the coronavirus across the globe and how it’s threatening the health and safety of tens of millions of refugees, from Bangladesh to Syria to Greece to the U.S.-Mexico border.
After weeks of warnings, COVID-19 cases are emerging in refugee camps, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare extremely limited. Last month in Lebanon, a woman at a Palestinian refugee camp tested positive for the virus. In Greece, hundreds of asylum seekers, many from Africa, have contracted COVID-19.
For the estimated 5.6 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, the threat of coronavirus also has led to a crisis of hunger, with the U.N. estimating 70% of refugees cannot afford food. This is a Syrian refugee, Abu Abdallah, speaking along with his wife, Umm Abdallah, from a camp in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley.
ABU ABDALLAH: [translated] In the last few months, coronavirus has been worse than the war. UMM ABDALLAH: [translated] At the beginning, during the war, it was not like this. ABU ABDALLAH: [translated] It is worse than war, because during war you know who your enemy is, but now you don’t know where the disease is going to come from — from the air or from a person. War is easier. You know it is the person over there.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more, we’re going to Oxford, England, where we’re joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, senior research fellow in global public health and forced migration at the Institute for Global Health, University College London, and executive director of Lancet Migration.
We welcome you to Democracy Now! Can you start off by just giving us the scope and scale of the refugee crisis in the world? A tall order.
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT: Thank you. Yes. Well, we know that currently the levels of forcibly displaced populations — that includes refugees, internally displaced and others — is at the highest levels ever recorded by the U.N. So, 70.8 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced. And actually, the highest number of those are internally displaced people, those who might have been forced to flee their homes from conflict, from violence or from persecution, who may be displaced multiple times within their own country even before they flee across international borders.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Dr. Orcutt, as we mentioned in the introduction to the segment, 70% of Syrians — of course, Syrians constitute the largest number of refugees in the world — 70% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon report that they can’t afford food. If you could talk about that and also the fact that a large number of Syrian refugees are not only in Lebanon, but also in Turkey, which has seen a large outbreak, a significant outbreak, of COVID-19, even though now cases are reportedly declining?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT: Yes. For the Syrian displaced population in all the countries surrounding Syria, the context of COVID-19 has been a huge challenge and burden. Not only do many of them still live in informal settlements — so, a lot of them, even after seven or eight years, are living in tents. They don’t have access often to livelihood opportunities, so they can’t provide income for their families. And so they’re often dependent already, even pre-COVID, on humanitarian aid and food provision, and even running water provision, from outside. They’re not able to be self-sufficient.
So you can imagine, in both Lebanon and in Turkey, that people who are living in tents beside each other in very crowded and cramped conditions, who often share one toilet or one running water tap between many families, will have a real challenge to prevent the spread of COVID, but also just to maintain their basic standard of living during this public health crisis. And one of the things that we’ve seen, which is across the world but definitely within the countries surrounding Syria, is individuals who were already facing poverty now not being able to afford food, as you mentioned in your previous report, and not being able to provide for their children.
AMY GOODMAN: Let’s go to a report from Reza Adib, an Afghan journalist and refugee locked down in the Malakasa camp outside Athens, Greece. He investigated conditions in the camp for the BBC.
SAID REZA ADIB: The camp is in quarantine for 14 days. No one is allowed to go out, and no one is allowed to come in. Mr. Karimi has just tested positive. Together with his family and friends, he’s told to quarantine in this disused schoolroom. With no taps or shower inside, they say they have to share with their neighbors. They are not happy. It risks spreading the virus. REFUGEE: [translated] Look, the people with coronavirus. You see how close they are? For all of us, including those with coronavirus, there is only one tap.
AMY GOODMAN: That report from the BBC. In one building in the camp, 23 families live together, and seven people in the group tested positive for COVID-19. Adib spoke to Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi about the findings.
NOTIS MITARACHI: This has not been reported to us by the International Organization of Migration, that manages the Malakasa camp. They haven’t told us that there is such a problem. I’m very happy you’re raising it. We will check.
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Orcutt, if you can talk about what’s happening there in the refugee camps of Greece, and where people are coming from, and what Greece is doing?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT: Well, the interesting thing with the response to COVID-19 in Greece has been that they have had quite a early lockdown for the whole of the country. However, although they have low cases among the general population, for the refugees and asylum seekers, who are both in camps on the mainland as well as on the Greek islands, the conditions within which they are quarantined, and have been quarantined actually for a longer period of time than the local community — the conditions are very substandard.
So, on the islands, for example, in Moria camp on Lesbos island, in just this one camp, there are individuals — over a thousand unaccompanied minors. There are vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those with underlying comorbidities, who aren’t able to shelter or self-isolate themselves in order to prevent COVID-19. And they’re also — if they did become unwell, the real concern is that they wouldn’t be able to access healthcare facilities. Their access to health services is very much restricted, and there are limited capacity anyways for hospital beds and for intensive care beds.
Many of these individuals who have fled to Greece might have fled conflict situations from Afghanistan. There are also individuals who have fled from African countries. And what we are concerned about is that, ultimately, if there are even a few cases within the camps, which are already very overcrowded, that there could really be quite a rapid and devastating spread, which could potentially go unnoticed and unknown at first, because there really isn’t a big enough testing strategy going on underway in the camps in Greece. And what we need to see at this stage would be a massive scale-up in testing for all of the populations within the camps, even when there are just one or two cases, because we know that COVID spreads even among those who are asymptomatic.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Dr. Orcutt, along those lines, I would like to ask about one of the most critical factors that determine the extent and speed of the spread of coronavirus, and that is, of course, population density. We know very well; we are broadcasting from New York City, which was and has been the epicenter of the outbreak. But in these refugee camps — and New York City has a population density of about 10,000 people per square kilometer. But by comparison, according to the International Rescue Committee, Cox’s Bazar, in TakaBangladesh, which we were speaking about in our earlier segment — in Cox’s Bazar, the density is between 40,000 and 70,000 people per square kilometer. And in the Greek islands, which you were talking about earlier, in some camps in the Greek islands, population density is even higher, up to 200,000 people per square kilometer. So, could you talk about that specifically, and what camps present the most risk for the spread of the virus?
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT: Of course, as you mention, population density is a real concern. And in Greece, one of the camps which is of most concern is Moria camp, which is the biggest refugee camp in Europe, where there are 20,000 people in a space which would only have a maximum capacity for 2,700. And why that is a concern, particularly for the camps where people might be living in tents, is that if multiple families are living within one tent and they’re sharing the same toilets between hundreds of people, then they’re not able — even if there is one person who becomes infected with COVID, they’re not able to self-isolate effectively. They’re not able to protect themselves, but also they’re not able to protect others, including their family and the broader community. And similarly with the very high densities and the informal tents that individuals are living in, in Bangladesh, in Cox’s Bazar, really the concern is that a lot of these protective measures which we take in countries where we have the privilege to be able to isolate and protect ourselves, they just will not be able to take.
And beyond that, there are also more vulnerable populations within those camps — for example, the elderly, those who might have underlying conditions, or children — who really would need to, at this stage, be protected even more and have a way of being shielded so that they don’t experience the more severe complications, which we know do occur in those populations.
So, the real concern is that already the conditions are predisposing to a greater impact and a more rapid spread of COVID. But also, I do think that there are, in the region — for example, in Bangladesh, there are many poor populations who also face challenges, and there is a argument for improving the healthcare system and the numbers of hospital beds and the intensive care capacity for all of the population during COVID, which will ultimately improve and help the overall public health response for all of the populations, as well.
AMY GOODMAN: Very quickly, as we begin to wrap up, Dr. Miriam Orcutt, if you can also talk about deportations from the United States to places like Haiti and to Guatemala? You have refugees who are being deported who are COVID-19-positive. Some are calling the United States “the Wuhan of the Americas.” If you can talk about what this means for the Americas and also jailed migrants? What about the conditions of jailed migrants? Now we have migrants around the country who are on hunger strike. We have the former ICE director, as well as so many human rights groups, calling for ICE to release the detainees.
DR. MIRIAM ORCUTT: Yes. I mean, there are calls at the United Nations level, and have been for a number of months, around immediate release from detention due to — on public health grounds, due to the fact that a lot of the conditions within detention or reception facilities, likewise within jails, are very overcrowded and often unhygienic.
And there really is a great risk that individuals who are deported during a public health crisis and the current pandemic are being deported to countries which have much weaker health systems and may not have an effective response in place. So, again, the call from public health organizations is to suspend deportations. There shouldn’t be deportations to other countries.
And also, the detention facilities, if they are being used, they should be either — at least the basic overall conditions should be improved, but we are very much calling for release on public health grounds. And there are other community mechanisms that have been proposed by the U.N. that governments can use.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we want to thank you so much, Dr. Miriam Orcutt, senior research fellow in global public health, forced migration at the Institute for Global Health, University College London, UCL, and executive director of Lancet Migration.
When we come back, a new report’s out, finding 1 million children under 5 could die in the next six months from the secondary impacts of the pandemic — also, mothers imperiled. We’ll speak with the scientist who led the report and an infectious disease pediatrician. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “Country Road” by Paula Fuga and Jack Johnson, as part of the Kokua Festival 2020 in Hawaii, live from home.


truthout--2020-05-21--54,000 Deaths Could’ve Been Prevented If Distancing Were Introduced March 1

A newly released study from Columbia University concludes that tens of thousands of Americans likely died from COVID-19 due to the initial inaction and slow response to the disease from the Trump administration .
The study looked at the number of deaths that occurred from the start of March through May 3 , at which point 65,307 Americans had reportedly died from COVID-19 .
Had social distancing measures been initiated one week before President Donald Trump announced his recommendations on March 16 , around 36,000 lives could have been saved , the study suggested .
The study also found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a rate of more than 4 in 5 Americans who died during that time — had such measures been introduced on March 1 .
“ It ’ s a big , big difference , ” epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman , who led the research team , told The New York Times .
“ That small moment in time , catching it in that growth phase , is incredibly critical in reducing the number of deaths.
” The findings from the Columbia University study echo conclusions from other research published last month , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , out of 60,000 projected deaths by August at the time , 37,000 of them could have been avoided had the administration implemented social distancing one week earlier , and 90 percent of deaths could have been avoided if actions had been taken sooner than that .
Trump announced the recommendations for social distancing and limiting public gatherings on March 16 .
A few days later , a number of states began issuing stay-at-home orders for their residents , shuttering businesses in the process .
Trump urged Americans at that time to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to stem the spread of the disease , but up until that point he had previously downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic on a number of occasions .
On February 19 , he suggested that matters would resolve themselves , if they got bad at all , when spring temperatures arrived .
“ I think when we get into April , in the warmer weather , that has a very negative effect on that and that type of a virus .
So let ’ s see what happens , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out fine , ” Trump said .
On February 26 , he commended his administration , even though the only significant action they had taken up to that point was closing travel from China .
“ When you have 15 people , and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero , ” Trump said .
“ That ’ s a pretty good job we ’ ve done.
” And on March 9 — one week before the social distancing recommendations were made — Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for continuing to worry about the lack of a response to the disease ’ s spread .
“ The Fake News Media and their partner , the Democrat Party , is doing everything within its semi-considerable power ( it used to be greater ! )
to inflame the CoronaVirus situation , far beyond what the facts would warrant , ” Trump wrote in a tweet .
Trump has continued to praise his own decision on closing travel from China as the most important one in combating coronavirus , saying that move “ saved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , suggests that it was not as significant as he has made it out to be .
A study from Northeastern University found that closing travel from China was a good first step , but that it only delayed when the virus would arrive to the U.S. , and didn ’ t play a role in controlling COVID-19 ’ s spread in the country once it got here .
“ Travel restrictions aren ’ t enough unless we couple it with social distancing , ” Ana Pastore y Piontti , co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
“ And even then , it slows the arrival of the disease , but once it arrives , you need to mitigate it or else it will spread all the same.
” Trump decided to close travel to China in January , but recommendations from officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) with regard to closing travel from Europe were largely ignored at a critical time — again , in early March .
Advice from the CDC to the White House to close travel from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the president didn ’ t act upon it until March 11 , as close to 66,000 Europeans were flying into the U.S. every day .
“ We ’ ve been muzzled , ” one official said of the situation .
“ What ’ s tough is that if we would have acted earlier on what we knew and recommended , we would have saved lives and money .
”

The president spent much of early March blasting others who were warning of an impending crisis.
A newly released study from Columbia University concludes that tens of thousands of Americans likely died from COVID-19 due to the initial inaction and slow response to the disease from the Trump administration.
The study looked at the number of deaths that occurred from the start of March through May 3, at which point 65,307 Americans had reportedly died from COVID-19. Had social distancing measures been initiated one week before President Donald Trump announced his recommendations on March 16, around 36,000 lives could have been saved, the study suggested.
The study also found that deaths could have been reduced by 54,000 — a rate of more than 4 in 5 Americans who died during that time — had such measures been introduced on March 1.
“It’s a big, big difference,” epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman, who led the research team, told The New York Times. “That small moment in time, catching it in that growth phase, is incredibly critical in reducing the number of deaths.”
The findings from the Columbia University study echo conclusions from other research published last month, in which a pair of epidemiologist researchers concluded, out of 60,000 projected deaths by August at the time, 37,000 of them could have been avoided had the administration implemented social distancing one week earlier, and 90 percent of deaths could have been avoided if actions had been taken sooner than that.
Trump announced the recommendations for social distancing and limiting public gatherings on March 16. A few days later, a number of states began issuing stay-at-home orders for their residents, shuttering businesses in the process.
Trump urged Americans at that time to make “these critical changes and sacrifices” in order to stem the spread of the disease, but up until that point he had previously downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic on a number of occasions.
On February 19, he suggested that matters would resolve themselves, if they got bad at all, when spring temperatures arrived. “I think when we get into April, in the warmer weather, that has a very negative effect on that and that type of a virus. So let’s see what happens, but I think it’s going to work out fine,” Trump said.
On February 26, he commended his administration, even though the only significant action they had taken up to that point was closing travel from China. “When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero,” Trump said. “That’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
And on March 9 — one week before the social distancing recommendations were made — Trump derided his political opponents and the media for continuing to worry about the lack of a response to the disease’s spread.
“The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant,” Trump wrote in a tweet.
Trump has continued to praise his own decision on closing travel from China as the most important one in combating coronavirus, saying that move “saved a lot of lives.” Other research, however, suggests that it was not as significant as he has made it out to be.
A study from Northeastern University found that closing travel from China was a good first step, but that it only delayed when the virus would arrive to the U.S., and didn’t play a role in controlling COVID-19’s spread in the country once it got here.
“Travel restrictions aren’t enough unless we couple it with social distancing,” Ana Pastore y Piontti, co-author of the study, said in early March. “And even then, it slows the arrival of the disease, but once it arrives, you need to mitigate it or else it will spread all the same.”
Trump decided to close travel to China in January, but recommendations from officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with regard to closing travel from Europe were largely ignored at a critical time — again, in early March.
Advice from the CDC to the White House to close travel from that continent came about on March 5, but the president didn’t act upon it until March 11, as close to 66,000 Europeans were flying into the U.S. every day.
“We’ve been muzzled,” one official said of the situation. “What’s tough is that if we would have acted earlier on what we knew and recommended, we would have saved lives and money.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-05-21--Florida, Georgia and Trump Are Lying. COVID Is Far From Over.

COVID-19 doesn ’ t care about your opinions regarding its threat .
It can come into your house , fluff your pillows , breathe on your toothbrush , lick your doorknobs , rearrange your furniture and settle down for a nice long visit before you even know it ’ s there .
By the time you figure out you have a guest , you yourself have become a vector spraying COVID into the wind like the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas , because you ’ ve likely been infected for days or even weeks , and may never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utterly insidious .
This is one of the central reasons why this beast has done so much damage .
This was true when the first U.S. case appeared in Washington State , and after all the pain it has caused over the intervening time , it remains precisely as true today .
That pain is not over .
According to science , it is likely just getting started .
We can not wish this thing away , though we are apparently going to try , because Donald Trump tells us we have prevailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As of this week , all 50 states have “ reopened ” to one degree or another .
Each state is winging it when it comes to safety rules , because the federal government under Trump ’ s “ leadership ” has washed its hands of providing conscientious guidance and assistance .
In fact , if Mitch McConnell has his way , even the entirely insufficient help that has been provided will be rolled back in the name of ideological purity .
Florida and Georgia have blown their economic doors wide open to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection numbers to dupe the public into believing they will be safe .
In doing so , these states have put not only their residents but the entire nation in deep peril .
In Florida , the death toll numbers being released by the medical examiners were higher than the ones being released by the state , so the state put a stop to the examiners ’ releasing their numbers .
Rebekah Jones , the state employee tasked with updating the public database of infections , was fired after complaining that the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ron DeSantis called her an insubordinate stalker , but neither he nor anyone else explained why those numbers were juked .
Georgia GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp was hailed a hero in publications like The Wall Street Journal for keeping his state ’ s COVID numbers low after “ reopening ” the economy to a far greater degree than most other states .
It was all a mirage , a deliberate masquerade intended to fudge the numbers and fake out the people in favor of the money , and the blood will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all is said and done .
Despite the best efforts of its Democratic governor , the state of Wisconsin has likewise thrown caution to the wind thanks to its right-leaning judiciary .
The bars in Green Bay have been packed with no consideration given to the need for social distancing , and residents of Illinois are flocking across the border to enjoy the easier strictures than the ones in their state .
Some of them will become infected with COVID , because that is what COVID does .
They will bring their infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread .
Indeed , the menace is already making itself acutely felt in rural areas that have to date been largely spared , and thus are the epicenters for the wildly irresponsible “ Reopen Now ” movement .
Trump ’ s White House knows all about it .
“ A new analysis being reviewed by the White House shows southern states that moved too quickly to relax social distancing guidelines face significant risk for a resurgence of the coronavirus over the next several weeks , ” reports The Daily Beast .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of additional cases by June 17.
” Churches in Georgia , Texas and Arkansas that invited their congregations back for worship have suffered new outbreaks , forcing some of them to close their doors again .
This is a pattern that will almost certainly be repeated across the full spectrum of our common national activities as the virus continues its long burn .
For churches and other houses of worship , there will be no direction on safety coming from the federal government any time soon .
“ Guidance for reopening houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been put on hold after a battle between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House , ” reports The Washington Post , which was resistant to putting limits on religious institutions.
” The U.S. retains a relentlessly myopic view of itself and the world .
We are here , they are there , because we believe ourselves to be “ exceptional.
” Yet COVID laughs at the notion of borders , having crossed several to arrive here undetected .
Globalization has made the legal fiction of borders all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is plunging into the same viral darkness we endure here .
In Brazil , right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro is doing his best Trump impersonation , shrugging off the crisis even as Sao Paulo has endured a 34 percent spike in confirmed COVID cases .
Lebanon trembles on the cusp of a major food crisis as the virus rips through the population .
India and Bangladesh are staring down the barrel of a massive cyclone while COVID slashes through the poorest and most densely populated sections of cities like Mumbai .
It came from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there is every reason to believe it will do so again as the entire world becomes engulfed .
The only thing COVID is better at than killing is traveling .
The latter serves the former with terrifying ease , and even if we “ flatten the curve ” in a best-case scenario , we are one international flight away from having all of it start up all over again .
This is not even close to being over .
There is now hard data on the degree to which Trump and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , and the numbers are utterly horrifying .
Disease modelers at Columbia University have concluded that if the U.S. had instituted social distancing one scant week before it did , some 36,000 fewer people would have died .
Had we begun the practice on March 1 , as many scientists and medical professionals advised at the time , around 83 percent of the deaths that have occurred would not have taken place .
We stand on the cusp of 100,000 COVID deaths here in the U.S .
According to the Columbia University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and should have been avoided .
In the face of this fully preventable catastrophe , Trump has responded by saying he would have done absolutely nothing differently if given the chance .
At this moment , Republican operatives are lining up pro-Trump quacks in lab coats to preach the bastard gospel of immediate “ reopening.
” Let all that sink in good and deep , and remember it well the next time you hear him , or anyone , proclaim the crisis done with .
Bob Dylan once told us , “ Money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He was right .
U.S.-style capitalism has always been self-destructive at its core .
With its roots buried deep in the abomination of the slave trade , this nation ’ s concept of “ business ” chews through people and nature in a ceaseless and thoroughly gluttonous quest for “ growth , ” which is nothing more than a kind euphemism for “ plunder.
” It has been this way in one form or another since the first European boot touched this soil .
Capitalism is entropy writ large , and today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what may well be the final fragmentation of a lethal idea : That a few who have everything can dictate mortal terms to the many with little and less .
Empty stomachs outweigh the balance of power every time , and hungry children become angry adults who will have a bone to pick with those who laid them low .
Of this , history fairly sings .
The country is not “ reopening ” because the pandemic is finished , or because scientists and medical professionals say it is safe .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , the people have always come a distant second to profit .
As this crisis broadens and deepens , some of those people may decide to take matters into their own hands and strike rather than die for someone ’ s desire for a haircut or a table at their favorite restaurant .
Our leaders have led us into this meat grinder , and now they want us to sacrifice ourselves for the greater glory of revenue and “ growth.
” It is already too late to save those who will die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions , and if the song of history keeps its tune , there will be a fearsome reckoning on the far side of this convulsion of heedless cruelty .
Please do what you can to stay safe and do not listen to the president or his friends , so you may be here to bear witness to that , and to lend a hand as you see fit .
We are on our own , and in this together .
Solidarity is the only vaccine we can depend on until further notice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how we will prevail .

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
COVID-19 doesn’t care about your opinions regarding its threat. It can come into your house, fluff your pillows, breathe on your toothbrush, lick your doorknobs, rearrange your furniture and settle down for a nice long visit before you even know it’s there.
By the time you figure out you have a guest, you yourself have become a vector spraying COVID into the wind like the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, because you’ve likely been infected for days or even weeks, and may never feel a single symptom. It is utterly insidious.
This is one of the central reasons why this beast has done so much damage. This was true when the first U.S. case appeared in Washington State, and after all the pain it has caused over the intervening time, it remains precisely as true today. That pain is not over. According to science, it is likely just getting started.
We cannot wish this thing away, though we are apparently going to try, because Donald Trump tells us we have prevailed and will soon return to greatness. As of this week, all 50 states have “reopened” to one degree or another. Each state is winging it when it comes to safety rules, because the federal government under Trump’s “leadership” has washed its hands of providing conscientious guidance and assistance. In fact, if Mitch McConnell has his way, even the entirely insufficient help that has been provided will be rolled back in the name of ideological purity.
Florida and Georgia have blown their economic doors wide open to COVID, and have tampered with their infection numbers to dupe the public into believing they will be safe. In doing so, these states have put not only their residents but the entire nation in deep peril.
In Florida, the death toll numbers being released by the medical examiners were higher than the ones being released by the state, so the state put a stop to the examiners’ releasing their numbers. Rebekah Jones, the state employee tasked with updating the public database of infections, was fired after complaining that the numbers were being altered and manipulated. Gov. Ron DeSantis called her an insubordinate stalker, but neither he nor anyone else explained why those numbers were juked.
Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp was hailed a hero in publications like The Wall Street Journal for keeping his state’s COVID numbers low after “reopening” the economy to a far greater degree than most other states. It was all a mirage, a deliberate masquerade intended to fudge the numbers and fake out the people in favor of the money, and the blood will be on Kemp’s hands when all is said and done.
We cannot wish this thing away, though we are apparently going to try, because Donald Trump tells us we have prevailed and will soon return to greatness.
Despite the best efforts of its Democratic governor, the state of Wisconsin has likewise thrown caution to the wind thanks to its right-leaning judiciary. The bars in Green Bay have been packed with no consideration given to the need for social distancing, and residents of Illinois are flocking across the border to enjoy the easier strictures than the ones in their state. Some of them will become infected with COVID, because that is what COVID does. They will bring their infections home, and the pandemic will continue to spread.
Indeed, the menace is already making itself acutely felt in rural areas that have to date been largely spared, and thus are the epicenters for the wildly irresponsible “Reopen Now” movement. Trump’s White House knows all about it. “A new analysis being reviewed by the White House shows southern states that moved too quickly to relax social distancing guidelines face significant risk for a resurgence of the coronavirus over the next several weeks,” reports The Daily Beast. “In several cases, counties will see hundreds of additional cases by June 17.”
Churches in Georgia, Texas and Arkansas that invited their congregations back for worship have suffered new outbreaks, forcing some of them to close their doors again. This is a pattern that will almost certainly be repeated across the full spectrum of our common national activities as the virus continues its long burn.
For churches and other houses of worship, there will be no direction on safety coming from the federal government any time soon. “Guidance for reopening houses of worship amid the coronavirus pandemic has been put on hold after a battle between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House,” reports The Washington Post, which was resistant to putting limits on religious institutions.”
The only thing COVID is better at than killing is traveling.
The U.S. retains a relentlessly myopic view of itself and the world. We are here, they are there, because we believe ourselves to be “exceptional.” Yet COVID laughs at the notion of borders, having crossed several to arrive here undetected. Globalization has made the legal fiction of borders all the more gossamer, and the wider world is plunging into the same viral darkness we endure here.
In Brazil, right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro is doing his best Trump impersonation, shrugging off the crisis even as Sao Paulo has endured a 34 percent spike in confirmed COVID cases. Lebanon trembles on the cusp of a major food crisis as the virus rips through the population. India and Bangladesh are staring down the barrel of a massive cyclone while COVID slashes through the poorest and most densely populated sections of cities like Mumbai.
It came from “over there” to here, and there is every reason to believe it will do so again as the entire world becomes engulfed. The only thing COVID is better at than killing is traveling. The latter serves the former with terrifying ease, and even if we “flatten the curve” in a best-case scenario, we are one international flight away from having all of it start up all over again. This is not even close to being over.
There is now hard data on the degree to which Trump and his allies have botched the response to this pandemic, and the numbers are utterly horrifying. Disease modelers at Columbia University have concluded that if the U.S. had instituted social distancing one scant week before it did, some 36,000 fewer people would have died. Had we begun the practice on March 1, as many scientists and medical professionals advised at the time, around 83 percent of the deaths that have occurred would not have taken place.
We stand on the cusp of 100,000 COVID deaths here in the U.S. According to the Columbia University study, some 80,000 of them could and should have been avoided. In the face of this fully preventable catastrophe, Trump has responded by saying he would have done absolutely nothing differently if given the chance. At this moment, Republican operatives are lining up pro-Trump quacks in lab coats to preach the bastard gospel of immediate “reopening.”
Let all that sink in good and deep, and remember it well the next time you hear him, or anyone, proclaim the crisis done with.
Empty stomachs outweigh the balance of power every time, and hungry children become angry adults who will have a bone to pick with those who laid them low.
Bob Dylan once told us, “Money doesn’t talk, it swears.” He was right. U.S.-style capitalism has always been self-destructive at its core. With its roots buried deep in the abomination of the slave trade, this nation’s concept of “business” chews through people and nature in a ceaseless and thoroughly gluttonous quest for “growth,” which is nothing more than a kind euphemism for “plunder.” It has been this way in one form or another since the first European boot touched this soil.
Capitalism is entropy writ large, and today, we find ourselves bearing witness to what may well be the final fragmentation of a lethal idea: That a few who have everything can dictate mortal terms to the many with little and less. Empty stomachs outweigh the balance of power every time, and hungry children become angry adults who will have a bone to pick with those who laid them low. Of this, history fairly sings.
The country is not “reopening” because the pandemic is finished, or because scientists and medical professionals say it is safe. We are “reopening” because in these United States, the people have always come a distant second to profit. As this crisis broadens and deepens, some of those people may decide to take matters into their own hands and strike rather than die for someone’s desire for a haircut or a table at their favorite restaurant.
Our leaders have led us into this meat grinder, and now they want us to sacrifice ourselves for the greater glory of revenue and “growth.” It is already too late to save those who will die for these malicious, callous, greedy decisions, and if the song of history keeps its tune, there will be a fearsome reckoning on the far side of this convulsion of heedless cruelty.
Please do what you can to stay safe and do not listen to the president or his friends, so you may be here to bear witness to that, and to lend a hand as you see fit. We are on our own, and in this together. Solidarity is the only vaccine we can depend on until further notice. That, and that alone, is how we will prevail.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-05-21--McConnell Vows to Block Benefits While Pushing Corporate Legal Immunity

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed in a private call with House Republicans Wednesday that the enhanced unemployment benefits keeping millions of people afloat amid Great Depression-level joblessness will not be extended in the next coronavirus stimulus legislation , effectively endorsing a major income cut for a large swath of the U.S. population .
The boosted unemployment insurance — which provides an additional $ 600 per week on top of state benefits and is set to expire on July 31 — “ will not be in the next bill , ” the Kentucky Republican reportedly told his GOP colleagues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making slightly more money on unemployment than they did from their jobs “ crazy.
” Progressives have said this is a reason to raise wages , not roll back benefits .
Ernie Tedeschi , a former Treasury Department economist , estimated that if enhanced unemployment benefits are not extended , “ unemployed workers will effectively get a pay cut of 50-75 % overnight.
” In a series of tweets Wednesday evening , Rep. Don Beyer ( D-Va. ) pointed to a Brookings Institution analysis showing that boosted unemployment benefits offset around half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
House Democrats passed legislation last week that would extend the boosted unemployment benefits through January of next year .
“ Removing that support while eliminating access to food , shelter , and healthcare would inflict untold suffering and could cause widespread civic unrest , ” Beyer warned .
“ Cutting back federal assistance at the height of the crisis would mean self-inflicted disaster , devastation , and additional deaths .
That must not happen.
” McConnell , whose remarks during the private call were first reported by Politico , also said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of corporate liability protections in the next stimulus package , but did not provide a timeline for the legislation .
The Kentucky Republican ’ s effort to shield corporations from legal responsibility for workers who contract Covid-19 on the job has drawn outrage from consumer advocacy groups , small businesses , and seniors ( pdf ) .
McConnell ’ s push for corporate liability protections and opposition to extending beefed-up unemployment benefits are interlinked : While urging states to reopen and pressuring people to return to potentially unsafe workplaces by moving to end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guarantee that companies are not held accountable for endangering the health of employees by bringing them back prematurely amid a pandemic .
On its website , the Trump Labor Department has stated that general fear of contracting Covid-19 is not sufficient reason to reject “ suitable ” work and still remain eligible for unemployment benefits .
The Labor Department is also openly urging states to help employers report workers who decide to stay home from their jobs out of concern about the coronavirus .
Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits , said in a statement Tuesday that the Trump White House is “ pushing workers to risk their health for his political benefit.
” “ With nearly 1 in 5 Americans out of work , Donald Trump ’ s plan is to cut off the boost to unemployment benefits and shower his wealthy buddies with more tax cuts , ” Wyden said after President Donald Trump expressed his opposition to extending the enhanced unemployment benefits during a lunch with Senate Republicans Tuesday .
Some Republicans appear to be concerned about the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment insurance at a time when more than 36 million people across the U.S. are newly out of work due to the coronavirus crisis .
The Washington Post ’ s Jeff Stein reported Wednesday that one idea “ circulating around GOP offices ” is converting unemployment benefits to a one-time lump sum payment , a proposal that analysts met with significant skepticism .
Some Republican lawmakers , according to Stein , are pushing for a “ dramatic reduction ” in additional benefits to $ 300- $ 400 per week , down from $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not discussed the matter with every GOP Senate office and added that “ there are many who certainly want it gone altogether .
”

The GOP is attempting to guarantee that companies are not held accountable for endangering the health of employees.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed in a private call with House Republicans Wednesday that the enhanced unemployment benefits keeping millions of people afloat amid Great Depression-level joblessness will not be extended in the next coronavirus stimulus legislation, effectively endorsing a major income cut for a large swath of the U.S. population.
The boosted unemployment insurance — which provides an additional $600 per week on top of state benefits and is set to expire on July 31 — “will not be in the next bill,” the Kentucky Republican reportedly told his GOP colleagues, calling the fact that some people are making slightly more money on unemployment than they did from their jobs “crazy.”
Progressives have said this is a reason to raise wages, not roll back benefits.
Ernie Tedeschi, a former Treasury Department economist, estimated that if enhanced unemployment benefits are not extended, “unemployed workers will effectively get a pay cut of 50-75% overnight.”
In a series of tweets Wednesday evening, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) pointed to a Brookings Institution analysis showing that boosted unemployment benefits offset around half of all lost wages and salaries in April. House Democrats passed legislation last week that would extend the boosted unemployment benefits through January of next year.
“Removing that support while eliminating access to food, shelter, and healthcare would inflict untold suffering and could cause widespread civic unrest,” Beyer warned. “Cutting back federal assistance at the height of the crisis would mean self-inflicted disaster, devastation, and additional deaths. That must not happen.”
There is a dangerous disconnect between Republican politicians and the anguish being experienced by the American people. That suffering may become a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe if average people and local communities are denied help and left to fend for themselves. 1/ https://t.co/NpvbYV2wvC — Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) May 20, 2020
McConnell, whose remarks during the private call were first reported by Politico, also said he will continue advocating aggressively for the inclusion of corporate liability protections in the next stimulus package, but did not provide a timeline for the legislation.
The Kentucky Republican’s effort to shield corporations from legal responsibility for workers who contract Covid-19 on the job has drawn outrage from consumer advocacy groups, small businesses, and seniors (pdf).
McConnell’s push for corporate liability protections and opposition to extending beefed-up unemployment benefits are interlinked: While urging states to reopen and pressuring people to return to potentially unsafe workplaces by moving to end benefits, the GOP is simultaneously attempting to guarantee that companies are not held accountable for endangering the health of employees by bringing them back prematurely amid a pandemic.
On its website, the Trump Labor Department has stated that general fear of contracting Covid-19 is not sufficient reason to reject “suitable” work and still remain eligible for unemployment benefits. The Labor Department is also openly urging states to help employers report workers who decide to stay home from their jobs out of concern about the coronavirus.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), one of the architects of the expanded unemployment benefits, said in a statement Tuesday that the Trump White House is “pushing workers to risk their health for his political benefit.”
“With nearly 1 in 5 Americans out of work, Donald Trump’s plan is to cut off the boost to unemployment benefits and shower his wealthy buddies with more tax cuts,” Wyden said after President Donald Trump expressed his opposition to extending the enhanced unemployment benefits during a lunch with Senate Republicans Tuesday.
Some Republicans appear to be concerned about the potential backlash that could result from ending boosted unemployment insurance at a time when more than 36 million people across the U.S. are newly out of work due to the coronavirus crisis.
The Washington Post’s Jeff Stein reported Wednesday that one idea “circulating around GOP offices” is converting unemployment benefits to a one-time lump sum payment, a proposal that analysts met with significant skepticism.
Some Republican lawmakers, according to Stein, are pushing for a “dramatic reduction” in additional benefits to $300-$400 per week, down from $600. Stein noted that he has not discussed the matter with every GOP Senate office and added that “there are many who certainly want it gone altogether.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.