washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Memories linger decade after huge Provo Tabernacle fire

PROVO , Utah ( AP ) - The shadows of 2020 are about the only thing that remain of a rather unusual and chaotic year .
But time passes quickly and it will soon be but a memory .
That is exactly what area residents were saying a decade ago when their year ended with a devastating fire the belched pillars of smoke and shooting flames , the Daily Herald reported .
Locally , the annual Santa Run , “ lights on ” celebrations and “ A Christmas Carol ” productions were in full swing .
However , while pop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music hit “ Firework , ” another kind of fire was in the works inside the Provo Tabernacle at Center Street and University Avenue .
For many , it seems unbelievable that 10 years have passed since the early morning hours of Dec. 17 , 2010 , when the historic Provo Tabernacle , decked out for Christmas , housed a raging fire that burned for hours .
In what officials described at the time as likely a complete loss , the historic building was gutted by the blaze .
By that afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and city icon was little more than a charred shell spewing ash onto mourning onlookers .
Some people wept as they tried to focus their camera lens on the charred building .
Others looked on with dismay .
Cars drove by at a snail ’ s pace , their occupants looking at the singed remains .
Residents of Provo and elsewhere were in shock about the news the tabernacle was destroyed .
Josephine Johansen wrote to the Daily Herald her personal experience of that night .
“ It was about 2 a.m. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the Travelodge Hotel on University Avenue ( just across the street from the Tabernacle ) .
I was staying there awaiting to get married that day .
“ Curious as to what was going on , I got up sleepy-eyed and looked out of the window and what a shock I got , ” Johansen said .
“ Several fire engines were at the front door of the tabernacle fighting the ferocious flames from the interior , ” she remembers .
“ I was scared because the room I had rented was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building - it was very close , only one road ’ s width between us , ” she said .
“ Were those flames going to engulf anything close by ?
“ I quickly got dressed and gingerly crept down the outside stairs - the ice on the ground was about 2 inches thick that night .
I eventually got across to speak to a fireman who had his back to me .
I made him jump .
There were no people in that area at that time , so he didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Johansen said .
“ What are you doing , ma ’ am ?
” he asked .
“ Will I be alright in the building right there ?
” Johansen asked .
“ I pointed to the window of my room .
The flames were so fierce , I felt sure they could ‘ lick ’ across the road .
Satisfied , the fireman had assured me and I went back up the stairs.
” The good news is the city has rebounded and , in some ways , is stronger than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fire will be forever etched into the memories of all who witnessed it .
“ To many of us it felt like the former tabernacle had a heart and soul , ” said former Mayor John Curtis at the time .
“ It was a beloved member of our community , and when we lost the tabernacle it was as if we had lost a dear friend.
” Fire officials had determined an incandescent light placed on a wooden box ignited the fire .
A final report indicated the light was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to combustible materials .
Eventually the light caught fire , and the resulting blaze destroyed the building .
The report placed the cost of the damage at $ 15 million .
“ It was a terrible day for the community in seeing the loss of such a dear landmark , ” said former Provo Fire Chief Gary Jolley .
“ There are lots of memories from feeling bad about losing the battle to the fire to what a remarkable transformation to see the new Provo City Center Temple.
” Looking back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire , Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield described it as a unifying moment in Provo history .
Schofield was one of the first authorities to respond to the fire , and he described it as a defining moment in his life .
“ It ’ s kind of like an old friend , ” Schofield said at the time .
“ It challenged me more than any other event in my emergency services career.
” Schofield said during the investigation he also learned about the community that sacrificed to build the tabernacle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , crews salvaged a piece of molding .
When they looked at the back of the molding they found the name of the person who crafted it inscribed on the back .
The name had been written in 1883 or 1884 .
At another point , Schofield saw pieces of iron that were used to hold the roof together .
When he looked more closely , he could see the marks of the blacksmith ’ s hammer in the metal .
Schofield believes history will remember the fire as a beginning , rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that 10 years from now we ’ ll say , ‘ That was a tragedy , but look what ’ s happened now , ’ ” he said .
The feelings of devastating loss about the tabernacle turned to joy when then LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson announced in the October 2011 Semiannual General Conference that the historic building was to be rebuilt into the second temple in Provo .
After more than five years of restoration and historical reconstruction , the Provo City Center Temple of The Church of Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 , 2016 .
During that construction time , numerous photos and stories were shared about how the tabernacle affected the lives of people not only in Provo but from those who have moved on throughout the world .
One of the unique difficulties contractors and architects faced with the new temple was the already existing shell of the old tabernacle .
This constrained builders to how large the temple could be .
Since they couldn ’ t build out , the temple was instead built down .
About 53,000 square feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The baptistry is traditionally underground .
However , the font in the Provo City Center Temple , which sits upon 12 bronze oxen , is in an oval shape , a very non-traditional shape for temple fonts , which are typically circular .
Details in the fine mahogany and walnut wood at the base level are simplistic .
Circles , lines and other basic geometric shapes are about as unique as the architecture gets in the lower floors of the temple , excluding the bride ’ s and the groom ’ s rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 42 steps to the chapel and the ordinance rooms , the details become more lavish and the shapes more symbolic .
Exit signs that were once painted black are dressed in gold on the top floor .
Staircases that had simple bevels and architecture give way to columbines , lotuses and other ornate features carved into the walnut and mahogany .
And in the Celestial Room , seven chandeliers , including a massive one in the center , hang overhead , adding to the beauty of the apex of the temple .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bird rising out of the ashes .
Now , years later , we can look at the bittersweet results of that day of burning knowing the tabernacle wasn ’ t completely lost .
The old tabernacle turned temple is still the focal point of downtown .
“ Everyone in our community remembers where they were when they heard the iconic Provo Tabernacle had been destroyed by fire , ” said Mayor Michelle Kaufusi .
“ Shock of a different kind was also felt when news was announced of its unexpected transformation into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Thankfully , the tremendous loss of this beloved community gathering space ultimately became a community win as it continues to be a beautiful reminder of Provo ’ s history and a key contributor to our downtown economic vitality.
” As for the downtown area , much has happened over the past decade .
Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March , businesses had been booming , mixed-use apartments had gone up and more people were coming to Provo to work , live , shop and play .
Perhaps in 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tabernacle burning and the 10th anniversary of the worldwide pandemic and say how bittersweet it was , but look at what good things have happened since .

PROVO, Utah (AP) - The shadows of 2020 are about the only thing that remain of a rather unusual and chaotic year. But time passes quickly and it will soon be but a memory.
That is exactly what area residents were saying a decade ago when their year ended with a devastating fire the belched pillars of smoke and shooting flames, the Daily Herald reported.
December 2010 was a month of celebration.
Locally, the annual Santa Run, “lights on” celebrations and “A Christmas Carol” productions were in full swing.
However, while pop music superstar Katy Perry was celebrating her music hit “Firework,” another kind of fire was in the works inside the Provo Tabernacle at Center Street and University Avenue.
For many, it seems unbelievable that 10 years have passed since the early morning hours of Dec. 17, 2010, when the historic Provo Tabernacle, decked out for Christmas, housed a raging fire that burned for hours.
In what officials described at the time as likely a complete loss, the historic building was gutted by the blaze. By that afternoon, what had once been a Utah landmark and city icon was little more than a charred shell spewing ash onto mourning onlookers.
Some people wept as they tried to focus their camera lens on the charred building. Others looked on with dismay. Cars drove by at a snail’s pace, their occupants looking at the singed remains.
Residents of Provo and elsewhere were in shock about the news the tabernacle was destroyed.
Josephine Johansen wrote to the Daily Herald her personal experience of that night. “It was about 2 a.m. and I was awakened by lots of noise outside the Travelodge Hotel on University Avenue (just across the street from the Tabernacle). I was staying there awaiting to get married that day.
“Curious as to what was going on, I got up sleepy-eyed and looked out of the window and what a shock I got,” Johansen said.
“Several fire engines were at the front door of the tabernacle fighting the ferocious flames from the interior,” she remembers.
“I was scared because the room I had rented was right on the corner opposite this beautiful building - it was very close, only one road’s width between us,” she said. “Were those flames going to engulf anything close by?
“I quickly got dressed and gingerly crept down the outside stairs - the ice on the ground was about 2 inches thick that night. I eventually got across to speak to a fireman who had his back to me. I made him jump. There were no people in that area at that time, so he didn’t expect to see me there,” Johansen said.
“What are you doing, ma’am?” he asked.
“Will I be alright in the building right there?” Johansen asked. “I pointed to the window of my room. The flames were so fierce, I felt sure they could ‘lick’ across the road. Satisfied, the fireman had assured me and I went back up the stairs.”
The good news is the city has rebounded and, in some ways, is stronger than ever, but there is little doubt that fire will be forever etched into the memories of all who witnessed it.
“To many of us it felt like the former tabernacle had a heart and soul,” said former Mayor John Curtis at the time. “It was a beloved member of our community, and when we lost the tabernacle it was as if we had lost a dear friend.”
Fire officials had determined an incandescent light placed on a wooden box ignited the fire. A final report indicated the light was an energized 300-watt bulb that was placed too close to combustible materials. Eventually the light caught fire, and the resulting blaze destroyed the building. The report placed the cost of the damage at $15 million.
“It was a terrible day for the community in seeing the loss of such a dear landmark,” said former Provo Fire Chief Gary Jolley. “There are lots of memories from feeling bad about losing the battle to the fire to what a remarkable transformation to see the new Provo City Center Temple.”
Looking back on the event at the one-year anniversary of the fire, Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield described it as a unifying moment in Provo history. Schofield was one of the first authorities to respond to the fire, and he described it as a defining moment in his life.
“It’s kind of like an old friend,” Schofield said at the time. “It challenged me more than any other event in my emergency services career.”
Schofield said during the investigation he also learned about the community that sacrificed to build the tabernacle. At one point, he recalled, crews salvaged a piece of molding. When they looked at the back of the molding they found the name of the person who crafted it inscribed on the back. The name had been written in 1883 or 1884.
At another point, Schofield saw pieces of iron that were used to hold the roof together. When he looked more closely, he could see the marks of the blacksmith’s hammer in the metal.
Schofield believes history will remember the fire as a beginning, rather than an end.
“My guess is that 10 years from now we’ll say, ‘That was a tragedy, but look what’s happened now,’” he said.
Schofield was prophetic.
The feelings of devastating loss about the tabernacle turned to joy when then LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson announced in the October 2011 Semiannual General Conference that the historic building was to be rebuilt into the second temple in Provo.
After more than five years of restoration and historical reconstruction, the Provo City Center Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was dedicated March 20, 2016.
During that construction time, numerous photos and stories were shared about how the tabernacle affected the lives of people not only in Provo but from those who have moved on throughout the world.
One of the unique difficulties contractors and architects faced with the new temple was the already existing shell of the old tabernacle. This constrained builders to how large the temple could be. Since they couldn’t build out, the temple was instead built down.
About 53,000 square feet of the temple is below street level. The baptistry is traditionally underground. However, the font in the Provo City Center Temple, which sits upon 12 bronze oxen, is in an oval shape, a very non-traditional shape for temple fonts, which are typically circular.
Details in the fine mahogany and walnut wood at the base level are simplistic. Circles, lines and other basic geometric shapes are about as unique as the architecture gets in the lower floors of the temple, excluding the bride’s and the groom’s rooms. But as one scales the ornate 42 steps to the chapel and the ordinance rooms, the details become more lavish and the shapes more symbolic.
Exit signs that were once painted black are dressed in gold on the top floor. Staircases that had simple bevels and architecture give way to columbines, lotuses and other ornate features carved into the walnut and mahogany.
And in the Celestial Room, seven chandeliers, including a massive one in the center, hang overhead, adding to the beauty of the apex of the temple.
It has been compared to a beautiful Phoenix bird rising out of the ashes.
Now, years later, we can look at the bittersweet results of that day of burning knowing the tabernacle wasn’t completely lost. The old tabernacle turned temple is still the focal point of downtown.
“Everyone in our community remembers where they were when they heard the iconic Provo Tabernacle had been destroyed by fire,” said Mayor Michelle Kaufusi. “Shock of a different kind was also felt when news was announced of its unexpected transformation into the Provo City Center Temple.”
Kaufusi adds, “Thankfully, the tremendous loss of this beloved community gathering space ultimately became a community win as it continues to be a beautiful reminder of Provo’s history and a key contributor to our downtown economic vitality.”
As for the downtown area, much has happened over the past decade.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, businesses had been booming, mixed-use apartments had gone up and more people were coming to Provo to work, live, shop and play.
Perhaps in 10 years residents will contemplate the 20th anniversary of the tabernacle burning and the 10th anniversary of the worldwide pandemic and say how bittersweet it was, but look at what good things have happened since.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Belgians, Dutch halt UK flights, fearing virus variant

BERLIN ( AP ) - Several European Union nations on Sunday banned flights from the U.K. and Germany was considering limiting such flights to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England does not establish a strong foothold on the continent .
The Netherlands banned flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year while Belgium issued a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight and also halted train links to Britain , including the Eurostar .
Austria and Italy said they would halt flights from the U.K. but did not give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Twitter that the government was preparing the measure “ to protect Italians ” from the new coronavirus variant .
About two dozen flights were scheduled to arrive in Italy on Sunday , most in the northern region of Lombardy but also in Veneto and Lazio , which include Venice and Rome respectively .
German officials , meanwhile , were considering “ serious options ” regarding incoming flights from the U.K. , but have not yet taken action .
The Czech Republic , meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the U.K .
The EU governments say they are acting in response to tougher measures imposed Saturday in London and its surrounding areas by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
He immediately put those regions into a new Tier 4 level of restrictions , saying that a fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70 % more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England .
“ There ’ s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or that vaccines will be less effective against it .
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Sunday said he was issuing the flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight “ out of precaution.
” “ There are a great many questions about this new mutation and if it is not already on the mainland , ” he said .
He hoped to have more clarity by Tuesday .
The World Health Organization tweeted late Saturday that “ We ’ re in close contact with U.K. officials on the new # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update governments and the public as more is learned about this variant .
The new strain of coronavirus was identified in southeastern England in September and has been circulating in the area since , a WHO official told the BBC on Sunday .
“ What we understand is that it does have increased transmissibility , in terms of its ability to spread , ” said Maria Van Kerkhove , WHO ’ s technical lead on COVID-19 .
Studies are under way to better understand how fast it spreads and and whether “ it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or a combination of factors with behavior , ” she said .
She said the strain had also been identified in Denmark , the Netherlands and Australia , where there was one case that did not spread further .
“ The longer this virus spreads , the more opportunities it has to change , ” she said .
“ So we really need to do everything we can right now to prevent spread , and minimizing that spread will reduce the chances of it changing.
” Susan Hopkins of Public Health England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulating since September , it wasn ’ t until this week that officials felt they had enough evidence to declare that it has higher transmissibility than other circulating viruses .
The strain has spread to other parts of the U.K. but in smaller amounts than in London and surrounding areas , she told the BBC .
Germany has not yet spelled out a ban but is considering limiting or halting flights from the U.K. as well , the dpa news agency reported Sunday .
A high-ranking German official told dpa that restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option.
” Europe has been walloped this fall by soaring new infections and deaths due to a resurgence of the virus , and many nations have reimposed a series of restrictions to reign in their outbreaks .
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic , the second-highest confirmed toll in Europe after Italy .
Johnson on Saturday closed all non-essential shops , hairdressers , gyms and pools and told Britons to reorganize their holiday plans .
No mixing of households is now allowed indoors in Tier 4 areas , including London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into and out of such areas .
In the rest of England , people will be allowed to meet in Christmas bubbles for just one day instead of the five that were planned .
Also Saturday , video emerged showing crowds of people rushing to London train stations , apparently making a dash for places in the U.K. with less stringent coronavirus restrictions before the new rules came into effect .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “ those scenes were totally irresponsible.
” “ We in government of course have a responsibility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ The plea that I have is that people will play their part .
Because it is only by acting - all of us - that we can get this under control.
” Raf Casert in Brussels , Sylvia Hui in London and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed reporting .

BERLIN (AP) - A growing list of European Union nations and Canada barred travel from the U.K. on Sunday and others were considering similar action, in a bid to block a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England from spreading to the continent.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Bulgaria all announced restrictions on U.K. travel, hours after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Christmas shopping and gatherings in southern England must be canceled because of rapidly spreading infections blamed on the new coronavirus variant.
Johnson immediately placed those regions under a strict new Tier 4 restriction level, upending Christmas plans for millions.
France banned all travel from the U.K. for 48 hours from midnight Sunday, including trucks carrying freight through the tunnel under the English Channel or from the port of Dover on England’s south coast. French officials said the pause would buy time to find a “common doctrine” on how to deal with the threat, but it threw the busy cross-channel route used by thousands of trucks a day into chaos.
The Port of Dover tweeted Sunday night that its ferry terminal was “closed to all accompanied traffic leaving the UK until further notice due to border restrictions in France.”
Eurostar passenger trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam were also halted.
Germany said all flights coming from Britain, except cargo flights, were no longer allowed to land starting midnight Sunday. It didn’t immediately say how long the flight ban would last. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he was issuing a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight “out of precaution.” “There are a great many questions about this new mutation,” he said, adding he hoped to have more clarity by Tuesday.
Canada announced its own ban Sunday night. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement that for 72 hours starting at midnight Sunday, “all flights from the UK will be prohibited from entering Canada.” He added that travelers who arrived Sunday would be subject to secondary screening and other health measures. A follow-up statement from the government said cargo flights were not included in the ban.
The Central American nation of El Salvador, meanwhile, said it would refuse entry to anyone who has visited Britain in the preceding 30 days.
The British government said Johnson would preside at a meeting of the government’s crisis committee, COBRA, on Monday in the wake of the other nations’ measures. They come at a time of huge economic uncertainty for the U.K., less than two weeks before it leaves the EU’s economic structures Dec. 31, and with talks on a new post-Brexit trade relationship still deadlocked.
Johnson said Saturday that a fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70% more transmissible than existing strains appeared to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England in recent weeks. But he stressed “there’s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness,” or that vaccines will be less effective against it.
On Sunday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock added to the alarm when he said “the new variant is out of control.” The U.K. recorded 35,928 further confirmed cases, around double the number from a week ago.
Germany, which holds the rotating EU presidency, called a special crisis meeting on Monday to coordinate the response to the virus news among the bloc’s 27 member states.
The Netherlands banned flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year. Ireland issued a 48-hour flight ban. Italy said it would block flights from the U.K. until Jan.6, and an order signed Sunday prohibits entry into Italy by anyone who has been in the U.K. in the last 14 days.
The Czech Republic imposed stricter quarantine measures from people arriving from Britain.
Beyond Europe, Israel also said it was banning flights from Britain, Denmark and South Africa because those were the countries where the mutation is found.
The World Health Organization tweeted late Saturday that it was “in close contact with U.K. officials on the new #COVID19 virus variant” and promised to update governments and the public as more is learned.
The new strain was identified in southeastern England in September and has been spreading in the area ever since, a WHO official told the BBC on Sunday.
“What we understand is that it does have increased transmissibility, in terms of its ability to spread,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19.
Studies are under way to better understand how fast it spreads and whether “it’s related to the variant itself, or a combination of factors with behavior,” she added.
She said the strain had also been identified in Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia, where there was one case that didn’t spread further.
“The longer this virus spreads, the more opportunities it has to change,” she said. “So we really need to do everything we can right now to prevent spread.”
Viruses mutate regularly, and scientists have found thousands of different mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19. Many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are.
British health authorities said that while the variant has been circulating since September, it wasn’t until the last week that officials felt they had enough evidence to declare that it has higher transmissibility than other circulating coronaviruses.
Patrick Vallance, the British government’s chief scientific adviser, said officials are concerned about the new variant because it contained 23 different changes, “an unusually large number of variants” affecting how the virus binds to and enters cells in the body.
Officials aren’t certain whether it originated in the U.K., Vallance added. But by December, he said it was causing over 60% of infections in London.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for U.S. surgeon general said Sunday that the emergence of the new strain doesn’t change the public health guidance on precautions for reducing the spread of the virus, such as wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.
“While it seems to be more easily transmissible, we do not have evidence yet that this is a more deadly virus to an individual who acquires it,” Vivek Murthy said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “There’s no reason to believe that the vaccines that have been developed will not be effective against this virus, as well.”
Europe has been walloped this fall by soaring new infections and deaths due to a resurgence of the virus, and many nations have reimposed a series of restrictions to reign in their outbreaks.
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic, the second-highest confirmed toll in Europe after Italy. Europe as a whole has recorded nearly 499,000 virus deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that experts believe is an undercount, due to limited testing and missed cases.
The European Medicines Agency, meanwhile, is meeting Monday to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine for the European Union’s 27 nations, bringing vaccinations closer for millions of EU citizens. The vaccine made by German pharmaceutical company BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer is already in use in the United States, Britain, Canada and other countries.
The EMA moved up its assessment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by a week after heavy pressure from EU governments, especially Germany, which has said that after the EMA approval it could start vaccinating citizens as early as next Sunday.
In an urgent address to the nation on Saturday, Johnson ordered all non-essential shops, hairdressers and gyms in London and large parts of southern England closed and told Britons to reorganize their holiday plans. No mixing of households is allowed indoors in the region, and only essential travel is permitted. In the rest of England, people will be allowed to meet in Christmas bubbles for just one day instead of the five that were planned.
After he spoke, videos emerged online showing crowds of people at London’s train stations, apparently making a dash for places in the U.K. with less stringent coronavirus restrictions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock called those scenes “totally irresponsible.”
While Hancock insisted officials had acted “very quickly and decisively,” critics said Britain’s Conservative government should have moved against rising infections much earlier.
“The alarms bells have been ringing for weeks, but the prime minister chose to ignore them,” said Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party. “It is an act of gross negligence by a prime minister who, once again, has been caught behind the curve.”
___
Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber reported this story in Berlin and AP writer Sylvia Hui reported from London. AP writers Jill Lawless in London, Thomas Adamson in Paris, Raf Casert in Brussels, Colleen Barry in Milan, Karel Janicek in Prague, Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, John Hanna in Washington and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--2nd COVID-19 vaccine authorized in US preparing to ship out

OLIVE BRANCH , Miss .
( AP ) - Workers on Sunday began packaging shipments of the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S. , a desperately needed boost to efforts to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control .
Employees at a factory in the Memphis area were boxing up the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health .
The much-needed shots are expected to be given starting Monday , just three days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized their emergency rollout .
Later Sunday , an expert committee will debate who should be next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna vaccine and a similar one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany ’ s BioNTech .
Pfizer ’ s shots were first shipped out a week ago and started being used the next day , kicking off the nation ’ s biggest vaccination drive .
Public health experts say the shots - and others in the pipeline - are the only way to stop a virus that has been spreading wildly .
Nationwide , more than 219,000 people per day on average test positive for the virus , which has killed more than 314,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide .
The Pfizer and Moderna shots shipped so far and going out over the next few weeks are nearly all going to health care workers and residents of long-term care homes , based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices .
That panel meets Sunday to debate who should get the doses available after those early shots are given .
There won ’ t be enough shots for the general population until spring , so doses will be rationed at least for the next several months .
The panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers ” next in line , because people like bus drivers , grocery store clerks and others are the ones getting infected most often .
But other experts say people 65 and older should be next , along with people with certain medical conditions , because those are the Americans who are dying at the highest rates .
The expert panel ’ s advice is almost always endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
No matter what the CDC says , there will be differences from state to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideas about who should be closer to the front of the line .
Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart .
The second dose must be from the same company as the first .
Both vaccines appeared safe and strongly protective in large , still unfinished studies .

NEW YORK (AP) - A federal advisory panel recommended Sunday that people 75 and older and essential workers like firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers should be next in line for COVID-19 shots, while a second vaccine began rolling out to hospitals as the nation works to get the coronavirus pandemic under control.
The two developments came amid a vaccination program that began only in the last week and has given initial shots to about 556,000 Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech already is being distributed, and regulators last week gave approval to the one from Moderna Inc. that began shipping Sunday.
Earlier this month, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said health care workers and nursing home residents - about 24 million people - should be at the very front of the line for the vaccines.
Sunday’s vote by the panel was who should be next in line, and by a vote of 13-1, it decided that it should be people 75 and older, who number about 20 million, as well as certain front-line workers, who total about 30 million.
The essential workers include firefighters and police; teachers and school staff; those working in food, agricultural and manufacturing sectors; corrections workers; U.S. Postal Service employees; public transit workers; and grocery store workers. They are considered at very high risk of infection because their jobs are critical and require them to be in regular contact with other people.
It’s not clear how long it will take to vaccinate those groups. Vaccine doses have come out slower than earlier projections. But at the same time, some experts noted that not everyone who is recommended to get vaccinated may choose to get a shot.
The committee also voted that behind those groups should be people aged 65 to 74, numbering about 30 million; those aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions like obesity and cancer who are at higher risk if they get COVID-19, numbering as many as 110 million; and a tier of other essential workers. This group of as many as 57 million includes a wide category of food service and utility workers but also those in legal and financial jobs and the media.
The expert panel’s recommendation next goes to the CDC director and to states as guidance to put together vaccination programs. CDC directors have almost always signed off on committee recommendations. No matter what the CDC says, there will be differences from state to state, because various health departments have different ideas about who should be closer to the front of the line.
Federal officials expect that vaccine doses will be limited for several months. CDC officials say up to 20 million are projected to start getting shots this month, another 30 million next month, and 50 million in February. That’s 100 million out of a population of more than 330 million.
Pfizer’s shots were first shipped out a week ago and started being used the next day, kicking off the nation’s biggest vaccination drive.
Public health experts say the shots - and others in the pipeline - are the only way to stop a virus that has been spreading wildly. Nationwide, more than 219,000 people per day on average test positive for the virus, which has killed over 316,000 in the U.S. and nearly 1.7 million worldwide.
Earlier Sunday, trucks left the Olive Branch, Mississippi, factory, near Memphis, Tennessee, with the vaccine developed by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health. The much-needed shots are expected to be given starting Monday, just three days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized their emergency rollout.
In Louisville, Kentucky, UPS driver Todd Elble said his vaccine shipment was the “most important load that I’ve hauled” in a 37-year career. His parents contracted COVID-19 in November, and his 78-year-old father died. He said the family speculates that his father got infected while traveling on a hunting trip with four other relatives to Wyoming, and some are still sick.
“I’m going to take the vaccine myself. I’m going to be first in line for my father - I’ll tell you that much - and any others that should follow,” he said. “I feel in my heart that everybody should, to help get this stopped.”
He added: “To bring this back, I feel Dad was in the truck with me today.”
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief science adviser to the federal government’s vaccine distribution effort, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that nearly 8 million doses will be distributed Monday, about 5.9 million of the Moderna vaccine and 2 million of the Pfizer vaccine.
Slaoui also predicted the U.S. will experience “a continuing surge,” with larger numbers of coronavirus cases possible from gatherings for Christmas.
“I think, unfortunately, it will get worse,” he said.
There won’t be enough shots for the general population until spring, so doses will be rationed at least for the next several months. President-elect Joe Biden pledged earlier this month to have 100 million doses distributed in his first 100 days in office, and his surgeon general nominee said Sunday that it’s still a realistic goal.
But Vivek Murthy told NBC’s “Meet the Press” it’s more realistic to think it may be midsummer or early fall before vaccines are available to the general public, rather than late spring. Murthy said Biden’s team is working toward having the shots available to lower-risk individuals by late spring but doing so requires “everything to go exactly on schedule.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s surgeon general, Jerome Adams, defended the administration’s handling of the Pfizer vaccine Sunday, a day after the Army general charge of getting COVID-19 vaccines across the U.S. apologized Saturday for “miscommunication” with states over the number of doses to be delivered in the early stages of distribution. At least a dozen states reported they would receive a smaller second shipment of the Pfizer vaccine than they had been told previously.
Gen. Gustave Perna told reporters in a telephone briefing that he made mistakes by citing numbers of doses that he believed would be ready. Slaoui said the mistake was assuming vaccines that had been produced were ready for shipment when there was a two-day delay.
“And unless it’s perfectly right, we will not release vaccine doses for usage,” he said. “And, sometimes, there could be small hiccups. There have been none, actually, in manufacturing now. The hiccup was more into the planning.”
But Adams told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that “the numbers are going to go up and down.”
“It absolutely was not poor planning,” he said. “There’s what we plan. There’s what we actually allocate. There’s what’s delivered, and then there’s what’s actually put in people’s arms.”
Adams, who is Black, said he understands that mistrust of the medical community and the vaccine among Blacks “comes from a real place,” the mistreatment of communities of color. He cited the decades-long Tuskegee experiment in Alabama, where Black men with syphilis were not treated so the disease could be studied.
He also said immigrants in the U.S. illegally should not be denied the vaccine because of their legal status because “it’s not ethically right to deny those individuals.”
“I want to reassure people that your information when collected to get your second shot, if you get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, will not be used in any way, shape or form to harm you legally,” Adams said. “That is something that I have been assured of.”
Both the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first. Both vaccines appeared safe and strongly protective in large, still unfinished studies.
—
Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Also contributing was AP Radio correspondent Julie Walker in New York.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Germany brings home 3 women, 12 kids from camps in Syria

BERLIN ( AP ) - Germany has organized the return of three women and 12 children from camps in northeastern Syria for humanitarian reasons .
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday did not further identify the women or children , who were flown back to Germany on Saturday .
However , the German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported that all three women had left Germany in recent years to join the extremist Islamic State group Syria .
The paper identified the women as Merve A. , Yasmin A. and Leonora M. Also Sunday , Germany ’ s federal prosecutor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the name of Leonora M. had been arrested upon her arrival at Frankfurt airport .
It said she is accused of membership in the foreign terrorist group Islamic State and allegedly committed crimes against humanity .
Maas said he was “ very relieved ” about the return of the 12 children and three of their mothers .
“ These are humanitarian cases , especially orphans and children with illnesses - cases in which the departure was urgently needed , ” Maas said .
“ This good news just before Christmas makes us confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the return of further cases as well , ” he said adding that the government would advocate the return of others in coming weeks and months .
Maas said the return was organized in cooperation with Finland , which brought home six children and two women .
Hundreds of Europeans - many of them young women - left the continent in the last couple of years to join the Islamic State and fight in Syria and Iraq .
Several died , others were arrested and detained by Turkish , Kurdish or Iraqi authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their children back to Europe .
European governments , however , have been reluctant to take back the often radicalized Islamic State supporters and sentiment is running high across Europe against the returnees .

BERLIN (AP) - Germany has organized the return of three women and 12 children from camps in northeastern Syria for humanitarian reasons.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday did not further identify the women or children, who were flown back to Germany on Saturday.
However, the German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported that all three women had left Germany in recent years to join the extremist Islamic State group Syria. The paper identified the women as Merve A., Yasmin A. and Leonora M.
Also Sunday, Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office said a German citizen by the name of Leonora M. had been arrested upon her arrival at Frankfurt airport. It said she is accused of membership in the foreign terrorist group Islamic State and allegedly committed crimes against humanity.
Maas said he was “very relieved” about the return of the 12 children and three of their mothers.
“These are humanitarian cases, especially orphans and children with illnesses - cases in which the departure was urgently needed,” Maas said.
“This good news just before Christmas makes us confident that we will be able to organize the return of further cases as well,” he said adding that the government would advocate the return of others in coming weeks and months.
Maas said the return was organized in cooperation with Finland, which brought home six children and two women.
Hundreds of Europeans - many of them young women - left the continent in the last couple of years to join the Islamic State and fight in Syria and Iraq. Several died, others were arrested and detained by Turkish, Kurdish or Iraqi authorities who have been eager to deport them and their children back to Europe.
European governments, however, have been reluctant to take back the often radicalized Islamic State supporters and sentiment is running high across Europe against the returnees.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--More students abducted in Nigeria but are quickly rescued

MAIDUGURI , Nigeria ( AP ) - Gunmen in Nigeria abducted more than 80 Islamic school students in northwestern Katsina state Saturday night , but the pupils were quickly rescued by security forces after a fierce gun battle , police announced Sunday .
The foiled abduction comes less than two days after the release of 344 schoolboys who were kidnapped in the same area on Dec. 11 .
The incidents have highlighted the insecurity in northern Nigeria .
Saturday night ’ s attempted kidnapping took place in Dandume , about 64 kilometers ( 40 miles ) from Kankara , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred .
The bandits had already abducted four people and stolen a dozen cows when they ran into the schoolchildren who were on their way home from a celebration , Katsina state police spokesman , Gambo Isa , said early Sunday morning .
Police and a local community self-defense group rescued the children from the bandits after a gunfight , he said .
“ The teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered all the 12 rustled cows.
” said Isa in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a view of arresting the injured bandits and/or the recovery of their dead bodies.
” Dandume , an area bordering the northern part of Kaduna state , is one of the region ’ s hotspots for banditry and kidnapping , according to residents .
“ Dandume is a no-go-area for many of us because of the high level of crimes and insecurity being perpetrated by armed bandits , ” said Saidu Lawal , an official of a local civic group in Katsina , told The Associated Press .
“ Despite government efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads leading from the metropolitan locations to the hinterlands of Dandume … the banditry still persists , ” said Lawal .
“ On many occasions , the bandits block the Dandume-Sabuwa highways to attack travelers .
It was based on that reason that many people have abandoned the new route .
”

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) - Gunmen in Nigeria abducted more than 80 Islamic school students in northwestern Katsina state Saturday night, but the pupils were quickly rescued by security forces after a fierce gun battle, police announced Sunday.
The foiled abduction comes less than two days after the release of 344 schoolboys who were kidnapped in the same area on Dec. 11. The incidents have highlighted the insecurity in northern Nigeria.
Saturday night’s attempted kidnapping took place in Dandume, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) from Kankara, the town where the earlier kidnapping of schoolboys occurred.
The bandits had already abducted four people and stolen a dozen cows when they ran into the schoolchildren who were on their way home from a celebration, Katsina state police spokesman, Gambo Isa, said early Sunday morning. Police and a local community self-defense group rescued the children from the bandits after a gunfight, he said.
“The teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered all the 12 rustled cows.” said Isa in a statement. “Search parties are still combing the area with a view of arresting the injured bandits and/or the recovery of their dead bodies.”
Dandume, an area bordering the northern part of Kaduna state, is one of the region’s hotspots for banditry and kidnapping, according to residents.
“Dandume is a no-go-area for many of us because of the high level of crimes and insecurity being perpetrated by armed bandits,” said Saidu Lawal, an official of a local civic group in Katsina, told The Associated Press.
“Despite government efforts to open up the area by constructing roads leading from the metropolitan locations to the hinterlands of Dandume … the banditry still persists,” said Lawal. “On many occasions, the bandits block the Dandume-Sabuwa highways to attack travelers. It was based on that reason that many people have abandoned the new route.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Thousands line up for tests amid Thailand virus outbreak

SAMUT SAKHON , Thailand ( AP ) - Thousands of people lined up for coronavirus tests in a province near Bangkok on Sunday , as Thai authorities scrambled to contain an outbreak of the virus that has infected nearly 700 people .
Triple lines of mainly migrant workers stretched for around 100 meters in one location alone , at Mahachai in Samut Sakhon province , as health officials in mobile units methodically took nasal swabs .
There were three locations in total in the area .
Nearby , razor wire and police guards blocked access to the Klang Koong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Thailand ’ s largest - and its associated housing , the epicenter of the new cluster .
Thailand ’ s Disease Control Department said Sunday that they found 141 more cases linked to the market outbreak .
On Saturday , the department reported 548 cases , Thailand ’ s biggest daily spike , sending shockwaves through a country that has seen only a small number of infections over the past several months due to strict border and quarantine controls .
The new outbreak has been traced to a 67-year-old shrimp vendor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say most of those who have been infected are migrant workers from Myanmar .
The workers live close to the market in crowded accommodations , raising fears that the virus could spread exponentially .
Samut Sakhon is 34 kilometers ( 21 miles ) southwest of Bangkok , the capital .
Samut Sakhon ’ s governor has imposed a night curfew and other travel restrictions until Jan. 3 .
Many public places in the province , including shopping malls , schools , cinemas , spas and sports stadiums , have been ordered closed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a listless atmosphere as idle workers sat around , unable to leave the area .
Food supplies were brought to the entrance but had to be offloaded .
Masked residents of the housing around the market piled provisions onto trolleys and took them away .
For some , the concern was economic .
“ I am worried because I can ’ t do anything at all and my employees can ’ t go out either , so we can ’ t do anything .
The loss is huge , ” said one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wanida Imphanchai , another merchant , paced near the market ’ s blocked entrance , telling the police on duty that she had a negative coronavirus test just days ago and should be allowed to leave .
She showed them the document on her phone , but they politely declined her request .
“ How can I live like this ?
The virus comes but I can ’ t see it .
If something happens to me , it will be messy , ” Wanida said before walking away .
With fewer than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been able to largely control the virus .
Prior to the current outbreak , there had been very few cases of local transmission in recent months , as life returned largely back to normal .

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (AP) - Thousands of people lined up for coronavirus tests in a province near Bangkok on Sunday, as Thai authorities scrambled to contain an outbreak of the virus that has infected nearly 700 people.
Triple lines of mainly migrant workers stretched for around 100 meters in one location alone, at Mahachai in Samut Sakhon province, as health officials in mobile units methodically took nasal swabs. There were three locations in total in the area.
Nearby, razor wire and police guards blocked access to the Klang Koong, or Central Shrimp, seafood market - one of Thailand’s largest - and its associated housing, the epicenter of the new cluster.
Thailand’s Disease Control Department said Sunday that they found 141 more cases linked to the market outbreak. On Saturday, the department reported 548 cases, Thailand’s biggest daily spike, sending shockwaves through a country that has seen only a small number of infections over the past several months due to strict border and quarantine controls.
The new outbreak has been traced to a 67-year-old shrimp vendor at the seafood market.
Health officials say most of those who have been infected are migrant workers from Myanmar. The workers live close to the market in crowded accommodations, raising fears that the virus could spread exponentially.
Samut Sakhon is 34 kilometers (21 miles) southwest of Bangkok, the capital.
Samut Sakhon’s governor has imposed a night curfew and other travel restrictions until Jan. 3. Many public places in the province, including shopping malls, schools, cinemas, spas and sports stadiums, have been ordered closed.
At the Mahachai seafood market, there was a listless atmosphere as idle workers sat around, unable to leave the area. Food supplies were brought to the entrance but had to be offloaded. Masked residents of the housing around the market piled provisions onto trolleys and took them away.
For some, the concern was economic.
“I am worried because I can’t do anything at all and my employees can’t go out either, so we can’t do anything. The loss is huge,” said one seafood merchant, 55-year-old Thanawan Watchanapraphan.
Wanida Imphanchai, another merchant, paced near the market’s blocked entrance, telling the police on duty that she had a negative coronavirus test just days ago and should be allowed to leave. She showed them the document on her phone, but they politely declined her request.
“How can I live like this? The virus comes but I can’t see it. If something happens to me, it will be messy,” Wanida said before walking away.
With fewer than 5,000 cases and 60 deaths, Thailand has been able to largely control the virus. Prior to the current outbreak, there had been very few cases of local transmission in recent months, as life returned largely back to normal.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Nepal president dissolves Parliament; elections next spring

KATHMANDU , Nepal ( AP ) - Nepal ’ s president dissolved Parliament on Sunday after the prime minister recommended the move amid an escalating feud within his Communist Party that is likely to push the Himalayan nation into a political crisis .
Parliamentary elections will be held on April 30 and May 10 , according to a statement from President Bidya Devi Bhandari ’ s office .
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli decided to dissolve Parliament at a Cabinet meeting Sunday and immediately presented his recommendation .
Oli became prime minister after his Nepal Communist Party won elections three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the party of former Maoist rebels had merged to form a strong communist party to win the election .
There has , however , been a power tussle with the leader of the former Maoists rebels , Pushpa Kamal Dahal , who is also the co-chair of the party .
Oli has refused to succeed him as the prime minister or lead the party , causing problems within the party .
The opposition has repeatedly accused Oli ’ s government of corruption and his administration has faced criticism over its handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in Nepal has reached 243,184 , including 1,777 deaths .
Oli also has been accused of moving closer to China and drifting away from Nepal ’ s traditional partner India since taking over power .
This has caused problems between Oli and New Delhi .

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Nepal’s president dissolved Parliament on Sunday after the prime minister recommended the move amid an escalating feud within his Communist Party that is likely to push the Himalayan nation into a political crisis.
Parliamentary elections will be held on April 30 and May 10, according to a statement from President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s office.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli decided to dissolve Parliament at a Cabinet meeting Sunday and immediately presented his recommendation.
Oli became prime minister after his Nepal Communist Party won elections three years ago. Oli’s party and the party of former Maoist rebels had merged to form a strong communist party to win the election.
There has, however, been a power tussle with the leader of the former Maoists rebels, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also the co-chair of the party. Oli has refused to succeed him as the prime minister or lead the party, causing problems within the party.
The opposition has repeatedly accused Oli’s government of corruption and his administration has faced criticism over its handling of the coronavirus. The number of virus cases in Nepal has reached 243,184, including 1,777 deaths.
Oli also has been accused of moving closer to China and drifting away from Nepal’s traditional partner India since taking over power. This has caused problems between Oli and New Delhi.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Dutch ban UK flights, fearing the new coronavirus variant

THE HAGUE ( AP ) - The Netherlands is banning flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year in an attempt to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus that is sweeping across southern England does not reach its shores .
The ban came into effect Sunday morning and the government said it was reacting to tougher measures imposed in London and surrounding areas on Saturday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
The Netherlands said it will assess “ with other European Union nations the possibilities to contain the import of the virus from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70 % more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England .
“ There ’ s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness , ” the prime minister stressed , or that vaccines will be less effective against it .
The Dutch government is already strongly advising its citizens not to travel unless absolutely necessary .
There was no immediate word on what the Dutch government intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. and the Netherlands .
Britain has alerted the World Health Organization that the new variant identified this week appears to be accelerating the spread of COVID-19 , saying it accounted for some 60 % of the capital ’ s cases .
Viruses mutate regularly , and scientists have found thousands different of mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19 .
But many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are .
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy .
The Netherlands has recorded over 10,500 virus-related deaths .

THE HAGUE (AP) - The Netherlands is banning flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year in an attempt to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus that is sweeping across southern England does not reach its shores.
The ban came into effect Sunday morning and the government said it was reacting to tougher measures imposed in London and surrounding areas on Saturday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Netherlands said it will assess “with other European Union nations the possibilities to contain the import of the virus from the United Kingdom.”
Johnson said a fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70% more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England.
“There’s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness,” the prime minister stressed, or that vaccines will be less effective against it.
The Dutch government is already strongly advising its citizens not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
There was no immediate word on what the Dutch government intended to do about the ferries that travel between the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Britain has alerted the World Health Organization that the new variant identified this week appears to be accelerating the spread of COVID-19, saying it accounted for some 60% of the capital’s cases.
Viruses mutate regularly, and scientists have found thousands different of mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19. But many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are.
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic, the second-highest confirmed toll in Europe after Italy. The Netherlands has recorded over 10,500 virus-related deaths.
___
Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Black-owned funeral homes adapt for virus, serve communities

TAMPA , Fla. ( AP ) - For the first time since 1990 , Jeffrey Rhodes has told families that the Ray Williams Funeral Home was booked for the weekend .
Many churches are not allowing funerals this year due to coronavirus pandemic safety measures .
Rhodes , like other Black funeral directors across Florida and the country , has been relying on graveside or chapel services which have fewer time slots available on weekends ― which families prefer ― making it hard to accommodate all families at once .
“ We ’ re having too many funerals now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the ways the pandemic has altered death care , especially within the Black community , where funeral homes are as much cultural institutions as they are businesses , and at a time when racial disparities persist in coronavirus cases and deaths .
Kaiser Health News reported in September that Black Americans ages 65 to 74 had died of COVID-19 five times as often as whites .
Ray Williams opened in Tampa in 1930 and contains family records dating that far back .
In 1990 , Rhodes and David Northern Jr. took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business while keeping it family-owned and independent .
More importantly , Rhodes notes , he and the business have remained a part of the local community .
Rhodes started working there when he was 17 .
That community connection is common historically when it comes to African-American funeral homes , said Hari P. Close II , president of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association .
These businesses arose out of a necessity , Close said , because many white-owned funeral homes in segregated areas took Black bodies only through the back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local mainstays , where hearses doubled as ambulances and the funeral home director also served as a notary and even pastor .
“ The Black funeral director is part of the community , ” Close said .
From bearing the bodies of Black men and women who were lynched , to being actively engaged in civil rights movements , the Black funeral home has played several roles in African-American history , said Russell Wright , president of the Florida Morticians Association .
And in Florida , the tradition of these businesses remaining independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent Black-owned funeral homes remain across the country , Close said , with conglomerates buying up many mom-and-pops .
Not long ago , there were nearly twice that number .
Wright ’ s organization of independent funeral homes in Florida boasts 200 to 300 members , with the majority being African-American , he said .
Some of the older firms are run by the fourth generation of a family , he added .
But now they ’ re being forced to make significant changes , thanks to the pandemic .
Traditional homegoing celebrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a church and a repass afterward with a meal for the guests have downsized into small gatherings at a graveside or a chapel and food given out to-go , Rhodes said .
In light of the crowd limits , his funeral home and others have begun live-streaming ceremonies .
The service of the late Rubin Eugene Padgett Sr. , Hillsborough County ’ s first Black county commissioner , for instance , had about 300 people viewing live online , Rhodes said .
And he ’ s added other measures , such as putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor a family ’ s wishes that no one touch s body upon viewing , the casket veil is now a safety measure when COVID-19 was the cause of death , Rhodes said .
The last time he recalls added precautions for handling bodies was during the AIDS epidemic , which prompted increased use of disposable sheets , syringes , etc .
When his funeral home knows a deceased person had COVID-19 , his staff makes sure the mouth and nose are covered and treats everything with a strong disinfectant , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of the economic impact of the pandemic .
Wright , who owns his Panama City funeral home with his wife , has noticed an uptick in cremation requests , which isn ’ t traditional in the Black community , he said .
With so many families unemployed and hit with losses tied to the virus , more affordable options are more common .
“ They ’ ve been in this predicament where they have a loved one that they ’ ve got to , you know , put away , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Wright said .
Rhodes was used to families selecting everything from the casket to the program , a la carte .
But these days , families are likely to inquire about more affordable packages .
Being an independent funeral home is key , Rhodes said .
Without the pressures of a parent company , his business can accommodate families ’ financial circumstances and still offer a dignified celebration of their loved one ’ s life .
The heightened stress from the pandemic has taken a toll on the death care industry as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several Black funeral directors to the virus , but the dedication to push through has remained in directors such as Rhodes .
“ To me , it ’ s like a ministry , ” Rhodes said .

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - For the first time since 1990, Jeffrey Rhodes has told families that the Ray Williams Funeral Home was booked for the weekend.
Many churches are not allowing funerals this year due to coronavirus pandemic safety measures. Rhodes, like other Black funeral directors across Florida and the country, has been relying on graveside or chapel services which have fewer time slots available on weekends ― which families prefer ― making it hard to accommodate all families at once.
“We’re having too many funerals now,” Rhodes said.
It’s one of the ways the pandemic has altered death care, especially within the Black community, where funeral homes are as much cultural institutions as they are businesses, and at a time when racial disparities persist in coronavirus cases and deaths. Kaiser Health News reported in September that Black Americans ages 65 to 74 had died of COVID-19 five times as often as whites.
Ray Williams opened in Tampa in 1930 and contains family records dating that far back. In 1990, Rhodes and David Northern Jr. took over ownership, adding their names to the business while keeping it family-owned and independent.
More importantly, Rhodes notes, he and the business have remained a part of the local community. Rhodes started working there when he was 17.
That community connection is common historically when it comes to African-American funeral homes, said Hari P. Close II, president of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association.
These businesses arose out of a necessity, Close said, because many white-owned funeral homes in segregated areas took Black bodies only through the back door. Black funeral homes turned into local mainstays, where hearses doubled as ambulances and the funeral home director also served as a notary and even pastor.
“The Black funeral director is part of the community,” Close said.
From bearing the bodies of Black men and women who were lynched, to being actively engaged in civil rights movements, the Black funeral home has played several roles in African-American history, said Russell Wright, president of the Florida Morticians Association.
And in Florida, the tradition of these businesses remaining independent has held strong.
Only about 1,500 independent Black-owned funeral homes remain across the country, Close said, with conglomerates buying up many mom-and-pops. Not long ago, there were nearly twice that number.
Wright’s organization of independent funeral homes in Florida boasts 200 to 300 members, with the majority being African-American, he said. Some of the older firms are run by the fourth generation of a family, he added.
But now they’re being forced to make significant changes, thanks to the pandemic.
Traditional homegoing celebrations that often call for large groups at a church and a repass afterward with a meal for the guests have downsized into small gatherings at a graveside or a chapel and food given out to-go, Rhodes said.
In light of the crowd limits, his funeral home and others have begun live-streaming ceremonies. The service of the late Rubin Eugene Padgett Sr., Hillsborough County’s first Black county commissioner, for instance, had about 300 people viewing live online, Rhodes said.
And he’s added other measures, such as putting up casket veils. Typically used to honor a family’s wishes that no one touch s body upon viewing, the casket veil is now a safety measure when COVID-19 was the cause of death, Rhodes said.
The last time he recalls added precautions for handling bodies was during the AIDS epidemic, which prompted increased use of disposable sheets, syringes, etc. When his funeral home knows a deceased person had COVID-19, his staff makes sure the mouth and nose are covered and treats everything with a strong disinfectant, he said.
More indirect changes have occurred as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic.
Wright, who owns his Panama City funeral home with his wife, has noticed an uptick in cremation requests, which isn’t traditional in the Black community, he said. With so many families unemployed and hit with losses tied to the virus, more affordable options are more common.
“They’ve been in this predicament where they have a loved one that they’ve got to, you know, put away, and the financial resources are not there,” Wright said.
Rhodes was used to families selecting everything from the casket to the program, a la carte. But these days, families are likely to inquire about more affordable packages.
Being an independent funeral home is key, Rhodes said. Without the pressures of a parent company, his business can accommodate families’ financial circumstances and still offer a dignified celebration of their loved one’s life.
The heightened stress from the pandemic has taken a toll on the death care industry as a whole, including the loss of several Black funeral directors to the virus, but the dedication to push through has remained in directors such as Rhodes.
“To me, it’s like a ministry,” Rhodes said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Miami Beach wants to help homeowners adapt to sea level rise

MIAMI ( AP ) - Miami Beach is exploring a way to help residents cover the cost of floodproofing their properties from heavy rains and high tides made even higher by sea level rise - at least a little .
The city is considering offering residents matching grants of up to $ 20,000 for projects like installing flood panels , swapping out a driveway for permeable pavement or planting absorbent landscaping - all simple ways to cut down on flooding .
Other cities and states offer help for residents trying to adapt to climate change in the form of loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s proposal would stand alone in offering city money to homeowners as a grant .
“ I believe this is a major step forward for our overall resilience program , ” said Miami Beach Commissioner Mark Samuelian , who sponsored the resolution .
“ We want to see this happen in our community .
It ’ s right for our residents and it ’ s also in the long-term interest of the city.
” The program won ’ t be up and running until late 2021 or early 2022 , after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a process for applying for and awarding the grants .
The initial funding , up to $ 666,666.66 a year , comes from an old agreement with Miami-Dade County to pool cash for sea level rise projects .
The city renamed it the Miami Beach Resilience Fund at a November meeting .
The final grant rules would still require city commission approval .
Long term , the city plans to explore using rent payments from the new Convention Center Hotel , once it ’ s in business .
When Miami Beach voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also voted to set aside $ 2 million of the hotel ’ s annual rent payments for several issues , including stormwater projects like more flood pumps .
It ’ s unclear when the hotel will open and begin making rent payments to the city , and voters would have to approve using those funds for private property adaptation grants .
The grants are meant to help pay to elevate air conditioning units or install landscaping , not large-scale projects like raising sea walls or elevating houses , which experts say coastal residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the rising tides .
South Florida is predicting more than two feet of sea level rise by 2060 .
Adapting to those higher waters is going to cost Florida , the most vulnerable state in the nation , billions .
And most estimates - like the one that suggests Florida will need to spend $ 75 billion on seawalls by 2040 - only address the government ’ s cut of the bill .
There ’ s no good guess for how much of that adaptation will be borne by property owners .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief resilience officer , told the commission that a small survey of about 400 residents found that half experienced lawn flooding , 27 % experienced garage flooding and about 13 % had their homes flood .
The majority of respondents said they ’ d apply for matching grants if the city offered them .
Knowles said the program will be designed to “ help those that need it most , including from a flood risk and income perspective.
” Another group that could potentially benefit from the grants is homeowners on newly raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to elevate low-lying streets has seen pushback from residents upset that floodwater from the previously low-lying roads is now shifted onto their front yards , including some complaints about the cost of matching the higher roads to their properties .
“ I do think this is an element of what this is about , ” Samuelian said .
“ As the city is rightfully trying to protect the city ’ s public right of way , we need to make sure that nothing we ’ re doing is adversely affecting property owners.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grant program is not meant to completely cover those costs , known as harmonization .
“ The new program could complement harmonization for low lying properties that have specific flooding mitigation needs , but is not intended to pay for private property responsibilities associated with utility improvements , ” she wrote in an email .
At the expected rate of $ 20,000 per home , the fund could help out a little more than 30 homes a year .
That drew criticism from former Miami Beach Commissioner John Aleman , who pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach all 5,000 single-family homes in the city .
At the November meeting , Aleman said the proposal was “ really not moving the needle on climate change.
” “ If you really want to help residents , then instead of pilfering infrastructure capital funding and handing it out to residents in small chunks , keep that money and use it for our core capital infrastructure .
Use it for bigger pipes , use it for pumps , ” she said .
“ That is the best way you can help us residents.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to climate change are relatively rare outside of federal funding after disasters .
Few , if any , cities offer the kinds of grants Miami Beach is considering .
Connecticut ’ s ShoreUp CT program provides low-interest financing for property owners in flood zones to elevate their homes and retrofit for flood and wind protection .
The closest parallel in Florida is the Property Assessed Clean Energy program , where homeowners can get financing to install solar panels or impact windows , although the controversial program has a reputation for putting elderly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orleans may have the most similar program to Miami Beach in its Community Adaptation Program , which covers the costs of green infrastructure installations for low-to-moderate-income residents in one of the most flood-prone parts of the city .
The city is using part of a $ 141 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban and Development to offer grants to around 3,900 homeowners .
So far , the city has helped 82 residents , with another 100-plus projects in the pipeline .
The average cost is around $ 25,000 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estate development and planning with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority .
“ We ’ ve been very upfront with the homeowners that these improvements are not going to solve the flooding in the whole neighborhood , but it is going to lessen the damage and help the water soak up faster , ” he said .
New Orleans Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Brenda Breaux said the difference before and after the improvements “ is like daylight and dark ” for residents .
“ These homeowners that are doing the work now have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community talking about the impact from their individual properties , ” she said .
Knudson said the improvements have made a measurable difference in how much flooding the city sees after a heavy rainstorm .
“ There ’ s a strong case to be made that these private properties are the best opportunities we have as a city to expand our stormwater capacity , ” he said .
“ It ’ s really the future for us as a city .
”

MIAMI (AP) - Miami Beach is exploring a way to help residents cover the cost of floodproofing their properties from heavy rains and high tides made even higher by sea level rise - at least a little.
The city is considering offering residents matching grants of up to $20,000 for projects like installing flood panels, swapping out a driveway for permeable pavement or planting absorbent landscaping - all simple ways to cut down on flooding.
Other cities and states offer help for residents trying to adapt to climate change in the form of loans or federal cash, but Miami Beach’s proposal would stand alone in offering city money to homeowners as a grant.
“I believe this is a major step forward for our overall resilience program,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Mark Samuelian, who sponsored the resolution. “We want to see this happen in our community. It’s right for our residents and it’s also in the long-term interest of the city.”
The program won’t be up and running until late 2021 or early 2022, after the city sets up a dedicated funding source and a process for applying for and awarding the grants.
The initial funding, up to $666,666.66 a year, comes from an old agreement with Miami-Dade County to pool cash for sea level rise projects. The city renamed it the Miami Beach Resilience Fund at a November meeting. The final grant rules would still require city commission approval.
Long term, the city plans to explore using rent payments from the new Convention Center Hotel, once it’s in business. When Miami Beach voters approved the hotel in 2018, they also voted to set aside $2 million of the hotel’s annual rent payments for several issues, including stormwater projects like more flood pumps. It’s unclear when the hotel will open and begin making rent payments to the city, and voters would have to approve using those funds for private property adaptation grants.
The grants are meant to help pay to elevate air conditioning units or install landscaping, not large-scale projects like raising sea walls or elevating houses, which experts say coastal residents will need to start doing soon to meet the rising tides. South Florida is predicting more than two feet of sea level rise by 2060.
Adapting to those higher waters is going to cost Florida, the most vulnerable state in the nation, billions. And most estimates - like the one that suggests Florida will need to spend $75 billion on seawalls by 2040 - only address the government’s cut of the bill. There’s no good guess for how much of that adaptation will be borne by property owners.
Amy Knowles, the city’s chief resilience officer, told the commission that a small survey of about 400 residents found that half experienced lawn flooding, 27% experienced garage flooding and about 13% had their homes flood. The majority of respondents said they’d apply for matching grants if the city offered them.
Knowles said the program will be designed to “help those that need it most, including from a flood risk and income perspective.”
Another group that could potentially benefit from the grants is homeowners on newly raised roads. The city’s campaign to elevate low-lying streets has seen pushback from residents upset that floodwater from the previously low-lying roads is now shifted onto their front yards, including some complaints about the cost of matching the higher roads to their properties.
“I do think this is an element of what this is about,” Samuelian said. “As the city is rightfully trying to protect the city’s public right of way, we need to make sure that nothing we’re doing is adversely affecting property owners.”
Knowles, however, cautioned that this grant program is not meant to completely cover those costs, known as harmonization.
“The new program could complement harmonization for low lying properties that have specific flooding mitigation needs, but is not intended to pay for private property responsibilities associated with utility improvements,” she wrote in an email.
At the expected rate of $20,000 per home, the fund could help out a little more than 30 homes a year. That drew criticism from former Miami Beach Commissioner John Aleman, who pointed out that it would take 150 years to reach all 5,000 single-family homes in the city.
At the November meeting, Aleman said the proposal was “really not moving the needle on climate change.”
“If you really want to help residents, then instead of pilfering infrastructure capital funding and handing it out to residents in small chunks, keep that money and use it for our core capital infrastructure. Use it for bigger pipes, use it for pumps,” she said. “That is the best way you can help us residents.”
MIAMI BEACH BREAKS NEW GROUND
Government programs to help homeowners adapt to climate change are relatively rare outside of federal funding after disasters. Few, if any, cities offer the kinds of grants Miami Beach is considering.
Connecticut’s ShoreUp CT program provides low-interest financing for property owners in flood zones to elevate their homes and retrofit for flood and wind protection.
The closest parallel in Florida is the Property Assessed Clean Energy program, where homeowners can get financing to install solar panels or impact windows, although the controversial program has a reputation for putting elderly and low-income customers in financial peril.
New Orleans may have the most similar program to Miami Beach in its Community Adaptation Program, which covers the costs of green infrastructure installations for low-to-moderate-income residents in one of the most flood-prone parts of the city. The city is using part of a $141 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban and Development to offer grants to around 3,900 homeowners.
So far, the city has helped 82 residents, with another 100-plus projects in the pipeline. The average cost is around $25,000, said Seth Knudsen, director of real estate development and planning with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.
“We’ve been very upfront with the homeowners that these improvements are not going to solve the flooding in the whole neighborhood, but it is going to lessen the damage and help the water soak up faster,” he said.
New Orleans Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Brenda Breaux said the difference before and after the improvements “is like daylight and dark” for residents.
“These homeowners that are doing the work now have been the ambassadors and the mouthpieces in the community talking about the impact from their individual properties,” she said.
Knudson said the improvements have made a measurable difference in how much flooding the city sees after a heavy rainstorm.
“There’s a strong case to be made that these private properties are the best opportunities we have as a city to expand our stormwater capacity,” he said. “It’s really the future for us as a city.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Pandemic exposes the vulnerability of Italy's 'new poor'

MILAN ( AP ) - The coronavirus pandemic did not produce Elena Simone ’ s first budgetary rough patch .
The 49-year-old single mother found herself out of the job market when the 2008 global financial crisis hit Italy and never fully got back in , but she created a patchwork of small jobs that provided for herself and the youngest of her three children .
That all changed with Italy ’ s first COVID-19 lockdown in the spring .
With schools closed , so went Simone ’ s cafeteria job .
Her housecleaning gigs dried up , too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown ended , Simone stayed frozen out .
“ There was a period when I was only eating carrots , ’ ’ she recalled from her kitchen decorated with colorful plush characters shaped like vegetables .
For the first time in her life , Simone needed help putting food on the table .
At a friend ’ s urging , she enrolled for access to the food stores operated by Roman Catholic charity Caritas .
Her eligibility covers her through January , and she hopes to be off the charity rolls by then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need it even more.
” The charity serving more than 5 million people in the Milan archdiocese , Caritas Ambrosiana , says the pandemic is revealing for the first time the depths of economic insecurity in Italy ’ s northern Lombardy region , which generates 20 % of the country ’ s gross domestic product .
Simone , who has two adult children and a 10-year-old son at home , is typical of Italy ’ s new poor .
These are people who managed to get by after the 2008 financial crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s welfare system by relying on informal , gray-market jobs and the help of friends and family .
But between Italy ’ s near-total spring lockdown , the introduction of a partial lockdown when the virus surged again in the fall and the continued toll the pandemic is taking on Italy ’ s economy , the slim threads that allowed people to weave together employment have snapped .
Nowhere in Italy is this more evident than in Lombardy , where COVID-19 first exploded in Europe .
Italian agriculture lobby Coldiretti estimates that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on surveys of the dozens of charity groups operating in the region .
Caritas Ambrosiana provided help to 9,000 people during the spring lockdown , 20 % of whom reported that their financial situation had “ drastically ” worsened over the 10-week closure .
In October , nearly 700 families requested food aid for the first time .
Nationally , one-third of all people seeking help from Caritas during the pandemic are first-time recipients , and in a reversal of usual trends , most are Italians and not foreign residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a daily basis in Milan , Italy ’ s financial capital .
One of the largest , Pane Quotidiano , serves some 3,500 meals a day .
Many of those in need once worked in restaurants and hotels , which have been particularly penalized by the coronavirus restrictions , or as domestic help .
“ It is even more widespread than we knew , especially for a rich city like Milan , ’ ’ Caritas Ambrosiana spokesman Francesco Chiavarini said .
“ These precarious jobs were lost .
And we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restored.
” Researchers at Milan ’ s Bocconi University said in a working paper for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that blue-collar workers without college degrees paid the heaviest price for Italy ’ s virus restrictions .
Half reported a drop in their salaries , compared with just 20 % of the top earners , and many did not have the luxury of working remotely .
“ What we are seeing is a substantial increase in inequality , ’ ’ Bocconi University researcher Vincenzo Galasso said .
Those without solid job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic that has already killed over 68,000 people in Italy , the highest death toll in Europe .
Simone discovered too late that her cafeteria contract described her as an occasional worker , meaning she had no basis to request government support to replace lost income .
Her cleaning jobs were off the books altogether , and she has recovered only two of the dozen she held before the pandemic .
Even when workers qualify for Italy ’ s public-private short-term layoff scheme , the money has arrived late and is generally inadequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenses , Chiavarini said .
Basic coverage is 400 euros ( $ 490 ) a month , yet monthly rents in a city like Milan start around 600 euros ( $ 735 ) .
Food security is emerging as a key issue as the pandemic enters winter .
Progetto Arca , which runs shelters and provides other social services in Milan , started operating a food truck last month after seeing that homeless people who had filled their stomachs with restaurant and bar handouts were going hungry during the partial fall lockdown when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just the homeless coming by the food truck .
On a recent night , a well-dressed man in a quilted jacket and dress trousers waited off to the side until the line had dissipated .
He identified himself as a lawyer but declined further comment and asked not to be photographed as he took away two hot meals and two bags of food for the next day , one for his companion waiting at home .
So far , government moratoriums on evictions and the firing of contracted workers have helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see as an emerging poverty crisis .
“ When these are lifted , we will see the real price that we need to pay for this pandemic , ’ ’ Chiavarini said .
“ We celebrate Milan as the capital of innovation , but beneath these skyscrapers of which we are so proud , there is a hidden world where people are living in conditions of real precariousness .
“

MILAN (AP) - The coronavirus pandemic did not produce Elena Simone’s first budgetary rough patch. The 49-year-old single mother found herself out of the job market when the 2008 global financial crisis hit Italy and never fully got back in, but she created a patchwork of small jobs that provided for herself and the youngest of her three children.
That all changed with Italy’s first COVID-19 lockdown in the spring.
With schools closed, so went Simone’s cafeteria job. Her housecleaning gigs dried up, too. While others returned to work when the lockdown ended, Simone stayed frozen out.
“There was a period when I was only eating carrots,’’ she recalled from her kitchen decorated with colorful plush characters shaped like vegetables.
For the first time in her life, Simone needed help putting food on the table. At a friend’s urging, she enrolled for access to the food stores operated by Roman Catholic charity Caritas. Her eligibility covers her through January, and she hopes to be off the charity rolls by then “to make room for people who need it even more.”
The charity serving more than 5 million people in the Milan archdiocese, Caritas Ambrosiana, says the pandemic is revealing for the first time the depths of economic insecurity in Italy’s northern Lombardy region, which generates 20% of the country’s gross domestic product.
Simone, who has two adult children and a 10-year-old son at home, is typical of Italy’s new poor. These are people who managed to get by after the 2008 financial crisis, staying off the radar of Italy’s welfare system by relying on informal, gray-market jobs and the help of friends and family.
But between Italy’s near-total spring lockdown, the introduction of a partial lockdown when the virus surged again in the fall and the continued toll the pandemic is taking on Italy’s economy, the slim threads that allowed people to weave together employment have snapped.
Nowhere in Italy is this more evident than in Lombardy, where COVID-19 first exploded in Europe. Italian agriculture lobby Coldiretti estimates that the virus has created 300,000 newly poor people, based on surveys of the dozens of charity groups operating in the region.
Caritas Ambrosiana provided help to 9,000 people during the spring lockdown, 20% of whom reported that their financial situation had “drastically” worsened over the 10-week closure. In October, nearly 700 families requested food aid for the first time.
Nationally, one-third of all people seeking help from Caritas during the pandemic are first-time recipients, and in a reversal of usual trends, most are Italians and not foreign residents.
More than 40 organizations provide food on a daily basis in Milan, Italy’s financial capital. One of the largest, Pane Quotidiano, serves some 3,500 meals a day. Many of those in need once worked in restaurants and hotels, which have been particularly penalized by the coronavirus restrictions, or as domestic help.
“It is even more widespread than we knew, especially for a rich city like Milan,’’ Caritas Ambrosiana spokesman Francesco Chiavarini said. “These precarious jobs were lost. And we don’t know when or if they will be restored.”
Researchers at Milan’s Bocconi University said in a working paper for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that blue-collar workers without college degrees paid the heaviest price for Italy’s virus restrictions. Half reported a drop in their salaries, compared with just 20% of the top earners, and many did not have the luxury of working remotely.
“What we are seeing is a substantial increase in inequality,’’ Bocconi University researcher Vincenzo Galasso said.
Those without solid job contracts are the most exposed in the pandemic that has already killed over 68,000 people in Italy, the highest death toll in Europe.
Simone discovered too late that her cafeteria contract described her as an occasional worker, meaning she had no basis to request government support to replace lost income. Her cleaning jobs were off the books altogether, and she has recovered only two of the dozen she held before the pandemic.
Even when workers qualify for Italy’s public-private short-term layoff scheme, the money has arrived late and is generally inadequate to cover a family’s basic expenses, Chiavarini said. Basic coverage is 400 euros ($490) a month, yet monthly rents in a city like Milan start around 600 euros ($735).
Food security is emerging as a key issue as the pandemic enters winter.
Progetto Arca, which runs shelters and provides other social services in Milan, started operating a food truck last month after seeing that homeless people who had filled their stomachs with restaurant and bar handouts were going hungry during the partial fall lockdown when many establishments had closed.
And isn’t just the homeless coming by the food truck. On a recent night, a well-dressed man in a quilted jacket and dress trousers waited off to the side until the line had dissipated. He identified himself as a lawyer but declined further comment and asked not to be photographed as he took away two hot meals and two bags of food for the next day, one for his companion waiting at home.
So far, government moratoriums on evictions and the firing of contracted workers have helped keep a cap on what charity workers see as an emerging poverty crisis.
“When these are lifted, we will see the real price that we need to pay for this pandemic,’’ Chiavarini said. “We celebrate Milan as the capital of innovation, but beneath these skyscrapers of which we are so proud, there is a hidden world where people are living in conditions of real precariousness. “
___
Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak