freedomdaily--2020-03-16--Fear can spread from person to person faster than the coronavirus – but there are ways to slow it do

Fear can spread from person to person faster than the coronavirus – but there are ways to slow it down

As cases of COVID-19 proliferate , there ’ s a pandemic of fear unfolding alongside the pandemic of the coronavirus .
Media announce mass cancellations of public events “ over coronavirus fears.
” TV stations show images of “ coronavirus panic shopping.
” Magazines discuss attacks against Asians sparked by “ racist coronavirus fears.
” Due to the global reach and instantaneous nature of modern media , fear contagion spreads faster than the dangerous yet invisible virus .
Watching or hearing someone else who ’ s scared causes you to be frightened , too , without necessarily even knowing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a psychiatrist and researcher studying the brain mechanisms of social regulation of emotions , I frequently see in clinical and experimental settings how powerful fear contagion can be .
Responding with fear in face of danger Fear contagion is an evolutionarily old phenomenon that researchers observe in many animal species .
It can serve a valuable survival function .
Imagine a herd of antelopes pasturing in the sunny African savanna .
Suddenly , one senses a stalking lion .
The antelope momentarily freezes .
Then it quickly sets off an alarm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the blink of an eye , other antelopes follow .
Brains are hardwired to respond to threats in the environment .
Sight , smell or sound cues that signal the presence of the predator automatically triggered the first antelope ’ s survival responses : first immobility , then escape .
The amygdala , a structure buried deep within the side of the head in the brain ’ s temporal lobe , is key for responding to threats .
It receives sensory information and quickly detects stimuli associated with danger .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain areas , including the hypothalamus and brain stem areas , to further coordinate specific defense responses .
These outcomes are commonly known as fright , freeze , flight or fight .
We human beings share these automatic , unconscious behaviors with other animal species .
That explains the direct fear the antelope felt when sniffing or spotting a lion nearby .
But fear contagion goes one step further .
The antelopes ’ run for their lives that followed one frightened group member was also automatic .
Their escape , however , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attack but by the behavior of their terrified group member : momentarily freezing , sounding the alarm and running away .
The group as a whole picked up on the terror of the individual and acted accordingly .
Like other animals , people are also sensitive to panic or fear expressed by our kin .
Human beings are exquisitely tuned to detect other people ’ s survival reactions .
Experimental studies have identified a brain structure called the anterior cingulate cortex ( ACC ) as vital for this ability .
It surrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left and right hemisphere of the brain .
When you watch another person express fear , your ACC lights up .
Studies in animals confirmed that the message about another ’ s fear travels from the ACC to the amygdala , where the defense responses are set off .
It makes sense why an automatic , unconscious fear contagion would have evolved in social animals .
It can help prevent the demise of an entire group bound by kinship , protecting all their shared genes so they can be passed on to future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social transmission of fear is more robust between animals , including humans , that are related or belong to the same group as compared to between strangers .
Nevertheless , fear contagion is an effective way of transmitting defense responses not only between members of the same group or species but also across species .
Many animals , through evolution , acquired an ability to recognize alarm calls of other species .
For example , bird squawks are known to trigger defense responses in many mammals .
Fear contagion happens automatically and unconsciously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This phenomenon explains mass panic attacks that can occur during music concerts , sports events or other public gatherings .
Once fear is triggered in the crowd – maybe someone thought they heard a gunshot – there is no time or opportunity to verify the sources of terror .
People must rely on each other , just like antelopes do .
The fear travels from one to the next , infecting each individual as it goes .
Everyone starts running for their lives .
Too often , these mass panics end up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require direct physical contact with others .
Media distributing terrifying images and information can very effectively spread fear .
Moreover , while antelopes on the savanna stop running once they ’ re a safe distance from a predator , scary images on the news can keep you fearful .
The feeling of immediate danger never subsides .
Fear contagion didn ’ t evolve under the always-on conditions of Facebook , Twitter and 24-hour news .
Tempering fear others transmit to you There ’ s no way to prevent fear contagion from kicking into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconscious , after all – but you can do something to mitigate it .
Since it ’ s a social phenomenon , many rules that govern social behaviors apply .
In addition to information about fear , information about safety can be socially transferred too .
Studies have found that being in the presence of a calm and confident person may help overcome fear acquired through observation of others .
For instance , a child terrified by a strange animal will calm down if a calm adult is present .
This kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have your eyes on someone close to you , or someone you depend on , such as a caretaker or an authority figure .
Also , actions matter more than words , and words and actions must match .
For example , explaining to people that there ’ s no need for a healthy person to wear a protective face mask and at the same time showing images of presumably healthy COVID-19 screening personnel wearing hazmat suits is counterproductive .
People will go and buy face masks because they see authority figures wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words do still matter .
Information about danger and safety must be provided clearly with straightforward instructions on what to do .
When you are under significant stress , it is harder to process details and nuances .
Withholding important facts or lying increases uncertainty , and uncertainty augments fears and anxiety .
Evolution hardwired human beings to share threats and fears with others .
But it also equipped us with the ability to cope with these threats together .
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freedomdaily--2020-03-16--Social distancing comes with social side effects – here’s how to stay connected

To fight the spread of coronavirus , government officials have asked Americans to swallow a hard pill : Stay away from each other .
In times of societal stress , such a demand runs counter to what evolution has hard-wired people to do : Seek out and support each other as families , friends and communities .
We yearn to huddle together .
The warmth of our breath and bodies , of holding hands and hugging , of talking and listening , is a primary source of soothing .
These connections are pivotal for responding to and maximizing our survival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is to follow the recommended social distancing guidelines to control the virus .
The cure is definitely not worse than the disease – experts ’ projections of disease spread and mortality without strong intervention make this clear .
But as with any pill , there are side effects .
As psychological scientists at the University of Washington ’ s Center for the Science of Social Connection , our lab studies social connectedness , why it is important and how to maximize its benefits .
Our clinical and research experiences help us understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest strategies for addressing them .
In times of stress and illness , being deprived of social connection can create more stress and illness .
People who are lonely have higher levels of the hormone cortisol , an indicator of stress ; show weaker immune responses to pathogens ; and are at increased risk for premature death .
Isolation can lead to depression , suicidal thoughts and other clinical conditions .
For those who must be quarantined because they are infected with the virus , this research has one important implication : Depriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closeness unfortunately may make it harder for them to defeat infection .
For example , lonely college students respond more weakly to influenza vaccinations than do non-lonely students .
There are other costs .
Loneliness makes people feel more vulnerable and anxious in social interactions .
An official mandate to socially distance and isolate may increase what psychologists call intergroup anxiety , the natural threat and distrust people feel when interacting with those who are different .
People may circle the wagons around themselves and those they perceive as like themselves – those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – while excluding everyone else .
The recent travel restrictions play into these very human fears , and could exacerbate impulses to blame and stigmatize others as the source of this crisis .
These fears fuel negative and inaccurate stereotypes of others , rather than cultivating connections to a larger human community that is suffering together .
While social distancing and isolation are in effect , there are things everyone can do to mitigate their downsides .
Now is the time to reach out to friends and family and connect with them however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much you care about them .
While live human connection is best , a phone call , with a real voice , is better than text , and a videochat is better than a phone call .
We believe such social technology-faciliated connections will aid all of us in staying as healthy as possible during this time .
Although research on this is not comprehensive , we think it ’ s valuable to use social technology to mitigate the effects of loneliness and isolation for those who are sick .
What you say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are stressed and upset , talking about your feelings can help .
You may or may not feel better , but you will feel less alone .
If you ’ re on the receiving end of this kind of sharing , resist the impulse to dismiss , debate or tell the other person not to worry .
Your task is to listen and convey that you understand their feelings and accept them .
This process – one person sharing something vulnerable , and the other responding with understanding and care – is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationships .
Human touch is also vital for well-being .
If you are distancing with people who are close to you and healthy , don ’ t forget the positive impact of a gentle hug , or holding someone ’ s hand .
Safe , mutually consenting physical touch leads to the release of oxytocin .
Sometimes called the “ love hormone , ” oxytocin helps regulate your fight or flight system and calms your body in times of stress .
For those who are untouchable because they ’ re sick with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit .
( As of this writing , WHO guidelines suggest pets are safe . )
Things you can do Other actions can help boost your and others ’ well-being as you ’ re adapting to a world of social distancing .
• Embrace others , figuratively .
Be aware of your tendency to circle the wagons around your group .
Importantly , even though it doesn ’ t always feel this way , you ’ re not born with a fixed group that you trust and fixed groups that you distrust .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ change with context .
Imagine , for example , who feels safe and familiar to you when at work versus at a family dinner versus at a football game .
Now is the time to expand how you define your group identities .
This is a global pandemic .
Human beings are in , the coronavirus is out .
• Be generous .
The practical side of this idea of expanding your identities is an encouragement to be generous , broadly speaking .
Giving to others in times of need not only helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s well-being , too .
If you feel compelled to go to the grocery store to stock up on toilet paper , consider checking in with people you know who are more vulnerable and see what they might need .
Give them some of that toilet paper .
Help others around you , including neighbors you may not know well , people with whom you don ’ t usually feel a sense of kinship and people experiencing homelessness .
Doing so combats the impulse to build walls .
It puts you in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature , and gives these angels voice and purpose .
• Finally , remember to breathe .
In this moment , with all the stress and anxiety , many people feel overwhelmed and disconnected .
But you ’ re still here and those around you are in this chaos with you , too .
A few conscious , gentle breaths can restore that connection , slow your mind and give you clarity , at least for a moment or two .
This coronavirus crisis may not end soon .
Things may get worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative side effects of social distancing and isolation will shift and evolve .
What feels manageable today may not feel manageable tomorrow .
As psychologists , we are concerned that the lack of social connections , increased stress , disruptions and losses of livelihoods and routines will tip some people toward depression .
We are concerned about increased family conflict as people are forced to navigate unusual amounts of time together , many in confined spaces .
Flexibility is adaptive .
Building a foundation of healthy coping , maintaining awareness of the side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staying connected to our values and to each other , are imperative .
Human beings have great capacity for empathy and caring in times of suffering .
Maintaining social distance doesn ’ t need to change that .
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The authors do not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and have disclosed no relevant @ @ @ @ @ @

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freedomdaily--2020-03-16--On the front lines of developing a test for the coronavirus

“ That escalated quickly !
” is a common trope used in popular culture to describe when a situation gets out of hand before you ’ ve even had a chance to think about it .
We don ’ t often use this trope in medicine , but I can think of nothing better to describe what has been going on in the U.S. with the coronavirus outbreak .
I am a physician scientist who practices infectious disease medicine and runs a research laboratory that specializes in viruses .
I spend much of my time directing a clinical microbiology laboratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ ve ever had a doctor tell you that they are going to test you for a virus , it ’ s teams like mine that develop and run that test .
When I first heard about the coronavirus outbreak in China , I had no idea I would soon be on the front lines of dealing with this outbreak .
Why testing is at the heart of the problem Let me start by describing exactly what this virus is .
It ’ s a novel virus from the coronavirus family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like when you sneeze ) and contact with contaminated surfaces .
The “ common cold ” is usually caused by rhinoviruses , but there are four coronaviruses that also cause colds .
The SARS outbreak of 2003 resulted in 774 deaths and the MERS outbreak of 2012 resulted in 858 deaths ; both were caused by novel coronaviruses .
The ease of spread of this new virus – called SARS-CoV-2 – has led to its rapid emergence across the globe , with more than 5,000 deaths and counting .
Although there are drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no drugs currently available that are proven effective against severe coronavirus illnesses .
For the most part , public health officials don ’ t know who in the U.S. has it because there isn ’ t a method to test most of the population for it .
If you don ’ t know who has a disease , it ’ s impossible to predict its spread , how many people will get it , or how many people may die from it .
Testing in the U.S. must be expanded , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to reveal the scope of the problem .
How the US lagged behind Earlier this year , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 .
This test is designed to amplify and detect the genetic material in the virus – its RNA ( ribonucleic acid ) – from your body .
It targets certain conserved RNA sequences in the virus that are different from those found in other coronaviruses .
The problem is that for a population of 331 million , a single testing center wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enabled state public health labs to use their test , but this still hasn ’ t been enough to meet population needs .
The testing deficiency leaves much of the U.S. population out in the cold .
It ’ s now up to companies , hospitals and academic centers to pick up the slack .
Part of the delay was due to what happened during the Zika virus outbreak of 2015 , when laboratories that developed their own tests were halted by the FDA because they did not have approval .
Testing development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA relented and released guidance for developing tests in individual laboratories , and a free-for-all ensued .
We laboratory directors were on the spot to develop tests , and most were unprepared to say the least .
Test development typically takes months .
Labs use what is called a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction , or RT-PCR , to test a sample taken with a swab from the back of someone ’ s throat and/or nose .
The tests work by converting the virus ’ RNA to DNA and then replicating it millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then detect its genetic sequence .
If it is detected , a patient is infected .
Even with the FDA guidance , we had to decide what RNA sequences in the virus to target and how quickly we could get reliable testing materials .
We could only obtain materials for RNA amplification and detection from the CDC or private industry , who were all being bombarded with our requests simultaneously .
We laboratory directors were suddenly competing with one another for limited resources to develop these tests .
If you compare our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed in China and South Korea , the U.S. response was not up to par .
Both countries allowed companies to develop and distribute tests from an early stage , permitting large portions of their populations to be tested .
Part of the problem in the U.S. is the lack of centralized facilities across the country that all have the same equipment to run complex tests .
Just in the state of California alone where I live , there are hundreds of hospitals , most with significant differences in their equipment and testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test available , my first thought was , “ We don ’ t even have the equipment to run this test.
” Most hospitals in my state and across the country faced this exact same dilemma : a lack of proper equipment and difficulty obtaining adequate testing materials .
Also , problems with CDC-manufactured testing kits arose immediately and caused testing failures when they first released them in February .
These failure stories motivated many of us to either develop tests based on our own analysis of COVID-19 , or to partner with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At my institution , we ’ ve been working with industry partners and accelerating the development of their tests for our patient populations .
Why it ’ s not the end of the world There ’ s a lot of negatives to find in the response to the coronavirus outbreak , but the flaws in the response represent learning opportunities .
Highly infectious viruses in a connected world won ’ t stay contained for long .
Our assumption should have been that it would make it to the U.S. from the onset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outbreak , we laboratory directors won ’ t be waiting for the government to give us the green light to develop diagnostic tests .
We ’ ll do it on our own and press the FDA to allow us to use it .
The hard work to ramp up testing in the U.S. is the most significant effort in which I have ever taken part .
If you could see the efforts of companies , academic centers , and hospitals right now in the U.S. , you ’ d walk away with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the task .
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David Pride does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Three lessons from the AIDS crisis

As my governor closes all the public schools and public libraries here in Seattle , I ’ m thinking about 1981 – the year when newspapers in New York and Los Angeles reported that a strange new virus was killing healthy young men .
As of March 15 , Seattle had recorded 420 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 37 deaths .
As a historian of 20th-century queer and trans politics , I know that ’ s nothing compared to the toll that HIV , the virus that causes AIDS , took on our city .
But these are early days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ HIV virus and AIDS emerged .
Those errors cost many lives .
But our nation learned a few things , too .
HIV is very different from the novel coronavirus , in ways that could have made it easier to slow down .
Since HIV is harder to transmit , and its incubation period is much longer , a swift response could have prevented many infections .
But the response was slow .
It took health experts decades just to notice HIV .
Studies have shown that HIV jumped from animals into humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already killed lots of people by 1981 , but doctors thought those patients died of other things .
Even so , once HIV was recognized as a new infectious agent in 1981 , fast action and massive investments in research would have saved lives .
Instead , government officials sat on their hands .
In 1982 , White House Press Secretary Larry Speakes turned a reporter ’ s question about AIDS into a homophobic joke .
It took four years to develop a blood test for HIV .
That fatal inaction flowed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got AIDS , and that those people didn ’ t really matter .
Instead of major research efforts to develop a test and medications , there were inane suggestions for forced quarantine of gay men and an actual forced quarantine of Haitians .
After a slow start , things improved .
By the 1990s , even before the development of today ’ s magic bullets – antiretroviral drugs , the preventative medication PREP and the post-exposure prophylaxis medication PEP – public health agencies were advocating ways to slow HIV transmission that also protected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting tested and communicating with sexual partners .
If only they had had those measures in 1982 .
Novel coronavirus is already all over the globe too , but public health officials already have ways to prevent transmission .
They are hammering home essential actions for slowing transmission : Wash your hands , stay home if you ’ re sick , cancel large events and restrict your activities if you ’ re over 60 or have health issues .
A new study currently under review shows people may be most likely to transmit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and before they have symptoms .
That ’ s like HIV , too .
For the coronavirus , it means “ social distancing ” is important , even from people who don ’ t seem sick .
Scientists are estimating that social distancing , including canceling big events and closing schools , plus widespread testing , could save hundreds of thousands of lives .
In the early years of HIV , discussion focused on “ risk groups.
” Even public health officials claimed that only gay men , Haitians or Haitian Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers were at risk .
Then straight , white , wealthy American women started dying too .
Today some Americans appear to believe that not everyone has to be cautious because not everyone will get seriously sick .
It ’ s true that older people and those of all ages with underlying health issues are at greater risk , and that pregnant women may also be .
But if health care systems become overwhelmed , as has happened in Wuhan and Italy , anyone who needs medical care will be affected .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do much worse .
The HIV crisis also showed that the concept of “ risk groups ” is dangerous .
When public health officials must take actions that are invasive and forceful , like quarantine or travel restrictions , they need to be based in real science and implemented transparently , without recycling prejudices against “ risk groups.
” Otherwise , quite rationally , people assume public health is biased and unscientific , and resist .
In the 1980s , gay activists debated whether to ask city health departments to close bath houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control warned that they were spots where the risk of transmission was high because people met there for sex .
Some gay activists called for the bath houses to close , to save lives .
But many gay people had the opposite reaction .
Amid vitriolic homophobia and stigma around AIDS – people losing their jobs , family members barring gay relatives from their homes , lifetime quarantine for HIV-positive people – shuttering the bath houses sounded to them like a step down a slippery slope toward concentration camps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed open .
In retrospect , to someone who studies gay politics and HIV , it ’ s shocking that New York City left its bath houses open until 1985 .
Today racism has become attached to the novel coronavirus because the first reports of infection came from China .
As the World Health Organization has pointed out , referring to it as “ Wuhan virus ” or “ Chinese coronavirus ” could lead people to hide their symptoms and avoid seeking health care .
That will increase the risk for everyone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since it does not matter where the virus jumped from animals into humans , and the virus is not confined to any one country .
Investing in research and public health pays off It took far too long for the U.S. to make HIV a public health priority , develop lifesaving drugs and deliver them to those who needed them .
Partly because of that slow response , nearly 1 million people die of AIDS each year .
Even today , not enough people who are HIV-positive have access to drugs .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for HIV debuted in 1996 , and the wealthy world finally took major steps in 2004 to share these miracle drugs with the rest of the world , the story of HIV shows what science and public health can accomplish .
Especially in wealthy countries , substantial research funding and public action have converted AIDS from a devastating epidemic to a manageable chronic disease .
And even for people who don ’ t live in wealthy countries , outcomes are much better than they were .
Global deaths from AIDS had been cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope for a response to the novel coronavirus that ’ s smarter and faster .
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Laurie Marhoefer does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-16--Trump: US Economy ‘May Be’ Headed For Recession

President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States “ may be ” headed for a recession as the economy @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus epidemic .
“ Is the U.S. economy heading into a recession ?
” @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House .
“ Well , it may @ @ @ @ @ , adding : “ We ’ re not thinking in terms of recession .
We @ @ @ @ @ of the virus.
” Economists have increasingly predicted a global recession .
Goldman Sachs issued @ @ @ @ @ U.S. economy will shrink by 5 % in the second quarter .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ pent up demand , both in terms of the stock market and in terms of @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Once this goes away , once this goes through and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ I think we ’ re going to see a tremendous surge.
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freedomdaily--2020-03-17--De Blasio: New Yorkers Should Be Prepared For ‘Shelter-In-Place’ Order

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that residents of the nation ’ s largest city should take seriously the possibility of a shelter-in-place order coming down within the next 48 hours .
“ New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order , ” de Blasio said at a coronavirus press conference Tuesday .
“ It has not happened yet , but it is definitely a possibility at this point.
” “ I believe that decision should be made in the next 48 hours , ” the mayor said .
New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country .
As of Tuesday , has 814 confirmed cases of the virus , at least seven of which have resulted in death , according to The New York Times .
De Blasio said Tuesday the worst is yet to come .
“ We are certainly going to have thousands of cases next week , ” he said .
“ It is not that long before we hit 10,000 cases , that is a true statement.
” New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 45 days .
The projection indicates that the state , which currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 intensive-care beds , will need up to 110,000 hospital beds and up to 37,000 intensive-care beds .
Six Bay Area counties in California announced shelter-in-place orders on Monday , affecting an estimated 6.7 million people .
The orders , which will be in place until at least April 7 , direct residents to stay in their homes as much as possible to curb the spread of coronavirus , but authorize individuals to leave to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A shelter-in-place order is not as strict as a full lockdown , which would prohibit people from leaving their homes unless they receive explicit permission from the authorities , the San Francisco Chronicle reported .


freedomdaily--2020-03-17--‘ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY’: DC Metro Announces Major Service Shutdowns

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced major service shutdowns Tuesday to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic response .
WMATA announced that taking into account “ urgent ” public guidance from regional leaders , “ along with emergency orders to cancel events , close schools and offices , and limit social gatherings across the nation , ” the metro service will be further reduced on both bus and rail .
Trains will run every 15 minutes between the hours of 5 am to 11 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 11 pm on weekends , and WMATA strongly emphasized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of necessity .
“ Rail system hours and service levels are further reduced to support ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY , ” WMATA said in a press release .
“ DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and follow guidance from your state and local authorities.
” “ As members of our community stay home from work , school and social gatherings – following the critical emergency guidance of Governors Hogan and Northam and Mayor Bowser – Metro will reduce service and implement measures to reduce risk for employees and the public , ” said Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday statement .
“ To be clear , Metro intends to be there to provide service for essential trips in our community – as long as it is safe and appropriate to do so , ” Wiedefeld said .
“ If everyone does their part and stays home whenever possible , Metro will be there for hospital staff and other heroes who need us at this unprecedented moment in our lives.
” The metro service specifically urged the public not to travel to the Washington , D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available for essential travel.
” “ Metro reserves the right to close stations near the Tidal Basin at any time to reduce the use of Metro for tourist trips , ” WMATA noted in a press release .
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freedomdaily--2020-03-17--Viruses live on doorknobs and phones and can get you sick – smart cleaning and good habits can help

Viruses live on doorknobs and phones and can get you sick – smart cleaning and good habits can help protect you

One vomiting episode from someone infected with norovirus emits billions and billions of individual viruses .
That ’ s enough to fuel an outbreak – and is exactly what happened in an elementary school in Seattle , Washington a few months ago .
Over 100 children got sick with the stomach-churning bug , and the school doors remained closed until workers could decontaminate the lockers , desks and hallways .
You might think of germs mostly passing directly from one person to another , but the outbreak in Seattle illustrates how they can survive on and be transmitted by inanimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epidemiologists like me call these everyday objects – like doorknobs , elevator buttons and cellphones – fomites , and when contaminated , these fomites can make you sick .
Fomites can be an important pathway of disease transmission .
They were the main culprits in that norovirus outbreak in Seattle last year and have been the cause of many other outbreaks .
In 1908 , smallpox outbreaks were traced to contaminated imported cotton .
More recently , outbreak studies in day care centers have identified viruses on toys , phones , toilet handles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus is spreading quickly .
As concern has increased , I ’ ve seen more people washing their hands and using hand sanitizer than ever before .
While there is still a lot we don ’ t know about the new coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2 , history would suggest that there is probably some transmission from fomites .
Everyone should be washing their hands and using hand sanitzer , but taking efforts to clean the things around you is also important to fight the spread of the virus .
For instance , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002 , contaminated surfaces were a major contributor to over 300 cases in a Hong Kong apartment building .
When thinking about how risky transmission via fomites is in an outbreak , the important question is how long can a particular bug survive on surfaces .
And there is a lot of variation .
Some pathogens can last outside the body for only minutes , while others are hardier and can hold on for days or even months .
A new study suggests that the novel coronavirus can survive on some surfaces up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depending on the material .
The study found that the virus could survive for 24 hours on cardboard and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel .
This variation is caused in part by the properties of the surface a virus lands on .
Porous material like clothing may allow pathogens to survive longer but it can be harder for a virus to move from your shirt to someone else ’ s fingers .
The matrix fibers in nonporous materials can trap germs making it hard for them to transfer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more readily transfer from nonporous materials like the glass screen on your phone to fingers , but the virus won ’ t always survive as long on a glass surface compared to a sweater .
Environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity also influence the viability of a pathogen in the environment .
Persistent bugs and how to get rid of them It ’ s nearly impossible to keep anything in the real world virus-free , but during outbreaks like this one it ’ s a good idea to try to minimize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some people are practically bathing in hand sanitizer and wiping down everything they touch with disinfectant .
But whether this works depends on what virus you are hoping to kill .
Norovirus , for example , is notoriously hardy .
After an outbreak on a cruise ship in 2002 , the next group of passengers got sick more than a week later after a thorough cleaning of the ship .
Many standard cleaners like alcohol or Lysol do not kill norovirus .
It takes something as strong as chlorine bleach to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ norovirus , influenza is much less persistent in the environment .
While influenza is often lurking in daycare centers during flu season , it typically lasts on surfaces only for hours or a few days .
And if you wanted to clean off your phone or countertop , simply wiping it down with an alcohol-based product or ammonia is effective .
While virologists don ’ t know much about how tough the current coronavirus is , past coronaviruses have fallen somewhere between norovirus and the flu .
Like influenza , Lysol will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t necessarily need to kill the virus to make yourself safer .
Removing the virus can be just as effective and simply washing often-used objects or your hands with soap can do that .
If you have been in crowded areas or want to be extra careful , washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds will effectively remove germs , and disinfecting tabletops and gym equipment with ammonia will effectively kill most germs .
What can you do in a world with viruses everywhere ?
During the coronavirus pandemic , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch frequently , like keyboards , tabletops and gym equipment .
But while fomites are known to be the culprits in many outbreaks , an individual ’ s risk depends on a lot of factors .
Someone who touches contaminated surfaces frequently , like a health care worker , is more likely to get sick than someone who doesn ’ t .
Risk also depends on personal habits , such as how often one touches their eyes , nose and mouth .
And for most infectious diseases , whether someone gets sick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age and underlying health conditions .
Cleaning objects frequently with a disinfectant is the best way to mitigate the risk of transmission from everyday objects .
Hand-washing is also important , especially if done reliably right after coming home from a public place .
Given that germs are ubiquitous , it ’ s easy to become germ-phobic and strive for a sterile environment .
But keep in mind that while basic precautions are important , germs will always find a way to exploit our human environment .
You can and should minimize risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
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Joseph Eisenberg does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-17--10 misconceptions about the 1918 flu, the ‘greatest pandemic in history’

But the world has seen pandemics before , and worse ones , too .
Consider the influenza pandemic of 1918 , often referred to erroneously as the “ Spanish flu.
” Misconceptions about it may be fueling unfounded fears about COVID-19 , and now is an especially good time to correct them .
In the pandemic of 1918 , between 50 and 100 million people are thought to have died , representing as much as 5 % of the world ’ s population .
Half a billion people were infected .
Especially remarkable was the 1918 flu ’ s predilection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young adults , as opposed to children and the elderly , who usually suffer most .
Some have called it the greatest pandemic in history .
The 1918 flu pandemic has been a regular subject of speculation over the last century .
Historians and scientists have advanced numerous hypotheses regarding its origin , spread and consequences .
As a result , many harbor misconceptions about it .
By correcting these 10 misconceptions , everyone can better understand what actually happened and help mitigate COVID-19 ’ s toll .
No one believes the so-called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The pandemic likely acquired this nickname because of World War I , which was in full swing at the time .
The major countries involved in the war were keen to avoid encouraging their enemies , so reports of the extent of the flu were suppressed in Germany , Austria , France , the United Kingdom and the U.S. By contrast , neutral Spain had no need to keep the flu under wraps .
That created the false impression that Spain was bearing the brunt of the disease .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debated to this day , though hypotheses have suggested East Asia , Europe and even Kansas .
2 .
The pandemic was the work of a ‘ super-virus ’ The 1918 flu spread rapidly , killing 25 million people in just the first six months .
This led some to fear the end of mankind , and has long fueled the supposition that the strain of influenza was particularly lethal .
However , more recent study suggests that the virus itself , though more lethal than other strains , was not fundamentally different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Much of the high death rate can be attributed to crowding in military camps and urban environments , as well as poor nutrition and sanitation , which suffered during wartime .
It ’ s now thought that many of the deaths were due to the development of bacterial pneumonias in lungs weakened by influenza .
3 .
The first wave of the pandemic was most lethal Actually , the initial wave of deaths from the pandemic in the first half of 1918 was relatively low .
It was in the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that year , that the highest death rates were observed .
A third wave in spring of 1919 was more lethal than the first but less so than the second .
Scientists now believe that the marked increase in deaths in the second wave was caused by conditions that favored the spread of a deadlier strain .
People with mild cases stayed home , but those with severe cases were often crowded together in hospitals and camps , increasing transmission of a more lethal form of the virus .
4 .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it In fact , the vast majority of the people who contracted the 1918 flu survived .
National death rates among the infected generally did not exceed 20 % .
However , death rates varied among different groups .
In the U.S. , deaths were particularly high among Native American populations , perhaps due to lower rates of exposure to past strains of influenza .
In some cases , entire Native communities were wiped out .
Of course , even a 20 % death rate vastly exceeds a typical flu , which kills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
5 .
Therapies of the day had little impact on the disease No specific anti-viral therapies were available during the 1918 flu .
That ’ s still largely true today , where most medical care for the flu aims to support patients , rather than cure them .
One hypothesis suggests that many flu deaths could actually be attributed to aspirin poisoning .
Medical authorities at the time recommended large doses of aspirin of up to 30 grams per day .
Today , about four grams would be considered the maximum safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can lead to many of the pandemic ’ s symptoms , including bleeding .
However , death rates seem to have been equally high in some places in the world where aspirin was not so readily available , so the debate continues .
Public health officials , law enforcement officers and politicians had reasons to underplay the severity of the 1918 flu , which resulted in less coverage in the press .
In addition to the fear that full disclosure might embolden enemies during wartime , they wanted to preserve public order and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond .
At the height of the pandemic , quarantines were instituted in many cities .
Some were forced to restrict essential services , including police and fire .
7 .
The pandemic changed the course of World War I It ’ s unlikely that the flu changed the outcome of World War I , because combatants on both sides of the battlefield were relatively equally affected .
However , there is little doubt that the war profoundly influenced the course of the pandemic .
Concentrating millions of troops created ideal circumstances for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and its spread around the globe .
Immunization against the flu was not practiced in 1918 , and thus played no role in ending the pandemic .
Exposure to prior strains of the flu may have offered some protection .
For example , soldiers who had served in the military for years suffered lower rates of death than new recruits .
In addition , the rapidly mutating virus likely evolved over time into less lethal strains .
This is predicted by models of natural selection .
Because highly lethal strains kill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread as easily as less lethal strains .
9 .
The genes of the virus have never been sequenced In 2005 , researchers announced that they had successfully determined the gene sequence of the 1918 influenza virus .
The virus was recovered from the body of a flu victim buried in the permafrost of Alaska , as well as from samples of American soldiers who fell ill at the time .
Two years later , monkeys infected with the virus were found to exhibit the symptoms observed during the pandemic .
Studies suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems overreacted to the virus , a so-called “ cytokine storm.
” Scientists now believe that a similar immune system overreaction contributed to high death rates among otherwise healthy young adults in 1918 .
10 .
The world is no better prepared today than it was in 1918 Severe epidemics tend to occur every few decades , and the latest one is upon us .
Today scientists know more about how to isolate and handle large numbers of ill and dying patients , and physicians can prescribe antibiotics , not available in 1918 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To such common-sense practices as social distancing and hand-washing , contemporary medicine can add the creation of vaccinations and anti-viral drugs .
For the foreseeable future , viral epidemics will remain a regular feature of human life .
As a society , we can only hope that we have learned the great pandemic ’ s lessons sufficiently well to quell the current COVID-19 challenge .
This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on Jan. 11 , 2018 .
Richard Gunderman does not work for , consult , own shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-17--Trump Campaign Launches ‘Irish Americans For Trump’ On St Patrick’s Day

Topics in this post : Donald Trump the 2020 Election President Donald Trump ’ s campaign announced the launch of “ Irish Americans for Trump ” Tuesday morning .
The campaign announced the launch of the coalition on St. Patrick ’ s Day , saying that it will be a coalition to “ commemorate Irish American contributions to our economy , military , and history.
” The campaign also emphasized that Trump recently appointed former Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney as the Special Envoy for Northern Ireland , a move which reportedly demonstrates ” importance of Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ This coalition will aim to bring the Irish American community together and to share their support for President Trump , ” the campaign said in a statement .
Trump campaign National Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany also said that “ Irish Americans across the country understand the importance of keeping President Donald Trump in the White House.
” “ Re-electing President Trump ensures four more years of historic job creation , lower taxes , and putting America first , ” McEnany added .
The Trump campaign has also released limited edition Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Right !
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freedomdaily--2020-03-17--Scientists Hope This ‘Throwback’ Can Fight Coronavirus Until Vaccine Is Developed

With a vaccine for coronavirus at least a year away , a group of scientists is hoping that a technique used during the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak can be used to fight the coronavirus pandemic .
Researchers hope that a “ convalescent serum , ” which uses antibodies from the blood of recovered coronavirus patients , can be pumped into people most vulnerable to the disease , either to prevent them from getting sick altogether or alleviate their symptoms if they do fall ill. More than 4,600 Americans have tested positive for coronavirus as of Tuesday .
Eighty-five have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities as the number of cases peaks in coming months .
In a paper published Friday in the Journal for Clinical Investigation , Dr. Arturo Casadevall , chair of the molecular microbiology and immunology department at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , said that a convalescent serum could work as a stop-gap while scientists work on a vaccine .
“ As we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic , we recommend that institutions consider the emergency use of convalescent sera and begin preparations as soon as possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine .
“ Time is of the essence.
” While the first dose of a trial vaccine was administered to a patient in Washington on Monday , scientists say that it will be at least 12-18 months before a cure will be developed , tested and approved for widespread use .
Dr. Peter Hotez , the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston , is among those working to develop a vaccine .
But in the meantime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for a convalescent serum .
“ Drug development , vaccine development is a slow process , ” Hotez told The Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ It ’ s the hardest thing to do to accelerate vaccines and drugs for an epidemic with a new pathogen.
” “ The question is what do we do now to protect people.
” Hotez , who is also the co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development for the Texas Children ’ s Hospital , said that more than a dozen hospitals and medical schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins , to the Mayo Clinic , are involved in developing a serum .
“ It ’ s really sort of a throwback , ” says Hotez .
“ It was actually done during the 1918 flu pandemic where you isolated serum from individuals who had recovered from the virus , isolate the antibody , and then give that to patients either , sick patients , as a therapy , or give it in smaller doses to frontline health care workers or first responders , and they can be protected for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Casadevall cited research from eight studies that found that serum use during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic led to lower mortality rates .
Serum was also used during the SARS outbreak in 2003 and swine flu pandemic in 2009 , with positive results .
He cited a paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in January 2011 that found that the use of convalescent serum during the 2009 swine flu pandemic reduced the viral load in patients ’ respiratory systems , and mortality rates .
Hotez says that a serum faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a concerted effort from academia , the private sector and federal government .
“ We ’ re going to need the federal government to help us with this because of all the regulations , and we need to ship serum across state lines , and all the FDA approval , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a bit of a complicated response , and therefore we ’ re hoping to bring the federal government into this.
” Health professionals would also have to identify donors willing to provide plasma , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team has yet to speak with the White House about the proposal , but he hopes to raise awareness of the serum option through a sort of public relations campaign .
He estimates that antibodies from one recovered patient could potentially be used treat one person infected with the virus .
Or , antibodies from one patient could be used in smaller doses as a temporary preventative measure for dozens of people .
“ That antibody is usually enough to treat a very sick other patient .
As a treatment , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ As a prophylaxis for first responders , health care providers , ” he said , “ a single donor can maybe protect 100 or more healthcare workers or first responders.
” Hotez emphasized a concern shared by other health experts over higher rates of infection for doctors and nurses who interact with coronavirus patients .
He cites reports from China suggesting that medical personnel there have relatively high rates of coronavirus infection , and have fared worse than expected with coronavirus .
Hotez said that the cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it could be due to exposure to higher concentrations of the virus .
He pointed to reports who are in critical care after coming down with coronavirus .
“ If this starts happening on a wide scale then that ’ s going to be very destabilizing .
”


freedomdaily--2020-03-17--Experts agree that Trump’s coronavirus response was poor, but the US was ill-prepared in the first p

Experts agree that Trump’s coronavirus response was poor, but the US was ill-prepared in the first place

As the coronavirus pandemic exerts a tighter grip on the nation , critics of the Trump administration have repeatedly highlighted the administration ’ s changes to the nation ’ s pandemic response team in 2018 as a major contributor to the current crisis .
This combines with a hiring freeze at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , leaving hundreds of positions unfilled .
The administration also has repeatedly sought to reduce CDC funding by billions of dollars .
Experts agree that the slow and uncoordinated response has been inadequate and has likely failed to mitigate the coming widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy expert , I agree with this assessment .
However , it is also important to acknowledge that we have underfunded our public health system for decades , perpetuated a poorly working health care system and failed to bring our social safety nets in line with other developed nations .
As a result , I expect significant repercussions for the country , much of which will disproportionately fall on those who can least afford it .
Spending on public health has historically proven to be one of humanity ’ s best investments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in life expectancy have come as the direct result of public health interventions , such as sanitation improvements and vaccinations .
Even today , return on investments for public health spending is substantial and tends to significantly outweigh many medical interventions .
For example , one study found that every US $ 10 per person spent by local health departments reduces infectious disease morbidity by 7.4 % .
However , despite their importance to national well-being , public health expenditures have been neglected at all levels .
Since 2008 , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 55,000 staff .
By 2016 , only about 133,000 full-time equivalent staff remained .
State funding for public health was lower in 2016-2017 than in 2008-2009 .
And the CDC ’ s prevention and public health budget has been flat and significantly underfunded for years .
Overall , of the more than $ 3.5 trillion the U.S. spends annually on health care , a meager 2.5 % goes to public health .
Not surprisingly , the nation has experienced a number of outbreaks of easily preventable diseases .
Currently , we are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A ( more than 31,000 cases ) , syphilis ( more than 35,000 cases ) , gonorrhea ( more than 580,000 cases ) and chlamydia ( more than 1,750,000 cases ) .
Our failure to contain known diseases bodes ill for our ability to rein in the emerging coronavirus pandemic .
Yet while we have underinvested in public health , we have been spending massive and growing amounts of money on our medical care system .
Indeed , we are spending more than any other country for a system that is significantly underperforming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also highly inequitable .
Yet , the system is highly profitable for all players involved .
And to maximize income , both for- and nonprofits have consistently pushed for greater privatization and the elimination of competitors .
As a result , thousands of public and private hospitals deemed “ inefficient ” because of unfilled beds have closed .
This eliminated a significant cushion in the system to buffer spikes in demand .
At any given time , this decrease in capacity does not pose much of a problem for the nation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , communities will face significant challenges without this surge capacity .
If the outbreak mirrors anything close to what we have seen in other countries , “ there could be almost six seriously ill patients for every existing hospital bed.
” A worst-case scenario from the same study puts the number at 17 to 1 .
To make things worse , there will likely be a particular shortage ofunoccupied intensive care beds .
Of course , the lack of overall hospitals beds is not the most pressing issue .
Hospitals also lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cope with a mass influx of patients .
However , the lack of ventilators might prove the most daunting challenge .
Limits of the overall social safety net While the U.S. spends trillions of dollars each year on medical care , our social safety net has increasingly come under strain .
Even after the Affordable Care Act , almost 30 million Americans do not have health insurance coverage .
Many others are struggling with high out-of-pocket payments .
To make things worse , spending on social programs , outside of those protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is significantly smaller than in other developed nations .
Moreover , public assistance is highly uneven and differs significantly from state to state .
And of course , the U.S. heavily relies on private entities , mostly employers , to offer benefits taken for granted in other developed countries , including paid sick leave and child care .
This arrangement leaves 1 in 4 American workers without paid sick leave , resulting in highly inequitable coverage .
As a result , many low-income families struggle to make ends meet even when times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I believe that the limitations of the U.S. public health response and a potentially overwhelmed medical care system are likely going to be exacerbated by the blatant limitations of the U.S. welfare state .
However , after weathering the current storm , I expect us to go back to business as usual relatively quickly .
After all , that ’ s what happened after every previous pandemic , such as H1N1 in 2009 or even the 1918 flu epidemic .
The problems are in the incentive structure for elected officials .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invest in public health , let alone revamp our safety net .
While the costs are high , particularly for the latter , there are no buildings to be named , and no quick victories to be had .
The few advocates for greater investments lack resources compared to the trillion-dollar interests from the medical sector .
Yet , if altruism is not enough , we should keep reminding policymakers that outbreaks of communicable diseases pose tremendous challenges for local health care systems and communities .
They also create remarkable societal costs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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Read our newsletter . ]
Simon F. Haeder is a national leadership development program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to equip teams of researchers and community partners in applying research to solve real community problems .


freedomdaily--2020-03-17--What coronavirus symptoms should I look for, and when do I call the doctor? A doctor answers 4 quest

What coronavirus symptoms should I look for, and when do I call the doctor? A doctor answers 4 questions

As the nation adjusts to the threat of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , it ’ s only natural to worry whether a cough or aches and pains could be signs you have become infected by the virus .
Dr. William Petri , a professor of medicine and immunologist at the University of Virginia Medical Center , explains when you need to call your doctor .
1 .
What symptoms should I look for ?
People should suspect that they might have COVID-19 if they are experiencing fever , cough and/or shortness of breath .
These symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other illnesses .
For example , the nation is still in the middle of a flu epidemic , and fever and cough are also symptoms of flu .
It is most likely that you have flu or other respiratory illness .
So , it is important to pay attention to symptoms but to also know they will not necessarily mean that you have COVID-19 .
2 .
When should I see a doctor ?
If your have fever , cough and/or shortness of breath , call your doctor .
Do not just show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call first .
Most doctors ’ offices will have ways to isolate someone who potentially has COVID-19 .
Your doctor ’ s office will likely ask screening questions on the phone and will provide instructions about what to do when you arrive .
3 .
I ’ ve have a runny nose and sniffles .
Could this coronavirus ?
A runny nose or nasal congestion would not be likely to be COVID-19 .
4 .
What can I expect at the doctor ’ s office ?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask before you enter your doctor ’ s office or other health care facility .
Your doctor or health care provider would likely test for flu first , because the country is in the middle of a flu epidemic .
If the flu test is negative then you will be tested for COVID-19 , especially if you have risk factors .
That would include having traveled to a country or area of the U.S. with sustained person-to-person transmission , or having been in contact with someone with COVID-19 .
This likely will change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available – at that time everyone with a fever and cough will be tested .
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William Petri does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--NBC News Correspondent Says Coronavirus ‘Is A Bat Virus, Not A China Virus’

NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel said Wednesday that the COVID-19 coronavirus “ is a bat virus , not a China virus , ” and argued that “ China certainly feels that ” referring to the virus as the “ Chinese virus ” amounts to “ scapegoating.
” The coronavirus originated in China and the country ’ s Communist government scrambled to keep the virus ’ s existence hidden from the rest of the world .
“ It ’ s easy to scapegoat people and that is what has always happened when there have been pandemics or epidemics : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physically attacked , ” Engel said on MSNBC Wednesday .
“ If you look at what happened during the Middle Ages , there was lots and lots of scapegoating against an ethnic group or a religious group whenever there were pandemics that affected society and frightened a lot of people and china certainly feels that that is what is happening now with people calling it the ‘ Wuhan flu ’ or the ‘ Wuhan virus ’ or the ‘ China virus , ’ ” Engel added .
“ This is a virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from bats .
This is a bat virus , not a China virus .
It doesn ’ t speak Chinese .
It doesn ’ t target Chinese people .
It targets human beings who happen to touch their eyes , nose or mouth.
” President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his decision to refer to the coronavirus as a “ Chinese virus , ” noting that Chinese propaganda has falsely tried to pin the blame on the U.S. instead .
“ I have great love for all of the people from our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press briefing Wednesday .
“ As you know , China tried to say at one point , maybe they stopped now , that it was caused by American soldiers .
That can ’ t happen .
It ’ s not gon na happen .
Not as long as I ’ m president .
It comes from China.
” Wake up Right !
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freedomdaily--2020-03-18--DHS Considers Whether To Turn Away Asylum Seekers, Illegal Aliens At Southern Border

The Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) is considering “ all options ” to stop the spread of the coronavirus , which would include turning away illegal aliens who arrive at the southern border .
DHS officials are reportedly considering turning away asylum seekers and any individual who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally — discussions first reported by Fox News .
When asked if such options are being actively discussed , a spokesperson for the Department reiterated that everything is being considered in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ The president is 100 % committed to protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and all options are on the table , ” DHS spokeswoman Heather Swift said to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Wednesday .
Talk of greater restrictions at the southern border comes as more people in the U.S. are testing positive for coronavirus .
As of Wednesday morning , at least 5,881 people across the U.S. and its territories have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at least 107 people in the U.S. have died from the virus .
The pandemic has caused a complete disruption of daily life , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , establishments temporarily closing down , and bans on gatherings of large groups of people .
President Donald Trump earlier this month announced a near-total travel ban from Europe to the U.S .
The president on Wednesday announced that all non-essential traffic between the U.S.-Canada border , with consent from the Canadian government , would be temporarily closed .
The coronavirus pandemic is already proving to be a burden on the administration ’ s immigration enforcement agenda , with immigration courts shutting down and immigrant-rights groups demanding that the government release detained illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our Morning Briefing and get the news delivered to your inbox before breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--What Happens After The Coronavirus ‘Peak’? Scientists Aren’t Sure

The coronavirus crisis has introduced a new lexicon to the American public : “ social distancing , ” “ flatten the curve , ” and “ the peak , ” the latter of which is the term used to describe the point where the daily patient count reaches its highest point in the pandemic .
Health experts and government officials do not know for sure when the peak will come , or what happens after the country reaches it .
But the consensus emerging among infectious disease experts appears to be that coronavirus will not just disappear , meaning that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than expected .
“ This doesn ’ t go away , ” Dr. Scott Gottlieb , the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , said on CNBC on Tuesday .
“ We ’ re going to need a vaccine or a therapeutic.
” With a vaccine at least a year a way , government officials at the federal , state and local levels have encouraged social distancing to mitigate the spread of coronavirus .
Containment of the virus is interrelated with the steepness of the so-called curve , which itself is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope that if the public stays home and avoids contacts with crowds , the social distancing measures will slow the spread of coronavirus , in turn limiting the peak number of cases of coronavirus infection .
Fifty-thousand coronavirus patients at any given time would be preferable to 100,000 patients , largely because of the strain that the latter scenario would put on hospitals throughout the country .
As of Wednesday morning , more than 6,500 Americans tested positive for coronavirus .
Many more are believed to be infected but undiagnosed .
New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen a rapid escalation in coronvirus cases and has the most in the U.S. , said Tuesday that a peak in cases in his state will likely be reached in 45 days .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , an infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force , said at a press conference that the estimate is “ not unreasonable , ” though he declined to provide a specific prediction .
“ Our job is to make sure it doesn ’ t do the maximum peak and actually blunts .
Within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections .
We want to make sure we don ’ t get to that really bad peak , ” Fauci said in a CBS News interview on Sunday .
Discussion of the peak does not address what happens after countries reach that point .
Since it is nearly impossible to identify and quarantine every coronavirus carrier , the bug is likely to remain active until doctors develop a vaccine .
Gottlieb , who has been sounding the alarm for months about the novel coronavirus ’ s spread through China , said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic peaks in the U.S. in late April and early May , with reports of new infections slowing down through June and July .
Gottlieb says that any dissipation of coronavirus cases through the summer is not guaranteed to last .
“ I worry a lot about the Fall , ” he told CNBC .
Dr. Peter Hotez , the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston , describes several scenarios for how the pandemic plays out over the next year .
He says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stays active throughout the year , and that it could subside in the summer before coming back in the Fall and Winter .
“ We still don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen in the tropics in the southern hemisphere , so we ’ ll learn a lot in the next year that we don ’ t already know , ” he told The Daily Caller News Foundation .
One possibility , as occurred with the SARS outbreak in 2003 , is that coronavirus , which is technically called SARS-CoV-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ it ’ s probably more likely that this will come back , ” he said .
Researchers in the U.K. offered an even more alarming assessment in a study released Monday .
The study , published by a team of researchers at Imperial College , estimated that as many as 2.2 million Americans could succumb to the virus if so-called social distancing measures are not implemented .
Many of those are underway across the country .
Schools , restaurants , bars and other businesses across the U.S. have closed .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limiting gathering in groups of less than 10 people for a 15-day trial period .
But the Imperial College study presents a stark reality : without continual social distancing and other steps , coronavirus is likely to rage back until a vaccine comes along .
“ Once interventions are relaxed , ” the study says , “ infections begin to rise , resulting in a predicted peak epidemic later in the year.
” “ The more successful a strategy is at temporary suppression , the larger the later epidemic is predicted to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lesser build-up of herd immunity.
” “ The major challenge , ” the researchers said , is that suppression and mitigation efforts “ will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available ( potentially 18 months or more ) – given that we predict that transmission will quickly rebound if interventions are relaxed.
” The Department of Health and Human Services is planning for a pandemic that could include “ multiple waves ” over the course of at least 18 months .
The plan , which according to The New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , predicts shortages in consumer goods , medical equipment and other supplies .


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--Bernie Sanders To ‘Assess’ His Campaign After Another Round Of Primary Losses

Topics in this post : Bernie Sanders the 2020 Election Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is going to “ assess his campaign ” over the next few weeks , his campaign manager said Wednesday , following losses in three primaries on Tuesday night further narrowed the Vermont senator ’ s path to winning the Democratic presidential nomination .
“ Sen .
Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign , ” Faiz Shakir , the Sanders campaign manager , said in a statement , according to The Washington Post .
“ In the immediate term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.
” Pressure was already building before Tuesday ’ s primaries for Sanders to drop out of the race .
Former Vice President Joe Biden won decisively in key states on Super Tuesday , and performed better than expected in the states that Sanders did win .
Biden scooped up key endorsements from contenders who dropped out of the race , including former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg , former South Bend , Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klobuchar .
Biden maintained his momentum in primaries Tuesday in Florida , Illinois , and Arizona .
He won by nearly 40 points over Sanders in Florida , and more than 20 points in Illinois .
According to CNN , Biden is leading Sanders 1,086 to 722 in terms of delegates .
Biden needs to win 47 percent of remaining delegates in order to reach the 1,991 needed to win the Democratic nomination .
Sanders would need nearly 58 percent , which CNN reports is a near mathematical possibility .
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freedomdaily--2020-03-18--CBP Officers Make Record Methamphetamine Seizure

– U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Nogales Commercial Facility seized methamphetamine last week from a Mexican national when he attempted to enter the United States through the Port of Nogales .
The seizure is the largest methamphetamine load in Arizona ports history .
CBP Officers discovered more than 600 packages of drugs concealed within a non-factory floor compartment of a tractor trailer that was laden with tomatoes and bell peppers , driven by a 34-year-old truck driver .
Following an alert by a CBP narcotics detection canine , CBP officers seized approximately 690 pounds of methamphetamine with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CBP officers seized nearly 690 pounds of meth from a tractor trailer Area Port Director Michael Humphries lauded his staff at the Nogales ’ Mariposa Cargo Facility for this record breaking drug seizure and arrest .
“ CBP Officers are focused on our highest priorities which includes stopping the flow of hard narcotics such as methamphetamine and opioids from entering our country .
Our officers prevented these dangerous drugs from causing devastation to families and ultimately saving many lives , not only in our community but throughout the United States.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Customs Enforcement ’ s Homeland Security Investigations .
“ As proud partners of CBP , we stand ready to investigate drug seizures discovered at the ports of entry by those who are uniquely qualified in stopping attempts of illicit drugs from entering the United States , ” said Juan Mariscal , the Nogales Assistant Special Agent in Charge , for Homeland Security Investigations ( HSI ) .
“ HSI remains dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.
” Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt .
An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt .
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freedomdaily--2020-03-18--How Chinese people came together when separated by quarantine, creating hope, humor and art

Fear and blame appear to be fast becoming Americans ’ defining emotions around COVID-19 .
Headlines seem to offer either worst-case estimates or government leaders ’ mutual accusations .
Amid the bewildering figures and contradictory political narratives , it is important to recall that numbers and governments are abstractions – whereas people actually live with and through disease .
By fixating on the former , we risk losing sight of the human dimensions of epidemic life .
As a scholar researching the cultural aspects of the 2003 SARS epidemic , I too initially focused on geopolitics and biosecurity .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed but vitally humanizing – were the vibrant forms of everyday communal life generated by SARS at its very epicenters .
Under conditions of obligatory isolation and social distancing , common people invented new kinds of sociality and new genres of epidemic expressions .
With COVID-19 now even more than SARS , the Chinese internet and social media offer a cornucopia of examples of epidemic communities brought together by heart , humor and creativity .
One early set of viral videos surfaced in Wuhan just five days into the city ’ s lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , residents shouted “ jiayou ” – literally “ add oil , ” meaning “ hang in there ” or “ don ’ t give up ” – out their apartment windows , in a spontaneous burst of solidarity .
It was a demonstration of collective strength and defiance , of people ’ s refusal to be quelled by the virus and the quarantine , and their desire to cheer each other on .
One of these clips , uploaded onto YouTube by the South China Morning Post , has received over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian countries echoing “ Wuhan jiayou !
” in encouragement .
Indeed , the refrain has flourished into a rallying cry among an international public on social media , despite the Chinese government ’ s attempts to co-opt it as a slogan for ethnonational patriotism .
This spirit of reciprocal support extends to the care of animals .
The Wuhan lockdown has stranded tens of thousands of residents outside the city , leaving an estimated 50,000 pets trapped in unattended homes .
Through social media , some pet owners connected with Lao Mao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who heads a team of volunteer animal rescuers in Wuhan .
These rescuers now roam the city and sometimes break into deserted homes to feed abandoned cats and dogs .
Outside Hubei , other animal lovers likewise help those stuck inside the province look after their pets at home .
These tales of animal caretaking , even in times of human crisis , can usefully offset perceptions of Chinese culture as simply one of cruel and unbridled animal consumption .
Another unexpected focal point for communal care is the face mask .
Across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle for enacting goodwill , generosity and fellowship during the epidemic .
In one viral video from Anhui , an anonymous Good Samaritan was captured on surveillance camera dropping off 500 masks at a local police station .
As he hurried away , two officers ran outside to salute him .
This video in turn inspired the Hong Kong-based singer G.E.M .
( Gloria Tang/Deng Ziqi ) to compose “ Angels , ” a song that garnered nearly 600,000 hits within the first day of its upload .
A tribute to ordinary people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kindness during the outbreak , the music video opens with the Anhui clip and then splices together other moving scenes , including a train employee gifting a mask to an elderly woman passenger and a man distributing free masks to travelers in an airport abroad .
This creative energy has also spurred China ’ s folk humor culture .
In locked-down sites across the country , social media is spawning a new genre of quarantine humor .
On Weibo , WeChat and Douyin , memes of quarantine boredom and stir-craziness proliferate .
Netizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescripting classic tunes , fishing from home aquariums , playing mahjong with plastic bags over their heads , playing solo mahjong , playing living-room badminton and choreographing wacky dance moves .
People also showcase their creative flare in donning protective gear and venturing out to neighborhood convenience stores and parks in inflatable costumes of T-Rex dinosaurs , green aliens and Christmas trees .
When they run out of face masks , some half-jokingly substitute with bras , sanitary pads , and orange rinds .
As Manya Koetse reports from Beijing , these social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbors , their friends or family , or even themselves in the extreme and sometimes silly measures they are taking to avoid the coronavirus.
” But more than mockery , the very sharing of these memes is a constructive and healing social act .
In times of high stress and distress , to sustain these virtual communities is to deliver shared recognition , concern and laughter .
This is not to say that China ’ s epidemic experience is solely lighthearted or affirming .
Yet neither does life at epicenters have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ villains or horror scenarios of collapse and conflict .
Indeed , in other countries that have since become COVID-19 epicenters , social media offer similarly inspiring examples .
Frontline health workers in Iran dance in hospital hallways to buoy their patients as well as themselves , and Italians in lockdown sing from their balconies to boost each other ’ s morale – in turn prompting a string of “ Italy jiayou ” videos from Chinese netizens .
Collectively , these chronicles attest to the idea of pandemic resilience – the possibility that disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ingenuity and sheer human ordinariness .
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Belinda Kong received funding from the NEH and the Andrew W. Mellon Leave Fellowship from Bowdoin College for this project .


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--How hope can keep you healthier and happier

Hope can erode when we perceive threats to our way of life , and these days , plenty are out there .
As we age , we may struggle with a tragic loss or chronic disease .
As we watch the news , we see our political system polarized , hopelessly locked in chaos .
The coronavirus spreads wider daily ; U.S. markets signaled a lack of hope with a Dow Jones free fall .
Losing hope sometimes leads to suicide .
When there is no hope – when people can not picture a desired end to their struggles – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University , I ’ ve studied positive psychology , forgiveness , wellness and the science of hope for more than 40 years .
My website offers free resources and tools to help its readers live a more hopeful life .
First , hope is not Pollyannaish optimism – the assumption that a positive outcome is inevitable .
Instead , hope is a motivation to persevere toward a goal or end state , even if we ’ re skeptical that a positive outcome is likely .
Psychologists tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attitude and a belief that we have a pathway to our desired outcome .
Hope is the willpower to change and the way-power to bring about that change .
With teens and with young or middle-aged adults , hope is a bit easier .
But for older adults , it ’ s a bit harder .
Aging often means running up against obstacles that appear unyielding – like recurring health or financial or family issues that just don ’ t seem to go away .
Hope for older adults has to be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mature hope.
” Now the good news : this study , from Harvard ’ s “ Human Flourishing Program , ” recently published .
Researchers examined the impact of hope on nearly 13,000 people with an average age of 66 .
They found those with more hope throughout their lives had better physical health , better health behaviors , better social support and a longer life .
Hope also led to fewer chronic health problems , less depression , less anxiety and a lower risk of cancer .
So if maintaining hope in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , how do we increase it ?
Or build hope if it ’ s MIA ?
Here are my four suggestions : Attend a motivational speech – or watch , read or listen to one online , through YouTube , a blog or podcast .
That increases hope , although usually the fix is short-lived .
How can you build longer-term hope ?
Engage with a religious or spiritual community .
This has worked for millennia .
Amidst a community of like believers , people have drawn strength , found peace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just by knowing there is something or someone much larger than them .
Forgive .
Participating in a forgiveness group , or completing a forgiveness do-it-yourself workbook , builds hope , say scientists .
It also reduces depression and anxiety , and increases ( perhaps this is obvious ) your capacity to forgive .
That ’ s true even with long-held grudges .
I ’ ve personally found that successfully forgiving someone provides a sense of both the willpower and way-power to change .
Choose a “ hero of hope.
” Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 years of imprisonment yet persevered to build a new nation .
Franklin Delano Roosevelt brought hope to millions for a decade during the Great Depression .
Ronald Reagan brought hope to a world that seemed forever mired in the Cold War .
From his fourth State of the Union address : “ Tonight , I ’ ve spoken of great plans and great dreams .
They ’ re dreams we can make come true .
Two hundred years of American history should have taught us that nothing is impossible.
” Hope changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the black mathematician whose critical role in the early days of NASA and the space race was featured in the movie “ Hidden Figures , ” recently died at age 101 .
The movie ( and the book on which it was based ) brought to light her persistence against a system that seemed forever stuck .
Bryan Stevenson , who directs the Equal Justice Initiative , and the subject of the movie “ Just Mercy , ” has successfully fought to help those wrongly convicted or incompetently defended to get off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not help everyone who needed it ; he concluded that he lived in a broken system , and that , in fact , he too was a broken man .
Yet he constantly reminded himself of what he had told everyone he tried to help : “ Each of us , ” he said , “ is more than the worst thing we ’ ve ever done.
” Hope changes all of us .
By regaining his hope , Bryan Stevenson ’ s example inspires us .
Regardless of how hard we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hope .
Bad stuff happens .
But there are the endpoints of persistent hope : We become healthier and our relationships are happier .
We can bring about that hope by buoying our willpower , bolstering our persistence , finding pathways to our goals and dreams , and looking for heroes of hope .
And just perhaps , one day , we too can be such a hero .
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Everett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charity Foundation studying forgiveness , and in the past from the John Templeton Foundation for research on forgiveness .


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--The digital divide leaves millions at a disadvantage during the coronavirus pandemic

Amidst the flurry of social media updates about the COVID-19 pandemic , a chart illustrating the importance of flattening the curve has gone viral .
The idea is that taking measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 lowers the chances of overwhelming hospitals and increases the chances that all of those who become ill will have access to treatment .
The logic behind flattening the COVID-19 curve is intuitive – don ’ t panic , but be careful .
Unsurprisingly , the internet is playing a critical role in getting the word out to be careful and to help flatten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government data are giving people a sense of where cases are concentrated , and numerous other websites list numbers to call , symptoms to check for and tips for prevention .
Increasingly universities are shifting courses online , businesses are asking employees to work from home and shoppers are ordering groceries online to minimize time in crowded spaces .
While the internet is an important resource in efforts to stay informed and proceed with daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic , these online approaches to reducing risk are not available to everyone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communications Commission reports , more than 24 million Americans have no access to broadband internet , while the Pew Research Center projects 163 million Americans lack access to reliable broadband internet connections .
This digital divide falls along existing lines of socioeconomic inequality – those who are poorer and live in less affluent areas pay more for less reliable service .
And while smartphones are more prevalent across all socioeconomic groups , they ’ re a poor alternative for broadband internet access for tasks like working from home or attending classes online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ most vulnerable Americans – a significant proportion of the 163 million who lack access to a reliable broadband internet connection – at a significant disadvantage when it comes to accessing the real-time information people need to respond to COVID-19 .
This is a problem not only for people without broadband access , but also for society as a whole as we struggle to flatten the COVID-19 curve .
There will be many important lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic .
A less obvious , yet nonetheless important , lesson is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to the challenges society faces .
Indeed , a poignant lesson from this pandemic is that finding ways to bridge the digital divide is quickly becoming a matter of life and death .
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Gregory Porumbescu does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment @


freedomdaily--2020-03-18--Coronavirus: Social distancing is delaying vital scientific research

Scientists are facing stiff headwinds from the rapid spread of COVID-19 .
The coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and a national emergency in the U.S .
While the impact of the pandemic on scientific research pales compared to its effect on human health and lives lost , it ’ s still affecting the vitality of an essential component of the modern world .
Universities around the country are the engines of research in the United States .
They perform nearly half of the basic research and nearly one fifth of the applied research , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Already , many universities have canceled classes or moved them online , and many have made contingency plans for complete closure .
Exceptions will only be made for essential functions .
Which raises the question : Is scientific research essential ?
It ’ s not as essential as maintaining core health and human services , but as an expert in physics and astronomy , I ’ d argue that it ’ s more essential than sporting events or rock concerts , as much as I enjoy both .
One half of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to scientific and technological innovation .
What ’ s not getting done Just on my campus at the University of Arizona , which is typical of large American Research 1 universities , a list of actions that affect research includes : suspension of all meetings with more than four people , suspension of all nonessential travel and plans for the closure of almost all labs and research facilities .
This a huge hit on the professional development of young scientists .
It means that in my department , we can ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can ’ t bring prospective graduate students to visit .
We can ’ t have face-to-face meetings of research groups or even thesis committees .
We can ’ t advise our students one-on-one .
All these are venues where young people learn their craft and prepare to become independent researchers .
In 250 research universities and thousands of labs across the country , it ’ s the same story .
At Boston University , biomedical engineer Catherine Klapperich reported to STAT that she ’ s canceling lab meetings , and that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in case one day she isn ’ t allowed back in the building .
Harvard biology professor Richard Lee told STAT he will ensure the mice in his lab are cared for , but he won ’ t be able to do experiments and his students may not be able to finish their thesis research .
Harvard labs are all closed for two months , but at other universities it ’ s an open-ended closure , which is very disruptive to planning and executing research projects .
A glimpse of what lies ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown .
According to Science magazine , University of Pavia biologist Federico Forneris has mostly shut down his lab and may shift his research to computational biology , which can be done remotely .
Geneticist Alberto Bardelli at the University of Turin , told Science that for him it ’ s a similar story .
And in a bitter irony , he ’ s been stalled in his efforts to develop a diagnostic test for the coronavirus .
Holden Thorp , editor-in-chief of the premier journal Science , sums it up succinctly : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of science.
” Another dramatic effect of the pandemic is the mass cancellation of conferences .
Organizers pulled the plug on Experimental Biology , due to host 12,000 people in San Diego .
The American Physical Society was expecting 11,000 people in Denver , but canceled with one day ’ s notice , leaving many who had already arrived high and dry .
Over 65 technology conferences have been canceled , postponed , or will go virtual .
The National Institutes of Health hosts or sponsors hundreds of meetings per year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events until the end of April .
Virtual meetings were on the rise even before COVID-19 hit .
Going online helps scientists reduce their carbon footprint , so why not embrace this trend ?
Because young scientists use meetings to hunt for jobs and get their work known .
Young scientists have fresh ideas , and they ’ re ambitious and highly productive .
If they suffer , the entire enterprise suffers .
Louise Prockter , co-chair of a recently canceled meeting on planetary science , told Scientific American , “ They don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off their science and network.
” Karen Daniels , a physicist hit by the cancellation of the large Denver meeting , echoed this to the magazine saying , “ You also go there to sit in the hallways and talk about what you just heard and your new ideas and what ’ s working and what ’ s not working.
” On paper , in any competitive field , everyone looks good .
The way a young scientist shines is by giving a compelling talk , by fielding tough questions from their peers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-on-one with a senior scientist .
Research supports the idea that in-person interactions are valuable .
Meetings matter .
Without science ’ s social dimension , something valuable is lost .
Is there a silver lining to this bleak picture ?
Yes .
The imperative to share health data on COVID-19 will add to the pressure on academic journals to provide free access to research results .
The for-profit publishing sector is already feeling heat , and the push for open access may become irresistible .
Shared data is the fuel for scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into large worldwide teams solving challenging problems .
Federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation have announced new funding opportunities , not just for medical research , but also for enhancing the cyber infrastructure to deal with health crises .
New investments will focus on early warning , risk mitigation and resilience in dealing with pandemics like this one .
Because the only certainty is that there will be another one .
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Chris Impey does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-03-19--State Department Suspends Visa Services Across The World

The State Department is suspending visa services in most countries across the world , the Trump administration ’ s latest response to mitigating the spread of the coronavirus pandemic .
The State Department announced Wednesday it ’ s canceling all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant appointments at embassies and consulates in numerous countries .
The suspensions became effective immediately , and no specific date was provided on when services would begin again .
“ In response to worldwide challenges related to the outbreak of COVID-19 , the Department of State is suspending routine visa services in most countries worldwide , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Embassies and consulates in these countries will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 18 , 2020.
” “ As resources allow , embassies and consulates will continue to provide urgent and emergency visa services , ” the statement continued .
A State Department spokesperson told Axios that the cancellations will apply to all countries that have a travel advisory level of 2,3 , or 4 .
Affected governments include the UK , Italy , Germany , France , Ukraine , Denmark , Russia , Israel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil , India and Turkey Those under the visa waiver program — which allows people to visit the United States for business or tourism for 90 days or less without needing a visa — will not be affected .
Visa applicants in need of immediate travel can still request emergency appointments with effected embassies , the State Department added .
The directive is just the latest in the U.S. government ’ s response to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak .
The Trump administration , for example , c recently closed non-essential traffic at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immigration Services has suspended in-person services nationwide , and the U.S. refugee Admissions program has been put on hold .
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