talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-19--Voter Fraud Alarmist Group Seizes On Coronavirus To Denounce Mail-In Balloting

As elected officials across the country scramble to figure out how to conduct elections without worsening the coronavirus outbreak , many are emphasizing the importance of absentee voting and even considering expanding mail-in ballot options .
Voter fraud alarmist groups are taking note .
The interest by states to push people towards mail-in voting comes as part of the broader COVID-19-prompted effort to cut down on human contact .
Under guidance from the Centers for Disease Control , Americans are encouraged to avoid gathering in large groups and to stay six feet away from one another — a nearly impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , say , a school cafeteria .
Voting fraud alarmist groups claim that an increase in mail-in voting will lead to rampant , election-swinging criminality .
While vote-by-mail fraud is more real than virtually nonexistent in-person voting fraud , it is still rare .
That has not stopped these groups from grasping at straws to argue that it will create a cataclysmic problem , like they ’ ve done time and time again .
One group , the Election Integrity Project in California , sent around an email blast urging Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks ” to the legitimacy of the election now that Secretary of State Alex Padilla has advised that mail-in ballots be sent to every registered voter in the county for the November 2020 elections .
The group ’ s leader , Linda Paine , confirmed to TPM that the missive was timed to address any possible shifts to a more mail-based system statewide amid the coronavirus outbreak , though the group has been raising similar issues for years .
California municipalities are looking into how to follow Padilla ’ s advisory , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Registrar ’ s office told TPM that , while no decision has been made , the office is “ checking the feasibility of producing an additional 2.5 million vote-by-mail ballots.
” The precautions election officials are taking to respond to coronavirus have provided “ fertile ground ” for voter fraud alarmists to operate , Wendy Weiser , Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law , told TPM .
She added that individual voter fraud is “ extremely rare , ” but admitted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots than in-person voting , though it ’ s still not “ widespread.
” “ There is no basis for a spike in actual concern about voter fraud , assuming states get the resources they need and start planning now to make sure the elections are able to run safely and securely , ” she added .
States that already switched to an all vote-by-mail system years ago , like Oregon , have fairly intense security measures in place .
Election officials diligently track death notices , change of address forms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolls up to date .
The absentee ballots and envelopes have barcodes unique to each voter , and larger counties are equipped with machines to ensure that there are no discrepancies between the two , or duplicate barcodes .
Then a team trained in forensic handwriting analyzes the signature for authenticity against voter registration cards .
A contested voter has two weeks to prove his or her identity , should it be challenged .
After all that , could a ballot for a dead person or someone who moved and slipped through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mailbox ?
Yes .
But as former Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling told NBC News , it ’ d be “ one of the stupidest ways to try to steal an election .
They ’ d be committing a felony , vote by vote.
” Other states could borrow parts of the security systems used in Oregon , or other mail-in states , to prepare for an increase in mailed ballots in the general election .
“ It ’ s a tight timeframe , ” said Weiser , who recommends a hybrid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of in-person polls .
“ But there ’ s enough time.
” Still , the Election Integrity Project is not alone in using this moment to re-up its election warnings .
Another group , the Minnesota Voters Alliance , lodged a suspiciously timed lawsuit against Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon pertaining to absentee ballot qualifications .
The group did not respond to questions about whether the legal action was taken with the coronavirus outbreak in mind .
The complaint , filed on March 13 , centers on who qualifies for absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ no-excuse ” absentee voting for registered voters .
The policy allows any registered voter to request a ballot without providing a reason for being away from the polls on Election Day .
The rule the group is objecting to has been on the books since 1998 and was most recently amended in 2004 .
The MVA has sued Simon multiple times , recently in an attempt to get voter roll data to prove their dubious claims of widespread voter fraud .
Weiser said she was concerned about this election even before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud alarmism always increases during presidential election years.
” This general election was likely to see even more disinformation attacks , she added , after President Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2016 election — “ which he won !
” she exclaimed — and brought voter fraud misinformation into the mainstream .
“ We were bracing for the increased use of these tactics to try to undermine elections , and at this time of mistrust and disinformation we thought it was a significant risk , ” she said , referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud alarmists , as well as meddling from foreign governments .
“ Now , those concerns are even magnified because there will be a lot of changes in how people are running elections : a lot of disorganization and scrambling and a significant increase in mail balloting , ” she added .
“ All of this is fodder for voter fraud alarmists .
”

As elected officials across the country scramble to figure out how to conduct elections without worsening the coronavirus outbreak, many are emphasizing the importance of absentee voting and even considering expanding mail-in ballot options. Voter fraud alarmist groups are taking note.
The interest by states to push people towards mail-in voting comes as part of the broader COVID-19-prompted effort to cut down on human contact. Under guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, Americans are encouraged to avoid gathering in large groups and to stay six feet away from one another — a nearly impossible feat while waiting in line to vote in, say, a school cafeteria.
Voting fraud alarmist groups claim that an increase in mail-in voting will lead to rampant, election-swinging criminality. While vote-by-mail fraud is more real than virtually nonexistent in-person voting fraud, it is still rare. That has not stopped these groups from grasping at straws to argue that it will create a cataclysmic problem, like they’ve done time and time again.
One group, the Election Integrity Project in California, sent around an email blast urging Los Angeles County residents to “beware the significant risks” to the legitimacy of the election now that Secretary of State Alex Padilla has advised that mail-in ballots be sent to every registered voter in the county for the November 2020 elections.
The group’s leader, Linda Paine, confirmed to TPM that the missive was timed to address any possible shifts to a more mail-based system statewide amid the coronavirus outbreak, though the group has been raising similar issues for years.
California municipalities are looking into how to follow Padilla’s advisory, and a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office told TPM that, while no decision has been made, the office is “checking the feasibility of producing an additional 2.5 million vote-by-mail ballots.”
The precautions election officials are taking to respond to coronavirus have provided “fertile ground” for voter fraud alarmists to operate, Wendy Weiser, Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law, told TPM.
She added that individual voter fraud is “extremely rare,” but admitted that fraud is more likely to happen through mail-in ballots than in-person voting, though it’s still not “widespread.”
“There is no basis for a spike in actual concern about voter fraud, assuming states get the resources they need and start planning now to make sure the elections are able to run safely and securely,” she added.
States that already switched to an all vote-by-mail system years ago, like Oregon, have fairly intense security measures in place.
Election officials diligently track death notices, change of address forms and social security records to keep the voter rolls up to date. The absentee ballots and envelopes have barcodes unique to each voter, and larger counties are equipped with machines to ensure that there are no discrepancies between the two, or duplicate barcodes. Then a team trained in forensic handwriting analyzes the signature for authenticity against voter registration cards. A contested voter has two weeks to prove his or her identity, should it be challenged.
After all that, could a ballot for a dead person or someone who moved and slipped through the cracks still be stolen out of a mailbox? Yes. But as former Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling told NBC News, it’d be “one of the stupidest ways to try to steal an election. They’d be committing a felony, vote by vote.”
Other states could borrow parts of the security systems used in Oregon, or other mail-in states, to prepare for an increase in mailed ballots in the general election. “It’s a tight timeframe,” said Weiser, who recommends a hybrid system of increased mail-in options plus plenty of in-person polls. “But there’s enough time.”
Still, the Election Integrity Project is not alone in using this moment to re-up its election warnings.
Another group, the Minnesota Voters Alliance, lodged a suspiciously timed lawsuit against Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon pertaining to absentee ballot qualifications. The group did not respond to questions about whether the legal action was taken with the coronavirus outbreak in mind.
The complaint, filed on March 13, centers on who qualifies for absentee ballots in Minnesota, a state that has “no-excuse” absentee voting for registered voters. The policy allows any registered voter to request a ballot without providing a reason for being away from the polls on Election Day.
The rule the group is objecting to has been on the books since 1998 and was most recently amended in 2004.
The MVA has sued Simon multiple times, recently in an attempt to get voter roll data to prove their dubious claims of widespread voter fraud.
Weiser said she was concerned about this election even before the disease broke out, since “voter fraud alarmism always increases during presidential election years.” This general election was likely to see even more disinformation attacks, she added, after President Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2016 election — “which he won!” she exclaimed — and brought voter fraud misinformation into the mainstream.
“We were bracing for the increased use of these tactics to try to undermine elections, and at this time of mistrust and disinformation we thought it was a significant risk,” she said, referring to homegrown misinformation from Trump and other voter fraud alarmists, as well as meddling from foreign governments.
“Now, those concerns are even magnified because there will be a lot of changes in how people are running elections: a lot of disorganization and scrambling and a significant increase in mail balloting,” she added. “All of this is fodder for voter fraud alarmists.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-19--As Texas COVID-19 Cases Climb, Houston Pleads For More Tests, Gear

HOUSTON ( AP ) — Cars lined up for more than a mile outside a Houston hospital Thursday as the nation ’ s fourth-largest city began drive-thru testing for the coronavirus , but officials warned they don ’ t have enough kits or protective gear to meet demand .
“ I don ’ t want to create false hope that we are ready right now to have a radical increase in testing , ” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo , the top county official in Houston .
“ We are unfortunately not.
” Hours after the drive-thru testing began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools closed for more than 5 million students and shuttered restaurant dining rooms .
Texas has more than 140 cases and health officials in Dallas confirmed the state ’ s fourth death related to the virus that causes COVID-19 .
About 2,500 testing kits were available at the drive-thru at United Memorial Medical Center and only those showing symptoms would be screened for the virus , said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee .
She warned that the state is running out of personal protective equipment and that more is needed , although she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing supply would last .
One of the first vehicles through was a red pickup truck containing a woman who could be heard loudly coughing .
Health workers in blue protective gear removed her from the truck and put her on a stretcher , then wheeled her into a nearby tent .
For most people , the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild cases recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe ones can take three to six weeks to recover .
Nationwide , public frustrations over the difficulties of getting tested for the new virus have been building since the first U.S. case was confirmed Jan. 20 .
Early missteps with test kits developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , coupled with strict government criteria about who qualified for screening , have led to widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Texas health officials reported that the state had administered about 2,000 tests as of Wednesday .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott told mayors and county officials a week ago that the supply of tests exceeded demand , and on Thursday said the state will soon have the capacity to test around 15,000 people a week .
Abbott had lagged behind other governors nationwide in ordering school and business closures , having until now left that decision to local health officials .
That resulted in a patchwork of restrictions that had varied starkly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallas and Fort Worth , frustrating and confusing some local officials .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

HOUSTON (AP) — Cars lined up for more than a mile outside a Houston hospital Thursday as the nation’s fourth-largest city began drive-thru testing for the coronavirus, but officials warned they don’t have enough kits or protective gear to meet demand.
“I don’t want to create false hope that we are ready right now to have a radical increase in testing,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top county official in Houston. “We are unfortunately not.”
Hours after the drive-thru testing began, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered schools closed for more than 5 million students and shuttered restaurant dining rooms. Texas has more than 140 cases and health officials in Dallas confirmed the state’s fourth death related to the virus that causes COVID-19. About 2,500 testing kits were available at the drive-thru at United Memorial Medical Center and only those showing symptoms would be screened for the virus, said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
She warned that the state is running out of personal protective equipment and that more is needed, although she didn’t say how long the existing supply would last.
One of the first vehicles through was a red pickup truck containing a woman who could be heard loudly coughing. Health workers in blue protective gear removed her from the truck and put her on a stretcher, then wheeled her into a nearby tent.
For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild cases recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe ones can take three to six weeks to recover.
Nationwide, public frustrations over the difficulties of getting tested for the new virus have been building since the first U.S. case was confirmed Jan. 20. Early missteps with test kits developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coupled with strict government criteria about who qualified for screening, have led to widespread reports of people struggling to get tested.
Texas health officials reported that the state had administered about 2,000 tests as of Wednesday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told mayors and county officials a week ago that the supply of tests exceeded demand, and on Thursday said the state will soon have the capacity to test around 15,000 people a week.
Abbott had lagged behind other governors nationwide in ordering school and business closures, having until now left that decision to local health officials. That resulted in a patchwork of restrictions that had varied starkly even between big neighboring cities such as Dallas and Fort Worth, frustrating and confusing some local officials.
___
Weber reported from Austin, Texas.
___
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-19--As Trudeau Self-Isolates, Canadian Foreign Minister Gets Tested For COVID-19

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on COVID-19 situation in Canada from his residence March 17 @ @ @ @ @ Canada .
- Canada is closing its borders to most foreigners -- exclud ... Canadian @ @ @ @ @ during a news conference on COVID-19 situation in Canada from his residence March 17 , @ @ @ @ @ .
- Canada is closing its borders to most foreigners -- excluding Americans -- in @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 16 , 2020 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ as possible , should also stay home , '' he told a news conference outside @ @ @ @ @ and his family are self-isolating after his wife Sophie tested positive for COVID-19 .
( @ @ @ @ @ AFP ) ( Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images )

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on COVID-19 situation in Canada from his residence March 17, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada. - Canada is closing its borders to most foreigners -- exclud...
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on COVID-19 situation in Canada from his residence March 17, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada. - Canada is closing its borders to most foreigners -- excluding Americans -- in a bid to stem the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 16, 2020. "All Canadians, as much as possible, should also stay home," he told a news conference outside his home, where he and his family are self-isolating after his wife Sophie tested positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
MORE
LESS


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--An Unexpected COVID-19 Hotspot Emerges In The Colorado Rockies

It was 2 a.m. on Sunday , March 8th and Bill Brueck couldn ’ t sleep .
The 45-year-old father of two , from the snowy town of Minturn , Colorado , had a cough , body aches , chest congestion and a fever .
He stayed in bed all day .
Brueck would soon become one of the first diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Eagle County , Colorado , a region of the Rockies spotted with idyllic resort towns .
Dozens of people came down with similar symptoms around the same time .
And the confirmed cases have continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eagle County ’ s numbers have grown to the “ hotspot ” conditions found in much larger U.S. cities .
As of Friday , there were 61 confirmed cases of the disease there , according to the state — nearly as many as Denver in a county of around 55,000 .
While those numbers alone made Eagle County the heaviest-hit county in the state , the disease is likely much more widespread than the confirmed cases let on .
Between a hundreds-deep backlog of test results and the typical gap between contracting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials haven ’ t been able to track the true extent of COVID-19 spread .
“ Local health officials throughout Eagle County now suspect that hundreds , if not thousands , of community members have contracted COVID-19 , ” the county said Wednesday .
“ It is everywhere here ; we just don ’ t have the test results to prove it , and we won ’ t anytime soon , ” Will Cook , president and CEO of the major health care provider in the area , Vail Health , wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks ago , Brueck remembered hearing about the first confirmed case of coronavirus disease in his state — a man who ’ d traveled to Italy and then returned to Colorado , where he went skiing at nearby Keystone Resort and Vail Mountain .
The Friday before feeling symptoms , Brueck had worked his restaurant job in the same area .
“ That tipped my brain , ” he told TPM Friday .
“ The symptoms seemed kind of consistent with what people were talking about.
” So Brueck called his doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive-up testing center a couple towns over in Gypsum .
“ They came out all dressed in their space suits and did a couple swabs and sent me on my way , ” Brueck recalled .
“ Never had to get out of my car.
” That was before the symptoms surged .
Now , a county spokesperson told TPM Thursday , there are hundreds of outstanding tests without results .
Within a few days of his test it was official : Brueck was one of the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in Eagle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week since watching movies , reading and walking his dog through the woods .
Thousands of people in the county are in a similar situation , keeping to themselves : Restaurants have been ordered closed except for take-out .
County buses are operating fare free and riders have been instructed to board from the back door , minimizing contact with drivers .
With hundreds of tests outstanding and community spread already confirmed , “ we are not relying on test results any longer to take action , ” Kris Widlak , a spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Normally around this time of year , the prime ski spots within Eagle County ’ s borders — Vail , Beaver Creek and Avon among them — would be flush with tourists from all over the world enjoying the Rocky Mountains and the sprawling hospitality-based economy that ’ s sprung up around them over the years .
Now , the slopes are closed .
The Eagle County Regional Airport ’ s arrivals board is a red wall of cancellations .
The area has emptied of international tourists and seasonal workers , whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week .
“ For a couple of weeks , I ’ d been like , wow , we ’ re going to have some problems , ” Mike Heaphy , a father of three who works year-round at Beaver Creek , said .
“ It ’ s totally spooky around here , driving around .
Completely spooky and weird.
” Brueck ’ s daughters were on their way to Heaphy ’ s house when their dad got the news about his test .
Now , Heaphy said , he ’ s spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ “ e-schooling coordinator.
” For Eagle County , whose small towns are dependent upon the tourism industry , the reality of the pandemic was a hard pill to swallow , Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes of Avon told TPM .
“ But over the past few days , the reality has finally hit home , ” she said .
The quiet that ’ s fallen over the county will likely stretch across the country in coming weeks .
As emergency rooms try to clear out space for a coming spike in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flying blind , relying upon epidemiological modeling rather than individual tests to map the true spread of the virus .
Over the past 10 days , the two small clinics serving the town of Eagle have seen more than 100 cases of flu-like symptoms that could match COVID-19 , Dr. Corey Dobson of Eagle Valley Family Practice told TPM Thursday .
He was worried that the United States is headed toward “ where Italy was at ” with the disease .
“ The testing has been pretty difficult , so we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of presuming they ’ re COVID-19 positive , without knowing 100 % , ” Dobson said .
“ Our state and county shortage on testing has been a real issue.
” “ Eagle County has certainly had evidence of widespread community transmission , ” Scott Bookman , the Colorado public health department ’ s incident commander for COVID-19 response , said in a conference call Thursday , adding : “ They have a high rate of respiratory illness that is consistent with COVID-19 , even if every case hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble , local leaders have tried to put on a brave face .
Appearing in a video on Vail Health ’ s YouTube channel this week , Chris Lindley , an epidemiologist and the former director of Eagle County Public Health and Environment , was measured and purposeful .
“ Things are really looking good , and we wanted to make sure — most importantly — folks remain calm , ” Lindley said .
“ So while there ’ s a lot of information going around , we do know this virus will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state reserve of personal protective equipment for doctors , giving it access to resources that have all but disappeared elsewhere around the country .
By cancelling elective surgeries and ambulatory care , Lindley said in another video , the hospital had doubled its capacity in a matter of days .
But Cook , the hospital ’ s CEO struck a different tone in his op-ed Wednesday .
The 56-bed hospital could be “ overflowing ” in 2-4 weeks without “ disciplined ” social distancing , he said , and then “ we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people alive , and locals of all ages will be dying.
” It ’ s not just Eagle County .
Across Colorado , state health officials still don ’ t have a complete ventilator inventory ; shortages of the crucial piece of equipment in Italy and elsewhere have forced doctors to make impossible decisions .
“ The biggest problem could be strains on our rural health-care system , ” Widlak , the county spokesperson , told TPM .
Smith Hymes , the Avon mayor , was more blunt .
“ Once the tide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think we ’ re prepared , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t think anyone in this country is prepared.
” Unlike many large , urban COVID-19 hotspots , the outbreak in Eagle County is affecting small towns , some of which are home to service workers who , Avon said , sometimes don ’ t have internet access .
On Friday , the mayor was preparing to distribute print-outs of Cook ’ s op-ed around a mobile home park in town .
Other towns facing a surge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to informing residents , Smith Hymes said .
“ Somehow , at the earliest possible opportunity , even if you have to use alarmist language , they have to get the message out any way they can about how serious the situation is , ” she said .
Brueck , who was shoveling snow Friday morning when TPM reached him , was one of the lucky ones .
His symptoms were gone two days before his test results came back , and he and his family ’ s quarantine ended Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he only knew of one other person in town with the disease , but that he assumed there was more to come .
“ If I was contagious before I had symptoms , countless people would have been in contact with me , ” he said .
“ Same with anyone else , you know ?
How do you know ?
” “ You can see how it could be an exponential bubble here , pretty soon .
”

It was 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8th and Bill Brueck couldn’t sleep.
The 45-year-old father of two, from the snowy town of Minturn, Colorado, had a cough, body aches, chest congestion and a fever. He stayed in bed all day.
Brueck would soon become one of the first diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Eagle County, Colorado, a region of the Rockies spotted with idyllic resort towns. Dozens of people came down with similar symptoms around the same time.
And the confirmed cases have continued to climb — so much so that Eagle County’s numbers have grown to the “hotspot” conditions found in much larger U.S. cities. As of Friday, there were 61 confirmed cases of the disease there, according to the state — nearly as many as Denver in a county of around 55,000.
While those numbers alone made Eagle County the heaviest-hit county in the state, the disease is likely much more widespread than the confirmed cases let on. Between a hundreds-deep backlog of test results and the typical gap between contracting the disease and showing symptoms, public health officials haven’t been able to track the true extent of COVID-19 spread.
“Local health officials throughout Eagle County now suspect that hundreds, if not thousands, of community members have contracted COVID-19,” the county said Wednesday.
“It is everywhere here; we just don’t have the test results to prove it, and we won’t anytime soon,” Will Cook, president and CEO of the major health care provider in the area, Vail Health, wrote in an op-ed.
Lying awake that night two weeks ago, Brueck remembered hearing about the first confirmed case of coronavirus disease in his state — a man who’d traveled to Italy and then returned to Colorado, where he went skiing at nearby Keystone Resort and Vail Mountain.
The Friday before feeling symptoms, Brueck had worked his restaurant job in the same area.
“That tipped my brain,” he told TPM Friday. “The symptoms seemed kind of consistent with what people were talking about.”
So Brueck called his doctor, who recommended he stop by a drive-up testing center a couple towns over in Gypsum.
“They came out all dressed in their space suits and did a couple swabs and sent me on my way,” Brueck recalled. “Never had to get out of my car.”
That was before the symptoms surged. Now, a county spokesperson told TPM Thursday, there are hundreds of outstanding tests without results.
Within a few days of his test it was official: Brueck was one of the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in Eagle County. He’s spent the week since watching movies, reading and walking his dog through the woods.
Thousands of people in the county are in a similar situation, keeping to themselves: Restaurants have been ordered closed except for take-out. County buses are operating fare free and riders have been instructed to board from the back door, minimizing contact with drivers.
With hundreds of tests outstanding and community spread already confirmed, “we are not relying on test results any longer to take action,” Kris Widlak, a spokesperson for the county, told TPM Thursday.
Normally around this time of year, the prime ski spots within Eagle County’s borders — Vail, Beaver Creek and Avon among them — would be flush with tourists from all over the world enjoying the Rocky Mountains and the sprawling hospitality-based economy that’s sprung up around them over the years.
Now, the slopes are closed. The Eagle County Regional Airport’s arrivals board is a red wall of cancellations. The area has emptied of international tourists and seasonal workers, whom resorts kicked out by the hundreds earlier this week.
“For a couple of weeks, I’d been like, wow, we’re going to have some problems,” Mike Heaphy, a father of three who works year-round at Beaver Creek, said. “It’s totally spooky around here, driving around. Completely spooky and weird.”
Brueck’s daughters were on their way to Heaphy’s house when their dad got the news about his test.
Now, Heaphy said, he’s spending most of his time as his kids’ “e-schooling coordinator.”
For Eagle County, whose small towns are dependent upon the tourism industry, the reality of the pandemic was a hard pill to swallow, Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes of Avon told TPM.
“But over the past few days, the reality has finally hit home,” she said.
The quiet that’s fallen over the county will likely stretch across the country in coming weeks. As emergency rooms try to clear out space for a coming spike in cases, local doctors and health authorities are essentially flying blind, relying upon epidemiological modeling rather than individual tests to map the true spread of the virus.
Over the past 10 days, the two small clinics serving the town of Eagle have seen more than 100 cases of flu-like symptoms that could match COVID-19, Dr. Corey Dobson of Eagle Valley Family Practice told TPM Thursday. He was worried that the United States is headed toward “where Italy was at” with the disease.
“The testing has been pretty difficult, so we’ve had to treat a lot of people kind of presuming they’re COVID-19 positive, without knowing 100%,” Dobson said. “Our state and county shortage on testing has been a real issue.”
“Eagle County has certainly had evidence of widespread community transmission,” Scott Bookman, the Colorado public health department’s incident commander for COVID-19 response, said in a conference call Thursday, adding: “They have a high rate of respiratory illness that is consistent with COVID-19, even if every case hasn’t been laboratory confirmed.”
For all the brewing trouble, local leaders have tried to put on a brave face.
Appearing in a video on Vail Health’s YouTube channel this week, Chris Lindley, an epidemiologist and the former director of Eagle County Public Health and Environment, was measured and purposeful.
“Things are really looking good, and we wanted to make sure — most importantly — folks remain calm,” Lindley said. “So while there’s a lot of information going around, we do know this virus will pass.”
The hospital had recently tapped a state reserve of personal protective equipment for doctors, giving it access to resources that have all but disappeared elsewhere around the country. By cancelling elective surgeries and ambulatory care, Lindley said in another video, the hospital had doubled its capacity in a matter of days.
But Cook, the hospital’s CEO, struck a different tone in his op-ed Wednesday.
The 56-bed hospital could be “overflowing” in 2-4 weeks without “disciplined” social distancing, he said, and then “we will not have enough respirators to keep people alive, and locals of all ages will be dying.”
It’s not just Eagle County. Across Colorado, state health officials still don’t have a complete ventilator inventory; shortages of the crucial piece of equipment in Italy and elsewhere have forced doctors to make impossible decisions.
“The biggest problem could be strains on our rural health-care system,” Widlak, the county spokesperson, told TPM.
Smith Hymes, the Avon mayor, was more blunt.
“Once the tide hits us, no, I don’t think we’re prepared,” she said. “I don’t think anyone in this country is prepared.”
Unlike many large, urban COVID-19 hotspots, the outbreak in Eagle County is affecting small towns, some of which are home to service workers who, Smith Hymes said, sometimes don’t have internet access. On Friday, the mayor was preparing to distribute print-outs of Cook’s op-ed around a mobile home park in town. Other towns facing a surge in cases ought to get creative when it comes to informing residents, Smith Hymes said.
“Somehow, at the earliest possible opportunity, even if you have to use alarmist language, they have to get the message out any way they can about how serious the situation is,” she said.
Brueck, who was shoveling snow Friday morning when TPM reached him, was one of the lucky ones. His symptoms were gone two days before his test results came back, and he and his family’s quarantine ended Thursday, eight days after he felt healthy. He said he only knew of one other person in town with the disease, but that he assumed there was more to come.
“If I was contagious before I had symptoms, countless people would have been in contact with me,” he said. “Same with anyone else, you know? How do you know?”
“You can see how it could be an exponential bubble here, pretty soon.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Congress Scrambles To Find Remote Vote Solution Amid Crisis — Again

Congress is currently enmeshed in debate about whether it can and should switch to working and voting remotely as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the country .
Sen. Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) , who has expressed opposition to remote voting , is instead lengthening vote times so senators can pop in and out without being around a lot of their peers .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) instructed Rep. Jim McGovern ( D-MA ) , chairman of the House Rules Committee , to prepare a report for members on what allowances the rules grant for voting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Congress , Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart ( R-FL ) and Ben McAdams ( D-UT ) , announced that they have contracted the disease , sending a flurry of other lawmakers into quarantine who ’ d recently interacted with the two .
“ There ’ s been resistance from McConnell and , to some extent , Pelosi , ” Norm Ornstein , resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute , told TPM .
“ Part of me fears that McConnell is opposed to this because he ’ s perfectly okay with a government run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But assuming that he ’ s opposing this for good faith reasons , I would ’ ve thought when two members came down with the virus and a substantial enough number of their peers had to self-quarantine , it ’ d be enough of a wake up call.
” Though the pandemic is new , Congress has confronted this question before .
Just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks , members of Congress and external experts alike worked on contingency plans in case another , more cataclysmic attack did manage to reach the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , too , part of the Continuity of Government Commission .
“ Back then , people thought we had a catastrophe that probably won ’ t happen again and there was inertia , ” he said .
“ I always expected we would get another bite at apple , and hoped it wouldn ’ t happen too late.
” One bill , introduced in the wake of the attack by Rep. Jim Langevin ( D-RI ) , addressed the precise problem Congress is grappling with now : a system members could use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of their homes .
His legislation would have required the National Institute of Standards and Technology to “ investigate the feasibility and costs ” of setting up a secure computer system for members , and to report back its findings in a year ’ s time .
“ This plan would only be executed in an emergency , ” Lengevin said at the time .
“ The traditional personal , face-to-face interactions that we all enjoy would not be jeopardized .
The E-Congress idea is simply a means to facilitate an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and only if , an attack or disaster strikes again.
” The bill , like the bulk of the proposals , went nowhere .
Ornstein said that the specter of remote work becoming “ too attractive ” loomed large in members ’ heads then , and that the face-to-face tradition of the Congress was strong driver of lawmakers ’ skepticism .
One change that was made to House rules four years after the attacks is the addition of the so-called “ catastrophe quorum.
” In extraordinary circumstances , after a quorum call is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get to the chamber to vote .
Then the sergeant-at-arms would then present to the chamber a “ catastrophic quorum failure report ” to account for the absences .
After another 24 hours , the vote proceeds with the much smaller-than-normal body of members .
But even that change was made with terrorist attacks in mind , leaving members now to grapple with the semantics of the paragraphs .
How many members have to be quarantined , or sick , or otherwise unable to vote in person to qualify as a “ catastrophe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contingency clause still requires at least some members to show up to vote in person .
And that ’ s just on the House side ; the Senate has never taken up any similar provisional quorum rules .
If , say , half the Senate was quarantined and unable to show up to vote , the chamber would grind to a halt .
Still , some House members are trying to force the issue .
Reps. Katie Porter ( D-CA ) , Eric Swalwell ( D-CA ) and Van Taylor ( R-TX @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter urging Pelosi to allow remote work and voting .
In the other chamber , Sens .
Rob Portman ( R-OH ) and Dick Durbin ( D-IL ) have introduced a resolution to amend the Senate rules and allow voting from home .
Ornstein said that the Portman-Durbin resolution is on the right track to make remote voting a reality , since it must be triggered by the leaders for a limited duration with the opportunity to renew it .
He added that an emergency-based resolution may assuage lawmakers ’ concerns that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when he was fighting the resistance to cultural change within the Capitol .
“ The conclusion that we came to then and you have to come to now is that we ’ re not talking about the choice between a different kind of legislature that doesn ’ t operate the way it ’ s supposed to and one that does , ” he said .
“ We ’ re talking about a Congress or no Congress .
”

Congress is currently enmeshed in debate about whether it can and should switch to working and voting remotely as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the country.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has expressed opposition to remote voting, is instead lengthening vote times so senators can pop in and out without being around a lot of their peers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) instructed Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), chairman of the House Rules Committee, to prepare a report for members on what allowances the rules grant for voting.
The situation has intensified as two members of Congress, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Ben McAdams (D-UT), announced that they have contracted the disease, sending a flurry of other lawmakers into quarantine who’d recently interacted with the two.
“There’s been resistance from McConnell and, to some extent, Pelosi,” Norm Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, told TPM. “Part of me fears that McConnell is opposed to this because he’s perfectly okay with a government run by fiat, run by Donald Trump. But assuming that he’s opposing this for good faith reasons, I would’ve thought when two members came down with the virus and a substantial enough number of their peers had to self-quarantine, it’d be enough of a wake up call.”
Though the pandemic is new, Congress has confronted this question before.
Just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, members of Congress and external experts alike worked on contingency plans in case another, more cataclysmic attack did manage to reach the Capitol or White House.
Ornstein was there, too, part of the Continuity of Government Commission.
“Back then, people thought we had a catastrophe that probably won’t happen again and there was inertia,” he said. “I always expected we would get another bite at apple, and hoped it wouldn’t happen too late.”
One bill, introduced in the wake of the attack by Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), addressed the precise problem Congress is grappling with now: a system members could use to debate and vote remotely, from the safety of their homes.
His legislation would have required the National Institute of Standards and Technology to “investigate the feasibility and costs” of setting up a secure computer system for members, and to report back its findings in a year’s time.
“This plan would only be executed in an emergency,” Lengevin said at the time. “The traditional personal, face-to-face interactions that we all enjoy would not be jeopardized. The E-Congress idea is simply a means to facilitate an organized system for congressional continuity if, and only if, an attack or disaster strikes again.”
The bill, like the bulk of the proposals, went nowhere.
Ornstein said that the specter of remote work becoming “too attractive” loomed large in members’ heads then, and that the face-to-face tradition of the Congress was strong driver of lawmakers’ skepticism.
One change that was made to House rules four years after the attacks is the addition of the so-called “catastrophe quorum.”
In extraordinary circumstances, after a quorum call is issued, members have 72 hours to get to the chamber to vote. Then the sergeant-at-arms would then present to the chamber a “catastrophic quorum failure report” to account for the absences. After another 24 hours, the vote proceeds with the much smaller-than-normal body of members.
But even that change was made with terrorist attacks in mind, leaving members now to grapple with the semantics of the paragraphs. How many members have to be quarantined, or sick, or otherwise unable to vote in person to qualify as a “catastrophe”? On top of that, the contingency clause still requires at least some members to show up to vote in person.
And that’s just on the House side; the Senate has never taken up any similar provisional quorum rules. If, say, half the Senate was quarantined and unable to show up to vote, the chamber would grind to a halt.
Still, some House members are trying to force the issue.
Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Van Taylor (R-TX) have amassed over 50 signatures on a letter urging Pelosi to allow remote work and voting.
In the other chamber, Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have introduced a resolution to amend the Senate rules and allow voting from home.
Ornstein said that the Portman-Durbin resolution is on the right track to make remote voting a reality, since it must be triggered by the leaders for a limited duration with the opportunity to renew it. He added that an emergency-based resolution may assuage lawmakers’ concerns that stymied his work some 20 years ago, when he was fighting the resistance to cultural change within the Capitol.
“The conclusion that we came to then and you have to come to now is that we’re not talking about the choice between a different kind of legislature that doesn’t operate the way it’s supposed to and one that does,” he said. “We’re talking about a Congress or no Congress.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Study: Some Patients Will Face Big Out-Of-Pocket Costs For COVID-19 Treatment

Certain Americans may have to pay hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars out-of-pocket for testing related to COVID-19 , even if their symptoms are mild to moderate , a new study finds .
The study , done by health care software company Castlight Health , looked at medical claims filings from across the county to compare the out-of-pocket costs for certain services across metropolitan areas .
The study also compared how costs varied depending on what kind of facility a patient visited to seek treatment .
It found that even Americans exhibiting moderate coronavirus symptoms could be hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just at emergency rooms .
To explain some of these costs , the study pointed to the need for providers to test patients for other illnesses with respiratory symptoms , like influenza , to rule them out , in addition to testing for COVID-19 .
While the Trump administration has instructed that costs be waived for COVID-19 test , it is “ unclear , ” according to the study , that the costs of these other tests would be fully covered by insurance .
“ These costs can add up very quickly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have high-deductible health plans , ” the study said , pointing to services like lab tests and chest x-rays .
To conduct the study , Castlight drew upon at a subset of 2.5 billion medical claims , as well as provider rate sheets , directory data and other publicly available information .
The study estimates that , in New York City , the out-of-pocket-costs for a patient who goes to the emergency room with mild to moderate symptoms range from $ 506 to $ 4,985 , for an average of $ 2,321 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is exhibiting severe symptoms , where the out-of-pocket costs for that testing in New York ERs range from $ 791 to $ 7,341 , for an average of $ 3,305 .
Seattle emergency room patients exhibiting moderate symptoms could pay an average of $ 1,793 out-of-pocket for treatment , while in Miami those patients are estimated to pay an average of $ 3,997 out-of-pocket .
The estimated costs decrease if patients instead received testing at an urgent care facility , from their primary care doctor , or used a telehealth option — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mild and additional testing isn ’ t necessary .
Urgent care providers could charge an average of $ 352 out-of-pocket for New York City patients with mild or moderate symptoms , according to the study , while those with severe symptoms could be on the hook for an average of $ 1,336 for urgent care testing .
The study estimates that average out-of-pocket costs for testing from primary care physicians in New York would be $ 1,220 for severe symptoms , and $ 235 for mild to moderate ones .
It looked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , Cleveland , Dallas , ; Houston , Los Angeles , Miami , New York , Salt Lake City , San Francisco , Seattle and Washington , D.C.. Read the study , which broke down average costs in all those cities , below : Correction : This story has been corrected to clarify that the study looked only at costs related to testing , and not treatment .

Certain Americans may have to pay hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars out-of-pocket for testing related to COVID-19, even if their symptoms are mild to moderate, a new study finds.
The study, done by health care software company Castlight Health, looked at medical claims filings from across the county to compare the out-of-pocket costs for certain services across metropolitan areas. The study also compared how costs varied depending on what kind of facility a patient visited to seek treatment.
It found that even Americans exhibiting moderate coronavirus symptoms could be hit with four-digit medical bills, and not just at emergency rooms.
To explain some of these costs, the study pointed to the need for providers to test patients for other illnesses with respiratory symptoms, like influenza, to rule them out, in addition to testing for COVID-19.
While the Trump administration has instructed that costs be waived for COVID-19 test, it is “unclear,” according to the study, that the costs of these other tests would be fully covered by insurance.
“These costs can add up very quickly, particularly for people with no insurance or who have high-deductible health plans,” the study said, pointing to services like lab tests and chest x-rays.
To conduct the study, Castlight drew upon at a subset of 2.5 billion medical claims, as well as provider rate sheets, directory data and other publicly available information.
The study estimates that, in New York City, the out-of-pocket-costs for a patient who goes to the emergency room with mild to moderate symptoms range from $506 to $4,985, for an average of $2,321. Those costs grow if the patient is exhibiting severe symptoms, where the out-of-pocket costs for that testing in New York ERs range from $791 to $7,341, for an average of $3,305.
Seattle emergency room patients exhibiting moderate symptoms could pay an average of $1,793 out-of-pocket for testing, while in Miami those patients are estimated to pay an average of $3,997 out-of-pocket.
The estimated costs decrease if patients instead received testing at an urgent care facility, from their primary care doctor, or used a telehealth option — a potentially free option if your symptoms are mild and additional testing isn’t necessary.
Urgent care providers could charge an average of $352 out-of-pocket for New York City patients with mild or moderate symptoms, according to the study, while those with severe symptoms could be on the hook for an average of $1,336 for urgent care testing.
The study estimates that average out-of-pocket costs for testing from primary care physicians in New York would be $1,220 for severe symptoms, and $235 for mild to moderate ones.
It looked at the variation of costs in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas,; Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C..
Read the study, which broke down average costs in all those cities, below:
Correction: This story has been corrected to clarify that the study looked only at costs related to testing, and not overall treatment.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Illinois Joins Growing List Of States Ordering Residents To Stay Home

Illinois and New York state joined California on Friday in ordering all residents to stay in their homes unless they have vital reasons to go out , restricting the movement of more than 70 million people in the most sweeping efforts yet in the U.S. to contain the spread of the coronavirus .
The governors of the three states acted in a bid to fend off the kind of onslaught that has caused the health system in southern Europe to buckle .
The three states encompass the three biggest cities in America : New York , Los Angeles and Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life as usual , ” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said as the death toll in the U.S. topped 200 , with at least 35 in his state .
“ Accept it and realize it and deal with it.
” Cuomo said that starting Sunday , all workers in nonessential businesses must stay home as much as possible , and all gatherings of any size will be banned in the state of over 19 million people .
He acted after California all but confined its 40 million residents Friday in the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
J.B. Pritzker announced a similar order set to take effect on Saturday for the state ’ s 12.6 million people .
Exceptions were made for vital jobs and errands , such as grocery shopping and obtaining medicine , as well as exercise .
The increasingly drastic measures in the U.S. came as gasping patients filled the wards of hospitals in Spain and Italy , and the global death toll surpassed 11,000 , with the virus gaining footholds in new corners of the world .
Italy , the hardest-hit country in Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest day-to-day rise since the outbreak began , and said new cases also shot up .
Italy now has seen over 4,000 deaths — more even than China — and 47,000 infections .
The soaring numbers came despite a nationwide lockdown .
The World Health Organization noted the epidemic ’ s dramatic speed , pointing out that it took more than three months to reach the first 100,000 confirmed cases but only 12 days to reach the next 100,000 .
As of Friday , Johns Hopkins University counted more than 260,000 infections worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials watched the crisis in Europe with mounting alarm and warned of critical shortages of ventilators , masks and other protective gear at home .
As promised earlier in the week , President Donald Trump officially invoked emergency wartime authority to try to speed production of such equipment .
But while the government has vowed to fix the botched roll-out of widespread virus testing , laboratories reported serious shortages of test supplies such as swabs and chemical components .
Countries frantically prepared for a deluge of patients in the coming weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65,000 retired nurses and doctors to return to work .
A convention center and hotels in Madrid were being turned into field hospitals for nearly 10,000 patients .
France ’ s military worked to build a makeshift medical center in the hard-hit town of Mulhouse .
The U.S. readied military hospitals for civilian use , and more than 4,000 National Guard members were deployed in 31 states to help distribute food , scrub down surfaces and help in other ways .
Trump also announced the closing of the Mexican border to most travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with the restrictions on the Canadian border earlier this week .
The income tax filing deadline was also moved from April 15 to July 15 .
“ We ’ re about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said as California went into lockdown .
“ What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts.
” On Friday morning , the streets of downtown Los Angeles were quiet but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or jogged , while some homeless people slept .
Cars drove along Figueroa Street , but the usual traffic jams were gone .
Scott Sorensen , who was walking his boxer , Chewie , said he is limiting how much attention he pays to the news so that he is not overwhelmed .
“ I remember my great-grandmother describing the Depression , ” said Sorenson , 50 .
“ I ’ m trying to keep it in focus.
” The virus has struck at the very identities of many countries : closing down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France , ending la dolce vita in Italy , shutting down England ’ s pubs and the ceremonial changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace , wrecking sales of tulips in Holland and shuttering the Statue of Liberty in the U.S .
Governments are trying to balance locking down residents with the need to keep food , medicine and other essentials flowing .
In Britain , the category of vital workers includes doctors , nurses and paramedics — and also vicars , truckers , garbage collectors and journalists .
In New York , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 6 feet apart .
And while they will be free to go out to get some exercise to keep their sanity , there will be no “ playing basketball with five other people , ” Cuomo said .
“ These provisions will be enforced , ” the governor said .
“ These are not helpful hints.
” In Bergamo , the epicenter of the Italian outbreak , cemeteries were overwhelmed .
Patients at the city ’ s main hospital lined up in a narrow ward , struggling for breath as doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine to the next .
“ When the virus arrived here , there was no containment and it spread through the valleys very quickly .
… Some said it was the normal flu .
We doctors knew it was not , ” said Dr. Luca Lorini , head of intensive care at the hospital , where nearly 500 beds were dedicated to people suffering severe virus symptoms .
Eighty patients were in intensive care .
In the Italian farm town of Fondi , home to a wholesale produce market serving Rome and Naples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential people from entering or leaving after 40 elderly residents became infected .
At a convent on the outskirts of Rome , 19 of 21 nuns were infected , according to the Italian daily Il Messaggero .
A Vatican decree absolved the sins of the faithful who were sick or in quarantine , as well as those of their caregivers , if they met certain conditions .
“ Certain medical centers are suffering stress that is reaching the limit , ” said Fernando Simón , director of Spain ’ s center for health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days in which we must bear down are coming now .
We must keep our focus.
” While the illness is mild in most people , the elderly are particularly susceptible to serious symptoms .
Italy has the world ’ s second-oldest population , and the vast majority of its dead — 87 % — were over 70 .
Still , even younger people are at risk .
“ You ’ re not invincible , ” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned them .
He noted that many countries are reporting that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion ” of patients needing to be hospitalized .
Some of the only good news came from Wuhan , the Chinese city where the outbreak began and where hospitals were struggling just weeks ago .
For the second day in a row , no new infections were reported and only 39 cases were recorded nationwide — all brought from the outside , the government said .
With the crisis waning there , China has begun sending medical supplies to Europe .
The effects of the global economy grinding to a halt took their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rotting in piles in Kenya to the slow emptying of the world ’ s skies .
Canada received 500,000 applications for unemployment benefits , versus 27,000 for the same week last year .
In the U.S. , Congress worked to put together a $ 1 trillion emergency package to prop up industry and small businesses and dispense relief checks of $ 1,200 for adults and $ 500 per child .
The British government likewise unveiled a huge relief package under which the country for the time in its history would help pay the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iran ’ s official toll of more than 1,400 dead was rising quickly as well amid fears it is underreporting its cases .
As the virus strengthened its foothold in Africa , the continent ’ s busiest airport , in Johannesburg , announced that foreigners will no longer be allowed to disembark .
Associated Press reporters around the world contributed .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content @

Illinois and New York state joined California on Friday in ordering all residents to stay in their homes unless they have vital reasons to go out, restricting the movement of more than 70 million people in the most sweeping efforts yet in the U.S. to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The governors of the three states acted in a bid to fend off the kind of onslaught that has caused the health system in southern Europe to buckle. The three states encompass the three biggest cities in America: New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
“No, this is not life as usual,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said as the death toll in the U.S. topped 200, with at least 35 in his state. “Accept it and realize it and deal with it.”
Cuomo said that starting Sunday, all workers in nonessential businesses must stay home as much as possible, and all gatherings of any size will be banned in the state of over 19 million people. He acted after California all but confined its 40 million residents Friday in the biggest lockdown in the nation.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a similar order set to take effect on Saturday for the state’s 12.6 million people.
Exceptions were made for vital jobs and errands, such as grocery shopping and obtaining medicine, as well as exercise.
The increasingly drastic measures in the U.S. came as gasping patients filled the wards of hospitals in Spain and Italy, and the global death toll surpassed 11,000, with the virus gaining footholds in new corners of the world.
Italy, the hardest-hit country in Europe, reported 627 new deaths Friday, its biggest day-to-day rise since the outbreak began, and said new cases also shot up. Italy now has seen over 4,000 deaths — more even than China — and 47,000 infections. The soaring numbers came despite a nationwide lockdown.
The World Health Organization noted the epidemic’s dramatic speed, pointing out that it took more than three months to reach the first 100,000 confirmed cases but only 12 days to reach the next 100,000. As of Friday, Johns Hopkins University counted more than 260,000 infections worldwide.
Across the U.S., governors and public health officials watched the crisis in Europe with mounting alarm and warned of critical shortages of ventilators, masks and other protective gear at home.
As promised earlier in the week, President Donald Trump officially invoked emergency wartime authority to try to speed production of such equipment.
But while the government has vowed to fix the botched roll-out of widespread virus testing, laboratories reported serious shortages of test supplies such as swabs and chemical components.
Countries frantically prepared for a deluge of patients in the coming weeks.
In Britain, the government asked 65,000 retired nurses and doctors to return to work. A convention center and hotels in Madrid were being turned into field hospitals for nearly 10,000 patients. France’s military worked to build a makeshift medical center in the hard-hit town of Mulhouse. The U.S. readied military hospitals for civilian use, and more than 4,000 National Guard members were deployed in 31 states to help distribute food, scrub down surfaces and help in other ways.
Trump also announced the closing of the Mexican border to most travel but not trade. That brings it in line with the restrictions on the Canadian border earlier this week. The income tax filing deadline was also moved from April 15 to July 15.
“We’re about to enter into a new way of living here in Los Angeles,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said as California went into lockdown. “What we do and how we do it and if we get this right will determine how long this crisis lasts.”
On Friday morning, the streets of downtown Los Angeles were quiet but not desolate. Residents walked their dogs or jogged, while some homeless people slept. Cars drove along Figueroa Street, but the usual traffic jams were gone.
Scott Sorensen, who was walking his boxer, Chewie, said he is limiting how much attention he pays to the news so that he is not overwhelmed.
“I remember my great-grandmother describing the Depression,” said Sorenson, 50. “I’m trying to keep it in focus.”
The virus has struck at the very identities of many countries: closing down cafes, restaurants and boulevard life in France, ending la dolce vita in Italy, shutting down England’s pubs and the ceremonial changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, wrecking sales of tulips in Holland and shuttering the Statue of Liberty in the U.S.
Governments are trying to balance locking down residents with the need to keep food, medicine and other essentials flowing.
In Britain, the category of vital workers includes doctors, nurses and paramedics — and also vicars, truckers, garbage collectors and journalists. In New York, people venturing outside will have to stay at least 6 feet apart. And while they will be free to go out to get some exercise to keep their sanity, there will be no “playing basketball with five other people,” Cuomo said.
“These provisions will be enforced,” the governor said. “These are not helpful hints.”
In Bergamo, the epicenter of the Italian outbreak, cemeteries were overwhelmed. Patients at the city’s main hospital lined up in a narrow ward, struggling for breath as doctors and nurses moved swiftly from one beeping machine to the next.
“When the virus arrived here, there was no containment and it spread through the valleys very quickly. … Some said it was the normal flu. We doctors knew it was not,” said Dr. Luca Lorini, head of intensive care at the hospital, where nearly 500 beds were dedicated to people suffering severe virus symptoms. Eighty patients were in intensive care.
In the Italian farm town of Fondi, home to a wholesale produce market serving Rome and Naples, a new ordinance banned all but essential people from entering or leaving after 40 elderly residents became infected.
At a convent on the outskirts of Rome, 19 of 21 nuns were infected, according to the Italian daily Il Messaggero. A Vatican decree absolved the sins of the faithful who were sick or in quarantine, as well as those of their caregivers, if they met certain conditions.
“Certain medical centers are suffering stress that is reaching the limit,” said Fernando Simón, director of Spain’s center for health alerts and emergencies. “The difficult days in which we must bear down are coming now. We must keep our focus.”
While the illness is mild in most people, the elderly are particularly susceptible to serious symptoms. Italy has the world’s second-oldest population, and the vast majority of its dead — 87% — were over 70.
Still, even younger people are at risk.
“You’re not invincible,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned them. He noted that many countries are reporting that people under 50 make up a “significant proportion” of patients needing to be hospitalized.
Some of the only good news came from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak began and where hospitals were struggling just weeks ago. For the second day in a row, no new infections were reported and only 39 cases were recorded nationwide — all brought from the outside, the government said.
With the crisis waning there, China has begun sending medical supplies to Europe.
The effects of the global economy grinding to a halt took their toll, from millions of unsold flowers rotting in piles in Kenya to the slow emptying of the world’s skies.
Canada received 500,000 applications for unemployment benefits, versus 27,000 for the same week last year.
In the U.S., Congress worked to put together a $1 trillion emergency package to prop up industry and small businesses and dispense relief checks of $1,200 for adults and $500 per child. The British government likewise unveiled a huge relief package under which the country for the time in its history would help pay the wages of those in the private sector.
Iran’s official toll of more than 1,400 dead was rising quickly as well amid fears it is underreporting its cases.
As the virus strengthened its foothold in Africa, the continent’s busiest airport, in Johannesburg, announced that foreigners will no longer be allowed to disembark.
___
Associated Press reporters around the world contributed.
___
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Loeffler Says She Would Submit To Senate Ethics Review Over Unloaded Stocks

Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) said Friday that she would submit to a review from the Senate Ethics Committee about millions of dollars worth of stocks unloaded from her portfolio right as she received private briefings about the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I ’ m happy to answer any and all questions and would submit to whatever review is needed , ” she said on CNBC ’ s “ The Exchange , ” as she emphasized that her and her husband ’ s stocks are controlled by third-party managers with whom she has no contact .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock owned jointly by her and her husband was January 24 , the same day all the members of the Senate Health Committee , on which she sits , got a briefing on the virus from Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Anthony Fauci , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
All but two of her 29 stock transactions through mid-February were sales , and most of the stocks took a nosedive in value after they were unloaded .
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tech company that has actually gone up in value during the pandemic , likely due to its teleworking software .
All the while , Loeffler tweeted about the “ great job ” President Donald Trump ’ s administration was doing , and promised that the country ’ s economic strength would see it through the crisis .
Loeffler is not the only senator found to have unloaded stocks at such a suspicious time .
Sen. Richard Burr ( R-NC ) sold up to $ 1.7 million in stocks while the committee he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily briefings about the virus ’ progress .
News of Burr ’ s stock unloading hit just after NPR published a story containing comments he made to VIP attendees of a Capitol Hill Club lunch about the disease that were much more dire than what he was saying publicly .
Notably , Burr was one of just three senators to oppose a bill in 2012 that forbid senators and their staff from using private information for stock trading .
Former President Barack Obama signed that bill into law soon after .

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) said Friday that she would submit to a review from the Senate Ethics Committee about millions of dollars worth of stocks unloaded from her portfolio right as she received private briefings about the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m happy to answer any and all questions and would submit to whatever review is needed,” she said on CNBC’s “The Exchange,” as she emphasized that her and her husband’s stocks are controlled by third-party managers with whom she has no contact.
According to the Daily Beast, the first sale of stock owned jointly by her and her husband was January 24, the same day all the members of the Senate Health Committee, on which she sits, got a briefing on the virus from Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
All but two of her 29 stock transactions through mid-February were sales, and most of the stocks took a nosedive in value after they were unloaded. One of the two purchases was stock of Citrix, a tech company that has actually gone up in value during the pandemic, likely due to its teleworking software.
All the while, Loeffler tweeted about the “great job” President Donald Trump’s administration was doing, and promised that the country’s economic strength would see it through the crisis.
Loeffler has protested her innocence.
This is a ridiculous and baseless attack. I do not make investment decisions for my portfolio. Investment decisions are made by multiple third-party advisors without my or my husband’s knowledge or involvement. — Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) March 20, 2020
Loeffler is not the only senator found to have unloaded stocks at such a suspicious time.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) sold up to $1.7 million in stocks while the committee he heads, Senate Intelligence, was getting daily briefings about the virus’ progress.
News of Burr’s stock unloading hit just after NPR published a story containing comments he made to VIP attendees of a Capitol Hill Club lunch about the disease that were much more dire than what he was saying publicly.
Notably, Burr was one of just three senators to oppose a bill in 2012 that forbid senators and their staff from using private information for stock trading. Former President Barack Obama signed that bill into law soon after.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Schumer Describes Bizarro Phone Call With Trump Over COVID-19 Response

President Trump and a spokesperson for Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) offered vastly different accounts for when and why Trump supposedly sought to invoke the Defense Production Act , which would speed up the production of medical equipment needed in the COVID-19 pandemic .
The President and Schumer spoke twice on the phone Friday morning .
According to a readout provided by Schumer ’ s office shortly after the calls , Schumer “ urged ” Trump to issue an invocation of the law .
“ POTUS told Schumer he would , and then POTUS yelled to someone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a Schumer spokesperson said in the readout ( emphasis added ) .
But at a White House press conference not long after that readout was released , President Trump claimed that he had actually signed the invocation earlier this week .
“ I did it yesterday .
We invoked it , I think , the day before , we signed the evening of the day before and invoked it yesterday , ” Trump said .
The claim has caused some confusion , given the lack of any public announcement Thursday night that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump had previously said that he would only do so in a “ worst case scenario.
” Trump was asked Friday whether the invocation meant the U.S. was in the worst case scenario .
“ No , it ’ s not different other than we need certain equipment that the states are unable to get themselves .
So we are invoking it to use the power of the federal government to help the states get things they need like the masks , the like the ventilators , ” Trump said .
Trump comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim Schumer ’ s office made in its account of the call .
Schumer urged the president to ban companies from using any federal financial assistance they receive in the crisis to buy back their own stock , increase executive pay or lay off or cut back their work force , according to the readout .
Trump supported a ban on stock buybacks , according to Schumer ’ s spokesperson , and Trump himself said at the press conference he did not want companies using federal assistance on buying back stock .

President Trump and a spokesperson for Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) offered vastly different accounts for when and why Trump supposedly sought to invoke the Defense Production Act, which would speed up the production of medical equipment needed in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President and Schumer spoke twice on the phone Friday morning. According to a readout provided by Schumer’s office shortly after the calls, Schumer “urged” Trump to issue an invocation of the law.
“POTUS told Schumer he would, and then POTUS yelled to someone in his office to do it now,” a Schumer spokesperson said in the readout (emphasis added).
But at a White House press conference not long after that readout was released, President Trump claimed that he had actually signed the invocation earlier this week.
“I did it yesterday. We invoked it, I think, the day before, we signed the evening of the day before and invoked it yesterday,” Trump said.
The claim has caused some confusion, given the lack of any public announcement Thursday night that Trump had invoked the law and that Trump had previously said that he would only do so in a “worst case scenario.”
Trump was asked Friday whether the invocation meant the U.S. was in the worst case scenario.
“No, it’s not different other than we need certain equipment that the states are unable to get themselves. So we are invoking it to use the power of the federal government to help the states get things they need like the masks, the like the ventilators,” Trump said.
Trump comments at the press conference did back another claim Schumer’s office made in its account of the call.
Schumer urged the president to ban companies from using any federal financial assistance they receive in the crisis to buy back their own stock, increase executive pay or lay off or cut back their work force, according to the readout.
Trump supported a ban on stock buybacks, according to Schumer’s spokesperson, and Trump himself said at the press conference he did not want companies using federal assistance on buying back stock.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Trump Plays Doctor, Hyping Anti-Malaria Drug For COVID-19 Treatment

President Donald Trump is a clinical scientist — or at least he plays one on TV .
At a press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic Friday , Trump said he was feeling pretty good about one potential therapy for the respiratory disease , the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine .
The drug has shown some promise in limited laboratory settings and patient use , but it ’ s far from a proven cure .
“ I am a man that comes from a very positive school when it comes to , in particular , one of these drugs , ” Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That would be a game changer.
” That clashed with the line from the government ’ s top infectious disease expert just a minute earlier .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading voice in the government ’ s COVID-19 response , pointed out that while Hydroxychloroquine had shown “ potential ” against the disease , it had not been clinically approved for use .
“ Dr .
Fauci said there is no magic drug for coronavirus right now , which you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peter Alexander pressed Trump .
“ Well , I think we only disagree a little bit , ” Trump responded .
“ Maybe there is , maybe there isn ’ t. ” The President soldiered on .
“ I feel good about it , ” he said .
“ That ’ s all it is , just a feeling .
I ’ m a smart guy.
” “ I ’ m not being overly optimistic or pessimistic , ” Trump added .
“ I sure as hell think we ought to give it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some interesting things happening and some very good things .
Let ’ s see what happens .
We have nothing to lose.
” “ You know the expression : What the hell do you have to lose ?
”

President Donald Trump is a clinical scientist — or at least he plays one on TV.
At a press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic Friday, Trump said he was feeling pretty good about one potential therapy for the respiratory disease, the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine.
The drug has shown some promise in limited laboratory settings and patient use, but it’s far from a proven cure.
“I am a man that comes from a very positive school when it comes to, in particular, one of these drugs,” Trump said of the drug Friday, adding: “That would be a game changer.”
That clashed with the line from the government’s top infectious disease expert just a minute earlier.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading voice in the government’s COVID-19 response, pointed out that while Hydroxychloroquine had shown “potential” against the disease, it had not been clinically approved for use.
“Dr. Fauci said there is no magic drug for coronavirus right now, which you would agree?” NBC’s Peter Alexander pressed Trump.
“Well, I think we only disagree a little bit,” Trump responded. “Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t.”
The President soldiered on. “I feel good about it,” he said. “That’s all it is, just a feeling. I’m a smart guy.”
“I’m not being overly optimistic or pessimistic,” Trump added. “I sure as hell think we ought to give it a try. There’s been some interesting things happening and some very good things. Let’s see what happens. We have nothing to lose.”
“You know the expression: What the hell do you have to lose?”
Watch below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Trump Snaps At Reporter When Asked To Give A Message To Scared Americans

President Donald Trump called NBC journalist Peter Alexander a “ terrible reporter ” asking a “ very nasty question ” at a press conference Friday after Alexander prompted him to give a message to Americans scared by the rapid spread of the coronavirus .
“ I think it ’ s a very bad signal you ’ re putting out to the American people , ” Trump continued , standing next to a stone-faced Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they ’ re looking for hope .
And you ’ re doing sensationalism and the same with NBC and ‘ con-cast.
’ I don ’ t call it Comcast , I call it ‘ con-cast . '
” Alexander looked on , astonished , as Trump continued his tirade .
“ Let me just say something , that ’ s really bad reporting , ” the President concluded .
“ And you ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.
” Trump added that Alexander should be “ ashamed of himself.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President with his series of questions about drugs that might help treat the more serious symptoms of coronavirus .
He pushed the President on his unbridled optimism about the possible effect of such drugs , as compared to Fauci ’ s more measured cautiousness .
Fauci had said that there is no “ magic drug ” for coronavirus , a statement Trump said he disagreed with .
“ Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against before launching into his set of insults .
“ Let ’ s see if it works .
It might and might not , ” Trump said .
“ I happen to feel good about it .
But who knows ?
I have been right a lot .
”

President Donald Trump called NBC journalist Peter Alexander a “terrible reporter” asking a “very nasty question” at a press conference Friday after Alexander prompted him to give a message to Americans scared by the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
“I think it’s a very bad signal you’re putting out to the American people,” Trump continued, standing next to a stone-faced Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “The American people are looking for answers, and they’re looking for hope. And you’re doing sensationalism and the same with NBC and ‘con-cast.’ I don’t call it Comcast, I call it ‘con-cast.'”
Alexander looked on, astonished, as Trump continued his tirade.
“Let me just say something, that’s really bad reporting,” the President concluded. “And you ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.”
Trump added that Alexander should be “ashamed of himself.”
Trump calls NBC White House correspondent a "terrible reporter" over questions about drugs to treat coronavirus pic.twitter.com/GfvwNLgslZ — Talking Points Memo (@TPM) March 20, 2020
Alexander seems to have set off the President with his series of questions about drugs that might help treat the more serious symptoms of coronavirus.
He pushed the President on his unbridled optimism about the possible effect of such drugs, as compared to Fauci’s more measured cautiousness.
Fauci had said that there is no “magic drug” for coronavirus, a statement Trump said he disagreed with.
“Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope?” Alexander asked, which Trump pushed back against before launching into his set of insults.
“Let’s see if it works. It might and might not,” Trump said. “I happen to feel good about it. But who knows? I have been right a lot.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Indiana Governor Postpones May Presidential Primary

Indiana Gov .
Eric Holcomb ( R ) signed an executive order Friday pushing the state ’ s May 5 @ @ @ @ @ , joining a growing group of governors who ’ ve postponed elections amid the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ the order that Secretary of State Connie Lawson had made known to him the “ @ @ @ @ @ would face in holding the primary as scheduled while also complying with coronavirus guidance .
@ @ @ @ @ his fellow governors , had already shuttered bars and restaurants in the state .
Indiana @ @ @ @ @ rank of states that have pushed back their presidential primaries , including Maryland , Ohio @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana and Georgia .
Indiana has 79 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far , according @ @ @ @ @ Health .

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed an executive order Friday pushing the state’s May 5 presidential primary to June 2, joining a growing group of governors who’ve postponed elections amid the coronavirus outbreak.
He said in the order that Secretary of State Connie Lawson had made known to him the “extreme difficulty” the state would face in holding the primary as scheduled while also complying with coronavirus guidance.
He, like many of his fellow governors, had already shuttered bars and restaurants in the state.
Indiana will now join the swelling rank of states that have pushed back their presidential primaries, including Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky, Connecticut, Louisiana and Georgia.
Indiana has 79 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, according to the state Department of Health.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Cuomo Orders All But Essential NY Workforce To Stay Home

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered all of New York state except essential workers to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Two basic rules , ” Cuomo said at a press conference Friday .
“ Only essential businesses can have workers commuting to the job or on the job .
Second rule , remain indoors to the greatest extent to protect physical and mental health.
” Essential services included groceries , pharmacies and utility operators , Cuomo said .
Individuals can continue to do “ solitary ” outdoor exercise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a park with 10 other people and sharing a beer.
” Mass transit and delivery food were considered essential services , the governor clarified .
“ This is the most drastic action we can take , ” Cuomo said .
The new rules will go into effect Sunday evening .
New York ’ s move mirrored the action taken by California Gov .
Gavin Newsom Thursday night .
Without the ability to expand the capacity of the state ’ s health care system , Cuomo said , the best way to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tighten the “ valve ” of density in the state by limiting New Yorkers ’ movements .
“ We ’ re going to take it to the ultimate step , which is we ’ re going to close the valve , ” he said Friday .
“ Because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system.
” “ So we ’ re going to put out an executive order today : New York state on pause .
”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered all of New York state except essential workers to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“Two basic rules,” Cuomo said at a press conference Friday. “Only essential businesses can have workers commuting to the job or on the job. Second rule, remain indoors to the greatest extent to protect physical and mental health.”
Essential services included groceries, pharmacies and utility operators, Cuomo said. Individuals can continue to do “solitary” outdoor exercise, he said, but not “laying in a park with 10 other people and sharing a beer.”
Mass transit and delivery food were considered essential services, the governor clarified.
“This is the most drastic action we can take,” Cuomo said. The new rules will go into effect Sunday evening.
New York’s move mirrored the action taken by California Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday night.
Without the ability to expand the capacity of the state’s health care system, Cuomo said, the best way to combat the disease’s spread was to tighten the “valve” of density in the state by limiting New Yorkers’ movements.
“We’re going to take it to the ultimate step, which is we’re going to close the valve,” he said Friday. “Because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total overwhelming of our hospital system.”
“So we’re going to put out an executive order today: New York state on pause.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-20--Study: Some Patients Will Face Big Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Testing Related To COVID-19

Certain Americans may have to pay hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars out-of-pocket for testing related to COVID-19 , even if their symptoms are mild to moderate , a new study finds .
The study , done by health care software company Castlight Health , looked at medical claims filings from across the county to compare the out-of-pocket costs for certain services across metropolitan areas .
The study also compared how costs varied depending on what kind of facility a patient visited to seek treatment .
It found that even Americans exhibiting moderate coronavirus symptoms could be hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just at emergency rooms .
To explain some of these costs , the study pointed to the need for providers to test patients for other illnesses with respiratory symptoms , like influenza , to rule them out , in addition to testing for COVID-19 .
While the Trump administration has instructed that costs be waived for COVID-19 test , it is “ unclear , ” according to the study , that the costs of these other tests would be fully covered by insurance .
“ These costs can add up very quickly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have high-deductible health plans , ” the study said , pointing to services like lab tests and chest x-rays .
To conduct the study , Castlight drew upon at a subset of 2.5 billion medical claims , as well as provider rate sheets , directory data and other publicly available information .
The study estimates that , in New York City , the out-of-pocket-costs for a patient who goes to the emergency room with mild to moderate symptoms range from $ 506 to $ 4,985 , for an average of $ 2,321 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is exhibiting severe symptoms , where the out-of-pocket costs for that testing in New York ERs range from $ 791 to $ 7,341 , for an average of $ 3,305 .
Seattle emergency room patients exhibiting moderate symptoms could pay an average of $ 1,793 out-of-pocket for testing , while in Miami those patients are estimated to pay an average of $ 3,997 out-of-pocket .
The estimated costs decrease if patients instead received testing at an urgent care facility , from their primary care doctor , or used a telehealth option — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mild and additional testing isn ’ t necessary .
Urgent care providers could charge an average of $ 352 out-of-pocket for New York City patients with mild or moderate symptoms , according to the study , while those with severe symptoms could be on the hook for an average of $ 1,336 for urgent care testing .
The study estimates that average out-of-pocket costs for testing from primary care physicians in New York would be $ 1,220 for severe symptoms , and $ 235 for mild to moderate ones .
It looked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , Cleveland , Dallas , ; Houston , Los Angeles , Miami , New York , Salt Lake City , San Francisco , Seattle and Washington , D.C.. Read the study , which broke down average costs in all those cities , below : Correction : This story has been corrected to clarify that the study looked only at costs related to testing , and not overall treatment .


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-21--Medical Orgs Urge Trump To Invoke Defense Production Act To Help With Supplies

Health care professionals from the American Hospital Association ( AHA ) , the American Medical Association ( AMA ) , and the American Nurses Association ( ANA ) sent a joint letter to President Donald Trump on Saturday pleading for more medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
In the letter , the three organizations implored Trump to utilize the Defense Production Act ( DPA ) to help with the “ dwindling supplies ” of respirators , surgical masks , and other necessary tools .
“ America ’ s hospitals , health systems , physicians and nurses urge you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic production of medical supplies and equipment that hospitals , health systems , nurses and all front line providers so desperately need , ” they wrote .
“ Even with an infusion of supplies from the strategic stockpile and other federal resources , there will not be enough medical supplies , including ventilators , to respond to the projected COVID-19 outbreak , ” the organizations wrote .
Trump has tried to brush off reports of supply shortages and insisted that he and his administration is doing a “ tremendous job ” with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , one of the disease experts on the White House Coronavirus Task Force , told reporters on Saturday that the shortages are , in fact , real .
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment .

Health care professionals from the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Nurses Association (ANA) sent a joint letter to President Donald Trump on Saturday pleading for more medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the letter, the three organizations implored Trump to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to help with the “dwindling supplies” of respirators, surgical masks, and other necessary tools.
“America’s hospitals, health systems, physicians and nurses urge you to immediately use the DPA to increase the domestic production of medical supplies and equipment that hospitals, health systems, nurses and all front line providers so desperately need,” they wrote.
“Even with an infusion of supplies from the strategic stockpile and other federal resources, there will not be enough medical supplies, including ventilators, to respond to the projected COVID-19 outbreak,” the organizations wrote.
Trump has tried to brush off reports of supply shortages and insisted that he and his administration is doing a “tremendous job” with the coronavirus outbreak.
However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the disease experts on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, told reporters on Saturday that the shortages are, in fact, real.
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-21--Dr. Fauci Refutes Trump’s Denial Of Medical Supply Shortage: ‘It Is Happening’

During Saturday ’ s White House briefing , Dr. Anthony Fauci , Director of the National Institute of Allergy and @ @ @ @ @ against President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to admit doctors battling the COVID-19 outbreak are @ @ @ @ @ .
When CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond asked Trump about doctors ’ accounts of @ @ @ @ @ , the President claimed his administration was “ making much of this stuff now and @ @ @ @ @ being delivered now.
” “ We ’ ve also gotten tremendous reviews from a lot @ @ @ @ @ t believe how fast it ’ s coming , ” Trump said .
A few @ @ @ @ @ up to the podium to tell Diamond that there was indeed a supply crisis , @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We don ’ t want that to happen , ” the doctor said @ @ @ @ @ happening.
” “ You ’ re not making things up , ” he told Diamond @ @ @ @ @ because I ’ m experiencing it myself .
”

During Saturday’s White House briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pushed back against President Donald Trump’s refusal to admit doctors battling the COVID-19 outbreak are running out of medical supplies.
When CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond asked Trump about doctors’ accounts of supply shortages across the country, the President claimed his administration was “making much of this stuff now and much of it’s being delivered now.”
“We’ve also gotten tremendous reviews from a lot of people that can’t believe how fast it’s coming,” Trump said.
A few minutes later, Fauci stepped up to the podium to tell Diamond that there was indeed a supply crisis, despite Trump’s claims.
“We don’t want that to happen,” the doctor said. “But it is happening.”
“You’re not making things up,” he told Diamond. “I know that because I’m experiencing it myself.”
Watch Fauci below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-21--Pence Says He And His Wife Will Be Tested For Coronavirus After Staffer Tests Positive

Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that he and his wife Karen will be tested for COVID-19 after one @ @ @ @ @ with the illness .
“ Given the unique position that I have as vice president @ @ @ @ @ the White House Coronavirus Task Force , both I and my wife will be tested @ @ @ @ @ afternoon , ” Pence told reporters during a White House press briefing .
The vice @ @ @ @ @ nor President Donald Trump had direct contact with the staffer .
Pence ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ the staff member tested positive for the coronavirus .
Marc Short , Pence ’ s @ @ @ @ @ that the staffer had not been in the office since Monday .

Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that he and his wife Karen will be tested for COVID-19 after one of his staffers came down with the illness.
“Given the unique position that I have as vice president and as the leader of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, both I and my wife will be tested for the coronavirus later this afternoon,” Pence told reporters during a White House press briefing.
The vice president said that neither he nor President Donald Trump had direct contact with the staffer.
Pence’s office had announced on Friday that the staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, said that the staffer had not been in the office since Monday.
Watch the vice president below: