buzzfeed--2020-03-31--Judges Struck Down Bans On Abortions During The Coronavirus Outbreak In Texas And Ohio

An abortion rights activist holds placards outside the US Supreme Court in 2016 before the court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics .
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Two federal judges issued orders on requiring Texas and Ohio to allow abortion clinics to stay open and keep providing services in the states Monday .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had ordered a ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not qualify as “ essential ” health care ( except in cases of a threat to the life of the pregnant person ) , and any scheduled procedures to be postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to mitigate the spread of the virus and devote any medical resources to treating it .
Ohio ’ s Department of Health had issued the same interpretation .
Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union quickly filed emergency lawsuits , arguing that the orders were unconstitutional and demanding they be halted and clinics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
Judges granted their request for temporary restraining orders to keep clinics open in both states Monday evening .
In his decision , US District Court for the Western District of Texas Judge Lee Yeakel said that Texas ’ s order would cause “ irreparable harm ” to abortion clinics and their patients , and that this harm “ outweighs ” Texas ’ s reason for the order .
“ Regarding a woman 's right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion , the Supreme Court has spoken clearly .
There can be no outright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeakel wrote .
“ This court will not speculate on whether the Supreme Court included a silent ‘ except-in-a-national-emergency clause ’ in its previous writings on the issue.
” Yeakel said that only the Supreme Court can clarify if a ban on abortion can be applied during a national crisis , and that he will not try to predict what the Supreme Court will decide if the case against Texas ’ s ban reaches the justices .
His temporary restraining order will prevent the ban from affecting clinics in Texas while the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though it could be extended ) .
The decisions in Texas and Ohio come hours after Planned Parenthood , alongside a coalition of abortion rights organizations , filed a series of lawsuits in three other states as well , seeking similar judgements preventing Oklahoma , Iowa , and Alabama from temporarily banning abortion as part of their plans to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic .
Over the past week , all five states had issued similar interpretations of state executive orders , suspending all “ nonessential medical procedures , ” saying abortion services were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , threatening criminal action against medical workers who violated the order .
Planned Parenthood , the American Civil Liberties Union , and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly joined together to respond , arguing that the conservative states with anti-abortion legislative histories were “ taking advantage ” of the coronavirus crisis to effectively ban abortion in their states , and that the orders were unconstitutional .
Each of the lawsuits demand an “ emergency stay ” on the orders so that the clinics in those states can reopen or stay open and continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were joined in the press conference by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ) and the Abortion Care Network .
“ It 's not surprising that the states that are now using the COVID crisis to stop people from getting abortion care are the very same states that have a history of passing laws to ban abortions or using sham rationale to shut down clinics , ” Jennifer Dalven , the director of the Reproductive Freedom Project with the ACLU , said on a call with the press Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started spreading at breakneck speed — by Monday there were around 159,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths in the US , according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins — governors across the country have been issuing order after order to help enforce social distancing , prevent large gatherings , and limit the spread of the virus .
Over the past week , each of the governors in the five states ordered “ nonessential ” medical procedures to be postponed for several weeks , stating that this measure would help dedicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible toward treating the virus .
Following this order , each of those states then specified that they considered abortion services “ nonessential ” and instructed Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics in the states to shutter .
In Texas , which issued its ban last Monday , state Attorney General Ken Paxton followed up on Gov .
Greg Abbott ’ s order , specifying that any medical worker providing abortion care before the order ’ s expiration date of April 21 could be fined $ 1,000 or face jail time of up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinics to stop issuing medication abortion to patients , which can be provided outside of the clinic via telemedicine .
Ohio ’ s order caused much confusion among clinics and reproductive rights organizations .
On March 17 , Gov .
Mike DeWine ordered the cancellation of all nonessential medical procedures , and shortly thereafter , Ohio ’ s deputy attorney general , Jonathan Fulkerson , sent letters to several abortion clinics in the state , accusing them of being in violation of the order .
The clinics ’ lawyers quickly responded , assuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in compliance with the order and were taking all necessary precautions .
After some back and forth , Ohio ’ s Department of Health eventually issued further guidance saying that the ban applied to abortion clinics .
Alabama , which passed a near total ban on abortion over the summer that was blocked in court , issued its own order calling for the close of abortion clinics Saturday night .
The order threatened criminal penalties for doctors who violated it , but was vague about exactly what services or actions would violate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a terrible position of being forced to risk their licenses and risk prosecution in order to provide care , ” Dalven said .
Planned Parenthood quickly filed a lawsuit in Texas on Thursday — the first of the five suits — arguing that the order was in violation of Roe v. Wade .
Each of the ensuing lawsuits used similar language and arguments .
The organizations have requested emergency rulings in each of the cases for Monday evening , but it is unclear when those rulings might actually occur .
Hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been affected by the orders , the coalition said .
In Alabama , when the clinics had to call patients to cancel their abortion appointments by phone , many of the patients cried , Dalven said .
Many patients seeking abortions in Texas had been traveling to Oklahoma for care since the ban came down last week , but now that Oklahoma has issued a ban as well , many people are stuck and unsure of what to do , Nancy Northup , the head of the Center for Reproductive Rights ( which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on the call .
“ No one stopped needing sexual and reproductive health care in a public health crisis , ” acting Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said during the press conference .
“ People still have sex .
They still need birth control , STI testing and treatment , and access to safe and legal abortion.
” Each representative of the five groups joining and supporting the lawsuits argued that abortion is in fact essential health care , and that halting that care does not help to mitigate the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] from getting an abortion does n't lower the risk of transmitting the virus , ” Dalven said .
“ It just forces people to stay pregnant and have children against their will.
” Planned Parenthood clinics around the country that remain open are taking extensive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at their clinics , Planned Parenthood assured press on the call .
They are spacing out patients to limit the number of people in the office , encouraging telemedicine and medication abortion , and making sure their staff has protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are not forcing clinics to close , the precautions are beginning to cause barriers to access , as some clinics stop taking new appointments or delay patients ’ appointments in order to not overwhelm and crowd the clinics .
On Monday , California ’ s attorney general , Xavier Becerra , sent a letter to the US Department of Health signed by 21 state attorneys general demanding increased access to telemedicine reproductive care .
The attorneys general asked the Trump administration to remove the regulation of mifepristone — a drug used in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be prescribed in a pharmacy like a normal drug , instead of requiring clinics to give it directly to patients , forcing them to come in and expose themselves and others to increased risk of COVID-19 .


buzzfeed--2020-03-31--The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Set Off A Massive Expansion Of Government Surveillance. Civil Libertari

The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Set Off A Massive Expansion Of Government Surveillance. Civil Libertarians Aren't Sure What To Do.

As nations around the world take on sweeping new powers to fight the disease , critics are n't sure what 's necessary and what 's too far .
The coronavirus pandemic , which has grown to over 740,000 cases and 35,000 deaths around the world , has been so singular an event that even some staunch advocates for civil liberties say they ’ re willing to accept previously unthinkable surveillance measures .
“ I ’ m very concerned ” about civil liberties , writer Glenn Greenwald , cofounder of the Intercept , who built his career as a critic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But at the same time , I 'm also much more receptive to proposals that in my entire life I never expected I would be , because of the gravity of the threat.
” Greenwald won a Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for his reporting on the disclosures by NSA contractor Edward Snowden , who revealed a vast secret infrastructure of US government surveillance .
But like others who have spent years raising concerns about government overreach , he now accepts the idea that surveilling people who have contracted the coronavirus could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The kind of digital surveillance that I spent a lot of years — even before Snowden , and then obviously , the two or three years during Snowden — advocating against is now something I think could be warranted principally to stave off the more brute solutions that were used in China , ” Greenwald said .
Greenwald said he was still trying to understand how to balance his own views on privacy against the current unprecedented situation .
“ We have to be very careful not to get into that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey , because your actions affect the society collectively , we have the right now to restrict it in every single way.
’ We 're in this early stage where our survival instincts are guiding our thinking , and that can be really dangerous .
And I ’ m trying myself to calibrate that.
” And he is far from the only prominent civil libertarian and opponent of surveillance trying to calibrate their response as governments around the world are planning or have already implemented location-tracking programs to monitor coronavirus transmission , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping people indoors .
Broad expansions of surveillance power that would have been unimaginable in February are being presented as fait accompli in March .
That has split an international community that would have otherwise been staunchly opposed to such measures .
Is the coronavirus the kind of emergency that requires setting aside otherwise sacrosanct commitments to privacy and civil liberties ?
Or like the 9/11 attacks before it , does it mark a moment in which panicked Americans will accept new erosions on their freedoms , only to regret it when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstances ?
Yeah , go for it , Facebook .
You know , go for it , Google , ” Gary Johnson , the former governor of New Mexico and 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate , told BuzzFeed News .
“ But then , when the crisis goes away , how is that going to apply given that it 's in place ?
I mean , these are the obvious questions , and no , that would not be a good thing.
” `` My fear is that , historically , in any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want massive surveillance powers will finally have an avenue and an excuse to get them , ” Matthew Guariglia , an analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation , told BuzzFeed News .
Marc Rotenberg , president and executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center ( EPIC ) , told BuzzFeed News that it ’ s possible to find a solution that protects privacy and prevents the spread of the virus .
“ People like to say , 'well , we need to strike a balance between protecting public health and safeguarding privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong way to think about it , ” Rotenberg said .
“ You really want both .
And if you 're not getting both , there 's a problem with the policy proposal.
” Beyond the sick and dead , the most immediate effects that the pandemic has visited upon the United States have been broad constraints that state and local governments have imposed on day-to-day movement .
Those are in keeping with public health experts ’ recommendations to practice social distancing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t announced a nationwide stay-at-home order like France and Italy have , large parts of the US are under some degree of lockdown , with nonessential businesses shuttered and nonessential activities outside the home either banned or discouraged .
And while President Trump and his allies have focused on the economic devastation wrought by this shutdown , some libertarians have raised concerns about the damage those decrees have done to people 's freedoms .
Appearing on libertarian former Texas lawmaker and two-time Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul ’ s YouTube show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massie pointed to a Kentucky man who , after testing positive for the coronavirus , refused to self-isolate , and whom sheriff 's deputies forced to stay home .
( Massie later came under bipartisan criticism for attempting to hold up the coronavirus stimulus bill in the House . )
“ What would they do if that man walked out and got in his car ?
Would they shoot him ?
Would they suit up in hazmat uniforms and drag him off ?
” Massie said .
“ Those are the images we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody was appalled at those images .
And now we ’ re literally , we could be five minutes away from that happening in the United States , here in Kentucky.
” “ It ’ s crazy , and what concerns me the most is that once people start accepting that , in our own country , the fact that somebody could immobilize you without due process , that when this virus is over people will have a more paternalistic view of government and more tolerance for ignoring the Constitution , ” Massie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son , Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul , announced that he had tested positive for the disease , only a few days after Ron Paul wrote in his online column that the pandemic could be a “ big hoax ” pushed by “ fearmongers ” to put more power in government hands .
But the elder Paul 's concerns are not shared among some of his fellow former Libertarian Party nominees for president .
Johnson said measures to encourage people to stay in their homes and temporarily shutter businesses taken by states like New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to believe that they 're dealing with [ this ] in the best way that they possibly can , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ And I think it 's also telling that most of them are following the same route.
” Johnson added that although it was easy to raise criticisms , as a former governor , he saw few other options .
“ You 're just not hearing it : What are the alternatives ?
” Johnson said .
“ I do n't know , not having [ currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what the options were .
And given that every state appears to be doing the same thing , I have to believe that everything is based on the best available information.
” Gaming out the role of intense surveillance during a pandemic isn ’ t just a theoretical political debate on YouTube .
Surveillance at previously politically unimaginable scales has reached countries around the world .
Imagine opening an app , scanning a QR code , and creating a profile that ’ s instantly linked with information about your health and where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you if you ’ ve been in close contact with someone sick with the coronavirus .
This software already exists in China .
Developed by the Electronics Technology Group Corporation and the Chinese government , it works by tapping into massive troves of data collected by the private sector and the Chinese government .
In South Korea , the government is mapping the movements of COVID-19 patients using data from mobile carriers , credit card companies , and the Institute of Public Health and Environment .
In Israel , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tap into a previously undisclosed cache of cellphone data to trace the movements of infected persons in that country and in the West Bank .
And in the Indian state of Karnataka , the government is requiring people in lockdown to send it selfies every hour to prove they are staying home .
No such tools currently exist in the United States — but some in the tech community who might have been expected to oppose such capacities have found themselves favoring these previously unthinkable steps .
Maciej Cegłowski , the founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech companies ’ intrusions into privacy , wrote a blog post arguing for a “ massive surveillance program ” to fight the virus .
“ My frustration is that we have this giant surveillance network deployed and working , '' Cegłowski told BuzzFeed News .
`` We have location tracking .
We have people carrying tracking devices on them all the time .
But we ’ re using it to sell skin cream — you know , advertising .
And we ’ re using it to try to persuade investors to put more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we have this crisis right now , let ’ s put it to use to save lives.
” This position is a major departure for Ceglowski , who has warned of how tech companies have invaded our “ ambient privacy ” and argued that tech giants ’ reach into our lives is as pernicious a force as government surveillance .
“ We put up with the fire department breaking down our door if there ’ s a fire at our neighbor ’ s house or in our house because we know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Cegłowski said .
“ I think similarly if we can have a sense that we ’ ll have real privacy regulation , then in emergency situations like this we can decide , hey , we ’ re going to change some things.
” Those doors are already being broken down .
The COVID-19 Mobility Data Network — a collaboration between Facebook , Camber Systems , Cuebiq , and health researchers from 13 universities — will use corporate location data from mobile devices to give local officials `` consolidated daily situation reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Representatives from the COVID-19 Mobility Data Network did not respond to requests for comment .
Lots of companies claim that they have the technology to save people ’ s lives .
But critics worry that they are taking advantage of a vulnerable time in American society to sign contracts that wo n't easily be backed out of when the threat passes .
“ Sometimes people have an almost sacrificial sense about their privacy , ” Rotenberg told BuzzFeed News .
“ They say things like , ‘ Well , if it 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my data , of course , I should do that.
’ But that 's actually not the right way to solve a problem .
Particularly if asking people to sacrifice their privacy is not part of an effective plan to save lives.
” In response to the pandemic , some data analytics and facial recognition companies have offered new uses for existing services .
Representatives from data analytics company have reportedly been working with the CDC on collecting and integrating data about COVID-19 , while Clearview AI has reportedly been in talks with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Neither Palantir nor Clearview AI responded to requests for comment , but the appearance of these controversial companies has raised alarms among those in the privacy community .
“ The deployment of face recognition , as a way of preventing the spread of virus , is something that does not pass the sniff test at all , ” Guariglia said .
“ Even the companies themselves , I do n't think , can put out a logical explanation as to how face recognition , especially Clearview , would help.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design tools for law enforcement have tried to offer tools to combat COVID-19 as well .
Banjo , which combines social media and satellite data with public information , like CCTV camera footage , 911 calls , and vehicle location , to detect criminal or suspicious activity , will be releasing a tool designed to respond to the outbreak .
“ We are working with our partners to finalize a new tool that would provide public health agencies and hospitals with HIPAA-compliant information that helps identify potential outbreaks and more efficiently apply resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
Those efforts cause concerns for people like Evan Greer , the deputy director of digital rights activist group Fight for the Future , who told BuzzFeed News that such tools , once deployed , would inevitably be used for more purposes than to fight the pandemic .
“ We have so much history that shows us that mass surveillance generally is n't very effective , and mission creep is inevitable , ” she said .
“ It 's not necessarily a question of if data that was handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis would be repurposed .
It 's a matter of when.
” In addition to those companies , many camera makers have been making a bold claim : Using just an infrared sensor , they can detect fevers , helping venues filter out the sick from the healthy .
These firms include Dahua Technology in Israel , Guide Infrared in China , Diycam in India , Rapid-Tech Equipment in Australia , and Athena Security in the US .
In late February , Guide Infrared announced that it had donated about $ 144,000 worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when fever is detected ” to Japan .
The company said its devices would be used in Japanese “ hospitals and epidemic prevention stations.
” Although Guide Infrared claimed that its “ temperature measurement solutions ” have helped in emergencies including SARS , H1N1 , and Ebola , the Chinese army and government authorities are “ some of its major customers , ” according to the South China Morning Post .
It ’ s been used in railway stations and airports in major Chinese regions .
It ’ s also partnered with Hikvision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US over its work outfitting Chinese detention centers with surveillance cameras .
Australian company Rapid-Tech Equipment claims that its fever-detection cameras can be used in `` minimizing the spread [ of ] coronavirus infections . ''
Its cameras are being used in Algeria , France , Egypt , Greece , Morocco , Saudi Arabia , Turkey , and “ many more ” countries , according to its website .
UK camera maker Westminster International said that it has a `` supply range of Fever Detection Systems for Coronavirus , Ebola & Flu .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two cameras with a “ FeverDetection assistant.
” A section of its website titled “ Why fever detection ?
” argues that managers of high-traffic venues have a responsibility to filter for fevers : “ Whether ebola , SARS or coronavirus : no-one wants to imagine the consequences of an epidemic or even a pandemic.
” A Testo spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the company has seen a “ massive increase in demand ” for its products in response to the coronavirus and that its cameras are being used “ worldwide.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name specific countries .
While the appetite for fever-detecting cameras is clearly there , civil liberties advocates have concerns .
Guariglia said that , regardless of their thermal imaging capabilities , surveillance cameras are surveillance cameras .
“ More surveillance cameras always have dubious implications for civil liberties .
Even if their contract with thermal imaging ends at the end of six months , ” Guariglia said , “ I bet those cameras are gon na stay up.
” Julian Sanchez , an analyst with the Cato Institute and commentator on digital surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was willing to accept measures he might otherwise have concerns about to limit the spread of the virus .
“ I ’ m about as staunch a privacy guy as it gets , ” Sanchez said .
“ In the middle of an epidemic outbreak , there are a number of things I ’ m willing to countenance that I would normally object to , on the premise that they are temporary and will save a lot of lives.
” But he still questioned the efficacy of some of the current proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of snake oil being pitched by surveillance vendors , ” he said .
More than that , he had concerns about what would happen to civil liberties after the pandemic passed , but the measure put in place to combat it did not .
“ I think a lot of civil liberties advocates would say , ‘ Well , if this is very tightly restricted , and only for this purpose , and it 's temporary , then , you know , maybe that 's all right .
Maybe we ’ re able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re confident it 's for this purpose , and then it ends , ’ ” Sanchez said .
“ The question is whether that 's the case.
” Sanchez worried that the coronavirus , like the war on terror , is an open-ended threat with no clear end — inviting opportunities for those surveillance measures to be abused long after the threat has passed .
In the same week that he spoke , the US Senate voted to extend until June the FBI 's expanded powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9/11 terrorist attacks 19 years ago .
●

Beyond the sick and dead, the most immediate effects that the pandemic has visited upon the United States have been broad constraints that state and local governments have imposed on day-to-day movement. Those are in keeping with public health experts’ recommendations to practice social distancing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
While the US hasn’t announced a nationwide stay-at-home order like France and Italy have, large parts of the US are under some degree of lockdown, with nonessential businesses shuttered and nonessential activities outside the home either banned or discouraged. And while President Trump and his allies have focused on the economic devastation wrought by this shutdown, some libertarians have raised concerns about the damage those decrees have done to people's freedoms.
Appearing on libertarian former Texas lawmaker and two-time Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s YouTube show on March 19, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie pointed to a Kentucky man who, after testing positive for the coronavirus, refused to self-isolate, and whom sheriff's deputies forced to stay home. (Massie later came under bipartisan criticism for attempting to hold up the coronavirus stimulus bill in the House.)
“What would they do if that man walked out and got in his car? Would they shoot him? Would they suit up in hazmat uniforms and drag him off?” Massie said. “Those are the images we saw in China two months ago and everybody was appalled at those images. And now we’re literally, we could be five minutes away from that happening in the United States, here in Kentucky.”
“It’s crazy, and what concerns me the most is that once people start accepting that, in our own country, the fact that somebody could immobilize you without due process, that when this virus is over people will have a more paternalistic view of government and more tolerance for ignoring the Constitution,” Massie said.
Last Monday, Paul's son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, announced that he had tested positive for the disease, only a few days after Ron Paul wrote in his online column that the pandemic could be a “big hoax” pushed by “fearmongers” to put more power in government hands.
But the elder Paul's concerns are not shared among some of his fellow former Libertarian Party nominees for president.
Johnson said measures to encourage people to stay in their homes and temporarily shutter businesses taken by states like New York were appropriate. “I really have to believe that they're dealing with [this] in the best way that they possibly can,” he told BuzzFeed News. “And I think it's also telling that most of them are following the same route.”
Johnson added that although it was easy to raise criticisms, as a former governor, he saw few other options.
“You're just not hearing it: What are the alternatives?” Johnson said. “I don't know, not having [currently] sat at the table as governor, what the options were. And given that every state appears to be doing the same thing, I have to believe that everything is based on the best available information.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-31--The White House Is Warning The US Could Expect At Least 100,000 Deaths From Coronavirus Despite Soci

The White House Is Warning The US Could Expect At Least 100,000 Deaths From Coronavirus Despite Social Distancing

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — The US should expect between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the coronavirus , the White House said Tuesday .
That is “ what would happen if people stayed home , what would happen if people were careful every day to wash their hands and worry about touching their faces , ” Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daily coronavirus press conference .
“ What an extraordinary thing this could be if every American followed these.
” Birx added that she is hopeful that the numbers could be lower .
“ We really believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that , because that ’ s not assuming 100 % of every American , everything they are supposed to be doing .
But I think that 's possible , ” she said .
However , if people don ’ t follow the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , projections show that , on the high end , the US could see between 1.5 million and 2.2 million deaths .
While the White House task force showed charts with the topline deaths at 240,000 , Birx repeatedly said during the press conference that 200,000 was the high-end of what the US government is currently expecting .
When asked if and why those numbers had changed , Birx said , “ It just has to do with if you had more New York 's and New Jersey 's .
Chicago , Detroit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of our major cities , modeled like New York , that 's what gets us in trouble .
But I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line , by looking at the L.A. Line , by looking at what California has been able to do , that that is not something that -- I do n't believe that 's gon na happen .
That is the outside case of having 10 , 15 metro [ area ] s like New York and the New Jersey metro area .
”

WASHINGTON — The US should expect between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths from the coronavirus, the White House said Tuesday.
That is “what would happen if people stayed home, what would happen if people were careful every day to wash their hands and worry about touching their faces,” Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, said at President Donald Trump’s daily coronavirus press conference. “What an extraordinary thing this could be if every American followed these.”
Birx added that she is hopeful that the numbers could be lower. “We really believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that, because that’s not assuming 100% of every American, everything they are supposed to be doing. But I think that's possible,” she said.
However, if people don’t follow the government’s mitigation guidance, Birx warned, projections show that, on the high end, the US could see between 1.5 million and 2.2 million deaths.
While the White House task force showed charts with the top-line deaths at 240,000, Birx repeatedly said during the press conference that 200,000 was the high end of what the US government is currently expecting. When asked if and why those numbers had changed, Birx said, “It just has to do with if you had more New Yorks and New Jerseys. Chicago, Detroit, LA, Dallas, Houston — all of our major cities, modeled like New York, that's what gets us in trouble. But I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line, by looking at the LA Line, by looking at what California has been able to do, that that is not something that — I don't believe that's gonna happen. That is the outside case of having 10, 15 metro [area]s like New York and the New Jersey metro area.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-31--Members Of Congress Got Tested For The Coronavirus Despite Not Showing Symptoms, And Now We Know How

WASHINGTON — As sick people across the country struggle to get tested for the new coronavirus , asymptomatic members of Congress have been able to access tests despite guidance from the federal government urging doctors to save tests for people who are ill .
Lawmakers have access to a top-notch medical clinic in the Capitol building , the Office of the Attending Physician , which is staffed by Navy doctors and was once described as `` the best health care on the planet.
” But that ’ s not where members of Congress who haven ’ t exhibited symptoms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ novel coronavirus , are getting tested .
BuzzFeed News contacted the Office of the Attending Physician and more than a dozen congressional offices and found that those lawmakers who had been tested without showing symptoms did so outside the Capitol , often in their own districts .
Meanwhile , the attending physician has turned away asymptomatic lawmakers seeking tests .
“ The Office of Attending Physician ( OAP ) follows prevailing medical practice guidelines for testing individuals who may have the coronavirus infection , ” the office said on an internal website .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for testing must exhibit symptoms .
They must have no alternative explanation for illness ( such as influenza A ) , and they must have a nexus to risk.
” Sick people across the US are struggling to get tested amid a shortage of both tests and protective equipment for medical staff .
Even some health care workers have reportedly not been able to get tested , while nurses on the front lines have faced long waits to get their results .
That asymptomatic lawmakers got tested underscores a growing trend of powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to critical health care during the outbreak , and it highlights the confusing messaging around testing , especially that of earlier in the month as the coronavirus began to spread rapidly .
President Donald Trump has wrongly stated that everyone who wanted a test could get one , and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continued to evolve as the crisis deepens .
At least four members of Congress — Sens .
Rand Paul and Mitt Romney and Reps. John Yarmuth and Matt Gaetz — have been able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only Paul has tested positive .
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has been tested too , but he told Fox News he had experienced allergy symptoms that he wanted to make sure were n't from COVID-19 after attending a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with people who later tested positive .
Because of the nationwide test shortages , the CDC has issued guidelines to medical staff , instructing them to focus testing on those who are showing symptoms , which include fever , cough , and difficulty breathing .
Even Vice President Mike Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a staffer in his office tested positive — has urged Americans not to get tested unless they ’ re feeling sick .
`` If you do n't have symptoms , do n't do a test , '' Pence said this month .
`` It is another way that the American people can make sure that we are preserving the resources that our health care workers need . ''
Pence was asymptomatic but said because of his “ unique position as vice president , ” he wanted to get tested .
The Attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extra $ 400,000 in Congress ’ s latest stimulus package to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak , has followed that advice .
The office has told lawmakers — who pay just over $ 600 per year to receive its services — to quarantine themselves if they ’ ve been in contact with someone confirmed to have the virus even if they do not show symptoms .
Such was the case for Utah Sen. Mike Lee , according to his office .
“ Sen .
Lee visited the Attending Physician of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul had tested positive for Coronavirus , ” spokesperson Conn Carroll wrote in an email .
“ After taking Sen. Lee ’ s information the doctor advised him he did not need a test.
” The same went for Florida Sen. Rick Scott .
“ Senator Scott consulted with both the Senate physician and his personal physician when he was informed that he had potentially been exposed to someone who tested positive , ” spokesperson Chris Hartline wrote in an email .
“ Both said he was low risk and should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott did a self quarantine out of an abundance of caution .
He hasn ’ t had any symptoms and hasn ’ t been tested.
” Virginia Rep. Don Beyer also inquired with the Attending Physician ’ s Office about a test after having dinner with someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus .
Beyer had been around House leadership and many others and wanted to make sure he hadn ’ t infected them , according to his spokesperson , Aaron Fritschner .
After 90 minutes and phone conversations with three doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that because he didn ’ t have any symptoms , he didn ’ t meet the threshold for testing , Fritschner said .
At least one lawmaker — Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart — has been tested by the Attending Physician ’ s Office but was exhibiting symptoms .
Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus , followed by Utah Rep. Ben McAdams , who was tested by his local doctor after getting sick .
But as the CDC notes , its guidelines are just that — guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as individual doctors , ultimately make their own decisions about who gets tested .
Some doctors have even charged patients hundreds of dollars to be administered unapproved tests ; last week , rapper Cardi B called out fellow celebrities for paying thousands to get tested despite not showing symptoms .
The members of Congress who have been tested without showing symptoms have offered varying explanations as to why they were able to get access .
Paul , the first senator to test positive for the coronavirus , is keeping quiet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s said only that he took the test upon arriving in DC two weeks ago due to concerns about his extensive travel and higher risk for complications .
Last year , Paul had part of his lung removed after an altercation with a neighbor .
He didn ’ t self-quarantine after he learned he had been at the same event in early March as two people who had tested positive ( Paul ’ s office said he had no interaction with either person ) nor after he took the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues and used the Senate gym while waiting for his test results , prompting criticism from fellow senators .
Paul — who held up a coronavirus bill earlier this month — did admit he didn ’ t fit the testing guidelines , though .
“ For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine , realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee , I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol .
The current guidelines would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested nor quarantined .
It was my extra precaution , out of concern for my damaged lung , that led me to get tested , ” he said in a statement .
Paul ’ s office did not respond to questions about who tested him or how he got tested in light of the guidelines .
Like Lee , Romney — the other senator from Utah — had been in contact with Paul before his test results came back positive , but he wasn ’ t symptomatic either .
Nevertheless , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Healthcare in Utah last Monday , his office said .
“ Based on Senator Romney ’ s age ( 73 ) and the duration and proximity of his exposure to Senator Paul , his physician recommended he get tested , ” spokesperson Liz Johnson said in an email .
A day later , Romney tweeted that he had tested negative .
Many of those in Utah with symptoms have struggled to get tested due to shortages and the state ’ s strict guidelines .
Since then , testing capabilities in Utah have expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested , the state relaxed its guidelines .
Still , the guidance tells medical staff to prioritize those with symptoms combined with other risk factors .
Asked how Romney got tested , considering the guidelines , Johnson said , “ Senator Romney ’ s physician recommended he be tested and he received testing at Intermountain Healthcare .
You ’ d have to ask Intermountain directly about specifics regarding their testing questionnaire/criteria.
” Intermountain said that due to federal privacy laws , it couldn ’ t confirm whether someone was a patient or provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health acknowledged “ a couple caveats ” to its guidelines .
“ [ T ] his guidance is for testing at the Public Health Lab , but many commercial labs and health care facilities have adopted it , ” spokesperson Tom Hudachko wrote in an email to BuzzFeed News .
“ The guidance is simply that , guidance — and when we are not experiencing a shortage of materials ( which we currently are not ) , providers are advised to exercise clinical judgement in determining who should be tested.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose state has also experienced test shortages and backlogs , was tested back home as well .
Yarmuth , who chairs the House Budget Committee , “ was tested in Louisville , KY after being informed that he came into close contact with a person who had since tested positive , ” his office said .
“ The test consisted of a nasal swab and an oral swab .
He received his results about 24 hours later , ” spokesperson Christopher Schuler said by email .
Schuler said Yarmuth “ was directed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health and Wellness to get tested because of his direct exposure to an individual who had tested positive.
” Yarmuth ’ s exposure was at the same event in Kentucky that Paul had attended .
“ [ A ] t the time the Congressman was exposed , it was CDC ’ s guideline that those in direct contact be tested , ” Schuler said .
“ He was seated next to and interacted with an individual who was then known to be positive throughout the charity event , ” Schuler said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his doctor and was then tested by a local provider .
This wasn ’ t anything done through the Attending Physicians office or some sort of special avenue of access provided to House members.
” Jean Porter , a spokesperson for the Louisville mayor , confirmed that the local health department had informed Yarmuth “ he ’ d been in close contact with someone who has tested positive ” and that the head of the department “ recommended , per CDC guidelines , that he consult with his health care provider about testing.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those with symptoms should be prioritized , but it ’ s ultimately up to a doctor ’ s discretion .
The day before Yarmuth was tested , only 153 Kentuckians had been tested , according to a local news report .
“ We ’ re only testing the ones that are the sickest , '' Dr. Sarah Moyer , Louisville 's chief health strategist , reportedly said at the time .
Less than a week later , another news report said testing was still being reserved for the sickest patients due to @ @ @ @

At least one lawmaker — Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart — has been tested by the Attending Physician’s Office but was exhibiting symptoms. Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus, followed by Utah Rep. Ben McAdams, who was tested by his local doctor after getting sick.
But as the CDC notes, its guidelines are just that — guidelines — so local and state health authorities, as well as individual doctors, ultimately make their own decisions about who gets tested. Some doctors have even charged patients hundreds of dollars to be administered unapproved tests; last week, rapper Cardi B called out fellow celebrities for paying thousands to get tested despite not showing symptoms.
The members of Congress who have been tested without showing symptoms have offered varying explanations as to why they were able to get access.
Paul, the first senator to test positive for the coronavirus, is keeping quiet about where and how he got tested. He’s said only that he took the test upon arriving in DC two weeks ago due to concerns about his extensive travel and higher risk for complications. Last year, Paul had part of his lung removed after an altercation with a neighbor. He didn’t self-quarantine after he learned he had been at the same event in early March as two people who had tested positive (Paul’s office said he had no interaction with either person) nor after he took the test. In Washington, he mingled with colleagues and used the Senate gym while waiting for his test results, prompting criticism from fellow senators.
Paul — who held up a coronavirus bill earlier this month — did admit he didn’t fit the testing guidelines, though.
“For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine, realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol. The current guidelines would not have called for me to get tested nor quarantined. It was my extra precaution, out of concern for my damaged lung, that led me to get tested,” he said in a statement.
Paul’s office did not respond to questions about who tested him or how he got tested in light of the guidelines.
Like Lee, Romney — the other senator from Utah — had been in contact with Paul before his test results came back positive, but he wasn’t symptomatic either. Nevertheless, the former Republican presidential candidate got tested at Intermountain Healthcare in Utah last Monday, his office said. “Based on Senator Romney’s age (73) and the duration and proximity of his exposure to Senator Paul, his physician recommended he get tested,” spokesperson Liz Johnson said in an email. A day later, Romney tweeted that he had tested negative.


buzzfeed--2020-03-31--Judges Struck Down Three State Bans On Abortions During The Coronavirus Outbreak

An abortion rights activist holds placards outside the US Supreme Court in 2016 before the court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics .
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Federal judges issued orders requiring Texas , Ohio , and Alabama to allow abortion clinics to stay open and keep providing services Monday , hours after a coalition of reproductive rights groups filed a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion due to the coronavirus outbreak .
However , hours later , an appeals court reversed the Texas decision , allowing that state 's ban to move forward temporarily as the case makes it way through the courts .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had ordered a ban on abortions last week , saying the procedure did not qualify as “ essential ” health care ( except in cases of a threat to the life of the pregnant person ) .
Paxton ordered any scheduled procedures to be postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and devote any medical resources to treating it .
Ohio 's and Alabama 's health departments issued the same interpretation of their states ' orders to cease non-essential medical services during the pandemic .
Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union quickly filed emergency lawsuits , arguing that the orders were unconstitutional and demanding they be halted and clinics in the state be allowed to continue their work .
Judges granted their request for temporary restraining orders to keep clinics open in all three states Monday evening .
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western District of Texas Judge Lee Yeakel said that Texas ’ s order would cause “ irreparable harm ” to abortion clinics and their patients , and that this harm “ outweighs ” Texas ’ s reason for the order .
“ Regarding a woman 's right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion , the Supreme Court has spoken clearly .
There can be no outright ban on such a procedure , ” Yeakel wrote .
“ This court will not speculate on whether the Supreme Court included a silent ‘ except-in-a-national-emergency clause ’ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeakel said that only the Supreme Court can clarify if a ban on abortion can be applied during a national crisis , and that he will not try to predict what the Supreme Court will decide if the case against Texas ’ s ban reaches the justices .
His temporary restraining order will prevent the ban from affecting clinics in Texas while the case moves forward and expires April 13 ( though it could be extended ) .
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Yeakel 's decision Tuesday afternoon , placing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing the ban to move forward as the case continues .
Earlier Monday , Planned Parenthood , alongside a coalition of abortion rights organizations , filed a series of lawsuits in two other states as well , seeking similar judgements preventing Oklahoma and Iowa from temporarily banning abortion as part of their plans to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic .
Over the past week , each of the governors in the five states ordered “ nonessential ” medical procedures to be postponed for several weeks , stating that this measure would help dedicate as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward treating the virus .
Following this order , each of those states then specified that they considered abortion services “ nonessential ” and instructed Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics in the states to shutter .
In some cases , the orders threatened criminal action against medical workers who violated the order .
Planned Parenthood , the American Civil Liberties Union , and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly joined together to respond , arguing that the conservative states with anti-abortion legislative histories were “ taking advantage ” of the coronavirus crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that the orders were unconstitutional .
Each of the lawsuits demand an “ emergency stay ” on the orders so that the clinics in those states can reopen or stay open and continue to provide abortion care .
The groups were joined in the press conference by the Center for Reproductive Rights , the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ) and the Abortion Care Network .
“ It 's not surprising that the states that are now using the COVID crisis to stop people from getting abortion care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a history of passing laws to ban abortions or using sham rationale to shut down clinics , ” Jennifer Dalven , the director of the Reproductive Freedom Project with the ACLU , said on a call with the press Monday .
Since the coronavirus reached the US and started spreading at breakneck speed — by Monday there were around 159,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths in the US , according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins — governors across the country have been issuing order after order to help enforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and limit the spread of the virus .
In Texas , which issued its ban last Monday , state Attorney General Ken Paxton followed up on Gov .
Greg Abbott ’ s order , specifying that any medical worker providing abortion care before the order ’ s expiration date of April 21 could be fined $ 1,000 or face jail time of up to 180 days .
Paxton even ordered clinics to stop issuing medication abortion to patients , which can be provided outside of the clinic via telemedicine .
Ohio ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reproductive rights organizations .
On March 17 , Gov .
Mike DeWine ordered the cancellation of all nonessential medical procedures , and shortly thereafter , Ohio ’ s deputy attorney general , Jonathan Fulkerson , sent letters to several abortion clinics in the state , accusing them of being in violation of the order .
The clinics ’ lawyers quickly responded , assuring Fulkerson ’ s office that they were in compliance with the order and were taking all necessary precautions .
After some back and forth , Ohio ’ s Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ban applied to abortion clinics .
Alabama , which passed a near total ban on abortion over the summer that was blocked in court , issued its own order calling for the close of abortion clinics Saturday night .
The order threatened criminal penalties for doctors who violated it , but was vague about exactly what services or actions would violate the order .
This vagueness “ puts doctors in a terrible position of being forced to risk their licenses and risk prosecution in order to provide care , ” Dalven said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Texas on Thursday — the first of the five suits — arguing that the state 's order was in violation of Roe v. Wade .
Each of the ensuing lawsuits used similar language and arguments , and each of the three judges said in their orders that the bans constitute an `` undue burden '' on abortion access , the metric by which previous Supreme Court decisions measure whether a law regulating abortion is unconstitutional .
The organizations have requested emergency rulings in each of the cases for Monday evening , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually occur .
Hundreds of patients seeking reproductive health care have already been affected by the orders , the coalition said .
In Alabama , when the clinics had to call patients to cancel their abortion appointments by phone , many of the patients cried , Dalven said .
Many patients seeking abortions in Texas had been traveling to Oklahoma for care since the ban came down last week , but now that Oklahoma has issued a ban as well , many people are stuck and unsure of what to do , Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Reproductive Rights ( which is leading the Oklahoma lawsuit ) , said on the call .
“ No one stopped needing sexual and reproductive health care in a public health crisis , ” acting Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said during the press conference .
“ People still have sex .
They still need birth control , STI testing and treatment , and access to safe and legal abortion.
” Each representative of the five groups joining and supporting the lawsuits argued that abortion is in fact essential health care , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Stopping [ patients ] from getting an abortion does n't lower the risk of transmitting the virus , ” Dalven said .
“ It just forces people to stay pregnant and have children against their will.
” Planned Parenthood clinics around the country that remain open are taking extensive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at their clinics , Planned Parenthood assured press on the call .
They are spacing out patients to limit the number of people in the office , encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure their staff has protective equipment .
However , even in states that are not forcing clinics to close , the precautions are beginning to cause barriers to access , as some clinics stop taking new appointments or delay patients ’ appointments in order to not overwhelm and crowd the clinics .
On Monday , California ’ s attorney general , Xavier Becerra , sent a letter to the US Department of Health signed by 21 state attorneys general demanding increased access to telemedicine reproductive care .
The attorneys general asked the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a drug used in medication abortion — so that it could be prescribed in a pharmacy like a normal drug , instead of requiring clinics to give it directly to patients , forcing them to come in and expose themselves and others to increased risk of COVID-19 .

Over the past week, federal judges have issued orders requiring Texas, Ohio, Alabama, and Oklahoma to allow abortion clinics to stay open and keep providing services, responding to a series of lawsuits filed by a coalition of reproductive rights groups to prevent states from banning abortion due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Three of the decisions came only hours after the lawsuits were filed on Monday March 30, though the decision about Oklahoma's ban came a week later, on April 6, when a judge ordered a temporary restraining order preventing the ban from going into effect until April 20.
Texas, Ohio, and Alabama quickly appealed the judges' decisions in an attempt to continue to enforce their bans on abortion during the outbreak. An appeals court reversed the Texas decision on Tuesday, allowing that state's ban to move forward temporarily as the case makes it way through the courts, but an appeals court made the opposite decision about Ohio's laws Friday, allowing the restraining order to stand.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered a ban on abortions in late March, saying the procedure did not qualify as “essential” health care (except in cases of a threat to the life of the pregnant person). Paxton ordered any scheduled procedures to be postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to mitigate the spread of the virus and devote any medical resources to treating it. Ohio's and Alabama's health departments issued the same interpretation of their states' orders to cease non-essential medical services during the pandemic.
Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly filed emergency lawsuits, arguing that the orders were unconstitutional and demanding they be halted and clinics in the state be allowed to continue their work. Judges granted their request for temporary restraining orders to keep clinics open in all three states last week.
In his decision, US District Court for the Western District of Texas Judge Lee Yeakel said that Texas’s order would cause “irreparable harm” to abortion clinics and their patients, and that this harm “outweighs” Texas’s reason for the order.
“Regarding a woman's right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion, the Supreme Court has spoken clearly. There can be no outright ban on such a procedure,” Yeakel wrote. “This court will not speculate on whether the Supreme Court included a silent ‘except-in-a-national-emergency clause’ in its previous writings on the issue.”
Yeakel said that only the Supreme Court can clarify if a ban on abortion can be applied during a national crisis, and that he will not try to predict what the Supreme Court will decide if the case against Texas’s ban reaches the justices. His temporary restraining order will prevent the ban from affecting clinics in Texas while the case moves forward and expires April 13 (though it could be extended).
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Yeakel's decision Tuesday afternoon, placing a stay on his temporary restraining order and allowing the ban to move forward as the case continues.
US District Court Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, Charles Goodwin made reference to similar concerns about Supreme Court precedent on abortion in his decision, and cited the potential of irreparable harm to women in the state. He also addressed a difficulty facing judges during the coronavirus outbreak.
"This case raises an issue that has long been a source of struggle for the courts: the proper use of the judicial power in reviewing laws and executive orders or actions taken in response to a public health emergency," Goodwin wrote in his decision issued Monday.
During states of emergency, state governments have the power to impose requirements that may temporarily "intrude upon the liberty of its citizens," he continued. "That power is not unfettered, however, and courts should carefully guard against 'unreasonable,' 'arbitrary,' or 'oppressive' exercises of it," the judge continued, before stating his decision to block Oklahoma's ban on abortion during coronavirus.
Over the last week, each of the governors in the five states ordered “nonessential” medical procedures to be postponed for several weeks, stating that this measure would help dedicate as many medical personnel and resources as possible toward treating the virus. Following this order, each of those states then specified that they considered abortion services “nonessential” and instructed Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics in the states to shutter. In some cases, the orders threatened criminal action against medical workers who violated the order.
Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Center for Reproductive Rights quickly joined together to respond, arguing that the conservative states with anti-abortion legislative histories were “taking advantage” of the coronavirus crisis to effectively ban abortion in their states, and that the orders were unconstitutional. Each of the lawsuits demand an “emergency stay” on the orders so that the clinics in those states can reopen or stay open and continue to provide abortion care. The groups were joined in the press conference by the Center for Reproductive Rights, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Abortion Care Network.
“It's not surprising that the states that are now using the COVID crisis to stop people from getting abortion care are the very same states that have a history of passing laws to ban abortions or using sham rationale to shut down clinics,” Jennifer Dalven, the director of the Reproductive Freedom Project with the ACLU, said on a call with the press Monday.
Since the coronavirus reached the US and started spreading at breakneck speed — by Monday there were around 159,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths in the US, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins — governors across the country have been issuing order after order to help enforce social distancing, prevent large gatherings, and limit the spread of the virus.
In Texas, which issued its ban last Monday, state Attorney General Ken Paxton followed up on Gov. Greg Abbott’s order, specifying that any medical worker providing abortion care before the order’s expiration date of April 21 could be fined $1,000 or face jail time of up to 180 days. Paxton even ordered clinics to stop issuing medication abortion to patients, which can be provided outside of the clinic via telemedicine.
Ohio’s order caused much confusion among clinics and reproductive rights organizations. On March 17, Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the cancellation of all nonessential medical procedures, and shortly thereafter, Ohio’s deputy attorney general, Jonathan Fulkerson, sent letters to several abortion clinics in the state, accusing them of being in violation of the order. The clinics’ lawyers quickly responded, assuring Fulkerson’s office that they were in compliance with the order and were taking all necessary precautions. After some back and forth, Ohio’s Department of Health eventually issued further guidance saying that the ban applied to abortion clinics. After a federal judge put a restraining order on this guidance, Ohio appealed.
On Friday, the US District Court of Appeals for the Sixth District in Cincinnati, Ohio rejected the state's appeal, upholding the restraining order and continuing to block the ban on abortion. As in the other cases, the sixth circuit court said the order would cause irreparable harm to women seeking abortions in the state and it was unconstitutional. However, the court also wrote in its decision that it "could be argued" that the amount of protective equipment being used for abortion instead of treating COVID-19 patients is "negligible."
Alabama, which passed a near total ban on abortion over the summer that was blocked in court, issued its own order calling for the close of abortion clinics Saturday night. The order threatened criminal penalties for doctors who violated it, but was vague about exactly what services or actions would violate the order.
This vagueness “puts doctors in a terrible position of being forced to risk their licenses and risk prosecution in order to provide care,” Dalven said.
Planned Parenthood quickly filed a lawsuit in Texas on Thursday — the first of the five suits — arguing that the state's order was in violation of Roe v. Wade. Each of the ensuing lawsuits used similar language and arguments, and each of the three judges said in their orders that the bans constitute an "undue burden" on abortion access, the metric by which previous Supreme Court decisions measure whether a law regulating abortion is unconstitutional.
Hundreds of patients seeking reproductive health care have already been affected by the orders, the coalition said. In Alabama, when the clinics had to call patients to cancel their abortion appointments by phone, many of the patients cried, Dalven said.
Many patients seeking abortions in Texas had been traveling to Oklahoma for care since the ban came down last week, but when Oklahoma issued a ban as well, many people were stuck and unsure of what to do, Nancy Northup, the head of the Center for Reproductive Rights (which is leading the Oklahoma lawsuit), said on the call.
“No one stopped needing sexual and reproductive health care in a public health crisis,” acting Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said during the press conference. “People still have sex. They still need birth control, STI testing and treatment, and access to safe and legal abortion.”
Each representative of the five groups joining and supporting the lawsuits argued that abortion is in fact essential health care, and that halting that care does not help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“Stopping [patients] from getting an abortion doesn't lower the risk of transmitting the virus,” Dalven said. “It just forces people to stay pregnant and have children against their will.”
Planned Parenthood clinics around the country that remain open are taking extensive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at their clinics, Planned Parenthood assured press on the call. They are spacing out patients to limit the number of people in the office, encouraging telemedicine and medication abortion, and making sure their staff has protective equipment.
However, even in states that are not forcing clinics to close, the precautions are beginning to cause barriers to access, as some clinics stop taking new appointments or delay patients’ appointments in order to not overwhelm and crowd the clinics.
Last week, California’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra, sent a letter to the US Department of Health signed by 21 state attorneys general demanding increased access to telemedicine reproductive care. The attorneys general asked the Trump administration to remove the regulation of mifepristone — a drug used in medication abortion — so that it could be prescribed in a pharmacy like a normal drug, instead of requiring clinics to give it directly to patients, forcing them to come in and expose themselves and others to increased risk of COVID-19.


buzzfeed--2020-04-01--A British Newspaper Has Given Chinese Coronavirus Propaganda A Direct Line To The UK

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When medical authorities in China claimed they ’ d cured more than 750 cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , using pseudoscience , one major British newspaper made sure there was space for China 's party line on the story .
“ Traditional Chinese medicine ‘ helps fight coronavirus , ' ” declared the March 3 headline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Telegraph .
Without any evidence , the article claimed that the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine had tested an unidentified “ prescription ” on 804 patients , and that `` by the end of 14 February , '' it had proven `` effective in 94 per cent of the cases . ''
The article was published in a section of the Telegraph ’ s site called People ’ s Daily Online , a self-contained “ advertisement feature ” promising `` all the latest stories about contemporary China ’ s dynamic development , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete with a home page and sections for news , opinion , business , and sports , among other topics .
But beyond a boilerplate disclaimer waiving responsibility , nowhere does the site disclose any information about its sponsor .
People ’ s Daily is the official newspaper and mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China .
Its `` advertisement feature '' on the Telegraph 's site is part of a global propaganda campaign that positions the country as a leader in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic , which has now killed more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of dozens of newspapers around the world that have struck deals with China in recent years .
According to one report , the paper received £750,000 annually to carry the material from the People 's Daily , a relationship which , prior to the coronavirus pandemic , had led to accusations that the British newspaper had softened its editorial line on Beijing .
The Daily Telegraph and the People 's Daily did not return requests for comment .
At least 16 articles were taken down Wednesday , after BuzzFeed News began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the People 's Daily Online began running stories about the coronavirus in February , shortly after China 's President Xi Jinping “ called upon Chinese media to publish stories casting [ China 's response ] in a positive light , ” as Axios reported .
Since then , it has run more than 50 paid articles in the Telegraph praising the Chinese government and attacking its foreign adversaries .
Unlike the Telegraph ’ s own coronavirus coverage , much of which is hidden behind a paywall , all of the People 's Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @

UPDATE: As of April 3, the Telegraph appeared to have removed the People's Daily Online site in its entirety. As of April 7, the Telegraph also appeared to have removed China Daily's China Watch feature. A spokesperson for the Telegraph did not return a request for comment
When medical authorities in China claimed they’d cured more than 750 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, using pseudoscience, one major British newspaper made sure there was space for China's party line on the story.
“Traditional Chinese medicine ‘helps fight coronavirus,'” declared the March 3 headline, in the online version of the Daily Telegraph. Without any evidence, the article claimed that the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine had tested an unidentified “prescription” on 804 patients, and that "by the end of 14 February," it had proven "effective in 94 per cent of the cases."
The article was published in a section of the Telegraph’s site called People’s Daily Online, a self-contained “advertisement feature” promising "all the latest stories about contemporary China’s dynamic development, diverse culture and world-leading infrastructure," complete with a home page and sections for news, opinion, business, and sports, among other topics. But beyond a boilerplate disclaimer waiving responsibility, nowhere does the site disclose any information about its sponsor.
People’s Daily is the official newspaper and mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China. Its "advertisement feature" on the Telegraph's site is part of a global propaganda campaign that positions the country as a leader in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has now killed more than 44,000 people worldwide.
The Telegraph is one of dozens of newspapers around the world that have struck deals with China in recent years. According to one report, the paper received £750,000 annually to carry a supplement called China Watch from Chinese state-run newspaper China Daily, a relationship which, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, had led to accusations that the British newspaper had softened its editorial line on Beijing.
The Daily Telegraph and the People's Daily did not return requests for comment. At least 16 articles were taken down Wednesday, after BuzzFeed News began asking questions.
Online archives show that the People's Daily Online began running stories about the coronavirus in February, shortly after China's President Xi Jinping “called upon Chinese media to publish stories casting [China's response] in a positive light,” as Axios reported. Since then, it has run more than 50 paid articles in the Telegraph praising the Chinese government and attacking its foreign adversaries. Unlike the Telegraph’s own coronavirus coverage, much of which is hidden behind a paywall, all of the People's Daily Online content is free to read.


buzzfeed--2020-04-03--The CDC Is Encouraging Americans To Wear Face Coverings In Public. Trump Says He Won't Wear One.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for all Americans to wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus Friday , pushing for people to wear cloth coverings like a bandana or a scarf .
Announcing the move at his daily briefing , President Trump undermined the recommendation of his experts by emphasizing that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
“ So it ’ s voluntary , you don ’ t have to do it , ” he said .
“ They suggest it for a period of time .
This is voluntary , I don ’ t think I ’ m gon na be doing it.
” In the recommendation published online Friday , the CDC said that because the virus can “ spread between people interacting in close proximity , ” they would recommend “ wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pharmacies ) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
” The recommendation is less about preventing the wearer from contracting the coronavirus themselves than it is about limiting asymptomatic people from unknowingly spreading the disease .
Wearing cloth masks , the CDC said , could “ help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
” Trump , asked about his stance on masks later in Friday 's press briefing , said `` I just do n't want to wear one myself .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I 'm feeling good .
I just do n't want to be doing , I do n't know , somehow , sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk , the great Resolute Desk , I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents , prime ministers , dictators , kings , queens , I do n't know , I do n't see it for myself . ''
The Washington Post first reported Thursday that the White House would soon issue the guidance .
The call represents a shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and comes in response to studies that found people without symptoms can still spread the virus .
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this week on concerns about the availability of face masks and questions about how effective home-made or fabric masks are in stopping the spread of the virus .
Previously , the CDC has said that people do not need to wear masks unless they are coughing or sneezing , in part to preserve a short supply of masks for health care workers .
But public heath officials told BuzzFeed News that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time , should evolve to encourage the use of masks .
Trump and the CDC said Friday that the recommendation was not calling for people to wear surgical masks or N95 respirators , saying they should be reserved for health care workers on the frontlines .
In recent days , Los Angeles County and New York state have encouraged residents to wear face coverings in public places to help stop the spread of the virus , but officials warned that masks should not give people a false sense of security .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection against COVID-19 , but Californians should not have a false sense of security if they choose to wear them .
Make sure you ’ re also staying 6 feet away from other people if you have to leave your home to get groceries or prescriptions , ” California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said in a statement Thursday .
But there is not much information on how much protection fabric or other home-made face masks can offer .
While they may block larger droplets of water , they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air .
One small study from 2013 suggested fabric masks are three times less effective than surgical masks .
As Roger Shapiro , a Boston doctor and an associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard , told BuzzFeed News this week , “ The first reason to wear a mask is so we all protect each other , ” and so that “ you don ’ t infect someone else .
”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for all Americans to wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus Friday, pushing for people to wear cloth coverings like a bandana or a scarf.
Announcing the move at his daily briefing, President Trump undermined the recommendation of his experts by emphasizing that it was voluntary and he would not be wearing one.
“So it’s voluntary, you don’t have to do it,” he said. “They suggest it for a period of time. This is voluntary, I don’t think I’m gonna be doing it.”
In the recommendation published online Friday, the CDC said that because the virus can “spread between people interacting in close proximity,” they would recommend “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.”
The recommendation is less about preventing the wearer from contracting the coronavirus themselves than it is about limiting asymptomatic people from unknowingly spreading the disease. Wearing cloth masks, the CDC said, could “help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.”
Trump, asked about his stance on masks later in Friday's press briefing, said, “I just don't want to wear one myself. It's a recommendation, they recommend it. I'm feeling good. I just don't want to be doing, I don't know, somehow, sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know, I don't see it for myself."
The Washington Post first reported Thursday that the White House would soon issue the guidance. The call represents a shift from earlier recommendations from the White House and comes in response to studies that found people without symptoms can still spread the virus.
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this week on concerns about the availability of face masks and questions about how effective homemade or fabric masks are in stopping the spread of the virus. Previously, the CDC had said that people do not need to wear masks unless they are coughing or sneezing, in part to preserve a short supply of masks for health care workers. But public heath officials told BuzzFeed News that the CDC’s guidance, while appropriate at the time, should evolve to encourage the use of masks.
Trump and the CDC said Friday that the recommendation was not calling for people to wear surgical masks or N95 respirators, saying those should be reserved for health care workers on the front lines.
In recent days, Los Angeles County and New York state have encouraged residents to wear face coverings in public places to help stop the spread of the virus, but officials warned that masks should not give people a false sense of security.
“Face coverings could provide some additional protection against COVID-19, but Californians should not have a false sense of security if they choose to wear them. Make sure you’re also staying 6 feet away from other people if you have to leave your home to get groceries or prescriptions,” California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said in a statement Thursday.
But there is not much information on how much protection fabric or other homemade face masks can offer. While they may block larger droplets of water, they don’t protect against smaller particles in the air. One small study from 2013 suggested fabric masks are three times less effective than surgical masks.
As Roger Shapiro, a Boston doctor and an associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard, told BuzzFeed News this week, “The first reason to wear a mask is so we all protect each other,” and so that “you don’t infect someone else.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-03--“I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This”: Doctors Without Enough Ventilators Are Being Told Whom To Save

“I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This”: Doctors Without Enough Ventilators Are Being Told Whom To Save During The Coronavirus Pandemic

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — At the top of the list for ventilators : patients with just one failing organ .
And then there are the others .
Doctors with patients who are unresponsive to standard measures , have severe burns , have irreversible low blood pressure , or any other condition that would result in immediate mortality are instructed not to put them on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus wreaks havoc across the nation , doctors who shoulder much of the crisis are left with devastating life or death decisions .
BuzzFeed News reviewed documents from a New York City public hospital in line with previous reporting from the New York Times that lay out “ policy enhancements ” for doctors at hospitals across the nation on how to prioritize helping patients who are sick because of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , as medical supplies run low .
At least one New York City public hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should receive ventilators in light of the shortages — a harrowing task left to physicians on the front lines .
“ I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do .
Zero .
You feel defeated , ” one city doctor who works at a public hospital with similar guidelines told BuzzFeed News .
“ You feel drained.
” The doctor asked to remain anonymous , as they were afraid of losing their job should they be identified .
“ There ’ s a list about six [ types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on a vent .
‘ It makes no sense , they ’ re going to die soon anyway , so let them die ’ — like that ’ s the crazy thought process .
This shit hurts , ” they said .
During the coronavirus crisis , the steady tone of a heart monitor that signals health officials need to intervene immediately might go unanswered .
Somehow that sound , which most of us recognize only from episodes of Grey ’ s Anatomy , is now the backdrop for health care officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit .
“ Normally in the real world , you never let that happen so you never really see that .
That ’ s how it was on Saturday .
You saw the heart rate go down , the blood pressure go down , the oxygen go down and then everything just flatlines and stops .
Literally , we looked at each other and said ‘ what else can we do ?
Nothing , ’ ” the doctor recalled .
“ And then guess what ?
We ’ re so morbid .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the first thing we think of [ when a patient dies ] ?
‘ Oh shit , we got a new ventilator , let ’ s get somebody on the ventilator !
’ ” Doctors , like the one interviewed by BuzzFeed News , are having to reckon with their decisions .
Many times that reality only hits at home , when they ’ re alone , many of them quarantining from the rest of their family members .
“ When I went home , I was like , what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go on a ventilator when a man just died !
” “ I ’ ve never seen anything like this in my life .
... Never.
” New York City has become the epicenter of the pandemic .
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University , there are 92,743 cases in New York state and 2,473 deaths at the time of this post , with many of them coming from New York City .
The crisis is taking a toll on the city ’ s health care system , especially as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care professionals .
Ventilators , the doctor explained , are the safest way to assist patients with COVID-19 , as other treatments create more aerosols and could contaminate the hospital .
“ It ’ s scary and it ’ s tough , ” the doctor said .
“ I think what ’ s scary is that the resources are missing .
This is the richest country in the world and they ’ re out here talking about recycling masks .
... Now we ’ re using the same one all day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all day .
You don ’ t really have the time to change , you ’ re just running from one patient to the next , one patient to the next , one patient to the next.
” And then there ’ s the pace at which the disease ravages each victim .
“ Literally , I went out to the visiting area — because visitors aren ’ t allowed — to talk to the daughter .
[ The ] mom is doing fine , her numbers are OK , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to see , ” they said .
Within six minutes of the update , the doctor had to provide another update : “ I had to intubate your mother.
” It happened a second time , to a different patient , on the same day .
“ I go out to tell the husband ‘ OK , everything looks good.
’ I go back in , oxygen levels drop , we have to intubate her .
...
The crazy thing is how fast people go down and die .
Literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the bathroom and pee and come back and you ’ re running around and your patient is dying.
” “ The other day I felt defeated .
The patient came in on a code .
We looked at each other .
The patient had to die .
There was nothing we could do.
” Any feelings of guilt were upended by the next patient to come through the doors when they had to tell EMS they had no ventilators .
EMS said they had nowhere else to go .
The patient died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Andrew Cuomo approved ventilator splitting , in which hospitals could use a single machine to treat two patients .
But the idea is controversial and was condemned by several medical associations , calling the practice unsafe “ because it can not be done safely with current equipment.
” The Trump administration , in an open letter Tuesday , called for hospitals to share ventilators with guidelines that the method should only be considered “ as an absolute last result.
” New York City Health and Hospitals , which runs the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not going to implement ventilator splitting .
`` We are not implementing ventilation triage .
Our commitment is to ensure every patient is treated individually and receives the care they need , ” spokesperson Christopher Miller told BuzzFeed News .
For doctors , the burden friends and family take on amid the crisis does not go unnoticed , some of whom unknowingly say goodbye to their loved ones the minute they bring them into the hospital .
On March 18 , the city suspended all hospital visiting hours except to those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s care or visiting a woman in labor or someone in an imminent end-of-life situation .
“ You know what ’ s sad too from a provider 's standpoint ?
You know what it is to bring — let ’ s say — your mom , your wife , your husband , a significant other to the ER , as soon as we take them we say , ‘ you can ’ t come in.
’ We come back , maybe two hours later to say they ’ re not doing well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then maybe two , three weeks later [ we ] tell [ them ] they died and they did not see their family through that whole time because they can ’ t come in .
”

WASHINGTON — At the top of the list for ventilators: patients with just one failing organ. And then there are the others. Doctors with patients who are unresponsive to standard measures, have severe burns, have irreversible low blood pressure, or any other condition that would result in immediate mortality are instructed not to put them on ventilators during the coronavirus pandemic.
As the coronavirus wreaks havoc across the nation, doctors who shoulder much of the crisis are left with devastating life or death decisions.
BuzzFeed News reviewed documents from a New York City public hospital in line with previous reporting from the New York Times that lay out “policy enhancements” for doctors at hospitals across the nation on how to prioritize helping patients who are sick because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as medical supplies run low. At least one New York City public hospital sent specific guidelines for doctors on who should receive ventilators in light of the shortages — a harrowing task left to physicians on the front lines.
“I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do. Zero. You feel defeated,” one city doctor who works at a public hospital with similar guidelines told BuzzFeed News. “You feel drained.”
The doctor asked to remain anonymous, as they were afraid of losing their job should they be identified.
“There’s a list about six [types of] patients that do not get put on a vent. ‘It makes no sense, they’re going to die soon anyway, so let them die’ — like that’s the crazy thought process. This shit hurts,” they said.
During the coronavirus crisis, the steady tone of a heart monitor that signals health officials need to intervene immediately might go unanswered. Somehow that sound, which most of us recognize only from episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, is now the backdrop for health care officials navigating a hospital’s intensive care unit.
“Normally in the real world, you never let that happen so you never really see that. That’s how it was on Saturday. You saw the heart rate go down, the blood pressure go down, the oxygen go down and then everything just flatlines and stops. Literally, we looked at each other and said ‘what else can we do? Nothing,’” the doctor recalled.
“And then guess what? We’re so morbid. We’re so jaded. Guess what’s the first thing we think of [when a patient dies]? ‘Oh shit, we got a new ventilator, let’s get somebody on the ventilator!’”
Doctors, like the one interviewed by BuzzFeed News, are having to reckon with their decisions. Many times that reality only hits at home, when they’re alone, many of them quarantining from the rest of their family members. “When I went home, I was like, what the fuck? I ordered another patient to go on a ventilator when a man just died!”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. ... Never.”
New York City has become the epicenter of the pandemic. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there are 92,743 cases in New York state and 2,473 deaths at the time of this post, with many of them coming from New York City. The crisis is taking a toll on the city’s health care system, especially as it relates to ventilators and protective equipment for health care professionals. Ventilators, the doctor explained, are the safest way to assist patients with COVID-19, as other treatments create more aerosols and could contaminate the hospital.
“It’s scary and it’s tough,” the doctor said. “I think what’s scary is that the resources are missing. This is the richest country in the world and they’re out here talking about recycling masks. ... Now we’re using the same one all day. We’re using the same gown all day. You don’t really have the time to change, you’re just running from one patient to the next, one patient to the next, one patient to the next.”
And then there’s the pace at which the disease ravages each victim.
“Literally, I went out to the visiting area — because visitors aren’t allowed — to talk to the daughter. [The] mom is doing fine, her numbers are OK, we’re just going to watch her and we’re going to see,” they said. Within six minutes of the update, the doctor had to provide another update: “I had to intubate your mother.”
It’s “that fast. That fast,” thye said.
It happened a second time, to a different patient, on the same day.
“I go out to tell the husband ‘OK, everything looks good.’ I go back in, oxygen levels drop, we have to intubate her. ... The crazy thing is how fast people go down and die. Literally, like you walk out and go to the bathroom and pee and come back and you’re running around and your patient is dying.”
“The other day I felt defeated. The patient came in on a code. We looked at each other. The patient had to die. There was nothing we could do.” Any feelings of guilt were upended by the next patient to come through the doors when they had to tell EMS they had no ventilators. EMS said they had nowhere else to go. The patient died.
On March 26, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved ventilator splitting, in which hospitals could use a single machine to treat two patients. But the idea is controversial and was condemned by several medical associations, calling the practice unsafe “because it cannot be done safely with current equipment.” The Trump administration, in an open letter Tuesday, called for hospitals to share ventilators with guidelines that the method should only be considered “as an absolute last result.”
New York City Health and Hospitals, which runs the city’s public hospitals, said it is not going to implement ventilator splitting. "We are not implementing ventilation triage. Our commitment is to ensure every patient is treated individually and receives the care they need,” spokesperson Christopher Miller told BuzzFeed News.
For doctors, the burden friends and family take on amid the crisis does not go unnoticed, some of whom unknowingly say goodbye to their loved ones the minute they bring them into the hospital. On March 18, the city suspended all hospital visiting hours except to those who are medically essential to the patient’s care or visiting a woman in labor or someone in an imminent end-of-life situation.
“You know what’s sad too from a provider's standpoint? You know what it is to bring — let’s say — your mom, your wife, your husband, a significant other to the ER, as soon as we take them we say, ‘you can’t come in.’ We come back, maybe two hours later to say they’re not doing well, we have to intubate them. And then maybe two, three weeks later [we] tell [them] they died and they did not see their family through that whole time because they can’t come in.”
“I mean, it’s like a Twilight Zone movie.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-03--A British Newspaper Has Given Chinese Coronavirus Propaganda A Direct Line To The UK

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
UPDATE : As of April 3 , the Telegraph appeared to have removed the People 's Daily Online site in its entirety .
A spokesperson for the Telegraph did not return a request for comment .
When medical authorities in China claimed they ’ d cured more than 750 cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , using pseudoscience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was space for China 's party line on the story .
“ Traditional Chinese medicine ‘ helps fight coronavirus , ' ” declared the March 3 headline , in the online version of the Daily Telegraph .
Without any evidence , the article claimed that the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine had tested an unidentified “ prescription ” on 804 patients , and that `` by the end of 14 February , '' it had proven `` effective in 94 per cent of the cases . ''
The article was published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s site called People ’ s Daily Online , a self-contained “ advertisement feature ” promising `` all the latest stories about contemporary China ’ s dynamic development , diverse culture and world-leading infrastructure , '' complete with a home page and sections for news , opinion , business , and sports , among other topics .
But beyond a boilerplate disclaimer waiving responsibility , nowhere does the site disclose any information about its sponsor .
People ’ s Daily is the official newspaper and mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Telegraph 's site is part of a global propaganda campaign that positions the country as a leader in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic , which has now killed more than 44,000 people worldwide .
The Telegraph is one of dozens of newspapers around the world that have struck deals with China in recent years .
According to one report , the paper received £750,000 annually to carry the material from the People 's Daily , a relationship which , prior to the coronavirus pandemic , had led to accusations that the British newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Daily Telegraph and the People 's Daily did not return requests for comment .
At least 16 articles were taken down Wednesday , after BuzzFeed News began asking questions .
Online archives show that the People 's Daily Online began running stories about the coronavirus in February , shortly after China 's President Xi Jinping “ called upon Chinese media to publish stories casting [ China 's response ] in a positive light , ” as Axios reported .
Since then , it has run more than 50 paid articles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking its foreign adversaries .
Unlike the Telegraph ’ s own coronavirus coverage , much of which is hidden behind a paywall , all of the People 's Daily Online content is free to read .